Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast
Amazing life stories and proven tips for both writing and illustrating, listen to Contest judges, winners, and industry pros in these personal interviews on the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast.
274. Jody Lynn Nye Coordinating Judge on 40 Years of Writers of the Future
This episode features Jody Lynn Nye, and we discuss 40 years of Writers of the Future, its impact on the genre, and what she is looking for as the Coordinating Judge. Learn more at jodynye.com.
273. John Brown Discusses Writing Magic Realism
John Brown was a winner published in Writers of the Future Volume 13 with his story “The Scent of Desire” under his penname Bo Griffin. I met up with him again last year at LTUE and when I saw he would be back, I asked that he send me a book to read so I could have him on as a guest. His bio says he writes action-packed thrillers and epic fantasies with characters you want to cheer for. After interviewing him, I discovered it is Magic Realism that he writes. He currently lives with his wife and four daughters in the hinterlands of Utah where one encounters much fresh air, many good-hearted ranchers, and the occasional wolf. Learn more at www.johndbrown.com.
272. SoundBooth Theater Creating Cinematic Audio
I’m here at Superstars Writing Conference in Colorado Springs. This is a podcast panel, meaning I am recording this podcast as I interview SoundBooth Theater founder Jeff Hays and international bestselling author Craig Martelle in front of a live audience. Jeff Hays is a prolific narrator and producer, and CEO of Soundbooth Theater, a full-service audio production company that specializes in multicast audiobooks and Cinematic Audio. Craig Martelle is the author of around 190 books. I am familiar with his Ian Bragg Thriller Series, covered in a separate podcast interview. He is also one of the geniuses behind the 20 Books to 50K Conference created by Michael Anderle.
271. Stephen Kotowych Editor of The Year’s Best Canadian F&SF Vol 1
Stephen Kotowych was a writer winner for Writers of the Future Volume 23 in 2007. He recently edited and published The Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction Volume 1 anthology. It comprises 37 stories and poems and is 100% Canadian. He has a Kickstarter for Volume Two that will run from March 19 through April 16. The link for the prelaunch is: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kotowych/years-best-canadian-fantasy-and-science-fiction-volume-two. Learn more at kotowych.com.
270. Calendar of Fools with Intergalactic Rejects
Storm Humbert and fellow Writers of the Future winners created a publishing company called Calendar of Fools. They compiled a book containing only of rejects, not because they weren’t good, but because they weren’t right for where they were submitted. So, this project is to give these great stories a second chance! They created a GoFundMe for the project, which you can find here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/innerworkings/intergalactic-rejects-a-calendar-of-fools-anthology. In this interview, I am with Storm Humbert and fellow winner John Campbell, along with contributor Hillbilly, as we discuss how stories can live on.
269. Locus Mag Editor in Chief Discusses Its Importance to SF&F
Liza Trombi is the Editor in Chief of Locus Magazine. In this interview, we discuss the history of Locus and its importance to the SF&F field. We also announce a fundraiser that Locus is running and that I encourage you to check out at locusmag.com or go directly to www.indiegogo.com.
268. Mark Leslie Lefebvre: Creating and Growing a Universe
Mark Leslie wrote a 10,000-word short that began his Canadian Werewolf series. In this interview, we discuss going from a story, to a novel, to a series, to collaborating with spin-offs. Yogi Berra famously stated, “When you come to a fork, take it.” We discuss how accurate this is as advice as you become more knowledgeable as a storyteller. We discuss how this can be accomplished.
267. David Weber Creator of Honor Harrington and Other Incredible Sci-Fi
In this interview done at Superstars 2024 in Colorado Springs, CO, David Weber discusses his journey to becoming the bestselling author, including Honor Harrington, and we also address his coming to grips with being the new “old guard” of science fiction and fantasy authors. I really enjoyed this interview. He is not only a great author, but a very lovely man. Learn more at www.davidweber.net.
266. Craig Martelle on Compelling Military Fiction Drama
Craig Martelle has taken his more than twenty years of experience in the Marine Corps, his legal education, and his business consulting career to write compelling stories. He recommended the first in his Ian Bragg Thriller Series, The Operator, which I read and thoroughly enjoyed. But his bio also says he writes sf, urban fantasy, YA fantasy, and regular fantasy as well as thriller. But today, it’s all about the thriller! Learn more at craigmartelle.com.
265. Jim Butcher Dresden Files and Writing Urban Fantasy
I met up with Jim Butcher at the Superstars Writing Conference in Colorado Springs. He is the creator of The Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new series, the Cinder Spires. We talk about his journey to becoming a bestselling author and any backstories of the characters in his Dresden series. Much more insight into why he is the incredible author that he is. Learn more at www.jim-butcher.com.
264. Deon McAdoo Tells Authors How to Get Books Published Through Ingram Spark
Deon McAdoo, Key Accounts Sales Manager for Ingram Spark. IngramSpark is an online self-publishing company that allows you to print, globally distribute, and manage your print and ebooks. I knew very little about Ingram Spark before this interview but rapidly learned what an amazing tool this is for authors wanting to get their books published and distributed—EVEN IN BOOKSTORES!
263. Contest Director Joni Labaqui Discusses the History of the Contest
Joni Labaqui has been the Contest Director since 1995. In this episode, we discuss both Contests, starting with what it was like in 1995 and how it has grown. We also discussed each of the Coordinating judges for both Contests.
262. Rebecca Hardy Discusses Writing in 1st Person
I met Rebecca Hardy, pen name for Rebecca Hardy, after she wrote a blog post on the cameras of Battlefield Earth. She was subsequently a guest just over a year ago with her debut novel, House of Lost Wives. She is a writer, photographer, and artist working in London while residing in West Sussex, England. She has just come out with her second novel, The Merchant’s Daughter, again written in first person. As I am routinely cautioned about writing in the first person, I wanted to revisit the subject with someone who successfully uses first-person narrative. Learn more at www.rebeccadanese.com.
261. Jo Henry, Managing Director of Bookbrunch Publishing News Service
Jo Henry is the managing director of Bookbrunch, a daily news service and information site for the book industry. She has worked in the book industry for over 40 years, starting at the literary agency A.M Heath; she has worn probably every possible hat in the publishing industry. She joined BookBrunch in 2018. Jo was co-founder of the Book Marketing Society and a former chair of both the Book Society and the Book Trade Charity.
260. Judith Anderle Discusses AI, Publishing, and Copyright Law
Judith Anderle, who, along with her husband, Michael, has built an indie publishing empire and created the 20BooksTo50K annual conference. In this interview, we discuss publishing, AI, and copyright law as it currently stands in January 2024.
259. Alex Shvartsman on Writing Snark in SF&F
Alex Shvartsman is from Ukraine and came to the US as the USSR was collapsing and now lives in New York. With English as his third language, he read voraciously and began writing in his thirties. He sold 100 short stories before venturing into novels. He loves to write. He also holds the distinction of having been #3 in the world in Magic: The Gathering. He was originally published in Galaxy’s Edge magazine as published by Mike Resnick (WOTF judge). We discuss how he writes snarky (satire, humor) fantasy and sci-fi. Visit Alex at alexshvartsman.com and receive the free ebook Explaining Cthulu to Grandma.
258. José Sánchez & Chris Arias artists from Costa Rica
The first half of this interview is with José Sánchez & Chris Arias at the Writers of the Future Awards week. The second half is with Chris, who has had a whirlwind of excitement and recognition after he returned to Costa Rica.
257. Barbara Lund Writing Sci-Fi Detective Procedurals
Barbara Lund was the Writers of the Future Golden Pen Award-winning author for Volume 37 and writes sci-fi and fantasy. But I really enjoyed her sci-fi detective procedural Platform 8. She has a full-time job, is a mom, and gives her formula for being able to write and publish as well—working out priorities. Learn more at barbaralund.com.
256. Michael Johnson, a Technologist on Future Publishing Trends
Michael Johnson has many years of experience in publishing, technology, and educational distribution. He is currently Vice President of Content at Benetech, a global company that creates software for social good in the areas of education, employment, and social inclusion. In other words, Michael assists in making your stories and art accessible to anyone, regardless of their circumstances. Michael has been involved with many publishing evolutions that were feared to be the end of publishing, such as eBooks, only to find publishing emerging all the stronger. As long as there are humans reading stories, there will be publishing. We cover accessibility in publishing and define the term and its importance in the coming years. We also discuss AI in book publishing—plagiarism.
255. Matthew Wolf the Role of Inspiration in Fantasy Storytelling
Allow me to introduce you to Matthew Wolf, an incredible epic fantasy author. We discuss his origins as an author, inspiration, and creating vivid characters and storylines. And let me recommend the Ronin Saga. Learn more at www.matthewwolfauthor.com.
254. Pak Gallego Board Game Creator from Spain
I met Pak Gallego at the Frankfurt Book Fair and learned that he created board games and card games: writing, designing, and working out the math needed to create a game. And I immediately wanted to have him on as a guest as I had never discussed gaming (creating of) with anyone! So meet Gak Gallego from Barcelona, Spain.
253. Gray Levett History of UK Rock & Roll Photography & More
Grey Levitt began his career as a photographer shooting bands such as Jethro Tull, Kinks, Genesis and expanded from there to creating one of the most well-known Nikon camera shops in London, Grey’s of Westminster. He researched the history of photography before publishing his books, as well as for each issue of his magazine. Learn more at www.graysofwestminster.co.uk.
252. Jim Meskimen—Actor, Comedian, Impressionist at FanX
Jim Meskimen is a voice actor known for voicing Deadshot, Ultron, and Kuruk. As a professional actor for nearly thirty years, Jim has appeared in the films Apollo 13, The Grinch, Frost/Nixon, The Punisher, Not Forgotten, There Will Be Blood, and many others. Some of Jim’s TV credits include Friends, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Castle, Lie to Me, and Rules of Engagement. We discuss how to create voice in characters that actually work in writing stories. Check out this video showing how fast he can change celebrity voices!
251. Brandon Mull Special Magical World Building
I met Brandon Mull at Life the Universe and Everything conference last year in Provo, Utah, and we immediately hit it off. He was such a super nice guy and I wanted to have him as a guest on this podcast as I felt he would be an inspiration to this podcast’s listeners. He sent me the first volume of Fablehaven and Candy Shop War and I really enjoyed reading them. I told several several of my fellow staff at Galaxy Press about Brandon and they began reading and raving about his books. I know you are going to enjoy this podcast because I sure did! Learn more at brandonmull.com.
250. Lazarus Black A Dream Come True
Lazarus Black was first an accomplished professional artist before tackling his true love—writing. He applied himself to learn his craft. He eventually won the Writers of the Future Contest. Now he has published his first novel. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to have him on as a guest and introduce him to fans of this podcast. Enjoy! Learn more at www.lazarus.black.
249. Charles E. Gannon on Writing Hard Science Fiction
Dr. Charles E. Gannon is a Distinguished Professor of English (St. Bonaventure University) and was a Fulbright Senior Specialist in American Literature & Culture from 2004–2009. His series includes hard-sf interstellar epic (the Caine Riordan series, set in his Terran Republic universe, nominated for three Nebulas, two Dragons, and winner of the Compton Crook Award). Along with about 50 other SF writers (such as Larry Niven, Ben Bova, John Hemry/Jack Armstrong, and Greg Bear), he is a member of SIGMA, the “SF think-tank” that advises intelligence and defense agencies (www.sigmaforum.org). In his role as a subject matter expert on advanced military/defense/intel concepts, he has been featured on the Discovery Channel, NPR, Fox, and a wide variety of other national media outlets.
248. Ringling College: Award-Winning Artists Turned Teachers
Ringling College of Art & Design has produced several Illustrators of the Future winners. This interview is with two of the reasons why. James Martin, professor of illustration in the illustration dept. He’s been an illustrator, mostly in the movie industry, and worked on movies like Titanic. Dominic Avant majored in illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. He worked in movie animation at Disney on many feature films including Mulan. He has been at Ringling for 17 years. I first saw Dominic in a TV interview as one of Zaine Lodhi’s (Illustrator winner) teachers. So when attending the Tampa Comic Con, I asked if I could interview both of these gentlemen and they graciously accepted and I trust you will enjoy what they had to say as much as I did! Learn more at www.ringling.edu.
247. James Rosone Top 100 Amazon Author Tells How He Does It
Top 100 Amazon author James Rosone returns to discuss his Monroe Doctrine Series and how he researches near-future warfare tying in newly evolving technologies leading to a very questionable future. He provides his techniques on how he has remained a top 100 Amazon author for several years. Learn more at www.frontlinepublishinginc.com.
246. D.J. Butler Navigating Right and Wrong in Storytelling
D.J. Butler (Dave) is a novelist living in the Rocky Mountains. He worked as a securities lawyer at a major international firm and in-house at two multinational semiconductor manufacturers before taking up writing fiction in 2010. He is a lover of language and languages, a guitarist and self-recorder, and a serious reader. He is married to a powerful and clever novelist and together, they have three devious children. Dave is published by Baen, Knopf, and WordFire Press. He writes adventure fiction for all ages. He writes for young readers under the name Dave Butler. Learn more at davidjohnbutler.com.
245. Dennis E. Taylor Pokes Fun With His Humorous Sci-Fi
Dennis E. Taylor’s bio simply states that he is a retired computer programmer, an enthusiastic snowboarder, and an inveterate science fiction reader. His Bobiverse Trilogy steps on any authoritarian, political, or religious toes. We discuss his satire as a lead-up to our upcoming relaunch of Mission Earth. It was written in multiple first-person points of view. Fascinating! Having read We Are Legion (We Are Bob) in the Bobiverse trilogy, I now understand his writing satire. Learn more at dennisetaylor.org.
244. Brian Lee Durfee Award-Winning Artist to Bestselling Author
Brian Lee Duree was an Illustrators of the Future winner in volume 9. Due to vision complications, he had to transfer from painting to writing and has since become a bestselling writer of science fiction. In this podcast, we discuss how Brian never lost his desire for creativity despite anything thrown at him. His is a story of persistence that can inspire anyone! Learn more at brianleedurfee.weebly.com.
243. Bea Jackson on the Importance of Humility as an Artist
Bea Jackson is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Parker Looks Up. Bea attended the College for Creative Studies and is the grand prize winner and returned alumni of L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrator of the Future Award of 2007 and now a Contest Judge. In this podcast we discuss her very humble beginnings as an artist to her very successful career and the importance of humility. Learn more at beagifted.com.
242. Martin Shoemaker OPINION on the Unwritten Rules of the Writers of the Future
Martin Shoemaker is an author and programmer and winner of Writers of the Future Volume 31. In this episode, Martin discusses his opinion on the unwritten rules of Writers of the Future, which you can also find at WritersoftheFuture.com/blog.
241. Bruce Brenneise Tips to Surviving as an Artist
Bruce Brenneise was an illustrator winner published in Writers of the Future Volume 34 and also illustrated “The Unwilling Hero” by L. Ron Hubbard in Volume 39. He has gone on to a very successful art career which we discuss in this interview. Learn more at www.brucebrenneise.com.
240. Roger Christian Academy Award Winner for Star Wars Discusses The Hero’s Journey
Roger Christian won an Academy Award for creating the look of the Star Wars universe—including the iconic lightsaber—and established a long collaboration with George Lucas. He directed 2nd unit on Return of the Jedi, and Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace. Lucas commissioned Black Angel, Roger’s debut as a writer/director to release with Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back in cinemas. In this interview, we discuss Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey as illustrated by Star Wars’s Luke Skywalker and Battlefield Earth’s Jonnie Goodboy Tyler.
239. 4 Different Styles 4 Award-Winning Authors
David Hankins, “Death and the Taxman,” TJ Knight “The Fall of Crodendra M,” Spencer Sekulin “Children of Desolation,” and Samuel Parr “The Last History” are all winners published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39. They have all written very different stories with very different and are all winners.
238. David Hankins & Sarah Morrison announce Death and the Taxman novel
David Hankins (WOTF) and Sarah Morrison (IOTF) are winners published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39. David’s story, “Death and the Taxman” with Sarah’s illustration, made for a fantastic package. It was so popular that David expanded it to a novel and Sarah expanded on her art to create the cover and additional inside art. And they have launched a Kickstarter to fund the project. Sign up for the Kickstarter here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/davidhankins/death-and-the-taxman.
237. 4 Award-Winning Authors and Artists Discuss Their Journeys to Winning
Meet four winners and listen to them give their personal journeys to win the Contest and published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39 : Elaine Midcoh, author of “A Trickle in History” (www.baen.com/pr-jbmmssa-2022-winner) J.R. Johnson, author of “Piracy for Beginners” (https://jrjohnson.me) Sarah Morrison, illustrator of “Death and the Taxman” (http://sarahmorrisonillustration.com) April Solomon, illustrator of “Moonlight and Funk” (http://AprilSolomonArt.com).
236. Robert J. Sawyer: Good, Bad and Ugly of Social Media
Robert J. Sawyer, the Dean of Canadian Science Fiction, which the Ottowa Citizen dubbed him. He’s won all three of the science fiction field’s top honors for his best novel of the year—the Hugo, the Nebula, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. As well as 11 Canadian science fiction and fantasy awards, the Auroras. If any of you remember seeing the ABC series Flash Forward, it was based on his novel of the same name.
235. Echo Chernik What Makes for Winning Art
Today’s guest is Echo Chernik, Illustrators of the Future Coordinating Judge. I’m not even putting down her bio because she’s got so much experience in every form and aspect of art. What I’m covering in this interview is what does she look for? What makes for winning art? What makes for somebody to actually come into consideration and move up the ranks as an Honorable Mention and as a Finalist, and ultimately a winner of the Contest?
234. Lezli Robyn Editor of Galaxy’s Edge Magazine
Lezli Robyn is the editor of Galaxy’s Edge magazine and assistant publisher at ARC Manor. She was brought into the field by Mike Resnick and introduced to the major names in science fiction and fantasy. She has picked up Mike’s mantle in helping writers. We discuss how to deal with an editor providing do’s and don’ts on how to present yourself and your work to an editor. Learn more at LezliRobyn.com.
233. Nnedi Okorafor’s Outrageous Writer Journey
I’m here with Nnedi Okorafor, one of our previously published finalists in volume 19 and now a judge. We talk about many of the things she has done in her life leading up to her amazing career. Her books included Binti, Akata Witch, Who Fears Death, Akata Warrior, and Lagoon. She has also written in the Shuri universe for Marvel. Learn more at nnedi.com.
232. Dan Farr CEO FanX Salt Lake on pop culture
CEO of Dan Farr Productions and owner of FanX Salt Lake, Tampa Comic Con, Atlanta Comic Con, and Indianapolis Comic Con, was this year’s keynote speaker for the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Volume 39 Gala. His topic was pop culture, and in this interview, we discuss the importance of writers and illustrators in creating the characters and stories that your favorite actors perform. We also cover the value of pop culture in breaking down walls and bringing people together.
231. Bob Bly Creator of The Science Fictionary
Bob Bly is referred to as THE direct response copywriter for the digital age. We have used him for several years at Galaxy Press. In addition to helping us at Galaxy Press, he has also worked with other “start-ups” such as IBM, AT&T, Intuit, Forbes, Medical Economics, and ITT. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter.” The Direct Marketing Association awarded him the Gold Echo, and the American Writers and Artists Institute voted Bob Copywriter of the Year. He has taught copywriting at New York University and is the author of over 100 published books, including The Digital Marketing Handbook, The Copywriter’s Handbook, PR For Dummies. And as for this interview … he is also the author of The Science Fictionary: A Dictionary of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Learn more at www.bly.com.
230. Lydia van Vogt, Secretary of Gen Eisenhower Widow of A.E. van Vogt
While I consider each of my episodes special, this one is especially near and dear to my heart. Lydia van Vogt has been a friend for many years and is one of the loveliest ladies I know. The photo is me with Lydia at the Writers of the Future Gala. She was a German translator for General Eisenhower in Germany in WW II, then granted her US citizenship once he became President. She then became a Chanel model. She is the widow of Golden Age of Science Fiction author and Science Fiction Grand Master A.E. van Vogt. And she has just turned 96.
229. John Haas did I tell you the one about a hideous idol?
How about this as our topic for this episode: A hideous idol. An ancient slumbering evil. A murderous cult. Today’s guest is John Haas. This is his third appearance on this podcast. As I prepared for this interview, I was trying to reconcile why I have had him on more than any other winner. He is Canadian and a super nice guy and writes some pretty intense horror. Somewhat of a contradiction that I will hopefully resolve in this interview. Learn more at johnhaas.ca.
228. 2023 Grand Prize Winners Dave Henrickson and Dao Vi
This interview was recorded the morning following the Awards Gala for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39. Dave Henrickson was the Golden Pen Award-winning author with his story “White Elephant,” and Dao Vi was the Golden Brush Award-winner illustrator for his illustration of the story “The Last History.” We discuss their trajectories to becoming the grand prize winners.
227. Steve Pantazis releases 1st of 9 volume epic fantasy series
I originally met Steve Pantazis in 2015 when he was published in Writers of the Future Volume 31 with his very clever story, “Switch.” I have been nagging him for about eight years now, asking for his novel. Well, he has not only provided that novel, he has done so in spades with a nine-book epic fantasy series entitled The Light of Darkness of which I read the first volume. We discuss his journey, starting 40 years ago, in creating this series. Up to the launch of this series, he has published short stories in Nature, Galaxy’s Edge, and Intergalactic Medicine Show. Learn more at www.stevepantazis.com.
226. Jim, Tamra, Taylor Meskimen—Why listen to Writers of the Future 39 audiobook
Jim, Tamra, and Taylor Meskimen have recorded nearly 500 audiobooks, including L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39. They discuss what makes this audiobook such a great listen for all age groups—Boomers to Gen Z—and how it has stories that appeal to everyone. We discuss the importance of imagination and the value of audiobooks in contributing to developing imagination.
225. Mark Leslie: Book rating system G, PG, R, X equivalents
This week’s guest is a longtime friend, Mark Leslie (Lefevbre) who I have had on as a guest a few times already discussing his Canadian Werewolf series, which I really enjoy! I’ve never discussed book ratings and what makes something children vs YA vs Christian vs all the other categories. How sex and violence are handled in the different categories. And what is the equivalent of a Motion Picture Rating System for books to let an audience know what they are getting? I’ve not addressed this in any of my past interviews. I will also do some research into different categories of romance vs erotica. Also what target audiences/ages would an author write for to reach the different audiences?
224. Brian Herbert author of Dreamer of Dune Frank Herbert
Brian Herbert, author of Dreamer of Dune, a book about his father Frank Herbert, discusses his relationship with his father, Frank’s growth from aspiring to international bestselling author, and Brian’s own journey as a bestselling author. Learn more at www.brianherbertnovels.com.
223. Radio theatre performance of “If I Were You”
Actors Keli Daniels, Neil Angevine, Taylor Meskimen, Jim Meskimen, Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson), Noelle North, Tamra Meskimen, and R.F. Daley perform L. Ron Hubbard’s circus fantasy story “If I Were You” for the Contest judges, volume 39 writers and illustrator winners. Circus midget Little Tom Little learns from a book on black magic how to switch bodies. When he jumps into the body of the lion tamer, he finds himself caught in the center ring surrounded by dozens of savage cats and quickly realizes that his craving for height just may have led him to a gruesome death.
222. Susan Kroupa and her Labradoodle: Three Decades After Winning
Susan Kroupa was initially published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 10 as a winner with the story “The Healer.” She has since gone on to write the Doodlebugged Mysteries, featuring a Labradoodle as a principal character, as well as Treetalker. Her fiction has also appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Bruce Coville’s Shapeshifters, and a variety of anthologies. She has lived and taught on both the Hopi and Navajo reservations and written for The Arizona Republic and High Country News. Learn more at susankroupa.com.
221. Daniel Yocom: Professional Book Reviewer
Daniel Yocom is a professional book reviewer. We met at the LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything) conference on a panel on getting reviews. Daniel is also involved with the League of Utah Writers, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating community, and empowering the writing and publishing goals of members, whether they be novices or professional. Something very near and dear to my Writers of the Future heart! Reviews are a very important part of the publishing process, and we will be discussing this along with the League of Writers Utah.
220. Brian C. Hailes World Class Artist / Bestselling Author
Brian C. Hailes was an Illustrators of the Future Winner in 2002, volume 18. He illustrated L. Ron Hubbard’s story, “The Idealist,” a few years ago. He is the creator of Draw It With Me, and is also the award-winning writer/illustrator of the illustrated novels, Blink, Defender of Llyans, and Avila, two graphic novels, Dragon’s Gait and Devil’s Triangle, and the children’s picture books Skeleton Play and Don’t Go Near the Crocodile Ponds. We discuss his journey to becoming an artist. Learn more at hailesart.com.
219. Dave Sheets Helping Anyone to Create their Book
Dave Sheets is the CEO of Indie Book Services. He has been in the publishing industry for over 25 years, working in all facets of publishing, and has turned his experience and expertise into his company, Indie Book Services. In this podcast, we discuss each step of the book production cycle, from helping write the story (ghostwriting or co-writing) all the way through to printed books. Dave can be reached at dave@indieauthorbookservices.com and by phone at (719) 641-7862.
218. Multiple authors writing one world: Eldros Legacy
Today’s guests are Marie Whittaker, Mark Stallings, Todd Fahnestock, and Quincy J. Allen, who co-create the Eldros Legacy fantasy series. Marie Whittaker is Associate Publisher at WordFire Press and Director at Superstars Writing Seminars. In 2021, she co-founded the epic fantasy world of Eldrose Legacy—the subject of this podcast. Mark Stallings is an Amazon best-selling author living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a writer of Chinese martial arts fiction called Woo-Sha (Wuxia), Fantasy, Thrillers, and Military Sci-Fi. Todd Fahnestock is a fantasy writer for all ages and winner of the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age Award. Quincy J. Allen is a national best-selling cross-genre author with a wide assortment of publications under his belt.
217. Kevin Ikenberry from Space Operations Officer to Bestselling Author
I met Kevin Ikenberry at Superstars in Colorado Springs and was amazed at how many common connections we shared. He has over twenty-five years of experience in space science education, including managing the U.S. Space Camp program and serving as an executive of two Challenger Learning Centers. Kevin is the internationally bestselling author of The Protocol War series featuring Colorado Book Award finalist Sleeper Protocol, which Publisher’s Weekly called “an emotionally powerful debut,” and the sequel Vendetta Protocol. Kevin is also the author of nine bestselling Peacemaker novels in the Four Horsemen Universe as well as the military science fiction novel Runs In The Family and the thriller Super-Sync. Kevin has also contributed to the Nebula-award nominated Caine Riordan series by Charles E. Gannon and his alternate history novel, The Crossing, written with Eric Flint. Learn more at kevinikenberry.com.
216. Storm Humbert and Inner Workings Kickstarter
Storm Humbert was a Writers of the Future Volume 36 winner and published in multiple magazines. Most recent is The Librarian, a collection with Air and Nothingness Press, and Of Wizards and Wolves, a tribute anthology for David Farland, published with WordFire Press. In this podcast, we discuss a Kickstarter for the Inner Workings Anthology, A Calendar of Fools. Kickstarter link: bit.ly/IWFools
215. Ray Porter, audiobook narrator and DC Comics Darkseid
Raymond Porter is an American actor and audiobook narrator who is most widely known for portraying the DC Comics villain Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. But for this interview, he was best known as the voice talent for Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger Series and for Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary which we discussed. I also learned that Ray had narrated several L. Ron Hubbard stories. We discussed the many facets of recording audiobooks, both technical and philosophical. We had a lot of fun and he explained what works and doesn’t work in storytelling from his perspective as a voice actor.
214. James A. Owen – Here, There Be Dragons
James Artemis Owen is an amazing artist and brilliant author. He is known for his creator-owned comic book series StarChild, and his fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica titled Here, There be Dragons, which I just finished reading in preparation for this very fun interview! Learn more at www.jamesaowen.com.
213. “Hillbilly” and Benjamin with Three Ravens Publishing
Today’s guests are William Joseph Roberts, AKA Hillbilly, and Benjamin Tyler Smith. Hillbilly is an award-winning author for the JTF Legends. He is also an editor and publisher of Three Ravens Publishing. Benjamin is a writer of sf & f and is one of the co-publishers of Three Ravens Publishing. Their dream has been to help other authors get published and we became best of friends since virtually meeting during the pandemic when Hillibilly took the Writers of the Future Online Workshop, then meeting him at DragonCon last year, and now spending time at Superstars 2023. This is their story of building Three Ravens Publishing.
212. Ron Collins Writing Space-Based Science Fiction
Ron Collins was a very enthusiastic writer winner back in 1998. His is one of our iconic photos for Writers of the Future with him kissing his framed certificate after having been announced. He was initially published in WOTF 14 as a finalist with the story “The Disappearance of Josie Andrew” and then the following year as a winner in volume 15 with his story “Out of the Blue.” He has since gone on to write at least two dozen novels in multiple genres, sci-fi, fantasy, and political thriller. In this interview, we tackle space-based science fiction centered around his Stealing the Sun Series, which evolved from his 24-hour story written at the Writers of the Future Workshop. Learn more at www.typosphere.com.
211. Douglas Richards Wormholes are real
Douglas E. Richards discusses the blur between science and science fiction. He speaks to the furious pace of progress, and how he’s come to believe that almost nothing is out of reach. This is a topic covered in his recent novel, Portals. We also discuss addiction, not drugs, but all forms and how it fits into Portals. DIA is researching “Traversable Wormholes, Stargates, and Negative Energy” and the speed with which science fiction is moving to science fact. Learn more at www.douglaserichards.com.
210. Scot Noel Editor of DreamForge Magazine
Scot Noel was published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 6 in 1990, which helped launch a very successful career as a writer and in starting his own science fiction and fantasy magazine, DreamForge. This is his story. He also reveals what he is looking for from authors wanting to be published. Scot views the world with the perspective that the glass is half full and the future will always be better. He has created a special offer for podcast listeners at www.dreamforgemagazine.com/wotf. The first 50 new print subscribers get a free copy of Worlds of Light & Darkness, and the first 50 digital subscribers get a print back issue. (offers limited to US only) Discover DreamForge at www.dreamforgemagazine.com.
209. JL George author of The Word and how disinformation changes nations
JL George lives in Cardiff, Wales, and writes weird and speculative fiction. She was a winner published in Writers of the Future Volume 36 with her story “Catching My Death” and has just released her novel, The Word. She also writes contemporary/urban fantasy as Louise Long. We discuss the importance of having great titles for your work. We discuss the power of language and how it affects a population while presenting a cautionary tale of what may lie ahead for us as social media disinformation creates such divisiveness. You can reach her at www.jlgeorgewrites.wordpress.com.
208. Illustrator Natalia Salvador and her journey from self-taught to pro
Illustrators of the Future winner Natalia Salvador, from Spain, discusses her new illustrated children’s book and how she is creating her career as an artist. She started as a self-taught artist who then studied art in college but quit her art after being told that illustration wasn’t valid. It required family and friends to get her to create her art again. See her art at www.nataliasalvador.es.
207. Hugh Howey returns with Across the Sand a sci-fi thriller
This is my second interview with Hugh Howey. I’ve now read three of his books: Wool, Sand, and the just-released Across the Sand. They are all science fiction thrillers. But they allude to a not-too-distant future, never stated but knowable of a world turned upside down but moving forward. We tackle superstition vs technology and the lessons taught by the nomads that you are the only one holding yourself down. Plus the function of morality and integrity as an author. Learn more at www.hughhowey.com.
206. Rebecca Hardy Author of The House of Lost Wives
Rebecca Hardy (pen name for Rebecca Danese) is a writer, photographer, and artist working in London while residing in West Sussex, England. The House of Lost Wives is her debut adult novel set in 1813, pre-Victorian England, which relies upon the existence of ghosts that only the protagonist can see. We discuss her journey to becoming a published author and why she chose the route she did. Hers is a very interesting story to arrive as a published author, and I am very happy I could interview her. I initially met her after she wrote a blog post on the cameras of Battlefield Earth. Learn more at www.rebeccadanese.com.
205. Jonathan Maberry Top Horror Author and creator of V-Wars
Jonathan Mabery is a New York Times best-seller, five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, recipient of the Inkpot Award, three Scribe Awards, and was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. We discuss many things, including the importance of research. He is the author of the Joe Ledger series, with which I am most acquainted. He is the creator, editor, and co-author of V-Wars, a shared-world vampire anthology adapted into a Netflix series. And we will address the role of research in how this series came about. We met at Superstars earlier this year, and I found him to be an incredibly nice person who I am excited to have on this podcast. Discover his works at www.jonathanmaberry.com.
204. Artem Mirolevich world-class artist from Belarus
Artem Mirolevish was born in Minsk, Belarus. He traveled to the United States when he was 17. Artem won Illustrators of the Future in 2007 and was published in Volume 23 has participated in over 100 solo and group exhibitions in museums, galleries, and art fairs worldwide, including solo shows in England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Japan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and the USA. Discover his art at www.artemart.com.
203. Hank Garrett from Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight
Hank Garrett published an autobiography, From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight, and this interview discusses his journey through life and creating this book. Hank was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and has received a New York Film Critics Award and Lifetime Achievement Award. Some of you old enough will know him as Officer Nicholson on the TV Series Car 54 Where Are You? And pretty much everyone will know him as the postman in Three Days of the Condor with Robert Redford. He openly acknowledges Sammy Davis Junior for helping save his life. Discover his works at www.harlemhoodlum.com.
202. Brian Trent from winner to published author of Red Space Rising
Brian Trent, who I originally met almost 10 years ago when he was a Writers of the Future winner, published in volume 29 with his story “War Hero.” His work appears in the New York Times bestselling Black Tide Rising series, Weird World War series, Analog Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Year’s Best Military and Adventure SF, Escape Pod, Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, and in 2019 he was the winner of Baen Books’ Readers’ Choice Award. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since we met back in 2013. He just published a fantastic novel that I read in preparation for this podcast, Red Space Rising. It was based on his winning Writers of the Future short story, which we discuss. Discover his works at www.briantrent.com.
201. Thomas P. Vitale has produced over 350 movies discusses successful pitches
Thomas Vital was Exec VP of SciFi Channel and produced over 350 movies. He now has gone independent, making his own movies. We discuss a movie he is producing a movie called 57 Seconds starring Morgan Freeman and Josh Hutcherson, based on a short story he read called Lucifer by E.C. Tubb. We discuss what TV and movie series buyers are looking for in Intellectual Property. Original work is great, but books, short stories, and graphic novels are better. Then we discuss how a script is created from the story. Discover his works at www.imdb.com/name/nm1973942/.
200. Celebrating With: The Professor Was a Thief
Today is a very special show in celebration of episode #200. During the Writers of the Future Volume 38 workshop week, a live performance of L. Ron Hubbard’s “The Professor Was a Thief” was presented to the Contest winners and judges. Why “The Professor Was a Thief?” Because it is the L. Ron Hubbard story included in Writers of the Future volume 38. So sit back and enjoy the performance. It’s only 30 minutes, and it will be followed by a Q&A with actors R.F. Daley, Travis Oates, and Roger Scott.
199. Elizabeth Wein from Contest winner to #1 New York Times bestselling author
Elizabeth Wein was a Writers of the Future Volume 9 and later a #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity and discusses her career as an author and her trajectory to success. She transitioned from Arthurian legend to science fiction—including a Star Wars novel—and thrilling adventure. Her storytelling is character driven and she explains how she goes about doing this. She became a pilot using her royalty advance from her second book to pay for it. Her knowledge as a pilot played a key role in Code Name Verity. Learn more at www.elizabethwein.com.
198. Science to Science Fiction: Jeffrey A. Carver, Edward M. Lerner, Alan Smale, Edward Willett
From science to science fiction: Jeffrey A. Carver, Edward M. Lerner, Alan Smale, Edward Willett discuss their journey from aspiring writers to award-winning and bestselling authors. We cover how they transitioned technical careers to hard sci-fi, alternate history, and space opera.
197. SLC FanX Illustrators of the Future: How to make it as an artist
The Illustrators of the Future Panel was held at the Salt Lake City FanX Convention in a packed hall and is now turned into a podcast. The panel pictured from l to r: Xiaomeng Zhang, Nick Jizba, Emily Jones-Goodwin, and Brian C. Hailes. The first half of the panel was discussions on how to create a career as an artist, and the second half was open mic Q&A. Enjoy!!
196. SLX FanX Panel: Judges Brandon Sanderson, Todd McCaffrey, and Writers of the Future winners
The Writers of the Future Panel was held at the Salt Lake City FanX Convention in a very packed hall. The panel pictured from l to r: Darci Stone, Eric James Stone, Todd McCaffrey, Brandon Sanderson, John Goodwin, Wulf Moon, Kary English, Z. T. Bright, and Martin Shoemaker. Plus, a 5-minute video from Anne McCaffrey on Writers of the Future and her tips to writers. The first half of the panel was discussions on creating short stories, and the second half was open mic Q&A. We almost got through every question. Enjoy!!
195. Evan Leikam TikToker Book Reviews Kill
Evan Leikam, perhaps better known by the handle “Book Reviews Kill,” is a pioneer TikToker with around 150k followers. In this podcast, we discuss how to create a TikTok brand and the value of BookTok. Find Evan on TikTok and Twitter at @BookReviewsKill; Instagram @Book_Reviews_Kill.
194. Crystal Crawford introduces Amazon Vella episodic publishing platform
In this episode, Crystal Crawford discusses the new Amazon episodic publishing platform—Vella. Crystal has been involved with Vella since its implementation a year ago and answers many questions regarding the platform. Vella is one of the fastest-growing publishing platforms and is very much worth checking out as a reader and author. It provides a new revenue stream for authors who can make a very sizable income monthly. Reach Crystal at www.ccrawfordwriting.com.
193. Brian D. Meeks discusses the top 5 most powerful words in copywriting
Brian D. Meeks, author of Mastering Amazon Descriptions, on the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contest Podcast. Learn more at www.SouthBeachDesk.com.
192. Author Z. T. Bright uses fantasy to explore issues with social media
Z. T. Bright is a Writers of the Future winner with his story “The Magic Book of Accidental City Destruction: A Book Wizard’s Guide.” He was the winner of the inaugural Mike Resnick Memorial Award and was published in Galaxy’s Edge Magazine in 2021. He writes anything speculative, ranging from sci-fi short stories to middle-grade fantasy novels. Writers of the Future was his second sale.
191. Ken Liu AMC Pantheon based on his stories in The Hidden Girl
Ken Liu is a multiple Hugo Award-winning American author of science fiction and fantasy. AMC’s Pantheon was created around the Singularity-based stories in The Hidden Girl, a collection of short stories by Ken. His story, “The Paper Menagerie,” is the first piece of fiction to win three literary genre awards: the Hugo, the Nebula, and the World Fantasy Award. He was a Writers of the Future Published finalist in 2003 with the story “Gossamer.” He also consults and speaks publicly on various subjects such as cryptocurrency, futurism, implications of new technologies, science fiction, virtual reality, and sustainable storytelling. Learn more at www.kenliu.name.
190. N. V. Haskell from occupational therapist to award winning author
N. V. Haskell is a winner published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38 with her story, “The Mystical Farrago.” Nicole has been in healthcare for 30 years as an occupational therapist and loves people and has developed an understanding that translates into amazing character development in her award-winning storytelling. Learn more at www.nvhaskell.com/N.V.Haskell.
189. Echo Chernik shares hard won advice to survive as an artist
Echo Chernik is one of the most diverse and successful artists you will ever meet. In this interview, she will discuss the business of illustration and art, including how to charge for one’s work. She attended Pratt Institute and has been a working artist all of her adult life and has built a very successful career, and wants to share her hard-won advice.
188. Em Dupre and Jim Zacarria: author and artist
Writers of the Future winner Em Dupre and Illustrators of the Future winner Jim Zacarria discuss working together for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38. We also discuss their journey to winning the Contests and what they plan for their future.
187. Scott Dickey, CEO of Podium Audio, on a new business model for audiobooks
Scott Dickey is the CEO of Podium Audio. Podium is probably the fastest growing audio publisher globally, mainly focusing on Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance. The company gained international notice for turning once unknown author Andy Weir’s e-book The Martian into one of the most successful audiobooks in the world. In this podcast, we discuss the Podium model and how authors can potentially take advantage of this to get their books made into audiobooks. www.podiumaudio.com
186. Jody Lynn Nye, the roll of SF&F on the future of civilization
Jody Lynn Nye is a New York Times bestselling author and the Writers of the Future Coordinating judge and discusses her vision of the future of science fiction and fantasy and the role and value it can have in forming the future of civilization. She also gives what she is looking for in stories for the Contest. See her works at www.jodynye.com.
185. Desmond Astaire is career military and Grand Prize writer winner
Desmond Astaire is the Gold Award winner for Writers of the Future Volume 38. He is career Air Force who also aspires to a career as an author. Learn more at www.desmondastaire.com.
184. Craig Alanson turned the alien invasion trope on its head
Craig Alanson publishes 3 novels a year. He went from being a paid accountant writing code to a full-time author making 6 figures after only 6 months—as a self-published author! He created Expeditionary Force as a reaction to the “plucky band of soldiers with rifles defeat an alien invasion” trope. These stories are so serious, straight ahead, and unrealistic—how can human soldiers on the ground defeat an alien assault, when the aliens can nuke us from orbit? “I set out to write a military space opera that was a hell of a lot more fun. Enjoy.”
183. Elizabeth Ticknor & Rebecca Treasure making their dreams happen
M. Elizabeth Ticknor and Rebecca E. Treasure discuss the importance of friendship in writing and making their dream of being authors happen. We discuss their journeys, overcoming self-doubt, and persevering to win the Contest.
182. Larry Elmore Dungeons & Dragons and Dragonlance artist
Larry Elmore become an Illustrators of the Future judge in 2012 and is routinely a highlight anytime he attends the annual workshop. Larry discusses how the original D&D art came to be and, following this, Dragonlance art. Larry talks about how he can just look at something, duplicate the shape, and draw it from memory.
181. Dean Wesley Smith discusses the brand new world of publishing
Dean Wesley Smith is one of the most prolific authors today, a master of selling the first draft of his stories. He was the first Writers of the Future winner to be awarded in the history of the Contest. In this podcast, he covers writing what you want to write, what you have fun with. He discusses what today are called “guidelines.” In L. Ron Hubbard’s day, these were called taboos, which he discusses in his how-to article called “Boos and Taboos.” In addition to creating his own worlds, Dean has written Star Trek, Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, and Men in Black novels and ghostwritten dozens of others.
180. Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, provides 6 steps to survival
Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, wrote and did her own voice-over for her book, I’m Still a 10-Year Old Boy and she is also an artist and sculptor. We discuss her growth and subsequent influence as an artist which includes my favorite chapter, “Six Salient Steps to Successful Survival,” which is very applicable to the aspiring writer and artist … and we talk about all 6 steps!
179. Meet 3 amazing winners from the United Kingdom
The UK is very important to Writers and Illustrators of the Future! Illustrator grand prize winner volume 37 Dan Watson (top), writer winner volume 36 J. L. George (center), and writer winner volume 38 Michael Panter (bottom) were interviewed during the workshop week where we discussed their individual journeys to winner and what they plan to do in the future.
178. Michael Talbot from Jamaica to Boston on being a pro artist
Growing up in Jamaica, Michael Talbot had always had a strong desire to inspire and speak to others through art. In 2012 he left his home country to live in the US and began pursuing his artistic dreams. He earned his BFA in illustration and graphic design with a minor in animation at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and has since been working as a Boston-based freelance artist on a wide range of projects, exhibitions, and showcases. Michael believes that all art is interconnected in some facet; informing, complimenting and/or enhancing each other. And although his passion and interest for storytelling is forefront in his practice and craft, he tends to draw from his knowledge in as many areas of study as possible to help strengthen this process. Whenever possible, he uses his rich cultural background from his early life in Jamaica to infuse, improve, and “season” whatever project he tackles, often mixing both digital and traditional media. www.talbotsart.com
177. Martin Shoemaker on Kickstarter book publishing strategies
Martin L. Shoemaker, a winner in Writers of the Future Volume 31, announces a new book, Ulla, based on The War of the Worlds storyline, and the use of Kickstarter to help with the book’s release. Reach Martin at www.shoemaker.space.
176. Kevin J. Anderson co-authoring with Rush lead drummer Neil Peart
International bestselling author and Writers of the Future Contest Judge, Kevin J. Anderson never wanted to be anything but an author his entire life. We discuss the conclusion of the Clockwork Angels Trilogy, Clockwork Destiny, which Kevin considers to be the best book he has ever written out of his 175 published books. We also discuss the importance of storytellers and the importance of transparency in storytelling, that you are so absorbed in the story that you can just enjoy and be involved in the story. Learn more about Kevin at www.wordfire.com.
175. How James Rosone became an Amazon Top 100 Author
James Rosone is the Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of the Red Storm Series and World War III military thriller series. He’s an Iraq War veteran who served 3.5 years in a combat zone as a military interrogator and contractor. You can write the best book in the world and no one reads it. Or you can write a garbage book and everyone reads it. It comes down to marketing. And how to do that is what we discuss. www.frontlinepublishinginc.com
174. Mike Jack Stoumbos from teacher to author and his anti-bullying story
Mike Jack Stoumbos is a teacher who wanted to be an author. This is his story on transitioning from a full-time teacher/part-time writer to a part-time teacher/full-time writer. Mike is a winner published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 38, with his anti-bullying story “The Squid is my Brother.” Visit Mike at www.mikejackstoumbos.com.
173. 3 Australian writers talk about winning Writers of the Future
(top to bottom) J. A. Becker (WOTF 37), Michael Gardner (WOTF 36), and C. Winspear (WOTF 36 Gold Award winner) all won Writers of the Future. They all share amazingly different journeys that led them to Hollywood to celebrate becoming winners. And boy do we have a lot of fun!
172. Damon Courtney how to build fans with BookFunnel
Damon Courtney (writing under the alias Damon J. Courtney) wrote an epic Fantasy series, Dragon Bond, that he desperately wanted to give to the world (whether they liked it or not). He had already published two books, and now the third and final book in his (to him) magnificent trilogy was complete. But, how to find readers… And so begins the story of Book Funnel. BookFunnel delivers more than 2 million ebooks every month for indie authors just like you. Go to www.BookFunnel.com.
171. Robert J. Sawyer on telling stories only you can tell
Canadian Dean of Science Fiction Robert J. Sawyer says to take a breath. Write the stories that are important to you. Stories that only you can tell. He also gives his reason why he recommends that you submit to Writers of the Future. Learn your craft. Practice. Get really good. Then you can be good enough to sell. www.sfwriter.com
170. Gold Award Winners 2022 Zaine Lodhi and Desmond Astaire
Meet the grand prize winners for 2022 published in Writers of the Future Volume 38. Zaine was ready to quit art and tells how he overcame a total feeling of despair. Desmond tells of what he finally did that took him out of his almost-writer state to being a winner.
169. Art reveal: writers see their art and meet the artists
Each year, the illustrators set up their art in a large room, and then the authors are let in and must find their story’s art at which point the illustrator introduces themself to the author. It is a very emotional event and one I hope you will enjoy listening to.
168. Hugh Howey, bestselling self-published author of Wool
In this interview, we talk with international bestselling author Hugh Howey. We discuss self-publishing vs indie publishing vs traditional publishing; how his earlier work ethic, gaining experience doing all forms of jobs, affected his later ability as an author; and, his experience working at a bookstore and its impact on his writing choices. We also cover how his novel Wool came to be. www.hughhowey.com
167. Philippa Werner ensuring you get all royalties owed to you
Philippa Werner is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Scribecount, overseeing the customer interaction, content, and overall service side of the company. Her main objective is to ensure copyright holders never miss out on royalties owed to them! With 19 novels to her name, including 2 USA Today Bestsellers, Philippa speaks the complicated language of indie-author very well. You can reach Philippa at philippa.werner@scribecount.com.
166. Laura Crenshaw stabilizing and expanding the storytelling industry
Laura Crenshaw, Founder & CEO of Mythulu.com. Mythulu mission is to stabilize and expand the storytelling industry. The world is hungry for new stories. You’re ready to tell them. Our goal is to be the belt to your Batman. Check out what else we’re about to slip into your arsenal: Explain your decks, the premise of how they were created and all the perceptics they use. Learn more at www.mythulu.com.
165. Marta Sprout, thriller stories gives a safe way to unravel why people are violent
When not writing, Marta Sprout loves skiing big mountains, scuba diving, and snorkeling with 40’ whale sharks. She teaches at the police academy and has done training scenarios with cadets and SWAT. In addition to the pursuit of an accurate and credible story, the bond she has with law enforcement, military, and firefighters comes from a deep respect for those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect total strangers. She has one personal story that rocked her world that set the direction of her life which we will discuss a bit later in this podcast. Today, writing thrillers gives us all a safe way to unravel why some are violent, to honor victims and bravery, and to wonder what you or I would do in the shoes of a hero.
164. Judith Anderle: Publishing Contracts & Rights
Judith Anderle, who along with her husband, Michael, has built an indie publishing empire and created the 20Booksto50K annual conference. We discuss a topic not covered before in the 3 years of this podcast: publishing contracts and publishing rights.
163. Michael Anderle founder of 20BooksTo50K
Michael Anderle is a top 30 Bestselling Amazon Author and CEO of LMBPN Publishing. He has used what he learned from his first two decades reading science fiction and fantasy to segue into writing Urban Fantasy and Military Fiction in the next decade. We discuss his Kurtherian Gambit, and one of my favorite characters of fiction—Anne, along with how he has grown as an author and helped so many other authors along the way.
162. Turkish artist Max Cavun bringing the best out of fellow artists
Irmak (Max) Cavun has been creating art all her life, using anything she could draw with on anything she could draw on. She now runs creative teams in creating games at USC and loves working with artists to bring out their best in creating art. Discover the art of Irmak at www.irmakcavun.com or email her at irmakcav@gmail.com.
161. Nina Kiriki Hoffman on writer’s block
Nina Kiriki Hoffman was a winner from the very first volume of Writers of the Future and later became a Contest judge. In this interview, she covers writer’s block and how to deal with it. She also discusses how if you want to write short stories try taking characters from your novel and write something about that character before they got to the book, i.e. a right of passage before they became a character in the novel. Write a story about them and you get to know your character that much better when you write your novel. Learn more about Nina at www.fantasticfiction.com/h/nina-kiriki-hoffman.
160. How to become an author: Zack Be, Storm Humbert, Luke Wildman
Listen to the Writers and Illustrators of the Future podcast on writing with Writers of the Future winners Zack Be (WOTF 36), Storm Humbert (WOTF 36), and Luke Wildman (WOTF 37) on what winning has meant to them and how to become an author.
159. Jeff Edwards how to write about ordinary people doing extraordinary things
If you enjoy military thrillers as well as science fiction, you will love Jeff Edwards. Jeff served over two decades in the US Navy where he was an Anti-Submarine Warfare Specialist and Chief Petty Officer. He specializes in writing about ordinary men and women working together to do extraordinary things which was something he experienced in his military career. In his own words, Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the determination that some things are more important than fear.
158. NYT bestselling author Douglas E. Richards from UFO non-believer to believer
Douglas E. Richards is a multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science-fiction thrillers that have sold over two million copies. I was initially introduced to him through his book Seeker which left a very refreshing view on the future of humanity. After reading Seeker, I asked him for a recommended next read and he suggested the newly released Unidentified a book that opens and closes with the author participating on a large podcast. He had me at the word “podcast”! He has gone from being a biotech executive and Director of biotechnology licensing with a BS in microbiology from the Ohio State University, and a master’s degree in genetic engineering from the University of Wisconsin—where he engineered mutant viruses now named after him—and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Learn more at www.douglaserichards.com.
157. Tom Wood from humble beginnings to world class artist
Tom Wood is a world-class fantasy art illustrator who is among the best-selling poster artists in the US and Canada. Art is hard work. If you want to be good at it, it’s an obsession. The “Tom Wood Fantasy Art” brand has sold millions of products since 2005. Tom’s creations of dragons and medieval, death-defying warriors have become iconic images of fantasy culture across America, Europe, and Asia. In addition as a commercial artist, Tom’s clients have included well-known companies: Warner Brothers, Disney, NBA, NFL, MLS, Reebok, Gatorade, and the NCAA as well as ICP (Insane Clown Posse) and The Gathering of the Juggalos. He became an Illustrators of the Future judge in 2021. His work can be found at www.meridiandesignworks.com.
156. Anj Dockrey Filipina-American author, artist, educator, mother on persistence
Filipina-American author, artist, educator, and a new mother, Anj Dockrey, was recently published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 37 with her story, “Argentum.” She has been entering the Writers of the Future Contest for nearly two decades and now having won has a wonderful story of persistence and dedication to finally achieving her goal that I wanted to share with you.
155. Kary English Do’s, Dont’s, and WTF on submitting to Writers of the Future
Kary English was published in WOTF 31 and has since become the First Reader for Writers of the Future. The goal of this podcast is to cut down on Contest rejects so we discuss the do’s, don’ts, and WTF for submitting to the Writers of the Future Contest.
154. A.G. Riddle a self-publishing sensation with The Atlantis Gene
A.G. Riddle has become a household sensation within our offices with his Origin Mystery Series series. Writing under a pseudonym, Gerry, along with his wife and partner Anne, are better known in the publishing world as AG Riddle. He released his first novel, The Atlantis Gene, in March of 2013. It became the first book in The Origin Mystery Trilogy. He also released his fourth novel, Departure, which follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in the present and crash-lands in a changed world. Riddle was born and raised in a small town in North Carolina and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. No matter where he is, he tries to set aside time every day to write and answer e-mails. Learn more at www.AGRiddle.com.
153. Bea Jackson illustration from Michelle Obama to LeBron James
Brittany “Bea” Jackson discusses her career from aspiring artist, to winning the Illustrators of the Future Golden Brush Award, to multiple NYT bestselling children’s books, and now Illustrators of the Future Judge.
152. Jenna Moreci Three important tips to reach GenZ and Millennials
Meet Jenna Moreci, bestselling author, and YouTube influencer. We discuss three important tips to reach GenZ and Millennials whether you are an author or marketer and you will soon realize why Jenna’s YouTube platform is so popular! Learn more at www.jennamoreci.com and www.youtube.com/channel/UCS_fcv9kBpDN4WWrfcbCrgw.
151. Dean Wesley Smith publishing 70 books in one year to celebrate his 70th birthday
Dean Wesley Smith was the first writer to be awarded by Writers of the Future in volume 1. He has been a Contest judge and is one of the most prolific writers alive today. We discuss how he emulated L. Ron Hubbard’s speed and ability to cross genres. In celebration of his 70th birthday, Dean is publishing 70 novels in one year!
150. Gold Award Winners 2021 Anh Le and Barbara Lund
Two of our most recent Gold Award winners, writer winner Barbara Lund with her story “Sixers” in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 37, and illustrator winner Anh Le with his illustration of “Stolen Sky” in Volume 36, discuss their career, the workshop week, what it was like to win the grand prize, and their plans for the future.
149. The Value of Mentors with Wulf Moon and Brittany Rainsdon
In this podcast Wulf Moon, a mentor, and Brittany Rainsdon, mentee, discuss the value of a good mentor and how it differs from writing groups and beta-readers.
148. Blake Casselman on creating pop-culture conventions
Salt Lake City Fan-X is one of the largest pop-culture events in the United States. This year there were over 40,000 fans, hundreds of exhibitors and celebrities, several hundred panels and events, and a barrel full of protocols to deal with. And the man who oversees all of this is Blake Casselman, the Director of Programming. Listen as we discuss what goes into to making a successful convention and why the SLC FanX works so well.
147. The Big Art Reveal!
A feeling of anticipation hung in the air of the Hollywood Roosevelt as the Illustrator winners of L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests revealed their art to the writer winners at one of the special events during a week-long workshop attended by the annual winners of both Contests. In a world where new artists—whether authors or illustrators desperately in need of that vote of confidence to persist and not give up—have the L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests to provide that much-needed recognition.
146. Writing Panel with Brandon Sanderson, David Farland, SM Stirling, Eric James Stone, Darci Stone
Over 250 fans joined us in Salt Lake City, Utah for FanX—one of the largest pop-culture events in the United States—for an hour-long Writers of the Future panel titled “Writers of the Future: Learn How to Engage Readers” featuring Contest judges Brandon Sanderson, David Farland, S.M. Sterling, and winners Eric James Stone and Darci Stone while I acted as the moderator. The first half was moderator questions to the panel, the second half was devoted to audience Q&A which made for an amazing panel.
145. CEO of Dragon Con Pat Henry on what makes Dragon Con so important
While recently attending Dragon Con in Atlanta, I was able to meet up with the convention CEO and good friend, Pat Henry. I have known Pat since he was a comic store owner when he was first creating Dragon Con with several of his friends. In this podcast, we discuss what makes DragonCon different than other events, why it is so important to writers and artists, and how conventions help establishing, building, and continuing a career in Science Fiction and Fantasy.
144. Alexi Vandenberg on marketing and conventions
Alexi Vandenberg is a marketing specialist with his company Rabid Fanboy Marketing. He has also created a traveling bookstore called Bard’s Tower that tours from convention to convention, bringing some of the hottest talent in pop culture entertainment to book lovers. We connected up in Atlanta at Dragon Con and again in Salt Lake City at Fanx. We discuss marketing and the value of conventions and what types are great for book sales.
143. Dragon Con: How to survive as an artist
So you can draw, paint and sculpt. But how do you turn that into a profession you can support yourself with? Award-winning artist and Illustrators of the Future judge Dan dos Santos and illustrator winner, Bruce Brenneise, discuss the Contest and tips on the business of art, from creating portfolios to working with art directors.
142. Dragon Con: Story Prompts on the Writers of the Future Panel
S.M. Sterling, Jody Lynn Nye, Kevin J. Anderson with moderator John Goodwin discuss how to become one of the 12 winners to be published in the annual anthology? Writers of the Future judges and bestselling authors discuss the Contest, tips on story prompts, and short fiction. Then in the 2nd half, enjoy Q&A.
141. Joe Montaldo on politics in science fiction
In this episode, we tackle a very sensitive subject, often used, and more often misused in science fiction—politics. And to talk about it is Joe Montaldo—the host of multiple award-winning shows: UFO Paranormal, News on the Flip Side, and the Centralist Radio Show. Science fiction is an inherently political genre, in that any future or alternate history it imagines is either a wish about how things should be or a warning of what could happen.
140. Todd McCaffrey NYT bestselling author on indie vs traditional publishing
Todd McCaffrey is a multiple New York Times and indie bestselling author. His mother, Anne McCaffrey, turned over the Dragon Riders of Pern series to Todd and we have fun discussing the passing of that torch. As a successful indie author, we cover the pros and cons of traditional versus independent publishing and some tips on how to be a success as an indie author.
139. Robin Whitten Founder of AudioFile Mag on the history of audiobooks
Robin Whitten is the Editor and Founder of AudioFile Magazine, the premier publication for the audiobook industry. Audiobooks is the fastest-growing segment in the book publishing industry which fact makes having Robin as a guest so special. I don’t know that anyone knows audiobooks better than her and in this interview, we will discuss the history of the audiobook industry.
138. David Farland: Why he is called the Story Doctor
David Farland is a multiple New York Times bestselling author and Writers of the Future Coordinating Judge. He has been dubbed the Story Doctor as he has mentored so many of today’s bestselling authors from Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight). We discuss what to look for in a writing instructor. From there we cover how to plot a novel, how to analyze an audience, how to actually draft a novel, and revising a story to greatness.
137. Exec Dir of Audio Publishers Assn Michele Cobb on explosive growth of the audio industry
Michele Cobb is the Executive Director of the Audio Publishers Association, the Director of Audio Publishing for LA Theatre Works, and the Publisher of Audiofile Magazine. She has become for all intents and purposes the spokesperson for the Audiobook Industry. Audiobooks have become the largest growth segment of the publishing industry. In our interview, we discuss how this has come to be and how you can publish your own audiobook.
136. Katherine Kurtz created the historical fantasy sub-genre
This week’s guest is internationally bestselling author Katherine Kurtz. Combining her study of medieval English at university with the popularity of J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, she evolved a new sub-genre of world fantasy called historical fantasy set in close parallels to our own medieval period and featuring “magic” that much resembles what some of us might call extrasensory perception. She has gone on to author 16 historical fantasy novels in the Deryni series, as well as occult and urban fantasy.
135. Academy award-winner Roger Christian on the making of Battlefield Earth
We have a very special episode for you this week. Roger Christian is an Academy Award-winning art director for the very first Star Wars movie: A New Hope. He was later nominated for an Oscar for his work on Alien. He directed second unit on Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, The Sender, and Nostradamus. He was also the director of the movie Battlefield Earth. There has been so much false information about the movie over the years that he wanted an opportunity to discuss the facts of the movie, and as Roger puts it to put the truth out there.
134. Michelle Desrochers & Amelia Pisano on paranormal in creative writing
Special guests Michelle Desrochers and Amelia Pisano, are hosts of “The Outer Realm.” We not only talk about their specialties, Michelle with her vast experience in the paranormal, helping with TV shows and movies to get it right, And Amelia with her remote viewing to help save children. We also discuss right and wrong ways to treat the subject of the paranormal in writing fantasy and dark fantasy with examples in books, television, and movies.
133. Andrew Gulli editor-in-chief of Strand Magazine on Mystery Sci-Fi
Andrew Gulli is the editor-in-chief of The Strand Magazine, one of the most established and popular journals of mystery fiction active today. Mystery Sci-Fi has been a popular genre being a mix of both Science Fiction and Mystery. In this episode, we will discuss examples of what has worked and what hasn’t work in mystery sci-fi as well as discuss all different types of mystery sub-genres.
132. Mickey Mikkelson on the value of a publicist
Many questions over the years on the need to promote oneself have been addressed. But I’ve never addressed the role of an actual publicist. In this show of the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast, meet Mickey Mikkelson from Creative Edge Publicity and we will discuss how having a “brand” works, when does it become important for an author or artist, and what is the role of a publicist to boost your career?
131. Robert Hogg discusses Mars rover Perseverance as the D/Mission Manager
Robert Hogg is the Deputy Mission Manager for NASA’s Mars 2020 project, NASA’s latest Mars rover. The Perseverance will search for signs of past life on Mars using seven advanced instruments. In addition to the science of the mission, we discuss what would happen if the rover, while drilling, found evidence of earlier alien civilizations. We have a lot of fun. And you will too.
130. Brittany Rainsdon overcoming life issues to become an author
Brittany Rainsdon is a registered nurse, a young mother of four, and is working very hard at becoming a published author. She has won the Writers of the Future competition and is published in Deep Magic magazine and selected for their Best Of issue. In this episode, we discuss how Brittany has overcome real-life issues to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. www.rainsdonwrites.com
129. Dan dos Santos world-famous-artist on the importance of art education
Dan dos Santos has been a professional artist for over two decades and has been an Illustrators of the Future Judge since 2019. You will have certainly recognized his art if you are a book reader—from Dan Brown, Danielle Steele, and Patricia Briggs, to Brandon Sanderson, Diana Rowland, and JK Rowling. He has worked for clients such as Disney, Universal Studios, Activision, Boeing Aircraft, Scholastic Books, Random House, and DC Comics. And we have a wonderful time discussing tips for aspiring artists or for people interested in learning more about art and the importance of art education for a career in art. www.dandossantos.com
128. Ace Antonio Hall “Nzondi” on how to present yourself
Ace Antonio Hall—pen name Nzondi—is an American urban fantasy and horror writer. His novel, Oware Mosaic, won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Young Adult Fiction. He is a former Director of Education for NYC schools and the Sylvan Learning Center. I initially met Nzondi through the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, when he, as Vice President, made a presentation on the 80th Anniversary of L. Ron Hubbard as a professional author. In this episode of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast, Nzondi, will discuss the need for a good headshot, a good bio that interests, and how to present yourself for that all-important good first impression.
127. Mary Jane Popp on the KISS of self promotion
This week’s guest is Mary Jane Popp and she talks about KISS (Keeping It Simple Stupid) of doing media interviews and promoting yourself. She has worked in radio and television for over 40 years as a reporter, producer, and talk show host. She is now the host of the syndicated radio magazine show “Poppoff” out of Sacramento, California. So be sure to listen to the next episode of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast with Mary Jane Popp as she provides insight into how to effectively promote yourself through the media.
126. Kimberly Quigley on pitching stories for TV and doing interviews
Kimberly Quigley has had a lifetime of experience in the media industry beginning with print and runway modeling as a teen. Her work soon evolved into writing and directing short films and TV programming. I met her as the Creator and producer of the celebrity interview show The Red Booth—which she grew from local TV to now being broadcast in multiple countries. In this interview, we continue to explore do’s and don’ts of how to give a good media interview as well as how to pitch your story for TV and movies.
125. Show Host Frank MacKay What Makes a Good Radio/TV Interview
At some point in your career as a writer or artist, you will need to tackle being interviewed by the media. So what makes a good interview and what makes a bad interview? How do you prepare for one? And what is a reporter or show host looking for? In our next episode of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future podcast, we ask long-time show host, Frank MacKay. He has interviewed presidents, senators, judges, and famous actors. Listen in as Frank MacKay breaks down how to do a good interview.
124. S. M. Stirling: History is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to be plausible. History doesn’t.
In this interview, S. M. Stirling discusses how history is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to be plausible. History doesn’t. As the saying goes, you can’t just wait for the Inspiration Fairy to sprinkle you with idea-dust. She’s very fickle. At least not if you’re a professional. So says multiple New York Times best-selling author S. M. Stirling. Learn where his amazing ideas come from … whether mystery, thriller, science fiction or fantasy. www.smstirling.com
123. Andy Dibble speaks of religion in sci-fi & fantasy and idea driven storytelling
Andy Dibble, as an undergraduate, completed four majors—religious studies, philosophy, Asian studies, and computer science—and published a paper on two of India’s great epics, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana. He holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. In this episode, we will be discussing religion in science fiction.
122. John Haas When life gets in the way, dreams can still be made to happen
John Haas has wanted to be a pro writer for most of his life … but life kept getting in his way. He kept persisting and now finds himself on the cusp of realizing that dream. For any who aspire to living their dream, whatever that dream, listen to this episode of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast with Writers of the Future winner and author John Haas. After all, dreams can be made to happen. www.johnhaas.weebly.com
121. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan, and John Carter Explained
Edgar Rice Burroughs was best known for Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars. He failed in nearly every enterprise he tried. And yet he became one of the most successful adventure writers in history! In this interview you will learn about Edgar Rice Burroughs from adventurer to reporter to world class author with our very special guests, the president of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jim Sullos, and Director of Publishing, Christopher Paul Carey.
120. Michael Z. Williamson on military SF, military fiction, and libertarian themed fiction
Michael Z. Williamson is an author who writes both military fiction and science fiction and is best known for his libertarian-themed Freehold series, exploring military and political themes as well as first contact with alien beings. With 25 years of service in the Army and Air Force, he has consulted on military matters and disaster preparedness for Discovery Channel and Outdoor Channel and is Editor-at-Large for Survivalblog. www.facebook.com/Michael-Z-Williamson-115086425180711
119. Otto Penzler on the key element to all storytelling
Otto Penzler has been involved with publishing since 1975, when he founded The Mysterious Press, dedicated to publishing the best books by the best authors. We talk about the one vital element in storytelling that is common to all genre-fiction and that sets a story above others and makes it timeless.
118. The power of story and censorship with David Doering
In this podcast, we discuss the Power of Story in society, that a successful society is a society of successful stories. Our guest, David Doering, creator of the Life, the Universe and Everything convention, addresses how all human endeavors are storytelling. We will cover all forms of storytelling from gossip … to biography … to history … to criticism … to fiction … and its antithesis, censorship, and book burning.
117. Sara Frazetta, granddaughter of Frank and founder of Frazetta Girls
Many know Frank Frazetta as the godfather of fantasy art noted for comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, record album covers, and other media. While his work is world-renowned, what about the man, or in this case, the grandfather? Sara Frazetta is the granddaughter of Frank Frazetta and founder of Frazetta Girls, a family initiative dedicated to maintaining the legacy of Frank Frazetta. If you are a fan of fantasy art, you won’t want to miss this episode.
116. Ed Hulse, Pulp Fiction expert and its impact on today’s popular culture
What do you ask someone who knows virtually everything there is to know about the pulp fiction era and its impact on today’s popular fiction? Anything and everything. That’s what I tried to do when he was the keynote speaker at Writers of the Future Awards ceremony a few years ago. And that’s what I attempt on this episode of the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast with our very special guest, editor, author, and publisher of Murania Press, and my good friend, Mr. Ed Hulse.
115. Dragon Con CEO, Pat Henry, on the importance of conventions
What began as a childhood hobby grew into a full-fledged passion. It eventually led Pat Henry, along with a few friends, to co-found Dragon Con, one of the largest fantasy conventions in the world in Atlanta, Georgia, of which Pat is now CEO. We will discuss why conventions are important to a writer and artist and why DragonCon is one of the biggest supporters of Writers & Illustrators of the Future.
114. Kevin J. Anderson paying it forward to the next generation of authors
Kevin J. Anderson has published more than 165 books, 56 of which have been national or international bestsellers. He has written numerous novels in the Star Wars, X-Files, and Dune universes. He has been a judge for Writers of the Future for 25 years and has a simple philosophy: I’m successful at this, but I feel it’s important to pay forward to the next generation of writers.” He also teaches a Masters Program in Publishing which we discuss. www.wordfire.com
113. Bhagyashree Prabhutendolkar, publisher of India youth magazine for positive change
India has recently taken the #2 spot behind the United States with students participating in the Writers of the Future Online Workshop and Bhagyashree Prabhutendolkar is the driving force behind that. She is a published author, illustrator, public speaker, and the founder of Youth Magazine, an international youth-led publication aimed to bring positive change in the world. She is a former recipient of ‘The Hindustan Times Scholarship Award’ and her work has been published in prominent newspapers such as Hindustan Times, Times of India, Mumbai Times and she was nominated for the Crossword Book Awards ’19 as well. She was also selected as Yale University’s Yale Young Global Scholars 2021. She can be found at https://www.facebook.com/digambar.prabhutendolkar.9.
112. How the Sci-Fi West Was Won with Dakota Livesay
The Space Western Science Fiction sub-genre has had great success beyond the page in the television and movie industries—Longmire, Firefly, Serenity, Avatar, not to mention Han Solo, Bobba Fett and the Mandalorian. To make western sci-fi work, though, you have to know what makes the western work and that’s our guest in the next episode of the Writers of the Future Podcast. Learn how the sci-fi west was won with this week’s guest, Dakota Livesay.
111. Dr. Beatrice Kondo of Johns Hopkins Univ on biotechnology and science fiction
Dr. Beatrice Kondo is the Assistant Program Director for the Masters of Science program in Biotechnology at Johns Hopkins University. Yes, the same university providing up to date information on the current pandemic. Biotechnology is now moving so fast that a lot of the science that not so long ago was just fiction is now part of our daily lives. If you are an author and are interested in biotechnology in your science fiction, then you will enjoy this episode.
110. Eric Flint bestselling author combined 7 trade unions and a Master’s in History
Combine a Master’s degree in history with a quarter-century working as a longshoreman, truck driver, auto worker, steelworker, meatpacker, glassblower, and machinist to become an international top-selling science fiction and alternate history author and you have Eric Flint.
109. Canadian Author Mark Leslie Lefebvre: On Passion and Werewolves
Mark Leslie Lefebvre is a Canadian author, professional speaker, and bookseller who talks about passion and getting published. Storytelling is all about “story” and this has to be your ultimate drive and passion as a writer. We also discuss his novel A Canadian Werewolf in New York and his homage to Spider-Man! As a Canadian, Mark provides advice to the aspiring Canadian author which he then bridges over to any aspiring writer. Learn more about Mark Leslie at www.markleslie.ca.
108. Joe Montaldo’s New Year’s Resolution to Write a Story
Joe Montaldo and John Goodwin discuss Joe’s long term desire to write a story and how he has been taking the L, Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Online Workshop to accomplish this as his New Year’s Resolution.
107. Bill Fawcett ABCs of Getting Published
In this interview with Bill Fawcett, we discuss the history and future of publishing. We discuss the repeated “collapse” of publishing going back to the 1930s and how it continues to evolve. As an author Bill Fawcett has written or co-authored over a dozen fiction books plus close to one hundred articles and short stories. Bill collaborated on several mystery novels with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro including the Authorized Mycroft Holmes novels. He interviewed for and edited two oral histories of the US Navy SEALs Hunters and Shooters and The Teams. As an anthologist, Bill has edited or co-edited over 40 SF anthologies. Bill Fawcett & Associates has packaged over 400 books science fiction, fantasy, military, non-fiction, and licensed books for major publishers.
106. Steven L. Sears, one of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters
Steven L. Sears is one of Hollywood’s most successful and productive screenwriters. He wrote for Riptide, Xena, Sheena, Swamp Thing, A-Team, Stingray, Starbuck, The Highwayman, Raven, and others. In this interview, Steven discusses how he became a screenwriter along a path that he did not expect. We discuss what is lazy writing. He also defines dynamic writing and its importance in succeeding as a writer, no matter what type of writing you want to pursue. https://www.facebook.com/steven.l.sears
105. Wulf Moon discusses the value of the Writers of the Future Forum to improving one’s craft
Wulf Moon was a published winner in Writers of the Future and discusses the value of diversifying income streams to survive no matter the circumstances. He is also the moderator of the Writers of the Future Forum and discusses how it is a tool to help grow as a writer as you are with other writers who want to help each other. Discover Wulf Moon at www.driftweave.com.
104. RJ Ellory on the difference between a writer and an aspiring writer
UK author Roger Ellory is a thriller author who discusses the book that started him along a successful path as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard: The Writer. It contained essays and articles by Mr. Hubbard on the craft of writing which are as applicable now as when he wrote them, regardless the genre one decides to write in. One essay, “The Manuscript Factory,” addresses output and how to achieve it. Mr. Hubbard produced 50,000 words a month, which Roger has taken to heart and he has written 50,000 words per month himself since becoming a writer. Roger discusses the passion necessary to write a book that generates sufficient enthusiasm to engage a reader. He was first published in 2002 and has now published 15 novels, winning numerous awards globally and translated into 26 languages. Learn more about him at www.rjellory.com.
103. Charles Gannon discusses world-building and use of exosapients and exobiospheres
Charles Gannon is an award-winning SF author with his Tales of the Terran Republic series as well as being a Distinguished Professor of English. We discuss believable world-building, xeno-world-building, exosapients (aliens), and exobiospheres (other inhabitable planets). Discover all of his works at www.charlesegannon.com/wp/.
102. Lezli Robyn, editor of Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, discusses what a rejection means
Lezli Robyn is the editor of Galaxy’s Edge Magazine and Assistant Publisher at Arc Manor, and she discusses her introduction to science fiction and what she now looks for to be published in her publications and what a rejection from a magazine means. The value of short fiction to getting discovered, building one’s name, and maintaining one’s audience, especially with magazines going digital, is increasing the popularity of short fiction as it provides bite-sized escapes from the world. Learn more about Lezli at www.lezlirobyn.com.
101. Scot Noel publisher of DreamForge Magazine discusses how to get published
Scot Noel was published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 6 in 1990 which helped launch a very successful career as a writer and in starting his own science fiction and fantasy magazine, DreamForge. This is his story. He also reveals what he is looking for from authors wanting to be published. www.dreamforgemagazine.com
100. Toni Weisskopf, Publisher of Baen Books, discusses history of Baen and future of publishing
Writers of the Future and Toni originally met in New York in 1989 where she was a volunteer helping at the Awards event! She has since worked with Jim Baen, working under him as an editor and wearing every hat in a publishing house. With Jim’s passing, Toni became the owner and publisher of Baen Books and is going strong! In this interview, we talk about the future of publishing and we also talk about one of her book projects from 1995, Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts.
99. Alan Smale is a NASA engineer and award winning alternate history author
With a Bachelors in Physics and a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Oxford in England, Alan Smale came to America in the late 80s to work with NASA and never went back. In addition to being a research scientist with NASA, Alan writes alternate history and historical fantasy, and is an a capella vocalist. He was a WOTF 13 winner with his story, “Wings.” Alan discusses his process in writing alternate history and the extent of his research to provide an accurate base and then weave in his alternate history aspect. He also covers how he manages a full time job with NASA, performing his music, and writing … including an immense amount of research that results in a lengthy novel a year. Discover his many works at www.alansmale.com.
98. Lazarus Chernik gives the role of an art director and what they are looking for
Lazarus Chernik has been an art director for over 20 years working with Fortune 100 giants as well as small businesses in need of reaching their next level. He was asked to discuss do’s and don’ts of working with an art director. He provides key and vital things artists need to know to work with an art director and things to avoid. He does this by explaining what the art director’s job is and explaining what the artist’s job is.
97. Larry Niven creator of Known Space discusses writing hard sci fi
Larry discusses how to write hard science fiction and pitfalls to avoid based on what he learned in writing Ring World. He does concede that readers will forgive a mistake if it’s a really good story. We also discuss his laws of collaboration and what is important to make collaboration work, discussing writing with Jerry Pournelle. Larry also explains how he became an author and the two times he felt like a real writer. Discover the various works by Larry at larryniven.net.
96. Nancy Kress gives the 3 key points of world-building
Nancy Kress is the author of thirty-three books, including twenty-six novels, four collections of short stories, and three books on writing. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and has been translated into two dozen languages, including Klingon. In addition to writing, Kress often teaches at various venues around the country and abroad, including a visiting lectureship at the University of Leipzig, a 2017 writing class in Beijing, and the annual intensive workshop Taos Toolbox, which she teaches every summer with Walter Jon Williams. www.nancykress.com
95. Dave Chesson, the Kindlepreneur, discusses the evolution of self-publishing
Dave Chesson created Kindlepreneur to help authors get started with Amazon. In our interview, he discusses the evolution of self-publishing and the relevance of self-published authors comparing them to free-agents in sports. Self-publishing makes it easier for a publishing house to know who to take on. Self-publishing used to be the junior varsity team but this has evolved. Go to www.kindlepreneur.com as a way to get started and also to reach out to Dave.
94. Echo Chernik discusses talent, skill, and diversity in art
Echo Chernik is a freelance artist who has diversified her skills and creates art in all mediums which is important from her experience as she is able to ride with any bumps in the economy and changes in demand. In addition to being well known in corporate America for brands such as Celestial Seasonings tea packaging, she also created two now-famous decks of playing cards for Name of the Wind by Pat Rothfuss (WOTF 18). Visit her website at www.echo-x.com.
93. Liz Busby discusses the value of SF&F to address religious issues
Liz Busby is a mom, homeschooler, SF critic, and superfan, and this interview was done to provide a perspective to writers on what fans are looking for in an author: turn-on and turn-off. We also discuss how to deal with religious themes in SF&F, its origin, and the current trend. Find her at www.lizbusby.com.
92. Elizabeth Chatsworth successfully maneuvers a mid-life career change
Meet Elizabeth Chatsworth, originally from the UK and now living in the US, the first winner from WOTF 37 to be interviewed. After a successful career in marketing in the UK, Elizabeth began writing as a late-in-life second career writing fiction in her late 40s. She has now won Writers of the Future, sold her first novel, and was very happy to tell the story of how she approached learning to write. We also discuss the creation of steampunk as a subgenre and reference the article by Tim Powers. www.elizabethchatsworth.com
91. Sean Patrick Hazlett combines real-world paranormal with dark fantasy
We met Sean Patrick Hazlett in 2017 when he was a winner in Writers of the Future Volume 33 with his short dark fantasy (horror) story, “Adramelech.” He is an Army veteran with the elite 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, a finance executive in SFO Bay area, with an AB in history and BS in electrical engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In this podcast we discuss creating horror and dark fantasy and the form he likes. Sean is the editor of “Weird World War III” which combines real-world paranormal with dark fantasy. He acknowledges the late Mike Resnick for providing him with the knowhow to create this anthology. Visit Sean at www.seanpatrickhazlett.com.
90. Craig Elliott: from illustration to animation with Disney, Dreamworks, to Netflix
Craig Elliott is an illustrator, visual development artist, and layout artist who works in the animation industry. After graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 1996, he went on to work on numerous films for Disney Feature Animation, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, and Fox Animation Studios. He is now the Director of Animation for Netflix and is now a judge for the Illustrators of the Future. www.craigelliottgallery.com
89. Cassandre Bolan, surviving as an artist, a single mom with kids, and a midlife crisis
Cassandre was an illustrator winner in volume 30 where she painted two pieces of art for that volume. And this year, she created the art for the L. Ron Hubbard story, “Borrowed Glory,” where she was her own model for both people in the painting. She believes that art and writing can change the world. The interview was done at a Panera Bread Restaurant in Chicago. Discover her art at www.deviantart.com/cassandrebolan.
88. Martin Shoemaker talks about Hard Sci-fi that he calls Neo-Apollo
Martin Shoemaker is a winner published in volume 31, with his story “Unrefined,” a sub-genre he refers to as Neo-Apollo, a concept based on the next era of space exploration after the Apollo generation where humanity is struggling to reach the stars. He now has well over 60 publications including 3 novels. Today I am Carey is a ground-breaking novel following his award-winning short story, Today I am Paul. Martin is now Assistant Editor Galaxy’s Edge Magazine and is able to pay it forward, providing an avenue for new writers to get a start. Discover Martin at www.shoemaker.space. He can be reached at martin@TheUMLGuy.com
87. Stoney Compton on the importance of research in historical fiction
Stoney Compton was a winner in 1993, published in WOTF 9, with his story, “Messages.” Stoney writes historical fiction and alternate history published by Ring of Fire Press with Eric Flint, a co-winner in volume 9. He discusses the importance of good research in writing either genre. He also discusses self-publishing vs traditional publishing. Discover his books at www.StoneyCompton.com.
86. Nnedi Okorafor from sports to writing to bestselling author, Black Panther, and Hollywood
Nnedimma Nkemdili “Nnedi” Okorafor (WOTF 18) grew up a great student and athlete, competing semi-pro Tennis. As a result of a surgery, she was paralyzed from the waist down. She turned to writing. The very first story she wrote was the character in her winning story “Windseekers” published in volume 18. She could fly, which was special to Nnedi who could not walk at that time. She became a Contest judge in 2013 and provided her first how-to essay for the contest, “The Sport of Writing.” Her philosophy: if you don’t love the craft and art of it, you’ll never experience this pure form of success. It grows from that love. Her take on a blank page: if you fear something, you give it power over you. She is now writing screenplays for Hollywood comics in the Black Panther universe with her Shuri books for Marvel. Discover her writing at www.Nnedi.com.
85. Illustrator Mark Payton talks about his career and the Star Trek fan film Axanar
Mark Payton was an Illustrators of the Future winner in volume 25. At 57, he is now back in school studying graphic illustration. Currently, he is one of four production artists of the Star Trek fan film Axanar and has created illustrations for social media promotion and portraits of the cast of the first part of the production called, “Prelude to Axanar.” Mark discusses the history of Axanar, the thousands of fans who have supported it, and the battle with CBS and Paramount to continue producing the fan movie. Beyond this, Mark has been doing spot character design work for non-profits, the Salvation Factory, and magazine illustrations of turn-of-the-century architecture for the “Landmark Society of Western NY.” www.mpgraphicillustration.blogspot.com
84. Melissa Yuan-Innes: From medical doctor to fantasy author
Melissa Yuan-Innes (WOTF 16) loved reading and writing as a child. She was taught to play “the safe” game for her career. So she put off being a writer. Instead, she became a medical doctor working as an emergency room doctor. That accomplished, she returned to seriously addressing her writing and has gone on to publish nearly 15 novels in SF, Fantasy, and Medical Thrillers (as Melissa Yi). Find her books at www.melissayuaninnes.wordpress.com.
83. Bea Jackson discusses her success by growing with the art industry
Brittany Jackson had a different set of artistic goals when she started out with her career: comics or video games. She eventually realized that for a bright future she would have to make changes. With the constantly changing art environment, she has evolved and is making a living illustrating children’s books as a full-time artist, with an agency representing her. For FB and IG she can be found at @beagifted.
82. James Glass from writing to PhD in Physics back to writing
James C. Glass, the 1991 Grand prize winning author (WOTF 7) has written 10 novels and 4 compilations, primarily hard science fiction. His first love was writing which transitioned to education for a career with twin Masters in Astronomy and Physics and then a PhD in Physics. After a long successful career, kids grown up, he transitioned back to writing in 1987 when he published his first story. He entered WOTF initially in 1987 after being introduced to the Contest by Algis Budrys, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and Dean Wesley Smith. www.author-jamesglass.com
81. Jean-Paul Garnier Indie owner Space Cowboy Bookstore talks about SF
Jean-Paul Garnier is a poet, science fiction author and has become an indie bookstore owner—Space Cowboy Bookstore in Joshua Tree, CA—to pay back the joy he has gotten from science fiction. He talks about the value of science fiction, both as a fan, writer, and bookstore owner. He discusses how his involvement with Writers of the Future has paralleled his involvement with science fiction. Check out his bookstore, currently selling online, at www.spacecowboybooks.com. He can be reached at spacecowboybooks@gmail.com.
80. Michael Michera from Poland: It’s hard work that gets you in the right place at the right time
Michael Michera, from Warsaw, Poland, was Illustrators of the Future Golden Brush Award winner for volume 33. He worked three weeks on the art he submitted to win. That is his work ethic: it requires hard work to be in the right place at the right time. And he has several examples to prove how this works. Since winning the Contest, he has been extremely busy to the point of not looking for new work as it comes to him. www.artstation.com/michera
79. L. Ron Hubbard Writing Tips: “Suspense” with Tim Powers
Multiple World Fantasy Award-winner Tim Powers discusses suspense in storytelling. How do Ian Flemming, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly do it? They don’t tell you. Luckily Hubbard did. It’s a whole article. You know suspense when you read it. But with this article it helps crystalize with the examples and descriptions, you can see where you fall short and are so half-way to doing it.” The essay is available in the free L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Online Workshop. The essay is available in the free L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Online Workshop.
78. Dustin Panzino discusses surviving as an artist with no conventions
Dustin Panzino won Illustrators of the Future in 2011 when he was 19. Two judges in particular, Cliff Nielsen and Steven Hickman, made an impression on him to move beyond being a gallery artist with his oil paintings. He now survives well through his art as a full time profession. He transitioned from being a traditional oil painter to many other styles, including digital. When the shut down occurred, it took a few weeks to adjust his attitude, which has a lot to do with being successful during the current times. He also discusses the importance of setting goals as an artist and then moving forward and how social media has helped to keep him visible and selling. He discusses the importance of a portfolio for the type of art you want to pursue. He can be found on Instagram: inkwell_illustrations Twitter: @inkwell_ILLust Facebook: @inkwell_illustrations
77. Corry Lee: from a Harvard Physics PhD to a science fiction novelist
Corry Lee graduated with a PhD in Physics from Harvard, but had wanted to be a writer since a young girl. She was published in Writers of the Future Volume 28 with her story, “Shut Down.” Writing short fiction has improved her craft of writing overall. Now, as a PhD physicist, award winning science teacher, data geek, mom, and with the support of her husband, she has now released her first fantasy novel, Weave the Lightning (Solaris Books). www.corrylee.com
76. Iranian winner Mason Matak and his challenges creating art in Iran
Our first-ever illustrator winner from Iran, Mason Matak, talks about the importance of art in Iran and the challenges he has in practicing art as a profession. He has a message for his fellow countrymen who pursue art. But his message is actually for anyone who loves creating art. Facebook: mohamadhossein.matak Instagram: @mason_matak
75. How to write fantasy with World Fantasy Award winner Tim Powers
Multiple World Fantasy Award-Winning Author (Last Call and Declare) and author of On Stranger Tides, Tim Powers has been a Writers of the Future judge for over 30 years. In this interview, he discusses the craft of writing fantasy, both World Fantasy, and Urban Fantasy.
74. L. Ron Hubbard Writing Tips: “Manuscript Factory” with David Farland
David Farland discusses L. Ron Hubbard’s writing essay, “Manuscript Factory” and how it was an eye-opener for him. His instructors in college had been hobby-writers and didn’t write to make a living. He used this advice to help build his very successful career as a writer with his own manuscript factory. Future Online Workshop” available for free here: www.writersofthefuture.com/writing-workshop.
73. Kevin J. Anderson talks about publishing today and his Masters program
Multiple NYT bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson has been a Writers of the Future Judge since 1996 and now teaches a Masters Program at Western Colorado University. In this interview, we talk about publishing in today’s world from writing, to the need for agents, to self-promotion, and what the future holds. Oh yeah, we also talk about Writers of the Future and its impact on science fiction & fantasy.
72. UK winner Mike Wood has “retired” to his new career as an author
Mike Wood won Writers of the Future in 2009 and was published in volume 25 which provided him his first trip to the US. Now having completed a career he has set a new direction, that of an author.
71. David D’Amico transitions to writing as a vocation from a hobby
David D’Amico was a Writers of the Future winner in volume 27. He has retired his job to embrace his lifelong dream of being a published author. This is his journey. Learn more about David at www.dadamico.com.
70. Sean Williams on making story collaboration work for you
Sean Williams has been very successful with his story collaborations. He originally read an article on collaboration by Larry Niven who famously co-wrote with Jerry Pournelle. This interview takes what he learned from that essay and expands on that theme with his own experience. Sean also covers this subject in more detail in his article entitled “Making Collaboration Work for You or Co-Writing with Larry and Sean” published in Writers of the Future Volume 36. International bestselling author Sean Williams was a Writers of the Future winner in volume 23 and became a Contest judge in 2003. Aurealis has called him “the premier Australian speculative fiction writer of the age.” www.seanwilliams.com
69. Diane Dillon, one of the most acclaimed illustrators of our time
Diane Dillon has been an Illustrators of the Future Judge since 1998. She along with her husband Leo (now deceased) lived by this motto: “Dream the dream, aim for the best you can do, and make the next job better than your last.” In this interview, we discuss how she and Leo began their career in art and design, as students at Parsons and the amazing obstacles they had to overcome to survive as artists. She provides personal stories that can help other aspiring artists. When we recorded this interview, she had only just found out that she had won the well-deserved Chesley Lifetime Achievement Award.
68. L. Ron Hubbard Writing Tips: “Magic Out of a Hat” with Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card discusses L. Ron Hubbard’s writing essay “Magic Out of a Hat” and how it is as valid today as it was when he wrote it. He compares the styles and techniques of several early masters and why Hubbard’s work remains memorable. Future Online Workshop” available for free here: www.writersofthefuture.com/writing-workshop.
67. Matthew Rotundo discusses how to start a story
Matthew Rotundo (WOTF 25) wrote his first story when he was 8 years old and later in life remembered that story and became certain he wanted to be a writer. In this interview, he explains how to start a story and then watch it totally change direction as he proceeded with his trilogy, Petra: The Prison World Revolt. You can reach Matthew at www.matthewsrotundo.com.
66. Ken Scholes from preacher to author to musician
Ken Scholes was rejected 75 times before his first story sale. After winning Writers of the Future in 2005, he sold his first novel within a year, got an agent and sold a 5-book series, The Psalms of Isaak. He has been a gospel singer, preacher, a multiple award-winning writer, and a performing musician. He is a single dad with 10-year-old twins, still writes, and performs his own music as well around Portland!! Ken talks about his journey, successes and losses, and how he maintains his #1 priority, “I have to create.” Learn more about Ken at www.KenScholes.com and discover his music at www.KenScholes.com/music.
65. Illustrator Bea Jackson approaches digital art using traditional methods
Illustrators of the Future Golden Brush Award winner Bea Jackson (vol 24) has been creating art all her life. She discusses the importance of communicating the words of the author through her art. She approaches digital art using traditional methods which she explains. She is an introvert who must step out of her comfort zone to meet new people, nerves, shakes, and all! But it has paid off. She tries to learn from other artists, who she doesn’t see as competition. She recently had her illustration book Parker Looks Up hit the NYT bestseller list and became a finalist in the NAACP Achievement Awards. As regards the Illustrators of the Future Contest, her simple advice is, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Enter the Contest.” You can see her art at www.beagifted.com.
64. Jason Fischer mentors creative people on the autism spectrum
Jason Fischer (WOTF 26 winner, 2010) is a speculative fiction writer from South Australia who himself is on the autism spectrum. He runs Spectrum Writing to mentor young people anywhere on the autism spectrum who aspire to be a storyteller. He is predominantly recognized as a writer in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. He talks about the value of Writers & Illustrators of the Future for students he works with as everyone is welcomed to enter and the only judging done is on the story or art submitted! Jason can be reached at www.jasonfischer.com.au and www.argonauticapress.com.
63. Laurie Tom details how she successfully outlines her short fiction
Laurie Tom is a Chinese American living in Southern California. She won Writers of the Future in 2010 and was published in volume 26. She starting writing when she was 12 and has been writing 10 years before submitting her first story to F&SF and promptly got her first reject. Her skill eventually caught up with her enthusiasm. She can’t not write. She is a compulsive outliner for her short stories which makes for amazing short fiction. You can find Laurie at www.laurietom.blogspot.com or on Twitter @writerrat.
62. Kary English quit writing in her teens and is now Contest winner and 1st reader
Kary English originally entered Writers of the Future as a high school student, quit, resumed after a successful career and discovered that a favorite author, Brad Torgerson, was a winner and the forum moderator. After several more entries, she won the Contest and a few years later was invited by David Farland to be Contest First Reader … and here is her story. www.karyenglish.com
61. David Farland: How to Make More Money With Your Novel
Writers of the Future Coordinating Judge David Farland discusses how your novel doesn’t have to just be a novel and how you can take it to the next level as an intellectual property generating considerable additional revenue.
60. Terry Madden provides tips on juggling a career while becoming a writer
Terry Madden was published in WOTF 30. Trained in biology and chemistry combined with a background in screenwriting and historical fiction, she has shifted gears and is currently working on a science fiction adventure. She provides tips on how to move forward as a writer, whether short fiction or novels. www.terrymaddenwrites.com
59. Tom Doherty, Publisher of Tor, on the history of SF and value of Writers of the Future
Tom Doherty, Publisher of Tor, talks about the history of science fiction book publishing. He also publishes most of the Writers of the Future judges and discusses the value of the Writers of the Future program.
58. Grand Master Robert Silverberg discusses SF, Asimov, Campbell, Heinlein, Hubbard
Robert Silverberg was first published in 1955 at the tail end of science fiction’s golden age. He has always and only been a writer and so has lived his dream. He got to know the pro’s of the time and discusses his relationship with them. He was one of the first judges for Writers of the Future. Bob speaks about the current trends in SF, good and bad.
57. Scott T. Barnes editor of NewMyths magazine on writing despite anything
Scott T. Barnes, winner WOTF 28 in 2012, is Samurai swordsman, editor of NewMyths magazine while maintaining his own writing career. He discusses how he has handled life and writing with his daughter recently coming down with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) which has made him feel emotions he didn’t feel he was capable of. You can find Scott at www.ScottTBarnes.com or www.NewMyths.com.
56. Q&A with Orson Scott Card plus how Ender’s Game was born
Orson Scott Card describes how he went from screenwriting to writing books and how Ender’s Game was conceived. He also answers questions posed by several fans: how he views writer’s block, dealing with the pain of the protagonist, what happened to the TV series Extinct, and a whole lot more. As a Writers of the Future judge, he also talks about the value of the Contest to a career as a writer. Learn more about Orson Scott Card at www.hatrack.com.
55. Dragon Award winner Brad Torgersen discusses his writing career and some helpful tips
Brad Torgersen, who won the 2019 Dragon Award for Best SF Novel of the Year, talks about his win, gives writing tips, discusses how Writers of the Future has impacted his writing career, and how to be a writer while deployed in the military. Facebook: @BradTorgerse Web: www.bradrtorgersen.com
54. Jody Lynn Nye shares her considerable experience with social media
Jody Lynn Nye is a prolific short story and novel writer as well as being a Writers of the Future judge. We all have problems with confidence as a writer. Jody offers some tips on how to deal with it. She also shares considerable experience in handling social media and dealing with trolls. She also talks about what it was like to co-write with Anne McCaffrey. Facebook: @JodyLynnNye
Web: www.jodynye.com
53. Brianna Winner, from bullied, dyslexic 12-year-old to award-winning author
Brianna Winner at SLC FanX talking about her path to becoming a writer, from a bullied 12-year-old along with her sister Brittany, to an award-winning-author. Let her journey be your inspiration! Discover the Winner Twins at www.winnertwins.com.
52. Elise Stephens as a new mom gives tips for a career as an author
Elise talks about how to be a writer as a new mom, even though that was several years ago now. She discusses the incredible mood swings, sleep deprivation, and total love for her child, yet feeling lost without being able to write—and how she ultimately overcame it and worked out how she could write. Elise was a winner in volume 35 with her story, “Untrained Luck” and can be reached at www.EliseStephens.com.
51. Jennifer Ober is a SCAD graduate and a “con virgin” at DragonCon
Savannah College of Art & Design in Atlanta, SCAD, graduate Jennifer Ober talks about what she learned from her week at the Illustrators of the Future as well as being a “con virgin” with this being her first time attending a convention. Discover Jennifer’s amazing art at www.oberillustrations.com.
50. Carrie Callahan: A rags to riches writer’s dream come true
Writers of the Future 35 writer winner, Carrie Callahan, has been writing since she was a child and talks about her journey to become a professional writer. Despite the poverty in her youth, she has persisted and is now a professional. She has always had to write and has always wanted to be a writer. She has learned that writing as an author is different than writing as a writer and that writing is a muscle you can flex and strengthen. Learn more at www.carriecallahan.com.
49. Fantasy artist Ciruelo: Never lose the passion you started with
Ciruelo Cabral began creating his art in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to Barcelona, Spain where he became a world-famous fantasy artist, specializing in dragons. Art is not just a career. You need to know what kind of person you are as an artist. You need to keep the passion you started with. Ciruelo is now an Illustrators of the Future judge helping new artists and a regular guest of DragonCon, where this interview is being conducted. Ciruelo can be found at www.dac-editions.com.
48. Echo & Lazarus Chernik on the difference between illustration & fine art
Echo Chernik is the Coordinating Judge for the Illustrators of the future Contest discusses what the Contest looks for in illustration submissions. It must be illustration vs fine art. She then defines the difference between illustration & art. Lazarus addresses the agency side of illustration: can it tell a story and is it executed well.
47. Illustrator Bruce Brenneise: How to handle art direction
Science fiction fantasy landscape artist Bruce Brenneise (volume 34 winner)talks about art direction and the importance of setting your ego aside. You are fulfilling someone else’s vision. You are selling creative problem solving to a client. “If I have a disagreement, I take a beat, let any anxieties calm down, then have a calm professional discussion on the best route to take for the project.” He recommends biting your tongue until you build a rep as an artist. The sooner you can figure out what kind of artist you are, the better, as you will find clients that will be best for you. Learn more at www.BruceBrenneise.com.
46. Robert J. Sawyer on Diversity in SF and Paying it Forward
Robert J. Sawyer, Dean of Science Fiction in Canada, discusses the importance of diversity in science fiction and fantasy and the value of Writers of the Future in providing a smorgasbord of techniques and styles in writing SF&F and the importance of paying it forward to the community as unique to the genre.
45. Illustrator Brian C. Hailes Suggests Growing a Thick Skin as an Aspiring Artist
Brian C. Hailes was an Illustrators of the Future winner in 2002. We met up at Salt Lake City FanX and had a chance to talk about his career and thoughts for aspiring artists. With an art career, people don’t care what kind of degree you have, they want to see your stuff. Can it sell. Can you make them money? The portfolio is key. They aren’t going to hire you if you have a doctorate degree. And you need to tailor your portfolio to the account you are going to pitch. Stay true to your passion and the style that you are best at. Validation is a key part of the Illustrators of the Future Contest and being taught by world-class artists. It is the Academy Awards of Writers and Illustrators. You have to be a great artist. Have to meet your deadlines. Have to be good to work with. You can usually get away with two of the three if you are an established artist. If you are a new artist, you need to have all three. Contact Brian at www.hailesart.com.
44. Writing Short Stories that sell from Contest Judges
Listen to the panel recorded at Salt Lake City FanX 2019. How do you write short stories that sell? Writers of the Future judges, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye, Todd McCaffrey, Contest winner Brian Lee Durfee, and Galaxy Press staff Emily Goodwin and John Goodwin discuss the Contest, tips on story prompts and short fiction. They then answer questions from the audience. One hour long.
43. Larry Elmore, Dragonlance artist, provides 3 important tips
Larry Elmore, while working for TSR Inc. help set the standards for gaming art by creating covers for Dungeons & Dragons, AD&D, Star Frontiers, and Dragonlance. He has freelanced since 1987, creating cover art and commissions and has been an Illustrators of the Future judge since 2012. In this interview, Larry provides what he considers very important ̶ there is no silver spoon to being an artist. It takes hard work, finding the points you are weak in and working to fix them, and ultimately doing the best you can.
42. Robert A. Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard Help Save Lives at DragonCon Blood Drive
Learn facts and figures of how blood donations save lives in this interview with Galen Unold, Director of the LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, in this interview at the DragonCon Heinlein Memorial Blood Drive where nearly 1,000 copies of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 35 were donated to be given to blood donators. Also, learn more about the long-term friendship between Mr. Heinlein and Mr. Hubbard.
41. Story Prompts, Short Fiction & How to Win the Contest from 7 Contest Judges
Listen to the panel recorded at DragonCon2019. How do you become one of the 12 winners to be published in the annual anthology? Writers of the Future judges, Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, Larry Niven, Jody Lynn Nye, Tim Powers, Brandon Sanderson, Robert J. Sawyer, discuss the Contest, tips on story prompts and short fiction. They then answer questions from the audience. One hour long.
40. Martin Shoemaker: How he gave up giving up
Many aspiring writers give up before ever realizing their dream of being a published author. Martin Shoemaker did. Then he gave up on giving up and made it. This is his story. It could be yours too! This is his journey to becoming a Writer of the Future.
39. Wulf Moon, award winning author talks about establishing your brand
Many aspiring writers give up before ever realizing their dream of being a published author. Martin Shoemaker did. Then he gave up on giving up and made it. This is his story. It could be yours too! This is his journey to becoming a Writer of the Future.
38. Rob Prior talks about giving artists a chance
Rob Prior discusses his art, becoming an artist, how to make it, his studying under Frank Frazetta, why Illustrators of the Future is important. He gives his perspective on diversifying one’s talent across several forms of art. And he gives his tips for the aspiring artist.
37. Illustrator winner Daniel Reneau (vol 29) is a designer at KidRobot
Illustrators of the Future winner Daniel Reneau (2013) is a pop-culture concept designer for KidRobot. He says that as a winner, the Illustrator Workshop gave him perspective on how to approach art and direct his focus. He discusses hurdles he has had to overcome but ultimately how he is living his dream. Daniel can be reached at www.danielreneauartist.com.
36. DawnRay Ammon & Jenna Eatough and the start of Fyrecon
DawnRay Ammon and Jenna Eatough wanted a convention that provided the opportunity to take intensive classes and workshops in writing and art for speculative fields from creative professionals. And so they created Fyrecon, offering over 180 workshops and classes by published authors and artists. Learn more at www.Fyrecon.com or on Facebook @Fyrecon.
35. Robert J. Defendi: “It takes 10 years to become an overnight success”
Bob Defendi (Writers of the Future winner volume 19) talks about the adage that “it takes 10 years to become an overnight success” and the value of having your own ready-made audience.
34. Brian Lee Durfee, from Illustration to Writing as a profession
Initially an Illustrators of the Future winner in 1993, (Writers of the Future Volume 9), Brian Lee Durfee illustrated for Dungeons & Dragons and “Magic The Gathering.” With partial loss of vision in one eye, Brian switched gears and is now a successful published novelist of epic fantasy. Brian talks about how he made the transition.
33. Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury talks about Orson Scott Card’s 3 rules for storytelling
Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury was a published finalist in Writers of the Future vol 9 back in 1993 who has since gone on to run Orson Scott Card’s “Writer’s Workshop” and “Forum” at HatRack.com. She explains Orson Scott Card’s 3 rules for storytelling: 1. Faith – Oh, yeah?; 2. Hope – So what?; and, Clarity – Huh?
32. Eric James Stone & Darci Stone at SLC FanX Convention talk about Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future winners Eric James Stone and Darci Stone provide their advice to aspiring writers and how Writers of the Future brings fresh perspective and new ideas to science fiction—which is one of the hottest tips to winning the Contest.
31. Preston Dennett entered 47 times since 1986 before winning
Preston Dennett tells his amazing story of entering Writers of the Future 47 times since 1986 before finally winning. His is a story of trying, giving up and then giving it another shot. Writers of the Future books and the Forum where he learned about himself in the “Topanga Canyon” story.
30. Yingying Jiang is an award-winning artist with a traditional Chinese background
Yingying comes from a traditional Chinese background where art isn’t encouraged as a career. She discusses her journey in becoming an award winning artist. Winning this competition has given her confidence she needs to continue pursuing her career in art.
29. UK artist Sam Kemp on the journey of learning art
Sam Kemp has always wanted to be an artist for as long as he can remember. He has persisted reaching for his dream despite his parents wanting him to be a doctor or a lawyer. He explains how handling one’s self confidence as an artist is vital as he had tortured himself due to lack of it. Enjoy the journey of learning art.
28. Meet Rustin Lovewell, from scientist to author, this is his story
Rustin Lovewell is an immunologist and started writing as a means to decompress after a day in the lab. He is now an award winning author. He also has a piece of advice for aspiring writers: don’t let fear of rejection stop you.
27. Meet Qianjiao Ma, award winning illustrator from China
Qianjiao Ma, nicknamed “Q,” came to America from China to study when she was 18. Hers is a very uplifting story of persistence, dedication and overcoming barriers to win Illustrators of the Future and now work for a major animation studio at Warner Bros.
26. Illustrator Alexander Gustafson at Book Expo America: Never Quit. Never give Up!
Award winning illustrator Alexander Gustafson talks about how you can sometimes wallpaper your house with rejection slips. His motto: “Never quit. Never give up.”
25. Meet Mica Scotti Kole: a new writer voice you will want to know
Mica Scotti Kole has been writing since a child. She is determined to make it as a professional writer. She is someone to watch for! She also runs the Twitter account “Free Writing Events” where she found out about Writers of the Future.
24. Writer winner Kyle Kirrin discusses how Brandon Sanderson inspired him
Writers of the Future winner Kyle Kirrin discusses what he learned from Brandon Sanderson and the value of a quarterly contest.
23. Award winning artist Josh Pemberton and his path to illustration
Josh Pemberton was schooled in traditional art before discovering illustration, science fiction & fantasy. Discover the amazing art of Josh at www.joshpemberton.com.
22. An interview with award winning artist Emerson Rabbitt
Emerson Rabbitt discusses his art and provides simple advice: If its something you want to do, keep at it. Discover the amazing art of Emerson at www.artstation.com/e_rabbitt.
21. Dean Wesley Smith, international bestselling author on clean first drafts and danger of rewrites
Dean was the first writer to ever be awarded by Writers of the Future 35 years ago. He is now an international bestselling author in multiple genres and talks about how we are now in the NEW pulp era of publishing and the importance of writing clean first drafts and the downside of rewrites.
20. Canadian writer winner John Haas discusses his journey to being a full time writer
John is from Ontario, Canada and has entered the Writers of the Future Contest 10 times for the past 10 years. He won with his Lovecraft influenced horror story, “The Damned Voyage.” His goal is to transition to a full time writer.
19. Interview with Illustrator Jennifer Ober and a simple message: practice!
Jennifer has been an artist since she was 6, but had to register as a business when she turned 16 due to her success as an illustrator. She has a simple message for anyone wanting a career as an artist: Practice, practice, practice and follow your passion. Discover Jennifer’s amazing art at www.oberillustrations.com.
18. Award winning writer Carrie Callahan tells writers: “don’t self reject”
Carrie has been a writer since she could first write and talks about the importance of not self-rejecting with her own examples as well as Stephen King and his novel “Carrie” (who she was named after.)
17. Let award winning artist Allen Morris inspire anyone looking to become an artist
Allan has only been serious about art since 2011 and will provide inspiration to anyone looking at transitioning from doodling to art as a career. He now works as assistant to American science fiction & fantasy artist Todd Lockwood.
16. Interview with Alice Wang, the youngest winner in Contest history
Alice Wang is in 10th grade and is the youngest illustrator winner in the Contests history. She has a special message to young artists.
15. Interview with Lithuanian illustrator Vytautas Vasiliauskas with a message in his native tongue
Award winning artist Vytautas Vasiliauskas talks about his journey from university in Lithuania to university in the United Kingdom and then to France and finally deciding he wanted to be an artist as a career. He is now back home in Lithuania, pursuing his career as an artist and has a special message in his native tongue.
14. Interview with Korean illustrator winner Christine Rhee, new mother and aspiring artist
Christine talks about how she is able to pursue her career as an Illustrators of the Future winning artist, while raising a baby with the help of her very supportive husband. She transitioned from molecular cell biology to art, having realized she could still help people—through her art. Discover the fantastical art of Christine at www.christinerhee.com.
13. Interview with writer David Cleden on writing as a career after a successful career
David has only seriously pursued a writing career the past 5 years, following a mathematics career and raising a family. He is a Writers of the Future winner after 19 entries. He is living proof that it is never too late to pursue one’s dream as a writer and how to overcome self-doubt and rejection.
12. Interview with writer Christopher Baker on the downside of giving up
Christopher talks about writing fantasy and having so little confidence in himself as a writer that it took 4 years to find that he had been an honorable mention in Writers of the Future (he had stopped reading his emails!) at which point he became excited to be a writer again, submitted and won the contest.
11. Interview with illustrator Alexander Gustafson on surviving as an artist
Alex talks about how the art industry is hard to survive in, that most graduates of art school don’t become artists, and how winning Illustrators of the Future came at a time when he was ready to quit his dream of being an artist. Learn more about the art of Alex at www.illustratedpixels.com.
10. Interview with Elise Stephens on being a mom and an author
Elise talks about her story “Untrained Luck,” how she is able to balance being a young mom and a writing career, and the middle-eastern conflict backstory to her award winning story.
9. Interview with Andrew Dykstal, Writers of the Future Golden Pen Award winner
Andrew talks about his story “Thanatos Drive,” how he discovered this writing contest, and how he came to be a science fiction writer.
8. Interview with Aliya Chen, Illustrators of the Future Gold Brush Award winner
Aliya talks about the art that she submitted and won with and then how she painted the art that won the grand prize illustrator award. Discover the award winning art of Aliya at www.aliyachen.com.
7. Interview with Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta on the business of writing
Kevin and Rebecca began their careers by entering the Contest and “pro’ing” out (selling a novel disqualifying them from entering again). With over 50 bestsellers, they talk about how to become a professional writer with hard-won lessons not taught anywhere else on the business of writing.
6. Interview with Wulf Moon on the importance of always getting back up
I know a truth: The difference between success and failure is getting up one more time than you have fallen. Read more about Wulf Moon in the article, One Foot in Front of the Other.
5. Preston Dennett and Dean Wesley Smith, The Topanga Canyon Never Give Up Story
Dean is an international bestselling author, an editor, and teaches creative writing. He uses the “Topanga Canyon” story about never giving up while relaying what magazine editors look for. Preston was “Topanga Canyon” and finally won after 47 entries to Writers of the Future.
4. Interview with Bob Eggleton, Illustrators of the Future judge
Bob Eggleton talks about the importance of art and its role in society. Learn more about Bob at www.bobeggleton.com.
3. After the Workshop: Interview with Orson Scott Card, Tim Powers, David Farland
Orson Scott Card, Tim Powers, David Farland review the just completed Writers of the Future workshop.
2. Interview with David Farland, Coordinating Judge
David Farland talks about the Writers of the Future Contest and what he looks for in story submissions.
1. Interview with Contest Director, Joni Labaqui
An interview on Writers and Illustrators of the Future with the Contest Director, Joni Labaqui