Tall And True Short Reads

The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part One

Elsie thought it unlikely Leo would tell her the truth about the unregistered secondhand car he’d asked family friend Bernie to tow to the abandoned quarry. But she still pressed her sixteen-year-old great-nephew about it over breakfast at the kitchen table. "Are you planning to drive it around the quarry, dear?" "Nah, I wouldn't do that, Aunty." The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part One is a short story by Robert Fairhead [https://www.robertfairhead.com/profile/] from the Tall And True [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] writers' website. Read Robert's writing on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] Listen to podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/] Listen to the Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/ [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/] Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads] Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online: • Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM] • Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436 [https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436] • Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead [https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead] Podcast Theme and Sound Effects Royalty-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 Engine Revving: https://freesound.org/people/overmedium/sounds/651534/ • Eating Cereal from Bowl: https://freesound.org/people/diniunicorn/sounds/330300/ • Chair Scraping on Floor: https://freesound.org/people/moxobna/sounds/35033/ • Kettle Switch: https://freesound.org/people/EricsSoundschmiede/sounds/457410/ • Kettle Boiling: https://freesound.org/people/cupido-1/sounds/433538/ • Kettle Whistling: https://freesound.org/people/keweldog/sounds/181718/ • Clock Tick-Tocking: https://freesound.org/people/Richard1052/sounds/585774/ • Typewriter and Bell: https://freesound.org/people/supersupernator/sounds/519622/ Production Notes Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation [https://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/aboriginal-people-and-place/]. Acast Podcast Supporter Page Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

A Heart-Shaped Teal Tattoo

In November 2024, I met with the Volunteer Coordinator for my local MP, Allegra Spender, who asked if I'd help with the 2025 Federal Election campaign. I'd campaigned for Allegra in 2022 and assisted with her post-election events, so of course, I said yes. But I didn't expect that six months later I'd end up with a heart-shaped teal tattoo! A Heart-Shaped Teal Tattoo is a blog post by Robert Fairhead [https://www.robertfairhead.com/profile/] from the Tall And True [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] writers' website. Read the post with a photo of the heart-shaped teal tattoo on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/a-heart-shaped-teal-tattoo Read An Independent Candidate on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/an-independent-candidate Listen to Tall And True Short Reads Season Five episodes: • Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/ • The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts - Prologue: The Clinic: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-prologue-the-clinic/ • The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts - One: Rock Fishing: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-one-rock-fishing/ Support the podcast on the Acast Supporter Page: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads] Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online: • Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM] • Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436 [https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436] • Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead [https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead] Podcast Theme and Sound Effects    Royalty-free music from Pixabay.com [https://pixabay.com/music/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=30]: 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 [http://freesound.org/]: • Tattoo Needle: https://freesound.org/people/BeeProductive/sounds/430066/ • Glass Bottles: https://freesound.org/people/14G_Panska_Vagnerova_Adela/sounds/419471/ • Cheers/Applause: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2104797/sounds/324892/ • Computer Keyboard: https://freesound.org/people/D4XX/sounds/567266/ • Car Revving: https://freesound.org/people/EwanPenman11/sounds/659548/ Production Notes Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity [https://www.audacityteam.org/about/]. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Indigenous Eora Nation [https://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/aboriginal-people-and-place/]. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — One: Rock Fishing

Uncle Bernie parked his car alongside the dunes behind the rock fishing beach. Nursing a bucket in the back seat, Leo had vomited several times during the drive, and the last bumpy section on the off-road track leading to the beach hadn't helped. "Chuck up in the bucket," Uncle Bernie had warned him. "I don't want any stains on the upholstery." The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — One: Rock Fishing is a short story by Robert Fairhead [https://www.robertfairhead.com/profile/] from the Tall And True [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] writers' website. Read Robert's writing on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] Listen to podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/] Listen to the Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/ [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/] Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads] Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online: • Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM] • Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436 [https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436] • Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead [https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead] Podcast Theme and Sound Effects Royalty-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 Driving Interior: https://freesound.org/people/NachtmahrTV/sounds/556692/ • Car Door/Boot: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_7146007/sounds/383835/ • Waves on Beach: https://freesound.org/people/VMan533/sounds/575894/ • Wind and Waves: https://freesound.org/people/nickmaysoundmusic/sounds/585622/ • Seagulls: https://freesound.org/people/plantmonkey/sounds/377107/ • Fishing Rod Reel: https://freesound.org/people/170129/sounds/408252/ • Heart Monitor: https://freesound.org/people/samfk360/sounds/148897/ • Underwater: https://freesound.org/people/DCSFX/sounds/366159/ • Bubbles: https://freesound.org/people/felix.blume/sounds/209459/ • Cheering/Applause: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2104797/sounds/324892/ Production Notes Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation [https://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/aboriginal-people-and-place/]. Acast Podcast Supporter Page Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Prologue: The Clinic

The terrace house door creaks open, and the women sitting in the converted front room glance at the newcomers: another nervous-looking young woman in her late teens or early twenties and an older woman, probably her mother, judging by their shared chubby features. The two women cross to the receptionist's desk. The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Prologue: The Clinic is a short story by Robert Fairhead [https://www.robertfairhead.com/profile/] from the Tall And True [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/] writers' website. Read Robert's writing on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au [https://www.tallandtrue.com.au] Listen to podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/] Listen to the Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/ [https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/] Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads] Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online: • Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM] • Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436 [https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436] • Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead [https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead] Podcast Theme and Sound Effects Royalty-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: • Creaky Door: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_7146007/sounds/383816/  [https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_7146007/sounds/383816/] • Wall Clock: https://freesound.org/people/Richard1052/sounds/585774/ [https://freesound.org/people/Richard1052/sounds/585774/] Production Notes Tall 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 [https://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/aboriginal-people-and-place/]. Acast Podcast Supporter Page Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Introducing Season Five

Tall And True Short Reads is a storytelling podcast featuring short stories, blog posts and other writings from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead. "Most episodes from the past four seasons of the podcast are standalone, but I've also released multipart episodes for longer short stories. For Season Five, I'm doing something different. I'm writing and narrating a series of interconnected short stories titled The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts." Tall And True website: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/ Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com Listen to Five Meet on Zoom (Ep 1): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/five-meet-on-zoom/ Listen to Twin Souls in the Universe (Ep 100): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/twin-souls-in-the-universe/ Listen to Both Sides of the Story (Season One): • Introduction (Ep 26): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-introduction/ • Westminister (Ep 27): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-westminster/ • Bosnia (Ep 28): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-bosnia/ • A Council Flat (Ep 29): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-a-council-flat/ • The Gym (Ep 30): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-the-gym/ • Bad News - Part One (Ep 31): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-one/https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-bad-news-part-one/ • Bad News - Part Two (Ep 32): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-two/https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/both-sides-of-the-story-bad-news-part-two/ Listen to Two Visits to the Berlin Wall (Season Three): • Part One - 1987 (Ep 69): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-one/ • Part Two - 1995 (Ep 70): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-two/ Listen to Some Things Change (Season Four): Perth, Western Australia, 1979 (Ep 79): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/some-things-change-perth-1979/ London, England, 1992 (Ep 80): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/some-things-change-london-1992/ Perth, Western Australia, 2023 (Ep 81): https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/some-things-change-perth-2023/ Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads Read about One Day in the Life of Alex's AI and Other Speculative Fiction: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/one-day-in-the-life-of-alexs-ai-book Buy 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-fairhead Podcast Theme and Sound Effects Royalty-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: • Hooray!: https://freesound.org/people/Vesperia94/sounds/403057/ Production Notes Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the lands of the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. Acast Podcast Supporter Page Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads [http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.