My Imaginary Friends With L. Penelope

This week I have a special guest: actor Paul James (aka my brother). Known for Greek, The Last Ship, and The Path, Paul shares his perspective on creating characters by bringing a writer’s words to life. This week’s best thing: my birthday! + Game of Thrones! Links: The Hot Sheet – https://hotsheetpub.com/ Ran Walker, 2019 Indie Author of the Year – https://indieauthorproject.com/2019-indie-author-of-the-year-award/ Kboards – https://www.kboards.com/ The Passive Voice – https://www.thepassivevoice.com/ The Sell More Books Show – http://sellmorebooksshow.com Paul James on IMDB GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Deb Dixon   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 https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC B

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." - Haruki Murakami THIS WEEK'S BEST THING: I got to see Audra McDonald perform live! (She could be every week's best thing!) https://audramcdonald.com/ WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT: - Sending my April newsletter - What to write next? - Working on chapter epigraphs for CRY OF METAL & BONE LINKS: - Fonda Lee Twitter quiz: https://twitter.com/FondaJLee/status/1115051419134877696 Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast

How novel revision and software development are basically the same thing. This week I enter the last(ish) stage of my revision, discuss the many uses of index cards, character verbs, and try not to let thoughts of piracy derail me. This week's best thing: I finished the final proofing of WHISPERS OF SHADOW & FLAME! Hoorah! Mentions: - Verbalize by Damon Suede - https://amzn.to/2ORE0qa - The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne - https://amzn.to/2Um01DB - Write Your Novel From the Middle by James Scott Bell - https://amzn.to/2I3ndQd - Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland - https://amzn.to/2UkBv5u - Author Rachel Caine on piracy   Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast Website: http://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 https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-

"The function, the very serious function of racism, is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work." — Toni Morrison Writing updates, quarterly planning, and my thoughts on recent events in the romance writing world.  This Week's Best Thing: WHISPERS OF SHADOW & FLAME Advanced Reader Copies are here!! Other Mentions: Robin Covington, romance author Mindlogr - private video diaries Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM

On managing decision fatigue and why high output (writing all the things!) requires high input (aka my excuse for binge reading). This Week's Best Thing: The Ravenels by Lisa Kleypas  Also Mentioned: Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks Robin LaFevers IG Post on Decision Fatigue - https://www.instagram.com/p/BvKP68fHj8w/ - Check out her books! http://www.robinlafevers.com/ Neil Gaiman on Neil Armstrong and Imposter Syndrome Subscribe and view show notes at:

This week I talk writerly intuition and do some research to come up with character names. This week's best thing: Trailers Galore! - Aladdin trailer - Avengers:Endgame - Bel-Air The Writer's Well podcast: http://thewriterswell.org Article on the Sami Concept of Time: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/sami/dieda/anthro/concept-time.htm Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas 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 https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM

This week I got stuck in my writing and determined I wasn't leaving enough blood on the page. Show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast Mentioned in the show: - The Umbrella Academy - Madhuri Pavamani, author & poet - Franz Kafka quote and translations Website: http://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 https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM

When the flu knocks me down, I get back up again (slowly) AKA When self-care kicks you in the face.

Researching for my novel, while trying to stay focused and grounded in the story I'm actually telling.