Storyfeather Nila Patel: Fictioneer

A moth dreams of visiting the Moon, but is too small to fly all the way.
Genre: Mythology
 
Excerpt:
When first the moths alighted in the world below, the land of earth, they did so out of curiosity. And they did so because they were sent forth from their home by their creator. Their home and their creator were one and same, and she bore the name Moon.
And she was the moon.
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
You’re a moth; what is your flame?  What draws you to it?
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.
 
Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE
 
CREDITS
Story: “The Moths in the Moon” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel
 
Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Compass”
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“Don’t move”
“Here we go”
“The plan”
“Seasons”
“Elevation”
“Infinite”
“Wide place”
 
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.
 
Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market
Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing.  Top center, the glowing disc of the moon under a dark sky. The bottom part of the disc is obscured by a Luna moth seen from the top, wings outstretched.  A thin string connects the moth to another moth beneath, a small Cinnabar moth, also seen from the top with wings outstretched. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along inner curve of moon at top right.

A prideful swallow is cursed and changed into the form that she finds most abhorrent, a tree.
Genre: Fable
 
Excerpt:
The swallow was a happy bird, but also somewhat superior. Nothing brought her joy the way flying did. Slicing through the clouds and flicking the air with the perfect points of her tail. She believed that birds were the supreme creatures of the world. Because they could fly. Some insects could fly as well, of course. But birds could fly higher, faster, and farther than any insect.
The happy swallow pitied any creature who could not fly.
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
EXERCISE: Grab a book off the shelf—any book!  Don’t bother searching for anything in particular.  Open it at random and begin reading.  Write down every idea you get from reading what is on that single page. Now turn to another page and do the same thing. Later, scroll down the aisle, pick another book whose title arouses your curiosity; once again open the book at random, and record any ideas that come to mind.
Source: The Daily Writer: 366 meditations to cultivate a productive and meaningful writing life. Fred White. Writer’s Digest Books. 2008.
20 Master Plots and How to Build Them (And How to Build Them). Ronald B. Tobias. Writer’s Digest Books. 1993. I landed on page 151, the chapter on metamorphosis plot.
 
Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE
 
CREDITS
Story: “The Swallow Who Was a Willow” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
 
Music by JONATHAN SHAW*
“Checking Inventory”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“In Tranquil Spring”
“Visions of Freedom”
“A Bitter Hope”
“Thoughts”
“Heated Lands”
“Afternoon Chat”
“A Dream of First Flight”
 
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Jonathan Shaw licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at gamedevmarket.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. At center a tree that splits off to two main branches close to the base, and splits further out into gnarled bare branches that extend across the top half of the image. Under the right side of the tree is a swallow in flight, seen from the top.  The shadowy silhouette of another swallow appears in the background on the left side. Patterned and color-matched borders added at top and bottom to make the rectangular image a square. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom right.
This is episode #333. Gasp! What does that mean?

After a man stuck in the middle seat of a long flight wishes he had more room in his row, his wish comes true: his seatmates start vanishing.
Genre: Mystery
 
Excerpt:
But saying it out loud, he sounded a little foolish to himself, so he laughed and waved a hand. “I’m probably just being a worrywart for nothing. But I figure better safe than sorry.”
The flight attendants agreed. And they said they’d look for his missing seatmates, and if they returned in the meantime, they asked if John would come back and let them know. They would be serving the final snacks for the flight in about fifteen minutes. They would check in with him then.
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Create a scene in a new environment. Make that environment extreme. Put your characters in unusual positions--working beneath a car or reaching for something while standing on a chair. By placing physical constraints on a character, you increase the dramatic effect of your words.
Source: The Observation Deck. Naomi Epel. Copyright © 1994. Chronicle Books.
 
Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE


CREDITS
Story: “John's Fellow Passengers” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel
 
Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
 
Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“It’s A Mystery”
“Making A Change”
“Small Steps”
“Thoughtful”
“Gone”
“Decompress”
“Betrayal”
“Going Home”
“Universe Calling”
 
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Diagram. Partial view of an airplane, from nose to just behind the wings, displaying the configuration of seats. At top left are two fields. Top field reads, “Welcome, John. D.” Field below it reads, “Time remaining: 1:34.” A key to the right of the nose displays four boxes with text to the right: a purple box labeled “Available: First Class,” an orange box labeled “Available: Business Class,” a green box labeled “Available: Frugal Class,” and a clear box with a slash from top left to bottom right labeled: “Unavailable Reserved.” There is one center aisle. At the front of the plane are three rows of first class seats with four seats to a row. Behind this are five rows of business class seats with six seats to a row. Behind this are frugal class seats at six seats to a row, with rows more closely spaced than business class. The rows of frugal class seats continue to the bottom of image, separated into three visible clusters. One of the seats, third row down, second seat over is highlighted in red, and a line extends from it to a text box at left labeled “11B.” Above this box is a field labeled, “Your seat selection.”  Below the seat number is a field with three buttons labeled, “Upgrade $29.99,” “Confirm,” and “Cancel.” Borders at right and left make the original vertical rectangular image into a square. The borders contain faded close-up insets of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the side where the right wing co

Two passengers find themselves alone just after takeoff, on a plane that seems to be floating in some substance that the passengers can only define as being green and gold.
Genre: Science Mystery
 
Excerpt:
If we were asleep, and the plane crashed into an ocean with green-and-gold water, and we’re now sinking, and the rest of the passengers managed to get out, then how did they all get a chance to take their luggage? And how did they then close the cabin doors again?
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Prompt: That was the last thing I needed to see in the middle of take-off.  And then there was that noise I kept hearing.  Was that sound normal on a plane?
Oops, I’m not sure about the origin of this prompt. Per my notes, this came from an app called “Fictionprompter,” but I don’t remember this app. And couldn’t find it on a casual search.
 
Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  You can learn more about it right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
 
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE
 

CREDITS
Story: “Stranded in the Green and Gold” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
 
Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Forensic”
“As it happenned”
“Prisma”
“Nightfall”
“Haunted spaceship”
“DNA”
“Experiment 4”
“Pitch black”
“Connecting dots”
“Genetic marker”
“Between two worlds”
 
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Two women seen from behind fly through a green and yellow substance, leaving streaming wakes behind them, toward an airplane seen from behind at upper right. The woman at left and slightly ahead looks back at and stretches one arm out toward the other figure. The other woman has both arms held to the side and close to the body. Watermark of “Storyfeather” at bottom center. Borders at top and bottom to make the image square contain faint stamps of the figures, plane, and substance.

Do the voices coming from the food in my fridge and pantry want to harm me, help me, or just…be? 
Genre: Science Fiction
 
Excerpt:
“Tell me I’m sane,” I said.
There was a pause on the other end. And then he finally spoke. 
“I refuse.” 
I sighed. “Freddy, come on.”
“Give me some context, then.”
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Describe each day of the week as food.
Source: 500 Creative Prompts. Copyright © 2019 Piccadilly (USA) Inc.
 
Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
  
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE
 
CREDITS
Story: “My Food Is Speaking to Me” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
 
Music by LEE ROSEVERE
“Decompress”
“Thoughtful”
“Start the Day”
“Under Suspicion”
“It’s A Mystery”
“Reflections”
“Slow Lights”
“Awkward Silences (version a)”
“We’ll Figure it Out Together”
 
Music by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Vocal effects created with Audacity
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org and bandcamp.com
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A fully stocked refrigerator seen from an angle with the door opening out to the left. The top third contains a freezer section. Recognizable items in the door are bottles at bottom, milk cartons, jars, butter (labeled), and at top, ice cream and a bag of chicken nuggets (labeled). Recognizable items in the main compartments include vegetables, a carton of eggs, a covered bowl, and flat cartons labeled “pizza” and “pepperoni.” Text bubbles surround the refrigerator. The three at left read as follows from top to bottom: “On toast? I’m in,” “Time for tacos. Lime for tacos,” and “Saute in me!” The five at right read as follows: “Why wait for Sunday?” and “Scramble me,” “Poach me,” “I want to be a pot pie,” and “Stew us!” (four times).

During his first week working at a unique pizzeria, Ronnie encounters some uncanny late-night customers, who place an order for the rarest pizza on the menu.
Genre: Fantasy
 
Excerpt:
“What…what will this one do?” Ronnie asked as he folded fresh rosemary leaves and parmesan flakes into the dough.
“It’ll make the customer swoon with pleasure upon first bite is what it will do.” Madeleine Miriam cocked an eyebrow. “And it’ll treat those infected gums on the left side of his jaw.”
 
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
Describe your favorite food in no more than five words.
Source: A Writer’s Year: 365 Creative Writing Prompts. Text by Emma Bastow. Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers
(The five words I wrote were, “Cheesy, chewy, crispy, saucy, zesty.”)

Faster Fictioneer
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method.  If you’ve got 40 minutes, I can teach you an abbreviated version of that method, right here: FASTER FICTIONEER
(If you want to learn even more, I’ve got info about my online course on that page too.)
 
I’ve Got Issues For You
The Storyfeather Gazette is a monthly round-up of my recent podcast episodes, short stories, trailers, news, recommendations, and more that I send by email. Follow the link to look through old issues and to Sign Up: STORYFEATHER GAZETTE
  
Storyfeather-themed merchandise
T-shirts, mugs, stickers, notebooks, baby onesies, and more featuring artwork from stories and art challenges
STORYFEATHER TEEPUBLIC STORE
 
CREDITS
Story: “Madeleine Miriam's Pizzapothecarium” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel
 
Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
 
Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)*
“Fugue For One Synthetic Heart (No Percussion)”
“Ground Control”
“March Of The Waking Lights”
“Cozy Afternoons”
“Evolving Cities”
“Forest Bathing”
 
Music by CHRIS LOGSDON*
“Level 2”
“Level 8”
“Level 1”
 
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Andrea Baroni and Chris Logsdon licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping to align with my narration.
 
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Chris Logsdon at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
 
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Lying on a tabletop at left seen from one corner is a pizza box that’s slightly open to show a pizza with multiple toppings within. The box is labeled “Pizzapothecarium” along the front overlapping edge. The bottom edge reads “Supreme,” “Double Pepperoni,” and “Triple Sparkle.” Each choice has a checkbox in front of it. A fourth option is obscured by a small bottle sitting in front of the box, with a label on a string attached around the neck. The right edge of the box is labeled “Madeleine Miriam’s.” The top of the box, at a steep angle, shows a smiling woman from waist up holding up a pizza at shoulder level in the hand of her bent right arm, and resting her left hand on her hip. At right, four bottles stand on the tabletop: two with caps, one with a cork stopper, and one with a glass stopper. One label reads “Essence T. Aquaticus” with further writing below that is illegible. One bottle is labeled with a number “1,” and another with the number “9.” Words appear above the numbers but only a few letters are visible. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along bottom of pizza box. Top and bottom borders to make the image square contain distorted portions of the main image.