Booked All Night
Welcome to Booked All Night, the podcast where hot takes meet the (highly subjective) craft of reading and writing, and nobody gets enough sleep. Join Jess, Katy, Julia, & Maggie as they deep dive into great books and share their excessive knowledge of writing with the vibes of a bunch of kids at a sleepover who have far too much sugar.You can contact us at BLOG.BOOKEDALLNIGHT @ GMAIL.COM or visit LNK.BIO/BOOKEDALLNIGHT
An Interview With Ourselves (Part 2)
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It's here! The (month-)long-awaited second half of our Interview With Ourselves brings Jess, Julia, and Maggie back to tackle difficult topics like "Which Muppet would play each host?", and, "How are you reading 'golden retriever guy' energy from this dark erotic fiction that you keep recommending?".
Along the way, they respond to questions from our Discord community, discuss favorite and least favorite tropes, finally reveal the full, official lore behind Jess's many degrees, recap the podcast's history, play a few rounds of Bring Your Own Book, and not-so-patiently wait for Julia's...
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Movie Watch Party!
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Are you coming to the tree?
The #Butt2Butt nonsense only grows more ridiculous as the night grows long in our last special watch-along episode of our deep dive into The Hunger Games series. Join Jess, Katy, Julia, and Maggie as they discuss important changes to make in adaptations, sanitized shipping labels, how the Hunger Games themselves might reflect (or be reflected in) other sports, and the significant tools in the arsenal of character development. It's the capstone on A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and you don't want to mis...
Arc vs. Stunted Parabola: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Part 3
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There is an implicit understanding in Western culture that a good story involves the focal character learning something that forces change in their life. But what happens if that character arc ends in the same place that it started? Can that still make for a good story?
It's our final examination of Suzanne Collins's A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Jess, Julia, and Maggie all have strong opinions on the definition of self-defense, the nature of character evolution, whether or not word people can be math people, and where they'd like t...
Don't Pop My Logic Bubble: An Interview with Libby Tanner
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IT'S THE LAST INTERVIEW OF THE SEASON! This week we're joined by Libby Tanner, author of Bigger Than Versace. We talked about how the British spelling of some words is just better, the best sweats to wear while writing, played some games, and did a lot of talking about the writing life.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred...
Between Death and Disgrace: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Part 2
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Why is popular fiction so full of obsessive men who jealously stake their claim over women? What is it about this possessive streak that so many people find entrancing when it's so clearly a sign of self-fixation?
AND WHY ARE ALL THE POV CHARACTERS IN THE HUNGER GAMES SO BAD AT ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR FRIENDSHIPS???
Julia and Maggie tackle the continuing... continuation? solidification? definition? of Coriolanus Snow into the villain we love in this exploration of chapters 11-20 of Suzanne Collins's A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
We volunteer as tribut...
Co-ri-ol-ANUS: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Part 1
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What makes a good villain? More importantly, do the elements that make for a good villain translate into the elements that make for a compelling POV character?
While we're at it, how do you pronounce all of these names? Corio-what? Se-Jonas Brothers? Can we get away with calling Clem-whatever-who-turns-into-a-lizard "Clizzard?" ("Yer a clizzard, Harry!")
Join Jess, Katy, Julia, and Maggie as they tackle Part 1 of Suzanne Collins's A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and its exploration of the world that would make the Hunger Games relevant.
(And also wh...
An Interview With Ourselves! (Part 1)
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Have you ever wanted to learn the dark secrets of your favorite podcasters?
Why is it that Julia has never read any of the books on her shelves at home? How many degrees does Jess really have? Why is Katy compelled to make constant Titanic references? How deep does Maggie's noodle obsession go? How do you pronounce "Schenectady"?
Join us for the first half of a special Self-Interview session in which Jess, Julia, and Maggie tackle several of these questions, discuss horrific injuries, wait for Chinese Take-Out, and get a dose of...
The Mockingjay Part 2 Movie Watch Party!
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The wait is over!
Okay, it's only been a week, but still, the Mockingjay, Part 2 watchalong has arrived! Join Jess, Katy, Julia, and Maggie as they let their hearts get broken again and again and again, discuss the power (and acceptability) of storytelling tropes, blame cows, and generally have a good, tired time while they bring this chapter of our Hunger Games series to a close.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breakin...
The Mockingjay Part 1 Movie Watch Party!
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Get your pillow forts set up, Booklettes, it's time to hunker down for the first half of our marathon through the Mockingjay films!
Join Jess, Julia, and Maggie as they sing their hearts out, swap stories about pets and phobias, jeer at Gale, and examine the pros and cons of a good book-to-film adaptation during this watchalong episode.
And if you feel like waiting 'til next week so that you can do both parts back-to-back, we don't blame you. Just, y'know, make sure you've got that four hours open.
We v...
Maybe Yes or Definitely Yes: An Interview with Sarah Everett
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Can you believe this is one of the final interviews of the season? Because that's insane. This week, Sarah Everett stopped by to talk about THE ROMANCE REWIND. Jess and Sarah both have a love of The Flashlight Method, a writing craft tool to work in smaller segments of your work, some weird internet research history (as all writers do), and of course, their hatred for group projects.
They played BRING YOUR OWN BOOK and SPACE 'EM OR EMBRACE 'EM.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of ...
Everywhere-a-Lag-Lag: Mockingjay, 22-28
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As we bring our time with the original Hunger Games trilogy to a close (the books, at least; join us for the remaining movies over the next two weeks), we have the chance to retrospect on Suzanne Collins's Mockingjay, its fit with the other books, and its place in history. So naturally, Jess and Katy skim over this this in favor of discussing the significance of pacing as communication, the importance of fanfiction, what makes for a good sacrificial lamb character, and the bad habit of stretching an IP too far.
We vol...
A Family Friendly Murder Mystery with KITTENS: An Interview with Kit Gray
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Here comes Kit Gray! And also a trio of kittens. And also a "constellation of disabilities." And also a lot of sidetracks because when 2 talkers get together a lot of talking happens.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Haymitch, & more. All leading up to the theatrical release...
#TouchingFace: Mockingjay, 15-21
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Suzanne Collins's Mockingjay is a book! And we're reading it! On a book podcast! Who knew??
But because it's a book, there are certain conventions and cultural thought patterns that need to be followed in order for it to communicate well, and well... we have thoughts. Jess, Katy, and Julia discuss how to identify lazy writing, logical character development, expressing themes through character behavior (and not just names), and whether or not the author might have a subconscious face fetish.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of T...
The Face of Desperation and Desire: Mockingjay, 8-14
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Has anyone actually stopped to let any of Katniss's concussions heal? Is it like one continuous pet concussion from the middle of The Hunger Games to right now?
Jess and Julia continue our dive into Susanne Collins's Mockingjay, dissecting how context impacts our interpretation of character motive, exploring what makes for a compelling lore drop scene, discussing the philosophical groundwork necessary for successful despotism, and finally getting into the meat of why Jess hates Gale so much.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger...
I'll Murder Him On Tuesday: An Interview with Allison Bettes
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This week Jess was joined by Allison Bettes, Dr Pepper addict, weather nerd, and author of the Ranger Shield Security, Raising the Bar, and Cupid Meets Crime Scene romantic suspense series.
You can order Red Flag Warning and more from our BookShop page which not only supports the pod but also indie bookstores, or directly from Allison's website (which includes free shipping and a signed copy!)
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books<...
What Do They Do With Disabled People?: Mockingjay, 1-7
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New district, who dis?
We've made it to the final book of the original Hunger Games trilogy, and oh gosh, oh golly, oh my, do we have thoughts. Jess, Katy, and Julia plumb the implications of District 13's way of life, outline fanfiction, propose conspiracy theories, and examine some fascinating juxtaposition of childish behavior against adult responsibility. They even manage to get past Chapter 3... eventually.
It's our first episode of Suzanne Collins's Mockingjay, and we're definitely staying up too late.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the wor...
The Catching Fire Movie Watch Party!
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Its that time again, Booklettes!
Grab your popcorn, cue up your favorite streaming service (or if you're old like us, your DVD player), and get ready for two hours of live sleep-deprived commentary on the second film from Suzanne Collins's the Hunger Games!
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Ha...
Just Friends Forever - Catching Fire, 22-End
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How do you walk the line between compelling and frustrating when your POV character is clueless about what's going on around her? Does the conditioning of their everyday world excuse their inability to recognize physical and emotional longing when they arise? And does that inability make for a good story? "Why is everyone trying to save Peeta when I specifically requested it?" How much humanity and baseline compassion should your characters sacrifice in order to create a scene that traumatizes that POV character for the sake of a good story? Does Jess really call...
Sugar Cubes and Strategically-Placed Knots - Catching Fire, 15-21
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We've established that underwear does exist in Panem, so why isn't anyone wearing it?
Our ongoing discussion of Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games series continues with even more of Catching Fire. Amidst continuing angst over Katniss's "friend" problem, Jess and Julia discuss communication tropes, how flat characters can be used to effectively portray thematic elements, some speculation on how things might have played out differently if certain characters' political gambits had actually worked, teenage hormones, and... cows.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games<...
The Chosen One™ - Catching Fire, 8-14
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Whose bright idea was it to make a teenage girl the symbol of an uprising against tyranny?
Our deep dive into Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games series continues, with Jess and Julia tackling the literary path of Katniss's mid-Catching Fire character development, the sheer illogic of many tropes that YA fiction takes for granted, sooo many sad emojis over Haymitch, even more of that ongoing "just friends" frustration, and of course, much more.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books
Biblically Inaccurate Redemption Arc: An Interview with Gabriel Garcia
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Another great interview in the books. Gabriel Garcia stopped by to talk about MICHAEL: LAST ANGEL ON EARTH. We played Space 'Em or Embrace 'Em and Never Have I Ever Spoiled My Own Book, spoiler alert, Gabriel had to spoil something.
We love our games here.
MICHAEL: LAST ANGEL ON EARTH
In a world torn apart by darkness and despair, one fallen warrior must find his way back to redemption. Barjon, once known as Michael, the Archangel of War, now a mortal...
You Never Get Off This Train: Catching Fire, 1-7
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Everything is fine! Can't you see that everything is fine?
Our deep dive into Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games Series continues as we jump into Catching Fire. Join Jess, Katy, and Julia as they discuss worldbuilding, characterization through action, whether or not Katniss is a complete idiot, the fact that Gale sucks, just how much they'd love to see how a rebellion came together, and much more.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breakin...
The Hunger Games Movie Watch Party!
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It's an extra-special Watch-Along Episode of Booked All Night! Join the entire BAN team as they hold their discussion live along the first Hunger Games film (film supplied separately), touching on the practicalities of adaptation, the opportunities provided by change in medium, whether or not it actually looks like a cornucopia, and much, much more!
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with t...
Team Asexual Katniss: The Hunger Games, 22-27
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Our dive into The Hunger Games continues with that age-old debate: which boy is the right boy? Is there a right boy? Is our hatred of the one boy due to his behavior now, or our knowledge of his later behavior? If there are teenage boys, then why is there none of the hormonally-driven physiology and behavior that we all know comes with being a teenage boy? Or girl, for that matter?
Join Jess, Katy, and Julia as they ask these questions and more, diving into the many-year influence of Suzanne Collin...
A Whole New Attitude About Murder: The Hunger Games, 15-21
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It's her first kill, of course it's going to change her... (but what about all of the kills before this one?)
Jess and Julia continue our dive into Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, touching on emotion and emotionality in YA fiction, the significance of kissing without a hygiene regimen, real-life experience with concussion and illness, whether or not tributes... get intimate... in the arena, and much more.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies break...
Subways, Magic Systems. They're Both Complicated: An Interview with Brittany Ranew
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This week we're joined by Brittany Ranew, author of Lion of Fire, to talk about the nature of destiny, magical subway systems, and how enraged we all become when someone interrupts our writing time.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Haymitch, & more. All leading up to the theatrical release of S...
I am an Artiste With Fondant: The Hunger Games, Chapters 8-14
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The Games have begun in our reread of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, and we're still absolutely stuck on Peeta's amazing cake decorating skills. As they make their way through the second third of the book, Jess and Julia discuss the potential for less than savory motives among the folks in the Games' support staff, whether or not the first half of the book would be better told through flashbacks, the importance of demonstrating realistic responses through a character's emotional journey, which old Games site they'd want to recreationally camp at (hint: not one wi...
They Like My Sister: The Hunger Games, Chapters 1-7
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We volunteer!
It's the first episode of our official reread of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and there's so much we're picking out now that we know where the series goes. Jess, Katy, and Julia discuss catalysts of revolution, whether or not Katniss is on the spectrum, the potential state of elder care in District 12, the evolution of teen lit, and much more.
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Hosts: Jessica Mary, K. Leigh, and Julia.
Booked All Night is produced by Rob...
Dear Google, I Promise I'm Fine: An Interview with Olivia Danson
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Two ramblers enter a podcast recording and NO ONE CAN STOP THEM. This week, Jess and special guest Olivia Danson talk about THE DARKEST GLASS, gothic horror, young adult literature conventions, why it's all Florida's fault, and more.
We even had questions from the members of The Pillow Fort (our free-to-join Discord server).
*Special note from Jess: FROM is on MGM+
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 mo...
Laughing at Rue's Death: The Hunger Games Series Precap!
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Ready your cannons, tributes: We're officially starting our countdown to the Sunrise on the Reaping film with a complete reread of The Hunger Games Seriesby Suzanne Collins. And what better way to start than to forget characters' names, discuss traumatic memories, and start a counter for every time someone says "Katna and Penis" instead of "Katniss and Peeta"?
Join Jess, Katy, Julia, and Producer Rob on a trip down SEVENTEEN YEARS of Hunger Games memories and expectations that sets our usual unhinged tone for the season to come!
...
That's One Hellish Prom Date: An Interview with Henry Corrigan
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Henry's been here before so this interview is pure chaos. How much chaos you ask? Well, the book is about some Eldritch prom night horrors having their own nightly fun, the questions are about snacks, disco balls, and flamingos, and it's a little over an hour long.
You love it. We love it. Don't forget to buy it on our BookShop.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the charact...
At Least, I Don't Think I've Killed Anyone : An Interview with Julee Balko
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You want context for the title? TOO BAD! You're going to have to listen to our interview with Julee Balko. We talked about Square Hearts, the importance of seeing yourself in media, and who the best Muppet is.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Haymitch, & more. All leading up to the...
The Secret Ingredient Is The Emotional Support Chicken: An Interview with Carmela Dutra
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Hot takes? More like hot wings. Carmela Dutra stopped by to talked about HOT WINGS AND HOMICIDE the sequel to A MURDER MOST FOWL, a cozy murder mystery series centered around twins who run a hot wings food truck. We played SPACE EM OR EMBRACE EM and BRING YOUR OWN BOOK.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our
On The Fly Interviews at the South Jersey Children's Book Festival
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April 11th was the 3rd annual South Jersey Children's Book Festival. We don't read much kidlit here at the pod anymore but it's all still Jess's favorite. Check the links below and show these authors and illustrators some love!
Veronica MangTracey BaptistePooja MakhijaniJonathan StutzmanArtie BennetAnne LambeletWe volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love <...
I've Never Been So Mad About Seeing Myself in Literature - Katabasis, Part 3
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We finished Katabasis. Tears were shed. Screams were uttered. Angsty text messages were exchanged. One could say that we had strong feelings about it.
Along the road to discussing a well-crafted ending, Jess and Maggie examine what it means to tackle the writing of grief and frustration, the normalization of immigrant culture, Jess's obsession with floppy hats, and just who R. F. Kuang might have intended her audience to be.
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Hosts: Jessica Mary, K. Leigh, Magdalyn Ann, and Julia, with special gu...
I Want Another Gold Star - Katabasis, Part 2
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Disaster strikes when Katy's bookmark gets put back in the wrong place, so Jess has to hardcore recap Part 2 of R. F. Kuang's Katabasis (with a snooty "ahhh" sound, we've learned). But in the process, they still discuss a ton of crafting notes, realistic communication of abuse and suicidal ideation, the lies we tell ourselves to get through bad situations, and the greatest paradox of all: whether or not academia boils down to our desire to be recognized.
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Hosts: Jessica Mary, K. Leigh, Magdal...
No, Actually, I AM Smart Enough for This - Katabasis, Part 1
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It's official. Hell is a college campus.
Join Jess and Maggie on a descent to the underworld that keeps calling them out personally. Along the way, they visit the measure of unreliable narrators (or is it unreliable perception?), far too much Mellville, the benefit of writing friends over lovers, an incredible amount of philosophy, and our love of the Only One Bed trope. It's Katabasis by R. F. Kuang, and we're loving it.
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Hosts: Jessica Mary, K. Leigh, Magdalyn Ann, and Julia...
History Will Remember Them As Bunkmates: An Interview with Anastasia Arellano
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What an amazing interview we had complete with technical issues and games that tortured our guest, Anastasia Arellano. BETWEEN THE SHADOWS doesn't come out until 2027 but you can pre-order it here.
Camp Wildflower is a summer camp for delinquent teens run by renowned psychologist Alistair Monk. And something is very amiss here.
Skylar Murphy and Olympia “Ollie” Hamilton are paired as reluctant bunkmates. Skylar, avoiding juvie after accidentally setting her ex-girlfriend’s garage on fire, and Ollie, sent by her conservative politician mother following a homophobic incident, mu...
Sour Demon Candy & Judgmental Cats: An Interview with Kelly Preston
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This week, Julia interviewed Kelly Preston about her book DEMON TO YOUR RIGHT. Technical high jinx were had all around but we've done our best to clean it up. And of course, we tortured Kelly with a few games, and asked some outrageous questions.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Ha...
Do Aliens Write FanFic?: An Interview with Michael J Brooks
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We're joined this week by Michael J Brooks, author of the WARS OF THE NEW HUMANITY series. We talked about the importance of the theme of UNlearning and where dystopia fits in today's literary and political landscape.
We volunteer as tribute--repeatedly. We're diving into the world of The Hunger Games: all 5 books, all 6 movies breaking down the world, the characters, the feelings, that weird thing with the pearl, our hatred for Gale, our love for Haymitch, & more. All leading up to the the...
