Every Friday, we're highlighting a panel from the TBRCon2024 all-virtual SF/F/H convention, looking back on the incredible variety of discussions that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Dyrk Ashton and authors/artist/designers Michael R. Fletcher, Alyssa Winans, Casey Gerber, Rachel St Clair and Isaac Hill for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Finding a Cover Artist & Designer." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, ...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Robert Jackson Bennett about his new novel The Tainted Cup, murder mysteries, Foundryside and magic systems, atmosphere, voice and the uncanny, tackling big themes through SFF, plot structure, twists, Warhammer 40k and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Robert. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Connecting World & Character. OUR SPONSOR : Novelo is a collaborative storytel...
Feb 06, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 90
Every Friday, we're highlighting a panel from the TBRCon2024 all-virtual SF/F/H convention, looking back on the incredible variety of discussions that we had the honor of hosting. This week, join moderator/author Dani Finn and authors Travis Baldree, Andrea Stewart, Michael R. Miller, J. Zachary Pike and N. C. Scrimgeour for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Writing Non-Human Characters." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn for a TBRCon2024 LIVE crossover episode with The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Fanatic's Podcast . During the episode, they delve into a mini-masterclass on Getting Started in Self-Publishing with author Andy Peloquin and podcaster Daniel Coolbaugh , exploring the essentials of self-publishing, being an entrepreneur, approaching cover art and design, finding editors, the importance of readers and community, paying it forward, marketing and advertising, book la...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 89
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Writing Romance with bestselling author Chloe Gong . During the episode, Chloe unravels the enticing yarn of romance, including the appeal of romance in stories, the exploding popularity of the 'romantasy' genre, good (and bad) romantic chemistry, healthy vs. toxic relationships, expectations and tropes, Chloe’s favorite romance books and authors, romance as main plot vs. subplot, spice in romance and more. ...
Jan 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 88
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Chloe Gong about her Secret Shanghai historical fantasy series, her adult debut Immortal Longings, what “success” means, Shakespeare and remixing classic stories, writing YA vs. adult SFF, aesthetics and atmosphere in film and fiction, Chinese history, magic systems, genre blending and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Chloe. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Writing Romance...
Jan 16, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 87
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Tech-Fi & Technology As Story with award-winning author Ken Liu . During the episode, Ken decodes the intricacies of technology fiction, including what tech-fi means, the uses of technology in fantasy, how technology and stories shape us and expresses our values, personifying technology, new technologies, A.I. and fear mongering, imagining positive impacts of future tech and more. NOTE: This is part two ...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 86
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with award-winning, bestselling author Ken Liu about his epic fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty, the works of Philip K. Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin, writing and persistence, how technology plays into our lives, writing short stories vs. novels, the relationship between history, modernity and language, how symbolism plays into the creative process, Frankenstein, photography and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Ke...
Jan 02, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 85
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they close out 2023 in style with fellow authors and friends of the show Ryan Cahill and R.R. Virdi . During the final episode of the year, they chat about how life has been, how writing compares to other forms of art and creativity, writing as a grind (that we love), experiences in publishing, self-pub vs. trad pub vs. hybrid, shifting writing processes, motivation and dedication, community and friendship, imposter syndrome and hurdles, our hopes ...
Dec 19, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Ep. 84
Announcement and synopsis for Mushroom Blues: The Hofmann Report Book One . After years of hard work and patience, Adrian M. Gibson is excited to announce his debut novel: MUSHROOM BLUES! This is the first book in THE HOFMANN REPORT series, as well as the introduction to THE FUNGALVERSE shared fictional universe. Adrian has poured his heart, soul and spores into this novel and this world, and he can't wait to share it with all of you. So, without further ado, it's time to ENTER THE FUNGALVERSE a...
Dec 15, 2023•4 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they reminisce on the year that was with podcasters Dylan Marsh and Charles M.C. (co-hosts of The Friends Talking Fantasy Podcast ). During the panel they share their top picks for favorite SFF reads of the year (3 each for a total of 12), reflect on the ups and downs 2023, offer some honorable mentions, talk about hikes, make surprise book announcements, split "assets" in a hypothetical "divorce" and more. BOOKS MENTIONED: - To Sleep in a Sea o...
Dec 12, 2023•2 hr 18 min•Ep. 83
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Working Through Grief with bestselling author Kevin Hearne . During the episode, Kevin unpacks the weighty burdens of grief, including how it fits into the human experience, reading and writing as therapy, incorporating the theme of grief into fantasy worlds (like The Seven Kennings trilogy), putting yourself in the mindset of grieving characters, music as a writing aid, grief and writer’s block, readers, he...
Dec 05, 2023•56 min•Ep. 82
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Kevin Hearne about his new novel A Curse of Krakens, The Iron Druid Chronicles, The Seven Kennings trilogy and passion projects, writing and teaching, urban fantasy, vampires and genre blending, folklore and mythology, friendship, community, tacos and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Kevin. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Working Through Grief. SUPPORT THE SHOW: - ...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 81
Join authors Michael R. Miller, Ryan Cahill, Philip C. Quaintrell, J.A. Andrews and M. H. Ayinde for the final FanFiAddict author roundtable of 2023! During the discussion, these five talented authors share their takes on WHY CLASSIC FANTASY STILL RESONATES , delving into how classic fantasy can be defined, why both writers and readers connect so strongly with the genre, secondary worlds, story stakes and more. This is the tenth edition of our monthly AUTHOR ROUNDTABLE series, where we bring a h...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Impactful Scenes & Sequels with bestselling author Jim Butcher . During the episode, Jim dissects the nitty gritty of writing effective scenes and sequential storytelling, including the potent scene-sequel dynamic, the building blocks of scenes (emotion/reason/review/decision), transitions between scenes and books, creating believable worlds, adding new characters to a series, keeping characters and stak...
Nov 21, 2023•53 min•Ep. 80
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
