The Skiffy and Fanty Show

Ambiguous worlds, subdued worries, and a talking tiger, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by short fiction extraordinaire Thomas Ha for an interview about his new collection, Uncertain Sons and Other Stories ! Together, they discuss Ha’s approach to short fiction and storytelling, some of the common themes in the collection, the process of assembling a collection, and much mor...

Blood maws, neurodivergence, and the monstrous, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by the wonderfully weird Jason Sanford for an interview about his new novella, We Who Hunt Alexanders ! Together, they discuss Sanford’s approach to monstrosity, neurodiverse protagonists, writing style and influences, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes:...

Warthog sloths, dinosaur hugs, and lecherous captains, oh my! Shaun Duke , Jen Zink , and special guest R.E. Junker join forces to talk about 1948’s Unknown Island ! Together, they discuss the film’s remarkably ridiculous dinosaurs, the many types of 1940s men, plot contrivances, Corriganville, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your...

Writing barriers, intense habits, and Octavia’s life, oh my! Shaun Duke is joined by scholar and biographer Susan M. Morris to talk about her new book, Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler ! In this riveting conversation, they discuss some of the fascinating aspects of Butler’s life, Morris’ approach to writing a biography of such a celebrated writer, and m...

Alien barriers, sweet Majors, and messy diplomacy, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by returning champion Andrea Hairston for an interview about Mindscape ! Together, they explore Andrea’s approach to writing character and dialogue, the roots of the novel’s premise, the influence of language on culture and the self, reality TV, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you e...

Gendered rants, bird ships, and secret cities, oh my! Shaun Duke , Paul Weimer , and Trish Matson join forces to discuss Marie Corelli’s The Secret Power (1921). Together, they examine the reception of Corelli in her time, explore Corelli’s legacy, discuss the book’s approach to social relations, villainy, technology, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the epi...

Bug hybrids, evil organizations, and intense vertical kicks, oh my! Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano are joined by Jennifer Brozek to discuss 2023’s Shin Kamen Rider ! Together, they explore their feelings about the SHOCKER organization, Hideaki Anno’s approach to Kamen Rider, where this particular version fits into the canon of the franchise, and much more! Thanks for listening....

Brain sucking, kite hoverboards, and upgraded dogs, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by special guest and longtime listener, DanDan the Transient, to talk about 1997’s Doom Runners ! Together, they talk about Tim Curry’s remarkable performance, the logic of the film’s post-apocalyptic world, the “Corporations,” and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope...

Bog bodies, ticks, and familial terror, oh my! Shaun Duke is joined by a special guest host and friend, Kendra Hare , for an interview with Johanna van Veen, author of Blood on Her Tongue . Together, they explore Johanna’s approach to 19th century gender relations, tackle the remarkable history of bog bodies, uncover the depths of madness and perspective, and much more. Thanks for listening....

Mystical fungus, rigid empires, and haunts, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Kate Elliott for an interview about her new novel, The Witch Roads ! Together, they explore Kate’s approach to worldbuilding, the structure of empire and writing characters who are part of its machinery, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Kate Elliott&#8217...

Mountain isolation, reality warping, and axes, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss Paul Bickel’s Our Happy Place (2024). Together, they explore the film’s themes of isolation and psychological destruction, Paul Bickel’s direction and Raya Miles’ performance, ways of interpreting its narrative, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy t...

Oil City, big feets, and a coke, oh my! Shaun Duke , David Annandale , and Trish Matson join forces to discuss 1976’s Creature from Black Lake ! Together, they talk about the history of big foot myths in the South, how this film approaches its anthropological narrative, a cacophony of bad jokes, burgers and fries, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes...

Dashing scoundrels, naughty mummies, and sand, oh my! Shaun Duke , David Annandale , and Trish Matson wander into the archives to discuss 1999’s The Mummy ! Together, they discuss the film’s connection (or lack thereof) to its predecessor, its visual stylings and narrative structure, the threat of the apocalypse, librarians, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the ep...

Snarky elders, dark magics, and macabre displays, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Helen Marshall for an interview about her new novel, The Lady, The Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death ! Together, they explore Marshall’s approach to storytelling, the complexities of family trauma, history, and war, circus acts, research, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy th...

Translucent people, cookie cutter cities, and madness, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss Mohamed Kheir’s Sleep Phase ! Together, they explore the work’s lyrical prose, its themes of change, alienation, and madness, its surrealist approach to the fantastic, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, q...

Gamer foxes, finding your people, and literature with fur, oh my! Shaun Duke is joined by Kyell Gold and Robert Lyle for a wide-reaching discussion of furry culture and fandom, furry literature, the Furry Writers’ Guild, and more! If you’ve ever wanted to know about this vibrant community, this episode will learn you a thing or two! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode!...

Milquetoast heroes, creepy uncle Dracula, and stagecoaches, oh my! Shaun Duke , David Annandale , and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss 1966’s Billy the Kid Versus Dracula ! Together, they talk about how the film got made and its place in cinematic history, why Dracula isn’t named in the film, Carradine’s weird performance, silent films, and so much more! Thanks for listenin...

Fanbots, questionable eye contact, and steampunk adventurers, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by the wonderful Martha Wells for a discussion about her career, Murderbot (and the new TV show on Apple TV+), the Emilie books, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Marth Wells’ Things: Website Bluesky Instagram The Murderbot Diaries Vol. 1 The Emi...

Complicated families, long lost friends, and lizard creatures, oh my! Shaun Duke and Stephen Geigen-Miller join forces to discuss Molly Knox Ostertag’s Hugo Finalist graphic novel, The Deep Dark ! Together, they discuss the work’s various metaphors and core themes, examine intergenerational trauma, and deep dive into the visual poetry and structure of this brilliant work! Thanks for li...

Haunted desires, lakes of death, and agrarian utopias, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu monogatari (1953). Together, they discuss the film’s tragic storyline, the nature of desire and its destructive force, Mizoguchi’s women, the film’s production, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show N...

Colonial cities, hard-boiled detectives, and murder, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by Tochi Onyebuchi for an in-depth interview about Harmattan Season ! Together, they discuss the book’s West African setting, Tochi’s influences in and approach to detective fiction, the complex social influences of colonialism, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy th...

Canned performances, cheap sets, and lost plots, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss 2013’s Atlantic Rim ! Together, they talk about the mockbuster genre, examine the film’s plot and cast, laugh about nonsensical stock footage and shot sequences, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, an...

Patriarchal systems, a modded Continental, and dynamite, oh my! Shaun Duke and David Annandale wander into the archives to discuss 1977’s The Car ! Together, they discuss the film’s reception, tackle its themes of vengeance and repressive politics, and dive into the logic of an evil car, plus more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments,...

Methane gas, planetary disks, and Martian sunsets, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by John E. Moores for a discussion about the solar system, planetary science, Mars, and other wonders of our little corner in the universe! Unsurprisingly, we learned a lot, and so will you! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestion...

Mythical boar, pastoral vibes, and wizards, oh my! Shaun Duke , Paul Weimer , and Trish Matson join forces to discuss Patricia A. McKillip’s 1974 fantasy novel, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld ! Together, they tackle the novel’s examination of fairytales, the meaning and terror of controlling someone’s mind, and the destructive power of revenge, and much more! Thanks for listening. W...