Podcast Interview Prep: What I Learned the Second Time Around
“The very idea of being live on-air is overwhelming to me, and even though I’ve done many appearances, I still get nervous before an interview.” — Aileen Weintraub (Writer’s Digest)
So far, I’ve done two podcasts and one videocast for my books. And I can tell you from experience: it doesn’t get any easier.
Why’s that? **Podcasts (and videocasts) are permanent.** They live on the Internet forever! If you flub, there’s no way to unflub.
No wonder being live on-air can be overwhelming, as author Aileen Weintraub writes in her Writer’s Digest article, 8 Steps to Prepare for Podcasts and Radio Interviews to Promote Your Forthcoming Book.
Prepping Is Everything
This time around, not only did I:
(1) research the host (Sheri Hoyte, Managing Editor, Reader Views),
(2) write out my talking points, and
(3) rehearse,
as I advised in my first blog on preparing for being on the air— Prepping for Your Debut Podcast Interview— I also adopted a few new tips and tricks from Weintraub’s article.
Tip #1—Prepare Mentally and Physically
The morning of your podcast interview, if you’re fidgety, your heart is racing, and you worry you’re going to forget your talking points, Weintraub suggests going for a jog.
I did.
It cleared my head. The endorphin-fueled “runner’s high” was soothing. And the physical act of “hittin’ the pavement” allowed me to “shake off some stress.”
To prepare mentally, I reread my notes. The old if-you’re-prepared-you-have-nothing-to-fear approach.
I wasn’t exactly calm, but calm enough that my voice didn’t squeak when it was time to take the Zoom call. ;o)
Tip #2—Stay on Topic
“An interviewer will come prepared with their own agenda,” according to Weintraub. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an agenda of your own.
My agenda? Keep listeners engaged, give them a feel for what the book’s about, and spark their interest in picking up a copy.
Simply enough—until you get a hardball question or zinger. That’s when things can go way off topic, getting into the weeds on controversial issues.
To prepare myself, I worked through potential answers to tough questions.
For example: How do you keep team parents and team members on the same page when they’re faced with an ongoing threat—in this case, the Pismo Beach Sniper? He’s on the loose. The kids still want to keep practicing for the World Surfing Championships. The parents want to protect their children.
Is there a middle ground?
The discussion could easily go off topic, launching into a polemic on today’s parenting styles.
Or, I could stay focused on what the characters choose to do—and how they resolve what seems unresolvable.
The trick is to answer the question without losing sight of your purpose: getting listeners interested in your book.
Which Brings Us to Tip #3: Leave Them Wanting More
Weintraub suggests “enticing your audience so that they want more of what you have to offer” by referring to “specific scenes in your book to pique listeners’ curiosity.”
That’s exactly what I tried to do.
When asked how the characters deal with the threat facing their community, I responded:
“Do we let fear get the best of us? Are there ways to minimize the threat? What are our options? Not to be coy, but you’ll have to pick up the book to find out exactly what the parents say, what the kids say, and why the two private investigators—Thad Hanlon and Bri de la Guerra—tussle over how to proceed.”
So, How Did the Podcast Go?
I felt more prepared this time. Still a little nervous. But overall, I think my interview about Pismo Beach Sniper went better than my first podcast: All that Glisters. You can judge for yourself.
Listen: Inside Scoop Live with Sheri Hoyte —Pismo Beach Sniper
(https://www.insidescooplive.com/e/pismo-beach-sniper-jones/)
Watch with auto-captions: YouTube interview
(https://youtu.be/HlJCmDMvmak)
You can also catch the podcast on other streaming services: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Audible.
Let me know what you think. I can be reached through my contact page: https://topperjones.com/contact
And for the latest scoop on Pismo Beach Sniper and the other titles in the Thad Halon & Bri de la Guerra Mystery series, check out my author webite: https://topperjones.com/books
Further Exploration
8 Steps to Prepare for Podcasts and Radio Interviews to Promote Your Forthcoming Book by Aileen Weintraub (Writer’s Digest, Aug 24, 2022).
12 Podcast Guest Tips: How to Be a Great Podcast Interviewee by Colin Gray (The Podcast Host, July 5, 2021).
And Speaking of Book News, I Have One More Update to Share...
Saturday, October 3, I had the honor of attending the 2026 Utah Book Awards and reception. The auditorium at the Salt Lake City Main Library was packed. Such a fun night!
Master of Ceremonies Kase Johnstun called all three Finalists in General Fiction to the stage, where he read reviews of each entry provided by contest judge—author Mark Stevens. Here’s a snippet for Oceano Beach Bedlam:
“Highly entertaining, fast-moving, with a flavor of a ‘beach read’ but with some literary touches that sneak up on you.”
And check out my finalist recognition award—a cool plaque.
I want to thank Jodi Graham, Executive Director, Utah Humanities, and Kase Johnstun, Director, Utah Center for the Book, for sponsoring the Utah Book Awards and for their untiring support of the literary arts. Utah is a much richer state because of them.
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