It's summertime, and the reading is otherworldly in this special August edition of 'Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.' This full hour special takes us through the portal into the world of speculative fiction. Whether the stories include fantasy, the supernatural, or futuristic visions of life as we know it, avid fans are making this genre of fiction more popular than ever. Speculative fiction both challenges and entertains the reader with mind bending tales of parallel universes and dimensions unknown. There couldn’t be more perfect escapism for those lazy hazy days of summer.

Callie is joined by three local authors whose imaginations make speculative fiction their stage for dramatic adventures. With science as a foundation, their books have themes and plots that incorporate artificial intelligence, robots, virtual reality and much more. These writers often find inspiration from the science and technology of our current lives.

Guests:

Max Gladstone: Author of "Empress of Forever" — a nearly 500-page space opera featuring a band of misfits and their wild adventures in a war-torn future. Gladstone is best known for his six book urban fantasy series, "The Craft Sequence." The series was a finalist for the Hugo Best Series award. The Hugo specifically honors top authors in science fiction and fantasy. This Somerville resident is also a fiddler and a fencer and is fluent in Mandarin.

K. Chess: Author of "Famous Men Who Never Lived." K's debut novel features a twist on the iconic science fiction plot about parallel universes. Before writing this first book, K. Chess was recognized for her short stories which earned her both the Nelson Algren Award and the Pushcart Prize. The Providence-based author was also named a W. K. Rose Fellow and teaches at the Boston writing center, Grubstreet.

Cadwell Turnbull: Author of "The Lesson." Cadwell's first novel imagines aliens from another planet openly living side by side with residents of the Virgin Islands. Turnbull ‘s short fiction has been recognized in several anthologies. "Loneliness is in Your Blood" was selected for the collection, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018. And his short story "Jump" was selected for the Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019. He, too, makes his home in Somerville, Massachusetts. 

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