Interview with writers

Join us on the Stories in Stanza podcast as we delve into the creative journey of Leilena Durrette, an independent author of the Kira Raymond trilogy.
Lelina Durrette was born in New York City and raised in Guinea, West Africa, by globe-trotting parents. After pinballing around Europe as an accidental tourist in her teens via boarding school, she landed briefly in Virginia, where she earned a degree in Psychology and became a wife and mother. These days, she lives in Texas, rediscovering herself and embracing a renaissance in her creative life. She enjoys cooking, reading, travelling, and supporting fellow independent authors in the writing community. She is an author across multiple genres, including Young Adult, Romance, and Horror. The Girl Who Saved Them All is her second Young Adult novel in the Kierra Rieman Trilogy.
Website link: https://lelinad.wixsite.com/lelinadurrettewrites
TikTok link: https://www.tiktok.com/@lelinadurrettewrites
In this episode, Leilena shares her experiences growing up abroad, how these have influenced her writing, and her path from childhood stories to becoming a published author. Learn about her writing process the challenges of indie publishing, and get a sneak peek into her dystopian young adult novels. Leilena's story is inspirational for all aspiring writers looking to find their voice and place in literature.

In this episode of Stories and Stanza, host Abhra, a poet and writer, introduces the podcast, which features real-life stories as beautiful as poetry. The guest, Sue Toth, shares her journey as a book coach and editor, describing how she supports writers at different stages of their creative process. Sue discusses common challenges writers face, the various editing stages, and offers valuable advice for writers experiencing a block. She details her experiences working with different genres, including fiction and nonfiction, and encourages aspiring writers to never give up on their dreams.
Sue has dedicated most of her professional life to honouring the English language through writing, editing, and teaching. For the past 25 years, Sue’s speciality is coaching authors who have stuck anywhere in the writing process. She also collaborates with authors on editing their manuscripts and getting them ready for readers to stay up all night reading!

In this episode of 'Stories and Stanza,' Abhra sits down with Jennifer, author of the debut novel 'Getting to Know You.' Jennifer shares an excerpt from her book, which revolves around love, healing, and personal growth in the LGBTQ+ community. She delves into her inspiration for writing, her professional background as a licensed mental health counsellor, and her publication journey. Topics discussed include the intricacies of healing from unhealthy relationships, debunking misconceptions about domestic violence, and the importance of representation in storytelling. Please tune in to learn more about Jennifer's insights and her mission to bring awareness and support to survivors of domestic violence within the LGBTQ+ community.
Jennifer earned her minor in creative writing from Alfred University in 2016. As a pansexual genderflux individual and a trauma-informed mental health counsellor, they’re passionate about representation in fiction. Each story she tells is an opportunity to explore the beauty in nonconformity, healing, and diversity. After a lifetime of putting imagination to paper, Jennifer’s debut novel, Getting to Know You, came into being as a promise kept to a friend. Jennifer lives in the Finger Lakes with her family, enjoying tabletop roleplaying games, sewing, and cuddling their cat.
Order the book from here if you are interested:
https://ninestarpress.com/product/getting-to-know-you/ 

Exploring the world of 'Whispers of the Unveiled' with Author Arietta Knežević In this episode of Stories and Stanza, host Abhro welcomes guest author Arietta, who discusses her debut fiction book 'Whispers of the Unveiled.' Arietta shares her journey from childhood passion for writing to the challenges of self-publishing and marketing. They delve into the book's theme, which blends ancient mythology with contemporary issues such as climate change and LGBTQ+ representation. Arietta also reads an intriguing excerpt from her book, adds insights about the writing process, and offers tips for aspiring authors. Don't miss out on this inspiring conversation about creativity, perseverance, and storytelling.
Arietta Hecate Knežević was born in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland, and now lives in Zagreb, Croatia with her husband and child. She has been writing since early childhood, and has recently published her debut novel, Whispers of the Unveiled, which is heavily inspired by her spiritual beliefs, Pagan practice and love of the natural world.
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBGY61LZ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DBGY61LZ
It is also available on Amazon in all other locations.

Join host Abhra on 'Stories and Stanza' as he delves into the captivating journey of Diane Clarke and her debut novel, 'The Photograph.' Listen as Diane shares the inspiration and extensive research behind her compelling historical fiction, which spans from World War II to the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncover the intricacies of her characters, family secrets, and the emotional search for a lost brother. This episode is rich with insights for aspiring writers and literary enthusiasts alike.

Please join me in welcoming Patti Miller for today's episode. She is joining us today to discuss her book "Writing True Stories".
She is the author of ten books, including the award-winning The Mind of a Thief, the critically acclaimed Ransacking Paris, The Joy of High Places, and True Friends. The Mind of a Thief was longlisted for the Stella Prize and the Nita Kibble Prize, shortlisted for the WA Premier's Prize for Non-Fiction, winner of the NSW Premier's Prize for History and on the syllabus for English for the VCE in Victoria. She is widely published in literary magazines and national newspapers. She is also a teacher of memoir and nonfiction and has offered workshops for over 30 years in Australia, Paris, Bali, Fiji, and London. Over 65 of Patti Miller's writing students have been commercially published. She currently teaches at the Faber Academy, Sydney and London.
Writing True Stories is essential for anyone wanting to write a memoir or explore the wider territory of creative nonfiction. It provides practical guidance and inspiration on a vast array of writing topics, including how to access memories, find a narrative voice, build a vivid world on the page, create structure, use research and face the difficulties and pitfalls of truth-telling. This book introduces and develops key writing skills and strategies and then challenges more experienced writers to extend their knowledge and practice of the genre into literary nonfiction, true crime, biography, personal essay, and travel and sojourn writing. Whether you want to write your own autobiography, investigate a wide-ranging political issue or bring to life an intriguing history, this book will be your guide.This second edition encompasses over five years of updated study in the field of life writing with entirely new material on journal and diary writing, the ethics of writing true stories and extended material on creative nonfiction, includingbiography and new journalism, plus brand new extracts from key writers such as Joan Didion, Janet Malcolm, Zadie Smith and many others.
 

Welcome to a new episode of Stories and Stanza. Please join me in welcoming Lisa Darcy, 'In Author's Chair', for today's episode. 
Born in Melbourne, Lisa spent her youth moving around due to her father’s role in the Royal Australian Air Force, including four years living in Malaysia. The family moved back to Brisbane, Australia, where Lisa finished high school andstudied journalism at university. After completing her degree, she relocated to Sydney, where she worked as an Acquisitions Editor at publishing house Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ) and then as a journalist with Australian Consolidated Press, writing for Practical Parenting and Bride to Be. Lisa published several novels with Allen & Unwin, Australia, and her seventh novel, Lily’s Little Flower Shop, was published by Bloodhound Books UK in 2021,followed by My Big Greek Holiday and Should You Keep A Secret? in 2022. A creative writing teacher, Lisa also presents workshops and has been on panels and facilitated workshops at RWA conferences, GenreCon, Sydney Writers’ Festival and many regional and international writers’ festivals, including Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad, India. The Pact is Lisa’s eighth book.
I hope you like the episode. If you are interested in 'The Pact' please find the link below. 
https://www.amazon.com.au/Pact-Lisa-Darcy/dp/B0CZM6FT7D/ 
 
 

Please join me in welcoming Zeenat Ahmed-Peto as the guest for today's episode. 
Zeenat Ahmed-Peto is a cognitive hypnotherapist who supports sensitive mid-life professionals to heal from burnout and helps them improve their boundaries. Her clients are often overwhelmed with responsibilities and have habits of people-pleasing, leaving their needs last on the list. They work together on building self-esteem and self-love, creating healthy boundaries so they can be kinder to themselves, and creating positive relationships at work and home.
Zeenat helps her clients identify how they experience stress and the core reasons for it, which can range from fear of public speaking to imposter syndrome and anxiety in all areas of life.She works in partnership with her clients to make their dreams an attainable reality and, each day, more joyful.
Zeenat is the author of ‘Too Kind: A Survival Guide for Sensitive Souls’ which is available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Kind-Survival-Guide-Sensitive/dp/B0D2B4KDZ5/
https://zeenatahmedpeto.com/