murmurstations

How does expectation shape our sense of what is horrific or strange, uncanny or eerie? Together, Ai and Sonia explore human and non-human relationships—with spirits, nature, technology, and more—and our changing sense of familiarity and strangeness in these relationships. Ai writes across many genres including folklore, dystopia, horror, climate fiction, sci-fi, fantasy—but we talk mainly about he...

At the core of every fairytale is a rule. And when that rule gets broken, the story begins. "Don't step off the path," they say. "Don't get close to the wolf." And yet we do, time and time again. Behind the vivid and playful ornamentation, fairytales are rife with darkness and desire. Together, Lynne and Sonia discuss the ethics at play and what's illuminated when f...

There's something about a cataclysmic event that brings people together. Premee is a virtuoso when it comes to writing compelling characters—who often find themselves experiencing an end to their world, and a new beginning. In her two stories Some Solace For Thy Woes (Augur) and The Youngest Son Misses His Boat To The Crusades (Tales & Feathers), she draws us into close relationships between j...

Through settings and symbols mundane and mythological, Matteo Cerilli presents two poems, Star Bright and Bathroom Chatter . In this fifth episode of murmurstations, Sonia and Matteo discuss these poems with an eye on themes of mythologies of masculinity as well as growth, innocence, loss, discovery, (be)longing. They discuss Matteo's activism roots and how they surface in his stories, the cha...

In this fourth episode of Murmurstations, A.G.A Wilmot explores themes of legacy, identity, and the role of art in shaping our understanding of the world. Andrew shares their journey as a multimedia artist, discussing the pressures of navigating the literary and genre worlds while emphasizing the importance of empathy—both for oneself and for others. We explore how personal experiences of fear, tr...

In this third episode of Murmurstations , we explore the intersections of spirituality and speculative fiction with Saad Omar Khan, focusing on his short story, The Zones of Heaven and Earth . Saad discusses the importance of representing diverse voices in a genre often dominated by Western narratives, reflecting on his own journey as a Muslim writer in a secular environment. We delve into themes...

In this second episode of Murmurstations , we explore the transformative power of speculative poetry with guest Chimedum Ohaegbu, focusing on her poem Moonshaped Midas . She discusses how ambiguity and confusion, at times a source of harm, can become a generative space for creativity and understanding. We talk about the tensions between beauty and violence in poetry, the role of relationships in w...

Find the episode transcript here In the first episode of Murmurstations' in-augur-al season, Cleopatria Peterson, author of Mango Maker , discusses their multidisciplinary art practice, community building, and dreams of worlds centered on joy and care. They share about the pathways of family tradition that can root us in the sweetness of memories, even in the presence of pain, grief, or loss—a...

In this preview episode, we invite you to discover the spirit behind the name we've given this podcast. Murmurstations is brought to your by the Augur Literary Society, a publishing space that believes in exploring stories that shape the futures we need. And with that vision in mind, this podcast explores worldbuilding through speculative genres. Together, we find the throughlines between the...