All posts by Vance

04Jan/19

Tash McAdam

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January 4, 2019


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Tash McAdam as the guest on Episode 197 – Cassius Is Screaming!

Tash McAdam joins us for a ripping conversation about the status of YA, their current release, I Am the Storm, and about the importance of trans and queer representation in literature.

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Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Tash is a Computer Science and English teacher in Canada, although they were born and raised in the hilly sheepland of Wales (and have lived in South Korea and Chile before settling down in Vancouver). Tash identifies as trans and queer and uses the neutral pronoun ‘they’. As an English teacher they are fully equipped to defend that grammar! They have a degree in computer science so their nerd chat makes sense, and a couple of black belts in karate which are very helpful when it comes to writing fight scenes.

Their novel writing endeavours began at the age of eight although they will admit that their first attempt was derivative, at best. Since then, Tash has spent time falling in streams, out of trees, juggling, dreaming about zombies, dancing, painting, learning and then teaching Karate, running away with the circus, and of course, writing.

They write fast-paced, plot-centric action adventure with diverse casts. They write the books that they wanted to read as a queer kid and young adult (and still do!)

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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28Dec/18

Rhae Camdyn

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December 28, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Rhae Camdyn as the guest on Episode 196 – I Don’t Have to Look Far!

Rhae Camdyn joins us for a rip-rollicking chat about life in the politico Texas Elite, her latest release Three Days in Jackass Flats, and how all of this ends Baz’s longtime search for the new Molly Ivins.

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Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Rhae Camdyn is a fifth-generation Texan, Mom to three grown daughters and a houseful of furbabies and purrbabies. While the financial demands of raising a family delayed her pursuit of being her own boss, eventually her health would sideline her 9 to 5 activities. She is now neck-deep in cataloging all the stories she wove while her children were young, the epic tales woven in dreams, and the challenge stories tossed at her by her beloved lifemate of 25+ years.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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14Dec/18

Sara Codair

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December 14, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sara Codair as the guest on Episode 194 – Yeah That Happens!

Sara Codair joins us to discuss their novel, Power Surge, and the importance of mental health representation.

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Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Sara Codair lives in a world of words, writing fiction in every free moment, teaching writing at a community college and binge-reading fantasy novels. When not lost in words, Sara can often be found hiking, swimming, or gardening. Find Sara’s words in Alternative Truths, Helios Quarterly, and Secrets of the Goat People, at https://saracodair.com/

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

07Dec/18

Sarah Ward

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December 7, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sarah Ward as the guest on Episode 193 – Finding Your Tribe!

Sarah Ward joins us to discuss her recent YA release, Aesop Lake, and how her social work with troubled teens helped inform her writing.

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Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

Sarah Ward writes young adult fiction, poetry and journal articles in the field of child welfare. Over a twenty-five-year career as a social worker, Sarah has worked with young adults and families with harrowing backgrounds. She won the 2007 Editor’s Choice Award for the New England Anthology of Poetry for her poem “Warmer Waters,” and she is a member of the League of Vermont Writers since 2008. As a social worker, Sarah has published several journal articles, and was recently a co-author on an article published (December 2016) in Child and Youth Services Review titled, “Building a landscape of resilience after workplace violence in public child welfare.” In her limited spare time, Sarah enjoys a good book, a little yoga and a cup of tea in her home in Williston, Vermont.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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22Nov/18

SA Collins and Francesca Donatella (Wendy Stone)

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November 23, 2018


SA “Baz” Collins and Francesca Donatella (aka Wendy Stone) run with Episode 191 – The Guardian Angel Project

SA “Baz” Collins and Wendy Stone (aka Francesca Donatella) unveil their upcoming release, Nephilim – Mercy’s Little Angels (Book One). They share how their novel has sparked a cause to support a member of our queer literary community, Paul Berry,  in his fight against cancer.

There’s more here about Wendy Stone and her work
There’s more here about SA “Baz” Collins and his work

Bios:

Wendy Stone lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband and two cats. She spends most of her time immersed in the worlds that others have written and more recently has been writing new worlds of her own.

Currently working on three projects, two of which are collaborations under the pen name Francesca Donatella.

Her first love is books and has never met one she didn’t like.

SA “Baz” Collins hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where he lives with his husband and a Somali cat named Zorro. A classically trained singer/actor (under a different name), Baz knows a good yarn when he sees it.

Based on years of his work as an actor, Baz specializes in character study pieces. It is more important for him that the reader comes away with a greater understanding of the characters and the reasons they make the decisions they do, rather than the situations they are in. It is this deep dive into their manners, their experiences and how they process the world around them that make up the body of Mr. Collins’ work.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

09Nov/18

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay

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November 9, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay back as the guests on Episode 189 – There’s Murder Involved!!

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay introduce the second book in their Lijun Series: Trysts and Burning Embers. We also delve into writing non-binary characters and ways to bend tropes into something new.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Follow Freddy and support their work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Freddy Mackay is a bisexual, biromantic, genderfluid nerd and geek who grew up in the Midwest playing soccer, diving, swimming and doing gymnastics, along with running around outside as much as possible–preferably spending that time in swamps and hiking through forests. The haphazard escapades have not changed, except some of them have been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction and a love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Freddy likes worms, dancing and being outside… and toll passes, but you’ll have to ask on that one.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

09Nov/18

Freddy MacKay

Featured Guest, , , , , ,

November 9, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay back as the guests on Episode 189 – There’s Murder Involved!!

Angel Martinez and Freddy MacKay introduce the second book in their Lijun Series: Trysts and Burning Embers. We also delve into writing non-binary characters and ways to bend tropes into something new.

Follow Angel and support her work:

Follow Freddy and support their work:

Books mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Freddy Mackay is a bisexual, biromantic, genderfluid nerd and geek who grew up in the Midwest playing soccer, diving, swimming and doing gymnastics, along with running around outside as much as possible–preferably spending that time in swamps and hiking through forests. The haphazard escapades have not changed, except some of them have been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction and a love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Freddy likes worms, dancing and being outside… and toll passes, but you’ll have to ask on that one.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayiHeartRadioSpotifyStitcherTuneIn

Or right here:

02Nov/18

Sharita Lira

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November 2, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sharita Lira back as the guest on Episode 188 – I Love Stories That Go Against the Grain!!

Sharita Lira returns to discuss her TWO releases, Push (from Dreamspinner) and Because You Loved Me (Indie Published). We then chat about queer people of color in the media!!

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Books mentioned in this episode:

Queer in Color resource links:

Bio:

Romance and erotica author Sharita Lira believes that love conquers all. Writing sexy stories of people who might be complete opposites, but somehow make a lasting connection that often leads to a happily ever after.

Happily married and mother of two, Sharita never allows complex plots to deter her from writing the story. Inspired by heavy music, attractive people she’s seen in person and on the internet, Sharita always has a tale on her brain.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine FourteenG.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

March 23, 2018


It gives us great pleasure to welcome Sharita Lira as the guest on Episode 158 – From My Own Crazy Brain!!

This week Sharita Lira, who writes as Michael Mandrake (and a couple others), joins us to discuss her latest books in the Immortals series AND the Protekt series. Additionally, she drops a bomb on Vance when she tells him she’s one of the founders of the Queer in Color resource for authors and readers!!

Follow Sharita and support her work:

Queer in Color resource links:

Bio:

Romance and erotica author Sharita Lira believes that love conquers all. Writing sexy stories of people who might be complete opposites, but somehow make a lasting connection that often leads to a happily ever after.

Happily married and mother of two, Sharita never allows complex plots to deter her from writing the story. Inspired by heavy music, attractive people she’s seen in person and on the internet, Sharita always has a tale on her brain.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine FourteenG.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

19Oct/18

Siegmund Fuchs

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October 19, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Siegmund Fuchs as the guest on Episode 186 – Why Don’t I Try Creating the World!!

Siegmund Fuchs joins us to talk about his play, In The Closet, why writing a play is different, why everyone should try it, and the reality of getting your work from page to stage.

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Coming to Baltimore!!!

  • Third Wall Productions is producing the show in January 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. Their website: https://thirdwall.org/

Help Bring In The Closet to New York:

Reviews of In The Closet:

Bio:

Siegmund Fuchs is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but now lives in Washington, D.C. His first play, Never Turned Out To Be Four Months, premiered at John Carroll University in 1998. His second play, A Night Out At The Movies, was work-shopped in 2002. He has been practicing law for the last fifteen years and currently works as a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice. His latest play, In The Closet, completed in 2015, is his first script in over ten years. In The Closet won the Carol Weinberg Award for Best Play at the 2016 Baltimore Playwright’s Festival and was awarded first place at the 2016 Historic Elitch Theater New Works Festival in Denver, Colorado. It also placed as a finalist or semi-finalist in four other national competitions. It has been workshopped twice and had its world co-premiere at Convergence-Continuum in Cleveland, Ohio in 2017, and the Rainbow Theatre Project in Washington, D.C. in 2018.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

05Oct/18

A. M. Burns

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October 5, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Andy Burns back as the guest on Episode 184 – A Lot of Grand Adventures!!

Andy Burns joins us to discuss The Arena (the second novel in his The Adventures of Horc series). We also discuss writing with multiple co-authors and juggling multiple pen names!

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Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Bio:

A.M. Burns has been writing since high school. He has recently decided to turn his hobby into something more. Crafting brilliant stories with vibrant characters, he brings life to some very interesting and unique worlds. He currently lives in the mountains of central Colorado where he enjoys hiking, horseback riding and hawking. He shares his life with numerous critters and a loving partner.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here:

August 7, 2015

It gives us great pleasure to announce A. M. Burns as the guest on episode 013: What’s in a Name?!

Join us as we talk with Andy about researching animals, managing pen names, and his upcoming novel The Kachina Job.

You can find Andy’s novels here:

Follow Andy on the web:

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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Or right here: