Story Discovery Podcast [Short Stories | Poetry | Flash Fiction | Audiobook]

What happens when you give a grilled cheese sandwich to the homeless man camped on your stoop in Manhattan? Lisa del Rosso unravels the true-life events that inspired this story and her unlikely journey to writing (and teaching) through theater. Lisa reveals the writing advice she gives her college students and may just help you discover that what makes you different is also what can make a good s...

Pennie Bisbee Walters exhibits bravery beyond measure, recounting her family’s harrowing journey as they struggle to understand and cope with their son’s drug addiction in this soul-bearing flash fiction piece. After the reading, Penny is no less forthcoming as she explores what it’s like to be a writer trying to truthfully, yet artfully, give a literary account of a parent’s greatest fears in the...

Gorgeously lyrical epic poems written to our mothers are not often about our lovers, but Anna Kosiarek’s poem is exactly that and much more. During the interview, Anna speaks to theatre, dance, writing, self-discovery and the joy of change. Her unique writing advice applies across all art forms and her daily sketching practice will surprise and maybe inspire you. If you’d like to read her epic poe...

You may revise your views on love, marriage, and the space between, after hearing Daneen Bergland’s profound excavation of these concepts with images and metaphors sure to jolt your imagination. After the reading, Daneen explores how art connects humanity and teaches us about the diversity of experience and observation so crucial to humans understanding of one another. As a member of a collective...

What’s a superhero sister to do when her brother, who happens to be a supervillain, has gone missing?  High school student Olivia Liao’s imaginative story was pulled from her novel which she wrote and self-published for a class in school. After the reading, JW and TJ talk with Olivia about her very early literary career as well as her other skills in violin and fencing. If you’d like to read her s...

Can you teach yourself how to be a con man by reading the right books and watching the right movies? Well, maybe, if you have half a brain. Self-named friends, Slash and Dash, literally sledgehammer their way through their first con attempt in Debra Every's hilarious story. Debra not only writes memorable voices for her characters, she narrates her story with equal skill. JW and TJ chat with Debra...

Recall the prehistoric days of 2004, traveling with a high schooler on her family vacation as they explore the American West. Their journey is fraught with strange weather, family dynamics, and lots of red rocks. The author goes on their own personal journey as the literal distance of summer trips becomes emotional distance between friends. Due to scheduling conflicts, this episode includes a stor...

Experience the world through a mother’s eyes, looking back on life, love, and connections that grow deeper than roots. These poems express truth you’ll recognize in the core of your being. This week's guest, poet, teacher, and journalist, Marianne Tefft, provides fascinating insights and inspiration for the creative soul. Her poetry, rich with imagery and steeped in life experiences will leave you...

Cruelty, kindness, the everyday plight of humans and mythical beings, collide in this short story by John Mahoney. This is John’s second work published in Etched Onyx Magazine. Melissa and JW talk about John’s approach to writing stories and the unique circumstances of his situation. Although John was unable to participate in-person for the interview, JW and Melissa discuss the answers he provided...

Travel through a metaphoric landscape of playgrounds, gardens, and seasons to discover love, loss, and vulnerability. This week's creator and poet, Charlotte Pruett, takes us on a journey into her creative life, discusses writing poetry for generation Z, and does a deep dive into the loamy richness of her poems. If you’d like to read these works or learn more about Charlotte Pruett, head over to E...

An Italian funeral, undoing choices of the past, the multiverse, and more are manifest through space and time in the poetry of Andi Myles. After she reads her own works, Andi reveals how she coaxes creativity from her fingers (hint, it involves writing prompts) and has a goal of reaching 1000 submission rejections. You’ll also learn of the ways her science writing and life experiences compost, as...

Within the earth and beneath our feet lie the flesh and bones, the past, of everyone, of every thing, that has gone before us. Zoe Mize takes us on all too short a journey through the woods of loss with this flash fiction piece. WARNING this story includes references to suicide. During the interview Zoe discusses her penchant for writing personal essays yet prefers writing fiction. She reveals her...

Find yourself immersed in this story of failures, collisions, and imaginary friends. Failures of mother and daughter to connect, collisions among parents, principals, and spouses, and the solace of imaginary friends (or imaginary lives.) Keilly Ulery’s story explores the protagonist’s faults -- which includes racism, among others -- and dares you not to sympathize. After the reading, Keilly reveal...

A statuette, a yellow teapot, a negotiation, and maybe a swindle, converge in this non-fiction account of a personal journey, battle, and discovery in Shanghai, China. WARNING, this story and interview contain references to incest, eating disorders, alcohol addiction, and thoughts of suicide. Alle C. Hall discusses the genesis for this story and opens up about her traumatic life experiences that l...

Grief and loss hit us all eventually. Prepare yourself for these emotionally packed poems of passing by Suzanna de Baca. Suzanna walks us through each poem and the related experience of grieving. During the interview we explore the difference between writing for business and writing to create, and Suzanna reveals the secrets of how she fits writing into the demands of her work as the CEO of a busi...

A vagabond, a coin-filled paper cup, and a homemade comb-kazoo collide to create this flash fiction piece that moves as quickly as stepping between train cars. After the story we talk with director-producer-writer-extraordinaire Gina Angelone about her journey into, and through, the creative arts. She reveals her art-making process and makes a call to action on how all writers can get their own wo...

A story of curiosity, love, and implication spills from the curves and turns of an inherited landmark hotel spoon. Journey with the author as she explores the wonder and meaning of time, dreams, and humanity through all of their complexities and conundrums. After the reading we talk with Arlene Tribbia about the creative process, how some of her stories start as poems, and managing the internal cr...

A party, a bridge, a crash. Once Mystic Canyon has you, it keeps you. This excerpt from a work-in-progress novel by Peter Gooch will make you want to read more. We interviewed Peter in August of 2021 and recommend you listen to that show to get a sense of Peter Gooch the author, painter, and all around creative spirit. If you’d like to read this excerpt or learn more about Peter Gooch, head over t...

When a husband feels compelled to learn ice fishing, trying to be that father-figure for his son, bad things can happen. Travel onto the ice and experience the wonder of a lonely night sky and the father-son bond that makes adults do crazy things. After the reading, we talk with Chad Broughman about the spiritual nature of this story, his path to writing, and his call to all writers about their wo...

On today’s show we hear A Selection of Poems by Claire Scott. You'll experience the world through paper doll gods and accidents, alcoholic mothers, and stressed therapists. You'll smile as you cringe at the introvert's funeral and laugh at the search for lost purpose. Afterward, we talk with Claire about how her work as a therapist led to emotional release and healing through poetry, her experienc...

Red. Blue. Which are you? Journey with Chloe and Ashland as they search for lost relatives after the partition. What they discover might just change both of them, and you. After the reading Eric Diekhans talks about the historical inspiration for the story and how he's built confidence as a writer. He also reveals a writing resource you won't want to miss and lays out his path from screenwriting t...

What do you get when you mix a beat-down-silicon-valley-exile-turned-High-School-teacher and an attractive student with a dangerous proposition? You get Man-man by Bruce Overby. During today's show we talk with Bruce about the inspiration for this piece and his proclivity for writing about challenging societal topics and his focus on character in storytelling. Bruce also reveals how persistence, e...

Broken hips, sick calves, and the snake-like strike of COVID coalesce in this narrative poem before unwinding into grief and choice. After the reading, Cathy Hammond reveals the unfortunate circumstance that created this piece and the iterative process she went through to create it. You'll learn how she writes when inspiration crashes into her, and the unique way she pulls ideas out of the 'pool.'...

A midwestern woman takes a nine-month reprieve from her clockwork husband and average life to study cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. There she discovers sumptuous temptations beyond delicate pastries and French accents and embarks on a flight that leads to unexpected outcomes. After the story, award winning food writer, chef, and novelist, Mary Carroll Moore, reveals her own journey to writing,...

Addiction, redemption, death and Greek gods will inhabit your soul after hearing these poems by one of our Fall Contest Honorable Mention winners, Meggie Royer. After the reading, Meggie reflects upon her struggles and personal journey revealed through these works. She also discusses her passion for helping others and the creation of a literary and arts journal for abuse survivors, Persephone’s Da...