Your backstage pass to the world’s most prolific authors

JD Barker
Christine Daigle
Kevin Tumlinson
Jena Brown

What does it take to succeed as a writer? Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Kevin Tumlinson and Jena Brown as they pull back the curtain and gain rare insight from the household names found on bookshelves worldwide.

Want to ask your favorite author a question? Click here!

Rounding Up Reviews with Chanticleer’s Kiffer Brown

Since creating Chanticleer Book Reviews in 2010, Kiffer Brown has provided thousands of authors with the exceptional reviews integral to the success of any book. Her services include editorial reviews, manuscript reviews, and peer reviews, which help writers structure their story, earn community appraisal, and expand sales on Amazon. Kiffer has worked in book marketing for over a decade and is involved in a plethora of local and national writing groups, hosts several writing conferences and book conventions, and has connections with authors around the world. To have Kiffer review your book or manuscript, visit chantireviews.com/services.

From WritersWin.com:

Media scout for literary agents, publishing houses,  movie producers, and industry professionals, along with folks seeking a good read, Kiffer Brown is known for her instinct of picking winners. Reader Extraordinaire, she reads thousands of works a year searching for today’s sparkling gems that will become tomorrow’s best sellers. She truly loves what she does and her passion shows.Kiffer is also the founder ofChanticleer Book Reviews & Media. CBRM Discovers Today’s Best Books with Editorial Reviews and International Writing Competitions. In addition to running a professional editorial review service,  she is the president of Whatcom Writers and Publishers, Salish Sea League of Writers board member, Upstart Crows Writers Assoc. founder, and member of Western Washington University’s publishing curriculum’s advisory board. She presents at numerous writers conferences and book conventions.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Chanticleer was created
  • Why a good review will make or break your book
  • The importance of gaining appraisal from fellow authors
  • The difference between editorial, manuscript, peer, and consumer reviews
  • The biggest mistake most authors make during the review process

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Kiffer Brown – https://writerswin.com/kiffer-brown/

Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media – https://www.chantireviews.com/services/

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Keeping Bookstores Alive with Tom Holbrook

Tom Holbrook has been keeping bookstores alive since 2002, when he opened RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. By showcasing a variety of indie books, helping aspiring writers edit and sell their work, and hosting book signings and other events for smaller authors, Tom has made a healthy impact on his local indie scene and has kept the spirit of physical books alive in a world that is becoming increasingly virtual. Over nearly two decades of owning a bookstore, he has also written a few books of his own and has helped local indie authors publish many more. Fortunately, RiverRun has stood strong through the pandemic, a historically tough time for small businesses, and remains a staple of Portsmouth.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Tom created RiverRun
  • Why audiobooks aren’t as profitable for bookstores
  • Why bookstores need to have “extras”
  • The importance of assisting local indie authors
  • How COVID has affected indie stores and writers

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Tom Holbrook – riverrunbookstore@gmail.com

RiverRun Bookstore – https://riverrunbookstore.com/

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Accurately Depicting Law Enforcement with Patrick O’Donnell

Former cop Patrick O’Donnell is dedicated to helping writers accurately depict local PD in their books and novels. In his informational series, Cops and Writers: From The Academy to The Street, Patrick teaches authors about the fundamentals of a crime scene, the departmental ranking system, and a variety of small but important details for making your cops come to life. O’Donnell recently retired after serving in Chicago and Wisconsin for twenty-five years and is now focusing on building his website, copsandwriters.com, and continuing to grow his aforementioned series. To join his Facebook group, an awesome online resource with accomplished authors and other former cops answering the genre’s biggest questions, follow the link below.

From CopsandWriters.com:

Looking to add an authentic edge to your crime fiction? Ride along with me, a real-life sergeant to give your story the accuracy your readers crave. My name is Patrick O’Donnell, and I’ve been with a large metropolitan police department for the last twenty-four years, seventeen of those as a street sergeant. That means I’ve been a supervisor on the street for the bulk of my career. The city I work in has a population of about 600,000 people who are policed by about 1,800 sworn members, give or take a few hundred. I’m also an author of fiction and non-fiction books. I do understand the unique author point of view and can see through your writer’s eyes. Ride along with me, Sergeant O’Donnell for the law enforcement details that will give your story street cred.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How O’Donnell became a cop
  • His craziest true crime stories
  • What authors get wrong about cops
  • The differences between the PD and PIs
  • The various ranks of a police department

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Patrick O’Donnell – https://www.copsandwriters.com/

Cops and Writers: From The Academy to The Street by Patrick O’Donnell – https://mybook.to/copsandwriters

Cops and Writers Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/copsandwriters/

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Writing Crime with the FBI’s Betsy Glick

Betsy Glick can help you write the perfect crime novel. Through an accessible and free author program, Betsy and her team work to provide authors with declassified info, public documents, connections to local offices, and interviews with retired agents in an effort to craft the most accurate stories possible. Glick works in the Office of Public Affairs and has been with the FBI for over fifteen years. In addition to helping writers, her office works with hundreds of TV and movie producers every year and has aided in the production of Quantico, Mindhunter, and many more shows and films. Their latest documentary project, The FBI Declassified, premieres this month. If you’re interested in bringing your next book to Betsy and her office, contact her via email.

From Personal Bio:

Glick works with screenwriters, authors, producers and other media associated with television programs, documentaries, made-for-TV movies, books, motion pictures and special projects, to help foster authenticity about the FBI. She recently organized a “Writing G-Man Stories Rooted in Reality” workshop for novelists attending the International Thriller Writers annual gathering in Manhattan. The FBI public service announcements she created for Internet Crime, Child ID App, Active Shooter, and the Most Wanted program with CBS have reached 130 million+ viewers since 2018, according to Nielsen.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Betsy’s funniest FBI moment
  • How you can contact her office
  • What makes a crime novel accurate
  • The common FBI myths that every crime writer should know
  • Why truth is sometimes stranger than fiction

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Betsy Glick – https://www.linkedin.com/in/petsketcherandmediafetcher

FBI page for writers – https://www.fbi.gov/portrayals

The FBI Declassified Teaser – https://www.cbsnews.com/video/news-series-the-fbi-declassified/

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.