Posts Tagged ‘CoW Originals’

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Cast of Wonders 192: There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot (Staff Pick 2015)

Cast of Wonders 192: There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot (Staff Pick 2015) is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:33 — 19.8MB)

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Show Notes

Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge our batteries, plan the year ahead, and highlight some of our favourite episodes. As part of joining the Escape Artists family, this year we’re pulling out all the stops. We’re running 10 staff pick episodes over the month, each one hosted by a different member of the Cast of Wonders crew.

We hope you enjoy slush reader Alexis’ Goble’s favorite story from 2015, There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot by Christian McKay Heidicker and narrated by Marguerite Kenner. The story originally aired March 15, 2015 as Cast of Wonders 159.

There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot

by Christian McKay Heidicker

Leticia Andrews saw the wizard hat on a Monday morning at 7:06 a.m. She was eating Lucky Charms in the kitchen nook. The hat was gray and tattered and sat in the window of her plastic princess house, which was in the backyard.

“MOM!” she screamed down the hallway. “DO I HAVE A WIZARD HAT?”

“Don’t think so! Unless Uncle Lewis . . .”

“DOES JAKEY?”

“Honey, I don’t know! I’m working?”

Jake, Teece’s baby brother, did not have a wizard hat. She was 96.2% sure. At least not one so pointy and floppy and not covered in glitter like the ones from Toys ‘R’ Us. Even though Teece had never seen one before, she knew the hat that currently sat in her princess house was a real wizard hat. And that meant things.

(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 188: Above Decks (Staff Pick 2015)

Cast of Wonders 188: Above Decks (Staff Pick 2015) is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:10 — 21.3MB)

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Show Notes

Every year in January, Cast of Wonders takes the month off to recharge our batteries, plan the year ahead, and highlight some of our favourite episodes. As part of joining the Escape Artists family, this year we’re pulling out all the stops. We’re running 10 staff pick episodes over the month, each one hosted by a different member of the Cast of Wonders crew.

We hope you enjoy slush reader and community manager Dani Daly’s favorite story from 2015, Above Decks by Terry Ibele and narrated by Phil Lunt. The story originally aired August 23, 2015 as Cast of Wonders 175.

Above Decks

by Tery Ibele

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It felt like I had been here forever. A punishment for a crime I didn’t commit. Still, it was necessary just to save a few coins to buy a measly meal. Every day was grueling and today was worse. The muscles in my arms felt like they were going to snap. My shovel dropped to the floor with a clang. Sweat dripped into my eyes as I dared a quick break. The other boys kept shovelling. The huge furnace bulged as it was fed. Hot red steam billowed out of its pipes and clouded the air. Pulling off my shoes, I sat in a lump of coal and rubbed my aching feet.

“What are you doing?” whispered the boy next to me. “You’ll get us-“ The door burst open with a violent bang that sent a shiver up my spine. A large figure filled the doorway, blurred by the steamy air. It was the Coal Master. He was a black silhouette against the light pouring in from the deck. The dirty wooden floorboards shook as he stomped in. My heart beat so fast it nearly flew out of my chest.

(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 182: A Troll’s Trade

Cast of Wonders 182: A Troll’s Trade is a Cast of Wonders original.

This story involves trolls and their… unique approach to diet and hygiene. Those with weaker stomachs may find it a challenge, but I encourage you to give it a try.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:21 — 28.0MB)

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Show Notes

Dedicated to Graham Joyce, Clarion West 2010 Instructor

A Troll’s Trade

by Sandra M. Odell

Maybe I should have listened to me mudder, been a mason or a carpenter, but I was young, hornstrong, determined to make me own way.

“A what?” she said, and stirred the stew so hard the pot tumbled right off the fire and spilled into the river.

I picked me nose and spread it on a cracker with a bit of brie. “A florist.”

Me mudder scooped what she could of the stew back into the pot and set it back on the fire. “What would your da say? He built our bridge with -”

“With the sweat off his nose before he got tricked by the Maiden of Merriwether and turned to cheese, yah, yah, I know. Chisels and mortar and nails aren’t me thing, is all.”

“You’re a troll! Where are you going to live if’n you can’t find a bridge?”

I tossed a bit more gravel into the stewpot for a proper crunch. “I’ll find something, easy peas porridge.”

(Continue Reading…)

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Cast of Wonders 181: Fairy Bones

Cast of Wonders 181: Fairy Bones is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:20 — 44.5MB)

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Fairy Bones

by Guy Stewart

Owl hadn’t been real to her since she stopped reading WINNIE-THE-POOH on her thirteenth birthday. That day, she realized she had become Eeyore, losing her metaphorical tail in real life.

Later, her husband hadn’t been real to her since the divorce.

Even later, the rest of Clementine Dresden’s family had faded from her life one by one.

(Continue Reading…)

Closing For Submissions September 15th

Hello everyone!

I’m pleased to report Cast of Wonders has received a HUGE uptick in submissions since WorldCon! As we only have a few 2015 episode spaces left to fill, we’ll be closing to submissions as of September 15th to allow for timely processing of the current pile.

And stay tuned… we have a HUGE announcement coming shortly.

As always, thanks for listening!

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Cast of Wonders 175: Above Decks

Cast of Wonders 175: Above Decks is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:54 — 19.3MB)

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Above Decks

by Tery Ibele

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It felt like I had been here forever. A punishment for a crime I didn’t commit. Still, it was necessary just to save a few coins to buy a measly meal. Every day was grueling and today was worse. The muscles in my arms felt like they were going to snap. My shovel dropped to the floor with a clang. Sweat dripped into my eyes as I dared a quick break. The other boys kept shovelling. The huge furnace bulged as it was fed. Hot red steam billowed out of its pipes and clouded the air.  Pulling off my shoes, I sat in a lump of coal and rubbed my aching feet.

“What are you doing?” whispered the boy next to me. “You’ll get us-“ The door burst open with a violent bang that sent a shiver up my spine. A large figure filled the doorway, blurred by the steamy air. It was the Coal Master. He was a black silhouette against the light pouring in from the deck. The dirty wooden floorboards shook as he stomped in. My heart beat so fast it nearly flew out of my chest.

(Continue Reading…)

2015 Parsec Finalists!

The 2015 Parsec finalists have been announced, and Cast of Wonders has again made a fine showing!

Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast

Cast of Wonders edited by Marguerite Kenner
Pseudopod edited by Shawn M. Garrett
Seminar: An Original Anthology Show edited by Pendant Productions
The Uncanny Magazine Podcast edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
The NoSleep Podcast edited by David Cummings

Note: Due to errors by the Parsec Committee, “Shimmer” by Amanda Ca. Davis is no longer a finalist in the Small Cast (Short Form) category.

Congratulations to all the finalists! It’s an amazing list this year, with lots of friends and colleagues from the podcasting community represented.

The winners will be announced September 5 at DragonCon.

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Cast of Wonders 169: Lost Socks

Cast of Wonders 169: Lost Socks is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:25 — 23.3MB)

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Show Notes

Want to see those OTKs I mentioned? They’re at Sock Dreams – and tell them I said hello!

Lost Socks

by Lisa Montoya

Perdy saw Grandpa Zeke sitting in the swing on the front porch as she carried the empty laundry basket.  She pushed open the old wooden screen door and went to sit next to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder as the two of them just looked out into the yard.  Perdy sighed.

He asked, “How you be, Perdy Perdy?”

She squeezed his arm and cuddled closer to him.

Grandpa Zeke slipped his arm around her. “Did you find those missing socks?”

Perdy shook her head. “No.  They aren’t in my room. Do you think a squirrel got into the house again and took them?  Or maybe we have a sock eating washing machine.”

He laughed.

She sat up and looked at him.  “Really, I looked everywhere.”

Grandpa Zeke smiled at her.  “I am sure you did. Most likely was the sock gremlins.”

Perdy stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

(Continue Reading…)

2014 Parsec Award Nominations are Now Open!

Hello everyone!

The 2014 Parsec Awards nomination window is now open, and every one of the stories listed below is eligible for nomination in the Best Speculative Fiction Story: Small Cast (Short Form) category.

The nomination window is open until May 31st, 2015, so spread the word on whatever social media platforms you like. Cast of Wonders itself is eligible in the Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast category and we’d love your support.

Thank you all!

Marguerite

2014 PARSEC ELIGIBLE EPISODES

123: Taxidermy and Other Dangerous Professions by JR Johnson, read by M K Hobson

124: Old People Rules by Holly Schofield, read by Melissa Bugaj

125: The Clasp by Jarod Anderson, read by Elie Hirschman

126: The Perfect Prom by Kat Otis, read by Mur Lafferty

127: Learning the Game by Michael Haynes, read by M K Hobson

128: Robots Don’t Cry by George Edwards, read by Pete Milan

129: Into The Forever Place by Luke Thomas, read by Heather Welliver

130: The Phobos Monolith by Preston Dennett, read by Amy Robinson

131: Survivor by Josh Roseman, read by Marguerite Kenner

132: The Collector by Jameyanne Fuller, read by Alasdair Stuart

133: A Well-Lit Dungeon by Mark Mills, read by Adam Black

134/135: Flowers For the Dead by Jamie Mason, read by Paul Cram

136: Flotsam by Rebecca Schwarz, read by Jeff Hite

137: The Filigreed Cage by Krystal Claxton, read by Andrew Clarke

138: Things We Leave Behind by Alex Shvartsman, read by the author

139: Little Wonders 6: A Little Laughter. Continue? by James Vachowski, read by John Cmar; The Girl With The Picollo by Charity Tahmaseb, read by Fiona “Princess Scientist” Van Verth; Some Assembly Required by Terry L. Mirll, read by Dave Robison

140: Of Pumpkin Soup and Other Demons by Natalia Theodoridou, read by Katherine Inskip and The Ghost of Grammy Goneril by Austin H. Gilkeson, read by Christiniana Ellis

141: Reading Time by Beth Cato, read by Dave Thompson and A House In The Forest by Shawn Bailey, read by Lizzie S

142: Marrow by Mav Skye, read by Barry J. Northern

144: The Middle Rages by Joseph L. Kellogg, read by John Cmar

145: Tell Them Of The Sky by A. T. Greenblatt, read by Pete Newman

146/147: 30 Minutes for New Hell by Rick Kennett, read by Marguerite Kenner

148: Shimmer by Amanda Davis, read by Lizzie S

149: Bricks and Sunlight by M. K. Hutchins, read by Dani Daly

150: Little Wonders 7: The Season of Goodwill. Christmas Lights by Jamie Lackey, read by Marguerite Kenner and The Secret Ingredient Is by Emmalia Harrington, read by Anne Fortune

155: Aisha Bets Her Life on Magic by Jarod K. Anderson, read by Julia Rios

156/157: The Seal King by Jennifer Noelle Welch, read by Paul Cram

158: This Is Your Problem, Right Here by David Steffen, read by Graeme Dunlop

159: There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot by Christian McKay Heidicker, read by Marguerite Kenner

160: The Haunted Jalopy Races by Matthew Bennardo, read by Alasdair Stuart

161: The Rum Cake Runner by Jessi Cole Jackson, read by Michelle Ristuccia

162: Sister Winter by Jenni Moody, read by Melissa Bugaj

163: Speaking to Skull Kings by Emily Cataneo, read by Katherine Inskip and Jeremy Carter

164: Amicae Aeternum by Ellen Klages, read by Rikki LaCoste, Isis LaCoste and Fiona “Princess Scientist” Van Verth

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Julia Rios, our narrator on Episode 155, Aisha Bets Her Life On Magic, for winning the 2015 Ditmar and Aurealis Awards for the excellent anthology Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories which is also on this year’s Tiptree Award Honor list.

And if you’re a fan of Podcastle’s very own Dave Thompson, his short story collection And Welcome Back is on Kickstarter now. His stretch goals including a chapbook and audio book collection of Easter Werewolf mad libs stories by such luminaries as Ann Leckie, Amal El-Mohtar, Rachael K. Jones, Nathaniel Lee, M.K. Hobson, Matt Wallace, Mur Lafferty, and more. You don’t want to miss it.

-Marguerite

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Cast of Wonders 159: There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot

Cast of Wonders 159: There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot is a Cast of Wonders original.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:42 — 20.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | RSS

Show Notes

Learn more about the new LGBTQ podcast Glittership!

There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot

by Christian McKay Heidicker

Leticia Andrews saw the wizard hat on a Monday morning at 7:06 a.m. She was eating Lucky Charms in the kitchen nook. The hat was gray and tattered and sat in the window of her plastic princess house, which was in the backyard.

“MOM!” she screamed down the hallway. “DO I HAVE A WIZARD HAT?”

“Don’t think so! Unless Uncle Lewis . . .”

“DOES JAKEY?”

“Honey, I don’t know! I’m working?”

Jake, Teece’s baby brother, did not have a wizard hat. She was 96.2% sure. At least not one so pointy and floppy and not covered in glitter like the ones from Toys ‘R’ Us. Even though Teece had never seen one before, she knew the hat that currently sat in her princess house was a real wizard hat. And that meant things.

(Continue Reading…)