The Story Craft Cafe Podcast

Laugh Out Loud Crime Fiction With Jesse Q. Sutanto | SCC

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Indonesia, Singapore, and Oxford, and considers all three places her home. She has a Masters from Oxford University, but she has yet to figure out how to say that without sounding obnoxious. Jesse has forty-two first cousins and thirty aunties and uncles, many of whom live just down the road. She used to game but with two little ones and a husband, she no longer has time for hobbies. She aspires to one day find one (1) hobby.

Using Short Stories To Explore Characters with Elly Griffiths | SCC 203

Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur, and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. The Man in Black gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume.
There are ghost stories, cozy mysteries, tales of psychological suspense, and poignant vignettes of love and loss.
In the title story, Ruth Galloway crosses paths with a mysterious man in a bookstore, setting in motion a rescue mission that hinges on the legends and lore of Norfolk.
Looking into the past, a young magician in 1920s Leeds wonders just what happened to his missing landlady in “Max Mephisto and the Disappearing Act.”
In “Justice Jones and the Etherphone,” a witty girl detective investigates the dire prediction of a fortune teller in dreary postwar London.
A flashback in time reveals Harbinder Kaur as a Detective Sergeant surviving her first day on the job at Shoreham DCI.
To celebrate the holidays, Ruth gets her very first Christmas tree, and her beloved cat narrates his own seasonal story in “Flint’s Fireside Tale.”
And readers can armchair travel with stories set on the Amalfi Coast, in Capri, and in Egypt as Ruth and DCI Nelson experience their very own version of Death on the Nile.
The Man in Black illustrates the breadth and variety of Elly Griffiths’s talent for blood-chilling, page-turning stories all with her trademark humor and heart. 
 
Elly Griffiths is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway and Brighton mystery series, as well as the standalone novels The Stranger Diaries, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel; The Postscript Murders; and Bleeding Heart Yard. She is the recipient of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She lives in Brighton, England.

Speculative Short Fiction With Henry Herz, David Mack, Jonathan Maberry, and Scott Sigler | SCC 202

Today we talk about writing and publishing short stories. Have you thought about how writing short fiction might help your creative process? Tune in today to hear these four masters talk craft with Hank.
Henry Herz has authored fourteen picture books and edited eight anthologies for Albert Whitman & Co., Blackstone Publishing, and others. His short stories have been published by Weird Tales, Baen Books, Pseudopod, Metastellar, Titan Books, Highlights for Children, and Ladybug magazine. He holds a BS in engineering from Cornell University, an MS in engineering from George Washington University, and anMA in political science from Georgetown University. 
Number one New York Times bestselling author Scott Sigler is the creator of eighteen novels, six novellas, dozens of short stories, and thousands of podcast episodes. He is an inaugural inductee into the Podcasting Hall of Fame. His podcast fans fervently anticipate their weekly story fix, so much so that they’ve dubbed themselves “Sigler Junkies” and have downloaded over fifty million episodes.
Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, five-time Bram Stoker Award winner, four-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, and comic book writer. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-Wars, became a Netflix original series. He writes horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, thriller, and more. He is the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers and the editor ofWeird Tales magazine.
David Mack is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-six novels and numerous short works of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure, including the Star Trek Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies. Mack’s writing credits span television (for episodes of Star Trek: Deep SpaceNine), film, and comic books. He also has worked as a consultant on the animated television series Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy. The International Association of Media Tie-in Writers honored him as a Grandmaster with its Faust Award.

Fireside Chats With Hank and Doug: What New Authors Need to Know | SCC 201

It's another Fireside Chat with Hank and Doug. This week we tackle the topic of how to get started as an author. You have a great idea for a story that needs to be told, but how do you go about bringing that story idea out into the light of day? Doug and Hank tackle that today.

2025 is the Year of Your Story (Dabble Fireside Chats) | SCC 200

Join us for a cozy, candid Fireside Chat where we dive into all things writing goals! In this session, we’ll reflect on the highs, lows, and lessons learned from the past year, celebrating our wins and examining what didn’t quite go as planned. Then, we’ll look ahead to the new year, discussing how to set realistic, motivating writing goals that align with your aspirations as an author.
 

Q & A: Life Balance and Point of View | SCC 199

Welcome back for 2025! It's a new year and we hope you are enjoying it so far and that you have big plans for your writing this year. Join us today as Hank and Doug answer some of your questions about the writing life. Stay tuned for more great content as the year unfolds. 
Join us at storycraft.cafe to find your tribe.
 

The Writer's Life With Scott Moon | SCC 198

Scott Moon is the co-author of the bestselling Homeworld Lost, The Last Reaper, Terran Strike Marines, and Darklanding series. His solo works include Blue Sun Armada, Invasion Day, the Chronicles of Kin Roland, and more. As a lifelong fan of reading and a chronic daydreamer, he has retired from twenty-six years of public service to make his own schedule, indulge his imagination, and pursue a variety of hobbies. He’s an 80s kid who survived to (relative) maturity and it shows.
You can join his Facebook Group, The Scott Moon Base, or learn more than you ever wanted to about his writing process at Scott’s Science Fiction Substack.

Identifying Your Writing Weaknesses (Fireside Chats with Hank and Doug) | SCC 197

Writing isn't easy. As much as we love it, we know there are roadblocks, hurdles, and areas we can improve.
In this Fireside Chat, Hank and Doug discuss their own writing weaknesses, how they discovered them, how they work on them, and ways you might do the same.

Final Q&A Session | NaNoWriMo | SCC 196

Day 22: Final Q&A Session - Friday❓ Last Q&A with Hank & Doug!As we approach the end of NaNoWriMo, this is your last chance to bring your story questions to Hank and Doug! Whether it’s plot twists, character development, or just some final advice, they’re here to help you end NaNoWriMo strong. Let’s get those stories wrapped up beautifully! ✨📌 Get more answers at: www.dabblewriter.com/nanowrimo-day/2024-nano-day-22#WritingQandA #NaNoWriMo #StorySupport #DabbleWriter

Finishing Up | 60-day Novel Challenge Week 9 | NaNoWriMo | SCC 195

Day 26: 60 Days with Hank and Doug - Finishing Up - Tuesday 🎬 Finishing Up Your Novel & Wrapping Up the Month We’re almost there! Join Hank, Doug, and Josh as they share their final tips for wrapping up NaNoWriMo and finishing your novel. Whether you’re writing the last scene or just looking to end strong, this session is all about those final steps. 📌 Watch the full session here: www.dabblewriter.com/nanowrimo-day/2024-day-26-nanowrimo #NaNoWriMo #FinishYourNovel #FinalPush #DabbleWriter