Podcasts about Uncanny Magazine

‘Bad Doors' was originally was published in Uncanny Magazine in 2023. This story was a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story. C/W: pandemic, family and animal disappearance/death The country was at just over ten thousand deaths the morning that the door appeared. On Kosmo's phone NPR was interviewing a doctor with a nasal voice about the need for… Source

This week we bounce from weddings with questionable video evidence to universal vaccines, rogue dubstep artists named after shingles shots, and a time-loop story that left us… conflicted. Let's get into it. Real Life Ben officiated a wedding. It was beautiful. It was meaningful. It was legally binding. There may or may not be video proof. Somewhere, there's a phone with 3% battery and a shaky clip of vows. Or maybe not. Either way, two people are married and that's what counts. If you're going to officiate a wedding, here's the lesson: double-check the recording situation. Memory is not a backup drive. Ben also discovered that in newer versions of iOS, you can type to Siri. This is huge for anyone who has ever whispered a text into their phone in public and immediately regretted it. We are slowly evolving into silent thumb-typers talking to machines. The future is polite and awkward. Devon talked about how he uses ChatGPT — not casually, but intentionally. He uses it for work. He uses it to rewrite drafts, fix spelling, tighten arguments. Think of it as a second-pass editor that doesn't get tired. He went deeper into why he chose to pay for it and what "professional analysis" even means in an AI context. If you're billing by the hour, clarity matters. He also raised the question: does LexisNexis have AI baked in now? (Short answer: of course they do. Long answer: it depends how you define AI, which is half the battle in 2026.) Ben uses "AI" differently — mostly for data sifting. Large piles of information. Pattern spotting. Less magic robot, more extremely fast intern. Steven admitted he uses ChatGPT to help generate episode notes and images. If you're creating consistently, tools matter. The question isn't "Is this cheating?" The question is: "Are you using the tool to think better or to think less?" Big difference. We also watched The First Minute of Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip — and yes, he does the backflip. Watch the full clip on YouTube and the full special on Dropout. Demi Adejuyigbe (pronounced DEM-ee ə-DIJ-oo-EE-bay) is sharp, chaotic, and there's a killer Marge Simpson joke in the full show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kveA4wgIhI  Speaking of Marge — Marge Simpson is not dead. The French voice actress passed away. RIP. The character remains immortal yellow. Ben also plugged his ekphrastic poetry workshop — Write Poems with Me — happening Saturday 3/7 at the Beacon Art Show or online. If you've been waiting for a sign to try poetry, this is it. Show up. Make weird art. https://buttondown.com/penciledin/archive/write-poems-with-me-saturday-37-at-the-beacon-art/  Future or Now Steven brought in a wild one: a possible "universal" vaccine from researchers at Stanford Medicine. Instead of targeting a specific virus, this nasal spray supercharges the lungs' immune defenses. In mice, it reduced viral load, prevented severe illness, and even blocked allergic reactions. COVID. Flu. Pneumonia. Allergens. If this holds up in humans, that's not incremental. That's foundational. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260222092258.htm  Ben followed with research suggesting shingles vaccines might lower dementia risk. Studies around the shingles vaccines Zostavax and Shingrix have shown reduced dementia incidence in vaccinated older adults. There's also data suggesting the vaccine may slow biological aging markers, including inflammation. https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/02/could-a-vaccine-prevent-dementia-shingles-shot-data-only-getting-stronger/  This is where Steven held his jokes until the very end. Zostavax and Shingrix are dubstep artists. "Twenty Year Window" is their debut collaboration. "Dementia" is their first single. Sometimes you need the bit. But seriously — if preventing viral reactivation reduces neuroinflammation and long-term cognitive decline, that's massive. It's early. It's correlation-heavy. But it's promising. Pay attention to this space. Book Club This week: All You Zombies by Robert A. Heinlein (1958). https://lecturia.org/en/short-stories/robert-a-heinlein-all-you-zombies/19420/  Time travel. Identity loops. Paradoxes stacked on paradoxes. There are also… problems. Ben had major issues with the problematic elements. And they're not small issues. The story reflects the era it was written in, and not in a flattering way. Devon didn't love the no-stakes feeling. When a story collapses into inevitability, tension can evaporate. If everything always already happened, what are we gripping onto? Steven's take: the story is valuable as a historical artifact. It shows where science fiction was. You can see the mechanics. The ambition. The blind spots. You don't have to endorse it to learn from it. That's maturity in reading: understanding context without pretending flaws don't exist. Next week, we're reading Presence by Ken Liu, published in Uncanny Magazine. Ken Liu tends to blend emotional precision with speculative ideas, so expect something thoughtful. https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/presence/  Read it. Come ready. Final Thought This episode circled one big theme whether we meant to or not: Tools. AI tools. Medical tools. Narrative tools. Historical tools. The question isn't whether tools change the world. They do. The question is whether we're using them deliberately. So here's your small challenge this week: Pick one tool you're already using — AI, writing software, research databases, even your phone — and ask yourself: Am I using this to sharpen my thinking? Or to avoid it? Be honest. We'll see you next week.

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "What We Mean When We Talk About The Hole In The Bathroom" by Angela Liu, as read by Matt Peters Poetry:  "The Mighty Impervious Woman Considers Retirement" by Izzy Wasserstein, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews Angela Liu   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2026 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "This Story Does Not Exist" by Kylie Lee Baker, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "The Parsley Girl " by Theodora Goss, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews Kylie Lee Baker   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2026 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Doorkeepers" by A. T. Greenblatt, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "No Kings / No Soldiers" by A.M. Tuomala, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews A. T. Greenblatt   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2026 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Teleporting Disaster Fairy" by Rati Mehrotra, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "My Duende: in the Wall and in the Mirror" by Angel Leal, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews Rati Mehrotra   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Millay Illusion" by Sarah Pinsker, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "Call Us Boy" by Somto Ihezue, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews Sarah Pinsker   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Real Life  Ben was out this week, which left Devon and Steven to hold court—and as Devon reminded us, there are no kings here anyway. He showed up fresh from an event that apparently involved an axolotl costume (details were scarce, which somehow made it funnier), and immediately launched into a whirlwind of thoughts about upcoming elections, funding cuts to science, and the strange, ongoing collision between South Park and real-world politics. Meanwhile, Steven spent his weekend in the world of The Witcher: The Old World board game with Greg, slaying monsters, collecting trophies, and occasionally remembering to play the objective. Devon also caught up on Foundation Season 3, where he's decided Brother Day now fully channels The Dude—if The Dude had an empire and a god complex.   Future or Now  Devon took us on a deep dive into the evolving shape of human unhappiness. Once upon a time, midlife was the low point—a universal “unhappiness hump.” But according to new global data, that hump is flattening out. Today, mental health is worst in youth and actually improves with age. The midlife crisis may be over, but something worse has taken its place: an age of early despair. Young people are struggling more than ever before, reshaping how we think about happiness across the lifespan.

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Shadow on the Nest" by Alaya Dawn Johnson, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: “Dear Saturn,” by Susan L. Lin, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews Alaya Dawn Johnson   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Caravan" by AnaMaria Curtis, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "Dreamscape with the Devil" by Dr. Taylor Byas, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Michael Damian Thomas Interviews AnaMaria Curtis   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Author M.M. Olivas comes onto the podcast to discuss her novel "Sundown in San Ojuela" (2024, Lanternfish Press), as well as her novelette "¡Sangronas! Un Lista de Terror" (published in Issue 60 of Uncanny Magazine). She and Scotty talk about her early days as a movie-loving, dinosaur-and-Kaiju-obsessed outcast in Northern California, her initial aspirations as a filmmaker and her subsequent development as a fiction writer, her identity as both a Chicana and queer author, the importance of danger and transgressiveness in horror, exploring diaspora and indigeneity, tackling colonialism and challenging power structures through her fiction, and more. They also talk about two movies: Guatamalan filmmaker Jayro Bustamante's 2019 film "La Llorona," and Mexican filmmaker Issa López's 2017 film "Tigers Are Not Afraid." You can find M.M. Olivas online at https://olivasthewriter.wtf You can get your copy of "Sundown in San Ojuela" at https://lanternfishpress.com/shop/sundown-in-san-ojuela You can read "¡Sangronas! Un Lista de Terror" at https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/sangronas-un-lista-de-terror/ Be sure to tune in to Daniel Braum's YouTube series "Night Time Logic." The series focuses on the strange, weird, and wonderful side of dark fiction through readings and discussions with diverse authors from around the world. You can tune in on Daniel's You Tube Channel, which is his name DanielBraum or @danielbraum7838. https://www.facebook.com/groups/429777132474382 https://www.youtube.com/@danielbraum7838 This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “The Garden” by Emma Törzs, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “Wishbone” by Prosper C. Ìféányí, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Michael Damian Thomas interviews Emma Törzs   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

What is the measure of a true hero? What a society consideres heroic can say a lot about their values, needs, and ethos -- but it's also something that can shift a lot over time and from location to location. Is heroism about physical strength? Strength of faith? Strength of heart? Or is it about cunning and cleverness? Guest John Wiswell joins us to discuss the worldbuilding implications of hero-building. Classical heroes, folk heroes, superheroes -- all of these stories reflect something about the cultures that tell the tales. What actions does the hero take that makes them heroic? Is it defeating monsters -- or is it tweaking the nose of authority? How important is the quest itself to defining the hero, and how much is down to a society's concepts of morals and ethics? And in an age where mythological retellings are having a real moment, also look at what recontextualization of famous heroic stories can open up about the original tales and reveal about what we value now. [Transcript for Episode 159] Our Guest: John Wiswell is a Nebula-winning and Locus-winning author who lives in the middle of the woods. His debut novel, SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN, was released from DAW Books in the U.S. and Arcadia Books in the U.K. in April 2024. John's work has appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Tor.com, LeVar Burton Reads, Nature Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Weird Tales, the No Sleep podcast, Nightmare Magazine, Cast of Wonders, Podcastle, Escape Pod, Pseudopod, and other fine venues. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Awards. His fiction has been translated into ten languages. He graduated Bennington College in 2005, and attended the Viable Paradise 17 workshop in 2013. He has multiple disabilities including a neuromuscular syndrome, and thinks healthy people's capacity to complain is very funny. He finds a lot of things very funny and would like to keep it that way. He is frequently available for interview and for talks at conferences. He has done panels at places such as Worldcon, the Nebula Awards Conference, and the World Fantasy Convention.

M.M. Olivas is an alumna of the 2022 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop and the 2023 Under the Volcano Writers Residency. Her short fiction has appeared in several publications, including Uncanny Magazine, Weird Horror Magazine, Apex, and Bourbon Penn. As a trans, first-generation Chicana, she explores the intersection of queer and diasporic experiences in her fiction. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, earning her MFA in Creative Writing at San Jose State University and collecting transforming robots. More information about Olivas and her fiction can be found at olivasthewriter.wtfSundown in San Ojuela is out now! About the book:When the death of her aunt brings Liz Remolina back to San Ojuela, the prospect fills her with dread. The isolated desert town was the site of a harrowing childhood accident that left her clairvoyant, the companion of wraiths and ghosts. Yet it may also hold the secret to making peace with a dark family history and a complicated personal and cultural identity.Setting out on the train with her younger sister Mary in tow, she soon finds herself hemmed in by a desolate landscape where monsters and ancient gods stalk the night. She's relieved at first to find that her childhood best friend Julian still lives in San Ojuela, but soon realizes that he too is changed. Haunted.Yet she'll have no other choice than to seek out his help as the darkness closes in.#horror #horrorauthor #gothic #authorsofinstagram #horrorbooks #writerlife #SundownInSanOjuela #MMOlivas #gothichorror #southwestgothic #horror #horrornovel #horrornovels #horrorbooks  #LFPBooks #queerbooks #transauthor #2024debut #2024debuts #latinehorror

This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome Michael Damian Thomas, to talk about Uncanny Magazine Year 12: Fly Forever, Space Unicorns!. About Uncanny Magazine Year 12: Fly Forever, Space Unicorns!: Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Michael Damian Thomas and Team Uncanny Magazine have run successful Kickstarters for the seven-time Hugo Award-winning, 2024 World Fantasy Award-winning, and 2024 […] The post Episode 669-With Uncanny Magazine's Michael Damian Thomas appeared first on The Functional Nerds.

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “The Diner at the Intersection of Duty and Despair” by John Chu, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: “Soft, Your Grief, and Leporine” by Lora Gray, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas interviews John Chu   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Breaker of Mountains and Rivers" by Aliette de Bodard, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: “moth boy” by Praise Osawaru, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Michael Damian Thomas interviews Aliette de Bodard   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editor's Intro: Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “Unfinished Architectures of the Human-Fae War” by Caroline M. Yoachim, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “A Full Belly” by Elizabeth Hart Bergstrom, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Michael Damian Thomas interviews Caroline M. Yoachim   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “The Island with the Animals” by Stephanie Malia Morris, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: “Time loop for the day I die.” by Abdulrazaq Salihu, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Stephanie Malia Morris   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days” by Samantha Mills, as read by Erika Ensign   Short Fiction: “Butterfly Pavilion” by G. Willow Wilson, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “The Birds” by Rafiat Lamidi, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Samantha Mills   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine  

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “The Flaming Embusen” by Tade Thompson, as read by Matt Peters  Poetry: "Love Letter in Cobra Pose” by Shankar Narayan, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Tade Thompson   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

You've asked, you've waited, and now, we're finally delivering! Welcome to our two-part deep dive on the international best selling Romantasy novels A Court of Thorns and Roses and a Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas.  In this first, spoiler free episode, we touch on our initial reactions to the series, and think a bit about what romantasy is and why it's so appealing to so many readers. Plus, we're joined by some very special guests for these two episodes: our younger siblings!  They may claim to have been manipulated into coming on the show, but we're glad to have them both on for this discussion

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson, as read by Erika Ensign   Poetry: "Care for Lightning" by Mari Ness, as read by Erika Ensign  Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews J.R. Dawson   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2025 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Geckomancer's Lament" by Lauren Beukes, as read by Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, with sound designer Em Edwards Poetry: "We Tried Beating Time to Death" by Abu Bakr Sadiq, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Lauren Beukes   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Woodmask" by Adrian Tchaikovsky, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "Anansi Braids Your Stepson's Hair" by Brandon O'Brien, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Adrian Tchaikovsky   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine  

Jennifer Brozek is a multi-talented, award-winning author, editor, and media tie-in writer. She is the author of Never Let Me Sleep and The Last Days of Salton Academy, both of which were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Her YA tie-in novels, BattleTech: The Nellus Academy Incident and Shadowrun: Auditions, have both won Scribe Awards. Her editing work has earned her nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Hugo Award. She won the Australian Shadows Award for the Grants Pass anthology, co-edited with Amanda Pillar. Jennifer's short form work has appeared in Apex Publications, Uncanny Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, and in anthologies set in the worlds of Valdemar, Shadowrun, V-Wars, Masters of Orion, Well World, and Predator.

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "A Stranger Knocks" by Tananarive Due, as read by Matt Peters  Poetry: "The Witch Recalls Her Craft" by Angel Leal, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Tananarive Due   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Send us a textCat, Jennifer, and I discuss writing, dating, our biggest moments as a writer, and more.***Cat Rambo has published over 250 fiction pieces, including the Nebula Award-winning novelette, Carpe Glitter, as well as nonfiction works.Since first appearing on the SF scene in 2005, Cat Rambo has published over 250 fiction pieces, including Nebula Award-winning novelette, Carpe Glitter, and nonfiction works that include Ad Astra: The SFWA 50th Anniversary Cookbook (co-edited with Fran Wilde) and writing book, Moving From Idea to Finished Draft. Their 2021 works include the fantasy novel Exiles of Tabat (Wordfire Press) and the space opera You Sexy Thing (Tor Macmillan).Rambo has been short-listed for the World Fantasy Award, the Compton Crook Award, and the Nebula Short Story Award. A former Vice President and two-term President of the SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America), Cat continues to volunteer with the organization as part of its mentorship program and Grievance Committee. They founded the online school The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers in 2010, specializing in classes aimed at genre writers, which now offers dozens of classes from some of the best writers currently working in speculative fiction. Cat lives in Indianapolis.Blog: https://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/Classes: https://catrambo.teachable.com/----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jennifer Brozek is a multi-talented, award-winning author, editor, and media tie-in writer. She is the author of the Never Let Me Sleep, and The Last Days of Salton Academy, both of which were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Her BattleTech tie-in novel, The Nellus Academy Incident, won a Scribe Award. Her editing work has earned her nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Hugo Award. She won the Australian Shadows Award for the Grants Pass anthology, co-edited with Amanda Pillar. Jennifer's short-form work has appeared in Apex Publications, Uncanny Magazine, and in anthologies set in the worlds of Valdemar, Shadowrun, V-Wars, Masters of Orion, and Predator. Jennifer has been a freelance author and editor for over fifteen years after leaving a high-paying tech job, and she has never been happier. She shares her husband, Jeff, with several cats and often uses him as a sounding board for her story ideas.  She lives in Seattle.Website: http://www.jenniferbrozek.com/***If you would like to contact the show about being a guest please email us at Dauna@bettertopodcast.comThis episode is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2jwGgrJpDasFollow us on Social MediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_d.m.needom/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettertopodcastwithdmneedomHave a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.comHave a question for our producer Rich Zei contact him at rich.zei@thirdearaudio.comIntro and Outro music compliments of Fast SuziTo see upcoming guests click here: https://www.dmneedom.com/better-topodcast©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.NeedomSupport the show

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Cursed Moon Queers" by Natalia Theodoridou, as read by Erika Ensign   Short Fiction: "The 6% Squeeze" by Eddie Robson, as read by Matt Peters  Short Fiction: "The Wrong Time Travel Story" by Marissa Lingen, as read by Erika Ensign    Poetry: "Dreams On A Tamarind Road" by Prosper C. Ìféányí, as read by Matt Peters  Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Eddie Robson   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Wonderland Is a Parking Lot in Revere" by John Chu, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "syzygy" by Roshani Chokshi, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews John Chu   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Lynne and Michael Damian Thomas, Co-Publishers/Co-Editors-in-Chief of UNCANNY MAGAZINE. About Uncanny Magazine Year 11: This One Goes to ELEVEN: Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas have run Kickstarters for the seven-time Hugo Award-winning and 2024 Locus Award-winning Uncanny Magazine Years One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, […] The post Episode 630-With Lynne and Michael Damian Thomas from Uncanny Magazine appeared first on The Functional Nerds.

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Signs of Life" by Sarah Pinsker, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "In Dreams, I Cannot Read or Hope" by Terese Mason Pierre, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Sarah Pinsker   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Loneliness Universe" by Eugenia Triantafyllou, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "Moon Sun Shadow Crow" by Fran Wilde, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviewing Eugenia Triantafyllou   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “Happily Ever After Comes Round” by Sarah Rees Brennan, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “there are no taxis for the dead” by Angela Liu, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviewing Sarah Rees Brennan   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Hurinfan and Starkast talk everything about Short Stories. From where you can find them to what some of their favorite short stories are, this episode is there to help your descend into the short story madness. short fiction websites: Uncanny Magazine - https://www.uncannymagazine.com/ Reactor - https://reactormag.com/fictions/original-fiction/ Lightspeed - https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/ Clarkesworld - https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/category/text/ Beneath Ceaseless Skies - https://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/ Short Story Podcasts: Podcastle - https://podcastle.org/category/podcasts/ Escape Pod - https://escapepod.org/category/podcasts/ Uncanny Magazine - https://www.uncannymagazine.com/type/podcasts/ Beneath Ceaseless Skies - https://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/audio/2024/ Lightspeed Magazine - https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/podcasting/ you can find all of them also on Spotify or other Podcastproviders. Hurinfan recs: the colour out of space - h.p. lovecraft the death of dr. island - gene wolfe harrison bergeron - kurt vonnegut the ones who walk away from omelas - Ursula K. Le Guin The Hunger Arist - kafka leaf by niggle - tolkien the paper menagerie - ken liu A Rose for Ecclesiastes - zelazny ado - connie willis speech sounds - octaiva butler Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne - R.A. Lafferty Starkast recs: The Six Deaths of the Saint - Alix E. Harrow - Kindle Unlimited/ Best American SFF 2023 Skinder´s Veil - Kelly Link - White Cat, Black Dog Witches Fire - E. Lily Yu - The Book of Witches John Hollowback and the Witch - Amal El-Mothar - The Book of Witches The Passing of the Dragon - Ken Liu - Reactor Angel, Monster, Man - Sam J. Miller - Boys, Beasts & Men As Good As New - Charlie Jane Anders - Even Greater Mistakes The Teeth Come Out At Night - Sami Ellis - All These Sunken Souls Colors of the Immortal Palette - Caroline M. Yoachim - Best American SFF 2022/ Uncanny Magazine The Captain and The Quartermaster - C.L.Clark - Beneath Ceaseless Skies/ Best American SFF 2022 Music: Galactic Damages by Jingle Punks Considering supporting The Legendarium on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thelegendarium/ Discord: https://discord.gg/FNcpuuA Twitter: @GreenteamPod

On a long mission to search for a new home planet, an outfitter tries to protect the crewmembers' lives. But can she protect herself from the inevitable loss and heartbreak? This story first appeared in Uncanny Magazine. For more from the author, check out anamariacurtis.com.  Content advisory: pandemic, death

Editors' Intro: Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky Short Fiction: "Unconventional Adaptation, or The Best-Ever Cosplay of Whistle and Midnight" by Annalee Newitz, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "The Sea-Witches at Nightfall" by Tiffany Morris, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Annalee Newitz   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

From the Minotaur to xenomorphs to the undead, monsters and their ilk have long been a staple of the sci-fi and fantasy genres. But what exactly is it that makes a monster? Guest John Wiswell joins us to discuss how monsters in fiction often reflect not only our primal fears, but also the people that society seeks to Other. When monsters reflect what a real or fictitious society values and doesn't value, what sorts of things do writers need to consider when placing monsters in their world? In this episode, we explore how, while monsters can sometimes just be plot obstacles for Our Heroes to overcome, they can also be coded -- intentionally or as a matter of unconscious bias -- in the same ways that disability, poverty, non-heteronormative sexuality, and other marginalized populations get coded. We also pull apart the idea of recontextualizing monsters: As is often said of Frankenstein and his creation -- who's really the monster? Who's the true beast? [Transcript TK] Our Guest: John Wiswell is an American science fiction and fantasy author whose short fiction has won the Locus and Nebula Awards and been a finalist for the Hugo, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. His debut fantasy novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In, will be released in spring 2024 by DAW Books. John's work has appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Tor.com, LeVar Burton Reads, Nature Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Weird Tales, the No Sleep podcast, Nightmare Magazine, Cast of Wonders, Podcastle, Escape Pod, Pseudopod, and other fine venues. His fiction has been translated into Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Hungarian, Turkish, Hebrew, and Romanian. He graduated Bennington College in 2005, and attended the Viable Paradise 17 workshop in 2013. He has multiple disabilities including a neuromuscular syndrome, and thinks healthy people's capacity to complain is very funny. He finds a lot of things very funny and would like to keep it that way. He is frequently available for interview and for talks at conferences. He has done panels at places such as Worldcon, the Nebula Awards, and the World Fantasy Convention. He posted fiction daily on this blog for six straight years, and has left every embarrassing and inspiring word of it up to read for free. If you'd like to see a writer develop style, it's all there. You can point and laugh. He probably can't hear you.

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Robot" by Lavie Tidhar, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "pockets full of stones" by Jennifer Mace, as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Lavie Tidhar   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "La mandíbula del río" by Ana Hurtado, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "fowlskin" by C. S. E. Cooney, as read by Erika Ensign  Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviews Ana Hurtado   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2024 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “Marginalia” by Mary Robinette Kowal, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “We Drink Lava” by Ai Jiang, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviews Mary Robinette Kowal   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "We're Looking for the Best" by Cecil Castellucci, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "Ferry To The Island Of Ghosts" by Angela Liu, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviews Cecil Castellucci   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Year Without Sunshine" by Naomi Kritzer, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: "yes, your reflection is screaming" by Carlie St. George, as read by Matt Peters   Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviews Naomi Kritzer   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Surprise! We are dropping an extra special episode because we wanted to spend Halloween with you. We’ve got a wonderfully gothic romance for you to read from Uncanny Magazine which will set the perfect seasonal scene. So light some candles, close the doors and windows tight, and join us as we explore Radcliffe Hall by Miyuki Jane Pinckard. Annette Wierstra with James Thomson, Shelly Brisbin and Erika Ensign.

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "The Coffin Maker" by AnaMaria Curtis, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "A Siren's Call, A Banshee's Wail, A Grandmother's Dream" by Ai Jiang,  as read by Erika Ensign Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviews AnaMaria Curtis   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: “Can You Hear Me Now?” by Catherynne M. Valente, as read by Erika Ensign Poetry: “Knight of Wands, Six of Swords” by Ali Trotta, as read by Matt Peters Interview: Lynne M. Thomas interviewing Catherynne M. Valente   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Editors' Intro: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Short Fiction: "Love at the Event Horizon" by Natalia Theodoridou, as read by Matt Peters Poetry: "Eroticide" by Valerie Valdes, as read by Erika Ensign   Interview: Lynne M. Thomas Interviews Natalia Theodoridou   Want to join the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps? You can find new science fiction and fantasy stories, poetry, and nonfiction every month in Uncanny Magazine. Go to uncannymagazine.com or subscribe to the eBook version at weightlessbooks.com or amazon.com. This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with permission. Copyright © 2023 by Uncanny Magazine

Author : John Wiswell Narrator : Trendane Sparks Host : Kat Day Audio Producer : Chelsea Davis Discuss on Forums “The Coward Who Stole God's Name” originally appeared in Uncanny Magazine in their May issue in 2022. “If I named any of the inspirations for this story, then I'd get into terrible trouble, wouldn't I? […]

Alex Jennings is a writer/editor/teacher/poet living in New Orleans. He was born in Wiesbaden (Germany) and raised in Gaborone (Botswana), Tunis (Tunisia), Paramaribo (Surinam) and the United States. He constantly devours pop culture and writes mostly jokes on Twitter (@magicknegro). He loves music, film, comix, and even some TV. He is the Program Director of DreamFoundry's Con or Bust and pens a regular speculative poetry review column in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction called “Chapter and Verse.” In 2022, he was the inaugural recipient of the Imagination Unbound Fellowship at Under the Volcano, a guided writing retreat held annually in Tepoztlan, Mexico.His writing has appeared in Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, Electric Velocipede, Uncanny Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, New Suns, and Current Affairs, among other venues. His debut novel, The Ballad of Perilous Graves is available wherever books are sold. You can find him goofing around on Instagram: (@magicknegro) He is also an instructor of fiction and popular fiction at The University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast MFA program .Creators & Guests Rob Lee - Host ALEX JENNINGS - Guest Rob Lee & The Truth in This Art present "Black Cinema Series"April 26 at 5:30pm for more information and to secure ticketsMay 25 at 5:30pmfor more information and to secure ticketsJune 22 at 5:30pmfor more information and to secure tickets To support the The Truth In This Art: Buy Me Ko-fiUse the hashtag #thetruthinthisartFollow The Truth in This Art on InstagramLeave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. ★ Support this podcast ★

A tale of complicated family relationships and magical cooking. This story was first published in Uncanny Magazine.