Writers of the Future Podcast

2024 Writers of the Future Workshop instructors, Jody Lynn Nye and Robert J. Sawyer, discuss how they can't give back very readily but can pay forward. We discuss what Jody and Rob along with the other judges do to pay forward. Because these winners are the writers we will be reading in the future.

Melody Groves has written 12 Western novels and 5 non-fiction books of the Old West. We originally met in 2009 at a Western Writers of America Conference where she was incharge of Public Relations. She has since gone on to become President of Western Writers of America and Homestead Foundation. I read a very light-hearted Western tale “She Was Sheriff” in preparation for this interview. The story...

Shahid Mamoud and Lezli Robyn, Publisher and Editor of Galaxy's Edge Anthology (formerly Magazine), discuss editors and their role and value in creating the best possible story...and a whole lot more! Learn more at www.galaxysedge.com/

Orson Scott Card is the author of Ender's Game series and dozens of other novels. In this podcast we discuss his start as an author and how he developed the concept of "Ender's Game" and have it became the beloved book it is today. Mr. Card has also been a Writers of the Future Contest Judge for over three decades. Learn more about Orson Scott Card and his works at http://www.hatrack.com/

Craig Elliott is In the animation industry. He has worked primarily as the production designer for Marvel, Disney and Dreamworks, designing animated films such as Hercules, Mulan, The Emperor’s New Groove, Treasure Planet, Shark Tale, Flushed Away, Bee Movie, Enchanted, Monsters vs. Aliens, and The Princess and the Frog as well as other upcoming features. This means he runs the entire art departme...

Writers of the Future 40 winners Lance Robinson (“Five Days Until Sunset”), Stephannie Tallent (“Live and Death and Love in the Bayou”), and Tom Vandermolen (“Nonzero”) meet on the last day of the Writer Workshop Week (this being the second winner podcast) and we discuss their personal journeys and the value of the Contest to aspiring writers. We also discuss the value of the Contest to the milita...

Writers of the Future 40 winners James Davies, Amir Agoora, Kal M, John Eric Schleicher, and Galen Westlake meet on the last day of the Writer Workshop Week and we discuss their personal journeys and the value of the Contest to aspiring writers. We discuss the importance of dealing with self-rejection and how to come up with amazing story ideas. Learn about each of them at: James Davies: https://w...

Bill Fawcett has just published a near-future military science called "Never Again," and it is very scary! https://chriskennedypublishing.com/book/never-again/ Bill has been a professor, teacher, corporate executive, and college dean. His entire life has been spent in the creative fields and managing other creative individuals. He is one of the founders of Mayfair Games, a board and role-play gami...

Kathryn Raaker is the Founder and CEO of Tri-State Connection, a Global Multimedia and PR Company. She has been a trailblazer in the media industry for over three decades. Her son, Robert Taggart, is a journalist and author. Together, they worked together as a mother and her son as a writing team. https://kathrynraakersworld.com/

Mark Leslie Lefebvre is our most recent Writer Contest judge. Dean Wesley Smith, also a judge, has Mark by four decades, being the first person to be awarded by Writers of the Future in that very first year! Together, these two have been at the forefront of the evolution of publishing, now known as indie publishing or self-publishing. Once frowned upon as vanity, self-publishing and indie publishi...

Pennsylvania State Senator Art Haywood traveled to LA to celebrate his son's Illustrators of the Future win. In this interview we discuss the importance of the arts to society and what he has done in Pennsylvania with the arts to improve society.

Jack Nash won the Golden Pen Award for his story, "Son, Spirit, Snake." Tyler Vail won the Golden Brush Award for his illustration of the story, "Squiddy." In this interview, we discuss their personal journey's to finally winning the top award for aspiring writers and artists. Jack Nash: www. JackNashStories.com Tyler Vail: www. Tylervail.com

Echo Chernik and I discuss the history of the Illustrators of the Future Contest, where it has gotten to, and where it is going and how it is that we are able to select the best new talent in illustration around the world. https://www.echo-x.com/

Davina Powell is the Consumer Marketing Services Manager for Ingram Content Group. She is a creative sales and marketing expert known for connecting publishers and authors to key audiences using Ingram iD. Learn more at IngramiD.com She has spent more than 10 years in the digital marketing space developing new resources that ensure publishers', booksellers', and authors' marketing budgets are used...

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.

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 inte...

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 multi...

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/koto...

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 Kickstarter for the project, which you can find here: www.kickstarte...

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 www. LocusMag.com or go directly to https://igg.me/at/locusmag2024

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.

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.

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, i...

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.

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!