science fiction – Page 12 – FULL CONTACT NERD

Science Fiction – “The House of Styx” (Solaris, 2020) – Derek Kunsken interview

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2BEn6Jn

Derek Kunsken has worked as a scientist and a diplomat and has been frequently published in sci-fi short story magazines. He’s about to release a hard science fiction novel set on Venus. We spoke about the book and his writing process.

0:28 – Derek talks about the House of Styx and why he set his book on Venus.

2:38 – Derek talks about the details of the book.

4:33 – Derek talks about the amount of sci-fi technology in the book.

5:55 – Derek talks about the aesthetic of the story and his use of alien botany.

8:10 – Derek also explores the psychological aspects of colonists.

10:37 – Derek talks about the story itself being kept on Venus but Earth has its own backstory.

11:48 – Derek talks about researching Venus and various sciences for the book.

13:54 – Derek talks about what inspires him.

19:28 – Derek talks about his writing process.

22:20 – Derek talks about the serialization process in sci-fi magazines and his book.

24:14 – Derek talks about his approach to writing.

25:33 – Derek talks about having been a foreign service officer working on refugee issues.

27:19 – Derek about music and his novel.

29:11 – Derek about having wanted to adventure in Barsoom.

30:55 – Derek talks about how smoothly the writing of this book went.

32:37 – Derek talks about how note keeping process and his creative process.

34:53 – Derek talks about audio books.

36:03 – Derek can be found at derekkunsken.com and on twitter @derekkunsken and blogs on blackeight.com

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2BEn6Jn

https://rebellionpublishing.com/product/the-house-of-styx/

http://derekkunsken.com/index.html/

https://twitter.com/DerekKunsken

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 Podcasts / Google Podcasts / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast

Guests: Derek Kunsken

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, writer, novel, novelist, fiction, hard science fiction, Venus, Quebecois, colonists, technology, dirigibles, plant biology, religious cult, Mars, Moon, Air cadet, comic books, X-Men, serialization, China, Barsoom, comic books, Covid, publishing

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2BEn6Jn

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Speculative Fiction anthology – “New Suns” (Solaris, 2019) – Nisi Shawl interview

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2CKiHVT

Nisi Shawl has written and edited speculative fiction for years and recently won the 2020 Locus Award for best anthology for her edited work New Suns. We spoke about the book, winning the award, the difficulties non-white authors face in the publishing industry, and about writing and editing in general.

0:42 – Nisi talks about how she felt about winning the 2020 Locus award for best anthology.

1:30 – Nisi talks about how the anthology was developed.

2:42 – Nisi talks about how she chose the stories she used in the anthology.

4:20 – Nisi talks about the process of editing the anthology.

5:45 – Nisi talks about how adult the material is in the anthology.

7:00 – Nisi talks about the various times of stories found in the anthology.

9:34 – Nisi talks about writing by non-white authors.

11:25 – Nisi talks about publishing support for non-white authors.

12:55 – Nisi talks about ways within which the industry can support non-white authors.

16:08 – Nisi talks about gender issues within publishing.

17:48 – Nisi talks about other kinds of feedback within the publishing industry.

20:59 – Nisi talks about social media in pushing change.

22:42 – Nisi talks about the nationalities of the authors in the book.

25:08 – Nisi talks about the lengths of the stories in the anthology.

26:26 – Nisi talks about the works that inspire her and works she enjoys.

28:47 – Nisi talks about her love of Outlander. She also gets into the importance of politics within the show.

34:35 – Nisi talks how she approaches the editing process.

37:38 – Nisi talks about she approaches giving editorial changes.

38:13 – Nisi talks about other anthologies she’s edited.

40:04 – Nisi talks about her editing work over time.

40:59 – Nisi talks about her approach to writing.

42:01 – Nisi talks about writer and editing interactions.

44:04 – Nisi talks about self-publishing.

46:10 – Nisi talks about past jobs she had apart from writing and editing.

47:14 – Nisi talks her desire to end world hunger.

49:07 – Nisi talks about how she got LeVar Burton to write the introduction for New Suns.

51:21 – Nisi talks about other non-white authors who should have as much notice as Octavia Butler such as Samuel Delaney and Charles Saunders.

53:44 – Nisi can be found at nisishawl.com.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2CKiHVT

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/New-Suns/Nisi-Shawl/9781781085783

http://nisishawl.com/

Guests: Nisi Shawl

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, fantasy, writer, editor, anthology, fiction, tags: anthology, post-apocalyptic, future, historical, Octavia Butler, gender, sexuality, flash fiction, Everfair, Middlemarch, Outlander, glaucoma, Battlestar Galactica, time traveler, Scotland, British Empire, politics, ursula Le Guin, world hunger, twilight zone, Levar Burton, Library of America, Samuel Delaney, Charles Saunders, Gloria Naylor

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2CKiHVT

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mary-Robinette Kowal interview – Science Fiction novel – “The Relentless Moon” (Tor Books, 2020)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2CHOJ4j

Mary-Robinette Kowal has worked [as a] in puppetry for 25 years and has written science fiction for over 10 years. She recently published the third book in her lady astronaut series, [The restless Sun] The Relentless Moon, and we spoke about the book, writing, science, and puppetry.

0:30 – Mary-Robinette talks about why she wrote the series. She talks about how she tends to write historical based novels.

2:20 – Mary-Robinette talks about the background of the series.

3:27 – Mary-Robinette talks about the setting of the first two books and then the third.

4:43 – Mary-Robinette talks about the political setting of the third book.

8:30 – Mary-Robinette talks about how the series is hard science fiction and how she spoke with scientists and professionals about the science in the novels.

9:36 – Mary-Robinette talks about how much the books are in space versus on the Earth.

10:57 – Mary-Robinette talks about how she dealt with gender inequality in the books.

13:12 – Mary-Robinette talks about the science research she did for the book including trying on parts of spacesuits.

14:49 – Mary-Robinette talks about her access to science resources.

16:11 – Mary-Robinette talks about the entertainment that inspires her.

19:29 – Mary-Robinette talks about lateral impacts to spacecraft.

21:57 – Mary-Robinette talks about the aesthetic of the book being sort of a spy thriller.

23:15 – Mary-Robinette talks about whether the novel wraps up the series.

23:47 – Mary-Robinette talks about her writing process and how it’s changed over time.

28:30 – Mary-Robinette talks more about acting as a puppeteer.

30:59 – Mary-Robinette talks about having been an art major.

33:17 – Mary-Robinette talks about how she got into writing and her approach.

34:59 – Mary-Robinette talks about the change in lifestyle from puppetry to writing.

36:36 – Mary-Robinette talks about editing the book down from 180,000 words.

39:28 – Mary-Robinette talks about having loved Battlestar Galactica and the Deryni books.

41:42 – Mary-Robinette talks about difficulties in getting the book finished.

46:30 – Mary-Robinette talks about writing a sci-fi locked room mystery.

48:26 – Mary-Robinette can be found at maryrobinettekowal.com and ladyastronautclub.com.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2CHOJ4j

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250236968

http://maryrobinettekowal.com/

Guests: Mary-Robinette Kowal

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, fantasy, art, artist, writer, novel, novelist, fiction, astronauts, moon, science fiction, fantasy, computers, Apollo, steampunk, punchcardpunk, punch card, the relentless moon, mars, fated sky, calculating stars, meteroite, SFWA, politics, crisis, gender inequality, sexism, NASA, Andy Weir, Artemis, spy thriller, captain marvel, live theater, puppet, writing, writing tips, Battlestar Galactica, magic, Starbuck, depression, Thin Man, mystery

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2CHOJ4j

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.