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by Vickie Lan
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- Today56 min
86. Genre-blending in fiction
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.
- Mar 2, 202642 min
85. Forecasting through fiction
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. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
- Feb 2, 202643 min
84. Black Swan Events
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 purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
- Dec 25, 202536 min
83. Cozy Fantasy
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_publishingSpeculative Sandbox can be followed on Instagram at @speculativesandboxSpeculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.
- Mar 24, 202535 min
AUTHOR TAKEOVER: L.L. Madrid and Lora Durance talk about Writing When the World Feels Broken
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 @lroseriverRead the mentioned Book Riot article "Dystopian Books Have Taken Over the Bestseller Lists…That Can’t Be a Good Sign" at https://bookriot.com/bestselling-books-february-6-2025/
- Mar 17, 202545 min
AUTHOR TAKEOVER: Alisa Alering and Gloria Munoz talk about Hopeful Dystopia
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.
- Mar 10, 202519 min
AUTHOR TAKEOVER: Garrett K. Jones talks about writer's block
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.
- Mar 3, 202536 min
82. Death Games
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 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.
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About Speculative Sandbox
Join Vickie Lan and 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
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