Podcasts about writers

Time for a speedy story! Show Notes: Run Time: 2:15:49 I'll tell you, I'm not sure how it is that last week's episode ended up under 90 minutes and this one took over two hours, but here we are! We go into the publication history of Friction a bit, dig into a few of her other stories, and then start crafting this one, a brand new tale that we create entirely on the air! Oh, and because I know Walking Target will want it, here's the spelling of a name: Maisie Murphy We're into June now! Send us your questions about this episode, future episodes, and anything Sentinel Comics that you want to know, using this link! Next week's episode will be a space opera?! How will we pull that off?! Join us and find out!

Melisa Febos joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about romantic obsessions, celibacy as a portal to freedom, living her way into a corner and having to fight her way out, leading with scene and story and plot, taking back the sovereignty of her own mind and body, approaching oneself as a protagonist, leaving out what isn't central to the story, remembering memoir is not a transcription of a time lived, radical feminists, exercising agency and self-reclamation, living an examined life, integrating memories that were indigestible to us in the moment, the project of looking at ourselves honestly, and her most recent book, now in paperback The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex. Ronit's upcoming workshop: Writing Dynamic Memoir: From Lived Experience to Gripping Story https://www.lmcmurtrylitcenter.org/workshops/writing-dynamic-memoir-from-lived-experience-to-gripping-story   Also in this episode: -deepending friendships  -memoir-plus digressions -writing about our obsessions   Books mentioned in this episode: Will and Attention by Meghan O'Gieblyn  Canon by Paige Lewis Fat Swim by Emma Copley Eisenberg   Melissa Febos is the national bestselling author of five books, including Abandon Me, Girlhood—which won the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism, Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative, and, most recently, The Dry Season. Her awards and fellowships include those from the Guggenheim Foundation, LAMBDA Literary, the National Endowment for the Arts, The British Library, The Black Mountain Institute, MacDowell, the Bogliasco Foundation, The American Library in Paris, and others. Her work has appeared in The Paris Review, The New Yorker, The Sun, The New York Times Magazine, The Best American Essays, Vogue, The Best American Travel and Food Writing, and New York Review of Books. Febos is a Roy J. Carver Professor at the University of Iowa, where she teaches in the Nonfiction Writing Program. She lives in Iowa City with her wife, the poet Donika Kelly.   Connect with Melissa: Website: https://www.melissafebos.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafebos Purchase book via bookshop: This is for the pre-order paperback for The Dry Season https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-dry-season-a-memoir-of-pleasure-in-a-year-without-sex-melissa-febos/f1c8367d8e351d91?ean=9780593685150&next=t - Ronit Plank bio and links:  Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher, and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, Poets & Writers, River Teeth's Beautiful Things, The Rumpus, Salon, Hippocampus, The New York Times, and elsewhere, earning Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and multiple Pushcart Prize nominations. Her memoir When She Comes Back was a Book Riot Best True Crime Book and Kirkus Reviews calls it, “An intimate, intuitive, emotionally vivid family account that finds hope in reconciliation". Ronit is also the author of the award-winning short story collection Home is a Made-Up Place, and her work has been anthologized in Selected Memories, Vol. 2: 15 Years of Hippocampus Magazine and Manna Songs: Stories of Jewish Culture and Heritage. Ronit is the Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, teaches memoir at a host of venues including the University of Washington's Continuum Program, Antioch University, and 92NY's Roundtable, and is host of the podcast Let's Talk Memoir and the Substack Let's Talk Memoir. Find her on social media @ronitplank   Website: www.ronitplank.com Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/when-she-comes-back/

Bennett Yellin and Peter Farrelly talk about meeting each other in school and immediately connecting over their shared sense of humor. Bennett talks about substance abuse in college, while Peter discusses being a very hard driver at work. You talk about getting very lucky working with Eddie Murphy and David Zucker, and about bringing Bobby Farrelly into the group when they were writing movies together. Peter talks about being extremely loyal, living in Ojai, and never feeling like Los Angeles was really his town. Bennett talks about growing up in Beverly Hills in an Orthodox Jewish family. Peter tells a story about using the wrong knives while staying at Bennett's house because meat is not supposed to touch milk. Peter says he doesn't think Rotten Tomatoes is fair, and he also doesn't think criticism is very helpful. Bennett recently wrote a horror movie, Día de Muertos. Peter is a good audience member and wants everyone to contribute. Bennett knew everything about movies, while Peter knew almost nothing about them. Peter also has a very happy crew. Bio:  -Peter John Farrelly (born December 17, 1956) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and novelist. Along with his brother Bobby, the Farrelly brothers are best known for directing and producing quirky and romantic comedy films such as Dumb and Dumber, Shallow Hal, Me, Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary, and the 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid. Farrelly solo-directed and co-wrote the comedy-drama Green Book (2018), which won the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018, the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay, and the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. He has been married to Melinda Farrelly since December 31, 1996. They have two children. -Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bennett received his B.A. in Fiction from U.C.L.A.  Still not ready to enter the real world, he enrolled at UMass in Amherst for an M.F.A. in fiction.  It was there — on the first day of school — that he met and befriended Peter Farrelly.  On a lark, they tried writing a comedy together and this spec script ultimately got into the hands of Eddie Murphy and the Zucker Brothers, creators of Airplane and The Naked Gun.  Both Murphy and the Zuckers asked the duo to write movies for them, and their career was off and running. Yellin wrote exclusively with Peter for years until they asked his brother Bobby to join them.  The three went on to write a number of unproduced features together until they created Dumb and Dumber in 1994 and reunited in 2014 to co-write the official sequel chronicling the further idiotic adventures of Harry and Lloyd, Dumb and Dumber To. In 2007, the Farrelly Brothers branched out on their own and Yellin partnered with James Robert Johnson to create a professional writing duo that has endured for sixteen years.  Among the plethora of projects they've tackled during their career — some produced, others not — the two have co-written Let's Scare Jessica to Death for Paramount Pictures, the Fox situation comedy Unhitched, the direct-to-DVD thriller Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead, Paramount Pictures' Hotel For Dogs 2, the Anchor Bay action-thriller In the Blood with Gina Carano, the 20th Century Fox family film, Santa's Little Helper, and the Warner Brothers re-boot of the Police Academy series, Police Academy: Takin' it to the Streets.  More recently, Yellin and Johnston have co-written a live action family stage show adaptation of the hugely popular Angry Birds IP, and their original supernatural thriller Dia de Muertos has recently completed filming and is set to be released in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a story feel truly mythic? Many writers assume mythic fiction comes from borrowing archetypes, retelling old myths, or layering symbolic imagery into a story. While there is immense value in studying mythology, fairy tales, folklore, and archetypal storytelling traditions, something important has been lost in many modern conversations about mythic fiction. The old myths aren't powerful merely because of their plot structure or symbolism. They are powerful because they emerged from their creator's living relationship with symbol, transformation, mystery, dream, and the deeper psyche. In this episode, I explore: •    Why so much modern "mythic storytelling" can feel strangely hollow  •    The difference between inherited myth and living myth  •    Why writers often approach archetypes from the outside in  •    How mythic resonance actually emerges in story  •    Why mythic storytelling matters during times of cultural transformation  •    How writers can reconnect to the symbolic imagination itself  What if the role of the writer is not simply to preserve mythology, but to participate in it? If you've ever wanted to write stories that feel more resonant, symbolic, emotionally alive, or spiritually meaningful, this episode explores the deeper source from which mythic fiction arises. 02:45 How Modern Writers Understand Mythic Fiction and Archetypal Storytelling 03:58 The Mythological and Folk Tale Lens for Mythic Fiction 04:32 The Anthropological & Psychological Lens for Mythic Fiction 05:10 Pop Culture & the Mythic Retelling 06:27 Studying Myth vs. Writing Mythic Fiction 09:03 Borrowing vs. Accessing Symbols 11:17 Inherited Myth vs. Living Myth 12:16 Mythic Fiction in Cultural Times of Transformation 13:43 Our Relationship to the Old Stories Grows Thin 14:55 Mythic Fiction Requires the Partnership of Intuition and Intellect 16:11 Mythic Fiction Reconnects Writers to the Deep Source of Story 18:38 The Need for New Myths in a Changing World 20:15 New Myths, Ancient Roots 21:15 Participating in Myth as Much as Preserving It 21:59 Reconnecting to Myth in Your Own Writing Process Read the transcript: https://helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-write-mythic-fiction LINKS & RESOURCES Want More? This conversation connects deeply to my class Alchemizing Plot, Character, & Theme: https://kmweilandstore.com/b/plot-character-theme-class In this masterclass, I explore how plot, character, and theme act as one cohesive symbolic structure capable of creating stories with emotional resonance, narrative momentum, and deeper thematic meaning. We'll talk about: •    Aligning inner and outer arcs  •    Creating stories that feel alive from the inside out  •    Integrating plot, character, and theme organically  •    Writing stories with greater depth and cohesion 

How do you write when your heart is broken? How do you go back into the publishing business after years away, knowing it's a very different industry to the one you left? With Jami Albright. In the intro, InAudio is now distributing audiobooks to BookShop.org; The Feedback Loop that Makes Better Writers [Author Nation Podcast]; Bones of the Deep on Goodreads. This episode is sponsored by Publisher Rocket, which will help you get your book in front of more Amazon readers so you can spend less time marketing and more time writing. I use Publisher Rocket for researching book titles, categories, and keywords — for new books and for updating my backlist. Check it out at www.PublisherRocket.com This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Jami Albright is the bestselling author of the Brides on the Run romances and the co-host of the Wish I'd Known Then Podcast. Today we're talking about her new novel, The Summer That Changed Us. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How Jami started writing fiction at 47 and waited a year before publishing her first book Why she fictionalised her sister's terminal cancer story rather than writing a memoir The difference between writing as therapy and writing for the reader Reactivating an email newsletter after almost two years of silence Going wide with a standalone women's fiction novel after years in KU and rom-com Letting go of the frantic hustle of indie publishing and redefining what success looks like You can find Jami at JamiAlbright.com. Transcript of the interview with Jami Albright Jo: Jami Albright is the bestselling author of the Brides on the Run romances and the co-host of the Wish I'd Known Then Podcast. Today we're talking about her new novel, The Summer That Changed Us. So, welcome to the show, Jami. Jami: Thank you, Joanna. I've made it. This is my first time on The Creative Penn, so I can retire tomorrow. Jo: And we were saying before the show, I really thought you had been on the show before, because over the years we've connected a lot. We met over a decade ago, didn't we? At the Smarter Artist Summit. I was like, “I'm sure you've been on the show,” and you haven't. So, yes, welcome. Jami: Thank you. You've been on our show, though. We did an interview with you a few years ago. Jo: Yes. Well, anyway, for anyone who doesn't follow your show— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing. Jami: Okay. So I am the co-host of the Wish I'd Known Then Podcast for Writers. Sara Rosett and I have been doing that podcast since January 2020. Little did we know what was coming, and it really saved me, just mentally, being able to talk to people every week. I never wrote a word of fiction until I was 47. I'd never really written anything. I have really bad grammar. I tell a lot of stories, and I would make up stories, but I'd never write them down because of the grammar thing. But my reading buddy had her birthday coming up in about three months, and I thought, “You know what? I'm going to write Jennifer a book for her birthday. She doesn't care if I have bad grammar.” I just thought it would be on brand. It was so hard. I wrote myself into a corner very fast. When I told her, she said, “Well, now you have to.” So I got Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies, I read that, and I started writing what is now Running from a Rock Star. But then my computer crashed and I lost it, and I was like, “Well, I'm not a writer.” So that was fine. Then I turned 50, and I told my family, “I think the only thing I regret is not finishing that book.” Of course they were like, “Well, you need to just do it again.” I was like, “No, I had 30,000 words.” A few weeks later my daughter came in and said, “Mom, I found this flash drive in my car. I think it has your book on it.” And it was 20,000 of the 30,000 words. So I was like, “Well, it's now or never.” So I joined Romance Writers of America and got involved in a critique group, and they absolutely kicked my butt for a good six months. I think every week they were surprised I came back, because it was so brutal. I knew I didn't know anything, and they taught me to write. Six months after I joined that first critique group, I won my first contest with the first 10 pages of that book. Then I just continued on. Three years later, I published Rock Star. I was going to publish it two years later, but I went to the Smarter Artist Summit, where I met you. I was advised by Julia Cant and Sean Platt and some other people to wait—preferably to have more books written. I had the second book written when the first one came out, but it still needed to be edited. So I waited a year, learned this business, and sold plasma to pay for my edits because I was poor. It was the best decision I ever made. Going to that conference, first of all, was the best $500 I've ever spent, and waiting that year really helped me learn this business. When I published the book, I had an email list of 1,200 people before the book ever came out. None of those things would have been set up had I published right after the Smarter Artist Summit, which is what I'd thought I would do, in the summer. So waiting gave me time to get everything set up so that when I published that book, it really took off from day one. I had 1,200 people on that newsletter list who wanted that book, because I had done a preview promo. Instead of putting out the whole book, I think I put out four chapters, and then people signed up. I don't know that that works anymore. Jo: I was going to say that. We should say to people, what was that, around 2016? Jami: 2017. Things have changed. Jo: Yes, things have changed, and I think this is so important. I had a question about this, and what they were implying was things that, like you said, we learned a decade ago. Things have changed. We'll come back to how you're doing it now, but just in terms of finishing off how you got started—those books did really well, didn't they? You had a couple of years there. How many books did you do? How did that go? Because you did have real success. Jami: Yes. From 2017 until really the beginning of 2021, if you look at my sales graph and my income, it just increased, increased, increased. 2019 was my very best year, but 2020 was only slightly lower as far as book sales and income. I only put out a book a year after the second book. The second book came out about six months after the first one, and after that it was about every nine months to a year that I put a book out. Everyone said you can't make money doing that, but I did. I think those books are very tropey. They're very hooky. That helped. I also think the timing of those books was really good. Rom-com was really coming up, and my rom-com is pretty wacky, but it's also really emotional too. If I get any critiques about them it's usually that “this book was way more emotional than I expected, and I was looking for something a little lighter.” They're just really wacky. They're rom-coms. Wacky circumstances. Small town, so there's all these small-town people. I just think it was a good time to release those. Those were good years. I miss those years. Jo: It's a good lesson, because it's not always up and to the right, is it? We're going to come back and revisit that. So then the pandemic hit, and on a more personal level, over the last few years, you've had a deeply difficult time that has led to The Summer That Changed Us, your latest book. So talk a bit about what's happened, why this book, and also why fictionalise it rather than write a memoir? I had that question. Jami: Okay. So 2021, my income was dropping, but it was still okay. I was still making more than enough that—thank God I don't have to make all the money in our household—but there was a level that I wanted to. At the end of 2021, my sister, who was the fourth of five sisters, had lived with cancer—non-smoker's lung cancer—for 10 years. She had the kind that, if you had a certain mutation, there were medications that worked amazingly well. Until they didn't, and then they put you on another class of that medication. So for 10 years, that's what she did. She missed work maybe three times in 10 years. People who met her never knew she had cancer unless they knew us. She just never acted like she had cancer. We would have to say, “Remember, you have cancer.” At the end of 2021, they ran out of that class of drugs. There were some being tested, but none had been approved. When she was diagnosed, she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. You don't survive very long having stage four lung cancer with no medication. So I saw the writing on the wall pretty much at the end of 2021, but of course I was very hopeful that they could do something. By May of 2022, it was clear things were not going well. In July of 2022, she got a six-to-twelve-week diagnosis. She just went in one day thinking she was about to get radiation, not knowing anything, and they were like, “No, we can't do radiation, and you should get your affairs in order because you have six to twelve weeks to live.” Jo: Oh. Jami: People who've been through it know this feeling. It's like being hit by a wrecking ball. It just knocks everything off your axis. Your whole world implodes into this one moment, this person that you love. I live four hours away from my family. They all still live in the same small town. I was in Dallas at my daughter's at the time, and they live about 30 miles outside of Dallas. So I went to my mom's, and I stayed there. I was there for almost six months, if you count the time I was back and forth, because she was not doing great but she was still okay. She had always rallied and come back. But once she got the diagnosis, I stayed. She would go home, but she would come back to my mom's during the day, because her husband worked. She was a teacher, so she was off during the summer. I was just there, and we all just took care of her. When she decided to go on hospice, she wanted to be at my mom's. She didn't want to be at home—they lived out in the country. She wanted to be at my mom's, so we set her up in the living room. We're redneck country people. We bring our crazy people in, our sick people, just out for everybody to see. She was just in the middle of the living room in her hospital bed, and the world just revolved around that hospital bed. Once that happened, once I knew at the end of 2021 that things were not going to go well—I really did not believe she would die. But she died a month after she went on hospice in October of 2022. That whole year, I was useless. I could not write. I couldn't think of anything to write. I write funny. How do you write funny when your heart's broken? I couldn't do it. After she died, I knew it would take a while. I knew it would maybe even be a year. But as the weeks turned into months and the months turned into years, I haven't written—except for her obituary—I've not written a word since she died until I started writing this book a year ago. I started it on April 19th. Jo: I mean, the stories of grief—there seems to be no way of escaping whatever it ends up being. You didn't choose your response. Your deep grief was just there, and you couldn't write. I feel like sometimes people just try and force it. It sounds like that's what you needed, and you have done that. So what then gave you the impetus to finally write—and to choose fiction? Jami: I didn't write memoir. I did think about doing a memoir, but I don't read memoir, and I don't know how to write it. I was already behind the eight ball, trying to write a book at all because it had been forever. I don't need to learn how to write something completely different. Plus, it just felt too close to write the memoir. I had been in Mexico City with my daughter, who has an event planning company, and we were there scouting locations for one of her events. Janet Margot lives in Mexico City, so I reached out, and we had dinner. We were talking, and she had had two big losses about the same time that my sister passed away. So we were talking about how difficult it is afterwards, just getting your head back into a space of being creative at all. She said, “You really should write this book. You should tell this story. It hits everything: middle-aged women dealing with middle-age things. You've got your parents that you were dealing with, and then your sister. You should write this story.” I said, “No, thank you. I lived it. I don't want to write it.” But it just wouldn't go away. I couldn't figure out how I would tell it. Whose point of view? I couldn't do it from the dying sister's point of view because I didn't think I could be authentic. I was afraid to tell it from multiple POVs because the book has a lot of characters in it. My family is gigantic—my immediate family, my sisters, husbands, nieces and nephews, my kids, my mom and dad—there are 35 of us. Almost all of those are in and out of my mom's house all the time. So I knew I couldn't do multiple point of view. One day, I was driving home to my mom's house, and it just hit me. The whole story laid out in front of me, and that's what I did. The first draft was pretty much just a retelling of what happened to us. I added some fictional elements, but I just wanted to get the story out. It was hard. I started Adderall on April 19th of 2025—I know that, because that's the day I started this book. I do call this the book that Adderall wrote, because I could sit and focus for three or four hours, which I'd never really been able to do. I would come to Starbucks and I would sit and write this book, and I would cry sitting in Starbucks, like a crazy person. People would walk by and slide a napkin onto the table and just keep walking, because I'm sitting there crying like crazy. I was so superstitious, and things were working so well, that I was afraid not to come and write at Starbucks. Staying at home, I think, would have been really hard. I would maybe have sunk into a depression had I done this at home. So I just wrote the whole book at Starbucks. After I wrote the first draft, I went back in and made it more fictional. But a lot of the book—especially her stuff—is a lot of what happened. She was just crazy. I tell a story in the book that, this is the absolute truth, this happened. She was in college, and she had convinced my younger sister to go to a honky-tonk club because they were having a Miss Honky-Tonk contest. Before she could get up on stage to compete as Miss Honky-Tonk, she got in a fight with some girl, and the girl hit her in the head with a bottle and split her head open. She was bleeding. My youngest sister was like, “We've got to go to the ER.” And she just refused, because there was a $300 cash prize for winning, and she needed it to make rent. So she borrowed a towel from the bartender, wrapped it around her head, competed with that bloody towel on her head, and won that stupid contest. That story in and of itself was my sister. Everything about her is in that story. So a lot of the stories in there happened to her in one way or another. What happens to June in the book happened to my sister. Jo: This is interesting, because the same thing memoir writers face is something perhaps you face: how much of the writing is therapy and how much is for the reader? You said you sat there crying. Absolutely, writing for therapy is very important—but when you come to edit, there might be things that your therapy side of you is like, “That's so important to me.” How do you kill your darlings when you're editing your sister's life? Jami: That was hard. I had to take out a lot of what was in the first draft, mostly the stories. Once she came home on hospice, it was just a steady stream of people coming in, and everybody had a story about her. What I found in editing was that Hope, the main character, was mostly a spectator in those scenes instead of being actively part of them. So I had to take those out, because they didn't serve the purpose of the book. I committed early on to: while I wanted to tell the story, I did not want it to be self-indulgent. I did not want it to be a therapy session that I sold to people as a story. Because of that, I think that really helped. I really did think about that as I was revising. I sent it to a developmental editor, and I don't know how great she was, but she gave me some really good advice about a couple of things. One was, “There's just not enough conflict in this book. You say that Hope and the father have this really contentious relationship, yet we don't see it. There's a little bit of it here and there, but you're not really digging into that.” It's hard, because while the rest of the world doesn't know, my family knows that this is a lot of our story. I just had to let that go and not worry about what my family thought. They had all given me permission. I'd sort of said, “I want to do this. Are you guys okay with that?” I talked to her husband, and everybody was okay with me doing it. But I couldn't worry about what they were going to think. I would repeat to myself: if they want to tell this story, they can write their own book. I'm writing what I saw and telling a fictionalised story that will hopefully honour her, but also help other people feel like they're being seen, and also be entertaining. If you're going to write a book, it needs to be somewhat entertaining. Jo: I don't think you can help yourself. You're funny. Jami: Yes. The book is really funny. I tell people that and they're like, “Hmm, really?” And I'm like, “It is really funny.” But it's also really sad. Jo: Well, I think that's the truth—to defend myself. There is a lot of humour in grief. There is death and dying, and it's a human condition. Jami: It is a human condition, yep. Jo: There's comedy in all of the human condition. That's just the way it is, right? I heard you mention on an interview, I can't remember where it was, that you feel very connected to this book, and you're worried that people judging it or giving it a bad review might feel like an insult to your sister. How are you dealing with these kinds of fears about how to separate ourselves from our books? Jami: I've been in therapy—like, literal therapy—for that, because I felt like that would be hard. So far, I've only gotten a few reviews back. They've all been good reviews. I haven't had anyone say they hate it. I just have had to separate myself. It's not personal. Reviews are never personal. People not liking your book is never personal. That's just a mindset. I've had to change my mind about that. Knowing that's a pitfall I could fall into, I really keep it top of mind. My family knows that's an issue, so they know they have to pull me out of that hole if I drop in. So that's really how I've handled it so far. We'll see. Jo: Maybe it's time as well. You're almost back to the “book is your baby” situation. As the years pass, the book almost becomes separate, doesn't it? How you feel about your first bride book is probably like, “It's not even me anymore.” Jami: Right. I learned early that your book isn't really your baby. Once you publish it, it's your product. So that has never been very hard for me. I still hate bad reviews, and I take them personally like everybody else does, if I let myself. But ultimately, this is a book that I'm putting out for entertainment. Yes, it's very personal. Yes, it means a lot to me. But if people don't like it, it isn't because they don't like my dead sister. They just don't like my writing. Jo: It's tough, but it's good to talk about, because this is something many people feel. My memoir Pilgrimage—it's not the same at all—but I was just so scared of judgment. The fear of judgment. What people would think of me. That's kind of different, but— It's this question of how it'll land. The reality is, not many people read these books anyway. Jami: Well, I have worried about how it would land, but mostly I worry about how it would land with the people I love. My mom read it last week. I was there while she was reading it. That was no fun. She laughed, but it was devastating to her. She's like, “It's great, and I hate it.” Because it is so raw and real to her still—well, to all of us. That's where I worry, how it's going to land with them. But again, I've had to let that go. I had to let it go during the writing, because if I worried about that, then I would not have told an honest story. That was another thing—I didn't want it to be self-indulgent, and I wanted it to be honest. As honest as I could make it, even to the point of making people uncomfortable. There's a line. Once you cross it, there's no getting you back after that. So I walked that line really carefully, because I did want it to be honest about how I felt, how other people I know who've been through something like this feel. Also, just relationships. Because when you're in a big family like my sisters and I—we adore each other, but we can also go toe-to-toe real fast. It can get ugly, because we know each other really well. We're also a little bit redneck, so we don't pull any punches. Your sisters are always the most honest people in your life. I wanted that to be true in this book too—both sides of that story. Jo: Let's circle back to the business stuff and some of the things we talked about, because obviously this has been a really difficult time. There was no way to deal with it in any other way, but your business has changed. You had these great few years, good sales, and then you had other priorities. So how are you rebooting the business? Lots of people end up taking a few years out for whatever reason. How are you rebooting the business to try and sell some books? Jami: To be honest, I have the remnants of a business. I have tried over the last four years to run some ads to get the Bride's books going, but here's something that's very interesting, and if somebody can tell me why this happened, I would love to hear it. These books that have sold so many books—I mean, so many books—I could not give them away. It didn't matter what I did. I changed covers, I changed blurbs, I put them on sale, I took them off sale, I ran ads. Ads wouldn't really move the needle. I know that at a certain point, when you haven't published and your books get pushed down in the algorithm, that is an uphill battle. But it was almost like, one day they just fell off, and once they started falling, I could not get them back. I just couldn't. So that I didn't make myself crazy—because also during this time, I was just trying to keep my head above water—when I would deal with my books or go into my dashboard, I would feel horrible. I was already feeling horrible, so I didn't need to feel more horrible. So I just sort of let them go after a certain point. I've now started running some Facebook ads. I have one Facebook ad that's working really well, knock on wood, right now for my first Bride's book. The problem is, this book and my Bride's books are different. The voice and the tone are the same, but they're really different in a lot of ways. They're the same in a lot of ways. This book doesn't have any sex; the other books don't have anybody dying. But some of the things are really similar. So I may have some crossover. For whatever reason, this ad is working. My book one is ranked better than it's been ranked in forever—really good. I'm not spending a ton of money to do it. So I don't know what changed. I don't know if I'll ever know. I've revised my newsletter, and that's worked well. I still have around a 35 to 40% open rate on a newsletter that I didn't send out for almost two years. I was sending it out, but then I kind of stopped, and then I started again. Jo: I was going to ask you about that, because I often get people emailing me. They're like, “I have a really old newsletter from several years ago. I haven't emailed them for years.” So what did you say in that first email? Like, “Hey, I'm back”? Jami: I mean, I'm just like, “Remember me?” It really was kind of like that. Just, “I'm back. You guys know life has happened. I'm sure you understand. If you're still here, thank you so much. I have been writing. I have this book that I think some of you will really love.” That's really how it was. From the first email, even that first email had a higher open rate. I think it was close to 45%. I had not sent out a newsletter in two years literally. Jo: People were like, “What happened?” Jami: They're like, “Oh, she didn't die. That was her sister, not her.” But I've just been really fortunate. They've been really encouraging. Every time I send one out, I get really encouraging emails back. So I've sent out about the book. The majority of my readers are KU readers because my books are in KU. But this book is going wide. One of the things I'm doing because I have been a little concerned about… Janet Margot does a lot of Amazon ads stuff and she knows a lot about Amazon. We've talked a lot about whether I should use my real name, my pen name, or come up with another name. Should I worry about my readers buying the book and messing up my Also Boughts? All of those things, because my readers are romance readers. Some of them read women's fiction, but for the most part, they're romance readers. I've decided to stick with Jami Albright and not worry about it. There are just things you can't control, so I've had to hold everything with a really open hand with this book. I am offering the book on my website. I'm selling it at $7.99—I chose a high price point, because I just feel like, to sit with the other books that I want it to sit with, I need that price point. So I'm offering it on my website, starting at the end of this week, for $5. If they're KU readers and they don't buy books, but they want the book, they can get it for $5 on my website, which I think is reasonable. Jo: Mm. Absolutely. Jami: If that's too much for them, I understand and I get it. Time, things are hard right now, and if they can't do that, it's going to be in libraries, so they can request it at their library. But right now that's the plan. Hopefully that helps with the Also Boughts a little bit too. Even though, again, I just can't worry about those things. As a gift to my readers, I want to do this for them as well—give them a discount. Jo: And obviously this is a standalone, right? This is not— Jami: Yes, it is. Jo: Again, a bit like memoir, all the book marketing we talk about in fiction is “write a series.” It's much easier. So it is difficult to market a standalone in general. And this is something that happened, so it is a standalone situation. So do you feel like you're back in terms of writing? Have you got plans for more books, or is this a business for you going forward? Do you feel like you want to re-enter this whole world? Jami: I do. I have an idea for a book similar to this one—not in the same kind of genre, I mean, of women's fiction, kind of midlife fiction stuff. I have an idea. I had nothing for months and months and months, and a couple of months ago, this idea kind of came to me. I was like, “Oh, that's not bad.” So I'm mulling it over—I do a lot of mulling—and that's the next book I think I will write. I don't know that I'll write rom-coms again. Not because I don't love them. I do, and I love my rom-coms. But I'm just different. You do not go through something like this and come out on the other side the same. I don't know that I could carry an entire rom-com through without it being even more emotional than mine are now. So for right now, I'm going to write another one of these kinds of books where it's got a lot of emotion, family dynamic, tension and dynamics. Jo: That's great. I do feel like once you've written the book that was waiting—your sister's book—then more things arrive, and it's great to hear that that is arriving for you. And of course, we change. One of the nice things about writing for the long term and building more of a name brand is that you change, and your readers either follow you or they don't, but it's your life. So I think that's a good reason to have one pen name. I obviously have two, but my fiction pen name I've written all kinds of genres under. Why else would we keep doing this? I don't want to write the same book over and over again. Jami: Right. Believe me, I've had to eat a lot of crow over the last four years, and it's tasty with ketchup. I have decided that a lot of the stuff I said is true: about you write in one genre, you give the people exactly what they want, and you give it to them over and over again. I believe all of that. I still believe those things. It's just that I don't know that I'm capable of doing that right now. Also, I'm older. I am about doing the things that bring me joy and are not a drudgery. I want to say this, because I miss the success. I miss who I thought I was during that time. I miss the recognition. I'll freely admit it. I miss being the person doing the thing that everybody said couldn't be done. “You can't make money with one book a year.” Well, watch me. And I did. I miss that. What I don't miss, and I've had to be really, really honest with myself, which has been difficult—I don't miss the anxiety that came with that. There was a lot of franticness. I think that if you are in a lot of groups, you see that franticness. I've had to step back, like I've had to step back, and then go back into these groups, you hear authors and see authors, and there's just this frantic sense that we're losing everything, and we have to hold on so tight to everything. I was like that. I checked my ads constantly. I checked my dashboard constantly. My mom used to say, “This should be fun.” I'm like, “Mom, it's a business. It's not fun.” But I recognise that I loved that so much that I held onto it so tight. I don't want to go back to that. I don't have the energy for that. Since this all happened, I've gained four more grandchildren than I had. I have six grandchildren now. I want to spend time with them. I want to spend time with my adult children. I want to spend time with my mom and dad. So I can't be frantic about my sales—are they going up, are they dropping?—and give emotionally to the people I love in my life. If the last four years have taught me anything, it is that the one thing you can never get back is time. You can never get it back, and that is so important to me right now. With this book—and one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you when we were talking about when I would do it—I wanted to do it before it came out, because I've already won. Writing this book, writing a book that honours the bravest person I've ever known and doing the second-hardest thing that I've ever had to do, is the win. That's the win. Whatever happens with this book afterwards is just what happens with this book afterwards. It doesn't change who I am, and you told me that when we were in Vegas two years ago. That conversation really changed a lot for me, because you said, “You are a successful author.” I was still trying to come up with a plan to be a successful author again, and you were like, “You are a successful author. You've had success. That makes you a successful author. You don't have to chase that.” That changed so much of my thinking. If I could leave listeners with anything, it is that we need to recognise the things we can't control and just deal with the things we can control. That's kind of how my sister lived. She could not control her cancer, but she could control how she responded to it and how she went forward. I think a lot of times, when bad things happen, we want to make sense of them. We want a reason for them. And a lot of times there's just no reason. There's no reason my sister died. There's no reason she left two kids and a husband devastated and a family that just has a giant hole in it. There's no reason for that. What defines us is not figuring out why that happened. It's what we do with that going forward. I think that's important for me to remember when I start getting caught up in all the franticness of this business. Jo: Yes. Or not, as the case may be. You can just let the book be what it is. And I do feel like these deeper books, they're more slow burn. You wrote books that ran, ran like the bride. Now we're not running like the bride. Jami: I'm tired. I don't run unless a wild animal's chasing me. Jo: Exactly. Look, we're out of time, but just tell people, if they haven't listened, a bit about your podcast, Wish I'd Known Then with Sara Rosett. Tell people what they can find over on that podcast and why you're still doing it. You've been doing it throughout the whole time. While not writing, you've still been podcasting. Jami: It absolutely saved my life. It's kept me in this business. While I haven't been publishing, I still know what's going on. I know about direct sales, I know about what's happening behind the scenes, with Facebook ads. I've kept in touch with those things because of our podcast. It's an interview podcast like yours, but we talk to people about what they wish they'd known about indie publishing. Most people have some certain thing that they've been working on or doing, and we talk to them a little bit about that too. We ask the same questions every week to every guest, and it's so interesting how different the answers are, and yet how similar they are. I think that helps when you're going through it and you're like, “God, I must be the only one feeling this way.” But you tune into a podcast, and you hear week after week, “Oh, no, there are other people feeling the same way I'm feeling, or struggling with the same things I'm struggling with.” Hopefully we give people things to shoot for and to aspire to. We have some amazing guests. They've all been really gracious and really honest. I don't know if it's the questions, or just because Sara and I are our style, but they're really honest with us when they answer the questions. Jo: It's a great show. I recommend it a lot. Jami: Thank you. Jo: Where can people find you and your books online? Jami: You can find me at JamiAlbright.com—that's J-A-M-I-Albright.com. I'm on all the socials as Jami Albright Author. My books are on Amazon right now, but this book is actually now on all the retailers. So that's where you can find me. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Jami. That was great. Jami: It was an honour. Thank you so much.The post Writing Through Grief And Rebooting an Indie Author Business With Jami Albright first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Lily King is the award-winning author of six novels. Her most recent novel is Heart the Lover. She has also published a collection of short stories, Five Tuesdays in Winter. Her 2020 novel, Writers & Lovers, won the New England Society Book Awards and was a New York Times Notable Book and chosen as a top-ten best book of 2020 by The Washington Post, NPR, People Magazine, and The Los Angeles Times. Her 2014 novel Euphoria won the Kirkus Award, the New England Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Award. This episode was recorded live at Aspen Words Winter Words program in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Game Deflators break down new pickups, big gaming news, PS6 backwards compatibility rumors, a Steam Deck price jump, and a retro review of Woody Woodpecker on PS2. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 03:34 Game Pickups and Retro Game Books 06:45 Magic Card Collection and Trading Insights 09:44 Valkyrie Profile Gameplay Experience 12:40 Saros Game Review and Gameplay Mechanics 15:33 Upcoming Game Releases and Personal Gaming Plans 18:51 Microsoft's Exclusive Titles and Banjo Kazooie Nostalgia 35:39 Nostalgia and Character Development in Gaming 37:38 The Future of Xbox Exclusives 40:46 Lenovo's Controversial Handheld Console 47:45 Steam Deck Price Hike and Market Impact 54:43 PlayStation 6 and Backward Compatibility 59:42 Woody Woodpecker Game Review and Nostalgia 01:11:12 Outro John and Ryan return with a fresh round of gaming talk, starting with new pickups from RetroGameBooks.com and a look at what each host has been playing. John is closing in on the finale of Valkyrie Profile, while Ryan celebrates completing Saros and shares thoughts on its final stretch. The conversation shifts to community sentiment as Xbox players voice a growing desire for a revival of Banjo Kazooie. The guys break down why the franchise still resonates and whether Microsoft might finally listen. From there, the episode takes a sharp turn into hardware drama. Lenovo has pulled a handheld device that shipped preloaded with Nintendo and Sega games, raising questions about licensing, oversight, and how something like this makes it to market. The Steam Deck also enters the spotlight after a major price hike that has players debating value, timing, and Valve's long‑term strategy. PlayStation rumors heat up as reports suggest the PS6 could support PS3 titles thanks to a new CPU design. John and Ryan explore what this could mean for backward compatibility and how it might reshape Sony's next generation. To wrap up the show, the Inflation Deflation Challenge features a retro review of Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park on the PS2. The guys revisit its chaotic platforming, oddball charm, and current market value to decide whether it still holds up.   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com   Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

Send us Fan MailJoel Brigham runs Brigham Editorial (developmental edits, manuscript critiques, query help), teaches high school English in Illinois, and is an editor for RevPit — a community that gives away free developmental edits each spring.REVPIT•    Free developmental editing contest — editors (not authors) mentor selected writers through full drafts•    Applications open April, winners announced early May; ~14–15 editors participate•    Year-round mini-event: 10 Queries — public feedback on first 5 pages + query lettersTHE FIRST DRAFT•    One goal: words on the page. Momentum beats perfection — always•    Psychology backs this up: Goal Gradient Effect, Zeigarnik Effect, and Commitment Principle all support just keeping going•    Comparing your messy first draft to your last polished book is a trap — every published book started the same way5 DRAFTING HINDRANCES•    Starting slow — avoid waking-up scenes, mirror descriptions, dream openers. Try dropping into the middle of something (*in medias res*)•    Perfectionism — editing as you go wastes time on scenes that may not survive. Grammar is the last step•    Weak character foundation — know their goal, fear, flaw, and wound as early as possible•    No tension — even “everyday life” chapters before the inciting incident need friction, stakes, or a ticking clock•    Info dumping — no backstory or flashbacks in chapters 1–2. Backstory is a breadcrumb, not a full loafFOR DISCOVERY / PANTSER WRITERS•    Check in every 15–20k words — assess without forcing rigid plot beats•    By 20k: your character should have a clear want and be on the book's core journey•    Made a change mid-draft? Drop a note and keep writing forward as if it's always been that way — don't stop to rewriteLINKSJoel's services: brighameditorial.com  •  RevPit: reviseresub.com  •  Show notes: writerswithwrinkles.net Support the show Visit the WebsiteFind Full Episodes on YouTube!Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

Send us Fan MailThe name of this podcast is Cops and Writers. My guest on the show today, J Todd Scott, definitely fits that bill. The conclusion of this interview will air next Sunday!Todd spent 30 years as a special agent for the DEA, being assigned to multiple locations across the United States and the world. During his time as a special agent, he took part in investigations leading to tons of seized illegal drugs and millions of dollars in illegal drug proceeds. He was a part of the first group of agents to be assigned to Haiti for a long-term mission, where he escaped certain death multiple times by the skin of his teeth. Todd has always had a passion for stories and writing, and pursued this when he retired from federal service. He's authored six critically acclaimed crime and thriller novels. He's also a film/TV producer and screenwriter. His work includes the Lawmen: Bass Reeves series, and he is a producer and writer for the spinoff to the massively popular Yellowstone series, Dutton Ranch.I loved talking with Todd. He has lived and is living a life that books and movies are made of; now he's telling the stories.  In today's episode, we discuss:·      Growing up in rural Kentucky. ·      Having no relatives or friends in law enforcement, and joining the DEA.·      Why did he choose the DEA?·      Thinking his career with the DEA would be like the Miami Vice television series.·      His first day on the job as a special agent assigned to the Los Angeles field office.·      The multiple work locations where he worked as a DEA agent.  ·      Training local law enforcement and running active investigations in Haiti.·      Dealing with corruption within the Hattian Police Department.·      Being caught in a street mob in Haiti and barely making it out alive.·      What is the biggest threat to the United States? What is the role of illegal drugs? All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Head on over to Todd's website to learn more about him and his work.Check out my newest book! Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos & Life as a Big City Cop!Head on over to my website! What's the craziest thing you saw when you were a cop?My first week on the job, a guy running at me with a butcher knife. He'd just killed his brother over the last hot dog.That's chapter 1. There are 33 more.Police Stories: The Rookie Years just launched - available on Amazon. Search 'Police Stories Patrick O'Donnell' or click thSupport the show

Award-winning novelist Missouri Williams on writing strange and ambitious fiction, treating doubt as a generative force, and why idleness is essential to creative work. We discuss How a destabilising illness and a new language can reshape a writer's whole relationship to words. Why style isn't something you construct so much as a way of seeing you're partly stuck with. The case for drafting without thinking about the end result and keeping the stakes low. What an image you can't stop returning to can reveal about the book you need to write. When idleness and empty, unproductive time become the most essential part of the work. How doubt can function as a generative engine rather than a block. A method for layering instability into a narrator who sounds completely in control. What a chorus can do on the page that a single narrator can't. Why being placed outside your depth, where everything has to be relearned, can sharpen a writer. The difference between doubting your work and doubting your right to do it at all. Resources & Links

This podcast was recorded during a lull in Tim Power's schedule as one of the writing instructors at the Writers of the Future Workshop while the writer winners are busy with their 24-hour story. Tim was last on this podcast in episode #333. He is a three-time world fantasy award winner and is most known for his novels “The Anubis Gates,” “On Stranger Tides,” “Last Call,” and “Declare.” In this episode, we discuss his latest release, and my personal favorite, a dark fantasy, “The Mills of the Gods.” We also discuss his technique in creating his stories, researching some particular aspect of history, and then exploring from there. How he creates seamless transitions from factual history to his fantastical history. We also touch on why L. Ron Hubbard's “Fear” is his favorite novel. Learn more about “The Mills of the Gods” at www.baen.com/the-mills-of-the-gods.html

SPONSORS: 1) SHOPIFY: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/julian 2) ULTRA POUCHES: Don't sleep on @UltraPouches New customers get 15% Off with code JULIAN at https://takeultra.com ! JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey CLIPPERS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8QmWEKJ3BT (***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ Sean Patrick Hazlett is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror author, editor, futurist, and finance executive. He is widely recognized for editing speculative military fiction anthologies, winning the prestigious Writers of the Future Contest in 2017, and hosting the paranormal and geopolitics podcast @ThroughAGlassDarklyWithSean FOLLOW SEAN: YT: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThroughAGlassDarklyWithSean X: https://x.com/seanphazlett WEBSITE: https://seanpatrickhazlett.com/ FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY YT: https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://x.com/juliandorey ****TIMESTAMPS**** 0:00 - Remote Viewing, Stargate & Alien Abductions 10:21 - Perception, Telepathy, Bilocation & Magic 21:24 - Chaos Magic, Psychic Warriors & DIA Programs 36:04 - Science of Remote Viewing & Interdimensional Beings 45:58 - Scole Experiments, Many Worlds & Classified Physics 59:05 - Combat, Epstein, Jersey Drones & Nuclear Triggers 1:08:31 - Nukes, Aliens, Epstein Networks & Depopulation 1:18:43 - Iran Strategy, Operation Opera & Israeli Deterrence 1:29:16 - Iran Conflict, Drones & Strategic Failures 1:38:51 - Russia-Ukraine Drones, Cyber Warfare & Simulation Theory 1:50:07 - Sheepdipping, Iraq Intelligence & Israeli Information Ops 2:00:34 - Zorro Ranch, Precognitive Dreams & Epstein Connections 2:11:40 - Disclosure, SOL Foundation & Charles Fort Theory 2:23:01 - Alien Reality, Collins Elite, MKOFTEN & Skinwalker Ranch 2:36:58 - UFO Whistleblowers, Hyperobjects & Hidden Reality 2:46:50 - UFO Files, Human Hybridization & Pat Price 2:54:38 - Heaven's Gate, Hale-Bopp & Art Bell 3:01:51 - Sean's Work CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef - https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 428 - Sean Hazlett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's program, a new lawsuit claims that church leaders participated in a $200 million ‘sham' drug program. We'll take a look.  Plus, sports gambling. Online sports betting continues to explode, causing all kinds of fallout…but many churches have decided it's not a battle worth fighting. We'll have details. And, this week's look at private jet usage by pastors and ministries. But first, the lawsuit against McLean Bible Church lives to see another day. A Virginia appellate court has decided that a civil case against David Platt's McLean Bible Church can continue. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

JK more like 20 minutes but whatever______________________________________00:00 Breaking Things and Rage Rooms05:47 Album Reception and Critique11:49 Drake's Artistic Evolution19:00 Album Highlights and Easter Eggs23:40 Lyrical Analysis and Personal Styles27:55 Viral Trends and Music Promotion33:35 Health Trends and Cultural Commentary38:25 Cultural Observations on Asian Practices42:23 BTS Phenomenon and K-Pop Influence47:01 Cultural Crossovers in Anime and Music50:18 Viral Challenges and Social Media Trends51:30 Star Wars vs. Star Trek: A Fan Debate54:02 The Morality of Violence in Star Wars56:25 The Impact of Star Wars on Pop Culture57:30 Upcoming Movies and Anticipation59:27 Comedy and Roast Culture01:00:24 Roasting and Comedy Dynamics01:02:26 The Role of Writers in Comedy01:05:20 Emerging Trends in Horror Films01:08:17 Hollywood's Approach to Diversity in Casting01:11:19 Upcoming Movies and Anticipations01:12:59 Humorous Anecdotes and Cultural References01:13:21 Upcoming UFC Events and Predictions01:14:37 Fighter Highlights and Matchups01:15:26 Gaming Talk: GTA 6 and 00701:16:49 Camping Stories and Unexpected Drama01:19:04 Consequences of Late Night Shenanigans01:20:55 Sports Discussions: NBA Playoffs and Predictions01:22:02 Fun Facts and Animal Behavior

Gillian Flynn's novel Gone Girl defined a literary niche when it first came out in 2012, and it still defines it to this day. David Fincher's great 2014 adaptation—written in collaboration with Flynn—is one of the greatest and most fun movie thrillers of the 21st century. Now I want to present you with a terrifying scenario: What if this book had come out three years later, and instead of this glorious 2.5-hour film, we got a boring 12-hour streaming series? Come on, you can see it right now in your mind: Episode 3 is a flashback to Amy's life as a child, with none of the regular actors in it. Episode 9 is the Desi episode, and Amy finally arrives at his door right before the closing credits. No thank you. And so 1-Week Rental is here to take you through the history of that movie. How Gillian Flynn wrote her novel and then worked closely with Fincher on the production, how perfect the casting of both Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike was, how Reese Witherspoon produced the movie with the intention of playing Amazing Amy herself only to be told by Fincher she was all wrong for the part, and how this movie is loosely based on the lives of Laci Roth and Matt Stokes. Did you know that? Watch the history segment in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i0WuyvYAyrg  We're off next week (June 5, 2026). The next episode will be out on Friday, June 12, 2026 when our summer miniseries begins. The Summer of Nolan opens with a podcast about Christopher Nolan's Memento (2000)!    Time stamps: 00:05:50 — History segment: Gillian Flynn writes the Gone Girl novel; movie optioned by Reese Witherspoon and David Fincher is hired to direct; career of Rosamund Pike; career of Ben Affleck  00:51:40 — Movie discussion 02:38:20 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Gone Girl (2014) was directed by David Fincher. Screenplay by Gillian Flynn, based on her novel. Starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Patrick Fugit, Missi Pyle, Emily Ratajkowski, Casey Wilson, David Clennon, Lisa Banes, and Scoot McNairy.   Sources: "Kansas City native Gillian Flynn emerges as a literary force with her twisted mystery 'Gone Girl'" by Steve Paul | The Kansas City Star (2012) - https://bit.ly/4dE9MTf  "Gillian Flynn on Adapting 'Gone Girl,' Being Too 'Wimpy' for Crime Reporting and Her Best Advice to Writers" by Kimberly Nordyke | The Hollywood Reporter (2012) - https://bit.ly/4v9mh0i  "Gillian Flynn Peers Into the Dark Side of Femininity" by Lauren Oyler | The New York Times (2018) - https://bit.ly/3Q1DV7e  "Gillian Flynn on her bestseller Gone Girl and accusations of misogyny" by Oliver Burkeman | The Guardian (2013) - https://bit.ly/42X7s54 "A Surprise Hit Spawns a Movie Deal" by Stafanie Cohen | The Wall Street Journal (2012) - https://bit.ly/3RMwcud  "Author Gillian Flynn says filming 'Gone Girl' went much better than expected" by Robert Butler | The Kansas City Star (2014) - https://bit.ly/431uebV "David Fincher Talks 'Gone Girl,' Avoids Spoilers (Hooray!)" by Audie Cornish | NPR (2014) - https://n.pr/4vdg1ER  "Movie Sneaks: Thrills, chills for Gillian Flynn in adapting 'Gone Girl'" by Gina McIntyre | The Los Angeles Times (2014) - https://lat.ms/4vcYnB3  "Gone Girl film director David Fincher on his potential Oscar contender" by James Mottram | The Independent (2014) - https://bit.ly/4utRP0R  "Reese Witherspoon Says David Fincher Told Her 'I'm Not Putting You' in 'Gone Girl': 'He Was Totally Right' and 'Rosamund Pike Is So Diabolical'" by J. Kim Murphy | Variety (2015) - https://bit.ly/49W9BBH  "Ambition" (w/ Reese Witherspoon) | Las Culturistas podcast (2025) - https://apple.co/4nWEU5q  "Building a New Ben" | GQ (2004) - https://bit.ly/3S4aDFy  "An Actor-Director Above Suspicion" by Cara Buckley | The New York Times (2014) - https://bit.ly/4dytjpy  "Jon Hamm Confirms He Almost Starred in Ben Affleck's 'Gone Girl'" by Carly Thomas | The Hollywood Reporter (2023) - https://bit.ly/434AKyF    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/gone-girl/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

Leaning church or the deepest-sounding bell? Night of Churches invites to explore and reflect all across Czechia, New gold coin celebrating Plzeň sells for nearly CZK 60,000,  “When I go to the US people only know Kundera” – Jan Zikmund on bringing today's Czech writers to the world

Earlier this year, Jan Zikmund launched Zikmund Literary , an agency that primarily aims to help Czech authors find readers around the world. But how does he plan to achieve this? How do books from this country tend to fare in foreign markets? And what other states can Czechia learn from in this arena? I discussed these questions and more with Zikmund, who is in his mid 30s and previously helped promote Czech writing in English-speaking countries at the state-funded Czech Literary Centre.

This episode originally aired August 12, 2019. A brilliant young architect became ill and died just before she was to testify in a criminal trial. The autopsy revealed she'd been poisoned with arsenic; it was a slow and painful death, so suicide was unlikely. Investigators had to determine who among her family, friends and business associates had a motive for murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iñupiaq poet Joan Kane explores themes of home and colonial dispossession in her new poetry collection, “with snow pouring southward past the window“. Kane's poems center on Iñupiaq worldviews and language, featuring masterful experimentation with form and imagery. Her critically acclaimed work has led to faculty appointments at Harvard University, Tufts University, and Reed College. She also recently edited “Circumpolar Connections: Creative Indigenous Geographies of the Arctic”, an anthology of Indigenous writings about the region. Ho-Chunk elder Sherman Funmaker just released his debut collection of poems and essays in “Bear Tracks“. He navigates the culture, family, loss, and racism he experienced growing up in Wisconsin. He writes with both emotional depth and humor about such life-changing decisions as dropping out of high school to be a rock-and-roll drummer and finding success as a writer later in life.

Colm Tóibín is one of Ireland's most renowned living authors. Novels like Brooklyn, The Master and Nora Webster have firmly placed him on the literary map. Now, he is back with a new short story collection, The News from Dublin. He joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about how the loss of his father at age 12 prompted him to write, and why he needs to start a story with an image.

From National Treasure: Book of Secrets to his debut novel A Thousand Cuts, Gregory Poirier talks storytelling, creating Max Starkey, and bringing cinematic suspense to the page on Speaking of Writers.#MaxStarkey #GregoryPoirier #ThrillerAuthor #SpeakingOfWriters #BookLovers #WritersLife #NewBooks

Rob Long is watching a Satyajit Ray film on Criterion while eating ice cream and staring at his phone — which means he is, essentially, just eating ice cream. Rob is a pro at keeping his head down. Writers do it at auditions, following along with their own words instead of watching what actors are doing to them. Which turns out to be expensive, because the two actors who read “You've heard of me” as completely opposite character choices taught the writers something their script didn't know yet. Heads down feels productive. Heads up is where the show actually lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saxum West's Nina Steiner on finding space for Hollywood studios, the LA office market, proof stacking, and why the riches are in the follow-up. The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence.   Nina Steiner spent years in television production before finding her way into commercial real estate. Ten years later she is one of the only tenant reps in LA who specializes in entertainment: securing writers' rooms, production studio space, and flexible offices for showrunners, studios, and production companies. In this episode, Nina joins host Adam Siegel to talk about what makes entertainment real estate different, how she built her niche, why she chose proof stacking over cold calling, and what staying in the game looks like. Welcome to The Crexi Podcast Introducing Nina Steiner of Saxum West From TV production and internet new media to commercial real estate The Santa Monica meetup that started everything Getting licensed and choosing the tenant rep lane What surprised her most: rules, vetting, and learning on the fly Why having a previous career is an advantage in brokerage Storytelling as a trust-building tool How the stonecutter's creed changed her mindset Why she chose tenant rep over investment sales and landlord work Flexible workspace as a differentiator — volume where others saw small potatoes How the entertainment niche evolved without a business plan The showrunner rule: they want to be close to where they live Eight leases closed in Sherman Oaks in Q1 Why production people avoid managed flex: always in stealth mode What entertainment clients need: perimeter offices, bullpen, large conference room Working a UK writers' room placement across a 12-hour time difference Staying calm, offering options, and not deciding for the client Proof stacking: saying the same thing consistently even when there are crickets Be niche, narrow your market, know your lane Boutique versus big shop and why flexibility matters LA's entertainment real estate ebbs and flows with content cycles Amenities are now table stakes for landlords Lease terms getting shorter: startups taking 3 months, not 3 years Staying on the good side of both sides: communication first Act when a space hits 90% of the boxes — a LOI is non-binding Watching streaming as research for her next client LinkedIn, proof stacking, and posting even when nobody seems to be watching AI tools: Gamma for presentations, Claude for prompts and content Building referrals through warm calls and doing right by people The Vancouver referral: turning a cross-border deal into a handoff Advice for early-career brokers: interview tenured brokers, pick one lane The thrill of the hunt: what still gets her up in the morning The 10-minute walk to the beach and why balance matters Half a commission beats no commission     About Nina Steiner: Nina Steiner has over 10 years of experience as a commercial real estate tenant representative in Los Angeles, specializing in office and retail leasing. Her unique background as a former television line producer gives her an edge in understanding the entertainment industry's specific needs, from securing writers' rooms to finding the perfect space for production studios. Nina focuses on providing customized solutions that fit each client's long-term business objectives, whether it's in traditional leasing or managed flexible office spaces around the globe. Nina approaches each client with empathy, putting herself in their shoes to understand their challenges and goals. Her niche expertise in finding creative spaces for Hollywood studios sets her apart, while her deep knowledge of the LA market ensures her clients get the best possible deals. Through regular social media updates and educational content, she keeps tenants informed about market trends and real estate opportunities. Nina is a trusted advisor for businesses looking to expand or relocate in Los Angeles. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi's blog.Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide. Follow Crexi:https://www.crexi.com/​ https://www.crexi.com/instagram​ https://www.crexi.com/facebook​ https://www.crexi.com/twitter​ https://www.crexi.com/linkedin​ https://www.youtube.com/crexi About Crexi:Crexi is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.

Send us Fan MailWe're big fantasy sports guys as well as being Comic Book Junkies, and Joe brought up this exercise as a topic. Split into two parts, here is part one of Pick 4, Cut 6 Comic Writers. We try to guess which writers may be left on the list while deciding if we are keeping or cutting them. It's a fun time!Music [00:00]Buzz Ad [00:14]Intro [01:10]Keep 4 Writers, Cut 6 [12:09]Outro [23:26]Please like and subscribe if you'd like to hear more comic talk!(Bi-weekly shows dropping on Wednesday)Social Media:Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/CBJpodcastTwitter -  https://twitter.com/CbJpod  (@CBJpod)Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cbjpod/  (@CBJpod)Youtube - https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCTDcugHYqAbgjwbdGWbZjnA/Buzzsprout - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1206320Currently listed on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and many others!Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE

Are you ready for the New Standard? Show Notes: Run Time: 1:25:36 We're back at it, and oh so happy to be here! After last week's long-awaited return to voting, we're excited to announce an upcoming schedule! For the first time in over a year!  Tuesday, June 2nd: Episode #319 - Writers' Room: A non-Vengeance Friction story Tuesday, June 9th: Episode #320 - Writers' Room: Cosmic Tales: An intense space opera story Tuesday, June 16th: Episode #321 - Writers' Room: The Rise of the Sixth Sun Tuesday, June 23rd: Editor's Note #90 Tuesday, June 30th: Episode #322 - Writers' Room: Rambler calling in a debt pulls a character out of a different fight A thrilling June to look forward to! Then, we get right to it, and the Benchmark stories unfold quickly and relatively smoothly. We have some ideas of what happens (or at least where it goes) in advance, but we discover and create a lot on the air, as well! We very happy to be back in the swing of things. Join us next week for Episode #319, which is a Friction story that's not part of the Vengeance event! Get your questions in here! And don't forget to check out our Patreon!

In celebration of the launch of season 8, Jill Christman joins Let's Talk Memoir to interview Ronit about growing up with no blueprint for making a relationship work, fending for ourselves in childhood, being driven by curiosity, writing about others with generosity and complexity, conveying to readers that we are not the only one, the use of speculation to move toward a deeper truth, the key to memoir structure, how the now-narrator reaches a hand back to help the character we were, finding a deeper empathy and understanding, opposite world, trying to look perfectly 1980s, trusting that our memories are trying to tell us something, and Ronit's memoir When She Comes Back.   Also in this episode: -Swedish Fish -The Love Boat -being prologue girls   Books mentioned in this episode: The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin Stop-Time by Frank Conroy This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolf To Show and to Tell by Pilllip Lopate Jill Christman bio and links: Jill Christman is the author of The Heart Folds Early: A Memoir (released March 2026 from the University of Nebraska Press). Christman's other books include If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays (2023 Foreword INDIES Silver Winner), Darkroom: A Family Exposure (winner of AWP Prize for CNF), and Borrowed Babies: Apprenticing for Motherhood. Her essays have appeared in many anthologies and in magazines such as Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, Iron Horse Literary Review, Longreads, and O, The Oprah Magazine. A 2020 NEA Literature Fellow, she teaches at Ball State University and serves as editor of River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative and Beautiful Things (a weekly online magazine of micro nonfiction). Visit her at jillchristman.com. Connect with Jill: https://www.instagram.com/jillchristmanwriter @jillchristman.bsky.social jillchristman.com Order for yourself and all your memoir-loving friends—directly from the University of Nebraska Press or your local independent or by using any of the handy links on my website. Use code 6AS26 for 40% off on any UNP book! Ronit Plank bio and links:  Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher, and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, Poets & Writers, River Teeth's Beautiful Things, The Rumpus, Salon, Hippocampus, The New York Times, and elsewhere, earning Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and multiple Pushcart Prize nominations. Her memoir When She Comes Back was a Book Riot Best True Crime Book and Kirkus Reviews calls it, “An intimate, intuitive, emotionally vivid family account that finds hope in reconciliation". Ronit is also the author of the award-winning short story collection Home is a Made-Up Place, and her work has been anthologized in Selected Memories, Vol. 2: 15 Years of Hippocampus Magazine and Manna Songs: Stories of Jewish Culture and Heritage. Ronit is the Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, teaches memoir at a host of venues including the University of Washington's Continuum Program, Antioch University, and 92NY's Roundtable, and is host of the podcast Let's Talk Memoir and the Substack Let's Talk Memoir. Find her on social media @ronitplank   Website: www.ronitplank.com Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/when-she-comes-back/

What if your creative process could feel more magical and a lot less overwhelming?We're sharing the low effort rituals that help us move through writer's block, self-doubt, and creative burnout while writing our books. From library writing dates and airport inspiration to tarot spreads, Reiki, simmer pots, creativity candles, and “little bags of rocks,” we're diving into the spiritual practices that keep us connected to creativity and flow.We also talk about the reality of the writing process, the difference between structured and intuitive creativity, and why there's no “right” way to create. Whether you're writing a book, making art, building a business, or simply trying to reconnect with your creativity, this episode is packed with practical and magical inspiration for your next creative season.Order Molly's book Mundane Magic A Lazy Witch's Guide to Hacking Your Brain, Building a Daily Practice, and Getting Stuff DoneJoin our Patreon for bonus episodes, magical downloads, and unhinged side quests: https://www.patreon.com/demystifymagic

Send us Fan MailThis week the Mavens watch and review HOKUM and 1408. Remember 1408? 00:00 - Our writing process05:01 - Hokum21:41 - 1408Support the showFollow us on Instagram @moviemavensWrite us an email at moviemavenspodcast@gmail.com

Did Marilyn Monroe really die in 1962… or did she escape?Bestselling author Lois Cahall joins Speaking of Writers to discuss her powerful new novel Maybe Marilyn, a fictional reimagining of Marilyn Monroe's life if she survived and disappeared to finally live the life she always wanted.Steve Richards and Lois discuss Marilyn's legacy, historical research, conspiracy theories, fame, reinvention, and why readers still long for a happier ending for one of Hollywood's most iconic stars.Maybe Marilyn is available now wherever books are sold.#LoisCahall #MaybeMarilyn #MarilynMonroe #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #HistoricalFiction #Hollywood #BookTube #BooksAndAuthors #SteveRichards #MarilynLives #Literature #ClassicHollywood

Thank you so much for all your questions for episode 150 of ‘Tea or Books?’! Because we had so many questions, we’re doing it over two episodes – so today’s is the first half. Watch out for part 2, next

A wild week in gaming as PSN accounts get stolen, Valve takes aim at scalpers, rare PS4 copies of Poop Slinger resurface, GTA 6's publisher flexes its expected profits, and the Game Deflators review Ed Edd n Eddy on GameCube. 00:00 Introduction 01:51 Recent Game Pickups and Magic Cards Discussion 04:51 Gameplay Experiences and Strategies in Commander 07:55 Exploring New Game Mechanics and Deck Strategies 11:06 Valkyrie Profile and Other Game Updates 14:00 Insurance for Game Collectors and Cataloging Collections 16:54 Personal Gaming Experiences and Stardew Valley 19:58 Soros Gameplay and Progression 28:47 News on Limited Game Releases and Poopslinger 34:25 The Impact of Limited Rare on Game Value 34:55 PlayStation Network Security Concerns 37:17 Xbox's Customer Feedback and Exclusive Games 39:02 Grand Theft Auto VI: Anticipation and Financial Projections 47:17 Valve's Strategy Against Scalpers 01:00:42 Ed, Edd n Eddy: Misadventures Review and Nostalgia 01:13:14 Outro John and Ryan dive into one of the strangest and most entertaining weeks in gaming news, blending industry shake‑ups, collector surprises, and a retro review that hits right in the early‑2000s nostalgia. They kick things off with the unexpected return of Poop Slinger, the notoriously rare PS4 oddball that suddenly started appearing in game stores. The guys break down why this bizarre title became a collector legend and what its reappearance means for rarity chasers. From there, the tone shifts as they dig into a growing security mess: PlayStation Network account thefts. Hackers are reportedly exploiting minimal recovery info to hijack accounts, and John and Ryan unpack how this is happening. Next up is the biggest flex in gaming: GTA 6's publisher openly bragging about the astronomical revenue they expect at launch. The hosts debate whether this confidence is earned hype or corporate chest‑thumping at its finest. Valve enters the spotlight with a surprisingly proactive move as the company unveils its plan to stop Steam Machine scalpers. John and Ryan explore how Valve intends to curb botting and whether this could become a model for future hardware releases. To wrap things up, the Inflation Deflation Game of the Week takes a nostalgic turn with a review of Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Mis‑Edventures on GameCube. Expect childhood memories, questionable physics, and a debate over whether this cartoon tie‑in deserves its current market price.   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com   Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

REWIND. Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, discuss how they evaluate your screenplays, whether you're just starting or have a script in the competition. You do not want to miss this inside talk.⭐️ Laurie Ashbourne began her film career in Disney animation and has worked over the past 20 years as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has more than 30 features and short films to her credit, including her new family feature, CHRISTMAS TIME, which is currently in post-production. As a PAGE judge, Laurie reviews scripts across several genre categories, including Family Films, Comedies, Dramas, and Shorts.⭐️ Victoria Lucas is an independent producer who has developed scripts for projects starring Antonio Banderas, Scarlett Johansson, Wesley Snipes, and Hilary Swank. Among her favorite projects is the highly acclaimed coming-of-age film The Island on Bird Street, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a judge for the PAGE Awards, covering a variety of genres, including Drama and Historical Films.

REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak, continues the conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay.Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director of one and the writer-producer of the other. He's a producer on a third film scheduled to begin production in late 2022. He has served as a producer and executive producer on several independent films. He was the senior vice president of development for a literary management-production company and, after that, the founder/CEO of his own company before hanging that up to focus on writing/directing/producing.Dwayne Smith has been a professional screenwriter since 1999 and has written scripts for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Intermedia, and Gold Circle. His urban thriller PAY THE LADY is in post-production, and his sci-fi feature IMPLANT is in pre-production. Representing the management firm Circle of Confusion at numerous screenwriting conferences and festivals, Dwayne has listened to hundreds of pitches and read countless screenplays in search of new writing talent. As a judge for the PAGE Awards, he reads Comedies, Thriller/Horror, Science Fiction, and Action/Adventure scripts.The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.Executive Producer Kristin OvernCreator/Executive Producer Sandy AdomaitisProducer/Terry SampsonMusic by Ethan StollerIf you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

Send us Fan MailBeth and Lisa talk with literary agent Nikki Carrero, from The Rights Factory, to break down the querying process from the agent's side — what gets you noticed, what gets a pass, and how to make the most of The Call. Highlights•       Nikki runs monthly pitch parties on Threads — currently her only open submission path since she's closed to general queries.•       Biggest query red flags: word count outside genre norms, miscategorized genre, and sending to agents who don't rep your category.•       Personalization? Just use her name. “Dear Agent” won't auto-reject you, but do double-check pronouns.•       Multiple passes don't always mean bad writing — it may be wrong agents, weak hook, or pacing issues in the opening pages.•       Nikki is an editorial agent: developmental notes, line edits, and reader reactions all in the margins.•       Watch your social media. Agents notice public venting in the query trenches — keep it in private group chats. Questions to Ask on The Call (with prospective agent!)•       How editorial are you, and what does your revision process look like?•       Will I see the pitch letter and submission list?•       What happens if the book doesn't sell — do you stay with me?•       Always ask for a boilerplate contract before signing. Nikki's Parting AdvicePatience and persistence. Self-publishing is not a fallback. Keep writing new books — voice and craft develop over time, and the writers who stick with it are the ones who break through. Nikki Carerro SubstackNikki Carerro Threads Support the show Visit the WebsiteFind Full Episodes on YouTube!Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

In this episode, we spotlight the Writers Association of the Gambia and its efforts to build a vibrant literary community, featuring Dr. Cherno Omar Barry, the Association's President, who shares inspiring insights into how Gambian writers are boldly shaping the nation's literary and intellectual landscape.Osman Kargo conducted this interview in Banjul, Gambia.This episode is part of the Africanist Press New Democracy Series.

Knowing you should redirect a client conversation is one thing. Doing it smoothly, without the client feeling like you're steering them somewhere for your own benefit... That's a different skill entirely. Over the past few weeks we've covered building a small bench of offers, reading the signals in a prospect conversation, and matching what you hear to what you have. Today I want to tackle the part that makes most writers nervous: the actual moment of the pivot. I walk through both versions — the clunky default move most writers make when they're worried about losing the work, and the three-step sequence that actually lands well. I also share a specific scenario so you can hear exactly how the language sounds in practice. What You'll Learn Why the instinctive "upsell" move lands wrong even when your instinct is right The three-step pivot sequence: mirror, name, offer How to reflect a prospect's situation back to them in a way that opens them up to a different approach What to say when you notice a strategic gap, without making the client feel corrected How to propose a smaller next step that feels like good service rather than a sales maneuver What to do when a client isn't open to being redirected at all Why the pivot is a diagnostic move, not a sales technique Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. The Default Move Lands Wrong. When most writers spot a problem with a project scope, they wait for a pause and then introduce a different offer. Even when the instinct is right, it feels like an upsell. The client came in asking for one thing and now you're selling them something else. The delivery undermines the advice. 2. Mirror First. Before naming any concern, reflect back what the prospect said in their own language — not a summary, actual words and phrases they used. This confirms you were listening and gives them a chance to hear their own situation out loud. Then pause and let them confirm or correct. 3. Name What You're Observing. Gently, without drama. Share what you've seen happen in similar situations, framed as experience rather than judgment. "I've seen that create problems down the road" lands very differently than "I think your approach is wrong." You're not telling them they're wrong. You're sharing what you've noticed. 4. Offer a Smaller Next Step. After mirroring and naming, propose a contained, lower-risk next step rather than a full alternative engagement. Frame it around the client's benefit: it makes the eventual production faster, cleaner, and more likely to work. No pressure. No lecture. The sequence is mirror, name, offer. 5. The Pivot Is a Diagnostic Move. Writers who struggle most with redirecting a conversation tend to think of it as a sales technique. It's not. It's matching what the client actually needs to the help you can actually provide. Done right, it feels like good service, because it is. 6. Sometimes It Doesn't Work. Some clients are locked in on what they asked for and won't be redirected, however gracefully you handle it. When that happens, you have a decision: take the project as scoped, or pass. But most clients respond well to honest guidance from someone who shows up as an advisor, not just an executor. Action Steps Write out the three-move sequence in your own words: mirror, name, offer. Having your own version ready makes it easier to use in the moment without it sounding scripted. Think back to a recent prospect conversation where you spotted a problem with the scope but didn't say anything. How would the mirror-name-offer sequence have changed that conversation? Practice the "name what you're observing" move in low-stakes settings first. Focus on framing it as experience ("I've seen this create problems") rather than judgment ("I think this is wrong"). Before your next discovery call, identify one scenario where you might need to redirect, and prep the language ahead of time.

Bestselling novelist Holly Ringland on writing from joy instead of fear, the toolkit she built to meet the inner critic with self-compassion, and finding the first true sentence of her debut after decades of silence.   We discuss Why the pain of not writing eventually outweighs the pain of writing. What grief and loss can crack open in a writer that nothing else can. How the first true line of a novel can arrive once you stop listening to the reasons you can't write it. A bullet-point approach to plotting that protects the nervous system from the blank page. What to ask for from early readers, and what to refuse. The distinction between self-doubt and the inner critic, and why it matters. Meeting the inner critic with an equal and opposite internalised force. Breaking procrastination by making the next step impossibly small. Fiction as the lie that tells the truth truest.   Resources & Links

Meet Illustrators of the Future winner Roddy Taylor, and Writers of the Future winners Brenda Posey and Thomas K. Slee, and learn their story of how they won the Contest and what it means to their future as creatives.

On today's program, the Central Indiana Teen Challenge—associated with the widely known Adult & Teen Challenge addiction recovery ministry—is facing allegations of trafficking and forced labor. Nine young women have filed a lawsuit claiming they were victims of abuse. We'll have details. And, a look inside Zoe Ministries. Led by self-proclaimed “Master Prophet” E. Bernard Jordan, the ministry operates a digital pipeline for prophecy and donations while offering limited transparency. Plus, the value of a volunteer. A new report says the value of a volunteer hour has jumped to $36.14, surpassing the rise of inflation. But first televangelist James Robison died this week at age 82. He was a friend of politicians and key figure in the Moral Majority movement…who later led a humanitarian organization. James Robison is also the founder of Life Outreach International, a TV and evangelistic ministry. It also works in humanitarian aid, drilling water wells and providing disaster relief. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Mark Wingfield, Kim Roberts, Jessica Etturalde, Richard Levey, Paul Clolery, and Makella Knowles. A special thanks to Baptist News Global and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway opens with an urgent warning from Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss about two new AI-generated scams targeting authors — one involving fake radio show invitations, one involving fraudulent book fair representation — and explains the telltale signs that give them away. He then reports on Audible's StoryHouse, a pop-up audiobook store in New York's Bowery modeled on a vinyl record shop, and closes with an update on the Anthropic settlement fairness hearing, including concerns about the $3,000 per-title payout and the US copyright registration requirement that overseas authors say is unfair to them. Show Notes Book Festival Scams, Interview Fakes: Two New AI-Driven Impersonation Scams to Avoid Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is  available on Kindle.

Joining me for this episode is author and conservation scientist Louise K. Blight. Louise and I have a chat about her book, Where The Earth Meets The Sky. A story of penguins, people and place during her time in Antarctica. A fascinating and intriguing look at living with penguins and the fascinating ways they survive and adapt in an often harsh environment. Enjoy!EPISODE NOTES: Louise K. Blight - Where The Earth Meets The SkyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/animal-writes-animal-writers-and-best-selling-authors-pets-animals--6666984/support.

Send us Fan MailHannah and Laura are wrapping up this indie intermission by chatting about The Heavenly Sword with the author herself! Alice Poon delves into the characters and themes of the book, her writing inspirations, and shares what readers can expect from the second book in the duology, The Earthly Blaze. Be sure to follow Alice online at:Blog: Alice Poon 潘慧嫻Instagram: @alicepoonauthorThreads: @alicepoonauthorBluesky: Alice Poon 潘慧嫻 (@alicepoonauthor.bsky.social) — BlueskyMedia Mentions:The Heavenly Sword by Alice PoonThe Earthly Blaze by Alice PoonThe Green Phoenix by Alice PoonTales of Ming Courtesans by Alice PoonFated and Fateless by Alice PoonLand and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong by Alice PoonJourney to the West by Wu Cheng'enWater Margin by Nai'an ShiInvestiture of the Gods by Xu ZhonglinLeo Tolstoy's worksHilary Mantel's worksC.W. Gortner's worksConn Iggulden's worksAn Unofficial History of a Female Immortal by Lu XiongThe Condor Heroes trilogy by Jin YongCrouching Tiger Hidden Dragon---Prime VideoSupport the showBe sure to follow OWWR Pod!www.owwrpod.com YouTube: @owwrpodBlueSky: @OwwrPodTikTok: @OwwrPodInstagram: @owwrpodThreads: @OwwrPodSend us an email at: owwrpod@gmail.comCheck out OWWR Patreon: patreon.com/owwrpodOr join OWWR Discord! We'd love to chat with you!You can follow Hannah at:Instagram: @brews.and.booksThreads: @brews.and.booksTikTok: @brews.and.booksYou can follow Laura at:Instagram: @goodbooksgreatgoatsBlueSky: @myyypod

A triumphant return! But is it ever that easy? Show Notes: Run Time: 1:56:53 So much to cover! We're back, we're excited, and we have so many things to share with you! We're working on more game content, more Sentinels stories, and a whole Multiverse to get spun back up on! Adam and I have not been idle, and we can't wait to give you more Multiverse to save and to savor as soon as we can. Greater Than Games is back, as well! Learn more at www.greaterthan.games! Please do consider joining us on The Letters Page Patreon, as we need your support now more than ever. The topic of this episode came not from Patreon voting, as we usually do, but from the moment we find ourselves in. However, next week, our episode is "A Day in the Life: Benchmark", as we were supposed have done over a year ago. What comes after that? You decide! We've got topics up for voting on a poll! We need your opinions! We'll announce what upcoming schedule you've determined next episode. Whew! Then, after all that, we get back to telling stories! We had some knowledge and ideas about this Legacy & The Wraith story in advance, but we craft a lot of it live on air. It's both a return to form and also a chance for us to knock the rust off, as we're a little out of practice for some reason. Thanks for holding on, sticking with us, and tuning in once again!

Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about  going through almost a decade of conversion therapy, dismantling the dogma of pseudo science with its added layer of spiritual discipline, feeling desperate to change, yearning for a place to belong, keeping faith without losing soul, holding onto journals with the sense of using them someday, the difficulty of having to revisit traumatic experiences, weaving in dark humor, being a present-day witness to the past and honoring the more innocent, naive version of ourselves, getting sober and writing from a place of peace, making discoveries in the memoir-writing process, the importance of platform for nonfiction authors, being present and active on social media before our memoirs  come out, being a queer person of faith, loving the present day person we've become, and his new memoir Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging.   Also in this episode: -finding a writing community -the generosity of other writers -having a therapist on speed dial Books mentioned in this episode: -Boy Erased by Garrard Conley -All Down Darkness Wide by Sean Hewitt -Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott -How to Write an AUtobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee -books by David Sedaris -books by Augusten Burroughs   Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez spent almost a decade in gay conversion therapy—all while working behind the scenes at some of the most influential Evangelical Christian megachurches. After embracing his identity as a gay Christian and stepping away from church work, he co-founded Church Clarity, an organization that helps queer people find affirming faith communities. His story and work have been featured by BBC Newshour, TIME, NBC, VICE, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Religion News Service. Born in the Midwest, he now calls New York City home, where he continues his work as a writer, digital strategist, and advocate for queer people of faith. His first book is Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging. Connect with Timothy:  Website: https://www.conversiontherapydropoutbook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timothy.s.rodriguez Threads: https://www.threads.com/@timothy.s.rodriguez Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timothy.s.rodriguez Substack: https://timothysrodriguez.substack.com   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social  

Dan, Manny, & Billy welcome back Nostalgia Test Podcast all-star Meghan Nolan to put the 1996 Pauly Shore Stephen Baldwin “comedy” Bio-Dome to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST!   “Dude, could you think of a worse person to get high with than Pauly Shore? Like, there is literally no one that I would rather less get high with than Pauly Shore. 'Cause I would be like, "Dude, shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up." Could you imagine that, dude?” -Billy D'Elia   Dear Nostalgia Testers, this is the episode that almost broke the podcast. The guys decided to put their fate in The Wheel of Pauly Shore and was given the task of putting Bio-Dome to the test, and boy was it a huge... well. This movie defines the major issues with the 90s and why Manny talks about 80s cheese vs 90s trash. This movie seems like it was written by AI but was instead written by three people. That's right?! It took three people to write these lines that Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin literally fart out for 90 minutes. This movie sets the bar lower than low for men and is an insult to any and all men. The so-called jokes use sexual assault as a punchline, there's a Nazi salute that happens as all these morons go into the bio-dome, homophobia, and more badly developed body humor and horror than a David Cronenberg film. Dan, Manny, Billy, and Meghan go through some deep self-reflection starting with shame, shame that they all saw this movie, some more than 5 times, denial that they thought it was ever good, anger that this movie was even made, and acceptance that this is why they do this podcast. Dan creates a Bio-Dome “Would You Rather” game, and let's just say someone would rather wear a diaper for a week than watch Bio-Dome. So, take something really strong to calm yourself down, gather all your Pauly Shore movies and adoration, light a huge dumpster fire, and join The Nostalgia Test Podcast as we attempt to erase this part of the 90s from existence. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode!   Approximate Rundown 00:00 Welcome Back Meghan Nolan 01:11 Brain Rot Title Sequence 02:16 First Time Watching Bio-Dome 05:08 Mall Theater Memories 07:16 Forced Into Bio-Dome 09:45 How Was This Made 11:38 Pauly Shore Career Context 13:22 Writers and Director Breakdown 15:22 No One to Root For 19:12 Gross-Out Humor and Bad Acting 26:43 Problematic Jokes and Garbage World 27:43 What Even Is the Bio-Dome 29:51 Breaking Into Bio-Dome 31:07 Kids React to the Chaos 32:24 Problematic Jokes and Nazis 32:44 Carrot Scene Confusion 34:44 Sudden Fame Makes No Sense 36:26 Cameos and Bad One Liners 37:20 Sensors and Alarm Logic 38:36 Real Bio-Dome Documentary 41:06 Yogurt Lines and Sexism 43:20 Baldwin Overacting Rant 46:20 Flashbacks and Dog Shaving 47:03 Whip-Its and SPAM Meltdown 50:50 Goofy Movie Nostalgia Detour 54:25 The Key Escape Plot Hole 56:40 Party Trash the Dome 58:54 Terrible Band Mystery 59:08 Bug Room Chaos 01:00:39 Cameos And Characters 01:01:42 Ending Makes No Sense 01:02:51 Would You Rather Gauntlet 01:12:51 Raw Eggs And Swing Life 01:16:23 Final Verdict Pop Culture Mistake 01:24:55 Wrap Up And Earth Day   Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events!  The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com  or fill out the form at this link.   LET'S GET NOSTALGIC!       Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook   The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected

For most of human history, stories were not primarily viewed as commercial products to be sold. Story functioned first as myth, meaning-making, entertainment, cultural memory, and a way of understanding ourselves and the world around us. But in today's marketplace-driven culture, storytelling exists almost entirely within commercial systems—something that inevitably shapes not just what we create, but how we relate to story itself. In this episode, I explore the tension between story as product and story as something deeper, older, and more archetypal. From publishing culture and content creation to commercial pressure and creative burnout, modern storytelling increasingly exists inside systems designed around visibility, productivity, and sales. And although those systems offer real opportunities for writers, they can also subtly reshape not just what we create, but our relationship to the creative process itself. Writers deserve to be supported for their work, and stories deserve to reach audiences. But it's worth examining how the modern entertainment marketplace influences our understanding of story—particularly when success metrics begin to overshadow resonance, meaning, and the deeper relationship many writers feel toward creativity itself. We explore: - Story as process vs product - Commercial storytelling vs archetypal storytelling - The commodification of story - Creative flow vs content production - The relationship between marketplace culture and creative burnout - How writers can balance commercial success with creative wholeness This episode is an invitation to reexamine what story is, what role storytellers serve in society, and how writers can remain connected to the deeper meaning of story while still navigating the realities of the marketplace. TIMESTAMPS 2:09 Story-as-product vs. story-as-archetype 3:40 Story Did Not Originate as a Commodity 5:40 Value, Money, and Meaning in a Marketplace-Driven Culture 6:00 The Storytelling Animal 6:39 Before Words, There Were Stories 8:09 Storytelling as Medicine, Meaning, and Cultural Foundation 8:53 One of Contemporary Culture's Dissonances… 10:16 How Perspective Subtly Influences Our Relationship to Our Stories 12:04 The Contemporary Model for Storytelling 13:32 The Most Important Balancing Act 14:46 4 Tips for Writers to Balance Commercial Success and Creative Wholeness 15:23 Understand Your Own Unique Perspectives About Story 17:32 Define Success on Two Levels—Not One 18:59 Write Your Best Stories by Honoring Your Relationship to Story 20:38 Engage With Story as an Archetypal Force 22:40 It's About the Lens You're Writing Fro LINKS & RESOURCES Read the post/transcript: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-marketplace-shapes-storytelling

Technology enhances many aspects of our lives, but when it comes to the arts, some artists say it can be a threat. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is changing how works are created and how certain disciplines are taught. We discuss it all with local experts in literature, publishing, music, and more. Michael Solis, executive director of Writers & Books Peter Conners, publisher and executive director of Boa Editions Zahyia Rolle, singer, songwriter, and musician ---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

John and Ryan chat with Odd Family Games about Herdvana's origins, design choices, indie challenges, and the future of tabletop gaming. 00:00 Introduction to Odd Family Games and Hervana 01:42 The Concept and Development of Hervana 06:45 Gameplay Mechanics and Strategy 09:49 Expansions and Additional Features 13:35 Art Style and Visual Development 18:52 Kickstarter Experience and Manufacturing Challenges 23:12 The Journey to Kickstarter Success 24:46 Playtesting and Game Development Insights 27:33 Inspiration from Other Games 30:02 Future Plans for Herdvana 31:23 Navigating the Indie Game Industry 32:57 The Enduring Appeal of Tabletop Games 36:53 Advice for Aspiring Game Developers 41:02 Supporting Indie Games and Community Engagement 44:27 Outro Video John and Ryan sit down with Andrew and Thane of Odd Family Games to dig into the creative spark, design philosophy, and indie hustle behind their breakout tabletop title, Herdvana. The conversation traces how a simple family dinner‑table idea grew into a fully realized game world, why the team focused on a specific emotional experience for players, and how they shaped Herdvana's visual identity. The group explores the realities of indie manufacturing and distribution, the player feedback that reshaped the game, and the classic titles that influenced Andrew and Thane as designers. They also break down the current state of the indie tabletop scene, why physical games continue to thrive in a digital‑first world, and what advice they'd give to first‑time creators. The episode wraps with how fans can best support Odd Family Games as they continue to grow.   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com   Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

Send us Fan MailWhether you've dreamed of being an author for decades or you're just starting to put pen to paper, there's one constant truth: writing—and finishing—a book is no small feat. On this episode of the Authors Who Lead podcast, I want to dive into the hidden obstacles that prevent most aspiring writers from becoming published authors. Drawing from my own journey (including a 24-year gap between my writing dreams and writing reality!), I lay out three major reasons books go unfinished—and what, exactly, you can do about it.Timestamp:00:00 Why your book won't succeed05:10 Discovering a teaching career07:12 Struggling with writing a manuscript11:32 The impact of a book14:00 Letting go of writing perfection18:02 Understanding intrusive thoughts20:12 Encouragement to subscribe and reviewFull show notesCOMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Jo and Rob head back to school to explore the chaotic and iconic 2007 classic ‘Skins.'Intro (0:00)The ‘Euphoria' Comparison (5:09)Did They Really Understand Teenagers? (6:52)First Impressions (9:14)Where Were the Adults? (13:43)Love Triangles (15:27)How Far Should Teen Shows Go? (17:22)Why Casting Real Teens Mattered (20:18)Inside the Writers' Room (22:31)Growing Up on Screen (29:26)The Cast (34:41)Future Stars (40:13)The Cost of Pushing Boundaries (53:17)Outro (57:58)Hosts: Joanna Robinson and Rob MahoneyProducers: Devon Renaldo and Kai GradyAdditional Production Support: Justin Sayles, Jacob Cornett, and Chris Thomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices