If you're new here, you'll notice I am missing episodes 24 and 25. They were published for a short time, but they had to be taken down. A description of "why" is in the previous episode's show notes.

Welcome to the show! This episode is short and right to the point. Did I also mention thought-provoking! It was written in 1961 and set in the year 2081; and that's all I have to say about that.

For more on Mr. Vonnegut, visit https://www.vonnegut.com/ .

COFFEE! This episode's highlighted coffee is Foxtail Coffee out of Florida. Visit https://www.foxtailcoffee.com/ for more information; or on the socials at @foxtailcoffeeco .

The Eight Discs audiobook by Jeffrey Simmons: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Eight-Discs-Audiobook/B0GYB28YJR?srsltid=AfmBOoqsYicpIzf7Q2bag8SFQex9g7mLwO5ZQRg9IBj3t8ZYUGA7iM9K

"FLUID" A 4k short film: https://youtu.be/3WZnEPJt1BI?si=l6ml8fZryPFmBnZz

New bumper music on this episode! These AI-free tracks can be found at https://creatormix.com/ .

https://creatormix.com/album/neon-sunsets-85.html

https://creatormix.com/album/ocean-drive-59.html

It has been mega-busy at the studio lately recording long-form audiobooks! (which is a good thing!) Until I get another fantastic short story lined up (soon, I promise!), here is chapter one from an audiobook written by Jeffrey Simmons and narrated and produced by me. It was released earlier this Spring.

Meet Jack Mercer. Jack isn't quite satisfied with the life he's led up until this point. What if Jack had a chance to re-live some decisions he didn't make??

I hope you enjoy this chapter of the book, "The Eight Discs: Eight Realities, One Life, No Rewind." If you'd like to know more, check it out on Audible.

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Eight-Discs-Audiobook/B0GYB28YJR?qid=1782792287&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=YJ062304BZFXHFPVDNJH&plink=mbOaCTcBybJz6yay&pageLoadId=5xX1gQuURqMJnqLh&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1

For more on books and projects by author Jeffrey Simmons, check out his web site.

https://simmonspublishing.net/

Thanks again for listening!

So why the asterisk in the episode number? This should actually be episode 25; however, episode 24 had to be removed for a copyright infringement that was never fully explained to me. And since episode 24 was part 2 of a 2-part episode, I just decided to take down part 1 (former episode 23). No worries! There are no omelets without broken eggs.

The coffee of the month is Bulletproof's High Achiever blend! Find out more here:

https://shop.bulletproof.com/products/coffee-the-high-achiever-10oz?_gl=1*1v7btog*_gcl_au*MTI5MTg2Nzk1LjE3Nzk3Njg5NDA.

The last few months have been extremely busy for me and I hope to be back on more of a regular schedule. Look for a bonus episode soon with a chapter from an audiobook I recently finished producing and narrating entitled "The Eight Discs." If you like the subject matter of my podcast, I think you'll dig this audiobook. The author is Jeffrey Simmons. More info on that here:

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Eight-Discs-Audiobook/B0GYB28YJR?qid=1779769251&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=ZFZ3STJBYZ6MQT9KRY38&plink=9ngsGSvOGAybvbqo&pageLoadId=CYpzWDfDlLKOx63R&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1

That being said, here is another Ray Bradbury story coming your way! This one deals with a touch of time travel and a dash of chaos theory and consequences. ENJOY!

Welcome, travelers! Here is the conclusion to "Leaf By Niggle" by Mr. Tolkien.

If you want to know more about Tolkien in detail, a great place to start is https://www.tolkiensociety.org/ .

Thanks for tuning in! I'll be jumping right into the conclusion of this Tolkien short story just a few minutes into the podcast. We're also still drinking Dice and Drip's dark roast coffee this month! Look up their delicious blends at www.diceanddrip.com and support a veteran-owned business.

If you want to know more about John Ronald Reuel Tolkein, check out tolkiensociety.org - it's chock full of interesting information.

Welcome to episode 23! We finally have a story by the great JRR Tolkien on the show. Niggle is the primary character of this inwardly-reflecting story. It was long enough that I decided to cut it into 2 parts. Part 2 will be released in a couple of weeks. Before the story, we take a shallow dive into Tolkien's history. I knew he was in World War I and it inspired some of his writings. One thing I didn't know is how he would invent languages - just for fun! Quite a brilliant chap and I am glad we still celebrate his works today.

If you want to know more about Tolkien in detail, a great place to start is https://www.tolkiensociety.org/ .

Our coffee of the month is a dark roast from Dice and Drip! Check out this veteran-owned company at https://www.diceanddrip.com/ .

Thanks for tuning in - Enjoy the show!

Ray is back and boyhowdy does he have a story to tell about human explorers and what they find on the planet Mars.

Or should I say, what finds them?

Coffee of the month is Adventurer from Dice and Drip, a veteran-owned company dedicated to gaming, service, and a great cause!

Thanks again for listening!

From the mind of author Jeffrey Simmons comes a story of alien abduction, survival, and betrayal. This is a book I recently produced and narrated. "Soulsucker" chronicles the trials and tribulations of five unique individuals the moment they are "flashed" away from Earth. They soon discover not everything is as it seems and will have to rely on their strengths AND weaknesses in order to survive.

Paperback, hardback, and Kindle versions are available on Amazon.

https://a.co/d/2pHGNN4

Audiobook is available on Audible.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Soulsucker-Audiobook/B0G1V2SPK5?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMore on author, Jeffrey Simmons:

https://simmonspublishing.net/

Thanks for listening and Happy New Year!

It's the holidays and I wanted to bring a classic seasonal short story to the podcast. While it isn't my usual content, it's a story I've wanted to narrate for quite some time. There are a couple of great lessons in here and a couple new words I learned along the way. As always, thanks for listening and have a Merry Christmas and healthy, happy holiday season!

A Jesuit astrophysicist, with a wavering faith, is on board an exploratory vessel to investigate the Phoenix nebula, many light years from Earth. He makes a shocking discovery that is thousands of years in the making.

The coffee of the month is a light roast blend from New Moon Cafe in Augusta, Georgia!

www.newmoondowntown.com

https://www.newmoondowntown.com/store/product/costa-rica-la-cuesta-copy/

If you're in the mood for something more long-form, check out "Soulsucker" available on Audible. Five "random" people are abducted by aliens and go on a psychological adventure that spans time and space.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Soulsucker-Audiobook/B0G1V2SPK5?eac_link=r0ieCF348ZDy&ref=web_search_eac_asin_1&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0G1V2SPK5&qid=b6ZqiCaQ37&eac_id=135-4672854-3600445_b6ZqiCaQ37&sr=1-1

Thanks again for listening!