Outer Alliance Podcast #31

Outer Alliance

Eight OA members answer the same four questions (about SF awards, what "metrosexual" means, identity politics and the term QUILTBAG, and recommended media from 2013), so we can see a bit of the wide variety of opinions on each topic. Gabriel Murray is a writer of fiction and non-fiction, and a first reader for Strange Horizons. Cheryl Morgan is a a noted reviewer, and proprietor of Wizard's Tower Books. H. B. Kurtzwilde is the Lambda nominated author of Chocolatiers of the High Winds. Sunny Moraine is the co-author of Line and Orbit. Sunny also has a story forthcoming in Apex Magazine. Dennis R. Upkins is a critic and writer. His non-fiction appears at Ars Marginal, and his first YA novel is Hollowstone, and his second novel, West of Sunset, is coming out this summer. Sarah Pinsker is a singer-songwriter and a short story writer. She did the music for the Strange Horizons Podcast, and has a story forthcoming in Strange Horizons this summer. Rahul Kanakia's short stories have appeared in all sorts of places including Clarkesworld, Apex Magazine and Wilde Stories 2013. His novels are represented by the Greenhouse Literary Agency. Jude McLaughlin is the mastermind behind Wonder City Stories. She was our one e-mail correspondent this episode, and her answers are all together at the very end. Stuff We Mentioned Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (sad story, strong female friendship, set in WWII) The Ditmar Award Winners (congratulations, all!) Through Splintered Walls by Kaaron Warren The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck Ancient, Ancient by Kiini Ibura Salaam "Robot" by Helena Bell "Immersion" by Aliette de Bodard "Fade to White" by Catherynne M. Valente Stoker (an interestingly disappointing movie, according to Gabe) Batgirl #19 by Gail Simone (Cheryl is excited about the trans character in this comic) Gemsigns by Stephanie Salter (currently only available in the UK) Video Game High School The Binding of Isaac (a flash game) The Starz series Spartacus (which Sunny notes is problematic, but also has some great stuff in it, including a healthy gay couple) The Evil Dead remake (again Sunny notes there are problems with this, it's not for everyone, but it does interesting things with women) Selo & Inya by Ankhesen Mie Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age II (both games have queer characters) G.I. Joe: Retaliation (Denny appreciates that this features people of color) The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord Marbles by Ellen Forney (Out-Bechdels Allison Bechdel, according to Sarah) "If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love" by Rachel Swirsky "Variations on Bluebeard and Dalton's Law Along the Event Horizon" by Helena Bell "Selkie Stories Are For Losers" by Sofia Samatar (Sarah heard this story many times while working on the very first Strange Horizons podcast episode, and she never got tired of it!) The Good Wife (TV legal drama, which Rahul enjoys for the plots and the abundance of queer characters) Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (Rahul says this one made him feel like he was living the story) Puella Magi Madoka Magica Dicebox by Jen Manley Lee Family Man by Dylan Meconis I Do Not Have an Eating Disorder Send feedback to [e-mail], and if you're coming to WisCon, say hello to me at the Queers Dig Time Lords / OA party on Friday night!