My Imaginary Friends with L. Penelope

REQUIEM OF SILENCE releases August 17! 
My virtual book launch will be Tuesday, August 17, 2021 @ 7pm ET. Fantasy author K. Arsenault Rivera will be joining me! More info: https://charmcitybooks.com/?urlsc=events
 
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.

Mentioned:
Write Better Faster - https://betterfasteracademy.com/wbf101/ 
RWA Vivan Award Debacle - https://bookriot.com/rwa-racism/
 
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.

Indulging my spreadsheet addiction.
Mentioned:
- K.M. Weiland on Character Enneagrams: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/use-the-enneagram-to-write-better-characters/
- Character Enneagrams Tracking Sheet: http://nadineavola.com/treasure-box/
- The Creative Penn podcast: - Joanna Penn - reverse outlines - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2021/07/26/literary-fiction-roz-morris-2/
- KM Weiland - Should You Edit as You Go? - https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/should-you-edit-as-you-go-2/
- Banished podcast interview w/ Dewey Crumpler - https://www.booksmartstudios.org/p/if-its-in-the-world-its-for-me - 
- My interview with Arley Sorg - https://atthebar.arleysorg.com/2/with-l-penelope/
 
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.

Leaving behind the old (for a while) and focusing on the new!
Mentioned:
- #EarthsingerReadlong - Cry of Metal & Bone - https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/earthsingerreadalong/
- Sarra Cannon - "Starting The Final Book In My Bestselling Series" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejhVFTcv0c
- The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson – https://amzn.to/3pPL4pM
- Story Genius by Lisa Cron - https://amzn.to/3BFSCAK
- "When the Author Dream is No Longer the Dream" -  https://nelsonagency.com/2021/07/when-the-author-dream-is-no-longer-the-dream/
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://amzn.to/2LaZ0a5
- The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay - https://amzn.to/2J5XULu
 
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.

Work & rest for inspiration and facing your fears. 
Mentioned:
- Dramatica plot steps: https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/plot-outline.html
- My plot steps worksheet: https://lpenelope.com/wp-content/uploads/Dramatica-Plot-Steps-Worksheet.pdf
- The Great Gatsby - https://amzn.to/2VMgP88
- Gone Girl - https://amzn.to/3zp2j51
- Hampton Roads Writers Conference - https://hamptonroadswriters.org/2021-conference/
- My events calendar - https://lpenelope.com/calendar
 
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.