Fable & The Verbivore

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/)