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 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
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