Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!

In this episode from March 27, 2022, Steve and Tananarive talk to writer Rodney Barnes (Executive Producer of "Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty") about how Hollywood almost killed him and the steps he took to reclaim his joy and find his greatest voice as a writer. He also discusses his colorful history in Hollywood -- from being the stand-in for John Coffey in The Green Mile (when Stephen King recommended Tananarive's novel My Soul to Keep to him!) to writing and executive producing shows like "The Boondocks," "Everybody Hates Chris," "American Gods" and now "Winning Time"! 

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive expand their conversation about A.I. and writing to films and the future in general. Guest Robert Vamosi, a podcast host (The Hacker Mind), security analyst and science fiction writer, recalls his 1994 short story, "With or Without You," where he predicted a future of replacing actors digitally in filmmaking. A longtime friend of Tananarive's from college, Rob also talks about transitioning from technical writing back to fiction. 

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to actor, writer and producer Kevin Grevioux about his career: how Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing showed him he wanted to be a screenwriter, how he broke into the industry as an extra, and then ended up writing (and co-starring in) the vampire cult classic Underworld. From comics to screenplays, he shares his survival story. 

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From the WGA strike and screenwriters' concerns about A.I. infiltrating writers' rooms to the recent class action lawsuit including former podcast guest Paul Tremblay against OpenAI and ChatGPT, A.I. and writers are on a collision course. Steve and Tananarive talk about the good and bad uses of A.I. for writers and how to prepare for the future.  

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the dreaded Writer's Block: what they think it really is, when they have experienced it, and strategies for murdering it in its sleep so you can flow with joy no matter how high the stakes. 

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to screenwriter Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class, Agent Cody Banks, Fringe, Sarah Connor Chronicles) about how he broke into screenwriting, the "feast or famine" nature of Hollywood, and how he bounces back and keeps his balance during tough times. Also his thoughts on the state of the WGA Strike! 

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome Vanity Fair contributing editor Maureen Ryan, author of the book everyone in Hollywood is reading -- BURN IT DOWN: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. They talk about why she wrote her book exposing Hollywood's ugly underbelly, the WGA strike, the sad demise of "Sleepy Hollow" and the racial overtones that helped doom the first horror series with a Black woman co-lead, and what can be done to create a better future. She also talks about how she stays centered in the storm her book is creating. 

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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about bad behavior against picketers during the WGA strike and how much they both loved Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! Not only is it a visual storytelling spectacle, but it's a testament to the power of inclusivity. 

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With the current WGA strike and new revelations about toxic behind-the-scenes practices on the hit series "Lost," some aspiring screenwriters might be wondering if Hollywood is worth the trouble. Steve and Tananarive talk about the mindset it takes to succeed in the arts and how you can avoid allowing external fires to dampen your creative fire. 

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In this episode from May of 2022, Steve and Tananarive talk to author and editor Sheree Renée Thomas about her journey with Afrofuturism -- from editing the groundbreaking DARK MATTER in 2000 to writing a short story in Janelle Monáe's MEMORY LIBRARIAN and Thomas's Marvel novel, BLACK PANTHER: PANTHER'S RAGE. As the editor of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, she also talks about do's and don'ts when submitting short stories. 

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