The Last Page; A Farewell & Celebrating Three Years of Author Express -134

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Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:00:03

Welcome to Author Express, the podcast where you discover the voice behind the pages of your favorite books. I'm Shawna Rodrigues and today is a very special episode. We have all three of your hosts together, myself, Kathleen Basi and Kristi Leonard. And we're here to share some bittersweet news with you. November 2025 will be the final month of Author Express. After three incredible years and over 130 episodes.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:00:31

We want to be really transparent with you. Keeping this show commercial free and maintaining the quality you've come to expect takes significant resources, both financial and time. As much as we love providing this platform for authors.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:00:44

The reality is that we need to sunset the show. But what a journey it has been. Let's a look. Take talk numbers for a minute. We have had over the past few years a total of 130 episodes. There will be three more after this one. We have reached 52 countries, nine of them in the last month. We've had 3,400 unique listeners and over 125 unique authors.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:01:15

Which is such an amazing accomplishment which would not be possible without all of you. Our listeners and amazing authors have been part of this community. So, so we value and appreciate everything you've all contributed and we want to just have this opportunity to celebrate a little bit of this and talk a little bit about what we've gained. And so what for each of you has been the most surprising thing that you've learned from hosting Author Express.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:01:40

You're going to go first or you want me to go?

Kathleen Basi [: 00:01:42

I can go first.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:01:43

Okay, go.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:01:44

I think what's been most surprising to me is just that I was able to connect with people in a way I never thought of myself as a podcast host. I thought of someone who of myself as someone who knew how to talk to others if they ask the questions. But it's been surprising to me to discover how much I enjoy learning about other people.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:02:11

Yeah, I totally get that. For me, I think the thing that I learned the most is a lot of authors are very, very similar. I think we all have sort of the doubt. Even the people who, you know, I talk to people who've written eight or nine books and are like, yeah, every time I sit down, you know, I'm starting over. Which is so surprising to me. But I think the similarities of creatives, like we're creatives, people who take, you know, ideas in our heads and put them out of our fingers and make them into these long form stories and they're all pretty amazing and really fun to interview. I really enjoyed that part.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:02:55

It is really fun to interview people.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:02:58

Yeah, I think that's a. That's the biggest thing that I've gotten out of it. I think I love the author community as a whole, and I feel so much more immersed in it by doing this podcast and getting to know the authors and really seeing that piece. I think you said it really well, Kristi, when you were talking about the fact that we all have the struggle and it's a journey. Even the authors that you're so in awe of and so impressed with and their journey is the same. And it's really encouraging to some extent to have that be like, we're all going through this and this is a process for each of us and it makes it exciting and it makes you want to encourage and uplift them and be part of the process for them.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:03:38

Totally.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:03:38

But it also encourages us as writers too, I think. So I think that's been a beautiful thing. I didn't expect as much in being part of this and I feel like I made friends like in this process as well as enjoying it. So that's been a beautiful thing from it.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:03:51

And I think, I guess I would add also that almost always the conversation goes on after we turn off the recording. Those are the most interesting parts of the conversation are the parts that, that you, that the reader, that the listeners don't ever get to hear. But we got the benefit of these amazing. I'll. I'll flag something in an interview and go, I'm going to ask her about that afterward. And so that's fun.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:04:19

Yes, absolutely.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:04:21

Totally. Question number two. What, hold on. Question number two. What has hosting this podcast given you personally in your own writing journey? So I'll go first on this one because I am still pre published and I have had discussions with authors who have been so encouraging and so thoughtful and I know that any listeners that are like me, that are pre published, that are listening, have really. You do get a peek behind the curtain a little bit, you know, And I think the encouragement is the part that I have really enjoyed and definitely learning a lot that's been. That's what it's really done for me is just given me encouragement and a lot more confidence, for sure.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:05:20

I would say that for me, hosting this podcast has given me the connections with people who are in, who are publishing in widely different ways with widely different experiences. And many of those conversations after the recording mic goes off have given me things to look at. Hey, you should talk to this person. Hey, you should think about this. And things that have Helped me to know, to get ideas about where to go next for my writing career.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:05:53

That's awesome. I definitely think that this is the Shawna, and I definitely think that it helps me still feel like a writer. I think that as I've moved more into podcasting and moved into other parts of my career that are also creative venues and outlets, that I felt more disconnected from the writing because I haven't been giving it the time and attention. But every time I get on and I'm recording and talking to an author and relating and connecting to them, I get back to remembering I am. I do have works in progress. I am still a writer, even if I'm not doing it every single day. And that is like, part of my bigger goals. And long term, it's still there.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:06:26

And I love that. I still feel that connection and that this helps feed that. And I definitely get that from them. And feeling that sense of camaraderie and connection with other authors helps feed that.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:06:37

I concur most definitely.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:06:40

That's wonderful. So question three. If you could share one piece of wisdom from all the authors you've interviewed, what would it be? I'm going to go first because I think the first person gets the easy one here. It's sticky.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:06:59

I was going to say the same thing.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:07:00

Persistence. That's why I went first.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:07:05

That's so funny.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:07:07

Maybe. Maybe we all just need to stop. Everyone has the same. The same takeaway.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:07:12

No, but that is good advice. I mean, stick with it and believe in yourself. That's the other one. I mean, I just said it earlier. The encouragement that I got from all the other writers. The other thing that I'm always really surprised about is you could see other authors. I'm not published, but when I am published, you could see other authors as being your competition. But that is not the case.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:07:38

All authors that I have ever met have lifted each other up and encouraged each other. And I think if you. If I could learn anything from all these other authors, it's to be a good literary citizen, to give back, and to help the writer behind you. And while I'm not published yet, I have been writing for many years, and so I have advice that I could give to someone who's just starting out. So it encourages me to want to do more of that.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:08:12

Yes. Yes. I think that the thing that I could put together from all of the different authors is that there isn't one way, but there always is a way. And it makes you. Yes. It makes you feel like it's the water at the Top of the mountain, the snow melts. Like, if you are meant to write, like, it's going to be that snow melt, it's going to find its way down the mountain, and there may be paths of lots of resistance, and there may be the slow, fast run that gets down to the bottom of the mountain faster, but it's going to get to the bottom of the mountain. And if you are meant to write, you will find a way to birth that book and get it out into the world.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:08:53

And every author has a different path. And sometimes you may look at someone else's path and like, wow, that just went straight down the mountain. But yours a meandering way, and that's okay. And I think that that would be how I distill all the different stories we've heard, is that there is a way and there's so many different paths, and it's so exciting to hear that in so many different lessons and so many different voices to know that if you're meant. If it's meant to be, it will be and it will find a way. And so to keep writing to find that way.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:09:24

Oh, I love that.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:09:25

Yeah, that's really amazing.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:09:27

Definitely.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:09:27

That's a persistence. That's a persistence. Kathleen, I took yours and I just talked more. There you go.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:09:33

Shawna is a poetess.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:09:36

Who would have thought? Who would have thought, Right? Right. Yes. So with that, let's share. What is one book from an author that you've interviewed that has truly stuck with you over the time that we've shared as hosts of this show?

Kristi Leonard [: 00:09:51

That is such a hard question, because I read every single book for every interview that I did was so much fun. And the thing that I was really happy about is that there was not a bad book. Like, every single book I got to read was so good. So it is really hard. But one of them that did actually stick with me is We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle Weinstein. I think it's episode 121. So if you want to go back and listen to that episode and hear Rochelle, she is actually one of the people, one of the authors who was very encouraging to me, so maybe that's why it's memorable to me. But the way that she crafts, she's got multiple point of views, and it's just a really, really good book.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:10:39

I always clue in on Sharon Peterson because her books are funny and they are sweet and they're romantic, and they just take you out of the. The what can be a very, very difficult present moment. Like, sometimes, you know, the World is big and overwhelming, but sometimes life, just your own life, is big and overwhelming, and the things going on in your lives are difficult. You know, whether there's illnesses or disability or whatever. And just Sharon. Sharon's books have this power to take you out of that and just make you believe in the beauty and the fun of living again. And I especially think that. I think that's a gift that she has because she is a fellow disability mom.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:11:37

And I think that when you have those kinds of experiences that are your daily reality, you. You look at the world in a different way. It's a. It's a way that is a little bit more empathetic and a little bit more in tune because you're. You're looking at all of the stuff that could be really hard and overwhelming you. And I just love that that her books give you this sense of hope and joy in. In human existence.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:12:10

That sounds awesome.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:12:11

She's on episode 110, if you want to go back to her episode.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:12:16

I love that. I love that that insight is part of what you feel like comes out in her writing. That's beautiful. Yeah. I would definitely say Christine Gunderson and her and I Talked in episode 87. But friends with Secrets was such a fabulous book, and I feel like one of the reasons that I loved it. Well, I lived in D.C. so that could be part of my connection.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:12:36

And my conversation with her was great because I think it layered my life and experience there because she had such a different experience there. And her book also, like, the Friends with Secrets. Like, it's friends that are having different experiences, too, that are coming together. And I think that I have. Some of my dearest friends are ones that we have very different lives, and that we can come together in such beautiful ways. So I really feel like that is a backdrop to the book. But it's also, like, fun, the pace of it. Like, the way she put together.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:13:09

She kind of put together different genres to make it happen because it has a little bit of suspense. It's also women's fiction. It's like all these different pieces she put together to make this book really great. And I love the way she was able to bring all that together. So I think that's why that book really stuck out to me and stayed with me with that. So I like that.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:13:25

That was a good one. I read that, too.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:13:27

Yeah. Yeah. It's wonderful. We have such a huge selection of books, and I almost feel like you're looking for your next read. You have all these episodes to go back to.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:13:37

Right. And they're only 15 minutes. So yeah.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:13:40

Yep, yep. Ready for next read. You don't even have to ask your friends on social media. You can just go scroll back through all the episodes, find your next book. It's perfect. So for everyone listening for you to know that we are doing this special thing where we're releasing episodes every week in November so you guys can get like your special fill to close out. So we're going back to that weekly format for the last month of the show in November. We want you to show our gratitude to both the authors as well as our listeners.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:14:07

And you guys are the reason that we have been in the top 10% for podcasts and that we have topped charts. We've been in Apple podcast top charts in multiple countries multiple times. And it really because of you showing up and listening and supporting our authors and supporting us. And we really genuinely appreciate that. And this has been such a unique and fabulous opportunity. So thank you all for, for being here and being part of this for the last few years. It's been amazing.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:14:34

Ditto. What she said.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:14:36

Ditto.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:14:37

Exactly.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:14:39

Exactly.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:14:42

Totally. Well, so you guys are probably wondering what's next for the three of us. I'll start. I'm actually really excited. I am in the early stages of planning, but I am launching a podcast because I got the bug by doing this one. It's going to start in January. It is called Pop Culture Plot Lab, where we invite guests, their guest authors to turn viral pop culture moments into story sparks and give listeners a peek inside the creative process. We are going.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:15:22

We have a Instagram, so we'll have all of the things in January. But for now, if you want to find out more and like see the countdown and all of that, you'll find us @plotlabpod on Instagram.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:15:36

So, Kristi, that was unfair. How are the rest of us supposed to.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:15:41

We should have put her at the end, huh?

Kristi Leonard [: 00:15:43

Yeah, you should have put me at the end.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:15:46

I have several books in process in various stages of the writing, editing and submitting process. I have something on submission and I hope that I will have good news for you in the next year or so. So stay in touch with me. You can find me at kathleenbasi.substack.com.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:16:10

Yay. Yes. And her substack is very fun to follow. So I definitely highly recommend following Kathleen's Substack deck. So I continue with the grit show for now, so you guys can come check out. This is Shawna and I will still have the grit show for My podcast. If you want to check out that podcast, it's definitely not authors. It's all sorts of other subjects. It's the growth on purpose is kind of the tagline for that podcast.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:16:32

If you want to check that out, you can always come and hang out with me on Instagram. I'll make sure I put that link in the show notes for you guys. And my writing has been a hiatus. You can still find my novel, which. My novel is up. We were talking about this. My novel.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:16:50

My publisher is up in December, so I gotta figure out what I'm gonna be doing with my novel after December as well with that piece. So beyond the Pair of Awesomes is always something you can read that I've done. But I'm working on things, and nothing. Nothing in the immediate future. So you just have to watch me on Instagram and see what happens next in my writing. Cause now that we're powering down the podcast, there's more room for other excitement and other pieces that'll be very fun.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:17:17

Yeah.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:17:17

And I talked about that we're releasing episodes and thanking you all for being here. And so we'll turn it on over to Kristi about how keep connected with this.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:17:27

Yeah, we hope you guys stay connected. You can binge our back catalog. We have, as everyone said, over 130 episodes waiting for you. You can follow us on Instagram @authorexpresspodcast, or you could visit our linktree at linktree/Author Express Podcast.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:17:48

And be sure to leave us a review, because these posts, these. These episodes will still be up for some time to come, and it will help other readers to discover these amazing author stories that we've been so privileged to be the. To be the vessel to. For them to run through. Most importantly, keep reading. Keep supporting authors.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:18:10

Thank you.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:12

That was a little awkward there at the end.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:18:16

Yes. So, yeah, should we do. Better sign off, y'. All. What should you do for Better sign off?

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:22

Why don't we just go around and do. Thank you. We love you, each of us.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:18:27

Sure thing.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:28

Okay.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:18:29

Definitely works.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:18:32

Thank you so much and can't wait to see you on the next show.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:37

Hang on. Why don't we do it again and say your name? Because Shawna's been good about saying her name. I'm gonna. I'll do. This is Kathleen Basie signing off. Thanks for the memories or something like that.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:18:46

Oh, yeah, I like that.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:47

Okay, perfect. Okay. You want to go first?

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:18:51

Sure, I'll go first.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:52

Okay.

Kristi Leonard [: 00:18:53

This is Kristi Leonard saying. See you on the next round.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:18:58

This is Kathleen based the saying again. But I said it a minute ago. Okay, we need outtakes.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:19:09

We got them now. We got them now.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:19:12

This is Kathleen Basi signing off of Author Express. Thanks for the memories.

Shawna Rodrigues [: 00:19:17

And this is Shawna Rodriguez. Thank you so much for being part of the last three years. It's been an honor to be here with all of you. Tada. Okay, now I gotta find the. Stop. Recording.

Kathleen Basi [: 00:19:31

Recording.