Tag Archives: science fiction

Episode #88: Writing in the Midst of Bad News, Bad Luck, and Grief

Hey there, remember us?

Yeah, we know. We thought we were done with the hiccups in the schedule, but this thing called February happened. Things didn’t get better in March. And April was not shaping up to be any kind of improvement. Sure, we had content in the hopper, we had stuff we wanted to talk about, and we wanted to talk to you all. Problem is, we had a full plate of ADULTING to cope with, and that is what this comeback episode of The Shared Desk is all about — when Life refuses to cut you a break.

We have some thoughts on what to do about it.

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Remember us?
  • So that’s why Tee is so interesting to people…
  • Are you feeling defeatist? BETTER NOT!
  • It’s been some time, not that we are light on content…

01:04 —  Episode #88: Writing in the Midst of Bad News, Bad Luck, and Grief

  • We’ve got some really cool stuff in the backlog…
    • Chatting with K.T. Bryski about the 2018 Smoky Writers
    • An interview with Chris Lester
    • A reunion of Verena & Christina on the show
  • …but we were sidetracked. Or maybe we were derailed.
  • A bit of a bomb was dropped in Tee’s lap two weeks after the last show.
    • Sure, Tee would love to go full time with his writing. But there’s this thing called health insurance.
    • Attention was dedicated to finding Tee a job.
    • Not all bad news. Despite our efforts, our daughter is taking first steps into a writer’s life.
  • Coming off of Smoky, Tee was riding a wave. This is probably why Tee’s “short story” for Tales from the Archives is…not so short.
  • Tried accessing TeeMorris.com or HappyHourFromTheTower.com last month? Well, yeah, black (ass)hat hackers made that a little difficult.
  • So…job is in trouble, the hunt is on for a new gig, two of Tee’s sites get hacked. Could things get any worse?
    • Whenever your mom calls you at 6 a.m., it cannot be good.
    • Tee’s mom, Tee’s brother, and Tee sat down…and decisions were made.
    • Saturday, March 24.
  • Nope. Life is still not done with Tee as he returns to his Day Job to discover…
  • How do you get back on your feet?
  • Hold up, Fam —Tee’s good.
    • My Twitch streams have been helping him cope. It’s like the early days of podcasting, but with video games.
    • Tee kept the Day Job situation close to the vest for a reason.
    • The new Day Job coming has got Tee grooving to this song…
    • How having the new job already lined up helped Tee through his Dad’s Memorial.
  • There may be good intentions behind “Get back on the horse…” but sometimes, you need to keep your pie-hole shut. Tee knows this. Sadly. Concerning his friend, Kim Headlee.
  • Writers react to death, grief, and stress differently. That is a truth.
  • To the people who think Tee and Pip should be full time in writing by now…
  • Interviewing for Day Jobs — especially ones that are just for show — are exhausting.
  • There are different ways to cope with death, grief, and stress. It’s okay to ask for help.
  • What writers need to do: set a date for a return.
  • Escapes are good. Escapes are essential.
  •  Tee’s Dad may never appear in a novel of his, but there will be influences and reflections a-plenty.
    • The Case of the Pitcher’s Pendant will always be that story for his father.
    • Too bad his dad liked the first one more.
  • Allow yourself to grieve.
  • And remember, you are not alone in the world. You are not.
    • Tee shares his breaking point.
    • Cheesy as it may sound, there is something good about hitting rock bottom.
    • Through all this, Pip discovers a super power.
    • Embrace your Tribe.
  • When you are ready, turn your grief, your darkness, your pain, into characters that resonate with readers. When you are ready.

29:02 —  Writers Off the Clock

  • Holy shit, this soundtrack is AWESOME!!!
  • Spoilers, Will Robinson! We are going to riff a bit about…
  • To really understand this reboot, you have to travel back in time to the original Lost in Space
    …which doesn’t quite age well. At all. Let’s discuss.
  • Decades later, Hollywood decided to take Lost in Space into a darker corner…
    …and no, things didn’t really fall apart with Matt LeBlanc. It started with the script.
  • “But early Doctor Who is pretty chintzy,” you say? About that…
  • GENERAL FANDOM: Lost in Space is a sacred cow. No need to remake it, reboot it, or retool it for a modern audience.
    NETFLIX: Hold my beer.
  • What Tee and Pip did not like about Lost in Space
  • What did Tee and Pip like about Netflix’s Lost in Space? Where do we begin?
    • Acting — on point and incredible
    • Women were taking the lead without emasculating the men,
    • The management of huge cast — everyone had their moment!
    • Everyone felt real.
  • Let’s talk about Parker Posey, Dr. Smith, and how she polished this turd-of-a-character and redefines this science fiction villain.
  • The creative crew of this new Lost in Space slip in a lot of nods to both the original television and film.
  • Opinions on the Robot
  • Already planning a re-watch.
  • Kid-Friendly…but there are some tense moments…

54:19 — The Wrap-Up

  • Tee and Pip had a lot to share with the class.
  • What will Tee do on his off-week before the new day job?
    • Play video games.
    • Mulch the garden…if weather permits.
    • Read up on Open Source.
    • Write. Write. Write.
  • Where will Pip and Tee be, you might wonder?
  • Other news you should know about…
  • If you have an event and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us…
    • 703.791.1701
    • pip@pjballantine.com
    • tee@teemorris.com
    • …and social media, of course.
  • Watch for those shows from our audio vault! They are en route!

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Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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The Dog Days of Podcasting: The Joy (and Fear) of Challenges

Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.

For this next installment of the 2017 Dog Days of Podcasting challenge, Tee looks at the challenge of exploring a world that you are familiar with. It’s a world you as the one who created it should know inside and out and intimately, but can you still discover something new within it, surprising yourself as well as your readers?

That’s the rush you feel when facing a new challenge.

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Find Tee on Twitter at either here,
leave a voicemail or questions for the Dog Days of Podcasting at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
I’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find this show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

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Episode #34: DemiCon 25 Wrap-Up (with P.C. Haring, Aly Grauer, Melissa Fox, and Christina Payton)

TSD-back2back_DemiCon25

Two cons back to back — RavenCon and DemiCon — and Tee and Pip are snapping back from the shenanigans in Virginia and Iowa. As this episode is a few days late, your show hosts super-size this episode with many different perspectives and reflections on the weekend that is DemiCon 25. Strap yourself in for some serious silliness on mic and insights into the weekend of geeking in Des Moines.

00:00 — Introduction

  • Getting in a quick intro and a a drop-in fix.
  • It’s a DemiCon 25 wrap-up for this week’s show!
  • Pip’s working on Immortal Progeny so I’m bringing us into this show.
  • So let’s step back in time…

1:55 — DemiCon 25 Wrap-Up 

  • Introductions.
    • Tee’s coffee cup is broken.
    • Let the hazing begin.
    • The ladies from Chicago show up.
    • On the Mic: Tee, Pip, P.C. Haring, Alyson Grauer, Melissa Fox
  • Food arrives…and eventually, we will get this show on track.
    • If you are curious, the crunch-crunch-crunch is the taco shell of our salad.
    • Aly thinks a Shared Desk at Bennigan’s is a bad idea.
  • Space Happens: The Kickstarter project currently on Aly’s and Mel’s plate…and it looks funny.
  • What brings Tee back to DemiCon?
  • P.C. Haring is sharing the wealth with the ladies…
  • Aly wants to do the ding along with the bell.
  • Aaaaaaand more hazing of the Author Guest of Honor…
  • What brings Aly Grauer and Mel Fox to DemiCon?
    • Aly’s first step into the Indie Author realm.
    • All of Pip’s dreams involve Idris Elba. Shocker that.
    • The Buffalo is fighting against Pip.
    • A quick review of Bennigan’s and the quality of hotel restaurants.
    • The best thing about the convention circuit: Networking.
  • What brings “Paul from Des Moines” back to Des Moines?
  • DemiCon 18 versus DemiCon 25
  •  DemiCon actually began on Thursday…
    • Voiceover Workshop at Theodore Roosevelt High School
    • A killer book signing at Barnes & Noble with Joe Halderman
    • …and ending with a blurry night in Des Moines.
  • DemiCon on Friday Night
    • Aly, Pip, and Tee talk about Barnes & Noble and the attitude towards a drive-by signing…
    • Aly was worried that we were going to be divas.
    • Tee reflects on being in a car with Terry Brooks. (OMG, he hates me!!!)
    • Meet the Ministry Panel — our kickoff panel
      • Captain Jack the Dapper Cat, making appearances throughout the weekend
      • We start talking about True Detective…but hop back to Vikings.
    •  The True Detective Panel
    • THE NIGHT OF PERKINS
  • DemiCon on Saturday
    • Collaborating with Friends (with P.C. and Pip)
      • The many bromances of Tee Morris
      • Christina Payton — our Eliza cosplayer — joins us, making the weekend wrap-up complete.
      • Pip suffers from trust issues, and nearly chokes Aly in talking about it.
      • Manners, please!
      • Hi, Christina! Tell us about your costumes…
      • “This waitress is out to get me!” — Tee
      • We brainstorm on the various Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences action figures.
    • The Book Signing
      • Reactions from Aly and P.C.
      • Plan 9 Burlesque in Chicago — Aly’s first signing, but not her FIRST signing which was DemiCon…kinda.
      • “Pip is an exotic specimen.” — Aly Grauer
      • And once again, the Mango Smoodie story rears its ugly head.
    • Epic Tea Time with Alan Rickman
      • Aly regales us with stories of P.C.’s naiveté.
      • P.C. tries to #blametheboot, and thus a new hashtag is born.
      • Christina and Mel share thoughts on the DemiCon tea party.
      • Reflections on Gung Fu Tea
    • The Guests of Honor Panel Discussion
      • Kind of “Meh.”
      • Not what Tee was expecting or hoping for…
      • Theatre of the Mind: Aly Grauer displays her skills in stealth.
      • The GoH Discussion reflects the tone of DemiCon 25. Not a bad tone, just a little exclusive.
      • Aaaaaaand the server releases another salvo….
    • Women in Steampunk (with Pip)
      • Complete with an appearance from #DapperCat
      • Pip updates and bulks up the Library of Congress talk.
      • A better turnout at DemiCon.
      • Pip name drops. A LOT!
      • Aly shares her favorite things about the talk.
    • The Reading
      • Pip was speaking in cursive.
      • Giving a reading in the style of scandalous actors.
      • What sobers you up? An Australian accent for Pip, apparently.
      • The different stages of speaking: Cursive, Calligraphy, Wingdings
      • The League of Fonts (A College Humor video)
    • The Masquerade (with Aly and Mel)
      • Aly’s incredibly awesome Smaug costume.
      • Mel brings it to DemiCon with the Doctor Who Clockwork Invaders…clockwork_01
      • Doctor Who‘s Weeping Angels…for Dummies.
      • Mel takes the Masquerade!
      • It’s off to the hot tub!
  • DemiCon on Sunday
    • The Podcasting Panel
      • GREAT turnout for a 9 a.m. panel
      • The Jesus Sightings
      • P.C. joins Tee for the Podcasting discussion.
      • Tee prefers to be on panels…with other people.
    • What Are You Watching?
      • Tee and Pip stay in genre and then drift out of genre…
      • We forgot Orphan Black. DAMMIT!
  • Coming back full circle to Bennigan’s…
  • What we all walked away with following DemiCon 25…
  • The genesis of Space Happens
  • The potential of Space Happens — go and donate at their Kickstarter!!!
  • Christina — you’re on mic! GO!!!
  • Reminiscing about Emerald City Steampunk Expo…
  • And Jolie swings by the table to say “Hey!” and to prove she is still upright after the DemiCon 25 weekend!
  • THE SCONES!!!! THE SCONES!!!!

1:28:15 — The Wrap-Up

 

[display_podcast]

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or question for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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Episode #31: Reflections and Lessons Learned from a Blog Tour (with Nick & Stacia Kelly)

TSD-back2back_NKSK

What a grand time we had in studio! If you remember from a previous Shared Desk, we enjoyed good panel with Stacia Kelly & Nick Kelly, another husband and wife team in the Science Fiction and Fantasy market. We finally got them over at Imagine That! Studios, enjoyed the last of the gas in the grill, and got them on mic. In this first in-studio appearance (and something tells me, far from the last) we talk about the recent Endless Possibilities Book Tour, lessons learned, and where we are going from here.

00:00 — Introduction

  • We’ve got alcohol introduced into the system which means the drops-in’s are leaning towards the ruder side of things. Even with guests in-studio.
  • Welcome for the first time in-studio our special guests, Nick and Stacia Kelly.
  • Bitching about the winter that shows no signing of ending…
  • Good things about Trinity Episcopal: We meet awesome people!
  • What do you do when you’re about to have a book released?
    • Tee — Goes on a CLEANING BINGE!
    • Pip — Drinks. (But Tee has other opinions as to what she does…)
    • Stacia — When she is nervous, she dances! Then cleans up after herself….
    • Nick — Channels his inner-Jaeger pilot. (He tends to cave to peer pressure from the show host, too.)
  • Go out and get Dawn’s Early Light! NOW!!!
    • A lot is riding on this new book.
    • There’s been a lot of hype around the book.
    • Our blog traffic is up by 300% (Now 400%….)
  • No one touches the bell!
  • A lot has been happening across all our blogs… 

08:47 — Reflections and Lessons Learned from a Blog Tour 

  • Blog Tours
    • What did we learn?
    • How do they happen?
    • How do you organize one?
  • Stacia — “This was my idea.”
    • WbtR wanted to try something new with book promotions!
    • First time with the blog tour — Sixteen participants! (Yikes!)
  • Nick admits there was a learning curve, but there were some challenges ahead.
  • Tee had a problem: The traffic during the blog tour dropped. Oooops…
  • Is there a strategy at composing blogposts?
  • What are tips for participants new to blog touring?
    • A “How to Blog 101” blogpost or “class” for those involved
    • Understanding a commitment level
    • Advantages: a new pool of content for my blog
  • Rules for repurposing blogpost and creating content
    • Nick — Ask yourself “What makes you want to read a blogpost?”
    • Tee — Ask your blog host “What would you like?” and pitch ideas.
    • Pip — On evergreen content
    • Stacia — Change more than 20% of a blogpost before you think it is a repurposed blogpost
    • Nick — On a blogpost’s exclusivity
  • Timing on topics does matter.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)  — does it really work?
  • What Tee has to deal with on a daily basis…
  • So someone is intimated by Tee? For what exactly?!
  • Oh MySpace’s Tom, where are you now?
  • Tee builds up a joke about DC (Comics) but Nick thinks it’s about (Washington) DC…
  • Another resource for blogposts — Writers…who behave like idiots
  • A tangent on SFWA…
  • Another tangent — albeit a much longer one — on Kickstarter…
  • If you are going to blog about something out there or controversial, own it.   
  • Other bits of advice for writers new to a blog tour
    •  Know the works of the authors
    • Look for a sweet spot for blogpost length

35:30 — Seriously? Seriously.

  • So much stuff to choose from for this week’s section…
  • Pip reads the web, and Nick is happy.
  • A threat that that is creeping up on established authors of the Empire: The Loss of their Cushy Offices in London!
  • Are these writers serious?!
  • Nick and Stacia take the blame for what happening to toad’s professional author.
  • Stacia shares an opinion on those who rely solely on traditional house publishing.
  • Your obligatory Doctor Who reference…
  • What you, as an author, need to do to survive in today’s modern publishing world.
  • Do authors really need a downtown metropolitan office?!
  • Nick Kelly steps up and knocks it out of the park!

46:04 — The Wrap-Up

  • Now THAT’S a segue!!!
  • Pip and Tee have an jam packed week this week between…
  • Later on this Spring…
    • RavenCon, April 25-27
    • A quick cameo from Sonic Boom who wants S’mores and feels the need to plug America’s Funniest Home Videos
    • DemiCon 25, May 1-5
  • What Nick and Stacia have on their plates…
    • Finishing and releasing Gian in time for Earth Day
    • “Catwalk: Jericho” coming
    • Catwalk: Lineage coming this Halloween
  • Remember: Always honor Rule #34!
  • Nick Kelly gushes for a moment about James Langton…while explaining the moment he figured out why Pip and Tee call this podcast The Shared Desk

  50:57 — The Outtake

cover art by J.R. Blackwell 

[display_podcast]
Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or question for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

 

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