I talk to Jim in his hotel room where it’s just the two of us but then…why is John Kessel offering to take off his clothes? We talk about VP and other workshops as well as Jim’s gig at the Stonecoast Creative Writing MFA program in Maine and the surprising number of VP students who end up there.

Laura J. Mixon and Emily Mah.

Emily was at VP X but she also went to Clarion West five years before. We that about what she learned and how she compares the two.

This interview was conducted near Portales, New Mexico on the ranch of the Williamson Cattle Company.

This shack was hand built by SF grandmaster Jack Williamson so he would have a place to write away from the rest of the family. He published in every decade from the 1920’s to the 2000’s.

Also, Drew Miller talks about “gotta,” “sparkle,” and “Ophelia Death Metal.”

Episode Links

Coyote Wild

Polaris: A Celebration of Polar Science

Tiptree Award Shortlisted author Sandra McDonald tells us how she embarassed herself in front of James Patrick Kelly, what she learned, and why she is humiliated to this day.  Also Dave Thompson on cutting the prologue and inventing swear words.

Episode Links

Sandra McDonald’s Webpage

The Outback Stars

The James Tiptree Award Shortlist

Sandra’s Livejournal

I interview David Thompson, David Barr Kirtley, Lisa Moore (not shown), Sharon Mock, and Zak Jarvis and more. Eight people in a hotel room. No video. Use your imagination.

We should’ve take a group shot but then the mystery would be diminished.

Also Linda Daly on her VP Experience in one word.

Episode Links

David Barr Kirtley

Sharon Mock

Zak Jarvis

David Thompson

Escape Pod

Pseudopod

The Harrow

ClarkesWorld

Cory Doctorow, newest Viable Paradise instructor (but by no means the least experienced,) talks to us about the differences and similarities between VP and the six-week-long Clarion Writer’s Workshop and his initial (but short lived) skepticism about VP’s effectiveness. We talk about writer couples, assumptions, and the brilliant YA books of Kathe Koja.

Also Barbar Gordon on not lying there dead on the page (like a fish.)

Episode Links

Cory’s Website

BoingBoing

Clarion

Viable Paradise

Kathe Koja

xkcd (or why the red cape and goggles)

Once upon a time in a misty sea, there was a workshop. Jim Macdonald and Debra Doyle tell of its mythic underpinnings.

Also Zak Jarvis on happier corpses.

Episode Links

Doyle and Macdonald’s website

Mist & Snow LiveJournal

Land of Mist and Snow

Here’s a little promo I did for Mur to run at I Should Be Writing.  It’s only a minute but I  thought I’d throw it in the feed.

Interview with current Nebula and Hugo nominee, Paul Melko. What I Leaned by Laura Strickman. Dances of Death and finding your community.

Episode Links

Viable Paradise

Paul Melko

Paul’s LiveJournal

Jennifer Pelland on her experience way back in 2002–VP VI. That’s Six. Like Battlestar Galactica. Six.

Also Mac Stone on FEAR.

Episode Links

Viable Paradise

Jennifer Pelland

Jen’s Live Journal

Greg (VP III) tells us about dropping a major SF editor to the floor and how it has nothing to do with one of his obsessions, Martial Arts. And, more seriously, about the things he learned on that island in the misty sea.

Also Evelyn Brown on frog sex.

Episode Links

Viable Paradise

Greg’s Page

Greg’s Livejournal