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Hey, Time-Strapped Author! Wanna write great fiction? BUT writing is hard because you… - Have NO TIME because you work a full-time job or go to school full-time - Doubt your writing ability - Are unsure how to write the kind of captivating stories you love to read. Then welcome to The Adventurous Author, the podcast for underdog authors on a mission to achieve legendary feats in the publishing world but have to overcome impossible obstacles, limited time, and paralyzing inner skepticism along the way. Through these episodes, you will… - Gain confidence in your author identity. - Master the process and structure needed to write captivating stories EVEN WITH limited writing time. - Learn to use AI effectively and ethically to constantly improve your writing skills and story quality. I’m your host Bonnie Jean Schaefer. Under my pen name of fantasy author D.K. Drake, I write action-packed, wholesome adventures without the snooze-worthy fluff. But as your personal writing coach, I’m here to unlock YOUR narrative prowess, guide you in crafting spellbinding tales, and navigate the wild world of writing with AI. Adventure awaits, so ignite your imagination, latch on to that dragon swooping overhead, and let the storytelling quest begin. It’s time to play in our own fabulous fantasy worlds.
Episodes

Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
I’ve got another just for fun episode for you today. I’m sharing part 2 of the interview my friend Becky and I recorded while sitting in our tent in Torres del Paine in Chile. It was night seven of our eight day hike. We chat about food, friends and life lessons learned while on the trail. If you ever want to go on a backpacking adventure of your own, hopefully this session will inspire you and give you some insights about what such an adventure would look like.
Crafting adventures of your own allow you to get out and experience the world. Then you can translate those experiences into…wait for it…stories. In other words, adventures enrich your writing!
We’ll finish up this recap series tomorrow, and on May 17, I’ll share the super secret project I’ve been working on to help you start, finish, and publish your book. For now, I’m transporting you back in time to the interview between me and Becky recorded on March 29. Let’s go to Chile!

Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
If you are an adventurous author who likes to hike, I've got a fun treat for you today. While on my own hiking adventure with my college buddy Becky, we interviewed each other about our trip. This is part one of the interview where we discuss tips, tricks and highlights that can help you on your own hiking trips.
You can also watch the video here if you want to see us bundled up in our tent while we chatted on that freezing cold evening.

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
049 // How NOT Writing Can Make You a Better Writer
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Today I don’t want to talk to you about writing or publishing. Don’t get me wrong. Those topics are still close to my heart and will continue to be core topics of the show. Just not today. Or next week.
You see, while on my two-month sabbatical, a lot happened in this magnificent little life of mine. I went on an epic backpacking adventure, finished reading a book on writing that is changing my approach to novel writing and started revolutionizing the way I think, the way I pray and the way I get work done.
And I learned that sometimes the most progress you make as a writer is when you are experiencing life. Listen to this quick episode to learn what I've been up to and how that translates into great things for YOU.
Shoot me an email to say hi here: dk@authordkdrake.com
Check out the videos and pics from my backpacking trip on the blog.
Get on the email list to be notified first of the cool announcement coming on May 17.

Thursday Mar 02, 2023
048 // 3 Reasons I’m Taking Break From Podcasting in March
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Why do I want to take a break from producing this podcast in March?
Listen in to find out.
I'll be back on April 5. Until then, keep writing!
Connect: dk@authordkdrake.com

Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
We’re in week three of our write a novella in 18 weeks series.
In week one and episode 43, we did some initial market research and sketched out our covers.
In week two and episode 45, we came up with our plot premise and purpose premise. We also did some work on imagining our place or setting.
This week, we’re going to start working on developing our main characters. My guest host Bonnie Jean Schaefer will share some normal and important things you need to know about your people. Then she’ll challenge you to answer five random and somewhat ridiculous questions about your characters that will make each of them interesting.

Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
It’s Fantasy Fiction Friday!
Today I’m bringing you chapter 27 of The Dragon Collector entitled The Zandadorian Portal.
Do you ever wish you could transport yourself from one place to another with merely a thought? Think of the time you would save and the traffic you would avoid. Plus money would no longer be a barrier to travel, so you could experience endless adventures.
Well, teleportation is a real thing in the Land of Zandador…for the Dawn Stalkers, that is. Humans can’t teleport, but they have learned to utilize that teleportation power and create portals to different regions in the land.
But what you don’t learn in this chapter is that King Omri has banned the use of the portals because he doesn’t want people traveling. He doesn’t want them to explore. To have adventures. To see the world. He wants them to remain contained and compliant. That makes him feel in control and powerful.
However, he doesn’t have as much control as he thinks he does. In today’s chapter, Astor and Javan activate the portal and instantly travel to…you’ll have to listen to find out.
Let’s get to the Land of Zandador!
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here.
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here.

Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
045 // Write a Novella Series: 3 Story Elements to Work On in Week 2
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Here we are in week 2 of the novella writing process. If you are one of those people who would prefer to speed up write your entire novella in a week or a month instead of the four-ish months it’s going to take me, go for it. I applaud you.
In other words, I’m not leading a fast and furious writing challenge. This is more of a slow-and-steady write-well-with-depth challenge. Why? Because it plays to my strengths and availability.
Today we’re discussing the exact steps to take in week 2, and these steps will take 3-5 hours to complete. Let’s dive in to find out what you need to do this week to make progress on your novella.

Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Hey friends!
Chapter 26 of The Dragon Collector is coming your way today.
In this chapter, I utilized the storytelling necessity of foreshadowing to plant some seeds for future books. Pay special attention to the weather event that Astor describes to Javan as that will come into play in The Dragon Hunter, and the second seed makes Javan’s mission to win the throne even more vital.
Listen now to The Old Man’s Warning to, well, be warned!