The first episode in our eight-episode Deep Dive into Howard’s weekly webcomic strip, Schlock Mercenary. We grill Howard on how he taught himself to draw, why he decided to self-publish (hint: his wife, Sandra Tayler, helped him), and how he managed to write an ending.  Homework:  The "How it should have ended" game: write your own ending(s) to one or more of your favorite things. (For reference, watch some of How It Should Have Ended.)  Thing of the Week:  The Expanse (DongWon)  Mentioned Links:  Schlock Mercenary How It Should Have Ended Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson. Join Our Writing Community!  Patreon Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter Sign up for our newsletter:  https://writingexcuses.com Our Sponsors: * Check out HelloFresh: http://hellofresh.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands