What does it take to turn a lifelong mantra into a published book?

In this episode of Book Bound, Bethany Saltman and Fran Hauser talk with Carla Ondrasik, former music publishing executive and author of Stop Trying!. Carla shares how her obsession with the language of “trying” led her from scribbled notes to a book deal with Simon & Schuster’s Post Hill Press. She opens up about choosing the right agent, the steep learning curve of crafting a proposal, and the discipline it required to transform her idea into a compelling pitch.

Carla also reflects on publishing her debut in her sixties, the lessons she learned from working with a developmental editor, and the importance of building the right support system for both writing and promotion. From deadlines that stretched her creativity to the challenges of marketing in today’s landscape, she offers a candid look at the perseverance and adaptability it takes to bring a book into the world.

Resources:
Connect with Carla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlaondrasik/

Follow Carla on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carlaondrasik

Check out Carla’s website: https://www.carlaondrasik.com/

Check out Carla’s book: https://a.co/d/f0mYAl0
Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

• (00:00) - Introduction to Book Bound Podcast
• (00:55) - Meet Carla Ondrasik: From Music Executive to Author
• (01:17) - The Emotional Journey of Writing a Book
• (04:08) - Finding the Right Agent and Proposal Challenges
• (07:35) - Developing the Book Proposal
• (14:04) - The Pitch Process and Securing a Deal
• (21:27) - Preparing for Book Launch and Marketing Strategies
• (25:00) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How do you turn 200 million TikTok views into a bestselling memoir?

In this episode of Book Bound, Bethany Saltman and Fran Hauser talk with Dr. Erin Nance, orthopedic surgeon, bestselling author of Little Miss Diagnosed, and founder of the FeelBetr app, about building a platform rooted in authenticity. Erin shares how a single chapter shared with a stranger sparked her writing journey, why she started storytelling on TikTok, and how her viral content helped land a two-book deal.

She gets real about writing without a ghostwriter, pitching while her content was going viral, and navigating the publishing process as a first-time author. From skipping blurbs to embracing the “authenticity economy,” Erin’s approach challenges the traditional playbook and offers a new way to think about platform, story, and what it takes to connect with readers.

Resources:
Connect with Dr. Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinnancemd/
Find Dr. Erin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorerinnance/
Find Dr. Erin on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@littlemissdiagnosed?lang=en
Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

When your first manuscript doesn’t land with publishers, how do you transform that draft into the foundation for a book that does?

In this episode of Bookbound, Fran Hauser and Bethany Saltman sit down with Cecily Mak, attorney, co-founder of Wisdom Ventures, and author of Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits. Cecily talks about the long, non-linear path to her debut, revealing how she spent years writing a 300-page memoir that will likely never be published, but became the essential groundwork for Undimmed. She shares how a breast cancer diagnosis just as she left her tech executive career reshaped both her timeline and her clarity of purpose.

Cecily also deconstructs the nuts and bolts of the publishing process: finding the right agent, rewriting her proposal around a prescriptive framework, and selling her book at auction. She opens up about the role rituals played in sustaining her writing practice, why feedback from agents was invaluable, and how building community through Substack and Instagram fed both her process and her book’s message.

Connect with Cecily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearlifejourney/

Connect with Cecily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilymak/

Check out Cecily’s book Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits: https://www.amazon.com/Undimmed-Awarenesses-Freedom-Unwanted-Habits/dp/1250385180

Check out the ClearLife Substack: https://cecilymak.substack.com/

Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/