Maria Morera Johnson interviews Cecilia Cicone, award-winning author of Jesus in Space: A True Story That's Out of This World, from the floor of the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta. Cecilia Cicone is the award-winning author of Jesus in Space: A True Story That's Out of This World, the true story of astronaut Tom Jones and his journey into spa…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 227 / Liz Long shares her journey of embracing her own uniqueness, particularly in relation to ADHD and finding peace and growth after personal loss. Quick note: the language in this episode isn’t as family-friendly as our usual G/PG episodes, so just be aware of that. 💙 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! Get acces…

Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton interview Inés Huber Mersch, a faithful Catholic wife, mother, and grandmother in love with the Lord and sharing her joy. Inés Huber Mersch is a faithful Catholic wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Mobile, Alabama. Her strong attraction to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament led to her being invited …

Maria Morera Johnson interviews Paulina Kuzik, international editor for OSV, about her work as a journalist from the floor of the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta. Paulina Guzik, is an award-winning journalist and a professor at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow. she is currently the international editor for Our Sunday Visitor…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 226 / Author, musician, and marketer, Paul Indigo shares insights on seeking validation, embracing our voice, and the unconventional use of an Excel spreadsheet for writing and marketing. If you’ve tried all the writing software and haven’t found one that works for you, perhaps your answer is a spreadsheet! 💙 🎙 Becom…

Maria Morera Johnson interviews Catholic Mom contributor Sr. Margaret Kerry, FSP, about vocations, writing for Catholic Mom, and praying through her painting. A Daughter of St. Paul for 50 years, Sr. Margaret continues to pursue new ways to proclaim the Gospel: sharing the Pauline Charism with the laity, writing books (St. Anthony of Padua: Fire & …

Send us a Text Message. Episode 225 / Megan Vernon, author of over 40 romance novels, joins us to talk about starting over after a difficult experience of being publicly criticized. We talk about the need to give ourselves grace and the importance of a supportive community for navigating the ups and downs of a writing career. Megan shares about her…

Theoni Bell has been fascinated with Our Lady of Champion for a decade. Her historical fiction novel The Woman in the Trees: a novel about America's first approved Marian apparition was published in 2021 by TAN Books. In 2024, Theoni was added as a “witness” to the Libellus requesting permission from the Vatican to initiate the cause for the canoni…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 224 / Kate Johnson is the co-founder of Zory, an interactive reading app that merges the depth found in fiction with the choose-your-path-style plotlines of narrative video games. Kate shares details about Zory and craft tips about GMC as well as the All Is Lost moment. Plus we talk about trends in genre blending, an…

Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton interview Emily Jaminet, author of The Secrets of the Sacred Heart. Emily Jaminet is a Catholic author, speaker, radio personality, wife, and mother of seven children and Executive Director of the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network (www.welcomeHisHeart.com) and co-founder of www.InspiretheFaith.com. She co-…

Hosts Maria Morera Johnson, Sarah Reinhard, and Barb Szyszkiewicz make an exciting announcement about Lisa Hendey's new role as Catholic Mom Ambassador, and then go all fan-girl. Lisa Hendey founded Catholic Mom in 1999 when she discovered there were few resources for Catholic Moms on the internet. She created a website where she could post activit…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 223 / Do you like to discover the plot as you write? Do you get bored if you know where the story is going? Then a skeleton draft might be what you need. Paranormal and gothic romance author Steffanie Holmes joins us to talk about how discovery writers can use a skeleton draft to get their ideas down on paper and avo…

Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered how to add a twist of mystery to your narrative? Find out exactly what mystery elements are, how to sprinkle them into your narrative, and why they keep readers turning the pages. Whether you're writing romance, sci-fi, or fantasy, a mystery can add layers of intrigue and depth to your s…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 222 / Jessica Renwich, who writes fantasy and horror for kids ages 9-12, joined us to share her experience as an indie middle grade author. She has terrific insights on approaching schools for author visits and the impact of creating whimsical and fun content to appeal to young readers. In addition to discussing how …

Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton interview Oscar Delgado, actor, producer, and philanthropist, at the red carpet premiere of Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist. Oscar Delgado is a distinguished Hollywood producer, philanthropist, and former NBC war correspondent whose career showcases a commitment to storytelling and humanitarian…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 221 / Looking to grow a community around your books? Romance author Amy Pine shares how she and her co-hosts created a podcast and built a vibrant community around Korean dramas. We also dive into craft book recommendations, beat sheets, and combining tropes in unexpected ways. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! …

Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton interview Deacon Steve Greco, permanent deacon of the Dioces of Orange at the red carpet premiere of Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist. Deacon Steve Greco is a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Orange and Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation for the Diocese of Orange. He is founder of …

Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton interview Tim Moriarty, actor and founder of Castletown Media, at the red carpet premiere of Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist. Tim Moriarty, founder of Castletown Media, earned his Master’s degree in Philosophy from Boston College and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Louisiana State Universi…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 220 / KimBoo York joins us to share how to embrace flexibility and spontaneity in your writing process through discovery writing. Whether you thrive on outlining or prefer a more free-flowing approach, there are different techniques to suit your writing style. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to g…

Maria Johnson sits down with Liz Lantigua, founder of Good News! Book Fair, a wonderful alternative to the conventional book fairs in schools today. Good News! Book Fair for an Agenda-Free Alternative Good News! Book Fair started in 2014. They are headquartered in Florida with a second distribution center in Ohio and are now a program of Literacy A…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 219 / Martha Carr is a journalist who now writes escapist fiction in the urban fantasy genre with a lot of magic, some action and adventure, and a little romance. Martha shares about beating health challenges, changing her business model, and dealing with the ups and downs of publishing. We also talk about leaving re…

Maria Johnson welcomes podcaster Katie Ruvi, host of “Is This for Kids?” for an important conversation about internet safety for our children. Katie Ruvi is a Catholic convert, a wife and mother of five. She lives in Indiana where she makes a couple of podcasts and is hopefully making the world better a little at a time. Welcome Katie – and we’re g…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 218 / Julie Duffy has long been involved in the publishing industry, but she found herself not actually writing fiction due to the demands of school and work. This realization led her to challenge herself with a "story a day" project in order to get back to writing and creating fictional stories. Julia joins us to ta…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 217 / Writing under two pen names, Celeste Barclay has penned over 50 books in historical and mafia romance. She shares insights on the writing process, the challenges of juggling multiple book brands, the importance of flexibility, and why universal themes resonate across genres. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcas…

Lisa Hendey and Maria Morera Johnson sit down with Erica Tighe Campbell to chat about her new book Living the Seasons: Simple Ways to Celebrate the Beauty of Your Faith throughout the Year. Erica Tighe Campbell educates readers of all ages and stages – from kids to single young adults to grandparents – on Church seasons and Saints. She also offers …

Lisa Hendey sits down with noted children’s author Katie Warner to discuss her latest projects for families. Katie Warner is a Catholic homeschooling mother of five and bestselling children's book author with a graduate degree in theology. You can find her many children's books and free resources for Catholic children at FirstFaithTreasury.com. One…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 216 / Mystery author Abigail Keam shares how she embraced the digital landscape and incorporated direct sales into her business model. From historical accuracy to adapting to technology, she shares her lessons-learned. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode. ht…

Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson welcome Mike Aquilina, author of St. Joseph and His World(Scepter Press). Mike Aquilina is a Catholic author and journalist working in the area of Church history, especially patristics. He is executive vice-president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Catholic research center based in Steubenv…

Lisa Hendey and Maria Morera Johnson welcome journalist and mother Stephanie Clary for a conversation on caring for our natural world and our families. Stephanie Clary is the environment editor at the National Catholic Reporter. EarthBeat is the faith and environment project of the National Catholic Reporter. Their content includes news, opinions, …

Send us a Text Message. Episode 215 / When it comes to your author business, a bargain sometimes costs money in the long run, but other times it pays to splurge instead of scrimp. Join us as we discuss tips for saving money as well as when we’re willing to pay more. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a fu…

Lisa Hendey and Barb Szyszkiewicz talk storytelling with novelist Amanda Lauer, author of the newly published novel A Faith Such as Heaven Intended, the fifth installment in Lauer’s young adult Civil War series. An avid reader and history buff since childhood, Amanda Lauer is the author of the award-winning Heaven Intended Civil War series, and the…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 214 / How do you pull in readers who will love your books and push away those readers who won’t enjoy your book? Branding. Branding is more than colors, fonts, and covers. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to determine your brand and carry it through in everything from your voice to ad copy to covers. And you…

Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson welcome Theresa Kiser, author of Arthur the Clumsy Altar Server (OSV). Theresa Kiser is a children’s book author in South Carolina. She is the author of the “Arthur the Clumsy Altar Server” series (OSV). Her debut picture book is A Little Catholic’s Book of Liturgical Colors (Holy Heroes, 2019). Her award-…

The podcast is taking a break, but I'm still writing breakdowns. You can find them on my Substack at https://ineswrites.substack.comBy Ines Johnson

Subscriber-only episode Send us a Text Message. The sage. The rebel. The everyman. These are a few character archetypes that resonate with readers. We discuss fifteen character archetypes, their common characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and their desires along with examples in popular culture. We also discuss the difference between an archetyp…

Lisa Hendey welcomes to the podcast Emmy-nominated actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Roma Downey. Roma Downey joins us today to discuss her wonderful new project The Baxters, launching very soon on Amazon Prime. Based on the worldwide best-selling book series by Karen Kingsbury, The Baxters: Based on the worldwide best-sellin…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 213 / We’re sharing an interview Sara did with Matty Dalrymple on the Indy Author Podcast last year. Sara and Matty go deep on the topic of how to structure a series so that it works for your writing style and your genre. 💜 🎙 Become a supporter of the podcast! We can’t wait to give you a shoutout in a future episode.…

Join author Kelsey Gillespy for the final session of our 4-week Book Club and nurture your spiritual life amid the chaos and beauty of raising littles. We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy for our Winter 2024 Book Club! This week, we hosted the final session of our Winter 2024 Book Club! We're read…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 212 / Claire Taylor, humor and mystery author and Enneagram expert, shares how authors can use the Enneagram to create a resilient approach to the often chaotic writer lifestyle. We also discuss Claire’s successful track record on Kickstarter, and she tells us what she wishes she knew about using the crowdfunding pla…

One of the four types of deceptions in a romantic comedy is the Magic Potion Deception. Magic potion deceptions in romantic comedies like "Splash," "Mannequin," and "Penelope" offer love and acceptance through the lens of magical realism. Be it a mermaid, a mannequin or a cursed woman, each film cleverly uses the magic potion deception to challenge…

Heidi and Maria have an intimate conversation about their memories of the Easter Vigil, and practices for Holy Week as they lead up to Easter. Links for this Episode: The Ave Prayer Intentions Journal Pre-order Heidi's new book: Stories of the Eucharist: A Family Treasury of Saints and Seekers Sign up for Maria's newsletter and get some exciting ne…

Lisa Hendey is joined by guests Lisa Brenninkmeyer and Laura Phelps to discuss their new "Hope for Right Now" podcast from Walking with Purpose. Lisa Brenninkmeyer is Founder and CEO of Walking with Purpose, ap apostolate that develops and delivers Catholic Bible studies for adult women, young women, and girls. Laura Phelps is a Catholic author, sp…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 211 / How do you live your best life through your writing career? We talk with Joe Solari about how to achieve author goals and how various business models, including direct sales and subscriptions, play into reaching those goals. We also discuss Author Nation, the largest indie author conference, and tips on how to …

One of the four types of deceptions in a romantic comedy is the Bet Deception. The bet deception is all about trying to win against the odds, but the characters wind up falling down hard -falling in love that is!By Ines Johnson

Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson discuss the story of Heidi's conversion to Catholicism and the first time she received the sacraments, 30 years ago at the Easter Vigil.

Cohosts Lisa Hendey and Maria Morera Johnson catch up with “Cabrini” producer Leo Severino to learn all about this new release from Angel Studios. Leo Severino is a 20-year Hollywood veteran and a founding partner of Metanoia Films. Angel Studios will release “Cabrini” exclusively in theaters nationwide Friday, March 8 About Cabrini: From Alejandro…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 210 / M.K. Williams writes suspenseful literary fiction and helps aspiring authors. M.K. shares how she writes and markets books across different genres, using Payhip for direct sales, the drawback of a surprise launch, and why delusion is sometimes a good thing. 🌀 Why M.K. has specific goals for each book Why M.K. r…

One of the four types of deceptions in a romantic comedy is the Identity Deception. Identity deception in romantic comedies can involve characters concealing or misrepresenting their true selves or the nature of their relationship, leading to a series of laugh out loud situations before culminating in an emotional revelation.…

Join author Kelsey Gillespy for the third session of our 4-week Book Club and nurture your spiritual life amid the chaos and beauty of raising littles. We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy for our Winter 2024 Book Club! This week, we hosted the second session of our Winter 2024 Book Club! We're rea…

Send us a Text Message. Episode 209 / How do you get to the point that your readers “one-click” the buy button for your books? Join us as we chat with small town romance author Melanie Harlow. Melanie shares what she learned about giving readers what they want—and what that has to do with spaghetti versus cake. 🎂 Knowing how to market the book befo…