Book Talk with a Publisher! Jen Hutchison on her Journey to Words
February 18, 2022
Hosted by Diane Dewey
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
You've always wanted to publish a book. Now it's written. Where do you turn for an expert publisher? Jen Hutchison has been an author. She knows the journey and can show you the way. By way of background: Jen is a very dynamic and capable 60 something year old, who has succeeded at a number of careers. But in 2012, her world imploded when her 31 year old son Raif died of an accidental drug overdose. ‘Motherling' is her story of how she walked the 800km Camino de Santiago through France and Spain with his ashes as she attempted to come to terms with his death. It’s a beautiful read, you’ll find yourself laughing and crying, and she has received staggering feedback from other ‘ motherlings’ (the word she has adopted for women who have lost a child) who have identified so keenly with her book and taken enormous strength from it. Many women are happily going quietly into retirement in their late 60s, not Jen, instead she launched publishing services house, Journeys to Words Publishing, working with mature age writers to hone their craft. When she’s not publisher and editor at Journeys to Words Publishing, Jen is completing a Master of Writing and Publishing at RMIT. She’s passionate about writing, writers and good reads and this little company is the fulfilment of a dream. ? She has found her tribe. Along her journey to words, Jen has engaged with and learned her craft from some of the best writers and teachers on offer – Patti Miller, Anne Manne, Toni Jordan, Tracy O’Shaughnessy, Stuart Horwitz and Kate Ryan. They have become her mentors and friends. Drop In with Jen to discover what makes the promise of a good read come true and potentially, how to make your own publishing dreams come true!
Dropping In
Friday at 8 AM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Drop in to the dream of becoming an author. How does the book publishing business actually work? If you’re ready to tell your story, what’s the best way to do it? Do you need help crafting this tale? What about workshopping – is that helpful? When are you ready to show your work to a developmental or copy editor? The time may be now. If you’ve finished your manuscript, what are the next steps? Place your book in the context of the marketplace and decide, who is your audience? What’s the best platform to publish your work? Podcast, electronic or paper bound book? Are you well-versed in developing your book proposal? That means having your agent pitch down. Once you’ve secured an agent, what’s the optimal venue to get your book published, with all the support it needs to be seen and heard in media outlets? Whether through traditional, hybrid, indie presses, or a combination, we’ll bring you the experts in the fields of book coaching, agenting, editing, legal advice, publishing, and publicists, plus resources on the craft of writing. No matter what route you take, your best bet is to get educated. Drop in to how stories are made. In the end, we’ll all become stories. —Margaret Atwood
Diane Dewey
My most pressing question has always been about identity: Who am I? Growing up near Philadelphia with my adoptive family, my genetic identity was hidden. Then, my Swiss biological father, Otto, contacted me when I was age forty-seven in 2002. I’d been told by my adoptive parents that my biological parents were dead, supposedly to protect me. Meeting Otto upended my life. Through him, I met my German biological mother’s family to discover that her story too, had been changed; that she’d not wanted to surrender me and she’d searched for me all her life. Finding my truth was essential.
Based on my experience I am excited to talk to people about their own search for identity. My education includes a BA from Villanova University, a certificate from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. I’ve worked for The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The SoHo Partnership and the National Academy of Design and have studied writing through New York University’s Continuing Education program. As an entrepreneur, I founded my art appraisal business, The Realization of Art in 2006. My non-fiction writing has been published in Shared Space, a monograph, and in Artes online magazine. Writing workshops worldwide have given me the chance to learn and hone my craft. My first book, “Fixing the Fates,” was awarded the National Non-Fiction Author’s Association Silver Medal and the Living Now Award.
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