Posts Tagged ‘isbw’

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

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

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—
“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.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Tango with the Tentacles, DESPAIR

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:59 — 19.7MB)

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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!

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—
“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.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:18 — 40.5MB)

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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

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—
“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.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE

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“Get [your book] all the way to the end. You learn so much that way that you will not learn in any other way.”- S.A. Barnes

(This post went live for supporters on May 23, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

In this episode, we talk about the creative process with guest author S.A. Barnes. We discuss her latest release, Cold Eternity, a space horror novel, and her upcoming work, Death’s Daughter, set to release in May, 2026.

Stacey shares her journey of balancing writing with her teaching career and we discuss the trial of writing sequels and crafting compelling narratives. We explore the nuances of genre blending, the emotional stakes in horror, and the importance of getting to the end of a draft, no matter how messy it may be.

Join us as we also discuss Bully #3, the Sponge, who only wants your house to be clean and then it will let you write.

Transcript

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illustration of a sentient green sponge that looks kind of confused.Links

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—
“Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE” 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.

May 20, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 9 | murverse.com
“Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE” 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] Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:26 — 23.6MB)

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“We contain multitudes; you can be happy and jealous at the same time.”
-Mur Lafferty

season 21 with the Blade(This post went live for supporters on May 21, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

We’re back! In this episode, we talk about the bullies that can sap our confidence and creativity again, today’s bully is the Blade, a stern knife that can cut deep.

(I also announce my new cozy fantasy, it’s real now! I am of course stressing over storytelling complexities (again).)

Let’s talk about the Blade, and everything it stands for: mainly, jealousy, a feeling that can be sharp and painful. But fear not, we also discuss how to deal with these feelings and how to shut this bully up.

Transcript

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illustration of the Blade, a sharp birdlike personLinks

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—
“Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE” 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 Substack!

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.

May 20, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 8 | murverse.com
“Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE” 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] Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:37 — 20.7MB)

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“The bully loves pantsers because it can insult your outline.”
-Mur Lafferty

(This post went live for supporters on April 23, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

NOTE- I had a microphone glitch near the end, which is why it ends abruptly. Apologies.

In this episode, we launch our series on the bullies that live in your head, rent free. This week we talk about my original bully, Bart (a potato). He’s ugly and mean as a snake, but I do have some ways to deal with him.

We also touch on the recent Hugo nominations, my reading habits, and the exciting upcoming adaptation of Martha Wells’ Murderbot series!

Transcript

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Links

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—

“Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)” 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 Substack!

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.

April 10, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 7 | murverse.com
“Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)” 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] From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron

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

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S21 Ep6: From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron

“Stories are how I make sense of the world.”
-Natania Barron

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

In this episode, I talk a little about the JoCo Cruise and how it reminded me of the importance of community and creativity. I forgot how good it felt to surrounding myself with fellow creatives.

Then I talk to Natania Barron, a prolific fantasy author and medieval scholar of the Queen of None series. We delve into Natania’s latest works, including her upcoming release in the Queens of Fate series. We also discuss the intersection of history and fantasy, the nuances of writing queer narratives, and the significance of food and fashion in storytelling.

Stories are how I make sense of the world, in text, with photo of natania barronTranscript

Links

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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.
—

“From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron” 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 Substack!

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.
March 27, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 6 | murverse.com
“From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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