Episode 101 (20 December 2024): Since Episode 100, I’ve taken a break from podcasting to plan a new direction for Season Five of Tall And True Short Reads, which I hope to launch early in 2025. Meanwhile, I’ve “gift-wrapped” the first episodes from Seasons One to Four of the podcast for this year’s bumper Kris Kringle episode.

In October 2024, I released Episode 100 of Tall And True Short Reads, Twin Souls in the Universe, marking the end of Season Four of my storytelling podcast, which I launched in September 2020.

Since then, I’ve taken a break from podcasting to focus on writing projects, including publishing my latest short story collection, One Day in the Life of Alex’s AI and Other Speculative Fiction.

I’ve also been planning a new direction for Season Five of the podcast, which I hope to launch early in the New Year. Watch your feed for details!

In the meantime, I’ve released a bumper Kris Kringle episode containing the first episodes from Seasons One to Four of Tall And True Short Reads. After each episode segment, I explain when and why I wrote the story or post.

Season One – Five Meet On Zoom, released 10 October 2020

FIVE logged onto their first Zoom meeting. “Right-o, can everyone hear and see me?” asked Julian, who, as the leader, had scheduled the meeting and emailed invites, with help from his clever-clogs cousin, George.

Listen to Episode 1 on Tall And True Short Reads

Season Two – The Last Book That Made You Cry, Episode 33, released 13 September 2021

Penguin Books Australia posted a question on Facebook in August 2017: What is the last book that made you cry? The books could evoke tears of joy or sadness, and I immediately thought of three books, all for the latter category. And here are my top three tearjerkers.

Listen to Episode 33 on Tall And True Short Reads

Season Three – Once Upon A Time, Episode 59, released 16 September 2021

This story begins at the end. But my time spent observing your planet has taught me humans like to process events and information in an orderly, if not entirely predictable, sequence. So forget the first sentence, and I’ll serve you a linear tale. Just don’t skip to the end and spoil it.

Listen to Episode 59 on Tall And True Short Reads

Season Four – Some Things Change – Perth, Western Australia, 1979, Episode 79, released 26 September 2023

It’s only early spring, but I’m starting to sweat in Mum and Dad’s back garden. I wore my dark English suit for Dad’s funeral, and if etiquette permits at wakes, I’d like to slip off the coat. Looking around the garden for guidance, I struggle to recognise elderly aunts and uncles or my fellow middle-aged cousins. And I have no hope of placing their children and grandchildren.

Listen to Episode 79 on Tall And True Short Reads

Share Your Writing on Tall And True

Good Tidings!

I hope you enjoy this year’s Kris Kringle collection. You can listen to the episode on the Acast player (above), the podcast website and all popular podcasting apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. You can also read my selected short stories, blog posts, and other writings on Tall And True.

My short story and microfiction collections, including One Day in the Life of Alex’s AI and Other Speculative Fiction, are available from the Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Kobo online bookstores.

Season Five of Tall And True Short Reads will be released shortly. Until then, search your feed or the podcast website, TallAndTrueShortReads.com, to listen to all 101 episodes and the season trailers. And follow or subscribe to the podcast and rate and review it via your favourite podcasting app — doing so helps share my storytelling.

Finally, I wish you a happy and safe festive holiday season and a happy new year. Please share this Kris Kringle gift with family and friends and spread the good tidings about my storytelling podcast and the Tall And True writers’ website.

© 2024 Robert Fairhead

N.B. This September 2023 post introduced Tall And True Short Reads – Season Four.

Note: This blog post originally appeared on Tall And True.