Marissa Levien, author of THE WORLD GIVES WAY, talks about her dystopian apocalypse story set on an interstellar generation ship. We discuss the cat-and-mouse chase plot, exploring character's perception of their 'world', and how to use different POVs to set tone and audience expectation.
DAY ZERO author C. Robert Cargill discusses his exciting & thought-provoking sci-fi adventure. We talk about subverting tropes, writing robot POVs, tackling existential themes in fast-paced fiction, and the influence of screenwriting & film critique on his novels.
EYE OF THE SH*T STORM author Jackson Ford (aka Rob Boffard) talks about The Frost Files—his exciting, hilarious, psychokinetic science fiction series that also includes THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND and RANDOM SH*T FLYING THROUGH THE AIR.
THE LAST WATCH author J.S. Dewes discusses her debut sci-fi novel. We explore her edge-of-the-universe world-building, its military/prisoner/found-family character dynamics, the "competence porn" trope, and her non-linear 'pantsing' writing method for the space opera adventure.
GAME CHANGER author Neal Shusterman talks about his thoughtful & propulsive young adult sci-fi novel. We discuss the story as an 'empathy primer'—exploring a center-of-their-own-world protagonist who is not the hero—and why his writing process begins with a completely handwritten first draft.
THE EFFORT author Claire Holroyde discusses her present-day sci-fi novel about an extinction level event, and the people trying to save Earth. We talk about balancing a large cast, using real science without bogging down the reader, and tackling real world problems in a fictional narrative.
THE ROAD TO WOOP WOOP: AND OTHER STORIES author Eugen Bacon talks about her speculative fiction collection and why she loves writing short stories. We discuss how these lyrical tales weave sci-fi, fantasy, magical realism, and horror elements to explore empathy and disconnection, identity and longing.
ESCAPING EXODUS: SYMBIOSIS author Nicky Drayden talks about her Afrofuturist sci-if/space opera duology that started with ESCAPING EXODUS. We discuss the novels' extraordinary—and squelchy—world-building, the layered social caste and plural family dynamics, and environmentalism themes.
BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE author Alexandra Monir talks about writing for the DC Icons young adult series, adapting the fan-favorite Black Canary and Court of Owls in a prose novel, and how she got the job of writing a major media tie-in.
FICTITIOUS is a YouTube show and podcast that delves into the craft of Science Fiction & Fantasy storytelling through interviews with authors and other professional writers. Hosted & produced by Adron Buske.
