The Tower, The Mother, and Death – FFP 1023

“The Tower, The Mother, and Death” by Mahalia Smith Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Mahaila Smith (they/them) is a researcher, poet, editor and MA student based on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa, Ontario. They won the 2024 John Newlove Poetry Award and were nominated for the Rhysling and Best of the Net awards. They adore fibre crafts and collecting sea-glass. You can find more of their work on their website: mahailasmith.ca. Their debut narrative poetry collection, Seed Beetle is available from Stelliform Press.

“The Great Spell” by Simon Kewin Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Simon Kewin has over 100 short stories in the wild, and he’s also the author of a growing number of novels, including the Office of the Witchfinder General books, published by Elsewhen Press. Find him at simonkewin.co.uk or linktr.ee/simonkewin. He lives deep in the English countryside.

“Just Breathe” by Paul Alex Gray Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Paul Alex Gray writes linear and interactive fiction starring sentient black holes, wayward sea monsters, curious AIs and more. His work has been published in Nature Futures, Andromeda Spaceways, McSweeney’s and others. Visit www.paulalexgray.com

“A Pixel, A Word, A Lie, A Speck of You” by Hannya Kay Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Hannya Kay is a late-blooming speculative writer currently living in southern Spain, with words in Nature Futures and Black Hare Press Patreon. You can find her on BlueSky @HannyaKay.bsky.social.

“And the Rest Is Silence” by Rie Sheridan Rose Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Rie Sheridan Rose’s prose appears in numerous anthologies, including Killing It Softly Vol. 1 & 2, Hides the Dark Tower, Dark Divinations, and Startling Stories. Her poetry has appeared in Speculative Poets of Texas Vol. 1; My Cruel Invention; Texas Poetry Calendars of 2016 and 2019; and Untimely Frost, among others. In addition, she has authored twelve novels in multiple genres, seven poetry chapbooks, and dozens of song lyrics. She is a native of Texas and lives there with her husband and several spoiled cats. When not writing or editing, she is usually walking—being a Virtual Race addict. She is a member of HWA, SFWA, and SFPA. Her website is www.riewriter.com.

“Staying Lost” by H.E. Bergeron Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: H.E. Bergeron is an escapee of the world of tech start-ups who now works in urban agriculture in New England, where you may also find them writing, crafting, or playing far too many games of Dungeons&Dragons.

“Affinition” by Adriana Kantcheva Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Adriana Kantcheva writes speculative fiction about life’s emotional conundrums and can’t resist a pinch of idealism. She dips toes in several tributaries of the genre, from literary spec to epic fantasy to sci-fi. Her fiction has appeared in Short Édition, Escape Pod, and elsewhere. She’s currently (and always will be) writing a novel. Born in Bulgaria, she lived in six countries before settling in Germany. After earning her PhD in molecular biology, she has worked as a science editor, researcher, SCUBA diver, and flight attendant, but writing is the one constant in her life. Find more at CatchingWords.com.

“This Morning, She Was Caroline” by Derek Alan Jones Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Derek Alan Jones spends most of his time working in a warehouse in Kansas and the rest of it writing speculative fiction. His work has appeared in Apex, Gamut, the Saturday Evening Post, and Tales to Terrify, among others. Find it all at www.DerekAlanJones.com

“Dad and Ick” by Susan Taitel Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Susan Taitel is an author and artist with work appearing in Daily Science Fiction and Cast of Wonders among others. She has not yet named her Roomba but it’s only a matter of time.

“The Ark Employee Orientation Guide, Two Hundred and Sixth Edition” by Annabella Zaccaro Manawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/ Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/Manawaker Manawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9 More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.ws The Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleod The Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB Droege Bio for this weeks author: Annabella Zaccaro is a creative writer and an Environmental Science major who lives in Orlando or in Jacksonville, depending on the week. She enjoys developing speculative fiction concepts, and using them as metaphors to explore the complex and deeply personal in her work. (It also provides a good excuse to write mostly about aliens, animals, and oddball science.) Her work has previously been published in international literary magazine Élan.