Fully Booked: The Hidden Gems Author Podcast

Fully Booked EP133: The Versatile Author: Crafting Stories for Every Platform

In this week's episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland examine the dynamic world of storytelling with author and screenwriter Sheri Langer. Renowned for her versatility across various mediums, Sheri shares her experience in crafting stories not only as novels and screenplays but also as TV pilots, audiobooks, and more. She discusses the unique challenges and considerations of making a story successful across these different formats, highlighting the importance of staying true to the original creative vision while meeting the demands of each medium.
Sheri reflects on how her childhood fascination with TV and movies shaped her narrative style and discusses the challenges and rewards of writing across multiple formats. Through use of examples, she describes various ways of adapting a single story to different mediums, such as adding more dialogue for TV or movies and incorporating more description for novelization. Whether you're an aspiring writer or a seasoned author, Sheri's experiences provide valuable insights into the versatility and art of storytelling.
 
Sheri Langerhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560386807917
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP132: When Publishing Meets Activism

In this week's episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland explore how publishing can provide an author with more than just readers and royalties. Special guest Ali Horriyat joins them to talk about Compassiviste, a groundbreaking non-profit organization he created that’s dedicated to driving social change by providing a platform for authors, artists, and other creative activists to share their work.
Ali’s own story is pretty remarkable. After a highly successful career in finance, Ali left it all behind to focus on bringing more compassion into the world, combining activism and the arts to inspire meaningful change through Compassiviste. Now, the unique publishing platform he created empowers authors and other creators whose voice has traditionally been suppressed by mainstream publishing platforms. 
Ali believes that books and other forms of art have always had a powerful impact on social movements, and that it’s essential to ensure everyone has an equal chance to tell their story and highlight their cause. So, if you believe the world needs more compassion and should focus less on profits and more on building a better, more sustainable future, be sure to tune in.
 
Ali Horriyathttps://compassiviste.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP131: Is Publisher Rocket 2.0 a Game-Changer for Amazon Ads?

In today's episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland are joined by returning guest Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur to discuss the latest update to one of the most powerful tools for self-published authors: Publisher Rocket. The recently released Version 2.0 of this tool is designed to revolutionize your Amazon advertising strategy by optimizing your book's relevancy and helping you properly categorize it.Dave explains how Publisher Rocket's new Amazon ads functionality allows authors to see their book through Amazon's eyes. With this enhanced visibility, the tool provides invaluable insights into the keywords, phrases, and categories that Amazon associates with a book—whether yours or that of your competitors. Along with plenty of practical tips on using Rocket to create more effective ads, lower costs, and increase impressions, Dave also shares details on additional exciting features that will soon be added to the tool.Whether you're a seasoned self-published author or just starting out, Dave's essential advice on maximizing Publisher Rocket to navigate the complexities of Amazon’s book ranking system and supercharge your Amazon ads is not to be missed.Dave's free AMS (Amazon Ads) Coursehttps://hiddengems--rocket.thrivecart.com/publisher-rocket/5da9eae7a2e46/Publisher Rockethttps://hiddengems--rocket.thrivecart.com/publisher-rocket/

Fully Booked EP130: Don't Overthink Your Self-Publishing Journey

On this week's episode of Fully Booked, we're focusing on overcoming the hurdles often faced by aspiring authors. Author and family mediator Rosemary Gattuso shares her journey of writing and self-publishing her self-help book, "It's Not You, It's Me: A Chronic Overthinker's Guide to Self-Reflection." Rosemary's path to self-publishing offers a unique perspective on how overthinking can impede the writing process. However, her background and experience enabled her to develop strategies for pushing past these mental roadblocks.
The challenges Rosemary faced with traditional and assisted self-publishing highlight the importance of connecting with industry professionals and leveraging available resources to make informed decisions about your publishing path. After finding empowerment in self-publishing, Rosemary identified key overthinking tendencies and ways to stay productive, which she shares with us as both a cautionary tale and a source of inspiration for other authors looking to take control of their publishing destiny.
 
Rosemary Gattusohttps://www.rosemarygattuso.com/
 
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP129: Building Believable Fantasy Worlds

When writing a fantasy novel, one of the most daunting tasks is creating the world in which your story takes place. Fantasy world-building isn't just about imagining new physical geography; it also involves developing magic and belief systems, culture, general mood and atmosphere, and the power structure of your society. Getting these complex and intricate details right leads to a captivating and credible fantasy world, which is why we've invited author and editor Judy Ellis to guide us through it all.
Judy, who also writes as J.H. Ellis, brings a wealth of experience not only as a YA fantasy author but also as the creator of an online course on world-building. In today's episode, Judy takes us through all the factors mentioned above, along with practical advice on maintaining the integrity of the world’s rules and advice on using tools to track details and avoid common pitfalls.
If you've been holding off on writing that fantasy epic because you feel overwhelmed, the valuable tips and insights from Judy will have you mastering the art of fantasy world-building in no time!
 
Judy Ellis
https://daybreaklit.com/
 
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP128: How to Add Authenticity to your Romance Stories

In today's episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland are discussing the different ways that authors can infuse genuine romance and emotional realism into their stories. Both hosts are romance novelists themselves, but are lucky enough to be joined by Caroline McIntosh for this episode - who is not just an accomplished romance author, but also a writing coach who excels at helping other authors bring compelling and heartfelt relationships alive on the pages of their stories.
Caroline shares her journey from writing YA and fantasy to discovering her passion for romance novels. She emphasizes the importance of structure and emotional depth in writing about love and relationships, and also goes through a variety of essential key elements for writing a successful book. These include the “meet cute” first meeting, the hero’s grand romantic gestures, the all-important happy ending, and the significance of small, intimate moments that leverage the power of slowing things down to build genuine connections between characters.
Caroline's practical advice offers writers of all genres insight into how they can incorporate believable love stories into their work, making both their characters and the relationships they have authentic and unforgettable.
 
Caroline McIntosh
https://www.carolinemcintoshbooks.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP127: Can Poetry Still Make an Impact in 2024?

It’s rhyme-time in this week's episode of Fully Booked, as Craig and Roland explore the enduring power of poetry even in today's fast-paced digital world. Their guide through the evocative world of rhythm and flow is Viral Gor, spoken word performer and author of "Poetry is Motion: Mind, Body, and Soul." 
Virus the Poet shares his insights on how poetry remains a vital form of expression and connection in the modern age, even as social media and technology increasingly dominate our lives. He argues that poetry continues to inspire, provoke thought, and evoke emotions in our rapidly changing world through its ability to resonate with a diverse audience and adapt to contemporary platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. 
Virus also argues for the therapeutic benefits of poetry, emphasizing how it serves as a powerful tool for self-expression and emotional healing for both creators and consumers. So whether you're new to the genre, or have been waxing poetic for years, this discussion on the techniques and timelessness of poetry has something for everyone.
 
Virus the Poethttps://virusthepoet.com/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP126: Weaving a Story within the Fabric of a Memoir

In this episode of Fully Booked, we delve into the world of memoirs, exploring why we write and read them, along with the techniques involved in researching, structuring, and crafting these personal narratives. Our guide for this journey is Becky Ellis, author of a captivating memoir that intertwines her childhood experiences with her father's service in World War II. Becky's extensive background in publishing, combined with her own writing experience, provides valuable insights into how memoirs can deeply resonate with readers by capturing the intricacies of personal and family histories and skillfully balancing truth with storytelling.
As Becky shares her memoir writing journey, she highlights the emotional challenges and transformative power of recounting one's life story. These feelings are common among memoir authors, as they arise from the deep authenticity required during the meticulous process of distilling vast life experiences into a coherent narrative. Through practical advice for aspiring memoirists, including tips on scene setting, handling backstory, and the psychological excavation necessary to create a genuine and compelling memoir, Becky provides a rich perspective on the art of memoir writing, valuable to anyone interested in this type of personal storytelling.
 
Becky Ellishttps://beckyellis.net/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP125: Unveiling the Secrets of Discovery Writing

In this episode of Fully Booked, we dive into the fascinating world of discovery writing, featuring returning guest KimBoo York. KimBoo, an accomplished author, librarian, technology historian, and former IT project manager, brings a unique perspective to the art of "pantsing" — writing without an extensive outline. In fact, she's written a book on the subject: "By the Seat of Your Pants: Secrets of Discovery Writing." Today, KimBoo takes us through the contrasts and overlaps between plotting and discovery writing, highlighting the freedom and creativity that come with embracing a more spontaneous approach to storytelling.
There are a variety of techniques and mindset shifts necessary for successful discovery writing, such as relying more heavily on intuition or embracing the concept of reverse outlining, but KimBoo provides some intriguing exercises that can help writers develop these and other discovery writing skills. So whether you're a seasoned plotter looking to incorporate more spontaneity into your process or just curious about the world of pantsing and discovery writing in general, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice to enhance your writing journey.
 
KimBoo Yorkhttps://houseofyork.info/
 
Hidden Gems
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Fully Booked EP124: How Can Authors Define Their Target Market?

In this week's episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland dive into a crucial, but often overlooked aspect of author success: defining your target market. Joined by seasoned publisher and author Ann Aubitz, they explore the significance of understanding who your readers are, why it's essential to know your audience before you even start writing, and how this knowledge can shape both your writing and marketing process.
Much like advertisers invest heavily in understanding their target market, authors need to be keenly aware of who they are writing for so that they can adjust their marketing strategies to reach the right readers and create a deeper connection to them. For authors seeking ways to better target and engage with their market, the insights and ideas discussed in this episode are invaluable.
 
Ann Aubitzhttps://www.kirkhousepublishers.com/about
 
Hidden Gems
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