Tales Under A Broken Sky

A Tale Form The Hearth | The Changeling | A Folk Horror Story of Family, Folklore, and Unspoken Truths A brother who changed. A mother who knew. And a truth still buried. A man reflects on the life of his twin brother, recalling a childhood shaped by sudden shifts. A brief illness. A change in temperament. And a growing sense that something was no longer quite right. Over time, those small fractur...

Classic Reading | The Masque of the Red Death | A Gothic Meditation on Decadence and Denial A barricaded gate. A masquerade in the shadow of a plague. And an illness that cares not for boundaries. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to the fevered imagination of  Edgar Allan Poe  with a reading of  The Masque of the Red Death . As Prince Prospero withdraws into his fortified a...

They Come in the Dark | A Folk Cult Horror Story of War, Faith, and Hunger An army on the march. A road that grows emptier each night. And something watching from beyond the firelight. When a young country noble joins the army in service of crown and country, he writes faithfully to his parents, recording the hardships of the road, the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers, and his devotion to duty a...

Malevolency | A Gothic Horror Story About Twisted Faith and Buried Secrets A silent church. A ruin left untouched. And a presence that refuses to be forgotten. St Matthew’s Church of the Eternal Redemption has stood abandoned for decades. Its records are gone. Its history erased. And yet it remains. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , an urban exploration blogger discovers the church an...

The Muse | A Psychological Horror Story About Ambition and Faustian Bargains A blank page. A chance encounter. And the moment ambition becomes predatory. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to original fiction with  The Muse , a story that recently appeared in Volume Four of  The Dark Corner This one is close to my heart. Written during a bout of post-holiday writer’s block, i...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Final Part) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love A truth fully spoken. A ruin waiting in silence. And the end of a long journey. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we reach the conclusion of our reading of  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu . General Spielsdorf completes his account, finally revealing the mystery behind his niece’s death and...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Five) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love A story finally told. A pattern made visible. And the silence before something returns. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we reach the penultimate chapter of our classic reading of  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu . General Spielsdorf recounts the events surrounding his niece’s death, a tale...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Four) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love An empty room. A body growing weaker. And the moment doubt becomes certainty. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we continue our classic reading of  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu , exploring Chapters Eight, Nine, and Ten. As Carmilla vanishes from her room, unease gives way to alarm. A searc...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Three) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love Restless sleep. Shared unease. And the feeling of being watched from inside the room. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu , continuing our classic reading through Chapters Six and Seven. As the household settles into an uneasy routine, strange drea...

Dawn and the Spectre of Death | A Quiet Horror Story of Grief and Survival A pale light on frozen stone. A body pushed past its limits. And the realisation that morning doesn’t mean safety. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we take a break from classic readings and return to original fiction with  Dawn and the Spectre of Death , a story that appeared in Volume Three of  The Dark Corne...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Two) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love A guest who lingers too long. A kindness that feels rehearsed. And the slow certainty that something isn’t right. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu , continuing our classic reading through Chapters Three to Five. As Carmilla settles further into he...

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part One) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted Love A quiet estate. A stranger in the night. And a presence that arrives softly. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we begin a new classic reading with  Carmilla  by  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu , one of the foundational works of gothic vampire fiction. Part One invites us into a world of lingering glances,...

A Tale From the Hearth | The Banshee | A Folk Horror Story of Family and Forewarning A quiet fire. An old voice carrying tradition. And memories wrapped in wood fire and peat smoke. This week, we begin something new. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , I introduce A Tale From the Hearth : short stories told by firelight, meant to keep company with long winter nights. In  The Banshee , a...

Eternal Sunshine | A Science Fiction Horror Story of Survival and Descent A tortured planet. A missing team of researchers. And the echo of something waiting below. This episode is a special one for me. Earlier this year,  Eternal Sunshine  became my first accepted short story submission, and the first piece of writing I was ever paid for. Recording and producing this one was intense, but I’m incr...

The Witches of Killdanoe | Chapter Two | A Folk Horror Serial A body beneath dark water. A town holding its breath. And the truth beginning to surface. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to Killdanoe as the search for Julia Burns continues. While divers work to recover her body from the lake, James Galvin revisits the details of the case and uncovers something deeply unsettli...

Behind the Broken Sky | Feeding the Flames A pause in the schedule. A look behind the curtain. And a seat by the hearth. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , I step away from fiction to share a behind-the-scenes look at how an episode comes together, from first spark to final edit. Life and work caught up with me this week, so instead of a new story, I’m opening the door on my creative p...

The Possessed | Chapter Two | A Dark Religious Fantasy Serial A dark presence casting shadows across history. A world quietly slipping its seams. And the cost of knowing too much. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to  The Possessed . Picking up where we left off, our cast of characters struggles to come to terms with the celestial forces now influencing their lives. A shadow...

Behind the Broken Sky | Reflections on Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Twenty episodes in. A pause between stories. And a moment to step out from the shadows. In this special milestone episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , I take a break from fiction to reflect on the journey so far. I share my thoughts on the podcast, what fantasy, horror, and science fiction mean to me as genres, and why I...

The Devil's in the d20 | An Urban Legend Horror Story About Chance and Consequence A rumor passed between strangers. A game that isn’t on the schedule. And the moment you realise some games are for keeps. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , a late-night gamer at a convention learns the truth behind a longstanding myth. The rumours of special late-night games. The friend of a friend who...

Pretender | Chapter Two | A Dark Urban Fantasy Serial A battle won. A kingdom starving. And the terrible weight of being responsible for both. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to  Pretender . Former Prince Cassian has secured a crucial victory, tightening his grip on the heartland of the empire. But triumph brings no peace. War has hollowed out the countryside. Disease and...

The Old Gods Are Dying | Chapter Two | A Dark Mythic Fantasy Serial Ten years away. A summons home. And the weight of everything left unsaid. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to  The Old Gods Are Dying . After a decade spent running from his past, Fiachra is called home by his grandmother Maeve to sit beside his dying grandfather. Back in the small farmhouse of his childhoo...

A Deal With the Devil | A Psychological Horror Story About Desperation and Choice A broken routine. A darkened alley. And the moment help arrives wearing the wrong face. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , Mark Winthrop is having a bad day. Tired, hungry, and pushed out of his carefully ordered life by a string of small misfortunes, he finds himself mugged and bleeding in the shadows of...

The Forest of the Red Wolf | A Folk Horror Story About Inheritance and Rejected Warnings A foolish bet. A forest after midnight. And the sound of a legend turned real. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , James Stanley finds himself alone in the old woods, cold, frightened, and far from home. What begins as bravado quickly gives way to panic as he realizes he is no longer alone. Stalked...

Classic Reading | The Tell-Tale Heart | A Gothic Descent into Guilt and Madness A careful plan. A watching eye. And a secret that refuses to stay unheard. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we return to one of the true classics of horror:  The Tell-Tale Heart  by  Edgar Allan Poe . This reading explores obsession, control, and the slow unraveling of a mind convinced of its own clarity....

The Witches of Killdanoe | Chapter One | A Folk Horror Serial A woman goes missing. A body is discovered. And a town begins to turn on itself. In this episode of  Tales Under A Broken Sky , we enter Killdanoe, an idyllic small town about to fracture. What begins as concern curdles into suspicion. A shocking arrest sends shockwaves through the community, and long-buried truths begin to surface. As...