Podcasts by Breaking the Glass Slipper: Women in science fiction, fantasy, and horror

Slavic narratives with Gabriela Houston from 2022-02-17T12:00

If you have been listening to our podcast for some time now, you will be well aware of our fascination with fairytales and how they continue to shape modern speculative fiction. But when we talk ab...

Women, history & power – with Kate Heartfield from 2022-01-27T12:00

For our first episode of 2022, we are going back to the 18th century, to look at the women who wielded power and the means they used to gain it. What challenges did they face? Are they remembered m...

Beyond the Mafia – with Fonda Lee from 2021-12-09T12:00

Fantasy – and indeed most fiction – often involves bitter rivalries. Fights over a kingdom or territory, long-standing feuds where people no longer even remember why it began… Such opposing forces ...

Cli-fi and catastrophe from 2021-11-25T12:00

We are destroying our planet. The scientists agree, there is no denying that catastrophic climate change is imminent. And yet our leaders continue to pay lip service to the issue without taking rea...

Hopeful speculative fiction with Ryka Aoki from 2021-11-11T12:00

The incredible Ursula K. Le Guin won the National Book Foundation medal for distinguished contribution to American letters in 2014. In her much-shared speech, she noted that “hard times are coming,...

Body horror with Ellen Datlow from 2021-10-28T11:00

Your body is a temple – a saying that has been with us for centuries. The message: look after your body because you and it are going to be together for a long time. The body is in a symbiotic relat...

“Perfect” women – with Cat Valente from 2021-10-14T11:00

The idea of perfection, the perfect being, is one of the oldest stories in the world. How that perfection might be tainted, or turn against the hand that made it, is something that has always intri...

Female friendships – with Alix E Harrow from 2021-09-30T11:00

Female friendships tend to take a back seat in our narratives, so that when they are given the space to exist, they exist almost solely to discuss a man. Virginia Woolf once commented that “all the...

Power and agency in dystopian YA with Melissa Welliver from 2021-09-16T11:00

Coming of age stories have long been a staple within speculative fiction genres, but in the last decade, we have seen an explosion of popularity in what publishers and booksellers refer to as YA – ...

Reconciling our love of works by problematic creators from 2021-09-02T11:00

Recently, a number of prominent television and film creators, as well as authors, have either been outed for bad behaviour or made hateful public statements. Anyone who is a regular listener will k...

The mash-up: science fiction and cosmic horror with Ada Hoffmann from 2021-08-19T11:00

The history of humanity is arguably the history of us trying to explain everything around us. Both science and religion have developed as divergent threads of this goal, inextricably linked but oft...

Political fantasy with Katherine Addison from 2021-08-05T11:00

We talk about unequal societies a lot on this show, about privilege and power and who is in a position to use it. We wanted to take a critical look at a subgenre that maybe best reflects the democr...

Technology and the fear of change with Sarah Pinsker from 2021-07-22T11:00

Technological advances are incredible. Just think, the phone in your pocket is infinitely more powerful than the computers that sent the first spaceships to the moon! Technology has given us basic ...

The power of love with Tasha Suri from 2021-07-08T11:00

Love can raise us up. Love can tear us down. It can be our strength, our weakness, and everything in between. And inevitably, love makes fools of us all. While we all enjoy reading a good romance, ...

Tackling the classics – with Nghi Vo from 2021-06-24T11:00

95 years after it was first published, the copyright on The Great Gatsby has expired. This great American novel has sold over 25 million copies since it was first published, despite initially disap...

Revenge with Marjorie Liu from 2021-06-17T11:00

We actually recorded this episode WAY back in January, just after Biden’s inauguration in the US. So, naturally, there is a bit of politics in this one given how wrapped up we all were in what was ...

Moving the frontier – with Stark Holborn from 2021-06-10T11:00

The frontier. The edge of civilisation. So far from the central government that laws are more like ‘guidelines’. Where the sheriffs are crooked and the criminals ruthless; trains rarely go un-sacke...

Chosen Identities – with Charlie Jane Anders from 2021-05-27T11:00

Our identity is who we are. But for such a seemingly simple concept, our identities are extremely complex. We aren’t the only ones who decide our identities. Society places labels on us that we oft...

Franchise writing with Una McCormack from 2021-05-13T11:00

The basic principles of writing a book are simple – come up with an idea, write it. Of course, it isn’t really that simple, it is a lot of hard work, but that’s about the size of it, right? Well, n...

Making the ordinary monstrous with Catriona Ward from 2021-04-29T11:00

Why do we need monsters in our fiction? Why do we want to be frightened? When they pick up a book, do readers enter into a pact with a writer, as Catriona Ward describes: a pact that says I share y...

Communities with Caroline Hardaker and Gabriela Houston from 2021-04-15T11:00

When you look, communities are everywhere. They can be the people where you live, the people who share the same interest as you, the people you volunteer with. They can be as small as a household o...

Exploring Ragnarok – with H.M. Long & Genevieve Gornichec from 2021-04-01T11:00

Spirituality exists in every work of fiction in some form or other, but most often manifests as divinity. Gods and goddesses never seem to go out of fashion. Why do authors turn to a god or pantheo...

Parenthood with Julia Fine from 2021-03-18T12:00

Being a parent is not glamorous. It’s hard work and it often goes unappreciated – in life and in fiction.  When we do see parents represented in our fiction, we tend to see a very limited kind of r...

Matriarchies – with Aliette de Bodard from 2021-03-04T12:00

The world as we know it has historically been ruled by men. But when it comes to fiction, writers can choose what power structures they create and how they are depicted. Despite the free rein this ...

Loneliness in science fiction with Aliya Whiteley from 2021-02-18T12:32:46

Space. The final frontier. An empty, endless expanse of nothing? Or teeming with life?But do we really need to look beyond the confines of our world to find loneliness? We are currently fighting a ...

Hollywood Monsters – with Mallory O’Meara from 2021-02-04T12:00

History is written by the winners. By men. Early editors of science fiction anthologies chose to exclude works by women, and in doing so, made many believe that women did not write science fiction ...

Magical inequality with Nicole Glover from 2021-01-21T12:00

In last year’s episode on magical realism, we talked about this genre’s ability to take a recognisable setting and tilt it a few degrees, creating something familiar and yet not quite what we’re us...

Scrooge reimagined from 2020-12-03T12:00

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is one of the staples of Christmas. As well as the original book, it’s possible to watch adaptations involving among others Bill Murray, Jim Carey, Patrick Stew...

Language & Power – with Genevieve Cogman from 2020-11-19T12:00

We constantly discuss themes, stereotypes and assumptions in popular culture, but we don’t often stop to look more closely at the way those issues are expressed. I’m talking about language, and its...

Childhood Heroines from 2020-11-05T12:00:33

Or ‘Extraneous Fangirling’ as I subtitled this episode while editing it. And in truth there is a fair bit of fangirling, but there’s also a lot of critical reflection to go with it. Because when we...

Reclaiming the vampire – with Vivian Shaw from 2020-10-22T11:00

Just in time for Halloween, we spoke to author Vivian Shaw about everyone’s favourite “monster” – the vampire! Immortal vampires have occupied the human imagination for centuries. Whether you prefe...

The invisibility of women with V.E. Schwab from 2020-10-08T11:00

Women have always played important roles throughout history, yet too often they are written out of official histories. We have touched on this before on our podcast, referencing essays like Kameron...

A magical education with Naomi Novik from 2020-09-24T11:00

There are some genre tropes that are ubiquitous in fantasy, from the ensemble quest to overthrowing a dark lord. Magical schools are yet another trope we have come to know and love. Whether you are...

Into the Wood – with Emily Tesh from 2020-09-10T11:00

Humanity is intrinsically bound up with nature and the natural world. We are its creatures, we depend on it for survival, we fear it, love it, deify it…and we’ve become quite good at killing it. Ou...

The Cabin in the Woods: horror, comedy & choice from 2020-08-27T11:00

Variously listed as a horror, comedy and fantasy film by different websites, one thing is certain: Cabin in the Woods, by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon, defies easy labelling. Is this a send-up of t...

Aberrant and broken magic with Melissa Caruso from 2020-08-13T11:00

Many of our favourite narratives feature outsiders. They might be alone by virtue of the burden of prophecy, come from the wrong side of the tracks, or simply don’t adhere to behaviour and interest...

Gender in Chivalric Romance from 2020-07-30T11:00

The Story of Silence is based on a 13th century French chivalric romance, distinguished by its prominent discussion of gender. Reimagined by Alex Myers, we found it to be a compelling exploration o...

Mermaids with Beth Cartwright from 2020-07-16T11:00

Traditional stories of mermaids describe the creatures as beautiful maidens who sing sweetly as they lounge on rocks and comb their long, flowing hair… but like sirens, mermaids lure sailors to the...

Deconstructing the Chosen One – with Veronica Roth from 2020-07-02T11:00

We have long been obsessed with the chosen one. This ubiquitous archetype has spawned thousands of heroic narratives involving a prophecy and a great evil to be overcome. But in recent years, we’re...

Addressing our biases from 2020-06-18T11:00

Entrenched racism is all around us. This is not a new phenomenon nor the first time racism has been headline news – and yet we have a seemingly incredible ability to forget the atrocities committed...

Horror and isolation with Melinda Salisbury from 2020-06-04T11:00

You know the drill, you are alone in the middle of a foggy field and there’s no one within miles… except the person following you. There’s no one coming to help you. Isolation is an ever-present th...

Back to the 80s: Willow from 2020-05-21T11:00:45

Well, it’s that time again: 80s family film funtime! Today we are looking at 1988’s Willow, starring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer, directed by Ron Howard with a story by George Lucas. But first, le...

Gendering monsters from 2020-05-07T11:00

Monster. Freak. Beast. These words are often thrown around, but what do we really mean when we use them? What is a monster? Why are they so central to our narratives? Like many of the issues we dis...

Narration and ambiguity with Camilla Bruce from 2020-04-23T11:00

When we pick up a book, we know we’re going to be told a story. We trust the author or, in the case of first-person POV the narrator, to tell us the truth. We might be reading about vengeful ghosts...

Finding the magic in magical realism – with Natasha Pulley from 2020-04-09T11:00

Speculative fiction has always been a genre that challenges traditional views and established ways of seeing. We regularly discuss how the worlds that genre authors create are arenas in which it’s ...

Power through a gendered lens with Menna Van Praag from 2020-03-26T12:00:01

It has long been obvious that our world’s power structures are set up to benefit men, so how does women’s power play out in our narratives? What happens when women are suddenly given a power they a...

Cosmic horror with Premee Mohamed from 2020-03-12T12:00

Cosmic horror is an unhelpful term by itself. HP Lovecraft himself is quoted as saying that: The fundamental premise [of cosmic horror is] that common human laws and interest and emotions have no v...

Back to the 80s: Ladyhawke from 2020-02-27T12:00:28

The three of us are children of the 80s and like many of our generation, we love to revel in nostalgia. For us, this has meant revisiting some of our favourite fantasy films of that decade: Labyrin...

Onscreen representation of women with Kate Madison from 2020-02-13T12:00:26

Here on BtGS, we regularly discuss how female characters in SFF are depicted on-screen. From the infamous bikini armour to simply being absent from male-centric narratives – women have had their fa...

Rethinking the Badass with Alex Acks from 2020-01-30T12:00:33

There needs to be a serious fucking cultural conversation about the storytelling desire to turn everyone into an edgy badass that thinks all problems are best solved with violence and what the over...

Reinventing the Fairytale with Brigid Kemmerer from 2020-01-16T12:00:35

Beauty and the Beast is amongst our best-known fairytales, enduring and enchanting in equal measure. But beneath its romantic exterior lurks a darker story, one that various writers have explored o...

Bonus: RJ Barker and Micah Yongo (live) from 2019-12-19T12:00:10

A bonus Christmas episode for you all! Back in December 2018, Charlotte was asked to interview RJ Barker and Micah Yongo at perhaps one of the most beautiful bookshops in Britain – the Bradford Woo...

Re-imaginings with Christina Henry from 2019-12-05T12:00:53

If you love a story, you love reading it over and over again. But you can also get joy out of reading someone’s reinterpretation of it. When authors decide to take old stories that we know and love...

Writing and adapting Orphan Black with Madeline Ashby from 2019-11-21T12:00:45

When our favourite television series come to an end on our screens, it doesn’t always mean goodbye. Firefly was revived with Serenity and Buffy the Vampire Slayer found a second life in a celebrate...

Horror short stories with Marie O’Regan from 2019-11-07T12:00:33

Before you listen to this episode, you should be warned: your to be read pile will become unmanageable. If you’re anything like us, you already have a huge to-read list, but we discuss so many epic...

FantasyCon 2019: Women vs. the world from 2019-10-24T11:00:46

This year has been an incredibly busy one for the BtGS girls, so when it came time to do our annual live episode at FantasyCon we decided to do something a little different. We threw caution to the...

The moment of the novella with JY Yang from 2019-10-10T11:00:44

I have been thoroughly enjoying JY Yang’s Tensorate series of novellas so wanted to chat to them about blending science fiction and fantasy, non-binary representation in SFF, and using different st...

Disney Princes from 2019-09-26T11:00:28

Previously on Breaking the Glass Slipper we have covered Disney princesses. This time we thought we would turn our attention to the men. But we’re a podcast about women! So why spend an entire epis...

Alternate histories with Mary Robinette Kowal from 2019-09-12T11:00:39

Alternate history narratives – regardless of whether they have overt fantasy or sci-fi elements – are ultimately ‘what if’ narratives. This is the same basic principle underlying all speculative fi...

Islands in speculative fiction: Live from WorldCon from 2019-08-29T11:00:19

Much of W. B. Yeats’ poetry is inspired by the rich mythological fabric of Ireland. This is the land of the Sidhe, the banshee, the merrow. But the island itself has a character, an identity, in th...

Trinities with Jen Williams from 2019-08-15T11:00:12

From ancient mythology and religious texts to Star Trek and Harry Potter, trinities – or trios – have always been a common motif. Why is the power of three so potent and what tropes do we tend to s...

Alien at 40: The making of a feminist icon from 2019-08-01T11:00:32

In 1979, one of the most seminal sci-fi films ever made was shown for the first time on the big screen. Ridley Scott’s Alien is a dark, disturbing and downright terrifying addition to the Hollywood...

The importance of diversity in children’s books from 2019-07-18T11:00:31

Today’s episode was inspired by an article that appeared on The Guardian with the headline ‘Picture book bias worsens as female characters stay silent.’ The piece was based on research into books p...

Women write Science Fiction – with Lisa Yaszek from 2019-07-04T11:00:15

I don’t want the future to be female. I want it to be for everyone. Lisa Yaszek In a fascinating episode that covers everything from telepathic matriarchies to lesbian vampire fiction, academic Lis...

The problem with the chosen one from 2019-06-20T11:00:55

In our last episode, we had author Aliette de Bodard on to discuss the absence of mothers in speculative fiction. One explanation put forward was the focus of chosen one narratives – these stories ...

Representations of motherhood with Aliette de Bodard from 2019-06-06T11:00:56

We were inspired to speak to Aliette about representations of motherhood in speculative fiction after reading her excellent essay ‘On Motherhood and Erasure‘. There’s no denying that mothers are de...

Writing as a career with Sarah Pinborough from 2019-05-23T12:40:30

The enduring legacy of Shirley Jackson – with Catriona Ward from 2019-05-09T11:00:30

With a new film adaptation of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, and the upcoming 60th anniversary of the publication of The Haunting of Hill House, we though...

The Princess Bride from 2019-04-25T11:00:46

Here at Breaking the Glass Slipper, we love the 1987 film The Princess Bride. I mean, who doesn’t? It is endlessly quotable, tongue-in-cheek, and full of great characters. Unfortunately, only a cou...

Time travel with Kameron Hurley from 2019-04-11T11:00:09

Sometimes it is fun to call the shots on this show – and this week (while Lucy was away on holiday!), I decided to indulge a personal favourite subject of mine: time travel. My love of time travell...

Cultural Traditions of Magic – with Zen Cho from 2019-03-28T12:00:43

We like to think that fantasy is a limitless exploration of our imaginations, but in reality, fantasy fiction is limited by the cultural experiences of the author. As a result, what most of us are ...

Transgender representation in SFF with Cheryl Morgan from 2019-03-14T12:00:54

The representation of transgender people within genre is a subject we’ve wanted to explore for a while now on this podcast. All too often, trans and non binary people are absent from speculative fi...

Sex! Pregnancy! Birth! Representations of reproduction from 2019-02-28T12:00:39

In this episode, we discuss all things reproduction. That’s right: sex, pregnancy, birth – the whole shebang around creating new life and what it means to a woman’s position, as represented in genr...

Representations of disability with Marissa Lingen from 2019-02-14T12:00:22

Women aren’t the only minority to suffer from poor as well as a lack of representation in genre fiction. Among other minorities struggling to have their voices heard are people of colour, people wi...

Choose your own Bandersnatch from 2019-01-31T12:00:23

While we were all winding down from Christmas, Charlie Brooker and the Black Mirror gang were getting ready to mess with our minds yet again. December 28th saw the release of the one-off interactiv...

Seasonal scares from 2018-12-13T12:00:40

The holiday season comes with all kinds of traditions. From special desserts to the annual family bust-up. Whether you like a feel-good story at this time of year or something a little more spine-t...

Writing comics with Leah Moore from 2018-11-29T12:00:36

I had the undeniable pleasure of chatting to UK comics writer Leah Moore. From growing up with comics royalty to a career spanning two decades, Leah has written for existing franchises, adapted nov...

Layers and landscapes with Aliya Whiteley from 2018-11-15T12:00:49

What is speculative fiction and what can it offer the world? Aliya Whiteley’s work has been described as “stark, poetic and forthright”, and certainly not easily classified. We talk to her about ho...

Unravelling mysteries (Live from FantasyCon 2018) from 2018-11-01T12:00:33

Alternate episode title: Magic goat sword (it will make sense if you listen!) If you’re planning a murder, always have a koala with you! Works of fiction are rarely confined to a single genre, espe...

John Gwynne on traditional fantasy tropes from 2018-10-18T11:00:35

We spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about how authors are subverting or downright overturning classic SFF tropes. But there are still merits of entrenched tropes, after all, tropes becam...

Writing (female) characters from 2018-10-04T11:00:08

Writing better female characters is covered in a lot of writing advice. Many of these pieces will preface their comments with sarcastic comments like ‘Women are people too, duh’. This sort of state...

Disposable characters from 2018-09-20T11:00:33

Redshirts. No sooner are they introduced than they are killed. The tension rises, there are beads of sweat on Kirk’s brow… now the audience knows the peril is real. These stock, disposable characte...

Catriona Ward & ‘the liminal space between certainties’ from 2018-09-06T11:00:39

Award-winning horror writer Catriona Ward joins us to discuss this most exciting and compelling of genres. Why are we so moved by horror? Why do we willingly throw ourselves into the twisted worlds...

S03, E18: Catriona Ward & ‘the liminal space between certainties’ from 2018-09-06T11:00:06

Lucy and Charlotte talk to horror writer Catriona Ward about the art of the horror novel and her books Rawblood and Little Eve.



For full episode notes, visit www.breakingthegla...

Revisiting The Dark Crystal from 2018-08-23T11:00:09

A Lucy and Charlotte Special! After the success of our Labyrinth episode, we thought we’d have a bit of fun and take another look at one of our favourite films: The Dark Crystal. If you haven’t see...

S03, E17: Revisiting The Dark Crystal from 2018-08-23T11:00:08

A Charlotte and Lucy special! After the success of our Labyrinth episode, we thought we'd have a bit of fun and take another look at one of our favourite films: The Dark Crystal. How does it hold u...

Magic, Wealth and Power with Vic James from 2018-08-09T11:00:44

Today, the blunt reality of inequality and unequal distribution of wealth is more prevalent than ever. Our society is split into the haves and the have nots – the 1% and the 99%. A few individuals ...

S03, E16: Magic, Wealth and Power with Vic James from 2018-08-09T11:00:15

Social inequality and the unequal distribution of wealth is more prevalent than ever and it's a subject that sits at the heart of Dr Vic James' fantasy trilogy. We talk to her about power plays and...

Women’s jobs in fantasy from 2018-07-26T11:05:32

While Charlotte and Megan geeked out about Star Trek (sparing poor Lucy who puts up with enough of that) when discussing women’s jobs in science fiction, in this episode, all three of us shine a li...

S03, E15: Women’s jobs in fantasy from 2018-07-26T11:00:05

Having already looked at women's jobs in science fiction, we decided to turn our critical gaze to fantasy.



Fantasy fiction tends to mimic the world that we know, whether histor...

Grimdark with Anna Smith Spark from 2018-07-12T11:00:10

Sometimes the sheer number of sub-genres and niche areas within the SFF world can feel completely overwhelming. What do they all mean? Where does one thing become another? One of the most confusing...

S03, E14: Grimdark with Anna Smith Spark from 2018-07-12T11:00:05

We spoke with author Anna Smith Spark, Queen of Grimdark, to try and get to the bottom of what exactly Grimdark is.



"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war."...

Women’s jobs in science fiction from 2018-06-28T11:00:56

With equality of pay and the drive to get more women in top executive jobs reaching the headlines in our current era, does the world of the future have women in the same roles they occupy now, or d...

S03, E13: Women’s jobs in science fiction from 2018-06-28T11:00:05

With equality of pay and the drive to get more women in top executive jobs reaching the headlines in our current era, does the world of the future have women in the same roles they occupy now, or d...

Toxic masculinity from 2018-06-14T11:02:28

We started this podcast to highlight the issues around the representation of women in genre fiction. But women aren’t the only ones who suffer at the hands of harmful tropes, poor characterisation,...

S03, E12: Toxic Masculinity from 2018-06-14T11:00:05

We started this podcast to highlight the issues around the representation of women in genre fiction. But women aren’t the only ones who suffer at the hands of harmful tropes, poor characterisation,...

Women’s ghost stories with Melissa Edmundson Makala from 2018-05-31T11:03:22

Ghost literature written by women in the 19th century was more about social commentary than pure entertainment, argues academic Melissa Edmundson Makala. Charlotte positively geeks out with Melissa...

S03, E11: Women’s ghost stories with Melissa Edmundson Makala from 2018-05-31T11:00:04

Ghost literature written by women in the 19th century was more about social commentary than pure entertainment, argues academic Melissa Edmundson Makala. Charlotte positively geeks out with Melissa...

Idealised characters and Mary Sues from 2018-05-17T11:01:26

We’ve all encountered them – characters who can do anything. They have physical and mental abilities beyond every other character in that world, perhaps even abilities that no one else in the world...

S03, E10: Idealised characters and Mary Sues from 2018-05-17T10:55:02

Mary Sues are idealised characters with no real flaws. They are dull, irritating, and strangely prevalent. We look at what it means to be a Mary Sue, why they can be problematic, and whether they m...

Fighting oppression with Paige L Christie from 2018-05-03T11:00:19

Last year, Lucy was lucky enough to read an author review copy of Paige L Christie’s debut novel, Draigon Weather. She immediately fell in love with the story and what Paige was trying to achieve. ...

S03, E09: Fighting oppression with Paige L Christie from 2018-05-03T10:55:06

We ask Paige L Christie about sacrificial tropes, using education as a kind of rebellion, and how cultural myths are used to oppress and establish social order.



Full episode no...

Describing women with Gwen C. Katz from 2018-04-19T11:05:03

YA author Gwen C. Katz came across a forum thread about men’s ability to write female characters. There was the usual toxicity there – brushing off any criticism as more ‘SJW bullshit’. She wanted ...

S03, E08: Describing women with Gwen C Katz from 2018-04-19T11:00:04

Why is it such a problem that men write poor descriptions of women? And what makes them bad descriptions in the first place?



Breaking the Glass Slipper speak to YA author Gwen...

Jeanne Cavelos on teaching genre writing from 2018-04-05T11:10:59

Every few years I see articles pop up in my news feed debating the merits of creative writing courses. Can you teach writing, they ask. Writing is a skill just like any other – you might not be abl...

S03, E07: Jeanne Cavelos on teaching genre writing from 2018-04-05T11:09:13

Can writing be taught? Why go to a genre-specific writing course? What do students learn at such workshops?



Charlotte and Megan talk to writer and founder of Odyssey Writing Wo...

Fantasy, nostalgia, and working for hire with David Tallerman from 2018-03-22T12:00:34

It is very rare for Charlotte and I to agree. When we do, there’s great celebration over at BtGS headquarters. David Tallerman’s trope-inverting, Dungeons and Dragons inspired series The Black Rive...

S03, E06: Fantasy, nostalgia, and working for hire with David Tallerman from 2018-03-22T11:48:53

Charlotte interviews writer David Tallerman about writing fantasy and crime, writing-for-hire, Dungeons and Dragons, and the current trend for nostalgia in a lot of genre fiction.


...

Where are the tampons? with Tiffani Angus from 2018-03-08T12:00:58

In this episode, Charlotte and Lucy talk to writer and lecturer Tiffani Angus. They discussed the estrangement of women’s bodies in apocalyptic fiction and the trends Tiffani discovered in her rese...

S03, E05: Where are the tampons? with Tiffani Angus from 2018-03-08T10:04:53

In this episode, Charlotte and Lucy talk to writer and lecturer Tiffani Angus. They discuss the estrangement of women's bodies in apocalyptic fiction.



While there is a lot of g...

Violence as climactic conflict from 2018-02-22T12:00:29

All stories require conflict of some kind… but does it always need to be violent conflict? There is certainly a trend in fantasy, science fiction, and horror to find narratives driving towards a ma...

S03, E04: Violence as climactic conflict from 2018-02-22T11:50:30

Do science fiction, fantasy, and horror narratives require violence? Are there other ways of creating conflict and tension in genre stories?



This week, Charlotte, Lucy, and Meg...

The Bechdel-Wallace test from 2018-02-08T12:00:46

Back in 1985, Alison Bechdel had the characters of her cartoon strip, Dykes to Watch Out For, jokingly make a gender equality ‘test’ for films. 33 years later, the Bechdel (or Bechdel-Wallace, to g...

S03, E03: The Bechdel-Wallace test from 2018-02-08T11:45:14

For over 30 years we have used the Bechdel-Wallace test to push for gender equality in film. But does it go far enough?



The Bechdel-Wallace test should be applauded for getting...

Christian mythology in fantasy with Jeannette Ng from 2018-01-25T12:00:32

Charlotte takes the lead in this episode, where we chat to Jeannette Ng about her use of Christian mythology in her debut novel, Under the Pendulum Sun. From using relatively unknown elements of Ch...

S03, E02: Christian mythology in fantasy with Jeannette Ng from 2018-01-25T11:51:05

We chat to fantasy writer Jeannette Ng about her use of Christian mythology in her debut novel, Under the Pendulum Sun.



Full episode notes are available here: http://wp.me/p7P6...

2017 in review and anticipation for 2018 from 2018-01-11T12:00:48

Are you ready for your to-read and to-watch lists to explode? Charlotte, Lucy, and I discuss our favourite genre pieces of 2017 and what we’re most looking forward to in 2018. We lament terrible ac...

S03, E01: 2017 in review and anticipation for 2018 from 2018-01-11T11:46:36

Charlotte, Lucy, and I discuss our favourite genre pieces of 2017 and what we're most looking forward to in 2018. Get ready for your to-read and to-watch lists to explode!



Full...

S02, E25: Interview with RJ Barker from 2017-12-07T12:03:53

Charlotte interviews RJ Barker on writing female characters, his favourite genres, and writing characters with disabilities.



Full episode notes available at www.breakingtheglas...

Interview with RJ Barker from 2017-12-07T12:00:26

Regular listeners will already be familiar with the fabulous RJ Barker who joined us live at Nine Worlds to discuss realistic characters. This week, Charlotte interviews RJ about writing female cha...

Subverting social norms with Adrian Tchaikovsky from 2017-11-23T12:00:50

Most science fiction and fantasy focus on humans – or at least societal structures that are recognisable from within cultures on Earth. Given that genre fiction is meant to be one of unlimited imag...

S02, E24: Subverting social norms with Adrian Tchaikovsky from 2017-11-23T11:29:08

Megan chats to award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky about worldbuilding and creating societies that don't regurgitate the social norms we are familiar with.



Full episode no...

Diversity in video games with Emily Marlow from 2017-11-09T12:00:29

How important are video games in showcasing diversity? Can they do it better than other forms of media? Whether ‘diversity’ means eschewing the traditional cis white male protagonist or encounterin...

S02, E23: Diversity in video games with Emily Marlow from 2017-11-09T11:59:49

Lucy chats to Emily R Marlow about diversity in RPGs and the importance of gender representation in gaming.



Full episode notes available here: http://wp.me/p7P6my-aS

Witchcraft, ritual, and power from 2017-10-26T11:00:18

This week, we are taking a slight detour from our usual subject matter and taking a look at witchcraft and ritual in the real world from writers who identify as witches and explore these ideas in t...

S02, E22: Witchcraft, ritual, and power from 2017-10-26T10:55:20

We take a look at witchcraft in the real world and how women use witchcraft as an empowering movement in times of political uncertainty. Guests in this episode are Katie West, Gabriela Herstik, and...

Pat Cadigan: Queen of Cyberpunk LIVE from 2017-10-12T11:00:43

At this year’s FantasyCon in Peterborough, Breaking the Glass Slipper was lucky enough to interview one of the guests of honour, Pat Cadigan. Pat is a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror...

S02, E21: Pat Cadigan – Queen of Cyberpunk from 2017-10-12T11:00:25

We interviewed Pat Cadigan at FantasyCon 2017 on the resurgence of cyberpunk, writing both novels and short fiction, the relationship between technology and the mind, and keeping her ideas fresh.

Mythical females from 2017-09-28T11:00:06

Mermaids, Harpies, Valkyries, Succubae, Sirens, Banshees, Nymphs – We’ve been encountering the mythical female in literature and folklore for thousands of years. She appears in numerous religions, ...

S02, E20: Mythical females from 2017-09-28T06:20:15

Megan, Charlotte, and Lucy look at the popularity of female creatures in mythology and folklore and what these she-beasts say about women, our place in society, and why they aren't all negative rep...

In praise of YA with Frances Hardinge from 2017-09-14T11:00:17

Young adult fiction is called a genre, a bookshop category, and more. It is a way of grouping books together based, usually, on the age of the protagonist. But a young adult protagonist does not me...

S02, E19: In praise of YA with Frances Hardinge from 2017-09-14T10:41:05

We talk to award-winning YA author Frances Hardinge about everything that young adult (YA) fiction has to offer both readers and writers.



Full episode notes available at www.br...

Interview with Tim Lebbon from 2017-08-31T11:00:25

Horror aficionado Charlotte talks with author Tim Lebbon, whose published bibliography is extensive. Lebbon has written countless horror and dark fantasy novels, both his original ideas as well as ...

S02, E18: Interview with Tim Lebbon from 2017-08-31T09:15:57

Charlotte interviews horror writer Tim Lebbon on his writing process, his character inspirations, and what scares him.

The power of playlists from 2017-08-24T11:02:44

Bonus episode: Megan Leigh, Charlotte Bond, Lucy Hounsom, and Kieron Gillen discuss the power of playlists in writing and inspirate at Nine Worlds Geekfest 2017.

Bonus content: Live at Nine Worlds from 2017-08-24T11:00:41

All three of us were flying the Breaking the Glass Slipper flag at Nine Worlds Geekfest 2017. Each of us were on numerous panels. Being the ‘tech geek’ of the three of us, however, I managed to rec...

Chris Wooding: A life in writing from 2017-08-24T10:53:28

Bonus episode: Megan Leigh interviews Chris Wooding at Nine Worlds Geekfest.

Realistic characters with RJ Barker and Anna Smith Spark from 2017-08-17T11:00:50

In literary criticism, you often hear critiques of characters based on whether or not the character was realistic. But what does a realistic character look like when it comes to speculative fiction...

S02, E17: Realistic characters with RJ Barker and Anna Smith Spark from 2017-08-17T10:26:38

Recorded live at Nine Worlds Geekfest 2017. RJ Barker and Anna Smith Spark discuss what realistic characters are, why they are important, and how to write them.

S02, E16: Interview with Seanan McGuire from 2017-08-03T11:04:45

Charlotte interviews the prolific writer Seanan McGuire (also known as Mira Grant) about her writing process, inclusive characters, Maine Coons, filk, and more.

Interview with Seanan McGuire from 2017-08-03T11:00:12

In this episode, Charlotte interviews the prolific writer Seanan McGuire (also known as Mira Grant) about her writing process, inclusive characters, Maine Coons, filk (folk music of science fiction...

Writing video games with Rhianna Pratchett from 2017-07-13T11:20:38

Speculative fiction is not confined to prose stories or even TV and film. Video games have long focused on science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. As such, this week, I interview master games...

S02, E15: Writing video games with Rhianna Pratchett from 2017-07-13T11:11:51

Megan interviews writer Rhianna Pratchett on writing for games, updating an iconic series, and her favourite games.

The feminist obligation from 2017-07-06T11:00:23

It is common for feminist writers to feel the need to focus only on stories that preoccupy themselves with the marginalisation of women. Other writers don’t necessarily dwell on the representation ...

S02, E14: The Feminist Obligation from 2017-07-06T10:47:41

As responsible feminists, we attempt to further feminism in all that we do. But is that actually limiting us?

Melinda Snodgrass on optimism in science fiction from 2017-06-22T11:00:11

One of my earliest loves and the series that prompted my eternal love for the science fiction genre was Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was hopeful while exploring deep philosophical questions. ...

S02, E13: Melinda Snodgrass on optimism in science fiction from 2017-06-22T10:47:33

Screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, and editor Melinda Snodgrass chats to Megan about Star Trek, optimism in SF, and gender issues in the industry.

Kieron Gillen on gender and diversity in comics from 2017-06-08T11:00:03

Today is a big day in the UK: the general election. After we mark our ballots (because, of course, all BtGS listeners will get out there and vote today, right?!) and while we all bite our nails in ...

S02: E12: Kieron Gillen on gender and diversity in comics from 2017-06-08T10:46:23

Megan talks to comic writer Kieron Gillen about diversity within the comics industry as well as the comics themselves.

Gail Carriger on comedy in SFF and the heroine’s journey from 2017-05-25T11:00:40

This week, Charlotte interviews Victorian steampunk/alternate history/comedy/gothic/romance/surrealist/urban fantasy writer Gail Carriger. This is one writer you cannot easily slot into a neat clas...

S02, E11: Gail Carriger on comedy in SFF and the heroine’s journey from 2017-05-25T10:53:11

Charlotte interviews Gail Carriger about her disregard for genre constraints, the joys of making readers laugh, and whether you should put the milk or the tea in the cup first!

Ytasha Womack on Afrofuturism from 2017-05-11T11:00:33

Genre fiction explores different possibilities of all kinds – what life might be like with the invention of new technologies, other worlds completely divorced from what we know, and more. But why, ...

S02, E10: Ytasha Womack on Afrofuturism from 2017-05-11T10:53:55

Megan talks to Ytasha Womack, author of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-fi and Fantasy Culture about the origins, values, and art of the movement.

Maiden, mother, and crone: Ageism in genre fiction from 2017-04-27T11:00:48

Wanting to see equal representation in genre fiction doesn’t stop at gender. We want to see all kinds of people represented across gender, creed, sexuality, race, age, physical ability, taste in fi...

S02, E09: Maiden, mother, and crone: Ageism in genre fiction from 2017-04-27T10:46:56

Wanting to see equal representation in genre fiction doesn't stop at gender. We discuss the lack of 'older' protagonists in genre fiction and the problematic tropes and assumptions about older char...

Fight scenes and women warriors with Juliet McKenna from 2017-04-13T11:00:51

As Kameron Hurley discusses in her Hugo Award-winning article, ‘We Have Always Fought‘, women have always fought. So why don’t we see more women warriors in science fiction and fantasy novels? Hist...

S02, E08: Fight scenes and women warriors with Juliet McKenna from 2017-04-13T10:53:34

Writing fight scenes is a tricky business, there are a lot of factors to keep in mind and elements you must get right or risk alienating the reader, so we talk to writer and martial artist Juliet M...

Disney Princesses from 2017-03-30T11:00:41

It isn’t possible to be too old for Disney films. You might go through that contrary teenage phase of claiming to have outgrown them, but we all know that’s a lie. Whether you are 6 or 66, no matte...

S02, E07: Disney Princesses from 2017-03-30T10:52:52

How feminist are the Disney princesses? Have we seen a positive trend in the modern examples? What else does Disney need to do to create positive role models for children?

Laura Lam on exploring the queer experience in SFF from 2017-03-16T12:00:06

2017 is set to be a big year for Laura Lam. With two new books, the final in her Micah Grey trilogy, Masquerade, and the second in the Pacifica series, Shattered Minds, as well as a short story inc...

S02, E06: Laura Lam on exploring the queer experience in SFF from 2017-03-16T11:52:09

With the final book in her Micah Grey series out this month, Laura Lam talks to Lucy about exploring the queer experience in her writing.

Sarah Gailey on sexual violence in SFF from 2017-03-02T12:00:58

Please note that this episode may contain content that could upset some listeners. Audience discretion is advised. Late in 2016 I stumbled across a post on Tor.com entitled ‘Do Better: Sexual viole...

S02, E05: Sarah Gailey on sexual violence in SFF from 2017-03-02T11:49:58

*Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual violence that may upset some listeners.



Genre fiction is, by definition, limitless in its possibilities. Writers c...

Interview with Alison Littlewood from 2017-02-16T12:00:34

This week, Charlotte interviews horror writer Alison Littlewood, whose debut novel A Cold Season made a splash when it was first released, making the Richard and Judy Book Club. Since then, she’s p...

S02, E04: Interview with Alison Littlewood from 2017-02-16T11:29:12

Charlotte interviews horror writer Alison Littlewood about how she became a writer, her love of fairytales and the importance of a really good editor.

Kameron Hurley on feminist SF and space operas from 2017-02-02T12:00:11

Science fiction writer Kameron Hurley is the latest victim to naively offer to be interviewed by me. Already well-known for her award-winning essay ‘We Have Always Fought’, several successful serie...

S02, E03: Kameron Hurley on feminist SF and space operas from 2017-02-02T11:55:50

Megan interviews two-time Hugo award winning science fiction writer Kameron Hurley.

Love triangles from 2017-01-19T12:00:41

Love triangles are as a common as mud when it comes to fiction. Is your story lacking tension? Throw in a love triangle! Do you want to hook in a teenage audience? Throw in a love triangle? Want so...

S02, E02: Love triangles from 2017-01-19T11:42:59

Megan, Lucy, and Charlotte discuss love triangles in SFFH fiction: from the popular one girl, two guy version to the 'two person' love triangle.

Foz Meadows on portal fantasy from 2017-01-05T12:00:54

Portal fantasy has long been a popular subgenre of fantasy, from classics such as The Chronicles of Narnia to Alice in Wonderland and newer interpretations like Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. One of...

S02, E01: Foz Meadows on portal fantasy from 2017-01-05T11:47:21

Megan interviews genderqueer fantasy author, Foz Meadows, on portal fantasy, its tropes, and how the subgenre can be used to address gender issues.

The 2017 speculative fiction prospectus from 2016-12-15T11:48:37

In our final episode of 2016, we ask agents, editors, and reviewers what they'd like to see in SFFH books in 2017, with comments from Anne Perry, Penny Reeve, Bella Pagan, Ed Wilson, Hal Duncan, Am...

Guilty pleasures from 2016-12-01T12:00:18

While we may wish we only appreciated science fiction, fantasy, or horror that presented ideas of gender equality, we’d be lying if we tried to make that claim. There are plenty of books, films, tv...

Episode 17: Guilty pleasures from 2016-12-01T11:45:29

While we might encourage the appreciation of stories that promote gender equality, we admit that there are plenty of lesser tales we enjoy. Whether we never saw their problematic nature when we fir...

Unnecessary romance and token love interests from 2016-11-17T12:00:26

It should come as no surprise to regular listeners of Breaking the Glass Slipper that we take issue with female characters being included in a narrative purely to act as a love interest. Unfortunat...

Episode 16: Unnecessary romance and token love interests from 2016-11-17T11:43:58

Charlotte, Lucy, and Megan discuss the frequency with which we see female characters added to a story who have no other purpose than to be the love interest. While this does also sometimes occur wi...

Interview with Emma Newman from 2016-11-03T12:00:22

While Megan was sunning it up in Australia, Charlotte and Lucy interviewed on of Breaking the Glass Slipper’s favourite people: Emma Newman. Emma is a woman of many talents, including being a fabul...

Episode 15: Interview with Emma Newman from 2016-11-03T11:44:12

Lucy and Charlotte interview writer, podcaster, and audiobook narrator Emma Newman, covering topics such as worldbuilding, inequality in SFF, and what we can do to change the gender narrative.

Interview with Becky Chambers from 2016-10-20T11:00:42

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet has been one of my favourite reads this year. If you enjoy science fiction and haven’t made time to read it yet… what are you waiting for? If you want to read ...

Episode 14: Interview with Becky Chambers from 2016-10-20T10:50:24

In today's episode, Megan chats to Becky Chambers, author of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and A Closed and Common Orbit, about using Kickstarter, self-publishing, the importance of beta re...

Gender swapping from 2016-10-06T11:00:05

The new Ghostbusters film is not alone, almost every week we hear of a new franchise reboot or cult film remake with a gender-swapped cast. From turning Splash into the tale of a merman to an Ocean...

Episode 13: Gender swapping from 2016-10-06T10:44:21

Megan Leigh, Charlotte Bond, and Lucy Hounsom discuss the new trend in gender swapped reboots and what implications this has for gender equality in the film industry.



While we...

Episode 12: African speculative fiction with Chinelo Onwualu from 2016-09-22T11:14:49

Megan Leigh interviews African speculative fiction writer Chinelo Onwualu about racism in the industry, expectations of African writing, and the trends coming out of the continent.


...

African speculative fiction with Chinelo Onwualu from 2016-09-22T10:00:49

‘We need to include all voices.’ This podcast was set up to increase the conversation around a marginalised group in speculative fiction: women. But women aren’t the only marginalised voices in the...

Episode 11: Hugos, Nebulas, and Dawn Cano from 2016-09-08T10:11:42

It's so exciting to see so many women recognised in the industry awards right now that we just had to have a little 'squee' about it.



Charlotte interviews extreme horror author...

Hugos, Nebulas, and Dawn Cano from 2016-09-08T10:00:33

After the last marathon episode, we have kept things more succinct. First up, Charlotte, Lucy, and Megan geek-out about the 2016 SFF Awards season. Women seem to finally be getting their due and we...

Episode 10: Barriers to women in SFF publishing (Live at Nine Worlds) from 2016-08-25T10:37:48

Recorded live at Nine Worlds Geekfest in London on August 13th, 2016. Discussion of both perceived and real barriers women experience when pursuing a writing career in science fiction, fantasy, and...

Live at Nine Worlds from 2016-08-25T10:00:11

It seems fitting that Breaking the Glass Slipper would make its live debut at Nine Worlds Geekfest in London, a convention that prides itself on diversity, panel parity, and accessibility. As such,...

Episode 9: Virgins and villainesses (part 2) from 2016-08-11T10:30:21

*Please note that this episode contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 6. Listen at your own risk.



This week, we discuss the tropes common to female villains in SFFH, from...

Virgins and villainesses (part 2) from 2016-08-11T10:00:51

It’s a bit of a long one this week. Get the three of us together and we can’t shut up about female villains! While I might be biased, I have to say that this is one of our best episodes yet, with L...

Episode 8: Virgins and villainesses (part 1) from 2016-07-28T10:56:41

Charlotte takes the helm today, overseeing a discussion of virgins in SFFH. Why do women who have sex often die? Why are magical abilities so often linked to virginity? We ask these questions and m...

Virgins and villainesses (part 1) from 2016-07-28T10:00:44

Have you ever noticed that the women who have sex are often the first to die, while their virginal counterparts tend to last through to the bitter end? This week, Lucy, Charlotte, and I discuss the...

Episode 7: Interview with Janine Ashbless/Keris McDonald from 2016-07-14T11:02:07

Charlotte interviews an author who writes both erotica (as Janine Ashbless) and horror (as Keris McDonald). They discuss pornography vs erotica, what frightens a horror writer, and pacing stories a...

Interview with Janine Ashbless/Keris McDonald from 2016-07-14T10:00:59

This week, Charlotte talks to erotica and horror (as Keris McDonald) author Janine Ashbless. No topic is off limits with this wordsmith. They discuss pornography vs erotica, what frightens a horror...

Episode 6: Labyrinth from 2016-06-30T10:55:01

Many of us were lucky enough to grow up on Jim Henson's magical film, Labyrinth. But what is it about the film and its female protagonist that speaks to so many? In memory of the late David Bowie a...

Labyrinth from 2016-06-30T10:00:13

This Monday marked the 30th anniversary of Labyrinth’s release (in the US). In these three decades, the entire world has been captivated by the story of teenager Sarah and her adventures in the lab...

Episode 5: Interview with Ben Peek from 2016-06-16T10:57:56

Megan Leigh interviews fantasy writer Ben Peek. The discussion covers his gender and ethnically diverse Children Trilogy, tropes of female characters in fantasy, and the pitfalls involved with mark...

Interview with Ben Peek from 2016-06-16T10:00:58

This week on Breaking the Glass Slipper, I interview Aussie fantasy writer Ben Peek. If you aren’t familiar with Ben’s writing, show your support for an emerging talent by buying his books! His mos...

Samantha Shannon on the imagination of the child from 2016-06-02T10:00:43

Today’s episode is an interruption to our previously scheduled episode, an interview with Ben Peek. Fear not, we will post the interview next time. In the meantime, a controversy amongst the SFF co...

Episode 4: Samantha Shannon on the imagination of the child from 2016-06-02T09:54:33

When a headteacher in the UK wrote a blog decrying fantasy and science fiction books, purporting that they are damaging to children's minds, YA author Samantha Shannon hit back with a commentary pi...

Episode 3: Writing gender from 2016-05-19T10:29:11

How hard is it to write characters of the opposite gender? Are there merits to gender stereotypes in writing? Lucy, Charlotte, and Megan discuss gender in terms of their own writing and reading exp...

Writing gender from 2016-05-19T10:00:18

When you set out to write a novel or short story, do you find yourself naturally writing a male protagonist? What about peripheral characters, do you unconsciously refer to them as he? Gender is an...

Episode 2: Interview with Jen Williams from 2016-05-05T10:52

Episode 2 of Breaking the Glass Slipper features host Lucy Hounsom interviewing fantasy writer Jen Williams. Williams is the author of the Copper Cat trilogy (The Copper Promise, The Iron Ghost, an...

Interview with Jen Williams from 2016-05-05T10:00:27

This week, host Lucy Hounsom interviews Jen Williams. Jen Williams is the author of The Copper Cat trilogy: The Copper Promise, The Iron Ghost, and The Silver Tide, and is currently working on the ...

Gender inequality in ‘best of’ lists from 2016-04-21T10:00:07

Welcome to the brand new podcast, Breaking the Glass Slipper. There are so many wonderful women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror but they are often overlooked. We ask why gender ineq...

Episode 1: Gender inequality in ‘best of’ lists from 2016-04-18T18:53:42

The very first episode of a new podcast discussing women (writers and characters) in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Hosted by Megan Leigh, Charlotte Bond, and Lucy Hounsom.


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