Worldbuilding for Masochists

Massive new episode! WORLDS COLLIDING!

Talking about Writing: A Crossover Episode with @SFFAddictspod (Adrian M. Gibson, M.J. Kuhn, & Greta Kelly)

Listen now: https://worldbuildingformasochists.podbean.com/e/episode-173-talking-about-writing-ft-sff-addicts-adrian-m-gibson-mj-kuhn-greta-kelly/

Hilarious that, right before talking about what to do with your hands while public speaking, I give a great example of what NOT to do as my right hand just does that constant loop thing. 😅

Look, I can control it at a podium, but I'm not used to being filmed during podcasting. 😂

Thanks again to @sffaddictspod.bsky.social for joining us for this crossover episode!

Episode 173: Talking about Writing: A Crossover Episode with SFF ADDICTS (Adrian M. Gibson, M.J. Kuhn, & Greta Kelly) | Worldbuilding for Masochists There comes a time in the life of every author when they have to do that truly terrifying thing: Talk about their book. In this special crossover episode with SFF Addicts, we talk about talking about ...

There comes a time in the life of every author when they have to do that truly terrifying thing: Talk about their book. In this special crossover episode with @sffaddictspod.bsky.social, we talk about talking about writing!

worldbuildingformasochists.podbean.com/e/episode-17...

PSA: If you've got 50 bucks, you can get a huge packet of media and nominate & vote for the Hugo Awards!

Promotional image for THE MARADAINE SAGA, with nine main characters behind the saga logo.

Cover image for Marshall Ryan Maresca's THE VELOCITY OF REVOLUTION.

Logo for WORLDBUILDING FOR MASOCHISTS

New pinned intro thread!

I’m Marshall Ryan Maresca, fantasy author who works on all sorts of things, including:

-a big interwoven fantasy epic - The Maradaine Saga
-a dieselpunk fantasy of motorcycles and mayhem - The Velocity of Revolution
-a 5x Hugo nommed podcast (@worldbuildcast.bsky.social)

Behind-the-Page: Shattered Souls Calendars | Cass Morris Get more from Cass Morris on Patreon

Today on Patreon: Last week on @worldbuildcast.bsky.social, we talked about building calendars for fantasy worlds, so I thought I'd share the ones I put together for the WIP!

The deadline to register & be Hugo-voting-eligible is January 31st!

We'll be recording later this week! Get your questions in before 3pm EST on Friday, 12/26.

Okay, so now you've Worldbuilt too close to the sun. What do you do now? Our hosts ask the question (and give some answers) about what to do with excess worldbuilding!

NEW EPISODE: Episode 170: Save It for the Patreon

Listen now: https://bit.ly/WFMPOD170

The end of the year approaches! That means it's time for our annual Q&A episode, so if you've got a question for the WFM hosts, respond to this thread, slide into our DMs, or email it to worldbuildcast@gmail.com.

We'll get to as many as we can in an upcoming episode!

The end of the year approaches! That means it's time for our annual Q&A episode, so if you've got a question for the WFM hosts, respond to this thread, slide into our DMs, or email it to worldbuildcast@gmail.com.

We'll get to as many as we can in an upcoming episode!

Anatomy of a Sex Scene: Heated Rivalry Edition - Reading the End Heated Rivalry, AKA the gay hockey show, has been getting a lot of buzz for its explicit(-ish) sex scenes, and a lot of that buzz has been coming from viewers and critics whose experience with the rom...

good morning, I have noticed that some of the critical responses to the Crave show Heated Rivalry have been, let's say, incomplete

sex scenes are craft! goddammit!

One more day for the reprise of the Murderbot, Witch King, and my other fantasy novels Humble Bundle! #booksky

Maradaine Saga Logo over main cast, Left to Right: Myriem, Verci, Satrine, Minox, Dayne, Jerinne, Veranix, Asti, Corrie

The Maradaine Saga:
Deft do-gooder defeats drug-dealers with dextrous derring-do!
Constable colleagues crack cases with competent craft!
Stealthy siblings stop sadistic scheme and seek satisfaction with swindles and stabbing!
Pacifist paladins protects populace from perilous plots!

maradaine.com

Apropos of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, we felt like reminding you that @natania.bsky.social's first appearance on the show was Episode 73: This is Cerulean, Right?: Fashion, Politics & Power

Just. Y'know. In case you were wondering about such things.

Soon people will get to read my novelette! *vibrates with excitement

Cast Your Vote for the Best SFF of the Year! - Reactor Books! Movies! TV shows! Video games! Short fiction! And more!!

Oh hey Reactor best of 2025 poll is open! Go vote for your favorites! (Whether or not they happen to include THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES) reactormag.com/cast-your-vo...

Book cover for FROM UNSEEN FIRE: teal embellishments on a dark background with the central image of a fire in an ancient-style brazier. Text and arrows surrounding: Yearning | Fierce determined women | Elemental magic | Dinner with a side of snark | Cutthroat politics | All this blood | An awful lot of swords.

Graphic: Book cover of From Unseen Fire against a white marbled background spattered with gold. Text: Ebook sale - US $0.99 - Through December 1.

FROM UNSEEN FIRE, Book 1 of the Aven Cycle, is on sale in ebook this holiday weekend!

Historical fantasy set in an alternate ancient Rome: A trio of sisters and an ambitious senator use wit, charm, and magic to realize their dreams for the city they love.

books2read.com/b/from-unsee...

Hyperbole Bookstore A family-owned independent bookstore in College Station, TX

If you want to give/get signed books by me for the holidays, you can place an online order with Hyperbole Bookstore (a family-owned indie) in College Station, TX hyperbolebookstore.com and ask for signature via their email contact for the Murderbot books, Witch King, Queen Demon, anything in print.

Signed and personalized books available from Books of Wonder

Signed books make great gifts!!! If you'd like a signed and personalized copy of THE SPELLSHOP, THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE, or THE LOST, either for yourself or as a gift, order from Books of Wonder by Nov 30, and I’ll be delighted to sign one for you! booksofwonder.com/products/978...

hoopla digital: audiobooks, ebooks, movies, tv and comics. hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by your local public library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics …

For Black Friday, I'm gonna give you all the ultimate bargain.

Thousands upon thousands of books (including mine!), shows, movies, music, and comics FOR FREE and ON DEMAND.

Seriously! It's FREE!

You just gotta sign up with your local library card. SUPER COOL right?
www.hoopladigital.com

I'm going to do a little thread on how the money from books works for traditionally published authors because people have questions, and this is always useful info to share IMO. First, a big disclaimer that every contract is different, and there are a million factors that can change things. 1/

Victor Manibo wearing a black turtleneck with a sparkly beetle shaped brooch on his chest, seated behind a table holding upright a copy of THE VILLA, ONCE BELOVED. To his right are stacked copies of the same book, and to his left are his three novels, THE VILLA, THE SLEEPLESS, and ESCAPE VELOCITY. Background is a red step-and-repeat backdrop of Strand Bookstore logos.

After a long journey, we have finally arrived at THE VILLA, ONCE BELOVED. I’m so grateful for getting to tell this complex and horrifying Gothic tale, and especially proud as I think this is my best work to date. I hope you all fall in love with it as much as I have. … ⬇️

Hey, props to writers who got literally anything done this year.

Excellent thread by @portersqbooks.bsky.social on supporting local book stores.

Why not preorder Star Wars: Low Red Moon from them? The title was inspired by one of their locals! portersquarebooks.com/book/9780593...

Then submit the preorder for a free book plate! readstarwars.com/lrm-preorder

YouTube video by Arvan Eleron Arv streams a discussion of American/Canadian pub. w Brandon Crilly,Premee Mohamed,& Valerie Valdes!

Had a blast talking Canadian vs American publishing w/ @premeemohamed.com @gregoryawilson.com @valerievaldes.bsky.social last night. If you missed it, go watch the whole right now on YouTube!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUM4...

(Or, y'know, borrow from your library, that's chill too)

GO FORTH AND BUY

An excellent thread, and honestly one of the reasons I sometimes think there was an upside to my first deal being so fraught. I was disabused of any illusions pretty quickly, and as a result, I'll certainly never expect one step forward to promise another.