Fable & The Verbivore

Notes: This episode serves as a sort of post mortem in real time of Fable’s recent experience teaming up with another author to create an anthology that included work from many other authors. In this conversation, she shares experiences and lessons learned, different ways of looking at things that have helped her navigate challenges that arose, and new practices that she intends to lean on if she does any future anthology projects. But, also, this conversation can be useful for those considering participating in future anthologies and those thinking of leading them to look at the experience from both perspectives, and find ways to help strengthen the initial handshake at the beginning of a project so that expectations are as clear and well communicated as possible.  Music from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Becca is an award-winning middle grade author of the Road Trip Rescue adventure series, editor and book coach, and active member of the Instagram writing community. She and fellow author Amanda Trumpower recently premiered their podcast Ice Cream with Authors made especially for children ages 7 through 13 that features interviews with Christian middle grade writers where they read from their work, share about their stories, and give practical writing advice.The third book in her “Road Trip Rescue” series titled Road Trip Redemption is set to release on April 9th, 2025.  You can connect with Becca’s work and connect with her on her author website beccawierwille.com, on YouTube at @BeccaWierwille, on Instagram at@beccawierwille, on Facebook at @beccawierwille, and on Twitter at @BeccaWierwille.Becca also mentions her cover designer M. S. Corley. More information on his designs can be found on his website at mscorley.com.Books and Movies Mentioned:- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo- Road Trip Rescue by Becca Wierwille- Road Trip Return by Becca WierwilleMusic from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Here is the previous podcast episodes where we talked about “The Lost Art of Dying” and intuitive creation:- Episode 258: Death, Poetry, and Light- Episode 262: Vision Board UpdateBooks and Films Mentioned:- The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom by L.S. Dugdale- Pity the Reader: On Writing With Style by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell Music from: https://filmmusic.io’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes: Here is the previous podcast episodes where we talked about Fable’s vision board:- Episode 260: Words for 2025The MasterClass we talked about is Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry.Music from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes: We don’t have the specific quote that Fable was thinking of in regards to the value that making small decisions and working with your hands has on your brain and creativity, but here are several articles about their benefits:- Medium Article “The Power of Small Choices: How Small Decisions Create Big Wins”- New York Times article “Working with Your Hands is Good for Your Brain” Music from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes: Here are the previous end of year review and new year intention setting podcast episodes:- Episode 259: 2024 Recap- Episode 220: Our words and intentions for 2024- Episode 219: Our 2023 Recap- Episode 171: Look out 2023- Episode 170: Looking back of 2022- Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions- Episode 120: A look back on 2021 - Episode 68: Intentions for 2021- Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021- Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year- Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New YearMusic from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes: Here are the previous end of year review and new year intention setting podcast episodes:- Episode 220: Our words and intentions for 2024- Episode 219: Our 2023 Recap- Episode 171: Look out 2023- Episode 170: Looking back of 2022- Episode 121: Our 2022 intentions- Episode 120: A look back on 2021 - Episode 68: Intentions for 2021- Episode 67: Let's talk about 2020 and 2021- Episode 10: Choosing a word for the year- Episode 9: The one where we talk about goals, habits, and the New YearBooks and Films Mentioned:- Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There by Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein - https://www.amazon.com/Look-Again-Power-Noticing-Always/dp/1668008203/ Music from: https://filmmusic.io ’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:The Verbivore references several YouTube videos within this episode. They are:- Creating a Mood with Light - Inside Pixar: Foundations - Episodes - their lighting department; How they use light to tell the story - “Psychology of a Hero: THÉODEN, King of Rohan” by Cinema TherapyBooks and Films Mentioned:- The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom by L.S. Dugdale- House of Light by Mary Oliver - Rebecca by Daphne du MaurierMusic from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Fable and the Verbivore continue their conversation about sticky Images and surprising details by doing an on-the-fly thought experiment about how to take something normal (like brushing teeth or gargling) and make it surprising or memorable. This idea was originally inspired from the episode on preparing for conferences or book signings using the anecdote that author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) brings plastic severed mannequin arms to set out on his table and give out to attendees. It’s weird and creepy, but does a great job of representing his brand.Books, Films, and Music Mentioned:New Girl Season 2 Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Fable and the Verbivore continue their conversation about preparing for conferences and book signings by discussing how sticky Images and surprising details can help your work feel distinctive and stand out. This idea was inspired by the annecdote from last weeks episode that author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) brings plastic severed mannequin arms to give out at conferences and book signings.The Verbivore incorrectly calls Blue Eye Samurai a film. It’s a tv series.Books, Films, and Music Mentioned:- BREAD by Sofi Tukker- So Not Meant To Be (Cane Brothers, #2) by Meghan Quinn- Get Out - Directed by Jordan Peele- Signs - Directed by M. Night Shyamalan- Identity - Directed by James Mangold- Blue Eye Samurai - Directed by Jane Wu Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Fable talks about preparing to go to her first conference and book signing and the Verbivore offers some ideas gleaned from her experience at workshops and signings at Phoenix Comicon and other professional conferences.Music from:https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Fable talks about the cover design process for a gothic novel that she (under a pen name) and a co-auther are in the process of preparing for self publication.Music from:https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Books and Films Mentioned:- The Marriage Hex by Sarah Blue- Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes by Rayne Hall- Writing Scary Scenes: Professional Techniques for Thrillers, Horror and Other Exciting Fiction by Rayne Hall Music from:https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Books and Films Mentioned:- Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life by Julia Cameron- Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim - The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World by Haemin Sunim - Sweatpants & Coffee: Affirmations for Anxiety Blobs (Like You and Me): Gentle thoughts to keep you centered, focused and hopeful for the days ahead by Nanea Hoffman - House Beautiful Style 101: 400 Designer Secrets to a Beautiful Home by Lisa Cregan - The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker - Funny Story by Emily Henry - Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood - Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman - Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center - The Wild Robot by Peter BrownMusic from:https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Books and Films Mentioned:- The Wind in the Willows: Illustrated Classic by Kenneth Grahame - The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks- The Imagineering Story (2019 Documentary Series) - Directed by Leslie Iwerks  Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:The Verbivore talks about how we naturally become habituated to our lives and the idea of dishabituation as a way to keep life fresh and us noticing the good things that are there. This GQ article titled “Why We Get Bored of the Best Things in Life—and How to Fight It” is a pretty good overview and references the book Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There by Tali Sharot and  Cass R. SunsteinIn this episode, we reference back to a number of episodes over our almost five years of podcasting. Here are a few:- Episode 146: Marvel Character Dynamics with MJ McGriff- Episode 147: Marvel's WandaVision with K.T. Anglehart - Episode 197: Lord of the Rings Character panel discussion w/ Kieran (Kate) Lamoureux and Stephanie Ascough- Episode 75: Interview with Tiffany Clarke Harrison (part 1)- Episode 76: Interview with Tiffany Clarke Harrison (part 2)- Episode 51: Already Worthy, Already Loved - Episode 66: Let's talk about Caraval- Episode 45: The Hate U Give Discussion- Episode 95: Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo- Episode 241: Diversity in Six of Crows- Episode 30: Break out of the box with your writing - Episode 58: Let's talk about Mexican Gothic- Episode 131: Jurassic Park- Episode 79: Let's talk about craft books- Episode 71: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy- Episode 72: Let's talk about writing physical intimacy (part 2)- Episode 15: How to write great romantic chemistry- Episode 16: Writing romantic chemistry part 2- Episode 211: Rating our Writing- Episode 215: Things We're Learning About Our WritingWe also touch on the authors that we’ve interviewed and connected with over the course of the podcast and how positive those conversations have been. Here is a link to those episodes:https://fableandtheverbivore.com/podcast/category/interview And here are some of our other milestone celebration episodes:- Episode 200: Sticking with things- Episode 150: Hooray for 150 episodes!- Episode 100: Celebrate and ReflectMusic from: https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:Books and Films Mentioned:- Write Naked: A Bestseller's Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success By Jennifer Probst (Author); Christina Lauren (Foreward) - 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing (Updated): Proven Professional Techniques for Writing with Style and Power by Gary Provost- My Lady Jane (Season 1) - Directed by Jamie Babbitt; Stefan Schwartz - Inside Pixar (Season 1, 2020) - House Beautiful Colors for Your Home Expanded Edition: 493 Designer Favorites by House Beautiful (Editor) - The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks - The Imagineering Story (2019 Documentary Series) - Directed by Leslie Iwerks Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:During this conversation, Fable shares information about the resource Kindlepreneur, which is run by Dave Chesson and information can be found on the Kindlepreneur.com website and @Kindlepreneur YouTube channel.   The specific Kindleprenuer YouTube video she references is “KDP Termination Problem (AI Content?)”and the Kindleprenuer article “Amazon KDP Account Suspension: Causes, Prevention, and Solutions” digs a little further into this issue with additional advice and tips. He also suggests reading through Amazon’s Metadata Guidelines for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to familiarize yourself with the detailed guidelines.Music from:https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:The Verbivore shares Trent Reznor’s story with NIN that helped inform a part of the storyline for the movie Soul. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross composed the score along with John Batiste who created the jazz compositions. That story came from an interview clip mentioned in Lessons From the Screenplay’s YouTube Video “The Soul of Good Character Design”The Verbivore mentions the story of Stephen King’s Misery and how he realized after the fact his subconscious mind was trying to tell himself something about his own addiction (as mentioned in his book On Writing). The BookRiot Article “Writing and Addiction in Stephen King’s MISERY” also references this idea.Books and Films Mentioned:- Soul - Directed by Pete Docter Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Notes:The Verbivore shares several affirmations from Julia Cameron’s Transitions. The quote she read is:- “When the mind becomes quiet, you feel nourished.” - Swami Chidvilasananda (Page 77)The Verbivore paraphrases a line from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. That actual line is: “I want to be a part of the people that make meaning. Not the thing that's made.”Books and Films Mentioned:- Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life by Julia Cameron- The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Austenland - Directed by Jerusha Hess - Barbie - Directed by Greta Gerwig Music from:https://filmmusic.io‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)