The Fiction Lounge

Hannah and Jess celebrate TWO YEARS of the Fiction Lounge with some big news from Hannah, some fascinating stats, and a trip down memory lane.

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Jess and Hannah interview author Anna Rasche about the journey from gemologist to published author, the value of historical accuracy and how to creatively make it work in fiction, and how the process of writing often changes once you're a published author.

Anna Rasche is an author, gemologist, and historian who has previously worked in the jewelry collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her debut novel, THE STONE WITCH OF FLORENCE, was an October 2024 Indie Next pick, and was recommended by the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, BookRiot and many others. Her writing has appeared...

Hannah and Jess discuss the differences and similarities between sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian fiction. They talk about the genre expectations for each, and dive into what it looks like to genre blend.

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Literary agent Sheyla Knigge of Highline Literary talks to Hannah and Jess about pressing industry questions, things to consider when working with an agent, and why the publishing industry and authors are at odds when it comes to prologues. This episode is full of practical, real-time wisdom from an industry professional, and it's one you will want to listen to twice, even take notes!

After several years spent sleuthing through the submissions in Victoria Marini’s query inbox, Sheyla Knigge (SHAY-luh KUH-nig-gee) is now actively using the skills she sharpened in that capacity to build her own dy...

Hannah and Jess speak with author Michelle Cullen about her newest release, explore the difference between detective mysteries and anthropological mysteries, and how sometimes, reader data can be used to impact authorial decisions.

Michelle L. Cullen has lived and traveled all over the world: from working as a (decent if powered by enough espresso) bilingual secretary in Paris to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa, to helping to rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. She studied anthropology at Melbourne University in Australia and sociology at the London School...

Jess and Hannah discuss what it means to read like a writer, why it's important for ALL writers to find time to read this way, how to do it, and things you should pay attention to when reading closely.

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Jess and Hannah discuss their favorite reads of the past three months, with a variety of titles to look into!

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SHOW NOTES

HANNAH'S PICKS:

Dolly All The Time...

Hannah and Jess interview author Joss Richard on pub day of her most recent novel, Let's Kiss and Tell! They discuss the differences in process between each book, the societal value of a genre like romance, and how understanding screenwriting can help your writing process.

Joss Richard is an instant, international bestselling romance author based in Los Angeles. With over 12 years of experience, she has been formally recognized with a Daytime Emmy Award and has produced for on-air broadcast, digital, and social media at some of the most notable shows and networks (Hello Sunshine and Reese’s Bo...

Hannah and Jess discuss the core elements of a scene, how they need to work within the scene, and give you tips on how to improve your scenes if you find yourself struggling.

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If you've heard us talk about Scrivener on the pod and you're ready to commit, use this link to get 20% off!

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In their interview with author Susan Furber, Jess and Hannah discuss writing a literary fiction series, how your characters stay with you, and they dive into Susan's upcoming release, What Other Years Have Done.

Susan Furber is the author of The Essence of an Hour, We Were Very Merry and the upcoming What Other Years Have Done (2026), all published by Valley Press. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1992, Susan studied English and Philosophy at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and spent a year at the University of Oxford. After graduating, she moved to London, where sh...

Hannah and Jess interview debut author Kathleen Schwab about her historical fantasy, Queenswood, and how her journey to this book was mostly about pursuing her joy. They discuss the Celtic folklore of the story and how she wove it in with her worldbuilding. Fantasy writers will enjoy this episode!

Kathleen Schwab grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania, a quintessential postwar suburb, among hundreds of identical prefab homes, but that didn’t stop her from building faerie houses when no one was looking. She earned a BA in literature and a master of arts in teaching from Smith College in...

Jess and Hannah discuss both the similarities and differences between the mystery, crime, thriller, and horror genres. They cover genre expectations, but also share what these genres all have in common. This episode helps clear up how to position your book within these specific areas of fiction.

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SHOW NOTES

Core Elements of a...

Hannah and Jess interview New York Times Bestselling author Alka Joshi about her new book Six Days in Bombay while discussing other topics such as identity and how great character work is born.

Born in India and raised in the U.S. since the age of nine. Alka Joshi has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Joshi's debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a NYT bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, was Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and has been translated into 30 languages. The...

Hannah and Jess explain the similarities and differences between women's fiction and romance, provide practical ways to understand how to place your own novel, and three questions to ask yourself if you're looking for clarity.

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SHOW NOTES

Women’s Fiction vs. Romance: What’s The Difference? | Savannah Gilbo

Genre Guide | Lidia Hilj...

Hannah and Jess discuss why plot devices are one of the most important ways to move your story forward, what types of plot devices there are, and how you might already be using them without even realizing it.

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SHOW NOTES

Writers on the Move | Plot Devices

Hannah, Jess, and their guest A.L. Sinclair discuss her unique journey from pursuing self-publishing to being discovered by her now agent and going traditional publishing. They also discuss the work to write a dark historical fiction novel, finding the "why" behind your work, and how to build a solid, steady readership.

A. L. Sinclair is a debut adult dark fantasy author who enjoys weaving history, mythology, and complex, flawed characters into wonderfully subversive narratives. With a background in law, sustainability, and somatic healing, she loves exploring identity, trauma and power through a feminist lens. Her nonfiction...

Jess and Hannah introduce a new series on the key elements of writing in certain genres. In the first episode, they discuss the definitions and hallmarks of literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and commercial fiction. They explore case studies and even share ways that these genres can be markers within other genres as well (i.e., literary thrillers, upmarket romances, etc.).

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Hannah and Jess discuss their adaptations living life with chronic illness, discuss how mental health episodes can feel equally as limiting, and share their tips and mentalities for handling the difficult days.

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Jess and Hannah talk about bringing mythology to life with editor and author John Glynn. They explore the idea of queer erasure within myth and lore, discuss the depth of writing about first love and how it changes you, and briefly geek out over Madeline Miller.

John Glynn is the Editorial Director of Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. His acclaimed nonfiction debut, Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer was an Indie Next pick, an Oprah, The Magazine "Best LGBTQ Book of 2019," a Cosmopolitan Best Book of 2019, a Refinery29 Outstanding LGBTQ+ Book of 2019, a Newsweek...

Hannah and Jess talk with author Britt Middleton about her debut novel American Love Song, the importance of mental health representation in romance, and she provides practical advice and encouragement for new writers.

Britt Middleton is a romance and literary novelist passionate about tender love stories centering African-American women rediscovering their ambition.

Formerly a digital beauty producer at Popsugar and Black Entertainment Television (BET Networks), Britt’s journalism has been published by Refinery29, NYLON Magazine, and internationally with Nine Network Australia, among others.

She is an alum of Yale University’s Writers’ Workshop and a...

Hannah and Jess interview Denise Madre of Prose Without Thorns about her work in the field of sensitivity reading, and she provides practical ways to be more conscious when writing marginalized people. This episode is part two of a two part series.

A bibliophile with an English degree and a mild addiction to "Pride and Prejudice" variations, Denise Madre founded Prose without Thorns to help writers of all experience levels uncover their best work. She provides editing, sensitivity reads, and consultations for a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres. With more than 100,000 followers and 950,000 likes across all...

Hannah and Jess interview Denise Madre of Prose Without Thorns about her work in the field of sensitivity reading, and she provides practical ways to be more conscious when writing marginalized people. This episode is part one of a two part series.

A bibliophile with an English degree and a mild addiction to "Pride and Prejudice" variations, Denise Madre founded Prose without Thorns to help writers of all experience levels uncover their best work. She provides editing, sensitivity reads, and consultations for a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres. With more than 100,000 followers and 950,000 likes across all...

Hannah and Jess discuss their top reads of the year so far!

SHOW NOTES

HANNAH'S PICKS:

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Hannah's Honorable Mention: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

JESS'S PICKS:

The Trees by Percival Everett

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

Jazz by Toni Morrison

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

Jess's Honorable Me...

Hannah and Jess reveal an exciting announcement: The Fiction Lounge is now offering some author services! Jess shares the vision and process behind her editing consultation service, and Hannah shares the heart and process of her Plot Clarity Intensive.

SHOW NOTES

Jess's Editing Services

Hannah's Plot Clarity Intensive

Guest author Laura Vogt talks historical fiction and her debut novel In the Great Quiet. From research and sensitivity readers to her drafting process, she provides amazing insight for new writers.

Laura Vogt is a historian, storyteller, and poet. She studied literature and history in undergrad and graduate school, focusing on Shakespeare, folk tales, and the History of Mentalities. Her poetry & prose is published in various journals, including Fourteen Hills, Pleiades, The Cimarron Review, Enchanted Living Magazine, South Carolina Review, Chapter House, and Rust + Moth. She loves all things wild and beautiful. Laura lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma...

Jess and Hannah talk about the challenges and demands of the "messy middle", and provide tips and tricks that might help you navigate this famously challenging portion of writing a novel.

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SHOW NOTES

Stuck in the Messy Middle? Tips for Drafting | Karen Krossing

The MIddle Third: Beats | Stephanie Danler

Three-peat guest and series author Carmela Dutra checks in on her author journey and shares valuable insights about plotting vs. pantsing, how she juggles multiple projects at once, and what she's learned during her time in the industry.

Carmela Dutra is a writer from the Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. Her debut, A Murder Most Fowl, has been praised by Kirkus Reviews for its “serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” by Criminal Element for the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself...

Jess and Hannah discuss endings: how to know what your genre expects of an ending, how to make sure your ending is strong, and some dos and don'ts when working on your ending.

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SHOW NOTES

The Do's and Don'ts of Novel Endings | Writer's Digest

How to Write the Perfect Ending for...

Hannah and Jess talk about what makes a strong opening, what detracts from a good opening, and they both bring different genre examples to examine together.

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SHOW NOTES

How to Write a Killer Opening Scene | Write it Scared

Openings | Brandon Taylor

Guest author Michelle Maryk shares the keys to her writing journey, what she's learned from her improv background that helps her as a writer, and shares about her debut novel, The Found Object Society.

Michelle Maryk graduated from Cornell University and also attended the Yale Writer’s Worskhop. She has been a full-time voiceover artist as well as a commercial and comedic actor for over 25 years. THE FOUND OBJECT SOCIETY is a novel of speculative suspense and her debut. She is also a dual citizen of Sweden and the US. Fun fact: Michelle starred in an atrocious ho...

Jess and Hannah talk about the purpose of prose, its pitfalls, how to develop your prose style, and Jess shares some literary examples of solid prose.

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SHOW NOTES

Nikita Gill's Instagram

Kate Baer's Instagram

Hannah and Jess discuss the different (main) types of character arcs, why they matter, how to apply them, and how they can be useful for your secondary and minor characters.

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SHOW NOTES

Positive Character Arcs | Write it Scared

Negative Character Arcs | Write it Scared

Static Character Arcs | Write it...

Jess and Hannah interview new author, Leigh Shalloway, on her Hilltown series debut. She shares important insights and valuable advice on resilience in the novel writing process, and shares how she was able to make setting almost like its own character within the narrative.

Leigh Shalloway has a psychology degree from Emory University and a master's degree in counseling and school psychology from Seattle University. Following graduation, she interned at the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change and worked as a lead psychologist for Sammamish schools.

She is also a holistic care practitioner...

In this installment of The Fiction Lounge Q&A, Hannah and Jess answer another round of questions ranging from the necessity of editing to what inspires our stories.

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Hannah and Jess explore villains and antagonists: the different types, the genre expectations for villains, and how to effectively build a villain your readers can love to hate.

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SHOW NOTES

Notes on Writing Character Relationships | Junot Diaz

How to Write Strong Characters | September C. Fawkes

How to Build Powerful...

With special guest and reiki teacher Molly Donlan, Hannah and Jess dive into the magic of creativity and how it can be fostered through ritual, while discussing Molly's upcoming release, Mundane Magic, available February 17.

Molly Donlan is a Reiki Master Teacher, crystal healing expert, yoga teacher, and co-host of the Demystify Magic podcast who has dedicated her life to helping others unlock the transformative power of energy work and alternative healing modalities. With a background as an advocate for survivors of sexual violence and as a former skeptic of all things woo, Molly emphasizes the importance of...

Hannah and Jess spend some time sharing their friendship lore, provide practical writing exercises that contributed to their writing wins of the week, and share the essentials of how to structure and envision your character relationships to make a stronger story.

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Hannah and Jess interview debut author Jennifer van der Kleut about her upcoming debut novel, The Better Mother, available February 10.

Jennifer van der Kleut (née McBride) is an award-winning former journalist of both print and digital publications, including the D.C. affiliate of ABC7 News. A graduate of San Jose State University, she spent most of her life in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to the Northern Virginia suburbs of D.C., where she currently lives with her husband and two sons. For nearly a decade, she was the lead singer of the Bay A...

Jess and Hannah discuss character backstory: what it is, what it does for your story, how to build it, how to utilize it, and more. If you're struggling to figure out character motivations, or if you just want to make sure you're doing strong character work, make sure to give this episode a listen!

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SHOW...

Hannah and Jess break down the recent trends of artists who are signing traditional publishing deals after self-publishing, what this means for the industry, and how you can apply these trends to your responsibilities as a career writer.

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Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES