We've been on hiatus, but we're back with news, updates, and recommendations to get you hyped about the coming months! Rob and Jesse discuss Hugo/Locus/Ignyte Award nominations, the (possible? Hopeful?) return of conventions, the Baen Bar reopening, and plenty of cool stuff for you to watch, read, and play. Enjoy! Hugo Award nominees: http://www.th…

Find yourself wanting to learn how to write science fiction or fantasy? Already writing and want to level up? Then you'll definitely want to hear what our guest Cat Rambo has to say. Cat is one of the most accomplished names in the field, having published over 200 original works with many more on the way, as well as serving two terms as President o…

Check out the cool stuff we've been consuming to help us stay upright and functioning in 2021 (AKA "2020 Part 2: Even 2020er"). Games, books, movies, and shows to soothe your brain and make happy. Enjoy! Subscribe to Glitchy Pancakes on your favorite podcast app, and please leave a review if you like what we're doing. Follow us on Twitter and Faceb…

Time to get SPOOKY! We're talking about horror stories this week! Joining us is Tonia Ransom, creator and executive producer of the excellent Nightlight Podcast, a horror podcast dedicated to publishing creepy tales by Black writers and acted by Black voice professionals. We discuss why we like to be scared, where horror writers get their terrifyin…

It's always something, isn't it? This week we dig into the controversy surrounding the Baen Bar forum, WorldCon/DisCon III, and the removal of Toni Weisskopf as WorldCon's Editor Guest of Honor. Free speech and censorship (what they mean, and what they don't), how communities define and enforce their standards, and what the fallout means for everyo…

Welcome back! It's our first episode of the year, and having lost our minds long ago in the Before Times of 2020, we attempt to stay coherent as we discuss what's going on in fandom. We talk about the release of Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda, the upcoming Black Panther tv series helmed by Ryan Coogler, the Locus recommended reading list, updates …

This week, we took a few minutes to thank everyone who has helped us make the back half of 2020 better than we'd hoped. We launched Glitchy Pancakes on June 19 of this year with an episode on Protest & Rebellion in SF/F, featuring the amazing Sheree Renée Thomas. From then until now, we've published 30 episodes full of fun and illuminating conversa…

Some say there are certain works & authors in SF/F/H that one Must Read in order to appreciate or understand the genres. But with all the amazing new work coming out from new voices around the world, are the so-called "canonical" works even relevant anymore? How can fans navigate the world of speculative fiction in a way that makes it meaningful (a…

"Own Voices" fiction means stories written BY members of the marginalized groups and cultures they depict, instead of written by people from outside those groups. People deserve to tell their OWN stories instead of having others take up that space and write about them, so today we get into what needs to happen and why. We're joined by two amazing a…

Swing and a miss, Audible! After last week's episode, the audiobook giant emailed authors & publishers with a "solution" to their policy of not paying creators. It was... not good. We talk with author & Mocha Memoirs Press publisher Nicole Givens Kurtz about why SO MUCH MORE needs to be done to make publishing equitable and ethical. And while we're…

PAY CREATORS. PERIOD. It's a tale as old as time, folks... the House of Mouse has been refusing to pay royalties to the great Alan Dean Foster for his many novelizations of Star Wars (including 1976's Star Wars: A New Hope), Alien, etc. In the entertainment industry, this is what's known as "a d*** move." In other news, Audible (owned by Amazon) is…

We recap the 2020 Election (wow, Georgia) & continue destroying your TBR lists with a heaping helping of recommendations. It's a tough time right now, heading into the holidays in the time of COVID-19, and we all need some quality entertainment to keep us happy and get us through. We've got books, shows, comics, movies, and games to keep your spiri…

WorldCon, AKA the World Science Fiction Convention, is one of the oldest and most storied conventions anywhere, the home of the Hugo Awards and the source of much fandom lore. The 79th annual WorldCon will be in Washington D.C. at DisCon III, August 25-29, 2021. DisCon III Co-Chair Bill Lawhorn joins Rob & Jesse to talk about the history & meaning …

Join us for a great chat with Liz Gorinsky, recorded for Multiverse Convention. We talk about the publishing business, trends in speculative fiction, the life of an editor, and the meaning of major awards with the Hugo-winning editor & Erewhon Books founder. BIO: Liz Gorinsky (she/they) is a speculative fiction editor. Liz began her publishing care…

Join us for a fascinating hour with Hugo Award-winning artist Galen Dara, recorded for Multiverse Convention. We chat about artistic inspiration & stylistic choices, consistency & practice as a creator, and how to stay productive during quarantine. Also about apricots. Ripe ones. Very ripe ones. Galen Dara, Multiverse's 2020 Artist Guest of Honor, …

We're back! Join us for a fascinating hour with Maurice Broaddus, recorded for Multiverse Convention. We discuss Afrofuturism + music, TV adaptations, the influence of comics, and how authors can live mission-driven lives. Broaddus, Multiverse's 2020 Author Guest of Honor for 2020, is an award-winning author of speculative fiction ranging from midd…

J.K. Rowling won't get off the transphobia train. In the wake of her recent comments, tweets, and blog posts, we decided to discuss this issue with Malorie Cooper, extremely prolific science fiction author (writing as MD Cooper), successful businessperson, trans woman, and owner of a truly impressive wardrobe of catsuits. We talk about Rowling's re…

SHERLOCKIANS! You're going to love this. We discuss the premiere of Enola Holmes on Netflix. Joining us are the founders of 221BCon, the greatest Sherlock-themed event around: Heather Holloway & Crystal Noll. We discuss Millie Bobby Brown's acting, Henry Cavill's shirtful performance, Mycroft being a jerk, and just what the heck was going on with L…

It's everything you want to know about Furries but were afraid to ask! Enjoy a fascinating look into the world of furry fandom with the excellent Chelsea Eckert. Learn what draws people to furry, the many different ways people can participate, crossovers with other fandoms, and dispel some misconceptions you may hold about this inclusive, artistic …

Ever wondered who Polidori wrote "The Vampyre" about? Have you ever noticed LGBTQ+ coding (positive or negative) in your favorite science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories? What do the past and future look like for LGBTQ+ genre writers? We talk about it with author & publisher at Queen of Swords Press, Catherine Lundoff. There's a LOT to unpack …

Why so grimdark? This week we discuss the psychology and various portrayals of the world's greatest detective, the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight: Batman. What makes him tick? What kind of hero should he be? What should Bruce Wayne be doing with all that money? We cover it all with prolific graphic novel writer & author of "Batman: The Fog of Fear…

Fantasy author and excellent human Paige L. Christie joins us for a deep-dive discussion about the responsibilities we all have to each other as fans, creators, and people. We all love the things we love in science fiction, fantasy, horror, comics, anime, etc., and we all want our experiences in fandom circles to be meaningful, fun, and safe. What …

On Friday, August 28, 2020, fandom lost one of its brightest stars. We sat down to remember and celebrate the life and work of Chadwick Boseman, who inspired the entire world through his talent, charisma, work ethic, and kindness, both on and off the screen. From playing Jackie Robinson to Thurgood Marshall to James Brown to King T'Challa/Black Pan…

The art of science fiction and fantasy inspires us, amazes us, and fills us with the same sense of wonder that first made us fans of science fiction and fantasy. From our favorite book covers to RPGs to gaming cards to convention art shows, this genre wouldn't be the same without the artists who make it all look so fantastic. Today we dive deep int…

CONS!!! We sat down to discuss what we love about fan conventions and what the future may hold for our favorite geeky gatherings. We also discuss... some other stuff. It got silly, folks. Enjoy meeting Rob's eccentric alter-ego, Fox Curley! MultiVIRTUAL 2020 (Multiverse Convention's free online event): https://www.multiversecon.org/ 221BCon (annual…

Ever wondered how Dr. House can solve any medical mystery in 48 minutes (plus commercials)? Well... he can't. Did you know you can't coagulate all the blood in your body and live? It's true! Today we talk with fantasy author & physician Dr. Darin Kennedy to delve into the writing of medical issues: who gets it right and who has gotten it so, so wro…

We know you're bored at home. Here's some cool stuff we're currently loving, to keep you entertained and amused. Got something you want to suggest to us? Email CakesPod@gmail.com! JESSE'S RECS: Control (PS4 game), The Library at Mount Char (novel by Scott Hawkins), Love Death & Robots (Netflix animated SF anthology) ROB'S RECS: Ninjala (Switch game…

Got some thoughts about WorldCon 2020 (CoNZealand) and the Hugo Awards Ceremony? Yeah... so do we. Have a listen. Big thanks to M.M. Schill (@mm_schill on Twitter) for stepping in on short notice to lay down the hottest of takes with us. TLDR: DO BETTER, WORLDCONS! Huge congratulations to the Hugo winners and nominees for 2020. These awards are all…

Ever wondered how to write characters different from yourself respectfully & convincingly? We sat down with the folks who literally wrote the book on this topic. Nisi Shawl & Cynthia Ward created "Writing the Other," a book and series of excellent workshops taught by some of the best authors working in SF/F today. Their workshops teach techniques, …

Jesse's Recommendations: Dark (TV show, Netflix), The Worst of All Possible Worlds (Salvagers series #3, novel by Alex White - PRE-ORDER HERE), The Last of Us Part 2 (PS4 game) Rob's Recommendations: Tales from the Loop (TV show, Prime Video), Cyborg 009: Call of Justice (anime, Netflix), Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix), Shovel Knight (Switch game), B…

This one is deep but illuminating. In the shadow of the recent harassment scandals across fandom, we sit down with author/illustrator/survivor advocate M. M. Schill, and Multiverse Convention Chair Allie Charlesworth. How bad is the problem? How do we start fixing it? How can we all do better as a community? Whatever viewpoint you're looking at thi…

Going in DEEP on this one. We talk systemic and overt racism in the SFFH publishing industry, #PublishingPaidMe, and more, with A BLADE SO BLACK author/equality advocate L.L. McKinney & WHEN NIGHT FALLS author Gerald L. Coleman. Works by L.L. McKinney: A BLADE SO BLACK (Nightmare-Verse #1): https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250211668 A DREAM SO D…

Jesse & Rob talk quarantine from deep within their Fortresses of Social Distance! The economic effects of The Cove on the comics industry, conventions, and creators. Suggestions for how to support creators, plus plenty of book/movie/game recommendations. WANDERERS (novel by Chuck Wendig): https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780399182105 A CANTICLE FOR…

Rob & Jesse dive deep into "problematic favorites" with the excellent Victor LaValle, author, Columbia professor, and winner of all the awards (American Book Award, Shirley Jackson Award, World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award, Bram Stoker Award, etc.). Check out Victor's books below & enjoy the conversation! Victor LaValle's works: THE BALLAD …

In the first-ever Cake Pops current events episode, Rob & Jesse talk about the 2020 Locus Awards (we swear, it's a new Golden Age of science fiction & fantasy right now), and also touch on the recent harassment scandals in the world of SFF/comics/art. Profane rants ensue. **CW: brief discussion of harassment/abuse** Here's the entire slate of 2020 …

Jesse & Rob talk fandom as therapy. How we all benefit from a strong fan community when times are tough, plus several ways to support each other & the creators we love, things NOT to do as a fan, and as always, some recommendations to keep you busy. MULTIVERSE CONVENTION: https://www.multiversecon.org 221BCon: https://www.221bcon.com/ Game: Ghost o…

We talk about the history of protest in speculative fiction with award-winning multi-genre author, editor, and publisher Sheree Renée Thomas. Check the notes below for Sheree's new fiction collection Nine Bar Blues, plus the other recommendations we mentioned during the show. Enjoy! NINE BAR BLUES (fiction collection by Sheree Renée Thomas): https:…