Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly internationally bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels. Her "Blue Bloods" series has sold over three million copies, and the "Witches of East End" series became an hour-long television drama on the Lifetime network.

I'm thrilled this episode is proudly sponsored by 'Libby', a brand new app lovingly developed by Overdrive (a company I've been a fan of for 6 years). Overdrive's vision and mission is to enlighten the world by reading, a vision that also aligns closely with my core beliefs. 'Libby' was designed for readers to discover and borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library for FREE. Be sure to click here to learn more and download the app to your phone or tablet!

In today’s episode, Melissa shares the inspiration behind her book "Alex and Eliza" and what the writing process was like. We also discuss her novel "Something in Between" which follows an overachieving Filipino high schooler who came to the U.S. when she was a child. Though not autobiographical in any way, we touch on how Melissa’s own move from the Philippines to the U.S. and her experiences with a complicated green card situation laid down the emotional foundation for her character’s voice.

Further into our conversation, we talk about why it’s important for writers to have a solid support system and good critique partners. For listeners working on a manuscript or entering the query trenches, you’ll definitely want to keep an ear out for her advice about dealing with rejections and recognizing when you’ve finished your novel.

Say 'Hi' to Melissa on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here!

Happy listening!

Xo

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

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If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things. You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group! 

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Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!

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“Send it out, get rejected, develop a tough skin, and keep on knocking on that door.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)

“It’s really important to teach kids…how to see people who are different as fully human as you are.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)

“When you make writing the sole purpose…you’re not paying attention to the life around you.” -Melissa de la Cruz (Click to tweet)

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: 

• Melissa’s experience moving to the U.S.
• Knowing when you’ve finished your novel
• Why having a support system is crucial for writers
• The importance of finding a good critique partner
• The inspiration and writing process behind “Alex and Eliza”
• Retelling classic stories
• Why it’s important to teach children how to be empathetic
• Querying advice: How to query literary agents with fearlessness

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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Nina LaCour is the author of the William C. Morris Honor Book, “Hold Still”. Los Angeles Times perfectly describes her writing in which they write, “LaCour has a knack for capturing the unique intensity of teenage characters discovering love, sex and intense friendship for the first time while also giving them talents and interests that make moving into adulthood look cool.” In describing her newest novel, “We Are Okay”, New York Times said her latest book is, “Short, poetic and gorgeously written…The world LaCour creates is fragile but profoundly humane.”

In our conversation proudly brought to you by Sun Basket and 'Libby', Nina shares the personal experiences that inspired “We Are Okay”, and how she weaved her experiences with tragedy into her novel “Hold Still”. We discuss why it’s important to immerse yourself in diverse communities, and how to spark inspiration and motivation for your writing by reading short stories.

We cover the importance of brevity in your story and how subplots may distract your readers from the main ideas. For craft-related topics, we talk about writing strong character relationships, writing about grief, and how to write a captivating ending that remains ambiguous. Nina also shares her personal experience querying literary agents the traditional way.

Say 'Hi' to Nina on Twitter and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode over at her shownotes page by clicking here! :) 

Happy listening!

Xo

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things. You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group! 

Emily Barr began her career as a journalist at the The Guardian before backpacking for a column assignment which inspired the concept for her first novel Backpack, which then went on to become a New York Times bestseller. After her debut hit, she has written 11 more books for adults and we have her on the show today to discuss her experiences writing her young adult debut The One Memory of Flora Banks, listed as Entertainment Weekly’s Most Anticipated YA Novel of the Year.

In her episode proudly brought to you by BookCon, she shares her experiences working as a journalist for The Guardian writing a column in the sports section before she transitioned into writing novels. We go into detail about her YA debut novel “The One Memory of Flora Banks” and how Norway inspired the setting of her story. We also discuss the research process behind anterograde amnesia and how Emily weaved that into her character’s story.

Further into her episode, we also discuss important non-writing related topics like what it’s like being middle-aged and having to take care of both your children and your parents. And what it truly means to live in the moment.

Happy listening!

Xo

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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Join our private Facebook group!

Click here to head over to Emily's shownotes page!

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“You made that happen, so it wasn’t really luck.” -Emily Barr (Click to tweet)

“If you do something enough, you get better at it.” -Emily Barr (Click to tweet)

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Y'all. The 88th episode has arrived. Dun dun DUN!

Today’s milestone episode is proudly sponsored by Sun Basket and BookCon. It features eight incredible listeners from our 88 Cups of Tea community. I remember when I first launched this podcast, the 88th episode seemed so far fetched. I can’t believe the day is finally here.

Thank you all for getting us to the 88th episode, without listeners like you who tune in to kick it with us each week, we would not have made it this far. The selection process for this episode was incredibly difficult. We had a flood of listeners submitting applications that averaged 40 minutes to complete. There was a lot that I threw at you and I’m blown away by your thoughtful and lengthy responses.

All of the guests you’re going to hear from today have been long-time listeners and are a huge part of our community. They have all been so active, engaged, and vocal in our community. It was so nice to talk to each of them and getting to hear their voices for the first time!

I hope you have a fun time learning about your fellow tribe members in today’s episode! You’ll learn about how much you have in common with each other. We’re all going through similar paths where you can see it’s quite natural for us to be empathetic of each other’s struggles, and for us to celebrate each other’s accomplishments as if they’re our own, no matter how big or small.

Happy listening!

Xo

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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Join our loving community over in our private facebook group by clicking here!

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“Writing gave me my own identity, it gave me something outside of my family, something for me.” -Tia Bearden

“Part of our conflict drove my desire to write a very honest portrayal, I wanted a voice out there that discussed this cultural gap in a very raw way that other people could relate to.” -Gloria Chao

“You have to put in the work to get better and its something that you will constantly get better at for the rest of your life.” -Tara Creel

“It has always been my job to tell stories that are not my own and to try and do them justice and to be respectful even when there are people or perspectives that I either don’t necessarily agree with or know that I can’t fully understand.” -Amanda Connolly

“I put so much into my character’s life that’s from my own.” -Kristy Mauna

"This book is a love letter to my imagination." -Megan LaCroix

“What I really do try to do is that even if I’m not actively writing usable words down for the story that day, that I’m thinking of the story. So I’ll open up the document. If I’m not inspired to write, I’ll go and find a scene that I love and I’ll just read it.” -Kat Cho

“When I come home from work and I’m tired, I don’t feel like writing half the time and I sit down and make myself do it. It’s like going to the gym when you haven’t gone in a long time.” -Alyssa Colman

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Learn More About:

Jack Cheng’s debut novel “See You in the Cosmos”. earned high praises from the likes of Entertainment Weekly and The Wall Street Journal, describing his book as “stellar” and “life-embracing”.

An Entertainment Weekly article describes Jack as an author with a knack for creating unique characters that stay with the reader long after the story has moved on. I’m thrilled to finally share Jack’s episode as we jump right into the nitty gritty about developing themes in your stories from the relationships and experiences in your own life.

Click here to go directly to Jack's shownotes page where we list the resources mentioned in his episode.

We discuss how a country-wide road trip led Jack to self-discovery, and how that eye-opening experience inspired the story idea for “See You in the Cosmos”. Further into our conversation, we explore why being understanding about the people around us helps to create the groundwork for our stories.

Before writing his traditionally published debut novel, Jack successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund his self-published book called “These Days”. We go into detail about his Kickstarter journey and the community that showed up to support his writing dream. We also talk about his background as an entrepreneur and what the transition was like from self-publishing to traditional publishing.

We unpack the importance of following your passions first and making sense of it all later. For listeners working on query letters to send out to literary agents, Jack shares his take on writing a successful letter by being honest, kind, and gracious. He also shares his advice on making money as a writer, and how journaling helps you reach your writing goals the way it did for him.

Click here to say "Hi" to Jack!

Happy listening!

Xo,

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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“I try to follow my passions and afterwards try to make sense of it and try to make meaning out of it.” -Jack Cheng (Click to tweet)

“One of the most important things is to have that writing practice, and I find that sometimes, when I haven’t written in awhile, how I’ll get going is I’ll just try to journal.” -Jack Cheng

“I turned to the novel as a way to reflect and in some cases just like vent about the things that were frustrating me about my day-to-day work.” -Jack Cheng

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How Jack used Kickstarter as the vehicle to help self-publish his book These Days
• How Jack’s family supports his writing career to create deeper and more meaningful connections with one another
• The importance of acceptance and sensitivity towards others’ dreams
• How your relationships and experiences can be used as themes in your stories
• The inspiration behind Jack’s country-wide road trip that led to self-discovery
• How attempts at trying to understand the people around us helps create the groundwork for our stories
• The importance of following your passions first and making sense of it all later
• How grace, honesty, and kindness can make a successful query letter
• Ways to survive financially as a writer
• How journaling will help you reach your writing goals

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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I’m so excited to collaborate with Quarterly to bring you today’s episode featuring Beth Revis! Beth is a New York Times bestselling author most widely recognized for her book series "Across the Universe" which was selected as a Teen Top Ten novel by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), long-listed for the Carnegie Medal, and featured as a Book of the Month from Seventeen Magazine. In her latest title, "A World Without You", Beth guides us through a complex look at loss and grief through a lens of mental illness. Lucasfilm tapped Beth to write the backstory of Jyn Erso in her newest book "Rebel Rising" releasing in May. Beth also had the honor of being the very first curator for Quarterly’s YA fiction subscription box. They are the only book subscription curated by authors just for readers like you and I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that Quarterly created an exclusive special just for our 88 Cups of Tea community where you’ll save $8 off your subscription box by entering promo code “88cups” at check-out!

In today’s episode, we dive right into how Beth drew inspiration from her career as a teacher for her book series "Across the Universe". We also take a closer look at the inspiration behind "A World Without You". We discuss how being a part of online writing communities can instill confidence for your writing, and we explore how to cope with the far-too-common mindset of not feeling like we’re good enough, and moving past that imposter syndrome as a writer. Click here to go directly to Beth's shownotes page that lists all of her amazing recommended resources. 

For listeners who are all about getting down and dirty with the technical topics, you’re going to LOVE Beth’s writing tips. We dive into her research methods for crafting science fiction novels and how to write strong background characters. She guides us in approaching emotional scenes that are difficult to get through, and step-by-step advice on the world building process. Beth even jumps in with tips for writing unreliable characters, how to send out query letters, and earning income while pursuing your art.

Say "Hi" to Beth on Twitter!

Happy listening!

Xo,

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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If you'd love to support our show and rock your Limited Edition 88 Cups of Tea mug (signed by yours truly), click here for more info. Thank you so much in advance for showing your love and supporting our show!

If you're looking to feel right at home with a close-knit group of encouraging and supportive writers, join our private Facebook group by clicking here. We have weekly check-ins about our creative work, book recs, and live Facebook videos of unboxing book packages. We also share previews of upcoming episodes and you can submit listener-questions for upcoming interviews.

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“Make sure that your world is just not pristine, make it dirty and make it really lived in.” -Beth Revis (Click to tweet)

“The more new experiences you have, the more stories you’ll have to tell." -Beth Revis (Click to tweet)

"There’s a value in failure that I think people often ignore and forget because failure teaches us to not give up." -Beth Revis (Click to tweet)

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Learn More About Beth Revis:

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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Meg Cabot is one of the earliest pioneers of the YA genre. She is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of books for adults, teens, and tweens, selling over 25 million copies of her nearly 80 published books. “The Princess Diaries”, one of her most popular series she wrote, was adapted into two hit movies by Disney. Click here to go directly to Meg's shownotes page that has all of her recommended resources linked up!

In today’s episode, we dive right into how real-life events inspired Meg for her “Princess Diaries” book series and she walks us through her newest book, “The Boy Is Back”.

She shares tips on writing stories influenced by life events without offending family and friends, and why it’s necessary to surround yourself with readers and critique partners that are honest with you about your writing. I can’t wait for you to hear how Meg and her writing-friend hold each other accountable and push each other past writing blocks.

Meg also walks us through how to write unique character voices with a structure inspired by social media, and how reading multiple genres can strengthen your writing structure.

Happy listening!

Xo,

Yin

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“I kept working on different things until I finally found something that hit.” -Meg Cabot (click to tweet)

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Say ‘Hi!’ to Meg

Official Site

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

We have Heidi Heilig on the show with us today!  Heidi is the author of the duology “The Girl From Everywhere” which was listed as a widely-loved and recommended book to read by NPR. The sequel to “The Ship Beyond Time” just released this week and was listed as one of the 35 most anticipated Young Adult novels of the year by Entertainment Weekly!

In today’s episode, we discuss the importance of reading and promoting the work of various authors to encourage diversity, and how to respectfully write about communities outside of your own experience.

Heidi shares the experience of her first heartbreak and how that inspired the themes of romance and time travel in “The Girl From Everywhere”. Further into our conversation, we also touch on mental health stigmas and what we can do to help break down the stereotypes.

For our craft-focused listeners, Heidi shares advice on how to improve your craft, how to find inspiration for your characters, and how to tie multiple historical elements together in your story. We also unpack Heidi’s experience with her editor and how an editor can bring out the best in your writing.

Thank you, Storyteller Tribe, for listening in! If you loved her episode, please let her know on Twitter by clicking here.

For the list of incredible resources mentioned in Heidi's episode, click here!

Xo,

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! 

PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. Those specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!

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“No one can tell you what to write and what not to write because everyone is their own person.” -Heidi Heilig (Click to tweet)

“You don’t need an MFA to write a novel. You just need to read a lot and to have the will to practice and the time." -Heidi Heilig (Click to tweet)

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How to respectfully write about communities outside of your own experience(s)
• The importance of reading and promoting the work of others to encourage diversity
• How writing inclusively can help you avoid appropriation in your novel
• Heidi walks us through her first heartbreak that inspired the themes of romance and time travel in her writing
• How to find inspiration for your characters
• How we can help to remove mental health stigmas
• The inspiration behind Heidi’s "The Girl from Everywhere"
• How to tie multiple historical elements together in your story
• How an editor can bring out your best writing and help inspire ideas for your stories
• How to improve your craft

I met Caroline in her online creative writing class at UCLA’s Writers’ Program where she teaches step-by-step how to create story structure for a novel. Just like she does in her classes, Caroline bares her heart in today’s new episode, peeling back all the layers, generously exposing and sharing all that she has learned and experienced in life and in her writing career.

Caroline and I dive deep in our conversation about her intimate tie with loss and grief, and how she is able to push forward with strength and courage. This episode is the most emotionally powerful discussion we’ve had on the show to date.

Caroline also shares the haunting story that inspired her newest novel Cruel Beautiful World, how to find your confidence as a writer, and how to edit your manuscript. She walks us through creating strong characters by using character webs, and breaks down the function of a writer’s synopsis and how it can help jumpstart your novel.

We unpack what the ‘core question’ means, how it brings depth to your story and characters, and how to structure your novel around it. We also dive into Caroline’s advice on choosing the right writers’ group that will give you constructive feedback, along with her tips on finding a writing mentor through social media.

Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Xo,

Yin

PS. Do you know anyone who’s struggling with loss and grief? Or anyone who’s curious about story structure? Please share this episode, it may really be of help! 

PPS. Looking for an intimate community for storytellers to check in about your writing and hang out with other writers? Want to submit questions for future guests on our show? Hang out with us in our new Facebook group by clicking here!

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

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“Your job is to just keep writing the story that haunts you & eventually it will find what you want it to find.” -Caroline Leavitt (click to tweet)

“You never know how much time you have, so you should do everything that you can.” -Caroline Leavitt (click to tweet)

“You just have to be patient and believe in yourself and things will happen.” -Caroline Leavitt (click to tweet)

“Never give up. You never know what’s going to happen.” -Caroline Leavitt (click to tweet)

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE

• Caroline walks us through the haunting story that inspired "Cruel Beautiful World"
• How to find your confidence as a writer
• How Caroline became a brave writer through teaching writing classes
• How to use character webs to create strong characters 
• How to structure your story around the ‘core question’
• Caroline breaks down the writer’s synopsis
• How a writer’s synopsis can help jumpstart your novel
• How loss connects us and makes us stronger
• Caroline advises actionable steps to edit your manuscript  
• How to choose a writers’ group that will give constructive feedback
• How to find a writing mentor on social media

LEARN MORE ABOUT CAROLINE LEAVITT

Known to be one of the greatest writers of our time, it’s an absolute honor to feature Jane Smiley on our show! Jane is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Thousand Acres, and numerous novels, most recently, The Last Hundred Yearstrilogy: Some Luck, Early Warning, and Golden Age. 

She has written a novel in every literary genre; consciously choosing to change the style, tone, and setting for each one, and is celebrated for transitioning from one novel to the other with ease and grace. 

Jane walks us through her earliest memories of how she fell in love with writing, and shares the inspiration behind her first picture book Twenty Yawn.  We also explore the ideas of teaching in her series of books for middle-grade readers, The Horses of Oak Valley Ranch.

Jane walks us through how to jot down story ideas, how to write effective outlines for the story, and why it’s crucial to remain organized throughout it all.

We dive into the importance of writing workshops and exactly how it provides you with the support and help you need as a writer, why it’s incredibly important to be analytical versus critical, and how to effectively learn from critiques and feedback about your work.

For the recommended books and resources Jane mentions in her episode, click here!

Xo,

Yin

Jane's episode is proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts.

PS. Do you know anyone who’d love to hear amazing writing advice from a legend? Please share this episode, it may really be of help! 

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

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If you’re looking for a safe-space to check in about your writing and hang out with other fellow writers, or submit your questions for upcoming guests on our show, along with sneak peeks of future episodes-- JOIN US!

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“If you ask any writer, most of what happened to them was a combination of effort and luck. You have to keep trying.” -Jane Smiley (click to tweet)

“The nature of children’s literature and YA literature is always about teaching.” -Jane Smiley (click to tweet)

“You have to do the best to be yourself.” -Jane Smiley (click to tweet)

“If someone’s criticizing your work, try to figure out what you can learn from that. Don’t be offended by it.” -Jane Smiley (click to tweet)

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

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Learn More About Jane Smiley

Jane’s Recommended Books & Resources:

War and Peace by Leo Tolstory

The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope

Iowa Writers’ Workshop

T.C. Boyle

13 Ways of Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion by Ford Madox Ford  

Jane Austin

Say ‘Hi!’ to Jane

Goodreads

Facebook

Official Site

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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I’m thrilled to have New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu for this week's new episode! Marie is one of the most humble and gracious guests we’re honored to feature on the show. Before becoming a full-time writer, Marie worked in the video game industry for Disney Interactive Studios as a concept artist. She has since earned an incredible following of loyal readers from "The Young Elites" and "Legend" series.

In today's episode proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts, Marie walks us through her experiences writing Midnight Star, the final book in The Young Elites trilogy, and why it was an intense challenge deciding how to wrap up Adelina Amouteru's story, the main character who met her downfall towards the darkside. Marie shares how music helped her channel the villain's voice and the different kinds of songs on her villain's playlist that allowed Marie to tap into a dark headspace, pushing her through difficult scenes.

We dive into world building and character development, writing with your internal editor switched off, and dealing with rejections and summoning the last bit of courage and strength to forge on with your writing. Marie also shares how to specifically shift your mindset to alleviate pressure when approaching the first draft.

This episode is especially for writers who'd appreciate writing tips on creating a complex villain, advice on writing the first draft of a novel, and how to find inspiration for your story. 

Xo,

Yin

PS. FOR A LIST OF ALL THE AWESOME RESOURCES MARIE MENTIONS IN HER EPISODE, CLICK HERE TO GO TO HER SHOWNOTES PAGE. 

PPS. Do you know anyone who’d love to hear amazing writing tips and inspirational personal stories from authors? Please share this episode, it may really be of help! 

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

We have S.J. Kincaid on the show with us today! Click here to go directly to S.J.'s shownotes page where we have all of her resources and books listed along with highlights about her episode. Her debut novel, Insignia, was shortlisted for the Waterstones prize. Its sequels, Vortex and Catalyst, have received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Booklist.

In today’s episode proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts, S.J. shares how-to writing tips on creating rich multi-layered worlds to enhance the plot, and creating strong emotional tension in romantic scenes. We dive deep into her latest novel, The Diabolic, how she finds idea inspiration for her stories and why it’s crucial to build on the ideas you feel most passionate about. S.J. also advises how to avoid the dreaded Second Book Syndrome pulling from her own personal experiences writing her Insignia series. For NaNoWriMo participants, S.J. has a special message for you! Click here to say 'Hi' to S.J.!

Xo,

PS. Do you know anyone who wants to learn how to create rich multi-layered worlds to enhance their story’s plot? Please share this episode, it may really be of help! 

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

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"Once you finish one book, you realize you can finish as many as you need to.” -S.J. Kincaid (click to tweet)

"As soon as I think of a setting, a lot of the story ends up evolving from that and a lot of the universe.” -S.J. Kincaid (click to tweet)

"I will never be able to say something like, ‘Hey look, I’ve succeeded after all this time,’ unless I just keep trying.” -S.J. Kincaid (click to tweet)

"There is a really fine balance between world building and getting bogged down.” -S.J. Kincaid (click to tweet)

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM S.J.'S EPISODE:

• How to push away discouragement with determination and intuition,especially when you’ve written multiple manuscripts that haven’t been sold yet
• Why it’s crucial to have a strong beta reader to read through the beginning phase of your manuscript
• Learn about S.J.’s idea process and how she finds idea inspiration for her stories
• Why you should allow yourself to let go of the ideas you lose interest in and build on the ideas you feel passionate about
• S.J. walks us through how she creates rich multi-layered worlds to enhance the plots in her novels
• How the universe of your story can evolve organically from understanding your story’s setting
• Why fully investing in both your characters is the root to creating strong emotional tension in romantic scenes
• How to avoid Second Book Syndrome
• S.J.’s experience with NaNoWriMo and her how-to advice for participants

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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Thrilled to share our newest episode of the week! Brenda Drake is the author of Thief of Lies and Touching Fate, and the creator of Pitch Wars and #PitMad.  

In Brenda’s episode proudly brought to you by Gotham Writers, we dissect Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness, and what the criteria are for both mentors and mentees to be accepted. We chat about Brenda’s books and the inspiration behind them, along with a detailed look at how Brenda uses a plot graph as a roadmap for all of her stories. We discuss how to discover your character voices and flesh them out. 

For writers who are looking to join Pitch Wars or Pitch Madness, or you’re looking for craft tips and inspiration, this episode is especially for you.

Xo,

Yin

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“There’s always going to be dark times but sometimes we forget that writing takes us away from those dark times.“ -Brenda Drake (click to tweet)

“Writing is our escape.” -Brenda Drake (click to tweet)

“I have to clear everything from my mind, and then I can start writing.” -Brenda Drake (click to tweet)

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TO CHECK OUT THE PLOT GRAPH THAT BRENDA TALKS ABOUT IN HER EPISODE, HEAD OVER TO HER SHOWNOTES PAGE BY CLICKING HERE.

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM BRENDA'S EPISODE:

• What the criteria are for Pitch Madness: A great 35-word pitch, current and fresh storyline, strong voice
• Learn how a tarot reading in New Orleans inspired Brenda with the idea of “Touching Fate”
• How a coffee table book at a bookstore, filled with beautiful photos of libraries around the world, inspired “Thief of Lies”
• How Brenda uses plot graphs as a roadmap to figure out the inciting incident, mid-point, climax, and resolution for all her books (example of Brenda’s plot graph in photo below)
• How acting out loud as your character helps flesh out the character’s voice
• Why it’s important to work with three critique partners
• How to present your best manuscript for querying
• How you’ll discover your own voice through reading other books in your genre

Learn More About Brenda Drake

Brenda’s Recommended Books & Resources:

The Writer’s Voice

Pitches Simplified

Synopsis Simplified

Queries Simplified

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master by Martha Alderson

Liz Pelletier

Teach Me to Forget by Erica Chapman

Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dun

Stephen King

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Romantic Times Booklovers Convention

Say Hi to Brenda!

Official Site

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads

New York Times Notable Book of 2014 and one of Amazon’s Top 10 Books of the Year, Cristina Henríquez is the author of The Book of Unknown Americans. 

“It doesn’t matter how fast you write, it matters how well your write.” -Cristina Henríquez

In today’s episode, Cristina and I dive deep into the inspiration behind her novel, and her writing process. I’m so thrilled about this as I’m a huge fan of her newest novel and how she skillfully shows us what it means to be connected through hope and to belong somewhere. We discuss how to build strong characters by first uncovering the language of the story, and how to use multiple first-person narratives as a way to create diversity in your story. We also go into detail about how Cristina reads books and how that can strengthen your writing. For writers looking into an MFA for writing and shopping around for workshop classes, be sure to pay special attention to Cristina’s own experiences with school.

Get ready to fall in love with this episode.

Cheers + so much love,

Yin

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Learn More About Cristina Henríquez

Cristina Henríquez is the author of The Book of Unknown Americans, which was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014 and one of Amazon’s Top 10 Books of the Year. It was the Daily Beast Novel of the Year, a Washington Post Notable Book,an NPR Great Read, and was chosen one of the best books of the year byBookPage, Oprah.com, and School Library Journal. It was also longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Henriquez is also the authorThe World In Half, and Come Together, Fall Apart: A Novella and Stories, which was a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection. Her stories have been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Glimmer Train, The American Scholar, Ploughshares, TriQuarterly, and AGNI along with the anthology This is Not Chick Lit: Original Stories by America’s Best Women Writers. Cristina earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She lives in Chicago.

Cristina’s Recommended Books & Resources:

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (TED Talk)

Merritt Tierce

Say ‘Hi!’ to Cristina
TWITTER

FACEBOOK

TUMBLR

“The only way your book is going to be written is if you sit down and write it.” -Elizabeth Eulberg (click to tweet)

We have internationally bestselling young adult author Elizabeth Eulberg on the show with us today! Elizabeth first started her career as a book publicist who then transitioned into a full-time writer with numerous books under her belt: The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality, Better Off Friends, We Can Work it Out, and The Great Shelby Holmes.

In today’s episode proudly sponsored by Gotham Writers, Elizabeth unpacks why it’s crucial to have an accountability partner to keep you on track with your writing, why it’s important to use anauthentic voice for your characters, manageable steps for you to reach your writing goals, how knowing your characters before you write their story is incredibly helpful to you as an author, and so much more. 

Xo,

Yin

PS. Did today’s episode help you in any way? Please share it with someone you think the episode can inspire!

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“I try to make sure my characters reflect my readers as much as I can.” -Elizabeth Eulberg (click to tweet)

“You are allowed to fail and you are allowed to make mistakes.” -Elizabeth Eulberg (click to tweet)

“You are never going to get to paragraph two if you don’t let go of paragraph one.”-Elizabeth Eulberg (click to tweet)

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

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LEARN MORE ABOUT ELIZABETH EULBERG

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ELIZABETH'S RECOMMENDED BOOKS & RESOURCES:

Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt

Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder

Morgan Matson’s podcast episode

Leigh Bardugo’s podcast episode 

“It’s good to go out of your comfort zone. It’s good to understand how hard you can work and what you are capable of.” -Tara Thompson Rasmus

We have Tara Thompson Rasmus on the show with us today! Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Gotham Writers. Tara is a freelance writer, editor and consultant who started her writing career with Refinery29 andLucky Magazine, she now writes and consults for publications and brands including SELF Magazine, Barneys The Window, Condé Nast 23 Stories, Neutrogena, and Fresh.

I’m so grateful to Tara for really peeling back the layers of what it’s like to wear many different hats, and to transition between each new job opportunity. She really bares it all and details the highs and lows of being a writer, and the realities of working for major brands.

We have a brutally honest discussion about burnouts and how to prevent it, and overcome it.  We also unpack the fears and worries that comes with leaving a job and taking on new challenges that push you to grow. For freelance writers, you’ll want to pay special attention to the part where Tara walks us through step-by-step on how she created her own job position at one of her favorite lifestyle blogs, and how you can too by finding ways to be unique to a brand and pitching your work.

Xo,

Yin

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“You can be confident in the decisions that you make because at the end of the day the only person you are answering to is yourself.” -Tara Thompson Rasmus

“Always look out for your writing first because your name is going on it.” -Tara Thompson Rasmus

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Learn More About Tara Thompson Rasmus

Tara’s Recommended Books & Resources:

Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time byBrigid Schulte

Motherhood Around the World by A Cup of Jo 

Bringing up Bébé: One American  Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman

Oprah’s “Supreme Destiny” Video

Camille Styles: The Decoder 

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Vacationers by Emma Straub

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

“Opening up is one of the first ways depression loses its power.” -Hannah Brencher

Today’s episode features Hannah Brencher, TED Speaker and author of “If You Find This Letter”. Hannah founded the global organization More Love Letterswhose mission is to use social media to write and mail letters to strangers all over the world, and she was named one of the White House’s “Women Working to Do Good.”

In Hannah’s episode proudly brought to you by VCFA, we uncover the inspiration behind the love letters written to strangers and how it impacts people’s lives. Hannah is incredibly honest when we dive into a discussion about depression, and why it’s so important to be present with those around us.

Xo,

Yin

PS. Did today’s episode help you in any way? Share it with someone who needs a boost of inspiration!

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

“Be present and let people know what they mean to you.” -Hannah Brencher

“I love the idea that you have to go out and you have to live a good life in order to write about it.” -Hannah Brencher

About "If You Find This Letter":

"A heartwarming memoir of love and faith from Hannah Brencher—founder ofThe World Needs More Love Letters—who has dedicated her life to showing total strangers that they are not alone in the world.

Fresh out of college, Hannah Brencher moved to New York ready to change the world. Instead, she found a city full of people who knew where they were going and what they were doing and didn’t have time for a girl still trying to figure it all out. Lonely and depressed, she noticed a woman who looked like she felt the same way on the subway. Hannah did something strange—she wrote the woman a letter. She folded it, scribbled “If you find this letter, it’s for you…” on the front and left it behind."

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM TODAY'S EPISODE: 

LEARN MORE ABOUT HANNAH BRENCHER:

Hannah Brencher is a TED Speaker, and blogger dedicating her life and work to the brokenhearted. She founded the global organization More Love Letters in 2011. Her memoir “If You Find This Letter” is now in bookstores across the country. Named as one of the White House’s “Women Working to Do Good” and a spokesperson for the United States Postal Service, Hannah and her work have been featured in publications such as CNN World News, the Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com, and Glamour among others. She calls Atlanta, Georgia home.

Hannah’s Recommended Books & Resources:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy by Donald Miller

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Anne Lamott

Flannery O’Connor

Hannah’s Ted Talk

Say ‘Hi!’ to Hannah
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
MORE LOVE LETTERS

“If you don’t know the craft, your talent can’t be unleashed.” -David Grae (click to tweet)

We have Executive Producer and TV writer David Grae on the show with us today! His episode is proudly brought to you by Gotham Writers. David started his television career as a staff writer on the Emmy-nominatedJoan of Arcadia. He has also been a writer on Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls andCastle. He is currently an Executive Producer on CBS’s hit show Madam Secretary. His play Moose Mating has received several regional and international productions and is published by Dramatists Play Service. He is also the co-founder of Gotham Writers.

In David’s episode, we really get to pick his brain about the TV industry, how to break in as a TV writer, and what goes on in the writers’ room at the studios. We also talk about the opportunities David created for himself and the importance of building relationships with people. We unpacked the business side of how David helped to start and build Gotham Writers from ground up, one of America’s leading private creative writing schools whose interactive online classes was selected “Best of the Web” by Forbes. 

Xo,

Yin

PS. Did today’s episode help you in any way? Please share it with someone you think the episode can inspire!

PPS. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. When prompted, either enter your iTunes info on your phone, or click ‘Launch Application’ on your computer. Once you’re at the 88 Cups of Tea iTunes page, click on the tab that says “Ratings and Reviews”.  Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

“Writers write because you keep getting better the more you write.” -David Grae (click to tweet)

“Read books that inspire you.” -David Grae (click to tweet)

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID GRAE:

DAVID'S RECOMMENDED BOOKS & RESOURCES: 

Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting by William Goldman

Phillip Roth

Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York’s Acclaimed Writing Schoolby Gotham Writers Workshop

Writing Movies: The Practical Guide to Creating Stellar Screenplays by Gotham Writers Workshop

HEY STORYTELLER TRIBE!

Jumping in super quick with a special announcement—-88 Cups of Tea turned 1 years old TODAY! On August 8th! 

Please take a quick moment to listen into today's episode. I’m so grateful to you listeners for being there every step of the way of our podcasting journey. To celebrate together, we're hosting the most EPIC giveaway contest we've ever done.

DIRECTIONS FOR GIVEAWAY CONTEST:

1) The giveaway contest is held for U.S. residents only and it starts today on August 8th and ends on August 15th. 

2) Follow us on social media & share your favorite 88 CUPS OF TEA podcast episode

3) Tag a friend you think who would love the podcast.

4) Super important to tag @88cupsoftea and include #88cupsturns1

5) Good luck and have so much fun!

Thank you all for the incredibly touching birthday wishes and shout-outs so far— you guys are AMAZING.

Xo,

Yin

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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We have another amazing literary agent on the show! Molly Jaffa is a literary agent and the Co-Director of International Rights at Folio Literary Management in New York City. Her extremely selective and small list of clients include authors like Julie Murphy, a #1 New York Times bestselling author of DUMPLIN' whose novel is currently being developed into a teen movie by Disney.

In today's episode proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts, Molly walks us through what it's like to be a literary agent on the daily, the kind of hard work it takes to advance in the world of literary agents, and of course we dive into the topic of query letters and what stands out to her. Writers, you don't want to miss this episode!

Xo,

Yin

PS. Did today’s episode help you in any way? Share it with someone who needs a boost of inspiration!

Could you help us spread the word about this podcast by clicking here and leaving a review? Your honest feedback not only helps others find the show, but it also helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

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“It’s really important that an author and an agent have the same editorial vision for a project.” -Molly Jaffa (click to tweet)

“To be a literary agent you have to be really entrepreneurial.” -Molly Jaffa (click to tweet)

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SAY 'HI' TO MOLLY: 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM

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ABOUT FOLIO LITERARY MANAGEMENT: 

Everyone at Folio Literary Management strongly believes that books can and do change lives, and that well-told stories make a difference in the world. They are the people who help bring an author’s vision to life, and help open readers’ eyes to new vistas, new experiences, and new perspectives. For Folio agents, their work is not a job – it’s a passion and an adventure they dive into every day.

They like to think that at Folio, they have the best of both worlds. With over 20 agents, they have the experience, expertise, and strength people would expect from a company that is among the largest agencies in the business, but because of the types of people they attract, they have that same spark and ingenuity people expect from much smaller agencies.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: 

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LEARN MORE ABOUT MOLLY JAFFA:

Molly Jaffa is a literary agent and the Co-Director of International Rights at Folio Literary Management in New York City, where she has been since 2008. She represents exclusively middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction, along with the rare picture book. Her clients include Julie Murphy (#1 NYT bestselling author of DUMPLIN’), Jeramey Kraatz (the Cloak Society series), Mahtab Narsimhan (MISSION MUMBAI), and Paula Garner (PHANTOM LIMBS, forthcoming from Candlewick Press in September 2016).

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MOLLY'S RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND RESOURCES: 

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Phantom Limbs by Paula Garner

DFW Writers Conference

Nebraska Writers Conference

SCBWI

“Imagine all the great writing that’s being done secretly by people who are ashamed to share it.” -Matt de la Peña (click to tweet!)

Exciting new episode today with the one-and-only Matt de la Peña!  Matt is one of the most grounded human beings and great observers of the world, and just so happens to be the 2016 Newbery Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street.

Today’s episode is proudly brought to you by VCFA! It's filled with personal stories about creative and personal growth that will inspire you. We discuss a whole lot about being present and living in the moment, how our experiences and honesty in our work create vibrancy, pacing ourselves to avoid writer’s block, the impact of having mentors, and so much more.

Xo,

Yin

“I don’t even know what my books are about until I finish it.” -Matt de la Peña (click to tweet!)

“You will never finish a book if you don’t write the book.” -Matt de la Peña (click to tweet!)

“I think sometimes writer’s block is a function of looking at the big picture too soon.” -Matt de la Peña (click to tweet!)

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"Last Stop on Market Street"is the Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal, a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book, and a 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book, a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2015 and a Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015.

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty—and fun—in their routine and the world around them.
 
This energetic ride through a bustling city highlights the wonderful perspective only grandparent and grandchild can share, and comes to life through Matt de la Pena’s vibrant text and Christian Robinson’s radiant illustrations.

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: 

Learn More About Matt de la Peña

Matt de la Peña is the 2016 Newbery Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street. He is the author of several critically-acclaimed young adult novels, as well as the celebrated picture book A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, which was New York Times Top 10 Illustrated Book of 2011, a Booklist Editor’s Choice Best Book of 2011, and an SLJ Best Book of 2011. Matt lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Matt’s Recommended Books & Resources:

Powerful video of police officer’s response to ruthless police shootings (Must watch!)

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Drown by Junot Díaz

Linda Sue Park 2002 Newbery Medal Winner for “A Single Shard”

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Say ‘Hi!’ to Matt
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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Oh. Em. Freaking. Gee.

What's with the eagerness?

[Cue drumroll]

We have our first-ever literary agent on the podcast proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts! Not just any literary agent, but the President of New Leaf Literary & Media, one of the hottest and most sought after management and representation firms today. Joanna discovers and helps to shape the careers of talented and successful authors like Veronica Roth. For those who've gone MIA for the past several years, Veronica is the author of the DIVERGENT series, also an extremely successful Hollywood Blockbuster trilogy that Joanna's firm helped to shepherd into the world. FYI: You'll hear all about those specific details in Joanna's episode!

Joanna and I dive right into the heart of why she's a literary agent and we dissect her leadership skills as an entrepreneurial badass. A special note to fellow writers, this episode is L-I-F-E. We discuss agent representation, what it takes to be the kind of author that stands out from the crowd, Joanna's ideal client, how she likes to creatively work with them, and crafting solid query letters (Joanna even shares examples of rare query letters that have made her fall head-over-heels).

Get ready for an episode that'll blow your mind!

XO,

Yin

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Say ‘Hi!’ to Joanna
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM

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“You’ll never work at your best capacity if you’re constantly fighting against your weaknesses.”

New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. is a non-traditional, full service management and representation firm that will be with authors and illustrators before and beyond the sale. A few of the writers and illustrators they represent: Veronica Roth, Leigh Bardugo, David J. Peterson, Margot Lee Shetterly, Kody Keplinger, Kara Thomas, Gabby Rivera, Soman Chainani, Melanie Conklin, Victoria Aveyard, and Elizabeth Rose Stanton. 

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Learn More About Joanna Volpe

Joanna represents all brands of fiction from picture books to adult novels.  Her picture book taste is the most eclectic, ranging from sweet to fun to smart to quirky. For other fiction (both adult and children’s) she has an affinity for stories that have a darker element to them, whether they be horror, drama or comedy. She’s not the kind of reader that needs a romance in her novels, though she does appreciate a good one.

On the non-fiction side her tastes are much more specific.  For children she looks for topics that captivate kids: biographies, animal-related stories, all sciences and history, etc. Joanna also has an affinity for morbid, weird or offbeat topics. In her adult non-fiction tastes she tends toward all things geek-related, foodie books, travel books, and general pop-culture and pop-science.

“I had to learn to be the writer. The storytelling came naturally to me.”

We have the lovely Debbie Macomber in today’s episode, proudly sponsored by Vermont College of Fine Arts! Debbie Macomber is a#1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Debbie’s novels have spent over 950 weeks on the New York Times bestseller listwith ten of these novels hitting the number one spot!

Debbie and I discuss the inspiration behind her newest book A Girl’s Guide to Moving On and her adult coloring book, The World of Debbie Macomber: Come Home To Color. We’re giving both of these books to one lucky winner!Contest instructions below.

Debbie also walks us through her experience being on set of the first dramatic scripted Hallmark Channel TV series inspired by her Cedar Cove Series starringAndie MacDowell.

For fellow writers, you’ll love the writing advice shared throughout the episode:Learn the five words Debbie uses to determine the success of her work,  apply the techniques Debbie uses to improve plotting, pacing, and character introductions, learn how to not let ego get in the way of your writing, and a whole lot more juicy writing and creativity tips!

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GIVEAWAY CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Listen to the episode and find out the name of the librarian who gave Debbie the first book she ever read (this is a super fun surprise!)
2. Tell me the name by reaching out to me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Be sure to tag me @88cupsoftea so I can find you.
3. One lucky winner will receive a copy of A Girl’s Guide to Moving On and a copy of The World of Debbie Macomber: Come Home To Color. Have fun and good luck!

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Did today’s episode help you in any way? Please share it with someone you think the episode can help!

Please leave a review about the podcast by clicking here. Your honest feedback helps to shape the show. Thank you for your time and for helping with the ranking of the show when leaving a review and rating!

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“We have to be challenged to grow.”

“I’m here to tell a story.”

“As language creators, when you meet other language creators for the first time, it’s both exciting that you have people to talk about this with, and super disappointing because you realize you’re not unique.” –David J. Peterson 

Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Gotham Writers.

David J. Peterson is a conlanger who’s created languages for HBO’s Game of Thrones, Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles, and the CW’s The 100. David is also the author of his newest book, The Art of Language Invention, where readers can learn technical how-to’s and advice about inventing their own languages.  

We have a special giveaway contest for this episode. Game of Thrones fans, you’ll love this! Three lucky winners will receive a signed copy of David’s book Living Language Dothraki and a limited edition 88 Cups of Tea mug! Look out for the instructions below. 

In our conversation, we get super technical about how David builds and constructs languages, the evolution of languages, why Arabic is David’s favorite language he’s learned, and we (of course) take a closer look at the Dothraki and Valyrian languages he invented for Game of Thrones.

Say 'Hi' to David on Twitter!

“Everybody at every point in their life should have some sort of a language project on the side that they’re just trying to learn.” - David J. Peterson

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVEAWAY CONTEST

1. What did you love most about David’s episode?
2. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Be sure to tag @88cupsoftea and include #88cupsoftea so we can find your contest entry!
3. Have fun and good luck!

DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 8th at 9pm EST (6pm PST) 

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

Learn More About David J. Peterson

David J. Peterson is a conlanger and author. He’s created languages for HBO’sGame of Thrones, Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles, and the CW’s The 100. He’s also the author of Living Language Dothraki, and Penguin Books’ The Art of Language Invention.

David’s Recommended Books & Resources:

Conlang.org

Index of Linguistic Articles

The Art of Language Invention YouTube channel

The Evolution of Grammar by Joan Bybee and Revere Perkins

Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariost

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

Say ‘Hi!’ to David
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea

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We have the a-w-e-s-o-m-e Jenny Han in today’s episode proudly brought to you by Vermont College of Fine Arts! Jenny is the New York Times bestselling author of teen and middle grade fiction, her most recent works titled To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

We discuss the gravity of representing diversity and how the book covers in Jenny’s newest book series is creating change by shifting the perception of race and redefining the archetype of the ‘The All-American Girl’. 

In the episode, we also uncover Jenny’s writing schedule and structure, and the inspiration behind To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. For fellow writers who are all about writing retreats, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to how Jenny hosts her own retreats and take notes so you can host your own!

Xo,

Yin

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“Authenticity is everything.” (Click to tweet)

“Any girl can be the every girl.” (Click to tweet)

“When you catch the perfect wave, you just have to ride it as far ashore as you can.” (Click to tweet)

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