Writing in Real Life: Recent Episodes
Barry Lyga & Morgan Baden
New York Times bestselling author Barry Lyga (I HUNT KILLERS) and publishing communications executive Morgan Baden discuss a range of related issues, from writing to parenthood.
We had an AWESOME launch party! Jennifer Beals encounters Morgan’s aunt. Morgan and Barry visit an actual bookstore to see their book in the wild. Big transitions for Leia and Luke mean Barry and Morgan have more time with the kids…and less time with the keyboards.
Links:
Writing in Real Life — Episode 106: The One You Can Preorder
Survey: Reading Before Bed Has Major Sleep, Health, and Lifestyle Benefits | Real Simple
Morgan is Reading: The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Barry is Reading: The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
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It’s Pub Day for The Hive, Barry and Morgan’s book baby! #HasCassieSurfacedYet?
Links:
The Best Books of Fall 2019 | PEOPLE.com
Order The Hive: Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
The Hive Launch Party
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Morgan gets good news. Morgan gets good news. A cross-country trip with a 4-year-old! Barry does something he’s never done before and feels less bad about it than you’d imagine. Mmm; dried mango.
Links:
Preorder The Hive: Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
Barry tweets about his writing process
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An update on Morgan’s leap of faith and work(s) in progress. Writers with day jobs and the world’s opinions of such. Barry takes on the preorder system. Also: Meet the sensational character find of 2019, the villainous…TweetStorm!
Links:
Preorder The Hive: Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
Morgan’s Agent: Kathleen Anderson (@KAndersonbird) / Twitter
The Flash: Crossover Crisis: Green Arrow’s Perfect Shot: | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Barry discusses Tobias Buckell and Patreon: Writing in Real Life — Episode 86: The One with Two Rants
Tobias Buckell’s tweet thread about day jobs for writers
Barry’s tweet thread about preorders
Soupy Sales' 'Green Pieces of Paper' Scandal
Free Comic Book Day
Author Susan Adrian on Preorders Scuttling a Book Deal
Morgan is Reading; Sweet Valley High GN: Academic All-Star? | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Barry is Reading: Famous Men Who Never Lived by K Chess | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
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Updates on marriage and the kids. Luke figures out the Apple Watch at age 2. Is it possible to become a successful author nowadays without using or being good at social media? “Be adequate!” Remember when Twitter was fun? What’s more important: talent or networking?
Links:
Jamie Attenberg Twitter thread on book releases
1-Star Reviews for The Hive
Life Is Short and Then You Die: Mystery Writers of America Presents First Encounters with Murder | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Teen Creeps Podcast
On Breaking Down the Barrier Between YA and Adult Fiction | Literary Hub
Gymnastics at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Wikipedia
WaPo's Editor’s Note on the Bestseller List Snafu
Morgan is Reading: Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
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Updates on marriage and the kids. Luke figures out the Apple Watch at age 2. Is it possible to become a successful author nowadays without using or being good at social media? “Be adequate!” Remember when Twitter was fun? What’s more important: talent or networking?
Links:
Space Unicorn - Parry Gripp and Brianne Drouhard - YouTube
Barry Lyga (barrylyga) on Myspace
Study Finds Artists Become Famous Thanks to Networking
He’s Writing 365 Children’s Books in 365 Days, While Holding Down a Day Job - The New York Times
Opinion | I Want to Be Rich and I’m Not Sorry - The New York Times
Jason Momoa's 'Dad Bod' the Envy of Dads Everywhere
Barry is Reading: Dark Horse by Fletcher Knebel | Amazon | BN.com
Morgan is Still Reading: The Art of Breaking Things by Laura Sibson | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
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Morgan finishes a book! How it feels to finish a book and turn it in: Satisfaction, doubt, joy, panic, all of it. Barry tries to convince his publisher not to publish his book. Listening to music while writing: Good idea or best idea? And Barry’s feelings on reviews.
Links:
Barry is Reading: Equations of Life by Simon Morden | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Morgan is Reading: The Art of Breaking Things by Laura Sibson | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
Morgan is Also Reading: Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
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Catching up on the last year: Morgan quits her job. They have their first signing. Barry can’t run around in his underwear any more. Why is the dishwasher always running?
Links:
The Upside
Where Storytelling and Pop Culture Collide - BookCon 2019
Talking about The Hive: Writing in Real Life — Episode 101: The One where They Wrote a Book Together
Preorder The Hive: Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
Morgan is a Cancer
Barry is a Virgo
Exclusive first look: The Flash joins forces with the Green Arrow in 'Crossover Crisis' | EW.com
Preorder The Flash: Green Arrow’s Perfect Shot: Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
The I Hunt Killers Movie is Coming! (Maybe. In Korean.) | Barry Lyga Dot Com
Thanos: Titan Consumed | Barry Lyga Dot Com
Wolverine: Worst Day Ever | Barry Lyga Dot Com
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Barry and Morgan are happy to finally be able to talk about their book together, THE HIVE. Plus: What does Jennifer Beals have to do with this?
We hit episode 100 and invites special guests Carolyn Mackler, Jon Skovron, Maggie Lehrman, and more!
Barry FINALLY gets to talk about his super-secret mystery project: THANOS! How on earth does he live with himself writing Marvel AND DC? Who is “Brick Charles?” Babysitting in the modern age. Morgan marvels at The Secret History of Twin Peaks. And an update on the I HUNT KILLERS prequel.
Links:
• Thanos Is Getting a Book [CORRECTED]
• Flash Book Series: Amazon.com
• Access (Character) - Comic Vine
• DC vs. Marvel - Wikipedia
• Avengers Infinity Wars Eyes Record Box Office Opening With $200m Open | Deadline
• We talk about microprogress: Writing in Real Life — Episode 97: The One that’s Lucky>
• If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written a Shorter Letter | Quote Investigator
• Your Money: Perks galore rule the new economy of babysitting
• 18 Exhaustingly Funny Tweets From Parents With A LOT Of Kids
• Barry is Reading One Way by S.J. Morden | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks
• Morgan is Reading Freshman Dorm by Linda A. Cooney | Amazon
• Rate us on iTunes
A man stupidly claims we don’t need women authors because he can write women just fine. (Dude…) Where is all the good sex in YA these days and why did it go away? Plus: Luke gives your hosts one hell of a scare and Barry has read a bunch of books for a change.
Links:
- Barry's tweet about Unedited
- the book that will kill me — Barry Lyga Dot Com
- The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party - Wikipedia
- Gwen Katz’s tweet about men writing women
- The tweet that started the flood of women writing about themselves through the eyes of male authors
- In Y.A., Where Has All the Good Sex Gone? - The New York Times
- #Yasaves: A Tale of Hashtaggery | The New Yorker
- Literary Review’s Bad Sex in Fiction Award | Literary Review
- Barry Read Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier by Mark Frost | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry Read Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
The pleasures and pains of returning to old projects. What do surfing and writing have in common? We’re gonna tell you! Plus: micro-progress is real progress, and believe it or not…Barry’s reading a book!
Barry says farewell to a wonderful librarian who left us too soon. Should publishing give huge advances to former Trump Administration officials? Why do readers feel betrayed when they learn a book is part of a series? Then we talk about our collaboration and rant about the five-star rating system.
Links:
- 2018 Teen Book Fest
- Stephanie Squicciarini Obituary - Irondequoit, New York | Legacy.com
- Publishers already contacting Hicks about book deal: report | TheHill
- Hope Hicks Modeled for Gossip Girl Spinoff Book Cover — Donald Trump's Press Secretary Modeled for "The It Girl"
- We discussed Trump killing publishing in: Writing in Real Life — Episode 90: The One with Barry’s Deep, Dark Secret
- Rate us on iTunes
The literal pain of parenthood. Morgan still hates The Princess Bride. Act single for a better marriage. Barry talks on the phone — a lot. Do graphic novels deserve their own bestseller list? Barry explains his insane schedule. Plus: #metoo comes to kidlit.
Links:
- Writing in Real Life — Episode 1: The One that Came First
- Fatal Attraction- "I Will Not Be Ignored" - YouTube
- Morgan has no soul and hates The Princess Bride: Writing in Real Life — Episode 70: The One in which Morgan Bites the Bullet
- For a Better Marriage, Act Like a Single Person - The New York Times
- Comics Industry Asks ‘NYT’ to Restore Graphic Bestseller Lists
- Discussing the NYT bestseller lists: Writing in Real Life episodes 27-30
- Children’s Publishing Reckons with Sexual Harassment in Its Ranks | School Library Journal
- Sexual Harassment in the Children’s Book Industry – Anne Ursu – Medium
- '13 Reasons Why' author Jay Asher denies harrassment claims | The Tribune
- Sexual Harrassment « Dan Wells
- Sexual Harassment in the Children's Literature Industry | Rick Riordan
- Barry’s blogs on hugging kids: Remember that They’re Kids — Barry Lyga Dot Com | Male Guilt, Hugs, and More — Barry Lyga Dot Com
- Rate us on iTunes
We’re back! Again! Our reach is more global than we thought. Lyga’s Law of Publishing rears its ugly head again. Editors who are also writers: Threat or menace? The benefits and drawbacks of working a day job while writing. Cool new imprints! The books Morgan’s body shuts down. Plus: Luke turns one!Links:
- A listener wishes Barry good health
- The birth of Lyga’s Law of Publishing: Writing in Real Life — Episode 29: The One where Morgan Makes a Comic Book Reference
- Your Book Editor Just Snagged Your Spot on the Best-Seller List - The New York Times
- Our discussion of men writing under female pseudonyms: Writing in Real Life — Episode 87: The One with Poopy in the Potty
- If It Wasn't For My Corporate Office Job, I Couldn't Be a Novelist | Literary Hub
- Our discussion of writers being on salary at publishing houses: Writing in Real Life — Episode 73: The One where They Saw Hamilton
- Kwame Alexander Will Start His Own Imprint. The Name? Versify. Get It? - The New York Times
- Rick Riordan Presents | Rick Riordan
- Mack Bolan - Wikipedia
- Louis L'Amour - Wikipedia
- Urban Dictionary: sick
- One Year Later (Again) — Barry Lyga Dot Com
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry thanks the listeners for their compassion. We know you like Morgan more than Barry, but guess who likes YOU? How much baby room monitoring is too much baby room monitoring? Plus: Something is wrong with the Internet. And it’s not just us saying that.Links:
- Tori Amos - Streets of Philadelphia (Bruce Springsteen cover) @ Beacon Theatre, NYC1 2017 - YouTube
- Miami Book Fair
- 2017 National Book Awards
- “Reading for All!” Dick Robinson receives Literarian of the Year Award from President Bill Clinton at the National Book Awards | On Our Minds
- Molly O’Neil’s Thread on Andrew Shvarts’s Thread on Writers and Hobbies
- Does Barry need a hobby? We discussed in Episode 16: The One with Reality TV
- The Overmonitored Nursery - The New York Times
- Something is wrong on the internet – James Bridle – Medium
- Morgan Recommends Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Why they’ve been AWOL. Yes, we talk about American Heart. Sorry. Also: We’re sick of Twitter.Links:
- The Flash: Hocus Pocus | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Navigating the choppy waters of life with a ‘threenager’ - The Washington Post
- We talk about The Black Witch: Writing in Real Life — Episode 88: The One where It’s All about One Thing, Really
- AMERICAN HEART by Laura Moriarty | Kirkus Reviews
- Kirkus withdraws starred review after criticism.
- American Heart Review: Kirkus Editor On Why They Changed It
- Heart of the Matter — The Horn Book
- Let’s talk about American Heart by Laura Moriarty. – Celeste P. – Medium
- A starred (for now) review: BANG by Barry Lyga | Kirkus Reviews
- Now Raina Telgemeier's Drama Banned In An Entire Educational District In Texas - Bleeding Cool News And Rumors
- Washington Parent Objects to Pixelated Genitals in Mangaman | Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
- Hell Is For Children - Wikipedia
- Have children? Here's how kids ruin your romantic relationship
- Denis Leary - Happiness Comes in Small Doses - YouTube
- Morgan is Reading: Faithful Place by Tana French | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes**
A lot of parenting talk, including dance class, a quiz to determine if you’re ready for parenthood, and more. Barry goes viral. Sort of. Book doulas—yeah, they’re a thing. Why your first book has to be perfect. And how do you avoid the scourge of multitasking when you need to monotask (i.e., write)?Links:
- mother! (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes
- Are you ready for parenthood? A quiz for couples on the precipice.
- Barry goes “viral,” ‘90s style. (About halfway down the page, someone named “Ushgarak” posts two lists. I actually wrote both of them.) 10 Reasons why Star Wars is better than Star Trek
- Book doulas: the new way to push your writing into the world | Books | The Guardian
- Multitasking Damages Your Brain And Career, New Studies Suggest
- Freedom: Internet, App and Website Blocker
- Quitter App – Marco.org
- Pomodoro Technique - Wikipedia
- ”The prospect of being hanged focuses the mind wonderfully.”The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page: Apocrypha
- Is Astrology Rubbish? Don't Get Me Started - Seeker
- Calendar — Barry Lyga Dot Com
- Rate us on iTunes
Dads apparently reduce childhood obesity by just…being dads? Trump is apparently killing publishing. Barry goes on a rant about spoilers and is called out for hypocrisy, then confesses a major children’s lit sin…and proceeds to diss a book you probably love. Sorry about that.Links:
- EWin Calling Series Ergonomic Computer Gaming Office Chair with Pillows - CLD - ewinracing
- Thrifter | Spend Where it Matters
- UCLA Ergonomics - Tips for Computer Users
- More playtime with dad linked to lower obesity risk for young kids - The Washington Post
- Is Trump Ruining Book Sales? | New Republic
- Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) | Twitter
- Barry talks about James Baldwin: Writing in Real Life — Episode 31: The One where Harry Potter and the X-Men are the Same
- Spoiler Alert: Spoilers Make Things More Enjoyable - WNYC News - WNYC
- The Trespasser by Tana French | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Senior Management | Scholastic Inc.
- Why Everyone Should Read Harry Potter - Scientific American
- The Widow’s House by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Kids learn social media fails by watching their parents. Forget readers — how do you raise writers? The agony and the ecstasy of summer reading. Is sex the secret to getting boys to read? What you need to read in order to be a better writer. Plus: the collector mentality.Links:
- Parents’ social media habits are teaching children the wrong lessons - The Washington Post
- Dad recreates daughter's selfies | Daily Mail Online
- What Parents Can Do to Nurture Good Writers - The New York Times
- Want Teenage Boys to Read? Easy. Give Them Books About Sex. - The New York Times
- The Perils of Comic Book Collecting
- ‘Summer of Hell’ at Penn Station kicks off this week | New York Post
- Barry is Reading: Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Yes, we discuss YA Twitter culture with regard to The Black Witch and that Vulture article. And then a brief parenting moment and some fun books to read as the world burns.Links:
- The Black Witch: An Epic Fantasy Novel (The Black Witch Chronicles)
- gone: Review: The Black Witch by Laurie Forest
- The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter
- Google manifesto spotlights hot-button issue of gender diversity
- Amazon.com: The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles) (9780373212316): Laurie Forest: Books
- The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1) by Laurie Forest — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists
- How hyped new author Scott Bergstrom infuriated the YA literature community | The Daily Dot
- Roxane Gay’s Tweet
- ‘I Didn’t Love My Daughter For the First Year Of Her Life’ | Men’s Health
- Morgan Recommends: The Regulars by Georgia Clark | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry Recommends: Legendtopia: The Battle for Urth by Lee Bacon | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
We swear this isn’t turning into a TV review podcast, but…we just have to spend some time on Younger and Friends from College. Is it OK for men to use female pseudonyms? What do you say to someone who is afraid to have kids? The economics of cookbooks. Plus: You knew it was coming: Potty training.Links:
- Younger | TVLAND.com
- Friends from College - Wikipedia
- Episode 3 · Friends From College · TV Review Friends From College takes on YA for some reason · TV Club · The A.V. Club
- Men Are Apparently Adopting Ambiguous Pen Names to Sell Psychological Thrillers to Women
- The History of Nancy Drew
- White Writer Makes "Best Poetry" — With An Asian Pen Name
- The Hidden Risks of Writing a Cookbook
- Oh Crap! Potty Training by Jamie Clowacki | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks
- Ask Polly: I’m Terrified of Having Kids!
- Barry Recommends: Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr. | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- The Seduction of Water: a href="http://www.writinginreallife.com/episodes/2015/7/14/episode-24-the-one-with-spoilers-for-the-princess-bride">Writing in Real Life — Episode 24: The One with Spoilers for The Princess Bride
- Morgan Recommends: The Trespasser by Tana French | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry is annoyed by Instagram without even being on it. And Barry is ready to lose it over Netflix…again. Morgan remains calm. Does financial success kill artistic risk? The new/old phenomenon of writers seeking patronage. Plus: Email from a new listener!Links:
- Barry's July ACLU fundraiser
- The squatter on Instagram
- Barry is the only Barry Lyga in the country
- Netflix to trial technology that hands control to viewers | Daily Mail Online
- Writing in Real Life — Episode 15: The One where Leia Flirts
- Longform Podcast #249: John Grisham
- Inside the Actors Studio | Bravo TV Official Site
- Pivot Questionnaire -aka Inside the Actor's Studio (wowzone.com)
- Terry Trueman
- The Bachman Books by Stephen King
- Tobias Buckell on Patreon
- Curtis Sittenfeld asks for title help on Facebook
- Neil Gaiman on George R.R. Martin
- It’s Amazing That The Old Record Industry Existed In The First Place
- Litsy (app)
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry is writing The Flash. ‘Nuff said! BookExpo and how it feels to be among the Book People. Barry and Morgan have a secret. The return of the million bad words and the madness of colored index cards. How do you raise a feminist son? (Spoiler alert: Books are involved.)Links:
- The Flash, Supergirl to get middle grade novels
- The Flash: Hocus Pocus preorder | Amazon
- Flashpoint (event) | Arrowverse Wiki
- LB School: Barry Lyga | Little Brown Library | Resources for Teachers & Librarians
- The #1 book and author event - BookExpo 2017
- SEPH LAWLESS | OFFICIAL WEBSITE
- Marieke Nijkamp, YA author
- Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip
- Where Storytelling and Pop Culture Collide - BookCon 2017
- Alan Alda - Wikipedia
- The New York Times: John Grisham’s Do’s and Don’ts for Writing Popular Fiction
- 'Feminism is the Radical Notion That Women Are People' Shirt
- The New York Times: How to Raise a Feminist Son
- The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
- Danny Dunn series by Jay Williams
- Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine - Wikipedia
- Gramophone record - Wikipedia
- Morgan Recommends: Leave Me by Gayle Forman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry and Morgan talk about Twin Peaks. A lot. Especially since it just might explain EVERYTHING about Barry’s writing. Do readers today demand more closure in books, and if so, why? Plus: How cool superheroes are and why geekdom should be for everyone, regardless of race, sex, or planet of origin.
Links:
- Why Is ‘Twin Peaks’ So Influential? - The Atlantic
- Twin Peaks - Official Series Site | SHOWTIME
- The West Wing Episode Guide
- "Endings to be useful must be inconclusive." - Samuel R. Delaney
- The Leftovers | The Official Website for the HBO Series
- Mad Men - Wikipedia
- MARK FROST - novelist, television/film writer, director, Producer
- The Millions : Dragons Are for White Kids with Money: On the Friction of Geekdom and Race - The Millions
- Durlans | DC Database
- Pre-Crisis | DC Database
- Adventures of Superman Vol 1 507: The comic where Superman doesn’t drop the n-bomb
- Superman decries racism
- Rate us on iTunes
Celebrating Mothers Day — good idea or selling out? Has the time come for time-outs? How parenting is like being Batman. (Guess which one of us came up with that.) The scourge of “idea debt” for writers, and how to break out of it. Plus: Barry has a book on the list of the 50 Best YA Novels of all time!Links:
- The Inventor of Mother's Day Disowned the Holiday, and So Should We All - The Atlantic
- "You know, like Caine in Kung Fu"
- Janet Lansbury
- Time's Up for 'Timeout' - The Atlantic
- Americans’ Opinions On Spanking Vary By Party, Race, Region And Religion | FiveThirtyEight
- Imagining your future projects is holding you back.
- Scriptnotes, 296: Television with Damon Lindelof
- Amulet (comics) - Wikipedia
- The Leftovers (TV Series 2014– ) - IMDb
- Boy Toy on Booklist's 50 Best YA Books of All Time
- BooklistYA on Twitter
- Rate us on iTunes
We’re back! The tale of the birth of their superhuman son. The mantras that got them through the early months of Luke’s life. Morgan starts a new project that isn’t a baby. Barry’s tour for BANG and its aftermath.Links:
- The Good Sleeper by Janet Krone Kennedy | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks
- The New Science of Siblings - TIME
- New Y.A. Novels Tackle Crime and Its Consequences (The New York Times reviews Bang)
- 'Bang' by Barry Lyga: EW Review
- Barry’s favorite movie: White Hunter, Black Heart
- Barry’s Facebook page with videos from tour
- Clips app
- "The Book That Will Kill Me"
- Morgan is Reading: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Morgan Recommends: The X-Files Origins: Devil's Advocate by Jonathan Maberry | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Morgan Recommends: The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos by Kami Garcia | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry Has Read: Slider by Pete Hautman | Amazon preorder
- Barry Has Also Read: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart | Amazon preorder | BN.com preorder | iBooks preorder
- Rate us on iTunes
A shout-out for Barry??? Moms being attached to newborns and the dads who have nothing to do. The meaning of #FUSS! Barry fundraises for the ACLU. Keeping a diary…or not. Does losing hurt more than winning feels good?Links:
- How publishing houses weigh a decision like giving Milo Yiannopoulos a book deal.
- The whole Leslie Jones Twitter feud, explained | Lifestyle News for College Students | USA TODAY College
- Turns out Milo plagiarized a lot of his "poetry" from Tori Amos. Defends himself by comparing it to T.S. Eliot using literary references. : GamerGhazi
- Reps say phone calls prompted ethics reversal.
- Barry’s fundraiser for the ACLU
- Morgan Has Read: Superficial by Andy Cohen | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry Has Read: Skin Deep by Timothy Hallinan | Amazon | BN.com
- Mitt Romney's Top Aide On The White House Run by Candidate Confessional
- Rate us on iTunes
First toddler holiday season. What do you get for the kid who has everything? #firstworldproblems Morgan still hasn’t given birth. What exactly do babies remember and for how long? Morgan can’t distinguish between herself and her twin. A discussion of YA’s obsession with teen romance.Links:
- Girls Write Now
- Traces of Time Lost - The Atlantic
- On Normalizing Teen Singlehood in YA
- Song without Words by Ann Packer | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- 36 Reasons How I Met Your Mother's Marshall and Lily Have the Greatest Relationship Ever | Glamour
- We discuss young debut authors vs. older debut authors in Episode 74: The One Not Sponsored by Sesame Street
- 35over35.com
- Barry's Opus: The Book That Will Kill Me
- Barry is Reading: Crashed by Timothy Hallinan | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Follow-up on ebooks: Are sales REALLY down? Errors in published books. Also, follow-up on writers taking breaks. Morgan discovers that she likes writing. Did the election kill reading? Morgan’s theory of needing other parents. Plus: Isn’t there a better term for graphic novels?Links:
- ISBN
- Joanna Penn on drop in ebook sales:
- http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/07/25/author-voice/ (Specifically 19:00 to 21:35)
- http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/06/06/facebook-advertising-mark-dawson/ (3:45 to 6:20)
- http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/06/03/breakdown-book-sales/
- Taking a Break — Barry Lyga Dot Com
- Barnes & Noble Says People Stopped Reading Books Because Of The Election - BuzzFeed News
- Weekend Box Office: Trump Bump? 'Arrival,' Others Get Post-Election Boost | Hollywood Reporter
- Barry Recommends: Seekers into the Mystery Vol. 1 by J. M. DeMatteis et al | Amazon
- Barry Also Recommends: Seekers into the Mystery omnibus (preorder links) | Amazon | BN.com
- A Contract with God by Will Eisner | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- New comics laureate Charlie Adlard declares war on 'the graphic novel' | Books | The Guardian
- Rate us on iTunes
Books can keep you sane. What does the election mean for fiction, particularly YA? Maybe ebooks aren’t the big deal everyone thought they were. When is it permissible to slack off on your writing? Thanksgiving advice for non-Americans. Splitting focus between your kids. Clingy post-nap toddlers.Links:
- Adult Books Sales Fell in First Half of 2016
- Amazon vs. Hachette
- Luke Cage
- Sweet Christmas!
- Lath and plaster
- Magda Gerber and the Creative Child | Janet Lansbury
- Barry is Reading: The Indestructibles by Matthew Phillion | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks
- Another Anime Con
- Morgan Recommends: Commonwealth by Anne Patchett | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Morgan Also Recommends: Today Will be Different by Maria Semple | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
A necessary discussion of the distinction between a political podcast and an apolitical podcast. Parenting in the age of Trump. The web reveals which writers Barry writes like. Why is platform-shaming a thing?Links:
- A kid asks for Jazz to save us on Twitter
- Barry’s blog about the election
- After the Red Rain by Barry Lyga with Peter Facinelli & Robert DeFranco | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks
- Facebook, in Cross Hairs After Election, Is Said to Question Its Influence - The New York Times
- Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown podcast on Earwolf
- Who Do You Write Like?
- Is Social Media Toxic to Writing?
- The teenage brain on social media | UCLA
- Morgan Recommends: American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry Recommends: 1984 by George Orwell | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Morgan is, like, the next Arthur Conan Doyle. What do authors wish they’d known when they first started their careers? The difference between institutional and commercial sales…and success. Letting your kids get bored can be good for them. The AAP revises its screen recommendations. (Whew!)
Links:
- The Beast Burger | Beast Burgers | Beyond Meat - The Future of Protein™
- Who Do You Write Like?
- Christa Desir's tweets
- Gordon Korman
- Resources for Infant Educarers
- Magda Gerber and the Creative Child | Janet Lansbury
- American Academy Of Pediatrics Lifts 'No Screens Under 2' Rule : NPR Ed : NPR
- Issaquah High School comes under fire for library book - Issaquah-Sammamish Reporter
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry has a book challenged; guess which one! After reading Bruce Springsteen’s memoir, Barry has an epiphany. Leia requests her favorite musician. Morgan plans and executes a toddler’s birthday party without any help.Links:
- Washington Parent Objects to Pixelated Genitals in Mangaman | Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
- Office for Intellectual Freedom | Offices of the American Library Association
- Banned Books Week | Celebrating the Freedom to Read: September 25- October 1, 2016
- Book banned in Carroll gets partial reprieve - tribunedigital-baltimoresun
- Teacher tweets that Mangaman is safe
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Bruce Springsteen: On Jersey, Masculinity And Wishing To Be His Stage Persona : NPR
- You're a whole different person when you're scared (Warren Zevon & Hunter S. Thompson) - YouTube
- Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
A brief clarification from last week. Sesame Street vs. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse…to the death! Is a young writer more impressive than an old one? Who do you try to make happy when you write, and should it always be yourself? Practice vs. raw talent. Barry rants briefly about VOYA.Links:
- Sesame Place | Sesame Street Theme Park in Pennsylvania
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | Disney Junior
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - 'Hot Dog Dance' - Disney Official - YouTube
- Lora Kolodny's tweet about 30 under 30 lists
- Frank McCourt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Paul Levitz
- Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
- On Beauty by Zadie Smith | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Robin Brande
- John Milton invokes the Muse
- Is Bisexuality Too Mature for Young Readers?
- Run by Kody Keplinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- VOYA’s review of Boy Toy
- Bang on Entertainment Weekly
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Is it all doom and gloom for publishing? Is there a secret room somewhere with the salvation of books? Should authors wish for salaries instead of royalties? What is the secret of Barry’s unpublished novel and its connection to Lin-Manuel Miranda? Plus: Morgan is writing again!Links:
- A Rough Six Months for Big Book Publishers
- Daniel Nayeri on Publishing
- Workman Publishing
- The origin of Knopf/Publishing as a gentleman’s industry
- Merritt Tierce on Publishing 'Love Me Back' - How Much Money Authors Make
- Love Me Back by Merritt Tierce | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Hamilton
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Alexander Hamilton: A Biography by Forrest McDonald | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- State of Wonder by Ann Patchett | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Morgan abandons Barry. Leia’s vocabulary explodes…along with her temper. The mystery of children’s YouTube. Puppies vs. children. Is there such a thing as vacation with a kid? And is there really even such a thing as a YA novel?Links:
- Hurricane Hermine peters out
- An example of a YouTube video with 29 million views that Leia likes
- Scrubs on what it's like to have a baby
- Slice Literary Conference Panel: The Sex Talk
- Barry's quote on Twitter
- The Millions : There Is No Such Thing as the Young Adult Novel - The Millions
- Review Guidelines | VOYA
- Real Time With Bill Maher: I Don’t Know It For a Fact..I Just Know It’s True - September,1st - YouTube
- Barry is Reading: Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Morgan Recommends: Tumbling by Caela Carter | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
Everyone is sick and Morgan doesn’t want to talk about it. She’s willing to talk about a new sale, though! Plus: New writing plans!Links:
- Motherwell – Telling all sides of the parenting story Morgan is Reading: You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry is Reading: Uprooted by Naomi Novik | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes*
Morgan finally goes too far and insults The Princess Bride. What writers shouldn’t worry about (but do anyway). Do starred reviews matter? On-site daycare can be good for business. Bullet journaling: chicken soup for the soul? Links: * The Princess Bride * The Never-ending Story * The Princess Bride by William Goldman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry's new book: The Secret Sea | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Dahlia Adler's Twitter thread on what writers shouldn’t worry about * Barry talks about his Goodreads rank: Writing in Real Life — Episode 65: The One with Melissa * Why Yelp Restaurant Reviews Aren’t Trustworthy * Is It Possible to Make a Living as a Mommy Blogger? - The Atlantic * 50Quote Details: John Wanamaker: Half the money I... - The Quotations Page * Patagonia's CEO Explains How To Make On-Site Child Care Pay For Itself | Fast Company | Business + Innovation * Why the Bullet Journal Works: It Soothes Your Panicky Mind -- Science of Us * Use Reminders on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support * Rate us on iTunes
Leia discovers the curse of imagination. A lovely email from a friend. Working on spec: Should you? When? Why? “Money flows to the writer.” Find the mistake in The Secret Sea and win a prize! Morgan guests on another podcast — shock! Horror! Links: * Pretend Play | What to Expect * Separation Anxiety * Why swearing is good for you — Quartz * Rejection, Part 14 - News From MENews From ME * Writer Beware®: The Blog: PublishAmerica Is Now America Star Books * The Secret Sea | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Pete Hautman - Home * Barry and Pete Hautmann commiserate on errors in their books * Barry regrets an idea he didn’t use in Bang * Folklore.org: Real Artists Ship * Morgan on All the Social Ladies podcast * Telling the Right Stories at the Right Time - Forbes * Rate us on iTunes
Leia burns up. Barry has a long talk with himself. Morgan asks the audience for advice. The power of positive thinking turns out to backfire. Do you lose yourself as a person when you become a parent? Cursing around your children: Great idea or greatest idea?
Links:
- Watch President Barack Obama Full Speech At The DNC 2016 - YouTube
- Watch Hillary Clinton's full speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention - YouTube
- Thinking positive is a surprisingly risky manoeuvre | Aeon Essays
- "I Learned It By Watching You" Anti-Drug PSA - YouTube
- Barry tweets about Leia's first word possibly being f*ck
- Rate us on iTunes
Barry and Morgan (and Leia!) survive their move! Barry surrenders to day care, with plenty of guilt. A rant about professionalism. Giving up on a manuscript. New projects for Morgan and Barry. Links: * Eugene’s comment on Leia’s sleeping and baby nightmares * Pregnancy Brain: Myth or Reality? * On Being an Aging Children’s Writer - Just Thinking * Morgan Recommends: The Diviners by Libba Bray | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Reading: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Also Reading: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is Reading: In the After by Demitria Lunetta | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
The Orlando shooting, bad conference experiences, home improvement woes, and a baby that won’t sleep. Also: Barry and Morgan each start working on new projects! Links: * Orlando nightclub shooting: Read about the victims - Orlando Sentinel * The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * WubbaNub | WubbaNub Infant Pacifiers * Rate us on iTunes
Special guest Melissa Walker (UNBREAK MY HEART, LET’S PRETEND WE NEVER MET) fills in for Morgan! We discuss different ways of getting published, writing with more than one kid, and how writing a book doesn’t prepare you for the next one. Plus: On spec vs. proposal, and the horror of ranking. Links: * Melissa’s website * Carolyn Mackler * Doug Stewart at Sterling Lord * Sassy magazine * Episode 20: The One where Leia Goes to a Bar Mitzvah (and we talk about the value of twenty minutes) * Pomodoro Technique * Batcave - DC Database - Wikia * Barry’s Goodreads rank (scroll down to "Average Rating") * Sale on Unbreak My Heart ebook! | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks * Melissa Recommends: What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Melissa Also Recommends: The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry Recommends: When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Familiarity breeds contempt…for your own book. Sensitivity readers. You can’t make everybody happy. Leia reverses her position on sleep. And a big announcement.
Links:
Morgan damns Barry with faint praise. Mornings! Showers! Is the “limit your kid’s screentime” notion an anti-feminist plot? Barry’s theory that multiple TVs lead to divorce. Plus, Morgan preps for her first writing conference…and makes a soul-searching confession. Links: * This Mom Is Extraordinarily Tired Of Making Dinner * The debate over screen time is really about moms, not kids. * Appliances and their impact: the ownership of domestic technology and time spent on household work * Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown by Earwolf on iTunes * SCBWI New Jersey | 2016 June Conference * Goodreads | Claudia and the Sad Good-bye (The Baby-sitters Club, #26) by Ann M. Martin (This is the book where Claudia's grandmother dies.) * ASU | The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan is obsessed with Snapchat. Follow-up on programming your brain and baby paranoia. Leia climbs on a truck. Vacations are good. New ideas for stories! The scourge of outlining. Morgan publishes an essay. Pitching vs. blogging. The frustration of being ignored by editors and agents. Links: * This 10-Minute Routine Will Increase Your Clarity And Creativity — Life Learning — Medium * Melissa Walker * Episode 61: The One without a Daddy Blogosphere * Imperious Leader - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia * Writing in Real Life — Episode 35: The One with No Baby * The Weekend Novelist by Robert Ray | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks * Morgan's piece on Hello, Giggles: I bought a bunch of ~vintage~ teen magazines on eBay to relive my teenage years * Morgan’s HuffPo piece: How to Get Married at Work * Morgan’s Pop Matters piece: Reflections on Tori Amos and the Feminist Movement | PopMatters * Morgan’s blog * Contract delays: Writing in Real Life — Episode 60: The One with Sylvia Plath on Zoloft * Rate us on iTunes
Does a debut have to be big? Guess what: Your sales aren’t determined by the quality of your book. Are celebrity memoirs worth the massive cost? Morgan has opinions about Captain America: Civil War. The (missing) narrative of the Stay-At-Home Dad. Links: * Debut novels: Why new authors are making millions | EW.com * Mad Men - Don breaks up with Dr. Faye Miller over the phone - YouTube "I hope she knows you only like the beginnings of things." * Captain America: Civil War * Black Panther * The Great Darkness Saga * Earth-1/Earth-2 * What It’s Like When a Stay-at-Home Dad Goes Back to Work * Mr. Mom * Three Men and a Baby * Daddy Day Care * Why Do We Teach Girls That It’s Cute to Be Scared? - The New York Times * Barry is Reading: Plastic Man by Kyle Baker | Amazon (Vol.1) | Amazon (Vol. 2) | Comixology * Morgan Recommends: Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Leia visits the doctor three times in four days. Revisiting Lyga’s Law of Publishing: Barry signs a contract and explains why it takes so long. Science says: writers and psychotics are the same. (Morgan disagrees.) Don’t be a jerk on the internet. Morgan psyches out Barry. Barry goes nuts over a new book. Links: * Writing in Real Life — Episode 33: The One with Royalties * The Neurological Similarities Between Successful Writers And The Mentally Ill | Thought Catalog * http://www.warrenzevon.com/ * Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract - YouTube * When You Become The Person You Hate On The Internet : All Tech Considered : NPR * How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life - The New York Times * archive.org * Morgan Recommends: Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * 24 Things No One Tells You About Book Publishing * Curtis Sittenfeld’s ‘Eligible’ Updates Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ - The New York Times * Sittenfeld’s response: So Eligible got a solidly bad review from The... - Curtis Sittenfeld * Internationally Bestselling Author Tess Gerritsen * Barry Recommends: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Do parents have a special talent for writing for kids? From our very first episode! -- Writing in Real Life — Episode 1: The One that Came First * Rate us on iTunes
Does living in close quarters give neighbors permission to tell parents when a baby is crying too much? Morgan’s new career aspiration. Reese Witherspoon is on Goodreads—who knew? Does being a writer ruin your ability to enjoy reading for its own sake? Links: * The Happiest Baby Homepage | Happiest Baby | Sleep, Colic, and Health Solutions * Family extremely offended after neighbors leave nasty note about their crying baby - AOL * Reese Witherspoon’s New Role: Power Broker - WSJ * #AskHerMore: How the Media Talks to Women On the Red Carpet - The Representation ProjectThe Representation Project * Hugo - Awards - IMDb * My Childless Year — Barry Lyga Dot Com * Center Stage (2000) - IMDb * Morgan is Reading: Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * The Secret Sea preorders: Amazon | BN.com * Rate us on iTunes
Writing advice — it’s everywhere. But is any of it actually useful? Or even from this century? Morgan invented Pinterest. Barry and Morgan reveal their parenting philosophy. Also: Barry’s new book! Links: * Michael Arndt About The 5 Steps He Learned at Pixar to Write a Good Beginning - mentorless * Agent Jennifer Laughran’s “not for me” tweet * Writing Advice #1: A Million Bad Words — Barry Lyga Dot Com * Mary's "pantsing" tweet * Barry’s ancient keyboard * Some Babies Are Just Easier Than Others - The New York Times * Is Attachment Parenting a Traditionalist Plot? -- The Cut * The Secret Sea preorders: Amazon | BN.com * Rate us on iTunes
Can walking make you a better writer? Thoreau and Rowling think so! Why is there so much contradictory advice for authors? Morgan feels stressed. Why Barry goes to the gym every day. The glory of a speaker in the shower. Plus: The secret to making your kids behave. (Seriously. No joke.) Links: * To Become a Better Writer, Be a Frequent Walker | Psychology Today * Henry David Thoreau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia * Writing Advice #1: A Million Bad Words — Barry Lyga Dot Com * Apple celebrates 40th anniversary with Beer Bash DJ'd by Zane Lowe * Apple Watch - Apple * Sorry Folks, But Standing Desks May Not Make You Any Healthier * Amazon.com: SoundBot SB510 HD Water Resistant Bluetooth 3.0 Shower Speaker * The Alan Kazdin Method for Making Your Children Behave - The Atlantic * Rate us on iTunes
Barry’s nightmare comes true, as the Netflix model approaches publishing. Morgan counsels calm, but c’mon — it’s Barry. An extended discussion of data in publishing, and we want YOUR opinions. Plus: Barry has an epiphany about revisions and reveals (again) what a horrible, egotistical monster he is. Links: * Moneyball for Book Publishers: A Detailed Look at How We Read - The New York Times * Writing in Real Life — Episode 15: The One where Leia Flirts * Inaccurate Bookscan Stats and the Plight of the Midlist Author | A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran * Henry's Hard Soda * Tell us what you think about data in publishing * John Byrne on "Growing Roses" * Morgan is Reading: The Witches: Salem 1692 by Stacy Schiff | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is Reading: The Singing Bone by Beth Hahn | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
What, when, and how should you share about your kids on social media? Do they have a say in it? Are Barry and Morgan hypocrites for talking about Leia on the show? Being alone in the house when you have kids. Morgan reads the comments on an article. Links: * In the Air Tonight : snopes.com * Super Grover 2.0 - Muppet Wiki - Wikia * Don't Post About Me on Social Media, Children Say - The New York Times * STFU, Parents * David After Dentist video * Dance it out — Morgan Baden * It's a Lot More Fun to Play Make-Believe With Your Kids If You're Slightly High on Weed | Jezebel * "I haven't had sex in a very long time." * Meat Loaf - I Would Do Anything For Love - YouTube * Barry is Reading: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Reading: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Prologues: Threat or menace? Morgan rolls her eyes…in a loving way. Barry says writers don’t cheat, and then admits he cheats. Being a good parent will kill you. Waiting for the perfect week that doesn’t exist. Dueling revision updates! Morgan disses Rockford. Links: * Urban Dictionary: Hang a lantern * Cold open - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia * Being a good parent will physiologically destroy you, new research confirms - Quartz * Writing in Real Life — Episode 47: The One with Discipline (Not the Fun Kind) * 5 Habits Of Creative Working Parents | Fast Company * Writing in Real Life — Episode 17: The One with Meta-Topics (We discuss "Every Day is a Disaster") * Morgan Recommends: The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry Recommends: The Garner Files by James Garner & Jon Winkour | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Barry talks about how getting an editorial letter triggers pretty much every neurosis he’s got. (Morgan chortles.) Barry accidentally reveals the true extent of his ego. (Morgan chortles again.) Morgan talks scary movies. (Barry cowers.) Morgan reveals foreign parenting tips. (Barry freaks out.)
Links:
- Apparently, ostriches actually don't stick their heads in the sand...
- Tom Perrotta
- The Witch (2016) - Rotten Tomatoes
- We talk about tension, slow openings, and The Leftovers: Writing in Real Life — Episode 36: The One about Pop Culture
- Global Parenting Habits That Haven't Caught On In The U.S. : Parallels : NPR
- Rate us on iTunes
Morgan lets Barry see Deadpool on Valentine’s Day. Saying “thank you” to your spouse. Barry does not get offended. The narrative of the inept dad and its consequences. Morgan’s revision update. Barry has lots of books to read. Links: * The Significance of "52" for DC fans: Weekly Comic Book Series | The New 52 | 52 Breaches on The Flash | Room 52 * Deadpool * Secret to a happy marriage is to say 'thank you', Georgia University study finds | Daily Mail Online * "The Gift of the Magi" * She Divorced Me Because I Left Dishes by the Sink * Dumb-Ass Stuff We Need To Stop Saying To Dads * Morgan is Reading: Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan returns, with magical tales of Harry Potter! How do you name your characters? Thinking about your character’s parents. The art of inventing names. Writers and newsletters. The average lifespan of a tweet. Barry’s fantasy novel. Links: * Wizarding World of Harry Potter™Hogsmeade | Universal Orlando * "Days of Yore": The One with the Apothecary Table/Transcript - Friends Central - Wikia * Popular Baby Names * Académie française - Official moderator of the French language * Judge: ‘Messiah’ Is Not an Acceptable Baby Name | TIME.com * Tiny Letter * Uptalk * The daily email newsletter to start your day — theSkimm * Barry’s newsletter * NextDraft.com * Flipboard * What is a "piker?" * Rate us on iTunes
A mega-sized fiftieth episode, with special guest Sarah MacLean! What to expect from a two-year-old. The how and why of romance novels. Challenges that lie ahead for publishing. Is there such a thing as too much sex? The bane of real-world accuracy in fiction. Plus: the ballad of Ted Cruz. Links: * SarahMacLean.net * Milton's Areopagitica * Urban Dictionary: Redshirt * Bing Crosby: Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (Thats An Irish Lullaby) - YouTube * JAMES TAYLOR ~ Sweet Baby James ~.wmv - YouTube * Sarah on Twitter * How Paperbacks Transformed the Way Americans Read | Mental Floss * Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Reading the Romance by Janice A. Radway | Amazon | BN.com * Goodreads | Popular Secret Baby Books * Sarah Recommends: Playing with Fire by Kate Meader | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Gender Difference in Audio-Visual Sexual Stimulation * The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Snowed in with Leia for the first time. Further discussion of discipline: For parents and for writers. The importance of beginning (not beginnings). Barry races the Grim Reaper. Plus: Authors who are just too damn precious.
Links:
- Blizzard of 2016 lives up to the hype, and then some
- Donner Party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- What is inertia? | Northwestern University
- Vow to Write Better, Not Faster in 2016, Despite Our Binge-Loving Culture
- Anniversary Gifts by Year | Traditional Anniversary Gifts | Hallmark
- The Pomodoro Technique
- The Pomodoro app for iPhone
- Rate us on iTunes
Re-opening the discussion of whether authors should be paid more. Younger comes back for Season 2; Barry has opinions. Baby Fight Club! Leia transcends separation anxiety, to our mutual glee and disappointment. Morgan actually finishes a book she doesn’t like. Barry asks for help from the audience. Links: * Eugene's comment on Episode 47: The One with Discipline (Not the Fun Kind) * The 10% Solution by Ken Rand | Amazon | BN.com * Guild's Letter to Publishers Calls for Real Change to Book Contracts - The Authors Guild * Writing in Real Life — Episode 33: The One with Royalties * Younger | Official Website | TV Land * When we talked about Younger before: Writing in Real Life — Episode 22: The One where They Finally Talk about Marriage * Smile by Raina Telgemeier | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Reading: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard actor, dies aged 69 - BBC News * Rate us on iTunes**
Doctor-approved: Be mean to your baby! Is your first baby just practice? Morgan foreswears Barry’s revision advice. Focusing on one project at a time. Followup on Barry’s Cheat Method for Revision and a discussion of what you need to know about your protagonist before you start writing. Links: * Scrivener (app for writers on Mac and Windows) * Rules for Writing Multiple Books at Once — Barry Lyga Dot Com * Twin Peaks -strange path of Albert Rosenfield -fragment - YouTube * Morgan Recommends: The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * 'Kingfisher' Girls Will Dance Their Way Into Your Heart : NPR * Barry is Reading: You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
The year that was and the year to come, with our best moments of 2015, along with our goals and wishes for 2016. Plus: The Barry Lyga Cheat Method for Fixing Pacing. (This episode is brought to you by the word “Flourish.”)
Links:
- End of the Year Wrap-Up 2015 | Holly Black
- Ask Polly: Should I Just Give Up on My Writing? |- The Cut
- The Secret Sea Goodreads page
- Word On The Street | Sesame Street
- Steve Jobs: Apple Almost Went Bankrupt Because It Failed to Innovate | Mac Rumors
- Apple CEO Tim Cook Embraces Cannibalization of iPad, iPod, Mac | AllThingsD
- Rate us on iTunes
Morgan cheats on Barry. Taking stock of what we’ve read this year. Morgan’s memory is terrible. Barry resists going all Campbell on Star Wars. Wisdom from Sylvia Plath. Plus: Great first lines! Links: * Morgan guests on the Scholastic Reads podcast: "Kids’ Books Holiday Hotline" * morganbaden.com: "My year in books: 2015" * Memento (2000) - IMDb * Exo by Steven Gould | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Jumper by Steven Gould | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * A Force Awakens Review By a Star Wars Rookie | WIRED * How The "Star Wars" Lightsaber Was Designed * The Hero with a Thousand Faces * Sylvia Plath — The Bell Jar * Fitzgerald Might Disagree With His 'No Second Acts' Line : NPR * Friday Night Lights TV Show - NBC.com * "Black & Blue" | The Players' Tribune * Boy Toy by Barry Lyga | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * 'Sports Night': An oral history, starring Aaron Sorkin and his cast | EW.com * Hockey “goons” * "wiggle worms and zipzorps" -- The One Where Chandler Gets Caught - Friends Central ... * The Gunslinger by Stephen King | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
Barry reconsiders NaNoWriMo. Picking Morgan’s brain. Is writing an compulsion? Should it be? Leia walks like crazy and gets a sibling. An update on Morgan’s agent search. Links: * Barry’s rant on lists and awards: "Episode 43: The One where Morgan Disses Alan Moore" * Barry’s rant on NaNoWriMo: "Episode 42: The One where Barry Drops the Baby" * Sara’s comment/question on writing groups: "Episode 41: The One where They Argue about Blazing Saddles" * Sarah Maclean * Melissa Walker * Micol Ostow * Kent’s comment on obsession: "Episode 37: The One in the Park" * BB-8™ by Sphero – Sphero Store * Morgan is Reading: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry Recommends: A Prayer for the City by Buzz Bissinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan has a cold. Barry’s dirty little fable succeeds. Leia starts to demand things in no uncertain terms. Why on earth would you combine YA and Dr. Seuss into the same list? Barry rants about lists and awards and why you shouldn’t care. Plus: What book should every 16-year-old American read? Links: * BarryLyga.com: Unsoul’d is #1 * Unsoul’d by Barry Lyga | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Kobo * Historically Speaking: Holy Moley! * Top 10 YA & Children’s Books | TIME * 100 Notable Books of 2015 - The New York Times * Amazon.com: Best Books of 2015: Books * The 18 Best Fiction Books Of 2015 * The Best Books Of 2015, According To Goodreads * Alan Moore awards * Kennedy Center Honors * Every 16-Year-Old In Sweden Will Read Chimamanda Adichie's "We Should All Be Feminists" - BuzzFeed News * We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Adichie | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
A discussion of NaNoWriMo. A caution about holiday time in publishing and an invocation of Lyga’s Law. Should authors respond to negative reviews? Comparing books to babies. What would Morgan do if someone panned Gillian Anderson? Morgan looks to her past to figure out her future. Links: * NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month * "42" * There's no "I hate NaNoWriMo" Twitter account, but here's a Google search * Accidental Tech Podcast * Marco Arment: "I got here with over a decade of hard work building what I have. You can tell yourself you can’t do it forever, or you can start today." * Christmas Vacation Bonus Check Scene - YouTube * Christa Desir: "I suggest you remove the suggestion box" * John Scalzi: "Mmmm… One Star-rific!" * "Tawdry piece of rag fiction" -- one-star review for Boy Toy * The Cut: "Parenthood Means Constantly Imagining Worst-Case Scenarios" * "Best of Christmas Story - You'll Shoot Your Eye Out.m4v ..." * Barry is Reading: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Iowa Writers' Workshop * Rate us on iTunes
Why we hate Libba Bray. What special guests would you like to see on the show? Morgan starts a new project. Barry wants to start five new projects. Scheduling time to talk to your spouse. How do you critique something that’s in a genre you don’t like? Plus: A nanny for Leia??? Links: * OnBeing.org: "The Breaking and The Blessing of Motherhood" by Courtney E. Martin * "And I'm back in the game!" from 10 Things I Hate About You * Lifehacker: "You May Actually Fall Asleep Faster If You Try to Stay Awake" * Fast Company: "Balance Two Careers In One Family Without Arguing" * A Practical Wedding (blog) * A Practical Wedding by Meg Keene | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Blazing Saddles: An AFI Pick for the Top 100 Comedies of All Time * Blazing Saddles: List of Awards and Nominations, including for Writing * Blazing Saddles: 4-Star Review from Roger Ebert * Rate us on iTunes
Special guest Libba Bray joins the show! We discuss being married to your agent and when your kid wants to be a writer. Texting edits to authors. The glory and the danger of research. Plus: Outlining — threat or menace? Also, the title to the third Diviners book! Links: * BGLiterary.com: Home of Barry Goldblatt Literary * Earth-3 - DC Comics Database - Wikia * Mirror universe - Memory Beta - Wikia * The Sweet, Far Thing by Libba Bray | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Fulcrum * Barrylyga.com: This Week in Rejection! * Harlem Nights (1989) - IMDb * The Rutles * Supergirl - CBS.com * Men in Black - Memory Erase - YouTube * Scrivener - writing app for Mac and Windows * The Shining - "All work and no play..." - YouTube * Rate us on iTunes
Daylight Savings Time and babies. Blaming grandmothers. The nature of the good rejection. The crush of work for agents. Does publishing need a rehaul? Why do publishers stay in New York, and should they leave? Plus: We want to hear your favorite opening lines to books! Links: * Christopher Priest on Wikipedia * KLANG!: A Writer's Commentary by James Priest (Kindle edition) * "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra * Eugene’s comment on opening lines from Episode 37: The One in the Park * Rate us on iTunes
Mini-tantrums! Barry proves he’s human then talks about blood in the delivery room. Raising joyful children. Cultivating unstructured play for kids. Burnout in the arts. Plus: What do The Leftovers and Younger have in common? Links: * Morgan's videogame bona fides: Super Mario Bros. * barrylyga.com: "One Year Later…" * Yahoo.com: "8 Ways to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World" * The Happy Kid Handbook: How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World by Katie Hurley | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * ArtsHub Australia: "Why We Are Burning Out in the Arts" * Penumbra/eclipse * The Girl with the Wrong Name by Barnabas Miller | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan and Barry throw a party. Leia tries sugar for the first time. The surreality of “Happy Birthday.” What should parents do when their kids want to be something crazy when they grow up? The importance of opening chapters and opening sentences, and the pressure related to them. Links: * Grillery Clinton apron * "Preparing Our Kids for Jobs That Don’t Exist Yet" * Sara’s comment on Episode 36 * Morgan is Reading A Tangle of Gold by Jaclyn Moriarty (preorder link) | Amazon | BN.com * Rate us on iTunes
Barry goes to Comic Con; Morgan does not. What happens when your personal nostalgia becomes mega-big business? Bringing babies to comic book conventions. A discussion of the awe-inspiring opening scene of season two of The Leftovers. Badass cavewomen. Barry’s billion-dollar idea. Links: * New York Comic-Con * Teen Author Reading Night at the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library * Agent Carter * Baltimore Comic Con * The Leftovers Season 2, Episode 1 (Sorry, we can't find that scene streaming anywhere. Borrow a friend's HBOGO password if you need to!) * The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Deadline.com: "Nancy Drew Drama Series In Works At CBS" * Showtime : Twin Peaks * The X-Files - TV Series News, Show Information - FOX * Wikipedia: Danny Dunn * Wikipedia: The Three Investigators * Fortune and Glory by Brian Michael Bendis | Amazon | BN.com * Rate us on iTunes
Our intrepid podcasters take a huge step as parents. Vacation Brain turns out to be Creative Brain. What do you do when you have a great idea to improve your book…that you’ve already submitted? Spouses reading each other’s email. Plus, Morgan reads a newspaper. An actual newspaper. Links: * “Shake It Off” defined 9 years before Taylor Swift’s song * Morgan is Reading: Conversion by Katherine Howe | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * New York Times: "What Happened to the Girls in Le Roy" * The Appearance of Annie van Sinderen by Katherine Howe | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is (Still) Reading: A Prayer for the City by Buzz Bissinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Barry is now a Colonel. Leia gets sick for the first time ever. Is Amy Schumer’s book deal ridiculous or merely insane? Barry’s obsession with quoting Stephen King. An insult levied at the entire movie-making and movie-loving world. And Morgan can’t stomach a book. Links: * Commonwealth of Kentucky * Kentucky Bluegrass Award * Kentucky Colonel * Barrylyga.com: "Kentucky Fried Lyga" * Healthline.com: "Myth Busters: Does Cold Weather Make You Sick?" * Amy Schumer on Last Comic Standing * Electric Lit: "Comedian Amy Schumer Lands Whopping $8-10 Million Book Deal" * Bare Bones: Conversations on Terror with Stephen King (ed. by Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller) | Amazon | BN.com * A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Goodnight Mommy trailer * Buzzfeed: "Not Here to Make Friends" by Roxane Gay * Unsoul’d by Barry Lyga | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks * Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is Reading: A Prayer for the City by Buzz Bissinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * We first talked about A Prayer for the City inEpisode 29: The One where Morgan Makes a Comic Book Reference * Rate us on iTunes
A serious episode on a weighty issue: Are authors paid enough? Should royalty rates be changed? Also: a discussion on the usefulness of social media, even if/though it doesn’t lead to (meaningful) book sales. And last but not least, we talk about Morgan’s query letter.) Links: * Publishers Weekly: "New Guild Survey Reveals Majority of Authors Earn Below Poverty Line" * Authors Guild: Legal Services * barrylyga.com: Writing Advice #29: Money * Ani DiFranco self-produces her albums * Chuck Wendig's blog: "Social Media for Writers is a Misunderstood Opportunity" * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Pocket app * Barry’s Recommended Reading: “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Neisi Coates in The Atlantic * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan’s revision saga ends….and a new one begins. It’s OK to cry. Every book is different. What’s it like for spouses to critique each other’s work? Being in denial about your own writing’s flaws. The importance of giving a story time to breathe. Plus: Leia’s up all night for some fun. (We’re up all night to get lucky.) Links: * Lucy's psychiatry booth - Peanuts Wiki * “Like Paula Cole Said” — “I Don’t Want to Wait” * Frankfurt Book Fair * New York Magazine: "Babies are Tiny Comedians" * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Dreams: when — or if — you should give up on them. The strange definition of “similar” in Hollywood and in publishing. The dream of publishing versus the reality. Is it weird to thank people for thinking your baby is adorable? Barry finally finishes writing a @&#%^$&* short story. Morgan sees the light at the end of the revision tunnel.
Links:
- "You Can’t Always Get What You Want"
- NewsfromME.com: The Unknown Assistant of Carl Barks
- PublishersWeekly.com: On Writing, Rejection, and Persistence
- NewsfromME.com: From the E-Mailbag…
- Archvillain Tumblr fandom page
- “The Truth About Dino Girl” — Barry’s most hated story, in Geektastic
- Susan May Pratt
- Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Barry’s Recommended Reading: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
The New York Times finally meets our demands. “Who knew women could write books?” Wishing your life away. Is keeping a baby alive “productive?” Leia turns ten months. Participation trophies: threat or menace? Figuring out “the twist” ahead of time. Links: * Bustle.com: "Exciting 'New York Times' Bestseller List Changes Mean Your Favorite New YA Books Are About To Get More Attention" * "You’ve come a long way, baby" * "The Times it is a-changing, part deux" -- Michael Bourret’s post on the NYT change * I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Today.com: "Steelers linebacker James Harrison won't let his kids have participation trophies" * How I Met Your Mother Season 4, Episode 19: "Murtaugh" * The Incredibles -- "Everyone is special." * Barry’s Recommended Reading: Top Ten by Alan Moore, Gene Ha, Xander Cannon | Amazon | BN.com * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
We finish (?) discussing the New York Times bestsellers list. Leia eats everything imaginable. “Lady guilt is heavy.” Parenting advice and anti-advice. High-chair condoms. Feeling like a one-hit wonder as an author. The tension between what readers like and what writers want to write. Lyga’s Law of Publishing. Links: * The NYT's Pamela Paul discusses the YA bestseller list on Twitter * Don't feed babies honey * Guardians of the Galaxy * Skip Hop Take Care Shopping Cart & High-Chair Cover * Munchkin Warm Glow Baby Wipe Warmer -- The wipes warmer Morgan had to have and never used * Friday Night Lights TV show * NPR: "Reflecting On Football And Addiction As 'Friday Night Lights' Turns 25" * Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * A Prayer for the City by H. G. Bissinger | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry's opus: "The Book that Will Kill Me" * Misery by Stephen King | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry’s Recommended Reading: The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Tiny Little Things by Beatriz Williams | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Barry tours with a movie star. Can authors write while on the road? The true authorship of Gone Girl…revealed! Leia takes her first steps toward super-model-hood. What is a good minimum for maternity leave? Plus: Some necessary follow-up on the New York Times bestsellers list…and Barry rants about the Oscars. Links: * After the Red Rain by Barry Lyga, Peter Facinelli, & Rob DeFranco | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Peter Facinelli talks After the Red Rain on Live! with Kelly and Michael * USAToday interview with Barry, Peter Facinelli, and Rob DeFranco * MTV reveals trailer for After the Red Rain * Morgan on CBS Evening News * Buzzfeed: "Netflix Announces “Unlimited” Maternity And Paternity Leave For The First Year" * The fourth trimester * FMLA * The Illuminati * RIAA: History of Gold Albums * Barry is Still Reading: The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan Recommends: Adrift by Paul Griffin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Reading: Tiny Little Things by Beatriz Williams | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Some more talk about essays and writing classes. Is there a non-jerk way to self-promote? Why are the same books recommended over and over? Plus, Barry rants about the New York Times bestsellers list…and Morgan agrees! Links: * Paul’s comment on Episode 25: "I refuse to live my life at the speed of light." * Suzanne Collins’ social media accounts * Roughly 50,000 books published in U.S. each year * Ouroboros * #quietYA -- "The YA you've never heard of." * August 9 YA bestsellers (accessed on Aug. 1) * Fiction (accessed on Aug. 1) * The Daily Beast: "Is Ted Cruz A Bestselling Author Or Isn’t He?" * Morgan is (Still) Reading: The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * New York Times: "It’s the End of the World as She Knows It" --The difference between male and female dystopia * Barry is Reading: Find Me by Laura van den Berg | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is Also Reading: The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Vaccinate your kids. Thanks, grandmothers! Barry disses personal essays and remains a man of mystery. The submission process as quantum weirdness. What kind of writing class is the best for aspiring authors? Why Morgan married Barry. Plus: Morgan's secret terror. Links: * The CDC: "Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism" * Baby Led Weaning * The Pit of Despair (a reference Morgan missed, of course) * Spine-out on Facebook * "The End of My Career" -- Barry Lyga Dot Com * Gotham Writers' Workshop * Mediabistro classes * 2016 Writer's Market Deluxe Edition * Friends: The One Where Everyone Finds Out * lukalpostophobia -- fear of the post office * Morgan is Reading: The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Everyone should be Reading: Adrift by Paul Griffin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry's tour schedule * Rate us on iTunes
Our 25th episode! Barry’s wish comes true. A discussion of authors responding to controversy on social media. Building a community vs. an audience. Should authors be held to the standards of brands and celebrities? Should authors work on stories they abandoned in the past? Does easy writing equal good writing? Leia takes her first steps. Links: * Barry is Reading: I Am the Traitor by Allen Zadoff | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Morgan is Reading: The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Strange Fruit #1 by Mark Waid & J.G. Jones | Comixology * Waid tweets: 1. https://twitter.com/MarkWaid/status/622063250243514368 2. https://twitter.com/MarkWaid/status/622062359402708992 * #HasJustineLandedYet? * Fortune: "Taylor Swift and Apple: The back story" * Rate us on iTunes
A hammock may or may not exist…and Barry may or may not be in it. Leia goes in a pool for the first time. The deadly menace of the Triple Lull. Morgan relates her tragic tale of being on submission. Also: colorful side characters, limited cursing, and Barry wishes he had a British accent. Links: + Kent’s comment on negative reviews from Episode 23 + Is Barry "gritty and crazy?" Kirkus weighs in. + Speaking of the Lull -- Episode 21: The One where Morgan Gets Her Groove Back + The Princess Bride; + Inigo faces Count Rugen (Best. Scene. Ever.) + Mrs. Weasley from Harry Potter + Friends — The One with the Embryos (a.k.a. "The One with the Trivia Contest") + The Seduction of Water by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound + Dietland by Sarai Walker | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound + Rate us on iTunes
Celebrating #MarriageEquality with some more talk about marriage, as well as an appreciation of single people. Plus: Life in the Age of Screeching, Barry rants about the future of publishing, and Morgan wants ice cream. Links: * "Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide" -- The New York Times * @kellybaden's tweet on Justice Kennedy's opening sentence * Freedom to Marry: "Marriage vs. Civil Union or Domestic Partnership" * Rebecca Traister’s tweet about single-bashing * And her article following up on it, for The Cut: "Marriage Equality Is Also a Win for Single People" * Psychology Today: "Singles are Selfish. True or False?" * Barry’s Google Hangout on Male Survivors of Sexual Assault * BarryLyga.com -- This Week in Rejection! * WiRL Episode 15: The One where Leia Flirts -- Discussion of Netflix's program to determine when people stop watching shows * "Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited completely revamps how authors get paid" -- Mashable * "Before the Hunt!" -- I Hunt Killers prequels on BarryLyga.com * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry is Reading: The Girl with the Wrong Name by Barnabas Miller (preorder links) | Amazon | BN.com |
Morgan and Barry cheat at binge-watching. The only fashion name Barry knows. Some serious discussion about writers, math, and finances. Morgan loves being married. Barry’s still reading a book he doesn’t like. Links: * Younger * Park Dietz -- Barry misremembered. Dietz had a different connection to Law & Order. But a search for the word "consultant" on the show's IMDB page brings up several legal consultants. * "U Can’t Touch This" * Alexander Hamilton’s idea that economic status can be used to compel people to do good is explained in this book. * The new $10 bill * Aziz Ansari on marriage * The marriage penalty * "Tax Day: Are You Receiving a Marriage Penalty or Bonus?" -- The New York Times * “The days are long, but the years are short.” Credit where credit's due -- it's from Gretchen Rubin. * Barry could've had a V8 * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Summer Sisters by Judy Blume | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Treat Yo’self Day * Rate us on iTunes
A brief but necessary colloquy on baby poop. The paradox that is Morgan. “How is your book coming along?” Why they got married. The horrors of The Lull and the related wisdom of Mr. Thomas Petty. And you should totally watch The Leftovers. Links: * Meghan’s comment on being a mom and finding time to write * Stephen King: The Rolling Stone Interview: King discusses writing The Tommyknockers in longhand * The Lowdown on Longhand: How Writing by Hand Benefits the Brain * Boy Toy in the New York Times * The Times is On It on Twitter * "Onwards and Upwards": The New York Times on High Buns * "Falling out of print is a book’s natural fate." -- From Teresa Nielsen Hayden's Making Light blog ("The life expectancies of books") * "Put all the wood behind one arrow" * Katniss (heroine of obscure YA dystopian series) * “The Waiting” — Tom Petty * Unsoul’d — Barry’s self-published novel * The Leftovers Season 2 teaser * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry’s Recommended Reading: "What is Code?" by Paul Ford * Rate us on iTunes
Some more discussion of the Leap. Morgan’s plans are foiled by the evil that is Microsoft copy protection. Barry’s views on #firstworldproblems. “Books happen in the time that they take.” The value of twenty minutes and the Twenty Minute Time Suck. Links: * Comments on Episode 19 -- Amanda and Paul on the Leap * Simon Cowell Offers Advice * Frank McCourt * Pomodoro Technique -- 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off * The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — "You can stand anything for 10 seconds." * Freedom.app * Instructions for blocking the internet on your router * Inertia * BookExpo: Where it’s been and where it will be * WWDC Keynote * On the Firing Line: My 500 Days at Apple by Gil Amelio & William L. Simon | Amazon | BN.com * Teen Boat! by Dave Roman and John Green (not that John Green) | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Ravencliffe by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Barry talks about making “the Leap” to full-time author ten years ago. Plus: Leia becomes a person. Links: * Morgan is a Cancer * Diamond Comic Distributors — Barry’s old gig * The Joy of Not Working by Ernie John Zelinski | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks * Free Comic Book Day * Mad Men — "Shut the Door, Have a Seat" * Kathleen Anderson — Barry’s agent * "The One Where Rachel Quits" * Kurt Cobain * The Secret * "Writing Advice #1: A Million Bad Words" -- from barrylyga.com * George Clooney on The Facts of Life * Libraries do curated personal recommended reading lists! (Thanks, Meghan!) * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan goes on a book-buying binge. Barry gets depressed by how people buy things. When do you re-read a book in lieu of reading a new one? Should you have rules for your reading life? Accounting for every second of every day in your book. Too many damn books. How a biased critique partner is useful. Our absolute best advice to new parents. Links: * Amazon v Hachette * “Effective frequency" * The Hollywood Paragraph/Elevator Pitch * Stitch Fix -- Online Personal Stylists for Women * Shark Tank * BookRiot * Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Paradise Lost by John Milton * Summer Sisters by Judy Blume | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Stephen King on scaring a reader to death * Swaddles that don't require a nursing degree * Barry’s Recommended Reading: You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Sarah Maclean * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan gets promoted. Where the heck are our listeners coming from? First time letting someone else put Leia to bed! Babies as small-talk assistants. “Where do you want to take your readers next?” Morgan gets Biblical. Going to a wedding as a married couple. The necessity of patience for parents, spouses, and writers. Barry finishes writing his book. Links: * Khaleesi -- Game of Thrones Wiki * Selina Meyer -- VEEP on HBO * Tweet from Per * Per Degaton * Mickey Spillane * John Updike * Sleep No More * Ep. 14: The One about Routines * "Every Day is a Disaster" by Laura June * "Every Day is (Not) a Disaster" -- Barry's response * Eeyore * "The One with Russ" -- Friends Wikia * House of Cards Season 3 * Do you let readers affect your writing? -- Ep. 15: The One where Leia Flirts * Morgan’s Recommended Reading: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Barry’s Recommended Reading: I Am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
A sudden baby! Empathy for other parents…or not. The importance of downtime vs. the importance of productivity. “Musing on the Kinship of Motherhood” — Morgan’s new band. Signal vs. noise related to life experiences and writing. Help choose Barry’s hobby! Links: * Southern Charm * Biography -- Barry Lyga Dot Com * Morgan’s Twitter bio * Barry’s Twitter bio * The Twelve Tribes of Israel * Black-ish Season 1, Episode 3: "The Nod" * "Here Is What a Hard-Working, Overachieving Person’s Day Looks Like" -- Jezebel.com post * “Whiteboard” — Episode 15: The One Where Leia Flirts * Routines — Episode 14: The One about Routines * "Dear Moms: We Are All Fine" -- Morgan’s post on Medium * “Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days.” -- Flannery O'Connor (Manners and Mystery) * Love & Hate: Copyediting -- Barry Lyga Dot Com * Barry's Recommended Reading: The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * The Leftovers TV show * "Leftovers Shakes Up Supporting Cast For Season 2 As Series Moves To New Locale" * After the Red Rain * Morgan's Recommended Reading: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie & Alyssa Sheinmel | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * The Haunting of Sunshine Girl on YouTube * Rate us on iTunes
The winner of the first WiRL contest! Some necessary followup discussion on the nature of writing routines. Morgan wakes up early. Introducing Lyga’s Axiom. Morgan needs a whiteboard. How copyedits make you feel stupid. Barry is reading a lot…but can’t talk about any of it. Links: * Barry and Morgan get shamed on Twitter * ARC Contest -- Episode 12: The One where They Go on a Date * After the Red Rain ARC Twitter contest * Sara’s comment on routines -- Episode 14: The One about Routines * Writing Advice #43: My Method -- Barry's BLog on how he used to write books * Rules for Writing Multiple Books at Once * How Netflix is turning viewers into puppets -- Salon.com * Do not go gentle into that good night… * Kindle Public Notes * He-Man Woman Haters Club -- Our Gang * Housewitch by Katie Schickel | Amazon | BN.com | iBooks | Indiebound * Piper Center Your Novel Year -- Arizona State University * Rate us on iTunes
Routines for raising a baby, writing books, and — possibly — staying sane. Bringing gifts to babies. Daycare’s pluses and minuses. Plus: Could you be the next Paul??? Links: * Houghton Mifflin Buys Scholastic’s Ed Tech Business for $575 Million -- Why Morgan had to be at work at 6am * "What am I, a farmer?" * The result of Barry waking Leia in the morning * Home Alone * Ross & Monica do "the Routine" * Sleep sack * Picture of Morgan’s desk * Wealth without Risk — budgeting and dieting/short-term vs. long-term rewards * "The Secret to My Success" -- Barry’s breakfast blog * Lions Pride Luncheon -- Morgan's twin wins an award! * Guilt — Episode 13 * I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Barry's recommended reading: Adrift by Paul Griffin | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Blurb discussion -- Episode 8 * PW Best Books for Summer 2015 * Morgan's recommended reading: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Win a signed ARC of After the Red Rain -- Episode 12 * Rate us on iTunes
Guilt! What is it good for? (Say it again.) Babies need down time. Morgan works on her book! Barry works on his book! Huzzah! Being productive in a short amount of time. Writers writing about writers. Reading marathons vs. sprints. The utility of critique groups. Plus: Morgan reads Barry’s upcoming book. Links: * Go-Pod * Bumbo Seat * Hillary Clinton: “Talk to your baby” * Daredevil * The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl -- Barry's first book about a writer * Unsoul’d -- Barry's second book about a writer * Henry David Thoreau: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." * Stephen King's Misery * Michael Chabon's Wonder Boys * Morgan hates the MTA -- Episode 8: "The One that is “An Astonishing Achievement in Podcasting!” — Jimmy Podcaster" * Gordon Korman * After the Red Rain -- preorder! * Win an ARC of After the Red Rain -- Episode 12, "The One where They Go on a Date" * Discussing when to quit a book -- Episode 9: "The One with the Favors" * Walt Whitman: "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." * Famous Last Words by Katie Alender | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Putting in a twist to distract readers from another twist * I Hunt Killers * Rate us on iTunes
Morgan is back at work full-time. “It’s only Tuesday.” Morgan and Barry go out to dinner. The first official WiRL giveaway! #excuses How do you plan goals for a revision? When do you discard your editor’s advice? Plus: Leia reasserts her control over the household. Links: * Clifford the Big Red Dog * Mr. Mom * "A Good Nap, Spoiled" * Literally * Dessert * After the Red Rain * Writing Advice #51: Revision Strategy * Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire * Blythewood by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Ravencliffe by Carol Goodman | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Barry admits to a mistake. Everyone is sick and everything sucks. Let’s go to the emergency room! Not letting your baby look at electronic screens…except for when you do. Deep influences. Sesame Street vs. Children of the Corn. Limping along in your writing. Morgan gets real about being a working mom. Links: * Samuel Johnson tries to save a life * "What a drag it is getting old..." -- "Mother's Little Helper," The Rolling Stones * Morgan’s blog post on returning to work full-time * "if you try sometimes you might just find/You get what you need" -- "You Can't Always Get What You Want," The Rolling Stones * David Lynch leaves Twin Peaks * X-Files returns * Children of the Corn * Lennie Briscoe * Chicago Tribune: "Making time for kids? Study says quality trumps quantity" * Narrowcasting * TGIF * Melissa Walker * Those Girls by Lauren Saft | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * The Good Lie by Robin Brande | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound * Rate us on iTunes
Parenting achievement unlocked: Brunch with friends in the city with the baby. Milestones for writers published and unpublished. Defining “cruising along.” Morgan’s rockin’ Saturday night. When to give up on the book you’re writing. Barry announces a new book. Morgan adds to her online portfolio. How much of your first draft ends up in the final draft? Links:
- Barry’s blog on revision
- Second gear
- Bluetooth speaker for your shower
- Barry announces The Secret Sea
- Barry becomes a New York Times bestselling author
- Barry’s blog about faith and vision
- Morgan’s appearance on AOL BUILD
- Not Twain, Johnson: “Depend upon it, Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”
- Morgan is a Cancer
- Hero-Type
- The Walls Between Us by Nova Ren Suma | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
- Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender & Rick Tetzeli | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
- Rate us on iTunes
