First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

How Google thinks I'm being self-absorbed and other reflections on reentry and why I'm struggling with this new book. Also, thoughts on author incomes and the (annoying) Joanne Harris opinion piece. The Joanne Harris article is here ( https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/07/low-pay-authors-writing-books-joanne-harris ). FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffe...

Celebrating the release today of WINGS UNFURLED by Rebecca Gomez Farrell and A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER by Miss Darynda Jones! Otherwise I'm talking about being gentle with ourselves and what that means. You can find WINGS UNFURLED by Rebecca Gomez Farrell here ( https://rebeccagomezfarrell.com/2022/12/06/wings-unfurled-blog-tour/ ) and A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER by Miss Darynda Jones here ( ht...

Today sees the re-release of my Kinky Christmas Caribbean Vacation, FIVE GOLDEN RINGS! I'm talking about where I've been, what a writing retreat can do to clear the mind, refill the well, and provide a creative reset. FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is now available here: https://jeffekennedy.com/five-golden-rings THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of...

Last podcast for a couple of weeks as I'm headed on vacay/writing retreat. Talking about connections in our lives, Buddhism, David Bowie, Taylor Swift, expectations on creators and a bit on BANDITS. The bit with David Bowie that I mention is here ( https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkjtRqGjf1Y/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D ). And Taylor Swift's AMA Artist of the Year acceptance speech is here ( ht...

THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR is out today! I'm burbling about that, controlled chaos, the importance of female friendships, and also story structure and applying screenwriting tricks to writing novels. THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, now available!! The book I mention, The Friend Who Got Away: Twenty Women's Tru...

The novella is done! I'm reviewing my productivity over the last year and discussing the next projects. I'm also mulling writing retreats, why we go on them, and what I hope to get out of the one I'm going to. THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, coming 11/22/22!! Preorder it on my website now. SHADOW WIZARD, Book One...

Some background on the difference between Back Cover Copy (BCC) and blurbs, how BCC remains the property of a publisher, even if rights are reverted, and what is a big NO to a publisher trying to retain. THE LONG NIGHT OF THE RADIANT STAR , a midwinter holiday fantasy romance in the Heirs of Magic series, coming 11/22/22!! SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale beg...

Talking to my future biographer about my freakitude on guarding my writing time, writing retreats, and more harping on how the writing process cannot be conflated with the reading experience. SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://jeffekennedy.com/shadow-wizard is out now! Including in audiobook! Interested in Author Coaching from me?...

Thoughts on the Twitter debacle and how I don't think newsletters are the answer (still). Also, my new landscapes, why I surround myself with certain kinds of images and why they are NOT my framed book covers. SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://jeffekennedy.com/shadow-wizard is out now! Including in audiobook! Interested in Au...

I'm back to regular (mostly) podcasting, catching you all up on my activities, talking a bit about voice - how to recognize it and what it means - and asking for input on this midwinter holiday fantasy romance novella. SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://jeffekennedy.com/shadow-wizard is out now! Including in audiobook! Interes...

I'm urging you to vote today - and to vote Democrat! Also a shout out to Nicole Peeler, Director of the Pop Fic MFA program at Seton Hill, and thoughts on Bejeweled by Taylor Swift and what it means to shimmer. The Seton Hill MFA in Writing Popular Fiction Program information is here https://www.setonhill.edu/academics/graduate-programs/writing-popular-fiction-mfa/welcome-from-the-director/ S...

A very special #NaNoWriMo episode today. I discuss the greatest benefit of doing NaNoWriMo, the pitfalls, and how to approach this process like an exercise training program so you gain the greatest benefit! SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://jeffekennedy.com/shadow-wizard is out now! Including in audiobook! Interested in Author Coa...

In honor of Halloween, a bit of a tour of my always slightly gothic office decor. Also, the audiobook for SHADOW WIZARD is out! Finally, some thoughts on being famous (or not) and what that means. SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://jeffekennedy.com/shadow-wizard is out now! Including in audiobook! My yoga studio in Santa Fe is here...

Why I don't believe in muses and how conflating the experience of writing - joyful or otherwise - with the experience of reading is counterproductive, and how writing turns out the same whether it was fun to write or not. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale beg...

How being female isn't actually a characterization (yes, this rant again), an odd coincidence with my growing up and a now Famous Author, and asking for good thoughts for a new preemie baby in the family. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD...

One thing that works better for me than newsletters do, thoughts on finishing and knowing when a story is done (though maybe not perfect), and thoughts on manifesting success and what we can control. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://...

At long last: my discussion of series sell-through, what numbers to expect and which ones to worry about, and also what authors can do to affect that sell-through - from simple tricks to more complex ones. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. ht...

One more pep talk on how it's REALLY OKAY if you don't like doing newsletters, examples of successful authors without them, and thoughts on reinvention, flexibility, and how this business is hard. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. h...

Building a writing habit and incremental work - when it does and doesn't work for people. Also an update on loading my audiobooks on YouTube and thoughts on three decades in publishing. Sarah Gailey's post on marathon writing is here https://stone-soup.ghost.io/archive/marathon-lessons/ The Filmora Wondershare link is here https://filmora.wondershare.com/ Interested in Author Coaching fr...

Quitting what doesn't work for you and getting away from survivorship bias and reverse engineering success. Instead finding out what works for YOU & owning your process. Also putting audiobooks on YouTube. Becca Syme's post is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXHdAYJI97I Lindsay Buroker's post on putting audiobooks on YouTube is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IirTbyR9w...

Marketing vs. promo, what traditional publishing brings to the table (and some examples of big fails), why all authors-regardless of publishing path-should learn promo, AND crunch their sales figures. This means learning to read royalty statements! Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, contin...

I'm talking about debut author expectations, how to learn about the industry, and (hopefully) dispelling the myth that excellence = success = money. Also, exciting upcoming episode with Grace Draven! The poem I reference is here https://poets.org/poem/elegy-written-country-churchyard Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZAR...

Series and the difference in approach to them between traditional and self-publishing, including some numbers on my own series sell-through. Also insights into my filing system for writing projects. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing the epic tale begun in DARK WIZARD. https://j...

Mulling craft and art, and how some writers can grab you with only a few words-and how this comes from subconscious clarity & artistic confidence. Also: is it wrong to make the reader happy?? The poem I reference is here https://poets.org/poem/my-november-guest Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades...

Some straight talk about group anthologies: what works, what doesn't, why doing it for that USAT Bestseller badge isn't worth it, and something I didn't know before. Also, the perils of survivorship bias and how to transcend it. Interested in Author Coaching from me? Information here: https://jeffekennedy.com/author-coaching SHADOW WIZARD, Book One in Renegades of Magic, continuing...