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Hosted by Jess Moon, Erika McCorkle, Valerie Storm, & Alyssa Lauseng
What happens when a few fabulous women get together?
THIS FREAKING PODCAST
Wonder how a writer's mind works? Then join Jess Moon, co-founder of Shadow Spark Publishing, and her authors Erika McCorkle, Valerie Storm, and Alyssa Lauseng as they talk about everything writing: how characters and plots are made, what inspires them as writers, and how expansive world-building can be in fantasy!
In this podcast, listeners will also get an in-depth look into the worlds of Alvertaen, the Pentagonal Dominion, Demon Storm, and Alyssa's World. Expect guests, fun, and even a bit of anime, gaming, and music talk (where the best inspiration is, really). And who knows? Maybe with us, you'll be able to find your spark.
101 Episodes
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Today, Jess, Erika, and Alyssa interview Rosantha Tindall about her new book, The Whisper-Man, the first book in a dark, mysterious series, Blackliners. Listen in to hear how she crafted this book using pieces and ideas from previous projects, resulting in a unique blend of characters living in a world that mixes elves and magic with modern technology.
The Shadow Spark Podcast comes together again at last! Today, many of us join in discussion about dreamcaught, the newest SSP anthology. With a lovely balance of dreams and nightmares, dreamcaught offers pleasantry - and horror! dreamcaught comes out June 21st! Join Ashley, Eric, Kaitlin, Kira, Lorelei, Mariah, Rosa, and Valerie discuss their stories-and read SNIPPETS! With shout-outs to Tom, JW, Az, Ben, Amelia, and Jade!
The Chaos Squad reunites to induct two honorary members...Daisuke and Obito! Alyssa returns to the world of the Keeper Trilogy with Dance of Demons. Digging deep into the lore of Alyssa's world, Dance of Demons deals with the gods and demons hinted at in the main trilogy. Following the youth and meeting of the sassy pair Daisuke and Obito, this new series introduces new characters and world-changing conflict. Sarcasm, attitude, trauma, sparks and fire! (And main villain Lady Shadow >:3) Jo...
It's time for a Twisted Retelling! Today, Jess and Erika are joined by the ever-amazing Azshure Raine, along with Kass, Kaitlin, and Courtney, to talk about Az's upcoming romantasy Twisted Retelling of Beauty and the Beast, That Time I was Kidnapped by the Fae King. "Kidnapped", as it is affectionately called, finds fae-smut-obsessed barista Bryn being whisked away by Ezra Rose, the so-called fae "King" into a world very different from her own. Lovers of tongue-in-cheek retellings and romanta...
Jess, Erika, Ashley, and Kass are joined by Courtney and Clarke Collins to discuss their debut modern High Fantasy novel, In The Name of Honor. The heroes are heroic, the villains are villainous, and don't even get us started on the cheese thief... In the Name of Honor, Book 1 of Vows & Valor, is available now in eBook and paperback from Shadow Spark Publishing.
It's time to talk about the sweetest set up in writing...friends to lovers! Alyssa, Val, Courtney, Lorelei, and Az get together to discuss what we think about friends to lovers and examples in our writing or other stories we've seen. Love is the most powerful force you can have~ And remember...sometimes cheese is a toxic relationship.
Val, Erika, Rosa, and Mariah focus in dialogue tags, formulas, and Mary Sues, and boy, we've got things to SAY! Learn about Talking Head Syndrome, the 3 M's, Save the Cat, and Gary Stu's...and see what Rosa and Val are ready to FIGHT ABOUT. And remember: The writing should not cater to the rules!
TWO YEARS OF QUARTERLY THINGS! Jess, Erika, and Val get together once again to chatter about games, anime, manga, and more! From violent yet loving mafia families to expansive worlds with tons of deep lore and love, we gush soooo much! Join us and EAT THE DONUT BOSS! P.S. Alyssa is an ASSHOLE
Introducing new(ish) author Douglas Jern, another newbie from Spark Pit. Today we break down his SSP debut novel, Life After Dusk, and discuss what got him to this point.Writing since he was a kid, Doug took a break before returning to Fanfiction and, later, short stories. One of those won an award from Writer's Digest in 2017, which kicked off his plans for a collection. He found Shadow Spark, joined Spark Pit, and the rest is history! Tune in for some ~secret~ details about Doug's journey a...
What is shock value? Is there a line to cross? Like other parts of writing, it can be done well, right? Join Alyssa, Val, Kaitlin, and Az in discussing bad and good forms of shock value. From "Oh my god what are you doing" to "Oh okay that's quite nice," we cover the wide spectrum of "shock" in writing!And remember...if you go big, GO HOME.
Time for more Genshin Impact Smash or Pass (PART 2)!Join us in simping over (or denying) the ladies and gentlemen of Genshin! Who will Alyssa and Val turn down and who will they enjoy being stepped on by???And remember: our opinions are objectively correct.
Today, Val and Erika are joined by Ashley and Rosa in talks about work, music, food, medical trauma, and languages - we've got quite the range of topics! Tune in to hear us yap about whatever's on our minds!ALL HAIL CHAPELL AND APPLE!
Honey B, BB, our House Mouse - welcome Brittany Engstrand on her first interview episode! B started writing in middle school and got serious into adulthood. She finished an early draft of her first book - then called Maaya and the Mirror - and realized this was The One. B hopped onto Sparkpit and - after a prophetic dream - joined our chaotic family! Tune in to get some insider info on Ascension, B's debut novel, out October 20th!
Lyrics or Lo-fi? Is silence better when writing, or do you try to drown everything else out with your favorite songs? Today, Alyssa, Erika, Az, and Rosa compare and contrast their habits and preferences when it comes to combining music and writing. From video games to metal, 90's pop to...Spongebob? Plant Synth? Inspiration can come from anywhere, so tune in to get some ideas to help your own process!
Editing! Love it? Hate it? Hate it a LOT? Here at SSP, we are lucky to have many editors who love this process which is so often reviled by writers and yet is so important to the creation of a book. Erika (not an editor) gathered SSP editors Ashley, Courtney, Kaitlin, and Susan for a conversation about editing including what they love about it, what their process is, and some common issues they see in manuscripts.
No one asked for a Genshin Impact Smash or Pass...? OH WELL, WE'RE DOING IT ANYWAY!The Chaos Squad comes together for the first time in months to discuss the playable characters in Genshin Impact - and who we find smashable or not >:3Come enjoy Val and Alyssa talking about characters they know nothing about while Jess and Erika provide extra details on the side!P.S. Expect Genshin Spoilers (duh?!)
Introducing Lorelei - NOT the Elite Four trainer! Today, Val and Kira officially welcome our newest author!Lorelei joined Shadow Spark Publishing in July 2024 and slid right into our chaotic family. Hear about her experience creeping on fellow SSP authors, learn some inside info on her upcoming book, Desiccate (released June 2026!), and listen to some gushing about Doctor Who!P.S. Confetti for the low ranking classes!P.P.S. We love Shadow Daddy~
Do you prefer understated jerks, maniacal evil people, or tentative side-character heroes who become villain-leaning?Val, Erika, Kaitlin, Rosa, and Kass get together to discuss what a**hole characters mean to them and how they're written. What does it take to be a really jerk-leaning character? What do we like about them and how do we get into the headspace of writing them?And ask yourselves: What Would Lucifer Do?P.S. The iceberg in Titanic is NOT the a**hole!
Join Erika, Ashley, Courtney, and Rosa as they discuss the myriad ways authors go about writing sequels. Do the character have to be the same? The world? What qualifies as a "sequel"? What are some of the issues and pitfalls involved? All this and more in today's episode!
Pure, innocent, sunshine characters? No! Cinnamon Roll characters are so much more than that! Did you forget?? Guess we'll go into it again...Val, Kira, M.A., Az, and Rosa come together to break down Cinnamon Rolls in our books! We also create a new phrase, consider a spectrum of Cinnamon Rollness, and even mention himbos!
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