“And remember that revisions is where the magic happens. That’s where you’re taking that … piece of coal and turning it into a diamond.” -Janette Rallison

In this thoughtful and funny episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with author Janette Rallison (also known as C. J. Hill). Janette explains how her daughter's experience in school was one of her primary motivations to write books for teens.

During the interview, Janette talks about writer's block, getting published, facing rejection, and what success (really) looks like. We also dive into what Janette has learned from traditional and independent publishing, and why she believes revision "is where the magic happens."

Whether you’re a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone who just loves a good story, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your *own* literal journey.

About JANETTE RALLISON:

Janette lives in Arizona with her husband and divides her time between her children, grandchildren, writing, and wandering around the house looking for items she has misplaced. (This is how she gets most of her exercise.) She has two dogs and enough cats to classify her as “an eccentric cat lady.” She did not do this on purpose. Every single one of the felines showed up on its own and refuses to leave.

Since Janette has five children and deadlines to write books, she doesn’t have much time left over for hobbies. But since this is the internet and you can’t actually check to see if anything on this site is true, let’s just say she enjoys dancing, scuba diving, horseback riding, and long talks with Chris Hemsworth. (Well, I never said he answers back.)

💻 VISIT Janette Rallison's official website: https://janetterallison.com/

📖 READ My Fair Godmother (Janette Rallison): https://amzn.to/4sIWnPr

📖 READ The Slayers Series (C. J. Hill): https://amzn.to/41Gt0SJ

📚 CHECK OUT Janette Rallison's other books: https://amzn.to/4tmJhIO

🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

🎥 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. 📖✨

#JanetteRallison #CJHill #ALiteralJourney #AuthorInterview #yaromance #fantasy #romcom

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!

This episode is for people who struggle creating something meaningful *especially* when life feels chaotic and uncertain...

In this delightful episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with award-winning author Joan Reardon to talk about her remarkable path to publication. Always a devoted reader, Joan resolved to write her own Middle Grade Novels *while simultaneously* navigating the COVID shutdowns, finishing school, moving, studying for the bar exam, getting married, and starting a career in law (holy crap!).

During the interview, Joan shares how The Grimsbane Family Witch Hunters grew out of her love of family, folklore, early American history, and cryptids (who doesn't love a good cryptid?!) and how Dad Rock Dragon Quest is a kind of "love letter" to her husband. Along the way, we talk about Percy Jackson, writing as a kind of therapy, family as the beating heart of story, and how she truly measures her success as an author.

Whether you’re a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone trying to finally make the thing you feel "called to create," I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your *own* literal journey.

About JOAN REARDON:

Joan is an award-winning author and attorney from Youngstown, Ohio. When Covid cut Joan's senior year of college short, Joan thought she'd give writing children's books a chance. Six years later, and Joan has two novels published with Simon & Schuster's Aladdin imprint: Dad Rock Dragon Quest (2025) and The Grimsbane Family Witch Hunters (2024).

💻 VISIT Joan Reardon's official website: https://www.writingreardon.com

📖 READ The Grimsbane Family With Hunters: https://amzn.to/4bXGS11

📚 CHECK OUT Joan Reardon's other books: https://amzn.to/4mg32ic

🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

🎥 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. 📖✨

#JoanReardon
#ALiteralJourney
#AuthorInterview
#MiddleGradeBooks
#ChildrensBooks

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!

Most writers are told to “write what you know.” Stuart Gibbs encourages authors to write what fascinates them...

In this fascinating episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with bestselling author Stuart Gibbs—the author behind Spy School, FunJungle, Charlie Thorne, Once Upon A Tim, and The Last Musketeer series. Stuart shares his incredible journey from writing stories as a child (showcasing his first, "homemade" book), to working in Hollywood (Anastasia, anyone??), to becoming an author of more than 40 books.

Along the way, we talk about his real-life adventures: cage diving with great white sharks, facing down a charging elephant, and rescuing children from drowning, and how his experiences and real-life adventures have influenced his stories.

Stuart chats about persistence, and why success in publishing is often a slow, steady climb—not a single breakthrough moment. He also shares one of the most powerful pieces of writing advice I’ve ever heard: don’t write what you know… write what fascinates you.

Whether you’re a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or an adventurer, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your own literal journey.

About STUART GIBBS:

A few interesting things that Stuart Gibbs has done: Worked at a zoo. Researched capybaras (the world's largest rodents). Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Cage dived with great white sharks. Faced down a charging elephant. Swum with penguins in the Galapagos. Ice-climbed a glacier in Patagonia. Visited the cockpit of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Helped rescue sixteen children from drowning off the coast of Israel. Written a few movies that actually got made (See Spot Run; Repli-Kate; Showdown). Worked on a few animated movies (Anastasia; Open Season 3; Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers).

He is currently at work on several more books -- and the screenplay for Spy School the movie/series.

💻 VISIT Stuart Gibbs's official website: https://stuartgibbs.com/

📖 READ Ape Escape: https://amzn.to/3PmV0I7

📖 READ Spy School: https://amzn.to/4cUPQNi

📚 CHECK OUT Stuart Gibbs's other books: https://amzn.to/4rHIbp6

🎧 LISTEN to more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://aliteraljourney.buzzsprout.com/

🎥 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. 📖✨

#StuartGibbs #SpySchool #AuthorInterview #WritingAdvice #AmWriting #WritersOfYouTube #MiddleGradeBooks #ChildrensBooks #Storytelling #CreativeWriting #AuthorLife #BooksAndAuthors #WritingTips #PublishingJourney #WritersCommunity #BookTube #Inspiration #LiveAGreatStory

My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

Subscribe for:
📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors
🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward
🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full”

✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8
🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com

Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!