Electric Sheep

Electric Sheep Speculative Fiction Discussion Group

Electric Sheep is a casual discussion group dedicated to short speculative fiction. Our goals are to have fun and celebrate speculative writers & the magazines that publish them. Since our first meeting in February, 2021, more than 50 guest authors have joined us for a short Q&A about their stories and careers. Our guests are leaders in genre fiction, representing all the major awards. Though our group membership is capped at 25 to allow for robust discussion, we encourage everyone to read along with us. Our guest authors, as well as special discussion topics, are posted weekly on Twitter at Electric Sheep SF and on Bluesky at Electric Sheep SF.

The Electric Sheep Speculative Reading Series launched in 2022 with a slate of phenomenal guest authors from the previous year’s discussions. The event is offered twice per year, in April and October, and is free and open to the public. Registration through Zoom is required to attend. Live transcription and captions are provided. Past guests include: Meg Elison, John Wiswell, A.C. Wise, Ai Jiang, Eugenia Triantafyllou, Vanessa Fogg, K.C. Mead-Brewer, Avra Margariti, Maria Haskins, Phoenix Alexander, Phong Quan, Tara Campbell, Andrea Goyan, Trey Dowell, M.L. Krishnan, Joe Butler, Marie Vibbert, Janna Miller, Ra’Niqua Lee, and Laila Miller. Registration for the next reading opens soon!

Upcoming Discussion Group Guests

Radon Journal Editors
David Goodman
Alex Fox
John Wiswell / new novel Someone You Can Build A Nest In
Study of Mary Robinette Kowal’s stories/teaching

Past Featured Authors (many of these authors generously joined our group for a craft Q&A!)

Katherine Karch
Carol Scheina
Uche D. Nwaka
Thomas Ha
Samantha Mills
L Chan
Angela Liu
A.M. Guay
Jennifer Hudak
Aeryn Rudel
Maria Haskins
Premee Mohamed
Karin Lowachee
K.B. Carle
Jennifer Linnaea
Tessa Yang
Chris Panatier
Melissa Ostrom
Tara Campbell
Marie Vibbert
Gwen Kirby
William Squirrell
K.T. Bryski
Richard Bertram Peterson
Jasmine Sawers
Lucy Zhang
Melissa Scholes Young
John Wiswell
David Ebenbach
Liz Breazeale
Aimee Picchi
Yohanca Delgado
Laura Blackwell
K.C. Mead-Brewer
Liza Olson
Lauren Ring
Dr. Phoenix Alexander
Eugenia Triantafyllou
Isabel J. Kim
Jordan Taylor
Avra Margariti
Jayaprakash Satyamurthy
Jenny Rae Rappaport
C.L. Holland
Vanessa Fogg
Celeste Rita Baker
Katrina Smith
Ai Jiang
M.L. Krishnan
Sarah Pauling
Ra’Niqua Lee
Meg Elison
Mathew Olivas
Guan Un
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Margaret Weng
Corey Farrenkopf
Lyndsie Manusos
Sarah Pinsker
Jiksun Cheung
Phong Quan
A.C. Wise
E. Catherine Tobler

Past Special Topics

Non-Western Story Structure
Study of Octavia Butler’s stories
Solar Punk, hosted by Jason Bartles
POV in “Welcome To Your Authentic Indian Experience,” By Rebecca Roanhorse
2nd-Person POV
Lesley Conner, EIC of Apex Magazine & Apex Books
Business of genre magazine publishing with guest Neil Clarke, EIC of Clarkesworld
Speculative Memoir with stories by Sofia Samatar and Sim Kern
The Submission Grinder with guest David Steffen
Intro to new magazine Small Wonders with guests Cislyn Smith & Stephen Granade
Trends in the slush pile with guest Tommy Dean of Uncharted Magazine
Metastellar & Long Lost Friends with Andrea Goyan and E.E. King
Little Red Riding Hood retellings
Aqueduct Press with Kath Wilhelm
Speculative Tropes
Study of James Tiptree, Jr//Alice Sheldon
TL;DR Press with Sarah Hawthorne and Joe Butler
Cyberpunk & Post-cyberpunk
P.K. Dick short works
Ursula K. Le Guin’s influence on genre
N.K. Jemisin short stories
Metaphorosis with guest B. Morris Allen
Magical Realism – What it is, what it isn’t
Spec fic in history, with short stories by E.M. Forster and W.E.B. DuBois
Helen Oyeyemi career
Kelly Link voice and style