Dolls are for Babies by Lana Citron

Story Radio Podcast

#Books #Arts #Audio Drama #Short Stories #Story Radio

34:35

Marcia Clark, best known as the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial, has become a trailblazer for women in law and beyond. Her journey from courtroom to bestselling author reflects her resilience and determination to redefine herself amidst intense public scrutiny. On this episode of Worth Knowing, Clark dives into her latest book, *Trial by Ambush*, which examines the 1953 Barbara Graham case—a story that highlights gender bias, media sensationalism, and the notion that all cases are subject to societal, cultural, and political winds. Clark shares how her experiences during the Simpson trial shaped her perspective on societal pressures and the role of women in high-stakes professions. Her reflections on how media, forensic science, and legal practices have evolved over decades offer valuable insights into the intersection of law and culture. This conversation is a compelling exploration of true crime, personal growth, and how Clark’s groundbreaking career continues to inspire a new generation of women to challenge norms and forge their own paths. Marcia Clark is a bestselling author and a criminal lawyer who began her career in law as a criminal defense attorney and went on to become a prosecutor in the L.A. District Attorney's Office in 1981. She spent ten years in the Special Trials Unit, where she handled a number of high-profile cases, including the prosecution of stalker/murderer Robert Bardo, whose conviction for the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer resulted in legislation that offered victims better protection from stalkers as well as increased punishment for the offenders. She was lead prosecutor for the O.J. Simpson murder trial. In May of 1997 her book on the Simpson case, "Without a Doubt," was published and reached #1 on the New York Times, Wall St. Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists. In February 2016, Clark re-released the book with a new foreword. Resources Sign up for the Worth Knowing LinkedIn Newsletter to stay up to date: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/worth-knowing-7236433935503618048/ Follow Bonnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-habyan/ Go to the Worth Knowing website: https://www.worthknowing.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company…

about a year ago 15:09

MP3•Episode home

A young girl goes for a walk in the country with life-changing consequences. This short story by Lana Citron was originally published in US magazine Thin Air, 2022 under the title "The Understanding".

Trigger warning: The following short story contains content and or references of a violent and sexual nature. These may be distressing or triggering to some sensitive listeners. Please proceed with caution. If you find these topics difficult to engage with, you may choose to skip this story.

Lana Citron is a prize-winning author and scriptwriter with twenty years’ professional writing experience. She has published five novels, two non-fiction books and numerous short stories, plays, poems, film scripts, articles and book reviews. You can read more about her at www.lanacitron.com.

The sound engineer was Gabriel Hansen and the producer was Tabitha Potts.

Music from freesound.org P: Sad Music by Nancy_Sinclair

Photographer credit: ©Valentina Lari

65 episodes

Story Radio Podcast

Dolls are for Babies by Lana Citron

Story Radio Podcast

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

The sound engineer was Gabriel Hansen and the producer was Tabitha Potts.

Music from freesound.org P: Sad Music by Nancy_Sinclair

Photographer credit: ©Valentina Lari

65 episodes

#Books #Arts #Audio Drama #Short Stories #Story Radio

All episodes

Story Radio Podcast

1
Story Radio Writers' Salon on the theme of Love 1:33:56

22 days ago1:33:56

1:33:56

A Story Radio Salon on the theme of Love, with readings from works in progress by some of our regular writer guests. Kristin Burniston is a graduate of the MA Screenwriting program at the University of Arts London. In 2023, her short film scripts TREE and HAIRY MARY were selected by the City of Angels Film Festival, WOFFF (where HAIRY MARY placed 2nd), and Best-Script, London. Recently, Kristin‘s script EGGS was made into a short film and will soon be released on to the festival circuit. Currently, Kristin is working on a London-based children’s animation, a crime fiction TV series, and a feature film script based on her menopausal rite-of-passage novel. Lindsay Gillespie was born in South Wales, and lives in the South Downs. In between she has been a graphic designer and illustrator, lived in New Delhi, Washington DC, France and taught English in Tokyo. In 2018-2019, she was enrolled in the Creative Writing Programme of New Writing South. She writes short and not-so-short stories and was a Costa 2021 Short Story Award finalist. A year later, she was a finalist for the Bridport Short Story Prize. Other short stories have been shortlisted in nine competitions in recent years including Fiction Factory, Exeter, Oxford Flash Fiction, Fiction Factory Flash, Rhys Davies, Frome, ChipLit, Edinburgh and Fish. Miki Lentin completed an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck and was a finalist for the 2020 Irish Novel Fair with Winter Sun . His short stories have been published in Litro and Story Radio . He released his short story collection Inner Core in 2022, and his debut novel Winter Sun was published by Afsana Press. Lana Citron is a prize-winning author and scriptwriter with twenty years’ professional writing experience. She has published five novels, two non-fiction books and numerous short stories, plays, poems, film scripts, articles and book. Extracts read today are from her book Edible Pleasures, a Textbook of Aphrodisiacs . Martin Nathan ‘s short fiction and poetry have appeared in various journals. His novel A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award and the Woodward International Prize. Martin will be reading from a new short story. Founder and co-host of the Story Radio Podcast, Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist. She received an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize for her story ‘Poppet’ and is publishing her debut novel The House of Dust and Shadows in 2026 with Rowan Prose Publishing. The podcast is recorded live in the Colony Room Green bar.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Not Yet by Joanna Hershon 44:22

7 weeks ago44:22

44:22

Not Yet is the story of Gabrielle, a woman traveling to the absurdly picturesque coastline of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula with her son, their first family trip since her separation from his father. It is a place that holds many memories, and when she suddenly finds herself bleeding uncontrollably all over Tulum, the past catches up with her. It’s a startling, powerful story about womanhood, family, youth and mid-life, that is undeniably topical. Joanna Hershon is the author of five novels. Her writing and short stories have appeared in The New York Times , Granta , One Story , The Virginia Quarterly Review , among others, and her work was shortlisted for the O. Henry Prize Stories. Joanna has received fellowships from Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and the Edward Albee Foundation. She is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University. Joanna grew up in New York and lives in Brooklyn with her husband, and their twin sons and daughter. This show was produced by Tabitha Potts . Donate We are a volunteer-led organisation and appreciate any donations towards our running costs. Buy us a coffee Become a patreon Contact us Visit our our website Storyradio.org Sound effects beach-wave-cliff-tulum-ruins.wav by Geoff-Bremner-Audio -- https://freesound.org/s/667331/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Airy wind chimes quintet at Hunter's Tor, Teign Gorge by Philip_Goddard -- https://freesound.org/s/700528/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Podcast Cover Image Source Tulum Archaeological Site - Quintana Roo - Mexico - 01 Author Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Let The Good Times Roll by Duncan Robert Illing 39:01

12 weeks ago39:01

39:01

Let The Good Times Roll. Larry has been a circus clown for over thirty years. Now, with the threat of closure, he stands to lose everything. About Duncan Robert Illing Duncan is a writer living in Brighton, his first short story Let The Good Times Roll was published in June 2022 in Brighton & Beyond, A West Hill Writers Anthology . A writer of fiction, memoir, non-fiction and script, a radio presenter, producer, musician, composer and former A&R manager. Duncan’s writing can be found on Substack , he’s focussing on his next writing projects which include a novel. CREDITS Let The Good Times Roll A story by Duncan Robert Illing Adapted by Duncan Robert Illing and Kristin Burniston Larry was played by Andrew Lancel. Mr Brotherton by Andy M Milligan . The Administrator by Laura Finnemore Grace by Shona Graham Billy by John Kennard Stewart by James Merganser Pete by Rob Vincent Directed by Kristin Burniston and Duncan Robert Illing. Produced by Duncan Robert Illing Additional credits: Entrance of the Gladiators by Julius Fučík performed by the U.S Marine Band, music and performance are both public domain. Jazz music listed as copyright free and Creative Commons for use. Clown act music listed as copyright free for use. Any additional sourced sound effects listed as copyright free and/or public domain at source. Clown image source listed as copyright free, and its specific adaptation is under copyright. All remaining aspects of this drama production are under copyright.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Medieval Women: In Their Own Words interview with Dr Eleanor Jackson and Julian Harrison 28:17

16 weeks ago28:17

28:17

In this episode Martin Nathan and Tabitha Potts interview Lead Curator Dr Eleanor Jackson and Julian Harrison, about the British Library's latest blockbuster exhibition, Medieval Women: In Their Own Words, where visitors will discover how the voices of medieval women still resonate across the centuries and speak powerfully to our world today. We discuss famous historical figures such as Joan of Arc and Julian of Norwich as well as discovering forgotten women such as the the rebel Margaret Starr who joined in the Peasant's Revolt, Maria Moriana, a woman who argued that slavery was illegal in order to prevent herself being sold, and the mediaeval Welsh poet Gwerful Mechain who wrote a poem praising the vagina. Medieval Women: In Their Own Words runs at the British Library from 25 October 2024 – 2 March 2025. The exhibition is supported by Joanna and Graham Barker and Unwin Charitable Trust. Reading: Hafsa bint al-Hajj, translated by Yasmine Seale. Music: Early Music New York, Frederick Renz, Director , which comes from "Music for Medieval Love; Early Music New York, Frederick Renz, Director; exCathedra Records, USA." This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Story Radio Writers Salon on the theme of Food 1:45:34

20 weeks ago1:45:34

1:45:34

Our second live recording of six writers reading their work in the intimate surroundings of the Colony Room Green bar. There will be occasional drink mixing and pouring, laughter and doors opening! Listen to Lana Citron talk about food as an aphrodisiac, Sue Hubbard read her novel Three about food as a source of emotional renewal, Lindsay Gillespie read her story about ravenous mermaids enjoying a night out at a seaside resort, Dr Stuart Gillespie talking about the way capitalism and agribusiness has corrupted our global food supplies, Martin Nathan reading a short story about how food evokes memories and Tabitha Potts reading a speculative short story about alien sin eaters. Content warning: Lana Citron's reading at the beginning of the podcast includes a description of animal abuse/cruelty from the writings of the Marquis de Sade which some listeners may find disturbing. Lana Citron is a prize-winning author and scriptwriter with twenty years' professional writing experience. She has published five novels, two non-fiction books and numerous short stories, plays, poems, film scripts, articles and book. Extracts read today are from her book Edible Pleasures, a Textbook of Aphrodisiacs . Sue Hubbard is an award-winning poet, novelist and art critic who is new to Story Radio. She has published five collections of poetry, Everything Begins with the Skin (Enitharmon), Ghost Station and The Forgetting and Remembering of Air (Salt), Swimming to Albania (Salmon Poetry) and Radium Dreams (Women's Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge) in collaboration with the artist Eileen Cooper RA, and a series of poems, God's Little Artist (Seren). Her novels include: Depth of Field , (Dewi Lewis), Girl in White (Cinnamon and Pushkin Press), Rainsongs , (Duckworth, Overlook Press US, Mercure de France and Yilin Press, China) and Flatlands (Pushkin Press and Mercure de France). Rothko's Red , her collection of short stories, was published by Salt. She is currently working on a fifth novel, provisionally titled Three , which she reads in this podcast. Lindsay Gillespie was born in South Wales, and lives in the South Downs. In between she has been a graphic designer and illustrator, lived in New Delhi, Washington DC, France and taught English in Tokyo. In 2018-2019, she was enrolled in the Creative Writing Programme of New Writing South. She writes short and not-so-short stories and was a Costa 2021 Short Story Award finalist. A year later, she was a finalist for the Bridport Short Story Prize. Other short stories have been shortlisted in nine competitions in recent years including Fiction Factory, Exeter, Oxford Flash Fiction, Fiction Factory Flash, Rhys Davies, Frome, ChipLit, Edinburgh and Fish. Our next reader is Dr Stuart Gillespie , a non-fiction writer who’s also new to Story Radio. He has four decades of experience in nutrition and development since his first position as nutrition coordinator in a rural development project in southern India in the early 80s. His book Food Fight tells the tale of how the food system we once relied upon for global nutrition has warped into the very thing making us sick. It will be published by Canongate in 2025. Martin Nathan 's short fiction and poetry have appeared in various journals. His novel A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award and the Woodward International Prize. Martin will be reading from a new short story. Founder and co-host of the Story Radio Podcast, Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist. She received an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize for her story 'Poppet' and is publishing her debut novel The House of Dust and Shadows in 2026 with Rowan Prose Publishing. Tabitha reads from 'The Sin-Eater', originally published in Fudoki Magazine.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with Hanna Nordenhök about her novel Caesaria 38:29

25 weeks ago38:29

38:29

In 19th-century Sweden, Caesaria is kept in a doctor's mansion as a trophy: she is the first baby to be born alive from one of his c-sections. In a Gothic ambience, Caesaria narrates in first person her experiences in the mansion and her encounters with its mysterious inhabitants and visitors. Does she know where she comes from? Where is her mother? Is there a world beyond these walls? We interview Hanna Nordenhök about her Gothic tale, published for the first time in English by Heloise Press on the 24th October 2024. Inspired by a real-life nineteenth-century medical miracle, it explores issues - women's bodies and women's rights - that are vitally contemporary. Our wide-ranging discussion covers some international writers and film-makers whose work listeners might not be familiar with so we thought we would list them here. Authors Ágota Kristóf - 1935 – 2011: Hungarian author The Notebook Trilogy and The Illiterate are available in translation Birgitta Trotzig 1929 – 1935: Swedish author Her work seems currently only available in Swedish or translated into French or Spanish. Fernanda Melchor (b.1982) Mexican: Paradais and Hurricane Season published by Fitzcarraldo Films The Wild Child - Francois Truffaut 1970 The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser Hans Werber Herzog 1974 The Knick - Steven Soderbergh (TV series) 2014-15 Hanna Nordenhök (Malmo, 1977) has been awarded several major literary honors for her work, both as novelist, poet and essayist. Her novel Caesaria (2020) scooped Swedish Radio’s Literary Prize and was shortlisted for Vi’s Literature Prize. Nordenhök also works as a translator from the Spanish and has been praised for her translations of Fernanda Melchor, Andrea Abreu and Alia Trabucco Zerán. Her last novel Wonderland (2023) was listed among the Best Books of the Year in Dagens Nyheter, Svenska Dagbladet, Expressen, Borås Tidning, Hufvudstadsbladet and Magasinet ETC, as well as shortlisted for Vi's Literature Prize. Saskia Vogel is a writer and translator of over two-dozen Swedish-language books. Her novel Permission was published in five languages. She is a recipient the Berlin Senate grant for non- German literature, the Bernard Shaw Prize, two English PEN Translates Awards, and was a PEN America Translation Prize finalist. She was Princeton’s Fall 2022 Translator in Residence. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she lives in Berlin. This episode was produced by Martin Nathan . Martin Nathan’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in a range of journals and his novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke award and the Woodward International Prize. Donate We are a volunteer-led organisation and appreciate any donations towards our running costs. Buy us a coffee Become a patreon Contact us Visit our our website Storyradio.org…

Story Radio Podcast

1
At the Watts Memorial EC1 by Simon Roberts 21:32

29 weeks ago21:32

21:32

'At the Watts Memorial EC1' is a haunting recreation of some of the true stories told on the famous memorial in Postman's Park. The memorial commemorates brave people who lost their lives trying to save others in acts of heroic self-sacrifice in the last three centuries - most recently in 2007. We hear the heart-breaking stories of William Donald of Bayswater, a railway clerk, Sarah Smith, a pantomime artiste, and Solomon Gamalan, an eleven-year-old boy, among others. One of these stories can also be heard in the September Writers Salon, where the author read it live in the Colony Room Green. Written and read by Simon Roberts Simon Roberts, based in West London, writes short stories and flash fiction. His story Dirty Chicken & Rice was a 2024 Plaza Prizes finalist, and his adaptation of The Slaves of Solitude was produced by Questors Theatre in 2024. He was longlisted for the 2022 Fish Short Story Prize. Produced by Tabitha Potts Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026. Music credits Poignant Piano Melodies Creating a Melancholic Atmosphere by Nancy_Sinclair | License: Creative Commons 0 Donate We are a volunteer-led organisation and appreciate any donations towards our running costs. Buy us a coffee Become a patreon Contact us Visit our our website Storyradio.org…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Story Radio Writers Salon 1:33:34

33 weeks ago1:33:34

1:33:34

Writers Salon: Bohemia Theme – Brought to You from the Colony Room Green, London Welcome to the first-ever Writers Salon, hosted at the Colony Room Green, an artist-run bar in London. The theme was Bohemia, with tales of 1980s art models, 19th-century stage acts, clubbing in Tenerife, and a famous musician dying in hospital. Thanks to all the amazing writers who participated; our next event will be on November 11th. Featured Writers: Kristin Burniston Kristin Burniston , an MA Screenwriting graduate from University of the Arts London, has had her short film scripts TREE and HAIRY MARY selected by festivals like City of Angels and Best-Script London. Kristin is working on a children’s animation, a crime fiction TV series, and a feature film based on her novel. Lindsay Gillespie Lindsay Gillespie, from South Wales, now resides in the South Downs. She has lived in New Delhi, Washington DC, France, and Tokyo, where she taught English. A Costa 2021 Short Story Award finalist, she was also a finalist for the 2022 Bridport Short Story Prize, with stories shortlisted in Fiction Factory, Exeter, and Oxford Flash Fiction. Find her on Twitter @LindsGillesp14 . Darren Coffield Darren Coffield , an artist and author, studied at Goldsmiths, Camberwell School of Art, and Slade School of Art. His exhibitions have appeared at the Courtauld Institute and National Portrait Gallery. His books include Tales from the Colony Room and Queens of Bohemia , which celebrates the brilliant women of Soho. He shared readings from Queens of Bohemia . Goran Baba Ali Goran Baba Ali , a writer and journalist, has published in Kurdish, Dutch, and English. His debut English-language novel The Glass Wall draws from his experience as an ex-refugee from Iraqi Kurdistan. He is the founder of Afsana Press. Miki Lentin Miki Lentin completed an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck and was a finalist for the 2020 Irish Novel Fair with Winter Sun . His short stories have been published in Litro and Story Radio . He released his short story collection Inner Core in 2022, and his debut novel Winter Sun was published by Afsana Press. Martin Nathan Martin Nathan ’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in various journals. His novel A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award and the Woodward International Prize. Tabitha Potts Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026. Simon Roberts Simon Roberts, based in West London, writes short stories and flash fiction. His story Dirty Chicken & Rice was a 2024 Plaza Prizes finalist, and his adaptation of The Slaves of Solitude was produced by Questors Theatre in 2024. He was longlisted for the 2022 Fish Short Story Prize. Photos courtesy of Miki Lentin. Some sexual swearwords are used in these readings so the episode has been marked as Explicit.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Dolls are for Babies by Lana Citron 15:09

38 weeks ago15:09

15:09

A young girl goes for a walk in the country with life-changing consequences. This short story by Lana Citron was originally published in US magazine Thin Air , 2022 under the title "The Understanding". Trigger warning: The following short story contains content and or references of a violent and sexual nature. These may be distressing or triggering to some sensitive listeners. Please proceed with caution. If you find these topics difficult to engage with, you may choose to skip this story. Lana Citron is a prize-winning author and scriptwriter with twenty years’ professional writing experience. She has published five novels, two non-fiction books and numerous short stories, plays, poems, film scripts, articles and book reviews. You can read more about her at www.lanacitron.com . The sound engineer was Gabriel Hansen and the producer was Tabitha Potts. Music from freesound.org P: Sad Music by Nancy_Sinclair Photographer credit: ©Valentina Lari…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with Daisy Goodwin the author of Diva 32:18

42 weeks ago32:18

32:18

We interview Daisy Goodwin, novelist and screenwriter, about her latest novel, Diva (Head of Zeus March 2024), inspired by the life of the brilliant soprano Maria Callas. The novel opens at a time when Callas is at the height of her extraordinary career but in a stultifying marriage and haunted both by her unhappy childhood and the ever-present fear of losing her voice. When she meets Aristotle Onassis, she believes she has finally met her soulmate. But as the novel makes clear, just like the tragic heroines she embodies on stage, even her fame and brilliance cannot save Callas from heartbreak. We talk to Daisy about the nature of the word 'diva', musical genius and the fragile nature of the human voice. Daisy Goodwin is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels The American Heiress and The Fortune Hunter . She is the screenwriter of the PBS/Masterpiece drama Victoria and lives in London. She is also Tabitha Potts' sister and they have worked together in the past.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Close to Revelation and Check Your Tire Pressure 14:54

47 weeks ago14:54

14:54

This month we have two auto-fiction stories about parents and children. Our first auto-fiction piece, "Close to Revelation" written by Janet Lawrence, is set during the pandemic and tells the story of a woman trying to get pregnant using IVF while chaos erupts all around her. Janet Lawrence is a writer, journalist, and video producer based in New York City. In her writing, she often examines life's "small" moments to try and find truths that unite us. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and her two children. Narrator/Voice Over actor: Alexandra Echavarri Music Composer: Olga Gonithellis Our second auto-fiction piece, "Check Your Tire Pressure" by Corinne Noufi, tells the story of a father and daughter and how their love for each other is expressed in seemingly mundane, but very important, rituals that bring them closer together. This episode contains a swear word. Corinne Noufi is a marine scientist dedicated to promoting sustainable ocean practices and preserving our waters for future generations. With 17 years spent in Colorado and another decade in Washington State, Corinne now calls Brunswick, Maine, home. She brings her passion and expertise to her role at the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Maine, where she runs her own podcast, "Salty Talks." In her free time, Corinne enjoys biking, hiking, cooking, and, of course, podcasting! Join her on "Salty Talks" as she dives into fascinating conversations about aquaculture, marine conservation, and the future of our oceans The readers are Corinne Noufi and her father Rommel Noufi. Music used in "Check Your Tire Pressure" is courtesy of Podcastle/Salty Talks.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with Katie Willis about The Quiet Act of Loving Bones 37:55

51 weeks ago37:55

37:55

Story Radio interviews Katie Willis , author of The Quiet Act of Loving Bones , published by Joan Publishing. We discuss bones, inspiration, the colour yellow, Russia and lucid dreaming. "It is rare to come across a book that feels, at the same time, overwhelmingly strange and delightfully familiar. The Quiet Act of Loving Bones takes you into a world that is intimate and physical but also ghostly and ecstatic. You'll dance with it until you feel dizzy and transformed. I think Katie Willis has written a classic." - Toby Litt Katie Willis has written a beautifully precise dance anti-narrative. Her story is about the quiet defiance of using an interior world to navigate the complexities of embodied life. This book is for anyone who has been an adolescent or a dreamer. - Laura Joyce About Katie Willis Katie Willis was a ballet dancer. She lives in London, close to a river, dividing her time between water and land, home and hospital. She writes about women and water, bodies and bones, and the stories that bones hold individually and collectively. This is her first novel. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts . Music: dark piano-loop in f-minor 2 by Baz_Odink_NL -- https://freesound.org/s/442780/ -- License: Creative Commons 0…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Anne by Kristin Burniston 31:44

1 year ago31:44

31:44

Eleven-and-a-half months ago, Mary didn’t know she had sisters. Now, at her home in Hove on England’s South Coast, they meet to scatter their mother Anne’s ashes. This episode was written, directed, and produced by Kristin Burniston . Kristin is a graduate of the MA Screenwriting program at the University of Arts London. In 2023, her short film scripts TREE and HAIRY MARY were selected by the City of Angels Film Festival, WOFFF (where HAIRY MARY placed 2nd), and Best-Script, London. Recently, Kristin‘s script EGGS was made into a short film and will soon be released on to the festival circuit. Currently, Kristin is working on a London-based children’s animation, a crime fiction TV series, and a feature film script based on her menopausal rite-of-passage novel. ANNE was published in 2022 in Brighton and Beyond: A West Hill Writers Anthology under the pseudonym “Maggie Winters”. Mary read by Elly Tipping María read by Iniki Mariano Marguerite read by Florentia Antoniou Lucas and Joe read by Theo Greenwood Photo by Richard Burniston Written, read and produced by Kristin Burniston Sound recording by Holywell Studio Sound design by Christopher Nathan Post-production and mixing by Duncan Illing Executive Producer – H Howard As there are swearwords in this episode, we have rated it as Explicit.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with Miki Lentin about Winter Sun 32:13

1 year ago32:13

32:13

Martin Nathan and Tabitha Potts interview writer Miki Lentin about his new novel Winter Sun , published by Afsana Press in 2024. A nine-day winter break in Tenerife. Nothing is quite good enough. A son tries in vain to ask his ailing, elderly Irish Jewish father questions about their past before it is too late. The absurdity and hilarity of family holidays in the sun are brought to life in this sharp and fiercely honest novel that crosses borders, carrying the reader on a ride of childhood pain, a search for identity, and growth. Miki talks about auto-fiction, package holidays, memory and meals in this fascinating interview. Miki Lentin took up writing while travelling the world with his family a few years ago. Miki completed an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck in 2020, and was a finalist in the 2020 Irish Novel Fair for his first book, Winter Sun . Miki has been placed highly in competitions including Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize, Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Award, and Leicester Writes, and has been published in Litro, Storgy, Story Radio, MIR amongst others. In 2022 he brought out a collection of short stories with Afsana Press, Inner Core, that cover death, anxiety, masculinity, family and children and social good. The book was called 'consistently enthralling... funny, moving and disturbing in equal measure' by Francis Gilbert, author of I’m a Teacher Get Me Out of Here . Miki volunteers with refugee charity Breaking Barriers and with foodKIND in Greece, and dreams of one day running a café again. Martin Nathan produced this episode. Martin Nathan’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in a range of journals and his novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke award and the Woodward International Prize.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Outing by Simon Roberts 16:20

1 year ago16:20

16:20

A student goes on a day trip to the seaside with his mum, and ends up learning a great deal more about himself - and her. This story was written and read by Simon Roberts . Simon Roberts is currently based in West London and writes short stories and flash fiction. He was longlisted for the 2022 Fish Short Story Prize. He has read his work on Riverside Radio, London’s largest community radio station. Simon also writes for the theatre; his adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s 1947 novel The Slaves of Solitude will be produced by the Questors Theatre in 2024. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts , writer and podcaster. She recently received an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck University and a First in English Language and Literature from Oxford University. Read her short story collection here or visit her website . Photo by Tabitha Potts. Seaside sounds used in the recording were courtesy of Yarmonics on Freesound.org. This episode contains some sexual swearwords so has been marked as explicit.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Jane Labous Past Participle Interview 45:07

1 year ago45:07

45:07

Listen to an interview with Jane Labous and hear her reading from her new novel, Past Participle , published by Afsana Press. Dakar, Senegal, 1987: On a rainy night after a wild party, the British ambassador’s wife, Vivienne Hughes, is involve in a car crash. Her vehicle hits the motorbike of a young Senegalese doctor, Aimé Tunkara, killing him. Pleading diplomatic immunity, Vivienne and her husband flee to England. Three decades later, Aimé’s little sister, Lily Tunkara, now a high-flying lawyer in Dakar, finds a photograph that compels her to investigate what really happened that rainy night. As Lily faces increasing hostility from the local community, she turns to Vivienne Hughes, the only remaining witness, but is either woman prepared for the truth to emerge? Past Participle is the story of two women bound together by the faultlines of the past, a study of love and guilt, power and desire, retribution and forgiveness. Jane Labous is an award-winning author, BBC journalist and broadcaster known for her frontline coverage of human rights and gender issues, always telling the powerful human stories behind the headlines. Jane read English & French at Jesus College, Oxford, before working for the UK and international press and INGOs, most often out of Dakar, Senegal. This while developing her creative art as a writer, filmmaker and novelist, drawing on her insider knowledge of the aid sector and foreign journalism, and her unique experience of both expat and local family life in Ngor, Dakar. Jane's credits span a vista of international outlets, including The Independent , Voice of America , Geographical , The LA Times, BBC Africa and BBC Radio 4 ’s From Our Own Correspondent . She has also worked as a writer and filmmaker for aid/humanitarian agencies including the UN, the World Health Organisation, Save The Children, and Amnesty International. She has won the BBC Radio 4 and Royal Geographical Society Documentary Award, the Merck More than a Mother Media Recognition & Film Award for Francophone African Countries, and a European Journalism Centre Development Reporting Grant. Her fiction has been longlisted for the Bath Novel Prize and the Santa Fé Writers' Project Literary Award. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts , writer and podcaster. She recently received an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck University and a First in English Language and Literature from Oxford University. Read her short story collection here or visit her website .…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination interview with Matthew Sangster and Tanya Kirk of the British Library 46:09

1 year ago46:09

46:09

Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan interview the lead curator and guest curator of the British Library’s blockbuster exhibition, Fantasy: Realms of Imagination , Tanya Kirk and Matthew Sangster . The exhibition runs until 25th February 2024 and tickets can be booked here . The exhibition has been critically acclaimed with a five star review in The Telegraph , ‘a visually captivating treat’, and has been featured in The Guardian , The I Newspaper , Apollo Magazine and BBC Radio 4: Front Row to name a few. We interviewed both curators about the process of assembling an exhibition featuring over 100 objects that spans the breadth of a genre as varied as Fantasy, from its roots in epics and mythology to contemporary writers like Neil Gaiman and Susanna Clarke. Tanya Kirk , Lead Curator, Printed Heritage Collections 1601-1900, has worked at the British Library for 16 years, currently as the leading expert on 300 years of the Library’s printed collections. She has curated six major exhibitions on topics including Gothic fiction, Shakespeare in performance, the British landscape in literature, science fiction and most recently, Fantasy: Realms of Imagination . She is the editor of four Christmas-themed collections of short stories in the British Library’s Tales of the Weird series. With Matthew, she co-edited Realms of Imagination: Essays from the Wide Worlds of Fantasy (2023). Matthew Sangster joined the University of Glasgow in 2016 and was promoted to Professor of Romantic Studies, Fantasy and Cultural History in 2022. Prior to that Matthew worked at the British Library cataloguing the archive of the Royal Literary Fund and contributing to the exhibitions The Worlds of Mervyn Peake in 2011 and Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands in 2012. Matthew is the author of Living as an Author in the Romantic Period (2021) and An Introduction to Fantasy (2023); co-director of Glasgow’s Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic (with Dimitra Fimi); and a founding co-editor (with Brian Attebery and Dimitra Fimi) of the Bloomsbury Perspectives on Fantasy series . This episode was produced by Martin Nathan . Martin Nathan’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in a range of journals and his novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke award and the Woodward International Prize. Episode cover image adapted from Carceri Etchings, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, (17501761) © British Library Board…

Story Radio Podcast

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The Watchers by Kae Hart 9:18

1 year ago9:18

9:18

A young woman watches over her little sister in a polluted dystopian world where her scientific knowledge is her only weapon. The story was written by Kae Hart. Kae is a university student who learned to speak by telling stories to everyone who would listen. The cashier at the local grocery store was her first fan. Since then, she has written stories, poems, and novels, and hopes to continue to do so. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts , writer and podcaster. She recently received an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck University and a First in English Language and Literature from Oxford University. Read her short story collection here or visit her website . The photo used is by Kvaale at Morguefile..com. S: Beautiful Romantic Piano by UNIVERSFIELD | License: Attribution 4.0…

Story Radio Podcast

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Dust and Oranges by Nicholas Batura 12:17

2 years ago12:17

12:17

This Halloween, rather than encountering ghosts and ghouls, we explore the horrors of war. A little girl sneaks out of her family home to buy a birthday gift for her mother, a decision that changes her life forever. Nicholas Batura lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, with his rad wife and their rescue pit bulls. When he’s not writing, he can be found on the jiu jitsu mats, or working through the secrets found in a bottle of wine. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts . Photo by pawankawan at Morguefile.com S: Beautiful Romantic Piano by UNIVERSFIELD | License: Attribution 4.0…

Story Radio Podcast

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Dirty Chicken and Rice by Simon Roberts 17:29

2 years ago17:29

17:29

In this darkly comic and moving story, two young flatmates prepare and eat their favourite comfort food, dirty chicken and rice, at a time when there isn't much comfort to be had. Simon Roberts is currently based in West London and writes short stories and flash fiction. He was longlisted for the 2022 Fish Short Story Prize. He has read his work on Riverside Radio, London’s largest community radio station. Simon also writes for the theatre; his adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's 1947 novel The Slaves of Solitude will be produced by the Questors Theatre in 2024. Photo Credit: Jerry Pank Cookipedia.co.uk Copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/…

Story Radio Podcast

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The Book of Beginnings: interview with Sally Page 25:42

2 years ago25:42

25:42

The Story Radio team interview Sally Page, best-selling author of The Keeper of Stories , whose new novel The Book of Beginnings has just been published by HarperCollins. We talk to her about stationery, fountain pens, romance and ghosts. The Book of Beginnings tells the story of Jo, who is hiding from her past when she agrees to run her uncle’s beloved stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble little notes and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from her bruised heart. When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes she isn’t alone. They each have a story that can transform Jo’s life… if only she can let them in. This episode was produced by Martin Nathan . Martin Nathan’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in a range of journals and his novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. His dramatic writing has been shortlisted for the Nick Darke award and the Woodward International Prize. After studying history at university, Sally Page moved to London to work in advertising. In her spare time she studied floristry at night school and eventually opened her own flower shop. Sally came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and she began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, she continued her interest in writing when she founded her fountain pen company, Plooms.co.uk . In her debut novel, The Keeper of Stories , Sally combined her love of history and writing with her abiding interest in the stories people have to tell. In her second novel, The Book of Beginnings Sally draws on her love of stationery. Sally now lives in Dorset. Her eldest daughter, Alex, is studying to be a doctor and her younger daughter is the author, Libby Page. Both are keen wild swimmers.…

Story Radio Podcast

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Waking the Dead: Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park 27:34

2 years ago27:34

27:34

This month we are featuring short stories and flash fiction written at a creative writing workshop in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park . The stories are loosely inspired by the gravestones of people who were buried in the cemetery. They include Charlie Brown , boxer and publican, Alec Hurley , boxer, singer and husband of Marie Lloyd , the Woods family, who all died from influenza leaving only one surviving child and Maurice O'Connor , a workhouse doctor who committed suicide in mysterious circumstances. Thank you to all the writers who participated in the workshop for lending us your imagination for the day, and to Claire Slack the Heritage Officer for telling us the compelling real-life stories of some of the people buried in the cemetery park. This episode contains swearwords so has been marked as explicit.…

Story Radio Podcast

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Pure at Heart by Patricia Furstenberg 10:36

2 years ago10:36

10:36

A young girl is fascinated by the story of a magical being hidden in the forest outside her home, and goes out at night to look for her. Written by Patrica Furstenberg and read by Lysandra Furstenberg . With a medical degree behind her, writer and poet Patricia Furstenberg authored 18 books imbued with history, folklore, legends. The recurrent motives in her writing are unconditional love and war. Her essays and poetry appeared in various online literary magazines. Romanian born, she resides with her family in South Africa. Follow her on Twitter @patfurstenberg Find her on Facebook patriciafurstenbergauthor The story was produced by Tabitha Potts . Photo credit swatcop on Morguefile.com.…

Story Radio Podcast

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Interview with Tracey Rose Peyton author of Night Wherever We Go 29:57

2 years ago29:57

29:57

Martin Nathan and Tabitha Potts interview Tracey Rose Peyton about her beautiful and heart-breaking debut novel, Night Wherever We Go , published by The Borough Press. Night Wherever We Go is an intimate look at the domestic lives of enslaved women in 1800s America, and an evocative meditation on resistance and autonomy, on love and transcendence and the bonds of female friendship in the darkest of circumstances. It tells the tale of six women who are forced to become impregnated by their owners but decide to take matters into their own hands to prevent this from happening. Review by Sarah Waters - ‘a haunting evocation of the routine brutalities of slavery that is also a powerful celebration of friendship, community, resilience and rebellion. A hugely impressive debut.’ Tracey Rose Peyton also reads from her novel for us. This episode was produced by Martin Nathan . Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety – is published by Salt Publishing. In 2020 he was shortlisted for the Woodward International Playwriting Prize and the Nick Darke Award.…

Story Radio Podcast

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Dogs by S P Murphy 33:24

2 years ago33:24

33:24

A woman at home with her baby during lockdown hears the unsettling sound of dogs fighting in the street. It isn't long before she is in danger herself - and she has to decide how to fight back. Dogs by S P Murphy was first published in Litro Magazine. S. P. Murphy is an American writer and arts consultant living in London. He has served on the board of PEN America and the Victoria and Albert Museum. He writes short stories and contributes articles on culture and politics to various publications. He is working on his first novel, a love story set in the US in 1970, when the nation was, like today, tragically divided. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts .…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with author Ava Glass and reading from The Chase 31:42

2 years ago31:42

31:42

Martin Natha interviews spy insider turned author Ava Glass about her debut novel, The Chase , published by Penguin. Listen to this podcast to find out more about how Glass found her inspiration, and hear her talking about how she structured her novel which has been highly praised by various critics for its gripping plot and breathless pace. She also reads from The Chase for Story Radio. 'A thrilling read ... I could not have loved it more!' Lisa Jewell 'A high-octane, warp-speed thriller' Guardian This episode was produced by Martin Nathan . Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety - is published by Salt Publishing. In 2020 he was shortlisted for the Woodward International Playwriting Prize and the Nick Darke Award.…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Interview with Helen Fields author of The Institution 40:21

2 years ago40:21

40:21

In this episode Martin Nathan and Tabitha Potts speak to best-selling crime novelist Helen Fields, criminal law barrister turned writer, about her new book The Institution . The Institution is a nail-biting psychological thriller about a criminal profiler, Dr Connie Woolwine, who goes undercover in a high security prison hospital while she tries to solve the brutal murder of one of the nurses, and find her missing child. Helen also reads the opening chapter of The Institution . Content warning: some listeners might find this distressing. This episode was produced by Martin Nathan .…

Story Radio Podcast

1
A terrible thing has happened by Elinora Westfall 17:07

2 years ago17:07

17:07

It is March 1941 during the Second World War, and a young evacuee, Tabitha, is fascinated by the stories about a famous author who lives nearby. Content warning: contains references to suicide. The story is written and read by Elinora Westfall. Influenced by David Bowie, Virginia Woolf and Sally Wainwright, Elinora Westfall is a lesbian writer of stage, screen, fiction, poetry and radio from the UK. Her novel, Everland, was selected for the Penguin and Random House WriteNow Editorial Programme, and her short films have been selected by Pinewood Studios & Lift-Off Sessions, Cannes Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, Camden Fringe Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, while her theatre and audio shows have been selected by The British Library and performed in London's West End and on Broadway, where she won the award for Best Monologue. The story was produced by Tabitha Potts. Music used courtesy of Timbre of Freesound.org Photo of Virginia Woolf By George Charles Beresford - Filippo Venturi Photography Blog, Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50293324…

Story Radio Podcast

1
Life in the dressing room of the theatre 4:35

2 years ago4:35

4:35

This short story is about a young woman whose heart is stolen by a mysterious magician. The story is written and read by Elinora Westfall. Influenced by David Bowie, Virginia Woolf and Sally Wainwright, Elinora Westfall is an Australian/British lesbian actress and writer of stage, screen, fiction, poetry and radio from the UK. Her novel, Everland has been selected for the Penguin and Random House WriteNow 2021 Editorial Programme, and her short films have been selected by Pinewood Studios & Lift-Off Sessions, Cannes Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, Camden Fringe Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, while her theatre shows have been performed in London's West End and on Broadway, where she won the award for Best Monologue. Elinora is also working on The Art of Almost, a lesbian comedy-drama radio series as well as writing a television drama series and the sequel to her novel, Everland. The story was produced by Tabitha Potts.…

Story Radio Podcast

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Interview with Greg Mosse and Kate Mosse 51:13

2 years ago51:13