Best Bianca Marais Podcasts (2025)

1
The Problem with the Blank Canvas Protagonist 44:13

2d ago44:13

44:13

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, CeCe, and Carly first review a query letter for literary fiction, providing insights on emotional depth in character relationships. The conversation emphasizes the need for clarity in plot points and the importance of avoiding the blank canvas protagonist so readers can be engaged and connect with …

1
April Bonus Episode 49:01

6d ago49:01

49:01

In the first part of this bonus episode, Bianca interviews Lauren Ling Brown, author of 'Society of Lies.' They discuss Lauren’s journey to publication, the intricacies of writing dual perspectives and timelines, and the importance of social commentary in her work. Lauren shares insights into her writing process, the challenges of character develop…

1
An Ingenious Query Hack 30:57

10d ago30:57

30:57

In this informative author interview, Bianca connects with debut novelist Sarah Damoff to discuss her novel, ‘The Bright Years’ which explores the complexities of family dynamics and addiction. Sarah shares her journey through the publishing landscape, the challenges of finding the right agent, the ingenious query hack she used, and the evolution o…

1
Why Plot and Specificity are a Query Letter's Best Friends 49:35

18d ago49:35

49:35

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra welcome querying author Debbie Whittall to discuss her query letter for her debut novel, 'Linda/Linda.' Carly and CeCe address the challenges of representing a quiet novel in a query format. The discussion transitions to the pages of the manuscript, highlighting t…

1
Ann Napolitano on Overcoming Rejection and Despair as Part of the Writing Life & Kirthana Ramisetti on The Art of Foreshadowing 1:05:46

25d ago1:05:46

1:05:46

In the first part of this episode, Bianca interviews Ann Napolitano, inspiring Oprah Book Club pick author of Hello Beautiful. During the multi-layered interview, Ann shares her journey as a writer, discussing the long path to publication, the importance of perseverance, and the role of gratitude in her success. She reflects on her experiences with…

1
Stage Directions, Opening and How to Avoid Them 35:28

1M ago35:28

35:28

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss the importance of clarity in storytelling, character development, and the need for emotional depth in writing. The conversation emphasizes the significance of engaging openings and the necessity of establishing strong connections between plot points. They also offer great ti…

1
March Bonus Episode 1:47:34

1M ago1:47:34

1:47:34

In the first part of this month’s bonus episode, Carly Watters interviews Bailey Hannah, a Canadian romance author known for her ‘Wells Ranch’ series. They talk about Bailey’s experience with going from self-publishing to traditional publishing, the importance of quality editing, and the impact of social media platforms like BookTok on author succe…

1
The Evolution of a Novel: Learning to Let Go 34:31

1M ago34:31

34:31

In this inspiring author interview, Bianca interviews Kath Jonathan, whose debut novel, 'The Resistance Painter', intertwines historical and contemporary narratives. They discuss Kath’s journey as a writer, and the personal challenges she faced, including health issues, over the twelve years she spent writing her novel. The authors chat about the e…

1
It's a Vibe: Plot Points & Emotional Vibes in Storytelling 41:36

2M ago41:36

41:36

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome special guest, literary agent, Lauren Spieller to discuss query letters in romance and fantasy genres. The hosts discuss the distinctions between Young Adult and Adult Fantasy, and the dynamics of character relationships. Lauren provides insightful critiques on a submitted qu…

1
Knowing the Shape of Your Story 31:40

2M ago31:40

31:40

Warning: mature content. In this insightful segment that will make you laugh out loud, Bianca interviews New York Times best-selling writer, Lamda Literary Award finalist and Shearling Fellowship recipient, Kristen Arnett, the author of 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One.' They discuss the unique aspects of Kristen's writing process, including her e…

1
Using the 'Micro to Macro' Hack 34:41

2M ago34:41

34:41

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into the intricacies of middle grade fantasy submissions. They discuss a query about a fantasy novel featuring a cat protagonist, exploring themes of family, sacrifice, and the stakes involved in the narrative. The conversation shifts to critiques of character development, emot…

1
Those Aha Moments That Arrive at the 80 000-Word Mark 28:21

2M ago28:21

28:21

In this engaging conversation, Bianca, interviews New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister. The author’s explore Gillian’s writing process, narrative techniques, and character development. Bianca and Gillian chat about the challenges of writing multi-POV novels, the organic twists that emerge during the writing process, and the importan…

1
February Bonus Episode 1:35:39

2M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

In the first engaging conversation of this bonus episode, Bianca interviews Booker Prize-nominated Charlotte Wood, the acclaimed author of Stone Yard Devotional. They delve into the challenges of writing quiet stories, the significance of visitations in the narrative, and the intentional choices behind the unnamed narrator. Wood discusses her uniqu…

1
Delving Deeply Into Your Antagonist's Psyche 44:37

2M ago44:37

44:37

In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and CeCe discuss a gothic horror novel submission as well as a psychological thriller. They highlight the importance of starting a story in the right place, the challenges of multi-POV narratives, and the need for clarity in character perspectives. The critique emphasizes the balance between emotio…

1
The Stories We Tell Ourselves to Make Them More Palatable 33:06

3M ago33:06

33:06

In today’s author interview, Bianca chats with Sarah Chihaya about her memoir, Bibliophobia. During the conversation, they explore the profound impact of literature on identity and mental health. Sarah also reflects on her journey as a reader and writer, the complexities of navigating personal narratives, and the challenges of writing about trauma.…

1
What is Literary Burlesque and Can You Perform It? 48:08

3M ago48:08

48:08

In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and Cece discuss a memoir submission as well as a speculative thriller submission. They highlight the importance of balancing plot points with emotional depth; the significance of character development through interior monologue; how character arcs are crucial in memoir writing; the importance of b…

1
Capturing Your Character’s Voice by Deeply Immersing Yourself in Their Perspective 32:28

3M ago32:28

32:28

In this engaging conversation, Bianca interviews Allegra Goodman about her latest novel, Isola, exploring themes of storytelling, character development, and the writing process. Goodman discusses her journey as a writer, the importance of writing what interests you, and the challenges of crafting a historical narrative. The discussion delves into t…

1
January Bonus Episode Comp Titles Segment 48:53

3M ago48:53

48:53

In January’s bonus episode, Bianca and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Bookshop tackle a variety of book recommendations based on listener comp requests. If you’re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutw…

1
CeCe Swipes Carly’s Submission 39:23

3M ago39:23

39:23

In this Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe delve into two query letters from aspiring authors. The hosts discuss how negotiation can leak tension in storytelling; why character relationships should drive the narrative; how world-building should enhance character development; why queries for retellings need to focus on unique sto…

1
Exploring How a Single Choice Can Define an Entire Life 34:45

4M ago34:45

34:45

In this engaging author interview, Bianca chats with Karissa Chen about her debut novel, Homeseeking. During the conversation, they explore the inspiration behind the story, the extensive research that was required before Karissa could begin writing, and the challenges of navigating language and cultural identity in literature. Karissa shares her j…

1
A Query That Ticks all of CeCe’s Psychological Acuity Boxes 42:52

4M ago42:52

42:52

In this Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome listeners to a new year of writing while they reflect on their critiquing journey over the past four years. They dive into the critique of two query letters, focusing on the importance of connection, character motivations, and cinematic elements in storytelling. The conversation…

1
Playing to Your Strengths as a Writer 33:27

4M ago33:27

33:27

In today’s episode, Bianca interviews Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Kate Fagan, about her debut novel, The Three Lives of Cate Kay. Kate shares how she originally came to listen to the podcast, as well as the details of her journey to publication (which included querying podcast host, Carly Watters). Bianca and Kate go on to…

1
Can An Agent Picture a Movie Trailer After Reading Your Query Letter? 36:41

4M ago36:41

36:41

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe provide feedback on two query letters, one for historical fiction and the other for historical fantasy. They discuss the importance of character development, plot clarity, and the balance between world-building and emotional engagement. The conversation emphasizes the need for speci…

1
Techniques for Fully Dramatizing Scenes or Bringing Memories to Life 33:13

5M ago33:13

33:13

In today’s author interview, Bianca interviews Jessica Waite about her memoir, The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards. Jessica discusses her writing journey as a form of healing, the challenges of the publishing process, and the complexities of grief. They also discuss the intentional choices behind the book's structure, the use of present tense, and t…

1
The Polarizing “P” Word 35:34

5M ago35:34

35:34

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe analyze two query letters, one for an upmarket novel and one for women’s fiction, providing insights on character development, prologues, and the importance of clarity in storytelling. The discussion emphasizes the need for movement in narratives and the balance between internal con…

1
All Things Fantasy and Romantasy 32:13

5M ago32:13

32:13

In this engaging author interview, Bianca chats with Sarah Hawley to discuss her journey as a fantasy and paranormal romance author, focusing on her latest novel, Servant of Earth. Sarah shares insights into the writing process, the importance of character-driven narratives, and the nuances of defining genres like romantasy. The discussion also del…

1
The Challenges of Writing in the First Person 28:09

5M ago28:09

28:09

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, the hosts, Bianca, Carly and CeCe, analyze two query letters submitted by aspiring authors, one of which is a memoir and the other a YA steampunk query. They provide detailed feedback on the structure, content, and emotional depth of the letters, emphasizing the importance of clarity, causality, and character de…

1
November Bonus Episode: Comps Title Segment 43:15

5M ago43:15

43:15

In November’s bonus episode, Bianca and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Bookshop tackle a variety of book recommendations based on listener comp requests. They discuss neurodivergent characters, speculative fiction, crime and mystery, literary fiction dealing with trauma, humorous narratives, art and historical mysteries, speculative westerns, da…

1
All the Things You Might Not Expect on Your Author Bingo Card 28:16

5M ago28:16

28:16

In today’s episode, Bianca interviews KJ Dell’Antonia, author of The Chicken Sisters and Playing the Witch Card. They discuss KJ's journey from nonfiction to fiction, the challenges of debuting with a bestseller, and the intricacies of world-building in contemporary fiction. The discussion also delves into narrative voice, character arcs, and the i…

1
The Significance of Pacing in Storytelling 30:43

6M ago30:43

30:43

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe analyze a literary fiction query and a historical fiction query, providing insights on structure, emotional depth, and character development. The discussion emphasizes the importance of compelling opening lines, the need for emotional complexity in characters, and the significance of…

1
The Black List: The Future of Storytelling 39:28

6M ago39:28

39:28

In today’s episode, Carly and CeCe interview Franklin Leonard and Randy Winston, founders of The Blacklist, a platform designed to connect writers with industry professionals. They discuss the role of literary agents, the pricing structure of their services, the qualifications of their readers, and the impact of their recent New York Times profile.…

1
Leveraging Your Characters’ Emotional Complexity 32:47

6M ago32:47

32:47

Today Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a coming-of-age submission set in the 80s, as well as a speculative literary fiction query. They chat about the importance of details in a query, as opposed to big-picture themes; an example of a prologue that induces curiosity; layering emotion to create more realistic interactions with characters; including …

1
October Comp Title Bonus Episode 25:47

6M ago25:47

25:47

Join Bianca in our October bonus episode as your favourite book person, Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop, answers all your comp requests! If you’re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutwriting.subst…

1
Dramatizing a Scene so That It Comes to Life on the Page 30:04

6M ago30:04

30:04

Today Bianca interviews NYT bestselling nature writer, Leigh Ann Henion. They discuss Leigh Ann's latest work, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark; the inspiration behind the book; the process of getting a book like this written and published; being able to illustrate how your non-fiction work fills …

1
Ensuring Your Plot and Climax Match Your Genre 31:18

7M ago31:18

31:18

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a speculative fiction query and a literary fiction one. They discuss avoiding confusion in your query letter; using names, rather than pronouns, in queries; ensuring your plot and climax match your genre; writing interiority that reflects your characters' realities; title expectations for literary fiction; av…

1
How Character Relationships Can Reveal Vulnerability and Create High Stakes 30:28

7M ago30:28

30:28

In today’s episode, Bianca interviews the Hugo-Award winning and NYT bestselling sci-fi and fantasy author, Alix E. Harrow. They discuss Alix's latest novel, Starling House; her journey to publication and being chosen for Reese's Book Club; novellas and the fantasy/sci-fi genre's flexibility in the length of a work; Alix's process with world-buildi…

1
Balancing Scene Work and Interiority 38:03

7M ago38:03

38:03

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a family saga submission and a psychological thriller. They discuss whether there's a need for personalization at the top of your query; the importance of having POV information at the beginning of your letter; being concise with your wording; ensuring you illustrate how your multiple POV characters connect t…

1
September Comp Titles Segment 39:41

7M ago39:41

39:41

In today's second Bonus Episode of the month, Emilie Sommer from East City Bookshop answers all your burning comp title questions! To connect with Emilie Sommer go to https://www.instagram.com/emiliegsommer/ and you can find East City Bookshop at https://www.instagram.com/eastcitybookshop/ To ask for your own comp title recommendations, go to: http…

1
Bumper September Bonus Episode 1:33:36

7M ago1:33:36

1:33:36

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca interviews Reese's book pick and best-selling author Marissa Stapley, to discuss her latest, The Lightning Bottles. They chat about the genesis of the novel; taking your time writing and the beauty that lies in the process of creating; the inspiration behind Marissa's protagonist; why she chose specific charact…

1
Insights from NYT bestselling authors, Liane Moriarty and Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1:22:28

7M ago1:22:28

1:22:28

In today’s episode, we have two epic author interviews! The first is with NYT best-selling romance-fantasy author, Hannah Nicole Maehrer, and her agent, Brent Taylor. Bianca interviews Hannah and Brent to discuss Hannah's latest novel, Apprentice to the Villain; Hannah's unique, TikTok-related inspiration for her debut novel; how Hannah views her g…

1
Digging Deep to Find Your Characters’ Messy Emotions 34:15

8M ago34:15

34:15

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss a humorous contemporary fiction query and an upmarket book club query. They discuss clearly defining your genre; the importance of time stamps when you have a ticking time bomb situation; writing characters that are likeable or interesting enough that readers will want to follow their arc and journey; the nece…

1
Problem-Solving Your Way Through a Story 31:08

8M ago31:08

31:08

In today’s author interview, Bianca interviews Amanda Peters, author of Waiting for the Long Night Moon, which is a collection of short stories. Amanda reads the first short story in the collection, and the two discuss framing and POV and Amanda's deliberate choices regarding POV in her stories; tension that comes from the reader knowing something …

1
Making Something Unexpected Happen in Your Opening Pages 41:20

8M ago41:20

41:20

In today’s Book with Hooks episode, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique an upmarket women's fiction query and a dark romance one (spicy content warning!). They discuss the need for cause and effect between your plot points; avoiding overwriting in dialogue; the difficulties with having a very insecure protagonist; the need for something unexpected to …

1
Coco Mellors' Incredible Insights on Writing 1:12:00

8M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which Bianca interviews bestselling author, Coco Mellors, to discuss her latest novel, Blue Sisters. They discuss writing on the line level while using metaphor and similes to describe things in ways that no one else has expressed them before; the creation of Co…

1
August Bonus: Insights from Fiona Barton and Jean Meltzer 59:57

8M ago59:57

59:57

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca interviews writer, journalist, and author Fiona Barton. They discuss the resounding success of Fiona's debut, The Widow, and its unique journey to publication; the editing process with her agent; the transition from journalism to writing fiction; why Fiona included a prologue in her latest thriller, Talking to …

1
Writing the So-Called ‘Unlikable Protagonist’ 1:19:10

9M ago1:19:10

1:19:10

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Bianca interviews sisters, Lynne and Valerie Constantine, who write under the pen name, Liv Constantine. The three discuss Lynne and Valerie’s latest bestselling novel, The Next Mrs. Parish; their decision to write a sequel following their Audible prequel…

1
The Idea of Writing the Book That Doesn’t Exist 1:19:33

9M ago1:19:33

1:19:33

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, CeCe interviews Claire Jiménez, assistant professor and author of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez. They discuss the three pivotal moments in Claire's writing career; Claire's experience writing a multitude of POVs; how she went about developing her charact…

1
Why You Shouldn’t Make Every Change Your Beta Readers Suggest 1:07:53

9M ago1:07:53

1:07:53

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Bianca interviews MK Pagano, author of the YA thriller romance, Girls Who Burn. The two discuss MK's journey to publication; the importance of knowing when to part ways with an agent, even if s/he is a good agent; MK's experience with beta readers and fol…

1
Working With an Agent on Edits Ahead of Submission 1:16:14

9M ago1:16:14

1:16:14

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, CeCe speaks with her very own client, Anamely Salgado Reyes, author of My Mother Cursed My Name. They discuss Anamely's query letter to CeCe and CeCe's response to it; Anamely's experience with her first round of edits from CeCe; the inspiration behind he…

1
From Self-Publishing to Traditional Publishing: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know 34:23

9M ago34:23

34:23

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca interviews Kern Carter, author of And Then There Was Us. They discuss the different routes to publication and the differences between traditional and self publishing; how Kern worked to improve his craft while trying to land an agent; the challenges of writing from a perspective that isn’t your own, and why you…

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Bianca Marais Podcasts

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