Author Topic: PC386: Flash Fiction Extravaganza! Ghostly Interludes  (Read 4235 times)

Talia

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on: October 21, 2015, 05:13:19 AM
PodCastle 386: Flash Fiction Extravaganza! Ghostly Interludes

“The Spirit of Pinetop Inn” by Renee Carter Hall.

Read by Folly Blaine.

First appeared in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine (#58).

The first ghost showed up right on time, striding into the Pinetop Inn’s front parlor so regally that the proprietors, Emma and Tom, expected a flourish of trumpets to accompany his entrance.

The ghost bowed to Tom and kissed Emma’s hand. “Sir Edward Blackthorn the Fourth, at your service, my lord, my lady.” He straightened and handed Tom a thick leather-bound book. “My references, dating all the way back to 1784. I trust you will find everything in order.”

Tom squinted at the faded calligraphy. “Impressive.”


“Wet” by John Wiswell.

Read by Nathaniel Lee.

First published in the first issue of Urban Fantasy Magazine.

It was on Day Six that I sat in a puddle from a leaking drainage pipe, and something about it got the kid to finally roll over, peeking out from under her shiny yellow hood and recognizing that there was another person there who wasn’t afraid of a raincoat. I was the picture of chill. After all, my raincoat protected me from the puddle.

She didn’t resume breathing correctly, because she didn’t actually have lungs anymore, but she did stop thinking she was hyperventilating. Then I offered her the candybars, which she didn’t take, but she did appreciate. She took my tablet instead, haunting my browser and looking up the latest One Direction videos. I deleted my cache later.


“The Faces Between Us” by Julie C. Day.

Read by Dave Thompson.

First published in Interzone #254.

Drive long enough and you can find anything. Copper-eyed goddesses. Gilded August afternoons. That arid stretch of Oregonian high desert in the southeastern corner of the state. Keep driving and you might catch something even more precious—a path through. Perhaps even a fairy-tale ending. That’s what Amber promised me during that long ago summer.

Didn’t matter. Back then the girl could have said almost anything and I wouldn’t have listened.


Listen to this week’s PodCastle!
« Last Edit: November 12, 2015, 03:47:35 AM by Talia »



Father Beast

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Reply #1 on: October 23, 2015, 10:48:17 AM
The Spirit of Pinetop Inn - This raises so many questions: How do you get ghosts to leave one place to go haunt another? How would you pay the ghosts, anyway? And most importantly, of what use is a ghost that does not have a historical connection to the place being haunted? The solution at the end seemed a little pat, though.

Wet - maybe a little confusing, since I spent a lot of the story wondering just what kind of immortal the Main Character was. We are given so little in clues on the matter (Wide Hips? What?) Then I realized that I was enjoying the story so much that I really didn't care, and it didn't matter to the story, anyway. Very fun and enjoyable.

The Faces Between Us - A couple of teenagers (Young Adults? If they are stoners, they could be into their 40's) try all sorts of weird stuff trying to tap into the mystic other whatever. This one pretty much lost me. By the time some sort of ghost contact was made, I had pretty much already checked out.



Moritz

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Reply #2 on: October 26, 2015, 05:21:57 PM
I liked these ghost stories that snuck into Podcastle just before Halloween.



bounceswoosh

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Reply #3 on: October 27, 2015, 12:51:34 PM
I liked The Spirit of Pinetop Inn quite a lot, though the ending just felt too pat. I don't think I'd be happy with my husband stuck haunting my house - the story even alludes to the idea that ghosts should be able to move on.

I loved everything about Wet. Everything. It was delicious, and I savored it.

I couldn't really get into The Faces Between Us - never really figured it out, and didn't sit comfortably in the protagonist's head. I wanted to like it - I did like the language - but I just finished confused.



Not-a-Robot

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Reply #4 on: October 27, 2015, 02:23:21 PM

Now, normally I am grumpy about the humor here, but Wet was a wonderful story, with great humor coming from the voice.  Plus, Nathan's reading, was great.  The best he's done so far.



Unblinking

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Reply #5 on: October 28, 2015, 05:01:31 PM
The Spirit of Pinetop Inn

I enjoyed this.  I hear what others are saying about it being too pat, and I get where they're coming from, but I thought it appropriate resolution and I enjoyed the humor, especially of the staffing agency sending a nautical ghost to a landlocked area--I have friends in HR and have heard that kind of frustration in non-ghost-related situations.

Wet

Ooh, I really like this one.  The ghost was dangerous, but because of his immortal nature he could help her even if it meant losing a companion.  This was powerful, I really liked it.

The Faces Between Us

This one didn't stick with me, I remember listening but I'm having trouble remembering what it was about.



Fenrix

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Reply #6 on: November 06, 2015, 06:53:17 PM
The Spirit of Pinetop Inn

This couldn't possibly go wrong.


All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Devoted135

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Reply #7 on: November 11, 2015, 03:18:57 AM
The Spirit of Pinetop Inn - I was really liking this one right up until the ending. The premise is fun, but I just can't see her being like "oh perfect, our problem is solved" instead of, you know, mourning her husband.

Wet - This one was great, I love the conceit of an immortal being befriending and helping ghosts. Awesome.

The Faces Between Us - Hm, I honestly can't remember what it was about, and usually previous comments will jog my memory but this time everyone else is having the same problem so...