Episode #35: The Shared Desk — RECORDED LIVE AT BALTICON 48!!!

Recorded LIVE at Balticon on the final day of the event, Tee and Pip are joined by a lively audience, all of whom take pains to keep Tee in line and muster up the courage to ask Crazy Uncle Charlie a few questions on writing…

….and Crazy Uncle charlie has a few surprises in store for them! It’s a wild ride with the Parsec-nominated podcast, The Shared Desk, at Balticon 48.

00:00 — Introduction

• Shutting it down like a boss!
• Reflection on a Balticon Cookout. (Thank God we made it out alive!)
• We’re keeping this episode on a tight(ish) schedule because we got stuff to sell!

3:35 — Perspectives (or the “I Love You, Man!” Show)

• Lessons learned at Balticon
  • Pip was enjoying many an “I love you, man!” moments last night with the grown-up Gummi Bears.
  • Sonic Boom in the House!!!!
  • P.C. Haring…put back in his box by Nick (MOTHER F-ING) Fury.
  • Leading into a quick shout-out to our Intern of Awesome, K.T. Bryski.
  • And if you’re wondering what people were laughing at…
• A Perspective on Success
  • There was something about Balticon this year…
  • People were really excited for the Ministry, and yet Pip and I still feel like were the rookies of steampunk.
• When J.R. Blackwell and Jared Axelrod pull you aside to have a heart-to-heart, you know it’s about to get serious.
• The audience looks at Tee and thinks “Wow, that’s Tee Morris! What an ass.”
• And a few thoughts from Sonic Boom…
• A slip of the tongue…and people pile-on correcting Tee. (But he comes back for more. Always.)
• The thoughts of Jared and J.R. and Jon Stallard of the 501st: It’s not the same. Can we go back there?
• But is that a bad thing? Don’t we want to spread the geek love? (Phrasing.)
• In the middle of Balticon, Pip wanted to tell friends how it is…and that’s a good thing.
• Pip even said something sweet and endearing to her husband. Kind of.
• Tee looks back on his first Balticon as P.C. Haring brings Cybrosis in print to the event.
• Our kid can do math! Huzzah!
• From Rockstar Treatment…to the Real World.
• The dangers of losing perspective.
• Remember — there’s always someone in the playground bigger (and in some cases, meaner) than you.
• Considering the Up’s and Down’s of 2014
  • Pip’s found her zen.
  • Tee’s winding up and going on mic with his “I love you, man!” moment.
  • OMG! We have to mention TEH KITTEHS of New Zealand!!!
  • When it comes to friends, we are in the 1% tier.
• What else is going on with us?
  • Our agent is pitching new properties from Tee & Pip
    • Deadly Hollywood, a new property from Pip Ballantine
    • Immortal Progeny, Pip’s Epic Fantasy currently in the works
    • Darkwater, a spinoff title from the world of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences featuring Rafe Rafton (100% Elf-Free!)
    • Wolf in the Fold, Tee’s first step into Urban Fantasy
    • The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh, Pip’s Y.A. spinoff from the Ministry universe
• Tee gives a quick shout-out for a steampunk Y.A. film The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box, the best-kept secret of steampunk films.
• Yes, we have enjoyed success, but we’re ready to level up.
  • The audience wants to start up a new hashtag — #MoPOForever
  • Pie-in-the-Sky dreams for who would produce the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series
  • Shout-out for Hiddlebooks and Jenna Louise-Coleman with Brian Cox and Nathan Fillion on deck….

32:40 — Writing Advice from Crazy Uncle Charlie

• And the room goes rather silent as Charlie enters the room…
• Sonic Boom is not fooled.
• Crazy Uncle Charlie is having a tough time knowing where he is…
• Question #1: Writer has a short story, popular with his peer readers, but he’s having a tough time selling it. What should he do?
  • Charlie is momentarily distracted by Lauren “Scribe” Harris. (Could Charlie have a potential stalker on his hands?)
  • And Charlie comes out of box, swinging…
  • Hold on….is Charlie making sense?
  • And then, we come back to the Charlie we know and love.
• Question #2: Writer wants to know the sweet spot between “creative inebriation” and “rat-faced hammered” for consuming alcohol.
  • Charlie reveals the line between inebriation and genius. It is cotton balls.
  • Writing drunk is like drunk tweeting. Think before you plot.
  • Be responsible for the words you herd. (Holy cow — Charlie is working a new strategy in writing advice!)
• Question #3: Writer wants to skip the laborious process f writing and editing and just get to sharing the story. How do you develop the discipline?
  • The Concept is the Process, and the Process is the Concept
  • What kind of writer are you? A Pantser or a Plotter. (Charlie doesn’t believe in pants.)
  • Find your routine and stick with it.
• Question #4: Why do first-time writers balk at the end of projects? Is it a fear of failure? how do we get past that stumbling block?
  • That fear never goes away.
  • Every new title is a challenge, a new place for the bar to be set.
  • Let the fear fuel you.
• Charlie blanks out for a moment, then pulls it together for a giveaway.
•  And there is jubilation over the Shared Desk’s Mega-Prize Pack and Super-Prize Pack…
• …hold on — what’s this third prize pack Charlie is giving away?!

47:36 — The Wrap-Up

• THAT. WAS. CLOSE.
• Giving The Shared Desk sign-off very quickly…
• Now — let’s sell some books!
• YES! We want your feedback — 703.791.1701

48:26 — Warm, Fizzy, Sign-Off

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Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or question for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.