Seanan McGuire is the full artistic package, the triple threat, expressing the keen edge of her spirit through paint, pixel and pen, producing web comics and other traditional art. She commandeered a time machine exclusively for this podcast so she could actually have an hour to sit in the Big Chair and help us workshop a story. Our Guest Writer, Gloria Sigountos, serves up an fresh and innovative tale of kidnapping, intrigue, mercenary scoundrels, magical siblings, and general mayhem. It’s a delightful frothing tale that launches everyone into an amazing discussion. Grab hold of something and hit that PLAY button!
2012 July
Seanan McGuire – author, musician, poet, artist, essayist, (I could go on but there’s only so many pixels on the screen) – is an amazing person to speak with. It’s the conversational equivalent of speaking to the genetic fusion of Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, and HP Lovecraft while drinking from a fire hose and holding live electrical wires. She is an astonishing and intense storyteller, versed in all mediums of the craft, and incredibly forth coming on any topic you care to throw at her. We tossed a few in and she gave us back gold… lots of it.
Christof Laputka – creator, writer, and producer of the epic audio event that IS “The Leviathan Chronicles” – returns to the Big chair to help workshop an inspired story idea offered up by podcaster, writter, and nefarious super-villain, Christopher Morse. Chris brings an amazing tale of alternate history with Rome under the influence of a vile and cunning criminal from the future. Julius Caesar, time travel, ironpunk automatons, roman soldiers, brothels… I mean DANG! There’s SO much gold in this episode, you’re going to want to bring a wheelbarrow!
Christof Laputka is a fascinating individual. He’s the creator and executive producer of “The Leviathan Chronicles” – a tour de force of podcast fiction production rich with original music, mind-blowing sound effects, exceptional performances, and a riveting storyline. That’s pretty awesome in and of itself, but what distinguishes him is his genuine delight and passion for what he does. For him, each episode is an exploration, a voyage of discovery in search of new ways to expand and enhance the storytelling experience. That delight is infectious and we enjoyed or 20(ish) minutes with him as he shared volumes about his experiences and insights into the craft.
At the first-ever UtopYA Con, I had the amazing good fortune to sit down with some of the dynamic innovators who are building an astonishing media event… Auror’s Tale.
John Mierau – whose literary endeavors span genres and media with intriguing tales that explore the boundaries of speculative fiction – returns to the Big Comfy Chair at the Roundtable to help workshop a tale offered by writer and podcaster Jay Langejans. Jay’s dystopian aquatic scifi story generated a lot of excitement around the table and everybody dove in and splashed around. This is classic Roundtable goodness, friends… a fabulous story idea, a brilliant guests, and literary gold flying around at every turn.
Dedicated to “female writers of paranormal fantasy & the readers who love them,” UtopYA Con is a YA lovers paradise, fraught with wall-to-wall authors, fabulous panels and events, and an air of festive and impassioned creative mojo that you rarely see in a first-year event.
We talked to Janet Wallace (owner and prime mover-and-shaker at the Social Deviants marketing company) about the origins of UtopYA Con as well as her philosophy behind this 3-day extravaganza.
John Mierau is someone you want to talk to. I mean, he’s definitely someone you want to read because his works are startling, innovative, and richly crafted. But the depth and insight (and humor) that comprise John’s outlook on life, writing, and the creative process are things that come up almost immediately once you start a conversation with him. And that, my friends, will be time well spent. We were fortunate to have John spend 20(-ish) minutes with us where he shared some honest and inspiring perspectives on how he does what he does… a fabulous conversation we’re proud to share with you.
Seth Harwood’s career and influence as a Crime Fiction creator continues to expand (we talk about that a bit during the opening segment) so we’re double delighted that he made the time to help us on this Workshop Episode. This week we’re joined by a multifaceted creator of wonders both audio and literary, David Sobkowiak, who brings a fascinating mashup of no less than FOUR genres into a single story. The idea makes for some dazzling dialog around the table!
Seth Harwood is definitely an author, crafting hard-hitting crime fiction like the Jack Palm series and “Young Junius”. But it becomes very clear early in this interview that he’s much more than that. He is a scholar, a teacher, and skilled storyteller who brings to bear not only an incisive and articulate mind to his craft, but also a passion that can only come from utter dedication to something you love. We’re pleased and proud to offer this Showcase of our (too short) time with him, but don’t stand too close… the fire’s burning hot around here.
Abigail Hilton – creator of the vast Panamindorah Universe and all the wonderful fiction encompassed within it – returns to the Roundtable and does a masterful job in workshopping our first Vampire story (squeee!) offered up by Guest Writer Mercy Loomis. Mercy has crafted a rich and detailed universe and her story got all of us in a froth of creative fervor… so yeah, the episode is longer than most, but there’s so much goodness in there that I just couldn’t cut it down.