In this podcast The Outer Dark presents the second installment of The Outer Dark Symposium, including readings by Daniel Braum, Valjeanne Jeffers, John Foster and Edward Austin Hall, as well as the second panel “Other Weird Tales: Unraveling Paradigms as the Protagonist Shifts Away from the Cis White Male.” These segments were recorded live on Saturday March 25.

Show Notes

Part Two of The Outer Dark Symposium on the Greater Weird, Saturday March 25 at Decatur CoWorks (Atlanta, GA) begins with readings by Daniel Braum (00:02:54) and Valjeanne Jeffers (00:19:00). Then the panel, “Other Weird Tales: Unraveling Paradigms as the Protagonist Shifts Away from the Cis White Male,” (00:30:15) was moderated by Craig Laurance Gidney and features Mike Allen, Gerald L. Coleman, Valjeanne Jeffers, and Damien Angelica Walters. Weird fiction, like SF/F/H, has predominantly centered on cis white male protagonists mostly written by cis white male authors. One of the most dynamic aspects of the contemporary Weird Renaissance is that this is no longer true. Non-cis-white-male writers are not only altering the concept of what the Weird is as a literary form but also pushing its boundaries and defying editorial and publishing expectations. How does the narrative shift when the protagonist is a woman, a person of color, LBGT and/or disabled? What are some examples of good contemporary, or older Weird tales with Other protagonists that exemplify these different qualities? What challenges have the authors on the panel personally faced in approaching the Weird from Other perspectives–cultural, gender, orientation, etc.? Finally, how are new writers, new perspectives and new audiences opening up the Weird and spec-lit in general to new markets, and conversely how are new markets (small press, self-publishing) facilitating exposure to different voices? The episode concludes with readings by John C. Foster (01:13:45) and Edward Austin Hall (01:26:14).

Stay tuned for more of The Outer Dark Symposium on the Greater Weird on future episodes. This broadcast is brought to you by our The Outer Dark Symposium lunch sponsor, Dim Shores and our breakfast sponsor Horror in Clay. Thank you to all the sponsors and Indiegogo supporters who helped make something Weird happen in Atlanta.

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Additional Links

A Visitation of Spirits by Randall Kenan

The Beasts of the Southern Wild trailer

Jonah’s Gourd Vine by Zora Neale Hurston

“The Famine King” by Darcie Little Badger (Mythic Delirium)

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock

Charles Saunders

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

The Dream-Quest of Vellit Boe by Kij Johnson

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

Show Credits

Host/Executive Producer: Scott Nicolay

Co-Host, News From the Weird: Justin Steele

Associate Producer/Show Notes: Anya Martin

Logo Design: Nick “The Hat” Gucker

Music: Michael Griffin

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