Debut Author Podcasts
Welcome to our Debut Author Podcast series!
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Quick links to each of our episodes:
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February 3, 2019: Leah Decesare
 
Leah DeCesare is the award-winning author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons. Her writing has been featured in The Huffington post, Eligible Magazine, Simply Woman, The International Doula, and The Key, among others. She was the 2017 Story Circle Network LifeWriting first place winner. Leah is the cofounder of the nonprofit, Doulas of Rhode Island, and she led the fundraising efforts to build a medical center in Uganda. The mother of three, DeCesare lives with her family in Rhode Island and is pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at The Newport MFA. For more, visit leahdecesare.com
January 12, 2019: Erin Bartels
 
ERIN BARTELS is a copywriter and freelance editor by day, a novelist by night, and a painter, poet, and photographer in between. Her debut novel, WeHope for Better Things, released in January 2019 from Revell Books, and will be followed in September 2019 with The Words between Us, the manuscript for which was a finalist for the 2015 Rising Star Award from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Her short story “This Elegant Ruin” was a finalist in The Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. Her poems have been published by The Lyric and The East Lansing Poetry Attack. Erin lives in Michigan's capital city, nestled somewhere between angry protesters downtown and couch-burning frat boys at Michigan State University. And yet, she claims it is really quite peaceful. Erin is represented by Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency. Find her on Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor, on Twitter @ErinLBartels, or on Instagram @erinbartelswrites. Her weekly podcast, Your Face Is Crooked, drops on Monday mornings.
December 29, 2018: Romalyn Tilghman
 
Straight out of graduate school, native Kansan Romalyn Tilghman was hired as Executive Director of the Association of Community Arts Councils of Kansas and was lucky enough to work with rural arts councils throughout the state. She saw first-hand how groups of (mostly) women encouraged culture on the Plains. From there, she went on to work for the National Endowment for the Arts as Regional Representative, eventually serving a territory that stretched over the Dateline, over the Equator, and over the Arctic Circle. For more than twenty years, she has worked as a freelance consultant in the arts. She has served on the boards of Americans for the Arts, Association of California Symphony Orchestras, and Western Arts Alliance. She lives in Long Beach, California. To the Stars through Difficulties is her first novel. You can learn more at https://www.romalyn.com/.
December 18, 2018: Jennifer Klepper
 
A Midwest native, Jennifer made stops in Dallas, Charlottesville, and Boston before settling for good in Maryland. While she has an appreciation for the expansive beauty of the plains states, she hopes never to live landlocked again.
Jennifer attended Southern Methodist University and the University of Virginia School of Law, her law degree guiding her through the worlds of corporate law, tech startups, and court advocacy for foster children. She is an ardent consumer of podcasts and books that challenge her with compelling and unfamiliar topics. When she’s not writing or working her day job at Google, she’s crossing things off a never ending to-do list and hoping to catch that next sunset. Jennifer lives near Annapolis with her husband and two kids. You can connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Instagram, or her website.
December 9, 2018: Leslie Schweitzer Miller
 
Much of what I’ve done in life hasn’t proceeded in the usual, expected way: I got married and had children before I attended The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. My first residency was in pediatrics, then a second psychiatry, and ultimately psychoanalytic training. It has been and continues to be an enormously gratifying endeavor. Bearing witness to another human being’s life and watching them change is a rare privilege, and I love the relationships I have with the people in my care. It’s also been quite a detour, but even a detour eventually leads you back to your original destination.
Ultimately I came back to the pleasure of story-telling, and wrote Discovery. It is a novel about coming of age in middle age, a love story, an exploration of how the past colors the present and the capacity of people to change. The characters I created, and their lives, have become as real to me as any friend or neighbor. I know everything there is to know about them, much that remains unwritten, but helps, I hope, to make them people you can care about, who are psychologically sound and believable. It has been my intention to make fiction and factual research, perception and invention swirl together and blur on the pages. Learn more at http://www.lesliesmillerauthor.com/
November 24, 2018: Sarahlyn Bruck
 
Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary women’s fiction and lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. She is the author of DESIGNER YOU, published by Crooked Cat Books on August 31, 2018. Sarahlyn teaches writing and literature at a local community college and also coaches writers for Author Accelerator. DESIGNER YOU is Sarahlyn’s debut, and she is hard at work on her next book. Want the latest updates? Follow along for news, events, and announcements at sarahlynbruck.com. You can sign up for her monthly newsletter there, too.
November 4, 2018: Heather Frimmer
 
Heather is a book addict who is not even considering recovery. Funding her book habit as a radiologist by day, she reads over 100 books per year, especially enjoying women’s fiction, psychological suspense, historical fiction and family stories. A reviewer for Books, INK, she also posts the occasional review of her own right on her website.
For her day job, she is a physician—a radiologist specializing in breast imaging. When she's not interpreting mammograms and x-rays in a dark room, or reading/reviewing books, you’ll find her writing. Bedside Manners (SparkPress, October 2018), her debut novel, is a tale of unbreakable maternal love and triumphant survival, offering a fictional window into the world of medicine.
Aside from books, reading, writing, books, and more books, she's an enthusiastic foodie. Travel is another top hobby since it opens up doors to new food and restaurants. A lifetime member of Hadassah, she's also a supporter of Pink Aid, an organization helping underserved breast cancer patients.
October 28, 2018: Reyna Marder Gentin
 
After graduating from Yale College and Yale Law School, Reyna Marder Gentin practiced as a juvenile rights attorney with the Legal Aid Society and then as a criminal appellate attorney with a nonprofit public defender’s office for nearly eighteen years. That job, and a number of the clients she represented, inspired the story of UNREASONABLE DOUBTS. The novel is more than a legal thriller. It’s the story of Liana Cohen, a young woman grappling to salvage her idealism in an often harsh world, and learning how to find friendship, faith, and love in the right places.
Reyna keeps a hand in the law as a volunteer, representing women and men seeking restraining orders against their intimate partners. She has written and continues to write personal essays for a number of websites including Kveller, Mamalode, Grown & Flown and others. Reyna's short story, “A Reckoning,” was published in the 2017 issue of the Westchester Review, and her psychological thriller, "Complicity," appears online at The Write Launch. You can find links to all her pieces at www.reynamardergentin.com. Reyna lives with her family in Westchester, New York.
October 28, 2018: Megan A. Clancy
 
Megan A. Clancy is an award-winning writer of literary fiction. She has a BA in English from Colorado College, a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne, and worked as a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer. The Burden of a Daughter is her first novel and its early manuscript won the Somerset Award at the Chanticleer International Book Awards in 2016. She loves travel and has lived and worked in Australia, Nepal, and the United States. She currently lives with her husband in California. You can learn more about Megan at www.meganaclancy.com.
October 15, 2018: Ann Griffin
 
Ann comes from a family of adventurous women. An immigrant twice herself (to Canada and to the USA,) she understands from personal experience the challenges of being uprooted, either by choice or not, and remaking a life in a new place.
She writes historical fiction, flash fiction, and short non-fiction. She has published three fictional articles in the news magazine of the British Home Child Advocacy and Research Association, and is a guest blogger for the award winning writers' blog, Writers in the Storm .
A dual Canadian-US citizen, she resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband, Art, and their Old English Sheepdog. She spends summers in Toronto, Canada, with family. When not writing, she can be found at the golf course, or making music with her church choir.
October 7, 2018: Julie Maloney
 
Julie Maloney is a poet and writer and the author of “A Matter of Chance,” her debut novel, published in April, 2018 (She Writes Press). US WEEKLY Magazine selected it as a spring/summer trending book. She is the founder/director of WOMEN READING ALOUD, a non-profit international organization devoted to promoting women writers. She is a trained workshop leader in the Amherst Writers and Artists Method and holds an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a former dancer, choreographer, and artistic director of the Julie Maloney Dance Company in New York City. You can learn more about Julie at https://www.juliemaloney.net/.
September 16, 2018: Johanne Levesque
 
Johanne has worked in sales and management most of her career. In 2017 she did a complete flip and now works in a group home for adults with developmental delays as a personal service worker. She graduated from York University with a bachelor degree in psychology. Once a year, she and her husband visit orphans in Tanga, Tanzania to make sure they can afford to go to school, as they believe education is the key for their future. She has two grown children and is grandmother. She lives in Tottenham, Ontario Canada. When she’s not researching or writing, she likes to swim, train her Doberman puppy to become a therapy dog, and most weekends you’ll find her at street fairs, meeting her readers in person, and selling her books.
September 8, 2018: Sally Crosiar
 
Sally Crosiar lives in the Finger Lakes of New York State where she reads incessantly, enjoys time in and on the water, savors dark chocolate with red wine at every opportunity, and teaches about health and play for Empire State College. She is the author of Find the Love of Your Life, based on her own true story, My Uncle Dave, a children’s book with an adult message, and co-author with Dr. Sidney B. Simon of Love Builders: Tools to Build Every Relationship. Come Back is her debut novel.
September 4, 2018: Rachel Dacus
 
Rachel Dacus is a poet, essayist, and novelist who writes about love’s timeless truth. It’s the theme of her debut novel, THE RENAISSANCE CLUB, the romance between a young art historian and her historical hero, fiery 17th century Italian artist Bernini. Rachel enjoys reading and writing, preferably set in exotic places. She has traveled to Italy and India and plans to expand her journeys beyond countries that start with the letter “I”.
A daughter of a fine art painter who was also a rocket engineer, Rachel learned early about creativity and that being a little crazy is okay. She now lives in Northern California with her husband and Silky Terrier. When not writing or walking the the Bay Area open space, she raises funds for nonprofits. She’s a member of the Women’s Fiction Writer’s Association and Authors18. You can connect with Rachel at her Website or on Facebook.
August 20, 2018: Elena Mikalsen
 
Elena Mikalsen was born in Ukraine and came to New York City as a refugee with her family at age 17. She is somewhat obsessive about travel, but, when at home in San Antonio, can be found browsing through bookstores or antique shops with her family and two adopted pups. When not writing stories, primarily about women who have a chance to change their lives, she is a Pediatric Psychologist, working at a Children's Hospital, helping children cope with chronic medical illness. She actively blogs on issues of mental health for teens and adults and also provides consultation to authors writing about those issues. Wrapped in the Stars is her first work of fiction.
You can connect with Elena on her website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
August 20, 2018: Denitta Ward
 
Denitta Ward writes historical and contemporary fiction from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. After decades of writing legal briefs and contracts, Denitta picked up her pen and decided she'd write the stories she really wanted to tell - about young women discovering their own resilience in times of transition. Denitta is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association, the Historical Novel Society, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Somewhere Still, written as a Mother's Day gift, captures a society in transition - the world of jazz, baseball's Negro League and a burgeoning Prohibition bootleg trade -- all a backdrop for this story of the price of love, the hurts that are slowest to heal and a certain kind of infinite redemption found when women band together across race and class. You can connect with Denitta at www.denitta.com.
August 13, 2018: Eldonna Edwards
 
Eldonna Edwards grew up in a large family nestled between cornfields and churches in the provincial Midwest. She eventually escaped the harsh winters, moving to California where she expanded her career from massage therapist to journaling facilitator to author to beloved writer’s conference instructor and public speaker. Her bestselling debut novel, This I Know, won over the hearts and minds of readers everywhere and was a Delilah Book Club selection. In her second novel, Clover Blue, Eldonna once again explores themes of otherness and belonging, and the true definition of home. She is also the subject of the award-winning documentary Perfect Strangers that follows one kidney patient and one potential kidney donor in their search for a possible match. Her 2014 memoir Lost in Transplantation chronicles this life-changing decision. Eldonna currently lives and writes in a tiny pink house with her best friend, Brer. Please visit her at http://www.eldonnaedwards.com.
August 13, 2018: Marianne Hansen
 
I am a humor writer, wife, mother of 3 and purchaser of shoes. I live in Montana with my family and dog princess Ginny.
I spent the first half of my life in Connecticut. In high school, I was uprooted from my home and moved to Utah. I have been trying to move back East ever since. I’m starting to think it will be just as easy to change that goal to move to the Far East.
I attended Brigham Young University and received a degree in English, realized I had no employable abilities and got an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The only full-time job I could get was in Yemen so I went to the University of Iowa law school. Now, I have a JD from U of Iowa, and an MA and a BA from BYU, but I'm still trying to convince my family I know what I'm talking about.
When not writing or watching bad television, I can be found answering the question: "What would happen if I..."
You can connect with Marianne on her website at www.mariannehansen.net.
August 6, 2018: Carrie Mumford
 
Carrie Mumford has lived on both the East and West coasts of Canada, and many places in between. She completed a degree in English literature at Saint Mary’s University, and went on to complete a master’s in information studies at the University of Toronto. Carrie now lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband, three naughty cats, and one rambunctious dog.
Her short fiction has appeared in Full of Crow Fiction, the Bella Online Literary Review, Vine Leaves Literary Journal, the WCDR’s Whispered Words anthology and other fine journals. Her vignette, “The Blemish Collector”, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2012. In 2013, her short story “Ashes to Ashes” was short-listed for the Room Magazine contest. Her first novel, All But What’s Left, was released in June 2018. You can find Carrie here: Website (www.carriemumford.com), Twitter (@CarrieMumford), Instagram (instagram.com/carrie.mumford), and Facebook (CarrieMumfordAuthor), GoodReads (www.goodreads.com/carriemumford).
August 3, 2018: Irene Frances Olson
 
Irene Frances Olson writes from passion and experience. She was her father’s caregiver during his struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Having previously worked in the assisted living and memory care industry, she was not new to the disease—nor was her family immune.
After her father’s 2007 death from Alzheimer’s disease, Ms. Olson worked as an Alzheimer’s Association support meeting facilitator and concurrently, she worked for the State of Washington as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTC) – an advocate for adults living in LTC settings. The author maintains a blog www.babyboomersandmore.com, focusing primarily on elder issues, and her writing journey can be found on her author website: www.irenefrancesolson.com. Irene hopes to make a difference in the lives of others by writing novels that encourage those who just might need another cheerleader in their corner. It is her hope that her debut novel, Requiem for the status quo, provides such support.
July 18, 2018: Julie Clark
 
Julie Clark grew up reading books on the beach while everyone else surfed. After attending college at University of the Pacific, and a brief stint working in the athletic department at University of California, Berkeley, she returned home to Santa Monica to teach. She now lives there with her two young sons and a golden doodle with poor impulse control. The Ones We Choose is her first novel.
You can connect with Julie at https://www.julieclarkbooks.org/.
July 18, 2018: Barbara Solomon Josselsohn
 Barbara Solomon Josselsohn is a debut novelist and freelance magazine writer. Her novel, THE LAST DREAMER, was published by Lake Union. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Consumers Digest, Parents Magazine, American Baby, Westchester Magazine, and Writer’s Digest, and online at BrainChildMag.com, GrownandFlown.com, WorkingMother.com, NextAvenue.com, TheManifestStation.net, and Road2College.com. She also teaches novel writing at Sarah Lawrence College. Barbara and her husband have three children as well as a lovable shih-poo, and live in Westchester County, N.Y. Visit her at BarbaraSolomonJosselsohn.com.
July 4, 2018: Anna Quinn
  Anna Quinn is a writer, teacher, and the owner of The Writers' Workshoppe and Imprint Bookstore in Port Townsend, WA. She has thirty years of experience teaching and leading writing workshops across the country. Her writing has appeared in Writer's Digest, Psychology Today, Literature Circles and Response, Practical Aspects of Authentic Assessment, Instructor, Manifest-Station, Lit Fest Anthology 2016, and Washington 129 Anthology. Anna's first novel, The Night Child, was published Jan. 30th, 2018 by Blackstone Publishing. You can find her in these online spaces: https://annamquinn.com/, Twitter, and Instagram.
July 3, 2018: Jennifer Irwin
  A native New Yorker and captivating storyteller with a flair for embellishment, Jennifer Irwin currently resides in Los Angeles with two cats, a dog, and her boyfriend. After earning her BA in Cinema from Denison University, she worked in advertising and marketing, raised three boys, and ultimately became a certified Pilates instructor. While she has written screenplays and short stories since her college days, A Dress the Color of the Sky is her first novel. You can find her in these online spaces: http://jenniferirwinauthor.com/, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
June 10, 2018: Lori Henriksen
  Lori worked as a social worker and licensed family therapist in San Francisco before turning to writing. She now lives in Oregon, in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, surrounded by forest where hiking trails that weave through the trees follow and cross a creek with crashing waterfalls. Finding solace in nature and in the company of Ponderosa Pines over 100 feet tall, pushing toward old-growth status, she writes stories, putters in her garden and hikes with her rescue dogs. You can find her in these online spaces: https://lorihenriksen.com/, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
May 5, 2018: Sweta Srivastava Vikram
  Born in India, Sweta writes about women, multiculturalism, wellness, and identity. Sweta, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, amongst other publications, across nine countries on three continents, is an award-winning writer and graduate of Columbia University. She lives in New York City with her husband and in her spare time, teaches yoga to female survivors of rape and domestic violence. You can find her in these online spaces: www.swetavikram.com, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Each Debut Author Podcast is a conversation between our moderator Maggie Smith and a debut women's fiction author.
 Maggie Smith is a full-time writer in Milwaukee. Her first women’s fiction novel, Not So Simple, is in revision and she’s at work on her second, Girl Most Wanted, a domestic suspense. Her short story, The Devil You Know, will be published in 2018 in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s Anthology, False Faces.
More about our Debut Author Podcasts
Women's Fiction Writers Association members with a women's fiction debut are welcome to submit their book for participation.
These podcasts provide:
- Greater visibility for WFWA published authors
- Increased awareness of women's fiction among readers
- Opportunity for readers to hear more in-depth conversations with authors
Why Readers Should Participate
- Introduction to new, or new to you, authors
- Lively discussions
You do not have to be a member of WFWA to access the Debut Author Podcasts.
Why Writers Should Participate
- Support the women's fiction category and fellow WF writers
- Gain new readers who are already fans of women's fiction
- Support the industry you hope will support you
- Give readers a chance to learn more about you and your writing - making a personal connection with readers
Click here to like the WFWA Facebook Page and keep up to date on our Debut Author Podcasts and other WFWA events.
Click here to become a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association.
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