Ep 2 - Instructions for a Swamp Witch Funeral

Earth is dying and humans have reached Mars. But is this a step into the future? Or will these dreams be dashed like so many before them?Morning, Noon, and Night: A Portrait of Mars is by J. M. WilliamsJ. M. Williams is a writer and music educator in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where he lives with his wife and their cat. He can be found in person at local cafes, bookstores, and movie theaters, and in most places online @JMWwrites. His short fiction has previously been published by The Saturday Evening Post, Macabre Magazine, and Manawaker Studio's Flash Fiction Podcast, and he is currently querying his debut novel.Find J. M. Williams at jmwilliamswrites.com, as well as Instagram and Bluesky @JMWwrites.I deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

When a petroglyph goes missing, Julie feels powerless to help. But when she comes across a Chepi desperately trying to get by in a world that has brushed aside Native spirits, Julie must choose whether she is ready to make the kind of sacrifice she has long avoided.Green Up in Aisle Thirteen is by Sarina DorieSarina Dorie has sold over 280 short stories to markets like Analog, Asimov’s, Daily Science Fiction, Fantasy Magazine, and F & SF. She has over one hundred books up on Amazon, including her bestselling series, Womby’s School for Wayward Witches.The best way to stay in contact with Sarina Dorie, hear about what she is writing, know when she has a new release, or books offered for free on Amazon is by signing up for her newsletter. You can find info about her short stories and novels on her website.www.sarinadorie.comSign up for Sarina's newsletter here: https://sarinadorie.com/newsletter-sign-upI deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

In a fate worse than death, Benny is buried alive by his gang on Halloween night. What happens next is stranger and more chilling than he could have dreamed.The Box Born Wraith is by Kevin David AndersonKevin David Anderson is a genre-bending author celebrated for blending horror and comedy, most notably in his breakout cult classic Night of the Living Trekkies. His unique work has gained such cultural traction that it became required reading for university-level "zombie apocalypse" courses. Beyond novels, Anderson's short stories have been published in 60 anthologies, 30 magazines, translated into several languages, and adapted into audio by award-winning podcasts.Follow him on www.kevindavidanderson.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevinDavidAnderson/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevindavidanderson/I deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

When they die, they go to the Glasshouse. Sofia cares for the dead - those with loved ones and those without, cultivating beauty in the soft, slow decay.The Glasshouse is by Thane Hespera​Thane Hespera is a Vietnamese fiction writer with a deep passion for speculative horror, dark fantasy, and surreal ecosystems. Their stories often explore the delicate intersections of human grief, memory, and transformation.I deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

Drought has left the land brittle and parched - a controlled burn is needed to restore the land to balance. The only problem? Flora's abuela has left notes that the Cinderbloom, possibly the very last of its kind, lies at the heart of the land about to go up in flames.Cinderbloom is by Cristina FarinasCristina is a Florida-based writer whose work often explores themes of environmental and wildlife conservation, belonging, and journeys of self-discovery. Her short fiction has been recognized in competitions, including winning the 2026 MagicFest Mock Event and shortlisting in the 2026 Parsec Short Story Contest. Her stories are published or forthcoming in Certain Age, 101 Words, Rat Bag Lit, and Quotidian Bagatelle. A passionate storyteller, Cristina also enjoys photography, hiking, and curating her travel blog, Wander Florida.Follow her on her socials:https://www.instagram.com/what.cris.writes/https://bsky.app/profile/criswrites.bsky.socialI deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

The old Swamp Witch is dead. What hope does her apprentice, Reed, have of filling such big shoes?Instructions for a Swamp Witch Funeral is by JA LogwoodJA Logwood can be found lurking in the woods of New England where she's raising feral children and friendly goats with her wife. She adores speculative fiction, cozies of any genre and all things queer. Her work has appeared in A Coup of Owls, Rat Bag and Pulp Literature.Find her at @jalogwood.bsky.socialI deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

War-forged but vulnerable, wise with the memories of another life, another body, a tiny alien returns to its own kind. But can it keep the pieces of itself long enough to share the tale of its lost progenitor? Should it even try?Homecoming by Proxy is by Erin CullenErin Cullen is a neuroscience researcher and speculative fiction writer based in New York City. Erin’s writing has appeared in various magazines and anthologies plus scientific journals even experts only look at for the pictures. Erin is nominally on BlueSky @erinrcullen.bsky.social but more often coming up with excuses to be offline and outdoors.I deeply appreciate your support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

J. M. J. Brewer, author of the unsettling "Anemone" (Season 1, Episode 7) joins us for a fascinating conversation about trauma, pain, and its expression in fiction.Support Biome on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpecHave questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] sure to also check out our most recent written interview with Toshiya Kamei:https://www.patreon.com/BiomeSpec/posts/interlude-1-161022506/Special thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

How does Biome pick the stories we publish? What's the value of prizes and recognition?Your host and Biome editor Alex Zoubine discusses the value of curation and prizes in Sci-Fi and literature more broadlyCheck out the Biome submissions portal here if you're curious: https://biomespec.wordpress.com/submissions/Learn more about the Hugo Awards in Science Fiction: https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2026-hugo-awards/Learn More about the Nebula Awards here: https://nebulas.sfwa.org/award-year/2025/And of course, check out the official Nobel Prize website here: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/Check out our recent interviews with some of our Season 1 authors:Jordan Hirsch: https://www.patreon.com/BiomeSpec/posts/interlude-1-161200342/M.D. Smith IV: https://www.patreon.com/BiomeSpec/posts/interlude-1-m-d-162930361/Grigory Lukin: https://www.patreon.com/BiomeSpec/posts/interlude-1-165750671/Toshiya Kamei: https://www.patreon.com/BiomeSpec/posts/interlude-1-161022506/Have questions, comments or thoughts? I'd love to hear from you: [email protected] thanks to our Biosphere Patreon supporter Shanella!

Season 2 launches September 29thFollow now to enjoy stories that will captivate and amaze youSupport us on Patreon for ad-free listening and early access:https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiomeSpec