My Favorite Apocalypse #4: The Apocalypse Goes Goth
Em and EJ acknowledge the important Black Lives Matter movement that took hold during the gap between recording episodes, the impacts of systemic racism in publishing, and the value of reading diversely. Then, in this concluding episode of the series, we set out to determine our favorite apocalypse, only to be distracted by our deepening pandemic obsession with gothic and horror themes. We've out-caveated ourselves in this one.
- FANTASY+GIRLS
My Favorite Apocalypse Ep 4: The Apocalypse Goes Goth- EJ and Em have been gone…for a while. It is now July—months away from when they began the series in April
- EJ and Em talk about how things have changed since the miniseries began.
- EJ and Em discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, how it is necessary, and how it is changing publishing. The hosts discuss easy ways that you can support Black authors and creators.
- Em and EJ discuss the twitter hashtag #publishingpaidme on twitter and how it revealed the pay gap between white authors and everyone else, especially Black authors in the same genres.
- Em says it is imperative that the SFF genre embrace diversity so that we can experience weird and wonderful stories. EJ explains how this benefits readers and consumers—how everyone benefits when there are more seats at the table filled by diverse authors.
- Em gives credit to the creator of the #publishingpaidme twitter hashtag, author L.L. McKinney. EJ loves all things Alice in Wonderland, and the hosts chat about how good L.L. McKinney’s a new series based on the classic novel, A BLADE SO BLACK, looks.
- EJ asks readers to check out #OwnVoices books and explains exactly what that means and why that is important.
- EJ suggests listeners check out BlackAndBookish.com
- EJ suggests DREAD NATION by author Justina Ireland. The historical fantasy/horror is a fresh take on zombies/zombie hunters. The book manages to be a zombie book that also examines the historic time period and slavery, but is also accessible and modern.
- EJ’s second books suggestion is THE POPPY WAR. The hosts take a tangent down Libby lane. They adore Libby—who wouldn’t? It’s amazing. The Libby app will cause you to read faster because it is a race to read the book before the library takes the book back off of your device. EJ has checked out the POPPY WAR three times because Libby keeps taking it.
- Em says she has been making a cognizant decision to read even more diversely. She is about to give her book picks, but takes a very on-brand detour to say she has been working on a darker work of fiction herself, as well as watching darker shows and even reading darker fiction. EJ jumps on board and says her current show is HANNIBAL..
- Em says that since she has been writing such a dark book, she has been trying to read some fluffy, fun reads to keep her mind right. Em explains she is also currently reading five books at one time (ADHD has perks). Her current read is I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE by Kristina Forest.
- EJ just finished THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Em suggests taking a Shirley Jackson deep dive.
- Em explains that she knows she is supposed to be talking about the apocalypse, but her current reads have been all over the place. Recently, she has finished CIRCE by Madeline Miller (which is Em’s favorite book of the year so far). Then she read a vampire book. Then a DEXTER book. Then a horror book titled, THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison. Em read MY LOVELY WIFE.
- EJ asks Em if she has heard the buzz about MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. EJ has FOMO. She wants to read it so bad. Em wants all the gothic stories forever and ever.
- Em has a MEXICAN GOTHIC story. Em has been anticipated this book for months and months. She is about to start the audiobook.
- EJ is super excited about the book CATHERINE HOUSE by Elisabeth Thomas.
- Em loves the comps—NEVER LET ME GO is amazing.
- Em is ready to dig into MEM by Bethany C. Morrow.
- WESTWORLD SPOILERS AROUND THE 25 MINUTE MARK.
- Em confesses that she thought she would thrive in the current environment, but now knows she would actually die pretty quickly in a real apocalypse.
- Em’s next book recommendation is FRANKENSTEIN IN BAGHDAD by Ahmed Saadawi.
- EJ says how many people have retreated from the current world into romance novels, however she has fallen into dark, thriller, horror genre novels/shows.
- Em commiserates that she often falls down the dark-fic rabbit hole. Sometimes after a binge, she thinks you need to almost read or watch something light to shake off the morbidity of darker books.
- Full circle to Hannibal. EJ loves it—though it is admittedly gruesome.
- HANNIBAL SPOILERS AROUND THE 28:20 MARK.
- EJ tells a gruesome Hannibal plot point that has Em unable to cope.
- The take another (on-brand) detour to Hannibal.
- Why are our hosts still talking about cannibalism? Who knows?
- Em has watched every WUTHERING HEIGHTS adaptation available to stream. She knows she shouldn’t, but there is something about the toxic/terrible relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine.
- EJ points out that JANE EYRE is in many ways the opposite of Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights is no restraint or boundaries—basically two codependent people being terrible to each other, while Jane Eyre is all restraint (but still a terrible relationship—if you can even use the term relationship).
- Em says they got a message on Facebook asking for an episode on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and CONTINUUM.
- EJ burst Em’s bubble about how we are two seconds from not having new television.
- The hosts take a quick detour to discuss all of the television shows they have watched, want to watch, and must watch.
- The show ends abruptly—but it was a lot of fun!
- Goodbye and KEEP YOUR ZOMBIES.