Speculative Sandbox

Join Vickie Lan and unpack the tropes that make fiction fun! Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Cover image photographed by J.D. Fitzgerald. Episode cover images and zoom backgrounds feature royalty-free images from Canva and Pexels. Audio provided by Anchor and Transistor.fm

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Episodes

6. Crafting the Villain: Dark Triad Personalities

We watch them on TV. We read about them in books. We learn about their nefarious behaviors in the news. I’m talking about Dark Triad Personalities. Narcissists. Machiavellians. Psychopaths. They’re the villains of both our stories and our real lives. Author Marsheila Rockwell joins Vickie Lan in a discussion of what defines these three personality types, how they apply to both fictional and real-life people, and the ways writers can develop compelling Dark Triad characters.

Apr 18, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5. Chasing Utopia: The Horrors of Perfection

Thomas More coined the term "Utopia" in his 1516 book of the same name, but is it really the ideal place to live? Author Jacob Devlin joins Vickie Lan in a discussion about fictional utopian societies, what makes them wonderful at first glance, and what makes them terrifying once you read between the lines.

Apr 06, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4. The Immortality Dilemma: Legacy building gone wrong

Ghostwriter and editor Leslie Hinson joins Speculative Sandbox on the search for immortality. Like Dorian Gray and his aging portrait, how do different characters avoid death? How does legacy building ensure our future? And what happens when someone else takes control?

Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3. Cautionary Tales: Dystopian Societies

Not all Dystopian societies are terrible...right? Guest writer Brad Allis joins me in a discussion of the dystopian trope, why we love to read and write them, and their small silver linings (if any!)

Mar 23, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2. Am I the Drama? Problematic Protagonists

Good protagonists, evil protagonists, evilly good protagonists? Author Matthew C. Brown joins Speculative Sandbox in a chat about complex protagonists, the appeal of evil characters, and how story telling has evolved as our interactions on social media take center stage.

Mar 16, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 2

1. Introduction: A podcast for speculative fiction writers

What is speculative fiction? What can you expect from this podcast? Who am I? Learn all this and more in the introductory episode of Speculative Sandbox.

Mar 09, 2022•14 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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