Writers of the Future Podcast

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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. http://rainsdonwrites.com/