The Speculative Sandbox with Vickie Lan

The Speculative Sandbox with Vickie Lan

Vickie Lan writes humorous #OwnVoice science fiction/fantasy novels. She loves reading, knitting, and baking, and moonlights during the day (sunlights?) in communications. She is the creator and host of the Speculative Sandbox podcast [https://vickielan.com/podcast]. In her podcast, Vickie unpacks a trope with a fellow creator. From dystopian governments to parallel universes, ghost therapy to interplanetary travel, let's speculate. Speculative Sandbox is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions expressed by individuals on the podcast are their own.

Property Rights and Publishing with Lauren Sefchik

Lauren Sefchik is an Arizona native who avoids the sun by day, and conquers raid bosses by night. Her love for geek culture started with a video game system from the 70's, a set of polyhedral dice, and a team of heroines in sailor suits. Her first book in the Carving Legacies series is The Key of Arcandus Three mages need her. A warlock is using her.  The goddess of death is hiding her.  And Siroun's story is only the beginning.  A bookish pariah finds her world turned upside down when a nefarious outsider leaves a trail of death in his wake. As the sole survivor of the onslaught, Siroun finds herself accused of crimes she didn't commit and banished from her homeland. With nowhere to go and only one way to clear her name, Siroun's journey takes her far from comfort and into the arms of destiny. Follow Lauren on TikTok for book-related videos @lsefchik [https://www.tiktok.com/@lsefchik], and visit her website [https://www.sefchik.com/] for the latest updates on her work in the world!

Setting Goals and Keeping Them as a Writer with Katherine Michalak

Katherine's unique approach to structuring her writing time allowed her to prosper in both high-intensity work environments and the sudden freedom of time provided by the early pandemic, and now she's sharing that method with Round Table Radio! With fifteen completed and highly polished projects ready to go by the end of this year, including work from three different genres of writing, Katherine has systematized her artistic output to an incredible degree. Katherine Michalak earned her BFA in Creative Writing at Goddard College. Her work has appeared in Shark Reef, Concho River Review, and Crestone: A Sacred Earth Journal, among others. She is a former editor for Duende and Plains Paradox. She lives in Colorado and often finds clarity for her writing projects when hiking, running, or backpacking in the West.

Writing and Community-Building with Lex Vranick of Write and W(h)ine

Join Lex and Odin as they talk about what it means to have a supportive community, and explore how such communities can change the world... one supported person at a time. WRITE AND W(H)INE [https://writeandwine.com/about] The Write&W(h)ine community strives to provide a safe, inclusive, and encouraging environment for writers of all genres at all stages to talk openly about their craft. The community also aims to destigmatize discussions of mental health in the arts by offering a judgement-free space for writers to talk about their mental health struggles and find support in one another. Above all else, Write&W(h)ine is a community made by writers, for writers. Lex Vranick is a dark fiction author and poet based in Sarasota, Florida. She holds a B.A. from Excelsior College and is a J.D. candidate at Florida State University. Her work has been published by Cagibi, Kissing Dynamite Poetry, Rhonda Parrish Anthologies, and Fahrenheit Press, among others. Lex is the founder and host of Write&W(h)ine, an online community focused on supporting writers at all stages and advocating for mental health in literary spaces. She is an ambassador for National Novel Writing Month and former contributor to Morbidly Beautiful. When not writing, Lex works as a writing coach and English language tutor. She can often be found at the nearest dog park, plant shop, or record store. She apologizes for never shutting up about Wes Craven, and is always down to discuss ‘80s rock and vampire movies.

Mental Health, Trauma Recovery, and the Power of Fiction with Astrid Knight

Join Astrid Knight and Odin Halvorson as they talk about mental health and trauma recovery through the creation of fiction. Then, follow them as they dive into the world of tabletop role-playing, and its "role" in creating deep characters and character interactions.  Perception Check (The Mages of Velmyra Saga: Book One) [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYB9ZJ5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IC16J5SVXU45&geniuslink=true&asin=B09VYB9ZJ5&revisionId=d43912eb&format=1&depth=1] Violet Spence wants nothing more than to have a normal life. After witnessing her childhood best friend get abducted by monsters, that’s easier said than done. At twenty-three years old, Violet cannot seem to move past that fateful night ten years ago. Her only solace is Mages of Velmyra, a tabletop roleplaying game filled with goblins, fairies, and all-powerful magicians. But of course, that’s all fantasy. Or, so she thought. As it turns out, the land of Velmyra is very real and the home of the monsters that took her best friend. For as long as she can remember, Astrid Knight has wanted to tell stories. A native to West Michigan, Astrid fostered a love of storytelling in all forms from a very young age. In 2012, she graduated from Adrian College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Writing and Theatre. Since then, she has been an avid writer, actress, and podcast host. She currently resides in Michigan with her husband, her dogs, Bucky and Oswin, and her pet rat, Nugget.