Cast of Wonders

Free Audio Fiction by Me – Ten Things on Cast of Wonders

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The full title, of course, being “Ten Things Sunil and I Forgot to Prepare for When Preparing for the Apocalypse”, because every story deserves a 14 word title.

This story previously appeared in Intergalactic Medicine Show, but that requires a subscription, so I am very pleased that it is now available to a wider audience.

There is nothing that tickles me more than hearing a story of mine in audio. I love the performance element that the narrator brings to the story, just another tasty layer on top of everything. Kyle, buddy, my eternal gratitude. Your reading is exquisite.

As to the story, to quote myself:

Making plans, surviving on your wits, doing what you have to do…except plans never survive contact, now do they? The best laid zombie apocalypse plans would most likely fall apart before things even began (I’m forced to admit, even mine).

But what happens if your plan is *totally* wrong? Like, your plan might be great for surviving zombies, but what if when the apocalypse comes it ends up not being zombies at all?

Maybe it turns out you don’t know as much as you thought you did.

Go give it a listen; I am very proud of this story!

Free Fiction by Me – Random Play All and the League of Awesome

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I am delighted to announce that my story “Random Play All and the League of Awesome” is now available in audio on the Cast of Wonders podcast!

To quote myself from a different blog post:

I can not overstate how much I love trivial superpowers. As anyone who knew me growing up could tell you, I’ve always loved super heroes. From dressing up as one as a kid (or, er, as an adult), to collecting comic books, to apparel, movies, and video games, to the absolutely embarrassing number of times I’ve listened to Dr. Horrible.

But I never liked the idea of guys like Superman or Thor. I don’t want an unstoppable goody-two shoes. Show me a guy who doesn’t have it so easy. Show me a guy with just a *little* bit of power, and the wit and courage to use that little bit at just the right moment to make a *huge* difference.

This is one of my all time favorite stories, and I’m so glad it is available for free (it has appeared twice before previously in “paper book” form).

Go give it a listen!

Free Fiction – Her Path Lay Forward on Cast of Wonders

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I almost missed this one, since it came out on Christmas day as a special Christmas episode! I am very pleased to present my story “Her Path Lay Forward” in the PREMIER young adult, audio fiction magazine, Cast of Wonders.

My story is the second story in the episode, starting around minute 14 (although I don’t recommend you skip my friend Dave‘s story in the first half, of course!)

Here is the “story behind the story” for Her Path Lay Forward:

My children were looking at the scorecard of the excellent game Dixit, and they were debating about the character facing down the dragon in the picture.

I overheard their discussion: “I think it’s an old woman,” said my daughter. “No,” said my son, “it must be a boy. An old woman can’t fight a dragon.”

An old woman can too fight a dragon! In fact the more I thought about it, the more I thought an old woman was the PERFECT person to fight a dragon.

Specifically my grandmother Agnes is one of the strongest, most capable people I have ever met, and no matter how difficult a task she has been faced with in her life, she always does what needs done.

Downsizing Pluto, now in audio!

/ Shane / 1 Comment

An audio “reprint” of my story “Downsizing Pluto” is now live at the Cast of Wonders podcast. This story previously appeared in Daily Science Fiction. My story is a part of a “tiny wonders” episode that includes 2 other very short (and very excellent) stories. I recommend you listen to the whole thing, but if not, my story is 3rd and starts at about the 16 minute mark.

There is something so amazing about hearing one of my stories in audio. So far I’ve been gifted with amazing narrators. I was giggling the whole time about the professional, serious, news reporter voice of Bob Eccles contrasted with the silliness of the story. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the point where I stop going, “This awesome voice reading my silly story?”

Cast of Wonders is a “weekly YA fiction podcast featuring a wide range of stories of the fantastic.” As far as I know, it’s the only young adult speculative fiction podcast. As a parent, I think it’s a great idea to have stories that are pre-screened for content to be age appropriate. And I have always specifically thought that this story was a good fit for YA, so I’m glad that they agreed!

Anyway, Cast of Wonders is consistently one of the best produced audio fiction podcasts, and one that I have listened to many times before being published there. If this story piques your interest and you’d like to listen to more, I recommend starting with the “Best of Cast of Wonders” list put together by Diabolical Plots.