Storyfeather

Six kids explore the possibility that dogs have been trying to warn humanity about a terrible enemy in their midst…vacuum machines. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy   Excerpts: They were right all along.  "What do they know that we don't know?"  "What are they trying to protect us from?" "This is my home too! And it is in danger…"  "If the law won't help us, we'll have to turn to…the outlaw."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. The kids who wrote an original play for a school production are now aiming to make a movie with an original script over their summer vacation. Somehow the theme is again about an alien invasion. Here's the link to the previous episode: "Attack of the Giant Cyclops Worm"     MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Attack of the Vacuum Machine Army" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "The Superiority" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro & Outro) "Casual Theme #2 (looped)" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) "Casual Theme #1" "Casual Theme #3" "Casual Theme #2" "Another World" "Space Discoveries" "Steel Enemy (looped)" "The Superiority" "Freedom" Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz) "Abandoned Spacestation" "Gearworks Factory" "Wasteland Ruins"   Music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Image Description: Digital drawing. Art deco inspired poster. At bottom center, a terrier with a determined expression, wearing a collar, standing and facing left, seen in three-quarters view. Flanking the dog are the ghostly images of two modern vacuum cleaners. Behind the dog is an art deco marquee pattern of a fan set in a holder. Above the dog's head is the title of the story. Above the title, at top center, is a vintage vacuum machine with the hose missing, facing front. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along bottom right edge of marquee.

The most popular wrestling show in five galaxies is in danger of being shut down, unless the wrestlers jump into action to save it. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy   Excerpt:"Sentient entities of the cosmos!" the announcer spoke, her voice booming through the arena that floated in free space. "Welcome…to GROWL! The audience cheered, waving their flags, waving their extremities, and shouting the names of their favored fighters. The announcer paused until they settled. "Our first contender on tonight's mind-blasting roster, is also our first human ever. Hailing from Earth, wielding the powers of biological science, I give you….Molecular!"   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story has multiple influences, from a show I watched in childhood to a writing prompt to a previous episode featuring non-human arena battles,"Great Persidain"     MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Galactic Ring of Wrestling Ladies" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Casual Arcade Track #2 (looped)" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro & Outro) "Casual Arcade Track #3 (looped)" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) "Casual Arcade Track #3 (looped)" "Casual Arcade Track #1 (looped)" "Casual Arcade Track #1 Version 2 (looped)" "Motivation (looped)" "Drive With Me (looped)" "Battle Theme 5" "Epic Drums" "Hidden Threat (looped)" "Reinforcement (looped)" "Prepare for Battle (looped)" "Two Sides (looped)" "Never Back Donw (looped)" "Heart of Warrior NEW (Lyric Part Version 1)" "The Superiority (looped)"   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Under the mask" "Connecting dots" "Negociation" "Genetic Marker" "Doubts" "Particle voyager" All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Five figures arrayed in flanking formation. At center is a human woman facing forward from waist up. She holds her hands before her, facing each other. A glowing ball of light is suspended between her fingers. Along the forearm part of her left armband, a lightning bolt glows. She wears color-blocked exercise clothes. A humanoid lizard sits to her right and behind, raising her right arm as if in greeting. She wears a scarf around her neck, and a breastplate displaying circuitry. To the lizard's right and behind is a giant seagull, wings outspread, head raised, and beak open, blasting out a ray of swirling circles. To the human woman's left, a toad springs up and out. To the toad's left and behind, a unicorn with a rainbow mane rears up, her horn blasting forth a ribbon of light. Watermark of "Storyfeather" appears along the edge of the seagull's wings. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders with streaks of colors matching the rainbow hues of the main image.

A hunter dedicated to keeping the world safe from monsters has one final monster to fight. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: Curses and cures. Curses and cures. I've tried everything.  …flecks of blood in my eye. My joints have started to ache... My vision has started to flicker. And…now I'm finally afraid.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story isn't inspired by a particular tale. I've just written a lot of stories about creatures and monsters. Here are a couple, if you're in the mood for a particular monster. "Chainmaker" (werewolf) "The Hunter and the Crypt" (vampire)   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Final Monster I Fight" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Sins and sinners" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) "Blood and bones" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Omen" "Blood and bones" "Fright night" "Eternal life" "Hunter's moon" "The death of love" "Cemetery" "Sins and sinners" "Creatures of the night"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Composite of several figures in silhouette. Bottom foreground left and center, two figures from chest up with various missing limbs and digits reach to the right. They are zombies. Bottom foreground right, a figure from chest up, holding both hands against their head. Shadows representing gravestones lie at angles behind the figure. Left moving into frame is a ghostly cloud in which the outline of a face and a hand are visible. Right of frame, sitting on an outcropping, a werewolf howls against a glowing moon. Top center floating in the sky, a vampire wearing a cloak and reaching out. At center from back, a hooded figure from torso up, holding a long stake propped over the right shoulder. Upper left corner, a patch of stalactites. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along forearm of figure at bottom right.

What starts as a curiosity, a light on the bedroom ceiling that seems to have no source, heralds the appearance of a huge eye that just watches and watches. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Horror   Excerpt: I yelled out.  The hazel iris shifted toward me.  I slowly slid off the bed... dashed to the door, flung it open, and pulled it closed behind me.  Okay, okay, think. I have to… I had cried out. Someone must have heard. Someone would come knocking on my door. Normally I didn't want that. But right now, right now I might want that. I might want that.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. A previous story about an organ growing in the walls of someone's bedroom is "Chemoimagination."   Creepy coincidence?One night, after I posted this story, I'd plugged in a mini-fan to charge next to my bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw a glowing green eye on my ceiling. The fan had finished charging, and the indicator light happened to be facing up to the ceiling. And it happened to be the same shape and size of the eye I describe in my story. It didn't scare me. I immediately knew what I was. But I did sleepily think something akin to "heh, good one."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Eye in My Ceiling" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Orbs" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) "Experiment 7" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY "Above" "The 4th world" "Experiment 7" "Dark wonders" "Abyss" "Orbs" "Experiment 6" "The corner of your room" "Well of souls" All these tracks are 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 Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com     Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Central figure, a woman, her top half, seen from below at an angle. She's facing away, standing in a room where the ceiling and parts of two walls intersect at her left, around waist level. The woman wears pants and a t-shirt and her hair in a ponytail. She holds a carving knife in her right hand, held down and behind herself.  Her left hand reaches up towards a huge eye in the ceiling. Most of the iris and a small portion of the whites are visible. Eyelashes extend out at left. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along wall in image at left. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders with blurred portions of the main image.

Surely, a beautiful old house sold at a bargain must have a sinister history.  One new homeowner is about to find out. Genre: Horror, Mystery   Excerpt: "If afterlife spirits are real, they're real whether I believe in them or not." I shrugged. "And if they're real, I'd rather not stir them up." "So…she felt something?"  "She said the place had a weird energy."  "What does that mean?" I shook my head. "Frustrated…."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is not the first one I've written about houses with links to the otherworldly (or about potentially reckless bargains with forces that one does not understand). It's predecessor is "Mausefalle Manor."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Infernal Bargain House" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "A dead heart" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY "At night" "Hunter's moon" "Evidence" "Dedale" "Experiment 3" "A dead heart" "Whispers" "Sacrifice" "Ashes" "I'm sorry" "Sins and sinners" "Hidden in the dark" "The death of love"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. An oak tree at center whose six visible main branches spread in all directions, some dragging on the ground, some reaching upward, some reaching outward.  Diffuse patches of green in the background suggest leaves sprouting from the thinner branches.  A thin dark haze lays along the ground. A vaguely humanoid shadow floats beside the tree. The rectangular image is made square with borders at top and bottom with blurred extensions of the main image. Watermark of Storyfeather along upper main branch at right.

An apartment resident is recruited for help by four kids who claim that a demonic creature has just laid eggs in the laundry room. Genre: Horror   Excerpt: "It's like the thing from the poem that my first grade teacher told us about. 'There Lived a Crooked Creature.' Do you know the one? It lives in a corner—" "—and it can touch us but we can't touch it—"  "'In a corner it did lay; fourteen eggs every fourteen days.'" "'Nothing can destroy it. No weapon forged by human hand.'"   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This episode is inspired by two previous episodes about humans encountering eerie creatures in their own homes: "The Incident of the Imp," and "Velutinus."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "There Lived a Crooked Creature" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "The ceremonial" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro) "Creatures of the night" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Trust me" "Creatures of the night" "The 4th world" "The mirror" "Dark wonders" "Distant fear" "Dark echoes" "Creepy doll" "Pitch black" "The ceremonial" "At the gate of hell"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing: Portions of a creature. At upper right, fourteen eyeballs with triangular pupils framed by a mane of shaggy hair and held up by a segmented neck that looks like a series of polyps. The neck extends to the left and out of frame. Along the length of one polyp a mouth that looks like a tear with rows of small sharp teeth. Behind the neck is the creature's body with cricket-like legs emerging from the side. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along leg at bottom right. The rectangular image is made square with borders at top and bottom with a rough textured pattern of colors pulled from the image.

There is a tall tower to the north. A warlock once lived there. Now the tower is abandoned. But that does not mean is it safe.  Genre: Horror, Mystery   Excerpt: There was a story told…of a little girl who went into the tower and came out unscathed... The bard who told the story sang in sweet and rising notes of how the girl was protected by her innocence.  But when in the history of this tricksome world has innocence ever protected anyone from anything?  This isn't her story. It's mine. I went into that tower.    NOTE: There's a tech issue with my hosting platform where only the most recent 300 episodes are available from my feed. They're working on fixing it. In the meantime, all episodes are available from my podcast page: Storyfeather Podcast. (10/2/25)   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story was inspired by another story about a dangerous warlock, "Dragons of Verandering."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "One Wicked Warlock" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Devasted" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* "Incantation" "Ghosts" "At the gate of hell" "Once" "Orbs" "Abyss" "Darkest quest" "Devasted" "Well of souls"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, the shadows of two figures cast against a stone wall. The figure at left is reeling backwards, arms outstretched, left leg raised and bent, chest pierced with a long spiraling horn, neck entwined with a segmented whip-like tail ending in a stinger. The figure at right stands upright, face in profile, right arm outstretched, holding a vial out above the first figure's face. The vial is filled with a glowing substance. A green glow appears at bottom right. The left and right frames of the image depict the faint outlines of brickwork. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along right leg of figure at right.

When Anushka was cursed to only repeat what others said, her only hope of escaping the curse was the only person who seemed to remember the curse. Genre: Fantasy   Excerpt: Because Anushka could not convey her thoughts in any way that others could understand, it seemed to many that she did not have any thoughts of her own. But Mitra always told her cousin. "You are the bright one. And the quick one. Like lightning. Like your true name."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This episode is inspired by two stories about girls who are cursed and strive to find a way to break their curses: "The Cursefall" and "Auroramorphosis."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE CREDITSStory: "The Misfortune of Repetition" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Dwarven Settlement" by BENJAMIN CARR (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) "Adventure Track #1 (looped)" "Ice and Fire (peaceful part)" "Medieval Track #1" "Magic Within" "Secrets of Kingdom" "Journey into Fog" "Knight Rising"   Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz) "Dwarven Settlement" "Mystical Forest" "Ice Cavern" "Underwater Temple" "Crystal Caves" "Ancient Ruins" All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Benjamin Carr and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, two little girls. The girl at left stands a head taller, with her right hand on her hip and her left arm around the other girl's shoulder. She wears a skirt, a quarter-sleeve pullover, a band around her left wrist, and a barrette in her hair. The girl at right holds a book open in her right hand, and touches a page with her left. Sparkles surround the book. She wears a dress with a pleated skirt. The girls smile and gaze at each other. Behind them are lines of script with random letters bordered by a lightning pattern. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along outer edge of book cover.

The living do not belong in the underworld. But all the paths of escape are horrific, save for one…the mushroom. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt: There were a number of ways for the passage to be made—flesh-wrenching spells, maps that could only be read by those who had spent a lifetime studying magic, or aid given by the sovereign's own siblings to some favored mortal, all of which were giving way to a new and much easier means…mushrooms.    What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. Two stories inspired this one. One where a wizard uses a special mushroom to brew a rare spell, "A Potion of Uncertain Fortune." And another where a young man on a quest wakes up in the middle of a fairy ring, that is, a ring of mushrooms, "The Isle of Mist and Gloom."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE     CREDITSStory: "Mushrooms of the Underworld" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Scroll of the wind walker" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Whispers" "Between two worlds" "Underworld" "Scroll of the wind walker" "Inspector" "To Falgalown" "A place where evil lives" "Evidence" "The forest" "Ancient gods" "Compass"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A humanoid figure at center, from the waist up, wearing a cap and opaque lacy veil, with two mushroom caps emerging as sleeves from the left arm. The figure's right hand is raised up, fingers snapping. Patches of different types of mushrooms grow on either side of the figure that represent or resemble real mushrooms: inky cap, cage fungus, split gill, pixie cup lichen, and others. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along the figure's right forearm. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders with cloudy swirls of color that match the hues of the main image.

To rescue her brother, a woman jumps into what she believes is a dimensional rift generated by a device that he has invented.   Genre: Science Fantasy   Excerpt: "You come from within the margins.  Where there are well-defined boundaries... Reality." "Isn't this also real?" "It is for now."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I've written a lot of stories about inventors inventing things. This week's story was inspired by a weird dream I had, and by a the episode called "Jukebox Time Portal."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Margin Alien" Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Puzzle Pieces" by LEE ROSEVERE (Intro) "Start the Day" by LEE ROSEVERE (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by LEE ROSEVERE "Awkward Silences (version b)" "All the Answers" "Introducing the Pre-roll" "The Secret to Growing Up" "Puzzle Pieces" "Here's the Thing" "Everywhere" "Start the Day" "Snakes" "Under Suspicion" "Knowing the Truth" "Decompress" "Not My Problem"   Tracks by Andrew Sitkov are part of music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org/music/lee-rosevere and leerosevere.bandcamp.com Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Left half bottom, a woman in a plaid shirt and wearing a parachute harness seen from the waist-up, glances up and over her left shoulder. Right half, a translucent tree with two branches. An eagle with rainbow-colored feathers perches on one branch, wings partly extended, gazing down at the woman. Bars of light cross around the woman and the eagle. The ground is a hazy. Sparks and hazy bubbles are dispersed everywhere. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along bar of light at center left.

Using alchemy and electricity, a man builds a doorway that's meant to isolate the mind of anyone who passes through it. Genre: Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction   Excerpt: "A whole twisted into a new shape that does not remember the old. A whole slowly sliced into pieces that do not know how to come back together. And so they move farther and farther apart. That is what your doorway has done to me."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is inspired by another one I've written where someone uses "arcane practices" to build a device intended for good, only to later realize that the device has unexpected and dangerous effects: The Mirror of Displacement.   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE  The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Doorway of Disarray" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Whispers" by Nicholas Jeudy (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Monochromatic stain" "Unsolved" "Inspector" "Evidence" "Whispers" "Prisma" "Experiment 3" "Experiment 6" "Experiment 7" "Unclassified" "Ghost hacker" "Investigation day" "Profiler" All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Slightly left of center, a man in a suit seen from the back steps toward a detached doorway into a hazy light. Sitting up at his left is a dog with tongue lolling out, gazing up at the man. To the right is a portable generator.  Wires lead from the generator and wrap around the doorframe. The dog, man, and generator cast shadows. Right foreground, another dog seen in profile from head to top of chest, with red eyes, notches in the ears, and red spittle dripping from the mouth, stares at the man. Faint outlines of shelving are seen in the background. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along left side of doorway.

Once, a colossal egg floated in space.  It was the size of a planet, and it orbited the twin stars of a system somewhere in a galaxy far from our own. Genre: Mythology, Science Fiction   Excerpt: Many things have hatched from many eggs. Some terrible. Some wonderful. Some massive.  Some minuscule. Was there not a poet that spoke of the egg's perfection as a container?  No hinge, no edge, no keyhole, and yet, the newest and weakest of creatures can break through, and in doing so, prove themselves worthy of entering the world.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I've written so many stories that I now have more than one story about eggs.  More. Than. One. Is…too many? Here they are if need to binge-listen to episodes about eggs: "Finden's Egg Pocket" "The Iolyran Serpent" "This Egg Is Not an Egg"   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Many Things Have Hatched" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Space Discoveries" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* "Freedom" "Space Discoveries" "Abstract Vision #3" "Unknown Terrain" "Abstract Vision #6" "Abstract Vision #9" "Abstract Vision #4" "Dark Side" "Among the Stars"   All these tracks are 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 Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center, an egg whose translucent surface reveals a reptilian creature curled within, facing right. The creature's head in profile shows a closed eye and a mouth with a beak-like upper lid. Four small limbs protrude from the torso, on which scales are faintly visible. The creature's tail curves back under its head. The egg floats in a primordium with two tiny glowing bodies at top left. Glowing cracks with crystalline nodules run along the shell's surface. Watermark of "Storyfeather" curves along the egg at right.

An astrobiologist gathers and assembles clues from across time to help solve a cosmic mystery that threatens to doom Earth.  Genre: Science Fiction, Mythology     Excerpt: From the depths of the cosmos they come…warping all around them as they go. Time. Matter. Energy. Will. Shifting between the unknowable and the knowable. Per our current understanding, the entity moves through the cosmos and through dimensions, through all levels of existence, differentiating like a cell, gaining specific characteristics, (maybe gaining awareness…   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This week's episode aims to answer some unanswered questions I left in a Season 4 episode called "Professor Gadston."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.  You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Doctor Spencer's Fallen Star" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Connecting dots" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Complexe Mind" "Connecting dots" "Cold case" "Connected" "Compass" "Cyber" "City"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing: A mask-like face at center with sharp angled eye holes, a mouthpiece shaped like jagged teeth, and a beak-like nose. Instead of a body, an amorphous form flows out and up from behind two small ears, where the neck would be expected. A wake of glowing light flows out from the face's jaw, indicating movement at great speeds. Below and behind the face, bottom half of image, the translucent hint of a planet and a large continent. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along border of visible continent.

A merchant vessel enters a system with rigid laws about visitors, and almost succeeds in making a lucrative delivery, when it encounters a potentially deadly obstacle. Genre: Science Fiction    Excerpt: We had obtained the means of shielding certain sections of engineering and the crew quarters. Cargo, I was happy to be transparent about. But there were things aboard my ship that I needed to hide. And I couldn't expect the crew to remove every questionable item. Our chief engineer would have disembarked if we didn't fly with a sufficient supply of his favorite snack, mokkie-bars.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is connected to the Year Seven story entitled "A Tale of Nine Lemons," in which a young man, whose parents have given his siblings all manner of wondrous parting gifts to help them make their fortunes in the world, is given a basket of lemons to make his fortune. That story was the result of a writing prompt about…lemons.  MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Lemonuclear Conductor" Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Neon god" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY "Them droids" "Neon god" "Reloaded" "Negociation" "MDK" "Bio hazard" "Men in black" "Under the mask" "Trojan horse" "Master" "Virtual reality"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a humanoid person with a long-haired mohawk and scaly skin at left, facing away and looking at multiple glowing holographic displays with various readouts. The person points at the main display, which shows a containment or reactor vessel. Some text is readable. The word "engineering" at top, and "Lemonuclear Conductor: LNC Version 5.5." Horizontal rectangular image is made square with borders at top and bottom with a textured pattern of square confetti and vertical bars in the same orange and yellow colors of the main image. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along left side of reactor vessel.

An excited apprentice attempts to make a planet for the first time, having watched the making of hundreds. But watching is not the same as doing. Genre: Science Fiction, Science Fantasy   Excerpt: Nebulous gases shimmered as they swirled past me. Particles crashed and fused. Vapors thickened into plasma and then into liquid. Specks became pebbles. Pebbles became rock. Rock collided with rock… The layers of the sphere began to close into one sphere, imbued with a strong enough measure of gravity to draw a fine cloak of dust around itself as it spun into place.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. The story that inspired this one, from way back in Season One, is called "Heliotrope," about a device built by hopeful human hands. Fun fact: The character Proto is named for the term "protostar." The character Ring is named so because I have an affinity for ringed planets. (Aside from Earth, my favorite planet is Saturn.)   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.  The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "RIng Planet One" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro & Outro) "Cosmic Drifting" by LEE ROSEVERE (Outro   Music by JONATHAN SHAW "A Tale of Peace"   Music by LEE ROSEVERE "Cosmic Drifting" "Puzzle Pieces" "How I Used To See The Stars" "Musical Mathematics" "I Believe in You"   Tracks by Jonathan Shaw and Andrew Sitkov are part of 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 Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Jonathan Shaw and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk Find more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org/music/lee-rosevere and leerosevere.bandcamp.com Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital painting. At center, a planet with a dark smooth surface. A pyramidal section has been cut out to show three layers beneath the planet's surface. Two glowing rings surround the planet. Amorphous, plasma-like material swirls around the planet. Watermark of "Storyfeather" curves along planet at bottom.

Following their queen and captain into exile, the crew of the Echidna build an experimental engine, to keep surviving and striving, and to one day establish a new colony.  Genre: Science Fiction THIS IS EPISODE #400. I have put out 400 podcast episodes by my lil old self. Mwahaha! Tell me this means I cannot be stopped!   Excerpt:"Queens growing old without growing wiser. That's not what we need. That's not what I seek to be." Those were the last words that Captain Navaso spoke before she went into exile, breaking from the Unified Colonies, along with 899 loyal members of her colony.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story is a direct prequel to an episode from Season Three, "The Adventure of the Goliath," in which a couple of agents who investigate unusual phenomena follow a distress signal coming from an unusual source.   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Last Voyage of the Echidna" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Drive With Me" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music) "Abstact Vision #3" "Abstact Vision #6" "Drive With Me" "Be a Hero"   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio) "Particle Voyager" "Connected" "Prisma" "Connecting dots" "Pursuit" "Killer Escape" "Autopsy" "Black light" "Genetic marker"   All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A ship shaped like a submarine appears at bottom half, moving toward a glowing anomaly at center. Lightning, sparks, and gases emerge from the anomaly and stream outward. A zigzag pattern with nodes at each junction glows on the ship's hull and is reflected above and below the ship, but darker in color. Lightning also bursts from two thrusters on the ship's dorsal hull. Watermark of "Storyfeather" on hull of ship along left thruster.

Two siblings end up in a shared dream and explore it according to their priorities: eating food and making friends. Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy     Excerpt: As Astra kept staring at the sign, the characters began to shift into ones she could read. She grinned and started reading aloud. "Dream Sector Alpha. Basic fantasies. Opening gifts. Eating rocky road brownies—wait, I don't like rocky road brownies." "I do!" Fen said. "Dream Sector Beta…Zeta…Theta. Hey, I know this. This is the Greek alphabet."   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This story revisits "The Mystery of Mrs. Highweather," in which a new father, seeking stories for his baby daughter, stumbles across a series of books he used to love in his childhood about the caretaker of two adventurous kids.   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Two Tickets to Dream Sector Disigma" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Packed lunch" by TRG Banks (Intro) "The silver bus" by TRG Banks (Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by TRG BANKS "Through the gravitational field" "The silver bus" "Packed lunch" "First stop" "Horse ride 4" "Cigar"   Music by ANDREW SITKOV* "Casual Theme #2" "Casual Theme #4" "Knight Power" "Secrets of Kingdom" "Journey into Fog" "Battle March" "Protection of Kingdom" "Knight Rising"   *All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by TRG Banks at freemusicarchive.org/music/TRG_Banks Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a stream cutting through a grassy meadow. Foreground left corner displays glowing curling stems. A ladybug is perched on one of the stems. Bottom middle edge, a piece of paper floats in the water. To the ladybug's left, a wooden sign juts up from the grass. In the upper third of the image, forests are visible through purple haze, and mountains even further back. The sky glows with sunlight. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders that repeat and continue the top and bottom of the image. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along the edge of the river at center right.

To preserve their endangered houses, Black Radish, Purple Carrot, and Green Garlic send envoys to reach a garden hidden beyond the natural world. Genre: Fable, Mythology   Excerpt: Soil and sunlight, water and worm. These were still needed for the growing of plants in ancient times. But in those times, to truly live and to thrive as they were meant to, plants also required a nourishment that not many legends speak of. The spirit of an animated being, that is, the spirit of an animal.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I've written a number of food-based stories, and not all of them are dessert-based. This new story was inspired by "My Food Is Speaking to Me," about someone who's not sure if the voices coming from the food in their fridge and pantry are real or not.   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Garden of Perpetuation" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Desert Town" by CHRIS LOGSDON (Intro and Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by CHRIS LOGSDON "Mystical Town" "Desert Town" "Shady Town" "Port Town" "Whimsical Town"   Music by ANDREW SITKOV "Medieval Track #1" "Medieval Theme 4" "Fight Till Dying" "Lyric Voices #1" "Secrets of Kingdom" "Medieval Track #2" "Adventure Track #1 (looped)" All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Chris Logsdon and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Chris Logsdon and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Three people seen from the back walking down a path that leads toward barren-branched trees in the distance. The figure on the left glances to the right, has long wavy hair, wears a coat with a purple carrot patch along the right arm, a satchel hanging from right shoulder across the body, and a belt on which hangs a pouch and an axe. The middle figure walks slightly behind the others and wears a cloak with the hood raised. Three black radishes are depicted on the back of the cloak with the leaves laying over the shoulder and one extending into the hood. The figure on the right wears a basket full of green garlic. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along the right side of the middle figure's cloak.

A young man boards a train to visit family, only to learn he is a day late for his visit, but just in time to suffer disaster. Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction   Excerpt: A man laughed and said, "Just shuffle the cards."  My heart skipped a beat. I saw a bright flash of light.  I heard an intense, painful screech.  The train car lurched.  People screamed, and then—   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. The inspiration for this episode is a story I once wrote about a woman on the subway who missed her stop and ended up arriving at the previous day, "Subway to Yesterday."   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Tomorrow's Train Today" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Cry No More – (A) Melody Loop" by Tao & Sound (Inro & Outro) "Cry No More – (B) Melody Loop" by Tao & Sound (Inro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV "Abstract Vision #6" "Abstract Vision #3"   Music by TAO & SOUND "Cyberjazz Nights" (full track) "I Never Gave Up – (B) Drums & Bass Loop" "Cry No More - (B) Drums & Bass Loop" "Cry No More – (A) Melody Loop" "I Never Gave Up – (B) Melody Loop" "I Never Gave Up – (A) Melody Loop" "Cyberjazz Nights – (A) Drums & Bass Loop" "Cry No More – (A) Drums & Bass Loop" "Noir Blvd – (A) Drums & Bass Loop" "Cry No More – (B) Melody Loop" "Noir Blvd – (B) Drums & Bass Loop" "U Never Had to Exist – (A) Drums & Bass Loop" "Noir Blvd – (B) Melody Loop" "U Never Had to Exist – Intro" "U Never Had to Exist – (A) Melody Loop"     All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov and Tao & Sound is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Tao & Sound and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View down the middle of a train car. Several seats are visible, but only two are occupied. At far right, a young man is asleep, his left elbow propped on the window edge, his head resting in his hand. His other hand lies on his lap, holding a rectangular object. It's dark outside the windows. At far left, an older man with a table attachment propped up, holding a cup of coffee in his right hand. His left arm and hand are curled around a briefcase that lies on the table. He's glancing to his left. It's bright outside the windows on his side. At center, standing in the aisle is the same young man who's seen sleeping. He is surrounded by a glowing light. His arms hang by his side. He's holding a cell phone in his right hand. His brows are raised and his mouth parted. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along right side of the young man's jacket.

A researcher comes across a magnifying glass, but it doesn't magnify, it makes magnificent. Genre: Mystery, Mythology, Science Fiction   Excerpt: I looked through the glass, at my crinkled, folded over, flagged, and dog-eared notebook, expecting to see the unintentional thumbprint on the edge of the page in fine detail. Instead, I saw some kind of roller coaster in a dozen shades of blue. Some glowing, some metallic, some watery. Something that looked like a tiny orange dot zoomed around and around the loops and twirls of the coaster.   What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it's connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This episode was inspired by "The Telescope of True Sight," in which a young woman remembers her grandmother's stories about an ancient telescope, given to her by a prince, that worked like a regular telescope for most, but showed wonders and marvels to those willing to see farther. I also make a brief reference to spectral cameras, cameras capable of capturing images of ghosts, which are from a story in Year 5 called "Spectral Camera Model 57." And there's also a connection with an episode called "Doctor Miratio's Cabinet of Imminent Invention."     MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Magnificenting Glass" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music: "Abstract Vision #4" by ANDREW SITKOV (Inro & Outro) "Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by ANDREW SITKOV "Abstract Vision #6" "Stars Talk" "Unknown Terrain" "Abstract Vision #3" "Abstract Vision #2" "Abstract Vision #4" "Another World" All these tracks are 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 Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A hand at the bottom right corner holds what appears to be a magnifying glass over a patch of grass. Through the glass are seen bright multi-colored shapes that appear to be a cityscape seen from above. The corner of a folded-over notebook, marked with paper clips at the page tops and lying in the grass, is visible near the top right edge. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along outer edge of thumb.