This week Eva and Katryn tackle the myth of fairness in publishing, and the sisyphean task of wading through market changes at the querying stage. Eva rethings her stance on a much maligned character in Sex and the City and Katryn can’t move past her anger at many things–chief among them: Isaac Higgentooth: Colonial Vampire.

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• Check out Eva’s German release for I Wish You Would (in Germany, titled “The Summer We Kissed”) and stay tuned to her account for a book announcement coming soon!

• We discuss the internet’s inability to believe that Sarah Jessica Parker can read two books a day, although it’s less about SJP and more about being done with spending our time on these useless discourse asides.

• Weep for the “unsung men” in publishing. Or don’t. We’re not.

• Watch Roy Wood Jr. if you want to increase your serotonin levels. Start with Father Figure, on Netflix.

• For inspiring middle grade feels, follow Lauren Magaziner (and check out her new queer fantasy MG book, The Incorruptibles!)

• Listen to Ben’s favorite band, 4Town. 😜

This week, Eva and Katryn discuss recapturing their pre-publishing creativity, parasocial expectations in online spaces, a new troubling AI survey, and building a sub list with your agent. Eva makes her way back to elite athlete status, and Katryn dives headfirst into The Pitt.

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• Did those of you who watched The Pitt happen to notice that McKay is played by Fiona Dourif and HER DAD IS PLAYED BY BRAD DOURIF? Learn Brad Dourif’s name!
• Watch Eva’s IG reflection on one year after the release of I Wish You Would
• Katryn had a blast at the Ukiah Book Fair with authors Michael Leali, Lisa Moore Ramee, Misa Sugiura, Nicole Chen, and Karen McCoy.
• Bookbub’s new survey about AI has us wondering: if AI users don’t want to do the writing part of writing, why do they want to be writers at all? This is really troubling stuff and continues to erase creative artists across every art field.
  

CW/TW: We talk about AI in this episode, and recognize it’s an exhausting topic for many who have been tirelessly fighting the erasure of artists and the theft of our creative work. For those who have been diving in headfirst, we salute you!

Eva and Katryn dive into a number of nuanced author struggles this week, from the dehumanization of authors as a product, to the myth of control when it comes to moving the needle, to the discourse surrounding pen names. Eva’s Ron Burgundy references start to reach Lord of the Rings levels, and Katryn can’t hear the title of the medical show “The Pitt” without singing “The Pit”*

*Content Notes/TWs: 

We briefly mention the author recently known as ‘Moldemort’ in a discussion about pen names. This is not an endorsement, JKR has used her massive platform and money to globally cause harm to trans kids, end of story.

Sources

• This Time article details the massive Taylor Jenkins Reid deal that has massive implications in publishing, both (hopefully) good, and troubling
• We share some comments from the author community (inc. MK Lobb) about the ‘moving the needle discourse.’
• Check out Lady Whistlethreads (upgrade to paid for extras) on Substack

Eva and Katryn share their hellscape escapism picks:

• Katryn: Bob’s Burgers, The Great North, Key & Peele, Bottoms, It’s Elementary

• Anita De Monte Laughs Last, Temptation Island

WE'RE BACK! This week, Eva and Katryn are back after a long break and catch up on their lives in and out of publishing. Talking about everything from battling a desire for type-A control in the submission process to the fear of losing momentum. Eva gets real about weighing feedback, and Katryn details finding the French version of I Wish You Would in Paris! 

Sources:

• Subscribe to Eva’s new Substack-based newsletter to learn a little more about the goings-on in between our episodes.
• Subscribe to Katryn’s Substack as she pivots from social media as a space to share opinions.

This week, Eva and Katryn talk book burnout, juggling projects, and the pitfalls of hyper-visibility. Katryn gets so dark that she doesn’t even bring up Lord of the Rings once, and Eva explains why she cried into a burrito.

Sources:

• Watch this video of Eva at her Grandma’s organized event if you want to cry in your own burrito!
• Don’t look at this breakdown if you haven’t seen “The Plight Before Christmas” in Bob’s Burgers’ thirteenth season. The single most heart-hitting moment of all time.
• Want a Lady Dexter book about dismembering predators? Give This Girl’s a Killer a try!

This week on Write Where it Hurts, Eva and Katryn talk about the importance of continuing to create art in times of crisis. Katryn reads an intriguing romance scene featuring our new favorite bulk distributor (emphasis on bulk, pun intended), and Eva convinces us all to embrace our inner Miss Piggy.

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• If you need to know more about The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (and you do)
• Watch Girls 5Eva!  
• Eva and Katryn talk the importance of art in times of crisis
• Banned Books Don’t boost sales 
• A few notes on Jim Crow Education in the 20th Century and the suppression of queer history along with it
• LISTEN TO THIS INTERVIEW WITH RITA MORENO IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

In the 2025 premiere of Write Where It Hurts, Eva and Katryn talk dueling revisions, and Sylvia Plath—especially the possibility of losing more authors to mental health issues and publishing trends in the coming years. Eva details crime boarding her revision and goes full Miranda Priestly about the hot, fashion-forward Witch-king of Angmar. Katryn refuses to let go of the hate in her heart over 1-star-review tagging and DRAGS every reindeer that isn’t Rudolph.

Sources

• Katryn mistakenly described her newest draft as a retelling of “X-Files, season 6, episode 14, but it’s actually15 (Arcadia). She’s basically the worst, this is SimpsonGate all over again.

• Eva in full revision mode mirrorsCharlie Day

• Watch Katryn and her sister Marengo full rage room to kick 2024 to the curb.

• Check outAngelique L’amour’s books!Subscribe to Eva’s newsletter to hear her talk about the highs and lows of 2024

In the 2024 finale (more coming in the new year!), Eva and Katryn discuss navigating motherhood and writing, the dangers of AI in publishing, and curated lists—as well as some big vulnerable end-of-year feels. Katryn is both slut positive and dread positive, and Eva prepares for her annual hot author winter.

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This week, Eva and Katryn talk stalled careers and finding your beta match, but find time to pitch a Wicked themed pop-up Ozdust nightclub for the mature crowd. Eva revels at the righteous wrath of Swifties, and Katryn talks about the healing nature of satire. 

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This week’s special episode is from the time machine! Listen to Eva and Katryn talk about navigating feedback in this bottle episode (airing in place of our weekly season four episode in the new format) from June 2024. Katryn reveals all about the darkly comedic vaudevillian murder meet-cute she wrote in a college English class, and Eva gets real about insecurity in the weeks after releasing her debut novel. 

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