Tag Archives: interview

Interview: Philip Reeve – author of Mortal Engines, Larklight, Goblins and more!

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Philip Reeve - a thoroughly nice chap

Philip Reeve – the nicest man in sci-fi

To celebrate our makeover, we’re very pleased to bring you an interview with multiple award winning author, Philip Reeve. Philip is the author of some of the finest YA sci-fi and fantasy literature on the market, including the magnificent Mortal Engines quartet, the Larklight trilogy, Here Lies Arthur and his new comic fantasy, Goblins.We’re big fans of Philip’s work, so it was a real treat to speak to him in-depth about the books and films that insprire his stories, his writing process, and why the current trend for dystopian fiction might be leading us down the wrong path. He also had a lot to say about the subject of Steampunk and why Doctor Who needs a bit of a rethink!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:43 — 58.3MB)

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Colin Baker Q&A – SFX Weekender 2012

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“I have been asked if I want to do a 2013 multi-Doctor special…”

The sixth Doctor speaks! One of the stars at this year’s SFX Weekender convention, Colin took the opportunity to hold forth on his four decades in show business and spill the beans on his greatest televisual triumph… Come Dine With Me.

He also gives a frank assessment of Doctor Who past and present as well as sharing some really excellent advice for budding actors everywhere. It was a presidential performance and one not to be missed!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:51 — 46.6MB)

Eve Myles Q&A – SFX Weekender 2012

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“I didn’t stab anybody in the throat…”

Eve Myles is a local girl at heart. She may have swapped Cardiff for Los Angeles, but she was thrilled to be back in Wales for an in-depth Q&A at February’s SFX Weekender convention.

In a pretty candid interview, she reveals the story behind her pivotal role in The Unquiet Dead, how she unwittingly set a new trend in Hollywood and what she really thinks of Torchwood’s future. All this, plus the revenge of Little Barrowman.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:29 — 43.5MB)

Ianto speaks! If you liked this, check out our Gareth David-Lloyd interview.

Brian Blessed Q&A – SFX Weekender 2012

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“The greatest danger in life is not taking the adventure…”

The loudest man in sci-fi (or any other genre, for that matter) was guest of honour at last week’s SFX Weekender in North Wales. P.G. Bell was there to record the action and we’re very pleased to bring you Brian’s complete Q&A session, conducted on Saturday 4th February, in front of a capacity crowd.

Brian explained his passion for science fiction, outlined his plans to bump off old friend Patrick Stewart and revealed why he calls Her Majesty the Queen “Knuckles”.

Most importantly, he publicly announced two very important projects for the first time – one in the realm of science fiction, the other based firmly in science fact. Seriously, this is pretty big.

He also uses some rather salty language at times, so be prepared!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:24 — 40.7MB)

If that’s not enough for you, stay tuned for our full review of the SFX Weekender experience, including a gallery of this year’s cosplay event and interviews with the participants. PLUS! Full Q&As with Sylvester McCoy, Eve Myles and Colin Baker! Coming soon to Impossible Podcasts!

Author Interview – Simon Kurt Unsworth – FantasyCon 2011

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Hundreds of fantasy, sci-fi and horror fans descended on Brighton last weekend for the British Fantasy Society‘s annual convention. Our reviews editor, P.G. Bell, was one of them.

There are lots of good reasons to attend the annual FantasyCon. Free wine is one. The chance to meet your favourite writers and publishers in the flesh is another. And that’s why I was there. (Well, also for the free wine. But definitely not for Saturday night’s tentacle burlesque show. Honest).

I got to chat with World Fantasy Award nominated writer Simon Kurt Unsworth, who was in town to launch his new book, Quiet Houses. (If you haven’t heard our review of Quiet Houses yet, you can download it here). He told me how the book came into being, how a series of long bus journeys led to him becoming a writer, and why he likes his characters to be “baffled”. Click the link below to hear the full story, and read on after the break for some photos of the launch and the rest of the weekend!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:30 — 20.6MB)

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Interview: Tolkien and Wales – Dr Carl Phelpstead

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Caleb Woodbridge interviews Dr Carl Phelpstead, author of ‘Tolkien and Wales: Language, Literature and Identity‘, recently published by the University of Wales Press.

Tolkien once wrote: ‘I love Wales – and especially the Welsh language’. In this episode, we discuss with Dr Phelpstead how Welsh influenced Tolkien’s ideas about language and his fiction, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. We also discuss Tolkien’s place in the university today, and what the future might hold for the academic study of Tolkien.

Dr Phelpstead is a Reader in English Literature at Cardiff University. His areas of research include Old Norse and Medieval English literature. Dr Phelpstead has published widely on Norse sagas and other medieval literature and has contributed to The J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopaedia and Tolkien Studies.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:15 — 9.7MB)

Are you interested in the myths, legends and cultures that influenced Tolkien’s writing? What light do you think academic scholarship can shine on books like ‘The Lord of the Rings’? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments!