With the holiday season in full swing, the SpellCasters take a break from shopping to bring us "SpellCast: Oh, Hi, Mr. Granger". In this episode you can expect to hear:

Featured story:

Title: Oh, Hi, Mr. Granger
Author: Grand_Admiral_Shirra
House: Astronomy Tower
Summary:  Ron's disastrous attempt at proposing leads him to relive the memorable night when he and Hermione had their first date.

Highlights:

- Jen, SpellCast Theater producer, fills in as a guest host.
- Josh sneaks in some Fire Whiskey and it causes Robert to be slightly forgetful.
- Is Ron Weasley just really that unlucky?
- Should romantic comedies be housed in either the Astronomy Tower or Riddikulus house? Robert weighs in with his thoughts.
- Jen lets us know what her idea of a "perfect" marriage proposal is.

SpellCast's "Continue the Adventure" entry for Terminus:

http://www.terminus2008.org/forum/index.php?topic=248.msg3055#msg3055

As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write us an e-mail at staff@spellcastpodcast.com. We'd also love to hear from you on our voicemail, so don't hesitate to call us at (559) 477-4334 or at Skype user name, "SpellCastPodcast". Thanks for downloading and enjoy the show!

Even though it's months away, SpellCast is proud to announce that we'll be performing a live podcast play at Terminus 2008! We couldn't contain our excitement, so we decided to share our enthusiasm in a special mini episode.  In this special episode you can expect to hear:

Highlights:

- Jen, the producer of SpellCast Theater, drops by to talk about the announcement.
- Jen and Robert talk about various events that will take place at Terminus and why they're excited about them.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write us an e-mail at staff@spellcastpodcast.com. We'd also love to hear from you on our voicemail, so don't hesitate to call us at (559) 477-4334 or at Skype user name, "SpellCastPodcast". Thanks for downloading and enjoy the show!

Pull up a chair, order a drink and get ready for "SpellCast: Curiosity". In this episode you can expect to hear:

Featured story:

Title: Curiosity
Author: BeST
House: Riddikulus
Summary: Minerva, with Dumbledore's help, discovers a special magical prowess.

Highlights:

- Seven, a SpellCast audio editor, fills in as a guest host for the episode.
- Robert has a terrible time at keeping a really big secret and Zorb has to help him keep his mouth shut.
- How do you get to be an Animagus, anyway?
- The SpellCasters weigh in on young Minerva McGonagall's character and how it compares to that of Hermione Granger.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write us an e-mail at staff@spellcastpodcast.com. We'd also love to hear from you on our voicemail, so don't hesitate to call us at (559) 477-4334 or at Skype user name, "SpellCastPodcast". Thanks for downloading and enjoy the show!

Overstuffed on turkey and gravy, the SpellCasters take a break from playing American football to bring us "SpellCast: I'll Take The Lot". So take a break from shopping the sales in Hogsmeade and relax by listening to another great fan fiction reading and review! In this episode you can expect to hear:

Featured story:

Title: I'll Take The Lot
Author: Lorelei Lynn
House: The Dark Arts
Summary: Hogwarts had four founders, but Helga was the one with the dream. And more importantly, she had the persistence to make it happen.

Highlights:

- Robert deals with Josh and Sidney's whining about their lack of air time.
- Josh seems to get around a lot with the houses of Hogwarts.
- Sidney learns the hard way why you shouldn't drink too many butterbeers.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write us an e-mail at staff@spellcastpodcast.com. We'd also love to hear from you on our voicemail, so don't hesitate to call us at (559) 477-4334 or at Skype user name, "SpellCastPodcast". Thanks for downloading and enjoy the show!

After some technical difficulties, the SpellCasters are back at the Three Brooksticks for "SpellCast: Affected Indifference". So sit back, pop open a Butterbeer and get ready to dig into a great show. In this episode you can expect to hear:

Featured story:

Title: Affected Indifference
Author: Elysium
House: Astronomy Tower
Summary: Pansy Parkinson never did listen to her mother's advice on men. She thought she knew best, she thought she knew him best. She was right, and that was entirely the problem

Highlights:

- Josh talks about his experiences at MuggleCast Down Under and meeting up with Australian Harry Potter fans.
- The SpellCasters dissect Pansy Parkinson's character in the story and the perceptions of her in fan fiction fandom.
- Should stories set in modern day have an old world writing style? The hosts weigh in with their thoughts.
- Zorb lets us know how she really feels about the four houses of Hogwarts.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write us an e-mail at staff@spellcastpodcast.com. We'd also love to hear from you on our voicemail, so don't hesitate to call us at (559) 477-4334 or at Skype user name, "SpellCastPodcast". Thanks for downloading and enjoy the show!

The launch of the second season of SpellCast is only a matter of hours away, but before we can start the party, we have to tell you about something really important. Starting with season two, SpellCast is switching file formats from MP3 to AAC. The new file format will allow us to do things such as create chapters and changing album artwork within the show. However, as awesome as the new file format is, the format only works on iTunes and iPods. So, what does this mean for all of our non-iTunes listeners?

Well, if you're currently subscribed to SpellCast using a program besides iTunes, such as Juice or WinPodder, you're going to need to subscribe to our new "Standard (MP3)" feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/spellcastmp3

The FeedBurner link also gives you information on how to subscribe with other programs and several web based podcatchers. Please note that the MP3 feed will not be offered in the iTunes music store, so if you want to subscribe to the MP3 feed using iTunes, follow the instructions at the FeedBurner page.

If you have any questions or need help with the switch, don't hesitate to e-mail us at staff@spellcastpodcast.com and we'll do our best to help you solve your issues.

Also, we have a new website that you can check out at:

http://www.spellcastpodcast.com

There's still some work to be done on it, so watch your step as several areas are still under construction.

With ghouls and ghosts about, it's time for a special Halloween edition of SpellCast. Everything isn't what it may seem as we're featuring a lost episode of SpellCast that was once thought dead! So, in this spooky episode you can expect:

- Detailed show notes will be released shortly, thank you for your patience.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave us an e-mail at spellcast@ficitonalley.org or leave a comment on our website, www.spell-cast.com.

Enjoy!

We're back again this week with another special edition of SpellCast Readings. As always, we're featuring another great fan fiction reading along with some clarifications on some of last week's announcements regarding our second season.

Here's the story that's read in this episode:

"Return to Hogwarts", written by Zgirnius and read by Gwendolyn Grace.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave us an e-mail at spellcast@fictionalley.org. Enjoy the show!

After four months without a single episode, fan fiction readings make their return for a special edition of SpellCast Readings. We also include some updated information on the start of our second season and we announce a special treat for fans of fan fiction readings.

Here's the story that we're covering in this episode:

"Ginny's War", written by Souris, read by Gwendolyn Grace.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave us an e-mail at spellcast@fictionalley.org. Enjoy the show!

Finally, Spellcast is proud to present the two podcast plays recorded live July 20th at the London Harry Potter convention, Sectus. These plays were both submitted to us by George Pushdragon and take on a humorous look at the Minister of Magic's trial and the conditions at Azkaban prison.

Honestly! Who is in charge of Occupational Health & Safety at the Ministry? Brains in tanks and unmarked dimensional portals! In this little trial transcript, Sirius' estate gets litigious, Fudge talks facial hair, Lucius struggles with life in the clink, and Albus Dumbledore has only one buttock. Naturally. 

The cast of "The Estate of Sirius Black v. Minister  of Magic"

Marchbanks - Purplefluffycat

Tromedlov - Mikey

Fudge - Heidi

McGonagall -

The cast for "'Who's Your Daddy' An Inquiry into the Conditions at Azkaban Prison" 

Fudge - Madeleine

Percy - Dessie

Volde-Morton - Mikey

Umbridge - Flame

Reg - Sidney

Lucius - ThePinkRabbit

Of course, we would like to thank everyone who took part in the play, the Sectus Committee, as well as our wonderful live audience at the recording.

If you have any comments or would like to take part in future SpellCast Theater productions, feel free to email us, and as always, don't forget to vote for SpellCast on PodcastAlley!

 

DOWNLOAD!

Like the rest of the Harry Potter fandom, the SpellCast crew had a lot to say about the final book in the series. In this SpellCast Special Episode, you'll hear thoughts from our cast and crew as well as listeners. In particular, look for:

- Release party coverage from Boston's Harvard Square

- A plot discussion with Robert, Sidney, and Venessa

- A roundtable covering the highs and lows with Zorb, Josh, Gwendolyn Grace, and SevenSickles

- Contributed reviews from listeners Bevan, Michelle & Michelle

Deathly Hallows may be in our hands, but the Summer of Potter continues. Look for continuing coverage of major fandom gatherings in upcoming episodes!

For our special Deathly Hallows episode, SpellCast wants to collect as many fan reviews as we can to be played throughout the show. We really need your contributions to get things going!

What we need:
- A one-to-three minute recording of your thoughts on the book. Make sure to include your handle at the beginning!

How to do it:
Option 1 - Using Skype, call username "fictionalley" and leave a voicemail. You can also call in our US and UK numbers.

US: 303-800-4342

UK: +44 0161 408 3427

Option 2 - Record a .mp3 file on your computer and email it to spellcast@fictionalley.org, with the subject "DH Review". (If you're not sure how to do that, email us and ask!)

Please send them in by Friday, July 28. One caveat: We'll be treating the epilogue in a separate discussion, so please leave it out of your review. If you know anyone who might like to contribute, pass this post along to them.

Thanks - we can't wait to hear what you thought!

After some technical issues and most of our staff members running for the hills to get away from Deathly Hallows' spoilers or hibernating over the weekend to read the book, we finally release our special OotP episode! 

However, this new episode is totally worth the wait and here's why:

- Greg Foster, president of IMAX, sits down with Gwen to talk about about the 3D conversion process of the last twenty minutes of the Order of the Phoenix movie.

- Josh finally gets his opportunity to chat with Nicholas Hooper about the music score of Order of the Phoenix.

- Sidney talks with Duff Goldman, host of Ace of Cakes on the Food Network, about the Hogwarts castle cake he made for the Order of the Phoenix premiere after party.

- Finally to wrap everything up, a group of SpellCasters sit down to discuss their thoughts and feelings on the Order of the Phoenix movie.

Also, we want to thank Hank from http://www.brotherhood2.com/ for allowing us to use his song, "Accio Deathly Hallows". Be sure to check out his and his brother's highly amusing blog, it's totally made of awesome.

This podcast is spoiler free, so there's no need to worry if you haven't finished reading Deathly Hallows. For those of you have finished, be sure to check back soon for another special podcast covering Deathly Hallows.

As always, please be sure to let us know what you think and be sure to check out our new Livejournal for updates.

Enjoy the show!

Many thanks to Michelle, who transcribed both our Order of the Phoenix Premiere videos from London and Los Angeles!

You can find both transcripts here

Remember, if you would like to become a transcriber for SpellCast, please send us an email at spellcast@fictionalley.org and we'd also like to announce, that SpellCast now has a new community Livejournal and which you can friend at spellcast_lj

Enjoy!

SpellCast was at the Hollywood premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Enjoy our interviews with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Chris Rankin, David Yates, Michael Goldenberg, David Heyman, David Barron, and fans, including actors and TV personalities Rachael Harris, Duff Goldman, and (briefly!) Seth Green along with the Hand, Foot and Wand print ceremony at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood.

And don't forget to vote for SpellCast this month on PodcastAlley, enjoy!

A new film and new canon are within sight, and so Season One of SpellCast comes to a close. In this finale:

- Josh talks to Lauren from the Moaning Myrtles.

- Sidney leads a roundtable about the upcoming summer HP conferences, Sectus and Prophecy 2007.

- The hosts discuss "A Different World" by AdamantEve.

- Venessa leads the Artist's Corner in a chat about making icons.

If you haven't yet, check out Sidney's interviews from the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Remember, the SpellCast crew will also be at the Los Angeles premiere, so keep an eye out in the next week for more cast and fan interviews, as well as a ton of other special content.

We'll see you on the other side!

SpellCast's Sidney Parker attended the London premiere of Order of the Phoenix in London on July 3, 2007. She talked to Dan, Emma, Rupert, Tom, Devon, Imelda, Alfie, the Phelps brothers, David Heyman, David Yates and more - and even caught a few words with JK Rowling. She also spoke to a bunch of fans, and found some Death Eaters lurking around. Most of the cast weighed in with their own predictions about Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, too!

 

You can also download the whole vidcast here or view it on our LiveJournal, our blog or MySpace - then discuss it in FictionAlley Park.

An iPod-friendly version of the vidcast is coming soon!

Feed your softer side with this week's featured fic from the Astronomy Tower! "A Different World" by Adamant Eve asks us what would have happened if the Trio were a Duo?

"In a world where Hermione told Neville they should 'split up' finding his toad, the chain of events of her supposed meeting with Harry and Ron in their train compartment took a drastic turn. How different was Harry's life without Hermione Granger by his side? Maybe not quite as different as one would think."

This H/Hr fic takes place after HBP. If you'd like to share your comments on the fic with us, be sure to get them in soon - SpellCast Episode 23 is just around the corner. You can email comments to spellcast@fictionalley.org, post them on any of our message boards, or send a voicemail to Skype username fictionalley.

Settle back with a hot or cool beverage and enjoy!

Less than a month stands between us and the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. So, lets pass the time with another episode of SpellCast! Here's what to expect in this episode:

- SpellCast had it's one year anniversary back in May and the hosts celebrate by sharing some of their favorite memories.

- Robert interviews Ryan of PotterFicWeekly the fan fiction based podcast in the Fandom Interview.

- Sidney, Venessa and Zorb discuss the upcoming theme park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

- "Standing Up To Be Counted" by triple_trouble takes the hot seat in the Fan Fiction Review.

- Stick around to the end of the episode to hear some fantastic bloopers!

Enjoy the show, and remember we love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave us a comment! If you have any questions, you can reach us at spellcast@fictionalley.org, or leave us a voicemail on Skype at the username 'fictionalley'. Also don't forget to friend our livejournal or myspace pages for our latest updates!

With the live podcast in the can, it's time to get back into the groove of things with an episode of SpellCast Readings. This week we're featuring:

"Standing Up To Be Counted", written by triple_trouble and read by Gwendolyn Grace.

As always, feel free to contact us at spellcast@fictionalley.org with your questions, comments and problems.

Enjoy the show!

After a long wait, we here at SpellCast are proud to announce that "Spinner's Alley Live" is now available for download! So, without any further ado, here's what you can expect to hear in our first ever live show:

- A dramatic look at three points in the life of a Potions master in the podcast play The Three Trials of Severus Snape, written by Copperbadge.

The cast of The Three Trials of Severus Snape in order of appearance:

Minerva McGonagall - Charlotte
Young Severus Snape - Dani
Poppy Pomfrey - Cynthia
Dolores Umbridge - Melody
Albus Dumbledore - Dr. Henry Jenkins
Audience Member - Mikey Bouchereau
Examiner - Julie
Salem Witch 1 - Beth
Salem Witch 2 - Genii
Salem Witch 3 - Heidi
Severus Snape - Ceriden
Nymphadora Tonks - Michelle
Draco Malfoy - Sexy Kevin
Remus Lupin - Alex Carpenter
Harry Potter - Josh Ridgeway

- Robert, Kim, Josh and Lizz talk about their Phoenix Rising experiences and the house rivalries at L'Université des Arts Magiques.

- The Knight 62442 Werewolves, champions of the Borders Riverside Quidditch Classic, drop by to celebrate their victory.

- Josh sits down with Madam Minnie, RedBlaze and Simons Flower to talk about drabbling and do some fan fiction readings for the Writer's Corner.

- The Remus Lupins and The Parselmouths play some rockin' music and do an interview with Kim and Liz in Beyond the Books.

- Special guests Dr. Henry Jenkins, Dr. Catherine Tosenberger and Rachael of SnapeCast join the hosts for in-depth book seven discussion in Road to the Hallows.

We also want to send out a huge thank you to the following people:

Shannon of SnapeCast - for doing an incredibly awesome job of introducing the podcast play and the podcast. Sadly, for some reason the beginning of it got cut off.

Becka of SnapeCast - for helping out at the last minute with watching audio levels while we all had to be on stage hosting the show.

Amber Charleville of Phoenix Rising - for being a great help to Spinner's Alley, SpellCast and FictionAlley all throughout the conference.

Amy Tenbrink and Hallie Tibbetts of Phoenix Rising - for allowing Spinner's Alley to be a part of your awesome Phoenix Rising conference. The road was long and bumpy at times, but the overall journey was incredible. We can never thank you enough for the wonderful opportunity that you gave SpellCast.

and last, but definitely not least...

The live audience at Phoenix Rising - for taking the time to sit down and listen to the live recording session of the show. Also, for your great acting skills as an audience during The Three Trials of Severus Snape. You guys rocked!

Questions? Problems? Beignets? Feel free to contact us at spellcast@fictionalley.org.

Enjoy the show!

 

Title: Shipping the Velvet: Slash Fandom, Convergence, and Why You Should Care About Harry Potter Mpreg

Hosts: Aja, Erica George, Henry Jenkins, Mathilde Madden & Catherine Tonsenberger

Editors: Joe White, Josh Ridgeway & Robert Standring

Description: At the request of the it's moderator, Aja, Josh and I recorded this Phoenix Rising panel on slash in the Harry Potter fandom. Here's a description of the panel according to the Phoenix Rising website:

Slash fanfiction is an ever-expanding and ever-controversial subject among fandom, academia, and the media industry. But what are its connections to larger trends in pop culture and modes of artistic expression? This panel is not yet another attempt to validate slash or to explain why straight women write it. Instead, we will present slash as an authentic literary genre (yes, even mpreg), and examine its role in contemporary literature and pop culture. We will also be looking at its function within a convergence culture and discussing the ideas of our guest panelist, Phoenix Rising keynote speaker Henry Jenkins.

Download here!

SpellCast released its first episode exactly one year ago today and has come a long way since then! As you all know, our first joint live podcast took place at Phoenix Rising this past weekend! We'd like to thank everyone who took part in both the live podcast play and Spinner's Alley show! You guys were all wonderful, Josh and I had an amazing time and we were also glad to meet all the cool SpellCast fans there.

Also, special thanks to Dr. Henry Jenkins, who mentioned SpellCast on his official weblog and who had kindly agreed to play Dumbledore in "The Three Trials of Severus Snape".

The live podcast will be available for download soon so be on the lookout!

 

Before I head off to the Big Easy, I wanted to give everyone an in-depth run down of what's happening with the podcast play.

We will be having our main auditions on Friday between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM outside of the Starbucks in the Sheraton Hotel. At 5:00 PM, we'll post the cast list, location to be determined, and the location where you can pick up your script.

If you've already sent in your audition via e-mail, be sure to still drop by so we can put a face to the audition. So, if you sent in your audition already, you won't have to stick around and read lines, but we do need for you to show up and say hello.

Any parts not filled will be open to auditioners during FictionAlley's meet and greet event at the Pelican Bar inside of the Sheraton Hotel from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM on Saturday. We'll also be going over how the podcast play will work and how the audience plays into it. So even if you're not looking for a part, it might be informative to stop by and see what the podcast play is all about.

Final rehearsal is at 7:00 PM and we request that all performers be in Ballroom C at 8:45, prepared to go on stage. The show will run from 9:00 PM until 9:30 PM.

That's all for now, if you have any questions, be sure to look for people in orange SpellCast t-shirts. Trust us, we'll be hard to miss!

Need something to listen to on your way to Phoenix Rising? Try SpellCast: Episode 21! In this episode:

- Robert interviews wizrocker Danny from Hogwarts, A History.

- Sidney, Venessa, and Josh discuss the latest trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

- Reporter Shannon gives you a taste of Venessa's recent HP art exhibit at Borders, including on-site audience and participant interviews.

- In the Fan Fiction Review, Robert, Venessa, and Zorb discuss Kerichi's "Mary Sue, I Love You!"

Enjoy the show and feel free to leave us your comments on the website and send us your questions to spellcast@fictionalley.org! And don't forget to vote for SpellCast on PodcastAlley!

Also, if you're going to New Orleans this week, be sure to join us for the live podcast Saturday night; we'll be releasing the recording online for those of you - and us - who can't attend this HP gathering. The summer of HP is just getting started!

Prepare for it to get hot in herrre as Robert, Kim, Josh and Lizz sit down for a mini-podcast all about Spinner's Alley Live at Phoenix Rising New Orleans! In this mini-show you'll find out:

- We let you know how to get your hands on a elusive Spinner's Alley wristband for the show.

- We spill some information regarding which famous wizard rockers we have lined up for the show.

- We also give out more information on how to audition for the live podcast play, including how to audition while at the conference.

For more information regarding the joint live podcast happening Saturday May 19th, be sure to check both podcasts' websites over the next couple of days for updates. We'll be breaking news as we get it into our hot little hands. If you have a question, feel free to send it to either spellcast@fictionalley.org or cast@spinnerscast.com.

Enjoy the show!

Much hilarity ensues this week, as we have a great fan fiction reading from the Riddikulus house of FictionAlley! This week we have:

"Mary Sue, I Love You!", written by Kerichi and read by Elanor Isolda.

For those of you who are attending Phoenix Rising, be sure to try out for a part in our live podcast play. As always, feel free to contact us at spellcast@fictionalley.org with your questions, comments and problems.

Enjoy the show!

Auditions are open! SpellCast and Phoenix Rising are bringing you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in a live radio play. "The Three Trials of Severus Snape" will be performed and recorded during the SpellCast podcast recording at Artists and Authors Night. We're seeking voice actors to portray a wide variety of roles.

Who can audition?

Any Phoenix Rising attendee! You MUST be available for Artists and Authors Night, Saturday May 19, at 7:00 PM. You must also be available for one rehearsal session at a date to be announced.

What voices do we need?

Young and mature, male and female, British and American - all of these have a place in the production. Please feel free to affect an accent!

How do you audition?

Send an email to spellcast@fictionalley.org for selected canon passages to read, as well as more detailed instructions on how to record your audition.

Auditions begin today and end on May 6, so don't hesitate! Parts will be posted on May 9, along with scripts for the chosen actors.

Tell your friends, tell your roommates - you won't want to miss your chance to participate in "The Three Trials of Severus Snape"!

April showers bring doesn't bring May flowers, it brings SpellCast: Episode 20! In this lengthy episode you can expect:

 -Robert sits down with Wizrocklopedia's Lizz and gets the down low on the wizard rock news site.

- Venessa, Sidney, & Josh give their thoughts and opinions on the new cover arts for Deathly Hallows.

- In the Fan Fiction Review, Sidney and Robert discuss Harry Potter & The Psychic Serpent with it's author, Barb Purdom.

As always, feel free to format us at spellcast@fictionalley.org with your questions, comments and problems. Enjoy the show! 

The fan fiction readings are back in action with SpellCast Readings: Psychic Serpent!

The follow fics are feature in the episode:

Dung Schnoogles Nic: Death Ensues or, Manipulative!Dumbledore Strikes Again, written by SwissMiss and read by Jason Fraser.

Professor Slughorn and An Excess of Seamus, written by BeST and read by Sidney Parker.

and...

Harry Potter & the Psychic Serpent, written by Barb and read by Gwendolyn Grace.

Also, don't be an April fool! Vote for SpellCast on PodcastAlley! As always, we appreciate your feedback at spellcast@fictionalley.org or at our LiveJournal, MySpace, or FictionAlley Park.

Enjoy the show!

Happy April, SpellCast listeners! Spring has sprung, and SpellCast's own rebirth debuts with an all-new episode. You won't want to miss the excitement!

In this episode:

* The hosts bring a new spin to SpellCast, and things take a turn for the dark side.

* News from all over the fandom comes directly to your earbuds.

* The Writer's Corner examines Draco Malfoy's characterization.

* Our new Fan Fiction Review hosts look at two fics: A Match Made in Heaven and Harry Potter Is Dead Because Of Me.

We hope you enjoy the episode! Let us know what you think about the revamped podcast by emailing spellcast@fictionalley.org, leaving feedback at our website, or commenting on LiveJournal, MySpace, or FictionAlley Park.

With the waning of the season, the SpellCast crew emerge from their secret hideout to bring you Episode Eighteen. In this episode:

- Robert hosts the Podcast Spotlight, featuring SpinnersCast.

- We bring you coverage of Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths's performances in Equus through interviews and reviews.

- The Fan Fiction Review takes on PS.., by thistlerose.

Enjoy the show, and don't forget - it's a new month and time to vote for SpellCast on PodcastAlley! As always, we appreciate your feedback at spellcast@fictionalley.org or at our LiveJournal, MySpace, or FictionAlley Park.

Welcome to another episode of SpellCast readings!

This week's fic, read by both Jason Fraser and Gwendolyn Grace, is PS... written by thistlerose. The fic is rated PG and located in the Dark Arts house.

The summary goes: The summer after his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry receives a letter that his godfather wrote for him, but never sent, two months before he was born.

This week, we also feature the two winners of the January 2007 challenge on FictionAlley. These are Ernie Prang and the Howdy Hall Tale written by SwissMiss and Rabid Weasels, Stoned Ferrets and Bitch Beavers and Bad Hair: How To and Hints written by icefire lioness.

We'll be reviewing the main fic in Episode Eighteen, and you can participate by leaving either an email or voicemail review. You can send text reviews to spellcast@fictionalley.org or leave a voicemail at our Skype username, 'fictionalley'. We hope you enjoy the readings and look forward to your reviews!

SpellCast is back this week with a steamy new episode for St Valentine's Day. Be sure to listen to this week's show and feel the lurve!

In this episode:

- Anise tells us about the true role of love in Harry Potter in an all-new essay segment. (05:56)

- Sidney talks with Elanor Isolda about Sectus 2007, the Harry Potter fandom conference happening in London this summer. If you are attending or plan to attend Sectus this summer, remember to fill out their poll about the book 7 release during the conference. (14:28)

- Artist's Corner: Venessa along with fanartists Makani, Reallycorking, Glockgal and Leelastarsky discuss the art of drawing love in all its forms. (30:42) (Artist's Corner transcript)

-For the FanFiction Review, the hosts discuss 'Asinus Ad Lyram' written by Ylime and featured in SpellCast Readings 17. (49:23)

We hope you enjoy the show and have a happy Valentine's Day :)

You can post your comments about the episode on FictionAlley Park and also our Livejournal. And don't forget to vote for SpellCast this month on Podcast Alley, thanks!

 

With the release date of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows announced, SpellCast has recorded a special news episode in which the hosts give their thoughts on the sudden release of the last book in the series and interview George Beahm, author of the highly acclaimed book on J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter, "Muggles and Magic: An Unofficial Guide to J. K. Rowling and the Harry Potter Phenomenon", on his thoughts and theories for book 7.

We hope you enjoy it and feel free to let us know what your reaction and thoughts were on the release date of book 7!

Also, don't forget to vote for SpellCast on Podcast Alley this month, thanks! 

Complement your eye candy from Equus with the new episode from SpellCast!

In this week's show:

- Robert talks with Christine from the wizard rock band, The Hermione Crookshanks Experience (12:37)

-Sidney discusses the LJ community snarry_games with its creator and mod, D.J. (25:14)

-For the Writer's Corner, Zorb explores the writing of Original Characters with D.M.P. and LupinsLittleSister (38:13)

- In Fan Fiction Review, the hosts take a look at "Penance and Absolution" written by Cruisedirector (51:32)

We hope you enjoy the show and don't forget to post your comments about the newest episodes on the website and FictonAlley Park and to friend our journals at LiveJournal and MySpace.

Also, please don't forget to vote for us this month on Podcast Alley, thanks!

Welcome to the second episode of SpellCast Readings! This week's featured fic, read by Jason Fraser, is Penance and Absolution by Cruisedirector. The fic is rated PG-13 and is housed on The Dark Arts, with the following summary: "Lupin would have recognized Snape anywhere, but it was still a shock to see him in the Muggle hospital tent."

We'll be reviewing the fic in Episode Sixteen, and you can participate by leaving either an email or voicemail review. You can send text reviews to spellcast@fictionalley.org or leave a voicemail at our Skype username, fictionalley. We hope you enjoy the fic and look forward to your reviews!

SpellCast kicks off 2007 with its fifteenth episode and new features!

- The hosts discuss the book title release and its potential meanings. (4:23)

- Josh sits down with filkmaster Caius Marcius to talk about - and demonstrate - the art of HP filking. (11:00)

- Zorb chats with Stephanie, one of the webmasters of RupertGrint.net, about the number one source for Rupert news on the web. (30:10)

- The review of Zannie's "The Difference a Day Makes" includes both the hosts' opinions and called in reviews from our listeners. (42:08)

Thanks for staying with SpellCast in the new year! Enjoy the show, and let us know what you think by commenting on our website, LiveJournal, FictionAlley Park, or by email.

SpellCast: Creativity is reborn as SpellCast Readings! For its debut, Gwendolyn Grace reads The Difference a Day Makes by Zannie. In this PG-rated Astronomy Tower fic, "Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny try to come to terms with the events at the Ministry of Magic. One-Shot. Missing moment told from Hermione and Ginny's perspective."

SpellCast invites you to send us your fic reviews, to appear in the next regular episode of SpellCast when the hosts also review the fic. You can email text reviews to spellcast@fictionalley.org or leave a Skype voicemail at (559) 477-4273. We hope you enjoy the fic!

1. How did you find out about SpellCast? (iTunes, FictionAlley, LiveJournal - please be specific)

2. When did you first listen to SpellCast? (Episode number, Month, Day - whatever you recall)

3. Do you listen regularly (almost every episode or more), occasionally (when something strikes your interest/you think to listen), or just once?

4. How many/which other podcasts do you listen to?

5. What are your primary activities in the Harry Potter fandom?

6. Do you like the format (organization and content ordering) of SpellCast? What specifically do you like/dislike about it?

7. What is your favorite type of SpellCast segment? (i.e., Writer's Corner, Fan Fiction Review, Podcast Spotlight, Celebrity Interview, etc.)

8. What have been your favorite specific segments? (i.e., Henry Jenkins interview, Beta Reading Roundtable, Draco Malfoy discussion, etc.)

9. If you've been listening for at least four months, what changes have you noticed in the show and how do you feel about them?

10. What would you like to hear more of on SpellCast? General types of segments and specific suggestions are both welcome.

11. What would you like to hear less of on SpellCast? General types of
segments and specific criticisms are both welcome.

12. SpellCast aims to represent the Harry Potter fandom. How well does
it achieve that goal? How could it better achieve it?

13. We'd like to get our listeners more involved in the podcast. In what ways would you feel most likely to participate? Possibilities include contests, listener calls, "roving journalist" segments, roundtable participation, quizzes - your own ideas are welcome.

14. What auxiliary content (website features, transcripts, visual aids, etc.) are you most interested in having SpellCast provide?

15. Anything we missed?

Thanks again! We look forward to your feedback at any time. Please send completed surveys to spellcast@fictionalley.org.

Don't have any plans tonight? Then ring in the new year with SpellCast: Epsiode 14! In this episode you'll find Robert, Venessa and Becka talking about conferences, wizarding rock, podcasting and other things that happened this past year.

For more information or comments and feedback regarding SpellCast, check out our forum on FictionAlley Park, but also our Livejournal and Myspace pages. We hope you enjoy the show, and don't forget to vote for us on PodcastAlley at midnight!