As the Founder and CEO of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen is a well- respected voice in book publishing with in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter.  Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities.  To date, she has worked on 50 New York Times bestsellers, and her clients have continuously appeared in top-tier nation ..read more

  Donna Norman-Carbone's second novel, Of Lies and Honey, just launched (April 24, 2024, Red Adept Publishing), and it was wonderful to have her on as a repeat guest. Her first novel, All That Is Sacred, came out less than a year ago (June 2023, Red Adept Publishing), and chatting about the differences between book 1 and book 2 proved as fun and insightful as I knew it would!  EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS The biggest differences between the first launch and the second (including the task she full-on forgot to do when launching the first book!) How Donna navigates looking at s ..read more

  The time has come! We're finally able to move on from the days of traditional offset printing to print-on-demand options when it comes to children's books and cookbooks. Whether you're contemplating watercolor illustrations for a children's book or publishing a mouthwatering cookbook, this episode is for you!    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Managing the balance between print quality, profitability, and the different book distribution methods at your disposal.  The nitty-gritty of offset printing vs. the economics of self-publishing  The pros and cons of overseas printing&nbs ..read more

  The story is always unfolding... In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I spoke with Diana Naranjo about her memoir (which is currently on submission). She recounts a pivotal moment where a professional connection with author Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone, The Covenant of Water) led to her first agent connection.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS How Diana learned to write after completing her first draft The nuanced difference between memoir and creative non-fiction Her strategies for finding agents and the value of learning from the author community's experien ..read more

  Key Takeaways: It's important to give yourself permission to try different approaches and strategies when writing and publishing a book. Don't feel pressured to follow the advice of others if it doesn't align with your goals or preferences. Consistency and courage are key to finding success in your writing journey.   Introduction In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to do what feels right for your book, regardless of the advice and opinions of others. Let's dive in and explore the power of embrac ..read more

  In this solo episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I respond to listener's questions, including: How do I make sure I'm not infringing on someone else's copyright by referencing their advice, book, or insights in my book?  Why is publishing so complicated? Why do I become an insecure mess whenever I sit down to write?   RESOURCES MENTIONED Cory Goodrich's book, Folksong: A Ballad of Death, Discovery, and DNA Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. A ..read more

  Lauren Kay's young adult debut novel, We Ship It, was a dream come true, but it wasn't easy to get there. Now, she helps other writers achieve the same joy, minus the roadblocks. Having secured eight agent offers in a month,  she works with authors dreaming about a traditional publishing deal to help them write irresistible query letters.   INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS The 7-year path to her first novel, for which she received a 6-figure advance (best quote: "Lightning speed in this industry is 7 years.") The importance of transparency in the book industry when it ..read more

  Neely Tubati Alexander's second novel, In a Not So Perfect World (March 2024, Harper Perennial), was noted a "Best Romance to Read in 2024" by Cosmopolitan and received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.    In her second appearance on the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discussed her two-book deal with HarperCollins, and how her writing process and industry perspective shifted from Book 1 to Book 2. INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS  What changed the most between books 1 and 2 when it came to her writing  and marketing processes ..read more

  Armed with quick wit, relatable characters, themes of resilience, and always a happy ending, award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author Kathryn R. Biel writes comfort reads. In the most recent episode of Write the Damn Book Already, we chatted about her journey thus far as an indie author.  INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS Kathryn's favorite part of self-publishing The type of opportunity that would compel her to consider a traditional publishing deal after self-publishing 20 books Her experience selling books via a Shopify store and TikTok shop How she defines success for her ..read more

  These days, almost everyone dreams of having a post or reel go viral. That is, until they do. At that point, they realize it doesn't often have the "magic bullet" benefits we're led to believe. At best, it has a neutral impact, and at worst, it can go very (very) wrong before you have a chance to get your arms around it. (Thinking you can get your arms around it is often your first mistake!) But also, everything that goes "wrong" in this life brings with it an opportunity to see something differently (oftentimes, that something is oneself)  and to evolve as a human bei ..read more