The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

An Acquiring Editor on Books With Hooks

This week's Books with Hooks welcomes special guest and acquiring editor Kirsiah Depp. Together with CeCe and Bianca, she critiques two fantasy queries, shares what makes

Shooting the Shit About Advance Sizes and E-Learning Economics

Carly and CeCe are back to Shoot the Shit about the money behind publishing—and why getting published doesn’t mean the hard part is over. They dig into why an author’s se

In Conversation with Editor and Author

Author Elizabeth Urso and her editor Alex Brown of Rising Action Publishing join Bianca Marais to talk about the journey behind Hail Mary, a dark, visceral thriller steep

August Bonus Episode

In part one this August bonus episode, Bianca connects with bestselling author Ann Garvin to unpack the craft behind her suspense novel, Tell to Friends. They dive into b

The Secret to a Five-Star Query Letter

On this week's Books with Hooks, Carly, CeCe, and Bianca discuss two compelling submissions: a queer reality TV romance and a dark psychological thriller. They break down

Shooting the Shit About "The Put Down, Pick Up Test"

Carly and CeCe are back for another Shooting the Shit, talking about that gut-level feeling that makes an agent know they’ve found something special—and why a great premi

Author Insights from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Linwood Barclay and Laura Moriarty

In part one of this week’s packed episode Bianca Marais chats with thriller powerhouse Hank Phillippi Ryan, they unpack the craft behind ‘Mother, Daughter, Sister, Strang

Shooting the Shit About Author Events and Memoirs That Sell

Carly and CeCe are back for another Shooting the Shit, digging into the latest publishing news—from what’s changing with local author events to encouraging new sales numb

Fight! Fight! Fight!

This week on Books with Hooks, CeCe, Carly, and Bianca critique two submissions: a literary LGBTQ novel centered on the closure of a rural queer bar and the buried trauma

Shooting The Shit About Cancelled Auctions and AI Inevitability

Carly and CeCe are back to unpack another messy week in publishing, from a headline-making cancelled book auction and growing concerns over AI accusations to the urgent n

Author Insights From Chris Bohjalian, Bailey Hannah and Tarah DeWitt

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca Marais sits down with bestselling author Chris Bohjalian to discuss The Amateur. Don’t miss this incredibly insightful intervie

Shooting The Shit About AI Accusations & New Rules For Agents

They are back! On this week’s episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe tackle some of the biggest conversations in publishing, from the rise of AI detection controver

Worldbuilding Without Confusing Readers

In this week’s Books with Hooks episode, CeCe, Carly, and Bianca critique two submissions: an upmarket coming-of-age novel about a teen questioning evangelical purity cul

July Bonus Episode

In this month’s bonus episode, Rachel Hochhauser joins CeCe Lyra to discuss her debut, Lady Tremaine, an untelling of Cinderella from the infamous stepmother's perspectiv

The Writing Trick That Landed Five Agent Offers

In this week’s episode, Bianca Marais interviews, bestselling author Molly Fader, to discuss her latest novel, ‘Lady X’, and shares the surprising publishing journey behi

Shooting the Shit About The Life and Death of Critical Thinking

In this week’s episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe are back and here to unpack a thought-provoking article on the future of reading, discussing how declining lit

Beginning With The Three Cs

This week’s Books with Hooks features two very different manuscripts. Carly, CeCe and Bianca discuss a dual-timeline second-chance romance that struggles with stakes, emo

Shooting the Shit With Special Guest Alia Hanna Habib

This week on Shooting the Shit, CeCe Lyra welcomes literary agent and author Alia Hanna Habib to discuss her new book, ‘Take It From Me: An Agent’s Guide to Building a No

The First Guest on Books With Hooks is Publishing! & The Protagonist as an Outsider

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca Marais chats with debut author Ruth Newton about the journey from being the very first Books with Hooks guest to publishing her

Shooting the Shit About Trends—And Why You Do (And Don't) Need Them—Solo With Carly

What are publishing trends really, and should writers chase them? In this solo episode, Carly Watters pulls back the curtain on how literary agents think about trends, ex