Shows
Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: When History is The Monster! (The Reformatory)In this episode (which originally aired in June of 2024), Tananarive opens up about why it was so difficult for her to write her novel, THE REFORMATORY, and why it was such a thrill to win Best Novel at The Bram Stoker Awards -- the first Black author to win Best Novel!
How she motivated herself to write a difficult novel based on her family history while juggling parenthood and screenplay assignments. And how the Lifewriting principles helped her keep going even when she wanted to give up.
Join Tananarive's mailing list at tananarivelist.co...2025-05-261h 14Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!SINNERS! How Ryan Coogler Shook Hollywood (And You Can Too!) *SPOILERS*In this spoiler-crammed episode, Steve and Tananarive lead a community celebration of SINNERS and break down both the film and Ryan Coogler's Hollywood journey to shaking up Hollywood.
This is the FULL replay of the community Zoom: https://youtu.be/bGFavqpA4Rc
And don't delay signing up for our hybrid Screenwriting webinar 5/17. Take the first steps to get your seat at the table - or build your own table. Limited spots available!
www.writerwebinar.com - LINK IN BIO
LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.co...2025-05-031h 07Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!We Made Our Own "Vintage" Radio Play! Introducing THE WALKER (Guest J. Michael Hayes)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive premiere their "vintage" radio play, THE WALKER, a narrative audio story modeled after classic radio of the 1930s and 1940s - but diverse! But first, they talk to co-producer J. Michael Hayes (an author, filmmaker and Lifewriting Premium alum) about how they brought the story to life on audio - and how you can bring your own writing to life too! Steve and Tananarive both love narrative podcasts and vintage radio, so THE WALKER has been a longtime dream: created with friends and family with no ga...2025-04-161h 19Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!We're Directing Our First Short Film! Writing Lessons from the Director's ChairIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about adapting their horror graphic novel, THE KEEPER (illustrated by Marco Finnegan), as a short film for a major production company. On how they made the journey from prose writers to screenwriters to having an opportunity to direct a short film with an eye toward directing their first feature. Also on the writing lessons from directing - and an invitation to join their LIVE hybrid screenwriting class on May 17, 2025 (either online or in Southern California) to learn the tools to write your own films and adaptations for a seat at t...2025-04-081h 04Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Creating Art in the Midst of Chaos (adrienne maree brown)In this episode, Tananarive talks to visionary thinker, organizer and artist adrienne maree brown (author of EMERGENT STRATEGY, GRIEVERS and LOVING CORRECTIONS) about the role of the artist during times of chaos -- creating beauty from pain and uncertainty, the obligation of artists to express joy, and how art can be a bridge to better times. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at h...2025-03-1152 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: A.I. and the Writer!The WGA writers' strike is over, but A.I. is still a big conversation among writers. From the WGA strike and screenwriters' concerns about A.I. infiltrating writers' rooms to the recent class action lawsuit including former podcast guest Paul Tremblay against OpenAI and ChatGPT, A.I. and writers are on a collision course. Steve and Tananarive talk about the good and bad uses of A.I. for writers and how to prepare for the future. Also: an invitation to join our social media platform on Circle! www.lifewrite.com 2025-02-2253 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Josh Ruben! (Heart Eyes, Werewolves Within)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to director Josh Ruben about his new horror comedy (romance) Heart Eyes, which is destined to be a cult Valentine's Day horror hit! They talk about directing, how to make a horror romance, and why Ruben cast Black leads in Heart Eyes (Mason Gooding, opposite Olivia Holt) and Werewolves Within (Sam Richardson, opposite Milana Vayntrub). Also: how he coped after he and his wife lost their new house during the recent fires in Southern California - only weeks before the Heart Eyes premiere. ...2025-02-151h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Navigating Feedback in Your Writing - And in Life!In this new episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the need for feedback to grow as writers and how difficult it is to determine which feedback is useful and which feedback isn't useful - and the tools it takes to tell the difference! They also talk about their new video on why writing Science Fiction / Afrofuturism can be empowering in 2025 - check it out at https://www.steven-barnes.com/live-classes.LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com2025-02-0751 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Lessons from Octavia Butler and Ray Bradbury On How to Survive 2025In this episode - their first one recorded in 2025! - Steve and Tananarive talk about how Octavia E. Butler and Ray Bradbury confronted their times with art to help inspire themselves and others. (Includes a clip from a 2000 interview with Octavia Butler). They also talk about their upcoming hybrid class on Writing Science Fiction/Afrofuturism (1/25) and how artists can turn fear into power through storytelling! (Learn more about the class at www.writerwebinar.com) LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)...2025-01-2347 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Tananarive's novel The Reformatory - Turning Heartache to HorrorTananarive spent more than seven years working on her new novel, THE REFORMATORY, which was inspired by true-life family history about her great-uncle Robert Stephens and the Dozer School for Boys in Marianna, FL. In this podcast, she and Steve talk about why it took so long to write, the Lifewriting tools she used to complete it, and how she's fighting to stay centered in the whirlwind of her book's publication. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com2025-01-0449 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Clay McLeod Chapman! Wake Up and Open Your Eyes (Finding Hope in Horror)In this episode, Tananarive interviews horror author/screenwriter Clay McLeod Chapman about his upcoming novel, WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES -- which was blurbed by Jordan Peele and is about a deadly political spell cast over the nation. (Sounds familiar!) He and Tananarive also talk about his start as an author, how he first met Jordan Peele, and the search for hope in writing and reading horror. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's m...2024-12-241h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!A Tribute to Candyman Star Tony Todd (And an interview from 2017!)Tananarive and Steve were devastated by the death of Candyman star Tony Todd in November of 2024. (He also co-starred in their "Fugue State" story in the Shudder/AMC+ anthology film Horror Noire.) His death inspired them to unearth an interview they did with Todd as a part of their online digital download course The Sunken Place, a history of Black Horror. In this rare interview, Todd talks about his tough childhood, the aunt who raised him, his theater roots...and becoming Candyman. Don't miss it! The full course (which also includes an interview with J...2024-12-171h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Gabino Iglesias! (The Devil Takes You Home, House of Bone and Rain)In this episode, Tananarive and Steve talk to New York Times horror columnist and author Gabino Iglesias! In 2023, Iglesias, who is Puerto Rican, became the first Latino writer to win a Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel for THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME. (His more recent book, HOUSE OF BONE AND RAIN, is also great!) Steve and Tananarive talk to Gabino about how his struggles with unemployment and losing his health insurance during COVID inspired him to finish his award-winning novel, why he loves horror, and what he's doing next! LEAVE US A...2024-12-051h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Writing Through Pain - Guest Nadine Pinede! (When the Mapou Sings)In this episode, Tananarive talks to author, poet and scholar Nadine Pinede about her difficult journey bringing her debut novel to life, WHEN THE MAPOU SINGS - a novel about a young girl's experiences in historical Haiti, including encounters with Zora Neale Hurston. And the novel is entirely in verse! National Book Award winner Edwidge Danticat calls the book "a stunning revelation." They talk about managing a writing practice through pain and how the novel transformed over the years. The author requests donations to the Claudette Pinede Memorial Scholarship Fund to support Haitian women in ST...2024-11-2053 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Stephen Graham Jones!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to Bram Stoker Award winner Stephen Graham Jones. He shares his writing process, his love for slashers, his exploration of father-son relationships in his stories, and how his own personal promise to an elk he hunted gave birth to his bestselling novel The Only Good Indians. (Latest novels: My Heart is a Chainsaw and I Was a Teenage Slasher.)LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin St...2024-11-111h 08Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Scare Up the Vote! (Stephen King, Joe Hill, Rachel Harrison, Mike Flanagan, Stephen Graham Jones, Bryan Fuller & More!)Wow - just WOW. Tananarive talks about mounting Scare Up the Vote, the horror community's campaign event to support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. On this episode, excerpts from amazing talks about horror and why voting matters by your horror faves: Stephen Graham Jones, Gabino Iglesias, Stephen King in conversation with Joe Hill, Erin E. Adams, Mike Flanagan in conversation with Kate Siegel, Bryan Fuller, Akela Cooper and Rachel Harrison.And that's just a tiny slice of the full broadcast with a slew of other great horror creators, which you can watch at scareupthevote.comT...2024-10-221h 19Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Nat Cassidy! (Nestlings, Mary: An Awakening of Terror)Tananarive talks to author, playwright, actor and screenwriter Nat Cassidy about how his different artistic endeavors have fed into a single creative drive. On fluidity in creativity and the persistence to follow your dream -- and then the NEXT dream. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-10-0656 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian, The Horizon Experiment: The Manchurian)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to comics creator and screenwriter Pornsak Pichetshote. On how his feeling of displacement after moving from the U.S. to Thailand as a child helped him become a storyteller, mastering comics and TV writing - and The Horizon Experiment (The Manchurian), his new community-building comics project to showcase creators on the margins. (Including Tananarive, whose comic is Moon Dogs.) LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list a...2024-10-051h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Finding Your Voice! (Guest Michelle McGill-Vargas)Tananarive talks to debut novelist Michelle McGill-Vargas about how she nurtured her writing practice while teaching full-time and how she found her voice to write her debut vampire novel, AMERICAN GHOUL. On the persistence and confidence writers need to win! LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-09-2250 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest S.A. Cosby! (All the Sinners Bleed, Razorblade Tears)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to New York Times bestseller S.A. Cosby, author of the bestselling novels ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, RAZORBLADE TEARS (praised by Barack Obama!) and BLACKTOP WASTELAND. They talk about how he almost gave up writing, blending crime fiction and horror, and what inspires him to write. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad ch...2024-09-1557 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: It's Spooky Season! Secrets to Writing Great HorrorIn this episode, pioneering science fiction author Steven Barnes and Bram Stoker Award / Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Tananarive Due (your hosts!) break down the secrets to writing great horror: bringing the scares and why strong characters matter so much in horror. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-09-0856 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Justin C. Key! (The World Wasn't Ready for You, Out There Screaming)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to author Justin C. Key, who just published his debut sci fi/horror short story collection, The World Wasn't Ready For You. He's also a contributor to Jordan Peele's Out There Screaming horror anthology. They talk about the social impact he wants to make with his work and his journey to portraying his own identity in his writing. Also how his job as a full-time psychiatrist has an impact on his work.LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join T...2024-09-011h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Justina Ireland! (Star Wars: The High Republic, Dread Nation)Steve and Tananarive talk to NY Times bestselling author Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation (YA horror) and one of the story architects of Star Wars: The High Republic. She talks about taking up writing later in life, YA horror, writing for established IP, working in her first television writers' room for the Netflix series House of Usher under Mike Flanagan, and how race has had an impact on her writing. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com2024-08-251h 04Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Grady Hendrix! (My Best Friend's Exorcism - How to Sell a Haunted House)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to New York Times bestselling horror writer Grady Hendrix (My Best Friend's Exorcism, How to Sell a Haunted House) about how he started his career, why and how he writes so many women characters, and the role of grief in his storytelling. Also, hints about his upcoming new novel, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com 2024-08-181h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Author Jeff Lindsay! On Dreaming Dexter and the Dark Side of FameIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to bestselling author Jeff Lindsay, creator of the iconic character of Dexter Morgan in his eight-book series that began with DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER. He also recently published books in his Riley Wolfe series (THE FOURTH RULE). On how he created his serial killer character, the unexpected success of Dexter, how he began his career, working in Hollywood, and the dark side of creating an iconic character when some readers think he's a little too real. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play yo...2024-08-111h 09Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Creating Unforgettable Characters!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary and give tips on how to create characters that spring to life!Learn more about characterization from Steve and Tananarive at their hybrid writing workshop in Southern California on Aug. 24th. More info at www.writerwebinar.com. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...2024-08-0754 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!It's Kamala Harris for President! The Power of Twists in StorytellingIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the surprise rise of Vice President Kamala Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president as a "plot twist" -- and how plot twists in narratives can create excitement both in real life and in storytelling. Tananarive also talks about how she came up with her biggest plot twist in her novel THE REFORMATORY (spoiler free) and how you can too! LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.comJoin S...2024-07-2658 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: Guest Maureen Ryan (Burn It Down!) - Horrors in HollywoodIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome Vanity Fair contributing editor Maureen Ryan, author of the book everyone in Hollywood is reading -- BURN IT DOWN: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. They talk about why she wrote her book exposing Hollywood's ugly underbelly, the WGA strike, the sad demise of "Sleepy Hollow" and the racial overtones that helped doom the first horror series with a Black woman co-lead, and what can be done to create a better future. She also talks about how she stays centered in the storm her book is creating. L...2024-07-121h 27Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Craft Lessons from A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (Spoiler free)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive unpack the new film starring Lupita Nyong'o, A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE. It's breaking box office records for the Quiet Place franchise, and for good reason. With shades of 28 DAYS LATER, CHILDREN OF MEN and THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, this new horror film is both an action-packed story of a horror apocalypse and an intimate portrait of human mortality. Whether or not you've seen the film, don't miss this episode pointing out the craft lessons that make this an instant horror classic. ...2024-07-0359 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Tananarive Won a Stoker Award for The Reformatory! (When History is the Monster)In this episode, Tananarive opens up about why it was so difficult for her to write her novel, THE REFORMATORY, and why it was such a thrill to win Best Novel at The Bram Stoker Awards -- the first Black author to win Best Novel! How she motivated herself to write a difficult novel based on her family history while juggling parenthood and screenplay assignments. And how the Lifewriting principles helped her keep going even when she wanted to give up. Join Tananarive's mailing list at tananarivelist.com Join Steve's mailing list at ste...2024-06-051h 11Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On the Writer's Juggling Act - Working on Multiple Projects!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the necessity of working on multiple creative projects and share their tips on how they juggle writing scripts and books. Join Tananarive's list at tananarivelist.com - or Steve's list at stevenbarneslist.comLEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-05-2753 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Nisi Shawl! (Kinning, Everfair) On Friendship with Octavia E. ButlerIn this episode from March of 2023, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning author Nisi Shawl (KINNING, EVERFAIR) about the anthology they published, NEW SUNS 2, featuring speculative fiction from marginalized writers - including a story, "Supptertime," from Tananarive! Nisi also talks about the journey from a fangirl to friend of the late Octavia E. Butler. Plus, that time Nisi rejected one of Tananarive's short stories. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-05-1952 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: Leigh Bardugo! (The Familiar, Hell Bent, Ninth House)Fresh from Tananarive winning an LA Times Book Prize in Speculative Fiction for her latest novel, The Reformatory, a replay episode: Steve and Tananarive talk to New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo (Ninth House, Hell Bent, Shadow and Bone) on her incredible career: from jobs she didn't like to publishing her first book at 37 to getting her work adapted for Netflix...and beyond! Also how she keeps herself balanced as her popularity grows. And don't forget to check out Leigh's newest book, The Familiar! LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We...2024-04-211h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Joe Hill! (The Black Phone, The Fireman, NOS4A2)In this episode, Tananarive and Steve talk to #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill (The Black Phone, The Fireman, Strange Weather, NOS4A2) about how his first major success was followed by his life's darkest times, the power of horror and the horror community, and how he's balancing his life with new twins. He also talks about how much he loves Tananarive's novel The Reformatory! LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...2024-02-251h 05Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: Horror Noire and Adaptation! (Victor LaValle and Stephanie Malia Morris)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning author Victor LaValle and burgeoning writer Stephanie Malia Morris about their experiences with Shudder/AMC's Black Horror anthology film, Horror Noire. Steve, Tananarive ("The Lake" / "Fugue State") and Victor ("Daddy") adapted their own short stories for Horror Noire, and Stephanie was an author who got a dream call when she heard that her story, "Bride Before You," would be adapted for the screen. On adaptation, Horror Noire, and the future of Black Horror. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) 2024-02-181h 05Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: Make Your Short Film! (Guest Luchina Fisher)In this Best of Lifewriting episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to director Luchina Fisher THE DADS/NETFLIX, MAMA GLORIA) about the importance of making short films -- not just for filmmakers, but for writers. Luchina's previous short, TEAM DREAM, was produced by Queen Latifah. Advice on how even a novice can make their own short film! This replay marks the 10th anniversary of the short film DANGER WORD, directed by Fisher, produced and written by Steve and Tananarive.Starring Frankie Faison and Saoirse Scott, Danger Word (2013) was a groundbreaking short crowdfunded under a call to cr...2023-12-311h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Our 102nd Episode Celebration!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive celebrate their 102nd episode with reminiscences and clips of past guests: Roy Wood, Jr., comic/actress Naomi Ekperigin, Patton Oswalt, New York Times bestseller Leigh Bardugo, Hollywood writer/showrunner Rodney Barnes, and excerpts from a 2000 interview with Octavia E. Butler. Thanks so much to all of you for supporting our podcast. Please wish us a happy anniversary by leaving us a voicemail: LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-1758 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: On Fighting Fear!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive share their past personal and professional fears and how they have overcome them. Tananarive explains the relationship between her fears and her path as a horror writer. Also: a listener voicemail! You can leave us a voicemail too - https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-11-2657 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guests Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes! (NUBIA: The Reckoning)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to actor (and author) Omar Epps and author Clarence A. Haynes about their Afrofuturistic NUBIA book series: Nubia: The Awakening and their new book, Nubia: The Reckoning. We couldn't talk about Omar's film and television career during the taping because of the SAG-AFTRA strike (which ended the very next day!), but Epps has appeared in Love and Basketball, House, E.R., Higher Learning and so much more! And his film debut was in Ernest Dickerson's Juice as a teenager, when he was interviewed by...Tananarive Due! ...2023-11-121h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Tananarive's Novel THE REFORMATORY - and Turning Heartache to HorrorTananarive spent more than seven years working on her new novel, THE REFORMATORY, which was inspired by true-life family history about her great-uncle Robert Stephens and the Dozer School for Boys in Marianna, FL. In this podcast, she and Steve talk about why it took so long to write, the Lifewriting tools she used to complete it, and how she's fighting to stay centered in the whirlwind of her book's publication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-10-2946 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Horror Movies You Should Watch (Or Rewatch) for Spooky Season!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive let their horror nerd flags fly as they discuss the movies you must watch (or rewatch) for Spooky Season -- or all year long! The list includes (but is not limited to, and in no particular order): STEVE'S LIST:
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Tobe Hooper)
Night of the Living Dead (George A. Romero)
The Fly (David Cronenberg)
The Thing (John Carpenter)
Martyrs (Pascal Laugier)
Mouth of Madness (John Carpenter)
Ringu (The Ring - original) (Hideo Nakata)
TANANARIVE'S LIST:
The Dark and the Wicked (Bryan Bertino)
It Follows...2023-10-151h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Zakiya Dalila Harris! (The Other Black Girl)Steve and Tananarive talk to debut novelist Zakiya Dalila Harris about her New York Times bestselling novel THE OTHER BLACK GIRL - now also a critically acclaimed series on Hulu! She reveals how a rare Black co-worker's refusal to return "The Nod" led her to write her satirical thriller about a Black woman working at a publishing house...and the secrets of her Black co-worker. She also talks about having a seat at the table to help develop the series and how she stays centered. Join Steve's mailing list at www.stevenbarneslist.comJoin Tananarive's ma...2023-10-0858 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!The End of the WGA Strike! (And how the WGA's gains affect us all)This week, Steve and Tananarive celebrate the end of the WGA strike! The power of unions, why the strike worked, and how the WGA's win affects not only other writers but all workers facing unfair working conditions. They also talk about going back to work: meeting with an executive overseeing an adaptation of one of Tananarive's most popular books! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-10-0149 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!It's Spooky Season! Secrets to Writing Great HorrorIn this episode, pioneering science fiction author Steven Barnes and American Book Award winner Tananarive Due (your hosts!) break down the secrets to writing great horror: how to bring the scares and why strong characters matter so much in horror. Leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-09-0357 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: Guest Rodney Barnes! (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty)In this episode from March 27, 2022, Steve and Tananarive talk to writer Rodney Barnes (Executive Producer of "Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty") about how Hollywood almost killed him and the steps he took to reclaim his joy and find his greatest voice as a writer. He also discusses his colorful history in Hollywood -- from being the stand-in for John Coffey in The Green Mile (when Stephen King recommended Tananarive's novel My Soul to Keep to him!) to writing and executive producing shows like "The Boondocks," "Everybody Hates Chris," "American Gods" and now "Winning Time"! ...2023-07-301h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!A.I. and the Writer 2.0! - Guest Robert VamosiIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive expand their conversation about A.I. and writing to films and the future in general. Guest Robert Vamosi, a podcast host (The Hacker Mind), security analyst and science fiction writer, recalls his 1994 short story, "With or Without You," where he predicted a future of replacing actors digitally in filmmaking. A longtime friend of Tananarive's from college, Rob also talks about transitioning from technical writing back to fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-07-231h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Naomi Ekperigin! On Horror and ComedyIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome writer, comic and actress Naomi Ekperigin, host of AMC's Interview with the Vampire Podcast (where Tananarive was a guest!) On her love for horror and vampires, how she became a standup comic, and collaborating with her husband! Naomi also appears on Mythic Time on Apple TV+ and was featured in 2022's Season 3 of The Standups on Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-04-3058 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Tananarive's New Book - The Wishing Pool and Other Stories!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about Tananarive's new short story collection, The Wishing Pool and Other Stories. On her her inspiration for the stories, her writing process, and tips to help you make your creative own dreams come true! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-04-2347 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest Nisi Shawl! On New Suns 2 and her friendship with Octavia E. ButlerIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning author Nisi Shawl about the new anthology she just published, NEW SUNS 2, featuring speculative fiction from marginalized writers - including a new story from Tananarive! She also talks about her journey from a fangirl to friend of the late Octavia E. Butler. Plus, that time Nisi rejected one of Tananarive's short stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-03-2654 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!One Year Anniversary! And Making Your Short Film (Guest Luchina Fisher)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive celebrate the podcast's one-year anniversary (and Tananarive's birthday!) with Tananarive's bestie, director Luchina Fisher. They talk about how they charted their dreams from their 20s, when they started out as newspaper reporters, and the path to writing, producing and directing - especially short films. (Luchina's newest short, Team Dream, was produced by Queen Latifah.) And advice on how even a novice can make their own short film! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-01-081h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Fighting Fear!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive share their past personal and professional fears and how they have overcome them, particularly in relationships -- and in Hollywood. Tananarive explains the relationship between her fears and her path as a horror writer. Also: a listener voicemail! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-12-0458 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Patton Oswalt Returns! (I Love My Dad)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome back their first return guest - comedian and actor Patton Oswalt! He discusses his new movie, I LOVE MY DAD, working on his act on the road, horror and comedy, "cancel culture" and representation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-11-2758 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: The Soulmate Process!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive discuss the joys of being soulmates - both as writing collaborators and as husband and wife. They explain that they believe everyone has more than one potential soulmate, and being soulmates is a process, not a destination. They also share tactics they use to keep the peace and thrive. Their Soulmate Process course is at www.soulmateprocess.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-11-2049 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Anticipating Octavia Butler's KINDRED on TV - Guest Monica A. ColemanIn this episode, Tananarive and Steve reunite with Tananarive's Octavia Tried to Tell Us webinar series co-host, Dr. Monica A. Coleman, to discuss the upcoming F/X adaptation of Butler's most popular novel, KINDRED (airing 12/13 on Hulu). They break down the Kindred trailer and discuss the potential triumphs and challenges of bringing a story about time travel to the slavery era to the screen. Check out the Octavia Tried to Tell Us webinar series at www.octaviatried.comJoin our Lifewriting Premium program at www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your a...2022-11-131h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Keeping it Short! (The Joy and Power of Short Stories and Short Scripts)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive break down why writers of all levels should embrace short stories and short scripts, whether it's to learn craft faster or to get published or produced sooner. They also discuss their first collaboration, a short story named "Danger Word" that also became their first short film: www.dangerwordfilm.com. Sign up for Lifewriting Premium at www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-11-0658 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On the 10th Anniversary of Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw (Guest: Win Rosenfeld, president)This week, Steve and Tananarive talk to the president of Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, Win Rosenfeld. The co-writer of the newest Candyman and Peele's longtime friend discusses the 10-year anniversary of Monkeypaw, its mission, writing horror, and breaking down barriers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-10-301h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Horror Movies You Must Watch (Or Rewatch) for Spooky Season!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive let their horror nerd flags fly as they discuss the movies you must watch (or rewatch) for Spooky Season -- or all year long! The list includes (but is not limited to, and in no particular order): STEVE'S LIST:
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Tobe Hooper)
Night of the Living Dead (George A. Romero)
The Fly (David Cronenberg)
The Thing (John Carpenter)
Martyrs (Pascal Laugier)
Mouth of Madness (John Carpenter)
Ringu (The Ring - original) (Hideo Nakata)
TANANARIVE'S LIST:
The Dark and the Wicked (Bryan Bertino)
It Follows...2022-10-231h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest: Elvira!!! (Cassandra Peterson - Yours Cruelly, Elvira)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to horror icon Elvira! Actress Cassandra Peterson talks about creating her horror maven character, her start in the industry, the joys of loving horror, and the new edition of her book, YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-10-1646 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On the Legacy of Jim Henson! And Creative Couples (Craig Shemin & Stephanie D'Abruzzo!)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to married creatives Craig Shemin (author of Sam and Friends: the Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show) and Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Sesame Street, Avenue Q) about the legacy of the late Jim Henson, what it was like to work for him, their own careers, and how they support each other as a creative couple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-10-0958 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!A deep dive into The Woman King!!! (Mostly* spoiler free)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the Gina Prince-Bythewood movie The Woman King, starring Viola Davis. On the controversy around the Dahomey role in the African slave trade, the backlash, and the miracle of getting a movie about the Black women warriors who inspired Black Panther's Dora Milaje to the big screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-09-251h 04Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!LeVar Burton! (Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation)Steve and Tananarive talk to actor LeVar Burton about his career spanning from 1977's adaptation of Alex Haley's ROOTS, where he played Kunta Kinte in an iconic role at the age of only 19, to the recent Star Trek: The Next Generation cast reunion where he reprised his role as Giordi La Forge for upcoming episodes of Picard. He also discusses Jeopardy and taking his fate in his own hands by creating his hit podcast LeVar Burton Reads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-09-181h 02Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On THE KEEPER & Turning Disappointment into Triumph (Guest: Illustrator Marco Finnegan)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about their upcoming graphic novel, THE KEEPER (9/27) - which was originally a screenplay that almost got optioned for film...but after a deep disappointment, it has a new life as a graphic novel with a blurb from Jordan Peele! The guest is Keeper illustrator Marco Finnegan, whose childhood fears gave him a deep connection to the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-09-111h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting - Guest Bryan Fuller! (Hannibal, Queer for Fear)In this Best of Lifewriting episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to groundbreaking writer/showrunner Bryan Fuller about Christine, Star Trek and Hannibal (and how they bonded over virtual mini golf during the early pandemic). Plus, they talk about allyship - and Bryan shares the steps he believes every writer should take to learn their craft and ward off the evil voices in their heads. (His documentary series QUEER FOR FEAR debuts Sept. 29 2022 on Shudder.) JOIN OUR MAILING LIST at www.lifewritingweekly.com LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.spe...2022-09-041h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On 2022 and the Rise of Marginalized Horror!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about 2022's embarrassment of riches in the realm of horror featuring traditionally marginalized people in film, including Jordan Peele's NOPE - but also THEY/THEM (queer horror), PREY, BEAST, MASTER and the upcoming film NANNY (all Black Horror). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-08-281h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!A Deep Dive into the Impact of Losing T'Challa (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the cultural impact of BLACK PANTHER and its future without T'Challa. Tananarive discusses her grief over the death of Chadwick Boseman and her reaction to the teaser trailer, as well as how much she has relished the powerful women of Wakanda. But what about the men? Steve unpacks his worries from the trailer that the most virile Black man in the Marvel universe seems to be gone with no other Black man to energetically replace him, with or without a Panther suit. Have an opinion? Leave a V...2022-08-221h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Remembering Nichelle Nichols - Guest Ernest Dickerson! (The Walking Dead, Surviving the Game)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive remember the legacy of the late Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek) and talk to director Ernest Dickerson about his career in Hollywood, starting as Spike Lee's cinematographer on classic films like DO THE RIGHT THING and then his directorial debut (JUICE with Tupac Shakur), prestige television like THE WALKING DEAD, and one of Tananarive's favorite movies: SURVIVING THE GAME. Join our mailing list at www.lifewritingweekly.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-08-131h 07Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!A Deep Dive Into Jordan Peele's NOPE (spoilers!)SPOILERS: In this episode, Steve and Tananarive unpack the themes and events in Jordan Peele's latest film, NOPE. On spectacle, Hollywood, horror, marginalized artists - and a Black director solidifying his place as one of the most influential in Hollywood history. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)Join our MAILING LIST at www.lifewritingweekly.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-08-071h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest: Reginald Hudlin! (Boomerang, DC's Milestones in History comic)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning director Reginald Hudlin (Boomerang, House Party, Marshall) about how he has kept his optimism in Hollywood, his love for comics and Black History, Milestone Media, and the 30th anniversary of Eddie Murphy's Boomerang. Lifewriting Premium course: www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-311h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest: Reginald Hudlin! (Boomerang, DC's Milestones in History comic)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning director Reginald Hudlin (Boomerang, House Party, Marshall) about how he has kept his optimism in Hollywood, his love for comics and Black History, Milestone Media, and the 30th anniversary of Eddie Murphy's Boomerang. Lifewriting Premium course: www.lifewritingpremium.com 2022-07-3159 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On NOPE (no spoilers) - and clips from our Jordan Peele Interview in 2018!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about Jordan Peele's new horror thriller NOPE - and play excerpts from their interview with him in 2018 for their online Black Horror class: a portrait of the artist as a young(er) man - when he was first attracted to horror, the link between humor and horror, the impact of GET OUT, and his advice to creators to "think about what the world is not ready for yet." For the full interview: www.sunkenplaceclass.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...2022-07-2753 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On NOPE (no spoilers) - and our 2018 Jordan Peele interview!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about Jordan Peele's new horror thriller NOPE - and play excerpts from their interview with him in 2018 for their online Black Horror class: a portrait of the artist as a young(er) man - when he was first attracted to horror, the link between humor and horror, the impact of GET OUT, and his advice to creators to "think about what the world is not ready for yet." For the full interview: www.sunkenplaceclass.com 2022-07-2449 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Why Writers Should Study Acting (and Improv!) - with Colette FreedmanIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to author/screenwriter/playwright/actress Colette Freedman about how acting and improv lessons can help writers learn to better inhabit their characters. (And with a sample exercise!) Lifewriting Premium: www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-1758 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Surviving Disappointment and RejectionIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive recall some of their most painful rejections in Hollywood and give tips on how to maintain joy and creativity in the face of setbacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-1050 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Guest: Daniel José Older! (Star Wars: The High Republic, Shadowshaper)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to New York Times bestselling author Daniel José Older about his Star Wars projects, the impact he tries to have with his books, navigating family and writing life, building community, how writing is always political, and the joys of being married to another writer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-0359 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On The Soulmate Process!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive discuss the joys of being soulmates - both as writing collaborators and as husband and wife. They explain that they believe everyone has more than one potential soulmate, and being soulmates is a process, not a destination. They also share tactics they use to keep the peace and thrive. Their upcoming new Soulmate Process course is at www.soulmateprocess.com - pre-registration discount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-06-2651 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!David Gerrold! (Star Trek's "The Trouble with Tribbles," Hugo winner)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to Steve's longtime friend David Gerrold -- who wrote the classic 1960s Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." The award-winning writer talks about his career as an author, how he balances his life and his writing, and how his iconic Tribbles episode came to life at the dawn of the Star Trek era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-06-191h 07Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Tananarive Had COVID! On Writing When You Don't Feel Your BestIn this episode, Tananarive and Steve talk about her recent bout with COVID, how she got it, her symptoms, and strategies on how to keep a creative spark alive even when you're not feeling your best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-06-1247 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Best of Lifewriting: N.K. Jemisin!ENCORE EPISODE from February 5, 2022. In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to MacArthur Genius Fellow and multiple Hugo Award-winner N.K. Jemisin (THE CITY WE BECAME, THE BROKEN EARTH trilogy) about creating art during a pandemic, the importance of writing short stories, writing for love versus writing for commerce, and strategies for coping with stress. Subscribe to the Lifewriting course at www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-06-051h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Fighting StressIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive reflect on deadly current events and how they can have an impact on a writer's life. They share the ways they have used their art to get through stressful times and share strategies on how to keep a creative spark when times are tough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-05-2953 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Akela Cooper! (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Malignant)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to screenwriter/producer Akela Cooper about her process, why she loves horror and science fiction, and writing for the new Paramount Plus series "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." She also talks about writing the hit horror movie MALIGNANT (directed by James Wan). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-05-2259 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Story is Story! On Creative FlexibilityIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the benefits of learning creative flexibility to write in many forms and genres: adapting a short story from a novel, or writing a graphic novel, screenplay or scripted podcast in addition to traditional prose. Learn to break down internal barriers to make the most of your creative talents! ENROLL FOR THE COURSE: www.lifewritingpremium.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-05-1553 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Sheree Renée Thomas! (Janelle Monáe's The Memory Librarian)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to author and editor Sheree Renée Thomas about her journey with Afrofuturism -- from editing the groundbreaking DARK MATTER in 2000 to writing a short story in Janelle Monáe's MEMORY LIBRARIAN and Thomas's upcoming Marvel novel, BLACK PANTHER: PANTHER'S RAGE. As the editor of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, she also talks about do's and don'ts when submitting short stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-05-081h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!How to Murder Writer's Block in its SleepIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the dreaded Writer's Block: what they think it really is, when they have experienced it, and strategies for murdering it in its sleep so you can flow with joy no matter how high the stakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-05-011h 08Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Nalo Hopkinson! (The Sandman Universe and Skin Folk)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to their friend Nalo Hopkinson, the award-winning Afrofuturist author of novels like SKIN FOLK, MIDNIGHT ROBBER and BROWN GIRL IN THE RING, named a Damon Knight Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America in 2020. She talks about overcoming homelessness, her journey in the arts, and transitioning to comics with Neil Gaiman. Also, how she copes with stress and uncertainty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-04-241h 03Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Octavia E. Butler on Writing (From our 2000 recorded interview!)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive play excerpts from an interview they conducted at the home of the the late Octavia E. Butler in 2000. Butler was a longtime friend of Steve's, and the interview excerpts showcase the wisdom of the MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and multiple award winner, bringing her words to life. Butler shared her secrets for facing down her difficulties as a writer - and lays out a path to success that other writers can follow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-04-171h 08Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Rachel True! (The Craft & True Heart Intuitive Tarot)In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to actress and author Rachel True (The Craft) about her book True Heart Intuitive Tarot: Guide and Deck - as well as her history in Hollywood, her recent role in "Fugue State" in Shudder's Horror Noire anthology movie (which Steve and Tananarive wrote!), how she copes with anxiety and imposter syndrome, and how her intuition has helped save the day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-04-101h 12Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Hollywood Horror Stories!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about their history in Hollywood and moments when everything went wrong. Plus, tips for coping with stress as artists trying to navigate new, difficult territory - including visualization exercises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-04-031h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Rodney Barnes! ("Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty")In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to writer Rodney Barnes (Executive Producer of "Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty") about how Hollywood almost killed him and the steps he took to reclaim his joy and find his greatest voice as a writer. He also discusses his colorful history in Hollywood -- from being the stand-in for John Coffey in The Green Mile (when Stephen King recommended Tananarive's novel My Soul to Keep to him!) to writing and executive producing shows like "The Boondocks," "Everybody Hates Chris," "American Gods" and now "Winning Time"! Learn mo...2022-03-271h 05Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!The Battle Over Outlines: Buzzkill or Game Changer?In this episode, Steve and Tananarive take on The Great Debate around outlining. Do you outline before you write? Or are you a "pantser," someone who flies by the seat of their pants and makes it up as you go? They have tried both - and believe writers must follow their bliss. But whether you write nonfiction, fiction or screenplays, they talk about the benefits of outlining, especially for writers who want to work in Hollywood - and strategies to make it more fun. Plus, a voicemail from a happy listener! Learn more about your ad c...2022-03-2054 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Special Guest: Bryan Fuller! ("Hannibal")In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to groundbreaking writer/showrunner Bryan Fuller about Christine, Star Trek and Hannibal (and how they bonded over virtual mini golf during the early pandemic). Plus, they talk about allyship - and Bryan shares the steps he believes every writer should take to learn their craft and ward off the evil voices in their heads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-03-131h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!What's Up, Pitches? Talking Your Way Into HollywoodIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about one of the avenues for breaking into Hollywood: pitching your story ideas. From "The Twilight Zone" to film and television series pitches, they share their advice on everything from content to presentation in the pitching room (or the pitching Zoom). Tips on how to take your story to the screen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-03-061h 00Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!How Comics Can Change the World - Guests Charles Johnson, John Jennings & Bryan MossIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to National Book Award winner Dr. Charles Johnson, award-winning artist John Jennings and artist Bryan Moss about THE EIGHTFOLD PATH (Megascope/Abrams ComicArts, March 2022), Steve's first graphic novel - and how comics can have deep storytelling impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-02-271h 05Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!How to Collaborate Without Killing Each OtherIn this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about how they first realized they could collaborate, how it led to their first fight as a couple, and how they have triumphed to collaborate on short stories, novels and screenplays. They also share advice on how the tools they have learned in more than 23 years might help make you a better collaborator too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-02-2056 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!On Horror Noire - Special Guests: Victor LaValle & Stephanie Malia Morris!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to award-winning author Victor LaValle and burgeoning writer Stephanie Malia Morris about their experiences with Shudder/AMC 's Black Horror anthology film, Horror Noire. Steve, Tananarive ("The Lake" / "Fugue State") and Victor ("Daddy") adapted their own short stories for Horror Noire, and Stephanie was an author who got a dream call when she heard that her story, "Bride Before You," would be adapted for the screen. On adaptation, Horror Noire, and the future of Black Horror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-02-131h 06Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Special Guest: N.K. Jemisin!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to MacArthur Genius Fellow and multiple Hugo Award-winner N.K. Jemisin (THE CITY WE BECAME, THE BROKEN EARTH trilogy) about creating art during a pandemic, the importance of writing short stories, writing for love versus writing for commerce, and strategies for coping with stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-02-051h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Entering "The Twilight Zone"In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about breaking into Hollywood and how "The Twilight Zone" was a watershed for each of them - Tananarive's first television credit on Jordan Peele's "The Twilight Zone" in 2020 and Steve's on "The Twilight Zone" in the 1980s. They discuss meeting Peele, being invited to pitch to him, and collaborating on their shared episode, "A Small Town" (starring Damon Wayans, Jr.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-01-3055 minLifewriting: Write for Your Life!Special Guest: Patton Oswalt!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to comedian and actor Patton Oswalt about how horror helps us navigate difficult times, the horror-comedy connection, the late Harlan Ellison, and meditation as a tool for coping with stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-01-231h 01Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!Special Guest: Roy Wood, Jr.!In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to comic and Daily Show with Trevor Noah correspondent Roy Wood, Jr. about Black history, parenting, writing, turning pain to comedy, tips for success, and staying in balance. 2022-01-1656 min