Alternate Futures

In this episode, I chat with Jessie Kwak about imaginary worlds, cybernetic implants, and heist stories in space. We also discuss the inspiration of Scottish castles, hosting your own authors' summit, and the experience of being shot.

As usual, there's also The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Bulari Saga, The Nanshe Chronicles, Crooked Anthology.

In this episode, I chat with Greg Dragon about studying martial arts, being inspired by Piers Anthony, and a spacefaring future for humanity. We also discuss transitional periods in history, the beauty and wonder of the original Star Wars Galaxies MMORG, brain implants, and the increasing need for personal responsibility in an ever more complex world.

As usual, there's also The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: Lady Hellgate series, Wired for Love series, The Synth Crisis series, Neon Eclipse series, The Factory, Crooked Anthology.

In this episode, I chat with Clayton Rumley about game development, his interest in Star Trek, and considerations when writing about pre-recorded human history. We also chat about being a cemetary groudskeeper, time travel, and generation ships.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: Holocene.

In the conclusion to the 2-part interview with Sophie McKeand we chat about CopyLeft publishing, the use of generative AI in the creative fields, and the importance of the poetic mind. We also discuss generational acceptance of AI, generative AI as a window into the human mind, and what should be considered in a test for self-awareness.

There are also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The MthR trilogy.

In this episode (Part 1 of 2), I chat with Sophie McKeand about moving into a van, her thoughts on the UK schizm of 2016 (i.e. Brexit), and writing with sensitivity. We also discuss the dangers of catastrophizing, the necessity of social and personal honesty, and the importance of storytelling.

The Lightning Round and The Big Questions are in Part 2 (episode 47).

Books of hers we discuss are: The MthR trilogy.

In this episode, I chat with K. Gorman about her love of Asian History, the quality of and options for dictating stories, and the novel as an outlet for the darkness within. We also discuss her language disclaimers, the role of Canada in the future of humanity, and just how real might the characters we create be?

In addition, we go to a few dark places from the 59 minutes mark to 1:04, so tread carefully.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Elemental Wars and The Eurynome Code.

In this episode, I chat with Kate Sheeran Swed about plastic dinosaurs in the workplace, her recent experiences using Kickstarter, and a love of space westerns. We also discuss transitioning from musician to author, the challenges of novelizing superhero stories, and what happens when artificial intelligences get emotions.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Parse Galaxy series, The League of Independent Operatives series, and The Toccata Systems trilogy.

In this episode, I chat with M.G. Herron about using Kickstarter to fund and promote books, how he approaches his story creation, and the aliens among us. We also discuss his enjoyment of hiking and rock climbing, why he loves Scrivener, and ancient civilization portal stories.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: The Gunn Files, Relics of the Ancients, The Translocator Trilogy.

In this episode, I chat with Audrey Sharpe about having a mother who's a professional writer, being inspired by Star Trek, and the possible existence of galactic civilizations. We also discuss designing spaceships only to destroy them, old science giving way to new science, and the future of human reproduction.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Starhawke Rising Series, Starhawk Rogue, Guardian Mate

In this episode, I chat with Zachry Wheeler about his love of English Football, his experiences with marketing books as an independent author, and the personal and social challenges of immortality. We also discuss the challenges of moving from technical writing to storytelling, avoiding the pitfalls of storytelling in the multiverse, and the swinging pendulum of societal tribalism.

As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: The Immortal Wake series, the Max and the Multiverse series, and Puki Horpocket Presents

In this episode, I chat with J.J. Green about her travels to southeast asia, a possible galactic community, and magic as an alternative to technology. We also discuss the past, present, and future of colonization. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Book Series of hers we discuss are: Carrie Hatchet, Space Colony One, Shadows of the Void, Star Legend, and the Star Mage Saga

In this episode, I chat with Barry Kirwan about the psychological effects of the pandemic, the experience of writing in the early hours of the morning, and predicting existential threats. We also discuss aliens (first contact and arriving too late into the galactic community), what Artificial Intelligence does and does not mean, and the demotion of robots. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: The Eden Paradox Quadrilogy, The Children of the Eye Trilogy

In this episode, I chat with Tim Attewell about film making, working with a small press, and the importance of music. We also discuss monsters and aliens, multi-dimensional travel, and the unspoken existential crisis. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: Midnight Anthem, Marathon, Satellites Gone

In this episode, I chat with AM Scott about her experiences in the US Air Force Space Operations, how GPS and time-keeping satellites influenced her novels, and human expansion into space. We also discuss artificial intelligence, alien life forms, and Firefly. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Folding Space series, and the Quantum Fold series

In this episode, I chat with Jinwoo Chong about his upcoming book FLUX (available March 21 this year!), published by independent press Melville House. Some themes from the book we discuss are 80s nostaligia and larger-than-life characters, Silicon Valley bubbles, indentity boxes, and childhood trauma. Oh, and there's also some time travel :) As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

In this episode, I chat with N  John Williams about his experience researching AI systems with DARPA, working in a tech start-up, and the person in the machine. We also discuss artificial intelligence, the metaverse, the end of human development, and the nature of values. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: In the Shadow of Humanity

In this episode, I chat with Susan Kaye Quinn about her engineering background, AI-generated 'art', and her passion for the new genre of hope punk. We also discuss possible versions of the singularity, aspects of humanity we might be sacrificing to technology, and the desperate need for an ethical system to inform technological development. As usual, there's also The Lightning Round and The Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Legacy Human (Singularity Series), Mindjack, The Debt Collector, and the Nothing is Promised series.

In this episode, I chat with Julia Huni about her military career, including working with NASA and NATO, her writing routine, and her thoughts on aliens. We also discuss cozy mysteries in space, cylindrical space stations, and space janitors. There's also The Lightning Round and the Big Questions.

Books of hers we discuss are: The Space Janitor series, Tales of a Former Space Janitor, Colonial Explorer Corp, and  Krimson Empire.

In this episode, I chat with Roy Huff all the way from Hawaii about working with NASA on the GOES-R satellite project, his interest in cryopreservation and how he started writing. We also talk about the many ideas around time travel. There's also The Lightning Round and the Big Questions.

Books of his we discuss are: Everville and The Seven Rules of Time Travel series.

In this episode, Tony Bertauski visits me again and we take a deep dive into his Claus-verse: the stories, the science fiction -- science fact! -- and the future. There's a Christmas-sized Lightning Round, two big questions and Revenge of the Muse-inspired character development. Books of Tony's we discuss: Claus, Jack, Flurry, Humbug, Claus: The Heat Miser, Ronin, Toyland, Gingerman, Toymaker, Toyworld.

In this episode, I chat with Peter J Aldin about his journey from youth pastor to science fiction author, about why he set his Zombie apocalypse in Tasmania, and about the depiction of mental health in fiction. We also chat about the nature of villains and alien spirituality. Despite the early hour in the Australian morning, we manage to fit in The Lightning Round, the Big Questions and Revenge of the Muse. Books of his we discuss are: Black Marks, the Doomsday's Child series, the Envoy Trilogy and his CUSET universe.

In this episode, I chat with Jim Keen about why he became an architect, how a boy from Manchester ended up in New York, and the challenges of re-acclimating to the West after travelling the world. We also discuss the present and near future of artificial intelligence: text-to-image generation AI, will we develop self-aware machines, and just what will the job market look like post-AI? As always, there are The Big Questions and Revenge of the Muse, and new to season 3 is The Lightning Round. Books of his we discuss are: The Alice Yu trilogy (The Paradise Factory, This Automatic Eden, The Genesis Engine), Agent Zero, and the Cortex Saga.

Revenge of the Muse - A Protagonist: Alice Yu and the synopsis of a new novella

In this episode, I chat with Claire McCagues about her love of musical instruments, writing and producing plays and the path to her book series. We also discuss the challenges of interspecies communication, the possible nature of alien beings, and concerns over the colonization of space. Books of hers we discuss are: Rosetta Man and Rosetta Mind.

Revenge of the Muse - A short synopsis: The Icarus Agenda

In this episode, I chat with Rachel Aukes about flying with her 50 lb lap dog and how she approached getting know despite being an introvert. We also discuss extraterrestrial colonization and the roles AI might play, overcoming 'othering' within humanity, and the inevitable evolution of extraterrestrial humans. Books of hers we discuss are: The Deadland series, The Fringe Series, The Waymaker Wars, and The Javelin Series.

Revenge of the Muse - Super Villian Bio: Dr. Harold Pearce

In this episode, I chat with Louisa Locke about the evolution of the Indie Author and their growing acceptance among fans, her path from professor of women's history to successful fiction author, and the creation and development of the shared world of The Paradisi Chronicles.

In this episode, I chat with million-book-selling Sarah Woodbury about her path to becoming a successful independent author and her love of Welsh history. We also discuss parallel dimensions and her contribution to the open source science fiction universe, The Paradisi Chronicles.

In this episode, I chat with Misty Zaugg about being a hobby survivalist / generalist prepper, the challenges of writing LitRPG, world-building her dystopian future, and why we need to invent teleporters. Books of hers we discuss: Escaping the Virus series, The Aftermath series, World of Combat series.

Story Intro: Last Stand

In this episode, I chat with Ken Lozito about finding his way from IT to science fiction author via writing fantasy, the considerations for creating a successful career as an independent sci-fi author, and challenges facing humans as we move into the future - both from the environment and ourselves. Books of his we discuss: The Ascension Series, The First Colony Series, The Federation Chronicles.

Story Intro: High on the Hog

In this episode, I chat with Texas rancher and space opera author Jaxon Reed about finding a career through bothering your sister, the pros and cons of serial fiction platforms, and uses for AI in novel writing. We also discuss his multiple Milky Way Universe space opera series, the influence of different players in the space race, and near future AI. Books of his we discuss: Pirates of the Milky Way, Agents of the Planetary Republic, The Redwood trilogy, The Empathic Detective.

Story Intro: Adaptation

In this episode, I chat with South African post-apocalyptic author Baileigh Higgins on her love of writing zombies, favourite movie monsters, and predicting pandemic policies. Books of hers we discuss include: Apocalypse Z, Gen Z, Primordial Earth, Children of the Apocalypse, and The Black Tide.

No story intro this episode.

In this episode, I chat with teacher and SF author Milo James Fowler on the humor of Captain Quasar, time traveling multiverse detectives, AI, VR, and new frontiers versus digital universes. Also, the Muse truly has its revenge in this episode. Books of his we discuss include: the Captain Quasar series, Backtracker, Charlie Madison PI (The Suprahuman Secret), and The Spirits of the Earth series.

Story Intro: Porridge of Power

In this episode, I chat with former fight choreographer, lawnscaper, and science fiction author Kathleen McClure. She shares how book pirates can destroy your relationship with Amazon KDP's algorithm, finding your own path through the world of independent publishing, and the future of corporate sponsorship on distant colonies.

Story Intro: Raiders of the Lost Quark

In this episode, I chat with professor emeritus and science fiction author Doug J Cooper. He shares how he got started writing later in life, his interest in artificial intelligence and how it features in his books, and some teaser info on his upcoming Lagrange series.

Story Intro: Homecoming

In this episode, I chat with former punk musician and post-apocalyptic science fiction author T.W. Piperbrook. He shares his early writing experiences submitting stories to publishers as a kid, the use of real experiences in his post-apocalyptic scenarios, the wonders of Kindle Vella, and his feelings when a real *near* apocalypse arrived.

Story Intro: Special Delivery

In this episode, I chat with historian and science fiction author J.W. Elliot. We discuss topics ranging from crafting longbows and how lessons from The Inquisition can be applied to the present, to the ethical issues of cloning and the challenges of a collective intelligence.

In this episode, I chat with post-apocalypse author Devon C Ford on topics ranging from channeling his experiences with the best and worst of society into apocalypse survival stories and why living through an 'apocalypse' isn't as fun as writing about one, to why cats are more evolved than humans.

In this episode, I chat with military SF author M.D. Cooper on how she developed her Aeon-14 far future science fiction universe, what it takes to turn out 100+ books in six years, social and technological considerations on the pathway to interstellar colonization, and some similarities between raising a child and uplifting a civilization.

In the first Alternate Futures episode of 2022, I chat with Gerald M Kilby on the nature of writing science fiction, the challenging speed of modern technological development for our institutions, and why he aims for creating plausible futures, not perfect predictions.

If you'd like to win an audible code for Gerald M Kilby's trilogy The Belt (US and UK only and while supplies last) just send me a request at podcast@alternatefutures.co.uk

Story Introduction: Zoom Zapped

This episode is a short year end wrap-up. I also answer the two questions I've been asking my guests all season, and I give you a story intro teaser for the Fractured Eternity series I'm starting. Finally, I give out details of a New Year giveaway of audible codes for The Belt trilogy by Gerald M. Kilby that runs until January 5, 2022.

I hope everyone has a great 2022!

Story Intro: Eternity Awaits

In this first Alternate Futures Christmas episode, I chat with Tony Bertauski, creator of The Claus-verse, on the business of writing, the fun of developing modern takes on fictional arctic species, and the history and future of The Claus-verse.

Story Introduction: Play Things

In this episode, I chat with A.R.K. Watson from South Korea on multiculturalism, terraforming, the nature of alien life, and the ghost in the machine.

Story Introduction: Death of a Colony

In this episode, I chat with Dietmar Wehr about starting an indie author career later in life, drawing inspiration from the Black Knight satellite, writing galaxy-spanning science fiction, and the fun and frightening aspects of artificial intelligence.

Story Introduction: Twilight of the Gods

In this episode, I chat with D.B. Goodin about LitRPG, cybersecurity, and the marvels and terrors of modern technology.

Story Introduction: Mind Jacker

In this episode, I speak with Kerry Boytzun about hidden power structures, neural linguistic programming, and the symbolism of The Matrix.

Story Introduction: The Invisible Guardian

In this episode, I chat with prolific apocalypse author, composer, and filmmaker Jacqueline M. Druga about scheduling around grandchildren, the indie spirit, and her interest in apocalypse and post-apocalypse stories.

Story Introduction: The Chosen

In this episode, I chat with Bill Patenaude about the issues of free will, technology, and the role of religion in humanity's future that form the themes of his debut novel A Printer's Choice.

Story Introduction: The St. Michael's Emitter

In this episode, dystopian/horror author Mark Gillespie shares his experiences with indie publishing, why he doesn't wear headphones, and his opinions on the scourge of humanity that is reality TV.

Story Introduction: A Knight's Revenge

In this episode, talk with Christopher Coates about small towns, big threats, and how it's easier to sleep at night being a paramedic than an IT guy. Christopher's well-grounded life experiences show through in his ultimately hopeful, near future apocalypse novels.

Story Introduction: Frozen for the Future

In this episode, I chat with Ned Marcus about his debut novel Blue Prometheus and the merger of the science fiction of a trans-dimensional solar empire with the nature magic of an alternate Uranus.

Story Introduction: Desert Revelations

In this episode, I introduce myself (Edwin Rydberg), my science fiction interests, and the structure of the podcast. I also share the first Revenge of the Muse story introduction.

Story Introduction: It's a Wacky World