My Imaginary Friends with L. Penelope

THIS WEEK’S BEST THING: Virginian-Pilot “L. Penelope is Coming to Norfolk”  https://www.instagram.com/p/B3sP-ksA7LG/   MENTIONS:  The Muse Writers Center, Norfolk, VA - http://the-muse.org   Vellum - ebook creation software for Macs -  https://vellum.pub/ http://clippings.io - export Kindle notes & highlights Quantum Froth Dispatches podcast episode on JOKER -  http://qfdpodcast.libsyn.com/joker-t...

THIS WEEK’S BEST THINGS: My 11th wedding anniversary! MENTIONS You’re Doing Great podcast -  http://www.cinderly.com/posts/introducing-youre-doing-great/ Writing life-changing fiction - https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/write-life-changing-fiction/ The Writer’s Well episode 144: Is it Worth It? -  https://shows.pippa.io/thewriterswell/episodes/ep144 Delilah Dawson tweet thread -  https:/...

THIS WEEK’S BEST THINGS! Figuring out my plot for Earthsinger Chronicles book Whispers of Shadow & Flame book release! New York Comic Con signing  Pre-order Cry of Metal & Bone (Earthsinger Chronicles book 3) FUN FACTS: How spiders fly  https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/07/the-electric-flight-of-spiders/564437/ MENTIONS: The Wolf Queen Book I and Book II by Cerece Rennie Murphy  Aut...

THIS WEEK'S BEST THING: Brooklyn Book Festival! PLUS Whispers of Shadow & Flame is out this week!  Mentions: - N.K. Jemisin - P. Djèlí Clark - #SupportBlackWomenWhoWriteWeirdShit Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website: https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/leslyepenelope Facebook: https://www.f...

This week’s best thing: Southside on Comedy Central Whispers of Shadow & Flame  comes out October 1! Sign up for my newsletter –  https://lpenelope.com/newsletter Mentions: The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon –  https://amzn.to/30fkr46 Jeffe Kennedy podcast –  https://blog.jeffekennedy.com/ The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy –  https://jeffekennedy.com/the-orchid-throne Psychic Distance in writing:...

This week's best thing: The Boys on Amazon Prime   Mentions:   The Story Grid - https://storygrid.com   Margie Lawson - https://www.margielawson.com   Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/leslyepenelope Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorlpene...

This week's best thing: I'm climbing again (a little) & Carnival Row on Amazon Prime - I loved it!   Mentions   - Paragraph NYC co-working writing space - https://www.paragraphny.com/   - Deep Work by Cal Newport - https://amzn.to/2LBMr7   - NK Jemisin on fanfic - https://twitter.com/nkjemisin/status/116926504826459750   - My events calendar - https://lpenelope.com/calendar   - Whispers of Shadow...

This week's best thing: My doctor said I can try rock climbing with my wrist braces!   Mentions:   * #20kin5days challenge post -  https://www.tashalharrison.com/blog/i-might-live-to-regret-this-20kin5days   * The Creative Penn episode on podcasting -  https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/08/28/podcasting-goes-mainstream-podcast-movement-2019/   * Tim Grahl's Productivity Guide -  https://booklaun...

THIS WEEK’S BEST THING: My writer mastermind group and my homegirls  Ines Johnson  and  Cerece Rennie Murphy . My Facebook group and readalong –  https://www.facebook.com/groups/lpenelope/ * Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor –  https://amzn.to/2zjcfQk * Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert –  https://amzn.to/2LaZ0a5 * Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury –  https://amzn.to/2HnTKys * Turni...

This Week’s Best Thing: Jamila Woods "GIOVANNI”  -  https://soundcloud.com/jamilawoods/giovanni-1   Mentions: * Nikki Giovanni “Ego-Tripping”-  https://poets.org/poem/ego-tripping-there-may-be-reason-why * Gemini by Nikki Giovanni – video of her reading from it –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=084lIpz3yvY * Scene planning notecard image -  https://lpenelope.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5429-300x22...

This week’s best thing: Toni Morrison’s legacy   Mentions: * Beloved by Toni Morrison - https://amzn.to/31zH13k * Jeffe Kennedy’s podcast on YA vs Adult SFF - https://blog.jeffekennedy.com/2019/08/09/first-cup-of-coffee-august-9-2019/ * MarsCon - http://www.marscon.net/wp/ * Brooklyn Book Festival - https://brooklynbookfestival.org/ * Roni Loren - Done Planner - https://roniloren.com/blog/2018/9/1...

This week’s best thing: Creating Character Arcs by KM Weiland - her website: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/ Mentions: * Double Vision Editorial - developmental editor - http://doublevisioneditorial.com/ * Write Better Faster class - https://betterfasteracademy.com * Verbalize by Damon Suede * Actions: the Actor’s Thesaurus * Janet Mullany author - https://www.janetmullany.com/ * Deat...

A bonus episode, in which I read new material from the special edition of SONG OF BLOOD & STONE (Earthsinger Chronicles Book 1). Recorded July 17, 2019 as part of the Charm City Spec reading series at Bird in Hand bookstore in Baltimore, MD.   https://charmcityspec.com https://birdinhandcharlesvillage.com   Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast   Website:  https://www.lp...

This Week's Best Thing: RWA National Conference! Mentioned: - Marjorie M. Liu -  http://marjoriemliu.com/  - Monstress graphic novel - RITA Award winners -  https://www.rwa.org/Online/Awards/RITA/2019_RITA_Winners.aspx - #WeNeedDiverseRomance   Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope T...

THIS WEEK’S BEST THING: Song of Blood & Stone special edition is out now! MENTIONS: - The War of Art by Steven Pressfield   - egg timer -  https://e.ggtimer.com/ - JR Ward post on reviews and feedback - Megan Rapinoe tweet - Top 10 Fantasy Books of 2018   Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast   Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/les...

This week’s best thing:  Readercon ! Mentions: Hamilton in Baltimore Fast Color movie Sycorax’s Daughters  – Anthology of Black women horror writers “What Screenwriters Get Wrong About Outlines”  – video with Alan Watt     Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope Twitter:  http://www.tw...

This week's best thing: I have an outline and started writing Earthsinger Chronicles book 4!! Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/leslyepenelope Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorlpenelope   Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud  http...

This week’s best thing(s): Honorable Mention: Backstreet Boys subway sing-along Winner: Watching Shaka Zulu for the first time Mentions: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle - https://amzn.to/2FJq7a4 Story Grid Editor Roundtable podcast on Black Panther - https://storygrid.com/editor-roundtable-black-panther/ The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne -  https://amzn.to/2xjNXEZ Story by Robert McK...

This week's best thing:  Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Mentions: Story Grid article: Discover Your Story's Core  Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay Namesake by Kate Stradling Books with a Past  – Maryland indie bookstore   Subscribe and view show notes at:  https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website:  https://www.lpenelope.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope Twitter:  http://www.t...

Storytelling with prerequisites, concrete character goals, and the ever elusive ending. This week’s best thing: Rocketman movie! Go see it!  https://tickets.rocketman.movie/  (I hope Taron Edgerton gets an Oscar nom!) Mentions: Beyond the Screenplay podcast –  https://www.lessonsfromthescreenplay.com/beyond-the-screenplay/2019/5/3/episode-9-gone-girl-8khy4   Lessons from a Screenplay Youtube chann...

Fast drafting, writing rituals, and a mini rant on naming your fantasy months. "The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." —Terry Pratchett This week’s best thing: New York Times's Tiny Love Stories - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/style/tiny-modern-love-stories-most-beautiful-hands.html Mentions: Author Darynda Jones on her process:  https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/rig...

Peeling the layers back on character and plot as I prepare to fast draft next week. Also, The Matrix turns 20 this year and I wax philosophical on my Matrix tattoo. This week's best thing: New music from Sleater-Kinney!  Video directed by Miranda July! Mentions: Me and You and Everyone We Know - film by Miranda July No One Belongs Here More Than You - short story collection by Miranda July 20th an...

Scheduling the time needed to chip away at my long to-do list.   This week’s best thing:  The Jeffersons live on ABC   Mentions: The Career Author Podcast -  https://thecareerauthor.com/ Readercon -  http://www.readercon.org/ Tananarive Due -  https://www.tananarivedue.com/ Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0...

An overview of my first week plotting book 4 in my fantasy series.  This week’s best thing: Plotting! Perhaps my favorite part of the writing process. Mentions: Michael Hauge character development - This article is what started it all for me in terms of understanding this method for creating inner conflict:  http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/08/the-inner-struggle-guides-for-using.html Plot vs. Char...

Starting a brand new book… no, I’m not scared at all.   This week’s best thing:  Soot and Slipper by Kate Stradling   Links: Namesake by Kate Stradling Project Management Software Smartsheet Trello Notion Calendar templates  Write, Better, Faster course George RR Martin on endings Story Genius by Lisa Cron Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland positive, negative & flat character arcs! Save the C...