In a bustling café, Mary Anne sits down with writer, poet, and community organizer Scott Woods to talk about the importance of creative space and culture in a community. They also touch on Woods' Streetlight Guild space in Columbus, Ohio, as well as the importance of persistence in aiming for success.

For show notes and a transcription of the interview, visit https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-28-show-notes/

Coming onto the show is Avery Alder, a game designer bringing a queer perspective to roleplaying games. Mary Anne and Ben talk with Avery about her various projects, the interesting aspects of narrative scaffolding and restraint offered by RPGs, and the genesis of Ben and Avery's collaboration on "Dream Askew" and "Dream Apart", two games of Belonging Outside Belonging.

To find out more about Avery and her games, you can visit https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/

For show notes and more links, visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-27-show-notes/

Is there such a thing as good and bad writing? What place does absolutism and relativism have in the critique of writing quality? Or is it all just about reader pleasure? These are the questions that have been brought up time and time again over the years in heated debates between Mary Anne, Ben, and Jed. This time, they are bringing it to the podcast.

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-26-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

Mary Anne speaks with Kate Elliott about map making. What is the significance of having an internal map when world building? What are cultural icebergs and how can writers think about them? What types of things should be researched when building a believable world?

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-25-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

In this episode, Mary Anne brings on Ben to discuss agents. Both recount their experiences finding and working with agents, their importance to the field, proper etiquette in finding and speaking with them, and how Mary Anne should navigate her wide array of genre projects with an agent.

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-24-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

Mary Anne interviews Nalo Hopkinson, Andrea Hairston, and Sheree Renee Thomas about how the genre has evolved during their careers and how we can raise awareness of Black writers and their work. The four also discuss the dangers of self-selection and the importance of writing in community. 

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-23-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

A live reading of Benjamin Rosenbaum's short story "The Orange" by John Cameron Mitchell. Originally aired on the Selected Shorts Podcast in the episode "Improbable Dreams."

Link to Selected Shorts site: https://www.symphonyspace.org/selected-shorts/episodes

In this vulnerable episode, Mary Anne and Ben share some of their biggest failures in their writing careers. The discussion also encompasses what it's like to deal with imposter syndrome, while also bearing the weight of creative ambition. 

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-22-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

On his second appearance on the show, Jed Hartman discusses the origins of Strange Horizons with Mary Anne and Ben, and the difficulties they encountered with establishing its reputation and bringing a diversity of voices to the field.

For show notes and links visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-21-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.

In the second part of their discussion, both Delia and Ellen are present to talk Shakespeare, writing style, character realism, dialogue, the queer side of the genre history, and more with Mary Anne and Ben.

For show notes and links to some of Delia and Ellen's works visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-20-show-notes/

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.