Flame Tree Myth & Fiction

In our last episode of Season 3, we're very excited to be featuring a conversation between two wonderful creatives, Shilpa Varma and Adam Fitzgerald, about our upcoming audio drama, When the Forest Watches.Shilpa Varma, who you may already know if you are familiar with the podcast, is Flame Tree’s writer in residence and the writer of When the Forest Watches. She is a London-based South Asian writer and storyteller whose work explores memory, folklore, and diaspora identity through intimate, atmospheric narratives. Working across audio, theatre, and performance, she is drawn to stories rooted in oral traditions and everyday rituals. Her practice blends cultural specificity with psychological depth, often examining what is inherited, remembered, and quietly carried across generations.Adam Fitzgerald, the director of our audio drama, is an Australian-British writer, director and award-winning actor based in London. His audio experience includes productions with BBC Radio 3 & 4, Audible, and AAA video games. As a writer, his audio drama Ore received multiple awards and nominations on the 2023-24 International WebFest circuit. Alongside his creative work, Adam works as a freelance audio tutor at several top drama schools.Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to be the first to hear any updates about When the Forest Watches. .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

This episode celebrates the release of our new anthology, Africanfuturism Short Stories and offers a sneak peek into our African Myths & Tales collection as well. One story imagines the beginning of life, while the other imagines life beginning again after environmental collapse. In a way, this episode, Dawn, shows that endings and beginnings are often part of the same story.Featuring ‘Like Stars Daring to Shine’ by Somto Ihezue, read by Cornelia Colman (02.50). This is a hopeful take on the post-apocalyptic genre. While it imagines a future shaped by climate catastrophe, it's ultimately a story about resilience and the possibility of rebuilding. You can find the print version in Africanfuturism Short Stories. ‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ from the Yoruba people of West Africa, read by Essay Kidane (26.38).  It tells the story of the gods creating the sky, the land and humanity itself, celebrating beginnings, hope and our responsibility to care for one another. Found in our African Myths & Tales Collection. BiographiesSomto Ihezue is a writer and filmmaker. He is an MFA fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Maryland. His writing begins at the intersection of boyhood, land, disruption and joy in Igbo communities. His work has been a finalist for the Nebula Award, the British Fantasy Award, the ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award and has appeared in Clarkesworld, POETRY, Uncanny, Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Sauúti and others.‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ was sourced from the Yoruba people in West Africa. The stories in African Myths and Tales come from a range of sources, mostly contemporaneous with colonial times, written by Europeans but often based on their first-hand accounts of tales narrated to them by natives. More details can be found inside African Myths and Tales.Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her audiobook narrations.This episode was hosted by OIivia. ‘Like Stars Daring to Shine’ is ©2022 Somto Ihezue and was originally published in Fireside Magazine, but more recently appears in Africanfuturism Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026)‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ appeared in African Myths and Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

How often do you feel as though you're sailing into the unknown? Filled with hope, anticipation, nerves or even fear? Today's episode explores the emotional highs and lows of change and discovery. Both of our stories follow ships setting out on extraordinary voyages in search of new beginnings, only for those hopeful dreams to take a much darker turn.Featuring ‘Ghost Ships of Alnitak’ by Alexander Hay, read by Nathan Chatelier (04.00). A heartbreaking account of an adventure through space turned nightmare. Found in our brand new Wars in the Stars collection. ‘The White Ship’ by H.P. Lovecraft, read by Nick (26.40). This one follows a lighthouse keeper whose determination and hope lead him on a remarkable quest… one that uncovers mysteries far stranger than anyone could predict. You can see it in print in our Hidden Realms collection.BiographiesAlexander Hay is an author who presently lives in North West England, enduring conditions that can be best described as Hoth in the winter and Arrakis in the summer. He has had far too many jobs, including working in a school of anatomy, getting thrown out of a hotel suite by Lesley Manville, and nearly killing someone with a wasp. He has over forty short stories published, with credits ranging from Nature’s Futures to Apex Publishing and Utopia Science Fiction. He is, somewhat inevitably, seeking an agent and writing a novel, like all the other ne’er-do-wells.Master of weird fiction Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890–1937) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Featuring unknown and otherworldly creatures, his stories were one of the first to mix science fiction with horror. Plagued by nightmares from an early age, he was inspired to write his dark and strange fantasy tales; the isolation he must have experienced from suffering frequent illnesses can be felt as a prominent theme in his work. Lovecraft inspired many other authors, and his most famous story ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ has influenced many aspects of popular culture.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.‘The Ghost Ships of Alnitak’ is ©2026 Alexander Hay and appears in Wars in the Stars (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The White Ship’ by H.P. Lovecraft was first published in the The United Amateur, November in 1919, but more recently appeared in Hidden Realms (Flame Tree Publishing, 2023).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

We’re reading two stories from one of our most highly anticipated books of 2026, Folklore Horror Short Stories. Tales of whispering woods, gloom, primeval mysteries and terrifying omens all bound together in one comprehensive volume. This one was sourced in part from open submissions and the rest was curated by our editorial team to deliver an overview of some of the best classic short stories within the genre. We’ve got one of each type in this podcast episode!Featuring‘Woodface’ by Charlie Hughes (01.33), read by Olivia. This story is about a little girl who refuses to bow to the tyranny of an ancient and powerful monster. You can find the print version in Folklore Horror Short Stories. ‘The Music on the Hill’ by Saki (21.53), read by Cornelia Colman. One of the most renowned short stories within the folk horror subgenre, this follows an urbanite woman who moves to the countryside and unwillingly disturbs pagan forces. You can find the print version in Folklore Horror Short Stories. BiographiesCharlie Hughes lives in London, England where he writes horror and dark short fiction. Authors he admires include Laird Barron, Gemma Files, Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell. His stories have appeared in The Dark, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Fiends in the Furrows III anthology and Close to Midnight from Flame Tree Press, among other publications. Two of Charlie’s stories have appeared in ‘Best Horror of the Year’, edited by Ellen Datlow. You can find a full list of published stories at charliehugheswriting.blogspot.comSaki was the pen-name for Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916). Born in British Burma, the son of an Inspector General of the Imperial Indian Police, Munro lost his mother early and was brought up by grandparents in England. He signed up for the Imperial Police himself, but was quickly invalided home. At a loose end in London, he wrote for newspapers and magazines. The theory always was that his witty, but frequently macabre, short stories were just a way of supporting him as he worked on serious studies of Russian history and politics. In practice, they were to become the basis of both his contemporary and his enduring fame.Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her audiobook narrations.This episode was hosted by Bea.‘Woodface’ is ©2024 Charlie Hughes and was originally published in Dark Dead Things: Issue 3, but more recently appears in Folklore Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Music on the Hill’ by Saki was first published in The Chronicles of Clovis in 1911 but more recently appears in Folklore Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

We’ve been sitting on this conversation for a while, but now feels like the perfect time to share it. Olivia sat down with one of our most celebrated authors at World Fantasy Con, Catherine Cavendish, to talk about all things gothic horror—and with her newest novel, Ghosts of Chanterlands, out next month, there’s no better moment to dive in.Cat is a prolific writer of supernatural, ghostly, and gothic suspense novels, novellas and short stories. We have published a number of her works, including her most recent novel The Stones of Landane, inspired by the Avebury henge, as well as the short story Dance, Mephisto which was included in our Shirley Jackson nominated anthology Werewolf Short Stories! In her words, she finds inspiration in haunted places and wandering around prehistoric stone circles, all helping to create the spooky tales we absolutely love.Ghosts of Chanterlands is a horror novel set in 1940. It follows Pamela Courtney as she is evacuated to Chanterlands - the home of her aunts: Jilly, the eccentric one, who dreams of her days as a star of the silver screen, and Bunny, the pragmatic one. But Chanterlands is home to more than just the living. A greater danger awaits Pamela than the war that rages across Europe. What started as a mother’s desperate wish to keep her child safe has taken a dark and fatal turn.  This episode was hosted by Olivia. .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. But why do people say that? Is it because revenge is more satisfying after you've had time to savour the anticipation? Because the best plans take time to hatch? Or perhaps because the greatest revenge is the one that catches its victim completely by surprise. Whatever the reason, today's stories serve revenge on a silver platter, lavishly garnished with betrayal, jealousy and dark retribution.Featuring‘The Unwanted Legs’ by Roz Watkins (03.45), read by Cornelia Colman. This first story comes, fittingly, from our brand-new anthology, Best Served Cold. Like her novels, this story is unsettling, psychologically sharp and guaranteed to leave you with a lingering sense of unease.‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe (31.50), read by Richard McIver. A relationship poisoned by resentment provides the spark for vengeance, as an irresistible temptation conceals a deadly betrayal. Found in our Edgar Allan Poe Short Stories collection.  BiographiesRoz Watkins is the author of the acclaimed DI Meg Dalton series and the standalone thrillers, The Red House and The Wicked Girls. Her first book was shortlisted for the Debut Dagger award, and The Red House was in the Times 100 best books of summer. Roz lives in Falmouth with two demanding cats, and is the Royal Literary Fund Fellow for Exeter and Falmouth Universities.Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe is well known for being an author, poet, editor and literary critic during the American Romantic Movement. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, and his works are famously filled with terror, mystery, death and haunting. His better known works include The Tell Tale Heart, The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher. The dark, mystifying characters from his tales have captured the public’s imagination and reflect the struggling, poverty-stricken lifestyle he lived his whole life.Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her the audiobook narrations.Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026.This episode was hosted by Bea.‘The Unwanted Legs’ is ©2026 Roz Watkins and appeared in Best Served Cold (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in Godey's Lady's Book in 1846, but more recently appeared in Edgar Allen Poe Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Today we’re entering the mind’s eye, a place manipulated by recollection, imagination and fear. Somewhere that speaks to versions of the truth rather than cold hard facts. It’s time to put on your detective hats and decide what to believe and what to dismiss as falsehood. Featuring‘The Follies’ by Martine Bailey, read by Nathan Chatelier (06.30). From Guilty Secrets, a collection created in collaboration with the Crime Writers Association, ‘The Follies’ is a story set in the aftermath of the First World War that follows a doctor as he recounts a case of shell shock that is much more strange than he initially thought. The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce, read by Richard McIver (32.41). Found in Supernatural Horror, a tale about how perception is fragile and fear can reshape what people think they have seen.BiographiesMartine Bailey writes crime and historical mysteries. Her debut, An Appetite for Violets, was credited by Fay Weldon as inventing a new ‘culinary Gothic’ genre. Three more historical mysteries followed, including The Penny Heart, a Sunday Times Best Summer Read. Her latest books, Sharp Scratch and Isolation Ward, draw on her early NHS career and MSc research, to explore whether personality tests could catch a killer. Martine is also an award-winning amateur cook and lives in Cheshire with her husband.Ambrose Bierce (1842–c. 1914)  was a famous journalist and author, best-known for writing The Devil’s Dictionary. His disappearance at the age of 71 on a trip to Mexico remains a great mystery and continues to spark speculation. Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026.This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘The Follies’ is ©2026 Martine Bailey and appeared in Guilty Secrets (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Boarded Window’ by Ambrose Bierce was first published in the San Francisco Examiner in 1889, but more recently appeared in Supernatural Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

We’re exploring stories that use nature, and the fruits it bears, as a way of marking time. Whether working in harmony with humanity or standing in opposition to it, the natural world provides a powerful narrative tool, helping authors shape themes, track change, and deepen meaning within the short story format. In today’s episode you can look forward to heroes, villains, natural wonders and of course a slice of retribution. Featuring‘Five Fruits I Ate in Sandar Land’ by Michael Haynes (03.49), read by Richard McIver. This is simultaneously a tale of great quest, a love story and a tragedy, all told in a tidy 1500 words. Found in our Heroic Fantasy Short Stories collection. ‘The Twelve Months’ by Josef Baudis (14.29), read by Ruhthie Durang. Experience all of the year’s seasons in twenty minutes with this Czech story from our brand new Slavic Myths & Tales collection. BiographiesMichael Haynes lives in Ohio. An ardent short story reader and writer, Michael has had stories appear in venues such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Nature and also in anthologies such as Deep Cuts, Not Our Kind: Tales of Not Belonging, and Kwik Krimes. He is the chair of the Cinevent classic film convention and enjoys photography, geocaching, and travel. His website is michaelhaynes.info. Josef Baudis (1883–1933) was a Czech and Celtic folklorist and linguist. Born in Prague, he studied at university there and went on to become a teacher. Following the First World War, he lived for a number of years in the UK, where he studied Celtology. In 1924, he became a professor at Comenius University in Bratislava. Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026.Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘Five Fruits I Ate in Sandar Land’ is ©2014 Michael Haynes and was first published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies but more recently appeared in Heroic Fantasy Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017).‘Twelve Months’ was originally published in Czech Folk Tales (1917), but more recently appeared in Slavic Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In our June Podcast Special, Olivia interviews Shilpa Varma, Flame Tree’s Writer in Residence and author of the Blood in the Battlements series! Contained within is a discussion of the series, Shilpa’s other work and her upcoming projects. We’ve also got her reading of ‘Bubban-bu’, the second episode in Blood in the Battlements, for the episode. Blood in the Battlements is a 7-part horror series about India's most haunted forts and monuments. Its stories are released monthly on Flame Tree’s Substack page and produced as limited edition print zines for book fairs and conventions. Shilpa Varma typically writes three articles a week on Substack with words of wisdom and relatable content for writers. To find out more about her upcoming audio drama, When The Forest Watches make sure you are following Flame Tree on Instagram and staying up to date with our podcast episodes. For Blood in the Battlements, Imogen Patel, a multidisciplinary London-based artist, has created eight immersive Khadi paper designs, each reflecting one of India’s haunted forts through colour, motif, and local architectural or natural inspiration. This episode was hosted by Olivia. Bubban-bu is ©2026 Shilpa Varma and appeared in Blood in the Battlements (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In this episode we’re entering otherworldly dimensions, where the rules of time no longer apply. Spaces where characters can escape the consequences of reality. Are you ready to get lost with them?Featuring ‘The Last Night Market’ by Bella Chacha (02.47), read by Ruhthie Durang. In this story an irresistible bait is offered up, something sweet to hide the burn of a fate unimaginably sour. From Dreams Divine.  ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ by Edgar Allan Poe (27.14), read by Richard McIver. Expect luxury, corruption and the inescapable clutches of death. Found in our Chilling Horror collection. BiographiesBella Chacha is a Nigerian speculative fiction writer whose work explores folklore, surrealism, and the fragile borders between dream and reality. Her stories have appeared in Cast of Wonders, Incensepunk magazine, Plott Hound magazine, Aurora: Winter books and Defenestrationism.net as a runner-up for 2025’s Short Story Contest and also as a Pushcart nominee for 2026. She writes to illuminate the quiet strangeness of ordinary life and the resilience of the human spirit.Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe is well known for being an author, poet, editor and literary critic during the American Romantic Movement. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, and his works are famously filled with terror, mystery, death and haunting. His better known works include The Tell Tale Heart, The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher. The dark, mystifying characters from his tales have captured the public’s imagination and reflect the struggling, poverty-stricken lifestyle he lived his whole life.Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026.This episode was hosted by Bea.‘The Last Night Market’ is ©2026 Bella Chacha and appeared in Dreams Divine (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Masque of the Red Death’ by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in Graham’s Magazine in 1842, but more recently appeared in Chilling Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2015)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

The idea of artificial intelligence isn’t new. Long before modern computers existed, writers and philosophers were already imagining worlds where machines might rival, reflect, or even replace humanity. Those stories endure because they’re rarely just about technology itself - they’re about us, too. Featuring'The Journey Home' by Ruth Knafo Setton (05.10), read by Nathan Chatelier. In a near-future world, artificial intelligences across global networks begin experiencing vivid memories from Homer’s Odyssey. Borrowed from the brand new Myths, Gods & Immortals book, Odysseus. 'Shadows of the Coming Race' by George Eliot (24.36), read by Richard McIver. Written in 1879, this is a philosophical essay which was originally published as the penultimate chapter in Eliot’s final work: Impressions of Theophrastus Such. Available in our Robots Past and Future collection. BiographiesBorn in Morocco, Ruth Knafo Setton is the author of the novels The Road to Fez and Zigzag Girl, which won the Grand Prize in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition. She is a multi-genre author whose award-winning fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry have appeared in many journals and anthologies. Her screenplays have received honors from the Austin Film Festival, Sundance Screenwriters’ Lab, and CineStory Foundation, among others. She has taught Creative Writing at Lehigh University and with Semester at Sea.George Eliot or Mary Anne Evans (1819–1880) is often lauded as one of the greatest English novelists, she grew up in rural Warwickshire, where she witnessed the rise of Industrialisation first-hand. She eventually settled in London where she worked as a critic and editor for The Westminster Review, and later decided to try her hand at fiction. Her pseudonym, George Eliot, was a means of avoiding the reductive stereotypes that works by female authors were usually subjected to. Her first novel, Adam Bede, was an immediate sensation, though it is perhaps Middlemarch, her most celebrated work, that cemented her status in the English literary canon.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026.This episode was hosted by Olivia.‘The Journey Home’ is ©2026 Ruth Knafo Setton and appeared in Odysseus (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘Shadows of the Coming Race’ by George Eliot was originally published in Impressions of Theophrastus Such in 1879 but more recently appeared in Robots Past and Future (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Romantic Fantasy and all of its glorious tropes return to The Myth & Fiction Podcast! Today’s episode turns to tales of old fashioned chivalry, court intrigue and quests of honor all in the name of love. Prepare to hear the clash of swords, tension both spoken and unspoken as well as the unrelenting call of destiny. Featuring ‘The Thornblade’s Promise’ by Laura Shenton (05.25), read by Ruhthie Durang. This is one for all of our devoted romantasy fans, it mixes romance with magic and escapism generously and unapologetically. You can find it in our brand new Of Swords & Roses collection. ‘Theseus’, Hélène Adeline Guerber 1896’s version (24.11), read by Nathan Chatelier. Challenge after challenge is thrust in Greek hero, Theseus’s direction, from the second he retrieves his father’s hidden sword. Borrowed from Heroes & Heroines Myths & Tales. BiographiesLaura Shenton is probably best known for her music non-fiction, particularly Dance With The Devil: The Cozy Powell Story (Wymer Publishing) and Tommy Bolin: In and Out of Deep Purple (Sonicbond Publishing). Her fiction books are character-driven with a short, punchy narrative that gets straight to the point – typically novellas and novelettes. Genres include gothic, fantasy, and adventure (mostly, with the occasional diversion). Laura’s children’s books are simple, accessible, and fun – an excellent choice for youngsters with fertile imaginations who are just beginning their reading journey.Hélène Adeline Guerber (1859–1929) was a British historian who published a large number of works, largely focused on myths and legends. Guerber’s most famous publication is Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas, a history of Germanic mythology. Her works continue to be published today and include The Myths of Greece and Rome, The Story of the Greeks and Legends of the Middle Ages.Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘The Thornblade’s Promise’ is ©2026 Laura Shenton and appeared in Of Swords & Roses (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘Theseus’ was published by Hélène Adeline Guerber in Myths of Greece and Rome (1893) but more recently appeared in Heroes & Heroines Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2020)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of childbirth and loss.Welcome back, we’re so glad you’re here for Season 3 of The Myth & Fiction Podcast! This episode focuses on two female figures standing on the threshold of death. Grief is given shape in both stories, posing questions as to how we process the tragedy of mortality. Featuring‘The Wyrd Sister’ by D.L. Stille (05.40), read by Amanda Benzecry. A story from our brand new Myths, Gods & Immortals book, The Valkyries, this one follows Skuld as she confronts the limits of her power and learns what it means to guide someone through an ending. ‘Death and the Woman’ by Gertrude Atherton (28.30), read by Bea. From our Footsteps in the Dark short story collection, this is a claustrophobic and deeply Gothic story - all about the unbearable act of waiting beside someone you love as death slowly approaches.BiographiesD.L. Stille writes speculative, thriller, and horror fiction. Having grown up both in the New Jersey Highlands and the foothills of the Appalachians, she has a special love for mountains, forests, and autumn. D.L. Stille has been previously published in Maudlin House, the Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter, 4LPH4NUM3R1C, Tales to Terrify, and Cosmic Daffodil Journal. To find out more and to stay updated on forthcoming projects, visit her website: dlstille.comGertrude Atherton (1857–1948), who also wrote under the pseudonyms ‘Frank Lin’ and ‘Asmodeus’, was born in California. She wrote her first novel while living with her husband in the Atherton Mansion in San Francisco. Her family disapproved of her writing, which often featured independent, driven women. After her husband died at sea she moved to New York, and travelled in Europe. Her novel Black Oxen (1923) was made into a silent film, and her other supernatural tales include ‘The Striding Place’, ‘The Foghorn’ and ‘The Bell in the Fog’.Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.This episode was hosted by Olivia.‘The Wyrd Sister’ is ©2026 D.L. Stille and appeared in The Valkyries (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘Death and the Woman’ was originally published in Vanity Fair (1892), but more recently appeared in Footsteps in the Dark (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

This week, Olivia sits down with two brilliant authors, Eugen Bacon and Cheryl S. Ntumy, to explore The Sauútiverse. If you caught our Sauúti Terrors episode a few weeks ago, you’ve already had a glimpse into the universe they helped build, but this time, we go deeper. Together, they unpack the imagination, themes, and creative vision behind their richly layered Afrofuturist universe.To learn more about The Sauútiverse pick up a copy of ‘Sauúti Terrors’ or visit sauuti.com . If you are interested in hearing a story from Sauúti Terrors, written by Eugen Bacon, our podcast episode featuring her story ‘The Rawness of you’ is available to listen to on The Myth & Fiction Podcast. And if you are looking to hear some of Cheryl S. Ntumy’s work, her story ‘The Wedding Dress’ is featured in our podcast episode, Not Just Any Dress.To learn more about Flame Tree and our upcoming projects subscribe to the Fiction Newsletter or follow us on Social Media. The Myth & Fiction Podcast returns on Tuesday, 2 June, with a new episode exploring The Valkyries, one of our upcoming Myths, Gods & Immortals titles, published alongside Odysseus.BiographiesCheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction, romance and YA. She is part of the Sauútiverse Collective, which created a shared universe for Afrocentric speculative fiction, and Petlo Literary Arts, a creative writing organisation in Botswana.Eugen Bacon is an African Australian author. She’s a Solstice, British Fantasy, Locus, Ignyte and Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy and Shirley Jackson Award finalist, and a finalist in multiple awards. Eugen is an Otherwise Fellow, and was also announced in the honor list for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’.This episode is hosted by Olivia......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

If you joined us a couple of weeks ago for our episode featuring A Breath of Time, then you’ll already have had a glimpse into our brand-new Romantic Fantasy anthology series. And as promised, this time we’re turning to its fiery, ferocious, and, of course, romantic counterpart, Of Love & Dragons.  In this episode, we bring you two captivating stories set against sweeping oceanic backdrops, where love and transformation collide in powerful and unexpected ways.Featuring'We Are Not Them' by Georgina Kamsika (04.09), read by Sabrina Robinson. It’s an enemies-to friends-to lovers tale set against a vast, oceanic backdrop, where two women must confront the weight of their history. Found in our brand new Of Love & Dragons anthology. 'The Water Kelpie by Rebecca Sophia Clarke (29.31), read by Bea. In this tale, we meet a kelpie - not quite a dragon, but a creature just as steeped in mystery, who draws a woman down into his underwater kingdom. From our Gothic Fantasy anthology, Shadows on the Water.BiographiesGeorgina Kamsika writes about monsters and ghosts and aliens. Sometimes the people kiss. Sometimes the monsters do too! Georgina is currently writing an interactive fiction game for Choice of Games, but when the coding gets too much, she finds she must write a short story or two. This is one of them. For more information, find her at kamsika.com and @GKamsika on most socials.Writing as ‘Sophie May’, Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833–1906) was a prolific and well-loved children’s author, best known for her ‘Little Prudy’ series. In contrast with her lively, quirky characters, she was personally quiet and unassuming. Apart from a few years as a schoolteacher in Evanston, Indiana, she spent most of her life in her birthplace, the tiny town of Norridgewock, Maine. ‘We Are Not Them’ is ©2026 Georgina Kamsika and appears in Of Love & Dragons (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Water Kelpie’ by Rebecca Sophia Clarke was first published in 1866 in Fairy Book, but more recently appeared in Shadows on the Water (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Life, deconstructed. The saying we’re all the same underneath, is it referring to blood and bone or something less tangible? A distinctly human essence perhaps or the concept of a soul? Today’s stories broadly look at creation but more importantly at what commonality connects us all together.Featuring ‘Solar-Powered Buddies’ by Akis Linardos (03.09), read by Amanda Benzecry. From our Robots Past and Future collection, this story is set in a future where androids and humans exist at the same time and not necessarily happily.‘The Mother of the World’ collected by James Athearn Jones (28.24), read by Olivia. Borrowed from our First Peoples Short Stories collection, this is a Native American creation myth story. BiographiesIn a cove of a Greek island, Akis Linardos was born a rather peculiar infant and has only grown stranger every year. By day, he’s a researcher of biomedical AI and ethics, hoping there’s something less dystopian to come from this technology. His words have wormed their way into Apex Magazine, Gamut, Strange Horizons, previous Flame Tree anthologies, and Uncharted, among others. Visit his website for updates on his dreadful machinations: linktr.ee/akislinardos.Born in the state of Massachusetts in 1790, James Athearn Jones would go on to work as a lawyer and editor. It is for his work collecting Native American legends that he is best remembered, however, beginning in 1820 with Traditions of the North American Indians, or Tales of an Indian Camp, which featured stories told to him by an Indian woman of the Gayhead tribe who was employed as his nurse. Jones would write three volumes in the Traditions of the North American Indian series prior to his death in 1853.Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.‘Solar-Powered Buddies’ is ©2023 Akis Linardos and was first published in The Colored Lens in 2023 but more recently appeared in Robots Past and Future (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).‘The Mother of the World’ from Native American Tradition was first published in ‘Traditions of the North American Indians’, by James Athearn Jones in 1830, but more recently appeared in First Peoples (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Part of the launch for our brand new Romantic Fantasy series, this episode features ‘A Breath of Time’, a collection which pits love and lovers against the greatest adversary of all: time. Flame Tree’s Romantic Fantasy books are a captivating blend of our signature Gothic Fantasy collections with the passion and magic of Romantasy. This series is made up of stories selected from open submissions. As with our other series, this one is beautifully presented. Featuring ‘Stitching Time’ by AnaMaria Curtis (03.33), read by Sabrina Robinson. It’s a tale of two lovers who meet across two different timelines. The bond between the man - who is of course tall, dark and handsome & and woman - who possesses the ability to weave time, grows as they search for a way to tie their lives together.‘Sonnet 12’ by William Shakespeare (35.48), read by Bea. This poem reminds us that time is relentless. It ages beauty, it moves fast, it’s merciless - but it also challenges us to create something lasting: love, virtue, and legacy. BiographiesAnaMaria Curtis is from the part of Illinois that is very much not Chicago, where she learned to be argumentative, competitive and nostalgic. She is the winner of the 2019 Dell Magazines Award and the LeVar Burton Reads Origins and Encounters Contest, and her work has been published in magazines including Clarkesworld, Uncanny and Strange Horizons. You can get in touch or find more of her work at anamariacurtis.com or on Bluesky at @anamariacurtis.bsky.social.William Shakespeare’s sonnets are amongst the most admired, complex and beautiful poems ever written. Sonnet 12 was part of his famed “Fair Youth” sequence, a series of 126 poems. Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer of the English poetic form. Sabrina Robinson is an award-winning American actress and lover of whimsical stories. She most recently performed as The Bride in Blood Wedding at Tower Theatre and in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Putney Arts Theatre. For her role in Breakfast of Champions (streaming on Amazon Prime), Sabrina received the Best Actress award at the ÉCU European Independent Film Festival in Paris.This episode was hosted by Olivia.‘Stitching Time’ is ©2026 AnaMaria Curtis and appears in A Breath of Time (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘Sonnet 12’ by William Shakespeare was first published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe, but more recently appeared in Sonnets & Poems of William Shakespeare (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

This week’s episode dives into Sauúti Terrors, a bold new dark science fiction collection from African and African diaspora writers. Set within the groundbreaking Sauútiverse, the anthology brings together chilling and thought-provoking short stories. Last month, editor and contributor Eugen Bacon visited London from Australia as part of a book tour alongside fellow editors Cheryl S. Ntumy and Stephen Embleton. While she was here, we invited Eugen to record one of her stories from the collection for the podcast. Featuring ‘The Rawness of You’ by Eugen Bacon (08.50), read by Eugen Bacon. This story is set in Eh’wauizo, the spirit realm, a dimension of the dead, and is from the perspective of our unnamed hero who wakes up in a strange hinterland and nothing seems quite right.BiographiesEugen Bacon is an African Australian author. She’s a British Fantasy and Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy Award finalist, and a finalist in the Shirley Jackson, Philip K. Dick, Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Nommo Awards for speculative fiction by Africans. Eugen was announced in the Honor List of the Otherwise Fellowships for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’. Danged Black Thing made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a ‘sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work’. Visit her at eugenbacon.com.This episode was hosted by Bea‘The Rawness of You’ is ©2026 Eugen Bacon and appeared in Sauúti Terrors (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

February's podcast guest is none other than legend of the horror genre, Ramsey Campbell. Bea finds him at World Fantasy Con 2025 in Brighton to discuss his novel, An Echo of Children, which offers a terrifying glimpse into the practice of exorcising children. An illuminating conversation in which Ramsey reflects on 60 years in the genre and how he continues to find inspiration, refine his craft and unsettle his readers six decades on. This month Flame Tree is releasing a new edition of his 1980s novel Incarnate, a classic exploration of malevolent dreams and monstrous forces. If this episode has got you curious about Ramsey Campbell’s novel, An Echo of Children, you can listen to an extract in our October episode ‘Not So Alive and Spooky’ or find out more on our website. BiographyRamsey Campbell was born in Liverpool in 1946 and lives in Wallasey. First published by Arkham House at just eighteen, he has become one of the most acclaimed voices in modern horror, blending psychological unease, the uncanny, and cosmic dread across a body of work that spans decades. His many honours include lifetime achievement awards from the World Horror Convention, the Horror Writers Association and the World Fantasy Convention. In 2015 he was named an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University for services to literature. Several of his novels have been adapted for film, including The Influence and The Nameless which is being adapted by Netflix . A longtime BBC film reviewer and President of the Society of Fantastic Films, Campbell remains a defining figure in contemporary horror......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Content Warning: This episode contains distressing descriptions of childbirth and loss.Full disclosure, today’s two stories share little more than the word “bride.” One takes you down a shadowy, unsettling path; the other is delightfully quirky and unfailingly sweet. They’re less companion pieces and more contrasting tales but if there’s a thread that binds them, it’s this, love has a way of blooming in the most unexpected places.Featuring‘I Exist’ by Lyndsay E. Gilbert (04.54) , read by Amanda Benzecry. A twisted gothic tale, with the unsettling use of a Sheela Na Gig type figure; found in our Gothic Fantasy collection, Terrifying Ghosts. ‘The Forest Bride’ from Hungarian Folklore (33.12), first published in English by Parker Fillmore in 1919, read by Olivia. An endearingly sweet story about a marriage to an unconventional bride. This one can be found in our brand new Kalevala & Finnish Myths & Tales short story collection. BiographiesLyndsay E. Gilbert is a hopeful YA author from Northern Ireland. She lives by an ancient castle looking out to sea. Her interests are reading, writing, science fiction and fantasy, horror, music, playing the fiddle, movies, fairy tales, cats, dogs and the ancient art of belly dance. Lyndsay has a few stories published in anthologies such as Steampunk Universe, Fae Visions of the Mediterranean and the up-and-coming Trouble the Waters. She is currently working on a horror novel about post-apocalyptic witches and can be found writing terrible poetry and procrastinating on Instagram @lyndsayegilbert.Parker Fillmore (1878–1944) was an American author born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He most famously published Czechoslovak Fairy Tales (1919) and The Shoemaker’s Apron (1920).Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.‘I Exist’ is ©2021 Lyndsay E. Gilbert and appeared in Terrifying Ghosts (Flame Tree Publishing, 2021).‘The Forest Bride’ from Hungarian Folklore was first published in ‘Czechoslovak Fairy Tales’ (1919), but more recently appears in Kalevala & Finnish Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Love is arguably the most central and powerful force in stories across the world. From the very first myths ever told to the stories we’re still writing today, love has always been right at the heart of it all. If an alien landed on Earth tomorrow, I think one of the first things they’d figure out is this: humans love love, even when it hurts. Featuring‘A Mortal Breaks Aphrodite’s Heart’ by Ev Datsyk (03.48), read by Sabrina Robinson. We imagine Aphrodite as untouchable, but what happens when her heart gets broken? This reimagined, modern re-telling of Greek myth can be found in our Aphrodite collection.  ‘The Brave Tin Soldier’ by Hans Christian Andersen (22.55), read by Bea. A familiar fairy tale for many of us, this one tells the tale of a little toy soldier who falls hopelessly in love with a paper ballerina. Discover more stories like this one in Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales. BiographiesEv Datsyk is a queer, second-generation settler living on the land known today as Canada. She primarily writes short stories and is passionate about the Oxford comma and questionable puns. Her work can be found in Haunted Words Press and Divinations Magazine, with a full publishing history accessible on her social media. You can find her at @evdatsyk on most platforms.Hans Christian Andersen is regarded as a national treasure by his homeland Denmark, but his popularity extends far beyond his native shores. As one of the most translated authors in the world, there are hundreds of editions of his books in many languages. Sabrina Robinson is an award-winning American actress and lover of whimsical stories. She most recently performed as The Bride in Blood Wedding at Tower Theatre and in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Putney Arts Theatre. For her role in Breakfast of Champions (streaming on Amazon Prime), Sabrina received the Best Actress award at the ÉCU European Independent Film Festival in Paris.‘A Mortal Breaks Aphrodite’s Heart’ is ©2025 Ev Datsyk and appeared in Aphrodite (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).‘The Brave Tin Soldier’ by Hans Christian Andersen was first published in 1838, but more recently appeared in Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2020). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Mischievous tricksters or benevolent guardians? Faeries crop up in mythology time and time again but their morality can never be taken for granted. Maybe it’s not a question of good or bad, but what the fair folk stand to teach us about ourselves. Today’s stories do exactly that, scrutinising the effects of messy fairy magic on human ambition. Featuring ‘Weave Us A Way’ by Nemma Wollenfang (03.59), read by Sabrina Robinson. A story about fate and what it means to change it. This one can be found in our Epic Fantasy collection. ‘The Wishing Skin’ from Hungarian folklore, originally published by Baroness Orczy (19.01), read by Shilpa. This one also deals with a character seeking to change their life, but this time ambitions lead them awry. Borrowed from our brand new Faeries & Nymphs Myths & Tales book. BiographiesNemma Wollenfang is an MSc Postgraduate and prize-winning short story writer who lives in Northern England. Generally she adheres to Science Fiction – perhaps as a result of years in the laboratory cackling like a mad scientist – but she has been known to branch out. ‘Weave Us a Way’ was originally published in the winner’s anthology for the Felix Dennis Creative Writing Competition at the Stratford Upon Avon LitFest, where it was Highly Commended.Baroness Orczy (1865–1947) was a Hungarian-born British novelist, playwright, and artist. Her successful play and novel The Scarlet Pimpernel established the popular “hero with a secret identity trope”.Sabrina Robinson is an award-winning American actress and lover of whimsical stories. She most recently performed as The Bride in Blood Wedding at Tower Theatre and in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Putney Arts Theatre. For her role in Breakfast of Champions (streaming on Amazon Prime), Sabrina received the Best Actress award at the ÉCU European Independent Film Festival in Paris.‘Weave Us A Way’ is ©2017 Nemma Wollenfang and was first published in Sharing Stories but more recently appeared in Epic Fantasy (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019).‘The Wishing Skin’ from Hungarian Folklore was first published in ‘Old Hungarian Fairy Tales’ by Baroness Orczy in 1895, but more recently appears in Faeries & Nymphs Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In the first Season 2 Special episode, Olivia journeys into fantasy worlds with acclaimed author Anna Smith Spark. Hailed as the Queen of Grimdark, Spark joins the podcast to explore her lyrical writing style, the role of motherhood in her work and the enduring importance of folklore in modern fiction. This conversation was recorded at the World Fantasy Convention over Halloween weekend. Recently Anna Smith Spark’s books, A Sword of Gold and Ruin & its prequel A Sword of Bronze and Ashes have been released as special edition books with sprayed edges, custom end papers and delicately foiled covers. Both are masterpieces of folk horror and high fantasy that follow Kanda as she and her children fight against the darkness that threatens their world. BiographyAnna Smith Spark is a critically acclaimed, multi-award short-listed grimdark epic fantasy novelist. She writes lyrical prose-poetry about war, love, landscapes, and war. Her writing has been described as ‘a masterwork’ by Nightmarish Conjurings, ‘an experience like no other series in fantasy’ by Grimdark Magazine, ‘literary Game of Thrones’ by the Sunday Times, and ‘howls like early Moorcock, converses like the best of Le Guin’ by the Daily Mail. Her favourite authors are Mary Renault, R Scott Bakker and M. John Harrison......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever seen one…or felt one?Well today you’re in for a haunting. One story embraces the supernatural, it encourages the belief in things that cannot be explained, and the other sides with the sceptics amongst you, poking fun at the ghost story tradition. We’ll let you decide where you sit on the spectrum of superstition.Featuring‘Only Bella’ by Kurt Hunt (01.25), read by Nick. A beautifully written piece about a young woman who haunts a man night after night. We’ve also experimented a little with sound design in this reading.‘A Ghost Story’ by Mark Twain (14.22), read by Bea. Twain takes everything we expect from a classic haunting and twists it into something absurd.BiographiesKurt Hunt was formed in the swamps and abandoned gravel pits of post-industrial Michigan. Tolkien and Alexander seeded his life-long love of genre, Le Guin and Zelazny expanded it, but he’s convinced that we’re currently living in the best and most transformative era of science fiction and fantasy. His short fiction has been published at Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, PodCastle, Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show, Kaleidotrope, and more. He is also a co-author of Archipelago, a collaborative serial fantasy adventure.Mark Twain (1835–1910) was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in Florida, Missouri. Twain’s name is synonymous with his American classics The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain was a very influential author whose works are timeless pieces that are still being taught today in classrooms to students of all ages.‘Only Bella’ is ©2018 Kurt Hunt and appeared in Lost Souls (Flame Tree Publishing, 2018).‘A Ghost Story’ by Mark Twain was first published in ‘Sketches New and Old’ (1875), but more recently appeared in Haunted House Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In today’s episode we’re giving you a sneak peek at something that hasn’t been published yet, our upcoming Witchcraft collection. Out on the 20th of January, this anthology explores what it means to be a ‘witch’, including the rediscovery and reclaiming of that power, its links to nature and witchcraft mythology from around the world.Featuring ‘What Bones Remember’ by Buhlebethu Sukoluhle Mpofu (04.14), read by Amanda Benzecry. An atmospheric, folk horror story that offers a fresh spin on Baba Yaga, a witch-like character from Slavic folklore. Find this one Beyond & Within’s Witchcraft. ‘The Witch’, was found in ‘Russian Folk-Tales’ by W. R. S. Ralston (37.58) before it appeared in Witches, Wizards, Seers & Healers Myths & Tales, read by Bea. A more traditional portrayal of a witch, seen in the likes of popular fairytales. Biographies Buhlebethu Sukoluhle Mpofu is a medical practitioner and author with hands-on research experience, having served as co-author on two peer-reviewed publications: ‘Are Cape Peninsula baboons raiding their way to obesity and type II diabetes?’ (2023) and ‘Advancements in Marburg (MARV) Virus Vaccine Research’ (2024). Her recent book Forgive, Love, and You: A Guide to Unburdening the Heart was published in 2025. You can find her on X/Twitter @shortbread00.William Ralston Shedden-Ralston (1828–1889) was a British scholar of Russia and translator of Russian. He published translations of Ivan Andreevich Krylov’s and Ivan Turgenev’s works,as well as Songs of the Russian People as Illustrative of Slavonic Mythology and Russian Social Life (1872) and, of relevance to this volume: Russian Folk Tales (1873).‘What Bones Remember’ is ©2026 Buhlebethu Sukoluhle Mpofu and appeared in Witchcraft (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026).‘The Witch’ from Russia was first published in ‘Russian Folk-Tales’ by W. R. S. Ralston in 1873, but more recently appeared in Witches, Wizards, Seers & Healers Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2020). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

It’s 2026 and that means a brand new year and a brand new season of the Myth & Fiction Podcast. For many people, the New Year is about fresh starts, resolutions, new habits and clean slates. But it’s also a moment of closure, a chance to reflect on everything the previous year brought with it. So today’s episode sits between those two inevitabilities: beginnings and endings. Featuring The Chains That Bind by Brandon Ketchum (05.40), found in Odin and read by Frances Bodiam. This one draws heavily on Norse mythology and in keeping with this episode's theme, navigates the ultimate ending or Ragnarök from the perspective of the Norns.How All Things Began From Norse Mythology (19.37), read by Olivia. The wonderfully strange and imaginative Norse creation myth. You can find this one in Sun Rising Short Stories. Biographies Brandon Ketchum is a speculative fiction writer from Pittsburgh, PA who enjoys putting a weird spin or strange vibe into every story, dark or light. He is a member of SFWA and the Horror Writers Association, and his work has been published with Air and Nothingness Press, Perihelion, Mad Scientist Journal, and many other publications, including the short story collections Legio Damnati and its sequel Civili Bellum.Ethel Mary Wilmot-Buxton (1870-1923) was an English translator, author and teacher. Mainly writing accessible scholarly works for younger audiences, Wilmot-Buxton focused on creating educational narratives based on historical literature and events.  As always, we must remind the reader that, as tales from mythology and folklore are principally derived from an oral storytelling tradition, their written representation depends on the transcription, translation and interpretation by those who heard them and first put them to paper. ‘The Chains That Bind’ is ©2024 Brandon Ketchum and appeared in Odin (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘How All Things Began’ from Norse Mythology was first published  in ‘Told by the Northmen: Stories from the Eddas and Sagas’ by Ethel Mary Wilmot-Buxton in 1908, but more recently appeared in Sun Rising Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

We’re back and we’re festive. Today we’re embracing all things Christmas with two tales taken from our Christmas Gothic collection. Featuring ’And a Piece of Coal Where Her Heart Once Beat’ by Suzanne J. Willis (05.27), a melting pot of folklore, gothic tropes and backwards Christmas symbolism. This one is read by Amanda Benzecry. ‘Where the Christmas-Tree Grew’ by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (19.08), is more of a traditional Christmas story, in the sense that it explores themes of charity, community and Christmas spirit. This one is read by Bea.BiographiesSuzanne J. Willis is a Melbourne, Australia-based writer, a graduate of Clarion South and an Aurealis Awards finalist. Her stories have appeared in anthologies by PS Publishing and Prime Books, and in Mythic Delirium, Lackington’s, and The Dark, among others. Her debut short story collection, Of Starfish Tides and Other Tales, is due for release by Trepidatio Publishing in 2022. Suzanne’s tales are inspired by fairytales, ghost stories and all things strange, and she can be found online at suzannejwillis.webs.com.Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930) was an American author, born in Randolph, Massachusetts. Following the unexpected deaths of her parents, Freeman began writing full-time as her singular source of income. In 1881 her story ‘The Ghost Family’ won first place in a writing contest, marking the start of her career as a short story author. Much of her work pairs the supernatural with domestic realism. She also wrote poems and children’s stories. In 1926, Freeman received the William Dean Howells Medal for her writing from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.‘And a Piece of Coal Where Her Heart Once Beat’ is ©2021 Suzanne J. Willis and was first published in The Dark but more recently appeared in Christmas Gothic (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022).‘Where the Christmas-Tree Grew’ by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was first published in Young Lucretia and Other Stories (1893), but more recently appeared in Christmas Gothic (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Here we are at the final episode of October. If this is your first time tuning in, welcome! We've been serving up horror fiction all month long. Two stories per episode, twice a week, with author insights and listener discount codes.We're closing out the month and the season with two novels. Justin Holley's Unseen Gods, and Ramsey Campbell's An Echo of Children. These are fully fledged horror stories and both came out within the last few weeks. Amanda Benzecry reads the Prologue from Unseen Gods and Nathan Chatelier reads an extract from Chapter 7 of An Echo of Children. BiographiesJustin Holley lives somewhere on the Cass Lake chain of lakes with his wife, and also a rather large Daneiff named Nu and a clever but tiny Devon Rex named Jinx. Justin is the author of the novels Blood from the Stars, Tethered to Darkness, Seven Cleopatra Hill, the 3-book Bruised series, and several pieces of short fiction haunting anthologies and magazines around the world. Bruised made Grand Master Brian Keene’s 2015 list of top fifteen books. He’s hard at work on his next novel when not boating, investigating the paranormal, or playing sport.Ramsey Campbell was born in Liverpool in 1946 and now lives in Wallasey. He has received the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild and the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University for outstanding services to literature. Three of Campbell’s novels have been filmed – The Influence, Pact of the Fathers and The Nameless (in development as a Netflix series). Both books are now available to purchase on our website using the discount code revealed in the episode! Unseen Gods by Justin Holley and An Echo of Children by Ramsey Campbell.This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘Unseen Gods’ is ©2025 Justin Holley (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)‘An Echo of Children’ is ©2025 Ramsey Campbell (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

If you listened to Tuesday's episode, you’ll know that this week on the LIVE AND SPOOKY edition of the podcast, we’re spotlighting our anthology, Latin American Shared Stories. A vibrant collection of speculative stories and fascinating essays highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora.In that episode, we included a note from the editor V. Castro and shared two brand new short stories along with insights from their authors. Today’s bonus episode gives the rest of the anthology’s contributors a platform to share their thoughts and inspirations behind their work. We’ll also be revealing an exclusive discount code that will get you 30% off the anthology on our website!A big thank you to all of the anthology contributors who sent in audio clips for the podcast: V. Castro, Daniel Olivas, Alyssa Alessi, Gustavo Bondoni, David Bowles, Dr R. Andrew Chesnut, Rios de la Luz, Ivette N. Diaz, Laura Diaz de Arce, Ruth Joffre, S. Alessandro Martinez, Juliana Spink Mills, Vanessa Molina, Richie Narvaez, Wi-Moto Nyoka and A.E. Santana.This episode was hosted by Bea......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Welcome back to LIVE AND SPOOKY x The Myth & Fiction Podcast!This October, we’re giving you double the episodes with double the chills. Each week, we are spotlighting the newest Flame Tree horror fiction titles so you can celebrate and fully embrace the spooky season.This week’s book star is Latin American Shared Stories. I know what you’re thinking, ‘that doesn’t sound like a horror anthology’, and you’re right, it’s not strictly horror. It’s a vibrant collection of speculative stories and fascinating essays highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora. But our die-hard horror fans shouldn’t panic, we’ve sifted through the collection and found the spookiest stories for you all. This is after all, October, and if not now when? Featuring ‘Nacho’ by Daniel Olivas (06.11), narrated by V. Castro. AND ‘Sucker’ by Alyssa Alessi (24.36), narrated by V. Castro. This episode is hosted by Bea. Latin American Shared Stories is now available to purchase on our website or from any good bookstores near you. The US on sale date is the 11th of November. ‘Nacho’ is ©2022 Daniel Olivas and was originally published in The Rumpus in 2022 but more recently appeared in Latin American Shared Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025). ‘Sucker’ is ©2025 Alyssa Alessi and appeared in Latin American Shared Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)#horrorfiction #newreleases #spookyseason .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

If you caught Tuesday's episode, you’ll know that this week on the LIVE AND SPOOKY edition of the podcast, we’re spotlighting our anthology, Fever Dreams. A collection of horror short stories edited by Mark Morris that showcases some of the very best short fiction the genre has to offer.  In that episode, we included a note from the editor, Mark Morris and shared two brand new short stories along with insights from their authors. Today’s bonus episode gives the rest of the anthology’s contributors a platform to share their thoughts and inspirations behind their work. We’ll also be revealing an exclusive discount code that will get you 30% off the anthology on our website!A big thank you to all of the anthology contributors who sent in audio clips for the podcast: Mark Morris, Priya Sharma, Caolán Mac an Aircinn, Tracy Fahey, Philip Fracassi, Craig DiLouie, Kaaron Warren, Lucy A. Snyder, Chad Lutzke, Kay Chronister, Ryan Cole, Clay McLeod Chapman, Alan Baxter, Rob Francis, Tanya Pell and C.J. Leede. This episode was hosted by Olivia.#horrorfiction #newreleases #spookyseason .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Welcome back to the second week of our LIVE AND SPOOKY month of horror!This October, we’re giving you double the episodes with double the chills. Each week, we are spotlighting the newest Flame Tree horror fiction titles so you can celebrate and fully embrace the spooky season.And this week, we’ll be heading into a feast of horror. The two stories we will be featuring are from ‘Fever Dreams’, which is the sixth volume in our ABC of Horror series, edited by Mark Morris. The included stories are ‘Piglet’ by Priya Sharma, narrated by Amanda Benzecry (06.59) and ‘Forty Below’ by Caolán Mac an Aircinn, narrated by Nathan Chatelier (39.43). Fever Dreams is now available for purchase on our website or from any good bookstores near you. This episode is hosted by Olivia. ‘Piglet’ is ©2025 Priya Sharma and appeared in Fever Dreams (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)‘Forty Below’ is ©2025 Caolán Mac an Aircinn and appeared in Fever Dreams (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)#horrorfiction #newreleases #spookyseason .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

If you caught Tuesday’s episode, you’ll know that this week on the LIVE AND SPOOKY edition of the podcast, we’re spotlighting our anthology, This Way Lies Madness. A collection of short stories that presents fictional interpretations of madness with the hope of reinventing the over stigmatized representations of mental health in horror. In that episode, we included a discussion between the editors, Lee Murray and Dave Jeffery, and shared two brand new short stories along with insights from their authors. Today’s bonus episode gives the rest of the anthology’s contributors a platform to share their thoughts and inspirations behind their work. We’ll also be revealing an exclusive discount code that will get you 30% off the anthology on our website!A big thank you to all of the anthology contributors who sent in audio clips for the podcast: Lee Murray, Dave Jeffery, Sara Larner, Sean Hogan, Emily Ruth Verona, Ryan Cole, Callum Rowland, Kayleigh Dobbs, Sayan J. Soselisa, Amanda Cecelia Lang, Alan Baxter, Stephen Volk, Ramsey Campbell, Alma Katsu, Marie O’ Regan, Grace Chan, L.E. Daniels and Sumiko Saulson. Lee Murray in discussion with the book’s illustrator, Greg Chapman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-3hwbqGF_U&t=1sThis episode was hosted by Bea. .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

The first ever LIVE AND SPOOKY episode of the Myth and Fiction podcast is here!This October, the Flame Tree Myth & Fiction Podcast is being haunted by our newest horror fiction titles. We're bypassing the tricks this Halloween and treating you all to: 2 brand new short stories, 2 episodes a week, editor and author guests and exclusive listener discounts!Today’s episode looks at This Way Lies Madness. A short story anthology that in the tradition of Poe’s 'The Tell-tale Heart', presents fictional interpretations of madness. It seeks to provide a creative benchmark for writers, challenge mental health stigma, awaken understanding, and offer hope to readers through the lens of horror fiction. In this episode you’ll hear from the anthology editors and get to listen to the following short stories with a special note from their authors: ‘The Dark Gets In’ by Sean Hogan (12:02), narrated by Nathan Chatelier and ‘A Note for William Cowper’ by Sara Larner (31:01), narrated by Amanda Benzecry. This Way Lies Madness is now available in the UK from our website or from any good bookshop near you. The US on sale date is the 14th of October. This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘The Dark Gets In’ is ©2025 Sean Hogan and appeared in This Way Lies Madness (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)‘A Note for William Cowper’ is ©2025 Sara Larner and appeared in This Way Lies Madness (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025)#horrorfiction #newreleases #spookyseason .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

September’s podcast guest star is author and editor V. Castro! V. Castro is the celebrated author of Mestiza Blood, The Queen of the Cicadas and several short stories in our anthologies. She finds her inspirations in Mexican folklore and the urban legends of Texas. In this episode, recorded at London Book Fair, Nick and V. chat all about their passion for storytelling, folklore and dark fiction. And the best part? You can hear more from V. next month in our LIVE AND SPOOKY celebrations where she'll be back on the Myth & Fiction Podcast to talk about editing Flame Tree's upcoming anthology, Latin American Shared Stories! This stunning book will be going on sale on the 21st of October. .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In today’s episode, we are taking a look into the veil between worlds, the margin between the living and the dead. Is it really so clear which side is which? Or is this veil thinning all the time, in memories we inherit, and in those moments when we brush close to the other side?Featuring ‘Our Bones Were the Mortar’ by Anjali Patel (01.25), read by Cheryl S. Ntumy. A story from our African Ghost collection, which follows a woman who wants nothing to do with her family’s legacy of necromancy - until she feels the weight of thousands of enslaved souls buried beneath Manhattan.‘A Visit to the King of Ghosts’ from Hawaiian folklore and recorded by W.D. Westervelt (11.49), read by Shilpa. A narrative where a man's spirit separates from his body to wander the ghostly realm. Borrowed from Flame Tree’s Quests & Journeys. BiographiesAnjali Patel is a Black and South Asian speculative fiction writer. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in Escape Pod, Uncanny Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, khōréō, The Deadlands, and others. Find her at anjali.fyi or all socials @anjapatel.W.D. Westervelt (1849–1939) was an American author and pastor. He settled in Hawaii in 1899 and served as the Corresponding Secretary for the Hawaiian Historical Society beginning in 1908. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on Hawaiian folklore in English.Cheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction and has appeared in Black Friday, FIYAH Literary Magazine, Apex Magazine and World Literature Today. Learn more about Shilpa Varma and her role at Flame Tree here. This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘Our Bones Were the Mortar’ is ©2021 Anjali Patel and was originally published in Khōréō (2021), but more recently appeared in African Ghost (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘A Visit to the King of Ghosts’ was recorded from Hawaiian folklore in 1915 by W.D. Westervelt, but more recently appeared in Quests & Journeys (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024). #podcast #shortstories #necromancy #ghosts #folklore.....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

As any fans of Flame Tree will know already, we pride ourselves on being a publisher of speculative fiction. We’ve covered the founding genres of SFF on this podcast already but perhaps we’ve given slightly more attention to our horror and fantasy short stories, but not today. Today we’re journeying to the future on the back of two of our Science Fiction stories. Brace yourself for worlds where technology has slipped beyond human control, and crime reigns in the skies.Content Warning: This episode contains depictions of sexual violence.Featuring‘Aphrodite T-100’ by Anne Wilkins (01.57), read by Nathan Chatelier. A future where robotoids rule and select human subjects for fertility experiments. This story can be found in our brand new collection: Robots Past & Future Short Stories. ‘The Aerial Burglar’ by Percival Leigh (25.15), read by Bea. Often regarded as the first Steampunk short story, this tale blends Victorian aesthetics with ‘futuristic’ steam technology. Borrowed from our Swords & Steam anthology. BiographiesAnne Wilkins is a sleep-deprived teacher in New Zealand, who writes in her spare time (which she has very little of). Her love of writing is fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, reading and hope. Anne is supported in her writing journey by her ever-patient husband, her two wonderful daughters and two feline writing assistants.Percival Leigh (1813–89) was an English comic writer born in Haddington. He studied medicine at St Bartholomew’s before abandoning this profession to engage in a writing career.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘Aphrodite T-100’ is ©2025 Anne Wilkins and appeared in Robots Past & Future Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025). ‘The Aerial Burglar’ by Percival Leigh was first published in The Comic Album: A Book for Every Table (1844), but more recently appeared in Swords & Steam (Flame Tree Publishing, 2016).#robots #ai #steampunk #shortstories #dystopian.....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Transformation lies at the heart of every great story. Sometimes this takes the shape of a mentality shift or character development, but today’s stories examine transformation in its most literal meaning - the physical. We’re talking skin to fur and nail to claw -  humans who have been forced to succumb to the beast within.Featuring‘The Stag’ by Kate Wilmot (01.34), read by Olivia.  A reinvention of an ancient tale that was already bursting with gore, revenge and extreme emotion. This can be found in Flame Tree’s Moon Falling anthology. ‘The Swan-Children of Lir’ by Thomas Wentworth Higginson (19.08) , read by Amanda Benzecry. An Old Irish Legend that is thought to be the inspiration for the ballet, Swan Lake, this story is brimming with jealousy, endurance and faith. Borrowed from Shadows on the Water. Biographies Kate Wilmot is a new writer based in the UK who likes to twist familiar themes with horror to tell something new. She is an archaeologist who turns to history and myths for inspiration, drawing on the remains and stories of people that have survived for millennia. Her work is highly influenced by her childhood in the eastern Mediterranean where the landscape and its past provided the perfect place for her passion for stories to grow.Thomas Wentworth Higginson was a key figure in the US abolitionist movement. . He served heroically on the Union side in the Civil War before becoming a friend and mentor to the poet Emily Dickinson (1830–86). He himself wrote more prosaic works in history and memoir, but unleashed his imagination in Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the Atlantic (1899).Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘The Stag’ is ©2024 Kate Wilmot and appeared in Moon Falling (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘The Swan-Children of Lir’ was originally published in Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the Atlantic, Macmillan (1899), but more recently appeared in Shadows on the Water (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).#transformation #metamorphoses #swanlake #stag #moon.....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Today we're diving into the shadows cast by crowns, where love and power dance their oldest, most dangerous waltz. Because here's what Disney never tells you: every court has its secrets, and every crown sits heavy with the weight of what rulers will do to protect what they love.Featuring Naked Villainy by Joshua K. Haarstad (02.31), read by Nathan Chatelier. A story about a king who discovers that protecting his son means rewriting the very nature of truth itself. This tale can be found in Flame Tree’s Epic Fantasy short story anthology. Cinderella by Brothers Grimm (30.34), read by Bea. In the Grimm version, there are no fairy godmothers with sparkling wands. There's only a girl, a tree that grows from tears, and birds that see when everybody else chooses blindness. This fairytale can be found in Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. BiographiesJoshua K. Haarstad began writing after graduating from the University of Minnesota, where he primarily studied literature, writing, film, Spanish, and English. He resides in Minnesota and prefers to spend his winters avoiding the cold with as large a book as he can find. His favourite genre is fantasy, but he also loves horror, mystery, and science fiction.German academics, folklorists and authors Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859) are best known for their collection of fairy tales, which, next to the Luther Bible, remain the most well-known and widely distributed text in German cultural history.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.This episode was hosted by Shilpa Varma. To find out more about our writer-in-residence and her role at Flame Tree, click here.‘Naked Villainy’ is ©2019 Joshua K. Haarstad and appeared in Epic Fantasy (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019).‘Cinderella’ by Brothers Grimm was first published in 1812 as ‘Aschenputtel’ in Kinder- und Hausmärchen and later appeared in Brother Grimm Fairy Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019).#storytelling #fairytale #brothersgrimm #epicfantasy #cinderella #lqbtqfiction.....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In our August Special episode Olivia delves into the horror genre with the guidance of award winning authors and editors, Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan. Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan were the editors of Flame Tree’s Folk Horror. A collection of stories that covers a wide range of mythologies and dark corners from around the world. Five of its short stories were selected from open submissions and the remaining twelve were commissioned from authors including Neil Gaiman, John Connolly, Adam L.G. Nevill, Alison Littlewood and Jen Williams.Their upcoming book Witchcraft Short Stories is due to be published in January 2026. Biographies Paul Kane is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author and editor of over a hundred books – such as the sellout Hooded Man omnibus, Hellbound Hearts, Wonderland (a Shirley Jackson Award finalist) and The Gemini Factor. Find out more at his site shadow-writer.co.uk which has featured Guest Writers such as Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Olivie Blake and Guillermo del Toro.Marie O'Regan is a Shirley Jackson, Australian Shadow and British Fantasy Award-nominated author and editor. She is co-editor of anthologies including the bestselling Hellbound Hearts, Cursed, Twice Cursed and The Other Side of Never and is also Managing Editor of PS Publishing’s novella imprint, Absinthe Books. See more at marieoregan.netDesert Island Books Paul’s Desert Island Books:The Hellbound Heart by Clive BarkerDune by Frank HerbertThe Rats by James HerbertBrother in the Land by Robert SwindellsRush of Blood by Mark BillinghamMarie’s Desert Island Books:Thin Air: An Anthology Of Ghost Stories chosen by Alan C. JenkinsBag of Bones by Stephen KingNOS4A2 by Joe HillDark Matter by Michelle PaverAnd Then There Were None by Agatha ChristieThe Woman in the Window by A.J. FinnThis episode was hosted by Olivia.#folkhorror #folklore #horror #interview #author #editor #LondonBookFair.....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

A creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance, Anansi is a fascinating figure within West African folklore. This episode contains both an original folkloric story and a modern depiction of Anansi from our Myths, Gods & Immortals series. Featuring:‘The Secrets of Jamestown Lighthouse’ by Benjamin Cyril Arthur (01.15), read by Cheryl S. Ntumy. In this story we’ve got a gang of kids who are sneaking around, sticking their noses into things that are way beyond them, but who can resist breaking the rules when there’s an adventure at stake? Borrowed from ‘Anansi’ in our Myths, Gods & Immortals series. ‘How Anansi Became a Spider’ from the Dagomba people of West Africa (30.25), read by Essay Kidane. Though also featuring the character of Anansi this is a traditionally told folkloric narrative. We found this morality tale in our book ‘African Myths and Tales’. Biographies:Benjamin Cyril Arthur is a prolific writer who holds a degree in English and Linguistics. He is a winner of the 2020 Samira Bawumia literary prize in Ghana. His short stories have been published by Tampered Press, Lunaris Review, Ama Atta Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing, Lọúnlọún etc. When not writing, Benjamin works as an amateur photographer.‘How Anansi Became a Spider’ was sourced from the Dagomba people in West Africa. The stories in African Myths and Tales come from a range of sources, mostly contemporaneous with colonial times, written by Europeans but often based on their first-hand accounts of tales narrated to them by natives. More details can be found inside African Myths and Tales.Cheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction and has appeared in FIYAH Literary Magazine, Apex Magazine and World Literature Today. She's also been shortlisted for the Nommo Award for African speculative fiction, the Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize and the Miles Morland Foundation Scholarship.This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘The Secrets of Jamestown Lighthouse’ is ©2025 Benjamin Cyril Arthur and appeared in Anansi (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).‘How Anansi Became a Spider’ appeared in African Myths and Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence.What happens when someone who was never supposed to speak suddenly finds their voice? Today we're exploring that question through two very different lenses - one brutally contemporary, one ancient as the changing seasons. Both ask us to listen to voices that were meant to stay silent forever.Featuring: ‘Vessels and Warnings’ by Gabrielle Emem Harry (1.45), narrated by Cheryl S. Ntumy.  A powerful narrative where remembering your own name becomes an act of rebellion. This story can be found in our African Ghost anthology. ‘The Rape of Persephone’ by Homer and Hesiod (17.28), narrated by Amanda Benzecry. A myth from Ancient Greece, where a young woman is taken against her will, a mother's grief changes the world and compromises must be made. Borrowed from our Greek Myths and Legends collection. Biographies:Gabrielle Emem Harry is a Nigerian speculative fiction writer. She writes fantasy, science fiction, horror, slipstream and anything with a fabulist bent and is most interested in crafting stories that sit in the gaps between genres, refusing to be strictly defined. She was selected as a 2023 Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors Fellow and her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Strange Horizons, Solarpunk, Apparition, Omenana, Isele and more. ‘The Rape of Persephone’ was derived from Hesiod’s Theogony. Hesiod is often credited with beginning the Greek mythical tradition, he lived and composed around 700 BC. Theogony deals with the origins of the world and the gods. Cheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction and has appeared in Black Friday, FIYAH Literary Magazine, Apex Magazine and World Literature Today. Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.This episode was hosted by Olivia‘Vessels and Warnings’ is ©2023 Gabrielle Emem Harry and was originally published in Apparation Literary Magazine in 2023 and appeared in African Ghost (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘The Rape of Persephone’ appeared in Greek Myths & Legends (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Everyone knows Achilles - the golden warrior, the rage of the Greeks, the heel that doomed him. But nobody talks about Achilles the toddler, the little boy who was scared of water. Both stories in this episode will help listeners consider Achilles, the man, not just his life but what he left behind… Featuring: ‘How Achilles Grew Up’ by Kenzie Lappin (02.17), read by Nathan Chatelier. A story that looks beyond the Achilles of marble statues and towards the deep emotion of his story. This can be found in our Myths, Gods & Immortals book, Achilles. ‘Odysseus Sails to Seek the Son of Achilles’ (21.41), read by Bea. Chronologically connected to the above, this is an example of a traditional Greek mythology text, fully immersed in ancient politics, battles and grief. Borrowed from our book,  Greek Myths & Tales.Biographies:Kenzie Lappin has written for several publications, such as Cosmic Horror Monthly, Brigids Gate Press, Apex Magazine, WordFire Press, Air And Nothingness Press, and more. She loves science fiction, fantasy and mythology. Check her out on Twitter at @KenzieLappin. She loves science fiction, fantasy, and a mixture of both. She has always had a fascination with mythology.‘Odysseus Sails to Seek the Son of Achilles’ is part of a wider collection of Greek mythology, sourced and contributed to by a myriad of authors, editors and translators. A full list of contributors can be found in Greek Myths & Tales. However, this narrative was likely derived from one of Homer’s epic poems. Little is known about Homer’s life, but he is thought to have been born sometime between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.This episode was hosted by Shilpa Varma. To find out more about our writer-in-residence and her role at Flame Tree, click here. ‘How Achilles Grew Up’ is ©2025 Kenzie Lappin and appeared in Achilles (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025).‘Odysseus Sails to Seek the Son of Achilles’ appeared in Greek Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2018)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

After three months of the Myth & Fiction Podcast, we thought it was about time we heard from you! We asked for your questions and comments about the show and today we’re answering them all. Join Olivia, Nick, and Bea as they respond to your thoughts in this special Q&A episode.If you have more questions for the Myth & Fiction team, please use our feedback form, we’d love to hear from you: https://flametr.com/44poBFKShilpa Varma’s blog, Between Worlds: https://flametr.com/44Zgjni Our Open Submissions: https://flametr.com/416KeIT Thank you so much for your support of the Myth & Fiction Podcast! We’ll see you in August.  .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Today's episode takes us into the spaces between sounds - where silence isn't empty, but hungry. These two stories explore the creatures that mirror us so perfectly they might not be creatures at all, but reflections of what we keep buried beneath our civilized surfaces.Featuring:'No Strings' by Ramsey Campbell (01.52), narrated by Nathan Chatelier. A contemporary horror story that follows radio host Phil Linford as he encounters a street musician whose performance proves more dangerous than it first appears. This tale examines the thin line between reality and performance, between the self we present and the impulses we suppress.'Nyarlathotep' by H.P. Lovecraft (24.46), narrated by Shilpa Varma, our Writer in Residence. Selected from our ‘Endless Apocalypse’ collection, this classic work of cosmic horror introduces the crawling chaos that emerges when familiar boundaries dissolve. Biographies:Ramsey Campbell has spent sixty years crafting horror fiction that brings cosmic terror into everyday settings. Last year, Flame Tree Publishing celebrated his extraordinary career with 'Serving Horror for 60 Years' - recognizing six decades of influential work in the genre. His latest novel ‘An Echo of Children’ will be published by Flame Tree Press in September 2025.H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) was an American writer whose cosmic horror fiction has influenced generations of authors. His work explores themes of cosmicism and humanity's insignificance when faced with incomprehensible forces. Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.Learn more about Shilpa Varma and her role at Flame Tree here. This episode is hosted by Olivia.'No Strings' is ©2024 Ramsey Campbell and appears courtesy of the author.'Nyarlathotep' by H.P. Lovecraft was first published in The United Amateur in 1920 and appeared in Endless Apocalypse (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

We’ve all heard of H.G. Wells. The famed British author, best known for his science fiction novels and short stories. Many of which can be found in Flame Tree’s anthologies. However, have you ever thought about what would happen if you used a time machine to travel back in time to meet the man behind those well-known words? Featuring:‘Shaping Things to Come’ by Dominick Cancilla (01.00), narrated by Nathan Chatelier. We found this one in our collection ‘Time Travelling Short Stories’. This is a clever story that considers the literary implications of time travel. ‘The Ghost’ by Catherine Wells (18.38), narrated by Olivia. One of the shorter stories in ‘The Open Heart’, a collection of H.G. Wells’ wife’s work that was published earlier this year. A classic horror story, full of atmosphere and whimsy. Biographies: Dominick Cancilla is currently living in Santa Monica, California. His previous works include dozens of short stories, one book of philosophy, and one novel, Revenant Savior. He’s also a rather extreme fan of Disney parks and his most recent works – a pair of travel guides for vampires and other unusual creatures planning Disney vacations – include advice for theme-park-visiting time travelers.Catherine Wells (1872–1927), born Amy Catherine Robbins, worked as a teacher and studied at Tutorial College, Holborn where she met and later married H.G. Wells. She is regarded as a great supporter of her husband’s literary outpourings, while she was in fact herself a serious writer, quietly creating her own stories and poems, long-neglected until now.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from video games to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos.This episode was hosted by Bea. Our previous episode on Catherine Wells: https://flametr.com/4eqaOT7‘Shaping Things to Come’ is ©2017 Dominick Cancilla and appeared in Time Travel Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017).‘The Ghost’ by Catherine Wells was first published in The Book of Catherine Wells in 1928 but more recently appeared in The Open Heart (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

In today’s episode, which is a couple of days ahead of the Buck Moon, we are presenting you with two moon-tales. Stories, where the night dances with ancient power as the moon watches. Featuring: ‘Shattered Moon, Hungry Sea’ by Elou Carroll (02:13), narrated by Olivia.  A story where a child’s curiosity unleashes oceanic fury, proving that some jewellery should never be touched, and some secrets should stay sewn into the sky.  Borrowed from Flame Tree’s ‘Moon Falling’ collection. ‘The Moon-Slave’ by Barry Pain (10:28), narrated by Bea. A Victorian nightmare, where the moon enslaves a young girl to its spell. What begins as artistic expression becomes supernatural bondage, proving that some performances are more binding than any marriage contract. Biographies:Elou Carroll is a graphic designer and freelance photographer who writes. Her work appears or is forthcoming in The Deadlands, Baffling Magazine, If There’s Anyone Left (Volume 3), In Somnio: A Collection of Modern Gothic Horror (Tenebrous Press), Spirit Machine (Air and Nothingness Press), Ghostlore (Alternative Stories Podcast) and others. When she’s not whispering with ghosts, she can be found editing Crow & Cross Keys, publishing all things dark and lovely, and spending far too much time on X (Twitter) (@keychild). She keeps a catalogue of her weird little word creatures on eloucarroll.com.Barry Pain (1864–1928) was renowned first and foremost as a comic writer. Like his friend and fellow- humourist Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927), however, he had a longstanding interest in the supernatural and the gothic. His mad-scientist shocker The Octave of Claudius (1897) was to become a pioneering Hollywood Horror movie, in the form of A Blind Bargain, with Lon Chaney and Raymond McKee, in 1922.This episode was hosted by Shilpa Varma. To find out more about our writer-in-residence and her role at Flame Tree, click here. ‘Shattered Moon, Hungry Sea’ is © 2020 Elou Carroll and was originally published in Apparition Lit in 2020 and appeared in Moon Falling (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘The Moon-Slave’ by Barry Pain was first published in Stories in the Dark in 1901 and more recently appeared in Weird Horror Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Today’s episode carries us East through two short stories. These stories are united by a powerful motif - water as memory. In both, water surmounts to more, it comes to represent the enduring presence of the natural world. Offset by human mortality and the quickening of time associated with growing up. Featuring:‘Waiting for Karaga’ by Amal Singh (00:55), narrated by Shilpa Varma. A touching short story, borrowed from our ‘Shadows on the Water’ collection, that narrates the relationship between a lake and a young girl. ‘The Fisher-boy Urashima’ by Basil Hall Chamberlain (20:18), narrated by Amanda Benzecry. Selected from our ‘Hidden Realms’ short story collection, this pick is a Japanese Fairy Tale that is in essence an exploration of morality. Biographies: Amal Singh is an author from Mumbai, India. His short fiction has been longlisted for the BSFA award, and has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous venues such as Clarkesworld, F&SF, Apex, Asimov’s, among others. His debut novel, The Garden of Delights, was published by Flame Tree Press in 2024. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1850–1935) was working in a bank in London when he dropped out and decided it was time to see the world. His first voyage took him to Japan, he settled there, first as an adviser to the government, then subsequently as literary scholar and translator.Learn more about Shilpa Varma and her role at Flame Tree here. Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired.This episode is hosted by Bea.Our Feedback Form: https://flametr.com/44poBFK‘Waiting for Karaga’ is ©2018 Amal Singh and was originally published in Truancy Magazine in 2018 and appeared in Shadows on the Water (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024).‘The Fisher-boy Urashima’ by Basil Hall Chamberlain was first published as a chapbook by Kobunsha in 1886 and more recently appeared in Hidden Realms (Flame Tree Publishing, 2023)......................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Our second monthly Special invites our listeners into the world of publishing, with a particular focus on the Middle East.Recorded at London Book Fair 2025, Olivia speaks to Trevor Naylor - a writer and publisher who has over 40 years of experience in the book industry. Though his career has taken him to over 90 countries, he spent decades based in Cairo, Egypt. We catch up with him as he’s working on his latest project, a book about Egyptian Gods and mythology. This conversation is full of fascinating insights into the Middle Eastern publishing landscape, its stories and its enduring influence.A big thank you to our guest Trevor Naylor for taking the time to chat with us!Trevor Naylor was born in Hull and now lives in West Yorkshire where he works as a non-fiction writer, specialising in books about Ancient Egypt. He also runs his company, named Parkway, selling books across the Middle East region. Trevor has worked in all areas of publishing and bookselling over more than 40 years. He was Sales and Marketing Director of the leading Arts publisher, Thames and Hudson. He held the same position at the American University in Cairo Press in Egypt. He has managed and worked in bookshops, owned his own independent bookshop in the UK, and travelled extensively representing publishers and selling books to over 90 countries worldwide. He is also currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing with the University of Hull.If Trevor’s story got you curious about Ancient Egyptian myths and legends, our books ‘Egyptian Myths & Legends’, ‘Egyptian Myths & Tales’ and ‘Egyptian Ancient Origins’ , are available to shop on our website. .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

This week’s episode brings us two strange stories from the sea. The sea offers the perfect setting for short stories: it’s dramatic, vast and by extension mysterious. We only know a fraction of what actually lives in its depths. No wonder then, that it captured the imagination of the authors featured in this episode. Featuring:‘Over the Side’ by W.W. Jacobs (00.46), narrated by Olivia. This story was first published in 1905 and describes the eerie, supernatural experience of a sailor who falls overboard. It can be found in our Pirates & Ghosts Short Stories collection. & ‘A Poison of Bodies Beneath the Water’ by Spencer Orey (17.10), narrated by Nathan Chatelier. Published within our Lost Atlantis Short Stories collection, this narrative imagines a closed off society of mermaids who will stop at nothing to maintain the purity of their species. Biographies:William Wymark (‘W.W.’) Jacobs (1863–1943) was largely known for his deeply humorous and horrifying works. His first volume of stories, Many Cargoes and  ‘The Monkey’s Paw’,  are the works for which he is probably most famous. Spencer Orey is a graduate of the 2021 Odyssey Writing Workshop and a finalist for the Writers of the Future Contest. His short fiction appears in Tales from Fiddler’s Green. He has a PhD in cultural anthropology, with academic interests in magic, mobility, and media dreams that he likes to weave into speculative stories. He grew up in dry New Mexico and dry California and is happy to live in rainy Denmark with his wife and kids. Find him online at spencerorey.com or on X @spencerorey.Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from video games to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos here.This episode is hosted by Bea.‘Over the Side’ was first published in 1897, in Today and appears in Pirates & Ghosts Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017).‘A Poison of Bodies Beneath the Water’ is © 2023 Spencer Orey and appears in Lost Atlantis Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2023). .....................................................................................................................................Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025.This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer). Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.htmlOur full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives.The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.