Celebrating 400 Episodes of Reading and Writing and Talking About Both

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In this 400th episode, we share why this is the last episode of Charlotte Readers Podcast, we reflect on our experience as podcasters over 399 episodes, we talk about memorable podcast episodes, books, and writer quotes, and we share audio clips of previous interviews and readings on the show.

We also express our gratitude to you, our listeners, and to our supporters, authors, and partners, and we talk about what’s next for the podcast and the hosts. We couldn’t have done this podcast without you and we’re grateful you took the time to listen.

Please enjoy what remains on this website: 400 episodes with 450 authors, 88 community blog posts by different writers, and 47 vlog posts (video conversations with different writers).

Today’s Featured Topics

Time Stamp: 9:00

Because we reflect on six years of podcasting, we have a lot of content packed into this episode–our longest episode ever–but we provide time stamps for each Act in case you choose to listen in bite size chunks or in case you want to skip around.

Here are the topics for the main part of the show today, with audio clips from the past thrown in for fun.

Act 1: Gratitude for 400 Episodes

Time Stamp: 18:45

Act 2: Podcast Stuff We Learned How to Do

Time Stamp: 30:00

Act 3: Challenges, Bloopers, and Missed Opportunities

Time Stamp: 37:58

Act 4: The Joys of Podcasting on Charlotte Readers Podcast

Time Stamp: 50:52

Act 5: Memorable Episodes with Audio Clips

Time Stamp: 1:14:40

Act 6: Memorable Books Read with Audio Clips

Time Stamp: 2:06:28

Act 7: Memorable Quotes from The Write Quotes Series

Time Stamp: 2:35:58

Act 8: Hosts’ 400th Episode Blog Posts

Time Stamp: 2:45:54

Act 9: Recently read book recommendations

Time Stamp: 2:52:34

Act 10: Farewell

Time Stamp: 2:57:05

As our parting gift to the writers who are listening, we have added at the end of this show, two bonus segments.

Bonus 1: Audio Collage of 20 writers offering writing advice

Time Stamp: 3:09:42

Bonus 2: Audio Collage of 44 writers reflecting on the advice they would give to their younger writer selves

Time Stamp:  3:37:35

Act 1:  Gratitude for 400 Episodes

Time Stamp: 18:45

In this section of the show, we share that this 400th episode is the last recorded episode of Charlotte Readers Podcast, and explain the why, much of which has to do with the busyness of life and the hosts’ desires to engage in other creative projects.

We express our gratitude to our listeners, authors, and supporters. All have been critical to the success of this show.

We express our gratitude to our network, the Queen City Podcast Network, with whom we’ve been joined at the hip from the beginning.

We thank our writing partners: Storied Charlotte Blog, Charlotte Lit, and Charlotte Writers Club.

We thank our reading partners, Park Road Books, and Libro.fm.

And finally, we express our gratitude to our families and friends who supported our podcasting addiction.

It’s been a good run.

What Remains:

We intend to maintain the website and the podcast feed so you can continue to enjoy all 400 episodes at this website and wherever you like to listen to your podcasts, whether that is Apple podcasts, Spotify, or some other platform.

Our community blog and vlog will continue to be available on this website. Both contain interesting articles and conversations about writing craft and the business of writing.

Note that Apple and those who pull from Apple only put up the most recent 300 episodes, but this website will be here for you to access the episodes from the beginning.

Act 2: Podcast Stuff We Learned How to Do:

Time Stamp: 30:00

  • Podcasting takes effort. There is more to running a podcasting than talking into a microphone
  • Best practices: The five Ps of podcasting: Preparation; Performance; Production; People; and Perseverance
  • How to:
    • Prepare for and conduct an author interview
    • Prepare authors to be interviewed
    • Work with author publicists
    • Record in a studio with a mixing board
    • Record virtual interviews over the internet
    • Edit audio
    • Store audio and manage the RSS feed
    • Create graphics
    • Write a newsletter
    • Publish and promote episodes

Act 3: Challenges, Bloopers, and Missed Opportunities

Time Stamp: 37:58

  • A weekly podcast
    • comes around every week
    • preparation and post-production are time-consuming.
  • New life stuff happens
  • Once authors and book publicists find you
    • Some can be very persistent
    • Your inbox fills up fast with submissions.
  • Technical difficulties happen:
    • Like when we forgot to hit “record”
    • Like when the authors didn’t know how to work their own computer
  • Strange things happen:
    • Like when the guest overslept and was mad we woke them up: “Who is this?” they asked.
    • Like when the guest showed up inebriated at 9:00 am
  • Missed opportunities
    • Landis never got that interview with John Grisham

Act 4: The Joys of Podcasting on Charlotte Readers Podcast

Time Stamp: 50:52

  • Meeting and reading
    • Meeting talented authors
    • Reading interesting books
  • Interviewing
    • We know you’re listening, but it feels like an intimate conversation
    • Hearing authors read their work aloud
    • Hearing authors talk about their joys and struggles in the writing process
  • Learning
    • About book publishing and publication paths
    • About book marketing
    • What authors would tell their younger writer selves
  • Inspiration
    • Experiencing the inspirational interview
  • Community
    • Meeting a new friend or collaborator
    • Being invited into new communities of creatives
  • Variety
    • Types of interviews:
      • One-on-one author interviews
      • Two or three-host author interviews
      • Shows with just two or three hosts
      • Guest-hosted shows
      • Collage episodes with many writers
    • Interview locations
      • Pre-recorded
      • Live (bookstores, schools, restaurants)
    • Types of shows
      • Focus on books and stories
      • Focus on writing craft and writing lives
    • Types of stories
      • Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry
      • Short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Creative additions to the show
    • Repeat special guests like Mark West
    • Speakpipe blog readings by community bloggers
    • Book recommendations by Park Road Books and That’s Novel Books
    • Charlotte Lit Tips
      • Paul Reali tip on “Where ideas come from”
    • Audio clips related to our books
      • Landis interviews one of his characters in Deadly Declarations with the help of narrator Bill A. Jones
    • Read from our books
      • Landis introduces Sarah who reads an excerpt from The Plus One
    • Offered advice on book marketing
      • Hannah talks about marketing, just another form of storytelling, she says

Act 5: Memorable Episodes With Audio Clips

Time Stamp: 1:14:40

All the episodes are memorable and valuable for one reason or another and while it was hard for each host to pick three episodes (nine total), with a few combinations, we’ve done just that below:

Landis

  • The 100th episode with Craig Johnson was memorable because:
  • It was the 100th episode and at the time, it felt like an important milestone, since most new podcasts fade after about ten episodes
  • Craig Johnson is the author of one of Landis’s favorite series of books (and TV episodes): The Walt Longmire series
  • Johnson is a New York Times bestselling mystery novelist who taught a writing course Landis took, and Landis named the protagonist in his novel Deadly Declarations after Craig Johnson’s first name, giving his character the name Craig Travail, which last name borrowed from Johnson’s technique of using character names that give insight to the character (i.e. his use of Walt “Longmire” for the brooding sheriff).
  • Johnson is an engaging conversationalist who can spin a yarn just as well with his mouth as with his pen, and he taught me a lot about writing in this episode, and when I had him back for the 325th episode.
  • The 200th and 300th episodes with John Hart and J. Box were memorable because:
  • These were the 200th and 300th episodes, a real accomplishment for the podcast
  • Both authors are New York Times bestselling authors who are gracious with their advice and interesting in their storytelling.
  • Their books were fun to read
  • The three episodes with David Baldacci (Episode 205) (Episode 317) and (Episode 374) were memorable because:
  • His novels have been published in over 45 languages in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide.
  • He was more than willing to share his advice on writing and the publishing industry.
  • Landis has been reading and enjoying his books for many years.

Sarah: 

  • Episode 307 with Therese Anne Fowler about her book It All Comes Down to This was memorable because:
  • This was the first interview Sarah recorded! She was nervous, especially because we had some tech issues at the beginning, but Therese was so insightful and gracious and said she appreciated the close reading of her work. Sarah later had the opportunity to meet Therese in person when she interviewed her for an event for the Charlotte Writers Club. Everything Sarah has read of hers has been a pleasure!
  • The two poetry episodes Sarah recorded are memorable because:
  • While Sarah loves novels and nonfiction, she enjoys poetry too, and it’s nice to have a change of pace in the reading. Poetry was her focus in college and she says “it’s good to return to my roots every now and then.”
  • In episode 326, Jay Ward, the Charlotte Poet Laureate, shared his stunning collection Composition, which approaches themes of upbringing, history, race, and family with emotional depth and artful formal experimentation.
  • In episode 379, AE Hines, also a Charlotte poet, shared his new collection Adam in the Garden, which brings humor, sensitivity, and delight to a variety of topics. Earl is a relative newcomer to the poetry space but he’s already become a fixture in the Charlotte literary scene, and it’s amazing how much he’s accomplished!
  • The Benjamin Gilmer episode (306) is memorable because:
  • Hannah and Sarah co-hosted this interview, so it was fun to tag team!
  • Sarah normally reads more fiction than nonfiction, but the true story of The Other Dr. Gilmer is so captivating that she was eager to talk to Benjamin, and his passion for his advocacy work for mental healthcare in the justice system is infectious.
  • Sarah kept tabs a little bit on this continuing story since our interview and is glad that the subject of the book, Vince Gilmer, has finally been released from prison and placed into medical care: a major milestone.

Hannah:

  • Episode 311 with Jennifer McMahon was memorable because:
  • Hannah was very excited to interview Jennifer because she has been a fan of her books for over 10 years. This was the first time she felt like she was really “fangirling” over an author on the show, and it was both nerve-wracking and amazing to be able to talk with one of her favorite writers.
  • Talking with Jennifer about childhood trauma and how that translates into adulthood was such an interesting conversation, one that Hannah felt like she walked away from with a lot to think about.
  • Episode 391 with Curtis Chin was memorable because:
  • Hannah had a lot of fun talking with an author who was 110% invested in the promotion of his book. Curtis was in the middle of a massive book tour, sometimes even having two events in one day. As a publicist, it was interesting to hear his thoughts on promotions and the amount of effort it takes to get your book out in the world. As he said, if you’re not promoting your book as an author, what are you doing?
  • One of Hannah’s great loves is food, specifically Asian food, so it was a pleasure to talk with Curtis about his family’s Chinese restaurant. Her mouth watered for 50% of the conversation.
  • Curtis was humble, kind, and visibly passionate. This was just amazing to be around. Hannah learned a lot about what life was like for Curtis as a gay Asian-American growing up in the USA, specifically Detroit.
  • Episode 382 with Joe Clifford was memorable because:
  • Hannah saw Joe as a wide open book. Although he writes a lot of fiction novels, many of them incorporate his struggle with addiction. Being so vulnerable with Hannah and the CRP audience was inspiring to see.
  • Talking about the myth of being high/under the influence of drugs or alcohol inspires creativity (and why that’s not true) was important to Hannah. She connects with that message on a personal level.

Act 6: Memorable Books Read for the Podcast with Audio

Time Stamp: 2:06:28

Landis: 

  • Martin Clark’s “Substitution Order” is a legal thriller with a perfect twist. The book was memorable but so was the interview for the book, which we conducted live at Park Road Books and where Martin, who never reads from his books, did so for the podcast. The New York Times Magazine says Martin Clark “is not only the thinking man’s John Grisham, but maybe better, the drinking man’s John Gresham” and David Baldacci praised him as “a truly original writer.”
  • The Accidental Activists, by Dave Collins, captures the true essence of the painful and emotional fight for marriage equality. This award-winning book reads like a novel but tells a story that is anything but fiction. It is a well- researched and thoroughly engaging story about the struggle for dignity and the right to choose one’s spouse.
  • Robert Gwaltney’s The Cicada Tree is set in the South at the time the cicadas emerge, a story one reviewer calls “a Southern Gothic with a vengeance.” Winner of numerous awards, this book is filled with beautiful prose, the kind of book that tells a good story but with words and phrases that make you pause and wonder how the author did it.

Hannah:

  • Katherine Faulkner’s The Other Mothers: This book satisfied every hope and dream of an avid thriller/mystery reader. It’s a juicy story set in London about the secrets woven into a high society group of women whose children play together in a playgroup. It’s fast-paced, thought-provoking, and thrilling – Hannah read it within a day.
  • Trust the Whisper by Kathy Izard: This is one of the most inspiring books Hannah has read in a long time. It shares individual stories about the people she encountered while embarking on a mission to offer life changing assistance to homeless people, and people struggling with mental health. The part about this book that really makes you think, is that Kathy is highlightingreal people, tackling real issues in their communities across the country.
  • Everything I Learned, I Learned in A Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin: This is one of those memoirs that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading it. Curtis Chin shares his experiences growing up as a gay Asian American living in Detroit, helping his family run a Chinese restaurant. It’s funny, thought-provoking, informative, and will make you VERY hungry. It was rightfully named a 2023 top memoir by Time Magazine, and garnered praise from the Washington Post, W. Magazine, Goodreads, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Sarah:

  • Brian Selznick’s Big Tree: This book is unique in so many respects. It’s a picture book that’s over 400 pages, gorgeously illustrated by the author, with a simple but evocative story that resonates for all ages. It was also fascinating to talk to Brian about the genesis for this book, which started with an idea from Steven Spielberg!
  • Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions for You: Of all the books Sarah read for the podcast, this might be the one she would most universally recommend, partially because it’s so good and partially because it has something for everyone. It’s written with literary depth, exploring evocative questions of perception and memory, but it’s also accessible and compulsively readable, with a page-turning story about a murder at a boarding school.
  • Melissa Broder’s Death Valley: Melissa is the final author Sarah interviewed for the podcast and it was a privilege to talk to her, because she’s one of Sarah’s favorite contemporary writers. Her latest novel brings her trademark voice and wit to questions of spirituality and mortality. 

Act 7: Memorable Quotes from The Write Quotes Series

Time Stamp: 2:35:58

Landis:

My idea of hell is being stuck somewhere without a book.

— Craig Johnson

We’re not making McDonald’s hamburgers. There’s just no clear-cut way to do it.

— Ron Rash

Writing is not about writing, necessarily. Writing is about living. And the more deeply and fully you live, the more you’re able to write.

— Anthony Abbott

Hannah:

Be patient. But at the same time, be confident in your own voice. Don’t try to structure your book by what’s currently popular in the market, or add elements to it that you think will have appeal simply to add them rather than be authentic. And learn the business of publishing. – CJ Box

I’m a big believer in those earliest emotions that were so clear to us in childhood. It’s a whole wealth of material. – Jill McCorkle

Fiction opens this door to a deeper truth. – Gina Wilkinson

Sarah:

Read and be around writers. That’s what I would tell my younger self.

— Wiley Cash

Every time I sit down to write a book, it’s as if you’ve never written a word in your life.

— David Joy

I can’t help but write. It’s just the way I process the world. I interpret everything through story. And I really do believe

stories are the shortest distance to the human heart.

— Marybeth Whalen

Act 8: Hosts’ Final Episode Blog Posts

Time Stamp: 2:45:54

Check out these blog posts by the hosts about their experiences podcasting on Charlotte Readers Podcast:

  • Landis

How to Produce 400 Podcast Episodes: Three Tips on the Creative Process [see Community Blog]

In this post, Landis discusses the three things that helped Charlotte Readers Podcast reach the 400-episode milestone and which he believes are important to the creative process: (i) the creative spark; (ii) the creative fuel: perseverance; and (iii) creative evolution.

  • Hannah

The Childlike Sense of Joy Podcasting Gave Me [see Community Blog]

In this post, Hannah discusses how joining Charlotte Readers Podcast as a co-host reminded her what it means to have fun while learning something new. She also shares how talking about stories with Sarah and Landis, along with the authors she interviewed on the show, encouraged growth in her own life.

  • Sarah

The Surprising Thing I Learned From Joining a Podcast [see Community Blog]

In this post, Sarah discusses how and why she came to join Charlotte Readers Podcast, her apprehensions and discoveries along the way, and the value of taking a creative leap.

Act 9:  Recently read book recommendations:

Time Stamp: 2:52:34

Hannah:

Dusk, Night, Dawn by Anne Lamott

Hannah recommends this spectacular book by Anne Lamott because it’s exactly that – spectacular. It’s a short, nonfiction piece that reminds readers to take life one day at a time. Anne Lamott is someone who has been fairly vocal about her struggles with writing, parenting, addiction, etc. and this book is no exception. She wrote it during COVID, when everything felt like it was at its darkest. The big question she asks (and answers) is how do we regain our confidence and find happiness again in a world that doesn’t seem to be getting any better? It’s raw, thought-provoking, and uplifting!

Sarah:

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

Sarah listened to this book on Libro.fm and found it to be a page-turner, even without pages. Gramazio takes a fun premise (a London woman’s attic keeps producing men she has never seen before, but finds out she’s married to) and stretches it to funny, surprising, and even frightening extremes. The novel becomes an entertaining meditation on the paths we walk in life and why we walk down them.

Landis:

Light of Day by Webb Hubbell,

Available fall 2024, attorney Jack Patterson is back with a case where winning could cost him his life and where even he wonders if his bag of legal tricks is finally empty. With the mob, the Justice Department, Big Law, a crooked judge, and most of Silicon Valley breathing down his neck, Jack must pretend to be the lawyer-he’s-not to have a chance to save himself and his client. This up-against-the-wall-legal thriller is pure fun from start to finish!

Act 10: What’s Next And A Brief Farewell

Time Stamp: 2:57:05

What’s Next for the Hosts:

We intend to continue to collaborate together and stay in touch through a rebranded newsletter.

We will continue writing, supporting authors, and maybe even do some more podcasting.

Farewell But Not Goodbye

Landis, Hannah, and Sarah wave farewell but not goodbye.

We hope you continue to enjoy what Charlotte Readers Podcast has to offer: 400 episodes, 450 authors, 88 blog posts, and 47 vlog posts.

You can reach us using the Contact page on this website.

Bonus 1: Audio Collage of 20 writers with Tips on Writing

Time Stamp: 3:09:42 

We hear from the following twenty (20) authors who appeared on the show about the craft of writing and about being a writer:

Mark West: on how there is no one way to write, but a writing community is key

Maureen Ryan Griffin: on finding your why for writing

Ron Rash: on where stories come from and how writing gets more mysterious

Cathy Pickens: on hunting down a good story and looking for the truth in the story

Joel Burcat: on how to write a novel; just write and other tips

Craig Johnson: on how novel writing is like climbing a mountain; a rough outline helps

Lisa Jewell: on how novel writing can be making it up one word at a time and being surprised

Mark de Castrique: on how the elements of a good story are plot, character, setting, and theme

Amber Smith: on the importance of creating conflict and tension

George Hovis: on the importance of setting

Carrie Knowles: on the importance of the emotional truth in a story

Judy Goldman: on the importance in memoir on the reflections

Randell Jones: on writing the personal story and how one’s voice is unique

Tracy Lee Curtis: on writing humor; creative misdirection

Irene Blair Honeycutt: on writing poetry; paying attention

Frye Gaillard: on writing non-fiction; the goal is to tell a good story

Kim Wright: on the importance of a writing practice

Nora Gaskin: on the formula for editing; add, subtract, reorder, and clarify

Wiley Cash: on embracing being a writer and how to receive feedback

Chris Fabry: on how being a writer requires thick skin and perseverance

Bonus 2: Audio Collage on Writer Advice to Their Younger Selves

Time Stamp:  3:37:35

The authors in this bonus segment answer the question: What advice would you give to your younger self to help them as a writer based on everything you’ve learned about being a writer?

We hear from 43 writers: Adele Myers, Amber Smith, Amy Willougby Burle, Andrews & Wilson, Annette Clapsaddle, Brad Taylor, Brooke Shaffner, Deborah Royce, Eliot Parker, Ellen Butler, Heather Bell Adams, Jennifer Herrera, Jenny Jackson, Jerome Priseler, Jill McCorkle, John Gilstrap, Julia Kelly, Kerry Fryar Freeman, Kim Wright, Kristy Harvey, Leah Konen, M. William Phelps, Marjorie Hudson, Mark Stevens, Martin Clark, Michael Ford, Mike Bond, Mimi Herman, Pamela Fagan Hutchins, Paolo Bacigalupi, Rachel Koller Croft, Robert McCaw, Robert Whitlow, Silvia Molnar, Sophie Cousens,, Steve Berry, Steven James, Tara Lush, Terry Roberts, Tracy Clark, Susan Zurenda, Jane Rosenthal, and Steven Eoannou.

Our Podcast Books

If you’d like to support the maintenance of our website, buy one or more of podcast books. Cheers!

Death by Podcasting

Death by Podcasting is a mystery novella written by Sarah Archer and Landis Wade, with input from Hannah Larrew, because podcasting can be a dangerous business. Learn More and order your copy Here: https://books2read.com/u/mKVrvy

The Write Quotes Book Series:

Put the wisdom of the podcast in your pocket by purchasing one of more of the eight books in The Write Quote series, a collection of writing quote books compiled from 500+ Charlotte Readers Podcast interviews (episodes, blogs, and vlogs) with bestselling, award-winning, and hard-working authors.

Download Book 1 of the Write Quotes Series for free Here: https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/writequotes/