On a “Pilgrimage” with Matthew Wayne Selznick

Mur Lafferty – author of The “Shambling Guide” series, “Six Wakes”, AND the founder/host of the “I Should Be Writing” podcast – returns to the Brainstorm Arena to workshop a tale of transdimensional superheroes.

The challenge was made: come up with a better “Hero vs. Hero” superhero movie. The gauntlet was thrown… and NINE…

Matthew Wayne Selznick is a storyteller in every sense of the word. He has applied the principles of story and narrative since he was a small boy, evolving epic story arcs in the sweeping battles between his vast toy collection. He continues his explorations of expression in all his pursuits as a musician, a social media marketer and (of course) as an author.

Ryan Stevenson and I thoroughly enjoyed this 20(ish) minutes with Matt, delving into many of the topics near and dear to his heart, such as the process and application of worldbuilding, the qualities of good story telling, and so much more. Writerly goodness abounds, dear friends… hit that PLAY button and enjoy!

One of the most intriguing formats that has permeated nearly every corner of our awareness is Transmedia Storytelling. By implementing diverse content threads across multiple media platforms, storytellers are able to transcend the limitations of printed word and provide their audiences with a richer, more engaging story experience.

Joining me for this transformative dialog is a cast of Transmedia luminaries, each with years of diverse experience in developing these unique storytelling experiences: Amanda Havard, Andrea Phillips, J. C. Hutchins, and Robert Pratten. I was also most fortunate to have Matthew Wayne Selznick agree to join me as co-host and bring his experience and insight to the table.

Recently, Warner Brothers announced the official synopsis for the upcoming “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” movie: Fearing the actions…

I love this. I really do. The opportunity to showcase the talent and vision of creative people is a blast,…

I have a love/hate relationship with contests. Welcome to my conflicted, over-thought life. On the one hand, it’s a proving…

Antonio del Drago – Doctor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, swordsman, author and evil genius behind the fabulous MythicScribes.com online writing community – return to the Roundtable to workshop a tale of vigilante vengeance offered up by Marc Vale. The conversation starts of tentatively, but as we explore deeper, each of us discovers some truly intriguing threads to the story that end up creating a golden weave of awesomeness.

Matthew Wayne Selznick – author of “Brave Men Run” and the sequel (in-the-works) “Pilgrimage”, social media and marketing guru, creator of online communities, and storyteller extraordinaire – returns to the big chair to workshop a tale shared by Guest Writer (and Assistant Editor at Protecting Project Pulp) Fred Himebaugh.

Fred distinguishes himself by bringing one of the wildest story ideas we’ve ever had to the Roundtable that includes Cold War politics, world leader superheros (Ronald Regan in Iron Man armor?), ancient Russian Gods… you get the idea. With Ryan Stevenson in the co-host chair, we throw the switch on the Way-Back Machine and dive in… tune in for the wild story idea, stay for the Literary gold.

Justin Macumber – author of Haywire, co-host of The Dead Robots’ Society and The Hollywood Outsider, writer of a diverse spectrum of intriguing speculative fiction – rejoins us for an awesome Workshop episode. We are joined by Scott Roche, an accomplished author and podcaster in his own right, offering up a very cool YA superhero tale that generates an epic Roundtable Podcast discussion.

Seanan McGuire – award-winning author, graphic novelist, podcaster, and storytelling badass – returns to the Big Chair in the APN virtual studios (along with co-host Michael R. Underwood) to workshop a tale of superheroes, romance, and the dark side of adulation offered up by creageous Guest Writer Arthur De Leon.

Returning Guest Host Jilly Dreadful – founder and director of the remarkable  Brainery Workshop – returns to the Big Chair to lend her…

Adam Christopher – author of “Empire State” and “Seven Wonders” – is one of the few debut authors whose work already has “fan fiction”. Granted, that’s because of the visionary “WorldBuilder” initiative greenlighted by Angry Robot Books and produced by Mighty Mur Lafferty but still… you gotta respect the fact that Adam crafted a story world that has the scope and nuance to support a robust and active collaborative community.

Our 20(ish) minutes with Adam was a delight and fraught with talk of shared worlds, superhero literature (what a shock) and an exploration into Adam’s writing process. Writerly goodness dressed in spandex awaits!

Brand Gamblin – channeler of Cthonic Deities and crafter of marvelous tales of all genres – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to help us workshop a story of biblical proportions… a superhero powered by God. The tale is offered up by veteran podcaster and audio fictioneer Clay Dugger and proved to be a marvelous springboard into a discussion about presenting faith in fiction, working or avoiding tropes, and developing suspense and pacing in your story. Everyone had a blast exploring the delightful terrain of this intriguing tale… and, of course, there’s an abundance of Literary Gold to be had!

This week we are delighted to welcome Tim Marquitz – Editor in Chief and Co-Publisher at Ragnarok Publications as well as author of grim and fantastical tales – to the Big Chair at the Roundtable. Tim’s experience runs the gambit from crafting novels (like the Demon Squad Series, The Blood War Trilogy and more) and short fiction (appearing in anthologies like “Neverland’s Library” along side Mark Lawrence, Jeff Salyards, and Tad Williams) to editing superb anthologies (like “Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters” and “Fading Light”) to co-authoring the Dead West series with Joe Martin and Kenny Soward.