Melody Groves has written 12 Western novels and 5 non-fiction books of the Old West.

I read a very light-hearted Western tale “She Was Sheriff” in preparation for this interview. The story tagline "All She Wanted Was a Gold Band—What She Got Was a Tin Star."

We discuss the current growth of the Western genre and comparisons between it and the SF genre. The Western Horse Opera preceded Science Fiction Space Opera.

She is the President of Western Writers of America and Homestead Foundation.
Gold Winner, 2023 Will Rogers Medallion Award, "Billy's Mom"
Spur Winner, 2023, WWA, "Before Billy the Kid"
6X Winner, 2021 NM/AZ Book Awards
Winner, 2018 National Press Women Award
Winner, 2018 New Mexico Press Women Awards

Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast,  289. Melody Groves, President Western

Elliott Haimoff, is a biologist, primatologist and documentary filmmaker. In 1990 he founded Global Science Productions to develop and distribute educational television programs and news segments about space, biology, health, sports and nature. And now, over 200 documentaries with dozens of awards later, I am now interviewing him on one of several books he was written: SPACE PIONEERS: CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MEN OF APOLLO

We initially met several years back as we were releasing our Stories from the Golden Age. He would frequent our Saturday night live theatre. He also shot a documentary on Pulp Fiction, which heavily featured L. Ron Hubbard as one of the masters of Science Fiction’s Golden Age.

292. Elliott Haimoff Conversations with the Men of Apollo Space Program

I am here at the Tampa Convention Center attending the 2024 Tampa Comic Con with this week’s guest, James Rosone. We met up here last year at this convention and recorded a podcast interview which you can find as interview 247.

James Rosone is the Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of military thriller and science fiction. He's an Iraq War veteran who served 3.5 years in a combat zone as a military interrogator and contractor.

I completed his Monroe Doctrine series—all 9 volumes—and find near future military SF (I hope it’s SF) is the most chilling of any type of story I have read. I also read the first volume of his 11-volume Into the Stars series—not so near future.

In this interview, we discussed how he arrived at writing in the genre he chose, what his process has been as a self-published author to become a top 100 Amazon author—close to making 7 figures a year—and how he does his research for the technology he uses in his novels.

https://frontlinepublishinginc.com/

293. James Rosone Researching Hi-Tech Near-Future Sci-Fi

S.M. Stirling writes in multiple genres and has over 10 NYT bestsellers. In this interview, we discuss writing alternate history, the need for research, and how to do this research.

His latest novel, "To Turn the Tide" addresses the last successful period of the Roman Empire before the Germanic tribes invaded and sacked it.

We discuss Type A invention and Type B invention which plays a key part of the novel.

We also discuss two of L. Ron Hubbard's favorite books, "Typewriter in the Sky" and "Slaves of Sleep."

Learn more at smstirling.com/books/to-turn-the-tide/

294 S.M. Stirling Researching Time Travel Alternate History

Angelique Fawns has published multiple short stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and DreamForge Anvil. She has also published several dark fantasy compendiums titled MYTHICAL MONSTERS. 

I read several of her short stories in BOOK 3 OF THE HORROR LIGHT SERIES and found them perfect for entertaining Halloween reads.

She also compiled a publication listing all short story markets titled THE GUIDE OF ALL GUIDES, which we will discuss.

Learn more at www.Fawns.ca

300. Angelique Fawns Spooky tales for all ages plus a book of all short story markets

Dennys Ilic is a genuinely beautiful person who has, for the past 18 years, pursued his passion as a professional photographer. He is also a celebrated Leica photographer.

He has become internationally renowned as an editorial portrait photographer, best known for his edgy and soulful images. 

He has worked with clients including A-list actors Daniel Radcliffe, Jason Momoa, Halle Berry, Charlie Hunnam, Viola Davis, Keanu Reeves, Glenn Close, Ryan Reynolds, Cindy Crawford, Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Karl Urban, Edward James Olmos, Rosario Dawson, Lawrence Fishburne, Mary McDonnell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Hart, Lou Diamond Philips, as well as Joel Silver, David S. Goyer, and Peter Jackson, to name a few. 

Dennys has been instrumental in publishing five successful hard-cover photographic art books and is in preparation for creating the Star Trek Discovery Coffee-Table Book. Today, we will talk about MEN OF SCIENCE FICTION.

See his work at https://leicagalleryla.com/gallery-view/dennys-ilic/

301. Dennys Ilic World Class Celebrity Photographer Creating Photographic Art Books

This interview was recorded at the Frankfurt Bookfair in Frankfurt, Germany.

Cory Verner created Christian Audio as a solution to having something good to listen to on his daily 3-hour commute from San Diego to Orange County in California. He grew his company to the point where he was ready to move on and sold it to Recorded Books, at which point he decided to create his new company, ONE Audiobooks. He also has Verity Audio Productions, specializing in Spanish, and works with other audiobook publishers. 

We discuss the value of audiobooks with a good message, not preaching, but like PG or PG 13-type stories.

He also created Zoundy.com, a site that allows authors to create and use an audiobook as a free giveaway to build reviews for their books, which can be posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

NOTE: We used the term “SaaS” in the interview, which means “Software as a Service.”

We also discuss the growth of the audiobook industry and the models used to discover audiobooks. 

Visit oneaudiobooks.com/

302. Cory Verner Pioneer in Digital Download Audiobooks and Creator of Christian Audio

Jason Kelly, the CEO of Sounded, an audiobook company, was interviewed at the Frankfurt Bookfair. We addressed the fact that AI audiobooks are now a reality. In fact, Audible created 40,000 AI audiobooks last year using synthetic voices.

We discuss how AI (synthetic voices) can be set up to not violate narrator rights and how it works. We also discuss how companies violate copyright laws by using a clone model (a celebrity voice synthesized by AI), and, thus, the authors need to know what they are getting into. 

If you are an author wanting to get your book created as an audiobook but have a very limited budget, then perhaps Sounded is a resource for you. https://www.sounded.com/


303. Jason Kelly of Sounded Discusses the Ethics of AI Voice Narration

Scott won the Writers of the Future Contest in volume 28 with his story “Insect Sculptor.” He is the Founder of NewMyths eZine, one of only a few online magazines that continue to pay writers, poets, and artists for their contributions.

He was a guest on this podcast on episode 57 in early 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

In this interview, we discuss writing with multiple first-person points of view as well as his new YA novel, “Memories of Lucinda Eco,” which demonstrates this technique.

You can find “Memories of Lucinda Eco” at www.amazon.com/Memories-Lucinda-…nes/dp/1939354269

And you can find Scott here: www.scotttbarnes.com/about-me

304. Scott T. Barnes: Writing with Multiple 1st Person Points of View

Sean is the President of Dreamscape Media.

He is also the President of the Audio Publishers Association.

We met in Frankfurt recently at the Book Fair and finalized this interview.

Audiobook growth kept the publishing industry growing during the pandemic, so I am very excited to speak with Sean about the growth of audiobooks as an industry. We also discuss the growth of AI generated audiobooks in the industry as a viable solution for books that would not otherwise ever be made as an audiobook.

305. Sean McManus President of Dreamscape on Growth of Audiobooks

Myke was a Writers of the Future Contest winner in volume 19 with his story “Blood and Horses.” 

He is an American author of fantasy, science fiction, and nonfiction. His series includes the Shadow Ops, Reawakening, and Sacred Throne. His career also involves television, and he has appeared on the CBS reality show Hunted and the Discovery Channel series Contact.

Myke Cole is a fire/rescue responder in New York’s Hudson Valley. He has spent a long career in the military, intelligence, and law enforcement.

When I reached out to him, he told me he was more about writing nonfiction these days. So today, we discuss his most recent publication, “Steel Lobsters: Crown, Commonwealth, and the Last Knights in England.”

Steel Lobsters covers the complete history of England’s last knights, from the seeds of their creation in Hesilrige’s experience as a young cavalry officer to their final defeat at Roundway Down in July 1643.

306. Myke Cole Discusses Writing Historical Fiction vs Non-Fiction

The best variety in News, Sports, Esoteric talk online and over the airwaves on Earth. The new learning channel UPRNtalkradio.com

Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast, 289. Melody Groves, President Western

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