Speculate!

Episode 44 of Speculate!-Rob Ziegler Writing Discussion

Greg — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:00:08 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 44 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we conclude our series of shows on the work of Rob Ziegler with a discussion of some of the specific writing techniques used in his book Seed, looking at how gutsy writing with an attention to narrative voice and tone, muscular prose laced with moments of grace, and unity of message and theme makes Seed as good as it is–and how you might be able to use such techniques in your own work. If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for our interview with Brent Weeks, author of the Night Angel trilogy and other books. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 43 of Speculate!–Rob Ziegler Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:00:21 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 43 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our series of shows on the ecopunk novel Seed, interviewing author Rob Ziegler about his interest in the subject of climate change, his thoughts about grace within savagery, and why he’s glad he doesn’t always have to think about things like nano-toilet paper (it makes sense in the interview…trust us). Rob is as thoughtful a speaker as he is a writer, and we hope you enjoy what he has to say; if you do, we also hope you’ll check back next week, when we’ll release our concluding show of this triptych (on some of the writing techniques demonstrated in Seed). Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 42 of Speculate!–Rob Ziegler Novel Review (Seed)

Greg — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:00:59 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 42 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we start a new sequence of shows on the work of speculative fiction author Rob Ziegler, giving our reaction to and review of his book Seed, a new ecopunk novel from Night Shade Books which punches you in the solar plexus…and that’s just the beginning for this stunning vision of a bleak future. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll interview Rob about his book and his thoughts about what our actual future might look like. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 41 of Speculate!–Part Two of The State of the Field, with Special Guest Paul Genesse

Greg — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:00:21 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 41 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our look at the impact of E-books and independent publishing on the field of speculative fiction with part two of our talk with author and editor extraordinaire Paul Genesse, focusing here on what makes a book a book, what the kids must think of all of this, and what’s next for our genre. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back for our next episode when we’ll begin another triptych of shows on Seed, the new novel from Rob Ziegler. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 40 of Speculate!–Part One of The State of the Field, with Special Guest Paul Genesse

Greg — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:00:09 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 40 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we take a step back from our usual blend of reader response and writer analysis to look at the state of the speculative fiction field more generally, enlisting friend and fellow speculative fiction author and editor (in both traditional and independent modes) Paul Genesse to broaden the discussion. Our conversation went so long that we decided to split the show into two parts (we think an eighty minute episode would be a little extreme); in part one, we focus most of our attention on E-books and self-publication, looking at trends in the field and where we think things may head next. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for part two of our discussion with Paul. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

An Appeal to Our Good Listeners

Brad — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:40:46 +0000

Voting for the Hugos is now well underway. To our faithful listeners, if you feel like we deserve some recognition for this show, please consider voting for Speculate in the Best Fancast category. The nomination form and rules can be found at the Chicon 7 Hugo Nomination page. And if you do decide to vote for our little show, you have our thanks.

Sincerely,

Greg and Brad.

Episode 39 of Speculate!-Brandon Sanderson Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:00:30 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 39 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our run of great guests with our interview of Brandon Sanderson, bestselling epic fantasy author. This is one of our longer interviews, but when you have someone who can talk so easily and interestingly about magic systems, issues of balance in epic fantasy, the different stages of a writing career and what it’s like to complete the magnum opus of a speculative fiction legend, you sort of need to keep the tape rolling and enjoy the ride. Brandon also touches on teaching and podcasting in this wide-ranging discussion…and even admits that an inbox of fifty thousand unread E-mails can be a little overwhelming. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week for our first “state of the field” discussion with friend and fellow speculative fiction author Paul Genesse. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

(Side note: As we’ve mentioned before, Speculate! is eligible for nomination in the Best Related Work category of the Hugo awards, and if you’re eligible to nominate and feel so inclined, we would be honored to receive your support. The nominating deadline is 11:59 PST on March 11, 2012, so please head over there as soon as you can if you’re interested…and thanks!)

Episode 38 of Speculate!-Todd Lockwood Artist Interview

Greg — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:31 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 38 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we present our third artist interview, this one with giant of the field Todd Lockwood. Todd, who did the cover for Brad’s upcoming book The Straits of Galahesh, gives us a look into what inspires him about the field of speculative fiction, why he still doesn’t mind being known as the “dragon guy” in some circles and how the field has changed over his long career–and why the chance to paint Stephen Colbert as a paladin was too good to pass up. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll head back to the world of literature to interview another major player in speculative fiction, Brandon Sanderson. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 37 of Speculate!-Mark Hodder Writing Discussion

Greg — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:05 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 37 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we conclude our series of shows on the work of Mark Hodder with a discussion of some of the specific writing techniques used in his book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, looking at how the use of characters as foils, attention to theme, meditations on empire and other aspects of writing make Strange Affair such an interesting and enjoyable book…and how aspiring writers can learn to apply these techniques in their own work. We’ll be taking a break next week, but if you enjoy what you hear don’t forget to check back in two weeks for an interview with artist Todd Lockwood, and be on the lookout for our interview with Brandon Sanderson. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

(Side note: As you’ll hear at the end of this week’s show and will be seeing in more detail in an upcoming post, Speculate! is eligible for nomination in the Best Related Work category of the Hugo awards. Obviously there are a lot of worthy candidates to be nominated for something like this, but we thought you might not know if we didn’t say that we’d love to join that list. So if you’re a member of last year’s, this year’s or next year’s Worldcon, please head over to the official site before March 11, 2012 and consider nominating us (and others of the many choices in all the categories) in the Best Related Work category…and thanks!)

Episode 36 of Speculate!-Mark Hodder Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:45 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 36 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our sequence of shows on the work of Mark Hodder with an interview with the author himself. Mark’s fascinating insights on writing generally, steampunk specifically, and the role of theme in a story–how much punk should you have in your steam?–made this one of our most enjoyable interviews to date, and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did. If you enjoy the interview, don’t forget to check back next week for our concluding show of this triptych, a discussion of some of the writing techniques used in Mark’s book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 35 of Speculate!-Mark Hodder Novel Review (The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack)

Greg — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:44 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 35 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we start a new sequence of shows on the work of speculative fiction author Mark Hodder, giving our reaction to and review of his book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack–a cool steampunk novel which doesn’t forget about the punk while it’s presenting the steam! If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll interview Mark about this book and his take on steampunk and speculative fiction. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 34 of Speculate!-Carol Berg Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:19 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 34 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. We’re beginning our second year with a bang: in this episode we interview Carol Berg, veteran author of many fantasy novels and winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, about her inspirations in writing, the development of her career and her love for (and advice about) doing public readings…and how good reading is essential for good writing. If you like what you hear, please check back next week for our first of three shows about the work of Mark Hodder. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 33 of Speculate!–2011 Year in Review Show

Greg — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:00:18 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 33 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we’re proud to present our first annual Year in Review show, in which (after wishing ourselves a very happy birthday) we discuss how the show has progressed over the past year and touch on the various episodes we released in 2011, from reviews to interviews to discussion about writing techniques and everything in between, before talking briefly about what’s on the docket in 2012. We’re very pleased with how everything has turned out so far, and most of the credit for that goes to the authors, artists and editors we’ve had the good fortune to discuss and interview…and, of course, our listeners. Thanks so much for continuing to tune into the show, and please continue to spread the word about us in 2012!

Episode 32 of Speculate!-Courtney Schafer Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:43 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 32 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview mountain climber, figure skater and (of course) fantasy author Courtney Schafer, who somehow finds time between climbing sheer rock faces, landing triple jumps, working a day job in electrical engineering and raising a son to write epic fantasy–including her debut from Night Shade Books, The Whitefire Crossing. We cover at least some of these bases during this interview, and even get a chance to talk about The Night Bazaar, a group blog conceived of and directed by Courtney (with website designed by Brad). If you like what you hear, make sure you check back next week for our 2011 Year in Review show. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 31 of Speculate!-Mark Winters Artist Interview

Greg — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:13 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 31 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview artist Mark Winters, who like our previously interviewed artist Adam Paquette has a broad range of interests in the field of speculative art and beyond, having worked in several different mediums and (in addition to his own work) for a number of prominent licensed properties like Dungeons and Dragons, Fantasy Flight Games and others. Mark discusses not only his current creative process but how his vision of art has been developed and shaped over the years, and the resulting interview is an interesting look into the mind of a talented creator. If you enjoy the conversation, remember to check out Mark’s other work, and make sure you come back next week for our interview of Courtney Schafer, author of the epic fantasy The Whitefire Crossing. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

UPDATE: Be sure to check out Mark’s portfolio in our Art Gallery. He graciously gave us permission to share some of his wonderful pieces. Thanks, Mark!

Episode 30 of Speculate!-Maurice Broaddus Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:00:10 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 30 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview the multitalented Maurice Broaddus, who in between writing, editing, performing the duties of a small publishing company vice-president and running a convention somehow finds the time to talk to us! This was an enjoyable and thoughtful interview, touching on issues of faith, setting (urban fantasy can indeed be staged in Indianapolis) and other topics over a forty-five minute span, and we hope you enjoy it. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check out Maurice’s other projects on and offline, and remember to check back next week when we plan to have another interview scheduled. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 29 of Speculate!-The Book of Cthulhu Writing Discussion

Greg — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:56 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 29 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. This week we conclude our series of shows on Night Shade Books‘ anthology The Book of Cthulhu with a discussion about some of the writing techniques used in the stories we focused on during this sequence. We enjoyed reading this anthology a great deal, and if you have even a faint interest in cosmic horror (or, you know, just don’t feel like getting on the wrong side of the Elder Gods) we highly recommend you check it out. If you enjoy the discussion, make sure to check back next episode as we conduct a couple of short interviews while we gear up for our next book sequence on Mark Hodder’s The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack. Until next time, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 28 of Speculate!–Laird Barron and John Hornor Jacobs Author Interview

Greg — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 28 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our sequence of shows on Night Shade Books‘ anthology The Book of Cthulhu with an interview of two contributors to the volume, Laird Barron and John Hornor Jacobs. Like our interview with editor Ross Lockhart, this was a fun and entertaining discussion which covered a lot of ground…and some of it is of the distinctly not safe for work variety (for which John takes the blame!), so be warned! If you like what you hear, make sure to check out each author’s home page for more of what they have coming next, and remember to check back here next week when we’ll talk about some of the writing techniques used in the stories. Until then, thanks as always for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 27 of Speculate!-Ross Lockhart Editor Interview

Greg — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:00:22 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 27 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our sequence of shows on Night Shade Books‘ new anthology, The Book of Cthulhu, with a discussion with its editor Ross Lockhart. But as Ross proves in this wide-ranging interview, he knows a lot more about literature than just H.P. Lovecraft, and we enjoyed his insights on writers from J.R.R. Tolkien to William Hope Hodgson–we hope you do too. If you like what you hear, remember to check back next week when we’ll interview two contributors to the anthology, John Hornor Jacobs and Laird Barron. Until then, thanks as always for listening to (and telling others about) the show!

Episode 26 of Speculate!-The Book of Cthulhu Anthology Review

Greg — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:00:08 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 26 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we start a new sequence of shows on the new anthology from publisher Night Shade Books and editor Ross Lockhart, The Book of Cthulhu, investigating (gulp!) the Elder Gods with our reaction to stories by Laird Barron, Elizabeth Bear, John Hornor Jacobs and Bruce Sterling. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll interview Mr. Lockhart and several of the authors for their takes on the anthology. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and thanks for continuing to spread the word about the show!

Episode 25 of Speculate!-Podcasts, Professions and Shameless Promotion Talk

Greg — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:00:52 +0000

Welcome to Episode 25 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. We’re just about ready to start posting our next sequence of shows on The Book of Cthulhu, but we didn’t want to leave our loyal listeners content free for another week–so this week we’re happy to present a talk Greg did at this past Readercon in Boston on the subject of using one’s personal and professional background to further a writing career. The talk took place on a Saturday night at 9 p.m., but despite the late hour and the other items scheduled at the same time, the turnout was solid and the audience pretty enthusiastic. Greg covers a lot of ground during the talk, discussing aspects of how his own personal background has helped him in his efforts to build a career in speculative fiction, and we hope you’ll find the conversation instructive (one note: Greg had thought the talk was scheduled for thirty minutes, but it turned out to be slotted for a full hour, so the question and answer period was longer than might normally be the case). If you like what you hear, please check back next week when, as promised, we’ll return to our standard show arrangement as we discuss The Book of Cthulhu. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and thanks for continuing to spread the word about the show!

Episode 24 of Speculate!-Patrick Rothfuss Author Interview Video

Greg — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:00:25 +0000

Welcome to Episode 24 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we present our second interview with bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss, this one conducted at the just concluded Worldcon in Reno. As usual, Pat’s answers are thoughtful and wide-ranging, from a frank discussion about the difficulties of writing “the middle book”–and the psychological impact of trying to follow up on one of the most talked about debut fantasy novels in decades–to a description of how work on his charity Worldbuilders grounded him during a stressful time in his life. We were just glad to set Pat up and watch him go. If you like what you hear and see, please check back next week when we’ll be getting back into our regular show format with a discussion of Night Shade Books’ upcoming anthology The Book of Cthulhu; until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 23.5 of Speculate!–Ed Greenwood Author Interview Video

Greg — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 03:24:54 +0000

Hello all,

On Tuesday we’ll be posting Episode 24 of Speculate!, a special video interview with bestselling author and friend of the show Patrick Rothfuss. To get ready for the event, we thought we’d get you warmed up with this video version of the interview we recently did with author Ed Greenwood. If you like what you hear (and see), please check back on Tuesday for Episode 24, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 23 of Speculate!–Gen Con 2011 Author Interviews

Greg — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:00:18 +0000

Welcome to Episode 23 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we bring you a series of interviews done with authors attending Gen Con, one of the largest fantasy / science fiction / gaming conventions in the world. Robert Farnsworth, Don Bingle, Jerry Gordon, Paul Genesse, Maurice Broaddus, Elizabeth Vaughan and the inimitable Ed Greenwood hold forth on all sorts of subjects relating to writing speculative fiction and the unique qualities of Gen Con, and we hope you’ll find their insights enjoyable. If you like what you hear, remember to tune in next week when we’ll post a special video interview with Patrick Rothfuss, just conducted at Worldcon; until then, thanks for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 22 of Speculate!–Hugo Nominees Discussion

Greg — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:00:48 +0000

Welcome to Episode 22 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk about some of the nominees for the Hugo, to be awarded this coming weekend at Worldcon in Reno, focusing in particular on short stories and graphic novels. We hardly have a crystal ball, but (as usual) we have some thoughts about the competitors up for the award. If you like what you hear, please check back next week for a series of short interviews recently conducted at Gen Con; until then, thanks in advance for your support and willingness to spread the word about the show!

P.S. We’ll both be at Worldcon; if you’re going to be there as well, please make sure to stop by a panel or reading we’re doing and say hello!

Episode 21 of Speculate!–Wellspring Workshop 2011 Video

Greg — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:00:53 +0000

Welcome to a special episode of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. This week we’re proud to present our first video, an hour long compilation of interviews, critique sessions and readings that made up part of the Wellspring Workshop held this past June in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We hope you enjoy the video, and hope even more that you spread the word about our show (audio and video!) to others; we’ll be back next week with a discussion of the Hugo nominees.

SpeculateEpisode21_August82011_WellspringWorkshop2011Video.wmv

Episode 20 of Speculate!-Aliette de Bodard Writing Discussion

Greg — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Welcome to Episode 20 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we wrap up our series of shows on Aliette de Bodard’s Harbinger of the Storm with a discussion of some of the writing techniques she utilizes in the book…and some suggestions about how aspiring writers can put similar techniques to use in their own fiction. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back for a special video episode of Speculate! next week, when you’ll get an inside look at the recently concluded Wellspring Workshop from the participants themselves; until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

P.S. We’ll be at Gen Con this coming weekend in Indianapolis, one of the largest fantasy and science fiction gaming conventions in the world, participating as always in the Writers’ Symposium, a writing track specifically for aspiring authors (and the readers who love them). If you’re in the area, please stop by and speak to us about the show, or whatever else is on your mind!

Episode 19 of Speculate!–Aliette de Bodard Author Interview

Greg — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:00:16 +0000

Hello again, and welcome to Episode 19 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our series of shows on the work of Aliette de Bodard by interviewing the author herself about Harbinger of the Storm, covering topics from Aztec culture to the ways mysteries and thrillers can enhance speculative fiction…and whether she sees herself writing such fiction in French in the future. If you enjoy what you hear, make sure you read more of Aliette’s work–and don’t forget to check back next week, when we’ll conclude this series with a discussion of the writing techniques used in the novel. As always, thanks for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 18 of Speculate!–Aliette de Bodard Novel Review (Harbinger of the Storm)

Greg — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:00:45 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 18 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. Recently back from Wellspring Workshop, in this episode we begin a series of shows on the work of Nebula, Hugo and Campbell nominee Aliette de Bodard, focusing in particular on her book Harbinger of the Storm. If you like what you hear, make sure to check back next week for our interview of the author herself…and as always, thanks for continuing to listen to (and spread the word about) the show!

Episode 17 of Speculate!-Wellspring Workshop Discussion

Greg — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:00:22 +0000

Welcome to Episode 17 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk about Wellspring, an invite only novel writing workshop being held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and involving eleven speculative fiction authors (including your humble hosts Greg and Brad!), along with a more extended conversation about workshop models, MFA programs, and courses in speculative fiction. If you like what you hear, make sure you check back in the next couple of weeks for some video of the workshop and interviews with the participants; until then, thanks as always for listening and continuing to spread the word!

Episode 16 of Speculate!–Kevin J. Anderson Author Interview

Greg — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:00:29 +0000

After a brief hiatus, we’re back with Episode 16 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk to New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson about the conclusion of his epic fantasy trilogy Terra Incognita, his tie-in work in universes from Star Wars to Star Trek to Dune, and his writing process (spoiler: it involves hiking and a voice recorder!). We even get the chance to chat about music and how he managed to get some of the most important people in progressive rock to record two companion CDs for Terra Incognita…Greg admits to being just a trifle envious about this. If you enjoy the interview, don’t forget to stop back next week when we’ll talk about writing workshops and classes (and the pros and cons of each). As usual, thanks for listening to the show, and please continue to spread the word!

Episode 15 of Speculate!-Eclipse Four Writing Discussion

Greg — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:00:42 +0000

Welcome to Episode 15 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we wrap up our look at Eclipse Four, Night Shade Books’ newest anthology, with a discussion of some of the writing techniques demonstrated in some representative stories by Michael Swanwick, James Patrick Kelly and Andy Duncan. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll start a series of one-off shows featuring interviews with publicists, artists and authors; until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 14 of Speculate!–James Patrick Kelly and Michael Swanwick Author Interview

Greg — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:00:22 +0000

Welcome to Episode 14 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk to two luminaries of speculative fiction, James Patrick Kelly and Michael Swanwick, about their stories for Night Shade Books‘ new anthology Eclipse Four, their careers in science fiction and fantasy and what they’re working on for the near future. We even get them to dole out some advice to aspiring writers (the much too quick summary: learn and be confident in what you’ve learned). If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check in again next week when we’ll wrap up the Eclipse Four series by talking about some of the writing techniques involved in the some of the anthology’s finest stories. As always, thanks for continuing to spread the word about the show!

Episode 13 of Speculate!-Jonathan Strahan Editor Interview

Greg — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:00:01 +0000

Welcome back for Episode 13 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview editor extraordinaire Jonathan Strahan on his editing career, his philosophy on constructing an anthology and his work with Night Shade Books‘ newest story collection, Eclipse Four. We even get a chance to talk to him about podcasting, which we hope isn’t too crazily meta for the show! If you like what you hear, remember to check back next week when we’ll interview James Patrick Kelly and Michael Swanwick on their respective stories for Eclipse Four. As usual, thanks for listening to (and spreading the word about) the show!

Episode 12 of Speculate!-Eclipse Four Anthology Review

Greg — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:00:12 +0000

Hi all,

Welcome back for Episode 12 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we start a new sequence of discussion/interview/discussion shows on the new anthology from publisher Night Shade Books and editor Jonathan Strahan, Eclipse Four, concentrating in particular on stories by Michael Swanwick, James Patrick Kelly, Andy Duncan and Kij Johnson. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll interview Mr. Strahan himself to get his take on the anthology. And as always, thanks for spreading the word about the show!

Episode 11 of Speculate!-Patrick Rothfuss Author Interview

Greg — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:00:02 +0000

Welcome to Episode 11 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk about the life of a bestselling fantasy author with, well, a bestselling fantasy author! Pat Rothfuss, whose sequel to his acclaimed debut novel The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, has hit #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List, checks in with us to discuss the development and progress of his career. Over the course of the discussion, though, Pat touches on more topics than those simply related to writing, including his Worldbuilders project on behalf of Heifer International. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to keep checking back for our follow-up video interview with Pat, which we plan to record later this summer–and in the meantime, check back with us next week as we plunge into Eclipse Four, the latest new fantasy and science fiction anthology from Night Shade Books. As always, thanks for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 10 of Speculate!-N.K. Jemisin Writing Discussion

Greg — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Welcome to Episode 10 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we look at some of the writing techniques in N.K. Jemisin‘s Nebula-nominated novel The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms…and how aspiring writers can learn from those techniques to improve their own work. If you like what you hear, please check back in two weeks for Episode 11, where we’ll begin a new sequence of shows on a prominent short story anthology. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 9 of Speculate!-N.K. Jemisin Author Interview

Greg — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:00:59 +0000

Welcome to Episode 9 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode, the second of our sequence on The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, we interview the book’s author N.K. Jemisin about both process and product. We cover a good deal of ground during the interview, talking about psychology, politics and magic within a fantasy setting–and how speculative fiction books have the coolest covers ever, of course! If you like the conversation, don’t forget to check back next week for our final show on Jemisin’s work, looking in particular at some writing techniques used in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Thanks for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 8 of Speculate!–N.K. Jemisin Novel Review (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms)

Greg — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:00:31 +0000

Hi all,

Welcome back for Episode 8 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we begin a sequence of shows on the work of N.K. Jemisin, focusing specifically on her Nebula-nominated book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. If you like what you hear, don’t miss next week’s show where we talk to the author directly about her work. As always, thanks for spreading the word about the show!

Congratulations to Nebula nominees!

Greg — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:00:02 +0000

We wanted to make sure we noted the nominations of former and future Speculate! guests Amal El-Mohtar (for “The Green Book,” which we discussed in Episodes 1, 2 and 3), Kij Johnson (for “Ponies,” which we discussed in Episodes 4, 5 and 6), and N.K. Jemisin (for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which we’ll be discussing in Episodes 8, 9 and 10) for the 2010 Nebula Awards! We think the message is clear: show up on Speculate!, and award nominations are sure to follow…or maybe these people’s work is just really good (how about a combination of both factors? ). Either way, many congratulations to all the nominees–the awards ceremony itself will take place on May 21, 2011.

Episode 7 of Speculate!–Adam Paquette Artist Interview

Greg — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:00:38 +0000

Welcome to Episode 7 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview artist Adam Paquette, whose work in the speculative fiction, gaming and other fields is both broad and deep. Adam discusses the creative process generally and specifically in his own work, focusing for a good part of the interview on how he developed his cover for Brad’s forthcoming novel The Winds of Khalakovo. If you enjoy the conversation, remember to check back in two weeks for Episode 8, where we’ll begin our next sequence of shows with a discussion of the work of N.K. Jemisin. Thanks as always for tuning in, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Update from Brad: We’ve posted some of Adam’s wonderful artwork in our art gallery. Also, in the interview, Adam mentioned the early sketches of the cover art for The Winds of Khalakovo. I’ve posted the sketches and preliminary art he created for Winds on my blog.

Episode 6 of Speculate!–Kij Johnson Writing Discussion

Greg — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Welcome to Episode 6 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we examine some of the specific writing techniques in Kij Johnson‘s short fiction, focusing on the three stories discussed in the previous two shows. If you enjoy the episode, please let us know by leaving feedback or getting in touch with us directly–and don’t forget to come back for Episode 7, where we interview our first artist. Until then, thanks for tuning in, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Test of Speculate’s FaceBook feed

Brad — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:27:34 +0000

Please join us on FaceBook!

Test of SpeculateSF’s twitter feed

Brad — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:13:53 +0000

Please join us on Twitter!

Episode 5 of Speculate!

Greg — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:00:56 +0000

Hi again,

Welcome to Episode 5 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our exploration of Kij Johnson‘s short fiction with an interview of the author, discussing art, craft, and the intersection between the two in her work. If you enjoy the discussion, please remember to come back next week for Episode 6, where we talk about some of the writing techniques demonstrated in her stories. As always, let us know what you think, and please continue to spread the word about the show!

Episode 4 of Speculate!

Greg — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:26 +0000

Hey everyone,

Welcome back for Episode 4 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we start a new sequence of discussion/interview/discussion shows concerning the work of Nebula and World Fantasy Award winning author Kij Johnson, in particular focusing on three stories: 26 monkeys, also the abyss, Ponies, and Spar. If you enjoy the discussion, don’t miss next week’s show in which we interview the author herself. And as usual, thanks for spreading the word about the show!

Note from Greg: It occurs to me that I haven’t mentioned the details about our musical intro and outro for the show yet–the song is called “Yellow Wood,” from my band The Road‘s debut album Drift, released about four years ago. Our second album, Monomyth, was just officially released in December (a concept album dealing with a fantastic journey, of course!)–so if you like the song and progressive rock in general, please check the band out at www.thebandtheroad.com. /shameless plug off.

Episode 3 of Speculate!

Greg — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:00:01 +0000

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Episode 3 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk about some specific writing techniques used in the Apex stories discussed in the last two shows, both how they function within their respective stories and how proper use of them can help authors in their own works. If you enjoy the show, please come back for our next episode, where we’ll be beginning a whole new series of discussions, interviews and analysis of a prominent speculative fiction author. And as always, please continue to spread the word about the show!

Note: Please be aware that this episode features several excerpts from the stories, one of which uses adult language.

Episode 2 of Speculate!

Greg — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:00:15 +0000

Hello again,

Welcome to the second episode of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk to two of the authors from the Apex issue discussed in Episode 1, Amal El-Mohtar and Saladin Ahmed, and find out more about their writing process, the link between the personal and the political, and their thoughts on the future of Arabic and Islamic themes within speculative fiction. If you enjoy the interview, please check out the work of both authors, and make sure to come back for Episode 3, where we’ll discuss some of the nitty-gritty of the writing technique in the Apex stories. And of course, please continue to spread the word about the show!

Update from Brad: I mentioned I would post a bit more about the Starry Heaven workshop, the format of which was based on the Blue Heaven workshop, started by Charles Coleman Finlay. It’s a very repeatable format, and in fact I’m using the format to run the Wellspring Writing Workshop this year in Lake Geneva, WI.

Episode 1 of Speculate!

Greg — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:00:39 +0000

Hi all,

Welcome to the first episode of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In our inaugural episode, Brad and I look at Issue #18 of Apex Magazine, an issue dedicated to Arabic and/or Islamic-themed fiction and poetry, and discuss three stories in particular: “The Green Book” by Amal El-Mohtar, “50 Fatwas for the Virtuous Vampire” by Pamela K. Taylor, and “The Faithful Soldier, Prompted” by Saladin Ahmed. If you like what you hear, make sure you check out Episode 2, where we’ll interview the authors themselves–and if you really like what you hear, please spread the word about the show!

Update – 12/30/10 – In this episode, we tried (and clearly failed) to recall when the Elizabeth Moon/WisCon kerfuffle all went down. We blame our inability to remember on first show jitters. For clarity’s sake, we’d like to make it clear that it was shortly after Moon’s blog post on September 11th, 2010.

Welcome to Speculate!

Brad — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:52:19 +0000

Welcome to Speculate, the Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. If you want to learn more about the site, please take a look at the About page, where we outline a bit of what we’re trying to do with this site. Our first podcasts are coming in January, so please stay tuned.