Host Edith welcomes returning guest Lisa Towles, thriller author, fellow podcaster, and book coach, to discuss Lisa’s nonfiction book, “The Me Factor: Your Secret Weapon for Author Visibility,” which aims to reduce authors’ fear of marketing and help them use their unique identity in branding. Lisa explains a sequence for effective marketing: clarify author identity, conduct a genre analysis based on industry standards, develop audience insights through reader personas, identify comparable titles to craft an “emotional promise,” and then choose intentional, sustainable social media tactics (including options that don’t require being on camera). They discuss using AI and tools like Canva for marketing assets, the value of building an author platform before a book is finished, and trends in reading formats, especially audiobooks and Kindle.

00:00 Welcome Back Lisa

00:49 What The Me Factor Is

03:59 Marketing Fear And Burnout

06:42 Authentic Visibility And Branding

08:49 Order Of Operations For Marketing

12:30 Author Identity And Thriller Brand

15:51 Genre Analysis And AI Tools

20:49 Finding Your Readers

23:58 Authors Who Dont Read

25:56 Emotional Promise Vs Market Writing

29:51 Write Heart Not Trends

31:22 Platform While You Write

34:06 Me Factor Framework

36:12 Author Branding Beyond Logos

41:14 Social Media Without Fear

44:58 Pets And Personal Sharing

46:50 AI Tools And Confidence

50:52 Future Of Reading Formats

52:50 Audiobooks For Authors

55:48 Wrap Up And Where To Find

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: bookcompanioncontact@gmail.com Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith welcomes returning guest Caroline Ailanthus to discuss her new epic fantasy novel The Elf, the Dwarf and the Telegraph: Book One, the first in a trilogy. Caroline explains the story’s large scope and ensemble cast, centered on three protagonists including Gwen, a transgender half-elf with a sword, in a quasi-Roman world on the brink of civil war driven by environmental justice, conservation, science, and threats to democracy. She reads an excerpt depicting a republic’s destabilization and autocratic takeover aided by oligarchs, noting historical inspirations from Sherman, Grant, Lincoln, and Julius Caesar and arguing that environmental problems and political instability are connected. Caroline describes her writing process, research-heavy historical models, spreadsheet character tracking, and structuring one arc into three books, and highlights deliberate Tolkien signals, immersive “history-like” worldbuilding, adult tone without explicit sex, and neurodivergent representation through human/elf/dwarven (“Deger”) neurological differences.

00:00 Welcome Back Caroline

00:54 What the Book Is About

03:42 Fantasy Meets Politics

08:59 Reading the Prologue

11:09 Origins of the Trilogy

15:09 Autocrats and History Rhymes

22:44 Timeless Fantasy Themes

27:47 Writing Process and Characters

31:40 Being Kind to Readers

32:35 Managing Character POVs

33:47 From Standalone to Trilogy

34:37 Civil War Research Scale

37:53 Where to Split Books

41:35 Is Tolkien Still King

45:11 Dwarves and Representation

48:26 Dark Ages and Paper

53:42 Why Read This Book

57:03 Neurodivergent Protagonists

59:55 Closing Thanks and Wrap

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: bookcompanioncontact@gmail.com Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith welcomes regular guest and co-host Teri M. Brown to discuss her upcoming novel “Peg Unhinged,” releasing April 21, 2026. Brown introduces Peg, a near-50 woman navigating menopause symptoms, brain fog, hot flashes, and anger while her husband abruptly leaves to date younger women. The conversation explores how women’s health concerns are often dismissed, cultural pressures on women to stay quiet and “perfect,” and the double standards women face in professional settings. Brown explains the book’s inspiration from reading “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” and describes humorous yet realistic scenes including disastrous dating-app encounters and frank “conversations with God” chapters. They also touch on Peg’s evolving friendships, her rediscovering self-worth, and Brown’s next writing idea involving Incan quipu storytelling, plus where to find her online and the importance of reviews.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:24 New Book Premise

03:02 Menopause Reality Check

04:14 From Margaret to Peg

05:50 Is Peg Based on Teri

10:42 Culture Aging and Freedom

15:21 Menopause Rage Moments

16:49 Double Standards for Women

21:44 Husband Leaves and Dating Apps

26:39 Why Peg Stays Likable

28:31 Friends Who No Longer Fit

31:25 Finding Herself Again

32:18 Worth and Wake Up

33:45 Romance Not the Point

34:45 Hormones and Teen Brain

35:22 God Talks Interludes

38:08 Writing Humor Tightrope

41:39 Making Menopause Funny

46:54 Write What You Feel

49:27 Boundaries and Parenting

54:07 Team Peg Wrap Up

54:40 Next Book Quipu Mystery

57:41 Where to Find Teri

58:23 Reviews and Goodbye

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: bookcompanioncontact@gmail.com Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith interviews author and college professor Jess Bowers about her debut short story collection, Horse Show, named one of Electric Literature’s most exciting debut collections of 2024. Bowers, a lifelong equestrian and haflinger owner, explains that each story features a horse (or horse-adjacent animal/object) and a “show,” using entertainment and spectacle to examine human mistreatment and misunderstanding of horses and other sentient beings. She discusses research methods shaped by her PhD in English, including archives, photographs, and repeated film viewing, and shares a disturbing unused anecdote about Eben Byers giving radioactive water to racehorses. Bowers reflects on favorite stories, the appeal and demands of short fiction, challenges of dialogue, harmful breeding trends, and her next animal-focused collection, including a new story, “Canis X Machina.”

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:29 Horse Woman Origins

02:06 Vienna Horse Culture

05:14 Inside Horse Show

07:37 Write What You Know

12:36 Research Rabbit Holes

16:17 Darkest Unused Fact

19:39 Most Touching Stories

22:23 Breeding for Vanity

26:50 Spanish Riding School

29:51 Why Short Stories Work

31:28 Why Short Stories Win

33:12 Reading Short Stories Differently

35:50 Writing Short Stories Takes Patience

40:18 Ideas Over Plot

42:12 Visual Thinking and Photos

46:22 Dialogue and Script Curiosity

50:29 Horses and Forgotten History

53:29 Advice for Aspiring Writers

55:46 New Work and Animal Collection

58:36 Final Thoughts and Farewell

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: bookcompanioncontact@gmail.com Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith welcomes author Tudor Alexander to Book Lover’s Companion to discuss his historical fiction family saga The Last Patient, published in February 2025. Alex explains the novel is inspired by his parents’ and his own experiences across five decades of communism in Romania, ending with his parents’ immigration to the United States and the challenges of starting over in their sixties, including a doctor’s inability to practice without U.S. exams. He describes limited research due to lived experience, the need to fictionalize for narrative arc, and generally positive reader reception with over 100 strong reviews. Alex previews a companion novel based on his Jewish wife’s family history, In Darkness and Light, and shares his writing routine (about 500 words daily), views on marketing, and advice to aspiring writers to write daily and organize life around the craft.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:05 What The Last Patient Is

03:36 Romania Under Communism

06:34 Research vs Lived Memory

10:05 Reader Reception and Reviews

11:28 Companion Book on Jewish Story

17:06 Defection and Leaving Romania

24:40 Why People Don’t Revolt

27:38 Immigrating in Your Sixties

29:50 Writing Routine and Marketing

35:18 Marketing Grind Reality

36:37 Breakthrough Success Stories

38:57 Maturity To Write Novels

41:25 Romania Readings Translation

42:39 POV And Editing Notes

45:15 Writing What You Know

47:07 Immigrant Experience Theme

54:01 Advice For Aspiring Authors

56:59 History Books Connections

01:01:18 Upcoming Books And Wrap Up

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee.

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Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith welcomes fiction author Lexy, a retiring or recovering lawyer joining from Paris, to discuss her cross-genre romantic supernatural thriller series. Lexy explains that the first three books can be read in any order (including a legal thriller, a coming-of-age high school story, and a WWII Deep South historical romance), with storylines converging later, and that the series will span eight books. They focus on book five, released in October, which tells the villains’ backstory through an eternal-mates couple tasked with keeping reality functioning, drawing on comparative religion, mythology, metaphysics, biology, and themes of consciousness. Lexy shares her varied career path (modeling, acting, music, science, law, startups, 23andMe), discusses neuroscience sparked by medical experience, critiques traditional publishing gatekeeping, and advocates self-publishing, comic cons, and clear goals for writers.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:40 Series Genres and Structure

02:01 Book Five Overview

03:33 Metaphysics and Consciousness

05:54 From Arts to Law

08:59 Law School Stress Stories

13:48 Neuroscience and Serotonin Crisis

17:36 Raising Kids and Family Editing

20:41 Forces of Nature Romance

25:11 Building an Eight Book Saga

28:23 Editing and Spinoff Tales

33:33 History Politics and Publishing

39:51 Comic Cons and Self Publishing

41:50 Agent Conference Reality Check

43:04 Prologues and Gatekeeping

44:44 Why Self Publish

44:51 Kayo Plot and Pushback

47:01 Misogyny on Zoom Call

48:07 Control and Indie Power

49:49 Appearance Versus Reality

52:46 Fanning Fireflies Characters

55:48 Planting Seeds Through Fiction

59:44 Echo Chambers and Oligarchy

01:05:15 Publishing Funnel to Mediocrity

01:09:37 Advice for Aspiring Authors

01:14:08 Readers Not Fans

01:16:31 Write Crap and Support Indie

01:17:17 Final Thanks and Sign Off

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee.

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Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Host Edith welcomes returning guest Kristina Bak from Bellingham, Washington to discuss the third and final book in Bak’s near-future, non-dystopian YA trilogy about Stevie, a young healer shaped by her father’s disappearance, a childhood abduction, and traumatic amnesia. Bak explains how Stevie’s coming-of-age from 16 to 18 culminates in new strength as she navigates an uneasy friendship with Coral, a homeless teen caregiver who claims a gift for accompanying the dying and asks Stevie to ease patients’ pain, raising questions of trust and escalating toward a life-and-death climax. The conversation also covers characters “talking” to authors, reading as comfort and escapism, the value of writers’ groups, marketing via Facebook and a website, plans for an audiobook collection, support for independent bookstores and libraries amid censorship pressures, and Bak’s shift toward a dark adult literary project set in Australia.

00:00 Welcome Back Kristina

01:05 Stevie Takes Over

02:51 Fatherless Daughters Theme

06:09 Book Three Setup

07:49 Coral And Hospice

10:59 Characters That Talk

13:45 Why We Read Fiction

19:02 Non Dystopian Comfort

22:38 YA Fiction Bravery

26:05 Finding Coral Voice

28:19 Next Writing Chapter

29:37 Writers Group Life

31:27 Self Doubt And Marketing

32:43 Social Media And Website

37:25 Bookstores Kindle Audiobook

41:25 Writing For Readers Not Money

44:26 Libraries Censorship And Control

50:17 Politics Anxiety And News

53:59 Next Dark Australia Novella

58:04 Authentic Marketing And Farewell

If you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee.

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Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

In this episode of Book Lover‘s Companion, host Edith welcomes author, editor, and book podcast host Ekta Garg Ekta from Illinois to dive into the world of modern fairy tales. They discuss Ter's book, 'The Witch's Apprentice and Their Stories,' a micro collection of short stories filling the gaps in beloved fairy tales and nursery rhymes. They explore the relevance of fairy tales today, the process of fracturing fairy tales, and the importance of universal themes. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on creative writing, the preservation of languages, and Ter's future writing projects. Tune in for an enriching discussion about the timeless magic of fairy tales and storytelling!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:57 Discussing 'The Witch's Apprentice'

01:35 The Relevance of Fairy Tales Today

02:45 Exploring the Origins of Fairy Tales

03:58 Diving into the Writing Process

06:39 Modern Takes on Classic Tales

08:37 The Emotional Impact of Fairy Tales

16:02 Fairy Tales for Adults

28:22 The Evolution of Fairy Tales

29:01 The Little Mermaid: A Tale of Transformation

29:41 The Role of Reading in Historical Context

30:30 Language Preservation and Cultural Identity

34:12 The Impact of AI on Art and Creativity

47:40 Hollywood Gossip and Movie Insights

51:45 Upcoming Projects and Final Thoughts

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Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E