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Hey there, Writer—welcome back to The Resilient Writers Radio Show!

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of short fiction with the wonderful Pamela Gwyn Kripke. If you’ve ever been curious about writing short stories, how to build a collection, or what publishing with a small press actually looks like—this conversation is for you.

Pamela is an award-winning writer with bylines in The New York Times, Elle, Seventeen, Newsweek and more. Her debut novel At The Seams was published by Open Books in 2023 and her brand-new short story collection And Then You Apply Ice is also out now. (Yes, you can find links to both in the show notes!)

She joined me to chat about how she moved from journalism and essays into short fiction—something she only began exploring about four years ago. She found that many of her essays had a narrative quality to them, and that natural storytelling instinct drew her into writing fiction. She leaned into the short form during the pandemic and quickly found a rhythm that worked for her.

Pamela shares how she pulled together her stories by focusing on recurring themes—especially around the idea of transgression—and how some of the characters appear across stories at different points in their lives.

We also talked about her decision to publish with a small press and what that process actually looked like. (Spoiler: she sent queries to about 25 publishers!) Her approach was smart and strategic—targeting presses that aligned with her voice and genre.

Pamela also pitched both her novel and story collection at the same time and found a supportive home with Open Books. She opens up about the differences between traditional publishing and her long-time experience freelancing for magazines, and the pros and cons of working with a smaller press—including the realities of doing your own book publicity.

You’ll love Pamela’s grounded and generous wisdom about the writing life. She talks about her daily writing routine (dog walks included!), how she transitions between essays, journalism, and fiction, and how being a working writer has taught her not to wait for the muse—but to get in the chair and do the work.

And of course, I had to ask her what it means to be a resilient writer. Her answer was beautiful—it's about maintaining emotional equilibrium and trusting that you’ve done your best, no matter the outcome.

This episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and encouragement—especially if you’re navigating the ups and downs of publishing or wondering where short stories might fit into your own creative path.

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

Hey there, Writer—this week on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, we’re diving into something so many of us wrestle with: how to get that first draft down… faster. And more importantly—without all the agony.

I’m joined by Daphne Gray-Grant, who brings a lifetime of experience to the writing process. She grew up in her family’s newspaper business, later worked as a senior editor at The Vancouver Sun, and somewhere in the middle of all that, gave birth to triplets! If anyone understands writing under pressure, it’s Daphne.

In this episode, Daphne shares how she went from struggling with writer’s block to developing powerful tools to help writers draft more quickly and confidently. One of the biggest shifts she teaches? Start small. Like, five-minutes-a-day small.

We also talk about the deep psychology behind why writing feels so hard sometimes—especially for those of us who love editing more than drafting (hi, I see you!). Daphne explains why school doesn’t prepare us for the emotional challenges of writing and offers simple, mindset-shifting strategies to help you work with your brain, not against it.

One of her favorite tricks is ending your writing session with a few quick notes for tomorrow—so when you return to the page, you’re not wasting time wondering what comes next. That little shift can make a huge difference.

We also had a great chat about mind mapping, which Daphne has adapted into an incredible tool for writers. Instead of just putting a topic in the center of the page, she suggests starting with a question. This sparks creativity and helps you move past the blocks that outlining often creates. I’ve used this myself in my poetry, and let me tell you—it works wonders.

This conversation is packed with practical advice that’s gentle, doable, and grounded in real-life writing experience. If you’re someone who wants to finish that draft but keeps getting stuck, I think you’ll find a lot of relief—and inspiration—here.

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

Well hey there, Writer—and welcome to another cozy conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show!

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with speculative fiction author M.T. Solomon, and let me tell you—this one’s for you if you’ve ever wondered how to balance real life with writing big, bold stories.

M.T. grew up in Alaska, and the vast, rugged wilderness she called home now infuses the lyrical, emotionally resonant stories she writes. She’s been creating stories since she was six (including hand-stitched books at age 11—how adorable is that?) but it wasn’t until after college and becoming a mom that she fully embraced her dream of publishing novels.

We talk about her journey from self-publishing her first novel, All the Fragile Hearts, to continuing the duology with Whispers in the Dark, and how she ultimately found her way to traditional publishing with Liar Queen—a lush, politically charged fantasy series released through Golden Scales Publishing.

M.T. shares how empowering it was to have a team behind her this time, supporting everything from editing to cover design. But she’s also refreshingly honest about what it took to self-publish—yes, including marketing her own books and even flying out of Alaska to sell them in-person at events.

We also dig into her approach to world-building—hint: it involves lots of people-watching, note-taking, and a fully developed story bible. If you’re writing speculative fiction and struggling with how to build a believable world, you’ll love M.T.’s practical and creative insights.

Of course, we couldn’t let the conversation go by without talking about how she gets the writing done—because M.T. is a mom, a partner, and a coach. From early-morning writing sessions to squeezing in time in the school pickup line, she shares how she carves out time and energy for her work. She’s refreshingly real about what it takes to prioritize writing without losing yourself in the process.

Whether you’re working on your first novel, wondering about the self-pub vs. traditional debate, or trying to write your book in the chaos of daily life—this episode is full of heart, encouragement, and grounded advice.

Grab your tea (or coffee!) and come join us. You’ll leave inspired to keep going, one messy, magical page at a time.

P.S. Here's some great news! The Resilient Writers Radio Show is featured as one of the Top 90 Book Podcasts on the web. You can find the list here.