In a dark dystopian future, a courier must make a timely delivery while nefarious forces try to slow him down. Will he miss his deadline? This episode features "Twenty-One-Oh" by Ari Marmell (mouseferatu.com), first published in 2012 anthology Foreshadows: Ghosts of Zero (http://foreshadows.net/). Music (and some sound effects) comes from Looperman (looperman.com) and YouTube's audio library. This is the first episode also appearing on YouTube, where you can see the readers stare off camera while they act out the parts. https://youtu.be/fgpXZulZzSY Follow the show on Facebook (@Skiffilypodc ..read more

What's a humble salvage captain to do when a beautiful woman in a warsuit asks for his help? This episode features "Laying the Ghost" by Eric Brown (https://ericbrown.co.uk/), first published in the October 2010 issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Music (and some sound effects) comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users JoFunktastic, abelouis... Follow the show on Facebook (@Skiffilypodcast), Twitter (@SkiffilyPodcast), and Instagram (@SkiffilyPodcast). Additional voice talent provided by Crissy (I: @crissyscurious), Joanna (FB: @joanna.martinez524), and author Ashley R ..read more

Does Guy Burckhardt have what it takes to push through his trauma to fiind out the truth? This episode features "The Tunnel Under the World" by Frederick Pohl. First published in the January 1955 issue of Galaxy magazine, this story is about a man who realizes his whole town is reliving the same day over and over again. Some of the music comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users JoFunktastic, abelouis, and rasputin. Otherwise, the source of Music: http://www.purple-planet.com. Great thanks to all of them for providing that royalty free. Follow the show on Facebook ..read more

Will zombies help the aliens stop universe-ending technology? This episode features "Plan of the Space-Borne Grave Robbers" by S. R. Algernon (sralgernon.wordpress.com), a poetic retelling of the plot of Plan 9 from Outer Space (the 1959 Ed Wood classic) in the form of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It helps to be familiar with that movie. This episode was released in coordination with S.R. Algernon, whose book Souls and Hallows (where the poem can be found) comes out November 1, 2018 (which is, like, tomorrow). You can order a copy at Amazon here. Some of the music comes from Looperman (lo ..read more

Time travelers are the worst friends. This episode features "10^16 to 1" by James Patrick Kelly (jimkelly.net) originally published in the June 1999 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction, ultimately winning the 2000 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. This story is about a young teen who befriends a time traveling robot from a terrifying future. After reading the story, AE and girlfriend Mona (@sewagainsthegrain) discuss whether they would've gone through with Ray's mission. Some of the music comes from Looperman (looperman.com), specifically users baroza, suicidecc5702, minor2go, josephfunk, chrisn ..read more

Who needs kids, anyway? This episode features "The Children of Crèche" by James Alan Gardner (jamesalangardner.com). Originally an entry in the 1989 Writers of the Future Contest (where it won Grand Prize) and later anthologized in Gardner's 2005 book, Gravity Wells, this story is about an art critic who comes to an isolated colony of artists able to flourish artistically because they didn't have to take care of children.  After reading (dramatizing?) the story, AE and girlfriend Mona (@sewagainsthegrain) discuss what happens to art when its creation comes from something terrible ..read more

Get ready to listen to the wettest science fiction story ever featured on AE Reads Skiffily. This episode's story, "The Long Rain” by Ray Bradbury (originally published in the September 1950 issue of Planet Stories and later anthologized in Bradbury’s 1951 collection The Illustrated Man), is about some soldiers who crash on a rainy planet Venus, all of them having forgotten to bring an umbrella. After reading the story, AE (IG: @SkiffilyPodcast, FB: @SkiffilyPodcast, Tw: @SkiffilyPodcast) and girlfriend Mona (IG: @sewagainsthegrain) discuss the relevance of a sto ..read more

In this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona join with Mona's sister, Sara, to read "Stuffing" by Jerry Oltion (jerryoltion.com). First published in the 2006 Mammoth Book of Extreme Science Fiction , this story is about a group of photosynthetic humans who decide to rediscover eating just in time for the holidays.   Get your ears ready, sit back, and relax (unless you are driving) and enjoy this Thanksgiving/Christmas episode The science fiction works mentioned in the post-reading discussion include:  "Hair" (2009) by Adam Roberts, a story about the development of photosynthesetic ha ..read more

When all our needs are met, the remaining problems become more frivolous. In this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona read "Utopia, Lol" by Jamie Wahls (jamiewahls.com). Originally published in the June 2017 issue of Strange Horizons, this story is about a cryogenically frozen man waking up to a digital utopian future and the guide who helps him. Sit back and get ready for a Halloween episode that is tangentially related to Halloween. You can read along to the story here: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/utopia-lol. You can also listen to Anaea Lay's reading of the story here: http://strangeho ..read more

Addiction comes in many forms, including strange monstrous beings. In this episode, AE and girlfriend Mona read the "A Greater Power" by Benjamin Crowell (lightandmatter.com). Originally published in the Spring 2008 issue of Electric Spec, this story is about a guy who becomes addicted to a tentacle monster.  After reading the story, Mona and AE also weigh in some of the issues brought up in the story, particularly addiction and the 1980s setting.   Sit back and get ready for a Halloween Eve Month episode. You can read along to the story here: http://www.electricspec.com/Volume ..read more