Do SFF stories still appear in "odd" places?

[Eric]

What triggered this thought was reading about Arthur C Clarke (and I think Asimov) writing short stories for Playboy magazine. I know it was originally more for the aspiring Bruce Wayne (who in the earlier books was referred to as millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne) and had cocktail recipes, etc. but I still think it's an odd place to read SF. (And if you're a completionist I guess is rather odd if you don't care for the traditional Playboy content).

So are there other magazines in the past or present where you wouldn't expect an SFF story that has/had published them?

[Brendan]

Wired did a science fiction issue, if that counts.

[Eric]

Brendan wrote: "Wired did a science fiction issue, if that counts."

While not their usual fare, I wouldn't balk if someone told me every Wired issue ended with a SFF story, given their usual content.

[John (Taloni)]

I believe it was Bradbury in Playboy, although memory is dim if it was an early copy of Fahrenheit 451 or something else. Bradbury spoke in defense of the magazine frequently as a result. Partners in the fight against censorship as it were. (As if I needed another reason to love Bradbury, the man stood by his principles at all times.)

I can't say I have seen SF in unexpected magazines, but I did see it in an unexpected anthology. The one in question was one of those "read this in grade x" anthologies used for schools. The story was "The Smallest Dragonboy" by Anne McCaffrey. Good choice, educators!

[Phil]

Heinlein was the first big name to publish in the "slicks" like Saturday Evening Post. He also got some in things like Boy's Life.

[Eric]

Thanks, John and Phil

[John (Nevets)]

Sort of along the idea of the first thought. Omni Magazine had some pretty strong ties to Penthouse magazine, and if I remember correctly you would see non nude adds for penthouse in Omni.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I wonder if Playboy will become more SFF friendly now it has stopped featuring nudity.

I only read it for the articles. #alternatefacts

[Mark]

The Fiction Mags Index is the place to go to find all the magazines your favorite author was published in.

http://www.philsp.com/homeville/fmi/0...

I don't think it's unusual to find big name authors in unexpected publications.

[Louie]

The short story, Momento Mori by Jonathan Nolan, was originally published in Esquire (March, 2001).

[John (Taloni)]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I only read it for the articles. #alternatefacts"

*snort* Nice one.

[Phil]

Playboy has published a lot of Sf. You were right John that they serialized Fahrenheit 451.
Other authors that have been in the magazine include Richard Matheson, Arthur C. Clarke, J.G. Ballard, Ursula Le Guin, Margaret Atwood, Michael Crichton, Philip K. Dick, Harlen Ellison, Joe Haldeman, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, and Robert Silverberg.

[Trike]

Back in the day practically every magazine published SFF stories. Heck, newspapers used to commission stories from people like Asimov. Collier's, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Boy's Life, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, McCall's, etc. I remember an Asimov story appearing in National Geographic when I was a kid.

[Eric]

Phil wrote: "Playboy has published a lot of Sf. You were right John that they serialized Fahrenheit 451.
Other authors that have been in the magazine include Richard Matheson, Arthur C. Clarke, ..."

WOW. It's even deeper than I thought.

[Darren]

I don't get why magazines are odd places for fiction.

[Eric]

Darren wrote: "I don't get why magazines are odd places for fiction."

Magazines themselves aren't. Magazines about naked women are.

[Darren]

Eric wrote: "Darren wrote: "I don't get why magazines are odd places for fiction."

Magazines themselves aren't. Magazines about naked women are."

You think there's no one looking at Goodreads without similar browser tabs?

[Phil]

Eric wrote: "Darren wrote: "I don't get why magazines are odd places for fiction."

Magazines themselves aren't. Magazines about naked women are."

Think of Playboy more as a magazine about subjects that interest men and naked women were just one of those subjects. They often have a variety of interesting articles plus interviews with politicians, entertainers and athletes.
I sound like I'm a shill for Playboy but really it was the least offensive of all the "men's" magazines.

[Eric]

Phil wrote: "Eric wrote: "Darren wrote: "I don't get why magazines are odd places for fiction."

Magazines themselves aren't. Magazines about naked women are."

Think of Playboy more as a magazine about subject..."

Fair enough.

[[deleted user]]

Ursula K. LeGuin had a story in Playboy, but they made her byline U. K. LeGuin. The idea was men wouldn't want to read a story by a woman. At the time she took complied but later regretted it. The money was very good.

[Eric]

David wrote: "Ursula K. LeGuin had a story in Playboy, but they made her byline U. K. LeGuin. The idea was men wouldn't want to read a story by a woman. At the time she took complied but later regretted it. The ..."

That's sad. Not unexpected, but sad.

[Mark]

A short but interesting article about Playboy's fiction editor Alice K. Turner, who passed away two years ago.

http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scif...

[Joanna Chaplin]

The scientific findings based Nature magazine has been doing a spec fic story every month for the last couple of years now. Many of them are honest attempts to predict the future in fiction form. But there's some what if's and some humorous not-really-plausible stories. But I haven't had access to Nature since last Febuary.

[Phil]

I read Futures from Nature a couple of years ago and it was pretty good.

[Mark]

Phil wrote: "I read Futures from Nature a couple of years ago and it was pretty good."

Microsoft also published a futures book that was interesting

Future Visions: Original Science Fiction Inspired by Microsoft

[Eric]

Joanna wrote: "The scientific findings based Nature magazine has been doing a spec fic story every month for the last couple of years now. Many of them are honest attempts to predict the future in fiction form. B..."

That's pretty neat, and a good fit with the magazine, I think.

[Andrew]

Eric wrote: "What triggered this thought was reading about Arthur C Clarke (and I think Asimov) writing short stories for Playboy magazine. I know it was originally more for the aspiring Bruce Wayne (who in the..."

Not quite. Asimov wrote a story called Playboy And The Slime God for Amazing Stories, quite specifically to satirise somewhat titillating "science-fiction" stories which had then recently appeared in Playboy.

The story was later retitled (by Asimov) What Is This Thing Called Love? It's available in the short story collection Nightfall and Other Stories.

[Eric]

Andrew wrote: "Eric wrote: "What triggered this thought was reading about Arthur C Clarke (and I think Asimov) writing short stories for Playboy magazine. I know it was originally more for the aspiring Bruce Wayn..."

Nice. I'll have to check that out when I start collecting the Asimov books I don't yet have.

[Louie]

Eric wrote: "Nice. I'll have to check that out when I start collecting the Asimov books I don't yet have."

You know, there are like hundred of them. ;)

Also, The Hugo Winners Vol 1 and 2 1955-1972 edited by Asimov are good short story collections. As well as, Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison.

[Darren]

Andrew wrote: "Not quite. Asimov wrote a story called Playboy And The Slime God for Amazing Stories, quite specifically to satirise somewhat titillating "science-fiction" stories which had then recently appeared in Playboy.
"

Isaac "The Elevator Molester" Asimov?

[Eric]

Louie wrote: "Eric wrote: "Nice. I'll have to check that out when I start collecting the Asimov books I don't yet have."

You know, there are like hundred of them. ;)

Also, [book:The Hugo Winners Vol 1 and 2 1..."

Heh. Right now I have I, Robot and all the Foundation series novels.

[Mysterio2]

Joanna wrote: "The scientific findings based Nature magazine has been doing a spec fic story every month for the last couple of years now. Many of them are honest attempts to predict the future in fiction form. B..."

They actually run a reading of one of the stories regularly in their podcast feed (http://feeds.nature.com/nature/podcas...)

[Louie]

Eric wrote: "Heh. Right now I have I, Robot and all the Foundation series novels."

In that case, your next priority should be the Galactic Empire, and Robot/Elijah Baley trilogies.

Pebble in the Sky
The Stars, Like Dust
The Currents of Space

The Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
The Robots of Dawn

[John (Taloni)]

^so much yes. If you've already read I, Robot, then read the original Foundation trilogy, then these, then End of Eternity. Then and only then consider the later stuff. I found the later books to be at best mediocre. It's fine as fill-in reading or to round out interest in an author, but get the good stuff first.

[Eric]

Sounds good. Thanks for the reccs.