In this episode, an update on the nationwide Bevi shortage, Queries & How We Do Them, and a grab bag of questions from across the internet!

No new donors at time of recording, but THANK YOU to everyone who has donated & all our listeners!

Quote of the episode:

“Your brain is an asshole, and you have to trick it”

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed In This Episode:

Jaime Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov on Instagram
Pomodoro technique 
Ben Aaronovich – Rivers of London Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Catherynne M. Valente – Space Opera Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Sarah Perry - Melmoth Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Connie Willis – Doomsday Book Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Leigh Bardugo – Shadow & Bone Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Leigh Bardugo – Six of Crows Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Leigh Bardugo – Crooked Kingdom Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Connie Willis – Bellwether Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

In this episode, Bridget & Jen talk career longevity, branding, R&Rs, and mental health disclosure. 

Thank you to this week’s donors: Marty, Carrie, Julia, and Katie!

Listen to the episode here.

Like the podcast? You can support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed In This Episode:

Why Did Marvel Fire Comics Writer Chuck Wendig? 
All Hail Gritty 
W.L. Goodwater – Breach Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Stephanie Garber – Caraval Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Sarah Perry – Melmoth Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Sarah Perry – The Essex Serpent Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
A.S. Byatt – Possession Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Elizabeth Kostova - The Historian Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Steven Johnson - The Ghost Map Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Clare Clark - The Great Stink Amazon | B&N 
Margery Sharp – Cluny Brown Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Margery Sharp – The Rescuers Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Eve Titus - The Great Mouse Detective: Basil of Baker Street Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Frederic Morton – Thunder at Twilight: Vienna 1913-1914 Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Connie Willis – Blackout Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Connie Willis – All Clear Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Connie Willis – To Say Nothing Of The Dog Amazon | B&N | IndieBound

In this episode, Bridget and Jen discuss world building likes/dislikes, DM etiquette, and what it means to be tall. 

Thank you to this week’s donors – Martine, Claire, Will, Ally, and Julia!

*at one point in this episode, Jen says Mansfield Park when she means Sense & Sensibility. 

Listen to the episode here. 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed In This Episode:

DitchDiggers (Hugo-Winning!) 
Matt Wallace – the Sin Du Jour series 
Jenny Han – To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before Amazon | B&N | IndieBound Mary Ann Shaffer - Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Martine Fournier Watson - The Dream Peddler Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
N.K. Jemisin – Worldbuilding 101 (free PDF)
Charlie Jane Anders: “7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding” 
Sigrid Ellis: “I always have SO MANY QUESTIONS about the economies of post-collapse societies.”
“new york city baby” 
State & Main Amazon | B&N 
Anna Zabo – Takeover Amazon | B&N 
Creed Amazon | B&N
JRR Tolkein – The Silmarillion Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Cat Valente – Space Opera Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Elizabeth Bishop – The Perilous Gard Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
The Work Conference  (*Jen received compensation to attend this conference, though she does not get any money for talking about it.) 
Brian Sykes - Saxons, Vikings, & Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
China Mieville – October: The Story of the Russian Revolution Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

Like the podcast? Support us by leaving a review, rating us on iTunes, or by using our affiliate links to purchase one of the books you’ve heard us talk about. NB: Affiliate links not working this week, except for Indiebound. You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi.

Thank you to this week’s donors!

Discussed In This Episode:

“Agent Danielle Smith’s Former Clients Speak Out” by Claire Kirch
“Against Chill” by Alana Massey
Tomi Adeyemi – Children of Blood & Bone Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Justina Ireland – Dread Nation Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Connie Willis – To Say Nothing Of The Dog Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Jared Diamond – Guns, Germs, and Steel Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Simon Sebag Montefiore – The Romanovs 1613-1918 Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 

In this episode, Bridget and Jen discuss the closing of Lupine Grove Literary and best practices for when your agent turns out to be toxic. 

NB: Next episode will be our FIFTIETH EPISODE! We will be doing ALL QUESTIONS, ALL THE TIME for this episode, so be sure to get them in before THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 at 6pm.

Listen to the episode here.

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

Thank you to this week’s donors!

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed In This Episode:

Agent Danielle Smith Accused of Fraud, Lupine Grove Closes
Trogdor the Burninator from Strongbad Email #58 “Dragon” 
Maria Semple – Where’d You Go, Bernadette? Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Chad Harbach - The Art of Fielding Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
**NB: Jen used The Art Of Fielding as an example of a book whose success was inversely proportional to the size of the advance. A better example of this would be CITY ON FIRE by Garth Risk Hallberg, which sold for a larger advance and did less in sales, whereas Art Of Fielding actually has done very well relative to its advance. Sorry, Chad! 
Hannah Kent - Burial Rites Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
“No, you probably don’t have a book in you” by Kate McKean
H.G. Bissinger - Friday Night Lights Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Jared Diamond – Guns, Germs, and Steel Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Misa Sugiura– It’s Not Like It’s a Secret Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Kelly Yang - Front Desk Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Kat Yeh – The Truth About Twinkie Pie Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Mary Winn Heider – The Mortification of Fovea Munson Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Emily Duncan – Wicked Saints Goodreads
Connie Willis – To Say Nothing Of The Dog Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Simon Sebag Monetfiore – The Romanovs 1613-1918 Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

In this episode Jen and Bridget discuss art under The Circumstances, the relative futility of the high road, and comfort viewing.

Quote: “the smoking rubble of what was once a functioning infrastructure”

NB: We recorded this episode in Jen’s aunt’s apartment, and someone starts vacuuming in the apartment above at the 54-56 minute mark.

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Thank you SO MUCH to our supporters who donated reently: Michael, Julia, Persephanie, Anon, Kate, Isabel Yap, Leanne, Cool Shades Anon, & Keke!

Discussed In This Episode:

Angie Thomas - The Hate U Give Amazon | Indiebound 
The Hate U Give Trailer
Clueless Amazon | B&N 
Hamilton Amazon | B&N 
Set It Up 
Morning Glory Amazon | B&N 
“Nothing Is Off The Table at Dinner With the Cast of Queer Eye” by E. Alex Jung
The Work Conference
Brian Catling - The Vorrh Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
C.L. Polk – Witchmark Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
Lois McMaster Bujold - Shards of Honor Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Lois McMaster Bujold - Barrayar Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
A Discovery of Witches Trailer
Meg Cabot - The Princess Diaries Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan - The Royal We Amazon | B&N | IndieBound Michelle Cooper - A Brief History of Montmaray Amazon | B&N | IndieBound Jared Diamond - Guns, Germs and Steel Amazon | B&N | IndieBound Christopher MacDougall - Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Haruki Murakami - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (A Memoir) Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Kelly Yang – Front Desk Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
Ian Kershaw - To Hell And Back: Europe 1914-1939 Amazon | B&N | Indiebound Steven Johnson - The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

In this episode we discuss which hills to die on, the dangers of handshake deals, and our (least) favorite contract clauses, as well as general contract dos and don’ts. 

NB: We realized midway through the episode that we had supporters this week, so the thanks come at the end! Our apologies for the omission. 

NBB: We’re nearly at 50 episodes! Got ideas for what we could do for the big 5-0? Leave ‘em in the ask box or let us know on email! 

Listen to the episode here. 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.) 

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review! 

Discussed in this episode: 

Twilight Zone – “Time Enough at Last” 
Linda Holmes - “Why That Arrested Development Interview Is So Bad” 
Jane Austen – Northanger Abbey Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Karen Joy Fowler – The Jane Austen Book Club Amazon | B&N | IndieBound Jane Austen Book Club Amazon | B&N 
Rihanna – Bitch Better Have My Money
W.L. Goodwater – Breach Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Katrina Leno – Summer of Salt Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
GJ Meyer – A World Undone: A Story of the Great War 1914-1918 Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Sarah J. Maas – A Court of Mist and Fury  Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

In this episode Jen and Bridget discuss the differences between YA and adult, sex and violence, and Infinity War. Spoilers for Infinity War abound - see timestamp below if you want to avoid it. 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.) 

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review! 

Discussed In This Episode: 

RF Kuang – The Poppy War Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
Leslye Walton- The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender Amazon 
| B&N | Indiebound 
Pierce Brown – Red Rising Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
Marieke Nijkamp – This Is Where It Ends Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Koushun Takami – Battle Royale Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Maureen Johnson – Truly Devious Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Marcus Sedgwick – Midwinterblood Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Emma Mills  – Famous in a Small Town Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Leigh Bardugo – Six Of Crows Amazon  | B&N | IndieBound 
K.M. Szpara - “Small Changes over Long Periods of Time” 
Jaye Robin Brown – Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit Amazon  | B&N | IndieBound 
E.L. James – Fifty Shades of Grey Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Michel Chabon – Summerland Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Donna Tartt – The Secret History Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Julie Murphy – Dumplin’ Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Julie Murphy – Puddin’ Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Rainbow Rowell – Fangirl Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Real Genius Amazon | B&N 
INFINITY WAR SPOILERS 48:39-55:50
Matt Fraction & David Aja – Hawkeye Vol 1: My Life as a Weapon Amazon | B&N  | Indiebound 
Margaret Mitchell – Gone with the Wind Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Susanna Clarke – Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell Amazon  | B&N | IndieBound 
Emma Mills – First & Then Amazon  | B&N | IndieBound 
Lee Gjertsen Malone – Last Boy at St. Edith’s Amazon | B&N | IndieBound  
Emma Straub- Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Gail Carson Levine – Ella Enchanted Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Shannon Hale – Princess Academy Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Catherynne Valente – Space Opera Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
M. O’Keefe – Wait For It Amazon | B&N 
Molly O’Keefe – Never Been Kissed Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Tiffany Reisz – The Red Amazon | B&N |
Kate Clayborn – Luck of the Draw Amazon | B&N 
GJ Meyer – A World Undone: The Story of the Great War 1914-1918 Amazon | B&N  | IndieBound 

In which Jen and Bridget discuss their Perfect Days, the nitty gritty of processes, and drink the eight dollarest bottle of wine. 

Listen to the episode here. 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.) 

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review! 

Discussed In This Episode: 

Anne Leonard – Moth & Spark Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
The Perfect Date
Miss Congeniality Amazon 
Kindle Paperwhite 
“In Honor of Infinity War coming out next week, here are a few videos I found from 2013 while prepping for The Winter Soldier.” 
Work From Home by Fifth Harmony
“Best Writing Trick I Know”

Jen & Bridget talk about the revision and editing process and the best way to get to “A Faster No.” 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed in this episode: 

Mette Harrison – The Bishop’s Wife Amazon  | B&N  | IndieBound
Allison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar, and Michelle Schusterman - The Pros of Cons Amazon  | B&N | IndieBound
Taylor Jenkins Reid - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Amazon | B&N | IndieBound  
Trailer - Fahrenheit 451
Trailer - The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
Sarah J. Maas – A Court of Thorns and Roses Amazon | B&N | IndieBound  
Masha Gessen – The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia Amazon  | B&N  | IndieBound  
Andie Christopher – Stroke of Midnight Amazon  | B&N
Tomi Adeyemi – Children of Blood & Bone Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Justina Ireland – Dread Nation Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
“Meet Justina Ireland, YA Twitter’s Leading Warrior” 

Jen and Bridget take you through the confusing and splendiferous world of taking a book on submission to editors.  

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.)

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review!

Discussed In This Episode: 

The Work Conference 
March For Our Lives 
Chris Evans, a.k.a. Captain America, Comes Back Down to Earth
Dorothy L. Sayers - Gaudy Night Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Walter M. Miller - A Canticle For Leibowitz Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Tana French- In The Woods Amazon | B&N | IndieBound  
Sheri Fink - Five Days At Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Robin Sloan - Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
The Year’s Best SFF 2012 ed. By Rich Horton (Yoon Ha Lee’s story is called “Ghostweight”) Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Yoon Ha Lee - Ninefox Gambit Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Maureen Johnson - Truly, Devious Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Kate Clayborn - Beginner’s Luck Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Sarah J. Maas - A Court of Thorns and Roses Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Sarah J. Maas - Amazon | B&N | IndieBound  
Tomi Adeyemi - Children of Blood and Bone Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Tomi Adeyemi Unboxing video 

Talkin’ bout description, having your characters do things, and the difficulties of imagination. 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (below! Currently only Amazon and Indiebound.) 

You can also support us through a donation on ko-fi, by subscribing to us on iTunes, or by leaving a review! 

Aphantasia definition 
Holly Black – White Cat Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Holly Black – Red Glove Amazon | B&N | Indiebound 
Holly Black – Black Heart Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
L.M. Montgomery – Anne Of Green Gables Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
I didn’t know babies came with hats
Dorothy L. Sayers – Gaudy Night Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Tana French – In The Woods Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Jeff Vandermeer – Annihilation Amazon |  B&N | IndieBound  
Maggie Stiefvater – The Raven Boys Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Maureen Johnson – Truly Devious Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Literary Review – Bad Sex In Fiction Awards 
Chekov’s Gun 
“It Just Felt Very Wrong: Sherman Alexie’s Accusers go on the record” 
The Rock Test: A Hack for Men Who Don’t Want To Be Accused of Sexual Harrassment 
Barbara Kingsolver – The Bean Trees | B&N | IndieBound 
Thomas Hardy – Tess of the D’urbervilles Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Rebekah Weatherspoon – So Sweet Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Rebekah Wetherspoon – So Right Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Rebekah Wetherspoon – So For Real Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 
Ash Vs. the Evil Dead Amazon | B&N
Darren Nichols / Slings & Arrows- “Deal With That” | Season 1 Amazon | B&N
Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society Amazon | B&N | IndieBound 

In which Jen and Bridget attempt to compare writing to being an olympic figure skater and fail, mostly because neither of them know anything about figure skating (and because they don’t want to talk about sexual harassment in publishing.) 

Like the podcast? Support us by buying one of the books we mention in this podcast and using our affiliate links (on our website! Currently only Amazon, but B&N and IndieBound to follow.) 

You can also buy us a coffee and donate on ko-fi.

In which Jen and Bridget discuss professional jealousy, zero-sum agenting, and Jen’s feelings about the actor Adam Driver. 

NEWS: We are starting to share affiliate links for the books we discuss on the podcast. Currently Amazon is the only one set up, but as B&N and Indiebound come online we’ll b e adding those links to the post. Please consider purchasing a book through these links to support the podcast!