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No Extra Words one person's search for story

Storytelling is one of those things that makes us human. It takes many forms in many places and times but the need to record our story, to preserve the memory that we were here, and to hear the stories of others, this is universal. I'm a writer, a librarian, a mom, and a person in this world in search of how we tell our stories and how we hear the stories of others. Season 1: Flash Fiction. The sharing of minimalist literature, saying much with few words. May 2015-January 2018. Season 2: Book Pairings. One reader's journey, two books at a time. Starts February 2, 2018.
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No Extra Words one person's search for story
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Now displaying: 2015
Dec 30, 2015

Starting with a classic element of any New year..."The Diet." By Diane Valentine, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Diane's bio here.

Read in her own lovely voice is Aileen Hunt's "The Man Who Taught My Children About Dragonflies." Copyright 2014, used with permission. Visit Aileen's website here.

"Flowers" is a brilliant piece of microfiction about the celebration and mystery of sending flowers. By Charles Rafferty, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Charles's bio here.

Follow the love story of "How My Parents Fell in Love." By Dallas Woodburn, copyright 2011, used with permission. Visit Dallas's website here.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who made 2015 such an amazing journey for this show. Looking forward to bringing you more great content in 2016, starting with Contributor Appreciation Month in January sponsored by Channillo.com

Please let us know what you think of our new sound, new theme song, and return to our old format. Visit our website at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Dec 23, 2015

First up, a beautiful short story by Bob Thurber entitled "Our Trip to the Moon." I could not imagine a more delightful companion to this finale of our series. Visit Bob's website here.

I am delighted to share this final episode of our four-part series to celebrate Christmas. If you have missed the earlier installments, please check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 first.

As always, we would love to hear what you think at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com. And please stay tuned for a New Year's episode with a more traditional format next week.

Dec 16, 2015

If you have not yet heard Parts 1 and 2, please refer to Episodes 24 and 25.

This is the third of a four-part series of episodes showcasing an original whimsical story of Christmas, the North Pole, elves, Santa, and, of course, reindeer. “A Christmas Serial” is copyright 2015.

In addition, this episode also features "Rick's Picks," about 2 characters in a terrible rut. By Benjamin Toche, copyright 2011, used with permission. Visit Benjamin's website.

Musical credits: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as performed by the U.S. Marine Corps Band is in the public domain. Our theme music is “Reverie: small theme” by _ghost and is used under Creative Commons License.

As always, please let us know what you think! http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Dec 9, 2015

If you have not heard Part 1, tune in to Episode 24.

This is the second of a four-part series of episodes showcasing an original whimsical story of Christmas, the North Pole, elves, Santa, and, of course, reindeer. “A Christmas Serial” is copyright 2015.

In addition, this episode also features “Gingerbread Houses in the School  of Architecture," a holiday story in which the rules get broken. By Jody Brooks, copyright 2010, used with permission. Read Jody's bio here.

Musical credits: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as performed by the U.S. Marine Corps Band is in the public domain. Our theme music is “Reverie: small theme” by _ghost and is used under Creative Commons License.

As always, please let us know what you think at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Dec 2, 2015

Welcome to the first installment of "A Christmas Serial." First in a four-part series of episodes showcasing an original whimsical story of Christmas, the North Pole, elves, Santa, and, of course, reindeer. "A Christmas Serial" is copyright 2015.

In addition, this episode also features "Garrick and the Dare," a short story about what happens when a daredevil is always trying to one-up himself. By Shawn Cowling, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Shawn's wonderful blog and website here.

Musical credits: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as performed by the U.S. Marine Corps Band is in the public domain. Our theme music is "Reverie: small theme" by _ghost and is used under Creative Commons License.

As always, visit http://noextrawords.wordpress.com and let us know what you think!

Nov 28, 2015

Big announcement of an upcoming promotion! If you are a regular listener and especially if you are a contributor to the show, you want to hear this! Follow http://noextrawords.wordpress.com for all the details.

If you like the audio you hear on this special, you will love Libsyn's "Thanks Podcasting" podcast. Have a listen to more stories.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 25, 2015

This is a four story episode that really splits nicely into two sections, but the overall theme is "resilience."

Part 1 is about gratitude when times are tough. In "A House Burning," an out of control fire also proves cleansing. By Matthew Keefer, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Matt's website here.

In "Chipped," a neighborhood has seen its share of tough times and is shabby compared to the well-off neighbors. By Tina Tocco, copyright 2004, used with permission. Read more about Tina here.

Part 2 is about those tough family relationships that can be the best and worst parts of this and all seasons. "Granny" examines that moment that comes to many of us when dealing with an elderly relative with dementia. By Julie Christine Johnson, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Julie's website here.

"Meyer's Rebellion" ends this episode on a lighter note, as a man leaving his wife of 46 years has some reassuring news for her. By Paul Beckman, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Paul's website here.

Our theme music is "Reverie: small theme" by _ghost and is used with our thanks under a Creative Commons license.

Would love to hear what you think! Check in with us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com and we will see you in December for our Christmas Serial specials!

Nov 18, 2015

In "Fairytale Kingdom" a family experiences one last moment of almost normal before the coming storm. By Robin Vigfusson, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.

In "Open Door" a man's musings on whether or not he locked his front door provide a framework to make an impossible decision. By Ajay Patri, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read his bio here.

Our theme music is “Reverie: small theme” by _ghost, used under a Creative Commons license and we are grateful.

Thank you for tuning in today! As always, we value your feedback and you can find links to subscribe at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Nov 11, 2015

Depending on where you live, I hope you are making time in your life to honor sacrifice on this Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day. Here at No Extra Words, we wanted to take this holiday back to its roots and make you think. This episode is a little different than our usual format and we hope you enjoy it.

"In Memoriam" is a poem by Ewart Alan Mackintosh written in May 1916. Lieutenant Mackintosh was killed in action in November 1917 at the age of 24. Find more information about him and the poem at http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/ewart-alan-mackintosh-in-memoriam.htm. The poem is in the public domain, thanks to freesound.org for the public domain church bells sound.

"Peter on the Island/Pan is Dead" is a re-imagining of an old legend by Adam McOmber. It is copyright 2015 and used with permission. Be sure to visit Adam's website at adammcomber.com.

In Armistice Day tradition, this episode ends with 2 minutes of silence. The first minute is to honor those lost, and the second minute is to honor those left behind: the families, the comrades, and the veterans. We hope you will join us in this reflection.

As always, please let us know what you think! http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Our theme music is "Reverie: small theme" by _ghost, used under a Creative Commons license and we are grateful.

Nov 4, 2015

What happens when your name lives without you.

In "Achilles," we learn what happens when you carry the name of an ancient hero into a modern day small town. By Charles Rammelkamp, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read for you by the author. Read his bio and learn where to find more stories about Potawatomi Rapids here.

In "What We Talk About When we Talk About Homer," eighth grader Homer will live in the yearbook for many many years to come. By Marina Frances Mularz, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.

As always, let us know what you think! http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Oct 28, 2015

Storytelling at its finest.

"Mama Said" covers all the things mama said, from her solid advice to her thoughts on what to do with her after she dies. By Brett Vickers, copyright 2011, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "21 Days," we are left to wonder which version of the story is better, the one Grandma told or the truth. By Tina Tocco, copyright 2013, used with permission. Read her bio here.

"Going off the Rails" is the story of one epic move. By Brianne Holmes, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.

"Reception" is what happens when the bridesmaid comes properly armed. By PJ Sambeaux, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read her bio here.

As always, we look forward to hearing what you think! Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Oct 22, 2015

Sometimes it's obvious who is crazy. Sometimes it's not.

In "A Junior Whopper, Please, With Cheese," a sign held up by a homeless man inspires a restaurant worker to make a human connection. By James Hartman, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "Min-Max-Out," listeners are taken through the phases of life at the behavioral unit in Mass General. By Emm Rose Borgerding, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.

As always, we would love to hear what you think! Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Oct 14, 2015

That moment when you realize you are living in your future.

In the sci-fi romance story "I'll Meet You There," a couple in 2140 find intimacy in technologically advanced times. By Cassandra Ricard, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.

In "The Brunch Place," a man many years beyond college sees an old flame and realizes they are not who they were. By Jeff Dupuis, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you! http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Oct 7, 2015

The confusion of adolescence, when "consent" is not a straightforward idea.

In "Lindsay and I," a girl at the beginning of puberty has one of those friends who knows it all and isn't afraid to make her feel young and stupid. But is she the only one? By Nathan Alling Long, copyright 2000, used with permission. Previously published in "The Portland Review. Learn more about Nathan here.

In "The Deak," an adolescent encounter with the school bully has lasting effects. By Stephen Baily, copyright 2012, used with permission. Read his bio here.

What did you think of today's episode? Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com and let us know what you think.

Sep 30, 2015

It sound like such a good idea at the time!

In "There is Rest for the Wicked," a couple go through the motions of something that isn't there anymore. By Vincent Douarre, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "Bleeding Out," a man recovering from a relationship learns a few lessons from a friend on the farm. By Brian Burmeister, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "Smooth Operator," the outfit blessed by the voodoo priestess seemed like such a good idea... By Jason Kerzinski, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

Plans are underway for future episodes. What do you think? What are you looking for? Be sure to visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com and let us know!

Sep 23, 2015

Today's stories are all fresh voices, from newer and younger writers or starring youthful characters. They bring us a fresh perspective in more ways than one.

"1001 Reasons to Love Rachel Maddow" is the typical boy-meets-girl story told in untypical fashion. By Zachary Hay, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

"So Bored" is a piece of microfiction featuring the voice of a young person having an adventure, or maybe just wasting time. By Jake Bible, copyright 2015, used with permission. Find out more about Jake and read his other microfiction at jakebible.com.

In "Out of Order," you find yourself as a fifth grader on the school bus, a dangerous place to be if you aren't ready to relate to others. By Angela Luo, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read her bio here.

****A couple of corrections to errors discovered post-recording:

1) The correct title of Jake Bible's podcast is Writing in Suburbia. Find it in iTunes or check Jake's website for more information.

2) The hashtag to follow on Twitter for flash fiction is #FridayFlash

As always, we look forward to hearing from you! http://noextrawords.wordpress.com

Sep 16, 2015

In "Hungry," a war veteran has to leave his house when he doesn't want to, which forces him into a conversation with his young neighbor who doesn't see him or the world the way he expects. By Michelle Lee, copyright 2015, used with permssion. Read her bio here.

In "Sealed," a young man assists his father with an act of service he wasn't expecting his father to do and learns something about that relationship. By Jeremy Schnee, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read for you by the author. Find out more about Jeremy at www.jeremyschnee.com.

What do you think of today's show? Contact us and let us know or visit our website http://noextrawords.wordpress.com to leave a comment.

Sep 9, 2015

In "A Dangling Man," a stranded hiker contemplates the turns his life has taken to get him to his precarious position. By T.R. Healy, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "Sequels," a father and son on a cemetery visit try to navigate their complex relationship and reveal the real truth about their past and present. By Christopher Acker, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

Sep 2, 2015

In "The House," Madaline moves to a new town and is intrigued by the old theater, which is totally empty and boarded up. Or is it? By Karen Soutar, copyright 2014, used with permission. Find more of Karen's work and see a picture of The House at http://karensoutar.wordpress.com

In "Crawling Hand (with a gun)," a man left alone in a beach club is terrorized by what he knows can't be real: a crawling hand with no face or features aiming a gun right at him. By Earl Hatsby, copyright 2013, used with permission. Check out Earl's website at www.practicallyserious.com

Aug 26, 2015

In "Life Lessons," a woman reflects on a world she had for a moment and didn't think she'd miss. By Lorna Wood, copyright 2015, used with permission. Check out Lorna's author page at http://amazon.com/author/lornawood

In "Trivia," the contestant on a public access game show thinks she is prepared until she sees what questions are being asked. By Madaline Foglesong, copyright 2015, used with permission. Find more of Madaline's work at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/maddyfo

In "Flight of Desire," a man obseres a neighbor with a hobby he'll never understand. By Diane Payne, copyright 2014, used with permission. Read Diane's bio here.

 

No Extra Words by the Numbers:

  • We have dozens of listeners! Every day, on average, we have 6-11 downloads of either current or back episodes. This gives us lots of room to grow...tell your friends!
  • Including today, we have aired 24 different short stories.
  • 10 short stories were by contributors, 2 from the public domain, and one by a listener.
  • More contributor stories are coming! 30 different contributors are confirmed for between now and December.
  • We have received over 70 short story submissions from over 65 different authors around the world...and have room for more!

Happy listening,

Kris

Aug 19, 2015

"A Form of Idolotry" comes to us from Guyana. It asks the question: after the revolution, will the new government ever be able to truly move forward? By John S. Lewis, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio here.

In "Ex-Pats," we travel to a tiny island in Micronesia where people go to escape from their past...and the rules. By Cristina Querrer, copyright 2014, used with permission. Find more of Cristina's work at yourartsygirl.blogspot.com.

Want to help the podcast grow? Three things you can do: Share, Subscribe, Review

Aug 10, 2015

The public domain is a clause in copyright law allowing works which have been around for some time to be re-used and re-imagined without having to obtain permission from the copyright holder.  (It's why there are so many versions of "A Christmas Carol.")

No Extra Words is thrilled to use this clause to bring you two classic pieces of flash fiction.

"The Tradesman," written ca. 1920 is a lesser-known story by 20th century literary great Franz Kafka.  It has amazing power to resonate with 21st century readers.

"I Won't," originally published in 1875 is a parable by 19th century children's writer Juliana Horatia Ewing.  How is it similar to and different from the morality tales of its time?

Don't forget!  We have an active Challenge to the Listeners going on right now.  Read the writing prompt and send your response in by Thursday, August 13 for your chance to be featured on Episode 9.

Aug 5, 2015

In "The Frog Prince," three frogs watch from a lily pad while the princess conducts her happily ever after search on Twitter.  They remain passive observers until she decides to turn to an old story for help.  By Lucy Mitchell, copyright 2015, used with permission.  Find more about Lucy and her writing at http://blondewritemore.wordpress.com/

In "The 18 Facebook Statuses of a Relationship," we follow the relationship of Jen Smith the way most of us do these days - vicariously through her facebook page.  By Kris Baker Dersch, copyright 2015, all rights reserved.

Reminder: our current Challenge to the Listeners is ongoing!  Write your up to 500 word short story on the Lenin statue for your chance to be featured on episode 8 of the podcast, coming August 19.

Jul 22, 2015

Very short stories on becoming who and what you really are.

In "On/Off" by Taylor Eaton, a small boy uses a magical power no one else can see.  Copyright 2015 by Taylor Eaton, used with permission.  Find out more about Taylor at littlewritelies.com

In "Selkie" by Lisa Falzon, a mythical creature does not do what the myth says she will do.  Copyright 2014 by Lisa Falzon, used with permission.  Check out Lisa's visual storytelling at flashwounds.tumblr.com

In "Requiem: for piano" by Nancy Stohlman a man's true love is becoming something he loves, but her transition will come between them.  Previously published in "Literary Oprhans," copyright 2012 by Nancy Stohlman, used with permission.  Read more about Nancy at www.nancystohlman.com

Editor's commentary features the six word short story "Semicolon," an homage to Ernest Hemingway.  Copyright 2015 by Kris Baker Dersch, all rights reserved.

Thank you to our show sponsor, The Catapult Podcast.

Join us August 5th for Love and Heartbreak in the 21st Century, our "flash fiction summer beach reads" episode featuring a story from BlondeWriteMore.

Jul 8, 2015

Starting with one of the oldest forms of storytelling...the annoying camp song!

Today's campfire theme is "What Summer Camp Means to Me."  Thank you to our marvelous listeners and friends for sharing their thoughts.

In "A Not-so-Ghostly Ghost Story" by Kris Baker Dersch, the looming specter of a mysterious shape in the woods is terrifying, but not what it seems.

Campfire closes with a piece of microfiction called "What Summer Camp Means to Me," submitted by listener Mrs. J.

Join us July 22 for the Microfiction Triumvirate Episode featuring flash fiction by Taylor Eaton, Lisa Falzon, and Nancy Stohlman.

Check us out at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com for all the fun stuff coming up!

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