A Wish Upon the Fountain Fish

Fri, 10 May 2024 06:45:00 +0000

The youngest of three siblings makes a wish at a mall fountain, where unseen fish supposedly live, helping people’s wishes come true.

Genre: Fairy Tale

 

Excerpt:
I twisted my mouth to one side, and stared at the coin that I held in the middle of my palm.

“There’s a scientific explanation for it,” my sister said. 

"For what?” I said, glancing up at the fountain. We were standing three feet away from it.

"For the wishes coming true.”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Rory’s Story Cubes. I rolled three cubes. They landed on “fish, magnifying glass, and fountain”

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

  

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Wish Upon the Fountain Fish” 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 JONATHAN SHAW*
“Checking Inventory”
“Afternoon Chat”
“In Tranquil Spring”
“Market on the Sea”
“Thoughts”
“A Tale of Water”

*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.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw 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. At left, a child seen from waist up and from the back, wearing a bright hoodie and a flower pin in short bobbed hair, with right arm bent at the side, and right hand holding a coin. The child stands in front of a fountain with a central goblet-shaped piece spouting water over the edge. A smaller goblet-shaped piece sits above the first, spouting water, and another piece that extends beyond frame spouts water down.  Small translucent fish swim in schools and clusters in the air around the fountain. Watermark of “Storyfeather” around bottom curve of fountain.

 

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The Everyday God Who Wished to Sleep

Fri, 03 May 2024 07:03:00 +0000

Alert: This episode contains heartbeat sound effects.

Long ago, the human heart experienced an extraordinary change, all because one god wanted to find a quiet place to sleep.

Genre: Mythology

 

Excerpt:
A tale was once told among the ancestors of the people who live at the base of the great mountain to the north, from which a waterfall plummets into a river that winds across the land. The people who now live in that rich and lovely place still remember the tale of how and why their ancestors’ hearts once grew still and frigid. And they still remember what part the everyday gods played in the tale.

 

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Finish the sentence, “I wish I could…”
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Everyday God Who Wished to Sleep” 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”
“Flying Fortress”
“Ice Cavern”
“Underwater Temple”
“Ancient Ruins”
“Fire Dungeon”
“Mystical Forest”

 

*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 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 Benjamin Carr at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A human torso. The entire expanse of the chest contains the image of a heart symbol split into four chambers. The borders of the heart are composed of tiles like a mosaic. Kneeling on left knee in front of the heart, and seen in left profile, is a humanoid figure in a costume reminiscent of a court jester, with a headdress shaped like feathers, and long straight hair. The left arm, held bent and slightly extended, is covered in flower and circle tattoos. The left hand is held palm up and a flame rises up from the palm. Border at top and bottom with square textures matching the colors of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along edge of bottom right chamber.

 

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The Moths in the Moon

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:09:00 +0000

A moth dreams of visiting the Moon, but is too small to fly all the way.

Genre: Mythology

 

Excerpt:
When first the moths alighted in the world below, the land of earth, they did so out of curiosity. And they did so because they were sent forth from their home by their creator. Their home and their creator were one and same, and she bore the name Moon.

And she was the moon.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
You’re a moth; what is your flame?  What draws you to it?
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Moths in the Moon” 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)*
“Compass”
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“Don’t move”
“Here we go”
“The plan”
“Seasons”
“Elevation”
“Infinite”
“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 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.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing.  Top center, the glowing disc of the moon under a dark sky. The bottom part of the disc is obscured by a Luna moth seen from the top, wings outstretched.  A thin string connects the moth to another moth beneath, a small Cinnabar moth, also seen from the top with wings outstretched. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along inner curve of moon at top right.

 

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The Swallow Who Was a Willow

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 00:32:00 +0000

A prideful swallow is cursed and changed into the form that she finds most abhorrent, a tree.

Genre: Fable

 

Excerpt:
The swallow was a happy bird, but also somewhat superior. Nothing brought her joy the way flying did. Slicing through the clouds and flicking the air with the perfect points of her tail. She believed that birds were the supreme creatures of the world. Because they could fly. Some insects could fly as well, of course. But birds could fly higher, faster, and farther than any insect.

The happy swallow pitied any creature who could not fly.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
EXERCISE: Grab a book off the shelf—any book!  Don’t bother searching for anything in particular.  Open it at random and begin reading.  Write down every idea you get from reading what is on that single page. Now turn to another page and do the same thing. Later, scroll down the aisle, pick another book whose title arouses your curiosity; once again open the book at random, and record any ideas that come to mind.

Source: The Daily Writer: 366 meditations to cultivate a productive and meaningful writing life. Fred White. Writer’s Digest Books. 2008.

20 Master Plots and How to Build Them (And How to Build Them). Ronald B. Tobias. Writer’s Digest Books. 1993. I landed on page 151, the chapter on metamorphosis plot.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Swallow Who Was a Willow” 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 JONATHAN SHAW*
“Checking Inventory”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“In Tranquil Spring”
“Visions of Freedom”
“A Bitter Hope”
“Thoughts”
“Heated Lands”
“Afternoon Chat”
“A Dream of First Flight”

 

*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.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw 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. At center a tree that splits off to two main branches close to the base, and splits further out into gnarled bare branches that extend across the top half of the image. Under the right side of the tree is a swallow in flight, seen from the top.  The shadowy silhouette of another swallow appears in the background on the left side. Patterned and color-matched borders added at top and bottom to make the rectangular image a square. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom right.

This is episode #333. Gasp! What does that mean?

 

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John's Fellow Passengers

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 06:45:00 +0000

After a man stuck in the middle seat of a long flight wishes he had more room in his row, his wish comes true: his seatmates start vanishing.

Genre: Mystery

 

Excerpt:
But saying it out loud, he sounded a little foolish to himself, so he laughed and waved a hand. “I’m probably just being a worrywart for nothing. But I figure better safe than sorry.”

The flight attendants agreed. And they said they’d look for his missing seatmates, and if they returned in the meantime, they asked if John would come back and let them know. They would be serving the final snacks for the flight in about fifteen minutes. They would check in with him then.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Create a scene in a new environment. Make that environment extreme. Put your characters in unusual positions--working beneath a car or reaching for something while standing on a chair. By placing physical constraints on a character, you increase the dramatic effect of your words.

Source: The Observation Deck. Naomi Epel. Copyright © 1994. Chronicle Books.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

CREDITS
Story: “John's Fellow Passengers” 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 LEE ROSEVERE
“It’s A Mystery”
“Making A Change”
“Small Steps”
“Thoughtful”
“Gone”
“Decompress”
“Betrayal”
“Going Home”
“Universe Calling”

 

Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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 Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Diagram. Partial view of an airplane, from nose to just behind the wings, displaying the configuration of seats. At top left are two fields. Top field reads, “Welcome, John. D.” Field below it reads, “Time remaining: 1:34.” A key to the right of the nose displays four boxes with text to the right: a purple box labeled “Available: First Class,” an orange box labeled “Available: Business Class,” a green box labeled “Available: Frugal Class,” and a clear box with a slash from top left to bottom right labeled: “Unavailable Reserved.” There is one center aisle. At the front of the plane are three rows of first class seats with four seats to a row. Behind this are five rows of business class seats with six seats to a row. Behind this are frugal class seats at six seats to a row, with rows more closely spaced than business class. The rows of frugal class seats continue to the bottom of image, separated into three visible clusters. One of the seats, third row down, second seat over is highlighted in red, and a line extends from it to a text box at left labeled “11B.” Above this box is a field labeled, “Your seat selection.”  Below the seat number is a field with three buttons labeled, “Upgrade $29.99,” “Confirm,” and “Cancel.” Borders at right and left make the original vertical rectangular image into a square. The borders contain faded close-up insets of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the side where the right wing connects to the body.

 

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Stranded in the Green and Gold

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 06:45:00 +0000

Two passengers find themselves alone just after takeoff, on a plane that seems to be floating in some substance that the passengers can only define as being green and gold.

Genre: Science Mystery

 

Excerpt:
If we were asleep, and the plane crashed into an ocean with green-and-gold water, and we’re now sinking, and the rest of the passengers managed to get out, then how did they all get a chance to take their luggage? And how did they then close the cabin doors again?

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Prompt: That was the last thing I needed to see in the middle of take-off.  And then there was that noise I kept hearing.  Was that sound normal on a plane?

Oops, I’m not sure about the origin of this prompt. Per my notes, this came from an app called “Fictionprompter,” but I don’t remember this app. And couldn’t find it on a casual search.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Stranded in the Green and Gold” 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)*
“Forensic”
“As it happenned”
“Prisma”
“Nightfall”
“Haunted spaceship”
“DNA”
“Experiment 4”
“Pitch black”
“Connecting dots”
“Genetic marker”
“Between two worlds”

 

*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. Two women seen from behind fly through a green and yellow substance, leaving streaming wakes behind them, toward an airplane seen from behind at upper right. The woman at left and slightly ahead looks back at and stretches one arm out toward the other figure. The other woman has both arms held to the side and close to the body. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom center. Borders at top and bottom to make the image square contain faint stamps of the figures, plane, and substance.

 

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My Food Is Speaking to Me

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 23:23:00 +0000

Do the voices coming from the food in my fridge and pantry want to harm me, help me, or just…be? 

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“Tell me I’m sane,” I said.

There was a pause on the other end. And then he finally spoke. 

“I refuse.” 

I sighed. “Freddy, come on.”

“Give me some context, then.”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Describe each day of the week as food.
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “My Food Is Speaking to Me” 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
“Decompress”
“Thoughtful”
“Start the Day”
“Under Suspicion”
“It’s A Mystery”
“Reflections”
“Slow Lights”
“Awkward Silences (version a)”
“We’ll Figure it Out Together”

 

Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects created with Audacity
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 Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A fully stocked refrigerator seen from an angle with the door opening out to the left. The top third contains a freezer section. Recognizable items in the door are bottles at bottom, milk cartons, jars, butter (labeled), and at top, ice cream and a bag of chicken nuggets (labeled). Recognizable items in the main compartments include vegetables, a carton of eggs, a covered bowl, and flat cartons labeled “pizza” and “pepperoni.” Text bubbles surround the refrigerator. The three at left read as follows from top to bottom: “On toast? I’m in,” “Time for tacos. Lime for tacos,” and “Saute in me!” The five at right read as follows: “Why wait for Sunday?” and “Scramble me,” “Poach me,” “I want to be a pot pie,” and “Stew us!” (four times).

 

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Madeleine Miriam's Pizzapothecarium

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 07:50:00 +0000

During his first week working at a unique pizzeria, Ronnie encounters some uncanny late-night customers, who place an order for the rarest pizza on the menu.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“What…what will this one do?” Ronnie asked as he folded fresh rosemary leaves and parmesan flakes into the dough.

“It’ll make the customer swoon with pleasure upon first bite is what it will do.” Madeleine Miriam cocked an eyebrow. “And it’ll treat those infected gums on the left side of his jaw.”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Describe your favorite food in no more than five words.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers
(The five words I wrote were, “Cheesy, chewy, crispy, saucy, zesty.”)

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Madeleine Miriam's Pizzapothecarium” 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)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Ground Control”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Evolving Cities”
“Forest Bathing”

 

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 2”
“Level 8”
“Level 1”

 

*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 Chris Logsdon 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 Andrea Baroni and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Lying on a tabletop at left seen from one corner is a pizza box that’s slightly open to show a pizza with multiple toppings within. The box is labeled “Pizzapothecarium” along the front overlapping edge. The bottom edge reads “Supreme,” “Double Pepperoni,” and “Triple Sparkle.” Each choice has a checkbox in front of it. A fourth option is obscured by a small bottle sitting in front of the box, with a label on a string attached around the neck. The right edge of the box is labeled “Madeleine Miriam’s.” The top of the box, at a steep angle, shows a smiling woman from waist up holding up a pizza at shoulder level in the hand of her bent right arm, and resting her left hand on her hip. At right, four bottles stand on the tabletop: two with caps, one with a cork stopper, and one with a glass stopper. One label reads “Essence T. Aquaticus” with further writing below that is illegible. One bottle is labeled with a number “1,” and another with the number “9.” Words appear above the numbers but only a few letters are visible. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along bottom of pizza box. Top and bottom borders to make the image square contain distorted portions of the main image.

 

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Magenta Banana

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:56:00 +0000

Three friends decide to do their science project on a forgotten novelty invention, a self-peeling banana.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“What about dinosaurs?” I said after a few minutes. “We could do our project on how and why they went extinct. That’s exciting.”

K.D. shook her head. “It might seem too basic. Like something we would have done in the fifth grade.” She loved dinosaurs. She probably didn’t want someone making fun of our project if it was about the thing she loved most. “But maybe you’re on the right track. Animals, but rare ones. What about cryptids?”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Write an ad for a self-peeling banana.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

CREDITS
Story: “Magenta Banana” 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)*
“Casual Theme #1”
“Casual Theme #3”
“Casual Theme #2”
“Casual Theme #6 (Triumph)”

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“Start the Day”
“Awkward Silences (version b)”
“Thoughtful”
“New Day”
“The Long Journey”

 

*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
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects created with Audacity
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 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. Bottom half, three kids gathered around a laptop monitor, all facing forward, two sitting and one standing behind them. They all look down at the screen. Behind them stands a banana plant bearing bunches of bananas just above the standing child’s head. Some of the bananas in the bottom bunches bear a streak of magenta color along the peel. Watermark of “Storyfeather” on laptop lid.

 

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Welcome to Thoughtsburger

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:31:00 +0000

A young journalist follows her latest lead into a quirky fast food place located in her dreams. 

Genre: Mysterious Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“Welcome to Thoughtsburger, would you like to try our new Weltschmerz platter with a side of Bitterness and Longing?”

Ria stared at the person who had just addressed her. “Uh, no, thank you.”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Write a menu for a fictional fast-food restaurant.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 

You might also appreciate some definitions:
Hygge is noun in Danish that means “the feeling of coziness and contentment evoked by simple comforts, as being wrapped in a blanket, having good conversations, enjoying food, etc.”

Weltschmerz is a noun in German that means “sorrow that one feels and accepts as one’s necessary portion in life; sentimental pessimism”
(reference: dictionary.com)

Soñadora is Spanish for “dreamer”
(reference: wordhippo.com and spanishdict.com)

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Welcome to Thoughtsburger” 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”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart”
“Fast Lanes Light Rain”
“Forest Bathing”
“Evolving Cities”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Night Time”

*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
Vocal effects created with Audacity
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 Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A woman in left profile, sitting in a booth, looking down at an open laptop. Her left hand rests on the tabletop, right hand perched over the keyboard. A hazy light glows above her head. In background is an empty countertop, above which is a sign or marquee with two sections displaying a menu with illegible characters except for one item, “Weltschmerz Special.” Above the menu is a sign that reads “Welcome to Thoughtsburger.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left margin.

 

---

A Tale of Nine Lemons

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:55:00 +0000

To help a young man seek his fortune and his purpose upon leaving home, his parents endow him with a parting gift, a basket of lemons.

Genre: Fairy Tale

 

Excerpt:
The couple had thirteen children by the time they were finished siring. One by one, as each child came of age, they were sent out into the world to seek their fortunes and their purposes for themselves. To each child their parents gave one gift to help them on their way. And upon receiving their gifts, each child proclaimed their grand aims.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Finish this sentence in three alternate and original ways: “When life gives you lemons…”
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc. 
(I actually ended up using the other results for another story in a future year)

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Tale of Nine Lemons” 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)*
“Adventure Track #1 (looped)”
“Medieval Track #1”
“Lyric Voices #5”
“Casual Theme #1”
“Magic Within”
“Ice and Fire (peaceful part)”
“Medieval Track #2”
“Lyric Voices #2”
“Peace in My World (final theme)”

 

*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
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 Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A lemon tree full of lemons. At bottom right corner, a person holds a baby over their shoulder. The baby’s head is facing forward and obscuring the other person’s head. The baby’s own head rests on the shoulder, arms loosely curled around the shoulder. The baby’s eyes, partly open, look down and to the side, and each contains a burst of soft light. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom right.

 

---

The Juggling Ghost Crab

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 01:20:00 +0000

To save her friends and herself from being eaten, a ghost crab enters a juggling contest with a devious and possibly unbeatable opponent.

Genre: Fable

Excerpt:
Four unlikely friends were frolicking in the ocean one day. They were the Ghost Crab, the Blue Marlin, the Jellyfish, and the Nautilus. The crab and the marlin splashed about on the surface, and dove back down, while the jelly and the mollusk bobbed gently under the surface.

Overhead, there passed the shadow of the Seagull, who watched the friends with great interest, a great interest born of a keen hunger. Here she saw a variety of sweet and juicy treats for her to feast on.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Not a prompt, but a challenge to write a story that’s between 2500 to 3500 words. Aim for as short as possible without going below (or too much below). I chose a genre, fable.  And at some point, I had the words “crab” and “juggling” written down. So…what was the crab juggling?

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Juggling Ghost Crab” 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*
“Afternoon Chat”
“Midnight Creeping”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Thoughts”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”
“Lingering Evil”
“Showdown of Misdeeds”
“Checking Inventory”

 

*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
Vocal effects made in Audacity
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 Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk and at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Standing on sand facing forward is a ghost crab with the left claw held up.  Above the crab from left to right are a pine cone, a wedge of watermelon, and a saucer and cup of tea with tea spilling out over one edge. A bright and speckled circle of energy arcs over the objects and below the crab. Water of “Storyfeather” at bottom right. Border at top and bottom to make the image square displays a starfish pattern in colors that match the drawing.

 

---

They Linger in the Deep

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:45:00 +0000

When a young man sees his reflection in a pool as he has never seen it before, he is both mesmerized and suspicious.

Genre: Mythology

  

Excerpt:
One day, he had an enticing thought. Then he chastised himself and told himself it was a silly and foolish thought. He shook his head as if shaking off the thought, but it was a sticky thought. It would not be forgotten.

And so, he leaned down closer to his reflection, closer and closer, until his lips touched the surface of the water, and the lips of his reflection.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
The prompt was a screen capture I took of someone looking down a deep well.  It was meant to be a reference image, but I ended up using it as a prompt as well.  And the first thought that came to mind was reflections and mermaids.  Like what if someone looked down into the waters of a lake and thought they were seeing their own reflection, but just under the surface, there really is another person... Inspired by the story of Echo and Narcissus.

 

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
(If you want to learn even more, there's info about my online course on that page too.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “They Linger in the Deep” 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)*
“Sirens”
“Secret water”
“Experiment 6”
“Runes”
“In the shadow”
“Between two worlds”

 

Music by ROZKOL
“Ambiet I-IV”
“Fever Dream”

 

*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 ROZKOL is licensed under CC BY 3.0

Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects made in Audacity
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 music by ROZKOL at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from below the surface of a pool looking up at a young man in a short sleeve tunic seen from waist up at a diagonal. He is gazing down. His face is reflected on the stone surface visible along the left and bottom edges. Stray water weeds cling to the rocky walls of the pool.

 

---

The Ogre and the Elf Go To Honeymoon City

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Longtime lovers the ogre and the elf each recall the first few days of their honeymoon a bit differently.

Genre: Fairy Tale

 

Excerpt:
The ogre snapped her fingers and furrowed her warty brow. “What was the name of the place where we stayed…was it…the Twilight Twinklings Inn?”

“No darling, that was for our first anniversary, when we went up north to see the lights.”

The ogre brought her fist down on the table, making the forks jump. “Might of the Mermaid! That’s the place.”

The elf nodded, then chuckled as a memory arose. “First mishap, our missing luggage…”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Write about a couple who have a very different perspective on a shared memory.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

CREDITS
Story: “The Ogre and the Elf Go to Honeymoon City” 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 ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Locations_Medieval Tavern Song”
“Locations_Happy Village (loop)”
“Humorous_Exploration (loop)”
“Exploration_Forest Of Magic”
“Exploration_Cave (loop)”
“Battle_1_normal (loop)”

 

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Joy”
“Desert dance”
“A band in the inn”
“Sand of time (bonus track)”
“Donjon monster”
“The bard”

 

*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 Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects made in Audacity

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. An elf man at left and an ogre woman at right sit across from each other at a small round table, barely perched on their seats, their bodies facing forward, gazing at each other. Both have long pointed ears. The ogre has two sharp teeth curving up at the corners of the mouth, and two short horns extending from the front crown of the head. The elf rests his left elbow on the table and the right hand on the left wrist. A stein sits on the table before the elf. The ogre rests her right elbow on the table, holding up a stein, left hand propped on her lap. A plate with food and a fork and knife lie on the table. Above their heads and between them hangs a chandelier with lit candles casting down a soft light.

 

---

The Incident at Soruquenty Beach

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 07:52:00 +0000

An urban legend about a haunting phenomenon occurring in a little beach town becomes a news story when escalating incidents lead to the beaching of what appears to be a telepathic whale.

Genre: Science Mystery

 

Excerpt:

“You’re looking for a story.”  

“Yes.”

“My story.”

“That’s right. What’s your story? Where did you come from? How did you get inside that whale?”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
You’re barefoot in the sand on a beach, and the waves runs over your toes. Describe what you’re feeling.
Source: Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

Here’s the other episode on whales that I mention in the outro: The Watchers of the Whale

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Incident at Soruquenty Beach” 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”
“Prisma”
“Secret agent”
“Whispers”
“Cold case”
“Mindhunter”
“Profiler”
“As it happenned”
“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
Vocal effects made in Audacity

 

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. A woman seen from shoulders up, looking down with eyes closed. Her index fingers are pressed to her temples. Above her forehead is the depiction of a sperm whale in left profile. Concentric circles of bright spiky energy emanate from the middle of the whale’s body. The woman’s left wrist bears a hospital band with unintelligible characters written on it.

 

---

Jukebox Time Portal

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 07:53:00 +0000

The inventor of a working time machine takes her closest friend on what was meant to be a quick trip to the near future.

Genre: Science Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
I didn’t panic right away when Violeta said she had succeeded in building a working time machine.

All of her inventions worked. All of them. But all her other inventions were a lot less…ambitious.

I mean, a time machine. That’s the ultimate invention, isn’t it?

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Drawing challenge: Psychedelic portal
Drawing challenge: Jukebox
I’m combining them.
Source: Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Jukebox Time Portal” 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 TAO & SOUND*
“80s Synth Ambient 01 C"
“80s Synth Ambient 02 E”
“U Never Had To Exist – (B) Melody Loop”
“Cry No More – Intro”
“Cry No More – (A) Melody Loop”
“Cry No More – Outro (long)”
“Cry No More – (A) Drums & Bass Loop”
“I Never Gave Up – Intro”
“U Never Had To Exist – Intro”   
“U Never Had To Exist”
“U Never Had To Exist– (A) Drums & Bass Loop”
“I Never Gave Up – (A) Melody Loop”

 

Music by Lee Rosevere
“4th Ave. Walkup”
“Try Anything Once”
“Tech Toys”
“As I Was Saying”
“Southside”
“Max Flashback”
“Betrayal”
“I Bet You Wonder Why”
“Awkward Silences (version b)”
“Going Home”
“Glass Android”

 

*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 licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Tao & Sound 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. Central image with a top and bottom border to make the format square. A woman seen from knees up, stands facing and looking forward, leaning against a multicolored jukebox at right. Her right thumb is hooked in her belt, which is hung with a few tools and devices, and her left elbow rests on the jukebox, arm bent.  One brow and the corner of her mouth are raised. In the background are splashes of color that match the jukebox’s colors.

 

---

The Hippocampus and the Menagerie

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

A fearful and captive servant, who tends a menagerie of unique and captive creatures, is dazzled by the arrival of a most magnificent creature known as a hippocampus.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
At the center of my memory is the image of a horse, a horse the color of orange cream, rearing up, and glancing at me, with an oceanic glint in her eye. She has wings. She has fins. She is fast. I remember. She was fast. Slicing through the water like a ray of sunlight.

So I don’t know how it could have happened. But I have to do something.

I must free the hippocampus.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Write a story based on the image you draw of a…sea horse.
No source noted. This prompt was marked “idea,” so I think it may have been my idea.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

I’ve Got Issues For You
The 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

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

CREDITS
Story: “The Hippocampus and the Menagerie” 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)*
“The ocean takes it all”
“Compass”
“Experiment 7”
“In the shadows”
“Winter guild”
“Fallen leaves”
“Rage”
“The plan”
“Into wild lands”
“Northern dusk”
“Ancien stones”
“Dark secret”
“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 licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. Within a glass globe, whose edges are partly visible in frame, there floats a creature in left profile with the front half of a rearing horse and the bottom half of a sea dragon. A finlike wing extends from the creature’s back. Branching frills and ruffles of fins extend from the bottom half. The body is striped.  The ruffled fins bear patches and spots of color. Glowing bubbles rise up around the creature. The globe rests on a base that’s decorated with tube-shaped coral and coiled snail shells.

 

---

The Obsidian Tusks

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

In life and beyond, the elephant king seeks only one aim, to protect his people from despair.

Genre: Fable

 

Excerpt:
As the elephant king lay dying, struck silent by his pain, able only to breathe shattered breaths, his mind thought its last thoughts.

He could forgive the ones who had killed him. But forgiveness would do his people no good.

He could lay a curse upon the ones who had killed him, villains and villagers alike. He was a king. The ghosts of his ancestors would answer his summons and grant him his last wish. But curses were dangerous, not just to those who were cursed, but to those who did the cursing.

  

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
EXERCISE: Grab a book off the shelf—any book!  Don’t bother searching for anything in particular. Open it at random and begin reading. Write down every idea you get from reading what is on that single page. Now turn to another page and do the same thing. Later, scroll down the aisle, pick another book whose title arouses your curiosity; once again open the book at random, and record any ideas that come to mind.

Source: The Daily Writer: 366 meditations to cultivate a productive and meaningful writing life. Fred White. Writer’s Digest Books. 2008.

The book I grabbed was a writing a book. 20 Master Plots and How to Build Them (And How to Build Them). Ronald B. Tobias. Writer’s Digest Books. 1993. I randomly turned to page 65 in the chapter about quest plots. So at first, the story was a quest about the elephant king seeking to recover his stolen tusks.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Obsidian Tusks” 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 ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Song Mistery”
“Song Visiting Her Forest”
“Song Painful Memories (Loop)”
“Atmosphere Persecution Danger (Loop)”
“Exploration Mystery (loop)”
“Cue Nature”
“Exploration Cave (loop)”
“Exploration Forest of Magic”
“Location Medieval Tavern Song”
“Exploration Mystical Place (loop 2)”
“Holy Hymn (loop)”

 

*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 licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

  

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, an adult elephant stands facing forward, the left flank visible. Long shiny black tusks extend down around the trunk. The elephant looks down at the body of a baby elephant lying horizontally in front. The baby’s skin appears patched with dirt and the remnant of a broken white tusk. The hazy outlines and silhouettes of trees and a leafy canopy appear behind and around the elephants. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along flank.

 

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A Most Discourteous Interview

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 09:42:00 +0000

A nervous young job-seeker’s interview is constantly interrupted by what seem to be personal phone calls to the interviewer, but from different callers.

Genre: Fairy Tale

 

Excerpt:
I was nervous. Okay…yes, obviously. Obviously I was nervous. This one, I really, really wanted. Based on the description. Field investigation and research. Constant travel, mostly domestic, but some international travel might be required. Opportunities to advance, to earn further education, to earn money. But best of all, I would not be able to talk about the details of my work—with rare exception—with anyone outside of the organization. No details meant no criticism from my…beloved family. But you can’t always be sure from just a description. I tried not to get too excited.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Write a transcript for a job interview where the interviewer keeps pausing to take personal phone calls.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Most Discourteous Interview” 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)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart”
“Night Time”
“Slightly Across”
“The Tech Show”
“Fast Lanes Light Rain”
“March of the Waking Lights”
“Evolving Cities”
“The Tech Show Short3(loop)(126)”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”

 

*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
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects created with Audacity

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Central image with a top and bottom border to make the format square. Center left, a woman seen from waist up, facing forward, with forearms resting on a table surface, right hand over left. Brows raised, she looks over at a device, partially visible lying on the surface at right.  Motion lines appear around the device. Faint shadows appear on the wall behind the person: a solid circle inside an open circle, tendrils, and the top half of a humanoid figure. Watermark of the “Storyfeather” along surface at left.

 

---

The Automated Fortune Line

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

A man seeks the help of a psychic after he experiences an unusual haunting from an automated phone line.

Genre: Mysterious Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“My life is still following the path he laid out for me.”

Madame Granya frowned. “Who?”

I stared at her. I wasn’t really struggling with whether or not I should tell her. I was just not telling her. I had nothing on my mind in that moment. I was…stuck, maybe. And then I spoke.

“Me,” I said. I laughed, a self-mocking laugh. “Him. The voice…on the phone. The voice of me.”

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Imagine what someone—a real person or a fictional character—might be carrying in his wallet or hiding in her underwear drawer. Make a list of the items you’ve imagined, then write a page inspired by one of them. 
Source: The Observation Deck. Naomi Epel. Copyright © 1994. Chronicle Books.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

 

CREDITS

Story: “The Automated Fortune Line” 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 CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 1”
“Level 8”
“Level 6”
“Level 2”

 

Music by FICUSPROSOUND*
“No Way Out (Full Version)”
“The Jigsaw (Full Version)”
“Following Clues (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 Chris Logsdon and FicusProsound licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Chris Logsdon and FicusProsound at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Black silhouette of two figures in profile sitting across from each other at a small table. The figures both have their arms extended. The shorter figure, at right, holds the hand of the taller figure. They are seen through the translucent drawn back curtains of a window.  Rain falls past the window at an angle from top right to bottom left. Above the top fringe of the curtain is a glowing neon sign that reads “Psychic” at top, above the words “Palm Aura,” which both flank a hand, and below that the word “Reader.”

 

---

Roxie's Wake-up Call

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 22:29:00 +0000

Sammy receives an unusual birthday gift, a smart device with a face, a set life span, and an unrelenting imperative to help.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
The figurine suddenly collapsed, then sprung up, wheeled her arms around, stretched them out, then up, then bopped up and down by bending at the knees.

She gazed up at Sammy. “Hello there!” she said. “Are you the one who needs help?”

Sammy said nothing. The figurine’s movements were smooth and graceful and quiet. She made no jerking motions, emitted no mechanical sounds of motors or gears. She blinked, and she breathed. She moved as if she were a living creature.

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Ills, Pills, and Bills, Explore the subject of illness. Discover how one of your characters handles it. Or, select a moment from a personal experience of being sick or being a caregiver. Notice your perspective: is the incident humorous? poignant? clinical? dark? What means did you choose for writing: description? dialogue? narration of the event?

Source: Room to Write: Daily Invitations to a Writer’s Life. Bonni Goldberg. Copyright © 1996. TarcherPerigee.

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Roxie's Wake-up Call” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue for One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Forest Bathing”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”
“Evolving Cities”
“Ground Control”
“You Were Always in the Right Place (No Percussion)”

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Casual Theme #1”
“Casual Theme #3”
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Medieval Theme #2”

 

*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 licensed from GameDev Market
Vocal effects created with Audacity

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
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. Central image with a left and right border to make the format square. A humanoid figure standing with crossed arms, looking upward, and facing forward in front of a corkboard. The figure has right foot propped on the heel at the side, wears a satchel across the body, hanging from the right shoulder, and wears pants, a turtleneck, and a small-brimmed hat. Pinned to the corkboard to the figure’s left is a sticky note labeled “Return Cathy’s Call (see email for #),” and to the right is a cluster of push pins.

 

---

Seven Signs of Impossible Times

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 09:59:00 +0000

A reporter and camera operator expect to uncover a hoax when they investigate sightings of flying pigs, but soon find themselves on the path of a much stranger story.

Genre: Fantastic Mystery

 

Excerpt:
“The boss wants us to relate it to the flying pigs story,” Quentin said.

They were driving out to another farm, within the county this time. And this time, it was a commercial farm where the workers had reported that the chickens had begun growing teeth.

   

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
“Draw: When pigs fly” (I didn’t actually draw a flying pig…not for this story anyway.)
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.
Additional inspiration from the following source.
https://omniglot.com/language/idioms/flyingpigs.php
Idioms that mean something that is highly unlikely to happen

  

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Seven Signs of Impossible Times” 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 a)”
“Not My Problem”
“Knowing the Truth”
“Slow Lights”
“Betrayal”
“Awkward Silences (version b)”

 

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Hidden Fear”
“Mystical House (Short Loop)”
“Story at Night”
“Scary Theme #5”
“Scary Theme #3”
“Scary Theme #4 (Version 2)”

 

*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
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by 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. Central image with a top and bottom border to make the format square. At center, two figures seen from mid-thigh up standing in front of a massive gate that is halfway open. The man at left faces forward. He holds a microphone up to his mouth with his right hand and gestures to the gate with his left. The woman at right holds a professional camera over her right shoulder. The camera is pointed toward the man. On either side of the frame in foreground are towers of gladiolus flowers. Snow appears to be blowing down and out from the open gate. A plaque on the left side of the gate reads “Pandemonium.”

 

---

The Galactic Analyst

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

When unexpectedly asked about their profession, a person accustomed to remaining unnoticed until needed debates about how to tell the truth—spectacularly, or mundanely.

Genre: Science Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
I noticed him seeming to notice me, and I found that so unlikely that I almost frowned. I was extremely skilled at remaining unnoticed. The Queen of the Hollow Yellow Moon had once proclaimed that I had the power to turn invisible. Of course, there’s no such thing. At least, I haven’t come across any such thing in my work so far.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
“A stranger asks what you do. How do you reply?”
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there, for yourself, or as a gift.)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Galactic Analyst” 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*
“A Tale of Peace”
“Thoughts”
“Midnight Creeping”
“A Tale of Water”

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Stars Talk”
“Dark Side”
“Last Moments of Peace”
“Space Discoveries”
“Another World”
“A Long Way”

 

*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 and Andrew Sitkov licensed from GameDev Market

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by 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. Central image with a top and bottom border to make the format square. Bottom left, black silhouettes of two people facing each other, seen from waist up. Behind them is a starry expanse. Above their heads are bright colored gases. At top right is a sphere, encircled by rings in symmetrical orbits. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom right.

 

---

The Children of the Rain and the Sun

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:46:00 +0000

When the once-inseparable children of the Rain and the Sun quarrel and go their separate ways, they set in motion dire consequences for their parents and for the world.

Genre: Mythology

 

Excerpt:
When they were young, the seven children of the Rain and the Sun were inseparable. They were magnificent, these children. When they were born, so too were colors born into the world. And the colors bore the names of the seven children. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.

What each child touched became that color. The red petals of a rose, the orange cheeks of a young fairy, the green spires of a pine, the indigo eye of a peacock’s feather. They

 

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
“Write down the colors of the rainbow, then list a character trait that suits each color.”
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

 
Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there.)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Children of the Rain and the Sun” 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 ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Humorous Exploration (loop)”
“Exploration Mystery (loop)”
“Exploration Cave (loop)”
“Cue Nature 2”
“Cue Nature”
“Holy Hymn (loop)”

 

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Magic Within”
“Lyric Voices #2”
“Lyric Voices #5”
“Peace in My World (final theme)”

 

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“How I Used to See the Stars”
“Night Caves”
“You’re Enough (version a)”

 

*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 licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Albert Fernandez 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. Central image with a top and bottom border to make the format square. Seven bands of vertical color form a rainbow with red at left and violet at right. The silhouettes of humanoid figures stand within each band of color and match that color. The figures are seen from the waist up and are joining hands. The borders contain all seven colors mixed together as if in a paint palette.

 

---

The Shifting Night Anomaly

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 23:48:00 +0000

A spaceship built for short-range research is re-tasked with the mission of traversing a vast and mysterious anomaly.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
The Shifting Night Anomaly was so called at first be-cause its margins seemed to change every so often, making it difficult, if not impossible, to map. We had sent probe after probe inside for three generations. Out of the near thousand probes that were deployed, only forty-seven were recovered. The more we learned about the anomaly, the more we realized how fitting the name was. There were no systems and no stars within, only remnants of dead worlds. Only strange and exotic gases. Only nebulas haunted by the ghosts of stars that flickered and faded before they could burst into life.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Don’t know. My drafts and notes provide no clue. Maybe it’s…
Anomaly: a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form.
(source: dictionary.com)

 

Faster Fictioneer
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023. The workshop is based on my course, called “Faster Fictioneer: A Doable Method to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish in Five Weeks.”

You can watch a replay of the workshop here: FASTER FICTIONEER

(You can also buy the course there. It’s on sale until 11/30/2023.)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

As mentioned in the episode: Angry Gingerbread Man Mug

 

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Shifting Night Anomaly” 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)*
“Dark web”
“Haunted spaceship”
“Compass”
“Genetic marker”
“Dark wonders”
“Ghost of Phobos”
“Wide place”

 

Music by TAO AND SOUND*
“U Never Had To Exist”
“Hacker Duels – INTRO”
“I Never Gave Up – INTRO”
“I Never Gave Up – (B) MELODY LOOP”
“I Never Gave Up – (A) MELODY LOOP”
“80s Synth Ambient 02 E”
“80s Synth Ambient 01 C”
“U Never Had To Exist - INTRO”

 

*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 Tao And Sound licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Tao And Sound at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, front of a ship with a forward cabin, two thrusters protruding from the sides, and a central portion with glowing oval that may be part of an engine or a domed window. The ship is in a typical part of outer space and is facing to the right of frame. Right half of image is a shapeless mass of alternating glowing and shadowy folds.

 

---

The Galvanic Ghost

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 22:19:00 +0000

A woman entreats a student of medicine for help with an extraordinary and destructive condition, she can conduct massive amounts of electricity.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
I am only a student. That’s why she came to me, trusting that I would have a sufficient balance of knowledge and naiveté to serve her desperate need.

And I am woman. That’s why she came to me, trusting that I would not mark her concerns as mere hysterics.

What was this strange and destructive condition she bore? She spoke of hurting her husband and fleeing from her children so that she would never hurt them. She spoke of being pursued by authorities in dark garb.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Galvanic: pertaining to or produced by galvanism; producing or caused by an electric current.
Galvanism: Electricity, especially as produced by chemical action. In Medicine. The therapeutic application of electricity to the body.
Diaphoresis: perspiration, especially when artificially induced.
(source: dictionary.com)

 

FREE FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023.

The replay is available here: NILA'S WRITING WORKSHOP

(And there’s information for how you can learn even more from me.)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

As mentioned in the episode: Angry Gingerbread Man Mug

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Galvanic Ghost” 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”
“Unsolved”
“At night”
“Blood and bones”
“Witches”
“Whispers”
“Evidence”
“Eternal life”
“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
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. A woman in a Victorian era dress sits on a bench, facing and looking forward, her legs bent slightly to the right. Her arms are outstretched and her hands rest on the metallic ends of the bench. A bronze panel is bolted to the bottom front of the bench at left. The panel bears four visible dials: a row of three dials at bottom, and one at top right corner of the panel. To the left of the single dial is written, “Electrical,” and below that “40 Amperes” and below that “No. 87.” Electric bolts spray out from a central point, the woman’s head and neck.

 

---

Lickspittle and Sobersides

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 07:48:00 +0000

High jinks ensue when two caterpillar fairies who are close to death attend a grand fairy ball as a last hurrah.

Genre: Fable, Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“Alas! We are doomed to die as caterpillars, never having become butterflies.” Lickspittle shook hishead. He gazed up and shook several fists at the sky.

Sobersides sighed gravely. “Perhaps tomorrow morning.”

The two caterpillar fairies had woken that morning, and that meant that they were still caterpillars. And that would have been fine, save that they had both reached the age where most caterpillars had already formed cocoons and transformed into butterfly fairies.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
There are two: Lickspittle & Sobersides
Lickspittle: a contemptible, fawning person; a servile flatterer or toady.
Sobersides: a humorless or habitually serious person.
(source: dictionary.com)

 

FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP
I held my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version) on 11/8/2023.

The replay is available here: NILA'S WRITING WORKSHOP

(And there’s information for how you can learn even more from me.)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 
CREDITS
Story: “Lickspittle and Sobersides” 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 TRG BANKS
“Insideoutworld”
“The silver bus”
“Great Aunt Henrietta”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Wake up”
“La voie divine”

Music by JONATHAN SHAW*
“Checking Inventory”
“In Tranquil Spring”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Sinning Tavern”
“Thoughts”
“A Tale of Peace”
“Lingering Evil”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”
“Midnight Creeping”

 

*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 licensed from GameDev Market
Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Jonathan Shaw at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk
Find more music by TRG Banks at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Two caterpillars, their raised top sections and heads facing forward next to each other at center. The rest of their bodies extend and curve down and out to either side of the frame. The caterpillar at left wears a vest and is smiling. The caterpillar at right wears a scarf that blows out to the right, has many arms crossed and is frowning. Discs of glowing spirals float above and lie below them.

 

---

The Bombinating Engine

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 19:55:00 +0000

The crew of a prospecting freighter on the edge of known space makes an unexpected discovery about their outdated and recently replaced engine.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
Cruising along at the edges of known space, the Vesta was among the last ships to receive the engine upgrade. But it wasn’t just distance that caused the delay. The t-drives were expensive. And unlike large organizations who could absorb the cost, individual contractors like Ryan and his crew had to weigh their options, even when their safety was concerned.

The nosebleeds, the headaches, the nausea, and even that one paralysis scare had not been enough to convince Ryan to take the risk. Not alone. But he couldn’t bear to wait until something worse hap-pened, until someone lost a limb, or worse, their life. 

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Bombinate: to make a humming or buzzing noise (source: dicitionary.com)

 

FREE FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP
I’m holding my first free writing workshop over Zoom to teach my method of writing short stories (an abbreviated version).
Date & Time: November 8, 2023 at 11am PT
If you’re interested, but can’t make it, you can sign up anyway. I’ll send out a replay link to those who are registered.
Register here: NILA'S WRITING WORKSHOP

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Bombinating Engine” 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 TRG BANKS
“Through the gravitational field”
“Keith in 1987”
“Insideoutworld”
“Non-stop to Insideoutworld”
“Smooth jacket”
“Cigar”

 

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Learning punch”
“Neon city”
“Particle voyager”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by TRG Banks at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from the inside of a rectangular spaceship engine compartment to the opening at which four crew members stand looking into the compartment. Two of them have mouths open and brows raised. Three are wearing the same uniform. The fourth wears clothing of a different color and a cap. The wall at right is hung with a plaque labeled “Junction 43” at top. At bottom right corner is printed “Primary: 329.029” and below that, “Secondary:” At right lying on the bottom surface is some capsule with a tapered end that points toward the compartment’s opening. At left is a cylindrical component held in place by a clawed arm at bottom left. The component is hollow and the back is open showing smaller cylindrical tubes set inside and two large cylinders glowing with energy. Along the visible side is a panel. At bottom center is another opening. Sparks of light are rising out of that bottom opening and are scattered through the compartment.

 

---

Elevator 6F

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 22:46:00 +0000

Six people get stuck on an elevator, but when the elevator starts moving again, their true ordeal begins.

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Excerpt:
It wasn’t where any of us wanted to go, but we all stepped off the elevator as if by some instinct to escape the place where we’d been trapped, even if it had just been less than an hour.

At a glance, we could see that the sixth floor was empty. No one was there. Nothing was there. Aside from the support pillars, it was an open empty space.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
I don’t know.  I really don’t know.

Here’s a list of some more spooky episodes from seasons past:
Season 5, Episode 256
THE MONSTROUS MEN OF THE MOORS
​I love this one. I invented a whole holiday for this one. Happy Night of Monsters! Happy Angfilnott!

Season 4 (lots of horrific stories in this season)
Episode 201 THE HUNTER AND THE CRYPT
​“This was no time for doubt, with my hand gripping the wooden stake that I was soon to drive into her husband’s heart.”

Episode 203 APRIL MAJUS
​Some of the first rumors were of alien abduction. The latest rumors had turned the abductor into some kind of urban legend. And the latest victim was not what she seemed.

Season 3, Episode 151
THE CURSE OF THE GRAY HUNGER
As might be expected with beauty so bold, they were envied by many. They were coveted by many. She did not want to lock up her daughters for fear of the world. But one day, her fears came true.

Season 2, Episode 47
CHAINMAKER
A wolf-like creature is savaging the residents of a quiet township, and no one knows how to catch or kill it. Could the answer lie in the town’s past?

Want even more? Check out the September/October 2023 issue of the Storyfeather Gazette HERE.

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

CREDITS
Story: “Elevator 6F” 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 LEE ROSEVERE
“Featherlight (remix – vocals by Heather Feather)”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Learning punch”
“The deal”
“Prisma”
“Experiment 6”
“Hope is gone”
“Ruined”
“Orbs (seamless)”
“Room 13”
“Tool”
“Dark wonders”
“Horns”
“Fright night”
“Near death experience”
“Hell awaits”
“Genetic marker”

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy 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. Partial view of an elevator panel with six hands of various sizes and complexions all poised at the button labeled with the number“1,” at the bottom left of the panel. The button’s edge glows red. The buttons are arranged in four columns with four buttons per row. All buttons are labeled with a number and embossed with Braille. The edges of the other buttons are colored yellow. The other visible button numbers are five through fourteen. One hand bears a wedding ring. Cuffs are visible on a few hands, and a thin colored bracelet on one hand.

 

---

Lodgers in the Attic

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:35:00 +0000

A new homeowner must decide how to deal with the uncanny and uninvited inhabitants discovered in the attic.

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Content Warning: Animals in supernatural danger.

 

Excerpt:
One of my friends told me a terrifying story she’d read about. This guy was living in a house where a family lived, without their knowledge, for the longest time. He hid in some hidden closet they didn’t know about. He’d come out at night when they were sleeping, to use their shower and eat their food. He’d only made himself aware to the youngest child, who just thought the man was an imaginary friend.

After learning that, I went home praying that the noises in my attic were just a friendly little opossum. Hey, if I ran into it and it bit me, no problem. I’d go get a rabies shot or whatever I needed.

Maybe that story was why I was in the state of mind I was in when I finally saw what it was that was living in my attic.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
There doesn’t seem to be one.  Did the lodgers in the attic…take it?

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Lodgers in the Attic” 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)*
“Home”
“Before the shadows”
“Behind the door”
“Deep lands part 2”
“Creatures of the night”
“Between two worlds”
“Dark shadows and brilliant highlights”
“Ashes”
“Darkest quest”
“The crypt”
“Incantation”
“As it happened”
“Above (seamless)”
“Hidden in the dark”

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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 of an attic showing an open trap door with the top of a ladder propped against one edge. In front of the angled attic wall, a glowing red portal appears at right, with the dark silhouette of a small humanoid figure stepping forward. At bottom right, a shadow falls on the floor, showing the vague shape of a head, torso, and right arm.

 

---

The Hollow Temple

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 22:43:00 +0000

What happens when two treasure-seekers cross a forbidden threshold and trespass within an ancient temple?

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Mythology

 

Excerpt:
“Greetings, travelers,” the temple guardian said. “Give me your names.”

The two treasure-seekers gave her their names freely.

She did not return their offer of names, nor did she return their smiles.

“Turn back, travelers,” the temple guardian said, her voice calm and measured. “Go no further than the spot where I now stand.”

 

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Onoma, a Greek word meaning “name.”

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Hollow Temple” 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)*
“Ancient gods”
“A story of gold”
“At night”
“Dark winds”
“Above”
“Glass (seamless)”
“One two thrill”
“Eternal life”
“Human fear”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. Two men facing forward standing in a corridor that stretches back to a vanishing point behind them. Both hold up flashlights in their right hands. Both have bands stretching across their chests and hung over their left shoulders attached to pouches at their right hips. Recesses appear at intervals on both walls. The wall at left bears a torch, and at bottom left corner, a stick figure depiction of two figures, one with one raised hand, and the other with both hands raised. The wall at right has a mosaic depiction of a woman in left profile, in a green dress with a wide red belt, her bent right arm raised. In one recess is a rough-made statue of a sitting figure.  At bottom right is a mosaic depiction of two figures with arms raised toward each other.

 

---

Maugre Death We Walk

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 21:48:00 +0000

A young reporter investigating a case of vanishing corpses interviews a town recluse, who may be trying to help him…or silence him.

Genre: Horror, Mystery

 

Excerpt:
…he realized she was one of the missing corpses. He couldn’t recall her name, only her face. He watched from outside as she appeared to be making small talk with the cashier.

He decided he would catch her on the way out of the convenience store. But as she left and walked past him, he didn’t stop her.

What would he say? How would he raise the issue of her condition without alarming her? He couldn’t just utter the words, “Are you aware that you’re dead?”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Maugre: (Archaic) in spite of; notwithstanding (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Maugre Death We Walk” 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 BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Labyrinth”
“Fire Dungeon”
“Torture Chamber”
“Mausoleum”

 

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Lullaby”
“Cold Case”
“The death of love”
“A dead heart”
“Incantation”
“Dedale”

 

*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 Nicholas Jeudy is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Benjamin Carr at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A young man visible from right shoulder up to bottom edge of the nose, head turned toward a hand resting on the shoulder. The hand appears decaying with the tip of the index finger cut off, and fingernails appearing broke, chipped, and gray. The hand belongs to someone in dark clothing standing behind the young man.

 

---

The Last Honest Vampire

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:58:00 +0000

For two friends, watching the new season of their favorite show may have to wait while one of them contends with a potentially life-changing event.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“Sometimes I think it’s kind of nice that vampires are accepted in this fictional society,” Glo said.

My attention perked up. That was different. But the response from the rest of our friends was not.

“That would be like chickens living among us and being okay that we eat them.”

“That show is dumb. They have high school at night so the vampires can attend? So dumb.”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Psychopomp: a person who conducts spirits or souls to the other world, as Hermes or Charon. (source: dictionary.com)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Last Honest Vampire” 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)*
“Ghost hacker”
“Arctica”
“Neon God”
“Before the shadows”
“The truth”
“Keep the distance”
“Blood and bones”
“Dark web”
“Silent walk”
“Onirik”
“Profiler”
“Nocturna”
“Winterheart”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market

 

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. A student with chin length hair seen from waist to bottom of nose standing in front of a bank of lockers. The student holds a backpack slung over her right shoulder and holds folders against her chest with her left arm. She is smiling, showing two elongated incisors. Text across her chest in horror-themed font reads, “The Last Honest Vampire.” At bottom right text reads, “Season 2 Premiere” and below it, “Coming This Fall.” At bottom left is an oval decal with the letters “TDN.”

 

---

A Coat for Many Dimensions

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 23:23:00 +0000

An alchemist attempts to create a coat that will allow her to travel to other dimensions.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Aunt Mariya was certain that she had solved the mystery of the many dimensions. All of us could do it, but our minds and bodies prevented us from going, be-cause the environments in these other dimensions were different. Some were slightly different. Some more drastically so. One would die as certainly as a diver without oxygen and a space-walker without a spacesuit would die. Only in these other dimensions, it would not be the body that suffered injury, but the mind and the soul.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Bugaboo: something that causes fear or worry; bugbear; bogy
Bugbear: 1) any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear. 2) a persistent problem or source of annoyance.
(source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Coat for Many Dimensions” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue for One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“March of the Waking Lights”
“Evolving Cities”
“Forest Bathing”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”
“You Were Always in the Right”

 

Music by Benjamin Carr (Scythuz)*
“Labyrinth”
“Fire Dungeon”
“Ice Cavern”
“Torture Chamber”
“Forbidden Tower”
“Miscellaneous Battle Theme 1”

 

*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 Benjamin Carr is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Scan of ink drawing, digitally colored. A girl or young woman seen from knees up and from the back. She has short hair ending at the base of the skull and is wearing a coat that is gathered at the back and flares down from the waist in folds. Trees with scarce bare branches surround her, their tops looming above. Through them can be seen the glowing disc of the moon casting out dim light on the gray and foggy atmosphere below.

 

---

The Solar Pepper

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 23:07:00 +0000

When a country suffers a curse that extinguishes all but the tiniest of flames, its people strive in spectacular ways to endure, to elude, and to break the curse.

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

 

Excerpt:
“Let it be as you claim,” the warlock said. “That there is ‘not enough fire’ in your country.” And then he spoke the words of his spell, his curse.

And from thenceforth, only candle flames could abide in our country.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Heck if I know. There doesn’t appear to be one for this story.

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Solar Pepper” 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 Studio Fantasy)*
“Guardians of the sword”
“The girl and the sword”
“In the shadows”
“Emblem”
“The village”
“Peacefull place”
“Into wild lands”
“Dark fields”
“Knight song”
“The edge of nightmare”
“Blood on snow”
“Call of the wild”
“Flames on ice”
“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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. A red chili pepper lying on a surface, stem side to left and bottom to the right. The pepper is slightly curved at the bottom and is surrounded by a bright yellow glow, which also appears in patches over the pepper’s surface.

 

---

The Mystery of Mrs. Highweather

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 22:39:00 +0000

When a new father searches through his childhood books for stories to tell his daughter, he learns that some of those books are linked to a hundred-year-old mystery.

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
For generations, for nearly a century, the Rofotou family had been gathering the pieces of a puzzle that they believed would unlock some grand secret of the universe, or some extravagant treasure, or at least some profound piece of wisdom. But I didn’t know anything about that before a dark-haired woman named Red came knocking on my door one day. I didn’t know why she asked to see my old dream logs.

And I certainly didn’t know what any of it had to do with Mrs. Highweather.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Seriatim: in a series; one after another (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Mystery of Mrs. Highweather” 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 (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Dark Side”
“Casual Theme #3”
“Casual Theme #1”
“Another World”
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Medieval Theme #3”
“Medieval Theme #2”
“My Kingdom (looped)”

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 1”
“Level 6”

Music by RAFAEL ARCHANGEL
“So Cold”
“Deep Dive”
“Smoke”

*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
Music by Rafael Archangel is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Chris Logsdon and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Rafael Archangel at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Eleven books of approximately equal size but differently colored covers sit on a shelf. The book at far right is angled so that its cover is visible. The cover reads “Mrs. Highweather Charming Adventures.” Below the title is the image of a woman whose face is obscured under a floppy hat with a band whose ribbon edges float up into the title. She is seen from shoulders up wearing a coat. The titles of the other books and the number indicating their order in the sequence are readable from the spines. From left to right they are as follows. Mrs. Highweather Meets the Four-leggers (1). Mrs. Highweather’s Haunted Hat (8). Mrs. Highweather Finds the Farthest Star (2). Mrs. Highweather and the Key to Existence (7). Mrs. Highweather Sails the Suddenly Sea (5). Mrs. Highweather and the Queen of Questions (3). Mrs. Highweather and the Villainous Vine (10). Mrs. Highweather in the Dream Realm (6). Mrs. Highweather and the Forest of Feathers (11). Mrs. Highweather and the Perilous Painting (4). Mrs. Highweather and the Last Charming Adventure (9).

 

---

The Traveler and Her Three Shadows

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 03:42:00 +0000

After their realm is cursed to suffer absolute darkness, four companions are tasked with finding the secret of breaking the curse.

Genre: Mythology, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
In those days, all people had the power to send their shadows off to explore the world around them, but those shadows could only travel in one direction, the direction in which they were cast by the sun. But these people with two shadows, they could send one shadow in one direction and the other shadow in the opposite direction. In this way, they could explore and gather knowledge far more quickly than the people of other lands. These people came to be called the amphiscians, the two-shadowed people.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Amphiscians: inhabitants of the tropics (from the Greek “amphiskios,” “casting a shadow both ways”)

It somehow slipped my mind that there is another vocabulary word in this story. I didn’t mention this in the episode, but the name of the hero, “Glissade” is a word that means “a skillful glide over snow or ice in descending a mountain, as on skis or a toboggan.” So specific!
(source: dictionary.com)

 

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The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

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CREDITS
Story: “The Traveler and Her Three Shadows” 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)*
“Infinite land”
“Winterheart (seamless)”
“In the shadows”
“Winter guild”
“Of sun and sand”
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“Blood on snow”
“Haven”
“Adventure”
“Warriors”
“Incantation”
“Shadows and flames”
“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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. Four figures, all facing forward, one in the foreground and three behind. The figure in the foreground holds a candle in front of her chest with her left hand, the flame illuminating her face from below. The background figures from left to right are as follows: a woman looking at a small golden object held in her right hand and holding her left arm across her waist; a hooded figure with face hidden and right hand raised; and a large man looking forward and holding his hands at the side, right hand curled into a fist.

 

---

Castle Farouche

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 22:28:00 +0000

There is a door in the basement of my new house that leads to nowhere, or so I thought…

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
When buds are twisted too tightly, they will never bloom beautifully, my grandmother always said, all the more so after she’d witness my staying in my little corner of the room at a party in our house while the other children played with each other. But she did not know that I was surrounded by friends in my own world, in Castle Farouche.

That is…I didn’t think she knew.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Farouche: 1) fierce. 2) sullenly unsociable or shy

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
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CREDITS
Story: “Castle Farouche” Copyright © 2018 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)*
“Casual Theme #3”
“Casual Theme #5”
“Medieval Theme #1”
“Medieval Theme #3”
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Adventure Track #1 (looped)”
“Medieval Track #2”
“Adventure Track #2 (looped)”
“A&C Percussion Loop #18”
“Medieval Theme #2”
“Medieval Track #1”
“Lyric Voices #1”
“Lyric Voices #2”
“Medieval Theme #4”
“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 Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, a girl in right profile with short hair, wearing pants and a hoodie, walks through an open door, the inside of which is black. The door swings out to the left. Behind it at an angle is a brick wall. Right side of image, just behind the door, a series of towers blurred behind a glowing hash mark design that gives the effect of distorted digital image on a screen.

 

---

Longpocket

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:29:00 +0000

A young boy seeks to make his mother proud by picking the pocket of a man whose fortunes no one has ever managed to steal, not even the master thieves.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
In the town of Pennyhaven, there was honor among thieves.

For thieving was allowed, but only if done according to the strictest of rules, which were set by the Union of Thieves. The Union had a truce with the local constabulary to deal with any thief in town who did not abide by those rules. Their highest and foremost rule, for example, was that no living creature could be harmed by thieving. Their next highest rule was that only non-living objects may be stolen. And so on. Any aspiring thieves who broke the rules of the Union would never see membership, and would indeed be dealt with by the Union before the constabulary ever need step in.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
I’m not sure. My notes are unclear. But it might be the name of the main character, “Eridanus.”

It is the name of a constellation and a river god, and the river itself. The name is of Greek origin and means “early burnt.” This is for its connection to the mythical story of Phaethon, the son of the sun god, Helios. Phaethon stole his father’s chariot—the sun—and recklessly rode it, causing mayhem until Zeus threw a thunderbolt at him, striking him down. Phaethon fell to his death, into the river Eridanus.

(Source: Theoi Entry on Eridanos)

 

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
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CREDITS
Story: “Longpocket” 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 CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Shady Town”
“Port Town”
“Mystical Town”
“Mystical Town (Loop)”
“Desert Town”
“Mining Town”

 

Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Ice Cavern”
“Ghost Town”
“Crystal Caves”
“Fire Dungeon”
“Underwater Temple”

 

*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 Benjamin Carr is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, lying on a surface, a top hat with a slim feather sticking out from the band. At right, hanging in front of the hat, obscuring part of the hat’s rim, is a pocket watch with an ornate cover and in colors matching the hat. The pendant and bow parts are visible at the top of the clock.

 

---

A Waking Walker in Slumberland

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:38:00 +0000

To rescue her kidnapped infant sister from a magical monarch, Parni and her pet rat enter the dream realm and pass through nightmare and illusion.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Three days has passed since Parnika’s baby sister, Kulfi, has been taken by the Marshmallow Monarch.

Such was the price of living in a town that bordered the famed and infamous slumberland—the source of all dreams and nightmares. Most people only ever visited slumberland in their dreams. But Parni’s people lived close enough to enter the land in body as well as in mind.

Myriad signs of warning marked the borders of slumberland. They were meant for grown folk. Children didn’t need such signs.

For only children could see slumberland…

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Slumberland: an imaginary land described to children as the place they enter during sleep. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
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CREDITS
Story: “A Waking Walker in Slumberland” 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 JONATHAN SHAW*
“Thoughts”
“Treading the Unknown”
“Checking Inventory”
“A Bitter Hope”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“Midnight Creeping”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Visions of Freedom”
“Showdown of Misdeeds”
“Sinning Tavern”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Compass”
“Don’t move”
“The plan”
“Hunter’s moon”

 

*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 and Nicholas Jeudy is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Jonathan Shaw at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Scan of ink drawing, digitally colored. A tree with light colored bark sitting on a slight rise of earth.  The tree’s roots extend down and to the right. The base of one branch appears at top left. The thin leafy ends of branches extend down from the top right.  A girl peaks out from the edge of the tree at right, only the face and left arm visible, hand grasping the tree. A small dark rat with a long tail sits on her shoulder. Some of the roots glow with a bright light.

 

---

The Impassable Valley of the Flowers

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:55:00 +0000

A sixteen-year-old decides that her first journey alone will be into a forbidden valley of flowers that lies just beyond her town.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
There is a valley, where grow flowers of every hue and kind, colors and fragrance in harmony. They singsongs, it is said, in spring and summer, songs whose ghosts and echoes can be heard in winter and fall.

These flowers are singular, for each is inhabited by an animating spirit.

The valley is haunted, they say.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Anthophobia: an irrational or disproportionate fear of flowers (source: dictionary.com)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
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CREDITS
Story: “The Impassable Valley of the Flowers” 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 ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Exploration_Mystery (loop)”
“Exploration_Forest of Magic”
“Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 1)”
“Exploration_Cave (loop)”
“Cue_Nature”
“Humorous_Stealth (loop)”
“Song_Visiting Her Forest”
“Locations_Court Song”

 

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“Waves of Sleep”
“Night Caves”
“Featherlight (remix – vocals by Heather Feather)

 

Music by ROZKOL
“Ambient I-IV”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere and ROZKOL is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Lee Rosevere and ROZKOL at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A figure in black silhouette seen from behind, standing on a path that recedes toward the horizon, in front of a giant red dahlia flower with a leaf emerging from either side. The forms of grass blades and tulip flowers rise behind the dahlia, seen through a multi-colored mist. The original image is horizontal, made square through a lightbox effect at top and bottom.

 

---

The Antechamber

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:16:00 +0000

Researchers on the verge of a medical breakthrough must investigate why their advanced surgical machine works perfectly on some patients, and not at all on others.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
Waiting. We’ve been waiting for thirty minutes. A nuisance, maybe, if I were out in the world on an er-rand or anticipating someone’s arrival. But here, in the antechamber, poised on the threshold of themost important thing I will ever do with my life, or the grandest failure of my life, those thirty minuteshave stretched into the last thirty years of my life. It must be worse for the person on the other side of the antechamber door, the patient waiting for us to save his life.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Antechamber: a chamber or room that serves as a waiting room and entrance to a larger room or an apartment; anteroom. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
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CREDITS
Story: “The Antechamber” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Evolving Cities”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Ground Control”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart”
“Forest Bathing”

Music by TRG BANKS
“Cigar”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by TRG Banks at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Three people seen from chest up standing in front of a console with buttons made of simple geometric shapes, below a window that looks into a room or chamber.  At left, a person facing forward in three-quarters profile. The person in the middle is seen from right profile, but with the head turned to the console. She has her right index finger poised over one of the controls. The person at right is seen from the back. They are wearing uniforms each in a different color. A structured hood or helmet is seen at the back of the persons at middle and right. The hazy image of an examination table surrounded by some apparatus or device is visible through the window.

 

---

Velutinus

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:37:00 +0000

A group of friends recruits one of their dads, a biology teacher, to help them identify a strange creature they discovered after a freak storm hits their town.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
Dani, Jon, Ameena and I had volunteered to help clean up the school after the flash storm hit our town a few days ago. We would get our community service requirement done for that quarter. And we would have been hanging out anyway.

“Safety first,” Dani said. And we all smiled and started working.

Above the sounds of my friends rummaging through the trashed lab and chattering with each other, I kept hearing a sound repeating, a high-pitched sound like cheeping. I frowned. “Is that a bird?”

  

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Velutinous: having a soft, velvety surface, as certain plants. From the Latin “velutinus,” meaning “velvety” (source: dictionary.com)

The story was also inspired by an adorable little creature called the “Namaqua rain frog.” When I entered the little guy’s name in a search bar, some common information from the articles that came up is that the frog is found in South Africa, and possibly a few other places.  It’s tiny, about 5cm, or under 2 inches. Here is just one 30-second video where you can see and hear the frog’s behavior when distressed, a puffed up body, and a squeaky call.

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more sent by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

 

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CREDITS
Story: “Velutinus” 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 (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Casual Theme #1”
“Dark Side”
“Casual Theme #2”
“Unknown Terrain”
“Casual Theme #6 (Triumph)”
“Freedom”
“Funny Horror”

 

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Humorous_Exploration (loop)”
“Cue_Nature”
“Exploration_Cave (loop)”
“Humorous_Stealth (loop)”

 

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
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. On a surface, standing on a folded up newspaper is a creature. The creature, in three-quarters profile facing left, has the body of a frog and frog-like eyes extending to the sides on stalks. Frog-like fore limbs wrap around a corner of the newspaper. A set of four crab legs or spider legs are visible on the left side. Two legs are visible on the right side. Six glowing translucent feathers protrude from the creature’s backside. Under the legs, part of a headline is visible. The visible part reads “Freak storm hits.” The dim silhouettes of four human figures surround the creature.

 

 

---

Into Stasis

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 06:45:00 +0000

A wealthy capitalist steals a rare and cutting-edge piece of technology in the hopes of developing it for public use.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“I have plenty of possessions and plenty of currency. And if ever I were to lose any of it, I know how to acquire more. But there is one currency that I cannot make more of. And do you know what that is, Leeke?” I paused long enough for her to response with a shake of her head. “Time. I have as much, and as little, as every other person on the planet. So if I can’t make or buy more time, I have to make the best use of the time I have. And what is the one thing we must do that is the most wasteful of our time? Sleeping.”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Hypnopedia: sleep learning.  The act or process of learning during sleep by listening to recordings repeatedly. (source: dictionary.com)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Into Stasis” 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 CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 6”
“Level 1”
“Level 2”
“Level 3”
“Level 7”

Music by NCTRNM
“Escapade”
“Parade”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Nctrnm is licensed under CC BY 4.0

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Nctrnm at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. The body of a man lying on his back in a chamber whose top is open. The man is seen from knees up and in left profile. His eyes are closed and his arm lays at his side. Behind him at the level of his chest is a device with a colorful kaleidoscope pattern on its back. Standing behind the device is a person, seen from chest to nose whose left arm is extended toward and obscured by the device.

 

---

Lexinkeo

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 08:21:00 +0000

On the eve of giving one of the most important speeches of his life, the greatest orator in the known worlds develops a condition that renders him speechless.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“Me for? For…me…only? No, not. For all.”

Quin peered at the man who was her mentor, her friend, and now, her charge. It was late, and they were both tired. But she believed that she under-stood what he was trying to say, as he took in the flurry of effort that was being directed toward the sin-gular aim of helping him.

Just me? he was saying. What about everyone else?

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
This time, it was the story idea that inspired the words. I combined the Greek words “lexi” meaning “word” with “syncheo,” which means “confuse” to devise the title of this story, and the name of the syndrome that afflicts “the greatest orator in the known worlds.” (source: Google translate)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Lexinkeo” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Evolving Cities”
“Forest Bathing”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”
“Slightly Across (No Percussion)”
“The Longest Year (No Percussion)”

 

Music by TAO & SOUND*
“Cry No More – (B) Melody Loop”
“Cry No More – (A) Melody Loop”
“I Never Gave Up – Intro”
“I Never Gave Up –(B) Melody Loop”
“I Never Gave Up –(A) Melody Loop”

 

*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 Tao & Sound is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Tao & Sound and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Person facing forward seen from top of shoulders to bridge of nose, wearing a long sleeve tunic with sun symbols at the center of the neck.  Both hands are held overlapping and over the mouth.

 

---

The Mora

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:51:00 +0000

To save the woman they both love, two men enter a forest where magic cannot abide, and any magic that enters unravels in unexpected and dangerous ways.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Mythology, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
It was a time when dragonflies could flutter all the way up to the moon, when the flickering of a hummingbird’s wings was faster than lightning.

It was a time when the growl of thunder signified the coming of a catastrophe, a cracking of the earth, a roiling of the seas, a shuddering of the heavens.

It was a wild time.

And into this time was born a creature that her mother called Mora.

  

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Remora: Definition 2. Archaic. An obstacle, hindrance, or obstruction. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Mora” 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)*
“Witches”
“Hunter’s moon”
“In the shadows”
“Fallen leaves”
“The plan”
“The death of love”
“Ancient gods”
“Le néant with Corneline”
“A place where evil lives”
“Compass”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. Silhouette of a hummingbird in flight seen from the right side. The sun shines behind the bird’s head, illuminating the feathers with an iridescent rainbow glow. Framing the bottom and sides of the image are leafy bushes in gray shadows.

 

---

The Moonbroch

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 06:45:00 +0000

A starry-eyed youth seeks to entreat the man in the moon to stop the lunar fairies from causing terrible storms in the earthen realm.

Genre: Mythology, Fairy Tale, Fable

 

Excerpt:
The starry-eyed youth named Carson cast his gaze at the full moon. His father had just cursed it, or rather, he had cursed those who dwelt upon it.

“A storm is coming,” his father said, gazing up at the low and looming clouds. “A storm with high winds.”

Yet another storm, the fourth one in as many days.

“Soon it will storm day and night,” his father said. And then he raised a fist to the full bright moon and shook it.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Moonbroch: “This is an old word from the far north of Scotland for a hazy halo of cloud around the moon at night that was supposedly a sign of bad weather to come.”
(Source: Mental Floss)

 
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Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

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CREDITS
Story: “The Moonbroch” Copyright © 2018 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)*
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“The village”
“Elders wisdom”
“Northern dusk”
“Dark fields”
“Secret water”
“Infinite land”
“Winterheart”
“Faeries”
“The village near the lake”
“Seasons”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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 bottom, two figures in silhouette and in profile hold their bent arms out toward each other. The figure at left has shaggy hair and is seen from shoulders up. The figure at right is taller, seen from chest up. Both their palms are held loosely up.  Above their hands is a bright orb of light, surrounded by dark, which itself is surrounded by a ring of light, which encompasses the two figures.  This ring of light is then surrounded by patches of darkness.  Just visible above the left figure’s hand is the translucent light silhouette of a moth.

 

---

The Last Wish of Caducus the Wizard

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 06:57:00 +0000

A dying wizard forges a pair of enchanted rings to help himself fulfill his last wish, to speak with his baby granddaughter.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
When my grandfather, the humble and ordinary wizard Caducus, first heard the whispers of the after-world summoning him, he decided to heed the call, but only after achieving his last wish.

My grandfather’s trade always gave him strength, even as time drained that strength away. The race could not abide forever. One of the runners must lose. And in the race against time, time never lost.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Caducity: 1. Archaic. The infirmity or weakness of old age. 2. Literary. The quality of being perishable or transitory (example: the caducity of life) (source: dictionary.com)

From the Latin “Caducus” meaning: falling, fallen; hurled (like lightning); frail, perishable, transitory (source: Langenscheidt Pocket Latin Dictionary)

 

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Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Last Wish of Caducus the Wizard” 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 TRG BANKS
“Keith in 1987”
“The silver bus”
“After midnight”
“Packed lunch”
“Great Aunt Henrietta”

 

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Joy”
“Silent walk”
“Everything and more”

 

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Casual Theme #3”
“Casual Theme #1”

 

*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 Nicholas Jeudy is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by TRG Banks at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, an elderly man seen from waist up, wearing a long sleeved tunic with a piled collar and an upside down pentagon pendant. He smiles and points his left index finger at a curly-haired young toddler in left profile sitting with outstretched legs on a soft surface, a pillow or bed.  The man’s right hand rests on the toddler’s feet. Both of the man’s hands are adorned with rings. The toddler wears a ring around the neck. A butterfly is perched behind the toddler’s shoulder.

 

---

Contest Chevelure

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 06:45:00 +0000

A modest town at the foot of the mountain holds a contest every summer with a powerful prize.

Genre: Mystery, Mythology

 

Excerpt:
The Contest Chevelure was a time-honored competition held in a modest town in the middle of a modest country. It was a contest to see who could have the most extravagant and beautiful head of hair. Only, there was one notable detail. None of the people in the town had any hair on their heads.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Chevelure: a head of hair (source: dictionary.com)

  

Milestone Alert! I posted my 500th short story mere days before releasing this episode: “ATTACK OF THE PANTALOONS FROM THE MOON”

 

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Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

  

CREDITS
Story: “Contest Chevelure” Copyright © 2018 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)*
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Lyric Voices #5”
“Medieval Track #1 (looped)”
“Medieval Theme #3”
“Be a Hero”
“Peace in My World (final theme)”            

Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Crystal Caves”
“Dwarven Settlement”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Locations Medieval Tavern Song”
“Exploration Cave (loop)”
“Exploration Forest of Magic”
“Humorous Exploration (loop)”
“Locations Court Song”

 

*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, Benjamin Carr, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr, Andrew Sitkov, and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Center bottom third, a figure facing forward, seen from shoulders up, wearing a scarf around the neck and a fitted coat. Her head is tilted up and her left hand is extended up, index finger pointing up, and other fingers held loosely. She has no hair, but a set of spiraling horns emerging from the top of her head and extending up through the top two-thirds of the image.  A second set of shorter spiraling horns extend from the back of her head. She stands beneath a starry sky.  A falling star streaks across that sky from upper right to lower left, just between the span of her horns.

 

---

A Handbook of Universal Truths

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 06:45:00 +0000

A researcher comes across a legendary text and is overwhelmed by the knowledge contained within.

Genre: Mystery, Mythology

Excerpt:
I glanced at the clean white bandage wrapped around her left hand and a good ways down her wrist.

“It’s going to be all right,” I said. “I’m here to help.”

The steely-eyed woman sitting across from me in the booth gave a single nod. She wasted no time on small talk and launched straight into her first question.

“The Axiom Enchiridion, ever heard of it?”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Palimpsest: a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text. (source: dictionary.com)

 

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Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

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CREDITS
Story: “A Handbook of Universal Truths” 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)*
“Master”
“Learning punch”
“Genetic marker”
“Men in black”
“Connecting dots”
“Under the mask”
“Negociation”
“Mindhunter”
“Complexe mind”
              

Music by RAFAEL ARCHANGEL
“Smoke”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Rafael Archangel is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Rafael Archangel at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A portal that looks like an iris. The center is dark, save for one small bright spot like a star. Surrounding this center is a toroidal or donut shape. This is surrounded by circular layers of lightning sparks and ripples of different colors.

 

---

The Cosmic Hourglass

Fri, 26 May 2023 09:02:00 +0000

A mortal apprentice to an immortal being is tempted to steal the great powers contained within the Cosmic Hourglass to tilt the balance of the cosmos toward good.

Genre: Mythology

 

Excerpt:
When young mortals were told the story of the Cosmic Hourglass for the first time, and taught to cherish each speck of sand, many would ask a question that their teachers foresaw (and had themselves asked).

Why sand?

The teachers would smile, for this was one of the questions they were ready to answer.

And they would answer.

A single speck of sand is so small that even the wind can lift it. But a multitude of grains together are so powerful that they can bury a city.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
I…cheated?  There was apparently no word that inspired this story. I just wanted to write a myth about cosmic powers, and hourglasses.

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Cosmic Hourglass” 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)*
“Dark fields”
“Emblem”
“Peacefull place”
“Secret water”
“Into wild lands”
“Experiment 7”
“The village near the lake”
“Shadow forest”
“Transfiguration”
“Sancta terra”

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market

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, an hourglass with an equal amount of glittering sand on the top and bottom levels. Two hands hold the hourglass in place at top and bottom. The hands share the complexion of the face behind the hourglass and seen through its glass. The face looks forward. Light symmetrical lines extend over the face from the centerline out. The face’s hair flares out from the side, growing more voluminous from chin to top of head.

 

---

All the Mirrors Are Broken

Fri, 19 May 2023 07:43:00 +0000

A private investigator who thinks she’s chasing a thief realizes that her case may be linked to her own uncanny past, and a truth she may not be ready to face.

Genre: Mystery

 

Excerpt:
She didn’t let me into her house, but she did give me the trash bag with the broken shards of the mirror. And she did agree to take a picture of the mirror’s remnants with my camera. (She frowned when Iteased her not to steal it.) My phone had a better lens than that old camera, but this wasn’t the first time someone didn’t let me in somewhere, but did agree to take pictures for me.

I nodded to myself as I reviewed the pictures. I would be able to put the shards back together again. And compare them to the other mirrors I’d reassembled.  I could already guess what I would find.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Adventitious:
1) Associated with something by chance rather than as an integral part
2) Botany, Zoology. Appearing in an abnormal or unusual position or place, as a root.
(source dictionary.com)

 

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Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
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STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “All the Mirrors Are Broken” 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)*
“Cold case”
“Genetic marker”
“Connecting dots”
“In search for”
“Under the mask”
“Neon city”

Music by TAO AND SOUND*
“80s Synth Ambient 01 C”

Music by RAFAEL ARCHANGEL
“Smoke”
“So Cold”

*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 Tao and Sound is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Rafael Archangel is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Tao and Sound at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Rafael Archangel at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A woman seen from the left, crouching and picking up a shard of glass. She wears a knee-length coat which flares down from the waist. More shards of glass lie on the floor. She holds a small notebook in her left hand, and wears a ring with a stone on her right hand. At top left, glass shatters outward from left to right above her head. On the wall or surface behind are faint elemental symbols.

 

---

The Magic Triptych

Fri, 12 May 2023 07:51:00 +0000

Every year on her birthday, the daughter of a mage receives a key that unlocks a different world in her enchanted triptych.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
When I was born, a clever mage, who was also my mother, made for me a triptych: three panels, attached in a row by hinges, depicting paintings of our home. The middle panel depicted our capital city, where we lived. The left panel depicted my mother, her hands raised as if in the casting of a spell. The right panel depicted the Arx, the great tower of knowledge where mages learned their trade. The flanking panels were each half the width of the middle one, so they could be folded inward, and the image could be hidden. And strangely, my mother had built a lock into the triptych. Once folded, the triptych could be secured. I did not know why it would need to be locked. There were no secret or blasphemous things depicted in the paintings, as far as I knew.

  

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Triptych: (Fine arts.) A set of three panels or compartments side by side, bearing pictures, carvings, or the like. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

  

CREDITS
Story: “The Magic Triptych” 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 new day begins”
“Peacefull place”
“Imagine”
“The village”
“Oinions”
“Into wild lands”
“City”
“Emblem”
“Shadow forest”
“Home”
“Immortals”
“Oinions (second part)”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. A collage made of three panels, the center one being square and bigger than the two rectangles that flank it, which are of equal size to each other. From left to right, a long stem flower with six petals and two long leaves running alongside the stem; the front half of a turtle swimming at right, and strands of seaweed and fish swimming behind the turtle; and the bright silhouette of a tall tower with several openings and protruding sections, and the silhouettes of trees on either side.

 

---

The Forest of the Dasollagi

Fri, 05 May 2023 18:09:00 +0000

A student seeking to learn the craft of enchantment is challenged to pass through a forest filled with strange obstacles.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Mythology

 

Excerpt:
“Wait until you are within the borders of the forest before you open the box, else you have failed before you have begun.”

With those words, the schoolmaster turned away and left Naji alone before the borders of the forest.

Naji entered the forest with no other possessions but that box, as the test required. He carried no water, no food, no clothing but what he already wore, no bedroll, nothing to trade or barter with.

But that is what he had chosen. A box.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Who knows what I could have been thinking? I certainly don’t remember, and I didn’t write it down this time. But did you know that the Dutch word for “butterfly” is “vlinder”?  There’s a Vlinder in this story.

 

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
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STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Forest of the Dasollagi” 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)*
“Lonely Day”
“Elders wisdom”
“The forest”
“Ancient gods”
“Deep lands part 2”
“Kingdom rises”
“Infinite land”
“Creatures of the night”
“The edge of nightmare”
“Back in the village”
“The bard”

 

Music by JONATHAN SHAW*
“Cold Sanctuary”
“Treading the Unknown”

 

*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

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Jonathan Shaw 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. At bottom, center right, a figure seen in dark silhouette walks a forest path toward a simple cabin. Bordering this path is trees and shrubbery. The right side is in shadow. Light shines through the trees from top left. Along the left of frame, a faint shadowy figure extends a long-fingered arm toward the person walking to the cabin. The original image is a horizontal rectangle. The image is made square by adding borders at top and bottom that copy and extend the edges of the original image in grayscale and shadow.

 

---

A Tiny Man in a Giant Land

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 08:36:00 +0000

Two cousins decide to visit the mysterious isle of giants, and to steal portions of treasure small enough to escape a giant’s notice, but large enough to make their fortunes.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy


Excerpt:
“We will live in their house, as mice live in ours. Wes hall never want for anything. One slice of their bread could feed us for half a year.” Slubber slapped me on the back. “Cousin, I have always thought you clever, but this is beyond clever. This is true brilliance.”

“Mice. What if there are giant mice?” Strangely, the thought had not occurred to me, as many useful thoughts had not. “Or worse yet…cats?” 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Slubber: to perform hastily or carelessly (dictionary.com)

  

Follow my Fictioneering Mischief
Sign up to get a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more by email in the STORYFEATHER GAZETTE.

 

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STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Tiny Man in a Giant Land” 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 BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Dwarven Settlement”
“Miscellaneous Battle Theme 3”
“Deceitful Castle”
“Crystal Caves”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“A bank in the inn”
“Jesters dance”
“Into wild lands”
“Infinite land”
“Written in stones”

 

*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 Nicholas Jeudy is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Scan of ink drawing, digitally colored. A person at right and facing left, partially seen from waist to forehead, holds the handle of a Y-shaped slingshot in the extended left arm. The right hand stretches back the sling portion, which contains a stone, and a small human figure lying with their back on the stone. In the background is a sunny blue sky, with a light scattering of rain, and to the left, rocky terrain obscured by fog that extends to bottom edge.

 

---

A Simple Procedure

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:45:00 +0000

ALERT: This episode contains a fictionalized depiction of a panic attack and heartbeat sound effects. Please listen with caution.

A patient checks into the hospital for a simple procedure and experiences remarkable side effects.

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
It was a simple procedure.

A simple procedure.

I would be admitted to the hospital overnight. I had to be fasting. Except for some clear liquid that the nurse would have me drink every four hours. It contained some stuff that the doctor called “fixers.” She explained that they were meant to help boost the efficiency of the procedure and help my recovery go faster. Then she joked that they would “fix” me.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Fantod: usually “the fantods.” A state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “A Simple Procedure” 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 LEE ROSEVERE
“All the Answers”
“Heat Haze”
“The Nightmare”
“Here’s the Thing”

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 8”
“Level 6”
“Level 7”

Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Slightly Across (No Percussion)”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”
“Forest Bathing”

 

*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 Chris Logsdon is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Chris Logsdon 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. View around two sides of a corner. On the left wall are two elevators with a man stepping away from the far elevator. The man holds a bouquet and a balloon. On the right wall is a painting and a floor vase containing a plant. The right wall is connected to another wall. At right foreground are two women and a girl. One woman and the girl stand against a counter and one woman stands behind them. Transposed over all this are the translucent distorted edges and outlines of the original image.

 

---

Happy Anniversary, Forever

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:19:00 +0000

A lone astronaut and a ship’s artificial intelligence spend two decades trapped in a spatial phenomenon from which there is no escape.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
What if you knew that you only had twenty-five years to live, safely and surely, but you would be alone, watching your death approach, unable to escape it? And what if you knew that whatever you did or accomplished in that time would most certainly never be known by the rest of your people? So you won’t be leaving behind a legacy of observations and musings. Not even raw data collected by the sensors will make it out. What would you do? Who would you be?

Do you think you’d last?

Do you think I will last?

 

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Futilitarian: 1) believing that human hopes are vain, and human strivings unjustified. 2) a person who holds this belief. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Happy Anniversary, Forever” 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)*
“()”
“Haunted spaceship”

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Unknown Terrain”
“Space Discoveries”
“Time for Adventures”

Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Forest Bathing”
“The Longest Year (No Percussion)”
“The Longest Year”    

 

*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, Andrew Sitkov, Andrea Baroni is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy, Andrew Sitkov, and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A face seen in left profile from chin to forehead vertically and nose to cheek horizontally. The face is looking upward, mouth parted and brows drawn in. Reflected in the iris and the background are images of phenomena in space, like stars and nebulas.

 

---

Astral Andie Is Angry

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 08:02:00 +0000

Andie Ogami is hired as a spy by a wealthy family because of her ability to astral project.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“How do you feel?” the technician asked. She was holding one of those astral scanners toward my head.

I blinked a few times. “Strange…uh, disoriented.” My lips felt dry. I licked them and glanced over at the chair where I’d left my handbag. I had some balm in one of the front pockets.

“Here,” the technician said, handing me a pad and pen. “Write down everything you remember in as much detail as you can provide. Remember your training, all five senses in one section, emotions in an-other. If you have any thoughts and impressions and speculations, you can record them in the last section.”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Otiose: being at leisure; idle (source: dictionary.com)

  

I mentioned in the outro that I needed additional help brainstorming this story. So I rolled my Story Cubes.
STORY CUBES
(I’m not being paid to endorse these or anything. I just really like them, and actually use them.)

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Astral Andie Is Angry” 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)*
“As it happened”
“Learned punch”
“Master”
“Trojan horse”
“In search for”
“Fist of fury”
“Mindhunter (seamless)”
“Virtual reality”
“The deal”
“Men in black”

 

Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”      

                                   

*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 Andrea Baroni is licensed from GameDev Market

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A woman, seen from waist up, lying down on a cot near a window with closed blinds. The view is angled so her head is at top right. She wears a long sleeve sweater over a collared shirt. Her short hair lies at her left side. Her right hand lies over her stomach. Her left hand at her waist. Her eyes are closed and her face is expressionless. A glowing waking version of her face with brows and mouth drawn down appears vertically above her neck as if the ghostly face has risen from the sleeping face. The original image is a horizontal rectangle. The format is made square with borders above and below that repeat or blur out the original image.

 

---

Lost and Found at the Hotel Gloaming

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:49:00 +0000

A guest at an extravagant hotel gets lost and stumbles upon a strange secret.

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
I noticed the magician when he slipped in behind the last person to enter the golden-walled elevator, and I sucked in a breath. I held it, half-subconsciously, as if it would make me invisible to him. It did not. I started feeling thudding of my heart as soon as he started turning to people, one at a time, handing them scraps of paper, touching their hands. I exhaled when he turned to me and handed me a scrap of paper too. He grinned and told me what I was supposed to do the next time he called upon me.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Gloaming: twilight; dusk (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Lost and Found at the Hotel Gloaming” 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 (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Casual Theme #3”
“Casual Theme #1”
“Story at Night”
“Hidden Fear”
“Peace in My World (final theme)”
“Magic Within”
“Scary Theme #2 (Version 2)”
“A&C Percussion Loop #3”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Humorous Exploration (loop)”
“Exploration Cave (loop)”
“Holy Cathedral”
“Cue Nostalgic Story”

                                       

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
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. Partial slightly angled view of a wall of compartments, like ornate safe deposit boxes, bearing an art deco pattern of layered scales. One box is fully visible. It bears a plate at its bottom right corner that reads “1443.”  At bottom center is the handle to the box, an art deco pattern of fanned out diamonds. Above the handle is the lock. A key sits in the lock and that key is being held by a hand whose bottom half is covered by a sleeve which extends out of frame to the right. A watermark of the word “Storyfeather” appears along the left edge of the main box. The original image is a horizontal rectangle. Borders at top and bottom with a messy stamp of the layered scales pattern make the final image shape square.

 

---

The Mystery on Marigold Drive

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 06:45:00 +0000

Strange happenings in one household trigger a police investigation that reveals a deeper mystery.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
A few days later, Reggie mentioned seeing a “weird-looking dog” in the backyard when he came home from school. He looked it up and realized that what he’d seen was a fox. But if there had indeed been a fox in the yard, it had run off by the time Reena went to look. She’d never heard of any fox sightings in the town proper. But aside from a few jokes at dinner about wildlife passing through their backyard, the Songs had no further concern.

Then, items began to appear. An old-fashioned lantern lying outside in the yard. A rake that no one remembered buying. And one morning, Reena came downstairs to find a stack of plates in the kitchen that didn’t belong to the family.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Intertemporal: Describing any relationship between past, present, and future events or conditions. (source: Wiktionary)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Mystery on Marigold Drive” 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)*
“Silent walk”
“Monochromatic stain”
“Cold case”
“Virtual reality”
“Prisma”
“Profiler”
“Investigation day”
“In search for (seamless)”
“Unclassified”
“Do or die”

                                

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

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. A street map with a few labeled elements and denser detail in the middle, which shows a grid of streets. At top center is a green area labeled “Exeter Park.” At bottom center is another green area, unlabeled. One of the streets curves down into a body of water labeled “Dragonfly Lake.” Just outside the grid, in each other cardinal direction is a circle. The circles are labeled “Circle North,” “Circle East,” Circle West,” and “Circle South,” according to their position. Radiating out from the center of the map is a web of cracks or tears. One of these cracks terminates at upper right on a house symbol on a side street labeled “Marigold.” Other parallel streets nearby are labeled “Olive” and “Park.” The original image is a horizontal rectangle. Borders are added to the top and bottom showing faded portions of the map to make the final image square.

 

---

The Cavern Traveler

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:10:00 +0000

A woman seeking medical treatment for what seems to be a travel-related infection in her foot becomes involved in a grander mystery.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“Is there such a thing as hallucinogenic moss?”

Seyyal raised her brows as she asked the question, and watched her cousin’s fork freeze in mid-air. They were having their usual monthly brunch and catching up with each other. And Seyyal had already somewhat updated Yalanda about the subject that had been occupying her mind since she’d gotten back from vacation, her left foot.

Yalanda set her fork down and leaned forward. “Okay, am I about to get the real story about your vacation?”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Overmorrow: the day after tomorrow (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Cavern Traveler” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Slightly Across (No Percussion)”
“Forest Bathing”

                      

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“All the Answers”
“Night Caves”
“Featherlight (remix – vocals by Heather Feather)”
“Decompress”
“Thoughtful”
“Waves of Sleep”
“Baldachin”
“Awkward Silences (version a)”

     

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni 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. Black silhouette of a figure seen from the back standing at the mouth of a cavern. The mouth has a rough trapezoidal shape. Light shines into the cavern from outside. The cavern has smooth walls. Some trees and shrubbery are visible outside. To the left of the silhouette is a translucent mirror image copy of the silhouette. The two figures are connected and overlap at one foot, below which is aglow. The original image is horizontal and rectangular. A border was added at top and bottom to make the shape square. A version of the original image was magnified and color-shifted.

 

---

Behind the Hour

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:45:00 +0000

A woman unwittingly misses the start of daylight savings, falls one hour behind, and is unable to catch up.

Genre: Mystery, Mythology

 

Excerpt:
On her way back to her cubicle, she called to her nearest neighbor. He didn’t answer. She walked over, leaned against his cubicle and called his name again. He kept working.

You too? she wondered. The silent treatment? For being late?

Audrey sighed. It was going to be a long day. She re-turned to her cubicle and reached for the mug on her desk. The handle was freezing. Her hand recoiled instinctively, then reached back. It was also, it seemed, going to be one of those days when every little thing would be hard.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
None. I wrote this when daylight savings was about to start and was frustrated about losing an hour and decided to attempt a “ridiculous and unoriginal” story.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Behind the Hour” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“March of the Waking Lights”
“Ground Control”
“You Were Always In The Right Place”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart”
“Slightly Across (No Percussion)”
“Forest Bathing”
“Night Time (No Percussion)”

 

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Exploration Mystery (loop)”
“Exploration Mystical Place (loop 1)”
“Exploration Technologic Place (loop)”

                                       

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A sphere set on a stand that’s lying on a table top. The sphere bears a pattern that looks like several atomic orbitals intersecting and jagged lines moving from edge to center. The stand bears on its front a colorful version of the intersecting orbitals pattern. The horizontal rectangular image is made square by adding a textured pattern of the sphere design in borders at top and bottom.

 

---

Madam Pantoflae

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 07:44:00 +0000

When rumors and gossip surround the newest resident of town, particularly about her mysterious habit of hiding her feet, one girl dares to seek the truth.

Genre: Mystery

 

Excerpt:
“Ah yes, Madam Pantoflae. She of the delicate foot. Have you heard? A witch placed a curse upon her feet, and the curse can only be counteracted by the wearing of enchanted boots.”

Katherine Lovelace sighed a long and long-suffering sigh at the girl who’d spoken. They two, and the several other children gathered at the Baker house for the first party on the cusp of winter, were gathered around the small fireplace in the receiving room.

In the few months since the new resident had settled into town, the infamous Madam Pantoflae had been the subject of many rumors.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Pantofle: a slipper (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Madam Pantoflae” Copyright © 2018 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*
“Midnight Creeping”
“Visions of Freedom”
“A Bitter Hope”

 

Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Underwater Template”
“Mines”
“Ancient Ruins”
“Ice Cavern”
“Ghost Town”
“Necropolis”
“Dwarven Settlement”

 

*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 Jonathan Shaw is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Jonathan Shaw 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. Composite image. At bottom center, three children stand clustered together seen from waist up. From left to right: A boy with short hair holding a mug in his right hand at waist level, wearing a collared shirt. A girl in a dress with her hair pinned back holding a cup between her hands in front of her. Another girl in a dress with her hair in a high braid, with left arm held across herself and her chin propped under her right fist. Surrounding them at bottom of frame are flames. Behind them and above their heads is the oversized figure of a woman, seen from shoulders up, facing forward in three-quarters profile. She has short wavy hair and a cap-style hat with a sword-shaped pin. Four sets of four vertical lines pass diagonally behind the whole image.

 

---

Starling and Leveret

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 07:54:00 +0000

Starling and Leveret investigate the sudden disappearance of the legendary Tortoise of the famed race between the Tortoise and the Hare.

Genre: Fable, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“Is it true that you once beat Hare in a foot race? It can’t be true. But is it true?”

Tortoise sighed.

He continued walking along as the little black bird flapped around him. She landed on a nearby branch.

“I’ve heard that you’ve seen the world from above as a bird does when she’s flying. Is that true? How did you do it? It can’t be true. But is it true?”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Leveret: a young hare (source: dictionary.com)

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Starling and Leveret” 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 JONATHAN SHAW*
“In Tranquil Spring”
“Checking Inventory”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Midnight Creeping”
“Treading the Unknown”
“Thoughts”
“Lingering Evil”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“Land of Misdeeds”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”

 

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Mystical Town”
“Haunted Town”
“Mining Town”
“Shady Town”

 

*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 Jonathan Shaw is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Chris Logsdon and Jonathan Shaw 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. Two figures facing forward.  A leveret, or young hare at left, standing upright and holding out human-like hands in a clawed pose.  A starling, a black bird, at right, standing with wings folded, body in left profile and extending off frame to the right so that the tail feathers are not visible. Both have eyebrows, which are drawn down. At left behind the figures is a doorway or opening with only darkness visible beyond. The horizontal image is made square with border bars above and below displaying distorted faded partial copies of the main image.

 

---

The Thief, The Fairy, and The Raven

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:24:00 +0000

As penance for a recent crime, a thief is tasked with carrying a most precious and coveted treasure to a place where no mortal may tread.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Mythology, Fantasy

Excerpt:
The thief fell from the tower’s upper window. She had lost her precarious grip on the pitted brick. She remembered that she should roll herself up into a loose ball to protect her head and neck. But by the time she remembered, she had already struck the first branch of the tree in the orchard below. Then she struck another and another. Scratched and thrashed and bounced about, she finally reached the ground, thankful that the soil was soft. She lay there for far too long a moment. The breath had been knocked out of her. And she feared moving for fear she might discover that she could not.

But she heard voices, shouting, lights coming on, the barking of dogs from the other side of the courtyard.

 
What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Evenfall: the beginning of evening; twilight; dusk. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Thief, The Fairy, and the Raven” 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)*
“Gateways”
“Illusions”
“Elders wisdom”
“Jesters dance”
“Back in the village”
“Infinite land”
“Written in stones”
“Into wild lands”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Exploration_Cave (loop)”
“Exploration_Forest Of Magic”
“Humorous_Stealth (loop)”
“Locations_Medieval Tavern Song”
“Battle_1_normal (loop)”
“Holy_Hymn (loop)”

 

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Two figures facing forward seen from waist up. The figure at left, face in three-quarters profile facing left, has her arms raised, but bent, the left one in front of her and the right one with hand near her face, fingers loosely flourished. One of her brows is raised. She wears shoulder guards and elbow length gloves. The figure at right, standing slightly behind, bears a quiver of arrows on his back, has pointed ears, and has an arrow knocked and ready to fire. Behind them is the silhouette of a bird with wings outstretched seen from above. This lies over an opening shaped like a three-pointed arch. A haze of fog surrounds the figures up to their shoulders.

 

---

The Fairy Blackberry

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:45:00 +0000

When her sister disappears into the fairy realm, a girl and her best friend mount a rescue.  But while it’s quite easy to get into the fairy realm, almost no one gets out. 

Genre: Fairy Tale

 

Excerpt:
It’s quite easy to get into the fairy realm, you see. They want you to come to them. They need you to come to them. So quite easy to get into the fairy realm. But almost no one gets out.

There were eight hundred and eighty-eight doors leading into the fairy realm. And only eight leading out.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
I have no idea. I don’t think there was one. But here’s an intriguing word that appears in the story:
Harridan: a scolding, vicious woman; hag; shrew. (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Fairy Blackberry” 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 BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Dwarven Settlement”
“Crystal Caves”
“Ancient Ruins”
“Ice Cavern”
“Mystical Forest”
“Necropolis”
“Flying Fortress”

 

Music by JONATHAN SHAW*
“Midnight Creeping”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”
“Sinning Tavern”
“Lingering Evil”

 

*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 Jonathan Shaw is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Jonathan Shaw 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. At right, two little girls standing next to each other. The one at left stands facing forward, her long hair pinned to either side, arms at her side, looking and smiling down at the outstretched hands of the girl at right. The girl at right is seen from left profile, mouth parted, brows raised, looking down at her hands. Her upper arms are at her side, bent at the elbow with her cupped hands held out. In her palms, there stands a small human figure whose features are not visible, but whose face is raised up to the girl. Behind the girls is shrubbery. Along the left edge is a tree.

 

---

The Frog Who Foiled the Fantasticator

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Rare are the fantasticators, who can by their very presence bring about the emergence of the fantastic from the most common of things and the most mundane of people.

Genre: Fable, Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Rare are they who can by their very presence bring about the emergence of the fantastic from the most common of things and the most mundane of people.

So rare indeed, that most towns only had one such person, only one whose speech inspired the emergence of energy from lethargy, whose gaze trans-formed ugliness to beauty, and whose touch could change a blunder into a wonder.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Fantasticate: to make or render fantastic
Fantastic: extraordinarily good; excellent:
Also fan·tas·ti·cal
—conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination; odd and remarkable; bizarre; grotesque:
—fanciful or capricious, as persons or their ideas or actions:
—imaginary or groundless in not being based on reality; foolish or irrational:
—extravagantly fanciful; marvelous:
—incredibly great or extreme; exorbitant:
—highly unrealistic or impractical:
(source: dictionary.com)

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Frog Who Foiled the Fantasticator” Copyright © 2018 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 ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Locations_Happy Villlage (loop)”
“Exploration_Forest Of Magic”
“Humorous_Exploration (loop)”
“Exploration_Mystery (loop)”
“Cue_Nature 2”
“Locations_House (loop)”
“Cue_Nature”

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Lyric Voices #5”
“Lyric Voices #1”
“Adventure Track #1”

Music by TRG BANKS
“Horse ride 4”
“The silver bus”
“Lake in the woods”

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“Featherlight (remix – vocals by Heather Feather)”

 

*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
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Lee Rosevere and TRG Banks at bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Bottom left corner, a frog seen from behind, sitting on a rock, surrounded by blades of grass.  In front of the frog is a human looking down at the frog with her right hand on her chin, left hand propped on her hip. She wears boots, bloomers, a long coat, and a cap with a feather in it.  At right is a tree whose branches and leafy canopy extend over the head of the human and droop down to the ground line. Through the branches, in the distance, is a flying pig facing forward. At bottom right are bushes of unusual and bright colors. They curve around the base of the tree.

 

---

Jacquery Tattery Maker of Sails

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Jaquery Tattery was born at sea, and he grew up in a town far from the sea, and all he wanted to do was return to the sea.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
The Tatterys were tailors who started working in town with a humble business of repairing and refreshing old clothes, and soon expanded to fine tailoring of clothes and tapestries. Jack learned the trade of sewing and tailoring from a young age, as his brother and sister had been required to do before they set out on their own. He knew he would one day mind the family business. Jack was proud of his family’s trade and their shop, and he admired what his parents had built, but so did he admire their courage incoming to a new land to build a new life. He had never gone on any such adventure, and feared he never would.

Still, he dreamed.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Jactation: 1) boasting; bragging. 2) [Pathology] a restless tossing of the body (source: dictionary.com)

 

CREDITS
Story: “Jacquery Tattery Maker of Sails” 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)*
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“Back in the village”
“Into wild lands”
“They come from the north”
“Pirate attack!”

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Mining Town”
“Mystical Town”
“Whimsical Town”
“Port Town”

Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)*
“Dwarven Settlement”

*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 Benjamin Carr is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy, Chris Logsdon, and Benjamin Carr at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Part of a sail whose braided border is being pierced by a needle. The sail sits on the lap of a person, at right of image, whose left hand grips a section of the braided border and whose right hand, equipped with a sailmaker’s sewing palm, directs the need through the braid of cloth. An image is stitched onto the sail and is partially visible, the body of a serpent entangled around a boat with one sail unfurled at bottom center and middle. At bottom right, the serpent’s head with mouth parted, looking at the ship.

 

---

The Watchers of the Whale

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 07:45:00 +0000

The mayor of a modest harbor town struggles to deal with the appearance of a whale in the sky above the ocean.

Genre: Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“There’s a whale, just…floating in the middle of the sky. That doesn’t impress you?”

“I never said I wasn’t impressed.”

“I mean that doesn’t move you to—I don’t know—ponder about the big stuff in life?”

The mayor crossed his arms. “Big stuff?”

She shook her head, then turned back to look at him. Her brows were slightly creased now, and her gaze fixed on him. “If the official explanation isn’t real, do you think there’s a logical explanation for this?”

“I think there’s an explanation,” Mayor Joyance said. “Whether or not it’s logical remains to be seen.”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Joyance: (Archaic) joyous feeling; gladness. (source: dictionary.com)

  

CREDITS
Story: “The Watchers of the Whale” 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 ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Ground Control”
“Night Time”
“Evolving Cities”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart”
“Slightly Across”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Fast Lanes Light Rain”
“March of the Waking Lights”
“You Were Always In The Right Place”

 

Music by TAO AND SOUND*
“I Never Gave Up - INTRO”
“I Never Gave Up - (B) MELODY LOOP”
“I Never Gave Up - (A) MELODY LOOP”
“U Never Had To Exist - INTRO”
“Cry No More - (B) MELODY LOOP”

 

*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 Tao and Sound is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Tao and Sound at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A right whale seen in left profile, floating in midair in a cloudy sky with sunset colors.

 

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Lord Orgulous

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 08:41:00 +0000

An air of mystery surrounds a young lord who came to rule a province from a distant land, until those closest to him gather clues about his past.

Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Lord Orgulous came to our province some time ago, and when he did, he inherited the rule of the province. As might be expected, he arrived with quite a flurry of rumor swirling about him, for he hailed from a distant land, and he was young and handsome and mysterious. Some said he left behind a fortune so grand that even the stars looked down upon its glittering magnificence with envy. Some said he was exiled for some preposterous boast that insulted a very powerful personage. And there are some among us—the romantics—who believe that he came to our land because he was fleeing from heartbreak.

 

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Orgulous: (Archaic) haughty; proud. (source: dictionary.com)

  

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “Lord Orgulous” 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 band in the inn”
“Shadows and flames”
“Back in the village”
“Dragon rider”
“Facing the dragon”
“The bard”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ ((Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 2)”
“Exploration_Forest of Magic”
“Locations_Happy Village (loop)”
“Locations_Medieval Tavern Song”
“Locations_Court Song”
“Humorous_Exploration (loop)”
“Exploration_Cave (loop)”
“Holyl_Hymn (loop)”
“Battle_1_normal (loop)”

 

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Three people sitting at a table, described from left to right. In three-quarters profile, a bald man in a collared long sleeve shirt, holding a stein in both hands with his elbows on the table. A woman facing forward with her hair in a bun, wearing a double-breasted jacket, resting her left forearm on the table, and holding her right index finger to her mouth. She looks to the right at the third person, a woman with long curly hair, seen in left profile, smiling, and holding up her right hand with palm loosely facing upward.

 

---

The Piecemeal Cake

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 07:45:00 +0000

A baker chosen for an honorable and prestigious assignment must contend with a rival who was not chosen.

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Four nations warred. And they warred. And they warred. And some suppose that they might be war-ring still if not for the firm but humble interference of a fifth nation. Mensulamare was a lengthy name for such a small nation. “The Little Table in the Sea” it was called, for the isle floated in one of the world’s vast oceans, surrounded by four nations much greater in size and power, and much fiercer in fury. The leaders of the four nations despised each other, but there was one for whom they had enough respect and admiration—even affection—to come together for talks of a truce. Perhaps it was time.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Piecemeal: piece by piece; one piece at a time; gradually
Peace: the nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
(source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Piecemeal Cake” 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 (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Medieval Theme #4”
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Medieval Track #1”
“Adventure Track #1 (looped)”
“Medieval Theme #3”
“Journey into Fog”
“Lyric Voices #1”
“Lyric Voices #2”

 

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ ((Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Battle_2_Evil (loop)”
“Humorous_Exploration (loop)”
“Locations_House (loop)”

*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 Albert Fernandez is licensed from GameDev Market

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
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. View down a table set with plates and platters of cakes with colorful patterns on the inside.  At the other end of the table sit five people. From left to right, a person with a simple head covering seen profile; a person with face in three-quarters profile, smiling and folding hands upon the table; a person with a cowl neck tunic and gloves looking down at a cake and smiling, also with hands folded on the table; a person wearing a cloak and two high braids, pointing with left hand to a cake; and a person wearing a hair combs, earrings, an armband on the left arm that appears to be a device, with hands folded on the lap. The rectangular image is bordered with repeating patterns of cake slices at top and bottom to make the whole image square.

 

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Letter From Self

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 07:45:00 +0000

A young woman receives a letter written by her future self about all the significant events to come in the next year of her life.

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
Three major things will happen to me over the course of the coming year. I’ll meet someone. I’ll think he’s wonderful. He won’t be. That’s the first thing. Second, I’ll break my arm in a cowardly attempt to flee from my own responsibilities. And third, I’ll serve on the crew of the most extravagant ship to ever sail the nine seas, the Glorious.

How do I know these things will happen?

Because I told myself they would in a letter…

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
There was none!  I seem to have defied my own theme guidelines for this story.

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
NEW DESIGNS FOR DECEMBER 2022!
Warrior woman with an axe shaped like butterfly wings, a luminous woman gazing at the phases of the moon, a majestic sea serpent, and a parrot shaped like a pterosaur, just to name a few.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from the stories.
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

 

CREDITS
Story: “Letter From Self” 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)*
“Crazy race”
“Here we go”
“Joy”
“Playing in water”

 

Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“Quizitive”
“Southside”
“Keep Trying”
“Awkward Silences (version b)”
“Start the Day”
“All the Answers”
“Tech Toys”
“Awkward Silences (version a)”

 

*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 is licensed from GameDev Market
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy 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. A woman with short hair and wearing colorful business attire, seen from mid-thigh up, facing forward, turned to the left, holding a baby cradled in her right arm. Her left arm is in a sling. The baby is facing the woman and reaches up with the right hand to her nose. The two are translucent so that most of the words from a magnified view of a handwritten letter behind the woman and baby are visible. The visible writing on the letter reads as follows (the ellipsis representing obscured words): “Dear me of the future, I am hoping that…you read this, you’ve enjoyed a calm…year—with no broken bones to speak of, the opposite of the year I’ve had. You remember, don’t you? I hustled my butt off during pilot season. No luck there and nothing really happened until April when I [crossed out letters] Marvin. Then everything started happening at once. I want to start at the end…The Glorious.”  There is a hand holding a fountain pen whose edge is still forming the letter “s” on the word “glorious.” The letter is written in all capitals.

 

---

The Visitor on the Valorous

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 07:45:00 +0000

Reporter Lily Landry has an extraordinary encounter one night after she investigates a bright light in the sky above her apartment.

Genre: Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
She gulped and tried to tell herself what she always told herself in such situations.

There’s a story here.

A figure approached her and she gulped again.

Come on, Landry. Put on your reporter’s hat. No time to panic. No time to—

The figure reached out to her with one of its eight arms.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Valorous: having valor—boldness or determination in facing great danger, especially in battle; heroic courage; bravery (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
NEW DESIGNS FOR DECEMBER 2022!
Warrior woman with an axe shaped like butterfly wings, a luminous woman gazing at the phases of the moon, a majestic sea serpent, and a parrot shaped like a pterosaur, just to name a few.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from the stories.
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Visitor on the Valorous” Copyright © 2018 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)*
“Magic Within”
“A&C Percussion Loop #3”
“Unknown Terrain”
“Stars Talk”
“Space Discoveries”
“Another World”
“Secrets of Kingdom”
“Knight Rising”
“Knight Power”
“Percussion Loop #5”
“Dark Side”
“Percussion Loop #12”
“Journey into Fog”
“Lost In The Dark”
“Freedom”

 

Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”

*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 Andrea Baroni is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Andrea Baroni at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A woman seen from behind, knees up, standing at a section of railing.  Her left hand rests on the railing to the side. Her right arm is held up over her head. Her hair, the bottom of her long coat or robe, and her skirt are all flared back from the force of something above her that’s casting down a bright light. A flower pot with two long-stemmed flowers is set on the floor beside her to her left in the corner where a cross bar meets the railing.

 

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The Holiday Truce on Stage 34

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 07:45:00 +0000

Two rival television shows set aside their differences to film their solstice holiday specials.

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Excerpt:
“Lily Loquacious” and “Calling All Ships” were both filmed in the same giant building that housed the famed Stage 34. In fact, they were the reason that Stage 34 was famed. The building actually housed five stages, all originally occupied by the “Lily Loquacious Variety Hour,” brought over from radio, which later became “Lily Loquacious Lives,” and finally just “Lily Loquacious.” The show started as a sketch comedy, where Lily Loquacious was a returning favorite character played by the inimitable Lily McKay. When it was clear audiences wanted more of Lily Loquacious, the studio obliged by building a show around her.

“Calling All Ships” was a space saga about a ship ironically named the Valorous because it and its crew fled from a critical battle during the last war that their people and allies fought against a mysterious long-time enemy.

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Loquacious: talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative (source: dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
NEW DESIGNS FOR DECEMBER 2022!
Warrior woman with an axe shaped like butterfly wings, a luminous woman gazing at the phases of the moon, a majestic sea serpent, and a parrot shaped like a pterosaur, just to name a few.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from the stories.
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE.

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Holiday Truce on Stage 34” Copyright © 2018 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)*
“Here we go”
“Joy”
“The super hero”
“Black flag”
“Playing in water”
“Silent walk”
“Beware the boss”

 

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Casual Theme #2”
“Another World”
“Stars Talk”
“Casual Theme #3 (Looped)”
“Casual Theme #1 (Looped)”
“Lyric Voice #4”
“Medieval Theme #5”
“Space Discoveries”

*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

 

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. A group of people at a party, all facing forward and seen from their upper halves. Upper left corner, a banner extends at an angle up from bottom left. It reads “Happy Solstice,” but the letters “H,” “C,” and “E” are only partially visible. The party-goers from left to right are a man in background holding a full champagne glass in his right hand, a woman in foreground holding up a full champagne glass as if in a toast, a humanoid with bulbous head and three fingers in background holding a champagne glass in the left hand, and another humanoid with pointed ears holding a bowl of snacks. Beside the woman in the foreground, the top half of another person’s head is seen, wearing a helmet, and looking at the woman. Behind the woman there extend several tentacles that curl around and in front of the others. The image is in color at center, and is repeated in grayscale at top and bottom to make the entire shape a square.

 

---

The Why Winter Challenge

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 08:47:00 +0000

“Why does there have to be winter?”

Genre: Mythology, Fantasy

 

Excerpt:
“Why does there have to be winter?”

The asker was my little niece, all bundled up in black-and-silver fleece blankets. Her favorite colors. She didn’t ask the question just out of curiosity. She was frowning slightly. Winter had swallowed up her favorite season, autumn. (The season to which her only objection was, “why does there have to be so much orange?”).

I smiled. “Do you want the scientific explanation or the non-scientific explanation?”

 

What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Favonian: of or relating to the west wind (source dictionary.com)

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
NEW DESIGNS FOR DECEMBER 2022!
Warrior woman with an axe shaped like butterfly wings, a luminous woman gazing at the phases of the moon, a majestic sea serpent, and a parrot shaped like a pterosaur, just to name a few.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from the stories.
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE.

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Why Winter Challenge” Copyright © 2018 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*
“Morning Frost”
“A Tale of Peace”

 

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)*
“Another World”
“Adventure Track #1 (looped)”
“Medieval Track #1 (looped)”
“Story at Night”
“Hidden Fear”
“Ice and Fire”
“Funny Horror”
“Stars Talk”

*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 and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Jonathan Shaw 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. Collage of four vertical images, described from left to right. Part of a planet seen at bottom, and above it, a ship emitting sparks and smoke.  A forearm with horns emerging from several spots extends down and places a clawed hand on a surface of cracked ice. A cloaked figure with a featureless face seen in right profile and waist up, partially visible, holds up the left hand, palm curled up as if to catch a snowflake just above it. A figure with a featureless face seen from knees up, facing forward, holding a dagger at their side in the right hand, and holding up a scythe with their bent left arm. Behind this figure stands a magnified version of the same figure. Behind that stands a still more magnified version of the same figure.  Snowflakes of different sizes are scattered across all the collage. This landscape image is made square with a top and bottom border behind the image that depicts a stretched version of the image in shades of blue.

 

---

The Station Companions

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 01:36:00 +0000

Two technicians working alone to maintain an Arctic monitoring station begin to see something they shouldn’t be seeing…a third resident of the station.

Genre: Mystery

 

Excerpt:
Andrew saw it first. About a month into our six-month rotation maintaining the company’s Arctic monitoring station. He was doing weekly maintenance on all the pumps on the north side when he thought he saw some motion. At first, he thought he’d just imagined something.

  

Season 6 Theme is DEFINITIONS
What’s the Word (that inspired the story)?
Frigorific: causing or producing cold

 

Storyfeather-themed merchandise
NEW DESIGNS FOR DECEMBER 2022!
A parrot shaped like a pterosaur, an adorable green and blue baby dragon, a narwhal, a humanoid butterfly, a hippocampus in shades of bubblegum-pink-and-blue, just to name a few.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from the stories.
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE.

 

CREDITS
Story: “The Station Companions” Copyright © 2018 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”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Forest Bathing”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)*
“Exploration_Dark (loop)”
“Atmosphere_PersecutionDanger_Loop”
“Atmosphere_Frozen”

Music by FICUS PROSOUND*
“The Escape Room Full Version”
“Armageddon Full Version”
“The Jigsaw Full Version”
“Following Clues Full Version”
“Investigation Full Version”
“Now Way Out Full Version”

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 6”
“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 Andrea Baroni, Albert Fernandez, Ficus ProSound, and Chris Logsdon is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket

 

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni, Albert Fernandez, Ficus ProSound, and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

 

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At left, two people, facing front, before a large monitor with a glowing screen. Both have mouths drawn into an o-shape and brows raised.  The monitor sits on a tabletop that extends across the bottom of the screen. Other items on the table are a clipboard with loose pages atop it; a rack with three test tubes, two partially full, one capped, one containing a scoop or stirrer; and an instrument, partially visible. The person at left is only seen from neck up, body obscured by the monitor, and is wearing a faux fur collar and glasses. The second person is seen from waist up with left arm resting on the tabletop, glancing to the right where a large distorted humanoid shadow stretches from top to bottom. The shadow wields a wrench in a raised hand. At top left is an overhanging light with a single bulb and a string switch hanging down. The bulb is off.  A wide bar of dim light extends from top right to bottom left.

 

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