209. South African SF Roundtable w/ Alex Latimer, Lauren Beukes, and Sarah Lotz
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode209SouthAfricanSF/SandF%20–%20Episode%20209%20–%20South%20African%20SF.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSTerrifying malls, time traveling serial killers, and renegade spaceships, oh my! Authors Alex Latimer, Lauren Beukes, and Sarah Lotz join Julia and Shaun for an in-depth discussion about South African SF, from the influences of Apartheid on contemporary SA literature to the film industry to fandom and publishing. You won’t want to miss this one! 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): Episode 209 — Download (MP3) Show Notes: Our Guests Alex Latimer (Author of numerous picture books and The Space Race, which involves apartheid, nuclear weapons, and a race to the moon) Sarah Lotz (Author of The Three, which is about plane crashes and creepy kids. Also writes under other names) Lauren Beukes (Author of several books including The Shining Girls, which is about time traveling serial killers, and the forthcoming Broken Monsters) Additional Notes: Nick Wood has written a lot about South African SF http://nickwood.frogwrite.co.nz/?page_id=530 J.M. Coetzee Waiting for the Barbarians Science Fiction and Fantasy South Africa http://nickwood.frogwrite.co.nz/?page_id=530 (Lauren has judged the short story contest) rAge gaming convention (where Lauren went dressed as Cheetara from Thundercats): http://www.rageexpo.co.za/ Another South African Gaming Site: http://www.rpg.co.za/ http://www.roomtoread.org/page.aspx?pid=320 claims that 80% of schools lacked Libraries in 2012. Apocalypse Now Now by Charlie Human (zombie apocalypse entertaining novel, but also political) The Mall by S.L. Grey (one of Sarah’s pen names) and Louis Greenberg dealing with consumerism and the divide between rich and poor. World Reader gives free tablets to people to encourage reading (not SA based, but a very cool idea!) Night Drive is a South African horror movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1610394/ (This is really gross and culturally insensitive, so approach with caution) short film based on Charlie Human’s short story… No More Heroes (not sure where to find this) South African nuclear weapons information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction South African Space Program http://repository.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/handle/10566/155 South African Rocketry: http://www.sarocketry.co.za/index.html Lauren’s fact checking Twitter bananza (literacy rates, etc.)(check this out if you want accurate stats for some of the things we discuss in the episode) Where to buy SA books: booklounge.co.za — you can order South African books from here. Author recommendations: Diane Awerbuck — Home Remedies (recommended by Alex) Louis Greenberg — Dark Windows set in future South Africa Something Wicked magazine Bloody Parchment anthology and Bloody Harvest anthology Jungle Gym magazine Andrew Solomon — Tokolosh Song Edyth Bulbring Henrietta Rose-Innes Alex Smith SA Partridge Nerine Dorman Liam Kruger Miranda Sherry Black Dog Summer (like The Lovely Bones, but set in South Africa) Sam Wilson You can also support this podcast by signing up for a one month free trial at Audible. Doing so helps us, gives you a change to try out Audible’s service, and brings joy to everyone. Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks! Thanks for listening. See you next week.
149. Lauren Beukes (a.k.a. the Travel Ninja) — The Shining Girls (An Interview)
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode149InterviewWLaurenBeukes/SandF%20–%20Episode%20149%20–%20Interview%20w%20Lauren%20Beukes.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSTime travel, murderers, and American pastimes, oh my! After one heck of an exciting year of bidding wars and writing, Lauren Beukes returns to the show to talk about her new novel, The Shining Girls. We talk about serial killers, her research into American history, time travel, and so much more! We hope you enjoy the episode! (Don’t forget to check out our interview with Lauren for her novel, Zoo City, here.) 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): Episode 149 — Download (MP3) Intro and Discussion (0:00 – 1:04:05) Lauren’s Website Lauren’s Twitter Lauren’s Tour Schedule The Shining Girls TV Show Announcement! Lauren’s Big Idea over at Whatever (Scalzi’s Blog) Check out Lauren’s books! They are awesome! You can also support this podcast by signing up for a one month free trial at Audible. Doing so helps us, gives you a change to try out Audible’s service, and brings joy to everyone. Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks! Thanks for listening. See you next week.
Episode 79 — Favoritism (Our 2011 Besties)
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow6.6–Favoritismour2011Besties/Sandf–Episode6.6–Favoritismour2011Besties.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSOur last non-interview, non-torture episode of the year is all about our favorite books, movies, TV shows, interviews, etc. for the 2011 year. You can see our lists below, but you’ll want to listen to hear our reasons. Plus: we spend a little time saying thank you to everyone who listened and appeared on the show. Why? Because we love you. Obviously. Show us a little love back by leaving a response to the following questions: What books, movies, and TV shows were your favorites for 2011 (whether published this year or not)? Which interviews, roundtables, and Torture Media episodes did you most enjoy? 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): Episode 79 — Download (MP3) Intro and Our Favorites (0:00 – 36:43) Jen’s List: Favorite Book: Of Blood and Honey by Stina Leicht (Episode 4.5) Favorite Non-Fiction Book: The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch Favorite TV Show: Eureka (Soft) and Fringe (Hard) Favorite Movie (2011 Releases): Super 8 Favorite Movie (Viewed in 2011): Ip Man Favorite SandF Guest: Jason Sanford (See Episodes 14, 4.0a, 4.0b, 5.6, and 6.2) Favorite Interview: Celine Kiernan (Episodes 28a and 28b) (Yes, Jen is a moron for selecting something from last year…) Favorite Roundtable Discussion: Eaton Editions (Part One and Part Two) Favorite Torture Media Episode: Modelland (Episode 6.3) Shaun’s List: Favorite Book: Osama by Lavie Tidhar (Episode 5.7) Favorite Non-Fiction Book: Walking with the Comrades by Arundhati Roy Favorite TV Show: Game of Thrones (see my reviews starting here) Favorite Movie (2011 Releases): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part Two) Favorite Movie (Viewed in 2011): Never Let Me Go Favorite SandF Guest: Jason Sanford (See Episodes 14, 4.0a, 4.0b, 5.6, and 6.2) Favorite Interview: Lauren Beukes (Episode 2.3) Favorite Roundtable Discussion: The Eaton Editions (Part One and Part Two) Favorite Torture Media Episode: Modelland (Episode 6.3) Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks! Thanks for listening. See you next week.
Breaking News: Film Rights for Zoo City (@laurenbeukes) Picked Up by Helena Spring
I’ll let the Angry Robot press release do all the talking: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCER WINS COVETED FILM RIGHTS IN INTERNATIONAL ‘BID FEST’ TO MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING AND BESTELLING NOVEL “ZOO CITY” by SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHOR LAUREN BEUKES “Beukes’ energetic noir phantasmagoria, the winner of this year’s Arthur C. Clarke Award, crackles with original ideas.” – (Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times Book Review) Helena Spring, widely regarded as one of South Africa’s most accomplished motion picture producers, has just been awarded the highly sought-after film rights to Zoo City, the Sci-Fi thriller penned by South African author Lauren Beukes – who garnered the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award for best Science Fiction novel. In the wake of whopping sales figures, multiple awards and critical acclaim Beukes’ book generated fierce interest from numerous bidders in the entertainment industry, putting Spring alongside major US and UK producers eager to tell Beukes’ unique tale. Zoo City was published first in South Africa by Jacana Media and thereafter internationally by by Angry Robot. The urban fantasy is set in a futuristic, gritty and hard-core Johannesburg where the eponymous ghetto has been colonised by society’s outcasts – like criminals, drug-dealers and psychopaths, and their animal companions. Like the other residents of the Zoo City slum, Zinzi, the anti-heroine, is “animalled”, but she is also a shrewd, street-smart girl with the gift (or burden) of finding lost things. Zinzi wears her power animal, a sloth, on her back. When she is hired to find a missing teenybopper star, she hopes that it will be her ticket out of Hell’s waiting room. “I’m delighted to have secured the film and television rights for Zoo City,” commented Helena Spring. “It is a groundbreaking, magical novel begging for a life on the big screen. Lauren’s storytelling is masterful – edgy and futuristic, unique yet universal. It is high in entertainment value yet emotionally charged, a dream project for any producer.” Beukes positively acknowledges the choice of the winning producer. “Every novelist dreams of a movie deal – but you actually want more than that. You want to find a producer of great vision and integrity and experience who fundamentally gets the book and understands how to transform it into an entirely different creature based on the same genetic material. I’m thrilled that it’s being produced in South Africa – for an international audience.” Spring’s career in the entertainment industry spans nearly three decades, during which time she has produced over twenty motion pictures – including the first ever South African film to receive recognition at the Academy Awards®: Darrell Roodt’s Yesterday earned a Best Foreign Picture nomination in 2004. Spring, who has worked with some of the foremost filmmakers in the world – such as Paul Greengrass who helmed the box office smash hits The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, and Academy Award® winner, Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), will soon be putting the project out to a select party of directors, while Beukes has first look as screenwriter to adapt her novel for the screen. “Lauren is perfectly placed to do this. The characters are alive inside her,” says Spring. Julian Friedmann of Blake Friedmann (the literary agency that reps Beukes), says that: “Helena outbid all the others in a spirited auction for film rights to this extraordinary book. She had an extremely proactive, writer-friendly approach to working with Lauren and offered an imaginative and creative proposal that was irresistible.” Lauren Beukes’ meteoric rise seems unstoppable and recently a new megabucks book deal was announced. The working titles of the two novels – due in 2013 and 2014 – are The Shining Girls and Broken Monsters. They were picked up by publishers in the US, the UK, South Africa, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. Congrats to Lauren! This is incredible news. We can’t wait to see Zoo City on the big screen (or any screen, for that matter). (You can check out our interview with Lauren here.)
Dear Publishers: Call for Books by Women to Review
If you haven’t heard, there’s this thing called the Russ Pledge making the rounds in the science fiction and fantasy community. This SF Signal Mind Meld, which features an entry by one of our venerable hosts, is quite illuminating. Having looked through our interviews in the last few weeks (and in the coming weeks), we realize that we’ve been hit with an extraordinary number of menfolk. Don’t take that the wrong way, though. We love the menfolk just fine, but only three of our ten interviews in the history of this podcast were with women, and all of our upcoming interviews are with men. So, we want to know: where are the female science fiction writers (or fantasy, for that matter)? If you’re out there and would like us to review your book (and possibly have you on the show), send us an email (skiffyandfanty[at]gmail[dot]com). We want to hear from you, or your publisher (or both)! Bring it on, ladies. We’re ready for it. (P.S.: If you’re curious, the three women we’ve interviewed are Celine Kiernan (part one; part two), Lauren Beukes, and Mary Ann Mohanraj.)
The Skiffy and Fanty Show 34 — Interview w/ Lauren Beukes
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow2.3–InterviewWLaurenBeukes/Sandf–Episode2.3–InterviewWLaurenBeukes.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSSouth Africa is on the literary attack. This week we talk to Lauren Beukes about her novel, Zoo City, which was recently released in the United States. There’s no question of the week this time around, but do feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com, leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter. 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): Episode 34 — Download (MP3) Intro and Interview w/ Lauren Beukes (0:00 – 36:05) Lauren Beukes’ Website(Ms. Awesome-sauce herself beckons you…) Moxyland by Lauren Beukes(Read it) Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (Also, read this. Or else…) Zoo City, the Soundtrack (because we know you want to bust an aposymbiotic groove!) Sidekick by Adeline Radloff S. L. Grey’s Website Deadlands by Lily Herne Miss Gay Western Cape (Oh, you know you want to click and find out what this is…don’t you?) Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks! Thanks for listening. See you next week.
