Sometimes living creatively in this world feels like living a double life—one where you have to deal with life’s normal responsibilities and then make the switch in your brain to the REAL you —the creative you.

And when you figure out how to do that and embrace your purpose, life just gets so much better. My guest today is such a great example of this—and she is someone who will make your nervous system just take a breath.

Anastasia Lindsey is a self-taught poet. Her work explores the ways in which relationships shape us in specific and universal ways. She is a writer, author, photographer, creative, healer, and poet. Her book, O C E A N has received much recognition across the U.S. Anastasia's work explores grief, loss, love, trauma, healing, self-empowerment, transformation, and much more.

We talk about poetry, vulnerability, creativity, and how writing heals you - which is a theme of this podcast simply because it’s so true.

I loved spending time with her—her vibe is just incredible.

We cover:

• Practices that help tap into the creative process

• How to approach writing poetry so it’s not overwhelming or scary

• Making writing in any genre fun

• How to make creativity your gravity center so you can keep coming back to it

And so much more.

You can find out more about Anastasia here: https://summersolacehealing.com/

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and

publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!

Women taking their power back is definitely a theme these days—and my guest today is an OG at this, both in her own life and creating strong, independent female characters.

Kay Oliver worked as a writer in Hollywood and then moved into novels in order to retain creative control over her work. She’s got some fascinating stories about what

Hollywood is really like - hint, it’s maybe not as great as we all like to imagine it is - and also what that transition to novel writing was like.

Kay holds degrees in Radio/TV/Film from California State University, Fullerton, and an MBA in Business. With over 3 decades in entertainment, spanning studios and TV stations, she produced, wrote and directed films. Defying gender biases and the notion that female-centric stories lack marketability in Hollywood, she took the leap and became an author, championing women's resilience in her novels.

Her experience and advice is applicable to all of us—and a reminder to make sure we’re power keeping our own lives.

We talk about:

• How an illness led to her decision to seek creative control over her work
• What it’s like writing for some of the greats in Hollywood
• Whether fiction or screenwriting is “easier” to write
• How to keep the ideas flowing

And so much more.

You can find more about Kay at https://kayaoliver.com/

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!

You all know I love talking to journalists, right?

As a former journalist, I know that we never really give it up. It’s who we are, something that’s in our blood. It feels like a society of sorts, which is so juicy.

My guest today, Peter Sacks, has a long, impressive career as a journalist and nonfiction author, and now he’s writing fiction - as we do. His first novel, Libertyland, is a political thriller that is as much cultural commentary as it is action packed - and I just love talking to journalists who’ve seen so much of the world and then turn those experiences into fiction.

Peter has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize, including one for his book, Tearing Down the Gates, an examination of the role that social class plays in American education and society.

It also won Book of the Year from the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Peter has worked as a newspaper journalist on both coasts, as an economist, and as a college instructor in English and Journalism. His essays have appeared in many national publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Nation. He’s been a keynote speaker at colleges and universities around the United States.

Libertyland is his first fiction novel.

We talk about:

• Journalism as a calling - and life training

• Exploring bigger societal themes through fiction writing

• Taking on capitalism in his thriller

• Using fiction to expose what’s happening in the real world, in real time

And so much more.

You can check out Libertyland here: https://www.amazon.com/Libertyland-Peter-Sacks/dp/1922329576/

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and

publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!