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Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

By: Mark Leslie Lefebvre
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Perspectives and reflections on the writing and publishing life. Mark Leslie Lefebvre, a writer, bookseller, digital publishing advocate, professional speaker, and publishing consultant explores inclusive and collaborative opportunities for writers and book publishing professionals via interviews, discussions, and reflections about the industry. (Mark's personal website is www.markleslie.ca)Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • EP 477 - Rambling Reflections From The Road to StokerCon

    EP 477 - Rambling Reflections From The Road to StokerCon
    Jun 4 2026
    In this solo episode recorded while driving between Waterloo, Ontario and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on his way to attending StokerCon, a horror writer conference, Mark shares some reflections on his dual life as an author-supporting industry representative and a horror author. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live. Links of Interest: Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsMark's YouTube channelElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingOnce Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas VacationI Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    47 mins
  • EP 476 - Not Your Granny's Grammar with Patty McGee

    EP 476 - Not Your Granny's Grammar with Patty McGee
    May 29 2026
    Mark interviews grammar educator Patty McGee about her new book NOT YOUR GRANNY'S GRAMMAR as well as how grammar should be approachable rather than feared. Prior to the interview Mark comments from recent episodes and related Stark Reflections content, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Patty talk about: Talk about: Patty's background as a teacher and how she tried to make the experience as rich as possible for studentsThe challenge of when she first approached teaching grammarLooking for a new time of entry point for grammar learningGrammar being more than just the traditional basics, including sentence construction and sentences types that can make our writing more fluid and better express what we want readers to experience in our writingHow identifying parts of speech in grammar has often become a kind of gatekeeping element in how to use grammarPatty being a literary consultant but preferring to call herself a "traveling teacher"How a lot of adults carry a lot of baggage about grammarRemoving the punitive nature of the way grammar is approached and taughtPatty's use of grammatical manipulatives and being allowed to play with themCertain long-time rules such as the "comma splice" rule that might be going away due to common modern useHow handwriting is one of the most useful ways of remembering and building skills by firing more neurons than typing doesThings to remember about the discomfort and fear of grammar such as "grammar isn't rules, grammar is art" and "grammar isn't rules, grammar is style"And more... After the interview Mark reflects on a few things about the conversation and also interjects with something from his personal update that he forgot. Links of Interest: Patty McGee's WebsiteArticle: Survival Dance: How Humans Waltzed Through the Ice AgeArticle: With This Pen, I Thee Connect Patreon VersionSubstack Version Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsMark's YouTube channelElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingOnce Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas VacationI Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator passionate about transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and advocate for delightful literacy practices, Patty has worked alongside educators across the country, partnering to unlock the full potential of their students through innovative and practical teaching strategies. Not Your Granny's Grammar is her third book. Connect with Patty at www.pattymcgee.org. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • EP 475 - Writing Emotions and Making the Reader Feel with Jeff Elkins

    EP 475 - Writing Emotions and Making the Reader Feel with Jeff Elkins
    May 22 2026
    Mark interviews Jeff Elkins, The Dialogue Doctor, about writing emotion and a new in person gathering he's organizing in Baltimore in late 2026. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live. During their conversation, Mark and Jeff talk about: Jeff's latest book in the Dialogue Doctor series on writing emotionsHow Jeff has never really done any marketing for his booksStruggling with intense self doubtCo-authoring with JP Rindfleisch IXThe concept of thinking about how a scene makes the reader feel instead of how the character feelsHow in a world of AI you should be the most human you can be and how it leads to the question: "What does it look like, what does it mean to write like a human?"Seven different ways you can manipulate the reader's emotional journey and how they've come from the coaching Jeff does with authorsRecentering our story around the question of what our character's growth isThe book THE ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOPThe concept of the reader's ally character to either increase or relieve the pressure, or tension in a momentJeff's in person gathering happening in Baltimore later this yearAnd more... After the interview, Mark reflects on four different things from the conversation, and includes an additional personal update that comes with a reflection. Links of Interest: The Dialogue DoctorThe Fiction Makers Conference (Aug 22, 23, 2026)Jeff's Previous Appearances EP 312 - The Dialogue Doctor Will See You Now With Jeff ElkinsEP 266 - "Let's Talk Dialogue with Jeff Elkins," He Said ReflectivelyEP 157 - A Conversation with Jeff Elkins, The Dialogue DoctorEP 226 - Reflective Round Table - December 2021EP 172 - Understanding and Navigating Gender Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsMark's YouTube channelElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and LibrariesThe Relaxed Author Buy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover's MoonHex and the CityOnly Monsters in the BuildingOnce Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die HardMerry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas VacationI Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Jeff Elkins is the founder of the Dialogue Doctor where he and two other passionate coaches help authors and provides free resources and a supportive community. He's the author of 13 novels, 5 books on the craft of writing, and over 100 short stories. He has worked with hundreds of authors over the years and helped thousands more via his many resources, his public speaking, and the Dialogue Doctor podcast. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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    1 hr and 19 mins
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