Episodes

  • Navigating the Short Fiction Market with Authority with Angelique Fawns - #323
    Feb 17 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Angelique Fawns about NAVIGATING THE SHORT FICTION MARKET WITH AUTHORITY, including how a broken ankle and a thousand dollars in failed contest entries led to a thriving short fiction career; why the intersection of your day-job skills and your creative passion is where authority gets built; how compiling a free resource for short story markets created a recognized platform; the surprising traction that comes from letting your authentic creative identity show; and how to think about diversifying income streams through teaching, speaking, and licensing.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Angelique Fawns has a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa and almost 30 years' experience as a commercial producer. She's the author of three guides featuring the speculative fiction market, creates a horror fiction podcast called Read Me A Nightmare, and has sold over 100 short stories. You can find her fiction in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Amazing Stories, DreamForge, and a variety of anthologies.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine. She is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    42 mins
  • Becoming a Better Writer by Being a Better Reader with Kristen Tate - #322
    Feb 10 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Kristen Tate about BECOMING A BETTER WRITER BY BEING A BETTER READER, including how novel study helps authors analyze story structure, scene design, pacing, and sentences; practical strategies for rereading fiction with purpose; learning craft lessons from the books you love and even the books don't love; balancing reading for pleasure with analytical reading; and using books, book clubs, and intentional reading habits to become a better, more confident fiction writer.

    Full interview at https://tinyurl.com/FETA-YT-Playlist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Kristen Tate has been a freelance editor for a decade, helping authors transform their work from rough draft to finished book. She has a PhD in English from Columbia University, with a focus on publishing history. She is the author of Novel Study: Decoding the Secrets and Structures of Contemporary Fiction and writes a regular newsletter full of craft advice and encouragement for authors.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine. She is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    49 mins
  • Optimizing the ROI of an Author Assistant with Kevin Tumlinson - #321
    Feb 3 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Kevin Tumlinson about OPTIMIZING THE ROI OF AN AUTHOR ASSISTANT, including how authors can use an author assistant to improve marketing ROI, which publishing and marketing tasks make sense to outsource, how to evaluate return on investment, how AI can support an author assistant's work, and how indie authors can free up time to write more while building a scalable, sustainable author business.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    J. Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning and bestselling author, a prolific podcaster and public speaker, and Chief Brand Officer of Author Anchor.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She is a Partner Member otthe Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    43 mins
  • The Writer's Guide to Finding Community with Jessie Kwak - #320
    Jan 27 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Jessie Kwak about THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO FINDING COMMUNITY, including practical strategies for building a strong writing community, how to connect with other writers at author events, approaches for overcoming isolation and joining the right groups for your goals, tips for confident author networking and collaboration, and ways a supportive creative community can fuel your writing career and keep you motivated.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Jessie Kwak is an author, storyteller, and business book ghostwriter living in Portland, Oregon. When she's not writing, she can be found sewing, mountain biking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest (and beyond). She is the author of thriller novels, two series of space scoundrel sci-fi crime novels, and a handful of productivity books including From Chaos to Creativity and From Solo to Supported.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She is a Partner Member and Team Member at the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    38 mins
  • How and Why to Market Nonfiction Before You Write with Karen Williams - #319
    Jan 20 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Karen Williams about HOW AND WHY TO MARKET NONFICTION BEFORE YOU WRITE, including how nonfiction book marketing can start before a single word is written, why early audience research and conversation-based marketing strengthen book positioning, and how authors can use podcasts, surveys, content repurposing, and community building to create demand in advance. They also discuss treating a nonfiction book as part of a larger business and thought-leadership strategy rather than a standalone product.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Karen Williams is The Book Mentor at Librotas. She helps business owners, experts, and thought leaders write and publish authority-building books that elevate their credibility and grow both their business and brand. The author of 10 books, including Your Book is the Hook and Book Marketing Made Simple, Karen takes her clients from messy first idea to final manuscript and successful launch – with a focus on strategy, structure, and making sure their book truly works for them. She's a TEDx speaker and host of the Business Book Bites podcast.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She is a Partner Member and Team Member at the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    48 mins
  • Reimagining Success Through Self-Advocacy and Collaboration with Laura Goode - #318
    Jan 13 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Laura Goode about REIMAGINING SUCCESS THROUGH SELF-ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION, including how authors can build supportive writing communities, strategies for finding the right mentors and artistic partners, overcoming comparison and competition in the writing world, and how redefining success can strengthen your writing practice and your confidence as an indie author.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Laura Goode is the author of a collection of poems, Become a Name, and a YA novel, Sister Mischief, which was a Best of the Bay pick by the San Francisco Bay Guardian and a selection of two ALA honor lists. With director Meera Menon, she wrote and produced the feature film Farah Goes Bang, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the inaugural Nora Ephron Prize from Tribeca and Vogue. Her nonfiction writing on intersectional feminism, female friendship, motherhood, gender, and race in culture, TV, film, and literature has appeared in BuzzFeed, New Republic, New York Magazine, Longreads, Elle, Catapult, Refinery29, and elsewhere. She received her BA and MFA from Columbia University and currently teaches at Stanford University, where she was honored with the 2025 Walter J. Gores Award, Stanford's highest award for excellence in teaching.

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She is a Partner Member and Team Member at the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    43 mins
  • Insights From My Podcast Sabbatical with Matty Dalrymple - #317
    Jan 6 2026

    Matty Dalrymple talks with Matty Dalrymple about INSIGHTS FROM MY PODCAST SABBATICAL, including how a podcast sabbatical sparked a strategic reset for her indie author business, reshaped her approach to direct sales and discoverability, informed new platform decisions, refined her consulting model, and led to building authority beyond books—offering practical insights for indie authors, nonfiction writers, and creators navigating publishing strategy, content repurposing, and second-act careers.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She serves as the Campaigns Manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    19 mins
  • Taking a Break for a Creative Refresh with Matty Dalrymple - #316
    Dec 2 2025

    Matty Dalrymple talks about TAKING A BREAK FOR A CREATIVE REFRESH, including how intentional downtime can boost author productivity, help you refocus on your priorities, and give you space to plan your writing and publishing goals; why a December reset can support long-term creative sustainability; how to balance the business of being an indie author with your creative work; and practical strategies you can use to start the new year with greater clarity, energy, and momentum.

    Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist

    Show notes, including extensive summary, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all

    If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

    https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

    Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She serves as the Campaigns Manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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    13 mins