The Hive with Buzz Books

Join guest Brian Winkeler, award-winning creative director and principal of Robot House Creative, and author and Buzz' executive editor Malena Lott as they discuss the wild season of AMC hit Mad Men, its characters and big season surprises. 

WTF is wrong with Don? Why is he heroic one minute and a dick the next?

The Other Woman episode - how women's power and value worked for Peggy, Joan and Megan. 

Lane. Poor, poor Lane. And weasely, slimy Pete. 

And what about the show's work as a an ad agency? Is it depicted well? Is Don a creative genius? Peggy.

Tune in to find out our take and then comment over at facebook.com/buzzbooksusa to tell us how YOU think the season will end!

Summer reads, big beach read giveaway and contest and chats with paranormal authors Heather Dearly and Kelly Parra. 

Guest Mari Farthing, senior editor at Buzz Books, talks about her latest projects, editing THE STORK REALITY, Malena Lott's re-release; her first anthology, PROM DATES TO DIE FOR; and the beach read, THE LAST RESORT.  Lott shares details on the big beach read givewaway including twenty books and plenty of beach swag.Heather Dearly shares her inspiration behind her short story, "The Bone Flower," in the Prom Dates anthology and why paranormal is so hot right now.Kelly Parra, whose short story, "Darkness Becomes Him," kicks off the anthology talks about her love of action in stories and her plans for a follow-up. 

Plus, the Buzz team shares new submissions in the SWARM and Honey lines.

The senior editor of Buzz Books, Mari Farthing, discusses editing tips for writers in the Hive with author and Buzz executive editor Malena Lott. 

Giving yourself permission to explore Ways to find a better way to say it Write. Listen. Repeat.  The importance of critiques

The show may help you be more prepared to polish your manuscript for agents and editors. The duo provides their favorite book resources on the show.

Twitter has become a go-to resource for story craft, including #ScriptChat focused on screenwriting. ScriptChatter and writer Jamie Livingston shares her writing story and her favorite script writing resources. 

Save the Cat Story #ScriptChat Fave films and TV Where to find screenplays to read

Find Jamie on Twitter @Jamie_LD and follow the #scriptchat feed each Sunday.

Humorous women's fiction and non-fiction author Jenny Gardiner shares whys he thinks chick lit died (in the publishing houses) and how it's being brought back to life thanks to e-publishing. Find ou:

How her marketing background helped her win a national publishing contract How she became a #1 Kindle bestseller What she's working on next.

Find out more about Jenny at JennyGardiner.net.

Jenny is the author of Sleeping with Ward Cleaver, Anywhere But Here, Slim to None, I'm Not the Biggest Bitch in this Relationship and Winging It.

Author, editor and film critic Rod Lott talks story with his favorite (only) spouse Malena Lott in the Hive. In this week's story podcast:

Why Rod loved Drive – and Malena didn't Two reasons Rod will watch The Help The book Rod recently read and loved. Hint: I want my ___. Rod's towering TBR & what he'll actually read Woman on fire – Jessica Chastain Funny shows New Girl & The League Bookgasm “the opposite of Oprah’s book club” Bookendbabes top picks Plus the sad book that Malena is reading anyway

Get the buzz on the Oscar nominations with film publicist and books-to-films blogger Michelle Langston. We'll discuss why it seems all the Oscar snubs seem to be the taboo topics this year plus the impressive list of films based on books. Hosted by author and Buzz Books USA exec. editor Malena Lott.

A shame about SHAME and Michael Fassbender We Need to Talk About why Tilda Swinton wasn't nominated.  Why the fascination with GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO? Kick-butt heroine in HUNGER GAMES Michelle's recommended read, THE GEEKS SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH and more!

Not sure what to watch? Your next big read? The inaugural episode of The Hive with Buzz Books shares the stories we're buzzing about this week in film, television and books. Host Malena Lott shoots the s**t with film critic Phil Bacharach on the Golden Globe awards, the movies he thinks you MUST see before the Oscars and what's on his bedside table. Reading material, people.

A few more highlights:

George Clooney - a shoe-in for best actor or will a “silent film” actor take his place? Can the Descendants beat The Artist for top spot? Why Phil thinks you should give Tree of Life a shot, even if it feels like it’s 22 hours long. Why great sports movies usually aren’t about the sport. i.e. Moneyball Why watching “bad” feels so good. (Justified, Breaking Bad.)