Interview episodes
Diversity in video games with Emily Marlow
How important are video games in showcasing diversity? Can they do it better than other forms of media? Whether 'diversity' means eschewing the traditional cis white male protagonist or encountering a broad spectrum of race, gender and relationships, can gaming offer...
Witchcraft, ritual, and power
This week, we are taking a slight detour from our usual subject matter and taking a look at witchcraft and ritual in the real world from writers who identify as witches and explore these ideas in their non-fiction writing. After coming across Katie West's latest...
Interview with Tim Lebbon
Horror aficionado Charlotte talks with author Tim Lebbon, whose published bibliography is extensive. Lebbon has written countless horror and dark fantasy novels, both his original ideas as well as film novelisations and franchise tie-ins. A fan of his work, Charlotte...
Interview with Seanan McGuire
In this episode, Charlotte interviews the prolific writer Seanan McGuire (also known as Mira Grant) about her writing process, inclusive characters, Maine Coons, filk (folk music of science fiction and fantasy), and more. Focusing on three recent publications that...
Writing video games with Rhianna Pratchett
Speculative fiction is not confined to prose stories or even TV and film. Video games have long focused on science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. As such, this week, I interview master games writer (official title!), Rhianna Pratchett. Writing a novel or short...
Melinda Snodgrass on optimism in science fiction
One of my earliest loves and the series that prompted my eternal love for the science fiction genre was Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was hopeful while exploring deep philosophical questions. I was absolutely thrilled to speak to Melinda Snodgrass, who wrote some...
Kieron Gillen on gender and diversity in comics
Today is a big day in the UK: the general election. After we mark our ballots (because, of course, all BtGS listeners will get out there and vote today, right?!) and while we all bite our nails in nervous anticipation of the result, we have the perfect distraction......
Gail Carriger on comedy in SFF and the heroine’s journey
This week, Charlotte interviews Victorian steampunk/alternate history/comedy/gothic/romance/surrealist/urban fantasy writer Gail Carriger. This is one writer you cannot easily slot into a neat classification. Her writing defies genre so much she has practically...
Ytasha Womack on Afrofuturism
Genre fiction explores different possibilities of all kinds – what life might be like with the invention of new technologies, other worlds completely divorced from what we know, and more. But why, then, do we still find so many minority voices erased from these...