Plotboilers: Recent Episodes
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Today I’m talking about a fiery psychological thriller, Bonfire by Krysten Ritter. I’m not just excited to talk about the plot; I’m also stoked (get it?) to discuss her creative process and some surprising things we can learn from actors who are authors. Additionally, I’m touching on something that’s sparked my attention lately: how books […]
Fredrik Backman is a Swedish writer best known for his books (A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, etc.) Today, I’m talking about one of his most recent works “Beartown,” a book that focuses on a small town’s relationship with ice hockey and the interwoven lives of the people […]
Let’s talk about that crazy Forbes article that suggested we replace local libraries with Amazon bookstores! Also, I’ve got a first edition book haul to report (Weeee!) and a few suggestions for books about writing that I’ve found practical and think you might too. Most of these books are ones that I use for reference. […]
Join me as I discuss The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury with guests Josiah and Benji! For those of you who have tuned in before, you might remember Josiah and Benji from a few months ago when we talked about “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. (Psssst! We’re also reviewing wine […]
Today I’m sharing an episode from another podcast, How to Write Good. Why? Because the host of HTWG podcast, Daniel Poppie, was kind enough to invite me onto the show as a guest! I’ve never guested on a show before, so this was a new – and super fun – experience. Join us as we talk about a […]
Let’s talk about short story writing! On the one hand, short stories are simpler than novels because – as the name implies – they are short. On the other hand, the target is a lot smaller which means the margin for error is a lot bigger. I’ve compiled a few of the things that I […]
Let’s talk about collectible books! First things first: Did you know there’s a difference between a first edition and a first printing? Both are cool, but many collectors prefer the first printing to the first edition. I’ll tell you why, and relay a few hacks I’ve discovered in my own book collecting pursuits to help […]
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is a novel by Philip K. Dick. It’s also the inspiration for the movie Blade Runner, although I wouldn’t have guessed it by the title. I’ve been meaning to read this book for a long time, and as it turns out, so have fellow book enthusiasts Josiah and Benji. […]
Today, I’m discussing Happily by Chauncey Rogers – a brand new YA retelling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella. I know what you’re thinking: Why would I want to read a book if I already what happens? Well, I can promise you don’t know what’s going to happen in this one. I’ve actually had the pleasure […]
It’s Plotboilers’ tenth episode! In honor of my longstanding “don’t see the movie before you’ve read the book” tradition, I’m taking a look at A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle. It’s a short book, but there’s a lot to talk about so I’m going to cover characters, body image, and how the story depicts […]
Creating a good book review isn’t easy. I know, I know – it all boils down to personal opinion, right? Well, kind of. The way I see it, book reviews are a balancing act between personal feelings and critical feedback. In one of my recent podcast episodes, I recommend Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Clothing of Books” […]
May the record show this episode went live in February! Well, at least for those of us on the West Coast. To celebrate the shortest month of the year, I’ve got a quick book review (recommendation, really) for you. And since this book is actually about the writing life, I’ve combined the show’s normal segments […]
Today, I’m making up for lost time with a longer-than-usual book review and writing discussion! First up, I’m talking about Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Most of the time, I read King because I want something that’s just straight-up entertaining. In retrospect, this book actually touched on some more discussion-worthy themes than the other novels […]
Ah, January. It felt like such a long month and yet, it wasn’t quite long enough for me to get my second episode published. I know, I know. Here’s my excuse: I was on vacation. Typically, I read a lot when I travel. This time, I expected to spend my Norwegian getaway in a cabin […]
Today’s episode features a review of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor. When I first heard about We Are Legion, I wasn’t convinced that I’d like it – mostly because the main character is a spaceship. (That’s kind of an oversimplification, but you’ll understand why after hearing the review.) This book […]
In my last episode of 2017, I’ve reviewed Veronica Roth’s “Carve the Mark” and put together some tips and tricks for setting challenging yet achievable writing resolutions for 2018. (If I’m being totally honest, I really don’t like New Years’ resolutions – but improving yourself is always a good thing, right?) Carve the Mark is, […]
In today’s episode, I’m reviewing The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This book is not only one of Atwood’s most acclaimed novels, but the basis for the American television show by the same name. If you know anything about Margaret Atwood, you know she has a flair for dark, gritty, and utterly captivating dystopian and […]
Today, I’ve got a special treat for you: dueling book reviews! Okay, the books aren’t actually dueling. I’ve just been reading a lot and have a backlog of reviews to share. Today we’re talking about Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero and Artemis by Andy Weir. How do I describe Meddling Kids? It’s basically a punchy, […]
In today’s episode, I’m reviewing Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. You probably know Hawkins from her breakout novel, The Girl on the Train. But what you might not know is TGOTT isn’t actually her first book. It’s hard to not compare TGOTT with Into the Water, but I’ve done my best. On the other […]
In today’s episode, I have five spooky and binge-worthy books for you to read this week, along with a few pointers on how to be a better beta reader. First up: ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. This was the first book I read by King, and it’s one of my favorites to this day. It’s […]
I’ve started a podcast to complement the content I post on my blog. Yay! The goal of Plotboilers is to share tips and tricks on writing, but also share cool books and ideas I come across in the writing community. On the podcast, you’ll find book reviews, book recommendations and tidbits on what it’s like […]
I’m not going to do the math to see how long it’s been since I’ve posted, but it’s been a while. Like, more than a year. Anyway, I’ve got a couple updates and some exciting news. Moving forward, Plot Boilers is going to take a slightly different direction – and I’m really excited about it. […]
Premise: The teenage daughter of a mysterious technology tycoon experiences dreams that suggest her past is not what she remembers. For fans of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent, and The Star Dwellers As a reader, I follow YA lit from a distance, occasionally picking up a suggestion from Amazon or a Goodreads […]
Stories are a chain of events, and each event, or scene, evokes the next. It’s easy to imagine a sequential yarn of happenings: This occurs, followed by this, and this, and so on. But what about the space in between the toppling dominos? In reality, an event can happen in the course of one or […]
Characters drive stories. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a romance novel or an action-packed thriller; the key to drawing readers into your narrative is developing interesting characters that grow with your story. What some writers fail to realize is interesting doesn’t always mean unique. I know what you’re thinking – Blasphemy! Common is boring! […]
Good writing starts with well-crafted sentences. In the book The Art of Styling Sentences, Ann Longknife, Ph.D. and K.D. Sullivan provide 20 basic sentence structures to help writers improve their prose. The overall construction of your story is paramount, but at some point you have to get into the nuts and bolts of each scene, […]
Observation is the writer’s greatest weapon. Sometimes, observations need a little fine-tuning before they wander into your story. Dialogue – the way people talk to each other – is a perfect example of this. Yes, character conversations should flow, but they shouldn’t always read like normal speech. Finding this balance is the first step toward […]
The term “self-indulgent” is a cringe-worthy appraisal, but here’s the rub: writing is innately self-indulgent; it requires a certain level of excitement and theatrical flair. An honest writer knows he is equal parts egomania and crippling self-doubt. The lines between engaging and self-indulgent writing are plentiful but difficult to identify. Descriptions – good or bad […]
Every story needs clues, even if they aren’t mysteries. Picture this: You’re at the end of a good book, the plot is thick, and Bam! Out of nowhere, the author ties in a character or object from an earlier scene. Situations like this leave readers asking, “How did I not see that coming?” This is […]
So you decide to write a novel. After all, it’s nothing like writing tedious research papers for a college class, right? Wrong. Writing a novel – or any story for that matter – involves research. The product is creative, hopefully more so than a college-level research project, but the process can feel a lot like […]
Consider the following villains: Darth Vader, Maleficent, Hannibal Lecter. What makes them so delightful to hate? These characters appeal to the audience for many reasons, which boil down to a simple fact. A convincing antagonist is much more than a roadblock to your protagonist’s goals; he/she is an integral member of your cast. In fact, […]
Flat, round, static, dynamic: these are all words describing character types in literature. But what do they mean? Flat and round characters easily compare and contrast with each other. In the simplest terms, a flat character exhibits one trait while a round character exudes many traits, even some that conflict with each other. On the […]
Have you ever started story and given up halfway through? Sadly, this is the common experience for many writers, especially when it comes to finishing a big project such as a novel. There are many reasons to scrap a story after you’ve started writing. Maybe your premises wasn’t as interesting as you thought, or maybe […]
If you’ve spent much time exploring books on story structure and fiction writing, you’ve probably run across the term “narrative distance.” As a concept, narrative distance is not hard to grasp. Finding the right narrative depth for your story can get tricky, though. What is narrative distance? Narrative distance is the space – or depth […]
Few things are worse than a two dimensional protagonist, but creating multi-faceted characters isn’t easy. Building a strong backstory and compelling internal conflict takes more than time; it requires practice and discipline. Here’s a simple exercise to help you breathe life into characters when they feel less than convincing: Conduct an interview with your protagonist. […]