Our next Science Fiction Trading Card Spotlight features Sarah Pinsker, who is displayed on card number 175, from the Science Fiction Collection.  Sarah started writing Science Fiction since she was a little kid.  It wasn’t until 2012 where her career really took off.  Since then she has written over 40 stories in multiple publications. She been a Nebula nominee four times and won in 2015 for best Novelette. Her fiction has been translated into a half a dozen language.   Her next project, “Sooner or Later everything falls into the Sea”, will be published in 2019.

How early in your life did you know you would be a writer? 

I always wrote, but I thought it wasn't a viable career choice for a long time. So, I guess it depends on if you mean when I knew I would write stories (always), when I started submitting (12 or 13?), or when I thought I could make a career of it (not until my 30s.)

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Stephen Wagner who currently is displayed on card number 158, from the Superstars of 2011 Collection.  Stephen has been playing arcade games since he was 7 years old.  All the years of experience has put Stephen in the record books on such games as Berzerk and Elevator Action.  As an avid guitar player and sports fan, Stephen still finds time to playing arcade machines and beating any high score that comes his way.

What games today do you play and what are your favorite genres of games?

Front Page Sports Baseball ’98 as well as classic arcade games that I haven’t yet been satisfied with scores on, like Rally-X, Galaxian and others.   My favorite genres are probably platformers, sports and janky early 80’s space shooters.

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Greg Mott, who is displayed on card number 34, from the Superstars of 2011.   Greg has been around the gaming scene since 1999 when he joined UKvac group on line and first met up with other UK collectors.  He holds a record on the Buster Bros. Arcade game with a score of 2,228,150.  Not only is Greg a major competitor for arcades in home country of England, he also competes in pinball tournaments and is highly regarded as one on the greatest gaming competitors  in England.

Do you prefer playing video games alone, against friends or online against the world and why?

Definitely most fun is with others around and for console gaming is the only way to play with others.  Just don't get the online model as was always accustomed to playing with others in the same room and a lot more fun interacting that way than with someone you don't always know remotely.  Even the classics are more fun to play as a double and watch others.

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Stuart Rankin who is displayed on card number 192, from the Twin Galaxies Superstars Collection of 2011.  From Glasgow, Scotland, Stuart is a huge Space Harrier collector.  He holds many Space Harrier World Records on the Twin Galaxies scoreboard.  He is involved in building a small desktop model which will run on raspberry pi.   Other games Stuart has an interest in are Star Wars arcades and Tempest as well as the game NARC, which he has built a bar top cabinet with the NARC graphics on it. 

Which console company is your favorite and why?  Nintendo, Sony, Sega, or Microsoft?

Sega. I own all of them except the Mega CD and Nomad. Always liked the Sega stuff. Most of my favorite arcade games were from Sega so naturally I tend to gravitate towards getting home versions of them first. Oh, and Sonic.