What do you do when you have no ashes the night before Ash Wednesday? You burn something, of course. And then twenty years later, you write a novel about it.

That's exactly what happened to novelist Thomas Maltman, who teaches at Normandale Community College, is married to a Lutheran pastor, and has four novels under his belt, including Ashes to Ashes (currently in Minnesota Book Award contention).

The real-life Ash Wednesday mishap became the premise for his latest book: What if the ashes wouldn't wash away? What if this happened in a small town? How would people react? That's how you turn an awkward church moment into compelling fiction.

Dawn and Ruth also dive into Thomas's writing process. He shares his morning routine, drafting by hand with full permission to "write badly," then revising through typing, printing, and reading everything aloud. He talks about the value of writing community, headphones, and why you should always start new projects during those long publishing waits.

This episode is for writers, obviously, but also for anyone who's ever wondered how real life becomes story. Because sometimes the best fiction starts with the moments that make you think "you can't make this stuff up."

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00:21 Springtime City Vibes

01:15 Confirmation Walk Treats

02:12 Botanic Garden Learning

02:59 Meet Thomas Maltman

04:56 Ashes to Ashes Origin

09:22 Writing in the Morning

10:23 Publishing Without an Agent

12:09 Writing Anywhere Tools

14:14 Finding Readers Today

17:29 Long Form Comeback

17:52 Start Small Write Rough

18:46 From Journal To Draft

20:39 Living In Story Worlds

23:21 Embodiment And Truth

24:50 Writing For Love Not Money

26:48 Favorite Creators And Community

27:58 Fantasy Roadblocks Coaching

29:56 Find Your Genre Audience

32:02 Gargoyles To Novellas