Podcasts about Speculative fiction

This week, I got to talk with Cebo Campbell and MacKenzie Green about Cebo's speculative novel Sky Full of Elephants. We dive into his inspiration for the story, how he chose Charlie and Sidney as the characters to lead the story, and get a few details into the production of the Sky Full of Elephants movie!Sky Full of Elephants Synopsisn this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly "post-racial" America in search of answers. One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charles Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he's now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn't even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old who watched her white mother and step-family drown themselves in the lake behind their house. Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across America headed for Alabama, where Sidney believes she may still have some family left. But neither Sidney or Charlie is prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it. When they enter the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell's astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.Follow Cebo hereFollow MacKenzie here  Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

Stories and poetry featured in this episode:Beautiful Game by Toshiya Kamei - music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by the Jenna Hanchey -I, Robot by Ali Trotta - https://www.alitrotta.com/ -music by Doctor Auxiliary - https://doctorauxiliary.bandcamp.com -read by Jean-Paul Garnier -Trip Through Eternity by James Machell - https://www.youtube.com/@Fell-Purpose -music by TSG - https://tsgmusic.bandcamp.com/ -read by Jean-Paul Garnier -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054

This week, Steph and I talk about some our favorite books outside the thriller genre, since we've both been expanding our genres a little.Books We Talked AboutProject Hail MaryThe Road to Tender HeartsSky Full of ElephantsPS You're the WorstThe Three Lives of Cate KayThe Seven O'Clock ClubAn Academy for LiarsShy GirlThings Don't Break On Their OwnThe Book Club for Troublesome Women Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

A emoção mais antiga e mais forte da humanidade é o medo, e o mais antigo e mais forte de todos os medos é o medo do desconhecido. Honrando a meta do apoia.se, o RdMCast lança, finalmente, o especial sobre Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Neste episódio, exploramos a vida, as polêmicas opiniões e a obra do mestre do horror cósmico que revolucionou a literatura de terror no século XX. Através de sua história de vida, seus escritos e sua mitologia única centrada em entidades ancestrais como Cthulhu, que representam o terror do desconhecido e do incompreensível. Analisamos suas técnicas narrativas características, incluindo a atmosfera densa e o uso de narradores confrontados com horrores indescritíveis. Através de A Cor Que Caiu do Espaço, nossa bancada propõe um estudo de caso sobre a narrativa de Lovecraft e suas adaptações para o cinema – sim, incluindo o filme do Nicolas Cage. Prepare-se para horrores indescritíveis e inomináveis.O RdMCast é produzido e apresentado por: Gabriel Braga, Gabi Larocca e Thiago Natário.Apoie o RdM e receba recompensas exclusivas: https://apoia.se/rdmCITADOS NO PROGRAMA:Morte Para um Monstro (1965) A Maldição (1987)Colour From the Dark (2008)Die Farbe (2010)A Cor Que Caiu do Espaço (2019)Citações off topic:O Chamado de Cthulhu (conto, 1928)Carmilla (livro, 1872)Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction (livro, 2019)O Corvo (1963)Chamas da Vingança (1984)Mandy: Sede de Vingança (2018)Mãe e Pai (2017)EPISÓDIOS CITADOS:RdMCast #278 – Especial Stephen KingRdMCast #273 – Lovecraft CountrySiga o RdMYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Rep%C3%BAblicadoMedoInstagram: @republicadomedoTwitter: @RdmcastEntre em contato através do: contato@republicadomedo.com.brLoja do RdMConheça nossos produtos: https://lojaflutuante.com.br/?produto=RdmCarne de Dedos, e Outras Verdades IndigestasCompre na Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0FBMNRV3ZLinktre: https://linktr.ee/santiagoddubraPODCAST EDITADO PORFelipe LourençoESTÚDIO GRIM – Design para conteúdo digitalPortfólio: https://estudiogrim.com.br/Instagram: @estudiogrimContato: contato@estudiogrim.com.br

The Blasters & Blades PodcastWe've got a brainiac episode for you today with DJ Butler, MA Rothman and Steve Diamond here talking nerdy. We chatted with our guest co-host Jana S Brown (Jena Rey) to help me herd the cats. We talked about everything, from Gilgamesh to The Lord of the Rings. This was a fun interview, so check out this episode. Co-Hosts:JR Handley (Author) (Grunt)Jana S Brown (Author) (Chief Shenanigator)We work for free, so if you wanna throw a few pennies our way there is a linked Buy Me A Coffee site where you can do so. Just mention the podcast in the comments when you donate, and I'll keep the sacred bean water boiling!Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AuthorJRHandleyOur LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/blastersandbladespodcastToday's SponsorWarmaster by Melissa McShane: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKW4P4BCoffee Brand Coffee AffiliateSupport the Show: https://coffeebrandcoffee.com/?ref=y4GWASiVorJZDbDiscount Code: PodcastGruntsCoupon Code Gets you 10% offFollow Dave D.J. Butler on social mediaDave's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B007TOU6GSDave's Website: https://davidjohnbutler.com/Dave's Twitter: https://x.com/davidjohnbutlerDave's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GopherWoodLoungeDave's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/djbutlerArk Press: https://ark.press/Follow Jana S Brown on social mediaJana's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jana-S.-Brown/author/B015VJV7JWJana's Website: www.opalkingdompress.comJana's Twitter: https://twitter.com/janastocksJana's Facebook: www.facebook.com/janasbrownwritesJana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janasbrownwrites/Follow Michael MA Rothman on social mediaRothman's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/M.A.-Rothman/author/B07FNWLN45Rothman's Website: https://www.michaelarothman.com/Rothman's Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelARothmanRothman's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelARothmanRothman's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/353098778599026Rothman's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael.a.rothman/Follow Steve Diamond on social mediaSteve's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Diamond/e/B012L990DUSteve's Website: https://thestevendiamond.wordpress.com/Steve's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveDiamond80Steve's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteveDDiamondThe Writer's Dojo Podcast: https://www.writerdojo.com/Follow Baen Books on social mediaBaen's Website: https://www.baen.com/Baen's Twitter: https://x.com/BaenBooksBaen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BaenBooksBaen's Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/BaenBooksBaen's Podcast: https://www.baen.com/podcastBaen's Free Library: https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/2012Baen's Merchandise: https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/4930Time Trials by M.A. Rothman & D.J. Butler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWP9CFB4#scifishenanigans #scifishenaniganspodcast #bbp #blastersandblades #blastersandbladespodcast #podcast #scifipodcast #fantasypodcast #scifi #fantasy #books #rpg #comics #fandom #literature #comedy #veteran #army #armyranger #ranger #scififan #redshirts #scifiworld #sciencefiction #scifidaily #scificoncept #podcastersofinstagram #scificons #podcastlife #podcastsofinstagram #scifibooks #awardwinningscifi #newepisode #podcastersofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcast #scifigeek #scifibook #sfv #scifivisionaries #firesidechat #chat #panel #fireside #religionquestion #coffee #tea #coffeeortea #CoffeeBrandCoffee #JRHandley #NickGarber #MadamStabby #DaveButler #JanaSBrown #JenaRey #MARothman #MichaelRothman #SeanOswald #SteveDiamond #Myths&LegendsInSpeculativeFiction #Myths #Legends #specfic #SpeculativeFiction #Atlantis #TrojanHorse #Baen #BaenPublishing #BaenBooks #ArkPress #Zues #MountOlympus #Moses #monsters #werewolves #werewolf #Gilgamesh #Berserker #SlenderMan #TheLegendsOfTheJackalope #MtDew #MountainDew #SodaFountain #Cursed #TheCursed

In these unfathomable moments, when the world seems to be falling apart—we often turn to stories for guidance. For the folks in Southern California earlier this year, that story was Parable of the Sower. Readers are returning to the book today because it shows us how speculation – and Afrofuturism in particular – can help us move through the world with our eyes open. Read a transcript of this episode on our website.Check out our booklist with titles from Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and more! Learn more about how you can help Octavia's Bookshelf in Altadena by supporting their Patreon. And, you can check out the Altadena Community Land Trust.If you're in California, check out Ode to ‘Dena: Black Artistic Legacies of Altadena,' an exhibit at the California African American Museum that features Nikki High and others.Listen to Octavia's Parables, a podcast from adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagan that follows the Parable books, or Jessica Bethel's League of Extraordinary Readers podcast. You can also check out her virtual book club, Literature Noir, or Toshi Reagan's opera based on the Parable books.

The Blasters & Blades PodcastToday marks the 249th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. To commemorate that, we had a panel to discuss the role of revolutions in speculative fiction. It was a lively chat where we crossed literary boundaries and discussed big concepts and had so much fun that it's illegal in two of the Continental United States. We had a great panel and pontificated in all of the coolest and smartest ways with some friends and readers. This was a fun interview, so check it out. Co-Hosts: JR HandleyNick GarberMadam Stabby StabWe work for free, so if you wanna throw a few pennies our way there is a linked Buy Me A Coffee site where you can do so. Just mention the podcast in the comments when you donate, and I'll keep the sacred bean water boiling!Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AuthorJRHandleyOur LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/blastersandbladespodcastToday's SponsorOn Deadly Ground by Bayonet Books: https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Ground-Heroic-Bayonet-Anthology-ebook/dp/B09GL5CYY4Coffee Brand Coffee AffiliateSupport the Show: https://coffeebrandcoffee.com/?ref=y4GWASiVorJZDbDiscount Code: PodcastGruntsCoupon Code saves you 10%Follow Charli Cox on social mediaCharli's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charli-Cox/author/B0C8BX33XL Charli's Website: https://www.charlicox.net/ Charli's Dot Page: https://dot.cards/charlicox Follow Jana S Brown on social mediaJana's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jana-S.-Brown/author/B015VJV7JW Jana's Website: www.opalkingdompress.comJana's Facebook: www.facebook.com/janasbrownwrites Follow Justin Watson on social mediaJustin's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Justin-Watson/author/B07PWTKLRYJustin's Website: https://www.justinwatsonbooks.com/ Justin's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.watson.165685 Follow Melissa Olthoff on social mediaMelissa's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0887TC95H Melissa's Website: https://www.melissaolthoff.com/ Melissa's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissaolthoff4/ Follow Steve Caldwell on social mediaSteve's Website: http://thebookwyrmspeaks.blogspot.com/ Follow Baen Books on social mediaBaen's Website: https://www.baen.com/ Baen's Twitter: https://x.com/BaenBooks Baen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BaenBooks Baen's Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/BaenBooks Baen's Podcast: https://www.baen.com/podcast Horse Soldier Bourbon: https://horsesoldierbourbon.com/Hooten Young Bourbon: https://hootenyoung.com/product/whiskey/ #scifishenanigans #scifishenaniganspodcast #bbp #blastersandblades #blastersandbladespodcast #podcast #scifipodcast #fantasypodcast #scifi #fantasy #books #rpg #comics #fandom #literature #comedy #veteran #army #armyranger #ranger #scififan #redshirts #scifiworld #sciencefiction #scifidaily #scificoncept #podcastersofinstagram #scificons #podcastlife #podcastsofinstagram #scifibooks #awardwinningscifi #newepisode #podcastersofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcast #scifigeek #scifibook #sfv #scifivisionaries #firesidechat #chat #panel #fireside #religionquestion #coffee #tea #coffeeortea #CoffeeBrandCoffee #JRHandley #NickGarber #MadamStabby #Baen #BaenPublishing #BaenBooks #CharliCox #JanaSBrown #JenaRey #JustinWatson #MelissaOlthoff #SteveC #TotalRecall #BladeRunner #PhillipKDick #HarryTurtledove #Roman #Byzantine #JacobiteRebellion #FrenchRevolution #starwars #jedi #georgelucas #lucasfilms #startrek #trekkie #firefly #serenity #browncoat #VivaLaRevolucion #RevolutionsInSpeculativeFiction #DanielWisniewski #Robotech #Macross #GundamWing #Transformers #Insurgency #CounterRevolution #CounterInsergency #Tragedy #Grimdark #4thofJuly #LiberTea #HungerGames #StarshipTroopers #Divergent #MoonIsAHarshMistress #RedPlanet #TheMatrix #SnowPiercer #MadMax #VfotVendetta #Avatar #GalaxysEdge #GunsOfTheSouth #Elysium #ChildrenOfMen #District9 #PlanetOfTheApes #StigersTigers #RogueOne #RedTideRising

EPISODE 558 - Edward R Rosick - Where The Grass Don't Grow and Vultures Sing, 12 Tales of speculative fictionEdward R. Rosick is a writer and physician living in the urban wilds of central Michigan. His diverse works of speculative fiction, from the sublime to surreal, have appeared in numerous award-winning magazines and anthologies including Pulphouse, The Half That You See, and Monstrous Tales Vol. 2 & 3. Dr. Rosick is also an accomplished nonfiction writer, having authored hundreds of articles on nutrition, health, and wellness for publications including Life Extension, Oxygen, and Ultimate Athlete. When he's not reading, writing, or working, Dr. Rosick enjoys spending time exercising, doing martial arts, and being outdoors with his family, friends, and canine companion.Edward R. Rosick is a writer and physician living in the urban wilds of central Michigan. His diverse works of speculative fiction, from the sublime to surreal, have appeared in numerous award-winning magazines and anthologies, including Pulphouse, Sick Cruising, and The Half That You See.Spring has sprung here in Michigan! Although intermittent days of cold and—dare I say it, snow—continue on, crocuses and daffodils are giving the landscape a kaleidoscope of welcome color.On the publishing front, the big news is that my short story collection, WHERE THE GRASS DON'T GROW AND VULTURES SING , has been published! I'm quite proud of the 12 tales of speculative fiction—some sublime, all surreal—that grace the pages of the book published by Baynam Books Press. Go to Amazon to get your copy today. For a sample of one of the stories, entitled Leshii, in the collection, head over the free stories section for a peek!Book mentioned: The Portable MFA in Creative Writing - Get the core knowledge of a prestigious MFA education without the tuition. Have you always wanted to get an MFA, but couldn't because of the cost, time commitment, or admission requirements? Well now you can fulfill that dream without having to devote tons of money or time. The Portable MFA gives you all of the essential information you would learn in the MFA program in one book. Covering fiction, memoirs, personal essays, magazine articles, poetry, and playwriting, this book provides you with:    • Inspiration and tips on revision, stamina, and productivity    • Clear instruction on the craft behind the art    • Detailed reading lists to expand your literary horizons    • Exercises to improve your writing endeavors By heeding the advice in The Portable MFA, you will gain the wisdom and experience of some of today's greatest teachers, all for just the price of a book.https://www.edrosick.net/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Send us a textIn this interview with Nicole Glover, author of the Aviatrix Book Club discussion book for June 2025, The Improvisers, we talk about how she wove historical themes of aviation, race and civil rights, historically Black communities, music, family, and sisterhood into a magical fantasy fiction mystery set in the 1930s. Buy the Book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/the-improvisers-a-murder-and-magic-novel/Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker

Get all the show notes and bonus content at wickedproblems.earth!How am I gonna be an optimist about this? This conversation's official exit music is from Bastille. But stick around for a twist. Turns out it's not just men who think about the Roman Empire.Polymath raconteuse Solitaire Townsend - sustainability consultant, co-founder of Futerra, UN envoy, award-winning author of the non-fiction The Solutionists - wasn't just thinking about Rome. She's wondering, ‘what if I combine some Roman Empire stuff with climate fiction in an alt-history universe in a novel featuring a kick-arse heroine?' And gets herself a two-book deal.Pre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site or wherever you get good books.Wicked Problems is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.As a cli-fi/alt-history nerd with shelves stuffed with riffs on Rome from Gibbon to Mary Beard with stops for Asimov's Foundation series, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be the first to introduce Solitaire Townsend as “novelist” on a podcast.We talk about her turn to fiction, why now, why the alt-history genre, kick around ideas about alt-history from Philip K. Dick to Star Trek (with some Ursula le Guin because why not), and how she deploys the form to tell a cautionary tale about a world that could have been a lot worse off in its climate breakdown — where Rome never fell, because of the 2nd-century CE invention of the combustion engine.As Solitaire says, if we started burning oil under Marcus Aurelius, climate change would have started much sooner. The warming and rising seas fuel extreme weather events called “God-storms”, caused - according to the Imperial version of Fox News - by lack of piety.Most of that is in the background only creating the more personal, intimate world in which her characters struggle - including a gladatrix-turned-governess seeking to rescue her charge from nefarious clutches and kicking serious arse along the way.In Conversation00:28 First Podcast as a Novelist00:56 Pitching 'Godstorm'02:18 Background and Career of Solitaire Townsend02:37 Solitaire, Sustainability Caesaris04:01 Nonfiction Writing Journey05:49 Role of Storytelling in Social Change07:22 Transition to Fiction Writing08:14 Discovering a Passion for Writing10:24 Exploring Alternate History14:05 Speculative Fiction and Personal Interests17:26 Themes and Inspirations for 'God Storm'20:14 Character Development and Empathy22:14 Reflections on Ursula Le Guin and Sci-Fi27:21 Conclusion and Book Pre-Order InformationPre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site.Exit Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten Days remain for your speculative fiction novel to be discovered in some of the most popular Book Award Divisions we offer! Does your book have what it takes to succeed?

Stories featured in this episode:Plucking Flowers from My Garden of Poison by Renan Bernardo - https://www.renanbernardo.com/ -music by TSG - https://tsgmusic.bandcamp.com/ -read by the Jenna Hanchey -Memory Scrape by Eric Fomley - https://ericfomleyblog.wordpress.com/ -music by Doctor Auxiliary - https://doctorauxiliary.bandcamp.com -read by Jean-Paul Garnier -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054

In this episode, we dive into Don't Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo—a haunting, magical companion to The Chosen and the Beautiful. Set in the late 1930s, Nick Carraway is still pretending—about his past, his identity, and his humanity—until a familiar figure from 1922 returns. Dead or not, Gatsby isn't finished with him. A reimagining of The Great Gatsby like you've never heard before.Author ReadsLooking for Hamlet by Marvin W. HuntThe Lies of Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi

This week, it's a very special edition of the Southsea Creatives series as Alex & Dan welcome author and poet Dale M. Chatwin to the orange sofa to talk about his early writings as a child, his newest horror book (out now on Amazon - link below!) and... coming of age with Starship Troopers....?Talking about writing influences, personal experiences and imparting some wisdom for budding writers and creatives, this is a great opportunity to hear from a creative writer with a passion for a variety of genres; from Horror to Speculative Fiction, Gothic Romance to Poetry.As always, it's another great opportunity to hear from you the listener - as Dale answers questions posed from the audience.Sit back, relax and whatever you do - don't go in search of the Bobhowler!#GITS

“As my own mother is aging, she's telling me … before I take this to my grave, here is something you should know. So the secrets are coming out. And as more and more secrets are revealed, I'm learning more about myself.” - Ibi Zoboi Ibi Zoboi writes to remember—her own story, her family's legacy, and the long history of migration, myth, and memory that shaped them both. For Ibi, storytelling is a form of resistance and reclamation. It's how she makes sense of the secrets that shaped her life and gives voice to those left out of the narrative. A National Book Award finalist and the bestselling author of American Street, Pride, Star Child, and (S)Kin, Ibi's work blurs the line between folklore and futurism. In this episode, Stories Left Untold: Ibi Zoboi on Secrets Lost and Found, she opens up about growing up Haitian in 1980s Brooklyn, discovering a half-sister decades later, and finding her way to writing through soap operas, Stephen King, and the voices of women who came before her. She also shares how a Vodou ceremony in Brooklyn changed her relationship to her culture, why she always sought out elders and activists, and how she's still learning to push back against the pressure to fit a mold—on the page and off.Ibi's reading challenge, Haitian Creations, celebrates stories of migration and identity from first-generation and immigrant voices—stories that, like hers, speak to the truths we inherit and the ones we uncover for ourselves.Download Ibi's reading challenge at thereadingculturepod.com/ibi-zoboiAnd this week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again William Shaller, the librarian at Hoffman Middle School in Houston, Texas. This time, he shares how a surprise resurgence of Twilight led to an unforgettable moment of joy and connection in his school library.Show ChaptersChapter 1: Under The TableChapter 2: Danny BoyChapter 3: Two Thousand Suns Chapter 4: Brooklyn VodouChapter 5: GhostedChapter 6: Reading ChallengeChapter 7: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Ibi ZoboiIbi Zoboi InstagramTwo Thousand SeasonsBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

This week, I got to talk with Jennifer Oko about her uniquely crafted novel Just Emilia. We dive into how she created the three women in the elevator as their own characters, but also all the same woman, and the inspiration for the story.Just Emilia SynopsisThe past, present, and future collide in a DC Metro elevator as three women get caught up in a gripping time-traveling tale of memory, emotion, and unspoken truths about their shared history.When Emilia Fletcher finds herself trapped inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator, getting out is the least of her problems. Sharing the confined space with her are Em, a troubled teenager plagued by suicidal thoughts, and Millie, an elderly woman yearning to mend ties with her estranged daughter. As the hours drag on, hunger, exhaustion, and panic set in, revealing an almost incomprehensible truth: they are the same person. Locked in an uncompromising match of memories, the three women excavate and attempt to reckon with the shared shame and suffering stemming from an unresolved trauma that has cast a profound shadow over their lives. Brimming with biting humor, compassion, and quick-witted insight, JUST EMILIA is remarkable journey of self-discovery. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

In this episode, we are joined by Canadian-born, UK-based debut author Grace Flahive, whose humorous and heart-warming speculative fiction novel, Palm Meridian, was recently published by Simon & Schuster Canada. Palm Meridian is described as "a rollicking, big-hearted story of long-lost love, friendship, and a life well-lived, set at a Florida retirement resort for queer women, on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin's life." We were so excited to be joined by Grace to discuss her writing career, her previous work in publishing, and more. Be sure to grab a copy of Palm Meridian, available on Kobo now! We spoke to Grace about her journey to becoming an author, what inspired her to write this story, how she depicted death and mortality in her novel alongside levity and humour, why she chose to focus her story on the queer community, what makes this novel speculative fiction, and much more! Follow Grace on Instagram to learn more.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is William R Douglas, author of the book The Sun of All Our Anger: Civil War 2.0. William R. Douglas is an award-winning novelist whose debut novel, The Death and Resurrection of Baseball: Echoes from a Distant Past, was recognized by two book award contests: Readers' Favorite and the Independent Author Network. His latest novel, The Sum of All Our Anger: Civil War 2.0, is a Speculative Fiction story set in 2061, a time when the nation's divisiveness and anger finally come to a boil after the inauguration of the first openly socialist President.   After obtaining a Journalism Degree in 1980, his career turned down the road of Information Technology, working for well-known companies: Mindscape Software, Moore Business Forms, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), IBM, Sears, Walgreens, DELL, and currently The Boeing Company. He could still enjoy writing in his career, whether it was technical documentation, websites, newsletters, or other material.   He lives an hour northwest of Chicago in the small town of McHenry, Illinois (population 27 thousand), with his wife Laurie and cat Peaches. They enjoy spending time with six kids and nine grandkids and are active in their local church.   In my book review, I stated The Sum of All Our Anger: Civil War 2.0 by William R Douglas is realistic domestic military thriller set about forty years in the future. This book was amazing. Horrifying. Thought-provoking. Disturbing. Anxiety-producing. And a must-read.   The Civil War is something we should never want to repeat in the United States, but with political parties who refuse to work together, name-calling, and "dig in our heels" ideologies, many fear this could be on the horizon. The Sum of All Our Anger looks at the United States in 2061 and shows readers a worst case scenario that includes states seceding from the Union, martial law, and the removal of the founding documents of our country.   Quite frankly, I had to put the book down several times and swallow hard before I could continue. Why? Because I could imagine this scenario playing out. And the results of a second Civil War would be beyond devastating. I hope you read this book, contemplate what you see, and do your part to effect change - regardless of which side of the aisle holds your vote.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author William R Douglas Website: https://www.authorwilliamrdouglas.com/ FB: @Author William R Douglas X:authorwilliamr IG: @williamrdouglas59   Purchase The Sun of All Our Anger: Civil War 2.0 on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Zv8LGO Ebook: https://amzn.to/4kzrysR   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #williamrdouglas #thesumofallouranger #thriller #militarythriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Cygnus Awards Hall of Fame is here! Join us in celebrating the most recent Chanticleer Sci-Fi Grand Prize Winners and all things Speculative Fiction!

Today, seeking refuge in Black Horror and Afro-Futurism. Then, the directors of “Freaky Tales.” And, authors who are looking into the near future with their fiction.

In this very special episode of Lucid Cafe, I celebrate the long-awaited release of my new book, Raven's Daughter: The Story Keeper. After years of dreaming, writing, and behind-the-scenes work, publication day is finally here.Joining me is my brilliant and hilarious friend Claire Wheeler, who helps me unpack the story, themes, and inspiration behind the book. This is the first time I'm speaking about Raven's Daughter out loud in any real depth, so it's part book talk, part soul share — with a few meandering moments along the way.We explore some of the book's deeper currents, including our complicated relationship with deception, the influence of artificial intelligence, and our growing disconnection from the natural world. Though it's a work of fiction, Raven's Daughter offers an imaginative lens for reflecting on the challenges of our time.In this conversation, Claire and Wendy discuss:The inspiration for Raven's DaughterDeceptionHow do you know what's true?Terror management theoryThe three realities described in the bookThe story's shamanic influenceFor more information about Raven's Daughter or to purchase a copy, visit Three Worlds Press Listen to some absurd and unhelpful nonsense Inside the Box with Claire and Wendy podcastBECOME YOUR OWN SHAMAN Introductory Online Course Visit Wendy's website to learn more about the the Harmonic Egg®  Lucid Cafe episodes by topic  Listen to Lucid Cafe on YouTube  ★ Support this podcast ★

John Maytham is joined by Warwick Eccles, Development Executive at award winning South African production house Mannequin Films, to explore the chilling world of Good Hope, the debut political thriller by Nick Clelland, recently optioned for screen adaptation. Set in a dystopian version of Cape Town, now an independent and heavily surveilled Cape Republic, the novel imagines a society where public executions coincide with the Noon Gun and only the qualified may vote Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Australian Book Lovers podcast episode 139, Veronica and Laurie are back in the Writer's Room, diving into suspense and speculative fiction with Ann Dombroski and lifting the contemporary theatre curtain with Deborah Pike, two authors with some unexpected things in common.Intro - 0:57Deborah Pike Bio - 2:58 Ann Dombroski Bio - 4:03Book Spotlight - After the Great Storm by Ann Dombroski - suspense and speculative fiction - 9:40Book Spotlight - The Players by Deborah Pike - contemporary - 11:05Should you write for an audience or yourself? - 15:26Emerging themes in your stories - 24:07Research, too much, too little, most interesting - 29:32Share your writing process - 35:22Students and literature - 49:38Advice for new writers - 56:52Support the showThanks for listening.Visit australianbooklovers.com to learn more.

Stories featured in this episode:Negation by KC Grifant - https://scifiwri.com/ -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by the Jenna Hanchey -So I Guess I'm Not an Actual Person Anymore by Franco Amati -https://francoamatiwrites.com -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by Jean-Paul Garnier -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054

Rarely do we see literature tackling South Asia and India's biggest social issue: caste, and particularly anti-caste justice. A newly published groundbreaking anthology aims to change that.

Part 2 of a 2 part episode. This week, Jules and Madeleine return to the 'nice guy' trope. A trope that probably started with good intentions but soured quickly. Can this trope affect perceptions in real life? If so, how far does that go? Can you write a genuinely nice guy? And what is the 'nice guy renaissance'? On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harker & Blackthorn and many mor   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

We're back to finish our discussion of the climactic fifth book of the Stormlight Archive Series by Brandon Sanderson - Wind and Truth. We still have many thoughts. Timestamps 0:01:12 The Shattered Plains Story 0:13:43 Dalinar & Navani's Story 0:37:08 Shallan, Renarin, Rlain story 0:54:27 Satisfying Endings 1:44:53 Predictions 2:10:19 Theories for real We'll finish our broad overview of the remaining areas of the story, a lot of Sigzil and Dalinar. We'll of course discuss how the series ends and where we go from here. And please forgive us for having a hard time remembering which is Favilar and which is Gavinor

In this special bonus episode of Geek Freaks, Frank is joined by acclaimed comic book writer Aubrey Sitterson to explore the radical, sci-fi world of Free Planet, his new series from Image Comics. Known for his bold storytelling and politically rich narratives, Aubrey takes us deep into the philosophical core of Free Planet, unpacking its themes of revolution, freedom, and the cost of building a better world. With deep dives into the creative process, the influence of history and anthropology, and the collaboration with artist Jed Dougherty, this episode is packed with insight and fire. Timestamps and Topics: 00:00 – Intro: Why this bonus episode matters 00:19 – Who is Aubrey Sitterson? Background and work 01:03 – The concept behind Free Planet 02:08 – Revolution, history, and political roots 04:30 – Defining real freedom and post-war challenges 07:53 – Layouts, spreads, and comic as object 09:46 – Balancing personal drama with large-scale politics 12:30 – Research-driven worldbuilding over aesthetics 18:06 – Interpersonal conflict as a reflection of ideology 22:34 – Creative process with Jed Dougherty 25:54 – Lettering innovations and character voice 28:01 – The unreliable narrator and historical context 34:11 – Print vs digital: Why Free Planet demands paper 43:01 – Final reflections and what's next Key Takeaways: Aubrey Sitterson uses Free Planet to challenge conventional ideas of freedom and revolution. The comic is deeply researched, pulling from real-world political and cultural movements. Free Planet is built as a print-first experience, with double-page spreads, maps, and dense visual storytelling. The creative team—Jed Dougherty, Taylor Esposito, and Vittorio Astone—elevate the book's layered vision. The book includes in-world historical commentary that questions neutrality and narrative control. Sitterson aims to create work that demands attention and resists passive reading. Quotes: “The only freedom worth having is the freedom you fight for.” – Aubrey Sitterson “We made Free Planet for people who want to sit with something and really think.” – Aubrey “Talon's fan reaction was so strong, I had to restructure the story just to give him more space.” – Aubrey “There's a difference between mimicking aesthetics and actually building something from the same roots.” – Aubrey Call to Action: Love these kinds of deep-dive interviews? Subscribe to Geek Freaks, leave a review, and share this episode using #GeekFreaksPodcast. Bonus episodes like this are just one of the many ways we celebrate creators and storytellers in geek culture. Links and Resources: All news and updates from this episode at GeekFreaksPodcast.com Pick up Free Planet from Image Comics — Available now at your local comic shop! Follow Us: Instagram: @geekfreakspodcast Threads: @geekfreakspodcast Facebook: Geek Freaks Podcast Twitter: @geekfreakspod Patreon: patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast Listener Questions: Got a favorite indie comic or creator you think we should feature? Let us know on social or at GeekFreaksPodcast.com! Apple Podcast Tags: comics, sci-fi comics, Free Planet, Aubrey Sitterson, Image Comics, political comics, comic book creators, independent comics, comic interviews, revolutionary stories, space opera, speculative fiction, graphic novels, comic book podcast

The Realm Makers' Writer's Convention and Fan Expo are premier events for Christians writing in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction genres. On this episode, we discuss the guests and content one can find at these world-class events.  www.realmmakers.com Support Nerdy Folks:  Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks  

The climactic fifth book of the Stormlight Archive Series by Brandon Sanderson has arrived, and we... we have thoughts. Quite a few of them! Join us as we discuss what worked, what didn't, which characters had the best stories, and ideas about what will happen in the future as the first arc of this series concludes. The episode was so long (there is a lot of book in this book, after all) we wanted to split it into two parts. Timestamps:0:06:04    Succinct Summar(ies) 0:24:08    Going Into the Book 0:44:52    Early Impressions 1:03:32    Kaladin and Szeth's Story 1:18:10    Adolin in Azimir 1:30:01    Jasnah in Thaylenah We'll start off by discussing the pre-book, as it were- an overview of the cosmere, the history of Roshar, and the first 4 books in the series. Then we discuss our expectations and how the book starts, before getting into each geographical area in this book and the major plotlines there. We only get halfway through this endeavor before the end of the episode Links to other material discussed The "Kaladin is Jesus!" summary of Way of Kings Explanation Point's Apothecary Diaries Video

In the first part of this new column about the alt-right and Speculative Fiction fandom, we get to know the author of the groundbreaking discussion, Speculative Witeness. Alan and Jordan discuss gateway genre authors, JRR Tolkien, transgressive science fiction, how SF fans experience time differently, how Jordan started studying the alt-right in conjunction with Speculative Fiction, Jordan's relationship to fandom, becoming a Hugo finalist, the treatment of genre in acadamia, the history of fascism in Speculative Fiction, neo-nazis relationship to fandom, Alan also continues his feud with Diane over Robert Heinlein vs. Phillip K Dick, and much more.  Geek Temporalities and the Spirit of Captial can be found here. You can find a copy of Speculative Whiteness here.

The dragons are back! Join us for an exciting season delving into new writing topics and speculative fiction takes.   This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the 'nice guy' trope. While the term is relatively new, the character type is not, cropping up in Shakespeare, Austen and even in folklore. While this was a character archetype introduced originally to balance the over-muscled, over-sexed and under-brained macho male lead of the seventies and eighties, writers took their collective eye off the ball and things went south pretty quickly. So what is a 'nice guy' and why does something so innocuous sounding carry so much collective dirt? Find out in part one of a two part episode. On the slab this week: Friends, Little Women - L M Montgomery, Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Scott Minor and his wife founded the Realm Makers Writer's Conference, which is now one of the premier events in the country for Christians who are writing sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction. Now, they have added a fan expo with a full lineup of incredible guests. It's all happening on July 18-20th, 2025 in Grand Rapids Michigan. Tickets and information can be found at www.realmmakers.com  Would you consider supporting Nerdy Folks? Here are ways to get in touch and to give:  Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks  

Randee Dawn. Take a walk with me down Fascination Street, as I get to know Randee dawn. Randee is a journalist and author. In this episode we get to know Randee from her early days in Bensonhurst Brookly, to her NPR day, and even her beginnings as a music journalist. Randee shares stories about working with The Trashcan Sinatras, and Adam Schlesinger. She tells us about how her music fan attitude led to her working with the band Ivy, which turned into some really fascinating online blog projects. Then we discuss how she came to write for Alternative Press magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and Soap Opera Digest, basically at the same time. In her soap opera journalism career, she covered: One Life To Live, Another World, and maybe just a bit on Passions!. Naturally I ask her about her interviewing Vincent D'Onofrio about the Forest Witaker TV show The Godfather of Harlem. Even though Randee made a bit of a name for herself writing Law & Order speculative fiction, that didn't come up in her interview with Vincent. Finally, we dive into Randee's books! Besides having developed an audience in the speculative fiction area, Randee Dawn has written a bunch of books. Her fun and dynamic storytelling has gotten her multiple novels published in a relatively short period of time. 'Tune In Tomorrow', 'Don't Touch That Dial', 'Leave No Trace', and 'The Only Song Worth Singing' have catapulted Randee into a new level of popularity. These novels have become so popular that the publishers are dying for more! Check out all of her work at RandeeDawn.com and find her on all the socials at Randee Dawn. Randee continues to write for Today.com, Variety, The Envelope, and The L.A. Times.

“I'm always really fascinated by what gets trimmed off the edges. And because there's gold in there sometimes. And why would a creative professional choose to include this, but not that?” -- Jasper Ezekiel In this How To Write the Future episode, host Beth Barany chats with speculative fiction writer Jasper Ezekiel, and talks about what parts of our story worlds we include in our fiction and what gets left out including balancing story elements for the reader experience. About Jasper EzekielJasper Ezekiel is a queer author from the SF Bay Area. He's a jack of all trades, writing poetry, non-fiction, fiction, and plays. He's also a visual artist who specializes in illustration, a fiber artist with dreams of being a pattern creator, and a big ol' goofball. His first book of poetry, Good, Clean Mania was published in 2023. You can find it on multiple platforms here: https://books2read.com/u/3Gp5gOSocial media links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s8nicangel/My personal Substack: https://jasperezekiel.substack.com/My writing Substack:https://jasperezekielk.substack.com/ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.RESOURCESGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Stories featured in this episode:A Love Story by Thomas Broderick - hhttps://www.broderickwriter.com/ -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by the Jean-Paul Garnier -A Locked Box, Bound with Chains, Buried Six Feet Deep by Jenna Hanchey- https://jennahanchey.com/ -music by TSG - https://tsgmusic.bandcamp.com/ -read by the author -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054

Holly Goddard Jones is an author and educator best known for literary fiction. She was a recipient of The Fellowship of Southern Writers' Hillsdale Prize for Excellence in Fiction and the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, and her work has appeared in several literary publications, including The Best American Mystery Stories, New Stories from the South, and Tin House magazine, in addition to two of her own short story collections and two novels. In the 2010s, while teaching at a residency in a highly wooded part of Tenessee, Jones was inspired to write a horror story about an insidious species of ticks that carry a horrifying deadly disease. That story became a novel, rooted in the climate crisis, in which Jones explored not just the horror of the ticks themselves, but how the inequities baked into our existing socioeconomic system might look in the face of a serious existential threat.

Muriel Leung is a recipient of fellowships to Kundiman, VONA/Voices Workshop and the Community of Writers, and she has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her writing can be found in The Baffler, Cream City Review, Gulf Coast, The Collagist, and the Fairy Tale Review, among others. Her first book of poetry, Bone Confetti, won the 2015 Noemi Press Book Award. Of it, one reviewer said, “It made the words into a bell, and the bell made me stop what I was doing.” I spoke to Muriel in 2021 about her poetry collection, Imagine Us, the Swarm, in which she explored racialized labor and the death of her father. In this episode, I talk to Muriel about her debut novel, How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster, which came out this past October. It follows Mira, a 20-something queer woman living in a New York City beset by weekly acid rainstorms, as she moves in with her mother and grieves the death of her girlfriend, who refused to leave the deteriorating apartment they both shared.

Hilary Leicther's particular brand of surrealist fiction takes metaphors and makes them tangible. Her debut novel, Temporary, followed a nameless, archetypal temp worker from one gig to the next. As the jobs grow progressively stranger, their strangeness bleeds into her personal life. In this episode, I talk to Leichter about her new novel, Terrace Story, in which a struggling family find a spacious terrace — one that seems to defy the laws of physics — behind the linen closet of their tiny, New York apartment. It is a novel about the impact each of us has on the world around us, and the hidden depths we all contain.

7 Year Anniversary Episode -Stories from the pages of Apex Magazine -https://www.apex-magazine.com -Then Came the Ghost of My Dead Mother, Antikleia by Nadia Radovich - https://www.apexbookcompany.com/a/blog/apex-magazine/post/then-came-the-ghost-of-my-dead-mother-antikleia -music by Doctor Auxiliary - https://doctorauxiliary.bandcamp.com -read by Jenna Hanchey -What Happens When a Planet Falls From the Sky? by Danny Cherry, Jr. - https://www.apexbookcompany.com/a/blog/apex-magazine/author/danny-cherry-jr-2 -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by the Jean-Paul Garnier & Jenna Hanchey -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054

Ted is joined by Maggie Su, whose debut novel, Blob: A Love Story, was published in January to praise from The New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly (starred review), The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and Goodreads, among others.Maggie and Ted begin by discussing the short story and dramatic origins of Blob, which is a work of speculative fiction about a young woman who tries to mold a sentient blob into her perfect partner. The conversation then turns to the challenge of starting again from scratch for book number two, a project where Maggie has found that some but not all of the practices she used to create Blob are useful to her this time around.Still speculative fiction, this new novel is more inspired by the horror genre, and Maggie explains why she's taking it as an opportunity to push herself to depart from writing in the first person. She and Ted talk about the nuances of trying to tell a story from different POV styles, the relevance of her work as a journal editor to her own writing process, and finding the particular feedback environment that suits your own creativity. Episode Links:Maggie's Debut: Blob: A Love StoryMaggie's Instagram: @litmagrejectWorking Drafts episodes and info for requesting transcripts as well as more details about Ted and his books are available on his website, thetedfox.com.

“ I would say I live in this space with my Janey McCallister Space Station Mystery series. I think a lot about the sweet spot between current technology and future speculation.”In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host and award-winning science fiction author, Beth Barany, discusses how science fiction and fantasy can inspire social change and presents eight potential topics for future episodes, including AI characters, climate fiction, and Afrofuturism, inviting audience participation through voting on your favorite.1 - Writing Speculative Fiction for Social Change2 - World Building in Climate Fiction3 - AI and Robot Characters in Fiction4 - Afro-futurism and Cultural Narratives5 - Space Opera and Interstellar Societies6 - Near Future Technology in Fiction7 - Time Travel Narratives8 - Biotech and Future MedicineCast your vote on which topics you'd like to see highlighted by emailing beth@bethbarany.com or connecting on Instagram @BethBarany or taking the poll here: https://bethbarany.com/htwtfpoll25ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.RESOURCESGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Science Explainer: That is a term that has come out in the last bit of years to explain someone or to describe somebody who shares about science to the general public.In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host and science fiction author Beth Barany shares more of her “Favorite Science Explainers on YouTube (Part 2)” and the types of science they share including orbital mechanics and exploring the unexpected. YouTubers mentioned in this episode:Scott Manley: https://www.youtube.com/@ScottManleyUniverse Today - Frasier Cain: https://www.youtube.com/@frasercainJoe Scott: https://www.youtube.com/@joescottSciShow: https://www.youtube.com/@SciShowJust Have A Think (Dave Borlace): https://www.youtube.com/@JustHaveaThinkABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE  PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.RESOURCESGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Author R.B. Kelly discusses her debut sci fi novel, Edge of Heaven, and its sequel, On the Brink. Rachael began the first draft of the story when she was only fifteen years old. Always a fan of Terry Pratchett, Rachael loves his notion of inspiration particles sleeting through the universe. What was her own inspiration particle for these books? An imaginary vision of a city built on top of another city. A long-time fan of speculative fiction and being deeply impressed by the movie, Blade Runner, Rachael set about trying to write the story surrounding that city on top of a city. Edge of Heaven went through too many iterations for Rachael to count, but she always knew it was the story she was meant to write.

Linghun by Ai Jiang is set in the mysterious HOME, a suburb of Toronto, where the residents live among the ghosts. Winqi, a high school senior, must navigate her new town, where grief cuts everyone off from the rest of the world.  Recommended in this episode: “The Center for Immortality Research” in Your Utopia by Bora Chung) and Mike Chen's Here and Now and Then NEWS: We have a Bookshop.org shop now! Find all of our favorite books at our shop–and help out small businesses.  UP NEXT: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison  Buy our books here, including our newest Toil and Trouble.

It's episode 208 and time for us to talk about our Reading Resolutions for 2025! We discuss our love of spreadsheets, the churn of books in public libraries, literacy, unschooling, and more!  You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system. In this episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray

“As you may have noticed, these are all women science explainers and scientists, because I really want to highlight women doing science.”In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, host and science fiction author Beth Barany shares her “Favorite Science Explainers on YouTube (Part 1)” and the types of science they share including physical experiments and educational demonstrations. Sabine Hossenfelder: https://www.youtube.com/@SabineHossenfelderPhysics Girl, Diana Cowern: https://www.youtube.com/@physicsgirlGeo Girl:, Rachel Phillips: https://www.youtube.com/@GEOGIRLDr. Becky (Dr Becky Smethurst): https://www.youtube.com/@DrBeckySpace Weather Woman, Dr. Tamitha Skov: https://www.youtube.com/@TamithaSkovRESOURCESGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Stories featured in this episode:Press Release from a Utopia on the Way Down by Marisca Pichette - https://www.mariscapichette.com/ -music by TSG - https://tsgmusic.bandcamp.com/ -read by Jenna Hanchey -The Thing You Never Were by Eric Fomley - https://ericfomleyblog.wordpress.com/ -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by the Jean-Paul Garnier -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054 -

Stories featured in this episode:Proceed to the Route by Elad Haber - https://eladhaber.com/ -music by Phog Masheeen - https://phogmasheeen.com/ -read by Jenna Hanchey -Farewell Jupiter by Toshiya Kamei - music by Fall Precauxions - https://doctorauxiliary.bandcamp.com  -read by the Jean-Paul Garnier -theme music by Dain Luscombe -Simultaneous Times is a monthly science fiction podcast produced by Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree, CA. -https://www.spacecowboybooks.com -https://ko-fi.com/spacecowboybooks7054