The Functional Nerds Podcast

This week, Patrick and Tracy are chatting about a Publisher’s Weekly article on Brandon Sanderson’s Audible announcement. This leads us down the path of talking royalty splits, agents and the publishing ecosystem, as well as the difference between a guild and a union, SFWA, RWA and more. This week’s picks: * Tracy: GreenLight: Debit Card for Kids and Teens (App) * Patrick: The Greatest Night In Pop (Netflix) SPECIAL NOTE AND LINK: Locus – The Magazine of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field – is holding their annual fundraising drive to keep their doors open, lights on, and future bright. Please consider supporting Locus through their annual fundraiser. It runs March 5th through April 5th. Explore the campaign and wonderful reward tiers at: igg.me/at/locusmag2024 Links: * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome James Goodhand, author of The Day Tripper. About The Day Tripper: The right guy, the right place, the wrong time. It’s 1995, and Alex Dean has it all: a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames. He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight. After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river. But what exactly is going on? Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this page-turning adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself. About James Goodhand: James Goodhand has written two YA novels. His YA debut, Last Lesson, was called “a powerfully charged study in empathy,” by the Financial Times. The Day Tripper is his adult debut. He lives in Englad with his wife and young son. This week’s picks: * James #1: Time Shelter: A Novel by Georgi Gospodinov * James #2: One Day (Netflix) * Tracy: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu * Patrick: In Search Of… With Leonard Nimoy (The Complete Series) SPECIAL NOTE AND LINK: Locus – The Magazine of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field – is holding their annual fundraising drive to keep their doors open, lights on, and future bright. Please consider supporting Locus through their annual fundraiser. It runs March 5th through April 5th. Explore the campaign and wonderful reward tiers at: igg.me/at/locusmag2024 Links: * James Goodhand on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Moses Ose Utomi, author of The Truth of the Aleke. About The Truth of the Aleke: The Aleke is cruel. The Aleke is clever. The Aleke is coming. 500 years after the events of The Lies of the Ajungo, the City of Truth stands as the last remaining free city of the Forever Desert. A bastion of freedom and peace, the city has successfully weathered near-constant attacks from the Cult of Tutu, who have besieged it for three centuries, attempting to destroy its warriors and subjugate its people. Seventeen-year-old Osi is a Junior Peacekeeper in the City. When the mysterious leader of the Cult, known only as the Aleke, commits a massacre in the capitol and steals the sacred God’s Eyes, Osi steps forward to valiantly defend his home. For his bravery he is tasked with a tremendous responsibility?destroy the Cult of Tutu, bring back the God’s Eyes, and discover the truth of the Aleke. About Moses Ose Utomi: Moses Ose Utomi wrote his first book when he was 5. It was a book about warrior bunnies from Mars, and the only copy is owned by his mother. Since then, he has gone on to write many more, slightly better stories. He primarily writes fantasy “but with the plot and pacing of a psychological thriller” and his fiction often grows out of the West African culture and mythology he was raised in as a Nigerian American. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing as well as a Certificate in Book Publishing, and he has short fiction in various publications. Most notably, he is the author of the young adult fantasy novel Daughters of Oduma and The Forever Desert, a trilogy of adult fantasy novellas that begins with The Lies of the Ajungo. He is also a martial arts, karaoke, and obscure sports addict. This week’s picks: * Moses: A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert * Tracy: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo * Patrick: The Bad Batch | The Final Season (Disney+) SPECIAL NOTE AND LINK: Locus – The Magazine of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field – is holding their annual fundraising drive to keep their doors open, lights on, and future bright. Please consider supporting Locus through their annual fundraiser. It runs March 5th through April 5th. Explore the campaign and wonderful reward tiers at: igg.me/at/locusmag2024 Links: * Moses Ose Utomi on Instagram * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome James Enge, author of EVIL HONEY, a new Morlock Ambrosius short story. About Old Moon Quarterly: Issue 3, Winter 2023: Old Moon Quarterly is a small, independent online magazine devoted to publishing weird sword-and-sorcery fiction set in a historical paranormal setting or a secondary-world, with a focus on well-rounded characters driving strange action. About EVIL HONEY: Morlock runs afoul of the god of bees and is forced to enter a society stained by evil and madness. About James Enge: James Enge, lives in northwest Ohio with his wife and a relentless canine researcher. He’s written Blood of Ambrose (shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award in 2010 and the Prix Imaginales in 2011), This Crooked Way, The Wolf Age, and A Tournament of Shadows, a trilogy comprising Morlock’s origin story. He’s also written a fair amount of short fiction, which has appeared in Black Gate, in the Stabby-Award-winning Blackguards, in ZNB anthologies such as Guilds & Glaives, in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and elsewhere. In his day job, he teaches Latin and various kinds of mythology (classical myth, Norse myth, medieval legend, etc) at a medium-sized public university in Ohio. This week’s picks: * James: Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R. F Kuang * Tracy: DUNE Part 1 (Netflix) * Patrick: Midnight Riot: Rivers of London By Ben Aaronovitch, Narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith Links: * James Enge on Mastodon * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome T.R. Napper, author of Aliens: Bishop. About Aliens: Bishop: The USCSS Patna has been found. Although the synthetic Bishop asked to be shut down forever, his creator has other plans. Michael Bishop seeks the Xenomorph knowledge stored in the android’s mind, and brings Bishop back to life—but for what reason? No longer an employee of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, Michael tells his creation that he seeks to advance medical research for the benefit of humanity. Yet where does he get the resources needed to advance his work, and with whom do his new allegiances lie? The USCSS Patna is pursued by Colonial Marines Captain Marcel Apone, commander of the Il Conde and younger brother of Master Sergeant Alexander Apone, one of the casualties of the doomed mission to LV-426. Also on his trail are the “Dog Catchers,” commandos employed by Weyland-Yutani. There are many who would profit from Lance Bishop’s intimate knowledge of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy. About T.R. Napper: T. R. Napper is a multi-award-winning science fiction author. His short stories have appeared in Asimov’s, Interzone, the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and numerous others, and been translated into Hebrew, German, French, and Vietnamese. He received a creative writing doctorate for his thesis: Noir, Cyberpunk, and Asian Modernity. His debut short story collection, Neon Leviathan, came out to stellar reviews in 2020. His debut novel, Thirty-Six Streets, was published by Titan Books in 2022 (also to stellar reviews), and won both the prestigious Aurealis and Ditmar awards for best novel. Before turning to writing, T. R. Napper was a diplomat and aid worker, delivering humanitarian programs in Southeast Asia for a decade. During this period, he received a commendation from the Government of Laos for his work with the poor. Napper was a resident of the Old Quarter in Ha Noi for several years, the setting for his debut novel, 36 Streets. These days he has returned to his home country of Australia, where he works as a Dungeon Master, running campaigns for young people with autism for a local charity. This week’s picks: * T.R. 1: WINTER’S BONE by Daniel Woodrell * T.R. 2: True Detective (HBO/MAX) * T.R. 3: Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix) * Tracy: The Science of SciFi – The Great Lectures Series By: Erin Macdonald (Audible) Links: * T.R. Napper on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Amanda Jayatissa, author of ISLAND WITCH. About ISLAND WITCH: Set in 19th century Sri Lanka and inspired by local folklore, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest—relentlessly bullied by peers and accused of witchcraft herself—tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been terrorizing her coastal village. Being the daughter of the village Capuwa, or demon-priest, Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. Influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, the villagers who once respected her father’s craft have turned on the family. Yet, they all still seem to call on him whenever supernatural disturbances arise. Now someone—or something—is viciously seizing upon men in the jungle. But instead of enlisting Amara’s father’s help, the villages have accused him of carrying out the attacks himself. As she tries to clear her father’s name, Amara finds herself haunted by dreams that eerily predict the dark forces on her island. And she can’t shake the feeling that it’s all connected to the night she was recovering from a strange illness, and woke up, scared and confused, to hear her mother’s frantic cries: No one can find out what happened. About Amanda Jayatissa: Amanda Jayatissa loves to read disturbing books with shocking plot twists, so it seemed logical to her that she should attempt to write disturbing books with shocking plot twists. She is one of the first Sri Lankan women to secure an international book contract. Her first traditionally published novel, MY SWEET GIRL, won Best Debut Novel at the International Thriller Writers Awards in 2022. Her second novel, YOU’RE INVITED, was selected as a Book of The Month pick in July 2022 and was featured on The Today Show. She grew up in Sri Lanka and has lived in the California bay area and British countryside, before relocating back to her sunny island, where she lives with her husband and two Tasmanian-devil-reincarnate huskies. This week’s picks: * Amanda: One Day (Netflix) * Tracy: The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: How to Know What’s Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake by Dr. Steven Novella * Patrick: June Carter Cash Documentary (Paramount+) Links: * Amanda Jayatissa on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Ray Nayler, author of The Tusks of Extinction. About The Tusks of Extinction: Moscow has resurrected the mammoth. But someone must teach them how to be mammoths, or they are doomed to die out again. Dr. Damira Khismatullina, an expert in elephant behavior, was brutally murdered trying to defend the world’s last elephants from the brutal ivory trade. Now, her digitized consciousness has been downloaded into the mind of a mammoth. As the herd’s new matriarch, can Damira help fend off poachers long enough for the species to take hold? Or will her own ghosts, and Moscow’s real reason for bringing the mammoth back, doom them to a new extinction? About Ray Nayler: Ray Nayler is the author of the critically acclaimed, Locus Award winning novel The Mountain in the Sea, published in the US by MCDxFSG and in the UK by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. The Washington Post called Mountain “(a) poignant, mind-expanding debut” and Slate called it “(a) wondrous novel.” David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas, said: “I loved this novel’s brain and heart, its hidden traps, sheer propulsion, ingenious world-building and the purity of its commitment to luminous ideas.” Positively reviewed in the New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly (starred review) and many others, The Mountain in the Sea was a best book of the year at The Times as well as Amazon and Slate. The Mountain in the Sea was a finalist for the Nebula Award and for the LA Times Book Awards’ Ray Bradbury Award for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction. Ray’s second book, the novella The Tusks of Extinction was published in January 2024 by Tordotcom. The Washington Post has called it “both breathtaking and heartbreaking” and Publishers Weekly said Tusks is “impassioned and impressive . . . an uncompromising climate fiction that strikes like a spear to the gut.” Ray has published work in many genres, from mainstream “literary” fiction to comics. His short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen, Crimewave, Hardboiled, Cemetery Dance, Deathrealm, Queen’s Quarterly, and the Berkeley Fiction Review, among other journals. His opinion pieces have appeared in New Scientist and at LitHub. He is a widely published poet, with work in the Atlanta Review, the Beloit Poetry Journal, Weave, Juked, Able Muse, Sentence, and many more. Ray currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife Anna, their daughter Lydia, and two rescued cats – one Tajik, one American. ?Ray is represented by Seth Fishman at the Gernert Company. This week’s picks: * Ray: THE BOY AND THE HERON (Movie) * Tracy #1: Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated (Game) * Tracy #2: Amizade – safe, sustainable, and collaborative global learning experiences for all people. * Patrick: Marvel Studios’ Echo (Disney+) Links: * Ray Nayler on Instagram *

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Wole Talabi, author of Convergence Problems. About Convergence Problems: From the Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Nommo award nominated author of Shigidi and The Brass Head Of Obalufon comes a stunning new collection of stories that investigate the rapidly changing role of technology and belief in our lives as we search for meaning, for knowledge, for justice; constantly converging on our future selves. In “An Arc of Electric Skin,” a roadside mechanic seeking justice volunteers to undergo a procedure that will increase the electrical conductivity of his skin by orders of magnitude. In “Blowout,” a woman races against time and a previously undocumented geological phenomenon to save her brother on the surface of Mars. In “Ganger,” a young woman trapped in a city run by machines must transfer her consciousness into an artificial body and find a way to give her life purpose. In “Debut,” Nairobi-based technical support engineer tries to understand what is happening when an AI art system begins malfunctioning in ways that could change the world. The sixteen stories of Convergence Problems, which include work published for the first time in this collection, rare stories, and recently acclaimed work, showcase Talabi at his creative best: playful and profound, exciting and experimental, always interesting. About Wole Talabi: Wole is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria. Author of the critically acclaimed Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon which was named one of the best books of 2023 by The Washington Post. He’s hopped around the planet quite a bit but right now, lives in Australia. He’s been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards, the Caine Prize, and won the Sidewise award for alternate history. Wole’s work has also been translated into 7 languages. His fiction has appeared in Asimov’s, F&SF, Clarkesworld, and is collected in the books Incomplete Solutions (2019, Luna Press) and Convergence Problems (2024, DAW Books) This week’s picks: * Wole: Bridge: A Novel of Suspense by Lauren Beukes * Tracy: The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi * Patrick: The Marvels Links: * Wole Talabi on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Shannon Lawrence, author of Myth Stalker: Wendigo Nights. About Myth Stalker: Wendigo Nights: When Selina Moonstone, a Myth Stalker, gets a late night call from her mentor about a Wendigo problem, she arms up and heads to Canada, only to find out the Wendigo is someone close to her. Accustomed to facing off with the all too real creatures of Native American mythology, Selina changes gears from destruction to frantic search for a cure. Working against her is the fact that there is no known way to rid a person of the Wendigo spirit once it has begun the consumption of the victim’s soul. In her youth, she learned the hard way that extermination is the only answer. With her loved one’s transition to Wendigo imminent, Selina must fight her own lifelong training as a Myth Stalker in order to find another way. She gathers a mismatched group of allies, including a charming Sin Eater and a conceited mercenary Cryptid hunter from her past, and embarks on a mission to find a solution before it’s too late. About Shannon Lawrence: A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes in her dungeon when her minions allow, often accompanied by her familiars. She writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in several anthologies and magazines, and her collections, Blue Sludge Blues & Other Abominations and Bruised Souls & Other Torments, are available in stores. You can also find her as a co-host of the podcast “Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem.” When she’s not writing, she’s hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings. Though she often misses the Oregon coast, the majestic and rugged Rockies are a sight she could never part with. Besides, in Colorado there’s always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. What more could she ask for? Find her at thewarriormuse.com or mysteriesmonstersmayhem.com. This week’s picks: * Shannon #1: THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND by Jackson Ford * Shannon #2: Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery in Denver, Colorado * Tracy: Business Walrus: A Party Game * Patrick: The Anti Pick: Credit Card Fraud Links: * Shannon Lawrence on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy ring in the new year by chatting with J.T. Evans, author of HIVE DREAMS. About HIVE DREAMS: Aell the bladesinger is a former gladiatorial slave. Stiles the lockwhisperer is a streetwise cat burglar. Trying their best to get by but always embroiled in trouble and chaos, they form a formidable duo with a strong bond of friendship and a sense of duty to the run-down neighborhood they live in. Aell and Stiles are offered a generous sum of coin to enter the Hive, Stiles’s childhood home, and capture creatures that feast on the brains of killers. The coin is to be spent to acquire Aell’s brother’s freedom from slavery. During their adventures they stumble into more trouble than they asked for by becoming embroiled in machinations of the Hive’s downtrodden and triggering a trap set by a long-time enemy. About J.T. Evans: J.T. Evans writes fantasy novels. He also dabbles with science fiction and horror short stories. He is the former president of Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group and Pikes Peak Writers. He is the author of the Modern Mythology and Flashing Blades series. This week’s picks: * J.T.: Fetchwife: The Elder Futhark, Book 1 by Liam Grey * Tracy: Shin Godzilla * Patrick: Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna Links: * J.T. Evans on Facebook * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome GennaRose Nethercott, author of Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart (and other stories). About Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart (and other stories): The stories in Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart are about the abomination that resides within us all. That churning, clawing, ravenous yearning: the hunger to be held, and seen, and known. And the terror, too: to be loved too well, or not enough, or for long enough. To be laid bare before your sweetheart, to their horror. To be recognized as the monstrous thing you are. In these lush, strange, beautifully written stories, GennaRose Nethercott explores human longing in all its diamond-dark facets to create a collection that will redefine what you see as a beast, and make you beg to have your heart broken. About GennaRose Nethercott: GENNAROSE NETHERCOTT is the author of a novel, Thistlefoot, and a book length poem, The Lumberjack’s Dove—selected by Louise Glück as a winner of the National Poetry Series. A proud member of the Grim & Mild team, she helps create the podcasts Lore and Harlots—the latter of which she also hosts. When she isn’t touring nationally and internationally performing strange tales (sometimes with puppets in tow), she lives in the woodlands of Vermont, beside an old cemetery. This week’s picks: * GennaRose #1: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee * GennaRose #2: The Artful Dodger (Hulu) * Tracy: Murdle * Patrick: The Functional Nerds Patrons Links: * GennaRose Nethercott on Instagram * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2023 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Mur Lafferty, author of CHAOS TERMINAL. About CHAOS TERMINAL: Mallory Viridian would rather not be an amateur detective, thank you very much. But no matter what she does, people persist in dying around her—and only she seems to be able to solve the crime. After fleeing to an alien space station in hopes that the lack of humans would stop the murders, a serial killer had the nerve to follow her to Station Eternity. (Mallory deduced who the true culprit was that time, too.) Now the law enforcement agent who hounded Mallory on Earth has come to Station Eternity, along with her teenage crush and his sister, Mallory’s best friend from high school. Mallory doesn’t believe in coincidences, and so she’s not at all surprised when someone in the latest shuttle from Earth is murdered. It’s the story of her life, after all. Only this time she has more than a killer to deal with. Between her fugitive friends, a new threat arising from the Sundry hivemind, and the alarmingly peculiar behavior of the sentient space station they all call home, even Mallory’s deductive abilities are strained. If she can’t find out what’s going on (and fast), a disaster of intergalactic proportions may occur… About Mur Lafferty: Mur’s books are available in stores, online retailers, and through her website. Check out Solo: A Star Wars Story for the details that you wanted expanded from the movie, and check out I Should Be Writing if you need a supportive writing workshop in the form of a book. In 2017 Mur released Six Wakes, a clone murder mystery in space that nominated for the 2018 Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards, and Bookburners, a collaboration effort about a group of demon hunters for the Vatican. Bookburners continues through five total seasons, available at Realm. The Shambling Guide to New York City won the 2014 Manly Wade Wellman Award, and Mur was lucky enough that its sequel, Ghost Train to New Orleans, won the 2015 Manly Wade Wellman Award! Mur has been a podcaster since December, 2004, and since then won the Podcast Peer Award, three Parsec Awards, and in 2015 was inducted into the Podcaster Hall of Fame. Mur’s show Ditch Diggers (with Matt Wallace) won the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Fancast. Mur’s longest running show is I Should Be Writing (17 years strong as of August 2022!) This week’s picks: * Mur: Dazzling: A Novel by Chikodili Emelumadu * Tracy: Etsy’s Board Game Accessories * Patrick: Age of Myth: Book One of The Legends of the First Empire by Michael J. Sullivan, Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds Links: * Mur Lafferty on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The ...

This week, Patrick and Tracy are sharing a list of holiday gifts the nerd – functional or otherwise – in your life might enjoy! And some they might not… The Great Holiday Gift List (2023 Edition): * Tracy: Otamatone (Evil Santa gift) * Tracy: Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker * Tracy: Weighted Blanket * Tracy: G-Shaft candy (Evil Santa Gift) * Patrick: Comic Book Mystery Box (Crate Joe) * Patrick: Comic Book Mystery Box (The Comic Mystery Box) * Patrick: Comic Book Mystery Box (MileHighComics Mystery Boxes) * Patrick: The Ultimate Game Night Hosts Cookbook * Patrick: Books * Patrick: Cork Rocket Desk Organizer Links: * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2023 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Michael Sims, editor of The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries. About The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries: For The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries, writer and anthologist Michael Sims did not summon the usual suspects. He sought the unfamiliar, the unjustly forgotten, and little-known gems by writers from outside the genre. This historical tour of one of our most popular literary categories includes stories never before reprinted, features rebellious early “lady detectives,” and spotlights former stars of the crime field—Austrian novelist Auguste Groner and prolific American Geraldine Bonner among them. For twenty-first century connoisseurs of crime, The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries celebrates how the nineteenth century added a fierce modern twist to the ancient theme of bloody murder. About Michael Sims: Michael Sims is the author of Arthur and Sherlock, which was a finalist for the Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America, the Gold Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain, and numerous other awards; Adam’s Navel, which was a New York Times Notable Book and a Library Journal Best Science Book; The Story of Charlotte’s Web, which was chosen by the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and other venues as a Best Book of the Year. His latest of several anthologies is The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries, which received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and just this week was recommended by the New York Times Book Review. This week’s picks: * Michael: Reservation Dogs (FX/Hulu) * Tracy: Mysterium: Hidden Signs (Game Expansion) * Patrick: Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials (Disney+/BBC) Links: * Michael Sims on the network formerly known as Twitter * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2023 Patrick Hester

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Alex Bledsoe, author of Give the People What They Want and Other Stories of Sharp Wit, Cunning Women, and Wild Magic. About Give the People What They Want and Other Stories of Sharp Wit, Cunning Women, and Wild Magic: Skyboat Media presents Give the People What They Want and Other Stories of Sharp Wit, Cunning Women, and Wild Magic,an original collection of short stories from Alex Bledsoe. First, you’ll return to the noir fantasy world of Eddie LaCrosse, a sword jockey not afraid to get his hands dirty in order to get the job done—for twenty-five gold pieces a day, plus expenses. Then comes stories from the whimsical, musical realm of the Tufa, a mysterious race of fairies living in the Appalachian backwoods of East Tennessee. When you emerge from the Tufa’s Cloud Country, it’s time to peek into the lives of small-town reporter Ry Tully and the unlikely love of his life, Tanna, a powerful, blind witch who can only see when there are fireflies around. And then for something completely different! Join the odd pair of Linda Fontana and T.S. Bunch, friends from childhood who grew up to be big-game hunters, as they track down jaguars in Matto Grosso and rhinos in the African grasslands; and then attend an unfortunate photoshoot at a zoo with a tiger who is very unhappy to be used as a prop. Finally, sink your teeth into a panoply of weird and wonderful stories about vampires, fairies, and deals with the devil; and be prepared to be scared with a previously unpublished novella, The Last First Zombie. Featuring tales from across genres and across Bledsoe’s career, Give the People What They Want is ideal for old fans and new listeners alike! About Alex Bledsoe: Alex grew up in west Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (birthplace of Tina Turner). He’s been a reporter, editor, photographer and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. He now live in a Wisconsin town famous for trolls, writes before six in the morning and tries to teach his two kids to act like they’ve been to town before. This week’s picks: * Alex: Godzilla Minus One * Tracy: Codename: Duets (Board game) * Patrick: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, Book 8) By Martha Wells Links: * Alex Bledsoe on Instagram * Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter * Patrick Hester on the network formerly known as Twitter * The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2023 Patrick Hester