BCS Audio Vault 040: Portrait of the Artist

By Patty Templeton, from Issue #370 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, detailing the feel and inspirations for the story’s world of Shady Grove.The trestle bridge caught fire in 1911. The train dropped. The ravine caught it.More info »

By K.J. Parker, from Issue #369 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by narrator Carla Kissane, who narrated the original BCS Audio Fiction Podcast of the story.“I paint by the inner light,” I said. I tried to make it sound like I was being facetious.More info »

By K.J. Parker, from Issue #368 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by audiobook and podcast narrator Heath Miller, who narrated the original BCS Audio Fiction Podcast of the story.For once in my life, I could walk down the street without looking for places to run to if I heard someone yell my name.More info »

By R.B. Lemberg, from Issue #364 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, explaining elements of the Birdverse world and culture and characters that appear in the novella and how one of the characters connects with the new Birdverse novel The Unbalancing.Across great distances I hear her voice rolling over the sand, traipsing gently above bones of impossible beasts that perhaps had one day populated the desert.More info »

By Natalia Theodoridou, from Issue #362 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineWith an introduction from the author, explaining their beliefs on the story’s theme of individual freedom and autonomy.The fawn is still in its mother's belly. Sapo kneels by the doe and feels for the outlines of the little one with her fingers. A gasp escapes her when it moves under the dead doe's skin.More info »

By A.J. Lucy, from Issue #357 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, in an interview conducted and engineered by M.K. Hobson, discussing the story’s inspirations in complicity with institutional systems and activism risking that status for beliefs or people you believe in.It burns like dust in Sere’s eyes to hear Tashet take her name back, to keep for herself.More info »

By Peter Darbyshire, from Issue #351 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, explaining the genesis of the Angel Azrael character, his horror-influenced Weird Western world, and the personal bibles in that world.The angel Azrael surveyed the remains of the town. The place was as dead as the horse he sat on. More info »

By Phoenix Alexander, from Issue #350 – Science-Fantasy Month 6 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, in an interview conducted and engineered by M.K. Hobson, discussing the story’s inspirations from inter-generational political attitudes in families of immigrants and patriarchal culture and how its use of science-fantasy elements shaped its presentation.She says instead: "because he isn’t coming."More info »

By Christie Yant, from Issue #347 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by the author, posing questions as to who stories belong to and whether they matter.I had hoped to tell you the first story in the summers to come. It is my sorrowful task to tell you all three, instead.More info »

By M.A. Carrick, from Issue #344 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineIntroduced by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, the two authors behind the M.A. Carrick pen name, in an interview conducted and engineered by M.K. Hobson.Ondrakja chose her approach and her moment with care.More info »