The Drabblecast Audio Fiction Podcast

Our story this week is spoiling for a good time. Enjoy a delicious exploration of the human condition, “Bad Meat” by Chip Houser! Chip Houser (he/him) has stories in Bourbon Penn, PodCastle, Daily Science Fiction, and various other markets. “Dark Morsels,” a chapbook of his very short fiction, is forthcoming from Red Bird Chapbooks. He’s […]

Our story this week is “Those Who Forget and Those Who Perish” by K. W. Colyard. Enjoy! Cover art by Steve Lillie Do you long to be a part of the mob? Did this week’s story give you mob-envy? Then do we have something akin to a mob, but less angry, and less muddy, and […]

Let us quell your unease with our favorite platitude, “When God closes a door, he opens a window, but when Tom Floss squints at the mob through his window, Roy boards up the door for him.” Our story this week is “He Who Ruined Everything” by L. N. Clarke. Cover art by Bo Kaier Do […]

The Drabblecast hits the lanes this week with original story, “Cosmic Bowling” by Mike James Davis.  Cover art by Shane Bevin! Drabblecast Patreon Cosmic Bowlingby Mike James Davis I’m a frequent bowler, very frequent in fact, and nothing tickles me more than when my local lanes fire up an old throwback: Cosmic Bowl. The nostalgia […]

The Drabblecast wraps up 2023 with a Drabbleganza, followed by a story about tough decisions and leaving things behind– a Drabblecast original by Em Liu, called “Snow.”  Happy New Year! Drabblecast Patreon Cover art by Bo Kaier Snow by Em Liu I step out into the deep snow. In my right hand is a flashlight, […]

The Drabblecast kicks off the Weird West event, with Avra Margariti’s story “Headhunting” and 100 word Drabble Quickdraw Contest winner “Taming the Larvalands” by Matt Blairstone. Enjoy! Cover art by Tristan Tolhurst Headhunting by Avra Margariti The tinfoil sun scorched the desert road as a figure rode on horseback, carrying a disembodied head by its […]

As the summer winds down and things cool down, the Drabblecast brings you a story that will give you chills! We present, “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft.  Cover art by Catriel Tallarico Cool Air by H.P. Lovecraft  You ask me to explain why I am afraid of a draught of cool air; why I shiver […]

Mountain climbing might be more treacherous than you think. This week on the Drabblecast, we bring you Jason Sanford’s “The Eight-Thousanders.” Cover art by Bo Kaier The Eight-Thousanders by Jason Sanford He spoke once, the words whispered by frozen lips on a face so frostbitten he looked like a porcelain doll. I found him below […]

Norm talks birds on this week’s episode, before presenting Drabblecast’s production of “The Pigeon” by Michelle Knudsen. Enjoy!   Cover art by Bo Kaier The Pigeon by Michelle Knudsen The pigeon stood on the concrete ledge outside the library, bobbing its head at passerby and very clearly saying the words “egg salad.” Robert froze on […]

A merry hanging and a game of jacks, this week on the Drabblecast! Cover art by Bo Kaier

The Drabblecast brings you an original tale of interspecies aid. We present “Trunk to Trunk,” by P.B. Yeary. Enjoy! Art by  Bo Kaier Trunk to Trunk                          by P. B. Yeary The seed that fell from the heavens did not belong where it was planted. […]

#Hivelife this week on the Drabblecast! We bring you “The Hard Problem of Consciousness” by Andrew Giffin. The Hard Problem of Consciousness by Andrew Giffin Rain fell and the air reeked of communication. Chemical signals trailed behind every scurrying figure. Pat shuddered at their segmented legs working in unison, a group of them passing her […]

The Drabblecast takes you on an expedition you’re gonna have to see with your own eyes to believe! We bring you The Monster-God of Mamurth by Edmond Hamilton. Cover art by Bo Kaier The Monster-God of Mamurth by The Edmond Hamilton Out of the desert night he came to us, stumbling into our little circle […]

The Drabblecast presents an original story by Michael Bettendorf about football and growing up the hard way.  Read to you by Renee Chambliss. Art by DS Oswald Personal Best By Michael Bettendorf It’s hard to see eye to eye with your parents when they’re always looking down on you. I cannot help that I am […]

Dating is weird this week on the Drabblecast.  We bring you a Drabblecast original, “Yummy Tummy” by Chelsea Pumpkins, read by The Word Whore.  Tasty!    Cover art by Michael Butkovich         Yummy Tummy by Chelsea Pumpkins   The bell over the door chimes as Aaron pushes it open and holds it […]

The Drabblecast returns with a sinister tale of generational ick. We present “The Bad Ones Are Always the Best,” by Michelle Ann King. The Bad Ones Are Always the Best by Michelle Ann King Marty’s grandson takes the cup of tea he’s offered — without saying thank you, mind — and stares at it dubiously, […]

On this week’s Drabblecast, Dendrology meets Criminal Psychology. A story by Harley Carnell. Art by Bo Kaier. Woods For the Trees by Harley Carnell On the second day of our search for John Shaw, John Shaw joins our search party. Frustrated after years of incompetence and inaction from the authorities, and after Shaw recently committed […]

Ever feel Déjà vu on the road supposedly less traveled? Truth and lies on this week’s Drabblecast, we bring you an original story from Bob McHugh called “Is This a Plate?” Enjoy! Produced by Adam Pracht Read by Dominick Rabrun   Beyond this point, two paths lie One you live, one you die Ask one […]

This week’s show has it all: vampires, evolutionary biology, and quivering jacked up Taylor Swifts. We bring you three flash fiction pieces about the complications of being in love: Taylor Swift by Hugh Behm-Steinberg, The Evolution of a Breakup by Etgar Keret, and May I Come In by Adrienne Ryan. Narrations provided by Avery Alexander, […]

This week we the Drabblecast brings you some interesting original historic found footage uncovered by author Jonathan Louis Duckworth called, “The Follower’s Revel.” Enjoy! Art by Bo Kaier.

Episode Sponsor– Mothmen 1966 The secret’s out on this week’s Drabblecast, and nothing will ever be the same.  We bring you an original Drabblecast story called “A Hymn Upon the Lips of the Dead,” by Mav Lux. Oh and Norm sings us a song about singing that he should have just told you.  Enjoy! Cover […]

Norm is cryptic this week in terms of offering information on the featured story, “7099 Brecksville Road, Independence Ohio,” by JR Hamentaschen. He will say that that’s the story, and that’s the author. And to listen with headphones on. And also, check out our episode sponsor this week, pixel-pulp video game Mothmen 1966! Available on […]

The Drabblecast is molting! Norm shares some exciting news in the intro this week, Drabblecast has launched a Patreon, and a new quarterly magazine, “The Tentaculum.”  Also, welcome new Managing Editor Cameron Howard! Finally, we close out HP Lovecraft “Month” with an original story by Aliya Whitely called, “Plans for Expansion.” Stones contain stories. The […]

Norm closes out the year and existence as we know it, due to the phenomena known as “The Continuation,” with the Drabblecast annual holiday Tim Pratt story, an original commission called “How Lovely Are Your Branches.” Enjoy! Somebody was murdering people, but the killer’s name wasn’t showing up on my naughty list. That got me […]

The Drabblecast kicks off H.P. Lovecraft Month with the grandfather of Weird Fiction’s cautionary dark fantasy, “The Doom That Came to Sarnath.” There is in the land of Mnar a vast still lake that is fed by no stream and out of which no stream flows. Ten thousand years ago there stood by its shore […]

The Drabblecast brings you three original stories this week (Modern Fairytales, if you will) from authors Alice Gauntley, Matthew Sanborn Smith, and Kevin D. Anderson. Enjoy! Our birthday was the first of March, and for two weeks beforehand it was all Caleb could talk about—cake, presents, and, most importantly, whom to invite. He would chatter […]

We’re getting back to nature this week on the Drabblecast, with Michael Piel’s original story, “Watch Anya Blume.”  Enjoy! Anya Blume showered, slept, and showered again. Yes, she thought, she was beginning to feel human. Exhausted, sure, but human. She popped five Advil and closed the medicine cabinet. There, at the bottom of the mirror […]

Warning: some explicit language. Join us this week for a little Camp Dystopia! The Drabblecast brings you a story about growing up the hard way by Sofia Samatar, called “How to Get Back to the Forest.” Enjoy! Episode Sponsor- “You Know It’s True” by J.R. Hamantaschen   “You have to puke it up,” said Cee. […]

Episode Sponsor: You Know It’s True by J.R. Hamantaschen This week on the Drabblecast, we bring you a classic story by Flannery O’Conner about simpler times and a summer family vacation gone awry.  Enjoy! Warning: This story is being presented in it’s original form and contains an instance of outdated cultural language. “Now look here, […]

This week’s episode is brought to you by J.R. Hamentaschen’s fourth horror fiction anthology “You Know It’s True.” Grab a copy for kindle or otherwise, here! For our story this week, take a trip with us to the Fourteenth Floor, where you are every guest.  We bring you “Stay,” by Davian Aw. You were every […]

The Drabblecast is on the scene this week, with an original story by Gail Ann Gibbs, read by Starla Hutchton, that reminds us that it’s ok to be a little weird. Or maybe even, SUPER weird… I like the way Richard smells. The next time a psychiatrist asks me what makes me happy, I’ll say […]

Weird things are afoot in the west this week on the Drabblecast!   Enjoy an original,  previously unpublished story about snails of the plains gone awry by Joshua Bush called “The Witchita Drive.”  Yeehaw! They were down in a gully watering the cattle when Billy came thundering down the ridgeline on his sorrel mare, waving his […]

Sea creatures and sorority sisters on this week’s Drabblecast! We bring you an original tale by Stephanie Gray called, “The Secret of Theta Pi.” Enjoy! We travel back to Tandy’s Cove in a caravan of three, Cindy Q’s Miata leading, followed by the rented van, dirty white with the windows rolled up, and Beneeta G’s […]

Norm brings in the New Year with an original Drabblecast story by author Tim Pratt! This story is a sequel to last year’s Holiday Special story, “Comfort and Joy,” check that one out here! She was a blonde — the kind of blonde to make a bishop bite through his altar cloth. I used to […]

The Drabblecast wraps up HP Lovecraft Month this year with a mythos story unlike any variety you’ve likely heard before!  We bring you “The Shallow One,” an original Drabblecast story by Matthew Sanborn Smith. Norm closes out with a song about awkward romance called “There’s a Fetus in Your Kitchen.” I first met Madeline at […]

Our next original Drabblecast-commissioned story for HP Lovecraft month installment, “The Wallpaper Out of Space!” by Adam-Troy Castro read by Jacob Boris. All right, so it’s Cheryl’s kid, okay? I didn’t know she had a kid until we were two months in and already deeply involved, and then she tells me she has a sixteen […]

Lovecraft and love life mix on this week’s Drabblecast! As our first offering HP Lovecraft month, we present “Maternal Instinct,” by Chris Lester. They say you can find absolutely anything on the Internet. The authenticity and good condition of said “anything,” however, is by no means guaranteed. This caveat applies to rare movies, import CDs, […]

Part two of a Drabblecast production of H.P. Lovecraft’s classic The Shadow Over Innsmouth. The reality of what I had been through was highly uncertain in my mind, but I felt that something hideous lay in the background. I must get away from evil-shadowed Innsmouth—and accordingly I began to test my cramped, wearied powers of […]

The Drabblecast Annual Halloween Special kicks off this year simultaneously with HP Lovecraft month on the show, a full month of original Drabblecast-commissioned stories playing around with elements of Lovecraft’s style and mythos. We kick things off this year with a fullcast adaptation of one of Lovecraft’s most popular stories– The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Do […]

Weirdness is in the air at Drabblecast as we bring you an original story about spousal life and home ownership by author Ao-Hui Lin. “Hey babe, where did the closet go?” The Hubby, Victor, gives me a blank look, like the word “closet” is Swahili for “bratwurst”. He neither understands the question nor the purpose […]

This week’s Drabblecast features a poignant story about patience, perspective, parenthood and the paranormal. We bring you “A Promise,” by Jennifer Hudak. Enjoy! I reach out nonexistent fingers to catch your arm, the hem of your shirt. You, there. Sitting on the edge of the bed, head bowed, dripping with sorrow. Your hair is thinning, […]

Drabblecast fan Jen Fischer hosts another Drabbleclassics episode this week, bringing you a touching H.P. Lovecraft mythos story called “Maybe the Stars,” by Samantha Henderson.

This week on the Drabblecast: dirty jobs.  We bring you a quirky original tale by Bryan Miller about mad scientists and henchmen gone awry.  Enjoy! The bulletin board posting specifically stated that the internship required “special skills,” “unorthodox hours,” and an “old-fashioned go-getter,” so I can’t really complain as I’m digging up coffins in search […]

“Get Your Home Improvement On, Sucka…” Norm and author Desmond Warzel sit down and talk about fiction, ghosts, aliens, and of course his hit stor which frst appeared on the Drabblecast back in August of 2014, “On a Clear Day You Can See All the Way to Conspiracy.” You’re listening to the Mike Colavito Show […]

Alternate history on this week’s show– an original story by Edward J. Knight about the American Civil War that we perhaps only narrowly missed! 7 August 1865 My darling Emily, I do not know if this letter will reach you, but if it does, I hope it finds you well. General Lee has sent word […]

On this week’s Drabblecast, Norm and author Matthew Sanborn Smith bring you a dose of perspective during these crazy times where weirdness seems to be the norm. Remember those invisible things around us that support and hold us no matter what our struggles our, and remember to cherish each moment of every day. I wonder […]

This week, another Drabblecast Trifecta, this time with the theme:  Friends Close, Enemies Closer.  We bring you three stories, with three different narrators, by three different authors!  Time Cookie Wars, by Benjamin C Kinney, Sandy, by Bruce McAllister, and Oh What a Privilege to Dwell in the Grand Palace of the Tungerils! by Kelly Moore. […]

Another gripping and macabre tale from Drabblecast fan favorite Tim Pratt. Finding that first body wasn’t so bad, though it rattled me at the time. The dead man was curled up on a piece of cardboard in the alleyway I cut through sometimes on my way to the good coffee shop, and I would have […]

“My headlights were streaked pink with frog blood…” Norm and author comedian/writer Bryan Miller about comedy and horror, editing and frog country, Lovecraft and fish horror. Also, Bryan’s H.P. Lovecraft-inspired story, “Necessary Cuts.” The manuscripts I read are haunted. Commas vanish forever into the void. Subjects and verbs struggle in bloody disagreement. Infinitives are cleaved […]

On this week’s show Norm makes a case for adult diapers in preparation for the apocalypse before giving us a taste of “The Peoria Plague,” a 1972 radio drama that doesn’t feel so “1972” at all. The feature story this week, “The Full Moon Group” by Dianne M. Williams is a Drabblecast original and reminds […]