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Ed Robertson is back this week, along with erotica writer, Lexi Maxxwell, to talk about smut in sci-fi, as well as other things.
And of course, we had another intallment of…
No video to link to this week, as Lexi keeps her identity on the down low since she has a day job and stuff. So this one as an audio treat only.
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Ed Robertson’s Breakers series
This week we have a rare in-studio guest with Ed Robertson a Self Publishing Podcast favorite to talk collaboration.
We kicked off the show with another round of “What’s Up Dave’s Butt?”
Today’s topic: The kid who got in trouble for chewing his Pop-Tart into the shape of a gun.
We then talked about collaborating in our shared-world story, The Beam, which Sean and Johnny are launching later this month, and which Ed, and a few other writers are going to be joining us in.
The discussion centered around the world of The Beam, and some of the interesting philosophical issues surrounding it, and other sci-fi in general which we find interesting.
To view the video version of this episode, go to: Collaborative Stories Are Awesome, with Ed Robertson
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Photo used courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons. Click on the photo to go to the photographer’s page.
The second episode of our new and (improved?) format kicked off with a second installment of America’s Least Favorite Game Show, What’s Up Dave’s Butt?
Though Dave had nothing to talk about today, Sean managed to get a rant about Target and finger lickers out of him.
Which prompted Johnny to wonder if he’s an asshole because Dave seems to know way too many of the workers at Target while he doesn’t remember anybody. Or… does Dave just spend way too much time at Target?
We then talked about Amazon’s new fan fiction enterprise, Kindle Worlds, and what we think of the idea.
We also weighed in on fan fiction in general, and whether or not we’d ever write fan fiction.
We talked a bit about Sean and Johnny’s sci-fi shared world project, The Beam, which we’re opening up to a select group of writers. If it goes well, and people want to, we may open it up further, like Hugh Howey has done with his Wool universe.
We then got into a philosophical discussion about death to end the show on a goths in trees note.
Are you a fan of fan-fiction? If you’re a writer, what movie/book/TV show/ etc… would YOU want to write fan-fiction for?
Also, feel free to weigh in any of the other stuff we discussed this week.
See you next week with more Better Off Undead.
To view the video version of this episode, go to: Better Off Undead #40 – Huge Fictional Worlds With Lots of Writers Doing Shit In Them
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The power of Christ compels you … send more money!
So, here’s the new format for Better Off Undead…
We’re going to talk about things we’re writing about in a way that readers will more enjoy, rather than the process itself.
We started off with a voicemail from James the magician offering to come onto our show to talk about the portrayal of “alternative spiritual practices,” which none of us had any thoughts on.
Which, led to a new feature on our show…
Dave was caught off guard, not having a topic to discuss/rant about. But was reminded of this Pat Robertson video, which set him off on a tangent.
This led to Sean asking Dave why the hell he watches The 700 Club if it makes him so angry?
Then we talked about the topic (and well before the halfway point of the show!)
Some of our pet peeves include odd lexicon which makes it hard to get into some stories, how some sci-fi makes everything all pretty and glistening and gadgetfied.
The appeal of sci-fi for us, however, is when authors/directors tackle thought provoking themes.
We also talked about our forthcoming Beam project which we’re going to write with some other authors, and may eventually open it up to anyone who wants to write in the world.
To view the video version of this episode, go to: Better Off Undead #39 – Our Various Problems with Sci-Fi
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This week we continued wondering what to do with this show.
We read and discussed listener feedback to last week’s question, should we cancel the show or evolve it?
Dave ranted about the new Zombieland series.
We also talked It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
We brainstormed tag lines for the show, but didn’t come up with anything we particularly liked.
See you next week when we talk about … something.
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Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons. Click on image to go to artist’s site.
On this week’s episode we open up with the question:
And, perhaps for the first time ever, (ironically enough), we stayed on topic the entire show!
In short, Johnny started a new (third) podcast, Bigger Better Stronger Faster, which has skyrocketed to huge success, whereas Better Off Undead has pretty much stagnated and has a fraction of the listeners of the Self Publishing Podcast.
Better Off Undead has turned into a show where we intended to talk about horror into a show of just three friends hanging out, where we sometimes talk about horror. Fun, but what’s the point?
What do you think? Leave a comment here or on the YouTube page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiUoX_zqjAI&feature=plcp
See you next week…
Maybe.
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This week we opened by talking about last week’s show with Birdemic’s Alan Bagh.
By listener request from Garrett Robinson, we talked (briefly) about the new Amazon series, Zombieland. Then we talked about The Storytelling Podcast and the podcast Dave is doing with Garrett, A Game of Geeks, where Dave’s creative impulses aren’t squashed by Johnny and Sean.
We talked about why some people hate on the HBO show, Girls.
We then finally got to the topic of the week:
What would we carry in our kits if shit hit the fan and bodies started rising from their graves?
A listener then called in with a question which offended Dave.
Dave talked about his one experience meeting fans, and how he hates meeting people.
The show then (mercifully) ended.
Tune in next week when we ask:
To view the video version of this episode, go to: Better Off Undead #36 – The Monster Holocaust Survival Kit
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The interview we thought might NEVER happen!
First we had Whitney Moore, and now “Birdemic 2 The Resurrection” star, Alan Bagh called in for an interview with Better Off Undead!
We talked with Alan about what it was like to film the first Birdemic movie and what it was like to work with an actual crew this time.
We asked him if he really walks the way he did in the first Birdemic, and he actually gave a good answer for why he walked so damned slow and odd!
We asked what it was like to sit in the premiere when the first movie got the reaction it did.
We asked if James Nguyen is secretly some incredible genius who is punking us all?
And a bunch of other questions that you’ll only hear on Better Off Undead!
Alan says go to Chill.com where you can download it right now. Yes, today! Do it! You KNOW we will be watching it!
https://chill.com/james_nguyen/birdemic2
Follow Alan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alanbagh
Sorry, there’s no YouTube video for this show, due to technical issues.
Special thanks to Garret Robinson and Z.C. Bolger for helping to make these Birdemic interviews happen. And to the gang at Birdemic’s Twitter page for helping out.
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Photo copyright AMC Gene Page
Dave was sick today, but if you think that meant a sedate Dave, well, then, you don’t know Dave.
The show opened up with Johnny’s announcement that he and Sean were going to write a serious horror book together, and then several other things which set Dave off on tangents, including one about his past jobs versus Sean’s.
Johnny assured Dave that he’s not looking to move in on Collective Inkwell turf, and said the difference between the book he wants to write with Sean and the ones Sean writes with Dave is that no children or animals will be in danger, unlike every single book Sean and Dave write.
Johnny assured Dave that he wasn’t looking to move in on his territory:
Dave and Sean then argued about whether their 47North novel, Monstrous should have had more humor in it.
Johnny then finally admitted that Dave was right when it comes to watching TV with other people.
Then the guys finally talked The Walking Dead Season Finale, what they liked, and what they didn’t.
This included a lively debate on whether Carl was right in what he did in the final episode of the season.
Dave then announced a new podcast with Garrett Robinson called, A Game of Geeks, which let’s face it is Better Off Undead 2.
Watch the video here and see Dave lose it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_qZM1bMHzo&feature=plcp
Audience question: Would you have made the same choice as Carl?
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We opened the show talking about Dave’s favorite book of all time, Clive Barker’s epic, Imajica, which both Johnny and Sean have found too intimidating in its size to read.
Dave talked about how the ending (no spoilers) of Inception depressed him while Sean and Johnny interpreted it as a happy ending.
Sean spoiled the ending of The Sixth Sense (just in case you haven’t seen it yet).
We talked about movie nights and whether our spouses watch the same movies, Netflix queues, It’s Always Sunny, and whether M. Night will have a comeback.
Following our interview with Whitney Moore, we’re now in talks with Alan Bagh of Birdemic fame, to appear on the show.
Will he appear on the show?
I mean, we are the Birdemic of podcasts, after all!
Who wouldn’t want to be on this show?
Alan seems interested, now, but then again, he hasn’t heard the show, so he may very well change his mind. (Hell, we’re still shocked that both Whitney and Hugh Howey have been on the show, so you never know.)
Whatever happens, we’ll keep you updated.
Johnny played the Birdemic 2 trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VspO6lEAdsY
Garrett Robinson from The Storytelling Podcast called in with two questions:
Which of our own characters (from our books) would we be?
And…
Which horror movie monster would we be?
You can catch the video for this episode at YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IAz0cnWh1k&feature=plcp
GUEST SPOT ALERT: Dave was a guest over at The Storytelling Podcast last week. Check it out here.
http://thestorytellingpodcast.com/stp-podcast-episodes/stp-005-what-makes-terrible-stories-terrible/
