Mohanraj and Rosenbaum Are Humans

Hello humans, long time no see! Welcome back to Season 3 of Mohanraj and Rosenbaum are Humans. This episode was originally recorded in February and a lot has changed since then. However, we hope you enjoy the conversation and are looking forward to more episodes! In this episode, Mary Anne and Benjamin discuss the (at the time) recent Trump inauguration. They are joined later on by Podcast Producer Connor Nevitt and the three try to answer what the left can do in times like these. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-67-show-notes/

In this episode of Mohanraj and Rosenbaum are Humans, the hosts are joined by Sofia Samatar. They discuss her new novella "The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain" as well as the persistence of myths and the ways speculative fiction can highlight issues within our own world.   Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-66-show-notes/    

In this episode, the hosts of MRAH return to their AI investigation. They discuss AI's use in creative industries,the workplace, and the longstanding history of technology changing the world.  Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-65-show-notes/

Welcome to Season 3 of Mohanraj and Rosenbaum are Humans! In this episode (originally recorded in January 2024), the hosts of MRAH tackle AI and its rapidly expanding impact. They also discuss the history of AI/language learning models and the difference between genuine and simulated emotion. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-64-show-notes/

Joining Mary Anne and Ben on this episode is Anya Johanna DeNiro, a trans woman and writer who recently published her novel, OKPsyche. The book follows the story of an unnamed trans woman on an epic journey to find the place where she belongs. Mary Anne and Ben discuss DeNiro's inspirations for OkPsyche, its genre-bending elements, and the second-person POV. Check out OKPsyche: https://smallbeerpress.com/books/2023/09/12/okpsyche/ Watch the video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/u42jWOCtFvw Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-63-show-notes/

This episode was inspired by a meme Mary Anne came across concerning landlords, and their somewhat... unpopular reputations in society. The hosts of MRAH contemplate the positions of power and influence that people like landlords and property owners can have over the world. Mary Anne and Ben also compare the cultures and societies that they read about in sci-fi futures, and whether they can be achievable with the trajectories of our day. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-62-show-notes/

In this episode, Mary Anne Mohanraj and Benjamin Rosenbaum take some time to share their grief and complicated feelings about the devastating conflict occurring between Israel and Palestine. They discuss the ideas of isomorphism and symbiosis, the history of Zionism, the origins of war and nationalism, and the need to stay connected during difficult times, to reach out to all who are hurting from the events of the past few weeks. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-61-show-notes/

Today we bring you episode 137 of the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct, graciously shared with us by hosts Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders. The episode features Mary Anne Mohanraj, who was very excited to be invited on the show, to talk about AI in the classroom. We highly encourage our viewers to check out the Our Opinions Are Correct podcast, and we invite their audience to our show. Episode description: "What does it mean to be a creator at a time when creativity is completely commodified? In this episode, we talk about the status of the author, and how audiences have idealized artists while also celebrating the so-called death of the author and rise of the reader. Plus: how AI converts our minds into apps, and why the intentional fallacy blew up the literary world in the 1940s! Later we’re joined by Mary Anne Mohanraj, an author and professor of literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who tells us about using AI in the college classroom." Episode show notes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2023/9/19/episode-137-the-creativity-fallacy Check out the Our Opinions Are Correct podcast: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/

Coming on the show is Ruthanna Emrys, author of the recently released sci-fi novel, A Half Built Garden, as well as The Innsmouth Legacy series. In the first half of the episode, Mary Anne and Ben talk about Emrys' latest book and the writing of characters with conservative ideologies, especially in the future. And in the second half, Emrys' explains the Lovecraftian influences and mythos on her work of cosmic horrors and empathies, as well as the Jewish themes that run throughout her stories. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-60-show-notes/

In this episode of MRAH, Mary Anne and Ben talk about the complexities, wonders, and difficulties of living communally. They explore the systems we put in place to make decisions amongst our own groups, and to deal with potential bad actors in close-knit communities. They also discuss the importance of restorative justice and supporting one another through the fallow periods of our lives. Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-59-show-notes/

In this Deep Dive, Mary Anne Mohanraj and Walter Jon Williams cover the three R's of writing craft: Raising the stakes, Reveals, and Reversals. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Find out more about the Portolan Project here: www.speclit.org/portolan-project Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-58-show-notes/

In this episode, Mary Anne and Ben explore the infinite forest of science fiction and other genre work with Jonathan Strahan and Gary Wolfe, the hosts of The Coode Street Podcast. The four podcast hosts explore the ethical responsibilities of reviewing, the idea of a global cannon of science fiction, and the importance of anthologies and magazines in the field.  Check out The Coode Street Podcast here: https://jonathanstrahan.podbean.com/ Episode show notes: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-57-show-notes/

Mary Anne Mohanraj takes a Deep Dive with author Nicola Griffith on her work in Hild, So Lucky, and Spear, covering pacing, disability, and historical research. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Find out more about the Portolan Project here: www.speclit.org/portolan-project Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-56-show-notes

In this Deep Dive former SLF staff member, Meghan Lamb, talks with the editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, Sheila Williams. They discuss Williams' most influential childhood reads, the importance of editorial letters in magazines, and how to make the best first impressions when submitting your stories. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Find out more about the Portolan Project here: www.speclit.org/portolan-project Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-55-show-notes

In this episode, Mary Anne recounts a recent trip she took to Pakistan to teach science fiction writing at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. The two discuss her experiences of gender in Pakistan, as well as the broader cultural, religious, and material prohibitions of Lahore and the other countries, including our own. All leads to the question of whether one can and should risk transgressing from societal norms in an "authentic" and progressive manner. Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-54-show-notes

Dragons and alternate history; the research process; writing with particularity, and courage; character work; and more on this Deep Dive with author Jo Walton about her work across multiple genres. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-53-show-notes Find out more about the Portolan Project here: www.speclit.org/portolan-project Content warning: discussion of rape in Greek mythos in relation to Walton's The Just City trilogy

Shaun Duke and Brandon O'Brien are the hosts of the four time Hugo-finalist Skiffy and Fanty Show, a science fiction and fantasy based podcast that covers major topics in the field and interviews with authors and creators. Mary Anne and Ben invited them on the show to talk podcasting, committing to diversity, and connecting with audiences.  Check out The Skiffy and Fanty Show at skiffyandfanty.com Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-52-show-notes

Mary Anne Mohanraj takes a deep dive with authors A. M. Dellamonica and Kelly Robson on their writing, dealing with impostor syndrome, how to provide compelling characterization, setting fantasy in North America, and the writer's life. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Episode show notes: www.speclit.org/ep-51-show-notes Find out more about the Portolan Project here: www.speclit.org/portolan-project

This time around, Mary Anne and Ben are okay with being slime mold gods, (or perhaps writers?) The two divinely intelligent molds of slime examine how they organize their lives around their shared passion of writing and how they fit in other hobbies like gaming and gardening. The hosts also consider the motivation that pleasure plays in their lives, and how they cope when writer’s block rears its ugly head. Episode show notes: www.speclit.org/ep-50-show-notes

Mary Anne interviews Ursula Vernon, a.k.a. T. Kingfisher, about her work, with an interest in how Vernon pivots from writing for adults, to creating children's fiction. Is writing for certain ages really all that different? Mary Anne is also interested in how Vernon approaches worldbuilding in her imaginative work. This interview is a part of the Portolan Project, an initiative to provide a wealth of exceptional creative writing courses and resources. Episode show notes: speclit.org/ep-49-show-notes