Speculative Sandbox

[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 are their own. Main cover art illustrated by Sofia Hansson Individual episode covers feature royalty-free photography from Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠

[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. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠

[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 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠

[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? You won't want to miss this one. Your survival depends on it.  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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

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 bookstore located in Oro Valley, Arizona. Husband-and-wife owners, Crispin and Lizzy, believe in the importance of community and supporting local businesses. Learn more and order books by visiting https://www.stacksbookclub.com/. Pine Reads Review is an online children’s and young adult literature publication run by University of Arizona undergraduates in Tucson, Arizona committed to showcasing a combination of debut, diverse, and established authors. For more information, visit https://www.pinereadsreview.com/. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠

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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

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 covers feature royalty-free photography from Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

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 covers feature royalty-free photography from Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Do you have difficulty starting your manuscript? You may remember Author and Roundtable Radio podcast host Odin Halvorson from our episode on Maps. He returns in this Author Takeover to discuss the ways writers can channel their creative muse. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Newcomer and author D. A. Randall joins the podcast to talk about the Birth of a Superhero. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Please welcome newcomer Author Katee Stein to Speculative Sandbox, where she walks us through the importance of creating safe spaces and communities as writers. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Author Garrett K. Jones from our episode on “Unreliable Narrators” takes over the podcast to examine the evolution of storytelling in media, from the episodic format of early sitcoms to the long-form storytelling of today. Examples include the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Friends, and How I Met Your Mother. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Drag Queen and Author Joshua Valentine, the "Lady Gaga of the Writing World", joins Speculative Sandbox to unpack symbolism in storytelling. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Fantasy author and Shakespeare teacher David Hopkins joins the podcast to talk about the twisted paths of succession. From George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” to HBO’s “Succession”, what makes an effective succession story? We’ll discuss the types of characters that make good contenders, real-life succession stories, and the ways writers can make the succession journey as messy as possible. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

Continuing our talk from our episode "Madness", Ian Young returns to the podcast to talk about "Mass Hysteria." What did the term "hysteria" originally mean? And does a panic on a large scale always have a scientific explanation? 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

What is scifaiku and astropoetry? Wendy Van Camp, Poet Laureate for the City of Anaheim, CA, joins the podcast for a poetry reading and lesson. Participate in the lesson! Read the words submitted by our listeners below, write your own scifaiku, and send it to vickielan@gmail.com or direct message Speculative Sandbox on Instagram. We'll share your poem on social media! Sci-fi trope: Cybernetic implants Aliens are humans Time travel AI goes rogue Fish out of water Robots Evil aliens The ghost in the machine Emotional words: Tearful Distraught Horny Anxiety/Anxious Somber Exhausted Season/time: Serendipity Birth Spring Winter Autumn Dusk Crack epidemic 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠

Could we one day customize our own bodies? Author and podcast host Jordan Griffin joins Speculative Sandbox to talk about gene-editing. How close are we to science fiction? We break down the science, including CRISPR technology, genetically-modified foods, and the ethical concerns of human experimentation. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠⁠Guest form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch store⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow on ⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠

From combatting systemic oppression to leaning into gender stereotypes to solve the case, female sleuths tend to find themselves in interesting situations. Author Brittany Sweeting joins the podcast to talk about female sleuths! We discuss famous characters like Nancy Drew, Enola Holmes, and Jessica Jones, as well as break down the difference between an amateur sleuth and detective. Finally, we explore real-world sleuthing, including social media and safety in the age of modern dating. 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠Guest form⁠ ⁠Merch store⁠ ⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠Instagram⁠ Follow on ⁠Tik Tok⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠Twitter⁠

Author and robot enthusiast Mara Lynn Johnstone joins Speculative Sandbox to unpack the character development opportunities of fictional robots. From killing machines to tools and the childlike mind, what kind of character arcs can authors explore to give their robots depth? And does a self-fulfilled robot serve humanity's needs? 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 Pexels.com or Canva.  Links: ⁠Guest form⁠ ⁠Merch store⁠ ⁠Curated episode playlists on Spotify⁠ Social media: Follow on ⁠Instagram⁠ Follow on ⁠Tik Tok⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on ⁠Twitter⁠