The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory

Mookie Spitz
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Science Fiction
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by writer and ranter Mookie Spitz, the SFFF is where science fiction & fantasy creators, fans, and technologists transform imagination into reality. Each episode explores how writers, filmmakers, and world-builders bring their universes to life, with personal stories about turning wild ideas into finished projects that connect, inspire, and thrill. From indie authors to visionary engineers, Mookie uncovers the creative engines powering the future of sci-fi & fantasy storytelling!

  1. Cedar Sanderson: Prolific Pulp Pantser

    Jun 7

    Cedar Sanderson: Prolific Pulp Pantser

    What do gardening, balloon animals, pulp fiction, Japanese manga, military science fiction, homeschooling, cover design, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and peeing basset hounds have in common? Cedar Sanderson, obviously. In this lively and often hilarious episode, Cedar joins Mookie Spitz for a sprawling conversation that begins with flowers and parenting and somehow winds its way through publishing, illustration, pulp fiction, education, storytelling, creativity, and the peculiar neuroses that drive writers to spend years inventing people who don't exist. Cedar shares her winding journey from entertainer, face painter, and balloon twister to scientist, entrepreneur, illustrator, publisher, and prolific author. Along the way, she explains why kids are the toughest audience on Earth, how writing a story for her daughter launched her fiction career, and why characters often refuse to follow their author's instructions. The conversation quickly enters the kind of nerdy territory both participants clearly enjoy. Mookie and Cedar debate pantsing versus plotting, discuss the strange alchemy of creativity, and compare notes on the ways writers trick themselves into actually finishing books. Cedar talks about her fascination with pulp fiction and classic adventure storytelling, while Mookie defends his self-imposed obsession with writing entire novels in rigid three-line blocks like some sort of literary Lego set assembled by an ADHD mad scientist. They also tackle bigger questions. Has modern publishing become too safe? Why do so many contemporary books feel interchangeable? Are readers being fed diluted versions of stories that were once richer, stranger, and more ambitious? Cedar argues that many writers no longer read deeply enough, while Mookie ironically wonders whether entire genres have become victims of their own formulas. The discussion veers into cover design, independent publishing, doing one's own art, storytelling in video games, the collapse of critical thinking, the value of constraints in creative work, and why writing "important messages" into fiction usually produces unreadable garbage. Somewhere in the middle, they also manage to talk about Cedar's books. She discusses her most popular Pixie Noir, newly released fantasy detective novella Child of Crows and the origins of Tanager's Fledglings, a surprisingly intimate science fiction adventure that begins with a young man, a starship, and a basset hound demonstrating a stubborn refusal to be housebroken on a starship.  Part writing workshop, part publishing insider discussion, part cultural critique, and part two smartasses wandering down fascinating rabbit holes, this episode is a reminder that today's storytelling is too often faked by formulas, focus groups, and committees. the good stuff instead created by curious people willing to follow strange ideas wherever they lead. And occasionally by people who spend twenty years collecting pulp novels and arguing about paragraph lengths. The Guest Cedar Sanderson is a multifaceted creator whose work spans both the literary and visual arts. She is celebrated for her engaging storytelling and her ability to captivate audiences with her vibrant imagery and thoughtful narratives. Her work not only entertains but also invites readers and viewers into worlds where science meets magic, and the mundane becomes extraordinary.  Her books, such as "Pixie Noir" and "Tanager’s Fledglings," showcase her unique blend of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery, often infused with a touch of humor and deep human insight. Her art, varying from traditional sumi-e painting to digital creations, reflects a love for both the whimsical and the scientific, with influences from her passion for history, infectious disease, and food anthropology. Known for her eclectic career that includes roles as diverse as balloon twister, face painter, and scientist, Cedar has channeled her wide range of experiences into her writing and art. Her Books Amazon Her Website https://www.cedarwrites.com/ Her Substack https://cedarlila.substack.com/ Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 40m
  2. Debbie Bishop on Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Never Waiting for Permission

    Jun 3

    Debbie Bishop on Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Never Waiting for Permission

    Stepping into the 55th episode of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory, Debbie Bishop has spent decades doing what most creators only talk about doing: building her own path. Author, comic book creator, publisher, entrepreneur, marketer, filmmaker, podcaster, and now AI-powered platform builder, Debbie joins Mookie for a wide-ranging conversation that spans fantasy fiction, Hollywood, independent publishing, emerging technology, and the future of creativity itself. The discussion begins with Debbie's new novel, Pillywiggin Awakening, a dark fantasy adventure that blends magic, technology, history, and human resilience into a story designed for readers who love immersive worlds and larger-than-life heroes. From there, the conversation expands into Debbie's remarkable career, from acting and entertainment marketing to publishing comic books, launching companies, working with legendary figures like Ray Harryhausen, and developing intellectual property across multiple mediums. Along the way, Debbie shares stories about creating comics decades ahead of technological trends, researching ancient civilizations and Atlantis, predicting AI-driven futures in her fiction, and collaborating with some of the biggest names in entertainment and consumer products. She also discusses her latest venture, CreatorStage.show, an ambitious new platform designed to help independent creators take control of their audiences, content, and revenue streams in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape. Mookie and Debbie dive deep into artificial intelligence, the promise and limitations of large language models, the future of data centers, creator economics, entrepreneurship, publishing, networking, and why human creativity still matters in an age of algorithms. They explore the tension between technological progress and personal sovereignty, debate whether AI will empower or marginalize creators, and examine how science fiction often serves as a surprisingly accurate preview of tomorrow's headlines. At its heart, their conversation is about self-determination. Debbie's philosophy is simple: if the system won't give you an opportunity, build your own. Whether you're a writer, artist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, or anyone trying to create something meaningful in a noisy world, her journey offers equal parts inspiration, practical wisdom, and hard-earned perspective. Debbie Bishop proves that creativity goes beyond imagination to include persistence, adaptability, and having the courage to create your own future. The Guest Award-winning author Debbie Bishop is a multi-genre storyteller, creative director, entertainment executive, and CEO of Angelgate Entertainment. Her newest book, “PILLYWIGGIN Awakening: The Complete Story Arc (Books 1–2),” is an epic fantasy adventure about hidden fae, imprisoned boys facing impossible odds, and the courage it takes to awaken, survive, and become your own hero. Rooted in her lifelong interest in fantasy, metaphysics, technology, and cinematic storytelling, Bishop’s work explores the power people discover when they stop waiting to be rescued. With nearly three decades in entertainment, Bishop has built five companies and worked with major studios including Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal. A former model and actress who moved behind the camera, she became a creative strategist whose digital campaigns have generated more than 2 billion views for the music industry.  Today, Bishop continues to expand her universe through new media, author-focused programming, and conversations about the future of technology. She recently hosted the AI & Human Roundtable podcast series, leads another storyteller-driven series, and is preparing to showcase original content and amplify creative voices. Find Her https://www.instagram.com/debbiebishop https://creatorstage.show/about-pillywiggin-awakening https://www.debbiebishop.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@by.storytellers Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    52 min
  3. Leanna Renee Hieber: Gothic Storyteller and Haunted History Tour Guide

    May 28

    Leanna Renee Hieber: Gothic Storyteller and Haunted History Tour Guide

    The 54th episode of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory has Mookie talking ghosts, gothic fiction, generational trauma, creativity, labor politics, and the thin membrane between the living and the dead with acclaimed author, actress, and haunted history guide Leanna Renee Hieber. Leanna’s work lives in the shadowy crossroads between gaslamp fantasy, horror, romance, historical fiction, paranormal mystery, and social commentary — which means trying to pin her to a single genre is like trying to handcuff fog. From Victorian ghost precincts and spectral detectives to haunted mansions, robber barons, labor uprisings, and vengeance-driven spirits, her fiction blends lush gothic atmosphere with sharp cultural critique and a wicked sense of humor. The conversation quickly spirals beyond ghost stories and into Leanna's lifelong fascination with the paranormal, childhood experiences she still cannot rationally explain, and why she believes science and the supernatural are not mutually exclusive. Drawing from her work leading haunted tours through New York City, she explains how certain places seem charged by tragedy, memory, suffering, and emotional residue: from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire to the lingering psychic weight of old brownstones, forgotten streets, and hidden atrocities. Mookie adds his own uncanny experiences: seeing his father’s ghost after death, sensing overwhelming energy inside Dachau, and living through bizarre moments in a Park Slope brownstone that felt less like coincidence and more like reality itself tearing at the seams. Together, they explore the provocative possibility that consciousness, memory, grief, and history may operate on levels modern society doesn't understand. Going beyond paranormal speculation, they offer an unapologetic defense for storytelling with boldness and bravado. Leanna breaks down her evolution from actress and theater performer to bestselling gothic novelist, discussing how she balances performance, prose, narration, and historical research while building a career that refuses to fit neatly into publishing categories. She talks about the challenge and liberation of writing “five genres in a trench coat,” embracing gothic excess, and refusing to flatten her voice into something market-safe. The discussion also turns into a broader critique of modern fiction culture itself: workshop orthodoxy, “show don’t tell” dogma, hyper-cinematic prose, sanitized storytelling, and the growing fear many writers seem to have of directly expressing ideas, values, or moral outrage through narrative. Mookie argues modern genre fiction has become over-engineered and emotionally declawed, while Leanna explains how gothic fiction has always used atmosphere, metaphor, horror, and heightened emotion to smuggle dangerous truths into the reader’s bloodstream. Part ghost story, philosophical debate, art gothic literary salon, and rant against modern creative conformity, join Leanna and Mookie for one of the strangest, smartest, and most emotionally layered conversations you'll hear on either side of the veil.  The Guest Leanna Renee Hieber is a professional actress, playwright, ghost tour guide and an award-winning, bestselling author of fiction and non-fiction for Tor, Union Square & Co. and Kensington Books. A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts, co-authored with Andrea Janes, was a Bram Stoker Award Finalist for Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction and their follow-up, America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction, was an Instant USA Today Bestseller and is also a Bram Stoker Award nominee. Her Gothic novel Ravenfield Hall is forthcoming early 2027 from Union Square & Co / Hachette. A 4-time Prism award winner, three of which went to her Gothic Strangely Beautiful saga and a Daphne du Maurier finalist for Darker Still, Leanna’s novels have received translations into multiple languages and her short stories have been featured in notable anthologies such as Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells while her non-fiction essays have appeared in Apex Magazine, The Deadlands, Haunted Magazine and more. A guide with New York’s Boroughs of the Dead, founded by Andrea Janes, Leanna also tours one-woman shows she has crafted from historic texts starring interesting figures in women’s history. Featured in film and television on shows like Mysteries at the Museum and Beyond the Unknown discussing Victorian Spiritualism, Leanna lives in New York and lectures around the country on Gothic and paranormal themes as they intersect with women’s history. Her Work Website: https://leannareneehieber.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/leannareneehieber FB: https://facebook.com/lrhieber Etsy: https://torchandarrow.etsy.com   Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 57m
  4. B.K. Gibson Debuts with Freedom's Vow

    May 22

    B.K. Gibson Debuts with Freedom's Vow

    Ben and Karen Gibson have been quietly building an entire fantasy universe for years — not one book, not two, but an entire pipeline of stories forged through late-night collaboration, technical day jobs, parenting chaos, RPG design, and a shared obsession with speculative fiction. In the 53rd episode of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory, Mookie chats with the married writing duo behind Freedom’s Vow, the debut novel helping to launch Selene Press into fantasy territory. Mookie encourages Ben and Karen to unpack the heartfelt and surprisingly functional mechanics of co-authoring as a married couple: outlining together, poking holes in each other’s logic, splitting scenes, revising each other’s prose, and learning how trust matters more than ego when building stories collaboratively. Along the way they talk about publishing, LibertyCon, developmental editing with Cannon’s John Holmes, the realities of indie and small press publishing, and why they intentionally waited years before activating their fiction. At the center of the discussion is Freedom’s Vow, an epic fantasy steeped in Hellenistic and Greek-inspired mythology. The novel follows Arete, a magically gifted Shepherd, and Philon, a soldier whose city was shattered by the terrifying powers wielded by her kind. Avoiding bloated lore dumps and endless spell mechanics, the Gibsons focus on character, emotional tension, and the dangerous relationship forming between two people trapped between war, slavery, fear, and destiny. Mookie digs into why the book feels more human and grounded than much of modern fantasy — and the couple reveal how readers are already demanding more time with the characters after only book one. The episode also spirals into a wildly entertaining tour through the Gibsons’ unpublished backlog: military sci-fi involving battered reservists fleeing annihilation aboard a logistics ship; underground middle-grade adventures inspired by Jules Verne; and a gloriously insane post-apocalyptic novel where America counter-invades Hell itself after demons emerge from portals at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Yes, that conversation eventually includes nuclear weapons, Tennessee militias, and “sniping the Devil in the face.” Other topics include: Why most writers never finish a novel — and why the Gibsons kept writing anywayThe danger of vanity presses and publishing scamsSocial media, AI slop, and why genuine human connection still mattersThe overlap between tabletop RPG audiences and fantasy readersWhy unfinished fantasy series frustrate readersThe difference between writing for money versus writing because you have stories clawing to get outHow technical careers in chemistry and physics unexpectedly fuel their speculative fictionWhy “Southern geekery” might be its own literary expertiseIf you love fantasy rooted in myth, collaborative creativity, indie publishing war stories, or hearing two deeply nerdy and genuinely likable people talk shop with Mookie at full velocity, given them a listen. And if Freedom’s Vow is only the beginning, Ben and Karen Gibson may have enough stories waiting in the wings to keep readers and publishers busy for years. The Guests B.K. Gibson is the pen name for Ben and Karen Gibson, a married co-writing couple, who've turned their lifelong love of stories into worlds of imagination they delight to share with others. They live in the beautiful city of Huntsville, Alabama, working in science and engineering while raising three rambunctious and curious children. We hope you'll love joining us in the stories we tell.  Their Books Their Free Novella Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 1m
  5. D. Scott Allen Goes Skyborne with The Aerie Protocol

    May 21

    D. Scott Allen Goes Skyborne with The Aerie Protocol

    Scott Allen has spent years voicing other people’s stories — grimdark warriors, space captains, assassins, at least one traumatized wizard — and now he’s finally thrown his own brain into the ring with The Aerie Protocol. So he's excited to join Mookie Spitz to talk about his flight from audiobook narrator to author, and how one stubborn sci-fi idea refused to leave him alone for years: What if there were hidden cities floating above the clouds… and humanity never noticed? What starts as a conversation about speculative fiction quickly mutates into a full-blown discussion about creativity, self-doubt, AI, storytelling, audiobook disasters, and why every indie creator is basically juggling chainsaws while pretending they have a business plan. Scott breaks down the emotional core of The Aerie Protocol: a war photographer who realizes he’s spent his entire life hiding behind the lens instead of actually participating in the world. Mookie, naturally, turns this into a philosophical rant about identity, passivity, modern life, and why some people document existence while others decide to kick the damn door open and live. The two also go deep into the absolute chaos of audiobook production. Failed multi-cast experiments. Voice actors who can’t sync emotionally. Audio levels from hell. AI narration that sounds like a sedated GPS app reading your grocery list. Scott explains why human performance still matters, why reading prose out loud exposes weak writing instantly, and why narrating your own novel is psychologically brutal when you’ve spent years safely performing other people’s work instead of exposing your own. The two also let loose a ton of real-world creative shop talk: beta readers, editing, balancing day jobs with art, talking story ideas into your phone like a lunatic at stoplights, and the modern reality that writers are now expected to also be marketers, podcasters, editors, social media goblins, and algorithm whisperers simultaneously. Give them a listen if you love science fiction, audiobooks, storytelling, creativity, or listening to two guys enthusiastically spiral into existential discussions about art and technology while occasionally bullying each other into finishing projects. And yes — Mookie repeatedly pressures Scott to stop overthinking things and record the damn audiobook already. Because if a professional narrator won’t narrate his own sci-fi novel, civilization may already be toast. The Guest Storytelling has always been part of my life, even if it hasn’t always been on the page. Over the years, I’ve written short stories and explored ideas quietly, while building a career in voiceover and audiobook narration. Bringing other people’s stories to life gave me a deeper understanding of what makes a story connect.  Now, I’m stepping into a new role as an author, sharing my own work and continuing that lifelong connection to storytelling in a new way. I hope you enjoy the work. His New Novel His Prior Podcast Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    48 min
  6. Sam Robb Brings A Sense of Murder to Selene Press

    May 9

    Sam Robb Brings A Sense of Murder to Selene Press

    Sam Robb steps into The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory to talk with Mookie about his new fantasy novel A Sense of Murder, the launch of Selene Press as the fantasy extension of Cannon Publishing, and how he somehow managed to bounce between Raconteur Press, pulp anthologies, military sci-fi circles, fantasy storytelling, political campaigning, and indie author chaos without losing his sanity.  Mookie is eager to hear about the rise of Sam's “Alpha Mercs” writing crew, convention culture, collaborating with illustrator Cedar Sanderson, and why the best science fiction and fantasy still lives or dies on character rather than lore dumps and endless maps of imaginary kingdoms. The conversation also veers into his libertarian background — including Sam's surreal 2020 run for president as a Libertarian candidate — and how ideas about freedom, authority, government power, and individual responsibility quietly shape his fiction without turning it into preachy propaganda. They chatter about the changing landscape of modern sci-fi and fantasy, why entertainment comes first, how indie creators are building communities outside the corporate machine, and why readers are starving for stories that trust them to think for themselves. From there they can't help but get inside sports: “pantsing” versus outlining, building believable characters, surviving the grind of indie publishing, balancing creativity with self-promotion, and the strange reality that modern authors are expected to be writers, marketers, convention hustlers, podcasters, and fan-magnets all at once. Toss in riffs on Star Trek, Andy Weir, pulp fiction storytelling, the daily grind, politics, and the joy of making weird stuff with your friends, and you get one of the most wide-ranging and unexpectedly thoughtful episodes you'll likely hear in a while.  The Guest Sam Robb grew up in Pittsburgh preferring books to football — a choice that, in hindsight, explains a lot. He attended Carnegie Mellon on a Navy ROTC scholarship, married the most amazing woman in the world, and promptly shipped out to the Pacific Fleet. After helping decommission the USS WABASH, he returned to Pittsburgh, decided people were overrated, and retreated into software development. Then he ran for President as a Libertarian. He describes this period as "instructive." These days, Sam channels his restless curiosity into SF/F, prowling Pittsburgh's back alleys with a camera and an overactive imagination. His flash fiction collection One October Night, his urban fantasy novel Sigils, and his dark fantasy novel A Sense of Murder prove that graffiti, old buildings, and questionable life choices make excellent creative fuel. He lives with his wife, three daughters, and several quadrupeds who remain unimpressed by his publishing credits. Find him at samrobbwrites.com. His Books Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 5m
  7. Marc Neuffer: From Naval Nuclear Engineer to Starship Captain

    May 8

    Marc Neuffer: From Naval Nuclear Engineer to Starship Captain

    Mookie's Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory launches its 50th episode with fellow anthology contributor, former naval engineer, and prolific author Marc Neuffer.  They met through the 2026 SciFi Anthology, going strong for six years since Marc proposed the idea to the Science Fiction Novelists FB group. Mookie points out that he's had half the contributors from this installment on his podcast, with Marc joking there's still time to get the rest of them. Born into the "science" of scifi, Marc grew up in Huntsville, Alabama during the Apollo era surrounded by rocket engineers and space-race optimism, later serving as a nuclear propulsion engineer. Later in life he discovered an aptitude and appetite for writing, since publishing dozens of novels, short stories, and guidebooks on craft.  Hitting it off from the start, Marc and Mookie talk Heinlein, Asimov, Kubrick, Andy Weir, hard science fiction, AI, artificial gravity, indie publishing scams, bookstore nostalgia, and the weirdly addictive joy of locking yourself in a room for twelve hours and disappearing into a fictional world. But the real fun starts when they joust: Mookie champions instinct, improvisation, and throwing characters into crisis to see what happens. Marc counters with psychology, authenticity, immersive setting, and his belief that most modern writing “rules” have been flattened into useless workshop clichés. The two spar over “show don’t tell,” ideological fiction, Star Trek versus Star Wars science, modern clickbait science journalism, and whether writers ruin stories the second they start preaching at readers instead of following their characters honestly. The fun part is that neither guy completely gives ground, but both clearly enjoy the friction and wind up sharpening each other’s perspectives along the way. The episode also gets unexpectedly personal at times, with Marc reflecting on aging, creativity, engineering discipline, and why he doesn't care about chasing literary fame or bestseller lists. He’d rather write stories he loves, help younger writers avoid bad advice, and keep exploring ideas that fascinate him. Mookie, meanwhile, keeps dragging the discussion away from abstract writing theory and back toward character, emotion, imagination, and storytelling as lived experience. If you like science fiction conversations with humor, blunt opinions, nerd arguments, creative philosophy, old-school engineering brainpower, and two writers poking holes in each other’s ideas while still clearly enjoying the hell out of the conversation, Episode 50 of SFFF is your morning cup of joe.  The Guest Marc is a retired naval engineer who has found his geographic center in rural America. He spent more than 20 years roaming the world with the U.S. Navy, visiting dozens of countries in Europe, Down Under, the Eastern Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean. He has lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Saratoga Springs, NY, and Huntsville Alabama. After selling his business, he took up the piano and started writing multi-genre fiction novels. In addition to his ten published novels, and five non-fiction works, Marc's shorter works have been published in Scientific Barbarian Magazine, Frontier Tales, Science Fiction Novelists Anthologies 1-6, and as dramatic narrated stories by Untold-Tales. His Books Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 30m
  8. J. Kenton Pierce Unleashes Freedom, Firepower, and Frontier Science Fiction

    May 2

    J. Kenton Pierce Unleashes Freedom, Firepower, and Frontier Science Fiction

    Some writers build stories. J. Kenton Pierce seems to have stories stalking him until he writes them down. He joins Mookie in the 49th episode of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory for a lively, sharp-edged discussion about creating an interstellar universe where frontier settlers, political schemers, orbital AI-controlled kill-satellites, engineered soldiers, traders, autocrats, and stubborn individualists all collide. Pierce breaks down the world behind his Prometheus award nominated A Kiss for Damocles, his debut novel, and An Apple for the Legion, a new prequel that follows a genetically optimized true believer slowly realizing the machine she serves is rotten at its core. What becomes obvious is that J. Kenton has thought through his universe: politics have logic, technology has consequences, the colonies feel lived in. Power centralizes, people resist, systems decay, and survival forces ugly compromises.  The conversation also digs into Pierce’s libertarian-leaning instincts: skepticism of concentrated power, respect for local autonomy, distrust of coercive systems, and a bias toward people being left alone to build their own lives. But his characters are flawed, surprising, contradictory human beings because the story comes first. That alone separates him from many modern writers who treat fiction like a sermon with costumes. Mookie and J. Kenton also get into the real craft of writing: why many authors obsess over worldbuilding and neglect character, why beloved franchises collapse under bad storytelling, why heroes need limitations, and why the best fiction often arrives when characters stop obeying the outline and start causing trouble. Pierce’s writing process is its own adventure. He describes decades of compulsive daydreaming, scenes arriving out of nowhere, pacing around the room until ideas lock into place, and then unloading them in a rush. By avoiding the productivity myth and fake guru routine, J. Kenton has a mind naturally wired to create. The Guest I'm a retired Goth and somewhat disgruntled yet generally mild-mannered veteran of the Gulf War, with experience in molecular biology, social services, and way too much retail when younger. In a way, these stories were inevitable. I gamed excessively and often had more fun creating new characters and filling out those tiny little character bio screens than playing. My fleetmates in the Star Trek Online guild “TOS Veterans” started up some RP stories and encouraged me to beef up my main toon’s bio. A few hundred words of character background turned into 25K of story/fanfic. Finally, I realized that I wasn’t satisfied simply consuming stories or weaving my characters into other people’s worlds. They're kind of pushy. I suppose that brings us to influences. too many to really list, from H. Ryder Haggard and Mark Twain to Andre Norton and Harlan Ellison, to James H. Schmitz and J. Michael Straczynski, Lois McMaster Bujold to Jim Butcher... And everyone in between. And now I'm sitting with my favorite authors at the Prometheus Awards table, who knew? His Novels & Short Stories Want to be on the show? Have feedback? Send Mookie a text! Support the show

    1h 11m
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Hosted by writer and ranter Mookie Spitz, the SFFF is where science fiction & fantasy creators, fans, and technologists transform imagination into reality. Each episode explores how writers, filmmakers, and world-builders bring their universes to life, with personal stories about turning wild ideas into finished projects that connect, inspire, and thrill. From indie authors to visionary engineers, Mookie uncovers the creative engines powering the future of sci-fi & fantasy storytelling!

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