Tag Archives: what we do in the shadows

Episode #60: Starting from Scratch…Again (with Special Guest Lauren “Scribe” Harris)

 

Hold on — Lauren “Scribe” Harris is back in studio?

Why, yes, yes, she is! With the Drakes out west, we need to fill the vacancy left behind; and Lauren is up for the challenge. Speaking of challenges, this week we’re facing that dreaded moment in a writer’s life when we look at a work-in-progress, realize that it is a ship sinking fast, and only one thing is left to do with it…

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Yay! Lauren’s back!
  • Tonight’s cocktail comes courtesy of MurLarkey’s Distilled Spirits, a Virginia Distillery and Bristow’s first!
    • Cinnamon Irish Coffee made with Cincerity
    • Tee prefers Smoke on the Mountain
    • This drink has a practical application, Lauren discovers
  • What brings Lauren back to the studio…

03:54 — Starting from Scratch…Again (with Lauren “Scribe” Harris) 

  • What happens when the story isn’t clicking?
    • For Pip, it was Hollywood Sentinels. A great idea…but just not a pleasant experience.
    • The story is broken, and Pip can’t discover the disconnect.
    • For Lauren, her own“Tackle & Grapple” happened not once but twice.
  • And here’s a new writer’s term: Ol’ Yellering a Novel. (I am so, so sorry.)
  • Lauren’s two Ol’ Yellers: The Mark of Flight and Hellhound
  • Is Ol’ Yellering a novel worth it?
  • If something feels wrong in a work-in-progress, chances are there is. Trust the instincts and start again.
  • Happy Fourth of July from our subdivision!
  • When two ideas struggle for attention, and one of the ideas isn’t falling into place, another idea might be worth pursuing.
  • Do you scrap an idea when you’re under contract? Sadly, yes.
  • How do you snap back psychologically from making the call of trashing a novel?
  • Before investing the energy and time into a broken story, consider what you are putting into it and the return from that investment.
  • What can be more crippling than scrapping a novel? Never finishing a novel.
  • Tee faces all these demons with Blackstar Rising.
  • This is the “Man Crush” moment of the show, featuring Chuck and Phil
  • No rapping! No rapping!
  • Tee’s reboot of Morevi. Not. Happening.
  • Lauren is a walking musical. You just randomly break out into song…
  • Sometimes, it’s better to walk forward than look back.
  • Scrapping an idea is not a reflection on you as a writer. It is a reflection on you as a professional.

31:42 — Writers Off the Clock

  • Still a favorite of Pip’s.
  • First stop for the weekend — Cobbler Mountain Cellars
    • We popped a “Bear Cherry” together.
    • Lauren’s favorite of the tasting: The Ginger Peach.
    • The Jeffersonian — Tastes Like Slavery
    • Cider Talk
  • Next stop: MurLarkey Distillery
    • This distillery is far too close to us!
    • Tee recalls his Vodka Vault experience…and how terrible it was.
    • However, the Divine Clarity was amazing!
    • Another surprise—the Imagination.
    • What we brought back— Clemoncy and Cincerity.
    • And we’ve been mixing drinks…
    • The winner of the weekend: Smoke on the Mountain
    • Good times at MurLarkey!
  • Clocking in time in the Man Cave with…
  • Escape Velocity, the first convention hosted by the Museum of Science Fiction
    • Where is everyone?
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    • We looked good…but we were the only ones in costume.
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    • Fantastic programming, and apparently that was where all the people were.
    • Steampunk in Anime, Film, and Print—the panel that almost wasn’t.
    • The convention crew was spot-on amazing!
    • Charles Dunbar and Doomtastic were on the panel…and we had a great time.
    • Then came The Big Score…and communication was proving a bit of a challenge.
    • Escape Velocity still came through, and I was able to give the presentation.
    • Always nice when you do a giveaway and your winners get excited over the free stuff!
    • Some advice to the con organizers for 2017…
    • We need folks like Pamela Gay, Stephen Grenade, John Cmar, and others on account of the STEM focus.
  • Keep listening to see if Tee, Pip, and others return for Escape Velocity 2017…

58:34 — Wrapping up

  • What do you know? We went long.
  • Where Lauren will be?
    • 16 JulyCongregate in High Point, North Carolina
    • Sometime in August — LaurenCon 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina
  • What’s coming up for us?
  • Got thoughts or comments on this show or what we are rambling about at the end of the show?
    • We have voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • I have email — tee@teemorris.com
    • Pip’s got email — pip@pjballantine.com
    • …and on various corners of social media!
  • Listen up — here’s where you can find all of us online!
  • Whoops! Tee swiped Pip’s closing line.

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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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Episode #42 The Beer with Katie episode

The Shared Desk with Katie

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

00:00 Introduction, and a little commentary

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

4:31 We begin with beer

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

Dogfish Head stein

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

15:43 The Topic at hand is found!

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

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

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

34:46 Writers Off the Clock- Vampires and Gothic

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

46:46 Time to wrap up

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

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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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