You’d think it was hard enough just being a writer, wouldn’t you?  However, an increasing number of writers are voluntarily choosing to make their lives even tougher – by choosing to vanquish their own, personal, real-life nemesis.  Could your writing improve with a nemesis?  Listen to Philippa Ballantine, one of our star guests tonight, and decide.

It’s all ashes and sackcloth tonight as our other star guest, Graham Marks, takes writers to task for being lazy.  Well, not all writers – just a few prosperous ones, such as Elmore Leonard – maybe he needs a nemesis?

With regular panellist Dave Bartram addressing authenticity in writing, and Donna Ballman foreseeing a resurgence of interest in sci fi and fantasy among young readers – we’ve got all your bases covered this week!

Other topics on tonight’s show include:

• Tutankhamen gets a DNA test
• “Jersey Shore”  star Michael Sorrentino patents his abs
• Universities of Surrey & Bath give spanking degrees
• What is it that women really want from men? Philippa knows
• Mel Gibson is no Bob Peck

This week’s titles for the Commissioning Meeting are:

DONNA
“The Pecan and its Culture”
Hardrada Harold Hume 1875-1965

PHILIPPA
“You Can Search Me”
Hugh McHugh

GRAHAM
“You Should Worry Says John Henry”
Hugh McHugh

DAVE
“Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys’ games and books”
H. G. Wells, 1866-1946

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Photo by Roberto Rizzato

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GIVE US A TITLE – GET A TITLE!

We’re pleased to give a copy of Su Tong’s THE BOAT TO REDEMPTION to David Bridger for his winning title suggestion this week! Born in 1963 in Suzhou and now living in Beijing with his family, Su Tong is one of China’s most celebrated bestselling authors, shooting to international fame in 1993 when Zhang Yimou’s film of his novella Raise the Red Lantern was nominated for an Oscar. His first short story collection, Madwoman on the Bridge was published by Black Swan in 2008. Join us next week in the chatroom and win a fabulous new title in return for giving us a title!

Want to see what we got up to in ther chatroom? See below!

ysleliss: Peter’s face freezes in some very strange expressions

theomnibus: @RubyTuesday HEY RUBy

DonnaB: Hi Eve!

PauletteJaxton: Omnibus, awesome! Thx.

catwake: Hi eve. 

PauletteJaxton: Okay, drinking game. Everytime Pete’s face freezes with mouth open, drink a shot

jrmurdock: oh hell, I’d be plowed already.

DonnaB: Not for me. I have to pick my daughter up from school after this.

Magenta123: evenin all

catwake: Hi, mag. 

RubyTuesday: Hi guys… this is a nightmare tonight on the Ustream isn’t it???

DavidBridger: Hi Magenta

DavidBridger: Hi Eve

DavidBridger: Yep, it’s bloody awful

catwake: It’s not the worst I’ve seen, so I’m counting my blessings.

theomnibus: @Paulette I’m still at work

Magenta123: I need a drink

scaleslea: Women can’t say what they want… they might get it.

RubyTuesday: I’ve heard about 10 words so far despite rebooting twice

PauletteJaxton: Omnibus, all the more reason to drink!

dragonsroost: And there’s your title suggestion: Red Hot Nooky and a Sports Car

catwake: $#@%ing Ustream.

Agentpete: sorry guys

ysleliss: Has anyone made any sense of a conversation yet?

DonnaB: Hi Magenta!

Agentpete: we can try another service… next time…

catwake: Yeah, I’m skipping, but I can hear the feed fine.  I’m prob a few seconds behind, but not prohibitive.

Magenta123: bbraking uup iits qquite ffun aactually!

scaleslea: I can understand the conversation, it just occaisionally stutters.

PauletteJaxton: It’s not ——– that ba—–d, we can he —– ar you

ysleliss: Got that one. Easy Someone who works abroad for 364 days a year and has his pay paid into my bank accoun t

RubyTuesday: Maybe it’s just me… blank screen just now… nothing coming out at all

jrmurdock: it’s almost like watching Max Headr-r-r-r-room

theomnibus: Just you Ruby

jrmurdock: reload the page, it worked for me.

jrmurdock: reload, refresh

jrmurdock: whichever is your fancy

theomnibus: Refresh for Interent Exp reload for us firefox types

Magenta123: money!

theomnibus: OI PETeheadroom!!!!

theomnibus: The Pete Headroom SHOW!!!

catwake: Has writing become a popularity contest, then?  God, now it’s just like everything else…

Magenta123: entropy

jrmurdock: sadly the most popular works out there are written for the YA crowd.

jrmurdock: then there’s Stephen King.

jrmurdock: then you’ve got everyone else LOL

catwake: I just hope that the YA readers grow into adult readers.  There’s the trick, yeah?

jrmurdock: yes. My friend’s daughter stopped after the last ‘Twilight’ novel

jrmurdock: she read through them all in about 3 weeks.

jrmurdock: and she’d never really cracked a book before.

Magenta123: now we have the vampire diaries

theomnibus: Get Fracking oringal I hate the VCampire Dires it ruins the genre

jrmurdock: I keep trying to put books in front of my daughter and see what sticks. She suprises me all the time

PauletteJaxton: There’s a crossover with podcasting novels, whether writing or podcasting both are entertainment.

jrmurdock: That’s what I felt about my fiction. I kept getting rejected, but those who listen are enjoying it.

PauletteJaxton: Scott Sigler has compared writing with other entertainment medium.

jrmurdock: what is a writer if not an entertainer?

jrmurdock: and should people be critical of what people are entertained by?

catwake: People read for different reasons, so people write for different reasons.  Not all entertainment.

dragonsroost: That may be why people have a dificult time classifying writers–entertainers and educators at the same time.  Some times both, some times neither.

catwake: ANd YES, I think we should absolutely be critical of what entertains.  People used to watch executions for entertainment, after all.

jrmurdock: LOL good point

ysleliss: some still do given the chance

jrmurdock: the video seems to have stopped hanging (or is it just me?)

scaleslea: Vampires, fine.  Just no more sparkles.

catwake: yup, emma.  You’re right.  *shudder*

theomnibus: @donab  I think you should. I will read it on a podcast for you i think ththat sound s awsome.

ysleliss: No. mine’s still skipping

PauletteJaxton: Vimpires reflect the adolesent feeling of immortality and indestructability.

Beqi: What Paulette said.

catwake: I think Scifi/ fantasy is up because life is down, right now.  Life suck a little worse than usual for a lot of people right now, so people want to get away just a lttle further.

RedDolphin: Exactly. It’s purely escapism.

catwake: paulette – is that why I liked vamps in high school, but not so much anymore? 

catwake: Hi, RD. 

dragonsroost: Interesting idea, when people perceive their reality as unacceptable they turn to the fantastic to escape.

DavidBridger: I think there’s something in that, cat. Similar to wart Dave is talking about now and also similar to the new LOTR reading fanbase in the 1970s.

jrmurdock: but Vampirse have morphed over the years as well. They used to be al about Royalty, then cold blooded killers. Now they’re all angst-filled

RedDolphin: Hiya Cat

PauletteJaxton: Cat, that’s it I think. Just as you grow out of that feeling, you grow out of the genre and usually move to more mainstream horror

dragonsroost: I’m hoping that what happens next is that there is a backlash against sparkly emo vampires and the horror returns, but then that’s what I read and write.

scaleslea: jr, vampires change to reflect the audience.

ysleliss: I think it’s peoples desire to be controlled rather than taking responsibility for their own lives

jrmurdock: he really wants to read your ocmment Paulette

DavidBridger: Star Wars is harmless entertainment and I don’t wear a stormtrooper’s uniform when I have sex.

scaleslea: I want the Books and Brawn podcast to start…

dragonsroost: Donna doesn’t want to repeat herself.

RedDolphin: Thanks for that image, David.

nzbard: al good stuff- so far I have a steampunk novel… now heading to write about angels

PauletteJaxton: Depends on you definition of success. If just selling more books, yes. Name branding is powerful.

nzbard: actually I already have one part written from 10 years ago

Beqi: Lag….

Magenta123: its Daves pant!

RedDolphin: One hell of a dramatic pause!

Magenta123: pants!

DavidBridger: I’m working with an editor on my Angel story and just started a new Steampunk WIP. I’m riding the wave, man!

RedDolphin: Is that Victorian steampunk or post-apocalyptic, David?

catwake: Stupid wave.  I’m drowning in it, I think. 

dragonsroost: Good point about branding Paulette

DavidBridger: It’s post-apocalyptic, RD

scaleslea: Modern Victorean Steampunk?

RedDolphin: Phew – one less to compete with!

DavidBridger:

dragonsroost: There’s a fine line between repeat plots/rewriting your own material and exploring the same themes, esp those which interest you.

scaleslea: It is OK to riff in your writing if you’ve got enough riffs.

jrmurdock: “9″ was Victorian, post-apocolypic steampunk.

Magenta123: night all harry and toto is calling

jrmurdock: “riff” in your writing?

DavidBridger: Night, Magenta

catwake: night, mag.

RedDolphin: Sleep tight!

dragonsroost: Or if you are watching Hollywood movies you are seeing a medium canabalizing itself.

theomnibus: @Scaleslea Futuristic Steam PUnk Victorian age type

RubyTuesday: Sorry everyone… I have tried 2 computers now, rebooted several times… I’ve heard nothing so far…

scaleslea: Repeat themes and situations?  you just can’t do it too often.

PauletteJaxton: Part of the problem is the producers/publishers who only want to put money behind proven properties. No one wants to take a chance on new ideas.

catwake: eve –

dragonsroost: “Reimagined” one of my all time least favorite words.

RubyTuesday: I KNOW!  Mega disappointed

RedDolphin: Any fast typists here for Eve..?!

PauletteJaxton: That and ‘reboot’

RubyTuesday: LOL

catwake: Seen last week on a bathroom wall:  “If people aren’t writing any good books, where are we going to get movie ideas?”

theomnibus: why aren’t you on skype with the rest of htem Ruby

RubyTuesday: The chat is coming up quickly… all other sites fast as hell… this one -bah!

DavidBridger: I saw the new Sherlock Holmes film this week and would like to nominate it as an honourable exception to this rehash conversation

DavidBridger: I loved it!

RubyTuesday: I am having time off… banned for lowering the tone!

catwake: I am DYING to see it, david

theomnibus: I did it as well.

dragonsroost: The worst is when it a movie/book/whichever which you treasure and you actually get your hopes up only to have them dashed.

RedDolphin: Are you on via the Litopia website or direct on ustream, Eve?

RubyTuesday: Oh Sherlock… *sigh* … Robert Downey… ahhhh

catwake: Eve – ditto

RubyTuesday: On Ustream itself Red

catwake: David – I’ve heard the movie is a return to the early works, where Sherlock is kind of a badass.

scaleslea: If they’re catering to an in-built audience, why can’t we get a Serenity sequel?

RedDolphin: and you haven’t hit ‘mute’ by mistake?

PauletteJaxton: When you sell “your baby” you give up the right to change the bath water.

RubyTuesday: Hahaha… no Peter is frozen with pursed  lips just now… then it goes blank again for ages

theomnibus: YEah right

DavidBridger: He is, Cat. Not “bad” but definitely not a shining hero

RubyTuesday: … and now squiggly lines

ysleliss: It’s those little circling white balls that are driving mecrazy

dragonsroost: Reimagined Steampunk Vampire Angel Nemesis Talking Smack — title?

RubyTuesday: Hahaha… yes, those are happening inbetween too… Open your mind, open your mind…

jrmurdock: Clockwork Vampires!

PauletteJaxton: Title: No More Sparkly Writers

dragonsroost: Oh yes! Excellent Paulette!

scaleslea: Tee is just good at talking smack.

theomnibus: There areant many eoplethat Tee hasn’t helped at one pointor annother.

Beqi: Just cackle Donna! That’ll get your evil laugh going!

scaleslea: Good one!

catwake: Very “wicked witch”, that laugh.

theomnibus: he PEte Head Room Show

jrmurdock: Sparkly Kiwi Steampunk Vampires in the dark

Beqi: David has the evil cackle!! Awesome!

PauletteJaxton: Within the podcast novel community that is changing. There are efforts to form a coop underway.

dragonsroost: Title: My Nemesis is Me

Beqi: True. There is moves into a Podcast coop.

dragonsroost: That was scary because it sounded like my grams

catwake: THat was DISAPPOINTING.  I feel like David is more evil than he’s letting on.

theomnibus: I love to be  reader for people. I’ma brand new writig person. I have onlybeen doing it for about a year

catwake: nemeses, I think

dragonsroost: Nice call back!

RedDolphin: Title: Bluebeard mwa ha ha

scaleslea: Title: I’d like to thank my Nemesis…

dragonsroost: My nemesis is the stuttering Ustream

Beqi: Pierced Brass, Barbed Sass <- Title entry.

ysleliss: I had a nemesis once but the wheels fell off

DavidBridger: Title: Word Wars for Fun and Profit

catwake: “Self-Defeating, Theme-Repeating, Cackle-Breeding Nemeses.”

scaleslea: Title: Success through Armegeddon.

dragonsroost: If that’s the case I’m not a full on pecan.  More of a Brazil Nut

Beqi: From what I’ve seen nothing is banned from twitter.

PauletteJaxton: I had a nemesis removed by a dermatolagist once

catwake: lol

Beqi: Bahaha.. Paulette.

RedDolphin: Better than having one put in by a gynaecologist, PJ

scaleslea: 8(

RubyTuesday:

PauletteJaxton: Red, where’s the rimshot button? Nice one!

dragonsroost: You can search me–erotic googling?

RedDolphin: the what?

scaleslea: I sense a new Erotica a la cart poll…

RubyTuesday: Oooh tell me who’s going to win the Pitch session please…

RubyTuesday: … haven’t heard a word all Podcast

PauletteJaxton: Will their love ferment into a fine wine or sour into vinegar?

RubyTuesday: Are we voting in the chatroom?

DavidBridger: We’re halfway through the pitches, Eve

Beqi: Skinned mango? That’s would be kinkier.

RubyTuesday: Oh bums … missed voting opportunity

RubyTuesday: I cannot believe I am so dedicated that I am sitting here staring at a blank screen

ysleliss: Can some one tell me when it’s over so that I can switch off please

RubyTuesday: I should be away doing things and more things…

PauletteJaxton: You’re a rock Ruby!

RedDolphin: Your reward will be a return of the Salmagundi club, Eve1

RubyTuesday: LOL   I do have a new show… promise

catwake: Eve – You’d better!  I’ve been patiently waiting for the return of Eve…

RedDolphin: Where???!!!

DavidBridger: Title: Who was that blue-bearded man?

RubyTuesday: No idea… I think I may have been a little less dedicated than usual   On the upside I wrote 4,500 words today!

jrmurdock: Blue Beard is NOT a Sprakly Vampire

DavidBridger: 4.5k is a great wordcount, Eve!

ysleliss: I’ve just realised that Peter has been chalking his nose with white billiard chalk

PauletteJaxton: Title: Bluebeard’s Nemisis

RubyTuesday: I know…!  Even I am impressed by me!

catwake: Hooray, eve.  Great day for you!

scaleslea: Title: Gurula Warfare…

dragonsroost: HG Welles, speaking of Steampunk

RubyTuesday: I am doing NanoFeb… 29 days 70,000 words … all on my own!

RubyTuesday: … or 28 days… not sure

catwake: Damn, Eve.  Ambitious.

RedDolphin: Is it a leap year?

jrmurdock: not a leap year

ysleliss:  seem to have lost soun completely now so I think I’ll dissapear. By guyz

catwake: Bye emma!

DavidBridger: Bye Emma

RedDolphin: Ciao!

Beqi: Bye.

DonnaB: Bye Emma. Eve, great work!

RedDolphin: Title: Bluebeard Airship Pirate

RubyTuesday: Byee Emma!  Yay me… I am a real writer

catwake: yay eve. 

jrmurdock: Zombies, Kiwis, Sparkly Vampires OH MY!

catwake: Title: Steampunk Pirate Trunk

jrmurdock: g’night!

PauletteJaxton: Great recording session!

DavidBridger: Night!

RedDolphin: Byeeee

catwake: I totally missed Phillipa Ballentine’s name at the top.  Had no idea!

dragonsroost: Night!

scaleslea: Night.

jrmurdock: JRMurdock wants to be on the show now LOL

Beqi: Night!

scaleslea: I’ve never done one of these before…

jrmurdock: Stutters, Kiwis, and Blue Beards

RubyTuesday: Thank you wondrous chatroom… sorry I heard absolutely nothing and could add nothing to the discussion…

RubyTuesday: … but you were awesome!

catwake: Steampunk Pirate Trunk.

Beqi: I had one.

DonnaB: Goodnight all!

DavidBridger: Night, Donna

DonnaB: Congratulations David!

scaleslea: By the by, bravo for pronouncing Scaleslea correctly on the first try…

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