Back in January we had a Contributor Appreciation promotion, where we randomly drew four winners from our list of contributors. They received a prize from our sponsor, Channillo.com and the chance to have an interview feature on the show. Today I am delighted to bring you the second of those interviews.
This episode introduces you to Sarah Mitchell-Jackson, whose story, as with our special episode from two weeks ago, was featured on last week’s episode. Sarah was kind enough to jump onto Skype with me and talk about her writing, her inspirations, and what it's like to be nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
I hope you enjoy this special feature, and stay tuned for a new episode with three short stories coming next week.
Please check out our Contributor Appreciation Month sponsor, your home for serialized literature online, Channillo.com
There's more than "Frozen Food" in Grandma's freezer. By Francis DiClemente, copyright 2014, used with permission. Visit his website. “Frozen Food” was originally published in the magazine The Literary Hatchet.
Holding the center today is the monster "Charybdis." By Michelle Dotter, copyright 2011, used with permission. Read her bio here.
Sometimes "The Chair" really is so much more than just that. By Sarah Mitchell-Jackson, copyright 2009, used with permission. Visit her website.
Everything is in the timing.
In "Improvisation," by Phillip Sterling, a guy walks into a bar. Where it goes from there you will have to listen and see. Copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Phillip's bio here.
"Dial 116" provides a service you thought would be the greatest thing ever. And it might be. By Robert Lunday, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Robert's website.
Back in January we had a Contributor Appreciation promotion, where we randomly drew four winners from our list of contributors. They received a prize from our sponsor, Channillo.com and the chance to have an interview feature on the show. Today I am delighted to bring you the first of those interviews.
This episode introduces you to Nels Hanson, whose story, by coincidence, was featured on last week's episode. Nels and I were not able to connect directly, but he was kind enough to record his answers to my questions. It's a fabulous insight into the inspirations of an author, especially after having just heard his story on the show.
I hope you enjoy this special feature, and stay tuned for a new episode with two short stories coming next week.
Please check out our Contributor Appreciation Month sponsor, your home for serialized literature online, Channillo.com
"The Silver Horseshoe" takes us to a family farm where a fable has been told for generations. It has all the classic elements...a love that can't be (in this life,) a hero, and, of course, buried treasure. Is the treasure lost...or do we find it? By Nels Hanson, copyright 1992, used with permission. A special episode featuring Nels Hanson is coming soon, stay tuned! Read his bio here.
In "Daydreaming," love once wished for can be found. By Ashley Williams, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read her bio here.
Be sure to get your baseball stories to us by March 18!
Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
"The Intruders" by Joel Allegretti describes the moment when things appear. Copyright 2012, first published in 2013 in Thrice Fiction, republished in 2015 as part of the anthology SHALE: Extreme Fiction for Extreme Conditions and used with permission here on the show. Visit Joel's website.
"Caught Between," written and read for you by Pat Obermeier, is about a woman who dreams of time travel. Copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Pat's website.
Rounding out the show today is "A Place Between the Places We Call Home" by Emma Wren, a piece which attempts to answer a very common and very big question. Copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit Emma's website.
Stop by and visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
Aren't we all, to one degree or another, just putting on a show?
Frederick K. Foote, Jr.'s "Blue-Black" takes us to the heart of the Jim Crow South and leaves us wondering what the rules are. Copyright 2015 and used with permission, read for you by the author. Visit his website.
In "Life in Repetition," a mother must deal with the reality of her world when others have a choice to face it or not. By Sheila M. Good, copyright 2015, used with permission. Visit her website.
Please visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com to connect.
A special holiday bonus for our listeners featuring two pieces of flash nonfiction.
Today's special guest is Susan Vollenweider from the History Chicks podcast.
Susan Vollenweider is a columnist for The Kansas City Star and one half of the podcast and writing team, The History Chicks. She graduated from Loyola University, New Orleans and eventually parlayed her education into a Stay at Home Mom gig until she realized she couldn't cover any bills with the pay. Originally from Connecticut she now lives in Kansas City, MO and works on the internet at www.thehistorychicks.com and www.susanvollenweider.com. She is available for banter @EssephVee
Enjoy your holiday weekend and check us out as always at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
This episode starts with an untitled story by M. Pepper Langlinais to get you in the right (although maybe not holiday) mood. This story is copyright 2014 and used with permission. Visit her website here.
In "Sunrise," we walk with a family through their moments of most intense emotion. By Sherry Sellars, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Sherry's bio here.
A tired waitress finds a whole new world in Christopher Woods' "Sprawl." Copyright 2011, used with permission. Read Christopher's bio here.
Look for a special holiday bonus episode this weekend. See you then!
Let us know what you think at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
Wherever you go in this world, you are always surrounded by someone.
John Mueter shares why one unlikely pair are "Roommates." Copyright 2015, used with permission. Read John's bio here.
The "Wild Ones" come to town and stir up all kinds of emotion in our second story. By Mary Alice Long, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Mary's bio here.
Adam Kluger takes us to the New York City setting of his story "Our Kind of Town" with some wonderful extra audio and shows us who the city really belongs to. Copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Adam's bio here.
Please let us know what you think at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
The world keeps spinning even when some are gone. Those of us who are left get to spin with it.
"Magic Palm" follows a family through the years of Red China as a young woman finds comfort in her grandmother's words. By Kevin Brown, copyright 2008, used with permission. Read Kevin's bio here.
"Doug" follows a young man whose potential is just that...potential...to see what he does or doesn't do. By Mercedes Lawry, copyright 2013, used with permission. Read Mercedes' bio here.
In "Balloon," a tradition helps with a tough moment, but also brings back the memories of how it started. By Evan Guilford-Blake, copyright 2010, used with permission. Read Evan's bio here.
Today we wrap up Contributor Appreciation Month with one final drawing for a writer to win a subscription to channillo.com. It has been a delight to honor our contributors and partner with Channillo. Thank you to everyone! I look forward to bringing you more about the winning contributors in the coming weeks and months.
Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
How we see ourselves versus how others see us.
A troubled girl is really just a flower in "Blooming" by Patty Somlo. "Blooming" is copyright 2010 and used with permission. Visit Patty's website.
Dawn Corrigan reads her story "Nonsense Syllables" about a very musical family who can't carry a tune. "Nonsense Syllables" is copyright 2015 and used with permission. Visit Dawn's website.
This episode also features the third of four drawings in our Contributor Appreciation Month promotion sponsored by our friends at channillo.com. Please let them know you appreciate their support. You can tweet at them here.
Visit http://noextrawords.wordpress.com to let us know what you think!
"Roller Blading in Venice" is by Julie Christine Johnson, making her second appearance on the No Extra words podcast. Her short story "Granny" was featured on Episode 23. "Roller Blading in Venice" is copyright 2015 and used with permission. For more information about Julie, including all the scoop on the launch of her debut novel, "In Another Life," on February 1, please visit her website.
"Wholesale" is by Jeff Bakkensen, copyright 2015 and used with permission. Read Jeff's bio here.
"Progress" is by Sean Antoniak, copyright 2015 and used with permission. Visit Sean's website here.
"Grow, Jesus" is written and read for you by Gabriel Congdon. It is copyright 2015 and used with permission. If you enjoyed Gabe's reading of "Grow Jesus," you'll love his YouTube channel.
This is Week 2 of Contributor Appreciation Month here on the No Extra Words Podcast, which means a lucky contributor is going to win our prize drawing. I had a chance to speak to Mary Alice Long, winner of the Week 1 drawing, and she was very excited. You'll hear Mary's story in three weeks as part of Episode 33. Contributor Appreciation Month is sponsored by channillo,com, so please head on over to their website and check them out. Also, be sure to find them on Twitter and thank them for sponsoring your favorite podcast.
Want to know more? Or let us know what you think? Visit us at http://noextrawords.wordpress.com
It's perfectly reasonable to have a thing that lives inside your closet. And when a suspicious character shows up at your doorstep demanding, of all the horror, productivity, it's perfectly reasonable to invite him in for a sandwich. Right?
"The Thing that Lives Inside My Closet," by Brandon T. Madden, is copyright 2015 and used with permission. Read Brandon's bio here.
"The Poet's Resistance," by Jason Walker, is copyright 2015 and used with permission. Read Jason's bio here.
This episode also launches Contributor Appreciation Month! Each week in January we will draw live on the show the name of a former or future contributor and honor them with a Channillo subscription and more. Thanks so much to channillo.com for sponsoring the promotion all January long.
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
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.
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
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
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!
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!
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!
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
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.
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
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