In this episode, Mark interviews Nancy Christie, the author of the award-winning book Rut-Busting for Writers.

This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices . . .You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

In the personal update for this episode, Mark shares some of the work he has done in his "Canadian Werewolf" universe, including the recent audiobook version of the short story "This Time Around," reworking the cover for A Canadian Werewolf in New York and the short story to include a wolf image (giving the book a bit more of an urban fantasy look and feel), and the new short story he is currently working on that he is calling "Stowe Away" and which he describes as a cross between "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" and "Logan."

In their conversation, Mark and Nancy talk about:

Nancy's passion for writing that started in the 2nd grade
How she had never planned on being an author until she "accidentally" published her first book
The two years of personal journal entries she started when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and how that evolved into a book project
The Rut-Busting workshops Nancy had been offering which ended up being adapted into a book
Strategies for dealing with procrastination
The concept of creating a writing roadmap
The importance of consistency with devoting the time to writing
The value of the 30 minute / 30 day strategy that Nancy recommends
The writing toolbox and the objects Nancy uses from them in a writing workshop
And more . . .

After the interview, Mark reflects on a few things Nancy said, including the concept of "just get started" as well as the idea of making time to write for 30 minutes every day for 30 days.

Links of Interest

Nancy Christie is the author of the award-winning Rut-Busting Book for Writers, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories and The Gifts Of Change. Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous print and online publications.

Peripheral Visions and Other Stories, Christie’s second short fiction collection, won a second place award in the prestigious 2018 Royal Palm Literary Award Competition. It’s scheduled for publication in 2020 by Unsolicited Press. She is currently working on Rut-Busting Book for Authors, a companion book to Rut-Busting Book for Writers, that will be released Fall 2019.

A professional writer based in Ohio, Christie provides copywriting services to agencies, businesses and organizations nationwide through her company, Professional Writing Services.

A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Florida Writers Association and Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG), Christie teaches writing workshops at conferences, libraries and schools. She is also the founder of the annual “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day (www.nancychristie.com/focusonfiction/celebrate-short-fiction-day/).

The 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