Podcast Summary: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing – March Bonus Episode (March 30, 2026)

Episode Overview

This March bonus episode brings a blend of candid craft insights, industry truths, humor, and practical guidance for emerging writers. The show kicks off with bestselling author and host Bianca Marais welcoming her cohosts—literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra—and a lineup of special guests. In this episode:

• Bianca interviews author and literary citizen Kerry Clare about her new novel, Definitely Thriving, exploring inspiration, character development, and “quiet novels.”
• Summer England, debut author and effervescent content creator, discusses her unconventional path to publication and her book, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne.
• Book marketing expert Chris Houston unpacks what truly moves the needle in book publicity.
• Emily Summer from East City Bookshop hosts the recurring Comps Segment, helping listeners find comparative titles for their manuscripts.
• As always, expect a lively, honest tone, lots of reader/writer solidarity, and a few laugh-out-loud moments.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Kerry Clare and 'Definitely Thriving' (00:47–27:50)

Inspiration from Barbara Pym & Rebecca Solnit

• Kerry discusses being inspired by mid-century British novelist Barbara Pym, particularly her subtle portrayals of community, mundane conflict, and unconventional, “perfectly imperfect” characters.
  • Quote: “She writes about communities and how difficult communities are, and how weird and irritating people are. That's a story that I think she never ran out of material for.” (05:04)
• Rebecca Solnit’s essay, The Mother of All Questions, played a big role in Kerry’s approach to her main character, rejecting society’s expectations of womanhood.

Subverting Expectations & Character-Driven Plot

• Reading a hilarious excerpt (08:45–10:19) highlights the novel’s twist on familiar tropes—where the female protagonist upends the stereotype of the betrayed wife.
• Quote (Bianca): “We're so used to narratives of a husband blowing up a marriage...but this comes as such a surprise…she orchestrated her husband's arrival so the marriage could blow up.” (10:19)
• Kerry emphasizes writing as “seduction” and the necessity of surprising readers early and often.

Hooks in 'Quiet Novels'

• The conversation addresses the publishing industry’s obsession with “high concept hooks.”
• Kerry’s book—a celebration of community and small stakes—proves you can write a “quiet” novel that feels vibrant and alive.
  • Kerry: “I've tried to write novels that are a little more conventional...but it's the only way I know how to do it.” (14:11)
  • The infamous octopus-threesome scene on page four becomes a talking point about marketability and authentic author voice.
• Challenges of packaging and marketing unconventional stories; importance of honest book blurbs and supportive publicity teams.

Character-Driven Plot ("Plaric" Term)

• Discussion of Danielle Gerard’s idea of “plaric”—the indelible marriage of plot and character.
  • Kerry’s takeaway: “Her character is the plot. If she wasn’t someone artfully resisting questions about how to be a woman, a lot less would happen in the book.” (19:32)

Community & Female Protagonists

• Key insight: Even fiercely independent women rely on communities and connections.
• Kerry reflects on Bridget Jones as inspiration, appreciating the evolution from external validation to self-acceptance.

Writing During COVID

• Kerry describes writing the book as an antidote to pandemic loneliness—craving closeness, connection, and community friction, all filtered into the novel.

2. Summer England and ‘The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne’ (28:45–59:18)

Journey to Publication: From TikTok to Book Deal

• Summer’s platform grew organically out of storytelling on TikTok, not out of a calculated bid for a publishing deal.
  • Quote: “At the precipice of beginning social media, it was really just an outlet for me…posting online was a form of fun storytelling.” (33:44)
• Literary agent was drawn not to follower numbers, but the storytelling itself.
• Summer underscores that while her route seems serendipitous, it’s built on years of performance, teaching, and craft.

Genre-Blending, Cozy with Spice, and Character-First Writing

• Her debut mixes cozy fantasy, romance (sapphic), humor, and spice (explicit scenes)—with a strong, fully-realized protagonist.
  • On plotting: “I’m a very character-forward writer…what makes the most sense for Clara to be doing next?” (40:39)
• Acting background helps craft internality, ensemble casts, and physical comedy.

Physical Comedy and Writing ‘Spice’

• Writing physical humor and spicy scenes draws from kinesthetic, actorly awareness—keeping track of bodies, beats, and emotional stakes.
• Advice on writing sex scenes: build emotional tension first (“the miss, the kiss, and then the spice”), be attentive to physical logistics and character development.
  • Quote: “The biggest tip to writing a spice scene is the buildup…so when we get there as the reader, there's the emotional tension—please, please already touch each other.” (55:26)
  • Editorial anecdote: her editor raised the “how many fingers” question for clarity (56:54).

Craft and Cohesion

• The “secret sauce” is ensuring every scene and genre element is rooted in character growth and plot logic, not just genre conventions.

Setting & Visuals

• Watercolor depictions of settings are part of pre-order bonuses, and the town is drawn to feel so rich readers don’t want to leave it.

3. Chris Houston on Book Publicity (61:02–92:25)

Changing Industry and Shifting Publicity Models

• Chris, a veteran in book marketing, describes shrinking publicity windows (now typically three months), overextended in-house publicists, and the need for proactive author engagement.
  • Traditional levers that “move the needle” in Canada: CBC (radio/TV features) and The Globe & Mail; in the US: New York Times, national TV, NPR, and celebrity book clubs.
  • Quote: “No author ever has said, ‘Wow, that was too much publicity.’ Publicists just can’t win.” (66:15)

Social Media and Author Platform

• Social platforms matter, not just for “follower” numbers but for consistent, genuine engagement.
• Build a social brand now—share behind-the-scenes, research, enthusiasm, and “messy progress.”
  • Quote: “We want to see this activity and get you ingrained in the minds of readers. This is someone I want to know more from.” (70:53)

Best Practices for Authors

• Start publicity efforts well before publication—ideally when cover and blurb decisions are being made.
• Authors must actively participate, not just hand everything to a hired publicist.
• Social media and platform-building are ongoing obligations, not one-off checkboxes.
• For indie or hybrid authors: professionalizing covers and networking is crucial.

Publicity Is Long-Term Investment

• Effective publicity builds not just sales but reputation and future opportunity: “It’s an investment towards your entire career.” (89:53)
• Don’t let the world’s “dumpster fire” paralyze your promotion—books and posts still uplift, connect, and matter.

4. Comps Segment with Emily Summer (East City Bookshop) (92:28–115:48)

Each month, Emily tackles real listener queries to find contemporary comp titles for their queries or book proposals, with focus on tone, theme, and market positioning.

Highlights from This Month’s Queries:

• Urban Fantasy (Fire & Waterkeepers, Fusion Bond, Enemies to Lovers)

  • Emily suggests: Kindred Curse Saga by Pen Cole, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout, Empire of Flame and Thorns.

• Memoir (Replacement Child, Family Secrets, Race, Segregation)

  • Jesus Land by Julia Shears, The Glass Eye by Jeannie Vanasco, In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man by Tom Junod (new release).

• Psychological Thriller (Older Female Volunteer, Crisis Line, Missing Person)

  • Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, and Karen Slaughter are author comps, though specific close titles (like Pieces of Her by Slaughter) are suggested; Joy Fielding and Chevy Stevens for age-appropriate heroines.

• Women’s Fiction (Family Farm, Sibling Rivalry, Returning Home)

  • Recommends The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood, and the novels of Linda Holmes.

• Literary Speculative Fiction (Grieving Family, Cloning, Ethics)

  • Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro) is a comp, but might be “too big.”
  • Suggests authors like Karen Thompson Walker, Helen Phillips, Kate Hope Day, Emily St. John Mandel.

(And more—see show notes for all queries and recommendations.)

Memorable moment: Emily’s dog, Phil, makes a few “guest” appearances and prompts podcasting chaos, showing the homey, human side of the show (93:00, 95:49).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “In her books, her characters are so nosy. They're always going to the library to look up characters and directories because they just want to know everything. They want data.” (Kerry Clare, 05:26)
• “You don't want to surprise the reader by selling them something formulaic and then, you know, there's toad and the octopus sex on page four…It’s not going to end well for anybody.” (Kerry Clare, 15:07)
• “We always want to figure [people] out. And so that's a thread in [Barbara Pym’s] book as well.” (Kerry Clare, 05:16)
• “If you're hoping to just sort of write a check and take three months and work on your next book…It’s better if you’re going to be actively engaged and busting to do something.” (Chris Houston, 82:16)
• “The biggest tip to writing a spice scene is the buildup to it. I like to do by the rule of three: the miss, the kiss, then the thing.” (Summer England, 55:26)
• “Publicity is an investment for your entire career because someone's going to go back and say, well, look what happened for this person's last book.” (Chris Houston, 89:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Kerry Clare interview (intro and book talk) | 00:47–27:50 | | Summer England debut journey and craft | 28:45–59:18 | | Chris Houston on book promotion/publicity | 61:02–92:25 | | Comps Segment w/ Emily Summer | 92:28–115:48 | | Notable moments (Phil the dog, podcast chaos) | 93:00–95:49 | | Advice on writing spicy scenes | 55:26–57:41 | | Subverting expectations in character & plot | 10:19–12:24 |

Final Takeaways

• Hooks help, but honest, character-driven storytelling and a clear sense of community can still win readers and publishers.
• Writers should remain true to their genres—even “quiet” books can have impact if they’re vibrant and unexpected.
• Platform building is ongoing and organic; focus less on numbers, more on authentic connection and voice.
• Professional support in publicity is an investment in the author’s long-term brand, not just one book.
• Keep surprising and seducing your readers—whether with a plot twist or a well-crafted, spicy scene.

Tune in next month for more hard truths, warm support, and a literary community that truly has your back!
(And don’t forget to submit your query or comp request for the next episode.)

For more info on beta reader matchups and show notes, visit biancamarais.com