Unknown Worlds of the Merril Collection

Humour and SF

Stephen talks with Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series (and much more), about humour in speculative fiction, the element of surprise, and what makes him laugh.
Charlie's DiaryMastodonBluesky
Merril Links
The Merril Collection!Friends of Merril (Facebook & Twitter)
Works, games, & artists mentioned
H.P. Lovecraft
Laundry Files series by Charles Stross
New Management series by Charles Stross
A Colder War by Charles Stross
Len Deighton
John Le Carré
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
James Bond series by Ian Fleming
Adam Hall
Anthony Price
Modesty Blaise
Quentin Tarentino
Vampire: The Masquerade (game)
Merchant Princes series by Charles Stross
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
Gil’s All-Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez
J.W. Wells & Co. series by Tom Holt
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Call of Cthulu (game)
The Laundry (game)
George R.R. Martin
Dungeons & Dragons (game)
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the spring of 2024.

Alternate Futures

Stephen talks with Kenna Alexander, creator of the RPG Coyote & Crow, about alternate futures, creating an Indigenous roleplaying game, and decolonising gaming.
At the time of this interview, Kenna was known by a different name and pronouns. We acknowledge and celebrate her true identity.
Coyote & Crow GamesDiscordYouTubeBlueskyReddit
Merril Links
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Works, games, & artists mentioned
Dungeons & Dragons
Settlers of Catan
Other Coyote & Crow games and adventures
Hemlock and Sage by Tali Inlow
Robert Heinlein
Isaac Asimov
Ray Bradbury
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the spring of 2024.

Optimistic SF

Stephen talks with author Alyx Dellamonica about optimistic SF, balancing optimism with realism, and their Bounceback book series.
 
Merril Links
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Works & artists mentioned
Ray Bradbury
Spider Robinson
War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Foundation novels by Isaac Asimov
Star Trek: The Original Series
Horse Woman by LX Beckett
Gamechanger & Dealbreaker by LX Beckett
Annalee Newitz
Nnedi Okorafor
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the autumn of 2023.

Music and SF

Stephen discusses filk, storytelling, community, and the intersections of music and speculative fiction with two legends: 'Decadent' Dave Clement and Steven Brust.
Note: For copyright reasons, we didn't include any songs in this episode. The songs we would have used are 'This Island Earth' (Dandelion Wine) and 'Stars Overhead' (Cats Laughing) from the albums linked below.
Circles in the Grain - Dandelion WineAnother Way to Travel - Cats Laughing
Cats Laughing website
Merril Links
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Events mentioned
Keycon
Filk Ontario 
Festival of the Living Rooms
Ohio Valley Filk Festival 
Pegasus awards
Select works & artists mentioned
Beth Friedman
Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust
Khaavren Romances series by Steven Brust
DC Star Trek comic “Debt of Honor” written by Christopher S. Claremont, illustrated by Adam T. Hughes and Karl C. Story
The Callahan Touch by Spider Robinson
Borderland series by Terri Windling
Adam Stemple
Emma Bull
The Gypsy by Megan Lindholme and Steven Brust
Songs from The Gypsy by Boiled in Lead (album)
Joe Haldeman
Lyorn by Steven Brust (released April 2024)
How Much for Just the Planet? by John M. Ford
Once More, With Feeling - Buffy the Vampire Slayer s6e7
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the autumn of 2023.
 

Cosy Fantasy

Stephen talks with Yilin Wang and André Geleynse of Tales & Feathers magazine about cosy fiction.
Tales & Feathers magazineAugur magazineFacebookTwitterInstagram
Merril Links
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Works & artists mentioned
Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Monk & Robot series by Becky Chambers
John Wiswell
Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Diana Wynne Jones
I Am a Cat by Natsume Sōseki
My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Hakumei and Mikochi by Takuto Kashiki
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the autumn of 2023.

Apocalypse

New host Stephen talks with Waubgeshig Rice about apocalyptic stories, Indigenous SF, and his books Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves.
Waub's websiteFacebookTwitterInstagramGoodreads
Merril Links
The Merril Collection!Friends of Merril (Facebook & Twitter)
Works & artists mentioned
Moon of the Crusted Snow, Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice 
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham
Mad Max (1979)
The Last of Us (video game - 2013; TV series - 2023)
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Trickster series by Eden Robinson
The Road by Cormack McCarthy
Host: Stephen GeraghtyProducer: Janet Mowat
This episode was recorded in the autumn of 2023.

Climate Fiction

In his final episode as host of the podcast, Oliver chats with author Kim Stanley Robinson about Climate Fiction.KimStanleyRobinson.info
Merril Links
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Folklore and the Four Winds Storytellers Library

Oliver talks with Norman Perrin about folklore in general, and Norman's unique, privately owned, publicly accessible archive of folklore knowledge he’s run from his Toronto apartment since 1990.The Four Winds Storytellers Library on Facebook
Merril Links
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