Listen

Marksman - Walk with me for an hour as I record myself working my way through an idea for a short story. Walk with me away from town, up to a farm and back. You’ll hear the hunting horn of the rag-and-bone man. You’ll hear the steps of my walking boots and the steps of my story-building as I figure things out in the mind of the narrator in my mind. She has a death wish, and she knows a marksman. Find out along with me what happens when they meet.

Bill’s Bones - Judith Reynolds seeks a job at Club Med in Bintan, Indonesia, because that is where her husband drowned, disappearing without a trace. She wants to be there if his bones resurface. What surfaces instead are relationships and feelings she could never have anticipated.

This story was included in the 2007 short story collection Locked Out: Stories Far from Home, and was recorded by the wonderful Australian actress, coach and lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Nicole Stinton.

Judith Reynolds seeks a job at Club Med in Bintan, Indonesia, because that is where her husband drowned, disappearing without a trace. She wants to be there if his bones resurface. What surfaces instead are relationships and feelings she could never have anticipated. This story was included in the 2007 short story collection Locked Out: Stories Far from Home, and was recorded by the wonderful Australian actress, coach and lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Nicole Stinton.

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The Clink - Bodyguard Frankie Sacchetti is in jail, practicing for the TV interview he’s sure will happen when he announces that he’s figured out exactly how he was framed for the murder of his employer. Once again, the wonderful voice actor and musician Tom Clark-Hill stepped into my character’s shoes (see ‘Talking About Lily May’).

I wrote this story as part of the 2018 NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge, something I encourage every writer to do!

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Waxed Duck - Half-Singaporean, half-British Alexandra Yong Yi Brown is busy trying to find a boyfriend in time for her parents’ visit to Singapore from England for Chinese New Year. She gets hooked on British expat James via an online dating site, but the longer he puts off meeting her, the more convinced she is that they are meant to be. How far will she go to make sure he’s at the table eating waxed duck when her parents are in town?

Multifaceted Singaporean actor Charlotte Chiew did me the honour of recording this story at STAC Audio in London on 3 December 2019.

Phil Bond and Tom Clarke-Hill getting ready to perform

Phil Bond and Tom Clarke-Hill getting ready to perform

Talking About Lily May - This short story follows Sam, a middle-aged blues musician, in his quest to win the heart of a charming young back-up singer. It was recorded by the voiceover artist and actor AND musician Tom Clarke-Hill, and is followed by the song Sam wrote to express his feelings to Lily May. Only the lyrics appear in the story, of course, and I’m indebted to Tom (on bass and vocals) and Phil Bond (on keys) for the melody, and the recording. They also performed the story and song at Word.Play.Live, a terrific event organised by Brum Radio’s Blake Woodham, at the Warehouse Café in Birmingham on 8 October 2018.

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A Message for George, Whose Essay on Pride and Prejudice I Found in the Grass - When I see writing on discarded paper, I always pick it up. The inspiration for this piece was a crumpled essay. I disagreed with many of the teacher’s red comments, and offered young George, wherever he may be, a few pointers. It was recorded and produced by Brum Radio for their ‘Word Play’ feature.

The Perfect Wife - It’s a long time now since we welcomed another woman into our home. Here is what I thought at the beginning regarding getting used to her.

Watch

Nine O’Clock Feed
During the New York City Midnight Short Story Challenge this year, I had to write a story in the genre of comedy, incorporating the character of a working mother and the subject of instant fame. It's a 15-minute listen, and I hope it will give you a smile.

You can check out the wonderful annual short story challenge here: The Short Story Challenge (nycmidnight.com)

The War of the Worlds
Things my father told me about growing up in a St. Louis suburb inspired me to write this story. While he eventually became a psychologist, he always played jazz piano and trombone on the side, and later in life wrote a well-received biography of his hero Art Tatum

As well as being the only story in a male voice from my short story collection (Locked Out: Stories Far From Home), it is also the only story not connected to Asia. If you're interested in a bit of armchair travel - to Singapore, Japan, India and Sri Lanka - Locked Out is available on my website here.

Dear Aunt
In among my British grandparents' letters, this time, I found one from a distant relative I'd never heard of. It is written to my great-great grandmother, his Aunt Alice. What a stark contrast this writing is to the previous one I read, 'Dear Lover', even though it is also about marriage!

Dear Lover
In among my grandparents' love letters, I found one from someone I didn't recognize, dated 1892. It is sweet and funny and disarming, and I've videoed a reading of it to celebrate the 10th anniversary of my engagement to my husband.

8 Ways to Avoid Every Novelist’s Least Favorite Question

I had an idea for a bit of writerly humor, and my husband helped me make this video. I hope it gives you a giggle!









Stories on the Spot - In 2010 I did a talk at TEDx Singapore in which I discussed the concept of ‘thinking outside the box’, turning it inside out and recommending that people think inside the box. To help them understand what I meant, I taught them an improv game called Eight Objects (except that I had them using only six objects - didn’t want to frighten anyone!). At the end of the talk improvised two stories using the same six objects written down by audience members. Try it yourselves!