Fully Booked: The Hidden Gems Author Podcast

Fully Booked EP87: Should Authors Sell Direct to Their Readers?

“Are you ready to get off the Amazon Hamster Wheel?” That’s a question posed by USA Today best-selling author Steve Pieper in this week’s episode of Fully Booked. A former US Air Force fighter pilot, Steve now self-publishes thrillers under the pen name Lars Emmerich. After growing frustrated with the limitations of selling his self-published books on Amazon, Steve leveraged his experience in corporate ecommerce to become a pioneer amid the increasing number of authors who are experimenting with selling their eBooks directly to readers through platforms like Shopify.
While Steve warns Craig and Roland that creating your own digital bookstore is by no means an easy feat, he truly believes it could transform the careers of many self-published authors by allowing them to reach a better audience of potential readers, optimize their sales funnel with valuable digital feedback that Amazon doesn’t provide, and access their royalties in days, rather than months after a sale.
So, if you’ve grown frustrated with Amazon and want an honest and upfront overview of what might be involved in selling directly to your readers, don’t miss this episode! It has the potential to be a game-changer for ambitious authors that want to grow their income and have the time to put in the work.
 
Steve Pieper
https://app.stevepieper.com/
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book?
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
All episode details and links:
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast
 

Fully Booked EP86: Do Writers Need a Podcast?

There are benefits to being a guest on an existing podcast, but many writers find themselves wondering if they should launch and host one themselves. To help answer that question, Craig and Roland invited veteran podcaster Freddy Cruz to share his wisdom on the Fully Booked podcast.
Freddy is not only an author himself, but also a seasoned radio broadcaster with over twenty-five years of experience. As technology developed, Freddy transitioned into the world of podcasting and now runs his own agency dedicated to helping other people produce their own podcasts. Freddy is a staunch advocate for the idea that every writer should have a podcast, and goes through a list of reasons why podcasting is easier and more accessible than many authors might have realized.
So, whether you're on board with launching your own podcast, or still on the fence about it, this episode will give you everything you need to know to help you get started on your journey.
 
Speke Podcasting
https://www.spekepodcasting.com/
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book?
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
All episode details and links:
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast
 

Fully Booked EP85: How to Write as a Duo (Without Killing Each Other!)

Writing is normally a solitary pursuit, but if you can find the right partner, it's possible to write as a duo. That's exactly what today's guests have done. Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl have written 8 books together since meeting over 20 years ago and becoming best friends. Despite living hours apart, they schedule regular planning sessions together, both virtually and in person, but do their writing separately.
Together, Meg and Kelly discuss the challenges and benefits to writing as a duo, and provide tips for other authors that want to try and make something like this work. If you have an author friend that is on the same wavelength as you and want to give something like this a try, then this is an episode you shouldn't miss!
 
Kelly and Meg’s website:
www.horrorrewind.com
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book?
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links:
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP84: How to Grow Your Social Media Following

Success on social media can be a career-changer for some authors, but many writers don't know where to even begin using platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote their work. That's why Craig and Roland were excited to welcome Caleb Daniels to this week's episode of Fully Booked.
When not working on his own upcoming non-fiction book about the Guns of James Bond, or managing his 21k followers on Instagram, Caleb works professionally as a digital marketer - and in this episode, he explains how combining your passion and authenticity with the methodical process of "social media management" can totally transform the impact of your social media channels, and help introduce a whole new audience to your work.
 
Caleb Daniels
https://commandobond.com/
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP83: Finding Inspiration at a Writing Retreat

In today's episode of Fully Booked, we're diving deep into the world of writing retreats with special guest Lisa Shaughnessy. Over the last few years, Lisa has spent her time building out a live searchable directory of these retreats, interviewing hosts and getting the details on all of the most creative and unique environments available. 
Lisa strongly believes in the transformative benefits of writing retreats, whether it's from the serenity of solo writing time or through the invigorating spark of collective creativity brought about by spending time with other writers. With so many different settings and venues, there is a getaway for every type of author looking to revitalize their writing journey; and Lisa explains to Craig and Roland where a writer can begin their search for the perfect venue. 
 
Lisa Shaughnessy
https://writingretreatdirectory.com/
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP82: Seven Steps to Audiobook Success

This week, Fully Booked is diving back into the world of audiobook creation with actress and bestselling author, Jennifer Lieberman.  
Many authors choose to hire others to create or narrate their audiobooks, but it is possible to do everything yourself - which is the path that Jennifer chose to follow. It wasn't easy, however. Jennifer had to throw out her entire first recording attempt due to a variety of mistakes and the steep learning curve involved, but the process wasn't a complete waste of time. 
Eventually, Jennifer's experience provided her with the knowledge to write and publish her bestseller "Make Your Own Break: How To Record & Publish Your Audiobook in Seven Simple Steps". Join us as Jennifer shares her journey and insights, touching on all seven steps outlined in her book and why each one is important. If you've ever thought about what it takes to produce your own audiobook, Jennifer's advice and tips will set you on the path to success.
 
Jennifer Lieberman
https://makeyourownbreak.wordpress.com/
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP81: Unraveling Genre Boundaries: Lessons from a Misfit Romance

In today's episode of Fully Booked, bestselling romance author Leah Busboom shares the intriguing results of a recent writing experiment. Last year, Leah took a chance and penned a novel that defied common tropes and deviated drastically from her usual type of romance. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of her worst-selling books.
Join us as Leah candidly recounts her daring journey, and how she discovered that simply having proven talent and a devoted fan base doesn't necessarily mean you can throw out genre expectations and norms that readers have come to expect. It's a cautionary tale for other authors contemplating trying something new, but it doesn't have to end the same way. Through her experience, Leah gained invaluable insights into the significance of understanding and meeting reader expectations, and time and self-reflection have provided her with ideas on how the book could have been more successful.
 
Leah Busboom
https://authorleahbusboom.com/
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book?
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
All episode details and links:
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast
 

Fully Booked EP80: The Collaborative Process of Working With Illustrators

In this episode of Fully Booked, Craig and Roland explore the challenges of creating illustrated books with award winning children’s author Terrel - one half of the mother/daughter partnership  behind the enchanting children's series "Once Upon a Dance." 
 
Terrel brings her stories to life through the collaboration with illustrators from all corners of the globe, guiding them as they craft mesmerizing covers and interior designs for her movement-inspired tales. From the inception of the series to the challenges of finding the perfect illustrators to work with, Terrel takes us through the entire process of meeting deadlines, navigating differing working and creative styles, and the importance of having clear contracts that cover all aspects of development. She also shares valuable insights into the interpersonal intricacies of working with illustrators, offering tips on finding the right people to work with and managing their production workflow. 
 
For authors looking to start working on illustrated books, this episode will be hugely valuable in helping to understand all that's involved in creating heartwarming illustrated tales filled with creativity and wonder with the fewest number of headaches! 
Terrel at Once Upon a Dance
https://onceuponadance.com/illustrate
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP79: How Can You Learn to Become a Better Writer?

Hemingway famously said of writers: “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” This was a philosophy he followed throughout his life - continuing to try and improve his writing even after he’d achieved both fame and fortune. But how can a writer improve their work? And does that improvement add value to a self-published author’s bottom line? 
Yes, argues this week’s guest on the Fully Booked podcast. Jane Warren is not just a successful author of YA and children’s fiction, but also an editing professional who shares the belief that writers should strive to continuously improve their craft; and she’s got plenty of ideas on how to do that. Not only did she get her Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing, but Jane frequently attends writer workshops, webinars and conferences.
In this discussion, Jane tells Craig and Roland about her own journey towards becoming a better writer, and what benefit authors may find from programs like an MFA, or simply by attending workshops and finding mentors. Either way, there is a lot of value for all authors in studying, learning and continuing to improve on their craft as they move through their career.
 
Jane Warren
www.janebairdwarren.com
 
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Fully Booked EP78: From Concept to Creation: Kickstarting Your Book Project

Crowdfunding isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for authors, but it does offer immense potential for writers looking to provide their readers with special editions, anthologies, and other publishing ventures that require an upfront investment. In this episode of Fully Booked, we dive into how to leverage these aspects of Kickstarter with award-winning author Edward Willett, who successfully funded four story anthologies by using the platform. 
 
With Edward's experience to guide us, we explore the challenges and potential rewards crowdfunding offers authors. It's an insightful discussion that covers a variety of topics including strategies for setting up milestones, guidelines for crafting engaging reward levels, and how to surpass your funding goals. By the end of this episode, you'll be ready to launch a Kickstarter campaign of your own to help bring your next book project to life!
 
Edward Willett
https://edwardwillett.com/
Hidden Gems
Need our help publishing or marketing your book? 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/
 
All episode details and links: 
https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast