Story Strumpets

Episode 14: Ecowise by Rosemary Collins (Featuring Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta)

"Beth Hardwick is delighted to announce the launch of her promotion idea for Accel Motors’ latest model..." She is not so delighted to announce all the other underlying issues in her life but will do so in this fabulous story formatted as a press release. In this episode we talk about heartbreak, romance and how to balance work, love life, and anxiety in a fifteen thousand word format, featuring co-authors of The View Was Exhausting, Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta.  Content Warning for e...

Episode 13: Clap by Jane Ashworth (Featuring Ambika Thompson)

"This one, as they always do, seemed different. Tall, funny, not looking for anything serious, I thought for fifty seven days that I’d met my match. He ticked my boxes, tasteful city centre apartment, accomplished speaker of three languages, wife in the country (clichéd Georgian Rectory but that was probably more her choice). He enjoyed cooking. Once I’d tutored him beyond the marital sex that he tried to foist on me, we seemed compatible. For a while.  Until he fell in love with me." In ...

Episode 12: Entrapped by Martha Ketti (Featuring Rebecca Rukeyser)

"I know you are in there. I wonder if you can hear my voice or feel my presence, my touch. You might not even look like a human being yet. I once saw pictures in a biology book and I know that a human fetus looks pretty much the same as a piglet for a long time. But those look cute when they come out. Nothing like a baby, with its big head, all blue and squishy, covered in yellowish paste. I have seen it before, a long time ago, and the images have never left me. You will most likely be even...

Episode 11: Come Fly With Me by Sally Simon (Featuring Jane Flett)

Cecilia is looking forward to a visit to the abandoned Bingamton Airport with Mark. They haven't kissed yet, but there may be something going on between them. Thing is, Cecilia has no idea what it actually is. Mark's plans may not be quite what she expected... In this episode we talk about raising tension, and the difference between horror, terror and gore with very special guest, Jane Flett  Jane Flett is a Scottish novelist, poet, and short story author. Her writing has been commissioned f...

Isolation Special: World Building for The Wagadu Chronicles (Featuring Allan Cudiccio)

What are The Wagadu Chronicles you might ask? Oh so many things! They're an afrofantasy setting for Dungeons and Dragons, a multi-player online game focused on role playing, but most importantly, a beatifully created world based mostly on African mythology.      In this episode we talk to Allan Cudiccio about creating mythical characters, settings, magical objects and an entire world by writing stories and studying history.  For more information about the Wagadu Chronicles visit: https://the...

Episode 10: Emperor Gum by Ana Katchikian (Featuring Ishi Robinson)

Staring at the ceiling is not Amy's favorite pastime, but it's better than actually listening to José talk about his failing relationship. It is while he's going on and on about his misery that she notices the moths.  And it is when José comes over after his breakup that her relationship with those moths takes a peculiar turn.  In this episode we relish in bizarre horror and a little smut with a killer story and very special guest Ishi Robinson. 

Episode 9: The Heat by Ravneet Kaur Sandhu (Featuring Sarah Van Bonn)

The heat is extremely palpable in this place, and so are the fascinating details of the house as the woman leads her through it. In this episode the Story Strumpets and special guest Sarah Van Bonn (Berlin Writing Prize 2019 Finalist),  talk about writing literary fiction, writing beautiful descriptions and balancing it all out with the crucial narrative details of a story. 

Episode 8: Samantha by Lisa Pettibone (Featuring Tom or Judy Moore)

It looks like it's gonna be a perfectly normal day for Samantha at the kindergarten, until Juniper announces that Samantha is a man's name. And in this mini genderless world, that poses a problem for Samantha. Or does it?  Join the Story Strumpets and very special guest Tom or Judy Moore in discussing how to create a believable world in a story, and all the important questions that come up when writing about gender.  A big thank you to Lisa for reaching out to us and asking us to 'pick the s...

Episode 7: Bus Over Troubled Waters by Tim Clark (Featuring Dan Ayres)

He planned ahead. He's got his playlist, he's got his coffee and he's got the perfect plan to tackle public transport in this new city now that his car broke down... That is, until the bus shows up.  Join the Story Strumpets and special guest Dan Ayres (Story Strumpets Alumni) to talk about how to make a story more multi sensory and how to build a little more world around it.  Dan Ayres is a British game writer, script writer and slag about town who was inexplicably born in Uganda, reared in...

Episode 6: The Gorse Walker by Dan Ayres

The Kid had always found solace in the gorse. But this time he finds something more. In this episode we talk about heartache, sprites, kingdoms and how to amp the element of fantasy in an already fantastical story.  And...just a little addendum, turns out gorse flowers DO have a distinctive coconut scent. Yep. Who knew! 

Episode 5: Flytraps by Ambika Thompson

An anaesthesiologist, a midwife, a doctor, a partner, a woman who only had one baby —yes, just one— and another one with flytraps for hands. This time we talk about balancing out a circus of characters and trimming a great storyline to make it even greater. Read more of Ambika's stories at http://ambikathompson.com/

Episode 4: Old Wounds or the Testament of Marlene Cassio by Daan Henselmans

There is only one thing Marlene wants in life, and the opportunity to fulfill her wish and heal her old wounds presents itself while she is on her death bed in the hospital ward. In this episode we talk about wills, testaments, the joys of dark humour and how to enhance Marlene Cassio's ultimate purpose in life... UPDATE: Daan's story has found a home at The Wild Word Magazine. You can read the final version here: https://thewildword.com/fiction-daan-henselmans/

Episode 3: Straightening Out a Life by Robert Kibble

Alicia has something to say to her brother Jack, but Jack can barely talk through his cloud of misery. In this episode we talk about voice, express our opinions about point of view and discuss the importance of titles... 

Episode 2: The Tiger and the Alligator by James Carson

The tiger finds himself in a bit of a pickle with the Alligator when he takes a shortcut. Find out what the real deal is between these two, how to enhance the setting they're in and whether their individual voices are enough to carry this relationship through...

Episode 1: The Doll by Jillian May

Geena’s roommate was called Viviane. Viv-ee-ahn-NUH. When she brings a doll home one day, their relationship takes a whimsical turn. We talk about pacing, structure, tension and how to really bring out the significance of The Doll...

Top Tips for Raising Tension in a Story

Episode 11: Come Fly With Me by Sally Simon

Cecilia is looking forward to a visit to the abandoned Bingamton Airport with Mark. They haven't kissed yet, but there may be something going on between them. Thing is, Cecilia has no idea what it actually is. Mark's plans may not be quite what she expected... In this episode we talk about raising tension, and the difference between horror, terror and gore with very special guest, Jane Flett Jane Flett is a Scottish novelist, poet, and short story author. Her writing has been commissioned ...

Trailer Season 3: The Story Strumpets are Back!

Isolation Special: World Building for The Wagadu Chronicles

What are The Wagadu Chronicles you might ask? Oh so many things! They're an afrofantasy setting for Dungeons and Dragons, a multi-player online game focused on role playing, but most importantly, a beatifully created world based mostly on African mythology.      In this episode we talk to Allan Cudiccio about creating mythical characters, settings, magical objects and an entire world by writing stories and studying history. For more information about the Wagadu Chronicles visit: https://th...

Episode 10: Emperor Gum by Ana Katchikian

Staring at the ceiling is not Amy's favorite pastime, but it's better than actually listening to José talk about his failing relationship. It is while he's going on and on about his misery that she notices the moths.  And it is when José comes over after his breakup that her relationship with those moths takes a peculiar turn.  In this episode we relish in bizarre horror and a little smut with a killer story and very special guest Ishi Robinson. 

Episode 9: The Heat by Ravneet Kaur Sandhu

The heat is extremely palpable in this place, and so are the fascinating details of the house as the woman leads her through it. In this episode the Story Strumpets and special guest Sarah Van Bonn (Berlin Writing Prize 2019 Finalist),  talk about writing literary fiction, writing beautiful descriptions and balancing it all out with the crucial narrative details of a story.   

Episode 8: Samantha by Lisa Pettibone

It looks like it's gonna be a perfectly normal day for Samantha at the kindergarten, until Juniper announces that Samantha is a man's name. And in this mini genderless world, that poses a problem for Samantha. Or does it?  Join the Story Strumpets and very special guest Tom or Judy Moore in discussing how to create a believable world in a story, and all the important questions that come up when writing about gender.  A big thank you to Lisa for reaching out to us and asking us to 'pick the s...

Samantha by Lisa Pettibone

It looks like it's gonna be a perfectly normal day for Samantha at the kindergarten, until Juniper announces that Samantha is a man's name. And in this mini genderless world, that poses a problem for Samantha. Or does it?  Join the Story Strumpets and very special guest Tom or Judy Moore in discussing how to create a believable world in a story, and all the important questions that come up when writing about gender.  A big thank you to Lisa for reaching out to us and asking us to 'pick the s...

Episode 7: Bus Over Troubled Waters by Tim Clark

He planned ahead. He's got his playlist, he's got his coffee and he's got the perfect plan to tackle public transport in this new city now that his car broke down... That is, until the bus shows up.  Join the Story Strumpets and special guest Dan Ayres (Story Strumpets Alumni) to talk about how to make a story more multi sensory and how to build a little more world around it. 

Episode 1: The Gorse Walker by Dan Ayres

The Kid had always found solace in the gorse. But this time he finds something more. In this episode we talk about heartache, sprites, kingdoms and how to amp the element of fantasy in an already fantastical story. And...just a little addendum, turns out gorse flowers do have a distinctive coconut scent, but maybe we're some of those people who just don't smell it.

Halloween Special: Don't Be a Dick by Sharon Mertins

As the final story for the Story Strumpets Halloween Special, here's Sharon sharing a little something she's currently working on. Mila has been having a dark, sinister recurring dream. She wants to tell her sister Vanessa about it, but the right time to tell her never seems to come, until it does...

Halloween Special: Twins by Dunja Medakovic

We Strumpets heart Halloween so much that we decided to share our own spooky stories to help you get in the mood for that delightful ghostly time. Here's Dunja sharing her delectable work. Take a delightful tour into Daria's sinister little basement. Sit back and let her tell you about her life with her twin Deirdre, their likes, dislikes and the many ominous ways they've found to balance them out...

Halloween Special: I Don't Believe In Ghosts by Erin O'Loughlin

Erin doesn't believe in ghosts, or in those battery operated kid toys that turn themselves on. She doesn't believe in scary stories or strange voices speaking through the baby monitor at random hours at night... As our Halloween special, the Story Strumpets are sharing their own spooky work to help you get in the mood for that delightful ghostly time. Erin's story is published on the Wild Word Magazine. You can read it here: https://thewildword.com/i-dont-believe-ghosts/