Best Bianca Marais Podcasts (2025)

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

1h 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

6d 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

13d 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

16d 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

20d 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

27d 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

1M 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

1M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

3M 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

3M 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

3M 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

3M 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

3M 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

4M 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

4M 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

4M 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

4M 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

4M 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

4M 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

4M 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

5M 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

5M 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

5M 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

5M 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

5M 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

6M 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

6M 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

6M 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

6M 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

6M 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

7M 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

7M 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…

1
Giving Characters Changing Wants and Needs to Fulfill Their Character Arcs 1:27:19

7M ago1:27:19

1:27:19

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Bianca interviews creative writing professor, essayist, and author of Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, Alison Espach. They discuss falling into the mode of writing the same sorts of novels repeatedly; the genre that Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance w…

1
Giving Yourself Permission to Change and Grow as a Writer 1:15:56

7M ago1:15:56

1:15:56

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, CeCe interviews Parini Shroff, lawyer and author of the national bestseller and award nominated The Bandit Queens. They discuss, Parini's experience working as a lawyer part-time while also writing fiction; finding it difficult to sustain writing for long…

1
Writing Issue-Driven YA Fiction & Considering Alternate Routes to Publication 1:07:36

7M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Bianca interviews author, editor, head of Writing Ink Publishing, and creative writing teacher, Abigail Wild. They discuss Abigail's latest novel, More Than One Way To Breathe; the extent to which younger readers can handle difficult topics; Abigail's adv…

1
The Joy of Writing Without Following a Synopsis 1:08:23

7M ago1:08:23

1:08:23

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Carly interviews her very own client and best-selling author, Renee Carlino, to discuss her latest novel, This Used to Be Us. They chat about Renee's journey to becoming a published author; how she found her first agent; what it's been like changing her f…

1
How to Tackle Writing an Omniscient POV 1:11:53

8M ago1:11:53

1:11:53

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly are joined by Jennifer to discuss her thriller submission. They chat about trigger warnings and their necessity in a query; ensuring your stakes aren't too obvious while illustrating the bigger 'why' at hand; framing your query letter in a way that highlights your POV characters and not others; t…

1
What Message Do You Want to Convey Through Your Writing? 28:36

8M ago28:36

28:36

In today's bonus episode, Bianca interviews author, Kirsten Miller, to chat about her latest novel, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books. They discuss writing across different genres and what drove Kirsten to change up her genre; writing with the intention of sharing a message with readers; the inspiration behind the novel; Kirsten's experien…

1
How Interiority Makes a Character Come Alive 1:12:27

8M ago1:12:27

1:12:27

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a rom-com and a YA submission. They discuss the importance of clarity in your query and avoiding language that might cause confusion; the necessity of a clear major dramatic question in your query; ensuring your protagonists aren't anticipating everything that happens in your pages; the …

1
An Inspiring Journey to Publication 1:05:49

8M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly critique two upmarket submissions, one of which is in the gothic genre. They discuss the reasoning behind placing your metadata at the top of a query; avoiding unnecessary detail in your query; avoiding slipping from pitch to synopsis; the need for interiority, particularly interiority that will …

1
Writing That Evokes All the Feels 1:04:48

8M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly are joined by guest literary agent, Mary C. Moore. They critique a resubmission and a sci-fi query, during which they discuss: the importance of making tropes as fresh and different as possible; how to ensure your pitch isn't too dense, especially in genres that involve world-building; highlighti…

1
Choosing How to Frame Certain Aspects of Your Work 1:11:00

9M ago1:11:00

1:11:00

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by listener, Kelly Fuller, as they critique her book club fiction submission. They discuss picking comps that match the genre you're writing in; using your query to discuss the plot of the book rather than backstory about your characters; ensuring your stakes are high enough; pitching …

1
May Bonus Episode 1:25:08

9M ago1:25:08

1:25:08

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca chats with Courtney Preiss to discuss her debut novel, Welcome Home, Caroline Kline. They speak about the inspiration behind Courtney's novel and her journey to publication; her experiences with rejection during the querying process; being aware of cultural moments that could propel your novel forward when you’…

1
A Debut Experience All Authors Dream Of 57:13

9M ago57:13

57:13

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a YA submission and a literary coming-of-age horror. They discuss avoiding using repetitive language in a query; considering SEO when choosing a book title; the concept of 'scene work'; the need for disruption to occur in opening pages; matching word choice to genre when writing your que…

1
Insights from Publishing Phenomenon, Veronica Roth 53:40

9M ago53:40

53:40

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a literary fiction query and a high concept YA fantasy query. They discuss the necessity of being specific with plot details and your protagonists' motivations in your query; honing in on world-building when your novel takes place in a reality that's different from ours; the issue with n…

1
Rewriting Instead of Giving Up 1:09:05

9M ago1:09:05

1:09:05

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by Paige to discuss her query for her action-adventure romance novel. They discuss the importance of spelling out your protagonist's motivation in your query; the need for story-forward plot escalation; accurately positioning your novel’s genre; making an agent's job easier by picking …

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Bianca Marais Podcasts

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