Is ChatGPT coming for your job writing genre fiction? Oh yes. Oh yes, it most certainly is…
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S3: Episode 2 - Ebooks Are Real Books
In this short, two part episode, I discuss why I think there is no qualitative difference between most independently (small press) published crime thrillers and those traditionally published, and why “ebooks” are as legitimate as trad books. In part two, I consider the various paths self-publishing can take, using the real-world examples of Robert Bryndza, N.L. Hinkins and others.
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S3: Episode 1 - Anatomy of a Bestseller
T.J. breaks down the three types of modern fiction bestsellers and what they’re made of.
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Stories We Tell is on Hiatus!
Hey all,
Summer is a busy time! I’ve got one kid getting ready for college, others going to summer camp — plus we just got a new puppy. Oh, and writing. Lots of writing!
I’m taking a break from Stories We Tell.
Thanks so much for your wonderful patronage and support thus far. I’ve had some incredibly talented, hard-working, personable authors share their stories with me, and I’m so grateful to them for taking the time. Hopefully you’ve had a few laughs commiserating, and maybe you’ve discovered a new trick or two, a new tool for your writing toolbox.
Until we meet again, write on!
S2: Episode 7 - Joe Hart
Joe Hart is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of thirteen thriller novels that include The River Is Dark, Obscura, and The Last Girl. His latest, Or Else, was a March “First Reads” through his publisher, Thomas & Mercer. Officially launched April 1st, at the time of this recording, it has almost 11,000 ratings on Amazon and is ranked 127 in the Kindle store.
Joe and I talk about his journey from self-publishing to working with Thomas & Mercer, how he came to work with a literary agent, the inspiration for Or Else, what his process is like, and how we were both influenced by Stephen King.
S2: Episode 6 - Brian Freeman
On this episode of Stories We Tell, I speak with Brian Freeman, the multiple-award-winning, NY Times bestselling author of The Bourne Evolution and The Bourne Treachery — the latest two books in Robert Ludlum’s iconic Jason Bourne action series. We discuss how Brian came to write the Bourne series, about writing series books in general, about Brian’s other books and the definition of “psychological thriller.” We consider the benefits of having a literary agent, working with multiple publishers, and how Brian got where he is today — what steps did he take? What practices does he swear by? How many times a day does he do the dishes? All very important questions.
Today’s episode features music by Geoffrey Pierce.
Brian Freeman’s books can be found at bfreemanbooks.com
and on Amazon
S2: Episode 5 - Karen Rought
On this episode of Stories We Tell, T.J. speaks with Karen Rought. Karen has been an editor, a writer for Hypable.com, the host of multiple podcasts including ReWatchable and Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, and the co-writer of TWO Amazon mystery series with none other than massive best-selling author L.T. Ryan. And she’s only 33.
Karen discusses how she manages this busy schedule as her own boss, how she collaborates with Lee (L.T.) and, as an online journalist, what it was like to interview show runners, writers, and actors while covering her favorite MTV series. A graduate of Mansfield University with a degree in Art History, Karen’s education informs her work. She knows the roots of storytelling as well as the boundless joy it brings. She also knows the hardships of the gig economy, getting paid for internet content, and that writers need to adapt to survive.
Where is this whole ebook business going? Are young people reading enough? Why are we still obsessed with telling the same stories? What was the first TV show Karen and her crew discussed on ReWatchable? And maybe most important of all - what’s her favorite movie?
You know what to do. Listen and find out.
K.M. Rought is a writer, editor, and entertainment journalist hailing from Binghamton, New York. She graduated with a degree in Art History from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, but quickly fell into a career of freelancing, fulfilling her childhood dream of being a published author.
Now residing in Ohio, K.M. spends her days writing, playing video games, and telling her cat that no, it's not time to eat yet. Her obsessions include foraging for mushrooms, buying neon green kitchenware, and reading every single book by Rick Riordan.
You can find her articles on Hypable.com and SubjectifyMedia.com, where she covers film, television, and books. Her Twitter handle is @karen_rought.
S2: Episode 4 - Dave Press
This episode is a two-parter.
Part one: Newsletters. Are they worth it?
Dave Press worked as an online journalist for MTV, Comic Book Resources, and Gawker circa 2010. His writing about pop culture morphed into his own personal newsletter years later, which he’s honed to perfection.
But writers also use newsletters to promote their books and other projects. Is that still working? What’s up with platforms like Substack? How does it work?
Part two of the conversation: Ever wonder how some books get published? While we tend to hold ourselves accountable for our careers, acting like it’s a meritocracy, things beyond our control —such as nepotism and circumstance — play undeniable roles.
Join Tim and Dave for a deep dive into newsletters and networking on Stories We Tell.
Dave at home in Bloomington, IN
Dave’s blog: https://davidpress.net
Dave on Substack: https://davidpress.substack.com
S2: Episode 3 - Ted Galdi
When Ted Galdi and I chatted, he was home in New York City. Throughout his neighborhood, he said, people would be partying until one o’clock and beyond. Just a typical Wednesday night.
But not him. Instead, he was talking shop with me. And if he wasn’t talking about writing, he’d be working on his new book. Or on the promotion of a preexisting book. This nights-and-weekends strategy is how Ted works around his day job, something he’s been doing for at least seven years through several novels and a slew of short stories.
We dive deep on how concepts that intrigue us as individuals — what it might be like to have a 250 IQ, the problem of evil, the chance of an afterlife — can work in a thriller book without slowing the pace or overshadowing the plot.
Ted’s first book, Elixir, tells the story of a genius who solves an Ebola crisis. In 2014, Ted didn’t seek an agent or publisher, but Googled “how to put a book out.” It worked. But have things stayed so simple?
By the end, I can’t resist asking my standard question about the state of publishing. We ponder where the industry will go from here, and Ted lays out his response to increased competition, and why we should be optimistic about the future…
S2: Episode 2 - Lisa Regan
Lisa Regan is a USA Today bestselling author. Her Josie Quinn police procedural series is a massive hit with fans. She’s also a straight-shooting, no-nonsense woman from Philadelphia, a wife and a mother, a survivor of tragedy. As I attempt to unpack her secret to success and her writing process, we get into a myriad of subjects.
For Lisa, not only do ebooks have their place, not only are they as valuable as print books, in some ways, they’re even more valuable. Our electronic devices are an inextricable part of our modern lives, and when things like a pandemic relegate us to the home, ebooks allow us to escape and reconnect to the larger world.
I always learn from talking to other authors. When it comes to Lisa, the takeaways are substantive: despite all of her success, she’s still hustling. Her fans are her number one priority, and prepping the content of her next book is the number one thing on her writer’s mind, while the rest of it — the vicissitudes of publishing, the march of technology — are things she can’t control, so she focuses on what she can.
If you’re like me, though, and you love the details of how an author works, be sure to listen all the way to the end when we get into Lisa’s wild — and yet totally sensible and obviously effective — writing schedule.
I hope you enjoy listening to Lisa as much as I did.
—TJ
For more information:
S2: Episode 1 - Charlie Gallagher
Tim and Dave kick off season two with Charlie Gallagher, author of more than a dozen novels, including Her Last Breath and The Friend. Charlie is a UK-based author who recently made the jump from having a day job (as a police officer, no less) to writing full time.
We start the interview talking about what writing was like for Charlie when he was a cop versus now, and how he likes having deadlines as much as he liked the chaos and pressure of having to write whenever time afforded it.
We have a robust discussion of writing by the “seat of the pants” as opposed to doing lots of planning; we talk about literary agents, and there’s lots of mentions of running down the street naked. For the “speed round” of random questions at the end, we learn how Charlie feels about new movies released to both HBO and theaters, writing festivals, and doing the dishes.
This was a fun interview. It wasn’t without some technical glitches, so we had to edit out a chunk from the beginning — but a couple of things were just too good not to include, and we stuck these at the end, so keep listening all the way through!
Episode 6: Addiction, Mental Health, and Writing
In our final episode of season one, Dave and Tim discuss the relationship between addiction and writing. Dave begins by remembering the early days drinking and writing with Tim, an alcoholic now in recovery. They discuss Dave’s mental health diagnoses, and consider how Dave sought certain behaviors to feel more like a writer. How much do addiction and writing really relate? How much is romanticized by society? Join us for a robust discussion filled with personal experience, humor, and love!
Episode 5: Should Authors Stick to One Genre?
Is it wise to stick to one genre? Can authors write successfully across multiple genres? Tim and Dave discuss, along with considering "What makes a 100K author."
Episode 4: Does Traditional Publishing Still Exist?
What are the types of publishing, and how do we define them? Dave and Tim investigate the ways “traditional” and “independent” publishing have changed in the modern world. Aspiring authors, what type of publisher is right for you? Working authors, are you self, independently, or traditionally published? Can you be sure which is which??
Episode 3: Social Media and the Working Class Writer
What is a working class writer? And how much does the use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter help build a career?
Crime novelist T.J. Brearton (me) and comics writer and former college teacher Dave Press break it all down.
Episode 2: Day Job versus No Day Job
Hi there! Four our second outing, Dave and I discuss writing when you have a day job (Dave), versus writing when it IS your day job (me) and what, if any, different strategies we might employ.
That was the idea, anyway — but Dave and I soon wander into deeper territory. Dave talks about the process of writing his memoir, the story of his recent diagnoses of Aspergers and Attention Deficit Disorder. He talks about the tricks he uses to get his “ADD brain” focused and on task.
Ultimately, we discuss the difference between being a heavy planner as a writer (Dave) and writing seat-of-the-pants style (me, until recently). And we look at ways to understanding the writing life as a whole — why different writers work the way they do, what times of year might be better for writing than others, and why saying “Harry” in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice can be therapeutic.
Have a listen. You won’t regret it.
“Harry!”
Stories We Tell Podcast: Episode 1 (Pilot)
Hi! Welcome to our “pilot” episode of Stories We Tell, a podcast about writing and publishing with my longtime friend and writing parter David Press.
In this first episode, Dave and I talk about what it’s like for me to be to be working with three crime fiction publishers and for Dave to be querying literary agents for his memoir about his adult diagnoses of ADD and Asperger's. Join us for some laughs, and hopefully some insights into writing and publishing you may find useful.