Explore every episode of the podcast Strange Horizons

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Ryan Elliott and Roseanna Pendlebury, who have both recently reviewed works for us of speculative fiction now shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

What do mean when we say something is “literary”? How do we know it when we see it … and what is it good for?

Ryan's review of The End of Everything by M. John Harrison

Roseanna's review of May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, A. J Odasso and Electra Pritchett join Dan Hartland to talk about popular fiction. Science fiction and fantasy has a long and complex relationship with questions of popular culture. Where does this stand today?

So often ignored or derided by so-called higher culture, how should critics approach it? And where should we situate it in our readings?

A. J.'s review of The Vampire Lestat

Electra's review of The Icarus Coda by Timothy Zahn

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Amritesh Mukherjee and Abigail Nussbaum join Dan Hartland to talk about literary awards. Discussions and debates about awards shortlists often seem to be a point of gravity in broader critical discussions, and can even affect how individual reviews get commissioned and written.

How do and how should critics interact with awards? What are they for? And do critics spend too much time thinking about them?

Amritesh's review of Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta.

Abigail's review of Angel Down by Daniel Kraus.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Because I Held His Name Like a Key" by Aimee Ogden, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Drug use
• Sex
• Rape/sexual assault
• Suicide

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dean Leetal and William Shaw join Dan Hartland to talk about reading queerly: How do, should, and can reviewers and critics interested in LGBTQ+ people and their representation approach texts both avowedly queer and apparently heteronormative?

Dean's review of Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page

Will's review of Dead Boys in Space by Sara Youngblood Gregory

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Kate Macdonald and Duncan Lawie join Dan Hartland to tackle the question of the back catalog. How should reviewers and readers approach writers with a number of books already to their name? How should we think about and access authors who have enjoyed a career of some duration?

Kate's review of The Curve of the World by Vonda N. McIntyre.

Duncan's review of Loss Protcol by Paul McAuley.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Cold Comfort" by Louis Inglis Hall, read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Mental health issues
• Suicide

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Hana Carolina and Alex Kingsley join Dan Hartland to think about reviewing debut books and writers. Is there an extra responsibility reviewers owe to new writers? And if so, what might it be?

Hana's review of Krackle's Last Movie by Chelsea Sutton

Alex's review of Isaac by Allee Mead

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Four Steps to Hunt a God" by Athar Fikry, read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Death/dying
• Murder
• Spiders/insects
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Jenny Hamilton and Anushree Nande join Dan Hartland to discuss romance and romantasy. A huge proportion of science fiction and fantasy works and sales are now accounted for by this form. But what is its appeal? What is it doing? And where is it going?

Jenny's review of Into The Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum

Anushree's review of The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "I Wish You Died Laughing" by Lio Abendan, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warnings:

• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Death/dying
• Homophobia
• Shaming
• Trans misgendering or other transphobic depictions
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Paul Kincaid and Dawn Macdonald join Dan Hartland to discuss style: What is it, what does it do, how can we think about it? And why does SFF seem to have such a fraught relationship with it? Get ready for Ursula K. Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, verse and poetry ... and police raids.

Paul's review of Syncopation by Whitney French.

Dawn's review of Into the Sun by C.F. Ramuz, translated by Olivia Baes and Emma Ramadan.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "The Aquarium of Lost Souls" by Natasha King, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Natasha King ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warnings:

• Abuse
• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Blood
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Dysphoria
• Violence/combat

In this episode, as part of our 2026 criticism special issue Tristan Beiter introduces us to the Ursula K. Le Guin book club he's been taking part in. The group discusses the book club as a forum for, and a practice of, criticism. How does it differ from the academy, from more formal venues, from fan spaces—and what kinds of critical activity and insight do those differences, equip it uniquely to deliver? 

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Shannon Fay and Marisa Mercurio to discuss horror, and especially its cozy variety. From the gothic to the slasher movie, how might texts within an increasingly broad tradition be judged as a success? And what should reviewers do when a given example falls short?

Shannon's review of The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Marisa's review of Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland reads 'Orchard Village Catalog' by Parker Peevyhouse.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Parker Peevyhouse ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Cameron Miguel and Nick Hubble to discuss fantasy and its relationship to history and history-writing. Is some sense of the recordable past baked into the genre? And, if so, with what effects?

Cameron's review of Making History.

Nick's review of The Everlasting.

In the first part of episode 5 of Writing While Disabled, Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston discuss some adjustments they'd like to see at science fiction conventions that would help create a more inclusive experience for all science fiction writers and fans, including moderator training, fire safety, a technology mentor-buddy system, and more.

If you prefer, you can watch the full episode with close-caption subtitles here.

Show Notes:

• This episode was produced and hosted by Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston, and edited, mixed, and transcribed by Kat Kourbeti.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti sits down with long-time Strange Horizons contributor RB Lemberg for a conversation about their extensive work with the magazine, using poetry as a tool to refine short and long-form fiction, writing about the diaspora experience, and the comfort one can find in stories from perspectives outside one's own. Oh, and Ursula K LeGuin, of course.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Are you starting to read stories for SFF awards season? Consider our fiction and poetry archives as a good starting point, and let us know your favourite stories and poems of the year on Bluesky.

Episode show notes:

• Read RB Lemberg's work in our archives.
• Visit their website, their Patreon, or follow them on Bluesky.
• Buy Yoke of Stars, their latest Birdverse novella, which just won the World Fantasy Award!
• Pre-order We Will Rise Again, the activism anthology edited by Annalee Newitz, Karen Lord, and Malka Older.
• Find more links to their work, plus other interesting things, scattered through the transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents B. Pladek's 'The Spindle of Necessity' read by Arden Fitzroy.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about B. Pladek ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warning:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Dysphoria
• Sexism/gender discrimination
• Shaming
• Trans misgendering or other transphobic depictions

Celebrating 25 Years with The Strange Horizons Editorial Collective

In this special episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Senior Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti and Editor Michael Ireland welcome current members of the Strange Horizons Editorial Collective for a series of interviews to give you a glimpse behind the curtain of each department and to celebrate 25 years of this pioneering speculative fiction magazine.

Read the full transcript on our website.

A big thank you to Arturo Serrano, Proofreader; Dan Hartland and Aisha Subramanian, Senior Reviews Editors and hosts of Critical Friends; Hebe Stanton, Senior Fiction Editor; Romie Stott, Administrative Editor and Senior Poetry Editor; and Gautam Bhatia, Co-Ordinating Editor and Senior Articles Editor, for joining us for these interviews.

Happy 25 years, one and all, and here's to many more!

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by the outgoing editor of Foundation, Paul March-Russell, and the founding editor of the Harare Review of Books, Jacqueline Nyathi. They discuss speculative fiction’s approach to hope and optimism. Where has it gone? How do writers express it? And what are its pitfalls?

⁠Paul's review of When There Are Wolves Again by E. J. Swift⁠

⁠Jacqui's review of The Afterlife Project by Tim Weed⁠

⁠Jacqui's essay, "Collective Dreaming: The Schrödinger's Cat Approach to Framing Futures"⁠

In this special episode of Writing While Disabled's second season, hosts Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston speculate about the impact of a space army made up of various species of dinosaurs, and make connections to disability and accommodations as they relate to the real life of disabled people.

If you prefer, you can watch the full episode with close-caption subtitles here, or read the transcript here.

Show notes:

• This episode was produced and hosted by Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston, and edited, mixed, and transcribed by Kat Kourbeti.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Tim Melody Pratt walks Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti through their extensive oeuvre in the SH archives, recounts meeting their life partner through the magazine, and explains how it all intertwined together into a life and career bursting with magic.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to meet the team? Podcast editors Kat and Michael will be at World Fantasy Con, alongside Poetry Editor Vanessa Jae and Fiction/Articles Editor Joyce Ch'ng! Come to the first Strange Horizons Tea Party in years on Sunday at 11am, and celebrate our 25th anniversary with us.

Episode show notes:

• Read Tim Pratt's work in our archives.
• Visit their website, follow them on Bluesky, and check out their Patreon to read their monthly short stories.
• Buy Tim's latest book, Starfinder: Era of the Eclipse, or the one before that, The Knife and the Serpent.
• Find further links to Tim's work and other things mentioned throughout the transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents Diana Dima's 'City Grown From Seed' read by Emmie Christie.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Diana Dima ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warning:

• Domestic violence / domestic abuse

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by the novelist and critic Redfern Jon Barrett and the reader and reviewer Nileena Sunil. They discuss those novels that feel too short or not long enough: what's behind that feeling we have that a text is lacking something, or that it's overstretched? And how can we meet works of fiction on their own ground?

Redfern's review of If the Stars Are Lit by Sara K. Ellis

Nileean's review of Orphan Planet by Madeehah Reza

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Malda Marlys' 'Of Flowing Stone, of Liquid Gold, of Justice, Ash, and Battle' read by Emmie Christie.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Malda Marlys ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warning:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Blood
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Dysphoria
• Murder
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by the literary reviewer Sneha Pathak and the host of the Going Rogue podcast, Tansy Gardam. They discuss the kinds of text which many don’t find worthy of criticism at all: books or movies or TikTok reels that might be termed popular, populist, or popcorn. What are we doing when we spend time with a text which—perhaps only at first—exhibits few pretensions?

Sneha Pathak's review of The Blaft Anthology of Gujarati Pulp Fiction, edited by Rakesh Khanna, translated by Vishwambhari S. Parmar

Tansy Gardam's review of Jurassic World: Rebirth

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with writers and critics Octavia Cade and M. L. Clark about writing in hard times. How and why is speculative friction written in contexts of defeat, despair, or decay? They discuss climate change and artificial intelligence, systems political, biological, and economic—and how SF might be, and yet sometimes isn't, a key tool in opening up new modes of understanding during a time that Octavia suggests might best be termed the Necrocene.

M. L. Clark's review of Ray Nayler's Where The Axe is Buried.

Octavia Cade's review of Vanessa Saunders's The Flat Woman.

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti chats to author Debbie Urbanski about her 2018 Strange Horizons publication and the 13 years of submissions it took to get accepted, writing in the gray areas between genres, and what it means to be artistically honest in your work.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to meet the team? Podcast editors Kat and Michael will be at Seattle Worldcon! Come to our Table Talk on Wednesday morning, or to our live episode recording on Friday evening, grab a ribbon, and tell us about your favourite Strange Horizons stories, poems, or special issues.

Episode show notes:

• Read Debbie Urbanski's story, Some Personal Arguments in Support of the BetterYou (Based on Early Interactions)
• Visit her website, or follow her on Instagram and Substack
• Buy her book, After World, or her short story collection Portalmania
• Read Andy Sawyer's Strange Horizons review of After World
• Find more links to her work and other things mentioned throughout the transcript page on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Angela Liu's 'Time is an Ocean' read by Emmie Christie.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Angela Liu ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti talks to Mary Robinette Kowal about the fractal nature of story structure, , and writing to please the teenaged version of you.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to vote for Strange Horizons in the Hugos? We have two poems, a novelette, and the magazine all on the ballot! Get your WSFS and/or virtual Seattle Worldcon membership on their website, and you can cast your vote now.
• Want to meet the team? Kat and Michael will be at Seattle Worldcon! Come to our Table Talk on Wednesday morning, or to our live episode recording on Friday evening, grab a ribbon, and tell us about your favourite Strange Horizons stories, poems, or special issues.

Episode show notes:

• Read Mary Robinette's work in our archives.
• Listen to the audio of the Portland Strange Horizons 10th Anniversary Reading event on her website.
• Buy The Martian Contingency and pre-order Apprehension/Red Star Hustle (part of a Saga Double with Sam J Miller)
• Follow Mary Robinette on Instagram or visit her website to sign up for her monthly newsletter, The Mary Robinette Gazette. Both places abound with talking cat content!
• Find more links to her work and other things as you read the transcript below.

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with reviewers and critics Rachel Cordasco and Will McMahon about science fiction in translation (SFT), and specifically about those books appearing from small presses based in the US. They discuss recent news on NEA grants to these publishers, the SFT ecosystem in general, and how the literature might reach wider a wider readership.

A transcript of this episode is available at the Strange Horizons website.

Episode Links

Publisher's Weekly article about the NEA funding withdrawal

Rachel Cordasco's list of SFT from Small American Presses

The first episode of Open Letter's 3% Podcast recent series

The Translated Hugo Initiative

In the third episode of Writing While Disabled, Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston sit down with author Donyae Coles for a frank and candid discussion around adjusting one's life and writing processes around one's disability, finding support to help with the tasks that become difficult, and how genre can lend itself to telling disabled stories authentically.

Show notes:

• This episode was produced and hosted by Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston, and edited, mixed, and transcribed by Kat Kourbeti.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!
• Buy 'Midnight Rooms' by Donyae Coles here.
• Find Donyae's short fiction linked on her website.
• Follow Donyae on Bluesky and Instagram.
• Find Kristy on her website here.

Our fund drive for 2026 is now live!

• Contribute to funding our next year on Kickstarter and get awesome rewards like signed books by your favorite authors, ebook copies of the magazine, a special iron-on patch, your name in the credits of a poem, artwork or review, and much more.
• Read the 2025 Fund Drive issue.

Vote for Strange Horizons in the Hugo Awards!

• We have two poems, a novelette, and the magazine all on the 2025 Hugo Awards ballot! Get your WSFS and/or virtual Seattle Worldcon membership on their website, and you can cast your vote now.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Ariel Marken Jack's 'Sister, Silkie, Siren, Shark' read by Emmie Christie.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Ariel Marken Jack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Blood
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Pregnancy
• Rape/sexual assault

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents R.B. Lemberg's A City on It's Tentacles' read by Jenna Hanchey.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about R.B. Lemberg ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Drug use
• Suicide

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti talks to Nghi Vo about how Strange Horizons kickstarted her publishing journey, her weird and interesting life before writing took off, and the fearlessness it takes to make a writing career happen.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to vote for Strange Horizons in the Hugos? We have two poems, a novelette, and the magazine all on the ballot! Get your WSFS and/or virtual Seattle Worldcon membership on their website, and you can cast your vote now.

Episode show notes:

• Read Nghi's work in our archives
• Follow Nghi on Bluesky or visit her website, nghivo.com
• Buy her newest book, Don't Sleep With the Dead
• Find more links to her work and other things as you read the transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Elle Engel's 'Half Sick of Shadows' read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Elle Engel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Blood
• Child abuse
• Death/dying
• Drug use
• Dysphoria
• Incest
• Spiders/insects
• Suicide

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti talks to Naomi Kritzer about her non-linear writing journey, imagining positive futures, and how to deal with the world catching up to your near-future specfic.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to vote for Strange Horizons in the Hugos? We have two poems, a novelette, and the magazine all on the ballot! Get your WSFS and/or virtual Seattle Worldcon membership on their website, and you can cast your vote now.

Episode show notes:

• Read Naomi's work in our archives.
• Visit Naomi's website, or follow her on Bluesky.
• Order her latest book, Liberty's Daughter, featuring all of the previously serialised Seastead stories from F&SF Magazine.
• Find more links to her work, along with everything else we talked about today, peppered throughout the transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Kat Kourbeti reads Premee Mohamed's Hugo Finalist Novelette 'By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars'.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Premee Mohamed ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Blood
• Child abuse
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti talks to Charlie Jane Anders about her Strange Horizons publications dating all the way back to 2002, charting her journey as a writer and her experience with the magazine over 20 years, as well as her love for community events and bringing people together.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Want to vote for Strange Horizons in the Hugos? We have two poems, a novelette, and the magazine all on the ballot! Get your WSFS and/or virtual Seattle Worldcon membership on their website, and you can cast your vote as soon as the end of this month.

Episode show notes:

• Read Charlie Jane's stories in our archives
• Visit Charlie Jane's website, or follow her on Bluesky
• Pre-order Charlie Jane's upcoming novel, Lessons in Magic and Disaster.
• Find more links to her work, along with everything else we talked about today, peppered throughout the episode transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Lowry Poletti's 'BRIDE / BUTCHER / DOE' read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lowry Poletti ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Abortion/miscarriage
• Animal cruelty/death
• Blood
• Cancer
• Death of a pregnant person
• Drug use
• Sex

In the second audio episode of Writing While Disabled, hosts Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston welcome Farah Mendlesohn, acclaimed SFF scholar and con-runner, to talk all things hearing, dyslexia, and more ADHD adjustments, as well as what fandom could and should be doing better for accessibility at conventions, for both volunteers and attendees.

Show notes:

• This episode was produced by Kristy Anne Cox, and edited & transcribed by Kat Kourbeti. Watch the full video interview with captions, or read the transcript ⁠on our website⁠.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!
• Find Farah on her website, farahmendlesohn.com, or follow her on Bluesky @effjayem.bsky.social.
• Pre-order Farah's upcoming book on Joanna Russ's The Female Man on the Luna Press website.
• Find Kristy on her website here.

Don't forget: this year, Strange Horizons is celebrating our 25th birthday!

• Want to leave us a happy 25th birthday message? Click here to record an audio message, and here for video.
• Join our Patreon for early episode access, or donate through PayPal or other means here.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Samantha Lane Murphy's 'Reprise' read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Samantha Lane Murphy ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Blood
• Death/dying
• Drug use
• Mental health issues
• Self-harming behaviors
• Suicide
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, we present a soundscaped reading of Jordan Kurella's poem, 'this tree is a eulogy', and afterward Kat Kourbeti chats to Jordan about his writing process, the wonders of New Weird fiction, and the magic of writer friendships.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.

Episode show notes:

For the poem reading:

• Narration by Jordan Kurella
• Soundscape by Michael Ireland
• Music credit: 'Reawakening' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0.

For the interview:

• Follow Jordan Kurella on Bluesky, or check out his website.
• Read Jordan's work in our archives, including his poem 'this tree is a eulogy'.
• Pre-order Jordan's upcoming novella, The Death of Mountains.
• Find more links to his work, along with everything else we talked about today, peppered throughout the episode transcript.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Holli Mintzers 'Tomorrow is Waiting' read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Holli Mintzer, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

In this special episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Kat Kourbeti sits down with fiction editors Hebe Stanton and Kat Weaver, as well as poetry and administrative editor Romie Stott, to talk about some of the work we published last year, just as the Hugo nominations deadline draws close.

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.

Episode show notes:

• Read the full Azimuth post including all links to today's recommendations, plus some extras for good measure.
• Follow Romie Stott on Bluesky
• Read Hebe Stanton's SFF review blog
• Follow Kat Weaver on Bluesky
• Follow Kat Kourbeti on Bluesky

And of course, find a fuller list of what we talked about today as you read the transcript on our website .

In the first audio episode of Writing While Disabled, Kristy Anne Cox is joined by author Kate Johnston to talk about her experiences and challenges as a disabled writer.

Show notes:

• This episode was produced and hosted by Kristy Anne Cox, and edited, mixed, and transcribed by Kat Kourbeti.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!
• Buy 'Boundary Shock Quarterly 18: Veterans' featuring Kate JohnsTon's story Losing the Tether here.
• Find Kristy on her website here.
• Read the transcript (or watch the episode on video) on our website.

Don't forget: this year, Strange Horizons is celebrating our 25th birthday!

• Want to leave us a happy 25th birthday message? Click here to record an audio message, and here for video.
• Join our Patreon for early episode access, or donate through PayPal or other means here.

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Kat Kourbeti sits down with longtime friend and Seattle Worldcon Poet Laureate Brandon O'Brien, chatting all things speculative poetry, TTRPG design and actual play streaming, and the impact of markets that have many readers and editors—hey wait, that's us!

Links and things:

• Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.
• Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.
• Did you know SH@25 is eligible for the Best Related Work category in the Hugo Awards? Keep us in mind for your 2025 ballot!

Episode show notes:

• Follow Brandon on Bluesky, or sign up to his newsletter, Afternoon Tea.
• Read Brandon's work in our archives
• Get a Seattle WSFS Membership and longlist your favourite SH poems today!
• Find more links to everything we talked about as you read the transcript on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Alexandra Munck's 'Sandrine' read by Claire McNerney

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Alexandra Munck, ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Ableism
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Death/dying
• Drug use
• Mental health issues
• Murder
• Violence/combat
• Vomit