The Resilient Writers Radio Show

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How to Write a Rom-Com (from Paris!), with Whitney Cubbison Apr 09, 2026

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In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m talking with novelist Whitney Cubbison, who lives in Paris and writes romantic comedies inspired by her experiences as an American expat navigating dating, divorce, friendship, and life abroad.

But what makes Whitney’s story so interesting isn’t just the Paris setting or the dating disasters—it’s how she became a novelist in the first place.

Whitney didn’t grow up planning to write novels. She spent many years working in communications and PR for Microsoft, writing speeches and corporate communications. Writing was always part of her life—she journaled for years—but fiction wasn’t something she had seriously considered.

That all changed after her divorce, when she found herself going on a series of truly terrible dates in Paris. Every time she told the stories to friends, they kept saying the same thing: “You have to write a book.”

Eventually, she did.

She started writing down her experiences on a plane after a work trip, without really knowing how novels worked or how to structure a story. Like many first-time writers, she wrote first and figured out structure later.

She describes that early draft as basically pouring her life onto the page and then trying to figure out how to turn that into an actual novel. What followed was a long learning process—hiring editors, restructuring the story, rewriting large sections, pitching agents, getting rejected, hiring another editor, and rewriting again.

Through that process, she learned how novels are built and what it really takes to turn a story into a book.

Her first novel, Will There Be Wine?, grew out of that experience and became a romantic comedy about an American expat in Paris trying to rebuild her life after divorce.

But her second novel, Will There Be Love?, was a completely different challenge. This time she wrote a fully fictional story told from four different points of view and set mostly over the course of a single dramatic weekend in Ibiza. She intentionally wanted to challenge herself as a writer by working with multiple narrators, writing from male perspectives, and compressing the timeline of the story.

One of my favorite moments in this conversation was when Whitney said that after her first book, she still wasn’t sure she was really a writer. But after writing the second book—from a blank page, building characters and story from scratch—that was when she finally thought, “Okay, I think I’m a writer now.”

We also talked about self-publishing and marketing, because of course when you self-publish, you’re not just the writer—you’re also the marketing department. Whitney uses Instagram and the Bookstagram community, ARC readers, podcasts, and creative outreach to different audiences to buil

How to Structure a Short Story Collection, with Merav Fima Apr 02, 2026

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If you love stories that explore art, history, identity, and the lives of women artists across time, this episode will absolutely fascinate you.

In this conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by writer, translator, and literary critic Merav Fima, author of the short story collection Late Blossoms and the forthcoming novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree.

Merav’s work explores the lives, struggles, and artistic legacies of Jewish women artists across history, and this conversation is a wonderful deep dive into how a book can grow slowly over many years and eventually become something much larger than originally imagined.

Merav shares that Late Blossoms actually began as part of her master’s thesis in creative writing, but the earliest story in the collection was written even earlier, inspired by a painting she encountered while studying art history. That moment sparked a story about Else Lasker-Schüler, a Jewish expressionist poet and artist persecuted by the Nazis, and that story eventually became the seed for an entire collection focused on Jewish women artists and their lives, struggles, and creative work.

One of the most fascinating parts of this conversation is how the collection came together over more than twenty years. Rather than writing all the stories at once, Merav wrote them slowly—sometimes only one story per year—until she eventually realized she had a full collection.

We also talk about the challenge of structuring a short story collection and how important it is to think about the book as a whole, not just individual pieces. Merav shares how organizing the stories chronologically and thematically helped create a narrative arc across the collection.

We also talk about her upcoming novel, The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree, which follows a contemporary Sephardic family tracing their lineage back through history to medieval Spain. The novel moves backward through time across different countries and generations, exploring migration, memory, identity, and cultural legacy. Merav explains how this novel grew out of her doctoral research and required extensive historical and literary research to bring the settings and time periods to life.

Another wonderful part of this conversation is our discussion about writing across different genres. Merav has written short stories, novels, memoir, scholarly writing, and even picture books, and she shares how each form requires a different mindset and writing process. She talks about how short stories focus on a single turning point, while novels require expansion and deeper emotional exploration, and memoir required a completely different drafting process.

We also talk about perfectionism, mindset, and learning to see a book as a whole project rather than just individual chapters or stories — something so many writers struggle with.

This is a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about writing across genres, writing about art and history, and how books sometimes take many years to become what they are meant to be.

From Personal Essay to Memoir, with Carolyn Dawn Flynn Mar 26, 2026

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If you’ve ever wondered whether a personal essay might actually be the seed of something much bigger—or if you’ve felt the tug to write a memoir but weren’t sure where to begin—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Carolyn Flynn: eight-time published author, TEDxWomen speaker, winner of the 2014 Rick Bass Montana Prize for Fiction, and founder of The Story Catalyst at Soulfire Studios.

Carolyn is also the author of Boundless, a moving and darkly funny memoir that grew from an essay published in Fourth Genre into a full-length book after nearly a decade of reflection.

Carolyn shares how that transformation happened—and why memoir often begins not with “my whole life story,” but with one meaningful slice of life that won’t let you go.

For her, that slice was a season of enormous change in 2017, when her twins were leaving for college at the same time she was stepping away from a long career in journalism. In other words: two huge parts of her identity were shifting all at once.

What followed became the emotional heart of Boundless, which Carolyn describes as a tragicomic empty-nest memoir guided by one central question: When you have become no one, how do you become someone again?

We talk about what makes memoir different from autobiography, and Carolyn offers such a smart, grounded way of thinking about it. Memoir, she says, is about selecting the events that carry the most meaning—and then reflecting on them.

She explains the importance of the two voices always present in memoir: the remembering self who narrates, and the experiencing self who is living through the events without yet understanding them. That distinction alone is worth the listen.

Carolyn also shares several of the “superpowers” she believes memoir writers need. We discuss why theme can be more useful when framed as a main dramatic question, how time-boxing your memoir can keep it from sprawling, and why writing in scene is essential if you want readers to feel the story instead of simply being told what happened.

And yes—we also talk about one of her most memorable pieces of advice: get a therapist. Carolyn speaks candidly about the vulnerability memoir requires, and why emotional support can be just as important as craft support.

She also makes a compelling case for working with a book coach—someone who can help you shape the scope, validate your voice, and keep the revision process from becoming overwhelming.

This is such a rich conversation about identity, reinvention, structure, and the courage it takes to turn lived experience into art. If memoir has been calling to you—or if you’re navigating a season of change and trying to write your way through it—I think you’ll find a lot of wisdom here.

How to Write from True History, with Diane Wahn Shotton Mar 19, 2026

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If you love historical fiction that uncovers the hidden stories of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, this episode is going to pull you right in.

In today’s conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by historical novelist Diane Shotton, author of Motty’s Vow and her latest novel, The Dictograph Case.

Diane writes the kind of fiction that shines a light on forgotten people and overlooked moments in history—and this story began with one of those astonishing discoveries that simply won’t let a writer go.

Back in 1999, while researching her family history in a local library, Diane stumbled across a newspaper story about seven men accused of treason during World War I for talking among themselves in a shoe shop.

The case involved a “Dictograph”—an early listening device used to secretly record their conversations—which were then used against them in court. Three of the men, all over the age of 65 and respected in their community, ended up in jail. Diane knew immediately this was a story she had to tell.

What makes The Dictograph Case especially compelling is the way Diane blends fact and fiction. At the core is a real historical event, but around that she builds a richly imagined mystery with noir undertones, a slow-burn romance, and a town full of secrets.

We talk about the choices she made as a novelist: why she told the story through Michael, the grandson of the shoe shop owner, and how Olivia—whose father was killed during the events surrounding the case—became an essential part of the narrative.

Diane also shares some of the craft challenges behind writing the book, including working with dual point of view for the first time, trusting readers to pick up on clues without over-explaining, and figuring out how to raise the stakes for the antagonist so the mystery had real tension.

It’s a thoughtful look at how historical fiction is shaped not just by research, but by storytelling decisions on the page.

We also talk about the delicate balance between truth and invention. Diane is a genealogist, so facts matter deeply to her—but in this case, fiction allowed her to explore what history left behind.

In reality, the town seemed to move on and never speak of the incident again. In the novel, Diane imagines what it might look like if the emotional and social consequences lingered for decades.

Our conversation also touches on the eerie relevance of the novel’s themes today: free speech, patriotism, public pressure, and the ways fear can be used to divide communities. This is one of those historical novels that doesn’t just immerse you in another time—it also throws light on our own.

The Infographic Guide to Standout Plots, with Lori Puma Mar 12, 2026

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If you’ve ever wished someone could take all those slippery, hard-to-explain storytelling principles and turn them into something you could actually see, this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by book coach and editor Lori Puma, and we dive into a topic that is both delightfully nerdy and wildly useful: story structure infographics.

Lori came to this work in a fascinating way. With a PhD in epidemiology and a background as a Story Grid editor, she brings both analytical precision and deep story knowledge to the table.

After working with writers and realizing that many of their biggest questions weren’t fully answered by the craft systems already out there, Lori set out to build visual tools that could help writers better understand what’s happening in a story—and how to manage multiple story elements at once.

And truly, that’s what makes this conversation so valuable.

We start with Lori’s action story diagram, which she explains is designed for any story where a hero must defeat a villain and save a victim. That includes action-adventure, crime thrillers, fantasy quests, and high-stakes “save the world” stories.

Lori walks us through the eight major panels of this structure, from the moment harm is done, through complications, failed plans, rising stakes, and finally the one-on-one climax. Along the way, she introduces a set of “thermometers” that measure different types of danger—physical, social, environmental, and institutional—and explains how tracking those threats can help writers create stories that feel dynamic and escalating.

What I especially loved is how practical Lori makes all of this. She talks about time pressure, resources, allies, and even compares the flow of an action novel to a video game, which honestly makes so much sense. Using examples from The Hunger Games, Killing Floor, and The Martian, she shows how structure isn’t about formula for formula’s sake—it’s about helping the reader feel tension, momentum, and emotional investment.

From there, we shift into the investigation rhythm, which I found especially juicy as someone working on a historical mystery. Lori introduces the idea of “lenses”—different ways an investigator might interpret clues, suspects, motives, or locations. She explains how mystery plots move through discovery, narrowing, stalls, plot-twisting clues, resets, and eventual solution.

One of the most helpful takeaways here is her insight that a real plot twist should actually change the diagram. If the way the clues fit together doesn’t fundamentally shift, it’s probably not a true twist.

We also touch on romance structure, including attraction, adhesion, connection, and the emotional vulnerability required for a satisfying happily-ever-after. Lori’s concept of “adhesion”—the force that keeps love interests in each other’s orbit even when things get hard—is especially smart and useful.

This is such a rich episode for writers who love craft, structure, and understanding why stories work. If you enjoy seeing the bones beneath the book, you’re going to love this one.

***TAKE LORI'S BREAKOUT NOVEL QUIZ HERE!

How to Bring History to Life, with Sharon Curcio Mar 05, 2026

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If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to bring a whole historical world to life on the page—without losing your reader in the weeds—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by author Sharon Curcio, and we’re talking about her indie-published historical novel, Asayi: An Autistic Teen’s Journey to Topola Shogun in Medieval Japan.

Sharon shares how this book (volume one of a trilogy) has already earned four medallions of excellence and a historical fiction finalist award from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards—and why readers have been responding so strongly to it.

Sharon takes us back to the unexpected origin of this story: her early years in the advertising world in New York, and a deep fascination with sumi-e art—the traditional Japanese black-ink painting practice that demands intense precision and presence.

That discipline, Sharon explains, was part of what catalyzed her long-term “journey into Japan,” eventually including a visit in 2024.

From there, we dig into one of the most compelling creative choices in Sharon’s novel: writing an autistic teenage heroine. Sharon describes a moment of realization—she could paint Japanese symbols beautifully, but she wasn’t literate in Japanese and didn’t know what the characters meant.

As she approached retirement, she began to ask: what kind of child might live inside that gap between skill and spoken understanding? Her answer became Asaii—an autistic teen whose strengths, perception, and determination shape the entire story.

We also talk about history. Sharon explains what a shogun actually is (and why it’s more than “a warlord with a gang”), touching on the bakufu, legal structures, and the fierce importance of land in Japan, where only a small percentage is arable.

Then she shares the real historical anchor point that sparked her plot research: the assassination of Yoshinori Ashikaga in 1441, an event Sharon uses as a fixed historical milestone while weaving fictional characters into the true historical timeline.

One of the craft highlights of our conversation is Sharon’s approach to a mute protagonist. In the novel, Asaii understands language but cannot speak it—and Sharon describes the challenges (and opportunities) of building a character who communicates through expression, action, and rapid sketching. It’s a fascinating look at how story can move powerfully without relying on dialogue.

We also chat indie publishing realities: the cover design process (including the surprising agony of getting sizing right for upload), Sharon’s decision to publish independently to avoid years-long waits, and the marketing maze—what worked, what didn’t (including Amazon Ads), and how podcasts and legitimate book clubs helped her reach real readers.

Writing with a Justice Perspective, with Julie Snider Feb 19, 2026

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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a brand-new novelist takes a big, brave swing—tackling history, identity, community, and book bans all in one story—this episode is for you.

Today on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Julie Snider, a retired public school teacher near Sacramento who now writes both fiction and nonfiction with a big-hearted focus on social justice and connection.

Julie’s debut novel, Chapel Bay Secrets (released January 2026), is set in a small town where the secrets don’t belong to just one person—they ripple through an entire community.

Julie shares how the seed of this novel was planted years ago, when she visited the site of the Tule Lake Internment Camp in Northern California. She describes walking through cold, dirty barracks and feeling shocked that Japanese American incarceration during World War II wasn’t something she’d been taught growing up.

That moment stayed with her—“like an arrow through my heart,” as she puts it—and eventually became part of the emotional backbone of her story. As Julie researched further, she also learned more about intergenerational trauma, and how the impact of incarceration can be carried through families for decades.

From there, Julie built a “layer cake” of characters and issues—centered on her protagonist Brenda Cato, a Japanese American lesbian librarian whose mother was incarcerated. Brenda is grappling with grief on the anniversary of her mother’s death, and she’s also searching for a father she never knew—because her mother died without telling her who he was. And then there’s the catalyst that brings everything into sharp focus: Brenda is suddenly facing a book ban at her library.

Julie talks about how the intensity of book bans in the early 2020s fueled her anger as a former educator—and how she did her homework by connecting with librarians and staying informed through the research shared by others in her network.

Even with heavy material, Julie intentionally brought in humor, warmth, and everyday life—quirky characters, a best friend with a sharp sense of humor, and yes, a romance that blossoms when Brenda meets someone on a run.

Julie also shares her process behind the scenes: color-coded timelines, lots of revision, and the moment her developmental editor told her, “I can’t believe you made it to the end.”

We talk self-publishing, cover design choices (no faces—so readers can imagine!), and Julie’s belief that books are written and shared in community. If you love thoughtful, genre-blending stories with heart, history, and hope, you’ll love this conversation.

Learn more about Julie and her work at https://juliesniderauthor.com/ and subscribe to her Substack, Impermanent Joy.

Changing Genre in Revision, with Kendra Pecci Feb 12, 2026

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If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if the “perfect” PTA mom had a secret life… this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by women’s suspense author Kendra Pecci, and we’re talking about her debut novel, Focus on Deception—a deliciously fun, high-stakes story set in a world of soccer games, fundraisers, and wine moms… with a twist.

Kendra introduces us to Stella Meyers, a photographer who blends right into her ritzy Connecticut suburb by day—capturing weddings, parties, and PTA events—while secretly robbing people blind at night.

Stella lives for the thrill, but when an exhilarating new connection starts to make a steady paycheck (and a more “normal” life) look appealing, everything changes. A ruthless blackmailer uncovers Stella’s identity and threatens her daughter, and suddenly all bets are off.

Kendra describes the vibe perfectly: Ocean’s 8 meets Big Little Lies with Gilmore Girls energy—and honestly? Yes. Please.

We also dig into the long road it took Kendra to bring this book to life. The seed of the story came years ago, when Kendra was living in Anchorage, Alaska and spotted the president of the PTA—seemingly flawless, “the whole package.” Kendra wondered, What if this is all a ruse? And just like that, Stella was born.

But here’s where it gets really interesting: Kendra originally wrote Stella’s story as women’s fiction. She queried it back in 2011 and kept hearing the same feedback: “You’ve got a thriller on your hands—you need to raise the stakes.” Kendra resisted that for a long time (a decade, in fact), because she wanted to tell a story about a mom taking risks without having to “wreck” the character.

Eventually, she made the difficult (and powerful) craft decision to shift the book into women’s suspense—while still honoring the relationships, inner life, and emotional texture that make Stella feel so real.

Kendra also shares what it was like to self-publish Focus on Deception in 2025—describing it as riding a roller coaster while building the roller coaster (and learning how to build it at the same time).

We talk about the importance of deadlines, editing support, and figuring out what kind of writer you are—pantser, plotter, or (as she learned from Lewis Jorstad) a “puzzler” who uses intuitive outlining to create direction without crushing creativity.

And underneath all of it is a message writers need: finishing a book is often 90% mental. There really is a path for everybody—you just have to find the one that fits your brain, your life, and your season.

Writing from Lived Experience, with Julie M. Green Feb 05, 2026

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If you’ve ever had a moment where something about your life suddenly made sense—and at the same time opened up a whole new set of questions—this conversation is for you.

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by writer and memoirist Julie Green, author of Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance. Julie shares the long, layered journey that led her to this book, beginning with her son’s autism diagnosis and eventually leading to her own, years later, in midlife.

Julie talks about what it’s like to be diagnosed later in life—and how that diagnosis sends you back through your memories: childhood, adolescence, early adulthood. It can be clarifying, emotional, and surprisingly tender, as long-held beliefs about who you are (and why certain things felt so hard) begin to shift.

We also talk craft, because Motherness didn’t come together by accident. Julie shares how she found what she calls the “container” for the story: a structure that allowed her to weave together parenting scenes, personal history, and research on autism without losing the heart of the memoir.

Each chapter explores a different aspect of the autistic experience—sensory differences, giftedness, eating and food, gender, special interests—layering her son’s experiences alongside her own, and showing both overlap and difference across generations.

A central theme of this conversation is radical acceptance. Julie reflects on how autism is often portrayed in extremes—either as tragedy or superpower—and why neither of those stories feels true to lived experience. Autism, she says, simply is. Some days are genuinely hard, especially in a world that isn’t built for neurodivergent people.

And there can also be humor, joy, and deep connection. Julie was intentional about holding the full truth of that on the page.

We also dig into how she integrates research in a way that supports the reader without overwhelming the story—moving from scene to context and back again—so the book stays grounded in lived experience.

Julie shares what her publishing journey looked like with ECW Press, including the courage it took to revise and resubmit after an initial “almost,” and what she’s working on now.

This is a thoughtful conversation about writing from lived experience, trusting stories that take time, and learning—again and again—to meet ourselves with more compassion.

Writing a Collaborative Project, with Robert Boyle and Joe Chimenti Jan 29, 2026

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This week on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, Rhonda is joined by Robert Boyle and Joe Cimenti, longtime friends who co-authored Thai Hut Tuesdays—a collection of short, heartfelt stories that’s meant to be both comforting and genuinely funny.

They describe the book as “Chicken Soup for the Soul meets Nate Bargatze”: emotional, relatable, and light enough to make you laugh at the things that once felt overwhelming.

The idea for the book began years ago—around 2006—after Bob and Joe spent decades doing leadership and sales training together. Over and over, they heard the same feedback: people might not remember the bullet points… but they always remembered the stories. That insight became the seed for the book.

What started as a leadership-focused project (and even took on a spiritual angle at one point) eventually evolved into what it needed to be all along: real stories from real life—parenting, marriage, work, mistakes, growth, and the everyday moments that shape us.

The title comes from a weekly ritual: meeting at a restaurant on Tuesdays, with a mix of people across ages, swapping life experiences and wisdom in community. That spirit of connection runs through the whole conversation. Bob (a psychologist in private practice) and Joe (a corporate executive) share how life’s responsibilities didn’t make writing easy—especially with four children each—but they kept returning to the project year after year, recommitting whenever life allowed.

Rhonda also asks about the practical side of co-writing: how did they actually do it? Bob and Joe share that they split the stories (each wrote half), and they also made space for intentional writing retreats—sometimes literally setting up shop in the common area of a Courtyard Marriott, laptops out, writing, talking through drafts, and cheering each other on.

Their collaboration worked because their styles are different—but compatible—and because they built the book around a consistent element: the lesson learned at the end of each story.

A big turning point was getting support from book coach Meg Calvin, who helped the project finally materialize. Bob and Joe talk candidly about how powerful it was to have someone in their corner who could guide them, simplify the publishing process, and help them believe, “Yes—you can do this.”

By the end of the episode, what lingers is the heart of Thai Hut Tuesdays: these are bite-sized, 3–5 minute stories you can pick up when you’re spinning, stressed, or doubting yourself—and come away remembering that so much of what we go through is shared human territory.

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