Episode 242: Little Wonders 11 – Flash Fiction Contest Finalists• Authors:
Anica Lewis, Rajiv Moté, KB Sluss• Narrators:
Alex Acks, John Chu, Marguerite Kenner• Audio production by
Jeremy Carter•
All three stories are Cast of Wonders originals!
Multiple ChoiceAnica Lewis is a Youth Services librarian as well as a writer and reader, the better to squeeze more books and bookish people into her life. She is definitely not the secret identity of any superhero. Why would you even ask that? You can follow her
online or on
Twitter.
Alex Acks is a writer, geologist, and dapper AF. Their debut novel, Hunger Makes the Wolf, was published by Angry Robot Books under the pen name Alex Wells. Their debut novel,
Hunger Makes the Wolf, is available at fine booksellers now. Alex has written for
Six to Start and been published in
Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, Daily Science Fiction, and more. Alex lives in Denver with their two furry little bastards, where they twirl their mustache, watch movies, and bike. For more information, visit their
website or follow them on
Twitter.
“Welcome to the Starlight Watch,” says Flashback.
Red Diamond pops a thumbs-up. The Ocelot gives me what is probably a friendly growl. Statica pumps her fist in the air and grins, her edges blurring slightly.
Remember the IfritRajiv Moté is a writer living in Chicago who moonlights as a software engineering manager. He completed certificates in creative writing at both Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, and has fiction published in
Unlikely Story: The Journal of Unlikely Observances. He takes perverse glee in whittling down word count and killing his darlings. His daughter and wife star in his personal cast of wonders. He’s on
WordPress and Twitter as
@RajivMote, which is a continuing source of puzzlement and shame.
John Chu is a microprocessor architect by day, a writer, translator, and podcast narrator by night. His fiction has appeared or is forthcoming at
Boston Review, Uncanny, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, and
Tor.com among other venues. His translations have been published or is forthcoming at
Clarkesworld, The Big Book of SF and other venues. His story “The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere” won the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Short Story (available narrated by John himself at
EscapePod). Most of his fiction is available on the
web, and you can follow him on
Twitter.
I start livecasting when the boat leaves skydock. The cruise doesn’t guarantee we’ll see an Ifrit, but my classmates will watch, alien monster or no. I’m fortunate my family can vacation offworld. I point my ’caster at our hotel, floating in the lime clouds of Hyperion’s upper atmosphere. I hope the colors come through. This sky is nothing like Earth’s.
Not-So-Stock PhotosAs
KB Sluss, Karissa’s short stories have appeared in
Daily Science Fiction, Everyday Fiction, Luna Station Quarterly, and
Stupefying Stories. She is also a first reader for
Strange Horizons and an editor at
Quantum Fairy Tales. As Karissa Laurel, she is the author of several adult and YA novels. Her latest,
Heir of Thunder, is a YA fantasy about the daughter of the god of thunder. You can follow her
online and on
Twitter.
Vida slouched away from the yearbook office, grumbling to herself. The camera Ms. Green had given her was no bigger than a cellphone, but it felt as heavy as a boulder.
“Capture people’s true natures,” Ms. Green had said. “Show us who they really are.”
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Not-So-Stock PhotosTags: Alex Acks, Anica Lewis, appearances, backstory, brother, Cast of Wonders, growth, ifrit, Jeremy Carter, John Chu, KB Sluss, livecasting, magic, Marguerite Kenner, memories, powers, Rajiv Moté, reality, reflection, science, shared experience, sibling, sightseeing, sister, superheroes, team, Young Adult fiction
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