A Specter in Amber

A woman observes an unnatural change in her sister linked to a chunk of amber that her sister stumbles upon and begins to study.

Genre: Mystery

Excerpt: I heard her climbing up to check on the source of the clatter, just as I had. And when I heard Marta enter the room and scream, half of me wanted to turn around and comfort her.

The other half of me wanted to keep locking gazes with the specter that was floating outside the attic window..

What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on.

This story revisits the Year One story entitled “Nocturnal,” in which a couple of agents who typically investigate unusual cases centered around science, must partner with the division of their agency that investigates the supernatural and paranormal. I aimed to the write the “origin story” of that division that investigates the paranormal, and found my aim shifting to focus on one strange incident that might eventually inspire the creation of that division.

If you’d like to listen to another story of women from a past era who find themselves contending with supernatural metamorphosis, I recommend “The Galvanic Ghost.”

MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork? Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE

MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletters. Fictioneering mischief and writing tips. Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)

CREDITSStory: “A Specter in Amber” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Evidence” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Whispers” “At night” “Blood and bones” “Unsolved” “Inspector” “Evidence” “Witches”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg) Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A young woman wearing late nineteenth-century dress sits just left of center before an alcove with three windows bearing ornate snowflake patterns on the top pane. She is looking down at a book in which she is writing. A candle burns at the bottom left. A ghostly hand presses against the bottom right pane. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders. The bottom border is shards of light reflecting yellow and blue shades from the main drawing. The top border is a blurred version of the window tops. Watermark of “Storyfeather” vertically along panel between center and right window.