Worlds Without Warning

TGFM

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Weekly short stories read aloud by their authors. From Cetera Magazine, featuring literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction exploring memory, rebellion, folklore, and other worlds without warning. Stories edited by Natalia Emmons and Jon Negroni.

2d ago

Rain Check – A Literary Short Story By Emily Brown

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, we’re reaching into the Cetera Magazine archive for “Rain Check” by Emily Brown, originally published May 21, 2026. Jon Negroni reads aloud the story of Marge, a woman ninety-two days sober whose carefully planned backpacking trip changes when her sponsor cancels at the last minute. Rather than stay home, Marge takes her permit, shoulders her pack, and heads into the wilderness alone, with a storm already moving toward the trail. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Emily Brown is a writer and poet based in Toronto. When she is not writing, she can usually be found walking by the lake, buying books she has no shelf space for, or making coffee she forgets to drink. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Emily Brown Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 3

Carcinization – A Speculative Short Story by Danielle Wilfand

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “Carcinization” by Danielle Wilfand, which is a science fiction/speculative story about a chronically ill woman who travels 10,000 years into the future searching for the man she loves and discovers that everything has evolved into crabs. As she waits for him to find his way through time, however, this alien future begins to feel unexpectedly accommodating to a body that her own world increasingly treated as a problem. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Danielle Wilfand resides in Denver, Colorado where she is a first-year internal medicine resident at the University of Colorado. She enjoys writing about and examining her experience of living with chronic illness through different lenses. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Danielle Wilfand Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 30

What We Were Good At – A Literary Short Story by Jon Negroni

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his short story “What We Were Good At,” a literary story about two longtime friends who finally act on the romantic possibility everyone around them has already noticed. As familiarity gives way to expectation, two people who once knew exactly how to be together have to confront the possibility that changing the relationship has also changed what made it work. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s published two books, as well as short stories for IHRAM Press, The Fairy Tale Magazine, and more. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Jon Negroni Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 27

Pete – A Speculative Short Story by Jeremy Morris

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “Pete” by Jeremy Morris. It's a funny, strange, and perhaps unexpectedly tender speculative story about a widow whose husband dies from cancer, only for another version of him to walk into her life. Blending multiverse science fiction with sex, absurdist comedy, and the mundane rhythms of life after loss, Morris asks whether another version of someone you loved can ever replace the particular person who is gone. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Jeremy Morris has been published in The Deadlands, Neon Demon, and SciFanSat. He's also won a Sloan Writing Fellowship, the Jubilee Prize, and the McGill Short Play Prize. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Jeremy Morris Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 23

A Little Something – A Literary Short Story by Vaidhy Mahalingam

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “A Little Something” by Vaidhy Mahalingam, which is a literary fiction story about an Indian immigrant trying to build his American Dream one meticulously inspected borehole at a time. When a building inspector’s exacting standards make him wonder whether the man might be waiting for “a little something,” memories return of the bribes, bureaucrats, moral compromises, and carefully maintained principles he thought he’d left behind in India. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Vaidhy Mahalingam came to the USA from India for graduate school, completed his PhD in Naval Architecture, and had a 29-year career in the tech industry. In retirement, he spends his time cherishing moments with his family and putting into words the stories that have lived in his thoughts for years. His short stories have been featured in Arkana, Pembroke Magazine, Solstice, MudRoom, The Temz Review, and The Write Launch. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Vaidhy Mahalingam Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 20

We All Must Attend the Deathbed of the Lich – A Dark Fantasy Story by Haden Cross

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “We All Must Attend the Deathbed of the Lich” by Haden Cross — a dark fantasy story about an immortal ruler finally approaching death and the kingdom ordered to gather at his bedside. Told through a collective “we,” Cross turns a fantasy death vigil into a story about propaganda, obedience, political memory, and the strange moment when a population realizes the supposedly permanent thing governing their lives can end. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Haden Cross is the author of The Uncontinented Stars, which was a finalist for the 2026 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction. Their short fiction has been featured in The Deadlands and Shadowrun: Augment. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Haden Cross Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 16

The Day Hikaru Died – A Science Fiction Story by Frances Koziar

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Day Hikaru Died" by Frances Koziar. This is a science fiction story about a family robot given an emotion chip by the man who raised her as his daughter. Blending quiet domestic detail with devastating loss, this story asks what it means to love someone whose life is slipping beyond your reach, and what remains in your hands once they're gone. The written version of this story was published on May 7, 2026. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Frances Koziar is an author with over 200 published stories, poems, and articles. She is a tricenarian (disabled) retiree with a Master’s of Archaeology (Anthropology) from McGill University, where she specialized in cannibalism and Aztec human sacrifice. She is an intersectional social justice activist, a gamer, painter, DM, musician, and a bubble tea fangirl. She lives in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Frances Koziar Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 30

Notch: The Lost Years – A Magical Realism Short Story by Patricia Caspers

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "Notch: The Lost Years" by Patricia Caspers — a fiction story about a woman named Alicia who has spent her whole life hiding a secret she's carried since infancy: a presence inside her body she calls Notchie, a turtle who has been whispering the word "girlfriend" since before Alicia knew what it meant. Part coming-of-age, part body story, part queer love story told through the language of shame and discovery, this is a tale about what happens when you meet someone who makes hiding feel worse than being seen. Originally published April 2nd and released in audio this week alongside our second poetry issue, "The Body Keeps the Score." You can find the written version right here. About the Author Patricia Caspers is the founding EIC of West Trestle Review. She is the author of three full-length poetry collections, most recently The Most Kissed Woman in the World. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College (RIP), and her award-winning work has appeared widely in journals such as Ploughshares, Pithead Chapel, and Cimarron. She is a Unitarian Universalist. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Patricia Caspers Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This EpisodeIf you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trailer

Introducing: Worlds Without Warning

Get ready for Worlds Without Warning, a new weekly podcast where stories come alive through the voices of their creators. Worlds Without Warning features original short stories from Cetera Magazine, read aloud by the authors themselves. Each week brings a new tale that might surprise you, move you, or even haunt you a little. As a subscriber, you can expect: Diverse genres: Literary fiction, speculative stories, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction that defies categorization Recurring themes: Memory, rebellion, folklore, and worlds that change without warning Author insights: Behind-the-scenes looks at inspiration, process, and the wonderfully weird facts that spark imagination Quality curation: Every story carefully edited by Natalia Emmons Human creativity: All stories written without AI assistance About Cetera Cetera publishes original short fiction every Thursday, complete with original artwork and detailed author notes. These are stories written with care, intention, and the belief that fiction can be one of the best forms of surprise. Links & Resources Read the stories: cetera.substack.com Submit your work: Visit cetera.substack.com for our open submissions page Subscribe: Available wherever you get your podcasts Credits Host: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekly short stories read aloud by their authors. From Cetera Magazine, featuring literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction exploring memory, rebellion, folklore, and other worlds without warning. Stories edited by Natalia Emmons and Jon Negroni.

Creator

TGFM
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

42
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 Thank God For Movies
Show Website

Worlds Without Warning