Cast of Wonders

• Narrated by Dani Daly • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Read along with the text of the story • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter   Listen above or download here. Show Notes Jennifer Hykes has previously had stories appear in Betwixt, Abyss & Apex, PodCastle, and Apex Magazine. She lives with her husband and two cats just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. She is fairly certain that the cats are not enchanted princes, but it is sometimes hard to tell with these things.         Your narrator is our own assistant editor, community manager, and flash fiction contest runner Dani Daly. You can follow her on Twitter or say hello over at the EA forum.           February is Women in Horror Month, an international, grassroots initiative, which encourages supporters to learn about and showcase the underrepresented work of women in the horror industries. Whether they are on the screen, behind the scenes, or contributing in their other various artistic ways, it is clear […]

• Narrated by Marguerite Kenner • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy editor and host Marguerite Kenner’s favorite story from 2016, Saurs by Craig Delancey. The story originally aired March 13, 2016 as part of our Dinovember special, Episode 218. Craig Delancey’s YA novel Gods of Earth is available from 47 North Press. He lives in upstate New York and, in addition to writing, teaches philosophy at Oswego State, part of the State University of New York. Stop by his web site, of follow him on Twitter.         Marguerite Kenner is a native Californian who has forsaken sunny paradise to live with her true love in Merrye […]

• Narrated by John Meagher • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • Originally published in Afterburn SF (September 2007) • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Content Warning: This week’s story involves more profanity than usual. Parents listening with younger children may want to join us again next week. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy assistant editor Katherine Inskip’s favorite story from 2016, Twenty-One by Michael Merriam, narrated by John Meagher. The story originally aired April 2, 2016 as Episode 204. Michael Merriam is an author and spoken-word performer living in Hopkins, Minnesota. His novella, Should We Drown in Feathered Sleep, was long-listed for the Nebula Award in 2010, and his novel, Last Car to Annwn Station was named a Top Book in 2011 by Readings in Lesbian […]

Listen above or download here. Hello everyone! Award nomination season is upon us. If you’re eligible to nominate your favorite short stories of 2016 for the Nebula, the Hugo, and other awards, we humbly submit the following list of Cast of Wonders short story original publications for your consideration: 2016 Original Publications: Episodes 197 and 198 The Authorized Biography by Michael G. Ryan Episode 199 Leapling by Nicole Feldringer Episode  203 The Universe Dress by Laura-Marie Steele Episode 207 Millions Times Eight by Jake Walters Episode 210  When the Planets Left by J. J. Litke Episode 214 The Price of Stories by Shannon Connor Winward Episode 215 Problematic by Brian Lawrence Hurrel Episode 216  This Story Begins With You by Rachael K. Jones Episode 217 Boys’ Night by Rebecca Birch Episode 218 Saurs by Craig DeLancey Episode 220 Raptor Boy by Elise Forier Edie Episode 221 The Jungle Between by Holly Schofield Episode 223 The Oulough by Francesca Forrest Episode 224 Welcome to Willoughby’s by Michael Reid Episode 225 The Four Stewpots by DK Thompson Episode 225 Her Path Lay Forward by Shane Halbach 2016 Reprints: Episode 219 Dinosaur Dreams in Infinite Measure by Rachael K. Jones (first published, also […]

• Narrated by Tina Connolly • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • Forthcoming in And Welcome Back, D K Thompson’s first collection. • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy associate editor Sally Gill’s favorite story from 2016, The Four Stewpots by D. K. Thompson, narrated by Tina Connolly. The story originally aired December 25, 2016 as part of Episode 225, Little Wonders 9: Comfort Food. Dave Thompson is a good name to know if you spend any time around Escape Artists. (So is “California King,” or “Easter Werewolf”…) He’s a pretty awesome guy, even if he disparages pumpkin beer. He lives outside Los Angeles with his wife and three terribly photogenic children. While he can tweet up to 175 characters, he refrains […]

• Narrated by Paul Cram • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • Originally published in Writers of the Future (Volume 31) • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy former assistant editor Jeff Hite’s favorite story from 2016, Planar Ghosts by Krystal Claxton, narrated by Paul Cram. The story originally aired across two episodes in April 2016, Episodes 205 and 206. The story is presented here in its entirety.   Krystal Claxton writes speculative fiction in the sliver of time between being a parent and a full-time computer technician. She lives in Georgia with her long-suffering spouse, a dog who thinks she’s a cat, and a number of children that is subject to change. She enjoys breaking Heinlein’s Rules, getting distracted by DragonCon, […]

• Narrated by Katherine Inskip • Originally appeared in Wolves and Witches: A Fairy Tale Collection (2013) • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy our audio producer Jeremy Carter’s favorite story from 2016, Questing for Princesses by Amanda C. Davis, narrated by Katherine Inskip. The story originally aired May 1, 2016 as Episode 208. Amanda C. Davis writes dark fantasy, light horror, and the very softest science fiction. She has an engineering degree and an obsession with baking the perfect macaron. Her short fiction and poetry was collected in 2013 along with her sister Megan Engelhardt‘s work in Wolves and Witches: A Fairy Tale Collection, where this story first appeared. Check our her website and follow her on Twitter.       […]

• Narrated by M K Hobson • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • Originally published in Galaxy’s Edge (July/August 2015) • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. https://archive.org/details/Wonders228_201701 Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. A different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016 each week in January. We hope you enjoy associate editor Alexis Goble’s favorite story from 2016, Miss Darcy’s First Intergalactic Ballet Class by Dantzel Cherry, narrated by M K Hobson. The story originally aired March 13, 2016 as Episode 201. By day, Dantzel Cherry teaches pilates and raises her daughter, and by night/naptime she writes. Her baking hours follow no rhyme or reason. She is prone to dance as the need arises, and it often does. Her stories have appeared in Fireside, Galaxy’s Edge, InterGalactic Medicine Show, and other magazines and anthologies. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband, daughter, […]

• Narrated by Tatiana Grey • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge, plan the year ahead and highlight some of our favourite episodes. Each week in January a different member of the Cast of Wonders crew will present their favorite story of 2016. We hope you enjoy assistant editor Dani Daly’s favorite story from 2016, Problematic by Brian Hurrel, narrated by Tatiana Grey. The story originally aired September 27, 2016 as Episode 215. Brian Lawrence Hurrel is a lifelong science fiction fan, and is especially fond of Golden Age stories from the forties and fifties. His fiction has appeared in the science journal Nature and magazines such as Daily Science Fiction and Bete Noir. A former high school English and History teacher, he now makes a living as a technical writer and communications consultant. His previous occupations over the years include machine assembler, carpet installer, […]

• Narrated by Dave Robison • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Amanda Helms lives and writes in her home state of Colorado. In her younger years, she threw many coins into many mall fountains, but sadly none of them never became a wishing well as a result. She’s a 2014 graduate of the Viable Paradise writing workshop, and Wished is her first publication. You can follow her on her website and on Twitter. Dave Robison’s voice work has appeared on audio fiction podcasts across the internet, including the Drabblecast, StarShipSofa, Tales to Terrify, and as a proud memeber of the Hat Trick Club, every single Escape Artists podcast. His production company, Wonderthing Studios, will be releasing the audiobook verionss of Tim Ward’s novel SCAVENGER: EVOLUTION and Terry Irving’s THE DAY OF THE DRAGON KING.       Theme music is “Appeal to Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com. Read along with the text of the story.

• Authors: D K Thompson and Shane Halbach • Narrators: Tina Connolly and M K Hobson • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • The Four Stewpots is forthcoming in And Welcome Back, D K Thompson’s first collection. • Her Path Lay Forward is a Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Dave Thompson is a good name to know if you spend any time around Escape Artists. (So is “California King,” or “Easter Werewolf”…) He’s a pretty awesome guy, even if he disparages pumpkin beer. He lives outside Los Angeles with his wife and three terribly photogenic children. While he can tweet up to 175 characters, he refrains from using this power for chaos. Together with co-editor Anna Schwind, he ran PodCastle for five years before stepping down to focus on his own writing in 2015. This story is forthcoming in Dave’s first collection And Welcome Back, which he successfully Kickstarted last year. You can find two of his audio book narrations on Amazon: Norse Code […]

• Narrated by Motti Schleider • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Michael Reid bookends his days working to perfect his method for turning cups of tea into stories. His work has appeared on EscapePod and in AE: The Canadian Science Fiction Review. In 2015, he attended the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, from which the main take-away was that he should stop trying to solve story problems by randomly inserting volcanoes. He lives near Toronto, Canada, with his husband, a big white dog, and a volcano. During the middle bits of the day, he teaches astronomy to anyone who will listen. Follow him on Twitter. Motti Schleider lives in the northeast, has a cat named Mr. Blake, loves gaming of all kinds, and is an avid reader. He’s also a newly minted Cast of Wonders slush reader, so please join us in welcoming him into the fold. Theme music is “Appeal to Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com. […]

• Narrated by Julia Rios • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Francesca Forrest has lived in the United States, England, and Japan and used to boast about having given birth to children on three continents. If she’d started earlier, she might have tried for births on the rest. Currently she works as a copy editor, spending as much of her free time writing as possible. She’s had short stories and poems published both online and in print, along with one novel, Pen Pal. She also volunteers as a tutor in a medium-security jail. She loves knowing which plants in a landscape are edible and the folk names of wildflowers. You can follow her online and on Twitter.     Julia Rios is a writer, editor, podcaster, and narrator. Her fiction, non-fiction, and poetry have appeared in several places, including Daily Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, and Goblin Fruit. She is a fiction editor for the Hugo-nominated magazine, Strange […]

• Narrated by Wilson Fowlie, Phil Lunt and Cheyenne Wright • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • Originally published in Dragons of Light (October 1980) • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American poet and writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ‘…And Call Me Conrad’ in 1965 (subsequently published under the title This Immortal the following year). He won for best novel again in 1967 for his arguable other best known work, Lord of Light. Special thanks to his son, executor and damn fine author in his own right, Trent Zelazny, for allowing us rights to this story.     Wilson Fowlie has been reading stories out loud since the age of 4, and credits any talent […]

• Narrated by Amy Sturgis • Audio production by Jeremy Carter • A Cast of Wonders original! • Discuss this story on our forum • For a list of all our stories, authors and narrators, visit our Wikia page • Come visit us on Facebook and Twitter Listen above or download here. Show Notes A special thank you to our audio producer Jeremy Carter for the excellent photo in this week’s episode artwork. Check out his Etsy shop, On The Edge Photos. Holly Schofield’s stories have appeared in dozens of publications including Lightspeed, Crossed Genres, and Tesseracts. She travels through time at the rate of one second per second, oscillating between the alternate realities of a prairie farmhouse and her remote writing cabin in the wilds of North America. For more of her work (including free stories!) and a list of forthcoming publications, see her website. Amy H. Sturgis holds a Ph.D. in Intellectual History and specializes in the fields of Science Fiction/Fantasy and Native American Studies. She lives with her husband, Dr. Larry M. Hall, and their best friend, Virginia the Boston terrier, in the foothills of North Carolina. You can follow her on Twitter, or check our her […]