The Hope Prose Podcast

In today’s episode, Tara and Rebekah gab with Carol Award-winning and best-selling author, Lindsay Franklin!  Lindsay is a native San Diegan who lives with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious geeklings, and three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed marsupial named Wombatman. Listen in as Lindsay takes them behind the scenes of her querying journey, how the St...

Today, Tara and Rebekah interview Amy Michelle Carpenter, YA Sci-fi and fantasy author of the book BECOMING HUMAN. Listen as they discuss the highs and lows of writing sci-fi, tackling more than two POVs in a book, how to world-build like a pro, and her tips for authors wanting to get published either by a small press or traditionally. Enjoy!  Due to character restraints, please visit our website...

This is a LIVE and UNEDITED  episode we recorded with FOUR loyal and talented listeners of the podcast! We're embracing the imperfections today - mouse clicks, awkward pauses, and clearing of throats included. ;)  Listen as we (Tara and Rebekah) talk about some of the show's highlights, stats, memorable moments,  and interview our listeners of the podcast and panelist!  Due to character...

What do you get when you cross a blockbuster film director turned writer with two curious authors from Canada and California? An hour-long episode full of heart, laughter, and an enlightening conversation about the impact words have on our young people today.  Holly Goldberg Sloan is the author of seven books for young readers of which have been published in twenty-seven languages. Her most popula...

Today’s episode brings you a conversation between your hosts and YA fantasy/adventure author Lani Forbes!  Lani is the daughter of a librarian and an ex-drug smuggling surfer (which explains her passionate love of the ocean and books). A former teacher turned trauma counselor, her passion is showing readers the transformative and encouraging power of story on the human experience. Listen as they t...

Today, Rebekah and Tara sit down with C.F.E. Black, YA sci-fi and fantasy writer. And no, she’s not related to Rebekah but hey, they are soul sisters so technically ….anywho!  C.F.E is a high school Spanish teacher with a love for stories that sweep her away into another world and when she’s not chasing her son, she’s reading & writing, or hiking in the great outdoors.  Join them in a cozy rou...

In today’s episode, Tara and Rebekah gear up and travel to a distant galaxy far, far away to chat with legendary YA fantasy (now turned Sci-fi!) author, Chuck Black! Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical combat communications officer, is the author of eighteen novels, including the popular and household name at this point, Kingdom Series.  Listen in as he drops by to talk about what it...

Today’s podcast guest is a multi-published author, book columnist, guest host on CBC’s q, and founder and Executive Director for the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD). Her latest release, GUTTER CHILD, is a dystopian story of courage and resilience that arrived last January with HarperCollins Canada.  Can you guess who it is?  That’s right, Jael Richardson joins the Hope Prose family alumni to...

In today’s episode, Bekah and Tara sit down with Ellen McGinty to talk about her YA debut, THE WATER CHILD which takes place in her current country of residence, Japan! Ellen originally hails from Texas with cowboy blood in her veins and is the working mom of not one, not two, but three boys.  Listen as the trio discusses the dream and real-life event that inspired Ellen’s stunning novel, the Japa...

In today’s episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Rebekah and Tara talk to Christy Award-winning author of The Means That Make Us Strangers--- Christine Kindberg!  Christine was born in Peru and grew up in Chile, Panama, Kentucky, North Carolina, and studied English at Wheaton College. Now, she lives in the Chicago area where she works as a Spanish-language editor at Tyndale House Publishers and guest...

In today’s episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Tara and Rebekah are absolutely thrilled to sit down with multi-award-winning YA author Caroline George. Caroline graduated from Belmont University with a degree in publishing and public relations and now travels the country speaking at conferences and writing full-time. Her latest book Dearest Josephine from HarperCollins releases February 2nd and is...

In their first episode of 2021, Rebekah and Tara are ecstatic to talk with Isabel Ibañez, a novelist born in Boca Raton, Florida, who is the proud daughter of two Bolivian immigrants. A true word nerd, she received her degree in creative writing and has been a Pitch Wars mentor for three years, is the author of Woven in Moonlight which was named one of the best YA fantasy books of all time by Time...

Today on Hope Prose, Tara and Rebekah have the joy of talking to YA author Tabitha Caplinger. Tabitha is the author of The Chronicle of the Three Trilogy, a Christian urban fantasy, and most recently authored, The Wolf Queen. When she’s not writing books, she either getting way too emotionally invested in the lives of her fictional characters, obsessing over a book or tv show, or traveling the vas...

Tonight on the Hope Prose Podcast, Bekah and Tara have the pure joy of being encouraged by Wendelin Van Dranaan, bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the long-running Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes mystery series. Her novel Flipped , named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by SLJ, became a Warner Brothers feature film, and Shredderman became a Nickelodeon made-for-TV m...

Today on Hope Prose, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter joins Tara and Rebekah for a light-hearted discussion about perseverance in writing, how she handles bad reviews as a creative, what inspires her novels, her tips for fast drafting, all things The EVERLIFE trilogy (her clean YA series), and her latest YA release THE GLASS QUEEN.  Gena lives in Oklahoma with her hus...

Today on Hope Prose, Tara and Rebekah have the pleasure of hosting their first poetry author, Amie Woleslage! Amie is a suburban cowgirl with a penchant for words. What started as a coping mechanism quickly became a burning passion and a desire to help others with the same challenges she faces.  Listen as they chat candidly about all things mental health, her debut poetry book FIFTEEN , healing fr...

In today’s episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Tara and Rebekah sit down with kid-lit novelist Laura Segal Stegman, an arts publicist from Los Angeles to talk about her debut novel: SUMMER OF L.U.C.K..  Listen in as they discuss Laura’s foray into the writing scene after being an actress for many years, what prompted her change in careers, why SUMMER OF L.U.C.K. is the embodiment of her own journey...

In this week's episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Tara and Rebekah chat with author, speaker, and contributing writer to the blog GO TEEN WRITES, Shannon Dittemore. Bundle up in a warm blanket or grab a cup of tea and listen as they talk about her return to the publishing world with her newest book, WINTER WHITE AND WICKED.  Learn what sparked the idea for WINTER, why it took five years to ge...

In this week's episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Tara and Rebekah pick the brain of award-winning author Marian L. Thomas, who pushes the boundaries of their usual YA genre format, but who they think you’ll enjoy listening to all the same.  Settle in and listen as they chat about her book, “CAGED BUTTERFLY” which has been featured on national TV stations around the country such as the Oprah...

In this week's episode of The Hope Prose Podcast, Tara has a heartfelt and lively conversation with children's fantasy author R.J. Anderson. Listen in as they chat about the benefits of tackling difficult subjects and themes through a fantastical lens, and how great stories, including her newest releases, The Flight and Flames Trilogy through Enclave Publishing, encourage us to be brave...

In the first episode of season two, Rebekah and Tara talk about their decision to spread their wings this year and begin to include more diverse voices within their show--which just so happens to include highlighting more middle-grade gems. Together, they sit down with James Bird, a California native of Ojibwe descent, screenwriter/director, and now middle-grade author, to talk candidly about his...

Get ready for a completed unscripted laugh-fest about all the highs and lows of the first season of the Hope Prose Podcast. Listen as Tara and Rebekah discuss the results of their listener survey, including plans to continue in September with more diverse guests, clean reads from across genres, and the inclusion of some MG authors and expert opinions on writing, publishing, and becoming an author....

In part two of Tara and Rebekah's interview with Robin Jones Gunn (best-selling and Christy Award-winning author of more than 100 books including the 3.5 million-selling Christy Miller Series), the three continue their chat about her newest book, Being Known, her lack of socks, why she chose to focus her novel on healing from grief, her God-story about Africa, and the importance of community....

In today’s episode (part one of TWO!) of The Hope Prose Podcast, your hosts have the honor of sitting down with one of their most highly anticipated guest yet, Robin Jones Gunn! Robin is a best-selling and Christy Award-winning author of more than 100 books including the 3.5 million-selling Christy Miller Series. Listen as they chat about her newest book, Being Known, her lack of socks, why she ch...

In this week's episode of Hope Prose, Tara and Rebekah converse with epic indie fantasy author, AnnMarie Pavese. AnnMarie is the author of So Sang the Dawn and abides in the mountains of Arizona. She writes far more than she reads and spends her free time mentoring other girls, not only in the art of writing but also in the art of navigating the hardest parts of life. Listen as we pick her br...