Author Topic: Pseudopod 155: The Worm that Gnaws (Read 18057 times)

wagonlips · **Reply #25 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:41:15 AM

Quote from: Nerraux on September 03, 2009, 07:38:19 PM

I loved the story, and the reading was perfectly suited for it. Good on both the author and the narrator!

Not to detract from that, but Alisdair referenced the story of the defection of Cristian Raducanu at the end and suggested people look up the story for a good tale. I can't find anything online, and I'm usually a Google ace. Can anyone send me a link to a good version of the tale?

I found this: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20061105/ai_n16826151/, but while it hints at the "combination of intrigue and slapstick" in its opening paragraph, the article is very brief and certainly doesn't satisfy. Anyone else find anything? As one of the many tourists who have been in the catacombs beneath Old Town, I'm really curious to hear the story in detail.

MacArthurBug · **Reply #26 on:** September 14, 2009, 12:00:53 PM

Quote from: Nerraux on September 03, 2009, 07:38:19 PM

I loved the story, and the reading was perfectly suited for it. Good on both the author and the narrator!

Not to detract from that, but Alisdair referenced the story of the defection of Cristian Raducanu at the end and suggested people look up the story for a good tale. I can't find anything online, and I'm usually a Google ace. Can anyone send me a link to a good version of the tale?

Couldn't find much either and I, too, am a search engine goddess most days.

poo!

nathonicus · **Reply #27 on:** September 21, 2009, 09:08:58 PM

A nice, well done story. An interesting point of comparison is "The Body Snatcher" by Rober Louis Stevenson. is the Wolfe in this story a tribute to that story?

orrin · **Reply #28 on:** September 22, 2009, 07:00:10 PM

@nathonicus

Not consciously, but probably unconsciously. I had read "The Body Snatcher," though not recently at the time I wrote the story.

Russell Nash · **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2009, 05:37:25 AM

Orrin,

I haven't thanked you for stopping by. It always makes the threads more interesting when the author has the guts to stand up in front of the firing squad and say, "I wrote this."

Thanks.

JoeFitz · **Reply #30 on:** September 26, 2009, 07:26:05 PM

Wonderful! A classic setting pulled off with flair and aplomb. The narration was perfect to my ear and the characters were so vivid and well drawn.

AliceNred · **Reply #31 on:** September 29, 2009, 04:46:04 AM

I think this was great.

Jago Constantine · **Reply #32 on:** March 14, 2010, 12:19:16 PM

We listened to this story today in Second Life at my weekly book club - everyone really enjoyed it, and thought the reading was superb.

By coincidence, afterward I listened to the latest episode of the HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast, which covered The Festival and it kind of blew my mind to discover the connection.

Scattercat · **Reply #33 on:** March 14, 2010, 08:26:03 PM

...and things have learnt to walk which ought to crawl...

Millenium_King · **Reply #34 on:** June 03, 2010, 11:43:15 PM

Loved it. I agree with the other sentiments here as well: much better to listen to (especially coming out of someone as talented as Ian) I imagine than reading (I don't much care for reading dialect).

This story was tight, descriptive, evocative and completely devoid of pretention. It was what is was: a good, solid, old-fashioned horror story. Graveyards, zombies, worms, dark nights, full moons and cold rain. For what it was, it was perfect. This one goes in my top 10 list.

Reading, as usual, was top-notch. Ian was a great choice for this one.

FrankOreto · **Reply #35 on:** June 04, 2010, 01:45:04 AM

This is probably my favorite Pseudopod story. The quality of the story and the narration are both just superb. I play a lot of music and spoken word stuff in my bookshop and probably play "The Worm That Gnaws'" about once a week. Great job all around.

Fenrix · **Reply #36 on:** June 11, 2010, 02:25:43 PM

I can see why this one took the top spot in the Best of 2009 poll. I probably would have voted for this one had I listened to it before the poll was finished. I have no guilt, as I am happy with the choices I made, but this one would have probably swayed me. This is a great story and will go in the top of the recommendation pile to show people what podcasting can do.

I pictured these guys doing work for Herbert West.

I seem to enjoy grave robbing stories. Maybe I should be concerned.

orrin · **Reply #37 on:** June 11, 2010, 08:46:14 PM

Thanks to everyone who's chimed in on the story! It's a favorite of mine, and I'm really thrilled that everyone liked it so much.

@FrankOreto: One of my stories getting played in a bookshop is about the best thing I've heard about all week!

@Fenrix: If you should be concerned about liking grave robbing stories, I should probably be doubly concerned, because they're some of my favorites, either to read or write. If you've not seen it yet, I'd recommend the Glenn McQuaid film I Sell The Dead.

Millenium_King · **Reply #38 on:** June 11, 2010, 08:51:33 PM

@Orrin

Do you have a website or a bibliography or anything? I'm sure plenty of us here (myself included) would love to read other things you've written.

orrin · **Reply #39 on:** June 11, 2010, 08:59:00 PM

@Millenium_King: First off, thanks for the kind words! Second, yes, I've got a website at orringrey.com and I've got a bibliography there with all the stories I've published so far, including a few that're available to read for free online. I should also have a few more announcements in that vein coming hopefully very soon.

I'm also a writer, and therefore I love to talk about myself and am addicted to hearing from readers, so I'm happy to answer questions or emails or accept friend requests or whatever.

empathy44 · **Reply #40 on:** June 14, 2010, 04:17:52 AM

FYI
I linked to this story from the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast forums as one of my favorite stories set in the Mythos that is both original and well written.

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #41 on:** June 14, 2010, 04:14:23 PM

Quote from: empathy44 on June 14, 2010, 04:17:52 AM

FYI
I linked to this story from the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast forums as one of my favorite stories set in the Mythos that is both original and well written.

Oh that's awesome, thank you:) I must now go check out the HPL Literary Podcast:)

orrin · **Reply #42 on:** June 16, 2010, 08:56:30 PM

@empathy44: Thank you! I'm flattered, and now I'm definitely going to have to add the HPL Literary Podcast to my rotation.

Scattercat · **Reply #43 on:** June 17, 2010, 02:40:46 AM

Quote from: orrin on June 16, 2010, 08:56:30 PM

@empathy44: Thank you! I'm flattered, and now I'm definitely going to have to add the HPL Literary Podcast to my rotation.

I've been enjoying it quite a lot. Wry and sometimes insightful commentary (albeit sometimes a bit heavy on the plot summary and light on the analysis for me, but then, the English major would be more interested in the discussion of the story than the story itself, wouldn't he?)

orrin · **Reply #44 on:** May 19, 2011, 08:04:08 PM

Somewhat OT (especially considering this story won't be appearing in it; I just think it works better in audio), but I just got the official notice that my first short story collection is going to be coming out this October from Evileye Books! Here's the press release: http://evileyebooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-orrin-grey-new-book-deal-reveals.html

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #45 on:** May 19, 2011, 09:15:57 PM

DM me the details, we'll review it in Hub if you like:)

orrin · **Reply #46 on:** May 26, 2011, 02:05:55 PM

Thanks Alasdair! Will do!

orrin · **Reply #47 on:** September 23, 2015, 01:17:17 AM

Just wanted to drop a line that "The Worm That Gnaws" is going to be appearing in print for the first time ever in my second fiction collection, Painted Monsters & Other Strange Beasts, which is currently available for pre-order from Word Horde! It'll be joining fellow Pseudopod alum "Night's Foul Bird," along with eleven other stories, including three entirely original to the collection, as well as author's notes, and an introduction by John Langan. Plus a really great Nick Gucker cover!

orrin · **Reply #48 on:** August 15, 2016, 09:53:51 PM

Just wanted to let everyone here know that Strix Publishing has just launched a Kickstarter to put out a brand new, hardcover deluxe edition of my debut collection Never Bet the Devil & Other Warnings, which sadly doesn't include this story, but does include ten of my other tales, including Pseudopod favorite "Black Hill," as well as two new stories not featured in the previous printing. This new edition will be cloth-bound and fully illustrated by M.S. Corley, and will feature a brand-new introduction by Nathan Ballingrud.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aeeth/never-bet-the-devil-and-other-warnings

Marlboro · **Reply #49 on:** November 20, 2019, 05:06:30 PM

Good story with excellent narration.

One tiny nitpick/unasked for opinion: I think the very end of the story could be a bit stronger by rearranging a couple of the story's final lines. Have Wolf knock a couple of times and deliver the "Let me in" line, then have Charlie realize that it isn't Wolf at his door, and end the story with Worm-Wolf demanding "Let us in" and end with knocking.

Or maybe it's better the way it is. I'm no writer. Good episode my second guess aside.

P.S. For more wormy horror check out the classic Lights Out episode "Revolt of the Worms" from 1942.

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Author Topic: Pseudopod 155: The Worm that Gnaws (Read 18057 times)

Russell Nash