watercolour purple dragon against a sunset sky

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Cast of Wonders 589: The Answer of the Fickle Heart

Originally published in Kaleidotrope, January 2023

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:15 — 63.0MB)

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The Answer of the Fickle Heart

by Eden Frenkel

Sophie had a fickle heart.

She didn’t know at first what fickle meant—the word reminded her of tossing a coin and waiting to see which way it lands—but her mother kept using it, and her sisters, and her brother. Maybe fickle meant that she liked sewing one day and sword-fighting the next, or that she kissed two different boys (and one girl) within the span of a single fortnight, or maybe it simply meant that she laughed too much, and often cried, and sometimes screamed.

Sophie knew, however, that there was a witch beyond the woods that bordered her village, and that witches could take care of such things for people, for the right price. She also knew that one shouldn’t—at any cost—approach a witch and ask for such a deal, because witches were cunning and snaky and fickle, in their own magical way. But Sophie was fickle too, and she wasn’t afraid. (Continue Reading…)

Image by Freepik

Congrats, Seoung Kim!

We’re thrilled to learn that Seoung Kim’s Cast of Wonders story Park’s All-Night Ramyun and Snack Emporium is listed as one of the notable works of 2023 in the 2024 edition of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited by Hugh Howey and John Joseph Adams.  You can see the full list of recognised stories at the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2024 web pages, and read/listen to the story here.

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Cast of Wonders 588: In a town like this

This story was first published on Maria Haskins’ Patreon.
Episode image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay.

underage drinking

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In a Town Like This

by Maria Haskins

It’s the first weekend of summer holidays and we’re piling into the backseat of Annette’s dinky old Honda headed to some house party at the far edge of town, passing a bottle of rum and coke between us. It’s one of those two-liter plastic coke bottles and the label is slipping off and the contents are lukewarm by now, but we don’t care. We kiss that bottle and in the passenger seat, Patrik cranks the radio and we’re dancing to Bon Jovi on sweaty vinyl seats. (Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 587: The Game of Mao

Cast of Wonders 587: The Game of Mao is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:44 — 34.0MB)

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The Game of Mao

by Emma Victoria

The Game of Mao has only one rule: don’t explain the rules to the game of Mao.

It’s the only rule we may be told — the rest are clouded in secrecy and it is up to us to figure them out through trial and error. We must follow this set of ambiguous rules exactly, without knowing what they are. There are, in fact, so many rules that many times they go forgotten; it is impossible to memorize them all, so we only remember the common ones, the ones that carry the most serious implications, the ones we’ve decoded after years of experiments.

Today is a Tuesday, which means the rule of Tuesday applies: you cannot walk on sidewalks, all purchases must be made in dimes, and hats must be worn at all times.

(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 586: Little Wonders 44 – Portal Fantasies

Cast of Wonders 586: Little Wonders 44 – Portal Fantasies is a Cast of Wonders original.

Swearing

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:05 — 26.4MB)

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Show Notes

Craft your own adventure, by Julie Le Blanc, was previously published in Paper Lanterns Literary Journal in March 2021

Craft your own adventure

by Julie Le Blanc

While Marya was usually excellent at imagining the worst, opening a portal to another world while crocheting had never really crossed her mind.

She’d been determined to learn how to crochet once she discovered her muse, gorgeous Rebecca, loved Galway hurling. She still hadn’t gotten up the courage to talk to her (what would Marya say? What could she possibly offer?) Her next thought, then, was to somehow make something for Rebecca, a jumper maybe, even if the internet told her that was a bit ambitious…

While her cat Foxy settled into a square of sun in the kitchen, Marya had curled onto the couch, determined to get a solid ten rows done before lunch.

But it wasn’t turning out that way. (Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 585: Haint Blue Sky

Cast of Wonders 585: Haint Blue Sky is a Cast of Wonders original.

Self harm; some scenes tangential to suicidal ideation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:53 — 45.7MB)

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Haint Blue Sky

by Stephen Granade

Laurel hadn’t had time lately to listen to the stars sing. Sophomore classes had kicked her butt up one side of the holler and back down the other. She’d been okay missing the stars until the school’s combo football coach and part-time counselor had called her in right before Christmas break to talk about what she’d do after graduation. His tests claimed she should be an astronomer. Like Laurel’s mom had money for her to skip off to college or anything.

Starting the break like that put Laurel in a mood, so soon as it got dark, she bundled up and headed out back of the house. At the train tracks she laid down flat on the rough, sloped gravel, feet pointed at the ground, head pointed at the sky.

At least she could listen to the stars for free.

Their songs flickered like their light. Tonight, Sirius sang melody. Castor and Pollux added harmonies. Aldebaran’s deep bass rumbled underneath. And over it all, the Milky Way trilled a faint blue shimmer of high notes, hard to catch. (Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 584: Robot Girl

Cast of Wonders 584: Robot Girl is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:06 — 42.7MB)

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Robot Girl

by Grace Griego

At age nineteen, Robot Girl had dropped out of the most prestigious university in the country, had no objectives in life, and was now stuck pet sitting for the lovely lesbian couple at her old church. Everything she was programmed not to be and do, Robot Girl had now become.

1 Extra Large Pepperoni Pizza

Robot girl tightened her faded, pink Hello Kitty Hair band then typed her order through a delivery service, rather than actually talk to anyone on the phone. Something deep in her wiring went off at this idea, but she didn’t know why. Robot Girl much preferred not to bother anyone if she could help it. And really, she couldn’t help it, it was in her programming. “Remember, Robot Girl! Be nice and polite!” her mother had always told her before she went to school. “Got it! Polite and nice!” Robot Girl never failed to reply, the words coming out stiff and wrong.

Nice. Robot Girl had grown to hate that word. It was the kind of word a fellow classmate would use to describe you because they didn’t know what else to say. (Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 583: The Cat that Worked from Home

Cast of Wonders 583: The Cat that Worked from Home is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:27 — 35.0MB)

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Show Notes

Image by Aleksandar Cvetanović from Pixabay

The Cat That Worked From Home

by Dan Peacock and Rachel Peacock

Macaroni’s workstation is set up just the way he likes it. He has a little laptop with little buttons for his little golden paws, adjusted to a comfortable height. His scratch post is within easy reach; all he has to do is lean over his mousepad and mouse and

Mouse!

Macaroni tackles the computer mouse and rolls around with it until he is sure it has been sufficiently killed. Satisfied, he returns to his work. It’s a good day to be working from home; the sun is coming through the window just right, and a warm rectangle of light is spreading across the carpet, ready for his lunch break.

Macaroni stops. There’s a noise from outside. He jumps up onto the windowsill and sees Gingerbread, his next-door nemesis, clambering over the garden fence.

Macaroni runs downstairs and out of the cat flap. The orange fur on Gingerbread’s back rises, but he quickly relaxes.

“Clear off,” Macaroni says. “This isn’t your garden. I’m trying to work from home here.” (Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 582: Open Skies and Hellfire

Cast of Wonders 582: Open Skies and Hellfire is a Cast of Wonders original.

Bombs, terrorism

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:51 — 29.7MB)

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Open Skies and Hellfire

by Olivia B. Chan

I liked to think of myself as a morally sound individual. It was easier to do when I wasn’t smuggling gunpowder to a teenager who may or may not have planned to blow up the caverns with it.

The smudgy teenager asked, “How much?”

I said, “An unreasonable amount. What are you going to do with all this, anyway?”

Caver kids had a certain look, and this one exemplified it. In the dark of the cramped tunnel, our two lanterns converging to cast multifaceted shadows, her skin clung to her bones. “How much do I pay?” (Continue Reading…)

Image of a rural village behind old foliage

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Cast of Wonders 581: Never Thought He’d Go

First published in the 2016 Bristol Short Story Prize anthology, and Best British Short Stories 2017 from Salt Publishing.

Death of children; one instance of the f-word.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:06 — 37.8MB)

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Never Thought He’d Go

by Francoise Harvey

‘Fell off the church spire,’ said Davy.

‘Gravestone landed on him,’ said Davytoo.

‘Trampled t’death by cows when he cut through the wrong field home,’ said Saz.

‘Not to death,’ said Davy. ‘To death means actually dead. He’s just a bit bashed up, like.’ (Continue Reading…)

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay. Graffiti of a boy, screaming, in a Banksy-esque style

Banned Books Week 2024 – open to submissions 15-30th April

Every year in September, Cast of Wonders celebrates Banned Books Week, an annual international event celebrating the freedom to read and raising awareness of the immense social value of free and open access to information.

Unwanted, Unheard: Challenging the Silence

For Banned Books Week 2024, we want to see stories that challenge collective silence, that show the risks and consequences of inattention and inaction. We want the voices of the silenced and unwanted to be centered, in stories that demand to be heard.

At Cast of Wonders, we welcome stories that portray the full spectrum of human experience. We don’t challenge stories; we want stories to challenge us! Cast of Wonders looks for stories that evoke a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them. We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence, or pervasive obscene language.

Preference for this submission window is under 5,000 words with an absolute limit of 6,000 words. Flash submissions under 1.5k are also very welcome!

Submissions must adhere to Cast of Wonders guidelines, and our standard rates apply (8c/word for original fiction, $20/$100 for reprints depending on length).  Submissions will be accepted from April 15-30 through our Moksha Portal – we can’t wait to read what you send in!