In our first Clarion special show, Kelly Link joins us to discuss workshops, MFA programs, writing short fiction, and more. Then Lou Anders of Pyr SF stops by to analyze the purpose of cover art.
Show Notes
We start this show with Publishing News: Tobias Buckell has been selected to write the next Halo novel for the bestselling series. This spawns Shaun and Sam to discuss media tie-ins. And who wrote those other novels in the Halo series: The Flood, First Strike, The Fall of Reach, and Ghosts of Onyx, all by Eric Nylund, and Contact Harvest, by Joseph Staten.
We are very pleased to bring you weekly episodes for the rest of the year, and we start off with our special Clarion Series, where we go behind the scenes of the Clarion Workshop. Kelly Link joins us to talk about the program, low-residency MFA programs, writing short stories, Creative Commons, and her new story collection, Pretty Monsters. Also, Lou Anders examines the purpose of cover art. Is it meant to accurately portray the book? Should SF books be laden in iconic SF imagery, or is Photoshop the way to go?
Lastly, no feedback this time, and we have some fun with it. Don’t forget to get in on the Keys to Publishing contest, coming soon.
Promo: The Keys to Publishing contest
Promo: I Should Be Writing
Podcast: Download (Duration: 56:45 — 39.0MB)
When I heard you guys stumbling over who had written the Halo novels, I was screaming at my iPod Eric Nyland!!! I’ve actually not read any of the Halo novels, but I recognized that name when I ran across the Halo novels, because I’ve enjoyed many of his books and I’m still trying to track down some of his bibliography (namely A Game of Universe). From where I sit, I can see Dry Water and A Signal Shattered on my shelf.
I seem to be obsessed with a slightly different set of authors then some, as I grew up getting ALL my books from obscure used book stores. Another author I’d bet most people might only know from his media tie ins would be Steve Perry. The Man Who Never Missed stands as one of my favorite books of all time.
The rest of the show was great, but I’m a bit obsessed with Tobias Buckell’s writing at the moment, so the news segment stuck in my head.
Sam and I obviously haven’t read the Halo books, but media tie-ins played a huge part in me becoming a reader. Star Trek got me started. Then it was Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Quantum Leap, pretty much anything based on a properiety that I enjoyed.
My favorite tie-in authors: Timothy Zahn, Peter David, and Troy Denning.
I did a double take and had to triple check that I hadn’t written Shaun’s reply, as media tie-ins played a huge part in me becoming a reader. Star Trek got me started. Then it was Star Wars, Quantum Leap and Doctor Who.
Somewhere I still have the list where I checked off the first 50 Star Trek Original Series and the first dozen or so Next Generation books as I found them in used book stores or libraries and devoured them.
That is too funny, Steven. I had to do a double take as I was reading about your double take! If Sam were here, she’s say we were both nerds.
Very very cool. I was listening to the Kelly Link interview, thinking the title of her collection “Magic For Beginners” sounded familiar. And then she mentioned “The Faery Handbag” and I realized I’d read both stories in “Nebula Awards Showcase: 2007”. It was sort of like talking to a stranger and suddenly realizing you knew them back in high school. Because both are wonderful stories. So nice job getting her on the show. Good interview.
B
Kelly Link said writers shouldn’t consider LCRW as a first market. Doesn’t that mess with the unwritten assumption that every editor is the first editor you send the story to? Or is that only in the high-end markets?
I’m not familiar with that assumption, Josh. From what I can tell, editors know that stories get around. That’s part of the game.