Which is absolutely not a dig at folks who have won awards (I know tons whose recognition is well deserved) but more lamenting the lack of a methodology for judging in this medium that isn't impractically time-consuming!
I've been thinking a lot about this too, and feel that in many judged contests, "best" really means "most noticeable" -- which can be a catch-22 in some categories (like editing and producing) where the harder you work, the LESS noticeable that work becomes.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the audio edition! I love when authors we work with describe atmospheric sounds because it opens up opportunities to do cool stuff for the podcast 😊
Rihva is a kayal from the Shadow Plane with an obscure past. An opportunist and schemer who acts before she thinks, she’s the newest member of the party and on the run from some sort of debt. Rihva's player, Lian, is a huge nerd and also the show's co-producer.
Ira is a catfolk bard whose idealism and tendency to rush headlong into situations often gets him into trouble. He's motivated by love, and is on a quest to find redemption and maybe a soulmate or two along the way. Ira's player, Rev, is basically a labrador in human form who loves helping others.
Tonreir is an aloof half-elf druid. His intentions often shrouded, he works on bettering the land and ensuring its survival. His owl companion Rul'Thuin is always nearby, whether others are aware of it or not. Tonreir's player, Koulnis, is a traveling man and our show's resident Viking.
many people's real-life experiences, including teens, and I think a net positive to have that kind of representation in media when portrayed with care, especially coming from survivors.
This is kinda tangential to YA fiction, but I'm on a storytelling podcast with a fair number of listeners in that age range. We recently depicted abuse in a storyline that drew on my experiences and I also worried about it being "too much." But echoing what others have said here, it's reflective of
Thank you!! 💙
Thank you for saying this 💙 I've been feeling a lot of rejection sensitive dysphoria because of this lately and it's been hard not to get discouraged, so hearing this helps.