“Computer Games” with Freya Robertson, Tom Dullemond and Claire McKenna

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Computer games panel

This podcast is convention-panel-style with three guests — Freya Robertson, Tom Dullemond and Claire McKenna — gamers and published authors all. They cover a lot of ground in this ‘convention panel’, covering everything from what games they like to play, what’s important to them in gaming to parenting gamer-children.

(I’m a huge fan of the Jesuit belief in bringing children up in the way that they should go although my focus is on training the padawans in the mysteries of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Gaming and General Quality Storytelling. Also very important: having fun! The family that plays together stays together.)

These awesome guests may inspire you, whether you’re a gamer, a writer or a parent.

Panel guests

Freya Robertson

Freya is a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, as well as a dedicated gamer. She has a deep and abiding fascination for the history and archaeology of the middle ages and spent many hours as a teenager writing out notecards detailing the battles of the Wars of the Roses, or moping around museums looking at ancient skeletons, bits of rusted iron and broken pots.

Freya’s links:

• website
• Twitter  
• Freya refers to podcasts on worldbuilding
• Freya’s novel Heartwood is published by Angry Robot Books
• Heartwood kindle edition available on Amazon 
• Heartwood paperback from Book Depository

Tom Dullemond

Tom Dullemond is a writer of genre and literary short fiction, as well as a gamer and giant nerd. He stumbled out of university with degrees in medieval & renaissance studies and software engineering; one of these got him a job.

Tom’s links:

• Twitter
• Tom’s book can be found at Pandora’s Paradoxes.

Claire McKenna

Claire McKenna is a science fiction and horror writer, with the occasional history of dabbling in film. She has played first-person games since she got a 3.5 inch disk with a copy of Wolfenstien 3D on it and thinks the genre peaked with Duke Nukem and Shadow Warrior, you crazy kids.

Claire’s links:

• Claire’s Twitter
• Cosmos Magazine issue 50 features Claire’s short story
• Next, the CSFG (Canberra Science Fiction Guild) anthology, features another of Claire’s short stories; it’s available in eBook and in paper format.

Questions AMA style:

Wade asks:

• Would you pick a game with poor gameplay but compelling story over a game with above-average gameplay but poor or no story-telling?
• What do you think about writers using games to explore ideas like speculative fiction has always done?

Credits:

Edward Haynes introduced and concluded this podcast; Edward also did the editing (yay for patient Edward!). He’s also personally responsible for the terrible pun inflicted upon the world.

Daniel Haynes composed and played the original music.

Nalini Haynes moderated and produced this podcast including copy-writing this post. Nalini admits to encouraging Edward to reveal the affliction Edward’s family and friends suffer.

Related:

Freya Robertson: Sunstone and diversity Heartwood by Freya Robertson Unmasked by Tom Dullemond