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Short Story TodayEpisode 121 - Holiday Episode ReduxWe've brought back a newly-packaged edition of our 2022 Holiday episode, featuring stories selected from our contest submissions that year, as well as a few by authors who were guests on the podcast. We've added a story from 1917 that was discovered in the archives of Project Gutenberg, and was featured in Episode 4 of the first edition of Short Story Today. Featuring the voices of Jon DiSavino, Alison Fraser, Peter Garruba, Barret Leddy, and Suzanne Savoy. https://shortstorytoday.com/Support the show2024-12-181h 51Short Story TodayStories of ThanksgivingThis week we've created an audiobook anthology of short stories about thanksgiving - not the holiday, per se, but the things that Thanksgiving represents: family bonds, gratitude, and benevolence. There are nine stories by five authors: Mathieu Cailler, Melissa Ostrom, Andrea Rinard, John Sheirer, and Hart Vetter. Featuring the voices of Daniel Dykiel, Sierra Lidén, Meg Sewell, and Jon DiSavino.https://shortstorytoday.com/ Support the show2024-11-2759 minShort Story TodayEpisode #74 - Emma Brankin: "Eulogy for a Bastard," "The Second Miss Thompson." and "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina"UK author Emma Brankin's debut story collection Attention Seekers features stories inspired by her former career as an entertainment columnist, where she got to rub elbows with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ariana Grande. That's not to say, however, that her fiction is superficial. She writes stories of a depth and complexity that belies her age. The author reads "I Am a Trainwreck Actress's Vagina" and "Eulogy for a Bastard," and Jon DiSavino reads "The Second Miss Thompson" - all of which are in Attention Seekers.Support the show2023-12-061h 15Short Story TodayEpisode #70 - Melissa Ostrom: "Super-Absorbent Stella," "The Postscript," and "Measurements"Before Western New York author Melissa Ostrom fell in love with reading and long before she began writing stories, all she wanted to do was play. And she's never let go of that joyful impulse to explore, which is the secret behind her highly original fiction. We read her stories "Super-Absorbent Stella" (read by Clara Francesca), "The Postscript" (read by Jon DiSavino), and "Measurements" (read by Sierra Lidén). https://www.melissaostrom.com/Support the show2023-11-081h 02Short Story TodayEpisode #69 - Julee Newberger: "Along the Sound"Virginia author Julee Newberger's life was upended when she learned, at the age of forty, that she'd been adopted - information she received only after both her parents had died. She's currently working on a unique memoir which will blend non-fiction with imagined events. Her story "Along the Sound" is read by Sierra Lidén. https://juleenewberger.com/Support the show2023-11-011h 03Short Story TodayEpisode #68 - Stephen Cicirelli: "Quitting"New Jersey author Stephen Cicirelli has a penchant for philosophy - and it shows up in his stories in surprising ways. But there's nothing academic about them. They vibrate with energy, often weaving sorrow with humor. We read his story "Quitting," about an experiment in free will that goes awry.Support the show2023-10-251h 13Short Story TodayEpisode #67 - Grant Faulkner: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash"California author Grant Faulkner was born and raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa - an experience that helped shape his sensibilities as a writer of stories of heartland America. But it's the 100 word story that has, of late, become his obsession. And there is no limit to what he's been able to achieve in that arena. In this episode we read two flash stories: "The Passenger" and "Cold Hard Cash." https://grantfaulkner.com/Support the show2023-10-181h 00Short Story TodayEpisode #66 - Erica Plouffe Lazure: "The Shit Branch"New Hampshire author Erica Plouffe Lazure was born and raised in Massachusetts, but she has a particular fondness for the South - and for story-telling in the Southern tradition. In her award-winning collection Proof of Me - & Other Stories, she's created a fictitious town in North Carolina called Mewborn in order to tell the the stories of its inhabitants. In this episode, we read one of those stories: "The Shit Branch." https://ericaplouffelazure.com/Support the show2023-10-111h 01Short Story TodayEpisode #65 - Eleonora Balsano: "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character" and "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back"Italian author Eleonora Balsano (who now resides in Brussels) can speak and write in multiple languages - but she feels most at home writing in English. While it's not her mother tongue, it's a language she's come to believe affords her more freedom as a writer. Her interest in the experiences of writers who share this belief has compelled her create a podcast called "Chosen Tongue." We read two of her flash stories: "The Movie Star's Daughter Has an Itchy Back" and "The Best Vintages Have a Distinctive Character." https://www.eleonorabalsano.net/Support the show2023-10-0455 minShort Story TodayEpisode #64 - Catherine McNamara: "The Bamboo Furnace"Australian author Catherine McNamara has made the Veneto region in Italy her chosen home. But to get there, she first had to explore Paris, West Africa and Mogadishu, where she was an embassy secretary prior to the war in Somalia. The colorful backdrops for her stories reflect her love of the far-flung lands she has made her home. We read her story "The Bamboo Furnace," from her prize-winning collection The Cartography of Others. https://www.catherinemcnamarawriter.comSupport the show2023-09-271h 24Short Story TodayEpisode #63 - J. Kevin Shushtari: "The Vast Garden of Strangers"Connecticut author J. Kevin Shushtari is a practicing physician, but when it comes to his fiction, it's not the world of medicine that interests him. His stories are inspired by the unique worlds and colorful characters known to him from his Iranian father's and Irish Catholic mother's families. We read his award-winning story "The Vast Garden of Strangers," which was published in Glimmer Train.Support the show2023-09-201h 10Short Story TodayEpisode #62 - Francine Witte: Four Flash Stories from JUST OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL OF LOVENYC author Francine Witte has had a major impact on the world of flash fiction. As a writer, editor and prompt session leader, she has become an influential figure, admired by her peers and looked up to by young poets and writers. We read four flash stories from her most recent collection Just Outside the Tunnel of Love: "Potato Saga," "All the Electric Things," "Mom's Pumpkin Boyfriend" and "My Father Takes Me to the Rodeo." Support the show2023-09-131h 06Short Story TodayEpisode #61 - John Delacourt: "Duende"We open Season 2 with Canadian author John Delacourt. John has a fondness for the arts - especially the creatives who make it all happen. The lives of painters, actors, musicians and dancers occupy a special place in his work, and he brings the worlds they inhabit to life in unique and compelling ways. We read his story "Duende," which was published in Syncopation Literary Review.Support the show2023-09-061h 25Short Story TodayEpisode #60 - Allison Field Bell: "River Mountain Summer"Author Allison Field Bell grew up in California, and has been a desert-dweller for much of her life. She now resides in the desert state of Utah, where she is pursuing her PhD in Prose at the University of Utah. In both her fiction and nonfiction, she explores how being neuroatypical affects the daily routines of individuals in ways that confine and sometimes enlarge their lives. We read her story "River Mountain Summer," which was published in West Branch. https://www.allisonfieldbell.com/Support the show2023-06-281h 26Short Story TodayEpisode #59 - Scott Mitchel May: "Naked Cake"Wisconsin author Scot Mitchel May boasts an unusual job resume. He's been a short order cook in a fast food joint as well as a staff writer for Wisconsin senators. And now he's a novelist, with a newly-published work, Breakneck, and two other books due to be released later this year. We read his story "Naked Cake," which was published in The Metaworker. https://www.scottmitchelmay.com/homeSupport the show2023-06-211h 20Short Story TodayEpisode #58 - Kimberly Elkins: "Boys With Wings"Author Kimberly Elkins made her way from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia to New York City, where her writing career took flight. She began as a playwright, but soon found that writing fiction was her real jam. Her award-winning novel WHAT IS VISIBLE would prove that to the world. We read her story "Boys With Wings," which was published in SLICE Magazine. https://www.kimberlyelkins.com/Support the show2023-06-141h 26Short Story TodayEpisode #57 - Emily Doyle: "Thursdays For Haru" As the daughter of a mixed-race mother whose own mother had come to the U.S. from Japan, Emily Doyle saw how religion, culture and society held them down, and was moved to choose a different path for herself. It was as a writer that she would find the agency she longed for. We read her story "Thursdays For Haru," which was first published in The Sun Magazine. https://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/565/thursdays-for-haruSupport the show2023-06-071h 14Short Story Today#56 - CULTURE IN FICTION: A Conversation with Italian-Canadian WritersWe continue our series CULTURE IN FICTION with a conversation with Italian-Canadian writers. Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews, Eufemia Fantetti, Lori Sebastianutti and Natalie Welsh join Jon in a conversation about growing up as the children of Italian immigrants in the Toronto area, and the ways in which their cultural heritage has influenced their work. https://on.soundcloud.com/f7n7Z https://nsjcp.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/46/30https://www.eufemiafantetti.com/ https://poetryimages.weebly.com/https://linktr.ee/nataliewelsh285https://lorisebastianutti.com/Support the show2023-05-3155 minShort Story TodayEpisode #55 - Carrie Esposito: "Man of the House"The stories of New York author Carrie Esposito can be searing in their attention to the frailties found in family relationships - whether they're families of origin or families of choice. She understands the ways in which the roles we're given in life - wife, mother, son, father - can push us to our limits as we strive to learn who we really are. We read the story "Man of the House," which was published in Ruminate. https://www.carrieesposito.com/Support the show2023-05-241h 19Short Story TodayEpisode #54 - Jolene McIlwain: "The Steep Side"In her story collection Sidle Creek, Pennsylvania native Jolene McIlwain writes about the rural America she grew up in with compassion and tenderness. That's not to say that every character is a charmer. She understands how hardship can harden folks, and writes with blinding clarity about the brutality that resides there as well. We read a story from the collection entitled "The Steep Side." https://www.jolenemcilwain.com/Support the show2023-05-171h 16Short Story TodayEpisode 98: First Anniversary Celebration! John Henry Fleming's "Song for the Deaf"To commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the podcast, we're honoring our very first guest author, John Henry Fleming, with a reading of his short story "Song for the Deaf," from his collection "Songs for the Deaf." (Burrow Press)Support the show2023-05-1243 minShort Story TodayEpisode #53 - Mandira Pattnaik: "Whether an Apocryphal Story?"Indian author Mandira Pattnaik's writing career began with a surprising discovery: under the mantle of science fiction, she could express her outrage at the harm done to society by the introduction of the cellphone. She has gone on from there to address, in her stories, societal and environmental concerns such as global warming and the overdevelopment of her beloved country. We read her story "Whether an Apocryphal Story?" https://mandirapattnaik.com/Support the show2023-05-101h 21Short Story TodayEpisode #52 - L Mari Harris: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator"Missouri author L Mari Harris's flash fiction is not for the faint of heart. It is her aim to push readers into uncomfortable places. Nothing is off limits: taboos, family secrets - in her stories, they're all fair game. We read two of her flash stories: "They're So Beautiful When They're Sleeping" and "The Exterminator."Support the show2023-05-031h 02Short Story TodayEpisode #51 - Andrew Porter: "Two Men"When a briefcase containing his laptop and years of work was stolen, Texas author Andrew Porter nearly lost all hope. Luckily for us, a visiting writer gig at U of Maryland, Baltimore turned his life around. And the rest is history. We read his story "Two Men," which was published in The Missouri Review. https://www.andrewporterwriter.com/Support the show2023-04-261h 05Short Story TodayEpisode #50 - Kirsti MacKenzie: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard"Canadian author Kirsti MacKenzie is blazing a trail as a writer of fiction with her unmistakable, inimitable voice. Like a modern-day Dorothy Parker, she is creating her own personal brand of razor-sharp and quick-witted fiction. We read two of her flash stories: "The Incumbent" and "You Crown Paul Shaffer's Head With Mustard."Support the show2023-04-191h 11Short Story TodayEpisode #49 - Madeline Anthes: Four Flash Fiction StoriesGrowing up in rural midwest America gave author Madeline Anthes a way of seeing the world that would reverberate throughout her writing. As a mother of two young sons, she reveals how motherhood has "pushed [her] boundaries of emotional capacity," and brought a new level of depth and complexity to her work. We read four of her flash fiction pieces: "Staying Afloat," "Love Scream," "The Way Our Voices Carry" and "The Last One." https://madelineanthes.com/Support the show2023-04-121h 08Short Story TodayEpisode 97: Culture In Fiction #1: A Conversation With Jewish WritersWe begin our new Culture In Fiction series with an episode featuring five accomplished Jewish writers who discuss how their faith and cultural heritage inform their work. Mara Beneway, Temim Fruchter, Mordecai Martin, Kate Schmier and Bonnie Weinstein Crowe engage in a lively conversation covering topics like Jewish humor, the Yiddishe Mama in popular culture, and the great tradition of storytelling handed down through the generations. To hear Bonnie's Hannukah story "Festival," use this link to the podcast's 2022 holiday episode: https://shortstorytoday.com/episodes/episode-33-first-annual-holiday-episode-811Support the show2023-04-0852 minShort Story TodayEpisode #48 - Danny DeRock: "Artifacts"Author Danny DeRock was born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, and now lives in the Netherlands. He has a PhD in political science from the University of Amsterdam, and does research on the global political economy of climate change. At the age of 34, through his own research, he determined he was autistic, a diagnosis that was medically confirmed. He speaks candidly about how his ADHD and autism have affected his life and his creativity. We read "Artifacts," a speculative fiction story that first appeared in Reservoir Road Literary Review.Support the show2023-04-051h 31Short Story TodayEpisode #47 - Marianne Villanueva: "Residents of the Deep"California author Marianne Villanueva has no fear when it comes to writing fiction. She writes in an astonishing variety of genres, styles, tones and voices. And, on occasion, she'll even invent a new language. But they all vibrate with a verve and spirit that are unmistakably hers. We read her story "Residents of the Deep," about an explorer who believes he has discovered the lost city of Atlantis.Support the show2023-03-291h 16Short Story TodayEpisode #46 - Kyle Seibel: "Master Guns"California author Kyle Seibel joined the Navy and got to see the world. The impression it made would inform his writing with wisdom and wonder. In the stories that make up his new and soon-to-be-released collection Hey You Assholes, he celebrates the boy in the man, and the man in the boy. We read "Master Guns," in which a young enlisted sailor finds himself partnered with a troubled officer whose idea of a good time while on shore leave takes them on a wild ride through Bahrain.Support the show2023-03-221h 35Short Story TodayEpisode #45 - Tanya Žilinskas: "Sillage"California author Tanya Žilinskas has made her home of Marin County the backdrop for many of her stories. She is acutely aware that the perception of safety and security in a suburban haven is just an illusion. And for her characters, the dangers may be hiding in plain sight. We read her story "Sillage," about a woman whose personal and professional lives have prompted her to discover a different kind of desire.Support the show2023-03-151h 26Short Story TodayEpisode #44 - Justin Bryant: "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray"In his stories, North Carolina author Justin Bryant is compelled to write about the things that fill him with fear. From forces of nature that wrest control away from sailors and pilots, to giant spiders, he takes back the power with his pen. We read his story "On These Seas, Colors Wash to Gray."Support the show2023-03-081h 16Short Story TodayEpisode #43 - Maureen Aitken: "Tainted," "Bigfoot" and "Roby Burns"Minneapolis author Maureen Aitken has written a love letter to her home town of Detroit with the evocative and heart-warming stories in her collection The Patron Saint of Lost Girls. Known alternately as Motor City and Motown, the urban Michigan metropolis serves as the backdrop for the lives of a white family living in a majority-minority community during the turbulent sixties and seventies. Meg Sewell reads three stories from the collection.Support the show2023-03-011h 16Short Story TodayEpisode #42 - Stanley Stocker: "The List"Washington, DC area author Stanley Stocker knew he wanted to be a lawyer from the age of ten. What he discovered as an adult was a love for writing fiction. He's now an award winning author, with a historical fiction novel in the works, which is set in Mississippi in the early 20th century. We read his Pen America Dau prize-winning story "The List."Support the show2023-02-221h 25Short Story TodayEpisode #41 - Emily Mirengoff: "It Could Be Worse Than California"Washington, DC area author Emily Mirengoff loves the unreliable narrator. Her stories with first person narratives feature the kinds of interior monologues that can take readers on a spellbinding journey into a child's - or a senior citizen's mind. Meg Sewell reads a first-person narrative, "It Could Be Worse Than California."Support the show2023-02-151h 29Short Story TodayEpisode 96: A Valentine's Day Micro Fiction SamplerWe're celebrating Valentine's Day with a micro fiction sampler of love stories. They're not your grandma's love stories, however. These are of the literary variety. There's sweetness and humor inside, of course - but you'll find some edgy and weird stuff in their, too. Featuring stories by Steve Almond and Pamela Painter, and the 11 contest-winning entries. Read by Alison Fraser, Barrett Leddy, Suzanne Savoy, Meg Sewell and Jon DiSavino.Support the show2023-02-1230 minShort Story TodayEpisode #40 - Pamela Painter: "Deck"Author Pamela Painter is one of the most respected writers and educators in the world of short fiction. Her workbook "What If? Writing Exercises For Fiction Writers" which she co-wrote with Anne Bernays has become a staple of university writing programs. In recent years, Pamela has been teaching flash fiction workshops from coast to coast. We read her story "Deck," taken from the collection "Ways To Spend The Night."Support the show2023-02-081h 16
Mojo for the Modern ManDreams, Rejection - and Reinvention - with Jon DiSavino, Act 2Jon DiSavino continues our discussion with an enlightening conversation about living in the moment and appreciating the “now.” He speaks about the power of reflection, the ways in which Short Story Today has helped a flourishing community of writers, and the trauma of being unseen as a creative. Jon leaves us with impactful words on passion, creativity, and courage, reminding us that the momentum to move forward always begins with the choice to take the first step.Jon DiSavino is an actor and stage director. In rece...2023-02-0728 minShort Story TodayEpisode #39 - Evan Morgan Williams: "A House Call"Portland, Oregon author Evan Morgan Williams gives a mini-master class on writing noir literary fiction. It's the genre he's chosen for his new novel. He finds satisfaction in creating the kinds of characters who turn out to be their own worst enemy. We read his story "A House Call," originally published in Ars Medica.Support the show2023-02-011h 05Mojo for the Modern ManDreams, Rejection - and Reinvention - with Jon DiSavino, Act 1Jon DiSavino, actor and host of the Short Story Today podcast, shares his story of growing up in the Boston suburbs in the ’60’s and ’70’s. He talks about being impacted by assassinations, the Vietnam war, the moon landing - and a high school audition that changed the course of his life. Jon closes Act 1 with sage advice on living in the moment, facing pressure and rejection, and finding gratitude for all of it.Jon DiSavino is an actor and stage director. In recent yea...2023-01-3127 minShort Story TodayEpisode #38 - Will Musgrove: Selected Flash StoriesIn his highly original flash fiction, Iowa author Will Musgrove applies his own unique brand of twisted logic to scenes from daily life. Zoo cages become displays of human domestic bliss and exotic animals lurk in the wallpaper of suburban homes. We read his stories "Open Tryout," "Small Town Stuffing" and "A Bout of Insomnia."Support the show2023-01-251h 13Short Story TodayEpisode #37 - Melissa Llanes Brownlee: Selected Flash FictionHawaiian author Melissa Llanes Brownlee explains life on the islands as only an indigenous person who was born and raised there can. In her fiction, Hawaiian history, culture and lore are often woven together with the pop culture emblems of her youth. We read four of Melissa's flash fiction stories: 35mm, The Reused Cool Whip Container, Relax Said the Nightman, and A Primo Place to Stay.Support the show2023-01-181h 10Short Story TodayEpisode #36 - Avitus B. Carle: "That Feeling of Life"Author Avitus B. Carle lives and writes just on the edge of Philadelphia. She has built a remarkable body of work, creating some of the most memorable characters you're likely to meet. And you can be sure that none of them will go quietly into that good night. We talk about her knack for recreating speech in dialects that were part of her family's legacy, and how having fun in the writing process can lead to producing exceptional stories. We read "The Feeling of Life," which chronicles a portentous moment in the lives of three young boys....2023-01-111h 12Short Story TodayEpisode #35 - Stephanie Parent: "Deer, Girl"Baltimore, MD author Stephanie Parent reveals some of the mysteries of her lived experience as a submissive in a commercial BDSM dungeon while living and studying in Los Angeles. She has drawn on this for inspiration in the writing of her soon-to-be- released gothic horror novel "The Briars." We read her folk-tale inspired story "Deer, Girl," in which a young woman encounters a bizarre world hidden within the forest she's entered while taking her evening run.Support the show2023-01-041h 10Short Story TodayEpisode #34 - Farah Ali: "Bulletproof Bus"OUT NOW! Pakistani author Farah Ali lives with her family in Dubai, but her ties to her childhood home of Karachi run deep. It's often the background against which her stories unfold. She creates vivid and moving portraits of its inhabitants as they struggle to survive. We read "Bulletproof Bus," about a husband and father who is desperately working to improve his family's quality of life.Support the show2022-12-281h 22Short Story TodayEpisode #33 - First Annual Holiday Episode!We celebrate the holidays with a cavalcade of holiday-themed short stories, written by some of the best contemporary writers in the field. Six professional voice artists read 12 stories - featuring Alison Fraser, Suzanne Savoy and Barrett Leddy. Plus, Jon interviews the duo behind the new anthology COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES: Elizabeth Coffey and Mark Wish.Support the show2022-12-212h 08Short Story TodayEpisode #32 - Cheryl Pappas: "This Violent and Cherished Earth"In writing speculative fiction, Massachusetts author Cheryl Pappas sees a responsibility "to acknowledge the strange in everything." The confining nature of American realism compelled her to seek inspiration from the works of writers like Italo Calvino while living for a time in Florence. We read "This Violent and Cherished Earth," which emerged from Cheryl's experience of a New England upbringing.Support the show2022-12-141h 10Short Story TodayEpisode #31 - Elizabeth Trueblood: "Life Partners"Wisconsin-born author Elizabeth Trueblood writes stories that sometimes dance around the speculative, and at other times dive headlong into it. She populates them with survivors, many of whom possess unique "powers." There's even a "magic little girl" western - which puts a highly imaginative spin on the kind of stories of the old west that we're used to. Support the show2022-12-071h 16Short Story TodayEpisode #30 - Steven Ostrowski: "Ensemble of One" and "Even on Good Nights"Connecticut author Steven Ostrowski started life as a scrappy city kid from a large family on Staten Island. He developed a love of ice hockey back then, and has continued to play the sport to this day. He describes how he would rush straight from hockey practice to his City College English class, with his giant bag of equipment slung over his shoulder, and make the switch from brawn to brain. He would go on to become a college professor, poet, author, songwriter and painter. We read two of Steven's flash stories in this episode.Support the s...2022-11-3053 minShort Story TodayEpisode #29 - Meagan Arthur: "The Telling is Clean"Utah-based author Meagan Arthur uses her stories to explore consciousness, and examine the "boundaried way of making meaning that we have inherited." In her story "The Telling is Clean," she presents a character who occupies the space between sanity and insanity. Support the show2022-11-231h 12Short Story TodayEpisode #28 - Whitney Collins: "Bjorn"Kentucky author Whitney Collins spent 20 years writing non-fiction for pay before she decided it was time to take a chance with fiction. With guidance from her mentor, she learned that she was a natural once she was allowed "to go really weird." We read her story "Bjorn," where a young woman finds a unique method of coming to grips with the loss of her "brother." Support the show2022-11-161h 13Short Story TodayEpisode #27 - Molly Andrea-Ryan: "Idle Hands" As the child of a father in the armed services, Pittsburgh PA author Molly Andrea-Ryan found herself moving frequently to a new town. Looking for a way to cope with the challenges of these uprootings, she immersed herself in books, and then discovered that writing could be her refuge. We read her story "Idle Hands," in which a young couple finds that the hobbies they have begun to think of as pointless pursuits have the potential to change the world. Support the show2022-11-091h 09Short Story TodayEpisode #26 - Claire Polders: "The Men on the Fence"Globe-trotting author Claire Polders writes the kind of novels and stories that are only possible from one who possesses a deep understanding of the wider world. Her complex characters reflect this worldly wisdom in unique and surprising ways. We read her story "The Men on the Fence," which examines the fear and confusion experienced by a young boy when observing the poverty and desperation that sits in plain view of the guests at a posh resort in North Africa, where he is on holiday with his parents.Support the show2022-11-021h 00Short Story TodayEpisode #25 - Jared Povanda: "Missing Pieces"Upstate NY author Jared Povanda reveals his love of fantasy novels, and explains how those books gave him the building blocks to create his own unique style when blending the literary with the fantastical. For him, all magic is metaphor. We read his fanciful and visionary story "Missing Pieces," which features fairy tale characters attempting to live everyday lives among the so-called "normal" population.Support the show2022-10-261h 04Short Story TodayEpisode #24 - Olufunke Grace Bankole: "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House"Nigerian-American author Olufunke Grace Bankole shares stories about her life, from serving as an intern with the Supreme Court, to the many impressions she took away from her years living as a child in Nigeria - which she is now compelled write about. We read her story "Niyi and the Tan Stucco House," about a young family waking up to the aftermath of an ice storm.Support the show2022-10-191h 01Short Story TodayEpisode #23 - Minyoung Lee: "Sing a Song of Sixpence"Oakland, CA author Minyoung Lee shares her thoughts about the ways in which the immigrant time capsule effect contributed to her way of seeing the world, which was a constantly shifting landscape for her as her family moved from place to place across the globe. That wandering way of life was carried over into patterns that would continue for her as an adult. We read her story "Sing a Song of Sixpence," which explores the challenges of assimilation. Support the show2022-10-121h 08Short Story TodayEpisode #22 - Julia Strayer: "Empty House"We learn from Connecticut author Julia Strayer how the misfits, eccentrics and outsiders she often writes about are, in a way, a reaction to the person she must be in her day job in high finance, which is weighted with great responsibility. We read her story "Empty House," which features some of these confused but colorful characters.Support the show2022-10-051h 09Short Story TodayEpisode #21 - Josh Dale: "A Losing Bet"Pennsylvania author Josh Dale explains how creating a small press publishing house became a way to combine his love of books with his pursuit of a career as a writer. He provides a preview of his just-released novella, "The Light to Never Be Snuffed." We read "A Losing Bet," a story published in Maudlin House in 2022.Support the show2022-09-2855 minShort Story TodayEpisode #20 - Reena Shah: "Gloria"Michener Fellow Reena Shah talks about living as a young woman in Mumbai while learning the classical dance form known as kathak. She took inspiration from that experience when writing a series of linked short stories which would become a novel. We read her story "Gloria," which examines some of the challenges of assimilation for a family living in Connecticut in the eighties.Support the show2022-09-211h 09Short Story TodayEpisode #19 - Sarah Schweitzer: "Love, Loss, Live"New Hampshire author Sarah Schweitzer explains how writing fiction was for her a natural extension of the work she had done as a Pulitzer-nominated journalist. Her story "Love, Loss, Live" was inspired by a celebrity news item Sarah happened to read one day. Support the show2022-09-1456 minShort Story TodayEpisode #18 - Ahsan Butt: "Window"Toronto-born author Ahsan Butt talks about growing up in a Punjabi community in Canada before venturing south to the U.S. He writes movingly about what it's like to live as a Muslim in America. We read his thought-provoking story 'Window," which explores this theme. It first appeared in Split Lip Magazine in 2022.Support the show2022-09-0757 minShort Story TodayEpisode #17 - Erik Pardos Olsen: "Straight People"Danish-born, London-based author Erik Pardos Olsen writes short stories about life in East London. His online collection "Queer as in Weird" follows the life of Malthe, a gay comic looking for love in the big city as he works the comedy circuit. In the episode we read "Straight People," which was published in Parhelion Literary Magazine.Support the show2022-08-311h 00Short Story TodayEpisode #16 - Marcela Fuentes: "The Observable World"Texas author Marcela Fuentes won a 2022 Pushcart Prize for her short story "The Observable World," published in Ploughshares in their Summer 2021 issue. It examines a romantic relationship in which neurodiversity presents challenges for the couple that are managed in surprising and creative ways. And there's a German Shepherd named Edgar!Support the show2022-08-2457 minShort Story TodayEpisode #15 - A. Rafael Johnson: "Morrison's Note"Minnesota author A. Rafael Johnson tells us how this week's story began life as a birthday gift to a friend in his college creative writing program - a tradition created by his classmates as a way around having to purchase a present on a student's budget. His friend is the actual Morrison of "Morrison's Note" - but similarities to actual people are, of course, not intentional.Support the show2022-08-171h 01Short Story TodayEpisode #14 - Jules Chung: "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside"New Jersey author Jules Chung shares a glimpse into her experience of visiting relatives as a teenager in Seoul, South Korea in her reading of her poem Cut Fruit and Castella. In our interview with Jules, she enlightens us with her views on faith, motherhood and her desire to make meaningful art. We read her story "Posting From a Secret Post-Op Bedside" about a mother who is navigating the new world of being a parent to a trans son. A link to her book recommendation, "Minor Feelings" by Cathy Park Hong: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605371/minor-feelings-by-cathy-park-hong/Su...2022-08-1051 minShort Story TodayEpisode #13 - Claire Taylor: "Leap Year Mother"Maryland author Claire Taylor tells us about her personal journey, where she first earned a psychology degree and then became a licensed massage therapist on her path to becoming a working writer. We read her astonishing speculative fiction story, "Leap Year Mother."Support the show2022-08-031h 02Short Story TodayEpisode #12 - Francesca Leader: "The Flaw" and "Waves"Virginia author Francesca Leader reveals some of the methodology behind her award-winning translation of the Japanese Iroha poem. She tells us how, when writing stories, she works from a snippet of dialogue, an image or a remembered moment, and then slowly builds the story around it. We read two of her shorter works, The Flaw and Waves.Support the show2022-07-2755 minShort Story TodayEpisode #11 - Amie Souza Reilly: "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds"Connecticut author Amie Souza Reilly shares how her childhood experiences while spending summers at her grandparents' home on Lake Champlain inspired a series of short stories set in Essex, NY. We read her story "But when we reach the season's end, sunflowers become a food source for all the wild birds," which is taken from that collection.Support the show2022-07-2059 minShort Story TodayEpisode #10 - Andrew Bertaina: "Dream Mother"Washington, DC author Andrew Bertaina offers a probing and insightful look into his creative process as he describes how he begins working on stories from an emotion or an idea, and then builds the story out from a place inside. He shares his love of landscapes, which he learned to appreciate as a boy growing up in Santa Barbara, California. We read a story from his award-winning collection, "One Person Away From You." In "Dream Mother," a son finds himself wandering at night through a dreamscape with his dead mother clutching his arm, as they recall pivotal moments from...2022-07-1358 minShort Story TodayEpisode #9 - Kasie Whitener: "Two Trunks"South Carolina author Kasie Whitener talks with us about her experiences teaching entrepreneurship, hosting a SC radio show about writing and writers, and writing novels, all while being a mom to a teenage daughter. We read her provocative short story "Two Trunks," in which a teacher in charge of a kindergarten zoo trip experiences an existential crisis when confronted with the pent-up energy displayed by a caged lioness. Support the show2022-07-0655 minShort Story TodayEpisode #8 - Arlaina Tibensky: "Masks"With her quick wit and vaudeville timing, Arlaina Tibensky brings a breezy humor to the episode this week. She tells us about the joys of being a mother to two adolescent sons, navigating a home (and a world) full of Legos, and gives us a preview of her novel work-in-progress about a mother-daughter safari adventure. We read her whimsical and poignant mother-son story, "Masks."Support the show2022-06-2949 minShort Story TodayEpisode #7 - James R. West: "Cadillac"Author James R. West has deep roots in the great state of Utah. He gives us a candid account of his early years of life in a Mormon family, and his transition into the adult who would decide to leave that part of his life behind. We read "Cadillac," a coming-of-age story into which some of those early boyhood experiences have found their way.Support the show2022-06-2258 minShort Story TodayEpisode #6 - Kerry Langan: "My Name Is Your Name"Ohio author Kerry Langan tells Short Story Today about growing up in Buffalo, writing stories from a child's point of view, venturing outside her comfort zone to write a speculative fiction piece, and the pleasure she gets from creating male protagonists for her stories. https://www.shortstorytoday.comSupport the show2022-06-1551 minShort Story TodayEpisode #5 - Scott Laudati: "The First Execution"Scott Laudati talks about growing up in an unusual neighborhood in Staten Island, his harrowing experiences working as a dock builder for the City of NY, and being related to the outlaw Jesse James. We read his coming-of-age story, The First Execution, about a friendship fraught with the urge for ritual violence.Support the show2022-06-0843 min
Myth and MagicInterview with Jon DiSavinoJon DiSavino is a professional actor, podcast host, voice artist, and creator of Short Story Today, a new podcast show that combines his love of voice acting with his love of literature. We chatted about audiobook storytelling, creating good dialects for your narrative, Shakespearean fantasy, and what makes a story worth reading. A fun interview!2022-06-0148 minShort Story TodayEpisode #4 - Elana Marcus: "Next of Kin"South Florida born, New York based author Elana Marcus is our guest on this episode. She tells us about the personal history she drew from in order to write her award-winning short story "Next of Kin." Using a second-person narrative, it addresses a recently-deceased man who was fiancé, stepfather, father, brother, son and ex-husband to the members of his family who have assembled in his house. Some are there to mourn him, while others appear to be more interested in what will become of his assets.Support the show2022-06-0143 minShort Story TodayEpisode #3 - Lis Anna-Langston: "The Descent"Lis Anna-Langston tells Short Story Today about some of the colorful characters that populate her stories and novels - and about how the Buddhist teachings she follows have given her a way to cope with the rejection that is inevitable when submitting works for publication. We read her humorous and provocative story about marital infidelity, "The Descent."Support the show2022-05-2557 minShort Story TodayEpisode #2 - Corley Longmire: "Because They Can Get Lost"Corley Longmire speaks about growing up in the Southeast, and how her childhood experiences of extreme weather have found their way into her stories. She writes about gender and societal expectations, bodily autonomy, familial bonds, isolation, and the relation between identity and place. We read her story "Because They Can Get Lost," which examines the unusual ways in which grief can sometimes manifest in our lives.Support the show2022-05-1852 minShort Story TodayEpisode #1 - John Henry Fleming: "Wind and Rain"In this inaugural episode of the all-new Short Story Today podcast, we celebrate John Henry Fleming, author of the novel "The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman" and the short story collection "Songs for the Deaf." The story featured in this episode is from that collection. In "Wind and Rain," a young man speaks to his younger brother, who lies in a coma following an incident where he was shot by a police officer while reaching into his glove compartment for his license. In that moment, both of their lives are changed forever.Support the show2022-05-1159 minShort Story TodayEpisode #18 - Kate ChopinWe bring the "Classic" version of Short Story Today to a close with an episode devoted to the American author, Kate Chopin. Her stories of life in New Orleans and its environs at the turn-of-the-century, which frequently examine the plight of women in marriages of her day, have provided her with a place of respect in early feminist literature. In this episode, we read two stories: "The Story of an Hour" and "A Respectable Woman."Support the show2022-05-0626 minShort Story TodayEpisode #17 - Bret HarteIn "A Mother of Five," Bret Harte, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. Support the show2022-04-2925 minShort Story TodayEpisode17 - Bret HarteBret Hart, one of the true masters of the short story form, composes a heartwarming tale of the wanderings of a little girl and her family of home-made dolls - a portrait of life during the California Gold Rush. Support the show2022-04-2925 minShort Story TodayEpisode #16 - H. G. WellsIn his short story "The Magic Shop," the British titan of science fiction, H. G. Wells conjures up a shape-shifting world inside a mysterious London storefront where a little boy and his father have an experience together that will bond them for life.Support the show2022-04-2229 minShort Story TodayEpisode #15 - Sherwood Anderson"Death in the Woods" In this masterpiece by American author Sherwood Anderson, the meaning of life (and death) are brought home to a man as he pieces together the fragments of a childhood memory that have haunted him ever since that long-ago day.Support the show2022-04-1531 min