Thrilled to be Featured in the February Issue of Lightspeed Magazine

Final for Lightspeed Feb 2024As Lightspeed Magazine celebrates their 15th Anniversary, I’m thrilled to be featured in the February issue as both a storyteller and podcast host! 

Having narrated some mesmerizing tales for Lightspeed, today brings the release of two exceptional stories.  Buckle up … we’re going to Lightspeed! 🚀

As we launch into Lightspeed, Scarlett, written by Everdeen Mason, unveils the tale of an inventor shaping his own AI companion, posing an intriguing question: What would it be like to be idealized for a form you didn’t choose?

In our short shot, Further Examination and Capture of Candle Skulls Associated with the Baba Yaga, written by Mari Ness, narrated and hosted by yours truly, we delve into the mystery of Russian Folklore surrounding the Baba Yaga.  Trust me, she’s not the granny you’d want to encounter in the woods at night.

Lastly, in case you missed it, check out Companion Animals in Mahō Shōjo Kira Kira Sunlight, written by Stewart C. Baker, an absorbing dive into events around an American Web Series, released just last week. 

 Lightspeed Story Podcasts are produced by the award-winning team at Skyboat Media, and to whom I extend heartfelt thanks for featuring me in the February issue. ❤️

If you’d like to listen to or read these stories, head over to the February issue of Lightspeed Magazine.com, where you can enjoy them at no charge, or simply follow the link here.

Until next time, see you on the bit stream … 🚀

Calling on the Matchmaker – is now on Audio!

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Ever played matchmaker or found yourself at the receiving end of a friend’s matchmaking efforts? 🌟

So happy to celebrate the audiobook and print release of Calling on the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match, Book 1) written by the extraordinary Jody Hedlund – this is a match, you won’t want to miss!

Embarking on a journey to 1849 St. Louis, Missouri was an absolute blast! One of the many joys of narrating Hedlund’s historical fictions is the way her rich characters—with heart, soul, humor, and an irresistible will— keep me hooked. In Calling on the Matchmaker, the added fun was diving into the Irish community and wondering what the ever-charming, usually mischievous matchmaker Bellamy McKenna would be up to next!

Bringing this lively cast to audio was an honor and so much fun! 🎧📚

Thank you Tantor Media for sending this gem my way, and congratulations to Jody Hedlund on your new release!

Calling on the Matchmaker is available now on Audible and at Amazon.com.

New Story Podcast “We’ll Never Die in the Woods” goes Lightspeed! 🚀

Dec IssueDropping this week in the December Issue of Lightspeed Magazine is We’ll Never Die in the Woods, by Carlie St. George – a new fantasy story podcast that I had so much fun narrating! 

In the mystical realm of Hook Tree Woods, two sisters, torn apart by fate, find themselves entangled in a tale spun with curses and whispered secrets.

🐸 The elder sister, thought by villagers to be an unkind witch, bore a curse from a vengeful fairy. Now, her words summon only toads and snakes. Blame not her heart, for it was her wicked mother’s influence that shaped her path.

🌸 The younger sister, once a princess of kindness and grace, now a runaway princess, is pursued by a deceitful prince. Her words birth jewels and flowers, a gift from a benevolent fairy. Yet, her heart carries the weight of betrayal and a tower’s shadow.

👭 Sisters turned strangers, they traverse Hook Tree Woods, once bound by love, now haunted by a past of parental manipulation. As they flee for their lives, their destinies collide in a forest echoing with whispers.

🌳 Into the heart of Hook Tree Woods we venture, where the threads of sibling love unravel. Will the bonds of childhood withstand the trials, or will the shadows of betrayal consume them? The answer lies in the echoes of a love lost, as these sisters face a choice that could save or doom them.

📖 The entrance to this enchanting tale can be found in Issue 163 at Lightspeed Magazine where you can listen to, or read We’ll Never Die in the Woods at no cost.  This podcast was produced by the dream team at Skyboat Media. 💫

New Story Podcast Drops on Fantasy Magazine: Set Yourself On Fire🔥

Set Yourself On Fire WP Post - FinalEver been guided or visited by a presence that left a lasting mark? Maybe even saved your life? ✨

Dropping this week in the September issue of Fantasy Magazine is an incredibly profound and poignant short story podcast that I had the pleasure of narrating, called Set Yourself On Fire, written by Sam Kyung Yoo, and produced by Skyboat Media.

In this gripping story, we meet a mysterious narrator quietly observing an abusive relationship between our protagonist and her boyfriend, Shaun.  Shaun’s Jekyll & Hyde persona is all too familiar in the world of domestic violence.  We often stay, hoping for change, as our partner’s apologies and promises feel like a life line.  But in Set Yourself On Fire, there’s a twist.

The narrator is a ghostly presence, once Shaun’s girlfriend, tragically taken from this world by his hands. Her spirit lingers, desperate to prevent our protagonist from following the same path. Can she succeed? 

Head on over to Fantasy Magazine’s September issue where you can listen or read this haunting story to find out …🔥

Workplace Wellness Unleashed – Well At Work –Releases on Audio!

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Releasing into the world today is Well At Work: Creating Wellbeing In Any Workspace by Esther M. Sternberg, MD.  I’m so delighted and honored to have had the opportunity to narrate this groundbreaking book for Hachette Audio.

Well At Work is a timely guide on fostering wellness in any workspace, from office buildings, to home corners, to coworking environments, and even those small 4×4 vocal booths (shoutout to my narrator friends!) 😉

With a foreword by Andrew Weil, MD, who brings his expertise in integrative health to the conversation,  Well At Work explores the seven domains of integrative health – Stress and Resilience, Movement, Sleep, Relationships, Environment, Nutrition and Spirituality – to show how our surroundings profoundly impact our health.   

Through personal anecdotes and insider perspectives, Dr. Sternberg introduces us to her colleagues in science and medicine, design and architecture, and building sciences where we get a behind the scenes look into how they are working everyday to make our workplaces more conducive to wellbeing. 

This transformative book is packed with life-enhancing practices, making it a must-read / listen for anyone seeking to improve their overall health.  Take a moment to invest in your wellbeing – you’ll be glad you did. 🌿

Well At Work is now available on Audible and Amazon.com and across all platforms where books are sold.

Love Driven Out Of The Linear… Takes Flight into the Ether-Sphere!

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Thrilled to celebrate the audiobook release of Love Driven Out Of The Linear — a new romance series penned by Albert Barron and produced by Punch Audio.  I am absolutely delighted to be a part of this exciting project! 💕

In this captivating series co-narrated with Lief Livingston, get ready to be transported into a world brimming with love, romance, betrayal and alternate universes.  Love Driven Out Of The Linear, Book One  follows Ben Besdine and Emma Ennis, as they embark on a journey that takes them far beyond the confines of the ordinary, venturing into realms where the very essence of love takes flight, soaring to heights never before imagined.

Come join us on a unique journey through the intricacies of the heart and mind. 💋

Love Driven Out Of The Linear is now available on Audible and Amazon.com.

First in Fear and Then in Pain – New Story Podcast Drops on Nightmare Magazine

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Every night at 3 a.m. the screaming begins.  Tortured voices in the hallway coming closer.  Ghosts of the past held hostage by tragic memories of a fateful night.   At first, they cry in fear … Dropping this week in the July issue of Nightmare Magazine is a new story podcast that I had so much fun narrating.

First in Fear and Then in Pain written by Adam R. Shannon and produced by Skyboat Media, follows new homeowner Carey who purchases a townhouse from her realtor / friend Kevin, only to learn (too late!) that the townhouse she just purchased is haunted …

Ready to descend the shadowy stairs? Grab your flashlight and head on over to Nightmare Magazine, where you can listen to, or read First in Fear and Then in Pain.

Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Linear – Sober Spirituality Releases on Audio!

FinalThis week a really beautiful book released into the world, that I’m so happy to celebrate – Sober Spirituality  by Erin Jean Warde.  I had the honor and joy of narrating this audiobook for Christianaudio, and what I found to be especially moving about Sober Spirituality, is Warde’s transparency as she candidly shares the journey that she took, as an Episcopal priest, to stop drinking.

Through personal stories, and supporting scriptural text, Warde illustrates that healing doesn’t have to be linear.  That on our road to recovery, there isn’t just one way, or the highway.  Our recovery is usually a series of “another day one…” and in Warde’s case, her road to sobriety involved many day ones that consisted of –  stop drinking, then start drinking again, then stop, then start again, stop … etc.  But within each of these moments lies the sweet spot – that recovery isn’t final – its fluid.  It’s constantly changing, flowing and moving.

Our healing (whether it be in our relationship with alcohol, our low self-esteem, or another area where we might need healing in) doesn’t have to follow a straight line.  What worked for some –  or many –  may not work for you and I – and that’s OK.  Recovery and healing isn’t usually neat and tidy.  More often than not, it’s downright messy, it’s spit and dirt (see John 9) and involves one step forward,  many steps back, then another step forward – until suddenly – we are at a new place.  We look around in amazement and see just how far we’ve come.  And in this new place, we can celebrate the joy that can be found in that moment, wherever that may be, knowing that our journey is ever-evolving, ever unfolding and always fluid.   And within that fluidity there is healing, and beauty and hope.  And hope does not disappoint.

Sober Spirituality is now available in print and on audio at Audible and Amazon.com.

Back in New York for the 2023 Audie Awards!

Audies 2023Words can’t quite describe how wonderful it was to be back in New York to celebrate the 2023 Audie Awards! ✨💫 It had been three years since our Audiobook community had gathered in person, and being able to spend a few precious days with dear friends and colleagues was so incredibly special.   

This night always rushes by just as quick as a New York minute, but the memories last far longer.  My heart remains so full. 

Congratulations to all the 2023 Audie Award Winners and Finalists – and to everyone in our Audiobook community who each day shares their stories, heart, talents and artistry to bring the written word to life.  It was a joy and honor to celebrate with you!  ✨💫  

See you next time, New York! 💋🍎

Learning Letters goes to Lightspeed! 🚀

Lightspeed Magazine Feb 2023 Issue

Get ready to buckle up … we’re going to Lightspeed! 🚀   Releasing today in the February Issue of Lightspeed Magazine is a new story podcast that I had the pleasure of narrating, called Learning Letters, written by Carrie Vaughn and produced by Skyboat Media.

I have been a long time fan of Vaughn’s writing, so having the opportunity to narrate this really cool, original new sci-fi story, was truly such a treat.

Learning Letters follows Enid, an investigator living in a post-apocalyptic world, who encounters a stranger that arrives in the fields of their small community, known as Haven.  This stranger is from a distant part of the world, intent on delivering a letter dated 30 years ago,  just after the fall.

As the stranger slowly steps down onto the field, exiting from a type of aircraft that the folks in Haven have only ever read about in journals and letters,  he speaks in an odd language –  one that sounds similar to Enid’s – but at first, is just on the edge of her understanding.  As we learn more about the stranger and the recipient of this letter that’s taken 30 years to deliver, these two individuals, find common ground – a way to bridge this gap of time and place – so that they might finally recapture a poignant lost moment from the past.  A moment that has begged to be delivered…

You can listen to, or read Learning Letters by heading over to the February Issue of Lightspeed Magazine, where you’ll be able to access this new story for free online.

Lightspeed Magazine is a Hugo Award-winning digital science fiction & fantasy online magazine, edited by John Joseph Adams and hosted by Jim Freund.

That’s all for now.  See you on the bit stream!