Today we have the amazing John W. Otte with us! John is a life-long writer. He started with badly drawn comic books in the fifth grade. When he realized that he was a lousy artist, he moved on to badly written novels in middle school. He’s tried his hand at screenplays (don’t ask), stage plays (a little better), fanfic, teen mysteries, and religious fiction. But his first love has always been speculative fiction. His debut novel, Failstate, was published by Marcher Lord Press in April of 2012, and was a finalist for the Christy Awards in 2013. He has gone on to …
Seven Questions with Nadine Brandes
Hi everyone! Today we are excited to have Nadine Brandes with us! Yeah! She’s an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her dystopian trilogy (The Out of Time Series) challenged her to pursue shalom, which is now her favorite word (followed closely by bumbershoot.) When she’s not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she and her knight-in-shining armor (nickname: “hubby”) are out pursuing adventures. Welcome! 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? The fact that there are no limits! Almost all other genres start in an existing world whether that’s …
Seven Questions with Gillian Bronte Adams
Today we have the lovely Gillian Bronte Adams with us! Gillian is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving speculative fiction author from the great state of Texas and the dreamer behind the Songkeeper Chronicles. During the day, she manages the equestrian program at a youth camp. But at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a novelist. Join me in welcoming Gillian! 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? How true it can be. It seems like the more fantastic a story is, the less readers should be able to relate or actually …
Villains: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Villains: without them, there would be no heroes. But where do villains come from? What causes a person or a being to go down that dark path? And do they realize what they’ve become? I once read that a villain is the hero of his or her own story. I’m not sure if that is true for every villain. After all, some villains know they’re bad and they don’t care. But there are others who think they’re the good guys. I then realized that in the broad scope of things, you could break villains down into three categories: the good, …
Seven Questions with Paul Regnier
Hey everyone! This month we have our very own Paul Regnier for our seven questions interview. Paul is a technology junkie and web designer with a fascination for all things futuristic. He has turned his childhood love of storytelling into a professional pursuit. Please join me in welcoming Paul today! 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? There’s no limits to the imagination. For me, it’s the genre of writing that sets creativity free. You can create your own worlds, language, technology, magic, cultures, transportation, and more. 2) Everyone seems to have a “how I got published” story. …
Seven Questions with Ronie Kendig
Today we are excited to have Ronie Kendig with us. You may know her for her rapid-fire fiction and military novels, but she also writes fantasy! Not just that, but the final book in her epic fantasy series, Fierian, came out this week (wahoo!). An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created. It was no …
Enclave Tournament of Legends Character Sheet
Hi everyone! Who’s ready for the battle of epic proportions? Here’s a list of the characters competing in this year’s tournament of legends. First, the heroes: Lohlyn is one of the feared Charab—a king’s assassin—but instead of using her fearsome skills to kill, she is now a secret protector. Don’t be fooled. She may look like a mere lady-in-waiting to the queen but there’s a sharp and deadly blade hidden in her robe. And she’s watching…everyone. Princess Brierly is beautiful and Fairy-Gifted, but also…daft. When a prince finally comes and wakes her up with a kiss, she believes the rescue …
Seven Questions with Joshua A. Johnston
Hi everyone! This month we have Joshua A. Johnston with us. During the day, he’s a high school teacher and at night he’s spinning stories about space. His first novel, Edge of Oblivion is available now and his second book, Into the Void, comes out February 6th. Yes, that’s right, in a couple of days! In the meantime, here he is to answer seven questions. 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? I love venturing into worlds that I could never see in real life. The idea that I could visit an alien world light years from Earth, or a …
Seven Questions with S.D. Grimm
Hi Everyone! We are excited to have S.D. Grimm with us today, especially since her latest fantasy novel, Amber Eyes, comes out this month *squee*. So without further ado, here are Seven Questions with S.D. Grimm. 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? Possibilities. There’s something majestic about watching a gryphon fly over a battle scene. Something amazing about a ship that can “make the jump to light speed.” The thought that things outside of our “normal” realm of what’s possible holds a magical quality that makes me feel like a kid experiencing wonder, and I love it. …