Writers Tricks of the Trade Volume 7, Issue 4 Winter 2018 | Page 22

A N U NEXPECTED T URN : H OW R ADIO F OUND M E (C ONT ’ D )

We are now a part of
theBlog Talk Radio
Network
http://amfm247.com/sta
tions.html
.
Thank you to
W INTER of
2018
the guest
our prior
show:
For all our book launchings the first two hours of the event was a cocktail par-
ty. Afterward, we had “Dinner with the Author.” During the cocktail party, a pro-
ducer from a local radio station began to interview Sonia about her book. When
the executive producer realized she had been self-published, she asked how it all
came about.
At that point, the producer was directed over to me. After telling her the story,
she asked if I had ever considered a radio talk show about the publishing industry.
Of course, I said no, that I had never given it a thought. With a little convincing, I
began putting together my idea for how the program could work on a talk show
format. A week later, there I was at the local station, KLAV 1230 AM, rehearsing for
my own show. Thinking back, I truly had no idea what I was doing, or why I was
doing it. The audition went well, and I was positioned into the 9 pm time slot. “As-
pects of Writing” worked for the lecture group, so I decided to name the show the
same.
Once the reality of having the show set in, I began to realize that I knew how to
write and publish, but questioned if I had the ability to conduct interviews. I won-
dered how I would sound on the air. Then I began to doubt that I really knew
enough about the industry. Moreover, who would be my guests? Whom would I
interview; I couldn’t talk for an hour by myself for every show, that much was a
given. As if I had not created enough internal fear, the realization that I would be
live and people might be listening, had me asking myself, “What do you think you
are doing?” Oh well, it was too late to back out now—I had already signed a two-
year contract with the station.
For my first show, I decided to invite John, one of the authors who had attend-
ed my self-publishing lecture group several years earlier. I also invited the author
whose event created the notion that I had all the answers about self-publishing,
Sonia Lising-Cahalan. Thank goodness I did. The first night on the air, I began to
hyperventilate. John Long, author of Yawnogard, saved the day. He took one look
at my face during the interview and realized I was freezing up, so he took control
when I was unable to speak. I had no script, no bullet points, and no notes. If you
add in no confidence, I was a disaster in the making. Somehow, I made it through.
The next day, I approached my executive producer and told her I was not the
right person for this show. She said “The general manager listened to the broad-
cast last night and loved it.” When I told her what happened, she stated that it
didn’t come across that way on the air, and other than those present, no one could
tell. She suggested that I hang in there, and tried to convince me that it would
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W RITERS ’ T RICKS OF THE TRADE