7th Son: Obsidian

OBSIDIAN: Episode 32 -- FINAL episode /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the final episode of 7th Son: OBSIDIAN -- and we've saved the best for last. Horror/sci-fi author Scott Sigler -- the grand poohba of podiobooks himself -- has the final story in this anthology, and it's everything you'd expect from the master of horror podfiction. Called Eusocial Networking, the story is a monster in itself, weighing in at around 50 minutes. It's brilliant stuff, and well worth the wait. Scott Sigler is a trailblazer in podcasting and publishing, and his stories and novels are must-listens.

Visit him at ScottSigler.com, and be sure to send him an appreciative email.

Three important items from J.C.'s intro chatter:

  • J.C.'s next podfiction project -- The 33 -- will debut early next year
  • Stay subscribed to this podcast!
  • Visit J.C.'s homepage, look for the "Join The Mailing List for J.C. Hutchins" field in the flash widget and join!

PROMOS:

Expect an audio update with J.C. in the next week or two...

OBSIDIAN Episode 31: "Voices From the Darkness" VIDEO /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the final video episode of "Voices From the Darkness," where the stars and creators are 7th Son fans from across this globe. Today's delightful episode was created by Dan Cohen and his family: Amanda, Danielle and Andrea. I can't think of a more lovely and humorous way to conclude the "Voices From the Darkness" video series. It looks like the lights will soon come back on.

--J.C.

OBSIDIAN Episode 30: "Voices From the Darkness" /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the seventh -- and final -- official audio episode of Voices From the Darkness. You'll likely see a few more audio contributions in a "bootleg" episode down the road, but this the last audio "Voices..." presentation for OBSIDIAN. All of the audio in this episode was contributed anonymously by 7th Son fans around the globe. If you recognize your contribution in this episode, please contact J.C. and he'll include your credit in the shownotes here.

Coming up on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: More fan-created content -- and Eusocial Networking by Scott Sigler....

OBSIDIAN Episode 29: "Voices From the Darkness" VIDEO /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the eighth video episode of "Voices From the Darkness," where the stars and creators are 7th Son fans from across this globe. This is the third of a daily "triple play" of videos. There will be one final "Voices From the Darkness" episode later this week.

Today's fantastic episode was created by Dan Woodward and friends. Check out their work here and here.

OBSIDIAN Episode 28: "Voices From the Darkness" VIDEO (repost) /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This is a fixed repost of OBSIDIAN episode 28. The video "froze" in the previous version of this episode, but has been fixed here. Please accept J.C.'s apologies for the inconvenience. Also, please see his note at the end of this post for another apology regarding another part of this vid.

Welcome to the seventh video episode of "Voices From the Darkness," where the stars and creators are 7th Son fans from across this globe. This is the second of a "triple play" of videos: tomorrow will see the release of the third -- and likely final -- "Voices From the Darkness" video episodes.

NOTE FROM J.C.: I had some serious issues with the video for this episode. In the process of troubleshooting, I swapped the order of two clips -- Geoff Schaadt's and Jeremiah McCoy's -- but neglected to change their order in the end credits. The credits list Jeremiah's clip as being "Scene Two" and Geoff's as "Scene Three." The video is inaccurate; those credits should be reversed. The correct credits are listed here in the shownotes.

Please accept my apologies, Jeremiah, Geoff and 7th Son viewers.

OBSIDIAN Episode 26: "Voices From the Darkness" /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the sixth episode of Voices From the Darkness. All of the audio in this episode was contributed anonymously by 7th Son fans around the globe. If you recognize your contribution in this episode, please contact J.C. and he'll include your credit in the shownotes here.

Coming up on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: More fan-created content -- and Eusocial Networking by Scott Sigler....

OBSIDIAN: Episode 25 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Today sees the release of the hilarious short-short story The Odds by the legendary Wichita Rutherford! Wichita Rutherford is the world-renowned podcast celebrity. He is recognized as a true pioneer of the podcasting movement and continues to push the envelope with his cutting edge, innovative digital content. He's also ... precious.

When Wichita first came on the podcasting scene, it was obvious he was something special. An interviewer and Bluegrass historian with a knack for making famous people laugh, it didn't take long for the Bluegrass community to take notice, including superstars such as Alison Krauss, Dierks Bentley, John Paul Jones, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch, Bela Fleck and Doc Watson. These are just some of the superstars who lined up to be interviewed on his podcast, "5 Minutes with Wichita." Demand became so insatiable that Wichita soon found himself the very first Podcaster with a deal at SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

XM is now Wichita's "satellite radio home" after his two-year run on SIRIUS. His new show, "The Grand Old Time Machine," has an unprecedented fan base.

Wichita is also one of the celebrity spokespersons for TreeMe.org, a fledgling non-profit whose goal is to have 25,000 trees planted the week of 4/20/09.

PROMOS:

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: Two "Voices from the Darkness" episodes -- one audio, one video -- and then the debut of Scott Sigler's two-part masterpiece, Eusocial Networking!

OBSIDIAN: Episode 24 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Feast your ears on the penultimate showcase short story in 7th Son: OBSIDIAN -- The Goodbye Party, by Christiana Ellis.

Christiana Ellis is an award-winning writer and podcaster living in Morrisville, North Carolina. She has been podcasting since September of 2005, when she launched her first show, "Christiana Talks About Stuff." Since then, podcasting has assimilated all of her free time, much like the Borg. In 2006, she produced a podcast audiobook version of her then-unpublished novel, Nina Kimberly the Merciless, a comic fantasy about the teenage daughter of a feared Barbarian conqueror. Nina Kimberly the Merciless was a finalist for the first ever Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Story: Long Form, and since completion of the podcast version, the novel has been selected for print publication by Dragon Moon Press, coming to bookstores in May, 2009.

Among her multiple other projects, Christiana also produced Space Casey, a ten-episode audiodrama miniseries about a con artist who steals the wrong spaceship. Casey's adventures earned Christiana multiple award nominations, and was the winner of the both the American Society for Science Fiction Audio's prestigious Mark Time Award, and the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama Short Form.

Even beyond the podosphere, Space Casey has received radio play on multiple radio stations all over the country. Presently, Christiana has some big projects in development, but in the meantime she has been contributing to other podcasts, including Mur Lafferty's "Stories of the Third Wave," 7th Son: Obsidian, and the collaborative storyline of the "Pieces Podcast." Last but not least, Christiana's "Shallow Thoughts" has been running continuously since April, providing a daily dose of serene surrealism, and earning the 2008 Podcast Peer Award for Best Short Podcast.

Find her online at ChristianaEllis.com.

PROMOS:

Coming up on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: More "Voices from the Darkness" episodes ... and Euscocial Networking, the two-part tale by Scott Sigler!

OBSIDIAN: Epsiode 21 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This OBSIDIAN episode features a comedic skit from musician and podcaster George Hrab and writer and podcaster Soccergirl. These artists are dangerously smart and talented, and it's an honor to have them appear here in the OBSIDIAN podcast.

About George Hrab: Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer and composer George Hrab has written and produced five independent CDs; published one book; performed for President Clinton; shared the stage with countless numbers of musicians and acts; and is the de facto President for Life of The Geologic Orchestra. He also does a mean solo acoustic show. Dude's got charisma.

George also produces a weekly podcast called "The Geologic Podcast," which has been nominated for a 2008 Parsec Award for Best "Infotainment" Cast.

About Soccergirl: One of the first podcasters ever, Soccergirl has written, starred in and produced nearly 300 episodes of her popular audio and video podcast, "Soccergirl, Incorporated," reaching an audience of up to 80,000 worldwide. The show features free thinking moxie, the pluck of the ages and satirical social commentary via an eclectic mix of experimental fiction (much of it science-y), original music (including freestyle rhymes), fake news, interviews, the lusty interpretation of cartoon classics and comedic improvisation. She's switchblade brilliant.

Learn more about George's work at GeologicRecords.net, and find Soccergirl's podcast and blog at SoccergirlIncorporated.com.

PROMO:

OBSIDIAN: Episode 20 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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The black ... is back. Today marks the debut of the second half of 7th Son: OBSIDIAN, and it's a frickin' doozy thanks to this week's powerhouse author. (If you're dying to know why OBSIDIAN was on hiatus, listen to the intro of the most recent UltraCreatives interview with author/podcaster Mur Lafferty.)

Meet Matt Wallace. He's as tall as a tree and as dangerous as Killdozer -- because Everyone Knows a Machine Cannot Kill. Except the Machine. Ferociously talented, Matt is a Parsec Award-winning author -- whose short story Delve is nominated for a 2008 Parsec for short story -- and is best known in the podcasting community for The Failed Cities Monologues and countless contributions to the exceptional short story podcast, Variant Frequencies.

Matt is also a screenwriter, and is currently working on several short- and long-form fiction projects. His short story anthology The Next Fix, published by APEX Publications, is currently available for purchase. Try Amazon.com. It will make your head explode.

This week, Matt Wallace brings us Receiver. In addition to being a perfect representation of his gritty, kick-you-in-the-balls, tear-out-your-jugular prose, Receiver is also the first full-length short story that Matt Wallace has read in podcasting. The audio was produced by Rick Stringer, creator of the Variant Frequencies podcast. Learn more about Matt's work at Matt-Wallace.net, and find Variant Frequencies at VariantFrequencies.com.

PROMOS:

OBSIDIAN: Episode 19 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's OBSIDIAN short-short story is presented by the amazing characters from The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd. If you've never listened to The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd before, you're in for a real treat. This episode is the perfect introduction to the funniest, best-produced, most-charming -- and most-creative -- podcast on the planet.

The web's longest running family friendly podcast, The Radio Adventures Of Dr. Floyd is often called "A Prairie Home Companion for kids."  Imagine Rocky & Bullwinkle, Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Time Bandits mixed in a blender with a dash of education and you've got The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd!

Each episode is zany fun for kids from 4 to 90, so check it out at DoctorFloyd.com -- and be sure to send Dr. Floyd and the gang an appreciative email for their OBSIDIAN story! (And don't forget to visit ImaginationRanger.com to learn how you can get your Dr. Floyd Decoder Ring!)

A note to Dr. Floyd fans -- and you know who you are -- keep in mind that this episode takes place before the events in Episode #613. For everyone else, enjoy this fun stand-alone episode!

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: We return to "Voices From the Darkness" territory with more fan-created audio and video!

OBSIDIAN: Episode 18 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's short story showcase episode features the exciting conclusion of Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff's tale, Nemesis. This powerhouse of a novelette is packed with wordsmithing hot sauce: sex, violence, double-crosses and an ending that'll rock your socks. Please do yourself the favor of checking out Mark's other fiction -- the Shadow Falls audio drama series, Number One With A Bullet, Transistor Rodeo and much more -- by visiting his website, MarkYoshimotoNemcoff.com.

And please send him an appreciative email for his OBSIDIAN story and stellar performance.

J.C. is mum during this episode's outro, but the intro is bursting with "talky-talk" pimpage of J.C.'s recent appearances in the podosophere:

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: The cast of The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd experience the blackout. You'll giggle like a kid at this one!

PROMOS:

OBSIDIAN Episode 15 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's must-listen OBSIDIAN short-short is by Dan Klass. This is a masterpiece of audio fiction, and J.C. considers it one of the crown jewels in the OBSIDIAN anthology.

Dan Klass is the host and creator of "The Bitterest Pill," an award-winning podcast in which he talks about his life on the outskirts of the entertainment industry while raising his kids under the flight path at LAX.  The show has been described by The New York Times as "intelligent," "endearing," and "sublime," and has been featured on NPR, NBC 4, Fox News and in USAToday.com and The Christian Science Monitor.  He is also the co-author of Podcast Solutions: The Complete Guide to Audio and Video Podcasting.

Please subscribe to The Bitterest Pill -- and send Dan Klass a well-deserved appreciative email -- by visiting TheBitterestPill.com.

J.C. also unleashes gobs of timely news in his "talky-talk" intro and outro, including:

  • Parts One and Two of J.C.'s fun interview with Joe on the OnThePodcast podcast, featuring some delicious tidbits about J.C.'s next book, Personal Effects: Dark Art
  • An opportunity to lend a helping hand to 7th Son superfan Gemini and her family by making a donation at the Time Well Wasted blog
  • A mini-geekout update about Personal Effects: Dark Art, and its state of production
  • The 7th Son T-shirt store at Geeklabel.com is closing on Aug. 15. If you want to snag a shirt or two (at less than $15 a pop), get crackin'
  • The world premiere of a brand-new Celldweller song -- this one is the ultra-intense, incredible "Birthright (Birthwrong Remix by Blue Stahli)". The full song is available here in this episode; download the song for free at FixtOnline.com/FreeDownloads.html

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: A very special "Voices From the Darkness" episode!

OBSIDIAN Episode 14 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's OBSIDIAN short story episode begins with a much-chagrined J.C. pleading for your help to make nice-nice with the Podcasting Karma Gods. Why? Well, he totally blew a promise to fellow podcaster Guy David to promote Guy's ultra-cool OBSIDIAN-inspired "Night Guy" podcast episode. So please -- after you listen to this episode of OBSIDIAN -- check out Guy David's blackout version of The Night Guy.

On to this week's short story, titled Nemesis, written and narrated by Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff. This is the first part of an epic suspense-filled novellette; its conclusion will debut next week. If you like what you hear, be sure to email Mark and tell him so. You can find Mark's contact information at MarkYoshimotoNemcoff.com.

In J.C.'s intro "talky talk," he (doesn't) pimp:

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: An incredible and poignant contribution from "The Bitterest Pill" creator Dan Klass, more "Voices from the Darkness" episodes, and -- if J.C. can get his shit together -- an OBSIDIAN Clone Line episode.

PROMOS:

Feedback about OBSIDIAN is welcome and appreciated! Send J.C. an email, leave a comment below, or call the Clone Line at 206-984-2566 (CLONE).

OBSIDIAN: Episode 12 "Voices From the Darkness" VIDEO /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the third video "Voices From the Darkness" episode, featuring five "scenes" totaling more than 15 minutes of groundbreaking never-before-seen content. All contributions seen in this vidcast were created by 7th Son fans from across the globe.

Behold the 7th Son universe during the blackout, as witnessed by its victims ... and captured for all the world to see.

Contributions by:

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: this week's "Voices From the Darkness" audio episode, quite possibly a Clone Line episode, and then the first part of novelist and screenwriter Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff's short story.

OBSIDIAN: Episode 11 VIDEO /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's OBSIDIAN short-short is slightly different -- which perfectly matches the sensibilities of its creator, the incomparable Soccergirl. For nearly as long as there's been podcasting, Soccergirl has been there, defying expectations and conventions ... and telling tales on her terms, normalcy be damned.

New media performance artist, skeptic, atheist, author, musician, (and super-spy, J.C. is convinced of it) and one of the first podcasters ever, Soccergirl has written, starred in and produced nearly 300 episodes of her popular audio and video podcast, "Soccergirl, Incorporated," reaching an audience of up to 80,000 worldwide.

Soccergirl has also appeared on Sirius satellite radio, television and terrestrial radio, and in various print publications including The New York Times and Wired Magazine. Soccergirl wrote, directed and starred in "The Soccergirl Second," a theatrical adaptation of her show (performed at The Brick Theater in New York City) and has just completed an absolutely brilliant book of short fiction and essays, forthcoming from Mevio Press.

If you enjoyed this small peek into the genius that is the "Soccergirl, Incorporated" experience, please visit SG's website at SoccergirlIncorporated.com, send her an appreciative email, and check out her other work. (Photo by Chris Marquant.)

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: J.C. takes us out of the blackout for another UltraCreatives interview with J.R. Blackwell, and then we dive back in with audio and video "Voices From the Darkness" episodes.

Feedback about OBSIDIAN is welcome and appreciated! Send J.C. an email, leave a comment below, or call the Clone Line at 206-984-2566 (CLONE).

OBSIDIAN Episode 10 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's OBSIDIAN showcase short story, titled A Rose By Any Other Name, is written and narrated by award-winning author and podcaster Mur Lafferty. Ride shotgun with young heroine Rose, as she learns a secret about her name ... and must face unfathomable odds during the OBSIDIAN blackout. If you enjoy Mur's tale, please send a few gracious words her way. Her contact information can be found at her website, Murverse.com.

J.C. covers some fun, if familiar, ground in his "talky talk" segments, including:

  • The popular John Alpha for President election campaign
  • 7th Son: Runner, J.C.'s new serialized mobile phone text story, which is rolling out now. Find details here and here.

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: A priceless video short-short by Soccergirl. A new UltraCreatives interview with J.R. Blackwell will drop after that, and we'll close out the week with more audio and video "Voices From the Darkness" OBSIDIAN episodes!

PROMOS:

Feedback about OBSIDIAN is welcome and appreciated! Send J.C. an email, leave a comment below, or call the Clone Line at 206-984-2566 (CLONE).

OBSIDIAN: Episode 9 "Voices From the Darkness" VIDEO /  by J.C. Hutchins

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It's the second video "Voices From the Darkness" episode, and this one's terrific. All contributions seen in this vidcast were created by 7th Son fans from across the globe.

Behold the 7th Son universe during the blackout, as witnessed by its victims ... and captured for all the world to see.

Contributions by:

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: A brief Clone Line episode, and then a short story by novelist Mur Lafferty.

OBSIDIAN: Episode 7 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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This week's 7th Son: OBSIDIAN short-short is by Evo Terra, an innovator in the podcasting community. While some know him for his former co-host duties on such shows as "Dragon Page Cover to Cover" and "Wingin' It," Evo is best-known for one of the most significant and innovative creations in podcasting, Podiobooks.com. Evo is the man who coined the term "podiobooks," and was instrumental in assembling the team of founders for the Podiobooks.com service. He is also the co-author of Podcasting for Dummies and Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies, and blogs at his site, FunAnymore.com.

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: Another amazing "Voices From the Darkness" audio episode, in which we learn all about the world of the blackout ... from a ham radio operator's perspective.

PROMOS:

Feedback about OBSIDIAN is welcome and appreciated! Send J.C. an email, leave a comment below, or call the Clone Line at 206-984-2566 (CLONE).

OBSIDIAN: Episode 6 /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Week Two of 7th Son: OBSIDIAN content begins in earnest with He Sees In Shadows, a short story written by New York Times bestselling novelist Michael A. Stackpole. The OBSIDIAN blackout is in full swing in this episode, and a special breed of madman is on the loose, out there, in the darkness. But who is more insane: the hunter ... or the man hunting him? If you enjoyed Mike's story, be sure to check out his other work -- and send him an email -- at StormWolf.com.

J.C. covers some important announcements in this episode's "talky talk" intro and outro, including:

  • An update on John Alpha's presidential campaign
  • Information about the OBSIDIAN "Voices From the Darkness" episodes, and how you can contribute. Call 206-222-9158 to leave your audio mark in the 7th Son universe, or record video footage and email it to J.C. Click here for submission guidelines. Deadline for this content is July 7, 2008.
  • Find "sneak peek" video footage from "Voices From the Darkness" contributors at J.C.'s YouTube channel. (More will be released soon!)
  • Information about 7th Son: Runner, J.C.'s serialized "cell phone-centric" text story that will debut next week. Click here to learn how to obtain this OBSIDIAN text-only story!

Coming up next on 7th Son: OBSIDIAN: a short-short story by Evo Terra. After that, more "Voices From The Darkness" episodes, quite possibly a brief Clone Line episode, and next week's short story, written by Mur Lafferty...

PROMOS:

Feedback about OBSIDIAN is welcome and appreciated! Send J.C. an email, leave a comment below, or call the Clone Line at 206-984-2566 (CLONE).