Today we talk to indie comic book creator Ken Mora about indie comics, optioning scripts to Hollywood, starting late and choosing to go down his own path, and so much more. 

Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world. 

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

Ken Mora's Twitter: https://twitter.com/BellaFeMedia
Ken Mora's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellafemedia/
Ken Mora's website: https://bellafemedia.com/

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

Geekdom Empowers

1 Talking Indie Comics with Ken Mora

Today we talk to artist Avi Katz, who is one of the famous F&SF illustrators in Israel. We talk decades of experience: Tolkien, Gaiman, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy covers, ArmageddonCon, and so much more. 

You can find so many of his illustrations at his website, http://avikatz.com/.
 Do take the time to check them out.


Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world.

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.


Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

2 Talking Decades of F&SF Illustrations Avi Katz

Today’s guest is Emanuel Lottem, one of the premier translators of the genre in Israel. Over the decades he’s translated some of the best classic books and everyone who’s grown up reading fantasy and science fiction have read his translations. 
He’s also on of the driving forces behind the creation of the Israeli Society of Science Fiction and Fantasy and served as its chairman for a few years. 
Recently he and Sheldon Teitelbaum edited an anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories by Israeli authors translated into English called ‘Zion’s Fiction’. 
In this interview we cover the translator’s problems in translating from one language to another. 
As in Frank Herbert’s Dune, Ann Lackey, and more. 
Emanuel Lottem became part of a big controversy with Tolkenists when he re-translated Tolkien a couple of decades ago, and he talks about that frankly and openly. 
He talks about his early years of falling in love with science fiction, about the dream of creating ArmageddonCon in Megiddo, the place of Armageddon. 
One of my favorite parts is when he talks about his thinking behind translating books and I can’t help but think how different it is from the approach of some other translators. Obviously not all.
This conversation spans decades. I hope you enjoy it!

Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world.

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

3 Talking Decades of SF&F Translations with Emanuel Lottem

Our guest today is Cristina Jurado. She is a Spanish SF&F author. She has written short stories, novels, is a winner of the Ignotus Awards, and is editor of the Apex Book of World SF, which is how I found her. She is also editing other anthologies of authors which are outside the regular ‘American/Canada/UK’  countries we’re used to.
What you’ll hear today is amazing insight into world SF&F. We’ll hear about small publishers which are publishing anthologies no one would have even dared to publish a few years ago. We’ll talk about authors who want and need to get their voices heard in oppressive regimes. We’ll hear about trends in world science fiction and fantasy. And there’s just so much more. 
We talked for almost an hour and there was so much more to cover, I asked her on the spot to return in a few weeks. This is an amazing episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Cristina Jurado's Twitter: https://twitter.com/dnazproject
Instagram: @jurado_cristina
Her website:  www.masficcionqueciencia.com 

Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world.

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

4 Talking World SF&F with Cristina Jurado

Today’s guest is Pierce Lydon, who has been writing for GamesRadar and Newsarama for almost a decade. I originally approached him because he wrote two pieces I wanted to talk about here: One is about the ten best comics stories of the Black Widow and about the most iconic LGBTQIA+ superheroes in comic books. 
We certainly did cover this, but the conversation was so much better and covered so much more than I had expected. 

You can find Pierce’s articles on Gamesradar.com

Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world.

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

6 Talking Black Widow and LGTBQIA+ Comics with Pierce Lydon

Today we talk indie comics with Javier Hernandez who has been making indie comics for more than 20 years now. Many of you maybe know his comics about El Muerto. 
We talk about how he started, how he was able to stick it out for so many years, about how they made a movie out of his comics, and so many more. 
If you want to know how to stick with it for a long time, listen to this podcast. 

You can find Javier Hernandez here: 
Website: http://javzilla.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JavierHernandez
Instagram: @javierloscomex

Geekdom Empowers is a podcast that highlights the lesser-known sides of geekery, a greater diversity of SF&F artists and creators, including geeks, artists, and creators from all around the world.

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

7 Talking Indie Comics and Sticking with it with Javier Hernandez

Today we’re talking to Avaryl Halley, who works for the podcast How Did This Get Made. If you haven’t heard it, run out and listen. It’s amazing. 
Avaryl likes movies and likes to watch bad movies. She is now making a living from watching and recommending bad movies to How Did This Get Made, and she has a YouTube channel, Movie Bitches, in which she talks about movies with her friend.  
We got to talk about bad science fiction and fantasy movies, her criteria for recommending bad movies, bad movies she wouldn’t recommend, how Movie Bitches happened, and how she got to have this life of geeky empowerment.
You can find Avaryl at www.avaryl.com, where you will also find the mashups she edited. 
To see her mashups for How Did This Get made, you can Bananas Melonas on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BananasMelonas. 
Check out Movie Bitches on YouTube as well: https://www.youtube.com/user/MovieBitches 

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

8 Talking Bad SF&F Movies with Avaryl Halley

Today we’re talking with Omar Morales, veteran indie comic book creator of titles from CruZader to, most recently, Lunar Ladies. 

We talk about the path, the hard path of the indie comic book creator. We talk about why Omar was able to survive and thrive and why some people don’t survive. 

You can find Omar Morales at: https://theforcemedia.com/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheForceMediaLLC/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCruZader
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cruzader/ 

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

9 Talking Indie Comics with Omar Morales

Today we talk to science fiction author Tendai Huchu. He is a Zimbabwean author who lives and writes in Scotland. 

His first book, The Hairdresser of Harare, has been translated into multiple languages. His short stories have appeared in Lightspeed, AfroSF, Interzone, The Apex Book of World SF 5, and more. His most recent book is called The Library of the Dead, and the next book in that series is due out next year. 

The episode starts out a normal conversation and slowly becomes a deep, deep dive into the nitty gritty of falling in love with reading, learning to write, the process of writing – in a way that I really have never heard in other interviews. It’s not about technique but about what authors are and what they go through.

Tendai Huchu's Twitter: https://twitter.com/tendaihuchu

Geekdom Empowers is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers

10 Talking Being an Author wtih Tendai Huchu

Today’s guests are a perfect example of how geekdom empowers you and you can empower the world through your geekdom. 
We have three guests: Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson, and Hamid Ibrahim, all from the Kugali.com website. I first me Tolu and Ziki about five or six years ago when they were just starting something called the Tao of Otaku podcast, which tried to bring to light all the African comics, animation, and TV that was in the SF&F genres. As the years went by, they grew bigger and bigger, created Kugali.com, began to create and help creators of original African genre content, and most recently even signed a deal with Disney for one of their stories. 
Their geekdom empowered them and now they are empowering the creators of an entire continent, helping everyone rise with the tide. As you listen, pay specific attention to the sacrifices made along the way and the different times they had to choose the right path. It is fascinating to listen.

You can follow Kugali on: 
Their website: Kugali.com 
On Twitter: Twitter.com/@kugalimedia
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kugalimedia/
On Snapchat they are Kugali.ar

Geekdom Empowers links:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

12 - Kugali, Talking Pan African Comics & Animation

Today we’re talking to Ty – Tyrone Dickey, who has been previously mentioned on the show as the person behind the comic book Samurai Ty. Tyrone is half of Stef-n-Ty, who do fashion. But he also has two comic books, a book, animation, action figures, and so much more.
This episode is for anyone who wants to go out with their own thing, their own art, and build their own brand from nothing. 

You can find Stef-n-Ty on: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stefnty/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stefnty/stef-n-ty/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

20 Tyrone Dickey - Carving Out Your Niche

Today’s guest is fantasy and science fiction author Catherynne Valente. 

Catherynne Valente is the writer of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (and the four books that followed it), Palimpsest, the Orphan’s Tales series and so many books you’ve probably read or heard about. She’s a New York Times bestselling author, winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Hugo awards, and more. 

Usually, in Geekdom Empowers we follow the paths of the geeks around the world who are not highlighted. And yet, Cat’s path is exactly the path we talk about. She talks about how, with the power of social media, before it was called social media, she got from knowing  no one to what she is today. Social media helped her every stage of the way, including today where her Patreon gives her financial independence from the publishers. 

It is the story of a rise to success of an author who came from nothing, knowing no one. It is the story of an author who made her own niche, who kept her style and authenticity, and who has withstood, as we’ll see, quite a bit of terrible pushback from science fiction and fantasy fans. 

I think you’ll enjoy this interview. It’s fascinating.

You can find Catherynne Valente here: 

Website: http://catherynnemvalente.com/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/catvalente
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catvalente

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

22 Catherynne Valente

Today’s guest is Michèle Laframboise, a French-Canadian author who has been writing books and comics for a few decades now. In Geekdom Empowers talk about geeks who empower themselves – she is certainly that. She has created a way to publish stories, comics, and books – more than most authors publish. 
She publishes in French and in English. And yet maybe you haven’t heard of her. Or maybe you’ve heard of her recently because one of her books was published in Asimov’s.

You can find Michèle here: 
Official author blog: https://michele-laframboise.com/
English blog: https://sundayartist.wordpress.com/  
Her publishing company: https://echofictions.com/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/savantefolle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.laframboise
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelesff/
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/laframboise
Patreon: http://patreon.com/sundayartist
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3182745.Mich_le_Laframboise

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

30 Michèle Laframboise

Today’s guest is Noa Menhaim, a fellow geek and an editor in Israel’s biggest publishing company. She edits many books, including genre books by original Israeli authors. Today she’ll talk about her geek origin, about the way she got her editing job (in a scene that only exists in movies), about the slush pile, and about what an editor’s job really is. 

Enjoy!

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

49 Noa Menhaim

Today we’re talking to Xing Xin who is an indie comic book creator with an amazing story of perseverance and success. There are two twists in his story, one in the middle and one in the end. I highly recommending listening to his entire story.

You can find more about Xing here: 
Website: https://ximphonicversus.com/shop/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theversus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ximphonic_versus/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XimphonicVersus/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

52 Xing Xin - The Power of Perseverance

Today’s guest is Tlotlo Tsamaase, an upcoming science fiction and fantasy author from Botswana. She talks about her journey, her books and stories, and everything in-between. It is the story of a person who does what she loves because she can’t do otherwise.

You can find Tlotlo here: 

Website: https://www.tlotlotsamaase.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tlotlotsamaase
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlotlotsamaase/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

53 Tlotlo Tsamaase

Today’s guest is Dave Baker, indie comic book writer and creator, including ‘Everyone Is Tulip’, which was just named one of the ‘Top 10 Comics of the Year’ by Library Journal.

We talk about geekiness, writing, being indie, and so many things. This is a fun and deep conversation. I hope you enjoy it.

Website: www.davebaker.com 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/xdavebakerx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xdavebakerx

And thanks to Adina David, for lending her voice to this episode's the intro.

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

54 Dave Baker - Indie Comics Street Preacher

Our guest today is Ashley Ilulaneko, a cosplayer from Amsterdam. Ashley is the third cosplayer on the show, and each time I feel we go deeper and deeper into what makes a cosplayer, what dressing up means, and what the experience is. This is a very interesting conversation. 

You can find Ashley here: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashley_ilunaneko/
Website: https://www.ilunaneko.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ilunaneko/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IlunaNeko
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshleyIlunaneko

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

60 Ashley Ilulaneko - Cosplay, Fashion, and Theater

Today our guest is Christa Harader, a.k.a. Knowledgeable Cabbage. They are a comic book reviewer, a comic book creator, a fan of geek stuff and many many things we’ll talk about. They are fun, funny, great to talk to. So let’s just listen!

You can find Christa here:

Twitter: twitter.com/cabbagecomics	
Email for comics reviews: knowledgeablecabbage(at)gmail(dot)com
Website: www.kc-comics.com

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

62 Christa Harader - Indie Comics and Comic Reviews

Today our guest is Usman Malik, a Pakistani fantasy, science fiction, and horror author, winner of the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, nominated for the Nebula, and so much more we’re going to cover. Usman takes us through his journey as a writer, and talks about the science fiction and fantasy scene in Pakistan. 

You can find Usman here:
Website: usmanmalik.org
Twitter: twitter.com/@usmantm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usmantanveermalik/?hl=en

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

68 Usman Malik - SF, F, and Horror from Pakistan

Today’s guest is Gu Shi, award-winning Chinese science fiction author.

You can find Gu Shi here: 
Her stories on Clarkesworld: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/author/gu-shi/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/gushidoc

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

72 Gu Shi 顾适 - The World of Chinese SF

Today’s guest is Michael Iwoleit, a German science fiction author and editor of the German SF magazine Nova, editor of the international SF magazine InterNova, which was published in English. This was one of the first influences fifteen, almost twenty years ago, which got the English-speaking audiences to the point where they’re able to read and like science fiction from non-English-speaking countries. It was one of the things that began the movement. 

As you’ll be able to hear, I know Michael from all those years ago. He published a few stories of mine, in German and in English in InterNova. And today he’ll talk about his own path as fan, editor, and writer. About international SF, about German SF and about the history of German SF&F. 

It’s fascinating! However, sound quality in addition to a raspy voice means you should listen to it with earphones. It’s worth it. 

You can find Michael here:
Nova: www.nova-sf.de
InterNova: internova.worldculturehub.net
World Culture Hub (an international cultural project that InterNova is a part of): www.worldculturehub.net
Personal website: mki.worldculturehub.net

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

75 Michael Iwoleit - German and International SF

This week, we're reposting two awesome interviews with authors who were just nominated for the Hugo Award. 

Today’s guest is Donald Oghenechovwe Ekpeki, a speculative fiction author from Nigeria, whose story 'O2 Arena' is nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula. 

He has been awarded an honorable mention in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, twice. His short story “The Witching Hour,” won the 2018 Nommo award for best short story by an African. He was longlisted for the 2019 Nommo award and the 2020 British Science Fiction Association award. He was also awarded the 2020 Horror Writers Association diversity grant and was nominated for best novella by the Nebula Awards.

I usually don’t give you a list of a guest’s accomplishments, but in this case it is relevant. We’ve talked in this podcasts with guests about the way the American and British SF&F world keeps out authors from other countries, about how so much SF&F gets lost by never being noticed in the world, and I guess you know that there is a lot of inherent racism towards Africans. But whatever we know, whatever we assume, Donald shows us in this interview today many of the ways that African writers are cut off from the rest of the world, from self-publishing, from the big publishers, and more.

You can find Donald on:
Website: odekpeki.com/
Twitter: Twitter.com/@penprince_

Also check out the books he edited that we talked about: 'The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction (2021)' and 'Dominion’.

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

The Squashbuckler Diaries, Season 2

HUGO NOMINEES REPOST 31 Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki - A Story of Empowerment

This week, we're reposting two awesome interviews with authors who were just nominated for the Hugo Award. Our guest today was nominated 3 times for best short story, best novelette, and best novella.



Today’s guest is fantasy and science fiction author Catherynne Valente.

Catherynne Valente is the writer of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (and the four books that followed it), Palimpsest, the Orphan’s Tales series and so many books you’ve probably read or heard about. She’s a New York Times bestselling author, winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Hugo awards, and more.

Usually, in Geekdom Empowers we follow the paths of the geeks around the world who are not highlighted. And yet, Cat’s path is exactly the path we talk about. She talks about how, with the power of social media, before it was called social media, she got from knowing no one to what she is today. Social media helped her every stage of the way, including today where her Patreon gives her financial independence from the publishers.

It is the story of a rise to success of an author who came from nothing, knowing no one. It is the story of an author who made her own niche, who kept her style and authenticity, and who has withstood, as we’ll see, quite a bit of terrible pushback from science fiction and fantasy fans.

I think you’ll enjoy this interview. It’s fascinating.

You can find Catherynne Valente here:

Website: catherynnemvalente.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/catvalente
Instagram: www.instagram.com/catvalente

Geekdom Empowers comes out Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

HUGO NOMINEES REPOST 22 Catherynne M. Valente

Today’s episode is a repost, but not of Geekdom Empowers. I had interviewed Lavie Tidhar for the Blind Panels podcast years ago, and his story is so on-point for Geekdom Empowers, I had to repost it here. 
Lavie Tidhar is a fantasy/horror/sf author, winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, and many more awards, big and small. His short stories and books have been translated to countless languages. 

We’re going to be tracing his path from being a complete, unpublished unknown up to being a well-regarded published science fiction author.talked-about and influential authors today.

You can find Lavie here:

Homepage: https://lavietidhar.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lavietidhar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavietidhar/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

77 Lavie Tidhar - The Anatomy of a Success Story

Today’s guest is Serena Sanchez, creator of the indie Black Rhapsody comic book. 

You can find her here: 

Black Rhapsody: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/black-rhapsody-part-1/coming_soon/x/23117639
Twitter: twitter.com/MagicGalMedia

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

78 Serena Sanchez

Today's guest is Gwyn Conaway. 

She is an American costume designer, a costume concept artist for film and TV shows (specifically science fiction), a fashion historian, and a professor of design. We will talk with her about so many things we never talked about on the show, from working on Star Trek Discovery to how people’s biases are reflected in their choice of clothes, the difference between concept artists and costume designers, the difference between how Russian cosmonauts dressed and how American astronauts dressed, and so many other things. In addition to all this, she writes for Galactic Journey, the creator of which, Gideon Marcus, was a previous guest on the show.
This episode’s riveting. You should listen.

You can find Gwyn here: 
Website: http://gwynconawayart.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gwynethcb
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GwynConawayArt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rgwyneth.art
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/gwynethcb
Gwyn’s book Talking Threads: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Threads-Costume-Animation-Illustration/dp/1624650481/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

79 Gwyn Conaway – Psychology, Costume Design and Science Fiction

Our guest today is Gerimi Burleigh, an American indie comic book artist and writer. His comic book Morningstar is amazing. There’s so much to tell you about this conversation, but I don’t want to spoil it. So just listen.

You can find Gerimi here: 
Website: www.gerimi.net
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gerimib/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gerimi 
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gerimi
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gerimi

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

80 Gerimi Burleigh - Following Your Dream

Today’s guest is Hector Rodriguez, American creator of the El Peso Hero comic book. This conversation is emotional. El Peso Hero is a powerful attempt to empower children and adults through the power of the superhero. 
Do listen!

You can find Hector here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elpesohero/
Website: http://riobravocomics.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/el_peso_hero/ 
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/elpesohero

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

81 Hector Rodriguez III - The True Power of Superheroes

Our guest today is Dylan Goss, American indie comic book creator who lives in Taiwan and writes about a Native American heroine. 

Check it out!

You can find Dylan here:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stuffedrock
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosiwoo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stuffedrock
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/461165116/mara-chapter-1

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

82 Dylan Goss - The Path to Indie Comics

Today’s guest is Natalie Devitt, geek, fan, and contributor to the Galactic Journey website. She has interesting geek stories to tell! Take a listen!

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Tuesday and Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

83 Natalie Devitt - People Need People

Today’s guest is Erica Friedman, the author of ‘By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga, the Untold Story of Lesbian Love in Japanese Animation and Comics'. It is an amazing power of following through on the thing you love for decades. Take a listen!

You can find Erica here: 
Website: https://www.yuricon.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OkazuYuri
By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga: https://www.yuricon.com/product/bys/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okazuyuri/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Thursday. You can find us here:

Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrEwgBdrHuQ29V80A7zSXg

84 Erica Friedman - Yuri Anime and Manga

Today: A repost! Our guest is Michelle C. Smith, stuntwoman, stunt performer, and professional bad-ass, who worked in shows like Supergirl, Motherland, Helstrom, The Magicians, Arrow, Smallville, and Deadpool, among others. The list is long. If you get a chance, check out her videos on TikTok. The things she does are amazing. Today she’ll talk about how she became a stuntwoman, the path she’d taken, some of her experiences on the sets, and how she empowered herself by taking her own path.

You can find Michelle here:
Website: www.freestylestaffspinning.com/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@michelle.c.smith
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Z8eTFtiyP88XylvO-lBHw
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michelle.c.smith/

Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here:
Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/
Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

REPOST: 41 Michelle C Smith - Professional Badass

Geekdom Empowers highlighting empowered geeks across the world, one geek at a time. Every geek has a story. Together, we are one big Geekverse.

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