Writing in Real Life

When do you stop reading a book? (Other than at the end, smart-ass.) Do you have to finish a book you start reading? Why? What is wrong with us as readers? Morgan disses Moby Dick. Barry scams the system. Morgan discovers freedom. Why aren’t episodes of Law & Order available on every flight? How do you decide which book to read next? Morgan’s love connection with Taylor Swift. Leia once again trolls her parents, sleep-wise. And Barry cheats at Recommended Reading. (Of course he does.)

Links:

• Mail merge
• Barry and blurbs (Ep. 8: The One that is “An Astonishing Achievement in Podcasting!” — Jimmy Podcaster)
• Heart of Darkness
• Moby-Dick
• Highlander 2: The Quickening
• Nancy Pearl's "Rule of 50"
• Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
• Schadenfreude
• Sleep regression
• The Exorcist
• Scrivener
• Morgan’s blog post about LEGO
• New York City Teen Author Festival
• After the Red Rain preorder | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• High School of Fashion
• The Secret Life of Violent Grant by Beatriz Williams | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Sarah Maclean
• Queen of the Deep by Kay Kenyon | Amazon | ABookForAllSeasons.com
• Rate us on iTunes

Leia offers her rebuttal on the topic of sleep training. Authors shifting genres, and the fans they may disappoint. Morgan leaves a book on the stoop. What’s up with blurbs, anyway? — The Blurb Economy. Publicly revealing Morgan’s Star Wars ignorance. Barry proselytizes “no compromises” when it comes to storytelling. Plus: An update on Morgan’s revision, and Barry decides which book to write next.

Links:

• Morgan tweets her desperation
• Barry & Morgan discuss sleep training (Episode 7: The One Co-Starring the FDNY)
• "One Step Up" -- the first reference Morgan didn't get
• Morgan hates the MTA
• Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan (Amy! Why do you have Flash on your site???)
• Holly Black explains the YA Mafia
• "Wisdom of the crowd"
• Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
• Bruce Willis has had a pretty varied career
• “What is a Jedi Knight?”
• “Hello, Bob!” — the second reference Morgan didn’t get
• Boy Toy — Barry’s second novel (It’s about baseball!)
• Lena Dunham responds to allegations that she sexually abused her sister
• Lena Dunham’s publisher says her alleged rapist “Barry” wasn’t actually named Barry
• Queen of the Deep by Kay Kenyon | Amazon | ABookForAllSeasons.com
• Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Rate us on iTunes

Barry commits a felony for the first time (we think). The whole family avoids burning to death — twice. Morgan and her twin conspire to destroy two apartments. Is there a cultural narrative for people who regret having kids? Mourning your child-free life. Working for multiple publishers. And how to (sleep) train your dragon. Er, baby.

Show Notes:

• Shout out to FDNY
• Crying it out — baby sleep training
• Ferber Method — more baby sleep training
• Dr. Janet Kennedy, Baby Sleep Expert
• A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier | Amazon | BN.com |  Indiebound

Barry finally gets back to work. An update on Morgan’s revision. Writing Lesson of the Day: Tension! Barry must choose between writing two different books for the first time in his career. Heavy talk on how to decide if and when to have a baby. Some discussion of the why-and-how of podcasting. Morgan says “Beer.” Plus: Barry finally picks a Recommended Reading book from this century. (You’re welcome. Now get off my lawn.)

Show Notes:

• “Rebel author”
• When a Stranger Calls
• "advanced maternal age"
• Serial (yeah, like you need a link)
• Blue Yeti mic, the one we use
• Newsradio
• Garageband
• Some helpful podcasting links: Editing | Recording  
• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing — Morgan’s moment of shame
• The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Nova’s web page | And her Twitter

An update on Morgan’s revision. We talk about Bringing up Bebe for the last (?) time. Morgan takes a stand on wasting time. Barry cheats…again. (This time at Recommended Reading.) Dealing with rejection. Arizona! Arizona! Arizona! Morgan has a blog…and fans. Erotica is for women; porn is for men.

• Morgan’s blog
• Barry is a Virgo
• Robin Brande
• Unsoul’d
• A Hundred Summers by Beatrix Williams | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Feb Club
• Replay by Ken Grimwood | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound

Leia decides sleep is optional. Barry abandons his wife and child (again). Public speaking as an author. Morgan foolishly prioritizes sleep and her child over revising her book.

Show Notes:

• Barmy
• Desert Nights, Rising Stars
• The Rent is Too Damn High
• Morgan's LinkedIn video
The Joy of Not Working by Ernie John Zelinski | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Housewitch by Katie Shickel | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Bewitched

Topics include: The end of Morgan’s maternity leave. Moms with nice lipstick. Barry cheats at being a Stay-At-Home-Dad. Revision vs. rewriting (redux). Why L.A. sucks (or doesn’t). And, of course, Recommended Reading.

Show Notes:

• Tiny Furniture (not that we recommend you watch it)
• The F train
• Ally McBeal
• Playing by Heart
• L.A. Story
• The Hills
• Jumper by Steven Gould | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• "I Love L.A." (for those of you upset by the L.A. hate)

Topics include: Barry’s swine flu and Morgan on being a single parent for a week. Morgan’s revision continues. Revision vs. rewriting. Turning off the Chatter.  And some Real Talk about the voices in Barry’s head.

Show Notes:

• YAK Fest
• Barry’s BLog on Revision
• After the Red Rain by Lyga, Facinelli, and DeFranco
• The Atari 800XL, Barry's first computer
• Barry’s Magic Keyboard
• Stay With Me by Paul Griffin | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman | Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
• "15 Apps For Writers That Every Aspiring Author Needs On Her Phone"

New York Times bestselling author Barry Lyga (I HUNT KILLERS) and publishing communications executive Morgan Baden discuss a range of related issues, from writing to parenthood.