In this episode of the Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with prolific writer and cartoonist Ryan Estrada about the art of comic book writing, including the importance of pacing, concise storytelling, and creative challenges. Ryan shares insights from his experience co-creating Banned Book Club with his wife, Kim Hyun Sook, and illus…

On this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen welcomes Kevin M. Hall. Wondering if his kids would remember their family stories, Kevin wrote a short story for them as a Christmas gift. His grandsons’ reaction inspired him to write multiple books, blending history with memoir to capture the moments of his life in context with the world. Kevin M…

In this episode of the Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with author Andy N, who shares insights from his diverse writing journey. Andy has penned ten full-length novels, including Changing Carriages at Birmingham, New Street, a poignant love story, and a memoir detailing his struggles with diabetes. His debut novel, Birth, explores …

On this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Marc Crail, a debut author in his seventies who began writing during the pandemic. His first book, Tales Out of School, draws from his experiences working in Amish country. Mark has since published three more books in the series, and a novel inspired by his mother-in-law's life. During t…

Do you treat your book as a business? On this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen interviews Ella Ritchie, the founder of Stellar Communications, a company that specializes in non-fiction book publishing, marketing, and PR for self-publishing authors. There is so much that needs to happen to create a successful book launch. Ella offers 6 qui…

It’s not uncommon for people to use their emotional journey to springboard their careers into authorship. Emily Hill is no exception. In this episode of the Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen and Emily chat about Emily’s journey from social work and ministry to becoming a published author, discussing her self-publishing strategy and her per…

Alison Nissen and Cathy Fyock, the Biz Book Strategist, share a conversation about using books as a business strategy. Cathy explains that she works with professionals who want to write a book as a strategic move to establish themselves as thought leaders in their field. Covering the topics of crafting compelling book blurbs and author bios, benefi…

Lily Iona MacKenzie chats with Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen about her latest work, Dreaming Myself into Old Age. This hybrid memoir blends personal anecdotes with critical writing on topics such as poetry and art. Now, in her eighties, Lily is challenged by facing old age and all that comes with it. Determined to age gracefully and tho…

Novelist and attorney Kyle Shoop chats with Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen about adding conflict and empathy to build characters. A number of his novels also include lyrics—as a singer and songwriter, he adds links to his books for the audience to hear the songs for that character. Instead of just reading the lyrics, Kyle recorded that s…

Angie Elita Newell chats with Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen about the challenges of writing about Canada's Indigenous history, Angie's modern-day colonialism experience, the significance of stories from various cultures and religious texts, and the power of shared experiences expressed through storytelling. As a trained historian, Angie…

You might be surprised to know that surgical robots are used for over one million procedures every year. In this episode, Dr. Roger Smith chats with Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen about his medical thriller series on robotic surgeons in the year 2050 and his real-life work with surgical robots over the last ten years. His novels include …

Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen chats with Edward DiGangi about his memoir, The Gift Best Given, a son's search and mother's journey, a timeless story of adoption, search, discovery, and reunion set against the backdrop of the glamorous ice skating shows of the 1940s. Edward shares how his hunt for clues about his adoption opened doors to…

Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen chats with legal and financial thriller author Mark Shaiken. Writing a heart-racing legal and financial thriller has exhilarating consequences. Mark Shaiken draws on his 40-year career in law to create his fictional characters. In his latest novel, Cram Down, inspired by his volunteer work with marginalized…

Power, Greed, and Corruption in Washington, D.C. with Steve McGuire Steve McGuire, a retired Federal judge with a 32-year legal career in Washington, DC, joined Alison Nissen on the Florida Writer Podcast. Steve writes political thrillers inspired by his experiences in Washington. He believes that politics has always been about the same issues, but…

Insert comedy into any story by sticking to the truth but changing one part. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Tim O’Leary about his strategy to write an entirely true story, except for inserting a fictional narrator. Tim O'Leary is a Pacific Northwest-based short story writer who has published two collections of short s…

Meet Modello Brown! On this Florida Writer Podcast Host Alison Nissen chats with the multi-media artist as he shares the evolution of Hip Hop Littles. What started with writing lyrics, Modello Brown turned his songs into life lessons by writing children’s books. Today Modello is creating an immersive experience to build strong, emotionally resilien…

Enjoy this Florida Writer Podcast interview with Host Alison Nissen and Susan Shapiro Barash, who writes under the pen name Susannah Marren. Susan shared about their career as a nonfiction author, having published 13 books on gender studies and women's societal roles. They also mentioned their teaching experience in the writing department at Mary M…

Check out this Florida Writer podcast as host Alison Nissen sits down with Zachary Solomon to discuss Zachary’s debut novel, A Brutal Design. The novel, set in an experimental Socialist city, explores the themes of fascism and how it can be disguised as modernism or humanism. The title also refers to the architectural style of brutalism, which is c…

How can you become more attuned to your intuition? Have you ever wondered if you can train yourself to receive psychic messages? John Russell, a professional psychic and paranormal investigator, discusses his writing journey, his latest non-fiction book about enhancing psychic abilities, and the practice of psychometry with Florida Writer Podcast H…

Do you read your work aloud in front of an audience? In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen sits down with Joyce Wagner to talk about public speaking. Joyce helps authors overcome their fear of public speaking with a simple philosophy: Put your audience first. The fear of freezing or making a mistake often stops people from elevating th…

In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Kristy Smeriglio about using "The Garden of Earthly Delights" painting to create a psychological exploration of the human experience for her debut novel Falling into Fire. With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in Writing, Kristy merges two disciplines and realms of kno…

Scott Davis Hendrix shared his writing process and experiences with Florida Writer Podcast host Alison Nissen. He emphasized the importance of marinating the story in his mind before writing and discussed his journey of writing a book that started as a thought 30 years ago. Scott's first novel The Garden Spot was published in April 2022 and has bee…

Imagine you are in a room of the best in your genre, ask these experts advice on what keeps you stuck. In this Florida Writer Podcast, renowned hypnotherapist Victoria Gallagher chats with host Alison Nissen about overcoming writers block and creating a best-selling mindset. Reframe how you think about your Work-in-Progress: Ditch the fear, doubt, …

Heather Leigh, PhD, a paranormal researcher and writer, discussed her journey and work on the Florida Writer Podcast with host Alison Nissen. Heather shared that her experiences with paranormal activity led her to write nonfiction books about her encounters and the history of various locations. She highlighted the importance of collecting data and …

If you had 10x the book marketing budget you have now, what would you spend it on? On this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Karina Kantas, author of 15 books and 16 International Film Festival Awards for documentary and book trailers, and discusses her company, Author Assist. Frustrated with the steep learning curve of becoming…

What is your credibility quotient with your audience? In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Michell Levy, a 2x TEDx speaker and international bestseller of over 60 books, about how authors can create a platform that connects with their target audience while promoting credibility, trust, and reliability. Mitchell Levy is Glob…

Curious about the mind of a Royal Palm Literary Award judge? In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen and Chet Meisner chat about things that make a winning entry. Chet explains that the audience needs to know how characters feel. What experience did that have and what keeps them going? If your protagonist is sad, what type of sad are the…

Enjoy this inspirational Florida Writers Podcast as host Alison Nissen chats with J.L. Buck Martinez, President of ACE Leadership Group, a company dedicated to inspiring and developing men and women to achieve their highest potential. Buck may have started his career as an inspirational speaker, connecting with well over 50,000 student athletes, bu…

In this Florida Writer Podcast, we welcome founder of Everyday by the Lake Laura Gariepy who shares with host Alison Nissen her strategies to be a successful freelance writer. 1. Have a clear understanding of your Why. Know the reason you wish to be a full-time freelancer. 2. Begin networking as early as possible. Continually build relationships in…

The life of a firefighter is not for the faint of heart. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen talks with retired Fire Captain Cindie Schooner-Ball about her book Sister in a Brotherhood, Stories from My Life as a Female Firefighter. Cindie shares her journey from first responder to award-winning author and the challenges she experienc…

Did you know that only 1% of LinkedIn users create content, and they get 9 billion impressions a week? In this Florida Writer Podcast, Host Alison Nissen chats with LinkedIn Content Creator Kathryn Montbriand about how writers can make LinkedIn work for them. Kathryn Montbriand is a former Fortune 500 leader who took a career sabbatical after 10 ye…

Co-Host of the Wild Women Who Write Take Flight Podcast, Gaby Anderson has released her debut novel. South of Happily goes beyond the usual themes of marriage, divorce, and family history. She gets down to the heart of who is Katy Kiss, an astute young woman caught in the maelstrom of betrayal, grief and self-doubt. In this Florida Writer Podcast, …

Story collector Dr. Paul Thornton joins host Alison Nissen on the Florida Writer Podcast to chat about his writing journey and favorite pastime, cruising. He collects other people's stories and shares them in his The Joy of Cruising Trilogy. He explains that at age 58, during an impromptu speech, he noticed the burden of his “harrowing brush with d…

Professional Behavioral Analyst and business consultant Steve Gavatorta shares tips on how to finish plan and finish your manuscript. In this Florida Writer Podcast host Alison Nissen chats with Steve about writing and marketing and the importance of embracing your work’s title. Steve Gavatorta, owner of the Steve Gavatorta Group, specializes in em…

Lana McAra has discovered how to market her books with impact by embedding her life’s purpose into her stories in subtle ways—and sell books at the same time. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Lana on how you, too, can use her technique to create a bond with audiences to sell more books and make an impact by asking “what…

Jamie Blaine and Vicky Lanzone became friends after Vicky signed up for an online marriage support site. The story unfolds when, late one night, Vicky writes that the weight is too heavy and each day is a battle to survive. She admits there are pills and the note is written. Jamie replies: Instead of ending your life, why not try changing it first?…

Writers labor diligently on their works-in-progress. But when it comes to marketing, they often throw their hands up in the air and want to quit before their message is ever shared. Naresh Vissa, founder and CEO of Krish Media & Marketing. and host Alison Nissen chat about ways two ideas authors need to know when marketing their books: Direct Marke…

Are you up-to-date on the latest genre termonology? In this week's Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Jeffray Harrison about Magical Realism, Fabulism, Low Fantasy, and High Fantasy. What's the difference? What do you need to know? Jeffray Harrison is a high school English teacher at a private school in South Florida, trying to s…

In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen asks Bryan Carrier about shifting genres from children's author to writing about a female boxer in the novel Rise Up! Against Domestic Violence, where the protagonist, a survivor of childhood domestic abuse, uses her boxing prowess to propel her to challenge the reigning world champion. Alison and …

Asking "What If?" can drive your plot and characters into mysterious circumstances. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen asks Dan Petrosini how he can create twists no one sees coming. From picking up the phone to call the local sheriff’s office and keeping notes on his computer to the old Moleskin notepads, Dan likes to keep his audi…

Writers are known for their struggle. We think of Poe and his addictions. Fitzgerald and his lust for romance. Or Hemmingway and his insistence of waking every day to write at least one sentence, fighting the demons that chased him. But we don’t talk much about neurodiverse writers. This week, host Alison Nissen chats with Loretta Lynne Finan about…

Sex sells. So does erotica. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Dr. J. Donna Jennings, Ph.D., a retired sex therapist and author who not only writes in this lucrative field but coaches others on how to write quality, steamy romance. Need I say more? Dr. J. Donna Jennings, Ph.D. (she, her) is a retired sex therapist and col…

Poetry is a powerful medium for emotional exploration, self-discovery, and healing. Through writing or reading, the artistic expression of pain, growth, and resilience can be transformative and nurturing to the soul. In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen and poet Nylda Dieppa chat about how poetry helps her make sense of life’s complic…

Memoirs are tricky; you must first expose your life’s struggles on paper, then permit the audience to see your most vulnerable moments. Now, imagine doing that and sharing your story with your ten sisters’ stories of foster care, child abuse, separation, and reunion after 43 years. In this Florida Writer Podcast, Host Alison Nissen chats with Rev. …

The search for spirituality and proof of reincarnations intertwine in this Florida Writer Podcast between host Alison Nissen and Lynn Demarest chat about Lynn’s book The Soul Gene. While the novel was written 10 years ago, with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, it’s more important than ever to ask yourself, is there a soul gene? Lynn Demarest …

Experts say you should write in only one genre. But who are these experts and should we listen to them? In this Florida Writer Podcast, Mary Flynn and Host Alison Nissen chat about why tapping into and writing about all of our interests–regardless of the genre–makes us better (and happier!) writers. Mary Flynn is an award-winning author of fiction …

Want an inside look at the world of finance? Interested in earning massive amounts of money? As a mentor to those who wish to have 100M careers, Emmy Sobieski tells host Alison Nissen she entered the world of writing with the encouragement of her boss. She chose to turn her career experience as a top finance fund manager into something that could i…

After a head injury, Drew Robinson decided to turn his stress and anxiety into a play. While he never published that one, it opened the door to discovering his creative side. Host Alison Nissen chats with light and quirky author Andrew John Robinson, a transplanted New Englander, whose first novel, Lexa and the Gordian Maze of Terra, a children’s s…

Florida Writer host Alison Nissen sits down with Nancy J. Cohen, author of 30 published works, including the cozy mystery series Bad Hair Day Mysteries. Nancy loves feedback from readers and her favorite question is when will the next book be published. Fortunately for her fans, Star Tangled Murder has just been released. Nancy advises anyone inter…

What is ChatGPT? How is Artificial Intelligence changing the way authors approach writing? Are you curious about how AI works or how it might affect the writing world? In this Florida Writer Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Florida Writers Association Marketing chair and Board Member Ginnye Cubel about how technology impacts writing and the b…