This story came to me in the shower this morning.

No pen. No notebook. Just me, soaked and wide-eyed, scrambling to dry off, throw on some clothes, and hit record on my phone before it vanished.

Writers, you know the drill—your brain ignores deadlines but delivers entire plots the second you’re unreachable and half-soapy.

Of Dragons and Bedsheets is what spilled out. It’s about a cozy bookstore with a locked door, a girl who wants to read but ends up forced to write, and a bestselling romantasy novel that makes her question everything.

Read the finished version (with lots of improvements) here: https://fatherroderick.substack.com/p/of-dragons-and-bedsheets

Ascension Day is one of those quiet feasts that slips by unnoticed for many—forty days after Easter, Christ returns to His Father, and we're left looking at the sky, wondering what comes next.

That moment—of absence, silence, and waiting—has always fascinated me. It’s not the climax of the story. It’s the breath held between promise and fire.

Today’s short story was born from that space.

Set in a magical monastery tower where angels help scribes craft living stories, The Final Ascension follows three young story mages sent on an impossible mission: to speak a single story that everyone in a fractured world can understand.

They try music. Food. Healing. All fall short.

But what begins as failure becomes something more. A fire lights. Not just in a hearth, but in their hearts.

This tale is for anyone who’s ever struggled to be understood. For anyone who’s waited in silence, wondering if their voice mattered. And for anyone who hopes that—somehow—what we give with love is never lost.

Read the final version of the story on my Substack: https://fatherroderick.substack.com/p/the-ascent-of-the-scribe

This story began on a rainy walk with an umbrella in one hand and my recorder in the other.

It’s about a young monk named Ciarán, a humble chicken feather gifted by his mother, and a growing hunger for something better—more elegant, more powerful, more admired.

His journey takes him far beyond the monastery, chasing birdsong and shimmering promises. What he finds is both breathtaking and dangerous. And centuries later, in the ruins of the scriptorium, an old monk with trembling hands must face the same question:

What do you want?

This tale is for anyone who's ever longed for more, only to discover they might already have what they need.

It’s a cozy fantasy wrapped in mystery, a parable about creativity, temptation, and grace—and maybe, just maybe, a story that loops back on itself in a way you won’t see coming.

I hope it stays with you.

Did you know that during archaeological excavations beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica, researchers discovered not only human remains believed to be those of Saint Peter… but also the perfectly preserved skeleton of a tiny field mouse?

That one detail set my imagination spinning.

In today’s episode, I share the rough first version of a new story inspired by that curious find—a tale of storms and satchels, of fear and friendship, of a little mouse who might have been closer to Peter than anyone ever imagined.

The story’s still raw, unfinished, full of half-formed images and spur-of-the-moment ideas. But I love sharing these early drafts, because this is where stories are born: not with outlines and edits, but with questions and wonder.

And if you want to read the polished version of The Rock and the Pebble—you’ll find it on Substack: https://fatherroderick.substack.com/p/the-rock-and-the-pebble

One wheel to roll them all — and in the laughter bind them

Today is the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Race, where brave souls chase a 7lb wheel of cheese down one of the steepest hills in England.

So of course… I had to write a fantasy version.

Monks, mist, a lake of molten cheese, and a mysterious saboteur trying to ruin the fun. But some magic defends itself—with joy.

Bring snacks. Preferably crackers.

Today’s story is about a lamb.
But not just any lamb.

He kicked over jars. He chewed expensive sandals. He absolutely did not want to be a model.

Until he met a quiet boy. A boy who carried him—not just for a statue, but through fear and darkness—until one day, in a moment no one expected, the lamb carried him.

This story is inspired by an early Christian statue of the Good Shepherd found in the Roman catacombs. I wondered… what if that lamb on Jesus’ shoulders had a story of its own?

In this second and final part of my fantasy homage to The Empire Strikes Back, we return to the snowy peaks, haunted forests, and sacred ruins of a medieval Irish world where story itself is magic—and belief can shape reality.

Our young squire Lucan journeys to Clonmacnoise to begin his training under a strange old hermit named Jonah, only to discover that the deeper the story goes, the more tangled it becomes. Meanwhile, Brother Hanric and Sister Lira flee through a living mountain, only to walk straight into the trap of the Dark Mage—who has plans not only for them, but for Lucan himself.

🔥 There’s an ancient duel atop a mountain.
❄️ A frozen sacrifice beneath the earth.
🕯️ And a master even darker than the Mage.

If Part I was about wonder and revelation, Part II is about choice and consequence. It’s about courage, and what happens when you refuse to play the role the world hands you.

I hope you enjoy this second part of The Dark Mage Strikes Back. If you haven't heard Part I yet, start here. And if this tale stirred something in you, let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear what you'd do next, if this world were yours.

When I was 12 years old, I sat in a dark cinema and watched The Empire Strikes Back for the first time. I never recovered—and I mean that in the best possible way. It became my all-time favorite film, and it’s shaped the way I think about stories ever since.

To mark its 45th anniversary this week, I asked myself:
What if that story—of hope, betrayal, and impossible odds—took place in the medieval Irish fantasy world of my upcoming novel?

The result is The Dark Mage Strikes Back: a two-part homage filled with icy landscapes, shadowy visions, desperate flights, swan-dragons in aerial battle, and a chilling confrontation between a young squire and a dark mage with secrets of blood and betrayal. All set against the backdrop of misty monasteries and ancient ruins where story magic stirs—and nothing is ever as it seems.

Listen to part 1 today, and read the final version of the story on my Substack: https://fatherroderick.substack.com/p/the-dark-mage-strikes-back-part-i

New Story: A Cup of Hope and a Slice of Heaven
The cozy tavern where no brew will ever be the same, and neither will you.

Somewhere along an old pilgrimage road in the Irish hills, there’s a crooked little cottage with a creaky door, a glowing hearth, and the scent of cinnamon and pine. Most travelers pass it by.

But those who step inside find something more than a warm drink and a fresh scone.

They find healing.
They find stories.
They find each other.

In today’s short story, I invite you into A Cup of Hope and a Slice of Heaven—a cozy fantasy tale about a magical tavern run by two mysterious hosts, where time flows differently, brews are made with memory and mercy, and the warmth you receive might just be the beginning of something new you pass on.

So grab your favorite mug, settle in, and listen closely.
There’s a knock at the door—and someone is about to step inside.

☕✨

In today's episode, I share the original version of a children's story I made up about a poodle and a chihuahua in Rome. The poodle's owner is a tradition-loving cardinal, whereas the chihuahua is the dog of a chef who one day decides to start experimenting with unconventional pizza toppings.

The dogs go on an adventure in the streets of Rome that ultimately end up affecting their owners as well.

The final version of the story will be part of my upcoming children's book about the animals of Rome. You can read it on my Substack: https://fatherroderick.substack.com/p/the-prelate-the-poodle-and-the-pizza