Episodes
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For millennia, witches have been a source of fear, fascination, persecution, oppression, hope, and bewilderment. Tales of witches go back as far as time and appear in every culture on the planet. So, as a writer, how do you even begin to understand the complex nature of a witch’s reality without relying on stereotypes or misconceptions.
Welcome, writers and weavers to another spooky episode of Writing the Broomstick.
In this episode, Katrina and Genny finally get to talk about one of their most beloved subjects: witches (for those of you who haven’t been paying attention). Because of the immensity of this topic, we decided to focus on what it’s really, really like to be a witch in modern society.
First off, we discuss spells—no, not how to create your own spells, but more precisely, what a spell actually is. Here’s a hint: if you’ve ever dropped to your knees and joined your hands together in prayer, you’ve probably already cast a spell before.
We want to give our writers more insight into the devotional aspect of witchcraft, so not only do we understand the spiritual mechanics behind spellcasting, we also open up the discussion to rituals in general.
We try our best not to go off on crazy tangents because it really is a subject we’re both passionate about, but alas, we make a brief stop to talk about the history of witch persecution (Katrina gets very upset) before moving on to a much more lighthearted topic: style.
We can’t really talk about the modern witch without mentioning what they wear. And yes, they do have other colours besides black in their wardrobe.
Call it kismet, fate, or the divine workings of the universe, our resident tree expert, Sonja F. Blanco has just released her new book this week, and we couldn’t have planned our episode at a better time?! Be sure to get your copy of Witch of Ware Woods.
SOURCES:
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2019/10/royal-obsession-black-magic-started-europes-most-brutal-witchScottish Witchcraft by Barabara Meiklejohn-FreeWicca: The Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunninghamhttps://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Ever walk into an empty room and feel like you’re being watched? Ever feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end for no apparent reason? Maybe you’ve encountered a real-live ghost. In this week’s spoooooooky episode, we’re talking about things that go bump in the night, particularly phantoms, spirits, apparitions, poltergeists….you know, ghosts!
Whether you believe in the existence of ghosts or not, you want to create a well-rounded ghost character that makes us true believers.
But Katrina and Genny are sick of reading the same old clichés. Either ghosts are as friendly as Casper or as evil as demons. We want to read ghost stories that go deeper than the stereotypes. We want to be awed, bewildered, heartbroken, overjoyed, and inspired by ghosts.
Think you got what it takes to write an out-of-the-attic ghost story? Here are some writing prompts to help you get started:
Ghosts are dead. All the other details are up to you. Your ghost is ancient. Everyone in your story is a ghost except your protagonist. What if society in your book fully embraced the idea that ghosts exist. In other words, what if what we usually ascribe as pseudoscience became the subject of hard scientific study? Everything we think we know about the afterlife is dead wrong Your protagonist can feel themselves disappearing, but no one else notices?A school for ghosts! A bad ghosts vs. good ghosts warHow about a group of friends move into a dorm and become best friends with the ghost(s) that dwells there? A.K.A. Casper Goes to College How about a haunted island?Before we even get to our writing prompts, Katrina and Genny prove that they are true believers in ghosts by sharing their personal encounters with these supernatural beings.
What about you? Have you ever seen a ghost?
Stay tuned for another spooky episode coming next week!
P.S. We feel the need to apologize in advance for our hyperactiveness in this episode. We're blaming it on too much coffee and the fact that it was the first time we recorded two episodes in a row. Either that or it's almost like we were...possessed ;)★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Episodes manquant?
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Halloween….the spookiest time of year. When the veil that separates the living and the dead gets dangerously thin.
Welcome back, writers and weavers to season three of Writing the Broomstick!
No matter where you live in the world, we’re willing to bet that your culture commemorates the end of summer and the beginning of winter...when our ancestors prepared themselves for the harshest months of the year.
In ancient Ireland, the Celts celebrated with the Samhain festival—a time when rural farmers stared darkness in the face with a giant celebration and where spirits roamed the earth.
But how did Samhain evolve into Halloween?
Katrina and Genny take you on a quick tour throughout Celtic Ireland where the seeds of our modern-day Halloween were sown. We discuss the origins of the Jack-o-lantern, trick-or-treating, costumes, and spookiness in general.
We then trail off into dreamland where both girls share their experiences of Halloweens gone by.
Suggested Reading for the Spooky Season:
The Wise One by K.T. AnglehartSources:
https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-originshttps://www.irishcentral.com/roots/irish-traditions-halloweenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-history-of-trick-or-treating-is-weirder-than-you-thought-79408373/https://www.ireland.com/en-gb/things-to-do/events/puca-festival/https://wfupress.wfu.edu/arts-and-culture/spooky-history-of-samhain/https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/origins-halloween-samhain-002271https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/13things/7448.html -
If you could have any magical ability in the world, what would it be? Would you fly over the rooftops of your hometown? Would you control fire and water? Would you bring your poor houseplant back to life?
In today’s episode, Katrina and Genny discuss the limits of one’s imagination—more specifically, all the wonderful and weird and unexplainable magical abilities you can give your character.
After all, fantasy is where magic can feel free and safe to express itself—why wouldn’t you want to sprinkle a little magic into your world?
Before we dive in, we make the distinction between superpowers and magical abilities, because some of us might not even remember a time when there wasn’t a new superhero movie every three months, and we want to make sure everyone knows the difference between the two.
We also go a bit deeper into the conversation to help you think about your character’s story arc. So, here are some things to think about:
Is their magical power serving some greater purpose within the story? Does the character need their magical ability to defeat the villain or is the ability itself seen as the antagonist?How do people in your character’s life feel about this power? Do they know? Do they accept it?Is your character’s ability in line with or in conflict with the ways of their ancestors?What are the consequences of using this power?And Hooray! We made it to episode 10! Not without incident, swearing, scheduling conflicts, technical difficulties, and moments of crippling self-doubt along the way. Before we shut down for a few weeks and get ourselves ready for an explosive Halloween-heavy, spooky, scary month of episodes, we just want to say thank you all so much for listening to two girls rant about writing, fantasy books, witches, and random moments of real life.
We’ll be back in just a few weeks to start season three!
SOURCES:
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-superpower-and-magichttps://www.adazing.com/list-of-superpowers/★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Writing about time in your fantasy novel is a real see-you-next-Tuesday. I mean, all our months, weekdays, and seasons sound so...Earthly. And if you’re wondering if your reader notices when you say “February” when describing a month of the year in your fantasy world....they kinda do.
The days, months, seasons, and even the year itself are all products of our human—aka real—history. So, how the heck do we talk about the passage of time without using names in the Gregorian calendar?
In case you haven’t guessed it, that’s what we’re talking about in today’s episode. We give you, our listeners-come-writers, tips and tricks for choosing the names of your own months, days, and seasons, and we also tend to talk pretty harshly about Mondays (but seriously, who likes Mondays anyway, amiright kids?).
While we’re at it, we take a stab at science—that’s right, science—to explain how writers can play with the very idea of seasons, even though Genny likes to point out that if you’re going to mess with units of time, you’re probably going in way too deep.
As the very witchy, Celtic-obsessed one, Katrina gives our pagan-curious listeners some inspiration for their fantasy calendar: the Wheel of the Year. And of course, the second after we stopped recording we realized that we spent all this time talking about ancient and mystical calendars without ever once mentioning the Mayan calendar…so yeah...oops.
Here are our tips for creating your own fantasy calendar:
Decide how intense you want to get.When in doubt, follow the seasons! Get your inspiration from the sun, the moon, and the stars.get inspiration from the Wheel of the Year. Demonstrate society values in your calendar.SOURCES:
The Wiccan Year, by Judy Ann Nockhttps://www.britannica.com/technology/sundialhttps://www.time-for-time.com/history.htmhttps://www.space.com/20433-game-of-thrones-seasons-science.htmlhttps://www.worldhistory.org/Wheel_of_the_Year/★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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The Devil, the Beast, 666, the Dark One, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Satan—whatever you want to call him, this character has been a point of fear and fascination for 3,000 years, and it’s a figure that pops up quite frequently in dark fantasy and horror novels.
So naturally, why wouldn’t we spend an afternoon discussing the Prince of Darkness? Rock on, Beelzebaby!
Katrina and Genny explore the origins and evolution of Satan—from the pious angel to the leather-jacket wearing man-about-town and every iteration in between.
As you’ll find out, it didn’t take us long to discover that Satan is a hodge-podge of multiple characters—a cultural byproduct of centuries of invasion and religious assimilation.
While we loved talking about Satan the character, we also wanted to share some helpful writing tips for any dark fantasy writers out there who wanted to take a stab at creating their own version of this dark and evil figure.
So, without further ado, here are our Top 9 tips (we couldn’t think of 10) for writing about Lucifer:
Tip #1: Read the Holy Bible.
Tip #2: Read the Romantics if you’re going to make him a tragic hero.
Tip #3: Go local.
Tip #4: Decide what Satan has to do with evil.
Tip #5: Write until you scare yourself.
Tip #6: Read until you scare yourself.
Tip #7: Be brave enough to write about God.
Tip #8: Stay away from the campy version.
Tip #9: Read books about Satan.
Recommended Readings
Goethe’s FaustLord Byron’s Childe Harold’s PilgrimageMary Shelley’s FrankensteinThe Monk by Matthew LewisThe Satanic Verses by Salman RushdieSource:
History of the Devil★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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New York City, Paris, King’s Landing, Chicago, Metropolis: What do all these cities have in common? They’re all featured in fantasy novels. Whether real or imagined, cities are common settings in urban fantasy and high fantasy alike.
So the question is: how do we write about urban spaces that feel so real that your readers will be asking you, “Where can I find this place?” And how do we make existing cities feel magical?
Here are a few tips:
Give your city a personalityUse your five sensesDraw a mapUse Google mapsSpend a day in your made-up cityThink verticallyEstablish what the “muggles” knowWhat else happens in this episode? Well, Katrina and Genny revisit their experience of Edinburgh ghost tours (which we highly recommend—warning: pooping your pants may occur!); Katrina gives us her expert opinion about how to treat existing cities with care, and both girls get Beatlemania over Neil Gaiman….again. (Oh, Neil! If only you knew how much we loved thee!)
We don’t really have any book recommendations, but we highly suggest that if you’re writing an urban fantasy, you take notes from Gaiman’s Neverwhere. And while we’re at it, check out Tiger’s Curse and tell us what you think about the author’s depiction of India.
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Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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In today’s special mini-episode, Genny flies solo as Katrina takes one small step for woman, one giant step for adulthood. And, of course, left to her own devices, Genny chooses to talk about satyrs, those Ancient Greek mythological creatures who kind of look like the devil, but who are really just looking for a good time.
She discusses their origins, and the difference between satyrs and fauns and Faunus and Pan and Dionysus….well actually, you just get to listen to her spiral into a ball of confusion about the difference between all these characters. We’re not quite sure if she came to a conclusion, so you be the judge: are fauns and satyrs the exact same? Or was Genny’s confusion legit?
Don’t worry, listeners, Katrina will be back next week, and we will be discussing cities, both real and imagined, so if you’re sitting on the next best urban fantasy, you’re going to want to take a listen.
Satyrs in Books, Film, and Pop Culture:
Mr Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. LewisThe creepy faun in Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s LabyrinthNewel, Doren, and Verl in the Fabelhaven series by Brandon MullAnd satyrs appear in games like WarCraft, God of War, Doom, and Magic: The Gathering.★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Mermaid straight ahead! A’hoy mateys. Today, we’re going unda da sea and into the mysterious world of mermaids, mermen, and merfolk! We want to know where our fascination with mermaids comes from. To do that, we need to go back to the beginning to learn more about the origins of this mysterious clam-bra-wearing being.
Did you know that mermaid lore spans thousands of years and shows up in various parts of Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe, the British Isles, and Southeast Asia?
So, we all agree that mermaids were a real thing to our ancestors. Sometimes she’s good, sometimes she’s bad, sometimes she lures sailors to their death, sometimes she’s a nice lady that brings you fame and fortune and dinglehoppers.
What else happens in this episode? Well, Katrina shot this episode in her childhood bedroom (it’s a long story), in case you’re wondering why she sounds like she’s in a bat cave, and Genny takes a crack at dramatic narrations. Plus, we’ve got book suggestions for you!
Our Book Suggestions:
The Deep by Rivers SolomonThe Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes GowerThe Moon and the Sun by Vonda N McIntyreIngo by Helen DunmoreBooks from Oprah’s Book List:
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. MorrowThe Pisces by Melissa BroderThe Oyster Thief by Sonia FaruqiCheck out more of Oprah’s suggestions.
Sources:
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/what-mermaidhttps://historydaily.org/origins-mermaids-greek-mythology-ghosts-christopher-columbus -
Villains are people too! Well, sometimes. In today’s episode, we’re talking about those characters that your readers love to hate. From the worst of human nature to the best of supernatural species, every reader is looking for a good “bad guy”.
But sometimes, authors don’t always deliver. Either we don’t spend enough time unpacking that “crossroads moment” when the villain chose the path of darkness, or, as Katrina puts out, they’re just an amorphous blob with little personality, motivation, or reason. Being evil for evil’s sake gets kinda boring, ya know? Even if your character is the Devil himself, you can still craft a well-rounded, multidimensional, or even charming villain.
So, how do we turn your flat, not-so-villainous villain into the type of baddie that jumps from the page and makes your reader scream, cry, or throw the book across the room?
Here’s what we think:
Make your readers love them as much as they hate themMake your villain memorableMake them multi-dimensionalMake them charming as hellGive your villain’s psychological disorder some insightTake a listen to learn more about how to make your villain a real badass.
Recommended Readings
Writer’s Guide to Character Traits by Dr. Linda Edelstein
Sources
https://www.autocrit.com/blog/create-villain-readers-will-love-hate/https://literaryterms.net/villain/https://prowritingaid.com/art/843/are-you-writing-a-villain-or-an-antagonist.aspx★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Last week we obsessed over plants, this week we swoon over trees. And who better to discuss trees and their magical properties than tree expert, landscape architect, and novelist Sonja F. Blanco.
We were so beyond thrilled to have such a fascinating guest on today’s episode. Her upcoming fantasy novel, Witch of Ware Woods (set to release in October 2021), promises to make you fall in love with trees and enchanted forests. We wished we had time to cover all the trees on the planet, but Sonja carefully hand-picked her favourites, most of which are featured heavily in her novel:
Sugar MapleWhite PineBlack BirchWillowAmerican ChestnutShe then blows our minds about all the many magical and medicinal properties of each tree (and their historical significance), and Katrina and Genny spend most of the episode “ooohing” and “awwwwing” over every little tidbit. We’re certain you’ll gobble up everything Sonja has to say.
Let this episode restore your faith in nature and inspire your writing.
P.S. We had some sound issues on our guest's end, but we promise it's worth it!You can follow Sonja here:
https://sonjafblanco.com/https://www.facebook.com/sonjafblancohttps://twitter.com/sonja_blancohttps://www.instagram.com/sonjafblanco/Sonja’s Recommended Readings and Links
The Overstory by Richard PowersFinding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne SimardInto the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth MeyerAmerican Chestnut Foundation: acf.orgLady Jesamyn Angelica: sisterhoodofthemoon.org and womensmysteryschool.com★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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What is a witch’s spell without plants? In today’s episode, Katrina and Genny dive into the world of herbalism and magic. Every plant on the planet is imbued with magical properties and health benefits, so we aren’t even going to try and tackle them all in one episode, cuz ain’t nobody got time for that. Instead, we pick a handful of the most interesting herbs and plants that your character might use to cast spells, heal their friends, and harm their enemies.
Our picks for today’s episode are:
AngelicaBelladonnaCactusBasilLemon BalmMugwortYarrowWolfsbaneRueDittany of CreteDragon’s BloodWe simply cannot help but release a few giggles when we read to you these amazing folk names (you’ll understand when you hear them). With each reading, we give a list of its magical and medicinal uses that will hopefully inspire your writing, BUT, as we reiterate 100 times in the episode, please use the information ONLY for writing inspiration.
If you’re writing about a green witch or a kitchen witch, this is the perfect episode to tap into the wonderful world of herbalism and folk magic.
Happy listening!
Sources and Recommended Readings
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunninghamhttps://www.iamhrsinclair.com/Want to start a podcast? Join over a hundred thousand podcasters already using Buzzsprout to launch your own podcast today. They’ll get your podcast listed on every major platform and they’ll build you a customizable audio player that you can embed on any site. Sign up for Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon Gift Card, which may just be the money you need to DIY your own soundbooth.
Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com
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Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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We’re back! Not exactly from a long, summer holiday, but after two weeks, it felt like forever. In the first episode of our second season (yay!), we explore the topic of fantasy tropes. What are they? Do we love them? Do we hate them?
Everything takes place in Medieval EuropeThere’s good, there’s evil, but there’s nothing in betweenAll is right in the world until someone releases the evil from its dormant pitThe prophecyThe perfect “Mary Sue-style” protagonist or character...
Welp, the consensus is that tropes, in of themselves, are neither good nor bad, but if we rely too heavily on precedent, they can become cliché, tired, and make your readers roll their eyes and mutter, “Oh, here we go again.” So, if you find your WIP uses one of these tropes, don’t worry about it! But do spend some time adding your own beautiful and unique spin on it to keep your readers thirsty. Here are some of the tropes we look at:Deborah Harkness makes yet another appearance, and both Katrina and Genny try out their best Moira and Alexa Rose impression. Genny mispronounces the word “mentor” a bunch of times and Katrina educates Genny on the word “insta”.
God, it’s good to be back! Even if we are a little rusty.
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Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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In today’s episode, Katrina and Genny give you a blueprint (or questionnaire) to help you in the worldbuilding stage of your fantasy writing. Let these questions act as your worldbuilding guide:
Ask yourself what kind of society your character lives inWhat are the different forms of governance?Is there a well-established class system? (low, middle, upper-class)Is there a strong proletariat? Do they feel exploited?How are labourers perceived by others? Are merchants respected by the upper-class?How does your character’s society treat the poor, sick, elderly, and marginalized?Do mythological creatures mix with humans? How are these creatures (or humans) treated? Who’s at the top of that food chain?Do people own pets? How are animals treated?What role do children play?Rule of lawWho’s in charge?Who enforces these laws?Are they fair? tyrannical? peaceful?How would you compare your world’s justice system to your own country’s?Relationships, sex, and genderHow are men and women treated differently by law and society?How are non-heteronormative people treated?Is sex taboo? What is the acceptable age to have sex and get married?Do people marry for love, money, or alliances?How is infidelity treated?Economy and politicsWhat currency does your world use?Is bartering a thing?Is there peace amongst nations? Who are the allies of your character’s country, and why?Is the world divided by kingdoms, empires, or countries?ReligionHow many belief systems are there?What is the dominant religion? Is there bias or prejudice towards any?Magic and the SupernaturalWho possesses magical abilities? All citizens or certain races?What are the rules around its uses?Are there limitations? Is it teachable? Is it innate?GeographyThis is the fun part...what are the different regions?Is the land separated by realms, kingdoms, countries…?Where does your character live? What does the landscape look like? How does this influence the character’s journey?ScienceIs there any?Is there a kind of logic or science to the magic systems?How advanced is scientific study?Does it look more like alchemy?Entertainment, Art & MusicWhat do the people of your world do for fun?What sort of instruments exist?Is there any importance placed on art or music?What do teenagers do for fun on a Friday night?Eating and CookingSignature dishes? Drinks? Butterbeer comes to mind…What are the customs around the dinner table?What is your character’s favourite dish? Who makes it? Is it easy to get? Where do the ingredients come from?★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Last week, the literary world was shook by an author’s craptastic idea to publicly insult people who left 4-star reviews on her GoodReads book page. She was so horrible about it that BookTwitter unleashed the type of vengeance only avid book lovers could devise…they attacked this author’s GoodReads book page with 1-star reviews.
That’s right. Before the book was even a few days old, Lauren Hough’s (let’s just say her name, we all know who we’re talking about, right?) book, which was a widely anticipated collection of personal essays, had over 1,500 1-star reviews, which means that her book rating is now essentially meaningless.
Wow, there is so much to learn from this. In today’s episode, Katrina and Genny explain why any writer, even a famous one, should never ever talk to reviewers like that (as if we really need to explain this one). We also talk about why giving a book a 1-star review simply because the author is an asshole misses the whole point and importance of these review sites.
By the way, did we mention that getting a 4-star review on Goodreads is actually amazing? Many writers would swoon over a review that good, but we’d settle for any, ANY review at all.
This is where Katrina’s personal experience with launching her YA novel, The Wise One, comes in handy. She tells us how to get reviews in really effective ways but warns that some of these methods are a lot of work (but totally worth it!).
Last week, we polled a few of our Facebook followers to get their advice on how to handle bad reviews, and their answers will definitely inspire you!
Meanwhile, Genny’s hair gets caught a bunch of times in her headphones, and we manage to throw shade on a whole cast of Hollywood actors. All in a day’s work!
★ ★ ★Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Have you decided to self-publish your novel, or are you set on going after a traditional publisher? Guess what: It doesn’t matter which publishing route you take because no matter what, you’re going to have to self-promote your little heart out, my dears.
But don’t take our word for it! In today’s episode, we’re interviewing Alexa Bigwarfe, the founder and CEO of Write, Publish, Sell—not to mention Katrina’s publisher! Alexa’s company offers authors writing and publishing solutions from marketing to launching to printing to cover design and TONS more. Alexa floors us with her solid advice on how we need to market ourselves (and not just on social media) in order to find our readers and build our audience. She’s been in the business for a long time, so writers, take notes!
Alexa has some solid marketing advice for authors out there, and here’s just a short highlight reel:
If you haven’t started marketing your book by now, for the love of god, START!Traditional publishers don’t automatically have the budget to promote your bookWitchy books are in!Don’t let your friend design your cover, unless said friend is, in fact, a book cover designer.No matter how hard you market your book, it still has to be written well (duh)...We know you’ll be as excited listening to Alexa as we were interviewing her. Writing a book is a long and arduous journey, and no matter where you are in the process, you could probably use a little dose of expert advice. And in the crazy competitive world of publishing, self-promotion is so gosh-darn-tootin'-frootin' important.
You can find Alexa’s contact details on her website (writepublishsell.com), PLUS you can also listen to her on her own podcast, the PublishHer Podcast with Alexa Bigwarfe.
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Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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What is impostor syndrome? Maybe you’ve heard this pop psychology phrase buzzing around social media lately, or maybe you’re hearing it for the first time. Put simply, impostor syndrome is the belief that you are a fraud. If you’re a writer and you have impostor syndrome, you don’t feel like you’re really a writer, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. We’re here to tell you that impostor syndrome is a load of codswallop!
In this episode, Katrina and Genny explore this phenomenon in an effort to demonstrate why impostor syndrome is not only a bunch of nonsense, but also why it’s a complete waste of your time and creativity.
And yet, we understand that even though you may not actually be an impostor, your fears and doubts about yourself can be managed in a constructive way that stops giving those feelings of doubt any power.
Need more proof that impostor syndrome is a whole lotta BS? What if we were to tell you that even some of the most famous and successful writers, actors, and entrepreneurs (people whom nobody on the planet would call frauds) also suffer from it?
We give some advice on how to recognize this creativity killer (whom Katrina has decided to name Burt, btw) and what to do when you notice it operating on you. We end the podcast with our own personal dealings with impostor syndrome—sorry, Burt—in hopes that you find inspiration, hope, and advice on how you too can ignore, de-escalate, and/or destroy your own Burt.
P.S. Technology had a vendetta against us this week, so we have to apologize for the iffy audio.One last thing: If you’re new to podcasting, you should definitely check out Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout lets us launch, promote, and track our episode stats and so much more. We probably wouldn’t have even started WTB without Buzzsprout’s easy-to-use site that’s designed for newbies like us.
Join over 100,000 podcasters already using Buzzsprout to launch your own podcast today. They’ll get your podcast listed on every major platform, plus build you a customizable audio player that you can embed on any site. Sign up for Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon Gift Card, which may just be the money you need to DIY your own soundbooth.
Consulted Materials:
57 famous people reveal how to overcome impostor syndrome12 successful women on impostor syndrome and self-doubt★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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What’s the difference between magic and witchcraft? Are faeries big or small—and why, pray tell, are there so many variations of them? What is the connection between black cats and witches? And what are warlocks, really, because they’re actually not what most people think they are.
These are the questions we hope to answer in today’s episode. These questions were asked by listeners, and we have to admit that we had a lot of fun diving right into fantasy land.
But what did we really learn from this little investigation? It’s that you should never rely on pop culture references to learn the truth about witchy topics and fantasy characters. We said it once and we’ll say it again: Do your research! If you’re planning on writing about mythical creatures, don’t rely on “common knowledge”. Dig a little deeper.
Due to scheduling conflicts, Katrina and Genny had to record their parts separately, which made it easy to edit, but you won’t hear any of the usual banter or (never once asked for) impromptu song interludes. We didn’t even mention Deborah Harkness, for crying out loud!
If you’ve ever wanted to know the real answer behind these questions, sit back, relax, and hit play.
Before you go: Are you interested in starting a podcast but have zero clue where to start? If you’re new to podcasting, you should definitely check out Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout lets us launch, promote, and track our episode stats and so much more. We wouldn’t have been able to get our podcast going without Buzzsprout’s easy-to-use site that’s designed for newbies like us. We especially like the Magic Mastering function that makes our audio sound much better than it would if left to our own devices.
Join over 100,000 podcasters already using Buzzsprout to launch your own podcast today. They’ll get your podcast listed on every major platform, plus build you a customizable audio player that you can embed on any site. Sign up for Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon Gift Card, which may just be the money you need to DIY your own soundbooth.
Consulted Materials:
http://crescentmoonschool.blogspot.com/?m=1“Paltrie Vermin, Cats, Mise, Toads, and Weasils”: Witches, Familiars, and Human-Animal Interactions in the English Witch Trialsby Helen Parish, University of Reading [download full text]★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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Fantasy: Anything not based in reality. Seems like a simple enough definition, but when it comes to literature, there’s so much more to it than that. In this episode, Katrina and Genny break down the fantasy genre and take a closer look into the most popular fantasy subgenres:
Urban fantasyMagical realismParanormal fictionWe also explain the difference between high and low fantasy, but even we have trouble applying these definitions to real-life examples. You’ll quickly see that as clear-cut as these definitions are, there’s always obvious overlap.
Having said that, it’s SUPER important to know the correct genre of your book, and Katrina explains why. Genny gets a tad emotional when talking about Gabriel García Márquez, and Katrina explains why we might hear her say the word “genre” a little strangely. Of course, Deborah Harkness makes yet another appearance and Genny nearly forgets to sing!
If you’re interested in writing in these subgenres, our best advice is to start reading! Here’s our reading list from episode 5:
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García MárquezWorks by Salman Rushdie, such as Midnight’s Children and Satanic VersesThe House of the Spirits, Isabel AllendeBeloved, Toni MorrisonBig Fish, Daniel Wallace The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, F. Scott Fitzgerald Works by Neil Gaiman, such as Stardust, Coraline, American Gods, NeverwhereThe Wise One, K.T. Anglehart (duh)The Dark Tower series, Stephen KingA Song of Ice and Fire series, George R.R. MartineQuestion: Are you interested in starting a podcast but have zero clues where to start? Buzzsprout lets us launch, promote, and track our episode stats. We wouldn’t have been able to get our podcast going without Buzzsprout’s easy-to-use site that’s designed for technically challenged folks like us.
Sign up for Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon Gift Card, which may just be the money you need to DIY your own soundbooth.
Consulted materials:
https://thoughtsonfantasy.com/2015/12/07/17-common-fantasy-sub-genres/https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-recognize-urban-fantasy#15-iconic-urban-fantasy-bookshttps://bookriot.com/what-is-low-fantasy/https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-supernatural-vs-paranormal-fiction#6-examples-of-supernatural-fiction★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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We have just one question: Why vampires? In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at these blood-thirsty sons of b*t***s—from Dracula to Twilight, to everything in between—and breaking down why so many people continue to be OBSESSED.
Our spin is that we’re looking at this from two different perspectives—Genny’s swoony over them (and gets a little hyper as a result) and Katrina never really saw the appeal (and thus lets her have her moments).
Some popular opinions: They’re just plain sexy and badass, and the fact that they live forever totes gives them street cred.
Here are some of the materials we looked at for this episode:
https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/146192/when-did-this-vampire-craze-start-anywayhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/sex-and-sexuality-19th-century/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161031-the-real-life-disease-that-spread-the-vampire-mythhttps://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/09/victorian-vibrators-orgasms-doctors/569446/★ ★ ★
Let us know what you thought of our episode! You can reach us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or email [email protected].
Hey! Do you like Celtic folklore, YA urban fantasy, AND free stuff? Read the first three chapters of Katrina’s debut novel, “The Wise One”.And, if you want to see what Genny’s reading lately, check out her Goodreads review page.
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