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91

Episode Comments / PC763: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts

« Last post by Ocicat on December 06, 2022, 05:09:46 PM »

PodCastle 763: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts

Author: Gabriella Buba
Narrator: Vida Cruz-Borja
Host: Matt Dovey
Audio Producer: Eric Valdes

Previously published by Strange Religion: Speculative Fiction of Spirituality, Belief, & Practice (Strange Concepts: Big Ideas Explored Through Speculative Fiction)

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Show Notes
Rated PG-13


 

Manila, Philippines, 1936

 

Maria-Lucia had failed.

In her hand, a freshly struck agimat burned. The copper amulet pressed with the image of the Virgin Mary was hot with the power the coven had gathered from the full moon. Golden light streamed between her clenched fingers.

All eyes were on her, as her first meeting as leader of the Mallari witches after the death of her husband came to a close. The full moon sank into the black waters of Manila bay.

Pasig, the sea-dragon of Manila Bay, had not come to renew her pact with the Mallari Witches, nor to accept Maria-Lucia as their new leader. The dragon went by many names. She was a bakunawa to the sailors from Cebu. In Manila she was a laho, the moon chaser.

“Is it because of me?” Maria silently asked her witch-heart Lucia, “Because I’m not truly a Mallari Witch — only married-in?”

Lucia, normally euphoric after soaking up moonlight and magic with her coven, was hesitant. “I don’t know. She’s come to our call before, why not now?”



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92

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / THE SEMI-FINAL ROUND IS OPEN!

« Last post by Languorous Lass on December 03, 2022, 05:03:43 AM »

Okay, folks, the semi-final round is officially open! 

There are four groups of semi-finalists, with ten stories in each.  (The math worked out nicely.)  The stories for each group were selected through a randomized Google Sheets sort of all of the semi-finalists, to minimize the chances that an author's work would be competing against the same stories from the previous round. 

Once again, you'll be voting for your three favorites from each group.  The semi-final round will be open for ten days, to give you plenty of time to make those tough choices, and to ease the very real risk of voter fatigue.

We continue to encourage comments on the stories -- in fact, the lively conversations in the comment sections have been among the most engaging parts of previous contests.  Plus your constructive criticism (and praise) may help others decide which stories to vote for, as well as help the author-contestants hone their craft.  As I did at the beginning, I'm recommending checking out this thread from a previous Escape Pod contest, in which participants talked about what kind of feedback they'd like to get on their stories.

As with Round 1, the top three vote-getters from each group will move on to the final round, and the names of the authors of the stories that don't make it to the finals will be revealed. 

If you have any questions about this process, or see an issue that needs to be dealt with, please feel free to message me, Languorous Lass, here in the Forum.  I check this board regularly -- this contest feels like my baby, and I want to make sure it's thriving! 

To quote Escape Pod founder Serah Eley:  "Have fun!"

93

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / Today is the final day of Cast of Wonders' current submissions window!

« Last post by Languorous Lass on November 30, 2022, 06:03:51 PM »

Hi folks -- just a reminder that Cast of Wonders is open for general story submissions until Thursday, December 1, at 6 pm UTC.  So if the Flash Fiction Contest has gotten you excited about the idea of having us publish one of your stories, now's the time to submit!  We won't be open for general submissions again until June 2023 (though we'll be having special calls before then -- see the schedule here).  Check out the short summary of what we're looking for in the CoW section of the Forum here, or if you'd prefer to head right over to our guidelines page (which is where you'll find the link for submissions), you can find it here.  Hope to see your stories!

94

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / Schedule for semi-finals, and what comes after

« Last post by Languorous Lass on November 30, 2022, 05:49:40 PM »

Hi folks -- we're almost ready for the semi-finals!  The voting for Round 1, Group 12, will close on December 2, and the semi-final round will open on the following day (December 3). 

There will be four groups of semi-finalists, with either nine or ten stories in each (depending on how many semi-finalists are selected from Group 12).  All four groups will be posted at the same time..  Once again, the stories for each group will be randomly selected by computer, to minimize the possibility that the same stories will be competing against each other this go-round. 

As in Round 1, you'll be asked to pick your three favorites from each group.  Voting will remain open for ten days, to give you plenty of time to make those tough decisions. 

The winners from the semi-final round will move on to the final round, which should open within a day or so of the closure of the semi-finals.  (More on that round as it gets closer.)  Just to remind you:  the top three stories from the final round will be the big winners.  Cast of Wonders will purchase those stories, and they'll be run as a podcast episode.  So your comments and votes become more and more important as the contest moves on!

Thanks to the authors whose stories didn't make it to the semi-finals.  We know you worked hard on your stories, and we appreciate your participation in the contest.  We hope that the comments you received on your own stories were helpful, and that you continue to vote and comment on the stories that make it to the next couple of rounds.  That community spirit is what CoW is all about.

And please keep writing and submitting your work to us! 

95

Episode Comments / Re: Ep791: Rights And Wrongs

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 05:01:12 PM »

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It was extremely well done. Loved the Perry Mason/Columbo/Law&Order trope done with aliens.  It was FUN!

96

Episode Comments / Re: EP 789: The Machine That Would Rewild Humanity

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:56:50 PM »

Yes, everything Álex Souza said, including the Love, Death, and Robots episode.

97

Episode Comments / Re: EP 788: Broken (Flashback Friday)

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:50:50 PM »

Interesting perspective, Álex Souza. Though, by the end, I find the character intriguingly strong and capable in his own way, not pitiable at all.

98

Episode Comments / Re: EP509: Broken

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:48:22 PM »

It's always interesting to go back and read what you wrote about a "flashback" story after you heard it the first time.

My opinions this time around haven't changed much. The lack of details didn't seem to bother me as much this time around and I would really like to hear more from this universe.

99

Episode Comments / PC762: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – The Witching Hour

« Last post by Ocicat on November 25, 2022, 02:05:17 AM »

PodCastle 762: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – The Witching Hour

Author: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Narrator: Shingai Njeri Kagunda
Host: Matt Dovey
Audio Producer: Devin Martin

Previously published by Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

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Show Notes
Rated PG-13


I stood balanced at the top of the oldest palm tree, the one that grew at the south end of the village. I was in my element — pitch-black night. This was my dawn. The murmurs of glowing spirits mixed with the chitter of living insects.

The hoot of an owl reminded me there was work to be done, battles to be fought — silent, undeclared, but raging all the same. And old Mama Ishaka was on the other side of them. With a sigh, I leapt from the tree, fell free, and caught one of the power lines that led to a human spirit. The link was strong. The call of this spirit sang the music of its soul to me. It called me back home.

We sat in my hut, bare as it was, Ejiro and I, on the even barer floor. The kerosene lamp hung from a nail on the wall, its flickering yellow light the only illumination. I didn’t need much, being a creature of the night.

I had chosen my apprentice for her goodness. Shy and quiet, she was my sister’s child. Like other old-world witches I was glad to recruit from family, where they were cut closest to us. Blood was more than just a symbol.

She was still learning to manoeuvre the delicate currents of the other side.

I rubbed the ori ointment on her eyes to ease the transition and make visible the other realm — the beauty of it along with the denizens that drive normals mad with fright. We moved freely among it all — the souls of sleeping humans, shining shapeshifters, headless spirits drifting along upside down.

I took hold of her hands and invoked the deep black sleep that let us travel to the other side. Our bodies slumped, and we passed over. We floated, translucent and unbound by gravity. We had power in this state. A power that was intoxicating.


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100

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / Change in number of stories in Groups 11 and 12

« Last post by Languorous Lass on November 23, 2022, 12:55:13 AM »

Hi folks -- as we announced earlier, we originally planned to have five of the groups in Round 1 contain ten stories each and seven of the groups contain nine stories each.  However, because two stories have been withdrawn, the final two groups in Round 1 -- Groups 11 and 12 -- will contain eight stories each.  So you're not misremembering or miscounting.