Shows
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Ted Chiang and the Metrics of Personhood"Surprise! It's a bonus season 1 episode we've been keeping on the back burner! Ted Chiang comes onto the show to have a discussion with Ben about what it means to be a person, whether Alan Turing's test for artificial intelligence still holds up, and the persistent themes of parenting and religion in Chiang's work. Link to upcoming Ben and Ted virtual event for Skylight Books: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/skylit-rosenbaum/register Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/show-notes-for-ep-39/2022-07-222h 28
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Escape From Turkey City"Mary Anne, Ben, and Jed open the episode with a discussion on writing workshops. They explore the kinds of people and critique you can find within them, as well as the hierarchies that can form between student and teacher, between unexperienced and experienced writer. In the second half of the episode the trio react to some of the writing terms and axioms found in Bruce Stirling's "Turkey City Lexicon." Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-38-show-notes/ Link to Turkey City Lexicon: https://www.sfwa.org/2009/06/18/turkey-city-lexicon-a-primer-for-sf-workshops/2022-02-221h 52
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansEp. 37 "Our Season 1 Reading Guide"As we draw close to the end of season 1 of MRAH, producer Darius figured it would be a good idea for Mary Anne and Ben reflect on some of their most influential writers and books, particularly the ones that have been mentioned a lot on the show. From the authors they adore, to writers couched in controversy, Mary Anne and Ben consider their importance to the podcast , the field, and their own writing. For episode show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-37-show-notes/2022-02-072h 06
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Revision and Workshopping With Jed Hartman, Pt. 2" In this follow up to episode 34, Mary Anne, Ben, and Jed continue their discussion about revising and workshopping, while giving advice on how to manage critique of your work, both good and bad. For episode show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-36-show-notes/ SLF Co-Writing details: https://speculativeliterature.org/saturday-co-writing-sessions/ 2022-01-311h 29
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Fred Berman Reads The Unraveling"Fred Berman reads a five minute sample from Ben's book, The Unraveling. If you’re interested in purchasing Ben’s audiobook, read by Fred Berman: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Unraveling-Audiobook/B09NZLMRYM2022-01-2704 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansEp. 35 "Narrating With Fred Berman"Mary Anne and Ben invite actor, producer, and podcast host Fred Berman to discuss another part of his career in particular: audiobook narration. Starting with Fred's experience of reading Ben's new book, The Unraveling, the trio discuss the intricacies of audiobook narration, the voicing of characters outside our own experience and background, and the financial aspects of being an audiobook narrator. If you're interested in purchasing Ben's audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Unraveling-Audiobook/B09NZLMRYM Check out Fred's podcast: https://www.fredberman.net/opening-weekend-podcast For episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#e...2022-01-251h 50
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Revisions and Workshopping with Jed Hartman, Pt.1"In the first part of a long discussion about the revision and workshop process, Mary Anne and Ben invite Jed Hartman on the show again to explore questions of inspiration, maturity, resilience, and voice when it comes to writing. For episode show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-34-show-notes/ If you're interested in applying for any upcoming SLF grants check out: https://speculativeliterature.org/grants/2022-01-171h 26
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansEp. 33 "Epic Fantasy With George R. R. Martin"Mary Anne interviews George R. R. Martin about the writing of epic fantasy. How does one balance realism with fantastical elements? How did Martin approach the creation of the world of Westeros in Game of Thrones? What's the difference between the two kinds of writers Martin refers to as "architects" and "gardeners?" For episode show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-33-show-notes/2021-12-1432 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"What Is Your Jam?"How does a writer choose a theme to write about? Is it a conscious project, or more of a thing that comes to a writer through time and experience? This is the central question Mary Anne and Ben try to answer in this episode, using their own experiences, as well as the writing exercises, practices, and advice that have been helpful to them. SLF Convention Support Grant: https://speculativeliterature.org/grants/convention-support-grant/ SLF Art Contest: https://speculativeliterature.org/call-for-artists-2022/ Show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-32-show-notes/2021-12-082h 01
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"An Interview with Vida Cruz"Mary Anne interviews Filipino writer Vida Cruz about her experience going to cons, winning the Tiptree (now known as Otherwise) award, and what the sci-fi and fantasy community is like in the Philippines. For show notes, visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-31-show-notes/2021-11-2318 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"The Portolan Project: Charting the Way for Writers"Portolan charts were maps used by sailors long ago to navigate the seas of the world, and to find harbor. Similarly, the Speculative Literature Foundation wants to chart the way for writers with Mary Anne's newest endeavor and baby, the Portolan Project. Mary Anne talks with Ben and show producer Darius about the ins and outs of the project, as well as its future goals and concerns. We are running a Kickstarter right now to help fund the project, which you can find here at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mohanraj/the-slfs-portolan-writing-project-phase-1 For episode show n...2021-11-161h 16
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Tentifying with Jed Hartman"Jed Hartman joins Mary Anne and Ben again to talk editing. From acquisitions to development, they discuss the many complex levels of editing as well as the editorial cultures that can arise in a workplace. Also important to the conversation is how they engage with dialectic decisions, especially when it comes to swearing, and whether or not you should hire an editor. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-292021-11-102h 21
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansEp. 28 "Creative Community with Scott Woods"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 www.speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-282021-11-0124 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Game Design with Avery Alder"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/episodes/#ep-272021-10-181h 47
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"The Good, the Bad, and the Chocolate Cake with Jed Hartman"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/episodes/#ep-26 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-10-112h 01
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Kate Elliott on Map Making"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/episodes/#ep-25 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-10-0416 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"The Agent Hunt: She Wanted It All"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/episodes/#ep-24 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-09-281h 32
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Nalo Hopkinson, Andrea Hairston, and Sheree Renee Thomas"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/episodes/#ep-23 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-09-211h 14
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"The Orange"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/episodes2021-09-1603 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Dark Nights of the Soul"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/episodes/#ep-22 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-09-132h 07
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Jed, Pt. 2: Strange Horizons Origin Story, and Other Adventures"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/episodes/#ep-21 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-08-302h 11
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Delia and Ellen, Pt. 2"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/episodes/#ep-20 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-08-261h 03
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Delia and Ellen, Pt. 1"Mary Anne and Ben catch up with old friends Delia Sherman and Ellen Kushner. In the first half of the episode, the hosts of MRAH speak to Delia about her balladic influences, formula fiction, and the process of writing Freedom Maze. In the last half of the episode, Ellen switches with Delia to talk about her book Swordspoint, the intricacies of collaborative writing, and more. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-19 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-08-232h 00
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Cadwell Turnbull"In movies, shows, and books, the aliens often invade the biggest, most iconic cities in our world. But what if the aliens chose to inhabit a place like the US Virgin Islands? In this episode, Mary Anne and Ben interview Cadwell Turnbull on his sci-fi book, The Lesson, and what its representations of aliens, violence, language, and culture says about our own troubled history with colonialism. For show notes visit: speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-18. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-08-102h 05
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"An Interview with Nalo Hopkinson"Join Mary Anne as she interviews Nalo Hopkinson about the exceptional use of language and vernacular in her work. To view or read the interview, you can visit the episode's show notes at https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-172021-07-2619 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"How We Started"Stranded in the Swiss Alps, Ben reminisces with Mary Anne about their early writing in what is a sequel to the "Gamifying the Rejection" episode. The two also discuss the importance of magazines in their lives, and how starting Strange Horizons impacted budding and established writers alike in the field. For show notes visit: speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-16. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-07-121h 12
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"An Interview with Farah Mendlesohn"Join Mary Anne as she interviews Farah Mendlesohn about international science fiction and her latest book, The Pleasant Profession of Robert A. Heinlein. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/2021-07-061h 02
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Chore Charts and Cookies"Trapped in quarantine during the early stages of the pandemic, Mary Anne and Ben delve into their family structures through a lens of domesticity. Ben introduces and explains his chore chart, which was created earlier in his life and has developed into a well running machine. And Mary Anne asks the question of whether or not you should get a cookie for doing the right thing. For show notes visit: speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-14. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. You can follow us on Twitter @mrahpodcast.2021-06-291h 07
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Food (and/or Cricket) Can Solve Everything"This time around, the impetus for this discussion is Mary Anne's new cookbook, Vegan Serendib, a companion piece to her previous A Feast of Serendib, an Amazon bestseller. Friends of the show, writers V.V. (Sugi) Ganeshananthan and Nayomi Munaweera are invited to the podcast to talk Sri-Lankan history, writers, and food in anticipation of Mary Anne's newest cookbook. If you want to find out more about Vegan Serendib, or support it, you can visit the Kickstarter Mary Anne is running at https://bit.ly/3vI4bTX. For show notes visit: speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-132021-06-211h 15
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansThe UnravelingStepping down momentarily from being a co-host, Ben is interviewed by Mary Anne and Jed about his newest book, The Unraveling, a tale of social unrest in a far future society. The trio explore the themes of gender, pronouns, societal structure, parenting, and even surveillance that are brought up in Ben's story. You can find out more about Ben's book on the Erewhon Books website, where you can find links to purchase the Unraveling as well. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-12 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us o...2021-06-141h 48
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Liz Gorinsky"Friend of the podcast Liz Gorinsky arrives to share her experiences as an editor, from her early days of reading comic books, to her work at Tor.com, and finally starting Erewhon Books. Mary Anne and Ben inquire about the technical and career aspects of editing, as well as the importance of grappling with their internal editor in their own writing process. Note: Ben and Liz refer to The Unravelling releasing in May, but the date has been moved to June 8. You can find out more about Erewhon Books and Liz by going to www...2021-06-072h 16
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Gamifying the Rejection"In this episode, Mary Anne and Ben ruminate on the intricacies of writing for submission. Based on their own personal publishing experiences, the two give advice to writers young and old on how best to go about preparing for success and rejection in the field, even if it means gamifying the process. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is @mrahpodcast.2021-05-242h 06
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"An Interview with Paolo Bacigalupi"Mary Anne interviews Paolo Bacigalupi about how to write fiction with a message, especially one as urgent as the ecological fate of our world and how it can impact humanity. To watch this interview and others like it at the Speculative Literature Foundation visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/portolan-project/interviews/2021-05-2029 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Attack Surface" (Bonus)In the last episode, Mary Anne and Ben discussed Attack Surface with its celebrated author, Cory Doctorow. We wanted to share a special treat with our listeners in the form of the first ten minutes of the Attack Surface audiobook, read by Amber Benson. To buy Attack Surface and other books written by Cory, visit https://craphound.com/shop/2021-05-1310 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Cory Doctorow"Cory Doctorow — celebrated author, essayist, blogger-journalist, and human rights activist — visits the podcast to talk about privacy, security, monopoly power, the innate conservatism of AI, moral reckonings, technothrillers, and his latest book, Attack Surface, part of a series which motivated a generation of hacktivists, thinkers, and techies to fight for freedom and equity in our increasingly digital world. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is @mrahpodcast.2021-05-102h 07
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Cons In a Time of Pandemic"Bonding over their complex feelings on Star Trek, Mary Anne and Ben share their thoughts on how conventions have been forced to adapt and evolve in a time where large crowds and gatherings are largely a thing of the past. Cons are an important part of Mary Anne and Ben's personal and professional lives, so will things ever be the same? For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-7 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is @mrahpodcast.2021-05-031h 32
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansEp. 6 "Jed Hartman, Pt. 1: Conversational Cultures"In his first appearance on the show, Jed Hartman converses with Mary Anne and Ben about the complexities of communication, which include everything from social mobility to ask/guess culture. As is their tendency, Mary Anne and Ben take these topics into the realm of science fiction and fantasy, asking what a realistic encounter with aliens would look like. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-6 For the video version of the episode visit: https://youtu.be/lPCNMHQGdr4 If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our...2021-04-261h 39
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Two Months into the Pandemic: A Snapshot"A historical episode of sorts, Mary Anne and Ben talk through the the personal effects that the pandemic and lockdown were having on them and their families, two months in. The two also ruminate on their own familial and cultural health anxieties and how they've come into play during these unprecedented times. Content note for brief discussions of domestic violence and genocide. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-5 For the video version of the episode visit https://youtu.be/f4ucX-jndbo. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting u...2021-04-191h 25
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"What Are... Humans?"What does it mean to be human? What do we mean when we call ourselves humanist? And what does secularism and the idea of God have to do with it all? This episode represents Mary Anne and Ben's attempts at clarifying what they mean by being humans. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-4 For the video version of the interview visit Mohranraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans YouTube channel. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is @mrahpodcast.2021-04-121h 32
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansAn Interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Bonus)Mary Anne interviews Silvia Moreno-Garcia about her experiences with sci-fi and fantasy growing up in Mexico, and how it's shaped her own work. For show notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#ep-3 For the video version of the interview visit the Speculative Literature Foundation's YouTube channel. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is @mrahpodcast.2021-04-0530 min
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"The Toilet Seat Con Hook-up"How does examining the rules and structures of relationships help define genres such as magical realism and science fiction? In this episode, Mary Anne and Ben humorously discuss their romantic experiences and the surprising connection to how we examine and shape genres... And leaving the toilet seat up might be more significant than you think. Content note for mention of race play and of pedophilia. Also discussion of cheating on spouses and spousal abuse and murder. And a potentially ableist remark about brain tumors and personality change. For Show Notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes...2021-03-291h 54
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are HumansThe Capitol and the Cafe (Bonus)In this episode, the hosts of MRAH explore questions of violence, pacifism, ethics, and empathy while juxtaposing a hyper local incident against an event of national proportions. Content note: This episode discusses a racist attack on a business, the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, an Islamophobic insult, fascism, and other related political topics. For Show Notes visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/#bonus-ep-1 For the video version of the podcast check out our YouTube Channel. If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon. Our Twitter handle is...2021-03-251h 33
Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans"Introductions"In this inaugural episode, Mary Anne and Ben promise to introduce themselves in ten minutes, then immediately veer off into a tangle of tangents—parenting, religion, writing—setting a tone for the wild ride to come. From their beginnings as writers, to the far future extrapolations of their work, Mary Anne and Ben begin the discussion of who they are as humans. For show notes visit https://speculativeliterature.org/episodes/ If you like the podcast consider supporting us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/mrahpodcast2021-03-221h 41