TGMG 98: The Dan Pillsbury Situation

Joined again by special guest Abigail Hilton, Rish and Big talk about bestselling author Dan Pillsbury, and his recent controversial statements (one of which can be read here, if you really want to know). 

If you find out something about a writer's personality, does that change their work?  Is it alright to continue to read their work if their political/religious/social views conflict with your own?  Can you be a fan of someone's writing, separate from their opinions?

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

TGMG 97: Star Wars Strikes Back

So, Big and Rish finish their conversation about the Disney Star Wars rights. For now.

Who does Rish want to direct it? Will they end up remaking the Prequels? Will they remake everything?

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Want To Meet Rish And Big?

I know, I know. I wouldn't want to meet us either.

But let's just say that you had a mental disorder, and found Rish and Big's inane chatter charming and entertaining. Then you might want to meet them, and maybe hang out with them for a while.

Well, if you live in the Las Vegas area, or are attending the New Media Expo that will be held there, you finally have your chance.

A few weeks ago, Abbie Hilton contacted us, and invited us to be a part of a panel discussion that she was getting together for the NMX. If you don't know it, the New Media Expo (or NMX), is a conference for folks who create online content; bloggers, podcasters, video bloggers (is that what you call someone with a Youtube channel?), and the like. It's all about how to create, disseminate, and monetize that content.

And so, since we are content creators, they are having us on a panel discussion at their con. We're pretty excited to go, and we hope to be able to meet face to face with as many people that we've met online as possible.

The new media expo is from January 6-8, 2013. I believe that Rish and I will be involved in two panels on Tuesday the 8th.

Nothing's set for this yet, but I'd like there to be some sort of Dunesteef get-together at a local restaurant or something on Sunday or Monday . . . or maybe even Tuesday. We'll let you know about that when it gets closer, and we actually get plans firmed up.

It Dares Not Speak Its Name

Does anyone remember when Rish said a bunch of offensive things and was thrown off the Dunesteef show?  Luckily for him, Big gave him a second chance and the Dunesteef continues (well, sort of) to this day.

But in an alternate timeline, Rish never got to come back, and continued to be annoying in a podcast of his own, a Podcast That Dares Not Speak Its Name.  In that show, Rish is on his own (though often joined by Fake Sean Connery), making recommendations, reading stories and talking about them alone in his one-room apartment.  A few months ago, one of those episodes surfaced in our timeline, to be shared with the regular donators of the Dunesteef.  It features the story "Know When To Walk Away, Know When To Run" by--big surprise--Outfield himself.

Today, another episode has been discovered.  It's on its way to those who have subscribed to donate to the show (whether monthly or quarterly), but the previous episode is here for everyone's . . . er, enjoyment?

Be warned, this show is 100% Rish Outfield (even the story was written by him).  So if you hate him, you'll really hate him after this.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Something tells me there may be more of these on the horizon, so if you enjoy this one, you might want to subscribe here:

TGMG 96: A New Hope

Big, like all of you, heard about Lucasfilm getting bought out by Disney, and the plans for new Star Wars movies.  But unlike you, he has a podcast where he can talk about it, and a co-host who's willing to spend an episode (or two) talking about it.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Feel free to comment or visit the forums at www.dunesteef.freeforums.org to share your thoughts, feelings, and bad vibes.

TGMG 95: Thanks For Scratching My Car, &@*%!

Big and Rish have their first-ever in-studio guest, author and podcaster Abigail Hilton, to talk about a couple of topics.  First up is dealing with criticism, both valid and invalid, and being called an a-hole.

Check out Abbie's "The Guild of the Cowry Catchers" for more information.  Warning: gay sex.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Feel free to comment or visit the forums at www.dunesteef.freeforums.org to share your thoughts, feelings, and bad vibes.

Rish reads on Pseudopod

Over at Pseudopod, I recently read a horror story called "Crawlspace" by one Russell Bradbury-Carlin.  Here's the link: http://pseudopod.org/2012/11/16/pseudopod-308-the-crawlspace/

It has a pretty terrifying premise: the crawlspace under a couple's new house appears to be haunted.  But the story takes a fairly unpredictable turn, and instead of being afraid of the crawlspace, the main character seems drawn to it, almost eager to get in there among the chatty dead.

I suppose I've become spoiled, having a show as lengthy and open as I do, where I can chat with Big about the stories we read, their strengths (and very occasionally, their weaknesses), my feelings about them, and other notions they brought up in me.  So I find it a bit frustrating not to be able to do so with this story as well.

But it's always an honor when somebody asks me to read or perform in one of their shows, and Pseudopod is pretty popular and well-regarded, so I imagine "Crawlspace" will introduce as many listeners to me as it will Bradbury-Carlin.

TGMG 94: ...So Get On Your Way!

Big and Rish continue to talk about Big being inspired by the Burning Man performance of "Oh, The Places You'll Go."

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Feel free to comment or visit the forums at www.dunesteef.freeforums.org to share your thoughts, feelings, and bad vibes.

Rish and Big on "Journey Into..."

I think it was our friend Ian who once said, "Anytime Marshal Latham runs an episode of his podcast without using you guys, he's just timing his waist."

Eager to avoid that, the two of us got to lend our voices to the newest episode of the "Journey Into..." podcast.  Latham has really Marshaled his forces lately, and produced some truly impressive full-cast audio.*  The latest is "Ichabod Crane: Master of the Occult," a dark sequel to Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," written by Dave Thompson, who hosts his own obscure podcast over at podcastle.org.

I get to voice the title character, who the events in Sleepy Hollow and beyond have twisted into a scratchy-voiced force to be reckoned with, bent on revenge.  Big voices Hans Van Ripper, and gets to quake in fear, but doesn't really get to go nuts like I do.  Also part of the production are Mat Weller as Brom Bones, little Lathams, and Renee Chambliss as a spectre.

Marshal knocks it out of the park with his production, and I wouldn't be surprised if that dude wins a Parsec Award before we do.  You can find the story at http://www.journeyintopodcast.blogspot.com/2012/11/journey-50-ichabod-crane-master-of.html.  Who says Halloween ends with October?

Rish "Ichabod" Outfield

*When gone are we, the last of the full-cast fiction markets he will be.

That Gets My Goat 93: Your Mountain Is Waiting...

Big recently became inspired by something he found on the internet.  You mean it's not just about bashing movies and porn? Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Related Link: Oh, The Places You'll Go at Burning Man Video

Two Rish Outfield stories for the listening

Rish here.  I was lucky enough to have two of my stories podcast recently (three, if you count my "Masters of the Macabre" contest entry being re-podcast on "Journey Into..." the other day*), and I don't wince quite as much listening to them as I did with "The Bend."

First, my ghost story "Old Man River," was recently read on the Way of the Buffalo podcast.  In it, an old man comes into a convenience store on his way to a supernatural reunion, and tells his tale to the guy behind the counter. 

The Round Table Podcast's Dave Robison read the story, pacing it just right, and doing an admirable old man voice.  So, thanks to Hugh O'Donnell, you can hear my story over at http://wayofthebuffalopodcast.blogspot.com/2012/10/story-old-man-river-by-rish-outfield.html.  Maybe you'll like it.

Second, my tale "The Visitor" was presented on the Midnight Circle horror podcast.  This one has an old woman as the protagonist (for a change), who comes home to find a note from the Grim Reaper on her door. 

It was read by William Macrae-Smith, and can be found at  http://midnightcircle.com/the-visitor.  This is the kind of podcast I'd probably have myself, if Big and I hadn't done the Dunesteef together, though my episodes would be irritatingly long (as you well know).

Besides the elderly characters in both, it just occurred to me that they both have something else in common.  Of course, you'll have to listen to them to discover for yourself.

I've had something of an embarrassment of riches when it comes to my work showing up on podcasts lately, and it's been terribly encouraging.

Rish "Old Visitor" Outfield

*If you haven't heard it, it's a pretty fun story.  Plus, I got to take a few minutes and polish it up for its rebroadcast, without a deadline rushing me along, so it sounds a bit better.

From Rish(a) With Love

On Saturday, I read a post from our listener Tom in New York, talking about the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and that our thirteen episode marathon helped entertain him during the power outage, hysteria, and inability to work that followed.

He described the scene of riding through NYC on a borrowed bicycle, unable to enjoy his traditional Halloween, but feeling connected to normalcy (or "normalcy," since I am involved) by listening to me and Big talk about our various topics.  He said we were there for him when he needed it . . . and that really made my day.

So, I quickly ran over to Fake Sean Connery's place to see if he would collaborate with me on something to thank Listener Tom.  And here's the result:

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Rish Outfield (and Sir Fake Sean Connery, I guess)

13 Nights of Halloween: Trick or . . . Trick

After a baker's dozen Halloween shows in a row, you'd think we'd run out of things to say, no?  Well, technically, we did run out, sometimes mid-episode.  Here is some of the evidence.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Big and Rish on the Belle Noir Podcast

Adam Gifford, friend of the show and producer of episode 132: Belief by Josh Roseman, has decided to start his own podcast to go hand in hand with his website Bete Noir. He asked us to read a story for him, and it is now available. If you'd like to hear Rish and Big act like street thugs, old junkies...along with other things, check it out here.

Also, this is episode 1 here folks. Don't end up broke and ready to jump in the river like George Bailey was. If he'd listened to Sam Wainwright when he'd said, "It's the biggest thing since radio and I'm lettin' you in on the ground floor," he'd have been so much happier than he turned out to be...right?

Listen to Belle Noir while it's still cool to do so, before they go corporate and water down their edgy sound.

13 Nights of Halloween: This Is The End, My Only Friend

Wow, difficult to believe we've made it here.  This is the thirteenth, and final episode of Rish and Big's "13 Nights" marathon.  Or is it a half marathon?

In this one, there's a bit of a summing up, asking how to make things scarier, and...heck, I don't remember.  I got really tired by the end.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween: Going Around "The Bend"

So, Big and Rish do their usual post-story discussion on Rish's tale "The Bend," presented in the last episode.  What inspired it, those many years ago?  How does it hold up today?  Was it scary?  Was it a disaster?  Is Rish a better writer now than then?  Will he EVER be?

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Feel free to comment or visit the forums at www.dunesteef.freeforums.org to share your thoughts, feelings, and bad vibes.

13 Nights of Halloween 11: "The Bend"

In the time between when the oceans drank Atlantis and the release of any sequels to HIGHLANDER, Rish Outfield wrote a Horror story called "The Bend."  He thought it turned out extremely scary and was quite proud of himself.

Little did Rish  know that, in the 21st Century, that story would be brought out into the light, and read on a podcast for all to hear.  And mock?*

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

*Only after a lot of soul searching and a bit of liquid courage did Rish agree to share this story.  Let's keep the kid gloves on, mockery-wise, okay?

13 Nights of Halloween 10: Dress You Up (In My Love)

Big and Rish talk about Halloween costumes.  Slutty ones?  Scary ones?  Funny ones?

How 'bout no costume at all?

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 9: "...And Then The CHUDs Came At Me"

In a surprise move, Rish derails the expected topic into a conversation about CHUDs (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers).  The management apologizes for the inconvenience.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 8: What Dreams May Come

This episode almost didn't make it in time.  You ever have that dream where you've forgotten that you were supposed to do something and suddenly the deadline is right there in your face?

Well, Big and Rish talk about dreams, mostly bad dreams, and other sleep-related stuff.  Try not to nod off.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 7: Decorate My Love

Big and Rish are back again (unless something else disastrous has happened), and are today talking about Halloween costumes and decorations. What did they do in their childhoods, and what do they do now?

Oh, and please pardon the unbleeped cursing. This episode was running short.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 6: Think of the Children

In another of Big and Rish's marathon podcasts, Rish brings up the subject of Halloween-related traditions and events that are too scary (or perceived as too scary) for children.

Then he gets off-topic (again).

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 5: We Can Be Like They Are

As promised, we've got something different for you tonight: Big has prepared a little story for us entitled "Date Night."  Afterward, we talk about what the story's about.

Vague much?

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 4: The Anti-Butterfly

Hello again, Rish and Big here, with another of our spooky daily podcasts.  Due to the apparently widespread fear of moths on the message boards, we've set aside the appropriate amount of time to talk about those dark, fluttering monsters of the night.  Moths, not televangelists.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 3: Music of the Night

Tonight, Rish talks to Big about scary movie music.  At some point, they do forget what they're talking about, but that's pretty much par for the course by now.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 2: 8-Legged Freak

In our second episode, Big brings up his recent encounter with a tarantula, and a conversation about spiders ensues.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

13 Nights of Halloween 1: Make It Scarier

Today marks the first installment of our thirteen episode marathon in celebration of the Halloween season.  Check back with us every day for another (hopefully) entertaining episode, where we'll be talking about scary subjects, and (again hopefully) having a bit of fun.

In this episode, Rish asks the musical question: How can you make a story scarier?

The real question is, where'd the music go? Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Feel free to comment or visit the forums at www.dunesteef.freeforums.org to share your thoughts, feelings, and bad vibes.

That Gets My Goat 92: The Citizen Kane Of Commercials

Big and Rish finish their 'Got Milk?' bull session by talking about their all-time favorite commercials.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

The Thirteen Nights are coming!

I believe I mentioned it before, but starting on the nineteenth, Big and I are presenting "The Thirteen Nights of Halloween," wherein we're going to try our darndest to put out a podcast a day in observance of my/our favorite holiday.

We've already recorded a couple of these, and honestly, this is going to be a disaster.  But hey, that's just par for the course with me, so I don't see any reason to change our plans.

It's not too late to send us a donation as a way of encouraging us to make sure this doesn't peter out after two or three episodes.  Heck, maybe Big even stuck the donation button here to make it easier.

Even if you can't donate, I hope you join us, and have a good time.  You never know if this Halloween will be your last.

The Dunesteef Boys

P.S.  Actually, I do know, and yes, this will be somebody's last one.  Just a friendly heads up.

That Gets My Goat 91: Got Creativity?

Oh, boy. More complaints about the lack of quality in advertising. Although Rish and Big DO mention the "Got Milk" commercials they enjoyed.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

The 13 Nights of Halloween are coming!

Boys and girls of every age, would you like to see something strange?

So, it's October now, my favorite month of the year.  The pumpkins are ripe, the leaves are changing their hue, the decorations are going up (well, everywhere but my place, since nowadays I'm lazier than a Chuck Lorre punchline), the costumes are on display, the ghosts of dead Nazi war criminals are polishing their buttons, and so on.  Halloween is coming.

We at the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine have noticed it too.  And since both of us are big fans of the season, and also love extra work with no hope of appreciation, we've decided to do something special this year.*

Big Anklevich and I are in preparations to do a marathon of daily shows, just like we disastrously did during the month of February.  We're calling it, The 13 Nights of Halloween, and we'll be doing (Bossk willing) another show each day leading up to October 31st.  We'll talk about Halloween topics, like haunted houses, holiday traditions, scary music, creepy crawlies, and faulty rectal thermometers.

Most importantly, we've learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this marathon.  Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

And second most importantly, we've even decided to do a story or two, as a special treat, for those who turn the show off as soon as the cast list is read.

Wait, they wouldn't even be reading this blog, would they?  Okay, free chocolate chip cookies for those who bothered to read this, they're in the back, underneath the napkin dispenser.

Now, for "DuPoReMo: The Adventure Begins," we made a goal of five minute long episodes.  But for this one, we're going way more ambitious, with our usual overblown epic length.  So, it's gonna be some work.

If you feel like supporting us in this endeavor, toss a donation our way (something we can always use).  Or mention that you're behind us all the way in the forums or the comments below.  Or give me the phone number of your hot cousin, the one with really low self esteem, and even lower standards.  You know the one.

We're trying hard to reward the few fans who remain with some laughs, interesting discussion, and/or embarrassing writing attempts from our youth (or, in Big's case, from tomorrow morning).  Hopefully, it'll be fun (to do as well as listen to), and that, when it's all over, you're glad you came along.  At least I hope you miss us when we're gone.

So, join us on the 20th.  Or don't, and assume the worst (you won't be far off).

I love Halloween.  I love podcasting.  I love getting together with my friend and talking about stuff.  I love the red-haired girl from "Head of the Class."

If you love it too, wish us luck.

Your fiend,

Rish Outfield

*Yes, that kind of "special."

TGMG 90: Got That Gets My Goat? (Fixed)

It's time for another of the old-fashioned Goat episodes, where the boys complain about something that's bothering them.  This time, Big brings up the famous "Got Milk?" ad campaign, and the indignation continues from there.  Warning, there's even more profanity from Rish than usual in this one.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Hulk Interview Part 2 and Promo For Next Episode

If you liked the interview Big and Rish had with the Incredible Hulk in the "Remember Mars" episode, you may also enjoy this return visit from the big guy, slated for a future show. 

If you DIDN'T enjoy it, well, there's still a promo for the next Dunesteef episode, produced by the mighty Bryan Lincoln.


Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

That Gets My Goat 89: Look, Up in the Sky!

More talk of Superman in general, and a bit about Zach Snyder's upcoming MAN OF STEEL film.  Rish and Big talk a little bit about the essence of Superman, and try to end on a positive note.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

That Gets My Goat 88: Man of Schpiel

Rish "finally" gets to sit down and unload about the Comic-Con panel for MAN OF STEEL. Or at least he would, if he and Big didn't keep talking about Superman.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Big and Rish hijack the "Journey Into" podcast

Rish here.  A while back, Marshal Latham approached us with an invitation to come over and do a "Journey Into..." episode with him.  But we didn't really know what he was talking about until we had agreed. 

It turns out, he had in mind a twisted plot wherein we took over his show, pushing Marshal out of the way, and doing the whole darn thing ourselves.  He gave us quite a bit of freedom, though we still had to play the episode of "Zero Hour" Marshal had picked out, one entitled "Skylab, Are You There."  It featured the voices of William Shatner and Casey Kasem, which leads me to believe it was destiny that we host this particular episode.

Well, it's now been posted (dang, Marshal is good about getting episodes done on time!), and can be found at: http://journeyintopodcast.blogspot.com/2012/08/journey-42-skylab-are-you-there-with.html.

Check it out.  It turned out to be surprisingly funny, and more fun than I would have guessed.  I do pity the regular listener (listeners plural?) of "Journey Into..." however, if they are particular haters of Big and me, since the theme song is pretty much the only thing we don't ruin over there. 

TGMG 87: The Dark Knight: Descension

As the conversation about THE DARK KNIGHT RISES continues, the nitpicks start to come out.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Big and Rish on "Journey Into..."

Rish here.  Marshal Latham used to produce stories for us, and always did an excellent job. Then he went off and started the "Journey Into..." podcast, and I hoped he would become discouraged, then come crawling back to us. But he not only manages to put out a great show, but he's much more consistent in putting out episodes than we are. Heck, he's up for a Parsec Award now, in the same category as we are!

This week, he put out a story called "Red Road," by David Barr Kirtley. It's a fantasy adventure, but with talking, battling mice instead of people. To hear Marshal talk, there's a glut of anthropomorphic mice fiction in the world, but I dug it and found it pretty unique (though it did remind me of Abbie Hilton's "Cowry Catchers" novel, with its intrigue and battles between speaking animal species).

Check it out here:
http://journeyintopodcast.blogspot.com/2012/08/journey-41-red-road-by-david-barr_16.html  Big and I both provided our voices for a couple of small roles, though I'd be wise not to claim the voice you hear on the show is mine.

Regardless, Marshal's got a good thing going over there in "Journey Into..." Go over and check it out. Heck, maybe Big and I will do the same sometime, and see if we can't wrest some of the control away from Count Latham.

TGMG 86: Rise, Dark Knight, Rise!

Big and Rish take a few minutes to talk about Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.  What sort of things did they like about the movie?  And how do you cover it in all in such a limited time?

Answer: well, you don't.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

TGMG 85 : Batman Versus the Elephants In the Room

So, it's time for Big and Rish's overlong, in-depth-yet-still-missing-key-points discussion of Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. But there is something to get out of the way first. A couple of things, actually. Maybe three. Or four...

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Retraction...Sort Of

We printed some misinformation on this blog a few posts ago. It wasn't our fault. It was a clerical error on the part of the Parsec Awards folks. They printed on their list of award finalists that our story from November, "Beachcombing" by Ray Cluley had been nominated for a Parsec award in the Large Cast category.

This seemed a little strange to me, since I hadn't sent them a sample of "Beachcombing," but it was a really great story, so it didn't surprise me too much. I just assumed that SonnySee, who had produced the story, had sent the sample. However, talking with Sonny, we learned that he hadn't sent the sample either. I was starting to get the idea that there might be a clerical error here, and that they actually meant to nominate the story that I did send them a sample of, Jason Sanford's "The Ever-dreaming Verdict of Plagues."

I checked with them, and it turns out that was in fact what happened. Their spreadsheet had a misprint in it that hadn't been changed, and "The Ever-dreaming Verdict of Plagues" was the story that was nominated, not "Beachcombing."

So, I suppose congratulations are in order to Jason and Bryan Lincoln, who produced the two episodes that included "The Ever-dreaming Verdict of Plagues." We submitted that story because it was a very good story that had been brought to life with fantastic production elements by Bryan. It seemed our strongest entry for the Large Cast category. "Beachcombing" was a hard one to deal with. It is definitely one of our best stories...perhaps of all time. It moved me in a way that no other story we've run has. But its production caused Parsec category issues for us. Do we put it in the Small Cast category? That category is allowed to be two people or less. There's no dialog in "Beachcombing," it's just a single narrator the whole time, but there are those people we hear in the memories that the boy receives when he touches their items. If the Parsecs wanted to be sticklers, they could say that it doesn't qualify as a Small Cast entry. However, it seems to pale in comparison to the other Large Cast entries that include a...well...large cast. Because of all this, we chose "Asshat Magic Spider" as our Small Cast entry and all the handwringing proved to be for naught, because we were shut out of that category completely. Maybe we should have just sent them "Beachcombing" after all. In some other parallel universe... So, Sonny and Ray, it was factors beyond your control that kept your story out of the Parsec Awards. I hope it doesn't hurt too much to find out that you were in fact not nominated. You're winners in my book, for what that's worth.

TGMG 84: What's Newsroom, Pussycat?

So, Rish recently saw the first episode of HBO's series "The Newsroom," and having both worked in live television news, he and Big talk a little about it.

Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.

Rish reads a story on "Journey Into..."

Once upon a time, I narrated a short Horror story called "Snakehead" by Sam Schreiber.  It was an icky tale about a camping and fishing trip gone bad.  More than a year ago, made the recording, sent it off, then promptly forgot about it.  I think it was originally intended for The Dribblecast (though that could be wrong since they usually produce one hundred word stories).  Seven or eight months later, I stumbled over it, and couldn't remember who it was for or if I had not gotten it to the requester, and they had given it to Barry J. Northern, as is wont to happen.

But no, it was just that pesky element known as life again, interfering in best-laid plans.  Later, Sam found a friend in Marshal3 Latham, who agreed to put it on his podcast, "Journey Into..."  I believe he then turned it into a full cast production (L. Scribe Harris does the main female voice), with sound effects and music, whereas my reading was just me doing all the voices.

Well, it's finally available to listen to, over at http://journeyintopodcast.blogspot.com/2012/07/journey-33-snakehead-by-sam-schrieber.html.  Marshal always does good work, and they also have some truly beautiful episode artwork, which should make up for any deficiencies in my voicework.

Check it out, especially if you eat fish on Fridays.

Parsec Finalists

"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."

That's right. Han Solo is not talking about the Millenium Falcon, he's talking about the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine. Here at the Dunesteef, we have less than twelve Parsecs...way less...like twelve less.

However, we do have two Parsec Award nominations. That's right, the 2012 Parsec Award Finalists have been announced, and the Dunesteef made the list.

So, we haven't been slaving over that hot microphone for nothing.

We are finalists in the Best Magazine category and also episode 118 Beachcombing by Ray Cluley is a finalist in the Best Story: Large Cast category.

So, a special congratulations to Ray Cluley who wrote such a great story, and to Sonny See who produced the episode.

We'd also like to say congrats to all the other finalists. The list includes many Dunesteef contributors like Abbie Hilton, Marshal Latham, Scribe Harris, Norm Sherman, Bryan Lincoln and probably others. Also a hearty congrats to Dave Robison and Brion Humphrey of the Roundtable Podcast with whom we passed an hour or two (or more) discussing a story idea with Renee Chambliss. Their podcast is also a finalist this year.

If you'd like to see the full list of nominees, check it out here. Maybe you can tell us if there's another podcast that has been nominated where a Dunesteef contributor also works. We want to congratulate everyone we can.

That Gets My Goat 83: A Pixar Princess

A little bit late, Rish and Big finish their discussion about Pixar's BRAVE. What was it Rish liked so much about the movie? And can he explain it without sounding like a jerk?

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That Gets My Goat 82: The Bear And The Bow

In the middle of Big's wildfire evacuation ordeal, Big and Rish went to the movies. What did they see? The truly terribly titled Pixar film, BRAVE. What did they think? Find out in the next incredible episode of That Gets My Goat!

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That Gets My Goat 81: Bad's Big Day

So, Big had a pretty awful day over the weekend, beginning with a wildfire in the hills above his house. We sat down for an hour or so and let him talk about it. Probably fewer laughs in this one than usual, but just as much messy humanity.

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Rish Outfield story on "Masters of the Macabre"

Rish here.  I just finished writing a post about this, only to have it disappear on me (which serves me right for being the second-to-last person in the country still using AOL).  In frustration, I abandoned that post and came over here.

Over at Horror Addicts dot Net, they've just posted the entries in this year's "Masters of the Macabre" story contest.  Like last year, they announced an overall theme, and each writer was assigned a specific subject to write about.  This year, the theme was Curses, and the curse I was given was The Curse of MacBeth (or The Scottish Play).

We were to write a horror story based on our curse, and mine ended up being "The Scottish Scene," about a high school girl who, along with two friends, chooses the witch scene from that particular play to perform as a presentation for her class.  The trio discover that an individual scene can be as cursed as the whole play.  Hilarity ensues, yada, yada.

I don't know how great the story is.  I had to cut it down from its original length, then recorded the audio, then had to cut that down once it was edited together.  I asked Renee Chambliss if she'd perform the main character in the story, but she ended up performing all the female characters, and did an excellent job, with almost as little time to prepare as I had.

Horror Addicts is one of those sites where people really like their Horror, so my tale will probably seem quaint and harmless, but you are welcome to go there (http://mastersofmacabre.wordpress.com/) and listen to the entries (there are only five this time), and vote for the one you prefer.

It's nice to be given motivation to write, and I'm glad I was able to enter the contest again, and write a story I would never have written without their prompt.  The best thing about not being crowned the winner would be to have the chance to participate in the contest again next year.

Rish "Maester of the Macabee" Outfield

Halt! Who Goes There?

Last year, Universal Studios made a sequel to their 1982 cult classic THE THING, which they brilliantly entitled . . . THE THING.

THE THING (1982) was actually a remake of a 1954 Sci-Fi/Horror film called THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, and all three were based on a short story by John W. Campbell called "Who Goes There?"

A while back, our buddy and all around righteous dude Clay Dugger decided to adapt that short story as an audio drama, and got a bunch of voices from the podosphere to audition for it.  His intention, if I recall correctly, was to release it for Halloween, but it ended up being way too time-consuming/ambitious, and it took a great deal longer than that.  Now, however, the production is ready to go, and can be found, in all its glory, at http://mustbenicestudios.podomatic.com/entry/2012-06-24T23_00_00-07_00

Rish does the voice of Connant, who is a religious man, eager to give acknowledge God in all things. But when he sees the ugliness of the recovered alien, he amusingly says that evolution can take the credit for this one.

The production, like the original short story, is much closer to the 1982 John Carpenter film than the other two.  But Clay worked really hard on it, and it's a totally unique and interesting experience to hear it in audio, with all the advantages (and challenges) that medium holds.

Check it out, 'cause who knows how long this file will stick around?  And who knows which one of you is really who they say they are?

That Gets My Goat 80: Tag Team

Big and Rish talk about things they enjoyed as children, and what has changed as adults.  Then Rish brings up Laser Tag, and the two go out and play it together. 

Come along sometime, why don't you?

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