I am INCREDIBLY honored and grateful to find Girl In Space in the top 10 of Podyssey’s “15 Best Fiction Podcasts Of All Time” list. Just… wow. Thank you!
Now, several weeks ago on Twitter, I talked about how my show has won awards and gained recognition because I have had access to things that most creators don’t. I also talked about how awards (especially “pay-to-play” awards) were toxic and gatekeep-ey.
This isn’t an award — it was a lovely surprise and a lovely honor — but I’d still like to recognize my access and privilege, and use the opportunity to boost 10 of my own favorite audio dramas.
1. Nightlight Horror Podcast: Horror stories written by amazingly talented Black writers. They were recently recognized by Patton Oswalt (!!!) and I think they’ll be seeing a lot more of the spotlight soon.
2. Point Mystic: Beautifully co-written and recorded by Christopher Reynaga and Marguerite Croft, this indie gem brings a warm, bright humanity to Pacific Northwestern horror. Hugely inspirational to me in my own creative journey.
3. Primodial Deep: You may already know triple-threat writer/actor/director Jordan Cobb from Janus Descending , but this prehistoric deep-dive raises the stakes even higher. Or lower. Wait.
4. Mabel: A beautiful, gentle love story that evokes the worst of faeries and the best in our hearts. This show is my “comfort food” that I keep downloaded on my phone at all times.
5. Harlem Queen: This story of a Black female gangster in the 1920s, and the show is suffused with all the mystique & elegance of that era — along with beautiful voice acting and top-notch writing.
6. Exoplanetary: A sci-fi epic centered on the Wolverton siblings and their dealings with the Exoplanetary megacorporation. Come for the sci-fi, stay for the smart writing and dry humor.
7. Surreal Love: Multitalented power-duo Caroline Mincks and A.R. Olivieri launched this brand-new dose of microfiction on Valentine’s Day — one episode every hour — and you can now listen to the entire tale.
8. Vega: Ivuoma Okoro’s modern noir about bounty hunter/assassin Vega Rex is a downright delight. You’ve never heard a story told like this before.
9. Spines: One of the first audio dramas I ever listened to remains one of my favorites. This melancholy infused single-narrator horror erupts into a larger story than I thought possible. (And yes, I wrote the part of Dani for Jamie Killen’s voice.)
10. Rose Drive: Seriously, have you listened yet?! If not, what are you doing with your life? Raul Vega’s blast-from-the-past mystery comes to life with talented voice work and searing dialogue.
Got your own favorites? Share them with me in the comments below!
Words & warmth,
Sarah