Murder, Wormholes, and A.I.s in Your Head: Talking Sci‑Fi with J.E. Sheasby - The Writing Coach Ep. 234

Rob Cole discusses the authorized biography of Arlinda Willis, a story of Jim Crow Alabama, Cleveland's Black entertainment scene, and the medical racism that shaped her final years.

Kevin T. Johns interviews Nathan Lang, Barbados resident, hospitality expert, and co-host of the November 2026 Barbados Writing Retreat, about what writers can expect from five days on the Platinum Coast.

Book marketing strategist and veteran podcaster Susan Friedman joins Kevin Johns to talk about long-game marketing, fiction vs. nonfiction promotion, niche positioning, and why passion and mindset matter more than any one tactic.

In this episode of The Writing Coach Podcast, longtime editor and first-time novelist Candace Johnson pulls back the curtain on traditional publishing, copyediting, and the realities of the author–editor relationship. We talk about what editors actually look for in a manuscript, how to know when your book is ready for a copy edit, and why revision is as much a creative act as first drafting. If you’ve ever worried an editor might “ruin” your book—or wondered how to become the kind of author editors love to work with—this conversation is for you.

Kevin Johns talks with graphic novelist Emil Wilson about The Nightingales, a moving, sketchbook-style story of family, AIDS, queer identity, and empathy, and how design, composition, and color can break your heart on the page.

Former Fox and DreamWorks executive and Oscar-winning producer Steven Puri joins the Writing Coach Podcast to talk about Hollywood storytelling, flow states, dopamine management, and his focus tool Suka. Discover how to overcome procrastination and distraction so you can write more, better, and with less stress.

In this episode, Kevin talks with author Susan Leon about her debut novel, If They’d Only Known, a dark, emotionally layered crime story set in Northern Ontario. They discuss grief, trauma, forgiveness, historical research, writing through difficult subject matter, and how stories can explore the ripple effects of loss across families and communities.

In this episode, Kevin sits down with author Sandy Day to discuss her new Ontario noir novel WHERE THE NIGHT WINDS WAIL, a haunting story inspired by the classic song “The Long Black Veil” and driven by themes of obsession, grief, and unresolved wounds.