Shows
AE Reads Skiffily"Twenty-One-Oh" by Ari MarmellIn a dark dystopian future, a courier must make a timely delivery while nefarious forces try to slow him down. Will he miss his deadline? This episode features "Twenty-One-Oh" by Ari Marmell (mouseferatu.com), first published in 2012 anthology Foreshadows: Ghosts of Zero (http://foreshadows.net/).Music (and some sound effects) comes from Looperman (looperman.com) and YouTube's audio library.This is the first episode also appearing on YouTube, where you can see the readers stare off camera while they act out the parts. https://youtu.be/fgpXZulZzSYFollow the show...
2021-08-2235 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Laying the Ghost" by Eric BrownWhat's a humble salvage captain to do when a beautiful woman in a warsuit asks for his help? This episode features "Laying the Ghost" by Eric Brown (https://ericbrown.co.uk/), first published in the October 2010 issue of Clarkesworld Magazine.Music (and some sound effects) comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users JoFunktastic, abelouis...Follow the show on Facebook (@Skiffilypodcast), Twitter (@SkiffilyPodcast), and Instagram (@SkiffilyPodcast). Additional voice talent provided by Crissy (I: @crissyscurious), Joanna (FB: @joanna.martinez524), and author Ashley R. Carlson (www.ashleyrcarlson.com).Read along here: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/brown_10_10/
2019-11-2848 min
AE Reads Skiffily"The Tunnel Under the World" by Frederick PohlDoes Guy Burckhardt have what it takes to push through his trauma to fiind out the truth? This episode features "The Tunnel Under the World" by Frederick Pohl. First published in the January 1955 issue of Galaxy magazine, this story is about a man who realizes his whole town is reliving the same day over and over again.Some of the music comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users JoFunktastic, abelouis, and rasputin. Otherwise, the source of Music: http://www.purple-planet.com. Great thanks to all of them for providing that royalty free. Follow the show on Fa...
2019-03-0201 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Plan of the Space-Borne Grave Robbers" by S. R. AlgernonWill zombies help the aliens stop universe-ending technology? This episode features "Plan of the Space-Borne Grave Robbers" by S. R. Algernon (sralgernon.wordpress.com), a poetic retelling of the plot of Plan 9 from Outer Space (the 1959 Ed Wood classic) in the form of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It helps to be familiar with that movie.This episode was released in coordination with S.R. Algernon, whose book Souls and Hallows (where the poem can be found) comes out November 1, 2018 (which is, like, tomorrow). You can order a copy at Amazon here.Some...
2018-10-3129 min
AE Reads Skiffily"10^16 to 1" by James Patrick KellyTime travelers are the worst friends. This episode features "10^16 to 1" by James Patrick Kelly (jimkelly.net) originally published in the June 1999 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction, ultimately winning the 2000 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. This story is about a young teen who befriends a time traveling robot from a terrifying future.After reading the story, AE and girlfriend Mona (@sewagainsthegrain) discuss whether they would've gone through with Ray's mission.Some of the music comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users baroza, suicidecc5702, minor2go, josephfunk, chrisneal, danke, and kiestyleproeductions. Otherwise, the source of...
2018-06-051h 03
AE Reads Skiffily"The Children of Crèche" by James Alan GardnerWho needs kids, anyway? This episode features "The Children of Crèche" by James Alan Gardner (jamesalangardner.com). Originally an entry in the 1989 Writers of the Future Contest (where it won Grand Prize) and later anthologized in Gardner's 2005 book, Gravity Wells, this story is about an art critic who comes to an isolated colony of artists able to flourish artistically because they didn't have to take care of children. After reading (dramatizing?) the story, AE and girlfriend Mona (@sewagainsthegrain) discuss what happens to art when its creation comes from something terrible.Some of the...
2018-04-241h 25
AE Reads Skiffily"The Long Rain" by Ray BradburyGet ready to listen to the wettest science fiction story ever featured on AE Reads Skiffily. This episode's story, "The Long Rain” by Ray Bradbury (originally published in the September 1950 issue of Planet Stories and later anthologized in Bradbury’s 1951 collection The Illustrated Man), is about some soldiers who crash on a rainy planet Venus, all of them having forgotten to bring an umbrella. After reading the story, AE (IG: @SkiffilyPodcast, FB: @SkiffilyPodcast, Tw: @SkiffilyPodcast) and girlfriend Mona (IG: @sewagainsthegrain) discuss the relevance of a story that has become scientifically accurate now that we know Venus is inhospitable.Some...
2018-02-1343 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Stuffing" by Jerry OltionIn this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona join with Mona's sister, Sara, to read "Stuffing" by Jerry Oltion (jerryoltion.com). First published in the 2006 Mammoth Book of Extreme Science Fiction , this story is about a group of photosynthetic humans who decide to rediscover eating just in time for the holidays. Get your ears ready, sit back, and relax (unless you are driving) and enjoy this Thanksgiving/Christmas episodeThe science fiction works mentioned in the post-reading discussion include:
"Hair" (2009) by Adam Roberts, a story about the development of photosynthesetic hair, which rebalances th...
2017-11-2034 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Utopia, LOL" by Jamie WahlsWhen all our needs are met, the remaining problems become more frivolous. In this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona read "Utopia, Lol" by Jamie Wahls (jamiewahls.com). Originally published in the June 2017 issue of Strange Horizons, this story is about a cryogenically frozen man waking up to a digital utopian future and the guide who helps him.Sit back and get ready for a Halloween episode that is tangentially related to Halloween. You can read along to the story here: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/utopia-lol. You can also listen to Anaea Lay's reading of the story...
2017-10-2036 min
AE Reads Skiffily"A Greater Power" by Benjamin CrowellAddiction comes in many forms, including strange monstrous beings. In this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona read the "A Greater Power" by Benjamin Crowell (lightandmatter.com). Originally published in the Spring 2008 issue of Electric Spec, this story is about a guy who becomes addicted to a tentacle monster. After reading the story, Mona and AE also weigh in some of the issues brought up in the story, particularly addiction and the 1980s setting. Sit back and get ready for a Halloween Eve Month episode. You can read along to the story here: http://www.electricspec.com/Volume3/Issue1/Cro...
2017-09-1245 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Pay Phobetor" by Shale NelsonViruses are way worse with virtual reality hardware. In this episode, AE, Mona, as well as newcomer Robert Valenzuela, read the topical story "Pay Phobetor" by Shale Nelson (shalenelson.com). Originally published in the December 2014 issue of Lightspeed Magazine, this story is about a ransomware virus infecting someone's brain implant. You can read along here: http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/pay-phobetor/After reading the story, Mona and AE also weigh in some of the issues brought up in the story, particularly the threat of too much dependence on technology. Now, get...
2017-08-1532 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Her Husband's Hands" by Adam-Troy CastroIn war, soldiers get eaten up and spat out. In this episode's story, "Her Husband's Hands" by Adam-Troy Castro, a woman's soldier husband is killed in combat, but brought back via digital backup to operate what is left of his body, the eponymous hands.Episode 7 features another first for AE Reads Skiffily; after reading the scifi story, Mona and AE discuss some of its content and weigh in on issues the brought up in the story, such as whether a copy of you can really be youand how people respond to grief. You can see the...
2017-06-0450 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Beneath Impossible Circumstances" by Andrea KneelandDoes the difference between natural and artificial matter when they are indistinguishable? In Episode 5, AE and Mona read "Beneath Impossible Circumstances" by Andrea Kneeland, first published in the April 2012 issue of Strange Horizons. In this story, a lesbian cyborg tries to deal with her wife's desires for a "natural" baby. You can read along here http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/beneath-impossible-circumstances/Follow this science fiction podcast on Facebook (@SkiffilyPodcast) and Twitter (@SkiffilyPodcast). If you have Instagram, feel free to follow Mona (@sewagainsthegrain) and myself (@SkiffilyPodcast). "Beneath Impossible Circumstances" Copyright © 2012 Andrea Kneeland, reproduced with permission from...
2017-04-0714 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Taste the Singularity at the Food Truck Circus" by Jeremiah TolbertHow can one keep a tight budget (or waistline) when even the local food truck has innovative culinary delights? From the August 2016 issue of Lightspeed Magazine, Nico (the narrator) is trying to save up to become a freelance accountant, but must battle with his love of food trucks. He discovers that Alberto, an acquaintance from a cooking class he took as a child, is a vendor of a popular food truck near his work. Alberto has invited Nico to the exclusive food truck circus.Read along here: http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/taste-singularity-food-truck-circus/F...
2017-03-0720 min
AE Reads Skiffily"Teenagers from Outer Space" by Dale BaileyCan love fight past the intolerance of the 1950s? What if it's between a human and an alien? For our first episode of AE Reads Skiffily, AE shares an except from Dale Bailey's "Teenagers from Outer Space,"which first appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine in August of 2016. The excerpt depicts Nancy Miller's (the narrator) visit to Bug Town, an alien enclave that popped up in Milledgeville, Ohio in the early 1950s. Nancy's best friend Joan Hayden has run away to Bug Town to escape her overbearing father. Joan's ex-boyfriend Johnny Fabriano wants to take Joan from Tham (the alien's name...
2017-03-0717 min