Tales from the Hearth

For fans of The Diplomat , The X-Files , and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? HAVANA SYNDROME is a groundbreaking new audio drama which follows the story of two siblings pulled unwillingly into the realm of global espionage when their sister goes AWOL from the CIA to track down the source of a mysterious sound which has plagued spies, diplomats, and military officers around the world. First...

How can an island, only 90 miles from the U.S. southeastern coast, feel so far away? Lisette Alvarez guides you through their journey as the first person in their family to return to Cuba after over 60 years, all within the context of U.S.-Cuba geopolitical history. This 12-episode true story is released just in time for the anniversaries of two major U.S.- Cuba events: the 10th anniversary of the...

Fletcher aims for the future.  CONTENT WARNING: Allusions towards violent direct action. Loud sounds/music at around the 8:30 minute mark.  Thank you for listening! We will be taking a hiatus starting September 15th, so please stay tuned by subscribing to our newsletter and following us across social media.  Please consider supporting Project Borderless . Join our weekly Friday creative coworking...

Fletcher confronts the Fates. Landslide, a three-part series, is written and produced by Lisette Alvarez. The next part is coming soon. Check out Alpha 8 wherever you get your podcasts! You can support this latest experiment with the Storyteller Project . Join our weekly Friday creative coworking sessions on Discord and Twitch .  Transcript

The tale of a valley of master weavers, and the wall blessed by the fates to protect them -- until it didn't.  Landslide, a three-part series, is written and produced by Lisette Alvarez. The next part is coming soon. You can support this latest experiment with the Storyteller Project . Join our weekly Friday creative coworking sessions on Discord and Twitch .  Check out our other show, "The Ortiz...

From the creators of Kalila Stormfire's Economical Magick Services, Black Friday, and Tales From the Hearth comes a new modern audio folk tale-- The Ortiz Twins Are Coming Home is a fantasy podcast about twins on the US/Mexico border as they reconnect with their indigenous roots and uncover forgotten family history. The Ortiz Twins is written by Andrew Siañez-De La O and produced by Stormfire Prod...

Please note: this audio contains material that might be disturbing for some audiences sensitive to loud noises and implied violence.  Listen now to "The Tone" for the upcoming modern folk tale LANDSLIDE, which will premiere later this week.  Sound and music sourced via a Creative Commons license at freesound.org.  See and share the moodboard across our social media.  Find your hearth. Tomorrow beg...

There once lived a young warrior named Fletcher, who lived in a village protected by a grand, old, woven wall. When his village is destroyed by a freak landslide, Fletcher goes off on a quest to confront those who failed to protect them from such a disaster–the fates themselves. Landslide, a modern audio folk tale, will premiere….mmm, early next week. Welcome to Day 2, Experiment #4 of the Storyte...

Welcome to the Storyteller's Workshop! For day one of the Storyteller Project, Lisette Alvarez conducted a collective tarot reading to inspire a new modern folk tale. By next week, there will be a mini episode in this feed. Between now and then, however, you will get a mix of podcast episodes which include unedited workshopping, sample audio, and a trailer. That's because each day, Lisette will wo...

The myth of how we became storytelling animals. This special episode was made with the support of those who have already contributed to the 2023 Storytelling Crowdfund. All contributers receive a copy of "The Storyteller" paper, a prose research essay I wrote in 2016 on the global archetype of the Storyteller. All contributers for the Bardic Box and above get a special bound and signed copy. We ha...

With moonlit adventures and witchy revelations, this episode brings on Diana Helmuth, author of new nonfiction memoir "The Witching Year: A memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft" and award-winning "How to Suffer Outside: A Beginner's Guide to Hiking and Backpacking".  Diana Helmuth is a nonfiction author. Before delving into writing, she studied anthropology and Arabic at UC Berkele...

We're trying something new. Support the 2023 storytelling crowdfund and claim your gifts now. There are 2 limited higher-tier packages available, as well as our basic $7+ gift. We have until Halloween to reach $3200!  You can also see the video version (with captions) of this teaser on the crowdfund page, under "The Story" tab.

Ali is an overworked and underpaid scribe who dreams of being a voice of her generation. When her boss, a capricious and calculating god, asks Ali to take the fall for a seemingly innocuous mistake, she must decide if his promise of riches is worth burning out inside an ivory tower.  Listen now to "Ali and the Tower", a modern folk tale and audio short created, written, performed, and produced by...

Here we seek the audio teaser vibes for "Ali and the Tower", our upcoming mini audio folk tale about an overworked scribe whose strength of will is tested by gods and ivory towers.  Sound and music sourced via a Creative Commons license at freesound.org.  See and share the moodboard across our social media.  Find your hearth. Tomorrow begins the actual script writing! Want to join the next 9AM and...

See and share the moodboard across our social media.  Find your hearth. Want to join the next 9AM and 12PM EST livestream? Connect via our Discord server. This is an experiment paid for by the Storyteller Project Fund. We have until Monday to raise $200! We are already 42% of the way there. You can contribute now.  Transcript

WARNING: Unedited 30+ minute podcast episode ahead. Also mention of blood from a paper cut. Because apparently this particular folk tale requires blood sacrifice.  Welcome to the Storyteller's Workshop! For day one of the Storyteller Project, Lisette Alvarez conducted a collective tarot reading to inspire a new modern folk tale. By Monday, there will be a mini episode in this feed. Between now and...

The seamstress must choose which dream she wants to live in...forever. The Seamstress Who Wove the Moon is a modern folk tale written, performed, and produced by Lisette Alvarez. Stay tuned for the next experiment and collective tarot reading, beginning Friday, August 4th. Transcript Stay tuned for more interviews and modern folk tales by  signing up to our newsletter , or wherever you find your d...

Our determined seamstress dreams and weaves, and is nearing the end of both. What shall she do when the steward gives her the final spool of moonbeam? The Seamstress Who Wove the Moon is a modern folk tale written, performed, and produced by Lisette Alvarez. The third and final part will premiere...soon.  Transcript Stay tuned for more interviews and modern folk tales by  signing up to our newslet...

A seamstress, unlucky in love and unrecognized in talent, is commissioned to create a cloak of moonbeams. This is the first of three parts of The Seamstress Who Wove the Moon , a new modern folk tale inspired by a collective tarot reading. You can visit the whole making of process by listening to the Experiment #2 episodes. Part Two will premiere...soon. You can read more about the change in direc...

Oral storytelling is not a remnant of the past. It is gloriously alive. In this interview with a storyteller, Tracy Chipman shares an aspect of storytelling that is truly mythic. Tracy Chipman uses she/her/they pronouns and resides in Northern Wisconsin occupying land belonging to the Anishinaabe peoples. She stepped onto the path of storyteller 27 years ago sharing her great love of this ancient...

A modern folktale about a young woman's betrothal to an enchanted mouse, and her journey to break the curse placed upon her whiskered husband. THE MOUSE'S WIFE is an audio storytelling spin on various famous fairy tales and myths including Psyche, the Enchanted Pig, and Beauty and the Beast. This audio short story was created as a proof of concept of TALES FROM THE HEARTH for film and podcast fest...

A spider, a rabbit and a raven walk into a bar...and all hell breaks loose. Well, what else do you expect when dealing with tricksters? The latest interview with a storyteller is a little more like an interview about storytellers. Specifically, the tricksters (and their stories) who have the power to shape our world. Dr. Emily Zobel Marshall is a professor at Leeds Beckett University and has been...

One moon related story is still in the works, so here is an interview with a storyteller who also writes moon-related tales. In this episode, we talk about what kinds of stories feed us and making tales that explore the grey areas of life. M. Molder is the creator and all-the-hats wearing producer for the audio drama, "The  Moon Crown ." They've spent much of their life striving to make art, and h...

What you're about to hear is a fully edited trailer for "The Seamstress Who Wove the Moon", a modern folk tale told via audio short -- the complete episode which will be recorded, edited, produced and uploaded tomorrow. Ideally. Stay tuned via whichever podcatcher, social media, or other hearth you follow. Our final Storyteller Workshop via the discord will also take place tomorrow at 12PM EST. Co...

Today marks day three of the Storyteller Project. Over the course of the week I have been sharing the process of creating an audio drama short from the ground up. What you are about to hear is a sample sound mix for " The Seamstress Who Wove the Moon" , a modern folk tale and audio drama short premiering on Monday, March 6. This clip gives you a taste of the tone the story is aiming for. I have al...