Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling co-authors Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck (AKA James S.A. Corey) about their new novel The Mercy of Gods, The Expanse series, blending genres and authorial voice, history and posthumanism, technology and humanity’s future, Babylon and intelligence, space opera and cultural reference, co-writing, success and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Daniel and Ty. Stayed tuned next week for their mini-maste...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 117
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/blogger Beth Tabler and authors Christopher Paolini , Jenn Lyons , Anthony Ryan , Ryan Cahill and ML Spencer for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Why Are Dragons Beloved in Fantasy?" SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonu...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr 33 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Writing from the End with co-authors Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle . During the episode, Julia and Ken work back from the end, exploring endings that they love, how to plan your ending while leaving room for spontaneity, writing endings for sequels and series, managing subplots and side characters, effective foreshadowing, pacing and middles, character choices, emotional payoffs, ending anxiety and more. NOTE:...
Aug 06, 2024•59 min•Ep. 116
WARNING: This episode contains major spoilers for Adrian M. Gibson's Mushroom Blues. Join Adrian M. Gibson , Krystle Matar and Sara & Lilly from Fiction Fans Podcast for a spoiler-filled discussion of Adrian's debut novel Mushroom Blues. This originally aired in audio on the Fiction Fans Podcast feed. ABOUT THE BOOK: Mushroom Blues is book one in The Hofmann Report series and the first in The Fungalverse shared universe. It released on March 19 and is available to purchase here in paperback,...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with authors Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle about their new novel Blood Jade, how they met in middle school, co-writing vs. solo writing, going from self-publishing to traditional, worldbuilding and mythology in The Phoenix Hoard, setting stories in San Francisco and Tokyo, creating characters that feels real, the challenges of writing sequels and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Julia and Ken. Stayed tuned next week...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 115
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 Christian "Miles" Cameron and authors Claire North , Andrea Stewart , R.R. Virdi , J E Hannaford and Joshua Walker for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Success & Satisfaction as an Author." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon...
Jul 26, 2024•1 hr 30 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Deep Worldbuilding with award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi . During the episode, Paolo delves deep into worldbuilding, laying out how to create immersive worlds, his worldbuilding process, deep vs. broad worldbuilding, keeping track of details, lived-in worlds, worldbuilding in YA and short stories, “stacking” world/plot/character and more. NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with Paolo. Click here ...
Jul 23, 2024•53 min•Ep. 114
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 Moses Ose Utomi and panelists Martha Wells , Veronica Roth , P. Djèlí Clark , Malka Older and Beth Tabler for a TBRCon2024 panel on "The Rise of Novellas." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, au...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 30 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi about his new novel Navola, his breakout hit The Windup Girl, Renaissance Italy, languages and cultural immersion, reading resonance and education, near-future settings and climate fiction, research and lived experience, transitioning into fantasy, burnout, discovery writing and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Paolo. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Dee...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 113
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 Frasier Armitage and panelists Christopher Paolini , Adrian Tchaikovsky , J.S. Dewes , Ada Hoffmann and K.B. Wagers for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Developing Alien Races." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus ep...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Writing the Opposite Gender with author Stephen Aryan . During the episode, Stephen bridges the gap between genders, exploring the importance of writing outside your own gender, stereotypes and how men often write women badly, how to enjoy writing the opposite gender, the advantages of writing in SFF, how to research other genders, gender norms and little details, intent and power dynamics, awareness, biases...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 112
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/blogger Neil Williams and panelists Mike's Book Reviews , M. J. Kuhn , Philip Chase , Mihir Wanchoo and Zoranne Host for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Reading Habits: TBR vs. Mood Reader." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive...
Jul 05, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Stephen Aryan about his new novel The Blood Dimmed Tide, the world of The Coward, ideas and distraction, heroes and PTSD, Persian and Mongol history, research and accuracy, magic systems and weird shit, the publishing landscape, working a day-job and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Stephen. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Writing the Opposite Gender. OUR SPONSOR: The Dryad's Crown i...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 111
IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not condone the inappropriate behavior of author Zach Rosenberg, but out of respect for the voices/experiences of the other panelists, we have chosen to make this panel available to listeners. 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/editor Sadie Hartmann and authors Delilah S. Dawson , Chris Panatier...
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Making Old Monsters New Again with author Christopher Buehlman . During the episode, Christopher uncovers the mysteries of old monsters, exploring examples of classic monsters, human psychology and allegory, advantages of using classic monsters, monster films and why some monsters feel dated, approaches for different genres/monsters, researching monsters, atmosphere, setting and emotion, gore vs. psychologic...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 110
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 K.C. Smith and panelists Ryan Cahill , Matt (The Broken Binding) , Ben Galley and Zack Argyle for a TBRCon2024 panel on "The Popularity of Special Editions." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 32 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Christopher Buehlman about his new novel The Daughters' War, The Blacktongue Thief, renaissance fairs, "Christoph the Insulter," comedy and empathy, creating an engrossing atmosphere, writing a range of voices and tones, invention vs. research, trusting your characters and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Christopher. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-masterclass on Making Old Monsters New Again. OUR...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 109
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/blogger Mihir Wanchoo and authors Anna Smith Spark , Casey Blair , Dyrk Ashton , Olivia Atwater and Kian N. Ardalan for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Cozy Fantasy's Rise - Grimdark's Demise?" SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclus...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 41 min
Join host Adrian M. Gibson as he delves into a writing masterclass on Creating Fictional Cultures with bestselling, award-winning author Rebecca Roanhorse . During the episode, Rebecca weaves a cultural tapestry, exploring why “culture” is important to human beings, approaches for creating a fictional culture, research and lived experience, details and sensory descriptors, characters in relation to culture, real world vs. secondary world cultures, cultural appropriation vs. inspiration and more....
Jun 11, 2024•50 min•Ep. 108
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/blogger Tom Bookbeard and authors Shirtaloon , Matt Dinniman , Casualfarmer , Abby Goldsmith and Travis M. Riddle for a TBRCon2024 panel on "LitRPG & Progression Fantasy." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes,...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 24 min
Join host Adrian M. Gibson as he chats with bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse about her new novel Mirrored Heavens, the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, Mesoamerican history, Native American representation, writing memorable characters, finishing an epic fantasy trilogy, writing for television and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Rebecca. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Creating Fictional Cultures. OUR SPONSOR: Chloe's Kingdom is a thrilling YA/sci-fi...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 107
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/booktuber Nicholas W. Fuller and authors Max Gladstone , Gareth L. Powell , Ai Jiang , Jendia Gammon and Sadir S. Samir for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Why Sci-Fi is More Than Space Opera." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus ep...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 28 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Locked-Room Mysteries with bestselling author Stuart Turton . During the episode, Stuart unlocks the mysteries of locked-room scenarios, including the appeal of them as readers and writers, key elements of locked-rooms, containing your setting and characters, using characters to control the mystery, tools for managing pacing and tension, keeping locked-room mysteries fresh and more. NOTE: This is part two of...
May 28, 2024•51 min•Ep. 106
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/blogger Eleni Argyró and panelists Nicholas Eames , Ada Palmer , Wolfe Locke , Austin Hardwicke and John Bierce for a TBRCon2024 panel on "Fantasy & Sci-Fi Manga/Anime." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, autho...
May 24, 2024•1 hr 32 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Stuart Turton about his new novel The Last Murder at the End of the World, his popular works The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water, writing a large cast of characters, history and research, theme and the role of the author, Agatha Christie, Aldi supermarkets, a spot of milk and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Stuart. Stayed tuned next week for his mini-mast...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 105
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, moderator/blogger Neil Williams and panelists Rory August , N. C. Scrimgeour , Dito Abbott , Drew Melbourne , Cameron Cooper and Scott (Book Invasion) for a TBRCon2024 panel on "SPSFC 2 Finalists." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episod...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a writing masterclass on Outlining Your Story with bestselling author Veronica Roth . During the episode, Veronica lays out some foundations for flexible outlines, including how she became an outliner, starting a new outline, characters/world/plot as a “soup," outlining (and re-outlining) complex plots, how to pace using an outline, planning plot twists and foreshadowing, getting feedback during outlining, themes, flexibility a...
May 14, 2024•55 min•Ep. 104
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/podcaster Adrian M. Gibson and authors Sunyi Dean , Chelsea Abdullah , Scott Drakeford , Emma Mieko Candon and Kaden Love for a TBRCon2024 panel on "The Debut Author Experience." SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episo...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 43 min
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Veronica Roth about her new novella When Among Crows, Divergent and managing success, dystopias and surveillance, writing adult SFF vs. YA, The Witcher and Polish folklore, writing novellas and multiple POVs, shifts in the publishing industry, worldbuilding approaches and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Veronica. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Outlining Your Story. OUR ...
May 07, 2024•58 min•Ep. 103
With over ten years of experience in the publishing industry, our very own M. J. Kuhn has compiled her knowledge into a a new interactive writing journal: THE ULTIMATE SFF STORY BIBLE . This novel planning resource offers writers different methods for plotting and story planning, with tools, prompts and more. Check it out and get writing! WHERE TO BUY: The Ultimate SFF Story Bible is AVAILABLE NOW in paperback on Amazon. Buy it HERE . ABOUT THE AUTHOR: M.J. Kuhn is the author of ...
May 03, 2024•3 min
