Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing Podcast By Mark Leslie Lefebvre cover art

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 468 - Identity and Not Being Who You Thought You Were with Marie Lynne Desrochers

    EP 468 - Identity and Not Being Who You Thought You Were with Marie Lynne Desrochers
    Apr 2 2026
    Mark interviews Marie Lynne Desrochers about her new memoir SHAKEN AWAKE: A Memoir on Identity and Connection. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Marie Lynne talk about: Marie's background in the corporate world marketing and how that ties in to storytellingThe startling event of receiving a message via Facebook from a man who introduced himself as Marie's father and how that lead to this memoirThe moment when you start wondering who you thought you've been your whole lifeMarie's book SHAKEN AWAKE: A MEMOIR ON IDENTITY AND CONNECTION which is being released in English first in March 2026, and then will be released in French in June (both written by Marie who is bilingual)How the table of contents for the book seemed to emerge dynamically near the beginning of the projectThe exploration of identity and the various different identities that each individual wearsThe value of sitting in different seats during the experience of writing a memoir like thisHow the cover and the title for this book came to beThe way when you first become aware of something you see it everywhereThe ritual and importance of the kintsugi bowl from Japanese cultureThe fear that still sits with Marie in the process of releasing this story to the worldWhen editors have conflicting views/perspectives on a book and how that can mean it's going to be a really good book - and the importance that not everyone is going to like it, or even believe itSupernatural guidance that Marie received that helped answer the question of why she was writing this bookDeciding not to try to go to a publisher, but going to Author Nation instead to connect with people and learn how to get the book out there herselfThe triple crown of being a successful author that includes needing to have mentors, to know what you're doing, and to have an accountability buddyAdvice Marie would offer to a writer beginning on their journeyThe confidence about trusting emergenceDoing a book launch at a local gallery and the power of that collaborationThe distinctly different title for the French version of the bookAnd more... After the interview Mark reflects on a number of things that came up during the interview. Links of Interest: Marie Lynne Desrocher's WebsiteManuscript 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 Marie Lynne Desrochers is a Montreal-based author, speaker, director and former banking executive whose 30-year career spanned marketing, entrepreneurship, and advising global leaders. She now explores truth, identity, and connection through narrative nonfiction. Her memoir, Shaken Awake: A Memoir on Identity and Connection (March 19, 2026), weaves a powerful family discovery with a deeper reflection on how unexpected truths reshape who we are—and how we love. 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 7 mins
  • EP 467 - Strategies for ADHD Writers with Nicole Bross

    EP 467 - Strategies for ADHD Writers with Nicole Bross
    Mar 26 2026
    In this episode Mark interviews author, editor, and certified book coach Nicole Bross about her co-authored book A NOVEL APPROACH: STRATEGIES FOR ADHD WRITERS. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Nicole talk about: Nicole's background always being interested in writing, along with a love of mysteries such as Nancy Drew and othersTaking journalism in high school and also at Mount RoyalHer first novel being published in 2019 and how it was near the same time she was first diagnosed with ADHDPublished a few articles that lead to her co-author reaching out and suggesting the idea of collaborating on that bookThe collaboration being done mostly online (Nicole in Alberta, and Kirsten in Vienna) and how they divided the work up while writing into the same Google Doc simultaneouslyThe "every Friday" accountability connections they did along the wayThe three year period between coming up with the idea to the book being released (in the fall of 2025)The most important message of the book to writersHow the combination of being a bright kid with undiagnosed ADHD meant it mostly went un-noticedThe book A NOVEL APPROACH: STRATEGIES FOR ADHD WRITERS by Nicole Bross and Kristen DonagheyThe manual typewriter collection that Nicole has (which includes about 20 of them)Advice Nicole would offer to writers with ADHDWhere an outline can actually prove to be helpful by offering a goal they're reaching toward as well as manageable chunks of achievementNicole's novel PAST PRESENCE which is a supernatural mystery novelThe different timelines Nicole has experienced with traditional publishing and self-publishingAnd more... After the interview Mark reflects on the importance of asking and the commitment to move forward however slowly. Links of Interest: Nicole Bross's WebsiteNicole's Website for Authors: Manuscript AlchemyManuscript 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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    1 hr and 1 min
  • EP 466 - Publishing Wide But Shallow

    EP 466 - Publishing Wide But Shallow
    Mar 19 2026
    In this solo episode, Mark shares an article he posted on Substack earlier in March called "Publishing Wide But Shallow." Prior to the main content (the article), Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. Links of Interest: Article: Nobody Has Read Your Books or Even Heard of YouArticle: Publishing Wide But ShallowArticle: Stretching Before The Writing RunManuscript 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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    32 mins
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