PODCAST · fiction
Two Minute Stories
by Justin Hastings
Brief tales of fiction in less than two minutes by Justin Hastings.
Episodes
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Married to the System
A story about the end of the world. Inspiration: Life in quarantine seems to repeat the same day, over and over. How would that repetitiveness feel... permanently? I was interested to explore a married couple and how they'd survive – both mentally and physically – in a world where every day must…
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Burying the Lead
A story about future journalists. Inspiration We rely on journalists to deliver the truth... but what if we also relied on them for justice? In this story, I explore the idea of journalists playing the role of judge, jury, and... well, you know the other one. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I…
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Three's a Crowd
A story about cancel culture. Inspiration How do we feel about litigating past actions with today's social norms? In this story, I explore an extreme version involving two married couples and how one wrong thought or sentence can change everything. Is it fair? Learn more Enjoyed this story? I…
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Shipped
A story without a home. Inspiration What's the opposite of having a home? In this story, I explore the idea of folks living in shipping containers, consistently waking up to a new world across the oceans. No property tax, no problem. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a…
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Backups and Blackouts
A story about delivering the past. Inspiration What happens to our digital libraries when power is no more? I'm a paying customer for an online backup service and I was curious to know – what does a company like that look like when we're no longer connected to the grid? Learn more Enjoyed this...
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Arresting
A story about life at home. Inspiration In our current climate, it's expected that some folks might find quarantine life to equate to paranoia. This story explores life under house arrest and how the unknown is our greatest fear. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review…
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Author JB Lion (Part 4 of 4)
Guest storyteller! JB Lion joins the show for a fourth time to discuss “The Seventh Spark,” his new fantasy book series. JB talks about who inspires him and also gives listeners another glimpse of his work through an excerpt from the story. Learn more about JB and “The Seventh Spark” at…
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Author JB Lion (Part 3 of 4)
Guest storyteller! JB Lion joins the show for a third time to discuss “The Seventh Spark,” his new fantasy book series. JB talks about the challenges and obstacles he faces as a black fantasy author and also peels back the curtain on his work through another excerpt from the story. He'll join...
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Author JB Lion (Part 2 of 4)
Guest storyteller! JB Lion joins the show for a second time to discuss “The Seventh Spark,” his new fantasy book series. JB discusses his creative process for the project and also gifts us with another excerpt from the story. He'll join future episodes to talk more about his project. Learn more...
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Author JB Lion (Part 1 of 4)
Guest storyteller! JB Lion joins the show to discuss “The Seventh Spark,” his new fantasy book series. JB shares how he got started on the idea and also reads an excerpt from the story. He'll join future episodes to talk more about his project. Learn more about JB and “The Seventh Spark” at...
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Seaworthy
A story about one-way communication. Inspiration Great communication is required for any strong relationship. I wanted to explore how one couple uses one half of communication – listening – to entertain themselves. I liked the idea of a couple using gossip to cover up their own communication...
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Damn Family
A story about the reputation of the dead. Inspiration ”We owe everything to Dad! Especially whatever is in that safe.” In this story, I explore what happens to siblings when their father passes away. With specific last wishes, how do the siblings handle the requests of someone no longer with…
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Innocuous
A story about good intentions gone bad. Inspiration Would it be like meeting his grandfather in real life? The idea of one generation leaving something to a future generation is one of love and appreciation... but what happens in between isn't reliable. I explored the idea of a grandfather's good...
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Brothers
A story about sibling support. Inspiration Like a drum beat. Like a steady rain. Like breathing. “It’s okay.” After watching Pixar's "Onward," a story about two brothers, I reflected on the relationship with my own brother – a great one! I wanted to juxtapose the feelings that occur towards the…
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Reproduction
A story about a friend's changing life. Inspiration "Talk to me about what you mean by ‘losing’ this friend.” Typically we welcome the news of a pregnancy with joy, excitement, and support. Our main character feels quite the opposite. This story explores how parenthood effects friendship and how...
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 6: Blake
Blake joins basic training. This is episode 6 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two...
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 5: Caitlin
Caitlin pilots a jet. This is episode 5 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two…
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 4: Georgia
Georgia works in tech. This is episode 4 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two…
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 3: Sarah
Sarah makes clothes. This is episode 3 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two Minute...
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 2: Adele
Adele shows houses. This is episode 2 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two Minute...
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Absolutely Nothing, Episode 1: Charlene
Charlene plays video games. This is episode 1 of 6 of "Absolutely Nothing," a Two Minute Stories anthology series. The story follows six former servicewomen navigating a world where war is outlawed. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts. Listen to Two...
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Reflections
A story about hiding behind your words. Inspiration The voices both snickered behind the glass. Much of the negativity across our digital world comes from those leaving their opinions while hiding behind a keyboard of anonymity. This inspired me to look at this issue in a much different…
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Decisions
A story about the voice inside your head. Inspiration But there was another voice inside me. Not one that was programmed solely from an algorithm... no, this voice was me. As we rely more and more on data, analysis, and algorithms to make decisions, when will have to stick up for our immeasurable...
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No Kids
A story about responsibility. Inspiration "You know I don’t want to be a father. I want nothing to do with going home at 6:30.” This story looks at a world in which very few males are capable of reproducing. How do the circumstances of the world affect current parents, aspiring parents, and those...
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The Only Child, Chapter 11
Why can't you let me go? This is chapter 11 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple…
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The Only Child, Chapter 10
Can't I just be me? This is chapter 10 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts....
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The Only Child, Chapter 9
Why is everyone against me? This is chapter 9 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple...
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The Only Child, Chapter 8
How do I figure this out? This is chapter 8 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple…
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The Only Child, Chapter 7
Is it time for a vacation? This is chapter 7 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple…
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The Only Child, Chapter 6
Can I just go back to sleep? This is chapter 6 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple...
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The Only Child, Chapter 5
What treasure awaits us? This is chapter 5 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts....
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The Only Child, Chapter 4
What happens behind closed doors? This is chapter 4 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple...
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The Only Child, Chapter 3
Why can't I do what everyone else does? This is chapter 3 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on...
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The Only Child, Chapter 2
Will this ever get easier? This is chapter 2 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple…
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The Only Child, Chapter 1
What's wrong with Hadley? This is chapter 1 of 11 of "The Only Child," a Two Minute Stories miniseries. The story follows a family of three negotiating the day-to-day life of parenting, childhood, and the unknown. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on Apple…
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The Masters: a 12-part Miniseries
A story about the fictitious annual Quail Valley Spelling Bee which boasts a unique set of rules. Listen to all 12 parts of the miniseries in this episode. Inspiration I've been under the weather for the past week so I'm resharing the entirety of "The Masters," a collection of 12 two-minute…
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Crime Scene (The 100th Story!)
A story about a limited police force... plus, a celebration of 100 episodes including my five favorites and a special announcement. Inspiration The kid was right — the body had been here far longer than she anticipated. Something was amiss. WE MADE IT TO 100 EPISODES! It's been a wild ride since…
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Spiritual Awakening
A story about spirits. Inspiration Roger attempted to step forward but his body wouldn’t allow him. “One more sip,” his body ordered. This story came from the idea that the main character might misinterpret the word "spirits," which could mean a few things. I was intrigued by someone both under…
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Alone
A story about not blending in with family. Inspiration I’m alone in my house with a family of six. This opening line to the story came to me and I immediately captured it with Evernote. I like the idea of the main character feeling like an outsider, even within her family – their different…
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Houseboat
A story about living at sea. Inspiration The sun shone bright across the community, a collection of homes traveling together across the ocean. What happens when our planet is covered by water? This story examines a world where houses still exist, but they do so on the sea rather than on land. I…
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Old Glory
A story about war and the flag. Inspiration Not even the Army’s Regeneration Program could stop Father Time. The American flag has withstood the test of time for nearly 250 years. This story jumps us forward in time towards the quadricentennial of America's birth. There, I explore what it means…
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Natural Woman
A story about extreme nutrition. Inspiration “We have to eat — exclusively eat — the most natural of elements.” In my short time on this earth, I've watched the collective intelligence around nutrition change rapidly. Vegetarians always seemed strange to me as a kid as I was unfamiliar with their...
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Put the Dead to Sleep
A story about temporary death. Inspiration “15 years?!? But I’ve already been under for forty!” In a world where death is temporary, how does a cemetery operate? With this premise, we explore how an employee at a graveyard interacts with the buried. I was intrigued by the idea of death as a...
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The Enemy of Good
A story about motivation. Inspiration For some folks, money is the answer – they'll do absolutely anything to get more of it. For others, it's notoreity or fame or power. Motivation comes from many places, even amongst colleagues, friends, and family. I'm fascinated by these differences. This…
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Under Armor
A story about living underground. Inspiration Earth continues to get warmer and with it comes a devolving atmosphere. At some point in the future, humans will have to solve the problem of unsafe air. This story examines what happens when they are forced to live underground. How would emotions be...
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On Wings
A story about the fear of flying. Inspiration I do not like flying. This wasn't always the case, but as I've gotten older, my fear has only increased. This story looks at a character with a similar fear and a fellow passenger who tries to help. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really...
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Evil DNA
A story about a vicious legacy. Inspiration There are evil deeds, evil acts, and evil strategies... but how does evil live on? In this story, I explored the idea of an act so evil, it would deeply effect future generations. Learn more Enjoyed this story? I would really appreciate a review on…
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You Make Me Live
A story about connected bodies. Inspiration I was intrigued by Queen's lyric from "You're My Best Friend" – you know the one: "ooooo, you make me live!" It's not only a great song but a helpful launching pad for this story. What if another person truly made you live... or rather, kept you alive?...
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In Case of Emergency
A story about the power of help. Inspiration The power of meditation continues to grow throughout the world thanks to folks committed to spreading the word, an increase of digital meditative apps, and a growing focus on mental health. I, too, have found meditation to be helpful to reduce stress,...
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What Was It Like?
A story about how other folks live. Inspiration Similar to the previous story, I was interested in how folks from different lifestyles come together in the workplace. Here, one girl is the voyeur to another's life, finding herself interested in what seems to be something out of a TV show. I'm...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Two Minute Stories have?
Two Minute Stories currently has 136 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Two Minute Stories about?
Brief tales of fiction in less than two minutes by Justin Hastings.
How often does Two Minute Stories release new episodes?
Two Minute Stories publishes regularly with 136 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Two Minute Stories?
You can listen to Two Minute Stories on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Two Minute Stories?
Two Minute Stories is created and hosted by Justin Hastings.
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