Kobo Writing Life Podcast

In this episode, we are joined by Clare Leslie Hall, author of Broken Country, Clare’s debut novel in the US and Canada. Broken Country is described as “A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller” and is a novel “of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.” Broken Country is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada. Clare is also the author of romantic suspense novels Him and Mine under the name Clare Empson. We spoke to Clare about her journey to becoming a published author, writing romantic suspense novels, Broken Country’s cross-genre appeal, writing under a pen name, staying dedicated to her stories, having film rights for her novel purchased, and much more! Follow Clare on Instagram and see more of Clare’s books on Kobo.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fourth episode of this series, we're happy to share this episode featuring Robert Harris from November 2016. Originally hosted at Kobo's former headquarters in Toronto (don't worry, we're still in Toronto; we've just moved!), this interview features author Robert Harris in conversation with journalist Johanna Schneller, as well as Pieter Swinkels, former Chief Content Officer at Kobo. This interview offers some insights into Robert's research process and writing routine, and we also get to hear all about his inspiration for Conclave, amongst much more! Find out more on Robert's website, follow Johanna Schneller on X/Twitter, and check out Robert's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we are joined by Sierra Simone, author of dozens of romance novels, such as the beloved Thornchapel, New Camelot, and Lyonesse series. In her own words, Sierra “loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, ancient mystery cults, coffee, leggings, and fog.” Sierra’s enthusiasm for erotic romance novels, marketing books, character development, and her fellow authors takes the spotlight during this interview, and we love to hear it. We speak with Sierra about her writing career, hear some great advice on writing intimate scenes, discuss the importance of social media, Tiktok, and BookTok, co-writing with fellow romance author Julie Murphy, and much more! Whether you are a fan of Sierra’s books or an erotic romance novelist yourself, you won’t want to miss this episode. Learn more on Sierra’s website, follow her on Instagram, and join Sierra’s Facebook reader group for even more!

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the third episode of this series, we're excited to highlight this episode featuring Renee Harleston from March 2022. Our guest this week is Renee Harleston, founder of Writing Diversely, which offers sensitivity reading services that provide authors, writers, and content creators the tools and support they need to tell diverse and inclusive stories. Learn more by visiting the Writing Diversely site, and follow Writing Diversely on X/Twitter and Instagram.  

In this episode, we spoke to best-selling author of fantasy, fantasy romance, sweet romance novels, and women’s fiction novels, Bridget E. Baker (who also writes under B.E. Baker)! Bridget is passionate about writing romance and about self-publishing, and she loves to support other indie authors by offering advice and transparency about the industry. Many of Bridget’s book series are best-sellers, and we get to hear about her writing and marketing process behind these popular titles. One of her most recent, The Russian Witch’s Curse, is a romantic fantasy series featuring horse shifters. The latest installment, My Trojan Horse Majesty, is available now. We loved hearing all about Bridget’s books, her career, her endless optimism, and, of course, all the openness she brings to her discussions about indie publishing! We know you will, too. Learn more on Bridget’s website, follow Bridget on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to sign up for Bridget’s newsletter. You can also find all of Bridget’s books on Kobo, as well as her books written as B.E. Baker.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the second episode of this series, we're bringing back an episode featuring Sagan Morrow from April 2021. Productivity strategist and author Sagan Morrow joins us on the podcast this week. Sagan tells us how she got into productivity strategy and what habits authors can implement to better fit writing into their schedule. She also talks to us about her polyamorous romantic comedy series, Polyamorous Passions, and how she’s using the romantic comedy genre to break down common misconceptions about polyamory. Learn more on Sagan's website and check out Sagan's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we spoke to romantic fantasy author Imani Erriu, author of the recently released Heavenly Bodies, the first book in her beloved series of the same name. Imani is a lover of the fantasy genre (both as a reader and a writer), and her writing rose to virality on TikTok after she shared a single scene from her unfinished manuscript! Imani’s next book, Fallen Stars, is the second in this five-book series. Heavenly Bodies is available in Canada and the US via Penguin Random House. Imani told us all about her writing journey, moving from indie publishing to traditional publishing, using astrology as writing inspiration, creating her own mythology for her world, advice on world-building, and much, much more! We had a great time chatting with Imani and sharing our own interest in astrology and love of the fantasy genre. Tune in to this invigorating interview – especially if you’re a fantasy fan! Learn more on Imani’s website and follow Imani on TikTok and Instagram.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. We're starting this new series with an episode from February 2020 all about writing retreats and writing communities! USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke sits down with Steph and Tara to discuss the importance of having a writing group, what writing retreats are really like, and how to keep your backlist fresh to attract new readers. Learn more via Darcy's website and check out Darcy's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we are joined by author, animator, director, and co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, Michael Dante DiMartino! We were excited to talk to Michael about his latest self-published novel, Both Here and Gone, a coming-of-age YA novel about a fourteen-year-old boy named Jack, who “has experienced a perfect storm of grief and uncertainty with his father's sudden departure, the impending loss of his beloved home, and his best friend Alyssa's life-altering accident. But when Alyssa miraculously emerges from a coma with no memory of the incident, she turns to Jack for answers, forcing him to confront the painful truth he has been avoiding.” Michael is also the author of the middle grade fantasy series, Rebel Genius, and much more! We asked Michael about his career, his approaches to storytelling, the creation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, how Michael develops his fantasy worlds, what it’s like self-publishing vs. traditional publishing and working on other forms of media, and so much more! We had a wonderful time talking to Michael and are looking forward to seeing what he is working on next. Learn more on Michael’s website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to find out more about Both Here and Gone and check out Michael’s books on Kobo.

Michael Tamblyn, CEO of Rakuten Kobo since 2009 and a passionate advocate for books and technology, shares his inspiring journey in the publishing world. He discusses the evolution of indie publishing and its significance, the rise of hybrid authors, and the balance between traditional and indie pathways. Tamblyn emphasizes the importance of diversifying publishing options and the joy of enhancing readers' experiences through innovative technology. He also shares personal anecdotes, including his unique approach to climbing mountains and the creative processes behind writing.