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88 Cups of Tea

Love all things upbeat, warm, and uplifting? Welcome to 88 Cups of Tea, an online platform and podcast for creative writers who look for guidance in their storytelling journey and connection to a community, fostering year-round conversations around the personal and professional life of a writer. Our podcast episodes and online essays and articles explore and unpack conversations that touch on topics like overcoming rejections and challenges, querying tips and crafting advice, lifestyle habits that support the heart and the soul, what it means to be Human while navigating a creative path, and more. We pride ourselves in nurturing a supportive environment that aims to encourage, inspire, and entertain. Check out our website 88cupsoftea.com for essays, articles, and access to nearly 200 podcast episodes!
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Now displaying: Page 3
Jan 24, 2019

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 level of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

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

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Have you ever felt guilty about spending time pursuing your craft? Have you ever assigned your self worth to rejection letters? What are some ways for you to discover the writing process that works best for you? We explore all of this and so much more with S.A. Chakraborty.

S.A. is a speculative fiction writer and history buff. She is most recognized for her debut novel, The City of Brass, and her newly released sequel, The Kingdom of Copper.

In our conversation, Shannon tells the story of how she fell in love with writing and how she became a full-time author. She gives us a snapshot of the vivid world she’s crafted in her novels The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper and the inspiration behind it. We talk about her querying process, character-building in fantasy worlds, and giving yourself permission to take time for your creative pursuits. She also dives into her own research process, shares incredible tips on finding your writing style, and the importance of self-care as an author.

Say 'Hi' to S.A. Chakraborty on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAChakrabooks 

To access S.A.'s shownotes page, the time stamps of highlights throughout the episode and more, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/SA-CHAKRABORTY

Jan 10, 2019

 

Have you ever wondered what goes into building strong and vivid fantasy worlds? How to add moments of warmth and humor when writing about darker topics? How about creating space for self-care through your writing? We talk about this and so much more with Natasha Ngan.

Natasha is a young adult fiction author known for her novels The ElitesThe Memory Keepers, and her most recent novel, Girls of Paper and Fire, that was published in the Fall of 2018 by Jimmy Patterson/Little Brown in the US. and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. She was also the co-owner of the fashion, travel, and lifestyle blog Girl in the Lens.

In our conversation with Natasha, we discuss Malaysian culture and how it influences her writing style, the inspiration behind her new novel Girls of Paper and Fire, how she explores self-healing through storytelling, and her expansive and organic world-building process. She also answers listener questions about her research and querying process, crafting strong secondary characters, and interjecting humor around serious topics in her stories. 

Say 'Hi' to Natasha on Twitter @girlinthelens

To download Natasha's query letter to her literary agent and to access the books and resources mentioned in her episode, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/NATASHA-NGAN

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If you love the books mentioned in our podcast, you’ll love our sponsor Epic Reads where you can learn more about Ben Philippe and his debut novel THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN TEENAGER

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If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

patreon.com/88cupsoftea

Or head to our shop to proudly rock our swag! 

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Dec 13, 2018

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 level of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance.

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

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Curious about crafting mystery novels and placing puzzle pieces throughout? Or what it takes to write a series? We dive into it all and so much more with Maureen Johnson!

Maureen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several YA novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Truly Devious, and her upcoming sequel in the Truly Devious Series, The Vanishing Stair.

In our conversation with Maureen, we discover how she fell in love with storytelling through writing and acting. We discuss why creators struggle to ask for support from their audiences and what steps they can take to push past this problem. She talks about her life-long obsession for murder mysteries and how that inspired the plot for her new mystery series, Truly Devious. And she gives incredible technical advice on how to go about crafting a mystery novel and a series. 

Say 'Hi' to Maureen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/maureenjohnson

To access Maureen's shownotes page, the time stamps of highlights throughout the episode, and more, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/MAUREEN-JOHNSON

Nov 29, 2018

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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Are you curious about what a literary agent does behind the scenes to sell a book? Or how to write a query letter that will grab a literary agent's attention? We dive into this and so much more in Suzie Townsend's episode!

Suzie is a literary agent over at New Leaf Literary and Media who represents all brands of children's and adult fiction. She loves women’s fiction and all subgenres of romance, fantasy, and crime fiction. She also represents children’s fiction and particularly loves YA and Middle-Grade novels. Some of Suzie’s best- known projects include #1 NYT Bestseller "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard (a previous guest on 88 Cups of Tea), and many more. 

In our conversation, Suzie takes us on a journey of how her love for storytelling and fantasy books lead her to the path of a literary agent. We get into the nail-biting story of when she sold her first manuscript, how she pitches books to editors, and how to form a great agent to author relationship. She also shares eye-opening query letter tips that will help you catch the attention of literary agents.

Say 'Hi' to Suzie on Twitter @SZTOWNSEND81!

Say 'Hi' to your fellow Storyteller, Katlyn Duncan, on Twitter @KATLYN_DUNCAN!

To access Suzie's shownotes page, the time stamps of highlights throughout the episode, and the bonus downloadable query letter guide, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/SUZIE-TOWNSEND

Nov 15, 2018

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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How can we find inspiration for our stories in our own emotional journeys? What does it mean to balance your emotions when writing difficult scenes so you aren't emotionally drained? Do you find it challenging to make time for your writing while raising a newborn? We dive into that and so much more with today's guest Livia Blackburne.

Livia is a New York Times best-selling, young adult and fantasy author. Her works include "Midnight Thief", "Daughter of Dusk", and "Rosemarked" which was an Amazon best book of the month and a YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee. Her newly released book, "Umbertouched", is the second book in her "Rosemarked" series and takes readers on an epic fantasy adventure with complex ethical dilemmas and romance thrills. 

In our conversation, Livia tells the story of how she first fell in love with writing and her journey to becoming a full-time writer after getting her PhD in cognitive neuroscience. She gives a snapshot of what readers will discover in her new novel "Umbertouched". Further into the conversation she shares her editorial process and the importance of beta readers, critique partners, and sensitivity readers. We talk about the exciting and difficult moments in her life she pulls inspiration from to build her fantasy worlds and strong characters, why it’s crucial to keep strong social ties to your community, and how she balances life with a two-year-old and her career.

Say 'Hi' to Livia on Twitter @LKBLACKBURNE!

To access Livia's writing prompt and shownotes page, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/LIVIA-BLACKBURNE

Nov 1, 2018

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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Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a literary translator? Or what it takes to translate a text while maintaining the original's true meaning? We unpack that and so much more with today's guest Jay Rubin.

Jay is a Japanese-English translator and novelist. Some of his most well-known translations are of the works of famous Japanese novelist, Haruki Murakami. These translations of Haruki's works include 1Q84, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, and Absolutely on Music. He wrote his own novel titled Making Sense of Japanese back in 2013 that reflects on the complexity of the Japanese language. Recently, Jay curated and published an anthology of famous Japanese short stories titled, The Penguin Book Of Japanese Short Stories.

In our conversation, Jay takes us on a journey of how he discovered his love for the Japanese language and literature which led him to his passion of translating those works for others to enjoy. Further into the conversation, we talk about his process and how he overcomes the difficulty of translating two languages that are almost impossible to translate literally. We also go into detail about his new anthology of Japanese short stories, The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories, and discuss the format of the book and how he chose the incredible stories to include.

To access Jay's shownotes page, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/JAY-RUBIN

Oct 18, 2018

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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Have your insecurities ever driven you to writer’s block? How can we use feedback, rejection, and self-encouragement to break out of writing-related anxiety? We unpack all of that and so much more with today’s guest Tamora Pierce.

Tamora, a #1 New York Times bestseller and recipient of the 2013 Margaret A. Edwards Award, is the author of Alanna: The First AdventureLady KnightWild Magic, and many, many more. Her most recent novel, Tempests and Slaughter, begins the journey into her new series called The Numair Chronicles and is out on the shelves now.

In our conversation, Tamora takes us on a journey throughout her life and describes the moments she first fell in love with writing, found her passion for crafting female heroes, what she’s learned from rejection, and much more. We talk about creative block and how we can encourage ourselves to believe in our craft. Her wisdom shines through as she discusses her research process into the world of magic, how she builds dynamic characters, and how she approaches writing more serious topics for young adults. 

Say 'Hi' to Tamora on:

Facebook at "Tamora Pierce, Fantasy Author" 

Twitter at @TamoraPierce

To access her shownotes page, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/TAMORA-PIERCE

Oct 5, 2018

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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What exactly does it mean to be a '26-year overnight success'? How do we get through challenges of rejections both in our writing and at our day job? We get into all of it and so much more with today's guest Kwame Alexander.

Kwame is a poet, educator, and the New York Times Bestselling author of 28 books, including "Swing", "Solo", and "Rebound", the follow-up to his Newbery medal-winning middle-grade novel, "The Crossover". Some of his other works include "Booked", a National Book Award Nominee.

This conversation is full of wisdom and transparency as we discuss Kwame’s “26-year overnight success” and the challenges of writing-related rejections, being laid-off from a job, the daily personal woes of being a human being, in particular, being an African American man and how it challenges the view of humanity and of the world. Further into the conversation, we dive into Kwame’s journey writing “Rebound” and how it reflected his own journey writing that story and at the same time, learning to rebound in life while his mother was in the hospital. We talk about the inspiration that we need to keep us going through the challenging times of a writer’s journey, managing writing around day-time jobs, and writing groups. We go into detail about his newest novel “Swing” and what it’s like to work with a co-author. 

Say 'Hi' to Kwame on Twitter @kwamealexander

To access his shownotes page, head over to 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/KWAME-ALEXANDER!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Sep 27, 2018

Woohoo! We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS over in our Patreon membership! Support us on Patreon at the $8.88 tier to enjoy the interviews BEFORE the official air-date and you'll also receive all the additional fun perks in that tier! 

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

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Are you curious about human stories that resonate deeply? Ever wonder how a producer develops stories to pitch for networks? How about pitch meetings and how to conduct them? We get into all of it and so much more with today’s guest Adrien Finkel.

Adrien is a photographer, writer, and producer of television. In today’s episode, we dive into the origin story of My Naked Truth, a visual catalog of quotes, personal confessions, and advice shared with Adrien by friends and strangers. She shares an intimate story of one of her photo subjects that deeply resonated with her during the process of making her book. We also discuss Adrien’s career as a producer for Funny or Die and what her day-to-day looks like. We also touch on pitch meetings and how to best prepare, along with the common qualities that make writers stand out during meetings and pitches. This is an absolute must-listen for Storytellers who are curious about human stories and the television world.

Say 'Hi' to Adrien on Instagram @mynakedtruthproject

Check out Adrien's STUNNING and delicious baked good on Instagram @IamSweetAF

To access her shownotes page, head over to 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/ADRIEN-FINKEL!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Sep 22, 2018

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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Are you curious the kind of work that goes into starting a literary agency? Wondering how Holly strategizes career planning with her authors? Want to know what happens when a client’s book doesn’t sell? We get into all of it and so much more with today’s guest Holly Root.

Holly has launched over two dozen New York Times bestsellers before founding Root Literary in 2017 where she represents authors of fiction for adults, teens, and children, along with select nonfiction.

In today’s episode, Holly walks us through how she first fell in love with the world of storytelling, what she studied in school, and how her path led her to become one of the most successful literary agents today. We deep-dive into the origin story of how she first started Root Literary agency. We touch on what Root Literary does for their clients and how they embrace and encourage the business side of their author clients. This is an absolute must-listen for Storytellers looking out for their own careers and looking into agent representation. 

Say 'Hi' to Holly on Twitter @HROOT!

Keep tabs on Root Literary on Twitter @ROOTLITERARY!

To access her shownotes page, head over to 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/HOLLY-ROOT!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Sep 13, 2018

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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Are you curious about writing a memoir? Are you having trouble finding and refining your writing voice? How important are writing classes and workshops to your professional writing career? We get into all of that and more with today’s guests, hosts and producers of Writing Class Radio, Andrea Askowitz and Allison Langer.

In today’s episode, we dive right into the importance of focusing on one genre at a time instead of jumping genres, developing your writing voice by practicing and being authentic in telling the truth, and refining your voice by modeling your writing after “the greats”. We learn how their podcast came to fruition and get a close look at their partnership and the things they’ve had to learn together to get to where they are today. We discuss even more so be sure to listen in on this episode! 

Say 'Hi' to Writing Class Radio on Twitter!

To access their shownotes page, click here!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Sep 6, 2018

Shannon Gibney is the author of "See No Color", drawn from her life as a transracial adoptee, which won the Minnesota Book Award and was hailed by Kirkus as “an exceptionally accomplished debut” and by Publishers Weekly as “an unflinching look at the complexities of racial identity.” In her latest novel, "Dream Country", she writes of the nightmarish spiral of death and exile connecting America and Africa, and of how one determined young dreamer tries to break free and gain control of her destiny.

Shannon’s episode is deeply eye-opening and informative as we go into the details about writing her newest novel, from research to the challenges she faced, and we discuss transracial adoption along with her previous novel. We also touch on the editor and author relationship and how Shannon’s dynamic with her editor flourishes her own writing. A must-listen for every storyteller. 

Say 'Hi' to Shannon on Twitter!

To access Shannon's shownotes page, click here!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Aug 30, 2018

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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Are you wondering what the financial realities are for writers? Are you on the fence about MFA programs? Are you facing a creative block? Get ready for this motivating conversation featuring today’s special guest Nova Ren Suma.

Today's new episode is proudly brought to you by Scrivener, a writing software that is regularly used by new writers and New York Times bestselling authors alike. Many of our own podcast guests and listeners are loyal fans of Scrivener. If you haven’t tried them out yet, they’re giving our Storytellers a special 20% discount by using the code '88CUPSOFTEA' at checkout, WOOHOO! You're supporting our show by grabbing yourself a copy to try Scrivener for yourself. Click here to grab it now and be sure to let me know what you think!  

Nova is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Walls Around Us, which was an Edgar Award finalist. She also wrote Imaginary Girls and 17 & Gone and is co-creator of FORESHADOW: A Serial YA Anthology. Her newest novel, “A Room Away from the Wolves” releases September 4th.

Nova’s episode is motivating to the core, we discuss anything and everything from finances as an artist, relationships, writing through creative blocks, advice about applying for MFA programs, artist residencies, literary agents, and so much more. 

Say 'Hi' to Nova on Twitter!

To access Nova's shownotes page, click here!

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Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

Make sure you don't miss out on our brand new feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Aug 23, 2018

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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Are you struggling with the timeline of the publishing process? Are you curious about staying organized as a writer? How do you keep track of each character’s storyline and remain consistent? Get ready for this motivating conversation featuring today’s special guest Aisha Saeed.

Aisha is a New York Times bestselling author. She wrote WRITTEN IN THE STARS which was listed as a best book of 2015 by Bank Street Books and a 2016 YALSA Quick Pick For Reluctant Readers. She is also the author of the middle-grade novel AMAL UNBOUND a Summer 2018 Indie Next Pick, An Amazon Best Book of the Month, has received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus and is a Global Read Aloud for 2018.

Aisha’s experiences are hands-down motivating, from finding which literary agents to contact through a local bookshop, to switching her mindset to approach literary agents confidently, to finally hearing a “yes” after the 30th submission for publication, and so much more.

Say 'Hi' to Aisha on Twitter!

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Make sure you don't miss out on our brand new feature article "Letting the Ghosts In" by J.C. Cervantes, click here to read it!

Click here to read our 3-year anniversary event summary by Olivia Liu weaved in with photos by Melora Chang!

To access Aisha Saeed's shownotes page, click here!

Aug 17, 2018

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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Today's episode:

How do you figure out your character’s objective? How do you stay on top of your writing deadline using spreadsheets? How do you balance the plot demands of suspense with character development? What’s the relationship like between an author and an editor? Get ready for this motivating conversation featuring today’s special guest Gretchen McNeil.

Gretchen is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS3:59RELICGET EVENGET DIRTY, and TEN and her latest novel #MURDERTRENDING.

Gretchen shares all the advice and tips she’s learned from her own experiences transitioning from a performing background into a writing career. Along with her technique of applying Stanislavski’s acting tehcniques towards analyzing a writer’s manuscript, she walks us through the details of finding the right literary agent and shares querying tips. 

Aug 3, 2018

Please be sure to listen through ALL three announcements. Here are quick links from the announcements:  

ANNOUNCEMENT 1: Click here to RSVP! Only RSVP if you are 100% able to make it! 

ANNOUNCEMENT 2: For the email subject line, please write “Writer for 3-Year Anniversary Event”

ANNOUNCEMENT 3: If you'd love for your photo to be displayed at the event, send me an email with the subject line “88 Cups of Tea birthday polaroid” and send $2 to www.paypal.me/88cupsoftea to help with the cost of printing.

If you'd love for your message/note to be featured in the display, send me an email with the subject line “88 Cups of Tea birthday message”. 

 

 

Jul 6, 2018

What do you do after getting rejected over 300 times? Need all the advice on MFA writing programs? How do you stand out in the querying process? Get ready for this motivating conversation featuring today’s special guest Rachel Heng.

Rachel is a Singaporean novelist and short story writer. Her debut novel, Suicide Club: A Novel About Living, will be published next Tuesday, July 10th! An early congratulations and happy book birthday to Rachel!

Her fiction has received a Pushcart Prize Special Mention, Prairie Schooner's Jane Geske Award, and has been recommended by The Huffington Post, NYLON, Book Riot and The Independent recently featured Rachel in the article titled 'The Emerging Authors To Look Out For in 2018'.

Rachel does not hold back on all the advice and tips she’s learned from her own experiences with rejection and getting into an MFA, and she’s so generous to pass on all her wisdom including some seriously incredible querying advice. Do. Not. Miss. This.

Say 'Hi' to Rachel on Twitter!

 

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I have a small favor to ask. I would love it if you would help our show with a financial gift. When you contribute a financial gift, this also helps our whole community of storytellers. If you’d love to make a special donation to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider any of the following: 

We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community.  You’ll also get a birthday shoutout in the episode that releases during your birthday week, so be sure to let me know your birth date!  The most sincerest thank you in advance for listening and contributing!

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

Jun 29, 2018

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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Finally, we're releasing the full, non-edited 3 hour long conversation with V.E. Schwab. This bonus episode is proudly brought to you by Fab Fit Fun! (Be sure to use the promo code 'TEA' for $10 off your first box) 

Say 'Hi' to V.E. Schwab on Twitter!

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

Jun 21, 2018

How do you approach agents during the querying stage? How do you the one who will champion your work? How important is the pacing of your manuscript in order to keep your readers intrigued? Do you struggle with writing and editing difficult and emotional scenes? We get into all of it with today’s special guest: R.F. Kuang.

Her debut novel, “The Poppy War” was recently released and is the first installment in a trilogy that grapples with drugs, shamanism, and China’s bloody twentieth century. R.F. immigrated to the U.S. as a child and just graduated from Georgetown University where she studied Chinese history with a focus on Chinese military strategy, collective trauma, and war memorials. In addition to working on the rest of her installments of “The Poppy War” trilogy, she’s a 2018 Marshall Scholar and will be heading to the University of Cambridge to do her graduate studies.

Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Fab Fit Fun! (Be sure to use the promo code 'TEA' for $10 off your first box) Sabaa and I pick up where we left off from the first time around and we discuss things that will hit you right in the gut and empower you to make a difference. I'm thrilled to finally share this episode with

Say 'Hi' to R.F. Kuang on Twitter and be sure to head over to her shownotes page. It features highlights covered from her episode along with our favorite quotes. Click here!

Xo,

Yin

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If you got some awesome takeaways from this episode and would love to show your appreciation, the best way would be through any of the following: 

• Help sustain 88 Cups of Tea by making a monthly gift in any amount through our ‘tokens of love’ page 

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We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community. The most sincerest thank you for your love and support! 

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

Jun 14, 2018

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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Do you struggle with the day-to-day of parenthood and the professional life? Can one person really make a difference in standing up to bigotry? What are the differences between honesty and kindness, and when are they called for? We unpack all of that (and way more) with today’s special guest: Sabaa Tahir.

Sabaa is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of "An Ember in the Ashes" and its sequel, "A Torch Against the Night". Her highly anticipated third book "A Reaper at the Gates" just released this week!

And guess what else? This is Sabaa's second time on the show, our first-ever repeat guest! Click here to listen to her first episode. 

Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Fab Fit Fun! (Be sure to use the promo code 'TEA' for $10 off your first box) Sabaa and I pick up where we left off from the first time around and we discuss things that will hit you right in the gut and empower you to make a difference. I'm thrilled to finally share this episode with

Say 'Hi' to Sabaa on Instagram and be sure to head over to her shownotes page. It features highlights covered from her episode along with our favorite quotes. Click here!

Xo,

Yin

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If you got some awesome takeaways from this episode and would love to show your appreciation, the best way would be through any of the following: 

• Help sustain 88 Cups of Tea by making a monthly gift in any amount through our ‘tokens of love’ page 

• Pick up our carefully crafted writing prompts with your gift of $10 or more

 Sign up to receive email updates about 88 Cups of Tea

 Subscribe to us on iTunes and leave a rating and a review

• Hang out with us on TwitterFacebookInstagram, or in our private Facebook group

• Tell your friends about our podcast and why you believe it would benefit them

We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community. The most sincerest thank you for your love and support! 

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

Jun 7, 2018

Have you always wanted a close relationship with your grandparent? Do you dream of writing a children’s book and have no idea where to start? Do you struggle with juggling your professional and personal responsibilities while writing? We get into all of that (and way more) with today’s special guest: Minh Le.

Minh is a national early childhood policy expert, author of “Let Me Finish!”, and has written for the New York Times, the Horn Book, and the Huffington Post. A first-generation Vietnamese American, he went to Dartmouth College and has a master’s in education from Harvard University.

Today's episode is proudly brought to you by Fab Fit Fun! (Be sure to use the promo code 'TEA' for $10 off your first box) The conversation with Minh is so full of heart. I can’t even begin to explain how much this discussion filled my soul and I’m thrilled to finally share this episode with you!

Say 'Hi' to Minh on Twitter and be sure to head over to his shownotes page. It's PACKED with highlights of the topics that are covered from his episode along with our favorite quotes and a list of all the helpful books and resources that he mentions throughout our conversation. We also included the WRITING PROMPT he created just for our community over in the shownotes page. Click here!

Xo,

Yin

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If you got some awesome takeaways from this episode and would love to show your appreciation, the best way would be through any of the following: 

• Help sustain 88 Cups of Tea by making a monthly gift in any amount through our ‘tokens of love’ page 

• Pick up our carefully crafted writing prompts with your gift of $10 or more

 Sign up to receive email updates about 88 Cups of Tea

 Subscribe to us on iTunes and leave a rating and a review

• Hang out with us on TwitterFacebookInstagram, or in our private Facebook group

• Tell your friends about our podcast and why you believe it would benefit them

We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community. The most sincerest thank you for your love and support! 

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

May 31, 2018

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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Have you ever reached a point where you wanted to give up on your creative dreams after piles of rejections? Have you been struggling to push past a serious creative block? How about knowing when to put a story aside, and when to start a new one? We get into all of that (and so much more) with today’s special guest: Stephanie Garber.

Stephanie is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of "Caraval" and "Legendary" that just released this week! Her debut novel, Caraval, has been translated into over 30 languages, and the film rights for it have been optioned by 20th Century Fox.

I can’t get enough of soul-filling conversations and this chat with Stephanie fulfilled that need to a tee (or shall I say, tea?)

This episode is longer than most and I promise you it’s worth every minute.

Say 'Hi' to Stephanie on Twitter and be sure to head over to her shownotes page. It's PACKED with highlights of the topics that are covered from her episode along with time stamps. We also put up our favorite quotes and a list of all the helpful books and resources that she mentions throughout our conversation. Click here!

Xo,

Yin

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If you got some awesome takeaways from this episode and would love to show your appreciation, the best way would be through any of the following: 

• Help sustain 88 Cups of Tea by making a monthly gift in any amount through our ‘tokens of love’ page 

• Pick up our carefully crafted writing prompts with your gift of $10 or more

 Sign up to receive email updates about 88 Cups of Tea

 Subscribe to us on iTunes and leave a rating and a review

• Hang out with us on TwitterFacebookInstagram, or in our private Facebook group

• Tell your friends about our podcast and why you believe it would benefit them

We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community. The most sincerest thank you for your love and support! 

 

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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

May 24, 2018

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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Where does a literary agent find new author clients? What are specific examples of query letters that really catch an agent's attention? We get into all of that (and so much more) with today’s special guest: Eric Smith.

He’s an author, blogger, podcaster, and literary agent for P.S. Literary. As an author, his first humor book, The Geek's Guide to Dating, was an Amazon 2013 Best Book of the Year selection in Humor, as well as a Best of the Year pick by PopSugar and Wired's GeekDad. He’s also the author of the young adult novels “Inked” and its sequel “Branded”. Eric’s newest Young Adult novel “The Girl and the Grove” was just released this month.

You know I love picking our guests' brains, and I give Eric a million and one brownie points for being so transparent, genuine, and generous during our conversation.

Say 'Hi' to Eric on Twitter and be sure to head over to his shownotes page. There's a downloadable PDF featuring a query letter guide where I compiled notes, transcriptions of examples, and quotes to help ease your querying process. Be sure to download the guide by heading over to his shownotes page and scrolling to the bottom of the page. Click here!

Get ready to dive into the nitty-gritty and 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 got some awesome takeaways from this episode and would love to show your appreciation, the best way would be through any of the following: 

• Grab our story idea prompts 

Contribute tokens of love

 Sign up to receive email updates about 88 Cups of Tea

 Subscribe to us on iTunes and leave a rating and a review

• Tell your friends about our podcast and why you believe it would benefit them

We dedicate a ton of heart and soul into fostering a space that encourages learning, creativity, growth, and community. The most sincerest thank you for your love and support! 

---

Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our 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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Have you checked out our archive of episodes by yet?

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“The way you promote yourself is the way you promote other people.” 

-Eric Smith 

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: 

  • Flashback: Eric’s earliest memory of when he first fell in love with storytelling [6:00]
  • The light-bulb moment when Eric discovered his immediate connection to the YA voice and audience [11:23]
  • How his job at Quirk Books led to his first book deal for “The Geek’s Guide to Dating” [12:43]
  • How to approach opportunities working in different areas of the literary world [13:41]
  • Is it necessary for our listeners to build a digital platform for ourselves? [15:06]
  • Fun random side note in the episode: We talk about my big road trip move from California to New York and how we were hearing about each other through the community meetups in Chicago and Ann Arbor! [17:34]
  • What prompted Eric to look into being a literary agent [19:05]
  • Cameo featuring the one and only Auggie [19:50]
  • Eric’s early days as a literary agent, learning how to negotiate for his authors, and how negotiations are made [21:37]
  • Where Eric finds new author clients to bring on [23:26]
  • What kinds of stories attract him most when bringing on new representation [24:55]
  • Example of a great hook used to describe a novel to editors [30:39]
  • Eric unpacks the “hook, book, cook” idea of writing query letters and grabbing the attention of literary agents [31:15]
  • Two specific exemplary examples of query letters that caught Eric’s attention [32:27]
  • What comp titles are and why they’re important to include in your query letter [35:10]
  • How Eric develops and guides his authors’ careers and his role as an agent [38:38]
  • We dive into our listeners' Q&A segment of the episode (If you'd love to submit your questions for upcoming guests, join our private Facebook group):
    • As a disabled writer working on an #ownvoices YA novel I would love to know: What does he feel is the most important part of a novel that is written by someone who shares their character’s marginalization?
    • As a white cisgender person, I have a hard time writing outside of my lane mainly because I’m worried it isn’t my place. Is there any advice he can give about writing diversely, while also being respectful of the fact that you are not part of those marginalized groups?
    • Who is more helpful as an assistant: Langston or Auggie?
    • Positive voices can be so hard to find in the confusing, tortuous, and anxiety-riddled labyrinth that is publishing. How do you stay human in an industry that can feel at times so dehumanizing with goal posts always moving and the only certainty is uncertainty?
    • I would love to know a little about anthology editing: How do you go about finding the authors to write the stories on the theme; where does agent representation come into it; and how you find an editor to publish the work?
    • Does he have any tips for writers balancing full-time jobs?
    • Please ask him how his corgi is doing for me because I am very invested thanks.
May 17, 2018

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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Jenny founded The Bent Agency nearly 10 years ago and it has now grown into having nine agents with a strong focus on international rights and has offices in New York City and London. Her agency works with each author to map the publishing career of their dreams and make it a reality. They pay careful attention to details, from the terms of a first contract, editorial work and cover design, to the publisher’s marketing and publicity plan, royalties and sales figures. The Bent Agency prides themselves on nurturing and discovering authors who they can help propel to the top of their category. They’ve even earned a reputation where they’re known for their work ethic, their responsiveness, the quality of their client list and the results they achieve.

In this episode, we discuss the early days of Jenny’s career and the path that unfolded to become a founder of her own company. She walks us through her role as a literary agent and touch briefly on film/tv and foreign rights deals and how understanding your co-agent’s tastes in what they’re seeking plays an important role.

Further into the conversation, we have a very inspiring discussion about how Jenny faced moments of paralysis during the lowest points in her life and how she moved past it by gritting her way through. We get into a lot of really insightful and helpful listener questions and you’ll discover what tends to spark Jenny’s interest and what she’d love to see more of from submissions, the voices that are most under-represented in the YA community and the key changes that need to be made. Towards the end of the episode, we flesh out Jenny’s thoughts about authors’ social media presence, and she shares when she will be re-opening to queries and what she is hoping to see more of.

Say 'Hi' to Jenny on Twitter! Head over to 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 work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!

---

Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!

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“Sometimes it’s just as important to say no to an opportunity as it is to say yes.” 

-Jenny Bent (Click to tweet!)

 

 

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: 

  • We discuss the early days of her career and dive into the path that led her to create her own literary agency
  • We go into detail about her role as an agent
  • How understanding your co-agent’s tastes in what they’re seeking plays an important role in film/tv deals and foreign rights deals
  • The pros and cons of working from home as your own boss VS. working for someone else in an office setting
  • Facing moments of paralysis at our lowest points and gritting our way through
  • Discover what tends to spark Jenny’s interest and what she’d like to see more of from submissions
  • We discuss voices that are most under-represented in the YA community and the key changes that need to be made
  • Jenny’s thoughts on an author’s social media presence
  • Jenny shares when she will be re-opening to queries and what she is hoping to see more of
May 10, 2018

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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In today’s episode, we’re featuring our conversation with Victoria Aveyard from the archives! During the time of the original release back in January 2016, Victoria just celebrated her 21st week on the New York Times list for “Red Queen”, the first book in her series. Movie rights for the series were also sold to Universal Pictures with Gennifer Hutchison (from "Breaking Bad") penning the film adaptation and Elizabeth Banks in talks to direct. According to The Hollywood Reporter, RED QUEEN is similar to HUNGER GAMES, GAME OF THRONES, X-MEN, and CINDERELLA.

Since the time of her episode release back in 2016, Victoria has now published three #1 New York Times bestselling and USA Today bestselling books, and two New York Times bestselling novellas. The Red Queen series is currently being translated into 37 languages and counting, and the fourth and final book to conclude her beloved series, “War Storm”, is releasing next week on May 15!

In the archived episode, we discuss story ideas and character development, how Victoria got her foot in the door with her literary agency, the ups and downs throughout her writing career, the publishing community, the importance of family, and a lot more incredibly inspiring stories and advice.

I specifically pulled this conversation from the archives because a lot of our listeners have shared that they’ve been struggling with getting through their first draft and are held back by the idea of "perfection". If you’re struggling with this too, be sure to pay special attention to Victoria’s episode. You’ll learn so much and my hope is for you to feel just as refreshed, inspired, and motivated as I did after our interview!

Say 'Hi' to Victoria on Twitter! Head over to 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!

---

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!

---

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

---

Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!

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“Finish. Finishing is the most important thing no matter what you have to do.”

-Victoria Aveyard (Click to tweet) 

“I must be writing, in some way, shape, or form, to be happy.”

-Victoria Aveyard (Click to tweet) 

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: 

  • Victoria’s journey of transitioning from screenwriting to crafting her first novel
  • How Victoria built her RED QUEEN series off of a single image and how this techniquecan help you craft your next story
  • How Victoria creates an outline for her novels and how her advice can help you find your perfect outline structure
  • The importance of knowing where your character comes from to create their perfect personality
  • How writing for the fanfiction world indirectly became a writing workshop for Victoria
  • Victoria shares writing techniques and tips used to grab readers’ attention at the beginning of a novel
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