Caitlin Starling, LAST TO LEAVE THE ROOM author
Fictitious
Caitlin Starling returns to Fictitious to talk about her new horror-tinged, sci-fi thriller, LAST TO LEAVE THE ROOM. We talk writing surreal scenes, and using a "load-bearing cat". About Last to Leave the Room The city of San Siroco is sinking. The basement of Dr. Tamsin Rivers, the arrogant, selfish head of the research team assigned to find the source of the subsidence, is sinking faster. As Tamsin grows obsessed with the distorting dimensions of the room at the bottom of the stairs, she finds a door that didn’t exist before – and one night, it opens to reveal an exact...
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Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey, THE DEAD TAKE THE A TRAIN co-authors
Fictitious
Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey are both powerhouse bestselling authors in their own rights. Now, they’ve merged their considerable talents in cosmic horror and urban fantasy to create the new novel, THE DEAD TAKE THE A TRAIN. In a New York City absolutely filthy with magic—monsters and the mundane intermingle. When that cohabitation breeds horrific problems—and it always does—you need people like Julie Crews to clean up the mess. But being a coked-out, broke ass, pig-pen disaster of a magician like Julie creates as many issues as it solves. Struggling to make rent and constantly...
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James L. Sutter, rpg co-creator of PATHFINDER and STARFINDER; author of DARKHEARTS
Fictitious
In this episode we’re going to deviate a bit from the usual focus on fiction to talk about writing for tabletop roleplaying games and related media. RPGs have always been deeply interconnected with fantasy, sci-fi, and horror, and right now they are more popular and prevalent than ever before. James L. Sutter co-created the lore and story-rich fantasy RPG PATHFINDER for Paizo Publishing, which has become one of the most popular roleplaying games in the world. He then took the role of Creative Director on STARFINDER, a science-fantasy RPG that reimagined the world of Pathfinder in a...
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Greta Kelly, THE QUEEN OF DAYS author
Fictitious
Greta Kelly returns to Fictitious to talk about her new fantasy novel, THE QUEEN OF DAYS. We discuss its origin as a NaNoWriMo project, developing a tightly-contained fantasy setting, and maintaining emotional drama in a fast-paced heist story. THE QUEEN OF DAYS is breakneck-paced fantasy adventure coming October 24th from Harper Voyager. Order it now at: » » » Some of the links above are affiliate links. Using them helps support this site and its writers. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will...
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Matt Wallace, SAVAGE CROWNS author
Fictitious
Matt Wallace talks about his epic fantasy trilogy, THE SAVAGE REBELLION — which includes SAVAGE NATION, SAVAGE BOUNTY, and SAVAGE CROWNS, all available now from Saga Press. We discuss the series's examination of empire, historical influences, impact of sensitivity readers, and challenging editorial process. Savage Legion » Savage Bounty » » Savage Crowns » » » Some of these are affiliate links. Using them supports the channel, at no additional cost to you! Whenever possible, though, I encourage you to purchase from your local bookstores. About...
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Fictitious Returns from Hiatus!
Fictitious
After a two-year hiatus, Fictitious returns to your podcast feeds. Host Adron Buske explains the reason for the break, and the return, and how the show will evolve going forward. For all my interviews, show info, and more, visit: Right now, the best social media platform for Fictitious is Instagram:
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Zen Cho, BLACK WATER SISTER author
Fictitious
Zen Cho discusses her latest book, BLACK WATER SISTER, an urban fantasy of ghosts, grandmas, and gangsters set in Malaysia. We talk about crafting authentic regional dialects, writing "fantasy" using real world religious lore, and exploring cultural idiom in world-building. BLACK WATER SISTER is out now from ACE Books.
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Josh Malerman, GOBLIN author
Fictitious
Josh Malerman (author of BIRD BOX) talks about his book GOBLIN, a dark fantasy novel comprised of 6 individual but connected novellas. We discuss his prolific writing process, finding the rhythm for a story, exploring themes of obsession, and making a city the main character of his novel. GOBLIN is available in hardcover now from Del Rey Books.
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Marissa Levien, THE WORLD GIVES WAY author
Fictitious
Marissa Levien, author of THE WORLD GIVES WAY, talks about her dystopian apocalypse story set on an interstellar generation ship. We discuss the cat-and-mouse chase plot, exploring character's perception of their 'world', and how to use different POVs to set tone and audience expectation. THE WORLD GIVES WAY arrives June 1st from Red Hook.
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Marina Lostetter, THE HELM OF MIDNIGHT author
Fictitious
THE HELM OF MIDNIGHT author Marina Lostetter discusses her mystery-infused dark fantasy novel. We dig deep into her elaborate world-building and object-based magic system, how she discovered the story's themes, and her messy, start-at-the-end plotting methodology.
info_outlineIn this episode I’m joined by Josh Malerman, author of GOBLIN. This uniquely design supernatural horror novel weaves 6 separate novellas together, each tale examining curious characters and disturbing circumstances in the isolated town of Goblin.
In a city built on cursed land, the dead are buried standing up, Great Owls occupy the dangerous north woods, and the police shuffle unnervingly through the constant deluge of rain.
Here in Goblin, a historian builds his life around fear of being scared to death. A troubling confession from a childhood friend leaves a man fearful and compromised. A little girl endeavors to solve an impossible maze created by a grieving husband after the death of his wife.
These stories and more explore the secrets and bizarre history of a town unlike any other, where nighttime is always near, and your darkest desires and fears await.
GOBLIN is available in hardcover from Del Rey Books:
» Some of these are affiliate links. Using them supports the channel, at no additional cost to you! Whenever possible, though, I encourage you to purchase from your local bookstores.
About Josh Malerman
Josh Malerman is a New York Times bestselling author and one of two singer-songwriters for the rock
band The High Strung. His debut novel, Bird Box, is the inspiration for the hit Netflix film of the same
name. His other novels include Unbury Carol, Inspection, A House at the Bottom of a Lake, and Malorie, the
sequel to Bird Box. Malerman lives in Michigan with his fiancée, the artist-musician Allison Laakko.
Follow Josh Malerman
About GOBLIN
From the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie comes a chilling story that revolves around a mysterious small town, revealing its sinister secrets one by one.
Goblin seems like any other ordinary small town. But with the master storyteller Josh Malerman as your tour guide, you’ll discover the secrets that hide behind its closed doors. These six novellas tell the story of a place where the rain is always falling, nighttime is always near, and your darkest fears and desires await. Welcome to Goblin. . . .
A Man in Slices: A man proves his “legendary love” to his girlfriend with a sacrifice even more daring than Vincent van Gogh’s—and sends her more than his heart.
Kamp: Walter Kamp is afraid of everything, but most afraid of being scared to death. As he sets traps around his home to catch the ghosts that haunt him, he learns that nothing is more terrifying than fear itself.
Happy Birthday, Hunter!: A famed big-game hunter is determined to capture—and kill—the ultimate prey: the mythic Great Owl who lives in Goblin’s dark forests. But this mysterious creature is not the only secret the woods are keeping.
Presto: All Peter wants is to be like his hero, Roman Emperor, the greatest magician in the world. When the famous magician comes to Goblin, Peter discovers that not all magic is just an illusion.
A Mix-Up at the Zoo: The new zookeeper feels a mysterious kinship with the animals in his care . . . and finds that his work is freeing dark forces inside him.
The Hedges: When his wife dies, a man builds a hedge maze so elaborate no one ever solves it—until a little girl resolves to be the first to find the mysteries that wait at its heart.