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Cyber Monday Deals
It’s Cyber Monday and so I’ve put together a list of deals! These prices are good through the end of the year, but some items are limited.
To keep things interesting, I included images from my early November travels.
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Images from a recent trip to Spain, scouting Wayward Wormhole locations. Here’s street art in Valencia.
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Class Discounts
Here are the upcoming classes. Book them now and save as follows:
Upcoming by Date:
Classes are held online via Zoom and are recorded for participants. They consist of lecture, discussion, and in-class writing exercises; six session classes include some homework and critiquing fellow students’ stories.
To register for a class or classes, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and include the name of the class(es) and how you would prefer to pay (Venmo, Paypal, check, or some other alternative.) If you support me on Patreon, mention that so I know to give you the Patreon price.
If the cost is prohibitive, remember there are full and partial scholarships available for all classes. The Plunkett scholarships are need-based. If you could not otherwise afford the class, but feel it would help you with your writing, you should apply. I particularly urge QUILTBAG and PoC writers to apply; the third slot is specifically reserved for such a candidate, although all three are open to them.
To apply for a scholarship, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net with the details of which class or classes (up to 3) you wish to attend, 2-3 sentences about why you would like to take it, and whether you are requesting a full or partial scholarship. That’s it. Please include whether or not you’d also like access to the chat server community. You are requested to limit your application to three scholarships total per quarter; it is okay to list alternates.
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Here’s more from Valencia, including some plants from the Botanical Gardens there. I never like to miss a garden and this one was both extensive and well-tended.
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Buy-One-Get-One Deal on Patreon Memberships
Curious about my writing community, which offers weekly Zoom events, a Discord server, market news, and mutual supporter, and want to check it out with a friend? When you sign up, drop me a note at cat@kittywumpus.net with the name and e-mail address of your friend, and I’ll send them a three month membership at the same level you’ve joined at.
What is Patreon? It’s a platform that allows you to connect with creators. Mine is the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers, a community for new, emerging, and established fantasy, horror, and science fiction writers focused on craft and encouragement. Weekly and monthly Zoom events and a lively Discord server allow you to connect with awesome fellow writers. Find more details here.
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Some street shots from Alicante including an amazing building with a living facade, delicious gelato, and flamingos in the Valencia Aquarium.
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Editing Services
I do developmental editing for short stories and novels. Right now I’m offering a story edit/query letter bundle – 10 for $450, which allows you to buy 9 and get one free Each edit is good for a story or chapter up to 5k words, a query letter, or a synopsis. Turnaround is 2 weeks. Mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and I can provide more details. Limited amount.
If you’d like to see some testimonials, here’s a page of them.
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Delicious paella from our last night, a menu detail, doorway, and graffiti from Alicante. I should have taken shots of the sangria that became a group favorite; we certainly drank enough of it.
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Query Letter Services
I will critique your query letter for $50 for the initial version and $25 for subsequent versions.
Or buy the $100 query letter bundle and get three 30-minute Zoom sessions in which we plan, write, and refine your query letter as well as discuss comps and talk about how to approach agents. Limited amount.
Mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net to set up your appointment in 2026.
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One site I always have to visit in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia, the church designed by Antonio Gaudi, which has been in the process of construction for 100+ years now. The light there is extraordinary; it’s one of the world’s wonders.
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Coaching Sessions
I offer coaching sessions, which can be done as one-offs or scheduled meetings. Some clients come for motivation or encouragement on a regular basis while others seek help with a specific project like finishing a novel, planning a book release, or learning how to create a newsletter.
Lock in a monthly 30-minute coaching session (normally $100 per session) be prepaying $1000 for 12 sessions. Mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net to set up your first appointment in 2026. Limited amount.
Happy Cyber-Monday and remember to support small business owners whenever possible!
peace,
Cat
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Seattle WorldCon
I’m one of the programming leads, so most of the time I’ll be hanging out monitoring the sessions I organized. I will be at the Friday autographing 10:30-11:30 and then will be reading at 3 PM as well. I helped organize the writing classes track, and I am superstoked to present what I think are some very cool offerings, including a class on Writing LitRPG with Matt Dinniman, Linda Addison talking about writing horror, and Michael Swanwick discussing how to write flash fiction.
If you’re a member of my Patreon community, I am scheduling a couple of meet-ups for my peeps and I will have buttons and badge ribbons to give out. Look for locations and times to be posted on Discord and the Patreon.
New Books
This fall I’ve got not one, but TWO books coming out. The first, being released on September 30, is the final book in the Tabat Quartet, WINGS OF TABAT, which you can pre-order here. It will be appearing in audio book as well.
The second is a story collection from Hydra House, ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE MERMAIDS, which should be appearing in November. This will be my third book with Hydra House and I know it will be just as lovely as the first two. I should be posting the cover and pre-order information soon.
Upcoming Classes
9/6 Creating Mood and Atmosphere in Your Fiction. 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern.
Mood matters, whether you’re writing cozy fantasy, hard-hitting horror, or interstellar hijinks. In this class, we’ll discuss tips, tricks, and techniques for creating the mood and atmosphere you want in your fiction. $39; Patreon rate is $29.
9/7, 9/14 & 9/21 Using Theme and Motif in Your Fiction, 7-9 PM Eastern.
Everyone tells you that a story needs a theme, but how do you figure out what your story’s theme is? And once you know that, how do you go about conveying and underscoring that theme without hammering a reader over the head with it? How do motifs, symbols, and other devices work to enhance the theme? We will explore theme, motifs, and symbols from a craft perspective and develop skills with them through a mixture of lecture, discussion, and writing exercises. Three part class. $199; Patreon rate is $149.
10/4 Creating Tension and Suspense in Stories. 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern.
You want to keep your reader on the edge of their seat – but not frustrate them so much they quit reading. How do you find that balance? In this class, we’ll discuss tips, tricks, and techniques for creating the tension and suspense you want in your fiction. $39; Patreon rate is $29.
10/5, 10/12, & 10/19. Further Out and Further In: Character Interiority, 7-9 PM Eastern.
Our characters have rich inner landscapes that help make them who they are. How does a writer go about figuring out what a character’s history is like and how it affects their personality? How does a character’s psyche affect what they do as well as how they do it? Three part class. $199; Patreon rate is $149.
11/1 Pacing and Story Beats. 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern.
How do you move a story along, and what parts can you leave out? Everyone talks about story beats – so what are they, and how does a writer best employ them? In this class, you’ll learn how to figure out your story’s beats and use those to set the pace you want. $39; Patreon rate is $29.
12/6 Writing Friendships. 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern.
There’s plenty of advice on writing love scenes, but what happens when the relationship’s purely platonic? What special considerations come into play when writing friendships, and how do you convey all the shared history on the page so the reader can experience the friendship’s depth? In this class, we’ll talk about how to write friends. $39; Patreon rate is $29.
12/7, 12/14, & 12/21. Working with Voice and Point of View, 7-9 PM Eastern.
How do voice and point of view work together to create an engaging character? How do different POVs work to create intimacy or distance in a piece of writing – and how do you know which to use? Three part class. $199; Patreon rate is $149.
Recent Appearances and Publications
I was just in Pittsburgh at Confluence, a wonderful small science fiction convention where I was one of the Guests of Honor. It was a stellar time, and I’m looking forward to returning next year. I always appreciate a Pittsburgh visit since it means I get a chance to hang out with my fabulous co-host of If This Goes On (Don’t Panic), Alan Bailey
A story of mine, “Broken All My Boughs, and Brittle My Heart,” appeared as part of Escape Pod’s Disability Pride month. I did the narration as well, and it’s one of my favorite stories, showing another region of the world where Tabat is located. In recording it, I got to use my little podcasting studio I’ve created in a back closet. It’s tiny, but I lined it with sound dampening panels, and it’s much better for recording than the street-facing front room.
Community News
Patreon events for July included the Short Story Discussion Club talking about Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the Craft Book Discussion Group starting Ursula K. Le Guin’s STEERING THE CRAFT, five sessions of Writing to Prompts, Harry Turtledove talking about his new book POWERLESS and writing alternative history, and the usual Monday Motivation and Friday Chat and Co-work sessions. I also posted Writing Critiques Are Not the Place to Be Clever and 20 Exercises for Deepening Characters.
Here’s the prompts we used in this month’s writing games: Writing to Market Calls, Get Lit!, Sound Off, Tell Me Something Good, and Dealer’s Choice.
If you’re a writer looking for a craft-focused, encouraging online community, please check my Patreon! The community there includes a lively Discord server exchanging market news, stories, and pet pictures. Membership starts at $2 per month.
This month saw a wealth of awesome publications by community members:
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Once again I’ll be at Authors Alcove for Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio. Please stop by the booth and say hi, or come to one of my panels! I should have handouts for some of the panels. I’ll also have buttons and badge ribbons to give away!
Thursday
11:00 AM
Let’s Get Cozy: Writing Cozy Fiction*
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Cat Rambo, Aaron Rosenberg
Everyone’s all about the cozy these days. What is a cozy, exactly? And how do you write one?
Friday
1:00 PM
Writing Resistance
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Cat Rambo, Sarah Hans, Laura VanArendonk Baugh
How do we create narratives that inspire and encourage social change without writing propaganda?
Saturday
1:00 PM
Writing along the Gender Spectrum
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg, Cat Rambo, Sarah Hans, Amy Schneider
How do we create characters that show and celebrate the diversity of the human race when it comes to gender and sexuality?
2:00 PM
Effective Worldbuilding *
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Daniel Myers, Cat Rambo, C.S.E. Cooney, Jeri Shepherd
Games and fiction require creating interesting, immersive worlds. What are some tips and tricks?
4:00 PM
Giving Encouragement to Prospective Authors
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
James Daniel Ross, Cat Rambo, Addie J. King
How do you do it succinctly? How do you do it without that conversation becoming the rest of your day?
5:00 PM
Basics of Writing Short Stories *
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Donald J. Bingle, Cat Rambo, Kelli Fitzpatrick, James Daniel Ross
How you get started writing – and then finishing – a short story.
Sunday
11:00 AM
All About Self-Publishing *
GCCC – 2nd Floor – Meeting Room A 212 – Authors Track
Sarah Hans, Cat Rambo, Aaron Rosenberg, Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Self-publishing used to be a bad word, but it’s become much more respected in recent years. Should you self- publish? How do you go about it?
*I have a handout for this panel. If you miss the panel, come by the booth afterward and I’ll give you the applicable handout (if I still have any).
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In June/July I’ll be teaching two multi-session workshops and a few one-offs. Here’s what’s coming up.
To register for any class, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and tell me a) which classes you want to register for, b) what rate is applicable, and how you would like to pay (Paypal, Venmo, or check preferred.)
Find the Heart of Your Story: How to Use Theme, Motifs, and Symbols in Fiction
Everyone tells you that a story needs a theme, but how do you figure out what your story’s theme is? And once you know that, how do you go about conveying and underscoring that theme without hammering a reader over the head with it? How do motifs, symbols, and other devices work to enhance the theme? We will explore theme, motifs, and symbols from a craft perspective and develop skills with them through a mixture of lecture, discussion, and writing exercises.
This class is designed for writers who understand story basics and are looking to advance and refine their short story skills. Students will work with one story over the course of the workshop in order to apply new skills as they are acquired.
Meets Sunday evenings, 7-9 PM Eastern time, June 1, 8,15,25 and July 6. (5 sessions)
Cost: Free to Schoolhouse Rock and Super Extra Deluxe Campus Pass holders, otherwise $299 for Patreon supporters; $399 for all others. Partial and full scholarships available; BIPOC, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ writers are particularly invited to apply.
The Basics of Fiction Series
Each two hour workshop covers what you need to know to really understand one of the fundamentals of fiction. Each session focuses on a specific aspect of fiction: characters, world-building/setting, and plot and includes writing exercises designed to hone your skills in this area.
This class is designed for newer writers who want to strengthen a specific aspect of their writing or build their skillset overall.
Cost for series/individual workshop
The cost of single session classes:
Ready to Rock and Roll: Planning Your Book Publicity Campaign
Got a book coming out in the next year that you want to launch? Join me for a session where we’ll talk about different facets of book publicity, what steps you can take to maximize them, and how to create a plan that will carry you through the campaign.
This class is aimed at writers who are publishing independently or with a small press, although the plan will also help those publishing traditionally.
7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 10
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You Should Take This Class: Writing Second Person
Second person can be one of the most interesting POVs to work in, due to its complexity and relationship with the reader. How do you work with a reader’s innate resistance to being told what to do in order to exploit the unsettling nature of the POV? What stories are best suited to be told in second person. Through a mix of lecture, exercises, and discussion, you’ll learn how to use this POV and what to avoid.
This class is designed for writers who understand story basics and want to explore this POV in order to refine and advance their skills.
7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 17
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Canva Basics for Creating Book Covers, Zoom Background, Social Media, and More
The Canva tool can be a huge help when trying to create graphics. Learn how to use it for the things you’re most likely to want, such as Zoom backgrounds or posts sized for specific social media, as well as how to use templates and the resize tool to save yourself time.
This class is aimed at all writers looking to create graphics for self-promotion.
7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 24
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The Wayward Wormhole Barbados 2026
May Blog
Why do we insist on creating “destination workshops?” We believe personal experiences add interesting elements that ring with authenticity to a writer’s worldbuilding. Here are a few things I wouldn’t have learned about Barbados by doing research online.
I’m sure you would note different things than me, but time is short now, and noting the difference between research and experiencing a location’s reality can’t be emphasized enough.
The application window for The Wayward Wormhole Barbados – The Art of the Novella closes on May 15, 2025.
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Novellas are growing in popularity, and we want to help yours stand out.
Structurally, they can get tricky—they’re not mini-novels anymore than children are mini-adults—while still demanding full, fleshy, character arcs and immersive descriptions.
What if you could learn from professionals, while editing YOUR novella with a real-time feedback during a workshop?
Applications for this Science-fiction/Fantasy/Horror Novella Workshop
OPEN: March 21, 2024 CLOSE: MAY 15, 2024, AT 11:59:59 EST
SUBMIT: One page, single spaced, novella synopsis and the first ten pages by April 30, 2025
(The full novella is due October 15, 2025)
If you can’t use these options or need help with the application/payment process, please contact us using the “apply” address above.
Join us and work closely with:
Premee Mohamed https://premeemohamed.com/
Karen Lord https://karenlord.wordpress.com/
Tobias Buckell https://tobiasbuckell.com/
Cat Rambo https://www.catrambo.com/
Hone YOUR novella during the workshop, and leave knowing you’ve effectively incorporated new tools into your work. Selected students will be randomly sorted into cohorts of six. Each cohort will spend three days with each instructor.
PLUS: A full novella, One on One discussion with a professional
WHEN: February 7 to 21, 2026
WHERE: Oistins area, Christ Church, Barbados
Why Barbados? Karen Lord invited us, and we couldn’t say no to Barbados.
FEE: $2,500.00 US
(travel, accommodations, and food NOT included)
The Wayward Wormhole is working to secure group rates at selected hotels.
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Welcome to the town of Waatch! It’s not on this planet, but where it resides in its world closely resembles Anacortes, Washington. It’s right there on the water, similar to the Puget Sound. In that world it’s not a sound, but definitely a mainland with islands nearby. So naturally the people of Waatch eat lots of fish and seafood. Ryn, whose story is in The Slayer’s Magic and The Traveler’s Magic, loves crab. She would prefer a nice plate of crab with some butter. But her best friend, Yll, is most fond of salmon salad sandwiches. If there’s salmon salad around, she will go straight to it. Especially if she’s been flying. Shapeshifting into a bird is hungry work. She prefers to be a cute robin redbreast, but has been known upon occasion to become an eagle. She could catch her own salmon that way, but she’s not into raw fish. There are lots of eateries that make salmon salad, but Yll’s favorite is The Tea Shop in Waatch.
There’s something quaint, but audacious about the Waatch tea shop. In a town that is crammed with buildings circling the Great Ancestral Library, The Tea Shop is bold enough to be a picturesque cottage surrounded by an actual garden. The small, white picket fence out front becomes a trellised arched entry with entwined honeysuckle hanging from it. The garden is a haven for butterflies, which can often be seen from the cottage windows while dining. An abundance of Ryn’s favorite tea–chamomile flowers–grows fresh in the garden. The tea trays often contain cucumber sandwiches along with lots of sweets made from berries, but the one thing on the tray that draws the crowds is their salmon salad. Everyone in Waatch agrees The Tea Shop’s salmon salad is the best. It is popular with the Library worker lunch crowd. Lunchtime has been full capacity lately as Library docents and researchers gathered to gossip about the discovery of pests in the Library. The potential of the Library losing its magical protection is quite the scandal. Whispered gossip always goes well with tea and salmon salad!
Yll’s mother, curator of the Library, has been bringing Yll to The Tea Shop since she was a little girl. Recently, Ryn and Yll journeyed with a Library delegation to the island of Viatoro where they had salmon salad sandwiches in a seaside shop overlooking the bay of Viator, but their salmon salad didn’t have that one ingredient Yll loves. After much arm twisting, the highly secret recipe has been obtained. Can you guess what Yll’s favorite secret ingredient is?
The Tea Room’s Salmon Salad
Ingredients:
3 to 5 ounces of Smoked Salmon
5 ounces Pink Salmon
2 stalks of Celery, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh Dill chopped
1 Green Onion, sliced
1 Tbsp chopped Shallot
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
¼ tsp Black Pepper
⅓ cup Mayonnaise
¼ Roasted Pine Nuts
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mixing well until combined.
Layer the Salmon Salad on bread along with green leaf lettuce, and thinly sliced cucumber. Salmon Salad is also delicious wrapped in a butter lettuce leaf.
Aaaand the secret ingredient is–lemon juice! The town of Waatch and the Ancestral islands are in a temperate zone of their planet. Lemons don’t grow there. No one is quite sure how The Tea Room obtains them. Speculation ranges from a secret hot house, to someone with Travel magic and the ability to travel to another part of the world to obtain the lemons. That rumor seems fantastical, but no one really knows for sure, and the staff at The Tea Room are very tight lipped about it. It remains a mystery!
CJ grew up in Southern California loving fantasy and science fiction. She is married to her husband of thirty plus years, has four children, and an ever growing number of grandchildren. Adopted at eight months old, she recently found her birth parents. She has a Masters Degree in Public History from Southern New Hampshire University, and if she’s not writing you can generally find her quilting, costuming, or traveling to spend time with those she loves. She’s a wannabe dress historian, and has worked with museums on historical dress recreation. The Slayer’s Magic and The Traveler’s Magic are the first two books in the The Beads of Bone series. You can find CJ at her website cjhosack.com and on Instagram and Threads @cj_hosack....
Onward and Forward
Greetings and salutations! We’re a twelfth of the way through the year now, and it’s definitely interesting times we’re living in. Remember to be kind to each other; the world needs it more than ever right now. Here in South Bend, it’s been cold and snowy, so the cats and I spend a lot of time either near the heater or under the electric blanket. I have finished up the most recent rewrite of the fantasy novel and am sending it off to meet its fate today. Wish me luck!
Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter:
Advanced Short Story Workshop
This multi-session, advanced workshop is intended for students who have already taken a short story workshop or have comparable experience. Class material is determined by student questions and needs. Each session will feature a deep drive on a particular craft aspect, including optional writing and reading assignments, as well as workshopping each other’s stories. Students are expected to write a story and workshop it over the course of the workshop. You must submit a writing sample when applying of 250-500 words.
Applications close February 26 or when the class fills, whichever is sooner.
Meets Saturdays, 12:30-3 PM Eastern time, March 1, 8, 15, 22 and April 6 and 19. (No class May 29 or April 12).
Cost is $499 for Patreon supporters; otherwise $599. Full and partial Plunkett scholarships are available.
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Books that I read to blurb or edit are not included in this list. I read over 200 books in 2024, counting books read for editing and feedback as well as for pleasure.
My Top Reads of the Year
Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjel-Brenyah is near future SF focused on the prison system, and is a gripping, savage indictment of the way we treat criminals.
The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso is modern day fantasy with gorgeous worldbuilding and a great queer protagonist.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (and all the subsequent books) are amazing examples of LitRPG, and if you like to play games, you will love these books. This was originally an indie book, but it’s been picked up by a major publisher and is very available.
Menewood by Nicola Griffith is the sequel to her amazing book Hild, and is just as beautifully written.
The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings is fantasy set in a post-Katrina New Orleans and it is gorgeous. I interviewed Alex for If This Goes On; Don’t Panic. You can find the episode here.
The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston is Diehard in a castle with a strong female protagonist and I ate this up.
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is a horror thriller that is transfixing.
Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer is near-ish future SF that shows you what a libertarian state really would look like.
Metallic Love by Tanith Lee is the sequel to The Silver Metal Lover so if you loved that book the way I did, you’re welcome.
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky is wonderful SF that feels very timely.
How to Be the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler is funny as hell and well worth picking up. I’m really looking forward to the sequel.
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell is cozy horror and an utterly delightful love story.
Other 2024 Reads I Really Enjoyed and Highly Recommend
The Poisons We Drink – Bethany Baptiste
Ancestral Night – Elizabeth Bear
Necessary Poisons – Andrea Blythe
The Savage Detectives – Roberto Bolano
Fortune’s Fool – Angela Boord
The Outcast Mage – Annabel Campbell
The Fall is All There Is – C.M. Caplan
Ring Shout – P. Djeli Clark
The Mercy of Gods – James S.A. Corey
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario – Matt Dinniman
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook – Matt Dinniman
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride – Matt Dinniman
The Gate of the Feral Gods – Matt Dinniman
The Reformatory – Tananarive Due
The Spell Shop – Sarah Beth Durst
Dr. No – Perceval Everett
God’s Country – Perceval Everett
Under the Skin – Michael Faber
Victorian Psycho – Virginia Feito
Shades of Grey – Jasper Fforde
Dragonslave – Dominque Glass
The Unstrung Harp – Edward Gorey
Hild – Nicola Griffith (reread)
This Princess Kills Monsters – Ry Herman
Still the Sun – Charlie N. Holmberg
Dead Set – Richard Kadrey
Fateless – Julie Kagawa
When the Tides Held the Moon – Venessa Vida Kelley
A Sorceress Comes to Call – T. Kingfisher
The Bones Beneath my Skin – TJ Klune
The Poppy War – R.F. Kuang (reread)
Station Eternity – Mur Lafferty
Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor 1) – Mark Lawrence
Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor 2) – Mark Lawrence
Holy Sister (Book of the Ancestor 3) – Mark Lawrence
The Scarlet Throne – Amy Leow
Six Crimson Cranes – Elizabeth Lim
Black Mouth – Ronald Malfi
Legacy of the Brightwash – Krystle Matar
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear – Seanan Mcguire
The Fifth Veil of Salome – Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Tusks of Extinction – Ray Nayler
The Witchstone – Henry H. Neff
Hum – Helen Phillips
Haunt Sweet Home – Sarah Pinsker
The Book of Doors – Gareth Powell
Hells Acre – Lilith Saintcrow
The Incandescent – Emily Tesh
Camp Damascus – Chuck Tingle
Womb City – Tlotlo Tsamaase
State of Paradise – Laura Van den Berg
The SafeKeep – Yael Van der Wouden
Saga, Vols 2, 3, 4, 5 – Brian Vaughn
Horse of a Different Color – Howard Waldrop
Wheel of the Infinite – Martha Wells
The Witch King – Martha Wells
The Staircase in the Woods – Chuck Wendig
The Nickel Boys – Colson Whitehead
Firewatch – Connie Willis
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One thing about me that many people don’t know is that one of the things I’ve been doing since the beginning of 2020 is working with the If This Goes On (Don’t Panic) podcast, which I helped co-found. I love doing this because I get to talk with such interesting people! Here’s the episodes from 2024 where I co-interviewed with the excellent Alan Bailey, who is the reason the podcast keeps going.
We interview Tananarive Due about THE REFORMATORY.
We interview Alex Jennings about THE BALLAD OF PERILOUS GRAVES.
We interview Jamie Lackey about her Kickstarted novel, TOIL AND TROUBLE.
We interview Peng Shepherd about ALL THIS AND MORE.
If This Goes On (Don’t Panic) is a hopepunk podcast for sci-fi, fantasy, and life. Check it out here!
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Want access to a lively community of writers and readers, free writing classes, co-working sessions, special speakers, weekly writing games, random pictures and MORE for as little as $2? Check out Cat’s Patreon campaign.
"(On the writing F&SF workshop) Wanted to crow and say thanks: the first story I wrote after taking your class was my very first sale. Coincidence? nah….thanks so much."
