Archive for Episodes

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Cast of Wonders 43: The Great Game, Part 1 – Khyber

Cast of Wonders 43: The Great Game, Part 1 – Khyber is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:52 — 8.2MB)

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Show Notes

Khyber is part of a series of stories called The Great Game. There’s seven in the series and we’ll be running all seven on Cast of Wonders over the coming months, probably once a month. This is our first series; we hope you’ll look forward to it as much as we are!

The Great Game is by James Vachowski. James works as a “quality assurance technician” for airport Duty Free Shops, where he strives to ensure that your next tax-exempt purchase meets or exceeds your high standards. When not living out of a suitcase and hopping between glamorous international terminals, he writes fiction. You can find out more about James at his website or on Twitter, Goodreads or Facebook.

Your narrator is Cast of Wonders Editor, Barry J Northern.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

The Great Game, Part 1 — Khyber

by James Vachowski

So it’s a story you want, is it?

Then be gone from here. Stories are but lies, gift-wrapped in sugary coatings that tickle the listener’s ear. If it is stories you want, run along to the lending library with the other children, where you can waste your days reading of wizards and faeries and their ilk.

But if your heart seeks the truth… then I may indeed have a tale for you.
(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 42: Campfire Story

Cast of Wonders 42: Campfire Story is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:48 — 8.1MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present Campfire Story by Mark Brandon Allen. Mark began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy purely for the amusement of his friends, children and grandchildren. He lives in Valparaiso, Indiana where a vicious three pound Yorkshire terrier holds both he and his wife hostage. His work has been published in the pages of Demon Minds Anthology, Bull Spec, The Last Man Anthology, Sounds Of The Night, Indiana Science Fiction Anthology 2011 and Polluto amongst others. You can find out more about Mark at http://markbrandonallen.com/.

Mark also has a book out on the Lulu Books website — ifs IMAGINE FANTASY SCIENCE FICTION issue #1. Within the context of Fantasy and Science Fiction pulps, ifs IMAGINE FANTASY SCIENCE FICTION has much to recommend itself to the speculative fiction reader. The nineteen ifs within the book’s lineup make a meaty and satisfying read. For more about the book, go to lulu.com and search for “ifs IMAGINE” or “Mark Brandon Allen”. Available as an ePub file or a paperback. Also available as a Kindle edition from Smashwords.

A purchase would help this writer stave off abject poverty.

Due to our website crash in April 2014, we are in the process of reconstructing our back catalog. Please enjoy listening to the episode – we’ll have the show notes up as soon as we can!

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 41: The Living Earth

Cast of Wonders 41: The Living Earth is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:16 — 19.5MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present The Living Earth by Jake Walters. Jake has been published in several journals. He has recently returned to the United States after working for three and a half years in Romania, a place where the Earth, along with its history and memories, sometimes really does seem to be alive.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 40: The Morandini Genie

Cast of Wonders 40: The Morandini Genie is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:29 — 8.8MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present The Morandini Genie by Michael Haynes. Michael lives in the United States with his wife and children. Besides his interest in fiction he enjoys movies, watching hockey games, and cooking. You can find out more about Michael on his blog.

And now, we’ve a tale to tell…

Due to our website crash in April 2014, we are in the process of reconstructing our back catalog. Please enjoy listening to the episode – we’ll have the show notes up as soon as we can!

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 39: Living Clay

Cast of Wonders 39: Living Clay is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:25 — 14.2MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present Living Clay by Lucy Oliver. Lucy has had short stories published in Take a Break, Fiction Feast, and Stories for Children magazines. She also has work in numerous anthologies and won the Stylist magazine Microfiction competition. Currently working on an historical novel, she lives with her husband and young children who provide inspiration for her work.

You can read a short interview with Lucy from just a few days ago.

Your narrator is the ever-stupendous Marguerite Kenner.

Due to our website crash in April 2014, we are in the process of reconstructing our back catalog. Please enjoy listening to the episode – we’ll have the show notes up as soon as we can!

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

Genres:

Cast of Wonders 38: In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships (Part 2)

Cast of Wonders 38: In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships (Part 2) is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:56 — 21.1MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present Part 2 of In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships by Suzanne van Rooyen.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 37: In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships (Part 1)

Cast of Wonders 37: In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships (Part 1) is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:47 — 19.1MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present Part 1 of In The Cemetery of Frozen Ships by Suzanne van Rooyen. Suzanne is a freelance writer and author from South Africa, currently living in Finland. She is the author of the cyberpunk novel Dragon’s Teeth, and has had several short stories published by Golden Visions Magazine, Earthbound Fiction and others. Her non-fiction articles on travel, music and other topics can be found scattered throughout the Internet. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers writings strange tales of the SpecFic persuasion and playing in the snow with her shiba inu. You can find out more about Suzanne here.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 36: The Next Joe Jones

Cast of Wonders 36: The Next Joe Jones is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:01 — 8.3MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present The Next Joe Jones by Russ Colson. He lives with his wife, Mary, on a farmstead in northern Minnesota, far enough from city lights to see the Milky Way and the aurora borealis. He teaches planetary science, meteorology, and geology at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He writes a variety of speculative fiction and non-fiction pieces that have appeared in in Neo-Opsis Science Fiction Magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine, NewMyths.com and others. You can find out more in a NewMyths.com interview done with Russ.

The picture is by hotsoup25 on Flickr, who kindly gave us permission to use it.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

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Cast of Wonders 35: The Most Precious of Treasures (Part 2 of 2)

The Most Precious Of Treasures first appeared in issue #5 of Shelter Of Daylight.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:19 — 18.7MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present Part 2 of The Most Precious of Treasures by Desmond Warzel.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

The Most Precious of Treasures (continued)

by Desmond Warzel

Cardia aimed the wand and shouted an arcane word; the jewel at the instrument’s tip glowed and spewed forth a tremendous sphere of fire, which sped across the room and spent itself against the demon’s trunk, leaving the fiend unharmed. As she and the demon circled one another warily like festival prizefighters, she tossed the wand aside and chose another; this time, lightning. The bolt shot forth and found its home, but was absorbed into the demon’s body as if it had never been.
(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 34: The Most Precious of Treasures (Part 1 of 2)

The Most Precious Of Treasures first appeared in issue #5 of Shelter Of Daylight.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:16 — 22.3MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present The Most Precious Of Treasures by Desmond Warzel. You may remember Desmond from Episode 15 Same-Day Delivery. The Most Precious Of Treasures first appeared in issue #5 of Shelter Of Daylight. Desmond lives in northwestern Pennsylvania, and has had stories published in Daily Science Fiction, the anthology Candle in the Attic Window from Innsmouth Free Press, and at Tor.com.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

The Most Precious of Treasures

by Desmond Warzel

When Cardia entered the Talking Carp, Melorin was situated in the far corner, at a table which already bore two depleted pint mugs and an empty plate. She was the establishment’s only occupant except for old Chen himself, who fussed about the open kitchen slicing various odds and ends of meat and fish for the exotic foreign fare that made up much of his menu. When he looked up from his work, Cardia ordered herself a cup of tea, as well as a third beer for Melorin. A drink in each hand, she made her way across the empty dining room and joined her former colleague.
(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 33: A Clean Sweep Of It

Cast of Wonders 33: A Clean Sweep Of It is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:30 — 15.2MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present A Clean Sweep Of It by Thomas Canfield. Canfield’s phobias run to lawyers, politicians and oil company executives. He likes dogs and beer.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.

Genres:

Cast of Wonders 32: Flash Collection I

Cast of Wonders 32: Flash Collection I is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:13 — 5.8MB)

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Show Notes

Today we present a series of flash fiction stories by Rose Blackthorn. Rose lives in the high mountain desert of Eastern Utah with her boyfriend. She also has a two-year old Australian Shepherd nicknamed Boo, and a Yorkie puppy fittingly named Shadow. She spends her time writing, reading, photographing the surrounding wilderness, and doting on the aforementioned fur-kids. She is a member of the Horror Writer’s Association and has been published in several magazines both print and online. She contributed to the zombie anthology New Dawn Fades released in Nov 2011 and the Necon E-Books flash anthology released in Mar 2012. She suffers from an overactive imagination, but rather than complaining… she just goes with it. You can find out more about Rose at her site.

Theme music is “Appeal To Heavens” by Alexye Nov, available at MusicAlley.com.