First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

What does "high maintenance" really mean and is it relevant when you're maintaining yourself? And the consuming human need to provide answers and what that has to do with me learning my multiplication tables. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ) and GREY MAGIC here (...

Down time and how access to the internet has changed that for me. Also thoughts on going pantsless, misogyny, and another subtrope of "not like other girls" that annoys me. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ) and GREY MAGIC here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/grey-magic ). I...

About trusting the subconscious and intuition - but why it's important to remember that we have a critical, conscious brain also for a reason. Also the MAGIC of story devices like ticking clocks and firm rules. You can find Scribd here ( https://www.scribd.com/home ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffeken...

Why I think "Kill Your Darlings" isn't actually useful writing advice. Also I'm discussing how to write novellas, and I'm introducing the Watch Phrase of the Day! Today's is: prevent the proliferation of secondary characters. You can find Scribd here ( https://www.scribd.com/home ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder F...

Sliding release dates (so sorry!) on GREY MAGIC and FIRE OF THE FROST, though everything is otherwise going well and on track. And some thoughts on community and people wanting to be good and right. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ) and GREY MAGIC here ( https://jeffekennedy.com...

My weekend - which included an actual book event with IRL people! - and my excited thoughts on Red (Taylor's Version). Talking on creators owning their work and also how we decide whether to revise past work. Taylor Swift's short movie of after all is here ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tollGa3S0o8 ) and her SNL performance of the song, equally as powerful is here ( https://www.youtub...

I'm raving about the new Christmas RomCom, LoveHard, and then I'm indulging in a spoilery rant about the season finale of Lucifer and why I hated it. Why is the concept of an HEA and a long-term loving relationship so hard? LoveHard is here ( https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10752004/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE...

Why this has been a crazy week for me, more schedule disruptions, and how I'm not happy if I'm not actually producing words, even though I know that even when I'm not writing, I'm writing. Also: Mikhail Baryshnikov You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you wa...

Why I equate "subverting tropes" with someone being an asshole, getting knocked off my pillow and getting back on again, having a book on a List, and a goodbye to Jim Fiscus, longtime SFWA volunteer. You can find the Book Riot article I mention here ( https://bookriot.com/best-enemies-to-lovers-fantasy-books/ ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and...

Why I think competition is falsely lauded in US culture, how it harms creativity, and why I don't like creators being placed into false competition with each other. Also, adventures in audiobook production! You can find the Stephen Sondheim/Andrew Lloyd Webber mashup here ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G_Q1poI6Bw ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) a...

About SFWA's Grand Master award, the politics of gender and of the MFA/writing workshop mystique, and how those things can be insular. Also general fangirling about Mercedes Lackey and why I love her books! You can find all of Mercedes Lackey's books here ( https://www.mercedeslackey.com/bibliography-2/ ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preord...

Thoughts on rereading my own books, world bibles, worldbuilding, the advisability of writing sequels and the perils of long series. Also story structure and why I think some books are lacking it, to their detriment. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me an...

An epiphany I had on why some people might see fights scenes and sex scenes as similar. Also a rant on notifications and why I believe we should assiduously fight them and a bit about the Brittany Murphy documentary. You can pick up Grace Draven's RADIANCE for only $1.99 here ( https://www.amazon.com/Radiance-Wraith-Kings-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00S5IDLEQ/ ). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https:/...

Upon request, a discussion of fight scenes (including battle scenes), why I think they're nothing like sex scenes, how the character transformation is totally different, and how I learned to write them anyway.  The Keeping Secrets class is here ( http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/ ). Scroll all the way down. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder...

News on choosing the SFWA Grandmaster, thoughts on jargon, closed communities, gaming, and being able (and willing) to explain niche knowledge to people who have no context for what you're talking about. The Keeping Secrets class is here ( http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/ ). Scroll all the way down. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF...

Imposter syndrome and the balance between giving ourselves due credit for our own hard work, skill, and talents vs. acknowledging the role of serendipity. You can order DARK WIZARD here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard ) and preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link...

The vicissitudes of publishing, commercialism, art, knowing what's good, Ursula Le Guin and why some books take off and others don't. Also, a story about my brief stint as a cheerleader and pompon girl wannabe. The award I mention was the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2014 and Ursula Le Guin's speech is here  ( https://www.you...

Exciting news on DARK WIZARD and the Sekrit Project. Also thoughts on intermittent fasting (content warning) not only with food, but with being online. And how the pandemic affect my seasonal rituals. SFFRomcast is here ( https://www.instagram.com/sffromcast/ ). A PROMISE OF DARKNESS by Bec McMaster is here (https://becmcmaster.com/books/promise-of-darkness/). You can order DARK WIZARD here ( http...

Understanding rejection of our work and how it can mean different things at different times in our careers, ego checks, how kill fees work, why editing is key, and general rhapsodizing on autumn colors. You can preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link ( https://www.paypal...

I saw yet another class purporting to teach plotting for pantsers - this one to sell you software - and so I'm ranting about how ALL WRITERS PLOT, that your process is fine as is, and that you don't need to outline! You can preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this li...

I'm pulling together a lot of thoughts on plagiarism, influences, understanding our villains and the trouble with protagonists as avatars, taking ourselves out of the poem, and how there's no magic formula. You can preorder FIRE OF THE FROST here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link ( http...

Author finances and why being transparent about money isn't that easy. Also a bit more on Bard Art Friend, the ways in which we steal stories from each other, appropriation, intention, and owning our motivations. The article on author finances that I mention is here ( https://www.salon.com/2015/01/25/sponsored_by_my_husband_why_its_a_problem_that_writers_never_talk_about_where_their_money_com...

Understanding how programmed misogyny works in employing story tropes, how to weed those things out of our work, and understanding why we view something like gossip as negative. Also: celebrating! Cover Reveal for FIRE OF THE FROST! You can preorder it here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link ( htt...

On why we choose the genres we do as newbie writers and how that affects our careers. Also the lone female trope, aka Not Like Other Girls, and how that shows up in various stories and why we need to get rid of it. Cover Reveal for FIRE OF THE FROST! You can preorder it here ( https://jeffekennedy.com/fire-of-the-frost ). If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or foll...

A bit more about Bad Art Friend and the really excellent discussion about it in the New Yorker. Also about kindness, what it means to us, whether it's a weakness or takes a particular strength of character. The follow-up New Yorker article, which reviews the short story at the center of the bad art friend saga, is here ( https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-story-at-the-center-of-t...