Join host M.J. Kuhn as she delves into a mini-masterclass on Writing Mysteries with author Josiah Bancroft and (surprise!) our very own Adrian M. Gibson. During the episode, Josiah and Adrian investigate the clues of writing a mystery, including why we love a good mystery, the evolution of the genre, essentials like setting, atmosphere, hooks and capable protagonists, how to pace a mystery and dish out clues, cohesion and mysteries going off the rails, genre blending a mystery with SFF and more.
Orbit Books
Review: Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence
This electrifying novel set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 follows a group of strangers as they discover that the dangers of Night City are all too real. In neon-drenched Night City, a ragtag group of strangers have just pulled off a daring heist on a Militech convoy transporting a mysterious container. What do each […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 71: Josiah Bancroft talks The Hexologists, The Books of Babel, Secrets, Lies & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Josiah Bancroft about his new novel The Hexologists, his fan-favorite series The Books of Babel, SPFBO and lessons from publishing, fancy words that no one understands, happily married couples who do it, fantastical worldbuilding and social commentary, satire and tropes, royal families, secrets of the heart, lies (or truthbending) and much more.
Review: The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft
Summary: The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 69: Michael J. Sullivan talks The Rise and Fall, Shared Worlds, Publishing & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan about his new novel Esrahaddon, The Rise and Fall trilogy, writing multiple series in the shared world of Elan, his publishing journey from The Riyria Revelations until today, comparing self-publishing and traditional publishing, writing great dialogue, evolving writing processes, career highlights, wikis and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 68: Plot Twists with Aparna Verma (Mini-Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a mini-masterclass on Plot Twists with author Aparna Verma. During the episode, Aparna deconstructs plot twists, including why we love them so much, what makes a plot twist great, how plot twists work in fiction vs. TV or film, the essential trifecta of set-up, misdirection and reveal, ways in which plot twists can fall flat, tropes, favorite plot twists and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 67: Aparna Verma talks The Phoenix King, Complex Characters, Pokémon & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Aparna Verma about her debut novel The Phoenix King, her love of Pokémon (and Charizard), bridging the gap between Indian and American cultures, her writing journey from self-pub to traditional publishing, how The Boy with Fire evolved into The Phoenix King, approaches to writing complex and captivating characters, science fantasy, why fire is awesome and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 66: Real Cultures as Inspiration with Gabriela Romero Lacruz (Mini-Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a mini-masterclass on Real Cultures as Inspiration with author Gabriela Romero Lacruz. During the episode, Gabriela unpacks different facets of culture, including what culture means, countercultures, SFF as a reflection of our world, immersive worldbuilding, pulling from real cultures vs. creating your own, research, cultural appropriation and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 65: Gabriela Romero Lacruz talks The Sun and the Void, Venezuela, Art & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Gabriela Romero Lacruz about her debut novel The Sun and the Void, her love of anime, how she got started writing fan fiction, growing up in Venezuela, learning English as a second language, writing compelling characters and family drama, creating fantasy races and magic systems, making visual art as The Moonborn and much more.
Book Review: The Combat Codes (The Combat Codes Saga, 1) by Alexander Darwin
Synopsis In a world long ago ravaged by war, the nations have sworn an armistice never to use weapons of mass destruction again. Instead, highly-skilled warriors known as Grievar Knights represent their nations’ interests in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Murray Pearson was once a famed Knight until he suffered a loss that crippled his homeland — […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 58: Writing Action Scenes with Alexander Darwin (Mini-Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a mini-masterclass on Writing Action Scenes with author/martial artist Alexander Darwin. During the episode, Alexander tackles the ins and outs of action, including why action scenes are integral to stories, action in TV/film vs. fiction, writing believable action scenes, using pacing to control action and narrative, how action can drive plot, character and worldbuilding, dialogue as action and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 57: Alexander Darwin talks The Combat Codes, Martial Arts, Publishing & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Alexander Darwin about his debut novel The Combat Codes, mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, starting his writing career in self-publishing, transitioning to the traditional publishing world, comparing the different sides of publishing, lessons and advice from his writing journey, video games, JRPGs, Studio Ghibli movies and much more.