Join Jim as he interviews the biggest name in ‘adult fairy tales’ with LC Moon. Hear what makes them tick n tock and all things in between. All this and more on What’s Kraken!
Check out A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast), the first installment of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld trilogy.
00:01.48
jim_phoenix
Hey, everyone Jim Phoenix here and boy do we have another exciting edition of what’s crackken. It is our ah our author edition look at that we are bringing you the biggest and brightest and best of the whole entire universe whirling galaxies depending which one’s bigger in your point of view. And we have none other than lcmoon who is the author of fairy tales from the underworld part one a bedtime story spoiler is not a bedtime story for kids beauty meets the beast Elsie how are you.
00:32.93
LC Moon
But I’m great. Thank you so much for having me Jim I really appreciate it.
00:37.10
jim_phoenix
Question number 1 and theoretical particle physics. No, that’s the wrong interview new set of questions. Sorry my bad so when when you were writing this I just want to kind of break through your.
00:42.67
LC Moon
Absolutely.
00:53.86
jim_phoenix
Your ability to write something does it go in your head first and then you get it in a page or you plot it out like chapter by chapter. How do you write your books having your book sealer. Yes.
01:02.33
LC Moon
Right? Well I mean this is my first book So I can about the technique so far and it’s actually I didn’t really have a technique. It’s been a story that’s been with me for so long and it’s always um.
01:20.50
LC Moon
It’s kind of started as a story I would tell myself before going to bed because you know always imagining this really intense relationship how it would play out at every. Night I would add on to it and add onto it until it became an actual like beginning to end act 1 act 2 act three stories and after that I would just I’ve always written but poetry I was never.
01:43.76
jim_phoenix
Um, right.
01:46.22
LC Moon
Never wrote a book I never set out to write a book but I always enjoyed reading for my own and I was disgusting with a friend and I was telling her like you know I thought of this really cool story blah blah blah you like Lin yeah, like you have to put it in a book. You know this is an amazing story. Yeah, like just write it and see where where you know you go from there. And I started just doing it on my own How I go is like I have to see the scene in my head first as if it was a movie and then I try to put on paper the I try to replicate what I see in my head on paper and that’s how I always go scene by scene when I’m writing.
02:09.58
jim_phoenix
Um, right.
02:22.99
jim_phoenix
That’s awesome and I wonder how close do you get from the senior head to the worth in the page.
02:29.63
LC Moon
How close I get from the senior head to the work. Yeah.
02:31.92
jim_phoenix
Seen in your head because you have this perfect vision in your head you’re gonna see everything and it’s gonna be this and this happens like a movie in your head. How close do you get that reality onto the page.
02:39.86
LC Moon
Yeah I Honestly will not stop until I get it So I can spend an entire evening on one. Stupidpid paragraph and like drive myself crazy and sometimes I’m in the zone and I’m Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom But as long as it doesn’t match exactly not just like what the characters are doing but the vibe the reaction the the manurism to me, they’re all.
02:53.72
jim_phoenix
Um, right.
02:58.94
jim_phoenix
Right.
03:06.38
LC Moon
Very real characters and it has to stay true to the authentic selves and the vibe and the mood of what I’m feeling and I want the ah the readers to go through how I felt when I was experiencing it in my head.
03:18.71
jim_phoenix
Well, that’s worth I think it comes through the perfection comes through us I know we review it is spoil alert. We reviewed it for our site and again fairy tales from the underworld part one a bedtime story beauty means the beast not for kids. And that’s I think’s being first thing our review says not for little kids but it is a bad time story from a certain point of view and from our review I know we’re gonna gush a bit we thought it was brilliantly done. It was smooth all the things popped out. It created the universe there. Some people have a hard time creating universes. So I think that.
03:53.77
LC Moon
Thank you, Thank you I am virgo so her perfectionist bite nature is a gift then it occurs and I but I think it’s definitely worth it at the end because there’s nothing worse than you’ you know you’re really submerge in an experience and then a bit of a dialogue or something just like.
03:54.31
jim_phoenix
Ah, hard work paid off right? I mean that’s from my point of view we are perfectionist.
04:12.46
LC Moon
Throws it off and then you become so aware that you’re reading a story as opposed to experiencing it. So that’s what I wanted to avoid.
04:13.60
jim_phoenix
Clunks it out. Yeah.
04:17.89
jim_phoenix
And I think you hit the realistically now I have to ask because I know what the book’s about I and I been for those, you don’t know I do read once in a while every once a while I do read review This is the thing I didn’t review your best like my staff member like they reviewed it.
04:30.70
LC Moon
Not my book though not yet.
04:37.69
jim_phoenix
But I said I would read it and I started reading I’m like okay my question was how old were you when you had this story in your head story is like oh okay, so your bedtime story in your head.
04:44.15
LC Moon
Right? Um I would say like early teens I yeah.
04:53.40
LC Moon
Um, yeah, yeah, but that I was older when I told her about like I started like the main like the characters are dynamic that started very.
04:54.26
jim_phoenix
And you’re you told your friends this but this particular story that I’m starting to read just.
05:02.72
jim_phoenix
It stopped it then okay got it that makes I was like my gosh like you’re more open than I was when I was like teenagers I guess.
05:08.99
LC Moon
Wonder no no, no, no, no that wast around like 2013 whatever it was like before I released it the first time. Yeah, yeah, time to and on.
05:15.74
jim_phoenix
So it really took time to grow and grow and grow and grow and you had the whole thing you had the whole thing joling from start to beginning or wait that is the same start and beginning is the same thing Joe Jim every right.
05:28.10
LC Moon
Not not. You know, not every scene explicitly but their journey that the key scenes the key aspect of their journey together. Yeah that I definitely knew like going and where where all that was gonna lead.
05:34.40
jim_phoenix
Right.
05:40.39
jim_phoenix
And you had this as a single books I know this is part one I’m guessing it’s gonna be part 2 and part three part z 3 okay, 3 and done just like star wars should have been 3 and done.
05:47.52
LC Moon
3 tell it? Yeah I well I mean I’m the generation of like the the second one like the second so I actually enjoyed I enjoy I answer.
06:02.11
jim_phoenix
That was is I was censoring my thought although you’re right should censor your jar jar biks with the like apartment was good in it now give me the important and I got to see yo to jump around everything else is kind of like it’s okay.
06:08.82
LC Moon
And and not Natalie Fordman I love naalie
06:21.30
jim_phoenix
It’s okay, we all have one. So if you had the entire did you, you have the trilogy planned out as a kid or do you said the first part as a kid. Okay.
06:28.13
LC Moon
Who know it was really the first part and it was actually at first it was meant to be just that and it was discussing with my very close group of beta readers friends trusted companions in this journey that oh look no no no no this there’s more to the story lynne. Just.
06:40.73
jim_phoenix
Right.
06:47.86
LC Moon
Go back at arriving board figure it out. There’s no way it ends there and at first I was kind ofnoing that Well, it’s my story. This is how it ends and the more I thought about it the more the story continued to reveal it to me and there is still some aspect. That’s why I took so long. There was some aspect that I still didn’t even know and then later on the more I.
06:56.37
jim_phoenix
Oh Wow right.
07:06.86
LC Moon
Delved into their universe and I was like oh yeah, oh yeah, sometimes I made connection that I didn’t even make and I made them later on I was like oh that’s why this because it makes sense. You know so on some level I feel like it was always a hole and it just picked up little tools at a time you know.
07:20.83
jim_phoenix
I like that because I like that you took the beta readers seriously because some people say again writing what was it like Chris Titus and Tony Horton talking about this like it’s ego is so weird because we’re both fergos I’ll go spoil or on this one. So for for me.
07:35.39
LC Moon
But.
07:40.83
jim_phoenix
I’ve been maybe accused of having a big ego same time very fragile one it like the biggest biggest ego in the world like I can do everything I’m very like somehow fragile the same time exactly I empower and know I know. However I know exactly? ah and I think.
07:45.20
LC Moon
It’s the edges.
07:52.43
LC Moon
Sucking Rigo of you.
07:58.69
jim_phoenix
Being able to take that advice from the Beta readers. But there’s a temptation to going like my books go f yourselves.
08:03.80
LC Moon
Of course and even like when I’m sending them chapter to chapter and every time there was a common my heart would sink and I agree with you know, like how she just doesn’t understand the Genius Yeah, you know and then you have to take a reality check and like you know what? I.
08:17.15
jim_phoenix
Ah, yes.
08:21.61
LC Moon
The way I deal with my E because I have a very fragile ego I have imposster syndrome I did not study creative writing I I didn’t do the official you know, like the way you’re supposed to do it I Just did my own thing and in the end I Understood how much my be readers cared about this story and the point is to make this.
08:28.80
jim_phoenix
Right.
08:40.66
jim_phoenix
Yeah.
08:40.91
LC Moon
Tory as good as possible and to take the backseat to the story. It’s not my chance to shine. It’s the story’s chance that right? so.
08:47.44
jim_phoenix
Stories chance very good I appreciate that and I think that’s something that a lot of younger writers especially are newer writers have to learn that hardway taking criticism. That’s one of the things you said about your background like I didn’t go to creative I did and that’s part of the things that you see is. Being able to take a punch you you have to be able to go I had a scene in my head at 1 It. It just fell flat and I make it better. Okay I got this advice now I can make this better and so yeah.
09:08.77
LC Moon
Yeah, what’s of course it’s crushing.. That’s you you doubt yourself and then you know so but like I said because I just kept focusing on the story itself and as long as. I would see it as okay I can do better. Not I did wrong I can do better I can bring it close are supposed to be so you know my better has faked me that I can do better. She’s not telling me, you’re not good. She’s telling me do it, Do it Justice Do It Better. So It’s a vote of confidence if you look at it like that right.
09:28.90
jim_phoenix
There you go.
09:40.33
jim_phoenix
Absolutely And and that’s the thing is anyone who’s taken enough time to read through. Everyone’s stuff and give them feedback. They’re invested in you. They’re invested in you. They’re invested in the story already. So their feedback’s just not to be mean is to make things better and I and appreciate it and it comes through on your book which is fairy tales.
09:48.81
LC Moon
Oh I think we’re having some technical issues.
09:59.44
jim_phoenix
By the way this is oh we are coming back and we are back live on air. This is how we do things live so when your book use your book out.
09:59.85
LC Moon
Didnt I want to you follow for a few seconds. Sorry.
10:14.59
jim_phoenix
I Know we got an arc I know it was out at beginning and it stopped and then it’s coming out soon again.
10:18.93
LC Moon
Yeah, so what happened is I wrote the book initially in 2014 and it’s an interesting project is how it happens is my sister is a composer and I didn’t tell her anything I just sent her the you know the chapters I was writing them just were for her.
10:26.58
jim_phoenix
Um, okay.
10:34.88
jim_phoenix
Right.
10:38.65
LC Moon
Feedback and she felt really inspired by the story that she composed in an instrumental soundtrack for it without telling me anything and I kind of recognize it like I was listening to this to the musical piece and I was like lana is that like Laura and Kane song is that this is that that proper and she’re like yes you know my god I can believe like you know.
10:57.28
jim_phoenix
Um, oh wow.
10:57.93
LC Moon
I did a good job if I can you know if you were able to guess at it’s their music then I did it correctly and it became a very collaborative creative process. She would give me feedback on my writing and I would give her feedback on her result like yeah, that’s not King that’s too aggressive. That’s to this. That’s that you know and her husband may he rest in peace.
11:05.64
jim_phoenix
Um, it’s cool.
11:16.59
LC Moon
Really wanted to he. He saw the opportunity and he wanted to see this and he was a businessman so he wanted to take over publishing and the you know the the Cd and everything at the time we were selling Cds in 24 team yeah
11:17.99
jim_phoenix
Um, right.
11:27.12
jim_phoenix
Um, Wow I remember those times right.
11:31.15
LC Moon
And unfortunately he passed away. It was a very tragic thing that happened in my family and I was going through very difficult struggles at the time on a personal level which I will spare you the joys of being a vergo under life is crashing down but I stepped away from writing altogether I sucked away. We took the book off the shels. I was crushed I was not say to be able to write and it was honestly like very serendipitous in 2022. It was actually my publicist who reached out to me and he like like there’s a very There’s a very real opportunity I think you need to work on this right now to really said and after what almost.
11:52.44
jim_phoenix
Um, right.
12:09.48
LC Moon
8 years of not touching anything I decided to you know what? let me let me go go read it again and you know maybe just like make sure you’ll clean it up and as I went back to just clean it up I realized you know what I’ve evolved a lot in those past 8 to 10 years
12:16.35
jim_phoenix
Right.
12:27.89
LC Moon
I think I can do the story Even do you know? do it more justice even write better.
12:30.13
jim_phoenix
But did you I mean what major events could have happened in the last couple years that would make people introspective and go oh my gosh. Oh my gosh and my gosh.
12:41.73
LC Moon
Ominously I was really amazingly and pleasantly surprised by the number of readers that stayed like loyal and followed and yeah, that was honestly as an author. It was the biggest compliment I Honestly I was like cannot even offer one person.
12:50.41
jim_phoenix
Um, really, that’s good.
12:59.40
LC Moon
Read it I’ll be happy. You know like if 1 person appreciates it I would have done my dot on it for me anyways and the response I’ve been getting has been so amazing from my 2014 readers and honestly I’m just gathering new readers. A lot of people don’t know about the background and it doesn’t matter. You don’t need to you know the story is its own.
13:13.50
jim_phoenix
Right.
13:18.60
LC Moon
Universe you know, regardless of its past. So yeah, it’s been.
13:22.99
jim_phoenix
Well, that’s one of the things I really like what I see and I love the journey of it I love the information ah end of it and when we’re talking about writing and writing processes. You talked about this going out first and then it kind of went off the shelf and it came back right.
13:32.61
LC Moon
Um, yeah.
13:40.76
LC Moon
Um, yeah.
13:40.95
jim_phoenix
So as we’re doing this series for authors and young aspiring writers. What advice would you give aspiring writers. Well you know young is always come on but you you you sp I.
13:47.33
LC Moon
Um, young thing. Um and ah but dog. Um.
14:00.16
jim_phoenix
Yeah, with me I guess.
14:01.52
LC Moon
My advice I would say stay true to your passion stay as long as you’re excited by what you write and you generally feel it Obviously you know have keep your ego in check when there’s a good criticism on how to take it. But.
14:03.41
jim_phoenix
Right.
14:13.66
jim_phoenix
Yes.
14:16.27
LC Moon
And sometimes I was feeling a lot of pressures to fit into a certain mold, especially that my book is considered dark romance Dark Erotica There are specific tropes that the readers expect and I’ve had a lot of readers. Lash out completely because I did my own thing and really like very you know they were very you can see and the reviews are very upset I’m like why would she do that. That’s a horrible way to you know, end things or whatever. There’s a bit of a twist ending a bit of a cliffhanger. So And. I had to accept that price to pay I accept that it’s not for everyone and it’s okay, but my reader the people its meant for will appreciate. It.
14:51.86
jim_phoenix
Yes I think that’s exactly it. Yeah, so many people try to write for everyone like we want to please all people at all times for gogan and it’s just you can’t you.
15:03.99
LC Moon
Um, yeah, yeah.
15:08.68
jim_phoenix
You’re in a mix. Especially now I’m gonna make someone mad. So my mean the most benign joke. But like oh we can’t say that anymore but we can’t I just said it So some somebody laughed now I I’m glad you said? there’s a twist ending now if ah out Spoilers Vo spoilers who does Kylo Ren kill on this one.
15:09.95
LC Moon
Exactly.
15:22.50
LC Moon
Um, yes, so I believe it’s his twin daughters.
15:28.30
jim_phoenix
Ah, that’s my worst one. Oh Kylo Quint Kyle re kills first papa and then the to one daughter. Oh my gosh, the guy it. Yeah, that’s item item daughter.
15:35.18
LC Moon
But Kylo ran is the guy or the girl in the new one. Okay, yeah, that’s the Adam dude right? He’s cool I liked his portrayal to be honest, he wasn’t bad I was I’m not good.
15:48.38
jim_phoenix
I Actually kind of see him in your book by the way.
15:53.49
LC Moon
A lot I did not expect to Cover Star wars.
15:54.96
jim_phoenix
Talking about star wars and those stars but but if you’re casting your book. Don’t you see? don’t you see Adam driver in your book.
15:58.96
LC Moon
Yes, no I that’s so funny you say that me and my sister actually sat down and did a full casting of the characters who okay so Kane I imagine a mix of like.
16:07.90
jim_phoenix
Who cast that cast that cast that cast it.
16:17.55
LC Moon
Ben Barnes and Henry Caville Laura I imagine like a young Kate Moss Natalie Portman that style thatsy so I’m not going to give away that the the others my view.
16:18.24
jim_phoenix
Oh yes.
16:25.73
jim_phoenix
Um, oh so know who’s talking about Star Wars now. Ah, ah.
16:31.79
jim_phoenix
No I know nothing but I can see that I can see that now maybe because I have Adam Drower tapless in my mind. Maybe that’s what I’m saying for.
16:35.99
LC Moon
But.
16:40.24
LC Moon
But and mixed with Henry is so much harder.
16:45.52
jim_phoenix
No sport. No no sps no judgment. No judgment. It’s all good and plus he’s not doing a superman anymore. Do So he’s he’s free. He’s free. Oh my gosh. Thank well Irish Actually we played wither. So.
16:50.43
LC Moon
There you go. He’s freak I see is he gonna watch hunted man youal. But maybe we should send it this p.
17:04.72
jim_phoenix
Or you’re doing this is there pressure then for the sequel like the sophomore Blues is an album right.
17:08.50
LC Moon
Oh of course of there’s a huge pressure and I’ve been told as any author your second book is the hardest one to write and it’s not just my second book as a second one of the trilogy which I that is the set the hardest one to write.
17:20.93
jim_phoenix
Yes, right.
17:26.45
LC Moon
Ah, so yeah, it’s very difficult because I’m not starting from a clean slate I have to take all the elements from volume 1 and take them into volume 2 and still make being true to the past and merdo like so it’s a very you’re very limited in your creative. You know, ah like. Creative process. But at the same time you still want it to be its own thing. You don’t want to replicate too much but you want to be to the essence. So it’s it’s very difficult but I am enjoying and that’s the 1 thing I’m really trying to do is to enjoy the process.
17:46.54
jim_phoenix
Correct.
17:58.70
LC Moon
Because I know once and now I’m looking forward to publication to but then once it’s publisher like oh I missed the Dave and it was in my living room. No stress just writing rage right.
18:05.37
jim_phoenix
Just doing in children now and now it’s a deadline. It’s herp and white that that’s book for vocation. Yeah.
18:12.60
LC Moon
So now I Just want to enjoy it and I’m you know I’m behind the curtains I’m doing my own thing. My readers are I’ve been amazing with me patient understanding. They’re there. They’re loyal I’m super plussed I’m very thankful to the people that I’ve had around me I think as an artist as anybody unless you just need to have a good. Support around you and it’s family or friends because the highs are high and and middle those are lows right? like it’s your Baby. You’re putting out there. It’s your heart and soul and as evolved as you want to be criticism is it’s Hard. You know so.
18:33.58
jim_phoenix
Yes, yeah.
18:46.78
jim_phoenix
Miss How it’s It’s one of those things that that they can’t teach you how to deal with unless you just get like it’s basically pricking yourself again and again and again. Ah but eventually like oh I can take it now now for your can we give about the second title. Okay.
18:58.44
LC Moon
Yeah, yeah.
19:01.58
jim_phoenix
So the first one’s fairy tales from the underwear part one a bedtime story beauty mix base and the second one’s going. What.
19:08.29
LC Moon
So the second one is called ah the berry tale and is star crossed lovers and the third one is oh to the fallen down the rabbit hole and that will conclude. The trilogy.
19:12.99
jim_phoenix
Um, nice.
19:22.40
jim_phoenix
That is very very cool and where that means you either had a lot of dreams as ah as a little girl or.
19:27.70
LC Moon
Yeah, you I’ve always I’ve had the craziest streams my entire lifes crazy nightmares crazy adventures Usually more negative than positive I’ve haven had those like okay I had touch your rest still sleep like no.
19:37.79
jim_phoenix
Um I can go if.
19:43.32
LC Moon
I’ve always had crazy nightmares I’ve always had a very very you know like um I’ve been very yeah I have a crazy imagination I’m always as a kid I spend a lot of time alone all is lost in my world telling myself stories imagining stories I spend a lot of time reading watching movies. So. Story telling in its art. You know whether it’s via books or novellas or theater or movies or Broadway is just something that really resonates with me because I find it. It’s not only diverse.
20:02.49
jim_phoenix
Um, yeah.
20:15.41
jim_phoenix
Yes.
20:15.98
LC Moon
But it helps it helped that there’s there’s lesson. There’s wisdom. There’s you know there’s things you can take from that. So.
20:20.40
jim_phoenix
I agree and I think that is a part where people want to do a movie or they want to do a book or they want to do a story and they haven’t read I’m like or watched like how do you tell a story if you doesn’t seen how to do it like I’m so glad you said you read a lot especially as a kid and watch all these movies. It helps get the structure of a story you start learning the rhythms you start learning the actual structures you’re putting it in and it works in that it sounds weird but that is actually part of the work.
20:41.93
LC Moon
Of course.
20:48.93
LC Moon
Of course of course and you know just so you get that it becomes second natureture to you so even like and like I’m sure it’s the same thing for you Jim but like 90% of the movies I watch I can tell you within 5 minutes exactly what’s going to happen right? So when you watch a movie that.
21:01.58
jim_phoenix
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
21:06.97
LC Moon
Can surprise you with such a like Wow moment and that’s why you want to be comfortable I did and I wanted to be comfortable in the narrative that so I have that structure from everything that has built me up that has helped create me as an author.
21:19.55
jim_phoenix
Um, yes.
21:25.43
LC Moon
But at the same time I wanted to do my own take on it I Want to put my little spice. You know.
21:31.30
jim_phoenix
That’s very very important and you’re doing this right now on fairy tales from the underworld.com right COMDotCom awesome
21:38.32
LC Moon
That’s exactly yeah, fairing from genderworld.com yeah and there’s the original soundtrack that’s available there as well. So I really hope but you guys will check it out it.
21:43.90
jim_phoenix
I checked out the site. It’s amazing. We were looking at this before and the instagrams and then othergrams and the telegrams and not buttergrams. It’s it’s all, but so but that’s the thing there’s so much more to do but before this call I was doing like I was doing Facebook um.
21:49.48
LC Moon
Um, and the tick power The face were broken.
22:02.91
jim_phoenix
Back on Facebook now whatever. But ah gosh there’s so much more to producing your book in 2023 and and pushing your book new 2023 there was ah 2013
22:03.20
LC Moon
I Left a few.
22:15.50
LC Moon
Absolutely ah hi personally I’m very lucky I have an amazing team around me I have my publish it I have my marketing team so they can focus on the that.
22:17.41
jim_phoenix
So how do you deal with that. How do you deal with the business side and the creative side.
22:29.31
LC Moon
Part of it and I can focus more on actually the creative process and you know interviews like that I mean this is amazing I love doing that again. Thank you so much for having me Jim and ah so that’s part of that to me is fun. You know I’m getting to you’re getting to know me, we’re having a normal conversation.
22:30.75
jim_phoenix
Um, that yeah.
22:38.18
jim_phoenix
Thanks for being here.
22:46.44
LC Moon
But being in charge of social media and stuff I’m letting other people handle that that they’re better at it Anyways, it’s more their their thing you know I’m not a great salesperson I don’t like the feeling of you know.
22:50.48
jim_phoenix
Yes.
22:55.88
jim_phoenix
You haven’t sold me on Casco Poine yet when you do that You be us the great whole.
22:59.19
LC Moon
Ah baby so itself. Let me tell you that Yeah, you’re gonna go there. You’re gonna take a picture as say where have you been all my life and you gonna post it on Huntologyji Ah I’ll be looking out for that post. Let me tell you.
23:08.32
jim_phoenix
But like it’s a grammy. Yeah yeah, we’ll see what happens when they do good stuff though. Yeah, but if you’re running at spot now I was gonna do a sped mon. So.
23:15.82
LC Moon
Osco did not sponsor So this Fy I This is.
23:24.90
jim_phoenix
I appreciate all of this time and I do have 1 less 1 final questions before you we let you go on the next book of the first one of course is called fairy tales from the underworld part one a bedtime story beauty meets the bees which can get right now correct or soon.
23:31.51
LC Moon
Um, we go.
23:41.17
LC Moon
Just.
23:42.81
jim_phoenix
At Fairy Tales from the underworld.com check out out. Book market. Always come back to it. Follow everyone like like sit got click subscribe and go I Do like you said you had up a street team as I just like balance. Everyone’s mic off because you can’t do this alone you this is a. Creative Arts You cannot do alone like I want to be the writer in the I have a tower that’s nice, but no, one’s going to read them. You have to have a team So what goes in to a good team for you.
24:10.43
LC Moon
First of all, you need to be a trust trust you need to be able to trust each other to know that you have each other’s best interest that hard and thought I wouldn’t just hire a stranger to do that. Even and if they’re an expert I don’t have the budget for that anyway. So somebody trusts somebody who who national who believes in the project.
24:13.24
jim_phoenix
Yes.
24:22.85
jim_phoenix
Um, try.
24:30.30
LC Moon
If it’s just your fan and she’s good at it. But she’s doing it to you as a favor. There’s only that much that somebody can do as a favor so you have there has to be something in it for them and they have to believe in the project and they have to have the skill the work ethics.
24:37.69
jim_phoenix
Um, yeah.
24:46.58
LC Moon
And you have to have that relationship where you can generally be yourself and give each other that criticism without always having to wear. You know those 5 pairs of white gloves and you know so I think that’s really the the yeah that’s the most important for me. That’s what’s been been able to.
24:56.14
jim_phoenix
Um, yeah.
25:03.44
LC Moon
Keep the project going and sometimes you know we have it down one one person is a bit more demoralized. So the others will be no, it’s good na na Nasa we can keep it exactly we can you know pun beach other and everything so it’s it’s a friendship too. It’s not just.
25:09.40
jim_phoenix
But yep, yeah.
25:16.60
LC Moon
Ah, marketing team. You know you have to be a team in real life and I think that especially as aspiring you know, authors that you don’t have unlimited budget and resources.
25:23.87
jim_phoenix
No I appreciate that I still remember like the we started as a punk scene publisher and it’s like punks like Amelia G and Forret Black and like blue blood and they would start out blacklow times the whole.
25:39.79
LC Moon
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:40.28
jim_phoenix
Actual streak teams they would go out and put flyers out and there’s just like a couple people will find Xerox machine and that’s all it was back then day and now is kind of like the digital version of this but you had to trust each other otherwise you know there’s the dumps are right there like the Mitch Harber joke like 5000 houses or one dumpster.
25:52.39
LC Moon
Yeah I Well I mean that’s where where I say they have they have to have something in it for them. So you know like we have an actual business agreement in place they are gonna collect on the success of the book. So they’re in their best interest for the boat book to succeed and it does I’m like Yay you know the aut is.
25:59.19
jim_phoenix
Um, yes, yes, yes.
26:09.94
jim_phoenix
Um, yeah.
26:12.26
LC Moon
Happy. So obviously human nature we’re selfish by nature. You know we can. We can try to be as nice as possible but we there are some facts about human nature that can just disregard and you should work with it which is part of my book human nature now Always not. Everyone is nice and you know there’s.
26:26.35
jim_phoenix
No, and think that goes way and it goes brilliant I think that is part of it right there with the fairy tales from our little part 1 bedtime story now if you were to give 1 piece of advice to either your younger self as a writer or just.
26:30.83
LC Moon
Like.
26:45.20
jim_phoenix
Writers in general 1 thing one takeaway of you learn that you think everyone should absolutely do but would it be just yourself boom awesome sauce I agree I agree Alie Moon has been a poller.
26:50.64
LC Moon
Trust yourself.
26:56.80
LC Moon
Now that I do it. That’s what tell but young self you not accomplished that device thats yet. But and you want now. No no. But I mean it’s an ongoing struggle and I guess just know that you’re not alone feeling.
27:01.83
jim_phoenix
Yeah, no, its like it’s just flo every day you should. But you know there’s two days
27:16.63
LC Moon
That imposter syndrome that you know everyone is going through those doubts and I find a lot of time to feel so alone I’m the murder I’m that you know oh who is me and no, we’re all struggling. You’re not alone. You’re not crazy. Do your best and it’s enough right.
27:19.62
jim_phoenix
Yeah.
27:29.33
jim_phoenix
Forget the rest absolutely well Elsie Moon I appreciate it and if you want to check out Elsie Moon’s work. Go to fairy tales plural from the underworld dot com and also check out. Part one a bedtime story beauty meets beats and then get the soundtrack. Get it all in. Go all in make us you deserved eating like this go all in play a soundtrack read it get a bubble baff. It’s all goodness. Aliceie moon. Thank you so much everythinging bye. Everyone.
27:56.95
LC Moon
Thank you so much. It was Julie pleasure being here bye.
We have come now to the finale of season four of The Boys. And while it didn’t have the literal blood fireworks I wanted, someone did get ripped in half in the air. So, that’s pretty close.
As a note, I will try to avoid spoilers as much as possible. This ending was a hell of a gut punch that should be experienced as blindly as possible. That being said, I will not be able to avoid spoilers and still give a full legitimate review. Proceed at your own risk.
The story
The main storyline for this episode is the attempted assassination of President-Elect Robert Singer. The Boys join forces with the Secret Service to protect him. But, as we learned last episode, Annie has been replaced with a shapeshifter. A shapeshifter that was welcome not just into Hughie’s anus, but into the protective bunker in which the President-Elect is hiding.
What worked
The first thing I want to discuss about this episode is the ending. But we need to do this carefully.
The important thing here is that the ending breaks your heart on so many levels. So many terrible things are happening to characters that it’s almost hard to keep track. And each moment is significant to each character.
I cannot give a specific example. But no matter who your favorite character is, you’re going to weep for them.
Unless your favorite character is Sage. And this is the next thing that made this episode so fantastic.
I don’t think I’m spoiling anything to say that Sage’s plans worked out exactly as she wanted them to. And she got exactly what she wanted.
What she wanted wasn’t power. It wasn’t money or fame or vengeance. It wasn’t to win the love of anyone. She just wanted to see if she could do it.
That is a terrific, terrifying motivation! Because all she wants is to play a massive game of chess with people as pieces. She doesn’t care about anyone. She just wants to see how many people she can manipulate. She just wants to set things on fire to see if she can.
Fantastic. A plus villain work.
The next thing I want to discuss is a cornerstone of the whole series.
The morality of The Boys shifts through the series. While it’s very much a battle to save the world from overpowered super monsters, it’s also a battle for the souls of our real heroes. And in that battle, there are two warring factors. We have Hughie, always trying to bring everyone up to a better level. And we have Butcher, who has no problem at all hitting rock bottom with a shovel in hand to do some more digging.
In this episode, we saw almost every member of The Boys challenged. Will they rise to their higher angels, or sink with their demons?
On a similar note, I am so glad that the writers kind of addressed my issues with Annie. They did this by having the shapeshifter get right into her face and accuse her of thinking that she’s better than everyone.
While that was devastating for the character, it was a little cathartic for those of us who felt like Annie was a little too good of a good guy.
What didn’t work
This is a small matter, but it is an issue that I want to address. After Annie finds out that Hughie slept with her doppelganger, she is furious at him.
In addition to this being unfair, it’s also a very cliche element to add. In almost every instance of a lookalike in fiction, there’s a moment where the love interest of the victim is fooled. Or almost fooled. And it’s always the same fight. It’s just played out and predictable. I’m just glad that it didn’t last very long.
Now that we’ve come to the end of the season, I can officially say that it was amazing. The story was deep and rich. The special effects were a stomach-turning good time. The character development was spot-on and satisfying. And, of course, it left me just about gagging to see what happens next. Unfortunately, it looks like we’ll have a bit of a wait. Because as of right now, the fifth season isn’t expected until 2026.
(5 / 5)
We’ve reached the second to last episode of The Boys, season four. And, as is appropriate for the penultimate episode of any show, things have to get a lot worse before they can get better.
Let’s discuss.
The story
Christmas is coming, and the whole world is getting ready. Ryan, despite being very clear that he didn’t want to appear on any TV shows or movies, has been strong-armed into participating in a Vought puppet Christmas special. He draws the line, though, when asked to sing about turning one’s parents in if they start talking about woke things.
Meanwhile, The Boys are trying to keep each other together. Butcher decides to take Sameer to the rest of the team. He also gets Frenchie out of prison, hoping they can make the Sup virus necessary to finally take down Homelander. Instead, this decision means disaster for one member of the team.
What worked
I first want to talk about Ryan’s speech near the end of the episode. Because it was exactly the moral of this whole story.
Ryan’s dad is a monster. His stepdad is also kind of a monster. But Ryan is a good kid. He cares about people, about family. And while he loves Homelander and Butcher, he doesn’t want to be like them.
Even better, this speech sounded like something a kid would say. Ryan didn’t open his mouth and start sounding like a college student all of a sudden. He sounds like a kid who misses his mom and wants to live up to the good standards she set for him. And I think that’s terrific.
Speaking of Homelander, he shot himself in the foot in this episode. I said earlier in the season that his hubris was going to be his downfall, and I was right. Without Sage, he just has the same weaknesses he’s always had. He’s going to fail because he just isn’t clever enough or patient enough to succeed.
Without Sage, I think a win is in the bag for The Boys. This isn’t to say that Homelander by himself isn’t dangerous. It’s just that he’s more like a wildfire than a controlled burn. He’s going to cause a lot of damage, but not get anything he wants out of it.
More’s the pity for him and everyone else who has to share his world.
Finally, I am thrilled with A-Train’s redemption story. I love that he wants to be a good person not to save himself, but to be a good person. His honest, pure and warm reaction to that little kid smiling at him in the last episode was heartwarming. It changed him in a moment, bringing to light a goodness that he’s been keeping under wraps for a long time.
This, along with Ryan’s courageous speech, proves once again what The Boys does so well. Yes, it’s gruesome. Yes, there’s blood and balls and batshit events. Yes, someone occasionally gets ripped in half. But there is a true human goodness in the story. One that we catch glimpses of. There are good people among the monsters. There is hope for redemption.
What didn’t work
Of course, so few things in this life are perfect, and this episode was no exception. For instance, I was irritated by the insinuation that Butcher cheated on his wife.
That just doesn’t make any sense. We’ve seen flashbacks of Billy and Becca. They were happy. He was happy. He was head over heels for her. And I don’t think it’s realistic or necessary for the character to throw in that he cheated. It does nothing to add to the story, it’s just a weird and offputting moment.
Doesn’t Butcher have enough to hate about himself? Can’t we just give him that at least he was a good husband?
Finally, I kind of hate that we ended up with Annie being caught. It’s just cliche, which is something I don’t normally say about this show. It feels lazy unless they do something very clever with it in the last episode. Which, I suppose, they might.
Next up is the season finale. And with this season being as insane as it has been, I’m expecting nothing short of bloody fireworks. And I mean literal fireworks of blood. At this point, would it surprise anyone?
(4 / 5)
Episode six of The Boys was one of the most surprising episodes of the series so far. And that is certainly saying something. Because this season has so far been bonkers.
The story
Our episode today revolves around a party at Tek Knight’s lovely mansion. Yes, it does look just like Wayne Manor.
The Boys know that Tek Knight is working with Homelander on something, but they don’t know the details. So they decide to send Hughie in to bug the mansion.
Because that’s worked so well the other two times he’s tried to hide a bug!
It should surprise no one that this time goes no better. Hughie finds himself in Tek Knight’s basement. And by that I mean his BDSM dungeon.
Meanwhile, the party upstairs is no less disturbing. Homelander and Sage are trying to convince some well-off political donors to support a cue after the election. When pressed for details on his plan, Homelander freezes. He looks to Sage for help, but she wasn’t recently shot in the head and still in the junk food stage of her healing.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, Neuman jumps in and saves the day.
What works
If I’m going to say one thing about this episode, it didn’t hold back at all. I didn’t expect them to show a character masturbating, sitting their bare behind on a cake, or spraying breastmilk into someone’s face. But every time I thought they’d cut the scene and let something be left to our imagination, they did not do that.
This is a dangerous move. Whenever you show the monster, you run the risk of them not being scary enough, or gross enough. As Stephen King says in Danse Macabre, to leave this sort of thing to the imagination if the reader makes things so much worse. So when they finally experience the monster, they might say that this isn’t so bad. It could have been so much worse.
But in this case, they managed to avoid that by making the scenes, especially the ones in Tek Knight’s dungeon, so much worse than I imagined it would be.
What doesn’t work
While this was a deeply disturbing episode in many ways, there was one really innocent and sweet moment.
And yes, I did have a problem with it.
Confronted by Firecracker, Annie decides to apologize for spreading rumors about her when they were kids. She tells her that she is genuinely sorry.
And I believe her. I don’t think Firecracker did, but I did.
So why is this an issue? Because I’m starting to think that Annie is maybe too nice. She is too good.
I know that Annie is our good guy. But every one of the other good guys has flaws. Hughie let his pride get in the way and took Temp V. MM hid himself from his daughter instead of teaching her to work through her emotions. Kimiko is far too closed off and has a hard time trusting others. Frenchie numbs himself with drugs. And well, what hasn’t Butcher done?
It is unrealistic that Annie is just so kind and so flawless. We all have shadows in our personalities. We all have weaknesses, we all mess up. We all do things we wish we could take back. The fact that Annie doesn’t seem to have anything like that is not just unrealistic. It’s infantilizing.
Give her some deep dark secrets. Give her something real to regret.
This was a shocking episode, even for someone fairly jaded like me. I wasn’t expecting the sort of weird sexual depravity, though I guess maybe I should have seen it coming. It was dark, upsetting, tense, and funny as hell. And with just two episodes left in the season, I can imagine the stakes are only going to get higher.
(4 / 5)
By the way, if you like my writing you can get my short story, Man In The Woods, on Smashwords and Amazon.
