Flame Tree Myth & Fiction

Flame Tree Publishing Team

Thrill to the adventures of the past and visions of the future. Featuring science fiction, fantasy, horror and the supernatural, short stories, ancient tales, myth and folklore from our short story submissions, with author interviews and occasional special features about publishing and writing. Flame Tree is independent, and encourages the comprehensive understanding of all people, and all cultures.

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S3 · E13
Tuesday · 38 min
The Making of Audio Drama
In our last episode of Season 3, we're very excited to be featuring a conversation between two wonderful creatives, Shilpa Varma and Adam Fitzgerald, about our upcoming audio drama, When the Forest Watches. Shilpa Varma, who you may already know if you are familiar with the podcast, is Flame Tree’s writer in residence and the writer of When the Forest Watches. She is a London-based South Asian writer and storyteller whose work explores memory, folklore, and diaspora identity through intimate, atmospheric narratives. Working across audio, theatre, and performance, she is drawn to stories rooted in oral traditions and everyday rituals. Her practice blends cultural specificity with psychological depth, often examining what is inherited, remembered, and quietly carried across generations. Adam Fitzgerald, the director of our audio drama, is an Australian-British writer, director and award-winning actor based in London. His audio experience includes productions with BBC Radio 3 & 4, Audible, and AAA video games. As a writer, his audio drama Ore received multiple awards and nominations on the 2023-24 International WebFest circuit. Alongside his creative work, Adam works as a freelance audio tutor at several top drama schools. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to be the first to hear any updates about When the Forest Watches. ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E12
August 18 · 39 min
Dawn
This episode celebrates the release of our new anthology, Africanfuturism Short Stories and offers a sneak peek into our African Myths & Tales collection as well. One story imagines the beginning of life, while the other imagines life beginning again after environmental collapse. In a way, this episode, Dawn, shows that endings and beginnings are often part of the same story. Featuring ‘Like Stars Daring to Shine’ by Somto Ihezue, read by Cornelia Colman (02.50). This is a hopeful take on the post-apocalyptic genre. While it imagines a future shaped by climate catastrophe, it's ultimately a story about resilience and the possibility of rebuilding. You can find the print version in Africanfuturism Short Stories. ‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ from the Yoruba people of West Africa, read by Essay Kidane (26.38). It tells the story of the gods creating the sky, the land and humanity itself, celebrating beginnings, hope and our responsibility to care for one another. Found in our African Myths & Tales Collection. Biographies Somto Ihezue is a writer and filmmaker. He is an MFA fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Maryland. His writing begins at the intersection of boyhood, land, disruption and joy in Igbo communities. His work has been a finalist for the Nebula Award, the British Fantasy Award, the ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award and has appeared in Clarkesworld, POETRY, Uncanny, Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Sauúti and others. ‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ was sourced from the Yoruba people in West Africa. The stories in African Myths and Tales come from a range of sources, mostly contemporaneous with colonial times, written by Europeans but often based on their first-hand accounts of tales narrated to them by natives. More details can be found inside African Myths and Tales. Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her audiobook narrations. This episode was hosted by OIivia. ‘Like Stars Daring to Shine’ is ©2022 Somto Ihezue and was originally published in Fireside Magazine, but more recently appears in Africanfuturism Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026) ‘The Creation of the Universe and Humankind’ appeared in African Myths and Tales (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019). ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E11
August 11 · 46 min
All Aboard
How often do you feel as though you're sailing into the unknown? Filled with hope, anticipation, nerves or even fear? Today's episode explores the emotional highs and lows of change and discovery. Both of our stories follow ships setting out on extraordinary voyages in search of new beginnings, only for those hopeful dreams to take a much darker turn. Featuring ‘Ghost Ships of Alnitak’ by Alexander Hay, read by Nathan Chatelier (04.00). A heartbreaking account of an adventure through space turned nightmare. Found in our brand new Wars in the Stars collection. ‘The White Ship’ by H.P. Lovecraft, read by Nick (26.40). This one follows a lighthouse keeper whose determination and hope lead him on a remarkable quest… one that uncovers mysteries far stranger than anyone could predict. You can see it in print in our Hidden Realms collection. Biographies Alexander Hay is an author who presently lives in North West England, enduring conditions that can be best described as Hoth in the winter and Arrakis in the summer. He has had far too many jobs, including working in a school of anatomy, getting thrown out of a hotel suite by Lesley Manville, and nearly killing someone with a wasp. He has over forty short stories published, with credits ranging from Nature’s Futures to Apex Publishing and Utopia Science Fiction. He is, somewhat inevitably, seeking an agent and writing a novel, like all the other ne’er-do-wells. Master of weird fiction Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890–1937) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Featuring unknown and otherworldly creatures, his stories were one of the first to mix science fiction with horror. Plagued by nightmares from an early age, he was inspired to write his dark and strange fantasy tales; the isolation he must have experienced from suffering frequent illnesses can be felt as a prominent theme in his work. Lovecraft inspired many other authors, and his most famous story ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ has influenced many aspects of popular culture. 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. ‘The Ghost Ships of Alnitak’ is ©2026 Alexander Hay and appears in Wars in the Stars (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The White Ship’ by H.P. Lovecraft was first published in the The United Amateur, November in 1919, but more recently appeared in Hidden Realms (Flame Tree Publishing, 2023) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E10
August 4 · 40 min
Folklore Horror
We’re reading two stories from one of our most highly anticipated books of 2026, Folklore Horror Short Stories. Tales of whispering woods, gloom, primeval mysteries and terrifying omens all bound together in one comprehensive volume. This one was sourced in part from open submissions and the rest was curated by our editorial team to deliver an overview of some of the best classic short stories within the genre. We’ve got one of each type in this podcast episode! Featuring ‘Woodface’ by Charlie Hughes (01.33), read by Olivia. This story is about a little girl who refuses to bow to the tyranny of an ancient and powerful monster. You can find the print version in Folklore Horror Short Stories. ‘The Music on the Hill’ by Saki (21.53), read by Cornelia Colman. One of the most renowned short stories within the folk horror subgenre, this follows an urbanite woman who moves to the countryside and unwillingly disturbs pagan forces. You can find the print version in Folklore Horror Short Stories. Biographies Charlie Hughes lives in London, England where he writes horror and dark short fiction. Authors he admires include Laird Barron, Gemma Files, Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell. His stories have appeared in The Dark, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Fiends in the Furrows III anthology and Close to Midnight from Flame Tree Press, among other publications. Two of Charlie’s stories have appeared in ‘Best Horror of the Year’, edited by Ellen Datlow. You can find a full list of published stories at charliehugheswriting.blogspot.com Saki was the pen-name for Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916). Born in British Burma, the son of an Inspector General of the Imperial Indian Police, Munro lost his mother early and was brought up by grandparents in England. He signed up for the Imperial Police himself, but was quickly invalided home. At a loose end in London, he wrote for newspapers and magazines. The theory always was that his witty, but frequently macabre, short stories were just a way of supporting him as he worked on serious studies of Russian history and politics. In practice, they were to become the basis of both his contemporary and his enduring fame. Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her audiobook narrations. This episode was hosted by Bea. ‘Woodface’ is ©2024 Charlie Hughes and was originally published in Dark Dead Things: Issue 3, but more recently appears in Folklore Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The Music on the Hill’ by Saki was first published in The Chronicles of Clovis in 1911 but more recently appears in Folklore Horror (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 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 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.
S3 · E9
July 28 · 37 min
Authoring Gothic Horror with Catherine Cavendish
We’ve been sitting on this conversation for a while, but now feels like the perfect time to share it. Olivia sat down with one of our most celebrated authors at World Fantasy Con, Catherine Cavendish, to talk about all things gothic horror—and with her newest novel, Ghosts of Chanterlands, out next month, there’s no better moment to dive in. Cat is a prolific writer of supernatural, ghostly, and gothic suspense novels, novellas and short stories. We have published a number of her works, including her most recent novel The Stones of Landane, inspired by the Avebury henge, as well as the short story Dance, Mephisto which was included in our Shirley Jackson nominated anthology Werewolf Short Stories! In her words, she finds inspiration in haunted places and wandering around prehistoric stone circles, all helping to create the spooky tales we absolutely love. Ghosts of Chanterlands is a horror novel set in 1940. It follows Pamela Courtney as she is evacuated to Chanterlands - the home of her aunts: Jilly, the eccentric one, who dreams of her days as a star of the silver screen, and Bunny, the pragmatic one. But Chanterlands is home to more than just the living. A greater danger awaits Pamela than the war that rages across Europe. What started as a mother’s desperate wish to keep her child safe has taken a dark and fatal turn. This episode was hosted by Olivia. ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E8
July 21 · 48 min
Twice Served Cold
Revenge is a dish best served cold. But why do people say that? Is it because revenge is more satisfying after you've had time to savour the anticipation? Because the best plans take time to hatch? Or perhaps because the greatest revenge is the one that catches its victim completely by surprise. Whatever the reason, today's stories serve revenge on a silver platter, lavishly garnished with betrayal, jealousy and dark retribution. Featuring ‘The Unwanted Legs’ by Roz Watkins (03.45), read by Cornelia Colman. This first story comes, fittingly, from our brand-new anthology, Best Served Cold. Like her novels, this story is unsettling, psychologically sharp and guaranteed to leave you with a lingering sense of unease. ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe (31.50), read by Richard McIver. A relationship poisoned by resentment provides the spark for vengeance, as an irresistible temptation conceals a deadly betrayal. Found in our Edgar Allan Poe Short Stories collection. Biographies Roz Watkins is the author of the acclaimed DI Meg Dalton series and the standalone thrillers, The Red House and The Wicked Girls. Her first book was shortlisted for the Debut Dagger award, and The Red House was in the Times 100 best books of summer. Roz lives in Falmouth with two demanding cats, and is the Royal Literary Fund Fellow for Exeter and Falmouth Universities. 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. Cornelia Colman is a Voice Actor, Hand Model and Actor with a background in Food Science. Although her resting accent is RP, her range includes several African and Caribbean accents, other foreign accents, and various English dialects. When narrating, she aims to bring diverse, multicultural characters to life. Hopefully, via using these accents, to enhance the experience and increase the enjoyment listeners have when listening to her the audiobook narrations. 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 Unwanted Legs’ is ©2026 Roz Watkins and appeared in Best Served Cold (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in Godey's Lady's Book in 1846, but more recently appeared in Edgar Allen Poe Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E7
July 14 · 46 min
The Mind's Eye
Today we’re entering the mind’s eye, a place manipulated by recollection, imagination and fear. Somewhere that speaks to versions of the truth rather than cold hard facts. It’s time to put on your detective hats and decide what to believe and what to dismiss as falsehood. Featuring ‘The Follies’ by Martine Bailey, read by Nathan Chatelier (06.30). From Guilty Secrets, a collection created in collaboration with the Crime Writers Association, ‘The Follies’ is a story set in the aftermath of the First World War that follows a doctor as he recounts a case of shell shock that is much more strange than he initially thought. The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce, read by Richard McIver (32.41). Found in Supernatural Horror, a tale about how perception is fragile and fear can reshape what people think they have seen. Biographies Martine Bailey writes crime and historical mysteries. Her debut, An Appetite for Violets, was credited by Fay Weldon as inventing a new ‘culinary Gothic’ genre. Three more historical mysteries followed, including The Penny Heart, a Sunday Times Best Summer Read. Her latest books, Sharp Scratch and Isolation Ward, draw on her early NHS career and MSc research, to explore whether personality tests could catch a killer. Martine is also an award-winning amateur cook and lives in Cheshire with her husband. Ambrose Bierce (1842–c. 1914) was a famous journalist and author, best-known for writing The Devil’s Dictionary. His disappearance at the age of 71 on a trip to Mexico remains a great mystery and continues to spark speculation. 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 Follies’ is ©2026 Martine Bailey and appeared in Guilty Secrets (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The Boarded Window’ by Ambrose Bierce was first published in the San Francisco Examiner in 1889, but more recently appeared in Supernatural Horror (Flame Tree Publishing, 2017) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S3 · E6
July 7 · 33 min
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 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 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. 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 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 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.
S3 · E5
June 30 · 47 min
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 page and produced as limited edition print zines for book fairs and conventions. Shilpa Varma typically writes three articles a week on Substack 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 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 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 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.
S3 · E4
June 23 · 43 min
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. ‘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 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 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 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.
S3 · E3
June 16 · 39 min
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. '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 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 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 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.
S3 · E2
June 9 · 44 min
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 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. 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. 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 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 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.
S3 · E1
June 2 · 44 min
The Shape of Death
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of childbirth and loss. Welcome back, we’re so glad you’re here for Season 3 of The Myth & Fiction Podcast! This episode focuses on two female figures standing on the threshold of death. Grief is given shape in both stories, posing questions as to how we process the tragedy of mortality. Featuring ‘The Wyrd Sister’ by D.L. Stille (05.40), read by Amanda Benzecry. A story from our brand new Myths, Gods & Immortals book, The Valkyries, this one follows Skuld as she confronts the limits of her power and learns what it means to guide someone through an ending. ‘Death and the Woman’ by Gertrude Atherton (28.30), read by Bea. From our Footsteps in the Dark short story collection, this is a claustrophobic and deeply Gothic story - all about the unbearable act of waiting beside someone you love as death slowly approaches. Biographies D.L. Stille writes speculative, thriller, and horror fiction. Having grown up both in the New Jersey Highlands and the foothills of the Appalachians, she has a special love for mountains, forests, and autumn. D.L. Stille has been previously published in Maudlin House, the Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter, 4LPH4NUM3R1C, Tales to Terrify, and Cosmic Daffodil Journal. To find out more and to stay updated on forthcoming projects, visit her website: dlstille.com Gertrude Atherton (1857–1948), who also wrote under the pseudonyms ‘Frank Lin’ and ‘Asmodeus’, was born in California. She wrote her first novel while living with her husband in the Atherton Mansion in San Francisco. Her family disapproved of her writing, which often featured independent, driven women. After her husband died at sea she moved to New York, and travelled in Europe. Her novel Black Oxen (1923) was made into a silent film, and her other supernatural tales include ‘The Striding Place’, ‘The Foghorn’ and ‘The Bell in the Fog’. Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired. This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘The Wyrd Sister’ is ©2026 D.L. Stille and appeared in The Valkyries (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘Death and the Woman’ was originally published in Vanity Fair (1892), but more recently appeared in Footsteps in the Dark (Flame Tree Publishing, 2019). ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E14
March 31 · 38 min
The Sauútiverse
This week, Olivia sits down with two brilliant authors, Eugen Bacon and Cheryl S. Ntumy, to explore The Sauútiverse. If you caught our Sauúti Terrors episode a few weeks ago, you’ve already had a glimpse into the universe they helped build, but this time, we go deeper. Together, they unpack the imagination, themes, and creative vision behind their richly layered Afrofuturist universe. To learn more about The Sauútiverse pick up a copy of ‘Sauúti Terrors’ or visit sauuti.com . If you are interested in hearing a story from Sauúti Terrors, written by Eugen Bacon, our podcast episode featuring her story ‘The Rawness of you’ is available to listen to on The Myth & Fiction Podcast. And if you are looking to hear some of Cheryl S. Ntumy’s work, her story ‘The Wedding Dress’ is featured in our podcast episode, Not Just Any Dress. To learn more about Flame Tree and our upcoming projects subscribe to the Fiction Newsletter or follow us on Social Media. The Myth & Fiction Podcast returns on Tuesday, 2 June, with a new episode exploring The Valkyries, one of our upcoming Myths, Gods & Immortals titles, published alongside Odysseus. Biographies Cheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction, romance and YA. She is part of the Sauútiverse Collective, which created a shared universe for Afrocentric speculative fiction, and Petlo Literary Arts, a creative writing organisation in Botswana. Eugen Bacon is an African Australian author. She’s a Solstice, British Fantasy, Locus, Ignyte and Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy and Shirley Jackson Award finalist, and a finalist in multiple awards. Eugen is an Otherwise Fellow, and was also announced in the honor list for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’. This episode is hosted by Olivia. ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E13
March 24 · 44 min
Of Love & Dragons
If you joined us a couple of weeks ago for our episode featuring A Breath of Time, then you’ll already have had a glimpse into our brand-new Romantic Fantasy anthology series. And as promised, this time we’re turning to its fiery, ferocious, and, of course, romantic counterpart, Of Love & Dragons. In this episode, we bring you two captivating stories set against sweeping oceanic backdrops, where love and transformation collide in powerful and unexpected ways. Featuring 'We Are Not Them' by Georgina Kamsika (04.09), read by Sabrina Robinson. It’s an enemies-to friends-to lovers tale set against a vast, oceanic backdrop, where two women must confront the weight of their history. Found in our brand new Of Love & Dragons anthology. 'The Water Kelpie by Rebecca Sophia Clarke (29.31), read by Bea. In this tale, we meet a kelpie - not quite a dragon, but a creature just as steeped in mystery, who draws a woman down into his underwater kingdom. From our Gothic Fantasy anthology, Shadows on the Water. Biographies Georgina Kamsika writes about monsters and ghosts and aliens. Sometimes the people kiss. Sometimes the monsters do too! Georgina is currently writing an interactive fiction game for Choice of Games, but when the coding gets too much, she finds she must write a short story or two. This is one of them. For more information, find her at kamsika.com and @GKamsika on most socials. Writing as ‘Sophie May’, Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833–1906) was a prolific and well-loved children’s author, best known for her ‘Little Prudy’ series. In contrast with her lively, quirky characters, she was personally quiet and unassuming. Apart from a few years as a schoolteacher in Evanston, Indiana, she spent most of her life in her birthplace, the tiny town of Norridgewock, Maine. ‘We Are Not Them’ is ©2026 Georgina Kamsika and appears in Of Love & Dragons (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘The Water Kelpie’ by Rebecca Sophia Clarke was first published in 1866 in Fairy Book, but more recently appeared in Shadows on the Water (Flame Tree Publishing, 2024) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E12
March 18 · 44 min
Deconstructed
Life, deconstructed. The saying we’re all the same underneath, is it referring to blood and bone or something less tangible? A distinctly human essence perhaps or the concept of a soul? Today’s stories broadly look at creation but more importantly at what commonality connects us all together. Featuring ‘Solar-Powered Buddies’ by Akis Linardos (03.09), read by Amanda Benzecry. From our Robots Past and Future collection, this story is set in a future where androids and humans exist at the same time and not necessarily happily. ‘The Mother of the World’ collected by James Athearn Jones (28.24), read by Olivia. Borrowed from our First Peoples Short Stories collection, this is a Native American creation myth story. Biographies In a cove of a Greek island, Akis Linardos was born a rather peculiar infant and has only grown stranger every year. By day, he’s a researcher of biomedical AI and ethics, hoping there’s something less dystopian to come from this technology. His words have wormed their way into Apex Magazine, Gamut, Strange Horizons, previous Flame Tree anthologies, and Uncharted, among others. Visit his website for updates on his dreadful machinations: linktr.ee/akislinardos. Born in the state of Massachusetts in 1790, James Athearn Jones would go on to work as a lawyer and editor. It is for his work collecting Native American legends that he is best remembered, however, beginning in 1820 with Traditions of the North American Indians, or Tales of an Indian Camp, which featured stories told to him by an Indian woman of the Gayhead tribe who was employed as his nurse. Jones would write three volumes in the Traditions of the North American Indian series prior to his death in 1853. Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired. ‘Solar-Powered Buddies’ is ©2023 Akis Linardos and was first published in The Colored Lens in 2023 but more recently appeared in Robots Past and Future (Flame Tree Publishing, 2025). ‘The Mother of the World’ from Native American Tradition was first published in ‘Traditions of the North American Indians’, by James Athearn Jones in 1830, but more recently appeared in First Peoples (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E11
March 10 · 38 min
A Breath of Time
Part of the launch for our brand new Romantic Fantasy series, this episode features ‘A Breath of Time’, a collection which pits love and lovers against the greatest adversary of all: time. Flame Tree’s Romantic Fantasy books are a captivating blend of our signature Gothic Fantasy collections with the passion and magic of Romantasy. This series is made up of stories selected from open submissions. As with our other series, this one is beautifully presented. Featuring ‘Stitching Time’ by AnaMaria Curtis (03.33), read by Sabrina Robinson. It’s a tale of two lovers who meet across two different timelines. The bond between the man - who is of course tall, dark and handsome & and woman - who possesses the ability to weave time, grows as they search for a way to tie their lives together. ‘Sonnet 12’ by William Shakespeare (35.48), read by Bea. This poem reminds us that time is relentless. It ages beauty, it moves fast, it’s merciless - but it also challenges us to create something lasting: love, virtue, and legacy. Biographies AnaMaria Curtis is from the part of Illinois that is very much not Chicago, where she learned to be argumentative, competitive and nostalgic. She is the winner of the 2019 Dell Magazines Award and the LeVar Burton Reads Origins and Encounters Contest, and her work has been published in magazines including Clarkesworld, Uncanny and Strange Horizons. You can get in touch or find more of her work at anamariacurtis.com or on Bluesky at @anamariacurtis.bsky.social. William Shakespeare’s sonnets are amongst the most admired, complex and beautiful poems ever written. Sonnet 12 was part of his famed “Fair Youth” sequence, a series of 126 poems. Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer of the English poetic form. Sabrina Robinson is an award-winning American actress and lover of whimsical stories. She most recently performed as The Bride in Blood Wedding at Tower Theatre and in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Putney Arts Theatre. For her role in Breakfast of Champions (streaming on Amazon Prime), Sabrina received the Best Actress award at the ÉCU European Independent Film Festival in Paris. This episode was hosted by Olivia. ‘Stitching Time’ is ©2026 AnaMaria Curtis and appears in A Breath of Time (Flame Tree Publishing, 2026). ‘Sonnet 12’ by William Shakespeare was first published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe, but more recently appeared in Sonnets & Poems of William Shakespeare (Flame Tree Publishing, 2022) ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E10
March 3 · 35 min
Sauúti Terrors
This week’s episode dives into Sauúti Terrors, a bold new dark science fiction collection from African and African diaspora writers. Set within the groundbreaking Sauútiverse, the anthology brings together chilling and thought-provoking short stories. Last month, editor and contributor Eugen Bacon visited London from Australia as part of a book tour alongside fellow editors Cheryl S. Ntumy and Stephen Embleton. While she was here, we invited Eugen to record one of her stories from the collection for the podcast. Featuring ‘The Rawness of You’ by Eugen Bacon (08.50), read by Eugen Bacon. This story is set in Eh’wauizo, the spirit realm, a dimension of the dead, and is from the perspective of our unnamed hero who wakes up in a strange hinterland and nothing seems quite right. Biographies Eugen Bacon is an African Australian author. She’s a British Fantasy and Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy Award finalist, and a finalist in the Shirley Jackson, Philip K. Dick, Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Nommo Awards for speculative fiction by Africans. Eugen was announced in the Honor List of the Otherwise Fellowships for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’. Danged Black Thing made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a ‘sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work’. Visit her at eugenbacon.com. This episode was hosted by Bea ‘The Rawness of You’ is ©2026 Eugen Bacon and appeared in Sauúti Terrors (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 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 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.
S2 · E9
February 24 · 23 min
Writing Nightmares with Ramsey Campbell
February's podcast guest is none other than legend of the horror genre, Ramsey Campbell. Bea finds him at World Fantasy Con 2025 in Brighton to discuss his novel, An Echo of Children, which offers a terrifying glimpse into the practice of exorcising children. An illuminating conversation in which Ramsey reflects on 60 years in the genre and how he continues to find inspiration, refine his craft and unsettle his readers six decades on. This month Flame Tree is releasing a new edition of his 1980s novel Incarnate, a classic exploration of malevolent dreams and monstrous forces. If this episode has got you curious about Ramsey Campbell’s novel, An Echo of Children, you can listen to an extract in our October episode ‘Not So Alive and Spooky’ or find out more on our website. Biography Ramsey Campbell was born in Liverpool in 1946 and lives in Wallasey. First published by Arkham House at just eighteen, he has become one of the most acclaimed voices in modern horror, blending psychological unease, the uncanny, and cosmic dread across a body of work that spans decades. His many honours include lifetime achievement awards from the World Horror Convention, the Horror Writers Association and the World Fantasy Convention. In 2015 he was named an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University for services to literature. Several of his novels have been adapted for film, including The Influence and The Nameless which is being adapted by Netflix . A longtime BBC film reviewer and President of the Society of Fantastic Films, Campbell remains a defining figure in contemporary horror. ..................................................................................................................................... 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 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 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.
S2 · E8
February 17 · 52 min
Here Comes The Bride
Content Warning: This episode contains distressing descriptions of childbirth and loss. Full disclosure, today’s two stories share little more than the word “bride.” One takes you down a shadowy, unsettling path; the other is delightfully quirky and unfailingly sweet. They’re less companion pieces and more contrasting tales but if there’s a thread that binds them, it’s this, love has a way of blooming in the most unexpected places. Featuring ‘I Exist’ by Lyndsay E. Gilbert (04.54) , read by Amanda Benzecry. A twisted gothic tale, with the unsettling use of a Sheela Na Gig type figure; found in our Gothic Fantasy collection, Terrifying Ghosts. ‘The Forest Bride’ from Hungarian Folklore (33.12), first published in English by Parker Fillmore in 1919, read by Olivia. An endearingly sweet story about a marriage to an unconventional bride. This one can be found in our brand new Kalevala & Finnish Myths & Tales short story collection. Biographies Lyndsay E. Gilbert is a hopeful YA author from Northern Ireland. She lives by an ancient castle looking out to sea. Her interests are reading, writing, science fiction and fantasy, horror, music, playing the fiddle, movies, fairy tales, cats, dogs and the ancient art of belly dance. Lyndsay has a few stories published in anthologies such as Steampunk Universe, Fae Visions of the Mediterranean and the up-and-coming Trouble the Waters. She is currently working on a horror novel about post-apocalyptic witches and can be found writing terrible poetry and procrastinating on Instagram @lyndsayegilbert. Parker Fillmore (1878–1944) was an American author born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He most famously published Czechoslovak Fairy Tales (1919) and The Shoemaker’s Apron (1920). Amanda Benzecry (voice actor) regularly narrates books for Audible, is on the panel for the RNIB and is a frequent contributor (both as a narrator and a writer) to TNF Soundings, providing audio material for the visually impaired. ‘I Exist’ is ©2021 Lyndsay E. Gilbert and appeared in Terrifying Ghosts (Flame Tree Publishing, 2021). ‘The Forest Bride’ from Hungarian Folklore was first published in ‘Czechoslovak Fairy Tales’ (1919), but more recently appears in Kalevala & Finnish 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 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 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.

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