Speculate!

Welcome to Episode 49 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we bring you a series of interviews done with authors and editors attending Origins, which along with Gen Con is one of the oldest gaming industry conventions in the world.  Origins recently started its own writing track (called The […]

Welcome back for Episode 48 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we conclude our series of shows on the work of Ian McDonald with a look at a few of the specific writing techniques used in The Dervish House, particularly his approach to cinematic writing, evoking all the senses, […]

Welcome back for Episode 47 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our series of shows on Ian McDonald’s The Dervish House as we interview the author himself on subjects from research to language to writing process–and how at times seducing the reader is a better way to […]

Welcome back for Episode 46 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we begin a new triptych of shows on the work of BSFA-winning author Ian McDonald, discussing our reaction to his Hugo-nominated book The Dervish House–a book about near-future Istanbul which is as dense, and fascinating, as the city […]

Welcome back for Episode 45 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we add another really interesting guest to our interview mix as we talk to Brent Weeks, bestselling author of the Night Angel trilogy, who covers aspects of the writing life, learning from the work of other authors, and […]

Welcome back for Episode 44 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we conclude our series of shows on the work of Rob Ziegler with a discussion of some of the specific writing techniques used in his book Seed, looking at how gutsy writing with an attention to narrative voice […]

Welcome back for Episode 43 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we continue our series of shows on the ecopunk novel Seed, interviewing author Rob Ziegler about his interest in the subject of climate change, his thoughts about grace within savagery, and why he’s glad he doesn’t always have […]

Welcome back for Episode 42 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we start a new sequence of shows on the work of speculative fiction author Rob Ziegler, giving our reaction to and review of his book Seed, a new ecopunk novel from Night Shade Books which punches you in […]

Welcome back for Episode 41 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we continue our look at the impact of E-books and independent publishing on the field of speculative fiction with part two of our talk with author and editor extraordinaire Paul Genesse, focusing here on what makes a book […]

Welcome back for Episode 40 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we take a step back from our usual blend of reader response and writer analysis to look at the state of the speculative fiction field more generally, enlisting friend and fellow speculative fiction author and editor (in both […]

Welcome back for Episode 39 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we continue our run of great guests with our interview of Brandon Sanderson, bestselling epic fantasy author.  This is one of our longer interviews, but when you have someone who can talk so easily and interestingly about magic […]

Welcome back for Episode 38 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we present our third artist interview, this one with giant of the field Todd Lockwood.  Todd, who did the cover for Brad’s upcoming book The Straits of Galahesh, gives us a look into what inspires him about the […]

Welcome back for Episode 37 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we conclude our series of shows on the work of Mark Hodder with a discussion of some of the specific writing techniques used in his book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, looking at how the use […]

Welcome back for Episode 36 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we continue our sequence of shows on the work of Mark Hodder with an interview with the author himself.  Mark’s fascinating insights on writing generally, steampunk specifically, and the role of theme in a story–how much punk should […]

Welcome back for Episode 35 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we start a new sequence of shows on the work of speculative fiction author Mark Hodder, giving our reaction to and review of his book The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack–a cool steampunk novel which doesn’t forget […]

Welcome back for Episode 34 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  We’re beginning our second year with a bang: in this episode we interview Carol Berg, veteran author of many fantasy novels and winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, about her inspirations in writing, the development of her career and her love […]

Welcome back for Episode 33 of Speculate!  The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we’re proud to present our first annual Year in Review show, in which (after wishing ourselves a very happy birthday) we discuss how the show has progressed over the past year and touch on the various episodes we […]

Welcome back for Episode 32 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we interview mountain climber, figure skater and (of course) fantasy author Courtney Schafer, who somehow finds time between climbing sheer rock faces, landing triple jumps, working a day job in electrical engineering and raising a son to write […]

Welcome back for Episode 31 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we interview artist Mark Winters, who like our previously interviewed artist Adam Paquette has a broad range of interests in the field of speculative art and beyond, having worked in several different mediums and (in addition to his […]

Welcome back for Episode 30 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we interview the multitalented Maurice Broaddus, who in between writing, editing, performing the duties of a small publishing company vice-president and running a convention somehow finds the time to talk to us!  This was an enjoyable and thoughtful […]