Storyfeather

An inexperienced crew of administrators aspiring to be field operators are assigned to a distant star system, where they encounter a sentient nebula.

Genre: Science Fiction

Excerpt: The newly appointed Captain Dorus gazed at his new crew, each one interviewed and hand-picked by him. The not-so-hotshot pilot, Orson, who retired early after she was nearly killed flying into a star during a practice maneuver. The experienced engineer, Rekha, whose tendency to tinker a little too much got her booted off the first four ships she was assigned to. A doctor, Shade, who had no specialty because she kept getting distracted by new discoveries. And the actor, Kellu, whose purpose there no one—including himself—quite understood.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt.  This idea came to me this morning, inspired by a binge-watch session of a show I once enjoyed (“Legends of Tomorrow,” Season 3).  I’ve always loved the idea of a ragtag crew onboard a spaceship having adventures and doing stuff together and…stuff.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

(Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can be a renegade by getting tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)

CREDITSStory: “The Renegade D.O.R.K.S.” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by ANDREW SITKOV* “Abstract Vision #2” “Among the Stars” “Unknown Terrain” “Abstract Vision #7” “Abstract Vision #4” “Another World” “Dark Side” “First Contact” “Abstract Vision #1” “Space Discoveries”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Particle voyager” “Stars above” “Pursuit”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Partial view of the bridge of a ship from a low angle, showing three people from the waist up. Foreground right, a woman looking up and to the left with mouth parted. Center background, a man with hands resting on a wide flat panel and looking right. Background left, a woman with arms stretched out to another panel, looking down at the panel. A porthole on the ceiling shows a view of space.  Three support struts extend away from the porthole. The rectangular image is made square with a border at top and bottom. The border contains a vertical textured pattern with colors from the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along support strut near the middle figure’s head.

Every ninth full moon, the Reptilian Vaudevillians put on a spectacular show that for one audience member is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Genre: Fable

Excerpt: No one will know of my crime. Tomorrow, I will die. And so will every one of my cohorts. The ones who came before are already dead. So none will know of my crime.

Today, I should be searching for a mate.

But instead, I am hiding in the shadows of leaves, having broken from tradition, from fate, from my duty.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?There is no official writing prompt, but I was prompted to think of this idea when I started drafting my first email newsletter and realized that all the stories I’d written in January 2020 thus far featured an animal.  First birds, then a dragon, then a tiger.  None of these animals were what they seemed.  None of them were ordinary animals.  So I figured I’d round out the month with another story centered around an animal. 

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

(Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)

CREDITSStory: “The Reptilian Vaudevillians” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by JONATHAN SHAW* “Spinning Tavern” “Midnight Creeping” “Showdown of Misdeeds” “Sinning Tavern”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Oinions” “Winterheart” “Infinite land” “Double face” “La pomme” “Duality” “Shadows and flames” “Haven”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Jonathan Shaw is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. An alligator, standing upright and seen from left, stepping forward with tail raised, and holding out a top hat in the outstretched right forelimb. Behind the alligator is a hazy curtain of moss drawn apart to either side.  Strands of sparkling lights are set in the curtains. Behind the parted curtains is only shadow. At bottom edge are the silhouettes of the heads of various animals. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the alligator’s back.

After a young drummer commits the crime of “creativity without a license,” her bandmate discovers a way to protect her and all other unlicensed artists. 

Genre: Science Fiction

Excerpt: “Tell me, as the band’s leader, what is the future of Discordance now? Will you find a new drummer? Will you disband and follow individual careers? The fans are dying to know.”

Kavita seen herself in interviews dozens of times before, and she’d felt many different emotions at seeing herself. Mortification, dissatisfaction, pride, amusement. This time she felt only anxiety.

But it wasn’t the anxiety of what had already happened. It was the rising anxiety of anticipation.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?If you could be in any band (past or present), what band would it be?  What would be your role? Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

 (Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free. Sounds sweet to me.)

CREDITSStory: “The Drummer for Discordance” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by ROZKOL “To the Water’s Edge”

Music by KOMIKU “Dreaming of you”

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Abstract Vision #3” “Abstract Vision #6” “A&C Percussion Loop #11” “Abstract Vision #5” “Abstract Vision #2” “A&C Percussion Loop #3” “A&C Percussion Loop #14”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Music by ROZKOL is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Music by Komiku is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects made in Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by Komiku and ROZKOL at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A girl sitting behind a full drum set, facing forward. The girl’s eyes are closed and her body is tilted to the left, both bent arms raised and holding drumsticks above cymbals. The sticks glow with sparkles. The girl’s long dark hair is whipping to the right. The tops of the three drums in front of her emit glowing threads of light. The drum at bottom bears a symbol. Translucent text at the bottom of the frame reads “The Drummer for Discordance.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along edge of cymbol near top right. The rectangular image is made square with a framing border that shows of a color-shifted larger version of the image’s edges.

The unexpected demise of a witch on All Hallow’s Eve prompts her faithful assistant to seek the answer to the question, “Who killed Edith Evilez?”

Genre: Horror

Excerpt: “Who killed Edith Evilez?” the slightly malnourished young—or perhaps old—woman asked, as she thrust a dusty umbrella at a passing passerby.

The asker’s name was Trudy Trubbeld. And she had been standing at the corner, asking the question—or rather accusing the question—to various passersby since the death of her mistress and mentor, the aforementioned Edith Evilez, known to her enemies as Edie, and to her friends by no name, as she had no friends to call her by any name.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Write a 200-word newspaper obituary for your villain. Ready. Set. Novel. Writer’s Workbook. Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant, and Tavia Stewart-Streit. Copyright © 2011. Chronicle Books.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

(Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free. Simply diabolical.) 

CREDITSStory: “Evil Edie's Surprise Demise” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Eternal life” “Witches” “At night” “The death of love”

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

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Mystical House” “Hidden Fear” “Evil is Near” “Funny Horror” “Scary Theme #3”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy, Chris Logsdon, and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Partial view of an obituary in a newspaper seen from a slight angle. At right is the image of a woman seen from shoulders up, wearing a collared cloak, face in three-quarters profile facing right, one brow and one corner of the mouth raised in a smiled, hair in a low bun at her neck. She holds up her left hand. The top half of a bat seems to be emerging from her palm. Another bat with outstretched wings facing forward appears just above her palm. At left, partial view of a column with text. The top reads “Obituary.” Below it reads “Edith Evilez.”  The following text is visible, with ellipses representing parts that are cut off as they are out of frame. “…vilez passed in terror and fright on the night of October 31…is yet to be determined according to one of three profane…she might have followed. She is survived by her faithful…ing and slightly malnourished assistant, her beloved pet…the partially sentient carnivorous pitcher plant that…otherwise fetid greenhouse. Sometimes joined forces…ogud and Ralph Rotneg. Gave stingily of her time and…ociety of Whisper-mongers. Was awarded the dishonor…allion for her work with wandering spirits. Served a…junior board member for the Pocket Goblin Company…in dental assisting, equine communications, and…Known for her collection of historical thimbles…corded by aforementioned faithful assistant were…Edith will be begrudgingly remembered by…mies for her stalwart efforts at frightening…the downtrodden, and the surprisingly delicate…the summer block party every year…one. Her passing being celebrated by all…manity, and goodness.” The rectangular image is made square by borders at top and bottom which contain blurred and distorted bits from the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” below the obituary text.

A young woman finally learns the truth about what happened when her grand-aunty accepted a dare to knock on the door of a mysterious manor.

Genre: Horror

Excerpt: Naomi clicked on her recorder, took a deep breath, and asked her grand-aunty Z about the one thing that her mother and grandmother told her to never, ever, never, never, ever ask her about.

“Aunty, what did you see when you went into Mausefalle Manor? And how is it that you got out when so many other people never did?”

Her aunty, whose full name was Zelda, responded by glancing down at the plate on the coffee table between them. “Have a cookie.”

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Not a prompt. Recurring dream going into a house and getting lost.  Patterns of wallpaper are complex and dizzying.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “Mausefalle Manor” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Dedale” “Broken keys” “Hunter’s moon” “Evidence” “Blood and bones” “A dead heart” “After dark” “Dark echoes” “Past and secrets” “Sins and sinners” “Incantation” “The mirror” “Demon’s cage”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center right, middle ground, a two-level manor house seen from a corner. A tower with parapets is attached to one side. The upper level along one wall is covered with a series of blinds. Weeds grow in the foreground. Rain falls at a slant from top right to bottom left.  A distorted ghostly outline of the house is reflected at left, sharing an edge with the house. Borders at top and bottom make the image square. The borders contain black-and-white blurred portions of the main image; the top of the image at top and the bottom of the image at bottom. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top wall of the manor house at right.

A family is haunted by a demon who collects the fallen baby teeth of the children, and who soon hungers for more and more teeth, even when there are none for them to offer.

Genre: Horror

Excerpt: Many doctors and healers had tended to him. But the family he left behind, to whom he was beloved, blamed only one. The doctor of teeth. For before he came, the patient appeared to be suffering some pain but in general was in good spirits. It was poor luck, on the part of the doctor of teeth. The infection had already taken hold. None could have stopped it. But the family did not know this. And perhaps would not have cared if they did. For even if the man had lived, the screams he uttered during the surgery upon his teeth, those screams alone would have earned the doctor of teeth an enemy or two in the family.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Set limits—time limits, page limits, rules of rhyme or meter.

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

The exercise or rather the challenge is merely this…write a story that is between 2500 to 3500 words, and no more.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “The Curse of the Tooth Demon” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Inspector” “Evidence” “Unsolved” “Mourning day” “Under my bed” “Just behind” “Demon at the door” “Killer escape” “Dark Secret”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Crouching amid shadows, tilted to the left of vertical, a humanoid figure with pale green mottled skin, white, bloodshot eyes with no irises, and a wide smiling mouth filled with long sharp teeth. The clawed left hand rests on the figure’s knees, and the right hand extends forward toward the silhouette of a sleeping human figure seen in right profile at bottom foreground. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the bottom of the demon’s palm.

Traveling on a road at night that cuts through the woods, one driver fears encountering dangers both natural and supernatural.

Genre: Horror

Excerpt:

The car had been behind me for a while, even before we turned onto Dollortop, the road that just barely split the sprawling woods that separated the counties.

I gripped the steering wheel at ten and two, and glanced at the rearview mirror, as I eased my foot off the accelerator. My car began to slow.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Looks like this story was inspired by “Over the River and Through the Woods,” a Thanksgiving nursery rhyme.

“Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandmother's (Grandfather's) house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, Through the white and drifted snow.”

And so on. It’s a long rhyme!

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon. Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE (Haha, hear me spell "store" incorrectly in the outro.)

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “Through the Woods at Night” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

 Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Unsolved” “The killer story” “I’m sorry” “Ruined” “Silence is dead” “Hope is gone” “Human monster” “Discovering the truth” “Whispers”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from inside a car at night facing the front windshield. At left, the driver’s arms extend toward the steering wheel, held in both hands. On the dashboard, the radio dial, air vents, and glove box are just visible in the dark cabin. Beyond the windshield is a narrow road, bordered by bare-branched trees. In the rearview mirror appears a hazy shadow of shoulders and a head. Borders at top and bottom make the rectangular image a square. Hazy trees extend into the top border. The bottom border contains smears of color from the bottom of the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the glove box.

Be advised: This episode contains some intense music and sound effects. 

A group of friends venture into an abandoned tunnel against the warnings of one of them, who senses there is something in the tunnel that won’t let them get to the other side.

Genre: Horror

Excerpt: Bradley rubbed his hands together and looked at Amora. “It’s show time.”

Phoebe walked over to Amora, whose dark-eyed gaze was still staring ahead at the tunnel.

“Take your time,” Phoebe said. She wanted to tell Bradley to stop staring, but she figured it would only make Amora feel more self-conscious.

“So?” Bradley said. “Is there anything in there?”

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt. Okay, so what if a group of friends find a haunted tunnel? 

MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “The Mad Tunnel” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Lost in the maze” “The story behind her smile” “Once upon a time” “As if it comes” “The crypt” “Sacrifice” “Pitch black” “Panic attack” “Shadow tunnel” “Communication” “Trust me” “I’m sorry” “Experiment 8” “Sounds from the end” “Experiment 6”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At middle, view down a dark stony tunnel. Foreground, two people from behind and shoulders up. Person at left, seen in silhouette, holds one arm outstretched. Person at right, mostly in darkness, holds up a flashlight, shining it down the center of the tunnel. The light illuminates a man some distance away, lying on his stomach, propping himself up with both palms on the ground. The man looks forward, his brows raised. Visible in the light, on either side of him are thick legs ending in feet with curved claws. The legs belong to a massive bear-like creature standing over him. The creature’s clawed hands are visible in the light. The rest of the creature is hidden in shadow. A border is added at top and bottom to make the rectangular image square. The border contains patterns that match the stony texture and circle shape of the tunnel. Top border contains two hazy red points aligned next to each other. At middle left, watermark of “Storyfeather.”

A bard embarks on a quest to discover what it is that the dragons guard at the center of a maze made of the primal cosmic elements. 

Genre: Fantasy

Excerpt: Once upon a time, there was an ocean of water and at the center of this ocean of water was an ocean of sand and at the center of this ocean of sand was an ocean of air and at the center of this ocean of air was an ocean of fire.

This ocean of fire was the realm of the dragons.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Prompt: Write a short story beginning with the line “Once upon time…” Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers

MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “That Which Dragons Guard” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by CHRIS LOGSDON “Mystical Town”

Music by BENJAMIN CARR (Scythuz)* “Crystal Caves” “Ice Cavern” “Underwater Temple” “Mystical Forest” “Ancient Ruins” “Orchestral Battle Theme 4” “Miscellaneous Battle Theme 3” “Miscellaneous Battle Theme 1” “Mausoleum”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Benjamin Carr and Chris Logsdon licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with AudacityChanges made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

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

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Right half, partial view of a dragon, facing forward, seen from chest up. Wings are raised but folded down. Head is curved down from a long neck. Two horns slightly curving down extend from behind the eyes, which look down at the black silhouette of a human at bottom left, seen from the shoulders up. Behind the human and the dragon’s chest is a bright light shining on a rocky surface. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the dragon’s left wing.

A small team of marine explorers searches for a treasure from an arcane myth, a jewel that fell from the heavens.

Genre: Science Fiction

Excerpt:

“So the gods order the sea fairies to wreck the ship,” Dalil continued. “I mean tear it apart until nothing is left, not even a single plank for the princess to grab onto to survive. But here’s the thing, the thing that the king didn’t know and the gods didn’t know—because they never paid attention to the girl. She was great friends with the fairies of the sea. She loved the beaches of her kingdom. And she loved the sea. And she would bring the fairies gifts from the gifts she received, and gifts that she had made herself, and she learned their language. So even though she didn’t ask them to save her, they saved her.”

“This story is about to take a turn, isn’t it?”

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Rory’s Story Cubes.  Story Cubes Voyages.  Rolled all nine die.  In no particular order…Crown Open chest (treasure chest)Submarine Monkey on a branchWorried expressionSix BeansParamecium Camera Crab

MY BOOK IS HERE!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. For a limited time you can get all formats for a special launch price.

The book title takes you straight to the sales page on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

I’ve Got Issues For YouThe Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE

CREDITSStory: “The Nimasterion” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by LEE ROSEVERE “The Long Journey” “Thoughtful” “Cosmic Drifting”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Learning punch” “Under the mask” “The deal” “Negociation” “Doubts” “Master” “Trojan horse” “Men in black”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.netFind more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.netFind more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.comFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. View from inside a vessel. Two people, seen from the back, sit in chairs in front of a round window, a control console between them. The console bears a label with the letters “MAG.” The person at right pulls down on a throttle on the console. The person at left points out of the window with the right hand and holds the first two fingers of the left hand on a wall panel at left. Cables hang down from upper right. In the cabin behind the pilots’ section, part of a monitor is visible. The monitor is labeled “Station 3” along the vertical edge. The horizontal edge bears the label “Science,” though the last two letters are cut off. Below the monitor is a container bearing an arrow pointing up along one side, and the letters “AGILE,” presumably the word “fragile” with the first letters cut off. The top of the container is labeled “MAG.” At bottom left corner, partially visible, is a display labeled “CAM19.” One of the triangular sectors on the display is labeled minus-five. At bottom the word “forward” is visible, and the letters “METRY.” Watermark of “Storyfeather” along container at bottom right. The rectangular image is made square by adding a top and bottom border with a curving portal-like pattern that matches the colors of the main image.