The Charged Word Episode 1: A Discussion with S.M. Boyce

The premiere episode of The Charged Word podcast is here! First, a couple of apologies: Skype created a few sound issues that have been resolved for future podcasts. Beyond that, I was dealing with the remnants of a cold that made my voice a bit ragged and uneven. While my voice will never be mistaken for James Earl Jones, that was particularly apparent here. Again, that will be better (though, admittedly, not James-Earl-Jones better) with future episodes. S.M. Boyce, author of the Grimoire Trilogy, was brave enough to join me for the premiere episode, where our discussion ran the gamut of writing and digital-publishing topics. Among them:

• Her world-building process for the Grimoire Trilogy.
• Her decision to self-publish after learning of Amanda Hocking’s multi-million dollar deal and after reading J.A. Konrath’s publishing blog.
• What constitutes young adult fiction and why publishers and authors might market a borderline adult-young adult book as YA.
•  That new authors who don’t have an established critique circle should look into either Scribophile or Critique Circle, online writing workshops where authors can give and receive feedback on their work. For marketing tips Boyce recommended books specifically geared toward book marketing. She is currently reading Carolyn Howard-Johnson’sThe Frugal Book Promoter. 
• Her work at Immortal Ink Publishing, as well as her views on indie publishers and the future of e-publishing.

My wonky voice aside, it was an illuminating, wide-ranging chat with Boyce, and we touched on a lot of the topics that the show will explore in the future. I’d like to thank her for coming on, and I’m looking forward to having Boyce back on the show shortly after the release of her new novel, Treason, on October 27, when we can discuss the book in depth.

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