In this episode, I sit down with Randy Winston, Creative Director of Fiction at The Black List, to discuss the publishing industry, the craft of writing, and how writers can stand out. We dive into the creative process, the role of The Black List in fiction, traditional vs. hybrid publishing, and what truly makes a great fiction story.

If you're a writer looking to navigate the publishing world or just love great storytelling, this conversation is for you!

📌 Timestamps:
1:03 - Revisiting old creative work
3:04 - Finding your creative path
4:37 - Navigating the publishing industry
8:25 - What is The Black List?
9:40 - On Franklin Leonard
11:20 - The Black List Fiction
14:50 - The traditional route of writing a book
18:20 - The Black List’s role in publishing
24:20 - How authors are evaluated
28:25 - Hybrid vs. Traditional publishing
33:01 - Mixing genres in fiction



📢 Follow Randy Winston:
🔗 Substack - https://substack.com/@randywinston/no...
🔗 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_rwinstonsw...
🔗 For Writing Feedback - Submit your Writing to The Black List: https://blcklst.com/fiction

🔔 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on writing, publishing, and storytelling - @bookumapp

Download our new Book Club app at www.bookumapp.com

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

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In this exclusive interview, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jonathan Eig joins us to discuss his groundbreaking biography, King: A Life.

We dive deep into the real Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—his struggles, triumphs, and the misconceptions that history has perpetuated.

📌 Timestamps:
1:04 - MLK Day in 2025
2:34 - Montgomery Bus Boycott
4:03 - MLK Sr.’s Influence on MLK Jr.
5:38 - Sweet Auburn Ave. Black Affluent Neighborhood
8:02 - MLK’s Mentors & Influences
10:25 - Coretta Scott King’s Role
12:12 - Building the Organization
14:02 - Humanizing Dr. King
18:25 - How the Movement Evolved
19:50 - What Modern Movements Can Learn from the Civil Rights Movement
21:20 - President Kennedy, RFK, LBJ and FBI Surveillance
23:20 - The Mental Pressure on MLK
26:10 - MLK’s Infidelity & FBI Surveillance
27:40 - FBI tapes released on MLK
28:55 - Selma
31:20 - Losing the Confidence of Younger Activists
33:00 - Religion and Global Impact of King
34:30 - "I Have a Dream" Speech & Legacy
37:10 - Interview People That Knew MLK Jr.
38:55 - The Pressure of Writing the Book
42:40 - Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community?

📖 About the Book: King: A Life is the first major biography of MLK in decades, offering a deeply human portrayal of the man behind the legend.

Get your copy here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374719678/kingalife/

🔔 Subscribe for more insightful interviews and discussions: @bookum

Twitter: @jonathaneig - https://x.com/jonathaneig
Instagram: @jonathaneig - https://www.instagram.com/joneig/

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!

In this episode of the Book Creators Talk Podcast, we sit down with Lupita Aquino (@lupita.reads), a passionate advocate for Latine literature and vibrant bookish content creator. Known for her work uplifting diverse voices through the #ReadLatineLit Challenge and La Comunidad Reads Book Club, Lupita shares her journey, creative process, and insights into the literary world.

✨ Highlights from the conversation:

1:04 - Favorite books from Childhood
4:18 - Becoming a Book Content Creator
8:05 - Echo-Chamber of Literary space
12:10 - American Dirt Drama
16:55 - Naviagate being a voice people want hear from on major topics
19:50 - Content Creation Process
23:16 - On Writing content
26:16 - Bookish Collaborations
28:46 - On Community
32:26 - On Algorithm
33:00 - Read Latine Lit
36:20 - Latine Authors
39:50 - Book Criticism
44:16 - Meeting Oprah
46:20 - Last, Now, Next Books
48:50 - Rapid Fire Book Questions
53:40 - What would you like to see more of in the book world?
54:21 - What would you like to see less of in the book world?


📚 Books mentioned in this episode:

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right by Paola Ramos
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Magical/Realism by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Black in Blues by Imani Perry

➡️ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations with your favorite bookish creators!

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!

In this episode of the Founders Talk Podcast, Tanya Sam shares her incredible journey from building a 10K+ member book club to launching a publishing company focused on amplifying women’s voices. Tanya opens up about her entrepreneurial path, the importance of community, and her mission to support diverse voices in publishing. If you’re a female entrepreneur, book lover, or looking for inspiration to grow your own community, this episode is for you!

Timestamps:

0:15 - Intro
1:25 - Reading Growing Up
3:02 - Toronto & Cultural Upbringing
5:05 - Being a Founder with a lot of talents
5:50 - Tanya Time Book Club
6:40 - On Community
7:45 - Selecting books for the Book Club
8:40 - Process of Hosting Book Club
14:18 - Traveling Book Clubs
16:50 - Ghana & London Book Club Trip
21:20 - Tips for Building a Successful Book Club
22:10 - Starting a Publishing Company (Elizabeth & Minnie)
28:03 - Publishing Fundamentals
30:15 - Author Submissions to Elizabeth & Minnie Process
33:28 - On Marketing Books
37:30 - The Connection Between Book Clubs & Being a Publisher
39:01 - Author Deals & Advances
41:30 - Book-to-Screen Adaptations
44:02 - Books Are IP
44:58 - AI in Book Publishing
48:40 - Last, Now, Next Books
50:20 - Best Page-Turner
51:55 - Rapid-Fire Book Questions
56:20 - Legacy Tanya Wants to Leave Behind
57:00 - Founder's Toolkit
57:35 - Book Club's Toolkit
58:10 - Upcoming Events for Tanya
Follow Tanya Sam on Social Media:

Books Tanya Mentions:

Nancy Drew series
Little Mysteries
The Fabulous Four by Enid Blyton
Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal
Babysitters Club series
Judy Blume books
Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campell (Last Book)
The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji(Current)
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray (Current)
The Alchemist (Current)
We Are Not Like Them by Christina Pride & Jo Piazza (Book Club Pick)
Gary Janette Autobiography
Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie (Audiobook)
Authors Tanya Mentions:

Judy Blume
Tia Williams
Peace Adzo Medie
Kimberly Bell
V.E. Schwab
Octavia Butler
Alice Walker
Nikki Giovanni
Oprah Winfrey

Instagram: @itstanyasam
Twitter: @itstanyasam
Website: tanyasam.com

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!

Dive into the fascinating world of Taylor Swift’s style in this episode of the Bookum Author Talks Podcast! We’re joined by Sarah Chapelle, author of Taylor Swift Style, and special guest host Hannah Lisa Lohr, creator of the MoodyReaders Book Club. Together, we explore how Taylor’s fashion evolution reflects her music eras, iconic looks, and storytelling.

From the origins of Sarah’s blog to the journey of turning it into a book, this conversation is packed with insights into Swift’s signature fashion, the trends she’s inspired, and her cultural impact. Whether you’re a Swiftie, a fashion enthusiast, or a book lover, this episode has something for you!

Get your copy of the NY Times Bestselling Book "Taylor Swift Style" today - https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Swift-Style-Fashion-Through/dp/1250906156

Timestamps:
1:19 - Sarah’s Journey Into Fashion
4:20 - The “Bleachella” Era
5:48 - The Origin of the Taylor Swift Style Blog
10:10 - The Speed of Fashion Blog Writing
13:02 - Building Community Through Blogging
14:55 - Recognizing Brands Taylor Wears
16:38 - Writing the Taylor Swift Style Book
18:06 - Taylor Swift’s Writing Style
22:20 - Diversifying the Taylor Swift Style Media
23:27 - How the Blog Became a Book
24:40 - Fashion Trends of Taylor Swift
27:30 - Predicting Album Drops Through Taylor’s Fashion
29:40 - Iconic Taylor Swift Fashion Moments
32:30 - Taylor Swift’s Signature Styles
34:16 - Taylor Swift Restyling Fashion Items
35:25 - Sarah’s Own Writing Eras
37:30 - Taylor Swift & Chiefs Gameday Fashion
43:20 - Taylor Swift Rapid-Fire Questions
45:20 - Sarah’s Spotify Wrapped (Her Version)
47:28 - Taylor’s Re-recorded Albums & Fashion
48:08 - Sarah’s Writer’s Toolkit

Connect with Sarah Chapelle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorswiftstyled/?hl=en
Blog: https://tinyurl.com/bookum

Connect with Hannah Lisa Lohr:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlisalohr/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahlisalohr
Youtube: @HannahLisaLohr

This episode is brought to you by Bookum—the NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

📚 Download the app and start your book club today at www.bookumapp.com.

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!