20 Minutes with Dan Wells

Cecilia Tan is a visionary author whose interests, passions, and achievements span a broad spectrum of experience. To say “she is best known for [something]” is a difficult sentence to complete for exactly that reason, but that is also what makes this 20(ish) minutes with her such a remarkable and inspiring conversation.

Join us as Ceclia discusses the application of spiritual divination to modern writing techniques, the value of fantasy and scifi to our culture, and the processes of engaging activity with your creative mojo.

Gareth Powell – author of “Ack-Ack Macaque”, “The Recollection”, “Silversands” and many more novels, stories, and poems – continues to explore the diversity and nuance of creative expression. With experience ranging from advertising copy to music to beat poetry and (of course) speculative fiction, Gareth brings a rare aesthetic to any project with which he engages.

Ryan Stevenson and I discovered much writerly goodness in the 20(ish) minutes of conversation where Gareth explores his editing and revision process, his experiences with collaborative fiction, the genesis of “Ack-Ack Macaque”, and more!

Myke Cole is a remarkable gentleman. He’s incredibly well read and knowledgeable on a vast array of topics from nerd culture to the foundations of speculative fiction to military theory and practice (after three tours in Iraq, that last bit comes as no surprise. But it goes beyond that. If you’ve ever heard his interviews or seen him at a con, you cannot help but be swept up in the energy and passion he infuses with every word. We were delighted to have Myke join us at the Roundtable and share some of that fire with us.

Showcase Episode: Brion and Dave sit down with J. Daniel Sawyer and discuss character development, beta readers, genre, audience and more. We think you’ll agree, the twenty minutes is over too quickly, but listeners will find a wealth of writing insights.

Jerry Gordon is an author and editor of short and long fiction. As an editor, his work with Maurice Broaddus in the creation of the “Dark Faith” and “Dark Faith: Invocations” anthologies have informed his knowledge and perspective on the craft and qualities of good storytelling. Writing is own fiction – including the upcoming PRE-apocalyptic “Breaking the World” has further refined those sensibilities.

This was an exceptional 20(ish) minutes where we explored the challenges of using known history in your stories, the weaving (not mashing) of genres, and the value of reviewing and critiquing other writer’s works

  Gail Carson Levine – best-selling author (on just about every literary list) of Ella Enchanted and many more delightful…

For Brian Kirk, storytelling is more than a career. It’s a way of life and a way of living. Author of the newly released (and deeply disturbing) “We Are Monsters”, Brian pursues his craft with the rigor and discipline of someone who truly loves what they do.

Joined by co-host horror writer CW LaSart (who has been on the RTP a few times before), we indulge in a fabulous 20(ish) minutes of writerly discourse with Brian, discussing why he writes, finding the “writer’s zone”, how to infuse terror into any scene, the distinction between “hero” and “protagonist”, and more. The writerly goodness flows like wine… grab a cup, hit the “PLAY” button and get some for yourself

Anne Lyle has crafted a lush and intricate historical fantasy thriller – “The Alchemist of Souls” – which is (thankfully) only the first in a trilogy published by Angry Robot Books. As much as we hated to take her away from her writing, she graciously agreed to join myself and the inestimable Doc Coleman (filling in for Brion) in a marvelous discussion of crafting other races, the practical use of deleted scenes, theatrical influences, and the nature of Speculative Fiction. Join us… there’s plenty of chairs.

John Mierau is someone you want to talk to. I mean, he’s definitely someone you want to read because his works are startling, innovative, and richly crafted. But the depth and insight (and humor) that comprise John’s outlook on life, writing, and the creative process are things that come up almost immediately once you start a conversation with him. And that, my friends, will be time well spent. We were fortunate to have John spend 20(-ish) minutes with us where he shared some honest and inspiring perspectives on how he does what he does… a fabulous conversation we’re proud to share with you.

J. Robert King has told hundreds of stories, including “The Incubus Tweets”, “Guild Wars: Edge of Destiny”, “Angel of Death”, and more… and with each story, he seeks a truth. What he finds is rarely what he set out looking for, but he persists in following his stories faithfully and honestly. That makes him a badass in our book.

Joined by veteran podcaster, storyteller, and former Guest Host, John Mierau, we engage in a most intriguing 20(ish) minutes of writerly discourse with Rob, exploring the nature of evil in fiction (and ourselves), the end of the “age of the author”, and more. There’s writerly goodness (and maybe one or two epiphanies) awaiting you, friends… it’s all just a “PLAY” button away

Nobilis Reed is an accomplished author, producing a multitude of short fiction, several novels, countless podcasts, as well as a substantial volume of audio and editing work with other writers and publishers. Widely known for his erotic fiction, he brings a wealth of insight and experience to the table which he shares generously and with style. Pull up a chair and join us in exploring a a unique perspective on writing and storytelling.

Bryan Lincoln represents an remarkable synthesis of science and creative mojo, equally at ease in a bioengineering lab, behind (or in front of) the mic, or at the keyboard. The scope of his experiences is vast indeed and we delve into that pool of knowledge in this Showcase episode, exploring the distinctions between audiobooks, full-cast presentations, and audio drama, as well as discussing the parallels of rational science and irrational art. So sit back, grab a mass spectrometer, and enjoy this enlightening 20 minutes

Alasdair Stuart quietly sits down to the roundtable and – with wit and laughter – makes it all okay. While his talents are diverse and potent – including narration, writing and blogging, editing, and game design – it is his ability express the essence of whatever topic is on the table with honesty and warmth. During this (more-than-20-minute) episode, Alasdair shares insights into what makes a story memorable, how to extract and express a theme, reveals the “true” essence of the Isle of Man, and single-handedly ends the Genre Wars.

Cherie Priest is a true Storyteller. She’s an author (of course) who has blazed her own trail through so many genres of SpecFic – Steampunk, Horror, Alternate History, Southern Gothic, and Urban Fantasy – and has received professional accolades for her fiction (her novel “Boneshaker” has even been optioned as a motion picture). Beyond that, she is a singular personality who defies convention at every turn. Our conversation with her was not only delightful but glitters brightly with literary gold.

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!