Author: John Xero “The storm is upon us,” Barrett states grimly, finally looking away from his monitor, finally acknowledging the absence of hope. “How bad?” As if I need to ask. “Bad enough.” He shakes his head. via Pocket

PodCastle 570: Elegy for a Slaughtered Swine Author : Rafaela Ferraz Narrator : Carlo Matos Host : Setsu Uzume Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh Discuss on Forums PodCastle 570: Elegy for a Slaughtered Swine is a PodCastle original. Rated PG-1… Men do not often cook, out behind these hills. It’s women’s domain, the kitchen, but they’ve shown me the ways of all that is theirs to rule. I could cook up a soup or a curse without leaving this room. The former is simple. Cabbage and potato and s…

PodCastle 571: The Guitar Hero Author : Maria Haskins Narrator : Setsu Uzume Host : Hamilton Perez Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh Discuss on Forums Previously published by Kaleidotrope. Rated PG-13. The first time Bella, Alice, and I exorc… The first time Bella, Alice, and I exorcised a demon it was an accident: a pentagram doodled backstage, some quotes from The Exorcist, and suddenly that vocalist from the band we were opening for wasn’t quite himself anymore. Who knew hellfire was s…

Zach opens his AI tutor and selects “Asteroid Belt” from the index. In his learning visor, 3D images of spinning rocks reflect the sun. A male voice narrates: “The Asteroid Belt is located between –” Zach fast forwards. “There are three major types …

Author: Rollin T. Gentry Despite what Detective Bouchard still believes, I did not kill Cassandra Gibbons. I didn’t kill her two years ago, and I sure as hell didn’t kill her again this morning. via Pocket

PodCastle 572: Into the Wind Author : Marie Brennan Narrator : Karen Bovenmyer Host : Setsu Uzume Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh Discuss on Forums Children of a Different Sky, edited by Alma Alexander. Rated PG. Into the Wind by Marie Bre… The tenements presented a blank face to the border: an unbroken expanse of wall, windowless, gapless, resolutely blind to the place that used to be Oneua. via Pocket

Pillars of flame smothered the Trac’s windows as it descended swiftly through outer atmosphere. The craft’s accommodations were quite decadent: cushioned seats, masseuses, and gleaming trays of food and liquor crowded to the edges of the heat-blaste…

PodCastle 573: The Court Magician Author : Sarah Pinsker Narrator : Dave Robison Host : Setsu Uzume Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh Discuss on Forums Originally published by Lightspeed and a 2019 Hugo Finalist for Best Short Story. Rated PG-… The boy who will become court magician this time is not a cruel child. Not like the last one, or the one before her. He never stole money from Blind Carel’s cup, or thrashed a smaller child for sweets, or kicked a dog. via Pocket

via FREE Fiction / Raindrop.io https://raindrop.io In the grayest hour of the evening of April 16th, 1699, when the sun had just vanished behind the great château that embraced the city of Caen but before her lantern-bearers had taken up the hooks of their trade, a gargantuan woman stooped to fit th… PodCastle 431 La Héron - PodCastle via Instapaper http://bit.ly/2cCkuhH

The silence in my ears woke me. I lay there, ocean rocking the docked boat, and mentally rewind to the beginning of the album. I couldn’t think of anything else to listen to. via Pocket

PodCastle 575: A Toy Princess Author : Mary de Morgan Narrator : Eleanor Wood Host : Setsu Uzume Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh This story is in the public domain. Rated G. A Toy Princess By Mary de Morgan (1850–1907) More than a thousand… More than a thousand years ago, in a country quite on the other side of the world, it fell out that the people all grew so very polite that they hardly ever spoke to each other. via Pocket PodCastle 575 A Toy Princess - PodCastle via Instapaper http://bit.ly/2WjBtuZ

Deuteronomy 28:41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. Just a toe. That’s all. Just her pointed phalanx appears. No more, at first. She plays me like a fly cast trout. She can’t be rea…

I needed a big brother, so I disguised myself and went back in time to become him. I’d lived all this before, as my kid self, so it was pretty easy. I just had to remember the details along the way. First was a mustache like the Village People. Then…

Escape Artists Flash Fiction Contest V The Escape Artists Flash Fiction Contest is back for a fifth time, and it’s PodCastle’s turn! The contest will be taking submissions beginning April 15, 2019, and ending on April 30, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST. E… The Escape Artists Flash Fiction Contest is back for a fifth time, and it’s PodCastle’s turn! The contest will be taking submissions beginning April 15, 2019, and ending on April 30, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Each author may submit one original fanta…

PodCastle has won, and is declining, the Parsec Award PodCastle has had an extraordinary year. We’ve published some amazing stories. We ran our fourth Artemis Rising. We were nominated for a World Fantasy Award. And just this week, we learned that … PodCastle has won, and is declining, the Parsec Award - PodCastle via Instapaper http://bit.ly/2BA5FWa PodCastle has had an extraordinary year. We’ve published some amazing stories. We ran our fourth Artemis Rising. We were nominated for a World Fantasy Award. via Pocket

Major Tom Valence knew it was a one-way trip yet he felt at peace, euphoric even. Soon he would be with them again – Liv and Susie. He sent a quick prayer of thanks to the Tetrad. The agony of the absence of his wife and daughter had left him hollow…

PodCastle Has Been Nominated for a Parsec Award! The finalists for the Parsec Award have been announced and PodCastle is twice-nominated! Both “A Non-Hero’s Guide to the Road of Monsters” by A. T. Greenblatt, narrated by Mike Flinchum, and “Six Job… The finalists for the Parsec Award have been announced and PodCastle is twice-nominated! Both “A Non-Hero’s Guide to the Road of Monsters” by A. T. via Pocket PodCastle Has Been Nominated for a Parsec Award! - PodCastle via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2NBT8ph

He gently places a finger on her hand. “Now try. Over there. No, don’t look back, you won’t see him. Look in the window. He’s just to the left of Mrs. Bakker, kissing her shoulder.” Krista stares around the room, at Connor, then at the window. via P…

Semi-Finals Status Update: Seven-in-Absentia vs The Last Dragon. One hour remaining! The text crawls across Danny’s white suburban bedroom ceiling–bright and blood red–and descends behind the armoire on the far wall. He ignores it and continues his …

ARTEMIS RISING 5: Call for Submissions In March 2019, Escape Artists will bring you ARTEMIS RISING for a fifth year. This special month-long event across all four Escape Artists podcasts is a celebration of stories written by women, in the broadest… In March 2019, Escape Artists will bring you ARTEMIS RISING for a fifth year. This special month-long event across all four Escape Artists podcasts is a celebration of stories written by women, in the broadest definition of the word. via Pocket

PodCastle 605: Blood, Bone, Seed, Spark Author : Aimee Ogden Narrator : Dani Daly Host : C. L. Clark Audio Producer : Peter Behravesh Discuss on Forums Previously published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Violence, sex, and graphic content relate… Upstairs, in the little rowhouse on the thirty-sixth meridian of the city of Leth Marno, the scuffling grows louder. Heels ring out against the floorboards, and shouts are muffled; by the rugs, perhaps, or a hand that grasps to cover a mouth. via Po…

Clank. Clank. Clank. The little silver pyramid hovered to the kitchen sink. Two metal arms emerged and started doing the dishes. via Pocket

The point of this exercise is observation but I’m distracted, observing that Dwyer’s return will cause some surprise. The house he has chosen sits at the top of a steep slope, between two snowy hills. via Pocket

The Cosmic Patriot | 365tomorrows via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2ljMkRy

Yellow | 365tomorrows via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2ljUlGk

Apples | 365tomorrows via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2HXAJRf

I Noticed the Roads Were Empty | 365tomorrows via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2HUqIUT

Easy Pickings | 365tomorrows via Instapaper https://ift.tt/2HS2P0b

Allen Etter was stranded in deep space. The propulsors of his small hypercraft had exploded, and he was thrown off course. via Pocket

Author: Rick Tobin “May I speak frankly?” Preston Daniels stood before Secretariat Chrisom, ruler straight, staring at the Marscape beyond his superior’s office windows. “With care, Preston. via Pocket