Sam Robb steps into The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory to talk with Mookie about his new fantasy novel A Sense of Murder, the launch of Selene Press as the fantasy extension of Cannon Publishing, and how he somehow managed to bounce between Raconteur Press, pulp anthologies, military sci-fi circles, fantasy storytelling, political campaigning, and indie author chaos without losing his sanity.
Mookie is eager to hear about the rise of Sam's “Alpha Mercs” writing crew, convention culture, collaborating with illustrator Cedar Sanderson, and why the best science fiction and fantasy still lives or dies on character rather than lore dumps and endless maps of imaginary kingdoms.
The conversation also veers into his libertarian background — including Sam's surreal 2020 run for president as a Libertarian candidate — and how ideas about freedom, authority, government power, and individual responsibility quietly shape his fiction without turning it into preachy propaganda. They chatter about the changing landscape of modern sci-fi and fantasy, why entertainment comes first, how indie creators are building communities outside the corporate machine, and why readers are starving for stories that trust them to think for themselves.
From there they can't help but get inside sports: “pantsing” versus outlining, building believable characters, surviving the grind of indie publishing, balancing creativity with self-promotion, and the strange reality that modern authors are expected to be writers, marketers, convention hustlers, podcasters, and fan-magnets all at once. Toss in riffs on Star Trek, Andy Weir, pulp fiction storytelling, the daily grind, politics, and the joy of making weird stuff with your friends, and you get one of the most wide-ranging and unexpectedly thoughtful episodes you'll likely hear in a while.
The Guest
Sam Robb grew up in Pittsburgh preferring books to football — a choice that, in hindsight, explains a lot. He attended Carnegie Mellon on a Navy ROTC scholarship, married the most amazing woman in the world, and promptly shipped out to the Pacific Fleet. After helping decommission the USS WABASH, he returned to Pittsburgh, decided people were overrated, and retreated into software development. Then he ran for President as a Libertarian. He describes this period as "instructive."
These days, Sam channels his restless curiosity into SF/F, prowling Pittsburgh's back alleys with a camera and an overactive imagination. His flash fiction collection One October Night, his urban fantasy novel Sigils, and his dark fantasy novel A Sense of Murder prove that graffiti, old buildings, and questionable life choices make excellent creative fuel.
He lives with his wife, three daughters, and several quadrupeds who remain unimpressed by his publishing credits.
Find him at samrobbwrites.com.
