Salt Lake Dirt, hosted by Kyler Bingham, is a literary and film zine, podcast and radio show. Salt Lake Dirt airs on KPCR 92.9FM every Monday at 6:00pm PST in Los Gatos, CA, and interviews some really incredible authors (a few that I love). In this episode, Kyler asks me some questions about my recent short story collection Then Women.

As summarized by Kyler, "This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm thrilled to welcome back author Shannon Waite to discuss her new short story collection, The Women. Following her interactive novel Raising Women, Shannon presents a captivating companion piece featuring 39 stories that delve into the lives of the characters we met before. Shannon shares her creative process, detailing how the collection serves as an "expansion pack" that enhances the original narrative. Each story offers a unique perspective, allowing readers to explore the complexities of identity and the challenges faced by women at different stages of life. The interconnectedness of the characters creates a subtle narrative thread that binds the collection together, reflecting themes of agency, societal expectations, and intergenerational trauma. Join us for an insightful conversation that not only celebrates the art of storytelling but also sheds light on the nuanced experiences of women navigating their paths in life. Don't miss this episode!"

If you're curious to know more about interactive novels and/or my writing process, then you should definitely check out this episode of Salt Lake Dirt. It airs live The radio version will air live (Monday 7/28) at 6pm PST and can be livestreamed here - or can be found on Salt Lake Dirt here - Shannon Waite - THE WOMEN - Episode 322.

"I guess if I had to answer what brought me to writing, it comes down to this: I am obsessed with the human experience and creating, and writing combines both of those things which I can’t imagine living without."

Corresponding with my book release yesterday, I did an interview with author Elizabeth Ellen now published on Hobart where we talk about my books, books that inspire me, and girlhood.

Go check it out here.

🎉 TODAY IS THE DAY! The Women by Shannon Waite is available in ebook and paperback from most book retailers NOW. Enjoy destroying your life 😉

After writing Raising Women last year, I knew I wasn't done. The Women is a collection of short stories that dives deeper into the women from the original novel. Both a prequel and a sequel, this book can be read before, after, or isolated from the other book. I am so grateful and excited to have the opportunity to write and share more stories. Like with Raising Women, I've put so much of myself into this one too, and I really do love it. I appreciate everyone who has been a part of this journey - the people who helped it become a reality, who have read it, and who have hyped it up. ❤️ The book goes live today!

If you've had your eye on this book, this is your time to get it!

You can order it from most major book retailers above, or you can still purchase a signed copy (with stickers and a key chain) here.

I'm so excited to share with you my next book! I've written on here before that I love experimenting and playing with different forms. Last year I decided I wanted to write a piece of literary fiction that incorporated an interactive fiction form which resulted in Raising Women, and it wasn't hard for me to fall in love with the girls in the book. When I finished, I decided that they needed more time - so I am releasing a short story collection called The Women full of more raw, relatable, and fearlessly honest stories that are told from the perspective of eleven of the girls in Raising Women. I'm extremely excited to reveal the cover and announce that The Women will be released on July 22nd!   Learn more about it here. 

Preorder the complete package today
or preorder it from Amazon or other retailers. 

The Phase 4 Podcast is a podcast hosted by JP as an intersection of What We Focus on Expands, and Your Story is your Superpower. This podcast explores coaches and creatives and insightful things they have to share. Among other things, he talks with guests about personal growth, evolution, expansion, transformation, and more. On his show, he explores where guests have came from, where they currently are, and where they are going. All that being said, I had a great time talking with JP about my new book, Raising Women, and about my writing process, and how I got to where I am with it.

As summarized by JP, "In this captivating episode of the Phase 4 Podcast, we welcome award-winning writer and educator Shannon Waite to the podcast. Shannon is the author of Raising Women, an interactive and innovative transgressive fiction novel that invites readers to determine how the story unfolds, immersing them in the wild and often turbulent journey of growing up as a girl. Her stories breach societal norms, the characters who dare to defy them, and the wounds that shape our shared humanity. With two bachelor’s degrees in English and Creative Writing and an MA in Teaching and Curriculum, Shannon brings a unique perspective to storytelling and education. We discuss how her work challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths and explore their own narratives. Shannon also shares insights into her teaching journey, inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers and writers. Whether you’re passionate about contemporary and transgressive literature, curious about the power of interactive storytelling, or simply looking for inspiration to challenge norms, this episode is one you won’t want to miss."

If you're curious to know more about interactive novels and the behind the scenes of me writing one, then you should definitely check out this episode, Breaking Norms and Raising Women with Author Shannon Waite on The Phase 4 Podcast!
 (or check it out anyway. I enjoy talking about the nerdy things I love).

If you go to a fancy enough restaurant, you might find recommended food and beverage pairings. This is because the right pairing can elevate a meal. It can make eating the meal a truly memorable experience.

I don't know anything about drinks, so maybe a specific drink could enhance a book, but I do know a lot about music. I'm thinking about how a specific song paired with a book, like a beverage with a meal, could place the story in the right atmosphere and enhance it, make the experience that much more memorable.

I'm here to tell you my pairing for my book Raising Women.

If you want a more enhanced, accurate experience reading Raising Women, listen to Artemas's "i like the way you kiss me." And watch the music video.

At the end of September I blogged about my weird process for making mixes (not drinks - also, not the same as a playlist). In that blog post, I talked about what makes mixes and playlists different, and also the extensive process I go through to make them. Anyway, all that's to say is that I've also got a mix full of VIBES for RAISING WOMEN! Whether you've read any of the stories in Raising Women or not, it's a solid mix (although if you've read the book, you'll "get it").

Songs Include:
1. Caffeine - Jack Kays
2. It's Called: Freefall - Rainbow Kitten Surprise
3. i like the way you kiss me - Artemas
4. ...Ready For It? - Taylor Swift
5. dirty little secret - Artemas
6. Broadripple is Burning - Margot and the Nuclear So & So's
7. # Grownupz - Fein
8. Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko
9. Lunch - Billie Eilish
10. It Gets Better - fun.
11. If You're Gonna Lie - FLETCHER
12. Detroit - Badflower
13. Where Is My Mind? - Pixies
14. Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene


Go check it out. It's available both on Spotify *and* Youtube to listen to!
SPOTIFY
YOUTUBE

And if you haven't read Raising Women yet, check it out here.

❤️ For those of you in the Detroit area, I'll be selling and signing at another public library event in November! I recently posted my attendance with the Brighton District Library on November 17th, but now I'll be participating in the Troy Public Library author event on November 16th as well. 🎉

1. In case Troy is closer to you than Brighton, I'd love to see you at the Troy Public Library's author fair on Saturday, November 16th! I will be joining a group of other authors that day to sell books and sign your things (want me to sign your book? Definitely. Want me to sign your journal? Sure. I asked Chuck Palahniuk to do that for me once.) 🖋

2. In addition to my book, I'll have some lipstick, stickers, Raising Women cootie catchers, and other fun things too. You can buy those separately, or get one free with the purchase of a book (although the cootie catchers will be free)! 💄

3. 🔥 I announced this with my last signing announcement, but if you're excited about the interactive novel Raising Women, then get excited for its expansion pack. This summer I'll be releasing an "expansion pack" for Raising Women - it will be a collection of short stories that focus on each of the women as individuals, including both prequels and sequels! I am telling you this because I'll have free copies of chapbooks with a few stories from that collection that you can take. 📖

(Also, a reminder: the holidays are coming up. Come get some books for you and/or your family and friends and support local authors!) Let's gooooo. I'd love to chat with you!

The library will also be giving everyone a passport. If you get enough stamps from authors, you'll get to enter it into a raffle! If you're interested, you do need to let the library know you're coming by registering here. Please come! I'd love to see you there.

🎉 TODAY IS THE DAY! The wait is finally over - Raising Women by Shannon Waite is available in ebook and paperback from most book retailers NOW. Enjoy destroying your life 😉

I am so incredibly grateful that I have been able to write and share this story. I've put so much of myself into this one, and I genuinely love it. I appreciate everyone who has already read it and hyped it up. ❤️ The book went live today, and having so many people waiting for the book and just overall excited has melted my heart.

Already, too, Raising Women has jumped to a #1 New Release. While it falls into many categories, having it rise to the top quickly in one of them is exciting.

This book is undeniably candid in how it mirrors the hoops girls jump through to bargain their place in society, illuminating the desperate craving they have for belonging in a culture that is quick to cast them as pawns on a chessboard.

If you've had your eye on this book, this is your time to get it!
You can order it from most major book retailers above, or you can still purchase a signed copy (with stickers and a Polaroid) here.

🎉RAISING WOMEN releases in 5 days!🎉

Go to www.RaisingWomen.weebly.com to play MASH today! Read excerpts from the book, learn more about the characters, and enter for a chance to win a Raising Women sticker! There will be a new game each day (think Never Have I Ever, two truths and a lie, etc.) for four days - play each day for another chance to win.

On Thursday, all submissions will be entered into a drawing for a signed copy of Raising Women. Let's go play! ❤️📖

---
Girls are taxes.
Women are city limits.

You are on the precipice of womanhood and have become obsessed with an ex-convict, Roman. She introduces you to the dangerous and honest side of life that no one else has been able to. As she unapologetically places you in scandalous situations, you begin making self-destructive decisions. Depending on which decisions you choose, you may taste Roman’s blood, get branded with a searing screwdriver, or date a married man– all while each choice challenges what it means to be a woman, real, or both.

In this interactive novel, readers have twenty-four possible pathways with four unique endings to explore the wild that is growing up girl.