Literary Prospects

Hannah Selinger graduated with an MFA in fiction at 25, built a successful journalism career, got nominated for a James Beard Award, and still spent two decades wondering if she'd ever sell a book. She did. In this episode, Hannah discusses her acclaimed new literary thriller, Valley of the Moms , a sinister tale that plunges into the lives of wealthy, suburban moms (and dads) with deliciousl...

When Nicola Harrison graduated from college, her beloved professor told her NOT to write a novel because she had "nothing to say yet." So, she moved to New York, worked as a fashion journalist, and didn't publish her first novel until she was 40. Now, Nicola is a bestselling historical fiction author with four books and a devoted readership. In this episode of Literary Prospects, Ni...

What would happen if everyone in the world received an email (or telegram) at the exact same time, naming their true soulmate? This is the question Joan F. Smith explores in her thoughtful and original adult debut novel, YOUR SOULMAIL IS ATTACHED. But before Joan sits down to write, she has more than a simple question in mind. A self-confessed “extreme plotter,” Joan grounds wildly speculative ele...

After years of rejection, losing his agent and editor, and a creeping number of novels sitting on his hard drive, Amin Ahmad said he was writing one more book and then he was done. Good thing he did! Amin’s new book club thriller has critics and readers raving, and it’s been optioned for a limited series: proof that craft, persistence, and knowing your obsessions always pays off eventually. On tod...

Acclaimed author Lori Gold returns to discuss her new novel, KISS, MARY, KILL, and shares how rejection fueled her success, why she writes across genres, and the craft secrets behind her latest speculative novel. In this episode, Lori talks about the three-year journey of writing her most challenging novel yet—a speculative fiction story about three women who wake up living out the consequences of...

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of The Fortune Tellers of Ru Daru , The Haunting of Moscow House , and The Witch and the Tsar , left a successful law career to write stories inspired by Slavic folklore, drawing from her own Russian heritage. In this episode, Olesya opens up about her path from attorney to published novelist, the role of curiosity in her creative process, and the family superstiti...

What happens when a celebrated children's author decides to explore the messy, vulnerable truth of adult friendships and motherhood? Corey Ann Haydu takes us behind the scenes of her vulnerable leap into adult fiction with Mothers and Other Strangers , a dual-timeline story exploring friendship, motherhood, and the weight of secrets across generations. In this episode, Corey reveals the seven...

After spending four years crafting her novel and a full year querying agents only to hear "great writing, no market vision," Ariel Slick made the bold decision to self-publish her novel, THE DEVIL TAKE THE BLUES, a Southern Gothic tale set in 1920s Louisiana. The result? Her book now sits in 15 bookstores and has garnered stellar reviews. In this episode, Ariel shares her research-intens...

Malcolm Kempt spent 17 years as a criminal lawyer in the remote Canadian Arctic before trading the courtroom for full-time writing. His journey from law to literature led to his critically acclaimed debut crime novel, A Gift Before Dying . In this episode, Malcolm shares how isolation in one of the world’s harshest landscapes shaped his atmospheric storytelling, why he chose to write crime over ho...

What happens when you weave together three centuries of women's stories, religious trauma, and a curse that won't let go? Author Kristi DeMeester takes us deep into the haunting world of DARK SISTERS—a multi-generational horror epic that explores shame, rage, and the power of accepting all parts of ourselves.  In this episode, Kristi opens up about her personal journey growing up in fund...

Could a random scroll through Instagram turn into a debut novel? That's exactly what happened to Michelle Merrick when she spotted an Etsy ad for a 1920’s martini glass and immediately thought, "What if a person died holding this…and left their energy in the glass?" Four months later, she had a complete manuscript for her debut speculative thriller The Found Object Society .   In th...

On this episode of Literary Prospects, we're talking with author Karen Winn about her sophomore novel, THE SOCIETY, the sordid Boston history behind the story; the secret society she, herself, may or may not have been a part of (wink, wink); balancing nursing and writing careers; the challenges of selling a novel before it’s written; and much more. * To support the podcast and get awesome, bo...

Comedian and writer Aaron Leidecker talks with Kelley about his debut children’s book BOWIE’S BACKYARD, his beloved blind dog that inspired the book, self-publishing and marketing children’s books, dealing with imposter syndrome, how his stand-up comedy informs his writing, and much more.  *Purchase a copy of BOWIE’S BACKYARD here * To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out...

On our 99th episode, I sit down with the brilliant Marisa Silver to talk about her new novel, At Last , the strange interaction with her own grandmother at age 4 that sparked the novel, leaving film for literature, writing about “ordinary” moments, the enduring importance of art, and so much more. * To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop . *For...

Author Margaux Eliot (aka Julia Fine) talks with Kelley Vick about her new novel Honeymoon Stage, the early aughts reality TV culture that inspired the story, creating a literary alter ego, publishing in the post-covid age, and much more. * Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop . *For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, che...

Author Kristin Bair talks with Kelley Vick about her uproarious new novel, Clementine Crane Prefers Not To, the mental load women carry, finding her voice as a writer, giving ourselves permission to write, and much more. * Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop . *For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online...

Amy Gallo Ryan talks with Kelley Vick about her new memoir, You May Feel a Bit of Pressure, the struggles with infertility that inspired the book, structuring a memoir in essays, learning which feedback to pay attention to and which to ignore, and much more. * Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop . *For books featured on the podcast and other cu...

Author Nick Medina talks with Kelley Vick about his latest novel, The Whistler, the Native American superstition that inspired the novel, blending folklore with modern social issues, finding a home for indigenous horror, and much more.  * In continued recognition of BANNED BOOKS WEEK we’re donating proceeds from all of our “Read Banned Books” merch to the American Library Association. Plus, FREE a...

Author Kristen Loesch talks with Kelley Vick about her new novel, The Hong Kong Widow, her family history and the haunting Hong Kong urban legends that inspired the book, braiding timelines and writing the same character from multiple POVs, reclaiming the joy in writing after it becomes a career, and much more. * It’s BANNED BOOKS WEEK! We’re donating proceeds from all of our “Read Banned Books” m...

Kelley Vick talks to anthropologist and author Danilyn Rutherford about her new book, Beautiful Mystery: Living in a Wordless World; her experience raising her multiply disabled daughter, Millie, who inspired the book; why, as an anthropologist, she no longer thinks language is essential to human experience; the place for creativity and story in academic writing; and much more. *For books featured...

Author Susan Coll talks with Kelley Vick about her new novel, The Literati , how serving 5 years as the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation informed the book, finding her comedic voice as an author, getting out of tricky plot situations, and much more. *Join the Literary Prospects Patreon for extra content on querying and publishing that’s only for members! *For literary shirts, totes and gif...

Author Ken Miller talks with Kelley Vick about his debut novel, High Finance , how his time as a Wall Street executive inspired the book, publishing his first novel at 82, structuring a novel in stories, publishing as performance art, and much more. *Join the Literary Prospects Patreon for extra content on querying and publishing that’s only for members! *For literary shirts, totes and gifts, and...

Author Shobha Rao talks with Kelley Vick about her highly anticipated sophomore novel, Indian Country, how land holds memory, the damning effects of colonialism, the importance of reading for writers, our responsibilities as artists, and much more.  *Join the Literary Prospects Patreon for extra content on querying and publishing that’s only for members! *For literary shirts, totes and gifts, and...

Author Daphne Fama talks with Kelley Vick about her debut novel, HOUSE OF MONSTROUS WOMEN, the brutal Filipino history and folklore that inspired the novel, traveling to the far reaches of the Philippines to meet practitioners in healing and cursing, the importance of preserving culture through literature, and much more. *Join the Literary Prospects Patreon for extra content on querying and publis...

Author and activist Ruchira Gupta talks to Kelley Vick about her new middle grade novel, The Freedom Seeker, the real-life struggles migrant children face, writing for younger readers, how small acts of kindness can change the world, and much more.    *Join the Literary Prospects Patreon at https://patreon.com/LiteraryProspects for extra content on querying and publishing that’s only for members!...