Of the 1,100 or so hardy souls who inhabit Denman Island—a chilly slice of maritime paradise resting just off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia—fiction author JP McLean, otherwise known as Jo-Anne, figures among the most prominent.

It was a frigid winter day on the island when Jo-Anne fired up her laptop and began writing her very first novel. “I recall sitting in our living room with the wind howling outside and the rain hitting our windows horizontally,” she tells me. “It was cold and dark, and I didn’t know how I was going to get through an entire winter cooped up in the house.” In my interview with her, Jo-Anne talks about how she ended up living on this small island, her simple goal every time she sits down to write, and how she based her debut novel on a recurring dream about being able to fly.

Speaking of chilly weather, fall is a great time to write a novel, isn’t it? That’s why I’m offering two autumn start dates for the 365-Day Indie Author Challenge, our free, year-long writing program. It’s your chance to end the year with a published book, and we’re starting soon!

If you’re more into reading than writing, you’ll love ChapterBuzz, where you can keep up on the works-in-progress that these groups of authors share with us over the next 365 days.

And now, here’s what awaits you in this month’s issue:

We start with bestselling author David D. Schein, who wants to save you time and frustration by revealing how he is able to coordinate the large amount of effort—and teams of people—it takes to write his non-fiction books. “I have multiple writing projects in process at any one time,” he says. “It would take years that I do not have to produce each article and book, so I work with researchers for most writing projects.” David lays out his system in detail, with tips for tax write-offs, “work for hire” agreements, and fact checking.

Next, Nicole Fanning, author of the Heart of the Inferno series, admits that she, like many other writers, has experienced impostor syndrome, the feeling of trying to be something you’re not. “It’s the inexplicable urge to rewrite everything you’ve already written because it suddenly doesn’t feel good enough,” Nicole explains. After exploring possible reasons we might find ourselves afflicted, Nicole concludes her article with a number of simple ways to overcome impostor syndrome, which she calls the “uninvited house guest.”

Finally, Cari Lynn Webb, USA Today–bestselling author, understands that despite our best intentions, life can get hectic and totally derail our writing plans. “The one thing I do know is those deadlines come no matter what else is happening,” she writes. “Until the chaos calms, I’ve landed on three sanity savers that also keep me writing.” Cari shares these with us, and also quips about what she does when all else fails.

With the kids back in school, take advantage of the peace and quiet. Find a cozy nook, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, and enjoy this month’s issue of Books & Buzz Magazine.

Happy reading,

Timothy Pike
Editor-in-chief, Books & Buzz Magazine