Something a little different this week: a science fiction special! My guest is Mary Robinette Kowal, the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the Lady Astronaut series and The Spare Man. We talk about getting the space science right in hard sci-fi, how AI, politics and spirituality show up (or don't) in science fiction, and how talking with her cat Elsie through word buttons has changed the way she thinks about first contact with aliens. Enjoy!
0:00 — Cold Open
0:25 — Intro
2:25 — Elevator Pitch
3:00 — The Spare Man: A Murder Mystery in Space
5:39 — Borrowing Story Structures from Other Genres
9:21 — World-Building in Sci-Fi and Fantasy
11:52 — Hard Science Fiction and Working with Experts
16:51 — Hardest Technical Topic: Rocket Crashes
18:59 — Real-World Space Tech vs. Fiction
21:02 — Why Are There Still Hotshot Pilots?
22:28 — AI in Science Fiction
27:42 — Politics and Writing the Future
32:18 — Utopias vs. Dystopias
35:06 — Spirituality in Space
37:14 — Advice for Aspiring Writers
38:57 — First Contact and Talking to Aliens
39:47 — Talking with Elsie the Cat
48:26 — Favorite Science Fiction
49:59 — Mary Robinette's Next Book
🔗 Mary Robinette Kowal
https://maryrobinettekowal.com/
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To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
- "To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
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📚https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓https://www.edx.org/learn/economics/ecole-polytechnique-federale-de-lausanne-new-space-economy
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