“FLAMING MARSHMALLOW,” by Camille Alexa.
Read by Colleen AF Venable. (20min)

I’m so freaking excited I can hardly stand it.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow is my birthday, the birthday. The birthday everybody waits and waits for and until you get there you just hate that all your old friends already got theirs and you’re the only one without it yet, and sometimes you think holy-freaking-eff, I’m never going to turn sixteen, but then you do.

This is what I’ve been waiting for all these months. All these years, I guess, though before my friends started getting theirs, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. We were all No-Knows then.

Tomorrow, I’m finally going to feel like I belong.

Tomorrow, I’m going to find out how I die.

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Direct podcast feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/machineofpodcast

Camille Alexa lives with fossils, dried branches, pressed flowers, and other dead things in ¼ of an Edwardian house in the Pacific Northwest. She’s fond of big dogs, warm bread, post-apocalyptic love stories, and the serial comma. Her short fiction collection, Push of the Sky, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and has been nominated for the Endeavour Award.

In the book, “FLAMING MARSHMALLOW” is illustrated by Shannon Wheeler!

TRIVIA: This story was also published in audio in 2008 by Escape Pod, read by Dani Cutler!

TRIVIA: We have just learned that Jonathan Shockley, who read “MISCARRIAGE” for us, is also behind the internet phenomenon “100 Ways to Love a Cat.” You’re welcome.

So the team at Orpheos Productions has been putting together some original Machine of Death monologues that they’re going to release online soon! There’s a teaser trailer up now on their site (which is also styled to look like one of the Machines):

We haven’t seen any of the actual videos yet but the trailer is super promising and they should be out soon! This kind of fan art that is SUPER EXCITING.

ps: click the “place finger in hole” button for your own, instant, online reading, which hopefully will agree with the reading available through the mail here

I and several of the MOD artists will be at the MoCCA Art Festival in Manhattan this weekend! It’s a two-day congregation of cartoonists, artists, and generally interesting people. In attendance will be at least:

me, David Malki !
artist Aaron Diaz
artist Kate Beaton
artist Jess Fink
artist Scott C.
artist Dorothy Gambrell
artist Christopher Hastings
artist Carly Monardo

We also have a new Contributors page that tells you more about all these lovely people!!

Come to the TopatoCo booth — L10 — to find most of the people listed above and/or pick up a free Death Prediction Card. Just say the secret words: “How do I die?”

You can also follow that link to see how to get a free card by mail! Either way we have you COVERED as far as getting a free card goes. You can MAKE IT HAPPEN for yourself.

SPECIAL GUEST! On Sunday afternoon starting at 2pm, we’ll also have a special appearance by Kit Yona, author of “FUDGE.” A rare chance to get another signature in your book!

You are covering your book furiously with contributor signatures right

“HIV INFECTION FROM MACHINE OF DEATH NEEDLE,” by Brian Quinlan.
Read by Jason Frederick.

“Well,” I thought, “that sucks.”

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Direct podcast feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/machineofpodcast

Brian Quinlan recently earned a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at Virginia Tech. He has yet to decide what the hell he’ll do next..

Jason Frederick is a comedy writer and performer. He lives in Los Angeles.

In the book, “HIV INFECTION FROM MACHINE OF DEATH NEEDLE” is illustrated by KC Green!