Cast of Wonders

Cast of Wonders 595: Come in, Children

Author : Ai Jiang
Narrator : Melissa Ren
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay

This story was first published in issue 10 of Hexagon magazine in September 2022

Cast of Wonders 595: Come in, Children | Cast of Wonders Yejin rubbed her eyes. A cyst was growing at the edge of her right lid. She didn’t have to feel this terrible, but ever since she’d stopped draining the youth of lost children who wandered into the…

Cast of Wonders is a finalist in the Ignyte Awards in the Outstanding Fiction Podcast category – for excellence in audio performance and production for speculative fiction. We’re sharing the shortlist with LeVar Burton Reads, Old Gods of Appalachia, our sister publication Podcastle, and the Simultaneous Times Podcast.

We’re stunned and thrilled to bits to share a shortlist with such amazing shows – if you’re not familiar with any of them, go and take a listen! Voting for the awards is open now – and there are many other brilliant nominees in the other categories as well.

Many thanks from everyone on the team for the nomination. If you want to see what we got up to in 2023, our 2023 original fiction and Staff Pick episodes are a great place to start.

Cast of Wonders is a finalist for Outstanding Fiction Podcast in the Ignyte Awards! | Cast of Wonders Cast of Wonders is a finalist in the Ignyte Awards in the Outstanding Fiction Podcast category – for excellence in audio performance and production for speculative fiction. We’re sharing the shortlist…

Cast of Wonders 594: In this Universe, Jon Flowers is a Story

Author : Nathan Susnik
Narrator : Dave Robison
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 594: In this Universe, Jon Flowers is a Story is a Cast of Wonders original.

Cast of Wonders 594: In this Universe, Jon Flowers is a Story | Cast of Wonders As Lydia takes his hand, Jon Flowers’ heart skips a beat. No, literally. It skips a beat. He has a premature ventricular contraction. It’s not dangerous, but this is his first experience with it.

Cast of Wonders 593: The Bookstore at the End of America

Author : Charlie Jane Anders
Narrator : Marguerite Kenner
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

First published in the anthology A People’s Future of the United States edited by Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adams

Image by Mirko Stödter from Pixabay

CW: war, political intolerance

Cast of Wonders 593: The Bookstore at the End of America | Cast of Wonders A bookshop on a hill. Two front doors, two walkways lined with blank slates and grass, two identical signs welcoming customers to the First and Last Page, and a great blue building in the middle…

Cast of Wonders 592: Flawless

Author: Frances Hardinge
Narrator: Kat Day
Host: Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer: Jeremy Carter

First published in 2013 in the short story collection Twisted Winter, edited by Catherine Butler

CW: neglect and dysfunctional relationships

Cast of Wonders 592: Flawless | Cast of Wonders When people stay in hotel rooms, they suddenly turn into toddlers. Weird, creative, screwed-up toddlers. Let’s smear jam on the wall! Let’s leave apple cores in the drawers! Let’s hide used nappies…

Cast of Wonders 591: Scrap Dragon

Author : Naomi Kritzer
Narrators : Rachel Lackey & Heather Klinke
Host: Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
First published in the January/February 2012 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Cast of Wonders 591: Scrap Dragon | Cast of Wonders Once upon a time, there was a princess. Does she have to be a princess? Couldn’t she be the daughter of a merchant, or a scholar, or an accountant? An accountant? What would an accountant be doing in…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/06/cast-of-wonders-590-umami/

Cast of Wonders 590: Umami

Author : Amelinda Bérubé
Narrator : Alethea Kontis
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Originally published in October 2019 by Sourcebooks on their FIREreads blog

Episode image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

CW: cannibalism, zombies

Cast of Wonders 590: Umami | Cast of Wonders Their progress through the woods had slowed to a stagger, but they kept going. They had to. Jane shoved one booted foot through the layers of fallen leaves, then the other. Imagination kept her fear…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/06/cast-of-wonders-589-the-answer-of-the-fickle-heart/

Cast of Wonders 589: The Answer of the Fickle Heart

Author : Eden Frenkel
Narrator : Harini Narayanan
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Originally published in Kaleidotrope, January 2023

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

Cast of Wonders 589: The Answer of the Fickle Heart | Cast of Wonders Sophie had a fickle heart. She didn’t know at first what fickle meant—the word reminded her of tossing a coin and waiting to see which way it lands—but her mother kept using it, and her sisters…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/06/congrats-somto/

Congrats, Somto! | Cast of Wonders Many congratulations to Cast of Wonders Associate Editor Somto Ihezue on his nomination for Like Stars Daring to Shine (Fireside) for Best Short Story in the Nommo Awards!

Congrats Seoung Kim!

Congrats, Seoung Kim! | Cast of Wonders We’re thrilled to learn that Seoung Kim’s Cast of Wonders story Park’s All-Night Ramyun and Snack Emporium is listed as one of the notable works of 2023 in the 2024 edition of Best American Science…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/06/cast-of-wonders-588-in-a-town-like-this/

Cast of Wonders 588: In a town like this

Author : Maria Haskins
Narrator : Leigh Wallace
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

This story was first published on Maria Haskins’ Patreon.

Episode image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay.

CW: underage drinking

Cast of Wonders 588: In a town like this | Cast of Wonders It’s the first weekend of summer holidays and we’re piling into the backseat of Annette’s dinky old Honda headed to some house party at the far edge of town, passing a bottle of rum and coke between…

Cast of Wonders 587: The Game of Mao

Author : Emma Victoria
Narrator : Tanja Milojevic
Host : Alicia Caporaso
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 587: The Game of Mao is a Cast of Wonders original.

Cast of Wonders 587: The Game of Mao | Cast of Wonders The Game of Mao has only one rule: don’t explain the rules to the game of Mao. It’s the only rule we may be told — the rest are clouded in secrecy and it is up to us to figure them out through trial…

Cast of Wonders 586: Little Wonders 44 – Portal Fantasies

Authors : Julie Le Blanc and Sam Markham
Narrators : Louise Ratcliffe and Sheila Regan
Host : Alicia Caporaso
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 586: Little Wonders 44 – Portal Fantasies is a Cast of Wonders original.

CW: Swearing

Cast of Wonders 586: Little Wonders 44 - Portal Fantasies | Cast of Wonders While Marya was usually excellent at imagining the worst, opening a portal to another world while crocheting had never really crossed her mind. She’d been determined to learn how to crochet once she…

Cast of Wonders 585: Haint Blue Sky

Author : Stephen Granade
Narrator : L. Marie Wood
Host : Alicia Caporaso
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 585: Haint Blue Sky is a Cast of Wonders original.

CW: Self harm; some scenes tangential to suicidal ideation.

Cast of Wonders 585: Haint Blue Sky | Cast of Wonders Laurel hadn’t had time lately to listen to the stars sing. Sophomore classes had kicked her butt up one side of the holler and back down the other. She’d been okay missing the stars until the school’s…

Cast of Wonders 584: Robot Girl

Author : Grace Griego
Narrator : Katherine Inskip
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 584: Robot Girl is a Cast of Wonders original.

Cast of Wonders 584: Robot Girl | Cast of Wonders At age nineteen, Robot Girl had dropped out of the most prestigious university in the country, had no objectives in life, and was now stuck pet sitting for the lovely le***an couple at her old church.

Cast of Wonders 583: The Cat that Worked from Home

Author : Dan Peacock & Rachel Peacock
Narrator : Mike Boris
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 583: The Cat that Worked from Home is a Cast of Wonders original.

Cast of Wonders 583: The Cat that Worked from Home | Cast of Wonders Macaroni’s workstation is set up just the way he likes it. He has a little laptop with little buttons for his little golden paws, adjusted to a comfortable height. His scratch post is within easy…

Cast of Wonders 582: Open Skies and Hellfire

Author : Olivia B. Chan
Narrator : Justine Eyre
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 582: Open Skies and Hellfire is a Cast of Wonders original.

CW: Bombs, terrorism

Cast of Wonders 582: Open Skies and Hellfire | Cast of Wonders I liked to think of myself as a morally sound individual. It was easier to do when I wasn’t smuggling gunpowder to a teenager who may or may not have planned to blow up the caverns with it.

Cast of Wonders 581: Never Thought He’d Go

Author : Francoise Harvey
Narrator : Phil Lunt
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

First published in the 2016 Bristol Short Story Prize anthology, and Best British Short Stories 2017 from Salt Publishing.

CW: Death of children; one instance of the f-word.

Cast of Wonders 581: Never Thought He’d Go | Cast of Wonders ‘Fell off the church spire,’ said Davy. ‘Gravestone landed on him,’ said Davytoo. ‘Trampled t’death by cows when he cut through the wrong field home,’ said Saz. ‘Not to death,’ said Davy.

Cast of Wonders 580: Bodies of Sand and Blood

Author : Plangdi Neple
Narrator : Brent Lambert
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 580: Bodies of Sand and Blood is a Cast of Wonders original.

CW: Transphobia, abusive parents

Cast of Wonders 580: Bodies of Sand and Blood | Cast of Wonders Sneaking into your father’s shrine is one of the most stupid things you have ever done, yet you feel entirely at home among the hanging masks and horsetails. Lanterns beside the doorway and at the…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/03/cast-of-wonders-579-the-ivory-eagle/

Cast of Wonders 579: The Ivory Eagle
Author : Jonathan Olfert
Narrator : Tiernan Douieb
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Previously published in Wyngraf #2 October 2022

Cast of Wonders 579: The Ivory Eagle | Cast of Wonders Autumn winds chilled the late-harvest gathering, kept everyone huddling by fires or the warmest tidepools. Kerredi’s latest trade brought him down to crouch by the shore where the breeze bit through…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/03/cast-of-wonders-578-cold-blessing/

Cast of Wonders 578: Cold Blessing

Author : Kelsey Hutton
Narrator : Ed Gamble
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Cold Blessing was originally published by PULP Literature (Issue 32, Autumn 2021)

CW: Harm to children

Cast of Wonders 578: Cold Blessing | Cast of Wonders The wind had gnawed his skin raw by the time they reached the nun’s door, the damp air sunk deep into his bones. A warm orange glow leaked out of the small cottage into the night.

Cast of Wonders 577: Fording the Milky Way

Author : Megan Ng Narrator : Amanda Ching Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 577: Fording the Milky Way is a Cast of Wonders original.

CW: Abusive relationships, dysfunctional families

Cast of Wonders 577: Fording the Milky Way | Cast of Wonders There’s a festival celebrated in China that’s dedicated to young lovers. It is not one celebrated here, but Ma tells me about it all the same. Storytelling is our way of killing time as she makes…

Cast of Wonders 576: Little Wonders 43 – Young Authors

Authors : Riley Tao and Peter Gooley Narrators : Dani Daly and Adam Pracht Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Cast of Wonders 576: Little Wonders 43 – Young Authors is a Cast of Wonders original.

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/02/cast-of-wonders-576-little-wonders-43-young-authors/

We're currently recruiting new associate editors (slush readers). Interested? Drop us a DM

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/02/nerds-of-a-feather-hugo-recommendations/

The Nerds of a Feather team create excellent round-up lists each year for the Hugo Awards, and we’re thrilled to see Cast of Wonders on their shortlist for best semiprozine! You can check out all of their recommendations via this link (part 4/4, including links to earlier posts). They’ve also highlighted four Cast of Wonders stories in the Short Fiction category:

Both Hope and Breath by Riley Tao (Cast of Wonders 527)
Glass Flies by Gwen C. Katz (Cast of Wonders 548)
Disposable Gabriel by Brian D. Hinson (Cast of Wonders 567)
The Woods in the House by Amanda Cecelia Lang (Cast of Wonders 568 & 569)

Thank you so much, Nerds!

Nerds of a Feather Hugo Recommendations | Cast of Wonders The Nerds of a Feather team create excellent round-up lists each year for the Hugo Awards, and we’re thrilled to see Cast of Wonders on their shortlist for best semiprozine! You can check out all of…

Cast of Wonders 575: Crystal Hexagons on Windowsills (Staff Picks 2023)

Author : Prashanth Srivatsa
Narrator : Sonali Misra
Host : Katherine Inskip
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Originally published as Cast of Wonders 560, 27th October 2023

Cast of Wonders 575: Crystal Hexagons on Windowsills (Staff Picks 2023) | Cast of Wonders I was the only one among my friends who did not get the letter. Which is a real shame, because I was the only one who could snap a finger to conjure a flame. It’s been seven weeks.

Cast of Wonders is currently open to applications for new associate editors. We particularly welcome applications from younger people, and people from backgrounds which have historically been excluded from publishing.

Please email [email protected] for more information

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/02/cast-of-wonders-574-printed-in-ink-and-ashes-staff-picks-2023/

Cast of Wonders 574: Printed in Ink and Ashes (Staff Picks 2023)

Author : Priya Sridhar
Narrator : Arun Jiwa
Host : Alicia Caporaso
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Originally published as Cast of Wonders 557, 14 October 2023

Cast of Wonders 574: Printed in Ink and Ashes (Staff Picks 2023) | Cast of Wonders In the basement, scant lightbulbs sputtered in and out. The single torch, propped on a shelf, shone on the pages as I reviewed my copy: The plight of the Hindu laborer must be addressed on a societal…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/02/cast-of-wonders-573-the-hidden-forests-of-earth-and-mars-staff-picks-2023/

Cast of Wonders 573: The Hidden Forests of Earth and Mars (Staff Picks 2023)

Author : Anna Zumbro
Narrator : Melissa Bugaj
Host : Denise Sudell
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter
Originally published as Cast of Wonders episode 532, 4 April 2023

Cast of Wonders 573: The Hidden Forests of Earth and Mars (Staff Picks 2023) | Cast of Wonders Seventeen hours before some of us are to launch on a nine-months-and-forever journey to Mars, my little brother Enoch lands on my tricked-out Park Place and even he knows before counting his cash that…

https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/01/cast-of-wonders-572-the-time-travelers-cookbook-staff-picks-2023/

Cast of Wonders 572: The Time Traveler’s Cookbook (Staff Picks 2023)

Author : Angela Liu
Narrator : May Chong
Host : Ryn Yee
Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter

Originally published in Cast of Wonders as episode 533, 13 April 2023

Cast of Wonders 572: The Time Traveler’s Cookbook (Staff Picks 2023) | Cast of Wonders Mom’s cookbook recommends tenderizing the meat so I fashion a club from a young cycad, but I might as well be beating a rock with a feather. Don’t eat dinosaur. Just don’t. Mom marked it as a must…