In this episode, I interview author Kristen Bahls, who shares her journey from being a teacher to becoming a podcaster and author. Kristen shares her experiences in the cozy mystery genre, the importance of community support, and her decision to self-publish her book. She emphasizes the role of feedback from beta readers and the significance of in-person events for new authors.

A Flair For Trouble releases August 7th!

Preorder it now: https://www.amazon.com/Flair-Trouble-Teachable-Book-ebook/dp/B0FK15MQ2T/

Keywords

writing, podcasting, cozy mystery, self-publishing, author journey, beta readers, marketing, book release, cover design, teaching

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:36 Kristen's Journey

04:29 Building Connections in the Book Community

07:25 Cozy Mystery vs. Romance

11:11 Writing Cozy Mysteries

15:54 Writing Process

20:45 The First Draft

25:42 Feedback and Beta Readers

31:51 Finding Beta Readers

36:53 Publishing Strategy

48:05 Marketing Strategy

59:18 Advice for Aspiring Authors

01:11:19 Writing for Teachers and Beyond

Recommendations

Savannah Gilbo’s articles: https://www.savannahgilbo.com/

Alexa Martin’s coaching calls.

Save The Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Romancing The Beat by Gwen Hayes

M.K. Williams’ self-publishing guides: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14420756.M_K_Williams

Guest Links

Instagram: @kristenbahlswrites

Get A Flair For Trouble: https://www.amazon.com/Flair-Trouble-Teachable-Book-ebook/dp/B0FK15MQ2T/

Where I Left Off podcast: anywhere you find your podcasts and @whereleftoffpod on Instagram

Host

Instagram | TikTok: @kkalbabooks

Email: k.k.alba.books@gmail.com

Recorded with Riverside.fm.

Music by Denis Pavlov from Pixabay.