In the 2024 finale (more coming in the new year!), Eva and Katryn discuss navigating motherhood and writing, the dangers of AI in publishing, and curated lists—as well as some big vulnerable end-of-year feels. Katryn is both slut positive and dread positive, and Eva prepares for her annual hot author winter.

Sources:

• I Wish You Would made Barnes & Noble’s “Gifties for Swifties” list!
• Apologies, the Publishers Weekly article we discussed about using AI author facsimiles is paywalled, but if you have a PW account, you can find it HERE
• Katryn must eat crow and admit that James Patterson was a mensch for Christmas this year
• Please review Eva and Katryn’s books for the holidays this year!

This week, Eva and Katryn talk stalled careers and finding your beta match, but find time to pitch a Wicked themed pop-up Ozdust nightclub for the mature crowd. Eva revels at the righteous wrath of Swifties, and Katryn talks about the healing nature of satire.

Sources:

• Subscribe to Katryn’s Satire for the Soul substack!
• Dive deep to find out why Billboard owed Taylor Swift an apology
• Check out It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant!
  We talked about grifts in general but check out Victoria Aveyard’s bold suggestion in the wake of “pity marketing” being twisted for grifts and cons on social media

This week’s special episode is from the time machine! Listen to Eva and Katryn talk about navigating feedback in this bottle episode (airing in place of our weekly season four episode in the new format) from June 2024. Katryn reveals all about the darkly comedic vaudevillian murder meet-cute she wrote in a college English class, and Eva gets real about insecurity in the weeks after releasing her debut novel.

Sources:

• Only watch Artax drown in the swamp of sadness if you like suffering
• Buy Eva’s and Katryn’s books as holiday gifts!
• Watch the CP live chat that started it all, from 3 years ago nearly to the week!

This week, Eva and Katryn get more real than ever before about the realities and pitfalls of debut year now that they can both reflect on the experience. Katryn explains the James Franco thing, and Eva sings "Stars" *as* Russell Crowe. Special guest stars include the ice in our cocktails and dueling Lord of the Rings and Hamilton metaphors! Plus: WICKED!

Sources

• Katryn talks about the ultimate FAFO queen, Agatha Christie and her revenge on her first husband and second husband
• Eva wants you to watch Arcane!
• Katryn graces us with her musical rendition of Space Olympics in the stinger this week

This week, Eva and Katryn deal in metaphors both nature and Monopoly as they discuss list season, the vanishing midlist, and the dread of not knowing what’s next. Eva discusses either feeling abandoned or bomb-cycloned by her muse, and Katryn thinks you need to learn Brad Dourif’s name.

Sources

• This week, we discuss the recent sale of B&N’s Union Square books to Hachette
• Subscribe to Eva’s newsletter for some big feels and future thoughts!
• Katryn discusses a recent Fated Mates episode in which she finds out who has been listening to her book on repeat
• Eva discusses the romance market in YA but there’s reason to be hopeful as the genre continues to show growth and more acquisitions might follow
• Katryn’s third book is on shelves now!

In their 50th episode, Eva and Katryn talk publishing highs and lows, from the pain of yearly royalty statements when you don’t earn out and “best of” list FOMO, to being your own cheerleader to get yourself into book cons. Come for Eva singing Bon Jovi and crafting her way to distraction, and stay for Katryn comparing her estrogen to Joe Goldberg.

Sources

• Come to Katryn’s launch for We Are Not Alone and see Katryn and Eva in person!
• The Worf “Milkshake” meme
• Barney’s Get Psyched Mix
• Listen to Storybeast podcast!
• Could Marshawn Lynch run for mayor of Oakland? Consider this our official endorsement if rumors are true!
• Watch English Teacher! Also, revisit that traumatizing Marnie T. mug moment from Write Where it Hurts season 1Apparently what Katryn calls “Candy corn: oops, all pumpkins!” is actually mellowcreme pumpkins. No, thank you.

This week, Eva and Katryn talk about reframing their creativity and concept of success (and failure). Come for Eva’s “fuck it era” and stay for Katryn describing her impossible funerial demands in the post-credits stinger.

Sources:

• RSVP for Katryn and Eva LIVE in person for the first time at the launch for WE ARE NOT ALONE at Books Inc Alameda (10/29)!
• In this episode, Katryn does a live unboxing! Check out her amazing cover artist, Alisha Monnin - and wonderful blurb authors, Michael Leali, Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, A.J. Sass, and Ali Standish
• Enter the Goodreads giveaway for WE ARE NOT ALONE - and please read it so Katryn knows this book is a thing 🥺
• Watch our mentioned shows, The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Legend of Vox Machina, and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
• Buy Dungeons and Dragons stamps!
• Look at the Lord of the Rings meme that acted as an extended release anti-depressant for Katryn’s publishing woes
• Yes, Bay Area fog is named Karl
• Katryn discussed ADHD “justice sensitivity” in this episode