I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey

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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

New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.S21 EP15
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!)

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Orange cover of SPREAD ME with black tentaclesLinks

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—
“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 Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights

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I think I was a very… particular kind of undergraduate workshop student. -Dan Kois

New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.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.

(This post went live for supporters on August 27, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!)

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—
“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.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon

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‘Reformed Pantser’ is one of the most difficult things to be. -Seth Haddon

2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.In this episode, we welcome Seth Haddon, the talented Australian author behind Volatile Memory. We cover hybrid publishing, writing routines, and pursuing nuns.

Volatile Memory explores themes of transhumanism and identity within a corporate-dominated future. Also  haunted masks. And love.

(This post went live for supporters on August 25, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!)

Transcript

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Cover for Volatile Memory, blue and gold and pinkLinks

Evergreen Links


—
“The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon” 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 or support via Ghost!!

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 25, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 13 | murverse.com
“The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon” 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 Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Silent Bully: The Nap

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That feeling when you realize while you’ve been recording, you haven’t posted a podcast in 2 months. I have been sitting on so many episodes with no spoons to do the production.
Send help.

“Nothing’s easy, man; being an adult sucks.”
-Mur Lafferty

ISBW logo with sad looking pink pillowS21 Ep12
In this episode, we dive deep into Bully #5: The Nap.

We discuss the sneaky ways the Nap can derail our writing plans. Rest is vital, but The Nap isn’t rest. It’s escape. We also discusses the importance of sleep hygiene and how to combat the allure of a cozy nap when creativity calls.

 We touch on the other bullies we’ve encountered along the way, including Bart, The Blade, The Sponge, and Despair, each representing unique obstacles in the creative process. (Still 3 to go!)

(This post went live for supporters on August 21, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!

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Links

  • Salvadore Dali (recently I discovered his admiration of fascism, so I won’t be linking to him.)

Evergreen Links

—
“The Silent Bully: The Nap” 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 22, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 12 | murverse.com
“The Silent Bully: The Nap” 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.

Projects

Get Zesty Yaboi fiction over at StampFans! [EDITED]

Cover of book, Dark, noir, silhouette of Venus flytrap with a hat in the foreground.EDIT: It seems no one actually received anything in July. And they haven’t responded to my emails to delete my account. IF YOU HAVE A STAMPFANS ACCOUNT then I’m sorry if I led you there, and you need to cancel your sub to me, since I can’t do it and they won’t delete my account.

I will be incorporating physical zines into my Patreon, I just have to run some numbers.

<s>I have been playing around with StampFans, a way to send physical mail to your audience, and I finally have my July release ready to go. It’s chapter 1 of a story about Zesty Yaboi, the Venus flytrap private investigator in zine form, called “PRUNED.”

The first 100 people who use the code STAMPFANS at checkout can get the first month free!

(StampFans sends to US, Canada, and the UK. Sorry, rest of the world!)</s>

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Tango with the Tentacles, DESPAIR

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“Despair is the overprotective parent going, ‘oh, it’s okay that you lost that game. We’ll protect you by never letting you play again.'” -Mur Lafferty

S21 Ep11
In this episode, we talk about Bully #4, Despair. Despair wants to hug you and join you when it’s raining. It’s nice to feel sorry for yourself for a moment, but you can’t listen to it.

Mur is candid about feeling overwhelmed and the challenges of maintaining a connection to the outside world amidst creative struggles and personal challenges.

We explore some ways to combat despair, including the helpful practice of listing accomplishments and breaking down projects into manageable steps. And get a little fussy.

(This post went live for supporters on June 11, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!

Download Transcript

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Links

Evergreen Links

—
“Tango with the Tentacles, DESPAIR” 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.

June 18, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 11 | murverse.com
“Tango with the Tentacles, DESPAIR” 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.

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] It’s a Multiple Whale Year for Ursula

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“Genre is a marketing tool, just like a book cover.” – Mur Lafferty

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated In this episode of Ditch Diggers, Mur and Ursula rant about genre expectations, marketing, and what happens when you decide that genre isn’t for you because you’re special. 

Ursula lists her whales, and Imposter Syndrome doesn’t really make a showing when Mur travels. 

Highlights:
– (05:12) Ursula’s anxiety over multiple deadlines and projects
– (12:45) Mur’s recent business trip and the absence of imposter syndrome
– (25:30) The ongoing debate about happy endings in romance
– (38:15) The role of marketing in shaping reader expectations
– (47:50) The challenges of genre classification and reader assumptions
– (55:30) How personal growth as a writer often goes unnoticed

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

(This post went live for supporters on June 9, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Transcript

Links: 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
June 12, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 6 | murverse.com
“It’s a Multiple Whale Year for Ursula” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Writing Between the US and Peru with K.M. Huber

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“If you feel you have something to say, just put the time into saying it.” -K.M. Huber

New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.In this episode, we welcome K.M. Huber, the author of Call of the Owl Woman, about her journey from writer to published author. K.M. talks about how her years in Peru, including extensive exploration and research into local mythology, affected her writing and her new book.

Call of the Owl Woman is heavily influenced by those years, and is written for her daughter (who asked for it many years ago.)

(This post went live for supporters on June 5, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Transcript

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Links

Evergreen Links

—
“Writing Between the US and Peru with K.M. Huber” 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.

June 8, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 10 | murverse.com
“Writing Between the US and Peru with K.M. Huber” 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.

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] AI and the Art of Not Reading the Room

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:11 — 49.5MB)

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“If you want this to be your thing, you got to keep doing the thing.” – Ursula Vernon

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated In this episode of Ditch Diggers, Mur and Ursula dive into the chaotic world of writing, sharing their latest projects, travel plans, and ask you if that thing you wanted to say actually is the thing you want to say online. They discuss the SNAFU of the WorldCon AI controversy, the ethical considerations surrounding generative technologies, and whether it matters if the dog dies or not.

Highlights:

  • (01:15) Welcome to the Warbler Appreciation room!
  • (05:30) Ursula’s upcoming travels and book festivals
  • (12:45) The challenges of writing while managing ADHD
  • (20:00) Ursula’s progress on the next Swordheart book
  • (30:00) Audio quality warning—Ursula’s mic issues
  • (35:15) The ethics of AI in writing and publishing
  • (45:00) Worldcon’s controversial decision to use AI for vetting
  • (55:30) The importance of reading the room in online discussions
  • (01:02:15) Closing thoughts and where to find them online

(This post went live for supporters on June 3, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Transcript

Links: 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
June 4, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 5 | murverse.com
“AI and the Art of Not Reading the Room” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Trad Marketing vs Self Marketing

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:23 — 29.8MB)

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“The best way to survive is to turn everything into hilarity.” – Ursula Vernon

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated
In this episode we dive into the chaotic world of writing, marketing, and the ups and downs of self-publishing. Mur shares her recent trip to Maryland for Independent Bookstore Day, and Ursula catches us up on Swordheart’s launch. 

Self promotion is hard, ya’ll.

Highlights:

  • (05:12) Mur’s experience running a solo RPG at an independent bookstore
  • (12:45) Ursula’s updates on Swordheart and her UK marketing team
  • (25:30) The difference between traditional marketing and self-promotion
  • (38:15) The importance of targeted outreach to influencers
  • (47:50) Mur’s thoughts on new marketing tools and strategies
  • (55:30) Reflections on the passage of time and creative endeavors
Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

(This post went live for supporters on May 22, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Transcript

Links: 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
May 19, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 4 | murverse.com
“Trad Marketing vs Self Marketing” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0