Archive for Podcasts

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Being a Pro at Conventions

orange logo with a shovel and pencil saying DITCH DIGGERSDD 12.1

Ursula and Mur are back to talk about conventions and our 2026 plans. Notable discussions:

  • Do not use ChatGPT to vet your contracts!
  • Ursula finished [REDACTED] book! Mur forgot to ask herself what she was working on, but it’s a book. That’s about it.
  • This year Mur returns to ConFusion at the end of January. (Alas, Kameron Hurley won’t be attending this one.)
  • Ursula has changed her mind regarding where she wants to die in a ditch. We’ve moved from Target to Costco.
  • LARPing as an extrovert, and how to LARP as a confident person. Write your CV!
  • Mur is GOH of DemiCon this May! Also she’ll attend WorldCon in LA.
  • Ursula’s busy year starts with a mini book tour on the east coast US, then she’s going to NorWesCon, then the Celsius Festival in Spain in July, then toastmaster(!) at WorldCon, then Mile High Con, and HalCon in Nova Scotia!
  • Find Ursula and Mur online!

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on January15 , 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!


Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
January 15, 2025 | Season 12 Ep 1 | murverse.com
“Being a Pro at Conventions” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Careful What You Pack

“All I can do is what I can do right now.”


Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustrationISBW 22.1

First episode of the year, and we talk about the things we may not want to take along with us into the new year. New books, new shows (Patreon-only Evil Mur podcast called STET!), and all that other stuff.
Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

 

 

 

(This post went live for supporters on January 12, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

Links

Evergreen Links


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!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
January 6, 2025 | ISBW 22.1 | murverse.com
“Careful What You Pack” 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] Looking to 2026, Feast and Famine

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated

 

We present a casual and chatty Ditch Diggers where we close up the year with discussions of 2026 prep, spicy Christmas romances, and New Years’ traditions.

And maybe future us doesn’t need the apology that we haven’t been consistent.

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on December 23, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

 

Illustrated book cover with pink and white snow, book title, and to people in mid-distance.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Or title. This is a funny, sweet book with a lot of heat.

Spicy Christmas romances:

Such an innocent looking book, right?

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season with people you love, and that your pets eat zero things that sends them to the emergency vet. See you next year!

 

 

 

 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!


Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
December 15, 2025 | Season 11 Ep 10 | murverse.com
“Looking to 2026, Feast and Famine” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Research or Procrastination?

“You tell them enough information to show that you know 10% of what you’re talking about, and your reader will assume you know the other 90%.”


In this episode, Mur discusses the seemingly innocuous action of research, and how it can become a trap that distracts from actual writing.

Advent calendar info and AI complaints are free additions!

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on December 22, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

Links

Evergreen Links


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.
December 4, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 24 | murverse.com
“Research or Procrastination?” 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've Been Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Gift Guide for 2025

“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

Evergreen Links


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.
Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Can Mur Do ALL the Things?

“You can pull it off if you write like an angel. I do not write like an angel.”
– Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher)


Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated

In this episode of Ditch Diggers, hosts Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher), talk about the horrors of ADHD convincing creative folk that they can do ALL the things.
(You can’t do all the things.)
They also talk about Naomi Alderman’s acquisition of Six to Start, the company behind the popular Zombies, Run! app, and how storytelling is essential in gaming.

 

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on November 6, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

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).
November 29, 2025 | Season 11 Ep 9 | murverse.com
“Can Mur Do ALL the Things?” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull

“You want to preserve your experience of the work.
You want to preserve the doing of the art.”

~Cadwell Turnbull


Amazing author Cadwell Turnbull joins us to dives deep into the creative process and discuss his latest book, A Ruin Great and Free. We talk about his writing journey, trilogy challenges, and approaching social issues in his books.

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on November 24, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

Download Transcript

Links

Evergreen Links


“The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull” 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 24, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 22 | murverse.com
“The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull” 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] Dusty Hats and Burnt Out Pokemon Trainers

“The point of a planner is to make your life easier, not be a source of guilt and stress.”
– Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher)


Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon are back and dive into the chaotic world of writing! We talk about everything from  the trials of managing multiple projects to the absurdities of planner systems. (And talk about a bunch of options we’ve tried!)

Mur shares her recent experiences with her latest book, while Ursula discusses her creative process and the challenges of staying organized as a writer.

We also explore the joys (and pitfalls) of social media and how it impacts our creative lives. 

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on November 6, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

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).
November 9, 2025 | Season 11 Ep 8 | murverse.com
“Dusty Hats and Burnt Out Pokemon Trainers” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] AI Settlements and NaNoWriMo

“You should absolutely always write spite books.”
– Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher)


Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated

Unfortunately, this was recorded some time ago, but the Ditch Diggers tackle everything from the challenges of meeting deadlines to the complexities of AI settlements impacting authors. We touch on recent book releases, whirlwind tours, and the peculiarities of hotel bar conversations with state senators.

 

 

 

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(This post went live for supporters on November 6, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

 

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).
November 7, 2025 | Season 11 Ep 7 | murverse.com
“AI Settlements and NaNoWriMo” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] NaNoWriMo’s Ghosts and New Beginnings

“Anytime someone starts a sentence with, ‘why don’t you just,’
immediately stop listening to them.”
~Valerie Valdes (Lia Amador)


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

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon(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

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Purple illustrated book cover for Witch You Would, two people standing opposite with a cauldron in between themLinks

Evergreen Links


“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.