Fable & The Verbivore: Recent Episodes
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
This episode serves as a sort of post mortem in real time of Fable’s recent experience teaming up with another author to create an anthology that included work from many other authors. In this conversation, she shares experiences and lessons learned, different ways of looking at things that have helped her navigate challenges that arose, and new practices that she intends to lean on if she does any future anthology projects. But, also, this conversation can be useful for those considering participating in future anthologies and those thinking of leading them to look at the experience from both perspectives, and find ways to help strengthen the initial handshake at the beginning of a project so that expectations are as clear and well communicated as possible.
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Becca is an award-winning middle grade author of the Road Trip Rescue adventure series, editor and book coach, and active member of the Instagram writing community. She and fellow author Amanda Trumpower recently premiered their podcast Ice Cream with Authors made especially for children ages 7 through 13 that features interviews with Christian middle grade writers where they read from their work, share about their stories, and give practical writing advice.
The third book in her “Road Trip Rescue” series titled Road Trip Redemption is set to release on April 9th, 2025.
You can connect with Becca’s work and connect with her on her author website beccawierwille.com, on YouTube at @BeccaWierwille, on Instagram at@beccawierwille, on Facebook at @beccawierwille, and on Twitter at @BeccaWierwille.
Becca also mentions her cover designer M. S. Corley. More information on his designs can be found on his website at mscorley.com.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
- Road Trip Rescue by Becca Wierwille
- Road Trip Return by Becca Wierwille
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here is the previous podcast episodes where we talked about “The Lost Art of Dying” and intuitive creation:
- Episode 258: Death, Poetry, and Light
- Episode 262: Vision Board Update
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom by L.S. Dugdale
- Pity the Reader: On Writing With Style by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here is the previous podcast episodes where we talked about Fable’s vision board:
- Episode 260: Words for 2025
The MasterClass we talked about is Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry.
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We don’t have the specific quote that Fable was thinking of in regards to the value that making small decisions and working with your hands has on your brain and creativity, but here are several articles about their benefits:
-
Medium Article “The Power of Small Choices: How Small Decisions Create Big Wins”
-
New York Times article “Working with Your Hands is Good for Your Brain”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are the previous end of year review and new year intention setting podcast episodes:
-
Episode 259: 2024 Recap
-
Episode 220: Our words and intentions for 2024
-
Episode 219: Our 2023 Recap
-
Episode 171: Look out 2023
-
Episode 170: Looking back of 2022
-
Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions
-
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
-
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
-
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
-
Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year
-
Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New Year
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are the previous end of year review and new year intention setting podcast episodes:
-
Episode 220: Our words and intentions for 2024
-
Episode 219: Our 2023 Recap
-
Episode 171: Look out 2023
-
Episode 170: Looking back of 2022
-
Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions
-
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
-
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
-
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
-
Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year
-
Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New Year
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There by Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein - https://www.amazon.com/Look-Again-Power-Noticing-Always/dp/1668008203/
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references several YouTube videos within this episode. They are:
-
Creating a Mood with Light - Inside Pixar: Foundations - Episodes - their lighting department; How they use light to tell the story
-
“Psychology of a Hero: THÉODEN, King of Rohan” by Cinema Therapy
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom by L.S. Dugdale
- House of Light by Mary Oliver
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore continue their conversation about sticky Images and surprising details by doing an on-the-fly thought experiment about how to take something normal (like brushing teeth or gargling) and make it surprising or memorable. This idea was originally inspired from the episode on preparing for conferences or book signings using the anecdote that author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) brings plastic severed mannequin arms to set out on his table and give out to attendees. It’s weird and creepy, but does a great job of representing his brand.
Books, Films, and Music Mentioned:
New Girl Season 2
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore continue their conversation about preparing for conferences and book signings by discussing how sticky Images and surprising details can help your work feel distinctive and stand out. This idea was inspired by the annecdote from last weeks episode that author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) brings plastic severed mannequin arms to give out at conferences and book signings.
The Verbivore incorrectly calls Blue Eye Samurai a film. It’s a tv series.
Books, Films, and Music Mentioned:
- BREAD by Sofi Tukker
- So Not Meant To Be (Cane Brothers, #2) by Meghan Quinn
- Get Out - Directed by Jordan Peele
- Signs - Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
- Identity - Directed by James Mangold
- Blue Eye Samurai - Directed by Jane Wu
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable talks about preparing to go to her first conference and book signing and the Verbivore offers some ideas gleaned from her experience at workshops and signings at Phoenix Comicon and other professional conferences.
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable talks about the cover design process for a gothic novel that she (under a pen name) and a co-auther are in the process of preparing for self publication.
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Marriage Hex by Sarah Blue
- Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes by Rayne Hall
- Writing Scary Scenes: Professional Techniques for Thrillers, Horror and Other Exciting Fiction by Rayne Hall
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life by Julia Cameron
- Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim
- The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World by Haemin Sunim
- Sweatpants & Coffee: Affirmations for Anxiety Blobs (Like You and Me): Gentle thoughts to keep you centered, focused and hopeful for the days ahead by Nanea Hoffman
- House Beautiful Style 101: 400 Designer Secrets to a Beautiful Home by Lisa Cregan
- The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
- Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
- Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman
- Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Wind in the Willows: Illustrated Classic by Kenneth Grahame
- The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks
- The Imagineering Story (2019 Documentary Series) - Directed by Leslie Iwerks
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about how we naturally become habituated to our lives and the idea of dishabituation as a way to keep life fresh and us noticing the good things that are there. This GQ article titled “Why We Get Bored of the Best Things in Life—and How to Fight It” is a pretty good overview and references the book Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There by Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein
In this episode, we reference back to a number of episodes over our almost five years of podcasting. Here are a few:
-
Episode 146: Marvel Character Dynamics with MJ McGriff
-
Episode 147: Marvel's WandaVision with K.T. Anglehart
-
Episode 197: Lord of the Rings Character panel discussion w/ Kieran (Kate) Lamoureux and Stephanie Ascough
-
Episode 75: Interview with Tiffany Clarke Harrison (part 1)
-
Episode 76: Interview with Tiffany Clarke Harrison (part 2)
-
Episode 51: Already Worthy, Already Loved
-
Episode 66: Let's talk about Caraval
-
Episode 45: The Hate U Give Discussion
-
Episode 95: Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
-
Episode 241: Diversity in Six of Crows
-
Episode 30: Break out of the box with your writing
-
Episode 58: Let's talk about Mexican Gothic
-
Episode 131: Jurassic Park
-
Episode 79: Let's talk about craft books
-
Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy
-
Episode 72: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy (part 2)
-
Episode 15: How to write great romantic chemistry
-
Episode 16: Writing romantic chemistry part 2
-
Episode 211: Rating our Writing
-
Episode 215: Things We're Learning About Our Writing
We also touch on the authors that we’ve interviewed and connected with over the course of the podcast and how positive those conversations have been. Here is a link to those episodes:
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/category/interview
And here are some of our other milestone celebration episodes:
-
Episode 200: Sticking with things
-
Episode 150: Hooray for 150 episodes!
-
Episode 100: Celebrate and Reflect
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Write Naked: A Bestseller's Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success By Jennifer Probst (Author); Christina Lauren (Foreward)
- 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing (Updated): Proven Professional Techniques for Writing with Style and Power by Gary Provost
- My Lady Jane (Season 1) - Directed by Jamie Babbitt; Stefan Schwartz
- Inside Pixar (Season 1, 2020)
- House Beautiful Colors for Your Home Expanded Edition: 493 Designer Favorites by House Beautiful (Editor)
- The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks
- The Imagineering Story (2019 Documentary Series) - Directed by Leslie Iwerks
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
During this conversation, Fable shares information about the resource Kindlepreneur, which is run by Dave Chesson and information can be found on the Kindlepreneur.com website and @Kindlepreneur YouTube channel.
The specific Kindleprenuer YouTube video she references is “KDP Termination Problem (AI Content?)”
and the Kindleprenuer article “Amazon KDP Account Suspension: Causes, Prevention, and Solutions” digs a little further into this issue with additional advice and tips. He also suggests reading through Amazon’s Metadata Guidelines for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to familiarize yourself with the detailed guidelines.
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore shares Trent Reznor’s story with NIN that helped inform a part of the storyline for the movie Soul. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross composed the score along with John Batiste who created the jazz compositions. That story came from an interview clip mentioned in Lessons From the Screenplay’s YouTube Video “The Soul of Good Character Design”
The Verbivore mentions the story of Stephen King’s Misery and how he realized after the fact his subconscious mind was trying to tell himself something about his own addiction (as mentioned in his book On Writing). The BookRiot Article “Writing and Addiction in Stephen King’s MISERY” also references this idea.
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Soul - Directed by Pete Docter
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore shares several affirmations from Julia Cameron’s Transitions. The quote she read is:
- “When the mind becomes quiet, you feel nourished.” - Swami Chidvilasananda (Page 77)
The Verbivore paraphrases a line from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. That actual line is: “I want to be a part of the people that make meaning. Not the thing that's made.”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life by Julia Cameron
- The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Austenland - Directed by Jerusha Hess
- Barbie - Directed by Greta Gerwig
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
- The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
- Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection by Haemin Sunim
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Though we don’t directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:
Episode 31: Writing diverse characters
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
Episode 202: Language affects perception
Episode 239: Writing with Disabilities
Episode 240: Writing Characters with Disabilities
Episode 241: Diversity in Six of Crows
As part of this discussion series, we use this definition of embodying:
- “To give a concrete form to; To express, personify, or exemplify; To make corporeal, to give body to a spirit, or to incorporate.”
Here are a few articles and videos we consulted in preparation for this series of episodes:
-
Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination Masterclass Video “3. Memory, Truth, and Imagination”
-
TedEd Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson”
-
Diane Callahan Quotidian Video “Writing Fiction with Emotional Honesty”
-
Jericho Writers Article “Emotions In Writing: How To Make Your Readers Feel”
-
Writers Helping Writers Website & “https://onestopforwriters.com/thesaurus”
-
LitHub.com Article “Nicola Griffith on Writing Immersive Historical Fiction”
-
Writer’s Digest Article “The Journey of Character Creation: How Trauma and Empathy Inspire Fiction”
-
The Guardian Article “Character building and what makes a truly great actor”
-
Arts.ac.uk Article “Techniques: Get audition ready- Embody a character”
-
Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy
-
GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”
-
Linda S. Clare Article “Writing with Empathy”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actorsby Brandilyn Collins
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Though we don’t directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:
Episode 31: Writing diverse characters
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
Episode 202: Language affects perception
Episode 239: Writing with Disabilities
Episode 240: Writing Characters with Disabilities
Episode 241: Diversity in Six of Crows
As part of this discussion, we use this definition of embodying:
- “To give a concrete form to; To express, personify, or exemplify; To make corporeal, to give body to a spirit, or to incorporate.”
Here are a few articles and videos we consulted in preparation for this episode:
-
Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination Masterclass Video “3. Memory, Truth, and Imagination”
-
TedEd Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson”
-
Diane Callahan Quotidian Video “Writing Fiction with Emotional Honesty”
-
Jericho Writers Article “Emotions In Writing: How To Make Your Readers Feel”
-
Writers Helping Writers Website & “https://onestopforwriters.com/thesaurus”
-
LitHub.com Article “Nicola Griffith on Writing Immersive Historical Fiction”
-
Writer’s Digest Article “The Journey of Character Creation: How Trauma and Empathy Inspire Fiction”
-
The Guardian Article “Character building and what makes a truly great actor”
-
Arts.ac.uk Article “Techniques: Get audition ready- Embody a character”
-
Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy
-
GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”
-
Linda S. Clare Article “Writing with Empathy”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition)by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman
- The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Though we don’t directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:
-
Episode 31: Writing diverse characters
-
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
-
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
-
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
-
Episode 202: Language affects perception
-
Episode 239: Writing with Disabilities
-
Episode 240: Writing Characters with Disabilities
As part of this discussion, we use the CDC’s definition:
-
“A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”
-
“There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person’s: Vision, Movement, Thinking, Remembering, Learning, Communicating, Hearing, Mental health, and Social relationships.”
-
“Although ‘people with disabilities’ sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see.”
Here are a few articles we consulted in preparation for this series:
-
DisabilityinKidLit.com Article “Interview with Leigh Bardugo about Six of Crows”
-
CDC Disability and Health Overview Website - “What is a Disability?”
-
ADA (Information, Guidelines, and Training on the Americans w/ Disabilities Act) Website Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities
-
NEA.org Article “What to Know About Invisable Disibilities”
-
PenguinRandomHouse.com Article “Beloved Book Characters With Disabilities”
-
TheGuardian.com Article “The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can’t kill off this ugly trope”
-
DiverseBooks.org Article “How Stories About Disability Help Create Empathy”
-
Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy
-
GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”
-
BookRiot.com Article “On Imperfect Representation vs. No Representation”
-
TheMighty.com Article “8 Movie Characters That Show These 6 Classic PTSD Symptoms”
-
TheMighty.com 22 Fictional Characters People w/ Anxiety Relate To
-
Modcast.blog Article “Ranked: Deaf Characters in Fiction”
-
Yahoo Insider Article “'Bridgerton' fans are praising the disability representation in season 3, including an 'autistic-coded' character”
-
DisabilityHorizons.com Article “20 books with a disabled character as the lead or focus of the story”
-
BurlingtonCountyTimes.com Article “Dyspraxia, Daredevil and disabilities in fiction”
-
LaneWilliam.wordpress.com Article “Disabled Characters Who Rock”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Though we don’t directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:
-
Episode 31: Writing diverse characters
-
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
-
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
-
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
-
Episode 202: Language affects perception
As part of this discussion, we use the CDC’s definition:
-
“A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”
-
“There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person’s: Vision, Movement, Thinking, Remembering, Learning, Communicating, Hearing, Mental health, and Social relationships.”
-
“Although ‘people with disabilities’ sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see.”
Here are a few articles we consulted in preparation for this series:
-
CDC Disability and Health Overview Website - “What is a Disability?”
-
ADA (Information, Guidelines, and Training on the Americans w/ Disabilities Act) Website Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities
-
NEA.org Article “What to Know About Invisable Disabilities”
-
PenguinRandomHouse.com Article “Beloved Book Characters With Disabilities”
-
TheGuardian.com Article “The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can’t kill off this ugly trope”
-
DiverseBooks.org Article “How Stories About Disability Help Create Empathy”
-
Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy
-
GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”
-
BookRiot.com Article “On Imperfect Representation vs. No Representation”
-
TheMighty.com Article “8 Movie Characters That Show These 6 Classic PTSD Symptoms”
-
TheMighty.com 22 Fictional Characters People w/ Anxiety Relate To
-
Modcast.blog Article “Ranked: Deaf Characters in Fiction”
-
Yahoo Insider Article “'Bridgerton' fans are praising the disability representation in season 3, including an 'autistic-coded' character”
-
DisabilityHorizons.com Article “20 books with a disabled character as the lead or focus of the story”
-
BurlingtonCountyTimes.com Article “Dyspraxia, Daredevil and disabilities in fiction”
-
LaneWilliam.wordpress.com Article “Disabled Characters Who Rock”
In this series, the Verbivore talks about her experience with learning about dyspraxia and mentions that she’d never even heard the word until several years ago and that it’s a type of neurodivergence that’s not as well known. Here are some of the resources that she‘s found helpful in her journey:
-
Dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Article “Dyspraxia at a glance”
-
YouTube Video "Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity”
-
YouTube Video “Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool”
-
Attitudemag.com article “What is Dyspraxia? Clumsy Child Syndrome”
-
TheUnwritten.co.uk article “How the Media Discusses Daniel Radcliffe’s Dyspraxia is Outdated and Damaging”
If you’d like to learn more about neurodiversity, here are a few articles and videos to get you started:
-
ChildMind.org Article “What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent?”
-
MedicalNewsToday.com Article “What to know about autism in girls”
-
PsychCentral.com Article “Masking in Autism: The ‘Why’ Matters”
-
Ted-Ed Video “What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley”
-
YouTube Video “Autism is a difference, not a disorder | Katie Forbes | TEDxAberdeen”
-
YouTube Video “Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Though we don’t directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:
-
Episode 31: Writing diverse characters
-
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
-
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
-
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
-
Episode 202: Language affects perception
As part of this discussion, we use the CDC’s definition:
-
“A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”
-
“There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person’s: Vision, Movement, Thinking, Remembering, Learning, Communicating, Hearing, Mental health, and Social relationships.”
-
“Although ‘people with disabilities’ sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see.”
Here are a few articles we consulted in preparation for this series:
-
CDC Disability and Health Overview Website - “What is a Disability?”
-
ADA (Information, Guidelines, and Training on the Americans w/ Disabilities Act) Website Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities
-
NEA.org Article “What to Know About Invisable Disabilities”
The Verbivore talks about her experience with learning about dyspraxia and mentions that she’d never even heard the word until several years ago and that it’s a type of neurodivergence that’s not as well known. Here are some of the resources that she‘s found helpful in her journey:
-
Dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Article “Dyspraxia at a glance”
-
YouTube Video "Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity”
-
YouTube Video “Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool”
-
Attitudemag.com article “What is Dyspraxia? Clumsy Child Syndrome”
-
TheUnwritten.co.uk article “How the Media Discusses Daniel Radcliffe’s Dyspraxia is Outdated and Damaging”
If you’d like to learn more about neurodiversity, here are a few articles and videos to get you started:
-
ChildMind.org Article “What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent?”
-
MedicalNewsToday.com Article “What to know about autism in girls”
-
PsychCentral.com Article “Masking in Autism: The ‘Why’ Matters”
-
Ted-Ed Video “What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley”
-
YouTube Video “Autism is a difference, not a disorder | Katie Forbes | TEDxAberdeen”
-
YouTube Video “Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Scent of Us: Part One by Eliana Lee
- Right Man, Right Time (The Agitators Series) by Meghan Quinn
- Gold & Shadow: A Sweet & Spicy Goldilocks Retelling (Enchanted Hearts) by Madeleine Eliot
- Blood & Roses: A Sweet & Spicy Snow White Retelling (Enchanted Hearts) by Madeleine Eliot
- Foundation by Apple TV+ - Inspired by Isaac Asimov’s Novels
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Bride by Ali Hazelwood
- That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
- Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
- Gentle Writing Advice: How to Be a Writer Without Destroying Yourself by Chuck Wendig
- The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
- How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell
- Writing from the Body: For writers, artists and dreamers who long to free their voice by John Lee and Ceci Miller-Kritsberg
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Brown and Dave King
- Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott
- Oppenheimer - Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - Created by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We reference a couple past episodes from the Fable and the Verbivore podcast. They are:
-
Episode 84: The emotional side of querying
-
Episode 211: Rating our Writing
-
Episode 231: The Benefits of Pen Names
-
Episode 232: Branding Part 1
-
Episode 233: Branding Part 2, Fable's Branding
-
Episode 234: Branding Part 3, Verbivore Branding
-
Episode 235: Traditional Publishing Contracts & Things People Don't Talk About
Here are several resources referenced in this episode:
-
ProWritingAid.com
-
PublisherRocket.com
-
Kindle Unlimited rules and requirements
-
Kindle Direct Publishing Rules
-
IngramSparks Rules
Books Mentioned:
- How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We reference a couple past episodes from the Fable and the Verbivore podcast. They are:
-
Episode 84: The emotional side of querying
-
Episode 211: Rating our Writing
-
Episode 231: The Benefits of Pen Names
-
Episode 232: Branding Part 1
-
Episode 233: Branding Part 2, Fable's Branding
Here are several resources referenced in this episode:
-
ManuscriptWishlist.com - Find Editors + Agents
-
QueryManager.com - Agent Users List
-
MasterClass Article “How to Find a Literary Agent: 3 Tips for Finding an Agent”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Write a Query Letter an Agent Will Read in 9 Steps”
-
The Authors Guild Article “An Author’s Guide to Agency Agreements”
-
YouTube Video Literary Agent Piers Blofeld “How to get a literary agent - in (almost) five minutes”
-
YouTube Video Literary Agent Piers Blofeld “The 5 types of rejection (and what to make of them)”
-
Books and Such Literary Management Blog “What to Look for in an Agent’s Contract”
-
Books and Such Literary Management Blog “Why a Bad Agent is Worse Than No Agent”
-
Publisher’s Weekly Article “Authors Demand Better Treatment from Albert Whitman & Co.”
-
Publisher’s Weekly Article “New Leaf Literary & Media Faces Backlash After Dropping Authors”
-
Writers Beware Article “Call For Change: Current and Former New Leaf Literary & Media Authors Speak Out”
Books Mentioned:
- How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We reference a couple past episodes from the Fable and the Verbivore podcast. They are:
-
Episode 211: Rating our Writing
-
Episode 231: The Benefits of Pen Names
-
Episode 232: Branding Part 1
-
Episode 233: Branding Part 2, Fable's Branding
Here are a couple resources referenced in this series of episodes on author brands:
-
Techtarget.com Definition of Brand: “A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name, its qualities and personality.”
-
The Verbivore references Kris Jenner’s MasterClass on “The Power of Personal Branding”, especially episode 2 “Create Your Personal Branding Story”
-
WritersDigest.com Article “3 Ways to Find Your Book's Unique Selling Proposition”
-
Forbes.com Articles “What is a Brand, Anyway?”, “The Importance of Being First”, and “Brand New Profits”
-
Ramotion.com Article “Brand Attributes Examples & List for Understanding”
-
Publishdrive.com Article “6 Effective Ways to Build an Author Brand”
-
TheBookDesigner.com Article “Author Branding: What’s Your Author Brand?”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We reference a couple past episodes from the Fable and the Verbivore podcast. They are:
-
Episode 211: Rating our Writing
-
Episode 231: The Benefits of Pen Names
-
Episode 232: Branding Part 1
Here are a couple resources referenced in this series of episodes on author brands:
-
Techtarget.com Definition of Brand: “A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name, its qualities and personality.”
-
The Verbivore references Kris Jenner’s MasterClass on “The Power of Personal Branding”, especially episode 2 “Create Your Personal Branding Story”
-
WritersDigest.com Article “3 Ways to Find Your Book's Unique Selling Proposition”
-
Forbes.com Articles “What is a Brand, Anyway?”, “The Importance of Being First”, and “Brand New Profits”
-
Ramotion.com Article “Brand Attributes Examples & List for Understanding”
-
Publishdrive.com Article “6 Effective Ways to Build an Author Brand”
-
TheBookDesigner.com Article “Author Branding: What’s Your Author Brand?”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We reference a past episode from the Fable and the Verbivore podcast. That is:
- Episode 231: The Benefits of Pen Names
Here are a couple resources mentioned in today’s episode:
-
Techtarget.com Definition of Brand: “A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name, its qualities and personality.”
-
The Verbivore references Kris Jenner’s MasterClass on “The Power of Personal Branding”, especially episode 2 “Create Your Personal Branding Story”
-
WritersDigest.com Article “3 Ways to Find Your Book's Unique Selling Proposition”
-
Forbes.com Articles “What is a Brand, Anyway?”, “The Importance of Being First”, and “Brand New Profits”
-
Ramotion.com Article “Brand Attributes Examples & List for Understanding”
-
Publishdrive.com Article “6 Effective Ways to Build an Author Brand”
-
TheBookDesigner.com Article “Author Branding: What’s Your Author Brand?”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are a couple resources mentioned in today’s episode:
-
The Verbivore references author Jenna Moreci’s YouTube video essay “My Book was Pirated on Amazon” about how her work was sold by an account that was not hers on Amazon and how she addressed it.
-
Fable recommends the site Kindlepreneur.com for information on self-publishing, logistics and forms for setting up a LLC, and different state laws.
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We’ve done a previous Fable and the Verbivore conversation on the subject of writing craft books. That episode is here:
- Episode 79: Let's talk about craft books
The Verbivore references several YouTube video essays, interviews, websites, and articles as part of the free resources she loves. They are:
YouTube TedEd Writers Workshop Playlist - Favorites include: How to Make Your Writing More Suspenseful by Victoria Smith | Titan of terror: the dark imagination of H.P. Lovecraft - Silvia Moreno-García | How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson
YouTube Ted Talks on Writing Playlist - Favorites include: Your elusive creative genius: Elizabeth Gilbert | The mystery of storytelling: Julian Friedmann | The clues to a great story: Andrew Stanton
Diane Callahan - Quotidian Writer YouTube Channel- Favorites include: How to Title Your Novel: The Complete Writing Guide
Like Stories of Old YouTube Channel - Favorites include: Lighting the Beacons, and Other Perfect Movie Metaphors
Actors on Actors Playlist by Variety - Favorites include: Cilian Murphy & Margot Robbie | Greta Lee & Andrew Scott
Directors on Directors Playlist by Variety
Favorite Websites
- Writers Helping Writers& One Stop for Writers- Searching emotion thesaurus by topic and writing craft blog
- MasterClass.com Articles - Use key words to find a plethora of well written articles on a specific writing related topics or click “Writing” button to bring up all of their craft articles
- WritersDigest.com - Thoughtful and well researched articles on the writing craft for a variety of stages of writing
- Reedsy.com blog - Useful and in depth articles on a variety of writing craft related subjects
- LitHub - Honest interview essays from writers on their experiences and process
Books Mentioned:
- Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
- How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell
- Gentle Writing Advice: How to Be a Writer Without Destroying Yourself by Chuck Wendig
- Ten Things About Writing: Build Your Story, One Word at a Time by Joanne Harris
- Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets A Novelist Can Learn From Actors by Brandilyn Collins
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, Fable references a debut book that she just recently read for author [insert] and is currently obsessed with even in its beta form. You can find information on this book on her instagram account @[insert].
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
- Tiger by the Tail: A Creatures & Coding Novel by Rhea Fox
- Her Soul to Take: A Paranormal Dark Academia Romance by Harley Leroux
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Frankly in Love by David Yoon
- Loathe at First Sight: A Novel by Suzanne Park
- The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
- A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
- Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood
- The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Directed by Francis Lawrence
- Wednesday Season 1 - Directed by Tim Burton
- The Queen’s Gambit - Directed by Scott Frank
- Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story - Directed by Tom Verica
- The Marvels - Directed by Nia DaCosta
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Katee is an active and encouraging member of the Instagram writing community. We connected with her on social media through her Flash Fiction Magic stories, candid posts about her writing life, and beautiful visuals. As she notes on her website, she specializes in writing speculative fiction that moves the soul.
Her debut novel Glass Helix was released on September 4th, 2023. It’s a YA dystopian romance set within a future world where a genetic revolution has backfired, leaving the people significantly weakened. The story is centered on Khai who escapes from the Research Center where he’s been tested on, into the wilderness and finds that he suddenly is able to heal others. But all is not what it appears and in returning home, he finds his best friend Mae no longer remembers him. The prologue for Glass Helix can be found here on Katee’s website.
Her next project is the first book in an adult fantasy duology called Of Earth and Sky titled Earthbound, which is set to release in September of ‘24.
You can connect with Katee on her author website KateeStein.com, on Instagram at@katee.stein, on Facebook at @Katee.steinauthor, and on Twitter at @kaiterest.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Glass Helix by Katee Stein
- The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R Tolkien
- Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
- Magnusby Sigmund Brouwer
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
- Gold & Shadow: A Sweet & Spicy Goldilocks Retelling (Enchanted Hearts Book 1) by Madeleine Eliot
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Directed by Gareth Edwards
- The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
- Magnus Chase and and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan
- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
- Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
- Loki: Season 1 - Directed Kate Herron
- Everything, Everywhere, All at Once - Directed by Daniel Scheinert & Daniel Kwan
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
We referenced several videos and articles for this conversation. Here they are:
-
YouTube Video “Morally Grey - April Jai (Lyric Video)”
-
YouTube Video “The Dark Knight - Some Men Just Want To Watch the World Burn Scene”
-
Campfirewriting.com “Morally Grey Characters: What Are They & How to Write Them - Amanda Jones”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Dark Knight Trilogy - Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Nocticadia: A Dark Academia Gothic Romance by Keri Lake and Julie Belfield
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
- Thor - Directed by Kenneth Branagh
- The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn
- The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
- Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We open by talking about trilogy and writing an ending that feels authentic to your book even if it may be difficult for your audience using Veronica Roth’s Allegiant. Here’s an article where she talks about her ending:
- Salon.com Veronica Roth Article “I killed the beloved hero of my books, and reader reactions were intense. Would I do it again?” - https://www.salon.com/2021/06/05/i-killed-the-beloved-hero-of-my-books-and-reader-reactions-were-intense-would-i-do-it-again/
Here is our other conversation within this series:
-
Episode 218: Writing and Reading Book Series
-
Episode 221: Writing and Reading Standalones
Books Mentioned:
- Divergent Series by Veronic Roth
- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
- Caraval Trilogy by Stephanie Garber
- The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
- The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski
- The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Directed by Peter Jackson
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We open by talking about writing and reading a duology vs. series vs. a standalone book. Here’s an article that breaks down the difference:
- The Creative Penn Article “What Are You Writing? (Standalone, Series or Serial) And How Long Should It Be? (Novel, Short Story, Novella)”
The Verbivore mentions Pixar’s Storytelling Rules. The rule is: “Number 7 - Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.” Here is a link to them:
- Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling
Here is our other conversation within this series:
-
Episode 218: Writing and Reading Book Series
-
Episode 221: Writing and Reading Standalones
Books Mentioned:
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
- We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
- We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal
- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
- The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We open by talking about the pros and cons between writing and reading a series vs. a standalone book. Here’s an article that breaks down the difference:
- The Creative Penn Article “What Are You Writing? (Standalone, Series or Serial) And How Long Should It Be? (Novel, Short Story, Novella)”
Here is our other conversation within this series:
- Episode 218: Writing and Reading Book Series
Books Mentioned:
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
- Stardust by Neil Gaiman
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- Interworld by Neil Gaiman
- Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman
- Elevation by Stephen King
- The Beautiful Ones by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
- Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
- Certain Dark Things by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
- Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Night Circus by Erin Mortgenstern
-
Cruel Beauty by Rosamond Hodge
-
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
-The Count of Monte Cristoby Akexandre Dumas
- The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We referenced several articles for this conversation. Here they are:
-
Tina Fey’s Rules of Improvisation
-
NPR article “Improv Can Build Confidence Heres How to Apply it to Your Everyday Life”
We also touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
-
Episode 171: Look out 2023
-
Episode 170: Looking back of 2022
-
Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions
-
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
-
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
-
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
-
Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year
-
Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New Year
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 171: Look out 2023
-
Episode 170: Looking back of 2022
-
Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions
-
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
-
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
-
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
-
Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year
-
Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New Year
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore opens by talking about three different types of series. Those breakdowns came from this article:
- Reedsy Article “How to Write a Series: 5 Fundamental Tips for Expanding Your Story”
Books Mentioned:
- A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set (Song of Ice and Fire Series) by George R. R. Martin
- Harry Potter Book Set by J. K. Rowling
- A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
- Bridgerton Family Series Collection 1-9 Books Set by Julia Quinn
- Beach Reads by Emily Henry
- The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) by Rick Riordan
- Heroes of Olympus Paperback Boxed Set by Rick Riordan
- Trials of Apollo, The 5-Book Paperback Boxed Set by Rick Riordan
- The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
- Caraval Book Set by Stephanie Garber
- Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Paperback Boxed Set by Rick Riordan
- The Dark Tower 8-Book Boxed Set by Stephen King
- Chronicles of Narnia Book Set by C. S. Lewis
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books Mentioned:
- Nocticadia: A Dark Academia Gothic Romance by Keri Lake
- The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
- Red Bird: Poems by Mary Oliver
- When Angels Speak of Love by Bell Hooks
- What Is Otherwise Infinite: Poems by Bianca Stone
- Hollow: A spicy retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Karina Halle
- Blood Orange (A Dracula Duet) by Karina Halle
- Black Rose (A Dracula Duet) by Karina Halle
- Glitch by Briana Michaels
- Jacked (Ghosts of Halloween) by Layla Fae
- Pumpkin Smash (Grayville Ghouls Book 1) by Darva Green
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about some of her favorite YouTube essayist on storytelling and writing. Here are those channels:
Pop Culture Detective
The Take
Cinema Therapy
Just Write
Lessons from the Screenplay
Here are a few favorite YouTube video essays:
Pop Culture Detective - Everyone Everywhere Needs Waymond Wang (and Ke Huy Quan)
Pop Culture Detective - The Fantastic Masculinity of Newt Scamander
Pop Culture Detective - Born Sexy Yesterday
The Take - The Real Meaning of Barbie (And That Surprise Ending) | Feminism Series
The Take - The Strong Female Character Trope, Explained
Cinema Therapy: Is THE MATRIX TRILOGY a Philosophy 210 course?
Cinema Therapy: Can we pick ourselves back up like BATMAN?
Just Write - The Pirates Trilogy is Pure Bliss
Just Write - The Hunger Games: Revolutions Are Hard To Write
Lessons from the Screenplay - Jurassic Park — Using Theme to Craft Character
Lessons from the Screenplay - The Soul of Good Character Design
Lessons from the Screenplay - The Avengers — Defining an Act
Lessons from the Screenplay - Iron Man vs. Captain America — The 11-Year Character Arc
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese
- Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese
- Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be) by Zoraida Córdova
- By the Book (Meant to Be) by Jasmine Guillory
- Frankly in Love by David Yoon
- The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
- Ten Things About Writing: Build Your Story, One Word at a Time by Johanne Harris
- The Creator - Directed by Gareth Edwards
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We referenced several previous episodes during this conversation. They are:
- Episode 171: Look out 2023
- Episode 180: Creating when life is hard
- Episode 206: Publishing and Finding Your Joy
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We referenced several articles for this conversation. Here they are:
-
MasterClass.com Article Understanding Tone: 18 Examples of Tone Words in Writing
-
VCEstudyguide.com Article 195 Language Analysis Tones
-
LumenLearning.com Article Language & Tone
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable opens by talking about Kurt Vonnegut’s Shape of Stories lecture. Youtube has two versions and they are:
-
YouTube Video “Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories”
-
YouTube Video “Kurt Vonnegut, Shape of Stories Feb. 2004”
We referenced several articles for this conversation. Here they are:
-
BigThink.com article Kurt Vonnegut on the 8 “shapes” of stories
-
Medium.com article What Kurt Vonnegut’s Shape of Stories Lecture Can Teach Us About Writing Music
-
TheStory.au article Kurt Vonnegut graphed the world’s most popular stories. Do his diagrams tell us something important about humanity?
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The U. of Vermont Paper, EPJ Data Science The emotional arcs of stories are dominated by six basic shapes
Books Mentioned:
- Keanu - Directed by Peter Atencio
- Breaking Bad TV Series
- The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Actsby Samuel Beckett
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable opens by sharing a quote from neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga that’s included in Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story. That quote is:
“The brain never does anything it doesn’t have to do. The fact that there seems to be a reward system that allows us to enjoy good fiction implies that there’s a benefit to the fictional experience.”
The Verbivore referenced two Ted Talks in this conversation. Here they are:
YouTube Video “The magical science of storytelling | David JP Phillips | TEDxStockholm”
YouTube Video “The mystery of storytelling: Julian Friedmann at TEDxEaling”
Books Mentioned:
Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
A Haunting in Venice [Movie Tie-in]: Originally Published as Hallowe'en Party: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) by Agatha Christie (Film Title)
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books Mentioned:
Power Up Your Fiction: 125 Tips and Techniques for Next-Level Writing (Bell on Writing) by James Scott Bell
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We mention several different musicals, songs, and moments throughout this episode. Here are a few:
Wicked - I’m Not That Girl / I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)
“Notes/Twisted Every Way” songs from Phantom of the Opera
YouTube Video of Last 1:25 of Hamilton on Disney Plus
The Verbivore mentions the leitmotifs that come together in Hamilton’s “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells the Story”. Leitmotifs are a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation.
Musicals Mentioned:
- Fiddler of the Roof Broadway Cast by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick
- Wicked Broadway Cast by Stephen Schwartz
- Hadestown Broadway Cast by Anaïs Mitchell
- Phantom of the Opera London Cast by Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Dear Evan Hansen Broadway Cast by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Les Misérables Broadway Cast by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg
- Come From Away Broadway Cast by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
- Hamilton Broadway Cast by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions a song from the musical tick, tick…Boom! by Jonathan Larson. Here are the videos she references:
-
YouTube Raúl Esparza - Come To Your Senses (tick, tick…BOOM!) MISCAST22 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rRHPXmGZ8A
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YouTube tick, tick… BOOM! | “Come To Your Senses” Official Song Clip | Netflix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlTdLsgSMQ
-
YouTube 'The Schuyler Sisters' from Hamilton get MisCast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYmavCsp8Hs
-
YouTube Katrina Lenk (THE BAND'S VISIT) performs "If I Were a Rich Man" from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4lKi3VbB_Y
The Verbivore also reference’s an interview talks about crying the character’s tears. That is located here:
- "WITNESS ME!!!" Anya Taylor Joy and Nicholas Hoult on Mad Max: Fury Road, tiny cooking and The Menu - “Give your character her own tears” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwHOqEvr6m4
Musicals Mentioned:
- Tick, Tick…Boom! Broadway Cast by Jonathan Larson
- Rent Broadway Cast by Jonathan Larson
- The Secret Garden Broadway Cast by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman
- Urinetown Broadway Cast by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis
- Six Broadway Cast by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
- Into the Woods Broadway Cast by Stephen Sondheim
- Cinderella: Songs from the Classic Fairy Tale 1998 Studio Compilation
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about how Ali Hazelwood was discovered after she wrote a draft of what ended up becoming The Love Hypothesis on a fanfiction site. That site was Archive of Our Own (AO3).
The Verbivore mentions the character known as Hot Priest from the TV series Fleabag. Here is the video she references here actor Andrew Scott unpacks the iconic kneel scene:
- Andrew Scott relives Fleabag’s kneel scene | Action Replay | British GQ
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
- Bride by Ali Hazelwood
- Morning Glory Milking Farm by C. M. Nascosta
- Unhinged by Vera Valentine
- Mane of my Existence: A Creatures & Coding Novel by Rhea Fox
- Nora's Kraken (Monster Relations Bureau Book 1) by Leigh Miller
- The Coven by Harper L. Woods
- September Doves by Emmerson Hoyt
- Pucked by Helena Hunting
- Heartless by Elsie Silver
- Priest by Sierra Simone
- Power Up Your Fiction: 125 Tips and Techniques for Next-Level Writing (Bell on Writing) by James Scott Bell
- Golden by Shannon Mayer
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- This Might Get Awkward by by Kara McDowell
- Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
- Caraval by Stephanie Garber
- Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
- The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
- Finale by Stephanie Garber
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Directed Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Directed Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey
- Elemental - Directed by Peter Sohn
- The Little Mermaid - Directed by Rob Marshall
- Barbie - Directed by Greta Gerwig
- Little Women - Directed by Greta Gerwig
Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore the Van Gogh episode of the podcast. That episode is:
- Episode 203: The Van Gogh episode of Dr. Who
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Once Upon a Time Season 1
- Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer
- Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series - Episode 10 “Vincent and the Doctor”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Moriah is an active and supportive member of the Instagram writing community. We connected with her on social media, due to her hilarious reels about the writing life and beautiful aesthetics. Her short story “Tail of Hope” has been featured by Havok Publishing and several short stories have been selected to be published within Twenty Hills anthologies. Her debut novel Heart of the Sea (HOTS) was released on August 2nd, 2023.
The elevator pitch for her magical pirate adventure story HOTS is: Nerisa Elliot’s sister was taken by a darkness that’s trying to take over all five kingdoms. In order to save her, she has to steal the fastest ship in Easterly that’s captained by Cyrus Crow, but Cyrus has been ordered to kill her in order to gain his freedom from a malicious queen.
Moriah’s also working on a collection of short stories focused on a FMC in the late 19th Century London who has the ability to see ghosts and goes on a journey of self-discovery while solving supernatural crimes. This project is being published through Twenty Hills Publishing and is expected in 2024.
You can connect with Moriah on Instagram at @moriah.chavis and on her etsy shop at MoriahChavisAuthor.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Heart of the Sea by Moriah Chavis
Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Giver by Lois Lowry
What Darkness Fears: An Anthology (Black and Gold Anthologies) by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Savannah Jezowski, Crystal Grant, Beka Gremikova, D.A. Randall, AJ Skelly, Kat Heckenbach, Effie Joe Stock, and Kristiana Sfirlea
The Never Tales: Volume Two by Anne J. Hill, Hannah Carter, and others
Notes:
The Verbivore talked a bit about Issa Rae and her work, but slightly misnamed both of her series. Her webseries is The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and her HBO series is called Insecure.
In our original MasterClass conversation, the Verbivore mentions that we’ve referenced some of Masterclasses free articles in preparation for some of our podcast episodes and that they can be a great writing resource. Here are several that we’ve used for previous and upcoming episodes:
-
How to Write An Action Scene
-
How to Use the Snowflake Method to Outline Your Novel
-
Mystery, Thriller, and Crime Novels: What’s the Difference?
-
How to Write an Adventure Story
-
What’s the Difference Between Middle-Grade Fiction vs. - - Young Adult Fiction?
-
Writing 101: 6 Ways to End Your Story
Previous Podcast Episode Mentioned:
- Episode 110: Something that's improving our writing - MasterClass
Books Mentioned:
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- Caraval Trilogy: Caraval, Legendary, and Finale by Stephanie Garber
- So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn
- Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
- The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
- Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level by Donald Maass
Masterclasses Mentioned:
-
Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing
-
Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
-
Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers
-
Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines
-
Steve Martin Teaches Comedy
-
Amanda Gorman Teaches Writing and Performing Poetry
-
Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry
-
Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling
-
Roxane Gay Teaches Writing for Social Change
-
Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking
-
Amy Tan Teaches Fiction Memory and Imagination
-
Es Devlin Teaches Turning Ideas Into Art
-
Corey Damen Jenkins Teaches Interior Design
-
Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions episode titles Midnight, Blink, and The Girl and the Library. That last episode should title have been The Girl in the Fireplace.
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series
- Four Weddings and a Funeral - Directed by Mike Newell
- Love, Actually - Directed by Richard Curtis
- Knotting Hill - Directed by Roger Mitchell
- Bridget Jones’s Diary - Directed by Sharon Macguire
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason - Directed by Beeban Kidron
- About Time - Directed by Richard Curtis
- Underworld - Directed by Len Wiseman
- Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
- The Hunger Games Trilogy (The Hunger Games | Catching Fire | Mockingjay) by Suzanne Collins
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowlings
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
Ted Ed Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson “
-
MasterClass Article “What’s the Difference Between Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy?”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Write Deep POV: 8 Tips for Using an Immersive Point of View”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Write Descriptive Sentences”
-
Pen and the Pad Article by Liza Hollis “What is Descriptive Language?”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
- Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
- Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
- Flawless by Elsie Silver
- Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
- Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibber
- Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
- The Wrong Mr. Right by Stephanie Archer
- That One Night: A Pucking Around Prequel Novella by Emily Rath
- Pucking Around by Emily Rath
- 7 FIGURE FICTION: How to Use Universal Fantasy to SELL Your Books to ANYONE by T. Taylor
- Captive of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar Book 1) by Zoey Draven
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, we reference back to several podcast interviews and/or panel episodes and personal episodes that we did this year that were a particular pleasure. Here are a few:
-
Episode 168: Interview with Mae Wagner
-
Episode 173: Why read romance novels?
-
Episode 175: Writing sex scenes w/ C.L. Walters and Kieran (Kate) Lamoureux
-
Episode 180: Creating when life is hard
-
Episode 182: The Wistful Wild w/ Stephanie Ascough
-
Episode 183: Interview with Anne J. Hill
-
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
-
Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity w/ River Ari and Kieran (Kate) Lamoureux
-
Episode 192: Interview with Heather Caliri
-
Episode 197: Lord of the Rings Character panel discussion w/ Kieran (Kate) Lamoureux and Stephanie Ascough
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore opens by sharing a definition for the term derivative. Here is that definition as well as the source:
- “(Typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason”
The Verbivore mentions a page on author Rick Riordan’s website that discusses his influences and whether or not his Percy Jackson series was influenced by Harry Potter. Here is a link to that page.
In this episode, the Verbivore references back to several TED-Ed videos which were also part of last week’s podcast episode. They are:
-
TED-Ed The Norse myth that inspired “The Lord of the Rings” - Iseult Gillespie
-
TED-Ed Plato's allegory of the ring - Alex Gendler
-
TED-Ed The myth of Arachne - Iseult Gillespie
-
TED-Ed The myth of Hercules: 12 labors in 8-bits - Alex Gendler
-
TED-Ed - The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Harry PotterBox Set (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Books 1-5) by Rick Riordan
- The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series Books 1 - 3 Collection Box Set by Rick Riordan (Sword of Summer, Hammer of Thor & Ship of the Dead)
- The Sword of Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks
- The Dark Tower 8-Book Boxed Set by Stephen King
- A Game of Thrones Book Series by J.R.R Martin
- Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection - Directed by Various Creatives
- Uprooted: A Novel by Naomi Novik
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gailman, Illustrations by Dave McKean
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- When Harry Met Sally - Screenplay by Nora Ephron; Directed by Rob Reiner
- The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy - by Megan Bannen
- You've Got Mail - Screenplay by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron; Directed by Nora Ephron
- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
- Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retoldby C. S. Lewis
- The Beauty and the Beast by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont
- Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars) by Elizabeth Lim
- Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars) by Elizabeth Lim
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, the Verbivore references several TED-Ed videos in this conversation. They are:
-
TED-Ed The Norse myth that inspired “The Lord of the Rings” - Iseult Gillespie
-
TED-Ed Plato's allegory of the ring - Alex Gendler
-
TED-Ed The myth of Arachne - Iseult Gillespie
-
TED-Ed The myth of Hercules: 12 labors in 8-bits - Alex Gendler
-
TED-Ed - The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue
The Verbivore also references a quote from Tolkien’s forward that’s included in the 2nd edition. That is:
- “An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience, but the ways in which a story-germ uses the soil of experience are extremely complex, and attempts to define the process are at best guesses from evidence that is inadequate and ambiguous.”
We also mention several MasterClasses. They are:
-
Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/neil-gaiman-teaches-the-art-of-storytelling
-
Ron Howard Teaches Directing - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-howard-teaches-directing
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Beowulf: A Verse Translation by Anonymous
- Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
- Harry PotterBox Set (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
- The Complete Fables by Aesop
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Stephanie is an author of fantastical and thoughtful stories and poems. Her independently published fantasy debut YA novel A Land of Light and Shadow was released in May ‘20 and a collection of fairytale retelling short stories were published under the title Flower and Cloak in January ‘22. Stephanie also published a collection of fairytale inspired poems on February 1, 2023 under the title The Wistful Wild: Fairy Tale Poems of Longing and Ferocity which also features poems from authors - Stephanie Escobar, Caitlin Gemmell, Cortney Joseph, Jess Lynn, and our own Fable - Beth Stedman.
Stephanie has an author newsletter where she talks about her life and what she’s currently working on (available here) and you can connect with her on Instagram at @author.stephanieascough and on her website at StephanieAscough.wordpress.com. We highly recommend checking out her honest, thought-provoking, and whimsy-filled Instagram posts, which is how we first connected with her.
Stephanie has been a guest twice on the Fable and the Verbivore podcast for an author interview and in an episode ealier this year talking about The Wistful Wild poem collection. Here are those episodes:
- Episode 50: Interview with Stephanie Ascough
- Episode 182: The Wistful Wild
Kate is an author of dark fantasy romance and contemporary fantasy stories. Her short story ‘Daughter of Darkness & Son of the Sun’ was published last year in the Worldsmyth’s Darkness & Moonlight anthology and her short story Deconstructed won first place in Tribus Polaris’s 2020 flash fiction contest. Kate published her Greedy: A Lust & Lore Novella on April 14th, 2023 and is currently working on her debut novel The Guardian (Book 1 of The Terramica War planned trilogy).
Kate’s website is KieranLamoureux.comand her Instagram account is @kjlamoureux.writes. We’d highly recommend checking out her bibliophile posts, atmospheric pictures, teasers of her current work, and the flash fiction pieces located in her Instagram stories. We also love her open and candid posts about her personal life and creating as a neurodiverse writer. Her website also lists the micro editing with heart services that she provides - line editing, copy editing, proofreading, and pitches, blurbs, and synopses – as well as her current rates.
Kate has been a guest twice on the Fable and the Verbivore podcast as part of panel episodes earlier this year - with one episode talking about writing sex scenes and another on neurodiversity and creativity. Here are those episodes:
- Episode 175: Writing sex scenes
- Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity
Towards the beginning of this episode, Fable mentions a post that Kate had on Instagram about the male friendships in this series. That post can be found here.
In this conversation, we reference several different quotes from the LOTR books. They are:
Sam: “His thought turned to the Ring, but there was no comfort there, only dread and danger. No sooner had he come in sight of Mount Doom, burning far away, than he was aware of a change in his burden. As it drew near the great furnaces where, in the deeps of time, it had been shaped and forged, the Ring's power grew, and it became more fell, untameable except by some mighty will. As Sam stood there, even though the Ring was not on him but hanging by its chain about his neck, he felt himself enlarged, as if he were robed in a huge distorted shadow of himself, a vast and ominous threat halted upon the walls of Mordor. He felt that he had from now on only two choices: to forbear the Ring, though it would torment him; or to claim it, and challenge the Power that sat in its dark hold beyond the valley of shadows. Already the Ring tempted him, gnawing at his will and reason. Wild fantasies arose in his mind; and he saw Samwise the Strong, Hero of the Age, striding with a flaming sword across the darkened land, and armies flocking to his call as he marched to the overthrow of Barad-dur. And then all the clouds rolled away, and the white sun shone, and at his command the vale of Gorgoroth became a garden of flowers and trees and brought forth fruit. He had only to put on the Ring and claim it for his own, and all this could be. In that hour of trial it was his love of his master that helped most to hold him firm; but also deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command. 'And anyway all these notions are only a trick, he said to himself.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Frodo: 'It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill Gollum when he had the chance.'
Gandalf: 'Pity? It's a pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play in it, for good or evil, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.'
Frodo: 'I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.'
Gandalf: 'So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides that of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
“A time may come soon," said he, "when none will return. Then there will be need of valour without renown, for none shall remember the deeds that are done in the last defence of your homes. Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised."
She answered: "All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave to be burned in the house, for the men will need it no more. But I am of the House of Eorl and not a serving-woman. I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death."
"What do you fear, lady?" he asked.
"A cage," she said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
We also referenced several movie clips from the films in this conversation. They are:
-
LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring - The Death of Boromir
-
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - I Am No Man Scene | Movieclips
-
LOTR The Two Towers - Gollum and Sméagol
Towards the end of this episode, the Verbivore references a funny conversation between the actors who played Merry (Dominic and Pippin (Billy Boyd) on their podcast where they talk about lines where they’d put a cuss word into the LOTR films - including the “Fool of a Took” scene in Moria. Here is that video clip:
- Billy & Dom Discuss Profanity in Lord of the Ring Quotes | The Friendship Onion with Billy & Dom
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit trilogy - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Hobbit Movie (1977) - Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.
- The Proverbs of Middle-earth by David Rowe
- Tolkien - Directed by Dome Karukoski
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references several quotes from this series. They are:
- “Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" - The Fellowship of the Ring film
- “You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.” - The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
-
[Galadriel] said, turning to Sam. 'For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem also to use the same word of the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel. Did you not say that you wished to see Elf-magic?' - The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
-
“And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!…
I pass the test. I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel.” - The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Hobbit trilogy - Directed by Peter Jackson
- X-Men Tilogy - Directed by Brett Ratner, Bryan Singer
- The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games / Catching Fire / Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
- Harry PotterBox Set (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D- TV Series
- Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame - Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
- Caraval Trilogy Box Set: Caraval, Legendary, Finale by Stephanie Garber
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references several quotes from the books and films. They are:
-
“She [Galadriel] held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved it, and rays of white light sprang from her hand. 'In this phial,' she said, 'is caught the light of Earendil's star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” - The Fellowship of the Ring book
-
Frodo: “What a pity Bilbo did not stab the vile creature, when he had a chance!”
Gandalf: “Pity? It was pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and mercy: not to strike without need.”
Frodo: “I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He deserves death.”
Gandalf: “Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.” - The Fellowship of the Ring book
-
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.” - The Return of the King book
-
“Pay heed to the tales of old wives. It may well be that they alone keep in memory what it was once needful for the wise to know.” - The Fellowship of the Ring book
-
“The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.” - The Return of the King book
-
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” - The Fellowship of the Ring film
-
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” - The Fellowship of the Ring book
-
“[Saruman] is plotting to become a Power. He has a mind of metal and wheels; and he does not care for growing things, except as far as they serve him for the moment.” - The Two Towers book
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore at one point says the name Wormwood, but she meant Wormtongue.
Here is an interesting series of video essays on the topic of why the Hobbit trilogy was so rough from a story perspective:
-
YouTube “Why The Hobbit Sucks Part One: The Dwarves” Video by Just Write
-
YouTube “Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Two: Tensionless Action” Video by Just Write
-
YouTube “Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Three: Unresolved Plotlines” Video by Just Write
-
YouTube “Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Four: Bad Romance” Video by Just Write
-
YouTube “Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Five: Philosophy of Adaptation” Video by Just Write
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Hobbit trilogy - Directed by Peter Jackson
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore referenced when Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring film came out in reference to her life experience, but the actual release date was Dec. 19th, 2001.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings Book Set by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Directed by Peter Jackson
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Heather Caliri is an active and supportive member of the Instagram creative community. We connected with her on social media, because she is a truth teller in the truest sense and has such a great way of conveying nuanced and in-depth thoughts on a variety of complex topics. She is a writer, artist and editor whose work has appeared in Christianity Today, The Other Journal, Fathom Magazine, Image Journal, In Touch Magazine, and Geez Magazine. Her debut non-fiction book Ordinary Creativity: How to Survive with Joy was released on June 6th, 2023.
You can connect with Heather on Instagram at @heathercaliri and on her website at https://www.heathercaliri.com/. Her website also features a free Creative Personality Test that can be found here.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Ordinary Creativity: How to Survive the Joy by Heather Caliri
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about the anime Suzume (2023) and says that we’ve been calling it “The Girl, the Cat, the Chair, and the Door” based on the trailer. Here is a link to that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UuwS0mTBNM
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Suzume - Directed by Makoto Shinkai
- Your Name - Directed by Makoto Shinkai
- Your Name (light novel) by Makoto Shinkai
- A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn
- The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
- Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
- Twisted Love by Ana Huang
- Neon Gods by Katee Roberts
- By the Book (Meant to Be Book 2) by Jasmine Guillory
- If the Shoe Fits (Meant to Be Book 1) by Julie Murphy
- A Tempest at Sea (Lady Sherlock Book 7) by Sherry Thomas
- Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
- Miss Aldredge Regrets (A Canary Club Mystery) by Louise Hare
- The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Kate is an author of dark fantasy romance and contemporary fantasy stories. Her short story ‘Daughter of Darkness & Son of the Sun’ was published last year in the Worldsmyth’s Darkness & Moonlight anthology and her short story Deconstructed won first place in Tribus Polaris’s 2020 flash fiction contest. Kate published her Greedy: A Lust & Lore Novella on April 14th, 2023 and is currently working on revisions for her debut novel The Guardian (Book 1 of The Terramica War planned trilogy).
Kate’s website is KieranLamoureux.comand her Instagram account is @kjlamoureux.writes. We’d highly recommend checking out her bibliophile posts, atmospheric pictures, teasers of her current work, and the flash fiction pieces located in her Instagram stories. We also love her open and candid posts about her personal life and creating as a neurodiverse writer. Her website also lists the micro editing with heart services that she provides - line editing, copy editing, proofreading, and pitches, blurbs, and synopses – as well as her current rates.
River is an author of romantic and character centered stories. She’s in the process of querying her romantic suspense novel Flies in the Honey and is currently drafting a project called Ballroom Blitz which she describes as a sapphic ballroom competition ex revenge story that has the feel of Strictly Ballroom meets RENT's "Tango Maureen.".
River’s website is littleizumi.wixsite.com/riverari , her Instagram account is @author.river.ari, and her Twitter account is LittleIzumi. We’d highly recommend checking out her honest and unfiltered posts about life, writing, being a nuerodivirgent creative, and celebrating the power of a good nature walk. We also love the way she posts about her current writing projects and how they do such a masterful job of capturing the aethetics and flavor of her work. Her website lists the editing services that she provides - one-on-one book coaching, developmental edits, line editing, copy editing, dialogue doctor review, character central review, first three chapters review, and sensitivity reader services - as well as her current rates and any offered discounts.
Kate was a guest on the Fable and the Verbivore podcast earlier this year on an episode about writing sex scenes. Here is that episode:
- Episode 175: Writing sex scenes
We also reference two episodes released earlier this month on our own neurodivergent stories. Those episodes are:
-
Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
-
Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2
Books Mentioned:
- Greedy: A Lust and Lore Novella by Kieran Lamoureux
- Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters Series) by Chloe Liese
- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) - Netflix Series
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We touch on one of our previous podcast episodes that is part 1 of this series. It is as follows:
- Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1
The Verbivore talks about her experience with learning about dyspraxia and mentions that she’d never even heard the word before two (ish) years ago and that it’s a type of neurodivergence that’s not as well known. Here are some of the resources that she‘s found helpful in her journey:
-
Dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Article “Dyspraxia at a glance”
-
YouTube Video "Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity”
-
YouTube Video “Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool”
-
Attitudemag.com article “What is Dyspraxia? Clumsy Child Syndrome”
The Verbivore mentions Morgan Harper Nichols and creatives like her that are unmasking and showing up vulnerably authentic. Here is one of her posts from Instagram about her experience:
- https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTf3M8O0c_/
In this series, we reference the circle graph or pie-chart representation of autism, rather than as a line. Here are some links to articles that talk about this model:
-
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202208/autistic-linear-spectrum-pie-chart-spectrum
-
https://themighty.com/topic/autism-spectrum-disorder/autism-spectrum-wheel/
If you’d like to learn more about these topics, here are a few articles and videos to get you started:
-
ChildMind.org Article “What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent?”
-
MedicalNewsToday.com Article “What to know about autism in girls”
-
PsychCentral.com Article “Masking in Autism: The ‘Why’ Matters”
-
Ted-Ed Video “What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley”
-
YouTube Video “Autism is a difference, not a disorder | Katie Forbes | TEDxAberdeen”
-
YouTube Video “Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Kiss Quotientby Helen Hoang
- The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
- Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters Series) by Chloe Liese
- A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about her experience with learning about dyspraxia and mentions that she’d never even heard the word before two (ish) years ago and that it’s a type of nuerodivergent diagnosis that’s not as well known. Here are some of the resources that she‘s found helpful in her journey:
-
Dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Article “Dyspraxia at a glance”
-
YouTube Video "Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity”
-
YouTube Video “Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool”
Fable mentions the circle graph or pie-chart representation of autism, rather than as a line. Here are some links to articles that talk about this model:
-
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202208/autistic-linear-spectrum-pie-chart-spectrum
-
https://themighty.com/topic/autism-spectrum-disorder/autism-spectrum-wheel/
If you’d like to learn more about these topics, here are a few articles and videos to get you started:
-
ChildMind.org Article “What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent?”
-
MedicalNewsToday.com Article “What to know about autism in girls”
-
PsychCentral.com Article “Masking in Autism: The ‘Why’ Matters”
-
Ted-Ed Video “What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley”
-
YouTube Video “Autism is a difference, not a disorder | Katie Forbes | TEDxAberdeen”
-
YouTube Video “Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentions author David Baldacci’s MasterClass where he goes through his research process in depth. Those lessons are:
-
Research Methods and Sources, Part 1
-
Research Methods and Sources, Part 2
The Verbivore references two YouTube videos from K.M. Weiland on her historical fiction research process. Here are those videos:
-
K.M. Weiland Video “7 Easy Ways to Research a Historical Novel (What I Learned Writing Storming)”
-
K.M. Weiland Video “How Do You Know When to Stop Researching a Historical Novel?”
The Verbivore talks about how many museums are now accessible online or have virtual tours available. Here is the link to an article from UpgradedPoints.com that lists 75 museums with virtual tours - “https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/best-virtual-museum-tours/”
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episodes:
-
Episode 184: Historical fiction part 1
-
Episode 185: Historical fiction part 2
-
Episode 186: Historical Fiction Favorites
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “What is Historical Fiction? Definition of the Historical Fiction Genre and Tips for Writing Your Historical Novel”
-
CeladonBooks.com Article “What Is Historical Fiction?”
-
YouTube Ruta Sepetys “Bradford Literature Festival - Hidden Histories with Ruta Sepetys
-
MasterClass Article “How to Use the Five Senses in Your Writing”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Research a Novel: Tips for Fiction Writing Research”
-
Writer’s Digest Article “8 Rules of Writing Historical Fiction Research” by Kim van Alkemade
-
KatClay.com Article “How to effectively research historical fiction”
-
Kat Clay YouTube Video “How to Research Historical Fiction”
-
Film Courage Video “What Writers Need To Know About Writing Historical Fiction by E.K. Prescott”
-
Film Courage Video “Keys To Writing Good Historical Fiction by E.K. Prescott”
-
Author Learning Center Video “Tips for Researching and Writing Historical Fiction”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: A Novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) - Netflix Film
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a YouTube video that talks about challenging the view of history as “great men doing great things”, by sitting with the awkward truth that the victor goes the ability to tell the story. That video is “Author Learnig Center - Tips for Researching and Writing Historical Fiction”.
The Verbivore references a YouTube video where historical fiction writer Ruta Sepetys talks about her book Fountains of Silence. That video is titled “Bradford Literature Festival - Hidden Histories with Ruta Sepetys”.
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episodes:
-
Episode 17: Being kind to your readers and writing subtle character growth (Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock Series)
-
Episode 58: Let's talk about Mexican Gothic
-
Episode 104: Reader conversation about Sister Heart
-
Episode 179: The Bridgerton series
-
Episode 184: Historical fiction part 1
-
Episode 185: Historical fiction part 2
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “What is Historical Fiction? Definition of the Historical Fiction Genre and Tips for Writing Your Historical Novel”
-
CeladonBooks.com Article “What Is Historical Fiction?”
-
IAPWE.org Article “The Subgenres of Historical Fiction”
-
HistoryThroughFiction.com Article “The History of Historical Fiction, in brief”
-
TCKPublishing.com Article “8 Most Popular Historical Fiction Tropes”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- The Iliad by Homer
- The Odyssey by Homer
- Clytemnestra: A Novel by Costanza Casati
- Henry V by Williams Shakespeare
- The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
- Sister Heart by Sally Morgan
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a Star Trek: The Next Generation noir episode that has stuck with her over time and is one source of inspiration for a mytery she’s working on writing. That episode is from Season 1: Episode 11 and is called “The Big Goodbye”.
The Verbivore references some resources listed in an article about researching a particular historical setting from an Australian author who has written some novels set in the Victorian era. That article is on her website KatClay.com under the title “How to effectively research historical fiction”. She also has a good YouTube Video on this same topic under her Kat Clay account titled “How to Research Historical Fiction”.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “What is Historical Fiction? Definition of the Historical Fiction Genre and Tips for Writing Your Historical Novel”
-
CeladonBooks.com Article “What Is Historical Fiction?”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Use the Five Senses in Your Writing”
-
KatClay.com Article “How to effectively research historical fiction”
-
Kat Clay YouTube Video “How to Research Historical Fiction”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Series 1 (TV Series)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 (TV Series)
- What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-the Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England by Daniel Pool
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episodes:
Episode 105: Interview with Joy McCullough (Blood Water Paint)
Episode 17: Being kind to your readers and writing subtle character growth (Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock Series)
Episode 58: Let's talk about Mexican Gothic
Episode 179: The Bridgerton series
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
MasterClass Article “What is Historical Fiction? Definition of the Historical Fiction Genre and Tips for Writing Your Historical Novel”
CeladonBooks.com Article “What Is Historical Fiction?”
IAPWE.org Article “The Subgenres of Historical Fiction”
HistoryThroughFiction.com Article “The History of Historical Fiction, in brief”
TCKPublishing.com Article “8 Most Popular Historical Fiction Tropes”
InkandCinema.com Article “Q/A: Writing True Stories - "Based On" vs "Inspired By"“
Variety.com Article “‘Woman King’ Stars Viola Davis and Julius Tennon Talk Box Office Victory and Defend Film Against Historical Critics: ‘We Have to Take License’”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- The Iliad by Homer
- The Odyssey by Homer
- Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
- A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
- Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, 1) by Kerri Maniscalco
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The Pillars of the Earth: A Novel (Kingsbridge Book 1) by Ken Follett
- The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
- Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley
- Outlander: A Novel (Outlander, Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon
- Bridgerton: The Duke and I (Bridgertons Book 1) by Julia Quinn
- The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Doctor Who: The Christopher Eccleston & David Tennant Collection [TV Series 1-4]
- The Woman King - Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
- Gladiator - Directed by Ridley Scott
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Anne J. Hill is an active member within the Instagram writing community, and an editor and owner of Twenty Hills Publishing. She’s edited and published seven anthologies (What Darkness Fears, Fool’s Honor, Sharper Than Thorns, Whither and Bloom, Briars and Blood, The Never Tales: Vol. 1, Tales of Many) . Twenty Hills next anthology The Never Tales: Vol. 2 is set to be released in summer ‘23. A self-professed writer of “magic, murder, and mayhem”, Anne is currently working on her debut fantasy Thorn Tower – which she hopes to release in December of this year.
Her latest anthology of Beauty and the Beast of retellings and inspired by novellas was released on March 28th, 2023 under the title Briars and Blood and also features stories from authors - Savannah Jezowski, L.A. Thornhill, Julia Skinner, Tasha Kazanjian, and Abigail Falanga.
You can connect with Anne on Instagram at @anne.j.hill.editing and on her website at https://www.annejhill.com/. Anne’s Twenty Hill Publishing website also lists the editing and writing feedback services that she and her staff provide including full edit, reader responses, developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading services - as well as her current rates. Information on Twenty Hills Publishing currently open anthologies that are accepting submissions can be found here.
Anne mentions two of her favorite design sites for premade and custom book covers. They are:
-
J V Arts - https://www.justventurearts.com/
-
Fantastical Ink - https://www.fantastical-ink.com/
In this episode, Anne touches on several of her favorite Master Classes on writing. Those are:
-
Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling
-
Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers
-
David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Briars and Blood by Anne J Hill, Savannah Jezowski, L.A. Thornhill, Julia Skinner, Tasha Kazanjian, and Abigail Falanga
- Kit Saves The Day (American Girl Collection) by Valerie Tripp and Walter Rane
- Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations, 1) by Michael J. Sullivan
- What Darkness Fears: An Anthology (Black and Gold Anthologies) by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Savannah Jezowski, Crystal Grant, Beka Gremikova, D.A. Randall, AJ Skelly, Kat Heckenbach, Effie Joe Stock, and Kristiana Sfirlea
- Sharper Than Thorns (Black and Gold Anthologies) by Anne J. Hill, Beka Gremikova, Hannah Carter, Lara E. Madden, Emily Barnett, Julia Skinner, Maseeha Seedat, Crystal Grant, AJ Skelly, and Tasha Kazanjian
- Wither and Bloom: An Anthology (Black and Gold Anthologies) by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Hannah Carter, Cassandra Hamm, AJ Skelly, Maseeha Seedat, Crystal Grant, Miriam Wade, Kaitlyn Emery, and Beka Gremikova
- Fool’s Honor: An Anthology (Black and Gold Anthologies) by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Beka Gremikova, Hannah Carter, L.A. Thornhill, Savannah Jezowski, AJ Skelly, Crystal Grant, Nathaniel Luscombe, and Anna Augustine
- The Never Tales: Volume One by Hannah Carter, Anne J. Hill, Brittany Eden, AJ Skelly, Cassandra Hamm, Emily Barnett, Kayla E. Green, Maseeha Seedat, Savanna Roberts, and Annie Kay
- Tales of Many: Book One by Anne J. Hill, Crystal Grant, Rachel Lawrence, Hannah Carter, Denica McCall, Cassandra Hamm, AJ Skelly, and Lacey Scott
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Stephanie is an active member within the Instagram writing community, where we first connected with her. Her independently published fantasy debut novel A Land of Light and Shadow was released in May ‘20 and a collection of fairytale retelling short stories were published under the title Flower and Cloak in January ‘22.
This collection of fairytale inspired poems was released on February 1, 2023 under the title The Wistful Wild: Fairy Tale Poems of Longing and Ferocity and also features poems from authors - Stephanie Escobar, Caitlin Gemmell, Cortney Joseph, Jess Lynn, and our own Fable - Beth Stedman.
Stephanie is an active presence within the Instagram writing community and you can connect with her on Instagram at @author.stephanieascough and on her website at StephanieAscough.wordpress.com
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episode where we interviewed Stephanie Ascough:
- Episode 50: Interview with Stephanie Ascough
Interspersed throughout this episode, several of the authors read short selections from their poems. Here are the names of the poems and the authors names, along with the timestamps:
-
“Once Upon a Time” by Jess Lynn - 12:06
-
“The Mermaid’s Sacrifice” by Beth Stedman - 17:24
-
“Mirror, Mirror” by Cortney Joseph - 22:06
-
“Three Women” by Stephanie Ascough - 27:39
-
“Vigil” by Stephanie Escobar - 30:12
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Wistful Wild: Fairy Tale Poems of Longing and Ferocity by Stephanie Ascough, Stephanie Escobar, Caitlin Gemmell, Cortney Joseph, Jess Lynn, and Beth Stedman
- Deerskin by Robin McKinley
- Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episode on romance stories:
Episode 173: Why read romance novels?
Episode 174: Not a guilty pleasure
Episode 175: Writing sex scenes
Episode 176: Romance Book Roundup
Within these romance episodes, both Fable and author CL Walters recommend Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese.
The annecdote about CJ Redwine’s The Shadow Queen is taken from this reel on her Instagram. Here is her caption:
“After listening to me rant for 45 minutes about Snow White & the Huntsman and what COULD have been done with that fairytale, my hubby finally said, "If you want it done that way, why don't you do it yourself?"
So I did.”
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters Series) by Chloe Liese
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
- Only When It's Us (Bergman Brothers Book 1) by Chloe Liese
- Always Only You (Bergman Brothers Book 2) by Chloe Liese
- Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers Book 3) by Chloe Liese
- Bridgerton: The Duke and I (Bridgertons Book 1) by Julia Quinn
- The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, 1) by CJ Redwine
- Emma (2020) - Directed by Autumn de Wilde
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Pride and Prejudice (1995 - BBC)
- Sense and Sensibility (1995) - Directed by Ang Lee
- The Cutting Edge (1992) - Directed by Paul Michael Glaser
- Star Trek VII: Generations - Directed by David Carson
- Tron (1982) - Directed by Steven Lisberg
- X-Men (2000) - Directed by Bryan Singer
- Rosaline (2022) - Directed Karen Maine
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, we touch on the following previous podcast episode:
- Episode 172: Non-linear Stories (looking at Ali Hazelwood's novellas)
The Verbivore references a personal instagram post (@hitchipo82) about her hospitalisation at the beginning of this year. Here is that post: - https://www.instagram.com/p/CnpbLeFLwNM/
The Verbivore mentions a calendar with a piece of art and quote from Morgan Harper Nichols. The picture of that piece is available to see here. Here is that quote:
- “I do not know where tomorrow will lead, but I know I am free to give my all with audacious hope for what could be.” - MHN
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- You've Got Mail - Screenplay by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron; Directed by Nora Ephron
- The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore reference an intimate scene in The Duke and I that reads like a rape, but where the consequences of that situation aren’t trully confronted and addressed. The TV series does a slightly better job of showing that this is a disturbing breach of trust, but the Verbivore mentions that she feels they could have gone farther to have the character Daphne understand and grapple with the impact her choice had on her partner Simon and have them work through it together. Here are a few articles that discuss some of this further:
-
Insider Article “The controversial rape scene in 'Bridgerton' started a 'really great conversation around consent,' says show's intimacy coordinator”
-
Vox Article “Bridgerton has a rape scene, but it’s not treated like one”
-
NWA Center for “Why We Need to Talk About Sexual Assault & Bridgerton”
The Verbivore mentions that season 3 of Bridgerton will be focusing on Penelope and Colin’s story. As of this episode, they are still in production and a release date has not yet been given. But, a prequel that focuses on Queen Charlotte’s original love story is releasing May 4th, 2023 on Netflix.
Here are a few videos and articles we referenced for this conversation:
-
CBS Mornings Interview with Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers talk story behind “Bridgerton"
-
The Take YouTube Video “Bridgerton is a Fan Fiction About Today”
-
The Take YouTube Video “Why Bridgerton Season 2 Works - Secrets of the Enemies-to-Lovers Trope”
-
Deadline - Pilot Script of Season 1, Episode 1: “Diamond of the First Water”
Books and TV Series Mentioned:
- Bridgerton: The Duke and I (Bridgertons Book 1) by Julia Quinn
- The Viscount Who Loved Me: Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 2) by Julia Quinn
- An Offer From a Gentleman: Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 3) by Julia Quinn
- Romancing Mister Bridgerton: Penelope & Colin's Story (Bridgertons Book 4) by Julia Quinn
- To Sir Phillip, With Love: Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 5) by Julia Quinn
- Bridgerton Season 1 and 2 (Netflix) - Shondaland, Written by Chris Van Dusen and Others (Writers Room)
- Persuasion by Jane Austen
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Names are important. Towards the beginning of this conversation we talk about how to pronounce Helen Hoang’s last name. We were close, but a little off. The phonetic spelling of Hoang is HHWae-NG.
The Verbivore references several details from author Helen Hoang’s author’s note that was included in the back of her paperback edition.
Fable references a series that we did on Fable and the Verbivore about writing Romantic Chemistry and another on Physical Intimacy taken from a behavioral psychology perspective. Here are those episodes:
-
Episode 15: How to write great romantic chemistry
-
Episode 16: Writing romantic chemistry part 2
-
Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy
-
Episode 72: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy (part 2)
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Kiss Quotientby Helen Hoang
- The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentions how much she enjoyed Emily Henry’s YA speculative novels. Here are those titles in order of publication:
- The Love That Split the World (2016)
- A Million Junes (2017)
- When the Sky Fell on Splendor(2019)
Fable mentions some dialogue writing advice Emily Henry shared on “The Shit No One Tells You About Writing” podcast. That episode is:
- Emily Henry's Advice for Writing Good Dialogue
As we close this episode, Fable mentions how Emily Henry’s dialogue reminds us of Nora Ephron films like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. We also are preparing a class on dialogue using these films as examples which we plan to share on March 2nd at 10am AZ time. We’ll share more details on our Instagram as we get closer to time, but we hope you join us!
We’ve talked about Emily Henry’s YA speculative adventure story When the Sky Fell on Splendor on a previous podcast episode. That episode is:
- Episode 140: When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Beach Reads by Emily Henry
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- When Harry Met Sally - Screenplay by Nora Ephron; Directed by Rob Reiner
- Sleepless in Seattle - Screenplay by Nora Ephron, Jeff Arch (Story) and David S. Ward; Directed by Nora Ephron
- You've Got Mail - Screenplay by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron; Directed by Nora Ephron
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a quote from romance author Chandra Blumberg (Digging Up Love, Stirring Up Love), who we interviewed back in 2021. That episode was “Episode 89: Interview with Chandra Blumberg”. Here is her full quote:
“There’s definitely a stigma about different levels of heat in romance. Some people aren’t comfortable with the high heat and they think it’s all the high heat. But there’s all sorts of romance for all different people. I was worried that if I write the sort of romance that I want to, will there be a place for it. And the answer is yes because there is. It’s the same thing with fantasy and so many other genres – they run the gamut. Just like there’s cozy mysteries or there’s dark, gritty mysteries.… There’s so much diversity in the genre and there’s really something for everyone.“
Towards the beginning of the conversation, we talk about the Romance genre being wide and growing, with characters that are starting to more accurately reflect the world around us - but there is still a long way to go. We strongly believe representation matters and that we all should be able to see ourselves reflected in stories with happy endings. If you’re curious to learn more about where the industry is at, here are a few articles on this topic:
-
NY Times Article “The Changing Face of Romance Novels”
-
The Ripped Boddice “The State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report”
-
Writers Republic Article “Diversity in the Romance Novel Industry: Has there been any progress?”
Fable references the link between reading fictional stories, learning, and empathy. Here are a few articles that discuss this topic:
-
Discover Magazine Article “How Reading Fiction Increases Empathy and Encourages Understanding”
-
Medium Article “Reading Fiction Increases Your Empathy and Understanding of Others”
-
Harvard Business Review “The Case for Reading Fiction” by Christine Seifert
Here are a few articles and websites we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “Writing 101: What Is a Romance Novel? Learn About the History and Characteristics of Romance Novels”
-
AllAboutRomance.com Review Power Search
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
- Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
- Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters Series) by Chloe Liese
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
- The Charm Offensive: A Novel by Alison Cochrun
- The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series Books 1 - 3 Collection Box Set by Rick Riordan (Sword of Summer, Hammer of Thor & Ship of the Dead)
- Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
- The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
- The American Roommate Experiment: A Novel by Elena Armas
- The Spanish Love Deception: A Novel by Elena Armas
- The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
- The Dating Plan by Sara Desai
- The Singles Table by Sara Desai
- Yes & I Love You: A Steamy & Emotional Contemporary Romance (Say Everything, 1) by Roni Loren
- We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
- Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
- Radiance (Wraith Kings Book 1) by Grace Draven
- Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars) by Elizabeth Lim
- Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars) by Elizabeth Lim
- The Wrath & the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn Book 1) by Renée Ahdieh
- The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
- A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
- The Hating Game - Directed by Peter Hutchings
- The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
- To Kill a Kingdom (Hundred Kingdoms) by Alexandra Christo
- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
- The Bodyguard: A Novel by Katherine Center
- Secrets of a Summer Night (The Wallflowers Book 1) by Lisa Kleypas
- The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers Book 3) by Lisa Kleypas
- My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas
- Beguiling the Beauty (The Fitzhugh Trilogy Book 2) by Sherry Thomas
- Tempting the Bride (The Fitzhugh Trilogy Book 3) by Sherry Thomas
- Not Quite a Husband (The Marsdens) by Sherry Thomas
- The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan
- Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel (Hell's Belles, 1) by Sarah MacLean
- One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: The Second Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels, 2) by Sarah MacLean
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
- Mr. Darcy's Diary: A Novel by Amanda Grange
- Austenland – Directed by Jerusha Hess
- Austenland by Shannon Hale
- Geekerella: A Fangirl Fairy Tale (Once Upon A Con Book 1) by Ashley Poston
- The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
We don’t mention them here by name, but we also have several bookclub episodes where we talk in-depth about books or series that have romantic pairings we enjoy. Here are those:
-
Episode 21: Mixing fairytale, myth, and good character development - Hunted by Meagan Spooner
-
Episode 34: We Hunt The Flame Discussion
-
Episode 52: The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas
-
Episode 66: Let's talk about Caraval
-
Episode 74: Let's talk about Jane Austen's Persuassion
-
Episode 86: Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
-
Episode 91: Would Like To Meet by Rachel Winters
-
Episode 95: Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
-
Episode 128: The Opposite of Always
-
Episode 136: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
-
Episode 149: Miles Morales Spider-man by Jason Reynolds
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Kate is an author of dark fantasy romance and contemporary fantasy stories. Her short story ‘Daughter of Darkness & Son of the Sun’ was published last year in the Worldsmyth’s Darkness & Moonlight anthology and her short story Deconstructed won first place in Tribus Polaris’s 2020 flash fiction contest. Kate is currently working on revisions for her debut novel The Guardian (Book 1 of The Terramica War planned trilogy).
Kate’s website is KieranLamoureux.comand her Instagram account is @kjlamoureux.writes. We’d highly recommend checking out her bibliophile posts, atmospheric pictures, teasers of her current work, and the flash fiction pieces located in her Instagram stories. We also love her open and candid posts about her personal life and creating as a neurodiverse writer. Her website also lists the micro editing with heart services that she provides - line editing, copy editing, proofreading, and pitches, blurbs, and synopses – as well as her current rates.
Cami is the author and self-publisher under her Mixed Plate Press inprint of eight contemporary YA novels under the name C. L. Walters and two adult romantic fantasy novels under the name Maci Aurora. Her YA novels include The Letters She Left Behind, the Cantos Chronicles (Swimming Sideway, The Ugly Truth, The Bones of Who We Are), The Stories Stars Tell, In the Echo of this Ghost Town, When the Echo Answers, and The Messy Truth About Love. Her adult romantic fantasy Fareview Fairytales series includes In the Shadow of a Wish (Book 1) and the newly released sequel In the Shadow of a Hoax. She also has written a step-by-step self-publishing guideThe Indie Author, Book Publishing Planner: Navigating Indie Publishing to Establish Your Brand as an Authorpreneur. Cami is currently working on book 3 of the Fareview Fairytales series.
Cami’s websites are www.clwalters.netand maciaurora.com, her Instagram accounts are @cl.walters and @maciaurora, and her TikTok account is @clwaltersofficial. We’d highly recommend checking out Cami’s funny, thoughtful, and bookish TikToks, reels, and posts as well as her beautiful pictures of her home state of Hawaii and glimpses into her personal and writing life. We also love the way she posts about her upcoming releases and how they do such a masterful job of capturing the aethetics and flavor of her work. Her Mixed Plate Press website also lists the macro editing and teaching services that she provides - one-on-one writing consultations, creation of custom writing curriculum, developmental edits, and line editing services - as well as her current rates.
Kate references a series that we did on Fable and the Verbivore about writing Physical Intimacy taken from a behavioral psychology perspective. Here are those two episodes:
-
Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy
-
Episode 72: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy (part 2)
Both Cami and Kate give their take on the term Sex Positive. Here’s a definition from PsychCentral:
- “My personal working definition of ‘sex positivity’ is operating around the topics of human sexuality, health, and pleasure with respect and without shame or stigma. This includes gender identity, orientation, sex education, nudity, relationship styles, body positivity, safer sex, reproductive equity, and much more.” - Goody Howard
Books Mentioned:
- Cause Celeb by Helen Fielding
- Swimming Sideways by C. L. Walters
- In the Shadow of a Wish: Fareview Fairy Tale, Book 1 by Maci Aurora
- In the Echo of this Ghost Town by C. L. Walters
- Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters Series) by Chloe Liese
- Bergman Brothers (6 book series) by Chloe Liese
- The Plated Prisoner Series (5 book series) by Raven Kennedy
- Horde Kings of Dakkar (6 book series) by Zoey Draven
- The Deal by Elle Kennedy
- The Four Horsemen (4 book series) by Laura Thalassa
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Towards the beginning of the conversation, the Verbivore mentions that the Romance genre is wide and growing, with characters that are starting to more accurately represent the world around us - but there is still a long way to go. We strongly believe representation matters and that we each should be able to see ourselves reflected in stories with happy endings. If you’re curious to learn more about where the industry is at, here are a few articles on this topic:
-
NY Times Article “The Changing Face of Romance Novels”
-
The Ripped Boddice “The State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report”
-
Writers Republic Article “Diversity in the Romance Novel Industry: Has there been any progress?”
Fable and the Verbivore both talk about gaining vocabulary to more clearly identify or categorize the steam or spice level of a romance story so that we can better understand what to expect from a given book. Here are links to a couple steam/spice scales that we found online:
-
DelShereeGladden.com Article “What exactly does “steamy” mean when it comes to romance?”
-
RomanticFantasyShelf.com Article “Romantic Fantasy Heat Levels (Revised!)”
The Verbivore references a very funny Instagram post from author Ali Hazelwood talking about Christina Lauren’s upcoming book “The True Love Experiment.” That post can be viewed here.
Here are a few articles we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “Writing 101: What Is a Romance Novel? Learn About the History and Characteristics of Romance Novels”
-
Publishing Research Quarterly “The Romance Publishing Industry and Its Reputation” by Lauren Cameron
-
Book Riot Article “How are Romance Novel Covers Made?” by Sarah Nicolas
-
Book Riot Article “As Illustrated Covers Trend in Romance, What is Being Said About Women’s Interests” by Kelly Jensen
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
- The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
- Uprooted: A Novel by Naomi Novik
- The Lost City – Directed by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are a few articles we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClas Article “Writing 101: What Is a Romance Novel? Learn About the History and Characteristics of Romance Novels”
-
Vulture Article “Why You Should Be Reading Romance Novels By Jaime Green”
-
Book Riot Article “10 REASONS WHY WOMEN READ ROMANCE NOVELS by JESSICA AVERY”
-
Mru’s Books and Reviews Article “15 reasons why you should read love stories.”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
- Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club) by Lyssa Kay Adams
- Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club) by Lyssa Kay Adams
- Isn't It Bromantic? (Bromance Book Club) by Lyssa Kay Adams
- A Very Merry Bromance (Bromance Book Club) by Lyssa Kay Adams
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mistakenly called Ted Chiang’s short story “The Story of Us”. It’s actually titled “Story of Your Life” and served as inspiration for the film “Arrival”.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “Non-Linear Storytelling: Non-Linear Writing Tips and Examples”
-
YouTube Video “Lessons from the Screenplay - Arrival — Examining an Adaptation”
-
YouTube Video “Lessons from the Screenplay - Memento — Telling a Story In Reverse”
-
YouTube Video “Like Stories of Old - Transcending Time | Interstellar's Hidden Meaning Behind Love and Time”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
- Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood
- Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood
- Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood (Collection of 3 Novellas)
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
- Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
- Arrival - Directed by Denis Villeneuve
- Memento - Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Tenet - Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Interstellar - Directed by Christopher Nolan
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes (books and resources mentioned in the episode):
LeVar Burton’s MasterClass
Amy Tan’s MasterClass
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast’s interview with Jeffrey Archer
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions
-
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
-
Episode 146: Marvel Character Dynamics with MJ McGriff
-
Episode 147: Marvel's WandaVision with K.T. Anglehart
-
Episode 159: Interview with Jenn Hanson-dePaula
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mistakenly calls John Koenig’s book The Encyclopedia of Infinite Sorrows. That title is actually The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.
MasterClass Episodes Mentioned:
- The Importance of Oral Storytelling – LeVar Burton
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
National Geographic Article “Storytelling and Cultural Traditions”
-
St. Cloud State University Article “St. Cloud State professors to speak at TEDxStCloud 2022”
-
Rose and Rex Article “Tell Me A Story: The Importance of Oral Storytelling” by Rebecca Smallberg
Previous Fable and the Verbivore Episodes Referenced:
- Episode 156: Flash Fiction Magic Contest Winners
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier (Audiobook), Narrated by Anna Massey
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Audiobook), Narrated by Wil Wheaton
- Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley
- Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
- Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
- The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Mae is an author, speaker, and Healing Coach/Mentor, specializing in trauma and grief navigation by partnering alongside women as they process hard things. She hosts the The Rainy Day Collective Podcast which is available to listen at many places including Spotify , Apple , and Google Podcast . She is also the facilitator of the Carpe Diem Writers Group.
Her personal memoir titled Girls, Assassins & Other Bad Ideas was published on July 29th of this year and is available everywhere books are sold.
Mae’s personal website is https://rainydayinmay.com/ . We’d also highly recommend checking out her Instagram @rainydayinmay.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- Girls, Assassins & Other Bad Ideas by Mae Wagner
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore read a famous quote at the beginning of the episode that’s attributed to Joseph Campbell. Here are those words:
- The cave you fear to enter hold the treasure you seek.
We also mention a connected quote from Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead. That quote is:
- As you think about your own path to daring leadership, remember Joseph Campbell's wisdom: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." Own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you're meant to serve and support, and for your culture. Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor. And choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid - at the same time.
We also share a quote from Shonda Rhime’s book Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person. Those words are as follows:
- Every “yes” changes something in me. Every “yes” is a bit more transformative. Every “yes” sparks some new phase of revolution.
The Verbivore talks a little about fear and excitement feeling similar, and re-framing fear as excitement. This is known in the scientific community as anxiety reappraisal, and studies have supported that individual performance in a task improves when we tell ourselves “I am excited” rather than “I am affraid”. The Ted Talk “You Are Contagious” by Vanessa Van Edwards discusses this study starting at timestamp 16:32.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
Wanderlust Article “Why You Should Try New Things” by Maggie Peikon
-
LifeHack.org Article “14 Reasons To Always Try New Things in Life” by Jacqueline T. Hill
-
Betterup Article “5 ways to cultivate a beginner’s mind (and stay open to the possibility)” by Maggie Wooll
-
YouTube Video “My year of saying yes to everything | Shonda Rhimes | TEDTalk”
-
YouTube Video “How Saying Yes Can Change Your Life: Mark Zmarzly at TEDxLincoln”
-
YouTube Video “The Power of Yes | Kwame Alexander | TEDxHerndon”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown
- Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore read a quote at the beginning of the episode. Those words are from a co-founder of positive psychologist and the “Father of flow” Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi. Here are those words:
- Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. - Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi
The Verbivore references a post that Fable had on her Insta. That post is available here and features the quote:
- DON’T BORE THE READER… Remember, you can bore readers in a lot of different ways. It doesn’t necessarily take a dearth of action; too much action can get you the same result. Everything in writing, as in life, requires balance… A good rule of thumb is this one: If you bore yourself with your writing, you will probably bore your readers, as well. When you feel boredom start to set in, step back and reconsider what you are doing. - Terry Brooks Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
We mention that we feel that this episode is a strangely appropriate one to share during NaNoWriMo as it could help with a Post Mortem review of what worked and what didn’t. If you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano#nanowrimo
Here are some questions we talked about for a Post Mortem review of an experience:
- What happened? / What worked? / What didn’t? / What depleted me? / What had a significant cost? / What filled or nourished me? / How can I bring more of that in? / How can I reduce the things that depleted me?
The Verbivore mentions re-framing fear as excitement. This is known in the scientific community as anxiety reappraisal, and studies have supported that individual performance in a task improves when we tell ourselves “I am excited” rather than “I am affraid”. The Ted Talk “You Are Contagious” by Vanessa Van Edwards discusses this study starting at timestamp 16:32.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
Positive Psychology Article “8 Traits of Flow According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi”
-
Zapier Article “Finding Flow: 5 Steps to Get in the Zone and Be More Productive”
-
Raiza Sali Article “22 Flow Triggers: The Ultimate Peak Performance Toolkit For Hacking Flow”
-
YouTube Video “Losing yourself in flow state | Diane Allen | TEDxNaperville”
-
YouTube Video “How to open up the next level of human performance | Steven Kotler | TEDxABQ”
-
YouTube Video “Fear or Flow: how to create an optimal experience | Cameron Norsworthy | TEDxUWA”
-
YouTube Video “Beat anxiety with the most addictive experience on Earth | Steven Kotler | Big Think”
-
YouTube Video “How to enter ‘flow state’ on command | Steven Kotler for Big Think”
-
YouTube Video “How to use ‘flow state’ to do the impossible | Steven Kotler for Big Think”
-
YouTube Video “Lessons from the Screenplay - The Soul of Good Character Design”
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik
- Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match: A Novel by Sally Thorne
- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This episode serves as our wrap up for our fall monster and spooky storytelling episodes. This novel has not been out of print in the over 80 years since its initial release and we have a lot of opinions about this story.
Also, spoiler alert, we felt that there was no way to talk about this book without digging into the twists that come about 75% of the way through the story. We’d recommend reading the book first, before listening to this episode.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
Vanity Fair article “Who Really Inspired Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca?”
The Guardian article “Sex, jealousy and gender: Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca 80 years on | Olivia Liang”
InquiriesJournal.com article “Echoes in Gothic Romance: Stylistic Similarities Between Jane Eyre and Rebecca | By Stephanie S. Haddad”
Youtube Video “How to make your writing suspenseful - Victoria Smith | TED-Ed”
YouTube Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson | TED-Ed”
YouTube Video “Is Rebecca a Love Story? | Take Two | Netflix | The Take”
YouTube Video “Rebecca, Lost in Adaptation ~ The Dom | Dominic Noble”
YouTube Video “Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier Analysis | MissHannaLovesGrammar”
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 131: Jurassic Park
-
Episode 161: Monster In The House Stories
-
Episode 162: Setting as a Monster
-
Episode 163: Vampires and Werewolves
-
Episode 164: Ghosts and Zombies
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- Rebecca – Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Directed by Ben Stiller
- Secret Life Of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
- Rebecca (2020 Netflix) – Directed by Ben Wheatley
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions a TED Talk on Ghost stories that explored why we tell them. That presentation was made by Coya Paz under the title “Hauntings, Histories, & Campfire Tales: What Ghost Stories Tell Us”.
Also, we want to acknowledge that the creatures from I Am Legend the novel are more like vampires and the Darkseekers from I am Legend the film are like a vampire and zombie hybrid. We’re talking about them here in relation to the infection that’s the catalyst that causes them to change.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
Monster Complex Article “Zombie Q&A—Jonathan Maberry: “Zombie Stories Are Not About Zombies”
-
Youtube Video “How (Not) To Tell a Meaningful Zombie Story | Like Stories of Old”
-
Youtube Video “Hauntings, Histories, & Campfire Tales: What Ghost Stories Tell Us | Coya Paz | TEDxDePaulUniversity”
-
Youtube Video “The dark history of zombies - Christopher M. Moreman | TED-Ed”
-
Youtube Video “How to make your writing suspenseful - Victoria Smith | TED-Ed”
-
YouTube Video “Lessons from a terrified horror researcher | Mathias Clasen | TEDxAarhus”
-
YouTube Video “What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville”
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 161: Monster In The House Stories
-
Episode 162: Setting as a Monster
-
Episode 163: Vampires and Werewolves
Books and Films Mentioned:
- The Beauty and the Beast by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont
- Shaun of the Dead – Directed Edgar Wright
- World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
- Crimson Peak – Directed by Guillermo del Toro
- Coco – Directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina
- The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
- I am Legend by Richard Matheson
- I am Legend – Directed by Francis Lawrence
- Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
- Warm Bodies – Directed by Jonathan Levine
- The Others – Directed by Alejandro Amenábar
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions a book that she read on how we create that talks about Picasso and his creative inspirations and influences. That book is The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World by David Eagleman and Anthony Brandt.
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
New York Public Library Article “A Brief History of Gothic Romance”
-
The Hub YALSA Article “Genre Guide: Paranormal Romances for Teens”
-
YouTube Video “Vampires: Folklore, fantasy and fact - Michael Molina - TedED”
-
YouTube Video “How did Dracula become the world's most famous vampire? - Stanley Stepanic”
-
YouTube Video “Lessons from a terrified horror researcher | Mathias Clasen | TEDxAarhus”
-
YouTube Video “What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville”
-
YouTube Video “Crimson Peak 2015 Extras - A Primer on Gothic Romance”
-
YouTube Video “Tom Hiddleston Explains Gothic Romance (Oct. 20, 2015) | Charlie Rose”
-
YouTube Video “The Byronic Hero: Isn’t it Byronic? (Feat. Princess Weekes) | It’s Lit”
-
YouTube Video “Jane Eyre: Why We Keep Reading It (Feat. Princess Weekes) | It’s Lit”
-
YouTube Video “Literary References in Reylo: Jane Eyre”
-
GreekMythology.com Article “The Myth Of Hades And Persephone”
-
BuzzFeed Article “22 Books With The Grumpy/Sunshine Trope That You'll Absolutely Love”
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 161: Monster In The House Stories
-
Episode 162: Setting as a Monster
Books and Films Mentioned:
- Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) by Stephenie Meyer
- Crave (Crave Book 1) by Tracy Wolff
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- The Invitation – Directed by Jessica Thompson
- The Beautiful (The Beautiful Quartet Book 1) by Renée Ahdieh
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- An American Werewolf in London – Directed by John Landis
- An American Werewolf in Paris – Directed by Anthony Waller
- Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
- The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause
- Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
- The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World by David Eagleman and Anthony Brandt
- Underworld (Film Series) – Directed Len Wiseman
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Series)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K Rowling
- The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
- The Beauty and the Beast by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont
- Beauty and the Beast – Directed by Bill Condon
- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
- The Rise of Skywalker – Directed by J. J. Abrams
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazlewood
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore reads some of the introductory description to the house High Place from Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. Here are those words:
- “Francis took out a key and opened the heavy door. Noemí walked into the entrance hall, which gave them an immediate view of a grand staircase of mahogany and oak with a round, stained-glass window on the second landing. The window threw shades of reds and blues and yellows upon a faded green carpet, and two carvings of nymphs—one at the bottom of the stairs by the newel post, another by the window—stood as silent guardians of the house. By the entrance there had been a painting or a mirror on a wall, and its oval outline was visible against the wallpaper, like a lonesome fingerprint at the scene of a crime.”
Here are a few articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
The Strand Magazine “The Necessity of an Antagonistic Setting”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Create Atmosphere and Mood in Writing”
-
MasterClass Article “How to Describe Setting in Literature”
-
MasterClass Article “What Is Setting in Writing? Plus Dan Brown’s 5 Tips on Writing Setting”
-
Storyboard That “Character vs. Nature / Man vs. Nature”
-
New York Public Library Article “A Brief History of Gothic Romance”
-
BL.UK Article “The Gothic in Great Expectations”
-
YouTube Video “Crimson Peak 2015 Extras - A Primer on Gothic Romance”
-
YouTube Video “Tom Hiddleston Explains Gothic Romance (Oct. 20, 2015) | Charlie Rose”
-
YouTube Video “The Byronic Hero: Isn’t it Byronic? (Feat. Princess Weekes) | It’s Lit”
-
YouTube Video “Jane Eyre: Why We Keep Reading It (Feat. Princess Weekes) | It’s Lit”
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 58: Let's talk about Mexican Gothic
-
Episode 131: Jurassic Park
Books Mentioned:
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
- Masterpiece Theater: Northanger Abbey - Directed by Jon Jones
- The House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
- Rebecca – Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- Crimson Peak – Directed by Guillermo del Toro
- The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
For this episode, our conversation is strongly connected with Save the Cat! story types and storytelling frameworks. We directly reference information from:
- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
- Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Synder
- SavetheCat.com - Monster in the House
The Save the Cat! website has beat sheets for many Monster in the House films. Here are a few from some of the films we mention:
- Get Out Beat Sheet
- Jurassic Park Beat Sheet - The Movie
- Jaws Beat Sheet
- The Shining Book/Movie Beat Sheet Comparison – The Movie
- Predator Beat Sheet
The Verbivore mentions a YouTube video that includes a conversation where Get Out writer and director Jordan Peele is talking about ensuring that Chris always has a why he stays amidst the increasingly creepy and weird things that are happening. That video essay is “Jordan Peele’s Advice on Writing Thrillers - edited by Tyler Mowery”.
The Verbivore references the Toy Story of Terror short animated film that follows this storytelling framework and the character Mr. Pricklepants directly calls out the beats and tropes. It’s available for purchase and to stream on Disney +. But, here also is a YouTube playlist link.
Here are a few other articles and videos we referenced for this conversation:
-
Video ”10 Genres of "Save the Cat" - Monster in the House” by The Independent Initiative Magazine
-
Video “[Save The Cat] | 10 Types of Movies” by Allan Northern
-
Video “The Impact Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat Has Had On Screenwriters - Naomi Beaty” - Interview with Film Courage
-
FLyingWrestler.com Article “Monster in the House” by Erik Bork
-
EricIanSteele.com Article “Monsters in the House”
Books Mentioned:
- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
- Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Synder
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Get Out – Directed Jordan Peele
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The Shining by Stephen King
- The Shining – Directed by Stanley Kubrick
- The House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
- Toy Story of Terror – Directed by Angus MacLane
- Alien – Directed by Ridley Scott
- Jaws – Directed by Steven Spielberg
- Predator - Directed by Craig Baxley
- The Cabin in the Woods – Directed by Drew Goddard
- I Know What You Did Last Summer – Directed by Jim Gillespie
- The Death of Jane Laurence by Caitlin Starling
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Jenn is a book marketing professional and co-creator of Mixtus Media. She regularly posts marketing advice and tips on social media, provides free content creation tools, and offers services to help authors connect with readers, simplify book marketing, and sell more books.
Jenn posts regularly on Instagram @mixtusmedia and her YouTube channel Mixtusmedia. Her website is https://www.mixtusmedia.com/ which includes her blog posts, podcast episodes, marketing and social media tools, The Author Circle marketing membership, and personal book marketing coaching program.
As part of our interview Here is the link to our conversation with her:
Episode 159: Interview with Jenn Hanson-dePaula
The questions for this episode came from Your Writer Platform’s article “Finding Your Ideal Audience: A Step-by-Step Guide” by Kimberley Grabas.
Here are the questions we use from this article:
What are their demographics? Demographics refer to the outward-facing characteristics of a person—it’s the differences that the Census uses to categorize people. Think about your ideal reader’s age, gender, location, ethnic background, education level, and career.
What do they do for a living? Do they live in a big city on the East Coast or in a small town in the Midwest? Are they male or female? Married or single? Are they a cool twenty-something Spanish-speaker or an older, active grandma of five?
Demographics are the dry facts behind your ideal superfan: the who, what, and where. Next, you’ll want to figure out the “why” behind your ideal fan.
What are their psychographics? Psychographics are a person’s internal, mental qualities. Everyone has a different attitude and mindset, and psychographics look to help us understand people based on their broad responses to certain issues.
Are they laid-back or frequently stressed? Do they lie awake at night worrying? Are they open to new experiences? Are they loud or quiet? Outgoing or reserved?
Think about your ideal fan’s personal values, interests, ideals, goals, and aspirations. What makes them tick? Again, be as specific as you can.
What’s their personal style? How do they dress? What do they like to eat? Where do they shop?
What’s their budget? Do they have a lot of disposable income, or are things a little tight? Are they cash-strapped working moms? Rich, successful business people? Folks who want to move up the ladder? Are they spending $5 a day on fancy lattes, or do they make coffee at home?
Here are a few other articles we referenced for this conversation:
-
Savannah Gilbo’s “How to Identify Your Story's Ideal Reader”
-
Ignited Ink Writing “Who Is Your Ideal Reader and How to Identify Them” by Caitlin Berve
Books Mentioned:
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo
- Caraval Series: Caraval, Legendary, Finale by Stephanie Garber
- Books Lovers by Emily Henry
- A Study in Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Persuasion by Jane Austen
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
- The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde
- Thirst by Mary Oliver
- Red Bird by Mary Oliver
- Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Jenn is a book marketing professional and co-creator of Mixtus Media. She regularly posts marketing advice and tips on social media, provides free content creation tools, and offers services to help authors connect with readers, simplify book marketing, and sell more books.
Jenn posts regularly on Instagram @mixtusmedia and her YouTube channel Mixtusmedia. Her website is https://www.mixtusmedia.com/ which includes her blog posts, podcast episodes, marketing and social media tools, The Author Circle marketing membership, and personal book marketing coaching program. She also offers the following free tools for creatives:
-
Book Marketing Blueprint
-
Instagram Posting Formula
-
Streamlined Book Marketing Guide
-
10 Instagram Reel Ideas
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore shares a definition for the word engage. Here is that definition:
- “Establish a meaningful contact or connection with; Occupy, attract, or involve someone’s interest or attention.”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
MasterClass “6 Tips to Successfully Market and Promote Your Book: Step-by-Step Guide”
-
The Write Life “6 Effective Ways to Engage With Your Readers (So They Buy More Books)”
MasterClass Mentioned:
- Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers - Lesson 18: Life as a Writer
We also mention words of wisdom, tips, and tools that authors have shared in our previous podcast episodes about connecting with readers. Those episodes are:
- Episode 96: Interview with K.T. Anglehart
Services to help you get your book in hands of readers and reviewed: Xpresso Virtual Book Tour, BookSirens, Net Galley, Goodreads Free Giveaway
- Episode 108: Interview with MJ McGriff
Content marketing: Create a brand that’s on theme, recognizable, and authentic. Tone, images, and feel.
- Episode 125: Interview with Candice Yamnitz
Instagram Content: Be audience oriented and include a mix of content. Educate, entertain, and encourage
We also talk about lessons we’ve learned from specific authors about things to try. Here are a few of them:
-
Sherry Thomas, @writersherrythomas - Includes reality behind the story drafting and writing process in acknowledgements, Posts that go into real life - food and personal sketches, Artifacts like hand drawn map for her upcoming mystery
-
Hafsah Faizal, @hafsahfaizal & https://www.hafsahfaizal.com/ - Participates in Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Insta Stories, Shares writing struggles as she experienced with finishing We Free the Stars, Includes personal life details, Interactive website
-
Emily Henry, @emilyhenrywrites - Shares book recommendations, Participates in live stream interviews, Share bits of your writing life in Insta stories
Books Mentioned:
A Study in Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, 1) by Hafsah Faizal
We Free the Stars (Sands of Arawiya, 2) by Hafsah Faizal
Happy Place by Emily Henry
This Might Get Awkward by Kara McDowell
Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level by Donald Maass
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable shares a quote from poet Charles Simic. That quote is:
- “He who cannot howl will not find his pack.”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “How to Find a Writing Group: 6 Benefits of Joining a Writing Group”
-
Reedsy Blog Article “15 of the Best Online Writing Communities for Aspiring Authors”
-
Lulu Blog Article “7 Online Writing Communities For Authors”
TedTalk Mentioned:
- My year of saying yes to everything | Shonda Rhimes Ted Talk
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
You can read all of the story submissions to the 2022 Flash Fiction Magic contest at: https://fableandtheverbivore.com/ffm
-
Amber Kirkpatrick is a heart-centered and character-driven author. Her debut YA fantasy novel under the working title of “Project Aquila” is undergoing edits and anticipated to be released in Spring ‘23. She’s also working on a novel under the working title “Project X”, a sci-fi romance with flavors pulled from X-Men, Breaking Dawn, and Order of the Phoenix - and lots of coffee. She also has a short story in the Twenty Hills Publishing Valentine’s Day Anthology, due out in February ‘23. Amber’s personal website is https://www.amberkirkpatrick.com/ and her insta is @amber.kirkpatrick.writer
-
Andrea Renae is a lyrical YA Fantasy author who is working on drafting her first novel - an upper YA high fantasy that focuses on bringing light to the darkness and grapples with issues of fear, anxiety, depression, grief, and guilt. After not being able to find a quality copy, she edited and is selling cleaned-up copies of the public domain book Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss here. Her rattlesnake short story piece that we mention can be found here. Andrea’s personal website is https://andrearenaewrites.blogspot.com/ and her insta is @a.renae.writes .
-
Kevin King is a YA Fantasy author whose debut novel Song of the Adoël was released in February of this year. Song of the Adoël is “a YA Fantasy Adventure about a young man who suffers a hereditary curse, a rash prince seeking revenge, beautiful illusions, and dark family secrets.” He’s also in the process of developing and writing a prequel book within this world. Kevin’s personal website is http://kevinkingauthor.com/ and his insta is @kevinkingauthor .
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss (Author), A. Porter (Editor)
- Song of the Adoël by Kevin King
- The Initiate Brother Duology by Sean Russell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore paraphrases a quote from a James Cameron article. That actual quote is:
- “People call me a perfectionist, but I'm not. I'm a rightist. I do something until it's right, and then I move on to the next thing.”
The Verbivore references a scene from the Pixar movie Onward. Here is the quote and link:
- Ian Lightfoot: I'm not ready!
Barley Lightfoot: You'll never be ready. Merge!
- Merge Gif Link
Here is the specific MasterClass lecture that we mentioned in this conversation:
- MasterClass “Roxane Gay: Self-Editing: Re-Visioning Your Work”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
Penguin Randonhouse News for Authors Article “How Do You Know When You’re Done Writing?”
-
Writer’s Mag Article “From the Front Lines: How can you tell when a work is done?”
-
K.M. Allen “Writing The Final Draft: What To Check”
Masterclasses Mentioned:
- Roxane Gay Writing for Social Change
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Sarah is an YA Fantasy Romance author who’s currently querying her debut novel Wicked Glimpses (book one) - an urban fantasy romance with elements of sci-fi. Wicked Glimpses “is about a teenage girl chased by dark hallucinations into a magical world of crime fighters to investigate her wild power, family secrets, and a mysterious bond with a broody time traveler that’s either the start or end of everything”. She’s also in the process of developing and writing book two in this series.
Sarah’s personal website is https://sarahlyn81.wixsite.com/sarahzimmerman . We’d also highly recommend checking out her Instagram @authorsarahzimm.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Funny Farm - Directed by George Roy Hill
Divergent (Divergent Series, 1) by Veronica Roth
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Book 1) by Cassandra Clare
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Definitions:
- Editing - Prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it. Remove unnecessary or inappropriate words, sounds, or scenes from the text. Refining, polishing, making it more like itself.
Fable and the Verbivore reference a quote by Mark Twain. Here is that quote:
- “Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
WritersWrite “Simplify Your Writing – Avoid These 44 Overused Words & Phrases”
-
Louis Dockery “6 Words You Need to Stop Using in Your Work Vocabulary”
-
CNBC “Want to sound more confident? Avoid these 11 words and phrases that make you look ‘weak,’ say grammar experts”
-
ServiceScape “Remove These 30 Words and Phrases from Your Writing Now”
-
Lit Reactor “8 Words to Seek and Destroy in Your Writing”
-
BookCave “17 Weak Words to Avoid in Your Writing”
-
Leslie Ann McDaniel “WRITING LESSON: REPEAT OFFENDERS-THE 10 MOST OVERUSED WORDS IN FICTION”
-
Jerry Jenkins “249 Strong Verbs That’ll Spice Up Your Writing”
-
ReedsyBlog “265+ Forceful Verbs to Turn You Into a Literary Tyrannosaurus”
-
WritersHelpingWriters.com “Active Verbs List”
-
Dragon Writing Prompts “1000 Verbs to Write By”
-
Self-Publishing School “Strong Verbs: An Easy Guide for Using & Understanding Strong Verbs”
-
NowNovel “Adjectives for description: 60 precise words”
-
7esl.com “Descriptive Words: 700+ Describing Words in English (with Useful Examples)”
-
The Verbivore’s Pinterest Collection “Descriptor Words”
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
- The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
- Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg
- Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, 2nd edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
- The Forest for the Trees (Revised and Updated): An Editor's Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Definitions:
- Editing - Prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it. Remove unnecessary or inappropriate words, sounds, or scenes from the text. Refining, polishing, making it more like itself.
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
Medium Transcript Article of Quotidian Video “Writing Tips for Fixing Overwritten and Underwritten Prose”
-
LitHub “12 Contemporary Writers on How They Revise”
-
Aerogramme Writers’ Studio Article “Back to the Story Spine”
-
Script Mag Article “SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE: The Spine of the Screenplay”
-
Reedsy YouTube Video “Assessing Your Manuscript | How to Edit a Book #1”
-
Ellen Brock YouTube Video “How to Edit Your Novel | Advice from an Editor”
-
Mollie Reads YouTube Video “Self-Editing Your Novel: Tips from an Editor”
-
Story Garden Publishing “Developmental Editing Tips for Authors (with Editor Angela Traficante) | Story Garden Publishing”
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Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader “What are the different types of novel editing?”
-
WritersDigest “Alternatives to a Professional Edit”
-
MasterClass “10 Tips for Editing Your Own Writing”
-
MasterClass “Editing Essentials: What Is Developmental Editing?”
-
MasterClass “What Is Line Editing? Line Editing vs. Copy Editing”
-
MasterClass “Editing Checklist: How to Edit Your Own Writing”
-
Reedsy “5 Types of Editing: Which One Do You Need Right Now?”
-
Reedsy “What is Line Editing and How Can It Help Your Book?”
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
- Beach Readby Emily Henry
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable (author Beth Stedman) offers both developmental editing services and a two week writing review. The review is two weeks of customized book coaching for writers of romance, young adult, and all forms of speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, etc). Part developmental editor, part cheerleader, part motivational coach, she helps writers get unstuck and reach their goals. You can connect with her on instagram @bethstedman
Definitions:
- Editing - Prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it. Remove unnecessary or inappropriate words, sounds, or scenes from the text. Refining, polishing, making it more like itself.
The Verbivore paraphrases a quote from Neil Gaiman’s MasterClass. That actual quote is:
- “The process of doing your 2nd [draft] is the process of making it look like you knew what you were doing all along.”
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
LitHub “12 Contemporary Writers on How They Revise”
-
Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader “What are the different types of novel editing?”
-
WritersDigest “Alternatives to a Professional Edit”
-
MasterClass “10 Tips for Editing Your Own Writing”
-
MasterClass “Editing Essentials: What Is Developmental Editing?”
-
MasterClass “What Is Line Editing? Line Editing vs. Copy Editing”
-
MasterClass “Editing Checklist: How to Edit Your Own Writing”
-
Reedsy “5 Types of Editing: Which One Do You Need Right Now?”
-
Reedsy “What is Line Editing and How Can It Help Your Book?”
Masterclasses Mentioned:
-
Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling
-
Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In this episode, we touch on the authors that we’ve interviewed over the course of the podcast and how positive those conversations have been. Here is a link to those episodes:
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/category/interview
Fable mentions a recent interview that we had with author Emily Barnett, where the importance of sharing your work with your community came up. Here is that episode:
Episode 137: Interview with Emily Barnett
The Verbivore brought up several Marvel fan conversations where we invited an author guest to join for a discussion on a particular topic. Here are those episodes:
Episode 146: Marvel Character Dynamics with MJ McGriff
Episode 147: Marvel's WandaVision with K.T. Anglehart
We also touched on our book club episodes where we discussed a book with a reader. Here are those episodes:
Episode 86: Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
Episode 104: Reader conversation about Sister Heart
Episode 124: Out of the Vortex by Amy Whitehouse
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
“Jason Reynolds is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. Jason’s many books include Miles Morales: Spider Man, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Correta Scott King Honor, and Look Both Ways, which was a National Book Award Finalist. His latest book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, is a collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi.” - Amazon.com
Here’s Miles Morales: Spider-Man’s hook:
- “Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He’s even got a scholarship spot at the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy. Oh yeah, and he’s Spider Man.”
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – Directed by Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr. and Rodney Rothman
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
We mention the advice that originally came from our interview author Candice Yamnitz for when you have a character that is difficult to like show them first as a child so that the audience can connect with them. That episode is:
- Episode 125: Interview with Candice Yamnitz
Here are some key movie moments in story order that we bring up in our discussion of Thor and Loki’s journeys:
-
Thor and Loki as Kids - Mjolnir Scene - Thor (2011)
-
Thor - Loki & Odin - Loki finds out he's adopted
-
Thor vs Loki - Final Battle Scene - Thor (2011)
-
Hulk vs Loki - "Puny God"- Hulk Smashing Loki - The Avengers
-
Odin Sentence Loki - Thor: The Dark World (2013)
-
Thor: The Dark World(2013) - Loki Talks With His Mother Scene
-
"You Must Be Truly Desperate To Come To Me For Help" - Thor: The Dark World (2013)
-
Loki's Death Scene - Thor and Loki vs Kurse & Dark Elves - Thor: The Dark World (2013)
-
"No. Thank you." - Loki reveals himself - Thor: The Dark World
-
Thor Ragnarok Opening Scene I Thor vs Surter Fight Scene
-
Thor Ragnarok (2017) - Loki's funny theatre scene with Thor
-
THOR: RAGNAROK (2017) Movie Clip - Odin Departs
-
Thor vs Hela - First Fight Scene | Thor Ragnarok (2017)
-
Thor Ragnarok (2017) - Thor & Loki do "GET HELP"
-
Thor Electrocutes Loki Scene | Marvel's Thor Ragnarok 2017
-
Thor vs Hela - Thor Ragnarok
-
Loki “Your Savior Is Here” - Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
-
Thanos demands that Loki hand over the Tesseract, threatening to kill Thor - Avengers: Infinity War
-
Loki Death Scenes - Thanos Kills Loki - Avengers Infinity War Scenes
The Verbivore references several quotes made by Thor and Loki. They are as follows:
Thor: “Loki, I thought the world of you. I thought we were going to fight side-by-side forever, but at the end of the day you're you and I'm me and... oh, maybe there's still good in you but... let's be honest, our paths diverged a long time ago.” - Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: “Dear brother, you're becoming predictable. I trust you, you betray me, round and round in circles we go. See Loki, life is about... It's about growth, it's about change, but you seem to just want to stay the same. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you'll always be the god of mischief, but you could be more. I'll just put this over here for you.” - Thor: Ragnarok
Loki: “I assure you, brother — the sun will shine on us again.” - Avengers: Infinity War
We hope you enjoy this episode! We can’t wait to dig into Loki’s character further in our class on July 20th at 1pm ET where we’ll explore the Disney + series Loki Season One. There’s a sign-up link in our bio at https://linktr.ee/fableandtheverbivore.
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
Thor: Ragnarok - Directed by Taika Waititi
Thor – Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Thor: The Dark World – Directed by Alan Taylor
Jojo Rabbit – Directed by Taika Waititi
Hunt for the Wilderpeople – Directed by Taika Waititi
The Avengers - Directed by Joss Wedon
Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
K. T. Anglehart’s first novel The Wise One (The Scottish Scrolls Book 1) was released in October, 2020 and recently was named the 1st Prize Winner in Supernatural Fiction at the Chanticleer 2021 Paranormal Book Awards. Katrina is currently working on writing book 2 “The Twin Flame” she currently plans to release around the end of 2022/beginning of 2023 . You can learn more about The Wise One on Katrina’s personal website https://www.ktanglehart.com/ and her instagram @kt_anglehart, the first three chapters are available in her bio at https://smart.bio/kt_anglehart/.
We touch on the topic of Subtext in dialogue. That could be a topic all it’s own, but here is a MasterClass article titled “What is Subtext?”.
The Verbivore mentions the fake out that Marvel did in having the actor Even Peters (who has played Quicksilver in X-Men Days of Future Past) show up as Fake Pietro. Here is an interesting take on why Marvel may have made that choice.
Here are some Wanda related movie and TV series moments that we touch on:
Vision's Birth | Avengers Age of Ultron (2015) Best scenes
Wanda Rips Out Ultron's Heart "It Felt Like That" - Avengers Age of Ultron (2015)
Sokovia Falls Clip - Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron
Sokovia Accords Debate | Captain America Civil War (2016)
Vision + Wanda Maximoff | The Kitchen Scene ["Is That Paprikash?"]
Wanda and Hawkeye vs Vision - Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Avengers Infinity War Wanda and Vision Scene 201
Avengers Infinity War | "I'm not asking for forgiveness.." Full scene
Scarlet Witch kills Vision (Vision's death) / Wakanda team vs Thanos | Avengers Infinity War
Thanos Kills Vision Scene - Avengers Infinity War (2018)
Avengers Infinity War Moment After Thanos Snapped His Finger
Wanda Tells Vision To Save His Boss | Wandavision Disney+
WandaVision 01x02 | Wanda Finds Toy Helicopter
WandaVision 1x02 | "Wanda! Can you hear me?" - Radio Scene (HD)
WandaVision 01x02 | Wanda Rewinds
Theses are runes Wanda - WandaVision
Ship of Theseus - WandaVision (Vision and White Vision)
Wanda Becomes Scarlet Witch - Agatha Harkness vs Wanda Maximoff Fight - WandaVision (2021)
WandaVision 1x09 || "Family Is Forever"
Wanda and Vision say goodbye
The Verbivore and Katrina read several quotes. Here they are:
"I remember that I liked (Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) very much and I thought it would be fun to have villains who aren't really bad deep down," Lee told Comics Creators On X-Men. "We already had a reluctant hero with Spider-Man so I thought it would be fun to create a pair of reluctant villains." - Stan Lee, Found on UncannyX-Men.net
“We can't rush aging just because it's convenient. And we can't reverse death. No matter how sad it makes us. Okay? Some things are forever.” - Wanda, WandaVision Ep: 5
“Well, because it can't all be sorrow, can it? I've always been alone, so I don't feel the lack. It's all I've ever known, I've never experienced loss because I have never had a loved one to lose. But what is grief, if not love persevering?” - Vision, WandaVision Ep: 8
The Ship of Theseus discussion between WandaVision Vision and White Vision occurs in Episode 9 and is based on a philosopical thought experiement created by Greek philisopher Plutarch. Here is some additional information:
-
TED-Ed Who am I? A philosophical inquiry - Amy Adkins - Ship of Theseus
-
OSU: PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT - SHIP OF THESEUS by Noah Levin
We’ve interviewed author K.T. Anglehart on a previous podcast episode. That episode is:
- Episode 96: Interview with K.T. Anglehart
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
The Wise One (The Scottish Scrolls Book 1)by K.T. Anglehart
WandaVision – Directed by Matt Shakman
When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Directed by Joss Wedon
Captain America: Civil War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Endgame - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Bewitched - The Complete Series
X-men: Days of Future Past – Directed by Bryan Singer
Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Margaret “MJ” McGriff is an author, podcaster, and content marketing professional. She’s authored and self-published two YA Sci-Fi books (The Fall, The Takeover) and one novella (The Mission) in her New Earth Series. Over the last three years, she’s written and released three YA Fantasy novels (Macario’s Scepter, The Secret Library, The Spell Keeper) in her ongoing adventure series - The Magian. Information on The Magian series can be found on her website at: http://www.mmcgriff.com/macarios-scepter/
MJ posts regularly on Instagram often with fantasy and adventure images inspired by her work as well as great writing and content marketing advice. You can connect with her and her work on Instagram @mj_mcgriff, on Twitter at @mj_mcgriff, and on her website at http://www.mmcgriff.com/. A free copy of her short story titled The Griffin A Magian Short Story is available here.
We’d also recommend checking out “The Content Creative Podcast” series that she created and hosted centering on creatives who are looking to market their work. Episodes can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-content-creative-podcast/id1493974542
Here are some movie and TV series moments that we touch on:
-
Black Widow - Yelena Vest Scene
-
Guardians of the Galaxy - First Meeting Scene
-
Tony Stark´s Vision - Avengers Age Of Ultron (2015) Marvel Infinity War tease
-
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Soul Gazing / Staring Contest
-
I'm Sure You Did Your Best - Shuri Helps Vision Scene - Avengers Infinity War Movie
-
Tony Stark VS Dr. Steven Strange (Argument Scene) - Avengers: Infinity War
-
"Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist" Tony Stark vs Steve Rogers - The Avengers
-
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016) Clip - Ending Scene
We’ve interviewed author M.J. McGriff about her writing life on a previous podcast episode. That episode is:
- Episode 108: Interview with MJ McGriff
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
Macario's Scepter: The Magian Series Book One by M.J. McGriff
The Secret Library: The Magian Series Book Two by M.J. McGriff
The Spell Keeper: The Magian Series Book Three by M.J. McGriff
Captain America: The First Avenger - Directed by Joe Johnston
Iron Man - Directed by Jon Favreau
The Avengers - Directed by Joss Wedon
Captain America: Civil War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Endgame - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Ironman 2 - Directed by Jon Favreau
Iron Man 3 - Directed by Shane Black
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Directed by Joss Wedon
Ant-Man - Directed by Peyton Reed
Black Widow - Directed by Cate Shortland
Guardians of the Galaxy - Directed by James Gunn
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Directed by Kari Skogland
Black Panther - Directed by Ryan Coogler
Spider-Man: No Way Home – Directed by Jonn Watts
Spider-Man – Directed by Sam Raimi
The Amazing Spider-Man – Directed by Marc Webb
WandaVision – Directed by Matt Shakman
Captain Marvel – Directed by Anna Boden
Thor – Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
The New York Times Article “‘Avengers: Endgame’: The Screenwriters Answer Every Question You Might Have”
-
Vanity Fair Article “How the Avengers: Endgame Writers Made Life-and-Death Decisions”
-
MotionPictures.org Article “The Russo Brothers Say Avengers: Infinity War is a Thanos Movie”
At one point, we dig into how Steve starts out willing to lay down his life for others, from the moment he jumps on the fake grenade we know who he is and in the end of the film he gives up his dreams (a dance with Peggy) to save the world. The Verbivore mentions a quote from the writers of Infinity War and Endgame. The full quote is:
- “And that’s why [Captain America] can’t die in this movie, because he was willing to die in the first one. That’s not a journey.”
The Verbivore references a quote by Tony Stark in The Avengers where he realizes his similarities with Loki. Here is that full quote:
- “He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience.... Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered…[realizes he’s describing Stark Tower] Son of a b*tch.”
We talk about the intersection between Rocket and Yondu’s characters in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, when they have a moment that digs into what’s going on inside of them. Here is that full dialogue exchange:
Yondu : You can fool yourself and everyone else, but you can't fool me. I know who you are.
Rocket : You don't know anything about me, loser.
Yondu : I know everything about you. I know you play like you're the meanest and the hardest but actually you're the most scared of all.
Rocket : Shut up!
Yondu : I know you steal batteries you don't need and you push away anyone who's willing to put up with you 'cause just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is.
Rocket : I said shut up!
Yondu : I know them scientists what made you, never gave a rat's ass about you!
Rocket : I'm serious, dude!
Yondu : Just like my own damn parents who sold me, their own little baby, into slavery. I know who you are, boy. Because you're me!
Rocket : ...What kind of a pair are we?
Yondu : The kind that's about to go fight a planet, I reckon.
Rocket : All right, okay! Good, that's... Wait. Fight a what?
We also talk about the opening of Black Panther that sets up the relationship dynamics between T’Challa and his friends and family. Here is a snippet of that dialogue:
Okoye : Just don't freeze when you see her.
T'Challa : What are taking about? I never freeze.
Later
Shuri : Did he freeze?
Okoye : Like an antelope in headlights.
T’Challa : Are you finished?
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
Captain America: The First Avenger - Directed by Joe Johnston
Iron Man - Directed by Jon Favreau
Captain America: Winter Soldier - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Captain America: Civil War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
The Avengers - Directed by Joss Wedon
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Directed by Joss Wedon
Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Endgame - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Guardians of the Galaxy - Directed by James Gunn
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Directed by James Gunn
Black Widow - Directed by Cate Shortland
Ironman 2 - Directed by Jon Favreau
Doctor Strange - Directed by Scott Derrickson
Black Panther - Directed by Ryan Coogler
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
The New York Times Article “‘Avengers: Endgame’: The Screenwriters Answer Every Question You Might Have”
-
Vanity Fair Article “How the Avengers: Endgame Writers Made Life-and-Death Decisions”
-
MotionPictures.org Article “The Russo Brothers Say Avengers: Infinity War is a Thanos Movie”
-
UltimatePopculture Article “Crossover_(fiction)” wiki
-
Comic Book Treasury “The Marvel Comics Events and Crossovers List, from the ’80s Secret Wars to today”
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Hulk - Directed by Ang Lee
The Incredible Hulk - Directed by Louis Leterrier
Fantastic Four (2005) - Directed by Tim Story
Fantastic Four - Directed by Josh Trank
Iron Man - Directed by Jon Favreau
The Avengers - Directed by Joss Wedon
Thor - Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Captain America: The First Avenger - Directed by Joe Johnston
Captain America: Civil War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Black Panther - Directed by Ryan Cogler
Ant-Man and the Wasp - Directed by Peyton Reed
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Directed by Joss Wedon
Captain America: Winter Soldier - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Endgame - Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Spider-Man: No Way Home - Directed by Jon Watts
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This exploration of comics is a brief exploration of a diverse and far-reaching genre. It’s not meant to be exhautive, but to touch on the vast landscape and a little of what we’ve found and enjoyed. There’s so much out there and we’d highly recommend exploring what might be for you.
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “7 Tips for Writing Your First Comic Book”
-
Alison Learning At The Primary Pond - Writing Lessons “4 Writing Skills To Teach Using Comic Books As Mentor Texts”
Fable references Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. Here is a link:
https://mastersreview.com/tips-pixars-22-rules-of-storytelling/
The Verbivore mentions hearing Todd Mcfarlane, the creator of the comic Spawn, speak at Phoenix Fan Fusion/Comicon. One of the recommendations he gave to artists is to consolidate their stories down by having their art contain the element of movement in it, to avoid images that feel static.
The crazy comic we mention that feels like a blender of ideas, including a cop and dinosaurs, is called “Axe Cop”.
The Verbivore references the visual elements and story hook in the opening scene of the noir film Sin City based on the comic of the same name. Please note that this film in general has graphic violence and disturbing images, but not in the first scene. A video clip can be found on YouTube under “Sin City opening scene”.
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Pixar Storytelling
-
Episode 35: Let's talk about Inside Out
-
Episode 37: Pixar Storytelling Part 1
-
Episode 38: Pixar Storytelling Part 2
Star Wars
-
Episode 97: Star Wars (part 1)
-
Episode 98: Star Wars (part 2)
-
Episode 99: The Hero's Journey
-
Episode 101: The Heroine's Journey
Books, Movies, and Graphic Novels Mentioned:
- Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 – Written by Stephenie Meyer, Adapted and Illustrated by Young Kim
- Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 – Written by Stephenie Meyer, Adapted and Illustrated by Young Kim
- Pride and Prejudice Graphic Novel – Written by Jane Austen, Adapted by Nancy Butler, Illustrated by Hugo Petrus
- The Lightening Thief Graphic Novel – Written by Rick Riordan, Illustrated by Attila Futaki and Jose Villarrubia
- The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story (The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) by Marie Kondō
- The Hunger Games – Directed by Gary Ross
- Sin City – Directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- AntMan – Directed by Peyton Reed
- The Batman – Directed by Matt Reeves
- The Killing Joke - Written by Alan Moore & Brian Bolland
- Birds of Prey Vol. 1 – Written by Chuck Dixon & Jordan Gorfinkel
- Fables: Legends in Exile, Vol. 1 – Written by Bill Willingham, Illustrated by James Jean and Alex Maleev
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This exploration of common tropes of science fiction isn’t meant to be exhaustive. It’s a brief overview of some of our favorites while acknowledging that there are many others to explore.
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “What Is Science Fiction Writing? Definition and Characteristics of Science Fiction Literature”
-
Writer’s Digest Article “21 Popular Science Fiction Tropes for Writers”
-
Writer’s Write Article “101 Science Fiction Tropes For Writers”
-
Gizmodo Article “10 Great Sci-Fi Tropes (and 5 That Should Be Shot Into Space)”
-
Book Riot Article “Best Alien Books”
-
TVTropes.ord Article “Speculative Fiction Tropes”
-
YouTube Video Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451”? - Iseult Gillespie (Ted-Ed)
-
YouTube Video How science fiction can help predict the future by Roey Tzezana (Ted-Ed)
-
YouTube Video James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction Episode 6 - Time Travel Documentary [Director's Commentary] - Timestamp 4:21
-
YouTube Video Doctor Who - Complete Timey Wimey Don't Blink Speech - Timestamp 1:34
-
YouTube Video Equilibrium (2/12) Movie CLIP - Killed for Reading (2002)
Fable and the Verbivore talk about the grandfather paradox as part of our time travel trope discussion. Here is a brief definition:
- The grandfather paradox is a potential logical problem that would arise if a person were to travel to a past time. The name comes from the idea that if a person travels to a time before their grandfather had children, and kills him, it would make their own birth impossible. So, if time travel is possible, it somehow must avoid such a contradiction.
The Verbivore talks about a babel fish, it’s a creature from the book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. It can be placed in the ear of anyone and translates whatever language is being spoken directly into the brain of the wearer. More information can be found at:
- https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Babel_Fish
The Verbivore references the science jargon quote from The Avengers: Infinity War, where Shuri is assessing the mind stone’s connection to Vision’s mind. Bruce Banner (The Hulk) is explaining what he and Tony Stark did to create the connection. Here is that dialogue:
- Shuri : The structure is polymorphic.
- Bruce Banner : Right. We... we had to attach each neuron non... non-sequentially.
- Shuri : Why didn't you just preprogram the synopsis to work collectively?
- Bruce Banner : [as Vision turns his attention to Banner with curiosity] Because, we, didn't... think of it?
- Shuri : I'm sure you did your best.
As we talk about scientific jargon, both Fable and the Verbivore reference the phrase “Timey, Wimey”. This comes from Doctor Who Series 3, Episode 10 “Blink”, which we’d highly recommend. The full quote is:
- “People assume time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff.”
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
-
Episode 128: The Opposite of Always
-
Episode 138: The Science Fiction Genre
-
Episode 139: Science vs Magic
-
Episode 140: When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
Books, Movies, and TV Shows Mentioned:
- Star Trek Original Season
- Star Trek: The Next Generation Complete Series
- Doctor Who: The Complete First Series
- Eureka - The Complete Series
- War Games - Directed by John Badham
- Terminator 6-Film Collection
- 2001: A Space Odyssey - Directed by Stanley Kubrick
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Directed by Garth Jennings
- The Matrix - Directed by The Wachowskis
- The Matrix: Resurrections - Directed by Lana Wachowski
- Back to the Future – Directed by Robert Zemeckis
- James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction
- The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
- The Butterfly Effect - Directed Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber
- The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde
- The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
- Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow
- All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
- Doctor Strange - Directed by Scott Derrickson
- Arrival – Directed by Denis Villeneuve
- Jurassic Park by Micheal Crichton
- E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – Directed by Steven Spielberg
- Super 8 - Directed by J. J. Abrams
- When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
- Stranger Things Season 1
- The Goonies - Directed by Richard Donner
- Contact by Carl Sagan
- Contact - Directed by Robert Zemeckis
- The Day the Earth Stood Still - Directed by Robert Wise
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Directed by Steven Spielberg
- The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
- War of the Worlds – Directed Steven Spielberg
- Independence Day – Directed by Roland Emmerich
- The Host by Stephanie Meyer
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Directed by Philip Kaufman
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- The Martian - Directed by Ridley Scott
- Interstellar – Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Stargate - Directed by Roland Emmerich
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Complete Box Set - Created by George Lucas
- Interworld by Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves
- Loki Season 1
- Dark Matter by Dark Crouch
- Avengers: Infinity War - Directed by Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
- Binti: The Complete Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafore
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- West World - Directed by Michael Crichton
- Firefly: The Complete Series
- Serenity - Directed by Joss Wedon
- Equilibrium - Directed by Kurt Wimmer
- Fahrenheit 451 - by Ray Bradbury
- Fahrenheit 451
- V for Vendetta – Directed by James McTeigue
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- Ready Player One - Directed by Steven Spielberg
- Wall-E - Directed by Andrew Stanton
- Wreck-it Ralph / Ralph Breaks the Internet - Directed by Rich Moore, Phil Johnston
- Free Guy - Directed by Shawn Levy
- Tron - Directed by Steven Lisberger
- Tron Legacy - Directed by Joseph Kosinkski
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Taryn is an author who shares copy editing tips on Instagram at #diycopyediting to help writers refresh or learn grammar and punctuation concepts in a fun, clear, and easy to use format. She has two short stories that have recently been purchased for publication in online magazines Daily Science Fiction and @CosmicRootszine. She has also written two works of fiction, has recently queried a contemporary novel, and is currently working on outlining a speculative fiction novel that’s a loose retelling of Homer’s Odyssey. She regularly shares short stories on #flashfictionmagic , posted poems on #posttopoet with @the.authoress.life, and is a candid and encouraging presence within the Instagram writing community.
Taryn’s personal website is https://tarynfrazier.com/ . Her site contains several links to her short stories that are in print. You can connect with her on Instagram @tarynrose.writes and on Twitter @tarynrosewriter.
Her work can be found at the following locations:
-
“The Candy Shop” - Daily Science Fiction
-
“The Birth of Samuel” - Transept art exhibit through the University of St. Andrews
-
“On the Other Side of the Gate” - BloomMilitaryTeens.org
-
“Sharing Family Stories” - Story Warren Blog
Taryn mentioned author Brandon Sanderson’s fantastic writing lectures that are available for free on YouTube. Those can be found at Brandon Sanderson - 2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYU. She specifically recommends “Lecture #7: Short Stories — With Special Guest Instructor Mary Robinette Kowal”.
Taryn talked about several resources that she uses to identify places that are accepting short stories for publication. Those are:
-
Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) Market Report
-
APEX Magazine Submission Guidelines
-
Daily Science Fiction Submission Page
-
Cosmic Roots And Eldritch Shores Submission Page
-
Authors Publish Magazine and Newsletter
-
The Submission Grinder
Books and Movies Mentioned:
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
- The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
- The O. Henry Short Story Collection
- The Odyssey by Homer (Author), Emily Wilson (Translator)
- Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentions that she’s read all of author Emily Henry’s books, except the one that was co-written and her release that comes out May ‘22. Here are those titles in order of publication:
The Love That Split the World (2016)
A Million Junes (2017)
When the Sky Fell on Splendor(2019)
Hello Girls with Brittany Cavallaro (2019)
Beach Reads (2020)
People We Meet on Vacation (2021)
Book Lovers (2022)
Fable reads a quote from the book. Here is that quote:
“There were still pieces of us we so badly wished each other could see and yet couldn't make ourselves ask for, and there was anger and resentment and it still all hurt, but right now, we were here, and if we stayed long enough, things might start to heal, even a little bit.”
― When the Sky Fell on Splendor
Books and Movies Mentioned:
When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
Beach Reads by Emily Henry
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry
A Million Junes by Emily Henry
Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro, Emily Henry
Goonies - Directed by Richard Donner
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – Directed by Steven Spielberg
Roswell: Complete Series (Seasons 1-3)
Stranger Things: The Complete First Season
Signs – Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Directed by Steven Spielberg
X-files: Season 1
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Definitions:
-
Fantasy is a sub-genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama.
-
Science fiction is a sub-genre of speculative fiction that typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life.
The Verbivore reads two quotes towards the beginning of the episode. They are:
-
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke
-
“Any magic that is sufficiently systematized is indistinguishable from science.” - science fantasy writer N. K. Jemisin
The Verbivore talks about a conversation between James Cameron and George Lucas about if Star Wars is science fiction on James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction series. George Lucas has said previously, "Star Wars isn't a science-fiction film, it's a fantasy film and a space opera."
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
-
MasterClass Article “What Is Science Fiction Writing? Definition and Characteristics of Science Fiction Literature”
-
MasterClass Article "What Is the Fantasy Genre? History of Fantasy and Subgenres and Types of Fantasy in Literature”
-
Medium Article by Simon Dillon - “Why Star Wars Is Not Science Fiction”
-
Inverse Article by Ryan Britt - “IS STAR WARS SCI-FI OR FANTASY? HOW GEORGE LUCAS CHANGED “SCIENCE FICTION”
-
Nnedi’s Wahala Blogspot - “Africanfuturism Defined”
-
YouTube Video “N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing | Official Trailer | MasterClass”
Masterclasses Mentioned:
- N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Star Trek 10-Movie Stardate Collection
Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Complete Box Set
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
InterWorld (InterWorld Trilogy, 1) by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This conversation that explores some of the common elements of science fiction isn’t meant to be exhaustive. It’s a brief overview of the landscape of science fiction storytelling while acknowledging that the area is vast and overlaps with other areas of speculative fiction.
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
MasterClass Article “What Is Science Fiction Writing? Definition and Characteristics of Science Fiction Literature”
“Questions Science Fiction Asks us to Consider” by Chris Duesing
MasterClass Article “5 Tips for Writing a Science Fiction Novel”
EW Article - “Margaret Atwood: There's nothing in The Handmaid's Tale 'that didn't happen, somewhere'“ by Dan Heching
Le Guin, Ursula K.. (1980). Introduction. The left hand of darkness (1st ed.). New York: Harper & Row. Posted on NYU.Edu Science Fiction - Theory and Commentary
Far Out Magazine Article - “How Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' questioned ethics and morality in the science-fiction genre” by Debadrita Sur
YouTube Video "The Tragedy of Droids in Star Wars" by Pop Culture Detective
YouTube Video “Data writes a small talk routine” Star Trek TNG
YouTube Video “How science fiction can help predict the future” by Roey Tzezana (Ted-Ed)
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 60: Let's talk about mysteries
Episode 106: Adventure stories (part 1)
Episode 107: Adventure stories (part 2)
Episode 126: Romance Tropes
Episode 129: Elements of the Thriller Genre
Books and Movies Mentioned:
James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction
Flight of the Navigator – Directed by Randal Kleiser
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – Directed by Steven Spielberg
Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Directed by Steven Spielberg
Independence Day – Directed by Roland Emmerich
Alien - Directed by Ridley Scott
Arrival – Directed by Denis Villeneuve
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler
District 9 – Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Complete Box Set - Directed by George Lucas
Star Trek 10-Movie Stardate Collection
Star Trek: The Next Generation Complete Series
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Jurassic Park by Micheal Crichton
Godzilla, the Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 (the Criterion Collection)
Pacific Rim – Directed by Guillermo del Toro
The Animatrix – Directed by Andrew R. Jones and Kôji Morimoto
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
Blade Runner – Directed by Ridley Scott
Doctor Who: The Complete First Series
Back to the Future – Directed by Robert Zemeckis
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Interstellar – Directed by Christopher Nolan
Tenet – Directed by Christopher Nolan
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Emily hosts the weekly #FlashFictionMagic short story writing tag, where writers share their short work on Fridays based on the week’s prompt. She has short stories and poems that are being published in four anthologies this year, as well as stories in online magazines Havok Publishing and Spark Flash Fiction. Her short story Gone Fishin’ recently won the Havok Editor’s Choice Award. She has written five works of fiction and is currently querying her book Thread of Dreams to agents. She’s also a thoughtful, wise, and supportive presence within the Instagram writing community.
Emily’s personal website is https://emilybarnettauthor.com/ . Her site contains links to her short stories that are in print, blurbs for her fiction books that she is querying, and displays her beautiful and whimsical digital illustrations. You connect with her on Instagram @embarnettauthor, on Twitter @embarnettauthor , and on Facebook @emilybarnettauthor.
Emily mentions participating in the Twitter pitch contest #moodpitch which occured on April 7th, 2022. More information can be found at: https://moodpitch.org/
Emily also talked about two online magazines that accept short stories for publication. Those are;
Havoc - https://gohavok.com/
SparkFlash - https://sparkflashfiction.com/
Books and Movies Mentioned:
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
Holes by Louis Sachar
What Darkness Fears: An Anthology by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Elaine Wells, Emily Barnett, D.A. Randall, Maseeha Seedat, Beka Gremikova, L.A. Thornhill, Kristiana Sfirlea, Savannah Jezowski, Effie Joe Stock, AJ Skelly, Natalie Noel Truitt, Crystal Grant, Denica McCall, Kat Heckenbach, and Laurel Jean
Fool's Honor: An Anthology by Anne J. Hill, Lara E. Madden, Beka Gremikova, Emily Barnett, Hannah Carter, Maseeha Seedat, David Lasley, L.A. Thornhill, Alex Silvius, Savannah Jezowski, Effie Joe Stock, A.J. Skelly, Natalie Noel Truitt, Crystal Grant, Claire Tucker, Nathaniel Luscombe, Elaine Wells, Julia Skinner, Mariella Taylor, Brittany Eden, Anna Augustine, Laurie Lucking, Kaitlyn Emery, Nobel Shut Chan, Tasha Kazanjian, Richard S.
Casting Call: Havok Season Six (Havok Flash Fiction Book 6)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore reference a line that has two levels of meaning in the narrative where Xiomara’s body is talked about by her mother. That line is “a little too much body for such a young girl.”
The Verbivore mentions having watched videos of Elizabeth Acevedo performing her poetry. Here are some of the videos:
I use my poetry to confront the violence against women | Elizabeth Acevedo | TEDxMidAtlanticSalon
Pages Matam, Elizabeth Acevedo & G. Yamazawa – “Unforgettable”
Elizabeth Acevedo - "Afro-Latina"
Elizabeth Acevedo - "Hair"
Fable and the Verbivore reference several parts from We Hunt the Flame where author Hafsah Faizal breaks out words to give them added force. Here is an example:
Nasir
fell apart
at the seams.
The Verbivore mentions a quote from author Laurie Halse Anderson about including hope in YA stories. Here is that quote:
“Ending on an encouraging note is part of my moral code. Teenagers need to see a model of hope and growth.”
And Laurie Halse Anderson’s blurb for The Poet X is - “a story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart.”
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Poet Xby Elizabeth Acevedo
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a Ted Talk video by poet Pages Matam. That video is titled “Pages Matam | Looking for Your Voice? A Poetry Slam Champ Shows You How | TEDxZumbroRiver.”
Here are some of the Slam Poetry videos we touch on:
Pages Matam, Elizabeth Acevedo & G. Yamazawa – “Unforgettable”
Elizabeth Acevedo - "Afro-Latina"
Darius Simpson & Scout Bostley - “Lost Voices”
Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter
Fable talks about poet Anis Mojgani’s spoken word poetry performances. His most recent Ted Talk is titled “The music of growing up down south | Anis Mojgani | TEDxEmory.”
The Verbivore talks about Nikita Gil’s fairytale and Greek goddess retellings. She performs two of them in a Ted Talk video titled “Why I’d rather be the Wicked Witch than Snow White | Nikita Gill | TEDxLondonWomen.” Her poetry is also shared on Instagram @nikita_gill
The Verbivore discusses Morgan Harper Nichols’ poetry, art, and spoken word performance. Her poetry and art are also shared on Instagram @morganharpernichols.
Fable reads two of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poems from The Book of Hours. They are as follows:
I love you, gentlest of Ways
who ripened us as we wrestled with you.
You, the great homesickness we could never shake
off,
you, the forest that always surrounded us,
you, the song we sang in every silence,
you dark net threading through us,
on the day you made us you created yourself,
and we grew sturdy in your sunlight…
Let your hand rest on the rim of Heaven now
And mutely bear the darkness we bring over you
I am, you anxious one.
Don't you sense me, ready to break
into being at your touch?
My murmurings surround you like shadowy wings.
Can't you see me standing before you
cloaked in stillness?
Hasn't my longing ripened in you
from the beginning
as fruit ripens on a branch?
I am the dream you are dreaming.
When you want to awaken, I am waiting.
I grow strong in the beauty you behold.
And with the silence of stars I enfold
your cities made by time.
The Verbivore references a Ted Talk video by Amanda Gorman. That video is titled “Amanda Gorman: Using your voice is a political choice | TED.” She is on Instagram @amandascgorman. The spoken word poem performance we reference can be found here: Amanda Gorman’s “Earthrise”
We referenced several of our previous episodes as part of our conversation. Here are those episodes:
Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voice
Episode 134: Poetry Overview
Masterclasses Mentioned:
Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Poet Xby Elizabeth Acevedo
Wild Embers: Poems of Rebellion Fire and Beauty by Nikita Gil
The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton
Transformations by Anne Sexton
To Bedlam and Part Way Back by Anne Sexton
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig
How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara Kingsolver
Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Reading Edition by Emily Dickinson
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper Nichols
Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria Rilke
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Definitions of poetry:
-
Webster - 1a : metrical writing : verse. b : the productions of a poet : poems. 2 : writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.
-
Brittanica - Literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm.
-
Poetry.WordPress.Com “What is Poetry?” - Poetry is a word of Greek origin. It comes from a verb with means “to make, to create”. A poem is “something made or created”. The poet is the creator and language is the material out of which s/he creates his/her work of art.
The Verbivore references a Ted Ed video titled “What makes a poem … a poem? - Melissa Kovacs” which she used to help define poetry. These aspects of poetry are included in the video:
-
Emphasize language's musical qualities
-
Use condensed language
-
Often features intense feelings
Fable references two Instagram weekly writing prompts she participates in. They are:
-
posttopoet with @the.authoress.life - which is run by writer Ali Noël
-
flashfictionmagic hosted by @embarnettauthor - which is run by writer Emily Barnett
The waterfall poem by Billy Collins is called “Elk River Falls” and can be read here.
The Verbivore references a Barbara Kingsolver poem about relaxing on vacation, that title is “How to Do Absolutely Nothing” and can be read here.
The Verbivore mentions the power and additional layers of meaning that came from hearing Dr. Maya Angelou perform/read her poems in her own voice. Here are the links to some of those videos:
-
‘Caged Bird’ - Audio by Dr. Maya Angelou
-
'A Brave and Starling Truth' - Recited by Dr. Maya before the UN
-
'Human Family' - Audio by Dr. Maya Angelou, Photographs by Lee Jeffries
-
‘And Still I Rise’ - Live Performance by Dr. Maya Angelou
-
'The Mask' - Live Performance by Dr. Maya Angelou
We referenced several of our previous episodes as part of our conversation. Here are those episodes:
-
Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voice
-
Episode 123: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Masterclasses Mentioned:
-
Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry
-
Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking
Books & Movies Mentioned:
- How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Poet Xby Elizabeth Acevedo
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems by Maya Angelou
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Dicky Kitchen Jr. is a self-published author who has released four books: 1st and 2nd editions of his thriller novel Prey/Pray: Origin of The Average Man, an origin story novella Prey/Pray: Hunting Party: The Nurse, and a kids picture book titled The True Tale of Peter Piper.
Dicky Kitchen Jr.’s personal website is https://dickykitchen.com/ and he regularly posts humorous and helpful information on the writing craft to his social media. In this episode, he mentioned that he welcomes You can connect with him on Instagram @dicky_kitchen_jr.
Here is the link to part one of our conversation:
Episode 132: Interview with Dicky Kitchen Jr
Fable references James Scott Bell’s advice:
“I like the saying that Mickey Spillane, the famous pulp writer, said that ‘the first chapter sells your book, the last chapter sells your next book.’”
Dicky mentioned NaNoWriMo in this conversation. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Prey/Pray: Origin of The Average Man by Dicky Kitchen
Prey/Pray: Hunting Party: The Nurse by Dicky Kitchen
The True Tale of Peter Piper by Dicky Kitchen (Author), Alexandra Killworth (Illustrator)
Bunnicula: 40th Anniversary Edition (Bunnicula and Friends) by James Howe (Author), Deborah Howe (Author), Alan Daniel (Illustrator)
Dracula: Unabridged and Fully Illustrated by Bram Stoker
Fables Compendium One by Bill Willingham
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Orphan X: A Novel by Gregg Hurwitz
The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme Novel) by Jeffery Deaver
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Dicky Kitchen Jr. is a self-published author who has released four books: 1st and 2nd editions of his thriller novel Prey/Pray: Origin of The Average Man, an origin story novella Prey/Pray: Hunting Party: The Nurse, and a kids picture book titled The True Tale of Peter Piper.
Dicky Kitchen Jr.’s personal website is https://dickykitchen.com/ and he regularly posts humorous and helpful information on the writing craft to his social media. You can connect with him on Instagram @dicky_kitchen_jr.
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Prey/Pray: Origin of The Average Man by Dicky Kitchen
Prey/Pray: Hunting Party: The Nurse by Dicky Kitchen
The True Tale of Peter Piper by Dicky Kitchen (Author), Alexandra Killworth (Illustrator)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
“After graduating from Harvard Medical School, Michael Crichton embarked on a career as a writer and filmmaker, whose credits include 'The Andromeda Strain', 'Westworld', 'Jurassic Park', 'Rising Sun', 'Prey' and 'State of Fear' and the TV series 'ER'. He has sold over 150 million books which have been translated into thirty-six languages; twelve have been made into films. He is the only person to have had, at the same time, the number one book, movie and TV show in the United States.” – Amazon.com
If you would like to learn more about his work, his official website is: https://www.michaelcrichton.com/
The Verbivore mentioned that this was not Michael Crichton’s debut novel. That book was The Andromeda Strain (1969).
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
The Invisible Ink Blog Article - “Superior Position” by Brian McDonald
YouTube Video “An Analysis of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - Novel Review” by Klayton Fioriti
YouTube Video “How Michael Crichton Created Jurassic Park” by Klayton Fioriti
Fable references a quote from an interview with director Alfred Hitchcock, where he compares surprise and suspense. Here is that full quote:
There is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise,’ and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I’ll explain what I mean.
.
We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let’s suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, ‘Boom!’ There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: ‘You shouldn’t be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!’
.
In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story."
Fable references a line about thinking about whether or not you should do something. Here is that quote:
“Scientists are actually preoccupied with accomplishment. So they are focused on whether they can do something. They never stop to ask if they should do something.”
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Jurassic Park – Directed by Steven Spielberg
Dune by Frank Herbert
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable references a quote by director Alfred Hitchcock. Here is that quote
“What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out.”
The book that Fable references that discusses “tension on every page” is “Writing the Breakout Novel” by Donald Maass.
The Verbivore references a Seinfeld TV series quote that James Scott Bell includes in his book to help make a point about choosing interesting elements that also fit within your story. Here is that quote:
“I don't think you do. You see, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to hold the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them.”
The Verbivore references the “Elements of Fiction Writing” series of books that is connected with WritersDigest.com. We often reference the articles on this website as part of our writing discussions. Here is a link to the list of books in this series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/67685-elements-of-fiction-writing
In case you’re interested, we’ve done several past episodes that look at the craft of writing from a varity of lenses. Here are those episodes:
Episode 103: The Creative Doer
Episode 79: Let's talk about craft books
Episode 78: Let's talk about The War of Art
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
Seinfeld Complete TV Series
Rope – Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue: The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript (Bell on Writing) by James Scott Bell
Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable reads a definition of thriller. Here is that definition:
Thriller: A fast-paced, gripping, plot-centered story…usually the protagonist is in danger from the outset. These fast-paced stories typically involve major threats…and the attempts to prevent something from occurring. Common elements: faster pace, action scenes, plot twists, prominent villain, “ticking clock” timing. - “What’s the difference between Suspense, Thriller and Action Adventure?” by Liz Schriftsteller
Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
Masterclass Dan Brown Article - “Writing 101: What Is the Thriller Genre? Definitions and Examples of Thriller in Literature”
Masterclass Article - “What Is a Red Herring in Writing? Definition of Red Herring with Examples”
“Jordan Peele’s Advice on Writing Thrillers” – Get Out - YouTube Video
“How to Write a Contained Thriller” by Tyler Mowery - YouTube Video
“A Classic Alfred Hitchcock Plot Structure Device For Screenwriters” by Michael Hauge - YouTube Video
“How To Write A Thriller” - Tom Bradby gives four top tips on how to write a thriller - YouTube Video
“How Knives Out Switches Genres (Twice)” by Just Write - You Tube Video
The Invisible Ink Blog Article - “Superior Position” by Brian McDonald
Reedsy Blog - “How to Write a Thriller in 7 Heart-Stopping Steps”
Fable references a quote from an interview with director Alfred Hitchcock, where he compares surprise and suspense. Here is that full quote:
There is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise,’ and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I’ll explain what I mean.
.
We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let’s suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, ‘Boom!’ There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: ‘You shouldn’t be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!’
.
In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story."
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 60: Let's talk about mysteries
Episode 106: Adventure stories (part 1)
Episode 107: Adventure stories (part 2)
In this episode, we also reference two classes from Masterclass. Those are:
Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers
David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing
Books & Movies Mentioned:
24 Season 1
The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Get Out – Directed by Jordan Peele
The Pelican Brief – Directed by Alan J. Pakula
The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
The Client – Directed by Joel Schumacher
Runaway Jury by John Grisham
Runaway Jury – Directed by Gary Fleder
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
The Bourne Trilogy - Directed by Doug Liman / Paul Greengrass
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: A George Smiley Novel by John le Carré
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Mission: Impossible – 6 Movie Collection
Casino Royale – Directed Martin Campbell
Memento – Directed by Christopher Nolan
Ex-Machina – Directed by Alex Garland
Gone Girl – Directed by David Fincher
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Knives Out– Directed by Rian Johnson
Blade Runner - Directed by Ridley Scott
Blade Runner 2049 - Directed by Denis Villeneuve
The Maze Runner Series Complete Collection Boxed Set (5-Book) by James Dashner
The Maze Runner – Directed by Wes Ball
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Lecter Book 2) by Thomas Harris
The Silence of the Lambs – Directed by Jonathan Demme
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore’s daughter makes a brief cameo in this conversation, asking for help with the TV. :-)
The Verbivore says that another Helen Hoang book has arrived, that book was The Heart Principle.
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
“Justin A. Reynolds is the author of Opposite of Always, Early Departures, and the upcoming Miles Morales: Shock Waves. His debut novel [Opposite of Always] published by Katherine Tegen Books was an Indies Introduce selection, a School Library Journal Best Book, has been translated in seventeen languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. Justin is also the co-founder of the CLE Reads Book Festival, a Cleveland Book Festival for middle-grade and young adult writers, which he launched in July 2019. You can find him at justinareynolds.com.” - Amazon.com
Justin is on social media at Twitter @andthisjustin, Instagram @justinwritesya, and Facebook @justinwritesya.
Names are important, even character names. The Verbivore mistakenly calls Jack King’s friend Juliet, her name is actually Jillian.
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Groundhog Day, Directed by Harold Ramis
Sliding Doors, Directed by Peter Howitt
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Tiffany Ann is a self published author who lives right outside the beautiful beauty of New Orleans, Lousiana. The love of the city and her real life experiences play an important role in book one of her Hotel Lamia series. Her next book Hotel Lamia New York: Where Immortals Sleep is being released on February 15, 2022. It was just announced on February 3rd that Brez.TV is working with Tiffany Ann to turn her Hotel Lamia series into a TV series. - https://www.instagram.com/p/CZifcFRLNxs/
The first book from her magical realism romance series The Soulmate’s Call lived inside of her for 20 years, but at the encouragement of her kids she finally gave herself permission to sit down and write it. She’s now released five books in this series: The Soulmate Call, The Soulmate Battle, The Soulmate Restoration, The Soulmate Healing, & The Soulmate Rekindled. And she’s working on book six, which will be released later this year. The first book in her Soulmate series The Soulmate’s Call is currently available on ebook for free at Amazon.
Tiffany Ann’s website is https://www.tiffanyannbooks.com/ and she regularly posts to her social media. You can connect with her on Instagram @tiffanyann_books, Twitter @tiffanyannbooks and on Facebook @TiffanyAnnBooks.
The Verbivore referenced two episodes we did last February on writing physical Intimacy. Here are the links to those:
Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy
Episode 72: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy (part 2)
Tiffany mentions participating in NaNoWriMo in November of ‘21. Here is some information on that: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Hotel Lamia: Where Immortals Sleep by Tiffany Ann
Hotel Lamia New York: Where Immortals Sleep by Tiffany Ann
The Soulmate Call: A Human Telepathy Romanceby Tiffany Ann
The Soulmate Battle: A Human Telepathy Romance (The Soulmate Call Book 2) by Tiffany Ann
The Soulmate Restoration: A Human Telepathy Romance (The Soulmate Call Book 3) by Tiffany Ann
The Soulmate Healing: A Human Telepathy Romance (The Soulmate Call Book 4) by Tiffany Ann
The Soulmate Rekindled: A Human Telepathy Romance (The Soulmate Call Book 5) by Tiffany Ann
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
A trope is defined as a “a significant or recurrent theme; a motif.”
We both mention romance tropes that we personally enjoy, but there are many more out there. Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
Masterclass “7 Popular Romance Fiction Tropes to Keep Your Readers Hooked”
“101 Romance Tropes For Writers” by Writers Write
Book Riot “Romance Tropetonite: Forced Proximity” by Jessica Avery
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -
Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Emma by Jane Austen
Emma (2020) – Directed by Autumn de Wilde
Would Like to Meetby Rachel Winters
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
27 Dresses (2008) – Directed by Anne Fletcher
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Warm Bodies (2013) – Directed by Jonathan Levine
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies (2016) – Directed by Burr Steers
Not Quite a Husband (The Mardens) by Sherry Thomas
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Directed by J.J. Abrams
You’d Be Mine: A Novel by Erin Hahn
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Candice is a homeschooling mom, blogger and teacher who taught in an elementary dual-language classroom for seven years before having her three spirited children. She has been mentoring teen girls for another many years and aims to inspire through stories. In 2017, she joined the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) to improve her craft, and today she is vice president of the Chicago chapter. Her work has placed in four contests.
Her writing contains a Latin twist which comes from her Puerto Rican and Mexican upbringing. She also adds a heavy dollop of mystery and sometimes an extra helping of romance. She fell in love with Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice in high school and hasn’t stopped reading since. In between reading lessons and converting cardboard boxes into pirate ships, she writes and illustrates fantasy stories. She lives in her native Chicagoland.
Candice regularly posts encouraging, entertaining, and educational content on social media inspired from her writing life. You can connect with her on Instagram @candiceyamnitz , Twitter @CandiceYamnitz and on Facebook @candiceyamnitz.
Candice talks about her writing group that she connected with through the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Information on this organization can be found at: https://acfw.com/
Candice also talks about participating in a Fall pitchwars competition. Information can be found at: https://pitchwars.org/
We’ve also had the pleasure of having Candice on the podcast once before, answering a question that we put out to the writing community regarding her unique writing process. That mini-episode can be found here:
Episode 55: Author Answer with Candice Yamnitz
Books and Movies Mentioned:
Unbetrothed by Candice Pedraza Yamnitz
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Encanto - Directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Amy Whitehouse is a writer, full-time artist, and painting instructor. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Family Therapy. Her short story “Safe” was published in Canyon Voices of Arizona State University and another has been featured in the literary journal Gravel. “Out of the Vortex: A Memoir” is her debut publication. Her artwork can be viewed at AmyWhitehousePaintings.com.
Rachel Schroeder is a lover of music, writing, reading, and the incredible chef behind Rachel’s Table. We (Bethany and Laura) were lucky enough to go to the same high school, where we all three sang in choir and acted in musicals together. We’re thankful to her wonderful movie nights that introduced us to the original film versions of “Little Women” and “Sabrina”. :-) We’re also grateful to be able to call her our friend.
The Verbivore reads a quote from the front of Amy’s book Out of the Vortex: A Memoir. It is as follows:
“For the more haunted among us, only looking back at the past can permit it finally to become past.” ― Mary Karr, “The Art of Memoir”
Amy mentions that she took a class on writing memoir with author Susan Pohlman, who is the founder and director of The Phoenix Writers Network. More information can be found on her class at: SusanPohlman.com.
Books Mentioned:
Out of the Vortex: A Memoir by Amy Whitehouse
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
“A writer, poet, performer, social activist, and teacher, Angelou rose to international prominence as an author after the publication of her groundbreaking autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Angelou’s published works of verse, non-fiction, and fiction include more than 30 bestselling titles. Her remarkable career encompasses dance, theater, journalism, and social activism. The recipient of more than 30 honorary degrees, Angelou read “On the Pulse of Morning” at the 1992 inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Angelou’s reading marked the first time an African American woman wrote and presented a poem at a Presidential inauguration. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and she was the 2013 recipient of the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award for contributions to the literary community.” - https://www.mayaangelou.com/
The Verbivore reads several quotes. Here they are:
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” Dedication made by Dr. Maya Angelou
“This book is dedicated to
MY SON, GUY JOHNSON,
and all the strong
black birds of promise
who defy the odds and gods
and sing their songs”
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” Foreward written by Oprah Winfrey
““She spoke proudly, bodaciously, and often:
“We are more alike than we are unalike!”
That truth is why we can all have empathy, why we can all be stirred when the caged bird sings.””
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Dr. Maya Angelou Quote
“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
We mention the power of hearing Dr. Maya Angelou perform/read her poems aloud. Here are some Links to those videos:
‘Caged Bird’ - Audio by Dr. Maya Angelou
'A Brave and Starling Truth' - Recited by Dr. Maya before the UN
'Human Family' - Audio by Dr. Maya Angelou, Photographs by Lee Jeffries
‘And Still I Rise’ - Live Performance by Dr. Maya Angelou
'The Mask' - Live Performance by Dr. Maya Angelou
Books & Movies Mentioned:
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems by Maya Angelou
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore talks about using free writing as part of her journaling practice - both on a regular basis and also as a coping strategy when she’s emotionally or physically triggered by something. Here are a couple articles that talk about how this practice could look:
Freewriting | The Writing Process - MIT GSL Class
Journal Writing Tips: The Benefits of Freewriting
What Does It Mean to Be “Triggered?”
Fable mentions that one year she participated in the The100DayProject by writing a vignette about something she experienced in the day, writing it as she would a story. This is an initiative where every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of creating. If you’re interested in participating in 2022, it starts on February 13, 2022.
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage by Anne Lamott
Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope and Repair by Anne Lamott
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters by Annie Dillard
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore paraphrases a quote about making changes. Here is the full quote:
"I'm moving different, because I want different. Old keys won't open new doors." - Unknown
The Verbivore uses free writing as part of her journaling practice. Here are a couple articles that talk about how this could look:
Freewriting | The Writing Process - MIT GSL Class
Journal Writing Tips: The Benefits of Freewriting
The Verbivore talks about floatation therapy that has become part of her monthly practice. Here is some information on what that consists of: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a30754055/float-therapy-sensory-deprivation/
Fable references working to submit an application to a writing mentoring competition program. It’s called Pitch Wars and more information can be found at: https://pitchwars.org/
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
Episode 120: A look back on 2021
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy's
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
The Verbivore uses free writing as part of her journaling practice. Here are a couple articles that talk about how this could look:
Freewriting | The Writing Process - MIT GSL Class
Journal Writing Tips: The Benefits of Freewriting
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021
Episode 68: Intentions for 2021
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
Keep Inspiring Me - “Winter Quotes”
https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/yule/
Article by Well and Good - “How 2019 Became the Year of Burnout—and Effectively Ended Performative Wellness”
The Verbivore read the text from a visual poem written and designed by Morgan Harper Nichols, and posted last December 23rd, 2020. Here are her words and the Instagram link:
“There is a reason the sky gets dark at night… We were not meant to see everything all the time… We were meant to rest and trust - even in the darkness…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJKQZJJgrTK/
The Verbivore reads a winter quote by poet Edith Sitwell.
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
The Verbivore references a centuries old painting that shows people gathered around a hearth. Here is that painting: A Winter Night's Tale by Daniel Maclise (1806–1870)
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 65: Let's talk about Christmas stories
Episode 8: The one where we talk about Christmas and story
Books & Movies Mentioned:
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) by George R. R. Martin
The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare
A Christmas Carol - The Original Classic Story by Charles Dickens: 1843 Illustrated Edition
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure; Directed by Stevie Wermers, Kevin Deters
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention that there’s a variety of ways to approach writing the ending of a story. Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
MasterClass “Writing 101: 6 Ways to End Your Story”
Gotham Writers “Surprising But Inevitable”
Screencraft “Best "Plant and Payoff" Scenes Screenwriters Can Learn From”
Save the Cat “Examples of Great Set-Ups and How They Pay Off”
“How To Write A Great Ending” by The Closer Look
“Endings: TheGood, The Bad, and the Insanely Great” by Michael Arndt
Writing Cooperative “4 setup & payoff techniques that will make your story unforgettable”
Fable mentions a quote from the Masterclass “Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers”.
The Verbivore reads one of Pixar’s 22 story rules.
Pixar Rule #7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
The Verbivore references an article she found written by Veronica Roth on the ending of her Divergent series. This was part of the inspiration for this episode. Here is that article:
Salon Article “I killed the beloved hero of my books, and reader reactions were intense. Would I do it again?” By Veronica Roth
Fable talks about the denoument of a story. Here is that definition:
denouement - dā-ˈnü-ˌmä \
1 : the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work. 2 : the outcome of a complex sequence of events.
The Verbivore brings up a video essay on the ending of the movie “The Return of the King”. Here is that video:
“What Writers Should Learn From The Lord Of The Rings” by Just Write
We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:
Episode 114: Beginnings and Opening Lines
Episode 86: Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
Episode 37: Pixar Storytelling Part 1
Episode 38: Pixar Storytelling Part 2
Books & Movies Mentioned:
Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four by Veronica Roth
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, Book 1) by Maggie Stiefvater
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Animal Dreams: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games / Catching Fire / Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) by J. K. Rowling
The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King – Directed by Peter Jackson
Knives Out– Directed by Rian Johnson
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
The Rose & the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
Caraval (Caraval, 1) by Stephanie Garber
Legendary (Caraval, 2) by Stephanie Garber
Finale (Caraval, 3) by Stephanie Garber
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes includes affiliate links.
The Verbivore loosely quotes several sections of the books we discuss. Here are the actual quotes:
“Come, dear, [Gwendolen rises] we have already missed five, if not six, trains. To miss any more might expose us to comment on the platform.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
“By day it is filled with boat traffic - water buses, delivery boats, gondolas - if something floats and it's in Venice, it moves along the Grand Canal. And by daylight it is one of the glories of the Earth. But at night, especially when the moon is full and the soft illumination reflects off the water and onto the palaces - I don't know how to describe it so I won't, but if you died and in your will you asked for your ashes to be spread gently on the Grand Canal at midnight with a full moon, everyone would know this about you - you loved and understood beauty.” ― William Goldman, The Silent Gondoliers
The Verbivore mentions the Fforde Fiesta where fans of Welsh author Jasper Fforde’s work get together and play games. It’s strange, but looks pretty fun. The next one is on the 28th and 29th of May, 2022 in Swindon, UK. Here is a link to information in case you’re interested:
https://www.ffordeffiesta.co.uk/
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) - Directed by Oliver Parker
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Directed by Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman
The Silent Gondoliers by William Goldman
The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice (2005) - Directed by Joe Wright
Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Directed by Simon Langton
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables (1985) - Directed by Kevin Sullivan
Anne of Avonlea (1987) - Directed by Kevin Sullivan
Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery
The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 1 by Jasper Fforde
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh
Til We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis
The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength) by C.S. Lewis
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J. M. Nouwen
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
Kelly has authored and self-published two YA Fantasy novels (The Witches of Athium, The Coven of Athium) in her The Athium duology. In May of 2021, she released a book titled “Affirmations for Writers: A Guide to Nurturing Your Creative Life with Affirmations” that helps guide creatives through the daily process of managing the mental and emotional side of writing - and also teaches how to approach creating your own personal affirmations. She’s also currently working on a steampunk murder mystery series.
Kelly posts regularly on Instagram often with some of her personal affirmations as well as glimpses into her personal and writing life. You can connect with her and her work on Instagram @KLDepuy and on Facebook at @kldepuy.
The eBook version of The Witches of Athium is now available for free! You can find the links here: https://books2read.com/u/3RnwXY
An unpublished bonus chapter from The Witches of Athium is also available with a signup for her newsletter. Here is that link: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e1t2l2
Books Mentioned:
The Witches of Athium (The Athium Duology Book 1) by K L Depuy
The Coven of Athium (The Athium Duology Book 2) by K L Depuy
Affirmations for Writers: A Guide to Nurturing Your Creative Life with Affirmations by Kelly Depuy
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Song of the Lioness series (4 book series) by Tamora Pierce
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention that there’s a variety of ways to approach writing the middle of a story. Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
“Collateral — The Midpoint Collision by Lessons” From the Screenplay
“How to Use a Midpoint” by Tyler Mowery
“The Midpoint | The Craft of…” by Macabre Storytelling
The Write Practice “The Secret to Writing the Middle of a Story”
Save the Cat “Cracking the Midpoint: The False Victory”
Story Grid “the Power of Three”
Anne Rallen “The Biggest Writing Craft Issue New Novelists Face, and 7 Ways to Avoid It.”
The Writing Kylie “A Seven Point Story Structure Case Study of The Hunger Games”
Now Novel “How to write the middle of your novel: 9 tips”
Books & Movies Mentioned:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
The Matrix: Directed by The Wachowski’s
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Martian: Directed by Ridley Scott
Collateral: Directed by Michael Mann
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention that there’s a variety of ways to view and approach entering into a story. Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
“How to Write a Good First Line” by Diane Callahan - Quotidian Writer
Write Up Pro “4 Types of Story Openings to Grab Your Reader”
Writers Digest “10 Ways to Start Your Story Better”
Reedsy Blog “How to Start a Story: 11 Tips From Our Editors”
LA Screenwriter “3 Principles of Story Setups and Payoffs”
Masterclass “Tips and Examples of In Medias Res in Writing”
Writers Online UK - “10 Good Ways To Start a Story”
Daily Writing Tips “20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story”
The Verbivore referenced a quote from Stephen King’s “On Writing”. That full quote is: “If there's a gun on the mantel in Act 1, it must go off in Act 3. The reverse is also true." It’s an allusion to a dramatic principle called Chekhov's gun which speaks to story setups and payoffs. Here is some additional information:
MasterClass “Writing 101: What Is Chekhov's Gun? Learn How to Use Chekhov's Gun In Your Writing”
Books Mentioned:
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Little Women by Louise May Alcott
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This episode and the notes include affiliate links.
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
At the beginning of this episode, Fable mentions the episodes where we’ve previously discussed specific story structures and beats. Here are the links to those episodes:
Save the Cat - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-79-lets-talk-about-craft-books
The Hero’s Journey - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-99-the-heros-journey
The Heroine’s Journey - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-101-the-heroines-journey
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention a variety of ways to approach outlining and plotting, some they’ve discovered through their own trial and error, discussions with other authors, and through research. Here are some articles that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:
Reedsy Blog “Story Structure: 7 Narrative Structures All Writers Should Know” - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/
The Write Practice “Once Upon a Time: Pixar Prompt” - https://thewritepractice.com/once-upon-a-time-pixar-prompt/
“THE STORY SPINE: PIXAR’S 4TH RULE OF STORYTELLING” - https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2013/03/22/the-story-spine-pixars-4th-rule-of-storytelling/
Masterclass “How to Use the Snowflake Method to Outline Your Novel” - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-the-snowflake-method-to-outline-your-novel#what-is-the-snowflake-method
The Atlantic “The Six Main Arcs in Storytelling, as Identified by an A.I.” - https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/07/the-six-main-arcs-in-storytelling-identified-by-a-computer/490733/
Mythic Scribes “Is Outlining for Hacks?” - https://mythicscribes.com/writing-process/outlining-hacks/
diy MFA “The Structure of Romance” - https://diymfa.com/writing/structure-romance-writing
Masterclass “The 10 Essential Elements of a Mystery Story” - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/essential-elements-of-a-mystery-story
Fable talks about the lecture video where author Kurt Vonnegut references his thoughts on the shapes of different stories. Here is a link to that video:
Kurt Vonnegut, Shape of Stories - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOGru_4z1Vc
Our friend and writer Jo Mercer is hosting a NaNo prep month on Instagram @jmercerbooks under the hashtag #nanoprepandwin. It has some great story preparation prompts and questions. If you’re preparing to write a new story, we’d highly recommend checking it out!
Books Mentioned:
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life by Terry Brooks
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method (Advanced Fiction Writing) by Randy Ingermanson
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention a variety of methods for connecting with and developing characters, some they’ve discovered through trial and error, discussions with other authors, and through research. Here are some articles that look at character development and a few articles that touch on some of these methods:
https://blog.reedsy.com/character-development/
https://blog.reedsy.com/character-flaws/
https://blog.reedsy.com/character-profile/
Lessons from the Screenplay - The Soul of Good Character Design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM3IQFgP-d8
Diane Callahan - Quotidian Writer - Creating Captivation Characters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkY3WrJ_v8
Diane Callahan - Quotidian Writer - Writing Exercise: Fleshing Out Your Characters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwJGon94Sx4
Pixar in a Box: Character Development - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngZQUebMSEg
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/27/majority-of-authors-hear-their-characters-speak-finds-study
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/12/14/writing-with-tarot-how-the-cards-point-the-way-to-your-story/
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/character-development-questions-to-ask-your-characters
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/how-to-make-ordinary-characters-compelling
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/using-physicality-to-bring-your-characters-and-your-fiction-to-life
https://www.novel-software.com/character-questionnaire/
https://fuckyeahcharacterdevelopment.tumblr.com/post/50825149893/character-sheets-and-character-creation
The Verbivore references some of the legal aspects potentially connected with character development. First, when borrowing character attributes from another author, make sure you’re not infringing on someone else’s Intellectual Property (IP) and Copywrite as individual characters can be covered by this law. Second, when creating a character inspired from someone you know in real life, make sure that the elements and details you use aren’t readily identifiable as that specific person as this could open yourself up to a libel lawsuit. These are just good things to be aware of when you start writing. Here are a few articles on these subjects:
Protecting Fictional Characters Under U.S. Copyright Law - https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/protecting-fictional-characters-under-copyright-law.html
Protecting Your Stories -[Description of Copyright Law and the Protections in place for Authors] https://www.marklitwak.com/protecting-your-stories.html
When Art Imitates Life: Suing for Defamation in Fiction - https://www.dmlp.org/blog/2010/when-art-imitates-life-suing-defamation-fiction
Our friend and writer Jo Mercer is hosting a NaNo prep month on Instagram @jmercerbooks under the hashtag #nanoprepandwin. It has some great story preparation prompts and questions. If you’re preparing to write a new story, we’d highly recommend checking it out!
Books Mentioned:
- Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This episode and the notes include affiliate links.
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
The Verbivore talked about the writing program Scrivener. This is a paid product available for macOS, Windows, & iOS. Learn more at https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
Fable brings up the spreadsheet that J. K. Rowling used to track key story elements on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. It looks like it’s now been taken off the internet, but here is a link to a photo of her hand drawn story spreadsheet for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/harry-potter-plot-outlined-on-a-hand-drawn-spreadsheet
The Verbivore talks about Angie Thomas’ Instagram stories (@angiethomas) that talk about writing tips and how she approached planning The Hate You Give. Here is that link:
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17958578347251380/
Fable mentions mood boards as a way to help spark your story. Here is an article that includes some ideas for how to approach creating one:
https://thelitnerds.com/2019/10/06/how-to-spark-your-writing-with-mood-boards/
Fable brings up story bibles as a method for keeping track of the elements of your story. Here is an article that talks about some areas that could be tracked based on project needs:
https://thenovelsmithy.com/create-a-story-bible/
Fable mentions that our friend and writer Jo Mercer is hosting a NaNo prep month on Instagram @jmercerbooks under the hashtag #nanoprepandwin. It has some great story preparation prompts and questions. If you’re readying to write a new story, we’d highly recommend checking it out!
Books Mentioned:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This episode and the notes include affiliate links.
At the beginning of this episode Fable mentions a memoir writing class from our friends Shawn Smucker and Maile Silva, of the podcast The Stories Between us. If you’re interested in learning more about that course go to fableandtheverbivore.com/memoir. We are big fans of Shawn and Maile and know this course will have a lot to offer anyone who wants to tell their story to the world. As affiliates of this course, signing up through our link will financially benefit the podcast and help us keep sharing our thoughts about writing and reading with the world.
The Verbivore mentions that we’ve referenced some of Masterclasses free articles in preparation for some of our podcast episodes and that they can be a great writing resource. Here are several that we’ve used for previous and upcoming episodes:
How to Write An Action Scene
How to Use the Snowflake Method to Outline Your Novel
Mystery, Thriller, and Crime Novels: What’s the Difference?
How to Write an Adventure Story
What’s the Difference Between Middle-Grade Fiction vs. Young Adult Fiction?
Writing 101: 6 Ways to End Your Story
Books Mentioned:
The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm - By LeVar Burton
Masterclasses Mentioned:
Levar Burton Teaches the Power Storytelling
N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing
Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing
Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling
Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers
David Mamet Teaches Dramatic Writing
Judy Bloom Teaches Writing
David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing
Walter Mosley Teaches Fiction and Storytelling
Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry
James Patterson Teaches Writing
R. L. Stine Teaches Writing for Young Audiences
Amy Tan Teaches Fiction Memory and Imagination
Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design
Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
Fable references the “All is Lost” moment. Here is a link to more information on that:
https://savethecat.com/about-the-beats/all-is-lost-means-all-is-lost
The Verbivore references a couple quotes from the book. Here is the full text of those:
The Narrators Dad’s Description of the Book
“He held up a book then. “I'm going to read it to you for relax.”
“Does it have any sports in it?”
“Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True Love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest Ladies. Snakes. Spiders... Pain. Death. Brave men. Cowardly men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.”
“Sounds okay,” I said and I kind of closed my eyes.”
Buttercup finding her voice:
“I say you are a coward and you are; I think you hunt only to reassure yourself that you are not what you are: the weakest thing to ever walk the Earth. He will come for me and then we will be gone, and you will be helpless for all your hunting, because Westley and I are joined by the bond of love and you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords.”
Books Mentioned:
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia Book 5) by C. S. Lewis
Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 1)by Frank Herbert
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder
Movies Mentioned:
The Princess Bride – Directed by Rob Reiner, Written by William Goldman
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Directed by George Roy Hill, Written by William Goldman
Citizen Kane – Directed by Orson Welles
Inception – Directed Christopher Nolan
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
These notes include affiliate links.
Margaret “MJ” McGriff is an author, podcaster, and content marketing professional. She’s authored and self-published two YA Sci-Fi books (The Fall, The Takeover) and one novella (The Mission) in her New Earth Series. Over the last two years, she’s written and released two YA Fantasy novels (Macario’s Scepter, The Secret Library) in her ongoing adventure series - The Magian. Information on The Magian series can be found on her website at: http://www.mmcgriff.com/macarios-scepter/
MJ posts regularly on Instagram often with stunning Adventure images as well as great writing and content marketing advice. You can connect with her and her work on Instagram @mj_mcgriff, on Twitter at @mj_mcgriff, and on her website at http://www.mmcgriff.com/.
We’d also recommend checking out “The Content Creative Podcast” series that she created and hosted centering on creatives who are looking to market their work. Episodes can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-content-creative-podcast/id1493974542
Fable mentioned the Newsletter Course that MJ offers as part of her Content Marketing services. More information on that course can be found here: https://margaret-s-school-dc77.thinkific.com/collections.
MJ talks about writing in deep third POV. Here’s some articles on what that looks like:
Now Novel - https://www.nownovel.com/blog/how-to-write-deep-pov/
MasterClass - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-deep-pov
Books Mentioned:
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Macario’s Scepter: The Magian Series Book One by MJ McGriff
The Secret Library: The Magian Series Book Two by MJ McGriff
The Fall: The New Earth Series Book One by MJ McGriff
The Takeover: The New Earth Series Book Two by MJ McGriff
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
This episode and the notes include affiliate links.
There are many resources that we used in preparation for this episode. Here are some of the most significant ones:
“How to Write an Adventure Story” - MasterClass - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-an-adventure-story
“100 Best Adventure Books of All Time” - Reedsy - https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/best-adventure-books
“The Rules (Guidelines) of Adventure — The Pirates of the Caribbean” - Lessons from the Screenplay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlVLOtD6Mv8
“5 Elements of Writing a Great Adventure Story” - Screencraft - https://screencraft.org/2021/04/30/5-elements-of-writing-a-good-adventure/
“10 Tips of a Good Adventure Story”- The Urban Writers - https://theurbanwriters.com/blogs/publishing/10-tips-of-a-good-adventure-story
“Writing 101: What is a Macguffin?” - MasterClass - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-a-macguffin-learn-about-macguffins-in-film-literature-and-popular-culture
What Is A McGuffin? - Gotham Writers -https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/articles/what-is-a-mcguffin
The Verbivore mentions a moment in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where there’s this riddle connected with a leap from the Lion’s head - which really turns into a leap of faith. Here is a YouTube link to that scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFntFdEGgws
The Vebivore misspoke about Lewis Carroll’sAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland involving checkers, but it’s true that Through the Looking Glass was set around a game of chess complete with a list of moves that mirror Alice’s movement in the book. - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-64-square-grid-design-of-through-the-looking-glass-24546391/
Books Mentioned:
The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon) by Dan Brown
The Lord of the Rings: One Volume by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit; or, There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Stardust(Graphic Novel), Written by Neil Gaiman and Illustrated by Charles Vess
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia Book 5) by C. S. Lewis
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Martian by Andy Weir
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Cress: Book Three of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Elements of Fiction Writing - Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
Fable by Adrienne Young
Movies Mentioned:
Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures (Raiders of the Lost Ark / Temple of Doom / Last Crusade / Kingdom of the Crystal Skull); Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Directed by Gore Verbinski
National Treasure; Directed by John Turteltaub
The Goonies; Directed by Richard Donner
The Princess Bride; Directed by Rob Reiner
Star Wars: A New Hope; Directed by George Lucas
Tomb Raider; Directed by Roar Uthaug
Ready Player One; Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Stardust; Directed by Matthew Vaughn
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Directed Garth Jennings
The Martian; Directed by Ridley Scott
Atlantis: The Lost Empire; Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Anastasia; Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman
The Secret Life of Walter; Directed by Ben Stiller
Castaway; Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Inside Out; Directed by Pete Doctor
The Mummy; Directed by Stephen Sommers and Rob Cohen
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the quote “It was a dark and stormy night”. This phrase has a long etymology from a published book in 1830 called “Paul Clifford” to the Peanuts comic strip to the opening line of Madeleine L'Engle’s classic novel “A Wrinkle in Time”. Here is the wikepedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_was_a_dark_and_stormy_night
The J. R. R. Tolkien quote that the Verbivore read came from “The Fellowship of the Ring”:
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
There are many resources that we used in preparation for this episode. Here are the most :
“How to Write an Adventure Story” - MasterClass - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-an-adventure-story
“100 Best Adventure Books of All Time” - Reedsy - https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/best-adventure-books
“The Rules (Guidelines) of Adventure — The Pirates of the Caribbean” - Lessons from the Screenplay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlVLOtD6Mv8
“5 Elements of Writing a Great Adventure Story” - Screencraft - https://screencraft.org/2021/04/30/5-elements-of-writing-a-good-adventure/
“10 Tips of a Good Adventure Story”- The Urban Writers - https://theurbanwriters.com/blogs/publishing/10-tips-of-a-good-adventure-story
“Writing 101: What is a Macguffin?” - MasterClass - https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-a-macguffin-learn-about-macguffins-in-film-literature-and-popular-culture
Fable references Dan Brown’s MasterClass. In case you’re interested in learning more about it, here is some information:
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dan-brown-teaches-writing-thrillers#:~:text=Get%20Started-,Subscribe%20to%20MasterClass%20to%20continue%20watching,novels%2C%20The%20Da%20Vinci%20Code.
Books Mentioned:
The Hobbit; or, There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: One Volume by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon by Dan Brown
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Fable: A Novel by Adrienne Young
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhereby Neil Gaiman
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Movies Mentioned:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Directed by Gore Verbinski
Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures (Raiders of the Lost Ark / Temple of Doom / Last Crusade / Kingdom of the Crystal Skull); Directed by Stephen Spielberg
National Treasure; Directed by John Turteltaub
Star Wars: A New Hope; Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars The Force Awakens; Directed by J. J. Abrams
Stardust; Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Joy McCullough is the award-winning playwright of Smoke and Dust and Blood/Water/Paint which both debuted in Seattle. She is also the award-winning author of the YA novel Blood Water Paint. Her most recent book release is the powerful contemporary YA novel We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire, which released in February of this year. She’s also published middle grade books A Field Guide to Getting Lost and Across the Pond, in addition to the New York Time’s Bestseller picture book Champ & Major. Her upcoming releases are:
Picture Book - Harriet’s Ruffled Feather’s - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Harriets-Ruffled-Feathers/Joy-McCullough/9781534486768 - Release Date: March 15, 2022
Reimagining of Little Women - Great or Nothing - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/667530/great-or-nothing-by-joy-mccullough-caroline-tung-richmond-tess-sharpe-and-jessica-spotswood/ - Release Date: March 8, 2022
Middle Grade - (Not) Starring Zadie Gonzalez - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56933265-not-starring-zadie-gonzalez - Summer 2022
A Narrative Centered on Shakespeare’s Heroines - Enter the Body - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58043080-enter-the-body - Expected Fall 2022
You can learn more about Joy’s work on her personal website https://joymccullough.com/ and connect with her on instagram @jmcwrites and on twitter at @JMCwrites.
The Verbivore mentions the power clip she watched from the play Blood Water Paint performed by Macha Works Theater. Here is the link to that video:
“Macha Theatre Works Visits Flesh and Blood” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jionlfqb7o
Joy mentions that she’s been a mentor for pitch wars. Here’s some information on that:
Pitch Wars - https://pitchwars.org/
Joy references her main character Artemisia from her play and book Blood Water Paint, this character is based on actual events that happened to Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi and the paintings she created. Here is some additional information on who she was and her work:
The Art Story - Artemisia Gentileschi - https://www.theartstory.org/artist/gentileschi-artemisia/artworks/
The National Gallery - Artemisia Gentileschi - https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/artemisia-gentileschi
The Verbivore referenced an interview that she read that Joy did about Blood Water Paint. Here is a link to that article:
Art World “A New Book Uses 400-Year-Old Court Transcripts to Recreate Baroque Painter Artemisia Gentileschi’s Rape Trial” - https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-new-novel-artemisia-gentileschi-1255694
Joy also talks a little about the historical figure Barbara Strozzi who is the main character in her play Smoke and Dust. She was a prolific female composer in the 1600s. Here is a link to more information about her life and her work:
Barbara Strozzi | Complete Tests, Translations, and References - https://barbarastrozzi.com/
Joy references two posts about Marguerite de Bressieux on the rejected princesses website, the original and then the correction that stated that historical record is unclear as to whether or not she lived. Here are these posts:
Marguerite de Bressieux - The Black Knight Who Hunted Rapists - https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/marguerite-de-bressieux
Marguerite de Bressieux: the Legend and the Truth - https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/blog/corrections/marguerite-de-bressieux-the-legend-and-the-truth
Books Mentioned:
Blood Water Paintby Joy McCullough
We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fireby Joy McCullough
Artemisia Gentileschi: The Image of the Female Hero in Italian Baroque Art by Mary D. Garrard
A Field Guide to Getting Lostby Joy McCullough
Across the Pondby Joy McCullough
Champ & Major: First Dogsby Joy McCullough, Illustrated by Sheyda Abvabi Best
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The quote that Anne mentioned came from a Freemantle Gazette article featuring Sally Morgan called “Writing it from the heart.” The link is https://www.perthnow.com.au/community-news/fremantle-gazette/writing-it-from-the-heart-c-920079. Here is that quote:
“It wasn't a story I planned to write, I dreamed the first page of the book and when I woke I knew I had to write it because the story had been given to me." - Sally Morgan
The Verbivore talks about reading the first page of the Sister Heart on Google Books. This link to that first page is https://www.google.com/books/edition/Sister_Heart/2mRmCQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA11&printsec=frontcover . Here is the opening section as it appears there:
Here I am
curled in the corner
of a cold stone room
with no one to hug
but me
The Verbivore and Anne discuss some of the history associated with this book. If you’re interested in learning more, here are a few places to start:
The Stolen Generations - https://www.commonground.org.au/learn/the-stolen-generations#:~:text=The%20Stolen%20Generations%20refers%20to,families%20between%201910%20and%201970.&text=It%20was%20believed%20these%20children,to%20adopt%20a%20white%20culture.
Australian National Reconciliation Week (Sorry Week) - https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/#:~:text=National%20Reconciliation%20Week%20(NRW)%20is,27%20May%20to%203%20June.
Australian Prime Minister Paul Rudd’s 2008 Apology Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKWfiFp24rA
The Verbivore references the poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams, saying that it’s form opened up for her what poetry could be. The link to this poem is https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45502/the-red-wheelbarrow. Here is the text:
so much depends
upon
-
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Anne talks about the healing nature of country from an Australian Indigenous perspective. Here is some information of that:
https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/health-topics/healing/traditional-healing/
Books Mentioned:
Sister Heart by Sally Morgan
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references “N.K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing” Masterclass and how she talks about learning to take up space. The Masterclass website has some great articles that are available for free, but we also both have annual memberships and highly enjoy the paid classes. If you’re interested, here is the link to information on N.K. Jemisin’s class:
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/n-k-jemisin-teaches-fantasy-and-science-fiction-writing
Books Mentioned:
The Creative Doer: A Brave Woman’s Guide from Dreaming to Doing by Anna Lovind
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the freewriting exercise that she’s currently engaging in on a regular basis. How it looks to her, is that she chooses a topic and writes until the page in her journal is full. Here is a little more information on freewriting:
https://writingprocess.mit.edu/process/step-1-generate-ideas/instructions/freewriting
The Verbivore mentioned artists showing comparisons between their work as a young child and as they grew older. Here is a link to some of those comparisons:
72 Before And After Drawings Show Practice Makes Perfect https://www.boredpanda.com/drawing-skills-progress-before-after/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
The Verbivore referenced that Vanity Fair has YouTube segments of actors discussing their careers. She was specifically referencing having watched Tom Hiddleston, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Scarlet Johansson - but there are many others. Here is a link to that YouTube playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dKPTl1We3g&list=PLZ2lDrDpOLrs9-GnqElQsdaZgOhSSi0sC
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here’s are some of the versions of the Heroine’s Journey that we looked at:
Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s Heroine’s Journey Arc - https://heroinejourneys.com/heroine-journey-ii/
Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey Arc - https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/
Here’s a good description on the Hero’s Journey from Reedsy:
Hero's Journey 101 - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/heros-journey/
The Verbivore reads a quote attributed to Joseph Campbell in reaction to Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey arc. Here is what is reported that he said:
When she showed it to Campbell in 1983, Campbell reportedly said, “Women don’t need to make the journey. In the whole mythological journey, the woman is there. All she has to do is realize that she’s the place that people are trying to get to.” - Taken from https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/
The Verbivore referenced the Fairytale Heroine’s journey that has different beats to it. Here is some information of that:
https://theodoragoss.com/2017/04/03/mapping-the-fairy-tale-heroines-journey/
Fable referenced the Maiden’s journey and the Virgin’s promise story arcs. Here is some information no those:
The Maiden’s Arc - https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/archetypal-character-arcs-pt-2-the-maiden-arc/
The Virgin’s Promise - https://storygrid.com/heroines-journey/
The Verbivore quoted Pia Jones’ Ted Talk titled “The Heroine's Journey Through Transition”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cgaZElnp-4
Here is that full quote:
“We need heroic tools that can take us inside. By inside tools, I mean ones that can take us beneath the surface into a descent beneath what we think we know. Into our internal landscapes to give attention and attend to those mysterious, invisible yet natural processes of change that happen deep inside us. And the point of going here? To let go of the outdated, the outworn and come back with a gift - insight, hope, a dream, a new perspective, a new attitude, a stronger connection to our intuition.”
The Verbivore read a paraphrase of a quote from Abraham Maslow. Here is the actual quote and the article she’s reference:
“I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.”
We consulted many resources while prepping for this episode, here are a few:
The Heroine Journey Project - https://heroinejourneys.com/
The Heroine’s Journey: Examples, Archetypes, and Infographic - https://storygrid.com/heroines-journey/
Undertaking the Heroine’s Journey in Fantasy Books - https://pagesbelowvaultedsky.wordpress.com/2018/04/24/the-heroines-journey-in-fantasy-books/
The Heroine’s Journey - The movie “Mulan” as a case study - https://bradleyharper.medium.com/the-heroines-journey-1551d80aa55d
The Heroine’s journey in Brave - http://sanhaia.weebly.com/blog/the-heroines-journey-in-brave-2012
Neo’s Heroine’s Journey - http://thinkspiritual.ca/the-matrix-neo-the-heroine
Pia Jones’ Ted Talk titled “The Heroine's Journey Through Transition”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cgaZElnp-4
The Heroine’s Journey | The Bone Circle by Bridget Finklaire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkDZQUbkdpU&list=PLK-VmT9palrS419UeFUMLsxFWZA6aVyxS&index=3
The Hero’s Journey | The Bone Circle by Bridget Finklaire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LFzVLudxYo
Why Screenwriters Should Embrace The Heroine's Journey - https://screencraft.org/2017/06/18/how-screenwriters-can-embrace-the-heroines-journey/
This is why the hero’s journey is outdated as a creative tool for writers - https://medium.com/swlh/the-heros-journey-is-outdated-as-a-creative-tool-for-writers-d88461f3ed5f
Books Mentioned:
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness by Maureen Murdock
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters, Revised Edition by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy Boxed Set: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Movies Mentioned:
Mulan (Animated) - Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Brave (Animated) - Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Wonder Woman - Directed by Patty Jenkins
The Matrix Trilogy - Directed by The Wachowskis
Divergent - Directed by Neil Burger and Robert Schwentke
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentioned that she recently discovered she is dyspraxic (and fantastic!). :-) I share my experience hoping to normalize talking about cognitive differences and to encourage anyone with similar fears of making mistakes while speaking - both in public and social settings. If you want to learn more about dyspraxia, here is some information:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/
https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/dyspraxia-adults/
Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cugRkzeujB0
Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0T1MKh2JiM
Fable and the Verbivore share some of their favorite episodes. Here they are:
Episode 51: Already Worthy, Already Loved - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-51-already-worthy-already-loved
Episode 86: Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-86-animal-dreams-by-barbara-kingsolver
Episode 37: Pixar Storytelling Part 1 - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-37-pixar-storytelling-part-1
Episode 38: Pixar Storytelling Part 2 - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-38-pixar-storytelling-part-2
Episode 1: The one where The Verbivore shares her love of books - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-1-the-one-where-the-verbivore-shares-her-love-of-books
Episode 2: The one where Fable talks about her WIP - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-2-the-one-where-fable-talks-about-her-wip
Fable references a recent episode from writing coach Ann Kroeker’s podcast. That episode is:
Decoding Greatness: Discover the Fast Track to Writing Success - Interview with social psychologist Ron Friedman - https://annkroeker.com/2021/06/08/decoding-greatness-discover-the-fast-track-to-writing-success/
Fable referenced the quote “I don't know what I think until I write it down”. That quote is attributed to Joan Didion.
The Verbivore references an Oscar Wilde line and she was right the second time that it was from An Ideal Husband. Here is the line:
Lord Caversham:
Do you always understand everything you say?
Lord Arthur Goring:
Yes... if I listen attentively.
Books Mentioned:
The Creative Doer: A Brave Woman's Guide from Dreaming to Doing by Anna Lovind
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Movies Mentioned:
The Importance of Being Earnest, Directed by Oliver Parker
An Ideal Husband, Directed by Oliver Parker
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Here’s a good description on Hero’s Journey from Reedsy:
- Hero's Journey 101 - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/heros-journey/
The Verbivore consulted many resources while prepping for this episode, including the following:
-
The Heroine Journey Project - https://heroinejourneys.com/
-
Joseph Campbell Is the Hidden Link Between ‘2001,’ ‘Star Wars,’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ - https://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/joseph-campbell-heros-journey-2001-star-wars-1201937470/
-
Excepts from Myth and the Movies, Stuart Voytilla - https://www.tlu.ee/~rajaleid/montaazh/Hero%27s%20Journey%20Arch.pdf
-
The Monomyth (The Hero’s Journey) - https://libguides.gvsu.edu/c.php?g=948085&p=6857311
-
How to Use The Hero's Journey to Structure a Novel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jQDdq8HREc&list=PLK-VmT9palrSWI2wozhAIbKymCqf7l5mn&index=2
-
Star Wars and Myth - https://www.starwars.com/news/mythic-discovery-within-the-inner-reaches-of-outer-space-joseph-campbell-meets-george-lucas-part-i
-
Why Screenwriters Should Embrace The Heroine's Journey - https://screencraft.org/2017/06/18/how-screenwriters-can-embrace-the-heroines-journey/
-
This is why the hero’s journey is outdated as a creative tool for writers - https://medium.com/swlh/the-heros-journey-is-outdated-as-a-creative-tool-for-writers-d88461f3ed5f
The Verbivore read a short paragraph that describes the gist of the Hero’s Journey. Here it is:
-
“Hero receives a quest (usually by some higher being) and leaves the comfort of his home to venture out into the wide world. The hero encounters a mentor and a ragtag band of companions on the way and, through a series of tests, becomes stronger. He succeeds in his goal and returns to the mundane world to share his wisdom and power.”
-
Website: Pages Below the Vaulted Sky - https://pagesbelowvaultedsky.wordpress.com/2018/04/24/the-heroines-journey-in-fantasy-books/
Books Mentioned:
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness by Maureen Murdock
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters, Revised Edition by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Movies Mentioned:
Star Wars: A New Hope – Directed by George Lucas
Mulan (Animated) - Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Beauty and the Beast (Animated) - Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Alien - Directed Ridley Scott
The Terminator - Directed by James Cameron
Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Directed by James Cameron
Terminator: Dark Fate - Directed by Tim Miller
Wonder Woman - Directed by Patty Jenkins
Captain Marvel - Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentioned the hero’s journey as part of this episode. Here’s a good description from Reedsy:
Hero's Journey 101 - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/heros-journey/
The Verbivore consulted many resources while prepping for this episode, including the following:
“George Lucas Tries to Explain the Real Meaning of the Star Wars Saga” - https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/george-lucas-tries-explain-real-meaning-star-wars-saga
“Star Wars: Love is the Balance” by Wayward Jedi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYCYL_9jl8
“Star Wars Poetry” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ZW1gtCljs
“What Do We Want From a Star Wars Movie?” by Patrick (H) Willems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeUGLUYYYNQ&list=PLK-VmT9palrRVx8KtxmPl4n_UC43uQY09&index=6
“The Last Jedi and the 7 Basic Questions of Narrative Drama” by Just Write - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE7SkcoyVAI&list=PLK-VmT9palrRVx8KtxmPl4n_UC43uQY09&index=18
“Rogue One vs. The Force Awakens — The Fault in Our Star Wars” by Lessons From the Screenplay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsIQa7sH5_Y&list=PLK-VmT9palrRVx8KtxmPl4n_UC43uQY09&index=7
“The Mystery Box - J. J. Abrams” by Ted Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpjVgF5JDq8
The Verbivore references that the Jedi peacekeepers appear to be stagnating in the prequels and stuck in their rules to the point that they’re losing touch with the force. There are several lines that allude to their blindness and growing weakness, but the major one is where Mace Windu states in “Attack of the Clones” that their connection with the force is waning.
“Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones - Obi-Wan Kenobi reports to Yoda and Mace” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTFWEHW_REs
The Verbivore references the 1970s Star Wars Christmas Special. If you haven’t seen it, we definitely don’t recommend that you do. That’s time you can never get back. :-) But, what we do recommend is the 2020 Lego Star Wars Holiday Special on Disney Plus. https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/lego-star-wars-holiday-special/22xf1U47vVe0
The Verbivore mentions that she thinks that at the end of The Rise of Skywalker Rey’s yellow lightsaber and her overall path in the force could point to her being more like a Gray Jedi. Here is a Wookiepedia article on some of what that could mean:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Gray_Jedi
Movies Mentioned:
Star Wars: A New Hope – Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Directed by Irvin Kershner
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Directed by Richard Marquand
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace– Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - Directed by George Lucas
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Directed by Gareth Edwards
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Directed by J.J. Abrams
Star Wars: The Last Jedi- Directed by Rian Johnson
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Directed by J.J. Abrams
Lego Star Wars Holiday Special - Released on Disney Plus
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentioned the hero’s journey as part of this episode. Here’s a good description from Reedsy:
Hero's Journey 101 - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/heros-journey/
Fable and the Verbivore talked about how episodes 1-3 play out with the feeling of a Greek Tragedy. Here’s some information of that form of storytelling and the play Oedipus Rex:
https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Tragedy/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oedipus-Rex-play-by-Sophocles
The Verbivore consulted many resources while prepping for this episode, including the following:
“George Lucas Tries to Explain the Real Meaning of the Star Wars Saga” - https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/george-lucas-tries-explain-real-meaning-star-wars-saga
“Star Wars: Love is the Balance” by Wayward Jedi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYCYL_9jl8
“Star Wars Poetry” by - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ZW1gtCljs
“What Do We Want From a Star Wars Movie?” by Patrick (H) Willems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeUGLUYYYNQ&list=PLK-VmT9palrRVx8KtxmPl4n_UC43uQY09&index=6
Fable references the studies that show that people will either rise or fall to meet your expectations. This is what’s known as the self-fulfilling prophecy. Here is some additional information:
https://positivepsychology.com/self-fulfilling-prophecy/
The Verbivore mentions that she thinks that Ben Solo is written as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). Here is an article on what that means:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/highly-sensitive-person
Movies Mentioned:
Star Wars: A New Hope – Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Directed by Irvin Kershner
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Directed by Richard Marquand
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace– Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - Directed by George Lucas
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - Directed by George Lucas
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Directed by Gareth Edwards
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Directed by J.J. Abrams
Star Wars: The Last Jedi- Directed by Rian Johnson
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Directed by J.J. Abrams
Books Mentioned:
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
K. T. Anglehart’s first novel is titled The Wise One, which is book one in “The Scottish Scrolls” series. She is currently working on book 2. You can learn more about The Wise One on Katrina’s personal website https://www.ktanglehart.com/ and her instagram @kt_anglehart, the first three chapters are available in her bio at https://smart.bio/kt_anglehart/.
Katrina is also the co-creator on the “Writing the Broomstick” podcast for writers interested in fantasy, paranormal fiction, and magical realism. Episodes are available on Spotify, Apple, and Google.
The Verbivore mentions the “Writing the Broomstick” episode on world building. That episode is titled “{EP. 10} How to Make Your Fantasy World More Believable”. Here is the Apple Podcast link:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-10-how-to-make-your-fantasy-world-more-believable/id1556343808?i=1000518995841
Katrina mentions several recommendations for getting visability for your book. Here is that list:
-
Virtual Book Tour - https://xpressobooktours.com/
-
BookSirens - https://booksirens.com/
-
Net Galley - https://www.netgalley.com/
-
Goodreads Free Giveaway - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway
She also mentioned that she published through Indie publising Kat Biggie Press (https://katbiggiepress.com/).
Books Mentioned:
The Wise One (The Scottish Scrolls) by K. T. Anglehart
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
The Berenstain Bears' Storytime Collection (The Berenstain Bears) by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Harry Potter Box Set by J. K. Rowling
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Leigh Bardugo is the New York Times author of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows Duology, King of Scars Duology, Ninth House, and several other books set within the Grishaverse. The Netflix series Shadow and Bone just realeased on April 23rd and has already been renewed for a second season. It references mostly the original trilogy, but will expand to include some of her other books included the Six of Crows duology. You can follow her on instagram at @lbardugo.
The Verbivore mentioned how gambling is addicting, because it uses a random schedule of reinforcement and compared how Leigh Bardugo paid off moments in the book as similarly addictive for that same reason. Here is what Simply Psychology has to say about random reinforcement schedule:
“This kind of schedule results in high, steady rates of responding. Organisms are persistent in responding because of the hope that the next response might be one needed to receive reinforcement. This schedule is utilized in lottery games.” - https://www.simplypsychology.org/schedules-of-reinforcement.html
The Verbivore reads the first sentence of chapter one of Six of Crows. Here is that quote:
“Joost had two problems: the moon and his mustache.”
The Verbivore mentions that the Six of Crows is a heist story. Here is an article that discusses some of the elements of those stories:
https://litreactor.com/columns/the-8-keys-to-a-good-heist-story
Books Mentioned:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy Boxed Set: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
TV Show Mentioned:
Shadow and Bone - Season 1 Streaming on Netflix
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The literary symbolism framework that’s broken into five types can be found here:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/symbol-definition-fiction-writing-1277138
The Verbivore mentioned listening to author Amy Tan’s Masterclass and a part of her class that touches on symbolism. There is no financial incentive for us to discuss this product, we just both took and enjoyed this class:
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/amy-tan-teaches-fiction-memory-and-imagination/chapters/meet-your-instructor-amy-tan#
The Verbivore mentions the New York play Sleep No More based on the story of Macbeth. In case you are interested in more information, here is a link:
https://mckittrickhotel.com/sleep-no-more/
Here’s the full quote from Lady Macbeth about the blood on her hands:
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?—Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.”
The Verbivore referenced a Ted Talk on Symbolism and Branding. Here is the link to that video:
How symbols and brands shape our humanity | Debbie Millman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-W_KgZhG_A
Books Mentioned:
The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fiztgerald
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
The Grace Year by Kim Ligget
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Cinderby Marissa Meyer
Movies Mentioned:
The Great Gatsby - Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Citizen Cane - Directed by Orson Welles
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Directed by Peter Jackson
Pride and Prejudice - Directed by Joe Wright
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The definition of fairy tale is referenced from: https://literaryterms.net/fairy-tale/
The Verbivore references the archetypes or stock characters present in fairytales. There are many lists of character archetypes based on different perspectives and nuances. Here are links to a coupl:
201 Character Archetypes Writers MUST Have In Their Armoury - https://industrialscripts.com/archetypes-of-characters/
12 Character Archetypes Every Writer Should Already Know - https://blog.reedsy.com/12-common-character-archetypes-every-writer-should-already-know/
In preparation for this conversation, the Verbivore watched some great Ted Talks on Fairytales. Here are a few:
Myths, Folklore & Legends: We Still Need Our Fairy Tales | Heidi Shamsuddin | TEDxUniversityofMalaya - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HlBwSYjUPI
Why We Absolutely Need Fairy Tales | Jason Link | TEDxYouth@Bend - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXNl6J_vpFc
Transforming Our Understanding of Fairy Tales | Anne Duggan | TEDxWayneStateU - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jit32hKZ-BM
The Verbivore mentioned a quote that’s often attributed to Einstein. Below is the quote and here is some additional context: https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2013/12/einsteins-folklore/
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
Books Mentioned:
Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Rapunzel by Brother Grimm
The Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villenueve
Cinderella by by Charles Perrault
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Runaway Species: How human creativity remakes the world by David Eagleman
Movies Mentioned:
Tangled - Directed by Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Ponyo - Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable references our conversation with author Stephanie Ascough and the mythology that she incorporated into her book “A Land of Light and Shadow: A Tale of Decamonde”. That episode can be found here: https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-50
The Verbivore reads a quote from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King where truth has passed away from common knowledge to old wive’s tales. Here is that quote:
“Pay heed to the tales of old wives. It may well be that they alone keep in memory what it was once needful for the wise to know.”
While preparing for this episode, the Verbivore referenced several different series of YouTube videos on the subject of mythology as resources. Here are the links to the most influencial ones:
Crash Course Mythology Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRCVcuA6yZQ&list=PLEb6sGT7oD8G8nPbyvObaZUNdfV6kitZQ
Ted Ed Mythology Videos Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjj_-CPxjCM&list=PLneOWMcmDufL5I4aIb_c2JEge344bNFIf
The Verbivore mentions that there are articles that talk about Disney movies as modern mythology. Here is a link to one such article:
https://creativeenglishteacher.com/blogs/news/ten-reasons-why-disney-movies-are-modern-mythology
The Vebivore mentions Star Wars and it’s reliance on Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces and the Hero’s Journey. Here is a short video clip of an interview with Joseph Campbell on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXjnYL2GncU
And here is a link to an article on the Hero’s Journey:
https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/heros-journey/
The Verbivore mentioned that the Illiad and the Odyssey have both been translated many times and that it was recently translated by a women for the first time. Here is the link to an article on this topic:
https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/20/16651634/odyssey-emily-wilson-translation-first-woman-english
Fable mentions the Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) index or classification system for fairytales. Here are a couple links with further information on this topic:
https://retellingthetales.com/a-casual-girls-guide-to-using-the-atu-index/
https://sites.ualberta.ca/~urban/Projects/English/Content/ATU_Tales.htm
The Verbivore references Rick Riordan’s response to the questions of what his inspirations were for Percy Jackson and was he inspired by Harry Potter. Here is his full response from his website:
https://rickriordan.com/2005/11/did-you-get-that-from-harry-potter/
And here is a link to the middle grade mythology books that are being released through the Rick Riordan Presents label:
https://rickriordan.com/rick-riordan-presents/
Books Mentioned:
A Land of Light and Shadow: A Tale of Decamonde by Stephanie Ascough
The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
Harry Potter: Books 1-7 by J. K. Rowling
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retoldby C. S. Lewis
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus by Margaret Atwood
The Illiad by Homer, Translated by Caroline Alexander
The Odyssey by Homer, Translated by Emily Wilson
Beowulf, A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley
The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Books 1-5) by Rick Riordan
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Movies Mentioned:
Moana - Direct by Ron Clements and John Musker
Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Created by George Lucas
O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Directed by Joel Coen
La Belle et La Bete - Directed by Christophe Gans
Musicals Mentioned:
Hadestown - Written by Anais Mitchell
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Would Like to Meet is Rachel Winters debut novel which released in December ‘19. Rachel currently lives in London, and in addition to being a fiction writer she has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, and is currently a Senior Commisioning Editor with Gollancz publishing house. She is also active on Instagram as @Frostycheeks1 and on Twitter as @FrostyCheeks, we’d highly recommend checking out her funny and delightful posts.
Books Mentioned:
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters
Movies Mentioned:
Bridget Jones's Diary
You’ve Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
The Wedding Planner
The Holiday
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable references the origin of the term “Meet Cute”. Here is an article with more details:
Studio Binder “What is a Meet Cute"?”
Types of Meet Cutes
Pull / Pull — the characters are instantly and mutually attracted to each other
Push / Push — the characters are instantly and mutually disinterested in each other
Push / Pull — one character is instantly attracted but the other character is disinterested
Neutral / Nervous — one character awkwardly tries to hide their attraction while the other character is oblivious to the situation
Books Mentioned:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Caravalby Stephanie Garber
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters
Movies Mentioned:
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938) - Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
It Happened One Night (1934) - Directed by Frank Capra
Pride and Prejudice (1995) - BBC Mini-Series
Pride and Prejudice (2005) - Directed by Joe Wright
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) - Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2013) - Directed by Edgar Wright
Romeo and Juliet (1996) - Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Romeo and Juliet (1968) - Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - Directed by Joel Zwick
Enchanted (2007) - Directed by Kevin Lima
Bridgerton (2020) - Netflix Mini-Series
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Chandra’s personal website is chandrablumberg.com and her Instagram account is @chandrablumberg. You can connect with her on social media, and we would highly recommend checking out her funny and inspirational posts, writing advice, and her “current reads” saved in her Instagram stories. Her new client page on the BookEnds Literary Agency website (bookendsliterary.com/2020/12/09/new-client-alert-chandra-blumberg/) has an introductory interview where she answers questions about herself as an author and her writing style - she also references the helpful querying tips she found on the BookEnds YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/UCukLkiCzvK6AIMnYIDqxUug .
Chandra’s debut romance novel is titled “Digging Up Love” and set to release on December 7th, 2021. It is now available for pre-order at Amazon. She’s currently working on the sequel, which should be released next year.
Books Mentioned:
Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg
The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Sweetie and Petie by Katharine Ross
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Sara referenced a podcast where she got the recommendation for the book “The Push”, that podcast is called “The Podcast with Know and Jamie”. Here is a link to their green light book recs: https://knoxandjamie.com/green-lights/books/
The Verbivore referenced a quote by author Shannon Hale. Here is that quote:
“I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”
Fable mentions the Shroedinger’s box thought experiment. Here is a brief description: https://wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/2013/07/30/what-did-schrodingers-cat-experiment-prove/
The Verbivore talks about discovering an anime writer and director that makes some visually stunning and wonderfully written films. That writer is Makoto Shinkai and the films are Your Name and Weathering With You.
Books Mentioned:
The Push: A Novel by Ashley Audrain
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy, Book 1) by C. S. Lewis
Perelandra (Space Trilogy, Book 2) by C. S. Lewis
Dark Matter: A Novel by Blake Crouch
Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
The Maltese Flacon by Dashiell Hammett
Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy by Kevin Kwan
Movies Mentioned:
Tenet - Directed by Christopher Nolan
Inception - Directed by Christopher Nolan
Back to the Future - Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Sliding Doors - Directed by Peter Howitt
Your Name - Directed by Makoto Shinkai
Crazy Rich Asians - Directed by Jon M. Chu
Jumanji: The Next Level - Direct by Jake Kasdan
Ocean’s 9 - Directed by Gary Ross
TV Shows Mentioned:
The Last Man on Earth
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today, we have Francesca Brine with us for our Author Answers episode. Francesca is a 27 year old Scottish author of Adult Fantasy novels. In today’s episode she shares about her experience with querying and encourages all of us to stick with it, even when faced with rejections.
Francesca says: “I have always loved writing, I think it came along very soon after my love of reading. Creating stories and letting folks find an escape or a laugh is my main goal, it's why I write! I was first inspired to write by the late and great Sir Terry Pratchett, and his Discworld fantasy series of books. His satirical tone and his wonderfully original world just grabbed my imagination and never let go. I attended Stirling University and have my bachelors degree in English Literature with honours. So far I've completed 15 novels, and there's plenty more still to come!”
You can learn more about Fran on her Instagram account (@fran.writes), where she shares about her comics and about her writing journey.
Keep writing and keep putting your work out in the world!
Into the Woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
During our conversation, we discussed where Barbara Kingsolver lived, since she seems to know the feel of Arizona so well. The Verbivore mentions that she previously lived for over twenty years in Tucson, AZ. That information was taken from the biography section of her website: http://www.kingsolver.com/biography/
Books Mentioned:
Animal Dreams: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
The Bean Trees: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today, we’re so excited to have Ryder Hunte Clancy with us for our Author Answer episode. Ryder shares her unique experience finding an agent and querying publishing houses. She also shares five helpful tips for when you’re preparing to query.
Ryder Hunte Clancy is the author of bestselling young adult fantasy, Mystic Invisible, a thrilling and adventure-packed story about a teenage wizard who moves to the mystically jeopardized Highlands of Scotland to find that magic is forbidden in a place where legends run awry. A tried and true stay-at-home mom, she has just as much trouble keeping up with her three small children as she does her fictional teenage characters.
When not changing diapers or filling in plot holes, Ryder is busy connecting with other authors and readers. She is part of the executive team at Calliope Writing Coach. She has years of experience in developmental editing and loves to teach other writers about the art of landing a perfect pitch.
You can connect with Ryder on Instagram and Twitter.
Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!
Into the Woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
There are many articles with helpful advice online regarding vulnerability hangovers and managing your mental and emotional state throughout the querying process. Here are a few that we connected with:
A Vulnerability Hangover and 6 Steps to Overcome It - https://myquestionlife.com/vulnerability-hangover/
17 Ways to Cope with Rejection While Querying Literary Agents - https://tracycgold.com/17-ways-to-cope-with-rejection-while-querying-literary-agents/
How to Use Detachment From Your Writing Process to Not Feel Like an Imposter - https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-use-detachment-from-your-writing-process-to-not-feel-like-an-imposter-728d7c646eee
The Verbivore referenced the imitation exercise that we did last year. This practice came from Mary Oliver’s The Poetry Handbook and was discussed in “Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voice”. Here’s the link:
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-22-imitation-as-a-way-to-find-your-voice
The Vebivore also referenced the 100 Day Project from 2020 that we participated in. Each day we posted a creative work (written, photographic, drawn, mixed media, etc.) from our personal Instagram accounts to the hashtags #The100DayProject and #imitatelikeawriter. Those entries are still available on Instagram.
Books Mentioned:
Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story by Ursula K. Le Guin
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
For today’s mini-podcast episode we have Chandra Blumberg with us, sharing about her experience querying and finding her agent.
Chandra Blumberg is a Midwesterner born and raised, and these days calls the Chicago suburbs home. Her love of reading extends to a wide array of genres, but romance novels captured her heart and never let go. Now she pens her own love stories where getting to happily-ever-after is half the fun. Life as a mom of four means most of Chandra’s writing takes place predawn or late into the night, so a cup of coffee is her favorite accessory.
You can subscribe to Chandra’s quarterly newsletter over at www.chandrablumberg.com or via the sign-up link in her Instagram bio. She also loves connecting with other writers and book lovers on Instagram and Twitter with the handle @chandrablumberg.
We hope you enjoy hearing about Chandra’s experience with querying and that it offers you some hope and encouragement.
Keep reading, writing, and querying!
Into the Woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
As Fable mentioned, there are a lot of articles on query letter writing online. Here are a few:
NY Book Editors - https://nybookeditors.com/2015/12/how-to-write-a-darn-good-query-letter/
Writers Digest - https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/tips-on-writing-query-letters-to-publishers-and-literary-agents
Jane Friedman - https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-take-the-sting-out-of-query-rejections/
Fable and the Verbivore mentioned several websites during this episode. They are as follows:
Query Manager - https://querymanager.com/ - Website many agents use for submission
Query Tracker - https://querytracker.net/ - Website that functions like yelp for authors looking for agents
Manuscript Wish List - https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/ - Website where authors can see the types of things specific agents are currently interested in receiving
The Verbivore referenced New Leaf agent Suzie Townsend. We’d recommend checking out the stories sections of her instagram account @sztownsend81 where she has hosted Q&As over the last year answering both direct questions and providing general advice on querying and working with an agent.
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
In todays mini-podcast episode we have Kristina Naydonova sharing a about the querying process -- how challenging it can be, how it works, why authors choose to self-publish, and a bit about her own experience with querying.
Kristina Naydonova was born in Washington D.C. and is currently a thirteen-year-old student in middle school. Ever since she was young, she has derived great interest from reading and writing. At the age of eight, she put her hobbies to the test and published a crime fiction novel, The Black Sisterhood Files, now available on Amazon. She hopes to prove that no matter your age, you can achieve anything if you have devotion.
You can find out more about Kristina at https://kristina.co/
Keep reading, writing, and sharing your voice!
Into the Woods, Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
Ann’s professional website is https://annkroeker.com/ and her Instagram account is @annkroeker. You can connect with her on social media, her feed is filled with posts that contain actionable writing tips and helpful advice. Also, we’d recommend checking out the “5 Writing Tips!” located in her Instagram stories.
We greatly enjoyed listening to episodes of Ann’s writing podcast “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach", which can be found at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ann-kroeker-writing-coach/id1021735830. She also has a writing blog at: http://annkroeker.com/blog/.
The Vebivore references a free mini-course titled “Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose” that Ann offers through her website. That course can be found here: https://annkroeker.teachable.com/p/writing-sentence-openers . She also has several other writing courses available for a fee at https://annkroeker.teachable.com/.
Ann mentioned an episode we did on imitation, that episode is titled Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voice. Ann’s episode on Benjamin Franklin’s method of imitation is Ep 189: Write to Discover New Skills and Techniques.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the 1:1 services Ann provides and her current rates, that information is located on her Work With Me page at http://annkroeker.com/writing-coach/.
Ann mentioned at the end of the episode that she’s providing a free gift to our listeners of “52 Creative Writing Prompts: A Year of Weekly Prompts and Exercises to Boost Your Creativity”. That gift can be found at: http://annkroeker.com/fable
Books Mentioned:
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references author Mur Lafferty’s podcast I Should Be Writing. That podcast is hosted at https://murverse.com/subscribe-to-podcasts/isbw/.
Fable questions how Le Guin is pronounced. Here is a link to the correct pronunciation: https://forvo.com/word/ursula_k._le_guin/
Books Mentioned:
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron
Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby
How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling by James N. Frey
How to Write a Damn Good Novel, II: Advanced Techniques For Dramatic Storytelling by James N. Frey
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
I Should Be Writing: A Writer's Workshop by Mur Lafferty
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great by Donald Maass
Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work by Steven Pressfield
The Gift: How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World by Lewis Hyde
Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art by Madeleine L'Engle
Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Storyby Ursula K. Le Guin
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Lathe of Heaven by by Ursula K. Le Guin
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Steven Pressfield is an author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays. His breakout novel was The Legend of Bagger Vance published in 1995 and since then he has published sixteen other books on a variety of topics. His non-fiction books on the writing craft include: The War of Art, Do the Work, andTurning Pro. His website is https://stevenpressfield.com/home/ and you can connect with him on Instagram @steven_pressfield.
The Verbivore references a quote mentioned in the book about writing when you’re inspired, this was originally from William Faulkner. Here is the full quote:
“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning.” - William Faulkner
Fable paraphrases a quote from Pablo Picasso. It is:
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso
Books Mentioned:
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work by Steven Pressfield
Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen by Robert Mckee
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting (Methuen Film) by Robert Mckee
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the Critical Response Process created by dance professor Liz Lerman from ASU as a method to use when receiving feedback in any type of creative project. This method was touched on briefly in Episode 37: Pixar Storytelling Part 1.
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-37-pixar-storytelling-part-1
Fable references the Author Answers response from writer Erica Wynters where she talks about needing cheerleader feedback at a specific time in her writing process. That episode is Episode 36: Author Answers with Erica Wynters.
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-36-author-answers-with-erica-wynters
The Verbivore references the open door writing process of author Victoria McCombs who we spoke to in Episode 39.
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-39-interview-with-victoria-mccombs
After this episode was recorded, Fable and the Verbivore came across the BAP method for identifying the level of feedback you want from your beta readers, as explained by book coach Ann Kroeker. We wish that we’d had this information to include as part of the discussion. We’ll be discussing it during our interview with Ann in early April, but here is the link to this information on her website:
http://annkroeker.com/2015/09/21/the-writing-life-podcast-bless-assess-or-press/
Books Mentioned:
Liz Lerman's critical response process: A method for getting useful feedback on anything you make, from dance to dessert by Liz Lerman and John Borstel
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Tiffany’s professional website is RochelleWritersStudio.com and her Instagram account is @rochellewritersstudio. You can connect with her on social media, and we would highly recommend checking out the wisdom and advice located within the Writing Tools and Music Muse sections of her Instagram stories. Her website also lists the developmental editing and book coaching services she provides and her current rates.
Tiffany mentions that she participated in the quartertly PitMad event where authors pitch their completed manuscripts to agents over twitter using the hashtag #PitMad. Here is a link to more information: https://pitchwars.org/pitmad/
“#PitMad is the original twitter pitch event, where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. No previously published works. Agents and acquiring editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch.”
Books Mentioned:
If I Fell by Tiffany Clarke Harrison
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Weather by Jenny Offill
Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Tiffany’s professional website is RochelleWritersStudio.com and her Instagram account is @rochellewritersstudio. You can connect with her on social media, and we would highly recommend checking out the wisdom and advice located within the Writing Tools and Music Muse sections of her Instagram stories. Her website also lists the developmental editing and book coaching services she provides and her current rates.
Tiffany quotes a section from the opening of James Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room. Here is the quote:
“Then, for the first time in my life, I was really aware of another person’s body, of another person’s smell. We had our arms around each other. It was like holding in my hand some rare, exhausted, nearly doomed bird which I had miraculously happened to find.”
The Smashing Pumpkins song that Tiffany mentions is “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” (The World is a Vampire).
Books Mentioned:
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
The Catcher and the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a quote from Mrs. Croft about being in calm waters. Here is that full quote:
“I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.” – Persuasion, Jane Austen
Persuasion was the last full novel written before Jane Austen died and was published posthumously. It feels in some ways an outlier in Austen's collected works. The story's heroine, Anne Elliot, is 27 and has been disappointed in love and is actively working through grief. In the whole course of the novel, she doesn't dance once and there is a maturity and gravity to the story that feels unique. The plot revolves around Anne navigating her self-absorbed family and by happenstance falling once again into company with the man she was persuaded to break off an engagement with 8 1/2 years before - awkwardness and romantic tension ensues.
Fable and the Verbivore very briefly touch on Jane Austen retellings. Here are some lists that could serve as a good place to start if you are looking for some ideas:
https://modernmrsdarcy.com/jane-austen-inspired-books-janeites-all-ages/
https://bookriot.com/diverse-jane-austen-retellings/
https://www.readitforward.com/essay/article/jane-austen-retellings/
Books Mentioned:
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Bridget Jones’s Diary: A Novel by Helen Fielding
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated) Graphic Novel by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petrus
Movies Mentioned:
Persuasion DVD (1995) - Starring Amanda Root, Ciaran Hinds
Persuasion DVD (2007) - Starring Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry-Jones
Emma Blu-ray (2020) - Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
As mentioned at the top of the episode, the Fable and the Verbivore affiliate link for Shawn Smucker and Maile Silva’s Nine Month Novel workshop is: fableandtheverbivore.com/nine . More information for whhat is included in The Nine Month Novel course can be found at: http://shawnsmucker.com/the-nine-month-novel// And here is a link to the syllabus: http://shawnsmucker.com/nine-month-novel-syllabus/
Fable (Beth Stedman) mentions that she was a guest on The Stories Between Us. That episode is: S4E10 Beth Stedman and the Art of Getting Unstuck - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s4e10-beth-stedman-and-the-art-of-getting-unstuck/id1483546151?i=1000507752762
Maile Silva was interviewed in Episode 11: Interview with Maile Silva - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/maile-silva-interview
Shawn Smucker was interviewed in Episode 28: Interview with Shawn Smucker - https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-28-interview-with-shawn-smucker
Books Mentioned:
These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker
The Weight of Memory by Shawn Smucker
Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentions that this is a continuation of our topic from last week. That episode is:
Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy
Fable and the Verbivore reference a lecture about “The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy” as presented by romance author Linda Howard on showing romantic progression in a relationship. In this episode, we covered the most intimate stages 9 through 12. Here is the link to an article discussing that talk: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/05/using-the-12-stages-of-physical-intimacy-to-build-tension-in-your-fiction/
Here are the physical intimacy stages 1-12:
1 - Eye to body
2 - Eye to Eye
3 - Voice to voice
4 - Hand to hand (or arm)
5 - Hand to shoulder
6 - Hand to waist or back
7 - Mouth to mouth
8 - Hand to head
9 - Hand to body
10 - Mouth to breast
11 - Hand to genitals
12 - Genitals to genitals
Fable references the romantic development in the Divergent series between Tris and Four which grows and develops throughout the trilogy and culminates with an intimate scene in Allegiant.
The Verbivore references an article that we discussed in our Episode 56 on writing suspense and violence. This article is called "Make Violent Scenes Matter" by author Carter Wilson that recommends writing a violent scene in two ways to determine if a more direct (overt/explicit) or subtle (implicit) approach serves the story best. We suggest that this could also be a useful exercise when deciding how best to write romantic scenes.
Fable mentions episodes from last year where we discussed creating romantic chemistry outside of physical attraction, and the need for relationships to be dynamic and not stand still. Those episodes are:
Episode 15: How to write great romantic chemistry
Episode 16: Writing romantic chemistry part 2
Books Mentioned:
Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy by Desmond Morris
The Stories Stars Tell by C. L. Walters
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Hollow of Fear (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 3) by Sherry Thomas
All Souls Trilogy (All Souls Series Book 1-3) by Deborah Harkness
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four by Veronica Roth
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentions episodes from last year where we discussed creating romantic chemistry outside of physical attraction. Those episodes are:
Episode 15: How to write great romantic chemistry
Episode 16: Writing romantic chemistry part 2
The Verbivore references a lecture about “The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy” as presented by romance author Linda Howard. In this episode, we covered stages 1 through 8. Here is the link to an article discussing that talk: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/05/using-the-12-stages-of-physical-intimacy-to-build-tension-in-your-fiction/
Here are the physical intimacy stages 1-8:
1 - Eye to body
2 - Eye to Eye
3 - Voice to voice
4 - Hand to hand (or arm)
5 - Hand to shoulder
6 - Hand to waist or back
7 - Mouth to mouth
8 - Hand to head
The Verbivore mentions the BBC miniseries Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell, but she actually meant North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. The scenes in question are between the characters Margaret Hale and John Thornton.
Books Mentioned:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy by Desmond Morris
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Movies Mentioned:
North and South - Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe
Pride and Prejudice - Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions the Target letter in her copy of the book. As part of the Target exclusive edition of The Grace Year, the book included a letter from author Kim Liggett to her readers that discusses an experience she had at a train station watching a family interact with a young girl who was going back to boarding school and how strangers assessed her while walking past - this was part of the spark for writing this book.
The Verbivore references the movie “V for Vendetta”. Here is the quote she was thinking of:
“We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten, but 400 years later, an idea can still change the world.”
Books Mentioned:
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Movies Mentioned:
V for Vendetta
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Jo’s personal website is jmercerbooks.com and her Instagram account is @jmercerbooks. You can connect with her on social media, and we would highly recommend checking out the story prompts, author advice, and mood pictures located in her Instagram stories. Her website also lists the editing services she provides and her current rates.
Jo mentions that she used Canva.com to design her book cover for Shady Woods.
Jo paraphrases a quote, which is sometimes attributed to writer James N. Watkins. Here is that full quote:
“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”
Books Mentioned:
A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock
Shady Woods: Book one in the Shady Woods series by J Mercer
After They Go by J Mercer
Perfection and Other Illusive Things by J Mercer
Dark & Stormy by J Mercer
Movies Mentioned:
Knives Out
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the episodes that we did in late 2019/ early 2020 - one for setting goals and another for picking a word or phrase for the year. Here are the links to those episodes:
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-9-the-one-where-we-talk-about-goals-habits-and-the-new-year
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-10-choosing-a-word-for-the-year
The Verbivore mentions that we’re both HSPs. This is a psychological personality trait and stands for a highly sensitive person. It’s used to describe those who are thought to have an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. Some refer to this as having sensory processing sensitivity, or SPS for short.
Books Mentioned:
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the episodes that we did in late 2019/ early 2020 - one for setting goals and another for picking a word or phrase for the year. Here are the links to those episodes:
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-9-the-one-where-we-talk-about-goals-habits-and-the-new-year
https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/episode-10-choosing-a-word-for-the-year
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a post from Fable’s personal instagram that discusses the opening line from different books. Here is the link to that post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGgBIEgHucf/
Here are the opening lines from Caraval: “It took seven years to get the letter right.”
Stephanie Garber has written another story within the Caraval universe, it’s called Once Upon a Broken Heart and publication has been announced for Fall 2021.
Books Mentioned:
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Legendary: A Caraval Novel (Caraval Book 2)by Stephanie Garber
Finale: A Caraval Novel (Caraval Book 3) by Stephanie Garber
We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the final line in It’s a Wonderful Life. Here is the actual line:
"A toast to my big brother George: the richest man in town.”
The Verbivore paraphrases the opening scene of Love Actually. Here is that actual quote:
“When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.”
The Verbivore references a quote from the movie The Thoery of Everything. Here are those words:
“There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope.”
The Verbivore references line from Marlene DeVose’s Poinsettia. It is: “They drove off in a direction that Leemi had no knowledge about except that it was forward. As vague as she thought it seemed, she drove in the direction of forward.”
Movies Mentioned:
It’s a Wonderful Life
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Love Actually
The Theory of Everything
Books Mentioned:
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Poinsettia by Marlene DeVose
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore are both taking part in NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month. The standard goal is to write 50,000 words in any work during the 30 days of November. Here is a link to their website for more information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Cami’s personal website is https://www.clwalters.net/ and her instagram account is @cl.walters. You can connect with her on social media and check out the posts she created for the marketing for the publication of “The Stories Stars Tell” which officially released on October 13th of this year.
Cami references an interview that she recently did with The Rainy Day Collective podcast, where they talked further about viewing John Hughes filmography with a new lens and unpacking some of the problematic messaging in his body of work. Here is a link to that episode:
The Stories Stars Tell and Purity Culture - https://rainydayinmay.com/collective/listen/
Cami’s idependently run impint is Mixed Plate Press, where she manages the start to finish process for all of her book releases. She utilizes IngramSpark as part of her self publishing process and worked with instagram artist Sara Oliver (@saraoliverdesign) to design the cover for “The Stories Stars Tell”.
The Verbivore made several allusions to John Hughes movie references found in “The Stories Stars Tell”. The Ducky conversation, is a section of dialogie that focuses on the character from “Pretty in Pink”. The Cameron car scene, is a reference to a conversation between the characters where they bring up the famous end sequence in “Feris Bueller’s Day Off”.
Cami paraphrases a quote by writer Beverly Cleary. Here is that full quote:
“If you don't see the book you want on the shelves, write it.”
Cami, like Fable and the Verbivore, is taking part is NaNoWriMo. Here is a link to their website for more information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
Books Mentioned:
The Stories Stars Tell by C.L. Walters
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
The Ugly Truth: Cantos Chronicles 2 by C.L. Walters
Swimming Sideways: Cantos Chronicles 1 by C.L. Walters
The Letters She Left Behind by CL Walters
The Bookworm Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts
Elinor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Fangirl: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell
Movies Mentioned:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
The Breakfast Club
Sixteen Candles
Pretty in Pink
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore referenced a quote from an article on mystery that says that “Writing a mystery story is like playing a game of chess with a thousand unknown opponents”. The author was George Dyer and here are the links to these articles:
Vintage WD: Murder for Profit, Mystery Story Techniques Part 1 - https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/vintage-wd-murder-for-profit-mystery-story-techniques-part-1
Vintage WD: Murder for Profit, Mystery Story Techniques Part 2 - https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/vintage-wd-murder-for-profit-mystery-story-techniques-part-2
The Verbivore mentions a trick to have two outlines to manage your mystery and another to manage all of the clues (real clues, false clues, pivotal clues) and what your suspects are up to at any given point in the novel. There are several resources that mentioned this practice, but the YouTube video “NANOWRIMO / How to Write a Murder Mystery” by Rae Sterling was the most helpful and concise.
The Verbivore talks about a quote from Crooked House that describes each family member as having different kinds of ruthlessness. Here is that full quote:
“There's a lot of ruthlessness in us - and - different kinds of ruthlessness. That's what's so disturbing. The different kinds”
The Verbivore references Sherlock’s quote about it being lucky that he did not have criminal tendencies. That quote is here:
“It is fortunate for this community that I am not a criminal” - The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans
The Verbivore references Rian Johnson’s subversion of the mystery genre in his movie Knives Out by purposefully adding in thriller elements and beats into his story. She doesn’t reference details to keep from spoiling the movie, but there are several great YouTube videos that explore this melding of these story elements. Here are the links [Spoiler Alert]:
Behind the Curtain’s “How I Wrote Knives Out — Writing Advice from Rian Johnson” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd4XUCIqoFU
Just Write’s “How Knives Out Switches Genres (Twice)” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfF7-vJJBNY
Books Mentioned:
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Movies Mentioned:
Crooked House - Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner, Screenplay by Julian Fellowes
Knives Out - Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the dictionary definition of mystery which is “something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain” and “a question that needs answering.” Some synonyms are a puzzle, enigma, conundrum, riddle, secret, or unsolved problem.
Fable and the Verbivore referenced many different resources and articles to prepare for this conversation. Here are a few that they found helpful:
Vintage WD: Murder for Profit, Mystery Story Techniques Part 1 - https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/vintage-wd-murder-for-profit-mystery-story-techniques-part-1
Vintage WD: Murder for Profit, Mystery Story Techniques Part 2 - https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/vintage-wd-murder-for-profit-mystery-story-techniques-part-2
Masterclass - The 10 Essential Elements of a Mystery Story https://www.masterclass.com/articles/essential-elements-of-a-mystery-story
The Write Practice - How to Write a Mystery Novel - https://thewritepractice.com/how-to-write-a-mystery-novel/
The Verbivore references the YouTube channel Just Write’s video discussing how the Harry Potter novels serve as functional mysteries. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Y0NFHNhgg
The Verbivore mentions a trick to have two outlines to manage your mystery and another to manage all of the clues (real clues, false clues, pivotal clues) and what your suspects are up to at any given point in the novel. There are several resources that mentioned this practice, but the YouTube video “NANOWRIMO / How to Write a Murder Mystery” by Rae Sterling was the most helpful and concise.
Fable mentions the 3 elements of mystery as discribed by Save the Cat! They are:
1) The detective does not change, we do; yet he can be any kind of gumshoe — from pro to amateur to imaginary.
2) The secret of the case is so strong it overwhelms the worldly lures of money, sex, power, or fame. We gots to know! And so does the Whydunit hero.
3) Finally, the dark turn shows that in pursuit of the secret, the detective will break the rules, even his own — often ones he has relied on for years to keep him safe. The pull of the secret is too great.
The Verbivore references Rian Johnson’s subversion of the mystery genre in his movie Knives Out by purposefully adding in thriller elements and beats into his story. She doesn’t refernces details to keep from spoiling the movie, but there are several great YouTube videos that explore this melding of these story elements. Here are the links [Spoiler Alert]:
Behind the Curtain’s “How I Wrote Knives Out — Writing Advice from Rian Johnson” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd4XUCIqoFU
Just Write’s “How Knives Out Switches Genres (Twice)” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfF7-vJJBNY
Books Mentioned:
Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) by J.K. Rowling
Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) by Agatha Christie
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Movies Mentioned:
Knives Out - Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions that author Silvia Moreno-Garcia has categorized this book as (Adult) Gothic Horror. She has spoken about the importance of correctly classifying this work in several interviews, but here is the link to one such interview where she clearly states the genre:
https://bookpage.com/interviews/25277-silvia-moreno-garcia-mystery-suspense#.X5XwcNBKhPY
Fable references the opening sentence of Mexican Gothic and the questions it immediately raised in her mind. Here is that quote:
“The parties at the Tunons’ house always ended unquestionably late, and since the hosts enjoyed costume parties in particular, it was not unusual to see Chinas Poblanas with their folkloric skirts and ribbons in their hair arrive in the company of a harlequin or a cowboy.”
The Verbivore uses the term gaslighting when discussing what is happening to Neomi at the hands of the family in High Place. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that’s seen in abusive relationships. It’s the act of manipulating a person by forcing them to question their thoughts, memories, and the events occurring around them. A victim of gaslighting can be pushed so far that they question their own sanity.
The Verbivore mentions the bloodless creepieness in Mexican Gothic that feels almost Lovecraftian in its sense of unease and chilling visuals. While doing research, she found that Silvia Moreno-Garcia wrote the script for a Ted Ed video on H. P. Lovecraft. Here is the link to that video:
- Titan of terror: the dark imagination of H.P. Lovecraft script written by Silvia Moreno-García - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M3L4VIZv-U
Books Mentioned:
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- Draculaby Bram Stoker
Movies Mentioned:
-
Jane Eyre (2011) Directed by Cary Fukunaga
-
Rebecca (1940) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
-
Psycho (1960) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
-
Sunset Boulevard (1950) Directed by Billy Wilder
-
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
-
Nosferatu (1922) Directed by F. W. Murnau
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today we have Dicky Kitchen Jr. sharing about his writing routine for our Author Answers mini-podcast episode.
We got connected with Dicky over instagram, when he started commenting on our posts. His comments often gave us something new to think about and regularly made us laugh out loud. Dicky just self-published his first book, Prey/Pray: Origin of The Average Man, which is a fast-paced psychological thriller. In addition to psychological thrillers, he's working on a few horror stories, and, as a father himself, he's also currently writing a children's story.
Dicky shares a little bit about how his writing routine has changed this year and how he sets himself up to get the most out of his writing time.
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references Erica’s Thesaurus Fun videos located in her instagram stories which covers some amusing synonyms during her word searches on Thesaurus.com. Fable references WordHippo.com as an additional resource for finding synonyms and the Verbivore sometimes uses Google Definition for her initial word searches.
Erica references the Embers Igniting Editors (@embersignitingediting) group from Intagram who she’s worked with to edit some of her books.
Books Mentioned:
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
The Long Winter (Little House on the Prairie Book 6) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hunted in the Desert (Series Novella 4) by Erica Wynters
Death in the Desert (Series Novella 1) by Erica Wynters
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
In today’s Author Answer episode we have Candice Yamnitz talking about her writing routine and how she gets writing done in the midst of a busy life.
Candice is a homeschooling mom, blogger and teacher who taught in an elementary dual-language classroom for seven years before having her three spirited children. She has been mentoring teen girls for another many years and aims to inspire through stories. In 2017, she joined the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) to improve her craft, and today she is vice president of the Chicago chapter. Her work has placed in four contests.
Candice shares some great advice about how to trick your brain into trying to get writing done before a day off and how to take advantage of the shifts in your schedule and mental acuity — for example knowing that editing takes more mental energy and doing it during the day, but knowing that your inner critic is quieter at night making that a good time to write first drafts and new words.
Thanks so much for sharing your process and insights with us Candice!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable referenced a quote by Richard Price about approaching writing in a war context. Here is that full quote:
- “You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying in the road.”
The Verbivore references a scene from the animated Disney movie Mulan where a doll stands in for the loss of an innocent child in the war with the Huns. Here is a link to the scene which introduces that story element:
- Mulan - The Huns (Shang Yu is approaching) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqP95URub_o
The Verbivore mentions the aspect of human psychology that it is easier to relate and empathize with an individual than with a large group of people. The example used was that you can feel sorry for one dog that has had it’s tail stepped on, but what if you are told that thousands of dogs have had their tails stepped on. This is known as Psychic numbing. Here is an article if you are interesting in researching into this further:
- "If I look at the mass I will never act": Psychic numbing and genocide http://journal.sjdm.org/7303a/jdm7303a.htm
The Verbivore references the idea of ensign redshirts in Star Trek, which in the fandom refers to characters who are expendable and are killed off to up the tension and stakes in a given storyline.
The Verbivore brings up a quote from the disorienting opening of the novel The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Here is that full quote:
- “The knife had done almost everything it was brought to that house to do, and both the blade and the handle were wet.”
We used many different resources to prepare for this episode including our own experience. Here are a few resources we found useful:
-
Ted ED - How to make your writing suspenseful - Victoria Smith - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjKruwAfZWk
-
Make Violent Scenes Matter: 5 Tips for Writing Violence That Doesn't Turn Readers Off - https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/make-violent-scenes-matter-5-tips-for-writing-violence-that-doesnt-turn-readers-off
-
HOW TO WRITE BELIEVABLE, REALISTIC, AND RESPONSIBLE VIOLENCE - https://crimereads.com/how-to-write-believable-realistic-and-responsible-violence/
-
How to Write a Horror Story: 7 Tips for Writing Horror - https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-write-a-horror-story/
-
Two ways to write about physical violence in crime fiction and thrillers - https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/two-ways-to-write-about-physical-violence-in-crime-fiction-and-thrillers
-
How Shane Black Uses Awkward Violence to Tell Great Stories - https://nofilmschool.com/2016/08/how-shane-black-uses-awkward-violence-tell-stories
-
Awkward violence - Movie Violence Done Right by Nerdwriter1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKiQs1dE0Tc
The Verbivore brings up the idea of awkward violence and mistakenly references the movie Inside Man, the movie was actually The Nice Guys - which was written and directed by Shane Black.
Books Mentioned:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
A Gathering of Shadows: A Novel by V. E. Schwab
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
The Tell-Tale Heart & Other Tales by Edgar Allen Poe
Movies Mentioned
Disney's Mulan (1998)
First Man (2018)
The Nice Guys (2016)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes
Names are important and in this episode the Verbivore mispronounces Renee Ahdieh’s last name. Here is some guidance from her website as to how it should be pronounced:
Q. How do you pronounce your name? - It’s definitely a tricky one—a flat “a” (like in “apple”) + dee + eh. Just put some Middle Eastern oomph behind it, and you’ve got it.
If you totally tuned out to that, I pronounce my name in the first few seconds of THIS video.
We used many different resources to prepare for this episode including our own experience. Here are a few resources we found useful:
Ted ED - How to make your writing suspenseful - Victoria Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjKruwAfZWk
Masterclass - 7 Ways to Build Tension in Your Story
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-build-tension-in-your-story
Masterclass - 10 Tips for Writing a Page-Turner
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-page-turner#10-tips-for-writing-a-pageturner
Writer’s Digest - How to Write a Page Turner: 5 Steps For Writers https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/how-to-write-a-page-turner-5-steps-for-writers
Now Novel - How to Create Tension in Writing: 8 Methods
https://www.nownovel.com/blog/how-to-create-tension-in-writing/
The Verbivore quoted H.P Lovecraft towards the end of the episode, which is also referenced in the Ted Ed video How to make your writing suspenseful by Victoria Smith. Here is the full quote:
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." – H.P Lovecraft
Books Mentioned
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore previously discussed Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series in Episode 17: Being kind to your readers and writing subtle character growth. We both greatly enjoyed this mystery series. Her 5th novel in this series, Murder on Cold Street , releases on October 6th, 2020.
The Ballad of Mulan was originally a lyrical poem titled Hua Mulan, and there appears to be some debate over when it was first written (5th or 6th century). It was compiled in an anthology created by Guo Maoqian in the 11th or 12th century titled Music Bureau Collection.
The Verbivore references several quotes. Here are the full quotes:
“But I am nobody’s xiong-di. Nobody’s younger brother.”
“Did he help me without understanding what I said? Or did my revelation make no difference because I was telling him something he already knew? Throughout our travels together, in his unobtrusive way, he has created more space for me and made it easier to slip aside for privacy.”
“This earns me another smile. ‘Let’s by all means avoid that sort of trouble. And by the way, Hua xiong-di, you’re a good man.’
I smile back at him. ‘That I am, my brother. I’m nothing if not a good man.’”
Sherry’s author website also contains information on her many other books including historical romance novels, the Elemental fantasy trilogy, and a science fiction/fantasy novella titled The Heart is a Universe. Her website tagline is “finely wrought stories, with an edge”; which is just fantastic.
Books Mentioned
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Films Mentioned:
Disney's Mulan (1998)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentioned some Instagram channels that have been putting out messages challenging perfectionism in creating and life. We’re sure there are many others, but here are few:
@loveoffering, @inspiredtowrite, @holidayphillips, @brenebrown
Books Mentioned:
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Stephanie is an active presence within the Instagram writing community and you can connect with her on her account @stephanieascough.
In this episode, Stephanie discusses several resources she discovered as part of her Self-publishing journey. Here are some of those resources she mentions:
Helping Writers Become Authors Blog by K. M. Weiland for writing advice - https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/
Inkarnate Website for creating world maps - https://inkarnate.com/
IngramSpark’s Self-Publishing Podcast for advice on the self-publishing process - https://www.ingramspark.com/podcast
Vellum Website to help format eBook and Paperback print interiors - https://vellum.pub/
Stephanie also discusses several of the individuals from the Instagram writing community who contributed to the finished product of her debut novel A Land of Light and Shadow. These individuals are as follows:
Artist Dawn Davidson who created the character design as well as designed and illustrated the book’s cover - https://www.instagram.com/prydainartcreative/
Writer and editor Brooke Bohinc who completed several rounds of edits on the manuscript - https://www.instagram.com/brookebohinc/
Books Mentioned:
A Land of Light and Shadow: A Tale of Decamonde by Stephanie Ascough
101 Dalmatians (Puffin story books) by Dodie Smith
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K. M. Weiland
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Music from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore discusses some general defining features that are typical of Middle Grade and YA fiction from the number of pages, to the age range of the main characters, and the level of sex and violence in the work. These standards are fluid, debatable, and, of course, can be broken when there is a good reason. Here are a few articles that discuss the dividing lines between these genres:
Masterclass.com, What’s the Difference Between Middle-Grade Fiction vs. Young Adult Fiction?
Writer’s Digest, The Key Differences Between Middle Grade vs Young Adult
TheWriteLife.com, 4 Major Differences Between Young Adult and Middle Grade Fiction
The Verbivore mentions that the history of YA fiction is not very long and there is some debate over what is the first YA novel. Here are some articles that discuss who started the YA genre:
The New Yorker, S. E. Hinton and the Y.A. Debate
Vox.com, The Outsiders reinvented young adult fiction. Harry Potter made it inescapable.
Smithsonian Magazine, ‘The Outsiders’ Was Groundbreaking, But It Didn’t Create YA Fiction
The New Leaf Literary agent that the Verbivore mentions is Suzie Townsend on instagram @sztownsend81 . We would highly recommend her Q&As found in her story highlights as a source of information on the querying process.
The Verbivore references Victoria McCombs conviction about the comp books for her newly released The Storyteller’s Daughter .That conversation took place during Fable and the Verbivore Episode 39: Interview with Victoria McCombs.
Books Mentioned:
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Harry Potter Series (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Set by Rick Riordan
The Heroes of Olympus 5 Book Set by Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard 3 Book Set by Rick Riordan
Chronicles of Narnia 7 Book Set by C. S. Lewis
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
In today’s Author Answer’s mini-episode we have Emily Barnett with us. Emily talks about the process of sharing her manuscript with others and getting feedback on her writing. We love Emily’s relaxed take on getting feedback early and her assertion that as writers you need to do what works best for you.
Emily Barnett resides in Illinois where she dreams up magical worlds that feel a bit like home. She is married to a wonderful, bearded man, and they have two boys who love cars and trucks entirely too much.
Emily has loved writing since she wrote about a horse and a wizard in her Lisa Frank notebook in grade school. She still has it around for laughs (and inspiration). It wasn't until many years and many affirming people later, that she decided to take her calling as a storyteller seriously and do something brave with it: write books.
Emily is currently working on a contemporary fantasy about a girl who finds a magical "Secret Garden" and learns to deal with her own world by stepping into another. She also hosts a flash fiction challenge each week through her Instagram @thebarnettburrow.
Thanks so much for joining us, Emily!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions understanding the developmental stages and challenges that teenagers face as part of the process of writing with empathy and understanding. Here are a few resources:
NOBA Project Adolescent Development - https://nobaproject.com/modules/adolescent-development#:~:text=Conclusions,exploring%20romantic%20relationships%20and%20sexuality
Psychology Today Adolescence - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/adolescence
The Verbivore misremembered what happens in Veronica Roth’s short stories in her Four . The part that she was referencing comes from the end of the last book in the Divergent series Allegiant.
The Verbivore mentions a Writer’s Digest article written by a teenage writer with a list of things not to do, that specifically discusses problems with using slang when you don’t fully understand how it is used by that generation. Here is the link to that article:
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-not-to-do-when-writing-ya-books-advice-from-a-teen-writer
The Verbivore mentions an article that discusses creating a realistic teenage voice in the narrative, using Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries as an example. Here is that article:
https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-young-adult/
The Verbivore mistakenly says “Ted” when the author is Tom Leveen. Here is a quote from Laurie Halse Anderson about hope in her books:
“Ending on an encouraging note is part of my moral code. Teenagers need to see a model of hope and growth.”
The Verbivore mentions a quote from the movie The Jane Austen Book Club, it focuses on a character who is still grappling with some trauma from childhood and her experience in school. That dialogue exchange is as follows:
“Baby, high school's over.”
“High school's never over..”
Books Mentioned:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Fourby Veronica Roth
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
The Harry Potter Series (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions Angie Thomas’ early history as a rapper and links that to poetry and being able to choose words to communicate ideas well. Angie’s experience was also used to help write her most recently released book On the Come Up. - which is a love letter to Hip Hop and Rap. She has several videos on YouTube where she personally raps sections from this book. Here is one. She also discusses the connection between rap and poetry in one of her interviews. Here is a quote from that article:
“And also it’s a look at hip-hop, and it’s a look at hip-hop as an art form and as poetry. My hope, my big hope for this book—well, one of my hopes for this book—is that it is a gateway to poetry for so many young people.”
The Tupac reference that Fable and the Verbivore discuss comes from his definition of THUG LIFE, which he defined as “The Hate U Give Little Infants F*cks Everyone”. This served as both inspiration for the book’s title “The Hate U Give” and also a broader and evolving theme woven within the story.
The Verbivore mentions that prior to this year she was unfamiliar with the name Emmett Till. His history was touched on in the novel, but he was a 14-year-old Black boy who was horrifically murdered in Chicago in 1955 for “flirting with a white woman”. Though there was significant evidence in the case, his killers where found “not guilty” by an all-white jury.
Fable mentions character archetypes. In literature, a character archetype is a typical character that falls into a category representative of universal patterns of human nature. Here are two great introductry resources regarding archetypes in literature:
https://musingsandbooks.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/archetype-adventure-a-guide-to-archetypes-in-literature/
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/defining-character-archetypes
The Verbivore mentions Angie Thomas’ writing tools on her intagram page @angiethomas, they can be found on her story highlights under “Writing Tips”. Within that post, she includes her own character/storyline charts for The Hate U Give and links to an article on the BetterNovelProject.com blog on the topic of series outlining which includes an example outline from Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix that J.K. Rowling released over a decade ago.
The Verbivore ends with several quotes from The Hate U Give. They are as follows:
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
“And to every kid in Georgetown and in all ‘the Gardens’ of the world: your voices matter, your dreams matter, your lives matter. Be the roses that grow in the concrete.”
Books Mentioned:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Kindred by Octavia Butler
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
The Harry Potter Series (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Since the definition of Social Issues is so broad, it is difficult to identify and define every single one. Here are some lists that include many of them:
UCMERCED Library - Contemporary Issues: Social Issues - https://libguides.ucmerced.edu/c.php?g=425381&p=2905597
Understanding Social Problems https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_social-problems-continuity-and-change/s04-understanding-social-problems.html
There are many resources for writing about some of the topics we discussed. Here are a few:
The Dos and Don’ts of Writing About the Disabled
https://lithub.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-writing-about-the-disabled/
10 Things Fiction Writers Need to Remember About Disability (1-5) http://blobolobolob.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-things-fiction-writers-need-to.html
10 Things Fiction Writers Need to Remember About Disability (6-10) http://blobolobolob.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-things-fiction-writers-need-to_10.html
Do’s and Don’ts of Including Mental Illness in Your Fiction
http://booksbywomen.org/dos-and-donts-of-including-mental-illness-in-your-fiction-by-elena-mikalsen-ph-d/
How to Treat Mentally Ill Characters When Writing a Novel
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/treat-mentally-ill-characters-writing-novel
Fable and the Verbivore discuss trigger warnings that are included in the books themselves, but there are also many resources dedicated to identifying trigger warnings connected with works of fiction. Here are several:
https://bookriot.com/trigger-warnings-for-books/
http://www.laurenhannah.net/book-trigger-list/
Books Mentioned:
Poinsettiaby Marlene Devose
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
CK talks about her upcoming book, Trine Rising, which is scheduled to release on August 26th. Here’s a short synopsis of the story:
Sixteen-summer-old Mirana Pinal is one of the few to have ever possessed all three magical powers of the Aspects—Defending, Seeing, and Healing. She has terrifying visions, however, that if she wields her powers, her homeland of Kinderra will be destroyed—through her. Desperate to keep her dark fate from unfolding, she tells no one about her destructive destiny but her beloved Teague Beltran, a young apprentice herbsman born without powers. When Mirana receives alarming premonitions of an enemy attack on Kinderra, she is forced to reveal to her people that she is a Trine to warn them of the impending assault. As the Kinderrans fight to hold armies of a cunning and ruthless enemy warlord at bay, Mirana must decide if using her powers will aid her people—or will bring them more peril.
Notes:
We talk about several mental dissorders and mental illness in this episode. Here are a few important definitions:
Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. Mental illness is common and treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.
Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical problem, just like heart disease or diabetes.
Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things, or cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.
The Verbivore mentions Marlene’s website that has a reference for identifying what the character Leemi is mentally struggling with as she tries to explain her experience in her own words. Here is that link: https://marlenedevose.com/mentalhealth
Books Mentioned:
Poinsettiaby Marlene Devose
Baby Alicia is Dying by Lurlene McDaniel
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
As Fable mentioned in the introduction to this episode, this episode references a conversation that we had in Episode 10: Choosing a Word for the Year.
Fable references the Psychology theory of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. There are many great resources out there if you would like to research into this concept further, but here is an article that we thought was a good start:
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Explained - https://www.thoughtco.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571
The book by Elizabeth Gilbert that the Verbivore references when talking about the mystical side of writing is Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear. We reference this book originally in our conversation from Episode 22: Imitation as a way to find your voice.
Books Mentioned:
Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fearby Elizabeth Gilbert
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today is our second post in our Author Answers mini-podcast series! We are so excited to have Brooke Bohinc with us today!
Brooke Bohinc is a freelance book editor who is currently writing her first book. When she's not working with authors to get their books ready for publication, she's brainstorming plot twists for her own.
We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Brooke a little bit through Instagram and we love the authentic way she shares herself and her expertise with the world. Also, Brooke provides a wonderful free grammar checklist through her website — a great tool for writers everywhere!
We’re asking writers in our circle, “How early do you share your work and what does that process look like for you?” In response to this question, Brooke shares about the process she went through when writing her first book, which involved a lot of audience feedback and participation. We love Brookes unique take and hope you do too.
Thanks so much for joining us, Brooke!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Victoria mentions that she posted a pitch on Twitter during #PitMad. This is a pitch party on Twitter where individual authors pitch their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors can make requests for more information. The next date for the 2020 #PitMad is September 3, 2020 (8AM – 8PM EDT). Check out more information on https://pitchwars.org/save-the-dates-pitmad-schedule-for-2020/.
Victoria also discussed writing during NaNoWrMo camp. The camp occurs each year in April and July, and you are able to set your own word goals and work on any type of writing project while tracking your progress on this website. They also have writers who serve as camp counselers by sharing advice and sending out prompts. More information can be found at https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-camp-nanowrimo.
Books Mentioned:
The Storyteller’s Daughterby Victoria McCombs
Ella Enchantedby Gail Carson Levine
Twelve Dances Princesses Trilogy by Jessica Day George
Notes:
The Verbivore forgot the name of the Chef in Ratatouille. The chef’s name is Gusteau.
The Verbivore discusses the flexibility in Pixar’s story structure. Some of these details came from the “Pixar in a Box: The Art of Storytelling” free class available on Khanacademy.org. Here is the link:
Introduction to Structure - https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/hass-storytelling/storytelling-pixar-in-a-box/ah-piab-story-structure/v/piab-storystructure
Both Fable and the Verbivore talk throughout the episode about Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. This list is located in many places online, but here us one link to one copy of the list. Here are the rules they mentioned:
-
Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
-
Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
-
Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.
-
Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.
-
Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?
The Verbivore incorrectly references Bolt as a Pixar film, although some individuals from Pixar helped with the film it is officially a Walt Disney animation film.
The Verbivore mentioned the rule that Brad Bird who wrote The Incredibles and The Incredibles II followed to have each fantastic thing followed by a mundane thing and vice versa. He has talked about it in many interviews, but this Deadline interview is the one the Verbivore used for research.
The Verbivore references the Ted Talk “Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story”. The sequence about storytelling as joke telling starts at timestamp 1:23. Here are some of his words:
“Story telling is joke telling. It’s knowing your punchline. Your ending. Knowing that everything you are saying from first sentence to the last is leading to a singular goal. And ideally confirming some truth that deepens our understandings of who we are as human beings.”
Books Mentioned:
Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar's Greatest Films 1st Editionby Dean Movshovitz
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace, et al.
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore discusses the changes that were made to Finding Nemo to make Marlin more empathetic as a character, by moving his backstory to the beggining of the narrative rather than have flashbacks throughout the movie. Those details came from the “Pixar in a Box: The Art of Storytelling” free class available on Khanacademy.org. Here is the link:
Introduction to Structure - https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/hass-storytelling/storytelling-pixar-in-a-box/ah-piab-story-structure/v/piab-storystructure
Both Fable and the Verbivore talk throughout the episode about Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. This list is located in many places online, but here us one link to one copy of the list. Here are the rules they mentioned:
-
What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
-
Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
-
If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
-
You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.
The Verbivore references the Ted Talk “Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story”. The sequence about Woody and the conditions that he has for himself start at timestamp 12:23.
The Verbivore references a book that she read as part of her work about how to give critical feedback. That book is called Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process - A Method for Getting Useful Feedback on Anything You Make, from Dance to Dessert.
Fable mentions the Pixar concept of Good Notes. Here is a synopsis of the good note process as defined in the book Creativity Inc.:
Good notes say what is wrong, what is missing, what isn’t clear and what makes sense. They do not make demands or necessarily propose a fix. Most of all, they are specific.
Focus on the problem, not the person: When criticizing an idea, shift the emphasis away from the source and onto the idea itself.
Set up a healthy feedback system by removing power dynamics from the equation. Any successful feedback system is built on empathy.
Success = put smart, passionate people in a room, charge them with identifying and solving problems, and encourage them to be candid.
Fable mentions a quote about writing emotion from a place of authenticity. Here is the full quote:
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost
Books Mentioned:
Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar's Greatest Films 1st Editionby Dean Movshovitz
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace, et al.
Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process - A Method for Getting Useful Feedback on Anything You Make, from Dance to Dessert by Liz Lerman
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today is the first in our new mini-podcast Author Answers series! We have author Erica Wynters with us today answering the question, “How early do you share your work and what does that process look like for you?”
Erica Wynters is the author of the In the Desert series, a set of novellas following FBI profiler Alexandra Briggs as she hunts criminals, is stalked by a serial killer, and tries to manage her new relationship with Special Agent Henry Collins. The final installment in the series, Hunted in the Desert, releases in August 2020.
Erica lives in the Phoenix area with her husband and two kids. While she's not weaving tales of romance and suspense, she works as a Marriage and Family Therapist, helping clients find their own happily ever afters.
Thanks so much for joining us, Erica!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentioned some of the story of how Inside Out came to be in the intro to this episode. Pete Docter, the director of Inside Out has done many interviews where he discusses the origin of the story idea, the brainstorming, and the hike that helped him reframe and salvage the story when it fell apart. Here are a couple of the many videos, podcast episodes and articles that helped in preparation for this episode:
NY Times Article ‘Inside Out,’ Pixar’s New Movie From Pete Docter, Goes Inside the Mind
Collider Interview ‘Inside Out’ Director Pete Docter Explains Why They Kept Bing Bong Under Wraps
The Frame interview How a Father's Day stroll helped Pixar's Pete Docter crack the code for 'Inside Out'
The Science of Happiness Episode 5: Walk Outside with Inside Out’s Pete Docter
Fable talked Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. This list is located in many places online, but here us one link to one copy of the list.
Books Mentioned:
Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar's Greatest Films 1st Editionby Dean Movshovitz
Huntedby Meagan Spooner
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
As mentioned by the Verbivore, the second book in Hafsah Faizal’s Sands of Arawiya series is We Free the Starswhich is currently set to release on January 19th, 2021.
Books Mentioned:
We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya) by Hafsah Faizal
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a line from the play Much Ado About Nothing, Act 4 Scene 1. The line is said by Claudio during his public shaming of Hero. Here is the full line:
“O, what men dare do! What men may do! What men daily do, not knowing what they do!”
Charissa mentions author Tana French’s work as an example of someone with an acting background using that experience to be able to get inside the heads of a given character when writing in first person.
Books Mentioned:
Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore mentions multicultural books towards the early part of the conversation. In thise case, she means both multicultural (reflecting several viewpoints) and diverse (reflecting one diverse viewpoint) books.
Both Fable and the Verbivore mention being highly sensitive readers. What we mean by this is the psychological definition of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).
Names are important, Poinsettia author Marlene S. DeVose’s last name is actually pronounced “Dee-Vose” with a long O sound.
The website Web Writers Spotlight has a great article that further discusses why reading widely is important. Here is that link.
If you are looking for some recommendations on new reads, here are a couple places to start:
https://ideas.ted.com/62-great-books-by-black-authors-recommended-by-ted-speakers/
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/bipoc
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2019/11/18/22-books-by-indigenous-writers-to-read-right-now/
Books Mentioned:
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Grace Years by Kim Liggett
Poinsettia by Marlene S. DeVose - @marlenedevose
Eyes on You: Love Poems and Love Letters by Christian Bosse - @christianbosse_
Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Short Stories: Cora Unashamed by Langston Hughes
Alchemy of Race and Rights: Diary of a Law Professor by Patricia J. Williams
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable mentioned that the author of A Curse So Dark and Lonely sought guidance from her friend who has CP to help with the creation of a character in that book. CP is short for Cerebral Palsy.
Both Fable and the Verbivore talk about the idea of not having token characters in your work. The word token can have a negative connotation. We are saying make sure you include diverse characters in a thoughtful way, and that they are well developed within your setting and your story.
Fable mentions not feeling like she has the right to tell certain stories, and The Verbivore talks about not yet feeling comfortable to write a first person narrative from the perspective of a character from another culture. This touches on current debates within the publishing industry and concerns that we have over cultural appropriation. The best guidance we can give is follow your gut and make sure you are introspective about your motivations and how prepared you are to write from that specific viewpoint. If you are uncertain, it never hurts to seek honest feedback and outside oppinions.
The Verbivore mentioned bias both overt and covert. This relates to research studies on implicit bias that have been conducted around the country. If you are interested in exploring this topic further, here are a few websites where you can get additional information:
http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/research/understanding-implicit-bias/
https://perception.org/research/implicit-bias/
Books Mentioned:
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references a part in Uprooted where Agnieszka calls out the changing feelings she has towards the Dragon and how she wants him to be human. Here is that quote:
“I would never have thought of speaking so to my lord, the Dragon: I had hated him, but I wouldn’t have reproached him, any more than I would have reproached a bolt of lightning for striking my house. He wasn’t a person, he was a lord and a wizard, a strange creature on another plane entirely, as far removed as storms and pestilence.
But he had stepped down from that plane; he had given me real kindness. He’d let his magic mingle with my own again, that strange breathtaking intimacy, all to save Kasia with me. I suppose it might seem strange that I should thank him by shouting at him, but it meant more than thanks: I wanted him to be human.”
Books Mentioned:
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
East of the Sun and West of the Moon; Old Tales From the North by Peter Christen Asbjornsen
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
Fable and the Verbivore went to the same high school but different colleges, so we shared many of the same English teachers during our fromative reading years and when we discuss our teachers we are thinking of many of the same ones.
Books Mentioned:
The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Stories Between Us episode that features Chad Alan Gibbs is titled “Chad Gibbs: Writing Rejection and Independent Publishing Success”.
Books Mentioned:
The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker
The Edge of Over There by Shawn Smucker
Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker
Once We Were Strangers by Shawn Smucker
These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia Box Set by C. S. Lewis
Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson
All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
Two Like Me and You by Chad Alan Gibbs
The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:
The Verbivore references the quote from Neil Gaiman that says, “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.”
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)