Yeah, we joined mainstream and social media in debating Barbie in our podcast, but we went in a different direction with the history of gender-based books and roles. We start in the mass market publishing in the beginning of the 20th Century (“dime store novels”) through the “Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew” type books ofContinue reading “Yeah, We Went There, Too”
Category Archives: Nostalgia
Shakespeare, Baby!
Episode 124 is about the writer’s derivative use of other published works in their own works in progress. Where is the gray area of originality when using William Shakespeare’s classic works, for example? Modern literature is full of examples of those who boldly took it upon themselves to “copy” the Bard’s great works or atContinue reading “Shakespeare, Baby!”
COVID
Episode 121 is started slow, but evolved into something interesting and complex. We talked about about our minimal efforts on our works in progress. The challenge for CC is finding the time to hit the keyboard. My challenge is I’m making things up as I go along, so I think I created a readable adventure,Continue reading “COVID”
Dashing
Happy Father’s Day and Juneteenth to all who celebrate! Episode 120 is all about:– Our works in progress,– JT’s new part-time job,– Visiting places from our youth and feeling the ghosts walking through us,– Readers’ reading habits, and– Tighter plots for the shorter attentions spans of the 21st Century. Have a listen and let usContinue reading “Dashing”
Going Cross Country
The podcast is back after a two-week hiatus due to JT driving to the East Coast and back to see his sister. Today’s episode is all about that eleven-state tour (NV, UT, WY, NE, IA, IL, IN, OH, PA, MD, and DE). For those scoring at home, JT drove over 5,500 miles. Also:Visiting the GettysburgContinue reading “Going Cross Country”
Messages to Us
Episode 114 of the “helping writers write” podcast touches on messages to our younger selves. What we have learned and what would we say to ourselves if we could go back in time. “Never give up” is the obvious advice, but the rest is not so obvious. Also discussed:-Paris (France)-Mark Twain-Our Basement-Retirement-Significant Birthdays-Going to College-OurContinue reading “Messages to Us”
Spring Cleaning
Episode 112 of our writer’s podcast tackles Spring Cleaning, the ritual of opening the windows, letting in the fresh air, and getting your house organized. For writers, it’s about the craft of writing: organizing your manuscripts, filing documents in their proper folders, and reorganizing your brain for the next manuscript. Also discussed: our basement (sigh),Continue reading “Spring Cleaning”
That Which We Leave Behind
Time for another CC and JT Amateur Hour “where production values go to die.” We like to help writers write. The past is always present, and it grips us all in more ways than one. CC and I discuss how to fold the past into your writing. We talk about the Hume Museum. Peggy theContinue reading “That Which We Leave Behind”
The Doldrums
We discuss “the doldrums,” which we define as a normal interruption in the creative writing process. You have a story, but you don’t what to with it or which direction to take it. We’re going through this phase ourselves. We have some ideas on what got us there and what it will take to getContinue reading “The Doldrums”
Adult Books
In today’s Amateur Hour, CC and I discuss the books that took us from childhood reading to adult fiction, and the impact they continue to have on us as adults. We chat about sump pumps, our works in progress, and “From Tundra to Tiara,” as well as our plans for the future. Have a listenContinue reading “Adult Books”