Meg, I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and generosity! It was an absolute pleasure having a chance to finally chat with you. I’m beyond grateful for you, your work, and for the simple fact that our paths crossed (whenever & wherever that happened, ha).
Take care, my friend, and happy writing to you. And best wishes regarding everything agent-related. I’m in your corner every step of the journey! ✍️ 😊
Thanks, Justin! I, too, am grateful to have found you on Planet Substack. Wherever we wander from this point out, trust that you have me as fan/friend/follower for the long haul. 🥂 Best to you on your current and future leaps!
Stellar, all around wonderful interview. I'm so happy to have connected with you both... both being Lunar Awards winners makes it even more special! Thanks for sharing, Meg!
Thank you so much, Brian! Likewise—it’s been such a pleasure getting to know both of you and read your work. And the Lunar Awards is such a wonderful space for fiction writers on the platform. I feel lucky to be in such good company! 😀
Thanks so much for listening, Brian!!! I really need to start listing my Lunar Award win in my writer credentials. I'm really proud of that story and its moment in the sun. ☀️☄️
Mar 25·edited Mar 25Liked by Justin Deming, Meg Oolders
Fun interview. It is fun to hear the voices of the writers I meet online. And the topics were engaging.
I didn't realize we could add book links to our homepage (I just remedied that), so thanks for that, Meg!
And being mentioned was cool, also! I met Justin on Medium through The Friday Fix publication. It was a fun community. That was one thing Medium did better. Although it was more work for Justin because he had to approve and schedule the stories. But we could submit them anytime before Friday and they also showed up on our own profile page.
I decided to go to Substack because I liked the concept of sending stories right to readers instead of posting them online and hoping someone finds them.
Thank you so much for listening, Mark! As soon as I mentioned Medium (ah, the good old days) I had to mention a few names. Yours was at the top of the list. The Friday Fix was a lot of fun…and a lot of work, ha! Also, my apologies for incorrectly lumping you in with some other writers’ reasons for leaving. That element of Substack you mentioned was also appealing to me—and still is!
I have fond memories of those golden years on Medium. It was also apparent to me that Medium was in decline as good writers left and clickbait increased. So it was a bit of both.
I agree, the sweetest part of Substack is that readers can find you and sign on to read your work as it's created. All the middle pieces are removed, so what's left behind is "writer" and "reader." Who'd a thunk that system would work out so beautifully? Right? 😂
BTW I had to giggle at you both imagining being 60 yo empty nesters and writing. I'm a 60 yo empty nester. Hehe. And yes, you will have a lot more time to write!! But you will also miss your kids terribly.
Of course, I'll miss them!!! The trouble with being in my 40s, is I spend too much time thinking about what wasn't happening in my 20s and what might be happening in my 60s. My hope is, by the time my kiddos fly the coop, I'll have built something around myself (like, I dunno, a successful career of some kind) to cushion the blow. 😭
Meg, I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and generosity! It was an absolute pleasure having a chance to finally chat with you. I’m beyond grateful for you, your work, and for the simple fact that our paths crossed (whenever & wherever that happened, ha).
Take care, my friend, and happy writing to you. And best wishes regarding everything agent-related. I’m in your corner every step of the journey! ✍️ 😊
Thanks, Justin! I, too, am grateful to have found you on Planet Substack. Wherever we wander from this point out, trust that you have me as fan/friend/follower for the long haul. 🥂 Best to you on your current and future leaps!
Cheers! 🥂
Stellar, all around wonderful interview. I'm so happy to have connected with you both... both being Lunar Awards winners makes it even more special! Thanks for sharing, Meg!
Thank you so much, Brian! Likewise—it’s been such a pleasure getting to know both of you and read your work. And the Lunar Awards is such a wonderful space for fiction writers on the platform. I feel lucky to be in such good company! 😀
Thanks so much for listening, Brian!!! I really need to start listing my Lunar Award win in my writer credentials. I'm really proud of that story and its moment in the sun. ☀️☄️
Well, it's not a Tony Award, but I suspect you're worthy of one of those as well. 😁 I'm just happy to have you among our ranks.
A Tony? Maybe in my former life. 💃🏼🎭
So much fun listening into you both and hearing you discuss issues that are important to me as well. Thank you..
Thank you, Sharron! So appreciate you taking the time to listen. I'm glad the subject matter was meaningful to you. 💜
Thank you so much for listening, Sharron! 🙏
Fun interview. It is fun to hear the voices of the writers I meet online. And the topics were engaging.
I didn't realize we could add book links to our homepage (I just remedied that), so thanks for that, Meg!
And being mentioned was cool, also! I met Justin on Medium through The Friday Fix publication. It was a fun community. That was one thing Medium did better. Although it was more work for Justin because he had to approve and schedule the stories. But we could submit them anytime before Friday and they also showed up on our own profile page.
I decided to go to Substack because I liked the concept of sending stories right to readers instead of posting them online and hoping someone finds them.
Anyway. Well done.
Thank you so much for listening, Mark! As soon as I mentioned Medium (ah, the good old days) I had to mention a few names. Yours was at the top of the list. The Friday Fix was a lot of fun…and a lot of work, ha! Also, my apologies for incorrectly lumping you in with some other writers’ reasons for leaving. That element of Substack you mentioned was also appealing to me—and still is!
Seems like we’ve found “home.” 😄
Thanks again, Mark.
I have fond memories of those golden years on Medium. It was also apparent to me that Medium was in decline as good writers left and clickbait increased. So it was a bit of both.
I am pretty content on Substack. We will see. 🤣
Thank you, Mark!
I agree, the sweetest part of Substack is that readers can find you and sign on to read your work as it's created. All the middle pieces are removed, so what's left behind is "writer" and "reader." Who'd a thunk that system would work out so beautifully? Right? 😂
Right! No arbitrary yes or no from an editor. It’s a beautiful thing.
What a wonderful conversation. So nice to get to know Justin and hear about his adventures in getting booksellers to carry his book. 📕👏😊
That’s very kind of you to say. Meg made it so much fun! Thank you for listening and commenting, CK! 🙏
BTW I had to giggle at you both imagining being 60 yo empty nesters and writing. I'm a 60 yo empty nester. Hehe. And yes, you will have a lot more time to write!! But you will also miss your kids terribly.
Of course, I'll miss them!!! The trouble with being in my 40s, is I spend too much time thinking about what wasn't happening in my 20s and what might be happening in my 60s. My hope is, by the time my kiddos fly the coop, I'll have built something around myself (like, I dunno, a successful career of some kind) to cushion the blow. 😭
You got this! You are on the right trajectory.