MechMuse Audio Anthology

-- Subtitle -- Death offers no release when the dead walk the earth. -- Description -- Dracula is a sixteen hour audiobook by Bram Stoker. -- Excerpt -- If my ears did not deceive me there was a gasp and a low wail, as of a half smothered child. The women closed round, whilst I was aghast with horror. But as I looked, they disappeared, and with them the dreadful bag. There was no door near them, and they could not have passed me without my noticing. They simply seemed to fade into the rays of the moonlight and pass out through the window, for I could see outside the dim, shadowy forms for a moment before they entirely faded away. -- About the Story -- Dracula, written by Irish author Bram Stoker while managing the world-famous Lyceum Theatre in London, was first published on May 18, 1897. Stoker spent years researching European folklore, drawing heavily on Emily Gerard's 1885 essay "Transylvania Superstitions." Dracula is an epistolary novel, comprised of fictional diary entries, correspondences, and newspaper clippings. -- Credits -- Written by Bram Stoker Performed by Ken Richman Art by Rene Blom Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 1:534A45:H:N:16:1 --

-- Subtitle -- When the mind can wander, what is the body but a common accessory? -- Description -- Identity Crisis is a two hour audio story by New York Times Best Seller Kevin J. Anderson. -- Excerpt -- In a single week, he's already spent four days in someone else's body, a limited-term hopscotch, enduring a miserable round of the flu just so some businessman wouldn't miss his meetings. Unglamorous, maybe, but it was a way to make a living... If the man who actually owned this body had kept himself healthier in general, he might not have been so susceptible to getting sick in the first place. But the man was a busy executive, with more credits in his account than he could spend. And such an important person couldn't afford to be laid up for an illness. -- Author's Comments -- "This novella is set in a strange future world where entity transference, swapping bodies, is a way of life. The concept is far too big for a single story, though, and I have developed it into my new novel, HOPSCOTCH, of which "Identity Crisis" is a small part." (Kevin J. Anderson) -- Credits -- Written by Kevin J. Anderson Performed by Bob Barnes Art by Katie Caromba Music by Glenn Adams Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 2:708D9B:H:S:0:2 --

-- Subtitle -- Even greatness can be seduced by the quiet ease of obscurity. -- Description -- Rough Draft is a forty minute audio story by New York Times Best Seller Kevin J. Anderson. -- Excerpt -- Dear Mr. Coren, As a longtime fan of yours, I thought you’d appreciate seeing this novel I came across in a parallel universe. I’m a timeline hunter by profession. Perhaps you’ve heard of Alternitech? Our company uses a proprietary technology to open gateways into alternate realities. My colleagues and I explore these parallel universes for breakthroughs or useful discrepancies that Alternitech can profitably exploit: medical and scientific advances, historical discoveries, artistic variations. My specialty is the creative arts. I stumbled upon this book in an alternate timeline while searching for a new Mario Puzo... I’m hoping Alternitech will want to arrange for its publication, but naturally I felt you should see it first. With deepest respect, Jeremy Cardiff -- About the Story -- Rough Draft was was considered for the Nebula award in 2005. -- Credits -- Written by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta Performed by Rick Jelinek Art by Thomas Meldgaard Nielsen Music by Glenn Adams Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 3:737A51:V:S:0:3 --

-- Subtitle -- In losing his pain, had Tom lost himself? -- Description -- The Storyteller's Wife is a fifty minute audio story by Eugie Foster. -- Excerpt -- What lay beneath the gray shroud was not her poor, beloved Tom. It was a large wooden manikin, crudely carved and rough. Someone had whittled the shape of his nose, jutting from the center of a face with planes and angles too sharp to have felt the touch of sandpaper. Lips leered in a splintery grin, a caricature of the soft smile she knew so well, and jagged Xs had been gouged in lieu of eyes. Tufts of straw and dry grass were glued and knotted around the head, the color several shades lighter than the soft brown waves of her husband's hair. -- Author's Comments -- "I've always loved fairy tales and folklore, and this suburban fairy tale re-imagines and combines the classic Tam Lin ballad with changeling legends to explore themes of loss, love, and grief. Written during a stressful time of job insecurity and career anxiety, it was therapy, catharsis, and liberation for me, and there's a lot of myself in it. There's also a bit of my pet skunk, Hobkin, in it.)" (Eugie Foster) -- Credits -- Written by Eugie Foster Performed by Rick Jelinek Art by Tania Weil Music by Glenn Adams Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 4:785D26:V:S:0:0 --

-- Subtitle -- Could it be that the two species, Man and Martian each bred to savagery, might coexist? -- Description -- After a Lean Winter is a sixty minute audio story by New York Times Best Seller David Farland. -- Excerpt -- There were no enemy ships on the horizon, so I watched as Pierre swept into Hidden Lodge on Titchen Creek late on a moonless night. His two sled dogs huffed and bunched their shoulders, then dug their back legs in with angry growls, hating the trail, as they crossed that last stubborn rise. The runners of his sled rang over the crusted snow with the sound of a sword being drawn from its scabbard, and the leather harnesses creaked. -- Author's Comments -- "I have to thank Kevin Anderson for inspiring this story. I had been asked to work as something of an agent a few years ago, bringing projects in for a small publisher in Salt Lake, Gibb-Smith Publishing. Kevin pitched the idea of doing an anthology of short stories based around the idea that in 1895, when the "War of the Worlds" took place, we got the story from only one point of view--that of H.G. Wells. However, many other writers were living at the time in far-flung reaches of the world, and he wondered, what would their takes on the story have been? "I loved the idea, and immediately knew that I wanted to do Jack London. My father, Jack Wolverton, had been a huge fan of his work and used to read me stories when I was a child. He loved it so much, that he moved to Alaska just before I was born and wanted to relocate our family there. But my mother made him come back to a warmer climate. And as soon as I considered doing a Jack London story in the frozen north--well, I knew what the twist would be. "Kevin lined up dozens of wonderful writers, and the anthology was tremendously successful. Several authors wrote stories that ended up competing on the awards ballots, including this one." (David Farland) -- Credits -- Written by David Farland Performed by Rick Jelinek Art by Pete Newbauer Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 1:6290A7:H:S:0:1 --

-- Subtitle -- Eternal life comes at a price. -- Description -- The Second Rat is a forty minute audio story by David Barr Kirtley. -- Excerpt -- "Now, Mr. Rawlins. You've made remarkable amounts of money investing in the marketplace. Tell us, what's your secret?" "It's really quite simple, Dan," I said. "You see, I can rewind life." There was long pause. I heard a technician cough. "I'm sorry," Findley said finally. "What was that?" "The way you rewind a tape. I can do it in real life. I can go back to any point in my past and start over. I observe which stocks do well, then rewind and invest in those." -- Author's Comments -- "The Second Rat was the first piece I wrote at the 1999 Clarion writer's workshop, when I was 21. I had spent the preceding weeks mulling over the idea, and had thought out the story very carefully and vividly. I did the actual writing in an intense creative frenzy, feeling half-feverish from the muggy summer heat in the non-air-conditioned dorm. When I typed the final lines, my eyes welled with tears. It affected me deeply. It's very special to have a story grab hold of you like that." (David Barr Kirtley) -- Credits -- Written by David Barr Kirtley Performed by Bob Barnes Art by Thomas Meldgaard Nielsen Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 2:413F43:V:S:0:2 --

-- Subtitle -- A war rages. On Earth. On Baker. And in the heart of Senor Angelo Osic. -- Description -- On My Way to Paradise is a sixteen hour audiobook by New York Times Best Seller David Farland. -- Excerpt -- A dusty gray hovercraft floated to a stop in front of my booth in the feria. As its door flipped open, an emaciated woman struggled up from the shadows within and into the stabbing daylight. A strange feeling swept over me, the physical shock one feels upon recognizing an old friend whose face has been marred by tragedies. I searched my memory for an elusive name. Her head slumped and rolled from side to side as she moved. Sweat stained the armpits of her black skinsuit, and blood dripped from the bandaged stump at the end of her right arm. An old mestizo woman backed away from her, made the sign of the cross , and muttered, "Que horror!" A small boy gaped at the thin woman and moaned, "Una bruja!" and the crowd murmured in agreement that this walking skeleton must be a witch. -- Author's Comments -- "Since I know how well ideals evolve from age to age, from culture to culture, I wanted the novel to reflect the fact that our descendants will think differently than we do, that they will be alien. Therefore, I wanted to write a novel where moral codes were extrapolated based on current trends-something I've never seen done before." (David Farland) -- Credits -- Written by David Farland Performed by David Wilkinson Art by Stanley Lau Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com

-- Subtitle -- A war rages. On Earth. On Baker. And in the heart of Senor Angelo Osic. -- Description -- On My Way to Paradise is a sixteen hour audiobook by New York Times Best Seller David Farland. -- Excerpt -- A dusty gray hovercraft floated to a stop in front of my booth in the feria. As its door flipped open, an emaciated woman struggled up from the shadows within and into the stabbing daylight. A strange feeling swept over me, the physical shock one feels upon recognizing an old friend whose face has been marred by tragedies. I searched my memory for an elusive name. Her head slumped and rolled from side to side as she moved. Sweat stained the armpits of her black skinsuit, and blood dripped from the bandaged stump at the end of her right arm. An old mestizo woman backed away from her, made the sign of the cross , and muttered, "Que horror!" A small boy gaped at the thin woman and moaned, "Una bruja!" and the crowd murmured in agreement that this walking skeleton must be a witch. -- Author's Comments -- "Since I know how well ideals evolve from age to age, from culture to culture, I wanted the novel to reflect the fact that our descendants will think differently than we do, that they will be alien. Therefore, I wanted to write a novel where moral codes were extrapolated based on current trends-something I've never seen done before." (David Farland) -- Credits -- Written by David Farland Performed by David Wilkinson Art by Stanley Lau Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com

-- Subtitle -- A war rages. On Earth. On Baker. And in the heart of Senor Angelo Osic. -- Description -- On My Way to Paradise is a sixteen hour audiobook by New York Times Best Seller David Farland. -- Excerpt -- A dusty gray hovercraft floated to a stop in front of my booth in the feria. As its door flipped open, an emaciated woman struggled up from the shadows within and into the stabbing daylight. A strange feeling swept over me, the physical shock one feels upon recognizing an old friend whose face has been marred by tragedies. I searched my memory for an elusive name. Her head slumped and rolled from side to side as she moved. Sweat stained the armpits of her black skinsuit, and blood dripped from the bandaged stump at the end of her right arm. An old mestizo woman backed away from her, made the sign of the cross , and muttered, "Que horror!" A small boy gaped at the thin woman and moaned, "Una bruja!" and the crowd murmured in agreement that this walking skeleton must be a witch. -- Author's Comments -- "Since I know how well ideals evolve from age to age, from culture to culture, I wanted the novel to reflect the fact that our descendants will think differently than we do, that they will be alien. Therefore, I wanted to write a novel where moral codes were extrapolated based on current trends-something I've never seen done before." (David Farland) -- Credits -- Written by David Farland Performed by David Wilkinson Art by Stanley Lau Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 3:485944:V:N:16:3 --

-- Subtitle -- He was losing his soul through his eyes. -- Description -- Primary Colors is a sixty minute audio story by Richard Raleigh. -- Excerpt -- Subtly, shade by shade, his green eyes were turning blue, and his soul was evaporating, shimmering like a mirage just out of his field of vision, dancing with the ripples of heat above the sand. Like the stark white clouds along the very fringes of the southern horizon, his soul was drifting away. He stared northward, through the heat and into the center of the desert, his lips touched by the faint smile of a trance, his mind by the blankness of desert hypnosis. With a startling new clarity in his vision, he could see beyond the dunes, beyond the far shore, beyond the emptiness of space. -- Author's Comments -- "Around the time of the first Gulf War, I was researching synesthesia and the neurological effects of light. It turns out that many people who have synesthesia, a crosswiring of the senses, not only experience surprising things -- like being able to taste a sound -- but see particular letters of the alphabet (or particular numbers) each in a unique color and texture. I was also studying Classical Chinese and qigong at the time. The ingredients came together with the idea of a sentient planet, of the Earth’s magnetosphere as large-scale qi, and the story sort of wrote itself.." (Richard Raleigh) -- Credits -- Written by Richard Raleigh Performed by Bob Barnes Art by Omaha Perez Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 4:DF8B1B:V:S:0:4 --

-- Subtitle -- Of Euros and years, which has the greater value? -- Description -- Expensive Gifts is a forty minute audio story by M. David Romney. -- Excerpt -- Manolo followed the light down the corridor and past the plain wooden door, into an anteroom covered in Persian carpets and a mass of exotic clutter. The worn wooden furniture was missing most of its brass studs and its brittle satin upholstery was cracking at several seams. The incense burned in a large dish centered on a low inlaid table. There were no windows. The light came from a stained-glass stand-lamp in one corner of the room. He heard faint singing, and though he could make out the sounds the words meant nothing to him. Turning around, he rang a large brass bell hanging beside the entry, with a small plaque marked Ring for Service mounted next to it. Despite its mass, its gentle chime was no louder than the fragile tinkle of a silver dining bell. -- Author's Comments -- "I lived a pair of years in southern Spain. There's a peculiar atmosphere to Andalucia, as it's called, and a particular way about the Andalusians who people it. In Expensive Gifts I found a chance to tell a story that crosses cultural divides, but which plays in its particulars on the quirks of one very colourful culture. "Some details, including those of Manolo's profession, were inspired by a set of interviews (held quite ceremoniously, I assure you) at a pub in Buena Vista, Virginia. That's where Manolo's character began to take shape." (M. David Romney) -- Credits -- Written by M. David Romney Performed by Ken Richman Art by Tassya Putho Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 5:95333A:V:S:0:5 --

-- Subtitle -- There is friendship... and then there is ignorance. -- Description -- Veil of Ignorance is a twenty-five minute audio story by David Barr Kirtley, and was recommended for a Nebula Award. -- Excerpt -- Something strange is happening to me. We’re at Conrad’s vacation house, a sprawling mansion that orbits the gas giant Hades-3. (His father owns both the house and the planet.) Conrad is in the living room watching sports. His girlfriend Alyssa is standing by the mirror in the bathroom, fixing her hair. Her friend Kat is sitting near the bay windows, watching the stars and the roiling vermeil clouds on the world below. Dillon is in the kitchen, mixing drinks. Brad is slouched on the sofa, watching everyone with a lazy smile. And I don’t know which of them I am. -- Author's Comments -- "I got the idea for "Veil of Ignorance" several years ago, during an undergraduate political theory seminar, but I couldn't figure out how to make the story work. Then I thought of using the shifting first-person viewpoint, and everything fell into place, except for the ending, which I felt ambivalent about. When I showed the story to James Gunn's workshop in 2003, the group agreed that the story needed a stronger ending. I had one night to come up with something new. I racked my brain, and was very pleased with the new twist I was able to add." (David Barr Kirtley) -- Credits -- Written by David Barr Kirtley Performed by Rick Jelinek Art by Jose Garcia Lopez Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 6:695071:V:S:0:0 --

-- Subtitle -- The finest trap convinces its victim that he wishes to be caught. -- Description -- Veil of Ignorance is a twenty-five minute audio story by David Barr Kirtley, and was recommended for a Nebula Award. -- Excerpt -- Everywhere were lights, hung in the flowering branches of trees, glowing upward from the grass, blazing from every door and window. Why they should have been turned on so abruptly, after that first darkness, I do not yet know. Out of the nearest house a girl came walking. She was dressed charmingly, in thin, bright-colored silks. A bunch of wild honeysuckle was thrust in the girdle, and over her hair was flung a scarf of skylike blue. I knew her instantly. -- About the Story -- The Elf Trap was originally published in 1919. Francis Stevens, an American writer who many hail as the greatest woman writer of horror between Mary Shelly and Anne Rice, skilfully migrates the European notion of elves to the Appalachian Mountains. -- Credits -- Written by Francis Stevens Performed by Katherine Grey Art by Ricci Gertz Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 7:405E44:V:S:0:0 --

-- Subtitle -- Pain passes, but this river is forever. -- Description -- The River is Forever is a thirteen minute audio story by Edmund R. Schubert. -- Excerpt -- It’s the inevitable question people ask when someone commits suicide. They wring their hands and look to heaven, saying, “Why? Dear God, why?” Of course, now that I’m fifty-six, I realize people’s reasons for committing suicide sound terribly trite -- except of course to the individual killing himself. That doesn’t stop people from asking the question. It will, however, stop me from boring you with my own reasons. -- Author's Comments -- "The River Is Forever was one of those gifts where the whole story came in a flash of clarity and inspiration. I had been reading one of William Kennedy’s books – Ironweed, maybe, or one of the other books from that series – and the main character was walking along a riverbank when his hat blew off. Kennedy wrote about 'river spirits' playing with the hat, making it dance and jump so that the man couldn’t catch it. He was, of course, writing metaphorically. "I saw other possibilities." (Edmund R. Schubert) -- Credits -- Written by Edmund R. Schubert Performed by Rob Moffat Art by Angel Moon Music by James Guymon Produced by MechMuse Audio Anthology at MechMuse.com -- 8:636C67:V:S:0:0 --