Hello friends! It’s our second (probably) annual Nebula Awards Short Story episode. We have an amazing slate of stories to discuss this week from a woman with iron shoes and a bear husband to the terrors of a hospital waiting room filled with flesh-eating bugs. Read these great stories and then listen to us chat about them!

We have a super special announcement too! We have launched a Patreon – now you can support the show,  get some sweet Young Podawans swag and of course our undying appreciation!

Segment 1: What Are We Geeking Out About? (3:30)

Every week in the opening segment we discuss what we’re currently geeking out about! This week Kristin is geeking out about Anne with an E (with bonus reactions from the Anne of Green Gables fandom and faithful) and Brian is geeking out about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (with bonus super long – perhaps our longest ever – tangent about the Defenders trailer).

Segment 2: What Are We Drinking About This Week? (18:27)

Another regular segment where we discuss – you guessed it – what we’re drinking. Kristin’s drinking Homebrew Wild Rice Brown Ale and Brian’s drinking Peak Organic Summer Session Ale.

Segment 3: Nebula Shorts Discussion (21:32)

• A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers by Alyssa Wong
  • Very evocative prose, without being too purple.
  • Sister creating and destroying different timelines over and over again to save her sister.
  • Reminded us of Madoka.
  • About being able to let go – not obsess/grieve about things we can’t change.
  • Trans sister / subtle treatment of world’s cruelty, not being accepted.
  • Ending a little abrupt.
• Our Talons Can Crush Galaxies by Brooke Bolander
  • A very angry but very satisfying story.
  • Unique bullet point formating and first person narrative.
  • Taking back the story for the victim, instead of the crime being the narrative of their life.
  • Timely in this age of harassment and erasure of victims stories.
• This is Not A Wardrobe Door by A. Merc Rustad
  • Maybe sort of a Portal Fantasy?
  • Maybe sort of a happy story?
  • The ending was a little bittersweet and a little puzzling too?
• Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station│Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0 by Caroline M. Yoachim
  • Choose Your Own Adventure but not really.
  • The “Cat Pictures Please” of this year’s slate – funny but still a little disturbing.
  • Futility of getting health care – all paths lead to Z!
  • Brian shares a similar, less horrifying health care experience.
• Things With Beards by Sam J. Miller
  • MacReady? That’s gotta be a Thing reference.
  • This is like a sequel-ish to The Thing?
  • The monster of The Thing allegory for AIDS.
• Sabbath Wine by Barbara Krasnoff
  • Kristin accidentally got spoiled on this one, but enjoyed it anyway.
  • Brian thought the lead up was a little long, but the ending reveal was well done.
  • Nice blend of real world/Prohibition era characters with fantasy.
  • Interesting cast of side characters too.
• Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar
  • Lovely and often bittersweet endings to Amal’s stories.
  • Story about women saving each other/themselves.
  • Self-constructed prisons – each of them thinking the other was crazy for making their choice, but not seeing they had done the same thing.
  • Giving up the things we think we need in order to gain the things that will save us.
  • Really loved this story was about friendship.

Segment 4: Outro, Contact Info & Outtakes! (63:48)

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