First Cup of Coffee – Character Driven Writing Techniques 10/31/25



Happy Halloween! Today, I discussed being an intuitive writer, my gripes with GMC, writing believable character-driven stories and my method behind cutting characters. Also, I’m molting. My wings are, I mean.

Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING🕊️ Meet me Nov. 1st at the BookQuest A Day with Santa Fe Authors and Nov. 2nd at Books on the Bosque📚 Magic Reborn has reached a half way point! And also, my two cents on how to make a living for yourself as a creative.

🕊️ Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here: https://hummingbirdhousesantafe.com 🕊️

Upcoming Events ~
Meet me at Books on the Bosque Nov. 2nd: https://www.booksonthebosque.com

Learn more about A Day with Santa Fe Authors here: https://adaywithsantafeauthors.com

LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovelit.com/

Tuscon Festival of Books is March 14th-15th this year! See you there Wink https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org

📚Books📚

Preorder MAGIC REBORN here: https://www.jeffekennedy.com/magic-re…

Among the Thorns will be here July 14th – Preorder available following this link here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125…

STRANGE FAMILIAR is live: https://www.jeffekennedy.com/strange-…

You can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books! https://www.beastlybooks.com

Socials📱
Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring / jeffescloset

Sign up for my newsletter! https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor…

Support the show! http://paypal.me/jeffekennedy

Find me on Threads
Visit my website https://jeffekennedy.com

Follow me on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeffe-K…

Follow me on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeffe…

Find me on Instagram and TikTok! @jeffekennedy2016 @jeffe_kennedy

The posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found here: https://forme.therave.co/37FY6Z5MTJAU…

As always, thank you for watching! If you’ve made it this far in the show notes, please let me know what you think of my Christmas cards and submit any questions in the comments or through DM’s if you’re unable to make it to my Q&A Nov. 1st and 2nd!

Happy Halloween ghouls!

First Cup of Coffee – Girls Trip and DIY Christmas Cards! 10/28/24



Christmas card reveal from a girl’s trip this past weekend to the beautiful Taos! Resetting the well involves crafting and I’m proud to report, my well is very full. The realities of independent publishing versus traditional publishing, the true meaning behind Never the Roses, and racking up for Magic Reborn. Also, autumn.

Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING🕊️ Meet me Nov. 1st at the BookQuest A Day with Santa Fe Authors and Nov. 2nd at Books on the Bosque📚 Magic Reborn has reached a half way point! And also, my two cents on how to make a living for yourself as a creative.

🕊️ Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here: https://hummingbirdhousesantafe.com 🕊️

Upcoming Events ~
Meet me at Books on the Bosque Nov. 2nd: https://www.booksonthebosque.com

Learn more about A Day with Santa Fe Authors here: https://adaywithsantafeauthors.com

LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovelit.com/

Tuscon Festival of Books is March 14th-15th this year! See you there *Wink* https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tusconfestivalof+books&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

📚Books📚

Preorder MAGIC REBORN here: https://www.jeffekennedy.com/magic-reborn

Among the Thorns will be here July 14th – Preorder available following this link here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250360373/amongthethorns

STRANGE FAMILIAR is live:  https://www.jeffekennedy.com/strange-familar

You can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books! https://www.beastlybooks.com/

As always, thank you for watching! If you’ve made it this far in the show notes, please let me know what you think of my Christmas cards and submit any questions in the comments or through DM’s if you’re unable to make it to my Q&A Nov. 1st and 2nd!

Support the show

Socials

Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring

Sign up for my newsletter!

Support the show!

Find me on Threads

Visit my website

Follow me on Amazon

Follow me on BookBub

Find me on Instagram and TikTok! @jeffekennedy2016 @jeffe_kennedy

The posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found here

Thank you for watching or listening! See you all soon.

First Cup of Coffee – The Connection Between Fantasy Fiction and Politics 10/17/25


“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” – Pablo Picasso said and then painted Guerica in response to the 1937 bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by Nazi and Fascist forces. “The artist’s role is not to look away.” – Akira Kurosawa, Japanese filmmaker once said and then directed High and Low, a film about the moral dilemmas of a capitalist society and the consequences.
“Art holds up the mirror to nature.” – William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 2) a sentiment similar to Aristotle, who once said “Art imitates life.” The duty and role of an artist in society is not always to simply entertain. For more information about the No Kings protest, please visit https://www.nokings.org

Among the Thorns will be here July 14th – Preorder available following this link here

Preorder MAGIC REBORN here

STRANGE FAMILIAR is live

Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring

You can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books!

Sign up for my newsletter!

Support the show!

Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF!

Signed bookplates available here

The posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found here

As always, thank you for watching and let me know what you think ~ Jeffe Kennedy

Support the show

Contact Jeffe!

Find me on Threads
Visit my website
Follow me on Amazon or BookBub
Find me on Instagram and TikTok!

Thanks for listening!

First Cup of Coffee – The Comet in the Romantasy Genre 10/14/25


Romantasy is booming and reader expectations are changing. Responding to a DM review of Never the Roses, offering book recs for fantasy with romantic elements, and reflecting on Meta platforms. And also Wood is a banger – pun intended.

Preorder Among the Thorns here

Preorder MAGIC REBORN here

STRANGE FAMILIAR is livehttps://www.jeffekennedy.com/strange-…

Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring

You can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books!

Sign up for my newsletter!

Support the show!

Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF!

Signed bookplates available here

The posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found here

As always, thank you for watching and let me know what you think ~ Jeffe Kennedy

Support the show

Contact Jeffe!

Find me on Threads
Visit my website
Follow me on Amazon or BookBub
Find me on Instagram and TikTok!

Thanks for listening!

First Cup of Coffee – February 24, 2024

I’m taking signups for my ARC team if you’re interested. Also some analyses on books I’ve been reading and some advice for the newbie-r writers out there on not trying to do too much. Also, keeping secrets too long.



First Cup of Coffee – February 7, 2025

The RELUCTANT WIZARD audiobook is available wide! Preorder NEVER THE ROSES at B&N for 35% off today only! Also, my editorial meeting, participation in VOW for Girls, and the unbearable loudness of casita-building.



First Cup of Coffee – January 31 2025

All about my Marketing & Publicity meeting with Tor/Bramble, my upcoming editorial meeting and how creative angst is just a fact of life and never goes away. Also, two more books/series out on submission and can I finish STRANGE FAMILIAR in time???



First Cup of Coffee – January 27, 2025

Updates on NEVER THE ROSES and the challenges of making bonus content. Also, reflections on housework, the contempt for expertise in the home, and being taught and *learning* the best way to do something.



First Cup of Coffee – December 9, 2024

Sharing some excellent, exciting news on NEVER THE ROSES, along with an unexpected challenge of having a pen name, a tip on developing an author signature, and how we don’t have to do something we don’t want to do.



First Cup of Coffee – October 28, 2024

Sorting out why I felt so hurt by the author who slammed on the Romantasy genre as “amuse bouche” compared to her books, some experiences I’ve had with older female writers in fantasy, and thoughts on drafting vs revising.