In Which Ghost Recommends You Stuff · 5:50pm Feb 4th, 2014
Hello my readers caring and charismatic!
So, first thing's first: My friend Bradel[1] has just published some brand new pony words. It's a story about Hearthwarming, heartwarming, family, and what they all have to do with one another. Now, granted, it's a bit late to be, uh, seasonal as such, but think of it as a delightful bonus—you get to read it while your memories of holidays are pleasantly fuzzed by the passage of time and, with any luck, eggnog. With that in mind, I give you: Three Nights.
I enjoyed it immensely and I suspect you will too. Only two nights of the three are online at the time, but night three is written and will be forthcoming shortly. Being told when it shows up is well worth the favorite.
Since I'm going around recommending things, why not recommend something non-pony for you all to enjoy?
Are you feeling odd lately? Like things aren't quite under your control? Unexplained fatigue? Inexplicable twinges? Insomnia? Exsomnia? Just plain somnia? Are you crushed under the immensity of the night sky, feeling each individual star as a spearpoint upon your skin? Do you fear ages undreamt of, past unimaginable chasms of time and the nameless, formless shadows roiling and swarming there? Do you fear? Do you? Do you?
If you have none or more of these symptoms everything is fine. The Change is progressing as it should. Shh. It will be over soon. Shhh. It's fine. That's right. Fine. All fine. All you have to do now... is wait.
And while you wait, why not enjoy Welcome To Nightvale?
What is Welcome to Nightvale? It's a podcast mimicking a community radio show from a sleepy little town out in the desert. Except the town isn't really so much sleepy as sleepless. The genre of Welcome to Nightvale is hard to pin down. Best I can do is absurdist, surrealist horror-comedy. Like Terry Pratchett writing House of Leaves. A bit. The above bit of prose is my feeble attempt to mimic how that feels.
If you aren't sure if you'll like it, why not take a look at the pilot episode. I'll even embed it below for your convenience.
[1] Go follow him! And then kick him about writing more Bell, Book & Candle.
Night Vale rocks my socks. I got so infected by it the first time I heard it that I sat down and wrote this, even though I have no idea what to do with it.
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I have exactly two podcasts on my iPod: "Writing Excuses" and "Welcome to Nightvale". I haven't listened to nearly enough of the latter, but it's pretty amazing.
Ghost tells me that this link is a must-read. Now I go to seek distraction from my terrible new-story nervousness!
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Several things:
a) CELESTIASBACKLEFTHOOFYOUAREAWESOME sorry, sorry let myself get a bit emotional there, let me just, ahem, I really liBUTTHATISSOBRILLIANT! Agh. Damn. Hold on. Let me just...
b) Right. Calmer now. So I thought that little bit is absolutely awesome and shoBESTTHINGEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrr
c) Damn it all!
d) Let's try this again.
e) Really properly brillaint. Terrifying, too. I think it needs to see a wider audience somewhere somehow.
f) Huh. I managed it that tiYOUAREAGENUISMARRYME.
g) *sigh*
h) I think you ought to ask them if they accept submissions and send this in. It deserves to be read in Cecil's dulcet tones.
Ugh. I've only listened to the first three. Or was it four? There are so many! Things keep happening! Things which distract me from the horrors I could be listening to.
I first heard about Night Vale via the Idea Channel, which if you haven't seen it, is also an internet distributed media thing which you can consume via your senses.
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Just yesterday I ate a stake with my eyes. It was awesome.
Consuming things via my senses? That's like my thir—no, fourth favorite thing ever.
Not so much for the calf, true, but... y'know. Still awesome.
No need to rec; New Bradel stories always get a read from me.
As for Night Vale? Sublime! I went to their live show in LA for my birthday and it was incredible! I went in with high expectations and they greatly exceeded them.
BTW, they do accept scripts from fans. The last episode was a fan-written one, if I recall correctly.
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Do you have a submission address?
Will do!
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Night Vale Submissions
I just checked the link and it looks like they shut it down because they were getting so many submissions, but they say they will re-open it at some time in the future. It might be worthwhile to follow them on twitter to get notified when they do.
Your script is great, BTW. I read it with Cecil's voice in my head and it is just spot-on!
If you ever get a chance to see one of their live shows, do it! Cecil even more amazing in person!
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Fortuitously, they'll be appearing at ECCC this year, an event I am already paneling at. Seeing their show is on my short-list of musts.
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You will not regret it!
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He will not regret it for the rest of his days. So. A cheering thought.
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Oh, wow, I am so unspeakably jealous of you right now. I don't fanboy easily but Night Vale? Oh, gods. There would be fanboying.
I saw a clip somewhere of a live show where after he was introduced Cecil got to the podium, leaned into the mike and crooned "At last, we are alone."
Thank you Ghost! The podcast dramas look especially interesting.
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Terror. So much joyous terror....
Before the live show, I was a fan. Now, I'm a total fanboy! Not trying to make you jealous, but if there's any way you can get to a live show, do it!
I've been meaning to check out Nightvale for a while and now that I have I can say it was greatly enjoyable.
I do need to check out more of Night Vale. And, for those wanting a pony crossover, there is always this: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/137868/welcome-to-ponyville
Thanks for linking this Night Vale podcast. Surreal is probably the best way to put it.
"Dogs are not allowed in the dog park. Humans are not allowed the dog park. Do not approach the dog park."
It's sort of like Lake Wobegon meets The Twilight Zone.
You might enjoy this as well:
He took down the tire-swing from the pepper tree
He has no children of his own, you see
He has no dog. He has no friends
And his lawn is dying.
And what about all those packages he sends?
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Thanks.
Oh, I always enjoy Tom Waits.
And little Billy, the son of John Peters—you know, the farmer?—knows what he's building in there. He found out two years ago to the day and he's sure to tell us all, as soon as he's done screaming. He's still going, bless that little Billy Shrieks, still going strong. Big lungs he's got. Must be all that imaginary corn.
I tried to read House of Leaves once. It was...
...Well, it was House of Leaves. I've still got some stuff I'm filtering out from it, and I don't think I ever finished it.
However, "Terry Pratchett does House of Leaves" sounds like absolutely SMASHING fun!
I will have to check this thing out.