Daughter Of Fire And Water

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000

In the final episode of season one of Spec Fic Radio Theatre we are bringing you fantasy inspired by Scottish Folklore.  Daughter of Fire and Water is written by Lyndsey Croal   In Daughter of Fire and water by Lyndsey Croal you heard   Kelsey Griffin as Brida Lewie Watson as Angus Peter Forbes as Cernun and Simone Low as Callie   Music was by Cameron Mackay Sound design, direction and soundscapes were by Chris Gregory  If you would like to find out more about the writer of Daughter of Fire and Water, Lyndsey Croal you can follow the link below to visit her website. https://lyndseycroal.co.uk/  Follow Lyndsey on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/lyndseycroal   You can hear Lyndsey Croal chatting with Spec Fic Radio Theatre producers Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen in this special live recording of our new Writing Worlds Podcast.  This episode was recorded at the Cymera Festival in Edinburgh. https://pod.link/1812994751/episode/95227555f90d04bb39e681e6d01040d2   This is the last episode in season one of Spec Fic Radio Theatre.  On behalf of all of our writers and our producers, Emily Inkpen and me Chris Gregory, we'd like to thank you for listening.   If you have enjoyed the show please leave us a like, rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.  You may like to know that Alternative Stories now has a Patreon page where you can listen to all of our shows ad free and ahead of general release.  You can find out more and join here  https://www.patreon.com/c/AltStories  One of the things you'll be able to enjoy is the third series of our award-winning science fiction drama The Dex legacy which will be launching on Friday 25th July.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Seeing Trees

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ In the forests of Scandinavia a family is besieged by a malicious raven which watches and follows them everywhere they go.  How will they escape from this curse and at what cost?  The Seeing Trees is a dark Nordic mystery with elements of violence, peril, horror, language and elements that some listeners may find disturbing. Please do not listen if you object to any of the above.    In the Seeing Trees By Kaitlin Felix…  Charlie Richards played Trygve  Lewie Watson was Harleif Tiffany Clare was Mother Amy Forrest played Freja Chris Gregory was Magnus and Townsman Annika Kordes played Townswoman 1 Karen Cooper played Townswoman 2   The incantation was performed by Charlie Richards, Tiffany Clare, Kaitlin Felix and Chris Gregory with coaching, support and counselling by Kaitlin!  Original music and soundscapes were by Chris Gregory The Seeing Trees was adapted from her original short story by Kaitlin Felix and Chris Gregory Find out more about the writer of The Seeing Trees, Kaitlin Felix, by visiting her website here https://katifelix.com/ And follow Kaitlin on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/kfelix_writes/ Kaitlin will be appearing on our new podcast about world building "Writing Worlds" very soon. Subscribe here to have new episodes delivered to your feed as they are released https://pod.link/1812994751   You can find all our other podcasts and link to Alternative Stories on social media by following this link https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Ark

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Flood survival operations are underway aboard the Ark and Captain Noah has delegated command to his sons and their partners.  But as the voyage begins a spate of mysterious deaths prompt Parphia to turn detective and embark upon the world's first ever murder mystery.  She is determined to record every last clue and discovery as she tries to solve the crimes, but has she bitten off more than she can chew and can she survive the mysterious Ark killer?    In Ark by Stephanie Weston you heard   Tiffany Clare as Parphia Charlie Richards as Japhet Emily Inkpen as Olla Stephanie Weston as Leah And Chris Gregory as Ham  Ark was directed by Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen   Sound design, music and editing were by Chris Gregory  Ark was recorded at Orpheus Studio in London and by Richard Campbell    Ark by Stephanie Weston was the winner of the 2023 Pen to Print Audio Play competition.     You can find out more about Stephanie Weston by visiting her website  https://tabb.cc/stephanie-weston And you can follow Stephanie on instagram here  https://www.instagram.com/stephanie__weston/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Two Tribes

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ As a historian in the bleak, climate-ravaged twenty-third century, it's Zoe's job to record and archive the past, not to recreate it. But when she comes across the diaries of Harry and Michelle, who lived two hundred years ago, she becomes fascinated by the minutiae of their lives and decides to write a novel about them, filling in the gaps with her own imaginings.  Listeners are warned that this episode contains explicit language.    In Two Tribes by Chris Beckett you heard  Verity Blyth as Zoe  Rosa Samuels as Cally Charlie Richards as Harry Sadie Pepperrell as Michelle And Marie Claire Wood as Letty The main theme for Two Tribes is by Scott Ander  Sound design, soundscapes and direction are by Chris Gregory Casting was by Chris Gregory and Chris Beckett The script was adapted from Chris Beckett’s original novel by Chris Gregory and Chris Beckett Sound effects are from freesound.org   This audio drama is an adaptation of part of the novel Two Tribes. If you would like to read the full novel it is out in paperback in the UK now and details on how to buy it are posted below   We would also like to thank  Kate Straker of Corvus / Atlantic Books for her help and cooperation in the making of this audio drama.     You can find out more about Chris Beckett by visiting his website here http://www.chris-beckett.com/ Follow Chris on twitter here  https://twitter.com/chriszbeckett And purchase Two Tribes here On Hive  https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Chris-Author-Becket… And on Amazon  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Tribes-Chris-Beckett/…   You can visit Corvus via their website here  https://atlantic-books.co.uk/corvus/ Follow Corvus on twitter here  https://twitter.com/CorvusBooks   The theme tune for this edition is is called “The Hunt” by Scott Ander, from his EP “The Holocene” which you can listen to here https://soundcloud.com/user-498615231/sets/the-hol… You can follow Scott on Instagram here  https://www.instagram.com/scottandermusic/ To find out more about Alternative Stories and listen to our other audio drama podcasts please visit the link below https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories Our podcasts are free to listen to but not free to make. If you would like to support the show please visit the link below  https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Backdrop

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ In Backdrop by Anna Orridge you heard Marie-Claire Wood as Laura Harri Rees-Jones as Marvin Kelley Costigan as The Administrator Kelli Winkler as the voice of Backdrop and Chris Gregory as Laura's father Backdrop is based on a short story by Anna Orridge and adapted by Anna Orridge and Chris Gregory You can find out more about Anna at: https://annaorridge.com And read more about her anthology - The Utopia of Us - at: https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/post/anna-orridge-the-utopia-of-us-anthology-pre-order-available-now Music, sound design and editing were by Chris Gregory Sound effects are from freesound.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Real Boy

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ In “Real Boy” by Cailean Steed you heard   Alex White as FoxKelley Costigan as CatKirsty Woolven as CarloCarl Wharton as FatherHadiya Morris as Motherand Verity Blyth as AzureMusic, sound design, direction and editing were by Chris GregroyCasting and character direction were by Chris Gregory and Cailean Steed Sound effects were from freesound.org Real Boy was the winner of the 2021 Pen to Print Audio Play Competition.   To find out more about Cailean Steed and their other work please visit their website here https://www.caileansteed.com/ Writing Worlds is created and presented by Emily Inkpen and Chris Gregory of the audio production company Alternative Stories.  Listen to our other audio drama productions by following this link https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories   Follow Alternative Stories  on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/stories.alt/ And Bluesky here https://bsky.app/profile/storiesalt.bsky.social   Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by visiting her website here https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ Listen to The Dex Legacy and Wasteland, Emily’s award-winning audio drama series here https://www.emilyinkpen.com/thedexlegacy-home/ And follow Emily on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/emilyinkpen/ And Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/emilyinkpen.bsky.social   If you would like to get in touch with Alternative Stories please contact us via office@alternativestories.com   All of our audio drama productions are free to listen to but not free to make.  If you would like to support the show and receive our eternal gratitude you can do so via this link  https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Best Of Men (Part Two)

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Marc Hughes, the larger-than-life presenter of the supernatural investigation TV show Paranormal Takedown, is in Shropshire visiting his friend Jack who claims that the Devil is active in the county.  Alongside co-host Emilie Daniels, Marc has decided to make a special edition about the weird goings-on but upon arrival in the county he starts to realise that the stories he is hearing are stranger and darker than he imagined.  In “The Best of Men: Part 2” by Amy Boucher you can hear Tiffany Clare as Emilie  Alex White as Marc Carl Wharton as Jack Amy Boucher as "Woman in the pub" Chris Gregory as 'Owd Scratch Music, sound design, production and editing are by Chris Gregory for Alternative Stories. The author of today’s episode, Amy Boucher, is a writer and folklorist whose narratives centre on her native Shropshire. Her emphasis tends to focus on the interplay between folklore, history and the paranormal. To find out more about Amy Boucher and her work you can visit her blog at https://nearlyknowledgeablehistory.blogspot.com/  Follow Amy on Bluesky here  https://bsky.app/profile/g0blinegg.bsky.social and on X here https://x.com/g0blinegg   Join us next week for more from the world of Alternative Stories audio drama  Spec Fic Radio Theatre is brought to you by Alternative Stories and presented by Emily Inkpen and Chris Gregory.   Our shows are free to listen to but not free to make. If you would like to support the show you can do so by making a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Best Of Men (Part One)

Thu, 29 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ When the presenter of a popular TV show investigating instances of paranormal activity receives a series of phone messages from an old friend claiming that he knows of supernatural goings-on in the county of Shropshire he is initially sceptical. Intrigued by the possibility of debunking the reports however, he makes plans to visit Shropshire and find out more about the phenomena. In “The Best of Men - Part 1” by Amy Boucher you can hear Tiffany Clare as Emilie  Alex White as Marc and Carl Wharton as Jack Music, sound design, production and editing are by Chris Gregory for Alternative Stories. The author of today’s episode, Amy Boucher, is a writer and folklorist whose narratives centre on her native Shropshire. Her emphasis tends to focus on the interplay between folklore, history and the paranormal. To find out more about Amy Boucher and her work you can visit her blog at https://nearlyknowledgeablehistory.blogspot.com/  Follow Amy on Bluesky here  https://bsky.app/profile/g0blinegg.bsky.social and on X here https://x.com/g0blinegg Join us next week for the second and final part of The Best of Men Spec Fic Radio Theatre is brought to you by Alternative Stories and presented by Emily Inkpen and Chris Gregory. Our shows are free to listen to but not free to make. If you would like to support the show you can do so by making a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Gathering

Thu, 22 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Two sisters receive an unexpected ultimatum. In order to inherit their share of the family wealth from their dead mother they must agree to spend a night together in the abandoned family home.   In “The Gathering” by Lewis Carter you heard  Miztli Rose as Sasha  Phoebe Batteson Brown as Gemma  Alex White as Tom  Chris Gregory as Clark Sarah Golding as Mrs Harrington Marie-Claire Wood as Rosie  And Emily Inkpen as the nurse  Other voices were played by members of the cast.   Production,sound design, music and editing were by Chris Gregory   “TheGathering” represented the UK at the International Audio Drama Festival 2022. Since then, Lewis has written a full series for us called Burnout. Burnout is a cyberpunk-thriller about ex-zero gravity racer, Theo Bazerov, a rogue AI nano-bot swarm called IRIS, and a whole cast of delicious, morally grey characters. It’s a lot of fun and you can listen to all of it right now on all platforms or via this link https://pod.link/1798982875   Find out more about Burnout and writer Lewis Carter here https://www.burnoutpod.com/ You can follow Lewis Carter on social media here https://www.instagram.com/fictionist4hire/ https://x.com/fictionist4hire Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her many projects here  ⁠https://linktr.ee/emilyinkpen⁠ Find out more about Chris and Alternative Stories here ⁠https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories⁠ Subscribe to Spec Fic Radio Theatre wherever you listen to podcasts to receive a new speculative fiction drama each week. Support Spec Fic Radio Theatre here https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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A Ring Around

Thu, 15 May 2025 04:05:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Sage and Elara's friendship grows to something more as they work together on a deep space mission.  Even a near-deadly asteroid impact cannot separate them, but as they dream of a life together on land something begins to change.   In "A Ring Around" by Lyndsey Croal, Tiffany Clare plays Elara and Dina and Emily Inkpen plays Sage.   "A Ring Around" is adapted from a short story of the same name which appears in Lyndsey. Croal's collection "Limelight and Other Stories" (Shortwave Publishing 2024).  Order a copy and find out more here https://shop.shortwavepublishing.com/products/limelight-and-other-stories-paperback   Find out more about Lyndsey Croal and her work by visiting her website here https://lyndseycroal.co.uk/   You can follow Lyndsey on social media here https://www.instagram.com/lyndseycroal https://bsky.app/profile/lyndseycroal.bsky.social   Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her many projects here  https://linktr.ee/emilyinkpen Find out more about Chris and Alternative Stories here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories Subscribe to Spec Fic Radio Theatre to receive a new speculative fiction drama each week. Our dramas are free to listen to but not free to make. If you would like to support our work by sponsoring an episode or actor or simply buying us a coffee you can do so here https://ko-fi.com/alternativestories Get in touch with Alternative Stories at office@alternativestories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Postcards From Another World

Thu, 15 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Making a life on a new world following a family tragedy, Lyra and Neeva reflect on their past lines as farmers on Epsilon while coming to terms with the realities of existence on their new home, Lunasetti.  Postcards From Another World by Frasier Armitage was the winner of the 2022 Pen To Print Audio Play Competition.  In Postcards from Another World by Frasier Armitage you heard  Sarah Golding as LyraMarie-Claire Wood as NeevaWarren Graham as ZaboEmily Inkpen as the computerRhiannon Armitage as the Lunasetti spaceport announcer Chris Gregory as Privik.   Production, sound design and editing were by Chris Gregory for Alternative Stories The original score was composed and performed by Chris GregorySound effects were from Freesound.orgCasting advice, actor coaching and beta listening were by Frasier Armitage.   You can find out more about Frasier Armitage and his work by visiting his website here https://frasierarmitage.com/ You can follow Frasier on Bluesky here https://bsky.app/profile/frasierarmitage.bsky.social And Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/frasierarmitage/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her many projects here  https://linktr.ee/emilyinkpen Find out more about Chris and Alternative Stories here https://linktr.ee/AlternativeStories Subscribe to Spec Fic Radio Theatre wherever you listen to podcasts to receive a new speculative fiction drama each week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome To Spec Fic Radio Theatre

Wed, 07 May 2025 20:49:00 -0000

Join our Patreon for ad-free podcasts and bonus content ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AltStories⁠ Welcome to Spec Fic Radio Theatre, and anthology podcast of standalone or short-run audio drama and audio fiction stories aimed at fans of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. In this preview episode we hear from producers Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen about what to expect in our first season and listen to trailers from some of the productions we'll be sharing in our first few weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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