Short Story Today Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:22:21 -0500 https://www.shortstorytoday.com en-us © 2026 Short Story Today yes Support this Podcast af41a6f8-8111-52f2-aaae-b403e92a867f Jon DiSavino episodic false A biweekly podcast hosted by Jon DiSavino. It celebrates the enduring and compact literary form known as - you guessed it - the short story. But more importantly, it gives listeners an opportunity to hear the work of some of the best emerging writers of today. Episodes contain an author interview followed by a reading of a story by that author. Jon DiSavino is an actor and stage director. He's been producing and narrating audiobooks since 2019. His most recent is Abduction: Another Max Dent MD Adventure by Mark R. Belsky, set for publication in 2025.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Jon DiSavino https://storage.buzzsprout.com/sasu23mzsrrahgnf2ukj0dm94vmi?.jpg Short Story Today Jon DiSavino Episode 141 - A "Found Fiction" Holiday Episode Episode 141 - A "Found Fiction" Holiday Episode Our final episode of our fifth season is a special holiday episode. It's part of a continuing series we like to call "Found Fiction." We present a story first published in 1903: "The Fur Coat: The Story of a Matrimonial Difference" by Ludwig Fulda. It was discovered on Project Gutenberg in an anthology published in 1907 by P. F. Collier & Son - The third volume in a series titled Short Story Classics, which was devoted to international fiction, gathering together stories from one featured country in each book.

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]]> Our final episode of our fifth season is a special holiday episode. It's part of a continuing series we like to call "Found Fiction." We present a story first published in 1903: "The Fur Coat: The Story of a Matrimonial Difference" by Ludwig Fulda. It was discovered on Project Gutenberg in an anthology published in 1907 by P. F. Collier & Son - The third volume in a series titled Short Story Classics, which was devoted to international fiction, gathering together stories from one featured country in each book.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18407764 Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 1510 5 141 full false Episode 140 - Anna Monardo: AFTER ITALY: A FAMILY MEMOIR OF ARRANGED MARRIAGE Episode 140 - Anna Monardo: AFTER ITALY: A FAMILY MEMOIR OF ARRANGED MARRIAGE Nebraska author Anna Monardo joins me to talk about her books After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage and The Courtyard of Dreams (both from Bordighera Press). She reveals the unique connection shared by these books - one CNF and the other fiction - and the writer's journey that made them both possible.

https://annamonardo.com/

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]]> Nebraska author Anna Monardo joins me to talk about her books After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage and The Courtyard of Dreams (both from Bordighera Press). She reveals the unique connection shared by these books - one CNF and the other fiction - and the writer's journey that made them both possible.

https://annamonardo.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18327362 Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 3312 5 140 full false Episode 139 - Vishwas R. Gaitonde: "The Wrath of Allah" Episode 139 - Vishwas R. Gaitonde: "The Wrath of Allah" Author Vishwas R. Gaitonde started life in India, and then made his way to England and finally the US, having lived in many states before settling in North Carolina. His short story collection On Earth As It Is In Heaven won the 2023 Orison Prize for fiction, and was published by Orison Books in 2025. We read "The Wrath of Allah," a story from On Earth As It Is In Heaven that was first published in The MacGuffin.

https://www.vishwasgaitonde.com/

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]]> Author Vishwas R. Gaitonde started life in India, and then made his way to England and finally the US, having lived in many states before settling in North Carolina. His short story collection On Earth As It Is In Heaven won the 2023 Orison Prize for fiction, and was published by Orison Books in 2025. We read "The Wrath of Allah," a story from On Earth As It Is In Heaven that was first published in The MacGuffin.

https://www.vishwasgaitonde.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18248170 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 2787 5 139 full false Episode 138 - Ian Forth: "Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright" Episode 138 - Ian Forth: "Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright" Author Ian Forth divides his time between Bordeaux, France and Wales. His debut story collection Hazlitt and the Mobility Scooter (Hard Travelling Books) was released this year. He's also a memoirist, with two published titles: Water Under the Bridge: Recollections from an Only Life, and Canal Conversations: Cycling on the Canal des Deux Mers. We read "Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright," which was first published in Syncopation Literary Journal.


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]]> Author Ian Forth divides his time between Bordeaux, France and Wales. His debut story collection Hazlitt and the Mobility Scooter (Hard Travelling Books) was released this year. He's also a memoirist, with two published titles: Water Under the Bridge: Recollections from an Only Life, and Canal Conversations: Cycling on the Canal des Deux Mers. We read "Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright," which was first published in Syncopation Literary Journal.


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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18171388 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 3132 full false Episode 137 - Michael Hopkins: "Foreclosure" Episode 137 - Michael Hopkins: "Foreclosure" Wisconsin author Michael Hopkins is an award-winning writer whose debut collection Never Stop Exiting (Cornerstone Press) was released this year. It has been called "stealthily complex and persistently compassionate" by Phong Nguyen, author of Bronze Drum. We read "Foreclosure," a story from the collection. 

https://www.michaelhopkinswriter.com/

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]]> Wisconsin author Michael Hopkins is an award-winning writer whose debut collection Never Stop Exiting (Cornerstone Press) was released this year. It has been called "stealthily complex and persistently compassionate" by Phong Nguyen, author of Bronze Drum. We read "Foreclosure," a story from the collection. 

https://www.michaelhopkinswriter.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18091392 Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3581 5 137 full false Episode 136 - Lauren D. Woods: "Clementine" Episode 136 - Lauren D. Woods: "Clementine" Washington DC author Lauren D. Woods discusses her debut collection The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe, winner of the 2024 Autumn House Fiction Prize, with her husband and SST alum Andrew Bertaina (Ep. 10).  We read her story "Clementine," which was first published in The Antioch Review.

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]]> Washington DC author Lauren D. Woods discusses her debut collection The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe, winner of the 2024 Autumn House Fiction Prize, with her husband and SST alum Andrew Bertaina (Ep. 10).  We read her story "Clementine," which was first published in The Antioch Review.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-18010531 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3948 5 136 full false Episode 135 - David Haynes: "That's Right, You're Not From Texas" Episode 135 - David Haynes: "That's Right, You're Not From Texas" Missouri author David Haynes's long-awaited debut story collection Martha's Daughter has finally arrived after seven novels and five books for young readers. It is the sixth volume in McSweeney's OF THE DIASPORA series. SST alum Stanley Stocker (Ep. 42) interviews David about his life and work, and we read "That's Right, You're Not From Texas," which was first published in the anthology The Story Behind the Story: 26 Stories by Contemporary Writers and How They Work (W. W. Norton).

https://hayneswrites.com/

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]]> Missouri author David Haynes's long-awaited debut story collection Martha's Daughter has finally arrived after seven novels and five books for young readers. It is the sixth volume in McSweeney's OF THE DIASPORA series. SST alum Stanley Stocker (Ep. 42) interviews David about his life and work, and we read "That's Right, You're Not From Texas," which was first published in the anthology The Story Behind the Story: 26 Stories by Contemporary Writers and How They Work (W. W. Norton).

https://hayneswrites.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17934244 Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3985 5 135 full false Episode 134 - Lisa Alvarez: "Manuel" Episode 134 - Lisa Alvarez: "Manuel" In her debut collection Some Final Beauty and Other Stories (University of Nevada Press), California author Lisa Alvarez writes about her home town of Los Angeles with deep affection. These compelling stories chronicle lives that are indelibly affected by pivotal moments in the history of the city and of the world beyond, honoring the courageous people who chose to fight for peace, justice and civil rights.

https://www.lisaalvarez.com/

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]]> In her debut collection Some Final Beauty and Other Stories (University of Nevada Press), California author Lisa Alvarez writes about her home town of Los Angeles with deep affection. These compelling stories chronicle lives that are indelibly affected by pivotal moments in the history of the city and of the world beyond, honoring the courageous people who chose to fight for peace, justice and civil rights.

https://www.lisaalvarez.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17812604 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400 4171 5 134 full false Episode 133 - Olajide Omojarabi: "Messenger Meg" Episode 133 - Olajide Omojarabi: "Messenger Meg" Nigerian author Olajide Omojarabi discusses his story "Messenger Meg," which was published in the Ploughshares Summer 2025 issue. The interview is conducted by fellow writer Daniel Dykiel. Olajide reads "Messenger Meg" in the episode.

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]]> Nigerian author Olajide Omojarabi discusses his story "Messenger Meg," which was published in the Ploughshares Summer 2025 issue. The interview is conducted by fellow writer Daniel Dykiel. Olajide reads "Messenger Meg" in the episode.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17774995 Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3732 5 133 full false Episode 132 - Veena Gokhale: Annapurna's Bounty Episode 132 - Veena Gokhale: Annapurna's Bounty Montreal author Veena Gokhale's new collection, Annapurna's Bounty: Indian Food Legends Retold (Dundurn Press), is a literary smorgasbord. It's a potent brew of folk tales, myths and legends taken from India's rich tapestry of oral and written history, re-imagined for modern readers. But the best surprise is the inclusion of recipes for the individual dishes at the heart of every story. 

https://www.veenago.com/

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]]> Montreal author Veena Gokhale's new collection, Annapurna's Bounty: Indian Food Legends Retold (Dundurn Press), is a literary smorgasbord. It's a potent brew of folk tales, myths and legends taken from India's rich tapestry of oral and written history, re-imagined for modern readers. But the best surprise is the inclusion of recipes for the individual dishes at the heart of every story. 

https://www.veenago.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17541358 Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2694 4 132 full false Episode 131 - J.D. Barker Episode 131 - J.D. Barker As a child, NY Times bestselling author J.D. Barker would never set foot in the basement. He'd read the stories about what happens to little boys who wander off into places like that. Now he's writing those stories - and they're doing the same thing to a whole new generation of readers. SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS is his latest. It's from Simon & Schuster. https://jdbarker.com/

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]]> As a child, NY Times bestselling author J.D. Barker would never set foot in the basement. He'd read the stories about what happens to little boys who wander off into places like that. Now he's writing those stories - and they're doing the same thing to a whole new generation of readers. SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS is his latest. It's from Simon & Schuster. https://jdbarker.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17472128 Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2099 4 131 full false Episode 130 - Catherine Bush: "Skin" Episode 130 - Catherine Bush: "Skin" Toronto author Catherine Bush writes about intimacy and connection - but ventures far beyond the human-to-human. She explores the indefinable realm where it may be possible for the natural world to reveal to us the sublime nature of all things - if we have the courage to see. Her new collection is Skin (Goose Lane Editions). For this episode, the title story from Skin is read by the author. https://catherinebush.com/

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]]> Toronto author Catherine Bush writes about intimacy and connection - but ventures far beyond the human-to-human. She explores the indefinable realm where it may be possible for the natural world to reveal to us the sublime nature of all things - if we have the courage to see. Her new collection is Skin (Goose Lane Editions). For this episode, the title story from Skin is read by the author. https://catherinebush.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17392009 Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2467 4 130 full false Episode 129 - William R. Hincy: "Flying" Episode 129 - William R. Hincy: "Flying" SoCal author William R. Hincy discusses his collection WITHOUT EXPIRATION, winner of the 2021 American Book Fest American Fiction Prize. He's the host of the long-running literary interview series on YouTube known as WRITERS DRINKING WHISKEY. We read "Flying," which was first published in Ancient Paths Literary Magazine.

https://williamrhincy.com/

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]]> SoCal author William R. Hincy discusses his collection WITHOUT EXPIRATION, winner of the 2021 American Book Fest American Fiction Prize. He's the host of the long-running literary interview series on YouTube known as WRITERS DRINKING WHISKEY. We read "Flying," which was first published in Ancient Paths Literary Magazine.

https://williamrhincy.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17314674 Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3471 4 129 full false Episode 128 - Laury A. Egan: "The Impaired Pair" Episode 128 - Laury A. Egan: "The Impaired Pair" Award-winning NJ author Laury A. Egan's new collection is Contrary - an eclectic mix of twenty-one stories which also includes a two-act play. She's the author of seventeen books of fiction and four poetry volumes. We read her story "The Impaired Pair," which appears in Contrary. https://www.lauryaegan.com/


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]]> Award-winning NJ author Laury A. Egan's new collection is Contrary - an eclectic mix of twenty-one stories which also includes a two-act play. She's the author of seventeen books of fiction and four poetry volumes. We read her story "The Impaired Pair," which appears in Contrary. https://www.lauryaegan.com/


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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17234898 Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2455 4 128 full false Episode 127 - SAW PALM: Florida Literature and Art - Issue 19: Florida Strange Episode 127 - SAW PALM: Florida Literature and Art - Issue 19: Florida Strange The literary journal Saw Palm was created in 2006 by John Henry Fleming, Phd and the MFA students of the Creative Writing Program at the University of South Florida. Saw Palm's mission is to go beyond the tourist brochures and capture the unique experience of Florida lives, landscapes, and tropes. The episode features a discussion about the making of Issue 19 with Dr. Fleming and student editors Elizabeth Pottinger and Andrea Figueroa-Irizarry, moderated by fellow editor Daniel Dykiel. We read a story from the issue: "Alligator Soup" by Brittany Hague. https://www.sawpalm.org/

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]]> The literary journal Saw Palm was created in 2006 by John Henry Fleming, Phd and the MFA students of the Creative Writing Program at the University of South Florida. Saw Palm's mission is to go beyond the tourist brochures and capture the unique experience of Florida lives, landscapes, and tropes. The episode features a discussion about the making of Issue 19 with Dr. Fleming and student editors Elizabeth Pottinger and Andrea Figueroa-Irizarry, moderated by fellow editor Daniel Dykiel. We read a story from the issue: "Alligator Soup" by Brittany Hague. https://www.sawpalm.org/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17154463 Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3858 4 127 full false Episode 126 - Caitlin Galway: A Song for Wildcats Episode 126 - Caitlin Galway: A Song for Wildcats Award-winning Toronto author Caitlin Galway speaks with us about her "mad scientist" approach to writing, which has produced some of the most startling and original fiction being written today. Her new collection is A Song for Wildcats, published by Dundurn Press.

https://caitlingalway.wixsite.com/caitlin-l-galway

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]]> Award-winning Toronto author Caitlin Galway speaks with us about her "mad scientist" approach to writing, which has produced some of the most startling and original fiction being written today. Her new collection is A Song for Wildcats, published by Dundurn Press.

https://caitlingalway.wixsite.com/caitlin-l-galway

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-17067466 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3005 4 126 full false Episode 125 - Pratap Reddy: "Storm in a Teacup" Episode 125 - Pratap Reddy: "Storm in a Teacup" Canadian author Pratap Reddy was born in India, but has lived in Mississauga, Ontario since 2002. In his fiction, he pays homage to the courageous men and women who have braved hardships of every kind while seeking a new future in the West. His new collection is Remaindered People & Other Stories (Guernica Editions). From the collection, we read  "Storm in a Teacup."

https://pratapreddy.com/index.html

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]]> Canadian author Pratap Reddy was born in India, but has lived in Mississauga, Ontario since 2002. In his fiction, he pays homage to the courageous men and women who have braved hardships of every kind while seeking a new future in the West. His new collection is Remaindered People & Other Stories (Guernica Editions). From the collection, we read  "Storm in a Teacup."

https://pratapreddy.com/index.html

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16985653 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3587 4 125 full false Episode 124 - Sarah Freligh: "All That Water" Episode 124 - Sarah Freligh: "All That Water" Award-winning NY author Sarah Freligh joins us to discuss her new collection OTHER EMERGENCIES (Univ of Arkansas Press), which is the 2025 Moon City Press Editors Choice Selection. Her oeuvre includes several poetry collections and a novella. We read "All That Water," which was first published in Stone Canoe.   https://sarahfreligh.com/

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]]> Award-winning NY author Sarah Freligh joins us to discuss her new collection OTHER EMERGENCIES (Univ of Arkansas Press), which is the 2025 Moon City Press Editors Choice Selection. Her oeuvre includes several poetry collections and a novella. We read "All That Water," which was first published in Stone Canoe.   https://sarahfreligh.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16900050 Wed, 02 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3721 4 124 full false Episode 123 - Fija Callaghan: "Life, Death, and Other Complications" Episode 123 - Fija Callaghan: "Life, Death, and Other Complications" With her debut collection Frail Little Embers, UK author Fija Callaghan has created a literary offering that will enchant and delight readers. In this beguiling work, she's re-imagined myths and folk and fairy tales, offering inspiring examples of the resilience of the human spirit. We read, from the collection: "Life, Death, and Other Complications."

https://fijacallaghan.com/

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]]> With her debut collection Frail Little Embers, UK author Fija Callaghan has created a literary offering that will enchant and delight readers. In this beguiling work, she's re-imagined myths and folk and fairy tales, offering inspiring examples of the resilience of the human spirit. We read, from the collection: "Life, Death, and Other Complications."

https://fijacallaghan.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16809384 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2729 4 123 full false Episode 122 - T.D. Johnston: "The First Key" Episode 122 - T.D. Johnston: "The First Key" Indiana author T.D. Johnston is the founder and editor of Short Story America, a small press that publishes the Short Story America anthology series in addition to author story collections and novels. Friday Afternoon and Other Stories, his first collection, won the 2017 International Book Award Prize for Short Fiction. We read "The First Key" from that collection. https://tdjohnston.com/

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]]> Indiana author T.D. Johnston is the founder and editor of Short Story America, a small press that publishes the Short Story America anthology series in addition to author story collections and novels. Friday Afternoon and Other Stories, his first collection, won the 2017 International Book Award Prize for Short Fiction. We read "The First Key" from that collection. https://tdjohnston.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16735016 Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500 3863 4 122 full false Episode 121 - Holiday Episode Redux Episode 121 - Holiday Episode Redux We've brought back a newly-packaged edition of our 2022 Holiday episode, featuring stories selected from our contest submissions that year, as well as a few by authors who were guests on the podcast. We've added a story from 1917 that was discovered in the archives of Project Gutenberg, and was featured in Episode 4 of the first edition of Short Story Today. Featuring the voices of Jon DiSavino, Alison Fraser, Peter Garruba, Barret Leddy, and Suzanne Savoy. https://shortstorytoday.com/

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]]> We've brought back a newly-packaged edition of our 2022 Holiday episode, featuring stories selected from our contest submissions that year, as well as a few by authors who were guests on the podcast. We've added a story from 1917 that was discovered in the archives of Project Gutenberg, and was featured in Episode 4 of the first edition of Short Story Today. Featuring the voices of Jon DiSavino, Alison Fraser, Peter Garruba, Barret Leddy, and Suzanne Savoy. https://shortstorytoday.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16303189 Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0500 6708 3 121 full false Stories of Thanksgiving Stories of Thanksgiving This week we've created an audiobook anthology of short stories about thanksgiving - not the holiday, per se, but the things that Thanksgiving represents: family bonds, gratitude, and benevolence. There are nine stories by five authors: Mathieu Cailler, Melissa Ostrom, Andrea Rinard, John Sheirer, and Hart Vetter. Featuring the voices of Daniel Dykiel, Sierra Lidén, Meg Sewell, and Jon DiSavino.
https://shortstorytoday.com/ 

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]]> This week we've created an audiobook anthology of short stories about thanksgiving - not the holiday, per se, but the things that Thanksgiving represents: family bonds, gratitude, and benevolence. There are nine stories by five authors: Mathieu Cailler, Melissa Ostrom, Andrea Rinard, John Sheirer, and Hart Vetter. Featuring the voices of Daniel Dykiel, Sierra Lidén, Meg Sewell, and Jon DiSavino.
https://shortstorytoday.com/ 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16180525 Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3592 3 120 full false Episode 119 - Danila Botha: "Don't Look Back" Episode 119 - Danila Botha: "Don't Look Back" Toronto author Danila Botha's third story collection, Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness (Guernica Editions), moves uniquely through time. She combines multigenerational stories that eloquently reflect on history with contemporary stories of the lives and loves of urban youth. Sierra Lidén reads "Don't Look Back," which was first published in Jewishfiction.net.
https://www.danilabotha.com/

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]]> Toronto author Danila Botha's third story collection, Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness (Guernica Editions), moves uniquely through time. She combines multigenerational stories that eloquently reflect on history with contemporary stories of the lives and loves of urban youth. Sierra Lidén reads "Don't Look Back," which was first published in Jewishfiction.net.
https://www.danilabotha.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16136266 Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3420 3 119 full false Episode 118 - Eliot Parker: "Giving" Episode 118 - Eliot Parker: "Giving" Mississippi author Eliot Parker's second collection of stories is something of a love letter to the hard-working people of Appalachia that he's come to appreciate in the many years he's lived in the territory. Table For Two (Colorful Crow Publishing) is a multi-genre collection of tales that focus on one-on-one conversations with heart and humor. We read "Giving," the final story in the book.
https://www.eliotparker.com/ 

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]]> Mississippi author Eliot Parker's second collection of stories is something of a love letter to the hard-working people of Appalachia that he's come to appreciate in the many years he's lived in the territory. Table For Two (Colorful Crow Publishing) is a multi-genre collection of tales that focus on one-on-one conversations with heart and humor. We read "Giving," the final story in the book.
https://www.eliotparker.com/ 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16095800 Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4577 3 118 full false Episode 117 - Jeffrey M. Feingold: "My Left Foot" Episode 117 - Jeffrey M. Feingold: "My Left Foot" Award-winning Massachusetts author Jeffrey Feingold will see his third short story collection published this fall. A FINE MADNESS - AND OTHER MAD STORIES (MFT Press) is a combination of literary realism and magical realism that crosses over, at times, into the surreal. What binds it all together, though, is the humor. We read "My Left Foot" from his first book, The Black Hole Pastrami.
https://jeffreymfeingold.com/

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]]> Award-winning Massachusetts author Jeffrey Feingold will see his third short story collection published this fall. A FINE MADNESS - AND OTHER MAD STORIES (MFT Press) is a combination of literary realism and magical realism that crosses over, at times, into the surreal. What binds it all together, though, is the humor. We read "My Left Foot" from his first book, The Black Hole Pastrami.
https://jeffreymfeingold.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16055217 Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3343 3 117 full false Episode 116 - Marguerite Sheffer: "The Observer's Cage" Episode 116 - Marguerite Sheffer: "The Observer's Cage" New Orleans author Marguerite Sheffer is a Professor of Practice at Tulane University, where she teaches courses in design thinking and speculative fiction as tools for social change. Read her collection The Man in the Banana Trees (Univ of Iowa Press) to see how it's done. We read "The Observer's Cage," which was first published in The Offing.
https://www.margueritesheffer.com/

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]]> New Orleans author Marguerite Sheffer is a Professor of Practice at Tulane University, where she teaches courses in design thinking and speculative fiction as tools for social change. Read her collection The Man in the Banana Trees (Univ of Iowa Press) to see how it's done. We read "The Observer's Cage," which was first published in The Offing.
https://www.margueritesheffer.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-16014281 Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4525 3 116 full false Episode 115 - Nina Schuyler: "Brethren and Sistren" Episode 115 - Nina Schuyler: "Brethren and Sistren" Bay Area author Nina Schuler doesn't subscribe to the "write what you know" school of thought. For her, that would just be boring. In her fiction, she writes fearlessly about complex subjects like AI and the science of climate change, and makes us think about what roles we might take in an effort to make the world a better place. Karen Joy Fowler, author of Booth, has called her collection IN THIS RAVISING WORLD "the book this moment needs." We read "Brethren and Sistren" from the collection.
https://ninaschuyler.com/

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]]> Bay Area author Nina Schuler doesn't subscribe to the "write what you know" school of thought. For her, that would just be boring. In her fiction, she writes fearlessly about complex subjects like AI and the science of climate change, and makes us think about what roles we might take in an effort to make the world a better place. Karen Joy Fowler, author of Booth, has called her collection IN THIS RAVISING WORLD "the book this moment needs." We read "Brethren and Sistren" from the collection.
https://ninaschuyler.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15972779 Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4427 3 115 full false Episode 114 - Janis Hubschman: "Please See Me" Episode 114 - Janis Hubschman: "Please See Me" New Jersey author Janis Hubschman was a marathon runner, so she understands the true meaning of endurance. The women in her debut story collection Take Me With You Next Time (Betty Books) are athletes and outdoorswomen who find themselves on terrain that challenges not only their bodies, but their hearts and minds, too. We read "Please See Me," which was first published in Chautauqua Journal.
https://www.janishubschman.com/about.html

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]]> New Jersey author Janis Hubschman was a marathon runner, so she understands the true meaning of endurance. The women in her debut story collection Take Me With You Next Time (Betty Books) are athletes and outdoorswomen who find themselves on terrain that challenges not only their bodies, but their hearts and minds, too. We read "Please See Me," which was first published in Chautauqua Journal.
https://www.janishubschman.com/about.html

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15932479 Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4269 3 114 full false Episode 113 - Tara Isabel Zambrano: Ruined a Little When We Are Born Episode 113 - Tara Isabel Zambrano: Ruined a Little When We Are Born Author Tara Isabel Zambrano is an electrical engineer by day, where she relies on her left brain in designing semiconductors. She balances that by ensuring that her right brain gets time to do some playing - particularly in the form of writing fiction. Of her new collection Ruined a Little When We Are Born (Dzanc Books), Laura Picklesimer, author of Kill For Love writes: "Enchanting and heartbreaking, Zambrano’s prose pulses with intensity, magic, and insight."
https://taraisabelzambrano.wordpress.com/

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]]> Author Tara Isabel Zambrano is an electrical engineer by day, where she relies on her left brain in designing semiconductors. She balances that by ensuring that her right brain gets time to do some playing - particularly in the form of writing fiction. Of her new collection Ruined a Little When We Are Born (Dzanc Books), Laura Picklesimer, author of Kill For Love writes: "Enchanting and heartbreaking, Zambrano’s prose pulses with intensity, magic, and insight."
https://taraisabelzambrano.wordpress.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15892010 Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 2993 3 113 full false Episode 112 - Viggy Parr Hampton: "The Waiting Mortuary" Episode 112 - Viggy Parr Hampton: "The Waiting Mortuary" Georgia author Viggy Parr Hampton discovered that the best way to find the satisfyingly scary horror stories she craved was to write them herself. She's just published her second novel, Much Too Vulgar, which has been described by Ronald Malfi, bestselling author of Small Town Horror as “A brash, unapologetic, and often funny novel with a delightful nasty streak." We read the story "The Waiting Mortuary," which was published in The Cafe. https://viggyhampton.com/

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]]> Georgia author Viggy Parr Hampton discovered that the best way to find the satisfyingly scary horror stories she craved was to write them herself. She's just published her second novel, Much Too Vulgar, which has been described by Ronald Malfi, bestselling author of Small Town Horror as “A brash, unapologetic, and often funny novel with a delightful nasty streak." We read the story "The Waiting Mortuary," which was published in The Cafe. https://viggyhampton.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15849912 Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3321 3 112 full false Episode 111 - Amy Stuber: "Dick Cheney Was Not My Father" Episode 111 - Amy Stuber: "Dick Cheney Was Not My Father" Don't be misled by the title of Amy Stuber's debut collection SAD GROWNUPS (Stillhouse Press). It's full of humor. "The stories in SAD GROWNUPS are masterful. At turns funny, insightful, and wise. I couldn't stop reading." - Cara Blue Adams, author of YOU NEVER GET IT BACK.  We read a story that was first published in The Common: "Dick Cheney Was Not My Father."
https://www.amystuber.com/

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]]> Don't be misled by the title of Amy Stuber's debut collection SAD GROWNUPS (Stillhouse Press). It's full of humor. "The stories in SAD GROWNUPS are masterful. At turns funny, insightful, and wise. I couldn't stop reading." - Cara Blue Adams, author of YOU NEVER GET IT BACK.  We read a story that was first published in The Common: "Dick Cheney Was Not My Father."
https://www.amystuber.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15808085 Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3380 3 111 full false Episode 110 - Kirti Bhadresa: "In a Name" Episode 110 - Kirti Bhadresa: "In a Name" Canadian author Kirti Bhadresa was born in Red Deer, Alberta to Indian parents who had travelled far and wide before settling there. In her debut collection An Astonishment of Stars, she honors the lives of women - sisters, wives and mothers - who are caught between two worlds. ECW Press has graciously permitted us to share an excerpt from "In a Name" taken form the audiobook edition of An Astonishment of Stars, read by Roveena Gnanabakthan. https://beingkirti.com/an-astonishment-of-stars

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]]> Canadian author Kirti Bhadresa was born in Red Deer, Alberta to Indian parents who had travelled far and wide before settling there. In her debut collection An Astonishment of Stars, she honors the lives of women - sisters, wives and mothers - who are caught between two worlds. ECW Press has graciously permitted us to share an excerpt from "In a Name" taken form the audiobook edition of An Astonishment of Stars, read by Roveena Gnanabakthan. https://beingkirti.com/an-astonishment-of-stars

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15768080 Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3781 3 110 full false Episode 109 - Meg Pokrass: Six Stories From FIRST LAW OF HOLES Episode 109 - Meg Pokrass: Six Stories From FIRST LAW OF HOLES In the fourteen years author Meg Pokrass has been writing flash, she has established herself as a key figure in the world of flash fiction. First Law of Holes, her newly-released volume of new and collected stories, represents the astonishing wealth of creativity generated during those years. Meg reads six of the stories from her collection. https://megpokrass.com/ 

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]]> In the fourteen years author Meg Pokrass has been writing flash, she has established herself as a key figure in the world of flash fiction. First Law of Holes, her newly-released volume of new and collected stories, represents the astonishing wealth of creativity generated during those years. Meg reads six of the stories from her collection. https://megpokrass.com/ 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15729796 Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3997 3 109 full false Episode 108 - Hollay Ghadery: Three Stories from WIDOW FANTASIES Episode 108 - Hollay Ghadery: Three Stories from WIDOW FANTASIES The flash stories in Canadian author Hollay Ghadery's debut collection Widow Fantasies are like portrait miniatures, capturing essential moments in the lives of each character with laser-like focus and clarity. We read three stories from the book: "Tarot of St. Petersburg," Audience as Patio Furniture," and "Tennis Whites."
https://www.hollayghadery.ca/ https://hollay-ghadery.squarespace.com/

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]]> The flash stories in Canadian author Hollay Ghadery's debut collection Widow Fantasies are like portrait miniatures, capturing essential moments in the lives of each character with laser-like focus and clarity. We read three stories from the book: "Tarot of St. Petersburg," Audience as Patio Furniture," and "Tennis Whites."
https://www.hollayghadery.ca/ https://hollay-ghadery.squarespace.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15689121 Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3313 3 108 full false Episode 107 - Kathryn Mockler: Four Stories from ANECDOTES Episode 107 - Kathryn Mockler: Four Stories from ANECDOTES There's a lot on Canadian author Kathryn Mockler's mind when it comes to what sorts of things the future might hold. In her hybrid collection Anecdotes (Book*hug Press), she channels her anxiety about the planet into bold, original, and surprisingly humorous works that take aim at the indifference surrounding us in these perilous times. We read four stories from the section of the book titled My Dream House. https://www.kathrynmockler.com/

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]]> There's a lot on Canadian author Kathryn Mockler's mind when it comes to what sorts of things the future might hold. In her hybrid collection Anecdotes (Book*hug Press), she channels her anxiety about the planet into bold, original, and surprisingly humorous works that take aim at the indifference surrounding us in these perilous times. We read four stories from the section of the book titled My Dream House. https://www.kathrynmockler.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15651345 Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3270 3 107 full false Episode 106 - Claire Carroll: "My Two Sons" Episode 106 - Claire Carroll: "My Two Sons" UK author Claire Carroll is the daughter of a zoologist, which is no surprise given the ways in which her reverence for the natural world figures largely in her fiction. She brings a daring imagination and a dark humor to the stories in her debut collection The Unreliable Nature Writer (Scratch Books), which examine the fragile relationship between humankind and the natural world.
For this episode, the story "My Two Sons" is read by the author.

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]]> UK author Claire Carroll is the daughter of a zoologist, which is no surprise given the ways in which her reverence for the natural world figures largely in her fiction. She brings a daring imagination and a dark humor to the stories in her debut collection The Unreliable Nature Writer (Scratch Books), which examine the fragile relationship between humankind and the natural world.
For this episode, the story "My Two Sons" is read by the author.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15613245 Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3679 3 106 full false Episode 105 - Nick Rees Gardner: "Psychedelicious" Episode 105 - Nick Rees Gardner: "Psychedelicious" In his linked story collection Delinquents and Other Escape Attempts, Washington DC author Nick Rees Gardner has created a fictional landscape inspired by his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio - which he has affectionately dubbed "Westinghouse." But it's not a rose-tinted homage. Nick's personal experience of the opioid crisis that grew out of the economic hard times which have effected places like Mansfield make this collection a unique and important work of literature. We read "Psychedelicious," which was first published in Cutleaf. https://nickreesgardner.com/

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]]> In his linked story collection Delinquents and Other Escape Attempts, Washington DC author Nick Rees Gardner has created a fictional landscape inspired by his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio - which he has affectionately dubbed "Westinghouse." But it's not a rose-tinted homage. Nick's personal experience of the opioid crisis that grew out of the economic hard times which have effected places like Mansfield make this collection a unique and important work of literature. We read "Psychedelicious," which was first published in Cutleaf. https://nickreesgardner.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15576930 Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3830 3 105 full false Episode 104 - John Sheirer: "Security" Episode 104 - John Sheirer: "Security" In his collection Stumbling Through Adulthood, Massachusetts author John Sheirer pays homage to folks like the ones he got to know while growing up in rural Pennsylvania. He creates indelible portraits of the unsung heroes of small town America - simple folk who time and again prove that "simple" is simply a matter of opinion. We read "Security," which was first published in Wordpeace.
http://www.johnsheirer.com/

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]]> In his collection Stumbling Through Adulthood, Massachusetts author John Sheirer pays homage to folks like the ones he got to know while growing up in rural Pennsylvania. He creates indelible portraits of the unsung heroes of small town America - simple folk who time and again prove that "simple" is simply a matter of opinion. We read "Security," which was first published in Wordpeace.
http://www.johnsheirer.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15541839 Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3986 3 104 full false Episode 103 - Kolby Granville and After Dinner Conversation: "Father Dale's Drive-thru Exorcisms" Episode 103 - Kolby Granville and After Dinner Conversation: "Father Dale's Drive-thru Exorcisms" Kolby Granville, Founder and Editor of After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy and Ethics Short Story Magazine shares his thoughts and ideas about publishing a periodical, using fiction to explore ethical principals and philosophical concepts, and elevating popular culture. We read a story from the magazine: "Father Dale's Drive-thru Exorcisms" by Viggy Parr Hampton.   https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/

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]]> Kolby Granville, Founder and Editor of After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy and Ethics Short Story Magazine shares his thoughts and ideas about publishing a periodical, using fiction to explore ethical principals and philosophical concepts, and elevating popular culture. We read a story from the magazine: "Father Dale's Drive-thru Exorcisms" by Viggy Parr Hampton.   https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15503466 Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4597 3 103 full false Episode 102 - Timothy Laurence Marsh: "The Perfect Paris Day" Episode 102 - Timothy Laurence Marsh: "The Perfect Paris Day" Author Timothy Laurence Marsh's coastal Southern California home town set the stage for his entering college on a tennis scholarship, where he began pursuing a career in law enforcement. But an elective course in creative writing put him on a very different path. We discuss his forthcoming story collection My Mother Fires Guns, and read "The Perfect Paris Day," which was published in The MacGuffin.

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]]> Author Timothy Laurence Marsh's coastal Southern California home town set the stage for his entering college on a tennis scholarship, where he began pursuing a career in law enforcement. But an elective course in creative writing put him on a very different path. We discuss his forthcoming story collection My Mother Fires Guns, and read "The Perfect Paris Day," which was published in The MacGuffin.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15455240 Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4182 3 102 full false Episode 101 - Eufemia Fantetti: "A Recipe For Disaster" Episode 101 - Eufemia Fantetti: "A Recipe For Disaster" Toronto author Eufemia Fantetti is the child of Italian immigrants who emigrated to Canada in the sixties. In her story collection A Recipe for Disaster & Other Unlikely Tales of Love (Mother Tongue), she responds to the ways in which cultural beliefs and traditions effect the lives of generations struggling to adapt in their new and strikingly different worlds. https://www.eufemiafantetti.com/home-eufemia-fantetti

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]]> Toronto author Eufemia Fantetti is the child of Italian immigrants who emigrated to Canada in the sixties. In her story collection A Recipe for Disaster & Other Unlikely Tales of Love (Mother Tongue), she responds to the ways in which cultural beliefs and traditions effect the lives of generations struggling to adapt in their new and strikingly different worlds. https://www.eufemiafantetti.com/home-eufemia-fantetti

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15423600 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4156 3 101 full false Episode 100 - Aaron Kreuter: "The Krasners" Episode 100 - Aaron Kreuter: "The Krasners" In Toronto author Aaron Kreuter's linked story collection Rubble Children, he's provided a stirring and provocative portrait of a Jewish community in Toronto struggling with the difficult choices they must face as their core beliefs are called into question. Palestinian-Canadian author Saeed Teebi, author of Her First Palestinian, is the guest interviewer for this episode. We read "The Krasners" from Rubble Children. https://aaronkreuter.com/ 

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]]> In Toronto author Aaron Kreuter's linked story collection Rubble Children, he's provided a stirring and provocative portrait of a Jewish community in Toronto struggling with the difficult choices they must face as their core beliefs are called into question. Palestinian-Canadian author Saeed Teebi, author of Her First Palestinian, is the guest interviewer for this episode. We read "The Krasners" from Rubble Children. https://aaronkreuter.com/ 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15388835 Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4052 3 100 full false Episode 99 - Nicola Winstanley: "Feeling in the Flesh" Episode 99 - Nicola Winstanley: "Feeling in the Flesh" Award-winning Ontario children's book author Nicola Winstanley has recently published a collection of fiction - this time for grownups. Smoke (Buckrider Books) is a linked story collection. It follows the path of a resilient woman from her rocky New Zealand childhood to her life as a professional living in Ontario, Canada. Nathan Whitlock, author of Lump, has called it "meticulously crafted and emotionally walloping." We read "Feeling in the Flesh," a psychological horror story from the collection. https://www.nicolawinstanley.com/

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]]> Award-winning Ontario children's book author Nicola Winstanley has recently published a collection of fiction - this time for grownups. Smoke (Buckrider Books) is a linked story collection. It follows the path of a resilient woman from her rocky New Zealand childhood to her life as a professional living in Ontario, Canada. Nathan Whitlock, author of Lump, has called it "meticulously crafted and emotionally walloping." We read "Feeling in the Flesh," a psychological horror story from the collection. https://www.nicolawinstanley.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-15351870 Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3853 3 99 full false Episode #95 - Charles Hanson Towne: "Shelby" (A "Found Fiction" Episode) Episode #95 - Charles Hanson Towne: "Shelby" (A "Found Fiction" Episode) While we prepare for Season 3, we thought it might be fun to bring you some first-rate stories that probably haven’t seen the light of day in ages. We’re going to refer to these episodes as our "Found Fiction" episodes. These gems have been unearthed from the electronic vaults of Project Gutenberg - one of our favorite literary resources. They're stories written by writers who were popular in their day but who sadly, over time, have fallen into obscurity. 

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]]> While we prepare for Season 3, we thought it might be fun to bring you some first-rate stories that probably haven’t seen the light of day in ages. We’re going to refer to these episodes as our "Found Fiction" episodes. These gems have been unearthed from the electronic vaults of Project Gutenberg - one of our favorite literary resources. They're stories written by writers who were popular in their day but who sadly, over time, have fallen into obscurity. 

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14994525 Thu, 02 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400 2047 2 95 full false Episode #94 - Wole Talabi Episode #94 - Wole Talabi Nigerian author Wole Talabi excels at math (he's an engineer), so he creates what he calls a "fiction-equation" when beginning a story. But don't be misled by the technical sound of it. There's a deep reverence for humanity in his stories, which expertly capture the beauty and wonder of science and technology. His new collection is Convergence Problems (DAW Books) which a Booklist starred review calls “…a triumph of short fiction.” https://wtalabi.wordpress.com/

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]]> Nigerian author Wole Talabi excels at math (he's an engineer), so he creates what he calls a "fiction-equation" when beginning a story. But don't be misled by the technical sound of it. There's a deep reverence for humanity in his stories, which expertly capture the beauty and wonder of science and technology. His new collection is Convergence Problems (DAW Books) which a Booklist starred review calls “…a triumph of short fiction.” https://wtalabi.wordpress.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14942009 Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:00:00 -0400 3041 2 94 full false Episode #93 - Nicole Haroutunian: "Three Times I Breathed Other People's Breath and No One Worried About Death" Episode #93 - Nicole Haroutunian: "Three Times I Breathed Other People's Breath and No One Worried About Death" New York author Nicole Haroutunian knows how to keep an audience engaged - whether, as a museum educator, it's the groups she helps find a deeper connection with art - or readers of her fiction. Her newly-released novel-in-stories Choose This Now  has been hailed by Lydia Kiesling, author of Mobility and The Golden State as " a sparkling, intimate look at women’s lives." Sierre Lidén reads "Three Times I Breathed Other People's Breath and No One Worried About Death," which was published in Tupelo Quarterly. https://nicoleharoutunian.com/

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]]> New York author Nicole Haroutunian knows how to keep an audience engaged - whether, as a museum educator, it's the groups she helps find a deeper connection with art - or readers of her fiction. Her newly-released novel-in-stories Choose This Now  has been hailed by Lydia Kiesling, author of Mobility and The Golden State as " a sparkling, intimate look at women’s lives." Sierre Lidén reads "Three Times I Breathed Other People's Breath and No One Worried About Death," which was published in Tupelo Quarterly. https://nicoleharoutunian.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14902889 Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3449 2 93 full false Episode #92 - Ananda Lima Episode #92 - Ananda Lima Chicago author Ananda Lima was born in Brasilia, Brazil, and made her way to Illinois via Australia and New York while working in the field of linguistics. She is a translator, a fiction writer,  and an award-winning poet. Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, called her debut collection Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil "a terrific fiction debut."   https://www.anandalima.com/about/

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]]> Chicago author Ananda Lima was born in Brasilia, Brazil, and made her way to Illinois via Australia and New York while working in the field of linguistics. She is a translator, a fiction writer,  and an award-winning poet. Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, called her debut collection Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil "a terrific fiction debut."   https://www.anandalima.com/about/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14860646 Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400 2787 2 92 full false Episode #91 - Jess Bowers: "Granddad Swam" Episode #91 - Jess Bowers: "Granddad Swam" Missouri author Jess Bowers began her lifelong love affair with horses while still a child in her hometown of York, Pennsylvania - but she wasn't born to ranchers or farmers. Her dad was a sports journalist and a poet who fostered the love of literature in their home, which became the foundation on which she would build her writing career. We read "Granddad Swam" from her debut collection Horse Show, which was first published in Oyez Review.  https://jessbowers.org/

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]]> Missouri author Jess Bowers began her lifelong love affair with horses while still a child in her hometown of York, Pennsylvania - but she wasn't born to ranchers or farmers. Her dad was a sports journalist and a poet who fostered the love of literature in their home, which became the foundation on which she would build her writing career. We read "Granddad Swam" from her debut collection Horse Show, which was first published in Oyez Review.  https://jessbowers.org/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14815725 Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400 4337 2 91 full false Episode #90 - Trent Lewin: "The Longest Day" Episode #90 - Trent Lewin: "The Longest Day" This emerging Canadian author writes under the pseudonym of Trent Lewin. "It was specifically picked so that I could elude the reality in which I’d lived for so many years, the reality that always had boundaries on it, and limits as to what I could do. I didn’t want my writing in a box." He has a PhD. But it's not in Creative Writing. It's in Environmental Engineering. He does important work there. But in the field of writing, he's begun to make another kind of mark on the world. We read his story "The Longest Day." https://trentlewin.com/

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]]> This emerging Canadian author writes under the pseudonym of Trent Lewin. "It was specifically picked so that I could elude the reality in which I’d lived for so many years, the reality that always had boundaries on it, and limits as to what I could do. I didn’t want my writing in a box." He has a PhD. But it's not in Creative Writing. It's in Environmental Engineering. He does important work there. But in the field of writing, he's begun to make another kind of mark on the world. We read his story "The Longest Day." https://trentlewin.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14775392 Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3518 full false Episode #89 - Andrea Bishop: "Ice Created Layer Upon Layer" Episode #89 - Andrea Bishop: "Ice Created Layer Upon Layer" Vancouver, Canada author Andrea Bishop has been awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to complete her first collection of short stories. The work-in-progress features stories of fearless women - hikers, hockey-players, moms,  and mom-athletes - all striving to create harmony in an often brutal world. We read her story "Ice Created Layer Upon Layer," which was published in Grain Magazine.   https://andreabishop.ca/

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]]> Vancouver, Canada author Andrea Bishop has been awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to complete her first collection of short stories. The work-in-progress features stories of fearless women - hikers, hockey-players, moms,  and mom-athletes - all striving to create harmony in an often brutal world. We read her story "Ice Created Layer Upon Layer," which was published in Grain Magazine.   https://andreabishop.ca/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14714342 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3561 2 89 full false Episode #88 - Dave Gregory: "Last Jump Off the Lift Bridge" Episode #88 - Dave Gregory: "Last Jump Off the Lift Bridge" Canadian author Dave Gregory writes fiction on a wide variety of topics. But with his stories based on experiences shared in the oral tradition by his father, he creates a palpable connection to a world gone by. His Port Colborne stories depict his dad's rough-and-tumble post-war childhood, preserving a precious part of his family's past, and honoring his father's memory with a literary legacy. We read "Last Jump Off the Lift Bridge." https://courtlandavenue.wordpress.com/

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]]> Canadian author Dave Gregory writes fiction on a wide variety of topics. But with his stories based on experiences shared in the oral tradition by his father, he creates a palpable connection to a world gone by. His Port Colborne stories depict his dad's rough-and-tumble post-war childhood, preserving a precious part of his family's past, and honoring his father's memory with a literary legacy. We read "Last Jump Off the Lift Bridge." https://courtlandavenue.wordpress.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14678054 Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400 3645 2 88 full false Episode #87 - Tommy Dean: "Naming the Darkness" Episode #87 - Tommy Dean: "Naming the Darkness" No stranger to hard work, Indiana author Tommy Dean toiled in the corn fields of his youth, dreaming of basketball or baseball stardom. He's drawn to the ways that writing fiction allows him to become a kind of shapeshifter, creating worlds in which he gets to live multiple lives. The characters who populate his stories may live hard lives, but their faith in humanity keeps them connected to the world in profound ways. We read "Naming the Darkness" from the collection Hollows. https://tommydeanwriter.com/

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]]> No stranger to hard work, Indiana author Tommy Dean toiled in the corn fields of his youth, dreaming of basketball or baseball stardom. He's drawn to the ways that writing fiction allows him to become a kind of shapeshifter, creating worlds in which he gets to live multiple lives. The characters who populate his stories may live hard lives, but their faith in humanity keeps them connected to the world in profound ways. We read "Naming the Darkness" from the collection Hollows. https://tommydeanwriter.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14635299 Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4425 2 87 full false Episode #86 - Amy Cipolla Barnes: Four Flash Stories Episode #86 - Amy Cipolla Barnes: Four Flash Stories Tennessee author Amy Cipolla Barnes grew up in Great  Plains territory, where her grandparents owned and operated a farm. In her fiction and other writing, one feels a powerful and ever-present connection to the earth and the natural world. Sierra Lidén reads "Docked," "St. Lucy of El Paso," "Drowning on Main Street," and "The Art of Brutalism."

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]]> Tennessee author Amy Cipolla Barnes grew up in Great  Plains territory, where her grandparents owned and operated a farm. In her fiction and other writing, one feels a powerful and ever-present connection to the earth and the natural world. Sierra Lidén reads "Docked," "St. Lucy of El Paso," "Drowning on Main Street," and "The Art of Brutalism."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14589332 Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4248 2 86 full false Episode #85 - Keith Hood: "Utility" Episode #85 - Keith Hood: "Utility" Michigan author Keith Hood can remember with clarity the day the riots of 1967 came right up to the front door of his childhood Detroit home. In his fiction and essays, he writes with a reverent yet unalloyed veracity about his hometown, where he witnessed dramatic changes taking place. We read his story "Utility," which was first published in Blue Mesa Review. https://keithhoodwriter.com/

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]]> Michigan author Keith Hood can remember with clarity the day the riots of 1967 came right up to the front door of his childhood Detroit home. In his fiction and essays, he writes with a reverent yet unalloyed veracity about his hometown, where he witnessed dramatic changes taking place. We read his story "Utility," which was first published in Blue Mesa Review. https://keithhoodwriter.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14543113 Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4318 2 85 full false Episode #84 - Chaya Bhuvaneswar: "Wormhole" (an excerpt) Episode #84 - Chaya Bhuvaneswar: "Wormhole" (an excerpt) Massachusetts author Chaya Bhuvaneswar is a practicing psychiatrist in the Boston area who joins a long tradition of doctors who have written poetry and fiction while pursuing a life in medicine. Her debut story collection White Dancing Elephants was the winner of the Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize in 2017, and was selected for the list of  "35 Over 35" Debut Books in 2018. In this episode, Chaya reads an excerpt from her story "Wormhole," which was published in the Southern Humanities Review.    https://www.chayabhuvaneswar.com/

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]]> Massachusetts author Chaya Bhuvaneswar is a practicing psychiatrist in the Boston area who joins a long tradition of doctors who have written poetry and fiction while pursuing a life in medicine. Her debut story collection White Dancing Elephants was the winner of the Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize in 2017, and was selected for the list of  "35 Over 35" Debut Books in 2018. In this episode, Chaya reads an excerpt from her story "Wormhole," which was published in the Southern Humanities Review.    https://www.chayabhuvaneswar.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14490154 Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4295 2 84 full false Episode #83 - Doug Brown: "My Bohemian Baptism" Episode #83 - Doug Brown: "My Bohemian Baptism" Pennsylvania author Doug Brown's debut story collection My Bohemian Baptism and Then Some (Serif Press) is a testament to his determination to never give up on the dream of being a writer. Following a thirty-plus year hiatus where life had other plans for him, he's returned to the pursuit he's always loved. In this episode we read the title story from the collection.

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]]> Pennsylvania author Doug Brown's debut story collection My Bohemian Baptism and Then Some (Serif Press) is a testament to his determination to never give up on the dream of being a writer. Following a thirty-plus year hiatus where life had other plans for him, he's returned to the pursuit he's always loved. In this episode we read the title story from the collection.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14454700 Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 4734 2 83 full false Episode #82 - Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey of COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES Episode #82 - Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey of COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES is the brainchild of authors Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey, whose combined years working in the publishing industry has given them a unique advantage. Now in its third year, the award-winning annual anthology has quickly risen to a position to rival the old guard. In this episode, we learn about their entrepreneurial journey, and get a sneak peek at Mark's newly-released crime noir novel, Necessary Deeds (Regal House Publishing). https://www.coolestamericanstories.com/

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]]> COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES is the brainchild of authors Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey, whose combined years working in the publishing industry has given them a unique advantage. Now in its third year, the award-winning annual anthology has quickly risen to a position to rival the old guard. In this episode, we learn about their entrepreneurial journey, and get a sneak peek at Mark's newly-released crime noir novel, Necessary Deeds (Regal House Publishing). https://www.coolestamericanstories.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14410233 Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3846 2 82 full false Episode #81 - Alyson Mosquera Dutemple: Four Flash Stories Episode #81 - Alyson Mosquera Dutemple: Four Flash Stories New Jersey author Alyson Mosquera Dutemple began her professional career working in film production. The pressures of working on-set soon had her turning her attention to writing screenplays - some of which she succeeded in having optioned. But it was her love of writing fiction - stories in particular - that eventually won out. We read four of her flash pieces: "Ploughman's Lunch," "Prix Fixe," "Pugilists," and "Checking on the Devil." https://www.alysondutemple.com/

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]]> New Jersey author Alyson Mosquera Dutemple began her professional career working in film production. The pressures of working on-set soon had her turning her attention to writing screenplays - some of which she succeeded in having optioned. But it was her love of writing fiction - stories in particular - that eventually won out. We read four of her flash pieces: "Ploughman's Lunch," "Prix Fixe," "Pugilists," and "Checking on the Devil." https://www.alysondutemple.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14364060 Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3359 2 81 full false Episode #80 - Dustin M. Hoffman: "Smoke at the End of the World" Episode #80 - Dustin M. Hoffman: "Smoke at the End of the World" South Carolina author Dustin M. Hoffman spent ten years as a house painter - which might have something to do with his fondness for characters from the working class. We discuss stories from his forthcoming collection Such a Good Man (University of Wisconsin Press), in which the plight of day laborers during the Great Recession is given center stage. We read "Smoke at the End of the World," which was first published in DIAGRAM. https://dustinmhoffman.com/

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]]> South Carolina author Dustin M. Hoffman spent ten years as a house painter - which might have something to do with his fondness for characters from the working class. We discuss stories from his forthcoming collection Such a Good Man (University of Wisconsin Press), in which the plight of day laborers during the Great Recession is given center stage. We read "Smoke at the End of the World," which was first published in DIAGRAM. https://dustinmhoffman.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14322917 Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3582 2 80 full false Episode #79 - Bill Merklee: Four Flash Stories Episode #79 - Bill Merklee: Four Flash Stories New Jersey author Bill Merklee was playing in rock bands when he began working for a newspaper that had a tuition-reimbursement program. It was his rediscovery of Kurt Vonnegut in his first years of college that motivated him to become a writer.  His flash fiction explores the challenges posed by faith and the sometimes difficult legacies that are passed down through the generations. We read "Portugal," "Papi in the House," "Empty Nest," and "At the Movies."

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]]> New Jersey author Bill Merklee was playing in rock bands when he began working for a newspaper that had a tuition-reimbursement program. It was his rediscovery of Kurt Vonnegut in his first years of college that motivated him to become a writer.  His flash fiction explores the challenges posed by faith and the sometimes difficult legacies that are passed down through the generations. We read "Portugal," "Papi in the House," "Empty Nest," and "At the Movies."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14283117 Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3776 2 79 full false Episode #78 - Matthew Goldberg: "Bees Wings" Episode #78 - Matthew Goldberg: "Bees Wings" Philadelphia author Matthew Goldberg's fiction, as described on his website, "reimagines the mundane through the lens of the absurd." His speculative works ask deep questions about the ills of society and the ways in which we choose to confront or ignore them. We read his Uncharted's SciFi/Fantasy Award winner "Bees Wings."   https://www.mmgoldberg.com/

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]]> Philadelphia author Matthew Goldberg's fiction, as described on his website, "reimagines the mundane through the lens of the absurd." His speculative works ask deep questions about the ills of society and the ways in which we choose to confront or ignore them. We read his Uncharted's SciFi/Fantasy Award winner "Bees Wings."   https://www.mmgoldberg.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14237741 Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500 3919 full false Episode #77 - Alice Jolly: "All the Places That I Have Not Seen" Episode #77 - Alice Jolly: "All the Places That I Have Not Seen" Award-winning UK author Alice Jolly had 5 novels to her credit prior to publishing her first story collection - but she'd been writing stories the whole time. From Far Around They Saw Us Burn brings together an astonishing array of characters: eccentrics and  outcasts, young mothers and orphans - the vulnerable and the misunderstood struggling to be heard. Clara Francesca reads "All the Places That I Have Not Seen."

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]]> Award-winning UK author Alice Jolly had 5 novels to her credit prior to publishing her first story collection - but she'd been writing stories the whole time. From Far Around They Saw Us Burn brings together an astonishing array of characters: eccentrics and  outcasts, young mothers and orphans - the vulnerable and the misunderstood struggling to be heard. Clara Francesca reads "All the Places That I Have Not Seen."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14207503 Wed, 27 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 3936 full false Episode #76 - Nishanth Injam: The Best Possible Experience Episode #76 - Nishanth Injam: The Best Possible Experience Nishanth Injam was raised in Telangana, India, and now makes his home in the US, in the Chicago area. His debut story collection, The Best Possible Experience, is a NY Times Editor's Choice pick. Nishanth is interviewed by his friend and colleague Stanley Stocker (Ep. 42), who met Nishanth when they both received the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize in 2021. https://www.nishanthinjam.com/about



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]]> Nishanth Injam was raised in Telangana, India, and now makes his home in the US, in the Chicago area. His debut story collection, The Best Possible Experience, is a NY Times Editor's Choice pick. Nishanth is interviewed by his friend and colleague Stanley Stocker (Ep. 42), who met Nishanth when they both received the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize in 2021. https://www.nishanthinjam.com/about



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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14178489 Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 2388 2 76 full false Episode #75 - Mathieu Cailler: "A Little off the Top" Episode #75 - Mathieu Cailler: "A Little off the Top" As an adolescent, Los Angeles author Mathieu Cailler accompanied his grandfather to LA comedy clubs - an experience that gave him the idea that writing jokes might be a worthy pursuit. Over time, those early efforts at comedy would lead him to write fiction and poetry. He now has seven books to his credit. We read his story "A Little off the Top," which first appeared in the 2017 Short Story America anthology. https://mathieucailler.com/

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]]> As an adolescent, Los Angeles author Mathieu Cailler accompanied his grandfather to LA comedy clubs - an experience that gave him the idea that writing jokes might be a worthy pursuit. Over time, those early efforts at comedy would lead him to write fiction and poetry. He now has seven books to his credit. We read his story "A Little off the Top," which first appeared in the 2017 Short Story America anthology. https://mathieucailler.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14136336 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4270 full false Episode #74 - Emma Brankin: "Eulogy for a Bastard," "The Second Miss Thompson." and "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina" Episode #74 - Emma Brankin: "Eulogy for a Bastard," "The Second Miss Thompson." and "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina" UK author Emma Brankin's debut story collection Attention Seekers features stories inspired by her former career as an entertainment columnist, where she got to rub elbows with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ariana Grande. That's not to say, however, that her fiction is superficial. She writes stories of a depth and complexity that belies her age. The author reads "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina" and "Eulogy for a Bastard," and Jon DiSavino reads "The Second Miss Thompson" - all of which are in Attention Seekers.

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]]> UK author Emma Brankin's debut story collection Attention Seekers features stories inspired by her former career as an entertainment columnist, where she got to rub elbows with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ariana Grande. That's not to say, however, that her fiction is superficial. She writes stories of a depth and complexity that belies her age. The author reads "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina" and "Eulogy for a Bastard," and Jon DiSavino reads "The Second Miss Thompson" - all of which are in Attention Seekers.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14097514 Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4506 2 74 full false Episode #73 - Leslie Kirk Campbell and Daniel A. Olivas: "City of Angels" and "Elizondo Returns Home" Episode #73 - Leslie Kirk Campbell and Daniel A. Olivas: "City of Angels" and "Elizondo Returns Home" California authors and fellow Stanford grads Leslie Kirk Campbell and Daniel A. Olivas reverse roles in this episode as interviewer and interviewee. They each get a chance to discuss their latest story collection: The Man With Eight Pairs of Legs (Sarabande Books) by Leslie Kirk Campbell and How to Date a Flying Mexican (University of Nevada Press) by Daniel A. Olivas.  Sierra Lidén reads the selected  stories.   https://danielolivas.com/   https://lesliekirkcampbell.com/

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]]> California authors and fellow Stanford grads Leslie Kirk Campbell and Daniel A. Olivas reverse roles in this episode as interviewer and interviewee. They each get a chance to discuss their latest story collection: The Man With Eight Pairs of Legs (Sarabande Books) by Leslie Kirk Campbell and How to Date a Flying Mexican (University of Nevada Press) by Daniel A. Olivas.  Sierra Lidén reads the selected  stories.   https://danielolivas.com/   https://lesliekirkcampbell.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14054625 Wed, 29 Nov 2023 03:00:00 -0500 5833 2 73 full false Episode #72 - Jessie Ren Marshall: "After I Become a Ghost" and "Find Water Near Me" Episode #72 - Jessie Ren Marshall: "After I Become a Ghost" and "Find Water Near Me" Hawai'i author Jessie Ren Marshall's confidence as a writer was evident even as a child, as an early self-published book entitled How to Write a Book made clear. Her debut story collection Women! In! Peril! (Bloomsbury) is proof that she knew exactly what she was talking about. Her story "After I Become a Ghost" is read by Sarah High, and Jessie reads "Find Water Near Me." https://www.jessierenmarshall.com/

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]]> Hawai'i author Jessie Ren Marshall's confidence as a writer was evident even as a child, as an early self-published book entitled How to Write a Book made clear. Her debut story collection Women! In! Peril! (Bloomsbury) is proof that she knew exactly what she was talking about. Her story "After I Become a Ghost" is read by Sarah High, and Jessie reads "Find Water Near Me." https://www.jessierenmarshall.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-14014425 Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4232 2 72 full false Episode #71 - John Fulton: "Stitches" Episode #71 - John Fulton: "Stitches" Massachusetts author John Fulton's fiction has the power to cast an unusual kind of spell upon the reader. You may find him deftly weaving elements of magical realism into the narrative - but there's always a deeply realized truth to be discovered each time. We read "Stitches," a story from his most recent collection The Flounder, which first appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review. https://johnfulton.net/

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]]> Massachusetts author John Fulton's fiction has the power to cast an unusual kind of spell upon the reader. You may find him deftly weaving elements of magical realism into the narrative - but there's always a deeply realized truth to be discovered each time. We read "Stitches," a story from his most recent collection The Flounder, which first appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review. https://johnfulton.net/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13970268 Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4219 2 71 full false Episode #70 - Melissa Ostrom: "Super-Absorbent Stella," "The Postscript," and "Measurements" Episode #70 - Melissa Ostrom: "Super-Absorbent Stella," "The Postscript," and "Measurements" Before Western New York author Melissa Ostrom fell in love with reading and long before she began writing stories, all she wanted to do was play.  And she's never let go of that joyful impulse to explore, which is the secret behind her highly original  fiction. We read her stories "Super-Absorbent Stella" (read by Clara Francesca), "The Postscript" (read by Jon DiSavino), and "Measurements" (read by Sierra Lidén).  https://www.melissaostrom.com/

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]]> Before Western New York author Melissa Ostrom fell in love with reading and long before she began writing stories, all she wanted to do was play.  And she's never let go of that joyful impulse to explore, which is the secret behind her highly original  fiction. We read her stories "Super-Absorbent Stella" (read by Clara Francesca), "The Postscript" (read by Jon DiSavino), and "Measurements" (read by Sierra Lidén).  https://www.melissaostrom.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13931233 Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500 3752 1 70 full false Episode #69 - Julee Newberger: "Along the Sound" Episode #69 - Julee Newberger: "Along the Sound" Virginia author Julee Newberger's life was upended when she learned, at the age of forty, that she'd been adopted - information she received only after both her parents had died.  She's currently working on a unique memoir which will blend non-fiction with imagined events. Her story "Along the Sound" is read by Sierra Lidén.   https://juleenewberger.com/

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]]> Virginia author Julee Newberger's life was upended when she learned, at the age of forty, that she'd been adopted - information she received only after both her parents had died.  She's currently working on a unique memoir which will blend non-fiction with imagined events. Her story "Along the Sound" is read by Sierra Lidén.   https://juleenewberger.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13884838 Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3833 2 69 full false Episode #68 - Stephen Cicirelli: "Quitting" Episode #68 - Stephen Cicirelli: "Quitting" New Jersey author Stephen Cicirelli has a penchant for philosophy - and it shows up in his stories in surprising ways. But there's nothing academic about them. They vibrate with energy, often weaving sorrow with humor. We read his story "Quitting," about an experiment in free will that goes awry.

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]]> New Jersey author Stephen Cicirelli has a penchant for philosophy - and it shows up in his stories in surprising ways. But there's nothing academic about them. They vibrate with energy, often weaving sorrow with humor. We read his story "Quitting," about an experiment in free will that goes awry.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13841949 Wed, 25 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0400 4435 full false Episode #67 - Grant Faulkner: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash" Episode #67 - Grant Faulkner: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash" California author Grant Faulkner was born and raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa - an experience that helped shape his sensibilities as a writer of stories of heartland America. But it's the 100 word story that has, of late, become his obsession. And there is no limit to what he's been able to achieve in that arena. In this episode we read two flash stories: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash." https://grantfaulkner.com/

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]]> California author Grant Faulkner was born and raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa - an experience that helped shape his sensibilities as a writer of stories of heartland America. But it's the 100 word story that has, of late, become his obsession. And there is no limit to what he's been able to achieve in that arena. In this episode we read two flash stories: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash." https://grantfaulkner.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13796637 Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3637 2 67 full false Episode #66 - Erica Plouffe Lazure: "The Shit Branch" Episode #66 - Erica Plouffe Lazure: "The Shit Branch" New Hampshire author Erica Plouffe Lazure was born and raised in Massachusetts, but she has a particular fondness for the South - and for story-telling in the Southern tradition. In her award-winning collection Proof of Me - & Other Stories, she's created a fictitious town in North Carolina called Mewborn in order to tell the the stories of its inhabitants. In this episode, we read one of those stories: "The Shit Branch."   https://ericaplouffelazure.com/

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]]> New Hampshire author Erica Plouffe Lazure was born and raised in Massachusetts, but she has a particular fondness for the South - and for story-telling in the Southern tradition. In her award-winning collection Proof of Me - & Other Stories, she's created a fictitious town in North Carolina called Mewborn in order to tell the the stories of its inhabitants. In this episode, we read one of those stories: "The Shit Branch."   https://ericaplouffelazure.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13753741 Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3703 2 66 full false Episode #65 - Eleonora Balsano: "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character" and "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back" Episode #65 - Eleonora Balsano: "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character" and "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back" Italian author Eleonora Balsano (who now resides in Brussels) can speak and write in multiple languages - but she feels most at home writing in English. While it's not her mother tongue, it's a language she's come to believe affords her more freedom as a writer. Her interest in the experiences of writers who share this belief has compelled her create a podcast called "Chosen Tongue." We read two of her flash stories: "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back" and "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character." https://www.eleonorabalsano.net/

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]]> Italian author Eleonora Balsano (who now resides in Brussels) can speak and write in multiple languages - but she feels most at home writing in English. While it's not her mother tongue, it's a language she's come to believe affords her more freedom as a writer. Her interest in the experiences of writers who share this belief has compelled her create a podcast called "Chosen Tongue." We read two of her flash stories: "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back" and "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character." https://www.eleonorabalsano.net/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13711907 Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3342 full false Episode #64 - Catherine McNamara: "The Bamboo Furnace" Episode #64 - Catherine McNamara: "The Bamboo Furnace" Australian author Catherine McNamara has made the Veneto region in Italy her chosen home. But to get there, she first had to explore Paris, West Africa and Mogadishu, where she was an embassy secretary prior to the war in Somalia. The colorful backdrops for her stories reflect her love of the far-flung lands she has made her home. We read her story "The Bamboo Furnace," from her prize-winning collection The Cartography of Others. https://www.catherinemcnamarawriter.com

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]]> Australian author Catherine McNamara has made the Veneto region in Italy her chosen home. But to get there, she first had to explore Paris, West Africa and Mogadishu, where she was an embassy secretary prior to the war in Somalia. The colorful backdrops for her stories reflect her love of the far-flung lands she has made her home. We read her story "The Bamboo Furnace," from her prize-winning collection The Cartography of Others. https://www.catherinemcnamarawriter.com

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13670010 Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 5094 2 64 full false Episode #63 - J. Kevin Shushtari: "The Vast Garden of Strangers" Episode #63 - J. Kevin Shushtari: "The Vast Garden of Strangers" Connecticut author J. Kevin Shushtari is a practicing physician, but when it comes to his fiction, it's not the world of medicine that interests him. His stories are inspired by the unique worlds and colorful characters known to him from his Iranian father's and Irish Catholic mother's families. We read his award-winning story "The Vast Garden of Strangers," which was published in Glimmer Train.

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]]> Connecticut author J. Kevin Shushtari is a practicing physician, but when it comes to his fiction, it's not the world of medicine that interests him. His stories are inspired by the unique worlds and colorful characters known to him from his Iranian father's and Irish Catholic mother's families. We read his award-winning story "The Vast Garden of Strangers," which was published in Glimmer Train.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13624046 Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4229 2 63 full false Episode #62 - Francine Witte: Four Flash Stories from JUST OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL OF LOVE Episode #62 - Francine Witte: Four Flash Stories from JUST OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL OF LOVE NYC author Francine Witte has had a major impact on the world of flash fiction. As a writer, editor and prompt session leader, she has become an influential figure, admired by her peers and looked up to by young poets and writers. We read four flash stories from her most recent collection Just Outside the Tunnel of Love: "Potato Saga," "All the Electric Things," "Mom's Pumpkin Boyfriend" and "My Father Takes Me to the Rodeo." 

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]]> NYC author Francine Witte has had a major impact on the world of flash fiction. As a writer, editor and prompt session leader, she has become an influential figure, admired by her peers and looked up to by young poets and writers. We read four flash stories from her most recent collection Just Outside the Tunnel of Love: "Potato Saga," "All the Electric Things," "Mom's Pumpkin Boyfriend" and "My Father Takes Me to the Rodeo." 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13579549 Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4008 2 62 full false Episode #61 - John Delacourt: "Duende" Episode #61 - John Delacourt: "Duende" We open Season 2 with Canadian author John Delacourt.  John has a fondness for the arts - especially the creatives who make it all happen. The lives of painters, actors, musicians and dancers occupy a special place in his work, and he brings the worlds they inhabit to life in unique and compelling ways. We read his story "Duende," which was published in Syncopation Literary Review.

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]]> We open Season 2 with Canadian author John Delacourt.  John has a fondness for the arts - especially the creatives who make it all happen. The lives of painters, actors, musicians and dancers occupy a special place in his work, and he brings the worlds they inhabit to life in unique and compelling ways. We read his story "Duende," which was published in Syncopation Literary Review.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13537031 Wed, 06 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 5132 2 61 full false Episode #60 - Allison Field Bell: "River Mountain Summer" Episode #60 - Allison Field Bell: "River Mountain Summer" Author Allison Field Bell grew up in California, and has been a desert-dweller for much of her life. She now resides in the desert state of Utah, where she is pursuing her PhD in Prose at the University of Utah. In both her fiction and nonfiction, she explores how being neuroatypical affects the daily routines of individuals in ways that confine and sometimes enlarge their lives. We read her story "River Mountain Summer," which was published in West Branch. https://www.allisonfieldbell.com/

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]]> Author Allison Field Bell grew up in California, and has been a desert-dweller for much of her life. She now resides in the desert state of Utah, where she is pursuing her PhD in Prose at the University of Utah. In both her fiction and nonfiction, she explores how being neuroatypical affects the daily routines of individuals in ways that confine and sometimes enlarge their lives. We read her story "River Mountain Summer," which was published in West Branch. https://www.allisonfieldbell.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13104963 Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400 5210 1 60 full false Episode #59 - Scott Mitchel May: "Naked Cake" Episode #59 - Scott Mitchel May: "Naked Cake" Wisconsin author Scot Mitchel May boasts an unusual job resume. He's been a short order cook in a fast food joint as well as a staff writer for Wisconsin senators. And now he's a novelist, with a newly-published work, Breakneck, and two other books due to be released later this year. We read his story "Naked Cake," which was published in The Metaworker.  https://www.scottmitchelmay.com/home

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]]> Wisconsin author Scot Mitchel May boasts an unusual job resume. He's been a short order cook in a fast food joint as well as a staff writer for Wisconsin senators. And now he's a novelist, with a newly-published work, Breakneck, and two other books due to be released later this year. We read his story "Naked Cake," which was published in The Metaworker.  https://www.scottmitchelmay.com/home

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13079089 Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4831 1 59 full false Episode #58 - Kimberly Elkins: "Boys With Wings" Episode #58 - Kimberly Elkins: "Boys With Wings" Author Kimberly Elkins made her way from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia to New York City, where her writing career took flight. She began as a playwright, but soon found that writing fiction was her real jam. Her award-winning novel WHAT IS VISIBLE would prove that to the world. We read her story "Boys With Wings," which was published in SLICE Magazine. https://www.kimberlyelkins.com/

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]]> Author Kimberly Elkins made her way from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia to New York City, where her writing career took flight. She began as a playwright, but soon found that writing fiction was her real jam. Her award-winning novel WHAT IS VISIBLE would prove that to the world. We read her story "Boys With Wings," which was published in SLICE Magazine. https://www.kimberlyelkins.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-13033829 Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400 5181 1 58 full false Episode #57 - Emily Doyle: "Thursdays For Haru" Episode #57 - Emily Doyle: "Thursdays For Haru"  As the daughter of a mixed-race mother whose own mother had come to the U.S. from Japan, Emily Doyle saw how religion, culture and society held them down, and was moved to choose a different path for herself. It was as a writer that she would find the agency she longed for. We read her story "Thursdays For Haru," which was first published in The Sun Magazine. https://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/565/thursdays-for-haru

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]]>  As the daughter of a mixed-race mother whose own mother had come to the U.S. from Japan, Emily Doyle saw how religion, culture and society held them down, and was moved to choose a different path for herself. It was as a writer that she would find the agency she longed for. We read her story "Thursdays For Haru," which was first published in The Sun Magazine. https://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/565/thursdays-for-haru

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12992961 Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4495 1 57 full false #56 - CULTURE IN FICTION: A Conversation with Italian-Canadian Writers #56 - CULTURE IN FICTION: A Conversation with Italian-Canadian Writers We continue our series CULTURE IN FICTION with a conversation with Italian-Canadian writers. Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews, Eufemia Fantetti, Lori Sebastianutti and Natalie Welsh join Jon in a conversation about growing up as the children of Italian immigrants in the Toronto area, and the ways in which their cultural heritage has influenced their work.
https://on.soundcloud.com/f7n7Z
https://nsjcp.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/46/30
https://www.eufemiafantetti.com/
https://poetryimages.weebly.com/
https://linktr.ee/nataliewelsh285
https://lorisebastianutti.com/

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]]> We continue our series CULTURE IN FICTION with a conversation with Italian-Canadian writers. Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews, Eufemia Fantetti, Lori Sebastianutti and Natalie Welsh join Jon in a conversation about growing up as the children of Italian immigrants in the Toronto area, and the ways in which their cultural heritage has influenced their work.
https://on.soundcloud.com/f7n7Z
https://nsjcp.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/46/30
https://www.eufemiafantetti.com/
https://poetryimages.weebly.com/
https://linktr.ee/nataliewelsh285
https://lorisebastianutti.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12950967 Wed, 31 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3342 1 full false Episode #55 - Carrie Esposito: "Man of the House" Episode #55 - Carrie Esposito: "Man of the House" The stories of New York author Carrie Esposito can be searing in their attention to the frailties found in family relationships - whether they're families of origin or families of choice. She understands the ways in which the roles we're given in life - wife, mother, son, father - can push us to our limits as we strive to learn who we really are. We read the story "Man of the House," which was published in Ruminate.   https://www.carrieesposito.com/

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]]> The stories of New York author Carrie Esposito can be searing in their attention to the frailties found in family relationships - whether they're families of origin or families of choice. She understands the ways in which the roles we're given in life - wife, mother, son, father - can push us to our limits as we strive to learn who we really are. We read the story "Man of the House," which was published in Ruminate.   https://www.carrieesposito.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12907431 Wed, 24 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4789 1 55 full false Episode #54 - Jolene McIlwain: "The Steep Side" Episode #54 - Jolene McIlwain: "The Steep Side" In her story collection Sidle Creek, Pennsylvania native Jolene McIlwain writes about the rural America she grew up in with compassion and tenderness. That's not to say that every character is a charmer. She understands how hardship can harden folks, and writes with blinding clarity about the brutality that resides there as well. We read a story from the collection entitled "The Steep Side." https://www.jolenemcilwain.com/

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]]> In her story collection Sidle Creek, Pennsylvania native Jolene McIlwain writes about the rural America she grew up in with compassion and tenderness. That's not to say that every character is a charmer. She understands how hardship can harden folks, and writes with blinding clarity about the brutality that resides there as well. We read a story from the collection entitled "The Steep Side." https://www.jolenemcilwain.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12856742 Wed, 17 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4573 full false Episode 98: First Anniversary Celebration! John Henry Fleming's "Song for the Deaf" Episode 98: First Anniversary Celebration! John Henry Fleming's "Song for the Deaf" To commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the podcast, we're honoring our very first guest author, John Henry Fleming, with a reading of his short story "Song for the Deaf," from his collection "Songs for the Deaf." (Burrow Press)

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]]> To commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the podcast, we're honoring our very first guest author, John Henry Fleming, with a reading of his short story "Song for the Deaf," from his collection "Songs for the Deaf." (Burrow Press)

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12833767 Thu, 11 May 2023 22:00:00 -0400 2593 1 98 full false Episode #53 - Mandira Pattnaik: "Whether an Apocryphal Story?" Episode #53 - Mandira Pattnaik: "Whether an Apocryphal Story?" Indian author Mandira Pattnaik's writing career began with a surprising discovery: under the mantle of science fiction, she could express her outrage at the harm done to society by the introduction of the cellphone. She has gone on from there to address, in her stories, societal and environmental concerns such as global warming and the overdevelopment of her beloved country. We read her story "Whether an Apocryphal Story?" https://mandirapattnaik.com/

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]]> Indian author Mandira Pattnaik's writing career began with a surprising discovery: under the mantle of science fiction, she could express her outrage at the harm done to society by the introduction of the cellphone. She has gone on from there to address, in her stories, societal and environmental concerns such as global warming and the overdevelopment of her beloved country. We read her story "Whether an Apocryphal Story?" https://mandirapattnaik.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12819899 Wed, 10 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4870 1 53 full false Episode #52 - L Mari Harris: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator" Episode #52 - L Mari Harris: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator" Missouri author L Mari Harris's flash fiction is not for the faint of heart. It is her aim to push readers into uncomfortable places. Nothing is off limits: taboos, family secrets - in her stories, they're all fair game. We read two of her flash stories: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator."

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]]> Missouri author L Mari Harris's flash fiction is not for the faint of heart. It is her aim to push readers into uncomfortable places. Nothing is off limits: taboos, family secrets - in her stories, they're all fair game. We read two of her flash stories: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12773041 Wed, 03 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3769 1 53 full false Episode #51 - Andrew Porter: "Two Men" Episode #51 - Andrew Porter: "Two Men" When a briefcase containing his laptop and years of work was stolen, Texas author Andrew Porter nearly lost all hope. Luckily for us, a visiting writer gig at U of Maryland, Baltimore turned his life around. And the rest is history.  We read his story "Two Men," which was published in The Missouri Review.   https://www.andrewporterwriter.com/

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]]> When a briefcase containing his laptop and years of work was stolen, Texas author Andrew Porter nearly lost all hope. Luckily for us, a visiting writer gig at U of Maryland, Baltimore turned his life around. And the rest is history.  We read his story "Two Men," which was published in The Missouri Review.   https://www.andrewporterwriter.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12724891 Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3902 full false Episode #50 - Kirsti MacKenzie: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard" Episode #50 - Kirsti MacKenzie: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard" Canadian author Kirsti MacKenzie is blazing a trail as a writer of fiction with her unmistakable, inimitable voice. Like a modern-day Dorothy Parker, she is creating her own personal brand of razor-sharp and quick-witted fiction.  We read two of her flash stories: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard."

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]]> Canadian author Kirsti MacKenzie is blazing a trail as a writer of fiction with her unmistakable, inimitable voice. Like a modern-day Dorothy Parker, she is creating her own personal brand of razor-sharp and quick-witted fiction.  We read two of her flash stories: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12678870 Wed, 19 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400 4287 full false Episode #49 - Madeline Anthes: Four Flash Fiction Stories Episode #49 - Madeline Anthes: Four Flash Fiction Stories Growing up in rural midwest America gave author Madeline Anthes a way of seeing the world that would reverberate throughout her writing. As a mother of two young sons, she reveals how motherhood has "pushed [her] boundaries of emotional capacity," and brought a new level of depth and complexity to her work. We read four of her flash fiction pieces: "Staying Afloat," "Love Scream," "The Way Our Voices Carry" and "The Last One." https://madelineanthes.com/

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]]> Growing up in rural midwest America gave author Madeline Anthes a way of seeing the world that would reverberate throughout her writing. As a mother of two young sons, she reveals how motherhood has "pushed [her] boundaries of emotional capacity," and brought a new level of depth and complexity to her work. We read four of her flash fiction pieces: "Staying Afloat," "Love Scream," "The Way Our Voices Carry" and "The Last One." https://madelineanthes.com/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12634348 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 23:00:00 -0400 4080 1 49 full false Episode 97: Culture In Fiction #1: A Conversation With Jewish Writers Episode 97: Culture In Fiction #1: A Conversation With Jewish Writers We begin our new Culture In Fiction series with an episode featuring five accomplished Jewish writers who discuss how their faith and cultural heritage inform their work. Mara Beneway, Temim Fruchter, Mordecai Martin, Kate Schmier and Bonnie Weinstein Crowe engage in a lively conversation covering topics like Jewish humor, the Yiddishe Mama in popular culture, and the great tradition of storytelling handed down through the generations. To hear Bonnie's Hannukah story "Festival," use this link to the podcast's 2022 holiday episode:
 https://shortstorytoday.com/episodes/episode-33-first-annual-holiday-episode-811

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]]> We begin our new Culture In Fiction series with an episode featuring five accomplished Jewish writers who discuss how their faith and cultural heritage inform their work. Mara Beneway, Temim Fruchter, Mordecai Martin, Kate Schmier and Bonnie Weinstein Crowe engage in a lively conversation covering topics like Jewish humor, the Yiddishe Mama in popular culture, and the great tradition of storytelling handed down through the generations. To hear Bonnie's Hannukah story "Festival," use this link to the podcast's 2022 holiday episode:
 https://shortstorytoday.com/episodes/episode-33-first-annual-holiday-episode-811

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12613098 Sat, 08 Apr 2023 15:00:00 -0400 3133 1 97 full false Episode #48 - Danny DeRock: "Artifacts" Episode #48 - Danny DeRock: "Artifacts" Author Danny DeRock was born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, and now lives in the Netherlands. He has a PhD in political science from the University of Amsterdam, and does research on the global political economy of climate change. At the age of 34, through his own research, he determined he was autistic, a diagnosis that was medically confirmed.  He speaks candidly about how his ADHD and autism have affected his life and his creativity. We read "Artifacts," a speculative fiction story that first appeared in Reservoir Road Literary Review.

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]]> Author Danny DeRock was born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, and now lives in the Netherlands. He has a PhD in political science from the University of Amsterdam, and does research on the global political economy of climate change. At the age of 34, through his own research, he determined he was autistic, a diagnosis that was medically confirmed.  He speaks candidly about how his ADHD and autism have affected his life and his creativity. We read "Artifacts," a speculative fiction story that first appeared in Reservoir Road Literary Review.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12591814 Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:00:00 -0400 5494 full false Episode #47 - Marianne Villanueva: "Residents of the Deep" Episode #47 - Marianne Villanueva: "Residents of the Deep" California author Marianne Villanueva has no fear when it comes to writing fiction. She writes in an astonishing variety of genres, styles, tones and voices. And, on occasion, she'll even invent a new language. But they all vibrate with a verve and spirit that are unmistakably hers. We read her story "Residents of the Deep," about an explorer who believes he has discovered the lost city of Atlantis.

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]]> California author Marianne Villanueva has no fear when it comes to writing fiction. She writes in an astonishing variety of genres, styles, tones and voices. And, on occasion, she'll even invent a new language. But they all vibrate with a verve and spirit that are unmistakably hers. We read her story "Residents of the Deep," about an explorer who believes he has discovered the lost city of Atlantis.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12539466 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400 4609 1 47 full false Episode #46 - Kyle Seibel: "Master Guns" Episode #46 - Kyle Seibel: "Master Guns" California author Kyle Seibel joined the Navy and got to see the world. The impression it made would inform his writing with wisdom and wonder. In the stories that make up his new and soon-to-be-released collection Hey You Assholes, he celebrates the boy in the man, and the man in the boy. We read "Master Guns," in which a young enlisted sailor finds himself partnered with a troubled officer whose idea of a good time while on shore leave takes them on a wild ride through Bahrain.

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]]> California author Kyle Seibel joined the Navy and got to see the world. The impression it made would inform his writing with wisdom and wonder. In the stories that make up his new and soon-to-be-released collection Hey You Assholes, he celebrates the boy in the man, and the man in the boy. We read "Master Guns," in which a young enlisted sailor finds himself partnered with a troubled officer whose idea of a good time while on shore leave takes them on a wild ride through Bahrain.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12491203 Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400 5715 1 46 full false Episode #45 - Tanya Žilinskas: "Sillage" Episode #45 - Tanya Žilinskas: "Sillage" California author Tanya Žilinskas has made her home of Marin County the backdrop for many of her stories. She is acutely aware that the perception of safety and security in a suburban haven is just an illusion. And for her characters, the dangers may be hiding in plain sight. We read her story "Sillage," about a woman whose personal and professional lives have prompted her to discover a different kind of desire.

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]]> California author Tanya Žilinskas has made her home of Marin County the backdrop for many of her stories. She is acutely aware that the perception of safety and security in a suburban haven is just an illusion. And for her characters, the dangers may be hiding in plain sight. We read her story "Sillage," about a woman whose personal and professional lives have prompted her to discover a different kind of desire.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12444391 Wed, 15 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400 5180 full false Episode #44 - Justin Bryant: "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray" Episode #44 - Justin Bryant: "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray" In his stories, North Carolina author Justin Bryant is compelled to write about the things that fill him with fear. From forces of nature that wrest control away from sailors and pilots, to giant spiders, he takes back the power with his pen. We read his story "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray."

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]]> In his stories, North Carolina author Justin Bryant is compelled to write about the things that fill him with fear. From forces of nature that wrest control away from sailors and pilots, to giant spiders, he takes back the power with his pen. We read his story "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12398429 Wed, 08 Mar 2023 02:00:00 -0500 4608 1 44 full false Episode #43 - Maureen Aitken: "Tainted," "Bigfoot" and "Roby Burns" Episode #43 - Maureen Aitken: "Tainted," "Bigfoot" and "Roby Burns" Minneapolis author Maureen Aitken has written a love letter to her home town of Detroit with the evocative and heart-warming stories in her collection
The Patron Saint of Lost Girls. Known alternately as Motor City and Motown, the urban Michigan metropolis serves as the backdrop for the lives of a white family living in a majority-minority community during the turbulent sixties and seventies. Meg Sewell reads three stories from the collection.

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]]> Minneapolis author Maureen Aitken has written a love letter to her home town of Detroit with the evocative and heart-warming stories in her collection
The Patron Saint of Lost Girls. Known alternately as Motor City and Motown, the urban Michigan metropolis serves as the backdrop for the lives of a white family living in a majority-minority community during the turbulent sixties and seventies. Meg Sewell reads three stories from the collection.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12352224 Wed, 01 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0500 4609 1 43 full false Episode #42 - Stanley Stocker: "The List" Episode #42 - Stanley Stocker: "The List" Washington, DC area author Stanley Stocker knew he wanted to be a lawyer from the age of ten. What he discovered as an adult was a love for writing fiction. He's now an award winning author, with a historical fiction novel in the works, which is set in Mississippi in the early 20th century. We read his Pen America Dau prize-winning story "The List."

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]]> Washington, DC area author Stanley Stocker knew he wanted to be a lawyer from the age of ten. What he discovered as an adult was a love for writing fiction. He's now an award winning author, with a historical fiction novel in the works, which is set in Mississippi in the early 20th century. We read his Pen America Dau prize-winning story "The List."

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12302794 Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500 5114 1 42 full false Episode #41 - Emily Mirengoff: "It Could Be Worse Than California" Episode #41 - Emily Mirengoff: "It Could Be Worse Than California" Washington, DC area author Emily Mirengoff loves the unreliable narrator.  Her stories with first person narratives feature the kinds of interior monologues that can take readers on a spellbinding journey into a child's - or a senior citizen's mind. Meg Sewell reads a first-person narrative, "It Could Be Worse Than California."

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]]> Washington, DC area author Emily Mirengoff loves the unreliable narrator.  Her stories with first person narratives feature the kinds of interior monologues that can take readers on a spellbinding journey into a child's - or a senior citizen's mind. Meg Sewell reads a first-person narrative, "It Could Be Worse Than California."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12256287 Tue, 14 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500 5356 1 41 full false Episode 96: A Valentine's Day Micro Fiction Sampler Episode 96: A Valentine's Day Micro Fiction Sampler We're celebrating Valentine's Day with a micro fiction sampler of love stories. They're not your grandma's love stories, however. These are of the literary variety. There's sweetness and humor inside, of course - but you'll find some edgy and weird stuff in their, too. Featuring stories by Steve Almond and Pamela Painter, and the 11 contest-winning entries. Read by Alison Fraser, Barrett Leddy, Suzanne Savoy, Meg Sewell and Jon DiSavino.

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]]> We're celebrating Valentine's Day with a micro fiction sampler of love stories. They're not your grandma's love stories, however. These are of the literary variety. There's sweetness and humor inside, of course - but you'll find some edgy and weird stuff in their, too. Featuring stories by Steve Almond and Pamela Painter, and the 11 contest-winning entries. Read by Alison Fraser, Barrett Leddy, Suzanne Savoy, Meg Sewell and Jon DiSavino.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12233869 Sun, 12 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0500 1803 1 96 full false Episode #40 - Pamela Painter: "Deck" Episode #40 - Pamela Painter: "Deck" Author Pamela Painter is one of the most respected writers and educators in the world of short fiction. Her workbook "What If? Writing Exercises For Fiction Writers" which she co-wrote with Anne Bernays has become a staple of university writing programs. In recent years, Pamela has been teaching flash fiction workshops from coast to coast. We read her story "Deck," taken from the collection "Ways To Spend The Night."

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]]> Author Pamela Painter is one of the most respected writers and educators in the world of short fiction. Her workbook "What If? Writing Exercises For Fiction Writers" which she co-wrote with Anne Bernays has become a staple of university writing programs. In recent years, Pamela has been teaching flash fiction workshops from coast to coast. We read her story "Deck," taken from the collection "Ways To Spend The Night."

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12208846 Tue, 07 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500 4577 1 40 full false Episode #39 - Evan Morgan Williams: "A House Call" Episode #39 - Evan Morgan Williams: "A House Call" Portland, Oregon author Evan Morgan Williams gives a mini-master class on writing noir literary fiction. It's the genre he's chosen for his new novel. He finds satisfaction in creating the kinds of characters who turn out to be their own worst enemy. We read his story "A House Call," originally published in Ars Medica.

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]]> Portland, Oregon author Evan Morgan Williams gives a mini-master class on writing noir literary fiction. It's the genre he's chosen for his new novel. He finds satisfaction in creating the kinds of characters who turn out to be their own worst enemy. We read his story "A House Call," originally published in Ars Medica.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12161146 Wed, 01 Feb 2023 03:00:00 -0500 3907 1 39 full false Episode #38 - Will Musgrove: Selected Flash Stories Episode #38 - Will Musgrove: Selected Flash Stories In his highly original flash fiction, Iowa author Will Musgrove applies his own unique brand of twisted logic to scenes from daily life. Zoo cages become displays of human domestic bliss and exotic animals lurk in the wallpaper of suburban homes. We read his stories "Open Tryout," "Small Town Stuffing" and "A Bout of Insomnia."

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]]> In his highly original flash fiction, Iowa author Will Musgrove applies his own unique brand of twisted logic to scenes from daily life. Zoo cages become displays of human domestic bliss and exotic animals lurk in the wallpaper of suburban homes. We read his stories "Open Tryout," "Small Town Stuffing" and "A Bout of Insomnia."

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12114983 Wed, 25 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0500 4437 1 38 full false Episode #37 - Melissa Llanes Brownlee: Selected Flash Fiction Episode #37 - Melissa Llanes Brownlee: Selected Flash Fiction Hawaiian author Melissa Llanes Brownlee explains life on the islands as only an indigenous person who was born and raised there can. In her fiction, Hawaiian history, culture and lore are often woven together with the pop culture emblems of her youth. We read four of Melissa's flash fiction stories: 35mm, The Reused Cool Whip Container, Relax Said the Nightman, and A Primo Place to Stay.

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]]> Hawaiian author Melissa Llanes Brownlee explains life on the islands as only an indigenous person who was born and raised there can. In her fiction, Hawaiian history, culture and lore are often woven together with the pop culture emblems of her youth. We read four of Melissa's flash fiction stories: 35mm, The Reused Cool Whip Container, Relax Said the Nightman, and A Primo Place to Stay.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12066420 Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4207 full false Episode #36 - Avitus B. Carle: "That Feeling of Life" Episode #36 - Avitus B. Carle: "That Feeling of Life" Author Avitus B. Carle lives and writes just on the edge of Philadelphia. She has built a remarkable body of work, creating some of the most memorable characters you're likely to meet. And you can be sure that none of them will go quietly into that good night. We talk about her knack for recreating speech in dialects that were part of her family's legacy, and how having fun in the writing process can lead to producing exceptional stories. We read "The Feeling of Life," which chronicles a portentous moment in the lives of three young boys.

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]]> Author Avitus B. Carle lives and writes just on the edge of Philadelphia. She has built a remarkable body of work, creating some of the most memorable characters you're likely to meet. And you can be sure that none of them will go quietly into that good night. We talk about her knack for recreating speech in dialects that were part of her family's legacy, and how having fun in the writing process can lead to producing exceptional stories. We read "The Feeling of Life," which chronicles a portentous moment in the lives of three young boys.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-12020364 Wed, 11 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4379 full false Episode #35 - Stephanie Parent: "Deer, Girl" Episode #35 - Stephanie Parent: "Deer, Girl" Baltimore, MD author Stephanie Parent reveals some of the mysteries of her lived experience as a submissive in a commercial BDSM dungeon while living and studying in Los Angeles. She has drawn on this for inspiration in the writing of her soon-to-be- released gothic horror novel "The Briars." We read her folk-tale inspired story "Deer, Girl," in which a young woman encounters a bizarre world hidden within the forest she's entered while taking her evening run.

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]]> Baltimore, MD author Stephanie Parent reveals some of the mysteries of her lived experience as a submissive in a commercial BDSM dungeon while living and studying in Los Angeles. She has drawn on this for inspiration in the writing of her soon-to-be- released gothic horror novel "The Briars." We read her folk-tale inspired story "Deer, Girl," in which a young woman encounters a bizarre world hidden within the forest she's entered while taking her evening run.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11976171 Wed, 04 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0500 4251 1 35 full false Episode #34 - Farah Ali: "Bulletproof Bus" Episode #34 - Farah Ali: "Bulletproof Bus" OUT NOW! Pakistani author Farah Ali lives with her family in Dubai, but her ties to her childhood home of Karachi run deep. It's often the background against which her stories unfold. She creates vivid and moving portraits of its inhabitants as they struggle to survive. We read "Bulletproof Bus," about a husband and father who is desperately working to improve his family's quality of life.

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]]> OUT NOW! Pakistani author Farah Ali lives with her family in Dubai, but her ties to her childhood home of Karachi run deep. It's often the background against which her stories unfold. She creates vivid and moving portraits of its inhabitants as they struggle to survive. We read "Bulletproof Bus," about a husband and father who is desperately working to improve his family's quality of life.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11940721 Wed, 28 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500 4947 1 34 full false Episode #33 - First Annual Holiday Episode! Episode #33 - First Annual Holiday Episode! We celebrate the holidays with a cavalcade of holiday-themed short stories, written by some of the best contemporary writers in the field. Six professional voice artists read 12 stories - featuring Alison Fraser, Suzanne Savoy and Barrett Leddy. Plus, Jon interviews the duo behind the new anthology COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES: Elizabeth Coffey and Mark Wish.

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]]> We celebrate the holidays with a cavalcade of holiday-themed short stories, written by some of the best contemporary writers in the field. Six professional voice artists read 12 stories - featuring Alison Fraser, Suzanne Savoy and Barrett Leddy. Plus, Jon interviews the duo behind the new anthology COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES: Elizabeth Coffey and Mark Wish.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11909503 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 7709 1 33 full false Episode #32 - Cheryl Pappas: "This Violent and Cherished Earth" Episode #32 - Cheryl Pappas: "This Violent and Cherished Earth" In writing speculative fiction, Massachusetts author Cheryl Pappas sees a responsibility "to acknowledge the strange in everything."  The confining nature of American realism compelled her to seek inspiration from the works of writers like Italo Calvino while living for a time in Florence. We read "This Violent and Cherished Earth," which emerged from Cheryl's experience of a New England upbringing.

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]]> In writing speculative fiction, Massachusetts author Cheryl Pappas sees a responsibility "to acknowledge the strange in everything."  The confining nature of American realism compelled her to seek inspiration from the works of writers like Italo Calvino while living for a time in Florence. We read "This Violent and Cherished Earth," which emerged from Cheryl's experience of a New England upbringing.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11869385 Wed, 14 Dec 2022 01:00:00 -0500 4245 1 32 full false Episode #31 - Elizabeth Trueblood: "Life Partners" Episode #31 - Elizabeth Trueblood: "Life Partners" Wisconsin-born author Elizabeth Trueblood writes stories that sometimes dance around the speculative, and at other times dive headlong into it. She populates them with survivors, many of whom possess unique "powers." There's even a "magic little girl" western - which puts a highly imaginative spin on the kind of stories of the old west that we're used to.  

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]]> Wisconsin-born author Elizabeth Trueblood writes stories that sometimes dance around the speculative, and at other times dive headlong into it. She populates them with survivors, many of whom possess unique "powers." There's even a "magic little girl" western - which puts a highly imaginative spin on the kind of stories of the old west that we're used to.  

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11829355 Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500 4599 1 31 full false Episode #30 - Steven Ostrowski: "Ensemble of One" and "Even on Good Nights" Episode #30 - Steven Ostrowski: "Ensemble of One" and "Even on Good Nights" Connecticut author Steven Ostrowski started life as a scrappy city kid from a large family on Staten Island. He developed a love of ice hockey back then, and has continued to play the sport to this day. He describes how he would rush straight from hockey practice to his City College English class, with his giant bag of equipment slung over his shoulder, and make the switch from brawn to brain.  He would go on to become a college professor, poet, author, songwriter and painter. We read two of Steven's flash stories in this episode.

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]]> Connecticut author Steven Ostrowski started life as a scrappy city kid from a large family on Staten Island. He developed a love of ice hockey back then, and has continued to play the sport to this day. He describes how he would rush straight from hockey practice to his City College English class, with his giant bag of equipment slung over his shoulder, and make the switch from brawn to brain.  He would go on to become a college professor, poet, author, songwriter and painter. We read two of Steven's flash stories in this episode.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11786821 Wed, 30 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -0500 3235 1 30 full false Episode #29 - Meagan Arthur: "The Telling is Clean" Episode #29 - Meagan Arthur: "The Telling is Clean" Utah-based author Meagan Arthur uses her stories to explore consciousness, and examine the "boundaried way of making meaning that we have inherited." In her story "The Telling is Clean," she presents a character who occupies the space between sanity and insanity. 


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]]> Utah-based author Meagan Arthur uses her stories to explore consciousness, and examine the "boundaried way of making meaning that we have inherited." In her story "The Telling is Clean," she presents a character who occupies the space between sanity and insanity. 


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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11749199 Wed, 23 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0500 4375 1 29 full false Episode #28 - Whitney Collins: "Bjorn" Episode #28 - Whitney Collins: "Bjorn" Kentucky author Whitney Collins spent 20 years writing non-fiction for pay before she decided it was time to take a chance with fiction. With guidance from her mentor, she learned that she was a natural once she was allowed "to go really weird."   We read her story "Bjorn," where a young woman finds a unique method of coming to grips with the loss of her "brother." 

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]]> Kentucky author Whitney Collins spent 20 years writing non-fiction for pay before she decided it was time to take a chance with fiction. With guidance from her mentor, she learned that she was a natural once she was allowed "to go really weird."   We read her story "Bjorn," where a young woman finds a unique method of coming to grips with the loss of her "brother." 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11705835 Wed, 16 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0500 4380 1 28 full false Episode #27 - Molly Andrea-Ryan: "Idle Hands" Episode #27 - Molly Andrea-Ryan: "Idle Hands"  As the child of a father in the armed services, Pittsburgh PA author Molly Andrea-Ryan found herself moving frequently to a new town. Looking for a way to cope with the challenges of these uprootings, she immersed herself in books, and then discovered that writing could be her refuge. We read her story "Idle Hands," in which a young couple finds that the hobbies they have begun to think of as pointless pursuits have the potential to change the world. 

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]]>  As the child of a father in the armed services, Pittsburgh PA author Molly Andrea-Ryan found herself moving frequently to a new town. Looking for a way to cope with the challenges of these uprootings, she immersed herself in books, and then discovered that writing could be her refuge. We read her story "Idle Hands," in which a young couple finds that the hobbies they have begun to think of as pointless pursuits have the potential to change the world. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11660441 Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 4149 1 27 full false Episode #26 - Claire Polders: "The Men on the Fence" Episode #26 - Claire Polders: "The Men on the Fence" Globe-trotting author Claire Polders writes the kind of novels and stories that are only possible from one who possesses a deep understanding of the wider world. Her complex characters reflect this worldly wisdom in unique and surprising ways. We read her story "The Men on the Fence," which examines the fear and confusion experienced by a young boy when observing the poverty and desperation that sits in plain view of the guests at a posh resort in North Africa, where he is on holiday with his parents.

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]]> Globe-trotting author Claire Polders writes the kind of novels and stories that are only possible from one who possesses a deep understanding of the wider world. Her complex characters reflect this worldly wisdom in unique and surprising ways. We read her story "The Men on the Fence," which examines the fear and confusion experienced by a young boy when observing the poverty and desperation that sits in plain view of the guests at a posh resort in North Africa, where he is on holiday with his parents.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11608620 Wed, 02 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3642 1 26 full false Episode #25 - Jared Povanda: "Missing Pieces" Episode #25 - Jared Povanda: "Missing Pieces" Upstate NY author Jared Povanda reveals his love of fantasy novels, and explains how those books gave him the building blocks to create his own unique style when blending the literary with the fantastical. For him, all magic is metaphor. We read his fanciful and visionary story "Missing Pieces," which features fairy tale characters attempting to live everyday lives among the so-called "normal" population.

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]]> Upstate NY author Jared Povanda reveals his love of fantasy novels, and explains how those books gave him the building blocks to create his own unique style when blending the literary with the fantastical. For him, all magic is metaphor. We read his fanciful and visionary story "Missing Pieces," which features fairy tale characters attempting to live everyday lives among the so-called "normal" population.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11567364 Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3894 1 25 full false Episode #24 - Olufunke Grace Bankole: "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House" Episode #24 - Olufunke Grace Bankole: "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House" Nigerian-American author Olufunke Grace Bankole shares stories about her life, from serving as an intern with the Supreme Court, to the many impressions she took away from her years living as a child in Nigeria - which she is now compelled write about. We read her story "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House," about a young family waking up to the aftermath of an ice storm.

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]]> Nigerian-American author Olufunke Grace Bankole shares stories about her life, from serving as an intern with the Supreme Court, to the many impressions she took away from her years living as a child in Nigeria - which she is now compelled write about. We read her story "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House," about a young family waking up to the aftermath of an ice storm.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11527695 Wed, 19 Oct 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3711 1 24 full false Episode #23 - Minyoung Lee: "Sing a Song of Sixpence" Episode #23 - Minyoung Lee: "Sing a Song of Sixpence" Oakland, CA author Minyoung Lee shares her thoughts about the ways in which  the immigrant time capsule effect contributed to her way of seeing the world, which was a constantly shifting landscape for her as her family moved from place to place across the globe. That wandering way of life was carried over into patterns that would continue for her as an adult. We read her story "Sing a Song of Sixpence," which explores the challenges of assimilation. 

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]]> Oakland, CA author Minyoung Lee shares her thoughts about the ways in which  the immigrant time capsule effect contributed to her way of seeing the world, which was a constantly shifting landscape for her as her family moved from place to place across the globe. That wandering way of life was carried over into patterns that would continue for her as an adult. We read her story "Sing a Song of Sixpence," which explores the challenges of assimilation. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11483974 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400 4084 1 23 full false Episode #22 - Julia Strayer: "Empty House" Episode #22 - Julia Strayer: "Empty House" We learn from Connecticut author Julia Strayer how the misfits, eccentrics and outsiders she often writes about are, in a way, a reaction to the person she must be in her day job in high finance, which is weighted with great responsibility. We read her story "Empty House," which features some of these confused but colorful characters.

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]]> We learn from Connecticut author Julia Strayer how the misfits, eccentrics and outsiders she often writes about are, in a way, a reaction to the person she must be in her day job in high finance, which is weighted with great responsibility. We read her story "Empty House," which features some of these confused but colorful characters.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11441036 Tue, 04 Oct 2022 23:00:00 -0400 4162 1 22 full false Episode #21 - Josh Dale: "A Losing Bet" Episode #21 - Josh Dale: "A Losing Bet" Pennsylvania author Josh Dale explains how creating a small press publishing house became a way to combine his love of books with his pursuit of a career as a writer. He provides a preview of his just-released novella, "The Light to Never Be Snuffed." We read "A Losing Bet," a story published in Maudlin House in 2022.

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]]> Pennsylvania author Josh Dale explains how creating a small press publishing house became a way to combine his love of books with his pursuit of a career as a writer. He provides a preview of his just-released novella, "The Light to Never Be Snuffed." We read "A Losing Bet," a story published in Maudlin House in 2022.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11398627 Wed, 28 Sep 2022 02:00:00 -0400 3312 1 22 full false Episode #20 - Reena Shah: "Gloria" Episode #20 - Reena Shah: "Gloria" Michener Fellow Reena Shah talks about living as a young woman in Mumbai while learning the classical dance form known as kathak. She took inspiration from that experience when writing a series of linked short stories which would become a novel.  We read her story "Gloria," which examines some of the challenges of assimilation for a family living in Connecticut in the eighties.

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]]> Michener Fellow Reena Shah talks about living as a young woman in Mumbai while learning the classical dance form known as kathak. She took inspiration from that experience when writing a series of linked short stories which would become a novel.  We read her story "Gloria," which examines some of the challenges of assimilation for a family living in Connecticut in the eighties.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11357491 Wed, 21 Sep 2022 01:00:00 -0400 4188 1 20 full false Episode #19 - Sarah Schweitzer: "Love, Loss, Live" Episode #19 - Sarah Schweitzer: "Love, Loss, Live" New Hampshire author Sarah Schweitzer explains how writing fiction was for her a natural extension of the work she had done as a Pulitzer-nominated journalist. Her story "Love, Loss, Live" was inspired by a celebrity news item Sarah happened to read one day. 

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]]> New Hampshire author Sarah Schweitzer explains how writing fiction was for her a natural extension of the work she had done as a Pulitzer-nominated journalist. Her story "Love, Loss, Live" was inspired by a celebrity news item Sarah happened to read one day. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11316516 Wed, 14 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400 3407 1 19 full false Episode #18 - Ahsan Butt: "Window" Episode #18 - Ahsan Butt: "Window" Toronto-born author Ahsan Butt talks about growing up in a Punjabi community in Canada before venturing south to the U.S. He writes movingly about what it's like to live as a Muslim in America. We read his thought-provoking story 'Window," which explores this theme. It first appeared in Split Lip Magazine in 2022.

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]]> Toronto-born author Ahsan Butt talks about growing up in a Punjabi community in Canada before venturing south to the U.S. He writes movingly about what it's like to live as a Muslim in America. We read his thought-provoking story 'Window," which explores this theme. It first appeared in Split Lip Magazine in 2022.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11274859 Wed, 07 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3462 1 18 full false Episode #17 - Erik Pardos Olsen: "Straight People" Episode #17 - Erik Pardos Olsen: "Straight People" Danish-born, London-based author Erik Pardos Olsen writes short stories about life in East London. His online collection "Queer as in Weird" follows the life of Malthe, a gay comic looking for love in the big city as he works the comedy circuit. In the episode we read "Straight People," which was published in Parhelion Literary Magazine.

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]]> Danish-born, London-based author Erik Pardos Olsen writes short stories about life in East London. His online collection "Queer as in Weird" follows the life of Malthe, a gay comic looking for love in the big city as he works the comedy circuit. In the episode we read "Straight People," which was published in Parhelion Literary Magazine.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11234331 Wed, 31 Aug 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3630 1 17 full false Episode #16 - Marcela Fuentes: "The Observable World" Episode #16 - Marcela Fuentes: "The Observable World" Texas author Marcela Fuentes won a 2022 Pushcart Prize for her short story "The Observable World," published in Ploughshares in their Summer 2021 issue. It examines a romantic relationship in which neurodiversity presents challenges for the couple that are managed in surprising and creative ways.  And there's a German Shepherd named Edgar!

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]]> Texas author Marcela Fuentes won a 2022 Pushcart Prize for her short story "The Observable World," published in Ploughshares in their Summer 2021 issue. It examines a romantic relationship in which neurodiversity presents challenges for the couple that are managed in surprising and creative ways.  And there's a German Shepherd named Edgar!

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11194358 Wed, 24 Aug 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3461 1 16 full false Episode #15 - A. Rafael Johnson: "Morrison's Note" Episode #15 - A. Rafael Johnson: "Morrison's Note" Minnesota author A. Rafael Johnson tells us how this week's story began life as a birthday gift to a friend in his college creative writing program - a tradition created by his classmates as a way around having to purchase a present on a student's budget. His friend is the actual Morrison of "Morrison's Note" - but similarities to actual people are, of course, not intentional.

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]]> Minnesota author A. Rafael Johnson tells us how this week's story began life as a birthday gift to a friend in his college creative writing program - a tradition created by his classmates as a way around having to purchase a present on a student's budget. His friend is the actual Morrison of "Morrison's Note" - but similarities to actual people are, of course, not intentional.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11152095 Wed, 17 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3663 1 15 full false Episode #14 - Jules Chung: "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside" Episode #14 - Jules Chung: "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside" New Jersey author Jules Chung shares a glimpse into her experience of visiting relatives as a teenager in Seoul, South Korea in her reading of her poem Cut Fruit and Castella. In our interview with Jules, she enlightens us with her views on faith, motherhood and her desire to make meaningful art. We read her story "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside" about a mother who is navigating the new world of being a parent to a trans son. A link to her book recommendation, "Minor Feelings" by Cathy Park Hong:   https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605371/minor-feelings-by-cathy-park-hong/

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]]> New Jersey author Jules Chung shares a glimpse into her experience of visiting relatives as a teenager in Seoul, South Korea in her reading of her poem Cut Fruit and Castella. In our interview with Jules, she enlightens us with her views on faith, motherhood and her desire to make meaningful art. We read her story "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside" about a mother who is navigating the new world of being a parent to a trans son. A link to her book recommendation, "Minor Feelings" by Cathy Park Hong:   https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605371/minor-feelings-by-cathy-park-hong/

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11112172 Wed, 10 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3077 1 14 full false Episode #13 - Claire Taylor: "Leap Year Mother" Episode #13 - Claire Taylor: "Leap Year Mother" Maryland author Claire Taylor tells us about her personal journey, where she first earned a  psychology degree and then became a licensed massage therapist on her path to becoming a working writer. We read her astonishing speculative fiction story, "Leap Year Mother."

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]]> Maryland author Claire Taylor tells us about her personal journey, where she first earned a  psychology degree and then became a licensed massage therapist on her path to becoming a working writer. We read her astonishing speculative fiction story, "Leap Year Mother."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11073145 Tue, 02 Aug 2022 23:00:00 -0400 3755 1 13 full false Episode #12 - Francesca Leader: "The Flaw" and "Waves" Episode #12 - Francesca Leader: "The Flaw" and "Waves" Virginia author Francesca Leader reveals some of the methodology behind her award-winning translation of the Japanese Iroha poem. She tells us how, when writing stories, she works from a snippet of dialogue, an image or a remembered moment, and then slowly builds the story around it. We read two of her shorter works, The Flaw and Waves.

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]]> Virginia author Francesca Leader reveals some of the methodology behind her award-winning translation of the Japanese Iroha poem. She tells us how, when writing stories, she works from a snippet of dialogue, an image or a remembered moment, and then slowly builds the story around it. We read two of her shorter works, The Flaw and Waves.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-11034642 Wed, 27 Jul 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3336 1 12 full false Episode #11 - Amie Souza Reilly: "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds" Episode #11 - Amie Souza Reilly: "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds" Connecticut author Amie Souza Reilly shares how her childhood experiences while spending summers at her grandparents' home on Lake Champlain  inspired a series of short stories set in Essex, NY.  We read her story "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds," which is taken from that collection.

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]]> Connecticut author Amie Souza Reilly shares how her childhood experiences while spending summers at her grandparents' home on Lake Champlain  inspired a series of short stories set in Essex, NY.  We read her story "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds," which is taken from that collection.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10991168 Wed, 20 Jul 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3550 11 full false Episode #10 - Andrew Bertaina: "Dream Mother" Episode #10 - Andrew Bertaina: "Dream Mother" Washington, DC author Andrew Bertaina offers a probing and insightful look into his creative process as he describes how he begins working on stories from an emotion or an idea, and then builds the story out from a place inside. He shares his love of landscapes, which he learned to appreciate as a boy growing up in Santa Barbara, California. We read a story from his award-winning collection, "One Person Away From You." In "Dream Mother," a son finds himself wandering at night through a dreamscape with his dead mother clutching his arm, as they recall pivotal moments from their lives.

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]]> Washington, DC author Andrew Bertaina offers a probing and insightful look into his creative process as he describes how he begins working on stories from an emotion or an idea, and then builds the story out from a place inside. He shares his love of landscapes, which he learned to appreciate as a boy growing up in Santa Barbara, California. We read a story from his award-winning collection, "One Person Away From You." In "Dream Mother," a son finds himself wandering at night through a dreamscape with his dead mother clutching his arm, as they recall pivotal moments from their lives.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10952597 Tue, 12 Jul 2022 23:00:00 -0400 3515 1 10 full false Episode #9 - Kasie Whitener: "Two Trunks" Episode #9 - Kasie Whitener: "Two Trunks" South Carolina author Kasie Whitener talks with us about her experiences teaching entrepreneurship, hosting a SC radio show about writing and writers, and writing novels, all while being a mom to a teenage daughter.  We read her provocative short story "Two Trunks," in which a teacher in charge of a kindergarten zoo trip experiences an existential crisis when confronted with the pent-up energy displayed by a caged lioness. 

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]]> South Carolina author Kasie Whitener talks with us about her experiences teaching entrepreneurship, hosting a SC radio show about writing and writers, and writing novels, all while being a mom to a teenage daughter.  We read her provocative short story "Two Trunks," in which a teacher in charge of a kindergarten zoo trip experiences an existential crisis when confronted with the pent-up energy displayed by a caged lioness. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10912706 Wed, 06 Jul 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3353 1 9 full false Episode #8 - Arlaina Tibensky: "Masks" Episode #8 - Arlaina Tibensky: "Masks" With her quick wit and vaudeville timing, Arlaina Tibensky brings a breezy humor to the episode this week. She tells us about the joys of being a mother to two adolescent sons, navigating a home (and a world) full of Legos, and gives us a preview of her novel work-in-progress about a  mother-daughter safari adventure. We read her whimsical and poignant mother-son story, "Masks."

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]]> With her quick wit and vaudeville timing, Arlaina Tibensky brings a breezy humor to the episode this week. She tells us about the joys of being a mother to two adolescent sons, navigating a home (and a world) full of Legos, and gives us a preview of her novel work-in-progress about a  mother-daughter safari adventure. We read her whimsical and poignant mother-son story, "Masks."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10874638 Wed, 29 Jun 2022 02:00:00 -0400 2975 1 8 full false Episode #7 - James R. West: "Cadillac" Episode #7 - James R. West: "Cadillac" Author James R. West has deep roots in the great state of Utah. He gives us a candid account of his early years of life in a Mormon family, and his transition into the adult who would decide to leave that part of his life behind. We read "Cadillac," a coming-of-age story into which some of those early boyhood experiences have found their way.

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]]> Author James R. West has deep roots in the great state of Utah. He gives us a candid account of his early years of life in a Mormon family, and his transition into the adult who would decide to leave that part of his life behind. We read "Cadillac," a coming-of-age story into which some of those early boyhood experiences have found their way.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10834595 Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3512 1 7 full false Episode #6 - Kerry Langan: "My Name Is Your Name" Episode #6 - Kerry Langan: "My Name Is Your Name" Ohio author Kerry Langan tells Short Story Today about growing up in Buffalo, writing stories from a child's point of view, venturing outside her comfort zone to write a speculative fiction piece, and the pleasure she gets from creating male protagonists for her stories.  https://www.shortstorytoday.com

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]]> Ohio author Kerry Langan tells Short Story Today about growing up in Buffalo, writing stories from a child's point of view, venturing outside her comfort zone to write a speculative fiction piece, and the pleasure she gets from creating male protagonists for her stories.  https://www.shortstorytoday.com

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10796149 Wed, 15 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3103 1 6 full false Episode #5 - Scott Laudati: "The First Execution" Episode #5 - Scott Laudati: "The First Execution" Scott Laudati talks about growing up in an unusual neighborhood in Staten Island, his harrowing experiences working as a dock builder for the City of NY, and being related to the outlaw Jesse James. We read his coming-of-age story, The First Execution, about a friendship fraught with the urge for ritual violence.

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]]> Scott Laudati talks about growing up in an unusual neighborhood in Staten Island, his harrowing experiences working as a dock builder for the City of NY, and being related to the outlaw Jesse James. We read his coming-of-age story, The First Execution, about a friendship fraught with the urge for ritual violence.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10756556 Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400 2600 1 5 full false Episode #4 - Elana Marcus: "Next of Kin" Episode #4 - Elana Marcus: "Next of Kin" South Florida born, New York based author Elana Marcus is our guest on this episode. She tells us about the personal history she drew from in order to write her award-winning short story "Next of Kin." Using a second-person narrative, it addresses a recently-deceased man who was fiancé, stepfather, father, brother, son and ex-husband to the members of his family who have assembled in his house. Some are there to mourn him, while others appear to be more interested in what will become of his assets.

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]]> South Florida born, New York based author Elana Marcus is our guest on this episode. She tells us about the personal history she drew from in order to write her award-winning short story "Next of Kin." Using a second-person narrative, it addresses a recently-deceased man who was fiancé, stepfather, father, brother, son and ex-husband to the members of his family who have assembled in his house. Some are there to mourn him, while others appear to be more interested in what will become of his assets.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10717180 Wed, 01 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400 2621 1 4 full false Episode #3 - Lis Anna-Langston: "The Descent" Episode #3 - Lis Anna-Langston: "The Descent" Lis Anna-Langston tells Short Story Today about some of the colorful characters that populate her stories and novels - and about how the Buddhist teachings she follows have given her a way to cope with the rejection that is inevitable when submitting works for publication. We read her humorous and provocative story about marital infidelity, "The Descent."

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]]> Lis Anna-Langston tells Short Story Today about some of the colorful characters that populate her stories and novels - and about how the Buddhist teachings she follows have given her a way to cope with the rejection that is inevitable when submitting works for publication. We read her humorous and provocative story about marital infidelity, "The Descent."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10677801 Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400 3451 1 3 full false Episode #2 - Corley Longmire: "Because They Can Get Lost" Episode #2 - Corley Longmire: "Because They Can Get Lost" Corley Longmire speaks about growing up in the Southeast, and how her childhood experiences of extreme weather have found their way into her stories.  She writes about gender and societal expectations, bodily autonomy, familial bonds, isolation, and the relation between identity and place. We read her story "Because They Can Get Lost," which examines the unusual ways in which grief can sometimes manifest in our lives.

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]]> Corley Longmire speaks about growing up in the Southeast, and how her childhood experiences of extreme weather have found their way into her stories.  She writes about gender and societal expectations, bodily autonomy, familial bonds, isolation, and the relation between identity and place. We read her story "Because They Can Get Lost," which examines the unusual ways in which grief can sometimes manifest in our lives.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10637953 Wed, 18 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400 3170 1 2 full false Episode #1 - John Henry Fleming: "Wind and Rain" Episode #1 - John Henry Fleming: "Wind and Rain" In this inaugural episode of the all-new Short Story Today podcast, we celebrate John Henry Fleming, author of the novel "The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman" and the short story collection "Songs for the Deaf." The story featured in this episode is from that collection. In "Wind and Rain," a young man speaks to his younger brother, who lies in a coma following an incident where he was shot by a police officer while reaching into his glove compartment for his license. In that moment, both of their lives are changed forever.

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]]> In this inaugural episode of the all-new Short Story Today podcast, we celebrate John Henry Fleming, author of the novel "The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman" and the short story collection "Songs for the Deaf." The story featured in this episode is from that collection. In "Wind and Rain," a young man speaks to his younger brother, who lies in a coma following an incident where he was shot by a police officer while reaching into his glove compartment for his license. In that moment, both of their lives are changed forever.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10597912 Wed, 11 May 2022 02:00:00 -0400 3560 1 1 full false Episode #18 - Kate Chopin Episode #18 - Kate Chopin We bring the "Classic" version of Short Story Today to a close with an episode devoted to the American author, Kate Chopin. Her stories of life in New Orleans and its environs at the turn-of-the-century, which frequently examine the plight of women in marriages of her day, have provided her with a place of respect in early feminist literature.  In this episode, we read two stories: "The Story of an Hour" and "A Respectable Woman."

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]]> We bring the "Classic" version of Short Story Today to a close with an episode devoted to the American author, Kate Chopin. Her stories of life in New Orleans and its environs at the turn-of-the-century, which frequently examine the plight of women in marriages of her day, have provided her with a place of respect in early feminist literature.  In this episode, we read two stories: "The Story of an Hour" and "A Respectable Woman."

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10568516 Fri, 06 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400 1608 1 18 full false Episode #17 - Bret Harte Episode #17 - Bret Harte In "A Mother of Five," Bret Harte, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. 

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]]> In "A Mother of Five," Bret Harte, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10525404 Fri, 29 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400 1532 1 17 full false Episode17 - Bret Harte Episode17 - Bret Harte Bret Hart, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. 

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]]> Bret Hart, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10525306 Fri, 29 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400 1532 1 17 full false Episode #16 - H. G. Wells Episode #16 - H. G. Wells In his short story "The Magic Shop," the British titan of science fiction, H. G. Wells conjures up a shape-shifting world inside a mysterious London storefront where a little boy and his father have an experience together that will bond them for life.

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]]> In his short story "The Magic Shop," the British titan of science fiction, H. G. Wells conjures up a shape-shifting world inside a mysterious London storefront where a little boy and his father have an experience together that will bond them for life.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10483125 Fri, 22 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400 1785 1 16 full false Episode #15 - Sherwood Anderson Episode #15 - Sherwood Anderson "Death in the Woods"   In this masterpiece by American author Sherwood Anderson, the meaning of life (and death) are brought home to a man as he pieces together the fragments of a childhood memory that have haunted him ever since that long-ago day.

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]]> "Death in the Woods"   In this masterpiece by American author Sherwood Anderson, the meaning of life (and death) are brought home to a man as he pieces together the fragments of a childhood memory that have haunted him ever since that long-ago day.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10443225 Fri, 15 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400 1912 1 15 full false Episode #14 - Virginia Woolf Gets Another Episode - She's a Fan Fave! Episode #14 - Virginia Woolf Gets Another Episode - She's a Fan Fave! We bring Virginia back again because we can't ever get enough of her. The story this time is "Solid Objects," a whimsical  yet surprisingly poignant tale about a chap who's headed for a seat in Parliament, only to be derailed by his obsession with finding lost objet d'art.

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]]> We bring Virginia back again because we can't ever get enough of her. The story this time is "Solid Objects," a whimsical  yet surprisingly poignant tale about a chap who's headed for a seat in Parliament, only to be derailed by his obsession with finding lost objet d'art.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10401246 Fri, 08 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0400 1523 1 14 full false Episode #13 - Virginia Woolf Episode #13 - Virginia Woolf We honor the innovative British author of the Bloomsbury Set this week with a reading of her weird and wonderful short story, "Kew Gardens," which takes place one hot summer day in the eponymous park. Curious things are happening close to the ground, in the sky and all around...   Also in this episode: Part 2 of the interview with the creators and hosts of the Get Lit podcast, Stephanie Svarz and Jon Stricker.

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]]> We honor the innovative British author of the Bloomsbury Set this week with a reading of her weird and wonderful short story, "Kew Gardens," which takes place one hot summer day in the eponymous park. Curious things are happening close to the ground, in the sky and all around...   Also in this episode: Part 2 of the interview with the creators and hosts of the Get Lit podcast, Stephanie Svarz and Jon Stricker.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10358905 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 03:00:00 -0400 1747 1 13 full false Episode #13 - Virginia Woolf Episode #13 - Virginia Woolf We honor the innovative British author of the Bloomsbury Set this week with a reading of her weird and wonderful short story, "Kew Gardens," which takes place one hot summer day in the eponymous park. Curious things are happening close to the ground, in the sky and all around...

Support the show

]]> We honor the innovative British author of the Bloomsbury Set this week with a reading of her weird and wonderful short story, "Kew Gardens," which takes place one hot summer day in the eponymous park. Curious things are happening close to the ground, in the sky and all around...

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10358772 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0400 1744 1 13 full false Episode #12 - James Joyce (Special edition: crossover episode with Get Lit Podcast) Episode #12 - James Joyce (Special edition: crossover episode with Get Lit Podcast) SHORT STORY TODAY and GET LIT, the literary history podcast join forces this week for Reading Ireland Month with crossover episodes devoted to the mighty James Joyce! The short story for this episode is "A Painful Case" from Joyce's anthology, "The Dubliners." It's about the fate of two lonely people who meet at an inopportune time in each other's lives. Plus an exclusive interview with the creators and hosts of the Get Lit podcast: Stephanie Svarz and Jon Stricker.

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]]> SHORT STORY TODAY and GET LIT, the literary history podcast join forces this week for Reading Ireland Month with crossover episodes devoted to the mighty James Joyce! The short story for this episode is "A Painful Case" from Joyce's anthology, "The Dubliners." It's about the fate of two lonely people who meet at an inopportune time in each other's lives. Plus an exclusive interview with the creators and hosts of the Get Lit podcast: Stephanie Svarz and Jon Stricker.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10308953 Thu, 24 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0400 2383 1 12 full false Episode #12 - James Joyce (Special edition with Get Lit podcast crossover!) Episode #12 - James Joyce (Special edition with Get Lit podcast crossover!) SHORT STORY TODAY and GET LIT, the literary history podcast join forces this week for Reading Ireland Month with crossover episodes devoted to the mighty James Joyce! The short story for this episode is "A Painful Case" from Joyce's anthology, "The Dubliners." It's about the fate of two lonely people who meet at an inopportune time in each other's lives.

Support the show

]]> SHORT STORY TODAY and GET LIT, the literary history podcast join forces this week for Reading Ireland Month with crossover episodes devoted to the mighty James Joyce! The short story for this episode is "A Painful Case" from Joyce's anthology, "The Dubliners." It's about the fate of two lonely people who meet at an inopportune time in each other's lives.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10308818 Thu, 24 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400 2379 1 12 full false Episode #11 - Willa Cather Episode #11 - Willa Cather In this episode, the revered American author Willa Cather transports us to the farmlands of Nebraska in the evocative short story, "The Enchanted Bluff." A man recounts the events from a day in his youth when he met up with his buddies for a final camping outing before leaving to start his new life as a teacher in a distant town. It is night they will all remember.

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]]> In this episode, the revered American author Willa Cather transports us to the farmlands of Nebraska in the evocative short story, "The Enchanted Bluff." A man recounts the events from a day in his youth when he met up with his buddies for a final camping outing before leaving to start his new life as a teacher in a distant town. It is night they will all remember.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10272501 Fri, 18 Mar 2022 03:00:00 -0400 1590 1 11 full false Episode #10 - D. H. Lawrence Episode #10 - D. H. Lawrence The divisive and prolific D. H. Lawrence graces SHORT STORY TODAY this week with the humorous “Rawdon’s Roof,” about a man who, for mysterious reasons, would let no woman sleep beneath his roof. 

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]]> The divisive and prolific D. H. Lawrence graces SHORT STORY TODAY this week with the humorous “Rawdon’s Roof,” about a man who, for mysterious reasons, would let no woman sleep beneath his roof. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10230141 Thu, 10 Mar 2022 23:00:00 -0500 1802 1 10 full false Episode #9 - E. M. Forster Episode #9 - E. M. Forster E. M.  Forster's short story,  "The Road From Colonus," examines the life of an old man during his final holiday in Greece - a  trip he has looked forward to for most of his life.  While taking off on his own one afternoon, he experiences an epiphany that convinces him to fight against the docility of old age in his waning years - but the events that unfold that day  have a profound effect on what is to be.

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]]> E. M.  Forster's short story,  "The Road From Colonus," examines the life of an old man during his final holiday in Greece - a  trip he has looked forward to for most of his life.  While taking off on his own one afternoon, he experiences an epiphany that convinces him to fight against the docility of old age in his waning years - but the events that unfold that day  have a profound effect on what is to be.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10186353 Fri, 04 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0500 1957 1 9 full false Episode #8 - Edith Wharton Episode #8 - Edith Wharton In this episode we have some fun with a ghost story by the redoubtable Edith Wharton. In "Miss Mary Pask," an American painter who is trying his hand at marine art on the coast of France, pays a promised visit to the spinster sister of a good friend who happens to be living there. What he finds when he arrives proves to be more than his nerves can handle.

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]]> In this episode we have some fun with a ghost story by the redoubtable Edith Wharton. In "Miss Mary Pask," an American painter who is trying his hand at marine art on the coast of France, pays a promised visit to the spinster sister of a good friend who happens to be living there. What he finds when he arrives proves to be more than his nerves can handle.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10140891 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500 2174 8 full false Episode #7 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 2) Episode #7 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 2) F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - Part 2.  It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

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]]> F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - Part 2.  It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10096165 Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500 2216 1 7 full false Episode #7 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 2) Episode #7 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 2) F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

Support the show

]]> F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10095784 Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:00:00 -0500 2216 1 7 full false Episode #6 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 1) Episode #6 - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 1) F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

Support the show

]]> F. Scott Fitzgerald takes the spotlight this time with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." It's a fantastic tale of an unusual life, lived by an unusual man - a man whose mind and body have put him in a life-long predicament in his relationship with time.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10054423 Thu, 10 Feb 2022 23:00:00 -0500 1846 1 6 full false Episode #5 - Dorothy Parker Episode #5 - Dorothy Parker The inimitable Dorothy Parker demonstrates, in her short story "Such a Pretty Little Picture," her keen eye for revealing the ennui that can begin to permeate the American Dream, in the heart of suburban America. 

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]]> The inimitable Dorothy Parker demonstrates, in her short story "Such a Pretty Little Picture," her keen eye for revealing the ennui that can begin to permeate the American Dream, in the heart of suburban America. 

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]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-10008247 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:00:00 -0500 1700 1 5 full false Episode #4 - A PRESERVATION EPISODE: Virginia Roderick - Iowa Author Episode #4 - A PRESERVATION EPISODE: Virginia Roderick - Iowa Author In this episode, the first in a series entitled THE PRESERVATION EPISODES,  a "lost" short story is resurrected, and listeners will discover an author who has languished in obscurity for a century. This gifted Iowan weaves a poignant story full of heart. It's a Christmas story, set in an unnamed city, which explores a woman's struggles with the shame of poverty, and how she finds a way to transcend her circumstances one Christmas - if only for a day.

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]]> In this episode, the first in a series entitled THE PRESERVATION EPISODES,  a "lost" short story is resurrected, and listeners will discover an author who has languished in obscurity for a century. This gifted Iowan weaves a poignant story full of heart. It's a Christmas story, set in an unnamed city, which explores a woman's struggles with the shame of poverty, and how she finds a way to transcend her circumstances one Christmas - if only for a day.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9966042 Thu, 27 Jan 2022 19:00:00 -0500 1582 full false Episode #3 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part 2) Episode #3 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part 2) This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

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]]> This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9925345 Fri, 21 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500 902 1 3 full false Episode #3 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part 2) Episode #3 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part 2) This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9925331 Fri, 21 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500 902 1 3 full false Episode #2 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part I) Episode #2 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part I) This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9923953 Thu, 20 Jan 2022 19:00:00 -0500 1648 full false Episode #2 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part I) Episode #2 - Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper (Part I) This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> This week's short story is a classic: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It will be presented in two parts.  The conclusion of the story will be on  Episode #3.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" is often referred to as an example of the Gothic Horror genre. The story takes place one summer on an estate in New England at the turn of the 20th Century, which a doctor has rented for three weeks so that his young wife might have a rest cure following the birth of their child, which has left her in a weakened condition.

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9923744 Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:00:00 -0500 1648 1 2 full false Episode #1 - Katherine Mansfield Episode #1 - Katherine Mansfield The first episode of "Short Story Today" features a story by the New Zealand author, Katherine Mansfield, entitled "The Young Girl". While travelling in Europe with her teenage daughter and young son, an Englishwoman tries unsuccessfully to pass her teenage daughter off for 21 so that she may experience what a casino is like. Unable to simply leave her outside,  the mother asks a young man who has been accompanying them on their trip to take her daughter to tea with him and her brother while she spends an hour gambling with a new-found friend.  

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]]> The first episode of "Short Story Today" features a story by the New Zealand author, Katherine Mansfield, entitled "The Young Girl". While travelling in Europe with her teenage daughter and young son, an Englishwoman tries unsuccessfully to pass her teenage daughter off for 21 so that she may experience what a casino is like. Unable to simply leave her outside,  the mother asks a young man who has been accompanying them on their trip to take her daughter to tea with him and her brother while she spends an hour gambling with a new-found friend.  

Support the show

]]> Jon DiSavino Buzzsprout-9883802 Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:00:00 -0500 1437 1 1 full false