Storyfeather

Two adventurous friends offer to help a scientist whose revolutionary invention for all mousekind isn't exactly authorized. Genre: Science Fiction, Fable   Excerpt: “What happened to gravity?” Matchstick asked, as he pushed his legs against a stone. The stone moved away from him, and he, moved away from it, and toward the other two mice.  Mischief reached into her satchel for her pencil and pad. “Fab, we fell into the isolated chronon field. Can you confirm?” “I…”  Doctor Fabaceous clutched the control slab against his chest. His eyes faced forward, but he didn't seem to be looking at anything.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I adore writing stories about a pair of anthropomorphized animal best friends. One of my favorites was a tale of two caterpillars who crash an extravagant party. It's called, “Lickspittle and Sobersides.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)     CREDITSStory: “Matchstick and Mischief” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Dancing Operators” by ANDREA BARONI (Intro & Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf) “Ground Control” “The Tech Show” “Dancing Operators” “Fugue For One Synthetic Heart” “Cozy Afternoons”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) “Action Time” “Unknown Terrain” “Abstract Vision #6” “Abstract Vision #9” “Hidden Threat” “Among the Stars” “Prepare for Battle” “Close Your Eyes”   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrea Baroni and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, a mouse riding a motorcycle down a glowing pathway, facing forward, left paw on the pedal and right paw holding a lit matchstick. Objects float in the space around the mouse. At top left, a screw. Bottom left a sock. Top right corner, part of some device with buttons. Below that, a toothbrush. Middle right, a yo-yo. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along glowing path at top left. Rectangular image made square with top and bottom borders with blurred elements from the main image.

A studious, non-mischievous fairy fulfills her forbidden dream of traveling to the human realm...straight into a convenience store. Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy   Excerpt: She passed her least favorite quill partly through the mirror and pulled it back to test. The quill appeared undamaged. So she next passed her least favorite finger through the mirror, gasping at the watery chill that passed through it as it passed through the mirror's surface. Her finger too seemed unharmed.  And so, in the most reckless act that she had ever committed in her life thus far, Oddnever stepped through the mirror into the human realm.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Season Three episode entitled “Oddness and the Rose Pox,” in which three kids recovering from chicken pox at home are mistakenly infected with another pox, a fairy-borne pox.      MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Oddnever” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Midnight Creeping” by Jonathan Shaw (Intro & Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by JONATHAN SHAW “Spinning Tavern” “Midnight Creeping” “Checking Inventory” “A Tale of Peace”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV “Magic Within” “Hidden Fear” “Journey into Fog”   Music by BENJAMIN CARR “Dwarven Settlement” “Ice Cavern” “Ancient Ruins”   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Benjamin Carr, Jonathan Shaw, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Benjamin Carr, Jonathan Shaw, and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of the view down the aisle of a convenience store, shelves stocked with generic shapes of bottles and packages. In the foreground with their backs turned to the viewer are two store employees, both wearing green tops. Across from them at the end of the aisle is a figure sticking a hero landing—one knee down, the other bent forward, one hand on the ground, and the other thrown back. The figure is wearing glasses and a hoodie. Two glowing pink wings sprout from their back. A glowing pink spark floats above the hooded figure. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders with streaks of color that match the colors of the main image and line up with the main image's perspective lines. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along floor of aisle at right.

Weatherman Cliff Blazer is always receiving blazers from his fans. But the latest one he receives really takes the cake.   Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: “So far, five people have come in complaining of difficulty breathing, and producing a strange croaking sound. Now, they're still being treated, and the hospital staff is hesitant to speculate on what could be causing this, but the reason we're reporting on this is that one of the patients has been discharged and we spoke to them earlier. They didn't want to be on camera, but…” Of course they didn't want to be on camera. What they had to say sounded preposterous. The patient had puked up a frog. And.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. Outerwear gone rogue! I've written about it before, only last time, it was a technological issue, in an episode call “One Killer Jacket.” And wild weather was a major component of yet another story I'd previously written, called “The Rainheralds.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Cliff's Rad Blazer” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Whimsical Town” by Chris Logsdon (Intro & Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREA Baroni (Cyberleaf) “Ground Control” “Fugue For One Synthetic Heart” “The Tech Show” “Slightly Across”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) “Casual Theme #1” “Casual Theme #3” “Abstract Vision #9” “Casual Theme #2”   Music by CHRIS LOGSDON “Mystical Town” “Whimsical Town” “Shady Town”   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrea Baroni, Chris Logdson, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrea Baroni, Chris Logsdon, and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A weatherman, from waist up, facing forward and standing slightly left of center before a screen showing a generic weather map. He's wearing a fancy-looking blazer over shirt and tie. The blazer is patterned with sparkling stars and colorful nebulas. He holds his hands to the blazer's button. A watch and ring on ring finger is visible on his left hand. His left eyebrow is arched. On the weather display, bottom right, a snow flurry is moving in. Top left, an overlay of temperatures. Top right, a cloud under which raindrops and cats and dogs are falling. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders that display portions of the main image, distorted as if blotted with a paint brush. Watermark of “Storyfeather” outside and along the weatherman's right upper arm.

A god loses half her powers and is cast out of the heavens for the crime of sharing those power with mortals. Genre: Mythology     Excerpt: She was far too kindly, and therefore looked upon with disdain by her fellow gods. The other gods feared that the balance of power was being tipped too much toward mortal creatures, to whom the kindly god had given many gifts… To teach her a lesson, the other gods diminished the kindly god by half. They took half her powers, half her wisdom, half her stature. They even took her name, which alone bore a good portion of her power. They named her Rampion,   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I've written a few stories centered on the subject of hair, or the lack thereof, and powers contained within hair. “The Witch Rampion,” which is loosely inspired by the story of Rapunzel was the first of these. Then there's the “Festival of the Triumphant Locks” and “Contest Chevelure,” in which contests and celebrations are held around hair.   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Once-God Rampion” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Shadows and flames” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) “The village” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) “Immortals” “The village” “Emblem” “Dark fields” “Dungeon of shadows” “To Falgaltown” “Dark lord” “Shadows and flames” “Stay (seamless)”   All tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a person seen from the back walking away. The person is barefoot and wearing a flowing skirt or dress with hazy edges. Wavy and curling strands of hair in different muted green, brown, and teal flow outward and back from the head, entirely obscuring the top half of the body. One strand on either side is connecting to the tops of trees and appears to be absorbing the trees. A strand on the left is connected to a purple flower with five petals, a rampion bellflower. Hazy foliage frames the bottom half. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left side of dress.

Mythical flying horses couldn't possibly be real; but there is one that we all may meet in our most vulnerable hours. Genre: Mythology, Fantasy, Fairy Tale   Excerpt: They emerge from the shadow-light of the moon mist. I resist the urge to reach out.  I gasp and shiver.  The room has grown cold.  Not the crisp cold of winter.  Not the numbing cold of ice.  Not even the cold of night.  It is a bracing but fortifying cold.  A vast cold.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. When I was a kid, I desperately wanted unicorns and flying horses to be real. Revisiting a childhood desire in adulthood can be…unnerving. So, why do I keep doing it? This episode was inspired by “A Gildenfaere's Gift.”     MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Noctemfaere” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Magic Within” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Ice and Fire (peaceful part)” “Magic Within”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Compass” “In the shadows” “Oinions (second part)” “Oinions” “Don't move” “Winterheart (seamless)” “Stars above”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Center, a winged horse facing viewer, seen from chest up, mane falling to its right. Partly extended right wing is shadowy and hazy. The left wing is raised and stretched out, and the feathers are defined, some turning dark. Emerging from the horse's sides under its wings are two more flying horses whose forms are translucent. The horse on the left flank extends a wing and raise a leg. The horse on the right flank extends a wing and raise's two legs. A glowing mist streams down from center top. At bottom beside the figures are bright sparks in the fog. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along main horse's right wing. Top and bottom borders depicting dark fog and glowing mist make the image square.

A group of curious and ingenious humans build a spyglass to peer into the realm of the gods, to find out why the gods are not governing the world as they were expected to. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt: Not in the beginning, but early in the history of the world, many mortals suspected that the ones who called themselves gods were shirking their duty of properly governing the world. Some responded by entreating the gods. Others by railing against them. But a few decided to try answering the question of what it was that the gods spent their time doing if they were not doing what was expected.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. Resourceful mortals versus neglectful, cruel, and petty gods. This theme doesn't seem to get old for me. Two previous episodes that explore that theme and inspired this episode are “Godsfear” and “A Sword Named Blasphemy.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Union of the Spyglass” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Haven” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Scroll of the wind walker” “They don't return” “Ancient gods” “Runes” “To Falgaltown” “Haven” “Signs of desolation” “The harbor” “Flames on ice” “Fallen leaves” “The huntsman” “Wide place” *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Composite image. At center, a floating island wreathed with glowing clouds, surrounded by a wispy net of light. Behind the island a circle, a view through a spyglass showing a partial view of the moon at top and a night sky. The circle is encased by a square showing the same view of the sky. In the top right corner are bolts of lightning. In the top left corner are colorful sparks of light. Along the bottom stand a row of twelve people seen in silhouette from the back, each one holding on hand on the shoulder of the person standing next to them. This square is flanked by thin panels. The right panel at bottom depicts a partially constructed ladder next to a support tower. The left panel shows a spyglass or telescope angled to view the floating island. A final set of panels flanks the rest of the image. The scope extends into the final left panel. Thick gray fog or clouds appear at bottom. At right middle, three smaller floating island are chained together with bridges. The sky above displays colored gases. At left, a net of light extends and expands from one corner of the central island. A larger overlay of the circle showing the sky and moon sits to the left of the whole image.  A smaller overlay sits to the right. Borders at top and bottom to make the final image a square. These borders repeat motifs from the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along middle right.]

In an age long past, death was not a mystery, for a palm tree once grew upon the earth that served as a path between life and afterlife. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt: He came by sea in ships laden with his forces… By day he attacked, and by night he attacked. They knew that they must destroy him. And they knew that they could not destroy him, for he was now too powerful.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. In an earlier story, I wrote of a grieving young man who sought to retrieve his mother from the isle where the souls of those who have died go, just before they pass through the doorway into the afterlife: “The Isle of Mist and Gloom.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Caligo Palm” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Infinite land” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Of sun and sand” “White river” “Gateways” “Underworld” “Infinite land” “Lonely day” “The edge of nightmare” “Shoreline” “Burn the sky” “Ancien stones”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A stylized depiction on a tapestry or scroll. At left, a man stands in front of a black cobra that is larger than him. Both face to the right. The man holds his right hand on his hip and holds his left hand out, palm forming a “stop” gesture. They stand on a green shore with bright blades of grass. At right, a man in a boat raises his hands and face to the sky. Before him two strange beasts with hooked beaks and feathery scales stare to the left. Between boat and shore are stylized curls depicting waves. Top center, the bottom half of circle that depicts the sun. Bright rays beam to the left, bolts of lightning fan out to the right. The sky at center is blue, but darkens from left to right between the bolts. Top and bottom borders depict a repeating pattern, in two rows, the tops of palm trees. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along a ray of sunlight at center left.

Three children are determined to find out if the tales they've heard are true…that there is a god living in the middle of the forest outside their village. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt: For a moment, there hung an expectant silence. The man was watching the bard on the closest stage, but he still caught the glances between the young folk at his table. And he still noted that there was one whose gaze never left his face.  “The grown folk won't tell us,” this one said, a little girl. “Are you the one who lives in the wooden house in the middle of the forest?     What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. In this story, I'm revisiting the first story I ever posted on the site, “The Amber God.”  I spoil what happens in that first story in this new one, but it can't be helped, I say.   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Sandalwood God” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Knight Rising” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro) “Locations_Village (loop)” by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)* “Locations_Medieval Tavern Song” “Locations_Village (loop)” “Exploration_Cave (loop)” “Humorous_Stealth (loop)”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Ice and Fire (peaceful part)” “Journey into Fog” “Medieval Theme 4” “Secrets of Kingdom” “Medieval Theme 5” “Knight Rising” “Medieval Track #1” “Magic Within”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Three faces along a diagonical from bottom left to top right, depicting the same young adult person with slightly different hair and eye colors. The hair is mid-length and wavy. The face at center faces and looks forward with mouth slightly parted. Bottom left, the same face is turned slightly away from center, but with eyes turned toward center. Top right, the same face is again turned slightly away, but with eyes turned toward center. The faces are surrounded by a misty glow. Behind the faces, vines or branches bearing leaves, faint lightning, and rain, spread across the background. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along vine at bottom right.

A charlatan pretending to be a healer wins the king's favor, but seems mostly harmless, until the day the king collapses and cannot be roused. Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Mythology   Excerpt: The royal physician, Galena by name, examined the festering bruise just below the king's ribcage. The king lay in a sleeping stupor. A state he had been in for three days, and yet it was only now, and only by order of the queen that the royal physician was allowed to examine her king. Galena peered down at the bruise, around the margins of which there appeared an oozing of bright purple fluid.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This one was inspired by a previous story I'd written about old-timey medical practices. That episode is called “The Remedy Men.” It was also inspired by a section I read in the “Sawbones” book about the four humors of the body. I bought the book after listening to the “Sawbones” podcast, in which the hosts—one of whom is a doctor—explore medical theories, beliefs, and practices throughout the ages of human existence.  Next week's episode is inspired by “The Amber God,” and “spoils” what happens in that episode. Heads up if you'd like to listen the earlier episode first.   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Didymedicus” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Locations_Medieval Tavern Song” by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Intro & Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*“Exploration_Mystery (loop)” “Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 1)” “Locations_Medieval Tavern Song” “Holy_Gregorian Chant (loop)” “Exploration_Cave (loop)” “Exploration_Forest Of Magic” “Locations_Court Song”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Medieval Theme 5” “Lyric Voices #2” “Medieval Theme 1” “Lyric Voices #1” “Lyric Voices #5”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital Drawing. Two figures wearing heavy coats. Bottom right, an older woman facing forward and smiling. She holds a rod of Asclepius in front of her with both hands, a staff with a single snake twining around it. Behind her and at left, a young man holds a caduceus in his right hand, a staff with two snakes twining around it symmetrically and a pair of wings at the top. He flourishes his left hand up. His head is turned toward his left hand. Both figures are surrounded by glowing colored lights. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the bottom of the young man's right arm.

We think we know their story. The asteroid. The extinction. But one person believes that the dinosaurs may have left more than their bones behind. Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery   Excerpt: They saw it coming. And at first they were helpless. Despite how far they'd come in their hundred-million-plus years of existence, they were helpless to stop the asteroid that was headed right for them. So they didn't stop it. But they didn't stay helpless either. What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story admittedly was an exception to this year's theme of revisiting previous stories.  However, there is a story with a similar enough premise: a mystery surrounding a prehistoric era, and the possibility that something from that era could have survived to the modern age of humans. That Season 4 story is “Age Upon Age of Frozen Sleep.”    MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Note from a Triceratops” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Abstract Vision #3” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro) “Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)” by ANDREA BARONI (Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   TAO & SOUND* “80s Synth Ambient 01 C” “80s Synth Ambient 02 E”   ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf Studio)* “Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)” “Evolving Cities” “Ground Control” “The Longest Year (No Percussion)”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Abstract Vision #3” “Abstract Vision #4”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Tao & Sound, Andrea Baroni, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrea Baroni, Andrew Sitkov, and Tao & Sound at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. The fossil of a triceratops, seen head on from a three-quarters profile, facing left, is either etched in a sandy stone slab, or is standing in front of the slab. The slab is faintly etched with scratches and fern leaf stems. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along edge of slab at bottom left. The rectangular image is made square with a top and bottom border that display the darkened edges of the main image.

A young woman becomes increasingly convinced that the radio receiver in her bargain headphones is picking up an alien transmission. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction   Excerpt: And I, as always, am Glormynx. As you know, this week, I'm interviewing citizens at all levels of society—soldiers, politicians, bakers, mongrel-walkers, scientists, and of course, poets. And I'm asking what they think about the planned invasion of Earth.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week I am revisiting an idea and a story title. The idea is mysterious voices coming from headphones. The story title and the episode that inspired this one is “The Lady in My Headphones.” But fun fact, I make (very) offhand references to events or characters from the following episodes: “The Piecemeal Cake” and “Humans: A Blorgnathian Delicacy?”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Alien in my Headphones” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Space Discoveries” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Another World” “Abstract Vision #6” “Stars Talk” “Abstract Vision #7” “Dark Side” “Abstract Vision #1” “Abstract Vision #9” “Space Discoveries” “A Long Way” “Freedom”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Overview of a wooden desktop. Clockwise from top right corner, most of a cup filled with a brown liquid. A cell phone displaying a checklist with a few items checked off.  A hand with a bracelet visible, holding a pen perched over a folded-over notebook.  A crumpled sticky note.  A pair of over-ear headphones.  A cylindrical container filled with colored pencils.  A partial view of a pair of glasses folded up. A folded-over notebook with notes written on the top half lying over a document affixed with a binder clip holding a note where the sentences are partially visible under the headphones. Some of the readable words include, “Glormynx” and “Sunday,” and a note that reads “check manual for chip (can Joe help?). Watermark of “Storyfeather” along outside edge of notebook. Rectangular image made square with top and bottom borders that display blurred grayscale portions of the main image.

A woman observes an unnatural change in her sister linked to a chunk of amber that her sister stumbles upon and begins to study.   Genre: Mystery   Excerpt: I heard her climbing up to check on the source of the clatter, just as I had. And when I heard Marta enter the room and scream, half of me wanted to turn around and comfort her. The other half of me wanted to keep locking gazes with the specter that was floating outside the attic window..   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story revisits the Year One story entitled “Nocturnal,” in which a couple of agents who typically investigate unusual cases centered around science, must partner with the division of their agency that investigates the supernatural and paranormal. I aimed to the write the “origin story” of that division that investigates the paranormal, and found my aim shifting to focus on one strange incident that might eventually inspire the creation of that division. If you'd like to listen to another story of women from a past era who find themselves contending with supernatural metamorphosis, I recommend “The Galvanic Ghost.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “A Specter in Amber” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Evidence” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Whispers” “At night” “Blood and bones” “Unsolved” “Inspector” “Evidence” “Witches”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A young woman wearing late nineteenth-century dress sits just left of center before an alcove with three windows bearing ornate snowflake patterns on the top pane. She is looking down at a book in which she is writing. A candle burns at the bottom left. A ghostly hand presses against the bottom right pane. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders. The bottom border is shards of light reflecting yellow and blue shades from the main drawing. The top border is a blurred version of the window tops. Watermark of “Storyfeather” vertically along panel between center and right window.

Two friends uncover the truth behind the mysterious industrial accident that shuttered an organ preservation factory and cast its owner into ruin.  Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction   Excerpt: Jordan then glanced around the room, the basement room that was part of the secret underground laboratory beneath the abandoned factory that was once owned by Sabrina's mother, Alectrona Fabron, the famed pioneer of organ preservation technology. It seemed Alectrona had figured out how to preserve more than just organs.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week's story is connected to the Year Five story entitled “The Strange Chamber,” in which two friends visit a long-abandoned organ factory that's become a local urban legend. But there's also a side character who first appears in the Season One episode called “Ignotus” and then in a later episode called “Nocturnal.” (There's also a passing mention of a fictional television show from an episode called “The Last Honest Vampire.”)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Dark Organ Factory” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Abstract Vision #4” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Abstract Vision #6” “Abstract Vision #3” “Scary Theme #1” “Abstract Vision #2” “Abstract Vision #7” “Abstract Vision #9” “Abstract Vision #1” “Abstract Vision #4”   Music by FICUS PROSOUND* “The Escape Room Full Version” “Investigations Full Version” “No Way Out Full Version”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Ficus Prosound and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Ficus Prosound and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of the front facade of a dilapidated brick factory building flanked by dry bushes. Some windows are boarded up. A marquee at the top faintly reads, “Fabronical.” The rectangular image is made square with a top and bottom border that displays blurred sections of the main image with a vertical blinds type pattern overlaying. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along bottom center.

A woman with unique blood and a man with an uncanny sense of smell are targeted by a shadowy corporation seeking to shut down all research into synthetic blood.    Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction   Excerpt: Too much blood. Too much blood is dripping. He'll smell it. He'll find me. Once again, she stopped for a moment and leaned against a wall under the flashing red bulbs and the piercing alarm. She inhaled and drew the blood back into her body through the poorly sealed gash that arced over her shoulder. A dozen rivulets trickled up her bare arm.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. In an earlier story, I wrote about the invention of a synthetic blood substitute called “Modern Blood,” through the eyes of a patient who desperately needs it. This new story takes place several decades later and explores a couple of potential consequences of the invention. I also revisit a character from another story, who fits right in with the topic, a man with a supernatural sense of smell, from an episode called “Bloodhound Brody.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Unstable Blood” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “No Way Out Full Version” by FICUS PROSOUND (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by FICUS PROSOUND* “Investigations Full Version” “Following Clues Full Version” “No Way Out Full Version” “The Escape Room Full Version” “The Jigsaw Full Version”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Connected” “Cyber” “MDK” “Under the mask” “Doubts” “Complexe mind” “Master” “Men in black”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Ficus Prosound, Nicholas Jeudy, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy, Ficus Prosound, and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, figure seen from chin to mid-thigh, wearing a top with no sleeves, a shirt or blazer tied around the waist, and a watch around the left wrist. The ends of the figure's short hair dangle just below the chin. The right hand grips the left at the elbow. The left arm dangles. Rivulets of blood trickle from a wound on the left shoulder. They trickle down the arm, but also float across the body and out from the arm, condensing into larger blobs. Behind the figure is a glowing background with spatters bursting out from the center. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along figure's right hip.

A locked door, surrounded by scandal and rumor, stands in the middle of an office. No one ever goes in or comes out. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction     Excerpt: Every day on my way to my desk, I passed by a door with the words “PERMANENT DAMAGE” written on it. No one ever went in or came out—not that I'd seen anyway, and I'd been working at the firm for about a year. I asked people about the door, and the sign. They said there used to be another firm occupying our floor and the two below it. That door supposedly led to a defunct elevator that shuttled executives between the floors, leading directly into what used to be their fancy offices. Or it led to a laboratory space. Or some sort of obstacle course? The rumors abounded.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. What if there was no such thing as permanent damage? This question occurred to me at random, as thoughts sometimes do, but it seemed an interesting start to a story. I imagined the words “Permanent Damage” written on a door. What does it mean? What's behind the door? Is it dangerous? Is it wondrous? Is it nothing but a plaster wall? This story is inspired by the Season 4 episode, “My Homunculus Is Malfunctioning.”   Special Note: Next week's episode is a sequel and spoils the previous episode, “Modern Blood.” (In case this is something you'd like to know.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “What Is Permanent Damage?” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Monochromatic stain” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) “Abstract Vision #6” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Learning punch” “As it happenned (seamless)” “Cold case” “Unclassified” “Them droids” “Dark web” “Monochromatic stain” “Room 13” “Forensic” “DNA” “Profiler”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) Abstract Vision #6 Abstract Vision #9 Abstract Vision #3 Abstract Vision #1   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Front view of the top two-thirds of a closed door.  A hazy glowing light emanates from bottom left across the face of the door. Scattered bits of redacted text appear over and around the door. The visible words are as follows: Science…in its current state. Project Manager. Project No. Existent…charge and…key…fakery. The first letters of “project” and “existent” are cut off. Watermark of “Storyfeather” on door at left middle.

An inventor of a memory management device realizes his invention is showing him a memory he hasn't experienced, a dangerous memory. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction   Excerpt: “Memories are unreliable…” Max paused, hesitated actually. He'd rehearsed aloud what he was going to say so many times— despite not needing to remember the words— that he'd fooled himself into believing it all sounded reasonable. But now, he was about to say the words out loud to another person, the most critical person he could possibly tell his truth to..   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is inspired by the Season 4 episode, "My Homunculus Is Malfunctioning." I am again revisiting a theme or idea rather than the specifics of a previous story. Inventions, even when they do what they are invented and expected to do, sometimes have unintended effects. Some of those effects may be minor. Some major. The stakes get even higher when that invention is meant to directly affect the human body.  And trickier when the part of the human body they affect is the mind.    MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “My Every Existing Memory” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Men in black” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Trojan horse” “In search for” “Prisma” “The deal” “Connecting dots” “Doubts” “Negociation” “Forensic” “Genetic marker” “Reloaded” “Master” “Mindhunter” “Comatose” “Men in black” “Under the mask”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Composite image. Left bottom, a young man seen from his left side, from the shoulders up, with his eyes closed, and his hand in his hair. Faint words are visible in his hair. The word “Forward,” and below it, in reverse, the word “Backward.” He is in grayscale, while the rest of the image is in color. Behind and to his right is the façade of a diner seen from an angle. An “Open” sign hangs from the closed door. Four windows are visible. A sign above the door and windows reads “Singing Star.” Above the sign is a marquee with a huge five-pointed cartoon star hung in the center. The star has closed eyes with long lashes and an open mouth painted with lipstick. Beside the star are lines hung with musical notation symbols, flanked by more stars. Behind and to the left of the diner is a sign seen at an angle. The sign reads “Dr. V. Varma, Applied Transdimensional Theory, 8-9 PM, Auditorium.” To the sign's left is a set of two theater chairs. A backpack lies under the leftmost chair. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the young man's arm. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders depicting blurred, grayscale portions of the main image.

Wil Winsome is a magician-for-hire, whose newest case may involved excising a possessing spirit from a beloved and fragile grandmother. Genre: Fairy Tale, Horror   Excerpt: What I got from my mother was her hands. I am the only one among my brothers and sisters who can do real magic. It took study and struggle, true. I'm only half-fairy after all. I am also the only one because my brothers and sisters chose other paths. Paths less littered with singed parchment, bearing symbols written in the faded sepia of dried blood. Paths less meandering into the mouths of bat-filled caverns. Paths less soaked in potions made of dogs' breath and widows' tears.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week's story is connected to the Year One story entitled “The Dolls,” in which the character of Wil Winsome first appears, as a child, with four siblings, and an evil stepmother. MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Wandering Winsome” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trust Me” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) “Unsolved” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Devasted” “The forest” “Unsolved” “Northern dusk” “Ashes” “Orbs” “Horns” “Trust me” “Blood and bones” “The ritual” “Creatures of the night”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of composite image. On the right is a young woman seen from the back and the waist up, wearing a dark red coat and a satchel across her body, slung over her left shoulder. Her hair is tied in a braid that wreaths her head. Her right hand holds up a button, which sparkles with some magic. On the left, positioned behind the woman is a vaguely humanoid shadow holding up a hand with mangled fingers. In the middle foreground, not to scale, is the translucent image of a hound standing and facing out. The hound has three pairs of eyes and a curled segmented tail. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along right upper arm. The rectangular image is made square with a border at top and bottom with a vertical ripple pattern in colors that match the main image.

When Lucinda's dream of studying magic is dashed, she finds another chance in a grand royal contest that she's been forbidden to enter. Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: “Every spell I try turns to ashes. It was not my intention to teach myself. I merely have no other choice.”    What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story joins the several others where I write my version of a classic fairy tale. Lucinda has a couple of stepsisters, and a godmother shows up to help her get into an event. Hmm…whatever could this be? I've written other “alternate version” fairy tales. Here are a few: “The Green Magic Bean” based on “Jack and the Beanstalk” “The Crimson Hood” based on “Little Red Riding Hood” “The Dreaming Queen” based on “Sleeping Beauty”   And last week's episode: “Why Beauty Sought the Beast” (I'm certain you can figure out which fairy tale inspired this one)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Lucinda of the Ashes” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Medieval Theme 5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)* “Mystical Forest” “Dwarven Settlement” “Mausoleum” “Mines” “Labyrinth” “Crystal Caves” “Necropolis”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Medieval Theme 2” “Ice and Fire (peaceful part)” “Medieval Theme 1” “Medieval Theme 3” “Medieval Theme 5” “Adventure Track #1 (looped)” “Adventure Track #2 (looped)” “Medieval Track #1” “Lyric Voices #5”   Music by Lee Rosevere “Early Morning Song Finch Duet” *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Two hands seen from above, as if they were the viewer's hands, covered in ash. The left hand at bottom left is holding a glass container, like a beaker with a funnel top. The right hand at top right holds a glass rod. The index finger is held away from the rod. A drop of liquid hangs from the end of the glass rod, right above the opening of the beaker. A small figure with dragonfly wings hovers over the left hand. The beaker contains a vaporous liquid. A bright cloudy swirl begins at center behind the hands and darkens as it moves outward to the edges of the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along back of hand at upper right.

To be a beauty is both a burden and a boon. Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: Imelda's beauty—while it may not have impressed in a city or even a large town—was quite surpassing in their little village. Surpassing enough to catch the eye of those with greater means. The girl wished to be learned. She wished to explore. Perhaps her beauty could make it so could do what she dreamed of doing.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I've written other “alternate version” fairy tales. Here are a few: “The Green Magic Bean” based on “Jack and the Beanstalk” “The Crimson Hood” based on “Little Red Riding Hood” “The Dreaming Queen” based on “Sleeping Beauty”     MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “Why Beauty Sought the Beast” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Lonely day” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Evidence” “Inspector” “A band in the inn” “Lonely day” “Whispers” “Ashes” “Killer escape” “The edge of nightmare” “Unsolved” “On the way” “A story untold” “Underworld” “Stay (seamless)”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital image of a collage with four panels in two rows, close-ups of parts of a face. Top left panel, a person's sneering mouth with the canine teeth extended slightly. Top right panel, a person's left eye wide open as if in surprise. Bottom left panel, a repeat of the top right panel image, except now the eye is a different color, red and gold, the iris is vertically elongated, and the skin around the eye has sprouted small hairs. Bottom right panel, a growling mouth with long canines and a hairy face. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along edge of face at top right.

A young woman aims to save her fairy friend—who is hunted by a demon—by creating an inescapable trap.   Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy   Excerpt: Victoria did not know, when she untangled a wild mouse from the brambles in which it had been caught, that the mouse was not really a mouse. And Victoria did not see that there was a cat lurking behind the trees nearby. She was too busy running from trouble herself. So Victoria did not see the mouse transforming back into her native form. Short brown fur became dark blue skin. The long tail vanished. Membranous wings flicked open.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week's story is connected to the Year Two story entitled “The Shallow Book,” in which a novice museum employee finds an intriguing book of spells and stories.      MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Book of the Fairy Azurine” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Exploration Mystical Place (loop 1)” by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Potion Studio)* “Exploration Mystical Place (loop 2)” “Cue Nostalgic Story” “Exploration Mystical Place (loop 1)” “Atmosphere Cursed Voices” “Exploration Forest of Magic” “Cue Nature” “Atmosphere Persecution Danger Loop” “Holy Hymn” “Exploration Mystery (loop)”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Epic Drums” “Unbreakable” “Heart of Warrior NEW (Lyric Part Version 1)”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a young woman facing forward seen from the waist up.  At waist level is an open book with four streams of black smoke or fog flowing symmetrically out.  The woman's right hand points down to the book.  She holds her left hand up and out, her fingers sliced and bleeding in the middle.  Her mouth is open as if she is speaking. The faint outline of dragonfly wings shimmer behind the woman. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along hoodie at center.

Something has disrupted the ethereal force that imbues all creatures in the world with magic. Genre: Mythology, Fable   Excerpt: Once, in a long-forgotten age, every creature could live in every sphere. This was so because of an energy, a force that spun around and through the world. The elephants called it “ethereum.” The owls called it “magic.”   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. In this episode, I revisit a theme or idea rather than the specifics of an earlier story. Magic and flight. Flight with wings has always been an ability that has enchanted and fascinated me. I explored this in an earlier story, “The Gildenfaere's Gift.” In that story, magic is contained within a special creature. But what if magic was once as abundant in the world as air and water? And every creature needed it to live and could wield it as they chose? How then did the world come to be as it is now? (Seemingly) devoid of magic?   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.  The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “All the Magic Left the World” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Infinite Land” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) “Call of the wild” “Wide place” “In the shadows” “Runes” “Into wild lands” “Infinite land” “Monsters” “Shoreline”   All tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Various winged animals in the sky positioned at a diagonal from bottom left to top right. At bottom left a snake emerges from glowing clouds. The snake has two arms and is holding them out. Outspread wings appear from just behind the snake's head. Above and to the left of the snake a giant turtle swims through the air toward the viewer with outspread wings emerging from behind the forelimbs and smaller wings emerging from behind the head. A spider crawls on the turtle's shell. The spider bears eight wings. Behind the turtle at some distance an elephant descends. Faded feathers fall from the elephant's wings. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the turtle's underside.

There is only one currency that is able to abide at the nexus of all existence. In our world, we call it the black penny. Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: Touching the penny evoked a vision in my mind of a swirling whirlpool, not of water, but of stars. I felt a moment of calm sweep over me. The problems I faced were real and daunting and major. But there were things in the universe that dwarfed them. A little bit like how I dwarfed that little penny.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I once wrote a story based on the saying, “see a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck.” But luck can be fickle, can't it? That story is called “Copper Penny.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters.  Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   CREDITSStory: “The Black Penny Market” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Space Discoveries” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Abstract Vision #6” “Space Discoveries”   Music by TRG BANKS “Keith in 1987” “Interstellar Breakfast” “Insideoutworld” “New world” “Non-stop to Insideoutworld”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by TRG Banks at freemusicarchive.org/music/TRG_Banks Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Silhouette of a person who appears to be standing in mid-air, seen from a low angle. The person is wearing pants and a hoodie, and a raising up right arm. Just above the left shoulder is a small black circle, glowing slightly.  A multi-colored hazy bar of light originates from the circle, passes behind the figure, and angles to the bottom left corner, into a multi-colored gas cloud that leads into a fog. At top left corner a disc-shaped galaxy, the Milky Way. A translucent peach-colored bar angles up from the bottom right to the top right. Another similar bar angles to the left from the right side. A squiggly neon line connects the two bars. Colors drip upward where the two bars meet. The original image is made square by adding a top and bottom border with colors and shattered square discs in the same color scheme. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along figure's left arm.

Salis and Dulcine are not just twins, but the best of friends, despite their opposite natures; so when one of them falls into a deadly trap, the other will do anything to rescue their sibling. Genre: Fantasy, Mythology   Excerpt: Even when they were still babies, people noted their opposite dispositions, which only became more obvious as the two grew older. Salis was well-liked by all, for he was sweet from his twinkling honey-colored eyes to his warm voice. But some considered him too gentle and impressionable. So, despite being older by a few moments, he was many times defended by his salty sister, Dulcine, who also had eyes that twinkled, or rather glinted like a sharpened piece of flint, and sharp too was her tongue.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Year Three story entitled “The Brothers Joye and Sorow,” in which twin brothers with opposite natures are born: one able to laugh but never weep, the other able to weep to never laugh.   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.  The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Psst! The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “Salis and Dulcine” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Rage” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Immortals” “Elders wisdom” “Back in the village” “Infinite land” “Seasons” “In the shadows” “The forest” “Rage” “Flames on ice” “Call of the wild” “Dance of death” “For the king” "Fallen leaves"   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a young woman facing and leaning forward, seen from the waist up, eyes closed, right hand held out, left arm thrown back. Her face and right hand are tattooed. Silvery-black streams flow all around her.  Behind her to her right are the spectral figures of a smiling young woman holding a young man in a headlock, surrounded by orange light.  Behind all of them is the faint facade of a manor house. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom right.

When two siblings play a board game where they must collect seven magic rings, they discover that the game pieces may possess real enchantment.    Genre: Fantasy, Mythology   Excerpt: “I…am a Mystery mage.” “Awesome. What does that mean?” August frowned down at the game board. “I don't know. What do the rules say?” Nova was minding the rule book—or the guidebook as the cover proclaimed. She flipped through to the detailed descriptions of the seven rings.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Season 6 episode, “The Last Wish of Caducus the Wizard,” in which a dying wizard forges enchanted rings to help him speak to his baby granddaughter. And also to a Season 1 episode called “Imberflos.”   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “The Seven Rings of Necessity” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Mystical Town” by CHRIS LOGSDON (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro) Music by CHRIS LOGSDON* “Shady Town” “Mystical Town” “Mining Town” Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)* “Crystal Caves” “Dwarven Settlement” “Deceitful Castle” “Ancient Ruins” “Ice Cavern” Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Magic Within”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Chris Logsdon, Benjamin Carr, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov, Chris Logsdon, and Benjamin Carr at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a game board as seen from above.  A right hand holding a half-filled glass of water hovers over the board.  Two rings are visible on the hand, on the index and ring fingers. Printed on the gameboard are seven seven-sided polygons of various colors, randomly scattered across the board and connected by a path. Words are written in ornate lettering within the polygons, some visible, some not. The visible words read, “Blood, Light, Breath, Changes, Wonder, Mystery.” Three dice lie on the gameboard. Two cards are partially visible at bottom right. The top one displays a figure with raised arm and the word “Mage” at the top. The word “Healing” is visible on the card beneath. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left border of gameboard.

A young woman has trained and studied so that she could wield the mysterious powers she has inherited. Genre: Fantasy, Mythology   Excerpt: “Did I almost die or something?” I asked. My mom frowned. “Don't say things like that.” But then she glanced from side to side and peered at me. “Do you…see anything?” I shook my head. But I wasn't worried. I had studied the “pragmata agnosta,” the “things unknowable” since I was a kid. Since the day I accepted them into my body and became a living container for them, a living amphora.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story revisits the Year Four story entitled “Amphora Incarnate,” in which a young woman who has accepted the responsibility of being a physical vessel for unknowable powers and knowledge, begins to hear the voices of those powers on the eve of passing them on.   NEW MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “Pragmata Agnosta” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. PatelNarration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music:“Abstract Vision #6” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro and Outro)“Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*“Cozy Afternoons"“Evolving Cities”“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”“Forest Bathing”“Night Time (No Percussion)”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*“Scary Theme #2 (Version 2)”“Abstract Vision #6”“Medieval Theme 5”“Scary Theme #4 (Version 2)”“Abstract Vision #9”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Andrea Baroni and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A young woman, seen from nose to waist, with glasses and a bob stands with her back to the viewer and her hands in the pockets of her jacket. Emblazoned on the jacket's back is a symbol: an owl with wings outspread, as if swooping down to a landing, antlers extending along the inside of the owl's wings, and two spears rising from behind the owl. On the woman's right shoulder is perched a bird that looks like a small owl. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along jack just beneath the collar.

To rescue her child, Florisse places all her hopes upon a dangerous and alluring enchantment that may be broken. Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy   Excerpt:Florisse looked down at her daughter and spied the twinkle in the baby's eye. Perhaps she had caught hold of what she truly wanted after all. Baby Fawnette was not yet a year old, and as expected, she had upended the merry lives of her mother and father. Also, as expected, she had quite captured their hearts.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week's story is connected to the Season One episode entitled “The Everwalker,” in which a young woman dons a pair of enchanted slippers that promise to lead her to her true love.      NEW MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “The Whereverwalker” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. PatelNarration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music:“Escape and live” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro)“Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*“Transfiguration"“Winterheart”“The last stand”“Fallen leaves”“Call of the wild”“Runes”“In the shadows”“Flames on ice”“For the king”“Escape and live”“Sancta terra”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*“Medieval Track #1” *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a woman bent over in a running pose as she hovers over a misty chasm.  Behind her is a mountain afflicted with glowing cracks. The woman is wearing a pair of short boots with wings sprouting from the sides. There's a sling over one shoulder. Her long coat flutters behind her. The rectangular image at center is made square with borders at top and bottom with a blurred extension of the mountain's shape. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along mountain at right.

Spark has been wandering all her life.  But her wandering had no purpose, until she began searching for a home. Genre: Mythology, Fable, Fantasy     Excerpt: Spark had been traveling all her life. She'd never once landed in one place. But now she had. Now, she could be still. And she'd found this one place, this one twirling world. Exploring was exciting. But Spark was not quite exploring. She was searching for something. A place. One place. To settle. A home of her own.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. The inspiration for this story is the Season 5 episode, “The Flight of Flea.”  The story is about a bird that grew so small that no one could see him. Everyone called him “Flea.”  But he knew that he had another name, a name he'd forgotten.  If he could find out what his true name was, Flea believed he could grow big enough to be seen.   NEW MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE     MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “Castle, Cave, or Cloud” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Wide place” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Scroll of the wind walker” “Haven” “In the shadows” “Wide place” “Shadows and flames”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Medieval Theme 5”   Music by JONATHAN SHAW* “A Tale of Peace”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Jonathan Shaw, Nicholas Jeudy, Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov, Jonathan Shaw, and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A castle at center with three main spires flying pennants, battlements, and flanking symmetrical towers. The castle stands in front of a cave opening through which light pours. Moss grows along the cave walls. In front of the castle in the foreground is a bank of clouds. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along cave wall at right.

A little girl longs for the heroic queen of their realm to visit her dreams and help her face a nightmarish monster. Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy   Excerpt: “She did so come riding down out of the sky on a flying horse!” Carmen glanced around at the rest of her friends, daring anyone else to disagree. But no else did. She settled her gaze on the one who had interrupted her. Kavita crossed her arms and peered ahead with her cool dark eyes. Carmen continued to tell the gathered girls the wondrous tale of how she had met the royal dreamer, the sleeping sorceress, their queen.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on.   This story is connected to the Year One story entitled “The Dreaming Queen,” in which a reclusive princess, held hostage by an invader and usurper, has only one way to escape and save her people, her dreams.      NEW MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE     MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “A Crown of Moonbeams” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Haven” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Medieval Theme 2” “Lyric Voices #2” “Adventure Track #1 (looped)” “Scary Theme #1 (Version 3)” “Scary Theme #1 (Version 2)” “Army of Death (looped)” “Medieval Track #2”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Compass” “Haven” *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of two little girls holding hands and facing forward. One of them looks thoughtful, holding her free hand to her chin, while the other looks angry, holding her free hand in a fist.  Behind them in shadowy colors is the oversized figure of a woman seen from the waist up, in three-quarter view facing left, with flowing hair and regal dress, wearing a crown.  Her features are absent.  She wears a necklace with a glowing pendant.  The base of her crown also glows.  Behind the woman at the level of her shoulders is the crown again, enlarged and glowing, and casting up beams of light. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left side of the dress worn by the girl at left.

A town targeted by a warlord is defended by an unexpected army of...well, I'm sure you can guess. Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: The hilltop town of Adarak had a tradition of baking gingerbread men and setting them along the windowsills on the longest night of winter, facing outward, to keep the town safe from enemies— whether mortal or mystical. Many believed that this tradition arose in homage of the ginger-colored cloaks that the town guards wore, all the better to hide their movements through the forests and mountain surrounding the town. But every grandmother in town made sure to tell her grandchildren the true story of the tradition…   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Year Five story entitled “I Dreamed A Cookie,” in which a baking contest finalist takes inspiration from a locked-in-a-bakery-overnight dream.      ANGRY GINGERBREAD MERCHInterested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring this episode's Angry Gingerbread Giant design? Please visit my Store page here: STORYFEATHER STORE   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “The Gingerbread Guard” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Battle_1_normal (loop)” by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro) Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Secrets of Kingdom” “Steel Enemy” “Driving Force” “Ice and Fire (heavy part)” “Ice and Fire” “Magic Within” “Knight Rising” “Percussion Loop #16 (Version 3)” “Percussion Loop #17 (Version 2)” “Lyric Voices #2”   Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)* “Battle_1_normal (loop)” “Exploration_Forest Of Magic” “Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 1)” “Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 2)” “Locations_Medieval Tavern Song”   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a partial view through a window.  Lined along the inside, looking out are four gingerbread men. Three are iced with decoration and look angry. The fourth is smiling.  In the window's reflection is a giant gingerbread man wreaking havoc. His arms are raised and fingers curled down with menace. He is breathing fire down onto the ground. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along windowpane at bottom right. Format made square with borders at top and bottom that contain blurred elements from the main image.

A young journalist who thinks she's about to write a quick food truck review, observes something unusual about the truck, giant bugs that only she seems to see. Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy   Excerpt: What are they? Ria wondered, taking off her glasses and putting them back on. The bugs were blurry without her glasses, but still present. They reminded her of the iridescent green beetles that came out every summer. Except, these food truck bugs were graceful and quick. Who else can see them? No one else, it seemed, from the reactions of the food truck workers and the customers.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Season 7 story entitled “Welcome to Thoughtsburger,” in which a young journalist follows a lead straight into her dreams and to a diner that serves platters made from thoughts.    MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page here: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: “Pocket Pies from the Pocket Dimension” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “The Superiority” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro) “The Superiority” and “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Casual Theme #3” “Casual Theme #1” “Casual Theme #2” “Magic Within” “Lyric Voices #5”   Music by CHRIS LOGSDON* “Whimsical Town” “Mining Town” “Shady Town” “Level 1” “Level 4”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Chris Logsdon and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a young woman with a ponytail and glasses, seen from the waist up, centered and facing forward.  She's holding a hand pie in her right hand. Her left hand is in the pocket of her hoodie. A trail of colorful sparkles crosses in front of her and leads to a burst of light just above her head and to her left. To her right is the portion of a lamp post. Behind her and flanking her are two food trucks. The one at right (her left) bears a sign shaped like cartoon lightning that reads “Pizazz Pocket Pies.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along side of food truck at right. Rectangular horizontal image is made square by adding top and bottom borders with shapes and colors from the original image.

An inexperienced crew of administrators aspiring to be field operators are assigned to a distant star system, where they encounter a sentient nebula. Genre: Science Fiction   Excerpt: The newly appointed Captain Dorus gazed at his new crew, each one interviewed and hand-picked by him. The not-so-hotshot pilot, Orson, who retired early after she was nearly killed flying into a star during a practice maneuver. The experienced engineer, Rekha, whose tendency to tinker a little too much got her booted off the first four ships she was assigned to. A doctor, Shade, who had no specialty because she kept getting distracted by new discoveries. And the actor, Kellu, whose purpose there no one—including himself—quite understood.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt.  This idea came to me this morning, inspired by a binge-watch session of a show I once enjoyed (“Legends of Tomorrow,” Season 3).  I've always loved the idea of a ragtag crew onboard a spaceship having adventures and doing stuff together and…stuff.   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can be a renegade by getting tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)   CREDITSStory: “The Renegade D.O.R.K.S.” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro) Music by ANDREW SITKOV* “Abstract Vision #2” “Among the Stars” “Unknown Terrain” “Abstract Vision #7” “Abstract Vision #4” “Another World” “Dark Side” “First Contact” “Abstract Vision #1” “Space Discoveries”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Particle voyager” “Stars above” “Pursuit”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Partial view of the bridge of a ship from a low angle, showing three people from the waist up. Foreground right, a woman looking up and to the left with mouth parted. Center background, a man with hands resting on a wide flat panel and looking right. Background left, a woman with arms stretched out to another panel, looking down at the panel. A porthole on the ceiling shows a view of space.  Three support struts extend away from the porthole. The rectangular image is made square with a border at top and bottom. The border contains a vertical textured pattern with colors from the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along support strut near the middle figure's head.

Every ninth full moon, the Reptilian Vaudevillians put on a spectacular show that for one audience member is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Genre: Fable   Excerpt: No one will know of my crime. Tomorrow, I will die. And so will every one of my cohorts. The ones who came before are already dead. So none will know of my crime. Today, I should be searching for a mate. But instead, I am hiding in the shadows of leaves, having broken from tradition, from fate, from my duty.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?There is no official writing prompt, but I was prompted to think of this idea when I started drafting my first email newsletter and realized that all the stories I'd written in January 2020 thus far featured an animal.  First birds, then a dragon, then a tiger.  None of these animals were what they seemed.  None of them were ordinary animals.  So I figured I'd round out the month with another story centered around an animal.    MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)     CREDITSStory: “The Reptilian Vaudevillians” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by JONATHAN SHAW* “Spinning Tavern” “Midnight Creeping” “Showdown of Misdeeds” “Sinning Tavern” Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Oinions” “Winterheart” “Infinite land” “Double face” “La pomme” “Duality” “Shadows and flames” “Haven”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Jonathan Shaw is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Jonathan Shaw and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. An alligator, standing upright and seen from left, stepping forward with tail raised, and holding out a top hat in the outstretched right forelimb. Behind the alligator is a hazy curtain of moss drawn apart to either side.  Strands of sparkling lights are set in the curtains. Behind the parted curtains is only shadow. At bottom edge are the silhouettes of the heads of various animals. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the alligator's back.

After a young drummer commits the crime of “creativity without a license,” her bandmate discovers a way to protect her and all other unlicensed artists.  Genre: Science Fiction   Excerpt: “Tell me, as the band's leader, what is the future of Discordance now? Will you find a new drummer? Will you disband and follow individual careers? The fans are dying to know.” Kavita seen herself in interviews dozens of times before, and she'd felt many different emotions at seeing herself. Mortification, dissatisfaction, pride, amusement. This time she felt only anxiety. But it wasn't the anxiety of what had already happened. It was the rising anxiety of anticipation.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?If you could be in any band (past or present), what band would it be?  What would be your role? Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free. Sounds sweet to me.)   CREDITSStory: “The Drummer for Discordance” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by ROZKOL “To the Water's Edge”   Music by KOMIKU “Dreaming of you”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Abstract Vision #3” “Abstract Vision #6” “A&C Percussion Loop #11” “Abstract Vision #5” “Abstract Vision #2” “A&C Percussion Loop #3” “A&C Percussion Loop #14”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by ROZKOL is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Music by Komiku is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects made in Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Komiku and ROZKOL at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A girl sitting behind a full drum set, facing forward. The girl's eyes are closed and her body is tilted to the left, both bent arms raised and holding drumsticks above cymbals. The sticks glow with sparkles. The girl's long dark hair is whipping to the right. The tops of the three drums in front of her emit glowing threads of light. The drum at bottom bears a symbol. Translucent text at the bottom of the frame reads “The Drummer for Discordance.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along edge of cymbol near top right. The rectangular image is made square with a framing border that shows of a color-shifted larger version of the image's edges.

The unexpected demise of a witch on All Hallow's Eve prompts her faithful assistant to seek the answer to the question, “Who killed Edith Evilez?” Genre: Horror   Excerpt: “Who killed Edith Evilez?” the slightly malnourished young—or perhaps old—woman asked, as she thrust a dusty umbrella at a passing passerby. The asker's name was Trudy Trubbeld. And she had been standing at the corner, asking the question—or rather accusing the question—to various passersby since the death of her mistress and mentor, the aforementioned Edith Evilez, known to her enemies as Edie, and to her friends by no name, as she had no friends to call her by any name.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Write a 200-word newspaper obituary for your villain. Ready. Set. Novel. Writer's Workbook. Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant, and Tavia Stewart-Streit. Copyright © 2011. Chronicle Books.   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free. Simply diabolical.)    CREDITSStory: “Evil Edie's Surprise Demise” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Eternal life” “Witches” “At night” “The death of love”   Music by CHRIS LOGSDON* “Haunted Town” “Shady Town”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Mystical House” “Hidden Fear” “Evil is Near” “Funny Horror” “Scary Theme #3”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy, Chris Logsdon, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Chris Logsdon, Andrew Sitkov, and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Partial view of an obituary in a newspaper seen from a slight angle. At right is the image of a woman seen from shoulders up, wearing a collared cloak, face in three-quarters profile facing right, one brow and one corner of the mouth raised in a smiled, hair in a low bun at her neck. She holds up her left hand. The top half of a bat seems to be emerging from her palm. Another bat with outstretched wings facing forward appears just above her palm. At left, partial view of a column with text. The top reads “Obituary.” Below it reads “Edith Evilez.”  The following text is visible, with ellipses representing parts that are cut off as they are out of frame. “…vilez passed in terror and fright on the night of October 31…is yet to be determined according to one of three profane…she might have followed. She is survived by her faithful…ing and slightly malnourished assistant, her beloved pet…the partially sentient carnivorous pitcher plant that…otherwise fetid greenhouse. Sometimes joined forces…ogud and Ralph Rotneg. Gave stingily of her time and…ociety of Whisper-mongers. Was awarded the dishonor…allion for her work with wandering spirits. Served a…junior board member for the Pocket Goblin Company…in dental assisting, equine communications, and…Known for her collection of historical thimbles…corded by aforementioned faithful assistant were…Edith will be begrudgingly remembered by…mies for her stalwart efforts at frightening…the downtrodden, and the surprisingly delicate…the summer block party every year…one. Her passing being celebrated by all…manity, and goodness.” The rectangular image is made square by borders at top and bottom which contain blurred and distorted bits from the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” below the obituary text.

A young woman finally learns the truth about what happened when her grand-aunty accepted a dare to knock on the door of a mysterious manor. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: Naomi clicked on her recorder, took a deep breath, and asked her grand-aunty Z about the one thing that her mother and grandmother told her to never, ever, never, never, ever ask her about. “Aunty, what did you see when you went into Mausefalle Manor? And how is it that you got out when so many other people never did?” Her aunty, whose full name was Zelda, responded by glancing down at the plate on the coffee table between them. “Have a cookie.”   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Not a prompt. Recurring dream going into a house and getting lost.  Patterns of wallpaper are complex and dizzying.   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “Mausefalle Manor” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Dedale” “Broken keys” “Hunter's moon” “Evidence” “Blood and bones” “A dead heart” “After dark” “Dark echoes” “Past and secrets” “Sins and sinners” “Incantation” “The mirror” “Demon's cage”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center right, middle ground, a two-level manor house seen from a corner. A tower with parapets is attached to one side. The upper level along one wall is covered with a series of blinds. Weeds grow in the foreground. Rain falls at a slant from top right to bottom left.  A distorted ghostly outline of the house is reflected at left, sharing an edge with the house. Borders at top and bottom make the image square. The borders contain black-and-white blurred portions of the main image; the top of the image at top and the bottom of the image at bottom. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top wall of the manor house at right.

A family is haunted by a demon who collects the fallen baby teeth of the children, and who soon hungers for more and more teeth, even when there are none for them to offer. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: Many doctors and healers had tended to him. But the family he left behind, to whom he was beloved, blamed only one. The doctor of teeth. For before he came, the patient appeared to be suffering some pain but in general was in good spirits. It was poor luck, on the part of the doctor of teeth. The infection had already taken hold. None could have stopped it. But the family did not know this. And perhaps would not have cared if they did. For even if the man had lived, the screams he uttered during the surgery upon his teeth, those screams alone would have earned the doctor of teeth an enemy or two in the family.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Set limits—time limits, page limits, rules of rhyme or meter. Source: The Observation Deck. Naomi Epel. Copyright © 1994. Chronicle Books. The exercise or rather the challenge is merely this…write a story that is between 2500 to 3500 words, and no more.     MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE     CREDITSStory: “The Curse of the Tooth Demon” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Inspector” “Evidence” “Unsolved” “Mourning day” “Under my bed” “Just behind” “Demon at the door” “Killer escape” “Dark Secret”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Crouching amid shadows, tilted to the left of vertical, a humanoid figure with pale green mottled skin, white, bloodshot eyes with no irises, and a wide smiling mouth filled with long sharp teeth. The clawed left hand rests on the figure's knees, and the right hand extends forward toward the silhouette of a sleeping human figure seen in right profile at bottom foreground. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the bottom of the demon's palm.

Traveling on a road at night that cuts through the woods, one driver fears encountering dangers both natural and supernatural. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: The car had been behind me for a while, even before we turned onto Dollortop, the road that just barely split the sprawling woods that separated the counties. I gripped the steering wheel at ten and two, and glanced at the rearview mirror, as I eased my foot off the accelerator. My car began to slow.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Looks like this story was inspired by “Over the River and Through the Woods,” a Thanksgiving nursery rhyme. “Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandmother's (Grandfather's) house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, Through the white and drifted snow.” And so on. It's a long rhyme!   MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “Through the Woods at Night” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel  Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Unsolved” “The killer story” “I'm sorry” “Ruined” “Silence is dead” “Hope is gone” “Human monster” “Discovering the truth” “Whispers”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from inside a car at night facing the front windshield. At left, the driver's arms extend toward the steering wheel, held in both hands. On the dashboard, the radio dial, air vents, and glove box are just visible in the dark cabin. Beyond the windshield is a narrow road, bordered by bare-branched trees. In the rearview mirror appears a hazy shadow of shoulders and a head. Borders at top and bottom make the rectangular image a square. Hazy trees extend into the top border. The bottom border contains smears of color from the bottom of the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the glove box.

Be advised: This episode contains some intense music and sound effects.  A group of friends venture into an abandoned tunnel against the warnings of one of them, who senses there is something in the tunnel that won't let them get to the other side. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: Bradley rubbed his hands together and looked at Amora. “It's show time.” Phoebe walked over to Amora, whose dark-eyed gaze was still staring ahead at the tunnel. “Take your time,” Phoebe said. She wanted to tell Bradley to stop staring, but she figured it would only make Amora feel more self-conscious. “So?” Bradley said. “Is there anything in there?”   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt. Okay, so what if a group of friends find a haunted tunnel?    MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Mad Tunnel” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Lost in the maze” “The story behind her smile” “Once upon a time” “As if it comes” “The crypt” “Sacrifice” “Pitch black” “Panic attack” “Shadow tunnel” “Communication” “Trust me” “I'm sorry” “Experiment 8” “Sounds from the end” “Experiment 6”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At middle, view down a dark stony tunnel. Foreground, two people from behind and shoulders up. Person at left, seen in silhouette, holds one arm outstretched. Person at right, mostly in darkness, holds up a flashlight, shining it down the center of the tunnel. The light illuminates a man some distance away, lying on his stomach, propping himself up with both palms on the ground. The man looks forward, his brows raised. Visible in the light, on either side of him are thick legs ending in feet with curved claws. The legs belong to a massive bear-like creature standing over him. The creature's clawed hands are visible in the light. The rest of the creature is hidden in shadow. A border is added at top and bottom to make the rectangular image square. The border contains patterns that match the stony texture and circle shape of the tunnel. Top border contains two hazy red points aligned next to each other. At middle left, watermark of “Storyfeather.”

A bard embarks on a quest to discover what it is that the dragons guard at the center of a maze made of the primal cosmic elements.  Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: Once upon a time, there was an ocean of water and at the center of this ocean of water was an ocean of sand and at the center of this ocean of sand was an ocean of air and at the center of this ocean of air was an ocean of fire. This ocean of fire was the realm of the dragons.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Prompt: Write a short story beginning with the line “Once upon time…” Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers     MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “That Which Dragons Guard” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by CHRIS LOGSDON “Mystical Town”   Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)* “Crystal Caves” “Ice Cavern” “Underwater Temple” “Mystical Forest” “Ancient Ruins” “Orchestral Battle Theme 4” “Miscellaneous Battle Theme 3” “Miscellaneous Battle Theme 1” “Mausoleum”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Benjamin Carr and Chris Logsdon licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Benjamin Carr and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Right half, partial view of a dragon, facing forward, seen from chest up. Wings are raised but folded down. Head is curved down from a long neck. Two horns slightly curving down extend from behind the eyes, which look down at the black silhouette of a human at bottom left, seen from the shoulders up. Behind the human and the dragon's chest is a bright light shining on a rocky surface. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the dragon's left wing.

A small team of marine explorers searches for a treasure from an arcane myth, a jewel that fell from the heavens.   Genre: Science Fiction   Excerpt: “So the gods order the sea fairies to wreck the ship,” Dalil continued. “I mean tear it apart until nothing is left, not even a single plank for the princess to grab onto to survive. But here's the thing, the thing that the king didn't know and the gods didn't know—because they never paid attention to the girl. She was great friends with the fairies of the sea. She loved the beaches of her kingdom. And she loved the sea. And she would bring the fairies gifts from the gifts she received, and gifts that she had made herself, and she learned their language. So even though she didn't ask them to save her, they saved her.”   “This story is about to take a turn, isn't it?”    What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Rory's Story Cubes.  Story Cubes Voyages.  Rolled all nine die.  In no particular order…Crown Open chest (treasure chest)Submarine Monkey on a branchWorried expressionSix BeansParamecium Camera Crab   MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price. The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Nimasterion” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by LEE ROSEVERE “The Long Journey” “Thoughtful” “Cosmic Drifting” Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Learning punch” “Under the mask” “The deal” “Negociation” “Doubts” “Master” “Trojan horse” “Men in black”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.comFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from inside a vessel. Two people, seen from the back, sit in chairs in front of a round window, a control console between them. The console bears a label with the letters “MAG.” The person at right pulls down on a throttle on the console. The person at left points out of the window with the right hand and holds the first two fingers of the left hand on a wall panel at left. Cables hang down from upper right. In the cabin behind the pilots' section, part of a monitor is visible. The monitor is labeled “Station 3” along the vertical edge. The horizontal edge bears the label “Science,” though the last two letters are cut off. Below the monitor is a container bearing an arrow pointing up along one side, and the letters “AGILE,” presumably the word “fragile” with the first letters cut off. The top of the container is labeled “MAG.” At bottom left corner, partially visible, is a display labeled “CAM19.” One of the triangular sectors on the display is labeled minus-five. At bottom the word “forward” is visible, and the letters “METRY.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along container at bottom right. The rectangular image is made square by adding a top and bottom border with a curving portal-like pattern that matches the colors of the main image.

The heiress of an unexpected fortune learns the cost of becoming too attached to her newfound riches after she is cursed by a magical vagabond.  Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: “But beware that you cling too tightly to your riches, madam. For gold likes best to glitter in the light, and if you confine it, it will seek to fly away. Your treasure will turn against you.”  “So says one who has no treasure,” Gilda said. “Your words are as empty as your pockets.”  The old man raised his voice, for the carriage was now moving away. “A necklace is a noose and a ring is a sting. What is yours is yours no more. You have lost everything.”   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Write about a very rich person who loses everything. Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers     MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price. The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Treasure of Gilda” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro) Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)* “Crystal Caves” “Labyrinth” “Mystical Forest” “Ice Cavern”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Evidence” “A story of gold” “Dark fields” “Unsolved” “Inspector” “Whispers” “Sun and moon” “Winterheart” “Emblem”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Benjamin Carr licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Benjamin Carr and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, a chest seen from an angle with the lid partly open. A glowing yellow light bursts out from the chest. Several yellow birds, each surrounded with a glowing and sparkling light, are scattered in flight around the chest, one of them perched at one edge of the open chest. The rectangular image at center is made square with a border at top and bottom that show blurred portions of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” on inside lid of chest.

A young mage facing a difficult homecoming finds a treasure by the side of the road, a stolen treasure whose true owner she cannot find, and whose last owner is a terrible troll. Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: With one hand, she raised the sack, as she waved the other before her eyes, casting a lensing spell that would allow her to see any magical markings upon the sack. Indeed there was a magical mark, not on the sack, but on its contents. The sack was filled with gold coins, and they all bore the scrawling scratching mark of a claim in a script she could not read, but recognized at once. The script of the trolls.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?You find $1000 on the street.  What do you do with it? Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. The eBook is out now. It's a #1 new release, and for a limited time you can get it for a special launch price. (Print versions are imminent.) The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon. Or you can find visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Mage, the Troll, and the Gold Coins” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “A story of gold” “Compass” “The village” “Secret water” “Don't move” “Shadow forest” “Home” “The plan” “Shields up” “Out of the temple” “They follow”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A cloaked woman seen from waist up facing and looking forward through half-closed eyes. Her left hand is held forward with palm up and fingers curled. Her bent right arm is held to the side with hand over the head, first two fingers flourished. Sparkling lights swirl around her. Faintly visible behind and above the woman are two eyes with vertical pupils and thick furrowed brows. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along woman's cloak at bottom left.

When Baron Raven discovers a rare gem in his mines, he performs his duty by making a gift of the gem to his liege, King Monkey. Genre: Fable   Excerpt: In the mines within the five mountains that lay at the kingdom's borders, Baron Raven discovered a most wondrous stone. Even in its raw form, it shone with a cosmic gleam that kindled the baron's curiosity. The gears of his clever mind spun and whirred.     What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Rory's Story Cubes. Story Cubes Voyages Roll Mountains (five) with a path leading to them and a moon/sun in the sky Blackbird (raven) Old-timey ray gun (like 50's sci-fi shows) Monkey on a branch Three gears Old camera Stick figure face looking sheepish(?) and wearing a bandanna over their head Closed sack full of something Necklace with a gemstone pendant that is octagon cut MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my first ever book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. The eBook is out now. It's a #1 new release, and for a limited time you can get it for a special launch price. (Print versions are coming soon.) The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE     CREDITS Story: “Baron Raven's Magnificent Gift ” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro) Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Of sun and sand” “The bard” “A way to find the truth” “A way to find another truth” “Desert dance” “Scroll of the wind walker” “In the shadows” “Primal” “The lightkeeper” “Haven” “Infinite land”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A stained glass octagon-cut gem at center, each facet a different color. The lines of the outer facets extend beyond the gem, forming glowing rays around the gem, each ray a different color. The largest rays or sections contain symbols. The top section, the sun with nine rays; the left section, a five-pointed star; the bottom section, a flame; and the right section, a crescent moon. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top of ray extending to bottom right.

The seemingly empty cardboard box that a student uses for a school project still contains something.  Something unexpected…and unnerving. Genre: Science Fiction   Excerpt: “What?” I asked. “Is it a bug?” “There's an eye, Mallow. It's looking.” I leaned over the box, now thinking that a picture of an eye from something my mom ordered had scared my brother. Just as I peeked inside, he said, “It's blinking.”   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?List as many uses as you can think of for a cardboard box. Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   MY FIRST EVER BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. The eBook is out now. It's a #1 new release, and for a limited time you can get it for the special launch price. (Print versions are coming soon.) The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon. Or you can find it on my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Celestial Gobbler” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by JONATHAN SHAW* “Checking Inventory” “Thoughts” “Midnight Creeping” “Treading the Unknown”   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Story at Night” “Scary Theme #3” “Evil is Near” “Scary Theme #1” “Scary Theme #5” “Scary Theme #4”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov and Jonathan Shaw licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Jonathan Shaw and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.netFind more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.ukFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A cardboard box seen from one edge sitting on a tabletop. The box's flaps are open. Inside, partly visible, is a sphere encircled by a ring. Extending out from beside the sphere are two thin limbs. One bends down and rests a three-digit appendage on the tabletop. Another extends through the ring and to the left behind the box, one digit visible on the tabletop. A thin tendril drops down over the corner of the box. Next to the box at right is a pencil holder containing several colored pencils. In front of the box is a glass globe ornament. A partly rolled tube of paint spills paint over the table edge from its uncapped opening. At left, several buttons are scattered over the tabletop. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the box flap at left. The rectangular image at center is made square with a top and bottom border with blurs of color that extend from the colors of the main image.

In a desperate moment, a mage casts an unpracticed spell to save himself, but may have doomed himself instead... Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: Of course Panofus knew the procedures and had run many drills, but he had never expected to use that particular part of his training. He should have paid more attention to the rumblings and rumors of demonic invasion. He had a plan for escape. A simple plan. If he could see his whole self in a mirror and reverse the image in his mind, he would be able to cast the spell of invisibility upon himself and escape.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?If you could be reincarnated as an animal, which animal would you choose and why?  Write about your first day living as that animal. Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “Panofus” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Runes” “Flames on ice” “The last stand” “Blood on snow” “Call of the wild” “Fallen leaves” “Northern dusk” “Winter guild” “White river” “Written in stones” “Adventure”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At bottom center, a man seen from shoulders up, facing forward and looking down. Five hazy glowing lines are arrayed behind his head. Each line leads to an animal, depicted as an outline filled with a different solid color. Clockwise from bottom left is a standing dog, a fish with body bent to the side, a bird positioned vertically with outstretched wings, a monkey sitting on a branch, and the head of a hippo emerging from water with mouth open. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along bottom center. The rectangular image is made square with borders at top and bottom that display a pattern of squares in colors that match the colors of the main drawing.

While authorities search for a tiger that escaped from the local zoo, a group of people take shelter in a diner, not really worried about their safety, until a stranger appears who seems to have been attacked. Genre: Fable   Excerpt: Sally got on the phone, and I could tell she was calling her neighbor to ask if they would look out for Frankenstein (their calico cat). He was an outdoor cat and young. He could probably run faster than other animals that were a threat, but another cat might be a different story. Sally pulled the phone away from her head. “Anyone know how fast it can run? Have they said?”   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Prompt: You hear on the news that a dangerous animal has escaped from your local zoo and has been spotted in your neighborhood.  Write what happens next. Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “What the Tiger Remembered” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by LEE ROSEVERE “Awkward Silences (version b)” “All the Answers” “Heat Haze” “Thoughtful” “Betrayal” “Awkward Silences (version a)”   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Reloaded” “As it happenned” “Secret agent” “DNA” “Creatures of the night”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.comFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Head of a tiger from nose to base of ears, facing and looking forward, slightly offset to left, framed by shadow. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left side of nose. Border at top and bottom to make the image square contains a pattern from the main image.

Ah, the curious ways in which the wonders of our childhood manifest when we are older. Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: I woke up to watch it walking into my room through the open door. I didn't remember closing the door. But I always closed the door, so it should have been closed. Part of its tail trailed off beyond the open door that I don't remember leaving open. It just sat there, or stood there, and I sat in bed, watching it. I didn't say anything. I felt so tired. My eyes were sore. They wanted to close. And I didn't feel scared for some reason, even though there was a wild animal in my room.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Have you ever cheated on a school homework assignment or a test?  Do you still regret it today Answering as a character. (Didn't write down source in draft!)   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “Opossumillo” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Story at Night” “Mystical House” “Scary Theme #1” “Medieval Theme #1” “Medieval Theme #2” “Hidden Fear” “Ice and Fire (peaceful part)”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov licensed from GameDev Market Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Seen at an angle, the cover of a comic book. At bottom left a label reads, “Approved by the Kid Comics Alliance.” The last few letters of the last word are cut off. To the right of this is text reading, “They eat fear for breakfast…” with the rest of the words cut off. At top of frame is the word “Opossumillo.” Between the frames that contain text is the depiction of a creature, seen from the left side, with the body of an armadillo and the head of an opossum, and a frill around its neck. The creature's mouth is open. Caught in the mouth is a creature whose bottom is a long stem and whose top has two outstretched limbs and a head with spiky protrusions.  The face bears wide eyes and an open mouth.  The shadows of other similar creatures extend across the page behind the opossumillo. The central image is made square with top and bottom borders that depict blurred grayscale portions of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom left.

A man keeps waking up in a sweat, breathless, and on the verge of tears, but he can't remember his dreams. Then one day, he wakes to find something disturbing on his hands. Genre: Mystery   Excerpt: And then he woke up. He huffed out a breath and gasped. He was covered in sweat, even though the room was cool. His eyes were still shut, but he felt the wetness gathered at the rims of his eyelids. He squeezed and a tear rolled down from the corner of his eye and wet the outer rim of his ear. Right away, he calmed. The intensity of whatever emotion he'd been feeling that brought him to tears just vanished.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Write a story that ends with the line: “And then he woke up.”Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Waking of J” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Monochromatic stain” “Cold case” “Experiment 3” “Dead files” “Profiler” “As it happenned” “Experiment 7” “FBI” “Genetic marker” “Complexe mind” “Unclassified”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from perspective of a person sitting up in bed looking down at their hands, with their outstretched legs and bare feet beyond. The left hand is turned palm down. The right hand is loosely held palm up. The words “Don't Try to Remember” are written in all capital letters on the palm. At upper left is the corner of the room with an open door. Against the far wall, from left to right is the bottom of a tripod, and a satchel leaning against a trunk or chest. Framing borders with a square ripple effect. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left edge of left hand.

When one flower asks for every passing creature to help her attain the gift of motion, she finds no luck, until she meets a cat named Serendipity. Genre: Fairy Tale   Excerpt: Once upon a time, flowers lived long lives. They are now known to be fleeting, for the most part. They bud. They bloom. They grace the world with their beauty. And then they die. But it was not always so. They lived long lives indeed. Longer than creatures with many legs. Longer than creatures with four legs. Longer than creatures with two legs. And sometimes, even longer than the long-lived beings of the deep.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt, another what if…?What does a treacherous human, a compassionate cat, and a long-suffering rock have in common?   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “When Serendipity Met the Flower” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro) Music by JONATHAN SHAW* “Thoughts” “Afternoon Chat” “Spinning Tavern” “Checking Inventory” “A Bitter Hope” “Encounter of Misdeeds” “Treading the Unknown” “Cold Sanctuary” “Lingering Evil” “A Dream of First Flight” “In Tranquil”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Jonathan Shaw licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk and gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A zinnia flower in bloom atop a bed of leaves. From the flower's center emerges the top half of a humanoid woman with her head and shoulders thrown back and her arms stretched out to her side. From her back there emerge two diaphanous wings. Bright beams of light burst out behind her. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top edge of her left wing. Image is made square with borders at top and bottom that contain streaks of color matching the drawing at center.

After the laughing Sun learns a terrible lesson about the power of her radiance, she flees the sky, and her sister, Moon, ventures into the cosmos to find her. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt: Mischievous, capricious, boisterous Sun never took her cosmic duty seriously in her younger days. Many cast light upon the mortal world, but only one, only Sun cast warmth upon the mortal world. For Sun was always laughing. Always. And her great warmth came from her perpetual laughter.  Her elder sister, Moon, cast a light that was calming and dim enough to let other lights shine, like the stars and the planets.   What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Look up at the sky. What is the weather like today?Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “When the Sun and Moon Fled the Sky” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Sancta terra” “Dark fields” “()” “Before the dawn” “Sunrise” Music by LEE ROSEVERE “How I Used to See The Stars” “Decompress” “Cosmic Drifting”   *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.comFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Two humanoid figures facing forward seen from the waist up. At right a figure glowing orange and yellow with long flaming orange hair. The figure throws back her head with mouth open, left arm held to the side, right arm extending across the second figure and reaching behind that figure's shoulder. The figure at left drapes her left arm around the first figure's shoulder and holds the right hand at the first figure's stomach. The second figure's face is a cool white tinged with purple. A glowing purple-white halo rings the second figure's head, which is tilted toward the first figure. They stand before a starry expanse. At bottom right corner is a fiery glow. At top left corner is a blue-white glow. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the fiery figure's left arm.

Two friends notice a mysterious new patron at their famed local laundromat, who always uses the same machine to wash the same few clothes the same way every time. Genre: Fantastic Mystery   Excerpt: Yolie and Luxe were “laundromat” friends, who had become actual friends over the course of the past year. And Burgundy was the most intriguing patron to appear in Mervin's Laundromat since the day the two friends met there. They didn't know the mysterious new patron's actual name—well, relatively new. It had been a few weeks. Burgundy always came in wearing the same glossy burgundy raincoat. They always wore the same amber-tinted glasses. And they washed the same clothes, the same way, every single week.     What's the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Write a short story based in a laundromat.Source: A Writer's Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers   COMING SOON…my book!Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. I've put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer's Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish. Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more? To find out how to get my book or my merch please visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE    I've Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE   CREDITSStory: “The Mystery of Washing Machine Three” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro) Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)* “Ground Control” “The Tech Show” “Fugue For One Synthetic Heart” “Forest Bathing” “Fast Lanes Light Rain” “Cozy Afternoon” “You Were Always In The Right Place” *These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Andrea Baroni licensed from GameDev Market Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.   Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from inside an empty washing machine, looking through the window of the closed door at two people, seen from waist up, who are looking into the machine. The person at right wears glasses and holds a pile of folded clothes. Both are leaning down slightly, shoulder to shoulder, and have their brows slightly raised. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the curve of the washing machine door at upper left.