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Transcript

Episode 83: The Smogust’s Story Hoard Challenge - Week 3 Recap · Saved as Draft

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, well,
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_03: maybe I could move that chapter here,
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_03: and then if I put the vignettes there... No, that's gonna ruin the pacing.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, wait!
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_03: I have an idea!
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_02: What if you insert the vignettes throughout the story so it doesn't disrupt the flow?
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you know, you're right, Viscount.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_03: A few people on Substack mentioned that too, and I agree.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just deciding at this point if they're even necessary, you know?
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_02: All writing is necessary.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_02: You can cut it out later.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_03: You're just saying that because you're going to eat it either way, Lord Devereaux.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_03: That is correct.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, wait, Bradley, what if you add the chopper?
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, Arnold,
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_03: for the fifth time, I'll include a chopper in the novel at some point for you, okay?
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_03: You don't need to keep asking.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, good.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_03: What about the protein shakes?
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_03: I'll see what I can do.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_03: Um, excuse me, Bradley.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yes?
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_02: We wants to know if your book scissors has the pressures.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_03: No, guys, it doesn't, because that's copyright.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_03: It's also horror, not fantasy.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_03: Well, hey, maybe when it's done, we can narrate it.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we'd do a great job.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_03: It's literally our job to talk about things.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's fair.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_03: Alright, I'll keep you two in mind.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_03: Well, you know my thoughts on this whole mess, Bradley.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, Fintan, you want me to work on Devine only, but this book has been sitting for ten years.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_03: I can finish both.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, yes, you've said that before.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_03: Really, I think you're just scared of Happy Nielsen.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_03: Or is her name Barry Nielsen now?
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_03: Or is it perhaps Grumpy Nielsen?
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_03: By the Titans, I have trouble keeping up.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, to be fair,
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_03: I am scared of Happy, yes, but regardless of her current screen name, she's right.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_03: This story deserves to exist.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_03: Ah yes, that signature lofty optimism we all love so much.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, come on, it's genuine.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_03: I know, I just can't tell if it makes it sweeter saccharine, that's all.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_03: Hey guys, whatcha doing?
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, hey Smog, we're getting ready to record the podcast.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, nice.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, save this draft, right?
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_03: That's right, that's the title.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, I guess I'll go ahead and pause the novel here.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wait, was I not supposed to say the name?
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: It's fine, Smog.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_03: I need to get to recording anyway.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_03: Also, unlike some people here, you actually got the name right, so I appreciate that.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, Bradley, that's not fair.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_03: We get the name right most of the time.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_03: Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 83 of the Saved as Draft podcast.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_03: We just wrapped up week 3 of the Smogists Story Hoard Challenge,
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_03: and Circus Dragon's art continues to deliver.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_03: The stories coming out of these art pieces and writing prompts are So this week,
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: we'll be taking a look at some stories from week three of the challenge,
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: and beyond our usual shoutouts,
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_03: I'll also be providing a new update on my in-progress cosmic horror novel,
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_03: and we'll take a look at what's happening next week on Substack.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_03: I'm also pleased to announce that next week's episode will include my full interview
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_03: with the middleweight bracket winner of the Halls of Pandemonium Challenge,
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_03: Nimita Kahl.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_03: You can expect some amazing questions from the community as well as ones that I wrote up myself.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_03: It was a fantastic conversation.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_03: So tune in next week on episode 84 to hear that.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_03: I promise it'll be worth the wait.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_03: I also wanted to take a second to quickly shout out a new initiative happening here
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_03: on Substack from an author by the name of Gracie Autumn.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: It's a new publication called The Autumn Anthology,
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: and it's going to spotlight other fiction writers here in the community.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_03: It just launched, and Gracie's already taking applications for those who are interested.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_03: She's passionate about the community,
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_03: and she reached out to me to try and spread the word,
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_03: so I, of course, am happy to help, and I wanted to mention it on the show here.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_03: I love seeing people spread the positivity in the community here like this
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_03: and offer up ways for other writers to get their work out there.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_03: It's really powerful stuff.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_03: It's why All right, well,
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_03: with our housekeeping out of the way,
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_03: let's get right into the episode for this week,
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_03: starting with our community spotlight.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: This week's community spotlight is on Alexa,
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_03: who just recently made her return to Substack with a fresh new profile picture
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_03: as well.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_03: Her bio is brilliant.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_03: It just says, Writer?
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_03: I barely know her.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_03: Flash fiction.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_03: It's so good.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_03: Now that she's back,
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_03: Alexa has been publishing some new stuff,
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_03: including poetry, and she even ran a poll about what her next project should be.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_03: The final results were a story that is equal parts spooky, silly, and steamy.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_03: Quite the combo.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_03: I am very Very much looking forward to what she comes up with there.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_03: She also recently offered some tarot readings too over on Substack Notes,
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_03: and I got one from her that was spot on about a lot of things that I've been dealing
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_03: with,
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_03: some of which I haven't even shared online,
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_03: so say what you will about those things,
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_03: but they always have an uncanny So I appreciate getting some clarity like that from
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_03: the cosmos and of course Alexa.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah,
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_03: Alexa had been on Substack here for a while before she decided to take a break.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_03: And now that she's back,
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_03: I wanted to welcome her with a shout out here on the show and to tell you all
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_03: about her work so you can head on over and subscribe.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: I promise you will not be disappointed.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_03: A big thank you to Alexa for being part of the community.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_03: And next up,
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_03: we'll take a look at some stories from week three of
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_03: the Smogus Story Hoard Challenge.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_03: But first, a quick word from our sponsor.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_03: Today's episode of the Saved as Draft podcast is sponsored by Fire,
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_03: Brimstone, and Smith Law Firm.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Hello there, my name is Alabaster Fire.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a board certified dragon lawyer with over three centuries of experience fighting
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: for the legal rights of dragons everywhere.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: Together with my partner Gregory Brimstone and um, uh, Kyle Smith over there.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, what's up?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_03: What's good, man?
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, thank you, Kyle.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Together we are Fire,
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: Brimstone,
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: and Smith, a law firm dedicated to representing dragons of all shapes and sizes.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: Have you found yourself falsely accused of burning down an entire village?
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: Or perhaps a castle mysteriously got crushed and now the locals are blaming you?
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: We specialize in wrongful accusations here.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, come on, man.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_03: There's only a few things that could do that, though, am I right?
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: Quiet, Kyle.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: Go make some copies or something.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, sweet, yeah.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_03: I love using the copier.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: So, if you're a dragon and you find yourself needing representation,
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: call Fire, Brimstone and Smith.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: We'll make sure you don't get burned.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_03: And we're back.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_03: The third week of the Smogus Story Horde Challenge brought some amazing news stories
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_03: and a few familiar faces entering the challenge as well.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_03: We're still tracking fewer entries overall this time around compared
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_03: to prior challenges,
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_03: so I won't be able to do my usual top stories per bracket structure here
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_03: since it wouldn't be balanced.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_03: But not to worry, I've got something else in mind.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_03: I've instead grabbed nine stories from across all the entries this past week,
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_03: each one from a different author.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_03: We'll take a look at them one by one,
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_03: and at the end it'll be the same amount as if I had featured the top three stories
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_03: from each bracket, so I think it balances.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_03: I'll share my thoughts on each before reading an excerpt from them as well.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_03: And let me just say again,
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_03: while the quantity of entries may be lower this month,
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_03: the quality has not wavered at all.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: If anything, it's the best it's ever been.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm really excited to talk about these.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_03: Let's dive in and check out some stories from week three of the Smogus Story Horde Challenge.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_03: First up from our week three challenge stories this week is Here Be Homeowners
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_03: by Bent But True.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_03: This was for the August 17th prompt of the challenge,
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_03: which presented an art piece called The Real Estate Dragon.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_03: This story here begins with a dragon named Victor,
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_03: who receives a castle on his 500th and 80th birthday.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_03: Quite the gift.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_03: But it turns out this place is also a fixer-upper.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_03: He's joined by another character named Tracy,
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_03: and their banter throughout the piece is easily one of the highlights here.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_03: I felt like I myself was getting PTSD flashbacks reading this, though,
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_03: because while I find it hilarious,
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_03: a lot of terrifying things go wrong with the property as they explore it and move in
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_03: in this story, and it sounds a lot like my house.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_03: It's a story that fits the fantasy and comedy blend for the prompt here really well.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_03: Let's check out an excerpt.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_03: The first buyer was a prince who planned to demolish the castle and construct luxury shallots.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_03: He complained that the ravens obstructed the view and asked whether
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_03: the mountain could be lowered.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_03: The second was an enchantment influencer who adored the dungeon but wanted
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_03: to paint everything stone white.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_03: The third was a knight who toured the grounds,
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_03: looked directly at Victor, and asked whether the area had a dragon problem.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: There is one standing in front of you, Victor said.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_02: The knight withdrew his offer.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_03: After two weeks without serious interest,
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_03: Bartholomew began sending messages suggesting that the western tower be described
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_03: as intentionally asymmetrical.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: Victor refused.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_03: He might use generous language,
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_03: but he would not ask a tower to participate in its own deception.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_03: To determine why the castle was not selling,
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_03: Bartholomew reluctantly authorized an inspection and formal valuation.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_03: The inspector was a dwarf named Mr.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_03: Plum, who had arrived with three measuring rods,
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_03: a magnifying lens, and no detectable sense of wonder.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_03: He spent six hours tapping stones,
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_03: examining beams, and recording findings on an increasingly long scroll.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_03: The roof has sustained fire damage, he told Victor.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_03: I'm a dragon.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_03: The cause does not alter the finding.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_03: The roof was like that when I arrived.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: I will note that the dragon denies responsibility.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_03: Mr.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_03: Plum found rot beneath the carriage house,
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_03: water intrusion in the east tower,
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_03: and improperly secured portcullis and sprites nesting inside the chimney.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_03: Several battlements had been built before the invention of building permits,
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: which did not prevent the kingdom from requiring them now.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_03: In a passage beneath the western tower, his measuring rod struck something solid.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_03: Excavation revealed that one corner of the castle rested upon
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_03: the fossilized shoulder of an ancient giant.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_03: Mr.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_03: Plum stared into the hole.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_03: Is that bad?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_03: Victor asked.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_03: It is, uh, unusual.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_03: Could we describe it as historic character?
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_03: Mr.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_03: Plum stared at him until a nervous puff of smoke escaped Victor's nose.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_03: I'll put it in the report, the dwarf said.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_03: A fantastic way to start off our shoutouts this week.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_03: Our second story from week three of the challenge is Open House,
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_03: A Smogist Story by Elizabeth Hagenlocker.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_03: This was for the August 17th prompt as well,
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: so let's dive in and see what Elizabeth did with this art and optional text prompt.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_03: My favorite part about this story from Elizabeth is how it spends the vast majority
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_03: of its runtime building up to this hilarious ending.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_03: We join our dragon protagonist as they carefully survey the property before an open house.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_03: They're making sure everything's in place and that all the details are just right.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_03: Then, in the final act of the story, they hear potential buyers arriving outside.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_03: A little early, but that's not a problem.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_03: They excitedly head out to welcome them,
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_03: and while I won't spoil the ending, it's equal parts hilarious and satisfying.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_03: I really love the build-up and payoff in this piece.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: And in only 600 words or so, it's a brisk read.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_03: So be sure to check it out at the link in the show notes.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_03: But for now, here's an excerpt.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_03: A quick survey of the rooms proved to be fruitful,
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_03: for the last inhabitants must have left in a hurry.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_03: No doubt because of the moteless tragedy of the place.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_03: They were quite expensive and time-consuming to install, after all.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_03: It was Thorn's gain,
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_03: as the place was brimming with little treasures here and there,
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_03: gleaming gold and jewels,
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_03: a whole roomful of what appeared to be steel toothpicks,
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_03: and stores of feed to fatten up the livestock.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_03: There were also some pitifully small morsels of meat,
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_03: but it was more than he could have hoped for.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_03: He'd considered it a finder's fee.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_03: This whole endeavor was proving to be a success,
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_03: and Thorne was giddy at how his first acquisition was turning out.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_03: It would surely be a story to tell his family once he found a buyer.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_03: He'd sat on this idea for a while now,
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_03: wanting to let it percolate before sharing it with anyone.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_03: Thorn had always believed that moving in silence was the best business strategy.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_03: Soon, very soon though, he would be a success no one could deny.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_03: The thought warmed him almost as much as the fire and a belly full of small game.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_03: His reverie was short-lived,
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_03: however, as the sound of a commotion outside stole his attention away.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_03: The shouts grew, and Thorn rolled to his feet, flapping his wings.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_03: Customers!
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_03: It was a bit early for an open house,
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_03: he'd only just found the property,
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_03: but he was confident he could sell the potential buyers on his vision.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_03: He fumbled around for the name tag he had made for himself from a piece
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_03: of scrap metal in the toothpick room and secured it to his chest.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_03: Scratching his name into the sheet with a claw had taken some time,
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_03: but the end result was worth it.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_03: It really pulled the whole vision together.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_03: And again, I don't want to spoil the ending.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_03: It is such a good story, though.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_03: Please go check it out at the link in the show notes.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_03: Fantastic work from Elizabeth here.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_03: Next up from our list of week three stories is Liftoff by Mary Ellen Brady.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_03: This one was for our August 19th prompt which depicted a dragon the size of
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_03: a mountain and a mysterious witch approaching from the base.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_03: The optional text prompt here described a witch who needed the blood of a dragon
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_03: to complete her spell.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_03: This was of course an optional prompt, but let's see how Mary Ellen took this and ran with it.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_03: The story begins with our witch Hazel making a pilgrimage to meet a dragon
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_03: who she hopes can teach her how to fly.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_03: In the witch's case this means flying on her broom of course.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_03: There's an early scene too where she offers the dragon some tea and
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_03: the dragon refers to it as good salad water.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_03: I love that so much.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_03: We get a beautiful and cozy look at this burgeoning friendship here before the end
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_03: of the story, but it's clear that there's a lot more for Hazel to learn.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_03: I gotta say,
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_03: I love Mary Ellen's work so much,
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_03: regardless of what genre she's doing,
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_03: but it's these cozy stories like this in particular that really just carry
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_03: a special, cozy warmth of their own that I can't deny, and this one is no different.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_03: I loved it.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_03: Let's check out an excerpt so you can see what I mean.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_03: The dragon was quiet, pondering the request.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: No one has ever asked me to teach anything, she said finally.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: I did not know there were creatures like you in the valley.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_03: How long?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_03: Have I nested up here?
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_03: Long enough, she shivered snow from her nose and turned her full face toward Hazel.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_03: My name is Druzy, she added.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_03: Come in, small witch.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_03: It is cold where you are standing and I am warm.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_03: Hazel sat cross-legged near the dragon's front paw,
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_03: which was the size of a rowboat, then unpacked a thermos of warm tea.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_03: What is that?
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: Tea.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_03: She poured a capful and offered it to Druzy.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_03: Humans drink it.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_03: It's not much.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_03: Sorry.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_03: We call it tea.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_03: Druzy lowered her head.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_03: The capful of tea vanished behind teeth as long as her forearm.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_03: Warm, she said.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_03: Good salad water.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_03: Then after a moment, Tell me about humans.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_03: I have lived above your world so long I forgot it kept changing beneath me.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_03: Hazel snuggled in and told the dragon about bedtime stories and porch lights,
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_03: the way her grandmother hummed while she stirred the cauldron,
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_03: then her fear of falling,
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_03: especially when she got the broom more than a few feet off the ground.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_03: You are afraid of falling, Druzy said.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_03: She hadn't meant to admit it so plainly.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_03: Every time I get the broom up, I think about coming down.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_03: Then I come down.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_03: Hard.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_03: Druzy shifted.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_03: My first flight, I did not choose.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_03: My mother pushed me from a ledge because I would not jump.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_03: I screamed the whole way down until my wings remembered what they were for.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_03: She tilted her great head.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_03: I didn't know they would remember.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_03: That's the secret.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_03: You are remembering.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_03: I don't have wings, though.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_03: No.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_03: No.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_03: She considered this.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_03: That does complicate my teaching.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_03: Such a beautiful scene there.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_03: I just like there's so much atmosphere.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_03: It's so cozy.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_03: It's warm.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_03: It's genuine.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_03: I just love Mary Ellen's work.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_03: But anytime she comes back to her roots here with this kind of cozy fiction,
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_03: it's just it's always special.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_03: And yeah, this is definitely another winner.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_03: Our next story from week three of the challenge is A Good Sulk Disrupted Gleefully
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_03: by Leron Haywood.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_03: This was for August 20th's prompt,
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_03: which had an optional Devine setting,
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_03: but Leron decided to interpret the art as,
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_03: quote, dragon in a magic bubble at the bottom of the sea.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_03: And I love that interpretation of the piece here.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_03: In this story, it starts with a dragon trying to find a spot where they can be totally alone.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_03: And I get that.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_03: We all need a break from everything sometimes.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_03: I myself usually like to leave my home office and go hang out with my cat Saga in
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_03: the other room.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_03: And she's always excited to see me, which I appreciate.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_03: In this story,
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_03: our dragon character casts an air shield to push back the water,
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_03: allowing them to rest comfortably on the ocean floor.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_03: It's an ingenious solution, at least until you get hungry, as the story states.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_03: The dragon is soon joined by some local merfo,
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_03: and while it seems like there'll be an annoying interruption at first,
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_03: things actually take a wholesome turn,
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_03: as the dragon decides to indulge them in their curiosity.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_03: It's a sweet story, and it captures the moment beautifully.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_03: It's another example of how Leron can really make any genre work
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_03: with their writing style, and I love that.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_03: Let's check out an excerpt.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_03: If you wanted a really good sulk, you had to get away from everything.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_03: No distractions.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_03: And the bottom of the sea was the best place for that, at least when you were a dragon.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_03: Especially if you could cast an air shield,
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_03: so you didn't have to deal with currents or fish bumping into you.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_03: Karzan huffed through his nostrils,
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_03: sending a plume of smoke sliding along the magical dome of her head.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_03: It had been one of those days where nothing had gone right,
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_03: and a horde of tiny things had gone wrong, and he was done.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_03: Might just stay down here for a decade, or at least until he got hungry.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_03: He was so wrapped up in grumbling and snarling to himself,
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_03: at first he dismissed the plink sounds as raindrops,
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_03: until the thought slowly wound through his funk that he was underwater.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_03: At which point he slithered over to investigate.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_03: Peering through the milky magical barrier,
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_03: he discovered a set of small figures throwing pebbles.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_03: Huh.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_03: Some kind of attack?
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_03: No, their body language was entirely wrong for that.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_03: So he focused and breathed on the barrier,
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_03: causing a section to turn glass-like, and stared as the figures scattered.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_03: But he caught enough of a glimpse to identify young merfolk.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_03: That explained it.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_03: Of course,
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_03: such curious and jocular creatures would see strange magic and try to make
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_03: a game out of the unknown phenomena.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_03: Karzan snorted again, this time reluctantly amused, and settled himself once more.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_03: But he maintained the window.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_03: Sure enough, the little merfolk soon swam back to investigate.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_03: Definitely children.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_03: That one there only had one arm.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_03: The other still half formed.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_03: And their torsos were much shorter than adults.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_03: He'd never seen merfolk so young.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_03: Another great story there.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_03: Really liked that one.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: Next up in our week three smogest story horde challenge stories this week is...
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_03: Selling Drakund.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_03: Now, right off the bat,
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_03: we get a little context here that this story is a spiritual successor to one
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_03: of Halley's other stories from the Circus Dragons Pirates
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_03: and Dragons contest last year.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_03: Now, I love that detail.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_03: I like when there's some connections there between the author's works.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_03: And for those unaware of Hallie Jules' work,
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_03: one thing you need to know is that you will be in tears by the end
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_03: from laughing every time you read a story of hers.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_03: And that is absolutely the case here.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_03: There is a charm,
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_03: personality, and undeniable style to her writing that gets me every single time.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_03: And it's a combination of things too.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_03: Here it's the exceptional tongue-in-cheek exposition combined with sharp, punchy dialogue.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_03: There's an iconic voice to each of these characters that she maintains beautifully throughout.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_03: And of course,
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_03: like any good comedy,
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_03: the stakes go up And
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_03: I'm
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_03: being
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_03: vague on purpose because I don't want to spoil this,
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_03: but I promise you're gonna have a great time reading this one.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_03: If you need a good laugh, look no further than the link in the show notes here.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_03: In the meantime,
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: here's an excerpt including a special Arnold-themed voice for one of the characters,
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_03: as per Halliday's request.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: Of all the dragons in all of Drakendel,
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_03: his clients were none other than Blazric Infernius III,
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_03: a gorgeous green female dragon scolded as the pair made landfall mere feet
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_03: from Doug's dithering form.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_03: Apologize to this poor chap for keeping him waiting.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_03: Debbie, stop being such a downer, bellowed the most powerful warrior in all the land.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_03: Revenge waits for no dragon.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_03: Debbie furrowed her shiny brow.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_03: Revenge?
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_03: You call that revenge?
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_03: You didn't even torch the right pirate ship.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_03: Can you blame me for mistaking the top topaz for the beige pebble?
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_03: Doug cleared his throat, willing the contents of his bladder to remain, well, in it.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_03: Mr. and Mrs. Infernius, I'm Doug Dyerclaw with Drakendell Dream Homes.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: I'll be conducting your showing this fine evening.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_03: Blaze Rick, Debbie hissed, glaring at her fuming mate.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_03: I told you, apologize to this bloke now.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_03: No need for apologies, Doug sputtered.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_03: How about I just give you a rundown of the details?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_03: Blazerick harumphed,
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_03: eyeing Doug up and down as if he were simply part of the landscaping before turning
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_03: to face the cove.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_03: Debbie sighed,
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_03: dragging her bedazzled claws down her face as her husband paced back and forth along
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_03: the cliff's edge.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sorry, Doug.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_03: My husband is a bit preoccupied.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_03: Do go on.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_03: Right, well, Doug said sheepishly.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_03: As you can see, the castle overlooks the picturesque Calamity Cove.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_03: Don't let the name fool you.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_03: The neighborhood is quite calm.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_03: These vintage stone walls fully fortify the estate grounds,
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_03: though the moat dried up long- That won't be a problem, Debbie interrupted.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_03: We don't need the hatchlings falling in any way.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_03: We haven't been able to get them into swim lessons yet.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_03: Apparently, they must be booked.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_03: Stop rambling, Debbie,
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_03: Blazerick growled,
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_03: stooping low to the ground, his wide snout jutting over the cliff's edge.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_03: I won't be able to hear them.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, hear who?
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_03: Doug asked, half annoyed, half terrified.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_03: Those puny, pilfering pricks who stole my rum collection!
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_03: Blazer expat, gaze glued to the shoreline below.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_02: The beige pebble is never far from the cliffs of delusion around the full moon.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_03: Ah, yes, well, this is strictly draconian residential zone, Doug said.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_03: I can assure you that no human vessels don't worry about him.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_03: Debbie waved her foreleg, her tail flicking impatiently.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_03: Now, we only have the sitter until nine, Doug, so if you wouldn't mind speeding things up.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_03: Aha, of course, Mrs. Infernicus, Doug said, silently cursing his boss.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_03: Now, as you can see, this castle is perfect for young dragon broods.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: Sure, it's a bit crumbly around the edges, but it's got good bones and a finished dungeon.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_03: It's just rustic enough to feel lived in,
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_03: but foundationally sound enough not to be a safety hazard.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_03: You had me at finished dungeon, son,
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_03: Blazerick declared,
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_03: whipping around so fast that his spiked tail nearly impaled poor Doug.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_03: We'll take it.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_03: Honey, don't you think we should take a look around first?
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_03: Silence, Blazerick commanded.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_03: Do you hear that?
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_03: Doug and Debbie exchanged wary glances before shaking their horned heads.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_03: Please, Rick, honey.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_03: Debbie cooed,
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_03: inching toward him as if he might spontaneously combust and ruin her makeup
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: with his bloody entrails.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_03: Let's just let this nice young realtor finish his- Aha!
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_03: Here they come!
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_03: Look!
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_03: Doug followed Debbie,
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_03: crouching at the south edge of the castle grounds next to Blazric and squinting into
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_03: the dusk.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_03: Sure enough, the shape of sails and a mast appeared against the ochre skyline.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_03: That's it!
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_03: I've done it!
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_03: I've tracked them down!
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_03: Blazric cackled, shaking his hindquarters like an over-enthusiastic cat.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_03: Oh man, that was so much fun.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: I love doing excerpts from Hallie's work because I always get to bring out the fun voices.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_03: And as you can tell, the writing, it just speaks for itself, right?
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_03: Like obviously I performed it here to the best of my ability,
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_03: but you know,
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_03: when you start with great writing like this, it really does make it easy.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_03: So I hope you all enjoyed that extended excerpt.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you to Hallie as always for sharing her work and please check it out at
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_03: the link in the show notes.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_03: Our next story from week three of the challenge here is a poem from Bradley Hurt,
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_03: titled Castle of Your Dreams.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_03: Now, what I love about this poem,
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_03: beyond the fun rhyme structure and iconic lines like,
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_03: I hear barbecues are a frequent occurrence here too,
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_03: Is how this feels like you'd read it in a Devine brochure or a fantasy brochure,
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_03: right?
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_03: It reads as if a real estate dragon wanted to write up an ad,
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_03: but make it fun enough to attract prospective buyers.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_03: The writer in me respects the craft here,
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_03: but the marketing professional in me doubly respects the hustle.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_03: It's great work from Bradley once again here, so let's check out an excerpt.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_03: As I have mentioned, the dragons are your friends.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_03: We love to mingle, and the fun never ends.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_03: So good.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_03: I love it.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_03: Again, check the links in the show notes for these.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's just it's incredible seeing just the sheer quality of display here.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_03: This is so much fun.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_03: I love being able to talk about work like this.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_03: Next up in our week three stories from the challenge is The Strong Silent Type.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_03: This story was for August 18th's prompt,
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_03: which depicted a dragon and some sort of robot in the art.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_03: The optional text prompt mentioned themes of found family,
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_03: describing an unlikely friendship between the two.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_03: Now, I've said this before,
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_03: but Jennifer really is one of those writers who can do anything.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_03: It blows my mind every single time how much sheer talent surrounds me on this platform.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_03: And with this story,
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_03: Jennifer jokes about how she followed the prompt for once in the beginning,
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_03: but as always,
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_03: she took things in a direction that for me was equal parts unique
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_03: and beautifully endearing.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_03: Here we see a blossoming friendship between a dragon and what seems to be some sort
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_03: of robot that may or may not be functional.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_03: Jennifer walks this line really well, leaving things open to interpretation for the most part.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_03: For example,
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_03: across the entire story,
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_03: the robot itself never speaks,
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_03: but there's hints that it may still be able to hear and see our dragon character.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_03: Regardless, the two become friends, as the dragon returns time and time again.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_03: It's a beautiful and wholesome story,
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_03: but it has this tinge of sadness,
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_03: because if I'm being honest,
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_03: I really wanted the robot to speak or respond,
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_03: but I also know that silence was the point here.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: And that's the kind of nuanced storytelling that I've come to expect from Jennifer.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_03: She's truly an exceptional writer and I'm reminded of that every time I get
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_03: the chance to talk about her work.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_03: So if you're not a fan, it really is time to become one.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_03: Check the show notes for a link to this one as well and let's check out an excerpt
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_03: from the piece.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_03: One sunny day, as Vilgo flew through the forest, he felt as though he were being watched.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_03: At first he assumed it was a prey animal that would avoid him,
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_03: but the sensation didn't go away,
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_03: so he began to look around to find out who might be spying on him.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_03: It took a while, but eventually he spotted a metal man lying very still on the forest floor.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_03: The man was so still that Vilgo almost missed him entirely.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_03: But no matter where Vilgo moved, the man's eyes seemed to track him.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_03: Vilgo had seen metal men before, long ago.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_03: They'd often ridden horses that made wonderful meals.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_03: But they also often attacked dragons with big pointy sticks and swords.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_03: When forced to defend himself,
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_03: he'd found out they weren't even edible with that metal outer shell.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_03: Such a waste.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_03: He was cautious at first,
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_03: but it had been so long since a human saw him at all
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_03: that Vilgo gathered up his courage and approached the man.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_03: He flew in slowly and landed across the clearing, trying not to spook the stranger.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_03: Hello?
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_03: He called out in his softest, most gentle voice.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not going to hurt you.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_03: I just wanted to speak for a moment.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_03: He paused, then added carefully.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_03: And I hope you aren't planning to hurt me.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_03: I don't see a sword or a big stick.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_03: The man didn't respond, but his eyes stayed locked on Vilgo.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_03: The dragon found this very encouraging, so he crept closer, step by slow and careful step.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_03: After all,
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_03: he had spent a very long time being unseen,
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_03: so when he found someone who never looked away,
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_03: he thought that must mean something important.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_03: You have lovely eyes, he said.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_03: I've noticed that you've been watching me.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_03: The stranger said nothing, but he never looked away at all.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_03: He didn't even blink, lest he lose sight of the dragon.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_03: Suddenly, Vilgo understood.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_03: The man was attracted to him, maybe even in love.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_03: His whole heart swelled with pleasure as he considered the idea.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_03: It had been so long since he had someone to care for him.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_03: "'You're very quiet,' he offered thoughtfully.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_03: "'You're shy, aren't you?' "'That's okay.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_03: I don't mind doing most of the talking.' Your suit is quite shiny, the dragon mused.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_03: But you might be getting rusty in a few places.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_03: If you'd like to take the suit off, perhaps I could fire it clean for you.
• 32:47
  SPEAKER_03: The man didn't answer, and Vilgo nodded with understanding.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_03: We don't know each other well enough yet.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_03: I understand.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe later.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_03: I love this story so much.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_03: Definitely give that one a read as well.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_03: In fact,
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_03: just head to the show notes after you're done listening and just go right down
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_03: the list because all of these are amazing, as always.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_03: Next up in our week three stories is Chapter One, Brewing a Roar by Alexander Avalese.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_03: This was for August 19th prompt,
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_03: which is the art piece depicting the dragon and the witch that I mentioned earlier.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_03: One thing I'll say right off the bat here is that I love Alexander's writing style
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_03: in this piece.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_03: There's a weight and gravitas to the writing that really sets a beautiful atmosphere
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_03: for the reader, and this extends to the dialogue as well.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_03: The story's climax centers around a truly intense exchange between the dragon and
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_03: a witch named Lucilla.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_03: It's a powerful moment, and the ending left my jaw on the floor.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_03: That kind of sheer emotional intensity is not easy to pull off either,
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_03: but Alexander made it work.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_03: To highlight that, I'm actually going to do two excerpts here from the story.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_03: I had trouble deciding between them both, so I'm in charge.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_03: I figured, why not?
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_03: I'll make the executive decision to read each.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_03: And each of them do bring a different flavor of that intensity that I talked about.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_03: So here's the first excerpt from this story.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_03: Kravagon swiped his claws at her, a roar brewing inside him.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_03: She was barely able to withstand the first roar,
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_03: a second would be deafening, and the third roar would surely kill her.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_03: If she couldn't get the elixir back to Minera, she would find a solution.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_03: Why do you reject us?
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_03: Me!
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_03: My mother!
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_03: And her mother's before her!
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_03: Why?
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_03: Some came to kill her, but only as a last resort.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_03: I know they tried.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_03: To reason!
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_03: To cooperate!
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_03: You are merely a living being like the rest- I AM A GOD!
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_03: Kravigan coiled his body and blew a cone of fire into the sky.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_03: He beat his wings several times to extend the duration and distance of the flame.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_03: But our doom is prophesized!
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_03: And every time we try to stop it,
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_03: every time an effort to protect this place is made, you destroy us!
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_03: You worthless monster!
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_03: Lucilla was shaking now.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_03: She couldn't hold back her fury.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_03: She stormed up toward Kravagon's head.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_03: She was back in his shadow.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_03: It was colder here, much colder than just being in the shade.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_03: Her hairs stood on end as she waited for him to meet her gaze again.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_03: The dragon hoisted its body high before angling his eyes downward.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_01: "'If you two know what's coming,
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_01: how is killing us the solution?'
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_03: And you can see right there in that excerpt
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_03: the intensity that I mentioned.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_03: It's really palpable.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_03: But now,
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_03: let's take a look at a second excerpt from the same story that shows
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_03: a different kind of emotion.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_03: She turned back toward him.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_03: Then tell me.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_03: If you know how to save us, tell me.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_03: What is it that is coming?
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_03: What will cause our doom?
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_03: Kravigan roared for the second time.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_03: The distance between them now was much shorter than the first, and she felt the repercussions.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_03: Blood began to seep from her eyes and ears.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_03: She could feel her bones vibrating.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_03: Her teeth snapped together and her hair blew away from her face.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_03: Her wicked pale skin tensed as goosebumps formed across her entire body.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_03: She collapsed to her knees as the roar came to an end.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_03: She gazed at him with tinted vision.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_03: Answer me!
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_03: Kravagon bellowed a slow murmur, like a resolved sigh.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: You won't
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_03: give up.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_03: She began to cry, desperate for his cooperation.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: Just like your mother's.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_03: She tasted bitterness and salt as the blood-mixed tears reached her lips.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_03: You are our doom.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_03: Kravagon slid a claw around the elixir's flask and took it from Lucilla.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_03: All of her hard work in the hands of a killer.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_03: She had strenuously gathered the beak of a swamp tendril,
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_03: the foot of a warthog,
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_03: the talon from a shadow falcon,
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_03: the stem of lapis flower,
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_03: water from the well of witches, and a feather from a phoenix.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_03: Now, And
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_03: there you have it, my friends.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_03: Two excerpts from an incredible, incredible story.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_03: Really, really just love the style, the polish, the emotion.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_03: All of it.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_03: It's a great, great story.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_03: And I hope that I did it justice here.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you again to Alexander for entering the challenge with this.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_03: It is beautiful work.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_03: Alright,
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_03: and I've got one more story for you here from week three of
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_03: the Smogus Story Horde Challenge.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_03: It is...
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_03: But I Was a Fool by Leanna Schaller.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_03: Now,
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_03: something cool that Leanna's been doing this entire month is this is all part of
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_03: a serial inspired by the prompts of this month's challenge.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_03: This particular story is part 13,
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_03: so I'd recommend checking out the full series if you're curious.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_03: For now though, I'm going to share my thoughts on this entry, spoiler free of course.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_03: What I love here is how Leanne managed to offer up such beautiful imagery
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_03: and atmosphere in a relatively short word count.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_03: It won't take you about a few minutes to read this one,
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_03: but you'll find yourself thinking about it long after.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_03: The sheer beauty of the setting is conveyed through exceptional descriptions.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_03: It's a combination of color,
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_03: texture,
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_03: and some really inspired designs for the plants that surround our protagonist
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_03: in this scene.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_03: There's a really great sense of place here.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_03: Let's check out an excerpt.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_03: When she brushed by them,
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_03: little spikes stung her flesh and threatened to draw her into their center.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_03: Bright red flowers dripped out of black spiky leaves.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_03: Bright red.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_03: She touched a petal and gasped,
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_03: She couldn't put them in her robes, for that also functioned as her skin.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_03: And besides, once she left the care, she assumed her dragon shape.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_03: She shuddered to think what it would be like to have those petals trapped under her scales.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_03: And that's it for the shoutouts this week.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_03: I have to say again,
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_03: everyone,
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_03: these stories for the challenge this month are truly some of the best yet
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_03: that we've gotten.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_03: We may not have hundreds of stories in this challenge like prior ones,
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_03: but that doesn't take anything away from the fact that what you're creating
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_03: and submitting here is exceptional.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_03: And again,
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_03: I hope that I did it justice here on the show
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_03: because I really do appreciate you taking the time and you taking the generosity
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_03: to share your creativity with this community and with me.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_03: I really appreciate all of you and that's why I try to do my best with these shoutouts here.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_03: Again, to everyone who's entered the challenge, thank you.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_03: I really appreciate it.
• 40:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I know I speak for Circus Dragon as well when I say that she appreciates it as well.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_03: The way you've taken this art and these prompts and turned them into stunning works
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_03: of fiction and poetry is something to be celebrated,
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_03: and that's what I'm trying to do here.
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_03: So again,
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_03: thank you to everyone,
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_03: and I hope we have a strong final week coming up here
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_03: as we wrap up this month's challenge.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_03: Now, let's take a look at this week's update on my in-progress horror novel, shall we?
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_03: Alright, and welcome to this week's novel update from me.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_03: I've got another pretty sizable update for you all this week.
• 41:15
  SPEAKER_03: I'm continuing to make some good progress nearly every single day.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_03: I actually even managed to work in some progress on the next D'Veen chapter as well.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_03: As many of you may have noticed,
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_03: I put out a poll this last week regarding an idea I had
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_03: for my cosmic horror novel here.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_03: The concept was this idea of including interludes or perhaps even an intermission
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_03: before the finale where you get a glimpse at the wider world beyond just the
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_03: And I agree now that I stopped to think about it.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm thinking about,
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_03: how to incorporate it maybe as something where it's like,
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_03: you know, small intermissions between the novels sort of main acts.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_03: I haven't, I haven't decided yet.
• 41:48
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, in general, like I've said in prior updates here,
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_03: I'm trying to focus on the outline I have and just stay on that track at
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_03: the very least so I can get to the end of this first draft.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_03: So in the spirit of that,
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_03: this past week I worked on two chapters from the POV of one of the characters in
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_03: the book by the name of Silas Blackwell.
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_03: Silas is a professional writer in the book.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_03: His storyline centers around him visiting the home office of a company that he works
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_03: for on the west coast.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_03: Given that he's normally a remote worker, he flies out to visit everyone several times a year.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_03: In one of the early chapters,
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_03: while he's working out of the home office here,
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_03: the building's HVAC system detects spores from the alien parasite that is sweeping
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_03: the globe in my book.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_03: As per government protocol, the entire building gets put into lockdown.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_03: No one in or out.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_03: Now the chapter I worked on this week is later in the story
• 42:53
  SPEAKER_03: where tensions are reaching a fever pitch as people trapped in
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_03: the building are waiting to get test results to find out if they've been infected.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_03: In terms of inspiration here,
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_03: I've seen a few movies with a similar premise like this
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_03: and I loved how those movies focused on the claustrophobia and fear that comes
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_03: from being trapped in a single place like that.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_03: In my case,
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_03: The alien parasite in my book is also a bit different than your classic horror virus
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_03: or infection.
• 43:17
  SPEAKER_03: In my book, when you're infected, you have no idea when you'll turn, or even how.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_03: I always say that when you do turn, you mutate as part of the story there.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_03: This uncertainty as to when it may
• 43:29
  SPEAKER_03: or may not happen once you're infected provides great tension in
• 43:32
  SPEAKER_03: a scenario like this.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_03: For all you know, you could be infected, like I said, or anyone around you could be.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_03: And at any moment,
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_03: they may suddenly transform into some gruesome monstrosity
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_03: and start attacking everyone around them.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_03: You just literally don't know.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_03: It turns everyone into a ticking time bomb.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah,
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_03: working on these chapters here before I move on to the next part of my outline,
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_03: we're making good progress.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_03: The next chapter after the one I'm currently writing will shift to another POV.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_03: But I just wanted to take a second to say that I'm actually really enjoying working
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_03: on this novel again more so than I thought I would.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_03: And the reason I say that is because this is not only taking me 10 years to finish,
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_03: but it has a lot of my trauma in there.
• 44:13
  SPEAKER_03: And I've written a lot of the more tougher scenes already, thankfully.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_03: So now that those are out of the way and I'm kind of getting towards,
• 44:19
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 44:19
  SPEAKER_03: the back half of the book here,
• 44:21
  SPEAKER_03: I'm finding myself getting invested in the story again and my confidence is growing
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_03: as a result.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_03: Now, let's just see if I can keep imposter syndrome at bay until the book is done.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_03: That'll be the real test.
• 44:31
  SPEAKER_03: But no matter what, I'll be back here each week with another update for all of you.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_03: And it really does help to talk about it like this.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_03: So thank you again for listening.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_03: And of course, thank you for the support, everyone.
• 44:42
  SPEAKER_03: This literally this project would not be getting done without all
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_03: of you encouraging me to keep going.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_03: So I appreciate it.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_03: All right.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_03: And now let's wrap things up with a look at next week on Substack.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_03: Alright, so next week is week four of the Smoggest Storyboard Challenge.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_03: We'll have five final art prompts from the Circus Dragon to close things out
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_03: for this month's event.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_03: Remember that all the prompts are open until the end of the month as well,
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_03: so feel free to jump around and browse the options in my weekly directories
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_03: that you'll find over on The Writer's Journey.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_03: Simultaneously next week,
• 45:12
  SPEAKER_03: I'm going to submit my own story for the challenge based on
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_03: the real estate dragon prompt that we discussed earlier in the episode.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_03: I have this fun Devine tale where Fintan's adopted daughter,
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_03: the dragon Xeia,
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_03: becomes a real estate agent in Devine and tries to sell him a castle on the shores
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_03: of the Andarian Expanse.
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_03: Now I'm fully aware that this concept alone breaks all kinds of Devine canon,
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_03: But don't worry,
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_03: I'll find a fun way to work it in where it sort of fits in the world
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_03: and doesn't break anything in the process.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_03: So stay tuned for that.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_03: I'm going to make sure to get it in before the month ends.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_03: Beyond that,
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_03: I'll be working on my novel once more this coming week,
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_03: and I'm excited to announce that next week's episode will mark the return of
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_03: the author interviews that I do here on the podcast.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_03: As I mentioned at the beginning,
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_03: after an extended and unplanned hiatus,
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_03: next week the interviews will be back,
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_03: and I am happy to say that earlier today I sat down to record an interview
• 46:03
  SPEAKER_03: with Nimita Kahl,
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_03: who is the winner of the Halls
• 46:06
  SPEAKER_03: of Pandemonium's middleweight bracket earlier this year.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_03: And folks, I just want to take a second to say this is one of my favorite interviews yet.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_03: Nimitta had some absolutely amazing answers to my questions,
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_03: including the ones submitted by the community.
• 46:19
  SPEAKER_03: Between now and next week,
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_03: I'll be promoting the episode on Substack,
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_03: so if you get a chance to spread the word, I would appreciate it.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_03: And you can tune in next Saturday, August 29th, to hear our full conversation.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_03: I promise it will be worth the wait.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_03: But that's all I've got for you this week, my friends.
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for tuning in, for sharing your work, and for being part of this wonderful community.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_03: I appreciate and admire every single one of you so much.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_03: I hope you all have a safe and productive week of writing, my friends.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_03: This is Bradley Ramsey, signing off.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Lord Devereaux, I need to talk to you about something.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, Smog, what is it?
• 47:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know how we've been getting letters from someone who says she's my mom?
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_02: Ah, yes, I do recall.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it's true.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_00: She's been trying to find me ever since I, um, ran away.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my, that is quite the development.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_02: Why did you run away, if I may ask?
• 47:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's, um, it's kind of a long story.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_00: I'll tell you though if you have time.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_02: As I'm sure you know, I always enjoy a good story.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it all started a few years ago.