Author Topic: Comments? Questions?  (Read 30668 times)

Rachel Swirsky

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on: September 13, 2007, 04:10:34 AM
Start 'em coming!

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Listener

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Reply #1 on: September 13, 2007, 12:52:43 PM
Well, you know my first question...  ;D

But beyond that, what do you think the average rating of a Podcastle story will be?  G, PG, PG13, R?  I'm not talking about the occasional "Squonk" or something similar, but I mean... okay, Fantasy is a wide-ranging genre full of its own subgenres, including scary, uplifting, swords/sorcery, steampunk/Mieville, pirate, etc... and some of the best fantasy I've read hs been rated R.  I'm not saying I necessarily want any type, but do you have a read on what kinds of stories you're more prone to saying "yes" to?

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Russell Nash

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Reply #2 on: September 13, 2007, 02:28:56 PM
Will the feed be set up a couple of weeks before the first episode, so we can all be ready and waiting?



Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #3 on: September 13, 2007, 06:30:26 PM
I'm not doing the tech stuff, so we'll have to get Steve in here to answer about the feed. Or one of the other women who's working on the podcast, for instance Justin Staley.

Re: rating:

It's a bit hard to say at this point, since things are so new. Steve picked out 6 or 7 stories for the podcast to start with, and most of those are of the rip-roarin' adventure variety. So far, I've made offers on four stories. None of them have steamy sex scenes. I'd say they range from G to R, with a sweet spot at PG.

I wouldn't say that's necessarily indicative of my whole editorial style, though. Right now, I'm not acquiring new work (though I'm still reading slush and putting the best stories on hold) until the podcast starts, so it's hard for me to give you more specific examples of my editorial hand.

In general, I'd say that I prefer more modern, sophisticated fantasy, which will certainly be open to any kind of rating that occurs. Most of the readers of Escape Pod seem to like stories that are idea-driven, and I'm no exception. The fantasy stories I'm most strongly drawn to are those which show me something new.

However, one of the podcast's editorial goals is to include a large range of fantasy, so we'll have adventure tales too. We'll draw from all the subgenres of fantasy as we get appropriate work from them. Hopefully, there will be something for everyone.



Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #4 on: September 13, 2007, 06:31:35 PM
By the by, the four stories I've made offers on so far:

"The Dead Girl's Wedding March" by Cat Rambo
"The Dog Prince" by Sarah Prineas
"The Girl with the Sun in Her Head" by Jeremiah Tolbert
"The Ant King" by Benjamin Rosenbaum



Listener

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Reply #5 on: September 13, 2007, 07:26:42 PM
Will you be buying Flash Fiction?

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #6 on: September 13, 2007, 07:33:03 PM
When good stuff comes down the transom.



FNH

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Reply #7 on: September 13, 2007, 08:12:54 PM
A Techy note about the website.  I view the web with images turned off in my browser.  Odd I know, but I'm not alone in this.  The point is that the podcastle web site is near impossible to read if you have images turned off in your browser.

It's for reasons of disability-compliance I mention this.  So many web sites forget the impaired that I like to mention it when I have the oportunity.  Especially when its about audio, it's so much more important to those with poor sight.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

p.s. Looking forward to this 'cast!


Alasdair5000

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Reply #8 on: September 13, 2007, 10:06:46 PM
Start 'em coming!

--Rachel / Palimpsest
Submissions Editor, PodCastle
http://podcastle.org

Hi Rachel:)

   Just curious but are you guys open to fiction series?  I only ask because fantasy seems to lend itself to 'the continuing adventures' a lot better, in many ways, than the other genres.



Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #9 on: September 14, 2007, 01:51:39 AM
"Just curious but are you guys open to fiction series? "

Not at this time, no.

FNH, maybe start a website thread? I'm not responsible for that aspect of the 'zine.



Loz

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Reply #10 on: September 16, 2007, 09:31:01 AM
I'm looking forward to this, though I am rereading my copy of 'The Tough Guide to Fantasyland' in preparation.  ;D



Planish

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Reply #11 on: September 22, 2007, 10:01:25 AM
I do luvs me Urban Elves (a la Mercedes Lackey) I does.
'Specially Elves on Harleys and the like.

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #12 on: September 22, 2007, 09:49:17 PM
Quote
I do luvs me Urban Elves (a la Mercedes Lackey) I does.

This is specifically a pet peeve of mine, which isn't to say I wouldn't buy an awesome story in that vein if it came my way.



Planish

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Reply #13 on: September 23, 2007, 01:13:04 AM
Quote
I do luvs me Urban Elves (a la Mercedes Lackey) I does.
This is specifically a pet peeve of mine, which isn't to say I wouldn't buy an awesome story in that vein if it came my way.
Ah well. I can only hope that when they do come along, they will indeed be awesome.

[edit - other comments moved to http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=1056.0 ]
« Last Edit: September 23, 2007, 01:17:26 AM by Planish »

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #14 on: September 23, 2007, 01:36:49 AM
You oculd always pick out your favorite and send it to me, if you can find it online. Then if I fall in love, I can solicit from Mercedes Lackey (or whoever).



Steven Saus

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Reply #15 on: April 06, 2008, 01:25:56 AM
This a really generic comment, not something about a specific episode (hence the not-a-new-thread despite the big red text at the top of my screen).

I want a tagline.   It's a ritual thing for me - whether it's "It's story time!" or "...I promise you it's true.", the tags get me pumped for the story itself.  It provides a sense of continuity across time.

If I remember correctly, "I promise you it's true" was almost an accident at first, but it just fit so well.   I imagine that "it's story time" started in the same way. 

Taglines (and headlines, for that matter) are a weak point of mine.  The few I've tried to think of for PodCastle are klunky, awkward, and even my son thinks are lame.   ("But I promise you it's a story time long long ago?" No....)

Anyway, think about.  Especially with different editors, I think that concept of an audio tag would make a great thread to make it all coalesce for listeners.

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BasicJim

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Reply #16 on: April 10, 2008, 03:00:30 PM
Hi Rachel!

PodCastle needs a Steve Eley.  Not that the Escape Pod stories don't stand on their own, but it's nice to hear from Steve again.  After a year or so, you get to feel like you know him and he is a friend with mostly good taste in stories that he recommends to you.

Maybe you could spend a minute or two before or after the story and talk a little about you?  I think getting to know the host breeds loyalty.



Darwinist

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Reply #17 on: April 15, 2008, 11:49:29 PM
What the heck is going on with I-Tunes?  Anyone else having problems getting the new episode?  I had a downloading error this morning and now the new episode is not even showing up on the PodCastle page.  I'll have to go through the Podcastle site I guesss.  Arghhhh, I was looking forward to listening on my doggy walk!   

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.    -  Carl Sagan


Thaurismunths

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Reply #18 on: April 16, 2008, 12:43:36 AM
Hi Rachel!

PodCastle needs a Steve Eley.  Not that the Escape Pod stories don't stand on their own, but it's nice to hear from Steve again.  After a year or so, you get to feel like you know him and he is a friend with mostly good taste in stories that he recommends to you.

Maybe you could spend a minute or two before or after the story and talk a little about you?  I think getting to know the host breeds loyalty.
I don't mean to be rude, and obviously Ms. Swirsky is able to answer on her own, but I disagree with that (kind of). I think Escape Pod needs Steve Eley, and while PodCastle is still getting its legs under it, it seems to be going in a direction all its own (Swirsky's Moving PodCastle?).  Also, it's easy to take for granted that everything you know about Steve has happened over 150+ episodes, getting small nuggets each week, or in a constant flow by listening to the archives. We're only on episode 3 with PC. I'm sure Rachel, and our other hosts' personalities will come out in time.

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #19 on: April 16, 2008, 02:00:32 AM
Sorry I-Tunes is being crummy, Darwinist.

There are definitely tid-bits of my personality upcoming in future episode intros. I've been pondering how to get out information within our format, and I think what I may do is excerpt or link to some of the interviews that people have asked me to do with them up on the podcastle site, once they're complete. There's supposed to be an upcoming spotlight in a writing magazine and a podcast for the World Fantasy convention.



Opabinia

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Reply #20 on: April 16, 2008, 05:23:09 AM
As far as the iTunes problem, I actually had an episode disappear on me as well. Not the most current one; that one loaded fine, but episode 2. If you go back to the iTunes store and find the podcast again, you can download individual episodes (they all seem to show up there,) and they will appear in the correct list and all that. No idea why this happened, but it's obviously not a problem with the content providers, it's with the distribution system.



Darwinist

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Reply #21 on: April 16, 2008, 01:18:53 PM
As far as the iTunes problem, I actually had an episode disappear on me as well. Not the most current one; that one loaded fine, but episode 2. If you go back to the iTunes store and find the podcast again, you can download individual episodes (they all seem to show up there,) and they will appear in the correct list and all that. No idea why this happened, but it's obviously not a problem with the content providers, it's with the distribution system.

I've also had that happen and went back in to the store and re-downloaded the missing file.  I tried on this one and I-Tunes does not have it listed.  I checked again this morning and nuttin!  I'll keep watching for it.

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.    -  Carl Sagan


eytanz

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Reply #22 on: April 16, 2008, 03:48:50 PM
One thing I find helpful when this happens is to unsubscribe from the feed, exit iTunes completely - by which I mean rebooting or manually shutting down all the iTunes processes - just closing the windows is not enough, and then restarting iTunes and re-subscribing. That usually restores missing episodes.

Btw, I'm currently in the process of experimenting with some iTunes alternatives as I have grown sick and tired of how crappy a piece of software it is (on a PC. I heard it's pretty good on a Mac). If I end up finding a better alternative, I'll report back here.



birdless

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Reply #23 on: April 16, 2008, 04:27:04 PM
Mac user here—I've had no problems. I don't think it's possible for an episode that you have downloaded to disappear in our environment (the podcast is "physically" on your computer). It surprises me that it's not the same for a PC.



Darwinist

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Reply #24 on: April 16, 2008, 06:53:32 PM
Mac user here—I've had no problems. I don't think it's possible for an episode that you have downloaded to disappear in our environment (the podcast is "physically" on your computer). It surprises me that it's not the same for a PC.

I should clarify - that episode showed up in my I-Tunes podcast list but when I went to transfer to the IPod it gave me that irritating "!" error symbol that you get when I-Tunes can't find the source.  So I went to the Pod Castle I-Tunes page and it wasn't even listed under Pod Castle content.   Hell, I'll just shut up now and listen from the website and hope for better luck next week. 

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.    -  Carl Sagan