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There’s a book inside you. A message that won’t leave you alone.
But between fear, responsibility, doubt — and now the rise of AI — you keep starting… and stopping.
Welcome to The Adventurous Author Podcast.
I’m Bonnie Jean Schaefer — fantasy author D.K. Drake — and I’ve published four novels while working a full-time job. I didn’t quit my life to write. I built systems that made finishing possible inside it.
Now I help stuck Christian writers do the same.
This podcast is discipleship through storytelling.
We follow a simple framework:
Start with WHO.
Anchor your identity in Christ so fear loses leverage — especially in an AI age where identity matters more than ever.
Live Your Story.
Build sustainable 15-minute systems that fit your real life.
Win Your Race.
Finish what God called you to start — and become the kind of person who keeps finishing.
Every season rotates through identity, systems, and storytelling mastery in a structured spiral of growth.
If you’ve been hiding, doubting, or wondering where you fit in this new creative world — you’re not alone.
Let’s adventurize your life and rise from stuck...together.
Episodes
Monday Oct 24, 2022
Monday Oct 24, 2022
We’re back with Day 4 of the 21 Days of Storytelling featuring The Dragon Collector, book one of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga.
The story snippet of the day is chapter one, which takes place six weeks after the end of last part of the prologue.
The Insider Tip of the Day explains why author DK Drake introduced the main character with this football scene rather than a more action-packed, grab-your-attention kind of scene.
Tune in now to gain that behind the scenes knowledge and to hear the author read chapter one.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library that includes a digital manuscript of The Dragon Collector through November 10: https://authordkdrake.com/insiders
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
The storytelling blitz continues with Day 3 of the 21 Days of Storytelling featuring The Dragon Collector, book one of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga.
The story snippet of the day is part III of the Prologue. Part III takes place fifteen years after Part I and eight years after Part II. It’s also told from the perspective of the hero Javan’s mother rather than Javan himself.
The Insider Tip of the Day explains why the author chose the mother’s perspective and why this part of the prologue sets the tone for the main story that is about to unfold in chapter one.
Tune in now to gain that behind the scenes knowledge and to hear the author read part III of the Prologue.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library that includes a digital manuscript of The Dragon Collector through November 10: https://authordkdrake.com/insiders
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
And we’re back for Day 2 of the 21 Days of Storytelling featuring The Dragon Collector, book one of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga.
The story snippet of the day is part II of the Prologue, and this scene takes place seven years after part I.
Why is the prologue divided into parts? Author DK Drake answers that very question as the Insider Tip of the Day.
Tune in now to gain that behind the scenes knowledge and to hear the author read part II of the Prologue.
Your friend,
DK
Escape into the Land of Zandador:
Get your free D.K. Drake Starter Library
Purchase one or all of the Dragon Stalker Bloodline Saga books on Amazon.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts:
“I love The Author D.K. Drake Show!” If that sounds like something you’d say, please rate and review this show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It’ll take a quick 30 seconds to scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode.
And if you haven’t already done so, follow the podcast. That way you’ll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel. Follow now!
Friday Oct 21, 2022
Friday Oct 21, 2022
Ah! It’s here! The 21 Days of Storytelling!
This is day one, and today you’ll get to hear Author DK Drake read part I of the prologue of The Dragon Collector, book one of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga.
In The Dragon Collector, fifteen-year-old Javan believes he is simply an ordinary orphan abandoned by his mother at birth--until he is whisked away to another dimension and his destiny as the chosen one from the Collector Bloodline is revealed.
Armed only with an ancient weapon, a trio of old advisors, and his determination to win, Javan is soon caught up in a dangerous Battle for the Throne.
Now his choices could save--or destroy--the people and dragons of Zandador, including the mother he just met.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy. You are now entering the Land of Zandador...
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
What does it take to be a great storyteller?
A stunning grasp of the English language?
An understanding of story structure and plot pacing?
A wild imagination?
Yes. Yes. And yes.
All of those are helpful and important, but we won’t be talking about any of those things today.
What we will discuss are three mission critical things you need to know on your quest to become an author of captivating stories.
These things aren’t tactical writing skills. They’re not things you will learn or be tested on in school. But they do require relationship building. Compassion. Curiosity.
I hope you’re curious because it’s time to explore three things every Christian author needs to know to be a great storyteller.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Straddle the line. Middle of the road. One foot in and one foot out. Maybe. Uncertain. Wobbly. Wishy washy.
Do any of these words fill you with confidence? Do any of them describe the people you most admire, respect and follow? Probably not. More than likely you describe your heroes with words like bold. Decisive. Determined. Committed. All in. Wholehearted. Passionate.
We don’t follow people we don’t trust, and we can’t trust someone who lacks conviction. The greatest leaders and the greatest writers stand for something. They also stand against things they don’t agree with. So if you want people to follow you and the stories you write and the characters you create, you need to not only know but also publicly declare your vision, mission, and purpose for writing.
And you do that by writing your own personal author manifesto.
What is a manifesto? How do you write it? Want to hear mine? Then tune in to today’s episode. By the end, I hope you will either love me or hate me. If you’re on the fence, I haven’t made my stance about who I am and what I stand both for and against clear enough. Let’s dive in.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Regardless of your story's genre, format or length, every story has the same basic structure. So before you write a word, create a character, consider your setting, or outline your plot, you must under the structure.
I didn't understand it when I wrote my first novel right out of college, and that first draft was a disaster. The second and third drafts were pretty bad as well, and the fourth draft was halfway decent. Then I learned how to build a story the right way, and the three fantasy novels I've written since are much better than that first novel as a result of understanding story structure.
Most teachers and writers explain this structure using story examples from popular novels or movies. That's helpful and fun and interesting, but I like to be different. I also like to run. And a few weeks ago while running a seven mile race around a lake, I realized how much a race is similar to the three step story structure. So in today's episode, I'm going to use the example of a seven mile race to explain the simple three act structure every story needs.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Once upon a time, I never bothered with creative writing prompts. I didn’t see the point. Why use someone else’s story idea to prompt my own writing when I have plenty story ideas of my own?
Then one friend relentlessly prompted me to write a story about dragons. Another countered his attacks by prompting me to write a story about cops.
In an effort to get them to leave me alone and let me choose the topics of my own stories, I did what I had never done before: I used their prompts to write one short story I entitled “Cops, Robbers…and Dragons?”
Tune in to hear the story and decide for yourself if creative writing prompts are useless.
Get Your Free DK Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/
Snag one or all of the Dragon Stalker books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FK5V1HJ
Join the Help! My Kid Wants to Write a Book Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authordkdrakeinsiders