Tag Archives: The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences

by | January 8, 2019 · 2:43 am

Episode #93: Looking Ahead to 2019 (with Special Guest, Tim Dodge)

We are kicking off 2019 the only way we know how at The Shared Desk. We’re bringing in a special guest who has never been on the show, but is practically art of the family. Welcome to The Shred Desk author Tim Dodge.

Tim Dodge is a regular fixture at the Smoke Writers Retreat, and is taking first steps into professionally writing fiction, but he is no stranger to writing professionally as he writes technical documents on a freelance basis.

The Shared Desk, now recorded LIVE on Twitch at Tee’s Twitch Channel, after looking back on a year that was very 2018, turns its attention to what is coming this year, as well as looks at the not-so-simple life of a writer when writing is a 9-to-5 occupation.

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Oh yeah, we’re kicking off the new year right…with a show recorded last year. (See what I did there?)
  • It is a night of firsts!
  • A mild spoiler from Bandersnatch
  • It’s a night of adult beverages and seamless plugs.
  • From one of the authors behind Podcasting for Dummies, Twitch for Dummies (advance copies) has arrived!

02:56 —  Episode #93: Looking Ahead to 2019 (with Tim Dodge) 

  • Meet Tim Dodge
    • He was passing through and decided to spend some time with us.
    • Did you know that there is more to New York than just a big city?
    • Head north for some beautiful country
    • Tim is a writer of many backgrounds.
  • The Life of a Working Writer
    • How does writing “day job” content affect productivity with fiction projects?
    • Tim’s initiation into The Shared Desk.
    • Tee’s own work with Code.gov and writing for them while working with other projects.
    • How does working on “day job” stuff affect your creativity?
    • The lure (and dangers) of a day job writing gig
  • ….and juggling projects.
  • Tim’s got both indie and professional publishing credits under his belt. Take a look at what he’s got available.
  • Tim Dodge goes back home in his steampunk tale for Tee & Pip.
  • Looking ahead to 2019
    • We already looked back to 2018.
    • So, what’s next? Well, we’re doing something special for Writers Digest.
    • Okay, exactly what did Tee mean?
    • What exactly is the Smoky Writers Retreat?
    • HUGH O’DONNEL IN CHAT!!! (The man behind the Legend of Lazerdick)
    • A brief tangent on New Zealand entertainment
  • Tee’s looking even further ahead to a writing retreat he wants to do when he turns 55…
  • Back on track and looking ahead…
  • Experiencing the K.T. Bryski Editing Experience
  • The freedom of arriving to a writing retreat with a clean slate
  • Still looking ahead…
    • Aiming for a return to the Maryland Renaissance Festival
    • Tee targets TwitchCon.
  • Writing Goals for 2019
    • More Ministry spinoffs planned
    • Dope needs a home. This means, Tee needs to find an agent.
  • The dangers of writing in Romance
  • Just accept it — Pip is right.
  • And Pip is aiming to return to The Books of the Order in 2019.

49:38— The Wrap-Up

  • Time flies with friends.
  • Wrapping up the podcast, but when you follow or subscribe to the stream, you get the extra content!
  • Find Tim Dodge online…
  • Twitch for Dummies, coming soon…
  • Pip’s Patreon is still going strong in case you were wondering.
  • 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.

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 20, 2018 · 3:05 am

Episode #90: We’re LIVE on Twitch!

Adjusting to new schedules is still hard.

An entire summer got by us, but we said we were going to make Show #90 count, and how did we do that? How about this?!

Yes, we are taking the show to Twitch, and on Tee’s Twitch Channel, bringing all the wackiness and goofiness that you expect from us, only now including video and the magic of going LIVE!

If you missed the show…well, you’ll just have to listen (or watch) and see if we will decide to do it again.

00:00 —  Introduction

  • If you’re going to come back, do it with some panache!
  • Upping our game, we’re giving Twitch a shot!
  • The magic of going live.
  • We have adult beverages as we go live. Hold on to something.
  • Hold up, that OP Seat is Tee’s seat!
  • Not bad numbers for a first step out…

04:51 —  Episode #90: Catching Up and Summing Up the Summer…LIVE on Twitch!

  • Let’s try and get back on track…
  • Tee’s on deadline with Twitch for Dummies
    • Tee begins to regret going live with Pip.
    • Apart from finishing the book, Tee’s struggling with one of the Parts of Tens.
    • So what are your hosts drinking? Glad you didn’t ask.
    • Getting an opinion on how to solve this dilemma…and that was quick.
  • Nick Kelly doubles down and claims that Pip on Twitch is the best — thing — EVAR!!!
  • Pip’s summer has been all about her new project.
  • Don’t think Tee has forgotten about Dope.
    • Did Tee mention that he’s still digging his new job?
    • He’s got a new toy for his video work.
    • There’s a difference between Gimli and gimbal.
    • What’s Dope? Well, here is the origin story behind it…
    • New genres, new challenges
  • What else is on the White Board Wall?
  • Death and the Falcon is itching to be written…by Pip, anyway.
  • MUNCH IS IN CHAT!!!
  • Talking a little bit about what’s happing in the publishing world…
    • Createspace becomes part of the grand Amazon machine
    • The jump was not so bad,at least for Pip.
    • Stacia D. Kelly introduces Pip to Later.com, and Tee digs it!
    • Some serious talk about Vellum, and why InDesign is still an essential tool for indie writers.
    • Adobe has a lot going for it, even beyond InDesign.
  • The problem with being hommans to floof…

35:55 —  Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

  • Tee confesses to having a bit of a blunder with Loot Crate. Yeah…whoops.
  • And now we are looking at this month’s Loot Crate: MAYHEM
    • A Rick & Morty Monster Mayhem Statue
    • A Batman smartphone pop
    • Pip claims the Harley Quinn notepad for herself
    • The pin is a nod to Courage the Cowardly Dog 
    • An Office Space tee…which is heading to the prize bin.
  • Pip is concerned about the amount of plastic arriving to the house.

42:26 — Writers Off the Clock

  • The way adaptations work
    • Murder on the Orient Express, featuring David Suchet’s Hercules Poirot
    • Inspired by Murder on the Orient Express, featuring Kenneth Branagh’s Hercules Poirot
  • The various approaches to Murder on the Orient Express
  • What was with the voice, Finney?
  • The evolution of Hercule Poirot under Suchet
  • It’s a little unfair to compare Branagh to Suchet
    • It’s like comparing Sherlocks between Downey, Cumberbatch, and Brecht.
    • The differences between Branagh and Suchet, and the ending.
    • You want spoilers? Tee and Pip got some spoilers.
    • Two separate approaches, and both work.
  • Agatha really did not care for Poirot.
  • Check out these films and see how one work can spawn different interpretations.

54:32 — The Wrap-Up

  • Pip really is an optimist.
  • Where will Pip and Tee be, you might wonder?
  • 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.
  • So…should we do this Twitch thing again?

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 | December 26, 2017 · 10:47 pm

Episode #85: Ending a Series

Did you hear? We have a new book on the shelves! (The digital ones anyway.) With Operation: Endgame out and waiting for you to read, The Shared Desk is looking back on the ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and talks about everything a writer thinks, feels, and fears when wrapping up a series and dropping the curtain on familiar grounds.

And really, are they done with the Ministry? Well……

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Whew! It’s been a week…
  • If you want to relax, Dunkirk is NOT the movie to help you with that.
  • Okay, if you didn’t hear about it today…
    • Operation: Endgame is coming out today in all digital formats.
    • And did you know a new Christmas story is out for Tales from the Archives?
    • Audio and print books are coming in January/February 2018.
    • There’s also a special offer on 12/26 and 12/27 so download your copy now!

04:08 —  Episode #85: Ending a Series

  • You are having so much fun with this series, but now comes a time to wrap it up.
    • Nothing new for Pip with the Books of the Order.
    • For Tee, reaching the end has been proving elusive.
  • There’s a lot of time invested into a series, its characters, its world…and you wonder if you have one more book in you.
  • Is the drive and the desire there?
  • Pip was sad to see Sorcha and Raed go…but she got over it.
  • Tee’s issue with getting Operation: Endgame done — REAL LIFE.
  • Tee’s failed attempts at writing a series
    • MOREVI (which has fans on PSN and Twitch apparently)
    • The Billibub Baddings Mysteries
  • Tee may not have wanted to say goodbye to Books & Braun just yet…
  • The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is not going anywhere. The podcast and this series, however, are done.
  • Ending on your own terms feels pretty damn good.
  • Kickstarter made it clear: A demand was there.
  • Tee finished Operation: Endgame…and fell apart.
  • Achievement Unlocked: We reached the end we had planned.
  • Verity Fitzroy is making the sting of ending a series less painful.
  • Change of all kinds take place in Operation: Endgame.
  • We do resolve things in the book…mostly.
  • BIG SHOUT-OUT to our editor, K.T. Bryski who will be here next week!
  • Humble beginnings to the series and the wild ride that ensued…
  • And we’re still married…but there was that one time during Curse of the Silver Pharaoh….
  • Taking a break from now until the summer because we got stuff to do on our own!
  • How can we forget Countless Hues of Crimson? Rivaled only by this amazing work of literature…
  • Taking a bittersweet Victory Lap

26:40 — Writers Off the Clock

  • We just finished a book. LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES!!!
  • Let’s talk about some of the movies we saw over the weekend….
  • Dunkirk

    • Hans Zimmer decides to actually give us a really amazing score for this cinematic triumph.
    • Wait? you mean, things happened in World War II before Americans got involved?
    • Just brace yourself for those first ten minutes.
    • Hands down, Nolan’s best film.
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi 

    • Spoiler Alert — JUMP TO TIMECODE 42:09 TO AVOID SPOILERS
    • LAST CHANCE — 42:09 TO AVOID SPOILERS
    • Tee liked it more than Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, but did not like it as much as Rogue One
    • Thoughts on the middle section
    • Thoughts on Rose
    • Thoughts on humor in Star Wars
    • Thoughts on Mary Poppins
    • Thoughts on Fan Rage
    • Thoughts from someone else about how we’ve been here before…
  • Bright

    • Bright is, according to Pip, Shadowrun.
    • It was more like Training Day: Shadowrun, but here’s the rundown of this (pretty damn clever) plot.
    • This is not high art, but it does not pretend to be anything else than what it is. AND IT WORKS!
    • Definitely rocking a Men in Black or Alien Nation vibe.
    • We talked about Suicide Squad, but this is a better film.
    • Critics are hating Bright…but Netflix is listening to the audience. 
    • Why Alien Nation was a better television show than it was a movie.
    • Is race an issue in this movie? Yes. Because LOOK AT OUR FREAKIN’ HEADLINES!

50:42 — The Wrap-Up

  • The Adventures of Centaur Cop, coming soon from Pip Ballantine.
  • We’re done for the year. So, go out, use that Amazon.com gift card, and buy our new book!
  • K.T. Bryski is coming!
  • 2017 was better than 2016, that’s for damn sure.
  • Foreshadowing for the next show — Your Author Word for 2018!
  • 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!
  • See you in 2018!

54:15 — The Last Word

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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 | August 26, 2017 · 9:32 am

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Raising the Stakes through Worldbuilding

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

Shout out to Nobilis Reed from Nobilis Erotica and This Kaiju Life for the voicemail. Thanks!

For today’s Dog Days of Podcasting entry, Tee returns to the subject of raising the stakes; but instead of doing so from the character’s P.O.V. we think bigger, we look bigger. How safe is the world or the environment they are in? The real world is a dangerous place. How dangerous is yours?

He also ties this episode back to the bad book he was reading. He finished it. And Tee talks about it.

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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.

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by | August 22, 2017 · 7:21 am

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Enjoy Yourself!

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

BIG shout-out to Writing Excuses podcast for naming Operation: Endgame and The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences as the Read of the Week!

This morning, as the Dog Days of Podcasting nears its conclusion, Tee returns to his evening with Neil Gaiman at Wolf Trap. There was a pretty valuable takeaway Tee got from that two-and-a-half hours: it’s more than okay to enjoy your own work. Sure, there is a line of self-indulgence to be aware of. The trick is knowing where that line lies.

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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.

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by | August 12, 2017 · 9:01 am

The Dog Days of Podcasting 2017: Don’t Listen to Me

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

So…Black Mirror…

That is just messed up. Not to mention hitting very close to home.

And on the Dog Days of Podcasting Tee has got some heavy writing advice for you this morning: “Don’t listen to what I have to say.”

Now listen to the podcast, and rate it. (See what Tee did there…)

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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.

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by | August 2, 2017 · 7:20 am

The Dog Days of Podcasting: The Joy (and Fear) of Challenges

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

For this next installment of the 2017 Dog Days of Podcasting challenge, Tee looks at the challenge of exploring a world that you are familiar with. It’s a world you as the one who created it should know inside and out and intimately, but can you still discover something new within it, surprising yourself as well as your readers?

That’s the rush you feel when facing a new challenge.

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Find Tee on Twitter at either 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.

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by | April 12, 2017 · 2:30 am

Episode #73: Something Old, Something New

We’re baaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

Sorry for the skip in the weeks. We’ve been kind of busy these past few weeks. Let us bring you up to speed!

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Creeping towards Show #100….
  • Missed a week here and there, but we are on a….somewhat regular-ish schedule?
  • Sure, we got some feedback in the hopper, but we’re going to focus on something else…
  • Pip’s got a new book out! Have you got your copy of Immortal Progeny yet?
  • Tee’s trying to keep up with writing, but his Dad has not been making things easy…
  • The K.T. Brisket has been perfected. So we’re waiting for K.T. to come back for another visit!

03:58 — Episode 73: Something Old, Something New

  • I ask again—have you got your copy of Immortal Progeny yet?
    • This is her first solo book since Harbinger!
    • A synopsis…with drop-in’s.
    • What took this book so long?
    • Pip goes deep into an epic fantasy locked in a religious war, and two more are coming…
  • While Pip has been working on Immortal Progeny, Tee gets tapped by Wiley Publishing again!
    • Podcasting for Dummies, 2nd Edition hit the shelves over a decade ago.
    • On the third royalty check for this decade-old book, Tee started making calls.
    • In February, offers were made. In March, contracts were signed.
    • Coming to shelves in September 2017 — Podcasting for Dummies, 3rd Edition. BETTER. STRONGER. FASTER.
    • Anyone remember the iRiver?
  • Updating a decade-old book…
  • So what happened today? Somebody asked Tee about Billibub Baddings.
  • When working on titles, it’s not about the art. It’s about paying bills. It’s about survival. It’s about business.
  • A lesson for writers with Elizabeth Bear from Edgar Allan Poe…
  • Tee doesn’t want to phone it in…and there was a nagging voice Tee was haunted by…
  • Even Pip wants Tee to get back to DOPE.
  • A full plate. That is what is going on in 2017—a full friggin’ plate.
  • Tee is picking a direction. It is forward.

31:46 — Writers Off the Clock

  • We prefer to be positive in our Writers Off the Clock segment…but we’re talking about Marvel’s Iron Fist.
  • Was it the whitewashing? Nope. Was it Finn Jones? Nope. (But he did not help his case at all.)
  • WHO’S TO BLAME? THE WRITERS!
    • Iron Fist is what happens when a project is rushed.
    • PROPS TO THE LADIES!!!
    • This is a first draft. A terrible first draft. LET’S FILM IT!
  • Another problem I got: The way martial arts are handled.
    • Absolute amateur hour.
    • When you watch Into the Badlands, this is your bar, Marvel Entertainment. You have to clear it.
    • What was Marvel doing? Cutting corners with martial arts? In Iron Fist?
  • QUICK UPDATE FROM TEE ON FINISHING IRON FIST
  • The script remained throughout a real disservice to the actors.
    • This isn’t all Finn Jones’ fault.
    • The big finale…meh.
    • Lots of time in corporate boardrooms…or BOREDrooms?
  • Does Finn Jones get a pass for not knowing martial arts? EXHIBIT A: The Matrix.
  • Iron Fist was a rushed project, and it shows.

47:43 — The Wrap-Up

  • Hey, Marvel, don’t like our compinions? FIGHT US!
    • 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.
  • What’s coming in 2017…
    • 28-30 April, RavenCon 12 in Williamsburg, VA
    • 18 – 21 May, The Nebula Awards Conference in Pittsburgh, PA (It will be Katie, Tee, and Pip…along with others from the Smoky Retreat!)
    • Tee and Pip will be visiting Balticon…
    • Events in the works…
      • A steampunk tea in Ellicott City, Maryland…
      • Guest speakers at a Mystery conference…
      • …and a return to Revel Grove in October!
  • And Tee isn’t busy enough so he’s launch a new podcast all about the video game, Destiny!

[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 | May 11, 2016 · 6:37 am

Episode 56: Your Friends & Family Are Not Your Fans (Nor Should You Plan for That)

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

  • Pip doesn’t want to wait for the dip in the music to start talking.
  • We got to crank out this show as Pip wants to get to Game of Thrones and Penny Dreadful…
  • So what have been up to? Simply put—The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.
  • Killing two birds with one stone…
  • NO, WE ARE NOT GETTING THE EBOOK OUT TOMORROW!!!
  • The importance of a proof. Always get a proof before going to press!

04:55 — Killing Your Darlings

  • The inspiration behind this episode: A quaint (interpret that as a HEALTHY SIZED but WORTHWHILE) read from Virtual Wayfarer
  • Special note to Nobilis — The levels were off on account of me.
  • This platform has a lot of tie backs to the Podcasting Community and the platform of Giving It Away for Free
  • Even Wil Wheaton deals with the Free Model of the Interwebz.
  • Asking Piper J “Do you get the impression that authors cross promote other authors as they once did?”
  • Looking at that line between Fans and Friends
  • Keep your expectations low for your friends and family
  • Tee pulls up a memory of a bad book signing.
  • The Pity Buy — like the Pity Shag, just avoid it!
  • Your audience shouldn’t be your friends on Facebook or followers on Twitter. They should be outside those circles.
  • When Tee came to grips with looking at his social media platform more realistically.
  • You want to read books from authors you respect? Yeah, good luck with that…
  • As we mentioned on Geektitude, we have to be selective about when we consume content.
  • Giving negative feedback? No, we disagree.
  • Reach outside those bubbles.
  • Statistics? There are pluses and minuses there, too.
  • And social media is not what it once was.

24:28 — Seriously? Seriously.

  • Hey, a con invited us to attend…sorta….
  • This event is a BIG event. HUGE. MEGA-SIZED even…
  • Wait…when’s the event?
  • Hold on…you waited a month before your event, I can’t make it, and now you want me to what?
  • A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
  • Aaaaaaand here — we — go……..
  • THE RETURN OF PIP RAGE!
  • Hey there, Idiot P.R. Firm, meet our friend Chuck Wendig…

33:30 — Listener Mail!

  • No voicemail, but email! Cool!
  • Michael Spence asks us about formatting of Cover Letters, as mentioned in our previous show.
    • Now, agents and editors are working digitally.
    • Tee looks back on the Morevi presentation.
    • Keep it professional. Short and sweet.
    • What matters above all else — following the agent’s or editor’s submission guidelines.
  • Brian Webber wonders about the value and the publication of fanfic.
    • What is your goal — friends online or publication?
    • The value of Fan Fiction
    • Filing off the serial numbers of your fan fic and getting it published—pros, cons, and challenges.
    • Fandoms are hungry for new stories.
    • Kindle Worlds — a viable option for semi-pro fiction. Tee’s done it. Twice.

43:42 — Wrapping up

  • Did what we say make sense?
  • Got thoughts or comments on this show?
    • We have voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • I have email — tee@teemorris.com
    • Pip’s got email — pip@pjballantine.com
  • What’s coming up for us?
    • 13-15 May — The 2016 Steampunk World’s Fair
      • Pip believes that Tee’s met K.W. Jeter. He hasn’t.
      • And Tee gets a little surprise on what’s coming up for the weekend…
      • A special preview of The Ghost Rebellion will be ready as well!
    • 22-24 July, Motor City Steam Con in Detroit
    • Throughout the Summer, Steampunk U in Hershey, PA
    • Sadly….no Balticon. :^(
  • And now, off to the Tower of Joy….

[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.

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by | March 2, 2016 · 6:30 am

Episode 51: The ABC’s — Alcohol, Blizzards, and Cosplayers

 

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The snow was falling.

The beer was flowing.

So we got into our pajamas, fired up the mic, and well…this is what happens when cosplayers and writers get together and drink! Christina’s back, Verena’s here, and we’re sharing the desk about cosplaying, Kickstarters, and the search for a craft beer that meets Bavaria’s approval.

00:00 —  Introduction

  • A quick intro from Tee Morris about how we cannot count.
  • Just to warn you, we may be here a while as we have nowhere to go presently…
  • In-Studio Guests
  • This episode brought to you by Hot Topic and Deadpool.

03:00 — Snowed In with Cosplayers

  • Food, Beer, and Toilet Paper…we are ready for the Epic Snowstorm of 2016!
  • The Ghost Rebellion Kickstarter brought the Bavarian and (unexpectedly) the Californian here…
  • Verena did not know us from a bar of soap, but she flew over here anyway.
  • Verena’s new love in America: Hot Topic.
  • Long before cosplay was a thing, little Verena was getting into cosplay for German book festivals!
  • What inspired these two cosplayers to decide on bringing Eliza to life?
  • Cover models at RT are not looking as badass as Verena’s or Christina’s Eliza.
  • Hold on—these two have been BFFs longer than we’ve known Verena!
  • Christina steps back to her first cosplay…and Pip gets a little lost while swimming in Lake Me.
  • The differences between cosplaying as Eliza and cosplaying as Sophia
  • Concerning cosplaying, showing off the goods, and Lauren “Double Pineapple” Harris
  • Recorded for posterity: We <3 Lauren’s boobs!
  • Verena’s philosophy on cosplay vs cleavage.

20:52 — A Day with GoForward Photography 

  • Spending the day with some really talented people at GoForward Photography
  • Shooting on a green screen. Optimal for cover composition.
  • Shooting for cosplay shots against book cover shots.
  • Studio Fotozon approached Verena a little differently from GoForward.
  • Christina is now taking applicants for Wellington cosplayers. Must look like Hiddleston…
  • 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!)
  • Now Tee plays a nice drop-in, but Verena goes Deadpool. What a naughty Bavarian!
  • Pip has to do a double-take as Eliza was standing in front of her once Verena got into costume.
  • Then there is the cover shoot for Countless Hues of Crimson…
    • It starts with a pineapple…
    • We named the pineapple. Mr. Heath Red.
    • Cue the madness. And an inappropriate joke or two. Or more.
    • Once back on topic, we were talking about fruit on a cover, and eventually, we reached the pineapple.
  • Heath Red, Drama Queen
  • Wait-wait-wait…how did David Bowie get into this?!
  • Christina has a lot of fabric…but no idea what to do with it.
  • At this point Deadpool becomes an unofficial fifth guest on the show.
  • What’s next for Verena? Apparently, it’s time for her to boldly go…
  • And at this point, Hot Topic becomes an unofficial sponsor for the show.

And here is the cover…

TheGhostRebellion_ebook

44:10 Writers off the Clock.

  • Sorry about the overmodulation, everyone.
  • Verena is not that impressed with the Craft Beer Movement here in the States.
  • Where we traveled to during Verena’s and Christina’s stay…
    • Old Bust Head Brewery
    • Dogfish Head Brewery and Distillery
    • Pen Druid Brewery
    • Copper Fox Distillery
  • Verena discovers Hot Topic, and we all descend into a Hot Topic tangent.
  • After Hot Topic, the adventure home…
  • And now, weathering the GREAT BLIZZARD OF 2016!!!

55:31 Voicemail!

1:18:48 Wrapping up

  • What the hell is wrong with my board?!
  • Maybe Hot Topic should sponsor The Shared Desk?
  • Your obligatory Idris Elba mention.
  • Tee’s planning to attend MAGFest 2016…which happened last week.
  • Oh, and the fifth book really needs to get done…which is done, and is now in
  • If you are in Germany, find Verena at the Leipzeig Book Fair 2016 and AnimeCon outside of Munich…
  • We need to get Verena set up online. She’s got great cosplay to show off.
  • “It’s not a Man-Purse! IT’S A SATCHEL!!!”
  • What was up with Jack Bauer and his mobile phone?!
  • Verena makes an appeal for patrons to fly Pip and Tee over to Bavaria. So talk to us! PayPal us!!!
  • Massive jelly over Thomas Willeford and his (apparently) rich patrons!
  • Did you hear that? We have voicemail — 703.791.1701
  • Where to find us online…

 

[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.

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by | May 9, 2014 · 12:20 pm

Episode #34: DemiCon 25 Wrap-Up (with P.C. Haring, Aly Grauer, Melissa Fox, and Christina Payton)

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Two cons back to back — RavenCon and DemiCon — and Tee and Pip are snapping back from the shenanigans in Virginia and Iowa. As this episode is a few days late, your show hosts super-size this episode with many different perspectives and reflections on the weekend that is DemiCon 25. Strap yourself in for some serious silliness on mic and insights into the weekend of geeking in Des Moines.

00:00 — Introduction

  • Getting in a quick intro and a a drop-in fix.
  • It’s a DemiCon 25 wrap-up for this week’s show!
  • Pip’s working on Immortal Progeny so I’m bringing us into this show.
  • So let’s step back in time…

1:55 — DemiCon 25 Wrap-Up 

  • Introductions.
    • Tee’s coffee cup is broken.
    • Let the hazing begin.
    • The ladies from Chicago show up.
    • On the Mic: Tee, Pip, P.C. Haring, Alyson Grauer, Melissa Fox
  • Food arrives…and eventually, we will get this show on track.
    • If you are curious, the crunch-crunch-crunch is the taco shell of our salad.
    • Aly thinks a Shared Desk at Bennigan’s is a bad idea.
  • Space Happens: The Kickstarter project currently on Aly’s and Mel’s plate…and it looks funny.
  • What brings Tee back to DemiCon?
  • P.C. Haring is sharing the wealth with the ladies…
  • Aly wants to do the ding along with the bell.
  • Aaaaaaand more hazing of the Author Guest of Honor…
  • What brings Aly Grauer and Mel Fox to DemiCon?
    • Aly’s first step into the Indie Author realm.
    • All of Pip’s dreams involve Idris Elba. Shocker that.
    • The Buffalo is fighting against Pip.
    • A quick review of Bennigan’s and the quality of hotel restaurants.
    • The best thing about the convention circuit: Networking.
  • What brings “Paul from Des Moines” back to Des Moines?
  • DemiCon 18 versus DemiCon 25
  •  DemiCon actually began on Thursday…
    • Voiceover Workshop at Theodore Roosevelt High School
    • A killer book signing at Barnes & Noble with Joe Halderman
    • …and ending with a blurry night in Des Moines.
  • DemiCon on Friday Night
    • Aly, Pip, and Tee talk about Barnes & Noble and the attitude towards a drive-by signing…
    • Aly was worried that we were going to be divas.
    • Tee reflects on being in a car with Terry Brooks. (OMG, he hates me!!!)
    • Meet the Ministry Panel — our kickoff panel
      • Captain Jack the Dapper Cat, making appearances throughout the weekend
      • We start talking about True Detective…but hop back to Vikings.
    •  The True Detective Panel
    • THE NIGHT OF PERKINS
  • DemiCon on Saturday
    • Collaborating with Friends (with P.C. and Pip)
      • The many bromances of Tee Morris
      • Christina Payton — our Eliza cosplayer — joins us, making the weekend wrap-up complete.
      • Pip suffers from trust issues, and nearly chokes Aly in talking about it.
      • Manners, please!
      • Hi, Christina! Tell us about your costumes…
      • “This waitress is out to get me!” — Tee
      • We brainstorm on the various Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences action figures.
    • The Book Signing
      • Reactions from Aly and P.C.
      • Plan 9 Burlesque in Chicago — Aly’s first signing, but not her FIRST signing which was DemiCon…kinda.
      • “Pip is an exotic specimen.” — Aly Grauer
      • And once again, the Mango Smoodie story rears its ugly head.
    • Epic Tea Time with Alan Rickman
      • Aly regales us with stories of P.C.’s naiveté.
      • P.C. tries to #blametheboot, and thus a new hashtag is born.
      • Christina and Mel share thoughts on the DemiCon tea party.
      • Reflections on Gung Fu Tea
    • The Guests of Honor Panel Discussion
      • Kind of “Meh.”
      • Not what Tee was expecting or hoping for…
      • Theatre of the Mind: Aly Grauer displays her skills in stealth.
      • The GoH Discussion reflects the tone of DemiCon 25. Not a bad tone, just a little exclusive.
      • Aaaaaaand the server releases another salvo….
    • Women in Steampunk (with Pip)
      • Complete with an appearance from #DapperCat
      • Pip updates and bulks up the Library of Congress talk.
      • A better turnout at DemiCon.
      • Pip name drops. A LOT!
      • Aly shares her favorite things about the talk.
    • The Reading
      • Pip was speaking in cursive.
      • Giving a reading in the style of scandalous actors.
      • What sobers you up? An Australian accent for Pip, apparently.
      • The different stages of speaking: Cursive, Calligraphy, Wingdings
      • The League of Fonts (A College Humor video)
    • The Masquerade (with Aly and Mel)
      • Aly’s incredibly awesome Smaug costume.
      • Mel brings it to DemiCon with the Doctor Who Clockwork Invaders…clockwork_01
      • Doctor Who‘s Weeping Angels…for Dummies.
      • Mel takes the Masquerade!
      • It’s off to the hot tub!
  • DemiCon on Sunday
    • The Podcasting Panel
      • GREAT turnout for a 9 a.m. panel
      • The Jesus Sightings
      • P.C. joins Tee for the Podcasting discussion.
      • Tee prefers to be on panels…with other people.
    • What Are You Watching?
      • Tee and Pip stay in genre and then drift out of genre…
      • We forgot Orphan Black. DAMMIT!
  • Coming back full circle to Bennigan’s…
  • What we all walked away with following DemiCon 25…
  • The genesis of Space Happens
  • The potential of Space Happens — go and donate at their Kickstarter!!!
  • Christina — you’re on mic! GO!!!
  • Reminiscing about Emerald City Steampunk Expo…
  • And Jolie swings by the table to say “Hey!” and to prove she is still upright after the DemiCon 25 weekend!
  • THE SCONES!!!! THE SCONES!!!!

1:28:15 — The Wrap-Up

 

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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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by | February 26, 2014 · 2:51 am

Episode #30: What’s a Writer’s Internship? (with K.T. Bryski)

TSD-back2backwKatie

Our intern from the Great White North, ForeWord-nominated author, Katie Bryski, has reached the end of her February internship. The mics are hot and we ask our intern the tough questions

00:00 — Introduction

  • Show #30 — we have been good this year with our regular posting, and Tee’s got some new drop-in’s!!!
  • This is the end of February, and Katie Bryski is hanging in there with her internship at Casa de Morris!
  •  Foreshadowing what’s coming up with this episode…
  • Pip channels her inner-Chole and goes into what she’s been working on…
    • Weather Child — the layout continues with the recent proof
    • Immortal Progeny — After checking with the Book of George (R.R. Martin), the novel is taking shape.
    • We’re looking overseas with our indie books and our agent of awesome.
  • What Katie has been up to since the last show…
    • Apply a few gold medals and Canuck gets cocky!
    • Notes are back from her Stonecoast Mentor.
    • “Research” for her day job…which means she’s drinking beer.
    • Apparently, when it comes to giving us a bit of feedback on how hard Tee & Pip work her, silence is golden.
  • What has Tee been up to?
    • Reworking Wolf in the Fold
    • The Billibub Kickstarter is starting to make some headway after one week. 31%. Not bad.
    • The blog machine rolls on with the Endless Possibilities Blog Tour and on TeeMorris.com!
    • Tee’s drinking beer with Katie. Good times!!!
    • And the job hunt rolls on, but Tee’s considering options…

10:15 — What’s a Writer’s Internship? 

  • How did this whole idea of Katie becoming our intern actually happen?
  • What does an intern for a writer do?
    • There’s a fine line between intern and stalker.
    • Pip takes a guess as to what you’re supposed to do during an internship?
  • What Katie wanted to learn right off the bat: Survival Techniques for Indie Authors
    • Working with Adobe Photoshop
      • It’s all about the image.
      • Mac Boy Vs. PC Girl
      • Getting our digital hands dirty with layers.
      • DepositPhoto.com — Pip’s new friend. And now, Katie’s
    • Working with InDesign
      • Katie LOVES this program…and templates are her friend!
      • There’s still some terms she needs to get familiar with.
      • Giving books personality with InDesign.
      • Pip and Katie share the story behind Weather Child and how Katie went on a journey with the podcast…and now she’s laying out the book in print.
    • K.T. Bryski, editor
      • Taking the red pen in hand.
      • It’s a big step in editing another person’s work, but Stonecoast’s lessons were applied.
  • Katie was learning stuff from how Pip and Tee were dealing with writers in everyday life. (Yikes!)
  • Pip has a pupil in her School of Love and & Despair.
  • But Mighty Mur comes to save the day! (Love ya, Mur!!!)
  • How our intern helped us out
    • Networking us with other podcasts and blogs like 3 Geeks in a Pod
    • Katie drops her contact info — contact (at) ministry of peculiar occurrences (dot) com
  • Katie wants to come back for eBook layout classes
    • A constantly changing technology
    • Barnes & Noble Nook #FAIL
  • Other stuff we did with Katie
  • Katie is leaving….but she’s not leaving.
  • What did the Intern teach the Mentors?
    • Katie is an impressive student, picking up new tools in audio and video.
    • We learned that our Intern is very possessive.
    • Writers don’t have set hours.
    • Just having assistance in setting up the calendar — awesome!
  • The Intern’s First Assignment when she gets home: The Most Canadian Steampunk EVAR!
  • Jack Mangan, the gauntlet has been thrown!

36:21 — Writers Off the Clock: Talking True Detective

  • #DropInFAIL with both of the girls talking over the bumper…
  • Setting the tone for this segment with “Far From Any Road” from The Handsome Family…
  • THE. BEST. TELEVISION. SHOW. EVAR. True Detective, on HBO.
  • What is it about True Detective and the appeal of Southern Gothic to geeks?
  • Some critics thought the show was slow, but that’s because they were watching it on Thursday…
  • You have to pay attention with this show.
  • Matthew McConaughey is stepping up as an actor.
  • The characters of this show is like Louisiana — broken.
  • True Detective from a film buff’s perspective.
  • Katie’s perspective from a show “she would never watch.”
  • The gothic science fiction touches throughout True Detective
  • The good news for Katie: She found a source for the last two episodes!
  • Talking about the writing of Nic Pizzolatto, the Executive Producer, Writer, and Creator of True Detective
  • The relationship between Chole and Hart….played seamlessly by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson
  • A comparison between True Detective and Homicide: Life on the Street

53:47 — The Wrap-Up

  • Pip Ballantine just ignores the music cue. Shocker that.
  • The rise of the anthology? Is it happening?
  • Katie learned stuff with us…but we still have stuff to be teaching her!
  • Pip and Tee turn to the Intern one last time for what’s coming up…
  • Where to contact everybody…
    • Podcasters, bloggers, and media folks, if you want to book Tee & Pip, send a line to contact (at) ministryofpeculiaroccurrences (dot) com
    • Drop Tee and Pip a voicemail at 703.791.1701, or drop us a comment here or in email.
    • SHOW #35 ANNOUNCED AS OUR NEXT VOICEMAIL SHOW!!!
  • How do you say goodbye? Giant freaking robots beating up monsters!
  • Drop-in by request…
  • …and Katie breaks out in to spontaneous song.
  • Tee stumbles though the Creative Commons tag on account of teh feelz.

1:01:07 — The Outtake

cover art by J.R. Blackwell 

[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 | September 10, 2013 · 3:41 am

Episode #26: On the Growing World of the Ministry and eBooks Deconstructed

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We’re making eBooks. We’re making print books. We’re gaming. And we’re winning Parsecs! We’re talking about what we’ve learned in creating Ministry Protocol, and we’re going into the details of putting together a great looking eBook. Hang on for this crash course in InDesign, digital publishing, and what to expect when your eBook is ready…for testing.

Also, in light of this unexpected Parsec win, Tee and Pip give shout-outs and thank you’s to everyone keeping tabs on the bumpy year-so-far that has been 2013.

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00:00 — Introduction

13:40 — eBooks Deconstructed 
  • The eBooks are done and we are now working on the final details for the print
  • Pip goes through her workflow in making the 99-Penny Dreadfuls (and other works we produce) into ePubs
    • Keep your fonts simple.
    • Formatting. Not a good idea.
    • Short stories are a piece of cake compared to a novel or anthology.
    • Rethinking the workflow
  • The challenges of eBooks and digital reading devices
    • Control is in the readers’ hands, not the publisher.
    • Each ereader handles the source file differently.
  • Tee’s workflow for eBooks and print books
    • First stop — Adobe InDesign, Tee’s weapon of choice.
    • Next stop — Calibre, as InDesign was squirrelly about exporting something to Kindle.
    • What Tee prefers: a file per chapter as opposed to one massive file. Insane? Well….
    • Creating a Book file in InDesign: why it works so well.
    • Tee’s fastest turnaround time: 24 hours (for Pip, actually…)
  • The difference between eBooks and print books — personality.
  • Workflow, Part Two
    • Create two copies of the InDesign files, label one “PRINT” and the other collection “DIGITAL”
    • In the DIGITAL folder, use “Find Font” and remove all instances of “unique” fonts.
    • Times New Roman — the “go to” font for eBooks.
  • Tee’s looking ahead with Weather Child, re-worked by Pip and edited by Tee Tate.
  • Before you release your eBook, test it on as many platforms as possible.
  • And after you do test it, test again! Otherwise, your eBooks can wind up like George R.R. Martin’s…and not in a good way.

35:03 — Writers Off the Clock

  • Hard to believe Pip is a two-time Parsec-winning podcaster…
  • Tee, Pip and the Boom head out to Comics and Gaming of Gainesville, VA.
    • Great place, and kid-friendly!
    • Enjoying some “geek parent” moments…
  • Purchasing some games. One is called Planet Steam. (Anyone know this?)
  • A COOL DISCOVERY — Pacific Rim: Shuffling the Deck
  • What looks like a gimicky card game actually works as a great game of strategy and concentration.
  • Wait — hold on — is Pip REQUESTING a drop-in?!
  • A great game for fans (or giant robots fighting monsters) of the film that doesn’t get too cutthroat.
  • This game has been Boom-Approved.
  • …and while you’re visiting your local bookstore…

44:35 — The Wrap-Up

  • Lamenting about Dragon*Con. There was some people and things we missed.
  • There was also a lot of things we didn’t miss.
  • Big shout out to Mike seals who made it on live Atlanta news shows!
  • What’s coming soon…
  • And Tee’s got some contract work. w00T!
  • Tee’s waiting to hear from Kindle Worlds on his Valiant Comics novellas.
  • Quick shout-out of condolences for the friends and family of Frederick Pohl.
  • Works in progress for both Tee and Pip
  • Another shout-out — this one, a warm fuzzy — to Steampunk India.
  • Thanks, everyone, for keeping us in your hearts this year.
  • And Tee gets cocky…
 
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 | August 6, 2013 · 3:39 am

Episode #25: An Audience with Alex White, Master Collaborator

TSD-back2back_White

Tee and Pip pull off the miracle podcast and reach NUMBER 25, but they don’t do it alone. From the headquarters of The Gearheart comes Renaissance Man Alex White. He’s an artist. He’s a writer. He’s a musician. He’s brought so much of his talent to the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, and now he comes on mic with The Shared Desk to talk about how he got his black belt in collaboration fu.

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00:00 — Introduction

  • Tee goes with a HBO theme on the opening drop-in’s…
  • Welcoming a special guest, Alex White, who is in town…because he wants to be!
  • What’s going on with the three of us?
    • Pip’s turning in new pitches. (Titles need a bit of work…)
    • Tee’s closing in on his Kindle Worlds’ deadline.
    • Alex has a new work-in-progress that delves into the paranormal.
  • Paying authors: We think it’s fun!
7:29 — An Audience with Alex White, Master Collaborator
  • Apart from Jack Mangan, Alex White has contributed and collaborated with us the most concerning the Ministry.
  • Alex and the crew of Disasterpiece Theatre
    • What’s the pitch? (Not the show, but that is the show.)
    • It was a great show…until Shia LaBouff was brought into the Ministry.
    • What’s the fun in prepping your guests?
    • Be careful, Alex. Hollywood, SyFy, and Michael Bay is listening…
    • …and Tee goes there. “Inappropriate.”
  • The recent collaboration(s) between Alex and the Makers of the Ministry
  • On working with Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine, the editors
    • The importance of editing
    • Making editors into the “bad guys”
  • On working with Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine, cover art clients
    • We got a beautiful cover….
    • ….but it was a tough journey getting there.
    • RELEASE THE DROP-IN’S!!!
    • Revealing what’s behind the curtain when cover artists and clients work together…and when things are not what are expected.
    • Beware the “sternly-worded nut-slap” from Pip Ballantine.
    • And then came the back pedal…
  • Working with Friends: the Pros, the Cons, and the LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY EXCHANGING HANDS… 
  • Again, beware Pip’s sternly slap-to-the-nuts.
  • Alex gives some advice for the author when working together to create the cover you want.

39:18 — Seriously? Seriously.

  • Alex reveals a cold, hard truth about The Shared Desk.
  • Talking about trust — how about that Cuckoo’s Calling book?
  • Hold on…who’s writing this book again?!
  • QUICK LOO BREAK!
  • Should J.K. Rowling be pissed?
  • A look at the insecurity of a successful problem…and how we wish we had it…
  • You hire a lawyer with a degree of privacy in mind.
  • The dangers of when besties get together, whippin’ out their secrets….
  • …and Tee goes there. Again.

47:24 — The Wrap-Up

  • Big props to Alex White for joining us on the 25th show!
  • Alex made us love him all over again.
  • Alex White and Harvey Keitel — worth every penny!
  • What’s coming soon…
    • For Alex
      • Dragon*Con appearing, including a LIVE Disaterpiece Theatre
      • A possible BIG reveal for DTP fans
      • Catch him at the Parsecs as Fire in the Snow by Starla Hutchton is in the running….
    • For Pip & Tee
      • Authors After Dark
      • Baltimore Book Festival
      • Strasburg Steam Festival
      • Cover Reveal of Ministry Protocol — August 8!
      • And an unexpected sale that is coming to bookshelves for the holidays!
  • And how about this for an ending — hitting it on all cylinders!!!

RELATED LINKS

 
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 | July 23, 2013 · 2:28 am

Episode #24: Collaborating Couples (with Nick & Stacia Kelly)

TSD-back2back_Kelly Holy cow! Two in two weeks?! The deuce, you say! We do say! And it’s a special Shared Desk as we’ve recorded our panel at the Write by the Rails meeting that included a panel discussion with couples that collaborated on their writings. Joined by local authors Nick and Stacia Kelly, Tee and Pip share stories and approaches on how they make a collaboration work and also share advice on how to keep collaborations successful.

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00:00 — Introduction

  • Flying solo in the opening…
  • Throwing in a special episode without making it special…
  • Hooking up with Nick and Stacia Kelly (and yeah, Tee trips up on her name a bit in the introduction…)
  • Quick Announcement — Tee & Pip will be working the York County Library on JULY 30!!! 
  • Teasing the next special guest for The Shared Desk…
2:47 — Collaborating Couples (with Nick & Stacia Kelly)
  • Recording LIVE from the Write by the Rails writing group here in Manassas, VA
  • Sadly, we can’t enact the “Bar Panel” rule here…
  • Who’s on the panel tonight?
  • What’s the collaboration process between us?
    • Stacia got an idea, but wanted to write with her husband, Nick.
    • Nick works more with the nitty-gritty, not so well on the romance…
    • Nic and Stacia discover their differences in how they write.
    • The truth of successful collaboration, and how marrying your writing partner is not the sure-fire solution to a great process.
    • Pip and Tee talk a bit about Discovery Writing.
    • When you do the open idea sessions, all four of us need to write it down!
  • Pip & Tee flinch over the “Red Pen” experience with Harper Voyager.
  • How does collaboration go with people outside the writing experience?
    • Editorial pains
    • Working with cover artists
    • Okay, Tee could get behind the “Hot Tub” sessions….
    • Working on the covers of Kindred & Wings and Dawn’s Early Light…
  • When Collaborations go wrong…
    • Stacia stands alone as the writer amongst the experts. Let the madness commence!
    • Tee finally reveals the story behind his first story…and it is as epic as the story itself….
    • Pip’s “bad experience” was actually not that bad.
    • Facing the worst-case scenario as a married couple.
    • The panel goes deep into having an Exit Plan and the importance of communication.
  • Mad props to Delilah S. Dawson for coming through…
  • Unexpected Collaborations
    • Working with book bloggers on blog tours
    • Collaborating with other authors in your worlds
    • Spending some quality time on Jack Mangan and his influence on The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences….
  • What you need for a solid collaboration — Trust, Communications, and an Editorial Timeline

40:45 — Questions from the Audience

  • How do you divide responsibilities between yourselves?
    • Pip and Tee evolve their collaborative process from when they went from a podcast-for-pay to a series from Harper Voyager and Ace.
    • Pip & Tee’s biggest argument
    • Stacia makes Nick put on a “special suit” for working out fight scenes.
    • Nick breaks down their writing process using a musical analogy.
  • How did Pip and Tee first meet?
    • Meeting online
    • Everybody wanted to collaborate with Tee because…
    • The open honesty from New Zealand
  • Do you all do your own editing?
    • Why hiring an editor is so important.
    • Stacia’s editing resource — http://autocrit.com
    • But you should still edit your own drafts before going to an editor.
    • When is the editing done?
    • The little discoveries when you go deep into editing
    • What an editor should never say to a writer…
  • How many Beta Readers do you have?
    • What to expect from Beta Readers
  • What are you doing when you’re not writing?
    • It’s a wide field of expertise.
    • Tee’s suggestion: A social media panel for writers (with a quick tangent on John Scalzi)
    • A quick discussion on Hootsuite and other strategies in social media
  • ….and that’s all from us here at Write By the Rails!
 
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 | July 17, 2013 · 3:11 am

Episode #23: A Writer’s Kit and Giveaway Swag

TSD-what

Newly acquired drop-in’s. A flashback to the days of The Survival Guide. A movie review, and Pip’s bunk moment with Idris Elba. Get ready for another episode of The Shared Desk where Tee and Pip go into convention and book signing preparation. What do you carry with you from appearance to appearance?

00:00 — Introduction

  • Holy Moses, two episodes in one month?!
  • Pip’s having a ‘Driis Moment….
  • Three weeks have gone by…
    • Katie and Heather have come and gone…
    • Pip’s on a blog tour…
    • Book release on book release from Fort Kickass!
    • Tee’s switching gears with Kindle Worlds and writing for Bloodshot.
    • Kickstarter anthology is now in layout phase…
    • …and we’d better get the look of the eBook right, otherwise we bring the wrath of Lou Anders!
  • Busy, busy three weeks!

8:20 — The Writer’s Kit and Freebies for Fans

  • Stepping back into the (too-loud) T.A.R.D.I.S. to journey back to the days of The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
  • How do we pack for a trip? (Following the advice of Chuck Wendig…)
  • A quick tangent for Johnny Depp and his focused crazy in Bat Country.
  • What are you keeping your kit in? Here’s ours…
    photo
  • What is in our Kit?
    • The Square (Oh how Tee loves the Square…)
    • Starting cash and change (roughly $30)
    • Pens, pens, and pens…and a Sharpie.
    • A stylus for the Square
    • Lucky Charms (not the cereal, but the mascots that travel with you…)
    • Lanyard 101
    • Hand sanitizer
    • Carmex. Best — lip balm — EVAR!
    • Wisps. Just in case you indulge in the garlic hummus in the Green Room right before your signing…
  • What’s your giveaway swag?
    • Your swag may vary, but put some thought into your giveaway items.
    • Book cover buttons
    • Bookmarks
    • Business cards, and making the most of the design
    • Post It notes
    • Postcards for friends of the Ministry
  • Where and when do you take your kit?
  • Prioritizing your freebies (with approval from the kitteh) — What do you get first, and how much do you invest?
  • Clever swag vs. bad swag vs. “You spent how much on that?!”

31:44 — Writers Off the Clock

  • Pip needs to remember what our bumpers sound like…
  • Here comes the spoilers and the geekgasm that is…
    36504_533604943372474_2100743015_n
  • Tee demanded giant robots kicking the crap out of robots, and del Toro delivers.
  • Kick back for some love from us for the ‘Dris.
  • Why IMAX 3-D really works for Pacific Rim
  • The plot summary…
  • PIP RAGE: Mako is a STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER…and enjoying a memory of ‘Dris.
  • Chuck Wendig’s review of Pacific Rim — a nice sum-up.
  • Comparing Armageddon and the redeux of Godzilla against Pacific Rim
  • Applying attention to the details
  • del Toro made this film a fun homage to Godzilla and anime.
  • Jack Mangan: Best Pacific Rim review EVAR!

46:22 — The Wrap-Up

RELATED LINKS
[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 | August 8, 2012 · 2:15 am

The Shared Desk — Episode #17: Ending a Series

Deadlines, distractions, and…something else that starts with D…but who cares? WE’RE BACK and we’re kicking off August with news about the Parsec Awards, where we will be this month, and that time when you have to say “Goodbye” to the worlds you have created.

00:00 — Introduction

  • Since when is “17” a landmark?
  • What the hell is Pip thinking about stepping on my drop-in’s?!
  • Whodathunkit? We’re a Parsec Finalist for 2012!!! (And we blanked on the good people at Roundtable Podcast! Don’t hate the game, bros — hate the playas!)
  • Flashing back to sharing the desk with P.J. Schnyder…

02:47 — Ending a Series

  • Pip is gearing up for the big goodbye to the characters of Geist.
  • What are the feelings an author harbors when writing that final scene in a series?
  • Pip compares ending her adventures with Sorcha, Raed, and Merrick against her adventures with Shakespeare and Puck.
  • How (and why) do authors grow so attached to their characters?
  • Is this the end of Pip’s journey with The Order, or just this generation?
  • How do authors plan a series? Well, a lot it hinges on the contracts.
  • Wow…Tee is kinda quiet….at least, with his comments. (The drop-in’s on the other hand…)
  • What about the Ministry? Well, if Pip gets her way…
  • Searching for the sweet spot in a series length.
  • Looking at The Dark Knight Rises from a writer’s perspectives.
  • When you wrap-up, how do you handle loose ends? Bloodbaths?
  • Suddenly, Pip’s Ace pixie-like editor sounds like a mobster.
  • THE GEM FROM PIP: When do you know you’re done? (And here’s Pip’s answer…at 16:22…)

16:50 — Writing Advice from Crazy Uncle Charlie

  • Taking questions from Twitter for Crazy Uncle Charlie…
  • From @PaperBullets
    • How do you make sure you’re showing, not telling?
    • What are your suggestions for writing peyote-fueled dream sequences?
    • Charlie goes deep into the philosophy of writers and the mantra of “Show, Not Tell”…
    • …but when it comes to the peyote, Charlie keeps it brief.
  • From @Goochi26
    • I finally finished my book, what do i do now?
    • Charlie shares his own little rituals (and maybe PVC fetish) when finishing a manuscript.

21:58 — The Wrap-Up

RELATED LINKS
[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 | March 29, 2012 · 2:32 am

The Shared Desk — Episode #15: The Listener Appreciation Show (Volume 2)

Call in with your questions and comments!

WOW! We collected enough comments, questions, and overall opinions from you, the listeners, to make this show our second Listener Appreciation Show! We got some questions on Kindle, Scrivener, and Book Reviews, but we also got questions on topics we have never tackled before on mic.

And Pip gets not one but TWO drop-in’s of her own…

00:00 — Introduction

  • A quick shout out to Geek Radio Daily for their own touch on the show…
  • Even more of YOUR CALLS, YOUR EMAILS, YOUR SOCILA NETWORK COMMENTS! 
  • Yeah, Tee is showing the kind of love that only Soundboard can truly deliver.
  • …and the Shared Desk Voicemail Line for the next one — 703.791.1701

04:30 —  Your Voicemail and Email

  • Guy Barber from Cornwall, UK, sends us kudos for the audio version of HarperAudio’s Phoenix Rising and The Shared Desk, and puts in his vote for an audio version of Geist.
  • Ben from Florida asks close on the same question as emails from Valkyrie Page and Chris Forshner on how we collaborate and the creative process between the two of us.
    • Tee talks about Pip’s strengths and then discusses his own.
    • How other authors collaborate against what Pip and Tee do.
  • Melissa Hay surprises us with a call, and brings up the topic of book bloggers and how authors and publishers are keeping the peace, at least for now…
  • Terry Arman asks us what we thought of the promo he cut for us…but has us at a loss.
  • Nobilis Reed wants to know how we collaborate using Scrivener.
  • P.C. Haring Calls “Shenanigans!” on our Scrivener…and we call him to the mat with some help from Phil Rossi!
  • David from the Scrivener Crew writes us a killer “thank you” note.
  • Our Anonymous NYT Bestseller gives inside dirt on Amazon and their own titles…
    • Pip finds herself derailed by her bumper and a lack of breakfast.
    • Is there anyone “big enough” to stand toe-to-toe with Amazon? Well, yes…
    • More discussion about Amazon, and a shameless plug for The Janus Affair
  • Rick Asplund calls in to give us BVL (big Viking love) from Chicago.
  • Dan Dan the Artman drops a voicemail that calls forth the humbled (and slightly vaklempt) Crazy Uncle Charlie.
  • Michael Spence mainlines The Shared Desk and gives his own opinions on shared universes.
  • Tony Mast takes Tee to task for releasing Aladdin and His Wonderfully Infernal Device for the Kindle exclusively.
  • Gail Carrigerwants to know what the “Shared Desk” really looks like……so here it is:

  • And from the Great White North comes Steve Saylor, asking of working with video to promote your writing.

1:03:03 — The Wrap-Up

  • The Second Listener Appreciation Show is DONE, and now we need your comments for Show #20!
  • Hunger may be pushing Pip closer to PIP RAGE!!! 
  • Where to leave your comments for us…
  • April 10 — Volume 2 of Tales from the Archives goes live!
  • Tee’s cheat-sheet is swiped from him…but he nails the Creative Commons exit.
[display_podcast]
Some Related Links
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 8, 2012 · 1:10 am

The Shared Desk — Episode #011: Concerning Reviews

 

Bleah! Between the Power Bug that Sonic Boom brought home from school and final reviews of The Janus Affair, Tee and Pip are finally back behind the mic, bringing a perspective on book bloggers, book reviews, and keeping it classy in light of a bad review.

00:00 — Introduction

  • We’re back! (Did you miss us?)
  • The joys of school-bred viruses
  • The Janus Affair is now heading to press.
  • What to expect from Wellington Eliza, and friends in the next few months…
  • A plea to whomever sent me the drop-in’s.
  • Working on steampunk faerie tales
  • Elder Cat says “Oh hai!”

08:01 — Concerning Reviews

  • We’d love to do a show on Scrivener, but writers (and now agents) keep doing some really stupid things!  
  • Elder Cat says “Oh hai!” again…
  • Goodreads — an online network that loves Phoenix Rising.
  • It all started with a review…or two….
  • …and it ended with agents getting into the scrap.
  • Rule #1 of Reviews: Not everyone will love you.
  • How bad behavior affects your book
    • Tee still hasn’t read The Night Circus on account of spam.
    • The Tom Cruise Effect
    • How bad reviews reflect positively on authors’ works
  • An Authors’ WTH Moment: When Agents Attack
  • Respecting the Book Bloggers
  • How Book Bloggers Stand Taller than Amazon/Goodreads Reviewers
  • If you don’t want an honest review, don’t approach Book Bloggers.
  • Taking the fight to other networks like Twitter, Facebook, et. al.
  • When is it a good time to question a bad review?
  • Looking for common threads in good and bad reviews
  • Why you must love Book Bloggers…like our girl, Mel!

33:58  — Writers Off the Clock

  • Hold on — Tee’s got a WotC for Pip?
  • The name of the game is Skylanders…and we bought it for Sonic Boom. (No. Really. We did!)
  • A friend of Starla’s. A friend of ours. And her (bad) influence on the Boom…
  • Sonic Boom was fighting back, so we were looking for and advantage. (In comes Skylanders.)
  • And at 38:02, this happens…
  • What Skylanders is all about
  • How Sonic Boom plays into this new obsession
  • Feline distractions
  • Laying down the Law (and enjoying the results)

44:39 — The Wrap-Up

[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 | January 11, 2012 · 1:05 pm

The Shared Desk — Episode #10: The Listener Appreciation Show

Call in with your questions and comments!

As promised — kicking off a new year of podcasting — is comments, questions, and overall opinions all from you the listeners. Tee & Pip present the first (hopefully of many) Shared Desk Listener Appreciation show where they get questions on worldbuilding, character choices, and requests for more drop-in’s.

There’s a even a quick “hello” from Crazy Uncle Charlie….

00:00 — Introduction

  • Nobilis Reed, our first voicemail…
  • No normal show segments this time around. This time it is YOUR CALLS, YOUR EMAILS. 
  • Tee tries his best to do his best Flynstress…
  • …and the Shared Desk Voicemail Line for the next one — 703.791.1701

02:27 —  Your Voicemail and Email

  • Doc Coleman berates us a bit for finally getting The Shared Desk going, for the lack of a promo, and for handling deadlines.
  • Laura Nicole mainlines the first two Shared Desks, and reminisces about Podcasts of Balticons Past.
  • Tee’s still having a blast with Soundboard, just so you know…
  • Indiana Jim calls in with an EPIC voicemails…and Tee professes his man-love for the intrepid geekologist. He also touches on…
    • Writing in shared universes (where Jim forgets the title of his book, and brings about the wrath of the Sarge…)
    • Tales from the Archives
    • Gaming and it’s place in the Writers’ World.
  • “Cousin George” calls in…and asks Crazy Uncle Charlie about writing for homosexual characters.
  • Nobilis Reed, raps our knuckles for his own reasons…
  • Dan Shaurette asks about Scrivener and inspires the topic of our next show!
  • Ben from Florida calls in and gets a pep talk from Crazy Uncle Charlie and the Mason Jar of Winning.
  • Indiana Jim provides validation for Tee’s love of the drop-in’s.
  • Logan Waterman sends in an email and gives Tee & Pip a question about worldbuilding and how deep to go.
    • Pip gives her own work as an example. Is it a horse, or something else?
    • Tee remembers Joe Murphy and Legacy of Morevi.
  • Odin, still new to podcasting, asks about the pros and cons of being your own podcast host.

59:39 — The Wrap-Up

[display_podcast]
Related Links
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 | October 26, 2011 · 1:30 am

The Shared Desk — Episode #006: New York Comic Con & The Airship Awards


To say that “A lot has happened…” since Episode 5 and now would be a massive understatement. We cover it all in this review of the biggest event we have ever attended. No Writers Off the Clock. No Crazy Uncle Charlie. Just us and a look back on a really eventful two weeks.

00:00 — A Vignette from the Archives

03:21 — Introduction

  • Tee and Pip give a quick shout out to their childhood…
  • It’s been a wild ride since the last show…
  • How ’bout them world-champion All Blacks?
  • Pip can truly make a segue happen at a moment’s notice

06:15 — A Wrap-Up of New York Comic Con

  • Where do we begin? Let’s begin with the unexpected, shall we?
    • Pip is officially clean…well, of leprosy.
    • A note to Tee’s day job: There is a different between putting together a Powerpoint presentation and putting together a video presentation.
  • Comic Con— Day One: Hitting the Ground Running So Hard, the Ground Hit Back
    • Here’s what happens when you lose a day in your plans.
    • Tee and Pip arrive to Comic Con, and are surprised as what they find.
  • A quick review at some of the guests on the steampunk panel
  • Our first gripes of Comic Con
    • The location of the Jarvitz Center
    • The Mythical Shuttle (with the crappy schedule)
    • If you’re having a con, make sure you have solid internet access
  • We love our Comic Con HEROES! (These volunteers rocked our world!)
  • Comic Con — Day Two: Follow the Fairy and the Trail of Geeks
  • A good lesson from our travels: PRINT OUT agendas, maps, etc. Don’t count on Internet access.
  • Comic Con: A Circle of ADD Hell
  • Pip’s signing at Ace…and her second rock star moment for the weekend…
  • Comparing New York Comic Con to Dragon*Con
  • What you would have found at the Fables of the Flying City booth…
  • OPERATION: GUILD GEEKOUT
    • The unexpected surprise — Sandeep Parikh
    • On the choice celebs make in stating “No Candid Photos” at the cons
    • What we wrote in the hardbound edition of Phoenix Rising (which quoted The Guild)
    • Pip fangrrls all over Felicia…and makes me look like a chump.
    • Yes, Pip is damn cute when she fangrrls. Especially with Felicia Day.
    • Geeking out on Dragon Age: Redemption and Felicia Day’s kickassery
  • Pip’s “Winter is Here” panel: brushing by Felicia Day, a SRO panel, and a well-moderated panel
  • Why Pip and Tee may sound a little tired…
  • Another gripe of New York Comic Con: No “decompression chamber” for the guests.
  • Banging interviews at Comic Con
  • So was that enough excitement for a month? No, not yet…

37:01  — The 2011 Airship Awards

  • Wait. Hold on. What did Starla just tweet?
  • What exactly are The Airship Awards?
  • The Nominations for the 2011 Airship Awards for Best in Literature
    • The Curious Case of Spring-Heeled Jack (a Philip K. Dick Award-winner)
    • Camera Obscura
    • The Half-Made World
    • …and us.
  • From the Airship Ambassador, confirmation — K.W. Jeter accepted the award for us
  • This award is dead sexy.
  • And with New York Comic Con and the Airship win behind us, what’s it all mean?
    • What to keep in mind when you win an award
    • Some thank you’s
    • Humbling moments from Comic Con
    • Our hopes for 2012
    • Another bit of advice: Prepare to network on the way home…
  • Can we take a breath now?

46:23 — The Wrap-Up

  • Nope…we’re not done, but thanks for asking!
  • Heading out to Los Angeles for BlogWorld: L.A. to talk podcasting, and then Pip and I get our punk on at ComiKazie Expo
  • Looking forward to hanging with the ragamuffins of steampunk, The League of S.T.E.A.M.
  • Then maybe — maybe — we can take a breath!
  • We’re putting together a list for 2012
    • Ravencon — YES
    • Balticon — YES
    • Dragon*Con — YES
    • If you want us at your con, let’s talk.
  • Where to find us online

More Shout-Out’s During the Show…

[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 | September 14, 2011 · 1:15 am

The Shared Desk #003: The Strategy for eBooks

Fresh from their WorldCon experience, Tee & Pip bring to The Shared Desk their first interview and introduce a new segment to the show. There is also talk of their next con appearance and what lies ahead for the Fall.

00:00 — Introduction

  • Tee reflects on his days in radio…and when he needed to pee.
  • Still free-forming it, and it’s WINNING!

01:24 — The Strategy with eBooks: What Tee & Pip Are Planning, and Why

  • In Reno, the Agent Savant herself, Laurie McLean, challenges us to develop a digital strategy
  • Pip is hardly a stranger to eBooks with Chasing the Bard and Digital Magic
  • People thought the earthquake caused the damage at Washington Cathedral…
  • The evolution of eBooks, starting with MOREVI’s EPPIe nomination
  • Calling “Shenanigans!” on changes in contracts, sales reports, and pricing.
  • The painful experience of reading eBooks (then again, it could have been the book I chose…)
  • 9:56 — Pip’s calls Tee out (and since Tee said “You’re right…” he sleeps soundly.)
  • Technology’s offerings for eBooks
  • What really happens at Pip’s “Card Night”…
  • eBooks from the authors’ point-of-view
  • The appeal of a 99¢ short story
  • The method within our eBook madness
  • An iTunes approach to anthologies
  • What is a 99-Penny Dreadful?
  • Digital publishing — the new market for short stories and novellas?

29:01 — Seriously? Seriously.

  • A new trend in authors marketing themselves as BESTSELLING AUTHORS
  • When Scott Sigler called himself a “bestseller” before he hit the New York Times Bestseller List
  • When authors abuse or cheapen the “Bestseller” title
  • Why we don’t call ourselves “bestsellers” (even though we could)
  • Other titles that authors throw around alongside “bestselling”
  • Put up, or shut up!

36:34 — Writers Off the Clock: High School of the Dead

  • An import from Japan has grabbed our attention…
  • What past ladies in Tee’s life thought of anime
  • In High School of the Dead, the T&A in the opening credits also happens in the anime!
  • We’re not hung up over sex, but we are distracted.
  • Tee’s defines “alternative anime,” and compares it to the mainstream.
  • Now for the good news — High School of the Dead is Walking Dead good.
  • A good anime series, but be prepared…

47:44 — The Wrap-Up

  • This show is just getting easier and easier…and time flies!
  • Where you can find our 99-Penny Dreadfuls
  • NEXT SHOW: Special Guest P.C. Haring, in studio with us to talk about writing in other authors’ universes
  • Counting down to FenCon (September 23-25,2011)
  • Get details about schedules, tweet up’s, and such at Tee’s and Pip’s Facebook Group pages
  • Are there tiki bars in Texas?
  • Where you can find us (and even our steampunk characters) online for feedback and questions for Crazy Uncle Charlie

Websites We Give a Shout-Out to

[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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