Podcasts about far fetched fables

Main fiction: "Red Oil" by Lincoln MichelBio: Lincoln Michel's debut novel, The Body Scout (Orbit), was named one of the ten best SFF books of 2021 by The New York Times and one of the fifty best science fiction of all time by Esquire. He is also the author of the story collection Upright Beasts (Coffee House Press) and the co-editor of the anthologies Tiny Crimes (Catapult) and Tiny Nightmares (Catapult). His fiction can be found in The Paris Review, Lightspeed, F&SF, One Story, and elsewhere. You can find him online at lincolnmichel.com and his newsletter Counter Craft.Narrated by: Anthony BabbingtonAnthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. he can also be heard on the Tales to Terrify podcast, and has recorded for both the "Far Fetched Fables" and "The Cursed Inn" podcasts.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H SturgisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Main fiction: "Planet of Sarah" by David McGillverayDavid McGillveray was born in Edinburgh, Scotland but now lives and works in London. His fiction has previously appeared or is forthcoming in Interzone Digital, Shoreline of Infinity, Kaleidotrope, Space & Time and others.This story is original to StarShipSofa.Narrated by: Anthony BabbingtonAnthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He can also be heard on the Tales to Terrify podcast, and has recorded for both the Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn podcastsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Main Fiction: "That Feeling You're Feeling" by Matthew Sanborn SmithMatthew Sanborn Smith was born and raised in New England and has spent so many years in Florida, even his Florida-born children are well into adulthood. His fiction has appeared here at StarShipSofa, Tor.com, Nature, Apex Magazine, and the Drabblecast, among others. He is the keeper of the Beware the Hairy Mango podcast and its progeny. You can support his future works by way of patreon.com/matthewsanbornsmith.This story is original to StarShipSofa.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. he can also be heard on the Tales to Terrify podcast, and has recorded for both the Far-Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn podcasts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Main Fiction: "Voice of the Martyrs" by Maurice BroaddusA community organizer, teacher, and Afrofuturist, Maurice Broaddus's short stories have appeared in such places as like Lightspeed Magazine, Black Panther: Tales from Wakanda, Weird Tales, Magazine of F&SF, and Uncanny Magazine. His novels include Sweep of Stars, Unfadeable, Pimp My Airship, & The Usual Suspects.Narrated by: Anthony BabbingtonAnthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He can also be heard on the Tales to Terrify podcast, and has recorded for both the Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn podcasts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Cobalt Blue" by Nathan McCann.This Story is original to StarShipSofa.Nathan McCann lives in California. His wife makes pottery in the garage and his dog sleeps on the floor a lot. This is his first published story. He can be found on Twitter at @NWMcCann.Narrated by: Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The C.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Win-a-burger" by Glenn B. Dungan.This story is original to StarShipSofa.Glenn Dungan is currently based in Brooklyn, NYC. He exists within a Venn-diagram of urban design, sociology, and good stories. When not obsessing about one of those three, he can be found at a park drinking black coffee and listening to podcasts about murder. For more of his work, see his website: whereisglennnow.com.Narrated by: Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The C.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H SturgisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Saturn Slingshot" by David Hill.This story was first published in Far Orbit in March 2014.David Wesley Hill is an award-winning fiction writer with more than forty stories published internationally. In 1997 he received the Golden Bridge award at the International Conference on Science Fiction in Beijing, and in 1999 he placed second in the Writers of the Future contest. Mr. Hill studied under Joseph Heller and Jack Cady at the City University of New York.Narrated by: Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The C.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H SturgisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Afloat" by Joe Weintraub.This story was first published in Altered States: Sci-fi and Fantasy Stories about Change (Mint Hill Books, 2011).A member of the Dramatists Guild, J. Weintraub has had short plays and radio dramas produced throughout the United States and in Australia, New Zealand, India, and Germany. His fiction, poetry, and essays have been published in all sorts of literary reviews, general magazines, and scholarly journals, and his translations from the French and Italian have appeared in publications in the US, the UK, and Australia. As a translator he has also introduced the Italian horror writer, Nicola Lombardi, to the English speaking-public.Narrated by Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The CFact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H SturgisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "In the Glow-Worm's Cave" by Robert D. Beech.This story is original to StarShipSofa.Robert Beech is a practicing psychiatrist and a faculty member at the Yale School of Medicine. He has published professional papers in a variety of scientific journals.Narrated by: Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "The Prey" by John WolfThis story was first published in Electric Spec, January 2020.John Wolf is a librarian lurking in the Pacific Northwest. When he’s not shelving books or processing holds, he likes making things up and putting them on paper. A graduate of Washington State University – Vancouver, John has been writing and publishing for 10 years. His work has appeared in Tough Crime, Silver Blade, the Coffin Blossoms anthology, and others. He subsists on a strict diet of coffee, bad movies, and good podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter @JohnTheEngMajor.Narrated by Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is a voice actor who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: Elysium Fields by Aaron MoskalikThis story is original to StarShipSofa.Aaron Moskalik starts his day writing speculative fiction in Southfield, Michigan before swiveling his chair to his Work From Home station. He has published stories in Nature and Perihelion Science Fiction, among others. To view all his published works, visit aaronmoskalik.com.Narrated by Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Battle Borne Dreams Never Die" by Paul Alex GrayThis story previously appeared in Broadswords and Blasters (July 2019).Paul Alex Gray writes linear and interactive fiction starring sentient black holes, wayward sea monsters, curious AIs and more. His work has been published in Nature Futures, Andromeda Spaceways, PodCastle, and others. Paul grew up by the beaches of Australia, then traveled the world and now lives in Canada with his family. On his adventures, Paul has been a startup founder, game designer, and mentor to technology entrepreneurs. Chat with him on Twitter @paulalexgray or visit paulalexgray.com.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Vital: The Future of Healthcare (2020)The Science Fiction anthology to cure our unhealthy dystopia. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "No Body Enough" by Dantzel CherryThis story first appeared in Future Science Fiction #2 (April 2019).When Dantzel Cherry is not raising her daughter or teaching Pilates and dance, she is writing. Dantzel's short fiction has appeared in Fireside, Future SF, Cast of Wonders, Galaxy's Edge, and other magazines and anthologies. She lives in Lehi, Utah with her husband, daughter, and two obligatory cats.Narrated by Anthony Babington.Anthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Top Tier" by Harold R. ThompsonThis story is original to StarShipSofa.Harold R. Thompson has written non-fiction and short science fiction and fantasy for a variety of print and online magazines. He is also the author of the “Empire and Honor” series of historical adventure novels, which include Dudley’s Fusiliers, Guns of Sevastopol, and Sword of the Mogul. He lives in Nova Scotia and, when not writing or spending time with his family, works for Parks Canada.Narrated by Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "The Alien Agent" by James Edward O'BrienThis story is original to StarShipSofa.James Edward O'Brien grew up in northern New Jersey where he graduated from Dungeons & Dragons to punk rock to modernist lit and weird fiction. His short stories and poetry have appeared in InterGalactic Medicine Show, The Literary Hatchet, and the Triangulation: Dark Skies anthology. He lives in Far Rockaway, NY with his wife and three rescue dogs. Follow Jim on Twitter: @UnagiYojimbo. Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History with Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "In Bocca"This story is original to StarShipSofa.P.G. Streeter lives with his wife and son in Maryland, where he teaches high school English. He's been writing since he could hold a pen and telling stories even longer, but he has only recently begun making a serious effort at publishing. His first two published stories can be found in Bards and Sages Quarterly and Daily Science Fiction. He's thrilled to add StarShipSofa to that list and is especially excited for his work to be captured in audio format. Find him on Twitter at @p_g_sWrites.Narrated by Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Looking Back at Genre History by Amy H SturgisVital: The Future of Health Care Kickstarter See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "A Substitute for Salvation" by Chad GayleChad Gayle’s science fiction has appeared in 365 Tomorrows and Perihelion SF. In addition to toiling as an English adjunct at several small colleges, Chad also did a brief stint at Poetry Magazine before he moved to New York, where he ran a photography studio next to Times Square. His photographic work has been published in the New York Times and the Huffington Post, and his novel Let It Be, which is tied to the music of the Beatles, is available everywhere.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Science News by J J Campanella See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: What Nightmares Are You Living by Gwendolyn N NixThis story is original to StarShip Sofa.Raised in the wilds of countless library stacks, Gwendolyn N. Nix has always been a born seeker of adventure. She saw her first beached humpback whale on a windy day in New York, met a ghost angel in a Paris train station, and had Odin answer her prayers on a mountain in Scotland. Her short fiction appears in The Sisterhood of the Blade anthology from Battlefield Press. The Falling Dawn is her first fantasy novel, released though Crossroad Press. She lives in Missoula, Montana. Find out more at www.gwendolynnix.com and follow her on Twitter at @gwendolynnix and Instagram at gwendolyn.nix.Narrated by: Seth WilliamsSeth has narrated for Far Fetched Fables, Tales to Terrify, and now Starship Sofa, life-goal complete. He now spends his time as an Editor at Tales to Terrify.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

AD Free StarShipSofa No 596 K.G. AndersonStarShipSofa No 596 K.G. Anderson.mp3Main Fiction: "Rowboat"Originally published in Metamorphosis K.G. Anderson is a Seattle-based writer, gardener, dancer, and cat-herder. Her short stories have appeared or are forthcoming in magazines and anthologies ranging from Galaxy's Edge and Weirdbook to the B Cubed Press Alternative Truths series, and are online at Factor Four Magazine, Ares Magazine and Far-Fetched Fables. She narrated StarShipSofa No 530, "The Stone Age Gap." K.G. is a graduate of the Viable Paradise and Taos Toolbox workshops. Find her online at writerway.com/fiction or on twitter @writerway.Narrated by: Farah Naz RishiFarah Naz Rishi is a Pakistani-American Muslim writer and voice actor, but in another life, she’s worked stints as a lawyer, a video game journalist, and an editorial assistant. She received her B.A. in English from Bryn Mawr College, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and her love of weaving stories from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing, she’s probably hanging out with video game characters. You can find her at home in Philadelphia, or on Twitter at @far_ah_way. Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "The Engineers of Abundance" by Aaron EmmelThis story was first published in Empyreome (October 1, 2018).Aaron Emmel ’s stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Thanks to the patience of his wonderful wife, and despite the impatience of his wonderful children, Aaron also writes essays, graphic novels, and interactive fiction. Find him online at aaronemmel.com.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Barbara in the Frame by Emmalia Harrington       Bab’s stomach growled for the third time in five minutes. “You were right,” she said, pushing away from her desk, “It’s time for a break.” Summer classes meant papers and tests smashed close together. There was hardly time to get enough sleep, let alone shop on a regular basis. The only food in her dorm room was an orange. Bab picked it up and walked to her dresser, where the portrait of Barbara, her grandfather’s great-aunt, sat.   Full story after the cut.     Hello! Welcome to GlitterShip Episode 71 for April 15, 2019! This is your host, Keffy, and I'm super excited to be sharing this story with you. Our story for today is "Barbara in the Frame" by Emmalia Harrington read by Before we get started, a reminder that there's still a Tiptree Honor Book sale going on for the GlitterShip Year One and Year Two anthologies on gumroad! Just go to gumroad.com/keffy and use the coupon code “tiptree,” that’s t-i-p-t-r-e-e to get the ebooks for $5 each. Emmalia Harrington is a nonfiction writer, librarian and student with a deep love of speculative fiction. She hopes to have many more publications under her belt. In the meantime she continues to plug away at her novel and short stories. Her work has previously appeared in Cast of Wonders, FIYAH and is upcoming in other venues. She is a member of Broad Universe and volunteers with the Speculative Literature Foundation. Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali is a writer, editor and narrator. Her publications include Apex Magazine, Strange Horizons, Fiyah Magazine and others. Her fiction has been featured in The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 12 edited by Jonathan Strahan and The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Three edited by Neil Clarke. You can hear her narrations at any of the four Escape Artists podcasts, Far Fetched Fables, and Strange Horizons. She can be found online at http://khaalidah.com.   Barbara in the Frame by Emmalia Harrington       Bab’s stomach growled for the third time in five minutes. “You were right,” she said, pushing away from her desk, “It’s time for a break.” Summer classes meant papers and tests smashed close together. There was hardly time to get enough sleep, let alone shop on a regular basis. The only food in her dorm room was an orange. Bab picked it up and walked to her dresser, where the portrait of Barbara, her grandfather’s great-aunt, sat. She put a segment in her mouth and gagged. “Sorry,” she said, spitting the fruit into her hand. Bab forced it down on the fifth attempt. Aunt Barbara’s portrait frowned and glanced at the bookcase. The clothbound spine of Auntie’s handwritten cookbook stood out among the glossy college texts. “You know it’s too early for the kitchen,” Bab kept her eyes on the shelves and away from her aunt. “Those girls will be there.” Even looking away, Auntie’s disappointment made her wilt. Bab retreated to her desk to choke down the rest of her fruit. “I’m safer here,” she said as she wiped her hands. “It’s just you, me and a locked door.” She closed her eyes, imagining what diet could sustain her until the cafeteria opened for the autumn. Carrots lasted days without refrigeration, and if she soaked oatmeal overnight, it would be soft enough for breakfast. Auntie’s book said food was more potent when shared. It had nothing like the recipes the other girls loved to make for their Soul Food Sundays. Placing succotash next to their cheese grits and fried okra was little better than exposing her whole self. “Remember when I came home from the hospital?” Bab asked, turning back to her aunt. “I was so skinny Dad and Papa wouldn’t let me see you.” She gave a thin smile. “They thought seeing me would crack your frame.” Her throat shrank at the memories. The bureaucracy at her old college insisted on using the name and gender on her birth certificate and stuck her in the boys’ dorms. Her roommates alternated between hitting on her and punching inches from her head when she rebuffed them. One loved spiking her food with hot sauce and worse. After a few weeks she couldn’t sip water without panicking; a full meal was impossible.  “None of that will happen here.” Bab cracked her knuckles and tried to type as memories of the last year washed over her. This women’s college’s administration accepted Bab for who she was, name and all. She still felt safer keeping to herself. That midnight, she entered the kitchen with cookies on her mind. She pulled out her baking sheet and spices before she came to her senses. Food never worked right in an unconsecrated space. After several deep breaths, she was scrubbing the counter and attempting to meditate. Incense was not allowed on campus, but would have done wonders to erase the pork and garlic scent left over from the soul food dinner. Even when her dormmates weren’t there, they were reminding her how she wasn’t. Curvy figures to her still-underweight frame. Cornrows and other cute hairstyles while hers couldn’t grow longer than peach fuzz without breaking combs. Bab bit her tongue. A clear mind was the best way to perform a ritual. A pristine table and stovetop later, she was assembling Auntie’s happiness cookies. Rice flour provided security and cloves purified the mind and heart. Cinnamon brought comfort and strengthened the power of the other ingredients. Mix with water to create a dough, pop them in the oven for fifteen minutes and suffer from anticipation. Tidying right away added power to the food and gave them time to cool, even if the aroma of fresh cookies filled her mouth with drool. Back in her room, there were things she needed to do before eating. She paid homage to Aunt Barbara, placing the nicest smelling piece by her picture frame. Next was covering her desk in a clean towel in lieu of a tablecloth and folding a pretty bandanna into a napkin. A duct tape flower decorated the space. After a prayer of thanks, she took her first bite. At first, it tasted like a cracker in need of dip. As she chewed, spices spread through her mouth and into her nose. Tension fell from her shoulders and neck. The more she ate, the more her cookie took on an extra flavor she couldn’t describe. The closest she could get was “a hug from the whole family.” When she checked on her aunt, Barbara’s cookie was gone, crumbs and all.   College was a never-ending battle between sleeping in and being on time for class. Bab had just enough time to pull on jeans and run to the Humanities Building, cursing herself with every step. Life was hard enough as is, she shouldn’t make it worse by writing papers after 2am. By pinching the back of her hand, she stayed awake all through the lesson. The effect faded as she headed to the bathroom, where she fought not to drift off on the toilet. She was washing up when a familiar voice went “I said ‘Hey!’” It was Jen, dormmate and Political Science/Africana Studies major, standing between her and the exit. Bab stretched her lips into a smile. “Not working today?” Jen laughed and shook her head. The beads tipping her braids tinkled as she moved. Bab wished she had a scarf to hide her own hair. “My internship with the Congresswoman is this afternoon. I’m between classes now.” “I wouldn’t want to keep you,” Bab hoped the other girl didn’t notice the wobble in her voice. “There’s time yet.” Jen headed for the water closets and paused. “You’re the reason the kitchen smelled so good this morning?” Bab forgot how to breathe. Nodding had to do. “Will you come next Sunday? The three of us can’t make dessert to save ourselves.” Without waiting for an answer, Jen entered a stall. The sliding lock sounded like a guillotine blade. It was all Bab could do to run to her next seminar. Terror percolated inside her, tightening her throat until she couldn’t get a lungful. The Number Systems for School Teachers lecture passed in a haze of greying vision. At her next course, the professor took one look at her and ordered her to rest. Back in her room, Bab spent an endless time curled on her bed, fighting for air. Clattering from the dresser pulled Bab out of herself enough to check the noise’s source. Auntie’s picture had fallen. “Thanks,” she returned to the bed, hugging the portrait like a teddy bear. Her heart bumping against the frame’s glass made a double beat, Auntie’s pulse moving in time with hers. Bab’s airway relaxed, and her head cleared enough to grab last night’s cookies. “What should I do?” she said after filling Auntie in on the bathroom encounter. “Dad and Papa couldn’t teach me black girl stuff. Jen and her friends have way more practice than me.” She took a bite. “If I change my mind, they’ll know something’s up, but if they get to know me, they’ll be just like my boy roommates and…” Aunt Barbara was pursing her lips. “You haven’t heard Jen, Maria and Tanya speak. Their majors are going to help them ‘change the world.’” Bab stuck her chest out, superhero style. Auntie raised her eyebrows. “I know becoming a teacher’s important,” she sighed. “But tell that to people outside my department. Anyway, that’s not the main reason they’ll hate me.” She glanced at Auntie’s cookbook. “On Sundays the kitchen smells like those TV shows with sassy mothers who teach girls how to cook the ‘real way.’” She made finger quotes. “Nothing like what we eat at home. They’ll take one look at my food and treat me like my old roommates.” Her stomach twisted. “I don’t want to go to the hospital again.” Finishing the cookie kept the worst throat swelling away. She still felt like barricading herself until graduation. Light glinted from the portrait. When Bab took a closer look, Auntie met her eyes. Aunt Barbara resembled a professor, stern but caring. If photos could speak, Bab would be getting a speech on conquering fear. The eye lecture finished with Auntie glancing in the direction of her book. Bab crossed the room, picked it up, and flipped through the dessert section. She doubted grapenut pudding would go over well. Apple-cheddar pie might work, but she wasn’t masochistic enough to make crust from scratch. Hermits seemed easy enough, but the next recipe stopped her cold. Froggers. Above the recipe, Aunt Barbara had written a few notes about Lucretia Brown, the inventor. Bab read and reread the page before saying “They might like it.”   Summer lessons meant more homework and less time. Bab spent her free days camped in the library, reading hundreds of pages worth of assignments before trudging back to her room to bang out papers. She peeked from her window before going outside. Maria, a Soul Food Sunday girl, wasn’t out running laps. Bab headed to the library, wiping sweat off her palms every couple of steps. If the Pre-Law/Economics student wasn’t marathoning, she was on work-study. Bab needed to find a secluded corner to avoid detection. Maria was nowhere near the front desk when Bab checked out her classes’ reserve texts. She walked the opposite way from the book return cart, in case the girl was shelving. Bab spent the next two hours in the clear until it came time to make copies. The other girl was bent over loading paper into the machine, looking more voluptuous than Bab could hope to be. Bab closed her eyes, praying to avoid a repeat of yesterday. “Hey.” Maybe starting the conversation would help. The other girl yelped, whirling around and overbalancing. Bab rushed to steady her, half-wondering if she landed in a romantic comedy. Maria’s face flushed redder than her shirt. “I didn’t see you.” It was Bab’s turn to freeze. She studied the wall behind the other girl’s head as she tried to form words. “Oh! You’re coming Sunday,” Maria sounded relieved. “We can talk then.” She stepped away from Bab and hurried to the front desk. Two hours and five textbooks later, Bab emerged from the library, dazed. Motor memory led her to the campus coffee shop, where she ordered a red eye. She needed the caffeine to unfry her brain and conduct decent extracurricular research. Maria was nowhere to be found when Bab walked to the reference librarian’s desk. There wasn’t too much on Lucretia Brown, but what existed came from places like the Smithsonian. The state historical society had a series of frogger recipes as well as official documents on Brown’s business. Bab’s coffee went cold as she pored over the papers.   “What do you think, Auntie?” Bab asked that night. “Those three might hate them because they have ‘frog’ in the name.” Aunt Barbara didn’t react. Bab twisted her hands and continued. “I found a zillion ways to make froggers. Some I don’t have to buy a ton of new ingredients for. One is similar to your happiness cookies and isn’t very sweet. They’ll think I was lying about making dessert. Another’s fried, not baked. Those three…” She drifted off as Auntie wrinkled her nose. “What do you think I should do?” Bab said, hoping Auntie wouldn’t give the obvious answer. She gave Bab a hard stare. “I can’t do that,” Bab said, backing away. “I’m safer not making friends.” She bumped into her bed. Auntie looked miserable. Bab stroked the picture frame before returning to fretting. Silently this time. Every recipe called for allspice, which promoted luck, success and health. It was also quite masculine. Bab wasn’t keen on infusing virility in herself or the others. Liquor united the feminine elements of water and earth, but she was too young to buy the rum froggers required. Bab prayed rum extract with its high alcohol content was an acceptable substitute. Auntie’s book had nothing to say about the power of molasses. Maybe it took after its sister sugar in terms of protection and enhancement. It could also be a soul food ingredient, though Bab was too afraid to check.   Spices were never cheap. Bab spent the next few days outside of class in the city. Ethnic enclaves had spices at better cost than supermarkets, and she was going to find the best prices. She always went on foot to channel bus fare into grocery cash. Her feet swelled until she could barely pull her shoes off at night, but she got all the seasonings she needed, plus extra rice flour. By Saturday afternoon, Bab recovered enough to limp to the market nearest to the dorms. Butter was easy enough to find, but molasses and extract remained elusive, no matter how many times she wandered Aisle 5. Between her focus on the shelves and her still complaining legs, she didn’t notice company until she bumped into them. Bab’s heart froze when she realized who she crashed into. Tanya was Jen and Maria’s buddy, a Business/Chemistry major and heir to a cosmetics firm that made products for black women. She might have been in jeans and ponytail, but her skin glowed and her hair smelled of jasmine and coconut oil. “I’m sorry!” Bab couldn’t apologize fast enough. “I should have seen you-” Tanya waved her hand. “I ran into you. Let me make up for it.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of papers. “Have a coupon.” Bab reached for the offering, doing her best not to brush Tanya’s fingers. She didn’t want to piss the girl off by mistake. There were discounts on powdered soup, meal replacement shakes, frozen dinners… “Mind if I have this one?” Bab held up a voucher for oranges. Tanya shrugged. “It’s not like I’ll get scurvy.” Bab’s grin felt foreign on her mouth. “They’re also great for clearing the mind and cheering you up.” The other girl raised an eyebrow, something Bab had yet to master. “Isn’t that what chocolate’s for?” Bab’s cheeks burned, but before she could answer, Tanya said, “Maybe I’ll get some chocolate peanut butter this week. They taste good with strawberry Caffeine Bombs.” She waved goodbye. Bab couldn’t decide whether to stare at her, or her basket of white bread and neon drinks. She resumed her search for the remaining ingredients, trying to imagine what Auntie would think of Tanya’s cuisine. There could be rage, terror, or horrific rage. “Victory!” Bab announced later in her room. “Now I have everything for froggers.” She picked up the portrait. “Will it be all right?” Auntie beamed. “Of course you think that, we’re family. I don’t have that advantage for tomorrow.” Aunt Barbara looked Bab up and down before raising her chin. Bab crossed her arms over her bust. “They’re prettier than I am, and I don’t think a padded bra would help.” Auntie’s eye narrowed. “What’s worth knowing about me?” Her voice wobbled. Auntie glanced at the mirror. Bab stood in front of it for ages, trying to see what Aunt Barbara did. It never appeared. Whenever she turned away, Auntie nodded for Bab to return. Her throat ached from not shrieking her frustration. Her reflection continued to show someone who did not have the looks, goals or background as the other black girls in the dorm. She had bits and pieces of other kin in her appearance, like Papa’s forehead, Grandfather’s nose, and Auntie’s love of frilly blouses. Bab straightened her back and assumed the formal pose of Auntie’s portrait. She still couldn’t find what Auntie saw, but her urge to scream faded. Maybe one of these years she’d be as awesome as Auntie believed.   If Bab was going to bake undisturbed, she was better off starting at midnight. The cookies wouldn’t be the freshest, but she half-remembered one recipe saying froggers grew tastier with time. Or she could scrub the kitchen for so long, Monday would roll by before she finished. Giving the counter, sink and other surfaces the once-over wasn’t going to be enough if she wanted to win the trio’s favor. Bab scoured until her arms ached, shook them out, and started again. She filled her head with prayers for the cookies’ success and her continued safety. Whenever her mind wandered, she bit hard on her tongue. Now that she thought about it, froggers might taste better if she rewashed the baking sheet. As she worried it with a sponge, she caught a glimpse of herself on the aluminum. She was nothing more than a blobby outline, but it was enough to remember the afternoon. Auntie thought she was worth something and Bab needed to act the part. She preheated the oven and pulled out the measuring cup. Auntie’s recipe didn’t specify rice flour, but she could do with its protection. The spices that went into happiness cookies went into the mixing bowl, along with lucky nutmeg and ginger’s love. Macho allspice went in after all, to impart success. Wet ingredients went into another bowl, before she combined everything to make a sticky dough. Nothing a bit of flour couldn’t fix. She rolled everything out with the side of an empty glass, used the mouth of the same cup to cut out froggers and stuck them in the oven. Baking and cooling times stretched until every second felt like forever. Despite her best efforts, no amount of tidying would speed things. Sweat oozed from her face and armpits. As soon as she could move the cookies without burning herself, Bab fled to her room. “I did it!” She hitched her shoulders in lieu of a fist pump. Dropping the froggers now would mean baking them later in front of an audience. Once they were safely on her desk, she fell to her knees. “I thought of you as much as I could and how you want me to be.” On the floor, she couldn’t meet Auntie’s face. “I’m still not there, sorry.” Even through her jeans, the tiled floor felt so cool, but passing out here would mean a stiff back in the morning. “Just a minute.” It took a few tries to lurch off the floor and back on her feet. Bab placed a frogger by Auntie’s picture. “What do you think?” Between one blink and the next, the cookie vanished. Auntie’s smile threatened to push her cheeks off.   It was ten when Bab woke up, and eleven before she rolled out of bed. She only had a few hours, and laundry wouldn’t do itself. Typical for Sunday, all the machines were full, but one just had a few minutes left to run. She buried herself in a textbook, wondering if she could drop out of dinner, saying she had a test tomorrow. Auntie would be disappointed in her. The afternoon vanished in a flurry of chores, grooming and actual homework reading. Bab shaved, brushed her hair until her arm ached, and smoothed out the wrinkles in one of her nicer shirts. Whenever her throat threatened to swell, she turned back to studying. An hour before the event, Bab’s heart thrummed in her ears. She had one last thing to do before she was ready, but it meant going to the kitchen, possibly in front of everyone. The room was filled with cell phone music and off-key singing. Tanya and Maria’s backs were to Bab as they chopped away. Jen hadn’t arrived. Bab was free to cover the table with a freshly washed sheet, though she ached to clap her hands over her ears. The file quality, song genre and the girls’ lack of skill made it Vogon poetry in human mouths. She placed her duct tape flower in the center of the table before retreating to gather the froggers. When she returned, the pair was belting out what might have been “Baby Come to Me.” Bab prayed “4:33” was next on the playlist as she arranged cookies on her largest plate. She couldn’t do anything more artful than a pyramid of concentric circles, but it looked good enough for a magazine. A shriek stole the last of her hearing. “Bab, when did you get here?” Bab turned to Tanya, rubbing her ears. “I didn’t want to interrupt.” Tanya laughed. “It’s either sing or put up with Maria’s preaching.” “Soul food _isn’t_ vegan,” the third girl hissed. “Aren’t you making peas and carrots?” Tanya said. “Doesn’t count, I use butter,” Maria said. “See what I mean?” Tanya said to Bab with a hammy sigh. Bab’s smile shook around the edges. “Why not vegan?” “Thank you!” Tanya abandoned her cutting board to crush Bab in a hug. “You understand.” “Does that mean no cookies tonight?” Bab winced at her lack of subtlety. “They have dairy.” “Of course cookies,” Tanya stepped back, giving her a hard look. “Cookies need butter, chicken need salt, and collard greens are better with orange juice instead of pork.” “Blasphemy,” called a new voice from the doorway. Jen walked in, arms full of cans and equipment. “Smoked pork is food of the gods.” As the trio rambled amongst themselves, tension fell from Bab’s shoulders. She set the table, making sure everything was picture perfect while the others worked by the stove and countertops. Aside from the odd comment thrown in her direction, they left her alone until their food was ready. “What did you do?” Jen breathed as she took in Bab’s handiwork. “It looks like a real Sunday dinner now.” “Ahem,” Tanya said, looking in the direction of the garbage bin. An empty tube of biscuit dough and gravy can sat on top of the trash. “I was busy--” Jen started, but Maria cut her off. “I forgot salt, gravy will help the peas and carrots.” She plopped her dish next to the duct tape flower. “Let’s start?” No one commented on Bab sitting in the spot closest to the door. They were too busy saying things that threatened to stop her heart. “How’s the food? Maria used fresh carrots this time.” Tanya wiggled her eyebrows. Maria, Bab’s bench partner, turned the color of rust. The taste was on par with cafeteria food. Bab liked safety too much to say it aloud. “You’re right, it does go well with gravy.” Maria stared at her plate as more blood rushed to her face. “You know what would be great? Bacon.” Jen said. “Everything it touches turns to magic.” Bab opened her mouth, closed it and lowered her head so no one could see her face. Auntie’s cookbook never limited power to a single ingredient. The other girls were too busy arguing which brand of cured meat was best to notice Bab. It wasn’t long before the serving plates emptied. With competition out of the way, the froggers perfumed the table and made full stomachs grumble. “Are these the cookies you made last week?” Jen asked. Bab shook her head. “It’s a diff--” the trio snatched froggers for themselves and went to work reducing them to crumbs. Jen’s first bite took out a third of her cookie. Her eyes widened. Tanya chewed slowly, lost in thought. Maria closed her eyes and clasped her hands like a church lady. “What did you say these were?” “They’re molasses cookies.” Bab coughed, but her throat kept tingling. “Froggers.” “Made with real frogs?” Tanya said, her mouth wry. Bab took a deep breath and wished her lungs were bigger. “A woman named Lucretia Brown invented them.” All eyes were on her, none of them hateful. She looked at Tanya. “Lucretia was a black woman who ran an inn and made perfume and other things to sell.” To Jen and Maria she added “She was born in 1772 Massachusetts and owned property.” No one spoke. They were too busy considering their froggers. Bab took one for herself and bit in deep. Spices spread through her mouth and seeped into her being. Her throat relaxed enough to ask “Maria, mind if I jog with you tomorrow?” before she realized it. A second mouthful of cookie kept panic at bay. Maria’s ears darkened, but she said “I’d like that. Front door at eight A.M.? Wear good shoes.” Bab took a second frogger, but when she reached for a third, all she found was an empty plate. Hearing the trio tease each other as they helped with cleanup almost made up for it. The lack of singing certainly did. With four people helping, dishes and everything else were done in no time. Bab trailed the other girls out of the kitchen, itching to tell Aunt Barbara about tonight. It was too soon to tell how they’d take knowing Bab’s whole self, but for now they added warmth she couldn’t get with cookies alone. END     "Barbara in the Frame” was originally published in FIYAH and is copyright Emmalia Harrington, 2017. This recording is a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license which means you can share it with anyone you’d like, but please don’t change or sell it. Our theme is “Aurora Borealis” by Bird Creek, available through the Google Audio Library. You can support GlitterShip by checking out our Patreon at patreon.com/keffy, subscribing to our feed, leaving reviews on iTunes, or buying your own copy of the Summer 2018 issue at www.glittership.com/buy. You can also support us by picking up a free audiobook at  www.audibletrial.com/glittership. Thanks for listening, and we’ll be back soon with a new issue and a GlitterShip original, "Raders" by Nelson Stanley.

My Go FundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/new-polytunnelPATREON SUPPORT NOW STANDING AT 430 – LAST WEEK 430 HELP US GET TO 500 PATREON SUPPORTERS.Main Fiction: "Heart of Vesta" by Dimitra NikolaidouThis story is original to StarShip Sofa.Dimitra Nikolaidou is a PhD candidate researching the relationship betweenspeculative fiction and role-playing games. Her fiction has been published in Galleryof Curiosities, See the Elephant, Metaphorosis, the anthology After the Happily EverAfter, and various Greek-language venues. She is an in-house writer and editor forArchetypo Publications, teaches creative writing focused on the fantastic, and isalways planning a vacation somewhere in Europe.Narrated by: Nikolle DoolinNikolle is a voice actor and a writer of fiction, scripts, and poetry. She has performed narrations for a number of popular and award-winning podcasts, such as The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Far Fetched Fables. She also narrates classic literature in her own podcast Audio Literature Odyssey. To learn more about Nikolle, visit her website at nikolledoolin.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My Go FundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/new-polytunnel Flash Fiction: "Frog Soup" by Floris M. KleijneThis story originally appeared at Daily Science Fiction (August 2, 2016). Floris M. Kleijne is the author of over two dozen short stories in Daily Science Fiction, Galaxy's Edge, Factor Four, and numerous other publications, He lives in a 200 year old house in the Dutch river district, but does most of his writing on trains. Floris was the first Dutchman to win the prestigious Writers of the Future contest, as well as the first Dutchman to qualify for active membership of the SFWA. He blogs about writing , Real Life™, and atrocious customer service on www.floriskleijne.com, where you can also read more of his stories. Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. Main Fiction: "Generation Gap" by Holly SchofieldThis story first appeared in the anthology Lazarus Risen (2016).Holly Schofield travels through time at the rate of one second per second, oscillating between the alternate realities of city and country life. Her stories have appeared in such publications as Analog, Lightspeed, and Tesseracts, are used in university curricula, and have been translated into several languages. She hopes to save the world through science fiction and homegrown heritage tomatoes. Find her at hollyschofield.wordpress.com. Narrated by: Geoffrey WelchmanGeoffrey works in digital media. A former podcaster, he also narrated several stories for Far Fetched Fables. He lives in Baltimore with his wife Betty. You can find him online at geoffreywelchman.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

PATREON SUPPORT NOW STANDING AT 437 – LAST WEEK 437 HELP US GET TO 500 PATREON SUPPORTERS.Main Fiction: "The Astronaut Tier" by Jonathan LaidlowJonathan Laidlow grew up in the North West of England, near the Sellafield Nuclear Power plant, which regularly leaked. He has one good leg, one good eye, and one good ear…His publications include "Darner" at Strange Horizons, "Obtrusion Rate" at Liminal Stories, "Inundated" at Far Fetched Fables, and "Hyrmnal" at Daily Science Fiction. He lives in Birmingham, UK. He tweets @burtkenobi and blogs occasionally at jonlaidlow.com. Narrated by: Nicola Seaton-ClarkNicola is originally from South Africa, where she grew up in various small towns around the country. Working as a professional actress full time for 25 years, she has also spent her time being variously, a jazz singer, waitress, bartender and English trainer. Currently she runs her voice-over company Offstimme with her actor husband Peter, and spends her spare time attempting to raise her children into decent human beings and attending heavy metal concerts.Fact: Looking Back at Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Paying Old Debts" by Gerri LeenGerri Leen lives in Northern Virginia and originally hails from Seattle. In addition to being an avid reader, she's passionate about horse racing, tea, and whisky, and her latest obsession is ASMR vids. She has work appearing in Nature, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, Daily Science Fiction, Cast of Wonders, and others. She's edited several anthologies for independent presses, is finishing some longer projects, and is a member of SFWA and HWA. See more at gerrileen.com.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Science News by J J Campanella See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

PATREON SUPPORT NOW STANDING AT 434 – LAST WEEK 431 HELP US GET TO 500 PATREON SUPPORTERS. Main Fiction: "A Bird in the Hand" by Doug SmithThis story originally appeared in Warrior Wise Woman 3 (Norilana Press, 2010.Douglas Smith is a multi-award-winning author described by Library Journal as "one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction". His fiction has been published in twenty-six languages and includes the urban fantasy novel The Wolf at the End of the World, the collections Chimerascope and Impossibilia, and the translated collection La Danse des Esprits. His writing guide, Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction, is a must-read for any short story writer.Doug is a three-time winner of Canada's Aurora Award, and has been a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, CBC's Bookies Award, Canada's juried Sunburst Award, and France's juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.His website is smithwriter.com and he tweets at @smithwritr. Narrated by: Nikolle DoolinNikolle is a voice actor and a writer of fiction, scripts, and poetry. She has performed narrations for a number of popular and award-winning podcasts, such as The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Far Fetched Fables. She also narrates classic literature in her own podcast Audio Literature Odyssey. To learn more about Nikolle, visit her website at nikolledoolin.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "The Sands of Rubal-Khali" by Donald Jacob UitvlugtThis story originally appeared in Cirsova #4 (November 2016).Donald Jacob Uitvlugt lives on neither coast of the United States, but mostly in a haunted memory palace of his own design. In addition to previous appearances in StarShipSofa #481 and Far Fetched Fables #176, his short fiction has appeared in numerous print and online venues, such as Cirsova magazine and the anthology Fearful Fathoms II. Donald strives to write what he calls "haiku fiction", stories that are small in scale but big in impact. If you enjoyed "In the Sands of Rubal-Khali" let him know at his blog: haikufiction.blogspot.com or via Twitter: @haikufictiondju. Narrated by: Deanna SanchezDeanna Sanchez is a voiceover artist and actress who has performed professionally for 14 years. She has voiced various commercials, industrials, and characters, and specializes in the “sexy voice” of powerful female roles. An avid fan of science fiction since her grandfather gave her a copy of Heinlein’s Tunnel in the Sky when she was 9, she feels greatly privileged to help bring this story to life. While pursuing a voice talent and acting career, Deanna also consults in Geographical Information Systems and develops custom mapping applications for real estate and other industries. Her background in IT management does not prevent her from owning multiple old computers, some with Windows 98 still running. Three-dimensional visualization of spatial data is a favorite pastime, and she has spent many hours translating real-Earth elevation data into unique 3-D worlds. Deanna’s voice over demo can be heard at the Lambert Studios website, an outstanding full service recording studio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Suvu and Swashbuckling Love" by D.A. Xiaolin SpiresThis story originally appeared in Andromeda Spaceways Magazine (December 4, 2017).Annie Sheng, aka D.A. Xiaolin Spires, counts stars and sand, residing currently in Hawai'i. You can find her embarking on olfactorial odysseys as she inhales plumeria blossoms, lychee and poi. Her work appears or is forthcoming in publications such as Clarkesworld, Analog, Fireside, Terraform, Nature: Futures, Grievous Angel, Reckoning, Galaxy's Edge, LONTAR, Andromeda Spaceways, Mithila Review, Issues in Earth Science, Factor Four and elsewhere, including anthologies of the strange and delightful. You can find her on her website daxiaolinspires.wordpress.com or on Twitter: @spireswriter.Narrated by: Stephanie MorrisStephanie is a recipient of the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship Award and a graduate of the 2017 Clarion West Writers Workshop. Her short fiction has appeared in FIYAH, Apex Magazine, Nightmare, and Pseudopod. She is a regular podcast reader for Uncanny Magazine and has narrated short fiction for the Escape Artists podcasts, StarShipSofa, and Far Fetched Fables. You can find her on Twitter at @smaliamorris.Looking Back at Genre History by Amy H SturgisDabblecast KickstarterAnyone who pledges through that link or says "here from Starship Sofa!" gets a special Sofanaughts gift. :) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 434 – last week 434 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters. Main Fiction: "e to the h" by Alvaro Zinos-AmaroAlvaro's book of interviews with Robert Silverberg, Traveler of Worlds, was a Hugo and Locus award finalist. Alvaro's more than thirty stories and one hundred reviews, essays and interviews have appeared in magazines such as Clarkesworld, Asimov's, Apex, Analog, Lightspeed, Nature, Strange Horizons, Galaxy's Edge, Lackington's, and anthologies such as The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2016, Cyber World, Humanity 2.0, and This Way to the End Times. Alvaro has a book review column at Intergalactic Medicine Show, a film review column at Words, and he edits the roundtable blog for Locus.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 413 – last week 418 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters.Main Fiction: "The Third Man" by Michael ReidThis story is a StarShip Sofa original.Michael Reid lives near Toronto, Canada, where he divides his time between studying the stars and writing stories set among them. His work has appeared in Interzone, Escape Pod, and Cast of Wonders. Follow him on Twitter at @writereid or check out his full publication list at MichaelAReid.com.Narrated by: Anthony BabingtonAnthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker.Fact: Looking Back at Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 418 – last week 417 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters.Main Fiction: "The Breakdown of the Parasite Host Relationship" by Paul R. HardyOriginally published in UFO.Paul R. Hardy is a fungal infection in the shape of the letter 'R' that lives inside the brainstem of an oblivious human meatsack by the name of Paul Hardy. The fungal infection has had work published in Unidentified Funny Objects, Far Fetched Fables and Diabolical Plots, while the human meatsack works as a hospital receptionist in order to provide nutrients for the fungus. Any resemblance between this living arrangement and the content of the story that follows is entirely coincidental.Narrator: Rish OutfieldRish Outfield is a writer, voice actor, and audiobook narrator. He can be heard co-hosting the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine and That Gets My Goat podcasts, where he and Bigg Anklevich entertainingly waste much of their time. He also features his own stories on the Rish Outcast podcast. He once got a job because of his Sean Connery impersonation… but has lost two due to his Samuel L. Jackson impression. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 416 – last week 410 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters. Main Fiction: "The Singing Tree" by Christian RileyThis story is original to StarShipSofa.Chris Riley lives near Sacramento, California, vowing one day to move back to the Pacific Northwest. In the meantime, he teaches special education, writes cool stories, and hides from the blasting heat for six months of the year. He has had over eighty short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, and across various genres. His debut novel, one of literary suspense, and titled The Sinking of the Angie Piper, has recently been published by Coffeetown Press and Blackstone Audio. For more information, go to www.chrisrileyauthor.com.Narrated by: Anthony Babington Anthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota he narrates podcasts, and leases his soul to corporate America. He has previously recorded for Far Fetched Fables and The Cursed Inn. He can be found on Twitter as @AlephBaker. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 410 – last week 411 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters.Main Fiction: "Queenpin of the Wastes" by Zach ChapmanOriginally appeared in Futuristica Vol. 2.Zach Chapman is a movie critic, podcaster, and author. His short fiction appears in Nature, Tales to Terrify, and Writers of the Future. He also edited the anthology Time Travel Tales, which includes stories by Catherine Wells, Sean Williams, and Robert Silverberg. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his librarian wife, a cat, a laze-eyed cattle dog, and a brood of hens. Follow his publications on Twitter: @chappyzach.Narrated by: Nikolle Doolin Nikolle Doolin is a voice actor and a writer of fiction, scripts, and poetry. She has performed narrations for a number of popular and award-winning podcasts, such as The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Far Fetched Fables. She also narrates classic literature in her own podcast Audio Literature Odyssey. To learn more about Nikolle, visit her website at nikolledoolin.com.Looking Back at Genre History with Amy A H. Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 406 – last week 405. Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters. Bitcoin address: 1FcqW3GEWFX9tuoyFrn1ySKoeybyc3J4W9Ethereum address: 0xacC43A99b1eDe0e4a04B43A7A7fa3aA476B87EAA Main Fiction: "The Stone Age Gap" by Meredith Morgenstern This story is original to StarShipSofaMeredith Morgenstern is the space princess identity of Meredith Lopez. She spent twenty years living in New York City until fickle circumstance forced her to move to the New Jersey suburbs, where she writes horror about being forced to live in the suburbs. She is a second-generation geek and bookworm whose parents kept her home from school to see "Return of the Jedi." She loves reading, hates driving, and her Patronus is a rainbow unicorn. Meredith has an upcoming story in GRIEVOUS ANGEL, and has previously been published in FICTION VORTEX, GOTHIC BLUE BOOKS IV, and HOLIDAY MAGICK. She lives with her husband, two children, and probably some ghosts.Narrated by: K.G. AndersonK.G. Anderson is a Seattle-based writer, gardener, dancer, and cat-herder. Her speculative fiction appears in several anthologies and online at Every Day Fiction, Metaphorosis Magazine, Ares Magazine and Episode 179 of Far-Fetched Fables. Find her online at writerway.com/fiction .Fact: Science News by JJ Campanella See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “The Banshee Behind Beamon's Bakery” by Khalidaah Muhammad-Ali (Originally published in Diabolical Plots #21.) Most nights the alley behind Beamon’s Bakery is just an alley. The street lamp bleeds piss yellow light, casting jagged shadows around the overflowing dumpster and discarded boxes. The walls are tagged with gang signs, claiming territory that was never theirs, yardage, bodies, souls, rights. Some nights a transient clears away the broken glass, the random detritus, to squat for the night. Setting up camp here has its own rewards. The warmth that seeps through the bakery walls and through brick facing chases away the chill, but not the ghosts. This is the drawback, you see. The alley is never as vacant as it may seem at first, never as lonely as one may wish. The price of physical warmth is the chilling of your soul. Khalidaah Muhammad-Ali lives in Houston, Texas, with her family. By day she works as a breast oncology nurse. At all other times, she juggles, none too successfully, the multiple other facets of her very busy life. Khaalidah has been published at or has publications upcoming in Strange Horizons, Fiyah Magazine, Diabolical Plots, and others. You can also hear her narrations at any of the four Escape Artists podcasts, Far Fetched Fables, and Strange Horizons. Khaalidah is also co-editor at PodCastle audio magazine, where she is on a mission to encourage more women and POC to submit fantasy stories. Of her alter ego, K from the planet Vega, it is rumored that she owns a time machine and knows the secret to immortality. She can be found online at khaalidah.com and on Twitter as @khaalidah. Author's note: The unjust violent death of Michael Brown at the hands of a police officer was the specific impetus for this story. I tried to imagine what his mother must’ve been feeling upon learning about her son’s death. This wasn’t difficult because I have a son as well. I tried to impart the feeling of rage and horror I, any mother, would feel upon learning that her son was taken away in such a violent horrific way. Main Story: “Gust of Wind Made by a Swinging Blade” by Molly N. Moss (Originally published in Weirdbook #32.) Again, Kinnori strained against the ropes binding him, his muscles already throbbing from exertion. Once again, the cords sliced his flesh and yielded not at all. It was dark in the hold of the guard-ship Murakumo, and a gathering chill numbed his fingers. Rolling waves conspired with exhaustion to make Kinnori's eyelids grow heavy. He shook himself and growled, “Escape or die, Shoji Kinnori.” Molly N. Moss is the pen name of a tuxedo housecat named Marlene who lives in Athens, Georgia. When Marlene got bored with being left alone all day every day, she taught herself to read fiction as a hobby. After a while she decided to try writing fiction of her own. Marlene's fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including Weird Tales, Bards & Sages Quarterly, and the anthology Dark Magic: Witches, Hackers, & Robots. About the Narrator: "The Banshee" is read by the author; see bio above. Eric Luke is the screenwriter of the Joe Dante film Explorers, which is currently in development as a remake; has written for the comic books Ghost and Wonder Woman; and wrote and directed the Not Quite Human films for Disney TV.  His current project, Interference (a meta horror audiobook about an audiobook... that kills), is a bestseller on Audible.com. His website for creative projects is Quillhammer.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“The Seal of Sulaymaan” by Tracy Canfield (Originally published in Fantasy Magazine, July 2010.) Back when there were other ifriit to talk to, I’d tell them Morocco was as far as you can get from Mecca without leaving civilization. In Agadir, with its casinos and five-star hotels and nightclubs filled with Moroccan tourists sporting European fashions too daring to wear at home, even these most fractious of beings could not have argued; but here, a mere twenty miles out of town, I could barely have spoken the words myself without laughing. A thousand and one trashbags flapped and snapped on the branches of the argan trees, blown by the June breeze from every dump in the country. A plastic Ayn Sultaan bottle arced from the window of a passing truck, trailing a mist of carbonated mineral water, and bounced in the dust. Except for the bags, the bottle, and the asphalt road, the landscape was much as I had always known it: rolling hills and twisted gray-green trees, dust and blue sky. One tall tree had been cleared of bags, and a herd of goats perched among its branches, nibbling the pointed argan fruit. A goatherd in a dusty jalbiib leaned on his stick and watched them. I thought of King Sulaymaan (may they build a halaal McDonalds on his grave) leaning on his own stick and took a step out of my way to crush the Ayn Sultaan bottle under my heel. Tracy Canfield’s short fantasy and science fiction has appeared in Analog, Strange Horizons, and other magazines and anthologies. She is a computational linguist who CNN once called a "Klingon scholar" for her work on the Jenolan Caves’ Klingon-language audio tour. Currently, she’s currently developing a computer game based on her space opera novelette “Salvage” for Choice of Games LLC. You can find her on Twitter as @TracyCanfield. About the Narrator: Khalidaah Muhammad-Ali lives in Houston, Texas, with her family. By day she works as a breast oncology nurse. At all other times, she juggles, none too successfully, the multiple other facets of her very busy life. Khaalidah has been published at or has publications upcoming in Strange Horizons, Fiyah Magazine, Diabolical Plots, and others. You can also hear her narrations at any of the four Escape Artists podcasts, Far Fetched Fables, and Strange Horizons. Khaalidah is also co-editor at PodCastle audio magazine, where she is on a mission to encourage more women and POC to submit fantasy stories. Of her alter ego, K from the planet Vega, it is rumored that she owns a time machine and knows the secret to immortality. She can be found online at khaalidah.com and on Twitter as @khaalidah. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Please Support this fine show on Patreon Main Fiction: "How You Ruined Everything" by Konstantine Paradias Originally published in Unidentified Funny Objects 5 Konstantine Paradias is a writer by choice and a member of the SFWA. His short stories have been published in the Dystopia-Utopia Anthology by Flame Tree Press, The Cackle of Cthulhu Anthology and the AE Canadian Science Fiction Review, among many others.His short story collection "Sorry, Wrong Country" is published by Rooster Republic Press. Fact: Looking Back at Genre History by Dr Amy H. Sturgis Narrated by: Jonathan Sharp Jonathan began narrating for the Hugo-Award-Winning podcast Star Ship Sofa as a way to give back to a community that brings him great joy on a weekly basis. By day he slings cheese and wine at a local grocer and by night loses at boardgames to his infinitely more talented wife Paige. Recently, in an attempt to hide from the sun, they have transplanted themselves in the Pacific North West and are soaking up the rain using their new puppy/mud-sponge Finn. Jonathan has become a regular narrator for the District of Wonders Network including the horror podcast Tales to Terrify the fantasy podcast Far Fetched Fables and is a producer for Audible through the ACX platform. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “Under the Bed” by Effie Seiberg (Originally published in Crossed Genres.) I keep it clean under the bed. I go swoosh swoosh swoosh and suck the dust away. Jimmy can’t have a dusty bed. It would make him sick. I don’t want Jimmy to get sick. I love Jimmy. So I keep it clean. Jimmy’s been gone for three nights. Every night, we used to do our special thing. I’d slooooowly start to move. Make the whisperiest of sounds. And Jimmy would pretend to be frightened and he’d scream. His mom would come back into his room and look under the bed. “There’s nothing there, honey,” she’d say. But Jimmy and I would know different. It’s our secret, even though he can’t keep the secret even the littlest bit. But that’s OK. I always forgive him, because I love Jimmy. Effie Seiberg is a fantasy and science fiction writer. Her stories can be found in the Women Destroy Science Fiction! special edition of Lightspeed magazine (winner of the 2015 British Fantasy Award for Best Anthology), Galaxy's Edge, Analog... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “The Choochoomorphosis” by Oliver Buckram (Originally published in Unidentified Funny Objects 3.) As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed into Neville, the Crime-Fighting Locomotive. Neville was a funny little blue engine with six small wheels and a stumpy smokestack. He lived in the Big Station with the other steam engines of the Happyville Railroad, and spent his days cheerfully bustling up and down the railroad tracks, solving crimes and getting into mischief. Oliver Buckram Ph.D., lives in the Boston area where (under an assumed name) he teaches social science to undergraduates. His work has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Interzone, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF), among other places. Find out more about him at oliverbuckram.com. Main Story: “The Mermaid's Purse” by Lynn Hardaker (Originally published in Cabinet des Feés' Scheherezade's Bequest: Something Rich and Strange.) “Look, Mummy, I’ve found another... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Must Supply Own Workboots" by Malcolm Delvin Originally appeared in Interzone Malcolm Devlin’s stories have appeared in Black Static, Interzone and the anthology Aickman’s Heirs. He aspires to have the world’s shortest author bio. Narrated by: Jonathan Sharp Jonathan lives and works in a sleepy southern New Mexico town along side his exceedingly talented wife Paige. When he is free from the mountains of organic vegetables under which he works, he plays in front of the microphone in the hope it may one day talk back to him. In addition to Star Ship Sofa, he has upcoming stories for the District of Wonders podcasts: Far Fetched Fables and Tales to Terrify. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“First and Last and Always” by Thana Niveau (Originally published in Magic: An Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane.) Tamsin placed her hands on either side of her phone and gazed intently at the picture of Nicky she’d taken the day before. Her heart soared as she said his name aloud. “Nicky.” The flickering candlelight gave him the illusion of movement and Tamsin could almost believe she was watching him through a portal, seeing him as he was right at this moment. After a few seconds the picture faded and the screen went dark. She peered into the smooth black surface, focusing on the afterimage – Nicky in negative, overlaid by the reflection of her eyes and the ghostly glow of the flame. “Nicky.” When the image behind her eyes finally faded too she tried to see beyond the scrying glass of the phone’s screen, into whatever dimension the emptiness might reveal. Past, present, future – she didn’t care as long as she saw him. Thana Niveau is a horror and science fiction writer. Originally from the... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“The Ifrit's Trial” by Spencer Ellsowrth (Originally published in Human Tales.) Noble courtiers, wazirs, Sultan and lovely Sultana, salaam. Such fanfare for a poor Ifrit you have brought! I see you have seven red-robed sorcerers arrayed about the room, and seven white-robed holy men, each holding the seal of Suleyman whom the Hebrews called Solomon the Wise, and chanting the psalms of David, may peace fall upon him. In the yards of the palace you have arrayed seven times seven of these fork-bearded sorcerers, and seven times seven of these shaven holy men, and they each hold the seal and speak psalms and suras. After the time I have spent in your service, noble Sultan, do you think that I would be so foolish to not stand at my trial? I am a foolish Ifrit, this much is true, but there is enough sense in my head of air and fire to know that I owe you an explanation. This is the crime of which I stand accused: of my own malicious nature, I cast a wicked spell upon the Sultana Jalima and caused her... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “Black Baccara” by Jay Lake & Ruth Nestvold ("Tales of the Rose Knights" #6, originally published in Daily Science Fiction.) Baccara is one of the dark ones from among the ranks of the Rose Knights. She is a pale woman, needle-thin with large eyes dark as bruises. She always goes clad in satin of a color that falls somewhere between maroon and leaf mold. Baccara follows battle rather than leading it like most of her fellows, always in the service of the Armies of the Moon. Baccara can hear the whispers of the departing souls of the dead. From them she bargains for secrets. And the Velvet Knight always keeps her bargains. Jay Lake lived in Portland, Oregon until his death in 2014, shortly before his 50th birthday. His books include Kalimpura from Tor and Love in the Time of Metal and Flesh from Prime. His short fiction appeared regularly in literary and genre markets worldwide. Jay was a winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and a multiple nominee for the Hugo and... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “The Quest You Have Chosen Defies Your Fate” by Beth Cato (Originally published in Daily Science Fiction.) You are reading a book, and within that book you now walk through the iron gates of the junior high school of your youth.   You don't understand how you are reading of a real place within this old fantasy book of adventures you found in the closet of your childhood bedroom. These particular pages didn't exist before, here in this volume that you read until its white spine was bowed, swaybacked, broken.   Today you have fallen between the plot lines, the inked illustrations, the bookmarks you once placed at the major decisions you were asked to make--yes, your cheating is known. The bookmarks are gone. You can no longer flip back to choose between releasing the unicorn on page 32, or continuing into the forest on page 210, or the various other forks in your literary path.   Main Story: “Cartographer's Ink” by Beth Cato (Originally published in Daily Science Fiction.) Not even the... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This month's cover art is "Dragonfly Kiss" by Susan McKivergan, a digital muse, graphic designer, and artist. When not working and improving her skills in digital art, she enjoys cooking, 3-D modeling, texturing, painting, crafts, sewing, the beach, gardening, traveling, and more. She has done artwork for many CD and book covers, magazines, E-zines, and commissioned and licensed work. She has won several awards, has appeared in ImagineFX, and has sold thousands of prints through deviantART. Her virtual gallery can be found on Renderosity and deviantART, and she can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Flash Fiction: “Rain Like Diamonds” by Wendy Nikel (Originally published at Daily Science Fiction.) The queen hoarded the barrels of seed, keeping them locked within her coffers among the diamonds and gold and strings of perfect pearls, remnants of the former days of prosperity and excess. The seeds would receive neither sun nor water nor nutrients from the soil until unlocked by the shining key strung... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “Harlekin” by Jay Lake & Ruth Nestvold ("Tales of the Rose Knights" #5, originally published on Daily Science Fiction.) Harlekin was fair as a maiden, with a blush to match. Women can possess the kind of beauty that was his and still be taken seriously, but not men -- or so it seemed to the beautiful youth. Is it any wonder that he chose to wear particolor and play the clown? This strategy went well for him for a time--being underestimated has its advantages. But when Harlekin decided to become a Rose Knight and serve the forces of Prince Arthur de Sansal in the Kingdoms of the East to fight against the Forces of Darkness, the proctors of the Kingsguard looked at his fair skin and rosy cheeks, at his suit of creamy white and blushing red, and chuckled. Jay Lake lived in Portland, Oregon until his death in 2014, shortly before his 50th birthday. His books include Kalimpura from Tor and Love in the Time of Metal and Flesh from Prime. His short fiction appeared regularly in literary and... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “River Boys” by Stephen S. Power (Originally published in Faed.) The river gives our village food and blood, breath and beat, and, one evening, it gave us a boy. A girl named Minu found him in a coracle caught on a mossy bank upstream. She didn’t recognize the weave of his boat or the cloth knotted at his hips. He was terribly thin. He couldn’t speak or open his eyes. He only pointed at his mouth. She helped him onto shore and laid his head across her lap. As the river shares with us, we must share with others, so Minu fed the boy a pinch of the fishballs she’d brought in a blue and white cloth. He took her wrist with a slippery hand and sucked her fingertips clean. He seemed to fill out as she watched. Then he pointed at his mouth again. She looked toward the village and, seeing no one coming, she fed the boy another fishball. And another. In a few moments he’d eaten them all. When he let go of her wrist and pointed at his mouth, Minu held up the empty cloth and shook it. His eyes... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “The Pixie Game” by Anna Zumbro (Originally published at Daily Science Fiction.) The rain has stopped shortly before the dismissal bell rings, and the ground is spongy and quivering with worms. Someone taps Gage’s shoulder. He spins around and sees Dasha, her mouth upturned at some private joke. “We’re playing the pixie game. Want to come?” It’s the third time someone has talked to him at this school and the first time he’s been invited to do anything. He follows her, half running, to the hedges surrounding the playground. Iver and Jack are already waiting at the greenest part of the hedge. Gage has never spoken to either of them, but he’s noticed that everyone laughs at Iver’s jokes whether they’re funny or not, that even fifth-graders defer to him in the lunch line. Iver nods at... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Featured Story: “The Cow & The Beanstalk” by Julie Frost (Originally published in Azure Valley, April 2013) Once upon a time, I was unfaithful to my fiancée. That went… aye, about as well as you’d expect. “You traitorous varlet!” Mary screamed at me. “Please, beloved! This isn’t what it looks like — ” I dodged the chamberpot she flung at my head. Fortunately, it was empty. Unfortunately, this was in fact exactly what it looked like. “With my own sister?” Katherine, the sister in question, waved a languid hand. “You should be pleased with how long it took me to wear him down. Quite noble, your young man, ‘struth. I finally had to bespell him before he’d give in, and even that wasn’t easy.” Mary growled, a noise I’d never heard her make before. “You’ve always hated me, witch, and... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Flash Fiction: “Golden Unicorn” by Jay Lake & Ruth Nestvold (“Tales of the Rose Knights” #4, originally published in Daily Science Fiction.) The Rose Knight known as Golden Unicorn was a creature of field and forest, flowing across the mountain slopes as fire flows across the stubbled fields of autumn. She was born in the misty hills of the Farmost West, raised among the simple nut farmers of Chemeketa, bound to the service of no man nor spirit save her own will and the glories of those mountains. Her coat was the brown of polished walnut burl, and the horn upon her head glinted sunset gold.   The relationship between unicorns and virgins is storied past the point of recognition, but the question of unicorn virginity is another matter entire. The Golden Unicorn had spent... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.