Unfortunately... http://unfortunatelypod.com Pinecast (https://pinecast.com) en-USMona West and Courtney Floyd Mona West and Courtney Floyd courtney-floyd@outlook.com yes Unfortunately... http://unfortunatelypod.com https://storage.pinecast.net/podcasts/covers/60e07368-bdb4-4979-b255-780379693d00/unfortunately_logo_round__2_.png episodic 2024 Mona West and Courtney Floyd A podcast about fiction, failure, and moving forward. It's Like Throwing a Pebble into Space https://pinecast.com/guid/96f463c8-994a-4397-8bfe-5a1711e59957 Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000 00:53:36 Season One Wrap http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/96f463c8/it-s-like-throwing-a-pebble-into-space In the final episode of season one, Mona and Courtney chat about their top failures of 2025, self-forgiveness in writing, season one's highs and lows, and what we're thinking about for season two. Courtney decides to host a writing challenge -- it starts today, join here! We'll send you Unfortunately swag if you hit your goal.

Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

We mentioned "Writing Begins with Forgiveness" by Daniel José Older.

Check out Mona's work!

And if you're interested, subscribe to Courtney's newsletter, Wallowing in Ink.

Support Unfortunately... by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately

]]> yes 1 S1E24 - It's Never Gonna Be Perfect https://pinecast.com/guid/edbe16d6-4e65-4f4a-91e5-a3289c4341dd Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0000 00:58:48 with Jennifer Hudak http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/edbe16d6/it-s-never-gonna-be-perfect Courtney and Mona chat with author Jennifer Hudak about navigating major career shifts, the necessity of fallow periods, negotiating identity as a writer, and finding ways to build resilience. Transcripts here! Find Jennifer online at jenniferhudakwrites.com and on Bluesky. And check out Jennifer's story, "The Colonists" in Eco24! Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> It's Never Gonna Be Perfect yes 1 24 S1E23 - The Book of Your Heart is Not on Trend https://pinecast.com/guid/01575df8-5e01-4cdb-bfb5-faf1c466c84e Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0000 01:03:05 with Emily Zipps http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/01575df8/the-book-of-your-heart-is-not-on-trend Courtney and Mona chat with debut novelist Emily Zipps about going on sub when the world is on fire, silence around the novel submission process, the debut learning curve (options and deadline juggling oh, my!) and selling sapphic romcoms.

Transcripts here!

Find Zipps online at emilyzipps.com and on Bluesky, Instagram, and Tiktok as @emilyzipps. And preorder Alice Rue Evades the Truth or request it at your local library!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> The Book of Your Heart is Not on Trend yes 1 23 S1E22 - If You Force the Zipper, It Won't Budge https://pinecast.com/guid/d1b1120e-a87b-45a0-9fec-c3b18c76b6af Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0000 00:53:27 with Piper L. White http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/d1b1120e/if-you-force-the-zipper-it-won-t-budge Courtney and Mona chat with debut author, Piper L. White, about the debut learning curve, how other types of writing and art inform and interconnect with our fiction, and writing genre in a BFA program. Courtney infodumps about nineteenth-century genre formation.

Transcripts here!

Find Piper online at piperwhitewrites.com, on Instagram, Bluesky, and Twitter as @piperlwhite and on TikTok as @piperwhitewrites. And check out All (Dead) Girls Lie!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> If You Force the Zipper, It Won't Budge yes 1 22 S1E21 - It's an Economy of Favors https://pinecast.com/guid/c99b3b8d-6bcf-45f6-b1b5-2dba1c3b89b9 Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0000 01:02:41 with Lacey Dunham http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/c99b3b8d/it-s-an-economy-of-favors Courtney and Mona chat publishing, precarity, and privilege with debut author Lacey Dunham.

Transcripts here!

Find Lacey online at www.laceyndunham.com., on Bluesky and on Instagram. And check out The Belles, which is out now!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> It's an Economy of Favors yes 1 21 S1E20 - It's Like Army Crawling Through 30 Inches of Snow https://pinecast.com/guid/191254aa-5c4b-4d8c-8f5e-63daebaf9b8d Sat, 06 Sep 2025 20:17:15 -0000 01:07:48 with Rebecca Danzenbaker http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/191254aa/it-s-like-army-crawling-through-30-inches-of-snow Mona and Courtney chat with debut novelist Rebecca Danzenbaker about the power of persevering, finding what works for you in the publishing process, and using privilege to lift underrecognized authors up.

Transcripts here!

Find Rebecca online at rebeccadanzenbakerbooks.com, and on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok as @rebeccadanzenbaker. And check out her debut YA, Soulmatch!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> It's Like Army Crawling Through 30 Inches of Snow yes 1 20 S1E19 - You Need a Suitcase Full of Skills https://pinecast.com/guid/41fcf469-d61c-48c5-97c0-6e2da42f0f19 Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:00:29 -0000 00:53:30 with Lisa Tirreno http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/41fcf469/you-need-a-suitcase-full-of-skills Mona and Courtney chat with author Lisa Tirreno about shifting from journalism to novel writing, celebrating rejections, gamifying the writing process, motivation, and working out what works for you as a writer.

Transcripts here!

Find [author] online at lisatirreno.com, on Bluesky and Instagram and Threads. And check out Prince of Fortune!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You Need a Suitcase Full of Skills yes 1 19 S1E18 - You Need Work-Life Balance for Writing, Too https://pinecast.com/guid/a1f05e32-f6b1-4545-a616-69f555a3dacb Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:00:20 -0000 01:01:54 with Alysha Rameera http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/a1f05e32/you-need-work-life-balance-for-writing-too Courtney and Mona debut novelist Alysha Rameera about the skills you need to learn on the fly in debut year, the feeling of not being enough to write your culture, how vital work-life balance can be in writing, and our strategies for managing publishing anxiety.

Transcripts here!

Find Alysha online at alysharameera.com and on Instagram. And check out Her Soul for a Crown which is out August 12th!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You Need Work-Life Balance for Writing, Too yes 1 18 S1E17 - You’re (Not?) Two Halves of the Same Brain https://pinecast.com/guid/abcb7c24-cf8a-498d-acf4-c3140ceda5eb Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:08 -0000 01:12:31 with MK Hardy http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/abcb7c24/you-re-not-two-halves-of-the-same-brain Courtney and Mona chat with MK Hardy, co-authors of debut Sapphic Gothic Horror, The Needfire, about what happens when your agent leaves agenting, co-writing and editing processes, managing disagreements, and creating community.

Transcripts here!

Find MK Hardy online at mkhardywrites.com, on Bluesky and on Instagram. And check out The Needfire!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You’re (Not?) Two Halves of the Same Brain yes 1 17 S1E16 - Progress isn't an Upward Slope https://pinecast.com/guid/913ade90-0a18-41c8-8333-e9800455b8d8 Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0000 00:50:54 with Rukman Ragas http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/913ade90/progress-isn-t-an-upward-slope Mona and Courtney chat with author Rukman Ragas about short stories, getting paid, the importance of complexity in representation, survivorship bias, and finding hope in the darkness.

Transcripts here!

Find Rukman online at rukmanragas.com, on Bluesky and on Instagram.

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> Progress isn't an Upward Slope yes 1 16 S1E15 - Plotters have an Advantage https://pinecast.com/guid/47874f03-d72c-4ad5-b41d-17b3e9880faa Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:00:11 -0000 01:00:04 with Sasa Hawk http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/47874f03/plotters-have-an-advantage Courtney and Mona chat with debut author Sasa Hawk about short story vs novel submissions, identifying your own patterns, writing synopses, genre labels as marketing tools, and DIY promo strategies.

Transcripts here!

Find Sasa online at sasahawk.com, on Bluesky and on Instagram and Threads as @sasahawk. And check out Unlock the Dark!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> Plotters have an Advantage yes 1 15 S1E14 - You Can't Just Set That Book Aside https://pinecast.com/guid/99422501-4fd3-4ef3-9369-bf90254aede5 Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:00:11 -0000 01:01:49 with Roselyn Clarke http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/99422501/you-can-t-just-set-that-book-aside Courtney and Mona chat deadlines, post-deal writing slumps, advocating for yourself as an introvert, and anxiety and mental health with author Roselyn Clarke.

Transcripts here!

Find Roselyn online at roselynclarke.com, on Bluesky and on Instagram. And check out her debut,Now She's Dead!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You Can't Just Set That Book Aside yes 1 14 S1E13 - It's a Business Relationship https://pinecast.com/guid/a7976cde-194c-48f7-9fcd-8c3e6f2954b6 Fri, 16 May 2025 13:00:00 -0000 00:56:51 with Lorraine Wilson http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/a7976cde/it-s-a-business-relationship Courtney and Mona chat agent relationships, prioritizing yourself, and combatting comparanoia with author Lorraine Wilson.

Transcripts here!

Find Lorraine online at shadowsonwater.uk, on Bluesky, on Instagram, and on Substack. And check out The Salt Oracle or any of her other amazing books!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> It's a Business Relationship yes 1 13 S1E12 - You Lose the Calluses https://pinecast.com/guid/944fcbdf-57f9-446f-b215-6b375fe46563 Fri, 02 May 2025 13:00:33 -0000 00:56:58 with Danai Chritopoulou http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/944fcbdf/you-lose-the-calluses Courtney and Mona chat with mythpunk and horrorromance author Danai Christopoulou about writing in a second language, unsupportive family, the power of community, and more!

Transcripts here!

Find Danai online at chronovoros.com, on Bluesky, and on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Twitter as @danaiwrites. And pre-order Vile Lady Villains here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You Lose the Calluses yes 1 12 S1E11 - You’re a Member of a Losing Team https://pinecast.com/guid/a2914d4b-fdc7-4033-915f-44a658423574 Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0000 01:11:56 with Daryl Gregory http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/a2914d4b/you-re-a-member-of-a-losing-team Mona and Courtney chat with author and writing teacher Daryl Gregory about community, imposter syndrome, awards, teaching, and tricking yourself into writing.

Transcripts here!

Find Daryl online at [https://darylgregory.com/), on Bluesky and Instagram, and get your copy of When We Were Real here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You’re a Member of a Losing Team yes 1 11 S1E10 - There's a Room Full of People Talking about You https://pinecast.com/guid/890aae78-c147-4175-8401-3a5896dd3161 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0000 01:02:07 with C. J. Dotson http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/890aae78/there-s-a-room-full-of-people-talking-about-you Courtney and Mona chat with debut horror author C. J. Dotson about rebuilding your writing process from the ground up, handling reviews, what it's like to put a book out in the world, and the importance of community.

Transcripts here!

Find C. J. online at cjdotsonauthor.com, on Bluesky, subscribe to her newsletter, and get your copy of The Cut here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> There's a Room Full of People Talking about You yes 1 10 S1E9 - You're On the Publishing Treadmill, and You Don't Set the Speed https://pinecast.com/guid/62b586b1-4243-4609-a8ce-802ce23c4d97 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:00:56 -0000 00:57:04 with Premee Mohamed http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/62b586b1/you-re-on-the-publishing-treadmill-and-you-don-t-set-the-speed Mona and Courtney chat with Nebula, World Fantasy, Ignyte, and Aurora award-winning Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction author Premee Mohamed about moving the needle, data in the publishing industry, and how to keep creating when the world wants to uncreate you.

Transcripts here!

Find Premee online at premeemohamed.com, on Bluesky, and on Instagram. And pick up copies of One Message Remains here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You're On the Publishing Treadmill, and You Don't Set the Speed yes 1 9 S1E8 - You're Not (Always) in Charge https://pinecast.com/guid/7e593788-9266-4b49-b6b3-d82607633325 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:00:35 -0000 00:52:57 with Demi Winters http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/7e593788/you-re-not-always-in-charge Courtney and Mona chat with fantasy author Demi Winters about writing from and about personal experiences, her journey from self-pub to trad pub, and letting go of the need to be in charge.

Transcripts here!

Find Demi online at demiwinters.com, on TikTok, and on Instagram. And get The Road of Bones here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

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]]> You're Not (Always) in Charge yes 1 8 S1E7 - You'll Fall Down https://pinecast.com/guid/13c90439-d0c8-44e3-a38b-5e88fc804e4c Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0000 00:57:18 with Saratoga Schaefer http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/13c90439/you-ll-fall-down Mona and Courtney chat with debut author Saratoga Schaefer about reframing failure, getting sober, debut pressures, and mental health support in the publishing industry.

Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

Find Saratoga online at saratogaschaefer.com and pre-order Serial Killer Support Group!

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]]> You'll Fall Down yes 1 7 S1E6 - It Takes Luck https://pinecast.com/guid/cf085d62-8655-40a8-ac3b-8f5bf8aa704e Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0000 00:43:05 with M. Stevenson http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/cf085d62/it-takes-luck Mona and Courtney chat with debut fantasy author M. Stevenson about luck and timing in the publishing process, revising to trends, and giving back to the writing community.

Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

Find M. Stevenson online at marinastevenson.com and consider pre-ordering Behooved before if comes out on May 20th!

Resources Mentioned

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]]> It Takes Luck yes 1 6 S1E5 - It's Going to Get to You https://pinecast.com/guid/9215a574-3f92-4d12-8cee-c9733a213da5 Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0000 00:48:09 with R. Haven http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/9215a574/it-s-going-to-get-to-you Mona and Courtney chat about the hidden pitfalls of writing full time, the importance of joy in the work, and how to find community with horror and fantasy author R. Haven.

Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

Find R. Haven online at theirritablequeer.com and check out his debut novel The Other Face of Sympathy when it comes out on September 9th!

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]]> It's Going to Get to You yes 1 5 S1E4 - You Have to Learn to Edit Yourself https://pinecast.com/guid/a75b1c11-ad88-4000-a754-64d0ac7e27f2 Fri, 03 Jan 2025 19:13:00 -0000 00:59:47 with David Goodman http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/a75b1c11/you-have-to-learn-to-edit-yourself Mona and Courtney chat about slow-burn careers, leveling up, community, and the importance of learning to edit your own work with David Goodman, author of A Reluctant Spy.

Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

Find David online at davidgoodman.net and check out the blog post we mentioned in the episode here.

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]]> You Have to Learn to Edit Yourself yes 1 4 S1E3 - There's Another Mountain Past This One https://pinecast.com/guid/f55b4f96-5792-4e93-a641-548eb510a845 Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:00:28 -0000 00:46:27 http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/f55b4f96/there-s-another-mountain-past-this-one Mona & Courtney check in about their failure to launch this podcast on their original timeline, what their writing lives have been like this year, and more.

Transcripts here!

Find Mona online at mona-west.com, and read her Apex story, "YOU and ME and THE END" here!

Find Courtney and learn more about her debut fantasy novel, HIGHER MAGIC, at courtney-floyd.com. If you're interested, consider adding it to your want to read lists on Goodreads or StoryGraph!

]]> There's Another Mountain Past This One yes 1 3 S1E2 - The Ladder of Success is a Möbius Strip https://pinecast.com/guid/bada77a4-9afb-4330-8762-51a0ea921b7d Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0000 00:54:31 with Zohar Jacobs http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/bada77a4/the-ladder-of-success-is-a-m-bius-strip Mona West and Courtney Floyd chat with guest Zohar Jacobs about the particular failures that can follow early success, submission strategies, the ladder of sadness, and more. Transcripts here!

Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod.

Find Zohar on Bluesky and X as @zoharjacobs.

]]> The Ladder of Success is a Möbius Strip yes 1 2 S1E1 - We're all Participating in the Rejection Olympics https://pinecast.com/guid/5e8202be-9a3b-4bfc-930c-fd4a5b393fad Fri, 02 Aug 2024 22:20:13 -0000 00:45:28 http://unfortunatelypod.com/episode/5e8202be/we-re-all-participating-in-the-rejection-olympics Hosts Mona West and Courtney Floyd kick off the podcast by interviewing each other about rejection, failure, and coping mechanisms.

Transcripts here!

Find Mona online at mona-west.com. Find Courtney at courtney-floyd.com.

And find an amazing, free tool for submitting stories and tracking rejections at The Grinder (aka the Submission Grinder).

]]> We're all Participating in the Rejection Olympics yes 1 1