My Imaginary Friends with L. Penelope

Building a Story World First

Watch on Youtube
Daughter of the Merciful Deep out on June 4, 2024 - Release Giveaway!
Launch event @ Sankofa Books
My events 
Launch event @ Sankofa Books in Washington, DC  - https://www.sankofa.com/events/daughter-of-the-merciful-deep
My events - https://lpenelope.com/calendar/
NPR mention - https://www.npr.org/2024/05/21/1251024211/best-books-2024-what-to-read
My online plotting workshop - June 15, 2024 - https://hamptonroadswriters.org/event/june-15-2024-from-idea-to-first-draft-how-to-plot-your-novel-by-leslye-penelope/
The Story Seed Mini-course - https://learn.myimaginaryfriends.net/courses/story-seed
Whimsical - https://whimsical.com/
The Fall Guy movie
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming - https://amzn.to/3wJ2rk6
Ink & Magic podcast with Kimberly Lemming - https://www.inkandmagic.net/e/ep-28-fantasy-romcoms-with-kimberly-lemming/
"Growth is not linear" - https://www.instagram.com/p/C5o8ZybijLK/ 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.

Imagining Success with Kelley Armstrong

“Imagining Success” is an interview series where I talk to authors who have achieved career milestones that others only dream about and ask them how they got there and where they go from here.
In this interview, I speak with #1 New York Times Bestseller Kelley Armstrong about maintaining longevity in a career, her refreshing perspective from her time in the publishing trenches, and what keeps her going.
Find her online at https://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/. Her latest release is Disturbing the Dead, book 3 in the Rip Through Time historical mystery series.
 
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UWQwCkosISQ.
Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast
Get the Footnotes newsletter and become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show - https://paypal.me/heartspell
 

Five Years of Podcasting! Plus Updates!

Watch the live podcast on YouTube.
Mentioned:
EF Go Ahead Tours - https://www.goaheadtours.com/tours
A few of my photos from Greece - https://www.instagram.com/p/C5orMwfOgpR/ - https://www.instagram.com/p/C5qZl7-OWsO/?img_index=1
Read my post: "Beyond Bestsellers: Yes, People Still Buy Books"
3000 Years of Longing
The Fall of Souls by R. A. Moreau -  https://amzn.to/3WfYQ7d
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.

Imagining Success with P. Djèlí Clark

“Imagining Success” is an interview series where I talk to authors who have achieved career milestones that others only dream about and ask them how they got there and where they go from here.
In this interview, I speak with multi-award winner P. Djèlí Clark about the publishing industry, shifting ideas of success, and something all Gen-Xers should know: why reading is fundamental.
Find him online at https://pdjeliclark.com/. 
His most recent releases is Abeni's Song.
Watch this episode on YouTube.

Choosing the Right POV for Your Novel

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/umqeMohkOC0
Mentioned:
ARC Giveaway - https://lpenelope.com/2024/03/daughter-of-the-merciful-deep-arc-giveaway/
Daughter of the Merciful Deep - preorder
Publishers Weekly starred review
Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland 
Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell
Plot vs. Character by Jeff Gerke 
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody 
OneStopforWriters.com
The Negative Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi 
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 
Events:- The Authorprenuer Path workshop - 3/26/34 - Poconos Writers' Conference - 4/20/24 - My calendar - https://lpenelope.com/calendar/
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.

Imagining Success with Beverly Jenkins

“Imagining Success” is an interview series where I talk to authors who have achieved career milestones that others only dream about and ask them how they got there and where they go from here. 
In this interview, I speak with legendary romance author Beverly Jenkins about the power of representation, her unique relationship with her readers, and why she doesn't have imposter syndrome. 
Find Beverly Jenkins at https://www.beverlyjenkins.net/
Her most recent novel is A Christmas to Remember.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Want a "Slayer of Words" t-shirt?
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 to the podcast: https://lpenelope.com/podcast
Get the Footnotes newsletter & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Facebook
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.

Revising the Outline

Watch on YouTube
Mentioned:
Imaginary Worldbuilding course 
Zcal Meeting Scheduler - https://zcal.co/
My interview on the Wish I’d Known podcast
Washington Post mention! https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2024/02/11/romantasy-explainer-maas-yarros/ - Gift article link: https://wapo.st/3uJ2YkN
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
Grammar refresher workshop - 03/02/2024
Punctuation refresher workshop - 03/03/2024
My Awesome Con schedule - https://lpenelope.com/calendar
March Madness Writing Sprints - Schedule | YouTube Playlist
The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest 
Origin by Ava DuVernay
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.

Imagining Success with Mary Robinette Kowal

“Imagining Success” is an interview series where I talk to authors who have achieved career milestones that others only dream about and ask them how they got there and where they go from here. 
In this interview, I speak with award-winning SFF author Mary Robinette Kowal about the meaning of success and how it evolves over time.
She discusses the motivations behind her writing, the challenges she faces, and the importance of authenticity in her work. We also touch on impostor syndrome, goal setting, and finding the essence of what drives us as writers.
Find Mary Robinette online at https://maryrobinettekowal.com/
Her latest novel is The Spare Man
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WFL5WPFDwr8
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 to the podcast: https://lpenelope.com/podcast
Get the Footnotes newsletter & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Facebook
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.

Getting Early Feedback on an Outline

Watch on YouTube 
Mentioned:
How to Revise Your Novel workshop
Imaginary Worldbuilding course - https://lpen.co/worlds
Story Seed workbook - https://lpen.co/storyseed
Enneagrams - https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/types
Pro Writing Aid's romance week - https://lpen.co/romanceweek
All the Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby - (Amazon), (Bookshop)
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.

Crafting the Villain

Watch in YouTube: https://youtu.be/DeIidsoalEY
- Footnotes newsletter - https://myimaginaryfriends.net/footnotes
- Savage City is on sale! - https://books2read.com/savagecity- Preordder Daughter of the Merciful Deep - https://lpenelope.com/book/daughter-of-the-merciful-deep/
Mentioned:- Bookbub - ebook deals- Scribecount - track book sales- FaRoFeb - Fantasy Romance February- Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell - Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland - Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland - Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody - "Designing Thriller and Mystery Twists That Work" by Samantha Skal - Ink & Magic podcast - 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains by Sacha Black - - Imaginary Worldbuilding course  
 
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a 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 & become an Imaginary Best Friend: https://myimaginaryfriends.net
Support the show: https://paypal.me/heartspell
Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | 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.