20 Minutes with Jeanne Cavelos

Jeanne Cavelos – author, editor, and founder of the exceptional Odyssey Writers Workshop – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable, bringing her storytelling mojo to the brainstorming of a tale about the discovery of aliens on a near-future Earth… but are they here to help us defend ourselves from a threat beyond the stars or are they the true threat?

Our brainstorming table is set by Guest Writer, Jeff Brackett, whose tale of alien manipulation of the human race and its accidental revelation to the entire planet serves a fine spring board for a brainstorming feast. With co-host Nicholas Fife (who is contributing a tale to the very cool Folklore: The Affliction game), we delve into the tale and discover – beneath the alien conspiracy – a veritable trove of Literary Gold. There’s plenty to go around, so come and get yours!

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!

If you’re going to workshop a story, you might as well do it right… bring in a scientist who has also been an editor with Dell, founded two editorial lines of books, published three novels for a hugely successful television franchise, AND has spent the last 20 years leading one of the top literary workshops in the industry. That’s exactly what we did, inviting Jeanne Cavelos, founder and lead instructor of the Odyssey Writers Workshop back to the Big Chair to brainstorm a story idea.

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!

Jeanne Cavelos is an astrophysicist, an author (of fiction AND non-fiction), an award-winning editor, AND founder of the astonishing Odyssey Writers Workshop….

Lou Anders – Editorial Director at Pyr, the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Prometheus Books Publishing – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to help workshop a story idea by podcaster, writer, and former Guest Co-Host Doc Coleman. Doc’s idea inspires a wealth of Literary Gold as Lou walks us through some exceptional insights into the storytelling craft (he even assigns homework!).

Jeanne Cavelos – scientist, author, and founder of the exceptional Odyssey Writers Workshops – returns to the Big Chair at the RTP (for the third time!) to lend her considerable and extensive workshopping mojo to a tale of betrayal and revenge in the classic noir tradition.

Alicia E. Goranson’s literary gifts have engendered both marvelous prose and engaging scripts for both stage and audio production. In fact, her recent audio production – “The Mask of Inanna” – just won to 2012 Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form)! We’re delighted to have her join us for 20(ish) minutes to share her thoughts on character development, the unique challenges (and delights) of writing prose versus scripts, and more! Come get your weekly share of writerly goodness!

Jeanne Cavelos – scientist, author, and founder of the astonishing Odyssey Writers Workshops – returns to the ARCHIVOS virtual studios discussing techniques of crafting effective dialogue, working in collaboration with shared world fiction, emotional arcs within a scene, and more.