A few of us from the Portland (and broader Pacific NW) chapter of the Nebulugo Book Club Discord got together in Portland to do a Hot Ones style challenge, with the questions done Book Club style as the sauces got hotter (well, that was the intent, but our sauces were all over the place). Audio … Continue reading "Hothouse, by Brian Aldiss (Hot Ones challenge), with Mythius, Sophia, and Sarah"

“Fantasy is when we are presenting a world that isn’t our world, even if it’s just slightly off from our world.” Dan Harris from the Nebulugo Book Club Discord joins me for a Foundational Fantasy about Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast series, starting with Titas Groan. I highly recommend the print or ebook for this one, as … Continue reading "Foundational Fantasy: Titus Groan, by Mervyn Peake, with guest Dan Harris"

“Fantasy reflects…a simpler lifestyle and…an exaggeration of physical ability…and many different types of people.” Ray Jamison joins me for a quick Foundational Fantasy discussion about Fantasy Films, but is mostly here to plug his cool fantasy comic project, The Madcaps, currently running a Kickstarter campaign. I thought the project looked cool, so I invited him … Continue reading "Interview with Ray Jamison, author of The Madcaps (and a sprinkling of Foundational Fantasy)"

Back to a regular episode this time with Clifford Simak’s City, winner of the International Fantasy Award in 1953, and I’m joined by the newest entry in what I call The Hugo Collective, Christine Baker from the excellent podcast, Hugo History! We go pretty much full spoilers right away, but this is a 70+ year … Continue reading "City, by Clifford Simak, with Christine Baker"

“It’s fantastical, it’s awe-inspiring, it’s extraordinary, it’s something that really doesn’t exist, hence the name fiction…you know, it inspires you.” – James Ralston It’s another Foundational Fantasy episode!Returning guest James (also my Take Me To Your Reader co-host) joins me for a discussion of Raymond E. Feist’s Magician, the first book (or is it two … Continue reading "Foundational Fantasy: Magician, by Raymond E. Feist, with guest James Ralston"

“Fantasy is a comfort, an escape, a way to imagine other sorts of realities other than the one I’m in.” – Paul Weimer It’s another Foundational Fantasy episode!Returning guest Paul Weimer joins me for a discussion of Roger Zelazny’s Nine Princes in Amber, the first book of the Chronicles of Amber. And we chip away, … Continue reading "Foundational Fantasy: Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny, with guest Paul Weimer"

This is the first in a series I hope to do for much of 2026, called Foundational Fantasy.What does that mean? Tune in to find out. Also find a fun discussion of Brian Jacques’s excellent Redwall, the first in a long-running series of children’s fantasy books. My close friend and podcast co-host Colin joins me … Continue reading "Foundational Fantasy: Redwall, by Brian Jacques, with guest Colin Kuskie"

Bob Morrell joins me again for a brief discussion of the short but hilarious Hugo and Nebula finalist Doorways in the Sand, by Roger Zelazny Notes & Links: https://sites.google.com/site/bbbmorrell/bobs-writing-page https://magazine.trollbreath.com Ways to support the podcast: Buy Me a Book/Coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sethheasled Support Me on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/hugospodcast Pick a Book off the Mondo List and contact me: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s6JbgvwCB3ptr2cDZWWaEHvbc-BEmC5Y5avdf2kaLqQ/edit?usp=sharing

Ways to support the podcast: Buy Me a Book/Coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sethheasled Support Me on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/hugospodcast Pick a Book off the Mondo List and contact me: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s6JbgvwCB3ptr2cDZWWaEHvbc-BEmC5Y5avdf2kaLqQ/edit?usp=sharing Three of my Nebulugo Book Club friends join me for a draft of our favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy concepts. Themes: Round 1: Round 2: Round 3: Round 4: Bring Out Your … Continue reading "Bonus! Science Fiction and Fantasy Concepts Draft (with Dan, Emmanuel, and Kalin)"

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoy this microfiction fantasy story I wrote and submitted as part of NYC Midnight’s 250-word Microfiction Contest. This story made the cut in Round One, and then I had to submit another original story for Round Two, and that’s as far as I got. But I thought the story was … Continue reading "Original Fiction: Bookends, or Libromancy, by Seth Heasley"