This week we return to some of my own original writing, and I am really proud of this week's episode.

Struggling with a little bit of writer's block after Christmas, this was the story that pulled me out of my slump and helped get my head back in the game.

Inspired by a random prompt I found online, and written on a bus, and in a tattoo chair during a long session, this was one of the more enjoyable pieces I have had the pleasure of writing recently.

And it got published in Vol. IV of the Dark Corner to boot. I am very excited to share this one

The Muse

A struggling writer is about to hit rock bottom, when a chance encounter with a fan changes the course of his career.

And sometimes a deal is too good to be true.

Just how much of your soul would you be willing to sell chasing that next bestseller?

Content Warning: Death, violence, substance abuse, depictions of child death, explicit language

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:38 - The Muse
00:30:21 - Background Discussion
00:33:40 - CTA
00:34:03 - Outro

This week we reach the climax of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's classic novella Carmilla.

General Spielsdorf completes his story and reveals the mystery behind his niece's death and the travels he has undertaken in the interim. The group gathers in the ruins of the Karnstein castle, and Carmilla flees once she is recognised for what she is.

And with the help of a mysterious stranger, the group work to banish the evil entity, once and for all.

The story of one of the greatest vampire tales draws to a close...

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:35 - Carmilla - Chapter 14
00:10:00 - Carmilla - Chapter 15
00:16:46 - Carmilla - Chapter 16
00:23:54 - Background Discussion
00:25:52 - CTA
00:26:215 - Outro

Episode 31 of Tales Under A Broken Sky is now live!

Join us by the hearth for the penultimate episode in our reading of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Gothic Masterpiece Carmilla.

In this week's episode, General Spielsdorf relates the story behind his neice's death, which bares striking similarity to the situation currently in Laura and her Father's household.

The story is now rapidly approaching his climax, and the atmosphere is tense, charged and expectant, as Carmilla is expected to be joining the group presently when she awakens from her slumber.

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:37 - Carmilla - Chapter 11
00:09:21 - Carmilla - Chapter 12
00:18:05 - Carmilla - Chapter 13
00:27:08 - Background Discussion
00:29:08 - CTA
00:29:27 - Outro

This week we continue to read Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, exploring Chapters 8, 9 & 10

The action is starting to kick off now, with the search for Carmilla after she goes missing from her room. The doctor arriving to check up on Laura's unusual lethargy and tiredness, as well as the return of General Spielsdorf from his long and unusual travels.

The stake are beginning to rise, and with the reappearance of the general, the tension is now palpable.

Join us by the hearth why don't you, as we delve deeper into the gothic world of Carmilla.

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:36 - Carmilla - Chapter 08
00:07:54 - Carmilla - Chapter 09
00:17:49 - Carmilla - Chapter 10
00:23:48 - Background Discussion
00:25:52 - CTA
00:26:11 - Outro

This week we revisit Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, and read through Chapters 6 & 7.

In this episode, we learn more about the situation in the house, including some unsettling dreams that the young ladies are having, as well as a number of suspicious actions on the part of Carmilla

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:38 - Carmilla - Chapter 06
00:09:09 - Carmilla - Chapter 07
00:20:11 - Background Discussion
00:21:42 - CTA
00:22:03 - Outro

This week, we take a break from Carmilla and turn our attention to one of my own stories, which recently appeared in Vol. 3 of The Dark Corner; Dawn and the Spectre of Death

Dawn is just beginning to peak its head, but for a lone stranger stranded on a mountain, the nightmare is just beginning.

Content Warning: Demonic Presence, Death, depictions of self-harm, torture

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:37 - Dawn and the Spectre of Death
00:09:02 - Background Discussion
00:10:38 - CTA
00:10:58 - Outro

This week we revisit Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, and read through Chapters 3-5.

In this episode, we learn more about Carmilla, her disposition and her personality. In the process, we discover a slow, creeping dread, that something is not right with the situation.

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:45 - Carmilla - Chapter 03
00:15:36 - Carmilla - Chapter 04
00:37:32 - Carmilla - Chapter 05
00:45:02 - Background Discussion
00:47:46 - CTA
00:48:09 - Outro

This week's episode is the first part of my reading of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's classic gothic horror story, Carmilla.

The classic work's of horror strongly favour in my favourite stories of all time, and Carmilla is one of thtose that has inspired so many tales over the years.

I am looking forward to digging in and exploring this work more over the next couple of episodes.

Join me by the hearth why don't you, and let me tell you a tale...

Content Warning: Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:36 - Chapter 01
00:11:24 - Chapter 02
00:25:52 - Background Discussion
00:28:38 - CTA
00:29:00 - Outro

This week, we try something new. A new format I've been thinking about for a while now, A Tale From The Hearth, short stories told around the fire to pass the cold winter nights.

In The Banshee, a grandfather relates tales of his family's banshee to his grandson as they sit by the fire.

Content Warning: Cursing, Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:41 - The Banshee
00:07:38 - Background Discussion
00:10:07 - CTA
00:10:29 - Outro

This week's episode is a special one for me.

Earlier this year Eternal Sunshine became the first short story submission I had accepted, and the first piece of writing I earned anything from.

This was a wild one to record and produce, but I (totally unbiased as I am) think it turned out great!

Eternal Sunshine

The last survivor of a rescue mission to a distant planet struggles to survive the infernal heat of the world's dying star.

Following the trail of those they came to rescue, they venture into the heart of the planet, desperate for answers and driven to complete their mission.

But they are not prepared for the horrific fate of the planet's original inhabitants, or what now awaits below in the darkness.

IT REACHES

Check out thedarkcorner.blog for the prose version of the story!

Content Warning: Cursing, Violence, Death, Cosmic Horror, Body Horror

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:46 - Eternal Sunshine
00:26:44 - Background Discussion
00:29:16 - CTA
00:29:40 - Outro