Spineless Wonders Audio
EARWORMS
Breaking the Silence
When I first began thinking about Spineless Wonders back in late 2010, I envisaged the three platforms, PRINT DIGITAL AUDIO. At last, we are now offering short Australian stories as audio files or, as we like to say, as Earworms, stories that stay with you.
In writing this blog post, we are breaking the silence in two ways. First up, we believe there are not enough opportunities for short stories from Australia to be heard. Some publishers produce audiobooks, but these tend to be of novels. And there are some fine examples of short story broadcasts such as Radio National’s Sunday Story and Paper Radio. We are delighted to see Overland Audio hit cyberspace recently, and hope to see fiction as well as poetry there.
But we want more. We want a website full of short Australian stories for you to download and listen to when ever and where ever you want. That’s why we invented Earworms.
It’s time to break our silence. We have been working away at the audio side of things for a while now here at Spineless Wonders, and whilst we are not done yet, we felt it time to let you know what we have planned. Right now, we are uploading recordings by contributing authors from our two anthologies, small wonder and Escape. See our Audio page. We will be adding more as they become available, as well as selected stories from our single author collections.
And as of today, we are open to submissions from other authors. Like all of our Spineless Wonders’ publications, Earworms will showcase the best of Australian writing. We are looking for quality, innovative works by writers who already have a publishing or awards track record as well as for works by new writers who come to us via recommendation. (If you’d like to submit, click here. You can find more details on our Submissions page.)
As for the future, we will have a bigger, searchable shopfront. That means you’ll be able to find stories by genre (including a category called ‘not yet defined’), by author and by length. We will have a Reviews & Discussion section featuring audio reviews and interviews with authors. (So if you fancy yourself as the Australia’s answer to the New Yorker’s Deborah Treisman and would like to record an interview with an Earworms author, discuss an Earworms story or if you have views you’d like to share about the short story in Australia – then get in contact with us.)
We have plans for wider distribution as well – currently we are selling straight from our website but we are looking at other platforms such as iTunes. We also plan limited CD production, especially for use in institutions such as public, university and school libraries. (We are keen to have a show of hands for CDs – so if you work in one of those areas, or have a preference for CD over mp3, then do let us know.)
Stories that stay with you
Yes, we do want you to pay for the audio downloads. http://bit.ly/OgZ4BP In fact, some of you have already done so. Thanks for your support and do come back for more. Prices range from $0.99 to $2.99. Majority proceeds go to the author.
How does it work?
Earworm audio files are sold without digital rights management technology. This means that once purchased and downloaded, the audio file can be played on however many devices the purchaser owns.
Our audio short stories are copyrighted works. Purchasers may not upload to, or otherwise share, the audio file through any personal, community or business website, blog, on-line forum or use any other means to broadly distribute Earworms without our permission.
Yes, we are relying on honesty here. Trusting, that’s us.
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This entertaining collection includes a romp of a novella called The Rattler, as well as short stories and micro fictions all set in and around contemporary Melbourne. Sometimes serious, sometimes seriously playful –always written in breathtakingly beautiful prose – these stories uncover the heartbreaking tragedies, slow-burning emotions and serendipity of ordinary lives.
Cover image by Miles Allinson, illustrated by Miles Allinson & Maxine Beneba Clarke
Praise for The Rattler & other stories:
“Spare and taut, sometimes tricky, sometimes shocking, yet always deeply and satisfyingly tender. A great collection.”
Paddy O’Reilly.
“An explosive mix of muscular prose and sharp originality. In this collection, A. S. Patric proves himself to be a writer who must be taken very seriously.” Vanessa Gebbie, author of Short Circuit, A Guide to the Art of the Short Story.
“A.S. Patric is that rarest of writers- he is absolutely fearless. His stories take risks, his characters soar and his prose sings. Be careful. These stories might cut you.” Ryan O’Neill.
In Permission to Lie, Julie Chevalier casts a curious eye into many different worlds. Her characters ride the citybound bus route, spend the night in a nudist colony and wait tables. Quirky and beautifully-written, these stories provide insights that ring with integrity and compassion.
‘A new voice in Australian fiction, wry, gritty, knowing and true.’
Fiona McGregor, Indelible Ink
Read an interview with the author, here.
What makes a man?
In this collection of short stories, Pierz Newton John moves through the full range of masculine experience, with an openness not afraid to show men at their most lonely, sexual, loving, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes abusive. First touch of a woman’s body in a cold and foreign land, tender moments between father and son, the deep love of a father separated from his child, treachery and opportunism mixed up with loneliness and internet dating, the casual violence of young boys exploring the world, rites of passage from young rebels to comfortable suburbanites, and what men feel and think about women. In Pierz Newton John’s stories it always come back to emotion?tenderness with children, warmth with wives after dreams of alienation, the pain of treacherous girlfriends, the loneliness of men. Plus ça change plus c’est la même chose…….the reader is lulled by the seamless prose, undercurrents of contemporary music, the urbane writing, the suburban settings, but it is all happening behind closed doors.
Read an interview with the author, here
Purchase a copy, here.
In these seventeen stories, Melbourne writer, Mary Manning, looks at the ways people are shaped, or damaged, by their circumstances. The results may sometimes be humorous, sometimes tragic. Whether set on a tram, along a highway or on an outback road?it is the journey, the characters and the telling of the tale that will capture your attention.
Cover and illustrations by Paden Hunter
‘Mary Manning takes her stories to places few writers would dare to go. She ranges across different styles with ease in a unique voice that is tart, tight and compulsively readable.’ PADDY O’REILLY
Read our interview with the author, Mary Manning here
To purchase, click here
If you like your genres with a bit of edge, you’ll love this diverse collection of stories from Spineless Wonders.
Features award-winning writers such as Ryan O’Neill, Jen Mills, Andy Kissane, Louise Swinn, Julie Chevalier, A.S. Patric and Kim Westwood as well as stories chosen by Sophie Cunningham in the inaugural Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award.
Contains illustrations by talented young artist, Paden Hunter.
‘Quality short fiction, packed with surprises. Prepare to be transported.’ Marion Halligan
Purchase here
Read interviews with our contributors, here.
Listen to audio samples here.
An anthology of prose poems and microfiction from 30 Australian writers.
- Includes award-winning writers Michael Farrell, Keri Glastonbury, Judith Beveridge and Peter Boyle.
- Features prose poems and microfiction selected by competition judge, joanne burns.
- Cover and evocative sketches by talented artist, Paden Hunter.
- Read interviews with our contributors here
- Click here to here audio
To purchase, click here
Escape audio stories Vol. 2
Playlist
Those Gauls Must Be Crazy – Claire Aman 14:36
The End of the Beginning – Meredyth Cilento 25:50
Poioumenon – John Steiner 8:22
The Gardener – Susan McCreery 21:50
For more details about these stories and their authors and to hear audio samples from this CD click here. Also available as mp3.
Escape – audio stories Vol. 1
Playlist
Paper Anniversary – SJ Finn/JR Davidson 19:35
Under the Skin – Sue Booker 21:39
Unnameable – M. Giacometti 20:14
Home – Yin Lin 13:36
For more details about these stories and their authors and to hear audio samples from this CD, click here. Also available as mp3.
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