298. FanX Salt Lake 2024 Writers of the Future Panel
We recorded this podcast at the Writers of the Future panel at FanX Salt Lake 2024 with an amazing list of panelists. Beginning with me as the moderator, it included S.M. Stirling, Larry Niven, Rebecca Moesta, Kevin J. Anderson, Darci Stone, and Eric James Stone. And as promised in the promotion for the panel, a recently discovered video interview with Ray Bradbury from the very first Writers of the Future Gala in 1985 was played. While you can listen to his interview on this podcast, you can go to the Writers of the Future YouTube page on the playlist Advice From a Master: Ray Bradbury. So, here we are at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City.
299. Joe Davis: Tips on Doing Successful Interviews
Joe Davis competed for the US in the winter sliding sport of Skeleton at the Olympic Park (1999-2003). For the last few years, he has enjoyed sharing the stories and history of Park City and Utah in general as an Anchor and Reporter for the NBC affiliate KSL and as the former Host of the Mountain Morning Show on PCTV (Park City Television). In addition, he proudly continues serving as a Public Affairs Broadcast Journalist for the United States Air Force. Joe Davis is a long-term supporter of Writers of the Future having done dozens of interviews with me, Contest winners, and judges. In this interview, we discuss how to do a successful interview. What is important to provide? What should you not do?
300. Angelique Fawns Spooky Tales for All Ages Plus a Book of All Short Story Markets
Angelique Fawns has published multiple short stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and DreamForge Anvil. She has also published several dark fantasy compendiums titled Mythical Monsters. I read several of her short stories in The Horror Lite Anthologies Book 3 and found them perfect for entertaining Halloween reads. She also compiled a publication listing all short story markets titled The Guide of All Guides, which we will discuss. Learn more at Fawns.ca.
301. Dennys Ilic World Class Celebrity Photographer Creating Photographic Art Books
Dennys Ilic is a genuinely beautiful person who has, for the past 18 years, pursued his passion as a professional photographer. He is also a celebrated Leica photographer. He has become internationally renowned as an editorial portrait photographer, best known for his edgy and soulful images. He has worked with clients including A-list actors Daniel Radcliffe, Jason Momoa, Halle Berry, Charlie Hunnam, Viola Davis, Keanu Reeves, Glenn Close, Ryan Reynolds, Cindy Crawford, Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Karl Urban, Edward James Olmos, Rosario Dawson, Lawrence Fishburne, Mary McDonnell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Hart, Lou Diamond Philips, as well as Joel Silver, David S. Goyer, and Peter Jackson, to name a few. Dennys has been instrumental in publishing five successful hard-cover photographic art books and is in preparation for creating the Star Trek Discovery Coffee-Table Book. Today, we will talk about Men of Science Fiction. See his work at leicagalleryla.com/gallery-view/dennys-ilic/.
302. Cory Verner Pioneer in Digital Download Audiobooks and Creator of Christian Audio
This interview was recorded at the Frankfurt Bookfair in Frankfurt, Germany.
Cory Verner created Christian Audio as a solution to having something good to listen to on his daily 3-hour commute from San Diego to Orange County in California. He grew his company to the point where he was ready to move on and sold it to Recorded Books, at which point he decided to create his new company, ONE Audiobooks. He also has Verity Audio Productions, specializing in Spanish, and works with other audiobook publishers.
We discuss the value of audiobooks with a good message, not preaching, but like PG or PG 13-type stories.
He also created Zoundy.com, a site that allows authors to create and use an audiobook as a free giveaway to build reviews for their books, which can be posted on Goodreads and Amazon.
Note: We used the term “SaaS” in the interview, which means “Software as a Service.”
We also discuss the growth of the audiobook industry and the models used to discover audiobooks.
Learn more at oneaudiobooks.com.
303. Jason Kelly of Sounded Discusses the Ethics of AI Voice Narration
Jason Kelly, the CEO of Sounded, an audiobook company, was interviewed at the Frankfurt Bookfair. We addressed the fact that AI audiobooks are now a reality. In fact, Audible created 40,000 AI audiobooks last year using synthetic voices.
We discuss how AI (synthetic voices) can be set up to not violate narrator rights and how it works. We also discuss how companies violate copyright laws by using a clone model (a celebrity voice synthesized by AI), and, thus, the authors need to know what they are getting into.
If you are an author wanting to get your book created as an audiobook but have a very limited budget, then perhaps Sounded is a resource for you.
304. Scott T. Barnes: Writing with Multiple 1st Person Points of View
Scott won the Writers of the Future Contest in volume 28 with his story “Insect Sculptor.” He is the Founder of NewMyths eZine, one of only a few online magazines that continue to pay writers, poets, and artists for their contributions.
He was a guest on this podcast on episode 57 in early 2020, just before the pandemic hit.
In this interview, we discuss writing with multiple first-person points of view as well as his new YA novel, Memories of Lucinda Eco, which demonstrates this technique.
You can find Memories of Lucinda Eco at www.amazon.com.
Learn more at www.scotttbarnes.com.
305. Sean McManus President of Dreamscape on Growth of Audiobooks
Sean is the President of Dreamscape Media.
He is also the President of the Audio Publishers Association.
We met in Frankfurt recently at the Book Fair and finalized this interview.
Audiobook growth kept the publishing industry growing during the pandemic, so I am very excited to speak with Sean about the growth of audiobooks as an industry. We also discuss the growth of AI generated audiobooks in the industry as a viable solution for books that would not otherwise ever be made as an audiobook.
306. Myke Cole Discusses Writing Historical Fiction vs Non-Fiction
Myke was a Writers of the Future Contest winner in volume 19 with his story “Blood and Horses.”
He is an American author of fantasy, science fiction, and nonfiction. His series includes the Shadow Ops, Reawakening, and Sacred Throne. His career also involves television, and he has appeared on the CBS reality show Hunted and the Discovery Channel series Contact.
Myke Cole is a fire/rescue responder in New York’s Hudson Valley. He has spent a long career in the military, intelligence, and law enforcement.
When I reached out to him, he told me he was more about writing nonfiction these days. So today, we discuss his most recent publication, Steel Lobsters: Crown, Commonwealth, and the Last Knights in England.
Steel Lobsters covers the complete history of England’s last knights, from the seeds of their creation in Hesilrige’s experience as a young cavalry officer to their final defeat at Roundway Down in July 1643.
Learn more at mykecole.com.
307. Elise Stephens the Amazing Use of Metaphors and Similes in Storytelling
Elise Stephens credits much of her storytelling influence to a lifelong love of theater and childhood globetrotting. Her work focuses on themes of family, memory, and finding hope after a devastating loss.
I originally met her when she won the Writers of the Future competition in 2018 with her short story “Untrained Luck” appearing in Writers of the Future Vol 35.
When I saw an announcement for a new book, Forecast, her invitation to this podcast was assured.
Her fiction prose is so easy to read and her sense of character is so authentic. Her’s was a book I greedily devoured.
Learn more about Elise at elisestephens.com.
308. Andrea Fleck-Nisbet CEO Independent Book Publishers Assn on the Future of Publishing
Andrea Fleck-Nisbet is the CEO of IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Assn), which is growing rapidly. After this interview with Andrea, it is no wonder why. She is a significant force of nature and, from my perspective, a major reason for this growth.
In this interview, we discuss Indie publishing as well as author publishing. (She corrected me when I used the term self-publishing.)
We discuss IBPA, its importance to the future of publishing, and its importance to authors and indie publishers.
Learn more at ibpa-online.org.
