In this uplifting episode of "Author Express," Kristi Leonard interviews Jen Sinclair, the author of the enthralling novel There's Always a Price. Jen shares the unique aspects of her storytelling, including complex relationships and morally gray characters. Hear about her upbringing in Toms River, New Jersey, a town with its own quirky claims to fame. Jen delves into the emotional depths of her writing process and offers a touching story from her childhood that still influences her work today. Learn how she finds inspiration and keeps writer's block at bay, making this episode perfect for readers and writers alike looking for a dash of creativity and motivation. Don't miss this inspiring chat that brings out the heart behind Jen Sinclair's captivating fiction.

Jen Sinclair writes contemporary fiction that explores complicated relationships, love, loss, and all the messiness of life. She uses humor, heart, and compelling plot elements to explore what it means to be human. Her stories often follow women who must fight to overcome tragic circumstances and loss to discover who they are and what they want. Readers applaud her mix of humor and high concept plot elements to portray the gray parts of life.

Jen is a freelance writer who lives in Saint Augustine, Florida, with her husband, kids, and spoiled puppy. When she isn’t working out story elements, belting out songs from one of her many Spotify playlists, or having conversations with imaginary friends, she enjoys spending time outside walking beaches and trails, paddling waterways, or driving around with the top off her Jeep. There’s Always a Price is her first novel.

Follow Jen on her website at www.jensinclairwrites.com where you can sign up for her newsletter and be the first to know about her upcoming release in early 2025. You can also find her on Instagram @jensinclairwrites and Facebook at Jen Sinclair Author.

Kristi Leonard is a modern Renaissance woman deeply rooted in the book world. When she's not immersed in crafting novels, she's orchestrating writing retreats through her business, Writers in the Wild, or lending her voice to non-fiction audiobooks. She leads the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as the president of the board, and interviews her writer pals as one of the hosts of the Author Express Podcast. She will start querying her first book in 2024.

Beyond the realm of words, Kristi embraces the Florida sunshine by hiking with her writer-hiker group and leisurely walks on the beach. She and her husband juggle a couple side businesses and take turns sharing the couch with their goofy Golden-doodle, Maddie. Kristi enjoys travel adventures with her twin sister and living vicariously through her grown children. You can learn more about her and connect at: https://linktr.ee/kristileonard.

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On today’s episode we get to chat with Erin Quinn-Kong, a longtime magazine editor who started writing fiction after having her second child, while she was a freelance writer. She started writing Hate Follow in December 2020 after unsuccessfully querying a women’s fiction novel. She knew this idea was different as it had such a solid, newsworthy hook: an influencer who gets sued by her teen daughter for invasion of privacy (something Erin swears is going to happen one day—probably soon!)

Currently managing editor of Texas Highways, Erin has also been an editor at Austin Monthly, Us Weekly, and Allure. As a magazine editor, Erin has watched social media and influencers change the publishing industry and our society as a whole, almost without anyone realizing it. Along with examining social media and whose story parents are allowed to tell online, the mother-daughter struggle in Hate Follow is something that all parents will relate to. New York Times bestselling author Amanda Eyre Ward calls Hate Follow "a rich and witty story with two complicated women at its heart.” She adds, “Quinn-Kong's story of an influencer mom sued by her resentful daughter is of the moment, but its exploration of female power and privilege is timeless. It’s a beautiful debut."

Erin is a member of WFWA and the Writer’s League of Texas. When she’s not working or writing, you can find Erin exploring Texas and beyond with her husband and two kiddos. They love to eat good food, roller skate, swim, and burn all the kids’ energy off at every playground they can find. Erin is also part of a writing group called The Still Writing Squad, four mom writers who came together after years of not having publishing success and quickly found agents and published novels—three of which debuted in 2024. You can get a peek into their group on their Substack, The (Writing) Group Chat.

You can learn more about Erin on her website www.erinquinnkong.com and follow her on Instagram @erinquinnkongwrites -which will be the best place find out about her next novel.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Hate Follow at Bookshop.org

Author and musical composer Kathleen Basi is mother to three boys and one chromosomally-gifted daughter. Her debut novel, A SONG FOR THE ROAD, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.”

Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. She writes monthly reflections on life, writing and beauty on her newsletter. Subscribe at https://kathleenbasi.substack.com/.

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In this heartwarming episode of Author Express, join host Shawna Rodrigues as she sits down with Becky Ellis, a celebrated Northwest author from Portland. Discover Becky's journey growing up across various cities in California and how her complex family dynamics shaped her memoir, "Little Avalanches." Gain insights into the intriguing conversation she had with her father, a decorated WWII combat sergeant, that transformed her life's narrative. Learn about the specific challenges and emotional landscapes she navigated while writing her story. Don't miss Becky's unique strategy for structuring this dual-memoir and her tips on balancing the craft of writing with the rawness of personal experience. Perfect for fans of nonfiction and anyone fascinated by military family stories or memoir writing techniques.

Becky Ellis is a Timberwolf Pup. Her father was a WWII veteran and carried the weight of his combat experience internally, never sharing his stories, yet allowing them to influence his life deeply. Growing up, Becky could easily have broken ties with her father, but instead she gave him grace and listened when he was ready to talk. Becky's memoir, Little Avalanches, is detailed in 3 parts with her childhood, her father's daily account of WWII and how they came together through conversation decades later.

Becky is helping people start the conversations that need to be had with family members, especially those who have been in combat while also raising awareness of the great need our veterans have when they come home in dealing with the trauma they experience.

You can learn more about Becky by visiting her website, https://beckyellis.net, or following her on Instagram, @beckyellisauthor.

Get your copy of Little Avalanches here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKPP93Z8/

Shawna Rodrigues left her award-winning career in the public sector in 2019 to consult and publish her first novel Beyond the Pear Blossoms. Her desire to connect and help others led to the launch of her podcast The Grit Show shortly thereafter. When she learned women host only 27% of podcasts, her skills and passion led to the founding of the Authentic Connections Network. She now helps mission-driven entrepreneurs better connect with their audiences by providing full-service podcast production and through a community for Entrepreneurs & Podcasters – EPAC. Podcasting is her primary focus, so she continues to support the writing community through this podcast, and her writing time is mostly focused on anthologies.

She offers a free 7 Steps to Perfect Your Podcast Title to anyone interested in launching a podcast. You can also follow her on Instagram-@ShawnaPodcasts, and learn more about the network and community at https://linktr.ee/37by27.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

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