I write with dogs wrapped around my feet. I get to wear sandals or bedroom slippers to work, and old, comfortable clothes. When the weather is fine I get to write on my back porch. I love summer.

I write mysteries and fantasies because life is too short to be limited to one genre.

I started getting published when I was 12, studied journalism at Northern Illinois University, then went to work as a news reporter…eventually for Scripps Howard, where I managed their Western Kentucky bureau. Getting itchy feet, I moved to Wisconsin and went to work for TSR, Inc., the then-producers of the Dungeons & Dragons game. I dipped my itchy feet into the fiction pool and wrote Dragonlance novels for several years. Now I’m back in Illinois, my land surrounded by train tracks that offer music to write by. And there are plenty of dogs in the neighborhood to provide an accompaniment.

I am a recipient of the Faust, the grand master award of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, and the Illinois Author Project’s Soon-to-be Famous Award.

I’ve been on the USA Today’s Bestseller list a few times … ah, I’ve never hit the Times.

I’ve written more than forty SF, fantasy, mystery, and adventure novels (including a couple of ghosted projects), more short stories than I care to count, and I’ve edited magazines and anthologies.

When I’m writing I listen to classical guitar and 60s rock … depending on my subject matter. And at every good opportunity I toss tennis balls for my cadre of dogs.

- Always hire a copy editor to make sure everything is caught.
- How can you not afford an editor?
- Read the manuscript backwards for editing purposes.
- Buy ads - compare and contrast where is going to be best per novel.
- Once a month newsletter for Jean!

THIS EPISODE WAS ORIGINALLY BROADCAST ON FEBRUARY 17, 2024 ON TWITCH.TV/LDK_PODCAST

In this episode, we talked with J.J. Johnson, Jason Joyner, and Merrie Destafano about getting your Author Kickstarter going.

Quick points:

• Kickstarter for Authors FB group
• $500 is a good, solid number to shoot for
• Keep holidays in mind when planning when to run your campaign
• Backer update swaps w/other KS authors.
• Make sure you have your book and graphics complete before launching the campaign.

Find out more about the authors at their websites:

Merrie Destafano
JJ Johnson
Jason Joyner

THIS EPISODE ORIGINALLY AIRED ON JANUARY 27, 2024 ON TWITCH.TV/LDK_PODCAST

Pam Halter was a home-schooling mom for nine years, has been a children’s book author since
1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for
Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023 when the publishing house closed.
She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy novel published by Love2ReadLove2Write
Publishing, and Willoughby and Friends, a picture book series about friendship featuring
Willoughby, who is a dragon.

Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna,
and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing
the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes,
emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.

You can find out more about Pam and Willoughby at PamHalter.com