Round 2 of Official Podfic Reccing.
taking time out of my busy schedule of terrorizing dugindeep via twitter/bbm/any other mode of communication possible to do something constructive with a freebie day off.
> Post I: The Original "I'm A Newb" Podfic Post, With Recs;
> Interlude: [in which claire is a most awesome new podficcer!];
Post II: A Selection of Recs After Much Initial Sniffing About
i think we've all figured out i have a new-found and healthy obsession with podfic. since i'm so late to the game, i am doing a lot of catching up, which is difficult and time consuming not because i don't have the time to listen to podfic, but because i find favorites, and listen to them over and over.
at any rate, please bear in mind that as i am a newb, these recs are likely recordings you've already listened to, if you are a seasoned listener! i am aiming to ensnare and draw in the nola_rue's of fandom XD
a word about my podfic preferences: they have honed some! i am amazed at how truly unique of an experience it is to listen to a story, especially when read by someone other than the author. there are stories i have loved reading that just do not work for me as podfic, and there are podfics i have absolutely lost my mind over, and never would have read the fic as posted.
PODFIC, IS, ART. and i respect it like a motherfucker.
i have listened to plenty that didn't work for me one way or the other: whether due to quality, reading style, story itself, etc. i have found that there are definite gold standards, and that the hype is definitely to be believed. the readers i am focusing on are truly fearless in their reading; they commit to their characters and squeeze the emotional tones of their stories within inches of their lives. they seriously blow me away with how clearly they attune themselves to even the smallest of details, turning a fantastic story into a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE.
unsurprisingly, i still have not heard it all, so take these recs as you will, and do some exploring of your own!
> juice.
there are many, many things i love about juice's podfic, and here i will say i have not even tapped half of it so i'm sure i will find plenty more to coo about. she has such a low, even, calming pitch to her voice that it makes you curl up with a blanket, all safe and in good hands. she has these incredibly subtle inflections of humor, and awe, and vulnerability, and wonder, that can really give you pause when you're in the mood for reflection. SHE CAN MAKE HER VOICE SMILE. she's so beautifully and easily an emotional mirror for the stories she reads. and, sorry, but she also can read porn like nobody's business. damn, girl. fierce.
audiofic archive || audio_by_juice || juice817
break loose ranch verse;
written by technosage [ text]; j2 au - jared owns a ranch, and jensen becomes something of a weekend visitor. juice gives you a jared you positively burn for, with how much you want him to win over his man. the first two parts of this in particular had me face-palming; juice can hit that character's yearning like nobody's business - and man, jared aches.
when you care enough to hit send verse;
written by longsufferingly [ text]; j2 au - the adventures of jensen hooking up with a prospie and living to tell about it via ecards. absolutely hilarious to listen to, and juices makes their love so epic you'll end up with to-your-toes fuzzies.
somersault verse;
written by not_refined [text?]; sam/dean - a story where dean suddenly must devote his life to helping his brother heal, and doesn't mind a bit. in truth i do not epically love this story -- it's a sam with a little more innocence/naivete/helplessness than i can read -- but if you're into it, good GOD. she reads dean like every moment is a revelation, like every moment he is just terrified and vulnerable, and somehow still hopeful, and endlessly devoted. it is absolutely gorgeous.
aural;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; j2 au - an absolutely delicious fic about jensen's real-world conflicts being smashed to bits by a sexy-as-hell voice on the other end of his phone line. this here is what i'm talking about when i say juice is fierce. THIS IS FIERCE.
> sadcypress.
emily is one of the strongest and most distinctive voices i have heard in podfic; i might go ahead and say she is #1 in that regard. she reads a story like it better just lie down and take it, or she'll have to rough it up some. there is a fantastic wry quality to her voice; she nails the slightest hitches of humor in a piece and makes them matter, and absolutely kills it whenever sarcasm is there to play its part. when she turns soft and vulnerable, you know it's important, and the stark contrast is always enough to knock your socks off.
audiofic archive || sadtreepodfic || sadcypress
your comment is awaiting moderation;
written by latentfunction [ text]; sam/dean - dean finds out about sam's online sex blog. MY FAVORITE. no words. have listened so many times.
i wanna hold you til i die;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; sam/dean - dean is hit with a most snuggly curse, and sam resists. the second emily gives sam his dawning moment of realization, you want to hit the roof with how in love with this story you are. squeefists. epic ones.
sub rosa;
written by malcolm-stjay [ text]; sam/dean, beauty & the beast style - the story itself takes a bit to warm up, but absolutely delivers. the tone was MADE for emily to read, half hilarious and half fixated wonder, on both boys' parts.
life is a banquet (and most poor suckers are starving to death);
written by chaobell [ text]; sam/dean - the winchesters are cursed, and man are they HUNGRY. the start of this, with the redcaps, makes me die laughing, half awesome writing and half amazing delivery. scottish accent, for the win.
on midsummer's nights i dream of winchesters;
written by deirdre_c [ text]; sam/dean - cursed to speak their hearts via shakespeare, these boys have a startling journey of discovery in an old playhouse. great storytelling by dei, taken advantage of by a great reader who somehow gives an unearthly amount of realism to these well-chosen tangles of poems.
> candle beck.
to be completely honest, it is not even right or okay how much i love candle beck's podfic. hand to god i'm embarrassed about it. but to be fair: i've been in fandom since mid-s1 and have avoided sam/dean like the plague until this year, so her writing is also completely new and wondrous to me. she only records her own writing, far as i know, which gives her this very special quality of being intimately and deeply connected to what she's reading. she writes these brothers at their very best and worst, not in their overall history but on a day-to-day basis. her dean is fucking relentless, refuses to give an inch, and her sam is positively tortured by restless teenage anger and the impossible task of keeping it all bottled up. when they give in to each other it is breathtaking. these are a few, but i can't pick favorites. just download everything.
audiofic archive || spn master list || candle_beck
and i have asked to be where no storms come;
[ text]; a story about sam cracking under the weight of having to stay stuffed into a family that doesn't fit him anymore, and how hard dean works to make it better. there are incredible explorations of john's character in this, and it also contains my favorite moment in all of candle beck's podfic: dean and john having coffee together, father and son, dean slugging back black coffee and "making an exaggerated, delicious! face." there are no words for how much i love that moment of dean making his dad laugh.
smart people who do dumb things;
[ text]; "i shouldn't have pushed, but you shouldn't have said no." this is absolutely painful with the drag of denial between them, and here is that tortured version of sam, punching down everything he knows and feels until he breaks, and rails against it. i love how hard he pushes dean in this, how dean's voice absolutely quavers at times. another fantastic podfic moment: sam winning 20 questions in 5.
welcome to fog city;
[ text]; a burning connection that straddles sam's time away at stanford via late-night phone calls. their shit-eating dynamic at the start of this is something you'll find in all of candle beck's writing, on some level, and it is hard not to love how much they get under each others' skin - even when it turns serious, and too nasty. "you're really fuckin dumb all the time." OOF.
american myth;
[ text]; a story about a shit night that perks up when the impala gets stolen. this is another one where sam's internal conflict completely guts me; it is just so brutal and real - a breed of anger i remember having in my late teens. the winchesters go to a crazy, crazy place in this piece, and it is insane to listen to.
> fayjay.
i've only listened to three of fayjay's podfics, but i am blind with love for all three. she is just a brilliant reader; i am most in love with her stuff when she is giving her characters their moments of uncertainty and doubt. you just hang there, listening, overwhelmed with sympathy and wanting so badly for them to figure themselves out. she's also very, very funny, and creates these absolutely hysterical flat moments. "someone you might have been" was one of my favorite podfic experiences EVER so far.
audiofic archive || archive of our own || pandarus @ dw
someone you might have been;
written by fleshflutter [ text]; j2 au - jared's a "covert operative" and jensen's his handler. this is a ruthless, brutally emotional story, and fayjay reads it as such. never for one second was i bored, nor could i turn it off. i literally spent an entire day with my headphones on, going bananas.
and i wake up blind, like my dreams are too bright;
written by strangeandcharm [ text]; this is a fantastic piece about castiel giving up, abandoning jimmy, leaving him alone to suffer through a trying ordeal, while jimmy slowly drives himself crazy without reprieve. fayjay wrenches every ounce of fight and despair out of this situation and accordingly gives her listeners an intensely satisfying ending.
carrion comfort;
written by fayjay; [text]; sam/dean - "lucifer rises, and dean falls." a short piece i don't want to say much about, but the fight dean gives is so compelling; and trying to wrap your head around the mindfuck that is sam is well worth the listen.
> 7pennies.
probably the greatest pair since pb & j, tess and penny have an eye for fantastically funny moments and absolutely breathless declarations of love. it's truly remarkable how their readings can go from poking out lols to demanding reverent contemplation. they each have their own unique styles, and utilize them beautifully when recording together. i am addicted to their stuff.
audiofic archive || 7pennies || pennyplainknits & countess7
if on a winter's night a fangirl;
written by trinityofone [ text]; dean/castiel - a story in which fanfic is trying to communicate with the winchesters et al, and we actually get to see some poignant sides of becky, our narrator. i cannot stress enough how funny this is. for anyone who's never listened to podfic, this is an excellent place to start.
breakfast for dinner, or other entries in the liber miraculorum;
written by aesc [ text]; dean/castiel - an awkward run-in at a diner, wherein castiel's epic love is showing, and dean is sort of humiliated. the trading of narrative is brilliant and to die for, and omfg "cheese sticks!" DIE, LAUGHING, EVERY TIME.
twice for yes;
written by pennyplainknits [ text]; j2 - SILLINESS, AND LOVE. i seriously want to say nothing else about it. a completely enchanting story to listen to, and an utter gigglefest.
+ tess!
though my eyes could see i still was a blind man;
written by trinityofone [ text]; dean/cas - this is totally a cosmic reading, and the first time i heard it i was completely taken aback. tess put every last inch of herself into this one, and it is huge, and downright burning with love.
fall;
written by rageprufrock [text]; dean/castiel - a lovely story about fall, and muffins, and castiel a year into being human. tess just has this fantastic reading style that lends itself to sarcasm and flirting, always managing to capture the undercurrent of honesty.
+ penny!
counting the steps to the door of your heart;
written by annella [ text]; j2 au - probably my favorite tale of geeklove in fandom, and was so happy that penny was the one to record it. she is so excellent in moments of jensen's anger and indecision, bits where he's fighting over himself on how to feel. again, penny will never ever fail to bring the laughs: EXTERMINATE.
and the rest, as they say, is history;
written by raina_at [ text]; j2 au - a fandom staple, in which jensen is a dog handler for jared, who's a blockbuster movie star. there are some fantastic instances of jensen's plain, direct, blunt honesty with himself, and in all of his conversations with jared, penny can give this quiet wistfulness that makes you ache for him. totally addicting to listen to.
[penny, i have not forgotten about reparo! i can't stop listening to spn stuff but it's definitely still in my head to listen to XD]
> claire.
this makes no sense to me, but claire has only been recording podfic for three months. she is easily one of my favorites to listen to, all guts, all glory, all in, every time. you can hear when she's gritting her teeth, or smiling, or giving a moment's reflection to let something sink in. like the rest of these wonderful women, she commits to every word of a story, doesn't let anything slip by her unaddressed. it is a really great way to experience fic.
i've recced a bunch of her stuff in a past post, and this week she podficced a story of mine, which you should absolutely listen to: come pick me up [ text].
audiofic archive || podfic tag || painted_pain
come into my parlour;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; j2 au - a short, breathlessly sexy bit about a couple of guys and a tattoo shop. the intensity and anticipation are overwhelming; claire pulls so much out of such a brief piece.
sing and i will hear you;
written by oatmeal_queen [ text]; dean/castiel - i'm slow, so by the time i figured out what was going on here, i was mindlessly in love with it. i love dean in this, fiercely; talking tough, and yet feeling the deep drag of solitude.
it's a long walk back from eden;
written by acerbus_instar [ text]; gen - this is a long, emotional journey for sam, but what really brings the noise for me is claire's rendition of gabriel. so absolutely pitch-perfect, and satisfying. in his anger, in his crude mockery, and especially in his relenting to sam's needs, he is an attention magnet.
> and now, a brief mix of wonderful readers reading wonderful stories!
+ roque clasique!
the idea of an island, by eighth_horizon [text];
that's me in the spotlight, by vorpalblades [ text];
tryin' to make a living and doin' the best i can, by roque [ text];
all read by roque_clasique; okay, i refuse to separate these, and put one before another; they are all unrelated stories by different authors, but they are all gen and outside pov, and AWESOME listening. i'll admit she had me at a joanna newsom snippet, but i adore her version of the winchesters; easy, confident, matter-of-fact. i listened to them all in one night, and loved the impression i got of the world looking in on our favorite brothers.
credit in the straight world;
read by ann_ciudad & written by vaingirlfic [ text]; sam/dean pre-series - okay it took me a while to listen to this, for whatever reason, but omfg it killed me, i loved it, to the ends of the earth and back. sam and dean have a memorable encounter while dean's under the spell of a glamour, forgetting it immediately; in the meantime, it haunts sam for years. i will say i don't love the portrayal of john, but i can understand why it needed to be that way. overall this is a really great reading.
the jared padalecki untitled project;
read by fanfic_read_by (issaro) & written by sometimesophie [ text]; j2 au in which the boys aren't on the best of terms, but warm up quick when they're forced to work together. the story itself is a bit long, but i loved issaro's reading of it. she has this lovely even tone that tips nastily when the boys cut at each other, and goes warm when they light on their own affections.
importantly: thank you, writers of this post, for providing fandom with some seriously inspiring and gorgeous fic. KEEP WRITING. we love you, and we want more. and then more.
equally importantly: thank you always to general_jinjur, cybel, the maintainers at amplificathon and the rest of the audiofic archivists, for their positively herculean efforts in maintaining the audiofic archive and the lovely phenomenon that is the podfic subculture!
i hope i've given you a lot to listen to, if you're new, and for those who've heard these dozens of times, let's OMFG SQUEEE over how lucky we are to have these ladies.
lastly, i always welcome recs of your very favorites, in any fandom, self-recs included. thanks to everyone who's recced me stuff in the past, apologies if we haven't gotten to discussing! but here's another chance, if you're down for it!
> Post I: The Original "I'm A Newb" Podfic Post, With Recs;
> Interlude: [in which claire is a most awesome new podficcer!];
Post II: A Selection of Recs After Much Initial Sniffing About
i think we've all figured out i have a new-found and healthy obsession with podfic. since i'm so late to the game, i am doing a lot of catching up, which is difficult and time consuming not because i don't have the time to listen to podfic, but because i find favorites, and listen to them over and over.
at any rate, please bear in mind that as i am a newb, these recs are likely recordings you've already listened to, if you are a seasoned listener! i am aiming to ensnare and draw in the nola_rue's of fandom XD
a word about my podfic preferences: they have honed some! i am amazed at how truly unique of an experience it is to listen to a story, especially when read by someone other than the author. there are stories i have loved reading that just do not work for me as podfic, and there are podfics i have absolutely lost my mind over, and never would have read the fic as posted.
PODFIC, IS, ART. and i respect it like a motherfucker.
i have listened to plenty that didn't work for me one way or the other: whether due to quality, reading style, story itself, etc. i have found that there are definite gold standards, and that the hype is definitely to be believed. the readers i am focusing on are truly fearless in their reading; they commit to their characters and squeeze the emotional tones of their stories within inches of their lives. they seriously blow me away with how clearly they attune themselves to even the smallest of details, turning a fantastic story into a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE.
unsurprisingly, i still have not heard it all, so take these recs as you will, and do some exploring of your own!
> juice.
there are many, many things i love about juice's podfic, and here i will say i have not even tapped half of it so i'm sure i will find plenty more to coo about. she has such a low, even, calming pitch to her voice that it makes you curl up with a blanket, all safe and in good hands. she has these incredibly subtle inflections of humor, and awe, and vulnerability, and wonder, that can really give you pause when you're in the mood for reflection. SHE CAN MAKE HER VOICE SMILE. she's so beautifully and easily an emotional mirror for the stories she reads. and, sorry, but she also can read porn like nobody's business. damn, girl. fierce.
audiofic archive || audio_by_juice || juice817
break loose ranch verse;
written by technosage [ text]; j2 au - jared owns a ranch, and jensen becomes something of a weekend visitor. juice gives you a jared you positively burn for, with how much you want him to win over his man. the first two parts of this in particular had me face-palming; juice can hit that character's yearning like nobody's business - and man, jared aches.
when you care enough to hit send verse;
written by longsufferingly [ text]; j2 au - the adventures of jensen hooking up with a prospie and living to tell about it via ecards. absolutely hilarious to listen to, and juices makes their love so epic you'll end up with to-your-toes fuzzies.
somersault verse;
written by not_refined [text?]; sam/dean - a story where dean suddenly must devote his life to helping his brother heal, and doesn't mind a bit. in truth i do not epically love this story -- it's a sam with a little more innocence/naivete/helplessness than i can read -- but if you're into it, good GOD. she reads dean like every moment is a revelation, like every moment he is just terrified and vulnerable, and somehow still hopeful, and endlessly devoted. it is absolutely gorgeous.
aural;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; j2 au - an absolutely delicious fic about jensen's real-world conflicts being smashed to bits by a sexy-as-hell voice on the other end of his phone line. this here is what i'm talking about when i say juice is fierce. THIS IS FIERCE.
> sadcypress.
emily is one of the strongest and most distinctive voices i have heard in podfic; i might go ahead and say she is #1 in that regard. she reads a story like it better just lie down and take it, or she'll have to rough it up some. there is a fantastic wry quality to her voice; she nails the slightest hitches of humor in a piece and makes them matter, and absolutely kills it whenever sarcasm is there to play its part. when she turns soft and vulnerable, you know it's important, and the stark contrast is always enough to knock your socks off.
audiofic archive || sadtreepodfic || sadcypress
your comment is awaiting moderation;
written by latentfunction [ text]; sam/dean - dean finds out about sam's online sex blog. MY FAVORITE. no words. have listened so many times.
i wanna hold you til i die;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; sam/dean - dean is hit with a most snuggly curse, and sam resists. the second emily gives sam his dawning moment of realization, you want to hit the roof with how in love with this story you are. squeefists. epic ones.
sub rosa;
written by malcolm-stjay [ text]; sam/dean, beauty & the beast style - the story itself takes a bit to warm up, but absolutely delivers. the tone was MADE for emily to read, half hilarious and half fixated wonder, on both boys' parts.
life is a banquet (and most poor suckers are starving to death);
written by chaobell [ text]; sam/dean - the winchesters are cursed, and man are they HUNGRY. the start of this, with the redcaps, makes me die laughing, half awesome writing and half amazing delivery. scottish accent, for the win.
on midsummer's nights i dream of winchesters;
written by deirdre_c [ text]; sam/dean - cursed to speak their hearts via shakespeare, these boys have a startling journey of discovery in an old playhouse. great storytelling by dei, taken advantage of by a great reader who somehow gives an unearthly amount of realism to these well-chosen tangles of poems.
> candle beck.
to be completely honest, it is not even right or okay how much i love candle beck's podfic. hand to god i'm embarrassed about it. but to be fair: i've been in fandom since mid-s1 and have avoided sam/dean like the plague until this year, so her writing is also completely new and wondrous to me. she only records her own writing, far as i know, which gives her this very special quality of being intimately and deeply connected to what she's reading. she writes these brothers at their very best and worst, not in their overall history but on a day-to-day basis. her dean is fucking relentless, refuses to give an inch, and her sam is positively tortured by restless teenage anger and the impossible task of keeping it all bottled up. when they give in to each other it is breathtaking. these are a few, but i can't pick favorites. just download everything.
audiofic archive || spn master list || candle_beck
and i have asked to be where no storms come;
[ text]; a story about sam cracking under the weight of having to stay stuffed into a family that doesn't fit him anymore, and how hard dean works to make it better. there are incredible explorations of john's character in this, and it also contains my favorite moment in all of candle beck's podfic: dean and john having coffee together, father and son, dean slugging back black coffee and "making an exaggerated, delicious! face." there are no words for how much i love that moment of dean making his dad laugh.
smart people who do dumb things;
[ text]; "i shouldn't have pushed, but you shouldn't have said no." this is absolutely painful with the drag of denial between them, and here is that tortured version of sam, punching down everything he knows and feels until he breaks, and rails against it. i love how hard he pushes dean in this, how dean's voice absolutely quavers at times. another fantastic podfic moment: sam winning 20 questions in 5.
welcome to fog city;
[ text]; a burning connection that straddles sam's time away at stanford via late-night phone calls. their shit-eating dynamic at the start of this is something you'll find in all of candle beck's writing, on some level, and it is hard not to love how much they get under each others' skin - even when it turns serious, and too nasty. "you're really fuckin dumb all the time." OOF.
american myth;
[ text]; a story about a shit night that perks up when the impala gets stolen. this is another one where sam's internal conflict completely guts me; it is just so brutal and real - a breed of anger i remember having in my late teens. the winchesters go to a crazy, crazy place in this piece, and it is insane to listen to.
> fayjay.
i've only listened to three of fayjay's podfics, but i am blind with love for all three. she is just a brilliant reader; i am most in love with her stuff when she is giving her characters their moments of uncertainty and doubt. you just hang there, listening, overwhelmed with sympathy and wanting so badly for them to figure themselves out. she's also very, very funny, and creates these absolutely hysterical flat moments. "someone you might have been" was one of my favorite podfic experiences EVER so far.
audiofic archive || archive of our own || pandarus @ dw
someone you might have been;
written by fleshflutter [ text]; j2 au - jared's a "covert operative" and jensen's his handler. this is a ruthless, brutally emotional story, and fayjay reads it as such. never for one second was i bored, nor could i turn it off. i literally spent an entire day with my headphones on, going bananas.
and i wake up blind, like my dreams are too bright;
written by strangeandcharm [ text]; this is a fantastic piece about castiel giving up, abandoning jimmy, leaving him alone to suffer through a trying ordeal, while jimmy slowly drives himself crazy without reprieve. fayjay wrenches every ounce of fight and despair out of this situation and accordingly gives her listeners an intensely satisfying ending.
carrion comfort;
written by fayjay; [text]; sam/dean - "lucifer rises, and dean falls." a short piece i don't want to say much about, but the fight dean gives is so compelling; and trying to wrap your head around the mindfuck that is sam is well worth the listen.
> 7pennies.
probably the greatest pair since pb & j, tess and penny have an eye for fantastically funny moments and absolutely breathless declarations of love. it's truly remarkable how their readings can go from poking out lols to demanding reverent contemplation. they each have their own unique styles, and utilize them beautifully when recording together. i am addicted to their stuff.
audiofic archive || 7pennies || pennyplainknits & countess7
if on a winter's night a fangirl;
written by trinityofone [ text]; dean/castiel - a story in which fanfic is trying to communicate with the winchesters et al, and we actually get to see some poignant sides of becky, our narrator. i cannot stress enough how funny this is. for anyone who's never listened to podfic, this is an excellent place to start.
breakfast for dinner, or other entries in the liber miraculorum;
written by aesc [ text]; dean/castiel - an awkward run-in at a diner, wherein castiel's epic love is showing, and dean is sort of humiliated. the trading of narrative is brilliant and to die for, and omfg "cheese sticks!" DIE, LAUGHING, EVERY TIME.
twice for yes;
written by pennyplainknits [ text]; j2 - SILLINESS, AND LOVE. i seriously want to say nothing else about it. a completely enchanting story to listen to, and an utter gigglefest.
+ tess!
though my eyes could see i still was a blind man;
written by trinityofone [ text]; dean/cas - this is totally a cosmic reading, and the first time i heard it i was completely taken aback. tess put every last inch of herself into this one, and it is huge, and downright burning with love.
fall;
written by rageprufrock [text]; dean/castiel - a lovely story about fall, and muffins, and castiel a year into being human. tess just has this fantastic reading style that lends itself to sarcasm and flirting, always managing to capture the undercurrent of honesty.
+ penny!
counting the steps to the door of your heart;
written by annella [ text]; j2 au - probably my favorite tale of geeklove in fandom, and was so happy that penny was the one to record it. she is so excellent in moments of jensen's anger and indecision, bits where he's fighting over himself on how to feel. again, penny will never ever fail to bring the laughs: EXTERMINATE.
and the rest, as they say, is history;
written by raina_at [ text]; j2 au - a fandom staple, in which jensen is a dog handler for jared, who's a blockbuster movie star. there are some fantastic instances of jensen's plain, direct, blunt honesty with himself, and in all of his conversations with jared, penny can give this quiet wistfulness that makes you ache for him. totally addicting to listen to.
[penny, i have not forgotten about reparo! i can't stop listening to spn stuff but it's definitely still in my head to listen to XD]
> claire.
this makes no sense to me, but claire has only been recording podfic for three months. she is easily one of my favorites to listen to, all guts, all glory, all in, every time. you can hear when she's gritting her teeth, or smiling, or giving a moment's reflection to let something sink in. like the rest of these wonderful women, she commits to every word of a story, doesn't let anything slip by her unaddressed. it is a really great way to experience fic.
i've recced a bunch of her stuff in a past post, and this week she podficced a story of mine, which you should absolutely listen to: come pick me up [ text].
audiofic archive || podfic tag || painted_pain
come into my parlour;
written by lazy_daze [ text]; j2 au - a short, breathlessly sexy bit about a couple of guys and a tattoo shop. the intensity and anticipation are overwhelming; claire pulls so much out of such a brief piece.
sing and i will hear you;
written by oatmeal_queen [ text]; dean/castiel - i'm slow, so by the time i figured out what was going on here, i was mindlessly in love with it. i love dean in this, fiercely; talking tough, and yet feeling the deep drag of solitude.
it's a long walk back from eden;
written by acerbus_instar [ text]; gen - this is a long, emotional journey for sam, but what really brings the noise for me is claire's rendition of gabriel. so absolutely pitch-perfect, and satisfying. in his anger, in his crude mockery, and especially in his relenting to sam's needs, he is an attention magnet.
> and now, a brief mix of wonderful readers reading wonderful stories!
+ roque clasique!
the idea of an island, by eighth_horizon [text];
that's me in the spotlight, by vorpalblades [ text];
tryin' to make a living and doin' the best i can, by roque [ text];
all read by roque_clasique; okay, i refuse to separate these, and put one before another; they are all unrelated stories by different authors, but they are all gen and outside pov, and AWESOME listening. i'll admit she had me at a joanna newsom snippet, but i adore her version of the winchesters; easy, confident, matter-of-fact. i listened to them all in one night, and loved the impression i got of the world looking in on our favorite brothers.
credit in the straight world;
read by ann_ciudad & written by vaingirlfic [ text]; sam/dean pre-series - okay it took me a while to listen to this, for whatever reason, but omfg it killed me, i loved it, to the ends of the earth and back. sam and dean have a memorable encounter while dean's under the spell of a glamour, forgetting it immediately; in the meantime, it haunts sam for years. i will say i don't love the portrayal of john, but i can understand why it needed to be that way. overall this is a really great reading.
the jared padalecki untitled project;
read by fanfic_read_by (issaro) & written by sometimesophie [ text]; j2 au in which the boys aren't on the best of terms, but warm up quick when they're forced to work together. the story itself is a bit long, but i loved issaro's reading of it. she has this lovely even tone that tips nastily when the boys cut at each other, and goes warm when they light on their own affections.
importantly: thank you, writers of this post, for providing fandom with some seriously inspiring and gorgeous fic. KEEP WRITING. we love you, and we want more. and then more.
equally importantly: thank you always to general_jinjur, cybel, the maintainers at amplificathon and the rest of the audiofic archivists, for their positively herculean efforts in maintaining the audiofic archive and the lovely phenomenon that is the podfic subculture!
i hope i've given you a lot to listen to, if you're new, and for those who've heard these dozens of times, let's OMFG SQUEEE over how lucky we are to have these ladies.
lastly, i always welcome recs of your very favorites, in any fandom, self-recs included. thanks to everyone who's recced me stuff in the past, apologies if we haven't gotten to discussing! but here's another chance, if you're down for it!