Brent shares his newest project—being a digital nomad! He and his husband Michael are traveling the world as digital nomads. They do their normal writing work, except they get to do it from Miami, Italy, Malta, Bulgaria, and all sorts of other interesting places. Right now, Brent and Michael are in Bulgaria—pizza is $2 and a good meal is less than $20. It beats what they were paying when they lived in Seattle, one of the most expensive cities in the world. They are chronicling their trip at Bren...
Jul 26, 2018•19 min
We haven’t checked in about our own writing and publishing. Brent talks about the possibility of a new Geography Club TV show and what it was like to be nominated for an Edgar Award for his book Three Truths and a Lie. He is also working on a couple of screenwriting projects. Erik talks about querying his new sci-fi novel and a play he wrote last year. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Links Mentioned This Episode Media Carnivores Patreon Campaign Media Consumed This Episode Geography Club...
May 11, 2017
Writers exist on a sort of continuum: the best selling phenomenons at the top, and then a long tail of writers of various success as you go lower and lower on the continuum. What truly separates those at the top from those lower? Excellent marketing? Superior plotting and writing? Luck? All of the above? We look into the difference between Stephen King (one of the most successful writers in almost every respect) and ourselves (considerably lower on that long tail). It’s a good excuse to talk abo...
Apr 13, 2017
This special bonus episode of Media Carnivores is about Brent’s new book, The Otto Digmore Difference . Otto is a recurring character from the Russel Middlebrook series (he appears in both the original series and the “new adult” series about Russel’s early 20s). In this book, Otto is the narrator and main character and Russel is the supporting character. It’s a new take on Russel and Otto that fans will love and that new readers will find totally approachable as well. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger ...
Feb 24, 2017
Movies can make us fall in love all over again. But they also can show us terribly inaccurate stories about love. Brent and Erik talk about movie love stories—the good, the bad, and the fantasy. Brent and Erik also check in about their writing. Erik talks about how he used a two-day writing retreat to get a stalled novel going again. And Brent talks about what it means to have his novel Three Truths and a Lie “earn out” on his advance from the publisher. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg L...
Feb 14, 2017
The Lord of the Rings was an important moment in recent cinema: the scope of its filmmaking and audacity in filming three movies at once, the elevation of the fantasy genre, its pioneering special effects, and much more. But it’s now sixteen years since the first movie was released and much has changed in cinema and fantasy. It seemed like a good time to look at the trilogy and ask how it holds up to a rewatch. Brent and Erik also check in about their writing. Brent’s novel Three Truths and a Li...
Jan 27, 2017
“Political correctness” is an unfortunately-named shorthand description for how we talk about gender, race, privilege, and more. As it applies to stories like movies and TV, questions can arise about how certain tropes, characters, or stereotypes are “politically correct.” For example: Was Passengers sexist? Was Doctor Strange racist? Yes? No? Or is there nuance? How do we talk about these questions with each other and the creators? Check it out as Brent and Erik tackle so-called “political corr...
Jan 13, 2017
How technology and science are portrayed in movies and TV is always changing. Science fiction writers have dealt with this for years, but what about non-science fiction stories. How are these things treated in stories about our everyday lives? Brent and Erik also check in about their writing. Brent is preparing for a new experiment that might become a book—”Five cities in five years.” And Erik talks about the first draft of a science fiction novel, tentatively titled “That Time in Venice.” If yo...
Dec 06, 2016
Food is everywhere in movies, TV, and books. Why does the camera linger so much on a grilled cheese sandwich in the movie Chef? Why do meals create such good drama? In preparation for Thanksgiving, Brent and Erik focus on food, feasts, and some of the most famous meals in cinema and TV. Dig in! Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Links Mentioned This Episode Media Carnivores Patreon Campaign Media Consumed This Episode Chef (film, 2014) Lady and the Tramp (film, 1955) Last Tango in Paris (fi...
Nov 16, 2016
In this episode, Brent and Erik talk about alien invasions—when are the aliens the monsters and when are we the monsters? We cover the fear alien invasions inspire, and the deeper issues about how aliens can force us to confront our own humanity. But of course, sometimes there isn’t a deeper metaphor, and it’s just us versus them, and we talk about that too. We also check in about writing and publishing. Erik talks about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and how it kicked him into gear fo...
Nov 02, 2016
In this episode, Brent and Erik talk about how politics and power are portrayed in movies and TVs. How are US politics portrayed? How does Game of Thrones speak to our modern politics? We also talk...
Oct 19, 2016
In this episode, Brent and Erik talk about the choices writers face as they consider their future career. “Would you rather be a bestselling hack or a critical darling who never sells?” How writers approach...
Oct 12, 2016
In this episode, Brent offers up a theory about how to write something that will be successful over the long run: either write something perfect or write something with just one great thing that outweighs any...
Sep 23, 2016
Summer 2016 felt a little different, especially when it came to movies. Sequels bombed, and Netflix killed it with Stranger Things. So did something change? Was Summer 2016 a tipping point somehow? Brent and Erik...
Sep 08, 2016
Calvin and Hobbes ran for ten years from 1985 to 1995. Bill Watterson, its creator, is famously protective of his creation. He retired at the top of his career, he has never authorized any merchandising...
Aug 03, 2016
We’re talking about Brent’s new book, Three Truths and a Lie, published August 2, 2016, by Simon and Schuster. The YA/psychological thriller/horror is a new direction for Brent. Four teenagers go for a weekend vacation to...
Jul 27, 2016
Fandom brings artists and storytellers the opportunity to create art for a waiting and eager audience. Fans can be brought in to give feedback early, which helps both the fans and the creator. But sometimes fans...
Jul 23, 2016
It is easy to say that Steven Spielberg is the most successful American director. Just look at the box office of the movies he’s directed. But is he the best? That’s a much trickier question....
Jun 30, 2016
What is it about humanity that makes us enjoy watching scary movies? Why do we pay to go into a dark movie theater and watch terrible things? Brent and Erik delve into horror films and look at...
Jun 22, 2016
Since 2008, The Shawshank Redemption has been at the top of the IMDb Top 250 Films. It is a fixture on cable television. It is one of the most commonly cited “favorite films.” Why is...
Jun 08, 2016
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...
May 25, 2016
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...
May 11, 2016
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...
Apr 27, 2016
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...
Apr 13, 2016
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...
Mar 31, 2016
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...
Mar 17, 2016
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...
Mar 10, 2016
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...
Mar 03, 2016
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...
Feb 17, 2016•23 min
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...
Feb 03, 2016
