Speculate!
Summary: Speculate! is an actual play TTRPG show starring science fiction & fantasy authors, editors, and more. Co-hosted by authors Gregory A. Wilson, Brandon O'Brien, and Michael R. Underwood, the show explores the overlap between different forms of storytelling from prose to games and beyond. They've played Blades in the Dark, Rebel Crown, D&D, Girl by Moonlight, and more. In addition to the podcast episodes, you can find video-only shows at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTBKdAD6ibG9kUpFVqjuvSxOTLLdXq3hJ NOTE: In 2018, Speculate transitioned from its original literary criticism format to the current actual play. All of the old episodes are still available.
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Welcome to Episode 11 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we talk about the life of a bestselling fantasy author with, well, a bestselling fantasy author! Pat Rothfuss, whose sequel to his acclaimed debut novel The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, has hit #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List, checks in with us to discuss the development and progress of his career. Over the course of the discussion, though, Pat touches on more topics than those simply related to writing, including his Worldbuilders project on behalf of Heifer International. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to keep checking back for our follow-up video interview with Pat, which we plan to record later this summer–and in the meantime, check back with us next week as we plunge into Eclipse Four, the latest new fantasy and science fiction anthology from Night Shade Books. As always, thanks for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!
Welcome to Episode 10 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we look at some of the writing techniques in N.K. Jemisin‘s Nebula-nominated novel The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms…and how aspiring writers can learn from those techniques to improve their own work. If you like what you hear, please check back in two weeks for Episode 11, where we’ll begin a new sequence of shows on a prominent short story anthology. Until then, thanks as always for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!
Welcome to Episode 9 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode, the second of our sequence on The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, we interview the book’s author N.K. Jemisin about both process and product. We cover a good deal of ground during the interview, talking about psychology, politics and magic within a fantasy setting–and how speculative fiction books have the coolest covers ever, of course! If you like the conversation, don’t forget to check back next week for our final show on Jemisin’s work, looking in particular at some writing techniques used in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Thanks for listening, and please continue to spread the word about the show!
Hi all, Welcome back for Episode 8 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we begin a sequence of shows on the work of N.K. Jemisin, focusing specifically on her Nebula-nominated book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. If you like what you hear, don’t miss next week’s show where we talk to the author directly about her work. As always, thanks for spreading the word about the show!
Welcome to Episode 7 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we interview artist Adam Paquette, whose work in the speculative fiction, gaming and other fields is both broad and deep. Adam discusses the creative process generally and specifically in his own work, focusing for a good part of the interview on how he developed his cover for Brad’s forthcoming novel The Winds of Khalakovo. If you enjoy the conversation, remember to check back in two weeks for Episode 8, where we’ll begin our next sequence of shows with a discussion of the work of N.K. Jemisin. Thanks as always for tuning in, and please continue to spread the word about the show! Update from Brad: We’ve posted some of Adam’s wonderful artwork in our art gallery. Also, in the interview, Adam mentioned the early sketches of the cover art for The Winds of Khalakovo. I’ve posted the sketches and preliminary art he created for Winds on my blog.
Welcome to Episode 6 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we examine some of the specific writing techniques in Kij Johnson‘s short fiction, focusing on the three stories discussed in the previous two shows. If you enjoy the episode, please let us know by leaving feedback or getting in touch with us directly–and don’t forget to come back for Episode 7, where we interview our first artist. Until then, thanks for tuning in, and please continue to spread the word about the show!
Hi again, Welcome to Episode 5 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans. In this episode we continue our exploration of Kij Johnson‘s short fiction with an interview of the author, discussing art, craft, and the intersection between the two in her work. If you enjoy the discussion, please remember to come back next week for Episode 6, where we talk about some of the writing techniques demonstrated in her stories. As always, let us know what you think, and please continue to spread the word about the show!
