The current episode of PodCastle features “Run Of The Fiery Horse,” by Hilary Moon Murphy, read aloud by our own Mandolin. Plus, the intro is by science fiction and fantasy writer K. Tempest Bradford, who is probably better known to “Alas” readers for her blog “The Angry Black Woman.”

Check it out!

Pseudopod, the biggest podcast of horror fiction, is currently featuring “Heartstrung,” a short story by Rachel Swirsky — who “Alas” readers know better as Mandolin. (Mandolin’s fiction appears regularly in professional venues, but this is the first time one of her stories has been podcasted.)

If you had asked me, I would have said that “Heartstrung” was fantasy, not horror — but I can see why a horror magazine bought it. It’s not traditional horror, but it is pretty horrifying. It’s also really good, and (in my opinion, at least) contains strong feminist themes. And it’s free! Give it a listen.

P.S. Mandolin is also editing a new podcast of fantasy fiction. More about that next week.

P.P.S. You can read a review of some of Mandolin’s other fiction here.

If you’re a fan of Rumi, this new anthology, on the poetry sections of which I collaborated with primary author John Moyne, is one you will want to get. A Bird In The Garden Of Angels is also a wonderful introduction to Rumi for those new to his work, or those who may know of him but don’t know much about him. Containing essays by Moyne on both Rumi’s life and Sufism, A Bird In The Garden Of Angels is further divided into five sections, one for each of the genres of poetry and prose that Rumi worked in. Some parts of each section have been translated into English for the first time; some of the poems were originally translated by John Moyne and Coleman Barks, but appear in this volume in new versions. You can order the book from Mazda Publishers’ website or any online bookstore. (It’s also on sale at the Metropolitan Museum of Art!) If you want to read some samples from the book, visit my website.

Hey y’all,

I thought I’d post some recommended reading as my science fiction writing class and I work our way through it. This semester I’m only assigning work that can be found online so y’all can follow along, if you like.

This week, I assigned stories that are basal to their genres — meaning that they work within genre expectations to tell a good story.

I think some of these stories are better than others. In this group, “Flat Diane” is the standout in my opinion, and “Two Hearts” is not really to my taste. However, all the stories are worth reading.

Science fiction — “Sergeant Chip by Bradley Denton

Fantasy - “Two Hearts” by Peter Beagle

Horror - “Flat Diane” by Daniel Abraham (audio only)