Episode 77 of Speculate! — Writing Workshop Discussion with Cat Rambo and Luc Reid

by on June 10, 2013 in Miscellaneous

                     

Welcome back for Episode 77 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this special episode we take a look at the potential benefits and pitfalls of writing workshops with two veteran workshop goers, authors Cat Rambo and Luc Reid, discussing how workshops function at their best, when an author is ready to attend a workshop, and how that author can get the most out of the experience.  We also chat a bit about related subjects, like Luc’s brainchild Codex, and how community building for authors is an important step in building successful careers.  If you enjoy the discussion as much as we did, make sure to check out more of Luc and Cat’s work–and don’t forget to check back for our next episode, which will be recorded live at the Origins convention in Columbus this coming week!  (And if you happen to be in the Columbus area, please stop by and say hello.)  Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word!

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Episode 76 of Speculate! — Tim Powers Writing Discussion

by on May 20, 2013 in Writing Discussion

Welcome to Episode 76 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we present the final installment of our triptych of shows on the work of Tim Powers with a discussion of some of the writing techniques used in his latest novel Hide Me Among The Graves, looking at the artful use of mystery, creating and fulfilling an implied contract between writer and reader, immersing oneself in the world being created, learning the value of both giving and receiving critiques, and being comfortable with the kind of writer you are–all things represented by and in Tim’s work.  If you like what you see and hear, don’t forget to check back in two weeks when we’ll talk about the joys and sorrows of writing workshops with veteran writers (and fellow Codexians) Cat Rambo and Luc Reid.  Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

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Episode 75 of Speculate! — Tim Powers Author Discussion

by on May 8, 2013 in Author Interviews

Welcome to Episode 75 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we continue our triptych of shows on the work of Tim Powers by talking to the man himself, who obliges us with a fascinating look into both his process of writing novels–where we discover that self-doubt can sometimes work better than self-confidence when it comes to motivation–and how he wrote his latest work, Hide Me Among The Graves.  We also get some insight into how Tim conducts historical research, why he likes poetry so much, and how constraints can foster creativity (and how a deadline can sometimes be considered “flexible”), all during a really enjoyable and illuminating interview that we hope you find as interesting as we did.  If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for our final show in the triptych, a discussion of some of the specific writing techniques used in Hide Me Among The Graves.  Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

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Episode 74 of Speculate! — Tim Powers Novel Review (Hide Me Among The Graves)

by on May 1, 2013 in Novel Reviews

Welcome to Episode 74 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we begin a new triptych of shows on the work of Tim Powers, focusing in particular on his most recent novel Hide Me Among The Graves–a “vampire ghost story” set in Victorian England starring poets, artists, prostitutes, and even a veterinarian.  What’s not to love?  As we touch on during our discussion, this is a book which rewards careful reading and knowledge of the genre, and between that and the historical research for which Tim is famous there’s a whole lot to chew on.  If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll interview the author of this fantastic mix of real and supernatural himself.  Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

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Episode 73 of Speculate! — Brian McClellan Author Discussion

by on April 17, 2013 in Author Interviews

Welcome to Episode 73 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we talk to author Brian McClellan about his debut epic fantasy series The Powder Mage Trilogy from Orbit Books, starting with Promise of Blood.  We talk about his writing process, his inspiration for the series, and how he grew from a student in Brandon Sanderson‘s creative writing course at BYU to an author with a hot new series with a lot of buzz…and what lessons he learned along the way.  This was a fun interview to conduct–and finding out that a flintlock grenade launcher “is an actual thing” was worth the experience by itself!  If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for the beginning of a new triptych on the work of  Tim Powers.  Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

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Greg reviews Brad’s Lays of Anuskaya Trilogy

by on April 10, 2013 in Miscellaneous

Only a little over 24 hours remain in Brad’s Kickstarter for the third book in his Lays of Anuskaya trilogy. Greg recently finished his read of Brad’s third book and had a few things to say about it. On video, no less! Now he can’t take any of it back!

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Episode 72 of Speculate! — Hybrid Author Discussion with Michael Sullivan

by on April 3, 2013 in Author Interviews

MichaelSullivan

A few episodes back, in Episode 68, we spoke with Matt Forbeck and Lee Moyer on Kickstarters. In this episode, we dig deeper into the “hybrid author,” someone who publishes both traditionally and via self-publishing. Michael Sullivan, the author of the Riyria Chronicles and the Riyria Revelations, is joined by his wife, Robin Sullivan, the “architect of Michael’s career,” and they talk to us about the ins and outs of being a hybrid author. Michael also has a Kickstarter running right now for his Hollow World novel, a standalone novel that, as you’ll hear in our episode, didn’t quite fit the traditional publishing model.

And speaking of Kickstarters, be sure to check out Brad’s Kickstarter for The Flames of Shadam Khoreh, the concluding volume in his Lays of Anuskaya trilogy.

HollowWorld

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Episode 71 of Speculate! — Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm Writing Discussion

by on March 20, 2013 in Writing Discussion

InheritanceAndOtherStories

Join Greg and Brad as we talk writing using Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm’s short story collection, The Inheritance & Other Stories, as inspiration. We talk about writing “the other” with low human-oriented reference, altered awareness as story scope expands, character arcs, and more. We also give, and allow us to repeat it here, a huge thank you to all our supporters who gave us a nod in the Hugo preliminary voting. Here’s hoping we make it onto the short list, but either way, we couldn’t have gotten here without your help. Thanks for your comments and for spreading the word as far as you have. We appreciate it very much.

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Episode 70 of Speculate! — Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm Author Interview

by on March 6, 2013 in Author Interviews

Welcome to Episode 70 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we present the second installment of our triptych on the work of Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm with our interview of both writers–all wrapped up in one person!  We cover a lot of ground with Robin and Megan, discussing (among other topics) the origin of her pseudonyms, where she finds her inspiration, the differences between writing novels and short stories and how to best represent the voice of a cat.  Robin’s graciousness and mastery of the craft is evident throughout, and we hope you enjoy listening to the interview as much as we enjoyed conducting it.  If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for our final episode in the triptych, discussing some of the writing techniques Robin and Megan use in The Inheritance and Other Stories.  Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word (and if you haven’t already done so, please head here for details on how you can nominate Speculate! in the Hugo Awards Best Fancast category–the deadline is Sunday, March 10th)!

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Episode 69 of Speculate! — Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm Anthology Review (The Inheritance and Other Stories)

by on February 27, 2013 in Short Fiction Reviews

Welcome to Episode 69 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  With this episode we begin a new triptych of shows on the work of Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, looking at the 2011 short story collection The Inheritance and Other Stories–the first time both pseudonyms have been brought together in one volume.  In particular we talk about Lindholm’s stories “A Touch of Lavender” and “The Fifth Squashed Cat,” along with Hobb’s stories “The Inheritance” and  “Cat’s Meat”; although both names belong to one author, the voices and emphases are quite different, and we look at both those differences and the assured touch of a speculative fiction master evident throughout all of the book.  If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll continue the triptych with our interview of Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm herself.  Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

P.S. Time is running out to nominate Speculate! in the Hugo Awards Best Fancast category–the deadline is only a week away, on Sunday, March 10th, so if you haven’t already done so, please head here for all the details…and thanks!

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