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I interviewed Dr. John Kessel, winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for best novella novelette (eep- sorry, best novella was won by “The Spacetime Pool” – Catherine Asaro)! We talked in a coffee shop, so please forgive the background noise.
- Did I mention you can get the early info of the new Heaven book at the site, if you join the Inside Story?
- Promo: Get a $3 discount off Scott Sigler’s The Rookie with the discount code MUR
- Interview with Dr. John Kessel, author of Pride and Prometheus, winner of the Nebula award! Audio files at his website, the story here, and his free, CC licensed short story collection from Small Beer Press here. We talk education, longer short fiction, and translating a story to television.
- Promo: Amaz!ng Meeting 7
- Lastly, what direction would YOU like to see ISBW go in? More interviews? Mix of interviews and advice? I need your input!
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7 Responses to ISBW Special #43 – Nebula Award Winner John Kessel
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New from the Murverse- ISBW Special #46 – Stonecoast Writer’s Residency January 31, 2012
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I’m a fan of the advice. I mean, interviews are great, but since I’ve just finished novel #1, I’m worrying about how I’m going to get my idea for book #2, how I’m going to get an agent, what counts as “good book sales” anyway…
I’m all meta process right now, so I’m into discussions about craft and marketing.
Give the interviews a chance. Mur is really great at getting some interesting things out of published authors and even if she doesn’t ask your exact question – just listening to these people talk about their work will give you the answer.
Plus no one’s going to build you a road to successful publication. At most they’ll hand you a shovel, say “… this is how I did it. Get to work.” and then point to the mountain your road has to pass. Anybody offering step by step direction is offering tourist traps hoping you spend my time on the road – and you don’t even want to know what a GPS means. (I think I’ve stretched the “road” analogy far enough.)
p.s. I love the idea of a crime ridden, murderous, intergalactic blood-sport being suitable for ages 11 and up. Far too much time is being spent on teaching children to act like the “the Wiggles” a group of forty-something men dressed in matching outfits trying to convince young children to come with them to their magical play-land through allegorical song and dance… CREEPY.
I prefer a mix. Interviews are good, but too many of them would snow over your personal advice. That personal touch is what makes the show interesting — at least for me.
Jeff, you are certainly right that the authors provide great insights when relating their own stories… still, I’m just kind of in the mood for the Mur-voice version of advice right now.
As Stijn says, there’s a personal touch that I’m fond of, and that’s what I happen to be craving right about now.
I think that with her new status as a published author of great reknown Mur should take advantage of the fact that she will have more and more contact with other authors at Cons etc.
Maybe releasing them as they are recorded, or perhaps doing chunks around Cons or other awards would be a way of making the best of this new situation.
Anyway, still love the podcast, so long may it continue!
I’m with Carrie. Mur’s excellent advice and encouragement is what sold me on the podcast, and that’s what I like the most. I wouldn’t want to completely do without the interviews, but one a month or so would be plenty for me.
While the interviews are fine, I’d prefer that advice segments outnumber them. Mur’s experiences, reflections, and charm are what drew me to ISBW to start with.