Tag Archives: Canada

by | January 14, 2018 · 2:30 am

Episode #86: Looking Ahead to 2018

This is a super-sized episode featuring the Geek Wolfpack Podcast crew in studio and recording a 2018 episode for their own feed, so have fun as two podcasts join forces to kick off 2018 with style!

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Wait a minute…this isn’t your podcast!
  • We have a lot of people in studio!
  • Big Love to Doctor Who’s Christmas Special!
    • And here’s where the show falls off the rails.
    • Hey, let’s start a rumor…
    • You need to watch the Christmas Special with perhaps the most epic “Previously on…” introduction.
    • Nice end to 2017!
  • Hold back your enthusiasm on being here!
  • Best way to start 2018 — killing Christmas trees!
  • What is Battlefield: Earth doing on the Hallmark Channel?

07:00 —  Episode #86: Looking Ahead to 2018

  • Looking back to Christmas…
    • Brandon refuses to let up on the snark for the New Year.
    • Teenagers love socks.
    • Serena’s rocking electronics while Brandon has got hockey skates for the ice!
    • The Canadian shakes her head at the oddities of Americans.
    • Penguin Trivia
    • Katie reflects on her Canadian Christmas
    • Butt Jokes
  • What are we planning for 2018?
  • Serena and Brandon, the youngsters, are making plans…
    • Serena now decides to clam up.
    • Brandon can control celebrity deaths? What?!
    • Serena is planning to study “creative stuff.“
    • TALKING SHOULD NOT BE THIS HARD.
    • Holy cow, we’re talking a dark turn!
    • Brandon looks into Colgan, as well, for their Music Tech program.
  • Pip plans for the upcoming year!
    • Lots and lots and lots of audio production.
    • FOUR. BOOKS.
    • And four books may not be
  • Nick’s 2018 Plans
  • Looking ahead to the conventions we want to attend…
  • What about our Canuck? What is she planning and plotting for 2018?
  • The return of the novella
  • Curling is a thing in Virginia, eh?
  • Tee’s turn. What is waiting for him in 2018?
    • A solo novel, but he’s torn between two projects…
    • You can do both, sure, but focus is somewhat split. Pip’s got an idea…
    • Twitch for Dummies…and Brandon calls Tee out.
    • Tee answers Brandon’s callout.
    • Katie now calls out Tee on a completely different issue, and it’s a good call out.
    • Tee’s hesitancy with the Twitch for Dummies pitch
  • The Adpocalypse on YouTube. This is a thing!
  • Our Personal Focus point for 2018
    • Brandon: Landing a spot in Colgan High School’s Music Tech Program
    • Nick: Writing more. Meeting people.
    • Katie: Writing with joy and kindness.
    • Serena:  Landing a spot in Colgan High School’s Creative Writing Program
    • Pip: (amidst the heckling) Her word for the year — “Build”
    • Tee: His word for the year — “Complete”

45:13 — The Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

  • The last box of 2017 — the December Loot Crate: EXPLORE!
  • Tee speculates very little from this Loot Crate will make it to the Giveaway Box.
  • Welcome to the EXPLORE Loot Crate! 

    • A miniature from Mobile Suit Gundam! Classic anime FTW!
    • A Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 calendar
    • From IDW Comics — Star Wars: Destroyer Down, a prequel story concerning our girl, Rei
    • A sweet Destiny 2 tee-shirt, featuring the Wanderwing, your first in-game ship
    • The Loot Crate pin — a classic rocket ship
  • Loot Crate is holding back on a booklet this go round. Nothing wrong with that.
  • Tee, are you ever going to make that Ghost?
  • Serena calls dibs on the comic book!

49:38 — The Wrap-Up

  • Shout-out to Rob Aldrich who also attended MAGFest!
  • Katie is heading back to Canada, but she will be planning to hit…
  • Tee and Pip will be heading to RavenCon…and that is when the madness begins for them!
  • Writing Advice for 2018
    • Nick: Invest into an “Accountability Partner.”
    • Katie: It’s okay to do your own thing. (Echoing something Tee said here.)
    • Pip: Keep flying.
    • Tee: Avoid excuses. (Another huge shout-out to Piper J Drake for this.)
  • Serena’s listening…we think.
  • More butt jokes.
  • If you have an event and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us…
    • 703.791.1701
    • pip@pjballantine.com
    • tee@teemorris.com
    • …and social media, of course.
  • Pip’s Patreon will feature the first episode of her ALL-NEW PODCAST!
  • Here we come, 2018!

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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by | September 29, 2016 · 4:16 am

Episode #64: Following up with K.T. Bryski and Her Writing Grant

 

The streak ends.

We managed to post on our bi-weekly schedule without fail from the beginning of this year to August 24, but as our break was on account of the upcoming Curse of the Silver Pharaoh, we thought you would be okay wth that. Our next two shows we have pre-recorded and are timeshifting the crap out of them, but we are back on track after a month of hardcore editing!

On this episode of The Shared Desk, we’re following-up with frequent guest and adoptive-Canadian-daughter, author K.T. Bryski, talking about her podcast Six Stories Told at Night. If you recall on Episode #46, we talked about the grant she submitted for this project. Now hear about the end result!

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Tee flies solo in the introduction
  • So ends the streak.
  • Getting back on track with author K.T. Bryski.

01:55 — Episode #64: Follwing Up with K.T. Bryski

  • We like running video with Skype because we like the eye contact.
  • What brings K.T. back to the Shared Desk?
    • Back in October 2015, we talked about Grants onIf you recall on Episode #46.
    • Now, welcome to Episode #64.
    • A good chunk went to the vocal talent, Blythe Haynes. (And yes, she earned it!)
    • What is Six Stories Told at Night…apart from awesome?
    • What a breathtaking score! WHAT TALENTED MOFO DID YOU HIRE?!
    • And now, Tee works through his insecurity with Alex. (No, no, no….I love you, Alex…)
    • How some alcohol at the Smoky Writers Retreat becomes an incredible original score.
    • And, of course, artwork from Starla!
  • You got the idea. Now how do you get money from DAT HANDSOME PM and his governmental friends?
  • Where do you learn how to write grants?
  • Why not use Kickstarter instead of applying through a grant?
  • The Shared Desk—TOTES UNEDITED!!!
  • When applying for grants, what happens when you are done?
    • Is there a review of the project?
    • Is there promotion from the grant foundation?
    • What happens after the project is done?
    • How is the accountability handled?
  • How has K.T.’s podcasting platform and recent writing accolades affected the Six Stories launch and its run?
  • 2016 has been the Year of Bryski!
  • K.T. and Blythe are up to some shenanigans at Black Creek….
  • What’s the response been to Six Stories?
  • And K.T. displays her bass drum skills.
  • A bit more man-love for the Canadian P.M.
  • Wait, what was the question? (Mmmmm….Trudeau……….)
  • So—Grants? worth it?
  • What’s next for K.T. Bryski?
  • Where will K.T. be?
    • CanCon (come and gone….)
    • Road Tripping to Northern Virginia!
  • And Tee lapses into his inner-Donald. (Sorry about that, folks.)

34:32 — The Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

  • First time in-studio special guest…
    sonicboom-lootcrate
  • How’s THAT for a trip down Memory Lane?!
  • One of Boom’s Early Words: “Podcast” (Parenting Done Right!)
  • Boom went with Gaming out of the Loot Crate options. Here’s why…
  • Overwatch? Yeah, that’s Boom’s jam.
  • Inside Boom’s FIRST crate…
    • August’s Theme — Mecha (as part of Loot Crate Gaming)
    • A cyberpunk figure from Deus Ex
    • A tee-shirt from Destiny (and Dad can’t trade it with Boom because it isn’t his size…DAMN!)
  • POP QUIZ: What are the three classes in Destiny? #ProudGamerParentsMoment
  • Back to the Loot Crate…
    • A baseball hat from Lawbreakers
    • A “Big Daddy” patch from the original Bioshock
    • A “Clap Trap” bottle opener from Borderlands 2
  • The interior of the crate reminds Boom of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and we go into the science of the box art.
  • Anyone out there know Lawbreakers?
  • Running down Boom’s first crate: Keep, In the Geek Box, or Something for a Friend?
  • Good first impression on Boom from Loot Crate!
  • Hey, LootCrate — how about a Stranger Things crate? Something to think about!

50:24 — Wrapping up

  • The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh drops tomorrow!
  • Where are we going to be between now and the end of the year…
    • 14-16 October, Steampunk unLimited in Strasburg, PA
    • 22 October, The Maryland Renaissance Festival in Annapolis, MD for the “Day of Wrong”
    • 18-20 November, PhilCon in Cherry Hill, NJ
    • We are getting your voicemails and email, but we’ve been recording jam-packed shows of late. We will be getting to them soon! Until then…
      • Call us at 703.791.1701 (now accessible through the Instagram app!)
      • Send me email — tee@teemorris.com
      • Send Pip email — pip@pjballantine.com
      • …or find us on social media everywhere.

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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by | October 2, 2015 · 12:24 pm

Episode #46: KT and Grants…

 

The Shared Desk with Katie

This episode Pip and Tee are joined in the studio with Canadian powerhouse writer, KT Bryski.

00:00 Introduction, and a little Vanessa Ives

  • Tee wonders why he bothers…
  • KT Bryski joins us in the studio even while we have a Penny Dreadful moment.
  • KT drops the F-bomb and admits for an undying love of Eva Greene.
  • Pip finally gets a drink, a Winchester Ciderworks Malice, while a jug of Paranoia from Pen Druid Brewery awaits upstairs. The other two breweries KT and Tee partook from were Old Busthead and Dogfish Head.
  • Tee did the Dogfish Dash and the daughters make signs!
  • Tee has an interesting breakfast at the Dash, while the only beer Pip likes is donedoneDONE! (until next year)
  • Pip grabs a Dogfish Head Beach Beer with vodka in it. Noice!

11:18 Talking about grant writing

  • An artist who wants to live!
  • Exposure will kill you, especially in Canada!
  • In grant writing, KT is showing that she is using Canadian talent, and showcase Canadian stories.
  • KT is writing an audio drama containing five Canadian folk pieces.
  • Tee is disappointed by the lack of back-bacon, but this is more about awareness of Canadian culture.
  • Breaking down the budget is important. Where does every penny go?
  • KT is asking for a modest amount, but how did she learn how to write this?
  • Friends are very useful, especially when they have taken a grant writing course
  • Writing a grant is not a press release. It is an academic breakdown. Plain words, plain paper.
  • Use affirmative words, as if you are already in process.
  • So why didn’t KT use Kickstarter or Paetron?
  • KT actually does believe in spreading Canadian culture—that’s why!
  • Pip talks a little bit about something similar in New Zealand, but not being able to find enough actors…New Zealand actors!
  • We talk about government programs…
  • Just because something is produced in Canada, doesn’t make it Canadian…
  • What happens to a grant after you’ve written it
  • Letters of support from people like…Tee and Pip. Pip has experience with introducing people to foreign cultures!
  • Are you a professional?
  • Campfire Radio Theatre, Coxwood History Fun Park, and Beneath Northumberland are where you can find Blythe Haynes in action.
  • Ask KT if she’d do it again once she gets to the end!
  • It’s been quite a long three years.

29:53 Voicemail!!

  • Tee has a new bumper!!
  • We need more voicemail…send it!!
  • Call us back Nobilis
  • Chris Lester of Metamor City calls about the Nazi romance, and it’s all about Esther.
  • However…the romance and shoehorned romance make it wrong.
  • Tee calls it treason KT didn’t hear the last Shared Desk, but she figures it out

36:56 Wrapping it up with KT

[display_podcast]

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.

 

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by | June 3, 2015 · 11:53 am

Episode #42 The Beer with Katie episode

The Shared Desk with Katie

This episode we head on back to March this year, when Katie Bryski was staying. The three amigos talk beer

00:00 Introduction, and a little commentary

  • Tee gets his acting fix in and devours some candy
  • Pip and Tee boogie down to some Canadian music.
  • Pip gets cranky about passing time, but reminds listeners this is probably NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
  • Pip fears the show notes…again…

4:31 We begin with beer

    • Tee and Katie are happy. Pip is concerned she hasn’t drunk anything for this podcast.
    • Katie enjoys her drop-in and claims sobriety.
    • The King’s feast is all about meat

Dogfish Head stein

  • Dogfish brewhouse should be the sponsor of this show
  • Beer is better from handmade steins
  • Katie is impressed with how much meat America has
  • Tee has trouble with his Facebook posts, and Pip is a supportive wife.
  • Katie and Tee wax lyrical about Dogfish Head’s ancient ales.
  • And then wander towards Old Busthead Brewery
  • Apparently Pip is bored by beer, and hands out some side-eye

15:43 The Topic at hand is found!

  • Pip, K T and PC Haring head to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee
  • The second year of Smoky Writers is held, and organized by Alex White
  • The intrepid travelers meet a white out…not an Alex White out though…
  • When trucks pull over, it’s a good and safe idea for you to pull off too.
  • Welcome to the monastery of writing wherein we find Starla Huchton and Abigail Hilton
  • The joys of a writing retreat—being surrounded by creative people
  • Hugh O’Donnell and Bryan Lincoln
  • There were awards
  • Shout out to Chris Bupp and Renee Chantel White who cooked our meals
  • Mention episode #40 here, live from Smoky Writers
  • Pip has a biffing stone…whatever that is
  • Alex White has a great series of blogposts on how you can do this kind of writing retreat. Part One. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four.
  • Uh…ohhh problems with the cabin, but Alex is still awesome…
  • Outlets, alcohol, food, friends, hot-tub(s)

25:09 What Tee got up to while we were away

  • PJ Schnyder and Matt Ord worked with Tee on a book trailer, and shot in Richmond, Virginia.
  • Tee waxes melancholy on previous book trailers, but admits some faults
  • Thanks to James River Writers and Bill Blume
  • Pip let’s Tee give his deep South story
  • Once again the Proper Pie Company pops up again. Why are they not sponsoring this podcast too??!
  • Pip tries to make a slogan for them.

34:46 Writers Off the Clock- Vampires and Gothic

  • Pip and Tee introduce Katie to What We Do in the Shadows
  • It is now available in the US, on itunes and other outlets
  • So vampires flatting together
  • Everyone does the accent, even the mayor of Wellington (Vellington)
  • Everyone loves Stu!
  • Even the Smoky Writers loved this movie!
  • Katie is now hooked to Penny Dreadful
  • Timothy Dalton reads Keats, and we all get it.
  • Dave Robison reads for Katie’s work at Black Creek Pioneer Village
  • Great cast, and great writing- but also lots of nakedness…
  • Oh dancing so close to steampunk!

46:46 Time to wrap up

  • Apparently they broke their stein
  • Because of time shifting you’ve already missed us in Rotorua, Ravecon, and even Balticon
  • Some Australians did actually come over!
  • Katie hit AdAstra with Eric Buchanan
  • Katie plugs her diabolical plot, but timeshifting means…whoops it has already happened!
  • Katie hates to leave, and Viola doesn’t want her to go. Neither do we…
  • The team heads out to watch Penny Dreadful with a bunch of apologies

[display_podcast]

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.

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by | February 12, 2014 · 5:07 pm

Episode #29: All About Stonecoast (with Katie Bryski!)

TSD-back2backwKatie

After two days of recording and a plethora of technical glitches, we are back for another episodes with our new intern and return Canuck, ForeWord-nominated author, Katie Bryski! Join us as Katie, fresh from Stonecoast, come in-studio to talk about this amazing experience that she has embarked upon…

00:00 — Introduction

  • We are on a roll!!!
  • G’day, eh? We have a guest in the studio again! Throw on the back bacon — it’s Katie Bryski!
  • Things you shouldn’t do after the Smoky Writers: Have your liver tested.
  • Pip bitches about the drop-in’s. Again. (And remember this…for later on in the show…)
  • Since the Smoky Writers events, what have Tee & Pip been up to?
    • The Silver Pharaoh is submitted to Laurie.
    • Wolf in the Fold is also submitted to Laurie.
    • Audio recording for Ministry Protocol is underway.
    • Tee’s still job hunting, still working on Wolf in the Fold, and also working on something for Valentine’s Day.
  • What Katie has been up to since Stonecoast?
    • She’s our intern for February!
    • Katie is still working on a book that is formally known as formerly known as Styx.
    • In Season Three of Tales from the Archives, things get very Canadian!

 14:48 — All about Stonecoast (with Katie Bryski) 

  • The first challenge of Stonecoast: Get to the right Portland!
  • What exactly is Stonecoast?
    • Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
    • Low-Residency (so you can do this from home…)
    • Residency is in Portland, ME
  • Tee’s mic problems and Pip’s odd need for editing…eh, just go with it!
  • Working with Mentors (who are working authors)
  • This isn’t NaNoWriMo or a writers’ retreat, folks. This is graduate school. For writers.
  • And there is Tee, just being far too ‘Murican.
  • From #MicFAIL to #DropInFAIL
  • Pip asks who would Tee want to have as his Writing Mentor…and Pip makes an uber-#SteampunkFAIL.
  • But Katie is a published author already…so why does Katie need a Masters Degree in Writing?
  • Katie looks at the goals of Stonecoast she’s looking to accomplish through this program.
  • Tee and Pip are a touch green with envy over Katie’s journey with Stonecoast.
  • For someone who hates drop-in’s, Pip’s asking a lot from Tee in this episode.
  • Does Stonecoast have business angles covered?
  • Stonecoast offers another aspect of the writers’ community

33:44 — Seriously?! Seriously.

  • Another #DropInFAIL but we’ll get this…
  • It’s kind of important before you go into a blog tour to know what to do when you’re on a blog tour.
  • Copy-Paste-Here’s-Your-Blogpost….no, that’s not what you do.
  • If you are too busy to go on a blog tour because you are too busy promoting, you’re lost in #EpicFAIL
  • There are bigger problems afoot if you don’t have evergreen blog content to offer a blog tour.
  • Is the problem a lack of ideas? (As we show, nope.)

41:25 — The Wrap-Up

  • So excited that we have Katie for a little more time!
  • Katie is gathering a lot of dirt on it.
  • And she’s a good intern ’cause she’s getting Tee coffee!
  • Pip and Tee struggle to keep the show on target
    • Weather Child now has a cover.
    • Tee & Pip head down to Richmond for The Writers’ Show!
    • Dawn’s Early Light hits the shelves at the end of March!
    • Something special coming up in February….
    • Oh yeah, RavenCon as well!
  • Sweet as! Katie is coming to Balticon!!! And she’s talking about beer!!!
  • We need a better sign-off for Katie…
[display_podcast]
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.

 

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by | June 27, 2013 · 3:52 am

Episode #22: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zones

TSD-back2backwKatie

So following the hangover that is a Kickstarter and edits for Ace Books, Pip and Tee wanted to take a break…but after a fun week with houseguest and ForeWord-nominated author, Katie Bryski, the microphones were dusted off, Soundtrack Pro was fired up, and Tee, Pip, and Katie put together a truly international experience with this edition of The Shared Desk.

00:00 — Introduction

  • Yeah. It’s been a while…
  • G’day, eh? We have a guest in the studio! Throw on the back bacon — it’s Katie Bryski!
  • What the heck have we been up to?
    • A successful Kickstarter
    • Edits for Dawn’s Early Light
    • Exclusive short stories for Ace and Pyr
    • Katie’s even been up to a lot of stuff!
    • Tee & Pip have been working the book events.
  • If you’re waiting for us to promise that The Shared Desk is back on track…no, we’re not…

7:18 — Stepping Out of Comfort Zones

  • Giving a shout-out to Trinity Manassas. Episcopalians RE-RAH-SENT!
  • An epic day out in Virginia…
  • Tee and Katie share an EPIC COFFEE EXPERIENCE.
  • From the owner of Vino 124, the two questions God will ask you…
    • Were you afraid?
    • If you were afraid, did you brave it out?
  • No seriously, this was REALLY GOOD COFFEE!
  • Katie Bryski talks about her own big steps out of a comfort zone.
    • Podcasting a novel. Seemed like a good plan.
    • Submitting a novel to Dragon Moon Press
  • Tee’s new project: Writing tie-in’s for Valiant Comics and Kindle’s Shared Worlds
  • Who knew our resident Canadian had a nemesis?!
  • This new project Tee has nicknamed TeeMoNaNoWriMo. 50,000 words between now and July 31st.
  • Who is the first person you call to get guidance with comic books: Jared F-ing Axelrod!!!
  • Going off on a comic book tangent…
    • My modest comic book collection
    • Calling Pip to task about my tangents and going off on the film M
    • My collection against the ManCave of Jared Axelrod!
    • Returning to comics…
  • Prequels — what’s the point?
  • How you grow from stepping free of a comfort zone?

32:30 — Eagle Vs. Kiwi

  • Tee feels uncomfortable with the whole “Beaver” reference in this segment…
  • Pip and Katie put Tee to task on why marshmellows are an acceptable addition to sweet potatoes.
  • Tee pulls out the Paula Dean card…and it goes downhill from there…
  • Why does everything have to be so sweet in the South?
  • And all roads lead back again to Vino 124 and THAT INCREDIBLE COFFEE!

38:59 — The Wrap-Up

  • From wild beaver attacks to another Paula Dean rant!
  • Where is Katie headed after this wild ride?
    • Well, back home to Canada…
    • Katie has a “job” where she teaches about Canadian history through beer. (No, they’re not hiring.)
    • …and she’ll be back at Dragon*Con in 2013
  • Where we are headed next…
    • ConTemporal, this weekend — June 28-30
    • Talking about steampunk in July in Yorktown, VA
    • Authors After Dark in Savanna, GA
    • Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA
  • Pip’s got books and stuff coming out this summer…
  • Wow, everybody, we just did a show!
RELATED LINKS
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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.

 

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