Podcast on episode 939 for Tuesday the 14th of April 2026.

The Worth of Ashes by Amanda Helms, read by Stephanie Marlia Morris and produced by Eric Valdez.

Rated PG with content notes for the off-screen death of family members to illness and grief.

Good morning, good day, good afternoon and good evening, and welcome to Podcastle, the flying castle of fantasy fiction.

I'm your host, Matt Dovey, and it is my privilege to present a Podcastle original for your enjoyment.

The Worth of Ashes by Amanda Helms, narrated by Stephanie Marlia Morris.

Before we get into it, a gentle reminder that while we have been open to submission since the start of November, we do close at the end of this month, April 30th at 2359 GMT.

So please adjust accordingly for your time zone and or daylight saving time, because even Greenwich isn't on Greenwich meantime right now.

Our subs portal, Mocha, usually gives a countdown as it gets down to the wire.

So, if in doubt, click through as if you're about to submit,

and you should get an accurate and specific number for your self-imposed panic,

as everything is left to the last minute. At least, if you're like me.

That portal is linked from our website, podcastle.org, under the submissions menu.

Today's author, Amanda Helms, is a biracial fantasy, horror and science fiction writer whose stories

have appeared in fire, light speed, uncanny and other fine venues.

She lives with her family in Colorado, though all of them are natives, non-ski or snowboard,

proving that such creatures do indeed exist.

Find her at Amanda Helms.com, on Blue Sky at Amanda G Helms.

Or on Instagram at Amanda G. Helms.

Your narrator, Stephanie Marlia Morris, holds an MFA in fiction from the Michener Center for Writers

at the University of Texas.

She has received fellowships from Kimbiliou, Perry Plus and Voodoo Nauts, and is a graduate

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