First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

On celebrating and taking a break, and I'm sharing some great new endorsement quotes for NEVER THE ROSES! Also, internalized misogyny, Taylor Swift & Blake Lively, and why I'm shifting away from sear…

On the story structure that utilizes characters that represent heart, mind, and body. Also, how to know when to listen to critique and then making the judgment call of folding information into a stor…

How sometimes we stop caring about things that were once meaningful and that it's okay to let them go. Some insights on my Achiever and Intellection Clifton Strengths, celebrating wins, and connectin…

Some tough love today! I explain how no one will ever care about your writing career as much as you do and how other people will always be happy to suck up your time and energy. Also, exciting news o…

My appliance-drama-filled weekend, pet-drama-filled Monday, a happy resolution to previous pet-drama, my great character flaw, and how a robust backlist not only is the best marketing, but continues …

A story about how an indie bookstore cheated me (if you didn't see it on Threads), my friend who died and people trying to dig for scandalous information, plus my excellent progress this week!

RELUCTA…

An exciting sneak peek of the interior design of NEVER THE ROSES! Also, a deep dive into author finances, how to manage income by maximizing tax-deductions, promoting your work, and when to DIY vs. p…

Why so many authors end up "trunking" their first novel, why it's often not only a good idea, but inevitable - and how to know if you should. Also, garbage data, The Fall, and The Riddle Master of He…

The role of luck/serendipity in publishing success, how it's not who you know, but how you can know people. Also, the problems at NaNoWriMo, and why I believe being a writer and the process of writin…

My mojo is back and my mother is doing well! Other than reports on that - and progress on A ROSE IN THE MIRROR - I'm talking about first names and surnames, feminism, women supporting women (or not),…

My wonderful weekend at Bubonicon and exciting news about next year's con. Also, thoughts on more experienced authors giving advice to newbies, how to be honest without stomping on their dreams, and …

My great news/bad news week, why I didn't podcast Monday, my mom's health crisis and my writing productivity in the face of it anyway. Also, keeping good relationships in the publishing business.

The …

My thoughts on admiring and idolizing the creators of the art we love, meeting your heroes, being careful what we complain about online, my unexpected trip to Tucson and exciting news on NEVER THE RO…

Why we, as adult creatives, must learn to overcome the well-meaning lessons we were taught as children - like recognizing daydreaming as a feature, not a bug. Also, practical approaches to self-care,…

Recent revelations on ghostwriting, using metrics for good, rain gauges, gardening, JD Vance's memoir, the real meaning of "bemused" and whether everyone has one great novel or flower arrangement in …

How traditional publishing deadlines work - and how I'm balancing one of mine with a self-published project. Also, homonyms and how you really need a human being to catch those errors for you.

The pre…

Envy and jealousy, especially professional jealousy and how to combat them. I'm talking negative emotions in general and offering my two go-to tips for how to diffuse professional jealousy in myself …

A peek at my "map scrap" for NEVER THE ROSES, updates on ARCs, and endorsement quotes as another new-to-me term. Also, not taking other people so seriously and the internet as a weapon against loneli…

Why I fell off the face of the earth (or at least, the internet) this week and what I've been doing. Also a peek at the gorgeous box and hardcover edition of BENEATH THESE CURSED STARS by Lexi Ryan!

T…

How gardening is a great metaphor for life and creativity - accepting loss and treating that as an opportunity to plant anew, embracing change, and giving up control. Also, ways to be kind to ourselv…