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Cast of Wonders

A project of Escape Artists (see other related projects).

About

Cast of Wonders is the leading voice in young adult speculative short fiction, founded in 2011 by Graeme Dunlop and Barry J. Northern. It became a part of the Escape Artists family of podcasts in 2016 alongside genre siblings Escape Pod, PseudoPod and PodCastle.

Cast of Wonders is a qualified market for the SFWA and the SCBWI.

Every week we present short stories from some of today’s best genre fiction writers, featuring everything from hard science fiction, to urban fantasy, horror, steampunk, superheroes and more. Our stories are defined by their deep emotional resonance and that critical spark of wonder.

Important: Submission demographics may vary. Check their current calls for details.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2011

Publication Medium & Frequency

Audio Publication Audio Publication
Published 52 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed
459 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Regular Speed
Cast of Wonders's overall average response time is within a normal range for magazines.
More Challenging
Cast of Wonders's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines.
Responsive
Cast of Wonders's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines.
Learn more about our statistics

Fiction Temp Closed

Dates:

Will be open to submissions from 15 September 2026 12:00 AM MDT (in 12 days) through 30 September 2026.

2

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Young adults, All nationalities.

Genres:

General Open to all/most Subgenres
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Heroic Fantasy, Paranormal, Retrofuturism, Superhero, Urban Fantasy
Horror Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Retrofuturism
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Contemporary/Near Future, Hard Science Fiction, Retrofuturism, Space Opera
Western Subgenres: Horror Western, Science Fiction Western

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 6,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Humorous, Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Seasons/Holidays: Specific holidays, See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $0.08/word for first publication rights. For reprints, $100 for stories, $20 for flash.

Submissions:

Method: Moksha submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for Cast of Wonders

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Bluesky @castofwonders.org
Facebook Facebook
Instagram @escapeartistspodcast
X (Twitter) @PodCastle_org

Support this Publisher:
Donate on PayPal
Make a Donation
Support on Ko-fi
Support on Patreon

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

Cast of Wonders Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 43 reports from 39 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
4 min | 82.5 mean avg | 78.0 median | 236 max days (62.8 std dev)
Responses
95.35 %
Acceptances:
2.33 % of submissions accepted (201.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.56 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections:
93.02 % (79.4 avg. days per rejection) | 30.0 % personal, 62.5 % form, 7.5 % unspecified | 18.6 % shortlisted
Non-Responses
2.33 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
2.33 % (236.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals
2.33 % (6.0 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending
1 response is pending (90 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 60 days. (60.5 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 60 days.)
Do not query on the status of your submission before 90 days have passed.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 30 Jul 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 12 Jun 2026.
Date compiled: 03 Sep 2026 02:02 UTC (2 hours, 9 minutes ago).

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Your Submissions

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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