Just under the wire, since there's still a few hours left of Christmas...at least in our time zone, here's our annual holiday spectacular.

Jaxon has written a letter to Santa Claus. He needs something a little out of the ordinary this Christmas. Will he get it? Ho, ho ho!

Afterwards, Big and Rish talk about the story, believing in Santa, and the crazy things people name their children...and their characters these days.

Special thanks to Justin Charles for producing today's story, and to Renee Chambliss and Dave Robison for lending their voices to the tale.

Sorry kids, I'm a bit too tired and busy to do a Christmas story this year.*  But I'm still up for talking about doing a story, and about the Christmasness of it all.

It's a five year plan, and I've just made it to the end of month...two, I guess, although October was an extra month, so maybe it's just month one. Anyway, I'm here to report again on how things went this month, and to make a few promises as well.

Sony made an announcement. Then Fox made an announcement! Then Warner Brothers made announcement too!! Then Marvel made an announcement as well!!?!

Sorry guys, my calendar is a little full, I don't know if I can fit this all in.

So, here's the end of the story.  Special thanks to Marshal Latham, who was kind enough to lend his voice to this episode.

Hopefully, you enjoyed the lengthier story (and the shorter space between shows).  If so, let us (ie, me) know.

As usual, the full text can be purchased on Amazon, and the audiobook on Audible.

Originally, this was going to be the final episode of my presentation of "Birth of a Sidekick." But now . . . it's not.

Music by Kevin McLeod, of Incompetech.  Special thanks to Gino Moretto for the logo, which is only 612 times better than what I came up with myself.

Once, Big and Rish both read J.K. Rowling's non-Potter books at the same time. And once, they talked about it. And talked. And talked.

The end.

Continuing the story from last time, here is my long(er) form experiment in action.

*If you'd like to purchase the story, the ebook can be found at Amazon.com, and the audiobook is at Audible.com or Amazon.com.

The Chromatic Knights are out destroying vampires, which means that the clean up crew will have some work to do. The Blue Knight does a lot of good, but he really ought to give a thought or two to the little guy.

I'm a trombone, you're a clarinet. Afterward, Rish and Big talk janitor work, Little Caesars, and wait...why is that light blinking? What does that blinking light mean?

Special thanks to Justin Charles for producing today's story as well as providing the episode art, and to Renee Chambliss and Julie Hoverson for lending their voices to the tale.

So, Big recently caught up with ABC/Disney/Marvel's "Agents of SHIELD" series, and was keen to talk to Rish about it, who had watched them when they aired. They discuss (and spoil) the first season (and a couple season two episodes) of the show.

Skye in the red dress.

So, I'm going to try something a little different here. I'm going to run my somewhat-lengthy story "Birth of a Sidekick" on the Rish Outcast, breaking it up into sections.* If people enjoy that, I'll do it again, if I ever find the ambition.

I'll try to put out these episodes in a more rigid schedule, and see if I can't get the tale told in a timely manner.

*If you would care to purchase the story, the ebook can be found at Amazon.com and the audiobook is at Amazon.com and Audible.com.

So, how did everything go this month with the goals I'd set for myself? How is my five year plan coming along? Listen in and find out.

Big, Rish, and Bryan Lincoln talk about the project, and little green men.

Warning: may include science.

Rish took it upon himself to write an audio drama for the final nights of this marathon. Is it inspiration...or madness?

Well, we've pretty much reached the end of our marathon, and Rish doesn't know if he wants to run this episode or not.

But hey, what else is he going to do?

Big and Rish continue their own, and listeners' spooky stories. Aren't you scared?

Well, that's just fine.

Getting tired, folks. I'll be honest with you.

Rish and Big will try to bring you a couple of scary tales, including a couple provided by helpful listeners. Warning: may include gluten.

What? What's this? Who are you? How did you get here?

Only somewhat related to the urban legends topic, Rish and Big briefly talk about the Rock Music = Satan hysteria of the late Seventies/Eighties. Rish wishes he had talked more about how Depeche Mode contributed to Mephisto's plans.

Big is disturbed about the recent onslaught of all things Pumpkin Spice.

But why aren't you?

Rish Outfield and Big Anklevich continue their daily podcast about their favorite holiday!

One of Rish's favorite things--besides Pepsi-Cola, frogs, inappropriate jokes, and mammary glands, that is--are Urban Legends, aka "Friend of a Friend stories."

Growing up with a hundred and sixteen brothers and sisters, Big never once got a chance to try any of the famous(?) monster cereals. Now, in 2014, he's gonna rectify that injustice.

In a continuation from last night, Rish and Big talk about scaring people--particularly children.

Warning: may include wailing.

Oh no, Big and Rish are back with their daily tribute to All Hallow's Eve!

Unfortunately, the forces (of darkness? of light?) conspired against them and this episode--already recorded under the wire--was lost, forcing them to re-record it, and edit it on the day it was due to come out.

Hopefully, the rest of the episodes will be less stressful.

So, this is an episode from back in July, before I got so homeplessly behind on my podcasting.  Ah, who am I kidding?  I was behind then, and I was behind the year before that

But in this episode, which started out as me trying to do a blog post when I was too busy to do a blogpost, I talk a bit about what's going on in my world, and an idea I got for forthcoming episodes. 

Also, I present, "Sea Monkey Do," a little piece briefly summarizing the origin of the worst child scam in modern history (not taking Pokemon cards into account).

This is, hopefully, only the first in a series of more regular podcasts from yours truly (and Fake Sean Connery, if I can ever get our schedules to synch).

An entity is pulled from its slumber, to perform its duty. What is that duty? It’s pretty distasteful. Listen to the dark poem by Bryan Lincoln that was good enough to force Big and Rish’s hand, and make them run their least favorite literary genre on their show.

Afterward, Rish and Big curse Bryan’s name, and vow to avenge the wrong he has done to them. They also praise his good looks, and flounder about pathetically while trying to interpret just what happened in the poem. Luckily, Sonny See was there to rescue them.

Special thanks to Sonny See for producing and narrating today’s story, as well as providing the episode art.

So, no story this time, though they are on the way.  Find out what's coming for me, my projects, and the Dunesteef.  I recorded this quickly because it's rare to get me in a positive, goal-oriented mood.

Let's see if I can get it posted as quickly.

After being pressured and threatened by Rish Outfield, I finally got around to recording another Anklecast. In this one, I talk about the experience of establishing a deadline for myself to have a story written by, and then actually managing to finish the story before that deadline arrived.

Not long ago now, Big got the idea to write a story "live" on his blog. Rish did the same. Then, they did it again. Now, they discuss it, Big's ambitions, Rish's bete noir, and writing stories that, ahem, suck balls.

At long last, the story that you never thought you'd hear. It's the lostest of the lost episodes of the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine.

It is the age of super science. Dr. Nefarious is on the verge of inducing the singularity and destroying the world. The only hope for humanity is Malcolm...well, he's not the only hope, there is a plan C. Don't look for plan B, it's not back there.

Afterward, Big and Rish apologize profusely to Matthew, and tell the sad, twisted tale of The Empire State Building Strikes Back's journey to audio publication. It's a really sad, twisted tale. And...we're really sorry this took so long, Matthew.

Special thanks to Renee Chambliss, Marshal Latham, Dave Thompson "Podcastle Enforcer", L. Scribe Harris, and Tom Tancredi for lending their voices to the episode, and to Sonny See for providing the episode art.

(aka "Khal Drogo On A Rickshaw Bicycle . . . Your Argument Is Invalid")

So, a month or so back, Big and Rish went to a convention, taking kids along. Things did not go exactly as planned.

Bria Burton brings the boys some bait and a switch. When Crystal awakens in another woman's body, she thinks she knows what she's there for, but this switch is different than her past experiences.

Afterward, Rish and Big talk about the premise of this Triple Word Score contest winner, but can't quite recall what show it reminds them of.
 
Special thanks to Wendy Cooper for producing today's story, and to Renee Chambliss, Nicole Suddeth, and Wendy Cooper for lending their voices to the episode.

Everyone finds the Others revolting. They are aliens, unwelcome visitors now squatting on Earth. And when Hughes is forced to partner up with one of the Others for his Biology class presentation, he is mortified and disgusted. But will he still feel that way once he's gotten to know her? 

Afterwards, we invite the producer of today's story, Clay Dugger, into the studio to discuss the story, its length, and lack of awesomeness.
 
Special thanks to Clay Dugger for producing today's story, to Renee Chambliss, Thea Killen-Smith, Dave Robison, Rich Girardi, Abigail Hilton, jay Langejans, Julie Hoverson, Joe Zieja, Gina Moretto, Bryan Lincoln, and Clay Dugger for lending their voices to the episode, and to Gino Moretto for creating the art for the story.

On their way home from what possibly could have been the worst Chinese restaurant of all time, Marty and Liza miss a hairpin turn on an icy road, and get to find out just what exactly could be worse than Murray's Chinese Cuisine.

Afterwards, it's Stephen King vs. George R. R. Martin, planners vs. pantsers, and Hulk vs. anti-vaccine folks.
 
Special thanks to Pete Nixon for producing today's story, and to Matt Nixon, Heather Nixon, and Todd Flatland for lending their voices to the episode.

It's the live episode we recorded at this year's New Media Expo.

Gretta's child is scheduled for "the test".  She knows he won't pass it, and is determined to do everything she can to get out of it.

Afterwards, Big and Rish welcome in a whole group of guests to talk about the story and this year's New Media Expo experience.
 
Special thanks to Justin Charles for producing today's story, to Bryan Lincoln, Renee Chambliss, Marshal Latham, Abigail Hilton, and Johnny Fiesty for lending their voices to the episode.

Sarah feels alone and empty now that both Nana and Papa Bill have both passed on and left her to wend her way through life completely on her own.  Could they possibly still have something in store for her to help her be happy?

Afterwards, Rish and Big discuss gloaming, gloaming, and more gloaming.  Believe me, it really becomes tedious, and I'm a fan...of gloaming that is.
 
Special thanks to Jeremy Carter for producing today's story, to Katherine Inskip for lending her voice to the episode, and to Dave Krummenacher for making today's art.

It's a sequel everybody!  But not really, more like a side-quel.  Or whatever the Scorpion King movie was.  It's that.  Recorded live at the NMX, then taken home and edited and sweetened until you'd never know that it was once live, it's "Fatherly Pride." Rish Outfield is digging up that barbecue sketch idea that he used in last year's episode called "Wedded Bliss."  Three guys are having a conversation at a barbecue.  That's what the plot is, go...

Afterwards, Rish and Big talk about performing comedy live before a studio audience, parenthood/unclehood, and debate for long pointless hours just which Jeff Speakman flick is the best.
 
Special thanks to Bryan Lincoln and Marshal Latham for lending their voices to the episode.

Clay Dugger brings the stirring tale of one man's search to regain the happiness of his youth...and the interesting folks he finds it with.  Aw, who am I kidding, just read the title, it should be enough right?

Afterwards, Big plumbs the depths of Rish's hate for all things surfer related.  Just how deep does this twisted soul's hate run anyway?  I mean, how hateful and awful can one person be? Well, this is Rish we're talking about, so...
 
Special thanks to Jonathan Wilson for providing the art for the episode.

In our final episode recorded live at the New Media Expo in Las Vegas, we perform Scott Sigler's short story "Chuckles Mulrooney: Attorney For The Damned."  Satan keeps sneaking hidden clauses into the contracts people sign when selling their souls.  Chuckles himself got duped this way, but he's not taking it lying down.  He wants to stick it to the man.
 
Special thanks to Scott Sigler, Renee Chambliss, Johnny Feisty, and Marshal Latham for lending their voices to today's story, and to Bryan Lincoln for live-producing the performance.

In our second episode recorded live at the New Media Expo in Las Vegas, Rish Outfield presents "Overtaken."  It's Takeover Day in the town of Traysi, Arizona, and Nicole and Barry Dugger are unfamiliar with this particular phenomenon.  But that doesn't necessarily make them exempt from it.
 
Special thanks to Dave Thompson (Podcastle Enforcer), Renee Chambliss, Abigail Hilton and Algar Van Cluth for lending their voices to today's story, and to Gino Moretto for providing the artwork.

It's the first of three live readings performed at the New Media Expo that are headed your way.  On Saturday morning, we performed Mike Resnick's "Catastrophe Baker and the Ship Who Purred."  It's Catastrophe doing his favorite things, fighting and loving.

Rish and Big talk about the experience of performing before a live audience, and what went right and wrong.

Special thanks to Renee Chambliss, Abigail Hilton, and Chris Lester for lending their voices to today's story.

In Michael Grey's entry for the Triple Word Score contest, a soldier pits his skills against a tank, the elements, and a harsh commanding officer.  Produced by Tom Tancredi.

Special thanks to Tom Tancredi for producing today's episode, to Bayard Russell and Tom Tancredi for lending their voices to today's story, to Craig Weinberg for putting together the music, and to Alyssa Quinn for creating today's episode artwork.

Harris Tobias tells us the story of "Time Pressure," as the weight of chronons intensify, the further back in time one travels.  Time travel has become a sort of game between the great powers of the world, a game of tag, with almost no consequence.  Until a new player enters the game.
 
Afterward, Big and Rish talk about going back in time, buying rare baseball cards, stepping on butterflies, and knocking up Grandma.  Warning: there may be singing again.

Special thanks to Dave Krummenacher for creating today's episode artwork.

Does Thou Want To Make A Podcast?  'Tis the first winning story in the Dunesteef's Triple Word Score Contest, Jennifer Gifford's "Tainted Angels"  Where evil lurks in the guise of innocence, a world-famous archer also walks, dispatching of foes as only he can.
 
Afterward, Rish and Big talk about this contest, the story's length, and mythology behind it.  Unfortunately, there may be singing.

Special thanks to Bryan Lincoln for producing and narrating today's story.

We promised it, and it's finally here.  Just in time for a new year's New Media Expo.

Rish Outfield presents a "live" full-cast reading of his story "Office Visit."  Not much goes on in Genie and Sally's little town of McKay, except for riding up and down Main Street on their bicycles.  But when a new dentist opens an office there, and people start raving about his service, the girls take it upon themselves to investigate.
 
Afterward, Big and Rish are joined by the cast, Bryan Lincoln, Renee Chambliss, L. Scribe Harris, Marshal Latham, and Abbie Hilton, to discus their get-together, and the New Media Expo's pros and cons. 

Special thanks to Bryan Lincoln, Renee Chambliss, L. Scribe Harris, Marshal Latham, and Abbie Hilton for lending their voices to the tale.