A brief tale of the dismal success of a scientist's experiment. Anton's Last Dream by Edwin Baird. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Another podcast, another debut—this time for author Edwin Baird. Best known as the first editor of Weird Tales magazine, Baird helped launch the iconic American fantasy and horror pulp, whose first issue was dated March 1923 and hit newsstands on February 18 of that year.

However, Weird Tales got off to a rocky start. Plagued by financial difficulties, the magazine struggled, and Baird was dismissed after just one year at the helm. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1886, Baird published four short stories during his lifetime—three before Weird Tales and one in the very magazine that let him go.

Yet perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in his editorial decisions. As the magazine’s founding editor, Baird was among the first to publish the work of a now-legendary author: H.P. Lovecraft. And if you’ve heard our earlier episodes, you’ll recall that Lovecraft was a tireless letter writer. Thankfully many of his letters were preserved, including this one to Baird.

Shortly after the first issue of Weird Tales was published Lovecraft let himself be persuaded to send Edwin Baird five manuscripts. This is a portion of the letter Lovecraft sent, “My Dear Sir: Having a habit of writing weird, macabre, and fantastic stories for my own amusement, I have lately been simultaneously hounded by nearly a dozen well-meaning friends into deciding to submit a few of these Gothic horrors to your newly-founded periodical. The decision is herewith carried out. Enclosed are five tales written between 1917 and 1923.

I have no idea that these things will be found suitable, for I pay no attention to the demands of commercial writing. My object is such pleasure as I can obtain from the creation of certain bizarre pictures, situations, or atmospheric effects; and the only reader I hold in mind is myself.

My models are invariably the older writers, especially Poe, who has been my favorite literary figure since early childhood. Should any miracle impel you to consider the publication of my tales, I have but one condition to offer; and that is that no excisions be made. If the tale can not be printed as written, down to the very last semicolon and comma, it must gracefully accept rejection.”

So there you have it, a little piece of science fiction history thanks to Weird Tales editor Edwin Baird.

Published in Weird Tales Magazine in May 1937 on page 607, Anton's Last Dream by Edwin Baird…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A Certain Young Man Finds Dying a Profitable Business. The secret of one of the strangest professions in the world. An Adventure of a Professional Corpse - The Artificial Honeymoon by H. Bedford–Jones.

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When a skeptical professor steps into the mind of a former student’s fiancée, he discovers a surreal landscape shaped by vanity, obsession, and alarming emptiness. A sharp and unsettling exploration of how our inner worlds reveal far more than we intend. The Shoddy Lands by C. S. Lewis. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Clive Staples Lewis, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1898. In 1917, during the height of World War I, he enlisted in the British Army and was wounded in combat less than a year later.

Though best known for his beloved children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia—seven books published throughout the 1950s—Lewis also made a lasting mark with The Screwtape Letters in the 1940s, and his philosophical sci-fi epic, The Space Trilogy, written in the 1930s and ’40s.

While he authored more than 30 books in his lifetime, Lewis rarely ventured into short fiction. Today’s featured tale marks a special occasion: his first story published in an American fantasy and science fiction magazine. From the February 1956 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction, beginning on page 68, The Shoddy Lands by C. S. Lewis.…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A brief tale of the dismal success of a scientist's experiment. Anton's Last Dream by Edwin Baird.

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Before David’s startled gaze the newcomer placed his right hand to his left shoulder and removed the left arm. He then proceeded to dismember himself until only a torso, head and one arm remained. The Artificial Man by Clare Winger Harris. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

A new debut on the podcast today: the first woman to publish science fiction stories under her own name in the pulp magazines. While Francis Stevens—born Gertrude Barrows Bennett—was a trailblazer often credited as the first female science fiction writer, she published under the ambiguous name “G. M. Barrows,” using initials that concealed her gender.

Clare Winger Harris didn’t hide hers. When her first short story, The Runaway World, appeared in the July 1926 issue of Weird Tales, it was credited openly to Mrs. F. C. Harris.

Born in Freeport, Illinois in 1891, Clare came from a distinguished background. Her mother, Mary Stover Winger, was the daughter of D. C. Stover, the town’s wealthiest man, a renowned inventor and industrialist. Her father, Frank S. Winger, was an electrical contractor and a science fiction writer himself, having published The Wizard of the Island; or, The Vindication of Prof. Waldinger in 1917.

Between 1926 and 1933, Harris wrote a dozen science fiction short stories and one novel. In the late 1930s, she moved to Pasadena, California, where she lived modestly and sometimes worked as a switchboard operator to make ends meet.

Remarkably, just a year before her death in 1968, she inherited a quarter of her grandfather’s estate—valued at over two million dollars. Though he had passed away in 1908, the estate had been tied up in court battles for nearly sixty years.

We will find today’s story in the very first issue of Science Wonder Quarterly in the fall of 1929, on page 78, The Artificial Man by Clare Winger Harris…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, When a skeptical professor steps into the mind of a former student’s fiancée, he discovers a surreal landscape shaped by vanity, obsession, and alarming emptiness. A sharp and unsettling exploration of how our inner worlds reveal far more than we intend. The Shoddy Lands by C. S. Lewis.

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A quest for identity meets the shadows of societal perception. As Rosina struggles to be seen, will she reclaim her voice or remain lost in the darkness? The Invisible Girl by Mary Shelley. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

You may be wondering why this episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast took longer to appear than a ghost at a séance. At the end of The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft, we promised you this story. And you probably thought, “Hey, Mary Shelley—the woman who gave us Frankenstein and The Mortal Immortal—must’ve written another bone-chilling, brain-bending slice of early sci-fi, right?”

Then you saw the title: The Invisible Girl. Sounds science fiction-y, doesn’t it? Invisibility! Mystery! Possibly lasers!

Yeah… about that.

Halfway through recording, we realized The Invisible Girl is, well… not quite science fiction. It’s more “Victorian drama with a faint whiff of mystery” than “steampunk invisibility ray.” So we had a choice:

1. Stop, confess our literary oopsie, and give you something more sci-fi.

2. Finish the story, release it anyway, and throw ourselves at your mercy.

We chose Option 2. Because, frankly, we’ve gotten good at begging. Would you please rate our podcast wherever you can? Five stars if you think we deserve it. See what I mean!

So please forgive us—and enjoy The Invisible Girl by Mary Shelley…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, and we promise this one is science fiction! Before David’s startled gaze the newcomer placed his right hand to his left shoulder and removed the left arm. He then proceeded to dismember himself until only a torso, head and one arm remained. The Artificial Man by Clare Winger Harris.

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A man and his uncle set out to scientifically investigate a crumbling home steeped in centuries of death and decay. But as night falls, they confront a grotesque, unseen horror feeding on the living—a parasitic evil that may be older than the house itself. The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

The Shunned House was penned by H.P. Lovecraft in October 1924 but remained in the shadows until it was published 13 years later, just seven months after his passing! Discover this haunting tale in Weird Tales magazine, October 1937, starting on page 418, The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A quest for identity meets the shadows of societal perception. As Rosina struggles to be seen, will she reclaim her voice or remain lost in the darkness? The Invisible Girl by Mary Shelley.

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"Cooking," explained Lancelot Biggs, "is simply a matter of chemistry." But he didn't expect that he'd have to prove that statement! Lancelot Biggs Cooks a Pirate by Nelson S. Bond. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Nelson S. Bond wrote 14 stories featuring the exploits of the eccentric space explorer Lancelot Biggs. Biggs debuted on the podcast about 3 months ago with F.O.B. Venus.

Today’s humorous tale was published 85 years ago in the February 1940 issue of Fantastic Adventures. A Killer Aboard. No Weapons. Just One Mad Cook with a Frying Pan, discover the loquacious Mr. Biggs cooking up trouble on page 40, Lancelot Biggs Cooks a Pirate by Nelson S. Bond…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A man and his uncle set out to scientifically investigate a crumbling home steeped in centuries of death and decay. But as night falls, they confront a grotesque, unseen horror feeding on the living—a parasitic evil that may be older than the house itself. The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft.

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If werewolves exist, they don't necessarily conform to all the superstitions people have. They may even know fear…. Infiltration by Algis Budrys. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Thank you for making The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast one of the most popular science fiction podcasts on the planet—streamed in 188 countries worldwide!

That’s nearly every country on Earth! We’re blown away by your support.

Your incredible support—through your ratings and reviews—continues to inspire sci-fi fans everywhere to join our journey through the stars.

We’re beyond grateful for the 327 ratings on Spotify, where we proudly hold a 4.9 average, and for the hundreds of reviews on Apple Podcasts, including 249 ratings in the U.S. alone, with an impressive 4.8 average.

If you haven’t rated us yet on your favorite platform, now’s the perfect time—we’d love to hear what you think, and your voice helps others discover the stories they’ve been missing.

From Infinity Science Fiction magazine in October 1958 comes a rather unusual story which can be found on page 114, Infiltration by Algis Budrys…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, "Cooking," explained Lancelot Biggs, "is simply a matter of chemistry." But he didn't expect that he'd have to prove that statement! Lancelot Biggs Cooks a Pirate by Nelson S. Bond.

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The Shisti and the Assistant Shisti of Mars chose Chicago, U.S.A., for their vacation spot. No worries; they were invisible. Plenty of rich food; the joint was loaded. A whole year of frolicking in store. Only one thing they overlooked—there was a curious convention going on. Con-Fen by James R. Adams. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

This episode marks the first time James R. Adams has appeared on our podcast. We’d love to share more about him—but truth be told, there isn’t much known. He published five stories in the 1940s and the one you’re about to hear in the 1950s. That’s all we have… but sometimes, the stories speak for themselves.

The last story in Planet Stories magazine in May 1953 can be found on page 104, Con-Fen by James R. Adams…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, If werewolves exist, they don't necessarily conform to all the superstitions people have. They may even know fear…. Infiltration by Algis Budrys.

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