Author: Angelique Fawns

Martin L. Shoemaker: His program for writing

Martin L. Shoemaker: His program for writing

By Angelique Fawns

 

Martin L. Shoemaker has more than 30 years of experience in programming, writing, and teaching. He’s a popular mentor in the speculative fiction world, and has stories in Analog, Galaxy’s Edge, Writers of the Future Volume 31, and Clarkesworld. I met Shoemaker when I took his Fyrecon short story masterclass, “Tools Not Rules.”

He is a prolific creator and has some great advice for writers looking to learn story structure. Last year, he released a book called Making Story Models: Tools for Visualizing Your Story, and he has a salient bit of advice that stuck out for me.

“There is no One True Path. There’s no rule of writing that someone hasn’t successfully broken, save for one: You must write.”

Shoemaker was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to chat with us.

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Eda Easter – Leading the Way in Horror!

Image donated by Sara. C./center>

Eda Easter – Leading the Way in Horror!

By Angelique Fawns

 

Eda Easter is no stranger to the world of horror. A panel expert on extreme horror at the San Antonio Ghoulish Book Festival happening from March 15-17, Eda is creating her own brand.

She is the creator of the indie feminist horror zine “Last Girl’s Club”, and author of the fun splatterpunk book, Killer RV, which you can find on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Killer-RV-H-Obey/dp/B0BMSKBPFV

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Bruce Bethke & Stupefying Stories

Bruce Bethke & Stupefying Stories

by Angelique Fawns

 

Ever wonder where the term “cyberpunk” comes from? Bruce Bethke is the creator. The term was born when his story story “Cyberpunk” appeared in Amazing Stories in November of 2023. But that’s not all this influential author (and musician!) is known for. He wrote the award-winning novel Headcrash and created Stupefying Stories, an online and print magazine run under his Rampant Loon Press imprint.

 

I met Bruce Bethke when he purchased my short story “Graveside Dining” which you can read for free here:  https://stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2023/10/graveside-dining-by-angelique-fawns.html

I love this market so much, another of my strange stories goes live on Saturday, March 9th:
https://stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-hangover-and-hag-by-angelique-fawns.html

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Michael La Ronn: Finding Kickstarter Necromancy

Michael La Ronn: Finding Kickstarter Necromancy

By Angelique Fawns

 

Michael La Ronn has launched a Kickstarter for his “The Good Necromancer” Urban Fantasy Series and is off to a magical start. His modest goal of $200 funded in fourteen minutes! How do you practice the dark arts and remain a good man? La Ronn’s series explores this very question.

Here is a blurb from his first person protagonist. “So here I am, back in the game. You know, making deals with grim reapers, casting dark spells, binding souls to dead bodies for protection. Typical necromancer stuff. But I’m channeling my powers for good this time. When I’m done, this demon will beg me for mercy.”

La Ronn, writing under the pen name M.L. Ronn, has published over 90 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. I met him at the Superstars Writing Conference this February and was immediately drawn to his quiet confidence and knowledge. 

He’s running his very first Kickstarter and I sat down with him to learn more.

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Jonathan Maberry: Keeping us in suspense!

Jonathan Maberry: Keeping us in suspense!

By Angelique Fawns

 

Jonathan Maberry’s thrilling creations cross genres and entertain us on many platforms. His V-War series on Netflix had me binge-watching episodes late into the night until the final bite was delivered. That was my gateway drug. Now I am a ravenous fan with an insatiable appetite. Good thing Maberry is prolific. He is a New York Times best-seller with countless novels, anthology editor, comic book writer, executive producer, playwright, magazine writer, teacher, and mentor. Not to mention a tireless champion of helping other writers and creatives navigate the genre world. 

 

I attended a workshop with Maberry at the beginning of the year called “Pitch & Sell Novels, Comics, Short Stories, and More!”  It was frankly amazing. I wanted to know more about this giant in the industry.

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Hart Seely, Captaining AHOY Comics

Hart Seely, Captaining AHOY Comics

by Angelique Fawns

You know what I find as satisfying as a bite of chocolate cake and a comfy couch? An hour spent with an AHOY Comic. In these pages you’ll find a place where the weird and the sublime rule. Created and promoted by industry experts, (Marvel, National Lampoon, etc) these professional, imaginative, and highly artistic offerings are the perfect bite-sized reading material. Some of the series include: Acid Chimp vs. Business Dog, Second Coming, Justice Warriors, Ash & Thorn, Billonaire Island, and Edgar Allen Poe’s Snifter of Terror.

 

I met Hart Seely when he purchased my comedy short “The Dead Seller’s Market” which you can find in Project Cryptid #4. In a past life he was an award-winning reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and sold satire and articles to The New Yorker, The New York Times, National Public Radio, and National Lampoon. Now he publishes AHOY Comics, and you can buy these mags on Amazon’s Comixology, or find them in some local comic stores. He agreed to answer a few of my questions about his comics and career journey.

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Mary Robinette Kowal & The Spare Man

Mary Robinette Kowal & The Spare Man

By Angelique Fawns

 

Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award winner Mary Robinette Kowal is one of my favorite author/teachers in the speculative world today. I’ve taken a few of her courses and been blown away by her insightful approach to storytelling and unique ways of dealing with hiccups in the creation process. She agreed to talk to me about her book, The Spare Man, a 2023 Hugo Award Finalist sci-fi mystery. 

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James Davies: Winning Writers of the Future

James Davies: Winning Writers of the Future

By Angelique Fawns

 

James Davies had some big news to tell his family – four feral humans and fourteen well-mannered hens – he is a winner in the Writers of the Future Contest, and his story “Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” will be published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40.

This means he is off to Hollywood for a gala this April, and winning this contest should be a big boost to his writing career!

Davies is a member of the Wulf Pack and one of my writing cohorts. Wulf Moon’s writing group is specifically geared to helping authors win this contest.

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