Best Book Synopsis Podcasts (2024)

1
Writing Issue-Driven YA Fiction & Considering Alternate Routes to Publication 1:07:36

2d ago1:07:36

1:07:36

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Bianca interviews author, editor, head of Writing Ink Publishing, and creative writing teacher, Abigail Wild. They discuss Abigail's latest novel, More Than One Way To Breathe; the extent to which younger readers can handle difficult topics; Abigail's adv…

1
The Joy of Writing Without Following a Synopsis 1:08:23

9d ago1:08:23

1:08:23

In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment. After which, Carly interviews her very own client and best-selling author, Renee Carlino, to discuss her latest novel, This Used to Be Us. They chat about Renee's journey to becoming a published author; how she found her first agent; what it's been like changing her f…

1
How to Tackle Writing an Omniscient POV 1:11:53

19d ago1:11:53

1:11:53

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly are joined by Jennifer to discuss her thriller submission. They chat about trigger warnings and their necessity in a query; ensuring your stakes aren't too obvious while illustrating the bigger 'why' at hand; framing your query letter in a way that highlights your POV characters and not others; t…

1
What Message Do You Want to Convey Through Your Writing? 28:36

20d ago28:36

28:36

In today's bonus episode, Bianca interviews author, Kirsten Miller, to chat about her latest novel, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books. They discuss writing across different genres and what drove Kirsten to change up her genre; writing with the intention of sharing a message with readers; the inspiration behind the novel; Kirsten's experien…

1
How Interiority Makes a Character Come Alive 1:12:27

25d ago1:12:27

1:12:27

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a rom-com and a YA submission. They discuss the importance of clarity in your query and avoiding language that might cause confusion; the necessity of a clear major dramatic question in your query; ensuring your protagonists aren't anticipating everything that happens in your pages; the …

1
An Inspiring Journey to Publication 1:05:49

1M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly critique two upmarket submissions, one of which is in the gothic genre. They discuss the reasoning behind placing your metadata at the top of a query; avoiding unnecessary detail in your query; avoiding slipping from pitch to synopsis; the need for interiority, particularly interiority that will …

1
Writing That Evokes All the Feels 1:04:48

1M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly are joined by guest literary agent, Mary C. Moore. They critique a resubmission and a sci-fi query, during which they discuss: the importance of making tropes as fresh and different as possible; how to ensure your pitch isn't too dense, especially in genres that involve world-building; highlighti…

1
Choosing How to Frame Certain Aspects of Your Work 1:11:00

2M ago1:11:00

1:11:00

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by listener, Kelly Fuller, as they critique her book club fiction submission. They discuss picking comps that match the genre you're writing in; using your query to discuss the plot of the book rather than backstory about your characters; ensuring your stakes are high enough; pitching …

1
May Bonus Episode 1:25:08

2M ago1:25:08

1:25:08

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca chats with Courtney Preiss to discuss her debut novel, Welcome Home, Caroline Kline. They speak about the inspiration behind Courtney's novel and her journey to publication; her experiences with rejection during the querying process; being aware of cultural moments that could propel your novel forward when you’…

1
A Debut Experience All Authors Dream Of 57:13

2M ago57:13

57:13

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a YA submission and a literary coming-of-age horror. They discuss avoiding using repetitive language in a query; considering SEO when choosing a book title; the concept of 'scene work'; the need for disruption to occur in opening pages; matching word choice to genre when writing your que…

1
Insights from Publishing Phenomenon, Veronica Roth 53:40

2M ago53:40

53:40

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a literary fiction query and a high concept YA fantasy query. They discuss the necessity of being specific with plot details and your protagonists' motivations in your query; honing in on world-building when your novel takes place in a reality that's different from ours; the issue with n…

1
Bonus Bumps 5: Stinetinglers 2: Part 1 2:29:36

2M ago2:29:36

2:29:36

Trav and Dylan get together between Seasons 2 and 3 for a pair of bonus episodes highlighting RL Stine's recent Stinetinglers 2! Get the book and check out the cover here! Send us a Text Message. Email wegotgoosebumpspodcast@gmail.com Twitter: Travis, Dylan, the show Music: Briz, Artwork: Brother Bodhi Join the Polymedia Subreddit, r/polymedia!…

1
Episode 117: Themes in Fiction - Justice & The Found Family 47:50

2M ago47:50

47:50

Come have a drink & listen as Sherry & Taylor talk about themes in fiction and urban fantasy writing. In this episode, they discuss justice and the found family. Justice, a universal pursuit, drives characters to seek fairness, right wrongs, and fight for equality. It fuels narratives of redemption and challenges the status quo. Meanwhile, the them…

1
Rewriting Instead of Giving Up 1:09:05

2M ago1:09:05

1:09:05

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by Paige to discuss her query for her action-adventure romance novel. They discuss the importance of spelling out your protagonist's motivation in your query; the need for story-forward plot escalation; accurately positioning your novel’s genre; making an agent's job easier by picking …

1
Metaphor and Meaning in Memoir 1:22:51

2M ago1:22:51

1:22:51

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by two guests, author Rachel Kapelke-Dale and her agent, Sarah Phair. They discuss ensuring your comps align with each other and with your work; making sure your query is representative of your whole novel and not just one part; using your author bio to help show why you're the one to …

1
April Bonus Episode: Writing Without a Pricetag 1:11:31

3M ago1:11:31

1:11:31

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca interviews poet, novelist, and Chair of the Amherst Writers (AWA), Sue Reynolds. They discuss the AWA workshop method and how it differs from other workshops; what occurs in an AWA workshop; the importance of giving writers a safe and encouraging space to share their work; the concept of strength-based feedback…

1
Caroline Leavitt’s Insights and Encouragement 1:04:10

3M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

In today’s Book with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two listener queries, a resubmission and a YA fantasy. They discuss the issue of starting with a protagonist that has a 'simple, stable' life; a great example of an inciting incident; ensuring your major dramatic question is strong enough; good storytelling as the promise of change; making your pr…

1
Two mysteries, One Synopsis of my book, and a correction! 15:45

3M ago15:45

15:45

This week we will be looking into two different unsolved cases. One happened in the air the other took place in 1920 on Wall Street. There is also a synopsis of my book on this episode and I was editing and went ahead and corrected a mistake that I had made. So I hope that you enjoy this week's case and see you next week for a longer episode.…

1
PROS of CONS Ep. 1: Drew Seldin of Atomic Crush Events 27:07

3M ago27:07

27:07

For the debut episode of PROS of CONS, PopCultHQ staff writer/editor Jason Bennett had the privilege in interviewing owner & co-founder Drew Seldin of Atomic Crush Events. Atomic Crush Events is the promotion behind Comic Con Revolution Ontario, which is celebrating its seventh year this May 18-19 at the Ontario Convention Center in, yep, you guess…

1
Figuring Out What Genre You Should Be Writing In 56:24

3M ago56:24

56:24

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a children's picture book and a literary fiction query. They discuss avoiding vagueness, no matter the genre; using illustrator notes in a picture book pitch; the need for tension, even in a children's book; framing your novel in your query so agents aren't confused when they get to the …

1
Episode 116: Themes & Symbols - Luck and Fate 56:53

3M ago56:53

56:53

Have a drink & listen! Tune in to this captivating podcast episode as we delve into the intricate web of luck and fate in fiction writing. In this episode, we explore how luck and fate shape characters' journeys and narratives. Both luck and fate have been used in fiction as themes, and we talk about how to incorporate these into your novels with s…

1
Choosing the Best POVs for a Multi-POV Novel 1:00:36

3M ago1:00:36

1:00:36

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by guest agent, Jo Ramsay, to critique two queries. They discuss the issue of withholding too much plot in a query; highlighting the stakes in your query; the importance of first lines in a novel; the need for psychological depth and acuity in your characters; the issue of comping to titles tha…

1
Cowboy Bob 37:20

3M ago37:20

37:20

Y'all are in for a ride with this week's episode. Theres a good lady going through some hard times. We have bank robberies, crossdressing. And a suicide by cops. buckle up for this week's episode. I also want to apologize for the poor quality of this episode. I may be redoing this episode in the future it was that bad.…

1
Insights from Mary Kubica 1:04:55

3M ago1:04:55

1:04:55

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and CeCe discuss choosing a unique title for your work; having a strong plot connection between your main characters in a multi POV novel; avoiding situations where the agent has to make too many assumptions in a query; choosing between italics and dialogue tags when having a character talk to themselves; …

1
JUST KICKIN' IT! Ep. 2: Dana & Blair Webb of LIL ZOMBIE SQUAD 21:59

3M ago21:59

21:59

For the second episode of JUST KICKIN' IT!, PopCultHQ staff writer/editor Jason Bennett had the honor in interviewing Dana & Blair Webb. Together, they have co-created Lil Zombie Squad - it's Garbage Pail Kids meets Night of the Living Dead in this wild & exciting story with plenty of sarcasm & tongue-in-cheek humor. The campaign is recently launch…

1
BEYOND THE SYNOPSIS - Episode Three: Interview w/ Steve Orlando of THE SCALE TRADE 9:29

4M ago9:29

9:29

For episode three of BEYOND THE SYNOPSIS, staff writer/chief editor Jason Bennett interviewed (THE) Steve Orlando at WonderCon 2024 about his upcoming project THE SCALE TRADE at Magma Comix. In a modern-day world one step removed from our own, dragons are a highly respected-and highly endangered-species, but poaching is an existential threat. When …

1
Bonus Bumps 4: Season 2 Books Ranked! (and a review of The Haunted Mask TV Episode) 1:17:55

4M ago1:17:55

1:17:55

We're back to break up the wait for season 3! We rank the 10 books from season 2 and shout out our 3 favorite covers. We then watch and recap the TV episode based on one of our favorite books from this past season, The Haunted Mask! Send us a Text Message. Email wegotgoosebumpspodcast@gmail.com Twitter: Travis, Dylan, the show Music: Briz, Artwork:…

1
Episode 115: Voice in Fiction 56:16

4M ago56:16

56:16

Come have a cocktail and listen as we talk about voice in your fiction - from authorial to character to narrative voice. Discover the key elements that make your voice your own! Sources: https://jerichowriters.com/voice-in-the-novel-or-finding-yours/ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-find-your-writing-voice#4hNIe0nfEiPp tNp9VBYASN https:/…

1
Defining Book Club Fiction 1:01:44

4M ago1:01:44

1:01:44

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss keeping your author bio paragraph concise; the need for causality in a plot paragraph; paying attention to the language you use in a query so you don't create confusion surrounding the book's premise; knowing who your protagonist is and highlighting their interiority and inner life over o…

1
March Bonus Episode 47:33

4M ago47:33

47:33

In this month’s bonus episode, Bianca interviews game designer, curator, and writer, Holly Gramazio to discuss her debut novel, The Husbands. The two discuss Holly's journey to publication; the novel’s inspiration and genre; how game design lends itself to novel writing; how she structured the novel; the importance of causality; Holly's approach to…

1
FROM THE VAULT Episode 2: Kraig Rasmussen of MONKEYGONG 24:14

4M ago24:14

24:14

Episode two of FROM THE VAULT consists of a "Whatcha Doin' in Comics?" feature, a new, upcoming interview show highlighting comic creators who are doing something different, something unique in the comic book industry beyond releasing comics, graphic novels, and crowdfunding. For episode two of FROM THE VAULT, I spoke with Kraig Rasmussen about The…

1
How Research Should Inform a Novel Without Leaving Too Many Fingerprints 1:06:23

4M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly, CeCe, and Bianca are joined by Ron, to discuss his query submission. They chat about Ron's curiosity-inducing first query paragraph; the line between giving away too much plot and sharing just enough in a query; how subjective agents’ opinions can be; the right emotional calibration within your characters; the is…

1
FROM THE VAULT Episode 1: Susan Beneville & Brian Hess of NIX 39:26

4M ago39:26

39:26

For episode one of FROM THE VAULT, I spoke with writer Susan Beneville and artist Brian Hess. Known for their all-ages sci-fi/fantasy maxiseries AWAKE, the duo teamed up for a new adventure...NIX, a magical, medieval world filled with royalty, wyverns, and gryphons. Enjoy!By Hosted by Jason Bennett (@TahoeJBennett)

1
Balancing Curiosity Seeds and Tension Without Making the Reader Feel Cheated 1:01:36

4M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss the need for external pressure in your major dramatic question; the three sets of questions that create tension at the beginning of a story; surprising your reader in your first five pages; the accuracy of third party manuscript wishlists; the need for world-building in a fantasy query; b…

1
Episode 114: Writing the Synopsis - a Revamp 54:56

4M ago54:56

54:56

Come have a cocktail and listen as we talk about writing that dreaded synopsis. Discover the key elements that make a synopsis stand out, learn how to distill the essence of your narrative into a concise and captivating summary, and explore the dos and don'ts of this critical storytelling skill. Your next step in writing starts with writing a succe…

1
Insights from Acquisitions Editors & Working on Author Collaborations 1:10:59

4M ago1:10:59

1:10:59

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly, CeCe, and Bianca are joined by two acquisitions editors at Atria Books, Elizabeth Hitti and Melanie Iglesias. Melanie is a senior editor at Atria Books and has worked on various bestselling titles, including It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover. Elizabeth joined Atria in 2022 and has worked on various best…

1
BEYOND THE SYNOPSIS - Episode Two: Interview w/ Zack Kaplan of BEYOND REAL 23:18

4M ago23:18

23:18

For episode two of BEYOND THE SYNOPSIS, I spoke with creator/writer Zack Kaplan about his new sci-fi title at Vault Comics entitled BEYOND REAL.By Hosted by Jason Bennett (@TahoeJBennett)

1
Dumb laws and dumb criminals 1 31:01

4M ago31:01

31:01

Hey y’all this week is a fun one. We will be coving dumb laws and dumb criminals. We look at some weird and maybe out dated laws. Along with some criminals that really could have used a little more common sense. So I hope you have fun and get a laugh and even maybe scratch your head a little at these laws and criminals.…

1
Being Intentional With Your Novel's Timeline 1:01:14

5M ago1:01:14

1:01:14

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Bianca, Carly and CeCe discuss the importance of specifying between awards for published and unpublished manuscripts; the difficulty with trying to sell a book whose main character’s race and culture differs from the author’s lived experience; the need for a main character’s interiority to accurately reflect the…

1
Episode 113: Writing Query Letters - Revamped 1:01:23

5M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Come have a cocktail and listen as we talk about writing query letters! Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting your journey in the literary world, this episode equips you with the knowledge and tools to write query letters that open doors and pave the way for your manuscript's success. Tune in and elevate your query game to the next leve…

1
Bumper February Bonus Episode 2:15:24

5M ago2:15:24

2:15:24

In today's Bumper February Bonus Episode, Bianca kicks it off by interviewing interviews tech anthropologist and author, Nikki Payne. They discuss her latest novel, Sex, Lies, and Sensibility, a retelling of the classic, Sense and Sensibility; how Nikki approached writing her retelling, one which specifically centred diversity; decentering whitenes…

1
The candy man part 2 58:24

5M ago58:24

58:24

This week we will get into the murders of Dean Corll. We will look at how he manipulated two young boys into helping him cover up his crimes. We will also look into his death finally. We will also see what happened to Wayne and David. I want to apologize for the sweet audio. I had to record it on my phone because well my recording app hates me and …

1
How Some Stories Need You to Become a Better Writer Before Telling Them 1:02:32

5M ago1:02:32

1:02:32

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by emerging author, Sarah. They discuss ways to make a novel sound less quiet in a query; the necessity of a hook; when it's acceptable to comp to a hugely successful novel; how to convey a longer timeline; how to share pivotal plot points in a query without spoiling the novel;…

1
The Candy Man 42:20

5M ago42:20

42:20

This week we will be looking into a case that is not very well known. This is the case of the Candy Man. Although most people have never heard of him he murdered 27 teenage boys between the ages of 13 to 20. He also had the help of two teenage accomplices. This will be a two-part case. This first episode focuses mostly on the murderer Dean Corll. T…

1
Torturing Your Characters in the Second Act 1:07:03

5M ago1:07:03

1:07:03

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly discuss small tweaks for an overall 'fantastic' query; a good example of framing and planting curiosity seeds; starting a novel with a scene where the protagonist is waking up; being careful about word choice in a query; being mindful of when you're being vague vs specific; and the importance of …

1
Episode 112: Fixing those Plot Holes 44:45

5M ago44:45

44:45

Plot holes can be as elusive as shadowy creatures in the night, but fear not! Sherry & Taylor are armed with their quills and a treasure trove of storytelling wisdom. TJoin us on a quest to explore common pitfalls in urban fantasy narratives, discovering the arcane solutions that seamlessly weave together the threads of your fantastical tales. The …

1
Hrudayadinda Dil Se - Prema Sandesha presented by RJ Sri 25:20

5M ago25:20

25:20

Hrudayadinda Dil Se - Revival of HB Kannada Radio show by RJ Sri. Presentation of a light romantic program using the unique novel of "only letters" - Prema Sandesha by Malladi Venkata Krishna MurthyBy hoysalabalavana

1
Masthi Venkatesh Iyengar - Innondu Haleya Kathe - Kannada Short Story 19:55

5M ago19:55

19:55

"Innondu Haleya Kathe", a short story by Masthi Venkatesha Iyengar.Audio Book Narration by: Sridhar Rajanna, Rupa Subash and Ashok HandigolBy hoysalabalavana

1
How Writing Contests Can Help Launch Your Career 57:04

5M ago57:04

57:04

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly critique an upmarket/southern-gothic query and a book club romance. They discuss a "perfect" first query paragraph; the importance of accurate framing in a query; when a content warning is necessary; tips for elevating your line level writing along with examples of sophisticated writing; writing …

1
Scary Clown. Creepy Clown, Run, Run, Run. 46:36

6M ago46:36

46:36

This week our cases takes us to a place or at least a subject that is scary for some people. This week we will be looking at the murder of Marlene Warren. She was shot in the face by a clown. This case has tons of twists and turns. It also took them over 30 years to convict someone for the crime. Even though they knew who the killer was all along.…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Book Synopsis Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide