Unfortunately... is a podcast about fiction, failure, and moving forward. Like nearly all creatives, we’ve experienced our share of rejection, disappointment, jealousy, and frustration. We’ve wallowed in the lonely darkness wrought by that simple phrase, “unfortunately, this story didn’t quite work for us…” With this podcast, we hope to shed light on that darkness. To create a safe space to discuss the harder parts of the craft, to reassure one another that we’re not alone, and to learn together how to keep going and keep writing. Co-hosted by speculative fiction authors Mona West and Courtney Floyd, new episodes release on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.
In the final episode of season one, Mona and Courtney chat about their top failures of 2025, self-forgiveness in writing, season one's highs and lows, and what we're thinking about for season two. Courtney decides to host a writing challenge -- it starts today, join here (https://www.pacemaker.press/users/cannfloyd/challenges/unfortunately-podcast-2026-writing-challenge)! We'll send you Unfortunately swag if you hit your goal.
Transcripts here! (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q5wPGnli19rUesKjPsHJ8mLR-WXd6iWu?usp=sharing)
Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com (https://unfortunatelypod.com/) and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod (https://bsky.app/profile/unfortunatelypod.bsky.social).
We mentioned "Writing Begins with Forgiveness" (https://danieljosolder.substack.com/p/writing-begins-with-forgiveness) by Daniel José Older.
Check out Mona's work (https://mona-west.com/#stories)!
And if you're interested, subscribe to Courtney's newsletter, Wallowing in Ink (https://buttondown.com/wallowinginink).
Support Unfortunately... by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately (https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately)
19 Dec 2025
S1E24 - It's Never Gonna Be Perfect
Courtney and Mona chat with author Jennifer Hudak about navigating major career shifts, the necessity of fallow periods, negotiating identity as a writer, and finding ways to build resilience.
Transcripts here! (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q5wPGnli19rUesKjPsHJ8mLR-WXd6iWu?usp=sharing)
Find Jennifer online at jenniferhudakwrites.com (https://www.jenniferhudakwrites.com/) and on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferhudak.bsky.social). And check out Jennifer's story, "The Colonists" in Eco24 (https://www.apexbookcompany.com/products/eco24-the-years-best-speculative-ecofiction?srsltid=AfmBOooHIBo-o-282U24_c4euurxznHelmOtc6RQbtp_CSRZ5GUIBSSj)!
Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com (https://unfortunatelypod.com/) and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod (https://bsky.app/profile/unfortunatelypod.bsky.social).
Support Unfortunately... by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately (https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately)
17 Oct 2025
S1E23 - The Book of Your Heart is Not on Trend
Courtney and Mona chat with debut novelist Emily Zipps about going on sub when the world is on fire, silence around the novel submission process, the debut learning curve (options and deadline juggling oh, my!) and selling sapphic romcoms.
Transcripts here! (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q5wPGnli19rUesKjPsHJ8mLR-WXd6iWu?usp=sharing)
Find Zipps online at emilyzipps.com (https://www.emilyzipps.com/) and on Bluesky, Instagram, and Tiktok as @emilyzipps. And preorder Alice Rue Evades the Truth (https://www.emilyzipps.com/alice-rue-evades-the-truth) or request it at your local library!
Learn more about Unfortunately... at unfortunatelypod.com (https://unfortunatelypod.com/) and follow us on Bluesky @unfortunatelypod (https://bsky.app/profile/unfortunatelypod.bsky.social).
Support Unfortunately... by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately (https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unfortunately)
Who has been a guest on Unfortunately...
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Rukman Ragas
Sasa Hawk
Roselyn Clarke
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
26,989
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
59
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
0
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Guest appearances
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