This week, Greg is flying solo. He’s locked himself in the office with the dog, a cup of coffee, and a pocket full of dreams in an attempt to write his very first children’s book, and he's bringing all of you along for the ride.

This episode also marks the final episode of the podcastfor 2025. We’ll be back in February with brand-new episodes.

Until then, be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at @WritersBleckPod. You can also find us on Patreon at patreon.com/writersbleckpod, where the video version of the podcast will begin rolling out in early January.

In this episode, Greg is sitting down with the author of the acclaimed Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Shannon Messenger to talk about the long-awaited release of Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Graphic Novel, Part Two, what it’s been like revisiting the early days of Sophie Foster’s story in a whole new format, how she balances heart, spectacle, and an absolutely massive cast of characters after more than a decade in this world, and so much more.

Shannon's Website: https://shannonmessenger.com/

Writer's Bleck will be off the air next week. We're going bi-weekly for just a short stretch here with the holiday season and everything going on. I’m also getting over being sick, and we don’t quite have the backlog we’d normally like. It’s just a busy time of year, so we’re taking a brief breather—and then we’ll be back in full swing at the start of the new year.

In this episode, author Spencer Hixon, creator of A Sinister Love and Fate & Fortune, joins Greg to discuss how ADHD has shaped his writing journey, how he shifts his mindset between projects, and the unexpected emotional weight behind some of his most powerful scenes. They also explore what happens when a demon attempts to understand humanity exclusively through romance novels, and how that premise helped shape his unique worldbuilding approach.