In today's episode, Kat chats with Carley Fortune, author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake (which is out TODAY, May 2!) about using a real location in a novel, her path to publication, her newest novel, MEET ME AT THE LAKE, the inspiration behind her novels, creating her characters, how she got her agent and book deal, how she had input on her book covers, her pivot from journalism to fiction writing, advice for writers, newsletters, and her book recommendations.

You can find out more about Carley on her website at www.carleyfortune.com. She's on Instagram @carleyfortune an Twitter @carleyfortune.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com, ⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently paused. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on literary clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠),

Today's bonus episode features a Q&A with Aevitas Creative Management literary agent Lori Galvin! Kat and Lori chat about how she got involved in and her favourite parts of agenting, what she’s currently looking for, a shoutout for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, how agents get paid, earning out advances, qualities that make an agent request pages,  getting feedback, the publisher submission process, querying before a manuscript is ready, mentioning neurodiversity in a query letter, description in writing, nudging agents, preparing for “the call,” the importance of comps in a query letter, and how to get on bestselling lists or in major book clubs.

Find out more about Lori at https://www.aevitascreative.com/agent/lori-galvin. She's also on Instagram @lorigalvin and on Twitter @galvinlori.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com, ⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently by referral only. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠)

In today's episode, Kat chats with Canadian author Michael Decter about his first novel, Shadow Life, where the inspiration came from, his experiences as a juror in a double homicide trial, his family history and how the Titanic could have changed everything, travelling to international locations and using those experiences, how he made Georgian Bay a character in the novel, research on stockpiling for the story, pivoting from nonfiction to fiction, the importance of librarians, fictionalizing people, title changes, his next books, working with an editor, and advice for writing fiction.

Michael is on Twitter @MichaelDecter, on IG @michaeldecterauthor, and his website at www.michaeldecter.com.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com, ⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently by referral only. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠)

In today's episode, hear how scientist and biologist Rachel Carson used writing to convey a super important message to the masses, which started the environmental movement in the 1950s and 60s. Then, a little bit about writing conferences before Kat dives into a thrilling conversation with founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers' Conference, Clay Stafford. Topics covered include the plethora of things he’s involved in (writing, publishing, education, music industry, etc.), various forms of storytelling, how Killer Nashville began, what comprises ‘mystery, suspense, and thriller,’ why he loves doing what he does, diversity in books and in the conference, everything the conference offers, the awards and scholarships at available at KN, the generosity and Pay-it-Forward mentality of KN, volunteers, the importance of networking, the effect of Covid on conferences (virtual vs in-person), and a little bit about Nashville.

Find out more about the Killer Nashville conference on their website at www.killernashville.com. They're on Twitter @KillerNashville and on IG @killnernashville. More info about Clay is on his website https://claystafford.com/.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com⁠⁠ foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently closed for a short time. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠), Head Up by Sixteen Wheelers, and A New Earth by Ealot (⁠epidemicsound.com⁠)

I'm back with more literary history! Today: D.E.A.R. Day and Beverly Cleary! Then, I chat with adventure thriller author Avanti Centrae about her newest novel, Cleopatra’s Vendetta, her Van Ops series, how her ideas formulate, what archeoastronomy is, authors she draws inspiration from, reading while drafting, her outlining process, having family as early readers, her various publishing experiences, indie vs traditional publishing, film/tv, book covers, and advice for good pacing in a novel.

Thank you to everyone who participated in April's MoodPitch! Stay tuned for our fall event date announcement!

Find out more about Avanti at https://www.avanticentrae.com/. She's on Twitter @avanticentrae and IG @avanti.centrae.author.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently by referral only. The podcast is booked solid until October 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠).

In today’s episode, Kat chats with author John Kennedy about his crime books, The Trauma Pool and The Kill Chain; gender inequality, treatment of mental health issues, and racism in the 1980s and 90s—especially on a police force; researching detective facts and details; using microfiche for research, reaching out to a professional for research; how things were done in the 80s and 90s vs now; choosing a specific reason to write in another time period as opposed to present-day; writing in different genres; publishing in anthologies; writing short form vs long form; competitions; thoughts on writer’s block; not listening to an agent’s or editor’s submission guidelines; digital first publishing; and advice for the drafting process.

Website and mailing list – https://www.writerjohnkennedy.com Books available at - The Trauma Pool (DI Will Ashcroft Crime Thrillers Book 1) eBook : Kennedy, John: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store Instagram @johnkennedywriter Twitter @JohnKen_writer

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings are currently by referral only. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠)

In today’s special #AskAgent episode, Kat chats with Westwood Creative Artists literary agent Emmy Nordstrom Higdon about how and why they got involved in agenting, what’s grabbing their attention right now, how to navigate the ever-changing landscape of publishing, what they like to see in a query letter, grammar in query letters and sample pages, their desert island books (see below for titles/authors), choosing between agents at the same agency, re-querying rewritten manuscripts (and how to do it right), if WattPad or Kindle Vella counts as a debut, what makes them pass on a full manuscript, pet peeves about queries, anonymous authors, and pen names.

Titles and Authors Mentioned by Emmy:

Emma Hooper’s Our Homesick Songs, Helen Oyeyemi (White is for Witching) The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

Find Emmy on Twitter @emmy_of_spines, Instagram @emmy_of_spines and their websites: http://www.emmy.ooo and www.wcaltd.com.

Kat is on Twitter ⁠@kfoxx_writes⁠ ⁠@_badasswriters⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. On IG, she's ⁠@kathleenfoxxwrites⁠ ⁠@badasswriters_podcast⁠ ⁠@FoxxEditorial⁠ and ⁠@moodpitchers⁠. Her websites are ⁠kathleenfoxx.com⁠⁠foxxeditorial.com⁠, ⁠kathleenfoxxagent.com⁠, and ⁠moodpitch.org⁠.

Signup for Kat’s newsletter ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to submit a pitch for critique on the show, please fill out ⁠this form⁠.

For questions for the podcast (to be answered in an episode), book recommendations or shoutouts to those who've helped on your path to publication, see details on Kat’s website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Please note interview bookings paused for a short time and are currently by referral only. The podcast is booked solid until November 2023. WOW! As Kat may be starting to take on clients at that time, she needs to ensure a schedule that will work and can still include the podcast. Hang tight for more details over the coming months!

Music: Bathtime Funk by All Good Folks (⁠uppbeats.io⁠)