The Written Scene

It's one thing to be excited about the arts. For author and historian Debbie Wastling, it's a passion, and you can hear it in every word. In this episode of The Written Scene, Debbie talks about having famous relatives in the arts back in the early 20th century, a brief geography and history lesson, mixing her love of music into her books and stories, famous writers from her childhood home, how her music writing is storytelling, not shying away from politics, the ways the railroad system in every country is historically relevant, trying to remain historically accurate in her novels, the evolution of her art after moving from England to Los Angeles, how knowing Shakespeare helps her write historical fiction, experiencing Shakespeare and other theater productions in Ashland, OR, writing poetry to understand and process feelings at an early age, reading out loud the things we write, learning discipline in writing through theater, writing grants for music education, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For historical fiction author Debbie Wastling, her childhood experiences with libraries and powerful teachers makes giving back to libraries and schools very easy. Please enjoy this teaser with Debbie ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Whether you're running a tennis club or a practicing lawyer, all of it matters if you want to write. For author Gene Desrochers, this is especially true. In this (long) episode of The Written Scene, Gene discusses growing up in a historical building and landmark, losing your virginity in weird and creepy places, writing about where we used to live instead of where we currently live, using story location as a character, the ways where you grow up factors into the writer inside, switching back and forth between writing novels and short stories, having low daily word count writing goals, when you get in your own way of writing a story, the ways legal trials are all about telling a better story, why it's fun to be on a jury, what different jobs in life can do for a writer's skillset, lessons tennis can teach you about yourself and your writing, how restrictions in a story can make for a better story, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

They say to write what you know. For author Gene Desrochers, it was the loss of a childhood friend—an event he didn't know about until he was much older—that eventually became the kernel of his books. Please enjoy this teaser with Gene ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett, the world of writing has unlocked a joy of storytelling he didn't know existed at first. In this episode of The Written Scene, LaDaryn talks about finding the joy of Dungeons & Dragons in a college dorm basement, using ChatGPT but also making sure to give back in a more human manner, finding early influences in stories involving animals, writing to preserve positive growth as a person, not knowing where story concepts come from but still writing them anyway, the reward of challenging storytelling, how reading and writing should be habits for authors, telling stories that aren't about identity and encountering expectations that come with being a Black author, his love of reading and writing Germanic folklore, marrying his love of the environment and writing adventure stories, writing about animals in a way that doesn't further any harmful human behaviors toward them, getting out of your comfort zone to be less fearful about other things in life, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter but clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Saying yes to an invitation into someone's basement can come with some risk. Fortunately, for author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett, it worked out well. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Poet and professor Daniela Sow has always written poetry. It was in her 20's when she discovered the power of performance poetry. In this episode of The Written Scene, Daniela discusses the value of having another person help organize poems in a book, the high and lows (and delusions) of submitting for publication, knowing her poetry collection needed the right home, how Dean Koontz got her in trouble as a kid, writing fiction before poetry, the role of place in her recent collection of poetry, her MFA experience at San Diego State University, having a mentorship in writing, what a dedicated weekly writing session does for a writer, writing performance poetry long after first writing poetry for the page, the ways spoken word poetry helped her build community, slam poetry pros and cons, not censoring herself or shying away from tough subjects, the powerful impact poet Jim Moreno had in San Diego on not only individuals but also the community as a whole, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also sign up to receive our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Sometimes all it takes is one acceptance to to generate a little hope and drive. For author and professor Daniela P. Sow, this was certainly the case. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Everyone has their own level of what they'd call success. Musician Taylor Hollingsworth makes a living playing guitar on stage, a level of success he's both proud of and humbled by. In this episode of The Written Scene, Taylor talks about how he creates his sound on stage, the difference in possibilities between electric and acoustic guitars, choosing to perform solo after playing decades with a band, what the genre term psychobilly means, playing both big and small stages, making sure you expand your knowledge of other art being made, his love of pre-1960s music, getting into kid lit thanks to his mother who wrote kid lit, being surprised at how much he enjoys Harry Potter, the role of musicians in depicting history and human behavior, discovering the heart of the song during the writing process, when people you admire turn out to have faults that are hard to ignore, how perhaps we've overcorrected, writing while out on the road, the ways modern technology has changed the music industry, and surprisingly more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also join our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Just as it can be with writing and finding a voice, musician Taylor Hollingsworth discovered his sound by figuring out what most people were NOT doing and experimented with that.  Please enjoy this teaser with Taylor ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If you're an author, surely you've heard the "write what you know" advice. For author and retired educator Deborah Holt Larkin, she knew quite well the story that gripped her town as a child, and also her father's career as a journalist. In this episode of The Written Scene, Deborah discusses how she's always been a reader and how that helps determine what's a good book, using her writing talents to write grants, why early on the idea of writing a book was a fleeting thought here and there, the usefulness of having a journalist for a father who kept everything, what was easy or difficult to write a book, learning how to be a better writer with each draft, encountering self-doubt during the writing process, how a read and critique group can keep us on task, providing feedback more to help a story than to change it, the ways age can play a role in getting published, what a shopping agreement is for screenplays, how swimming competitively helped her market the book, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Deborah Holt Larkin, a fatal crime in her neighborhood when she was a child became a catalyst to understand crime and protect herself, as well as write a book about it later in life. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Deborah ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

This episode is our four year anniversary of The Written Scene. Thank you to those that have been listening for a while. To those that are new here, welcome. You have a lot of great conversations about writing to catch up on. Speaking of great conversations... When it comes to making sure writers and non-writers alike feel comfortable and find joy in the arts community, author and community organizer Melissa McKinstry plays a significant part in making sure that happens. In this episode of The Written Scene, Melissa discusses being the first author in an inaugural author residency, why it's been so fulfilling to have a quarterly arts event, holding events at small spaces vs. large spaces, the influence her grandfather and his book collection had on her reading path, memories of Bookmobiles when we were kids, how her rural upbringing impacted her writing, getting her MFA later in life, the ways her son was her biggest inspiration, learning to write about emotionally laden experiences without sentimentality, imitation as a way to learn and understanding craft, always having music on in the house, the accountability of having weekly writing sessions with other writers, and more. The next Poet Tree Productions reading and music event is Sunday, February 22nd, from 1pm to 4pm at Meraki in the South Park neighboorhood. Poetry, prose, jazz, food, and local artisans. Expect a fantastic afternoon and if you see me there, say hi. Get your tickets here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Melissa McKinstry, the spark to host her own poetry and jazz series came from an inaugural author residency where, while it still holds a dear place in her heart, the rules were still being ironed out. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and poet Julia Lemke, discovering the healing and connecting nature of poetry changed the course of her writing career. In this episode of The Written Scene, Julia talks about how a spiritual epiphany guided her and its effect on her book, loving the library as a kid and how many books she could check out, reading books as a child that are now banned, majoring in Packaging in college and what that really is, the muscle memory of creation as a kid and how it changes as we age, accepting the feeling of not knowing what's next after completing a large project, finding relevancy in a fast paced society, why we can't create if we're not living our lives too, the kind of stories that stick with her, how having patience when writing can pay off, why your reader won't figure out what you're saying if you don't know either, leveling up as a poet, the ways performing poetry improves your writing, and much more. If you enjoyed this convo, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa

For author Julia Lemke, poetry felt inaccessible. Fortunately, all it took was finding her voice to unlock and open doors. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Janell Strube may also work as a tax accountant but her extensive use of spreadsheets made writing much easier. In this episode of The Written Scene, Janell talks about the writing lessons learned from going down rabbit holes, being the kid with their nose in the book instead of playing, viewing writing as feeding and nourishing people, the power of realizing and also believing you're a writer, having a day job that competes with time to write, zooming out to see just how much we've written over time, volunteering within a writer community and how that benefits us, developing thick skin through critique groups, using objects to tell a story, having a specific office just for writing, the lesson of less is more when writing a love scene, why bookstores survive in a digital world, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter of upcoming guests, events, and more. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Not all teachers are good. But even the bad ones can be motivating, just as it was for author and memoirist Janell Strube. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Barbara Carlton led a previous life as an architect, a job she's now retired from, but a job that was very much like writing a novel. In this episode of The Written Scene, Barbara talks about the fortune of having a good publisher, how her love of music played a role in her writing, writing like you're in a mine with only a headlamp, reading kid lit just fo the joy of reading it, why taking a lot of writing classes can prevent the enjoyment of specific genres, the fear of "now what?" after finishing a novel you've worked on for many years, cross-fertilizing by writing different genres, how writing at an older age can benefit a story, when travel is both good and unnecessary for writing, having so large of a sinlge draft that it must be broken up into four different books altogether, and much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Barbara Carlton, the inspiration for her novel, as it can be for many authors, was right there on her own street. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to writing, there's no shortage of joy of the process in author and professor Matt Bell, and it's obvious from the smile you can hear in his voice when he talks about it. In this momentous episode (100!) of The Written Scene, Matt discusses growing up in a family of environmentalists and its impact on his writing, the joy of maintaining consistency in a story, creating an outline after the first draft, not being nostalgic with past drafts of stories, finding 30 year old anthologies with now well-established authors, becoming a writer later in life and its advantages, how the only control a writer has is to keep writing, the benefits authors will accumulate while also teaching, what working non-writing jobs will do for your future writing job, having characters with no names and what that does both to and for a story, handling rejection and using baseball statistics for perspective, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and professor Matt Bell, writing a novel can be a great starting point to understand and maybe even conquer anxieties and fears. After enjoying this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to writing, to author Taylor Garcia it's more than just a thing we do. It's a career, albeit just a really enjoyable one. In this episode of The Written Scene, Taylor discusses the potential reasons why men are reading less fiction, growing up in a matriarchal family environment, having a healthy dose of life for storytelling purposes, a cruel suggestion from a grad school professor, seeing the world as a story, working non-creative jobs, finding a love of editing and feedback, ironic redemption for a character, letting ideas marinate for a long time before writing, bringing things together in a story that don't typically belong together, handling multiple writing projects at the same time, the pedestrian Bud Light nature of stories and shows, writing whenever and wherever you can, and so much more. Make sure to get your copy of Taylor's book, "Animal Husbandry," which you can find at my favorite bookstore in town, The Book Catapult.  Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

According to author Taylor Garcia, as cruel as it can be, having a higher and formal level of writing education can help not just your writing craft but also explain why the greats are the greats. If you enjoyed this teaser, please be sure to subscribe ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Share, rate, and review, if you're feeling extra helpful. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For pianist and author Jeeyoon Kim, the artist's job is to create a bridge to their art. Because of this, her piano performances are an engaging, multi-media experience. In this episode of The Written Scene, Jeeyoon talks about how her newsletter inspired her recent book, implementing storytelling into her piano concerts, giving readers a reason to take a breath after each chapter of her book, discovering a love of jazz later in life, requiring patience when listening to classical music, what a doctorate degree teaches us about what we know and don't know, the educator's mindset, learning to hibernate and learn before performing, an artist's susceptibility to tall into the comparison trap, how writing music is similar to writing words, why we're better people the closer we are to nature, the ways the sense of awe can be healing, and much more. Grab your copy of Jeeyoon's book Beyond the Keys: Music & Stories of Inspiration at your local bookshop not named Amazon. Need a suggestion that has the book? Try one of my favorites, Warwick's in La Jolla. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For pianist and author Jeeyoon Kim, connecting with her newsletter readers formed a deeper, more real relationship with others, and puts her work in perspective. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Jeeyoon. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Carl Vonderau's path to novel writing took him through the dark streets of a banking career, which can be the perfect place to find a good villain. In this episode of The Written Scene, Carl opens up about revisiting hard scenes that are part truthful, having the willingness to fail as a poet on public stage, understanding the minds of criminals, making up ghost stories as a kid, learning fast how good people can be at their craft, not being ready to put in the effort into being a writer, finding poetry in fiction, reading books that require interpretations, writing the hero's arc and giving morality to villains, craving empathy and connection with a character, being impacted as the writer as much as the reader is, preferring to write longer stories over short stories, why the first draft of his first scene is always written by hand, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and every episode of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by tapping or clicking here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Authors often draw from what we have lived. In author Carl Vonderau's book, Saving Myles, he had to do the same, and it wasn't always easy. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and writing coach Natasha Tynes, working for yourself is important. However, getting used to the feast or famine part of the job took some time. In this episode of The Written Scene, Natasha talks about taking breaks between writing and other projects, getting her publishing start in journalism, feeling like there's no time to celebrate publications, choosing your creative path and not having creative freedom when working for others, the different struggles she encounters with authors early on on their path, knowing and accepting writing isn't a magical bolt of lightning but instead is actual work, using the Pomodoro Technique, leaving bread crumbs when struggling for the next writing session, the mise en place of writing, how to stay away from information dumps in fiction, having to first and foremost believe you have a story to tell, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and writing coach Natasha Tynes, having a full-time job helped her remain disciplined when it came to writing.  Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Having been in the filmmaking industry for nearly three decades, filmmaker and author Scott Marcano has seen some things. In this episode of The Written Scene, Scott discusses the many but expensive avenues to getting published, the weight of artists doing jobs others used to do, why it's important to read and how we schedule time for it, how he became the co-writer for the movie Bio-Dome, writing movie sequels vs. writing book trilogies, releasing small bits of art for free and watching who buys more, the exhausting and ugly full-time job of social media, how time may or may not change people we know from our youth, becoming a better person through personal challenges, writing non-stereotypical villains by understanding how they became a villain, a little family therapy, the lack of integrity in the arts and larger world, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter but clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For filmmaker, artist, and author Scott Marcano, the writing part of any project is enjoyable. The actual production part? Well, that depends on the project. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Scott.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author, researcher, and professor Robbie Maakestad is not lacking in confidence when it comes to submitting. At least not right away. In this episode of The Written Scene, Robbie discusses what he's learned about writing through teaching, using a highlighter to organize notes, the formulaic nature of early reader books, how we learn to read and the impact it has on our reading style, falling in love with essays and essay writing, creating emotion when writing non-fiction, the various ways to find needed writing communities, submitting writing and his process, rarely paying to submit writing for publication, lessons learned as a writer from also working in publishing, being an early reader for a publisher as early as possible on your writing path, and much more.  Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and professor Robbie Maakestad, the best part about being homeschooled was all the reading his teacher (aka his mother) implemented into the curriculum.  Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene and be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of the podcast. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Jill G. Hall knew early on she wanted to be a teacher. Little did she know how big a role being an author would come into play in her lifetime. In this episode of The Written Scene, Jill talks about the research process of her new book "On a Sundown Sea," getting out of research rabbit holes, what the process of an intuitive writer is like, the obligations of a historical fiction author, being a mere vessel for the words, using prompts to get the writing day started, how poetry helped her write prose, finding your corner in a writing community, why having a professional running a critique group matters, when to know edits are needed through reader comments and critiques, reasons why your mom as a feedback reader is a bad thing, the joy of writing a villain or a character you're not used to writing, and so much more. While the release date of the book is after this episode, be sure to pre-order Jill's newest novel, "On a Sundown Sea." There are many independent bookstores to choose from. My personal favorite? The Book Catapult in South Park. Or you can choose Jill's favorites, Warwick's in La Jolla or La Playa Books in Point Loma. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Jill G. Hall, the nudge to write a new novel—even after vowing to never write a second one—came from a question that surfaced the memory of a strange story she heard as a child. Enjoy this teaser with Jill ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Subscribe and listen everywhere.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author and librarian Kristen Arnett knows what it's like to do research for a book, including the pitfalls and results of doing too much research. Fortunately, she also knows how to correct course. In this episode of The Written Scene, Kristen discusses how being a child of the '80s helped with her novel about clowns, not having the time to write all the story ideas we come up with, deleting work without being too precious about it, how working in libraries has benefitted her story writing process and finding good characters, secretly reading books her parents disapproved of when she was a kid, why less is more can be important to writing, the excitement of tonal shift when writing, how writers can use social media, how she knows when the writing of a book or story is done, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene.  Click or tap here to sign up to our once-a-month newsletter of upcoming guests, events, and more. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and librarian Kristen Arnett, sometimes the story is more what you don't know but are willing to learn. Please enjoy this teaser with Kristen ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa

Author, professor, and social scientist JD Clapp has written and published many scientific articles. None of them, however, have provided the creative outlet needed that his poetry and fiction has. In this episode of The Written Scene, JD talks about the flexibility of indie presses, having familiarity with a publisher before submitting, how the writing is different between a 25 year old and a 45 year old, separating fact from fiction in writing, what he means by academics shephard's pie and economy of expression, writing at least five days a week, being authentic to the voice of the character, reading stories outside of the genre you write in, why it's important to understand for publishers it's still a business, how it's easier to publish something but it's harder now to sell it, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter, which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author, researcher, and professor JD Clapp, having both an analytical and creative mind has its advantages. Please enjoy this brief teaser with JD ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Dean Nelson, an author, professor at Point Loma Nazarene University, and host of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, always had a gift for writing. Still, that didn't stop him from a short-lived stint in medical school before settling in as a journalist. In this episode of The Written Scene, Dean discusses the main focus of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, why not all writers are good speakers, getting his joy of writing early on with an underground newspaper in high school, receiving very useful career direction in the form of a question: "What are you good at?", still finding joy and validation in a good writing day, reading for enjoyment and also for craft study, how and why we're never not writers, making a concerted effort to get high school students to attend the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, what playing sports can do for writers, the health and creative benefits of interacting with nature and other creativity, his optimism for the future of journalism and storytelling, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If there's anyone who knows how difficult it can be sometimes to interview authors, it's Dean Nelson, creator and host of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, now in its 30th year. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Dean. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Poet and musician Anthony Green Jr. grew up around music and books, thanks to his parents. These days he tries to honor them and his own family with being the best version of an artist he can be. In this episode of The Written Scene, Anthony discusses starting out with music and how poetry was a natural progression, having parents who find importance in reading and artistic endeavors, why digital books was the right choice over print, how his son is his biggest writing motivator, creating books as time capsules, viewing himself as a writer first and above all else, starting with the book title first and writing to support that, learning when in the day you write best, writing about grief and how poetry helps process feelings better than other genres, how a good relationship makes life feel a little easier, using music with poetry to help perform the poetry, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this an all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter, which you can subscribe to by tapping or clicking here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For poet and musician Anthony Green Jr., watching his son just be a kid and use his imagination was a reminder and motivator to do the same for himself. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Anthony. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Thomas Wing's path to writing was often hidden from others, and by choice. But after decades in the Navy and filling his brain with naval boats and warfare, his confidence and desire to write about it became too much to ignore. In this episode of The Written Scene, Thomas discusses using real historical events to explore humanity through fictional characters, going down research rabbit holes, the difficulty of writing about a period the author didn't live in, how eavesdropping helped him learn to write dialogue, getting better at writing by sticking with it, staying creative mentally while on duty, finding balance in life post-retirement as a writer, using naval and boating jargon wisely, when finding time to write is the hard part of writing, what deeply flawed characters do for a story, the importance of family to not just his characters but to him personally, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap here. Music: Addis Ababa

For author Thomas Wing, access to his parents' library consisting of over 5000 books on every topic imaginable was a boon to not just his reading interests but also his writing path. Please enjoy this teaser with Thomas ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For much of his life, author and musician Anthony Adams knew the creative world was where he always wanted to be. After decades in music, he has co-authored his debut novel, Chasing Shadows, and has plans for many more books and other creative endeavors. In this episode of The Written Scene, Anthony discusses traveling the world to research their novel, following every bread crumb when writing a story, how their past in writing screenplays helped them write a novel, the fourth act of a novel and where it is or can be, what the right partner in collaboration does for the artistic process, learning what paths to take and what paths not to take, finding the perfect publisher to partner with, the joy of creating a visual book trailer for the novel, why we're in the golden age for novelists, the role of luck in a successful creative career, how ever character we create is a little bit of people we know, why characters in musicals break out into song, and a whole lot more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author, musician, and playwright Anthony Adams, the liberation of writing a novel made writing even more enjoyable. Please enjoy this brief teaser of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Anthony. If you're reading this before June 19th, don't miss Anthony and co-author and wife Christina Adams under the nom de plume A.C. Adams discussing their debut novel Chasing Shadows at the Coronado Library. More details here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

It doesn't take a harrowing life to be able to tell a story. But for author, musician, and creative mind Christina Adams, it was a story she couldn't pass up writing. In this episode of The Written Scene, Christina talks about the writing process with her husband and other co-writer Anthony Adams, why they chose to write a true story in the fiction genre, using music and books to escape life as a kid, how writing music helps her storytelling, the importance of working creative jobs that aren't writing when writing isn't paying yet, understanding the creative side of us can't be kept down, struggling to find or make time to also do nothing, how the skill of being highly organized carries over into writing, making sure a story is relatable and the reader feels something, the difficulty of telling a good story, and much more. Side note: I don't know why but I called her Christine up front when her name is Christina. Apologies to Christina for the mistake.  Don't miss Christina and Anthony appearing as their nom de plume A.C. Adams at the Coronado Library on June 19th to discuss their debut book, Chasing Shadows.  Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by tapping or clicking here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Proof that two brains working together can sometimes write better than one working on its own. Enjoy this brief teaser with Christina Adams, one-half of the power couple A.C. Adams, ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. And don't miss your chance to meet Christina and Anthony (whom you'll hear from soon) at the Coronado Library on June 19th for a discussion about their newest book, Chasing Shadows.