Worlds Without Warning

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “Carcinization” by Danielle Wilfand, which is a science fiction/speculative story about a chronically ill woman who travels 10,000 years into the future searching for the man she loves and discovers that everything has evolved into crabs. As she waits for him to find his way through time, however, this alien future begins to feel unexpectedly accommodating to a body that her own world increasingly treated as a problem. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Danielle Wilfand resides in Denver, Colorado where she is a first-year internal medicine resident at the University of Colorado. She enjoys writing about and examining her experience of living with chronic illness through different lenses. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Danielle Wilfand Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his short story “What We Were Good At,” a literary story about two longtime friends who finally act on the romantic possibility everyone around them has already noticed. As familiarity gives way to expectation, two people who once knew exactly how to be together have to confront the possibility that changing the relationship has also changed what made it work. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s published two books, as well as short stories for IHRAM Press, The Fairy Tale Magazine, and more. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Jon Negroni Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “Pete” by Jeremy Morris. It's a funny, strange, and perhaps unexpectedly tender speculative story about a widow whose husband dies from cancer, only for another version of him to walk into her life. Blending multiverse science fiction with sex, absurdist comedy, and the mundane rhythms of life after loss, Morris asks whether another version of someone you loved can ever replace the particular person who is gone. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Jeremy Morris has been published in The Deadlands, Neon Demon, and SciFanSat. He's also won a Sloan Writing Fellowship, the Jubilee Prize, and the McGill Short Play Prize. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Jeremy Morris Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “A Little Something” by Vaidhy Mahalingam, which is a literary fiction story about an Indian immigrant trying to build his American Dream one meticulously inspected borehole at a time. When a building inspector’s exacting standards make him wonder whether the man might be waiting for “a little something,” memories return of the bribes, bureaucrats, moral compromises, and carefully maintained principles he thought he’d left behind in India. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Vaidhy Mahalingam came to the USA from India for graduate school, completed his PhD in Naval Architecture, and had a 29-year career in the tech industry. In retirement, he spends his time cherishing moments with his family and putting into words the stories that have lived in his thoughts for years. His short stories have been featured in Arkana, Pembroke Magazine, Solstice, MudRoom, The Temz Review, and The Write Launch. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Vaidhy Mahalingam Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud “We All Must Attend the Deathbed of the Lich” by Haden Cross — a dark fantasy story about an immortal ruler finally approaching death and the kingdom ordered to gather at his bedside. Told through a collective “we,” Cross turns a fantasy death vigil into a story about propaganda, obedience, political memory, and the strange moment when a population realizes the supposedly permanent thing governing their lives can end. You can find the written version of this story right here. About the Author Haden Cross is the author of The Uncontinented Stars, which was a finalist for the 2026 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction. Their short fiction has been featured in The Deadlands and Shadowrun: Augment.  Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Haden Cross Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Day Hikaru Died" by Frances Koziar. This is a science fiction story about a family robot given an emotion chip by the man who raised her as his daughter. Blending quiet domestic detail with devastating loss, this story asks what it means to love someone whose life is slipping beyond your reach, and what remains in your hands once they're gone. The written version of this story was published on May 7, 2026. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Frances Koziar is an author with over 200 published stories, poems, and articles. She is a tricenarian (disabled) retiree with a Master’s of Archaeology (Anthropology) from McGill University, where she specialized in cannibalism and Aztec human sacrifice. She is an intersectional social justice activist, a gamer, painter, DM, musician, and a bubble tea fangirl. She lives in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Frances Koziar Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "Notch: The Lost Years" by Patricia Caspers — a fiction story about a woman named Alicia who has spent her whole life hiding a secret she's carried since infancy: a presence inside her body she calls Notchie, a turtle who has been whispering the word "girlfriend" since before Alicia knew what it meant. Part coming-of-age, part body story, part queer love story told through the language of shame and discovery, this is a tale about what happens when you meet someone who makes hiding feel worse than being seen. Originally published April 2nd and released in audio this week alongside our second poetry issue, "The Body Keeps the Score." You can find the written version right here. About the Author Patricia Caspers is the founding EIC of West Trestle Review. She is the author of three full-length poetry collections, most recently The Most Kissed Woman in the World. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College (RIP), and her award-winning work has appeared widely in journals such as Ploughshares, Pithead Chapel, and Cimarron. She is a Unitarian Universalist.  Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Patricia Caspers Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Closure of St. Jerome's Home for Foundlings" by Tamsin Liddell — a historical literary fiction story set in a Baltimore orphanage in the 1950s. Told from the perspective of Lucy Victoria, a blind girl found as an infant on V-E Day, this story follows three years of quiet transformation as the orphanage slowly empties and Lucy learns Braille, mathematics, and typing from a teacher named Miss Wagner. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Tamsin Liddell was born in Texas and has spent most of her life in the southern US. She lives with her spouse, their daughter, and far too many cats outside of Atlanta, GA. Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Tamsin Liddell Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new contemporary romance, "Texts after 3." Told entirely through late-night text messages over the course of a year, this story follows Nina, a coffee shop manager who can't sleep, and Adam, a middle school English teacher who can't either. What starts as a post–New Year's check-in between strangers slowly becomes the most honest conversation either of them has ever had, but complicated by the fact that Nina is dating Adam's best friend. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author and illustrator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015) and his debut fantasy novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). He's published short fiction for IHRAM Press, The Fairy Tale Magazine, The Vanity Papers, Discretionary Love, and many more. He’s the chief editor of Cetera Magazine, and his work has appeared or is forthcoming in several anthologies, including Neon Hemlock, Oddity Prodigies, Sinister Smile Press, Inked in Gray, and Speculation Publications. He was a finalist for the 2025 BCLF Elizabeth Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize, received an honorable mention for the Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry, and is a Best American Short Stories 2025–nominated writer. Visit Jon Negroni's author website to find more of his work Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author/Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Stranger in Apartment 3A, First Floor" by Mirav Levy — a ghost story told entirely from the ghost's perspective. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Mirav Levy is a speculative and horror Latina-SWANA writer who is passionate about creating emotionally resonant stories that stalk messy boys, chaotic girls, sentient Deaths, and memories we don't want to acknowledge. When she's not in her writerly costume, you can find her playing video games. She is currently working on her debut novel. She lives in Colorado with her husband and their menace of a cat. Visit Mirav Levy's author website to find more of her work Tip the author to support them and say thanks Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Mirav Levy Host & Narrator: Jon Negroni Editors: Natalia Emmons and Jon Negroni Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

In this special bonus episode of Worlds Without Warning, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Big Black Square" by Kasey Soska. He also shares Soska's author notes. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Kasey Soska is a professional science nerd and novice fiction writer. His PhD in developmental psychology is from New York University. His academic research has appeared in Developmental Science and Child Development. Kasey studied comedy at Second City’s Conservatory and performed sketch and improv shows in Chicago, Miami, and NYC. He returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he lives with his three-legged dog and two-legged wife. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Kasey Soska Host & Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

In this special bonus episode of Worlds Without Warning, Jon Negroni reads aloud "a Special Bond" by Marco Etheridge. He also shares editor's notes on why this story was published in Cetera Magazine. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Marco Etheridge is a writer of prose, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His work has been featured in over one hundred and fifty reviews across Canada, Australia, Europe, the UK, USA, and India. Marco’s short story “Power Tools” was nominated for Best of the Web for 2023 and is the title of his latest collection of short fiction. When he isn’t crafting stories, Marco is a contributing editor for a ‘Zine called Hotch Potch. In his other life, Marco travels the world with his lovely wife Sabine. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: Marco Etheridge Host & Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new short story "Second Run," which was published on January 15, 2026. He also shares his author's notes on the story behind this story. You can find the written version right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author and illustrator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015) and his debut fantasy novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). He's published short fiction for IHRAM Press, The Fairy Tale Magazine, The Vanity Papers, Discretionary Love, and many more. He’s the chief editor of Cetera Magazine, and his work has appeared or is forthcoming in several anthologies, including Neon Hemlock, Oddity Prodigies, Sinister Smile Press, Inked in Gray, and Speculation Publications. He was a finalist for the 2025 BCLF Elizabeth Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize, received an honorable mention for the Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry, and is a Best American Short Stories 2025–nominated writer. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "Hành Tinh Thu Doesn’t Welcome You" by C. Inanen. He also shares editor's notes on why this story was published on Cetera Magazine. You can find the written version right here. About the Author C. Inanen lives in the Midwest, USA. His work has been most recently published in Yellow Mama magazine. It will also be featured in the March 2026 issue of Close to the Bone, the June 2026 issue of Down in the Dirt magazine, and broadcast January 2026 on YouTube by Antimatter Dreams. He is a contributor to The Yard: Crime Blog. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Author: C. Inanen Host & Narrator: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new speculative romance story, "No Regrets." You can find the written version right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author and illustrator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015) and his debut fantasy novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). He's published short fiction for IHRAM Press, The Fairy Tale Magazine, The Vanity Papers, Discretionary Love, and many more. He’s the chief editor of Cetera Magazine, and his work has appeared or is forthcoming in several anthologies, including Neon Hemlock, Oddity Prodigies, Sinister Smile Press, Inked in Gray, and Speculation Publications. He was a finalist for the 2025 BCLF Elizabeth Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize, received an honorable mention for the Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry, and is a Best American Short Stories 2025–nominated writer. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new literary fiction story, "You're the Best." You can find the written version of "You're the Best" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut fantasy novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. He's the chief editor of Cetera Magazine and his work has appeared or is forthcoming in several anthologies, including Neon Hemlock​, Oddity Prodigies, Inked in Gray, Speculation Publications, and more. He was also a finalist for the 2025 BCLF Elizabeth Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and is a Best American Short Stories of 2025-nominated writer. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "You're the Best" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new literary fiction story, "Holiday Party." You can find the written version of "Holiday Party" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut fantasy novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. He's the chief editor of Cetera Magazine and his work has appeared or is forthcoming in several anthologies, including Neon Hemlock​, Oddity Prodigies, Inked in Gray, Speculation Publications, and more. He was also a finalist for the 2025 BCLF Elizabeth Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and is a Best American Short Stories of 2025-nominated writer. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Holiday Party" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni, Natalia Emmons, and Bridget Serdock present their collaborative cozy ghost story, "Someone Lived There Too." Set in an off-season Cape Cod rental cottage, this story follows Rena, an artist struggling with creative paralysis, who discovers that the old house she's staying in hasn't quite let go of its previous inhabitants. Blending slice-of-life grief with gentle supernatural communication and the mundane details of an artist trying to work again, the story explores how we leave traces of ourselves in the spaces we occupy and what happens when a haunted house isn't trying to scare you...it's just lonely. You can find the written version of "Someone Lived There Too" right here. Also Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Authors: Bridget Serdock, Natalia Emmons, and Jon Negroni Host: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons and Jon Negroni Artwork: Bridget Serdock Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new atmospheric horror story, "The Caller Isn't Human." Set during the graveyard shift at an all-night laundromat, this story follows Ray, a night-shift worker, through the hours between 2 and 4 a.m. when a payphone outside begins ringing at precise intervals, people start vanishing without explanation, and something begins testing the boundaries of the building. Blending cosmic dread with working-class isolation and meticulous attention to disrupted patterns, the story explores liminal spaces, the fragility of the systems we depend on, and what happens when reality quietly stops following rules you didn't know existed. You can find the written version of "The Caller isn't Human" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Caller isn't Human" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Special thanks to the Type. Tune. Tint. podcast for sponsoring this week's story.  Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new speculative horror story, "The Petals Beneath Her Tongue." Set in a near-future where emotions can be extracted and sold as consumable flavors, this story follows Vera Salazar, a disgraced influencer who signs a contract with Savorium to monetize her feelings...literally. Blending body horror with corporate exploitation and liturgical imagery, the story explores the commodification of authenticity, forced empathy, and what happens when the boundary between self and other dissolves completely. Content warning: this story contains visceral body horror, medical procedures, and themes of bodily exploitation. You can find the written version of "The Petals Beneath Her Tongue" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Petals Beneath Her Tongue" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new literary horror story, "Housekeeping for the Dead." Set during the night shift at the Starlight Motel, this story follows a housekeeper who cleans seven rooms while five stay locked, encountering different versions of the same dying woman in each one. Blending grief with supernatural repetition and the mundane details of motel housekeeping, the story explores complicated mourning and what happens when someone can't stop trying to care for a person they've already lost. Content warning: this story deals honestly with terminal illness, death, and watching someone fade slowly. You can find the written version of "Housekeeping for the Dead" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Housekeeping for the Dead" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Special thanks to the Type. Tune. Tint. podcast for sponsoring this week's story.  Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud "The Morrow Twins," a gothic horror story by Natalia Emmons, Cetera's managing editor making her fiction debut. Set in the fictional coastal town of Greyport, Massachusetts, this story follows Iris, who returns home for the funeral of childhood friend Thalia Morrow, only to encounter Tess—Thalia's twin sister whom Iris doesn't quite remember but somehow should. Blending psychological horror with haunted house atmosphere and New England gothic tradition, the story kicks off Cetera's Horror Month with twins, mirrors, and poppets with teeth. You can find the written version of "The Morrow Twins" right here. About the author: Natalia Emmons is the managing editor of Cetera Magazine and one of its cofounders. She mainly writes short fiction, poetry, and extremely long text messages about the perils of run on sentences. Listen toward the end of the show for Natalia's full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Morrow Twins" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine: We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits: Host: Jon Negroni Author: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Natalia Emmons Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share this story! If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Special thanks to the Type. Tune. Tint. podcast for sponsoring this week's story.  Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new fantasy story, "I Am the Wolf, I Am the Boy." Set in the mysterious Singing Woods, this story follows Ilen, a traveling bard searching for stories, who encounters Corrin, a young man cursed to transform into a wolf and forget anyone who truly loves him. Blending dark fantasy with queer romance, the story explores the ache of loving someone we're destined to lose and the role of art as memory that survives forgetting. You can find the written version of "I Am the Wolf, I Am the Boy" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "I Am the Wolf, I Am the Boy" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Special thanks to the Type. Tune. Tint. podcast for sponsoring this week's story.  Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his dark fantasy story, "Songs for the Dead and Drowning," which is a fan favorite originally published in May that we've been eager to share in audio form. Set in a fantasy version of Caribbean waters influenced by Taíno folklore, this story follows a nameless sirena who refuses to be the sanitized mermaid of popular culture, instead wielding teeth sharper than storms and a hunger for justice that runs deeper than any ocean trench. Blending brutal fantasy with cultural reclamation and environmental themes, the story explores what happens when wild things refuse to be tamed, when predators stop apologizing for their nature, and what revenge looks like when it comes from the sea itself seeking retribution against those who would plunder and possess it. You can find the written version of "Songs for the Dead and Drowning" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Songs for the Dead and Drowning" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new magical realism story, "The Archivist." Set in Oakland, this story follows Isandro, a DJ who returns home from a late-night gig to find a mysterious woman in his apartment cataloguing all of his personal absences, which include missed calls, unsent birthday cards, and broken promises that have accumulated over the years. Blending fantastical elements with deeply grounded emotional realism and community healing, the story explores what we owe to the spaces where love should have been, as well as the weight of things left undone. You can find the written version of "The Archivist" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Archivist" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new thriller story, "End of the Line." Set on Chicago's Blue Line during the late-night shift, this story follows Lily, a train conductor whose routine crossword puzzle is interrupted by a mysterious voice on an old radio frequency claiming there's a killer on board. Blending real-time suspense with transit procedural detail and character depth, the story explores quick decision-making under pressure, the courage to break protocol when lives are at stake, and what happens when an ordinary person must choose between following the rules and following their instincts to save passengers from a deadly threat. You can find the written version of "End of the Line" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "End of the Line" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Magazine We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new speculative contemporary fiction story, "Behavioral Pause." Set in our near future, this story follows Eleanor, who volunteers for a clinical trial testing a drug designed to help people control their verbal impulses by creating a neural delay between thought and speech. Blending pharmaceutical science fiction with relationship dynamics and social commentary, the story explores authenticity versus acceptability, the pressure to optimize our personalities for social consumption, and what happens when we can no longer access our own voices. As Eleanor discovers the costs of chemical self-improvement while dating Marco, the story examines whether being liked is worth losing the ability to be truly known. You can find the written version of "Behavioral Pause" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Behavioral Pause" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new contemporary literary fiction story, "We Should Celebrate." Set in Charlotte, North Carolina, this story follows Elena and Noah, roommates whose carefully maintained boundaries are tested when Elena receives a job offer that will take her across the country. Blending understated prose with emotional complexity inspired by Sally Rooney and Emily Henry, the story explores the concept of "never-lovers;" people who want to be together but battle against timing and circumstance. Using an experimental three-act structure compressed into short fiction, it examines missed connections, unspoken feelings, and what happens when we choose our futures over our hearts. You can find the written version of "We Should Celebrate" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "We Should Celebrate" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new dark fantasy horror story, "The Hunger Beneath the Warrens." Set in a world of interconnected rabbit warrens bound by ancient magic, this story follows Captain Vetch of Thornburrow as he faces an undead infection that spreads through fallen communities, turning the dead into something far more dangerous than corpses. Blending fantasy worldbuilding with zombie horror and emotional depth, the story explores impossible leadership choices, community bonds, and what happens when the magical connections that define a society begin to crumble, forcing survivors to choose between preserving the past and building an uncertain future. You can find the written version of "The Hunger Beneath the Warrens" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Hunger Beneath the Warrens" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his literary folk horror story, "A Butcher's Fable", which was originally published in April and now features a new edit by Natalia Emmons and fresh artwork by the author. Set in the fictional Caribbean coastal town of Bahía Roja, this story follows Juan Albizú, a meticulous butcher whose pristine shop becomes the center of dark secrets when his meat begins to whisper truths the community refuses to acknowledge. Blending Caribbean cultural traditions with Southern Gothic atmosphere and psychological horror, the story explores communal silence, moral complicity, and what happens when guilt finds its voice in the most unexpected places. You can find the written version of "A Butcher's Fable" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "A Butcher's Fable" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new horror fiction story, "Frequency." Set at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, this story follows Christian, a DJ performing as the opening act to an indifferent crowd while nursing fresh rejection from his partner. Blending electronic music culture with body horror and psychological terror, the story explores artistic validation, emotional pain, and what happens when a performer's internal anguish begins literally transmitting through the music itself, transforming the audience in devastating ways. Content warning: includes substance use, body horror, and disturbing themes. You can find the written version of "Frequency" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Frequency" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new contemporary short fiction story, "Your Inner Sourdough." Set on a BART train in the Bay Area, this story follows Marina, who has claimed a specific seat as her daily sanctuary, only to find a stranger sitting in it every morning. Blending self-help culture satire with relatable commuter anxiety and awkward human connection, the story explores boundaries, control, and what happens when our carefully constructed inner peace meets someone else's completely reasonable existence in the most embarrassing ways possible. You can find the written version of "Your Inner Sourdough" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Your Inner Sourdough" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new dark fantasy story, "The Little Matchgirl Makes Good." A reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, this story follows a girl who dies selling matches in the cold but is resurrected by the Daughters of Ashes, a group that brings back forgotten girls to seek revenge on those who let them perish. Blending gothic atmosphere with social commentary and moral complexity, the story explores class warfare, justice versus vengeance, and what happens when the discarded rise up to burn down the world that discarded them. You can find the written version of "The Little Matchgirl Makes Good" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Little Matchgirl Makes Good" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!  

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, host Jon Negroni reads aloud his magical realism story, "Magical Pork," which was originally published on Cetera in February 2025. Set in Oakland, this is the tale of Ruben, who runs a Puerto Rican food truck and discovers that his pernil has the power to feed an entire neighborhood without ever running out. Blending culinary tradition with community magic and emotional realism, the story explores hope, cultural heritage, and the miraculous ways food can transform strangers into family. Drawing from Jon's own Puerto Rican roots, it's a love letter to the power of shared meals. You can find the written version of "Magical Pork" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Magical Pork" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new contemporary fiction story, "That's Your Problem to Solve." Set in a converted San Francisco nail salon, the tale follows Gabriel Hayes, a former therapist who charges people five hundred dollars an hour to professionally not help them with their problems. Blending dark comedy with sharp social commentary and emotional realism, the story explores codependency, recovery, and the strange ways we connect when we stop trying to fix each other and start trying to see each other instead. You can find the written version of "That's Your Problem to Solve" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "That's Your Problem to Solve" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, host Jon Negroni reads aloud his original fairy tale, "The Moon Dancer's Bargain." This is Cetera's second published story from January 2025. Inspired by Caribbean folklore, this is a tale of a young woman who encounters mysterious magic and must make an impossible choice that will change everything. Blending timeless fairy tale elements with rich cultural traditions, the story explores sacrifice, desire, and the true cost of getting what we want most. Plus, Jon shares brand-new author's notes created specifically for this episode. You can find the written version of "The Moon Dancer's Bargain" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "The Moon Dancer's Bargain" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, Jon Negroni reads aloud his new paranormal contemporary fiction story, "One Good Ghost." Set at a beachside wedding, this is a tale where past and present collide when a bridesmaid encounters her brother's dead ex-fiancée in a bathroom mirror. Blending supernatural elements with sharp family dynamics and emotional realism, the story explores love, loss, and the complicated ghosts we carry, even into new beginnings. You can find the written version of "One Good Ghost" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "One Good Ghost" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, host Jon Negroni reads aloud his paranormal romance story, "To Feel Like a Person Again." Set at Starling Academy, a school where students who die become ghosts until graduation, this is the story of teen witches Hollie and Luce as they navigate love when one person gets to keep living and the other doesn't. Blending supernatural elements with sharp emotional realism, the story explores agency, identity, and what it means to truly "see" someone. Even when they're no longer fully there. You can find the written version of "To Feel Like a Person Again" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "To Feel Like a Person Again" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, host Jon Negroni reads aloud his new speculative literary short story, "Paper Dreams." Set in a near-future Silicon Valley, this is a world where dreams are taxed as intellectual property. Blending soft sci-fi and dystopian satire with emotional realism, the story explores grief, surveillance, and the quiet rebellion of a woman whose inner life is no longer her own. You can find the written version of "Paper Dreams" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Paper Dreams" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If "Paper Dreams" surprised you, please share it with fellow story lovers. The best fiction deserves to be heard, and your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers.

Welcome to the very first episode of Worlds Without Warning! Host Jon Negroni introduces the podcast and reads their own speculative fiction story, "Soulmate Season." A tale of cosmic destiny meeting heart-crushing reality when two strangers discover their invisible thread connection at the worst time possible. You can find the written version of "Soulmate Season" right here. About the Author Jon Negroni is a Puerto Rican author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His published books include The Pixar Theory (Slimbooks, 2015), a pop culture nonfiction, and his debut novel Killerjoy (5050 Press, 2017). His recent short fiction includes "Men Who Are Strong" (IHRAM Press) and "Upon a Dream," an original fable published in The Fairy Tale Magazine. His upcoming anthology appearances include a cryptid horror tale, a speculative fiction piece for Neon Hemlock, and a superhero story for Oddity Prodigies. He's also the co-founder of the entertainment website, InBetweenDrafts. Listen toward the end of the show for Jon’s full author’s notes on the making of this story. Read "Soulmate Season" with original artwork. Explore our full archive of stories and poetry. Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera. About Cetera Cetera is a literary magazine publishing original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons. Credits Host & Author: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Share This Episode If "Soulmate Season" surprised you, please share it with fellow story lovers. The best fiction deserves to be heard, and your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers.

Get ready for Worlds Without Warning, a new weekly podcast where stories come alive through the voices of their creators.  Worlds Without Warning features original short stories from Cetera Magazine, read aloud by the authors themselves. Each week brings a new tale that might surprise you, move you, or even haunt you a little. As a subscriber, you can expect: Diverse genres: Literary fiction, speculative stories, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction that defies categorization Recurring themes: Memory, rebellion, folklore, and worlds that change without warning Author insights: Behind-the-scenes looks at inspiration, process, and the wonderfully weird facts that spark imagination Quality curation: Every story carefully edited by Natalia Emmons Human creativity: All stories written without AI assistance About Cetera Cetera publishes original short fiction every Thursday, complete with original artwork and detailed author notes. These are stories written with care, intention, and the belief that fiction can be one of the best forms of surprise. Links & Resources Read the stories:cetera.substack.com Submit your work: Visit cetera.substack.com for our open submissions page Subscribe: Available wherever you get your podcasts Credits Host: Jon Negroni Editor: Natalia Emmons Artwork: Jon Negroni Music: "Opportunity Walks" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/