Ink and Magic

In this week's episode hosts Leslye and Ines are joined by their mastermind partner, Cerece Renee Murphy. Not only will they discuss the invaluable benefits of participating in a mastermind group, but they will also give listeners a behind-the-scenes look at how they run their own. Listen in to learn how a mastermind can elevate your skills, broaden your perspective, and significantly level up your projects. 

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 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Ali Hazelwood Knotting Book is Bride: https://amzn.to/49l4HNb

Wanna see Ines’ Book Boxes with BOB? https://shop.ineswrites.com/collections/book-boxes-with-bob

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins: https://amzn.to/3VgpITr 

Get ready for Alpha Night, coming in 1 week! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/3ZPDAqB

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/ 

Singh's foray into thrillers is on display in this gripping entry into the Psy Changeling world.

In Wolf Rain we meet a hero who sees himself as a rogue wolf destined to be alone and a Psy woman convinced she's a monster beyond redemption. Together, they discover that their beliefs about themselves are profoundly mistaken.

Suspense blends with heart-wrenching romance as Singh proves once again that she is a powerhouse in the genre with a thrilling romance about finding each love, finding yourself, and touching the hearts of all readers. 

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 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

High Noon by Kati Wilde: https://amzn.to/41nkl8K

Get ready for Alpha Night, coming in 2 weeks! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/3VijC4K 

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 you get a masterclass in worldbuilding in a romance novel from expert Leslye while Ines listens in.

We explore how setting is not just the backdrop against which a story unfolds, but a dynamic element that enriches the narrative through its integration of culture, language, and politics.

The discussion reveals how these broader world elements can be strategically used to increase conflicts and strengthen emotions, making the romance more intense and the stakes higher.

Tune in to discover practical tips and insightful strategies on crafting a vivid, immersive world that enhances the romantic journey and captivates readers from the first page to the last.

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 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Lisa Kleypas’ The Wallflowers series: https://amzn.to/3OAdhOI 

A Court of Mists and Fury by Sarah J Maas: https://amzn.to/4iq124W 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: https://amzn.to/3VjeDRo

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: https://amzn.to/3AUlnhW

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: https://amzn.to/3ZwwOFX 

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James: https://amzn.to/49doxKj 

The Cupid Guild by L. Penelope: https://amzn.to/4fTxXgk 

Alpha’s Temptation by Renee Rose and Lee Savino: https://amzn.to/4gfyf18

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Mila Vane: https://amzn.to/3B6IbuN 

Get ready for Wolf Rain, coming in 1 week! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/3NswRvq 

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.

A security specialist with a life-threatening brain chip. A changeling chef with her own guarded secrets. Bowen and Kaia’s love story starts off as a slow burn in “Ocean Light,” but things heat up and combust before the tale is over. This book not only explores the romance and challenges between Bowen and Kaia but also serves as an intense lesson for authors on how to continuously raise the stakes throughout a novel. It is a masterclass on how to maintain suspense and tension all the way to the last page. 

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 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo: https://amzn.to/4hFSfeQ

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell: https://amzn.to/3NXmrnN 

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta: https://amzn.to/3AFsSJa

Lothaire by Kresley Cole: https://amzn.to/3Ay2Vez

Get ready for Wolf Rain, coming in 2 weeks! Grab your copy to read along: https://amzn.to/3NswRvq 

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 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.