20 Minutes with Peter Newman

The scope and breadth of Marie Brennan’s experience is pretty remarkable. Anthropology, archaeology, languages, martial arts, music, dance… she’s pursued many passions. But the fundamental passion that has endured through out her life is writing. Author of “A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent”, The Onyx Court Series, and “Lies and Prophecy” (and so much more), she has applied her many passions like facets of a jewel to her storytelling. The result is rich authentic story worlds filled with compelling characters and captivating tales.

Joined by the splendid and insightful Marie Bilodeau as co-host, we explore the intersection of gaming and fiction, the development of a solid narrative, indulge in a bit of worldbuilding conversation, and more. This is one for the books, gang, a fabulous conversation fraught with writerly goodness… and it’s all just a click of the “PLAY” button away!

Tim Pratt is a true Literary Alchemist, weaving tales of wonder from the dross of life. His meticulous prose either reveals the magic in the mundane or exposes the truth behind the fantasy… and either way, you’re left reeling with either a goofy smile or a tear. We’re delighted to have him join us for a 20(ish) minute chat where we discuss the craft of writing gender, the challenge of time, answer some questions from Brion’s creative writing class, and so much more. Click that “PLAY” button, gang!

Author Alyc Helms explores the patterns of storytelling, cultural appropriation, the distinction between gaming and literary narratives, and more!

Last week, Guest Host Peter Newman’s book “The Vagrant” was released on the world and we couldn’t be more delighted for him. So delighted in…

Alethea Kontis – author of “Enchanted” (recently listed on Kirkus Reviews among the “Best Teen Books of 2012”), the award-winning “Alpha-Oops” series, and so much more – is a passionate and informed storyteller. Her diverse background includes, among other things, a love and respect for the theater and of the rich heritage of folklore and fairy tales, both of which informs her work and infuses it with authenticity and magic.

Justin Macumber (co-host and founder of the Dead Robots’ Society podcast) joins me in a rousing 20(ish) minutes as Alethea waxes rhapsodic on the allure of fairy tales, who she writes for, her revision and editing process, and much more. The Fairy Queen is in the house people… woot!

Marguerite Reed, author of the newly released (and much acclaimed) “Archangel (The Chronicles of Ubastis)”, knew she was going to be a writer at 13. In her journey to discover her authorial voice, she found her own, along with a love for history, science, and a good fight. Her storytelling is fearless, her characters are authentic, and her artistic vision is fueled by her passion for the writer’s craft.

Joined once again by Lauren “Scribe” Harris – author of “Exorcising Aaron Nguyen (The Millroad Academy Exorcists Book 1)” – as my co-host we launch into a whirlwind of writerly discourse, exploring Marguerite’s perspective on the First Person POV, her process of refining a story, discussing women in Science Fiction, global authenticity in storytelling and more. It’s a veritable buffet of writerly goodness… to fill your plate, just click that “PLAY” button

Gaming and Speculative Fiction are inextricably linked… whether the tales of Conan the Barbarian led you to explore Dungeons & Dragons, or…

Emma Newman – author of “20 Years Later” and “From Dark Places” and the soon-to-be-released “Between Two Thorns”, crafter of marvelous tales short and long, and record holder for the longest bout of Writers Block ever – has been bringing the delights (and dark things) of her imagination to the page for most of her life.

Her fiction transforms the mundane into the marvelous… and she performs the same magic with this 20(ish) minutes of conversation. Emma generously shares her insights into the nature of writing advice, the distinction between long and short fiction, her unique process, the cyclical nature of post-apocalyptic fiction, and more!

Michael R. Underwood – author of the phenomenal “Geekomancy” and the forthcoming sequel “Celebromancy” AND North American Sales & Marketing Manager for Angry Robot Books – is a scholar of wonders and delights. No, it doesn’t say that on his business cards, but it should. He is one of those rare creators who are simply not content with sitting back and watching. He learns by doing and he’s very thorough about his studies… whether it’s ancient weapons styles, Asian folklore, or AD&D, Mike will scrutinize every nuance to get the most out of the experience.

Our 20(ish) minutes of conversation with this remarkable storyteller is fraught with new perceptions, intriguing insights, and at LEAST 2 “ah-ha!” moments… so hit that play button and prepare to be delighted.