I’m excited about The Spark this month. Like last month, the spoken, podcast version is mostly improvised rather than simply reading out my written newsletter as I was doing previously. This time, I happen to be recording in the Austrian Alps—well, under a duvet in the Alps so I can keep the high sound quality ; )
It’s also the first month that our author interview is a recording of the author themself. Following a recommendation from a podcast listener, the interview will be at the end instead of the beginning. So sit (or drive, or walk) tight.
📚 Recommendations for ravenous readers
Last year, the bookshop Backstory London had a reading challenge card to fill with books, like young adult, under 200 pages, and a book in translation. A friend and I called it Backstory Bingo. This year, the bookshop is suggesting one theme per month. January was “stories set in winter.” February is “one-word titles.” I’m not promising to follow Backstory’s theme every month, but I have some good ones this month.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Sinkhole: A Legacy of Suicide by Juliet Patterson
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
✏️ Resources for wonderful writers
The Great Beta Reader Match Up. Looking for beta readers? Submit your info and 3,000 words of your writing to Bianca Marais, founder of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, by March 2nd. The cost is $25. Almost two years on, I still have two amazing, active beta readers from the match up!
The Writers’ Workout Conference, March 17th-23rd. “This free, virtual conference is designed to help you make the most of your time with short videos from presenters around the world.”
On Writing by Stephen King. Entertaining and useful.
👣 Updates on my moseying
I took part in the Mslexia Agent Extravaganza earlier in February but I didn’t get any agent bites or feedback on my pitch. I just don’t think that seeking agent representation is the right way for me to go right now. I am continuing to submit my short story collection, Staring into the Sun, directly to small presses.
My next project will be a nonfiction book, the SME Sustainability Handbook, which ties in with my consulting business, Grain Sustainability. I’ll probably self-publish it.
Short story collection submissions to small presses — tracked on Chill Subs 📊
⏱️ 7 pending
🚫 2 rejected
🟰 9 total
Queries to literary agents — tracked on QueryTracker 📊
⏱️ 7 waiting for replies on query letter
🚫 2 rejections after reading query letter
😭 2 rejections after reading full manuscript
🟰 11 total
Story submissions — tracked on Chill Subs 📊
🏆 6 accepted
⏱️ 2 pending
🙅♀️ 7 withdrawn (accepted elsewhere)
🚫 55 rejected
🟰 70 total
🎙️ Author interview with Jason Buchholz
I first came across Jason Buchholz when I read his debut novel, A Paper Son, while researching my family history. Once I had a complete draft of my book manuscript, I realized that he and his colleague Ben LeRoy offer manuscript assessments as part of their offering at Collaborist. Jason’s feedback gave me confidence and encouraged me to stick with my project. It’s a pleasure to feature Jason as the first interview on The Spark with the author speaking. Here he is!
Listen to Jason Buchholz on the podcast version of The Spark, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Jason can be found at jasonbuchholz.com, at Collaborist.org, and on Instagram as @jasondbuchholz.
📙 Where to find my writing
"Things My Dad Told Me" in Tomorrow There Will Be Sun, the Hope Prize anthology published by Simon & Schuster Australia.
Buy in US | Buy in UK
“Gold Mountain Diggers” in Issue 10 of Livina Press.
Buy in US | Buy in UK
“His Bones” in Transformations, the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize anthology.
Buy in US | Buy in UK
Find out more about me and my writing, including press coverage, on my website: madelynpostman.com.
Most book links go to my Bookshop.org page, where sales are win-win-win, benefiting the authors, local bookstores, and my own writing—unlike using A-you-know-who!
If you enjoy The Spark, please share, rate, and review it on your favorite podcast platform. On Substack, you can listen to the podcast and subscribe to the newsletter. I don’t think I actually have any reviews yet, so I’d really appreciate your review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
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