Science fiction and fantasy stories from Clarkesworld, a Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning digital magazine. Stories from Clarkesworld have been nominated for or won the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Locus, BSFA, Ditmar, Aurora, Shirley Jackson, WSFA Small Press and Stoker Awards.
Categories: Fiction
Tags: fantasy, horror, science-fiction, Short stories, speculative fiction
The Eight Strokes of the Clock is a collection of eight short stories by Maurice Leblanc. The stories have his most famous creation, Arsène Lupin, gentleman-thief, as main character. The eight stories, even though independent, have a leading thread: Lupin, under the name of Serge Rénine, trying to conquer the heart of a young lady, travels with her, solving eight mysteries on the way.
Categories: Arts
Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Maurice Leblanc, MYSTERY, Short stories, The Eight Strokes of the Clock
Most parents know and understand the value of children’s stories. Reading aloud to your children becomes an occasion for family warmth and bonding. But quite apart from this, the true importance of introducing children to fiction helps them to make sense of the real world they will have to encounter at some later stage. Stories also give them hope, teach moral values and help them to understand the complex nature of the society that they will ultimately have to live in. Children’s Short Works Vol 001 contains ten delightful traditional tales. Some of them are familiar while a few of them are less known. The first story, The Beauty and The Beast is famous in children’s literature. Originally written in French by the French novelist, Jeanne-Marie Beaumont, the story is a classic fairy story, with elements of suspense, romance, a magical transformation and the final happy ending. First published in the eighteenth century, this is a story that has captured the imagination for generations. It has been widely adapted for stage, screen, television, opera and animation. It has also inspired thousands of adaptations in literature across the world. Other stories in this charming collection include old favorites like Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin, which were first published in 1812 as part of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Another well-loved tale is Aesop’s Fox and the Grapes, retold by La Fontaine. The collection also includes some cute rhymes and verses. Other stories include The Feast of the Lantern by Victorian writer WT Stead and a couple of stories penned by unknown authors. An interesting “cumulative story” The Little Gingerbread Man teaches kids to memorize events. These stories promote an understanding of different cultures and help to create awareness, empathy and understanding of the problems that people encounter in their lives. A treat for both parents and children alike! More great books at LoyalBooks.com
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family
Tags: audio books, audiobook, Children's Short Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, Unknown
Here are tales of love and war, modesty and frivolity, laughter and tears. Louisa May Alcott wrote many, many short stories. This collection shares but 7 of them. More great books at LoyalBooks.com
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture
Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, Kids, Literature, Louisa May Alcott, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Shoes and Stockings: A Collection of Short Stories, Short stories, Teen/Young adult
The three charming stories contained in The Frog Prince and Other Tales include a less-known fairy-tale called Princess Belle-Etoile besides the title story and Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp. Published in 1874, the tales are re-told by the famous illustrator Walter Crane, who has also provided some of the most lovely illustrations in the book. The book makes an ideal gift and both parents and children will certainly enjoy it. It’s perfect for bedtime story-reading sessions and kids would love gazing at the beautiful Greek-style illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. The Frog Prince is a German fairy-tale, which was part of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales collection. It tells of a beautiful and spoiled young princess who is taught one of life’s most important lessons by a hideous frog. Princess Belle-Etoile was originally a French story written by Baroness d’Aulnoy who coined the term “fairy tale.” It tells of an exiled queen who brings up her three daughters in poverty. An old woman visits them one day and they show her great kindness and hospitality. She, being a fairy, rewards them with boons. The rest of the story follows the adventures of the three sisters. Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp is another old favorite featured here. Though the story is set in “an Eastern city” the illustrations seem to follow an Asian theme but are nevertheless very charming. Walter Crane was an art scholar and artist who had made a detailed study of many artistic traditions like the Japanese and European. His father was a well-known portrait painter. Walter himself was inspired by ancient artistic traditions and also worked diligently to bring art to the common masses. The Frog Prince and Other Tales is one of those delightful keepsake volumes that will certainly be treasured by generations in your family!
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family
Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Frog Prince and Other Stories, Walter Crane
Everyone loves a good story. Join Catholic priest Fr. James Yamauchi every Wednesday for wholesome tales for the whole family.
Each short story is about someone you know, but we don’t tell you who until the end. If these stories sound a lot like Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story or Mike Rowe’s The Way I Heard It, that’s because both these shows have inspired That’s the Word.
Our true stories tend to reflect our interests, which include Christianity, history (especially American history), movies, and weather.
Categories: History, Religion & Spirituality
Tags: catholic, catholic stories, christian, christian stories, paul harvey, Short stories
Eve’s Diary is a comic short story by Mark Twain. It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper’s Bazaar, and in book format in June 1906 by Harper and Brothers publishing house. It is written in the style of a diary kept by the first woman in the Judeao-Christian creation myth, Eve, and is claimed to be “translated from the original MS.” The “plot” of this novel is the first-person account of Eve from her creation up to her burial by, her mate, Adam, including meeting and getting to know Adam, and exploring the world around her, Eden. The story then jumps 40 years into the future after the Fall and expulsion from Eden. It is one of a series of books Twain wrote concerning the story of Adam and Eve, including ‘Extracts from Adam’s Diary,’ ‘That Day In Eden,’ ‘Eve Speaks,’ ‘Adam’s Soliloquy,’ and the ‘Autobiography of Eve.’ Eve’s Diary has a lighter tone than the others in the series, as Eve has a strong appreciation for beauty and love. The book may have been written as a posthumous love-letter to Mark Twain’s wife Olivia Langdon Clemens, or Livy, who died in June 1904, just before the story was written. Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Eve’s Diary is finished — I’ve been waiting for her to speak, but she doesn’t say anything more.” The story ends with Adam’s speaking at Eve’s grave, “Wherever she was, there was Eden.” More great books at LoyalBooks.com
Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture
Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, Eve's Diary, fiction, free audio books, History, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mark Twain, Short stories
H. P. Lovecraft’s name is synonymous with horror fiction. His major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: the idea that life is incomprehensible to human minds and that the universe is fundamentally alien. This collection contains 24 Lovecraft works that are in the public domain. More great books at LoyalBooks.com
Categories: Arts
Tags: audio books, audiobook, Collected Public Domain Works of H. P. Lovecraft, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, H. P. Lovecraft, Horror/Ghost stories, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories
If you find yourself with nothing particular to do in an airport, train or bus or you’ve got a quiet evening to yourself in a hotel room or you’re facing the delicious prospect of an extended lunch or tea break, why not pick up Coffee Break Collection 001 and enjoy the experience? This anthology has a selection of humorous pieces guaranteed to keep you entertained. Opening with a master of the genre, PG Wodehouse, the first story is a pseudo-scholarly treatise on football captains! A delightful piece follows – Beyond Pandora by RJ Martin with its memorable opening line, “The ideal way to deal with a pest…. is of course to make it useful to you.” The collection also includes a gem from the inimitable Saki and another from a master of the twist-in-the-tail genre, O Henry. Published in 1883 and written by an anonymous writer, English As She is Wrote is an amusing compendium of curiosities of the English language that’s definitely rib-tickling! Chapters 2 and 3 are included here. Chapter 2 deals with various comical advertisements and sign-boards – to give an example, In the far West a man advertises for a woman to wash, iron and milk a few cows! Chapter 3 provides examples of zany epitaphs like “Here lies John Ross Kicked By a Hoss” Selections from Robert Benchley, WS Gilbert, Mark Twain, William Makepeace Thackeray and many more witty entertainers are included in Coffee Break Collection 001. A couple of stories, fables, actually, are by the only woman author to be featured here, Lida Brown McMurry. What makes the collection even more attractive is that all the stories included are short pieces, and would take just about fifteen or twenty minutes to get through, making them ideal for a quick and easy read. This is really fun on the run!
Tags: audio books, audiobook, Coffee Break Collection, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, various
Trouble sleeping? Want to fall asleep and stay asleep? Then this podcast is for you. Well-produced music and a calming voice will help you drift off to sleep in no time. It isn’t just fairy tales it’s also stories from famous authors around the world plus delta wave music, proven to help relax the brain quickly. The two together are the most effective way to help you drift off. No loud noises, no ads, no disruptions, great for all ages. Give it a try and wake up tomorrow rested. You got this. Have a good dream with Fairy Sleepy.
Categories: Arts, Education, Health & Fitness
Tags: #bestpodcast, #fairysleepy, #fairysleepypodcast, all ages, background music, deep slumber, delta waves, fairytales, mental-health, Podcast, Short stories, sleep better
Whether you’re a parent or a child, a young reader or an older one, the Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter is indeed just that – a treasure chest of delightful, charming little stories full of animals and people. Beatrix Potter today has spawned a whole industry of merchandise, games and theme parks, but the stories remain as fresh and sparkling as they were when they first came out in 1901. The Great Big Treasury contains three collections compiled into one enchanting volume – The Giant Treasury of Peter Rabbit, Further Tales of Peter Rabbit and The Giant Treasury of Beatrix Potter. It contains nineteen tales featuring a troop of unforgettable characters. Peter Rabbit, the mischievous and rebellious young fellow, is the hero of many a tale, along with his goody-goody sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. Their long-suffering mother strives to keep Peter out of mischief and Mr. McGregor’s tempting garden filled with luscious fruits and vegetables. The stories sparkle with Beatrix Potter’s amusing lines which have old Mrs. Rabbit cautioning her children against trespassing into the garden, “Your father had an accident there. He was put into a pie!” Other memorable characters include Squirrel Nutkin, who is a most impertinent fellow, Peter Rabbit’s cousin Benjamin Bunny, two bad mice, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Tailor Simpkin, a frog called Mr. Jeremy Fisher and many more. The stories are a mixture of moral fables and fascinating descriptions of nature and Victorian childhood naughtiness. Peter Rabbit’s stories have been translated into nearly forty languages and adapted for stage, film and television, converted into animated cartoons and toys, children’s room accessories, furnishings and wall-paper. In fact, Beatrix Potter herself was the first person to realize the commercial value of merchandising. Her illustrations for the stories show her as a gifted artist and nature conservationist who lived in the picturesque Lake District in England. The stories are distinctive in the way they connect directly with childhood imagination and the writing style is particularly suited to being read aloud – an activity which has been enjoyed by generations of both parents and children the world over.
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family
Tags: Adventure, animals, audio books, audiobook, Beatrix Potter, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories
Left Handed Radio is an indie narrative comedy podcast. It features some of the funniest, most talented comedians from across the country. The show is a hybrid of sketch comedy, audio plays, satirical short stories and parodies of podcasts and public radio programming. For our back catalogue, visit our new Patreon! As one of the first indie sketch podcasts ever, we pride ourselves on our independence and freedom to create whatever we want. We adore all of our Patreon supporters and listeners who share the program. Thank you for listening and enjoy!
Tags: Alternative Comedy, Audio Plays, Funny, hybrid, npr, public radio, satire, science-fiction, Short stories, sketch comedy
Audrey tells “Bedtime Stories for Adults” in English: set in intriguing countries/places. Parts of the stories are true, the rest is imagination – as all good stories should be. All the stories contain fascinating historical facts about lesser known areas of Guatemala, Cuba, Serbia, South Africa, Bosnia, Mexico, Peru, China, India, Burma and more. These stories make good “Bedtime stories for Adults” who struggle to fall sleep, and are humorous – for easy listening while driving to work. Audrey is a South African Canadian storyteller and writer who has traveled to 41 countries. Some of the stories are in Afrikaans, Audrey’s first language.
Categories: Arts, Fiction, Society & Culture
Tags: "audrey, afrikaans, audrey nolte, audrey nolte painter, bedtime, bedtime stories, calm, english, fiction, meditation, reisverhale, relax, Short stories, soothing, Stories, TALES, travel, travel stories
Jack the Giant-Killer, Tom Thumb, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, Henny Penny, Dick Whittington, The Three Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood and a host of immortal characters are found in this delightful collection of English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. The book made its first appearance in 1890 and has remained a firm favorite with both young and old ever since. Fairy tales have traditionally emanated from France and Germany. The famous compilations by La Fontaine and the Brothers Grimm have overshadowed children’s literature for centuries. Yet, many of the stories we recount to children today have an English origin, something that we were unaware of. The author, Joseph Jacobs, was an Australian folklorist and historian who painstakingly compiled them from various sources. In the preface to the first edition he recounts how he collected some stories from the descendants of English immigrants in America and Australia, while he sourced others from English gypsies and old ballads. In many cases he had to rewrite and retell those stories which existed in verse form or in ancient dialects. Older forms of English had to be tailored to suit modern readers, while some of the more objectionable parts had to be discarded. Wicked step-mothers, rampaging giants, damsels in distress, gallant princes and evil spells are some of the staples in this fascinating collection. The author himself states that it was his intention to create a book in which the stories would sound as if they were being narrated by an old nurse or grandmother. Hence, the style is simple, direct and like he states, meant to be read aloud and not visually. The original edition also included extensive notes on the source from which he collected the stories and reference material which is of great interest to folk-lore enthusiasts. Such was the impact of some of the stories that they are referenced in Shakespeare’s plays and provided inspiration for poets like Milton. The highlight of the book for serious readers is the elaborate footnotes which provide a great deal of information about different variants of these stories that are told in other parts of the world. One of the most attractive features in the book are the charming illustrations that accompany each tale. The book is a delightful read for both parents and children. Apart from old favorites, there are many new tales which most people would not have encountered like “Nix Nought Nothing” “The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh” or “The Earl of Mar’s Daughter.”
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family
Tags: animals, art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, English Fairy Tales, Fairy tales, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Joseph Jacobs, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories
Word for Word is a San Francisco based theater company that brings works of literature to the stage. Instead of adapting a script, they use every word of a text in a dynamic, evocative style that communicates the intended beauty of the prose or poetry. In this new podcast, the company brings their unique style into your home for the first time, revisiting some favorite stories from the past as well as exploring some works they haven’t previously performed. Fans of Word for Word will appreciate the same aesthetic from their full theatrical productions and their Off the Page reading series.
Tags: drama, fiction, Short stories, theater, word for word, z space
Art of the Short is an Interactive Literary Art Installation and Podcast. Every other week, hosts Jori and Bethers, overextend our opinions on short stories, written by your favorite authors. Then we make ART of our interpretations! Like, Bethers will be guilty of “Georgia O’Keeffe”–ing labia onto a tote bag as a protest to misogyny, “FREE THE VULVA!” While Jori writes a little diddy that just loops, “F*** PATRIARCHY!…stuff like that.
Lil’ Shorties! Our Lil’ Shorty episodes feature the not so known story tellers, where we read a short story by YOU, and of course we’ll make art of our interpretations!
We invite you to read along with us and join the conversation by sending in your artwork to add to the gallery! We want to hear your thoughts on these short stories, we want YOUR perspective–that’s what this project is all about!
For more information go to Artoftheshort.com and follow the installation on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, @artoftheshort to see what others think of these short stories through their art!
FUN FACT: We provide a free link to all short stories in our show notes for you–thoughtfully curated by our very own Bethers herself!
Links to ALL short stories past and present, go here: Art of the Short story links!
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Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture
Tags: art, Art Community, Art Installation, artist, Authors, Comedy, Contemporary Literature, Culture, English Literature, feminism, Informative, Short stories, Society, Stories, story-telling
The Gift of the Magi is an O. Henry short story in which a young couple are very much in love with each other but can barely afford their one-room apartment. For Christmas, they each make a sacrifice to purchase a gift for the other, with ironic results. The moral of the story is that physical possessions, however valuable they may be, are of little value in the grand scheme of things. The true unselfish love that the characters, Jim and Della, share is greater than their possessions. O. Henry ends the story by clarifying the metaphor between the characters in the story, Della and James (or Jim), and the Biblical Magi. The Gift of the Magi features O. Henry’s characteristic twist ending and use of flowery diction.
Categories: Arts
Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, O. Henry, Short stories, The Gift of the Magi
The Arabian Nights is a collection of Perso-Arabic folk tales and other stories. The collection, or at least certain stories drawn from it (or purporting to be drawn from it), became widely known in the West from the 18th century, after it was translated from the Arabic — first into French and then into English and other European languages. The first English language edition, based on Galland’s French rather than the original Arabic, rendered the title as The Arabian Nights’ Entertainment – and this, or simply The Arabian Nights, has been the title by which it has been best known to English-speaking people ever since.
Categories: Arts, Education, Kids & Family
Tags: Andrew Lang, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Arabian Nights
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories originally published between 1931 and 1963, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed. Summary by Cori Samuel, with Wikipedia input.
Categories: Arts, Kids & Family
Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science-fiction, Short Science Fiction Collection, Short stories, Teen/Young adult, various
The Man Who Would Be King tells the story of two British adventurers in British India who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan. It was inspired by the exploits of James Brooke, an Englishman who became the “white Raja” of Sarawak in Borneo, and by the travels of American adventurer Josiah Harlan, who claimed the title Prince of Ghor. The story was first published in The Phantom Rickshaw and other Tales (Volume Five of the Indian Railway Library, published by A H Wheeler & Co of Allahabad in 1888). It also appeared in Wee Willie Winkie and Other Stories in 1895, and in numerous later editions of that collection. It is the basis for John Huston’s 1975 film of the same name, starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine as the “kings”, and Christopher Plummer as Kipling.
Categories: Arts
Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Rudyard Kipling, Short stories, The Man Who Would Be King