Jonathan Whitelaw is a Scottish author and journalist now living in Canada who wrote his first novel at the age of 17. He’s since published several books in the cozy crime genre, including Morbid Relations and the popular Bingo Hall Detectives series.
In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, host Lynne Golodner interviews Jonathan about the cozy crime genre, why he’s drawn to it and the genre’s emphasis on humor, character, and setting. Plus, they discuss his publishing journey, from his first horrible book to being published by a small independent publisher to getting an agent and taking the plunge to become a full-time author. They also explore the differences and similarities between the publishing industry in the UK and Canada and how Jonathan has adapted his marketing to reach a North American audience while still appealing to his loyal UK readers.
In this episode, Lynne and Jonathan discuss:
Why you can write at any age
Audience differences between Canada and the UK
Genre talk
The expansiveness of writing and publishing
The popularity of cozy crime during times of crisis
The challenge of writing humor
Inspiration from in-law relationships
The need for luck and endurance in the author journey
Writing practice & daily routine
Juggling writing, parenting and income-earning
Importance of a supportive family and the "village" of the publishing industry
Book cover differences between countries
Lynne’s writing sabbatical in Nova Scotia
Finding your audience in different geographical locations
Links and Resources:
The Hobbit
Die Hard
Lynne’s Writing Classes & Programs
Nova Scotia Retreat
When Words Collide
Cozy Mystery
Agatha Christie
Terry Pratchett
The Bingo Hall Detectives
Ringwood Publishing
Harper North
Harper Collins
The Village Hall Vendetta
LJ Ross
Indigo
Colleen Hoover
Find Jonathan Whitelaw:
Website
If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning Podcast episodes:
Episode 158 – Suzanne Nugent – On Character Development
Episode 149 – Anne-Marie Oomen – Writing Through Family
Episode 134 – Andrew McDiarmid – Simply Scottish
Episode 132 – Merryn Glover – Literary Fiction about Place
Episode 70 – Elena Reads – How to Stoke a Love of Reading in Kids
Episode 64 - Communicating Faith with Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
Episode 63 - Purpose at the Core with Nikki Little
Episode 62 - Finding “Soul Purpose” with Jen Coken
Episode 61 - Merle Saferstein - How to leave a legacy through journaling
Episode 60 - Vickie Thompson-Sandy - How to lead a nonprofit by inspiring others to reach their potential
Episode 59 - Higher Learning with Molly Worthen
Episode 58 - Being Grateful: A special Thanksgiving episode with Kristi Nelson and Nedal Al-Hayek
Episode 57 – Positive Public Health with Tista Ghosh
Episode 56 - Ken Budd - How to be a voluntourist
Episode 55 - Understanding Adolescence with Lisa Damour
Episode 54 - Quilting Advocacy with Sandy North
EPISODE 53 – RERUN: Just Be Nice with Paul Saginaw
Episode 52 - Journey to the Self with Stacy Dockins
Episode 51 – Storytelling Marketing & Strategic Messaging with Lynne Golodner and Christina Weaver
Episode 50 - Strengthening Intellect With Gautam Jain
Episode 49 - Saving The Bees
Episode 48 - The NFHS Reunion Episode: Reflecting on 30 Years Since graduation
Episode 47 – Quieting the Mind with Linda Makowski
Episode 46 – Creating Communities with Amy Haimerl and David Dwaihy
Episode 45 - Life from Death with Dr. Joshua Mezrich, MD
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Art of War
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends