Two Hearts and One Braincell: Cassidy Carson & JT Hume Amateur Hour: Recent Episodes
Cassidy Carson and JT Hume
Cassidy Carson and JT Hume are longtime partners, readers, and independent writers who bring their decades of experience to the podcast world. We start with writing tips, techniques, and challenges, and goes on to explore the interesting world and universe around us.
If you’re a writer, what do you love about being a writer?
We get it. Many of us play the role of being a victim to our literary art, yet somehow, the books manage to get written and published. In this podcast, CC and I express why we do the thing we love so much.
We also talk about getting our business off the ground, and we chat about the writers’ seminar we’re attending and our current projects, plus we’re planning our next trips which may start in July.
Our home is www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
Know a writer or someone who wants to be a writer? Then forward this post to them and invite them to listen to our writers podcast. Thank you!
We recently celebrated our 42nd anniversary, so Episode 175 of our podcast for writers is about the challenge of familiarity. We love to watch and read about new romances, and as writers, those books are relatively easy to write. Think Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew (or 10 Things I Hate About You).
The steeper climb is writing a book about the older couple who’ve been together for decades and, over time, have developed their own language and culture. Unlike new couples, they can sum up a thirty-minute conversation with just a look. The reality is they often know their partner better than they know themselves.
How do you write a book about those couples? We have ideas.
We talk about our three active book projects, including the status of The Big A** Trip book. You also get a sneak peek at my writing process when I am triggered by a random book idea. You will see my struggle is real.
Our home is www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
Know a writer or someone who wants to be a writer? Then forward this post to them and invite them to listen to our writers podcast. Thank you!
Episode 174 of our writers’ podcast for writers is all about using nature as a character or background for your work. We’ve all encountered nature on some level of our existence, and it serves as a point of commonality around the world, be it a heavy rainstorm, the sound of the ocean, or a sunny day.
Nature is a convenient tool in our toolbox because we can use it to quickly connect to our readers and, at the same time, use it to create tension and suspense. Think of “the rising flood waters” or “smoking volcano,” and you’ll immediately understand what I’m saying.
We spend some time talking about our social media plan (still in development) and our current projects. Spoiler: we have books coming out in the next year.
Our home is www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
Episode 173 of our writers podcast has us talking about ingenuity and grit of travelers along the 19th Century road known as the California Trail.
CC is writing a historical novel, and it was our good luck when we stumbled upon the California Trail Interpretive Center on the first day of our Big A** Trip across America. This Harry Reid project sits along Interstate 80 (exit 292, to be exact) west of Elko, Nevada, and it provides visitors the in-depth historical look at the mass exodus to California via Nevada.
As writers, we talk about our visit, and the mass amount of materials accumulated by the center, to illustrate the importance and fun of doing research for historical fiction. Like our old friend and one-time Nevadan Mark Twain reportedly said, “It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.”
Check out this podcast and other podcasts at our website www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Link to the center: https://www.californiatrailcenter.org
Episode 172 takes us back to our Big A** Trip and what we learned from having our “boots on the ground.” For this podcast, we talk about the surviving remnants of an American-built extreme clipper ship, the Snow Squall. Clippers were cargo ships built for speed over capacity, and extreme clipper ships were especially fast, though their construction era in America was relatively short (1845 to 1855).
There is only one surviving piece of an American extreme clipper, and the Maine Maritime Museum has that piece of the Snow Squall contained in its own building on the edge of its beautiful campus. We explain why we think they did this.
For more reading:
Maine Maritime Museum Link: https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/exhibition/snow-squall-an-american-clipper/
Wikipedia Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Squall_(clipper)
We also talk about our current projects (Space Epic, Zoey, BAT Book) and easing into retirement.
As always, check us out at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
Episode 171 has us home after twenty days and 7500+ miles on the road. We’re doing a bonus podcast to give our quick impressions of our writers research trip:
-What we expected versus what we saw.
-What we saw on each side of the Continental Divide.
-The number of states we traveled through (plus one province).
-What we learned in Green River, Utah.
Really, there’s too much here to unpack in a thirty-minute podcast, so we hit the high points. We’ll be organizing our brains for weeks.
We’ll be back to our regular writers podcast on Sunday.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 170: Yes, you read that right. This is both Episode 170 of our writers podcast and Day 17 of the Big A** Trip.
Happy Mother's Day from Oak Grove, Missouri to all who celebrate. This is a quick and short podcast because we're getting on the road. Again.
We share some quick impressions about how different and common things are across America, and we talk about the people we are versus those kids from 40+ years ago. Since this is a writers podcast, we also talk about doing in-person research of the places we've written about and will write about.
Please continue to follow along at our hashtags #ccandjt and #bat2024 as we drive down the home stretch. The daily updates are on my Tumblr at https://jthume.tumblr.com/
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com and all of the major social media platforms. TIA LYL!
Episode 169 of our writers’ podcast has us bouncing between the Maine cities of Bath and Portland to do boots-on-the-ground research for future books.
We did stops at the Maine Maritime Museum, the Maine Historical Society, the Golden Lotus restaurant (yum!), and my paternal grandparents’ house. We traveled 3300 miles to do this research and we were not disappointed.
A reminder that you can follow along on our Big A** Trip with the hashtags #ccandjt and #bat2024
The daily updates are on my Tumblr at https://jthume.tumblr.com/
Our regular website is still www.carsonhume.com where you can find our books.
Have a listen and TIA LYL!
This is the Day 6 update of the #ccandjt #bat2024. You can access the rest of the updates at https://jthume.tumblr.com/
Episode 168: Hello from Canada, and the CC and JT Amateur Hour is now an international podcast. Woo. We're giving our loyal listeners an update from the ninth floor of the Holiday Inn in London, Ontario, Canada.
We talk about our journey and, because this is a writers podcast, our takeaways from almost 3,000 road miles so far. This is quite the adventure as we travel from Nevada to Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Tomorrow, we're off to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Looking forward to that adventure!
Have a listen and TIA LYL!
This is the Day Three update of the CC and JT BAT. Here are the Day One and Day Two updates.
Episode 167 is from our hotel room in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, and we are bushed. Day Three of the BAT was yesterday, all eleven hours, and we started north from Casper, Wyoming. When we lived in Nebraska in the Stone Age, the phrase was “nothing between here and Canada except for barbed wire.” They were right. Long stretches of road in both WY and SD where there is nothing but bushes. Not even trees.
The drive was still very interesting, and we made two of what could have been a dozen stops. Devils Tower is both amazing and a flashback to our youth. I cannot accurate describe the impact on this (and many other) teenage geeks when I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Before we got there, I thought the whole thing was probably an overinflated Hollywood special effect. Nope. It lived up to its hype.
We stopped at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota because the Jedi ghost image of Justin Scarred told us to. Fun place with all sorts of shops and pictures and good food.
We’re about to hit the road for Day Four, so let me give you some clicks. Our hashtags for this tip continue to be #ccandjt and #bat2024. Shortcuts:
CC’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassidycarson45?lang=en
My TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carsonhumebooks
Blue Sky hashtag #ccandjt: https://bsky.app/search?q=%23ccandjt
Threads hashtag #ccandjt: https://www.threads.net/search/?q=%23ccandjt&serp_type=default
Twitter hashtag #ccandjt: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ccandjt&src=typed_query
Instagram hashtag #ccandjt: https://instagram.com/explore/tags/ccandjt/
Facebook hashtag #ccandjt: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/ccandjt
Notes: other people may be using this hashtag. We’re also using #bat2024, but results may vary.
Have a listen and enjoy. TIA LYL!
Episode 166 of the Amateur Hour is filled with fun as we announce the “CC and JT 2024 Big Ass Trip” (BAT). Before the end of April, we’re heading to all points east, with stops across two countries, with our destination being the State of Maine.
We’ll swing by my sister’s place in Delaware, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the historic battlefield of Gettysburg (not in that order, obviously).
The usual caveats apply when it comes to a BAT like this, especially one for the road, because real life can happen. Even so, we’re excited about this opportunity to do boots-on-the-ground background research for CC and my respective books, each tentatively scheduled for CY2025.
If you want to follow along, we’ll be posting across the social media platforms with the hashtags of #ccandjt and #bat2024, and if you have ideas on places to visit, let us know.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com and TIA LYL!
Episode 165:
At some point, writers will be asked to explain their books, so CC and I do a little on-air practicing with her interviewing me. The main questions:
How do I write strong female characters?
Where do I get my ideas?
First book I remember reading?
What is my daily writing process and where is my favorite place to write?
What would I tell non-writers about writing?
Being interviewed is an interesting process and its own art. Have a listen and let us know what you think through our website at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
We’re back from our first trip as a retired couple, and we use the podcast to talk about travel as a metaphor for change, maturity, and aging. Often, we’re made uncomfortable by traveling to familiar places only to find they’ve changed a lot. That happens when you get to a certain age.
We also discuss some big plans and announce our next adventure which is codenamed “The BAT.”
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
The big day came and CC is retired. Woo! Raise the Roof!
Understandably, today’s podcast is about what happened during CC’s week, her feelings, and our next great adventure. Spoilers: traveling and writing books.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL!
I feel Episode 162 should have gigantic Trigger Warning: “Religion is mentioned.”
We wade into the minefield as we discuss the influence of religion on how we were raised, how that upbringing influences our writing, and how we as writers choose whether or not to include organized religion in our books.
It’s a complicated subject and I don’t know if we did it justice. We may do a Part Two next week, depending on feedback and our ongoing conversations. And folks of a certain age will recognize the post title as a song lyric.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
We could say Episode 161 is an exercise in applying strong memories to the craft of writing. After all, “we write what we know.” In reality, it’s an excuse for CC and me to reminisce about our strongest memories from our trips to Ireland. That’s what we people of a certain age like to do.
Discussed: Blarney Castle, Ross Castle, Christchurch, Dublin tourism, the color green, and a rabbit.
Check out the other 160 podcast episodes on our website at www.carsonhume.com, and may ye be halfway to Heaven before the devil knows yer dead.
Check out our books! https://carsonhume.com/books-2/
Episode 160 is another hodgepodge of writing updates, opinions and predictions.
The key center answers the question, “If your life had a book title, what would it be?” You will be surprised to learn that people married for 40+ years came up with the same answer. Shocking!
We also discuss the Cubs, Cinema Therapy, current projects, the time change, retirement, routines, and our furniture.
Have a listen. I promise it’s more interesting than it sounds. And check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 159 is a deep dive into our editing process. The first draft of my three-book Space Epic is done, and the Author (me) and Editor-in Chief (CC) of Two Moore Books describe the editing process.
Have a listen and enjoy! TIA! LYL!
www.carsonhume.com
Episode 158
Our “word of the day” podcast theme continues with one of CC’s favorites: “ennui.” Everybody deals with it at sometime in their lives, but creative artists seem to wrestle with ennui like Heracles beating down Antaeus (google it, kids). We talk about our own struggles and come up with some hopefully helpful ideas.
We do a shout out to our family and all families who are struggling with challenges this week.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 157: There are writers who can stay in their lane, and there are writers who jump from murder thrillers to space epics. The surest path to success for independent writers seems to be write and publish “predictable” books, so why can’t every author stick to this tried and true formula?
We naturally use Uncle Steve, Aunt Barbara, and John Grisham as examples.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
It’s Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day week. For episode 156, we finally give in and hopelessly (or hopefully) pander for clicks by diving head first into the Taylor-Travis romance of the century (we obviously have no self respect).
But we do things a little different here. We debate on the plausibility of their relationship, and how as writers, if we would go there and create a story like theirs.
We spoil Somewhere in Time, Marry Me, and (again) the MCU.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com and TIA LYL!
Episode 155 is one of Life’s Big Changes hitting home here at Two Moore Books. We’re talking graduation, marriage, children, and buying a house level of change. We’re both excited and feeling a deep sense of dread, but we’re also anxious to get going.
The funny part of this story is how the hiring practices of the State of Nevada played an important role.
Have a listen and check us out on www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL!
Episode 154 is about the passion in writing a romance book…or writing romance in your book. What's the difference? We discuss how we were "programmed" from an early age and by society to write our respective flavors of romantic novels.
We spoil "Romancing the Stone," "The Lost City," and the Marvel Universe movies.
Also: short business updates and the saga of our poor basement.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
The podcast/broadcast is back after a one week hiatus due to technical issues (now resolved), and we have a funny bookselling story. Not only did it make us laugh, but it confirmed that we are book nerds.
We touched on one of the world's most solitary professions that sits squarely in the public eye, and we ask you (the indy writer) about running a business. At what point do you go from being a hobbyist to a "real" business (LLC or something else)?
We continue to be super-excited about 2024, and we look forward to sharing our adventures with you!
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 152 is a bonus podcast from the Dungeon of Doom studio where we briefly (for us) discuss the challenges of success.
Since our expansion across e-pub sites. one of our series is seeing financial success, which begs for a sequel:
-Good news: Kind of working on that third book.
-Bad news: Working much harder on a different series.
What do we do? Shift gears to the book series gaining traction or keep working on our main project?
We exchange ideas and come up with a solution which we'll expand on during our regular podcast later this week.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 151 is another vent session about our book publishing company Two Moore Books. We had a good week when we were rewarded by our hard work, but we were also reminded of how far we have to go as a small book publishing company:
Overthinking:
-We salute David Soul, an icon of our youth.
-A Sheriff in Nevada: selling it and creating the paperback for Amazon and B&N.
-We plugged the Nevada Writer's Group on FB, and appreciate the the Sierra Arts Foundation for their support of Nevada writers.
-Big website design coming up, and we asked for your websites and ideas.
-So much social media.
-Auto-narration versus using humans when creating audiobooks (spoiler: $$$).
-The challenges of creating paperbacks on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
-The life of a small business owner.
From Tundra to Tiara news:
-The audiobook will be released on Google Play on Wednesday, January 10.
-The pre-order cost in $14.99.
-The e-books are also reduced in price across all platforms at $2.99 (Amazon, Apple, B&N, Google, Kobo).
-They'll go to their regular price on Thursday, January 12.
We barely touched on what we're supposed to be doing: actually writing a book. 😁
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 150 comes to you from our brand new studio which we lovingly call the Dungeon of Doom. We talk about our dreams and aspirations for the new year, plus we reminisce about something that happened 42 years ago.
In case you missed it, we recorded Episode 149 which was our CY2023 recap with Two Moore Books, Paris, road trip, and our future books.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Let's keep this short and sweet.
Episode 149 is our end-of-year wrap-up for calendar year 2023:
-Two Moore Books
-Paris
-Road Trip
-Six books in the queue!
And we lay the groundwork for an exciting 2024. We can hardly wait to get things started. Woo!
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the three movies that our part of our Christmas tradition (Love Actually, Die Hard, Christmas Vacation). For Episode 148, we watched three movies that were homages (or parodies) of traditional Christmas movies: Elf, Gremlins, and Scrooged. We talked about what worked and didn't work, and why they didn't appeal to us as "traditional" movies as they may for other people. We agree that comedy is the hardest art form for writers.
Just for fun, we threw in Lethal Weapon and wondered why it isn't included in the "Christmas Movie" debate like Die Hard.
We talked about our favorite Christmas memories from when we were children, and we reminisced about our first Christmas as a married couple back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and before the internet.
Finally, we previewed Episode 150 that will be our debut in our brand new studio in the Dungeon of Doom.
Good stuff as usual for the independent writer. Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
www.carsonhume.com
For Episode 147, we reveal the winner of the annual ugly Christmas sweater contest (hint: I win every year with the same sweater).
More importantly, we dive into the the technical details behind writing sequels. I've written three series, and I've started a fourth, and I wish I knew now what I didn't know when I did the first three. We cite "Star Wars" and "The Matrix."
For the second part of the podcast/broadcast, we talk about the "science" part of science fiction when it comes to creating our fictional universes. Sometimes the science creates a gap between your potential readership and your book. Examples discussed were "The Martian" and several "Star Trek" series.
Good stuff as usual for the independent writer. Please check us out at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
"Tradition is peer pressure from your ancestors" is how we framed Episode 146. We go down down tradition's path by discussing some of our family traditions this time of year, which now requires we watch three holiday movies: Die Hard, Christmas Vacation, and Love Actually. We talk about these movies appeal to us.
As promised, here's the link when we eviscerated "Love Actually" (check out the beard!).
We wore red this week for our family at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. We are all Rebels this week.
There's a free book offer in this podcast/broadcast if you listen, but there's one small condition.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. LYL! Take care.
It's Episode 145, and the book writing/publishing company known as Two Moore Books is fully engaged in developing its literary, audio, and aural presence on the internet.
Literary: As we discuss in this podcast/broadcast, our full catalog is published on three platforms and in progress on two more (Apple and Barnes & Noble). Our catalog should be fully published on all five platforms by the end of January 2024:
Amazon
Kobo
Audiobooks: Much of this podcast/broadcast discusses the Google Play audiobook auto-narration feature. We discuss the upside and downside of using the application, and printscreens are included in the YouTube video if you want to follow along that way.
In the interim, we have two books posted with a single narrator:
A Sheriff in Nevada
Duties Faithfully Executed
Aural: For those who want to listen to us on the way to work, we are on five podcast platforms:
Spotify
Apple
Pocket Casts
Radio Public
We're a little busy. Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL!
(Here's that YouTube video if you want: https://youtu.be/B3SsNKZmYsQ)
This week's podcast/broadcast featured a live unboxing of "The Tucci Chronicles," and we compare the Amazon and Barnes & Noble paperback copies.
We have another in-depth discussion of the meat-and-potatoes side of writing. We've expanding our publishing inventory to include Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Google. We chat about the strengths of each publisher.
We are also excited to say we'll be trying out the auto-narration function in Google Play, and we'll report back on the results.
There was also the usual chatter of the holidays and how we spent our Thanksgiving Day holiday.
Mentioned: The delicious food at Eppies and Carol's of West Sacramento.
We hope you find it interesting. Have a listen and check out our website at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
We dive into the "sausage making" portion of self-publishing a book. Writing a book itself is a complex process, but that's only the beginning, so there's a lot to unpack in this week's podcast/broadcast:
-
Cover reveal of "The Tucci Chronicles"!
-
Update on CC's writing projects and her YouTube bio.
-
My plan to sell my books on on Kobo and Barnes & Noble
-Technical difference in uploading to Amazon, B&N, and Kobo.
-
Creating and formatting books with Atticus and GIMP.
-
Using other apps like Word, Publisher, InDesign, and Photoshop
-
Overcoming the intimidation factor of uploading books for sale.
The links to all of this are below.
Check us out on our website at www.carsonhume.com and let us now what you think. TIA LYL!
CC's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8iKA_-E4Po
JT's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/JT-Hume/author/B00L77LWDE?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
JT's Barnes & Noble page: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jt%20Hume%22
JT's Kobo Page https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=jt%20hume∾=1&acp=jt%20hume&ac.author=jt%20hume&sort=Temperature
The Awesome Atticus App: https://www.atticus.io/ (We are not paid endorsers.)
GIMP: https://www.gimp.org/ (We are not paid endorsers.)
What goes through a writer’s mind, and how do their thoughts, dreams, and experiences translate to the written word? How do they choose to go light or dark in their writing? We use our two most recent releases to discuss the yin and yang of a writer’s mind.
(Yes, we just released a book on November 10 and we're releasing another one on December 1. Details in the podcast.)
This podcast/broadcast started with this from the internet: "Our thoughts reflect how we were raised, but our words and actions define our character." Agree? Disagree?
Check out our website and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
This week's podcast/broadcast is about our four projects:
-CC finished formatting "From Tundra to Tiara"! We'll release it Friday, November 10, for $9.99
-I finished formatting "The Tucci Chronicles"! That will be released soon.
-CC's is deep into Nano and writing Book 2 of a brand new series.
-My Nano project is the third book of the "Sheriff in Nevada" series.
Back to "From Tundra to Tiara": We released the e-book in January 2023, but some readers love hard copy books. That's what you're getting on Friday, November 10. The price will be going up to $12.99 sometime soon, so grab our book at the discounted price now.
Here's the FTTT link.
More details about all of our books.
Our website, of course.
Have a listen to this week's podcast and let us know what you think. TIA LYL!
This week is all about formatting your self-published book through Word and Atticus. CC and I spent a lot of time this week in those apps getting "From Tundra to Tiara" and "The Tucci Chronicles" ready for you.
If you're getting ready to self-publish a book, or even thinking about it, we have ideas to help you avoid the challenges and minefields every indy writer encounters.
We also talk about Nevada Day and Nanowrimo.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Unboxing From Tundra to Tiara - CC and I have a hardcopy of our first book which will be out on #Amazon #Kindle soon! Check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL #writers
Hello from the CC and JT Amateur Hour, “where production values go to die,” and we talked a lot about a few things as we continue to wrestle with our video presence.
Topics:
-Nanowrimo
-Our personal writing projects
-Overnight success
-The public face of our private endeavors
-Meeting the public
Here's the YouTube of the podcast.
CC is reading Edgar Allen Poe for October!
I did a commercial for Nevada.
Please let us know what you think of all of this and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL! 🤟
Procrastinate. Overthink. Long walks. All are frustrating forms of writer's block.
In this week's episode, we talk about our personal forms of writer's block and what we do to overcome them.
TikTok Teaser! And here's the YouTube.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL!
Another videocast & podcast for our fellow writers: it's Preptober!
CC & and chat about getting ready for #nanowrimo and how it's a time of joy, not stress, if you let it.
We also talk about our poor Cubs.
If you're on TikTok, you can catch us here, but there's a ten-minute limit (we didn't know).
The entire video is here on YouTube.
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
Episode 134: Twitter/X is implementing new and onerous terms of service, so CC and I have "that" talk about social media. As very small business owners, we have concerns because we no longer believe in the reach and reliability of Twitter/X.
We have an active conversation about social media in general, which gives you a peek inside on how CC and I talk things over.
We also discuss Free Speech and the First Amendment, which is sometimes not the same thing.
We're going to try out new things to replace Twitter/X, so stay tuned to this space for more details.
Have a listen and check us out on www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
[Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik]
After a few "doom and gloom" episodes with the related drop-off in listenership, we announce the end of the podcast because we each discover a hill we will die on (kidding).
But seriously, folks, we dive into the Language of Love and the culture of a relationship, and how we as writers bring all of this to our works in progress. We're talking about communication, gestures, and habits that are unique to each relationship.
We use real-life examples of our parents' marriages as well as our own. We also cite Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Georgette Heyer, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
CC watched TED Talks by author Elizabeth Gilbert of "Eat, Pray, Love" fame as a means to break through her writer's block, and her videos inspired us to talk about the source of a writer's inspiration. We knocked down a series of dominos and ended up with the question: Are some writers divinely inspired by God to write their works, or is creativity the result of the happenstance of physiological neurons and flashes of genius?
We included a "Philosophy of Religion" class, the Baha'i' Faith, our conscience, and the one or many faces of God.
We also discussed old school driving lessons and our basement. This all makes sense (or not) if you have a listen. Check us out at www.carsonhume.com
TIA LYL!
PS: Here are Ms. Gilbert's TED Talks:
Your elusive creative genius
Success, failure and the drive to keep creating
Episode 131 is more free form than usual since we start with Labor Day, muddle around Burning Man, and end up talking at length about the Indiana Jones franchise.
Throughout this podcast was the sense and idea of nostalgia. The movie-going experience has changed much in our lifetimes, though we wouldn't say it necessarily has evolved. We also acknowledge that we are not the target audience we used to be. Even so, we feel the impact of entertainment was lost as movies were moved from a dark room with one bright screen to home-centric entertainment systems (streaming services and video games).
Dunno if we can be "right or wrong" in something that is unique to all of our personal experiences, but we do have opinions from our chairs on the porch as we watch over our lawn.
We spoil Indiana Jones and discuss the challenges of the home of Burning Man (CC used to live out there).
What do you think? Have a listen and check us at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
The endless saga of our flooded basement gives us fodder for this week's podcast. Long story short: we're sore.
We talk about how the natural process of aging and Life takes a physical toll on our quality of life, and how we as writers can use these experiences to shape our characters. We also discuss how we can learn more about conditions where we have no firsthand experience. Notable examples would be the use of scooters in supermarkets and childbirth.
We also touch on how the quality of our physical health can be directly related to our ecomomic status. We cite Alice Walker's The Color Purple, Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, and John Steinbeck.
Yeah, this podcast was not much of a picker-upper, but these are important discussions for creators who write about real life versus those writing for escapism.
Have a listen and let us know what you think. Check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 129 is about the authors who inspired and shaped us as adults and writers, and who happen to be women.
How's this for a murderer's row:
Agatha Christie (left)
Louisa May Alcott (right)
Jane Austen
Georgette Heyer
Carolyn Keene
Anne McCaffery
Ann Rice
JK Rowling
Alice Walker
Harper Lee
Margaret Mitchelle
Madeline L'Engle
Diana Gabaldon
Amy Tan
Audrey Niffenegger
So many more we could have mentioned.
We spoil "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Clue" (the movie).
We also discussed Hurricane Hillary, our feral cat, and the toxic wastedump known as our basement.
Lots of goodies for you. Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA LYL!
Episode 128 is about that great beast called "screenwriting" and how it is a different, yet similar craft to writing a book. There's the external visual representation versus the internal written word, but there's also the complex collaboration, visuals, and the outside influences (re: the studios) that change the original product into what you see on the big and small screen. It's a fascinating process.
We spoil:
Angels and Demons
Star Wars
Spider-Man
Batman
We update our EPA Superfund Site codenamed "our basement," talk about our WIPs, and discuss our deer for what is probably the last time.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Is George Lucas good or lucky?
Episode 127 of our writers podcast is about writers who capture lightning in a bottle. They submit books and screenplays at just the right time which capture the imagination and take the country by storm. There’s lots of examples, starting with Mr. Lucas. Some folks would point to his pop cultural phenomenon of "Star Wars," but we go to the 1973 classic called "American Graffiti." This movie almost singlehandedly brought the 1950s nostalgia craze to the forefront of the Seventies and beyond. The movie also had a direct impact on CC's formative years.
We also include the usual updates about our WIPs, our basement (yuck) and the tenants, the deer.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
What's going on with Episode 126 of our writers' podcast? The better question is what isn't going on with this podcast.
We start off with the premise that an epiphany is part of the writer's toolchest, but it's an unreliable tool. Yes, the initial idea of a book can be classified as one, but what happens after you start writing and developing characters and plot? We have ideas on how to create and use epiphanies in your writing.
There's also a discussion on how long you should take to write a book. Spoiler: CC has been working on hers for over ten years and I started mine in 2022. They might appear in 2024.
Also the usual junk drawer updates:
Deer
Basement
Weather
WIPs
Killing characters
Free book giveaway
We go from Stephen King to George R.R. Martin in this one, so check us out at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
Image source
Yeah, we joined mainstream and social media in debating Barbie in our podcast, but we went in a different direction with the history of gender-based books and roles.
We start in the mass market publishing in the beginning of the 20th Century ("dime store novels") through the "Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew" type books of the Fifties. We work our way into Women's Lib and ERA, and we talk about how the Barbie movie is portrayed in social media.
Also:
-Our WIPs
-Happy Birthday
-Deer Update
-WGA and the SAGAFTA strikes
As a bonus, three of our books will be free on Monday, July 24. Here's that link. If you miss the giveaway, send me proof that you bought them and we'll Venmo you the cost. We'd rather you read the books than worry about buying them.
As always, check us out at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
Episode 124 is about the writer's derivative use of other published works in their own works in progress. Where is the gray area of originality when using William Shakespeare's classic works, for example?
Modern literature is full of examples of those who boldly took it upon themselves to "copy" the Bard's great works or at least use them as inspiration for their books. Where do we writers draw the line? What is plagiarism?
Also:
-Updates on the weather, our basement and the baby deer.
-Nanowrimo
-How sausage, laws, and books are created.
-Using three senses in your writing (Das Boot).
As always, we go to a lot of places in less than an hour. If you're a writer or thinking about becoming one, this podcast is for you!
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Episode 123 is all about the our new furry friends. More specifically, we talk at length about how we can't help but assign human emotions and actions to those in the animal kingdom (the word I can't say or spell to save my life is "anthropomorphism").
Also:
-
Our current WIPs & Boring Characters
-
Nanowrimo & Camp Nano
-
Setting writing goals and boundaries
-
Run the dishwasher twice!
-
Our maternity ward
We're packing a lot of good writing stuff in this one, not to mention a bit of risk. Are we right or wrong?
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Writers are always told to "write what they know," but what if you don't know? This week, CC got the opportunity to fill out her life experience by going to Las Vegas' famous male revue: "Magic Mike Live."
She takes our listeners through each step of the show: from hair-and-makeup to the dancing and athleticism of the show to the post-show meet-and-greet with some of the dancers. CC then spends some time outlining how she's going to apply this experience to her current work in progress.
Also discussed:
-Summer time!
-Coca Cola Store!
-Southwest Air
-Fourth of July!
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Episode 121 is started slow, but evolved into something interesting and complex.
We talked about about our minimal efforts on our works in progress. The challenges for CC is finding the time to hit the keyboard. My challenge is I'm making things up as I go along, so I think I created a readable adventure, but not a viable ending. If you're in a similar situation, we have ideas.
We put togethere a mailbox yesterday. Gently speaking, it was our usual comedy of errors.
The main gist of the podcast was about the challenge of writing about events we have not experienced first hand, including COVID, Gettysberg, Pearl Harbor, and the 1917 pandemic. One of those things we actually did experience in the last couple of weeks, but for the most part, we writers are challenged when we want to include the feel and taste of times gone by.
We also spent time on how folks in the past got swept up in events through herd mentality, and how sometimes the best books are those who stand in front of the tanks.
Tomorrow is CC's birthday if you want to buy her a cup of coffee.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Happy Father's Day and Juneteenth to all who celebrate!
Episode 120 is all about:
-
Our works in progress,
-
JT's new part-time job,
-
Visiting places from our youth and feeling the ghosts walking through us,
-
Readers' reading habits, and
-
Tighter plots for the shorter attentions spans of the 21st Century.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Episode 119 is our examination about setting fiction in places where the writer has never traveled. CC uses a great example of space to illustrate the challenge. We talk about the tools we use to overcome this barrier.
Also discussed is the Wrath of God hail storm from June 10 and our usual flailing at the keyboards on our current WIPs.
Have a listen and check us out www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
The podcast is back after a two-week hiatus due to JT driving to the East Coast and back to see his sister. Today's episode is all about that eleven-state tour (NV, UT, WY, NE, IA, IL, IN, OH, PA, MD, DE, and back). For those scoring at home, JT drove over 5,500 miles.
Also:
Visiting the Gettysburg National Military Park
What's the one color you'll see from coast to coast?
Happy 41st Anniversary!
Gettyburg is a must-see for the history nerd (guilty). If you can't get there, Justin Scarred from Randomland does a great job outlining the museum and the battlefields.
We'll get back to a true writing podcast next week. Have a listen and enjoy!
Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate and should be celebrated! This week, we spent most of the podcast bragging about our kids, but we also debated a fair amount trying to crack the tough nut of Time.
Question: how do you find the time to write? Even as empty nesters, CC and I struggle to set aside time to work on our WIP. We bounce around some ideas and plans.
Have a listen, check us out at www.carsonhume.com, and send us your suggestions. TIA! LYL!
Bonjour! Today's writer's podcast is all about the City of Lights: Paris, France. We were lucky to spend more than a week discovering the wonders of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and a thousand places in between. From the Paris Metro to a famous graveyard. We walked along the Seine and took a long boat ride on the Seine, yet we barely scratch the surface of this wonderous city.
From a writer's POV, we learned about communication gaps, French culture and history, and whether there was any truth to certain French stereotypes. Plus we visited Victor Hugo's bedroom and Oscar Wilde's tomb.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Some of the places we visited:
Musée Marmottan Monet https://www.marmottan.fr/en/
Musée National Picasso-Paris https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/home-page
Victor Hugo House https://www.maisonsvictorhugo.paris.fr/en
Musée Carnavalet (History of Paris) https://www.carnavalet.paris.fr/
Musée des Arts et Métiers (Arts and Crafts) https://www.arts-et-metiers.net/
Père-Lachaise cemetery https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/walks-in-paris/unusual-stroll-cemetery-pere-lachaise
For Carson City's Mark Twain Days, we went to a writers' workshop on Nevada and came away with interesting perspectives and ideas. CC might even have a new story to tell.
Our thanks to the Nevada Arts Council for sponsoring the workshop.We discuss our own works in progress and our upcoming trip to Europe.
Here's a plug for CC's past colleague Rich Moreno who wrote a timely piece on "Frontier Fake News," available through the University of Nevada Press. Good guy and good writer.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA LYL!
Episode 114 of the "helping writers write" podcast touches on messages to our younger selves. What we have learned and what would we say to ourselves if we could go back in time. "Never give up" is the obvious advice, but the rest is not so obvious.
Also discussed:
-Paris (France)
-Mark Twain
-Our Basement
-Retirement
-Significant Birthdays
-Going to College
-Our current WIPs
And the real reason they made you take algebra in high school. It wasn't a waste of time!
Listen to this and other podcasts at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA and LYL!
Been a low and slow day at the CC and JT Amateur Hour where "we help writers write" because Spring has finally sprung. Woo!
We talked about the craft of writing last week, which is the technical aspect of grammar, editing, and publishing. These are universal to all books.
What is not universal is the creative process or the art of writing, so today's podcast is all about pulling words from our brains and getting them on the screen. CC and I compare and contrast our respective styles as we talk about our current works in progress.
Shorter: we podcast on making the sausage.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com
For those who celebrate: Happy Easter! For the rest of us: Happy Zombie Jesus Day!
TIA! LYL!
(image src: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175218241724991492/)
Episode 112 of our writer's podcast tackles Spring Cleaning, the ritual of opening the windows, letting in the fresh air, and getting your house organized.
For writers, it's about the craft of writing: organizing your manuscripts, filing documents in their proper folders, and reorganizing your brain for the next manuscript.
Also discussed: our basement (sigh), France, Mark Twain in Nevada, and the artist's right to change their work.
Lots of good stuff here. Lots more on our website at www.carsonhume.com
TIA LYL!
For those of us at certain age, we recall when Rod Serling spoke of the dimension of mind. Episode 111 of our "writer's podcast for writers" dives into the mind as we discuss "reality vs. memory." They're often not the same thing.
We use a fender bender that CC and I saw firsthand this week. Even though it happens a few feet from us, we took away different perceptions of the event.
We also provide updates on our individual works in progress which we hope to publish this year, plus the weekly weather and water report.
Check us out on our website at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
Another polyglot of a podcast from the Worldwide Headquarters where "we like to help writers write."
We discussed writing comfort zones, and how writers like to stick to familiar troupes and character because they over a rich source of inspiration. John Grisham and his love for the Deep South is specifically mentioned, as is my books of Nevada.
We push our own buttons (again) of the complex subject of social media and the increasing amount of overhead dedicated to advertise our works, almost to the point where we have to sacrifice writing time in lieu of advertising. A difficult balance.
We wrap things up with a chat about dialogue and context, and we mention how people mostly listen to others to respond versus really listening to each other (it makes more sense in the podcast). We discuss some ideas on how writers can improve their dialogue in their books.
All this and more from the Podcast Where Production Values Go to Die. Literally. We hope you enjoy. Take care.
www.carsonhume.com
Another podcast, another joint therapy session.
Northern Nevada is being pummeled by waves of rain and snow, and some of it overflowed into our basement. CC and I talk it out to get perspective and context, and as a means to reduce our stress.
Also discussed:
-Writing as an escape
-Getting yourself into writing mode.
-Memories and context.
-Word games with kids.
-Cochlear implants.
-Rain and snow and rain and snow.
-How we'd love to hear back from you.
Trigger: I use a naughty word (a naughty Irish word, that is).
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
We clearly had things on our minds in this week's writers podcast:
-Snow.
-So much snow.
-The Northern Nevada Floods of 1997.
-Heated sidewalks at the Nevada Legislature.
-Our respective works in progress.
-Staying focused on the story at hand and not getting sidetracked.
-So much respect for veterinarians and their teams.
We wrap it up with a dive into the taxes that writers must consider every year. We're not experts and do not mean to imply we have the answers, but we do share some thoughts on the subject. (PS: do your research and talk to a CPA.)
We still clock in at less at thirty minutes, so it's perfect for your commute from Reno to Carson City!
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Time for another CC and JT Amateur Hour "where production values go to die." We like to help writers write.
The past is always present and grips us all in more ways than one. CC and I discuss how to fold the past into your writing.
We talk about the Hume Museum. Peggy the doll there has been handed down through generations, and her wooden friends come from overseas.
We also chat about the Hume Clock (TikTok link) and my deer video with over ten thousand views (TikTok link).
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
"The podcast where production values go to die" is more discombobulated than usual in this episode. We started talking about the value of developing routines and habits to establish comfort zones for writing. That's valuable stuff, but we somehow segued into the importance of fan fiction.
We have a lot of respect for these artists, especially for middle and high schoolers who write and put themselves out there for (sometimes) very harsh criticism.
Not much to reports on our personal works in progress, though Charlie (pictured) plays a key role in my WIP.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
CC and I meander all over the map in this week's podcast about Love. We agree, and we agree to disagree, but we're fairly safe in saying there are no absolutes other than "Love is Love."
We hope you have it all figured out for yourself because listening to this podcast, you can tell we are clearly clueless.
Have a listen and let us know what we got right or wrong. And check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
We discuss "the doldrums," which we define as a normal interruption in the creative writing process. You have a story, but you don't what to with it or which direction to take it.
We're going through this ourselves. We have some ideas on what got us there and what it will take to get us moving again.
We also chat about our gift to you on Valentines Day and current events.
Have a listen and check us out on www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
We struggled this week with "the big reveal": the completely out-of-the-blue plot twist. Does it take the reader out of the story? Does it improve the plot? Does it change a "routine" experience into a memorable one for all the right reasons?
Thoroughly spoiled: "The Crying Game" and "Murder on the Orient Express."
We also discuss our personal works in progress. This and other goodies on our website at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and take care. LYL!
CC and I chat about what may be the most important emotional tool for a writer. We need a lot of moxie to get a book from a random idea floating in the ether to a real live book.
We talk about the challenges of believing in yourself, plus we give some ideas in how to keep believing in yourself.
There's the usual updates about our works in progress, and we make a big announcement about our next book.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com and thanks for listening! LYL!
In today's Amateur Hour, CC and I discuss the books that took us from childhood reading to adult fiction, and the impact they continue to have on us as adults.
We chat about sump pumps, our works in progress, and "From Tundra to Tiara," as well as our plans for the future.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
Twenty-two months since we started in isolation, and here is our 100th episode of the CC and JT Amateur Hour ("where production values go to die"). This episode coincides with the debut of "From Tundra to Tiara," so honestly, how could we not do this today?
Not all is sunshine as real life taught us a valuable lesson about perspective (trigger: COVID). We're also thankful that small businesses survive and thrive, like Hoffman Plumbing who helped us not have a flooded basement.
We chatted about our favorite episodes out of the 100, plus we learned something about Amazon Kindle fraud. Yes, it appears people are fraudulently downloading our books (sigh).
We are especially thankful to you, our steady and loyal listeners.
Have a listen, check us out at www.carsonhume.com, and be ready to listen to more fun from the CC and JT Amateur Hour. TIA! LYL!
Our 99th podcast, and we're almost done with another cycle of writing-editing-publishing a book with "From Tundra to Tiara" being released tomorrow, Monday, January 9.
We talk at length about what we learned from our collaborative effort in writing a book, along with the challenges of contrasting writing styles and the English language itself.
We segue over to the biggest roadblock for independent writers: getting the word about our new book. Marketing is pushing that big rock up the mountain with no certainty that our efforts or money are producing good results (but we keep pushing).
We cite Sisyphus, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Wouk, and Billy Mack from "Love Actually" in this podcast (no spoilers). There's a range of characters for you.
This is a heck of an episode. Check us out on carsonhume.com and take care of you. TIA! LYL!
We started 2023 with a power and internet outage from a humungous storm that knocked out services for a hundred-plus square miles in Northern Nevada. We're finally back on line, so here is the delayed second chapter of your future favorite Netflix/Hallmark cozy romantic movie.
The first two chapters of "From Tundra to Tiara" are posted on our website, so feel free to follow along.
It will be released in a week and it's still 99¢. Always free on Kindle Unlimited.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BMZG6S2Z
All that took up most of the podcast, aside from our best wishes to you for the upcoming new year.
Check us out on carsonhume.com and take care of you. TIA! LYL!
As promised, here we are, reading the first chapter of your future favorite Netflix/Hallmark cozy romantic movie. Well, we can hope, anyway. The first two chapters of "From Tundra to Tiara" are posted on our website, so feel free to follow along as we read.
We also chat about good and bad holiday movies, and we pick our favorite of the season: "A New York Christmas Wedding" on Netflix. And there's the usual talk about the holidays along with the hope and prayer that you're having the best season you can have.
Check us out on carsonhume.com and take care of you. TIA! LYL!
Ah, "the horror of the holidays are upon us," as my grandfather used to say. One common theme, no matter your culture or beliefs, are the strong emotions we feel during these days. CC and I remember two of our strongest Christmas memories, and we use them to illustrate how to transcribe those memories into prose.
There's the usual chat about the plans for our current works in progress, and there's the YouTube thing I'm doing.
We also talk about our plans for our current book scheduled for release in January, not to mention the two chapters posted for you on our website.
Have a listen and let us know what you think. Our website is www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
PS: That's our first tree from forty years ago.
Jam-packed podcast where we talked about my completed space epic and how it differs from the three modern eponymous sci-fi adventures. Lots of talks about techno-babble and characters. If you're writing one, or considering writing one, here are some great ideas.
Also: Two free chapters from our latest release, "From Tundra to Tiara," hitting the shelves on January 9, 2023! Go to our website at www.carsonhume.com
Speaking of which, a reminder that FTTT is 99¢ until January 9, so preorder while it's cheap. And it's free on Kindle Unlimited, of course. Here you go!
Thank you all for listening!
Our single brain is on display in this podcast because we wandered all over the writer's landscape today, starting with writing posture, segueing to mojo and frame of mind, and ending with a chat about writers spending money. We did learn that CC and I had different elementary school experiences. Have a listen!
Related: the podcast on Money got a lot of love this week, per the analytics.
We're at the end of our first graphic arts class. Hope you enjoy the logo!
We also did the usual update of our personal writing projects, so here's the usual reminder that we have a book coming out on January 9, 2023. Preorder it for 99¢ now for the price goes up on January 10, 2023. Here's the link.
You can learn all about us at our website: www.carsonhume.com
Have a great week, everyone!
Writing believable dialogue is one of the biggest challenges in prose because "dialogue is character," and characters are what drive our books. We discuss dialogue at length with examples from famous movies, and we provide ideas on how to improve your own written dialogue (spoiler: "listen").
We bring you up to speed on our own writing projects and the progress of our marketing plan for "From Tundra to Tiara." (Preorder now for 99¢ before the price jumps to $2.99.)
Learn more about us at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
(Charlie has nothing to do with the podcast. We think she's cute.)
A little bit longer post for this week's podcast.
Tomorrow starts the presale of our new book on Amazon. This week, we discuss kicking off our marketing campaign tomorrow (Monday, November 21) with all sorts of plans and incentives. We're doing the title reveal this week and the cover reveal next week.
The biggest challenge will be navigating through the uncertainty of social media, which may disappear without warning. Here's our plans to push this book:
-
We will be offering free books from our Amazon libraries (CC and JT) sometime in the next few weeks.
-
The new book will be released on Monday, January 9. Between Monday, November 21 and the release date, you can preorder the book for 99¢. On Tuesday, January 10, the price of the book jumps to $2.99. Pre-order while it's cheap!
-
When you preorder the book, reach out to us via our contact page on our website or email (jthumebooks@gmail.com) with your name and address. We'll send you a holiday slash thank you card with our picture and special message.
We will put together a mailing list someday, but if you have a WordPress account, you can get automatic updates from our blog posts.
We are doing all of this extra stress and anxiety to ourselves because we believe in our book and we believe in you. Thank you for playing along.
Our website is www.carsonhume.com
(PS: We're so wrapped up in our plan that I think we said Tuesday (Nov 22) is the title reveal. Nope. It's Monday (Nov 21). Sorry for any confusion.)
We chat about writing about the holidays, why Hollywood keep making holiday movies, and why people keep watching them. Themes include family, winter, and love.
Minor spoilers of Love Hard, Die Hard, and others.
We're over at www.carsonhume.com if you want to leave a comment or subscribe via WordPress.
Have a listen! TIA & LYL!
(Flickr image made available from Steve McFarland via Creative Commons.)
Writing about politics can be rewarding and challenging, but it's easy to get lost in the weeds. CC and I give you ideas about how to focus on the story at hand without going too far off track.
We talk about our current works in progress, Nanowrimo, graphic design, and the upcoming holidays. Pretty good podcast this week, if I do say so myself.
Have a listen and check us out at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Also:
Here's the link if you want to join CC on Nano: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/cassidy-carson
Bonus picture of capybaras from CC's Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/p/CkmZmB5vuLV
Welcome to Halloween 2022, and we pick what we feel is the iconic horror film of the genre: Alien! We thoroughly spoil this 1979 classic that pushes back on all (well, most) of the clichés, and we explain why we feel this is mandatory viewing for writers dabbling in the horror and/or sci-fi genres.
We also chat (or kvetch, if you will) about our Graphic Arts class, and we touch on Nanowrimo and our ongoing works in progress.
As always, stop by our website at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
A short one this week on our updated marketing plan, changing of the seasons, retirement, our WIPs, and the importance of routine.
We came to the conclusion we use podcasting as an excuse to drink coffee.
Have a listen and y'all take care of yourselves, you hear? TIA LYL
(Check us out at www.carsonhume.com when you get a sec.)
We got around to rerecording Settings Part 2, the one where we define how a setting can overwhelm the characters in your book. We're talking about an event that obliterates the routines and comfort zones of your characters. We give thoughts on this genre, starting with highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of your characters as they are changed by the setting.
Trigger Warning: we use Manzanar as an example.
We bring you up to speed on our works in progress (three!) and our prep for Nanowrimo.
Are we right? Wrong? Let us know via our Contacts page. Thanks for listening!
www.carsonhume.com
This week's podcast has us on the road to Lone Pine, California, home to many movie settings, some of which you've seen. We use a visit to the Museum of Western Film History and the Alabama Hills as background for a chat about Settings.
They can be a challenge to writers as we try to strike a balance between adding a colorful dimension versus overwhelming the reader with details and extrapolation.
We thoroughly spoil Pleasantville and Blade Runner (1982) as examples.
Next week, we talk about how a setting can become the dominant tone of a book.
We update listeners on our manuscript at the editors, our graphic design class, and JT's retirement (also mentioned here).
Please visit us at carsonhume.com for pictures. TIA! LYL!
This week we chat about Robert Frost's "Road Not Taken" (apologies to Mr. Frost for mangling the quote in the podcast). With CC and I being of a certain age, we have a better perspective of our interests and skills. What careers would we have picked had we the chance to do things over again? And what were our childhood choices for jobs?
We go down this path because we're engaging our imaginations and "what if's," both being essential writers' tools. Are you in your chosen career path? What would you have done different "if you knew then what you know now?"
Also discussed is JT's last week with his long-time day job and our in-depth editing sessions we're having over our current work in progress.
Have a listen and let us know what you think via our contact page at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
We gave ourselves an on-air (and mutual) anxiety attack in this week's podcast as we talked out our plans for the rest of the year. We didn't know how much we have going on until we turned on the microphone!
The big part of the podcast was Content Editing. We got the draft back from our editors on our joint project, and we learned that we did indeed have plot holes that need smoothing over before we can return the draft for their next deep dive. We talk about how we created those holes and how we'll fix them.
Another major portion was a deep dive into our Nanowrimo project we'll be doing in November. We have ideas and thoughts, and we'll be hopefully organizing them in a few weeks into a coherent draft.
We talked about our ongoing Graphics Art Design class we're taking at the local college. You can see our first line-drawing exercises on our web page. We're beginners, so please be kind. The last project we touch is the Big Move where we'll be making a "partners desk" office in our house after JT retires.
Yowza. See why we had an anxiety attack? We barely skimmed over the upcoming holidays if that's a clue.
Have a listen and let us know what you think at our website at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
"May you live in interesting times."
JT's awesome aunt says this is an ancient Chinese curse. The world has been living through them here in the 21st Century, but what does that mean for the writer who engages in historical fiction?
We discuss the challenges facing authors who use real-life events in their books, including sources of information, writer's biases, and the challenge of seeing into the future. Historical fiction might be the difficult form of fiction to get right.
Have a listen. Are we right or wrong? Let us know via our website at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
We always say we have a jampacked podcast and we're usually right. Today's fun started at Oh-dark-thirty when JT photographed a hot air ballon over Carson City, only to learn later that a friend and colleague was aboard. We ended up taking pictures over each other without knowing we were taking pictures of each other. We dedicated this podcast to that brave, brave soul.
We take a dive into "Imposter Syndrome," loosely defined as someone who doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments fearing being exposed as a fraud. We talk at length about how this affects independent writers and people in general, especially with traditional versus independent publishing. We also relate our personal experiences with the phenomenon, and we try to offer possible solutions.
Related: what are the three hardest words for a man to say?
Also discussed: our personal writing projects, retirement plans, changing our house, our Graphics Design class, Halloween decorating.
Have a listen and let us know what you think via our Contacts page at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome (photo credit, too)
https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one
Episode 81 is all about making a plan to market our book and sticking to it. We say "Marketing is Cruel" because we are not the kind of people to rush out and beg people to read our books. We talk about the baby steps we're taking to get over that hump and why we're taking those steps.
We spent the first part of the podcast talking about our experience with the Van Gogh Immersive Experience, from the 3D exhibitions to the moving galleries to the virtual reality walk.
We segued into a discussion into the "tortured artist" stereotype, and we agree that it is a complex and difficult subject to talk about. There was a lot of unwrap here.
If you think you may need help, here's a webpage to get you started.
As always, check us out at our website: www.carsonhume.com. Take care of you. TIA! LYL!
Welcome to the podcast where we misquote actor Edwin Guinn and others when we say, "Life is easy. Comedy is hard."
We discuss our mutual WIP, and we agree that while we got the "Rom" part right, we misfired on the "Com" part. How did that happen? And what can we do together to improve our future works? We analyze two of our favorite rom-com movies along the way.
We also update our individual WIPs and what we're reading this summer. And we signed up for a college class!
Read and listen all about us at www.carsonhume.com. Leave a note on our comments page, too. TIA! LYL!
Busy episode, so let's dive in:
-
Book covers w @99designs
-
Editing with @RAPublishing
-
Lessons learned from writing together
-
The status of our individual WIPs
-
Pixar Storytelling rules via @lawnrocket
-
Karma. Be kind. Always.
The source of the Pixar storytelling rules: https://writingworkshops.com/blogs/news/22-creative-storytelling-rules-from-pixar
Take a wander through our website at www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think!
TIA! LYL!
What hooks a reader into buying and reading a book? Heck if we know, but we try to examine that "hook" that pulls readers into our books. I read the first chapter of my latest book as an example. (Adult content warning)
We also talk about finishing the first draft of our latest book, and we go into the fun and challenges of writing a joint book. Lots of lessons learned!
We say this a lot, but this podcast is packed! If you're a writer or a reader, there's good things here for you!
Check us out at carsonhume.com and TIA! LYL!
Two weeks ago, CC gave me random prompts and had me make up a story on the fly, testing me as a pantser. CC took her turn as a plotter with these three prompts:
Dropped into an alien world
High school romance
Teenage girl superhero
(Giving credit, the prompts came from https://www.servicescape.com/writing-prompt-generator)
We had an interesting conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of being a plotter, and we narrow it down to one four-letter word.
We give you an update on the book we're writing together and, oy vey, this thing has taken on a life of its own.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com and leave some comments. TIA! LYL!
CC and I are writing a book together, and today we talk about the intense editing session we're doing this weekend. We're learning a lot about collaboration, writing styles, sentence structures, and editing in general.
Happy Birthday to Ruth Buzzi, Lynda Carter, and to all July 24 babies!
As always, you can learn more about us at our website: www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
Pantsing (also known as winging it) is the term Wrimos use refer to writing without a fixed outline (an outline that the writer will force themselves to follow). A Wrimo who adopts the pantsing approach to writing is called a pantser. (source)
Today was a fun podcast on Pantsing with CC challenging me with surprise writer's prompts:
Dropped into an alien world
High school romance
Teenage girl superhero
Next week, CC is going to do the same prompts, but from a plotter's point of view. (Giving credit, the prompts came from https://www.servicescape.com/writing-prompt-generator)
We also discuss on how we draw on the classics when we write our own books, and we touch on our two current works in progress and the big free book giveaway next week.
Check us out at www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
We chat about our current WIP and whether we should do a "Happily Ever After" versus "Happy For Now" kind of ending.
Readers want both, often at the same time, which can lead to "interesting" sequels.
Spoilers: Star Wars, The Godfather, The Matrix, and The Mummy (Brenden Frasier version, obv).
We also announce a big deal happening on July 24th. More details soon on our website at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think! TIA! LYL!
PS: Thank you for the hugely successful book giveaway and the release of "Starting Over in Las Vegas." If you grabbed any of my books, please leave a written review (even if it's four or five words). Much appreciated!
We chat about our summer reading experiences from younger days, plus we talk about our current projects and our thoughts about "assigned reading."
You can find links to our books at carsonhume.com
Have a listen and leave comments. TIA! LYL!
In a very special Saturday episode of the Amateur Hour, CC and I chat about the real-life ghosts in our lives, the people we see in random places who look like loved ones and friends who've passed away. For that millisecond before we remember they're gone, we can be hit with a ton of strong feelings, including the echoes of the love and affection for someone we don't get to see anymore. A difficult and very personal subject for a podcast, but as writers, we talk about how we can use these important moments and emotions in our books.
Before that, we talk about our mutual rom-com that CC and I are drafting up together, which is a lot of fun. We hope to release it later this year. Also, this week is the July 1 release of my new book, "Starting Over in Las Vegas." Before that, three of my books will be free for the taking.
Have a listen and let know what you think! Take care of you. TIA! LYL!
CC and I chat about our personal writer's retreat this week and about writers retreats in general. CC talks about her good and bad experiences at big-time retreats.
We also give updates on our three books in the pipeline.
You can learn all about us at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
We take a dive into the shallow end of the pool to discuss famous and no-so-famous literary couples. Writing is a tough chore to begin with, so lots of respect for these (and any) couples who write together.
We used this article as a foundation: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/13--literary-couples_n_5104412
You can hear our podcasts and read our blogposts at www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
Please join us as we celebrate our 40th anniversary with memories, laughs, and a few tears. CC and I chat about the good old days and what's kept us together so far. There's a little bit of writing stuff, too.
Check out our web site at www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
We attack the multiverse in this week's podcast to answer the question: "Are we truly writing fiction?"
Covered w Spoilers:
The MCU
Batman
Star Trek
Pleasantville
Back to the Future
Quantum Leap
Sliding Doors
Stranger Than Fiction
Carol Burnett
Have a listen and send feedback through our website at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
Couples Therapy this week with incorporating our experiences and minefields into our writing, plus the most and least important parts of a relationship and how to use them to create tension.
Many more podcasts and blog posts on our website at www.carsonhume.com
Let us know what you think via our Contacts page or leave a comment. TIA! LYL!
This week's writers' podcast is a deep dive into "Romance is a Bonus Book," and how this excellent series got us thinking about the choices we've made. We chat about the power you have over your life and the key question: "Who am I?".
We may have shotgunned a gallon of coffee before recording. Not kidding.
Big-time spoilers.
Lots of good stuff on our website at www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
CC and I do online therapy in talking about our mothers and our upbringing, and we discuss how writers can use their parental relationships in their writing.
Possible triggers in this one.
Check out our website for more podcasts and blog posts: www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
This week is our fav subject: editing. (#sarcasm)
We discuss the strengths and weakness of self-editing vs. hiring professionals, using beta readers, and being responsible for your book.
Big shout-out to my professional editors at Red Adept Editing!
This and many more writers podcasts at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
This week's writers podcast is a deep dive into the brick wall called "grammar." Ugh, we get it: everyone hates the rules. We talk about why writers should learn and follow the rules, anyway.
The deep dive:
The history of English grammar.
Moby Dick versus The Old Man of the Sea.
What did I do 450 times?
Ideas on improving your writing grammar.
Turn on the closed captioning!
Grammarly may not be your friend.
Have a listen and let us know what you think.
Over on my Patreon, I finished the the Tucci books elements series (free to all). This blog post has the links.
https://carsonhume.com/2022/04/23/the-tucci-book-elements/
Take care of you. TIA and LYL!
This week focuses on two important writers subjects:
-The challenges and benefits of implicit bias in fiction.
-CC's and my favorite formula in fiction: stupid romance.
We pull in Love Actually, Star Wars, the weather, and coming of age stories.
You can find links to our other podcasts at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
We return from our podcast hiatus to talk about our emotional roller-coaster Hell Week, and the associated life changes happening in and around The Worldwide Headquarters:
Our daughter's surgery.
Saying goodbye to Mia.
Verbal Tics.
Retirement.
My next book (good news!).
Book sale success.
Patreon.
Spring in Nevada.
"Our Flag Means Death".
The Beatles and "Get Back".
Recurring themes in Korean dramas and rom-coms.
Common traits in the human experience.
Putting together my second and third draft manuscripts.
Stay-at-home parenting and day care.
Send Feedback, please.
Wander through our website at http://www.carsonhume.com for more interesting stuff.
All quiet on the Patreon front this week, too. I'll get back to my series on creating my book soon. The previous podcasts on creating my book are free at http://patreon.com/jthume
TIA and LYL!
We take on passion and energy of Fan Fiction this week:
-The history of fan fiction with a nod to the Bard, Dickens, and the modern age.
-The challenges and minefields about writing in the Internet Age.
-And the strengths and weaknesses of being a FanFic writer.
We recognize this is a sensitive subject for many people, and we look forward to your feedback at www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
Happy Spring! CC and I discuss how Seasons can form themes in your books:
Spring = Rebirth
Summer = Lust & Love
Fall = The Best Season?
Winter = Family and Coming of Age
(Bonus: Hear me forget our anniversary!)
You can find links to our other podcasts at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
Last week, we sent you a verbal postcard of Ireland. This week, we watched six productions from The Auld County of Ireland, and we discuss the use of common themes through these films:
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
The Quiet Man
Derry Girls
Brooklyn
Dancing at Lughnasa
The Boxer
Have a listen and feel free to push back on our thoughts and assumptions at our website: www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
Writers draw pictures with words, but what if your protagonist is Irish and you've never been to Ireland?
You're in luck! Here's a verbal postcard from Dublin, Cork, & Killarney with castles, pubs, museums, and much more. And we snuck in Scotland, too!
Have a listen and let us know what you think: www.carsonhume.com
TIA! LYL!
No two ways to slice this bread: writing is hard for many reasons. People may have trouble put words to paper (or screen) because they feel they have a weak grasp on language skills, or they're nervous about revealing themselves. After all, writing in a private endeavor in the public spotlight. Criticism could be a good reason not to write, even though criticism can be both positive or negative. Some people have trouble simply finding the time to write, and other may worry about originality.
CC and I discuss these reasons and more in this week's podcast. We get it. We really do because the struggle is real. But we also give potential writers some reasons to sit down and pound away on the keyboard. Have a listen.
You can find links to our other podcasts at http://www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
This week's writers' podcast is about spending money to be a writer (or as I call it, "death by thousand cuts"). All professions require out-of-pocket expenses because the cliché is we have to spend money to earn money. But as independent writers, we may not ever see a full return on our investment. We talk about those challenges.
You can learn more about us at our website at www.carsonhume.com
If you're interested in learning how a book is created, then check out https://www.patreon.com/jthume
Thank you and take care. LYL!
A bonus podcast where we talk about upgrading our podcast equipment, our works in progress, and going out on Patreon. This one is short and sweet.
Our main website: www.carsonhume.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/jthume
Thanks for listening!
Today was a "stream of unconsciousness" podcast from CC and me. Most of it is "Romance is What You Make of It," and "The Elements of Romance in Writing."
Also:
-Podcasting Equipment
-Galentine's & Valentine's Day
-Hallmark Holidays & Greeting Cards
-SB LVI
-Masks
Spoilers: Romancing the Stone and Pride and Prejudice
CC's Instagram is @authorcassidycarson
You can hear this and other podcasts at our wonderous website at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
We talk about the challenges and dangers of using “power words” and “trigger words” in this week’s writer’s podcast.
Our definitions: “Power Words” can be used to develop an emotional connection between the reader and writer, where “Trigger Words” exist to illicit an emotional response, often a knee-jerk negative emotional response. Candidly, we struggle to draw the line between the two.
We talk about both in general communication, and we use the vaccination argument as an example. For writing, we use the romantic genre in how power words can shape a writer’s manuscript.
Trigger warning (ironically): we use personal examples from our upbringing and, yes, we get wound up.
Spoilers: “Arrow” and “A Very Brady Sequel.” There is also singing (sorry).
Have a listen and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
(Also: “Impactful” is not a real word.”)
The one where we chat about banning books in school districts: the reasons, the possible motivations, and the downstream dangers. We start with Art Spiegelman's Maus and other classics in American literature including To Kill A Mockingbird, Lolita, and 1984. We have passionate opinions and that energy comes through.
Links to this and our other podcasts can be found on our website at https://carsonhume.com
Let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
The one where we discuss baseball writing, and how the enclosed universe of the game lends itself to writing. We start with the golden age of baseball and end in the modern era. We use these writers and their works:
Jim Bouton
W. P. Kinsella
Ron Luciano
Ernest Thayer
Spoilers: Field of Dreams
You can learn more about us at www.carsonhume.com
Have a listen and let us know what you think. LYL! TIA!
The one where CC and I chat about Elmore Leonard's "10 Rules for Good Writing:"
*1. Never open a book with weather.
-
Avoid prologues.
-
Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
-
Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said"…he admonished gravely.
-
Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
-
Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
-
Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
-
Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
-
Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
-
Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.*
*My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
(src: https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/tips-masters/elmore-leonard-10-rules-for-good-writing*)
Also:
Food ingredients
Continuous Glucose Monitor
"The Old Man and the Sea"
George R.R. Martin and Stephen King
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
You can find all of our good stuff at https://carsonhume.com
Here you go! Let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
The one where we talk about the ebbs and flow of creative energy with ideas on working through writer's block.
Also:
-Coffee
-Diabetes
-CGM
-Cyclothymia
-Wheel of Time dresses
-Texas Turtle!
Links to this and other podcasts can be found at https://carsonhume.com/ LYL TIA!
The one where we talk about the positives and negatives of having routines and habits. We focus on writers and writing, and we start small by explaining our Sunday patterns, and we go big with the national economy and labor workforce.
No spoilers.
Check us out on https://carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
The one where we wrap up our year in Podcasting by discussing our most listened to podcasts, plus:
-Betty White, of course
-Pandemic & Diabetes (fun stuff!)
-WIPs and writing
-Tool Time!
-40 years ago today
-A great burrito
Podcasts discussed:
Our first podcast
Writers and Reality
The Flawed Protagonist
In Media Res
Have a listen and let us know what you think through www.carsonhume.com LYL! TIA!
The one where we discuss the most important parts of Christmas while adding three movies to our holiday list.
We absolutely eviscerate "Love Actually." (spoilers, duh)
Please check us out at carsonhume.com
Merry Christmas, everyone!
The one where we talk about our Top Ten Christmas movies and shows and:
(Spoilers Galore!)
December Holidays
Science Fiction
Star Trek
Friends
My WIP & Amazon Vella
Free Books!
Is our Top Ten is full of crap? Have a listen and let us know! TIA! LYL!
http://www.carsonhume.com
writers #podcast
The one where we critique the intentional & unintentional undertones of these entertainment classics.
(SPOILERS!)
Big (@TomHanks)
Harry Potter (@jk_rowling)
Hunger Games (@HungerGames)
Let us know what you think! TIA! LYL! http://www.carsonhume.com
The one where we unloaded a laundry list!
-Our Podcast with a Professional Editor
-Thanksgiving
-The Crocker Museum and the Museum of Science and Curiosity
-Monet and Rodin
-Eppie's, Carol's, and Taqueria Ay Jalisco
-Cochlear Implant
-Invading Personal Space
-Booster shots
-WIP, Fan Fiction, and Serialized Writing
-Sir Patrick Stewart
-Upcoming December Holidays
And Charley!
Check out our podcasts at http://www.carsonhume.com
Hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
writers #podcast
The one where we welcome a retired production editor for one of the big-time publishing houses. She talks about her editorial experiences and gives advice to all writers. Really good stuff!
No spoilers.
Check us out on http://www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think! TIA! LYL!
The one where CC and I talk about our favorite and sad Thanksgiving Day childhood memories. Possibly a downer for most folks, but there's could be fodder here for some writers.
No spoilers.
You can find more podcasts on our website at https://www.carsonhume.com
Enjoy!
We chat about @stephenking movies and the complex problem of creative control. Also said:
-Dan Brown, JK Rowling, and Alan Moore
-Kubrick & Nicholson
-Stand by Me, Shawshank, Carrie
-What is a movie?
-Orson Wells
-Furbabies
-Thanksgiving
Major spoilers for Kubrick's "The Shining."
Check us out at http://www.carsonhume.com and let us know what you think. TIA! LYL!
The one where we talk about Stephen King's books at length. We discuss our favorites and how Mr. King influences us as writers.
Major King book spoilers.
Feedback appreciated at www.carsonhume.com. TIA! LYL!
We should have skipped the podcast this week. Why? We were all over the place:
-Nanowrimo
-The Shining
-Surgery
-Time Change
-Veterans Day
-"Read" & "Write"
-Indiana Jones
Yeah, it was that kind of podcast. If you're brave, have a listen and let us know what you think at www.carsonhume.com TIA! LYL!
On the real NV Day, we blabbed about:
-
Our 6:30 #writers project
-
Lots about @Nanowrimo
-
Halloween & #NevadaDay in #carsoncity #nevada
-
My #cochlearimplant Surgery
All this and more! Feedback always welcome on our website at http://www.carsonhume.com
Enjoy!
The one where we talk how random acts of kindness can change lives, and kindness can make your characters richer and three-dimensional. We pull out a couple of examples from our own lives.
No spoilers.
Have a listen and let us know what you think http://carsonhume.com. Take care of you. LYL!
We chatted about maintaining perspective & providing context in our #writing and real life. We also talked about the value of taking risks in writing. And we did some serious couples counseling.
Spoilers: Muppets Haunted Mansion.
As always, we'd love to hear from you! www.carsonhume.com
TY! LYL!
The one where we discuss Success's more common sibling: Disappointment. We offer our experiences and some ideas that may help #writers manage their response to rejection.
No spoilers.
Please let us know what you think at our website: www.carsonhume.com
Thank you! LYL!
The one where we sing and laugh and drink coffee, and we do an actual podcast! We chat about our comfort zones before before, during, and after the pandemic. We also talk about our current works in progress.
We hope we put a smile on your face.
Leave feedback at http://www.carsonhume.com and thank you! LYL!
("Happy Birthday" is in the public domain.)
The one where CC explains how Little Women by Louisa May Alcott helped shape her as a person and writer. JT gives his impression of the book through viewing the 1994 version of the book.
We thoroughly spoil the novel from cover to cover, but considering it was released in 1868, we're okay with that.
We hope you enjoy our thirtieth episode. Let us know what you think at carsonhume.com. Thank you!
The one where we talk "A Hero's journey" as outlined by Joseph Campbell, but has been used in literature for hundreds of years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey
A lot of serious spoilers in this podcast: Star Wars, Treasure Island, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Spaceballs, King Arthur, Hunger Games, The 300, Harry Potter, Flash Gordon. And the one I couldn't remember: Divergent.
As always, we'd love to hear from you. TIA! LYL!
http://www.carsonhume.com
The one where we remember.
We all carry trauma in some way, whether it's 9-11, the sudden death of a loved one, or growing up in a difficult home. We talk what writers should consider when using traumatic event in their books, or even if writers should use those event.
Triggers:
9-11
Pearl Harbor
Death
Love
COVID
Trauma
Please be thoughtful before listening. Thank you and LYL.
http://carsonhume.com
The one where we go way off script and talk about the successes and challenges of our 39-year marriage.
Triggers:
Toothpaste Caps
Domestic Abuse
Death
Money
Children
We'd love to hear your feedback at http://carsonhume.com
TY! LYL!
The one where we talk about using my "Four S's" tools to fill and enhance a book: Sounds, Sights, Smell, Sex.
Writers will hears the pros and cons of each.
Mentioned: The Grapes of Wrath, The Old Man and The Sea, Cannery Row, Emperor's New Groove, Dune, Moonlighting
All this and more on http://carsonhume.com
Let us know what you think! Thank you! LYL!
We recorded this episode on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in beautiful Fort Bragg, California. So what did we talk about? Perhaps the most iconic, romantic form of transportation: the train!
Send feedback to carsonhume.com and take care of yourself! LYL!
The one where we talk about JT's cochlear implant and how deafness affected his writing. We discuss how CC was JT's beard during his deaf years, and we talk about the deaf culture. We update our respective WIP's (spoiler: they're crap) and give the weekly smoke report.
Send feedback to us via http://carsonhume.com TIA and LYL!
The one where we discuss writer engagement in social media debates. Does the writer have the responsibility and duty to engage. CC and I are at opposite ends of this discussion, and we explain why we do and do not get involved in social media conversations. Related: what are the risks and benefits?
Shorter: any podcast that mentions Shrek is a good podcast.
Let us know what you think at carsonhume.com. Thank you and love you all!
The one where we were totally unprepared to do a podcast and it showed. Discussed:
Our current #WIP after two weeks of writing thirty minutes every day.
Memorable concerts:
@duranduran
@shaunpcassidy
@hudsonbros
@JanetJackson and her family
@onedirection
And we talked about the challenges of balancing how we enjoy an artist's work versus their politics. We'll talk about that more next week.
One correction: I said "Alan Dean Moore" when I meant "Alan Moore."
Have a listen and send feedback via carsonhume.com. Thank you much. Love you all!
The one where two diehard fans discuss their love for the Chicago Cubs. We also talk about our current works in progress, and we take the famous quiz from "Inside the Actors Studio."
No spoilers. Listen up, and send your feedback via http://carsonhume.com. Thank you! Love you all!
Episode 20 already!
The one where we take the Proust Questionnaire found on the Vanity Fair website. If you're nosy and want to learn more about us, this podcast is for you!
https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2000/01/proust-questionnaire
As always, we crave your feedback at http://www.carsonhume.com
The one where we record near the shores of Monterey Bay, invoking John Steinbeck and the history of Cannery Row. We spend some time discussing how writers can use words to illustrate scenes and characters to their full richness.
No real spoilers. Send us feedback at http://www.carsonhume.com
Thank you!
The one where we talk about the legends and misconceptions of being a writer, especially an independent writer. CC and I picked three specific myths that we felt affected us as writers.
No real spoilers, though we chat about one of my favorite TV shows: "Kolchak: The Night Stalker."
As always, send feedback through our website at carsonhume.com. Take care!
The one where we talk about jumping in media res ("in the middle") of the action in your favorite books and movies. Prime examples discussed include Georgette Heyer's Friday's Child, Dumas' The Three Musketeers, and basically every James Bond movie. No real spoilers in this one. Feedback welcome at carsonhume.com.
Enjoy!
The one where we talk about the three real-life philosophies we apply to our writing.
CC: Love Conquers All, Nobody's Perfect, We're Only Human.
JT: Perception Forms Reality, Be Honest, Be Kind.
No spoilers this week. http://www.carsonhume.com
The one where we discussed hardcore sex in writing and popular media. Like so many people, we struggled between "porn for porn's sake" and "porn for art's sake." Jacobellis v. Ohio comes up. And, hey, FREE BOOK!
Midnight Cowboy, Clockwork Orange, Pretty Woman, Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, Doom Patrol, American Gigolo, Jacobellis v. Ohio.
The one where we venture into the middle ground of sexual relations in writing (PG, PG-13, R), and how writers can express tension and climax.
Spoilers: True Lies, Aliens, Gone with the Wind, Moonlighting, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 10 Things I think About You
The one where we delve into sex in the G-rated literature and media environment. We discuss the history of sex in books, the use innuendoes, cultural shifts, growing up on Harlequin romances, and gender roles.
Triggers: Sex, Domestic Violence
No spoilers
The one where we talk about the most dangerous thing: True Love. We discuss the many challenges and rewards of bringing personal romantic experiences to our novels and other works. We quote Thomas Mann and we sing for a few seconds (sorry about that).
Triggers: Relationship Violence, Death, Divorce, Love
Spoiler: Lucifer (Netflix), Empire Strikes Back, Ghost
The one where we get personal about Death, along with the challenges of presenting this great equalizer in fiction. This episode is our most intimate podcast to date.
Triggers: Death.
Spoilers: Harry Potter, Twilight, Supernatural, Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, Dracula.
The one where we don't talk about much at all, other than old casinos, being kind, and developing characters through watching people. No spoilers in this one, folks.
The one where CC and I talk about our personal writing inspirations as we grew up and matured into professional writers. We go from childhood to the Air Force to our college professors. Lots of stories and lots of fun for the two of us. Our tenth episode already!
The one where we talk about Ireland's literary and historical heritage. CC goes in depth on how Frank McCourt's life and his most famous book, "Angela's Ashes," parallels her own mother's upbringing, and how they influence CC's life and writing.
The one where we talk about gaining possible writing success by traveling the tried and true path of formula fiction. Special shout-out to Ronald B. Tobias, writer of "20 Master Plots," for guiding our discussion.
this week's spoilers When Harry Met Sally. Star Wars, and Harry Potter
The one where CC and I visit beautiful Lake Tahoe, and talk about our separate and mutual connections to one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We even talk about Mark Twain and Mario Puzo.
The world literally moved while we were discussing my favorite book and its flawed protagonist, Tucci. A 4.0 earthquake couldn't stop this podcast!
The one where CC and I discuss Reality and writing about Reality through "The Matrix" and "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
We chat about the local wildlife, fur-babies, bedtimes, and we salute two icons from the 1970s Soft Rock Era.
The one where we chat about...
-
Writing spaces.
-
Public service.
-
NV Outdoors.
-
50% Vaccinated.
And we shout out to coffee, Carson City Parks and Rec, and the University of Nevada Cross Country Track Team!
CC and JT chat about our new website and the lessons learned, photography and artistic expression, our trip to Lovelock, and our thoughts and impressions about Nevada overall.
The one where we introduce ourselves, talk about inspirations, and blather about plans.