This is about openings, and new beginnings. This is a discussion on how writers pull us in and make us unable not to read the next sentence. Sometimes a first line is like the opening guitar riff to your favorite song, unforgettable and unmistakable. Some authors have said they can't write a story until they have landed the first line. Today we talked about our favorites, and what we loved about them. … Continue...Episode 71 – Putting a Toe in the Water

Does every hero need a sidekick? When they have one, what roles do they fill in a story? How can a sidekick help you tell your story more effectively? We explore our favorite sidekicks through time and how they effectively advance each story. … Continue...Episode 70 – Dude! – The Hero & Sidekick’s Excellent Journey

In which our committee sits down and talks about who our favorite story villains are and why. There’s some advice in writing villains, more admonitions on what to avoid, and how to romance your audience while horrifying them at once. … Continue...Episode 68 – Sympathy for the Devil

Raven’s love of vampires came from a love of Bram Stoker combined with history, science, and even religion over the ages. She brings new ideas into the paranormal romance horror/adventure novels, with ideas about super effective bio systems rather than sparkles or magic. Raven’s historic exploration is something we need more of in our would-be ageless paramours. … Continue...Episode ̶6̶7̶ 69 – Interview with Raven Belasco

Haven’t you always wanted to travel the world and get paid for it? That’s the dream of being a food and travel writer. Liz is here to talk about the business and give you a reality check, as she describes how she found her way into the niche that got her noticed and published: How to successfully travel with a disability. When your disability isn't that visible, there are special steps to take for traveling success. Liz takes us through some of those challenges as well as talking about how she made the leap from tech writing to travel writing. … Continue...Episode 66 – Traveling with Pain and Liz Hamill

John and Karen sit down and talk through Karen's process and ideas about a Vampire Abbess story. From research to editing, she talks her way through a new story. There is no "right way" to write! Hope it proves inspirational to someone else. … Continue...Episode 65 – Karen Sources a Story

We finally have a chance to catch up with Kit Kerr, writer of the magnificent Deverry series which runs for 16 books and spans over 40 years of her writing career. Kit talks with us about her inspiration, how her process worked in writing the saga, and some of the research to create her world. … Continue...Episode 64 – Interview with Katharine Kit Kerr

Jaime specializes in historical fiction for her published novels and talks about how she does her research and finds the right images to paint pictures in her mind that she brings to life. Come listen to her describe on the page what she sees in the movie of her imagination. … Continue...Episode 63 – Interview with Jaime Lee Moyer

In which your hosts wallow in the Deeps with Tentacles and Nick Mamatas, discussing everything from Sherlock Holmes to Kerouac and Lovecraft. Nick talks about writing, editing, teaching, and the latest stuff he’s working on. Write short fiction, Nick says! … Continue...Episode 62 – Tentacles with Nick Mamatas

Carol Berg, an extremely popular writer with the female hockey player set, joined us to talk about how she builds stories based on characters and questions. … Continue...Episode 61 – Interview with Carol Berg