Second Hand Stories

Colleen learns how Jim pairs together stories of octopus love and a Viking promise in Episode 25. Last week, you heard "Vikings" by Rachel Brough, and this week you'll hear "Three Hearts" by Melissa Palmer, which is part two of the pair of themed episodes. What's the theme? Slow down, listen up, and find out!

A viking and an octopus walk into a bar...Jim swears there's a punchline here but Colleen isn't so sure. This week, Rachel Brough tells us about "Vikings" (just in time for the new GOT premiere!) and next week Jim will tell us how vikings related to the octopuses in Melissa Palmer's "Three Hearts." Be sure to tune in to both episodes!

What would ruin your perfect day? Zachary Slingsby's story, "Apricot Iced Tea," follows a mother who can't seem to have the day she so perfectly orchestrated go right. You're in for some relationship assessing, parenting struggles, and a big issue with bladder control for Episode 23.

I had a conversation with Kris Baker Dersch or the No Extra Words flash fiction podcast. We give you a look under the hood about what the challenges of fiction podcasting are and why we love it. Check out Kris and No Extra Words at noextrawords.wordpress.com and wherever you get your podcasts! If you like this show, you'll definitely like hers too so give it a listen.

Some kids are just up to no good, while others seem to stumble upon trouble. But kids will be kids right? Ponder this with us while listening to "Everyone Hated Miss Loretta" by Susanna Solomon and "Fake Things Aren't Real" by Derek Lazarski.

Buckle up, Episode 20 is here to take you on a wildly emotional ride. Father-son relationships, steamy affairs, illness, and secrets, these three stories cover it all. Think of each like its own soap opera, without the bad lighting and various people waking up from a three year comas. Take a listen to "Silver Spoons" by Claude Smith, "Mr. X" by Doug Hoekstra, and "Greetings Black Wolf" by Dennis E. Thompson.

Listen to Dan Leach's suburban hell-raisers try to pull off a classic prank in "A Multitude of Sins." We hope it gets you in the summertime mood!

This four-part episode focuses on stories of war and combat and the various effects it has on the psyche. With Memorial Day right around the corner, we figured it was the perfect time to run these stories, some of which are written by veterans. Claude Smith ("R&R") leads off the episode, followed by Clayton Bradshaw ("How to Care for Hyacinths"), Christine Estopare ("Fate and Starlight"), and Gary Beck ("The Man Who Shot Stonewall Jackson"). As a warning to our listeners, all but one of our stories grapples with suicide in one way or another and deal with some mature content and themes.

Our Mother's Day episode! Listen to a story about an expecting mother trying to enjoy a last summer's day with her tween son ("A Meandering Blue" by Amy Ballard, www.amyballard.com) and another about a boy's constantly evolving relationship with his mother and step-mother ("Boy" by Carole Glasser Langille). Rate and review us on iTunes! Slow down and listen up.

Theodore Carter's ("The Great Escape") debut is magical, and Michael Anthony's ("White") is supernatural. Slow down and listen up to these fun stories about make-believe and intrigue!