Hi, I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is Story Time with Darcie. In every episode you hear you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.In May 2020, I read the first installment of The Adventures of Bunny and Boy: Bunny, Boy, and the Special Delivery. (I’ll leave a direct link to that episode in the show notes.) In that story, we met a toddler and his stuffed bunny and shared in one of their adventures. Today, I’m delighted to revisit these characters with the second installment: Bunny, Boy, and the Monster Hunt. As I don’t have any guest voices to thank this month, and there are no content warnings, let’s begin.The first two installments of The Adventures of Bunny and Boy were written in early 2019 in the comforting hug that was The Old Bookstore Café in Camden East, Ontario. This Café was my happy place for quite a while. I had a regular table and a regular meal that was actually named after me! Sadly, The Old Bookstore Café didn’t survive Covid. If you are lucky enough to have a local spot that feels like an extension of your home, as The Old Bookstore Café was for me, please, find a way to support them as we move into our second year of pandemic restrictions. And to Bonnie and the gang from the Café, I miss you, think of you often, and hope the hugs sent your way through heart felt thoughts and digital sound waves reach you.I hope you enjoyed this episode of Story Time with Darcie. If you have, please, help me keep the podcast going by sharing it! Leave a five-star rating on Apple podcasts, write a review, or give us a shout out on social media to help more people find us. If a friend is looking for something new to listen to, suggest Story Time with Darcie. If an episode make you think of someone in particular, send it their way! Every time you share it makes a difference!If you, dear listener, would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (you can find my email address in the episode notes). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling.Direct Link to the first installment of The Adventures of Bunny and Boy: Bunny, Boy, and the Special DeliveryDirect Link to text version of installment two of The Adventures of Bunny and Boy: Bunny, Boy and the Monster Hunt.

Story Time with Darcie

S2E4: Bunny, Boy, and the Monster Hunt

Hi, I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is Story Time with Darcie. In every episode you hear a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. I am delighted that Allison Moro is with us again and that another listener, Brooke Houle has joined as well. This is the first episode that features only guests that sprang from our listenership! So exciting!! As a child of the 80’s, March will always be about Earth Day and caring for the planet. As the ice lets go of my beloved Canada and the earth begins its long process of reawakening, I consider how I can best care for my small corner of our planet. In today’s story, Extinct, we explore a future world where a planetary catastrophe has ended animals’ ability to procreate. Like all sci-fi, this story takes one small detail of our current society and explores the potential long-term results of its exaggeration. As you may have already guessed from the small synopsis I just provided, today’s Content Warnings include Animal Death and the big group of Pregnancy/Childbirth/Miscarriages/Abortion. These triggers are handled with a gentle touch and looked at sideways, but if this isn&apos;t the right episode for you I completely understand and I look forward to seeing you next month. I wrote Extinct for the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge in 2018. It was one of the first stories I wrote that I shared and I was surprised when it took fourth place for my heat! This is the story that made me believe I could actually do it. That I had something worth saying. That I could be a writer. Looking back at it now, I’d like to take another pass at this one, there’s lots of space for improvement. Maybe I’ll revisit it in the future. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Story Time with Darcie. If you have, please, help me keep the podcast going by sharing it! Leave a five-star rating on Apple podcasts, write a review, or give us a shout out on social media to help more people find us. If a friend is looking for something new to listen to, suggest Story Time with Darcie. If an episode make you think of someone in particular, send it their way! Every time you share it makes a difference! Thank you, Brooke and Allison, for joining me today! If you, dear listener, would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly.  If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (you can find my email address in the episode notes). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling. (Extinct is not available in digital text format. You can read it in Musings: A Collection of Short Stories. To purchase your copy, contact Darcie.)

S2E3: Extinct

Hi, I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, you hear a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. In February last year, we read Heart DisEase as Valentine’s Day called for a romance, but more importantly in honour of Organ Donation Month. If you haven’t signed your donor card, please, consider doing so today and while you’re at it, schedule a blood donation appointment. The past year has shown how inter-woven we are as a human species. Instead of spreading fear and disease, let’s spread love and health.This February, I’ve chosen to look at love in a different way, with the fable Frankie and Freddie Froggie’s Fabulous Ferry.Please join me in welcoming our three guest voices today. Allison Moro is a listener turned guest! She loves teaching and public speaking, and I was delighted when she reached out with interest in becoming a voice on the pod! Desmond Branscombe also joins us today. The Branscombe name should be familiar now as Desmond is the forth kid by that name to lend his voice to one of my stories. I love my nieces and nephews! Our final guest today is the always wonderful Nikolas Yuen who takes on not one, but two character voices. If you’re a new listener, Nik is a regular guest voice here. Check out October 2020’s Diary of a Deadman or last month’s The Value of a Journey to hear more of his work.The only content warning today is some poorly performed tongue twisters. I hope you find my stumbles trigger nothing more than light mirth.  Frankie and Freddie Froggie’s Fabulous Ferry is the first fable I’ve written. The challenge it was written for assigned a comedy and after a few false starts, this fable is what came out. I enjoyed the freedom to build exaggerated characters to tell the story. Which character did you most relate to?I hope you enjoyed this episode of Story Time with Darcie. If you have, please, help me keep the podcast going by sharing it! Leave a five-star rating on Apple podcasts, write a review, or give us a shout out on social media to help more people find us. If a friend is looking for something new to listen to, suggest Story Time with Darcie. If an episode make you think of someone in particular, send it their way! Every time you share it makes a difference!Thank you, Allison, Desmond, and Nikolas for joining me today! If you, dear listener, would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (you can find my email address in the episode notes). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of Frankie and Freddie Froggie&apos;s Fabulous Ferry.

S2E2: Frankie and Freddie Froggie's Fabulous Ferry

Hi. I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is a bonus episode of Story Time with Darcie. Regularly, episodes are released on the first Thursday of the month with a reading of my own eclectic short fiction. But this isn’t a regular episode.Like Bonus Episode 1 in July, there will still be a story, two in fact. Stories I am sure you will enjoy because this is, after all, The Best of (the rest of) 2020. Today’s first story is the Fan Favourite from July 2020 through December 2020. However, by all measures and counts, the fan favourite is Grace’s Christmas Concert (a great story and I can’t say I’m surprised it’s the winner), and since it is now the middle of January, a classic Christmas story just doesn’t seem appropriate. So, we’re going to revisit the second place Fan Favourite, September: Singular Needs. My thanks again to Amber Campbell and the Text to Voice App for bringing voice to the two characters in this story. I had forgotten how much I enjoy that story! To round out our first Bonus Episode, it’s time to revisit my favourite story from the latter half of 2020. With so many options including Fulfillment Office, A Brief (Fictional) History of Communication (with Fratricide), and Godly Musings over Triple Espresso, I was surprised it was an easy choice to pick Diary of a Deadman: Birth of a Poltergeist. Thank you, Nikolas Yuen, for voicing this story. Between your amazing performance and the soundscaping, this story hits all the emotional notes for me.   Well, that’s it for today’s Bonus Episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to all the guests who participated in adapting these stories to audio format! This podcast wouldn’t exist with guest participation.If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (you can find my email address in the episode notes). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time with Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of Singular Needs by Darcie T. Kelly.Direct Link to original Story Time With Darcie episode featuring Singular Needs.Direct link to text version of Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist by Darcie T. Kelly.Direct Link to original Story Time With Darcie episode featuring Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist.

Bonus Episode 2: The Best of (the rest of) 2020

Welcome to Season Two of Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, you hear a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. Happy New Year! I have never been so excited to turn the calendar. 2021 is full of promise and opportunity! We still have a long journey ahead of us, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Which makes it the perfect time to read The Value of a Journey. I’m sure you’ll all be as happy as I am with the return of Nikolas Yuen whose involvement has been a gift to Story Time with Darcie. I’d also like to introduce Milena Nazaruk and Killian Branscombe to the pod! Milena is a friend from highschool days. She is a busy woman, balancing an executive career, family life, and a vast collection of friends. Killian is my youngest nephew who you actually heard last month in the choir of voices that closed the story Grace’s Christmas Concert. Thank you, all three, for joining me in today’s story. The Value of a Journey was written for the NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge in April 2020. Apparently, I was already wrestling with the isolation and uncertain future of the pandemic, and looking toward the better future it has given us the opportunity to build. As there are no content warnings today, let’s jump in with both feet and see where this adventure will take us. Thank you, Nikolas, Milena, and Killian for joining me today. Well, that’s it for the first episode of Season two of Story Time with Darcie. I hope you’ve enjoyed the stories and the performances. If you have, please, help me keep the podcast going by sharing it! Leave a five-star rating on Apple podcasts, write a review, or give us a shout out on social media to help more people find us. If a friend is looking for something new to listen to, suggest Story Time with Darcie. If an episode make you think of someone in particular, send it their way! Every time you share it makes a difference! That’s it for today’s episode of Story Time with Darcie. If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (you can find my email address in the episode notes). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of The Value of a Journey.

S2E1: The Value of a Journey

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, you hear a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.It’s December in Canada and I expect many of you, like me, are dreaming of a winter wonderland sprinkled with coloured lights and song. I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, but decorated trees, gift-giving, and eating too much rich food has been a part of my tradition since birth. I hope, therefore, you will understand why this month’s episode will be a classic Christmas story.We have four new voices to welcome to the podcast today! Andrea Hilborn, Denny Ramsay-Brown, Kathleen Ramsay-Brown, and Shahram Yousefi are each friends from a different time and place in my life. While they’ve never overlapped before (other than the Ramsay-Browns that is), this is an appropriate time of year to bring friends from all corners together. Thank you each, for sharing your voice and bringing your special light to this month’s story.Grace’s Christmas Concert, was written in December 2018 when I was filled with Christmas spirit and it spilled out in story form. It still gives me all the feels when I read it, and I confess, they may have slipped out while I was recording. Which leads me to the Content Warning: this story may make you cry. Did you make it through with dry eyes? Thank you, Andrea, Denny, Kathleen, and Shahram for joining me today. I also want to thank everyone who responded to my request a couple of weeks ago! Eden, Killian, Desmond, Lyra, Hilke, Ron, Pamela, Gen, Liam, Becky, Sam, Lisa, Joey, Sean, and Lily. From all corners of our listenership, your voices joined together in a wonderful chorus for the conclusion of today’s story!This also rounds out the first full year of Story Time with Darcie. I hope you’ve enjoyed the stories and the performances. If you have, please, help me keep the podcast going by sharing it! Leave a five-star rating on Apple podcasts or write a review to help more people find us. If a friend is looking for something new to listen to, suggest Story Time with Darcie. If an episode make you think of someone in particular, send it their way! Every time you share it makes a difference!That’s it for today’s episode of Story Time with Darcie. I’ll be back in January with the first story of season two when you’ll hear some familiar voices and meet some new as well. If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, celebrating your traditions and spreading joy. 2020 has been crazy. I wish you health and happiness until we meet again in the New Year. Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (email4darciekelly@gmail.com). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time with Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of Grace&apos;s Christmas Concert.

Episode 12: Grace's Christmas Concert

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, you hear a piece (or two) of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. Please join me in welcome Hayley Scanlan as a new voice on the pod! Hayley is no stranger to the stage, having danced and acted since childhood, but this is her first foray into voice acting. Today’s story, A Brief (Fictional) History of Communication (with Fratricide), is quite a departure from my usual (if you can find anything usual about my eclectic stories). In fact, it’s not really a narrative at all. Yes, I recall I said the same thing about Godly Musings over Triple Espresso in a recent episode, but I think you’ll find this one has a completely different feel yet again. I should also mention that the inclusion of Brief in the title is literal. And because the story is so short, I’m adding some bonus content. But we’ll get to that after the story. As also hinted at in the title, today we have Content Warning for Murder and Killing (Fratricide to be precise), though I’m not sure if it really needs a warning as it’s purely metaphoric murder. But, we’ll let Hayley tell us more about that … Yup. Definitely a departure for me. A little testing of some different waters. A Brief (Fictional) History of Communication (with Fratricide) was written for the Australian Writer’s Centre’s December 2019 Furious Fiction Challenge. I write for challenges quite often. The creative prompts push me to think and create outside my box. I can’t remember exactly what the prompts for this story were, but I’ll never forget the challenge that prompted us with emojiis. (I’ll have to look up that story and share it with you sometime.) But, back to the present. I promised you some bonus content! In addition to the challenges, I often (though not recently) as my facebook followers to send me writing prompts. We call it “Inspire Me Sunday” and it even has a jingle! I mention this not only to encourage you to join my facebook group (@DarcieTKelly) to participate in upcoming Inspire Me Sundays (and yes, if you’ve been missing them I do plan to bring them back soon), but also because Finger Paint, our bonus content, was created as a response to Inspire Me Sunday prompts. In early November, 2018, I was given a fantastic image by friend of the pod Pamela (check out her work on facebook at @LightGraph) and a write up about fall leaves and finger painting. That same week, Gen sent me the poem In Flanders Field as a prompt. I combined the two to create this piece, a tribute to Remembrance Day and all who have sacrificed for the safety of all people.  Well, that’s it for today’s episode of Story Time With Darcie. Once again, thank you, Hayley, for sharing your talents for this story. I’m excited you’ve joined the Story Time with Darcie family! If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, check out my new website: www.darcietkelly.me and join me on facebook @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (email4darciekelly(at)gmail.com). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well, and keep smiling. Direct Link to text version of A 

Episode 11: A Brief (Fictional) History of Communication (with Fratricide) and Finger Paint

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, you hear a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.I am delighted to bring back Nikolas Yuen for today’s story! You heard him as the narrator and title character in August’s episode featuring Godly Musings Over Triple Espresso and as the villains in June’s episode, Refuge. Today, Nik again takes on the narrator and title character in Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist. Yup. Today, in honour of Halloween, you’ll hear a ghost story. Please be advised, as a ghost story, Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist of course carries a Content Warning for Death/Dying, and as a Poltergeist story, also for Violence, and Blood. But it doesn’t start there. It starts with a father, mourning the loss of his child …  At the last minute, I decided I wanted to create a bit more of a spooky atmosphere for today’s ghost story. I went to FreeSound.org, to collect some ambient noises. These are created by wonderful producers and are offered free of charge on this creative commons website. Thank you to those producers who created those sounds. The sound design itself, I did. It’s another gift of this podcast to me that I’m learning so much about sound editing. So, thank you FreeSound.org, thank you to the three producers who created our background sounds. I hope that I did justice to our story today. It had been over a year since I read that story before hearing Nik’s version. I didn’t realize until it was over that my jaw was clenched with anxiety. I can’t decide which character I feel worst for. Our dearly departed, having to watch his family move on without him, his son for losing his father twice (once to death and a second time to darkness), or the widow for losing two romantic partners, the just as he recovers from the first. Once again, thank you, Nik, for sharing your talents for this story. You’ve become a regular here on Story Time with Darcie! I’ll be looking for the next project I can bring you in for. You can hear more of Nik in Bleak December Inc&apos;s "The Wickerman" and "Return to Frightenstein" or back here as soon as I can make it happen! If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and, while Nik has a variety of voices on his own, yours will also be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me at my new website: www.darcietkelly.me. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch on facebook at @DarcieTKelly. or email me (email4darciekelly(at)gmail.com). And please, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, Happy Halloween, stay well, and keep smiling. Direct Link to text version of Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist.

Episode 10: Diary of a Dead Man: Birth of a Poltergeist

Hi, I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is Story Time with Darcie. In every episode, I read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. Please join me in welcome a new voice to the podcast: Amber Campbell. Amber is a light on dark days, and I’m lucky to count her among my friends. Thanks for taking on the voice of Atti, Amber! You’ll also hear a second guest voice in this episode, but I’ll save that introduction for after the story. Cryptic, I know, but no spoilers! I wrote today’s story, Singular Needs, for a 48-hour Flash Fiction competition in early July where it nabbed fourth place. While I plan to expand it into a longer, though still short, story, I also want to share its current iteration with you. Please be advised, Singular Needs carries a Content Warning for Self-Harm. It is part spy story, part dystopia, part horror, and part social commentary. It’s the story of an undercover spy who was left behind when humanity retreats underground having lost the AI War.  What did you think? I’ve received feedback on Singular Needs from a handful of readers and fellow writers the past few weeks, and it they either thoroughly enjoy this story, or actively dislike it. No one seems to fall middle of the road here. Thanks again to Amber Campbell for lending her voice to Atti. I also need to send a shout out to the Text to Voice app for playing the voice of Sing. I modulated the voice to be recognizably human, but off enough to sound disconcerting and perhaps a little creepy (I hope I hit those modulations right!) If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at @DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through through the facebook page or email me (email4darciekelly(at)gmail.com). And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well and keep smiling. Direct Link to text version of Singular Needs.

Episode 9: Singular Needs

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie where in every episode, I read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.I have to confess, I’m not reading the story this month. Don’t get me wrong, there will definitely be a story, and it’s one of my favourites, but the narrating character is male and I am not. Luckily, the talented Nikolas Yuen is joining us again! You may recall, Nik joined as a guest voice in May where he took on the villains in Refuge. Today’s episode allows us to enjoy more of his range as he takes on the narrating voice as well as the dialogue. And it is amazing! Nik found his way into acting through a series of fortunate events and has been hooked on it ever since. While he enjoys the stage, he is particularly passionate about voice acting which is particularly lucky for me. You can hear more of Nik in Bleak December Inc&apos;s "The Wickerman" and "Return to Frightenstein." If you enjoy Nik’s reading today, be sure to subscribe or visit Story Time With Darcie again in October. But I’m getting ahead of myself again.Today, Nik reads us Godly Musings Over Triple Espresso, the story that inspired the title for Musings, my collection of short stories published in 2019. More a vignette than a short story, Godly Musings Over Triple Espresso is told from a unique perspective and deals with mental health issues and contains (Content Warning) Adult Language. If you have any kids around, this might be one to put your ear phones on.So, let’s let Nik begin …I get chills when I hear Nik read this story. Amazing! Thank you for sharing your talent with us, Nik! I hope you enjoyed the story, because that’s it for today’s episode of Story Time with Darcie. If you would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at DarcieTKelly. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Musings: A Collection of Short Stories, get in touch through the facebook page or email me (email4darciekelly(at)gmail.com). And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of Godly Musings Over Triple Espresso.

Episode 8: Godly Musings Over Triple Espresso

Hi. I’m Darcie T. Kelly and this is a bonus episode of Story Time with Darcie. Regularly, episodes are released on the first Thursday of the month when I read you a piece of my own eclectic short fiction. But this isn’t a regular episode.There will still be a story, two in fact. Stories I am sure you will enjoy. This bonus episode is, after all, entitled The Best of 2020 (so far). Our first story today is the Fan Favourite from January 2020 through June 2020. Of the six episodes and seven stories read in the first half of the year, one has been downloaded significantly more times than the others, which leads me to believe it is the most enjoyed (or at least the most shared). Thus, Three’s a Crowd has been crowned the Fan Favourite. My thanks again to Hilke Kelly, Ron Kelly, Annissa Kelly, Pamela Kelly, and Lyra Branscombe lending their voices to this story. Hearing my family play those roles delight me every time!To round out our first Bonus Episode, I’m also revisiting my favourite story from the first half the year. I hemmed and hawwed over this choice for some time. Is my favorite Housemate, where a house plant plays an important role in helping our socially challenged protagonist work through concerns over cohabiting with her girlfriend? Maybe it was Refuge, a satire the writing of which helped me work through my fears about the political situation in USA? While I love both those stories for very different reasons, my favourite story featured on the podcast in the first half of the year is Beyond Incandescent. The fantastical setting on the banks of River Styx, the relationship arc between our two main characters, and … well, I don’t want to ruin the end if you haven’t heard it before.My thanks again to Pamela Kelly for voicing the role of Candy. (I didn’t realize until just now that Pam guests in both of today’s favourites. Hmmm. I might have to bring her back again to see if her streak continues.) Well, that’s it for today’s Bonus Episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to all the guests who participated in adapting these stories to audio format! This podcast wouldn’t exist with guest participation.Listeners, if YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time With Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at DarcieTKelly. And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of original (not 2.0 version) of Three&apos;s A Crowd by Darcie T. Kelly. Direct Link to original Story Time With Darcie episode featuring Three&apos;s A Crowd.Direct link to text version of Beyond Incandescent by Darcie T. Kelly.Direct Link to original Story Time With Darcie episode featuring Beyond Incandescent.

Bonus Episode 1: The Best of 2020 (so far)

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, I read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. Happy July! Happy Canada Day! Happy Summer! This is the seventh episode of Story Time With Darcie! I started this podcast in January on a whim. I didn’t honestly expect it to last this long, but I sure am glad it has! I’ve learned so much through this project; mostly audio editing (I didn’t even know what program to record with at the beginning, much less how to edit audio), but the process has also shown me my stories from a new perspective, one that has strengthened my writing and editing. As July is also my birthday month, today I’m reading Fulfillment Office, a little tale that dances on the wind about a birthday wish. Please join me in welcoming two new voices to the pod: Eden Branscombe (yes, another of my nieces) and Michelle Ducasse (my best friend of 30 years!) Thank you, ladies! Having your involved makes this story even more special to me. And without further ado, let’s hear today’s story …Well, that’s it for today’s short episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to Eden and Michelle for sharing their vocal talents. I love you both!Listeners, if YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time With Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at DarcieTKelly. And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of Fulfillment Office.

Episode 7: Fulfillment Office

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie. In every episode, I read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. This month, Story Time With Darcie is sharing it’s first story that requires a CONTENT WARNING for adult language, gun violence, and sexual violence. Please, take extra care of children in ear shot, and if any of these are triggers for you, perhaps skip this month. For the last few months, as the world has suffered under the weight of Covid-19, I have shared light, funny stories. Yet our current situation continues, the world keeps spinning, and time keeps passing. Our other global issues and concerns are not self-isolating. And perhaps, you are ready to think about what kind of world we want to rebuild as our isolations end. I originally wrote Refuge in July of 2018, when Trump was detaining refugees crossing the US southern border. The story is a satire, though not a humourous one. Writing it was a way for me, as a Canadian, to work through my fear, anger, and sadness. Like Three’s A Crowd, you can read the original version of Refuge on my facebook page or in my book Musings: a collection of short stories. Also like Three’s A Crowd, this is a re-edited, remastered, reworked, 2.0 version of Refuge. I’m delighted to welcome Nikolas Yuen as today’s guest voice. Nik found his way into acting through a series of fortunate events and has been hooked on it ever since. While he enjoys the stage, he is particularly passionate about voice acting, and is eager to lend his voice to projects that can make use of his vocal talents. You should check out Bleak December Inc&apos;s "The Wickerman" and "Return to Frightenstein," the latter of which saw him (perhaps &apos;heard&apos; is the better word) take on The Wolfman, a role initially played by the legendary Billy Van some forty years prior. I’m fortunate that recent events have also brought Nik here! This is not the last time you’ll hear his voice on Story Time With Darcie! (He has helped me with special stories for August and October.) But before I get too far ahead of myself, let’s hear today’s story …  Well, that’s it for another episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to Nikolas Yuen for lending his voice to our villains this month. If you&apos;d like to hear more from Nik you’ll find him here on Story Time With Darcie in August and October, as a guest voice on Bleak December (bleakdecember.com) and The Music Box (musicboxstories.com), and when Covid frees us back to social interactions you can watch him on stage with King’s Town Players, Domino Theatre, and more. You make magic with any character you take on, Nik! I can’t wait to introduce more of my characters to our listeners through your voice. Listeners, if YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time With Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at DarcieTKelly. And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Until next month, stay well and keep smiling.Direct Link to text version of original (not 2.0 version) Refuge.

Episode 6: Refuge

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie! In every episode, I read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas. Humanity is united in our isolation, working from home, spending more time than usual with spouses and children. Some of us have found a rhythm, some of us struggle to keep ourselves and our families entertained, some of us have had a headache for weeks or months. I hope today’s story reminds you to look for the moments of love and togetherness. Bunny, Boy, and the Special Delivery is told from a rather unique perspective, one that I hope will transport you back to a time of innocence, comfort, and love. As I don’t have any guest voices to thank this month, let’s begin …     Well, that’s it for another episode of Story Time with Darcie. This month is a rarity in that I have no guest voices! If YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition! Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook at DarcieTKelly. And of course, subscribe on your podcatcher of choice for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Direct Link to text version of Bunny, Boy, and the Special Delivery.

Episode 5: Bunny, Boy, and the Special Delivery

Welcome to Story Time With Darcie!In every episode, with the help of a few guests, I read a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.The world has changed this past month. The story originally scheduled to run today no longer feels like the best choice. Instead, I think the world will appreciate a touch of levity. I admit, I don’t think I’m funny. (My mother thinks I’m hysterical, but her opinion might be biased.) Heedless, last year I took a stab at writing comedy, and if it doesn’t make you laugh out loud, I hope Three’s a Crowd at least gives you a giggle.If you’ve read this story before, either on my facebook page or in my book Musings, this version is a bit different. A re-edited, re-mastered, re-worked 2.0 version.I want to extend special thanks to today’s many guest voices. As the story is about family, and Covid-19 has separated me from mine, I’m delighted to have Hilke (my mom), Ron (my dad), Annissa and Pamela (my sisters), and Lyra (my niece) join in on the fun! I love you all! I’m so happy we were able to work on this project together from our own corners of the world! As a special gift to my listeners this month, I’ve made a ringtone of Hank’s Laugh Line. I don’t want to ruin any joy this story has brought you, but I can’t bring myself to sign off without a few final words… My heart goes out to you in this time of uncertainty. No matter where you are, know that you are not alone. If you’re in a position to help, please reach out to those who can not. A loaned book, a can of soup, or a phone call can make a huge difference. If you are lonely, reach out to friends and family. They love you and, even if you can’t hug, you can phone, video call, or write emails and letters. If you are scared, hurting, or mourning, give yourself the time and compassion to heal. Stay safe and smile when you can. Our global mental health is taking just as much of a beating as our global physical health. We can come through this stronger. The planet will have taken a cleansing breath. Our hearts will be open. It’s just a matter of time.Well, that’s it for another episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to Hilke, Ron, Annissa, Pamela, and Lyra, for sharing your voices this month. If YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook. I mentioned at the top of the show that you can also read this story in my book, Musings. I still have a few copies of the second edition of that collection of short stories available. Give me a shout if you’d like to buy a copy. And of course, subscribe here for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie. Direct Link to text version of original (not 2.0 version) of Three&apos;s A Crowd.Direct Link to Hank&apos;s Laugh Line ring tone.

Episode 4: Three's A Crowd

Welcome to Story Time with Darcie. In every episode I’ll read you a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer so you may be surprised by the variety of genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.By the nature of the big ideas explored, my stories are intended for adults. If there is especially harsh language or content, I'll try to flag it in the show notes, but please, take care when listening with children.To read more of my stories (and perhaps inspire my next one), join me on facebook at facebook.com/DarcieTKelly or buy my book; Musings: A Collection of Short Stories. And of course, subscribe here for future episodes of Storytime With Darcie.

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Story Time with Darcie

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