Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Veteran Publicist, social media pro, and brand manager Dana Kaye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss all things marketing, publicity, and branding. Dana gives us some great advice on striking a balance between PR and marketing, pitching yourself and your books to media outlets, and identifying and establishing your unique author brand.

Mystery novelist Paul Austin Ardoin joins us on the podcast this week. After spending eight years writing the first few chapters of his novel, Paul signed up for NaNoWriMo, finished writing his debut in a matter of weeks, and the rest is history! Paul talks to us about kick starting his writing career through NaNoWriMo, how his writing process has changed throughout his career, and why he decided to self-publish and go wide.

Bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson joins us on this podcast this week to discuss his illustrious thirty year writing career and how the world of publishing has evolved, and continues to evolve, throughout. Kevin publishes both traditionally and with his own indie press, he is an instructor at Superstars Writing Seminar, and he teaches a Masters in Publishing course at Western Colorado University, giving him unique and diverse insight into the world of publishing.

Please enjoy this special bonus episode from Kobo in Conversation! We spoke with thriller writer (and former newspaper columnist and humourist) Linwood Barclay about the myth of writer’s block and the discipline required to rein in his comic gifts. Hear more from Kobo in Conversation.

Kobo’s CRM and Marketing Manager, Cristina Mendes, joins us for our 200th episode to give insight into the Kobo customer and how to effectively market your eBooks and audiobooks globally! Cristina covers a lot of ground in our conversation, including advice for selling on an international scale, the difference between Kobo’s eBook and audiobook customers, marketing tips for when you’re on a budget, and what makes Kobo (and our customers) unique!

Kobo’s Global Audiobook Merchandiser, Elyse Daniels, is on the podcast this week discussing all things audio. Elyse tells us the ins and outs of selling audiobooks on Kobo, including what genres do especially well as audiobooks, how she curates audiobook promotions and emails, what types of promotions are the most successful for audiobooks, and she gives some great tips for how to competitively price your audiobook for Kobo’s market.

Skye MacKinnon is an international bestselling author who writes across multiple genres from science fiction to fantasy to paranormal romance and even children’s books. Skye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss writing in different genres and how she incorporates her love of Scottish folklore and mythology into her work no matter what she's writing. She also talks about her experience co-writing series with authors she admires and why she decided to go wide.

Author Nora Shalaway Carpenter is on the podcast this week to discuss her debut YA novel, The Edge of Anything, and how her own experience with mental health shaped the story she wanted to tell. Nora tells us about her writing journey, from childhood dreamer to published author, about why she likes writing Young Adult Fiction, and about the conversations she hopes her novel will spark.

Scifi and fantasy author Anthony Dobranski is on the podcast this week to talk about the tarot deck he created as a tie-in to his book, The Demon is Business Class. In collaboration with Anthony Dobranski, Kobo Writing Life is giving away one Business Class Tarot Deck to one lucky follower! To enter you must: 1. Follow us on Instagram at @kobo.writing.life or our YouTube channel Kobo Writing Life  2. Leave a comment of what your favourite tarot card is. Follow and comment on both for twice the entrie

Romance author and marketing executive Kilby Blades joins us on the podcast this week to talk about the new, ever evolving storytelling platforms authors can access to not only publish new work, but also expand their reader base. With a background in digital marketing, Kilby shares tips and tricks of the trade, from marketing steamy romance novels to the importance of creating a unique and flexible marketing plan.

Author Abbigail N. Rosewood joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her debut novel, If I Had Two Lives, and the real-life inspiration behind the story. Abbigail also discusses how she benefited from her MFA in creative writing beyond improving her craft, including gaining a built-in writing community and getting more comfortable with sharing her work.

Maggie Marr has been an entertainment attorney, a producer, an entertainment agent, and is a USA Today bestselling author. She joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her journey from the courtroom to the bestseller list, what it takes to make the jump from author to screenwriter, and she gives some excellent advice to anyone looking to adapt their work for the silver screen.

Writer, illustrator, and poet Jasmin Kaur joins us on the podcast this week. Jasmin’s work has been celebrated globally, and has been shared by celebrities and activists such as Jennifer Lopez, Tessa Thompson, and Reese Witherspoon. She talks to us about her journey as a writer and what it’s like to know her work has had such a wide reach, how she ensures she maintains her original intentions when sharing her work, and why she feels it’s so important for her to share and protect her authentic voice.

Bestselling author, podcaster, and motivational speaker Joanna Penn joined us for a KWL Facebook Live event recently, where she discussed all things audio from recording her own podcast to narrating, marketing, and editing audiobooks. Joanna also talked about how and why audio content is evolving, and she gave us some great predictions about the future of audiobooks and publishing.   Be sure to check out Joanna's podcast, The Creative Penn!.

Historical thriller author Glenn Dyer was in his sixties and freshly retired when he published his first novel, The Torch of Betrayal. Now planning the release of his third novel, Glenn joins us on the podcast to discuss finding the motivation to realize his dreams of becoming a published author, how he weaves historical facts into his novels, and what he has learned about self publishing along the way.