Science fiction – Jacke Wilson

February 13, 2021

The History of Literature #282 Science Fiction

In Part 2 of our look at great literary genres, Jacke probes the development of science fiction, from ancient Greek travels to the moon to the amazing stories of the twentieth century. Along the way, he chooses four candidates for the Mount Rushmore of Science Fiction, reads a passage from science fiction’s O.G., and sees Continue reading

history of literature, Podcast

Edgar Allan Poe, h.g. wells, Science fiction, time machine

September 13, 2020

The History of Literature #223 – Speech Sounds by Octavia Butler

Imagine a plague that ravages the world and impairs the ability of humans to communicate with one another. What kind of society would we have? Who would take power and how would they hold it? What would the world be like for the powerless? How would children adapt and survive? In “Speech Sounds,” Octavia E. Continue reading

Authors, books, Fiction, history of literature, Podcast, Writing

african american authors, dystopia, octavia butler, pandemic, plague literature, Science fiction

September 21, 2018

The History of Literature #160 – Ray Bradbury (with Carolyn Cohagan)

http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL4719308449.mp3 Special guest Carolyn Cohagan, author of the Time Zero trilogy and founder of the creative writing workshop Girls with Pens, joins Jacke for a discussion of her writing process, her origins in standup comedy and theater, and her early love for the fiction of Ray Bradbury (and her special appreciation for his short story “All Summer Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, Fiction, novelists, Writing

fahrenheit 451, fantasy, Ray Bradbury, Science fiction, time zero

May 24, 2018

The History of Literature #141 – Kurt Vonnegut (with Mike Palindrome)

http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL2248778305.mp3 “The year was 2081,” the story begins, “and everyone was finally equal.” In this episode of the History of Literature, Jacke and Mike take a look at Kurt Vonnegut’s classic short story, “Harrison Bergeron.” In this 1961 story, Vonnegut imagines a world of the perfectly average, where no one is allowed to be Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, Fiction, history of literature, Podcast, Writing

cold war, harrison bergeron, Science fiction, Short Stories, vonnegut

September 10, 2014

Writers Laughing: Ray Bradbury

Okay, we’ll start with the one I like the most. Ray Bradbury, sci-fi legend, just looking like a classic fifties dad. Full of warmth, full of mirth. Fast forward a couple of decades. The hair’s longer, the face a little older. But it’s still the same laugh. You get the sense he laughed like this Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Writing

Ray Bradbury, Science fiction, Writers laughing

June 8, 2014

“Self-Deception Is Human”: Book Review of The Race (at Radical Science Fiction)

“This was a great little piece of political fiction…Wilson shows his writing chops – immersing us in a political world that doesn’t feel jargony, over-the-top, or formulaic.” – Nic Eaton, Radical Science Fiction I was both pleased and intrigued when Nic over at Radical Science Fiction graciously offered to review my book The Race. Because although Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Novellas, Publishing, Writing

Book Reviews, Human Condition, Indie Author, Politics, Science fiction, The Race

November 30, 2013

Weird Magazines (and Small Presses)

Nikkitha Bakshani takes a look at the fascinating world of niche magazines put out by very small presses. Bakshani had trouble finding them at first: I was under the impression that I could walk into any news stand in New York and find a slew of oddly titled publications—something about ferrets or specially-authorized Bavarian buses—something effortlessly Continue reading

Publishing

Arts, Business, Magazine, Morning News, Publishing, Science fiction, Small press