Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss pregnancy in fiction, with plenty of stories from Robyn's experiences and horrified responses from Karen and Carla. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Content note: Body horror, vomiting This episode originally recorded April 2019. Who We Are Karen: I’m Karen Healey, a writer and teacher in Christchurch New Zealand and I may have eaten my twin in the womb Robyn: I’m Robyn Fleming, a writer and parent in Tucson, Arizona. I have been pregnant twice, which makes me the foremost expert in this podcast.  Carla: I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney in the Midwest USA, and I have never and will never be pregnant. I love everyone in this metaphorical bar.

Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss the media they consume when they need comfort. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. This episode was recorded on May 31, 2020, in the middle of another publicized outbreak of police violence and brutality captured on video in the USA and in New Zealand, specifically violence and brutality against Black people. This episode is about media we consume in times of crisis, media that can help us find a moment of comfort so that we can keep fighting. The number of Black people murdered by police continues to rise, and we must continue to fight. This Metaphorical Bar stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter in the USA and around the world. We have donated money to bail funds and Black community resource groups and have volunteered when able. No life can matter until Black lives matter, and we encourage our non-Black listeners to fight for Black lives. All Black lives. Trans Black lives. Queer Black lives. Disabled Black lives. Black lives in all their forms.

Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss how they write, how other authors write, and how there's no One True Way. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Robyn Fleming, a writer and parent in Tucson, Arizona. I threw a birthday party with 28 children in attendance last weekend, and I am still recovering. Carla: I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney in the Midwest USA, and I once answered a question Karen asked me and then told her she’d interrupted make-outs. She thought I meant real make-outs. I meant writing make-outs. I can safely say I would not interrupt real make-outs to answer a text. Karen: I’m Karen Healey, a writer and teacher in Christchurch New Zealand, and I once punched myself in the throat while trying to choreograph a fight scene.

Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss fashion and fiction and fatness. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Carla M Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, and I’m wearing a University of Michigan hoodie over a black pro wrestling shirt (Bray Wyatt), blue jeans, and red and black socks. I’m Karen Healey,  an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and I’m wearing my new! favourite! jeans! and a purple sleeveless top I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. I am wearing pajamas right now, but earlier I had on a tshirt that said “Not to brag, but I totally got out of bed today” - I often get compliments from other moms on my sick t-shirt game.

Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss fashion and fiction and fatness. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Carla M Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, and I’m wearing a University of Michigan hoodie over a black pro wrestling shirt (Bray Wyatt), blue jeans, and red and black socks. I’m Karen Healey,  an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and I’m wearing my new! favourite! jeans! and a purple sleeveless top I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. I am wearing pajamas right now, but earlier I had on a tshirt that said “Not to brag, but I totally got out of bed today” - I often get compliments from other moms on my sick t-shirt game.

Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss the bad and the ugly of writing the weather (okay, some good too). Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Karen Healey,  an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and yesterday I got hella sunburned. I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. Last month I went to the Grand Canyon with Karen, and it was beautiful! But also super fucking cold and I slipped on ice and fell RIGHT on my butt. And my pride. I’m Carla M Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, and I had two different birthday trips cancelled do to storms that took Missouri from 70 degrees to blizzard.

Note: We’re talking about menstruation over the next couple of episodes; we try to use gender-neutral language because not all women menstruate and people who menstruate are not all women. We apologize for moments when we mess that up. Note: This is the third, and final, episode in a series about writing menstruation. Note: There are some personal details about how each host experiences menstruation that may be considered TMI. This is the episode that we had to record a second time and the conversation went even longer than normal, so this will be split into multiple episodes. Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss menstruation. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. I got my first period on my twelfth birthday. Which was also the day I got my ears pierced. It was a pretty eventful birthday. I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, I don’t remember when I got my first period, so instead I’ll tell you that I have a scar on my face sort of shaped like North and South America. I’m Karen Healey, an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and my mother said “Congratulations!” in a way that was cool but also she looked DEEPLY FEARFUL about the fact that her oldest child was now official maturing.

Note: We’re talking about menstruation over the next couple of episodes; we try to use gender-neutral language because not all women menstruate and people who menstruate are not all women. We apologize for moments when we mess that up. Note: This is the second in a series about writing menstruation. The first episode ended with talk about “Boobs” by Suzy McKee Charnas, and how a perfectly appropriate response to bullying is to eat them. Note: There are some personal details about how each host experiences menstruation that may be considered TMI. This is the episode that we had to record a second time and the conversation went even longer than normal, so this will be split into multiple episodes. Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss menstruation. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. I got my first period on my twelfth birthday. Which was also the day I got my ears pierced. It was a pretty eventful birthday.I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, I don’t remember when I got my first period, so instead I’ll tell you that I have a scar on my face sort of shaped like North and South America.I’m Karen Healey, an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and my mother said “Congratulations!” in a way that was cool but also she looked DEEPLY FEARFUL about the fact that her oldest child was now official maturing.

Production notes: Still a faint echo sometimes when Robyn is speaking. Working on it, but we had recorded through the next few episodes before we knew about it.  Notes: We’re talking about menstruation over the next couple of episodes; we try to use gender-neutral language because not all women menstruate and people who menstruate are not all women. We apologize for moments when we mess that up. This is the episode that we had to record a second time and the conversation went even longer than normal, so this will be split into multiple episodes. Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss menstruation. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. I got my first period on my twelfth birthday. Which was also the day I got my ears pierced. It was a pretty eventful birthday.I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, I don’t remember when I got my first period, so instead I’ll tell you that I have a scar on my face sort of shaped like North and South America.I’m Karen Healey, an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand, and my mother said “Congratulations!” in a way that was cool but also she looked DEEPLY FEARFUL about the fact that her oldest child was now official maturing.

Production notes: We fixed the previous issue with the popping and cutting out in Robyn’s recording. Yay! And promptly ran into another issue where there is now a faint echo in her recording. Boo. Working on that resolution now, but we recorded a few episodes before we realized it was happening. Authors Robyn Fleming, Karen Healey, and Carla M. Lee discuss the redemption through death trope. Summary of the episode and all show notes can be found at ThisMetaphoricalBar.com. Who We Are I’m Karen Healey, an author and teacher living in Otautahi New Zealand. And I totally DESTROYED our last recording session and it was REALLY GOOD I’m Robyn Fleming, a parent and writer in Tucson, Arizona. If I eat too many walnuts, my gums bleed. I’m Carla M. Lee, an author, artist, and attorney living in the Midwest USA, in October, I went shopping for a giant inflatable donkey for a Christmas display. For work. Yes, I’m still a corporate attorney. In-house lawyering is great.. and I love everyone in this metaphorical bar