A new reading from Mallory Smart. Step into Stevie's world, a 26-year-old musician on the brink of fame. A tour offer catapults her into an existential voyage through life's intricate maze. Within this tense spiritual journey, Stevie confronts the age-old dilemma of fame versus the safety of a simpler existence, all while searching for her elusive …

In this episode, my guest Anand reviews this amazing book Swadeshi Steam: V.O.Chidamabaram and the battle against the British Maritime Trade written by A.R.Venkatachalapathy. Anand takes us through the heroic tale of VOC's courageous attempt in the face of colonial oppression in a way that will definitely inspire us to read this amazing book. Do li…

In this episode, my guest Ranya Bopanna reviews an amazing classic of all times, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. Ranya speaks really well about the author Jane Austen, giving us glimpses of her life, her writing style and how the book itself shaped up during those times followed by insight into the characters and the storyline.. Do listen to …

In this episode, my guest Dr.Soumya Chivuluri reviewsan amazing thriller titled “And Then There Were None” written by the “Queen Of Mystery - Agatha Christie”. Dr.Soumya has taken us through the plot of the book without revealing the suspense, giving us glimpses of mystery embroiled in the story. Hope you enjoy listening to the episode!! Background…

Hello listeners, you are in for a surprise this episode.. Sunita ma'am from Vizag has graciously hosted this episode where I am reviewing a book from one of my favourite Indian authors, Preeti Shenoy.. The book "A Hundred Little Flames" is set up in a laid back village in the beautiful landscapes of Kerala and delves into relationships spanning 3 g…

In this episode, my guest Upasana reviews the amazing book "Exhalation" by American writer, Ted Chiang. Exhalation: Stories explores nine stories touching issues such as humanity in the universe, time travel, free will and the uses of A.I. Upasana has reviewed the book wonderfully and i hope you enjoy listening to it. Music Credit : Olexy by Pixaba…

In this episode, Prasanthi talks about the different stories in her book "Memories".She says how memories can be good and bad, thus inspiring her to tell stories potraying different emotions beautifully. Hope you enjoy listening to this review..Happy Listening!! Background Music Credit - Olexy from Pixabay…

In this episode, my guest, Dr. B. Gopal Singh, Associate Professor of Economics, HOD(Rtd.) talks about an interesting book "The Argumentative Indian" by Nobel laureate, economist Dr. Amartya Sen. Dr. B.Gopal Singh takes us through the contents of the book very well, throwing light on different aspects considered by Dr. Amartya Sen while writing the…

Kris chats with B.P. Sweany about his novel The Sword and the Sophomore, plus an excerpt read by Tami Stronach!About the book...Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by tr…

In this episode, my guest Sunita ma'am reviews the inspiring book "To Kill A Mocking Bird" authored by Harper Lee. This book is a part of classic American literature and widely read in middle school and high schools of the United States.Sunita ma'am brings out the essence of the book very well with focus on the characters touching issues like racis…

In this episode, my guest Sirisha talks about how well the Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini portrays emotions of the characters through his touching and heart-wrenching story. Do listen to this amazing review by Sirisha and get inspired to read Khaled's books.skiran149

“In this winningly oblique, slender, and wise-hearted novel, Jack Houghteling puts his finger on febrilely metropolitan human nature as it expresses itself (cerebrally, athletically, familially) in the outer boroughs and in patinated suburbia--and he does so in fleet, uncannily vivid sentences that are summational masterstrokes. Jack Houghteling is…

In this episode,my guest Vyjanthi ma'am beautifully reviews the book "The English Teacher" written by R.K.Narayan. She takes us through the amazing potrayal of characters leading to how the story unfolds in R.K.Naryan's style..Relatable, witty, humorous with observations from our daily mundane life..I hope you enjoy listening to this episode.Happy …

In this episode, Arun Kumar reviews the non-fiction book "Wise Guy: Life In a Mafia Family" written by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi. Arun Sir takes us through Henry Hill's life, who was a Mafia associate and later joined the US witness protection program to help nab gangsters. The 1990 Oscar–winning film Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese wa…

In this episode, my guest Soumya reviews a beautiful book titled "What did you ask at school today?" written by Kamal V. Mukunda.Soumya takes us through the different chapters of the book ,highlighting with examples regarding child learning process, how the child brain works and how it impacts the entire learning journey..A must read for every pare…

In this episode, my guest Sangeeta talks to us about Ashok Banker's series of books on Ramayana. Throughout the episode, she delves into the essence of the great epic, throwing light on how and why the author got into writing these series in the very first place. Hope you will enjoy listening to this conversation and get inspired to read..Happy Lis…

Hello Listeners!!Trailer released for my fresh new podcast..Stay tuned in for new episodes every Friday!!Happy Listening..skiran149

In Fear Not!, critic Josh Larsen makes the case that monster movies, creature features, slashers, and other fright films artfully reflect our deep worries in a way that resonates with the Christian experience. Combining critical observation and theological reflection, Larsen devotes each chapter to a different horror subgenre, connecting that subge…

Hal, an Afghan war veteran, begins to hear a voice telling him to go “home”—to a castle, in Scotland. But Hal has never been to Scotland. So whose voice is it? What does it want? And why is it calling Hal “home”? What follows is a surrealist road trip story, part Heart of Darkness and part bipolar Guardians of the Galaxy. In Farsickness, Joshua Moh…

New reading with Chase Griffin and Christina Quay. With music by M. Kilcullen...Between the pages of an ever-shifting eternal text known as the Patasphere, a coven of psychedelic fiction fanatics and a duo of agents working for a private intelligence firm known as The Geist, LLC navigate their ways simultaneously through a labyrinthian pilgrimage t…

Violent Candy is a collection of sixteen stories about the the depths we go to find love for ourselves and from others, the trauma we obtain in childhood and carry with us into adulthood, the desperation to find connection in a world determined to tear us all apart, and the self-inflicted violence we sometimes direct at other. There's a woman who l…

A visionary evocation of contemporary Appalachian life and labor. Gray draws upon his own experiences-specifically, the effects of the 2008 financial crisis upon his hometown of Jefferson, North Carolina-while also exploring Appalachian history, country music, and the politics of rural extraction. GET THE BOOK >>>https://www.garden-doorpress.com/st…

A woman wants to be caught stealing people's identities, but nobody is paying attention. A suburban father becomes convinced that he's transformed into a dinosaur-shaped chicken nugget. A hitman's target collapses before he can be killed. The novella and stories in Echo Chamber reverberate, wild and beautiful. GET THE BOOK >>>>https://www.tridentca…

Drew Buxton is a writer and social worker from Texas. His debut short story collection So Much Heart was released in July by With An X Books. His work has been featured in Joyland, The Drift, Electric Literature, Witch Craft, and Vice among other publications. Find him at drewbuxton.com.Get the book SO MUCH HEART:https://www.withanxbooks.com/store/…

Had a blast with 103.3 FM's Wordplay hosted by Lockie Martin. Here's the spot. Readings from the studio by Claire Hopple and Ashleigh Bryant Phillips!The Talking Book

Adrian Shirk is the author of HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH (Counterpoint, 2022), a personal odyssey of American utopian experiments, and AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY (Counterpoint, 2017), a hybrid-memoir exploring American women prophets and mystics, named an NPR ‘Best Book’ of 2017. Shirk was raised in Portland, Oregon, and has since lived in N…

A new reading from Alice Kaltman and her book Almost Deadly, Almost Good, out now from Word West press. Get the book! https://alicekaltman.com/almost-deadly-almost-goodAlice Kaltman is the author of the story-collection STAGGERWING, the novels WAVEHOUSE, THE TANTALIZING TALE OF GRACE MINNAUGH, and DAWG TOWNE. Her new linked collection ALMOST DEADLY…

Out May 15th! PURE COSMOS CLUB by Matthew Binder. https://www.stalkinghorsepress.com/product/pure-cosmos-club-pre-order-paperback/In this biting satire, Matthew Binder takes surreal aim at the poses and pretensions of high art and fashion. With ruthless wit, Binder chronicles the struggles of Paul, an eccentric artist, and his companion dog, a disa…

From Joseph Fasano, the acclaimed author of 'The Dark Heart of Every Wild Thing', comes 'The Swallows of Lunetto', the powerful story of a young couple's escape from Italian fascism at the end of the Second World War.GET THE BOOK!https://shop.maudlinhouse.net/#the-swallows-of-lunetto"As essential as Hannah Arendt in understanding history and the he…

A conversation with Christy Alexander Hallberg. We talk about her new audiobook Searching For Jimmy Page, then listen to an excerpt narrated by Melissa Connell. https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/searchingforjimmypage"The unraveling of eighteen-year-old Luna Kane’s haunted past begins in the winter of 1988, when her dying great-grandfather, a…

An excerpt from the debut novel by Allie Rowbottom. Propulsive, dark, and moving, Aesthetica is a Veronica for the age of “Instagram face,” delivering a fresh, nuanced examination of feminism, #MeToo, and mother-daughter relationships, all while confronting our collective addiction to followers, filters, and faux realities.“This brutal tale of a te…

THE ENHANCERS follows three teenage friends as they encounter the pleasures and alienation that accompany coming of age in a techno-pharmaceutical society. The Enhancers questions who we are when valued most for our ability to process information. With mental augmentation as a baseline: how do we come to know ourselves and what does it take to brea…

Examining the sanctuary of the home and one of the horror genre’s most frightening tropes, Anybody Home? points the camera lens onto the quiet suburbs and its unsuspecting abodes, any of which are potential stages for an invader ambitious enough to make it the scene of the next big crime sensation. Who knows? Their performance just might make it to…

MOTHERTHING is a darkly funny take on mothers and daughters, about a woman who must take drastic measures to save her husband and herself from the vengeful ghost of her mother-in-lawhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/696773/motherthing-by-ainslie-hogarth/AINSLIE HOGARTH is the author of the YA novels The Lonely and The Boy Meets Girl Massacre…

Please enjoy the author Bud Smith reading from his new novel TEENAGER, out now from Vintage. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/679124/teenager-by-bud-smith/BUD SMITH works heavy construction in New Jersey. His story “Violets” appeared in The Paris Review. His new novel TEENAGER. It’s one of NPR’s best books of 2022. I read it and it’s my num…

Jordan Castro is the author of two poetry books and the former editor of New York Tyrant Magazine. He is from Cleveland, Ohio. The Novelist is his first novel. Get the book: https://softskull.com/dd-product/the-novelist/The act of making coffee prompts a reflection on the limits of self-knowledge; an editor’s embarrassing tweet sparks rage at the l…

A reading from Maegan Poland, a fiction writer based in Philadelphia. Her debut short story collection What Makes You Think You're Awake? won the Bakwin Award at Blair Press and was featured on The Millions’ Most Anticipated for June 2021.The Talking Book

An excerpt from the new unabridged audiobook BODY HIGH, written and read by Jon Lindsey. Get it now:https://thetalkingbook.org/body-highThe Talking Book

Listen to excerpts from COMMAND AND CONTROL, a new story by Sam Pink, forthcoming in the Southwest Review. Check out the author's work in the links below: https://thetalkingbook.org/audiobookshttps://bookshop.org/books?keywords=Sam+Pinkhttps://www.instagram.com/sam_pink_art/The Talking Book

A portrait of the artist at the brink of self-actualization, Salad Days is a vulnerable and evocative study of identity. Go get Laura Theobald's book right now. https://shop.maudlinhouse.net/#salad-days“Something about Salad Days reminds me of Emily Dickinson—if Emily were hornier and funnier. The poems have the kind of specificity that allows them…

Rooted in New Orleans, Creole Conjure is an interconnected short story collection that mixes and matches folklore and fairy tales to create a unique mythos of its own. It follows various female or female-identifying characters trying to find their way in a world built upon deception and oppression. Inspiration was taken from European fairy tales, G…

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781680032550/imagine-a-death/In the face of a slow but impending apocalypse, what binds three seemingly divergent lives (a writer, a photographer, an old man), isn't the commonality of a perceived future death, but the layered and complex fabric of how loss, abuse, trauma, and death have shaped their pasts, and how t…

https://thetalkingbook.org/mira-corporaJEFF JACKSON is a novelist, playwright, visual artist, and songwriter. His second novel Destroy All Monsters was published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in Fall 2018. It received advanced praise from Don DeLillo, Janet Fitch, Dana Spiotta, Ben Marcus, and Dennis Cooper. His novella Novi Sad was published as a lim…

A reading from Mallory SmartThe Only Living Girl in ChicagoZoe Clark is back in Chicago, and she already wants to run. But she can never turn her back on her monstrous hometown again. Grief, technology, isolation, and emptiness keep her up at night. Or maybe it's the coffee. Her brain feels like a mosquito trapped in amber, ready to be found in 65 …

Featured story: The MattressSleepovers, the debut short story collection by Ashleigh Bryant Phillips, takes us to a forgotten corner of the rural South, full of cemeteries, soybean fields, fishing holes, and Duck Thru gas stations. We meet a runaway teen, a mattress salesman, feral kittens, an elderly bachelorette wearing a horsehair locket, and a …

Duncan Birmingham is a writer and filmmaker in Los Angeles. He’s been a writer and producer on numerous shows including Maron (with Marc Maron) on IFC. His book of short stories, The Cult in My Garage comes out in August from Maudlin House. https://shop.maudlinhouse.net/The Talking Book

Wes Tirey returns with his 10th record and label debut for Dear Life Records. It is a Midwestern Odyssey, borne from Tirey's childhood in Southern Ohio and from the literary traditions of Frank Stanford and Raymond Carver. Over the course of eighteen songs, Tirey explores through his characters themes of social and geographic isolation. He wanders …

A very special reading by Bud Smith called Free Bird from his collection Double Bird, out now from Maudlin House. Vivd. Odd. Hurtful. Unloved. Wet with dew. Out of its mind with joy. Get this damn book:https://shop.maudlinhouse.net/#double-birdThe Talking Book

Amphibians invites further contemplation of female physicality--what it means to reside in a female form. An amphibious aircraft crashes in Maine, a young girl skinny-dips with her elders, a distraught cruise ship dancer boards a water taxi in Grenada, and travelers to Dubai and Abu Dhabi long for familiar oceans; back in New England, small-town ar…

The poems in Mik Grantham’s debut collection, HARDCORE, are deceptively simple, darkly funny, and as unforgettable as a nagging toothache. Grantham confronts grief in myriad forms; the loss of innocence coincides with the loss of a tooth; a relationship decays and is uprooted alongside ruminative dog walks and soul-crushing waitressing shifts. It i…