My apologies for the fact that this one is much later than I'd hoped. I had intended to have it out earlier in the month but my laptop died and I've had all manner of technical frustrations getting my recording equipment to work properly with my new one. Today's story is called Binary. This story was written in August 1997, first published in the anthology em three in July 2001, and later published in my book Spell in February 2008. At the time of composition Clinton was US president, and the passing of comet Hale-Bopp, the Heaven's Gate suicides and an air of pre-millenial angst were the order of the day. These comments may perhaps help some of the story's lines make more sense to contemporary readers. Perhaps.  This is the first podcast I've done with music. If you want a version of just the track Binary itself, without all my blather at the start, you can download it at my ReverbNation page at http://www.reverbnation.com/darrenfrancis You can hear other tracks by me there, too. Link to file:  http://darrenfrancis.brinkster.net/podcast4binary.mp3 You can also hear it at my myspace audio page: www.myspace.com/logosdarrenfrancisaudio Note that the latter version only features the track Binary itself and not my spoken intro. For those of you who enjoyed my crop circle story last time round, I'm doing a lecture on the history and folklore of crop circles and crop circle making in London at the end of this month. Here's the info if you want to attend: Darren Francis - Crop Circles: Magic, Myths & Makers An illustrated talk for London Earth Mysteries Circle, Tuesday 27th April 2010 Since they first caught our attention 30 years ago, the debate on crop circles has raged; otherworldly communication, or trickster? Tonight's speaker has seen the subject from both sides of the fence, and presents for your entertainment a history of crop circles, an analysis of the research which some maintain proves that crop circles cannot be of human origin, and an insight into the theory and practice of their (alleged) making. Illustrated with slides. 7.15pm start. £4.50/£4.00 concessions/£3.50 members. Venue: The Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, W1U 8EA. Nearest Tube is Baker Street. Website for further information: http://www.londonearth.com

My third podcast features the story Circulating, which is taken from my book Spell. This is perhaps one of my most-read stories. It was originally published on Pulp, in January 2006, under the title Circles. After its appearance in Spell, it was published in issue 4 of Fissure magazine in October 2008. Thanks also to my friend 'peaceful', for posting a link to the Pulp version on a crop circle internet forum, which no doubt attracted a fair number of readers who would otherwise not have encountered my work. Link to download: http://darrenfrancis.brinkster.net/podcast3circulating.mp3 Don't forget you can now subscribe to my podcast directly using iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/darren-francis-podcast/id357427902  Crop circle photograph courtesy of Peter Sorensen.

My first podcast, featuring the story Red Room which appeared in my book Spell. To download and listen to it, right-click and save HERE. 128kpbs. Duration: 10 min 28 sec. File size: 9.6 mb. If you want to have a listen before (or instead of) downloading, I'll be posting all my podcasts on my myspace audio page (where you'll also be able to hear other pieces by me), though bear in mind that as and when I add new things there I'll be taking off the older pieces so it may not stay up there long. Website: www.darrenfrancis.co.uk Myspace: www.myspace.com/darrenfrancis Myspace audio page: www.myspace.com/logosdarrenfraudio  Addendum, January 2010: The audio quality of this track is really crappy; before too long I'll re-record it.