Myke Cole is a remarkable gentleman. He’s incredibly well read and knowledgeable on a vast array of topics from nerd culture to the foundations of speculative fiction to military theory and practice (after three tours in Iraq, that last bit comes as no surprise. But it goes beyond that. If you’ve ever heard his interviews or seen him at a con, you cannot help but be swept up in the energy and passion he infuses with every word. We were delighted to have Myke join us at the Roundtable and share some of that fire with us.
2012
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.
Nobilis Reed is an accomplished author, producing a multitude of short fiction, several novels, countless podcasts, as well as a substantial volume of audio and editing work with other writers and publishers. Widely known for his erotic fiction, he brings a wealth of insight and experience to the table which he shares generously and with style. Pull up a chair and join us in exploring a a unique perspective on writing and storytelling.
Throughout the course of this podcast, Dave and I have been like a couple of escaped mental patients, stalking…
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
Big Anklevich and Rish Outfield have been producing amazing full cast audio fiction and even audio dramas for years on the Dunesteef podcast. We’re here to tell ya, that requires a whole different skill set that combines an artist’s eye (and ear), highly technical skills, and gift for translating creative expression from a one format to a radically different one. With mad skills like that, you KNOW we had to get them on the show, and we so glad we did… and you will be, too.
I want to take a moment to address an issue many writers, including myself, are plagued with:
So many ideas, so little time.
I’m struck with a least two new story ideas a week. Sometimes I can satisfy my fickle muses with a short story or two. Other times, the ideas demand novel-length exorcising. I can’t control it, and I’m somewhat scared of what might happen if I tried. As a result of said caution, I’ve devised a means to placate the voices in my head while maintaining my sanity. I…
Lee Harris – editor at Angry Robot Books and Chair of the British Fantasy Society – returns to the Roundtable to discuss a sci-fi/romance presented by author and blogger Kevin O. McLaughlin. Having two experienced literati on the show really kicked the discussion into high gear and we cover a lot of ground, exploring the logistics of moonbases and deadly plagues, romance in the depths of space, and ratcheting up the tension.
“Descriptive” is a common compliment for books. Perhaps too common – one of the usual downfalls of newer writers is the tendency to over-describe every aspect of their stories, from the characters to the setting to the teapot in the cupboard.
Characters should be described. So should setting. That teapot, though, probably doesn’t require the readers’ attention, and you should not be wasting your authorly breath on it. Too much description, even of vital elements of the story, bogs down your narration and leads the reader to start skipping entire sections of your story – assuming, that is, they don’t simply quit reading.
How much is too much? At what point do you go from “very descriptive” to “bloated and boring?” With writing, there are never any rules – only guidelines. The following are a couple of mine.
We had hoped that Lee Harris – editor at Angry Robot Books, Chair of the British Fantasy Society, and evil genius behind the Hub Fiction E-Zine – would lend a bit of dignity to the Roundtable. We were wrong, but in the most wonderful and delightful way imaginable. While he shares generously of his broad experience and vital insights into the realm of genre fiction, it turns out that he’s a warm, funny, sometimes snarky, and always charming guy. Who knew?
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Lee Harris Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 12 (Guest Host: Lee Harris) Website/Blog: www.angryrobotbooks.com Facebook…
Tee Morris – author, podcaster, and Renaissance Man of the New Millennium – takes the Roundtable by storm as we workshop a fantasy tale by the host and producer of The Way of the Buffalo podcast, Hugh O’Donnell. The energy is high, the ideas are flyin’, and Tee shares a wealth of experience and insight regarding story pitches, characterization, romance (in fiction) and more. Yup, it’s yet another not-to-be-missed workshop episode.
Tee Morris is a primal force. We mean that in a good way. I mean holy crap… podcasting pioneer, author of one of the very first podcast novels, co-founder of Podiobooks.com, co-author (with Pip Ballantine) of the ever-growing canon of The Tales of the Ministry (including two novels: Phoenix Rising and The Janus Affair)… and those are just the highlights. Buckle up, friends… it’s going to be a wild ride.
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!
Bryan Lincoln represents an remarkable synthesis of science and creative mojo, equally at ease in a bioengineering lab, behind (or in front of) the mic, or at the keyboard. The scope of his experiences is vast indeed and we delve into that pool of knowledge in this Showcase episode, exploring the distinctions between audiobooks, full-cast presentations, and audio drama, as well as discussing the parallels of rational science and irrational art. So sit back, grab a mass spectrometer, and enjoy this enlightening 20 minutes
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Bryan Lincoln Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 10 (Guest Host: Bryan Lincoln) Website/Blog: hhttp://www.fullcastpodcast.com Facebook Page:…
We’re crossing double digits in our episode count in a week. That and our recent Parsec Nomination (still reeling from that amazing bit of news) make it a good time – because time seems to fly so fast – to pull off the headphones, lift our hands from the keyboard for a moment and reflect. There are a lot of thoughts and emotions furiously sparking and catalyzing right now, but one shines brighter than all the rest…
Mur Lafferty – author, podcaster, editor, and purveyor of awesomeness – grabs a seat at the Roundtable to help workshop a story by Dan Latham that’s a unique twist on the superhero tale. As always, the story sparks a fabulous discussion that delves into the “darker” superpowers, alternatives to classic villain tropes, and the transformation of spirit that having superpowers can have.
I’m currently 63,000 words into my second novel attempt. Sounds fairly impressive, but I’ve been at 63,000 words for the last six weeks. Sure, I’ve written two short stories, a couple blog entries, participated in recording ten-or-so Roundtable episodes(my favorite distraction besides my wife), taught, graded papers and lesson-planned for about 60 hours a week, etc., etc., and on, and on. A lot like you! But is all of that really keeping me from writing my book? Yes. Because I let it.
We all are experts at wasting time, and the successful few have learned to at least minimize the bastard! We’ve all heard and read countless papers and pamphlets and programs on how to beat down the maniacal villain known as Master Procrastination. That is not what this post is going to do.
Mur Lafferty has a book coming out, a Not-A-Hugo award nomination (trans. the prestigious John W. Campbell Award) is editing Escape Pod and Angry Robot Books Worldbuilder Project and continues to produce the exceptional “I Should Be Writing” podcast and STILL she managed to swing by the Roundtable Skype line. We’re glad she did (and you will, too) as Mur discusses her experiences with depression, her current challenges as a writer, why she writes specfic, and more
Showcase: 20 Minutes with Mur Lafferty Workshop: Workshop Episode 9 (Guest Host: Mur Lafferty) Website/Blog: http://www.murlafferty.com Other Sites: I Should…
There is no one better equipped to build rich authentic characters than someone who has actually “lived” (for a few hours) as someone else. In order to appear authentic on stage, an actor has to be able to respond to cues and events AS THEIR CHARACTER. If they don’t, the performance is flat and uninteresting. Writers are striving for that same authenticity… and suffer the same consequences if they fall short of the mark. So how do actors do it?
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.
Justin Macumber – founder and host of the Dead Robots Society, host on the Hollywood Outsider podcast, and author of the newly released scifi novel “Haywire” – somehow finds a away to pull out of the literary fast-lane and join us for a delightful and informative session around the Roundtable. Justin pursues what he loves with honesty and passion, and generously shares some of his mojo as we explore some of the big (and small) questions that all writers have.
P. G. Holyfield – author of “Murder at Avedon Hill” (and the podiobook!), evil genius behind SpecFic Media, and curmudgeon of the “Beyond the Wall” podcast – finds a chair at The Roundtable and helps us workshop an epic story by Dan Eagles. We’ve got extinction viruses, “infectants”, alien technology, and the Hadron Collider… does it GET any better than that? I think not!
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Justin Macumber Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 8 Website/Blog: http://www.justinmacumber.com Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Justin.Macumber Dead Robots Society…
P.G. Holyfield is a walker of many worlds. Author and podcaster (http://www.pgholyfield.com), blogger and web architect (http://specficmedia.com/), his experience spans across most conventional media (and some unconventional ones), so we were delighted when he agreed to join us at the Roundtable for a chat. The topics of discussion for this showcase include worldbuilding, the relationship between plot and character, and the pitfalls of editing while you’re still writing.
Phillipa Ballantine – author, podcaster, and maven of amazement – takes time from her frightfully busy schedule to take a seat at the Roundtable for an unforgettable episode. She’s joined by the talented and charming L. L. McKinney who offers up a fabulous story based on Lewis Carrol’s “Alice in Wonderland” (though Alice was never so badass). The show went a little long but dang… with great hosts, awesome guests and an amazing story what are we supposed to do?
Pip Ballantine – New Zealand’s first podcasting author – takes time from the wonders of the Ministry, the Order, and the Shifted Worlds to join us for (a little more than) a twenty minute chat. In spite of her many achievements and gift for crafting exquisite worlds, Pip has her feet on the ground and speaks frankly and with ease about her work, the evolution of a story, the role of mythology in her work, and the characters she’s crafted.
“We want to believe the best of who we are, and ignore and deny the worst. The most intriguing moment…
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.
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with P. G. Holyfield Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 7 (Guest Host: P. G. Holyfield) Website/Blog: http://pgholyfield.com…
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Phillipa Ballentine Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 6 Website/Blog: http://www.pjballantine.com/ Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/pjballantine/ Born in…
Alasdair Stuart quietly sits down to the roundtable and – with wit and laughter – makes it all okay. While his talents are diverse and potent – including narration, writing and blogging, editing, and game design – it is his ability express the essence of whatever topic is on the table with honesty and warmth. During this (more-than-20-minute) episode, Alasdair shares insights into what makes a story memorable, how to extract and express a theme, reveals the “true” essence of the Isle of Man, and single-handedly ends the Genre Wars.
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.
Gail Carson Levine – best-selling author (on just about every literary list) of Ella Enchanted and many more delightful…
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.
Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Alasdair Stuart Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 5 Website/Blog: www.alasdairstuart.com I grew up on the Isle…
“There are people who appear to be able to invoke creativity on command. They sit down and BAM, creative inspirations…
Joining Brion and Dave this week is paranormal steampunk author, archeologist, and confessed Victorian junkie, Gail Carriger. Gail’s latest work…