Best Rachel Rowntree Podcasts (2025)

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How to Write a Kick-Ass Fantasy Battle ft. Suzannah Rowntree 38:24

Play Pause

25d ago38:24

38:24

Anyone who’s ever written fantasy has faced this problem: You have hit the point of conflict in a story where problems can no longer be worked out with witty retorts or a magic spell. The orcs are at the gates, the peace talks have broken down…that’s right—you’re going to have to write a battle scene. In this episode, we talk to Suzannah Rowntree, …

1
WITCHES! 47:53

2M ago47:53

47:53

Happy Halloween! We're talking about WITCHES! A staple of fantasy, horror, and Broadway musicals, witches can be anything from a murderous presence in the woods to the friendly neighbourhood Wiccan who revives your dying African violet. So let's get our witch on! Show Notes: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) Spirited Away (2001) VenCo by Cherie Dimali…

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The Science Bros Answer Your Science Questions, Part 2, ft. Rob & Jon Mound 48:33

3M ago48:33

48:33

You guys had so many science questions that our resident scientists couldn't answer them all in just one episode! In this episode, Rob & Jon Mound tackle important questions such as time travel, the mutability or lack thereof of the laws of physics, and dragon taxonomy. Also, why we are not going to Mars. Show Notes: The Forever War, Joe Haldeman T…

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The Science Bros Answer Your Science Questions, Part 1, ft. Rob & Jon Mound 1:01:16

4M ago1:01:16

1:01:16

Suspension of disbelief is a cornerstone of speculative fiction, but as writers and fans, we often find ourselves wondering just how grounded in reality our favourite stories really are. We asked you, our listeners, for questions like: What would happen if I went through a wormhole? Does a Star Trek transporter just kill you and create a new copy o…

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Against Hopepunk ft. Nick Mamatas 45:07

5M ago45:07

45:07

Sci-fi and fantasy has always had an optimistic current, whether it’s utopian space-age cities or noble chosen ones vanquishing a dark lord. In recent years, with the popularity of romantasy and cozy fantasy, it’s easier than ever to immerse yourself in a more hopeful world. But what if instead we made you feel bad? In this wide-ranging conversatio…

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The Ur-Pisode: The Queer Heart of The Epic of Gilgamesh, ft. Julian Gunn 54:30

6M ago54:30

54:30

For 4000 years, The Epic of Gilgamesh has influenced mythology, theology, and literature, and its rediscovery in the 1850s is itself an epic tale of war, theft, and Hobby Lobby. A meditation on love and death, rage and grief, civilization and nature, starring two problematic queer frat boys, it is the foundation of so many of our stories. In this e…

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Blight, ft. Rachel A. Rosen 49:28

7M ago49:28

49:28

Break out the cake, balloons, and gigantic bone tentacles, it's season 2 of Wizards & Spaceships! Rachel has a new book out, Blight, the sequel to her first novel, Cascade. In this episode, you get a behind-the-scenes look at the newest instalment in the Sleep of Reason series. And did you know that tomorrow is Rachel's birthday? Why not celebrate …

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Transhumanism and AI ft. Robert J. Sawyer 1:00:03

8M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

It's been an entire year of Wizards & Spaceships! Thank you for coming along with us on this wild and magical space ride. You can't turn on the news or doomscroll social media without hearing about how AI will revolutionize everything. Unfortunately, the worst people in the world seem to be in charge of it. In this episode, we talk to sci-fi legend…

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TTRPG Design ft. Jesse Pohlman 36:31

9M ago36:31

36:31

There’s a huge crossover between tabletop role-playing game players, genre fans, and genre writers, and many of us fell in love with genre fiction by playing D&D in the basement. In this episode, we're joined by author and game designer Jesse Pohlman to talk about the considerations that go into building your own TTPRG. Show notes: Jesse’s website …

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Toxic Schlock Syndrome ft. Shawn Whitney 40:41

10M ago40:41

40:41

Pulp fiction is a cornerstone of the genres we love. In this episode, we talk to screenwriter, ghostwriter, and author of the new zombie novel Deads Rise, Shawn Whitney, about manly men doing manly things, the perils of writing romance, and close encounters with sexy lizard aliens. Show notes: Shawn's website Shawn's Twitter The Pulp Magazines Proj…

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Can*Con Can-Can ft. Ira Nayman and Shirley Meier 35:57

11M ago35:57

35:57

Rachel and David take the show on the road to Can*Con 2024 in Ottawa. We recorded the launch of The Dance, a multiverse anthology, as well as some general table silliness. Show notes: Buy The Dance online Can*Con Ira's website Shirley at Fantastic FictionBy Rachel A. Rosen & David L. Clink

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Worldbuilding ft. Ursula Whitcher 30:16

12M ago30:16

30:16

put notes hereBy Rachel A. Rosen & David L. Clink

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The Great Hugo Awards Controversy ft. Diane Lacey 45:37

1y ago45:37

45:37

Welcome to the first episode of Wizards & Spaceships to pass the Bechdel Test! In 2023, the Hugo Awards, administered by the World Science Fiction Society, were rocked by scandal. That year, the convention was hosted in Chengdu, China, and a number of popular and acclaimed works, from R. F. Kuang's Babel to Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow, were deemed …

1
The King of Horror ft. Troy Harkin 1:05:08

1y ago1:05:08

1:05:08

Happy Halloween! To celebrate all that is spooky and monstrous, we're joined by poet, novelist, and David's other podcast co-host, Troy Harkin, to talk about the master of horror himself, Stephen King. Also cocaine. Show Notes: Troy's website ChiZine Publications SK Tours of Maine Two Old Farts Talk Sci-Fi…

1
Speculative Whiteness 35:46

1y ago35:46

35:46

In this episode, we talk to Jordan S. Carroll about his new book, the Sad and Rabid Puppies, and how to avoid getting your sci-fi co-opted by fascists. Show Notes: Jordan’s Twitter: https://x.com/JordanSCarroll/ Jordan’s Bluesky: jordanscarroll.bsky.social Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt Right by Jordan S. Carroll Kaleidotrope El…

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In the Beginning ft. Shiraz Janjua 54:50

1+ y ago54:50

54:50

How do you begin your epic sci-fi, fantasy, or horror story? How do you grab a viewer or reader’s attention, introduce your characters and world, and avoid the dreaded infodump? To discuss these questions and much more, we talk to Shiraz Janjua, host of the YouTube channel How the Novel Starts. Show Notes: How the Novel Starts Shiraz's website Shir…

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A New World In Our Hearts 1:03:36

1+ y ago1:03:36

1:03:36

In this episode, we interview absolute legend Ken MacLeod about utopias in science fiction. And yes, we're talking about the Culture. Of course we're talking about the Culture. Show Notes: The Early Days of a Better Nation Russian Cosmism Utopia and the Return of History Postwar as the war generation's utopia China 2019, just before the pandemic Re…

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You Never Get a Second Chance to Make First Contact 43:21

1+ y ago43:21

43:21

In this episode, we talk about meeting sentient extraterrestrials: The challenges of communication, what first contact stories say about our own Earthbound society, and why the aliens won't return our texts. David's recommendations: "Darmok" (Star Trek TNG) "The Inner Light" (Star Trek TNG) The Day the Earth Stood Still Arrival The Sparrow, Mary Do…

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Some People Call Me the Space Cowboy 35:28

1+ y ago35:28

35:28

In this episode, we're talking about the Space Western! Was Firefly cancelled too soon or is it massively overrated? Why does it continue to grip the Nerd Imagination? Is it even okay to use Western elements in SFFH? Credits: Shamelessly stolen from Star Trek's "Spectre of the Gun," the Expanse Season 1 trailer, UFO Cowboy's official trailer, and F…

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Where Are We, and Why Are We In This Handbasket? 35:27

1+ y ago35:27

35:27

Welcome to Wizards & Spaceships, a podcast that's about both wizards and spaceships, featuring poet David L. Clink and novelist Rachel A. Rosen. In this episode, we introduce ourselves, talk about our favourite media, and explain why genre snobs need to get a lot less snobby. Do infodumps have a place in literature? Do all fantasy novels need to be…

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Pathfinders 5 - Stacy Penn & Rachel Edwards: Overcoming bullying, dropping out of university and doing what makes you happy. How two very different paths led to the Financial Services Industry. 52:10

2+ y ago52:10

52:10

Stacy Penn and Rachel Edwards are two of the mortgage industry's young, shining lights. Working in highly technical and important roles for the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, (AMI), much of what they do is generally not seen or understood by many they represent, though they are part of a new team who are changing this, and much more beside…

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Pathfinders 4 - Esther Dijkstra: From a rural Dutch village to the City of London, lessons in management and creating your own path 50:12

2+ y ago50:12

50:12

Esther Dijkstra is a role model to many young women, showing a drive and determination to be the best, and becoming an outstanding manager and leader of people. From her early life growing up in a small rural village in the Netherlands and wanting to be a Prima Ballerina, Esther has worked her way up, traveling from Amsterdam to London, dealing wit…

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Pathfinders 3 : Richard Rowntree: Council estate to the top table and why social mobility is so important 56:42

3y ago56:42

56:42

Richard Rowntree is a great example of someone who grabbed their opportunities with determination and a positive attitude. From his early life growing up in a Council Estate in Southend, Richard Rowntree has worked his way up in a range of jobs, from a development programme at Halifax in 1991, through branch management, to becoming Sales Director, …

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Pathfinders 2 - Sarah Tucker: How Grief Of The Voice Gave Birth To A Movement 1:09:37

3y ago1:09:37

1:09:37

Sarah Tucker is so much more than just “The Voice”. She exudes two of the qualities I value most – authenticity and passion. Some may see her as something of an overnight sensation, such has been the meteoric rise of her company, The Mortgage Mum, in such a relatively short space of time, but as ever, the truth is always different. Sarah Tucker is …

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Pathfinders 1 - Ying Tan Entrepreneur On Starting A Business And Not Pushing Too Many Trolleys 55:24

3y ago55:24

55:24

Ying Tan is a self-made Entrepreneur who has worked hard to build and sell a successful business. After his father hitchhiked his way from Malaysia over to the UK in search of a better life, his path has taken him from humble beginnings through to Investment Banking and Accounting, building a buy-to-let portfolio that led him to start his own busin…

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Pathfinders - Podcast Trailer 3:24

3y ago3:24

3:24

I have had the idea of this podcast in my head for several years now, but never really thought the time was right until now. The definition of a pathfinder, amongst many, is “one that discovers a way especially: one that explores untraversed regions to mark out a new route.” Or “a person or company that finds a new way of doing something”. We see p…

Rachel Rowntree Podcasts

1
Wizards & Spaceships

Rachel A. Rosen & David L. Clink

1
Pathfinders

Andrew Montlake

1
How to Write a Kick-Ass Fantasy Battle ft. Suzannah Rowntree 38:24

1
WITCHES! 47:53

1
The Science Bros Answer Your Science Questions, Part 2, ft. Rob & Jon Mound 48:33

1
The Science Bros Answer Your Science Questions, Part 1, ft. Rob & Jon Mound 1:01:16

1
Against Hopepunk ft. Nick Mamatas 45:07

1
The Ur-Pisode: The Queer Heart of The Epic of Gilgamesh, ft. Julian Gunn 54:30

1
Blight, ft. Rachel A. Rosen 49:28

1
Transhumanism and AI ft. Robert J. Sawyer 1:00:03

1
TTRPG Design ft. Jesse Pohlman 36:31

1
Toxic Schlock Syndrome ft. Shawn Whitney 40:41

1
Can*Con Can-Can ft. Ira Nayman and Shirley Meier 35:57

1
Worldbuilding ft. Ursula Whitcher 30:16

1
The Great Hugo Awards Controversy ft. Diane Lacey 45:37

1
The King of Horror ft. Troy Harkin 1:05:08

1
Speculative Whiteness 35:46

1
In the Beginning ft. Shiraz Janjua 54:50

1
A New World In Our Hearts 1:03:36

1
You Never Get a Second Chance to Make First Contact 43:21

1
Some People Call Me the Space Cowboy 35:28

1
Where Are We, and Why Are We In This Handbasket? 35:27

1
Pathfinders 5 - Stacy Penn & Rachel Edwards: Overcoming bullying, dropping out of university and doing what makes you happy. How two very different paths led to the Financial Services Industry. 52:10

1
Pathfinders 4 - Esther Dijkstra: From a rural Dutch village to the City of London, lessons in management and creating your own path 50:12

1
Pathfinders 3 : Richard Rowntree: Council estate to the top table and why social mobility is so important 56:42

1
Pathfinders 2 - Sarah Tucker: How Grief Of The Voice Gave Birth To A Movement 1:09:37

1
Pathfinders 1 - Ying Tan Entrepreneur On Starting A Business And Not Pushing Too Many Trolleys 55:24

1
Pathfinders - Podcast Trailer 3:24