Join us next Wednesday, July 15th, at 8 pm, when our Zoom Chat guest will be Walter Hunt to discuss the research and work that goes into writing historical novels (and alternate history novels, which can be just as demanding). Bring your questions! (Click here for details on how to join the Zoom Chat).
Walter H. Hunt is a science fiction and historical fiction writer. He has been a professional since 2001, and has had eleven novels and ten short stories published. His Dark Wing universe series (The Dark Wing, The Dark Path, The Dark Ascent, and The Dark Crusade) were released by Tor Books between 2001 and 2005, and are now part of the Baen e-library. His historical novels A Song In Stone, Elements of Mind, Harmony In Light and, most recently, City By the Bay, were a departure from the science fiction genre and were critically praised. He has two novels and two short stories in the Ring of Fire / 1632 universe, most recently 1636: The Atlantic Encounter, which has just been published.
He lives in Massachusetts with his long-time wife, who is in the dedication of each of his novels. He is the librarian at the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts, and is an active Freemason and baseball fan.
Spliced was named to the American Library Association’s Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable List and the American Bookseller’s Association’s 2017 ABC Best Books for Young Readers. Spliced is also on the shortlist for South Carolina’s Young Adult Book of the Year. McGoran’s other books include the D. H. Dublin forensic thrillers Body Trace, Blood Poison, and Freezer Burn (Berkley/Penguin) and The Dead Ring (Titan Books), based on the TV show, The Blacklist. He has published numerous short stories, including “Bad Debt,” which won an honorable mention in Best American Mystery Stories 2014, and “Drive Time,” which was published in the X-files anthology The Truth Is Out There and was nominated for a Scribe Award. He also works as a freelance writer, developmental editor and writing coach, and is cohost of The Liars Club Oddcast, a podcast about writing and creativity.
Our guest John G. Hartness is an author, publisher, and podcaster from Charlotte, NC. He is the author of multiple novel series, including the award-winning Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. In 2016, John teamed up with several other publishing industry professionals to create Falstaff Books, a small press dedicated to publishing the best of genre fiction’s “misfit toys.” Falstaff Books has since published over 200 titles with authors ranging from first-timers to NY Times bestsellers, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. 2019 saw the launch of Book Babble, a YouTube show where John and Falstaff Books Associate Publisher Melissa McArthur interview professional writers about the books they love.
Over the past 33 years, Mark Waid has written a wider variety of well-known characters than any other American author, from Superman to the Justice League to Spider-Man to Archie and hundreds of others. His award-winning graphic novel with artist Alex Ross, KINGDOM COME, is one of the best-selling comics of all time.
Peter David’s notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Supergirl, Spider-Man and X-Factor. His Star Trek work includes comic books, novels such as IMZADI, and co-creation of the New Frontier series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon’s Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy. David has earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Award-winning author, editor, and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. In 2014 she joined forces with husband Mike McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to form her own publishing house, eSpec Books (
Author and editor Mike McPhail is the co-owner of eSpec Books LLC, Electronic Speculative Fiction Publishing (since 2014). Although involved in numerous projects, he is best known as the creator and series editor of the award-winning Defending The Future series of military science fiction anthologies—now in its second decade of publication.
Hildy Silverman was the publisher of Space and Time Magazine for 12 years. She is a short fiction author whose recent publications include, “My Dear Wa’ats” (2018, Baker Street Irregulars II: The Game’s Afoot, Ventrella & Maberry, eds.), “The Lady of the Lakes” (2018, Camelot 13, French and Thomas, eds.), “Sidekicked” (2019, Release the Virgins, Ventrella, ed.), and “Divided We Fell” (2020, The Dystopian States of America, Bechtel, ed.). Her nonfiction articles have appeared in numerous legal and medical professional journals and blogs.
Megan Mackie is a writer, actor, and playwright. She has published four novels: The Finder of the Lucky Devil, The Saint of Liars, Death and the Crone, and Saint Code: The Lost through eSpec Books. She is also a contributing writer in the role-playing game Legendlore soon to be published by Onyx Path Publishing.
Alex Shvartsman
Ian Randal Strock is the owner and publisher of Gray Rabbit Publications / Fantastic Books. He previously worked for Baen Books, freelance edited manuscripts that were later published by Alyson, Doubleday, and Padwolf, and has extensive magazine publishing and editing experience (including stints at Artemis, Analog, Asimov’s, Absolute Magnitude, Science Fiction Chronicle, KISS, The Daily Free Press, and more). As a writer, his books have been published by Random House and Carrel Books, while his short fiction has appeared in Analog and Nature. Full details on Ian can be found on 
KEITH R.A. DECANDIDO: Keith has published over 50 books, including tie-in novels for Star Trek, Sleepy Hollow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many more. His web page is 
GAIL Z. MARTIN: Gail writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy and steampunk for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle, the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and the Assassins of Landria. Newest titles include Tangled Web, Vengeance, The Dark Road, and Assassin’s Honor. As Morgan Brice, she writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance. Books include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Tail.
JODY LYNN NYE: 
