Tag Archives: characters

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Concerning Mary, Gary, and Ensign Jones

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

Shout out to Brian “Arkle” Webber from Shameless Cashgrab and other podcasts for the comment and inspiring today’s Dog Days of Podcasting entry.

Recorded this morning and posted this evening, Tee settles in to talk about something else but follows the rabbit hole Arkle opens up about the “Mary Sue” complex that haunts fiction. The question is, should it? Can developing characters from your own experiences, hopes, and dreams, work in fiction?

It is a tricky tightrope to walk — very tricky — but it’s possible.

[display_podcast]

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Concerning Mary, Gary, and Ensign Jones

Filed under Special Featurettes

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Raising the Stakes

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

You want to know the best way to really make a book dull? Let people know that “everything is going to be okay” because the author may be worried that audiences can’t handle the tension. No kidding. Authors do this. And today on the Dog Days of Podcasting, Tee cites his current read and his determination in getting through it to the end, despite the author’s insistence that  “It’ll be okay…” again and again. Tee suggests to torture your audience a bit. Raise the stakes. Make that book of yours a page-turner.

[display_podcast]

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Raising the Stakes

Filed under Special Featurettes

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Avoid the Almanac Characters

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

Thanks for the run in Destiny last night, P.C. Haring and Indiana Jim! That was good fun!

False start this morning, but the Dog Days of Podcasting rolls on with Tee breaking down the “Big Three” of the Justice League, and how characters should not be super-human and all-knowing. That way lies lazy storytelling and zero tension.

[display_podcast]

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Avoid the Almanac Characters

Filed under Special Featurettes

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Follow That Gut Instinct

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

The Dog Days of Podcasting has its first crossover with Tee’s other passion project, Happy Hour from the Tower.  An interview with Twitch streamer 3vil_Aura  has Tee thinking about guy instincts and how important they are to follow.

Listen close that feeling, and have a great weekend!

[display_podcast]

 

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Follow That Gut Instinct

Filed under Special Featurettes

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Listen

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

Two worlds collide today on the Dog Days of Podcasting as Tee looks back on his theatre days and finds a lesson that also applies to the writer’s craft.

There’s a lot you can learn about the story you’re telling when you listen.

 

[display_podcast]

 

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Listen

Filed under Special Featurettes

The Dog Days of Podcasting: Connected

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

I’m working on the routine of the elliptical again for the Dog Days of Podcasting and catching up on a Netflix cue. Back on track with Sens8 which is a tremendous show on all fronts. It also reminds Tee how important connection is in writing. A photo of Lauren and Verena (Facebook Link) also tugged at his own connection with people far off but not that far away in his life.

It all comes back in the writing.

 

[display_podcast]

Find Tee on Twitter here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Comments Off on The Dog Days of Podcasting: Connected

Filed under Special Featurettes

Episode #76: Wonder Woman from a Writerly Perspective (with Mary Katherine “M.K.” Backstrom)

Tee and Pip invite the newest member of the the Smoky Writers Mafia to the show after she — that’s special guest M.K. Backstrom, if you’re curious — suggested we all get on mic and talk about Wonder Woman…

…and that’s just what we did. And you’ll find out VERY QUICKLY why we fell in love with this Power Blogger.

00:00 —  Episode #76: Wonder Woman from a Writerly Perspective (with Mary Katherine “M.K.” Backstrom)

  • Welcome to the podcast Mary Katherine Backstrom of Mom Babble and Scary Mommy!
  • Tee cashes in on the new friendship with M.K.
  • Tee is the odd man out with this discussion on Wonder Woman, and that is just fine.
  • Quick check of the household, kids-wise to find out who did you go see Wonder Woman with?
  • SPOILERS ARE COMING IN THIS PODCAST!
  • For M.K., the movie was way more emotional than she expected.
  • Pip’s emotions swelled with both Moana and Wonder Woman.
  • Tee knew it was going be a good ride with the film’s soundtrack.
  • Tee found a few takeaways from Wonder Woman
  • That moment when Lynda Carter rendered Tee speechless.
  • Differences between Carter’s Diana and Gadot’s Diana
    • When dudes write for Wonder Woman
    • There wasn’t eye candy for guys in this movie? Well, depends on the guy…
    • “Why, yes, I do like older women.”
  • How Steve Trevor was written…
  • Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman with men writing for her…
    • Both Pip and M.K. want to vacation on Themyscira.
    • A quick House of Cards tangent…
    • Some love for Etta!
  • The scene at Trafalgar Square
  • M.K.’s advantage over Tee and Pip: No other Wonder Woman eras to compare to.
  • The emotional impact of World War I (and Pip’s trivia on that moment)
  • Social commentary in Wonder Woman? It could happen.
  • The storytelling of Wonder Woman compared to the storytelling of Batman Vs. Superman
  • Girl Power in Wonder Woman: Organic or Heavy Handed?
    • M.K. gets the Analogy Bell!
    • Tables turned back to Tee
    • Is Tee getting woman-splained? Well, yeah, he is. *LOL*
    • SERIOUS FEMINIST LOVE FOR ALIENS! (Where was the male outrage there?)
  • Commentary on the inevitable love scene…which still caught Tee, Pip, and M.K. by surprise.
  • Did we think Wonder Woman was perfect? Oh no, not by a longshot…
  • Wonder Woman raises the bar for Justice League.
  • 51:34 — The Wrap-Up

    [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.

Comments Off on Episode #76: Wonder Woman from a Writerly Perspective (with Mary Katherine “M.K.” Backstrom)

Filed under Episodes

Episode 70: A Panel at MAGFest (with Nick Kelly and Robert V. Aldrich)

 

So with January behind us, you might have thought, we intended to take a break.

No, we didn’t.

After a rather rough start to the year, we’re coming back—baby steps, mind you—into posting on a regular basis. We got a lot of stuff planned for you in February, but let’s ease back into our podcast with a look back at a panel at one of Tee’s favorite events…

00:00 —  Introduction

  • As we have said before, we are twelve years old…
  • Where were we in January? This blog post sums up the month.
  • New show coming, but right now it’s a Shared Desk from MAGFest 2017!
  • The topic? Storytelling in Gaming!
  • Major props to the MAGFest A/V Team!
  • Want to hear Nick and Tee riff about MAGFest? Stay tuned next week for a special syndicated episode of the Geek Wolfpack Podcast
  • Like the panel? Send us feedback!
    • Call us at 703.791.1701 (now accessible through the Instagram app!)
    • Send Tee email — tee@teemorris.com
    • Send Pip email — pip@pjballantine.com
    • …or find us on social media everywhere.

03:27 — Episode #70: Storytelling in Gaming (with Nick Kelly and Robert V. Aldrich)

  • Introductions of panelists
  • Callsigns for Tee’s Gaming Crew
    • Nobilis Reed — Callsign: WikiReedia
    • Nick Kelly — Callsign: The Punisher
    • Tee Morris — Callsign: Wrong Way
  • What makes a good story?
    • Internal consistency
    • Consistent characters
  • Each panelist has picked two games and will be taking deep dives into what makes them good storytelling video games…
  • Robert apparently loves Tee’s slide shows…but he has a tough time giving feedback on them. *LOL*
  • Robert V. Aldrich’s Favorites
  • Nick Kelly’s Favorites
  • Tee’s Favorites

43:39 — The Wrap-Up

  • 2017 is underway, and here is where we will be…
    • 18-19 February, Farpoint 24 in Timonium, MD
    • 24 February – 5 March, Smoky Writers Retreat in Gatlinburg, TN
    • 28-30 April, RavenCon 12 in Williamsburg, VA
    • Nick Kelly and I are reaching out to future events to see if they want us…
    • …but keep up with what geeky things are happening in your neck of the woods with the Nerd Out App!
  • What was your favorite or most informative show in 2016?
    • Call us at 703.791.1701 (now accessible through the Instagram app!)
    • Send Tee email — tee@teemorris.com
    • Send Pip email — pip@pjballantine.com
    • …or find us on social media everywhere.
  • Geeky Goodbyes: Richard Hatch (71) and Brian Ford (48)
  • No outro music. Just ending on a more reflective tone…

[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.

Comments Off on Episode 70: A Panel at MAGFest (with Nick Kelly and Robert V. Aldrich)

Filed under Episodes

Episode #59: Calling “Shenanigans” on Penny Dreadful (SPOILERS, AHEAD!!!)

 

If you have not seen the season SERIES finale of Penny Dreadful, turn back now.

As fond the Victorian Gothic (with just a dash of steampunk) series is at quoting literature, let us give a quick quote of our own:

Do you hear, let them be well used; for
they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the
time: after your death you were better have a bad
epitaph than their ill report while you live.

While Tee and Pip would never go on record about their thoughts on another writer’s work, they let loose with the ranting as they feel betrayed both as fans and as writers. If you have been wanting a rant from Tee, here it comes NOW WITH 100% MORE KIWI!!!

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Pip is working very hard to make everything interesting, even the show numbers…
  • We are nailing the posting schedule for 2016! How about that?
  • Jon Snow’s Tribute to Leeroy Jenkins — best thing on YouTube RIGHT NOW!!!
  • There are going to be a LOT of spoilers in this episode! Turn back now…
  • Deep breath, everyone…

00:44 — Episode #59: Calling “Shenanigans” on Penny Dreadful

  • Better buckle up…
  • Penny Dreadful. Some of the best television ever aired…UNTIL…
  • A word from show creator, John Logan.
    • 45-second audio from the video posted by Logan and Showtime
    • Series finale airs on Sunday night. This clip goes live the day after.
  • Finale ends. Announcement drops the day after of cancellation.
  • Then, all this week, images like these…
    13483009_638298629654871_2541983613324725551_o
  • “It was always intended to be three seasons…” Really? REALLY?!
  • S-Bombs Ahead!
  • If Penny Dreadful was Vanessa’s story, then what about all these OTHER characters we’ve gotten to know?
  • Who introduces a whole new set of characters for a final season?
    • One of these characters is introduced in Episode 6 of a 9 Episode season?
    • A total of eight new characters…all set up for a final season centered around the six principles.
  • Concerning Dr. Henry Jekyll
    • Tee is a bit envious as to Penny Dreadful’s take
    • A season of dropping hints about his temper
    • Building, building, building…and then, Jekyll “goes on his rounds”…
    • Frankenstein caves, and Jekyll is more than okay with it. Well, okay…I guess?
    • Fan service in 3…2……..
  • Characters betraying themselves, and Jekyll’s potential reduced to a Lab Assistant.
  • Kaetenay tells Ethan “I have given you the power to save her…” but he forgets that somewhere on the way.
  • How did Cat do what she did in the final fight?! Sir Malcolm noticed!
  • “Hey, Victor—fancy bumping into you here!” Are you kidding me? You want Frankenstein in a firefight AFTER SEASON 2?!
  • Time Wasters for (what was) the Final Season
    • Dorian & Lily — Anyone else remember the end of Season 2?
    • The Creature — The problem with that was the actor. Rory Kinnear was SO — DAMN — GOOD!
    • …but this is Vanessa’s story. Remember?
  • And now we get to Vanessa…oh Vanessa…
  • And Dracula? What does he do when he sees his soulmate dead in Ethan’s arms?
    winchester
  • What the hell, John Logan?!
  • Penny Dreadful was a fantastic show, and then Logan punted.
  • To say “That was the plan all along…” is a disservice. and terrible writing to boot. From people who know better.
  • Tee and Pip are still pissed. Turns out they aren’t the only ones.

30:27 — The Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

  • Good thing we never not a Penny Dreadful crate.
  • Two boxes (again!) this go round!
    • May Clearance box
    • June Theme — Dystopia
  • Inside the May Clearance crate…
    • Funko Pop’s Han Solo from The Force Awakens
    • Star Trek Car Air Freshener of the Live Long & Prosper greeting
    • Batman v Superman indestructible wallet
    • Space Invaders necktie
    • Spy Mad Libs (Always cool!)
  • Inside the June Dystopia crate…
    • The tee-shirt — Robocop!
    • A Bioshock: Infinite blank key to turn into a house key
    • The lapel pin is a bomb….of course
    • A jigsaw puzzle from The Matrix
    • A Dorbs from Fallout
    • A Terminator 2: Judgment Day metal sign
  • What are we keeping, and what are we setting up for giveaways…
  • Still haven’t topped the Aliens crate. Yet.

36:12 — Wrapping up

 

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
on Tee, or the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences on Periscope
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.

2 Comments

Filed under Episodes

Episode 52: Kill Your Darlings — On Developmental Editing

 

Nope, no special guests. This time, you’re stuck with us. Fair warning about that — we may be a touch slaphappy, too….

00:00 —  Introduction

03:45 — Killing Your Darlings

  • Developmental editing — a lot like spending a weekend in either Midsomer County or Cabot Cove
  • We took a hatchet to our latest book, The Ghost Rebellion…but no worries, Verena & Christina, Eliza still gets to do the thing.
  • Starting at 120K, down-up-down-down-up….
  • Blah-blah-blah? Seriously?
  • The difference between developmental edits and line edits 
  • During these edits, our Kickstarter popped its head up to offer unexpected challenges.
  • I think Pip needs a nap…
  • The evolution of a character, thanks to SCIENCE! 
  • Oh, did you see what Pip did there with pushing our Ministry newsletter?
  • Cutting chapters is not the same as deleting characters!
  • Matt Drake is a bad influence on Tee.
  • Suna Dasi and Sarah Daniels are stepping in to help us out when we are culturally challenged. Maybe J.K. Rowling should have made a few calls…
  • What happens after the first round of developmental edits?
  • How Destiny comes into play with this show…
  • Want to make an author cry? Change a project’s parameters.
  • Walking the line between the integrity of your work and being a professional.
  • Tee’s Editing Patronus, Miss Sarah Hunter
    editing
  • Courtesy. It’s not all bad, you know?
  • Knowing the word count for your project is always a good thing.
  • Another problem with the developmental edits—making really hard calls when it comes to character’s individual fates.
  • Don’t be afraid to cut.

25:4o — Writers Off the Clock

  • What choo wanna do? I wanna shoop, baby…..
  • Talkin’ ’bout Deadpool.
  • Amazing what you can do with a limited budget.
  • What Deadpool and Howard Stern have in common…and then, going just that step further.
  • What Deadpool and The Passion of the Christ have in common…
  • This isn’t Verena’s first time modeling, but she is a little overwhelmed by being on a book cover. (Still, she loves it…a lot!)
  • Favorite one liners.
  • Ah, the joys of improvisation.
  • IKEA was paying attention when this movie was being made.
  • Remember, it’s not Wham……
  • What Deadpool got right, and kept getting right throughout the film…

39:25 — Wrapping up

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
on Tee, or the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences on Periscope
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.

Comments Off on Episode 52: Kill Your Darlings — On Developmental Editing

Filed under Episodes

Episode #33: Game of Thrones, Hot Buttons, and Responsibility…from a Writer’s Point-of-View

 

TSD-overtheshoulder

SPOILER ALERT!

SENSITIVE TOPIC ALERT!

PIP RAGE ALERT!

Good. I think we have covered everything.

With Tee and Pip flying solo in studio, the original topic for The Shared Desk is set aside for the controversy and the (important) debate fans, geeks, and writers of Game of Thrones have been engaging in since Sunday night. Has everything that could have been said about what happened in Westeros been said already?

Tee and Pip don’t seem to think so…

00:00 — Introduction

  • Angry drop-ins set the tone for this episode
  • Where are our in-studio guests?
  • What has Tee been working on since the last show?
  • Pip refuses to slow down after the launching of Dawn’s Early Light.
    • Pip’s Kickstarter story, Tangi A Te Ruru/The Cry of the Morepork featuring Aroha Murphy, is close to release. 
    • Her latest idea combining early Hollywood and Mesopetanian Gods has been submitted.
    • Continuing development on Immortal Progeny, and Silver Pharaoh featuring Verity Fitrzroy and the Ministry Seven.
  • There’s another idea in the mix about a social media guide for writers…

6:20 — Game of Thrones, Hot Buttons, and Responsibility…from a Writer’s Point-of-View

  • Multiple Alarms for this Shared Desk
    • Spoilers Ahead.
    • Hot Buttons Ahead.
    • Trigger Warnings.
    • If this kind of talk bothers you, please, JUMP AHEAD TO TIME MARKER 38:49
  • THAT scene from last Sunday’s Game of Thrones from both a fan’s point-of-view and a writer’s point-of-view.
  • Jamie rapes Circe.
    • It was rape. Pure and simple. We’ve established this.
    • Since Sunday, the Internet has lost its mind over this episode…
    • …but a LOT has happened over three seasons, hasn’t it?
  • Comparing the book to the miniseries. Not much better.
  • Back on the project organization…
    • Lauren does the longhand approach.
    • Pip can’t read her own handwriting, but she still grabs random scraps of paper to get notes down.
    • Tee prefers the digital approach to notes.
  • One issue (of many) that Tee has with the scene/episode: It’s being handled by George R.R. Martin and HBO terribly.
  • Westeros — not the safest place to be…
  • Tee and Pip agree — Circe did not ask for it.
  • Is anyone really “entertained” by rape?
  • Tee (and Chuck Wendig) go on record about Jamie that few (if any) admits to with Jamie — people started to LIKE and TRUST Jamie Lannister.
  • Pip goes into the relationship of Jamie and Brianne.
  • Jamie Lannister. Not really a nice guy.
  • Jamie Lannister in the baths. Okay, we LIKE him.
  • Tee spells out Jamie’s rough and bumpy homecoming, and shows the build-up and the psychological snap that led to this moment.
  • Where did Tee get his degree in Psychology? The ID Channel, of course.
  • Comparing Jamie Lannister to Ted Bundy. (Yeah, we go there.)
  • Fans don’t understand why “good” characters make terrible choices.
  • Jamie doesn’t know what true honor is.
  • Should rape be addressed in fiction or in movies, television, and other mediums?
  • Tee really doesn’t like “entertainment” used in the same sentence as “rape.”
  • Pip echoes Chuck’s opinion while playing the Woman Card.
  • Rape as a character flaw…
  • ….and how Vikings plays rape strictly as a character flaw, and offends both Tee and Pip
  • No kidding, Pip and Tee have been talking about this FOR DAYS!
  • The difference between the Angle-Saxon Princess and Jamie Lannister — we got to know him.
  • Does this episode of Game of Thrones mean we as writers should not write about these topics? Not at all.
  • Tee lays himself on the chopping block with Legacy of Morevi…which he wishes GRRM and HBO would do.
  • If you’re going to write about ugly issues, prepare to research things you won’t like to research.
  • Showing love for Hannibal…and recognizing the difference between serial killers and rapists.
  • Be aware of your audience.
  • We love Vikings…but we didn’t care for this particular moment.
  • Take responsibility for your writing and understand the impact of your words.

38:49 — The Wrap-Up

  • That bumper music feels a little inappropriate, doesn’t it?
  • YES! We want your feedback! On this topic…or others.
    • 703.791.1701
    • Leave us comment here!
  • This podcast needed to happen. Words have weight.
  • Where will we be in the next few weeks?
  • See you in two weeks!
  • And if you’re still listening to us after this show, thanks!!!

 

Featured People in this podcast:
[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.

 

Comments Off on Episode #33: Game of Thrones, Hot Buttons, and Responsibility…from a Writer’s Point-of-View

Filed under Episodes