The Apex Magazine Kickstarter continues until August 19! In this Q&A session, Andrea Johnson leads Apex editorial team Jason Sizemore, Lesley Connor, Maurice Broaddus, and Shana DuBois through a wide array of topics and listener questions - from the slush pile, to the fiction they love, to plans for the zine.

"N-Coin," by Tobias S. Buckell -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 120, May 2019. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com Tobias S. Buckell is a New York Times Bestselling author born in the Caribbean. He grew up in Grenada and spent time in the British and US Virgin Islands, which influence much of his work. His novels and over 50 stories have been translated into 18 different languages. His work has been nominated for awards like the Hugo, Nebula, Prometheus, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction Author.  He currently lives in Bluffton, Ohio with his wife, twin daughters, and a pair of dogs. He can be found online at www.TobiasBuckell.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "That's a Wrap," "Laser Groove," and "Voltaic," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. Some sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project. Find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Drew Mierzejewski. Drew holds a Masters in Acting from Northern Illinois University. He is a performer currently based out of Orlando where he wrangles velociraptors and explores the theme parks. He is a longtime roleplaying game enthusiast and Dungeons and Dragons gamemaster. He is co-creator of Warda which is an RPG actual play/audio drama/fiction podcast set in an original fantasy world he created with his wife, Aly Grauer. For more information, visit http://www.welcometowarda.com and follow Drew on Twitter @worldstoforge. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"Professor Strong and the Brass Boys," by Amal Singh -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 119, April 2019. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com Amal Singh is a professional screenwriter currently living in Mumbai, India. His web-shows are on YouTube, while his fiction has appeared in Syntax & Salt, Truancy, Mithila Review, among others. He is constantly in search of meaning in life and drowns his sorrows in copious amounts of tea.  This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Backbay Lounge," "Basement Floor," "Bicycle," "Covert Affair," "Dances and Dames," "Egmont Overture Finale," "I Knew a Guy," "Pure Attitude," "Smoother Move," "Too Cool," and "Waltz, Tchaikovsky Op. 40," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. This podcast also includes "E Pari Ra," "The Turtle Dove," and Thomas Tallis's "O Nata Lux," all within the public domain and performed by KT Bryski. Other music created and performed by KT Bryski. Some sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project. Find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Dave Robison. Dave is a passionate Literary and Vocal Alchemist (and unrepentant nerd) whose creative ADHD prompts him to pursue a wide range of projects. He’s narrated dozens of stories for audio fiction podcasts, brainstormed hundreds of story ideas with some of the stellar luminaries of the literary firmament, designed board games, and created software platforms. If it celebrates the storyteller’s craft in some way, shape, or form, Dave has either done it, is doing it, or will do it. Dave is also the creator of ARCHIVOS, a new web-based story development tool for storytellers. Check it out at https://archivos.digital Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

NB: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE. "Curse Like a Savior," by Russell Nichols -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 118, March 2019. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com Russell Nichols is a speculative fiction writer and endangered journalist. Raised in Richmond, California, he sold all his stuff in 2011 and now lives out of a backpack with his wife, vagabonding around the world. Find his work in Fiyah, Apex Magazine, Fireside Fiction, Strange Horizons, Nightmare Magazine's POC Destroy Horror special issue and others. Look for him at russellnichols.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "On the Ground," "Arcadia," and "Angel Share," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Dominick Rabrun. Dominick Rabrun was born in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives near Washington, DC. At an early age he discovered his love of cartoons, computers, books, comics, and video games. This led to an exploration of experimental and artistically expressive artwork as an adult. Dom fully embraces the syncretic nature of his art, which is powered by a complex and unique mixture of influences and mediums. He can be seen and heard weekly on Dom’s Sketch Cast, a show that blends interviews, animations, and experimental video art. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"Cold Iron Comfort," by Hayley Stone -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 117, February 2019. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Hayley Stone is a writer, editor, and poet from California. She is best known for her adult sci-fi novel, Machinations, which was chosen as one of Amazon’s Best Sci-fi & Fantasy Books for 2016. Her short fiction has appeared in Fireside Fiction, Escape Pod, Flash Fiction Online, and various anthologies, while her speculative poetry is widely available online. Hayley loves to hear from readers and writers. Find her at www.hnstoneauthor.com and on Twitter @hayley_stone. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Mirage" "Dreamlike," and "Ice Demon," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by KT Bryski. Our narrator for this episode is Charity Rodriguez. Charity is a teacher by day and voiceover artist by night. As a voiceover artist she has a passion for telling and sharing stories with people of all ages. While her first love is fantasy, she is fascinated by stories of people from every walk and way of life and sees every day as an opportunity to explore the world around her. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"The Pulse of Memory," by Beth Dawkins -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 116, January 2019. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Beth Dawkins grew up on front porches, fighting imaginary monsters with sticks, and building castles out of square hay bales. She currently lives in Northeast Georgia with her husband and two dogs. She can be found on Twitter @BethDawkins.  This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Almost in F," "Mind Scrape," "Tenebrous Borthers Carnival: Mermaid," and "Water Prelude," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com.This podcast also included "Caro Mio Ben," a piece in the public domain performed by KT Bryski.  Our narrator for this episode is Drew Mierzejewski. Drew holds a Masters in Acting from Northern Illinois University. He is a performer currently based out of Orlando where he wrangles velociraptors and explores the theme parks. He is a longtime roleplaying game enthusiast and Dungeons and Dragons gamemaster. He is co-creator of Warda which is an RPG actual play/audio drama/fiction podcast set in an original fantasy world he created with his wife, Aly Grauer. For more information, visit http://www.welcometowarda.com and follow Drew on Twitter @worldstoforge. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"Towards a New Lexicon of Augury," by Sabrina Vourvoulias -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 114, November 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com Sabrina Vourvoulias (www.sabrinavourvoulias.com) is an award-winning Latina journalist whose work has appeared at PRI’s The World, The Guardian US, Philly.com, and Philadelphia Magazine, among others. After years of adhering to AP style, and juggling the conventions of English- and Spanish-language journalism, she turned to speculative fiction. Her short fiction has appeared at Uncanny Magazine, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, GUD Magazine, Crossed Genres, and upcoming in Apex Magazine, as well as in numerous anthologies. She is also the author of Ink, a near-future, immigration-centered dystopia which draws on her memories of Guatemala's armed internal conflict and of the Latinx experience in the United States. It was named to Latinidad’s Best Books of 2012, and was reissued by Rosarium Publishing in September 2018. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and a dog who believes she is the one ring to rule them all. Follow her on Twitter @followthelede and on Facebook @officialsabrinavourvoulias. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Anguish," "Reaching Out," "Soaring," and "Spring Thaw," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Sandra Espinoza. Sandra Espinoza is a New York born and raised voice actress trained at Edge Studios and Shut Up & Talk. Being Spanish bilingual with a background in English literature, she has always been fascinated with what people were saying and the broad palette of ways to say it.  After a childhood where video games were banned from the house, she’s 180’d so hard that she’s finally in them and never leaving. Some games Sandra’s voiced for include Heroes of Newerth, Marvel’s Avengers Academy and the critically acclaimed Wadjet Eye Games point-and-click adventure game Unavowed as Mandana. Get to know her at dustyoldroses.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook @dustyoldroses. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"On the Day You Spend Forever With Your Dog," by Adam R. Shannon -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 115, December 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Adam R. Shannon is a career firefighter and paramedic, as well as a fiction writer, aspiring cook, and steadfast companion of dogs. He and his wife live in Virginia, where they preside over the furry whirlwinds of two resident canines as well as visiting foster dogs. His work has appeared in Compelling Science Fiction, Every Day Fiction, the anthology Behind the Mask, and elsewhere. He’s a graduate of Clarion West 2017. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Rumination," "Wounded," "Loss," "Pensif," and "Dark Walk," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project. Find out more at www.freesound.org Our narrator for this episode is Erica Hastings. Erica works as a Review Analyst by day, an action/comedy writer by night, and a voice actor on weekends and holidays. For the last ten years, she has lived in Ottawa, Ontario, where she also runs a free brainstorming and story critique session at the Ottawa Writer’s Circle. Her biggest project is her serial novel that she publishes to https://theotherkindofroommate.com/ in which there is also longing for a loved one, but that loved one is coffee. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"With Lips Sewn Shut," by Kristi DeMeester -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 113, October 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Kristi DeMeester is the author of Beneath, a novel published by Word Horde Publications, and Everything That’s Underneath, a short fiction collection from Apex Books. Her short fiction has appeared in approximately forty magazines, including Ellen Datlow's The Year's Best Horror Volume 9, Stephen Jones' Best New Horror,  Year’s Best Weird Fiction Volumes 1, 3, and 5, in addition to publications such as Black Static, Pseudopod, and several others. In her spare time, she alternates between telling people how to pronounce her last name and how to spell her first. Find her online at www.kristidemeester.com.  This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Lone Harvest" and "Magic Forest," both by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project. Find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Veronica Giguere. Veronica (V.) is a storyteller of the spoken and written word. She narrates across genres, but her favorites are science fiction and fantasy. Her passion for science and innovation shines in her roles as audiobook narrator, science fiction author, podcast producer, and forever-geeky mom. As a recovering academic with a passion for science and innovation, she uses her love of learning and appreciation of writing to fuel her audiobook narration. Spending fifteen years in higher education has taught her that there is something to learn from every story, be it fiction or nonfiction. You could say that she traded a university classroom for a recording studio, and narration is her path to lifelong learning. According to her fellow Secret World Chronicle coauthors, she writes about metahumans battling alien fascists in modern-day Atlanta. According to her kids, she makes funny noises into a microphone and take breaks to run, crochet, and play video games. And according to her husband, she is addicted to coffee and Star Wars. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"Field Biology of the Wee Fairies," by Naomi Kritzer -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 112, September 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Naomi Kritzer is a speculative fiction writer and blogger. Her 2015 short story "Cat Pictures Please" was a Locus Award and Hugo Award winner and was nominated for a Nebula Award. She has lived in London and Nepal. She currently lives in Minnesota and blogs on local elections. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "The Snow Queen" and "Sneaky Adventure," both by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Brea Grant. Brea is an e-reader who moonlights as an actress and filmmaker (most recently, she can be seen on the television show The Arrangement and in movies like A Ghost Story and Dead Awake) and daylights as a podcast co-host on the show Reading Glasses. She writes comic books, reads sci-fi, and thinks ghosts are funny. You know her face from television. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"PRISM," by Stefanie Elrick -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 111, August 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com Stefanie Elrick is a writer, artist and performer from Manchester, UK. As a performance artist she’s blood-lined love poetry onto her body during ‘Written in Skin’ www.writteninskin.com and been strapped to a 12ft spinning timepiece for ‘KAIROS’ www.kairosophy.com. She returned to her first love, fantasy horror, in the winter of 2015 and made her debut in Martian Migraine’s Press Cthulhusattva: Tales of the Black Gnosis. She also features in Comet Press’s 2017 anthology, The Year’s Best Hardcore Horror. Visit her at www.stefanieelrick.com This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "It Is Lost," "Return of Lazarus," and "Ossuary 2 - Turn," by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Blythe Haynes. Blythe is a Toronto-based actor and voice talent. With KT Bryski, she is one of the co-founders of Gangway! Theatre Company, a new theatre company focused on creating and celebrating Canadian and female-focused works. Select theatre credits include Six Stories, Told at Night (Toronto Fringe), A Canticle of Light (Missed Metaphor Productions), In His Name (Canadian History Project), and Mary's Wedding (Toronto Fringe). Select voice acting credits include Campfire Radio Theatre, The Drabblecast, Apex Magazine Podcast, and the original podcast release of Six Stories, Told at Night. Find out more at www.gangwaytheatre.com. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"When You're Ready," by M. Ian Bell -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 110, July 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com M. Ian Bell lives in New Jersey, where he teaches English and math. He mentors adolescents during the school year and co-directs a boys' camp in New Hampshire in the summer. His work can also be found in Shimmer Magazine, and you can follow him on Twitter at @m_ianbell. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast includes "Cryptic Sorrow" and "Water Lily," by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Norman Hussey. Norman is a writer, director, and actor located in Toronto, Ontario. He is one of the co-founders of the independent theatre company "Missed Metaphor Productions," who just produced their first show: A Canticle of Light, by KT Bryski. He is currently writing a full length horror tragedy play that Missed Metaphor will produce next year. Visit their website www.missedmetaphor.com for more details in the near future. In the meantime, he is working on a variety of other projets in various fields including writing and narrating children's stories and creating a role playing text-adventure video game. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"Suzie Q," by Jacqueline Carey -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 109, June 2018. CONTENT WARNING: graphic sexual situations and self-harm. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com New York Times bestseller Jacqueline Carey is the author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning Kushiel's Legacy series of historical fantasy novels, The Sundering epic fantasy duology, postmodern fables Santa Olivia and Saints Astray, the Agent of Hel contemporary fantasy series, and the forthcoming standalone, Starless. Jacqueline enjoys doing research on a wide variety of arcane topics, and an affinity for travel has taken her from Iceland to China to date. She currently lives in West Michigan. Further information is available at www.jacquelinecarey.com. Join her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jacquelinecarey.author, or follow her on Twitter at @JCareyAuthor. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Virtutes Vocis" and "Shadowlands 5: Antechamber," by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Lauren Harris. Lauren is a narrator, editor, and author of new urban fantasy release, UNMAKE, book two in the Spellhounds series. More on her narration and writing can be found at www.laurenbharris.com. Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.    

"Cold Blue Sky," by J.E. Bates -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 108, May 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/cold-blue-sky. J.E. Bates is a lifelong communicant of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other mind sugar and screen candy. He's lived in California, Finland, and many worlds in between. He can be found at twitter.com/jeebates or https://jebates.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Dopplerette," "Floating Cities," "Interloper," and "Overworld," all by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license. For more information, visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project. Find out more at www.freesound.org.  Our narrator for this episode is Alyson Grauer. Alyson is an actor, author, and podcaster currently based in Orlando. She is the co-creator of Warda, a tabletop RPG podcast set in an entirely original fantasy realm. You can learn more about this Edwardian-inspired setting at www.welcometowarda.com and bit.ly/WardaPodcast. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Xchyler Publishing and the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences' Tales From The Archives. Her first novel "On The Isle of Sound and Wonder" is a fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." For more information on her work, visit www.dreamstobecome.com and follow her on Twitter at @dreamstobecome. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"Clap Your Hands," by Andrew F. Kooy -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 107, April 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Andrew F. Kooy is a full-time dad, a part-time instructor at Dillard University, a rookie in New Orleans' premiere all-male dance Krewe, and a member of the Peauxdunque Writers' Alliance. He received his MFA from the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans. His work can be found in The Stockholm Review of Literature, Barely South Review, and is forthcoming from Bird's Thumb. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included the public-domain hymn tunes "Wayfaring Stranger" and "Maitland," performed by KT Bryski. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project -- find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Christopher Soren Kelly. Christopher is an actor and director, known for Infinity Chamber (2016), The Tangle (2018), and Ink (2009). Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"A Priest of Vast and Distant Places," by Cassandra Khaw -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 106, March 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com. Cassandra Khaw writes horror, video games, tweets for money, articles about video games, and tabletop RPGs. These are not necessarily unrelated items. Her work can be found in professional short story magazines such as Clarkesworld, Fireside Fiction, Uncanny, and Shimmer. Cassandra's first paranormal rom-com Bearly a Lady released this year. Her recent Lovecraftian Southern Gothic, A Song for Quiet, is a considerably different animal. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Immersed," by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project -- find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Marie Bilodeau. Marie is an Ottawa-based author and storyteller, with eight published books to her name. Her speculative fiction has won several awards and has been translated into French (Les Editions Alire) and Chinese (SF World). Marie is also a storyteller and has told stories across Canada in theatres, tea shops, at festivals, and under disco balls. She is co-host of the Archivos Podcast Network with Dave Robison, co-chair of Ottawa's speculative fiction literary convention CAN-CON with Derek Kunsken, co-chair of Ottawa ChiSeries with Nicole Lavigne and Matt Moore, and a casual blogger at Black Gate Magazine. Visit Marie at www.mariebilodeau.com. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.    

"We Are New(s)," by Bentley A. Reese -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 106, March 2018. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/we-are-news/ Bentley A. Reese is a Wisconsin-born writer who has always had a love for Science Fiction. He has been published in many magazines, such as Shimmer, Bourbon Penn, and now (to his complete surprise and utter joy) within the pages of Apex. An alumni of UW-Madison, Bentley is currently one of few genre writers studying at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He wrote this piece last fall while studying abroad in London and walking the streets of Whitechapel. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Ice Flow," "Harmful or Fatal," "In a Heartbeat," "Severe Tire Damage," and "The Dread," all by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project -- find out more at www.freesound.org.  Our narrator for this episode is Blythe Haynes. Blythe is a Toronto-based actor and voice talent. Select theatre credits include, "In His Name" (Canadian History Project), "The Killdeer" (Alumnae Theatre), and "Mary's Wedding" (Toronto Fringe Festival). Select podcast credits include "Campfire Radio Theater," "Six Stories, Told at Night," "The Drabblecast," and "Tales from the Archives." With KT Bryski, Blythe is one of the co-founders of Gangway! Theatre Co. She looks forward to returning to the Toronto Fringe in 2018 with a stage adaptation of KT Bryski's "Six Stories, Told at Night." Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"A Witch's Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies," by Alix E. Harrow -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 105, February 2018. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/a-witchs-guide-to-escape-a-practical-compendium-of-portal-fantasies/ Alix E. Harrow is a part-time historian with a full-time desk job, a debilitating re-reading habit, and authorial ambitions. She and her husband live in Kentucky under the cheerful tyranny of their one year old and border collie. Find her at @AlixEHarrow on Twitter. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Supernatural," "March of the Mind," and "Bittersweet," by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License. Visit him at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project -- find out more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Lori Henry. Lori Henry is a voice actory and travel writer based in Canada and the UK. She has an interest in great storytelling and compelling characters. You might even recognize her voice from other spooky podcasts. You can find out more about her on her website, www.lorihenry.ca. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine s a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"The Heaven-Moving Way," by Chi Hui (translated by Andy Dudak) -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 104, January 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/ Born in north-eastern China, Chi Hui was a member of the editorial team of Science Fiction World 科幻世界 from 2006 to 2010. Chi currently works as an editor in Chengdu. She uses pen names Heixiaomao 黑小貓 [Black kitten] and Soulaxia for her fantasy and World of Warcraft themed writings, respectively. She has published more than twenty pieces of science fiction writing under the name Chi Gui, including "Duzi" 獨子 [Only Son], "Guizhe wulu" 歸者無路 [Road of No Return], and "Chongchao" 蟲巢 [Bugs' Nest]. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Lost Frontier" and "Spatial Harvest," by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License. Find out more at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator for this episode is Curtis C. Chen. Once a Silicon Valley softwar engineer, Curtis C. Chen (陳致宇) now writes fiction and runs puzzle games near Portland, Oregon. His debut novel WAYPOINT KANGAROO is a science fiction thriller about a superpowered spy facing his toughest mission yet: vacation. The sequel, KANGAROO TOO, sends our hero to the Moon. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.    

"Origin Story," by Ursula Vernon (writing as T. Kingfisher) -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 104, January 2018. Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/origin-story/ Ursula Vernon is the winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Mythopoeic Awards. She has written a number of children’s books, short stories, and comics, and writes for adults under the name T. Kingfisher. She likes fairy-tale retellings, gardening, and has strong opinions about heirloom beans. You can find more of her work at redwombatstudio.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Virtutes Intstrumenti," "Vanishing," and "Long Note Four," all by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License. Find out more at www.incompetech.com. Other sounds in this podcast provided by the Free Sound Project; learn more at www.freesound.org. Our narrator for this episode is Blythe Haynes. Blythe is a Toronto-based actor and voice talent. Select theatre credits include, "In His Name" (Canadian History Project), "The Killdeer" (Alumnae Theatre), and "Mary's Wedding" (Toronto Fringe Festival). Select podcast credits include "Campfire Radio Theater," "Six Stories, Told at Night," "The Drabblecast," and "Tales from the Archive." With KT Bryski, Blythe is one of the co-founders of Gangway! Theatre Co. She looks forward to returning to the Toronto Fringe in 2018, with a stage adaptation of KT Bryski's "Six Stories, Told at Night." Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"Behind Her, Trailing Like Butterfly Wings," by Daniela Tomova -- published in Apex Magazine, issue 103, December 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/behind-her-trailing-like-butterfly-wings/  Daniela Tomova was born in the ruins of countless civilizations and experienced first-hand yet another empire fall when she was only 8 years old. Her surreal, animal-filled childhood lives in stories which, while true, have nonetheless earned her the nickname Keyser Söze. She left her home country to study business at the Ohio State University and soon enough, she found herself peddling data around Europe just to make a living.  Daniela draws her inspiration from the visceral folklore of the Balkans, the surrealism of Russian science fiction, the dreams of Ray Bradbury and the delirious, severe beauty of Northern Norway.  She lives in an abandoned airport in Oslo, Norway with her partner and their cat. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music in this podcast included "Ghostpocalypse 1," "Shadowlands 4," "Deep Noise," "Night of Chaos," and "Thunder Dreams," all by Kevin MacLeod. Visit him at www.incompetech.com. Our narrator this month is Dave Robison. Dave is an avid Literary and Vocal Alchemist who pursues a wide range of creative explorations. A Brainstormer, Keeper of the Buttery Man-Voice, Pattern Seeker, Dream Weaver, and Eternal Optimist, Dave's efforts to boost the awesomeness of the world can be found at The Archivos Podcast Network, the Vex Mosaic e-zine, and through his work at Wonderthing Studios. He’s currently shepherding two projects into the world: Archivos (http://www.archivos.digital, https://www.facebook.com/ArchivosStories/), a story mapping and presentation tool, and Manifest (https://www.facebook.com/ManifestGame/) a board game combining the positional strategy of chess with the fantastical diversity of Magic: The Gathering. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

“An Unexpected Boon”—Published in Apex Magazine, issue 102, November 2017. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/an-unexpected-boon/  S.B. Divya is a lover of science, math, fiction, and the Oxford comma. She enjoys subverting expectations and breaking stereotypes whenever she can. Her short stories have been published at Lightspeed, Tor.com, and other magazines, and her novella ‘Runtime,’ was a Nebula Award finalist. Her writing also appears in the indie game Rogue Wizards. Divya is the co-editor of Escape Pod, a weekly science fiction podcast, with Mur Lafferty. She holds degrees in Computational Neuroscience and Signal Processing, and she worked for twenty years as an electrical engineer before becoming an author. Find out more about her at www.eff-words.com or on Twitter as @divyastweets. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. The main music theme was “Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli 2,” uploaded by xserra to www.freesound.org. Our narrator this month is Veronica Giguere. Veronica is an audiobook narrator and voice talent. With a diverse background in academia, engineering, and science fiction, she enjoys intersections and derivatives of all three in her media consumption. When not in front of her microphone or consumed by a good book, she enjoys crochet, running, and baking, but not all at the same time. Visit her at www.voicesbyveronica.com. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

"Penelope Waits," by Dennis Danvers -- published in Apex Magazine issue 101, October 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/penelope-waits/  Dennis Danvers has published eight novels, including NYT Notables Circuit of Heaven and The Watch, and Locus and Bram Stoker nominee Wilderness. His eighth novel, Bad Angels, was published in 2015. Short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Intergalactic Medicine Show, Space and Time, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, F & SF, Realms of Fantasy, Electric Velocipede, Lightspeed, Tor.com; and in anthologies Tails of Wonder, Richmond Noir, The Best of Electric Velocipede, Remapping Richmond's Hallowed Ground, and Nightmare Carnival. He teaches fiction writing and science fiction and fantasy literature at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and blogs at http://www.dennisdanvers.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod at http://www.incompetech.com. Our narrator this month is Alyson Grauer. Alyson is an actor, author, and podcaster currently based in Chicago. She is the co-creator of Warda, a podcast and weekly live stream on Twitch. You can learn more about this Edwardian-inspired fantasy world at www.welcometowarda.com. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Xchyler Publishing and Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences' Tales From The Archives. Her first novel, "On The Isle of Sound and Wonder," is a fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." For more information on her work, visit www.dreamstobecome.com and follow her on Twitter at @dreamstobecome. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

“The Man in the Crimson Coat”—Published in Apex Magazine, Issue 100, September 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/the-man-in-the-crimson-coat/  Andrea Tang is a DC-based word scribbler and international affairs wonk who sometimes writes about geopolitical security and sometimes writes about fictional murder robots, depending on who’s asking. When not hunched over a notebook misusing her imagination, she’s known to enjoy theater, music, and martial arts. Drop by for a hello and a virtual cup of tea at https://andreatangwrites.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by KT Bryski. Music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod at Incompetech.com. Other sounds provided by the Free Sound Project. Our narrator this month is Lori Henry. Lori Henry is a voice actor and travel writer based in Canada and the UK. She has an interest in great storytelling and compelling characters. You might even recognize her voice from other spooky podcasts. You can find out more about her on her website, LoriHenry.ca. Apex Magazine podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"If a Bird Can Be a Ghost" by Allison Mills -- published in Apex Magazine issue 99, August 2017. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/if-a-bird-can-be-a-ghost/  Allison Mills is a Cree and settler writer, archivist, librarian, and researcher with a thing about ghosts. Allison’s critical work has appeared in The Looking Glass and in Archivaria, where it won the 2016 Dodds Prize. She currently lives and works on unceded Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish land in Vancouver, BC. This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Our narrator this month is Amy H. Sturgis. Amy H. Sturgis earned her Ph.D. in Intellectual History from Vanderbilt University, teaches at Lenoir-Rhyne University, and specializes in Science Fiction/Fantasy and Indigenous American Studies. She is one of the staff members behind the Hugo Award-winning StarShipSofa podcast and the Editor in Chief of Hocus Pocus Comics. An Oklahoma native of mixed European/Cherokee background, Sturgis lives with her husband in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Her official website is amyhsturgis.com. Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

“L’appel du Vide”—Published in Apex Magazine, Issue 98, July 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/lappel-du-vide/  Rich Larson was born in West Africa, has studied in Rhode Island and worked in Spain, and now writes from Ottawa, Canada. His short work has been featured on io9, translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, Polish, French and Italian, and appears in numerous Year’s Best anthologies along with most pro-paying SF markets. Find him at https://richwlarson.tumblr.com and support his writing via https://patreon.com/richlarson. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com. Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“Welcome to Astuna”—Published in Apex Magazine, Issue 97, June 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/welcome-to-astuna/  Pip Coen is supposedly a neuroscientist. They even gave him a PhD and everything. But real brains are frustratingly complicated, so he often writes about fictional ones instead. In his spare time, he can be found playing poker, hitting the snooze button, or adding a new pin to his travel map. He is a graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop at UCSD, and his fiction has appeared or is upcoming in Apex and Compelling SF. In theory, he can be found at pipcoen.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“How Lovely Is the Silence of Growing Things”—Published in Apex Magazine, Issue 96, May 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/how-lovely-is-the-silence-of-growing-things/  By day, Evan Dicken studies old Japanese maps and crunches data for all manner of fascinating medical experiments at The Ohio State University. By night, he does neither of these things. His fiction has most recently appeared in: Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Unlikely Story, and Flash Fiction Online, and he has stories forthcoming from publishers such as: Daily Science Fiction and Chaosium. Feel free to visit him at evandicken.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“Aunt Dissy’s Policy Dream Book”—Published in Apex Magazine, Issue 95, April 2017. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/aunt-dissys-policy-dream-book/  Sheree Renée Thomas, a native of Memphis, is the author of Sleeping Under the Tree of Life (Aqueduct Press, August 2016), recently named on the 2016 James Tiptree, Jr. Award “Worthy” Long List, Shotgun Lullabies, and the editor of the World Fantasy Award-winning Dark Matter anthologies. Read her short stories and poems in Sycorax’s Daughters, Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany, Revise the Psalm, The Moment of Change: An Anthology of Feminist Speculative Poetry, Mojo: Conjure Stories, An Alphabet of Embers, Strange Horizons, Mythic Delirium, Jalada: Afrofuture(s), Callaloo, Obsidian, So Long Been Dreaming: Post-Colonial Science Fiction & Fantasy, Memphis Noir, and Harvard’s Transition. Find her @blackpotmojo or visit www.aqueductpress.com/authors/ShereeThomas.php.  This Apex Magazine podcast was performed by Sheree Renée Thomas and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

”Waste”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 94, March 2017.   Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/waste/  Mary Elizabeth Burroughs is a graduate of Clarion Writers’ Workshop at UC San Diego and University of Mississippi’s MFA program. A native of Florida, she now lives in Sydney, Australia where she teaches English to high school students. Her published fiction has appeared in Black Static, Phantom Drift: A Journal of New Fabulism, and Bloodchildren: Stories by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars (Aqueduct Press). This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

”You Too Shall Be Psyche” by Rich Larson -- published in Apex Magazine issue 93, February 2017.   Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/you-too-shall-be-psyche/  Rich Larson was born in West Africa, has studied in Rhode Island and worked in Spain, and now writes from Ottawa, Canada. His short work has been featured on io9, translated into Polish and Italian, and appears in numerous Year’s Best anthologies as well as in magazines such as Asimov’s, Analog, Clarkesworld, F&SF, Interzone, Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, and Apex. Find him at richwlarson.tumblr.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

”Mag, the Habitat and We” by Lia Swope Mitchell -- published in Apex Magazine issue 92, January 2017.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/mag-the-habitat-and-we/ Lia Swope Mitchell is a writer, translator, editorial assistant, and PhD candidate in French literature at the University of Minnesota. Consequently she often feels overwhelmed by a multitude of small tasks. She lives in Minneapolis. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

”Uncontainable” by Helen Stubbs -- published in Apex Magazine issue 91, December 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/uncontainable Helen Stubbs writes stories that are dark with pointy edges published in anthologies and magazines including The Never Never Land, Midnight Echo, and Winds of Change. She interviews for Galactic Chat and the Australian SF Snapshot. In 2010 she won the Worldcon short story competition and in 2015 she won a Ditmar Award for Best New Talent in Australian SF. She’s a keen obstacle course racer (think Tough Mudder and Spartan) and loves zip-lining and hiking. Sometimes she climbs things she shouldn’t! Check out her blog or say ‘hi’ on Twitter to @superleni. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

”Every Winter” by E. Catherine Tobler -- published in Apex Magazine issue 90, November 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/every-winter/ Catherine Tobler has never slept in a haunted French villa — but you should ask her about the haunted house near her childhood home sometime. Among others, her fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and on the Sturgeon Award ballot. Follow her on Twitter @ECthetwit or her website, www.ecatherine.com. This Apex Magazine podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

  ”Damnatio Ad Bestias” by Kristi DeMeester -- published in Apex Magazine issue 89, October 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/damnatio-ad-bestias/ Kristi DeMeester received her M. A. in Creative Writing from Kennesaw State University in 2011. Since then her work has appeared or is forthcoming in publications such as Black Static, The Dark, Year’s Best Weird Fiction Volumes 1 and 3, and several others. Her chapbook, Split Tongues, published by Dim Shores Press, sold out in early 2016. In her spare time, she alternates between telling people how to pronounce her last name and how to spell her first. Find her online at www.kristidemeester.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

”The Warrior Boy Who Would Not Suffer” by Alexandria Baisden -- published in Apex Magazine issue 88, September 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/the-warrior-boy-who-would-not-suffer/ Abhinav Bhat is a writer from Jammu & Kashmir, India. He has jumped without a parachute. A fantasy novel popped out some way down, followed by a few short stories, one of which you are reading. We’ll let you know whether he goes splat or flies. He can be contacted midair at [email protected]. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

  ”The Gentleman of Chaos” by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor — published in Apex Magazine issue 87, August 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/the-gentleman-of-chaos/ Merc Fenn Wolfmoor is a queer non-binary writer who lives in Minnesota with two adorable cats (Tater Tot photos frequently grace all Merc’s social media). Merc is a Nebula Awards finalist, and their stories have appeared in Lightspeed, Fireside, Apex, Uncanny, Nightmare, Escape Pod, and several Year’s Best anthologies. You can find Merc on Twitter @Merc_Wolfmoor or their website mercfennwolfmoor.com. Their debut short story collection, So You Want to Be a Robot, was published by Lethe Press (2017) and they have a second short story collection forthcoming in late 2021. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

"Lazarus and the Amazing Kid Phoenix" by Jennifer Giesbrecht -- published in Apex Magazine issue 86, July 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/lazarus-and-the-amazing-kid-phoenix/ Enjoy our interview with the author here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/interview-with-author-jennifer-giesbrecht/ Jennifer Giesbrecht is a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia where she earned her degree in History and Methodology. She’s a freelance editor, multi-disciplinary nerd, and a graduate of Clarion West’s 2013 class. Her work has previously appeared in Nightmare Magazine, XIII: ‘Stories of Resurrection’, and Imaginarium 3. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

”Folk Hero”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 85, June 2016. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/folk-hero/  Mary Pletsch is a glider pilot, toy collector and graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada. She attended Superstars Writing Seminars in 2010 and has since published short stories and novellas in a variety of genres including science fiction, steampunk, fantasy, and horror. She lives in New Brunswick with Dylan Blacquiere and their four cats. Visit her online at www.fictorians.com.  This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

”1957” by Stephen Cox --published in Apex Magazine issue 84, May 2016. Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/1957-stephen-cox/ Stephen Cox lives in London.He's editing a novel which is repped by Rob Dinsdale of A M Heath. Previous stories include one in Lightspeed and one in the Apiary collection,Tudor Close.  He tweets erratically at @stephenwhq. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

”The Teratologist’s Brother” by Brandon H. Bell -- published in Apex Magazine issue 83, April 2016.    Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/the-teratologists-brother/  Brandon H. Bell's writing has appeared in markets including The Lovecraft eZine, Hadley Rille Books, and Questioncopyright.org. He was the editor of Fantastique Unfettered magazine and the Torn Pages anthology. He is a husband, a father of daughters, and a Buddhist. He strives to be a good ally to GLBTQ and other under-represented folks.  He is currently working on a novel about deicide and the posthuman condition in the Anthropocene. Find Brandon online via www.weirdbard.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

”Death Flowers of Never-Forgotten Love”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 82, March 2016.    Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/death-flowers-of-a-never-forgotten-love/  Jason Sanford is an award-winning author of short stories, essays, and articles and an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Jason has published more than a dozen of his short stories in the British SF magazine Interzone, which once devoted a special issue to his fiction. His fiction has also been published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Analog: Science Fiction and Fact, InterGalactic Medicine Show, Year's Best SF, Bless Your Mechanical Heart, and other places. Jason is a Nebula Award finalist and three-time winner of the Interzone Readers' Poll. His stories have also been named to the Locus Recommended Reading Lists, along with being translated into a number of languages including Chinese, Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Italian and Czech. Jason's website is www.jasonsanford.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"The Four Gardens of Fate"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 81, February 2016. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/the-four-gardens-of-fate/ Betsy Phillips's short stories have appeared in Betwixt, Beyond Borderlands, Eurynome, and Qarrtsiluni, as well as various anthologies. She is the author of A City of Ghosts and The Wolf's Bane. Apex Magazine was the first place to publish her, a fact she has never forgotten. Neither have her detractors. She lives in Whites Creek, Tennessee with a mean cat, a grouchy cat, and a dog who recently tried to steal a truck. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“The Open-Hearted” —Published in Apex Magazine issue 80, January 2016. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/the-open-hearted/ Lettie Prell likes to explore the edge where humans and their technology are increasingly merging. Her science fiction stories have appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Apex Magazine, and its Book of Apex anthology, and elsewhere. Her work has also been featured on the StarShipSofa podcast. She is an active member of SFWA. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“She Gave Her Heart, He Took Her Marrow”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 79, December 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/she-gave-her-heart-he-took-her-marrow/  Sam Fleming’s work has appeared in Black Static, Fish from Dagan Books, and Looking Landwards from NewCon Press. She lives in north-east Scotland with an artistic spouse and the correct number of bicycles, that being both entirely too many and not quite enough. Find her at ravenbait.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“When the Fall is All That’s Left”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 77, October 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/when-the-fall-is-all-thats-left/  Arkady Martine is a speculative fiction writer and, as Dr. AnnaLinden Weller, a Byzantine historian. In both roles she writes about border politics, rhetorical propaganda, and liminal spaces. She was a student at Viable Paradise XVII. Arkady grew up in New York City and currently lives in Uppsala, Sweden. Find her online at arkadymartine.wordpress.com or on Twitter as @ArkadyMartine. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Six Things We Found During the Autopsy"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 76, September 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/six-things-we-found-during-the-autopsy/  Indian writer Kuzhali Manickavel's short fiction collections are Things We Found During the Autopsy and Insects Are Just like You and Me except Some of Them Have Wings, and echapbook Eating Sugar, Telling Lies. Her work has also appeared in Granta, Agni, Subtropics, and elsewhere. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Mahvesh Murad and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: The Elephant’s Tale”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 75, August 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/not-my-circus-not-my-monkeys-the-elephants-tale/  Damien Angelica Walters’ work has appeared or is forthcoming in various anthologies and magazines, including The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2015, Year’s Best Weird Fiction: Volume One,The Mammoth Book of Cthulhu: New Lovecraftian Fiction, Nightmare Magazine, and Black Static. She was a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award for “The Floating Girls: A Documentary,” originally published in Jamais Vu.Sing Me Your Scars, a collection of short fiction, is out now from Apex Publications, and Paper Tigers, a novel, is forthcoming in 2016 from Dark House Press. Find her on Twitter @DamienAWalters or on the web athttp://damienangelicawalters.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

“Going Endo”—Published in Apex Magazine issue 74, July 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/going-endo/  Rich Larson was born in West Africa, has studied in Rhode Island and Edmonton, Alberta, and at 23 now works in a small Spanish town outside Seville. His short work has been nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon and appears in multiple Year’s Best anthologies, as well as in magazines such as Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, F&SF, Interzone, Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, BCS, and Apex. Find him at richwlarson.tumblr.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Inhabiting Your Skin"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 73, June 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/inhabiting-your-skin/  Mari Ness has published fiction and poetry in multiple venues, including Tor.com, Clarkesworld, Daily Science Fiction, and right here at Apex Magazine. You can follow her official blog at marikness.wordpress.com, or on Twitter as @mari_ness. She lives in central Florida, where she is still trying to figure out how to program the convection oven/microwave. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"A Sister's Weight In Stone"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 72, May 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/a-sisters-weight-in-stone/  JY Yang has held seven jobs in four industries in under a decade. The one thing enduring this mess has been her endeavours as a speculative fiction writer. She has had short stories published in markets both Singaporean (Ceriph, Fish Eats Lion, From The Belly Of The Cat) and international (Clarkesworld, Crossed Genres, Strange Horizons). A graduate of the Clarion West workshop, J lives in Singapore in a bubble populated by her imagination and an indeterminate number of succulent plants named Lars. Find J on Twitter at @halleluyang. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Beatification of the Second Fall"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 71, April 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/beatification-of-the-second-fall/  In his day job, Sean Robinson works with at risk youth in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He is a graduate of the Stonecoast MFA, and a semi-professional fire breather (the two probably aren't related). His work has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Betwixt, and Apex Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter (infrequently) @Kesterian. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Houdini’s Heart"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 70, March 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/houdinis-heart/  Thoraiya Dyer is an award-winning Australian writer. Her short science fiction and fantasy stories have appeared in Clarkesworld, Apex, Analog, Nature and Cosmos, among others (for a full list, see www.thoraiyadyer.com ). Her collection of four original stories, Asymmetry, available from Twelfth Planet Press, was called "unsettling, poignant, marvellous" by Nancy Kress. A lapsed veterinarian, her other interests include bushwalking, archery, and travel. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Requiem, for Solo Cello"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 69, February 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/requiem-for-solo-cello/  Damien Angelica Walters’ short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies, including Year’s Best Weird Fiction Volume One, The Best of Electric Velocipede, Strange Horizons, Nightmare, Lightspeed, Shimmer, Apex Magazine, Streets of Shadows, What Fates Impose, and Glitter & Mayhem. Paper Tigers, a novel, will be released in late 2015 from Dark House Press. Writing as Damien Walters Grintalis, Damien’s short fiction appeared in Lightspeed, Strange Hozons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Interzone, Fireside, Daily Science Fiction, and others, and Ink, a novel, was released in December 2012 by Samhain Horror. She’s also a freelance editor, and until the magazine's closing in 2013, she was an Associate Editor of the Hugo Award-winning Electric Velocipede. You can find her on Twitter @DamienAWalters or online at: http://damienangelicawalters.com.  This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications

"Pocosin"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 68, January 2015. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/pocosin/   Ursula Vernon is the author of the Hugo Award winning comic “Digger” and numerous children's books. She writes for adults under the name T. Kingfisher. She lives in North Carolina and gardens, if you can call it that. Find her online at www.tkingfisher.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Lisa Shininger. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications

"Anthracite Wedding"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 67, December 2014 Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/anthracite-weddings/  John Zaharick grew up close to a mine fire destroyed town in rural Pennsylvania. He has worked as an assistant editor for a weekly newspaper, earned a master's degree in ecology, and currently lives in Minnesota where he supports the Baltimore Science Fiction Society long distance. His fiction has appeared in several magazines, including AE, Not One of Us, Stupefying Stories, and Plasma Frequency and his poetry in Strange Horizons and Silver Blade. He can be found online at www.johnzaharick.com.  This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Candy Girl"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 66, November 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/candy-girl/  Chikodili Emelumadu is a Nigerian writer and broadcaster living in London. When she is not writing, she spends her time looking for a way through platform 9¾ in Kings’ Cross station, Yggdrasil or any other portals between worlds – she’s not picky. She has been published in Eclectica magazine, Luna Station Quarterly and the now defunct Running Out of Ink magazine. She is working on her first novel. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Chikodili Emelumadu and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications  

"The House in Winter"—Published in Apex Magazine Issue 65, October, 2014 Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/the-house-in-winter/  Jessica Sirkin wrote her first speculative fiction story after reading Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt" in seventh grade. Now, between her day job as a technology journalist and her nighttime fiction writing habit, she spends more time typing than she does pretty much anything else. Jessica lives in Boston with her partner and their pet rabbit. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"Economies of Force"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 64, September 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/economies-of-force/  Seth Dickinson’s fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Analog, Strange Horizons, and more. He is a writer at Bungie Studios, an instructor at the Alpha Workshop for Young Writers, and a lapsed student of social neuroscience. His first novel, The Traitor Baru Cormorant, will be published by Tor Books in fall 2015.   This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy!   Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"Jupiter and Gentian"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 63, August 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/jupiter-and-gentian/  Erik Amundsen has been removed from display for being zoologically improbable and/or terrifying to small children. He has been sighted in Weird Tales, Fantasy Magazine, Not One of Us and Jabberwocky but his natural habitat is central Connecticut. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Chikodili Emelumadu and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"The Food in the Basement"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 62, July 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/the-food-in-the-basement/  Laura Davy lives in California with her husband and two cats. She wrote her first story when she was in Elementary School and, despite the fact that the plot didn't make sense, she kept on writing. You canmlearn more about her at www.lauradavy.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications

"The Soul of Soup Bones"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 61, June 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/soul-of-soup-bones/  Crystal Lynn Hilbert lives in the forgotten backwaters of Western Pennsylvania, subsisting mostly on old trade paperbacks and tea. Her novellas Dead on Arrival and The Trickster Edda are currently available on Amazon.com, courtesy of Eggplant Literary Productions. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications

"Not Smart, Not Clever"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 60, May 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/not-smart-not-clever/    E.Saxey lectures at the University of London, and has had short fiction published in Holdfast Magazine, Spacewitch Moonshots, and anthologies The Lowest Heaven and The Rite of Spring (Jurassic London). This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby, Tim Wick, and Lolly Foy and was produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy!   Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications.

"Repairing the World"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 59, April 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/repairing-the-world/  John Chu designs microprocessors by day. He writes fiction, narrates for podcasts, and translates fiction from Chinese into English by night. His stories have been published or are forthcoming in Boston Review, Asimov’s Science Fiction, and Tor.com among others. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"Waking" —Published in Apex Magazine issue 58, March 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/waking/  Cat Hellisen lives in Cape Town, South Africa, and writes stories that smell of iodine and dead fish. She's the author of the fantasy novels When the Sea is Rising Red, and House of Sand and Secrets. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"Maria and the Pilgrim"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 57, February 2014. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/maria-and-the-pilgrim/  Rich Larson was born in West Africa, has studied in Rhode Island, and at 21 now lives in Edmonton, Alberta. He was a finalist for the 2013 Dell Award and received the 2012 Rannu Prize for Writers of Speculative Fiction. In 2011 his cyberpunk novel Devolution was a finalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. His short work has since received honorable mention from Writers of the Future and appears or is forthcoming in Lightspeed, DSF, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, AE and many others, including anthologies Futuredaze and War Stories. His self-published spec-fic can be found at Amazon.com/author/richlarson. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"Jackalope Wives"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 56, January 2014 Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/jackalope-wives/  Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of the Hugo Award–winning graphic novel Digger as well as the author of the Dragonbreath series of children's books. She blogs at Red Wombat Studio, and podcasts fiction at The Hidden Almanac. She lives in North Carolina and does weird things to plants. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Windy Bowlsby and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"What You've Been Missing"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 55 December 2013. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/what-youve-been-missing/  Maria Dahvana Headley is the author of the dark fantasy/alt-history novel Queen of Kings, and the internationally bestselling memoir The Year of Yes. Her Nebula-nominated short fiction has recently appeared in Lightspeed, Subterranean, Nightmare, The Journal Of Unlikely Entomology, Glitter & Mayhem, Jurassic London's The Lowest Heaven and The Book of the Dead, and anthologized in the 2013 editions of Rich Horton’s The Year’s Best Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Paula Guran’s The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror. With Neil Gaiman, she is the New York Times-Bestselling co-editor of the young-adult monster anthology Unnatural Creatures, benefitting 826DC. Upcoming are a young adult skyship novel from HarperCollins, and a new novella (co-written with Kat Howard) from Subterranean. She lives in Brooklyn in an apartment full of celestial charts from the 1700's, two gilded hippocamps, and possibly, depending on recent purchases, a crocodile. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Editor-in-Chief Lynne M. Thomas and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

"This is a Ghost Story"—Published in Apex Magazine issue 54, November 2013. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/this-is-a-ghost-story/  Keffy R. M. Kehrli is a science fiction and fantasy writer currently living in Seattle. Although his degrees are in physics and linguistics, he spends most of his time in a basement performing molecular biology experiments for fun and profit. In 2008, he attended Clarion UCSD where he learned that, unfortunately, rattlesnakes don’t always rattle. His short fiction has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Lightspeed Magazine, and Escape Pod, among others. He is also an editor and slush reader for Shimmer magazine. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Editor-in-Chief Lynne M. Thomas and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications

“Becca at the End of the World”—Published in Apex Magazine, issue 53, October 2013. Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/becca-at-the-end-of-the-world/  Shira Lipkin has managed to convince Interfictions 2, Clockwork Phoenix 4, Stone Telling, Mythic Delerium, and other otherwise-sensible magazines and anthologies to publish her short fiction and poetry, and has not completely adjusted to winning the Rhysling Award. She fights crime with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, does six impossible things before breakfast, and would like a nap now. Her daughter just started college and is not a zombie. She still does not have a monkey. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed by Editor-in-Chief Lynne M. Thomas and produced by Erika Ensign. Music used with kind permission of Oh, Alchemy! Apex Magazine Podcast, copyright Apex Publications