If you were ever wondering how debut novelists bring their women’s fiction books to publication, this podcast should be in your regular rotation. Maggie Smith is a skilled interviewer, and has a knack for asking just the question I’d like to ask the author myself. I especially enjoy hearing about which characters were hardest or easiest to write, what worked (or didn’t) in the promotion phase, and quirky details about the authors themselves. As an aspiring novelist, I listen to each new episode as they come out, and am working my way through the backlist, considering it part of my writing education. My only complaint is that my TBR list seems to be growing with each episode!

Loved hearing from three of the charter founders of WFWA and celebrating Women's Fiction Day. Thank you, Maggie!

I love this podcast. Author Maggie Smith is a thoughtful reader and a close listener. She lets the interviewees talk and keeps the conversation on track. The focus is appropriately narrow: Women authors who’ve recently published their first novel, with discussion of both the book and the journey to publication. The 28-minute bite-sized segments are both filling and nutritious and I always come away feeling inspired to write, which is my number one gauge for a good podcast about writing.

The authors on the podcast are high quality and Maggie Smith does a great job with hosting. Always fascinating to hear how other writers did it!

Maggie’s conversations with a diverse assembly of authors offers valuable insight into the creative processes of writing and editing one’s work. I love that a variety of publishing methods and literary genres are covered amongst these interviews. This peak behind the curtain, from those who’ve successfully brought their books to life, is very reassuring to this aspiring novelist!