Ink and Magic

In this episode, we tackle the "messy middle" of the second act. One of the solutions we offer involves a series of Try Fail cycles, where the protagonist encounters a carefully designed obstacle course that tests their resolve and pushes the plot forward. Ines emphasizes the importance of a structured approach to these cycles, suggesting that each cycle should include a plan, an obstacle, a setback, a scene of growth, and a regrouping phase to maintain narrative momentum and character development. While Leslye insists the best way to get out of the middle is with the "Yes, But" or "No, And" formula. This method ensures that each scene contributes to escalating the stakes—when a character succeeds ('Yes'), there's a complicating factor ('But'), and when they fail ('No'), the situation worsens or changes direction ('And'). This episode is packed with practical advice and approaches to help authors refine their storytelling skills, keep readers engaged through the mid-point of their books, and effectively develop their narratives towards a satisfying climax. 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

BOOKS and SHOWS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Write your Novel From the Middle by James Scott Bell: https://amzn.to/3A2KWg7 

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder: https://amzn.to/4882ELO 

Save the Cat Strikes Back by Blake Snyder: https://amzn.to/3YmeNJU 

Save the Cat Goes to the Movies by Blake Snyder: https://amzn.to/3NmAmDQ 

Lisa Daily’s Youtube Channel where she talks about Three Dates and a Disaster: https://www.youtube.com/@BestsellingAuthorLisaDaily 

Leslye’s watching Love Is Blind on Netflix.

Ines binge watched Nobody Wants This on Netflix.

Check out Leslye’s podcast where she discusses the messy middle on her Substack.

You can find Ines’ substack at https://ineswrites.substack.com/ 

Get ready for Ocean of Light, coming in 1 week! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/487ZAPO 

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

We’re back!!!! Season 2 of the podcast is live and in full effect. We’re jumping into the second season of the Psy-Changeling world with Nalini Singh's "Silver Silence," book one of the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. 

We meet bear changeling Alpha, Valentin Nikolaev, whose life is a whirlwind of loyalty, affection, and disorder—everything that Silver Mercant, a Psy woman of control and precision, believes she doesn't need. 

Silver, the cool, collected director of a global emergency response network, finds her life turned upside down not just by an assassination attempt, but by her unexpected plunge into the chaotic world of the StoneWater bears. 

Join us as we discuss how Singh masterfully blends romance, suspense, and the complexity of clan, psy and human politics in this grumpy-sunshine novel!

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Get ready for Ocean of Light, coming in 2 weeks! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/487ZAPO 

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Join us as we chat with Melanie Harlow about crafting found family in small town romances. Find out how this plot device isn’t just about banding a bunch of brothers together, it’s all about the worldbuilding of characters in a tight-knit unit that makes readers want to return again and again!

To check out Melanie’s books, go to: https://www.melanieharlow.com/

JOIN US AT THE INK & MAGIC WRITING RETREAT!

If you are an aspiring or experienced author, please consider coming to hang out with us! November 1-3, 2024 outside of Baltimore, MD. Learn more at https://inkandmagicretreat.com/. 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License..

In today's episode, we celebrate the grand finale of season one of the Psy-Changeling world with "Allegiance of Honor." This novel is a heartfelt nod to fans, masterfully weaving together the lives of beloved characters from previous books, tying up loose ends, and paving the way for exciting new adventures in season two. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We would love to announce the Ink & Magic Writing Retreat! If you are an aspiring or experienced author, please consider coming to hang out with us! https://inkandmagicretreat.com/ 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Forget Beetlejuice! Jessica Cage will show readers how to summon a hot demon boyfriend, gain traction on social media, and build a tribe of loyal fans. With advice like decide your boundaries, batch your content, and be yourself, this episode is a treasure trove of killing it on social media and at live events.

Check out Jessica’s bestselling book How I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend - ​​https://amzn.to/4aZh8xs.

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

In today’s episode, we watch the push and pull as two emotionless Arrows fall hopelessly in love! In Shards of Hope, as Aden and Zaira find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other, they begin to navigate the unfamiliar waters of emotional attachment and romantic love, challenging everything they have been taught to believe about strength and vulnerability. 

Nalini Singh masterfully depicts the journey of two hardened warriors learning to embrace their feelings, revealing the redemptive power of love and the struggle for a new identity in a world that no longer demands conformity. 

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer https://amzn.to/3wWHAK2

Witch Queen of Halloween by Kresley Cole https://amzn.to/4e1V6Ni 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Get ready to bust a gut because this week we have on Fantasy RomCom author Kimberly Lemming. We’ll chat about her hit series, the Mead Mishaps. Kim will tell us about her inspiration for the series, how she makes sure it’s funny, and recap her interactions with a Savannah ghost!

BOOKS MENTIONED

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon - https://amzn.to/44T9S4y

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf - https://amzn.to/3yz83Op

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human - https://amzn.to/44WNgAv

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

This week means war as we march into Nalini Singh’s Shield of Winter to encounter a world on the brink of transformation. Vasic, a lethal Arrow with the weight of a dark past, and Ivy, a Psy with the rare and misunderstood gift of empathy are tasked with stabilizing a faltering psychic network that threatens to plunge the world into chaos. As they fight to prevent a catastrophic collapse, their own scars begin to heal, knitting together in a tale of survival and rebirth. 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

Leslye Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

This week Ines and Leslye tackle how to bring stories to a close with a deep dive on story endings. We dive into character arcs, open doors (and windows!), and resolutions.

BOOKS MENTIONED

Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell: https://amzn.to/4a6NaqQ

Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi: https://amzn.to/44v2TPn 

One Stop for Writers: https://onestopforwriters.com/emotions 

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope: https://amzn.to/4btzGXe

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder: https://amzn.to/4abpK3A 

Save the Cat Goes to the Movies by Blake Snyder: https://amzn.to/4bpDJUm 

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody: https://amzn.to/3xf7TFV

The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger: https://amzn.to/3WuZD4t

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming: https://amzn.to/3WuZwG5

Ines’ Substack where she breaks down Marvel movies according to the Five Part Finale

https://ineswrites.substack.com/p/5-part-finale-of-the-incredible-hulk

Check out Margie Lawson’s courses: https://www.margielawson.com/lecture-packets/ 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

L. Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/ 

Credits: "Moonlight Hall" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Get ready for a festive episode with Wild Invitation, a collection of four enchanting novellas from the Psy-Changeling series. With a touch of Christmas spirit, these shorts offer glimpses into the daily lives and celebrations of the DarkRiver and SnowDancer packs. 

Each novella not only catches up with beloved characters but also weaves in the joyous moments that define the holiday season for these powerful shapeshifter communities. 

Sign up for author Nalini Singh’s newsletter to receive fan service here: https://nalinisingh.com/

Want the official Psy-Changeling Reading Order? Click here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/

Want to learn worldbuilding from Leslye? Sign up here: https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/

Want to learn story structure from Ines? Sign up here: https://ineswrites.com/PTP

Find the hosts online at:

L. Penelope: https://lpenelope.com/ 

Ines Johnson: https://ineswrites.com/