Kobo Writing Life Podcast

In this episode, we are joined by Citra Tenore , an author who wrote her first book at 11 and published it at 12! We chat about how and why she wrote her second, the start of a sci-fi epic, at 19. We heard about how Citra got into writing, her initial dislike of reading and love of film, how she wrote her first book, why she found that sci-fi was her genre of choice for her second book, and where...

In this episode, we spoke to Amy Stuart, author of A Death at the Party , out today – get your copy now! A Death at the Party is a thriller that takes place over the course of one day as one woman's plans for a party go terribly wrong, and has been aptly described as "Mrs. Dalloway with a suspense engine of Lisa Jewell!" We were very excited with this title, and are sure you will be, too. Amy disc...

In this episode, we spoke to Maria Riegger, attorney, self-help writer, and author of fiction and non-fiction titles such as the best-selling Legal Issues Authors Must Consider , a book that provides information on starting your self-publishing business, legal liability considerations, advice on how to protect your copyrights, how to safely use copyrighted material, and more. We learned a lot from...

In this episode, we spoke to Jackie Lau, author of The Unmatchmakers , The Stand-Up Groomsman , and many more titles, and we're celebrating the release of her second novel with Kobo Originals, Not Your Valentine ! We spoke to Jackie about her new release, her writing process, her favourite romance tropes, her experience working with Kobo Originals, using Toronto as a setting, what it's like to be...

In this episode, we chatted with Alexandra Shapiro, criminal defense lawyer and debut author as of 2021. We asked Alexandra about working with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, how her career as a lawyer helped her creative writing, why so many lawyers are also amazing authors, legal thriller and sci-fi crossovers, and much more. We had a great conversation with Alexandra – if you are interested in wri...

Happy New Year, writers! In this episode, the Kobo Writing Life team gets together to discuss our indie publishing predictions, forecasts, hopes and dreams for 2023! Hear from Tara (director of KWL), Laura (author engagement manager), Rachel (promotions specialist), and Terrence (content coordinator for KWL) as they discuss everything from AI-narrated audiobooks and the Kobo Plus expansion to the...

In this episode, we're showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. Kobo Writing Life director Tara and author relations manager Joni got together to talk about everything you need to know to boost your backlist sales. For more advice on boosting your backlist, check out these previous posts and podcast episode: Looking to give your ba...

In this episode, we spoke with Meg Smitherman, debut indie author of Destroyer , the first book in a new adult, dark fantasy romance duology. Meg chatted with us about her new novel, fanfiction, finding a writing community on TikTok, her experience getting an MFA in London, England, finally writing in the ideal genre for her, and much more. Meg also offers amazing writing advice and writing update...

In this week's episode, we spoke to Daniel Paisner , ghostwriter of seventeen NYT bestselling books among many, many others. Daniel is also a podcaster and author of his own novels, the latest of which came out this year. His long-spanning career includes writing with and for Gilbert Gottfried, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Aoki, Anthony Quinn, Serena Williams, and more. We dove into Daniel's experience...

In this episode, we talk to best-selling romance and erotica author, Jade West, about writing very spicy and often hardcore books, the elusive and surprising inner workings of the TikTok algorithm, and having your books go viral. We hope you enjoy this enlightening conversation on marketing erotica, authenticity in writing, self-publishing as a writer of spicy books, and how to write a good sex sc...

In this episode, we spoke to Lisa M. Lilly , author, lawyer, and fellow podcaster! Lisa M. Lilly hosts Buffy and the Art of Story , a podcast wherein Buffy the Vampire Slayer is discussed and analyzed for its storytelling techniques and how those techniques can help writers improve their craft. We talked to Lisa about her podcast, how she prepares for the show, her writing process, and her work re...

In this episode, we spoke with Karen White , an award-winning audiobook narrator who recently began writing and publishing her own works under the pen name of Karen Grey . We chatted about Karen's career as an audiobook narrator, her transition into publishing as an indie author, and much more.  We hope you enjoy this great conversation on the dos and don'ts of narrating audiobooks, tips on market...

In this episode, we heard from award-winning author and professional speaker Carol Van Den Hende , whose second book, Orchid Blooming , was published this year. Orchid Blooming is the prequel to her acclaimed debut, Goodbye, Orchid , and a continuation of a trilogy. We spoke to Carol about her path to writing, releasing a debut novel during the pandemic, crafting compelling characters, the importa...

In this episode, the KWL team celebrates 300 episodes of the Kobo Writing Life podcast! With 300 episodes and 9 years of podcasting under our belts, we wanted to release this special episode featuring members of the KWL teams and Kobo teams that make publishing your eBooks and audiobooks possible. We learn more about their roles, what they read, and how they help in the journey of your publication...

In this episode, we are joined by Alex de Campi, author of prose novels, graphic novels, screenplays, and more, as well as director of music videos.  We chatted about Alex's debut prose novel, The Scottish Boy , her writing style, got some great advice for writing fight scenes and sex scenes, and learned more about her researching and world-building process regarding her historical fiction writing...

In this episode, we are joined by Alison G. Bailey, award-winning author of contemporary romance and new adult novels that are full of emotional narratives with a focus on love, laughter, and romance. Alison's latest novel, Forever Perfect , is the latest instalment in her Perfect Series , released earlier this year. We chatted with Alison about her writing career, her life in Charleston, how she...

In this episode, we are joined by Nana Malone, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of sexy, feel-good romance novels and creator of the #BrownNippleChallenge. We learned more about Nana's experience writing not one, but two novels for Kobo Originals, her writing process regarding dictation, modelling for her own covers, the importance of Black women and women of colour on the cove...

In this episode we're showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook and YouTube pages. KWL Director Tara Cremin chatted with the wonderful indie author titan, Penny Reid. The universe that Penny has created, the "Pennyverse," is hugely popular with readers but also with writers. After several authors expressed interest in writing in her worlds, Penny opened it up and c...

In this episode, we are joined by Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 nationally bestselling author of Woman on the Edge . We discussed Samantha's next thriller, Watch Out for Her , her experiences finding a traditional publishing platform, following up a successful debut during a global pandemic, how curiosity can drive the creative process of writing a thriller, the importance of editing, of co...

In this episode we're showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook and YouTube pages. KWL Director Tara and Author Relations Manager Joni, got together to talk about everything you need to know to become a Kobo bestseller. Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books  here . If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit  kobo...

In this episode, we are joined by Swedish author and entrepreneur, Marcus Tallberg. Tune in for a discussion on authentic representation of marginalized characters in fiction, why Marcus felt compelled to write from such a young age, and why it's so vital for everyone to have the opportunity to see their experiences represented. Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guest...

In this episode, we are joined by USA Today bestselling romance author and trauma therapist Adriana Herrera (author of Finding Joy , A Caribbean Heiress in Paris , and more) who spoke to us about her writing journey, representation in genre fiction, and more.   Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books  here . If you're ready to start your publishing journey, vi...

In this episode, we are joined by psychological fiction author and Ph. D. candidate Sara Foster (author of You Don't Know Me , The Hidden Hours , and more) who spoke to us about her recently released speculative fiction novel, The Hush .   Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books  here . If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit  kobo.com/writingl...

In this episode, we are joined by Canadian journalist, author, and filmmaker Zarqa Nawaz (creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie ) who spoke to us about her recently released novel, Jameela Green Ruins Everything . Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books  here . If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit  kobo.com/writinglife . 

Tune in to our conversation with Clayton Noblit and Grant Shepherd of Written Word Media. They gave us lots of insight into successful marketing as an indie author, and the various services they offer to help authors sell books, including the newer Reader Reach program. We also talked about the results of the 2021 indie author survey . Find more information about our podcast, including links to ou...