Story by Nobilis Reed
Performed by Chris Lester
Edited by Scott Roche and Paulette Jaxton

The Cast:

Chris Lester as Ben Stansfield and Nathan Grace
Mae Breakall as Female Ben
Tristan Johnson as Police Officer
Kitty Nic’Iaian as Vee
Nathan Lowell as Harrison
Kimi Alexandre as Natalie Grace
Bryan Lincoln as Conrad
Mark Smith as Lt Harcourt
Meghan Bomberger as Ms Kennedy

Promos:

Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition 2010

Trickster Moon

Bumper:

Arkle, host of Geek of all Trades

The Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project. Additional music and effects produced by Chris Lester.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (765) LESTER-9, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Announcements:

• After “Dreams of Change”, the Metamor City Podcast will go on hiatus until all episodes of the next story have been completed. Chris’s hope is that this will prevent any future mid-story production delays.
• Chris will be providing podcast coverage of the Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition this coming weekend, March 12-14. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, come join us!
• J. Daniel Sawyer, author of The Antithesis Progression, and Danny Schade, his composer, are about to release the soundtrack for Book 1: Predestination. Keep an eye on jdsawyer.net for the announcement when it goes on sale.
• The next episode of MCP is scheduled for March 21st.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Ben has found a refuge for the moment, but his troubles are far from over. The Grace family has secrets of its own, and things only get more complicated when Ben’s unpredictable power strikes again … and this time, he’s not the only target…

Keep it on the bright side!

WARNING: This episode contains explicit sexual content. Listener discretion is advised.

Story by Nobilis Reed
Performed by Chris Lester
Edited by Scott Roche and Paulette Jaxton

The Cast:

Chris Lester as Ben Stansfield
Mae Breakall as Female Ben
J. Daniel Sawyer as George
Deirdre Reed as Ms Walters
Kimi Alexandre as Natalie Grace
Tony Mast as Student Clerk
Meghan Bomberger as Ms Kennedy
Mike Wills as Black T-Shirt Guy
Thomas Reed as John Randall
Meredith Matthews as Jane Randall
Tristan Johnson as Police Officer
Mark Smith as Lt Harcourt

Promos:

The HeavenField

Lilith’s Love

Bumper:

Christiana Ellis, author of Nina Kimberly the Merciless

The Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project. Additional music and effects produced by Chris Lester.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (765) LESTER-9, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Announcements:

• Donations have poured in at The Boom Effect and the Elf Princess Legal Defense Fund! Thank you to everyone who has contributed for your generosity in supporting two families in serious need. The big auction at The Boom Effect will take place on February 27th, 2010.
• The Triple Threat Double Dip Contest is still open through the end of February. Enter now for your chance to win free stuff from Chris, J. Daniel Sawyer and Philippa Ballantine!
• The next episode will drop on the weekend of February 20th.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Things aren’t looking good for Ben. What happened to Matheson? Where is John Randall? And who’s going to bail Ben out of jail? Come back in two weeks to find out…

Keep it on the bright side!

Story by Nobilis Reed
Performed by Chris Lester
Edited by Paulette Jaxton

Cast:

Ben Stansfield, Impostor Ben – Chris Lester
Female Ben – Mae Breakall
Leo – Blaque Saber
Herb Matheson – Nobilis Reed
Professor Swallowtail – Philippa Ballantine
Male Student #1 – Tim Dodge
Natalie Grace – Kimi Alexandre
John Randall – Thomas Reed

Promos:

The Dreamer’s Thread

Trapping a Dutchess

Bumper:

P. C. Haring, author of Cybrosis

The Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project. Additional music and effects produced by Chris Lester.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (765) LESTER-9, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Announcements:

• I apologize for both the lateness and the shortness of this episode. I hope to be able to double up episodes of Nobilis’s 6-part story from here on to get closer to our target length.
• The Triple Threat Double Dip Contest has been extended through the end of February. Only a few people have entered, so you have an excellent chance of winning if you enter now!
• Please help Tee Morris, the father of the podcast novel, provide a college education for his daughter by contributing to the Sonic Boom Trust Fund at http://www.theboomeffect.org.
• Please help Allison Duncan, the producer of Calls for Cthulhu, preserve custody of her daughter from her abusive ex-husband by contributing to the Elf Princess Legal Defense Fund.
• The next episode of Metamor City will be released on the weekend of February 6th.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

What is John’s plan to remove Matheson, and what will happen to Ben when it’s set in motion? Come back in two weeks and find out. Until then, keep it on the bright side!

It occurred to me that I never actually put this launchcast on the feed. Since the next episode has been delayed due to production difficulties, this seemed to be the ideal time to put it up as an extra bit of content. Listen as Philippa Ballantine, J. Daniel Sawyer and I take calls from listeners and kick off the next stage of our podcasting projects. Enjoy!

A lonely hunter, carrying more than his fair share of strange secrets, finds more than he bargained for in the wilderness.

Cast:

Alastur: Chris Lester
Alice: Kimi Alexandre
Seraphiel: Philippa Ballantine

For more saucy goodness from the Podcasting Kiwi, check out www.pjballantine.com.

Cast:

Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013
Rosanna Venturi – Deirdre Reed
Emilio Venturi – Nobilis Reed
Melodia/Leanan Sidhe – Danae Winters
Isaac Wells – Michael Spence
Abbey Preston – Jenivi Seven
Janus Starson – Indiana Jim

Promos:

The Empress Sword

Cybrosis

Bumper:

Starla Huchton, author of The Dreamer’s Thread

The Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 202-8530, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Announcements:

• Chris’s new story, “Tears Such As Angels Weep”, is the special this month at Erotica a la Carte.
• The Triple Threat Double Dip Contest has been extended through the end of January. Only two people have sent in their photos so far, so you have an excellent chance of winning if you enter now!
• The next episode of Metamor City will be released on January 16th.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Ben is a college student, a sorcerer, and a man with an unusual disability: he turns into other people in his sleep. And since he’s at a school where book-smart wizards are the overwhelming majority, life as a spontaneous spellcaster doesn’t come easily…

Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

Cast:

Janus Starson – Indiana Jim
Abbey Preston – Jenivi Seven
Candace – Susan Murph
Isaac Wells – Michael Spence
Rosanna Venturi – Deirdre Reed
Emilio Venturi – Nobilis Reed
Leanan Sidhe/Melodia – Danae Winters
Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013

Promos:

Cowry Catchers

Purgatory

Bumper:

Dani Cutler of the Truth Seekers Podcast

Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Mevio Music Alley, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project.

Announcements:

• Thanks to Abigail Hilton, Debra Stansbury, Ruth Timmons, Craig and Lillian Irvine, and Patricia Briggs for a wonderful time at OryCon 31. You all made my Thanksgiving weekend a good deal brighter.
• I have a bit part coming up in Pip Ballantine’s Digital Magic and will be the guest chef for Erotica a la Carte in January.
• Watch for the Second Sex Round Table to appear in the feed sometime over Christmas vacation.
• MCP045 will be released on January 2, 2010.

Cast:

Abbey Preston – Jenivi Seven
Isaac Wells – Michael Spence
Janus Starson - Indiana Jim
Candace – Susan Murph
Leanan Sidhe – Danae Winters

Words and music to lullaby written by Jenivi Seven.

Promos:

The Gearheart

Harvey

Bumper:

J. Daniel Sawyer, author of The Antithesis Progression and Down From Ten

Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice,Soundsnap and The Freesound Project.

Announcements:

I will be at OryCon 31 this weekend as a special guest. My panel schedule (with room locations in parentheses) is as follows:

FRIDAY:

2:00 – 3:00 PM — Reading and Q&A Session (Weidler)
3:00 – 4:00 PM — Blending and Combining Genres (Ross Island)
6:00 – 7:00 PM — The Physics of Magic (Morrison)
7:00 – 8:00 PM — Opening Ceremonies (Mult/Holl)

SATURDAY:

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM — How to Run an RPG Without Godmoding (Morrison)
1:00 – 2:00 PM — Creating Believable Villains (Roosevelt)
5:00 – 6:00 PM — To Outline or Not To Outline (Hamilton)

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 202-8530, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

What is the creature that lives in the violin? How is it connected to the Leanan Sidhe? And how much does Dr. Wells really know about the monster inside his instrument?

Find out on December 12th … and until then, keep it on the bright side!

The first Triple Threat Contest is now upon us!
Your Mission:

• 1: Download and print these bookmarks. (Printing on card stock is recommended but not required.)
• 2: Cut out the bookmarks. (You may want to use a paper cutter for this to keep the edges straight.)
• 3: Take to your local libraries and bookstores.
• 4: Leaving a stack near the checkout gets you one point. Put a bunch inside books by Jim Butcher, E.E. Knight, Richard K. Morgan, Simon R. Green, and Kim Harrison for two points. (Do be sure to respect local laws and private property rights).
• Take photos of yourself distributing the bookmarks at each location.
• Email your photos to me at feedback at metamorcity.com.
• Each point will count as one entry of your name in the hat, so repeat as many times as you like before December 20th.

The winner will be drawn December 21st.
Prize: Your choice of J.C. Hutchins’ sci-fi thriller novel 7TH SON: DESCENT or Gail Carriger’s urbane fantasy romp SOULLESS. The latter will be signed by the author, if you so desire.

Here’s your chance to double-dip. Check out Digital Magic and The Antithesis Progression for their versions of this same contest. Everyone who enters all three contests will automatically be entered into a second drawing – the prize this time being a package of local edible goodies from San Francisco and New Zealand!

Cast:

Isaac Wells – Michael Spence
Abbey Preston – Jenivi Seven
Janus Starson – Indiana Jim
Unseen Lover – Danae Winters

Violin music generously provided by PC Haring.

Promos:

Free Will and Other Compulsions

Digital Magic

Bumper:

Tee Morris

Music:

Some music was provided by David Beard and is used by permission of the composer. Other music and sound effects were provided by Digital Juice, Soundsnap and The Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 202-8530, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Abbey and Janus continue their investigation into Threnody’s secrets. They’re running out of time — but so is Wells…

Keep it on the bright side!

In response to massive requests for a South Bay meet-up, we’re going to hold this one at Katie Bloom’s Irish Pub in Campbell, CA. We’ll be getting there around 7 or 7:30, depending on traffic. It should be a blast, and I hope to see lots of you there!

–Chris

I’m having trouble deciding which of these themes to use for the new Metamor City intro — take a listen and let me know which one you think sounds the best! (The voice actor clips are just placeholders for now.)

A Colder World

Investigate

Placebo Effect

Thanks in advance for your input!

Promo:

Down From Ten

Music was provided through agreement with Mevio’s Music Alley.

WARNING: We recorded this after midnight. Much giggling ensues.

Huge thanks to Paulette Jaxton for editing this for us!

The Cast:

Janus Starson – Chris Lester
Isri Fallon – Kim Fortuner
Kathryn Kitaen – Heather Welliver
David Silverleaf – Chooch Schubert
Breialyn – Sara Lloyd
Hotel Manager #1 – Marc “Grailwolf” Bailey
Hotel Manager #2 – Steve Eley
Hotel Manager #3 – Viv Schubert
and featuring Rob the Sound Engineer as Himself

The audio has been balanced, within the limits of the recording equipment, but it otherwise has not been edited; you’ll hear it as it happened, right down to the snarky comments from the audience. A question-and-answer period follows the drama, though sadly some of the information contained therein is now out-of-date.

Some music was provided through agreement with Mevio’s Music Alley. Other music courtesy of David Beard and Digital Juice.

You can preorder Soulless from Amazon, and read Gail’s highly amusing blog, as well.

Cast (in order of appearance)
Angela Vernon as The Narrator
Chris Lester as The Unexpected Vampire
Miss Kalendar as Alexia Tarrabotti
George Chlentzos as Lord Conall Maccon
J. Daniel Sawyer as Professor Lyall

Directed by J. Daniel Sawyer
Produced by ArtisticWhispers Productions

Promo:

The Good Parts

All music is provided through agreement with Mevio’s Music Alley.

I’ll be perfectly frank and say that I didn’t expect much of this book. Gail is a dear friend of mine, and I have had several friends over the years who fancied themselves writers and were, sadly, not nearly as good as they thought they were. The fact that Gail was published did little to change my expectations, because the urban fantasy/paranormal romance market has published some really bad books in recent years. (I won’t name names, but skim the reviews on Amazon if you want to see what kind of crap can get past the editors these days.) When Gail gave me a copy to read, I accepted it with the genuine pleasure of being invited to share in a friend’s success, but I didn’t have much hope of being impressed.

I am very pleased to report that I was proven utterly and completely wrong. This is a marvelous book, and I am tremendously excited to know that it will soon be available for the rest of the world to share.

In SOULLESS we are introduced to Alexia Tarabotti, a proper Victorian lady who is burdened with a number of embarrassing social problems. First, her father is both Italian and dead. Second, she is still unmarried at the appallingly old age of twenty-six. And nearly as embarrassing as either of these, she has no soul. In Gail’s world, that doesn’t make Alexia a zombie or an automaton — though she is known for being blunt and rather uncreative — but it DOES make her anathema to the vampires and werewolves who occupy the highest levels of London society. All it takes is a touch from Alexia, and the fiercest vamp or were becomes temporarily human again.

Alexia gets herself into a bit of trouble when she accidentally slays a young vampire who tries to bite her without permission at a party. This catches the attention of Lord Maccon, the loud, crass and devastatingly handsome Alpha werewolf who has been charged by Queen Victoria with policing the supernatural set. As Alexia and Maccon dance through a love-hate relationship of increasing intensity, they find themselves facing a set of interlocking puzzles: solitary vampires and werewolves are disappearing from the surrounding countryside, and new vampires are appearing without any apparent knowledge of the rules governing their kind. Alexia, Lord Maccon and their allies must unravel a tangled web of conspiracies while coming to terms with their complicated and conflicted feelings about each other.

Now, I’m not normally a fan of romances OR Victorian comedies, but I adored this book. Gail has created a wonderful cast of memorable and enjoyable characters; I’m particularly fond of Lord Akeldama, a flamboyantly gay vampire who dresses in High Rococo and speaks mostly in italics, and Professor Lyall, the quiet, intelligent and longsuffering Beta who tries to keep Lord Maccon out of social trouble. Just as importantly, though, Gail has done a first-rate job with her research: the characters talk and act like genuine Victorian Brits, and everything from the food to the clothes to the slang is authentic and period-appropriate. While this is technically an alternate history, Gail is much more interested in explaining the actual weirdness of the Victorians than in veering too far into lurid visions of a parallel universe. Those odd Victorian fashions and social rules? Obviously the work of vampires. Britain’s inexplicable rise to military dominance over half the world? Thank the werewolves and their highly efficient pack dynamics. And so on.

While Gail clearly takes her research seriously, the book maintains a light and humorous touch throughout. While there is darkness and horror in some places, and torrid romance in others, Gail has a habit of finding humor just about everywhere. It never feels forced, though, nor ventures too far into the land of farce. She keeps you laughing while consistently playing fair with both the characters and the audience. It’s an extraordinary balancing act, and the fact that Gail pulls it off so well in her first novel is a sign of just how talented she is.

If you’re a fan of urban fantasies, period mysteries, romantic comedies, or any combination of the above, I heartily recommend SOULLESS. Alexia Tarabotti may have no soul, but her first book definitely has it in spades.

—

Podcaster Pub Crawl: Wednesday, August 12, 7:00 PM
Schroeder’s Cafe, 240 Front Street, San Francisco
Appearing: Chris Lester, J. Daniel Sawyer, Scott Sigler, Seth Harwood & Rick Stringer

—

Nobilis Erotica “Magical Clothes” Marathon
Saturday, September 12, 8:00 PM, Radio Dentata

—

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Okay, so we really didn’t do it on purpose. It just happened that way. Be forewarned that this one is NOT for the thin-skinned. It is, however, hilarious.

Referenced in this show:

Monty Python: The Meaning of Life

Gail Carriger

The Antithesis Progression, Book 1: Predestination

Down From Ten

The NeverEnding Story

Promo:

Heaven, Season V: WAR

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

ARISE High School Chip-In Site

Metamor City Tip Jar

Promo:

Brass Needles

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

You thought I’d forgotten about this one, didn’t you? The long awaited (long, LONG awaited) sixth feedback show is finally here — or part 1 is, anyway. I had to break it into half-hour chunks because Audacity started buckling under the sheer combined awesomeness of J. Daniel Sawyer, Kitty Nic’Iaian, Miss Kalendar and me in one room together.  I’ll put out the next part as soon as I can put it back together from the original recordings and get it re-edited.

Promo:

Movie Mantras

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Also appearing in this podcast:

Tee Morris

Paul Fischer

Bryan Watson

Nobilis Reed

Christiana Ellis

Kim the Comic Book Goddess

Promo:

Guardians

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Referenced in this episode:

Nina Kimberly the Merciless – buy it now on Amazon!

Orycon 31

Forever Angels – Ben Hathaway’s charity

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (which has been delayed – see link)

Jarrett’s Metamor City Review

Down From Ten

DOWN FROM TEN is a cabin fever story with a speculative fiction spin. Dan has described it as “Stephen King’s The Shining if Douglas Adams had adapted it as a sex comedy.” I’d personally add a heavy dollop of Robert Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” to the mix, as well.

I’ve read most of the manuscript as Dan has worked on it over the last four months, and it is a thing of beauty. A bunch of eccentric artists and creative geniuses are trapped for ten days in a snowed-in mansion in the California mountains. Knowing that the isolation is likely to drive them crazy, they start putting their formidable intellects to work to combat the encroaching madness — but it seems they’re not alone in the house, and soon they all begin having the same dream…

DOWN FROM TEN begins this June at www.jdsawyer.net.

The Cast:

Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Abbey Preston – Heather Nowak
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA
Jared Tamlin – Jason Adams
Kathryn Kitaen – Heather Welliver
Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013
Braddock – Marc Bailey
Brian Sommers – Bryan Watson
Young Disembodied Voice - Kimi Alexandre
Old Disembodied Voice – Bryan Watson

The Music:

Complete track information will be provided at a later date.

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH is provided through the Freesound Project. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

This concludes Metamor City: Season 1. Stay tuned to this feed for upcoming feedback shows, the summer fan-fiction contest, and the Season 1 Exit Interview. Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

The Story So Far:

Mur Lafferty, creator of Playing for Keeps, the HEAVEN series, and I Should Be Writing

The Cast:

Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Abbey Preston – Heather Nowak
Victor hin’Kavos – Bill Bowman
Brian Sommers - Bryan Watson
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Miriam Bakhtavar – Paulette Jaxton
Morgan Drauling – Kim Fortuner
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA
Evan Selindi – Tee Morris

Promos:

Balticon 43

Nina Kimberly the Merciless

Shameless Nemesis Abuse:

PG Holyfield’s Murder at Avedon Hill

The Music:

Complete track information will be provided at a later date.

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH is provided through the Freesound Project. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org and join our Facebook group, Fans of Metamor City.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

The battle is over, the bodies have fallen, and it’s time for the survivors to count the cost. The Sommers cell has defied the norms of its society; Daniel unwittingly aided enemies of the Collective; Abbey is a former fugitive. How will the Hive choose to deal with this band of misfits? And what will Malcolm ard’Valos do, now that his pawn has been taken from him?

Find out in two weeks — until then, keep it on the bright side!

Chris here. For the last couple of months I’ve been receiving repeated emails from my loyal listeners about problems with the RSS feed for Metamor City. Episodes failed to download, or stopped in the middle, or only downloaded after many, many retries. Clearly something was wrong, yet my hosting service insisted that everything was working fine on their end.

Now I believe we have found the culprit. The problems appeared shortly after Google bought out Feedburner and compelled me to transfer the feed over to my Google account. Apparently Google has been redirecting the feed to their own archived copies of the show, which has been … less than efficient. I can’t imagine why such a change was made without informing us, the users, much less without giving us a way to opt out of it. I have tested the original, native RSS feed (http://www.metamorcity.com/?feed=podcast) and found that it functions normally; only the Feedburner feed was suffering from the timeout errors.

To make a long story short, I have deleted the Feedburner feed and redirected its traffic back to the original feed. iTunes has been notified of the change and should make the changeover seamlessly for most, if not all, subscribers. While I am sad to lose Feedburner’s stat-tracking abilities, it is a small price to restore the confidence of my listeners and ensure higher-quality service for all of you.

If you have been inconvenienced by the recent feed troubles, I sincerely apologize, and I thank you for sticking with me. Special thanks to all of you who have made the effort to notify me about your problems in downloading the episodes. Hopefully this will fix the situation, but if it doesn’t, please let me know.

Keep it on the bright side,

Chris

The Story So Far:

Clippy, Snippy and the Metamor City Editing Elves

The Cast:

Brian Sommers – Bryan Watson
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Abbey Preston – Heather Nowak

Promos:

Balticon 43

Nina Kimberly the Merciless

The Music:

The Music:

Complete track information will be provided at a later date.

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH is provided through the Freesound Project. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

It all comes down to this! With Sasha poisoned by the psi drug Mad John and Victor only moments away from finding them, Sasha and Abbey must make a desperate last stand against the psychotic psi. Can they hold out long enough for help to arrive? And what will become of Victor after he crosses this final line? Find out in two weeks — until then, keep it on the bright side!

Alternate download link for this episode

Preorder Gail Carriger’s upcoming novel SOULLESS on Amazon today!

The Music:

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org.

In this episode:

Transgender issues

Small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri

Sex vs. Gender

Elizabeth Pisani

The Wisdom of Whores

Androgynes and their periods

Psi Collective breeding priorities

How cultures assign value to people

Genetics vs. memetics as units of heredity

Author on Board

Promos:

The Universe of Tristan

Stay tuned for the voicemails, coming soon!

Hosts:

Chris Lester
J. Daniel Sawyer
Kitty Nic’Iaian
Gail Carriger

Promo:

BALTICON 43

The Music:

All music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.

Alternate download link for this episode

Hey there, Metamorphs!

The annual convention of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society is almost upon us, and I’m going to be reprising my appearance as a guest speaker. This year I’ll be on the following panels:

Literary Gaming: Saturday, May 23, 3 PM
Metamor City LIVE!: Saturday, May 23, 7 PM
Podcasting and Music: Sunday, May 24, 12 PM

Yes, ladies and gents – there will be a live Metamor City performance at Balticon, starring me, Sara Lloyd, Kim Fortuner and Heather Welliver. Come on out and join the fun!

For more information about Balticon 43, please visit www.balticon.org. I hope to see you there!

Special thanks to J. Daniel Sawyer and Kitty Nic’Iaian of Artistic Whispers Productions for letting me use their studio to record the outro for this episode.

The Cast:

Brian Sommers – Bryan Watson
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Miriam Bakhtavar – Paulette Jaxton (understudy)
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Security Guards – David Van Sunder, Tim Dodge, Mark Smith, Christina Reagan, J. Daniel Sawyer, Kitty Nic’Iaian
Morgan Drauling – Kim Fortuner
Abbey Preston/Jenny Bloggs – Heather Nowak
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA

Promos:

Antithesis: Predestination

Dark Matter

The Music:

Complete track information will be provided at a later date.

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH is provided through the Freesound Project. Music from Michael Masley is provided through agreement with Magnatune.com. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Brian, Fiona and Daniel are in a fight for their lives — and more than that, for their souls. Sasha is the only one left to protect Abbey as Victor seeks his revenge. Do our heroes have any chance against such overwhelming odds? Find out in two weeks — until then, keep it on the bright side!

Alternate download link for this episode

The Story So Far:

Kim the Comic Book Goddess, from Geek Pantheon and Your Moment of Kim

The Cast:

Victor hin’Kavos – Bill Bowman
Brian Sommers – Bryan Watson
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Miriam Bakhtavar – Martha Puskas and Paulette Jaxton (understudy)
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Meg – Vivid Muse
Abbey Preston – Heather Nowak
Morgan Drauling – Kim Fortuner
Sasha King - Dani Cutler
Isaac – J. Daniel Sawyer

Promos:

Personal Effects: Dark Art

ANTITHESIS: Predestination

Bumper:

Michael Spence of One Eighteen: Migration

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
Victor’s Discovery: “Restless Spirits”, by David Beard
Miriam’s Trap: “The Void”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
The Warrior Emerges: “Suite 1-1 – One Way Out”, from StackTraxx Vol. 50
We Are With You: “Purgatory”, by David Beard
Second Thoughts: “Veloma”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
She Came To Me: “Piano Loop B Underscore”, by David Beard
Abbey and Danni: “After Glow” from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Memory Download: “I See Translucent People”, by CosmicD
Abbey’s Rebuke: “Dark Autumn – Underscore 1″, by David Beard
Scene Break: “Jetlag”, by Metaverse
Thinking Like a Foundling: “Lebensraum, Cue 10″, by David Beard
Getting Victor: “A Cold World”, from StackTraxx Vol. 02
Victor and Isaac: “Isham Pastiche”, by David Beard
Bed Music: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from CosmicD is provided through the Freesound Project. Music from Michael Masley is provided through agreement with Magnatune.com. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org. The next feedback show will be recorded on March 18, 2009, so send in your comments now!

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Miriam leads Brian and Fiona into her trap, unaware that Daniel is on his way to join them. Meanwhile, Sasha is charged with watching over the hospitalized “Jenny Bloggs”, not realizing who she has in her care … or who is coming after her.

Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

Alternate download link for this episode

I apologize to everyone for the delay, but MCP037 is going to have to be pushed back to next week. In the meantime, I’m going to try to get the last part of the feedback show done tonight. Thank you all for your patience.

Keep it on the bright side,

Chris

The Story So Far:

Tee Morris, the Uber-Nemesis

The Cast:

Young Fiona – TReed’s Girl
Fiona’s Mother – Mindy Smith
Victor hin’Kavos – Bill Bowman
Egan Hunter – Chris Miller
Cop – Mark Smith
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Seralina Greyhaven – Kimi Alexandre
Peter – Steve Riekeberg
Sarah – Andrea Martin
Miriam Bakhtavar – Paulette Jaxton (understudy for Martha Puskas)
Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013

Promos:

Star Wars – CODENAME: STARKEEPER

Movie Mantras

Bumper:

Mark Smith, loyal Metamorph

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Uber-Nemesis: “Mars, the Bringer of War”, by Gustav Holst
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
Scene 1:
“Fingerprints”, by Post Death Soundtrack
“The Void”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
“Restless Spirits”, by David Beard
“Underscore”, by David Beard
“Get in the Car, No Percussion”, by David Beard
“Jack Says – Trailer Cue 2″, by David Beard
“Menace”, from StackTraxx Vol. 03

Scene 2:
“Elegy”, from StackTraxx Vol. 03
“Nowhere, Cue 1″, by David Beard

Scene 3:
“Veloma”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
“Viandanze”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
“Profondo Blu”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
“Electroscape1″, by ERH
“Silence Woods”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
“Dysphoria”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46

End Credits: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH is provided through the Freesound Project. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org.

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

As Miriam puts her new orders into action, Abbey Preston seeks out the one person in the Psi Collective she believes she can trust: Daniel Sharabi. But how will Victor react when he learns that Abbey has betrayed him? Find out in two weeks — and until then, keep it on the bright side!

The Story So Far:

Philippa Ballantine, of Erotica a la Carte and Weather Child

The Cast:

Abbey Preston – Heather Nowak
Victor hin’Kavos - Bill Bowman
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA
Trace Umbara – Donte Taylor
Dr. Julian – Cunning Minx
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Fiona’s Mother – Mindy Smith

Promos:

Acts of Desperation

You Khan Not Be Serious?!

Bumper:

Robin Hudson, co-star of Scott Sigler’s NOCTURNAL

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
Scene 1:
“Electroscape1″, by ERH
“Lebensraum, Cues 7, 8 & 9″, by David Beard
“Ladder Strings”, by David Beard
“The Return to Darkness”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
“Underscore”, by David Beard
“Menace”, from StackTraxx Vol. 03
“Suite 4 – Good vs. Evil”, from StackTraxx Vol. 50
“Open Percussion, Cue 2″, by David Beard
“Nowhere, Cue 2 Strings”, by David Beard
“Nowhere, Cue 1″, by David Beard
“Restless Spirits”, by David Beard
Scene 2:
“Surrounding Enemies”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
“Gaza Strip Mall”, by Amanda Monaco
“Phunky ZZ”, from StackTraxx Vol. 36
“Electroscape1″, by ERH
“Misplaced Toy Theme”, by David Beard
“Nowhere, Cue 4″, by David Beard
“A Part of Me, A Part of You”, by Kparx
“I See Translucent People”, by CosmicD
“Catharsis – Middle”, by David Beard
“Get in the Car – No Percussion”, by David Beard
“The Gift, Cue 3″, by David Beard
Scene 3:
“Autumn Song”, by David Beard
“Open Skies”, from StackTraxx Vol. 41
“Srvival in a House Darkening”, by Michael Masley (courtesy of Magnatune.com)
“Ray of Light”, from StackTraxx Vol. 21
Bed Music: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. Music from ERH and CosmicD is provided through the Freesound Project. Music from Michael Masley is provided through agreement with Magnatune.com. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org. The next feedback show will be recorded on February 12, 2009, so send in your comments now!

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

The horrible secret of Fiona’s past is revealed, and Malcolm ard’Valos has some new orders for Miriam…

Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

The Story So Far:

Nobilis of Nobilis Erotica and Pieces

The Cast:

Seralina Greyhaven - Kimi Alexandre
Timothy Mitropolous – Scott Roche
Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013
Miriam Bakhtavar – Martha Puskas
Rebecca Brower – MA in PA
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Fiona hin’Connaill – Christiana Ellis
Doctor – Cunning Minx

Promos:

Dice Jockies

The Prophet of Panamindorah

Bumper:

Arthur Wright, artist and designer for The Metamor City Podcast

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
Feel Like Celebrating: “Andine”, from StackTraxx Vol. 04
Leena’s Objection: “Remembrance Shadow”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Malcolm’s Secret: “Get in the Car, no percussion”, by David Beard
Leena Departs: “Isham Pastich”, by David Beard
A Loss of Confidence: “Hunt – Pad”, by David Beard
The Phone Call: “Dusk”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Executive Assistant: “The Void”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Miriam and Leena: “Moonlight Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2, Mvt. 1″, by Ludwig Von Beethoven, performed by Mario Ajero
Meeting of the Minds: “Float Up From Depth”, by Adhesion
Danni’s Emptiness: “Transcending Love”, from StackTraxx Vol. 30
Handing Over The Reins: “Sojourn and Solace”, from StackTraxx Vol. 49
Scene Break: “Jetlag”, by Metaverse
Fiona’s Admission: “Nowhere, Cue 1″, by David Beard
On the Same Team Again: “Sounds from a Crystal”, by Dennis Janglöv
Masquerade: “Viandanze”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
Miriam’s Resolve: “Restless Spirits”, by David Beard
End Credits: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org. The next feedback show will be recorded in early February, so send in your comments now!

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

MAKING THE CUT enters its third and final act! Six months after leaving the Psi Collective, Abbey Preston has an experience that may change her mind. Plus, Danni and Fiona continue to wrestle with their own psychological baggage. Until then, keep it on the bright side!

The Story So Far:

MA in PA, from Fanboy Hell and Better Late Than Never

The Cast:

Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013
Miriam Bakhtavar – Martha Puskas
Braddock – Marc Bailey
Leena – Kimi Alexandre

Promos:

The Leviathan Chronicles

Ask A Tranny

Bumper:

Kim the Comic Book Goddess, from Geek Pantheon and Your Moment of Kim

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
The Master: “Silence Woods”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Thrall: “Remembrance Shadow”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Malcolm’s Concern: “Dusk”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Eyes and Ears: “Suite 5, Movement 1 – Not Alone”, from StackTraxx Vol. 50
One Small Matter: “Suite 5, Movement 2 – One by One”, from StackTraxx Vol. 50
Dismissed: “Elegy”, by Gabriel Faure, performed by Cello Journey
Planning Something: “The Void”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Waking: “Viandanze”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
Blood: “Get in the Car – No Percussion”, by David Beard
Leena: “Veloma”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
A Thrall’s Plea: “Profundo Blu”, by Fabrizio Paterlini
The Sharing: “A Part of Me, A Part of You”, by Kparx
End Credits: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org. The next feedback show will be recorded in early February, so send in your comments now!

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Take a journey inside the mind of a thrall, as Leena reveals to Miriam the tragic story of how she became enslaved to the Vampire Syndicate. Plus, Danni comes up with a rather creative way to talk out her problems with Daniel…

Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

The Story So Far:

Tee Morris, co-author of Podcasting for Dummies and MOREVI and author of the Billibub Baddings Mysteries

The Cast:

Braddock – Marc Bailey
Miriam Bakhtavar – Martha Puskas
Eva Selindi – Philippa Ballantine
Danni Sharabi – Sara Lloyd
Evan Selindi – Tee Morris
Sasha King – Dani Cutler
Rebecca Brower - MA in PA
Artax – Bryan Watson
Malcolm ard’Valos – TD-0013

Promos:

Scott Sigler’s CONTAGIOUS

Nobilis Erotica

Bumper:

Kim Harrison, author of The Hollows series — pre-order White Witch, Black Curse today!

The Music:

Intro: “Zeon Control”, by Metaverse
The Story So Far: “Theatrical Trailer”, by Budha Building
The Job Offer: “Restless Spirits – Cues A & B”, by David Beard
Braddock: “Underscore1″, by ERH
Making a Run For It: “Adrenaline”, from StackTraxx Vol. 01
The Head Car: “Fallout”, from StackTraxx Vol. 01
Peek-a-Boo: “Demolition Chronicle”, from StackTraxx Vol. 02
The Tunnel: “Lateral Space”, from StackTraxx Vol. 11
Making it Better: “Restless Spirits – Cue 2D”, by David Beard
Danni and Eva: “Lebensraum, Cues 3 & 1″, by David Beard
Eva Seeks Clarification: “Ladder Strings, Variant 2″, by David Beard
Artax’s Idea: “Surrounding Enemies”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Time To Think: “Float Up From Depth”, by Adhesion
Danni’s Apology: “Mothersland, Cue 11″, by David Beard
Reconciliation: “A Part of Me, A Part of You”, by Kparx
Rebecca’s Farewell: “Forever in Love”, from StackTraxx Vol. 49
Cold Awakening: “Electroscape1″, by ERH
Panic Kicking In: “I See Translucent People”, by CosmicD
Heartbeat: “Nine Lies the Heart Tells”, by ERH
A Mockery: “Dusk”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Exploring the Penthouse: “Remembrance Shadow”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
The White Room: “Silence Woods”, from StackTraxx Vol. 46
Bed Music: “Smoke Filled Room”, by Dave Thornton

All music from David Beard is used by special permission from the artist. Music from ERH and CosmicD is provided through the Freesound Project. Music from StackTraxx obtained by license from Digital Juice. All other music is provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Some sound effects were provided by Soundsnap; others were provided by the Freesound Project.

Feedback:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about the show, please call our voicemail line at (206) 203-0994, or email your comments (in text or audio) to feedback@metamorcity.com. You can also participate in the discussion forums at TheCursed.org. There will be another feedback show with Dan Sawyer, Kitty Nic’Iaian and Philippa Ballantine sometime in early January, so get your comments in soon!

Next time on The Metamor City Podcast:

Malcolm ard’Valos has made his appearance, and he’s about to make an offer you can’t refuse. Until next time, keep it on the bright side!

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

I have changed all of the show notes on page 1 of the blog to show the correct voicemail number. I’m not going to go back and change the audio, though, as that would be a tremendous amount of work for relatively little benefit. Hopefully those who care enough about the show to call in will also visit the blog and see this message.

Hollywood Jesus: Interview with Chris Lester

EDIT: The link has now been corrected. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Thanks to Nobilis for the narration and Heather Welliver for the background music.

Thanks to Matthew Wayne Selznick for narrating, PG Holyfield for writing and producing, and Tee Morris for being such a good sport about the whole thing.

Of course, he did ask for it…

We couldn’t let that stand, now, could we?

Cast:

Daniel Sharabi – Chris Lester
Danni Sharabi - Sara Lloyd

Music:

“HardJack”, from StackTraxx Vol. 04

Here we see David Silverleaf and Kathryn Kitaen, MCPD detectives, investigating a crime scene on the Street. David keeps an eye out for trouble while Kate prepares an augury spell, which will hopefully reveal more about what happened to this unfortunate soul. This picture was done by the amazingly talented Jeff Himmelman; you can find more of his work at www.somniturne.com.

The version on the web can’t do justice to how gloriously awesome this picture actually is, so I’m attaching a PDF of a higher-resolution version and sending it out on the feed. Keep an eye out for posters and postcards of this art to be made available soon!

How would you like to own one of these fine t-shirts?

These are Gildan Ultra Cotton Ts, 100% cotton, with double-stitching on the collar, sleeves and hem. I’m very pleased with the quality of both the shirts and the printing.

Orders for Metamor City t-shirts are now closed. If you missed your chance, watch the blog for future announcements; I intend things up so that people can order additional shirts on a print-on-demand basis. These will be more expensive than the CustomInk shirts, but if you really want to show your love for the podcast, you’ll have a way to do so.

Thanks to everyone who preordered — the count for this batch came out to 50, which I think is very respectable. I look forward to seeing your pictures once you receive your shirts!

If you have any questions, please email me at feedback@metamorcity.com.

As before, you can right-click and select “View Image” to see a larger version.

There will probably be more of these as the inspiration strikes me. Eventually I’ll make a home for them here on the site, but in the meantime you can visit my Bitstrips page to see them as create them. There are lots of other podcasters on Bitstrips, too, so you may see some familiar faces…

While here I have created a comic to introduce people to the basic story behind MAKING THE CUT:

(You can right-click on either one and choose “view image” to see it larger.)

Fun stuff, but I can see it taking up way, WAY too much of my time.

These shirts are for the cast members of Metamor City, and as con season heats up it’s a good bet that you’ll see them being worn by some of the biggest names in podcasting.

I want to make these shirts available to Metamor’s listeners, but there’s a catch: the company that I ordered them from only takes t-shirt orders in fairly large batches. (Some of you are already thinking about GeekLabel, I know, but at the moment they’ve informed me they aren’t taking any more custom designs, so until I hear otherwise we’ll go with what we can get.) I’d have to get pre-orders from at least 30 listeners in order to make these shirts available to you at a reasonable price.

So, here’s the deal:

1. If you’d be interested in ordering one of these shirts, email me at feedback@metamorcity.com and let me know. Please only do this if you’re serious about buying one!
2. If the response by email is big enough to convince me that there will be broad interest, then I will begin accepting pre-orders by PayPal. The cost will be $15.00, which includes first-class shipping within the United States; if you’re located elsewhere the cost will be higher. I’ll need your desired shirt size at this time.
3. I’ll keep pre-orders open for 30 days from the time I announce them; after that, if I have enough orders to keep the shirt cost within the necessary bounds (approximately 30 shirts should do it), then I’ll place the order for the shirts to be made. If we haven’t gotten enough interest to make the shirts cost-effective, I’ll refund the money of anyone who has pre-ordered.

So, that’s my deal with you all. Want a t-shirt? Send me a message and let me know.

Life should always be related to Samuel L. Jackson characters

Remember in Unbreakable (underappreciated moive, by the way) when Samuel L. Jackson explains to Bruce Willis that in order to create a hero, he has to have a villain that is his equal?

Well, I’ve finally discovered my nemesis…

<rest snipped>

Now, I’ve always thought of myself as a nice guy, so this whole villainy thing took me a bit by surprise. At issue seems to be this juicy little tidbit:

Yes, that’s right: The Metamor City Podcast has leapfrogged Murder at Avedon Hill in the standings of iTunes Literature! Given that MaAH is an extremely addictive fantasy/mystery in its own right — and that it has been around for almost a year longer than MCP — I find this quite satisfying.

Plus, there’s this to consider:

Yep, you read that right. Metamor City is the #11 Literature podcast in New Zealand — we even beat out Tee Morris’s excellent swashbuckling adventure Morevi and two Harry Potter fancasts!

Speaking of kiwis, both P.G. and I appear as key cast members in Philippa Ballantine’s upcoming podcast novel, Chasing the Bard. I’ll be playing Mordant, the suave, handsome, charismatic Fae Lord who hoodwinks the entire royal court, weds the heroine … and just happens to be working to bring all of creation down in a storm of roiling chaos. And who’s P.G. playing in this little drama? None other than Sucker #1: Auberon, King of the Faeries.

(I swear I knew nothing about this when I cast him as a gay massage therapist in Metamor City…)

So, all things considered, I feel pretty good about being a nemesis. Do your worst, P.G. Holyfield! You may be the master of mystery in a high fantasy setting, but I’ve got plenty of magic of my own!

Plus, my wizards have guns.

The communications distribution system known as iTunes has released a list of its most popular podcasts in the world of Literature — and The Metamor City Podcast, the Ministry’s prime vehicle for spreading news of our fair land, is now ranked in the top twenty Literature podcasts in all of iTunes!

This is a great triumph for the Imperial Ministry of Information, and the Majestrix extends her thanks to all of you, the Empire’s loyal citizens and fellow-travelers in distant lands, for making it possible. It is your use of our promotional spots, your blog posts, your word-of-mouth that has raised Metamor City into the collective awareness of the WorldNet community. You are truly the messengers of light and hope to a benighted world.

The Majestrix wishes to extend her particular thanks to loyal citizen Steve Eley, whose podcast Escape Pod has long been the standard-bearer for excellence in audio science fiction. In Episode 143 Mr. Eley aired the Metamor City promotional spot and waxed eloquent about the joys of our beloved city and the merits of our podcast program. Since the release of this episode hundreds of new visitors have come to Metamor City and discovered the wonder of our world for themselves. It is largely Mr. Eley’s dedication to the cause that has propelled The Metamor City Podcast to its current place of prominence. For this, and other services to the Empire, Majestrix Kyia is pleased to elevate Steve Eley to the peerage, bestowing upon him the title Baron of Giftum. We at the Ministry congratulate Lord Eley on his promotion and wish him the best in his continued services to the Empire.

As always, the Ministry encourages all citizens and friends of the Empire to inform us of any further efforts to disseminate positive information about our nation and its beloved capital city. Those who serve the Empire in this way shall be honored in future dispatches.

All Hail the Majestrix! All Hail Metamor!

The Hon. Blaine Terynson,
Imperial Minister of Information

 If you have artwork of the characters in Metamor City and you’d like to share it, send it to feedback@metamorcity.com. I’m always excited to see that my little story-world is inspiring people.

 Keep it on the bright side!

Detective Kate Kitaen:

Agent Janus Starson:

Captain Joe Montgomery:

And finally, The Icon of St. Merai:

Thanks for the pics, NobleBear!

Cast:

Announcer – Chris Miller
Brian – Bryan Watson
Daniel – Chris Lester
Rebecca – MA in PA
Fiona – Christiana Ellis
Trace – Donte Taylor
Victor – Bill Bowman
Eva – Philippa Ballantine
Sasha – Dani Cutler
Danni – Sara Lloyd

The Music:

“Voltage Clamp”, by Rubber Band Banjo
“Kabir’s Theme Extract”, by David Beard
“QuAd DaMaGe”, by Intrabyte

“Kabir’s Theme Extract” used by special permission of David Beard. All other music provided through agreement with the Podsafe Music Network.

Sound Effects:

Ghost Fx, created by Oscillator
Laser Wrath 4, created by Marcus Lee

All sound effects provided by the Freesound Project.

“Making the Cut” begins December 30, 2007 — visit www.metamorcity.com to stay informed on the latest news from the world of Metamor City.

Keep it on the bright side!

Fair warning: as his podcast’s name suggests, this is erotica. It’s a sexually explicit story and not appropriate for children. But what Nobilis has done here isn’t just sex for the sake of sex. This is a story that clearly has personal meaning for Nobilis, and it shows through in the quality of the characterization.

“Anniversary” is about an aging married couple who love each other very much, but don’t often get the chance to express their love sexually because they both suffer from chronic illnesses that make sex difficult or impossible. Once a year, on their anniversary, they travel from their rural home to Metamor City, where the magic that can give them a night’s relief is comparatively cheap and accessible. They’d never be able to afford the city’s high cost of living full time, and the trip itself is expensive, so they’re stuck with this once-a-year experience when they can really express their love the way they want to.

It’s a beautiful story, full of genuine, tender emotions, and Nobilis has caught the flavor of Metamor City perfectly. If you’re not bothered by sexually-explicit fiction, I definitely recommend it.

Nobilis Erotica #44

Several Imperial citizens must be recognized for their recent efforts in transmitting our message of hope and freedom. All of these individuals shall be awarded the Order of the Empire of Metamor (OEM) in honor of their good deeds.

• MA in PA mentioned her upcoming role in The Metamor City Podcast on Geek Acres #105 and on Better Late Than Never #16.
• P. G. Holyfield used a bumper from Head Scribe Chris Lester and played the Metamor City Promo on Murder At Avedon Hill Episode 9.
• Mur Lafferty featured a guest interview between Chris Lester and Kim Harrison on I Should Be Writing, Special Episode #26, and then extended her thanks to Chris in Special Episode #27.
• Tee Morris and Philippa Ballantine both mentioned their upcoming roles as the androgyne Evan/Eva Selindi, in The Survival Guide To Writing Fantasy #33 and Whispers At The Edge #18. Pip also played the Metamor City promo.
• J. C. Hutchins played the Metamor City Promo on Episode #14 of 7th Son: Book III – Destruction.
• Nobilis has likewise played the Metamor City Promo on Nobilis Erotica #39.
• Beq Vyper, alias Silverfire, has promoted her part in The Metamor City Podcast on the User Friendly forums.
• Leann Mabry devoted an entire post on her blog to promoting her role as Morgan Drauling and the narrator of Episode 2 of The Metamor City Podcast. The Majestrix is greatly pleased and, in light of this and other services to the Empire, has elevated Ms. Mabry to the peerage, awarding her the title of Countess of Meriton. The Imperial Ministry of Information extends its congratulations to the new Lady Meriton and wishes her the very best in her new role.

The Ministry also wishes to extend its thanks to the following individuals; though not yet citizens of the Empire, they have shown themselves to be friends of our great nation by promoting its virtues far and wide. The Majestrix has ordered that each of these worthies be bestowed with the Honorary Order of the Companions of Metamor.

• Doug Rapson, for Geek Acres #109
• Chris Miller, for Interlude: NaNoWriMo
• Les Howard, for The Signal (Season 3) #21
• Russ Turley of The Podcast Studio, for Podcast of the Week 11/06/07
• Dan Shaurette, for Is This Thing On? #36
• Tabitha of Strangely Literal, for her recent blog post
• Jeff, Chip and Michael, for The Scotchcast #5
• Steve and Angie Nutt, for Our Place #83

The Ministry encourages all citizens and friends of the Empire to inform us of any further efforts to disseminate positive information about our nation and its beloved capital city. Those who serve the Empire in this way shall be honored in future dispatches.

All Hail the Majestrix! All Hail Metamor!

The Hon. Blaine Terynson,
Imperial Minister of Information

Thanks for the good press, Dan! I hope you continue to enjoy Metamor City as the story progresses…

The interview should be appearing soon on I Should Be Writing — Mur agreed that it would be a good thing for her listeners to hear — and I’ll be dropping a version of it into the Metamor City feed, as well. For now, though, let me just say that it was an honor and an absolute blast to sit down and chat with Kim about the business and craft of writing. Thanks for making time for me, Kim!

Other highlights of the weekend:

- A 1-hour coffee klatch with Kim and about 20 other fans;

- The Sanctuary Press Writers’ Workshop, where I and several other authors had stories (or novel excerpts) reviewed and critiqued by editors and authors. I got a lot of great feedback that I think is really going to help me polish up the first Metamor City novel, Making the Cut, and make it all that I want it to be.

- Scoring about half-a-dozen free books from a memorial giveaway. A young SF/Fantasy fan had, sadly, passed away earlier this year, and his family decided that the best things to do with the books was circulate them back into the fandom. I empathize with them for their loss, and I think it’s really cool of them to pass on their son’s books to people who will continue to enjoy them.

- Meeting all of my fellow aspiring authors in the writers’ workshop. I got the chance to connect with several other writers on roughly the same skill level as myself, and I’m looking forward to continuing to communicate with them and help each other to improve and grow in our craft.

- The ecumenical prayer circle that I was invited to on Sunday morning. Only three of us showed up — me, my fellow workshop writer Christie Devlin, and her partner Catherine — but it was really satisfying to get together first thing in the morning to pray together, read the Bible, and discuss a little of how each of us came to the faith. It was a very positive, joyous experience, and I was really grateful for the opportunity to meet them.

It was a great weekend, all the way around, and I don’t regret a penny of what it cost me. I’m looking forward to next year’s Balticon even more than I was before.

Keep it on the bright side!

I’m also pleased to announce that a whole passel of other podcasters have signed up to play roles in the first Metamor City novel, Making the Cut, which will begin airing on this podcast in December. Take a look at who’s involved…

Christiana Ellis from Nina Kimberly the Merciless

Dani Cutler from Truth Seekers

MA in PA from Better Late Than Never

Nobilis from Nobilis Erotica

Steve Eley from Escape Pod

In addition, there are three more big-name podcasters with whom I’m still in discussions about playing certain parts — I hope to have good news on that front soon.

See you all next week for Episode 1 — until then, keep it on the bright side!

As always, feel free to snag the promo and use it in your own podcasts! The more we can get out the word about Metamor City, the better. 

Keep it on the bright side!

Cunning Minx is the host of the Polyamory Weekly podcast, which explores the topic of responsible non-monogamy. Her vocal work has also been featured on Escape Pod, the science fiction podcast magazine. She’ll be appearing in Episode 5, along with Mur Lafferty.

J.C. Hutchins is, of course, the author of the smash hit podcast trilogy 7th Son. “Hutch” is a big believer in the mutually-supportive nature of the podcasting community, and he volunteered for a role in The Metamor City Podcast almost as soon as he found out about it. Watch for him to appear in the first Metamor City novel, Making the Cut, which will begin airing in December; I’ll announce the episode number when we get closer to the date in question. In the meantime, be sure to check out Hutch’s website and subscribe to 7th Son; it’s one of the best SF techno-thrillers out there, and it’s free.

There are still openings for new cast members in The Metamor City Podcast; if you’re a podcaster, or just have a good-quality recording setup, and you’d like to get in on the action, send me a message at feedback@metamorcity.com.

Keep it on the bright side!

–Chris

More good stuff is on the way, folks, so watch this space…

Keep it on the bright side!

–Chris

Quoth Leann: “157 degrees in my house…..cause I turn AC off to record…and I STILL get the job done dammit…..I kick ass. Mucho ass.”

Indeed she does! Leann, I’ll say it again: you are 31 Flavors of Pure Awesome.

…aaand by now you’ve probably guessed who that special guest is that I was talking about. Yes, Episode 2 of this podcast will feature the voice talents of Leann Mabry! You may know Leann from her Parsec-nominated podcast, Tag in the Seam. Or maybe you’ve heard her voice on a little podcast novel called Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword – it’s been tearing up the charts at Podiobooks.com, so perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Anyway, I am seriously jazzed to announce that Leann will be reading my story “Huntress” for Episode 2. She has busted her hump to make this happen in the midst of a lot of other crap that no human being should have to deal with, and I have to say that she has been an absolute pleasure to work with. I can’t wait until you all hear what she’s done with this story.

So, to recap the release schedule:

Episode 1 – “Welcome to the City”: September 23, 2007

Episode 2 – “Huntress”, read by Leann Mabry: October 7, 2007

Additional episodes will be released every two weeks thereafter. Until then, spread the word about Metamor City — you’ve got the first promo now, so share it with your friends, put it on your podcasts or blogs, and help get the word out!

Or else I’ll send Morgan after you.

Keep it on the bright side!

Music provided by the Podsafe Music Network:

“SoEasy”, by Budha Building

“Dark Matters”, by David Emeny

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-81fe0c92ba4d9fa3fee10b26e153b06b}

The first episode drops on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007. Spread the word!

In other news, I’ve nailed down an agreement for our first guest appearance by a fellow podcaster. I’m very excited about this, and I’ll be announcing the details as soon as I get her recording of the story that she’s going to be reading for us. Watch this space, folks…

We didn’t bow so easily.

Thirteen hundred years have passed since then, and Metamor leads a benevolent empire that spans half a continent. What was once a rural valley with one large castle has become a towering metropolis of fifteen million people, with four layers of magically-suspended roads and buildings that rise hundreds of meters into the sky.

The Curse is still with us, but we’ve controlled it … mostly. But you’re a fool if you think that means you’re safe. In the shadows of Metamor’s glittering spires, beneath the glamour and glory of the Jewel of the North, dark things are stirring. The battle for the future is beginning, and more and more people are learning the one eternal truth about Metamor City:

No one who comes here ever leaves unchanged.

Welcome! You’ve found the future home of Tales from Metamor City, a podcast featuring novels and short fiction set in a world where science fiction and fantasy collide.

My name is Chris Lester. I’m the creator of the Metamor City setting; online I’m also known as Etherius or Raven Blackmane. Over the coming months I’ll be gathering the resources necessary to bring the world of Metamor alive in podcast fiction. Starting in September 2007 you can expect to see podcast versions of short stories begin to appear in our RSS feed, leading up to the debut of my first full-length novel, Making the Cut. I’m making plans for guest appearances by other members of the podcasting community, but I’ll be keeping mum on the specifics until we get the details hammered out.

In the meantime, watch this space for more details on the world of Metamor and my ongoing efforts to bring it to life. Welcome to the City!