Lesbians Who Write

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Please note, due to a storm, TB’s mic cuts out occasionally. We apologize for the annoyance!

TB only has two weeks to get the cowrite with Miranda MacLeod to the editor, and she’s starting to full-on panic. Mayday! Mayday! In Girl Love Happens news, she’s going through the final stage before publishing, but TB never determined a publication date, which is kinda important. She’s not sure how that fell through the cracks. And, TB finally announces what big project she’s cooked up for I Heart Lesfic in 2022.

Clare has a new telly and eyeglasses, opening up a whole new world. Sadly, her knee is still effed. Big London Dreams is launching next week! Don’t miss her first foray into historical fiction. She’s also cracking on with her other book, but she feels a bit weird to be so far along in it since she normally doesn’t juggle two projects at the same time. And, the cover for the new book is in the works. Exciting times! Not surprisingly, Clare has experienced yet another printer fail.

They move on to the main topic: translations. TB hasn’t had a chance to tackle translations yet since she would prefer signing with a publisher due to the cost and difficulties of finding an excellent translator. Clare has already ventured into translations. She walks the listener through the process, including which languages to consider, deciding whether to go with a publisher or indie, factors to consider when choosing a translator, and the biggest barrier of all, the costs if you go the indie route.

Are you considering translating your books?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back to discuss something fresh and juicy.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

Translate Books Service: translatebooks.com

Bablecube: www.babelcube.com

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TB’s chugging along on the cowrite with Miranda MacLeod and is halfway through the next Lizzie book. However, she’s worried (What else is new?) about messing up Lizzie’s backstory, but TB shares when she heard one of her favorite authors address this very issue and how the author also got things wrong. The audio version of The Date is live! In shocking news, TB actually ate inside a restaurant.

Clare had a couple of blue days after returning from her trip and sitting back at the laptop, which is the worst part of taking time off, getting back into the groove. However, her trip has inspired a new book that she’s motoring along on. And, it has a title already, which is fab news because the cover designer is booked for July. Big London Dreams is with the ARC team! Due to an upcoming construction project, Clare’s shopping around for a shared work space for peace and quiet. She has her eye on a posh one, but the cheaper option is closer to home. Stay tuned for her decision.

They move on to the main topic: half-year check-in. How have they done? After pushing herself last year, TB didn’t set too many 2021 goals. Saying that, TB is having an extremely productive year in certain areas but falling down in others. Clare framed certain goals, and while she’s had to juggle family issues and a change in plans, so far she’s had a solid six months. However, not everything has been smooth sailing for the duo.

How’s your year going so far?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back to dish about their favorite summer reads.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

The Date audiobook: lesbianromancesbytbm.com/books/the-date/

Big London Dreams: www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/big-london-dreams/

Clare’s Website: www.clarelydon.co.uk

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TB is flustered, per usual. In fab audio news, A Woman Trapped, the 8^th book in the Lizzie series, is now live and only took 8 days to go through ACX. A true miracle! In more miraculous news, TB’s writing resistance has finally ebbed, and she’s making amazing progress on the cowrite with Miranda MacLeod. Not everything is rosy, though, and TB suffered through a disastrous kitchen flood over their two-week break.

Unlike TB, Clare had an epic hiatus exploring the Scottish Highlands, experiencing stunning scenery, fantastic food, incredible beaches, and perfect weather, which is a rarity in Scotland. And, the trip inspired a couple of stories, a fantabulous bonus. Big London Dreams is back from the editor, meaning Clare is in the final push for publication. In sports news, Euro 2020 is filling Clare’s heart with joy.

They move on to the main topic: favorite Pride memories. There’s been a lot of chatter about Pride this week. Some of the news has been terrible, like the restrictions in Hungary, and some has been encouraging, such as Carl Nassib coming out. Both examples highlight how necessary Pride still is. The duo shares their favorite Pride memories because this is a time to remember the happy moments.

What are your favorite Pride memories?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back to break down how their years are going at the halfway mark.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

A Woman Trapped audiobook: lesbianromancesbytbm.com/books/a-woman-lost-series/

German Translation of A Taste of Love: www.amazon.de/Das-Gefühl-Liebe-Clare-Lydon-ebook/dp/B097DN4QNT

Big London Dreams: www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/big-london-dreams/

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Programming note, the duo is taking some time off, and the next episode will air on June 28^th.

TB has started the cowrite with Miranda MacLeod, and it’ll be a test to see if TB’s writing brain snaps back to life or if it’s completely broken. On the marketing front, TB is busy rebranding the entire Girl Love Happens series since she did everything absolutely wrong on the first go. In fun news (kinda shocking for TB to report something lighthearted), she went to P-Town for her birthday and drank wine from a rainbow can.

Clare is currently traipsing through Scotland, hopefully blister free. She’s also booked restaurants by a lake, which sounds so delightful. Walking, eating, drinking wine… What’s not to love? Before leaving, she published a blog post about how to launch a book, so be sure to check that out. For blog lovers, she’s posting two a month on her author website. You don’t want to miss her gems.

They move on to the main topic: are you languishing? It won’t come as a surprise to listeners to hear TB is most definitely struggling, and she recommended the topic. She discovered the term while researching why she just can’t find the motivation for anything. They break down what it means to them and provide tips to combat it. Most importantly, it’s vital to acknowledge it and to take care of your mental health.

Are you languishing?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

They’ll be back on June 28^th to celebrate Pride.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Link:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

NYT Languishing Article: www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html

How to Launch a Book: www.clarelydon.co.uk/2021/05/top-tips-how-to-launch-a-book/

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TB published the third Lizzie boxset, and she’s still trying to figure out why readers love Lizzie so much but is grateful they do. In writing news, TB is in serious crunch time to get Girl Love Happens done for her editing date. In other news, technology has decided it hates TB, and everything has been breaking on her websites, causing a lot of screaming and even more tears.

Clare has been prepping for her walking trip in Scotland, including getting her feet taken care of and a pap smear test, making TB wonder what Clare is expecting on this trip. She has ordered a bunch of bandages for her feet in case she gets blisters. She’s still tapping out words, hoping to hit a target before her getaway, but she’s still not sure if this is the project she’ll publish next.

They move on to the main topic: selling your backlist. Both are passionate about this topic because for most full-time writers, it’s the backlist that keeps the lights on while most of the buzz surrounds new releases. Authors can’t solely bank on new releases to bring in the money. Meaning writers rely on their backlist for a certain percentage of their income. That makes it imperative to sell your backlist, and the duo offers tips on how to do that.

How do you sell your backlist?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back to ask the question: are you languishing?

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

A Woman Lost Boxed Set: iheartlesfic.com/lizzie-series/

BookBub: www.bookbub.com

Hello Books: hellobooks.com

My Lesfic: www.mylesfic.com

Lesfic Now: lesficnow.com

I Heart Lesfic: iheartlesfic.com

Sapphic Reading Challenge: jae-fiction.com/sapphic-reading-challenge-2021/

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TB is on a tight editing deadline, and it’s going to be a close finish. On the Lizzie front, things are going pretty well with the story, but JJ is an entirely different story. Just in the nick of time, TB is starting another cowrite with Miranda MacLeod, and fingers crossed the joint project helps kick TB’s writing brain into gear. Sometimes, it’s best to have a buddy during difficult times.

Clare is squeezing out some words on her next book, but she’s still not sure if this is the right project. While she puzzles that out, Clare is not sharing what the story is about just in case she has to ditch it. The tricky part is Clare has her cover designer scheduled next month, meaning she needs a title and general idea of the story to create the cover because her designer is booked solid. No pressure!

And, Clare has been avoiding telling TB something…

They move on to the main topic: is self-publishing second best? This is a matter that keeps rearing its ugly head, and some love to claim only those who couldn’t get a publishing contract go down the indie path. The duo slaps down the arguments that are hurled at indie authors. The key point: indie publishing doesn’t mean an author doesn’t have a team of editors, proofreaders, and designers. To succeed as an author, it’s vital to treat writing as a business. Traditional, indie, and hybrid publishing are all valid routes because the most important aspect is getting your story out there.

What do you think about independent publishing?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back with another brilliant chat.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Link:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

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TB has to admit Clare was right: the audio version of The Love Project sailed through ACX, which isn’t known for their efficiency. TB expected it to come out in late May, but it dropped in the final days of April. On the writing front, TB is switching her focus to Girl Love Happens to meet a June 1 edit. In outstanding news, TB got her second vaccine jab and has been recovering, meaning there haven’t been any fresh words on the page, but she’s fully vaxxed now! Toot, toot!

It’s amazing Clare sat down for the recording because her day hasn’t gone according to plan. First, she’s been dealing with difficulties finalizing her Irish passport. Second, there was a spider attack. Third, she had a call with her first reader of Big London Dreams going over all the comments, but the big takeaway is the reader says this is Clare’s best book yet. Now, Clare needs to wind back up into the mode of first drafting for her next story. And, spider proof her house.

During the comment section, they discuss whether tits can solve TB’s writing dilemma. The bigger questions is: do tits solve all problems? Weigh in, dear listeners.

They move on to the main topic: what’s your biggest fear? TB shares a personal fear, outlining how it started during her childhood and has progressively gotten worse. Clare’s greatest fear isn’t the same one from her younger years. Her fear now, hits both her work and professional life because she’s efficient like that. TB shares her biggest writing fear, and Clare tries to talk TB off the ledge. Fear, though, feeds on the irrational and can become a major stumbling block in life.

What are your biggest fears?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back with more sparkling conversation about whether or not self-publishing is second best.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

The Love Project: lesbianromancesbytbm.com/books/the-love-project/

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

Polish Library: labirynt.com/projekty/azyl-library/?lang=en

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TB has started over on JJ, the book that won’t cooperate or die. She needs to figure out exactly where she drove the story off the cliff and try to pull it back. For those keeping track of the JJ vs Lizzie race, shockingly, JJ is back in the lead. TB had a battle with the water supply in her apartment, and she’s wondering if bad karma is to blame.

Big London Dreams has been sent to the first reader. It’s nail-biting time for Clare as she waits to hear the report. In the meantime, she’s trying to decide what story to write next. She has a few ideas in mind but won’t share any of them. In horrendous news, one of Clare’s narrators has to sit out the next year due to a voice injury. Finally, Clare went to lunch with a writer friend, and she got a haircut. She’s living like it’s 2019.

They move on to the main topic: boobs! While procrastinating writing, TB started googling different words for breasts and stumbled upon a blog post that had 300 words. Most of them are hilarious, so TB proposed each of them should pick a handful to share and weigh in on whether they should be used in lesbian fiction. Clare, being Clare, went for the more humorous ones, while TB went down a darker path, including one that made her think of being killed by a hippo.

What are your favorite words for breasts?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back with more sparkling conversation.

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

300 Alternative Words for Breasts: mumslounge.com.au/lifestyle/jolenes-mumbo-jumbo/300-alternative-words-breasts/

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Even though it’s wrong to hate, TB hates her allergies and has been miserable for days. In writing news, she reworked her schedule to provide more writing time for book 3 in The Miracle Girl series because it’s creeping forward so slowly it’s probably going backward. That’s basically the end of TB’s update because she hasn’t been working much in order to give her brain a rest.

Clare’s audiobook The Long Weekend sailed through ACX’s process and is up for sale. Woot! In bad audio news, Clare crunched the numbers and was shocked by the amount of audiobook returns. In writing news, Clare has finished the second draft of Big London Dreams. Can we get a toot, toot! Clare went to dinner, and TB yelled because she thought Clare was eating inside. She wasn’t, and it’s possible TB hasn’t fully apologized for yelling.

During the comments section, Clare is the one who turns red when they breakdown the phrase: Weeping Love Canal.

They move on to the main topic: Haters are gonna hate. TB suggested this podcast after learning about a reader reporting to Amazon all the uses of they/them/their pronouns for a nonbinary character. TB gets emotional in explaining why hate in all forms hits her hard. While we live in progressive times, there’s still a lot of hatred in many forms. We all have to be aware of hate and do what we can to stand up against it.

How do you deal with the haters?

Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com, and leave a comment on the episode. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.

Next week, they’ll be back with a cheerier topic: boobs. Who doesn’t love boobs?

Happy listening!

Clare and TB

Links:

Buy Us a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/LesWhoWrite

The Long Weekend: www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/the-long-weekend/