Fully Booked: The Hidden Gems Author Podcast

Fully Booked EP177: Turning Real Life into Vivid Fiction

How do you write fiction that readers can truly see? In today's episode of Fully Booked, we speak with author Gary Smith about crafting vivid, immersive stories by drawing on real-life experience, strong character instincts, and a deep sense of place. From his free-flowing, scene-by-scene writing method to his use of real locations and photography, Gary shows how authenticity and visual clarity work together to bring stories to life.
We also explore how short fiction demands a sharper, more immediate visual style, and how translating a book into another language can unintentionally blur the imagery and nuance of the original. Throughout our discussion, Gary offers insight into writing believable dialogue, grounding stories in real settings, and the importance of trusting your own creative voice. Writers looking to make their fiction more vivid and emotionally resonant will find plenty of practical inspiration in this conversation.
 
Gary Smith
https://garysmithauthor.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP176: Write Like a TED Talk: Turning Ideas Into Influence

In this episode of Fully Booked, we talk with Dr. Ravi Iyer, a physician, TEDx speaker, and nonfiction author who knows how to turn big concepts into books that truly connect. Dr. Ravi shares how writing a book is a lot like giving a great talk. It’s all about knowing your message, understanding your audience, and delivering your ideas with clarity and emotion. Drawing on insights from cognitive science, he explains how nonfiction writers can stay focused, write with purpose, and build real trust with their readers.
We also dive into how to build a consistent writing habit, how to shape your ideas into a strong structure, and why storytelling can be just as powerful in nonfiction as it is in fiction. Dr. Ravi’s advice is packed with value for anyone looking to establish credibility, grow their career, and create lasting impact. If you’re a nonfiction author looking to deepen your influence and connect with readers on a more emotional level, this episode offers the tools and insights to help you stand out in your field.
 
Dr. Ravi R. Iyerhttps://www.driyer.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP175: Can You Have a Writing Career Without Amazon?

This week, Craig and Roland welcome Lauren Carter Reilly to the podcast—a trailblazing author who’s rewriting the rules of self-publishing by steering clear of Amazon entirely when it comes to finding readers for her Gothic horror series The Wonderful Lady B and her upcoming romantic comedy In This Fair Chase.
Lauren’s writing career has roots in her background as a classically trained actress, a background she used to captivate an audience of 142,000 TikTok followers with witty, shocking, and engaging video shorts that featured many of the characters she’d later go on to write about in her books. This audience gave her the leverage to skip the hamster wheel of Amazon publishing entirely, empowering her to sell books directly to readers instead, through both her website and local independent bookstores.
Driven by a commitment to creative freedom and ethical publishing in a world that often pushes authors toward corporate platforms, Lauren’s journey is a powerful example of how authors can build a brand on their own terms, market their books organically, and navigate the challenges of writing across genres.
 
Lauren Carter Reilly
https://www.glamourpossum.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP174: Can You Really Write A Book a Week for a Year?

What does it take to write a full-length novel every week for months on end? In this episode of Fully Booked, we talk with author Alison McBain about her ambitious goal to write 52 books in a year, and how her first attempt led to 34 completed novels in 34 weeks, spanning a wide range of genres. While she didn’t hit her full target, writing over a million words in a focused sprint gave her the tools and confidence to try again, this time with even more insight and strategy.
Sustaining that pace takes more than motivation. It can only be done through careful planning, which is why Alison walks us through the preparation that made it all possible. From outlining and character work to managing daily word counts and genre shifts, she shares how long-term planning, disciplined workflows, and the support of writing communities helped her stay on track. Whether you're looking to write faster, take on an ambitious challenge of your own, or simply build a more efficient creative process, Alison’s experience offers practical takeaways for writers at any stage.
 
Alison McBainhttps://www.alisonmcbain.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP173: The Power of Ambiguity in Science Fiction

On this week’s episode of Fully Booked, we explore the idea of writing with intentional ambiguity, a technique that involves leaving certain details unsaid to encourage deeper reader engagement. By strategically withholding information, authors allow readers to draw their own conclusions, imagine unwritten backstories, and interpret character motivations in different ways. Swedish author Karl Hörnell joins Craig and Roland to discuss how this approach can preserve narrative momentum and create a more immersive experience. While ambiguity has value across genres, it is especially powerful in science fiction, where over-explaining can quickly date a story or limit the reader's imagination.
Karl shares his experience writing a novel set in a world populated by AI characters. Each of these characters is inspired by well-known fictional robots, but they are never named outright, and recognizing their origins is not essential to understanding the plot. This leaves the door open for every reader to enjoy the story, while offering added depth for those who pick up on the subtle references. The conversation explores how ambiguity can keep readers engaged without overwhelming them with detail, offering practical insights into how authors can say just enough and let the rest unfold in the reader's mind.
 
Karl Hörnellhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXYM4DPJ
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP172: Maximizing the Power of Every Book Review

After a decade of running an ARC service, we’re very familiar with getting reviews and how important they are to making your book stand out from the crowd. But attracting attention is just one way that reviews can help drive sales. This week, Fully Booked is joined by Roxanne Burkey and Charles Breakfield, co-authors who have built an entire strategy around using reader feedback to amplify their books’ visibility and build stronger connections with their audience. From extracting standout quotes to publicly thanking reviewers, they reveal how thoughtful review management can become a powerful marketing tool.
Breakfield and Burkey explain how authors can leverage both positive and critical feedback to grow their platforms, the importance of expanding visibility across multiple sites and formats, and how creatively repurposing reader comments can drive buzz and loyalty. Whether you’re sitting on a backlog of reviews or just starting out, today’s conversation offers plenty of unique ideas and actionable tips for making the most of the feedback readers are giving your work.
 
Breakfield and Burkeyhttps://enigmabookseries.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP171: Bleeding onto the Page: The Emotional Journey of a First Novel

This week on Fully Booked, we’re joined by romance author Elle Christopher, whose debut novel is rooted in profound personal loss and emotional transformation. After the sudden death of her husband, Elle turned to writing as a coping mechanism for both herself and her five children. What started as a private act of healing eventually evolved into an immersive love story that has already struck a chord with early readers.
Drawing from her background in corporate marketing, Elle shares how she applied those skills to the steep learning curve of self-publishing. From navigating beta reader feedback and laying the foundation for a personal brand, to finding authentic ways to connect with readers in a crowded market, Elle discusses her experience as a first-time author. With no formal writing background, she dove into research and quickly discovered that sincerity and authenticity can be some of the most powerful tools in reaching an audience.
 
Elle Christopher
https://ellechristopher.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP170: Crafting Hooks and Cliffhangers That Keep Pages Turning

In today’s episode of Fully Booked, we’re exploring how to build momentum in your fiction and make sure readers have a hard time putting your book down. Author and workshop leader Natasha Blandford, who writes as N.L. Blandford, joins Craig and Roland to discuss how to write compelling hooks and cliffhangers that keep readers engaged from the first page to the last. Drawing on her experience writing dark psychological thrillers and leading community workshops, Blandford shares her techniques on how to open strong, end stronger, and maintain narrative tension throughout your story.
As Natasha explains, elements like genre, pacing, and point of view all shape how (and when) hooks and cliffhangers should be used. From opening lines that spark instant intrigue to chapter endings that demand “just one more page,” she offers a wide range of strategies to keep your readers captivated. Whether you're a plotter, a discovery writer (pantser), or somewhere in between, this conversation is packed with insights to help craft stories that leave readers always wanting more.
 
N.L. Blandford
https://www.nlblandford.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP169: How and Why to Add Humor to Your Writing

You don’t have to be a comedian to bring humor into your writing, and just because your book isn’t a comedy doesn’t mean it can’t benefit from a few well-placed laughs. As veteran comedian, keynote speaker, and author Jan McInnis explains in this week’s episode of Fully Booked, humor is a powerful way to connect with your audience and make your message more memorable. Together, we explore what makes humor such an effective storytelling tool—and how any author can inject it into their writing, regardless of genre.
Drawing on her decades-long career in stand-up, radio, and corporate comedy, Jan shares practical advice on writing humor with purpose. From key rules of comedy and spotting humor in everyday situations to avoiding clichés and refining punchlines, her tips are useful for any author—whether or not they think of themselves as funny. For those looking beyond just adding a bit of levity, Jan also discusses professional opportunities in comedy writing, from radio to greeting cards. Whether you're looking to enrich your stories with humor or explore comedy as a career path, this discussion is full of insight and entertaining anecdotes to help you get started.
 
Jan McInnis
https://theworklady.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP168: Turning True Events into Compelling Storylines

This week on Fully Booked, we’re joined by military thriller author and former U.S. Air Force special agent Derrick M. Jackson to discuss how real-life experiences can be used to shape compelling fiction. Rather than writing a memoir about his time in the military, Derrick crafted a high-stakes thriller infused with emotional authenticity pulled directly from the most intense moments of his career.
By drawing not just on the events themselves, but on his personal reactions to them, Derrick created flawed, relatable characters who stand apart from the superhuman archetypes often found in the genre. In this episode, he shares insights on everything from turning real people into fictional characters and writing emotionally resonant scenes, to navigating the approval process required to include military experiences in a novel. Packed with thoughtful advice and practical takeaways, this conversation offers valuable guidance for any author looking to blend real-life material into fiction that feels both grounded and compelling.
 
Derrick Jacksonhttps://www.amazon.com/SHADOW-ONE-DERRICK-JACKSON-ebook/dp/B0DFVNN3GD
 
Hidden Gems
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