I’m joined by Drew Harrison, author of Men Of The Mountain, to talk about how his background in journalism shaped his fiction, why he researches details most readers will never double-check, and how sci fi can act like a warning system when technology moves faster than our culture can adapt. We get into craft and influence in a practical way: how reading Stephen King, Brandon Sanderson, and Joe Abercrombie left fingerprints on Drew’s style, why first-person narration can shrink the distance between reader and character, and how he builds authenticity by keeping his protagonists human, insecure, and pressured by responsibility. Drew also explains why Men Of The Mountain starts with one genre flavor and then reveals a deeper sci fi core, using the clash between tribal life and advanced technology to make familiar concepts feel uncanny again. Then we zoom out to cyberpunk themes that are suddenly not-so-fictional: AI manipulation, misinformation, and the creeping sense that we’re building systems we don’t fully understand. Drew argues bleak worlds need optimism to stay readable, and that hope is what turns dystopian storytelling into something more than despair. We also talk audiobooks: the joy of hearing a narrator bring lines to life, the challenge of letting go of control, and the best advice for authors who want to adapt their books to audio. If you enjoy author interviews, science fiction writing, cyberpunk ideas, and grounded worldbuilding, subscribe, share this with a reader friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. 'Men of The Mountain' Early Review Signups: https://forms.gle/dBNywczwCG72HXt9A Drew Harrison's Links: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Drew-Harrison/author/B09PJWGGF2?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22160775.Drew_Harrison https://drewharrisonbooks.wixsite.com/home Sip Java Co, where much of MotM was written: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wKgL7y6tqvFXz3mg6 Well's Coffee, which does the on-site roasting: https://maps.app.goo.gl/c1VYu9isiD3YYvsJA Drew's Events: Read it Write it, June 20: https://www.facebook.com/ReadItWriteBookFestival/ Shelf Life Space, June 27: https://www.instagram.com/shelflifespace/ Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits: L. Connor Voice - Website https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIC0iAX-pJlqW7LBq2PJL6A Music Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/ Any and all music, sound effects, or visual effects used in this production are royalty and copyright free. Lists of SFX and Music can be provided upon request.
