CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY with Evelyn Skye

My guest today is Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. The Henna Artist was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and is currently in development at Netflix as a series.Today we talk about:* beginning a writing career later in life* what it's like to work with Reese Witherspoon and her book club team* Alka's ideal writing schedule,* advice for getting started as a writer, and so much more.✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here). It’s meant exactly for writers who are already in a different career but want to study more about writing—through continuing education, community college courses, or elsewhere.I hope you enjoy the show!1🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.Podcast inquiries: publicity@creativeinspiredhappy.comWant more of Alka?You can find her in so many places online:Website: alkajoshi.comInstagram: thealkajoshiYouTube: AlkaJoshiFacebook: alkajoshi2019Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a New York Times Bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Pick and was LongListed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It has been translated into 29 languages and is currently in development at Netflix as a tv series. In 2023, Forbes selected Joshi as one of 50 over 50 women empowering other women. Joshi was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. She lives in California. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is the artist Sally Fama Cochrane, a classically trained painter whose gorgeous work was the inspiration for the paintings in my new novel, One Year Ago in Spain.In this episode, we delve deeper into how creative careers are the same yet different in the worlds of writing and fine art.We talk about:🟨 our processes for making a book or painting from idea to finish,🟨 balancing motherhood and art,🟨 why artists have a hard time asking to be paid for their work,🟨 the little Easter egg in One Year Ago in Spain that my long-time readers will find,🟨 and so much more.Afterwards, explore more of Sally’s incredible art on her website or Instagram.I hope you enjoy the show!🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.🥳 My newest novel, One Year Ago in Spain, is out today!Thank you for buying copies for yourself or other readers in your life.One Year Ago in Spain is available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook anywhere books are sold. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is Julie Soto, whose first novel, Forget Me Not, was a bona fide TikTok sensation last summer and became a USA Today Bestseller. Her latest novel, Not Another Love Song, just hit bookshelves everywhere.Today we talk about- Julie’s origins as a playwright,- how to take fan fiction (or work on places like Wattpad) and re-publish it as a book- the demands of social media on artists today. ✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here). 🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.Podcast inquiries: publicity@creativeinspiredhappy.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is romantasy author Scarlett St. Clair, who has sold millions of copies of her books worldwide and is a #1 New York Times and international bestseller. We first met in France at le Festival du Livre de Paris (aka Paris Book Festival), where I got to witness firsthand the magnitude of her international fame.Today we talk about:* How she rose from a flop to become a global superstar in self-publishing, then later switched over to a traditional publisher* Why “No” just means “Yes, but in a different way”* Her unorthodox way of writing books* Nurturing a genuine community of readers and fans, and much more!Also, Applications are now OPEN for our $1,000 Scholarship for Aspiring Writers. Get more info at creativeinspiredhappy.com Want more of Scarlett?Find her on Instagram @authorscarlettstclair or her website scarlettstclair.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is Jeannine Ouellette, author of the award-winning memoir The Part That Burns and founder of the incredibly popular Writing in the Dark, an online writing community that offers online creative writing intensives as well as literary salons.Today we talk about:* separating art from commerce* how paying attention to everyday life helps make creativity more easily accessible* building a career through different income streams and types of writing* and more.We also touch on transparency in making money as a writer. After you watch/listen to the episode, here are two posts with even more detail:* Making money as a writer* Book Deal 101: How do authors get paid (traditional publishing)I hope you enjoy the show!$1,000 and $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring WritersCREATIVE.INSPIRED.HAPPY is pleased to sponsor scholarships for writers to further their writing education. More information here!GIVEAWAY: 1-year paid subscription to Writing in the DarkJeannine and I are partnering to give away a 1-year paid subscription to Writing in the Dark!To enter, just be a subscriber to CREATIVE.INSPIRED.HAPPY:I will choose a random winner from my subscriber list on Sunday, July 7, 2024 and will update this post once the winner has confirmed via email.Want more of Jeannine?You can find her at Writing in the Dark, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and X.Want more writing advice and career insight? Join thousands for free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com to go behind the scenes with bestselling authors, and get access to our Book Club for Writers, creativity challenges, and more. I can't wait to see you there! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is Beth Spencer, a picture book author-illustrator, photographer, and founder of the staggeringly popular Introvert Drawing Club, an online community of 7,000 members she leads in ultra-relaxed drawing sessions.Today we talk about how Beth succeeded in building a bestselling Substack platform even though she didn’t know what she was doing when she started, how to find fulfillment in your work, and tips for getting started in a creative pursuit, even if you’ve been told your whole life that creativity wasn’t for you.Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.You can find Beth and her low-pressure, cameras-off club at introvertdrawingclub.com : ) It’s a lot of fun—especially if you like drawing animals.The book she mentioned on the podcast: Attention Span by Gloria Mark This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is Ali Hazelwood, whose latest novel, Not in Love, just hit bookshelves everywhere. She is a #1 New York Times bestseller multiple times over, and she’s also a former neuroscience professor.Today we talk about how Ali was discovered by her agent, and why she doesn’t like the label “incredibly successful,” and her advice for anyone pursuing a creative career.Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.You can learn more about Ali and all her other books on her website and Instagram. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

My guest today is Pierce Brown, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising series, the latest of which—Light Bringer—recently came out in paperback.Today we talk about how Pierce overcomes self-doubt, how success has changed his career, and whether writing makes him happy. (And we poke some good-natured fun at what authors are like.) We also debate creativity vs inspiration.Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.You can find out more about Pierce on his website, Instagram, or X. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe

Coming Soon: The CREATIVE.INSPIRED.HAPPY podcast. Interviews with incredibly successful writers about how they rose from obscurity to build fulfilling careers. Learn something new each episode to make you more creative, inspired, and happy. Hosted by New York Times bestselling author and #1 Netflix film/literary collaborator Evelyn Skye. Full video podcast available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/subscribe