The glorious hellhole that was September is behind us. It wasn’t all bad, of course. We released some podcasts and some blog posts, and we’re pretty sure you liked at least some of them (:P). Here are the most popular posts and episodes from September 2017:
Eric Scott Fischl grabbed my attention in a big way recently with his harrowing debut novel Doctor Potter’s Medicine Show, and only tightened his grip on it with this follow-up. But once again, caveat lector. Just as its predecessor held considerable peril for sympathetic vomiters and those triggered by sexual violence, The Trials of Solomon Parker starts off with scenes of underground mine disaster so well-researched and vividly described that the claustrophobic or those living with PTSD might find it rough going. And then there’s that litany of other horrors, including domestic violence, that follows. Eek. Those who tough it out, though, have a reward in store for them that might even seem to carry a whiff of Kurt Vonnegut, or perhaps even Gene Wolfe, to it. For, like its predecessor, this is not merely a quality work of historical fiction. There’s Time Travel as well as copper in them thar hills!
On a previous stop on my tour, I began answering readers’ questions about the series’ content. On another, about my writerly process. Last, and far from least, comes the group about the science beneath my work. For those unfamiliar, my background and passion is biology, plus space science, occasional physics, geology, chemistry…it’s all so FUN, there isn’t time in a life. A very good thing, therefore, that I write SF. Kimm asked, “I would like to hear which earth creatures you used to create various aliens in your world.” There isn’t time in a—let’s say, there’s been a few, but I’m delighted to share a couple you may not have spotted. What do Heterocephalus glazer (Naked Mole Rats) and Railroad “Worms” (Phrixothrix beetle larvae) have in common? The Oud. Oh, and my brain.
The relationship, told in letters and looking backward from the present, of two extraordinary women and their evolving relationship is the heart of The Tiger’s Daughter, the debut novel by K Arsenault Rivera. Far from the Great Wall of Europe, The Tiger’s Daughter uses models of medieval China and the steppe cultures beyond it as its social model, political models, and its fantastic and mythological elements as well. Shefali is a member of the Qorin, a warrior people of the steppe who have been powerful enough at times to severely threaten the more settled Hokkarans and their Empire. Inside that Empire, Shizuka is the niece of the Emperor, and so the putative Heir to that Empire. Brought together at a young age, their fateful meeting sets them both on courses that will part, intersect, and ultimately change both the steppe and the Empire in ways neither of them can predict, or even intend.
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFSignalBoost21AdlerLittleBadger/Sandf–SignalBoost21–AdlerLittleBadger.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSIn today’s episode of Signal Boost, we kick off our month of focusing on horror writers from traditionally marginalized communities. First up, Jen talks to Nathan Adler — artist, writer, Anishinaabe and Jewish member of the Lac Des Milles Lacs First Nation — about his novel, Wrist, how Anishinaabe stories informed the monster and how his identities contribute to the topics he explores. Then Darcie Little Badger — Lipan Apache writer and scientist — joins Jen to talk about indigenous futurism, how she uses horror to wrestle with her personal ghosts, and about her newest story, “The Whalebone Parrot,” and the history that informs it. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note: If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below):
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode336WorldCon75InterviewsWithKloosHuffAndPeterson/Sandf–Episode336–Worldcon75InterviewsWithKloosHuffAndPeterson.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSYou might recall that way back in August, the Skiffy and Fanty team got to go to WorldCon 75 in Helsinki! While they were there, Shaun and Paul had the honor of interviewing Marko Kloos, Crystal Huff, and David J. Peterson. These interviews span from military SF with Marko to Chinese SF Fandom with Crystal to conlang with David. These are some fun, fascinating interviews that are absolutely worth the wait! We hope you enjoy the episode! Note: If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below):
