My Imaginary Friends with L. Penelope

The Genesis of Monsters

From idea to book announcement! THE MONSTERS WE DEFY coming from Orbit Books in 2022! - https://www.orbitbooks.net/2021/07/08/acquisition-announcement-the-monsters-we-defy-by-leslye-penelope/
- "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44694/if-we-must-die
- Black Widow movie
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Wounds, Lies, and Fatal Flaws

Building the characters so I can build the plot.
- The Nap Ministry - https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/
- REQUIEM OF SILENCE preorder campaign - https://lpenelope.com/requiem-preorder/
- The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes -  https://bookshop.org/a/582/9780615908113
- Susan Dennard - https://susandennard.com/for-writers/
- Margie Lawson - https://www.margielawson.com/lawson-writers-academy/
- Character Arc Progression Worksheet - https://writershelpingwriters.net/writing-tools/
- The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr - https://bookshop.org/a/582/9781419743030
- Awesome Con in Washington, DC - https://awesome-con.com/book-fair/
- Rock climbing board game First Ascent on Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/firstascentgame/first-ascent
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Does Craft Matter?

Why do people even like books anyway?
This week's best thing: The Harder They Fall trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKz5kZr8mrg
Honorable mention: Sleater-Kinney One More Hour on Audible - https://www.audible.com/pd/One-More-Hour-Audiobook/B096SSWF7Y
Recommended: Song of the Forever Rains by EJ Mellow - https://amzn.to/3jmROu8
#EarthsingerReadalong - https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope/
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Stepping Forward

On realistic goal and expectation setting. Plus, progress!
- Angelborn is free through June 2021 - https://books2read.com/angelborn
- The Cupid Mixup - permanently free - https://books2read.com/cupidmixup
- Marie Poulin - https://mariepoulin.com/
- https://www.notion.so/ - note taking, database and organization software
- 6 Figure Author podcast - https://6figureauthors.com/
- HB90 Method - https://heartbreathings.teachable.com/p/hb90-bootcamp
- QOTW: Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, what do you do while you listen?
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Get Back Up Again

A breakdown of my very painful process of getting back on track with this manuscript.
Mentioned:- In the Heights
- The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson - https://amzn.to/3pPL4pM
- The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne - https://amzn.to/2Yw6Elx
- The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr - https://amzn.to/3wywbLf
- David Corbett "The Compass of Character" - https://davidcorbett.com/teaching.php
- Story Genius by Lisa Cron - https://amzn.to/3wl96LN
- Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland - https://amzn.to/3vls5Ez
- Enneagrams Relationships - https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/the-enneagram-type-combinations
- Sequences - https://medium.com/your-first-novel/what-is-a-sequence-in-a-novel-or-a-movie-ddd9f0f35d78
- Screenwriting Tricks for Authors by Alexandra Sokoloff - https://amzn.to/2P4HUNW
- Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody - https://amzn.to/3xf7TFV
- Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell - https://amzn.to/35eBwLu
- Dramatica Plot Steps - https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/plot-outline.html
- http://onestopforwriters.com/
- Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes - https://amzn.to/3vob3FQ
- Anne Aguirre's Ars Numina series - https://amzn.to/3ec95nc
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Things Fall Apart

Sponsor: Summer in the City by Lori Wilde, Priscilla Oliveras, Sarah Skilton - https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496732675/summer-in-the-city/
Mentioned:
- Venus Williams mic drop - https://twitter.com/espnw/status/1399847611897688068?s=21
- Cree Summer's Street Faerie album 
- A Quiet Place Part 2 movie
#EarthsingerReadalong - https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope/
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Iceberg, Right Ahead!

This week's best thing: Howard University's Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts - https://variety.com/2021/film/news/chadwick-boseman-howard-university-college-fine-arts-1234982110/
Mentioned:-The Old Guard movie-The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+-The Nevers on HBO
#EarthsingerReadalong - https://www.instagram.com/leslyepenelope/
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Artistic Vision

This week's best thing: "Fye Fye" by Tobe Nwigwe - https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8JJVqnZfl/ (Behind the Scenes - https://www.instagram.com/p/CPLpJbpnT9a/)
Mentioned:
- Soundtrack on Netflix
- My events - https://lpenelope.com/calendar
- Edelweiss Bookfest - (https://abovethetreeline.com/bookfest) promo code for $30 off! Code: LPKEYBF30  - Register at https://edelweissbookfest.regfox.com/edelweiss-bookfest
- Publishers Weekly review of REQUIEM OF SILENCE - https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250148131
- Temptation moment (Alternate to Dark Moment) - https://youtu.be/ceZbrDrecFg
- The Underground Railroad on TV show on Amazon Prime
- The Good Lord Bird on Showtime
- The Conductors by Nicole Glover - https://amzn.to/2SlPyrC
- https://pirateship.com - for shipping & postage from home
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The One Where the Middle Kicks My Ass Again

Sponsor: Lone Wolf by Diana Palmer, Kate Pearce and Rebecca Zanetti. Lone Wolf by Diana Palmer, Kate Pearce and Rebecca Zanetti. https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781420151497/lone-wolf/
- Norah, Yarah, Rosa dance video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CD8_-kDlU2t/
- In Our Mother's Gardens on Netflix
- Earthsinger Chronicles Readalong - https://lpenelope.com/2021/05/join-the-earthsinger-chronicles-readalong/
- Author Daniel Jose Older - https://www.instagram.com/danieljose1/
- "No one will read your book (and other truths about publishing)" - https://ellegriffin.substack.com/p/publishing-industry-truth)
- "The one where writing books is not really a good idea" - https://ellegriffin.substack.com/p/creator-economy-for-fiction-authors
- Nobody (film) & Wrath of Man (film)
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Midpoints, Mirror Moments & Zen

- Plottr software - https://plottr.com?ref=136 (affiliate)
- Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell - https://amzn.to/2RHatVr
- Wide for the Win FB group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wideforthewin
- https://www.edelweiss.plus/
- The Creative Penn podcast - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2021/05/03/translation-and-marketing-in-foreign-languages/
- Vampires Never Get Old anthology podcast - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2021/05/03/translation-and-marketing-in-foreign-languages/
- Imaginary Worlds podcast: episode 171 The Zen of Sci-fi - https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org/episodes/the-zen-of-sci-fi
- Brett Burnham - Chapterhouse Tattoo, Baltimore, MD - https://www.chapterhousetattoo.com/
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
My Imaginary Friends is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at http://frolic.media/podcasts!
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Music credit:
Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM
Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.