Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Jim Butcher about his new novel The Olympian Affair, The Dresden Files and the Codex Alera series, teaching his son James J. Butcher everything he knows, a dream Dresden anime, Lois Bujold and The Vorkosigan Saga, writing cats and animal POVs, cherished mentors, paying it forward, blending genres, weightlifting and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Jim. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-ma...
Nov 14, 2023•56 min•Ep. 79
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Supernatural Magic with author Ed McDonald . During the episode, Ed explores the strange nature of the occult, including supernatural beliefs, history, folklore and mythology, hard and soft magic systems, magic as a part of worldbuilding/plot/character, research and lived experience, strange supernatural creatures, the ritual of storytelling and magic and more. NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with ...
Nov 07, 2023•52 min•Ep. 78
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Ed McDonald about his new novel Traitor of Redwinter, the Raven's Mark series, practicing sword fighting and HEMA, studying history, advice about publishing and the writing community, writing a female protagonist, believing in yourself, tattoos, mice and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Ed. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Supernatural Magic. SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 77
Join authors Michael Mammay , Christopher Paolini , Ada Palmer , Nia "N.E." Davenport and Bethany Jacobs for another FanFiAddict author roundtable! During the discussion, these five talented authors share their takes on FAR FUTURES & PRESENT SOCIETIES , delving into the interactions between future speculation and contemporary commentary, the way sci-fi straddles both present and future, the lasting power of fiction and more. This is the ninth edition of our monthly AUTHOR ROUNDTABLE series, ...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Plotting 101 with author Greta Kelly . During the episode, Greta plots out the essentials for outlining a novel, including what plotting and outlining are, how it can help stimulate your creativity and focus, evolving plotting processes, planning character and story arcs, tools/methods/software for plotting, going from outline to first draft to edits, helpful writing resources and more. NOTE: This is part tw...
Oct 24, 2023•52 min•Ep. 76
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Greta Kelly about her new novel The Queen of Days, the Warrior Witch Duology, her experiences in traditional publishing, Doctor Who and the concept of time, creating a unique magic system, why heists are awesome, writing compelling characters and godlike beings, biological and found families, parenting, The Lord of the Rings, D&D and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Greta. Stayed tuned next week fo...
Oct 17, 2023•46 min•Ep. 75
Join host Adrian M. Gibson as he delves into a writing masterclass on Co-Writing A Novel with authors Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey . During the episode, Cassandra and Richard tackle the chaotic business of writing with another person, including how they co-wrote The Dead Take the A Train, why you might consider (or not) co-writing a novel, merging writing styles and authorial voices, dealing with the challenges of evolving co-writing processes, deadlines and editors, co-writing virtually, c...
Oct 10, 2023•49 min•Ep. 74
NOTE: This is the final TBRCon2023 panel, so there won't be any more Friday panel episodes. Thank you for listening and supporting the convention. Every week, we've highlighted a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. For this final week, join moderator/author Cody Sisco and authors T. R. Napper, Olivia Chadha, Matthew FitzSimmons, Jeremy Szal and Elly Bangs for a TBRCon2023 panel on "What Even is Cyberpunk in 2023?" SUPPORT THE SH...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 32 min
Join host Adrian M. Gibson as he chats with bestselling authors Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey about their new novel The Dead Take the A Train, how they got into publishing, storytelling trends and the weird nature of the internet, writing for video games and comic books, the beauty of horror and the human psyche, New York City's deep history and the experiences it offers, music journalism, stealing cars, busking, tattoos and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Cassandra...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 73
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Tim Meyer and authors Hailey Piper , Jonathan Janz , Chad Lutzke , Candace Nola and Zach Rosenberg for a TBRCon2023 panel on "The Rise of Indie Horror." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selection of te...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Join host M.J. Kuhn as she delves into a writing masterclass on Writing Mysteries with author Josiah Bancroft and (surprise!) our very own Adrian M. Gibson . During the episode, Josiah and Adrian investigate the clues of writing a mystery, including why we love a good mystery, the evolution of the genre, essentials like setting, atmosphere, hooks and capable protagonists, how to pace a mystery and dish out clues, cohesion and mysteries going off the rails, genre blending a mystery with SFF and m...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 71
Join authors R.R. Virdi , Travis Baldree , Sunyi Dean , J.R. Dawson and Kaden Love for another FanFiAddict author roundtable! During the discussion, these five talented authors share their takes on THE POWER OF STORY , delving into the role of storytelling across human history, how stories play into our cultures and traditions, the power of fantasy and sci-fi to inspire people across the world and more. This is the eighth edition of our monthly AUTHOR ROUNDTABLE series, where we bring a handful ...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 25 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Josiah Bancroft about his new novel The Hexologists, his fan-favorite series The Books of Babel, SPFBO and lessons from publishing, fancy words that no one understands, happily married couples who do it, fantastical worldbuilding and social commentary, satire and tropes, royal families, secrets of the heart, lies (or truthbending) and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Josiah. Stayed tuned next week for ...
Sep 19, 2023•55 min•Ep. 71
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/blogger David Walters and audiobook narrators Travis Baldree , Colin Mace , Luke Arnold , Emily Woo Zeller and Robin Miles for a TBRCon2023 panel on "Audiobook Narration 101." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selecti...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 51 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Building a Dedicated Fanbase with author Michael J. Sullivan and his wife/business manager Robin. During the episode, Michael and Robin lay out the realities of writing and building an audience, including steps to becoming a well-earning author, selling directly to readers, Kickstarter and crowdfunding, growing a career and community, the importance of series for fan investment, comparing traditional and sel...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 70
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Zack Argyle and authors Rob J. Hayes , Michael R. Fletcher , J.D. Evans , T.A. Bruno and Patrice Fitzgerald for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "Are SPFBO & SPSFC Important for Indie Authors?". SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan about his new novel Esrahaddon, The Rise and Fall trilogy, writing multiple series in the shared world of Elan, his publishing journey from The Riyria Revelations until today, comparing self-publishing and traditional publishing, writing great dialogue, evolving writing processes, career highlights, wikis and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Michael. Stayed tuned next we...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 69
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author ML Spencer and authors Ada Palmer , Ada Hoffmann , Justin T. Call and Connor M. Caplan for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "Neurodiversity Through Character." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selection of tees, tote bags...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Plot Twists with author Aparna Verma . During the episode, Aparna unravels plot twists, including why we love them so much, what makes a plot twist great, how plot twists work in fiction vs. TV or film, the essential trifecta of set-up, misdirection and reveal, ways in which plot twists can fall flat, tropes, favorite plot twists and more. NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with Aparna. Click here to ...
Aug 29, 2023•53 min•Ep. 68
Join authors David Wragg , Sebastien de Castell , J.S. Dewes , Marina Lostetter and Julia Vee for another FanFiAddict author roundtable! During the discussion, these five talented authors share their takes on CHARACTER THROUGH DIALOGUE , unpacking the ways in which dialogue and character are intertwined, how to best convey a character through the words they speak, what goes said versus unsaid, making dialogue sound unique to each character and more. This is the seventh edition of our monthly AUT...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Aparna Verma about her debut novel The Phoenix King, her love of Pokémon (and Charizard), bridging the gap between Indian and American cultures, her writing journey from self-pub to traditional publishing, how The Boy with Fire evolved into The Phoenix King, approaches to writing complex and captivating characters, science fantasy, why fire is awesome and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Aparna. Stayed...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 67
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/podcaster Adrian M. Gibson and authors Adrian Tchaikovsky , Paul McAuley , Aliette de Bodard , N.E. Davenport and Jonathan Nevair for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "A New Golden Age of Space Opera." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for...
Aug 18, 2023•1 hr 37 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Real Cultures as Inspiration with author Gabriela Romero Lacruz . During the episode, Gabriela unpacks different facets of culture, including what culture means, countercultures, SFF as a reflection of our world, immersive worldbuilding, pulling from real cultures vs. creating your own, research, cultural appropriation and more. NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with Gabriela. Click here to check out...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 66
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Scott Drakeford and authors Nicholas Eames , Josiah Bancroft , M.J. Kuhn and Ren Hutchings for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "What Makes a Compelling Character Ensemble?" SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selection of tees, tot...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Gabriela Romero Lacruz about her debut novel The Sun and the Void, her love of anime, how she got started writing fan fiction, growing up in Venezuela, learning English as a second language, writing compelling characters and family drama, creating fantasy races and magic systems, making visual art as The Moonborn and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Gabriela. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterc...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 65
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/blogger Tom Bookbeard and authors Travis Baldree , Rebecca Ross , Stephanie Burgis , Travis M. Riddle , Juliet E. McKenna and Quenby Olson for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "Slice-of-Life Fantasy." NOTE: There were issues with Quenby's audio/video during the original livestream, so apologies for her audio quality. SUPPORT THE SHOW: - ...
Aug 04, 2023•1 hr 31 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Norse Mythology & Culture with author Genevieve Gornichec . During the episode, Genevieve unravels the tapestry of Norse culture, including the essentials of Norse history, the popularity of Norse-inspired fantasy, vikings and gods, stereotypes and pet peeves, portrayals of women, balancing history with fantasy, how to approach researching Norse culture and mythology, the Norse living history community a...
Aug 01, 2023•57 min•Ep. 64
Join authors Gourav Mohanty , R.R. Virdi , Aparna Verma , Gautam Bhatia and Tashan Mehta for another FanFiAddict author roundtable! During the discussion, these five talented authors share their takes on SOUTH ASIAN FANTASY , exploring the growth of speculative fiction in South Asia and its diaspora, the ability for South Asian authors to represent their culture/heritage in their work, how fantasy plays into their own history/religion/mythology, publishing struggles and successes and more. This ...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Join host Adrian M. Gibson for a special book launch episode, celebrating the publications of Genevieve Gornichec 's The Weaver and the Witch Queen and M.J. Kuhn 's Thick as Thieves! During this raucous episode, M.J. and Genevieve talk about their new books, big inspirations, comparing debut experiences vs. second books, reviews, community, dream projects and more. Plus, PARTY GAMES! NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Genevieve. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Nors...
Jul 25, 2023•56 min•Ep. 63
Every week, we are highlighting a panel from TBRCon2023 , looking back on the amazing variety of panels that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Miles "Christian" Cameron and authors Tasha Suri , P. Djèlí Clark , Leslye Penelope , Freya Marske and Thilde Kold Holdt for a TBRCon2023 author panel on "Bringing History into Your Story." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (...
Jul 21, 2023•1 hr 40 min
