Creative Edge

Apparently, if you write enough books, eventually people start asking you to explain yourself. 😂📚

I had the pleasure of joining Liisa Kovala on the Women Writing Podcast to chat about my novels, my writing journey, and the strange and wonderful business of turning the stories rattling around inside my head into actual books.

Considering I’m usually happiest hiding behind my keyboard and letting my characters do the talking, I’ve somehow become rather fond of these conversations. 😄

If you’d like to hear more about the person behind the pages, you can catch my conversation with Liisa here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyNPN4Qs96E

A huge thank-you to Liisa for having me on! ❤️

Nobody warns you how much being an author has nothing to do with writing.

There are rejections, mistakes, setbacks, doubts, and plenty of moments when things don't go according to plan.

Success isn't about avoiding those moments.
It's what you do in spite of them.

I had a wonderful conversation with Kimberly Schafer on The Persistence Payoff Show about writing, perseverance, and turning setbacks into stories that sell and last.

Because sometimes the difference between giving up and getting somewhere is simply deciding to keep going.

Thank you, Kimberly, for having me on the show and giving me the opportunity to share my story.

🎥 Watch our conversation here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-13yau5cfDI

Every writer has a story behind the stories they tell.

On 21 Grams with Joe Compton, I had the opportunity to dig a little deeper into mine as we talked about those experiences that have shaped the author I am today.

I've come to appreciate that conversations such as these allow me to look back and see how far I've come.

Writing is the easy part.
Sharing my stories with others takes courage.

Thank you, Joe, for giving me the opportunity to share a little more of that journey.

If you'd like to watch our conversation, you can find it here:

🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SQ4LUGViZ0

I'm excited to share that one of my articles was published in the July issue of The Relatable Voice Magazine! 📖❤️

My article, “The Myth of Perfect Writing,” explores something I think a lot of writers struggle with: the pressure to make every sentence, every description, and every part of our stories perfect.

I've certainly fallen into that trap myself.

But writing doesn't have to be flawless to be good. Sometimes, in trying to polish away every imperfection, we risk polishing away some of the heart along with it.

I'm grateful to The Relatable Voice Magazine for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on a subject that has become an important part of my own writing journey. ❤️

Sometimes the things that make us different can also become our greatest strengths.

My conversation on I Am Not Calm gave me a chance to look back at my writing journey, my autism diagnosis, and how discovering my neurodiversity changed the way I saw myself.

Rather than viewing my autism and ADHD as barriers, I've learned to recognize the ways they have shaped my creativity.

If you'd like to listen to our conversation, you can find the episode here:

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/hr/podcast/with-special-guest-j-m-shaw/id1838698407?i=1000754619868

A little extra for my authors, or any authors, creatives, content makers, or the like! Interview with a publicist... Mickey Mikkelson of Creative Edge, Publicity talks about his journey, what a publicist does, and how it can benefit authors and other creators.
Listen in today on your favorite podcast channel or here on Spotify or YouTube.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Igdcn0XluNwOhVxz3ad5w?si=V9dE_NRdTYOWiS0QrwwGmA
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ox6YhHOCRkI

Creativity is wonderfully unpredictable.

Ask three creative people the same question, and you'll probably hear three completely different answers. That's exactly what happened during this conversation, and it made for one of the most enjoyable discussions I've had in a while.

A huge thank you to The Creativity Spark Show: Read My Lips with akaradiored, Liisa Kovala, and Anne-Marie Mawhiney for such a wonderful conversation.

If you're curious to hear where the discussion led, you can watch the full episode here:
🎙️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2hJMAAbBp8

One of the questions I was asked during my appearance on the Ramblings from the Little Shed Podcast was whether I ever take breaks while writing.

And honestly . . . not by choice.

My dog has appointed herself my official break coordinator. She'll stare at me, whining, sighing, and grumbling, until I finally step away from the keyboard. Which is fortunate because, if not for her insistence, I'd forget the rest of the world exists.

We also discussed my writing process, the inspiration behind my books, and what life as an author really looks like behind the scenes.

🎙️ Watch the full conversation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp0OnLn5yrA&t=3s

Does anyone else's pet insist on running the household... or is it just mine? 🐾

One of the things I enjoy most about podcasts is that no two conversations are ever the same.

Sometimes we talk about books. Sometimes the writing process. Sometimes life has other plans and takes the conversation somewhere unexpected.

A huge thank you to the hosts of Midweek Drive, and to my fellow guests, Nzondi, for such an enjoyable discussion.

Curious where the conversation led?

You can listen to the full episode here:
🎙️ https://southsidebroadcasting.podbean.com/e/nzondi-j-m-shaw-benji-juliet-cleavor/

It is always interesting reflecting on how stories come together—where ideas start, how they evolve, and the strange ways inspiration shows up when you are not expecting it.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to do just that with Red O’Laughlin on The Corner Book Store show with USA Global TV, where we discussed my writing process and what inspires me.

We also talked about some of my favourite authors and books that shaped my journey… and I may have realized I have a bit of a problem. I have been recommended so many great books over time that I bought three bookcases just to keep up.

Still, no regrets.

If anything, it just means my to-be-read pile has officially become a permanent fixture.

🎧 You can check out the full interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uue03FxRiGA