Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast
by Deborah L. Davitt
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” --Anton Chekov Interviews and readings with authors and editors of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative poetry. Hosted by Deborah L. Davitt.
Episodes
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Shining Moon Episode 41: Reading the Nebulas II
With me today to read the novelette category for the Nebulas are Allen Dyen-Shapiro, Leigh Harlen, and Brent Lambert. Allan Dyen-Shapiro is a Ph.D. biochemist who enjoyed a 19-year research career. He now teaches in high-poverty schools in Southwest Florida and recently ramped up his union...
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Shining Moon Episode 40: Reading the Nebulas I; Short Stories
Hello and welcome to Shining Moon, Episode 40. With me today are A.P. Howell, Sam W. Pisciotta, A.T. Sayre, and Risa Wolf. The voting for the Nebulas has just concluded, and we’re here to talk about the contenders on the ballot before the winners are revealed. Let’s get started with some...
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Shining Moon Episode 39: Writing Games III, Cerebos the Crystal City
Zach Welhouse is a librarian and game designer who lives in the Pacific Northwest. He enjoys hot drinks and meeting dogs who look like goblins. His work has appeared in the Costume Fairy Adventures and Deadlands RPGs, and Strange Beast: A Tarot Zine. Cerebos: The Crystal City, a game about…
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Shining Moon Episode 38: Writing Games II--TEETH RPG
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 38. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about writing games, particularly roleplaying games. This is a subject dear to my heart, because I’ve spent twenty years of my life playing RPGs, mostly in written...
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Shining Moon Episode 37: Speculative Poetry IV
Daniel Ausema is an educator and stay-at-home dad. His poems have appeared in Strange Horizons, Fantasy Magazine, Dreams & Nightmares, and many other places and have been nominated for the Rhysling Award. He is also the author of the Arcist Chronicles and the creator of the Spire City series, as...
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Shining Moon Episode 36: Writing Real World Religions
Welcome to Shining Moon Episode 36, Writing Real World Religions. Priya Chand is a California transplant living in the Midwest, where she regularly cuts down trees and sets them on fire (as a certified volunteer forest steward). When she's not reading, writing, or eating, she enjoys swimming,...
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Shining Moon Episode 35: Writing Fantasy Religions
Samantha Mills is a Nebula, Locus, and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award winning author from Southern California. You can find her short fiction in Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, Escape Pod, and others, as well as the best-of anthologies The New Voices of Science Fiction and The Year’s Best...
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Shining Moon Episode 34: Writing Media Tie-ins
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 34, Writing Media Tie-Ins. With me today are Marie Brennan, Kate Heartfield, and Caitlin J. Starling. Let’s get started with some introductions! Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly leans on her academic fields for...
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Shining Moon Episode 33: Food and Foodways in Fiction
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Epsidoe 33: Food and Foodways in Fiction. With me today are Beth Cato, P.A. Cornell, Amelia Gorman, Nibedita Sen, and D.A. Xiaolin Spires. Let’s get started with some introductions! Nebula Award-nominated Beth Cato is the author of A THOUSAND RECIPES FOR REVENGE...
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Shining Moon Episode 32: Novella Writing
Bendi Barrett is a queer Black creator of speculative work in both fiction and interactive game narratives. His debut novella, Empire of the Feast, was a 2023 Ignyte award finalist for Best Novella. His work has appeared in Baffling Mag, PANK magazine, and several anthologies including the BSFA...
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Shining Moon Episode 31: Non-Western Fantasy
Hello and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 31, Non-Western Fantasy! With me today are Tina Zhu, Osahon Ize-iyamu, and Liza Wemakor. Let’s get started with some introductions! We had some audio problems with Osahon's feed in places. Please be patient with the technology. Osahon Ize-Iyamu is a...
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Shining Moon Episode 30: A Walk in the Dark II
Tara Campbell : www.taracampbell.com. Kat Day writes regular flash for her blog, thefictionphial.wordpress.com. Lindz McLeod: https://lindzmcleod.co.uk/ Suzan Palumbo: suzanpalumbo.wordpress.com. Sam W. Pisciotta: www.silo34.com or @Silo34 on X and Instagram. Stories on this episode Tara Campbell...
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Shining Moon Episode 29: YA and Middle-grade Fiction
Note: There are some audio problems in this episode that I have been unable to correct. My apologies. David Anaxagoras is a writer and former teacher from southern California. His short fiction has appeared in Lightspeed and The Dread Machine. He is the creator and co-executive producer of the...
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Shining Moon Episode 28: Cozy Fantasy and Hopepunk
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon episode 28, Cozy Fantasy and Hopepunk. I’m your host, Deborah L. Davitt. This week we’ll be having a conversation with M. E. (Mary) Garber, Susan Kaye Quinn, and John Wiswell. Itinerant writer M. E. Garber currently lives halfway between the Kennedy Space Center...
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Shining Moon Episode 27: Shared Visions, or Writing with a Co-Author
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 27, Shared Visions: Writing with a co-author. With me today are writing partners Kathy Bailey and Kurt Pankau as well as Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, who write together as M.A. Carrick. Let’s get started with some introductions! Kathy Bailey writes...
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Shining Moon Episode 26: When the Fic is Quick II
Amanda Helms (she/her) is a biracial Black/white fantasy, science fiction, and sometimes horror writer whose stories have appeared in FIYAH, Lightspeed, Nature: Futures, and other fine venues. She lives with her family in Colorado. Though all of them are natives, none ski or snowboard, proving…
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Shining Moon Episode 25: When the Fic is Quick I
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 25, Flash Fiction: When the Fic is Quick. I’m your host, Deborah L. Davitt. With me today are Kat Day and Michael Haynes as we’ll discuss the art of writing flash fiction—stories that are under 1,000 words in length. Let’s get started with some...
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Shinging Moon Episode 24: Environmental and Cli-Fi II
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 24. Today we’ll return to the themes of environmental fiction, cli-fi, and solarpunk, on what will be our last episode for the year. Joining me today are Priya Chand, Amelia Gorman, Floris Kleijne, and Tehnuka. Let’s get started with some introductions....
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Shining Moon Episode 23: Mythology, Folklore, and Prehistoric Fiction
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 23. Today we’ll be talking about mythology, folklore, and prehistoric fiction. My guests today are Robin Duncan, Jelena Dunato, Sam W. Pisciotta. Let’s start with some introductions. R. K. Duncan is a fat queer polyamorous wizard and author of fantasy,...
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Shining Moon Episode 22: Environmental Fiction, Cli-Fi, and Solarpunk
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 22. Today we’ll be talking about environmental science fiction, cli-fi, solarpunk, and maybe even hopepunk. My guests today are Renan Bernado, Cecile Cristofari, and Susan Kaye Quinn. Stories featured in this episode: Renan Berando: "A Shoreline of Oil…
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Shining Moon Episode 21: Editors and Editing III
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 21. Today we’ll continue our series by asking what it takes to be a magazine editor in this day and age—particularly when your magazine has a message and a role to play in the world at large. We’ll discover the process…
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Shining Moon Episode 20: Self-Publishing Empire
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 20. Today we’ll turn away from genre concerns to get into the nuts and bolts of independent publishing. Joining me today are science fiction writer Abby Goldsmith, and dark erotica author Cassie Alexander. Abby Goldsmith…
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Shining Moon Episode 19: Lovecraftian and Weird
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon Episode 19. With me today are Alicia Hilton, Kenneth Hite, and Dawn Vogel to discuss the topic of Lovecraftian and Weird Fiction. Do you have to be Lovecraftian to be weird? What *is* weird, and how do we go beyond the tropes that Lovecraft and his immediate...
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Shining Moon Episode 18: Speculative Poetry III
Hello and welcome to Shining Moon episode Number 18. Today we’ll once again turn our attention to the topic of speculative poetry with guests Rebecca Buchannan, Alicia Hilton, Lorraine Schein. Let’s get started with some introductions. Rebecca Buchanan is the editor of the Pagan literary ezine,...
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Shining Moon Episode 17: Worldbuilding
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon, Episode 17. Today, we’re departing from genre concerns to talk about the art and craft of worldbuilding. My guests today are Marie Brennan, Beth Cato, Rachel Handley, and Kenneth Hite. For more information on Marie Brennan, visit swantower.com, Twitter...
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Shining Moon Episode 16: Military Science Fiction and More
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 16. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about military science fiction and military fantasy. We’ll talk about the history of military science fiction, what it takes to write in this subgenre with authentic...
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Shining Moon Episode 15: Editors and Editing II
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 15. Today we’ll continue our series by asking what it takes to be a magazine editor in this day and age. We’ll discover the process that takes hold of your story from the moment you click the ‘submit’ button till the…
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Shining Moon Episode 14: Editors and Editing I
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 14. Today we’ll continue our series by asking what it takes to be a magazine editor in this day and age. We’ll discover the process that takes hold of your story from the moment you click the ‘submit’ button till the…
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Shining Moon Episode 13: Speculative Poetry II
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast Episode 13. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about speculative poetry before doing a little poetry reading, and then a holding poetry thunderdome. My guests today are Brian Hugenbruch and Dawn Vogel. Brian...
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Shining Moon Episode 12: Contemporary vs. Urban Fantasy
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 12. Today we’ll continue our series by talking about what differentiates contemporary fantasy as a genre from urban fantasy, and more. My guests this week are Laurence Brothers, Michael Haynes, and Sheila Massie. Find...
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Shining Moon Episode 11: Interactive Fiction
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 11. Today we’ll continue our series by asking what it takes to write interactive fiction and visual novels. We’ll talk plotting, choices, lack of choices, and more. My guests this week are Stewart C. Baker, Alexei Collier,...
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Shining Moon Episode 10: Alternate History vs. Secret History
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 10. Today we’ll continue our series by asking what it takes to write Alternate History and Secret History, what the differences between those two terms are, and we’ll explore some examples of each. My guests this week are...
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Shining Moon Episode 09: Dark Fantasy vs. Horror
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 9. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about the genres of dark fantasy and dark science fiction, and where to draw the line between them and horror. My guests this week are P.A. Cornell and Alicia Hilton....
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Shining Moon Episode 08: Space Opera
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 8. I’m your host, Deborah L. Davitt. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about the subgenre of space opera. How does it differ from Hard Science fiction, which was the focus of Episode 3? What are some of…
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Shining Moon Episode 07: Writing Games I
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 7. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about writing games, particularly roleplaying games. This is a subject dear to my heart, because I’ve spent twenty years of my life playing RPGs, mostly in written…
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Shining Moon Episode 06: Translations and Writing in English as Your Second Language II
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 6. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about translation and writing in English as your second language. We’ll find out how difficult it is to write in your second (or third) language, what the advantages…
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Shining Moon Episode 05: Translations and Writing in English as Your Second Language I
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 5. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about translation and writing in English as your second language. We’ll find out how difficult it is to write in your second (or third) language, what the advantages…
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Shining Moon Episode 04: Speculative Poetry I
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast Episode 4. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about speculative poetry. We’ll talk a little about the history of speculative poetry, what it takes to write genre poetry and regular poetry, and where you can find...
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Shining Moon Episode 03: Hard Science Fiction
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 3. Today we’ll continue our series by asking questions about hard science fiction. We’ll talk a little about the history of this subgenre, what it takes to write fiction that crunches between your teeth, the research...
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Shining Moon Episode 02: Reading and the Working Writer
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode 2. Today we’ll continue our series by asking a question not about genre or craft, but about how to keep reading, when you’re a working writer. We’ll discuss the impact working as a writer has on our reading time, choices,...
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Shining Moon Episode 01: Literary vs. Genre
Hello, and welcome to Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, Episode One. Today we’ll begin our series by grappling with the questions of “what is literary fiction, and what is genre? And can the two ever be satisfyingly combined?” My guests for this episode are Marie Brennan, Jennifer…
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About this show
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” --Anton Chekov
Interviews and readings with authors and editors of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative poetry. Hosted by Deborah L. Davitt.
Hosted by
Deborah L. Davitt