Hey there, everyone!
Thanks for tuning into another episode of Beneath the Rain Shadow. We hope this show will be as valuable to you as it is entertaining, and we truly appreciate you being here.
Our first story of the season comes to you from our intrepid leader, Tamara Kaye Sellman.
Based on the prompt: Hitchhiker, Grain Silo in Eastern WA, and Seattle Sports Fan, she has conjured the tale of Brody, a young man who, despite being down on his luck, experiences his first taste of true freedom as he flies the proverbial nest of his home. But he’s about to learn that every opportunity comes with a cost. On his way to a new job arranged by his alcoholic father, he is offered work at a successful and “sustainable” pig and potato farm. Better pay, better benefits… it even comes with a free motorcycle…
Gordon, Clay, and M have all read and re-read the story and brought critical, constructive feedback to help Tamara craft the best narrative possible.
Join us for a fun exploration of the early writing and editing stages in a classic Milford-style critique!
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This episode from Season 2 of BENEATH THE RAIN SHADOW is brought to you by Fermented Fiction (https://linktr.ee/fermented.fiction)
Music and sound effects via Epidemic Sound
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In this month’s hot seat: Tamara
(Working)Story title: GRAY MANTID FARM
Prompts (timestamps for reveals):
49:11 Gordon reveals his prompt (Pacific Northwest quirk: salmon)
50:00 Tamara reveals her prompt (horror trope: “nuclear” umbrella)
52:32 Clay reveals his prompt (Location: Amtrak in WA state, any line)
Next show livestreams February 25, 2026 (youtube.com/@FermentedFiction)
Next recorded show drops February 4, 2026 (fermentedfiction.substack.com/s/sinister-soup)
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List of links to worthy mentions from recorded show (in order)
(people, books, events, news items etc + anything related to BTRS Books or Fermented Fiction)
04:35 Author Jamie Flanagan
05:09 Seattle Chapter HWA
07:14 Kat Day at PseudoPod
08:31 Thoughts on Knausgård and the flow state: Inside Hook | Internal Exile | LessWrong
09:35 Widening Our Worlds zine (WA/MT/ND/SD/AK chapter, Authors Against Banned Books)
10:56 Gamut Presents Short Speculative Plays Workshop with Erik Keevan
11:22 University of Washington Certificate in Film & Video Production
11:32 Crypticon III anthology call for submissions, deadline Feb 14, 2026
11:38 Dread Writers Society Altruist Newsletter Column: American Mirror
27:01 Clarion West
27:45 ”On the Importance of the Authorial Voice” (The Kenyon Review)
27:59 “What Does Lynchian Mean: David Lynch’s Cinematic Style (StudioBinder)
28:34 “Craft Essay: Productive Ambiguity (The Masters Review)
29:14 “The Mask That Inspired the Seahawks Logo” (Burke Museum)
36:07 “NFL Trademarks: Licensing, Enforcement, and Legal Risks” (UpCounsel)
37:41 Kuru
48:16 Soylent Green
51:30 “’Like a nightmare’: Amtrak train, trapped by snow for 36 hours, arrives back in Seattle”
(Seattle Times)54:20 “Ferguson seeks emergency declaration from FEMA as 100,000 expected to face
evacuations” (My Northwest)57:27 “Podcasts from the Shadows: For Those of Us Who Like to Explore the Dark Places”
(Aqueduct Press blog)58:08 Rain Shadows: Dark Tales from Washington State (2025; BTRS Books)
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ABOUT YOUR HOSTS
Clay Vermulm: Podcaster, author, editor, filmmaker, publisher
https://www.clayvermulmfiction.com/
Of interest: Cairn (Voices from the Cold trilogy, Book II) [Dark Forest Press 2026]
Tamara Kaye Sellman: Author, podcaster, editor, filmmaker, publisher
Of interest: Rain Shadows: Dark Tales From Washington State [BTRS Books, 2025]
M. Leigh: Podcaster, author
https://www.mleighstories.com/
Of interest: “Where Are All The Boogeyladies?” [Horror Inherent, 2024]
Gordon B. White: Podcaster, author, mentor
https://www.gordonbwhite.com/
Of interest: Gordon B. White is Creating Haunting Weird Horror(s) [Trepidatio Publishing, 2023]
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Don’t forget to like, follow, rate, and subscribe!
Contact us:
BTRS BOOKS: rainshadowstories.com
BTRS Podcast home: fermentedfiction.substack.com/s/sinister-soup
BTRS Livestream/YouTube: youtube.com/@FermentedFiction
BTRS Patreon: patreon.com/BeneaththeRainShadow2024
