Drabblecast 156 - Going to the Chapel

[Kevin Anderson]

Drabble- Vow
by Nathan Lee

Going to the Chapel
by Sandra Odell

Amilee Jo Baker’s day of wedded bliss was the biggest scandal the congregation of Millton County’s First Brotherhood Baptist Church had endured since Ginger Lynn married that Liebowitz boy from the Army, bless her heart...



Art by Jan Dennison

[dreamrock]

Oh, god. I can't even begin to tell you how impressed I am with the narrator's skill at saying the groom's name. In fact, the narrator was all around stunning.

I now have the hard choice of deciding whether I like this story or What Fluffy Knew better out of the stories in the Women And Aliens History Month. This story was so frakking awesome. As a long-term resident of the south, this story strikes so many chords and the dialogue rang true. "Bless his/her heart" is like an extra-polite flip-off.

Congrats, Eric!

It would be bad ... but slightly funny if this actually happened. Tons of people leave their cell phones on during flights and even if they don't use the airplane mode, it doesn't affect anything so if you're not a compulsive rule-follower like me, it can be easy to get complacent about it.

On a recent flight, the flight attendant making announcements was saying, "Our box in the cockpit that tells us when people have devices on shows lots of people still using iPhones, and iPods, and Kindles, and laptop computers. We can't take off until you turn your devices off," etc.

I was tempted to turn on my phone just to spite the universe and people who tell absurd lies, but I'm a compulsive rule-follower so the FLIGHT WAS SAVED AND I'M A HERO. Not really.

I'm trying to figure out if I'd read Scattercat's The Vow before. Excellent drabble. I had no idea where that was going, but I ought to have realized.

[moonowl]

Awesome! I'm packing to fly to a Texas wedding tomorrow! Very topical, bless your heart!

This may be one of the best read Drabblecast ever. Excellent voice acting.

[Richmazzer]

I agree, tremendous charisma in the lead role. If Norm takes a narration break, he sure doesn't skimp on the sub. And he's got mega-shoes to fill, so that's saying something. Again, another great, solid non-Norm read, maybe the BEST (dunno, Sarah Tolbert last week was pretty awesome.)

I think the Drabblecast effectively outdid itself this week, and gosh that must be getting hard for Norm at this point. The production, I mean, WOW. Of course, the story fit Drabblecast like a glove, it's almost inevitable superlativeness. And that's some letters, not a word.

I just started typing "this episode was just pure and simple great entertainment" and then deleted it. Because you know what? There was a predator at this wedding...and he was pissed when the groom exploded, along with everyone else. I even heard him activate his wrist blades! That's not just pure and simple, that's exceptional right there. Even the yep yep aliens from Sesame Street were invited. The sound effects were glorious, my favorite scene was when the groom's side was being described while alien spurts and splats sputtered along with Jesu Joy of Man'd Desire on the organ.

I think Odell's best achievement with this story is the image I got from the perspective of the bride and groom looking out over all the wedding guests. On the left are a bunch of weird ass aliens dripping slime and burbbling and on the right side a bunch of weird ass humans, picking their noses and gossiping. The Bride/Groom-side seating arrangement inherit in weddings was as a great idea and brilliant opportunity for the author to exploit to compare and contrast.

Hats off to Nathan for his Drabble wizardry. Keep 'em coming.

[Raptor Redux]

Three great stories again. Being from Texas and attending weddings there, it brought back some interesting memories.

You can get through just about anything with a good supply of pralines...

And finally, it gives new meaning to, "Give us all some jelly"

[swamp]

Awesomely fun!! Great work by everyone involved!

[Mr.Shadowbxre]

I'm going to have to practice saying the groom's name. Very impressive. Superb Voice acting. I really hope we hear from her again...and you too Norm. The story was very well written. The drabble of course was a great match for the episode and got us all into the "Cooky Wedding" mode right away. Everybody, drinks on me! Great work.

[tbaker2500]

Very entertaining. Lauren Synger did a top notch job narrating. Hard to beat. I was very impressed with Norm's narration in the drabble. You're getting good, bud.

The drabble was awesome. I didn't see it coming (I should have), it took my brain a bit to come around, and I listened to it again with a smile on my face. (Yay for chapters, easy to listen a second time!)
The main story was delightful.

Since you were asking for critiques, one thing stood out of place. It is traditional to let the heavy southern drawl to carry the story without background music. The dramatic background music seemed over the top in several places. But upon reflection, I'm wondering if that was not the effect you were looking for?

[Scattercat]

Yay catching up on podcasts for the week!

Glad most people liked the drabble; the reading, I think, improves it dramatically. (Pun!) However, if there's any way to adjust the podcast intro... it's http://www.mirrorshards.ORG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, not .com. Someone is squatting on the .com version, so I couldn't get that one.

*returns to listening*

[ROU Killing Time]

I'm sure Norm can change it to http://www.mirrorshards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. <mutant sea turtles>

[Scattercat]

I liked the story, but I'm not entirely certain why the groom exploded. It can't be the normal method of reproduction, or else his 'parents' would never have been able to come and visit him and his bride-to-be in the in-laws' house...

[bell]

You mean it doesn't happen at every wedding, that the groom turns into a scattered smear of quivering undifferentiated protoplasm, to the delight of guests and family alike, and the less chance there is of him ever being put back together again, the more successful the marriage is reckoned? Coulda fooled me. dang good story!

[Phenopath]

Awesome, Lauren's narration made that story for me.

[Beth Peters]

That was great! I was highly entertained by the main story, although, like Scattercat, I did wonder about the alien life-cycle (hey, this is the Drabblecast, this type of thing matters the most!) I wasn't sure how him exploding got her pregnant, or if that was really the case. I only noticed this on the second listen, the first time I was too busy cracking up at the crescendo of sound effects and mayhem going on.

Agreed with everyone that this episode was a narrator showcase, Norm really sold the Drabble (I can't believe I didn't see that coming either! The sorcerer mystic sacrifice fire art was a great diversion technique. Interesting how DC uses visuals in the podcast to reinforce intended effect of audio. Speaking of which, the art this week was particularly creative and well done I thought.) And Lauren Synger was fantastic.
Loved all the sound effects too. This one was just over the top in every way.

[shagin]

Thank you for the comments about the story. And thank Norm and Lauren for a wonderful production.

As for the groom exploding, while the species in question is known for its diverse bio-tolerance, Amilee was the first human biped to be introduced into the gene pool, and the groom could not stand the tension. Thankfully, his clone podlets will have a happy home and carry on his good name.


Sandra M. Odell
Bremerton, Washington

[ROU Killing Time]

Yay, another author shows up and graces us with her presence. I can't wait to give this episode a listen. (I usually hop all over a new drabblecast but I've been losing sleep with my own project, but I'm gonna go download it right away.)

Whenever the forum gets so excited about an episode, I know it's gonna be great.

I've got an old high school buddy who teaches and spends lots of time in writer's groups that lives in Bremerton. You don't know a guy named Mark Shipley by any chance, do you?

[tbaker2500]

Thanks for stopping by! Was this your first foray into the weird, or do you have a collection of these goodies?

[ROU Killing Time]

Ok, gave the episode a listen.

Suffice it to say I've now found the 2nd story that will go in my top 5 peoples choice nominations for 2010.

Scattercat, you are gonna have one helluva good shot in the drabble category too, methinks. Must have been cool to hear your bit brought to life so dramatically.

Likewise for the main story, like times 10,000. When Norm teams up with great voice actors it goes from being story to a modern rebirth of the golden age of radio theater.

Bravo!

[shagin]

Thanks for stopping by! Was this your first foray into the weird, or do you have a collection of these goodies?

The weird and I are old friends, but it doesn't stop by for tea and kidlets as often as it used to. I was only trying to be honest when I mentioned its breath, but...is it my fault if weird is sensitive? I mean, c'mon...

My husband had a geekgasm picking out the sound effects. A friend born and raised in Tennessee threw a bit of a hissy with Lauren's pronounciation of pralines ("It's pray-lean, like you're talkin' to God before you fall on your face.") but other than that loved the southern drawl.

I'm hoping Norm will pick up another story. I loves me some DC, but sometimes a woman's gotta take matters into her own hands. *pulls on the rubber glove with a tug and a snap*

Sandra M. Odell
Bremerton, Washington

[Talia]

I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of Southern culture and alien.. weirdness. I think that's one of the main things that makes the story as fun as it is. I mean you could stage the same story in NYC and I don't think it would come off a fraction as playfully amusing as it did. There's something about Southern culture, or should I say, perceptions of it, that, combined with the outlandish scenario, adds a lot of humor.

Good times.