Coffee - Rockets and Battleaxes

It has been mega-busy at the studio lately recording long-form audiobooks! (which is a good thing!) Until I get another fantastic short story lined up (soon, I promise!), here is chapter one from an audiobook written by Jeffrey Simmons and narrated and produced by me. It was released earlier this Spring. Meet Jack Mercer. Jack isn't quite satisfied with the life he's led up until this poin...

So why the asterisk in the episode number? This should actually be episode 25; however, episode 24 had to be removed for a copyright infringement that was never fully explained to me. And since episode 24 was part 2 of a 2-part episode, I just decided to take down part 1 (former episode 23). No worries! There are no omelets without broken eggs. The coffee of the month is Bulletproof's High Ach...

Ray is back and boyhowdy does he have a story to tell about human explorers and what they find on the planet Mars. Or should I say, what finds them? Coffee of the month is Adventurer from Dice and Drip, a veteran-owned company dedicated to gaming, service, and a great cause! Thanks again for listening!

From the mind of author Jeffrey Simmons comes a story of alien abduction, survival, and betrayal. This is a book I recently produced and narrated. "Soulsucker" chronicles the trials and tribulations of five unique individuals the moment they are "flashed" away from Earth. They soon discover not everything is as it seems and will have to rely on their strengths AND weaknesses in...

It's the holidays and I wanted to bring a classic seasonal short story to the podcast. While it isn't my usual content, it's a story I've wanted to narrate for quite some time. There are a couple of great lessons in here and a couple new words I learned along the way. As always, thanks for listening and have a Merry Christmas and healthy, happy holiday season!

A Jesuit astrophysicist, with a wavering faith, is on board an exploratory vessel to investigate the Phoenix nebula, many light years from Earth. He makes a shocking discovery that is thousands of years in the making. The coffee of the month is a light roast blend from New Moon Cafe in Augusta, Georgia! www.newmoondowntown.com https://www.newmoondowntown.com/store/product/costa-rica-la-cuesta-copy...

A man is being held captive during the Spanish Inquisition and must endure unspeakable physical torture and mental anguish. Tune in to this classic tale of gothic horror written by the Master of the Macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe. Happy Halloween!

At long last! It has been a galactic minute since we've had a short story...but we're back! And this one is extra special, because the writer and I are friends! Please enjoy this awesome short story by my friend, Henry Woodland.

Here it is! The thrilling (and CHILLING?) conclusion of THE SNOW QUEEN. Enjoy! www.robwoodyjr.com

Howdy space buckaroos! For this episode, we are traveling back in time to the mid-19th century to a time of fairy tales, magic mirrors, and talking flowers (the writer is Dutch, so you can bet there will be flowers and they WILL have something to say). Join Gerda and Kay as they get tangled in quite an adventure, as thought up by the author, Hans Christian Andersen. As the story goes, you might se...

In the near future, a new wonder-drug has emerged. Anti-Gerasone has taken the world by storm, and people are living 100+ years past their normal, healthy life expectancy. How wonderful! Or is it? This month's episode takes a poignant and somewhat comedic look at what ultra-long lifespans could mean for the general psyche of those individuals. Press the PLAY button and listen to Robert give vo...

It is the future, possibly around 25-50 years from where we are now. A crime has been committed, a rare crime, as it turns out. Who did it? Why? Who solved it and how? This month's episode features a futuristic, fictional crime story published in the January 1962 edition of Amazing Stories. Press that play button and let's leap forward to New York in the near future and solve The Akkra Cas...

An eccentric, wealthy, older man loves copying fine art. He's not very good at it, until one of his inventions secretly brings the fine art market to its knees. In this story by Edgar-award winning author David Ely, we'll hear the tale of old Dr. Browl, who decided he had quite enough of the status quo.

The year is 2053. You go out for a walk in the evening, much like you've done for the last several years. Except - you are the only one outside. No, you aren't the last person left on Earth, but you are the only one outside. Your name is Leonard Mead and your life is about to change. Kick off a new season of the Coffee, Rockets, & Battleaxes podcast with a short, but poignant story by Ray Brad...

This is the conclusion of Episode 10. Find out the fate of the survivors of a ship that crashes on the estate of a powerful industrialist.

You're a kid and you are outside playing with your friend. You hear a crack and a boom, but the sky is clear. There is no thunderstorm. You and your friend run over to where the noise emanated and...discover an alien craft. This episode is Part One of "YOUTH" by Isaac Asimov.

We're back! This is part 2 of our special two-part Halloween double feature. Today's short story by Poe is considered one of his classics. You are visiting an old friend in poor health and begin experiencing odd phenomena around the manor. Is your friend losing his mind or is it YOU?

Welcome to a special part 1 of 2 Halloween edition of the podcast! Today's story is by the original American master of the macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe. In this very short story, 'ol Ed takes us into the Western European countryside and we encounter a man in a turret painting on a canvas. Seems simple, right? Listen in to find out the twist!

A utopian community with a near-perfect balance of technology, health, philosophy...until the listener discovers a dark secret. Join us for this quick and thought-provoking speculative fiction short story by renowned writer Ursula K. Le Guin.

The great Isaac Asimov is September's short story author and we have one of his own personal favorites in "The Last Question." The great computer (and all its evolutions and iterations) has helped mankind achieve space travel and cover great distances throughout the cosmos. Human knowledge banks have been nearly filled to capacity until...

Is it the Universe or is it a Library?? Join me on this detailed jaunt into the cosmos as Argentinian writer, Jorge Luis Borges, weaves together a tale of the Universe as if it were a library. You might want a pencil and paper near by to attempt a sketch of "The Library." But not if you're driving a motor vehicle. No, just focus on the road and listen to the story.

In a land of wizards, dreams, and dragons, travel through the fantastical fortress known as Unvanquishable and attempt to save the sanity of your village. Join Leothric in his quest as Lord Dunsany pens his famous short story, "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save For Sacnoth." (and WHO or WHAT is a "Sacnoth?") You could find out in less than an hour.

In this episode, we dive into a short story by Kurt Vonnegut, who pens a biting, speculative tale about population control taken to the Nth degree. Is it fiction? Or is it an alternate timeline?

What if you were the last person on Earth? Harlan Ellison published a speculative short story back in the 1950's about such an experience. Sit back, relax and pour yourself a good beverage while I let one of the voices running rampant in my head tell this story.

This episode kicks off with a succinct review of a specialty blend of Folger's coffee, followed by a brief history of the late, great, Ray Bradbury - the author of today's short story. "The Last Journey" is a tale of an elderly woman who purchases a ride on a rust-bucket rocket ship to meet God. Enjoy!