Sam Sykes - author of the Aeon's Gate series and the newly released "The City Stained Red" - is a distinctive and articulate voice in the Spec Fic community. His sense of humor is boundless (just follow his Twitter feed), but beneath the wit and surreal banter is a perceptive and inspired creative spirit infusing the world with startling and exuberant tales.

In our 20-ish minutes of writerly discourse, we explore a wide range of Sam's craft, including preparing and developing a story idea, defining when a story is "done", and the fundamental reason why he writes. There's a wealth of writerly goodness to be had, poised behind the "PLAY" button. Click that sucker and enjoy!