Adriana Kantcheva

Catching Words

Dispatches from a writer of speculative fiction.

Hello, ,

Welcome to the first installment of Catching Words. I decided to give my newsletter a name because I can't abide a title-less publication. Even my hatchling drafts must have some sort of title, which may or may not change later.

If you'd like to know where the whole theme of catching words comes from, head over here: Catching that perfect word...

Now, let's dig into some news and updates.

I'll be reading on Story Hour

Come, join me on Story Hour, where I'll be reading "Salvaged" (previously published in Escape Pod).

When:

July 2, 2025, 7 pm PST/PTD

Where:

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/540170760

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StoryHour2020

"Salvaged" is a loose retelling of “Snow White” set in the orbit of a decimated Earth.

I'll certainly not be able to match Cara Grace's competent narration of "Salvaged" on Escape Pod, but what I will most certainly be able to offer is how the story sounds in my head.

(The artist of the gorgeous image above is Silvia Ivanova. She created it for the podcast "Bulgarian Speculative Fiction," where "Salvaged" appeared in Bulgarian.)

Flash story "Affinition" now available

Head over to Manawaker Studio's Flash Fiction Podcast either on Spotify or Podcast Addict to listen to my newest story "Affinition" (duration: 10 min).

"Affinition" is about a first-contact from the point of view of an alien with extraordinary senses. What if one could sense another's intentions, another's deepest currents?

What I’ve been up to

• After letting my recently drafted secondary world fantasy novel to rest for two and a half weeks, I've come back to it for a re-read and mild revision. My objective is to make the manuscript readable enough for my two alpha-readers to brave the uncertain waters of such a read. These courageous sailors are my husband and a good writer friend of mine.

• I've also accumulated enough thinking on the second installment in a series of science-fantasy novellas with steampunk elements (I'm shopping the first one around right now). I say enough thinking because I have an aversion to plotting, but deep thinking I can stomach. This time, I've even splurged on character sketches and a list of possible scenes. I'm planning to start writing the first draft once my alpha-readers take my novel off my hands.

Excerpt from unpublished work

“Miss Beclen … Athia … please. My wife. She’s been at it for I don’t know how long. They say the baby might be already dead. She will follow it soon. Please.”

A doctor at the mayor’s elbow stirred. “Surely, Ardon, you can’t suppose this lower citizen will do anything useful.”

Athia remembered the doctor’s face from the papers. The secretary of the Medicine Chamber. The mayor didn’t pay him any attention and continued speaking to her.

“I heard you’ve helped a lot of women. For old time’s sake, Athia. Please.”

For old time’s sake. Athia’s mind raced in circular tracks. Arden seemed well; as young and healthy as she would’ve seemed if she'd had his life.

(From the science-fantasy novella I'm

currently querying.)

A photograph with a meaning

The moon looked much bigger in reality (what is reality?), but my phone captured well the fading light on that short, twilight walk, where I did a lot of intense thinking about guilt, autonomy, and how far the right to be one's self extends.

Books and music

• Reading: Witchmark by C.L. Polk. Mystery, romance, magic. What's not to like? I couldn't get enough of the precise, beautiful prose and the plot momentum that seemed to carry me through the story in a heartbeat. I can't wait to get to the two sequels.

• Music: In my last newsletter, I mentioned that lately I've been into plain piano music. This trend seems to be continuing for me (for now, wait until I'm back to drums and guitars). I've discovered Magic Lantern, the stage name of musician Jamie Doe. He adds his soft tenor to soulful piano and uses the phrase "unashamedly emotional" in his bio. Love.

A question on my mind

What would the world be like if we could live and express our deepest truths? Chaos? Paradise? Inconceivable?

One-sentence story

They clipped his wings, so he built a ladder of her biggest, strongest hopes to climb high, high, higher.

Until next time!

Adriana

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Read my fiction here.

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