Your hosts are joined by Gabriela Houston to talk about “The Storm Child,” the second book in her middle-grade duology. They talk about the importance of treating serious topics seriously (even in children’s books), the experiences of multicultural families, and growth in mother-daughter relationships. Listen to the episode on The Wind Child here: https://www.fictionfanspodcast.com/post/author-interview-the-wind-child-by-gabriela-houston You can find Gabriela online at https://www.gabrielahousto...
May 17, 2023•56 min•Ep. 90
Your hosts get back on the Discworld turtle with “The Last Continent” by Terry Pratchett. They discuss Rincewind’s character arc, Definitely-Not-Australia, and the wizards of Unseen University dipping their toes into workplace satire. This episode also features a Words are Weird segment around the phrase “eating tea” with a special mention for “throbbing stem.” Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” - Josh Woodward f...
May 10, 2023•50 min•Ep. 89
Your hosts discuss Light From Uncommon Stars, a definitely-not-magical-realism novel by Ryka Aoki. They talk about misleading expectations, immigrant experiences told through food, and how the book really is as sweet as people say it is but you have to get to the ending for that payoff. Special features include Donuts, Lesbian Flirting, and Sex Positivity. Content warning, this episode includes conversation about transphobia but no specific descriptions. Thanks to the following musicians for the...
May 03, 2023•42 min•Ep. 88
Your hosts speak with J. Dianne Dotson about her new collection of short stories and poetry, The Shadow Galaxy. They talk about vulnerability in fiction, multi-genre sensibilities, and cosmic horror in the Appalachians. You can find J. Dianne Dotson online at: Twitter - https://twitter.com/jdiannedotson Her website - https://jdiannedotson.com/ Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” Licensed under Creative Commons: By...
Apr 26, 2023•43 min•Ep. 87
Your hosts are joined by Claire North to talk about Ithaca, the first book in The Songs of Penelope trilogy, a retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey. They discuss Greek mythology, toxic gender expectations, and her inspirations for the voices of her goddess narrators. You can find Claire North online in the following places: https://www.clairenorth.com/ https://twitter.com/ClaireNorth42 Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Par...
Apr 19, 2023•51 min•Ep. 86
Your hosts speak with Steven J. Morris about The Guardian of the Palace, the first book in his urban fantasy series. They talk about non-linear narratives, using brand names in novels, and characters’ struggles with adapting to civilian life. They bring up the question: is it really urban fantasy without vampires? (Yes.) The book is going to be free April 14-16. Find Steven J. Morris on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven.j.morris.writer/ Thanks to the following musicians for the use of ...
Apr 12, 2023•44 min•Ep. 85
Your hosts are back on their Journey to the Center of the Discworld, this time with Jingo by Terry Pratchett. Did you know that Terry Pratchett wrote an anti war book? Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” - Josh Woodward for the use of “Electric Sunrise” Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
Apr 05, 2023•50 min•Ep. 84
Your hosts are once again joined by Hannah and Laura from On Wednesdays We Read Podcast for another episode of Nostalgia Book Club. This time, they’re covering Dealing With Dragons, book one of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. They talk about draconic gender expectations, fairytale tropes, and audiobook pitfalls. The crew agrees that this book aged pretty damn well for something written in 1990. Check out On Wednesdays We Read Podcast! https://owwrpod.com/ https://twitter.co...
Mar 29, 2023•51 min•Ep. 83
Your hosts go back to the moon Factus with a discussion of “Hel’s Eight,” the sequel to “Ten Low” by Stark Holborn. They try desperately to remember what happened in Ten Low and talk about the delight of world building coming after character building for once. They also debate book comps, overuse the word “gritty,” and Lilly abuses a quote from classic scifi. Sara has a Pet Peeve about grains. You can listen to them talk about "Ten Low" here: https://www.fictionfanspodcast.com/post/ten-low-by-st...
Mar 22, 2023•50 min•Ep. 82
Your hosts are joined by longtime friend of the show K.R.R. Lockhaven to talk about Mrs. Covington's, his forthcoming cozy fantasy standalone novel, and the kickstarter that he's running to fund it. They talk about writing a standalone novel in a setting where he already has an established series, well-rounded parent characters, and why he decided to call nachos in his fantasy world "nacias". You can back the kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mrscovingtons/mrs-covingtons-a-c...
Mar 15, 2023•40 min•Ep. 81
Netflix reminded your hosts that Shadow and Bone exists, so they decided that they’d read the first novel in Leigh Bardugo’s trilogy. They are DEFINITELY not the target audience for these books. They discuss fantasy settings, chosen one tropes, and whether or not the Darkling is actually hot enough to warrant all of the conflict in this book. This episode also features a “Words are Weird” debating when, exactly, next Saturday is. Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Am...
Mar 08, 2023•54 min•Ep. 80
The interviewer becomes the interviewee as your hosts welcome Andi Ewington back on to the podcast to talk about his new comedic fantasy novel, The Hero Interviews. They discuss writing for video games vs comics vs novels, the similarities between footnotes and marmite, and all things D&D (and MERP). Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” - Josh Woodward for the use of “Electric Sunrise” Licensed under Creative C...
Mar 01, 2023•59 min•Ep. 79
For their annual Doctor Who Gallifrey One Convention episode, your hosts discuss Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson (author of the audio drama Doctor Who Redacted). They unsuccessfully try to talk about this book without giving anything away in the spoiler section before giving up because basically everything is a spoiler due to the book’s excellent pacing. They talk about the nature of cliffhangers, whether positive character change is the same thing as character growth, and various persp...
Feb 22, 2023•58 min•Ep. 78
Your hosts are joined by Rob Wilkins, long time friend and employee of Terry Pratchett, and author of Pratchett’s official biography, “Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes.” They discuss what it was like working so closely with such a beloved author, and whether or not Rob ever played D&D with Terry Pratchett. Rob weighs in on possible starting points for the Discworld series and the whole gang generally nerds out. Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for ...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 77
Your hosts are writing this episode description months after they recorded the episode, so just like they didn’t remember anything that happened in Gideon the Ninth, they also don’t remember anything they discussed about Harrow the Ninth. They’re pretty sure they played “shoot, screw, marry” and there’s something about second person POV in there. Also, this episode may or may not contain a Pet Peeve Corner. (It doesn't, it's a Words are Weird). Thanks to the following musicians for the use of th...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 76
Your hosts speak with author Leslye Penelope about her new novel, The Monsters We Defy. They discuss the highs and lows of the 1920s, the delight of heists, and the real-world inspiration behind the main character. They also cover ghosts, romance, and strong third-person POV. This episode contains a Words Are Weird about the slang use of the word “heifer”. Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” - Josh Woodward for th...
Feb 01, 2023•49 min•Ep. 75
Your hosts get festive in their discussion of The Hogfather. They do cave and end up calling “Hogswatch” plain ol’ christmas a few times. They talk about Death and the weirdly specific “skeletons impersonating Santa Claus” genre as a whole. They also talk about belief as a magic system, Susan’s character growth and increased badassery, and how absolutely chilling the villain Mr. Teatime is. This episode also features a “Words are Weird” segment about boogeymen (no, it is not related to the dance...
Jan 25, 2023•59 min•Ep. 74
Your hosts talk about The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano, the second novel in K.R.R. Lockhaven’s Azure Archipelago trilogy. It does provide what it says on the tin, but it also contains a whole lot of great relationships and a heavy dose of wholesome horniness. They go back and forth on whether this book counts as “cozy,” but are in staunch agreement that the antagonists play their roles exceedingly well. This episode also features a Words are Weird segment on the word “tiddly” (no google...
Jan 18, 2023•51 min•Ep. 73
Your hosts discuss their reading habits of 2022 and a few of the fantastic books they read last year. They try very hard to remember names from books they read close to two years ago, and do alright. They also assign some superlatives, like "best side character" and "world that would most likely kill us instantly." Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License...
Jan 11, 2023•47 min•Ep. 72
Your hosts are joined by Jonathan Nevair to talk about his scifi thriller, Stellar Instinct. James Bond comes up, but not as much as super cool backwards necklaces. They discuss the polarizing effect of 2nd person POV, the differences between writing thrillers vs space operas, and bad poetry. The spoiler section has MAJOR SPOILERS. We openly talk about some crucial twists in the novel. Find more from Jonathan online! https://www.jonathannevair.com/ https://twitter.com/JNevair Thanks to the follo...
Dec 09, 2022•50 min•Ep. 71
Your hosts let the spoilers fly in their discussion of “Feet of Clay” by Terry Pratchett (although they avoid the main mystery so it’s not actually that spoilery, overall). They consider Vimes’s character flaws and how he still manages to be a sympathetic character, debate some of the cruder points of werewolf dating, and manage to agree on how great Nobby Nobbs is. Sara gets to enjoy Vetinari at his best, but still won’t concede Carrot to Lilly for some reason? There’s an awful lot of teasing a...
Nov 30, 2022•44 min•Ep. 70
Your hosts are serious adults, which means that of course they have to celebrate episode 69 (lol) of Fiction Fans by having author Dani Finn on to talk about some good old fashioned monster fucking. What makes monsterfucking different from monsters fucking? What kinds of monsters count? Could Lilly be more wrong about cryptid origin stories? Your hosts aren’t any kind of expert, but along with Dani they tackle these questions and more. You probably figured it out by now, but this episode has eve...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 69
Your hosts fail at basic movie trivia in their discussion of “Maskerade” by Terry Pratchett. They discuss how the book’s heroine defies the expectations of those around her, manipulative witches, and the Opera House as a character. They also argue about which death is the saddest. Sara commandeers a Words are Weird segment to talk about Nanny Ogg’s cookbook, The Joy of Snacks. Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris” -...
Nov 16, 2022•50 min•Ep. 68
Your hosts are joined by Emily Edwards, host of Fuckbois of Lit and author of Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man, to talk about the first novel in her historical detective series. The conversation covers a discussion of her research process to what inspired the all of the outfit descriptions in the novel to a Words Are Weird segment focused on period-accurate slang. https://twitter.com/MsEmilyEdwards https://twitter.com/FuckboisOfLit https://www.msemilyedwards.com/ Thanks to the following musicians ...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 67
Your hosts dip their toes into poetry with an interview with T.L. Coty about her collection “Summer Lines: And the Leaves That Fall Behind Them.” They discuss the differences between poetry and fiction, how this collection was arranged on the page, and the intersection between literary and visual arts. Find more from T.L. Coty Here: https://twitter.com/revelryinread https://linktr.ee/TLCoty Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Da...
Nov 02, 2022•41 min•Ep. 66
This episode contains discussion of child abuse and self harm. Your hosts are joined by Spencer and Gabe of The Fantasy Files to talk about the thriller Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz. The new readers share what they guessed happened while the re-readers gleefully picked up on new hints. This doesn’t come up in the episode but yes, Sara was kind of freaked out the first time she got on an airplane after reading this book. They also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Koontz's thoughtful, altho...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 65
Your hosts welcome Chris Panatier on to the podcast for his second episode, this time talking about his debut novel The Phlebotomist. There's a big twist about eighty pages into the book, which makes a non-spoiler discussion difficult. The conversation ranges from elderly protagonists to inanimate objects feeling like full-bodied characters to spoilers. They also spend a few minutes contemplating the horror genre, Chris recommends a ton of horror novels, and they do say the word “halloween” at l...
Oct 20, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 64
Your hosts kill their demons in this discussion of “Ring Shout” by P. Djèlí Clark. They talk about the joys (and horror) of horror, how much Lilly loves the 20s (it’s relevant, we promise) and get a bit distracted by a conversation regarding body horror and ableism (not actually relevant to “Ring Shout” at all, but still interesting). This episode also includes a Words Are Weird and hilarious clothing assumptions. Thanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs: - Darkest Child by K...
Oct 12, 2022•59 min•Ep. 63
In the first Spooky Month episode of the year, your hosts discuss The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Harris. They are challenged by the genre conventions of this novel and the brutal experiences of people of color in the publishing industry. Sara remains Not A Horror Reader, and Lilly puts her foot in her mouth probably at least once. This episode also features a Pet Peeve Corner that could have been avoided if Lilly knew she could have turned off the popular highlights feature on kindle. Thanks to ...
Oct 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 62
Your hosts were delighted to interview Patricia A. Jackson about her book “Forging a Nightmare” even if they got distracted praising Anaba, the titular Nightmare, constantly. They talk about diversity in fantasy and religion, the complexity of Christian Mythology, and how kickass Anaba is. Patricia brings us to a Pet Peeve Corner about book bannings, and how important representation is for a young audience. You can find Patricia Jackson here: http://www.bybirthright.com/ https://twitter.com/trei...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 61
