On professional jealousy (yes, it's real), that one guy who *has* to say something, and print runs in traditional publishing. What we do and don't know, the effect of print on demand, and other forms of black magic, smoke & mirrors. 🎉 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🎉 Calling all fantasy romance lovers! I’m so excited to team up with @vowforgirls for the Happily E…

My VOW for Girls project - a special treat for you all. About the new book in my favorite series and how I miss the edge it once had. Also: endorsement quotes (or blurbs) - do they work? Does anyone care? I say YES. 🎉 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🎉 Calling all fantasy romance lovers! I’m so excited to team up with @vowforgirls for the Happily Ever After Giveawa…

Why I'm participating in VOW for Girls to stop child marriage, thoughts on donating (& why you don't have to), joy, best ways to build and refine craft, why I don't journal, and how I'm a Swiftie forever. The VOW for Girls donation link is here: vowforgirls.org/jeffe-kennedy Darynda Jones's Kickstarter is here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/d…

The RELUCTANT WIZARD audiobook is available wide! Preorder NEVER THE ROSES at B&N for 35% off today only! Also, my editorial meeting, participation in VOW for Girls, and the unbearable loudness of casita-building. Through today only, the B&N donation code for 35% off a print preorder is PREORDER25 The VOW for Girls donation link is here: vowforgirl…

My weekend with Darynda and a report on her and thoughts on the joy of writing and living life the way we want to. Also a special FaRoFeb present! And listening to audiobooks at higher speeds - why is Audible against it? Everything FaRoFeb 2025 is here! https://farofeb.com/farofeb-2025/ Darynda Jones's Kickstarter is here https://www.kickstarter.co…

All about my Marketing & Publicity meeting with Tor/Bramble, my upcoming editorial meeting and how creative angst is just a fact of life and never goes away. Also, two more books/series out on submission and can I finish STRANGE FAMILIAR in time??? Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekenne…

Updates on NEVER THE ROSES and the challenges of making bonus content. Also, reflections on housework, the contempt for expertise in the home, and being taught and *learning* the best way to do something. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STR…

I've been seeing the cyclical debates on "we need ratings for books like we have for movies!" so I'm doing a Brief History of Art and Censorship in the last 100 years, why movie ratings were developed, Communism, McCarthyism, and how housework was deliberately created to keep women at home. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and…

Some fun updates, including NEVER THE ROSES in a list of Most Anticipated Romantasy Books of 2025. Also, wrestling the fears many of us have about today and what comes after, fractals, controlling what we can, and how we each can savor our one wild and precious life. The Paste Magazine article I mention is here https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/f…

I'm doing a deep dive into my thoughts and feelings on the allegations against Neil Gaiman and on parasocial relationships, the writing community, and associated implications. Also, hey! Good news on audiobooks and Spanish translations. Lila Shapiro's article on Neil Gaiman is here https://www.vulture.com/article/neil-gaiman-allegations-controversy…

On being a creative in a tech-driven culture and how tech has shaped how we deliver our art. Also, embracing our emotions as valid and valuable, needing certain conditions to work, and how all of this affects choosing titles. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard…

I'm talking about what it means to live in interesting times and how we grow the ability to handle disruptions in our lives, great and small. Also the importance of cultivating joy and making kindness louder. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder…

Thoughts on feeling traumatized that it's January 6th and what I've discovered about how art can help give us perspective. Also, a truly ASTONISHING discovery that has moved my productivity to a whole new level! A couple of the songs I mention: Self Evident by Ani DiFranco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6llS6uXz7k and Leningrad by Billy Joel http…

Showing off a few gifts-my Swiftie mug and a fabulous pen-and talking the art of gift-giving. Also thoughts on goal-setting, observing yourself like a scientist, tracking metrics, and the cover reveal of MAGIC REBORN! Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can…

This will be my last podcast...of 2024! I'm talking about a cool goal-setting trick, what I noticed about taking time off and aggressive well-refilling in general, feeling that creative impulse and looking to the year ahead. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard …

I'm burbling away today all the great stuff going on with NEVER THE ROSES - including the *super cool* Owl Crate edition plans, updates on the upcoming cover reveal, UK release, audiobook (dual narration!) and why working with traditional publishing can be so great. The Happy FaRoDays event is here! https://farofeb.com/happy-farodays/ Visit Jennife…

On writing through trauma, and then not remembering what I wrote! My exciting new vacuum cleaner (lol) and the birth of social media. Also, having the confidence (and blessing) of a cis-het white man in ignoring edits. The Happy FaRoDays event is here! https://farofeb.com/happy-farodays/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and au…

Understanding what I need regarding taking time off - or NOT! - and how important it is for us to collect data on our own process. Also, the inevitability of losing friendships as we build our careers and businesses. The book I mention THE FRIEND WHO GOT AWAY is here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385511868 The Happy FaRoDays event is here! htt…

Sharing some excellent, exciting news on NEVER THE ROSES, along with an unexpected challenge of having a pen name, a tip on developing an author signature, and how we don't have to do something we don't want to do. The Happy FaRoDays event is here! https://farofeb.com/happy-farodays/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiob…

I'm finishing A ROSE IN THE MIRROR today!! On story structure, beats, and how this strange book has been spot-on. Also, the long-game, how a writing career can go wrong and instead shooting for a sustainable life as an author. The Happy FaRoDays event is here! https://farofeb.com/happy-farodays/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out no…

A cover reveal today of STRANGE FAMILIAR! Also a discussion of Avenger's Endgame and my epiphany on the strategic element that elevates a fight/battle scene from mutual bashing to epic storytelling. The Happy FaRoDays event is here! https://farofeb.com/happy-farodays/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! ht…

On Yog's Law - that money must flow to the creator - and why paying a company to publish your books is a terrible idea. Also, why your creativity will beat "AI" and how you can make a living as a creator. Becca Syme's Better Faster Academy is here https://betterfasteracademy.com/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook …

On giving ourselves permission to give less than 100% (or more) effort to tasks and projects that aren't our priority. Insights I gained from Becca Syme's Author Business Summit, sustainability of all our efforts, and taking time off. Becca Syme's Better Faster Academy is here https://betterfasteracademy.com/ Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WI…

Instead of writing what you know? Write what you are. Other thoughts on revision, integrity, and a story about a guy I knew back in my peer counseling days in college who behaved badly toward women. Warning: abrupt stop. Instead of hitting pause, I hit the stop button, but I was done anyway, so... you just don't get the usual sign-off today. But I …

Some reflections on the nature of good and evil and what my definitions are. Also, how yoga teaches banishing the destructive emotions of fear and anger and replacing them with joy and love. And how I'm practicing non-violence. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wiza…

My hot brilliant mess that I'm revising from the beginning today, with some reflections on how a focused crit can solve everything. Also, "women telling men what to do" and how I'm feeling moving forward politically. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can …

A story about internet trolls and boys on the playground in grade school - and how they have the same tactics. On not succumbing to their bullying and remembering that they're trying to use fear as a tool. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder ST…

Thoughts on storytelling, why we tell stories, the definition of success and if after our deaths counts, Carrie Vaughn's THE NATURALIST SOCIETY, the role of ARCs and critique, and how to know when to stop revising and send to an editor. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluc…

How I've been calming myself about the US election and voting with joy! Also, thoughts about the Uncanny Valley (unrelated), and what it really does and doesn't mean to be a "bestselling author," how the lists work, and the only metric that truly matters. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jef…

Sorting out why I felt so hurt by the author who slammed on the Romantasy genre as "amuse bouche" compared to her books, some experiences I've had with older female writers in fantasy, and thoughts on drafting vs revising. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard Yo…

Sorting reasons to be a writer, how you CAN make a living at it, and what it means to treat this profession like a business. Also, why age and dry wit isn't an excuse to insult other authors and genres. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is almost here!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorde…

Several pieces of good news here, including that the Jennifer K. Lambert website is now live! Also, a discussion of being aware of changing social media expectations and why you don't diss other authors' books. Like, ever. Visit JenniferKLambert.com RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is almost here!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wi…

A continuation of my intensive breakdown of the language "coaches" use to entice you to spend your money, why their "guarantees" mean nothing, truth and lies about passive income, and sustaining a career as an author. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is almost here!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FA…

My very productive week, the problem with writing dialect, and the first part of an intensive breakdown of the language "coaches" use to entice you to spend your money and simultaneously erode your self-confidence. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and audiobook is almost here!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMIL…

How not to lose your mind about typos, proofing, and addressing corrections at various stages of editing. Also endorsement quotes, ARCs, and what the expectations are. Plus Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffekennedy.com…

Breaking the gridlock of chronology in a story - when it's a useful tool and why, and when it can be a crutch. Also, how process changes with every book, indicating a good stretch, and the ravages of book brain. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffekennedy.…

On celebrating and taking a break, and I'm sharing some great new endorsement quotes for NEVER THE ROSES! Also, internalized misogyny, Taylor Swift & Blake Lively, and why I'm shifting away from search engines and back to bookmarking websites like it's 2004. And yes, I realize I said "Age of Adaline" when I meant "It Ends with Us." I watched both. …

On the story structure that utilizes characters that represent heart, mind, and body. Also, how to know when to listen to critique and then making the judgment call of folding information into a story without slowing pace. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.je…

How sometimes we stop caring about things that were once meaningful and that it's okay to let them go. Some insights on my Achiever and Intellection Clifton Strengths, celebrating wins, and connecting with friends. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffekenne…

Some tough love today! I explain how no one will ever care about your writing career as much as you do and how other people will always be happy to suck up your time and energy. Also, exciting news on NEVER THE ROSES! RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffeke…

My appliance-drama-filled weekend, pet-drama-filled Monday, a happy resolution to previous pet-drama, my great character flaw, and how a robust backlist not only is the best marketing, but continues to provide income in lots of ways. The Agatha Christie quote I read is: "There was a moment when I changed from an amateur to a professional. I assumed…

A story about how an indie bookstore cheated me (if you didn't see it on Threads), my friend who died and people trying to dig for scandalous information, plus my excellent progress this week! RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffekennedy.com/strange-familia…

An exciting sneak peek of the interior design of NEVER THE ROSES! Also, a deep dive into author finances, how to manage income by maximizing tax-deductions, promoting your work, and when to DIY vs. paying an expert. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffekenn…

Why so many authors end up "trunking" their first novel, why it's often not only a good idea, but inevitable - and how to know if you should. Also, garbage data, The Fall, and The Riddle Master of Hed (and why I think I bounced off of it as a kid). RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE …

The role of luck/serendipity in publishing success, how it's not who you know, but how you can know people. Also, the problems at NaNoWriMo, and why I believe being a writer and the process of writing is more important than having generated a book. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE …

My mojo is back and my mother is doing well! Other than reports on that - and progress on A ROSE IN THE MIRROR - I'm talking about first names and surnames, feminism, women supporting women (or not), and Kamala Harris. RELUCTANT WIZARD is out now!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard You can preorder STRANGE FAMILIAR at https://www.jeffek…

My wonderful weekend at Bubonicon and exciting news about next year's con. Also, thoughts on more experienced authors giving advice to newbies, how to be honest without stomping on their dreams, and a story of my own newbie dream-crushing. The preorder links for RELUCTANT WIZARD, out August 27, are here https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard…

My great news/bad news week, why I didn't podcast Monday, my mom's health crisis and my writing productivity in the face of it anyway. Also, keeping good relationships in the publishing business. The preorder links for RELUCTANT WIZARD, out August 27, are here https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizard The posture-correcting sports bra I love al…

My thoughts on admiring and idolizing the creators of the art we love, meeting your heroes, being careful what we complain about online, my unexpected trip to Tucson and exciting news on NEVER THE ROSES! John Scalzi's essay that I reference is here https://whatever.scalzi.com/2024/08/15/please-dont-idolize-me-or-anyone-really/ The preorder links fo…

Why we, as adult creatives, must learn to overcome the well-meaning lessons we were taught as children - like recognizing daydreaming as a feature, not a bug. Also, practical approaches to self-care, nurturing our creative selves, and what happened to me yesterday. The preorder links for RELUCTANT WIZARD, out August 27, are here https://www.jeffeke…