PodcastsArtsPen Pals

Pen Pals

Kelton Wright and Krisserin Canary
Pen Pals
Latest episode

41 episodes

  • Pen Pals

    The Co-Host Lore Episode

    09/03/2026 | 1h 2 mins.
    Krisserin and Kelton finally answer the question listeners keep asking: who ARE these people? This week it's just the two of them — no guest, just origin stories, childhood chaos, and big three energy. From Krisserin's desert horses and Newport Beach culture shock to Kelton's Gettysburg ghost childhood and lunch money con, they dig into how they grew up, how they became writers, and why this podcast is the friendship neither of them knew they needed. Plus astrology deep dives, a secret project update, and goal assignments for each other.
    Write to us:
    [email protected]

    Follow us:
    Instagram: @penpalspod
    TikTok: @penpalspod
    YouTube: @PenPalsPod
    SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

    Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
    TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
    Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
    Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
    Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

    Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios
  • Pen Pals

    From Dramatically Quitting Writing to a Major Two-Book Deal: Rachel Hochhauser on Lady Tremaine

    02/03/2026 | 1h 5 mins.
    Kelton wraps up her Rewilding winter class and launches something new—a free monthly writing practice called the Murmuration—while Krisserin confesses she's started a secret new project (2,400 words and counting, but she's not telling us what it is). Both hosts are taking a beat from their main manuscripts, and this week's interview is the perfect reminder of why stepping away can be the most important part of the process.
    Then they're joined by Rachel Hochhauser, author of Lady Tremaine, a reimagining of Cinderella from the perspective of the so-called evil stepmother. Rachel shares how the idea struck her in a hospital waiting room during her husband's health crisis—a season of sacrifice that made her see the "villain" with entirely new eyes. She opens up about writing a first novel in grad school, querying unsuccessfully for years, dramatically walking away from writing, and then returning to draft Lady Tremaine in just seven months. The conversation covers her preemptive sale to St. Martin's Press, the surprising depth of copy editing, defending her book's carefully calibrated romance against market pressure, and the reality of two-book deals (hint: it's not a salary).

    Plus: the Bridgerton timing is almost too good, and Kelton coins the pitch "hawks and hotties."
    Find Rachel Hochhauser:
    Website: rachelhochhauser.com
    Instagram: @hochhauser
    Book: Lady Tremaine from St. Martin's Press
    Books Mentioned in This Episode:
    Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
    Uprooted by Naomi Novik
    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
    H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
    Light Years by James Salter
    Write to us:
    [email protected]

    Follow us:
    Instagram: @penpalspod
    TikTok: @penpalspod
    YouTube: @PenPalsPod
    SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

    Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
    TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
    Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
    Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
    Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

    Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios
  • Pen Pals

    Cait Flanders: From Blog Experiment to Bestseller (and Back Again)

    23/02/2026 | 1h 13 mins.
    Kelton gets her first agent rejection and refuses to sugarcoat it—while Krisserin shares what she learned about advances, deal structures, and editor wish lists from her meeting with agent Kima Jones.

    Then bestselling author Cait Flanders joins to tell the unlikely origin story of The Year of Less—how a blogged shopping ban went viral on Forbes, attracted six literary agents, and became a Wall Street Journal bestseller now resurfacing on TikTok a decade later. Cait gets refreshingly transparent about advances, earning out, switching publishers, and the real tension between maintaining a SubStack audience and carving out space to write her third book.

    Plus: middle grade fiction advocacy, a genre-busting reading challenge, and why Kelton’s only goal this week is to read a book.

    Find Cait Flanders:
    Website: www.caitflanders.com
    Substack: caitflanders.substack.com
    Instagram: @caitflanders

    Books by Cait Flanders:
    The Year of Less (Hay House) — Wall Street Journal Bestseller
    Adventures in Opting Out (Little Brown Spark) 

    Books Mentioned in This Episode: 
    “October, October” by Katya Balen 
    “The Names” by Florence Knapp 
    “The Housemaid” by Frieda McFadden 
    “Annihilation” by Jeff VanderMeer 
    “Lady Tremaine” by Rachel Hochhauser 
    “The Ogress and the Orphans” by Kelly Barnville 
    Write to us:
    [email protected]

    Follow us:
    Instagram: @penpalspod
    TikTok: @penpalspod
    YouTube: @PenPalsPod
    SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

    Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
    TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
    Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
    Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
    Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

    Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios
  • Pen Pals

    Bonus Episode: Inside the Debut Author Survey with Emily Zipps

    21/02/2026 | 22 mins.
    We couldn't just talk about Emily Zipps' debut author survey — we had to talk to her. Krisserin and Kelton sit down with Emily herself — author of Alice Rue Evades the Truth and the forthcoming The Two Lives of Amelia Waxler (both from Dial Press) — to dig into what inspired her to survey 60 fellow debut authors, what surprised her in the results, and what she found genuinely hopeful.

    Find Emily online:
    Instagram & Threads: @emilyzipps
    Website: emilyzipps.com
    Substack (Fun Announcements and Sporadic Thoughts): emilyzipps.substack.com
    Emily Zipps' Debut Author Survey: https://substack.com/home/post/p-185355080

    Books: Alice Rue Evades the Truth (available now) | The Two Lives of Amelia Waxler (forthcoming 2027)
    Write to us:
    [email protected]

    Follow us:
    Instagram: @penpalspod
    TikTok: @penpalspod
    YouTube: @PenPalsPod
    SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

    Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
    TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
    Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
    Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
    Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

    Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios
  • Pen Pals

    What Debut Authors Actually Get Paid (And Why We're Mad About It)

    16/02/2026 | 52 mins.
    What does a debut author actually get paid? Krisserin and Kelton dig into Emily Zips' survey data and don't love what they find—average two-book deals for $50K, most authors working day jobs, and advances that won't cover daycare.

    Plus: Kelton's Scrivener file predicted her dream agent, Instagram shadow ban drama, the identity question of "writer vs. mom," and why chapter summaries feel like showing your work in seventh grade math. Krisserin's IAIA MFA application is complete, and someone's getting paid $100 per chapter summary—into their own savings account.

    Books Mentioned in This Episode:
    • "The Possession of Alba Diaz" by Isabel Cañas
    • "Soul Searching" by Lyla Sage

    Resources Mentioned:
    • Emily Zipps' Debut Author Survey
    Write to us:
    [email protected]

    Follow us:
    Instagram: @penpalspod
    TikTok: @penpalspod
    YouTube: @PenPalsPod
    SubStack: penpalspod.substack.com

    Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
    TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites
    Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwrites
    Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
    Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com

    Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios

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About Pen Pals

Join writers and parents Krisserin Canary and Kelton Wright as they navigate the journey of publishing their first novels. From California to Colorado, these friends share their experiences with first drafts, revisions, query letters, and the rollercoaster of rejection. Each episode offers an honest look at balancing creative ambitions with daily life, featuring candid conversations about writing craft, time management, and staying motivated. Whether you're a fellow writer or just love a good behind-the-scenes story, Pen Pals proves that every creative journey is better with a friend.Email us at: [email protected] by Golden Hour Oasis Studios
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