Episode 155 - Martha Anne Toll - Finely Crafted, Award-Winning Fiction
Martha Anne Toll is an author and former lawyer who has always been passionate about writing. She grew up in a secular Jewish family and was deeply influenced by the stories of Holocaust survivors. Martha's debut novel, Three Muses, is a beautifully crafted story that combines her love for ballet and her exploration of the impact of the Holocaust on her own Jewish identity. She is currently working on her second novel, Duet for One, which delves into the world of classical music in Philadelphia.
In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, host Lynne Golodner interviews Martha about her writing process, her publishing journey, marketing efforts, and the value of attending book events to learn from other authors. They also discuss how the Holocaust factors into Jewish identity, especially for 20th century American Jews.
In this episode, Lynne and Martha discuss:
The inspiration behind the novel Three Muses
Martha's introduction to Judaism through the Holocaust
Martha's next novel
Developing characters & the love story in Three Muses
Writing process and revision
Research for writing a book
How to find a publisher
Marketing & speaking engagements
The power of 100 rejections
Writing routines & book events
Why beginnings & endings are so difficult
Writing novels with no formal writing training – why you don’t need a degree to write a great book!
Being a ruthless self-editor
Links and Resources:
The Holocaust
Auschwitz
Classic music in Philadelphia
Woman of Valor
Viola
Writing Coaching
Swan Lake
Developmental Editing
Writing Retreats
Regal House Publishing
Petrichor Prize
Lynne’s Substack
Find Martha Anne Toll:
Website
Substack
If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning Podcast episodes:
Episode 146 – Barbara Stark-Nemon – Tracing the Path of Historical Fiction
Episode 142 – Announcing Scotia Road Books
Episode 131 -Weina Dai Randel – The Last Rose of Shanghai
Episode 129 – Rosina Lippi – Author of the Wilderness Series
Episode 128 – Becky Robinson – Building Reach for Books
Episode 145 – CL Walters - Young Adult & New Adult Fiction from Hawaii
Episode 144 – Danny Hankner - Founding Story Unlikely
Episode 143 – Annie Cathryn - Dreams Come True: The Friendship Breakup
Episode 142 – Announcing Scotia Road Books
Episode 141 – Tom Sleigh– A Lifetime of Poetry
Episode 140 – Minda Zetlin – On ASJA, Leadership & Writing for Inc.
Episode 139 – Desiree Cooper – Being “Genre Agnostic”
Episode 138 – Sara Bennett Wealer – Connecting with YA Readers
Episode 137 – Christopher P. Locke – Breathtaking Essays & Stories
Episode 136 – Tammy Pasterick – Writing & Publishing Your Way
Episode 135 – Camille Pagan – Making Writing Your Career
Episode 134 – Andrew McDiarmid – Simply Scottish
Episode 133 – Sara Henning – Poetry about Loss & Redemption
Episode 132 – Merryn Glover – Literary Fiction about Place
Weina Dai Randel
Merle Saferstein
Rosina Lippi a.k.a. Sara Donati
Episode 128 – Becky Robinson – Building Reach for Books
Episode 127 – Ly Tran – Writing Unapologetically
Episode 126 – Indigo Willing – Skateboarding, Community & Consent
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