Escapism

A Year in Five and Twelve

We’re exploring stories that use nature, and the fruits it bears, as a way of marking time. Whether working in harmony with humanity or standing in opposition to it, the natural world provides a powerful narrative tool, helping authors shape themes, track change, and deepen meaning within the short story format. In today’s episode you can look forward to heroes, villains, natural wonders and of course a slice of retribution.  Featuring ‘Five Fruits I Ate in Sandar Land’ by Michael Haynes (03.49), read by Richard McIver. This is simultaneously a tale of great quest, a love story and a tragedy, all told in a tidy 1500 words. Found in our Heroic Fantasy Short Stories [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/heroic-fantasy-short-stories-isbn-9781786644626.html] collection.  ‘The Twelve Months’ by Josef Baudis (14.29), read by Ruhthie Durang. Experience all of the year’s seasons in twenty minutes with this Czech story from our brand new Slavic Myths & Tales [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/slavic-myths-&-tales-isbn-9781835625927.html] collection.  Biographies Michael Haynes lives in Ohio. An ardent short story reader and writer, Michael has had stories appear in venues such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Nature and also in anthologies such as Deep Cuts, Not Our Kind: Tales of Not Belonging, and Kwik Krimes. He is the chair of the Cinevent classic film convention and enjoys photography, geocaching, and travel. His website is michaelhaynes.info [http://michaelhaynes.info].  Josef Baudis (1883–1933) was a Czech and Celtic folklorist and linguist. Born in Prague, he studied at university there and went on to become a teacher. Following the First World War, he lived for a number of years in the UK, where he studied Celtology. In 1924, he became a professor at Comenius University in Bratislava.  Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026. Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.  This episode was hosted by Bea.  ‘Five Fruits I Ate in Sandar Land’ is ©2014 Michael Haynes and was first published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies but more recently appeared in Heroic Fantasy Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017). ‘Twelve Months’ was originally published in Czech Folk Tales (1917), but more recently appeared in Slavic Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ..................................................................................................................................... Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025. This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer).  Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html [http://flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html] Our full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/index.html]  Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives. The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Blood in the Battlements

In our June Podcast Special, Olivia interviews Shilpa Varma, Flame Tree’s Writer in Residence and author of the Blood in the Battlements series! Contained within is a discussion of the series, Shilpa’s other work and her upcoming projects. We’ve also got her reading of ‘Bubban-bu’, the second episode in Blood in the Battlements, for the episode.  Blood in the Battlements is a 7-part horror series about India's most haunted forts and monuments. Its stories are released monthly on Flame Tree’s Substack [https://substack.com/@flametreepublishing] page and produced as limited edition print zines [https://www.instagram.com/p/DWEjqIODAA5/] for book fairs and conventions.  Shilpa Varma typically writes three articles a week on Substack [https://substack.com/@flametreepublishing] with words of wisdom and relatable content for writers. To find out more about her upcoming audio drama, When The Forest Watches make sure you are following Flame Tree on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/flametreepress/] and staying up to date with our podcast episodes.  For Blood in the Battlements, Imogen Patel, a multidisciplinary London-based artist, has created eight immersive Khadi paper designs, each reflecting one of India’s haunted forts through colour, motif, and local architectural or natural inspiration.  This episode was hosted by Olivia.  Bubban-bu is ©2026 Shilpa Varma and appeared in Blood in the Battlements (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026) ..................................................................................................................................... Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025. This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer).  Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html [http://flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html] Our full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/index.html]  Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives. The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Escapism

In this episode we’re entering otherworldly dimensions, where the rules of time no longer apply. Spaces where characters can escape the consequences of reality. Are you ready to get lost with them? Featuring  ‘The Last Night Market’ by Bella Chacha (02.47), read by Ruhthie Durang. In this story an irresistible bait is offered up, something sweet to hide the burn of a fate unimaginably sour. From Dreams Divine. [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/dreams-divine-isbn-9781835627952.html]  ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ by Edgar Allan Poe (27.14), read by Richard McIver. Expect luxury, corruption and the inescapable clutches of death. Found in our Chilling Horror [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/chilling-horror-short-stories-isbn-9781783613748.html]collection.  Biographies Bella Chacha is a Nigerian speculative fiction writer whose work explores folklore, surrealism, and the fragile borders between dream and reality. Her stories have appeared in Cast of Wonders, Incensepunk magazine, Plott Hound magazine, Aurora: Winter books and Defenestrationism.net as a runner-up for 2025’s Short Story Contest and also as a Pushcart nominee for 2026. She writes to illuminate the quiet strangeness of ordinary life and the resilience of the human spirit. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe is well known for being an author, poet, editor and literary critic during the American Romantic Movement. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, and his works are famously filled with terror, mystery, death and haunting. His better known works include The Tell Tale Heart, The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher. The dark, mystifying characters from his tales have captured the public’s imagination and reflect the struggling, poverty-stricken lifestyle he lived his whole life. Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.  Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026. This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘The Last Night Market’ is ©2026 Bella Chacha and appeared in Dreams Divine (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in Graham’s Magazine in 1842, but more recently appeared in Chilling Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2015). ..................................................................................................................................... Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025. This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer).  Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html [http://flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html] Our full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/index.html]  Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives. The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Where Myth Meets Machine

The idea of artificial intelligence isn’t new. Long before modern computers existed, writers and philosophers were already imagining worlds where machines might rival, reflect, or even replace humanity. Those stories endure because they’re rarely just about technology itself - they’re about us, too.  Featuring 'The Journey Home' by Ruth Knafo Setton (05.10), read by Nathan Chatelier. In a near-future world, artificial intelligences across global networks begin experiencing vivid memories from Homer’s Odyssey. Borrowed from the brand new Myths, Gods & Immortals book, Odysseus.  [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/odysseus-isbn-9781835627914.html] 'Shadows of the Coming Race' by George Eliot (24.36), read by Richard McIver. Written in 1879, this is a philosophical essay which was originally published as the penultimate chapter in Eliot’s final work: Impressions of Theophrastus Such. Available in our Robots Past and Future [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/robots-past-&-future-short-stories-isbn-9781835622926.html] collection.  Biographies Born in Morocco, Ruth Knafo Setton is the author of the novels The Road to Fez and Zigzag Girl, which won the Grand Prize in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition. She is a multi-genre author whose award-winning fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry have appeared in many journals and anthologies. Her screenplays have received honors from the Austin Film Festival, Sundance Screenwriters’ Lab, and CineStory Foundation, among others. She has taught Creative Writing at Lehigh University and with Semester at Sea. George Eliot or Mary Anne Evans (1819–1880) is often lauded as one of the greatest English novelists, she grew up in rural Warwickshire, where she witnessed the rise of Industrialisation first-hand. She eventually settled in London where she worked as a critic and editor for The Westminster Review, and later decided to try her hand at fiction. Her pseudonym, George Eliot, was a means of avoiding the reductive stereotypes that works by female authors were usually subjected to. Her first novel, Adam Bede, was an immediate sensation, though it is perhaps Middlemarch, her most celebrated work, that cemented her status in the English literary canon. Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos. Originally from Reno, Nevada and now based in London, Richard McIver brings a rich transatlantic perspective to his work. He has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatr Clwyd, and Hull Truck Theatre, and has appeared on screen for ITV and Sky/HBO, alongside his work as an intimacy coordinator across film, television and theatre. In voiceover, his recent work includes audiodrama, feature film ADR, and video games. He most recently voiced multiple characters for a major upcoming video game releasing in 2026. This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘The Journey Home’ is ©2026 Ruth Knafo Setton and appeared in Odysseus (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘Shadows of the Coming Race’ by George Eliot was originally published in Impressions of Theophrastus Such in 1879 but more recently appeared in Robots Past and Future (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025) ..................................................................................................................................... Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025. This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer).  Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html [http://flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html] Our full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/index.html]  Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives. The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.

Blades of Fate

Romantic Fantasy and all of its glorious tropes return to The Myth & Fiction Podcast! Today’s episode turns to tales of old fashioned chivalry, court intrigue and quests of honor all in the name of love. Prepare to hear the clash of swords, tension both spoken and unspoken as well as the unrelenting call of destiny.  Featuring  ‘The Thornblade’s Promise’ by Laura Shenton (05.25), read by Ruhthie Durang. This is one for all of our devoted romantasy fans, it mixes romance with magic and escapism generously and unapologetically. You can find it in our brand new Of Swords & Roses [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/of-swords-&-roses-isbn-9781835627969.html] collection.  ‘Theseus’, Hélène Adeline Guerber 1896’s version (24.11), read by Nathan Chatelier. Challenge after challenge is thrust in Greek hero, Theseus’s direction, from the second he retrieves his father’s hidden sword. Borrowed from Heroes & Heroines Myths & Tales [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/heroes-&-heroines-myths-&-tales-isbn-9781839641664.html].  Biographies Laura Shenton is probably best known for her music non-fiction, particularly Dance With The Devil: The Cozy Powell Story (Wymer Publishing) and Tommy Bolin: In and Out of Deep Purple (Sonicbond Publishing). Her fiction books are character-driven with a short, punchy narrative that gets straight to the point – typically novellas and novelettes. Genres include gothic, fantasy, and adventure (mostly, with the occasional diversion). Laura’s children’s books are simple, accessible, and fun – an excellent choice for youngsters with fertile imaginations who are just beginning their reading journey. Hélène Adeline Guerber (1859–1929) was a British historian who published a large number of works, largely focused on myths and legends. Guerber’s most famous publication is Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas, a history of Germanic mythology. Her works continue to be published today and include The Myths of Greece and Rome, The Story of the Greeks and Legends of the Middle Ages. Ruhthie Durang is excited to lend her voice to Flame Tree's Myth & Fiction Podcast. She is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and her recent credits include Call the Midwife, Disclaimer and Our Place at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.  Nathan Chatelier is a British voiceover artist with almost fifty audiobooks recorded alongside thousands of other projects, from videogames to the Mean Girls West End trailer. Check out his demos [https://www.voice-of-nathan.com/]. This episode was hosted by Bea.  ‘The Thornblade’s Promise’ is ©2026 Laura Shenton and appeared in Of Swords & Roses (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘Theseus’ was published by Hélène Adeline Guerber in Myths of Greece and Rome (1893) but more recently appeared in Heroes & Heroines Myths & Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2020). ..................................................................................................................................... Music is an extract of Sunbeams by Allen Stroud, from his Fractal Series album, licensed courtesy of fpl-digital 2025. This podcast is hosted and sometimes narrated by Beatrix Ambery (also audio editor), Olivia Jackson (also podcast coordinator), Shilpa Varma and Nick Wells (also producer).  Chosen from hundreds of wonderful tales, short stories such as these are selected by our short window open submission process, giving opportunities to writers of all levels of experience, culture and location. Look out for our submission announcements, and see the full list here:  flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html [http://flametreepublishing.com/gothic-fantasy-book-series-list.html] Our full range of thematic short stories, epic tales, mythology and folklore titles are available at all good bookstores, online and in retail, and at flametreepublishing.com [https://www.flametreepublishing.com/index.html]  Flame Tree Publishing, Best Indie Press 2024 & 2025 (British Fantasy Society). Beautiful Books, Timeless Storytelling, Fresh Perspectives. The Flame Tree Myth and Fiction podcast is created and © copyright 2025 Flame Tree Publishing Ltd.