Speculative Sandbox

Sep 16 2024 38

Speculative Sandbox Podcast artwork

Speculative Sandbox is your audio playground for speculative fiction lovers. In each episode, Vickie Lan workshops a trope with a writer/author with an eye for character development, world building, and plot structures. From dystopian governments to parallel universes, mind control to interplanetary travel, let's speculate. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Cover art by Sofia Hansson Linktree: https://linktr.ee/speculativesandbox

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58. We're back!

Sep 16 2024 20 mins

Vickie Lan returns to Speculative Sandbox with a new format! Learn what's new, what's changing, and what to look forward to. Episode note:- 4:42: I mention “industry professionals” in the context of working on contract within for a publishing house or movie studio, but but this term definitely shouldn’t minimize the professionalism and hard work of indie/self authors and arti

[REWIND] Ensembles: The "Kings of the Wyld" character development tour

Dec 25 2023 55 mins

[Originally aired February 6, 2023] Happy holidays! We're revisiting our BEST episodes! Award-winning Author Nicholas Eames kicks off the spring 2023 season with a deep dive into the ensemble cast in his novel "Kings of the Wyld." Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast

[REWIND] Cautionary Tales: Dystopian Societies

Dec 18 2023 52 mins

[Originally aired March 23, 2022] Happy holidays! We're revisiting our BEST episodes! Not all Dystopian societies are terrible...right? Guest writer Brad Allis joins me in a discussion of the dystopian trope, why we love to read and write them, and their small silver linings (if any!) Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opi

[REWIND] Am I the Drama? Problematic Protagonists

Dec 11 2023 60 mins

[Originally aired March 16, 2022] Happy holidays! We're revisiting our BEST EPISODES. Good protagonists, evil protagonists, evilly good protagonists? Author Matthew C. Brown joins Speculative Sandbox in a chat about complex protagonists, the appeal of evil characters, and how story telling has evolved as our interactions on social media take center stage. Speculative Sandbox i

[REWIND] The End of the World: How to elevate the stakes beyond global annihilation

Dec 04 2023 68 mins

[Originally aired December 6, 2022] Happy holidays! We're revisiting our TOP EPISODES. Jason Pargin, New York Times Bestselling Author of the John Dies at the End and Zoe Ashe books series, joins the podcast to talk about the end of the world. What is it about this trope that has a hold on society? And is our worldwide demise enough stakes to get the audience truly invested? Yo

57. LIVE RECORDING: Father-and-son relationships and male friendships with Matt Mendez

Nov 27 2023 41 mins

Welcome to Speculative Sandbox's first live recording, in partnership with Stacks Book Club and Pine Reads Reviews. Author Matt Mendez talks about his new book, "The Broke Hearts", and unpacks the heartbreak of intergenerational trauma, father and son relationships, and the importance of male friendships. VIDEO: Watch the video interview on Spotify! Stacks Book Club is an indie boo

Author Takeover: Can you judge a book by its cover?

Nov 20 2023 29 mins

Author Daniel Bautz returns to the podcast in this Author Takeover to walk you through the book cover design process. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Main cover art illustrated by Sofia Hansson Individual episode covers feature royalty-free photography from Pex

Author takeover: Moby Dick, a fantasy novel?

Nov 13 2023 18 mins

Is Moby Dick one of the greatest secondary world fantasies ever written? Author David Hopkins takes over the podcast to discuss this classic novel through a new lens. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Main cover art illustrated by Sofia Hansson Individual episode

Author Takeover: Deals with the Devil

Nov 06 2023 7 mins

Author Vanessa Thurgood joins the podcast in this Author Takeover to discuss the "Deals with the Devil" trope. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Main cover art illustrated by Sofia Hansson Individual episode covers feature royalty-free photography from

Author Takeover: Finding authenticity in horror writing

Oct 30 2023 19 mins

Happy Halloween! Author John James Minster returns to the podcast to share his experience with the paranormal and how he instills authenticity in his horror writing. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. This is a volunteer-run program. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own. Main cover art illustrated by Sofia Hansson Individual episode c