Saying the Unsayable

In this episode author Lina Rather discusses how she uses lore, history and science to explore relationships, religious futurisms, parent-child dynamics, nuns in love and at the head of space colony revolution, and giant slugs in space. She expands on what the research process was like that led the compelling worldbuilding where the rich world of Sisters of the Vast Black was set and how her experience with religious systems added to an imaginative, diverse scifi novella series.

Stories discussed include:
"The Night the River Meets the Sky" https://firesidefiction.com/the-night-the-river-meets-the-sky
And the first in the novella series Sisters of the Vast Black: "Our Lady of Endless Worlds."

Check the second part of the novella series "Sisters of the Forsaken Stars" that was released after this episode was recorded!


Sound edited by Mushba Said

Editor of Fusion Fragment magazine Cavan Terrill talks about running a magazine, what he looks for when selecting works for publication, his ethos behind boosting his authors, the magazine's unique Twitter personality, and why editors and writers alike might sometimes compartmentalise our literary selves from our public personas. Check Fusion Fragment out on Twitter @FusionFragment, or go to https://www.fusionfragment.com and check it out! Its unique flavour and aesthetic is a treat for any fan of scifi-tinged SFF!


Sound edited by Mushba Said

Storyteller Nadia Shammas talks in this episode about her journey as a writer. We talk about connected storytelling, and how she goes about challenging cultural hegemony with her wonderfully subversive storytelling. The conversation was especially fun for me in what we managed to cover! From speculative fiction and its range in what it can capture, to cuisine and Palestine, to immigrant families and imperialist policies and how they impact young people growing up. Listen all the way to the end to see what she recommends.

In this episode we discuss:
her short story "The Center of the Universe"  Read here: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/the-center-of-the-universe/
Graphic novels "Ms. Marvel Stretched Thin" https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/kamala-khan-ms-marvel-stretched-thin-graphic-novel  
and "Squire." https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57992923-squire


Find Nadia here: https://www.nadiashammas.com/ and on Twitter @Nadia_Shammas_ 

Many thanks to sound editor: Mushba Said 

Future Worlds Prize winner M. H. Ayinde explores how the elements in her creative works navigate justice and classism, quests and automatons, hope and dystopia. We talk about art in the apocalypse, standing up to consumerist societies, the human instinct for compassion and how society can teach us to lose empathy. We touch on colonialism and how the relics of Benin City inspired one of her stories. Most importantly, Ayinde reveals how she reflects these issues by going beyond tropes in her writing.

We also dive into writing craft — plotting vs pantsing, how she used lucid dreaming for inspiration for one of her stories, and perspectives on how to view time spent writing as a parent.

(Since recording this episode with me Ayinde has gone on from being on the shortlist of the Future Worlds Prize to winning it).

Find more about her here: https://mhayinde.com/ and follow her on Twitter @MHAyinde

Stories discussed can be read here:
https://www.fiyahlitmag.com/tag/m-h-ayinde/
https://omenana.com/2021/12/21/the-walls-of-benin-city-m-h-ayinde/
https://dailysciencefiction.com/science-fiction/virtual-reality/m-h-ayinde/a-blind-eye
https://www.patreon.com/posts/microfiction-48575090?l=it 

Many thanks to sound editor: Mushba Said