Speculative Sandbox
(Speculative Sandbox is currently on break while Vickie writes a book on deadline!) Join author Vickie Lan to unpack the tropes that make fiction fun! Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Cover image photographed by J.D. Fitzgerald. Episode cover images and zoom backgrounds feature royalty-free images from Canva and Pexels. Audio provided by Anchor and Transistor.fm
Episodes
Author and ghost writer Leslie Baird joins the podcast to talk about her debut novel "Salomé", genre blending, marketing for authors, and the difference between retellings and reimaginings.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Scientists make technological advancements...science fiction writers explore what happens when those technologies go wrong. But what happens when the fiction inspires the science? Science fiction author Michael Bland joins the podcast to talk about the disappearing line between fiction and reality and the predictions he's made that have since come true.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculat...
How well does fiction capture devastating levels of mass emergencies? Guest author Helen Hynson Vettori, a former EMT/paramedic and retired senior medical intelligence analyst at the Department of Homeland Security and author of the Black Swan scifi disaster thriller series, joins Vickie Lan to answer this question.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purpo...
It's time to cozy up near the fire with a mug of coffee/tea/hot chocolate as Vickie Lan and author Garrett K. Jones talk about the cozy fantasy book genre.
Garett K. Jones can be followed on Instagram at @gkj_publishing
Speculative Sandbox can be followed on Instagram at @speculativesandbox
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are the...
Authors L.L. Madrid and Lora Durance take over the podcast this week to talk about horror, rage, and what it's like writing and reading dark content while living in an unsettling world.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Follow L.L. and Lora on Instagram: @llmadridwrites and @lroseriver
Read the mentioned Book Ri...
Alisa Alering, author of the book Smothermoss and this week's podcast guest host, interviews author Gloria Munoz about her book This is the Year and what it's like to write a dystopian fiction.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Author Garrett K. Jones guest-hosts the podcast to talk about writer's block. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Hunger Games, Squid Games, Dungeon Crawler Carl...Hayley Chow joins Vickie Lan on the podcast to talk about Death Games! From real life to fiction, we cover the social commentary that centers around systemic oppression, world building, society's attraction to violent spectacle, and the importance of relatability in the main character when they're up against equally oppressed opponents.
The video version of this episode can be foun...
What should novel writers know about screen writing? Author Luis Prieto joins the podcast to talk with Vickie Lan about the basics of writing a screenplay (or an audio drama!).
Note: Sorry for the less-than-perfect audio quality from Vickie's mic! There were technical difficulties and the recording came from the desktop instead.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculative Sandbox is for ente...
Mysteries, suspense, thrillers...how can writers use secrets to advance their plots? Author Teddie Peacock joins the podcast to discuss the many ways to build intrigue and keep your readers (and characters!) guessing.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are th...
Author Avitus B. Carle joins Vickie Lan on the podcast to read her story How We Survive, and to provide insight on the 'flash' side of fiction writing.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Damien Alameda returns to the podcast to discuss with Vickie Lan the Avenging Angels trope! Learn what drives these "angels" and distinguishes them from a classic hero's journey, whether they need to have a bigger impact than just their self interest, and much more.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinio...
Author Emily Colin joins Vickie Lan to discuss the building blocks of romance in speculative fiction, including how to keep momentum after the couple gets together, how character development and plot progression impact the relationship, and the way authors can manage expectations when it comes to reader responses.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individu...
Author and dream interpreter Megan Mary joins Vickie Lan to discuss the Fated Destiny, Discovered Magick, and The Chosen One tropes.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Where are the aliens? While NASA and military officials provide testimonials on the world stage, author Grace Richard joins Vickie Lan to discuss the ways science fiction writers have answered this question.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Alisa Alering, author of the book "Smothermoss", joins Vickie Lan in a discussion about the ways authors use pieces of themselves to make authentic characters, including characters with opposing viewpoints.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Author Becca Mionis joins Vickie Lan in a discussion on uncanny fiction, which, similar to the uncanny valley, leaves readers in a state of unease or confusion.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
Author Brent Miller joins the podcast to talk about the perceptions of tropes, the slippery slope into cliches, and whether or not it's actually possible to write a trope-less story.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
It's the blurring of fact and fiction as author Garrett K. Jones joins the podcast to talk about Gonzo Fiction, known for its unique narrative style as seen in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and American Psycho.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their ow...
Author Lauren Teffeau joins Vickie Lan to discuss non-theistic mythical archetypes in fiction, including Carl Jung's 12 brand archetypes and the way archetypes can be used to form the foundation of societal values and laws.
The video version of this episode can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast ...
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