Feature Friday on the podcast: Talking with Katy Upperman about being vulnerable in our writing, her love for the revision process and her dream projects (+ Giveaway)

Today, I am very happy to wlecome my long-time critique partner (who I’m also very lucky to call friend) YA author Katy Upperman. And I’m also very happy to run a giveaway for one of Katy’s books…if you’re in the US you could even win a signed copy!

Katy Upperman is a military spouse and mama to two sweet girls, as well as two spoiled kitties and the cutest German Wirehaired Pointer around. Katy is an author, reader, baker, and wanderer. She writes novels for teens and teens at heart. She’s a Washington State University alum (go Cougs!), a country music fanatic, and a makeup enthusiast. She loves the ocean, pedicures, sunshine, Instagram, Dirty Dancing and The Princess Bride, Jelly Bellies, houseplants, true crime documentaries, and Friday Night Lights.

From Katy’s website: www.katyupperman.com

Before diving into our chat, let me give you a short update on my writing, and self-publishing.

Last week, I started by saying I really needed to leave the reviews for two books I really enjoyed: CINDERELLA IS DEAD (Girls team up to overthrow the kingdom in this unique and powerful retelling of Cinderella from a stunning new voice that’s perfect for fans of Dhonielle Clayton and Melissa Albert) and for PRETTY LITTLE WIFE (Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: Shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?) … And I did. Well, I did because I just re-read my blog post while writing this one and it reminded me I needed to do it.

I had not written it on my to-do list. My to-do list right now is basically: catch up on my freelance work. I may have mentioned it but I work as a freelance researcher and audiobook narrator, in addition to my writing. And I have upcoming deadlines. So, in terms of self-publishing, in the past week I’ve made sure to keep up with my newsletter and to put up the final manuscript of EINE ZWEITE CHANCE (Always Second Best in German) on Amazon.

In my newsletter, I sent behind-the-scenes on #TheLeftoverBride which was really fun to write about and following L. Penelope’s example in her welcome email, I also recorded a video of that newsletter so if people wanted to listen or watch a video instead of reading my newsletter, then they could. 🙂 In the podcast I share a tiny excerpt of the video…

Giveaway time!

Do you want to win one of Katy Upperman’s books? (Signed for the US) Just hop on to my giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc23/?

Talking about being vulnerable in our writing, her love for the revision process and her dream projects

Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), YA contemporary romance author Katy Upperman (author of KISSING MAX HOLDEN, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US & HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN) talks about being vulnerable in our writing, her love for the revision process and her dream projects. We also talk about her life list, how she pushes through difficult times in her writing and/or publishing and whether or not she thought about self-publishing. Oh and we may spend a few minutes on true crime documentaries. 🙂

When it comes to my self-publishing and writing update: Another busy week with my freelance projects. I work as a freelance researcher and an audiobook narrator. And this hasn’t left me a whole lot of time to get actual writing done on the page. However, I use every moment possible to think and organize my thoughts about certain scenes I still need to revise.

For the business side of self-publishing, I have sent several newsletters – including a Behind-The-Scenes for #TheLeftoverBride with a video (following L. Penelope’s example). On the podcast, I also talk a bit about social media and author branding…

Do you have a question for me about self-publishing or writing?

Record a message for me and I’ll answer directly on the podcast and in my weekly “A Self-Published Author’s Diary” email.

Thank you!

Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…

And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).

I’ve also been sharing little snippets with everyone who has left a comment on my Facebook Author Page and/or Facebook readers’ group. I will also do the same with my readers’ mailing list and Instagram.

Bonus scenes, anyone?

If you’ve read any of my books and would like to receive some exclusive bonus scenes, don’t hesitate to sign up for my newsletter. 🙂

I have two newsletters!

(1) My weekly self-publishing emails: A Self-published author’s diary…

(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…

Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)

Follow me on Instagram – Bookbub – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – TikTok

Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more – A self-published author's diary: The Ups and Downs of Self-Publishing (and everything in-between)

This one's a numbers-and-behind-the-scenes episode. I share a full preorder update across all five of my current books, platform by platform, the good and the zero, and where I'm at ten days into a thirty-day TikTok experiment in 2026 (I know, I know).The BookTok part is genuinely interesting to me: one video crossed 2,000 views and somehow racked up more than eight hours of total watch time, while its near-identical twin stalled at 94 and I have no idea why. That's kind of the whole lesson. I get into what's working, where in the world people are actually watching from (hello, UK), how many of them clicked through (spoiler: two), and yes, what it's costing me in focus, because I opened the app nineteen times in one afternoon and that felt worth admitting out loud.Plus: the Belgian VAT answer that arrived in eleven pages, the Barnes & Noble payment I'm still chasing, a trip to the ER that cancelled a posting day, and trying to use my phone less.And I'm going to interview the chemical engineer about how to write a believable one. If you've got a question for him, send it to elodie@elodienow.com. He refuses to see them in advance. So. :-)If you've tried TikTok and it worked for you, or really didn't, come tell me. We can commiserate, or you can show me your data.BeccaCon + Becca Syme's Write Better-Faster Patreon — the author-business conference and the experiments-homework that started all this: https://betterfasteracademy.com (Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beccasyme/posts)Wide for the Win Circle (where I posted about the Barnes & Noble delay): https://wideforthewin.com/L. Penelope — "The Fire That Forges You" (My Imaginary Friends), on documenting your process while you're in it: https://myimaginaryfriends.substack.com/p/the-fire-that-forges-youJami Albright — The Summer That Changed Us — the book that wrecked me (Steel Magnolias meets Schitt's Creek with the heart of This Is Us): https://books2read.com/b/mdZvPW — jamialbright.comMy Christmas Wish-List (preorder, now July 31st): https://books2read.com/MyChristmasWishCancer Is Not My Brand (preorder): https://books2read.com/cancerisnotmybrand/Nice Guys Don't Kiss Like That at Christmas: https://books2read.com/NiceGuysDontKissLikeThatA New Year's Eve Like No Other (third in the Nick & Em series): https://books2read.com/ANewYearsEveLikeNoOtherFrench editions — Ma Liste de Noël and Un Réveillon Pas Comme Les AutresIf the episode was useful, a rate-and-review would make this self-published author's day. Happy writing, and happy, happy reading.www.elodienowodazkij.comwww.elodienow.com

1. Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more 29:12
2. Writing and revising, Author Taxes & the Emergency Room: 3 Days in My Self-Published Life 29:48
3. Numbers: Amazon blocked one of my e-books (one that had been live for ten years) 18:33
4. ROMO Or My Reality (Realities) Of Missing Out In the Self-Publishing World… 25:59
5. Numbers: The Book That Had 23 Preorders and…became my most read book. 43:42