Hello listeners today. My guest is me. I have a break in author interviews, partly due to my own impending book launch, partly just chance. So I thought I'd take the opportunity to just check in about three things. First, what I've learned in my first two and a half months of podcasting. Second. A quick advertisement for my own book. That's coming September 29th. And third, a brief peek into my book, coaching business, and exactly what coaching is. Okay. So here's the first one. So, what have I learned through podcasting? First I've learned that the fun of podcasting far outweighs the effort involved. I really can't stress that enough. It is an enormous pleasure to talk to other people in the historical fiction world. Whatever their part in it. Yes. There's a little technology to deal with and a couple of hours per podcast to edit, publish and promote it. But by and large, that part isn't onerous. Second. I've learned that every writer is different even more so than I thought, because of course we're all individuals. So that's obviously true. But what I have discovered is that things I thought must be universal and writers simply. Aren't actually, I'm really talking historical fiction here. Huge variety of approaches to research many different writing processes, and that doesn't begin to touch on what they actually write and why, which is all so interesting. I've also been delighted because I've gotten to know several historical fiction sub genres better. Things that I don't always look forward to read on my own. I've been talking to several writers who write historical mystery and that's been absolutely great. Although I confess, I lean on the history part more than the mystery part, but Hey, I love a good mystery. So. And th and being historical just adds another. Element of deliciousness to it all. So the one thing I've learned that is universal. Is that historical novelists get a huge charge out of just doing the research. I think that's pretty much prerequisite to wanting to write anything historical in the first place, because you really can't do it without research, no matter which genre sub genre you're in. Even if you're writing a sort of. Alternate history. You got to know what the real history was to begin with. Anyway. I love digging into all those details. And so apparently do all the other novelists I've talked to so far. And I've learned that speaking of novelists liking the same things I do, they all seem to really like talking about writing as much as I do as well. That should be obvious, but I confess. I had some moments of anxiety thinking I'd be getting, yes, no answers to questions and wouldn't be able to fill the time. That has not been the problem to say the least. Usually, I feel like I could keep talking for hours to the people I've been interviewing. I'm hoping to branch out a bit from pure historical novelist interviews. As I started to do with my interviews of reviewer, Erin Davies and librarian, Kate M and Heizer. I'd like to do maybe some topic specific podcasts to maybe look at books that take place during specific different periods. Like maybe a whole thing about Regency novels and another one about. Ancient history or something. Maybe look at, um, also maybe ask an author to come on and recommend some of their favorite books, or I can just do that myself, of course, because I've been reading a lot. That is actually an unexpected side benefit of doing the podcast. I've always been a reader. But lately with so much going on in my life. I've had to push reading a little bit down on my priority list and get other things done. However, with a podcast to prepare. I have an excuse. I could say to myself, I have to read this great book because I'm talking to the author in a few days. So my overall reading pace has definitely picked up. So onto my second topic, a very self serving one, and I apologize, but there you go. It's the upcoming launch of my book, the Paris affair. This is the third in my, why a mystery series. Featuring young 18th century Viennese violinist, Teresa Shoreman. The first one in the series came out 11 years ago in 2009, it was published by Bloomsbury childrens and nominated for awards was a junior library, Guild selection, and a bank street. Children's book of the year. Yada, yada. I earned out my advance for those of other writers on it in less than a year. I've wrote the Mozart conspiracy, which is the second book in the series. Thinking it would be my option book for Bloomsbury. Cause you know, you get a, you get a book deal for one book and then they get first refusal on the next one. And that's called an option book. But my editor at the time, although she said, Oh, this is great. She wanted me to write something different. So that's why I wrote Anastasia's secret. And in fact, all of my books that were published traditionally are standalones. Anyway, but I'd written the musician's daughter thinking it would be the first in the series and people and the readers who read it, kept asking me where's the second one. Where's the next one. So years ago I self published a version of the Mozart conspiracy and a very small way a year in just a short while after the musician's daughter was published. But I never did anything with it. And I took it down at some point. When my publishing trajectory took a detour, which I will not go into now. I decided it was time to dust off the Mozart conspiracy, give it a good, going over in a revision and edit design, a new cover and then self publish it. Why not? I think I'd forgotten how much fun it was to be in Teresa's head, but whatever it was, I found I really wanted after that to write a third book in the series. And so I did. That's the Paris affair, which is coming out in less than two weeks. The big thing about this for me, what really makes me excited about this is that now truly I have a series I've never had a series before. Three books and I'm intending to continue Teresa's adventures as well. However, I may have to morph the series into the adult realm. Because Theresa's growing up book by book. Not that adults don't read these, but it's a different approach to the story. Having said that I don't really write any differently for adults and teens when it comes to language and comprehension, exp expectations of what people will understand, or even storytelling techniques. The difference is that I have to shift the focus of what my characters care about, what concerns them and how they respond to their situations. Teresa in the Paris affairs already verging on having a more adult vision of the world as her choices become less clear, her motives, more mixed. It's very rewarding to take her along on this journey, especially because she's a musician. Writing from through her eyes really brings back my own feelings about the role of music in my young adult life. I wasn't a violinist, but I was a very serious pianist for years. Anyway. The book comes out in September 29th. And I'm doing a zoom presentation instead of an author talk, because I really want to talk about one of the principals, secondary characters in the book. He's a charismatic, fascinating black. Actually he's mixed race violinist named Joseph who lived in Paris at this time, which is 1783. Discovering him has awakened the history geek in me. If you'd like to join me for this audio visual presentation that I've been having an absolute blast creating, contact me through the it's just historical website. There's a form under the contact thing, and I will get your message. And I can send you the zoom link. Okay, moving on to my final topic. Book coaching. What the heck is that you ask? Well, I made the decision about a year ago, actually to take a really rigorous course created by the remarkable and generous Jennie Nash, who is CEO of author accelerator. To gain certification for fiction book coaching. I launched my business. I did get certified. I launched my business as a certified book coach in February. And I have to say, I have loved every minute of working with writers to make their books the best they can be. So you probably wonder what on earth. Is a book coach. How is it different from being an editor? Although editing is Def definitely involved and you have to have the instincts and skills of a good developmental inline editor. A book coach is a little different. A book, coach, doesn't just deal with what's already on the page or what's going on the page. A book coach helps you see your book as a whole, get your arms around the essential elements that will make sure it has narrative drive a convincing character arc a point. And more that to me was the revelation of taking Jenny's course. Honestly, I had never really thought about writing in that exact way and everything I've learned in that course has also helped me in my own writing. I have tools I can use that I didn't have before. And a lot of what is taught really has to do with seeing the structure from the very beginning, not just kind of ambling long and writing. And I don't mean. Outlining down to the details. There are some writers who do that, obviously. I don't, I'm definitely not an outliner, so, and if I can do this, you can't do. I mean, what I mean is having the story solidly in your hands, in your, in your arms, when you write. Jenny has created some amazingly powerful tools that help writers do that. My favorite of those is called the inside outline. I've taught several workshops around it and I've used it with my book, coaching clients, every single one, I think. Anyway. And editor looks at a completed manuscript, make suggestions, comments line at it's often addresses the bigger concern, such as plot pacing and dialogue. But then the relationship is over. And the writers left to go away and figure out what to implement and how. A book coach can do everything and editor does, but then works along with you to help you implement everything, guiding you as you go along. So you don't write yourself into a corner. It's an ongoing relationship of anywhere for me anyway, in my coaching practice, six weeks to six months or longer. I love it because I really get to know my clients and I just, you know, it's just so exciting. I feel like I have all these new friends. I feel invested in their projects and celebrate their successes and commiserate with their failures. Now if you're a freelance editor and a lot of writers are that's, we all have to have side jobs. And you're looking for a way to deepen what you offer. Uh, writers. I wholeheartedly recommend you look into taking this course. And, and you can find out more about it@bookcoaches.com. And I will tell you, I am not being paid to say all this, this comes right from my heart because it was really a fabulous thing. And, um, if you're a writer who's looking for some encouragement feedback, tough love, guidance, accountability. Um, Head over to my own editing site for more information about how I work with writers. That's at Suzanne Dunlap edits.com. And remember to spell Suzanne with an S and Dunlap with an a. Okay. Commercial is over. On Friday, I'm talking to historical mystery author Tracy grant, and I'm really excited to ask her tons of questions about her fabulous book, the Tavistock plot. That interview will be up next week. So I'm wishing happy new year to all my Jewish listeners. And I hope everyone has a great weekend and stay safe and healthy wherever you are in the world.