Tall And True Short Reads

Since Episode 100, I've taken a break from podcasting to plan a new direction for Season Five of Tall And True Short Reads, which I hope to launch early next year. Meanwhile, I've "gift-wrapped" the first episodes from Seasons One to Four of the podcast for this year's bumper Kris Kringle episode.The stories written and narrated by Robert Fairhead for The Kris Kringle - Xmas 2024 first appeared on the Tall And True writers' website.Read the stories on Tall And True:• Five Meet on Zoom: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/five-meet-on-zoom• The Last Book That Made You Cry: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/the-last-book-that-made-you-cry• Once Upon A Time: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/once-upon-a-time• Some Things Change – Perth, Western Australia, 1979: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/some-things-changePodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comEpisode 100, Twin Souls in the Universe: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/twin-souls-in-the-universe/Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Santa’s Sleigh Bells: https://freesound.org/people/BrianJamesLong/sounds/330415/Five Meet on Zoom:• NoneThe Last Book That Made You Cry: • Page turning: https://freesound.org/people/Kodack/sounds/256475/Once Upon A Time:• Slow Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/Julien%20Matthey/sounds/457651/• Conference Noise: https://freesound.org/people/shazam118/sounds/83788/• Glasses Clinking: https://freesound.org/people/KenRT/sounds/319994/• Applause: https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/462362/Some Things Change – Perth, Western Australia, 1979:• Kids playing: https://freesound.org/people/cognito%20perceptu/sounds/61503/• Glasses Clinking: https://freesound.org/people/KenRT/sounds/319994/• Car Interior: https://freesound.org/people/devy32/sounds/439252/• Sipping Wine: https://freesound.org/people/bbrocer/sounds/382656/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. The podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

If you thought about it, the process for selecting the first matter transference test pilot was archaic, although Mae considered it a lucky omen when she drew the Blue 15 raffle ticket. Blue, not pink, was her favourite colour as a girl, and at 15, Mae had decided she wanted to become an astronaut.Twin Souls in the Universe is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/twin-souls-in-the-universeRead the "What's in a Name?" blog post: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/whats-in-a-nameTall And True Short Reads website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comListen to Episode 8 of Tall And True Short Reads, Splendid Views: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/splendid-views/Episode 92 of Tall And True Short Reads, The Lost and Found Story: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-lost-and-found-story/Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Ambient Universe Hum: https://freesound.org/people/FALL-E/sounds/713436/• Hooray!: https://freesound.org/people/Vesperia94/sounds/403057/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

I'm getting too old for this. My speechwriter's pulse quickens as the PM mounts the flag-decked stage, flanked by senior ministers and mining industry executives, to announce her government's green coal plan. Panned by environmentalists and scientists, polling suggests it could be a vote winner … if the PM nails my speech.My Speech is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/my-speechTall And True Short Reads website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comListen to Episode 90 of Tall And True Short Reads, A Good Story: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/a-good-story/Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Camera shutter burst: https://freesound.org/people/Lumamorph/sounds/505476/• Tapping microphone: https://freesound.org/people/susychristiansen/sounds/149034/• Applause: https://freesound.org/people/sagetyrtle/sounds/32260/• Typewriter: https://freesound.org/people/supersupernator/sounds/519622/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

The local dog club, where I volunteered as a trainer for twenty years, ran season-ending Fun Days with events like Fancy Dress, Agility Slalom, Waggliest Tail, and other novelty races that changed from year to year. One of my favourites was the Sack Race, where my dear old dog and I always placed third.For the Sake of a Story is a blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/sake-of-a-storyRead How to "Kill Your Darlings" and Survive the Process by Ruthanne Reid: https://thewritepractice.com/kill-your-darlings/Read My Good Dog and Muse on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/good-dog-museListen to Episode 72 of Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/my-good-dog-and-muse/Post with Jet sleeping in the home office podcast study: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/introducing-tall-and-true-short-readsTall And True Short Reads website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:•  Dogs Barking: https://freesound.org/people/Mafon2/sounds/676407/•  Plane: https://freesound.org/people/bigpickle51/sounds/262753/•  Clapping: https://freesound.org/people/sagetyrtle/sounds/32260/•  Typewriter: https://freesound.org/people/supersupernator/sounds/519622/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

Excuse me, humanity, please pay attention. I have an urgent message. "What? Not in the middle of my reality TV show!" I'm sorry. I'll be brief. But first, a little background. My message concerns the fate of a pale blue dot in the inky expanse of the universe. Beyond its fragile borders is vast nothingness.You Have Been Warned is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/you-have-been-warnedListen to Episode 59, Once Upon A Time: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/once-upon-a-time/Not Quite Write Podcast and Prize website: https://notquitewritepodcast.com/Tall And True Short Reads website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• TV Static: https://freesound.org/people/Kleber_KGF/sounds/354019/• Gunfire: https://freesound.org/people/C-V/sounds/523404/• Screaming Voices: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/486179/• Angry Voices: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/486193/• Car Horn: https://freesound.org/people/felix.blume/sounds/684521/• Bicycle Bell: https://freesound.org/people/altazor80/sounds/367744/• Storm Wind: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/481139/• Story Rain: https://freesound.org/people/2887679652/sounds/164921/• Flood Waters: https://freesound.org/people/martialway47/sounds/258187/• Desert Crickets: https://freesound.org/people/felix.blume/sounds/641589/• Fire: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/483309/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

I open my eyes, blink and try to focus on the bright lights set into the white ceiling flying past overhead. I hear beeps and muffled voices. It feels like I'm strapped to a camp stretcher, but it's moving. I'm on a hospital gurney. What happened? I want to ask. But there's a tube down my throat, and I can't talk.The Light Above is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/the-light-aboveRead my 2020 blog post about Furious Fiction: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/furiousfiction-writers-centre-competitionAbout Judd Exley: https://www.juddexley.com/about/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Hospital Gurney: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/481111/• Beeping/Flatline: https://freesound.org/people/Tommy6969/sounds/730279/• Bike Freewheeling: https://freesound.org/people/13gkopeckak/sounds/378905/• Car Passing: https://freesound.org/people/NachtmahrTV/sounds/553259/• Bike Crash: https://freesound.org/people/1sticky8/sounds/78483/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

In 1987, my wife and I shouldered our backpacks and set off from Australia. The plan was to live and work overseas in England for two years, using it as a base for UK and wider world travels. And the widest of these were inspired by reading books like Alan Moorehead's The White Nile and The Blue Nile.The White and Blue Niles is a travel blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/the-white-and-blue-nilesRead a post about the nine-month overland journey inspired by travel writers and Michael Palin's Pole to Pole:https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/inspired-by-michael-palins-pole-to-polePodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:     https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Plane: https://freesound.org/people/bigpickle51/sounds/262753/• Typewriter: https://freesound.org/people/supersupernator/sounds/519622/• Jungle Sounds: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/438261/• Steam Whistle: https://freesound.org/people/mike_stranks/sounds/407394/• Air Raid Siren/Bombing: https://freesound.org/people/hello_flowers/sounds/31887/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

Have you ever had one of those mornings? You know, where everything goes wrong. It's like a farce, a series of mishaps increasing in frequency and intensity that have you howling with side-splitting laughter or shedding tears of frustration.One of Those Mornings is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/one-of-those-morningsRead the Five April Stories blog post: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/five-april-storiesListen to The Winner's Toast, Episode 45 of Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-winners-toast/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Car Doors: https://freesound.org/people/oscaraudiogeek/sounds/333281/• Car Driving: https://freesound.org/people/devy32/sounds/439252/• Car Horns: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479995/• Storm: https://freesound.org/people/2887679652/sounds/164921/• Heart Monitor (beeping): https://freesound.org/people/iluminati_2705/sounds/536706/• Text Notification: https://freesound.org/people/katjajansen1997/sounds/538006/• Alarm Clock: https://freesound.org/people/gecop/sounds/522119/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page

Teresa's first thing in the morning text message was a punch in the guts. "Sorry, Colin. I love you, but we're on different journeys. Let's stay friends." I blinked twice to clear my eyes and was about to respond, "Are you serious?" but threw the phone against the bedroom wall instead.Different Journeys is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/different-journeysListen to Episode 84 of Tall And True Short Reads, In Her Head: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/in-her-head/Link to the winning entries for January 2024's Not Quite Write Prize:https://notquitewritepodcast.com/results-of-the-january-2024-not-quite-write-prize-for-flash-fiction/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Text message notification: https://freesound.org/people/katjajansen1997/sounds/538006/• Phone hitting plaster wall: https://freesound.org/people/bruno.auzet/sounds/640198/• City streets: https://freesound.org/people/TL_Dawnstar/sounds/540957/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter Page