Cast of Wonders
The Young Adult Speculative Fiction Podcast
Please click on a submission type to begin a new submission.
Audio Upload
This is the portal for submitting your completed narration or guest host audio files. You can use the cover letter section of the form to include any updates to an existing bio. If you are a new narrator/host, we'd also like you to submit a full bio using the author/narrator bio submission portal, where you can also upload your optional bio image. Should you wish to update your details at any time, please get in touch with the editor directly. We are not currently accepting general auditions. Please do not upload unsolicited auditions or stories to this portal, they will not be reviewed.
Author, narrator and host bio
This portal is for authors of accepted stories, narrators and guest hosts to provide their bio text and (optional) image for our website.
Banned Books Week 2023
Guiding Sparks Between the Words: How Stories Illuminate the World Around Us In times of conflict, division and change, it is more important than ever to build bridges of understanding. We most commonly encounter the stories of others through news articles or in classrooms, kept at a scholarly or journalistic distance and often biased to favour privileged perspectives. Our own truths may also remain unvoiced and unknown, misunderstood even by those around us. When it comes to illuminating these truths, stories have a key part to play: they help us to learn and appreciate things from perspectives we might never otherwise consider, and allow us to reshape our own experiences within the transformative lens of fiction. When we share our stories, we guide sparks of kinship and understanding, using narrative and emotion to help others experience a small window into another’s reality. For Banned Books Week 2023, we want to see stories of discovery, of learning, of misconceptions unraveled, and how stories can serve as a guiding light to help us understand a new perspective, or to teach us valuable lessons when all other methods fail us. What that something is…well, that is up to you! At Cast of Wonders, we welcome stories that portray the full spectrum of human experience. We don’t challenge stories; we want stories to challenge us! Cast of Wonders looks for stories that evoke a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them. We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence, or pervasive obscene language. Preference for this submission window is under 5,000 words with an absolute limit of 6,000 words. Flash submissions under 1.5k are also very welcome! Submissions must adhere to Cast of Wonders guidelines.
The following submission types are temporarily closed:
Demonstration Window--Test
This is a test. Do not submit. ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DELETED UNREAD.
Currently Closed to Submissions
Flash Fiction Contest 2020
This is the portal for submitting stories for our 2020 Flash Fiction Contest. The submission call information can be found at on our website at https://www.castofwonders.org/2020/08/the-2020-cast-of-wonders-flash-fiction-contest-is-here/. We're looking for original flash fiction stories of no more than 500 words in length. Stories should also meet the usual Cast of Wonders submission guidelines.
Currently Closed to Submissions
Flash Fiction Contest 2022
This is the portal for submitting stories for our 2022 Flash Fiction Contest. The submission call information can be found at on our website at https://www.castofwonders.org/2022/08/cast-of-wonders-flash-fiction-contest-2022/. We're looking for original flash fiction stories of no more than 500 words in length. Stories should also meet the usual Cast of Wonders submission guidelines.
Currently Closed to Submissions
General Submissions Nov/Dec 2022
Short fiction between 1500 and 6000 words in length, and flash fiction between 100 and 1500 words in length
Currently Closed to Submissions
Seasonal & Holiday Submissions
Original flash fiction of 100 to 1500 words in length. Original short fiction of 1500 to 6000 words in length, but shorter than 4.5k is preferred. Reprints up to 6000 words in length. Stories should be YA genre-fiction, and have a clear link to a particular holiday or event, e.g. Halloween, Valentines, Christmas, or other festivals
Currently Closed to Submissions
Young Author Showcase 2023
A special limited-demographic submission window for Young Authors only (aged <20 on 30th April 2023). Cast of Wonders' standard submissions guidelines otherwise apply: all stories should contain a clear speculative element and be appropriate for a YA audience. Documents should be fully anonymised. We particularly encourage submissions from authors whose backgrounds are under-represented in publishing, and also love #ownvoices submissions. Detailed guidelines at: https://www.castofwonders.org/submissions/ Don't self-reject!
Currently Closed to Submissions