There’s a new, excellently-read podcast of my short story “Captain Blood’s B00ty” story over on Starship Sofa today. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.
This story previously appeared in the Shimmer pirate issue, edited by John Joseph Adams.
I’m sorry things have been so quiet around here lately. I just don’t have much to say right now. Soon though.
It’s Friday, so a new Sofanauts podcast is up. This week’s guests are Damien G. Walter and Mary Robinette Kowal (and as usual, myself). This week, we talk about the Steampunk Tales iphone app, Dr. Roundbottom, and lots of other fun stuff. Check it out.
Hard to believe I’ve done 10 of these things.
StarShipSofa has posted a podcast of my story from Federations, “The Culture Archivist.” Ray Sizemore did a great job on the narration, I thought.
This is my take on what if the Star Trek Federation were actually capitalist bastards. With a little AI lolcat humor mixed in here and there. Take a listen.
I need to understand more about how people interact with podcasts, now that I’m editing for one. I have some questions that I’d like to ask you all.
I’m just trying to understand how people inteact with podcasts a little more. I have my own pre-formed theories, but they’re not based on anyone’s reality except my own. Ostensibly, answers to these questions will help me make Escape Pod an even better podcast than it already is.
By they way, let me just say, we’re a paying market, but we can’t pay without the support of our listeners. If you regularly listen to Escape Pod and enjoy its content, please consider making a donation via PayPal. Much like NPR, we’re funded by the listeners.
And of course, if you’re a writer, I want to see your stories. Read our submission guidelines and send your work along!
This week, I purchased stories by: Kameron Hurley, Merrie Fuller, Ian Creasey, David Rivera, Ian McHugh, Tina Connolly, and more. As an editor, I don’t have any agenda other than to find stories that I think are good that will also make good audio productions. I think we have some great stories coming up for the listeners. I hope they and you will agree.
The latest Escape Pod is live with Daniel Braum’s story, Sumo21. This is one of my first selections from the slush pile. I published a lot of Dan’s work over at the Fortean Bureau, but this is one I passed on because it didn’t fit our publication. It felt good to accept it on the second time around. This week, the story is read by Mr. Eley himself:
“Oh great Emperor,” the gyoji said, continuing the ritual. “These two honorable warriors can not agree who will step aside, and who will join the sacred battle to return you to us. We would gladly send all our sons, but the Council of Infinite Japans says there may be only twenty-one. So now they must fight to decide.”
“May the best warrior join the fight,” the crowd answered in unison with the gyoji.
The gyoji stepped back. Asashoryu stared into Takanasuro’s expressionless brown eyes. The match would begin upon a tacit agreement between them. He kept Takanasuro’s mid section in his field of vision while focusing on keeping his own face blank. He knew the beginner’s lesson as if it were part of him; faces deceive and betray, but all movement starts at the hips.
I hope you enjoy it.
My story from Polyphony 4, and one of my earliest successful attempts at the short story (although your definition of success may vary from mine in this case), is now live as a podcast on PodCastle. You can give it a listen over on the PodCastle site, but if you’re into fantasy, you should subscribe to their feed. The team over there does good work. With this publication, I have one story left to appear on a podcast–I believe my story “Captain Bl00d’s B00ty” is supposed to appear on Starship Sofa at some point, although I haven’t heard anything about when.
Special thanks to Jay Lake and Deborah Layne for purchasing the story originally, and again, thank you to the PodCastle staff, Anne, Rachel, et al for picking it for the ‘cast. I am grateful.
The story, by the way is inspired by the Orbital song of the same name. I was banging my head against the wall trying to come up with a story to write when the song came up in Winamp. I saw the title and thought, hey, I could write a story about that Girl. I don’t the story reads like the song, sadly. I would be awesome if I could make stories read like songs.
I wrote a series of stories with titles identical to songs. Another one was Louis Jordan’s “A Chicken Ain’t Nothing But a Bird” about a southern family’s rooster named Scratch that was actually a cockatrice. Never went anywhere with that one. I’m a huge fan of Lois Jordan’s music. “Beans and Cornbread” is a classic. Never wrote a story with that title although I am tempted should I find the time. I even have an idea of what it’s about. Coincidentally, cornbread is one of my favorite foods. Nothing like some fried catfish and cornbread hush puppies on a summer night. Remind me to tell you how I feel about fish frys. As in, everbody getting together and frying up a bucketload of fish, not some new Burger King perversity.
The 5th edition of Field Sounds has gone live on clockpunk.com. This week, Miss Watkins relates a story from her childhood and reveals more details about the City and its past. Sarah’s performance never ceases to impress me. I hope you will give it a listen and let us know what you think.
It’s Monday, and that means we have fresh Dr. Roundbottom news on the interwebs. This week, it’s a Field Sounds podcast solving the answer to the last podcast’s mystery, and also, Miss Watkins tells a story of her first encounter with a spirit. A couple of new characters never heard before show up, too. All around, it’s a fun cast.
One other thing. If you have been looking forward to purchasing Roundbottom membership, now is your chance. The Foundation is open for new membership.
The print store has also been moved on site and now offers paypal buttons for each limited edition print, which is most of them. Note that ordering one of the limited edition prints gets you a full membership kit as part of the bargain. 16x20 prints! They’re HUGE and absolutely gorgeous. You know you want one…
And to my fine, fine commenters: keep it up. You people above all others are keeping me at this project.
My story from the excellent anthology Seeds of Change (edited by the Anthology God, formerly known here as the Slush God, John Joseph Adams) has gone live over at Escape Pod. This is a story that was published to mixed reviews. But I am astounded by the job that Philippa Ballantine did here. Her reading was spectacular, and adding a New Zealander accent to the patois of the Arties made the whole thing feel more familar and more exotic at once. I fell in love with my own story, which is not easy for me. Thank you, Philippa. And thanks to John for buying the story.
I believe that my next podcast appearance will be on Starship Sofa with “Captain Bl00d’s Booty,” a story also edited by JJA. It’s either that or one of my earliest (and most loved) stories, “The Girl with the Sun in Her Head” which is with Podcastle, but I don’t know when it is scheduled to go up. Both should be a hoot to hear. Writing all these Roundbottom podcasts has me thinking a lot more about how something could sound when delivered by a talented voice actor. I think it’s only going to improve my writing in the long run.
In case you missed it, a new Field Sounds podcast episode on Roundbottom’s site went up yesterday. I think it’s got some great sound design and not too shabby writing in it. Also, MIss Watkins sounds pretty darn good. The doctor should really think about marrying that girl. The subject this week is mysterious noble faery music.
My story “Groob’s Stupid Grubs,” a story of a goblin’s hopes for his idiot children, is available in Black Gate 15.
I recently finished the first draft of a YA novel called Takedown Notice set in the net-mage universe of my stories “Captain Blood’s B00ty” and “One Click Banishment.” What happens when the Magical Association of Atlantis finally gets the upper hand against the net mages in the spell program copyfight?