Mark Leslie Lefebvre's Blog, page 7

Episode 375 – One Hand Kickstarting

Mark shares some behind-the-scenes insights and helpful tips offered to him for his forthcoming Kickstarter.

He also loses it briefly after discovering that 40 minutes of in depth and detailed recording was lost due to a tech issue with Audacity crashing.

Prior to the main content, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, welcomes a new patron, and introduces a word from this episode’s sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Cruising Writers.

Mark’s Kickstarter, coming very soon, is for the 20th Anniversary edition of his book One Hand Screaming.

Links of Interest:

Mark’s Kickstarter (Preview link as of Aug 15, 2024)Anthea L. Sharp’s Kickstarter for AuthorsEP 374 – WMG Publishing Editor Round TableEP 373 – Musings on Getting a Masters and Getting MarriedKickstarter EpisodesEP 149 – Russell Nohelty – Killing it on KickstarterEP 327 – Joanna Penn – Writing the ShadowEP 357 – Kevin J. Anderson – 50 Years of Short StoriesEP 356 – T. Thorn Coyle – The Midlist Indie Author MindsetDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 374 – WMG Publishing Editor Round Table

In this episode Mark has a round-table discussion with the seven other editors in the August 2024 WMG Publishing Anthology Workshop.

Prior to the main content, Mark shares a word from this episode’s sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Cruising Writers.

The WMG Publishing Anthology workshops help authors see behind-the-scenes on how editors compile and select stories for anthologies. This in-depth and in-person experience involves a panel of editors (for August 2024 it was a panel of 8 editors) debating the merits of stories written by the attending authors.

In this round-table discussion, Mark chats with the other editors. (Photo LEFT to RIGHT)

Dean Wesley SmithKristine Kathryn RuschRon CollinsBrigid CollinsLoren ColemanMark Leslie LefebvreChris YorkAnthea Sharp

They discuss advice for writers, some of the details about the process as well as the learnings (both as writers and editors).

Links of Interest:

WMG Publishing WorkshopsDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 373 – Musings on Getting a Masters and Getting Married

In this solo episode, Mark reflects and muses on the past couple of weeks where we got his Masters in Creative Writing with a concentration on Publishing (July 26th in Gunnison, CO) and got married to his partner Liz (July 29th in New York City, NY).

Prior to the interview, Mark thanks Patrons and Buy Me A Coffee buddies, welcomes new patron Jo-Ann Carson, shares comments from recent episode, and announces the winner of the mindset coaching session with Thorn Coyle.

Links of Interest:

EP 356 – The Midlist Author Mindset with T. Thorn CoyleEP 370 – Questioning and Reflecting with Becca SymeEP 371 – Rambling Reflections from the Road July 2024DropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 372 – Getting Paid For Authors Interviews and Book Reviews with Rick Hipson

Mark interviews Rick Hipson, author of the new book A REVIEWER’S GUIDE TO WRITING BOOK REVIEWS: AND HOW TO GET PAID FOR THEM.

Prior to the interview, Mark thanks Patrons and Buy Me A Coffee buddies, welcomes new patron Kevin J. Anderson, shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode’s sponsor.

Learn more about this self-publishing/WIDE-publishing focused cruise.

In the interview Mark and Rick talk about:

Rick getting his first stint at writing (A ginger man story) back in Grade 2 or Grade 3Catching the horror bug first when reading “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” when he was about nine years oldGetting into vampires and reading stories about them at a young ageStarting off writing for publication (fiction, interviews, and reviews) for a magazine called Insidious ReflectionsRick’s first author interview with Jack Ketchum and how it’s one of the most memorable interview and one of his absolute favoritesHow Jack was a true gentleman who was gracious and so supportive of so many other people in the horror industryRick interviewing Brian Keene through tweetsSome of the struggles with transcriptionThe way that Rick likes to conduct interviewsRick’s podcast of interviews with horror authors and the various articles that he writes based on the context from those interviewsRick’s interview with Frank Darabont of The Walking Dead, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsInterview advice that Frank Darabont offered to RickLeveraging one’s non-fiction interview assets in as many ways possibleRick’s book, which launched July 26, 2024, A Reviewer’s Guide to Writing Book Reviews: And How to Get Paid for ThemDeciding to go with a publisher (Crystal Lake Publishing) instead of self-publishing this title, and whyThe way that Rick worked his way through having his non-fiction pieces published in various horror marketsA horror story Rick shares about his first reviewThe importance of meeting people in personThe single conference Rick will go to every single year and whyA bit about Rick’s podcast, Dark BitesAnd more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on Rick’s reasoning to go with a publisher as well as the long-term marketing effect of a reviewer feeling like they “owe” an author.

Links of Interest:

Dark BitesRick’s BookRick’s LinktreeDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 371 – Rambling Reflections From The Road July 2024 Edition

In this solo episode, Mark reflects and talks his way through a several week stretch where there are many things to do and too little time to get them done.

Links of Interest:

EP 301 – Procrastinating Partners: Collaborating with Liz AndersonDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 370 – Questioning and Reflecting with Becca Syme

Mark interviews Becca Syme, an author and a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who has been helping writers with coaching success alignment for more than a decade.

Prior to the interview, Mark thanks Patrons and Buy Me A Coffee buddies, shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode’s sponsor.

Learn more about this self-publishing/WIDE-publishing focused cruise.

In the interview Mark and Becca talk about:

How Becca deals with unexpected situations such as someone being late for a virtual meeting (Mark was 20 minutes late getting to this interview) and how this aligns with her strength of “Arranger”The Clifton Strengths personality metric and how Becca uses it to help writersMark’s top 5 strengths and Becca’s top 5 strengthsThe pros and cons that come with a strength such as EmpathyHow emotions can have residue – that emotions are not false just because they’re fictionalBecca first taking the Clifton Strengths in 2005 and then immediately wanting to become certified and to figure this out; which is when her coaching beganThe “Dear Writer”/”Question The Premise” books that Becca has written to help writersHow Becca’s first book “Dear Writer You Need to Quit” has become a running joke, especially from people who have never read the book and have only heard the titleThe challenge related to the new place Becca lives and trying to get audiobooks recordedPeople who are pressure-prompted and the leveraging external motivation VS internal motivationA look at home office versus having an office space separate from the home and how that can work better for some peopleHow our visions of ourselves are not correct because so much of it is based on impressions we were fed before we were able to effectively grasp a more pure vision of ourselvesBeing able to look at what’s often seen as a weakness as a strengthHow even the more benign moments and experiences in childhood can have a dramatic life-long impact upon usThe way that Becca questions almost everything, including the thoughts and feelings that she hasBeing an intuitive writer verses writing a book to outlineHow 100% of the things that “everyone says” are for everyone, are definitely NOT for everyoneThat most people are not lying to you, but they are lying to themselves, often because they just don’t understandHow a person who NEVER questions themself is a major red flagThe “reach for my phone” game that Becca plays when she’s traveling or out in publicThe 12-Hour WalkBecca dating someone who was comfortably disconnected from their phone, rarely ever reaching for it, but just being in the momentThe problem with interrupting the thought cycle and being able to get all the way to the bottom of the cognitive processAnd more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on a handful of things that came up in their conversation, which he felt was a lot of good therapy for him.

Links of Interest:

Becca Syme’s Better Faster Academy LinksThe QuitCast BlogQuitCast Podcast for WritersBecca Syme YouTubeEP 359 – The DIY Writer with Kaye Lynn BoothDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

Becca Syme (MATL) is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has been coaching success alignment for more than a decade. She is the author of the Quitbooks for Writers series and the popular Write Better-Faster course. She also writes mystery novels in her spare time and lives on one of the thousand lakes in Minnesota.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 369 – The DIY Author with Kaye Lynn Booth

Mark interviews Kaye Lynn Booth about her writing life and her new book The DIY Author.

Prior to the interview, Mark thanks Patrons and Buy Me A Coffee buddies, as well as a word from this episode’s sponsor.

Learn more about this self-publishing/WIDE-publishing focused cruise.

In the interview Mark and Kaye Lynn talk about:

Kaye having written since 1994 and selling her first poem in 1996Having always wanted to take a DIY approach to her creativitySigning up for a booth at a local fair without having anything to sell and how that led to a creative way of selling her poemsKaye’s poem “Voices” and the perfect painting she found to use with it that was also called “Voices” and how that led to another collaborative poem and paintingThe early blog-related writing that Kaye had done when the internet was still “young”Creating the Writing to be Read brand on her blog/website and writing reviews for books she had readHow Kaye’s blog remains her biggest marketing toolThe blog team that Kaye has writing specific content for her siteGetting degrees in genre fiction and screen-writing and then going back with the concentration in publishingKaye’s perspective on what the harder part of writing and publishing isThe long-term outlook that Kaye has taken when it comes to creating and building an audience with her blogThe breakdown and sections of Kaye’s book THE DIY AUTHORKaye’s first poetry collection: Small WondersThe children’s books that Kaye has writtenThe various genres that Kaye writes in as she follows her passionAnd more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects making do with what you have and the creativity that can come when you find you’ve painted yourself into a corner.

Links of Interest:

Kaye Lynn Booth’s Writing to be Read WebsiteWordCrafter Quality Writing & Author ServicesWordCrafter PressThe DIY Author (Universal Book Link)Kaye Lynn on FacebookWordCrafter Services (Facebook)Kaye Lynn on Twitter/XKaye Lynn Booth on LinkedInKaye Lynn Booth on InstagramEP 356 – The Midlist Indie Author Mindset with T. Thorn CoyleDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 368 – Written Word Media with Clayton Noblit

Mark has a chat with Clayton Noblit, a senior marketing manager at Written Word Media.

Prior to the interview, Mark thanks Patrons, welcomes a few new Buy Me A Coffee buddies, shares a personal update, and shares a word from this episode’s sponsor.

episode’s sponsor.

Learn more about this self-publishing/WIDE-publishing focused cruise.

In the interview Mark and Clayton talk about:

What Written Media is (a book marketing/promotions company)Clayton’s personal background as a marketer, and a big reader, but not an authorThe purposeful design of the Written Word Media dashboard to help authors schedule a marketing promotion in about 20 minutes then get back on to the other parts of their dayThe various Written Word Media reader-facing brands: FreeBooksy, BargainBooksy, Red Feather Romance, New in Books, and AudiothicketTheir partnerships with other reader promo sites like eReader News Today, Book Barbarian, Hello Books, and othersThe strategy of promo stacking by spreading marketing promotions out over a series of 3 to 5 daysHow the Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads support at Written Word Media worksThe Written Word Media membership levels (Gold and Platinum) which offer a 10% discount on booking promos as well as additional exclusive promotion options and savings on other third party servicesThe Limelight feature promotion option available for membersThe content that appears on the Written Word Media blog, including regular surveys of authors and industry trendsA few of the responses from a survey conducted in late 2023A discussion of author’s perceptions of AI and social mediaThe importance of diversifying instead of being reliant on a single platformAdvice Clayton offers to authors working on promoting and marketing their books

After the interview Mark reflects on just how much Written Word Media has grown over the years, by listening to authors, and adding tools and options to allow for greater efficiency in marketing. He also notes how authors are becoming more professional in their approach of planning ahead, and admits to not being as good at making those plans as he’d hoped.

Links of Interest:

Written Word MediaEP 008 – Author Promotions with Ricci Wolman from Written Word MediaEP 185 – Promotion Results and AnalysisEP 285 – Written Word Media’s Top 10 Publishing Trends for 2023EP 342 – Publishing Trend Reflections for 2024DropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

Clayton Noblit is a senior marketing manager at Written Word Media. He is passionate about helping authors find their readers and finding ways to sell more books. When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and making beverages.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Episode 367 – Amazing Stories, Fanzines, and Community with Lloyd Penney

Mark interviews Lloyd Penney, the editor of Amazing Stories magazine about his work on Amazing Stories, his forty years of engagement with the fanzine community, and more.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode’s sponsor.

Learn more about this self-publishing/WIDE-publishing focused cruise.

In the interview Mark and Lloyd talk about:

Meeting Robert J. Sawyer when they both attended Ryerson University in TorontoLloyd’s first and only published science fiction story (which Rob was responsible for)Getting involved in science fiction fanzinesForty years of experience being engaged with fanzines from Canada, the United States and all over the worldThe definition of what a fanzine isHow the common community ends up talking about almost anything else once they’ve established their commonalities in related to things they are fans ofHow the production of fanzines have changed over the years, from mimeographs, to photocopies, to digitalStarting off his experience in engaging with fanzines by writing a letter of commentThe letter column being the heart of a fanzineSocial media having replaced the fanzine in a lot of ways, but how that has reduced the more nuanced, well-thought out responses and behaviorThe “reaction” of social media verses the “responses” in fanzinesAn example of a recent fanzine that Lloyd recently receivedThe first issue of Amazing Stories coming out in 1927A fan, Steve Davidson, who, about 2008, wondered what happened to the copyright on the name Amazing Stories, found it was available and secured themHow Spielberg needing to purchase the rights to the name for a TV show helped pay for the production of the first few issues of the new version of the magazineHow Lloyd got involved with Amazing Stories in 2018 and then became the editor in chief of the magazineThe magazine being (at the time) an online magazine, with no current print issues availableThe Patreon and merchandise that’s available to help support the magazine’s operationRunning two Kickstarters – one of which funded, and the other, which didn’t fundAnd more…

After the interview Mark reflects on the value of getting involved with such a prestigious magazine brand as Amazing Stories, as well as the strong sense of connection and engagement with readers that can happen within the fanzine community.

Links of Interest:

Amazing Stories WebsiteStore (Includes Amazing Selects imprint of books)Submissionsefanzines.comEP 366 – Bolts of FictionEP 365 – An Interview That’s A Hug With Gail CarrigerDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

Lloyd Penney is a Canadian science fiction writer, science fiction convention organizer and a dedicated fan who took his long time science fiction interest and turned it into a career recently – as the editor-in-chief of Amazing Stories one of science fictions longest running magazines. He had previously written extensively for science fiction fanzines.

Episode 366 – Bolts of Fiction with Daniel Willcocks and Sam Frost

Mark interviews Daniel Willcocks and Samantha Frost about their flash fiction anthology BOLTS OF FICTION and the unique engagement they created and managed through the month of February 2023 to inspire the writing community throughout the entire month.

In February 2023, the Activated Authors community embarked on an ambitious project: to respond to daily prompts and produce a flash fiction story by the next day.

The result was an outpouring of over 500 unique and imaginative pieces, from which the very best were meticulously curated for their anthology.

From heart-wrenching tales of love and loss to whimsical adventures in fantastical worlds, each story promises to transport you, even if just for a moment, into a different reality. Whether you have a minute or an hour, you’ll find stories that will intrigue, inspire, and leave you yearning for more.

Featuring stories from:

Quenntis Ashby, Ara Bell, Amy Bulauski, Tracey Byrnes, S.F. Claymore, Cassi Emerson, Geoff Emberlyn, B.A. Ferguson, Michelle L.M. Gale, Renée Gallant, Megan L. Garner, Robert Gelik, Debbie Gravett, Karla Hailer, R.P. Howley, Jacqueline James, Claire Ladds, Arin Laney, Mark Leslie, Daisy Lythe, S.W. Millar, Kiz Moncrieff, Andrew Murray, Laura Nettles, Kymba Nijuck, Carolyn O’Brien, Leila Murton Poole, Karin Redclift, C.M. Simpson, K.T. Tate, and Karen Wicks.

In this interview, Mark, Dan, and Sam talk about:

June 15th being National Flash Fiction DayWhat flash fiction isThe inspiration for this projectThe tight deadlines involvedCreating daily prompts to inspire writersThe blind submission/reading processAnd more . . .

Links of Interest:

Bolts of FictionDevil’s Rock PublishingDan’s WebsiteSam’s WebsiteDropCap MarketplaceUse coupon STARK20 to get 20% offCruising WritersBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsHow to Access Patreon RSS FeedsAn Author’s Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

Daniel Willcocks is an international bestselling author, award-winning podcaster, author coach, and speaker. Dan writes non-fiction for authors and creatives, as well as dark fiction for the twisted reader, spanning the genres of horror, post-apocalyptic, and sci-fi.

Sam Frost a.k.a. “Mastress of None,” is a video-editor, poet, writer, painter, actor and creator. Based in the south of England (but not born there, that’s an important distinction), Sam is passionate about helping creatives while battling the will of a medium sized human and the “affectionate” sneezes of a smaller sized pug.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0