It’s getting to be that time again, so if you’re eligible to nominate for the 2020 Hugo Awards, I invite you to check out my 20120 short story publications — but please also consider Eating the Fantastic in the category of Best Fancast as well.

Once March rolled around, and I was no longer able to travel to conventions and record episodes in restaurants, the nature of Eating the Fantastic changed. Now the nibbling occurred, not face-to-face across a table, but with hundreds or thousands of miles between me and my guests.

As I attempted to recapture the year we were supposed to have rather than the year we were given, sometimes we baked, and sometimes ordered takeout, sharing pizza, Weiner schnitzel, pappardelle, brownies, scones and more. In this new world, food continued to do what food always does — relax us, loosen our tongues, turn strangers into friends and bring friends even closer.

I invite you to eavesdrop on my 2020 conversations below so you can decide whether Eating the Fantastic is worthy of awards consideration. Pick one of your favorite creators and join us!

L. Penelope had a little lamb in Episode 113 of Eating the Fantastic

Join Alfie Award-winning writer Alexandra Erin for waffle fries (but no waffling) on Episode 114 of Eating the Fantastic

Nibble fried noodles with John Edward Lawson in Episode 115 of Eating the Fantastic

Brunch on biscuits and gravy with Keith R.A. DeCandido in Episode 116 of Eating the Fantastic

Chow down on crab cakes with Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic Michael Dirda on Episode 117 of Eating the Fantastic

Time travel to 1995 as Geoffrey A. Landis and Yoji Kondo ponder the age of the universe in a flashback episode of Eating the Fantastic

Shelter in place for lunch with Scott Edelman in Episode 119 of Eating the Fantastic

Catch up with the award-winning Sarah Pinsker on Episode 120 of Eating the Fantastic

Practice social distancing with Scott Edelman in Episode 121 of Eating the Fantastic

Join New York Times best-selling novelist Justina Ireland on Episode 122 of Eating the Fantastic

Binge on bagels while sequestering with Scott Edelman in Episode 123 of Eating the Fantastic

It’s time for a long-distance lunch and dinner with award-winning writer Lee Murray

Polish off prawn pizza with Stephen Dedman on Episode 125 of Eating the Fantastic

It’s time for tea and scones with Farah Mendlesohn on Episode 126 of Eating the Fantastic

Down dumplings with the legendary Irene Vartanoff on Episode 127 of Eating the Fantastic

Uh-oh! It’s Spider-Man SpaghettiOs with comics writer/editor/historian Danny Fingeroth in Episode 128 of Eating the Fantastic

Cross the pond for pappardelle with Priya Sharma in Episode 129 of Eating the Fantastic

Get crunchy with Robert Shearman in Episode 130 of Eating the Fantastic

Share Sachertorte with Steve Toase in Episode 131 of Eating the Fantastic

Loaf around with A. C. Wise in Episode 132 of Eating the Fantastic

Chow down on pizza with Ignatz Award-winning Alison Wilgus in Episode 133 of Eating the Fantastic

Binge brownies with William F. Wu in Episode 134 of Eating the Fantastic

Should these chats entice you to listen to future episodes, you can subscribe over at the iTunes store or by using the show’s RSS feed of http://eatingthefantastic.libsyn.com/rss to download them to the device of your choosing.

Thanks for your consideration!