105: Mystery Novels and Teaching Writing with John Copenhaver

105: Mystery Novels and Teaching Writing with John Copenhaver

Author: Joey Held March 16, 2022 Duration: 39:08

John Copenhaver's latest book The Savage Kind has gotten something just about every author hopes for: a great review from The New York Times. That's just one small part of the writing process, though. 

Beyond two books in the...uh...books, John teaches high school English for dyslexic kids and college courses on writing fiction. He's also a co-host of Mystery Radio Show and writes reviews of queer crime fiction for Lambda Literary. And yes, he's still got multiple books on the way.

We're chatting some of the best ways to market your writing, how to tie a mystery trilogy together, and why teaching students isn't SO different from completing a book.


Each week, Joey Held sits down for a genuine chat with someone quietly building, creating, or exploring something fascinating. Good People, Cool Things moves beyond the usual headlines to find the entrepreneurs sketching ideas in coffee shops, the musicians crafting albums in home studios, and the writers piecing together stories that haven't yet found a mainstream audience. These conversations live in the rich space where society, business, and culture overlap, revealing the personal journeys behind interesting projects. You'll hear the unpolished stories of how things actually get made-the late-night doubts, the unexpected breakthroughs, and the simple joys of doing work that matters. It’s less about generic advice and more about the specific, often quirky, paths people take. This podcast has a simple premise: good people are out there doing cool things, and their experiences are worth sharing. Tuning in feels like pulling up a chair with friends who remind you that passion projects and side hustles can grow into meaningful lives. The tone is consistently warm and curious, making every episode an engaging dive into the human side of entrepreneurship and creativity. Discover a new story each week, and you might just find the spark for your own next endeavor.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Good People, Cool Things
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