STORIES TELLING STORIES

Even the tallest of tales are rooted in some sort of truth... 

Originally told by Allen Morse from the small town of Calais, Vermont, "A Strange Tale" speaks of a first-hand account of a handful of residents freezing their elderly and infirm in order to save resources enough to survive the brutal winters - only to turn around in the spring and return their frozen kin to perfect health in time to plant the spring corn.

My family and the Morses have history going back to the founding of the village of Calais, and I've heard talk of this as an old secret of the mountains before I ever discovered the published account.  Did the founding families of Calais possess the secrets of human hiberation, or is this just another of Allen Morse's tall tales?  You be the judge...

LOCKED IN A VACANCY ep31

... There was no colour upon her cheek, not even upon her lip; yet there was a stillness about her face that seemed almost as attaching as the life that once dwelt there:—upon her neck and breast was blood, and upon her throat were the marks of teeth having opened the vein:—to this the men pointed, crying, simultaneously struck with horror, "A Vampyre! a Vampyre!" 

"The Vampyre" by John William Polidori

First published in 1819

Recited by Eric R. Hill

Episode 4, Young Goodman Brown, comes to us from 1835 and continues our trek backwards in time to find some of the earliest forms of short story horror in the modern age. Nathaniel Hawthorn weaves a tale rich in religious imagery, doublethink, and madness set within the time of the Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. It is a fantastic example of the Puritanical mindset and how even amongst likeminded folk they were often riled in philosophical struggles against good and evil. Hawthorne hypothesizes - based on his own personal guilt that his father was a judge during the Witch Trials - that evil is inherent in all people and that the truly pious are those few and far between with the courage to stand against their community and hold firm to their beliefs. And with the Young Goodman Brown, the Devil is everywhere and is much more familiar than you or I give him credit for.

"A Story of a Weir-Wolf" which was first published in 1845 is arguably the first published werewolf story written by a woman; author Catharine Crowe.  But this is by no means your typical werewolf story... as the suspense and fear come not from the visceral and supernatural power of a creature that exists between animal and man, but from the callousness, cruelty, and jealousy of our own emotions and the power that this negativity can have to galvanize the masses and turn a level-headed community into a witch hunt... all because of the jealous lie of a single individual. 

Read by Eric R. Hill

"The Yellow Wall-Paper" is a short story by American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, first published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine.  It is regarded as an important early work of American feminist literature for its illustration of the attitudes towards mental and physical health of women in the 19th century.

Read by Eric R. Hill

IT'S SPOOKTOBER SEASON AGAIN!  This year we examine five masters of horror from the very early days... For episode 1, we examine a story that has been spoofed, retold, and explored across every conceivable medium and still remains as chilling today as it was upon its release over one hundred years ago... this is... THE MONKEY'S PAW by W.W. Jacobs

As read by Eric R. Hill

Written and read by Eric R. Hill

All photo and video footage from my personal or family collection

LOCKED IN A VACANCY ep.30:  "In the Spring" by Guy de Maupassant

Another surprisingly fresh and relevant story from the godfather of the short story, Guy de Maupassant.  The sign of a true work is how relatable it remains after its auther is gone.  And considering it's been over a century, I think it's safe to say that Guy's work may outlive us all.  

Voice Acting by Eric R. Hill

LOCKED IN A VACANCY is produced in collaboration with Stories Telling Stories and STS Media Group… Socially Isolating itself at Mitlhouse Studios in Milton, Vermont… Casting around the globe to your frontal lobe wherever podcasts are found… LOCKED IN A VACANCY is also streaming on YouTube @ StoriesTellingStories.  Make sure to give us a review wherever you stream our show, we really appreciate it!  Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, give us a subscribe on YouTube, and consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive rewards starting at $1 a month or more!

And until next time... Stay sane, stay safe, and stay Whimsical!

Welcome to the 90’s.  No one is having Sax anymore… Grunge rock is the radio darling, and the horn sections that dominated popular music for decades is no more… 

Or is it…?

Join us for a new series narrated by the legendary Sir Charles Brattleboro as we examine what caused the decline of  the saxophone in popular music... from the definition of "sex" to the butt of the horn section.

Written and Read by Eric R Hill

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