In this episode we examine the key elements that make up a great short story, and we share a collection of classic tales to illustrate the power of the format.

Episode Highlights:

01:30 What a short story does best

03:27 Character is King: Short Story Edition

10:08 Six key literary elements of the short story

17:44 A training ground for the writer’s “long game”

22:10 Story Example 1: A Good Man is Hard to Find

26:45 Story Example 2: Trace

30:07 Story Example 3: The Telltale Heart

33:10 Story Example 4: The Star

35:40 Story Example 5: A Rose for Emily

40:20 Story Example 6: The Open Window

In this episode we expose weird and whacky conspiracy theories from the literary, film, and

music worlds and reveal the secrets “they” don’t want you to know.

Episode Highlights:

02:55 “Paul is Dead” catches fire

06:47 Character is King: Conspiratorial Edition

12:45 Theory 1 - She doesn’t exist

15:12 Theory 2 - Witches Boo

18:10 Theory 3 - It’s not her, it’s him

21:26 Theory 4 - Who’s your daddy?

24:40 Theory 5 – Lennon and the King

28:18 Theory 6 – Back to the North Pole

In this episode we present a new collection of classic idioms and share the histories and origins that made them timeless expressions of speech.

Episode highlights:

03:00 Coffee badging and three sheets

06:15 Character is King: Idiomatic Expression Edition

12:03 A very southern idiom

14:40 Lost in translation

17:19 Born of a Scottish proverb

21:00 Benson Boone and Rick Springfield

23:25 The Thatched Roof Theory

26:20 Novel uses of a bullet

29:06 Honorable Mentions

In this episode we break down the elements and genres that make up a great beach read novel, and we share our Top 5 list of titles that pair perfect with sun and sand.

Episode highlights:

01:40 Choose your Beach Read wisely

02:10 Character is King: Beach Edition

11:14 The Blueprint: 6 Key Elements & 3 Prime Genres

16:07 Top 5 List of Great Beach Read Novels

22:12 The 48-hour book

26:57 A prime beach read

In this episode we take a close look at taglines. From big business to blockbusters to books we discuss how these brief blurbs of exposition just might be the most valuable marketing tool ever devised and share key tips to on how to craft an effective tagline for your novel.

Episode highlights:

02:08 What is a tagline?

04:25 Novel examples

08:55 The key to writing a tagline for a book

12:40 Character is King: Tagline Edition

17:16 Tagline Tag

21:05 Early morning aliens

In this episode we roll out Volume 5 of our Lyrically Speaking series and celebrate the musical. Join us as we explore the lyrics of classic showtunes from Broadway and beyond in this fun retrospective.

Episode highlights:

02:56 What makes a musical?

07:22 Character is King: The Musical Edition

14:52 Brown paper packages

19:05 The greatest negotiation

23:38 Sit down!

30:49 Minutes turn to hours

35:35 Tell me more

41:20 Three meals a day

In this episode we examine the MacGuffin, its history, popularization, and use in modern storytelling. We also share our Top 5 list of all-time great MacGuffins.

Episode highlights:

01:29 What is a MacGuffin?

08:27 Character is King: MacGuffin Edition

13:15 The Top 5 list of all-time great cinema MacGuffins

14:39 I know something you don’t

18:09 It’s all in the plans

21:00 To infinity…

23:50 The stuff that dreams are made of

26:00 Like an addiction

In this episode YA fantasy author Carrie Anne Noble joins us to discuss folklore, fairy tales, and how she finds new stories to tell. Carrie reveals behind-the-book details about her new novel THE SPRINGBORN, and shares the impact that her debut novel, THE MERMAID’s SISTER, had on her life. And for a little bonus content, Keira and I discuss the path she took to get her novel KEEPER OF THE LIGHT from publisher signing to pub date.

Episode highlights:

02:33 Keira’s fairy tale: Publishing KEEPER OF THE LIGHT

11:20 Character is King: Enchanted Edition

18:17 Welcome Carrie Anne Noble

20:27 The life-changing impact of THE MERMAID’S SISTER

23:15 The fairy tale vibe of THE SPRINGBORN

25:35 How THE GINGERBREAD QUEEN became a sequel

27:48 Carrie’s fresh figurative language

33:00 The inspiration of Pennsylvania