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Deadline City’s Podcast — Arts
Deadline City’s Podcast

Welcome to Deadline City: a podcast and a destination. We are two New York City-based authors who share an office and work on multiple books at a time. Between us, we have 40 books published and under contract, and we’re just getting started. If you’ve seen us on the road, you know how we cut up. We like to have fun and talk about the one thing that is always on our minds: creating books. Publishing is a big scary world to many of us, and our goal is to pull back the curtain on some of the mystery by simply talking about it. In our first season, we want to dig into subjects like YA fiction, editing, reading reviews, burnout. Most of the time, you publish a book and then you’re at a loss for what comes next. How do you navigate the industry and then still manage to write more books? That’s a journey we’re on and know that so many others are on the same road. We hope you come along for the ride.

Copyright: © 2020 Deadline City's Podcast

Latest Episodes:

S6 - Episode 6: Big Idea Barn Mar 29, 2023

Welcome back to Deadline City! This week we are talking about the "Big Idea." But what is a "Big Idea" and who gets to decide that? We pull from our vast publishing experience plus trends we've seen come and go, and do a deep dive into a topic everyone seems to be chasing.

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S6: Episode 5 - Remix Row Feb 01, 2023

This week on Deadline City, we break down retellings and remixes. When it comes to writing, IS there anything new under the sun? We talk about our own experiences with tropes, reimaginings, classics, and WHO gets to tell these stories. Buckle in and join us.

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S6: Episode 4 - Myth Buster Manor Dec 07, 2022

This week we head to "Myth Buster Manor" where we asked the internet for publishing myths and rumors that are spread through the industry streets. Based on our experience, we tackle one by one. Is your career over if you don't hit the elusive NYT list? Are you relegated to a single genre? Does jumping agents make you less desirable? You asked, we answered.

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S6: Episode 3 - The Political Playground w/ Samira Ahmed Oct 12, 2022

This week's episode features Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestseller and activist! It's a deep dive into the politics of being an author. What risks do we take? What do we have to consider when we're writing about people from the real world, or fantasy worlds? We interrogate ourselves and the way we approach social media, as well as the decisions other creatives make when they're voicing their political views online. We hope you love this honest, and at times ridiculous (thanks Zoraida), conversation.

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S6: Episode 2 - Burnout Borough Pt. II (Extra Crispy) Sep 21, 2022

What's up Deadline City?! We're back to Burn Out Borough. This week we're having an honest conversation about how to identify burnout, working through COVID, what we're doing to cope with the times, and how we can be better. No matter what, we're still creating. We're in this together, and hope this episode lets you know that you're not alone in Burnout Borough.

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Season 6: Episode 1 - Where In The World Is Deadline City? Sep 07, 2022

We're back and more tired than ever! But first, we need to catch up on all that's happened in our lives since the start of the year. So much has happened in the publishing industry this summer, and we go through our own version of "the state of the union." From Barnes & Noble's new policies to book bannings to the DOJ v PRH, we have a lot of opinions. Welcome back to Deadline City and we hope you stay a while!

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S5: Episode 10 - Resolution Blvd. Pt 3 Dec 28, 2021

It's that time again. RESOLUTION BLVD, we meet again. Dhonielle and Zoraida break down the peaks and pits of our year and lay out what we want to do better or try next year.

What are your resolutions?

We're also launching a small Deadline City shop! We've got mugs and tshirts and stickers, oh my! Check it out here: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/deadline-city

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S5: Episode 8 - TikTok Tavern w/ Alex Aster Dec 08, 2021

This year, TikTok has become the new publishing buzzword. Publishers and authors have tried to crack the code of virality. What makes a book take off? Does crying online sell books? One thing is certain: when it works it works. Critically acclaimed author, Alex Aster, stops by Deadline City to talk about her first-hand experience with the platform, and how she leveraged her success into the biggest deal of her career so far. Listen in to what Alex has to say!

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S5: Episode 9 - Pen Name Palace Dec 08, 2021

This week on Deadline City, we discuss the subject of pen names. Why start your career with one? Why start a new one for a different genre? And what are the pros and cons of anonymity? Tune in to dive into another side of writer life on Deadline City.

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S5: Episode 7 - From a Certain Point of View Dec 01, 2021

This week on Deadline City we talk about POV. From a certain POV, that is. No, it's not a Star Wars episode, BUT we do dig into what makes us write the way we write. How do we choose the way we tell stories? All that and more on this week's episode of Deadline City.

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S5: Episode 6 - Publicity Parlor w/ Saraciea J. Fennell Oct 20, 2021

This week Deadline City has a special guest! Publicity manager, editor, and festival founder, Saraciea J. Fennell knows the ins and outs of the publishing industry. She stops by the Publicity Parlor to give us her insights into author-publisher relationships and how we can feel a little less helpless in this big wide career.

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S5: Episode 5 - The Theme Park Oct 14, 2021

This week on Deadline City we are digging deep into theme! We break down some of our recent reads and figure out how we build themes and make our stories stronger. Dhonielle is very organized, and Zoraida is not.

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S5: Episode 4 - The Query Quarter Oct 06, 2021

This week on Deadline City we head to the Query Quarter. We have an honest discussion about how we got our agents, when you know you need to move on, and how to keep going. Whether you're polishing your first letter or an author thinking of making a change, this episode is for you.

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S5: Episode 3 - Self-Pub Parlor w/ Sierra Simone Sep 29, 2021

USA Today Bestselling author, Sierra Simone, stops by Deadline City to talk all things self-publishing. Sierra Simone is a bestselling author of angsty and dark romance. She's been in the game for years and we are so lucky to have her share her experience, her process, and her journey overall. Tune in to find out more!

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S5: Episode 2 - The Future of Publishing Sep 22, 2021

This week on Deadline City we're talking about the future of the publishing industry from our perspectives. What are the changes we're reading out? How do we see buying trends changing, and how is this affecting the way we are personally going to keep creating. As always, let us know your thoughts!

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S5: Episode 1 - Pandemic Book Babies Sep 15, 2021

Season 5 of Deadline City is here, and we are back on our bullsh*t! We catch up on this episode and go over our pandemic releases and well as discuss how we are staying sane during author promotion. Join us for our first episode back.

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S4: Episode 13 - The Idea Factory Jun 09, 2021

Welcome to the season finale of Deadline City! For our final episode, we've decided to talk about ideas and trends. We're often asked, "where do you get your ideas from?" Well, here it is. We discuss organic ideas and how they take shape. How trends might not be such a bad thing to write to if you do the work! And how publishing changes ideas for authors.
We're also thrilled to be partnering with Libro.fm for a Deadline City exclusive discount code. Create a new account and you can get **2** audiobooks for the price of one ($14.99).
About our sponsor: Libro.fm makes it possible to purchase audiobooks through your local bookstore of choice. The same way Bookshop.org helps independent bookstores, Libro.fm has a network of 1400+ bookstore partners. They have over 185,000 audiobooks including New York Times bestsellers and hundreds of bookseller recommendations. The best part about Libro.fm? It's DRM-Free so all their audiobooks are free of being digitally managed. Translation: Unlike Audible, with Libro.fm you OWN the digital file, regardless. Read more here.

To claim your two for one audiobooks:

Your code can be entered at checkout: DeadlineCity26
It can also be redeemed by clicking on your link with the code embedded: libro.fm/redeem/DeadlineCity26

Thank you for listening in this season. We wouldn't be able to this without you. If you're part of our Patreon, the monthly live streams will still be happening! After our summer break we'll be back for the fall with more conversations, more publishing deep dives, and more shenanigans.
Write on,
Zoraida + Dhonielle

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S4: Episode 12 - The Arena Pt 2 - YA vs. Adult Jun 02, 2021

YA versus Adult! We get these questions quite a bit. Why write YA? Why write adult? What is the difference? Zoraida is making the move to adult in September 2021, and Dhonielle is so close to finishing her first adult novel. But why the change? And how was the process different than when they wrote Labyrinth Lost or The Belles? How would those books look like if they had written them with an older audience in mind?

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S4: Episode 11 - The Champagne Room w/ Sarah E. Younger May 19, 2021

This week on Deadline City we talk about sex and intimacy in adult romance novels! Sarah E. Younger is a literary agent who specializes in adult romance. She's part of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency and represents authors like Alexis Daria, Kit Rocha, and many more. We explore the different heat levels (chili peppers, if you will) and what makes for convincing chemistry.

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S4: Episode 10 - Fantasy Fields w/ Rebecca Roanhorse May 05, 2021

Welcome to the Fantasy Fields! New York Times best-selling author Rebecca Roanhorse joins us in Deadline City for a deep dive on fantasy world-building. How do we create fantasy novels that have distinct cultures? How do we go beyond the generic European fantasy? Rebecca is a master world-builder--just read Black Sun! Listen in for her expert advice on how to write with intention.

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S4 Episode 9 - Destination City Hall Apr 28, 2021

One of the ongoing conversations in the Book World is the politics of being a writer! Can authors take an a-political stance? What are the expectations? Dhonielle and Zoraida discuss the politics of being an author in times like these.

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S4: Episode 8 - Community Corner w/ Natalie C. Parker Apr 07, 2021

This week on Deadline City we are joined by an old friend and critically acclaimed author and anthologist, Natalie C. Parker. We pick her brain about how she creates community through workshops and retreats at her company, Madcap Retreats, as well as other author events. The social aspect of being an author is a big part of #authorlife, and we talk about our own experiences navigating these waters.

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S4: Episode 7 - #OwnVoices Observatory Mar 31, 2021

Let's talk about #OwnVoices! This term coined by the writer Corinne Duyvis has changed a lot about the conversation about books. We go over what it means, what it means to us, and how it can be weaponized by the publishing industry. Is #OwnVoices over? Tune in to this week's Deadline City.

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S4: Episode 6: Genre Grove w/ Adam Silvera Mar 24, 2021

A question we get often is "do I have to stay in one genre?" For us, the answer is no. But that's a big topic and a lot of factors go into that. We're joined by New York Times bestselling author, Adam Silvera, to talk about how we write our stories and why.

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S4 Episode 5 - Destination: Cancel Court Mar 16, 2021

This week we talk about the controversial parts of publishing! As always we want to make sure we cover everything, even subjects that are a bit tricky to navigate. This is a huge discussion and we only cover a bit of it, but we have to start somewhere. The Deadline City court is in session!

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S4: Episode 4 - Monsterville w/ Cassie Clare & Holly Black Mar 10, 2021

It's party time in Deadline City. A *monster mash* if you will. This week we have two powerhouse authors stopping by: Cassandra Clare and Holly Black. Cassandra Clare is the creator of the Shadowhunters universe and Holly Black is the author of over a dozen books, most recently The Folk of the Air trilogy. As a duo, they're the co-authors of The Magisterium Series. With expansive worlds, deliciously bad characters, and morally complex anti-heroes, we couldn't wait to have a candid conversation about writing monsters, villains, good guys, and everyone in between.

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S4: Episode 3 - A Galaxy Far Far Away w/ Daniel José Older Mar 03, 2021

This week on Deadline City we have special guest Daniel José Older! We get down to the nitty-gritty of race and coding in science fiction and fantasy. Prepare for some conversation around Star Wars and all the things fantasy. How do writing and politics intersect? We don't have all the answers but we have a starting point to a larger conversation. Plus, Dhonielle renames Jabba the Hut. #Werepigeons

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S4: Episode 2 - Agent Avenue Feb 24, 2021

This ween on Deadline City we talk all things agents! We've changed agents and agencies quite a few times and we wanted to share how it all went down, and the questions you need when searching for your forever agent-home. This is a big topic so we can't cover everything, but we always want to be as honest as possible when it comes to our experiences.

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S4: Episode 1 - Back in the Deadline City Groove Feb 17, 2021

Zoraida and Dhonielle are back for season 4! That means more deadlines, more shenanigans, more loving drags of each other. For the kick-off episode, we cover everything from where we are in our forever deadlines, to the writing process, to how we are going to keep each other accountable in self-care. It's a new year but the game hasn't changed. We're just learning and going with the flow. Welcome back. We missed you!

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S3: Episode 11 - Resolution Blvd. Part 2 Dec 30, 2020

We've made it to the end of 2020! We do a recap of our resolutions, the way 2020 body checked us into a new reality, and how we plan to reset into 2021 for a better, more productive writing year. We can do this together.
Happy New Year!
Love,
D + Z

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Episode 10: Fantasy Land w/ Tessa Gratton Dec 23, 2020

Welcome to the longest episode we've done on Deadline City yet! We invited Tessa Gratton, author of Queen of Innis Lear and Night Shine, to talk about big worldbuilding challenges. We talk about racial coding and queering the worlds we love to read about. What succeeds? How do some fail? Dhonielle has it out for The Witcher and Star Wars, and Zoraida tries to defend her faves. There is a lot of love, shouting, and serious advice on how to get down to business creating new and epic fantasy novels.

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S3: Episode 9 - Hollywood Blvd Dec 15, 2020

To celebrate the release of Dhonielle's TINY PRETTY THINGS, we are talking Hollywood adaptions! We cover everything from how books get optioned to some of our favorite properties that have received the Hollywood treatment, and what are we excited to see up next! Make sure you stream TINY PRETTY THINGS on Netflix!

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S3: Episode 8 - The Library Dec 09, 2020

Deadline City goes to the Library! What books populate your shelves? What makes you love a story forever? What turns you away? This discussion is focused on recent industry conversations involving the place of classic novels and how that ties into a larger discussion about the state of YA, and beyond.

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S3: Episode 7 - Destination: Revision Dumpster Dec 02, 2020

This week we do a deep dive into the revision process. Or as Dhonielle calls it, the Revision Dumpster. That's right, we live here. Revision can often feel like a huge mountain to climb. So how do you actually do it? What do you focus on? We go over our process, what has worked in the past, what is working now, and more bickering from your Deadline City aunties.

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S3: Episode 6 - Professional Jealousy Jungle Nov 25, 2020

Welcome to the jungle! On this week's episode of Deadline City, we tackle all kinds of jealousy monsters. Each one has a character and purpose because we know that there are tons of forms of jealousy. The question is, which one are you and which have we been? This topic is tricky and sometimes hard to talk about. But as always, we strive to be as transparent as we can, and hope that these anecdotes can help you resolve some of your own publishing dilemmas--or even better--avoid them!

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S3: Episode 5 - Love Triangle Lane Nov 18, 2020

Love is in the air. Sort of. This week on Deadline City we do a deep dive into what makes for a compelling love triangle. What makes a love triangle versus a love tent? We look at the most popular books like the Twilight and Shadowhunters series, as well as discuss our tips to write our own versions, as well as what to steer away from.

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S3: Episode 4 - NaNoWriMo Town Redux Nov 12, 2020

It's that time of the year again and we are in the trenches of deadlines, specifically NaNoWriMo. Whether you're new to National Novem Writing Month or you wait for November to roll around to get to work, this episode is for you! It focuses on how we write and how we prepare for the marathon. What's your NaNo novel this year?

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S3: Episode 3 - Oldville w/ Chloe Gong Oct 28, 2020

Come with us on a journey to the past...ish. This section of Deadline City is called Oldville, where historical fiction waits for us. Our first special guest of the season is Chloe Gong, author of The Violent Delights. How much research is too much research? What books do we love that mix historical and fantasy? Get some tips and more on this week's episode of Deadline City.

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S3: Episode 2 - Burn Out Borough Oct 21, 2020

We're living in Burn Out Borough this week on Deadline City. What does burn out look like for working authors? We talk about our biggest fears, our worst habits, and the things we do to get out of this part of Deadline City. Plus, every writing metaphor we can find!

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S3: Episode 1 - The Short Story Zone Oct 14, 2020

We are back for season three! That means more deadlines, more book shop talk, and more Dhonielle and Zoraida shenanigans. This week we're headed to the Short Story Zone. We've been involved in a lot of short story anthologies lately and we wanted to break down the process a little bit, especially the ingredients that we thinking about when writing in this medium in particulate. Thanks for listening and be sure to subscribe!

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S2: Episode 19 - Destination: Commercial Tower Jul 01, 2020

Welcome to the season finale of Deadline City. We're headed to the Commercial Tower! In this episode, we're going to talk about literary vs. commercial fiction. We break down some of our favorite books and turn them into log lines. Is the book commercial or is it the pitch? What is the science of an alluring pitch? How does publishing pigeonhole us? Most importantly, do any of these things matter in the grand scheme of things as long as we're writing amazing books? All of this and more in our final episode of the season. See you in season 3!

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S2: Episode 18 - Destination: The Arena - Fantasy vs. Contemporary w/ Jason Reynolds Jun 17, 2020

This week on Deadline City we are heading to the Arena! Fantasy vs. Contemporary. We have the immense pleasure of being joined by multi-award-winning and bestselling author, Jason Reynolds. The big debate? How do creators keep pushing themselves to become innovators? Is fantasy in a Middle-Earth sized rut? Do contemporary writers feel the same constraints as their genre counterparts? But most importantly, what did dragons ever do to Jason Reynolds? Find that out and more in this lively discussion.

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S2: Episode 17 - Destination: The Bank Jun 10, 2020

What's up, Deadline City? This week Dhonielle and I are talking about MONEY. That's right. We're going to the Bank. We know that there is a lot of mystery surrounding the financial aspects of becoming a writer. What are world rights? How do I even get paid? How much, in the eyes of publishing, is my book worth? Do you go full time? Do you keep your job? That decision is one you have to make yourself. But, we can share some of our knowledge. We cover what advances are, how they're broken up, the viral hashtag #PublishingPaidMe (created by L.L. McKinney and Tochi Onyebuchi), and much more. Here at Deadline City we try to be as open and honest as we can. We hope that no matter what level of publishing you're in, you get something out of this episode.

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S2: Episode 16 - Destination: Mentor Mausoleum Jun 03, 2020

Don't kill the mentor! (Or do! But first, let's talk about why). In our final episode on character study and archetypes, we talk about one of the staples in fantasy: the mentor. One of our jobs as writers is to keep inventing fresh stories and language, and the work only gets harder. The Mentor figure is one that rarely seems to change and we try to figure out why that is. How can we push ourselves and our stories to surprise the reader? Worldbuilding is never finished, but this is a wrap on our character study (for now)!

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S2: Episode 15 - Destination: Love Interest Lounge May 27, 2020

Welcome to the Champagne Room. A shimmering lounge where we discuss love interests—the good, the villainous, and the ones who belong in the trash with us. As part of or character study, we move on to the Love Interest. How do they serve the narrative and further the plot and the protagonist's main story arc? How do you make a love interest that is hard to forget? As always, we run through some examples using books and movies with characters we love to love.

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S2: Episode 14 - Destination: The Murder Express w/ Gretchen McNeil May 20, 2020

Hop aboard the Murder Express! This week we put some of our character building to the test while we interview Gretchen McNeil, acclaimed horror and mystery author of Ten, #MurderTrending, and the Get Even duology, now on the BBC and soon to be on Netflix. We break down horror tropes, how to build a good mystery, and how to take these tools and apply them into any genre you're working on. Sometimes the scariest stories will surprise you!

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S2: Episode 13 - Destination: Sidekick Central May 13, 2020

Welcome to Sidekick Central! We continue our character study during the month of May. Sidekicks can sometimes take on a life of their own. We name some of our favorites as well as the do's and don't's that can help while you're on deadline. The more life you give the people surrounding your hero, the more complexity you bring to your world. Bonus: the time Dhonielle met Outlander's Sam Heughan by accident in Scotland.

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S2: Episode 12 - Destination: Plot Depot: The Hero's Journey May 06, 2020

Welcome to Plot Depot! This week we cover Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey and break down each section using 'Into the Spider-Verse'. Outlines don't always work. The Hero's Journey is one of the most popular ones used by fantasy authors. It certainly doesn't work for everyone, nor should it be prescriptive. In this episode, we aim to understand how each section can move the character's inner journey alongside the physical one. We might end up breaking our books, or possibly fix them! Happy writing!

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S2: Episode 11 - Destination: Hero & Villain Lounge Apr 29, 2020

Welcome back to Deadline City! This week kicks off our month-long series of character studies. From now until the end of May we will be breaking down heroes, villains, and the journeys they take. Hang with us in our Hero & Villain Lounge where we discuss the traits that make us love these protagonists and the gray areas that make their stories so potent. How do you take the idea of a character and build someone complex and relatable? How do we make their journey compelling enough to maintain that narrative tension? Tune in to this week's episode to find out.

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S2: Episode 10 - Destination: Author Salon w/ Nic Stone Apr 15, 2020

This week on Deadline City we have Clean Getaway author, Nic Stone joining the Author Salon! Nic Stone writes in multiple genres and age groups and we pick her brain about how she keeps track of everything. We all have so many stories to tell, but how do you decide a particular story is "the one"? What is Nic's method? How do you figure out who the protagonist is, or what age groups your audience is? All of these things come into play, as well as our usual writer shenanigans.

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S2: Episode 9 - Destination: Debut Author Salon w/ Claribel A. Ortega Apr 08, 2020

We're wishing you the best we can while times are rough. It's hard to concentrate but hope that our episodes give you a tiny bit of inspiration. We know that this will pass, we just have to stick through it together. This week we are happy to present Claribel A. Ortega, debut author of the fantastic middle-grade novel GHOST SQUAD. Claribel stopped by Deadline City to talk about what it's like being a debut author and how the publishing industry is constantly changing.

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S2: Episode 8 - Destination: Writing in the Time of Covid-19 Apr 01, 2020

It's been a tough few weeks. Plans have changed. Routines have been disrupted. The publishing industry, along with many others, have taken a huge hit. This week we decided to talk about how self-isolation has affected our writing routines. Who even wants to think about deadlines at a time like this? But, some people do have to. This episode covers everything from updates to lists of resources to brighten your quarantine, to just plain encouragement that you're not alone.

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S2: Episode 7 - Destination: Iceberg Inlet Mar 25, 2020

To cap off our World Building March, we're heading off to Iceberg Inlet where we break down what a cultural iceberg is in relation to fantasy world and novels. What is deep culture versus surface culture? We also take a look at N.K. Jemisin's talk 'Growing Your Iceberg' to better understand the tools writers use to make fantasy cultures feel real. Bonus! We read the first pages of some excellent fantasy novels like A Darker Shade of Magic and Storm of Locust to prove our points. What are some of your fantasy cultures? Be sure to tell us in the comments or tweet at us.

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S2: Episode 6 - Destination: Analog Alley Mar 18, 2020

Take a stroll with us down Analog Alley. During the third week of our "World Building March" we talk fantasy analogs. When do they work? When do they leave us confused? Writing fantasy means building whole new worlds, but often the authors borrow from pre-existing cultures and countries to paint a picture in your head. We read short excerpts from two novels that really nail their analogs, and give your own tips on how to work on yours. Happy trails!

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S2 Episode 5 - Destination: Magic Ville Mar 11, 2020

World Building March continues! This week we're breaking down the rules of magic by taking a stroll through Magic Ville! Using our own books, The Belles and the Brooklyn Brujas series, we discuss how we created our magical systems. What rules work? What rules don't work? How do we show the reader the stakes without info dumps? How to build a magical system is a huge part of our author tools. We've got more discussion and great examples from books we love. Welcome to Magic Ville.

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S2: Episode 4 - Destination: The World Series w/ Kate Elliott Mar 04, 2020

Welcome back to Deadline City! March 2020 is going to be dedicated to world-building and we're kicking off the month with brilliant SFF author, Kate Elliott. Kate has authored so many epic series in adult and YA including Court of Fives and Spiritwalkers. Early in the year, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with her to dig into how we create the worlds of our novels. When it comes to worldbuilding, we have so much to unpack. Rather than try to fit everything in one episode, we're going to split up the many subjects and give you a month-long masterclass on how we, and our guests, build fantasy worlds. Especially while counting down the days to make our deadlines. Here we kick off with Kate's convo!

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S2 Episode 3 - Destination: Romancelandia w/ Adriana Herrera Feb 26, 2020

Adriana Herrera stops by to talk about writing romance novels! What is emotional equity and how does it play a part when you're writing compelling novels? We go through the things that are important to us when we're cobbling together love stories. Romance authors and readers are incredibly passionate about romance so this conversation is dedicated to it! Especially what it is like writing in this genre as women of color. We hope you love it!

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S2 Episode 2: Debut Author Kit Feb 19, 2020

Presenting: The Deadline City Debut Author Kit! Publishing is an industry that's always evolving. So, how do you crack the code? We're still trying. Even though we feel like seasoned veterans, we're still navigating the big wide world of New York Publishing. We don't have all the answers, and sometimes we feel like every book is another debut. But we're here to share the survival tips that have worked for us over the years in hopes that your journey is a little bit smoother.

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S2 - Episode 1: Trope City w/ Sarah E. Younger Feb 12, 2020

Welcome back to Deadline City Season 2! We are back with more episodes on writing, publishing, and our general shenanigans. This week we are joined by special guest Sarah Elizabeth Younger. Sarah is an agent specializing in romance and women's fiction at Nancy Yost Literary Agency. She gives us a rundown of popular romance tropes, why they work for us, and how to write them successfully. If you're interested in romance fiction or writing romance, you don't want to miss this episode!

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Episode 15 - Destination: Resolution Blvd. Jan 01, 2020

Happy New Year! Our last episode of the season is here. Since it's January 1st, 2020, naturally, it's about resolutions. We cover the personal and professional. We give you an insight into our writerly NYE traditions and how we plan to hold ourselves accountable throughout the year. What deadlines are you carrying with you? What books are you dreaming up for the next decade? We wish you a fantastic 2020!

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Episode 14 - Destination: Best of Borough Dec 25, 2019

The end of the year brings with it a ton of "Best of" lists. For many published authors, it tends to be a bit of a sore spot when your name isn't up there. We get it. We feel it! A big part of this industry is navigating the Green Monster at the end of the year. To bring a bit of humor to this, we decided to do our own BEST OF list by handing out superlatives. We've got everything from "Best Laugh" to "Best Celebrity Lookalike" to "Most Inspirational." We hope this episode brings a smile to your face and gives you a few new authors to check out.

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Episode 13 - Destination: Voice Lesson Lane Dec 18, 2019

One this week's episode we take a drive on Voice Lesson Lane. Voice is one of the most essential tools in the writer's toolbox. How do you learn it? Is it something that you have naturally? How do you develop a writing voice so distinct your readers will be able to know instantly that a book could only be written by you? We take six books published this year that are perfect examples of "voice" and dissect the opening paragraphs.

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Episode 12 - Destination: NaNoWriMo - There & Back Again Dec 11, 2019

November has come and gone. Whether you "won" NaNoWriMo with the full 50k or wound up with a nice 5k words of foundational scaffolding, you're a winner in our books. You've done the work, you've written the words, you've reached some sort of finish line. What do you do now? We've turned to the advice from fellow YA authors to see what their schedule looks like post-NaNo. Find out what these brilliant minds do to polish their drafts and turn their scaffolding into beautiful skyscrapers.

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Episode 11 - Destination: Doubt Town Dec 03, 2019

Next stop: Doubt Town! Population: A thousand and one insecurities. We discuss the different times we've experienced impostor syndrome throughout our careers and the toll that takes. Let's face it, this is something that comes up often in the writing community and we think it should be talked about. No matter where you are in your career, Doubt Monsters still creep up on you. How do we slay them? Find out on this week's episode of Deadline City.

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Episode 10 - Destination: Thankful Station Nov 26, 2019

Welcome to a very special Deadline City episode. You know how every novel has an acknowledgments page? Well, consider this ours. There are so many brilliant minds who have given us advice that has proved invaluable in our careers. From letting us know that everything will be okay, to writing techniques, these words have made us better writers. We want to share these nuggets of wisdom with you, and add a few of our own hard-earned lessons and special shout-outs.

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Episode 9 - Destination: World Building with Tochi Onyebuchi Nov 20, 2019

How do you build your worlds? Whether you're writing sci-fi & fantasy or contemporary fiction, the universe of your story has to feel like a real place. Author of the recent War Girls, Tochi Onyebuchi, joins Deadline City to discuss how he creates his complex and imaginative worlds. We do a deep dive and ask: What makes for a good world? What makes for a world that we want to live in or completely avoid? We're always searching for ways to hone our craft and we can't do that without also gushing about the books we love and made us readers and better writers.

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Episode 8 - Destination: Emo Basement Feat. Mark Oshiro Nov 13, 2019

This week we welcome the third unofficial member of Deadline City, author and all-around wonderful human, Mark Oshiro. Our destination is Emo Basement. This is a location that we really want to dissect. What makes readers cry? Love? Hate? What makes readers stay for the long haul? Mark Oshiro is an expert at making readers cry with his wonderful characters, and so we picked his brain. This will also give you an insight into what days are like in our office!

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Episode 7 - Destination: The Land of Disappointment Nov 06, 2019

This week we get really honest about the ups and downs that come with the publishing journey. You write the book, you query, you get an agent, you get a book deal. Simple right? What do you do when the goalposts keep moving? And what happens when the road to success has one (or too many) unexpected wrong turns? Every writer might find themselves in the Land of Disappointment at some point during their career. Maybe for a day and maybe for a longer stretch. We've been there! Thankfully, there are things we can do to get out of Dodge. Grab your deadline buddy, and join us.

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Episode 6 - Destination: NaNoWriMo Town Oct 30, 2019

Dhonielle and Zoraida are getting ready for the NaNoWriMo mad dash! National Novel Writing Month starts in just a couple of days. Whether it's your first time participating or you're a seasoned veteran, Deadline City is going over their writer's toolbox. What will you need in order to hit the 50K deadline at the end of November? Ready. Set. Write!

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Episode 5 - Destination: Villain Mansion Oct 23, 2019

Deadline City is happy to welcome our very first guest, the queen of villains: Victoria Schwab. While we're plugging away at our books, we always go back to the driving force: the villains. The big bad. The thing or people standing in the way of your hero's want. Or perhaps, your villain is the protagonist of the story. We dig into why we love these antagonists and that je ne sais quois that makes them unforgettable. The one thing the three of us can agree on is that your hero is only as complex as the force in direct opposition, and in conversation, with them.

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Episode 4 - Destination: Deadline Management Oct 16, 2019

Someone call the Super! We need help over here in Deadline City managing all of our...well...deadlines. We go over some of the things that hinder our process and lead to stalled or missed deadlines, as well as how book babies are made. Have you ever wondered about the different stages that go into making a book? Do you include research time into your time crunch? Between secret Pinterest pages to outlines, there's so much to do sometimes it's hard to start. Eep! Send help.

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Episode 3 - Destination: Writer's Block Alley Oct 09, 2019

On this week's episode, we tackle the dreaded writer's block. This is a question that we get at nearly every panel we've been part of or attended. The answers vary so we start off by reading some wise words from other writers and look at what they have to say. Is it real or not real? Is writer's block simply a manifestation of our fears? We look at our own struggles that add to the reasons why we can't put words on the page, and how we tackle each challenge that comes our way.

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Episode 2 - Destination: One-Star Reviewville Oct 02, 2019

The dreaded one-star review! How do you write while you're being reviewed? This is a topic we've heard every writer talk about. In this episode, we do a deep dive into our reviews and the relationship authors have with them. How much do they matter? How much do you let them affect you and your writing? We've had evolving relationships with them from the start of our careers, and we get real about our feelings. We even read three random reviews (anonymous of course) from each other's books like Jimmy Kimmel Live! letting celebrities read either mean tweets! We're definitely not celebrities but it's still all in good fun and no authors were harmed in the making of this episode. Let's get to some real talk!

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Episode 1 - Destination: Why YA Town? Oct 02, 2019

Throughout our careers, we've had people ask us why we write YA and the dreaded "when are you going to write a real book?" This happens A LOT. Join us for a chat about our journeys as YA authors, answering why the hell we're in YA Town and where YA might be going. How do we stay fresh and not let ourselves become "aunties"? How do we keep up with trends? Is it time to pick up our things and find another city to be part of when things are uncertain? There is a lot of think about and we have an honest chat about our feelings.

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Episode 0 - Welcome to Deadline City Oct 01, 2019

Welcome to Deadline City: a podcast and a destination.

We are two New York City-based authors who share an office and work on multiple books at a time. Between us, we have 40 books published and under contract, and we’re just getting started. If you’ve seen us on the road, you know how we cut up. We like to have fun and talk about the one thing that is always on our minds: creating books. Publishing is a big scary world to many of us, and our goal is to pull back the curtain on some of the mystery by simply talking about it. In our first season, we want to dig into subjects like YA fiction, editing, reading reviews, burnout. Most of the time, you publish a book and then you’re at a loss for what comes next. How do you navigate the industry and then still manage to write more books? That’s a journey we’re on and know that hundreds are on the same road. So come along with us. We hope you enjoy Episode 0: Destination Deadline City.

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