The Story Craft Cafe Podcast

reWrite A Novel With Dabble In 60 Days Kickoff | SCC 65

It's time to take that novel that you've first-drafted and whip it into shape! Our panel of writers will work through the process–along with you, the audience–and hear from special guests along the way.

The State Of Writing And Publishing Sci Fi | SCC 64

Rhett is a USA Today bestselling and Nebula-nominated hybrid author who has been writing Sci-Fi & Fantasy since before he can remember. On the editing side, he has collected works for numerous anthologies through Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bridge, and served as the lead editor of the bestselling Bridge Across the Stars Anthology. He also served for a period as a consulting editor for ASIM magazine and as a 34freelance editor on Upwork, and has earned a Certificate in Screenwriting / Storytelling from the New School in NYC.
Rhett is passionate about science fiction and its role in our fast-moving society. He wants stories that focus on characters but also present the kind of concepts that keep readers up at night, dreaming of potential futures.

The Art Of The Whodunit With Deborah Crombie | SCC 63

Deborah Crombie was born in Dallas and grew up in Richardson, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas, the second child of Charlie and Mary Darden. Her maternal grandmother, Lillian Dozier, a retired teacher, taught her to read at the tender age of four. After a rather checkered educational career, which included dropping out of high school at sixteen, she graduated from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, with a degree in biology.
She then worked in advertising and newspapers and attended the Rice University Publishing Program. A post-university trip to England, however, cemented a life-long passion for Britain, and she later immigrated to the UK with her first husband, Peter Crombie, a Scot, living first in Edinburgh, Scotland, and then in Chester, England.
After returning to live in Dallas, a trip to Yorkshire inspired her first Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid/Sergeant Gemma James novel. A Share in Death [Scribner, 1993], was subsequently given Agatha and Macavity nominations for Best First Novel of 1993. The fifth novel, Dreaming of the Bones (Scribner 1997), a New York Times Notable Book for 1997, was short-listed by Mystery Writers of America for the 1997 Edgar Award for Best Novel, won the Macavity Award for Best Novel, and was voted by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association as one of the hundred best mysteries of the century. Her subsequent novels have been received with critical acclaim and are widely read internationally, particularly in Germany.
In 2009, Where Memories Lie won the Macavity Award for Best Novel.  In 2010, Necessary as Blood received a Macavity nomination for Best Novel.
Crombie's novels are published in North America, Japan, Germany, France, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Romania, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and numerous other countries. The latest novel in the series, A Killing of Innocents, is available in February 2023 from William Morrow.
Although she travels to England several times a year, Crombie lives in McKinney, Texas, a historic town north of Dallas, sharing a circa 1905 Texas Craftsman bungalow with her husband, Rick Wilson, two German shepherds (Dax and Jasmine), and two cats.  She is an aficionado of tea and cocktails, enjoys cooking and admiring her garden, reading, birdwatching, and playing with her dogs.
She is currently working on her twentieth Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novel.

Writing Romance With A Touch Of Magic With Audrey Burges | SCC 62

Audrey Burges writes novels, humor, short fiction, and essays in Richmond, Virginia. Her presence is tolerated by her two rambunctious children and very patient husband, all of whom have become practiced at making supportive faces when she shouts, “listen to this sentence!” She is a frequent contributor to numerous humor outlets, including McSweeney’s, and her stories and essays have appeared in Pithead Chapel, Cease, Cows, and lengthy diatribes in the Notes app on her phone. Audrey was born and raised in Arizona by her linguist parents, which is a lot like being raised by wolves, but with better grammar. She moved to Virginia as an adult but still carries mountains and canyons in her heart, and sometimes, when she closes her eyes, she can still smell ponderosa pines in the sun.
 
 

Thrillers With A Sense Of Urgency With Brad Taylor | SCC 61

Brad Taylor was born on Okinawa, Japan, but grew up on 40-acres in rural Texas.  Graduating from the University of Texas, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry.  Brad served for more than 21 years, retiring as a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel.  During that time he held numerous Infantry and Special Forces positions, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta where he commanded multiple troops and a squadron.  He has conducted operations in support of US national interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other classified locations.
His final assignment was as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.  He holds a Master’s of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, with a concentration in Irregular Warfare.  In 2011, Brad published his debut novel, One Rough Man, which was an immediate success and launched the Pike Logan series. Now with more than 15 installments and more than 3 million copies sold, the series has consistently hit the New York Times bestseller list. When not writing, he serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies.  He lives in Charleston, SC with his wife and two daughters.

AI Tools From A Writer And Publisher’s Perspective With Steve Beaulieu | SCC 60

AI is certainly one of the buzziest topics as we start off 2023, and lots of writers are exploring what these tools might be able to offer to their personal creative process. Today we hear from a writer and publisher about his thoughts on where we stand with this emerging technology.

Using AI Writing Tools With Paranormal Cozy Mystery Writer Leanne Leeds | SCC 59

There's a lot of talk in the writing community about AI and the tools that AI are now affording writers. Today we hear from an author who is using this new technology to further her craft and career.
Leanne Leeds is a humorously acerbic, good-natured, contemporary paranormal/fantasy cozy mystery author who writes fun, lighthearted, and optimistic adventures where characters and events intersect in magically unexpected ways. With a cast of quirky characters inhabiting her fictional world, Leanne provides a unique blend of comedy, clues, and twisty action—all with a touch of magic that keeps readers turning pages.
Leanne is a proud member of Novelists, Inc., The Alliance of Independent Authors, The Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.
For information on Leanne Leeds visit: https://leanneleeds.com
 

A Look Back At 2022 | Story Craft Cafe 58

Wow, what a year! In this calendar year not only did we kick off the number one site for writers The Story Craft Cafe, but we also started this podcast as an offshoot of that very special place. We had some fantastic guests that stopped by to share their stories and to drop some hard earned wisdom on us as well. In this episode we look back at a few of those highlights as we get ready to spend some special moments with family and friends and reflect on all of the good that 2022 brought us. We hope you take this time to rest and recharge your creative batteries and come back ready to tackle your stories with renewed hope and vigor. From all of us at Dabble and the Story Craft Cafe, Happy Holidays!
In this episode we hear from:
Sally Britton
Richard Fox
Christopher Paolini
Liv Constantine
James Rollins
Sarah Pinborough
Beverly Jenkins
J. T. Ellison
Brian McClellan
Jenna Moreci
R. A. Salvatore
Jasinda and Jack Wilder
 

Write A Novel With Dabble In 60 Days : The Journey’s End, Or Just The End Of This Chapter? | SCC 57

It's been a wild and memorable 60 days, and we have learned a lot about the art and science of writing, and a lot about ourselves. How did we do? Did we hit our wordcount target? Did we form new habits? Most importantly, do we feel like we are better writers now than when we started? We'll recap the challenge and look forward to the future.

Write A Novel With Dabble In 60 Days Week Five Check-in: The Muddy Middle | SCC 56

Welcome to the Story Craft Café Podcast. If you're just joining us for the first time, we kicked off a challenge last month to Write A Novel With Dabble In 60 Days. This challenge encompasses the yearly NaNoWriMo Challenge, while also adding a planning month to the mix. Five writers are going through the process of developing an idea, making a fully formed plot and plan, then executing the writing of a first draft in 60 days. 
The middle of the writing is where the rubber meets the road. The planning is all done, the excitement of getting all those ideas out on the screen has now faded into hard work. What do you do when things are not working the way you had hoped, or maybe you've lost your momentum and just need to get back on track. Join us today as we talk through the muddy middle of the writing challenge.
Be sure to join us at storycraft.cafe to join in the writer community that is flourishing there and find your tribe that will help you stay motivated during this event and beyond.