Welcome to the Military Science Fiction Podcast!
We’re four veterans who were crazy enough to become writers, and we’re here to talk about what makes great Military SF, the greatest niche within a niche of any fiction. More niche than the Coast Guard. On board is Rick Partlow, author of more than sixty novels, including Contact Front and the Drop Trooper series, Jeffery H. Haskell, author of the Grimm’s War series, as well as the Wraith and Arsenal superhero series, Josh Hayes, author of the Valor Series and the Operations Manager and Head of Thriller Acquisitions for Aethon Books, and James S. Aaron, author of the Aeon 14: Sentience Wars and Galactic Law series.
We bring more than a hundred novels written (most of that is Rick), more than thirty years publishing experience, and on the military side we’d be retired by now if any of us had stuck around.
Rick Partlow is that rarest of species, a native Floridian. Born in Tampa, he attended Florida Southern College and graduated with a degree in History and a commission in the US Army as an Infantry officer.
His lifelong love of science fiction began with Have Space Suit—Will Travel and the other Heinlein juveniles and traveled through Clifford Simak, Asimov, Clarke and on to William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams and Peter F Hamilton. And somewhere, submerged in the worlds of others, Rick began to create his own worlds.
He has written over 60 books in a dozen different series, and his short stories have been included in twelve different anthologies.
He is currently writing the best-selling Drop Trooper series for Aethon Books, a mil-SF alien invasion series, as well as the Taken to the Stars series for Variant Publishing.
He lives in northern Wyoming with his wife and a goofy blackmouth cur. Besides writing and reading science fiction and fantasy, he enjoys outdoor photography, hiking and camping.
USA Today bestselling author, Dragon nominee, and award-winning journalist, Jeffery H. Haskell, lives and breathes writing. A passion of his from a young age, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t telling stories.
As a full-time author, he now pursues his life’s calling with the help of his amazing family. The only thing he likes as much as spending time with this family, writing, and speaking about writing, is helping other authors be successful.
He will continue to write until he dies, possibly longer if allowed.
A retired police officer, Josh Hayes is the author of the Valor Trilogy, the Tranquility series w/ Devon C Ford, Stryker’s War (Galaxy’s Edge), and The Terra Nova Chronicles w/ Richard Fox, along with numerous short stories.
His debut solo novel, Edge of Valor, was a finalist for the 2020 Dragon Award for Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel.
Ever since he watched his first Star Trek episode (TNG not OS), Josh has loved science fiction. Watching it, reading it, and writing it. He grew up a military brat, affording him the opportunity to meet several different types of people, in multiple states and foreign countries. After graduating high school, he joined the United States Air Force and served for six years, before leaving military life to work in law enforcement. During his time with the Wichita Police Department, Josh served as a patrol officer, bicycle unit, community policing officer, and was an assistant bomb technician on the Bomb Squad.
His experiences in both his military life and police life have given him unique glimpses into the lives of people around him and it shows through in the characters he creates.
Josh is also the creator and president of Keystroke Medium, a popular YouTube show and podcast focused on the craft of writing. For the best author interviews, news, and craft discussion on the internet today, visit www.keystrokemedium.com or subscribe to their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium.
When Josh is not writing, he spends his time with his four children and his wife, Jamie.
You can find out more about Josh and his writing at www.joshhayeswriter.com and join his fan club on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/joshhayes
James S. Aaron (James Stegall) is the author of fifteen science fiction novels and many short stories. He has written with New York Times Bestseller M.D. Cooper and USA Today Bestseller JN Chaney, and is currently working his next Aeon 14 novel, a space opera series for Aethon Books, and a secret-yet-awesome military science fiction project.
James is a U.S. Army veteran, serving as a medic and later company commander, followed by nine years working with law enforcement. His novels draw heavily on the characters, locales and technology from his military and law enforcement experience.
James lives in Oregon with his family, where he enjoys the outdoors, expedient carpentry and electronics, and All Things Science Fiction. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) and co-chair of the Eugene Wordos.
You can keep up with his latest work by joining the email list at jamesaaron.net/list