Media Carnivores

It’s summertime, and that means it’s the season for a vacation to the beach (or the pool). We love reading on vacation—a good read that can just suck you in for hours at a time in...

We are continuing our two-part format for our episodes! First, Brent and Erik check-in about writing and publishing. Brent shares his experience selling a script to a film producer in China and Erik asks whether he’s confusing readers by...

We’re experimenting with a new segment on Media Carnivores. We start with a check-in about our writing and publishing. We talk about what we’re working on, ask for advice, and generally open up about the “behind the...

Media Carnivores has asked this question before, but a lot has changed since we recorded Part I and Part II of “Should You Self-Publish?” in 2014. Brent and Erik check in on how publishing (both...

Why do some classic movies hold up to a modern audience, but others just don’t work? We talk about why some work and some don’t, and also name our favorite classic films that still work as...

Sex is becoming more and more prevalent in books, especially self-published ebooks. Is it necessary to sell a book? How much sex should writers be putting into their books? Brent and Erik check out this steamy...

Brent’s third book in his The Futon Years trilogy is finally out and we’re talking about not only this book but the entire trilogy. What is “Amazing?” What is happening with Russel Middlebrook now that he’s an adult? And what...

Remakes, reboots, new seasons after a long break, spin-offs, and franchise shows are pouring into TV—in a very similar way that blockbuster films have become dominated by the same things. So: is what’s happening on TV the...

If you could go back and meet your younger self, what advice would you give? Brent and Erik give advice to their younger writing selves about the craft of writing, publishing, ego, seizing the brass ring...

Hollywood might be marketing to adolescents and teenagers more than ever before, but that doesn’t mean they are making more “teen movies.” Some movies targeted toward teenagers have been classics for decades (American Graffiti and The...

Guess what? Erik’s new book, The Iron Harvest is out! We talk about the world of the trilogy he’s created, how writing a second book in a planned trilogy differs from writing the first or the third, and...

[Caution: Here there be spoilers.] How is Episode VII?  After asking only a few episodes ago whether Star Wars had “gone to the Dark Side” we decided we needed to follow up once we’d seen the movie....

Brent and Erik rank their top ten books, movies, TV shows, and even podcasts of 2015 (as well as a few big disappointments). You will almost certainly find something you’ll want to bookmark and check out on one...

Whether a hero or a villain, we all love great characters. And they often stay with us longer than the story they helped create. We look at what drives a great character and more. Brent and Erik explore the...

A long time ago, and in a galaxy far, far away… Luke and his band of rebels became cinema and cultural legends. And forty years later, they are coming back to the big screen. Is...

Can a writer make their living anywhere? Or should they move to one of the two entertainment capitals of the United States (if not the world) ? Are the tools of the Internet enough to fuel your...

Brent and Erik went on a field trip to the new Amazon retail bookstore in Seattle today. The store is called simply “Amazon Books” and it’s already the subject of furious commentary around the country (though by...

Is Anne Hathaway more “authentic” than Jennifer Lawrence? Do we have any way of knowing for sure? (And why do we care?) Why do we want our artists (and our politicians and everyone else with a...

Disney is re-releasing many of its animated films as live action. They are investing in sequels and franchises to what many think is a startling degree. So, has Disney lost its magic? Have they sold...

With the rise of ebook subscription models like Kindle Unlimited and the question of how authors should price their books, we decided to take a look at this thorny question with our guest: bestselling author Annie Bellet. Check...