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This week I\u2019m talking with author and journalist Mark Cecil. Mark\u2019s debut novel BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY, a retelling of the folk tales of Paul Bunyan and John Henry, has just come out. (The book was named one of the most anticipated books of 2024 from Goodreads, while Publishers Weekly called it \u201cboisterous and a fun romp with plenty of substance.\u201d) Mark\u2019s articles have been published in LitHub and Writer\u2019s Digest and he\u2019s taught classes on writing and publishing for Grub Street and the Writer\u2019s Loft.\nDespite these accolades, Mark had a long, tough road to publishing and he\u2019s learned some really valuable lessons along the way, which he generously shares in a very inspiring way.\n\nWe covered:\nHow Mark is inspired by trying to contribute to a mythology that is uniquely American, and what that means\nThe six other manuscripts Mark wrote that didn\u2019t end up getting published, and how he dealt with that long road\nHow he knew he had stumbled on the right idea at last\nThe genius thing he told himself that helped him keep going despite multiple rejections\nHow a very frustrating question from an editor launched him on an odyssey of learning the art of storytelling that ultimately led him to the idea of his debut novel\nWhy he seeks to write every damn day, despite how he\u2019s feeling about himself and his work\nHow he\u2019ll write anywhere, despite the external\u2013and internal!, conditions he finds himself in\nHow sports, whether he\u2019s playing, coaching, or watching, helps keep him mentally healthy\n\nVisit Mark at markcecilauthor.com.\n\nFor full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.\n\nThanks to this week\u2019s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices