The steampunk-fairytale-horror audio drama of your autistic dreams (and nightmares).
Created by Nico Emmet (@nemmet).
LISTEN NOW, wherever you get your podcasts! 🩰⚙️🌙
As of this morning, The Sterling Girl is now LIVE!! MY first ever fully produced creative project is out there in the world, and you can listen to it RIGHT NOW!! 🩷⚙️✨️
✨️⚙️🩷 LINKTREE 🩷⚙️✨️
Follow the Linktree above (or in my bio) to listen to TSG on your platform of choice! RSS Podcasts (the top link) is its host website, and contains the largest selection.
A couple of extremely kind friends of mine have already given it a listen, and provided me with their thoughts and reactions in extreme detail. This absolutely delights me, and I continue to welcome it with open arms. 🥹
In general, I'm truly overwhelmed by the support I've recieved at every step of the project — conceptualising, writing, directing, editing, promotion, and now release. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by people who will drop what they're doing to lend their ears and talents to my odd little tales, and I can only hope I've delivered them a resonant, memorable experience in the finished product. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and please enjoy your time in Pigeon Heath. Maybe someday, we'll return... 👀
If you've already listened to the piece (or plan to, and will return to this post), please comment/reblog with your favourite moments, characters, lines — anything! I'd love to know what surprised you, moved you, warmed your heart, or chilled your bones.
And as always, please stay tuned for more silly and sincere bonus content! 🩷
That's right, Pigeon Heath's most passionate defender of children's rights was once a child herself! After everything she's been through, she more than deserves to celebrate today with her two favourite people. 🧡🩷💜
I finally listened to The Sterling Girl after hearing a bunch of chatter about it. It’s really good! Very cool story about the nature of personhood. I love well written child characters, and the fairytale vibes are great. I’d love to see more stories in this world. Definitely go check it out, it’s under an hour long and a one-off so it takes very little commitment.
I'm so excited to finally share the biggest news of this week with you all — at my graduation, The Sterling Girl won the award for best final year Media project out of my cohort! 🎉
I don't have the certificate or photos from the day just yet, but here's a screenshot of the email at least. This did really happen, there are witnesses, and I'm still a mix of nerves, shock, and overwhelming contentment over it.
It's no secret that The Sterling Girl slightly exceeded the scope of a typical final year Media project, and I took on that self-imposed challenge out of sheer love of the game. David Bowie once said that you have to wade a little further into the water than is comfortable in order to create something truly exciting, and I took those words to heart with this piece. Over the past few months, I've grown as a person & artist, learned invaluable skills for (what I hope will be) my career, and told a story collaboratively for the very first time — one that is out there in the world, resonating with the people I hoped it would.
All of that is more than satisfying enough, but to have my efforts recognised in this way is a truly special honour that I'm so proud to have ended my undergraduate degree with.
I'm also delighted to say that I'll be starting a Master's in Creative Writing this Autumn, and hope that The Sterling Girl — or at least, the values and experiences it represents — will live on in my academic work. As always, watch this space!
I hope you'll continue to enjoy TSG. Stay curious and creative, everyone! ❤️
rules: make a poll with 10 of your favorite shows (AUDIO DRAMA EDITION)! they can be just 10 shows you loved watching or your top 10 tv shows of all time, and have your followers choose their favorite then tag 10 people.
tagging: @coldshifttransmission @sol-draws-sometimes @anonymouscringe @noadventurespod @nemmet (this ain't 10 people but if you wanna do it, do it!)
do you like fiction podcasts? DONATE to podcake's fundraiser! she's a very important part of this community. if you're able to donate any amount, send me a message (@ajhains on tumblr and discord), and i'll make you art for free!
i'll make rendered art for your favorite podcast characters, fully illustrated promos for podcasts, OCs, literally anything! or if you like cutesy portraits of real people, perhaps for cast lists, profile pics, or personal use, i do that too!
Total opposite of a Victorian AU, as my audio drama originates there!
I've been thinking of how my characters would dress in a Modern AU, and would definitely love to draw it someday! For now, here are the vibes:
I'm also eternally fascinated with Roleswap AUs — I'm not sure who I'd switch for TSG though. Do you guys have any ideas? 🤔
Last but not least, changing the steampunk elements of the piece to more futuristic ones in a Cyberpunk AU would be awesome, I think! Bonus points if it's a retrofuturistic aesthetic, a-la 60s & 70s sci-fi films/shows.
I'm so excited to finally share the biggest news of this week with you all — at my graduation, The Sterling Girl won the award for best final year Media project out of my cohort! 🎉
I don't have the certificate or photos from the day just yet, but here's a screenshot of the email at least. This did really happen, there are witnesses, and I'm still a mix of nerves, shock, and overwhelming contentment over it.
It's no secret that The Sterling Girl slightly exceeded the scope of a typical final year Media project, and I took on that self-imposed challenge out of sheer love of the game. David Bowie once said that you have to wade a little further into the water than is comfortable in order to create something truly exciting, and I took those words to heart with this piece. Over the past few months, I've grown as a person & artist, learned invaluable skills for (what I hope will be) my career, and told a story collaboratively for the very first time — one that is out there in the world, resonating with the people I hoped it would.
All of that is more than satisfying enough, but to have my efforts recognised in this way is a truly special honour that I'm so proud to have ended my undergraduate degree with.
I'm also delighted to say that I'll be starting a Master's in Creative Writing this Autumn, and hope that The Sterling Girl — or at least, the values and experiences it represents — will live on in my academic work. As always, watch this space!
I hope you'll continue to enjoy TSG. Stay curious and creative, everyone! ❤️
The Glass Darkly is a new mystery horror podcast about Jason Kaida, whose life is disrupted by a cursed mirror that keeps reappearing in his apartment. His obsession with investigating it will lead him deep into a web of possession, doppelgangers, secret societies, and the fracturing of reality itself.
Do you like cozy horror shows with continuous mysteries? Shows made entirely by queer people? Surreal art with ambient music? Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, and more at The Glass Darkly.
Fiction Podcast · The Glass Darkly is a mystery horror podcast about Jason Kaida, whose life is disrupted by a cursed mirror that keeps reap
Go check out the first episode of my friend Andrew's fantastic podcast, The Glass Darkly! It's so atmospheric, hauntingly written and fantastically scored. 🖤🪞
I'm currently doing a little Q&A over on the Sterling Girl Instagram! Naturally, on this platform my askbox is eternal, so I'm open to questions absolutely anytime.
However, I thought I'd still mention it as an opportunity to ask me anything, if you'd like! Writing, technical aspects, which of my characters could handle the strongest potions, etc.! If you have questions for members of the cast/crew other than myself, I will pass them on. 🩷
Feel free to ask questions if you've seen my posts but haven't yet listened to the piece. Conversely, you may ask questions related to plot spoilers, which will be marked/tagged accordingly (⚠️) if you'd like to avoid them.
Head on over to the askbox and send a carrier pigeon! 🕊💌
Third and final edition of the Disability Pride Flag Audio Fiction Calendar. Click for the first, second, and related BINGO. Plus as an amazing bonus, @rainbownestmedia shared another calendar here. Next week: my notes in one neat overview :)
Information (= sometimes spoilers) below
Two Thousand and Late - Harper was disabled by COVID-19
I Am In Eskew - Depression
Sojourners' Trails - Mobility aids & prosthetic
The Way We Haunt Now - Lota is a ghost and wheelchair user
Someone Dies In This Elevator - Hot Weels episode. Shannon uses a manual wheelchair and Waverly uses a powered wheelchair.
Surcease - Mental health treatment/facility is central to the story. Wheelchair user
Ethics Town - Noah Morley is dyslexic
Earth Eclipsed - One of characters becomes blind
Petrified
Forgive Me! - Margaret has kleptomania
Secret of St. Kilda - Character with chronic pain
Camp Here And There - Sydney is autistic and chronically ill, with chronic pain, respiratory/use of an inhaler, experiences psychotic episodes.
We’re Alive - Several disabled characters
Soul Operator - Many disabled characters, including the MC
Within the Wires - (S3) Post-natal depression. (S8) The narrator is physically disabled with limited mobility and chronic pain.
October’s Children - Physically disabled lead
Things Unsaid - A deaf main character and a deaf supporting character.
What Will Be Here? - Kei is disabled
Among the Stacks - Tale 6 has a character with adhd-d
Before I Forget (Again) - Many of the characters are neurodiverse in some way- Cielle and Danny are ADHD, Larry is autistic, and Bea is AuDHD. Without spoiling anything major, one main character will have a chronic illness by the end of season 1.
The Sterling Girl - Etta is autistic (semi-verbal). Sable is autistic and ADHD, and also has a lazy eye which she wears a monocle for. Penny is autistic. Oscar is autistic and ADHD. The narrator is autistic.
Our Fair City - Clear Skies Tim is injured and becomes physically disabled (loss of mobility). Loamy loses an arm and later starts using a supernatural prosthetic.
Human Error - Multiple HoH/Deaf characters. Billie has anxiety. Most of not all of the characters have PTSD
Hi Nay - Mari Datuin has chronic pain
Monstrous Agonies - Some episodes feature disability narratives. Features DID (Note: some systems reject the pathologization of plurality but may still consider it a disability under the social model, outside of DID. Some systems don’t consider it a disability at all, similar to Deafness)
Arden - Pamela Pink has depression, Rosalind Ursula has type 1 bipolar disorder. Dana Hamill (S2) has bipolar.
The Penumbra Podcast - (Juno Steel) Juno Steel loses an eye and learning to navigate this is a long-term story element. Buddy Aurinko has narcissistic personality disorder and is physically disabled from radiation sickness. Vespa Ilkay needs daily medication to prevent severe psychotic episodes with hallucinations. (Second Citadel) Sir Marc is a disabled knight; ableism and institutional barriers are important themes to the setting.
Levian - Tanathea Tellari has a history of psychiatric illness (described with in-world terms)
SCP Research Archives - Betram has an anomalous disability, gets migraines, and they suffer from insomnia.
Midst - Moc Weepe has a (supernatural/in-world) medical condition that requires regular treatment.
Vesta Clinic - The space clinic providing medical care is central to the story. Disability narratives included
So delighted that the The Sterling Girl was featured as part of this series for Disability Pride Month!! The volume and diversity of disability representation in the audio drama space/medium is incredible to see — it's so exciting to be a part of that, and to see it all compiled & celebrated here. Thank you Vos! 🙏
And thank you to everyone who has told me that they were moved by TSG's representation of autism, or able to relate to it. It truly means the world to hear that I've been able to deliver a cathartic experience to my community through my art. 🩷
Harlem Queen
Listened to Season 3 and 4 this week. Season 4 is told in a slightly different format and it's such a fun switch up. I'm heading into the final season and I'm genuinely sad to see this interbellum era story close, I've grown fond of The Numbers Queen and the show's fast-pace quick switch storytelling.
Seen and Not Heard
Yearned for a "life with disability" narrative and knew where to find it. Knew this show was good but whoa it is GOOD. Comes with great "let's talk about Deafness/HoH" talk episodes. Enjoying it all a lot
Shelterwood
The Podcast Bookclub discord server is listening to this show (which has been on my to listens for a while). Sadly not a timezone that works for me, so I'm trying to listen along-ish in my own time. Just two episodes in, the "true crime" element is really well done (great framing) but that also means I'm aggravated more. So taking it easy. Curious to see how things develop in terms of monsters and grief themes.
Shadows at the Door
Now that I'm about to be a patron (Beck's End wrapped up a successful kickstarter yahooo) I figured I should listen to at least some of SatD (I've heard so many great things but anthologies are hard for me to stick to). Two episodes in. I think it's going to be a great podcast to have on while I'm sewing or doing embroidery… and I learned from the discord there's an aroace spec recurring character
Our Wars Have Ended
Listened to episode one, part one and part two. Had a decent idea of where it would go because of the call to audition last year. I watched two seasons of Sharpe with my partner and bestie and that made me appreciate this Napoleonic level of warfare technology more, I think. Curious to see where it will go. Shaking off the mental comparison to the Silt Verses, which I'm sure will get easier as the story progresses.
The Sterling Girl
Knew this horror/fairytale story was going to focus on the autistic experience and oof, my heart. Made me ache and laugh and cry. Highlight of the week, I think.
I’ve listened to barely anything this week! But I’ve spent less time on my phone, so there’s that. Hope everyone has had a good Sunday!
🪨 G.O.B.L.I.N.S — Episode 4 - Malmstone, Cliff-chat, Mother-hog: if Elisar thinks Nyx has gone too far, that’s probably a very bad sign. But Elizabeth bounces back, tries to make her life a little better, and has fun with her coworkers. Let’s not think about the fairies.
🪕 The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast — The Belmorns: okay, so Boris is so interested in CB. This episode has more good songs, more bad guys that justify their behaviours to themselves in realistic ways, and more almost-romance between the two protagonists. But why are children being stolen?
⚙️ The Sterling Girl: it’s the film-length audio drama about neurodiversity, solidarity and robot dolls! You should expect a few surprises and several unpleasant moments in this podcast: there’s heavy themes of mob mentality and familial abuse. Still, it’s got likeable protagonists, charming jokes and a lot of sweet scenes. Sterling Girl is well worth a listen if you like stories about autistic experiences.
here are my thoughts on The Sterling Girl! it came out last week after much anticipation and i got to listen to it :)
this is a 50-minute standalone audio drama movie, pretty much, and i thought that was a really cool concept! like... well... if there can be both movies and tv shows, then why do we have this idea that podcasts have to be like tv shows? i felt this pulled off the non-episode format perfectly!
i loved this podcast. it's a great one to sit down and enjoy- maybe a second time for me, too, because the narration and story moved very quickly and was pretty wordy! i did get a bit confused at times. that doesn't mean it's bad, though.
the acting and sound design are the highlights of this show, in my opinion. very immersive, very unique and cool sound design, with a lot of fun stuff like gears and clocks and all that steampunky goodness :) and the acting! the way etta, sable, and the narrator were voiced really went above and beyond. i loved listening to them interact- and the dialogue with the narrator was really funny. (i livestreamed this podcast with another person from Podcast Book Club server, and we both agreed that it reminded us of Slay the Princess lol. but we both concede we are also americans and biased.)
lastly, on this podcast, i loved it as a story about autism. as an autistic person myself, who grew up diagnosed early and related deeply to this story, i was surprised and emotional by a lot of it which struck a chord with me. i don't think i've ever experienced a story before that had autism in it and actually rang true for me. i loved the characters of etta and sable and how they were so different but so much the same, and what the story meant as a sort of allegory. it was a beautiful representation. <3
Thank you so so much for taking the time to share your thoughts! I'm delighted that TSG was a story you could get immersed in and relate to. This means the world to hear! 🥹🩷
The Sterling Girl has been out for one whole wonderful week! 🥳✨️
I'd like to extend my sincerest THANK YOUs to anyone who has already listened to it and let me know their thoughts. It means the world to hear that the art I made is entertaining people, moving them, and making them feel seen. That's always been my dream! 🥹🩷
If you haven't already, please be sure to rate & comment on the piece via your platform of choice, or get in touch via reblogs & asks on here. I'd love to see any thoughts, speculations, or fanworks you may have!
Additionally, I'm currently either working on or planning the following:
A transcript/YouTube captions for the piece
An infographic exploring the music/films/books etc. that influenced the project
Several silly memes
A short prequel comic about a very important meeting 👀
So please do stay tuned for that! Thank you again, citizens of Pigeon Heath. It's been an absolute pleasure thus far. ⚙️🕊
