So far I’ve dodged the question of “what is weird fiction?” because the stories themselves have defined the term, simply because they seem, for the most part, to represent a particular, personal kind of engagement with the supernatural.

I called a friend and tried to explain the basics of the plot to her. I’d barely gotten to “so then Nancy Drew conducts a séance to call a sea spirit to recover the bones of a ghost who is eventually revealed to be her biological mom” before the dial tone was ringing in my ear. I love this show. It’s such beautiful nonsense.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents Meep Matsushima's “The Believers,” with a reading by the poet. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/5c7kvm/Strange-Horizons-20201221-p.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

All original fiction published by Strange Horizons in 2020: 57 stories, including three novelettes and eight translations!

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Anaea Lay presents Octavia Cade's “Come Water, Be One of Us.” https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/dxcfad/Strange-Horizons-20201221-f.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

While reading The Four Profound Weaves, I thought of the devourers of our world. The devourers we know may not have the magical deepnames of the Birdverse, or the ability to encase their families in iron rods, but still they claim power on the bodies of those they say they love, like the Torturer.

They were all a little more careful around the river, after. A little more careful around the rest of us, too.

We were just going to the grocery store.

Ruffin’s voice is daring and earnest, biting, yet unpretentious.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Courtney Floyd presents "Estrella de la muerte" by Vraiux Dorós, read by Aureliano García Haros. .   https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/e3sss5/EstrellaMuerte.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download