Authors : David Hankins and Lisa Para Narrators : Matt Dovey and Alethea Kontis Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Cast of Wonders 687: Little Wonders 50 – Quest Tropes is a Cast of Wonders original. The Last Quest of Corbin the Coward was originally published in Factor Four Magazine, June 2022. […] Source
Author : Nichole L. Lightner Narrator : Katrin Kania Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Cast of Wonders 686: The Marrow Gatherer and the Rotten One is a Cast of Wonders original. Content warning: horror themes, gaslighting, gore, power asymmetries, pyrrhic victories. Image by biglinker from Pixabay The Marrow Gatherer and the […] Source
Author : Christine Lucas Narrator : Justine Eyre Host : Alicia Caporaso Audio Producer : Andrew Jack First published in ZBN Presents & ZBN Presents Year 2 in July 2024 Image by Iris,Helen,silvy from Pixabay War. Multiple f-words. Sunset at the Western Front by Christine Lucas Millie craned her neck from behind the rusted bench […] Source
Authors : Nadia Radovich and Mia Xuan Narrators : Karen Menzel (née Bovenmyer) and Rish Outfield Host : Alicia Caporaso Audio Producer : Andrew Jack Cast of Wonders 684: Little Wonders 49 – Aging Memories is a Cast of Wonders original. Death, terminal illness, dementia. Some f-words. The Girl Detective by Nadia Radovich You: twelve, […] Source
Author : Louise Hughes Narrator : Katherine Inskip Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter First published in The Future Fire in May 2025 Image by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay Colonialism Born of the Mountain’s Chill by Louise Hughes I was born on a day of deepest cold, on a mountain wrapped in […] Source
Author : Catherine George Narrator : Samantha Loney Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Episode art from an image by ImaArtist from Pixabay First published in Metaphorosis in February 2019 This story can be read as a postpartum depression allegory The Bear Wife by Catherine George The bear wife took the cub […] Source
Authors : E. M. Linden and Elisabeth Ring Narrators : Dan Carter and Valerie Valdes Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Andrew Jack Cast of Wonders 681: Little Wonders 48 – Coping Mechanisms is a Cast of Wonders original. Episode art adapted from an image by Hello Cdd20 from Pixabay A Chest Full of […] Source
Author : Angela Liu Narrator : Rebecca Wei Hsieh Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter First published in Worlds of Possibility in February 2024. Image by Pfeilgiftfeder from Pixabay Firecrackers on 28 Mott Street by Angela Liu The children wield firecrackers as they enter the old shop on Mott Street. Copper wind […] Source
Beau takes a job at a magic mill in a gaslamp industrial fantasy world to support his family, enduring the gradual loss of his hearing and the toxic effects of the magic ore. He finds companionship with Ray Ann, who eventually escapes the mill's grasp, but Beau feels trapped by his family's needs and his own internal acceptance of his fate. The story explores themes of child labor, societal exploitation, and the normalization of suffering for the benefit of others, culminating in Beau's ultimate transformation within the very magic that consumes him.
This episode tells the chilling story of Billy, a young boy haunted by a multi-limbed figure after witnessing a traumatic accident. His recurring night terrors and a disturbing imaginary game with friends reveal a shared fear, which is later subtly validated by his grandmother and a friend. As the entity's presence intensifies, Billy's fight to escape leads to a shocking physical manifestation and a terrifying question about what truly grows back.
Author : Laura Duerr Narrator : Dani Cutler Host : Andrew Jack Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter First published as Cast of Wonders 658, October 2025 homophobia, censorship, fascist dystopia Your Hold Is Ready by Laura Duerr The news is spreading. We try to keep working through our English tests, but it’s becoming impossible to […] Source
In the vastness of the Great Plains, a farm boy yearning for the ocean encounters a siren. Through their shared stories and evolving connection, he grapples with his restrictive family environment, particularly his father's intolerance and queerphobia. The siren, who reveals herself as a mirror to his deepest desires, guides him towards understanding his true self and finding the courage to choose a path of freedom and authenticity.
Author : Juliette Beauchamp Narrator : Alexis Goble Host : Denise Sudell Audio Producers : Andrew Jack and Jeremy Carter Image by Kohji Asakawa from Pixabay First published as Cast of Wonders 652, September 2025 spider-like creatures Habitat by Juliette Beauchamp The orb appeared on a Friday. Just popped up in the northeast corner of […] Source
This episode features "Witches Racing Cars," a fantastical short story where a crew and their magical car tackle a challenging race in a broken world. Navigator Hermes and the Witch driver must overcome a devastating crash and magical limitations to finish, demonstrating resilience and the deep bond formed through shared adversity. The host also reflects on the story's themes of adventure and the pursuit of joy.
In this urban fantasy short story, Chloe Chew maintains a secret 'museum of undead art' through illegal necromancy. When one of her resurrected paintings turns on her, causing bizarre changes to her town and her own body, Chloe must swallow her pride and seek help from her estranged friend, Daisy. The episode explores themes of independence, the power of friendship, and finding strength in vulnerability as Chloe battles possession and redefines her artistic purpose.
Author : Emmi Khor Narrator : Tanya Jade Host : Alicia Caporaso Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter First published as Cast of Wonders 642, June 2025 Friendly haunting, bereavement Feeding Spirits by Emmi Khor What does one feed a hungry ancestor? Fish and chips, chicken parmi, or steak pie didn’t seem like something my recently […] Source
This episode features Kate Francia's "Poets of Painswick," a Regency-era tale told through Ada's letters to her absent mother. Ada chronicles her elder sister Fanny's perilous fascination with "hunting poets," which results in a mysterious encounter and Fanny's alarming physical changes and pregnancy. As the family struggles to understand, Ada must step up to confront the insidious power of the Poet and protect her sister from a tragic fate, ultimately finding her own voice and independence.
This festive yet eerie episode presents two unsettling short stories for a truly creepy Christmas. "Family Christmas" by Anne Wilkins explores unusual family traditions involving deceased relatives turned into Christmas tree ornaments. Following this, Katie Wagner's "Christmas at Grandma Minerva's" delivers a thrilling tale of holiday shopping, unexpected infection, and a very unconventional family gathering.
Commander Fowler and Captain Monroe embark on a historic mission to Uranus to investigate an abandoned alien spaceship, only to find their journey complicated by a mischievous stowaway cat named Scoopy. As Scoopy becomes an unexpected viral sensation back on Earth, her presence creates tension over dwindling rations and culminates in a truly unforgettable, and disastrous, first contact when the alien crew is revealed to have a peculiar allergy.
Consumed by grief after her mother's death, Robin seeks solace in a ghost forest, encountering a mythical serpent who offers fleeting moments with her mother in exchange for precious memories. As Robin sacrifices more, her mother's memory of their bond fades, revealing the devastating cost of tampering with the past. The episode explores themes of grief, memory, and the ultimate sacrifices made in the face of unbearable loss, culminating in a poignant and heartbreaking choice.
Author : Tehnuka Narrator : Shweta Adhyam Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Andrew Jack Cast of Wonders 667: Amudha Surabhi is a Cast of Wonders original. Content note: references to historical famine and colonisation Amudha Surabhi by Tehnuka Mallika beat her skirt against the washing rock twice more and wrung it out a […] Source
In a world where 'Mall Reapers' offer cathartic reflection, a desperate mother faces the actual Grim Reaper to save her critically ill child. She strikes an extraordinary deal, sacrificing part of herself in exchange for her daughter's life, forging a unique bond that challenges the very nature of death and destiny. This story explores profound choices and the unexpected humanity found in the face of the ultimate unknown.
Author : Courtney Farr Narrator : Jo Moran Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Cast of Wonder 665: A Siren Stranded in a Sea of Grass is a Cast of Wonders original. Content note: transphobia and queerphobia, family intolerance Episode art adapted from an image by Ralf Kunze from Pixabay Some links: […] Source
Author : Jamie M. Boyd Narrator : D’Shawn Payton Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Cast of Wonders 664: Blood and Talent is a Cast of Wonders original. Content notes: injury, violence, historical racism, domestic violence, death Blood and Talent by Jamie M. Boyd William Bird was sweeping up at the end […] Source
"The Pequod II" tells the tale of a human colony on Altair III, forced to abandon their home when a superior alien race reveals the planet is a critical spawning ground for incredible migrating Altairans. The host then discusses the story's themes, drawing parallels to real-world oceanographic exploration challenges and the importance of ethical decision-making in science. The episode concludes with updates on Cast of Wonders' funding model and how listener support ensures future content.
Author : Grant Collier Narrator : Wilson Fowlie Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter Cast of Wonders 662: It Grows Back is a Cast of Wonders original. Broken bones, body horror, monster under the bed. Artwork adapted from an image by Nick Magwood from Pixabay It Grows Back by Grant Collier When […] Source
Author : Jessica Lévai Narrator : Katrin Kania Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Andrew Jack Cast of Wonders 661: Bloom Like Roses, Wild And Thorned is a Cast of Wonders original. CW: abusive relationships, themes of domestic violence Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay Bloom Like Roses, Wild and Thorned by Jessica Lévai Perhaps […] Source
Author : Rachel Gutin Narrator : Victoria Marklew Host : Katherine Inskip Audio Producer : Jeremy Carter First published in Khōréō, May 2021 For Future Generations by Rachel Gutin Of all the Jewish holidays, Sukkot was the hardest to celebrate in space. Rabbi Greenberg had been a young child when her family boarded the generation […] Source
In a future Nigeria where the Ministry of Stillness has outlawed joy and stories, a young girl named Zyora discovers a hidden archive humming with forgotten memories and emotions. Inspired by her late grandmother's legacy, Zyora embarks on a dangerous mission to awaken the silenced, bringing hope and rebellion to a world that has forgotten how to feel. This episode explores themes of censorship, resistance, and the enduring power of human expression.
This episode features a dystopian story, "Your Hold is Ready," where a restrictive regime has fallen, leading to public celebration and the joyous reopening of libraries. The narrative follows a young woman experiencing the freedom of reclaiming banned books and openly expressing identities once suppressed. The host reflects on the story's themes of resistance, the value of diverse voices, and the power of reading in times of oppression and liberation.
