In this STORYTIME episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel dive into the mailbag to read and critique work from two listeners they’ve never met! The duo travels from the eerie, rain-soaked landscapes of Ireland to the literal depths of the afterlife, finally landing under the vast, star-filled skies of the Atlantic.

In this episode, we explore:

• "Pink Rotary Telephone" by Barry Malone: A chilling horror story about a piece of obsolete technology that rings with a message no one wants to answer. Kayla and Rachel discuss the trauma of the past and the "likability" of a protagonist caught in a supernatural cycle.
• "Debtor’s Prison" by Chris Ritchie: A high-concept look at the afterlife where "scaring" is a quota-based job. The hosts unpack the mystery of a man tasked with haunting the woman he loves most.
• "Juliet" by Chris Ritchie: A shift into the literary genre with a moving piece of historical fiction. Set against the backdrop of the 1986 Challenger disaster, this story follows a young boy’s journey from the depths of depression to a soul-saving sailing trip with his father.

Plus, Kayla shares some exciting personal news—she just received her developmental edit letter for her novel, Pillow Forts Down, from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy! She gives us a sneak peek into the feedback from her editor in Cyprus and discusses the "show, don't tell" struggle every writer knows all too well.

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New episodes every other Wednesday.

E-mail us your short story at contact@writeyourheartoutpod.com

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Leave us a message at 650-260-4885

We are officially relevant.

In this episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel dive into Jeanette McCurdy’s debut novel Half His Age, the much-anticipated follow-up to her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died. We unpack the controversial age-gap dynamic, the power shifts between predator and prey, and how McCurdy flips the traditional narrative by centering the teenage girl’s desire.

Is the novel really about the relationship — or is it about worth, longing, addiction, and the hunger to be seen?

We discuss:

• How McCurdy’s memoir informs (or doesn’t inform) the fiction
• The moral tension of writing and consuming uncomfortable stories
• The brilliance of voice in Waldo, Mr. Corgi, and Waldo’s mother
• A perfect “Save the Cat” theme-stated moment
• Whether the audiobook narration enhances or distracts
• And yes… the scene everyone will be talking about

Plus, we rate it (7 vs. 9 👀), debate craft choices, and ask: how fearless do you have to be to write like this?

Next up: Storytime with Chris Ritchie and a voice-switching writing challenge.

If you’ve read Half His Age, we want to hear your thoughts.

Write your heart out.

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New episodes every other Wednesday.

E-mail us your short story at contact@writeyourheartoutpod.com

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Leave us a message at 650-260-4885

In this craft-focused episode of Write Your Heart Out, hosts Kayla Ogden and Rachel Cyr tackle one of the biggest questions in creative writing: what is voice? From author voice to narrator voice to character voice, they break down how voice shows up on the page—and how to strengthen it through sentence variety, rhythm, and intentional POV choices (especially in first-person).

They also recap their first in-person Write Your Heart Out writers group in San Mateo, reflect on the learning curve of writing a debut novel vs. a new work-in-progress, and share why writers are readers (and how reading fuels better writing). Along the way, they reference insights inspired by Mary Karr and Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, plus a practical exercise: rewrite a paragraph in a completely different voice to discover new possibilities in your style.

If you’re looking for writing advice on voice, first-person narration, sentence flow, and building confidence as a writer, this episode is for you.

Submit your work for a future Storytime episode at writeyourheartoutpod.com.

Please subscribe, rate and review!

New episodes every other Wednesday.

E-mail us your short story at contact@writeyourheartoutpod.com

Follow us on instagram @writeyourheartoutpod

Leave us a message at 650-260-4885