The Kudzu Queen and How Reading Leads to Publication

In this episode 322, we bring you The Kudzu Queen, an exciting historical novel from NC writer Mimi Herman, which has won praise from authors from David Sedaris to Lee Smith to Jill McCorkle. Mary Salisbury shares how the love of reading can lead to publication. And we’ve got book recommendations, writing advice from Charlotte Lit, and more! 

Today’s Featured Authors

Mimi Herman Time Stamp: 4:50

North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green calls The Kudzu Queen“absorbing, nuanced, and as layered as the characters who inhabit it.” New York Times bestselling novelist Lee Smith says the novel has “the most appealing young heroine since Scout…this book demands to be a movie!”

Mary Salisbury Time Stamp: 40:22

Mary Salisbury, author of Side Effects of Wanting, shares her blog post “How the Love of Reading Can Lead to Publication.” 

Community Updates:

         Listen to our episode for updates on the Charlotte writing community, including events from the Charlotte Writers Club, Charlotte Lit, and more.

Host Updates:

         Sarah: On January 18th, I’ll be speaking to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Writers Beyond Borders group about how and why to try screenwriting. Register for free here. I also just had a short story published in The Barcelona Review, which you can read here.

         Hannah: I’m transitioning back from maternity leave after the first holiday season with baby Gwen! I’m looking forward to reading more in the coming months and sharing new recommendations with you.

         Landis: I’m working hard on The Write Quotes book series, where we’ll share wisdom from every episode of the podcast–more coming soon.

Book Recommendations: Time Stamp: 49:04 

         Sarah recommends:

         The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Morimi

         Landis recommends:

         The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy

         Mark West, Storied Charlotte Blog, recommends:

          Manmade Constellations by Misha Lazzara

2-Minute Tip: Time Stamp: 30:22

Don’t miss Charlotte Lit co-founder and executive director Paul Reali’s tip about using point of view in scenes.

Writing Tips:

         From Mary Salisbury’s blog post “How the Love of Reading Can Lead to Publication,” we take the following tips:

  • Writers should always be reading! Make time particularly to read writers whose work you admire and can learn from.
  • Write with abandon–no one is looking over your shoulder–and submit your work without fear of rejection, which is a natural part of the process.
  • Pick forms that you like to read to write in as well.

Community Voices: Time Stamp: 55:00

Thanks to Dori Ann Dupre for sharing her elevator pitch!

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