Alexa's Publishing Chat

{ep. 99} All About Children's Books with Sheryl Bass

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're talking about children's books! Not only the importance of Social Emotional Learning and teaching that to children, but also self-publishing vs....

{ep. 98} Travel Writing Retreats with Lisa and Cami

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered about travel writing retreats? Lisa Daily and Cami Ostman take authors on travel retreats for writing and are loving the result...

{ep. 97} Amazon Changes Categories - What's That Mean for Authors? with Dave Chesson

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dave Chesson is the Founder and CEO of Kindlepreneur, which created PublisherRocket, an amazing tool created to help authors find the best keywords an...

{ep. 96} You can make a difference! How Sherry Paris uses her books to empower students

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sherry Paris is passionate about being a beacon for marginalized voices and writing books that help empower the youth to take action in social justice...

{ep. 95} Which route to publishing is right for you? with Carol Saller

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a good candidate for self-publishing or should you consider traditional or hybrid? Carol Saller gives her advice on the different routes to pu...

{ep. 94} Bookshop.org - why authors should know about this organization!

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bookshop.org is a nonprofit, online retail store that sells books - donating profits back to book retailers across the United States.

{ep. 93} Republishing a Children's Book with Antoinette Martin

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author Antoinette Martin joins Alexa Bigwarfe to discuss why she decided to republish her children's picture book, the process to do so, and her chall...

{ep. 92} Free publicity & PR tips for authors that work with Liz Kelly

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Kelly is a publicist who loves helping authors find their WOW message and boil it down to the key and most exciting elements to garner the attenti...

{ep. 91} Book Blurb Magic with Jessie Cunniffe

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how to write a great blurb for your book? Jessie Cunniffe dishes the details!

{ep. 90} What type of editing do you need? With JoEllen Nordstrom

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

JoEllen Nordstrom of FirstEditing chats about editing, types of editing, when you should start editing, and more!

{ep. 89} How to Use your Website to market your book with Fauzia Burke

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fauzia Burke is a book marketing expert and pioneer of online book publicity. Episode 89 discusses the role a website plays in book marketing.

{ep. 88} Making Your Indie Book Stand out with Jen Craven

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jen Craven is a fiction writer. She writes contemporary women's fiction and is passionate about making sure her books stand out from the masses of oth...

{ep. 87} Writing Tips for First Time Writers & StoryBilder with Tanya Gough

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tanya Gough discusses tips for novelists, using "play" in your writing, letting your characters lead the story, and how StoryBilder can help you as yo...

{ep. 86} The Power to Speak... Naked! with Sean Tyler Foley

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sean Tyler Foley is an accomplished film and stage performer and has been acting in film and television since he was 6 years old. He shares his wisdom...

{ep. 85} International Women's Day with Paige Allen

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy International Women's Day 2023 (3/8/23). Paige Allen of IngramSpark delivered a beautiful keynote for the Women in Publishing Summit, and we wan...

{ep. 84} Visibility through Podcasts & Social Media Aps with Julie Lokun & Nicki Pascarella

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Visibility is an important aspect for authors. But speaking publicly, getting on podcasts, and getting out can be scary and time consuming. We talk wi...

{Ep. 83} Plot Marketing - Book Marketing tips with Emily Enger

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard about plot marketing? This is a fun and innovative approach to book marketing that Emily Enger teaches to help make marketing less...

{ep. 82} Doing it wrong, getting it right with Rainy Horvath

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens if you realize you made a lot of mistakes when publishing your first book? When should you do a 2nd edition of your book (including ficti...

{ep. 81} When Everything Goes Awry: Why This Author Kept Moving Forward - Gloria Coppola

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes there are some really unexpected turn of events that come about as you're preparing to publish your book. Gloria Coppola speaks candidly abo...

{ep. 80} Keeping Clear on Your Marketing Goals with Stephanie Feger

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie Feger and Alexa Bigwarfe discuss why you should NOT do all of the things when trying to market your book, and how important it is to focus y...

{ep. 79} Why you should make your book NOT returnable to avoid this costly mistake

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One simple mistake can cost you all of your royalties and cause you to owe money. This episode is a case study of why you should make your book NOT re...

{ep. 78} 10 Steps to Getting What You Want as an Author - How Badly Do You Want It?

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know what you really want as an author? And how badly do you want it? In this episode, Alexa Bigwarfe goes through her 10 Steps To Getting What...

{ep 77} Instagram Trends With Raewyn Sangari

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Alexa and Raewyn talk Instagram trends and why authors should be following them.

{ep. 76} LGBTQ+ representation in fiction books with Christine Svendsen

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Christine Svendsen is a busy author and full-time publisher of LGBTQ+ books. We discussed representation for the LGBTQ+ community in publishing, as we...

{ep. 75} From Paris with Love

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

in this 75th episode of the PublishHer Podcast, Alexa Bigwarfe dives into the details of her writing trip to Paris, why she went, lessons learned on w...

{ep. 74} Creating great stories & connections to grow your platform with Adriana Alvarez

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adriana Alvarez runs a female owned publishing house and is a huge proponent of helping other women start their own publishing endeavors. She shares h...

{ep. 73} Developing your Author BRAND with DP Knudten

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

DP Knudten is a master at working with companies on branding. How much have you thought about the BRAND you're creating as an author. In this really i...

{ep. 72} Following Your Writing Dreams - 2nd Career with Reyna Marder Gentin

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Reyna Marder Gentin was a practicing lawyer when she decided she did not feel fulfilled. She wasn't happy in her career and knew she wanted something ...

{ep. 71} Self-Publishing for Children's Book Authors with April Cox

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Looking for tips on self-publishing and marketing children's books? April Cox is here to help!

{ep. 70} Time for a Booky Call! The innovative App Connecting Readers to books! with Nicole Talbott

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nicole Talbott, VP of Sales and Marketing at Booky Call, joined Alexa Bigwarfe to discuss the innovative app, how it is helping readers find and fall ...

{ep. 69} The Importance of Your Writing Community - Emilya Naymark

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Your writing community is so important! Emilya Naymark and Alexa Bigwarfe discuss the importance of writing communities, partnerships, and collaborati...

{ep. 68} Book Marketing & PR Tips from Aimee Ravichandran

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Aimee Ravichandran is the Owner of Abundantly Social and Perceptive Public Relations. She loves working with authors and her community to market books...

{ep. 67} Traditional & Self-Publishing At the Same Time! Author Sandi Schwartz

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sandi Schwartz is an author who writes on parenting, wellness, the environment, and ecohappiness. In 2020 - 2022, she took the journey of both traditi...

{ep. 66} Sage advice from and tribute to author Shelly Longenecker

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shelly Longenecker authored the book Dinner for a Dollar and launched her business by the same name. In this interview with Alexa Bigwarfe, she discus...

{ep. 65} Toby Dorr - You are not your worst mistake

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Dorr has had a wild journey! Alexa and Toby discuss Toby's time in prison and what that taught her, plus her forthcoming book, Living With Convic...

{ep. 64} The Power of YOUR Story - April Pertuis

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Your story is a powerful piece of your marketing strategy. April Pertuis shares why crafting an emotional and meaningful story is key to an author's s...

{ep. 63} Jen Milius - Developmental Editor

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Alexa interviews developmental editor Jen Milius about all the things authors need to know when looking for and working with a develo...

{ep. 62} Welcome to Season 2!

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the 2nd Season of the PublishHer podcast! We've got some great content heading your way in our second season - book writing, publishing, an...

{ep. 61} Why Kindness Matters with author Christina Dankert

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ep. 61 is about Kindness. Host Alexa Bigwarfe interviews author Christina Dankert about her book, The Kindness Machine. We talk about why she wrote th...

{ep. 60} Writing, publishing, & marketing a memoir about finding love with Linda Jamsen

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Alexa Bigwarfe sits down with Linda Jamsen to discuss what her journey was like to write, publish, and market her memoir, Odyssey of Love. The discuss...

{ep. 59} 2021 in Review and some key lessons learned

29 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alexa Bigwarfe takes a look at some of the biggest WIP and WritePublishSell moments of 2021 and talks about biggest lessons learned over the year.

{ep. 58} Boundary setting for authors with Christine Seibold

22 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Boundaries are important. If you don't know how to set them, people, work, and situations can take over your life. As writers, setting boundaries arou...

{ep. 57} Additional revenue streams for authors with Becky Kopitzke

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes it takes some time before we see significant royalties from book sales. In this episode, Alexa Bigwarfe interviews Becky Kopitzke about crea...

{ep. 56} The mindset behind good publicity & PR for authors with Lilian Sue

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you think about your mindset when it comes to PR and promoting your book as an author? Alexa Bigwarfe chats with Lilian Sue about this ver...

{ep. 55} Promos, Marketing, & BookBub

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the fastest ways to grow more readers and sell more books is by participating in paid promos. Samantha and Ashley talked to Alexa about the typ...

{ep. 54} Setting boundaries around your writing

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's NaNoWriMo time, and as many of us scramble to hit high word count goals and actually write a novel in 30 days, protected writing time, systems, a...

{ep. 53} Prioritizing your launch activities

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many things to do when launching a book. How do you decide where to prioritize your book marketing efforts?

{ep. 52} Making the BRAVE Leap with Heather Vickery

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Heather Vickery discusses why now was the time to write her book: F*ck Fearless: Making the Brave Leap, and some of her adventures along the way in wr...

{ep. 51} It all started 8 years ago today

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I published my first book, Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother, 8 years ago today, officially launching Kat Biggie Pres...

{ep. 50} What we've learned in the past few years

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's our 50th episode and Alexa is talking with her team about the biggest lessons learned over the last few years.

{ep. 49} Author Interview - Daniel Fallon

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. Alexa Bigwarfe interviews author Daniel Fallon about his long journey to research, produce a high quality bo...

{ep. 48} The challenge of finding the right category for your book with Emily A. Myers

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Emily A Myers recently debuted her book The Truth About Unspeakable Things. In the process to publish her book, she realized she was trying to market ...

{ep. 47} Tools for book layout & design with Formatted Books

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you looking for some support in formatting your book? A professionally designed interior of your book is a step that should not be overlooked. For...

{ep. 46} What's all the #booktok madness about? Tiktok for authors

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been hearing about #booktok and wondering what it is? My team members Cayce, Sarah, and I, Alexa Bigwarfe, dig into Tiktok and the phenomenon...

{ep. 45} Optioning Your Book: Film & TV rights & more: Eileen Cook

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does optioning mean? How do you get your book optioned for TV & film? Eileen Cook dishes out all the details on how your book makes it beyond the...

{ep. 44} Creating an Experience for Your Launch Party : Loud Pen

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all want to create a fun launch event that is more than just a book signing, but is actually an experience. This way more people attend, which mean...

{ep. 43} How to find and get editorial reviewers with Kasie Whitener

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know how to have your book show up in local media outlets, big journals, magazines, and more? Kasie Whitener provides the timeline, where to f...

{ep. 42} Demystifying the editing process with Stacey Aaronson

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know all the things about finding and working with your "just-right" editor? Stacey Aaronson explains how to find the right editor, timeline f...

{ep. 41} From Rejections to NY Times Bestseller with Eva Natiello

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eva Natiello got fed up with her growing stack of rejections, so she decided to self-publish. In this episode, she spills the beans on what she did to...

{ep. 40} Marketing Books on Sensitive Topics with Rachel Thompson

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you've written a book on a very sensitive topic, you may be struggling with how to market it. Rachel Thompson explains how she marketed her books o...

{ep. 39} Creating a successful kickstarter campaign to fund your book: Kristi Carlson

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Publishing a book can be very expensive, especially if you're doing a specialized project, like a cookbook. Kristi Carlson shares her tips for creatin...

{ep. 38} Using the media & live video to create buzz : Roshanda Pratt

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to know how to engage with the media? How to craft a press release that will actually get their attention? AND use live video to share you...

{ep. 37} Dealing with Imposter Syndrome with Angela Hosking

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you deal with imposter syndrome and fears around being an author? We all have these fears! Angela Hosking digs into imposter syndrome and her tips ...

{ep. 36} The Case for Self-Publishing with Jodi Brandon

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is self-publishing the right option for you? Alexa Bigwarfe and Jodi Brandon discuss why some authors might want to go the self-publishing route.

{ep. 35} Social media vs. writing craft

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An attendee in my WIP School asked a great question the other day - should I be spending time getting better at social media or working on my writing ...

{ep. 34} Disrupting the Indie Publishing Model with guest Angela Engel

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Engel talks about her publishing model, a different and unique form of partner publishing, and how their model, based on traditional publishing...

{Ep. 33} Writing memoirs with Stacey Aaronson

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stacey Aaronson, an editor, ghostwriter, and now author of her own memoir, shares about her experience with writing her memoir, how it was different f...

{Ep. 32} Landing pages, reader magnets, & email sequences ... oh my!

12 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Growing an email list is an essential part of developing your fans, gaining reviews, and selling more books. In this episode, we talk about what these...

{ep. 31} Making an Impact with Hayley Hunter Hines

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Opening your heart and your mind to the possibilities of what you can give to the world. Connecting with yourself to make a bigger impact in the world...

{Ep. 30} Book marketing goals: How else do you know what you're working towards?

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I know... goals is a really boring, snoozefest topic. But one thing I have found is that if you don't know what you are working towards, how do you kn...

{ep. 29} What you need to have ready for cover design & formatting

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is a basic recap of what you'll want to have ready before working with a publishing partner, self-publishing assist, or freelance cover designers...

{Ep. 28} Book Marketing Fatigue

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you suffering from book marketing fatigue? Overwhelm at ALL THE THINGS you're being asked to do? You are not alone! Focusing on a few key areas ca...

{Ep. 27} Putting some pep into your virtual & live book launches

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An email subscriber recently sent us the question: “What are the best ways to make your book launch interactive and interesting both if it’s virtu...

{Ep. 26} Amazon Ads with Brian Berni

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you considering using Amazon Ads to market your book? Or maybe you're already using them and need some additional guidance? Guest expert Brian Ber...

{Ep. 25} What it's like being a blind author with Lois Strachan

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you need some motivation? It's hard to feel down on yourself that you just can't DO all the things, when you listen to the inspirational author jou...

{ep. 24} Knowing your numbers for book marketing with Layne Booth

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Layne Booth uses data and metrics to help business owners grow their businesses. In this episode, we discuss how authors can use metrics and data to d...

{Ep. 23} Using Numerology to Show Up More Authentically with Meaghan Alton

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Numerology can be a really cool tool to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you're interested in learning how you can use the code you...

{Ep. 22} The importance of knowing your ideal reader to properly market your book

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Finding your ideal reader is key to unlocking your ability to market well. But how do you know who that ideal reader is? And how do you learn how to e...

{Ep. 21} The Importance of Considering Your Health - for Writers with Joanna Penn

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Your health is important as a writer. I talk to Joanna Penn about why she's started talking more about health for writers, and how we all need to cons...

{ep. 20} Diversity in Publishing: a Transgender perspective with Nathan Caro Frechette

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's the end of Women's history month. We've been talking a lot about marginalized voices and making sure they are heard. This is a fantastic view int...

{ep. 19} From Blog to Book & more with Nina Amir

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tips for authors, plus why having a marketable idea is the most important thing, how to go from blog to book, and much more with Nina Amir.

{ep. 18} Changes in the Publishing Industry with Jane Friedman

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alexa Bigwarfe interviews Jane Friedman about the changes in the publishing industry in the digital age and how this impacts authors.

{ep. 17} Gaining Media Exposure with Christina Nicholson

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Looking to gain media exposure so you can grow your audience and market your book? Christina Nicholson, aka the Media Maven, has all the tips!

{ep. 16} Let's talk about editing!

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this session, previously recorded for the 2018 Women in Publishing Summit, we're talking about the different types of editing, working with an edit...

{ep. 15} Hitting the NY Times Best Seller List with AK Turner

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You can still hit the NY Times Best Seller list, even if it takes a year or two. AK Turner shares her journey of publishing and how she hit the list.

{ep. 14} Diversity in Publishing - E. Danielle Butler, children's book author & publisher

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The importance of diversity and representation in publishing with author and publisher, E. Danielle Butler.

{ep. 13} How to Write Great Characters with Eileen Cook

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're writing fiction and you want to make sure you have characters that your readers will love (or love to hate), you want to catch this episode ...

{ep. 12} The Power of Conversation w/ Desiree Peterkin Bell

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this historic day of the first woman elected into the white house, I share an important interview with Desiree Peterkin Bell about the importance o...

{ep. 11} Faking it til you make it

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes an imperfect action is better than no action at all.

{ep. 10} Lucy Hay - screenwriting for novelists & noir fiction

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Hay, in her interview for the women in publishing summit, shares about screenwriting for novelists as well as writing noir fiction.

Ep. 9 Dave Chesson - Kindlepreneur

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur and Publisher Rocket.

Why your voice matters {ep 8}

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In a crazy wild world, your voice truly matters.

Publishing Children's Books with Maria Dismondy {ep. 7}

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What you need to know if you want to publish a children's books with children's book author and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy.

Legal considerations for authors with Helen Sedwick {ep. 6}

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What do you need to know about legal issues for authors? Helen Sedwick dishes it out.

Marketing tips with Angela J. Ford {ep. 5}

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Book marketing tips with fantasy author Angela J. Ford.

Publicity & PR for authors with Kristi Dosh {ep 4}

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How to get more opportunities for visibility, get in front of more people, grow your platform, and sell more books.

Difference between vanity, hybrid, traditional presses {Ep. 3}

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know the different routes to publishing? We'll cover the differences between vanity, hybrid, self-publishing, and traditional publishing.

Brooke Warner & She Writes Press - Why Go Hybrid? Ep. 2

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I interviewed Brooke Warner in a previous Women in Publishing Summit about why she started She Writes Press and about Hybrid presses. This is a great ...

Welcome to the PublishHer Podcast. Episode 1

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the PublishHer podcast! This is episode 1, the introduction.