Workshop Episode 18 (Guest Host: Abigail Hilton)

New York Times Best-Selling author Gail Carriger generously makes time in her busy schedule of book releases, tours, and numerous (and intriguing) projects to join Brion and Dave on this third workshop episode. Laura Howard steps up as our Guest Writer sharing a tale of Faerie betrayal and intrigue. Topics discussed include passive characters, the proper use of world building, and how to end a book.

Gail Carson Levine, recognized by the New York Times, LA Times, Library Journal and numerous other Best-Seller lists, joins us at the table to discuss Jacci Turne’rs intriguing YA tale of time-travel. Everyone weighs in and, by the end of the episode, Jacci departs with a large bag of Roundtable Podcast gold.

Nobilis Reed – a man of SO many gifts and talents, including author, podcaster, editor, vocal performer, and audio guru – returns to the Roundtable for some workshop action. Joining him at the table is Terry Mixon, a gifted and prolific author and one of the co-hosts at the much esteemed Dead Robots’ Society! Terry offers up a truly epic tale, an erotic romance thriller that get’s ideas and inspirations flowing like fine wine.

Maurice Broaddus – author of the “Knights of Breton Court” series, editor of the “Dark Faith” anthologies (with Jerry Gordon), crafter of worlds and tales of wonder – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to workshop an alt history fantasy by podcaster and Guest Writer Zach Ricks.

Zach’s tale – described as “James Bond in Harry Potter’s world during the time of Downton Abby” – launches us into a frothing brainstorming session, dealing with alternate global politics, romantic triangles, nefarious plots, and a huge dragon slumbering under Yellowstone Park. Literary gold abounds!

With Bryan Lincoln as Guest Host, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put his diverse skill set to use and workshop a good sci-fi story. Enter Tracy Bodine, offering up a truly epic space opera for discussion around the Roundtable. We had a great time (and you will, too) exploring some of the possibilities of his tale that includes aliens, time-travel, bio-augmentation, galactic intrigue and the multiverse. So sit back, fire up your Quantum Spectrometer, and enjoy!

Having Rish Outfield and Big Anklevich – the mad geniuses behind the epic Dunesteef Audio Magazine – for our thirteenth episode turns out to be very lucky indeed. Joining us at the Roundtable is the remarkable Renee Chambliss, she of the wonderful voice, the gifted pen, and the keen ear, who brings a wonderfully innovative idea for a comicbook hero to the Table for the discussion. Origin stories, multimedia storytelling, and the nature of rats… all this and more awaits you… just hit that PLAY button

Paul Elard Cooley – acknowledged Fiendmaster and purveyor of dark psychological and paranormal horror tales (not to mention the despicable things he does to Muppets) – settles in at the dark end of the Roundtable to workshop a tale by writer and webcomic creator Christoper Wright. Chris brings us a civilized murder mystery set in a rich and complex world fraught with political struggle, mad gods, and strange magics. There’s a lot to talk about, including handling info dumps, the nature of “serious” characters, and dealing with HUGE frickin’ worlds in a story.

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!

Alicia E. Goranson – playwright, author, and creator of the Parsec Award winning “The Mask of Inanna” – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to help us workshop a tale offered up by Anthony Sunderland. Assisted by the ever-dapper Doc Coleman, we dive in to Tony’s story of alien conspiracy, genetic hybrids, and clandestine government operations. It’s like a cross between Buffy and X-Files and everyone is soon in search of the elusive Literary Gold!

Peter Ellis – whose name you may recognize from the many insightful comments he’s contributed to various posts – has indulged in some statistical research and presented us with an intriguing gift: A breakdown of the stories that we’ve workshopped!

With Brion and I having our heads “deep in the weeds” and focusing on individual episodes, we can’t always see the trends and cycles of the stories we’re engaging with each week. It’s enlightening to be provided with a birds-eye view of the genres, themes, and tropes that have been workshopped on the show.

Alasdair Stuart leaps across the Atlantic Ocean to take a seat at the Roundtable and help workshop a story by the founder of New Fiction Writers, Tony Whitford. Tony offers up the tale of a down-on-his-luck government agent who stumbles upon an alien serial killer which proves to be fertile ground for a fabulous discussion.

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.

Cherie Priest, whose innovations breath vibrant life into every genre she turns her pen to, reclaims the Big Chair at the Roundtable to lend her unique insights to this episode’s fabulous workshop. For this expedition in search of literary gold, we are joined by the charming and talented Riley J. Keith who shares a rich and intricate steampunk tale set in prohibition New Orleans. Her vision of intrigue, corruption, and betrayal in The Big Easy inspires some dynamic dialogue and everybody walks away some gold in their pockets. You can get some, too… just hit that play button!

Anne Lyle – who has released the first novel in her Night’s Masque trilogy, “The Alchemist of Souls”, with more wonders, delights, and thrills to come – rejoins us at the Roundtable (she gets the comfy chair) to workshop a marvelous tale offered by Veronica Giguere. Join us as we explore an intriguing world fraught with intrigue, seafarers, pirates, ancient religions, and just a dash of Steampunk. We had a blast with this one and we’re sure you will, too!

In our premiere episode we invite J. Daniel Sawyer to help us work through an epic fantasy story presented by…