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10 Things This First-Time Novelist Did to Write and Sell a Bestseller (Podcast) A conversation with author Stephanie Storey about how she found success with a daring risk-it-all game plan.

By Dan Bova

Stephanie Storey

For many people, landing a television job in Hollywood is a dream, but for Stephanie Storey, it was her Plan B.

For 15 years, Storey has served as a producer on shows including The Writers Room on Sundance, The Arsenio Hall Show on CBS and the new Alec Baldwin Show on ABC. But what she really wanted to be? A novelist.

Her dream finally came to fruition with the publication of Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo. The New York Times called it "tremendously entertaining," "adroit" and "informative." I met Storey a year ago, read her novel and I have to say, New York Times, you nailed it! This novel is all of those adjectives and a whole lot more.

Related: 10 Magical J.K. Rowling Quotes to Motivate and Inspire You

This summer, Oil and Marble was released in paperback and I was able to catch up with Storey in the midst of a very intense book tour to find out what it took to make her childhood dream a reality. (Spoiler alert: a ton of hard work, sacrifice and a healthy tolerance for risk.)

Storey was kind enough to share her advice for anyone looking to make a big change in their career -- whether it is to become a writer or an apparel designer or food entrepreneur. If there is something in the back of your head begging you to give it a shot, listen in as Storey describes the possibilities of what can happen when you finally say yes.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

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