You may know NYT best-selling memoirist Jillian Lauren from her Jersey-girl-ends-up-as-harem-girl story (really)in Brunai (the subject of her first book, SOME GIRLS). Now we celebrate motherhood in her stunning memoir, EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED. Laugh with us as Jillian admits being jealous of other writers (isn't the truth REFRESHING?), and marvel as she shares her practical tips on being so prolific. For access to insider publishing knowledge, monthly coaching calls and so much more, join us in our thriving writing community: www.thebeautifulwritersgroup.com. For more great author interviews, follow the Beautiful Writers Podcast on Soundcloud or iTunes. 

Download on iTunes

Jillian Lauren : Writing the Hard Stuff

Laura is a veteran book editor, publisher, literary agent and writer who has published many bestselling authors, including: Maria Shriver, Mary Tyler Moore, and Jodi Picoult. She began her 25-year career at Simon & Schuster, where she worked as an editor at three different imprints before moving to Putnam and then becoming the Editor-at-Large at Regan Books. She’s now a top agent at The Carol Mann Agency (and sold our recent interviewee Janice MacLeod—the NYT bestselling author of Paris Letters) and has gotten deals for many of Linda's clients. (They share the same birthday and almost always fall in love with the same projects!) We know you’re going to love hearing Laura's take on big book auctions; “Dream” vs. “Nightmare” author clients; the lucrative career of ghostwriting, and what it’s like to be a gal peddling other people’s dreams. Get access to more insider publishing knowledge, monthly coaching calls, and so much more, here : thebeautifulwritersgroup.com/ and for more great author interviews, follow the Beautiful Writers Podcast on Soundcloud!

Laura Yorke : What Agents Really Want

Gretchen Rubin is the author of 3 blockbuster New York Times bestsellers—The Happiness Project, Happier at Home, and now Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives. Her books have sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, AND, she has a podcast of her own! Check out Happier with Gretchen Rubin on Soundcloud http://bit.ly/1Vr7v2f. For access to more insider publishing knowledge, monthly coaching calls, and so much more, join our thriving community at TheBeautifulWritersGroup.com and for more great author interviews, follow the Beautiful Writers Podcast on Soundcloud!

Gretchen Rubin : Creativity-Saving Habits

This tapped-in, tattooed 27-year-old Angel communicator hails from Scotland, and brings a laid back approach to spirit. He's authored 4 Hay House books and a deck series including Angel Prayers and Wings of Forgiveness. In this interview, he shares examples of the importance of keeping track of your agent/royalties, how impromptu proposal art helped land him a book deal, and how another advance allowed him to take an 8-month break from clients to make the writing of his book “a pilgrimage.” He also shares how legal issues happen—even with the most spiritual of intentions—and his thoughts (and those of the Angels) on writing about other people. He believes we writers are recruited by the universe to write on our subjects, and that it’s an honor. For more insider publishing knowledge, monthly coaching calls and so much more, go to www.thebeautifulwritersgroup.com and join our thriving community. For more great author interviews, follow the Beautiful Writers Podcast on Soundcloud or subscribe on iTunes!

Kyle Gray : Inviting Angels into Your Book

In this conversation with Elizabeth Gilbert, our generation's "Mark Twain," we unpack the inherent magic of language, embracing the sacred "No," what it takes to have the things you say you want, and to sex or not to sex on book tour. Ha. Liz has an extraordinary way with words (but you knew that) and a rich perspective on what it means to share your magic with the world. Her eighth bestseller, BIG MAGIC is nothing short of brilliant and we're elated to have her with us. For more inspiring interviews with best-selling authors, subscribe to the Beautiful Writers Podcast on iTunes. To get access to our thriving community of writers visit TheBeautifulWritersGroup.com.

Elizabeth Gilbert : The Big Magic of Creative Living

In this lively chat with a legend of contemporary literature (The War of Art, Gates of Fire, The Legend of Bagger Vance … ), Steven Pressfield shares details of his own hero's journey, and his best pro writing tips: the “Foolscap Method” for starting (and ending) a book, working with the “equal and opposite” energies of assistance and resistance,  and how to invoke the muse without pissing her off. Steven’s warrior code approach to the creative life has been the saving grace for writers and creatives around the world who endeavor to overcome the inevitable pull of self-sabotage. His classic style is captivating, making this one of our favorite interviews of the year. Join us as Steven illuminates the Odyssey of the creative journey like only he can.  For more inspiring interviews with best-selling authors, subscribe to the Beautiful Writers Podcast on iTunes. To get access to our thriving community of writers visit TheBeautifulWritersGroup.com.

Steven Pressfield : Resistance and Invoking the Muse

Seth Godin is one of the world’s most successful authors and bloggers, and has changed the way people think about marketing and work. He's written 18 international bestsellers that have been translated into over 35 languages. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the last decade. Other bestsellers include Permission Marketing, All Marketers Are Liars, Small is the New Big, The Dip, Tribes, Linchpin, and Poke the Box. Seth has an MBA in marketing from Stanford. He’s been a CEO, a book packager, and sold a business that he started for $20k for $30m. In other words, we have a lot to learn from this man, who lives in NY with his wife and their two sons and has a compassionate heart that’s as large, if not larger, than his masterful brain. For more inspiring interviews with best-selling authors, subscribe to the Beautiful Writers Podcast on iTunes. To get access to our thriving community of writers visit TheBeautifulWritersGroup.com.

Seth Godin: Tribes, Blogs and Book Biz

One of today’s most beloved authors, Dr. Brené Brown shares behind-the-scenes details of her incredible life and career including: What it’s like to have 3 books on the New York Times bestseller’s list at the same time, why she won't read her reviews, funny/moving details of her meeting with Oprah and Maya Angelou, and what trips her up when writing and real life collide. If you’re one of the over 25 million viewers who’ve watched her 2010 TEDx Houston talk on The Power of Vulnerability, you know that this research professor at the University of Houston is heartfelt and hilarious. (Case in point, her “A" to our “Q" on “Sleep or Sex?” just might be our favorite one yet!) It is with very full hearts that we bring you this conversation. To subscribe to future podcasts or learn more about how we can support you on your writing journey, head over to www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com 


Brené Brown: Daring to Create Greatly

In Hollywood, Mr. Robert McKee is a living legend, a kind of “God" among storytellers. This creative writing instructor teaches a program to sold out audiences worldwide that he developed as a professor at the University of Southern California. He's the author of Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting. This bible, currently in its 19th printing has become required reading for film and cinema schools at Harvard, Yale, UCLA, USC, etc. McKee has sold many of his own screenplays for film and television, and his students include 63 Academy Award winners and 164 Emmy Award winners. We’re ELATED to bring you the man Russell Brand calls: “… a wanderer… a misanthrope... a whisky-sipping, dusky voiced, Bogart-esque Sinatra but in prose...” Huh? Stay tuned. Like Russell, we were mesmerized to learn from this master and know you will be too!
     To subscribe to future podcasts or learn more about how we can support you on your writing journey, head over to www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com.

Robert McKee: Story is Everything

Marianne is a spiritual teacher and author of 11 books—(4 #1 NYT bestsellers), who shares with us unforgettable insider publishing stories, including the dangers of ignoring the “still, small voice within” when it comes to media and pressure from industry experts. We discuss being pregnant with a book; how to invite more miracles, and the difference between learning through suffering vs. joy. As the founder of Project Angel Food (a meals-on-wheels program serving homebound people with AIDS); a co-founder of The Peace Alliance (supporting legislation to establish a United States Department of Peace); her tireless work to end poverty (worldwide), and running for Congress (bringing the revolutionary concepts of love and forgiveness into the political arena), this visionary woman doesn’t mess around! Newsweek magazine has called Marianne one of the 50 most influential baby boomers, and with her new book, Tears to Triumph: The spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment, the brilliance continues… To hear past and future podcasts, and learn more about how we can support you on your writing journey, head over to www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com

Marianne Williamson: From Tears to Triumph

Legendary novelist Terry McMillan chats with Linda Sivertsen and guest host Dani Shapiro while on tour for her 8th novel, I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU, currently getting rave reviews from the New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Times, and O magazine, to name a few. Terry's #1 New York Times bestsellers Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back were hit films (starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett). Once again she's created what readers expect from a McMillan book—characters full of wit and rich with friendship… oh, and great sex scenes, but we’ll get to that later. 

Like Dani (author of Still Writing, and also a bestselling novelist and memoirist, who was a guest of this podcast late last year), Terry’s taught for years as a professor, so they'll be talking craft and inspiration in this ridiculously fun interview filled with hilarity and adult language. Heads up! If you’ve got kids within earshot, you might want to push pause. Linda, Dani, and Terry will be ready when you are—slightly rebellious and always grateful—digging deep, and going for the light. 

For info on past episodes, or details on  taking your writing dreams from idea to done, visit us at: beautifulwriterspodcast.com

download on iTunes

Terry McMillan: Novels, Memoirs, & Films--Oh My!

Music icon Paul Williams shares a hilarious, heartfelt hour with longtime bestie, Linda Sivertsen (who moved into his mansion 26 years ago to care for his pups so he could go get sober) and this month’s guest host, bestselling memoirist and novelist Jillian Lauren. Paul, whose standards have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, David Bowie, Tony Bennett, The Carpenters, Willie Nelson, REM, Diana Ross, The Dixie Chicks, and so many others—including Jillian’s rock star husband!—shares a secret-weapon creativity tool that led to winning the Oscar for “Evergreen” (with Barbara Streisand), an armful of Grammy’s, Golden Globes, and a recent New York Times bestseller. Oh, and an induction into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. There’s that.

Paul’s songs, “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays” “You and Me Against the World” and “The Rainbow Connection” from the Muppets, have been anthems for generations. (Ever watch The Love Boat? Yep; that theme song’s there, too!) Not bad for a guy who calls himself “orphaned trailer trash” and never had formal musical training—but instead scribbled down the songs playing in his head. We know you’ll be riveted hearing Paul's iconic voice as he sings the play-by-play details and lyrics of a Grammy-nominated song he downloaded in the park, AND Paul's advice for getting out of your own way to create the best work of your life (it’s so much easier than you think). If there’s anyone who can assure you you’re never, ever alone in this creative journey, it’s Pauli.

Get ready to be inspired, too, with how this tuned in, hilarious soul keeps getting MORE successful (and happier) with age. The creative heights he’s reached in the first half of his seventies are astounding, as is how he’s fighting for the digital rights for all writers. But career magic aside, it’s Paul's humanity—that thing that’s led him to help thousands of people one on one in recovery, and millions throughout the world via his lyrics—that’s truly contagious. Trust us: you're going to want to catch what this man's got, so snuggle in and listen up...

Paul Williams: Hitmaker for Generations

Linda Sivertsen interviews her longtime friend Guru Singh—a third-generation yogi, spiritual leader, and author—for one of her most powerful conversations yet. Named “Best Guru in L.A.” by Los Angeles magazine in the early 90s (that claimed Guru's yoga classes were so popular, attendees had to levitate for space), Linda made an appointment to see what all the hype was about. What she found was positively addictive.

For decades, people of all faiths have flocked to this minister of Sikh Dharma because, as you’ll see, his unique and profound take on the world is spellbinding. We also can’t say enough about Guru's memoir, BURIED TREASURES: The Journey From Where You Are To Who You Are, a book that takes you through a most mystical of hero’s journeys.

About this episode! Guru Singh is epic, and we need epic right about now. We promise you’ve never heard insights like the ones you’re about to discover… crazy-cool strategies on bringing through your most inspired writing; cutting-edge wisdom on what the heck is going on with our planet (and between the sexes!), and the enormous benefits of sitting in the lap of your creator and whispering in its ear, to name a few. It’s long. Our longest episode yet. And we’re guessing you may just wish he’d gone on even longer:).

Guru has requested we tape today’s show without a co-host, to make the chat a little more intimate. Get your pen and papers ready, if you’re not driving. Because your mind is about to be blown.

To learn more about Guru, go to GuruSingh.com. And, to take your writing dreams from Idea to Done, we’ll see you over at: www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com

Guru Singh: Buried Treasures Revealed

Glennon Doyle Melton is back on the Beautiful Writers Podcast; this time in the co-host chair with Linda Sivertsen. Fresh from her whirlwind tour for the #1 New York Times bestseller, LOVE WARRIOR, Glennon shares heart-centered updates on those dizzying details, as well as love notes on her recent divorce (yes, they're darling like that), and romantic musings on her engagement to soccer legend, Abby Wambach (simply captivating).

Linda and Glennon couldn’t be more excited to interview their long-time idol (whom they’ve never met)—Anne Lamott—the much BELOVED author of the New York Times bestsellers: Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Operating Instructions, and several novels—including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. And let’s not forget, her universally adored, how-to writing classic, Bird by Bird.

Anne and Glennon have so much in common it's hard to keep up, but here’s a sneak peek list: Oprah; sobriety; motherhood; bestsellers; acts of charity; Sunday-school teaching, political activism, overall adorableness, and the not-so-enviable burden of social anxiety (unless you figure, as Linda does, that it’s sneakily behind their distinct talent for taking universal feelings and making them hilariously darkly dramatic and touching, thus earning them the adoration of the masses).

Tune in as Linda and Glennon catch Anne BEFORE she embarks on tour for this, her 17th book: HALLELUJAH ANYWAY: Rediscovering Mercy. Because she hasn’t yet been asked a million questions on the topic and therefore won’t be looking for the exit routes. Because the world could sure use more mercy right about now. And because you'll soon find out what it means, where you can find it, and why it’s so radically important.

Welcome!

Anne Lamott: Hallelujah Anyway

Oprah's agent, THE biggest literary agent in the world, is on today’s episode of the Beautiful Writers Podcast with one of her star clients! Jennifer Rudolph Walsh is the head of the Worldwide Literary Department at WME (William Morris Endeavor). Along with repping authors like Sheryl Sandberg, Arianna Huffington, and Brené Brown, she’s sold the books you’ve heard about here multiple times—HOURGLASS, DEVOTION, and STILL WRITING—by one of our favorite writers and guests, Dani Shapiro!  

Dani is back as today’s guest host with her rock star agent for an intimate look at the kind of relationship every writer dreams of. 

Jennifer and Dani’s “soulmate” connection started nearly two decades ago, which makes this episode so unique. It’s loving. Kind. Cozy. Fun. Not exactly the first words that come to mind when you think of high-powered lit agents. But Jennifer is far from jaded or standoffish, as you’ll see. “Everyone who has breath has a purpose,” Jennifer says, which is just the kind of feel-good encouragement you may need right now. In case you’ve forgotten to breathe or remember that you have a purpose. 

You’ll be reminded when you hear about where to access precious pockets of time for your dreams, and how caring passionately about your goals but giving zero f#cks about the nonsense and noise you can’t control makes all the difference. We hope you’ll be encouraged to hear about how agenting is a two-way street, and how we’re all doing our best to wrap our arms around the changing realities of social media and platform building when what we’re desperate for are both community and a revolution. 

Community. Revolution. Jennifer’s middle names. She’s currently building the ark before the flood, so to speak, with her creation of the TOGETHER LIVE tour, an annual speaking tour that's coming to ten cities this fall. Featuring heart-stopping stories from our Glennon Doyle Melton and Elizabeth Lesser, and so many other wonder women (Abby Wambach! Luvvie Ajayi! Sophia Bush!…), TOGETHER LIVE is affordable, accessible, raw, and ignited. It’s also curious, fierce, intersectional, and Zero Bulls#it. Or, as Glennon says, a ten-city, three-hour traveling Love Rally.

Kind of like what we hope you’ll find in this conversation with these love-bug wonder women. Welcome.

Jennifer Rudolph Walsh on Together-ness

Want to be a writer? A career author? In case you haven’t heard, the blank page can be a real A-hole, and the book industry no less intimidating. If you’ve ever wished you could sit down and ask your favorite authors how they do it—how they REALLY pull it off day after day, year after year, book after book—you're going to love this show.  

Today’s a Celebration Day here at the Beautiful Writers Podcast, our first-ever "Best Of” episode. I’m Linda Sivertsen, your host, and these snippets make up Part I of more to come. Basically, it was IMPOSSIBLE to choose the “best” snippets from 22 hours of audio with the most lovable, talented storytellers in the world (bestsellers like Elizabeth Gilbert, Glennon Doyle Melton, Seth Godin, Brené Brown, Martha Beck, Anne Lamott, Steven Pressfield, and so many others), where all topics were fair game. If you’re already a fan of the show, I think you’ll love reliving these hilarious, wicked smart moments. If you’re new here, we’ll hopefully leave you wanting more. 

Every episode we’ve done, from the show’s inception with Danielle LaPorte and me to the past 14 months where I’ve brought on different monthly celebrity guest hosts, they’ve all been dear to me. Most of our interviewees are on a book tour at the time of our chats, and with combined book sales in the hundreds of millions, they know just what to say to bring INSTANT relief and ah-has! no matter where a person is in their life or creative process. I’m still starstruck by every interviewee. I think you may be, too, as evidenced by the fact your 400,000 listens/downloads so far have put us in the top 5% of all podcasts of all categories! GRATEFUL doesn’t even begin to cover it.  

In closing, I can’t tell you how tempting it was to turn this into a 3-hour episode by including every one of our 26 interviewees. All are survivors. Thrivers. Proselytizers. And their religion is kindness. They’ve faced incredible hardship and more rejection than a family of rats in a restaurant. Yet, they’re still standing. Still laughing. Still giving. Still writing. Rather than short change them (and you!) with snippets too short to get inside of, I’ve broken them up into Part I and II (coming soon). 

Until then, subscribe here so you never miss an episode. And, of course, you can find all of our interviews in their entirety below and at www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com.

Write on, my friend. I’m so very happy you’re here. xo

"Best Of" Episode, Part 1

CNN political correspondent and New York Times bestselling author Van Jones (THE GREEN COLLAR ECONOMY, REBUILD THE DREAM) is in the house! Just in time, too, to get our stinking thinking turned around before next month's Thanksgiving feasts (because didn’t we have enough food fights post-election last year to give us indigestion 'til 2050?). Van’s new book, BEYOND THE MESSY TRUTH: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together (Ballantine), soothes the ache. Reading it brings instant relief. Points our way back to love. 

If you’re sick of crazy, if you’ve had ENOUGH, this is the episode for you! I’m elated to share this conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author Glennon Doyle (LOVE WARRIOR), who is back as our guest host. She and I are longtime fans of this environmental and human rights hero, but even more so now, having spent nearly an hour and a half with him. And boy do we talk writing—including rejection, how hard it can be, and tools to help you get it DONE. 

You probably know Van as the level-headed TV personality with dear friends on both sides of the political aisle. But the quiet child who grew up in the south going to church and loving school would grow to be agitated. It was at Yale Law School where Van became hip to just how not free America can be. Being arrested at a peace rally and watching the Rodney King beating go unpunished were just a few of the reality checks that lit a fire in Van to become a fighter against injustice. And at times, a loud-mouthed revolutionary. A self-described bomb thrower turned bridge builder. 

Van was Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House under Obama and despite relentless attacks from conservative media, he had a major impact. He’s such a big thinker and so effective that many people hope he'll run for president. But we’re not going to go there today because he’s focused on serving in other ways. Like writing. This new book, BEYOND THE MESSY TRUTH, is the map to get us back. Jolt us out of the bi-polar, divisive, arrogant insanity we now find ourselves. Calm the crazy in us all. Deep breath. I feel better already. 

Thank you for listening. I am humbled and honored to be in conversation with these two love warriors. Welcome.

Next up, I interview Tom Hanks about his upcoming book of short stories, UNCOMMON TYPE: Some Stories. The incomparable White Hot Truth author, Danielle LaPorte, will guest-host. Subscribe here so you're the first to know when it posts. For more info, go to: www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com.

Van Jones: Beyond the Messy Truth

The one and only Mr. Tom Hanks is here, and he’s caffeinated and ready to rock this podcast—with melodic typing accompaniment, no less. I couldn’t have chosen a better guest host than Danielle LaPorte to join me in perhaps our most enjoyable conversation yet. From the first seconds of Tom's hilarious/unorthodox entrance, we do our best to keep up with one of the world’s most creative minds. But as he soon learns, we ladies have several psychological tricks up our sleeve, and even get him to gut laugh a few times (go, D!).

The 17 fictional stories in Tom’s book, Uncommon Type: Some Stories (Knopf), are whimsical, satirical, surprising, funny, and deeply touching. The characters and worlds he creates stay with you. Change you. Cause you to see things, you’d never thought of before. 

According to Kirkus: “While these stories have the all-American sweetness, humor, and heart we associate with his screen roles, Hanks writes like a writer, not a movie star.” Steve Martin says: “It turns out that Tom Hanks is also a wise and hilarious writer with an endlessly surprising mind. Damn it.” Just what you’d hope to find from this Oscar-winning (2x) actor, screenwriter, director, producer, and musician Renaissance man who has previously published pieces in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, but for whom this is his first collection of fiction. We can only hope it won’t be his last. 

Pull up a chair and sit a spell as we mix up our usual format a tad and experience the interviewing time of our lives. And P.S.—We just might get Tom to comment on our fantasy of he & Oprah running for office. 

God, I love this gig. I’m so happy you’re here. xx

Next month: I interview novelist Dean Koontz (500 million books sold) about his new thriller, The Whispering Room, from the NYT bestselling Jane Hawk series. The legendary screenwriter/story + dialogue coach, Robert McKee will be back, this time in the co-host chair. Subscribe here so you'll know the minute it posts. For more info, go to: www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com.

Tom Hanks: Uncommon Type

500 million books sold. 38 languages. 14 #1 New York Times bestsellers. How is that possible? My guest co-host, Robert McKee, and I couldn’t wait to get the inside scoop on a bestselling career that has spanned fifty years and been compared to the Beatles. Welcome to the epic world of Dean Koontz, who is totally delightful and slightly worrisome, in a crawl inside your brain and lays eggs kind of way. (Wait. Don't repeat that! In reality, what struck me as most odd is that he's not at all creepy.)Dean's new thriller, THE WHISPERING ROOM, drops TODAY and will leave you breathless. You might have to sleep with the lights on for a while, but you’ll beg for the next book in this series just the same because our protagonist, Jane Hawk, is that addictive. 

She's my shero. A rogue FBI agent on a mission to save her son, Jane is intuitive and fearless and perfectly on time with the times—putting the fear of God into abusive men everywhere. If only we could bring her to flesh-and-blood life. And then clone her on every street corner. 

In this episode, you’ll learn the difference between suspense and mystery; how to "let the character be the character"; how to make the fictional world more real—to the point of being swept away by it; what readers are looking for in the first two paragraphs of a book to make them buy; the three things setting (or nature) must accomplish; why reaction is more important than action; how worrying about paying the rent discourages a lot of artists + and the mindset you must have to break through. Of course, there’s so much more—including a civilized disagreement about the existence of the muse and a little Hollywood bashing.   

I feel so blessed the legendary Robert McKee is back on the show. Imagine, these two experts talking shop about Setting and Suspense and Opening Hooks and Dialogue and so much more. Speaking of dialogue, Robert’s latest book, DIALOGUE: The Art of Verbal Action for the Page, Stage, and Screen will floor you with how much there is to know about the act of talking. Who knew?! Fortunately, McKee does. The details are so detailed I thought about quitting writing to find a day job until I remembered I’m too old for that and took wild amounts of notes instead.

The show, as they say, must go on. So take a listen. You’ll see why the writers of Pixar (creators of TOY STORY and FINDING NEMO), consider McKee’s STORY seminar a rite of passage. And how alumni of his courses have earned 200 Oscar nominations (with 60 wins) and 1,000 Emmy noms (with 200 wins). 

As for Dean and this thriller genre. If you’re tempted to think it’s not for you because you hightail it out of the room when the 10 o’clock news starts as if a quake just hit, and watch Abraham Hicks videos on replay in a desperate attempt to trust in a benevolent Universe, I feel ya. Same, same. 

But with Koontz and McKee as our guides, we just might find a whole lotta heart and sanity in the story. Even after the sun goes down.

I’m so glad you’re here. 

Welcome.
Linda

Next up for our Holiday show, join me as I interview Gabrielle Bernstein about her #1 NYT bestselling career + her upcoming book JUDGMENT DETOX. Not that I'm judgemental or anything, but if I were, I'm thinking this would be the time of year to work on it. (Smiley.) Subscribe here so you're the first to know when it posts. For more info, go to: www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com.

Dean Koontz: Master of Suspense

I LOVE this soul sister. Gabby Bernstein makes me laugh. Her honesty is refreshing. Sometimes I look at her and think I’m witnessing an honest-to-goodness, real-life angel. But when this #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE UNIVERSE HAS YOUR BACK, and five other bestsellers sent me her latest book, JUDGEMENT DETOX (dropping Jan. 2nd from North Star Way), I didn’t think I could do it. I figured I had zero chance of embracing, much less TALKING about a subject I could barely stomach. Detoxing my judgment? Are you kidding me? 

When it comes to eating, I’m all about detoxing. Give me a juice fast any day of the week, and I’ll pucker up and chug the slimiest of swamp grass. But emotionally, I’m in activist-mode, #metoo-ing and marching with chin held high. Additionally, I live in a part of the world—Los Angeles—that’s experiencing its worst fire season ever, in December, mind you; at a time when our administration’s rolling back environmental protections with the speed and ferocity of our Santa Ana winds. Not judge? Not interested.  

Except, I know better. Anger and judgment provide an energy boost, but the pump is temporary—certainly no long-term strategy for wholeness or happiness. What if Gabby has come up with a way to be nonjudgmental AND outspoken? More peaceful while more vocal (and effective)? A girl could hope. I had to give her a fair shot. 

Not to mention, I knew we’d have one hell of a writing and publishing convo. Because girlfriends can talk shop! And we’re mad crazy in LOVE with this industry. Gabby does not disappoint. Her candor—about her writing insecurities and internal and external fixes—will not only make you laugh and surprise you, but will help you better create, receive, and navigate your own publishing prowess. 

It is my great honor to welcome you into one of my favorite chats yet. As I reflect on the blessings of the past twelve months, this show leaves me shaking my head. Tom Hanks? Van Jones? Glennon Doyle? Dean Koontz? And Gabby? I’m not entirely sure how I got here or where we’re going, but my heart overflows with each interview and download. 

Thank YOU for sharing your time and love and curiosity with me month after month. I wish you and yours the Happiest of Holidays and a coming New Year that will somehow surpass even your brightest and most beautiful hopes and dreams. 

God bless, 

Linda  xx
P.S. Subscribe here so you'll be the first to know when a new episode airs. For more info, go to www.BeautifulWritersPodcast.com

Beautiful Writers Group

Gabby Bernstein: On Judgment & Bestsellers

The late Debbie Ford is here today, via her sister, Arielle Ford! In a kind of tribute to sisters, joining us as my guest co-host is my sister, Carol Allen. The four of us—Debbie, Arielle, Carol, and I—have a long friendship, so I’ve been looking forward to this sweet, informal convo. We cover so much beyond the book, including Debbie as a spiritual leader and bossy little sister; writing and the whacky world of dealmaking; magical beginnings with Deepak Chopra; muses + guides that wake us up at 3:00 a.m.; the healing power of guttural crying, and soulmate secrets you may never have considered before.

And! Wait until you hear how this book—YOUR HOLINESS: Discover the Light Within (that drops March 6th, HarperOne)—came about! This is seriously mystical stuff. You probably know Debbie as the author of ten books including The Dark Side of the Light Chasers; Spiritual Divorce; Why Good People Do Bad Things, and The Best Year Of Your Life. With a foreword by Marianne Williamson, this prayer and inspiration masterpiece is being called Debbie’s most powerful book.

Arielle, who is giving us her first interview for Your Holiness, is also the author of many bestsellers, including The Soulmate Secret, Wabi Sabi Love, and Turn Your Mate Into Your Soulmate. As for Carol, I’m as excited to share my kid sis with you as I was when I took her to my kindergarten class for Show & Tell back when we were kids. Carolita helps me make sense of this world more than anyone else and is not only one of the most popular astrologers and love experts in the country, but a storytelling force of her own with a massive fan base for her newsy and hilarious writing.

Thank you for spending your time with us as we endeavor to bring down a bit of fairy dust ala Angel Debbie. At a time when so much in our world feels uncertain, and suffering is so prevalent, Debbie’s voice is more essential than ever. 

Happy listening. Write on!

Linda
P.S. Catch us next month, where my guest is the Architect of Change herself, Maria Shriver, with my beloved Leeza Gibbons as our guest co-host. 
P.S.S. Subscribe here so you'll be the first to know when our new episodes air. For more info, go to www.BeautifulWritersPodcast.com

Beautiful Writers Group Podcast

Debbie Ford's New Book

Memoirist and racial justice leader, Austin Channing Brown, is here to chat about her celebrated debut: I’M STILL HERE: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. From the book’s first line—“White people can be exhausting,” she had my undivided attention as I—like countless white women—am exasperated by white privilege and feel a great urgency to cease being exhausting. But where do we start? There is so much to learn! Thankfully, Austin is wise and patient, huge-hearted and playful. As she masterfully lays out what we need to know, we can’t help but hang on her every written word. Because it’s time. Time to know better. Be better. Do better.  

My prediction is that upon hearing Austin read an excerpt from her chapter, “Why I love being a black girl” you'll instantly understand why Brené Brown, Glennon Doyle, and Jen Hatmaker are fans. By the close, when she shares part of a letter she wrote to her then unborn son, you will be too.  

Our guest co-host on this episode, Daniel Mallory Ortberg, is a dear friend of Austin’s and their easy laughter is contagious. Daniel is the author of the New York Times bestseller TEXTS FROM JANE EYRE: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters, and the recent, THE MERRY SPINSTER: Tales of Everyday Horror—a collection of short stories based on fairy-tales. He is also the Slate advice columnist, Dear Prudence, syndicated in over 200 newspapers. But you’d never know any of that by his humble nature and hilarious newbie stories. 

Listen in as we delight in talking shop together. Other topics include: life-changing tech programs we use to organize our writing; favorite writing books on craft that have been career game changers; details of landing agents and book deals; how we've utilized groups and beta readers for up-leveling our work pre-publication; persevering through early rejections, and how sometimes life indeed conspires to make your dreams come true. 

Welcome.

Austin Channing Brown: Racial Justice & the Power of the Pen

Auctions. Bidding wars. Squealing agents and champagne toasts. To some, this is the stuff writerly dreams are made of. Novelist Rosie Walsh is here from her home in Britain to humbly share details of her magic carpet ride as the author of one of the most anticipated global publications this year. 

GHOSTED, Rosie’s debut book in America, celebrated its birthday the day we taped this episode. Pub day in the states! For a book that has sold in thirty-one countries and topped several bestseller lists already, I feel like the luckiest girl at the dance here to have had so much time—over an hour!—with this very busy new mother and author.

I had to ask Rosie the age-old question: what makes a page-turner? How do you write a story people, and that includes publishers, can’t put down? Because, cover to cover, I was swept away by this book. As an example, check out this marketing hook right on the back: "Seven perfect days. Then he disappeared. A love story with a secret at its heart.” Aren’t you dying to know the secret? I was, and I’ll tell you this: I never saw it coming. 

Nor did my dear friend and one of my favorite writers, Aditi Khorana, our guest co-host for this episode. Aditi and Rosie are both critically acclaimed Penguin novelists, and I think you’ll love hearing them compare notes on how to outline their books and craft their exciting plot lines. Their publishing wins will inspire you and their stories on editing and ditching hard-won prose are a dose of realism. In fact, Rosie’s honesty—about what she was willing to do, make that what she had to do to get her words worthy of the heights they’re currently hitting—is astonishing. (Hint, you don’t get published by legendary editor Pamela Dorman through her own Viking/Penguin imprint—with past titles like Bridget Jones's Diary, The Secret Life of Bees, Queen Sugar, Me Before You, etc. in her line up—unless your storytelling is world-class.) 

And, yes, in this chat you’ll also here three girls talking about boys. And love. And longing. And the odd yet universal phenomenon of being ghosted.

I'm so glad you're here.  
Linda 
xo
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Rosie Walsh: Ghosted. A Publishing Phenomenon

On this annual birthday episode of the Beautiful Writers Podcast, my wish is to give the gift of conversations you haven’t heard before. Fresh and (hopefully) profoundly helpful content to uplevel your writing experience. 

Today’s show makes my heart happy. It’s a collection of excerpts from industry superstars conducted over several years for the Beautiful Writers Group (my membership community, where this podcast was born and writers get all sorts of support for $25 a month). I’m elated to finally share some of my most cherished snippets of advice from our expert series interviews, today, free of charge.

We start this birthday party off with the author of "Get It Done" and "Start Right Where You Are," Samantha Bennett (who now joins me every month to answer questions in our monthly Q & A calls). Sam is a creative genius with an enviable bedside manner. Meaning, she gives our members soulful, tear-jerking, butt-kicking advice they can’t get enough of. I have no doubt she will get you motivated and EXCITED about what you can and will achieve—in as little as 15 minutes a day.  

Next, Harrison Scott Key—winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor for his memoir "The World's Largest Man"—will make you laugh (and blush) with his insane stories. Nothing and no one in his life are off limits. Harrison's nearly unbelievable work ethic will either scare the hell out of you or renew your faith in scaling any publishing mountain. Warning: get earplugs for the kids! (Smiley.) 

The bestselling author of "Paris Letters" and "A Paris Year," Janice MacLeod, helps us say YES to our writing life over everything that doesn’t matter. She shares how she scripted every writer’s dream life by ditching the day job to travel the world—in do-able steps. Plus, I can almost guarantee you’ve never heard what she learned about the power bookstores have over your book covers. (Say, what?!)

Arielle Ford, author of ten books (including her international bestseller "The Soulmate Secret") has the unique mindset of having been a literary agent and top book publicist (with 12, #1 NYT bestselling placements). Though grounded and practical, Arielle bleeds mystical. For this show, she shares her Secret Sauce for connecting with the Unified Field, where everything you want—in publishing and in everyday life—is already waiting for you. 

Tim Grahl, book marketing rockstar, is the author of "Your First 1000 Copies" and the recent, "Running Down a Dream" and helped five of his author clients hit the NYT bestseller’s list in the same week! In this conversation, Tim talks about how to put your best foot forward on Amazon.com (where 40-65% of books are sold)—which includes details of ramping up your author page and how to get those pesky 1-star reviews removed. 

Author Rhonda Britten, who has one of the most painful childhood stories imaginable, created a program to keep from taking her own life. Fearless Living has healed her and countless others and led to four books and an Emmy-winning role as a life coach for TV's "Starting Over." Rhonda is always coming up with new tricks and the one she shares here—a touching exercise for connecting deeply with your book—is one of the coolest tips I’ve ever heard. 

And finally, acclaimed YA novelist, Aditi Khorana--who was my guest co-host here last month with best-selling novelist Rosie Walsh--shares how her 1,000-word a day diet helps her be so prolific. Among other things in this excerpt, we talk about how to train your beautiful muse to show up and play full out.

I wish I had time to share all of our BWG expert interviews with you here! But you can get immediate access to our full library (and other benefits of membership)at beautifulwritersgroup.com 

Welcome. I'm so happy you're here! xo

New! Bday Mix: Expert Top Tips

There is an enemy. You are the enemy. Resistance will kill you. If you’re a Steven Pressfield or "The War of Art" fan (who isn’t?!), you already know that. You also know that you are not alone, and resistance can be beaten. 

But, good God, doesn’t it feel a little harder these days with the world seemingly going off the rails? 

I wasn’t sure Steven could ever write something as masterful as The War of Art. Despite selling millions of copies of books in both fiction and non-fiction—that book was tops in my eyes. But he’s done it again, with "The Artist’s Journey: The Wake of the Hero’s Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning."

If you’re wrestling with trying not to fall into the time suck of 24-hour news, you’re going to love this chat. Joining us is book marketing superstar Tim Grahl, who you may know from his past books, "Your First 1,000 Copies," and "Book Launch Blueprint." But today he’s here with Steve for "Running Down a Dream: Your Roadmap to Winning Creative Battles." Steve’s publishing company, Black Irish Books, published the two books in tandem and I can see why. They’re both page turners and pack an even more powerful punch when digested together. 

On today’s show we talk about how we lie to ourselves about how busy we are (and how little time we actually need to get our art completed). We discuss the odd phenomenon that the writer often rejects first book ideas, and Steve gets playfully ribbed and respectfully praised for his obsessive research habits. Tim shares top book picks, and Steven explains why he turns away from his gorgeous Malibu ocean view to face the wall when he writes. 

We also cover the fundamentals of the Hero’s Journey and the subsequent Artist’s Journey, and how once you get on this train, there’s no getting off. 

In what Steve calls a bit of an “OCD convention,” we dive into the nitty-gritty about setting up one's office and life to avoid distractions. Tim shares how he practices being vulnerable with small pieces before he puts out something truly scary for him (like this new book), and the three of us laugh about professional jealousies and the crazy-making reality of competing with (or being held back by) your friends and family. 

Listen up, too, for fave tech hacks, book launch tips, schedule simplifying strategies, and this most important message: YOU have important work to do on this planet. So, let’s go!

I’m so glad you’re here.

Welcome.
xo
PS: Subscribe here so you'll be the first to know when a new episode airs. (And, for more info, go to www.BeautifulWritersPodcast.com)

PPS: If you love the show and want to help spread the word, please take a sec to give us your thoughts and/or a 5-star rating on iTunes. apple.co/2sbpC1J

Steven Pressfield & Tim Grahl: Slaying Creative Dragons

This award-winning, bestselling American (and Nashvillian!) treasure is laying it down with straight talk about her charmed writing and publishing career. Instead of learning from our authors' struggles, as we often do on this show, today’s episode is about ABUNDANCE. Ann’s story is a unique one—published at twenty in The Paris Review, followed by one extraordinary success after another—where we get a rare glimpse of the writer’s dream life come true. 

"I didn't get into any trouble,” Ann tells us. "I didn't stray from the path. I didn't become a drug addict. I didn't become an alcoholic. There was just too much positive reinforcement for writing.” But that hasn’t kept her from acquiring a deep understanding of the human condition—and a fearless writing style for which she’s beloved. Bestsellers like Bel Canto, based on the Japanese hostage crisis (which won the Orange Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was recently made into a film), Truth and Beauty (a tender, brutal book about loving a person she could not save), and Commonwealth (a novel that begins with an illicit kiss that leads to an affair that destroys two marriages and follows six children whose lives were disrupted) are just a few examples of how Ann isn’t afraid to dive deep into life’s complexities. 

In this 90-minute chat (edited down from over two hours!), I was pinching myself to get to talk with this icon as if we were old friends. From books to film (and opera!); landing the right agent; getting PAID for your work; how not to suck at love or marriage as you try and balance a near-obsessive love of craft, and stories behind her new photographic book on Nashville, I hated to see this conversation end. And, bonus! Ann shares where her best ideas come from (which wasn’t what I expected)—including her take on the story of how she and Liz Gilbert shared a novel through the ethers. I couldn’t take notes fast enough. 

Welcome! 

xo
PS: Subscribe here so you'll be the first to know when a new episode airs. (And, for more info, go to www.BeautifulWritersPodcast.com)

PPS: If you love the show and want to help spread the word, please take a sec to give us your thoughts and/or a 5-star rating on iTunes. apple.co/2sbpC1J

Beautiful Writers Podcast

Ann Patchett: Unplugged

After 18 international bestsellers, Seth Godin has released perhaps his most important book. His new title: This Is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn To See (Portfolio) just hit #1 on The Wall Street Journal list and was an immediate New York Times bestseller. But Seth could care less. What this master teacher knows (and wants us to know) is the joy of serving the smallest viable audience. The satisfaction that comes from making things better by making better things. "The best-selling book in America this year will not be purchased by 99% of the population,” Seth tells me and my guest co-host Samantha Bennett. But that’s good news for us writers because “smallest is easy for us.” It’s this mindset, as you’ll hear, that keeps the infinite resource of creativity from shrinking away. 

Seth and Sam (bestselling author of Get It Done and Start Right Where You Are) are big admirers of each other’s work, and nothing thrills me more than being a literary matchmaker by putting people together on this show. Like when Glennon Doyle came on to guest co-host with her idol, Anne Lamott (who she’d never met). Or, how Terry McMillan and Dani Shapiro, both great novelists and teachers, swapped outrageous stories and laughs. Or the time Robert McKee guest co-hosted with one of his literary favorites, Dean Koontz. To hear Sam and Seth talk shop left me mostly speechless. (Not my norm, as you may know. I think I said fewer words in this entire episode than in my usual intros!) 

I feel so blessed to be here. Seth has taught and inspired millions of entrepreneurs, marketers, leaders, readers (and me!) via his daily blog (one of the most popular in the world), and through his online courses, lectures, and bestselling books. He’s the inventor of countless ideas that have made their way into mainstream business lingo (from the book blurb! and Permission Marketing to Purple Cow, Tribes, and The Dip). But marketing—telling our stories to people who need them—is in crisis. For thirty years Seth has seen this revolution coming, describing it to us, and mapping it out for us. And it's being taken away by bottom fishers and scammers. Thankfully we have Seth to guide us through meaningfully connecting with people who want what we’ve got.

You’re also about to hear why he stopped napping (this is pure gold!); his thoughts on debt (which could help you keep more of your gold); what it takes to reach the masses (and how to avoid making average stuff for average people); getting into the practice of picking yourself; Godin’s First Law of Book Signings, and, brace yourself, the future of bookstores.

And, for those of you who don’t yet know Sam, you’re in for a major treat. Warning, though: She’s addictive, and you’ll have one more person to follow after this episode. Sam’s the owner of the Organized Artist Company and one of the most brilliant and delightful people I’ve ever known (which is why I'm the luckiest that she’s my copilot over in the Beautiful Writers Group). 

Okay! There’s so much to cover. I’m so happy you’re here. 

Linda
xx

Seth Godin: This Is Marketing!

Jack Reacher’s back at #1! But that’s no surprise to the millions of “Reacher’s Creatures” who anxiously await each installment of this thriller series—23 at present count. With PAST TENSE (Delacorte Press), author Lee Child once again puts us on the edge of our seats and leaves us there, ensuring that our journey with this ex-military policeman turned drifter continues to live up to the Forbes magazine label as the "strongest brand in publishing.” 

It’s not every day I get to talk shop with a writer who’s sold over 100 million books. But what makes today’s interview especially THRILLING for me was getting to share the mic with my guest co-host, Tom Bergeron. Lucky for me, Tom’s day job with Dancing with the Stars just wrapped for the year and he had time. Time to brainstorm his dream literary guest with me and then make the intro. #BestJobEver. The result is one of my favorite conversations to date, and I hope yours too! 

Lee and Tom have cult followings the world over, but for very different personas. Lee and Jack Reacher (don’t even think of making me separate the two here) are formidable—towering, intimidating figures. Tom, on the other hand, is adored for his light, comedic personality and jokes that at least he’s taller than Tom Cruise (the star of several Reacher films). Of course, as you’ll see, Child is a blast to interview and Bergeron has a dark side (as is revealed via his recent turn to dramatic acting). 

But what most interested me here was talking with two icons at the top of their game. Few authors have the kind of rock-star financial or creative freedom Lee has created for himself. And, having formerly hosted both America’s Funniest Home Videos and Hollywood Squares (for which he won an Emmy), Tom has been part of three of the most popular TV shows of all time. For a girl who’s lived many years of her life within eyeshot of the Hollywood sign, that holds all kinds of gifts for me. 

Speaking of gifts! HAPPIEST and MERRIEST of holidays to you and yours, you guys. I can’t believe another year has flown by. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend my time than here, with you, on this show. Thank you for listening. I feel so blessed. 

Until the New Year … Write On! 

Linda
xx

Lee Child: Writing & Righting Wrongs

75 million albums sold. 18 top ten hits recorded. Named in 2018 by Billboard as one of the top 60 female artists of all time (#35)! I’m guessing you are or have been, a Taylor Dayne fan (soundtrack of your life stuff, right here). I feel blessed to call Taylor a dear friend and can attest that she’s everything you’d hope a superstar to be—which you’ll soon experience as she opens up her heart and memories about the coolest details. Like what it was really like to open for Michael Jackson in a stadium of 60,000 people for his RAD tour. Or, what happened when Prince brought her on stage early in her career in a scene that will have you thinking, “Wait! Didn’t I just see Bradley Cooper do that with Lady Gaga in A Star is Born?!” 

Taylor’s memoir, Tell It To My Heart (named after one of her most popular ballads) pubs on Valentine’s Day and goes deep and vulnerable about topics you’d never guess by watching her career, starting with her tragic childhood in which her voice gave her the fire and inspiration to stay alive. 

Popular podcaster/TED producer/ media communications coach, Bronwyn Saglimbeni, is today’s guest co-host. I love this woman! She, like Taylor, is also a busy mom and business owner who happens to have a rockin’ rock band side hustle. Can you stand it? I’m such a singing wanna-be!

Thank you for joining me for this magical conversation, punctuated by snippets of several of Taylor’s biggest hits. We’re going to talk about so much, not the least of which includes healing, the music industry, what it’s like to write brutal truths about family members who are still standing,  why standing on that TED or TEDWomen stage is as scary (or scarier!) than singing in a stadium, and learning to trust yourself—a challenge for us all. There’s no holding back here, and a whole heap of heart. 

We're so glad you’re here.

Linda xo

Taylor Dayne: Tellin' It From Her Heart

Bestselling thriller author of ten novels, including The Progeny, Firstborn, The Legend of Sheba, Iscariot, and the Books of Mortals trilogy (with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker), Tosca Lee is in the house!  She’s representing this genre proud with The Line Between, a dystopian page-turner already optioned for television by Edward Burns and his Marlboro Road Gang Productions, in partnership with Radar Pictures (#cantwait). As you’ll hear, the female protagonist could be the little sister of one of my favorite Dean Koontz characters (Dean’s a former guest of this show)—bad-guy killing heroine, Jane Hawk. 
 
I’ve put the notorious night-owl Tosca together with my guest co-host today, Hayli Baez, because I adore them both. And, for the unique things they have in common—namely a past with pageantry, as in beauty, which has helped both of their current careers; an obsession with world-travel, fed in part by those pageants; and get this—late-night video-game playing! (Admission, I’ve never played a video game in my life, so I’m dying to know the allure of shooting fake people.) You might be wondering how a busy author like Tosca has time for such an indulgence but says it helps her come up with some of her best characters and storylines. And, I’m guessing her three boys think she’s the coolest. 

Speaking of cool, Hayli has THE dream job according to my son (and probably yours, too). She actually gets PAID to livestream herself playing video games on Twitch. Yes, that’s really a thing. She also happens to have written excellent fan fiction as a teen and still gives me the best book recommendations of anyone. And, she’s family. I can’t take any credit for her beauty or brains, as she’s my fiancé’s daughter, thus not blood-related. But, as soon as I learned she’d read the entire Harry Potter series more than anyone I’d ever met (or heard of!), I was deeply proud. Lol.  

I’m excited to share this chat, with its many pearls, including how Tosca plots her suspense and thinks about each character’s arc within the three-act structure (and her two invaluable book recommendations on the subject). There’s her refreshing take on the thriller genre and how she recruits top experts for her research to make her work bulletproof (and how you can too!). 

I am also fascinated by her thoughts on how travel helps the writing mind play and wander; her description of dealing with the twin demons of fear and procrastination, and why letting someone see your writing before it’s ready is like allowing them to see your cellulite! We talk balancing writing time with platform building (social media); how her hot farmer husband handles her 20-hour writing days (and bakes cookies); what to do when an author friend writes a book you just don’t like; and how when her friends are mad at their mates, they'll ask her help in devising the perfect murder plot. 

If you love action, conspiracy, romance, and questions of whom—and what—to believe, you’re going to adore this high-octane story of survival and love in a world on the brink of madness (and its sequel, out in September). And, you’ll be taken with the sanity and sweetness of this killer author and her deep gratitude for her craft and her readers. I left this conversation more in love with books and writing them and know it will likewise inspire your reading and writing life. 


Welcome.

Tosca Lee: Writing the Perfect Thriller

Oscar-nominated and 5-time Emmy-winning star of Murphy Brown turned New York Times bestselling memoirist (twice!), Candice Bergen is in the house! And she is every bit as irreverent and funny and whip-smart as you’d hope. Joining us in today's guest co-host chair is someone we both adore, the legendary book editor Betsy Rapoport, who edited Candy’s second memoir, A Fine Romance, and who I’ve been lucky enough to call my mentor for the past eighteen years. 

Despite being the highest paid actor on television for a long time, Candice is exceptionally humble. But Betsy and I manage to get her to share gold about her creative process. From her erratic work ethic; what it was like being the first female to wear the 5-timer jacket hosting for Saturday Night Live; and how she’s embraced Instagram, nearly “breaking the Internet” posing for an eclipse photo with her Book Club cast-mates Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, and Mary Steenburgen. Unlike many of our guests who became household names before the advent of social media, Candice relishes posting pics and scripting funny captions for her feed.

I don’t know if it’s easier or harder not to take yourself so seriously when you were born into Hollywood royalty. Some speculate that Candice’s humility is a byproduct of being the daughter of Edgar Bergen, a famous Vaudeville ventriloquist whose dummy, Charlie McCarthy, was beloved by millions and had a bigger room than Candice did in their home. Her first memoir, Knock Wood, is a candid portrayal of a little girl trying to earn a father’s love.   

Candice has always been a writer—starting with magazine work for Esquire following her first movie at nineteen. We cover so much in this chat, including what makes a good book title (poetic, evocative, counter-intuitive), and why sometimes the publisher decides to forgo all that to bank on clarity. We talk about how bloody hard it can be making the audio version of your book—but how it’s a good excuse to order comfort food. Candice shares the anxiety she feels when writing memoir, and the role of an editor (in this case, Betsy) to help her go deeper. Although Candy’s latest book is a love letter to her daughter, Chloe Malle (a writer for Vogue), her first husband—the late director, Louis Malle, and her current husband, Marshall, I hope you’ll find this conversation a bit of a love letter to the collaborative process. That and showfolk, dogs in costume, and smoking sage bowls. 

Welcome.

Candice Bergen: Memoirs & Collaboration

(Note, our hosting has changed. For current episodes, go to beautifulwriterspodcast.com.) Listen in as author Linda Sivertsen (aka Book Mama) brings together the world’s most beloved bestselling authors for chats about writing, publishing, deal-making, spirituality, activism, and the art of romancing creativity. Now streaming on American Airlines, these up-close conversations are a fan favorite, downloaded millions of times, and frequently profiled on “Best Podcast” lists (i.e., The Motley Fool’s “10 Best Podcasts for Women”) while gracing the "Popular Podcasts, Books" (formerly Literature) page of iTunes/Apple Podcasts nearly every day since the show's launch in 2015.

Join Linda (herself an award-winning, bestselling author, writing coach, and ex-ghostwriter + magazine editor) and her celebrity co-hosts for deep, funny interviews w/ top authors on breakout success to staying power. Heart-centered encouragement, street-smart advice, and insider success (and failure!) stories for every writer and creative type. Biggest mistakes, best shortcuts, behind-the-scenes agent, press, and publishing stories help you gain the courage to get your book, blog, ballad, or biz birthed into the world. 

Guests include Jenny Lawson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Marie Forleo, Van Jones, Cheryl Strayed, Nia Vardalos, Terry McMillan, Joel Stein, Deepak Chopra, Tom Hanks, Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, Candice Bergen, Meg Wolitzer, Austin Channing Brown, Dean Koontz, Ann Patchett, Maria Shriver, Steven Pressfield, Anita Moorjani, Tosca Lee, Brené Brown, Lee Child, Anne Lamott, Rob Bell, Dani Shapiro, Gabby Bernstein, Martha Beck, Seth Godin, Danielle LaPorte, Marianne Williamson, Arianna Huffington, Mary Karr, Gretchen Rubin, #1 NYT Fantasy Authors Tomi Adeyemi & Sabaa Tahir, US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, and former WME super-agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh. 

If you’ve ever wished you could sit down with your favorite writers over coffee to ask them how they do it, year after year, book after book, consider this your new, not-so-guilty pleasure. 

Take your dreams from idea to done with us. The Beautiful Writers Podcast. Where inspiration is constant, and swearing, optional (although highly appreciated). Find out more: https://www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com

Beautiful Writers Podcast

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