Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, J.P. Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Audible, querying writers, and Dan Brown. Then, stick around for a chat with Evelyn Clarke (V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke)!
V. E .Schwab was born in California, raised in Tennessee, and currently splits her time between Denver, Colorado and Edinburgh, Scotland. She got her undergraduate degree in book design at Washington University in St. Louis, and her masters in depictions of monstrosity in medieval art at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to writing books and hosting a podcast called No Write Way, she spends her time on tour, or plagued by the knowledge of how short life is, in terms of the number of books she’ll be able to read, and obsessively saving tiktok videos for recipes she’ll probably never make. She also likes to run, and cycle, and swim—though not all at once.
V.E. is the author of more than 25 books, spanning MG, YA, and Adult, though she’s never been keen on labeling stories for a certain audience. Plenty of young readers like Vicious, and plenty of older ones like Cassidy Blake, and she believes the best story is the one that finds you when you need it.
Her greatest goal as an author is to make you doubt your reality. Not by convincing you that magic is real, but by planting a seed of doubt that it’s not.
Cat Clarke was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people. Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
Check it out!
Evelyn Clarke: https://www.instagram.com/evelynclarkewrites/?hl=en
V.E. Schwab: https://www.veschwab.com/
Cat Clarke: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4118351.Cat_Clarke
The Ending Writes Itself: https://www.amazon.com/Ending-Writes-Itself-Novel/dp/0063444615
Audible to Launch NYC Pop Up – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/04/audible-to-launch-nyc-pop-up/
What Nobody’s Telling Querying Writers About What’s Happening to Publishing Right Now – https://vickyweberbooks.substack.com/p/what-nobodys-telling-querying-writers?utm_source=multiple-personal-recommendations-email&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true
From Arundhati Roy’s ‘Mother Mary Comes to Me’ to Dan Brown’s ‘Secret of Secrets’: How one man printed thousands of fake bestsellers – https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/from-a-bookseller-on-red-fort-pavements-to-a-publisher-how-one-man-churned-out-thousands-of-fake-copies-of-bestselling-books-10613379
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about KitKats, Newberry, and what bookstores want from traditional publishers. Then, stick around for a chat with Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne!
Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne are the authors behind The Antiquity Affair, The Starlets, and My Fair Frauds, published by Harper Muse, and The Midnight Show, forthcoming from Crown in 2026. Lee Kelly is the author With Regrets and two novels for young adults, City of Savages and A Criminal Magic. Jennifer Thorne is the author of Lute, Diavola (a USA Today bestseller), published by Tor/Nightfire, and the picture book Construction Zoo. As Jenn Marie Thorne, she is the author of the YA novels The Wrong Side of Right, The Inside of Out, and Night Music.
Check it out!
Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne: https://jillgrinbergliterary.com/book_author/lee-kelly-jennifer-thorne/
The Midnight Show: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/786826/the-midnight-show-by-lee-kelly-and-jennifer-thorne/
KitKat Heist – https://nestletest.qualifioapp.com/quiz/1776232_2455/CDCG-KITKAT-STOLEN-FORM.html
What Bookstores Want From Traditional Publishers—and How the Bookstore Market Has Changed – https://janefriedman.com/what-bookstores-want-from-traditional-publishers-and-how-the-bookstore-market-has-changed
Dashverse to Create Short Videos of Harlequin Romances – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/03/dashverse-to-create-short-videos-of-harlequin-romances/
If you read cursive, the Newberry has a job for you. – https://lithub.com/if-you-read-cursive-the-newberry-has-a-job-for-you/
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about romance cover models, cellphones on silent, and Woodside Motion Co. Then, stick around for a chat with Steve Berry!
Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-eight novels. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 26,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.
Check it out!
Steve Berry: https://steveberry.org/
The Devil’s Bible: https://steveberry.org/books/the-devils-bible/
Cellphones On Silent, The Literary Event Is About To Begin – https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereilly/2026/03/22/cellphones-on-silent-the-literary-event-is-about-to-begin
The Two Faces of Woodside Motion Co. –
What It’s Like to Be a Romance Cover Model – https://www.franklincountytimes.com/2026/03/25/flanagan-enjoys-romance-book-cover-modeling/
Publishers don’t just need more traffic, they need a loyalty system – https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishing-services-content/publisher-audience-engagement-strategy
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about BookTok, book output topping four million, and Tracy Wolff. Then, stick around for a chat with Karen Robards!
Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. Karen published her first novel at age 24 and has won multiple awards throughout her career, including six Silver Pens for favorite author. Karen was described by The Daily Mail as one of the most reliable thriller….writers in the world.
“
Check it out!
Karen Robards: https://karenrobards.com/index.html
The Moonlight Runner: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-moonlight-runner-karen-robards?variant=43837259808802
Official BookTok chart set to launch in the UK – https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/mar/12/official-booktok-chart-set-to-launch-in-the-uk
Book Output Topped Four Million in 2025 – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99943-book-output-topped-4-million-in-2025.html
Tracy Wolff Did Not Plagiarize ‘Crave’ Series, Court Finds – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=5793
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Amazon categories, Spotify, and Simon & Schuster’s new CEO. Then, stick around for a chat with J.R. Thornton!
J.R. Thornton is a writer and the author of two novels, Beautiful Country, and Lucien. Born in London, UK, J. R. graduated from Harvard College in 2014, where he studied history, English, and Chinese. An internationally ranked junior tennis player, he later competed for Harvard and on the men’s professional circuit. Shortly after graduating from Harvard, J. R. published his first novel, Beautiful Country, loosely inspired by experiences he had living in Beijing as a teenager. The novel became a best-seller in China, and the film rights were subsequently purchased by WME/IMG. J. R. returned to China in 2016 as a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, earning an M.A. from Tsinghua University. He speaks Chinese and Italian, and lives in Milan, where he works for AC Milan. Lucien is his second novel.
Check it out!
J.R. Thornton: https://www.jrthornton.com/
Lucien: A Novel –
Amazon categories are not what they used to be – https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-the-best-kindle-ebook-kdp-category/
The Death of Spotify: Why Streaming is Minutes Away From Being Obsolete – https://joelgouveia.substack.com/p/the-death-of-spotify-why-streaming?utm_source=multiple-personal-recommendations-email
Former Amazon Executive Greg Greeley Named CEO of Simon & Schuster – https://www.wsj.com/business/media/simon-schuster-names-former-amazon-executive-greg-greeley-as-ceo-b273062e?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqd5tneLDr-l8gmmhih9N6s4BJbQY12Ub_cFgUkIkk2xZdmDveseSl64k33FjPY%3D&gaa_ts=69b864c5&gaa_sig=pXSn9f8RkVurIFRyvHnOGBrVF2owUAgCpydEgLdJAw4U1YfOrYimZ5qmp8wYEpxwl8ZAhgFSIwIo5BPaIZd_xA%3D%3D
Folkin’ Around: https://seandaigle.substack.com/
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about all-male book clubs, literature discovered through pop music, and scams. Then, stick around for a chat with Kat Rosenfield!
Kat Rosenfield is a freelance pop culture and political writer, and the author of five books, including the Edgar-nominated No One Will Miss Her. A former reporter for MTV News, her work has appeared in outlets including Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, Playboy, Reason, The New York Times, and Unherd, where she is a regular columnist.
Check it out!
Kat Rosenfield: https://katrosenfield.com/
How to Survive in the Woods: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-survive-in-the-woods-kat-rosenfield?variant=43878812778530
What I Learned About American Men in My All-Male Book Club –
‘I owe Iron Maiden my English A-level!’ The great literature our writers discovered through pop music – https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/mar/04/world-book-day-iron-maiden-english-literature-pop-music
Hungry for Affirmation, Vulnerable to Scams: As a Writer, I Know the Feeling – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/books/review/publishing-scams.html
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Ingram, Spotify, Topps, and scams. Then, stick around for a chat with Lyla Lane!
Lyla Lane is the pen name for author Sonia Hartl whose books have received starred reviews from BookPage and Booklist, and earned nominations for the Georgia Peach Book Award, YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, ALA’s Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, and ALA’s Rainbow Booklist, and was named an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Young Adult. When she’s not writing she enjoys board games with her family, attempting to keep her garden alive, or looking up craft projects she’ll never get around to completing on Pinterest.
Check it out!
Lyla Lane: https://www.lylalane.com/
Sonia Hartl: https://soniahartl.com/
The Best Little Motel in Texas: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-best-little-motel-in-texas-lyla-lane?variant=43897021464610
Ingram to Launch Catalog and Review Copy Website – https://www.ingramcontent.com/news/ingram-content-group-announces-covered-a-new-website-for-publishers-to-share-catalogs-and-digital-review-copies
Spotify Launches Audiobooks Charts – https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-02-27/audiobook-charts-launch/
Authors and Authors’ Estates Sue The Topps Company for Unpaid Royalties –
Hungry for Affirmation, Vulnerable to Scams: As a Writer, I Know the Feeling – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/books/review/publishing-scams.html
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and JP Rindfleisch as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about bookfluencers, Audible, and DNF shelves. Then, stick around for a chat with Ian McGuire!
Ian McGuire co-founded the Centre for New Writing with John McAuliffe in 2007 and co-directed the Centre with John until 2017. He is the author of Incredible Bodies (2006), The North Water (2016) The Abstainer (2020) and White River Crossing (2026) and one critical monograph, Richard Ford and the Ends of Realism (2015). The North Water won the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award, was long-listed for the Man Booker prize and has been made into a BBC television mini-series starring Colin Farrell and Jack O’Connell.
Check it out!
Ian McGuire: https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/centrefornewwriting/about/our-people/ian-mcguire/
This publisher enlists ‘bookfluencers’ to choose its titles. Is it working?
Imagination is Not Enough: Why Fiction Needs Fieldwork –
Audible Now Lets You Read Along With Your Kindle Books – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/99715-audible-now-lets-you-read-along-with-your-kindle-books.html
DNF Shelves Are Coming to Goodreads – https://bookriot.com/goodreads-launches-dnf-shelf/#:~:text=Goodreads%20is%20Finally%20Going%20to%20Have%20a%20DNF%20Shelf&text=Twenty%20years%20later%2C%20Goodreads%20has,best%20guess%20is%20March%201).
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Draft2Digital, Bookshop DRM, Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Contest, and AI Slop books. Then, stick around for a chat with Benjamin Hale!
Benjamin Hale is the author of the novel The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore (Twelve, 2011), the short fiction collection The Fat Artist and Other Stories (Simon & Schuster, 2016), and the nonfiction book Cave Mountain: A Disappearance and a Reckoning in the Ozarks (HarperCollins, 2026). He has received the Bard Fiction Prize, a Michener-Copernicus Award, and nominations for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award. His writing has appeared, among other places, in Conjunctions, Harper’s Magazine, the Paris Review, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Dissent and the LA Review of Books Quarterly, and has been anthologized in Best American Science and Nature Writing. He is a senior editor at Conjunctions, teaches at Bard College and Columbia University, and lives in a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Check it out!
Benjamin Hale: https://benjamin-hale.squarespace.com/
Cave Mountain: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/cave-mountain-benjamin-hale?variant=43731587661858
Draft2Digital and Bookshop DRM – https://selfpub.substack.com/p/draft2digital-and-bookshop-open-ebook
Unhappy Returns: Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Contest –
For Some Reason, Someone Who Generates AI Slop Books Has Unmasked Herself – https://gizmodo.com/for-some-reason-someone-who-generates-ai-slop-books-has-unmasked-herself-2000719325
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about ProWritingAid’s Novel Beginnings, the Washington Post, bookshop.org, and bookstreaming.
Check it out!
Washington Post Book World – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99611-washpo-nixes-books-section-amid-widespread-layoffs.html
Can “Bookstreaming” Save the Literacy Crisis? – https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a70062900/bookstreaming-kai-cenat-literacy-crisis
Bookshop.org, Draft2Digital Partner to Make Self-Published Ebooks Available Through Indie Bookstores –
Ingram Spark announced free revisions – https://selfpub.substack.com/p/ingramspark-confirms-major-policy
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Anthropic, IPG, and what’s happening in the book market. Then, stick around for a chat with Oliver Evensen!
Oliver Evensen: For nearly four years, Oliver has been helping writers thrive. He tests tools, strategies, and systems to save you time and share what actually works. Whether you’re starting out or leveling up, his goal is to give you the confidence and resources to focus on what matters—your writing.
Join us live on Feb 5 @ 1pm ET! https://bit.ly/WIPLive226
Meeting ID: 867 0031 3844 | Passcode: 851563
Check it out!
Oliver Evensen: https://ojevensen.com/
Scrivener: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
What’s Happening in the Book Market Right Now – https://maybeiovershared.substack.com/p/whats-happening-in-the-book-market
Newly Released Documents Shed Light on Anthropic’s Plan to Scan Every Book – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/01/newly-released-documents-shed-light-on-anthropics-secret-plan-to-scan-every-book
IPG Teams with Beat Technology for D2C E-books, Audiobooks – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99559-ipg-partners-with-beat-technology-for-dtc-ebooks-audiobooks.html
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Substack TV, Spotify, and a £50,000 ‘reader-led’ writing prize. Then, stick around for a chat with Samantha Sotto Yambao!
Samantha Sotto Yambao is a professional daydreamer, aspiring time traveler, and speculative fiction writer based in Manila. She is the Sunday Times, USA Today, and Indie List Bestselling author of Water Moon, Before Ever After, Love and Gravity, A Dream of Trees, and The Beginning of Always.
Join us live on Feb 5 @ 1pm ET! https://bit.ly/WIPLive226
Meeting ID: 867 0031 3844 | Passcode: 851563
Check it out!
Samantha Sotto Yambao – https://samanthasotto.com/
The Elsewhere Express – https://samanthasotto.com/products/elsewhere-express
Introducing the Substack TV app, now in beta – https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-the-substack-tv-app-now
£50,000 ‘reader-led’ writing prize launched
Spotify is quietly developing a game-changing feature for book lovers
https://www.androidpolice.com/spotify-is-quietly-developing-a-game-changing-feature-for-book-lovers
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about a new bestseller list, Matthew McConaughey, and how artists can reclaim foreign rights. Then, stick around for a chat with Bekah Brinkmeier!
Bekah Brinkmeier is a USA Today Bestselling author and ghostwriter of more than 90 novels. She works with AutoCrit as an instructor and author coach, leading Team Plantser in the Novel 90 Writing Challenge. She loves helping writers untangle their ideas, build confidence, and turn rough drafts into finished books. When she’s not coaching or writing, she speaks at conferences and on podcasts about writing with ADHD, strategy, full-time author life, and book marketing.
Check it out!
Bekah Brinkmeier: https://www.autocrit.com/self-publishing-101-course/
AutoCrit: https://www.autocrit.com/
Appeals Court Rules That Artists Can Reclaim Foreign Rights – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/01/appeals-court-rules-that-artists-can-reclaim-foreign-rights/
Independent Publishers Caucus Launches Bestseller List with ABA – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99435-independent-publishers-caucus-launches-bestseller-list-with-aba.html
Matthew McConaughey Trademarks Himself to Fight AI Misuse https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/matthew-mcconaughey-trademarks-himself-to-fight-ai-misuse-8ffe76a9?st=zXhJRB
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Audible, Robert Munsch, and 2026 social media trends. Then, stick around for a chat with Amy Suto!
Amy Suto: I’ve devoted my life to the art of storytelling. I graduated from USC’s presitigious film school with a BFA in Writing for Screen and Television. I worked my way up the ranks from agency assistant to being able to write my own episode of TV, fully immersing myself in the art of writing fast-paced thrillers for global audiences. In my spare time, I also created a live events company (Kingdom of Pavement) that I would pivot to a scripted podcast company when the pandemic hit.
In 2021, I started traveling the world with friends and leaned even further into my work as a freelance memoir ghostwriter.
These days, I balance my freelance work with my own career as a romantasy author. I’ve published three books so far: my how-to book Six-Figure Freelance Writer: A Holistic Guide on Finding Freedom in Freelancing, The Nomad Detective: Volume I, and my debut romantasy novel The Ash Trials.
Check it out!
Amy Suto: https://www.amysuto.com/
Write for Money and Power: https://www.amysuto.com/desk-of-amy-suto/press-release-new-book-write-for-money-and-power-by-bestselling-author-amy-suto
Audible Tests In-App Promo Videos – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/01/audible-tests-in-app-promo-videos/#:~:text=In%20December%2C%20Audible%20began%20testing,about%20half%20of%20Audible%20users.
Watch for These 2026 Social Media Trends – https://janefriedman.com/watch-for-these-2026-social-media-trends
Expect Many More Books From the Love You Forever Author – https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/robert-munsch-plans-for-50-books-to-be-published-after-hes-gone
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about best-selling books and genres, and cultural works becoming public domain in 2026. Then, stick around for a chat with Christopher Locke!
Christopher Locke is the Director of Membership & Member Services at IBPA. He assists the more than 3,000 IBPA members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He’s also passionate about indie publishing, because he’s an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.
Check it out!
Christopher Locke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lockechristopher/
IBPA: https://www.ibpa-online.org/
Dragons, Sex and the Bible: What Drove the Book Business This Year – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/books/book-sales-trends-2025.html
The Best-Selling Backlist Books of 2025 – https://bookriot.com/the-best-selling-backlist-books-of-2025/
The cultural works becoming public domain in 2026, from Betty Boop to Nancy Drew – https://www.npr.org/2025/12/26/nx-s1-5649395/public-domain-2026-copyright-betty-boop-pluto
AutoCrit: https://autocrit.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about a 70-year-old debut novelist, new names on fiction bestseller lists, and why certain contract clauses are scary. Then, stick around for a chat with Mark Gottlieb!
Mark Owen Gottlieb is an executive vice president and highly ranked literary agent in overall deals and other individual categories. He is actively building his client list of authors using that same initiative and insight for identifying talented writers. Mark Gottlieb is excited to work directly with authors, helping to manage and grow their careers with all of the unique resources available at book publishing’s leading literary agency, Trident Media Group. Mark Gottlieb continues to represent numerous New York Times bestselling and prominent award-winning authors through his work at Trident Media Group. He has optioned and sold books to film and TV production companies. Following his time at Penguin Books, he previously ran the agency’s audiobook department and worked in international rights.
Check it out!
Mark Gottlieb: https://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/mark-gottlieb/
How a nearly 70-year-old debut novelist published 2025’s breakout hit – https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/12/24/theo-of-golden-novel
Some New Names on the Fiction Bestseller Lists – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/12/some-new-names-on-the-fiction-bestseller-lists/
Why These Contract Clauses Are Scary –
IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Kindle, Audible, TikTok, and Barnes & Noble. Then, stick around for a chat with Jenna Blum!
Jenna Blum is the New York Times and # 1 internationally bestselling author of novels Those Who Save Us, The Stormchasers, and The Lost Family; memoir Woodrow on the Bench; audiocourse “The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction” and WWII podcast The Key of Love. Jenna’s fifth book and first psychological thriller, Murder Your Darlings, will be published by HarperCollins in January 2026.
Check it out!
Jenna Blum: https://www.jennablum.com/
Murder Your Darlings: https://bookshop.org/p/books/murder-your-darlings-a-novel-jenna-blum/62b4e3f49c265bd7?ean=9780063448087&next=t&next=t&affiliate=397
Kindle’s New “Ask this Book” Uses Generative AI to Create An In-Book Chatbot — Without Permission or Rights – https://writerbeware.blog/2025/12/12/kindles-new-gen-ai-powered-ask-this-book-feature-raises-rights-concerns/
Writers Often Overlook Interested Agents, Conference Data Shows – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99276-writers-often-overlook-interested-agents-conference-data-shows.html
Audible Partners With TikTok – https://selfpublishingadvice.org/audible-partners-with-booktok/
B&N, Waterstones Owner Considers IPO – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/12/bn-waterstones-owner-considers-ipo/
IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Netflix, Entangled, and Kindle. Then, stick around for a chat with Magen Mintchev!
Magen Mintchev helps businesses and leaders grow their online influence through Instagram strategy, LinkedIn executive management, content development, and analytics-driven social media support.
Check it out!
Magen Mintchev: https://www.socialwithmagen.com/
Everybody in Hollywood Secretly Hates Netflix – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/opinion/netflix-warner-bros-hollywood.html
Entangled Gets Investment from the Chernin Group – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/99264-entangled-publishing-gets-investment-from-the-chernin-group.html
Kindle to Offer Downloads for DRM-Free Titles – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html
Social App Reading Report Shows Personal Recommendations Lead Discovery – https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/12/social-app-reading-report-shows-personal-recommendations-lead-discovery/#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20respondents,Fable%20says%20in%20a%20release.
IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about Smashwords, Edelweiss, and the word of the year. Then, stick around for a chat with Mark Tavani!
Mark Tavani started his publishing career in 2000 with Ballantine Books and spent over 23 years with Penguin Random House, Bantam, Del Rey, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons. He edited bestsellers and award-winners across numerous categories of fiction and nonfiction, including books by Jim Abbott, Steve Berry, C.J. Box, Robert Crais, Justin Cronin, Clive and Dirk Cussler, Jeffery Deaver, George Dohrmann, Lisa Gardner, Jack McCallum, Lisa Scottoline, Bill Simmons, and R.L. Stine. He represents both fiction and nonfiction.
Check it out!
Mark Tavani: https://www.davidblackagency.com/mark-tavani
Smashwords Store Simplifies Royalty Rates – https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/royalty-rates/
Edelweiss Price Hike Roils Industry – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/99205-edelweiss-price-spike-roils-industry.html
What is the Word of the Year? – https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year-2025/
IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week’s entertainment news, including stories about B&T, James Patterson, Bookshop.org, and Barnes & Noble. Then, stick around for a chat with Bob Lingle!
Bob Lingle: https://www.instagram.com/bookstorebob/
Bob Lingle: “I’ve owned Good Neighbor Bookstore since 2018, and despite everything else going on in the world. It’s been the best years of my life. My three kids have the opportunity to grow up in a bookstore. And collectively we have learned about the power and importance of community, and having a place where we’ve curated stories for people to enjoy, to learn from, to foster empathy, and maybe even change their life.” – https://boldjourney.com/meet-bob-lingle/
Check it out!
Lakeside Book Company Buys B&T Distribution Arm – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/99162-lakeside-book-company-buys-b-t-distribution-arm.html
James Patterson, Bookshop.org Launch Prize For Debut Writers – https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/james-patterson-launches-prize-for-debut-authors/
B&N Teams with A24 on Retail Sites, Events – https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/99167-b-n-teams-with-a24-on-retail-sites-events.html
IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
Show Links:
Writers, Ink on YouTube! – https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts
J.D. Barker – https://jdbarker.com/
Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/
Jena Brown – https://www.jenabrownwrites.com
James Blatch – https://www.jamesblatch.com/
Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/
Dick Wybrow – https://www.dickwybrow.com/
JP Rindfleisch: https://shop.jprindfleischix.com/en-cad
BookTrib: https://booktrib.com/promote-your-book/#
TODAY’S SPONSOR:
AutoCrit – https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers, Ink special offer!!!)
Other Links
Best of BookTok – https://bestofbooktok.com/
Booktrib – https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley and recorded at Mill Pond Studio
Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/
Transcription: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2ffd7459-4a4c-440b-a4cd-32e0cface870?tab=transcript&ai_content=true&magic_chat=true
*NOTE: Some of the links are affiliate links.