Send us a textWhen the world slowed during the pandemic, Steve Vannoy and I found an unexpected gift in that stillness. We began recording stories from his father, Smokey Vannoy—vivid tales of a bygone West Virginia filled with cinder-bottom towns, red-light districts, and river adventures. What started as a collection of oral history soon grew into something more—a shared book project, born from legacy and love.Adventures in Cinder Bottom became more than a family story. It turned into a vibrant retelling of time, place, and identity. In this episode of Authors Who Lead, as we reflect on our second book, Greenbrier River, we weren’t just navigating the usual creative hurdles of fiction—we were also carrying the weight of loss. Smokey passed away during the writing process, and that grief wove itself into every chapter. What makes these stories resonate is that they’re rooted in real people, real places, and a real desire to honor someone we both deeply admired.Timestamp:00:00 Smokey’s stories and Cinder Bottom03:08 Greenbrier River: growth through stories08:54 Authentic storytelling for Appalachia11:37 Boom to bust: a county’s journey13:32 Avoiding judgment in polarized times16:41 Early integration in segregated America19:34 Living stories: a father’s legacy25:32 Believe in your story26:46 From starter to finisher29:18 Join Authors Who Lead podcastFull show notesCOMMUNITY PROGRAMS📚 Write and Publish your bookCONNECT📷 Instagram🎬 TikTok👫🏻 Facebook💼 LinkedIn🐦‍⬛ Twitter🤝🏻 Apply to be a GuestLEAVE A REVIEW✍🏻 Review on Apple Podcasts✍️ Review on Spotify🖱️ Episode Webpage

[Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners should be aware that this podcast contains reference to deceased persons.] The fight for First Nations rights in Australia is ongoing, most recently frustrated by the lost 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum. Indigenous leader and author Thomas Mayo’s newest work, Always Was, Always Will Be: The Campaign for Justice and Recognition Continues, is a guidebook to action for Indigenous recognition and a rallying cry for those working to close the gap.Historian Clare Wright’s conclusion to her democracy trilogy, Näku Dhäruk The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy, tells the story of how the Yolŋu of Arnhem Land created the Yirrkala Bark Petitions in 1963 and gave birth to the land rights movement. Join Thomas and Clare as they explore these important struggles and what we can learn from them. With host Lorena Allam. This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers’ Festival. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.  After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:Instagram: @sydwritersfestFacebook: @SydWritersFestTikTok: @sydwritersfestSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so This week, we’re joined by Kim Rosenstock (DYING FOR SEX) to explore how a complicated protagonist with a simple goal drives interesting, rich, and emotionally resonant storytelling. Through the lens of her deeply personal and genre-blending show, which she co-created with Liz Meriwether, Kim shares how clarity of objective gave DYING FOR SEX its emotional depth, tonal range, and narrative momentum — and why writers shouldn’t be afraid to keep their characters’ goals simple, even when the journey is anything but. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tales of The Black Eyed Kids

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m talking about what I call Overflowing Ideas Syndrome. It’s when you have so many ideas that it's really hard to commit to one idea and easy to get distracted.This will be a great episode for you if you have a bunch of half-finished manuscripts, but you don't have a completed book!I delve into:Why nothing is wrong with you and how you can reframe this into a strength.Tools that will help you focus your energy on one idea at a time.The importance of tuning in to the book YOU most want to write.What happens when you pay attention to what gives you energy and excites you.Journaling prompts that you can use whenever you need to find clarity about what direction to go in.After listening, I think you’ll understand why it's really common to get distracted by shiny new ideas and to abandon projects halfway – and how joining a container of support with a writing community and working with a coach can help you stay accountable to finishing your book.And if you are an entrepreneur who wants to write and publish the book inside your heart, I’d love for you to join me in my Facebook group called Women Entrepreneurs Becoming Best Selling Authors. This free community is the perfect place to share what came up for you with this episode and any goals you have so we can cheer you on – and also to provide a little extra accountability for you, too!

Mark has a conversation with his life-long best buddy Steve Gaydos about art, beauty, photography, music, and so much more in a conversation recorded on their recent Canadian East Coast road trip. Links of Interest: Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation     The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

#1 Sunday Times Bestselling ghostwriter Marie Ellis spoke to me about her past lives in both acting and journalism, setting her ego aside as a ghost, and hacking the hero’s journey. Marie Ellis is a Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter, freelance editor, and writer of literary fiction. She is a career journalist who walked away from a 15-year in-house gig to go rogue. She combines her journalism and acting background with her writing skills to help businesses and individuals tell their stories. Marie spoke to me from a recording studio in London just before an on-screen commercial audition. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Marie Ellis and I discussed: How she landed a journalism job at a print science magazine with no experience Why 10,000 hours and her Masters in Literature were well-suited for ghostwriting The Impostor Syndrome that comes with each new book Productive procrastination and improv Why writers need to “Fail faster to succeed sooner” And a lot more! Show Notes: musecontent.co.uk  Fabula Deck by Sefirot Marie Ellis on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The skyrocketing success of "Friendship," starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, is tied to its distinct visual style. Cinematographer Andy Rydzewski https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2198503 shares the recipe behind the film’s look, breaking down key choices in framing, lighting, and camera techniques.Matt and Oren dive into the details, nerding out over f-stops, open gate, ISO, sensor breaks, and the creative decision by Andy and director Andrew DeYoung to move away from the 28mm lens.Find Andy on Instagram @filmandy---Matt's Endorsement: Upgrade to pro on Letterboxd https://letterboxd.com/pro/Oren's Endorsement: 1. Use a rice cooker. 2. For Mother's Day or that special day in that special someone's life, instead of buying a gift, give them the gift of a day without having to do anything. Do the laundry, take care of the kids, and finish all the chores in their life while they can kick back and enjoy.Andy's Endorsement: 1. Use a lap desk (kind of like a pillow with a hard top) to support your laptop while you work. 2. The Blackmagic Camera app  Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More Books by Joshua Moehling Show Notes and Transcription Summary: Transcript The post MTTA 217: Joshua Moehling appeared first on Meet the Thriller Author.

Tyler James leads an awesome discussion featuring first-time crowdfunders Justin Dunn & Eric Tomeo, first-time crowdfunders of Ballad of Dust & Blood, along with veteran crowdfunders Karl Kerschl, creator of Death Transit Magpie, and Clay Adams - Creator of Blazing Blade of Frankenstein, as they dive deep into the world of Kickstarter campaigns for comic books.