The Anklecast

Well, it's finally here! It's part three of Digital Wizards. Keith has been using the AI art generator that was developed by his old, but unreliable, friend Darin. He quickly became obsessed and addicted, and it's only getting worse, because Darin is adding more features. What will happen to Keith? Find out in today's exhilarating new installment of "Digital Wizards."As always, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com for the music.To listen to the show, you can find it on the Anklecast podcast feed or download it HERE. Enjoy!

It's February, and so it's time for another segment of Digital Wizards. Keith, against his better judgement, has gone in on an AI art company with his old, but unreliable, friend Darin. This month, he ventures into the AI world. What will he find, and what will happen to him? Find out in this exciting new installment of the award ignored novella, "Digital Wizards."As always, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com for the music.To listen to the show, you can find it on the Anklecast podcast feed, download it HERE or  just press the button on the player below. Enjoy!

Keith and Darin have been friends since childhood, but their lives diverged largely after high school. Keith came into money and became an angel investor in venture capital pursuits, while Darin became a bit of an untrustworthy sort that even went to prison for fraud a few years back. Now, they've come back together, and there's a possibility that their futures might be entwined...As always, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music.To listen to the show, download it HERE.

When Chris and Jessie became empty-nesters, they were finally able to take that big vacation they'd never tried when the kids were still around. On a beach in Tahiti on Christmas Eve, they saw a very famous person, and couldn't understand what he could be doing here instead of harnessing his team and setting out on his annual journey. Little did they know that this was just the beginning...Afterward, Rish and I talk about the story and the possibilities that artificial intelligence may bring to all of our lives.As usual, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE. Or, you can just hit the play button down below and listen here and now!

It's part two of Separate Ways (World's Apart)! Something weird is going on for Kurt. He was blindsided by his wife, who announced she wanted a divorce. She then ran out the door when their daughter, Corley, came down the stairs asking what was going on. Corley didn't take the abandonment well. She lost all control, and Kurt had to intervene to keep her from getting run over as she chased her mother's car down the street...but something weird happened. The next morning, his wife was back, and more pleasant than ever. It didn't make sense, but what could Kurt do? Afterward, Rish and I talk about the story, and just what to do with the conundrum of splitting long stories into pieces. You know, your comments on the matter would be greatly appreciated! As usual, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music. ou can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE. Or, you can just hit the play button down below and listen here and now!

Kurt's life has been going downhill, but he wasn't even quite aware of it...that is, until his wife came home from work one day, packed a suitcase, and said she wanted a divorce. His daughter didn't take the abandonment well, and, well, things got weird...Afterward, Rish and I talk about the story, why I made some of the decisions that I did, and whether this one counts as a Christmas story or not...As usual, special thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE. Or, you can just hit the play button down below and listen here and now!

It's the September episode of The Anklecast! Today we have the conclusion to my story called "Pre-Owned." Clint is trying to sell his old car off...except something keeps going wrong...he can't seem to figure out what it is, so he makes sure to come along on the test drive...and that's when the craziness begins! Afterwards, Rish and I talk about the story, including a lot of the stuff that wasn't recorded last time around. Hopefully this episode is a little more satisfactory. As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music. You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE. Or, you can just hit the play button down below and listen here and now!

It's the August episode of The Anklecast! Today's story is called "Pre-Owned." It's about a guy named Clint who is still driving the old beater that his parents got for him when he turned sixteen. It's having a pretty deleterious effect on his love life, however, because the car is the ultimate turn off. He's saved up for years, and now he's ready to upgrade. He just has to sell his old car off...except something keeps going wrong... Afterwards, Rish and I talk a little about the story...it would have been more, except somebody messed up when hitting record the first time around. That guy ought to be smacked. That's all I've got to say. As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE.

Today, I have a story that I wrote back in 2014 as part of a live-blogging story event. It's called Dr. Claw, and it comes from the premise "Despite being warned about them, someone plays a claw vending machine game...and wins big." We get to hear the story of Brody, what the claw machine game had for him, and what he did with his winnings. Afterward, Rish and I talk about the story, and how hard it is to share your work as a writer and not take comments too much to heart.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE.

It's time for an all-new story. In this one, Pete comes upon some misfortune. His girlfriend, Cindy, in an effort to cheer him up, buys him a revenge crystal from a local shop. But then the revenge crystal turns out to work all too well...Afterward, Rish and I talk about the creation of this story, how it came to be and how it holds up all of these years later.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE.

New Anklecast available! The egg that Louis discovered in his room turned his life upside down. He fell into a deep well of intrigue and danger. Now, it's time to put his final plan into action. I hope you're ready for the exciting conclusion of the story in April's episode of "The Elephant in the Room."Afterwards, Rish and I discuss the story and what led to its creation.You can find the story on the podcast feed or download by right-clicking HERE.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.

The egg that Louis discovered in his room turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. Since disposing of it, the mystery has only grown deeper. Louis was on the verge of giving up on everything, but now, instead, he is determined to take the fight to the aliens. But there's more he doesn't know...find out just what further dark secrets await in this month's episode of "The Elephant in the Room."As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.Find it on the podcast feed now. To download the episode, right click HERE. Or just click the play button below.

And now for part three of "The Elephant in the Room." Louis found an alien egg hiding in plain sight in his room. Then the girl of his dreams suddenly started coming on to him. He ran from her like she was radioactive. How will she react the next day at school? What is going on? Why are these things happening? Find out more in this month's episode.Afterward, Rish is back. Big and Rish now have something in common. They both spent some time in Venice, and they both loved it. They talk all about it in the post show. Hope you enjoy it.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.Find it on the podcast feed now. To download the episode, right click HERE.

It's part two of "The Elephant in the Room" this month. The story deepens and becomes even more confusing and sinister. Louis thought he had things under control after he and his friend, Collin, figured out the egg a little, but now there's a further wrinkle. Listen and find out where it goes.Not much in the way of post-show chat in this one. I am horribly sick right now, and it was all I could do to even get this show put together for y'all, but I'll never let you down, so at least there's that. Hope you enjoy it.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

I present to you "The Elephant in the Room." Louis trips and falls while trying to get ready for school in the morning. Instead of just hitting the carpet, he lands on something that until that moment was invisible to his eyes. It's an alien egg. Where did it come from? What is it doing here? Why can't anyone else see it? The answers will change his life forever.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE. 

Even though I could barely talk, I didn't want to leave y'all without an episode this month, so I'm still presenting a story, but the pre and post-show banter has been basically done away with. Hopefully you still enjoy the story.Darren hates the cat his family has as its pet. He decides to dispose of the beast. However, the cat might not be an easy mark like he expected, because the cat came back the very next day...As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

We're well into November, so it's past time for another Patreon address. After the fiasco of what happened with archive.org, I've decided to put this one onto the normal feed again so that people who don't subscribe to Patreon will know that it exists, but this will be the last time. Next time around, this will be a total Patreon exclusive. Check it out!I talk about my most recent project which I just finished recently, and update you on my progress on my goals. And you can cheer me on in my quest to become someone who makes an actual living writing books.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.You can find the episode on the podcast feed, or right-click HERE to download the episode. You can just as easily just push the play button on the embedded player below, and listen right here and now. Enjoy!

This time, we have the story of Greg, who is going through a nasty divorce, which is the worst thing happening in his life...until the day when his phone starts ringing and whatever is on the other end of the line has the power to take over his mind and drive him toward thoughts he's never entertained before. How far will the mystery caller take it? You can only find out by listening to the end of "The Frayed Ends of Sanity."Afterward, Rish and I talk about Metallica song titles, Broken Mirror events, and doing things differently for a change. As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

It's my first time doing this. Rish Outfield and Marshal Latham have been doing them for a while and I thought I ought to take their example and make a Patreon Address as well. In this, I talk about my goals for the year, month, and even day that I have set for myself, and how well I have achieved them. If that kind of stuff interests you, then check it out and see how it's going.I'll put this first one onto the normal feed in a week so that people who don't subscribe to Patreon will know that it exists, but next time around, this will be a total Patreon exclusive.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.So, you can find the episode on The Anklecast feed or you can download it by right-cllcking HERE. You could also just click the play button below. That'll work too.

Ronnie acquired a magical stopwatch that can reverse time for one minute every time he presses the extra button. What could he do with that? Well, a great deal of things. We saw many of them in part one of the story. Now, where will he go with it? Let's find out in part two. Enjoy the finale of "Undo."Afterward, Rish and I talk about several things regarding the story, including why I even bothered to release it, and why I changed one line and had him re-do it before putting part two out.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

Ronnie was just looking for some antique that his father might enjoy for his birthday, but instead, he stumbled upon an item that gave him astonishing power over time. What would he do with this power? Find out in the first half of Undo. Beware, this story is dark and rough.Afterward, Rish and I talk a little about how Big was afraid to release the story because of things that take place within.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

Hey, folks, it's the episode for July! It's a little different than usual. Things were crazy this month, due to the arrival of that annoying Hurricane Beryl. I was left without power for nearly a week, and I was unable to get a story recorded and prepared, so instead I told my personal story of living through the hurricane on this podcast. Hopefully it is a worthy substitute, because there was no other way for me to get a show out this month. I hope you enjoy!As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

Monty and his friends have always had a lot of fun out in the woods playing near the clubhouse they built, but one day, things change substantially when Bea asks them to catch a butterfly, but they get something else instead...Afterward, Rish and I talk about framing devices, romanticizing a certain time period, and...how to use a phone while time traveling? As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music. To download the episode, right click HERE.  

Jean-Paul has spent his life rehabilitating and tending to the few plants left on the surface of the Earth. The planet is mostly dead after the nuclear holocaust that his ancestors released on us all. Then one day while on the surface, Jean-Paul saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't the wind, there was something out there...Afterward, Rish and Big talk about several things, from old ideas Big had in his youth to their experiences in film school.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music. To download the episode, right click HERE.

Trent and Brent were two children with rhyming names but vastly different life paths to travel. Brent was brilliant, a boy genius, destined to do something amazing, Trent was average and prone to mischief that would eventually lead him down a dark path of suffering and regret. Their paths would cross again, however, and when they did, Brent would be the one who didn't get it and Trent would be the one with the plan...Afterward, Rish and I talk about whether certain things should be allowed in stories for entertainment or not. We also talk about our adventures in publishing, and let you know what's available now. Enjoy this if you can, and mind the trigger warning.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music. And special thanks to Rish Outfield, Jonathan Wilson. Tena Kolokowski, and Wendy Wilson for contributing their voices to the mix!To download the episode, right click HERE.

 Jerome and Kirk embark on a mission to save their loved ones from vampires. They venture into their sanctuary and attack them where they live...and they were armed with expert advice from the one and only Johnny Staker, YouTube star and legendary vampire hunter.Afterward, Rish and I talk about vampire tropes and their use in media, working on author-ly activities, and getting feedback. Enjoy the show!As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.To download the episode, right click HERE.

Part 2 is here, rejoice and sing! We finally get to find out what happens to Tyler, Glynnis, and Lady Justice when they attempt to rescue Karma from the clutches of Tyler's evil ex-girlfriend, Harper. Will they get away with it or will Harper catch them and destroy them like she has to countless others? Find out in the exciting conclusion to "Karma Is My Boyfriend."Afterward, Rish and I talk about when to use a dour and depressing ending and when to keep it happy. Is there any power behind ending things badly? They're sure to fail to come to a determination on this as well as many other things.Click HERE to download the episode. As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.

Tyler and Glynnis get an invitation to a party. They have nothing going on that night, and are hoping to at least get some free beer or maybe a hit off someone's blunt, but when they get to the party, they find that they're in for much more than they bargained for in more ways than one.Afterward, Rish and Big talk about the origins of the story and even share a special AI created version of the story that Marshal Latham sent to Big as part of his Quordle Quell contest. You won't want to miss a single exciting minute.As always, thanks to Kevin McCleod at incompetech.com for the music.You can find the episode on the feed on your favorite podcast app or you can right click HERE and download the show. If that's too much to ask, I guess you could just push the play button right below these words and listen right here and now on this very blog page.

I said I'd done my piece for Christmas this year, but I was wrong, and I'm here to share one more Christmas story before we ring in the new year. Scott is a recently single dad who watches over his young son, Ryder. He finds his life to be miserable and tedious, until Klaus Kringle comes along and shows him that it could be so much worse.Afterward, I talk a little about my new goal of writing over 300,000 words in 2023-2024, and give a little report about how the first two months have gone. Merry Christmas and happy New Year, and thank you so much for supporting me in 2023. 2024 is going to be even better!The story is up on the Anklecast feed on whatever your favorite podcatcher may be, or you can just right click HERE to download the file.

Just in time for the last day of November and the kickoff of the holiday season, I have a new Christmas story to share with you. A woman receives a letter years after it was supposed to arrive, but it seems meant to be, as if someone were granting her heartfelt wish...or will it be her worst nightmare that comes to pass? Afterward, Rish and Big discuss some of the joys of being a writer, like the getting to name as many children as you want, instead of only getting to name the children you bear like a regular person. They also talk writing to prompts, and whether it affects the quality of a story. You can find the episode on the Anklecast podcast feed, or you can right click HERE to download the episode

It's finally here, the concluding chapter of my epically long novella, "Do Over!" You can finally find out just how it all turns out. Can Joel and Jillian turn things around and get their lives back together? Will Allison ruin everything? Can they defeat time itself?Afterward, Rish Outfield and I talk all about the story. Rish and Announcer Man give their reaction to it, and they talk about it for the rest of the episode. Check it out and enjoy.You can find the episode on the Anklecast podcast feed on your favorite podcatcher, or you can download it by right-clicking HERE.

So, we have part four of my novella, "Do Over". Things are getting crazy. We find out who is on the other side of that door, and no, it's not Lazybones (sorry for the misdirecting red herring of a song). We find out just how bad this confusion from the two timelines can be. So, buckle up, strap in, and hit play for the penultimate episode of "Do Over."It's up on the feed now or you can right click HERE to download the episode or you can just click the play button below to listen to the episode now.

It's episode three of my novella, Do Over. Joel and Jillian take a big step together as Joel changes his past to a future that he wants to live in. At the end of last episode, Joel caught Jillian snorting heroin, and now he has to deal with that problem...but it's only the beginning of the problems he will have to deal with. Jump in and enjoy the next installment of Do Over on The Anklecast.Afterward, Rish and I review the comments that we received from listeners who said what they would like to have changed in their past if they got the opportunity to zig rather than zag. Then we add a few more examples of our own. Right click HERE to download. Enjoy!

Joel is back for more of his adventures in the past. He establishes himself and gets used to how things are now, but not everything is hunky dory. There were problems in the past, and they begin to rear their ugly heads at him. What will he do? How will he change things for the better? Keep listening to "Do Over" to find out! This time, I do the episode solo. I talk about the struggles of writing and pose the question of whether it's worth it considering the trajectory of the world, particularly the new addition of AI to the mix. I really want to know what you think, so comment on it, my friends. Right click here to download the episode.

This is the first part of my novella called "Do Over," in which a man who has reached the end of his rope gets the chance to go back and try again, and possibly avoid the mistakes that he's made in the past...or does he?Afterward, Rish and I talk about some of the things we would like to go back and change if we had the chance to do so, and we open it up to the audience. Please comment and tell us about what you'd like to change in your past if only a strange ball of swirling light opened up for you and spat you out fifteen years in the past.Right click to download the episode HERE.

It's arrived, the second half of my story from the very first Broken Mirror Story Event Rish and I ever did. Listen to find out what happened in Joe's search to find out why a ghost is haunting his home, particularly his baby monitor. Why is that ghost coming for his son?Afterward, Rish and I talk about the story behind the story, why and how it was written, and just how much of it was autobiographical. (spoiler alert: It's just the boring parts that are real).Check it out on your podcast feed or to download the episode, right click HERE.

This month, I present my story from the first time Rish Outfield and I did a Broken Mirror Story Event. It's from so long ago that it was, by my count, my fourth completed story ever. It's got a good premise, though. Check it out: Joe, a young father of a newborn, is watching his child when he hears a voice threatening voice from the baby monitor. He rushes into the baby's room to find that...no one is there.It's part one, this month. It's a really long story, so part two will be coming along very soon, but it was too much to fit into one episode. The story is presented in it's original state, and I think it's pretty decent for what it is.All I can say is that Rish made me do it, folks. Hopefully, you enjoy it.  Right click HERE to download.

Okay, folks, I'm back again with part two of "Sepia Tone Prison." It's time to find out whether William will finally get to move on to the next plane of existence, and what happens with Beth and Ryan. Jump right in, folks, the water's fine.Afterward, Rish and I talk about why I wrote the story the way I did and whether I would have written it differently today. Spoiler alert: the answer isn't very satisfying.Thanks to Bria Burton, Marshal Latham, and Rish Outfield for providing voices on the production.Right click HERE to download.

 William is a ghost. In the afterlife, spirits are required to stick around and help their loved ones until all those that remember them are gone. Only then can they head into the light. The last relative that knew William just died, but William is still hanging around. No portal to the next realm has appeared, and William has no idea why...I present to you the first half of this large story, then afterward I hang out with Rish and talk about the story (though not too much, because we can't give any spoilers for Part 2). Right click here to download the episode.

When the mailman drops off a package on Ethan's doorstep, he is confused. It's addressed to him, but he never ordered anything...he's about to return it when he discovers that it contains exactly what he needed before he even knew that he needed it.Afterwards, Rish and I talk about the option for sequels. If everybody loved something that one of us wrote, could we make the story go on somehow?Right click HERE to download the episode,

Alright, folks, let the crossover event begin! Here's part one, in which I present my story, "Long Term Memory." After spending his life inventing a time machine, a 70-year-old-man travels back to when he was merely 25. He's going to make sure that this time he ends up with the woman he's spent the last 45 years dreaming of. He's thought of everything...or has he?Afterward, the crossover continues. I am joined by both Marshal Latham and Rish Outfield to discuss the story, the crossover, and everything in between. Hope you enjoy it!Right click HERE to download the episode, or just listen by pressing the play button below.

Back in 2009, Rish and I put together a Christmas special on the Dunesteef called "The Spirit of Christmas." It was an audiodrama, which is a bit of a useless beast when it comes to writing. You can just as readily publish an audiodrama script as you can a screenplay. However, I didn't want the story to go to waste because I liked it a great deal, so I converted it from script to short story. I present the finished product to you today, and it's coming to you on the...13th anniversary of the original. Wow, I'm getting old.Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Festive Festivus, and Happy New Year to all! I hope your new year will be bright and wonderful, and I hope that you enjoy the story.After the story, Rish Outfield (he's back from Europe!) and I talk about changing the story from script to prose...at least, when we're not being distracted by a thousand tangents we do.Right click HERE to download the episode, or just listen by pressing the play button below.

In rural Central America, two missionaries arrive at a woman's house to share a message from Jesus, however, they might not be what they seem and may be there for an ulterior motive...Afterward, I discuss the story with...no, not Rish. He bailed on me. Spurned my entreaties. Had better things to do. I discuss the story with Marshal Latham, because Marshal has a special connection to the tale. Right click HERE to download the episode.

 When Frank Sinatra reached his 50th birthday, despite being on top of the world, he had a hard time with the milestone. However, his muse paid him a visit that day and brought him a special gift.Announcer Man and I got together again, and we invited Rish along to talk about the story and even more about all the things going on these days, and what I've learned about improving my writing and maximizing my output. Hope you enjoy it.Tena Kolokowski, and Rish Outfield provide voices for the story. I hope y'all enjoy it, and please come over and support the show on Patreon.Download the episode by right clicking on this link. 

I got together with Announcer Man and Rish Outfield, and we put together a fun episode of the show for y'all. It's the first monthly installment of the relaunched Anklecast.Today's story is called "Eye-opening". In it, a woman who has suffered a heavy loss looks for help in dealing with her grief, but the healing doesn't go as she expected for anyone. Renee Chambliss, Marshal Latham, and Rish Outfield all provide voices for the story, and making his podcast debut is Little Anklevich. I really hope y'all enjoy the show, and please come over and support the show on Patreon.Download the episode by right clicking on this link.

It's another episode of the Anklecast. I'm going to do one every month, and, well...I barely made it in time, but here we are.Today's story is "Party Girl." It's one that I wrote just last year as I was working my way towards 300,000 words.After the story, I made a sort of vlog of my experiences in the Arctic Blast that froze Texas last week. It was an interesting month for sure, especially that week. If you're interested in that stuff, stick around after the story to hear all about it.Anyhow, here's the Anklecast. No schmutz on the lens this time either!Or, you could just listen to the audio of the episode here, but I think you might miss out a little on the snow video.You can download it HERE by right-clicking and choosing "save target". Or feel free to subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the button over on the right hand side.

I swore I was going to do it. You didn't think I would. In fact, you warned me not to, but I did it anyways. I made another episode of the Anklecast.Today's story is "Active Shooter Training." Oh, and I also threw in a little bitty story as an appetizer called "Date Night."After the stories, I talk a little bit about my goals for the year. I suppose I really ought to do a post where I put them out for all to see and hold me accountable. I guess, watch for that.Download by right-clicking HERE.

Six Christmas stories over on the Dunesteef just wasn't enough, so I decided that I would give y'all one more. It's a story I wrote earlier this year about James, a guy whose Christmas plans get ruined, so he volunteers to work someone's shift at his job to give them a chance at having a merry Christmas. He thinks he knows how his night will end, but someone has a different idea, and it's going to take a left turn before the night is through.  Watch the video or listen to the audio above. Or to download the audio of the podcast, right click here, and save the file to your hard drive. 

Rish Outfield has been bugging me to do an episode in which I talk about the emotional toll that it takes on a parent to have their child go off to college and essentially leave the family for good to start their own life and possibly their own family one day. Well, I resisted the peer pressure as long as I could, but when he called me a poopoo head, it was more than I could bear, so I caved in and made the episode. Here is the result, what is probably a far too intimate glimpse into my life. Hope you like what you see... Watch the video or listen to the audio above. Or to download the audio of the podcast, right click here, and save the file to your hard drive.

I finish the story of my weight loss journey, then talk about the theory behind it. It's something that I'm really passionate about, but I know that not everybody cares so much. So, I won't be too upset if you skip it. I feel like I've finally found the key, and I want everyone who might be in a similar situation as me to also know it. It's all about hormones folks. Anyway, watch the show if you're interested. I'll be back with something completely different next time, but I'll probably come back to this subject again eventually when I finish losing all the weight. Watch the video or listen to the audio above. Or to download the audio of the podcast, right click here, and save the file to your hard drive.