I Should Be Writing

"It’s a definitely a giftable type thing for the Tolkien lover in your life." In this somewhat festive episode we talk about all the books we weren't able to feature over the year, to let you know about books you may not have heard of. We go by blurbs and first sentences - video also shows book covers! We talk SF, horror, mystery, and more. Mur might also rant about publicists who use AI. Check out all the books here! (affiliate) Links T. Kingfisher Kosoko Jackson R. Lee Fryer LaDarrion Williams Agatha Christie Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. November 16, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 23 | murverse.com "2025 Gift Guide" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

"Anytime someone starts a sentence with, 'why don't you just,' immediately stop listening to them." ~Valerie Valdes (Lia Amador) While it hasn't been a long time for podcast listeners, it's been a while for us and considering her expertise, I've invited Valerie Valdes back for a candid discussion about the recent demise of NaNoWriMo and what it means for writers. We delve into the challenges of maintaining community and motivation without the established infrastructure of the once-beloved event. Valerie shares her insights as a former municipal liaison and offers alternatives for writers looking to stay engaged during November. We cover Nano 2.0, Shut Up and Write, and 4 The Words. Community is one of the most important parts of this month, and we make sure people know that they're still not alone! (This post went live for supporters on November 4, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador Escape Pod NaNoWriMo 2.0 Shut Up and Write 4thewords Dreamfoundry World Anvil Game of Tomes Kate Cavanaugh's Livestream Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. November 6, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 21 | murverse.com "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

"You should be writing, because that's the only thing that ultimately you can have even a hope of controlling." ~Valerie Valdes Welcome back to the talented Valerie Valdes, also known as Lia Amador! We are here to launch her newest book, a fantasy rom-com titled Witch You Wood. We talk magical reality shows, romance, and tropes. We also get real about the struggles that persist even after being published. Valerie discusses her experiences with self-doubt and how she manages to push through these challenges. We also explore the nuances of writing romance, the balance between subtlety and straightforwardness, and the significance of knowing your audience. (This post went live for supporters on October 20, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador Escape Pod International Latino Book Award Ali Hazelwood Mary Balogh India Holton Jackie Lau Archive of Our Own Baldur's Gate 3 Hades 2 Behooved Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. October 23, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 19 | murverse.com "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

[Worldcon] was my first convention where I went to panels, gave a reading, and had a big party. It made my sweet little book feel like the huge thing it is in my heart and mind. -Tim Chawaga S21 Ep18 In this episode, we welcome Tim Chawaga, author of Salvagia, as we dive into the depths of his near-future science fiction mystery set in a flooded Florida. Tim shares the inspiration behind his book, where a freelance Salvagia diver uncovers a dead body while searching for valuable artifacts from the past. We explore the blending of genres in Salvagia, from climate fiction to humor, and discuss the delicate balance between plot and world-building in writing. Tim reflects on his debut at Worldcon, the challenges of imposter syndrome, and the importance of building connections within the writing community. (This post went live for supporters on October 16, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Download Transcript Links Tim Chawaga Salvagia Seattle Worldcon Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "From Idea to Ink: Tim Chawaga on Crafting Salvagia" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. October 16, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 18 | murverse.com "From Idea to Ink: Tim Chawaga on Crafting Salvagia" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

Content warning: since Spread Me is erotic horror, this episode has an explicit tag. I wrote it to have fun because I have written a lot of books that were not fun to write... -Sarah Gailey In this episode, we welcome Hugo winning author Sarah Gailey, author of Spread Me, as we explore the wild world of erotic horror. Sarah shares their journey of writing a novel that takes inspiration from John Carpenter's classic film, The Thing, blending horror and erotica and humor. We dive into the creative process behind Spread Me, discussing the unique premise of a research crew encountering a specimen with prurient interests, and how the protagonist's unusual attraction to viruses plays into the narrative. (viruses!) Sarah candidly reflects on the challenges of writing explicit content and the journey of finding the perfect title that captures the essence of their work. And we get Sarah's meticulous approach to outlining and how specificity in description enhances storytelling. Then we fight book bans! It's a magical time. (This post went live for supporters on August 29, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Transcript Links Sarah Gailey Nightfire Know Your Station Authors Against Book Bans Publishing Professionals Against Book Bans Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. September 1, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 15 | murverse.com "The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I think I was a very... particular kind of undergraduate workshop student. -Dan Kois In this episode, I welcome my old classmate from UNC, Dan Kois, Slate editor and author of Hampton Heights. We dive into our journey from college classmates to published authors. Both pro writers, we each took a very different path. Dan shares the inspiration behind Hampton Heights, a thrilling adventure featuring four kids selling newspapers and encountering monsters unexpected relatives, and more. Of course we discuss the struggles of self-doubt, the impact of mentorship, and the significance of continuing to write despite the obstacles. Transcript Links Dan Kois Hampton Heights Slate Vintage Contemporaries Lynda Barry Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. August 29, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 14 | murverse.com "Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.