How can science help you create a fantasy world that feels fresh, strange and full of possibilities? Multi-award-winning author and scientist Premee Mohamed joins Richie Billing to explore worldbuilding, character creation and the writing process behind her new novel, Wickhills.
We discuss how bringing science into fantasy can inspire distinctive worlds, where Premee finds her story ideas, and how she develops the characters who inhabit them. Wickhills, a fantasy thriller involving espionage, dangerous magic and a defecting scientist, gives us plenty to dig into.
Premee also draws on her experience working with short fiction publishers and supporting writers as a writer-in-residence. She shares the biggest mistakes she sees writers make, her advice for avoiding them, and how she continues to develop her own craft.
You’ll discover:
• How to combine science and fantasy to create more original worlds.
• How Premee approaches story ideas, worldbuilding and character creation.
• Common writing mistakes she encounters when editing and mentoring.
• How an award-winning author develops her writing process and hones her craft.
Whether you’re working on a short story or building an entire fantasy universe, this conversation offers ideas and practical advice to take back to your own writing.
ABOUT PREMEE MOHAMED
Premee Mohamed is an Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction author based in Edmonton, Canada. Her work has won Nebula, World Fantasy, Ignyte, Locus and Aurora awards. Her books include Beneath the Rising, The Annual Migration of Clouds, The Butcher of the Forest and Wickhills. She was Edmonton Public Library’s writer-in-residence in 2024 and an assistant editor at Escape Pod from 2020 to 2024. Her short fiction has appeared in publications including Analog, Augur and Nightmare Magazine.
PREMEE’S BOOKS AND LINKS
Visit Premee’s website
Explore Wickhills and find buying options
Browse Premee’s books
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