Podcast Summary: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Episode: Big Auction Debuts and What Brings You Back to the Page
Date: January 1, 2026
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, CeCe Lyra
Featured Guests: Katie Burnett (author of Beth is Dead), Deepa Anappara (author of Gin Patrol on the Purple Line and The Last of Earth)

Episode Overview

This episode features two rich conversations centered on debut novels making a splash in the literary world and the deeper creative motivations that draw writers to the page. Literary agent and co-host Carly Watters interviews debut author Katie Burnett about her buzzy, auctioned YA thriller Beth is Dead, a modern retelling of Little Women. Later, Bianca Marais hosts Deepa Anappara, acclaimed author of Gin Patrol on the Purple Line and The Last of Earth, for an inspiring discussion about perseverance, point of view, and intentional craft. Both interviews deliver real, practical advice for writers and insight into the evolving publishing landscape.

Interview 1: Katie Burnett – The Journey of Beth Is Dead

1. The Story Behind Beth Is Dead (02:16)

• Beth Is Dead is a modern YA thriller that reimagines Little Women, opening with the murder of Beth rather than her traditional fate.
  • "Beth, instead of dying from scarlet fever at the end of the book, she is found murdered in chapter one." — Katie Burnett (02:16)

2. Path to Publication and Learning Through Failure (03:06)

• Beth Is Dead was Katie’s sixth manuscript.
• She credits writing and "failing" five earlier, unpublished novels for her skill development.
  • "I tell people all the time, I think I learned something new with each of those five manuscripts that were unpublished..." — Katie Burnett (03:07)

3. Getting an Agent and Workshopping the Book (03:34, 21:53)

• Signed with agent Sarah Crowe on a previous manuscript that didn’t sell; workshopped Beth Is Dead concept with her.
• Reading work aloud weekly at DFW Writers Workshop was instrumental in refining her craft.
  • "I wouldn't be published without the DFW Writers Workshop." — Katie Burnett (18:47)
• Positive, concrete feedback (“this is the best thing you’ve ever written”) from a mentor was a turning point.

4. The Craft of Retelling: Balance of Lore and Freshness (04:49, 06:38)

• The choice to center pre-existing characters allowed for a tightly plotted story without excessive exposition.
• Katie emphasized the importance of purposeful retellings:
  • "What is the reason that you're doing this? ...What is the purpose? And that was something in the back of my head the whole time." — Katie Burnett (06:38)
• The book’s multiple POVs and timelines demanded narrative economy.

5. YA Audience and Crossover Potential (05:29, 06:00)

• Katie initially debated the genre but chose YA due to her comfort with the voice; anticipates crossover adult readership.

6. Technology in Modernizing Classics (11:08)

• Addressed the challenges of integrating tech (tracking, social media) in a mystery—i.e., deliberate choices like not sharing locations.
• Jo, as a modern influencer, processes grief and storytelling online.
  • "Part of her struggle is relevance. How does she stay relevant?...What can I put online and what should I not put online?" — Katie Burnett (11:08)

7. Social Class in the Modern Setting (12:50)

• The March sisters are "middle class" within an affluent enclave, echoing economic nuances from the original.

8. A Commercial Breakthrough (14:16)

• The high-concept, “hooky” premise gave editors and international publishers something to latch onto.
  • "All of the books that I had written previously...were a little bit more literary. They didn't have a really easy hook...I should take this advice myself, and I should come up with a more commercial premise." — Katie Burnett (14:16)

9. Frankfurt Book Fair, Buzz & International Sales (15:55)

• Katie recounts meeting international publishers at Frankfurt, learning about different markets.

10. Writing Influences (17:13)

• YA: Tiffany D. Jackson, David Arnold, Nina LaCour, Jandy Nelson.
• Adult: Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Andrea Bartz ("...what tipped me over the edge").

11. Writers Workshop & DFW Con (18:47)

• Importance of literary community for critique, support, and industry navigation.
• The conference experience broadened Katie’s network and skills.

12. Breaking Through: Discovering Plot (23:05)

• Past work praised for character, but lacked "need to turn the page."
• Writing a mystery forced her to hone plot and tension.

Quote Highlight

• "Each writer...write enough that you learn what your personal weakness is and then find a way to fix that personal weakness." — Katie Burnett (23:05)

13. Crafting Complex Structure (26:00)

• The novel’s meta layers (the father’s book, Jo as influencer) evolved during drafting; the father's writing subplot was the story's "crack open" moment.

14. Advice for Emerging Writers (29:14)

• Find honest critique partners.
• Stay flexible—“learning how to pivot” is vital.
  • "...being a little bit looser with your work, not holding it so tightly." — Katie Burnett (29:14)
• Recognize that brand evolves from content, not pre-packaging.

15. Upcoming Projects & Events (30:44)

• Working on a new literary classic retelling as a thriller.
• Book tour dates: Acton, MA; Nashville; Dallas; Plano; Houston; Waco.

Interview 2: Deepa Anappara – What Brings You Back to the Page

1. Deepa's Path to Publication (35:22)

• Always wanted to write but grew up without the privilege to pursue fiction professionally; became a print journalist in India.
• Moved to the UK, attended creative writing classes, wrote three unpublished novels.
• Her debut, Gin Patrol on the Purple Line, emerged out of her master's program and won multiple emerging writer prizes, attracting agents.
  • "...it was a very long process. I was in my 40s when my book was published..." — Deepa Anappara (38:34)

2. Persistence Over Talent (43:43)

• On weathering rejection: Two-year periods between books, writing short stories to maintain momentum.
• The need to tell important, marginalized stories was a key motivator.
• "What's essentially in your control is...being at your desk, turning up on the page and writing this particular story that maybe nobody else can tell." — Deepa Anappara (41:38)
• Cites Anne Enright: Persistence, not talent, marks published writers.

3. Intentional Point of View and Perspective (43:56)

• Gin Patrol: Written from a child’s POV to preserve levity and humanity, even amidst a harrowing story.
• The Last of Earth: Alternates between an Indian surveyor serving the British and a fictionalized Victorian female explorer, highlighting erased colonial voices.
• Discusses intentionality in narrative distance: first vs. third person and the effect of each.

4. Historical Research and Fictional Gaps (52:59)

• Years of research went into reconstructing erased Indian histories, especially for The Last of Earth.
• Mannerisms and gestures brought realism, based on careful observation and notes taken during travel to Tibet.
  • "Close observation at all times, I think, [is] really essential for a writer." — Deepa Anappara (54:52)

5. Craft on a Sentence Level (57:08)

• Metaphor and simile use should be character- and context-appropriate.
• Gin Patrol: Child’s comparisons are limited by his world (TV, food, animals).
• The Last of Earth: More expansive prose matches the 19th-century setting and introspective, natural surroundings.
• "For me, a useful defining characteristic...is deciding what is the voice of this character going to be." — Deepa Anappara (60:36)

6. Memorable Moments and Quotes

• On resilience: "I do feel quite unhappy when I'm not writing...I don't feel fully myself if I've not written for a long time." — Deepa Anappara (41:38)
• On writing support: "With my students, what I see is that they're so focused on their phones that they never look up and...don't notice the world at all." — Deepa Anappara (54:52)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Katie Burnett:
  “This is the best thing you’ve ever written.” (mentor feedback, 21:53)
  "Books need hooks." (Carly Watters, 15:25)
• Deepa Anappara:
  “What's essentially in your control is...turning up on the page and writing this particular story that maybe nobody else can tell.” (41:38)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------| | 02:16 | Katie Burnett introduces Beth Is Dead | | 03:07 | Katie on her five unpublished manuscripts | | 14:16 | Katie on finding her "commercial hook" | | 21:53 | Impact of Writers Workshop on Katie’s career | | 23:05 | Learning from past writing weaknesses | | 35:22 | Deepa Anappara’s path to publication | | 43:56 | Deepa on point-of-view intentionality | | 54:52 | Observational research, writing gestures | | 57:08 | Crafting line-level prose |

Takeaways for Writers

• Persist through rejection; publication often comes after years (and failures).
• Community and critique are invaluable.
• A clear, high-concept hook is key for commercial success.
• Know your character’s voice so intimately that it shapes every sentence and metaphor.
• Read and observe the world meticulously—detail and specificity are born in real-life observation.
• Writing “brand” emerges organically through story and author growth, not prepackaged identity.
• Intentionally select POV and narrative distance to best serve the story’s emotional and thematic truth.

Highly recommended episode for writers seeking both industry guidance and creative encouragement—plus specific, practical examples straight from two very different, but equally wise, debut authors.