In this episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with author Rebecca Connolly to talk about the real path to becoming a writer—one marked by uncertainty, persistence, libraries, and learning by doing. Rebecca shares how taking just one creative writing class shaped her perspective on creative work, how she continued writing without formal training, and how she discovered that sometimes the only way forward is simply to keep going. During the interview, we talk about her books: An Arrangement of Sorts, A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice, Hidden Yellow Stars, A Carol for Mrs. Dickens, and The Claire Walker Mystery Series.

This conversation is an honest look at storytelling, growth, and what it means to stay committed to the journey—especially when the road isn’t clear.

Whether you’re a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone learning to trust the slow work of becoming, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book and embark on your own literal journey.

📚 READ Hidden Yellow Stars: https://amzn.to/4qmUSpg
👀 CHECK OUT Rebecca Connolly’s other books: https://amzn.to/4s8uP6L
🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. 📖✨

#RebeccaConnolly #ALiteralJourney #AuthorInterview #WritingLife #AmWriting #Storytelling #HistoricalRomance #BookPodcast #ReadersOfYouTube #SethAdamSmith

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!

In this heartwarming episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with award-winning author and educator McCall Hoyle. During the interview, McCall shares how her deep love for dogs, her years teaching at-risk youth, and her own experiences with grief shaped novels like Stella and her newest “heart book,” Forever Ripley. We discuss the power of writing from a dog’s point of view, helping kids navigate big emotions through story, and why one young reader described Ripley perfectly: “Sad… but hopeful.” McCall’s wisdom, warmth, and honesty make this a conversation that will stay with you long after it ends.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, animal lover, or lifelong reader, this conversation will leave you inspired to open a book and embark on your own “literal journey.”

📚 READ Forever Ripley: https://amzn.to/4pyvpZS
👀 CHECK OUT McCall Hoyle’s other books: https://amzn.to/4pY8as2
🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A Literal Journey: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and literary discussions. 📖✨

#McCallHoyle #ForeverRipley #MiddleGradeBooks #Dogs #AnimalFiction #KidLit #GriefAndHope #Reading #Parenting #Books #Literacy #AuthorInterview #ALiteralJourney #SethAdamSmith #HeartDog #HeartDogs

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!

Imagine a future where paper is treasure, stories arrive in seconds, and the cliff notes are all you ever get. That uneasy thrill sparked Frank L. Cole’s The Legend of the Last Library—and it’s the thread we pull on as we dig into speed, meaning, and the quiet power of reading the long way. Frank shares how an impatient moment with AirPods became a full-on dystopia, why the rewrite that nearly broke him made the book sing, and how a single found novel rewires his heroine’s life in a world that’s forgotten what reading feels like.

We get personal and practical. Frank traces his path from early scares and school visits to a career shaped by persistence, hundreds of rejections, and a community that opened doors. He owns his pantser process—messy, intuitive, and sometimes maddening—and explains how recording voice notes, reading chapters aloud, and letting characters breathe keep the spark alive. We also revisit Potion Masters and Champion’s Quest, exploring research, real-world ingredients, and the kind of cover art that pulls kids into a universe at first glance.

Most of all, we talk about connection. How teachers and librarians help kids find gateway books. How reading out loud turns stories into family rituals. How a single thank-you at a signing can redefine success more than any sales target. Frank’s themes—friendship, courage, embracing the weird—show up on every page he writes, offering a gentle counterspell to shortcuts and algorithms. If you’ve ever wondered what we lose when stories come too fast, this conversation makes the case for slowing down, turning pages, and letting a book change you.

If this resonates, follow and share the show, leave a quick review, and tell us: what book hit different when you read it slowly? Subscribe for more author deep dives and craft conversations.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or book lover, this conversation will leave you inspired to open a book and embark on your own “literal journey.”

📚 READ The Legend of the Last Library: https://amzn.to/48Cs9pb
👀 CHECK OUT Frank L. Cole's other books: https://amzn.to/4iBjc45
🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A Literal Journey: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to "A Literal Journey" for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and literary discussions. 📖✨

#franklcole #frankcole #lastlibrary #dystopian #dystpianfiction #Reading #Parenting #Books #Literacy #AuthorInterview #ALiteralJourney #SethAdamSmith

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!