Indie Book Magic - A Geek Reader/Writer Podcast

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke dive into a booksplosion celebrating pets and animal sidekicks! Includes mechanical cats, snek floofs, and sapient toadstools(technically fungi but still cute). Plus, the grand reveal of Bruce the Cat's Facebook page.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke tackle writing and creativity on the road! Includes getting inspiration from sensory details in your environment and using nearby locations for your drafting. Plus, how to find writing nooks in unlikely places.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke tackle author events in our first summer-tastic author episode! Learn about the best in-person author events for you and which ones to avoid. Plus, why potential readers may want you to ignore them.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke as they talk favorite story tropes and ideas to refresh familiar fairy tales. Plus, why magical objects are always cool, and the importance of sidekicks as heroes.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke invite fairy tale author and fan Kimberly A. Rogers on the show for our fairy tale booksplosion! Includes genderswapped retellings, delightful dialects, and excellent allegories. Plus, Cinderella meets Doctor Who in the 1920s.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke in an exploration of writing myth and fairy tale retellings! Learn how to stand out in the retelling genre and ways to tap into universal themes. Plus, why Disney isn't the answer--and could get you into trouble.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke welcome author W.R. Gingell on the show. Learn what inspires her fairy tales, how her urban fantasy series got started, and her favorite books to write. Plus, a celebration of k-drama tropes!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke share the latest in their writing and publishing lives! From big moves to new releases to books that might be cut in two. Plus, books on their writing backburners--and why.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke invite author and reader Aaron DeMott on the show to talk Easter eggs in our favorite books! Everything from Star Wars references to fiery recurring themes to every kind of shifter. Plus, tangents galore!

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they explore awesome Easter eggs in your storytelling! Learn clever ways to use outside humor, the marketing benefits of in-jokes, and when an outside reference can break the mood. Plus, an ultimate meta way to cross-reference your stories!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke welcome author Ronie Kendig on the show to chat about military and warfare in fiction! Learn what inspired her to start writing, how fiction led to a dog adoption, and the one essential to writing great military elements in fiction. Plus, a superpowered random question!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke share their favorite fight scene and warfare reads! Everything from murderous water to martial arts to portal-hopping demon-fighters. Plus, why rubber chickens are a valid weapon.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke invite fight scene editor Carla Hoch on the show to share her expertise! Includes key elements of all fight scenes, strategies to get over fight scene intimidation, and the "miniskirt guideline" to fight scenes. Plus, Carla faces the Random Question and much cat judgement.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they tackle fight scenes and warfare in fiction! Includes important tips for writing fight scenes and how to use action for solid characterization. Plus, why plausibility can be more important than realism.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke welcome author, creative techie, and all-around story ninja A.C. Williams to discuss happy and sad endings! Learn the fan fallout of sad endings, why happy endings can sell intense stories, and what Amy recommends for your best endings. Plus, we convince her to try a life of crime.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke tackle how to make your happy endings hit the spot! Learn how to wrap up a romantic thread, how to show true costs without being a downer, and how to leave things open (but still satisfying). Plus, why losing limbs is common for some character arcs.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke welcome author and bookstagrammer Kara Swanson as all three share their favorite reads with happy and sad endings. Learn which sad endings hit the sweet spot, what makes a happy ending satisfying, and why sometimes it pays to go against tropes. Plus, books that make us go "augh!"

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke in the month of "Happily-Ever-After--or Not" as they delve into what makes a good death. Includes death in wartime settings, how death can motivate characters, and how to show grieving in stories. Plus, a few great reasons why you should never, ever kill off a character.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke welcome Angela Castillo, author of the Busy Moms guides, including the Busy Moms Guide to Novel Marketing. Learn the one key thing you need to figure out before marketing and how a Bookbub ad helped Angela connect with her co-author Jamie Foley! Plus, her newest projects.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke discuss first impressions in your book marketing and networking. Everything from nailing the right outfits for conventions and conferences to getting a great author photo to making your social media shine! Plus, why giving away dragons can be a great promo.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke as they share some of their top theme reads from 2018! Includes The Cute Animal category and the influence of book club reads. Plus, short stories: the not-so-secret way to win your Goodreads challenge.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke ring in the new year with this shiny episode on how to start your author journey right and make it to that publishing finish line. Includes essential tips on self-education, smart budgeting, and strategic goal-setting. Plus, why candles and cats don't mix.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke tackle ALL the things and ALL the random in their final podcast of 2018! Features their bookish plans for 2019, why villains are better in steampunk, and a new direction for Indie Book Magic in the new year (hint: it includes more author-tastic moments). Plus, always pie. Always.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke tackle holiday book gifts in this epic booksplosion! Includes books to get Jane Austen fans to read fantasy, books for genre mash-up fans, and books with decidedly sensible heroines. Bottom line: books make people cooler!

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they tackle how to use holidays! Includes tips on holidays in your world building, ideas for using existing holidays in Earth settings, and book marketing for holidays. Plus, a Harry Potter confession and an unexpected Hunger Games search.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke interview author C. W. Briar about horror, humor, and strong themes in scary fiction! Learn why he published a short story anthology first, his tips on using scary elements in non-horror fiction, and what scary scene he held back in. Plus, why C. W. definitely would not make it through the zombie invasion.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke delve into myths, fairy tales, and history for excellent places to mine scary feels! Discover why certain monsters are scary and tap into those universal fears in your own writing. Plus, what scares our hosts, and the evil twin marriage clause.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke for a thrill-filled booksplosion! Includes deadly blood weapons, creepy warehouses, and fierce wolves who run bookstores. Plus, icky words and googly eyes as essential book decoration.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke tackle using fear in fiction--even if you're not writing horror or suspense! Learn how engaging your protagonist's and reader's fear factors leads to page-turning storytelling, and ways to add that extra tension! Plus, one surefire way to scare Janeen, and another profound Psych moment from Heidi.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke as they answer listener questions in this wacky variety episode! Learn how to make your book cover design easier, what marketing advice is good (but difficult) to follow, and why otters should be in more books. Plus, a genre trend that the hosts are anticipating!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke get into the swing of new release month with this epic booksplosion! Featuring huntresses, space cats, haunting short stories, and much dragon goodness. Includes spooky cat eyes and why certain books should include ice cream recipes.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke dive into another bag of book launching tricks for your releases! Learn why cover reveals are a thing, what blog tours are (and aren't) good for, and the actual usefulness of book reviews. Plus, the dangers (and joys) of premade book cover collecting.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they dive into ways to make your next book launch successful! Learn about simplifying book branding, premarketing ideas, and when to release. Plus, why food is the best analogy for marketing!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke have been busy beavers--er, cat-dragons--with writing, publishing, and all manner of authorial business! Tune in to learn about lobster ice cream, cat story throw downs, monks as husbands, and more!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they explore an array of steampunktastic reads! Includes steampunk that deals dragons, soars on stardust, encounters the fae, and plumbs soul-killing science. You don't need to be a genius to enjoy this plethora of steampunk goodness!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke dive into steampunk a second time with deeper questions and answers for your writing benefit. Learn two main angles to approach steampunk, how to incorporate magic and fantasy, why "Hippolyta" is the next Amazon.com (steampunk-style), and that most important question: should Edison be a vampire?

Your friendly hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke teamed up in person at the Realm Makers writers conference in St. Louis, Missouri--and return with snark, adventures, and tidbits about having a great writers conference. Plus, what pineapples have to do with good marketing!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke dive into the exciting cross-genre world of steampunk! Learn key traits of steampunk, why it's so hard to explain, and what gears have to do with everything. Plus, the one reason you should never write steampunk stories.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke welcome guest Bethany A. Jennings on the show to share about building a successful author platform even before your novel's been published! Includes Bethany's thoughts about authentically connecting with readers and finding joy in your work. Plus, her very special answer to the Random Question!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke dig into those unmentionable "unmarketable" books and offer tips to get them to the right audience! Includes tackling the controversial cliffhanger, hitting the mark with educational fiction, and how to sell those genre-bending books.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke tackle your questions in this marketing-oriented Q&A, from ways to get your book noticed to how to stay energized in the marketing game. Plus, where's that marketing fairy?

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke showcase books/authors that make use of smart marketing tactics and explain when you should adapt those tactics for your own book marketing work. Also, learn the essential rule of mastering book marketing, no matter what your genre. Plus: how to make your book your business card.

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke in this exploration of how to use your story itself in book marketing! Learn when to use (and when to break) genre tropes, how themes can help you find your author networking tribe, and why your book blurb should include "spoilers" - aka, key words and plot points that will catch reader attention. This episode is valiantly brought to you by Steve the Snail!

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke as they interview fantasy author Lea Doue! Learn about her family-filled series featuring the 12 Dancing Princesses (and inspired by many other fairy tales), how she got started on such an ambitious endeavor (12+ books!), and what a butterwing is (hint: it might be a dragon).

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke tackle a random batch of reader questions in their usual tangent-laden way! Learn when to submit to a small press (and when not to), who wins the cat vs. dragon battle, and the fascinating possibility of dog-dragons (for good or for ill).

Join hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke on this fun-filled voyage through amazing books featuring family! We're talking opposing siblings, marvelous moms, and other fantastic family members who assist (or greatly hinder) the protagonists. Plus, snakes jumping off cliffs.

Join hosts H.L. Burke and Janeen Ippolito in a family-focused writing craft episode! Learn why orphans are so popular in fiction, when you should (and shouldn't) use an evil twin, and what's up with those crazy aunts (or uncles, or grandparents) always stashing special objects in the attic. Plus, where are cousins in stories?

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke interview author Paul Regnier about humor in fiction, the inspiration for his Space Drifters space opera/comedy series, and what exactly "freems" and "velrys" are. Plus, the Random Question has an interpretative dance option!

Your friendly hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke answer more of your questions about writing humor in this fun-filled and tangent-filled episode of Indie Book Magic! Includes reasons you should use humor in dark moments, four examples of when humor doesn't work, why licking windows is either funny or creepy, and many, many Psych references.

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke treat you to some of their very favorite funny recommendations in speculative fiction! From snarky fairy tales to funny pairings to quirky situations, we've got a spread of humorific stories on this booksplosion episode. Plus, why humor makes book friendships even better!

Hosts Janeen Ippolito and H.L. Burke crack the code on humor writing in this Psych-tastic episode! Includes the cathartic effects of humor, how contrasting characters are an easy cheat, and the words that make or break a funny moment. Listen for some hilarity-making hijinks and helpful hints!