The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine

Rish and Big don't have a story for this one, but they always have a Christmas episode, so they got together and had a quick conversation about Christmas songs, and talked about their favorites.

It's Jason Sanford month everybody! So put on your ugly Jason Sanford Month sweaters; make yourself a mug of The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain tea, and gather around the table for the roast Plague Birds. It's time to enjoy some more Jason Sanford! Today, we have a vintage Dunesteef production of Jason's story, When Thorns Are The Tips Of Trees, originally produced for the StarShipSofa podcast back in 2009. Miles and his father care for the local memorial grove, but the job has become a more dangerous as gangs of deteriorating thorn die, almost zombie-like people driven mad by the phage that is rewriting their DNA, have begun attacking the groves all around the area. Can they survive, or will they become thorn die themselves? Afterward, Rish and Big talk about how much of a formative moment this story was in the history of the podcast, and look back at the production process for putting it all together.

Jason Sanford recently published his first novel, and it has a title that might sound familiar to long time listeners of the Dunesteef. His new book is called "Plague Birds." That's right, the book is the further and expanded adventures of Crista and her AI symbiote that we first brought to you back in episode 92 and then continued their story in episodes 125 and 126 with Jason's sequel. Now you can buy the novel length story which further explores the detailed and fascinating world the characters occupied, expands the story of Crista, and uncovers an extremely personal conspiracy that threatens the lives of millions. We got the amazing opportunity to sit down and talk with Jason about his novel, his process, and pitfalls of the industry. Listen to (or watch) the interview, and be sure to support Jason by buying the book. P.S. - Sorry about Big's microphone. He thought he was getting the sound from the nice mic you can see in the shot, but he was actually getting his sound from the built-in mic on his computer, recording all the echoes bouncing around that big study he is sitting in.

So, this is an episode that was recorded just about two years ago (the last week of February 2019) with Rish, Big, and Marshal Latham, in preparation for the release of AVENGERS: ENDGAME later that year. Rish really wanted to talk about the monumental achievement that was AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, and that, for a year, the world was stuck with the unhappy ending of all unhappy endings.\r\n Of course, we talk about THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and also speculate a bit about where the fourth Avengers film might go. And then Rish lost the file.\r\n But he found it again when it was far too late to be even remotely relevant, but if you\'ve missed us and our conversations, here it is, in all its . . . glory?\r\n

It's another episode of the Anklecast. I'm going to do one every month, and, well...I barely made it in time, but here we are. Today's story is "Party Girl." It's one that I wrote just last year as I was working my way towards 300,000 words. After the story, I made a sort of vlog of my experiences in the Arctic Blast that froze Texas last week. It was an interesting month for sure, especially that week. If you're interested in that stuff, stick around after the story to hear all about it. To see the video elements, go to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDPrbMMyCaE

That's right, it's another Anklecast. Today, I bring you a story called "Active Shooter Training" and a second little drabble-esque story called "Date Night". I hope you enjoy them.

Franklin has a huge crush on Jillian, but up until now she hasn't returned his affection at all. Surprisingly, this Christmas Eve she changed her tune, and suddenly asking him back to her house for Christmas Eve dinner with her family. Turns out that the meal was not what Franklin was expecting... Afterwards, Rish and Big talk about the story, Broken Mirror contests, and the joys and hassles of Christmas music.

Six Christmas stories on the Dunesteef just wasn't enough, so I decided that I would give y'all one more. It's a story I wrote earlier this year about James, a guy whose Christmas plans get ruined, so he volunteers to work someone's shift at his job to give them a chance at having a merry Christmas. He thinks he knows how his night will end, but someone has a different idea, and it's going to take a left turn before the night is through.

Declan's boyfriend, Brooks, is taking him to meet the parents for the first time today at Christmas dinner. He's a little nervous, but it couldn't be as bad as it was when Brooks met Declan's parents at Thanksgiving, could it? Could it? Afterward, Big and Rish talk about the story, the year we've had, and about having hope for the future.

Zane and Delanna don't come from similar backgrounds. Zane is a run-of-the-mill Lunar who's had to pull himself by his bootstraps everywhere he went. Delanna, on the other hand, comes from one of the richest families on Mars. Somehow, the two came together as a couple, and have hit it off amazingly ever since, but Delanna's family has never approved, and now the two of them are going home for Christmas with the folks... Afterward, Big and Rish talk about beefalopes, the rite of passage that is meeting the parents, and Santa Claus III. This is going to be delightful.

Damien meets a girl named Lynn who wants to know all about sci-fi, and since she's cute, he does his best to help her learn. Soon, they're dating, and then comes the invite to meet the folks at Christmas dinner, but, as you might have grown accustomed to during this Christmas extravaganza, the meal isn't what he was expecting. Afterwards, Rish and Big talk about what aliens might think of our sci-fi films, Ian syndrome, and whether Marshal needs to make this story into a novel.

Sam is having a really hard time getting over the loss of his dearly departed pet cat, Boots. His girlfriend, Beth, hopes that bringing him home to the family for Christmas dinner might help him overcome his loss. Afterward, Big and Rish go off the farm talking about all the weird stuff you might guess they would, however, I won't mention it here, so as to not spoil the story.

It's the first installment in our 2020 Christmas Extravaganza! We'll be bringing you several stories from our Broken Mirror Story Event, the first being "Service with a Smile" by Rob Broughton. When Tommy gets a mysterious invitation to his girlfriend's parents' house for the holidays, he finds that not everyone is acting of their own accord. Afterward, Rish and Big talk about Shamong, meeting the parents, and eating worms and insects...really? Actually, why am I surprised, of course they do.

Something is going wrong at the space outpost that Captain Seymour just docked at. Things seem to be deteriorating quickly. Luckily for him, someone grabbed him, and pulled him into a hiding place. Or was it lucky for him? Now he's trapped in here with two strangers, and it seems as though one of them is not who he seems after all. Afterward, Big and Rish talk about the process of adapting a story from one format to another. What does it take? How do you go about it? What sacrifices to dark gods of chaos and evil must be made? Whose name appears first on the byline? We answer none of those questions, coming up!

In Jason Sanford's "What Is Sand But Earth Purified?" New widower Anchor is approached by TV personalities to be their guide into the living sandstorm out in the ocean, the same sandstorm that killed his wife. Afterward, Big and Rish talk about Jason's various possible futures, and what makes a body human.

It's the Rish Outcast/That Gets My Goat crossover! Continuing their discussion about the writers conference Rish went to. Big and Rish talk about cover art, not giving up, being inspired, and the Four Yorkshiremen.

So, February came and went, with an extra day thrown in for good measure. Did Big and Rish sweep? Did you?

When Mike Resnick passed away on January 9th, Rish and Big knew they had to make one of his stories their next episode. Years ago, he'd sent them out a huge batch of Catastrophe Baker stories so that they could continue the series on the show. What better way to remember him than to put one of his creations out for fans to enjoy? Catastrophe Baker makes a trip to Silverstrike and while he's there, he attends a carnival. It's pretty ho-hum until he gets summoned to the tent of the Siren of Silverstrike to see the show that everyone is talking about. Afterward, Rish and Big talk about Mike Resnick and what he has meant to the science fiction community, the podcast community, and the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine. We'll miss you, Mike.

So, Big has been writing like his life depends on it, and in the month of February, Rish is going to accept the challenge to write every single day. In this episode, they put it in writing. Well, not in writing, exactly, since it's a podcast. They make their announcement official. Well, not official, exactly, since I don't know that a notary was present, but hey, wish Big 'n Rish luck anyway.

Hey, kids, do you like Hard Rock? Do you like our Guess-The-List episodes? Would you like to waste an hour or so of your day? Then join Rish Outfield and Big Anklevich as Big tries to identify VH1's list of 100 Best Hard Rock Songs! And if you liked this one (which I doubt), let us know. It could always be Rish's turn to guess!