Episodes
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A woman is coping with grief, or rather not coping so well with it. But some strong lessons come from an unlikely source.
Caroline Taylor is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer who grew up in the mountain west and traveled widely, including a brief stint in the Foreign Service. A former editor of Humanities magazine, she is the author of nine mysteries, one short-story collection, and a nonfiction book. All of them are available on her website at www.carolinestories.com. Two of her novels won the Firebird Book award, and a third was a finalist for the Freddie Award. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Visit her at https://facebook.com./CarolineTaylorAuthor/.
You can read "Benches" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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The island nunnery is a safe space. But is it safe for everyone? And who pays the price for that safety?
Nathan Perrin is an Anabaptist pastor in Chicagoland. He holds an MA in Quaker Studies, and is a doctoral student studying Christian Community Development at Northern Seminary. His doctorate work centers on creating a writing program for nonprofits and churches to use to help under-resourced communities process trauma. He is the author of the forthcoming novella Memories of Green Rivers, which will be released by Running Wild Press in 2025. His work has been published in the Dillydoun Review, Bangalore Review, Collateral Journal, Esoterica Magazine, etc. He is also a screenwriter for an unannounced indie comedy series. For more information, visit www.nathanperrinwriter.com
You can read "The Nunnery" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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When a woman begins to vanish in society’s eyes, what can she do to be appreciated?
Raluca Balasa holds an MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction from the University of Nevada, Reno. Her short work has appeared in venues such as Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, Aurealis, and Grimdark Magazine, as well as on Apex Magazine’s blog. Raluca works as an English professor in the Toronto area. Her debut science fiction novel, Blood State, was released in 2020 from Renaissance Press. She can be found at https://ralucabalasa.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: @rabalasa
You can read "Vanishing Act" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Awesome photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash!
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What would life be like if your loved one really did come back as a ghost to be with you? One man finds out.
Chad Gayle’s speculative fiction has appeared in and at StarShipSofa, Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, and Inner Worlds. In addition to teaching English in Texas and North Carolina, Chad has worked as a computer programmer, a graphic designer, and a freelance photographer. Proud father to two humans and three felines, he’s also an avid roller skater who can be found on fair weather days skating gleefully through the streets of New York, the city he calls home.
Learn more about Chad’s publications and photography at https://chadgayle.com/.
You can read "A Certain Kind of Love" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Awesome photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash!
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A firefighter who falls head over heels in love with his baby daughter. Some would call it obsession. But in times of crisis, who will be the hero?
JB Polk is Polish by birth, a citizen of the world by choice. Since 2020, more than 100 of her stories, flash fiction and non-fiction, have been accepted for publication. In 1996, her story short-listed for the Irish Independent/Hennessy Awards, Ireland, and she recently won the International Human Rights Arts Movement literary contest.
You can read "Sweet Magnolia" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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A sweet little boy takes after his grandfather. How is anything but sweet.
Tim Law has loved to write from a very young age, but has only recently discovered the joy of being published. He is happily married to a wonderful girl, a proud father of three humans, and a reluctant father figure to four cats. He writes fantasy, science fiction, general, detective, humour, and a lot of weird stuff that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. He encourages everyone to give writing a go. Some of his stranger stories can be found here on the Kaidankai, but if you want to read more try his blog.
You can read "Grandpa's Boy" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Other stories by Tim Law on the Kaidankai Podcast:
Possession
The Darkness Beyond the Farm Back Gate
My Friend Shane
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How far will one woman go to get more followers on social media?
Harold Hoss is a film producer best known for "The Unheard" and "Creep Box." When he isn't reading, writing, or watching horror movies he enjoys hiking with his dog Margot. Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorHoss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hblakehoss/
Website with link to a short film on Alter: https://haroldhosshorror.wordpress.com/
You can read "Follow Me" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Today's story is a perfect example of how ghost stories reveal our humanity. There's obsession and revenge, love and generosity, fear and forgiveness.
Linda Gould is the host of the Kaidankai podcast. She lived in Japan for 26 years and was inspired by the culture, people, and folklore to write ghost stories with Japan as a backdrop.
You can read "It's Your Turn" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Today's story is a perfect example of how ghost stories reveal our humanity. There's obsession and revenge, love and generosity, fear and forgiveness.
Denise Longrie’s work has appeared in Spank the Carp, Bright Flash Literary Review, and Danse Macabre. She has self-published a nonfiction guide to pre-1900 speculative fiction. She is (…still) working by the flickering light of a Jacob’s ladder on a sequel treating twentieth-century pulp science fiction. In a previous life, she worked as a pharmacy technician.
You can read "The Ironworker" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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A woman journeys through a forest. Is it a dream? What is she looking for? And why is it all so familiar?
Linda Sparks has been published in multiple anthologies and podcasts including Kaidankai, Ravens Quoth Press, Lothlorien, Spillwords, Sweetycat Press, (she was awarded the Emerald Prize for her poem "Dancing Girl"), and she loves writing dark, Poe poetry and short stories. She has 28 published books as she writes Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction and mystery. She served as Editor for Valkyrie Magazine as well. She lives with her family in Florida.
You can read "The House in the Woods" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Other stories by Linda Sparks on The Kaidankai
Cemetery Squad
The Mark of the Cat
Silence
The Death Drums
Jessi
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Photo by James Fitzgerald on Unsplash -
A homemade Ouija board has more than a few quixotic messages for a group of teens.
L.N. Hunter’s comic fantasy novel, ‘The Feather and the Lamp,’ sits alongside works in anthologies such as ‘The Monsters Next Door’ and ‘Best of British Science Fiction 2022’ as well as Short Édition’s ‘Short Circuit’ and the ‘Horrifying Tales of Wonder’ podcast. There have also been papers in the IEEE ‘Transactions on Neural Networks,’ which are probably somewhat less relevant and definitely less fun. When not writing, L.N. unwinds in a disorganised home in rural Cambridgeshire, UK, along with two cats and a soulmate. Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.N.Hunter.writer Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/l.n.hunter Linktree (publications list): https://linktr.ee/l.n.hunter
You can read "The Monster in the Dungeon" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Other stories by L. N. Hunter on The Kaidankai
Poster Children
Observer Effect
Skin Deep
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Amado guides us through a woman’s inner turmoil, offers glimpses into a troubled marriage, and coils us into a reality in which we have no control.
Laila Amado is a migrating writer of speculative and literary fiction. She writes in her second language. She has recently exchanged her fourth country of residence for the fifth, and can now be found staring at the North Sea, instead of the Mediterranean. The sea, occasionally, stares back. Her speculative stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Tales to Terrify, Three Lobed Burning Eye, as well as in various anthologies. Website: https://amadolaila.com/ Social media handles: Twitter/X @onbonbon7; Instagram @laila_amado; Bluesky @amadolaila.bsky.social
You can read "The Screechers" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Video of U2's The Hands That Built America:
https://youtu.be/qFmh0c61I4Y?si=X4ZyeRDFcrGDr1HH -
Deja vu is a memory that we don’t remember. But in today’s story, the character does recognize the discrepency. Is he crazy? Is he suffering a medical emergency?
William Quincy Belle is just a guy. Nobody famous; nobody rich; just some guy who likes to periodically add his two cents worth with the hope, accounting for inflation, that $0.02 is not over-evaluating his contribution. He claims that at the heart of the writing process is some sort of (psychotic) urge to put it down on paper and likes to recite the following which so far he hasn't been able to attribute to anyone: "A writer is an egomaniac with low self-esteem." You will find Mr. Belle's unbridled stream of consciousness here (https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-Quincy-Belle/author/B01M1IQ69G).
You can read "The Fourteen Fourteen Curse" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Photo of New York City Ironworkers, photographer unknown
Video of U2's The Hands That Built America:
https://youtu.be/qFmh0c61I4Y?si=X4ZyeRDFcrGDr1HH -
Art speaks to us. Sometimes, what it says can be scary.
Jon Krampner’s short stories and flash fiction have appeared, or are about to appear, in Across the Margin, Eunoia Review, Eclipse, Page & Spine and Collective Unrest. He was selected as a finalist in the Summer 2018 Owl Canyon Press Hackathon. He lives in Los Angeles and is sarcastic in three languages.
You can read "The Girl in the Watercolor" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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Two lonely girls encounter a voice in a closet. What does it want? And should they give in to its demands to be let out.
Brittany Hague (she/her) has worked as a graphic artist, an independent interactive fiction maker, and short story writer. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two children, and familiars. Her short stories have appeared in the Night of the Geminids and Monster (Hidden Fortress Press) anthologies, Last Girls Club, and Black Sheep Magazine. [email protected]
You can read "The Talking Thing" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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A group of kids meet a bug-eyed ghost, but what does it want and why does it keep showing up? Can a reluctant ghost hunter discover what’s bothering the ghost and help it on its way?
Rick Kennett lives in Melbourne, Australia. After working as a motorcycle courier for 42 years -- possibly a world record – he is now retired, spending his time listening to podcasts and being addicted to YouTube. Though once a whippet owner Kennett now contents himself to talk to next door's white tom who sometimes condescends to talk to him. "Alley Ghost" is one in the Ernie Pine series concerning a ghost hunter who hates being a ghost hunter. He first appeared in the 20th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories and has made appearances in magazines, anthologies, podcasts and two novels.
You can read "Alley Ghost" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
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The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you’re going to hear.
Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to.
"Steam" is written by Hana Carolina, an Edinburgh-based creative and academic writer. Born in Poland, she moved to Scotland and studied literature, film and television for many years. Since then, she has been working as a tutor, interpreter, and researcher, and publishing academically while writing dark stories about horrible people. Her work has been published in Every Day Fiction, Crow & Cross Keys, Five on the Fifth, the Chamber Magazine, BRUISER, The Horror Tree, Black Sheep Magazine, and others. You can find her on X/Twitter @HanaCarolinaSCO and BlueSky @hanacarolina.bsky.social.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
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When the people are away, a few unusual characters can come out to play. Who they are and what they do is the subject of today's story.
L.N. Hunter’s comic fantasy novel, ‘The Feather and the Lamp,’ sits alongside works in anthologies such as ‘The Monsters Next Door’ and ‘Best of British Science Fiction 2022’ as well as Short Édition’s ‘Short Circuit’ and the ‘Horrifying Tales of Wonder’ podcast. There have also been papers in the IEEE ‘Transactions on Neural Networks,’ which are probably somewhat less relevant and definitely less fun. When not writing, L.N. unwinds in a disorganised home in rural Cambridgeshire, UK, along with two cats and a soulmate.
Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.N.Hunter.writer
Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/l.n.hunter
Linktree (publications list): https://linktr.ee/l.n.hunter
You can read "Poster Children" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com and find LN's other story featured on the Kaidankai here.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
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The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you’re going to hear.
Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to.
"How Enchanted Paintings Drove Burglars Crazy" is written by Anne Hansell. Deaf since birth, Anne Hansell is a third-generation Japanese-American and a distant relative to a famous samurai. Hansell is a regular contributor to the Kaidankai. She lives in Southern California with her husband, a New England gentleman.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Follow us on: Twitter/X Instagram Facebook -
The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you’re going to hear.
Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to.
"Eli & Judith" is written and narrated by Jeff Short, who lives near Philadelphia with his family. When he is not being harassed by his two cats Odin and Ragnar he writes historical fiction featuring ghosts, vampires and assorted criminals.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
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