Bethany C. Morrow interview about her fantasy novel “A Song Below Water” (Tor/Forge, 2020)

Bethany C. Morrow interview about her fantasy novel “A Song Below Water”

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/3cIdzNQ

Interview Timeline

Bethany C. Morrow writes speculative fiction and young adult fiction. Her debut novel was Mem and her latest novel is A Song Below Water. We spoke about the book, her science fiction passions, her writing process, and the fiction publishing industry.

0:35 – Bethany talks about what the novel is about.

3:54 – Bethany talks about the use of mythology and contemporary fantasy in the novel.

8:44 – Bethany explains the idea of a Mami Wata.

11:08 – Bethany talks about vitriol against black female authors on twitter and on online forums.

13:25 – Bethany talks about how she writes for black girls.

17:00 – Bethany talks about the editing of her book who can understand the themes she is exploring.

22:04 – Bethany explains why she chose Portland Oregon for the setting of the book.

27:32 – Bethany talks about what prompted her to write contemporary fantasy.

32:55 – Bethany talks about her love of science fiction and the Planet of the Apes series.

37:55 – Bethany talks about the speculative fiction she loves.

38:57 – Bethany talks about growing up with Star Trek.

41:15 – Bethany talks about the musical aesthetic of the book.

42:19 – Bethany talks about her writing process.

46:33 – Bethany talks about how her writing process has changed over time.

48:58 – Bethany talks about how her ideas develop.

50:51 – Bethany talks about her interest in sociology and clinical psychology.

52:56 – Bethany talks about spending time in Wales and what cultural relations were there.

56:04 – Bethany talks about the editing of her book.

56:40 – Bethany talks about loving the Star Trek holodeck and replicators.

59:38 – Bethany talks about disliking future sci-fi characters who are into 80s and 90s culture.

1:01:41 – Bethany talks about her future writing projects.

1:04:09 – Bethany talks about the strong interest in A Song Below Water and the obstacles for black female writers in getting published.

1:10:15 – Bethany is on twitter and instagram @bcmorrow and at bethanycmorrow.com.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3cIdzNQ

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250315328

https://www.bethanycmorrow.com/

https://twitter.com/BCMorrow

https://instagram.com/BCMorrow

Contact Information

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please follow me at crisalvarez.com, on Facebook at CrisAlvarezFCN, on youtube at Cris Alvarez on twitter @CrisAlvarezFCN, on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi, and on Apple / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast

Guests: Bethany C. Morrow

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: fantasy, writer, novel, novelist, fiction, sister-friends, Portland, magical, sirens, cosplay, mermaids, Mami Wata, Portland, progressive racism, buffy, true blood, Planet of the Apes, The Expanse, Star Trek, The Avengers, Containment, Lewis Duncan, Christopher Pike, Asimov, Wales, reclaimed classics, publishing

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/3cIdzNQ

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Sci-Fi and Science – “Exploring Science Through Science Fiction” 2nd ed (Springer, 2019) – Barry Luokkala interview

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Barry Luokkala is a physicist and physics professor with Carnegie Mellon. He wrote a book on science and science fiction after he found that students enjoyed the class so much and he had enough material to write a book on the subject. We discussed the book. Check out the book here.

0:39 – Barry talks about how he developed this book.

2:24 – Barry talks about the focus of the book and how it introduces students

to science through science fiction movies and shows.

5:04 – Barry talks about how he approaches science fiction versus science fantasy.

8:37 – Barry talks about what movies and filsm most inspire aspiring scientists.

11:39 – Barry talks about Asimov’s robot novels.

12:54 – Barry talks about HAL 9000.

14:33 – Barry says Transcendence is the best movie right now that explores quantum computing.

19:47 – Barry has tried to avoid zombies and biology in his book. There isn’t enough science behind the idea. He also discusses Frankenstein as a science fiction novel. He then discusses a Kepler book that was science fiction.

22:24 – Barry discusses other writers who wrote science fiction in the 1600s.

24:48 – Barry talks about the giant ships in Indepedence Day and the science behind their hovering.

31:32 – Barry has a page on the Carnegie Mellon physics department webpage.

Links of interest

Check out the book here.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-7891-1

https://www.cmu.edu/physics/people/faculty/luokkala.html

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please find me at http://crisalvarez.com, follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Barry Luokkala

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, science, carnegie mellom, zachary quinto, physics, singularity, time, space, matter, universe, extraterrestrial, biology, biotechnology, star trek, planet of the apes, artificial intelligence, robotics, doctor who, isaac asimov, forbidden planet, i robot, 2001, HAL 9000, Transcendence, Interstellar, frankenstein, zombies, Kepler, Die Another Day, Independence day, Jurassic Park

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FULL CONTACT NERD

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