Workshop Episode 107 (Guest Host: Jake Kerr)

Seth Skorkowsky is a multi-disciplined storyteller. He crafts rich, nuanced tales of urban fantasy (The Valducan Series: Damoren, Hounacier, and Ibenus), pulp fantasy adventure (The Tales of the Black Raven), and more. He’s the host of a fabulous YouTube channel featuring his insights and analysis of the RPG experience. Those diverse passions make him a unique and inspired voice in the spec fic community.

Joined by APN colleague and co-host, Marie Bilodeaux, we delve into 20(ish) minutes of writerly discourse with Seth, exploring his perspectives on pulp fiction hero narrative, telling stories through non-fiction video, charting the course of writerly pursuits, and more. Writerly goodness awaits you… just click that PLAY button!

Jake Kerr makes his literary home on fringes of the craft, exploring every shadowed corner as he refines and reinvents his craft time and again. He’s a repeat offender here at the RTP. You can hear his brilliant (and slightly creepy) intro from his interview back in March of 2015). He’s been busy in the intervening year and a half, expanding his horizons as a storyteller AND expanding his canon of work in the world..

Literary alchemist Marie Brennan – author of “A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent”, The Onyx Court Series, and “Lies and Prophecy”, and so much more – returns to the Guest Host chair to lend her astonishing brainstorming savvy to a tale of two strangers who’s lives become entangled by a drug that imparts magical powers as a side effect.

The tale is offered up by a pair of creagous Guest Writers, Saskia den Ouden and Thomas de Man… a street level slice of life where the protagonists walk the very fine line between hero and villain. Joined once again by the fabulous Marie Bilodeau as co-host, we indulge in a bit of worldbuilding (what a shock), as well as delving into what makes for a truly effective antagonist. The Literary Gold flows like Spice (NOT of the pumpkin variety) and your share is just a click of the “PLAY” button away!

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…

Alyc Helms – author of “The Dragons of Heaven”, “The Conclave of Shadows”, a veritable bevy of short fiction, and gaming titles from Green Ronin Press – returns to the Big Chair at the ARCHIVOS Podcast Network to lend her Brainstorming Fu to a tale of the fate of the followers of a murdered god.

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.

Cerece Rennie Murphy – creator fo the Narazu Media Portal, author of The Order of the Seers trilogy, “To Find You”, and more – explores worldbuilding, her discoveries in fandom, how she develops her stories, and more.

Michael R. Underwood returns to the APN! Joined by co-host Marie Bilodeaux, we indulge in (way more than) 20 minutes of writerly discourse exploring Michael’s astonishing new project, the “Born to the Blade” story world serialized by Serial Box… how it began, the nuances of the collaboration between him and his co-writers, the notion of “post-cynical optimism”, and more!

Kelly Robson – author of the Nebula-nominated “Waters of Versailles” (published by Tor.com) and many other marvelous tales – joins for a marvelous conversation exploring the qualities of fine non-fiction and its value to a writer, struggling with self-doubt and giving yourself permission, golden nuggets of writerly wisdom acquired from others, the secrets of scene-craft, and more.

Fran Wild – author of Updraft, The Jewel and Her Lapidary and more – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to apply her fabulous storytelling mojo towards brainstorming a tale of our our world where ghosts are real and everyone knows it.

The tale is offered up by Guest Writer Jen Dawson, a poignant story a “ghost seer” contending with the challenges of her gift, her sexuality, and the perceptions of a culture that continues to struggle with (or against) both. Marie Bilodeau returns as Co-Host and together we work our way through the rich tapestry of characters and story woven by Jen’s story, tucking in some threads of Literary Gold along the way.

We’re pleased and delighted to have our inaugural podcast under the proud banner of Wonderthing Studios to be this splendid…

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. 

Clint Gaige – storyteller, film maker, and general badass – returns to the Big Chair at the Roundtable to lend his mojo with visual narratives to a story… no wait, excuse me… a SCRIPT brainstorm of a horror film exploring what happens when our children (ALL our children) turn on us.

The script concept is offered up by creageous Guest Writer Matteo Marsiello, a tale of what happens in a suburban Midwest town when the children go on a murder spree targeting the adults. Marie Bilodeau returns to take the co-host chair and together we enter the dark horrifying world of Matteo’s vision, exploring character arcs and thematic nuances, jumping and shadows and unearthing a treasure trove of Literary Gold. It’s yours for the taking if you DARE… to push that “PLAY” button!

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!

Robyn Bennis Robyn Bennis – author of “The Guns Above” and the soon to be released “By Fire Above” – joins the APN crew to wax rhapsodic on organizing book research, creating a “writing space”, crafting an effective conflict character, and more!