Story Radio Podcast

Story Radio Podcast

A monthly podcast dedicated to celebrating the literary short story and all things bookish. Bite-size short fiction for writers and readers everywhere. Listen to a short story or interview on the 1st of each month at 12:00am. Hosted by Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan open to established, new and emerging writers in the English language. Always free to submit. Story Radio Podcast is a Community Interest Company (CIC), established to support and promote emerging writers, actors and literary voices. As a CIC, we operate for public benefit, reinvesting any future profits back into the organisation to sustain and grow opportunities for the writing community. We are a small organisation run by volunteer writers and producers (Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan) hoping to benefit the writing community. Our eventual aim is to be self-funding and to pay our writers and actors for each short story we produce. Visit our https://patreon.com/storyradio (Patreon) if you would like to support our work and access exclusive content. Send us your stories Visit the Submissions page on our website https://www.storyradio.org/submissions/ (https://www.storyradio.org) Or contact Tabitha Potts at submit@storyradio.org About us Tabitha Potts is a writer living in East London. She has had several short stories published in print and online and short-listed for various awards, most recently the https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize (Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize). In a previous life, she was a BBC Radio Drama producer. Read more at http://www.tabithapotts.com/ (http://www.tabithapotts.com). Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and a railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. Website: https://www.martinnathan.co.uk/ (http://www.martinnathan.co.uk)

  1. Ava Glass talks about her spy novel The Hiding Season

    MAR 31

    Ava Glass talks about her spy novel The Hiding Season

    Ava Glass: The Hiding Season This week on Story Radio, Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan talk to Ava Glass (shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger and dubbed "the new Queen of spy fiction" by The Guardian) about her compelling new novel, The Hiding Season, published by Penguin on 26th March 2026. The Hiding Season marks a bold departure from Ava's acclaimed Emma Makepeace series. Where those novels followed a trained British intelligence officer, this book places an entirely ordinary woman — Maya Landry, recently escaped from a broken marriage and working at a remote Montana ski resort — at the centre of a deadly conspiracy. When Maya witnesses a murder and finds herself with no one to believe her, she is forced to abandon her identity, her home, and everything she knows in order to survive. In this conversation, we find out what drew Ava to write a different kind of spy story, told in the first person, set firmly on American soil, and focused on the collateral damage an intelligence operation can inflict on those who stumble, unwittingly, into its path. We learn about the craft decisions behind The Hiding Season: the novel's distinctive time structure, which resists a straightforward linear narrative; the challenge of writing a resourceful but untrained protagonist; and the atmospheric weight that the landscapes of Montana, Texas, and Chicago bring to the story. We also talk about what it means to reinvent yourself — a theme that resonates far beyond the world of espionage — and about the two figures at the novel's heart: Maya, who must outwit her pursuers on instinct alone, and Riley Maguire, the FBI agent whose motives she cannot quite bring herself to trust. Drawing on her years working alongside British intelligence and her earlier career as a crime reporter in America, Ava Glass brings a rare depth of knowledge to The Hiding Season, her most personal novel yet. Produced by Martin Nathan.Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and a railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. Story Radio CIC is supported by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Allia Impact. Support Story Radio Podcast

    33 min
  2. Interview with Lottie Moggach about her novel Mrs Pearcey

    FEB 22

    Interview with Lottie Moggach about her novel Mrs Pearcey

    In this episode of Story Radio, we are delighted to welcome Lottie Moggach to discuss her gripping new novel, Mrs Pearcey (published by Phoenix Books on 5th February 2026). Inspired by the true crime that scandalised 1890s London, the novel follows Hannah Teale, a bright young woman whose life becomes entwined with the trial of Mary Pearcey - a woman accused of a brutal double murder in Camden Town. When Mary's fiance Cosmo, a journalist, is undercover in an asylum, Hannah decides to try to help him by investigating the case and writing about it herself. We discuss researching historical novels and learn about Moggach's fascinating connection to the real life Mrs Pearcey, how Fleet Street journalism evolved, how close Hannah is to being a Victorian 'New Woman' and the reasons for our cultural obsession with true crime. I inhaled Mrs Pearcey. What an incredible book. Gripping and creepy and compulsive, yet deeply touching . . . brilliant - Sabine Durrant About Lottie MoggachLottie Moggach is the acclaimed author of Kiss Me First, Under the Sun, and Brixton Hill. She lives in North London with her husband, son and dog. This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts. Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026. Story Radio CIC is supported by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Allia Impact.

    39 min
  3. Interview with Sally Page author of Six Little Words

    JAN 31

    Interview with Sally Page author of Six Little Words

    We speak to Sally Page, best-selling author, about her new novel Six Little Words. Six Little Words follows two strangers embarking together on a Shakespeare-inspired scavenger hunt only to learn that you’re never too old to find love or pursue your dreams. We discuss mid-life romance, friendship, exploring your creativity, writing the male voice, lies, synaesthesia, painting and more. Blackstone Publishing is the US publisher and the publication is 24 Feb 2026. HarperCollins is the UK publisher and the publication day is 12 March 2026. About Sally Page: Sally Page is the internationally bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories, The Book of Beginnings, and The Secret of Flowers. After studying history at university, Sally moved to London to work in advertising. In her spare time, she studied floristry, eventually opening up her own flower shop, an experience that offered a unique window into people’s lives that has inspired her writing. She has two daughters, bestselling author Libby Page and Alex, a doctor. She lives in Dorset. This episode was produced by Martin Nathan. Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and a railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing.

    26 min
  4. Interview with Dr Miles Leeson editor of Poems from an Attic by Iris Murdoch

    12/31/2025

    Interview with Dr Miles Leeson editor of Poems from an Attic by Iris Murdoch

    Long hidden in an attic, vivid and revelatory poems shine a new light on the life and loves of Iris Murdoch. In the dusty attic of Iris Murdoch’s Oxford home lay a battered, black chest. In 2016, when the chest was finally opened, Murdoch’s life in poems was revealed. Renowned for her fiercely intelligent novels and groundbreaking philosophy, Murdoch was one of the great writers of the twentieth century. Yet she is also known for her equally radical life – intense friendships, relationships with both men and women, and an open marriage – about which much has, often controversially, been written. Now, her tightly wrought and vivid poems reveal a new, deeply personal account in Murdoch’s own voice. They range over the preoccupations closest to her heart, from the state of Ireland to memories of a first love lost in the Second World War. We speak to Dr Miles Leeson, one of the editors of Poems from an Attic by Iris Murdoch, to learn more about this exciting discovery and how it adds to our understanding of the work of the famous philosopher and novelist. Dr Leeson also reads three poems from the book, 'Reverie in Winchester Cathedral', 'I find that honesty is a hard thing', and 'Macaw in the Snow'. Dr Miles Leeson is Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester and Visiting Research Fellow at Kingston University. He is Lead Editor of the Iris Murdoch Review, Series Editor of Iris Murdoch Today with Palgrave Macmillan, host of the Iris Murdoch Podcast, and has published widely on Murdoch’s work. He published Iris Murdoch: Philosophical Novelist in 2010, the edited collection Incest in Contemporary Literature (2018), the festschrift Iris Murdoch: A Centenary Celebration (2019), the co-edited collections Iris Murdoch and the Literary Imagination (2022) and Iris Murdoch and the Western Theological Imagination (2025), co-edited her selected poetry Poems from an Attic: Selected Poems 1936-1995 (2025), and is currently writing Visiting Mrs Bayley and Other Essays (2026) Iris Murdoch and Feminism and editing The Oxford Handbook of Iris Murdoch (2028). You can find out more about him and his work here: https://www.chi.ac.uk/people/miles-leeson/ Iris MurdochIris Murdoch was born in Dublin in 1919. After working in the Treasury and in the UN, she discovered philosophy, eventually becoming Fellow at St Anne's College, Oxford. Her philosophical concerns are at the heart of the 25 novels for which she became famous, gaining the Whitbread Prize for The Sacred and Profane Love Machine and the Booker Prize for The Sea, The Sea. Until her death in 1999, she lived in Oxford with her husband, the academic and critic, John Bayley. She wrote poetry all her life. The Iris Murdoch Society Buy the book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/470920/poems-from-an-attic-by-murdoch-iris/9781784746124 Music: “The Silver Swan” (O. Gibbons), performed by Denis Carpenter, Clara IMSLP (CC BY 3.0): https://clara.imslp.org/work/51148 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ IMSLP+1 This episode was produced by Tabitha Potts. Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026.

    36 min
  5. Interview with Mathew Gostelow editor of Silent Screams and reading by Terry Holland

    11/30/2025

    Interview with Mathew Gostelow editor of Silent Screams and reading by Terry Holland

    Story Radio interviews Mathew Gostelow, the editor of Silent Screams: An Anthology of Quiet Horror, about trends in the horror genre, the meaning of 'quiet horror', the child's perspective in horror writing, contemporary vs historical fiction and many other topics such as Twin Peaks and Frankenstein. We listen to a reading of 'Barnabas Calstock's Last Wish' by the author Terry Holland (Trigger warning: this story contains references to war and violence that some listeners may find disturbing). About Mathew Gostelow Mathew Gostelow haunts a leafy suburb of Birmingham, UK. His CV is a chaotic patchwork quilt, including journalism, pheasant farming, catering, and marketing. Mat’s taste in art, music, film, and literature is equally eclectic, although he tends to gravitate towards anything with a creepy, dreamy aesthetic.  If you catch him staring intently into the middle distance, Mat is either thinking about Twin Peaks or cooked breakfasts.  Some days he wakes early and scribbles strange tales.  Mat has written several books, including two speculative short story collections entitled An Ill-Stitched Menagerie and See My Breath Dance Ghostly, and a novella-in-flash; Dantalion is a Quiet Place. Mat has also co-written a horror-thriller novella called Watcher with his friend JP Relph, and edited an anthology of quiet horror short stories, titled Silent Screams. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction.  You can find Mat on Twitter: @MatGost, and BlueSky: @MatGost. Website: https://weirding-words.blogspot.com/p/about.html Substack: https://matgost.substack.com/  About Terry Holland Terry Holland grew up in Essex, England, before studying in London and Berlin. He has dabbled in the theatre, music, journalism, translation and the occult and currently lives in the Netherlands with his black cat, Mackem, who is a reincarnation of a wise woman and herbalist known as Black Meg, persecuted as a witch in the northeast of England in the seventeenth century. He writes flash and short stories and will never, ever write a novel. He bleats his Wordle scores @terryholland.bsky.social The Producer was Martin Nathan. Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and a railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. Cover image by Eric Brenner www.ericwbrenner.com

    36 min
  6. Funnybillies by Daniel Jeffreys

    10/30/2025

    Funnybillies by Daniel Jeffreys

    A man who is the main carer for his stubborn and independent elderly mother experiences increasingly eerie encounters with mysterious creatures in the marshy landscape surrounding her home. Written by Daniel Jeffreys Dr Daniel Jeffreys works as a university lecturer with a special interest in the weird tale. His fiction has appeared in Esquire, LITRO, AMBIT and The London Magazine. Read by Nigel Fyfe Nigel Fyfe is a British actor and voice artist based in North Yorkshire. He has built a diverse career across stage, screen, and voiceover work. Produced by Tabitha Potts Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026. Effects Bowers Marsh SoundScape by naturenotesuk | License: Attribution 4.0 Sounds

    14 min
  7. The Misappropriation of Clouds by Amy Waddell

    09/30/2025

    The Misappropriation of Clouds by Amy Waddell

    August 6, 2025 marked eighty years since the nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. "The Misappropriation of Clouds" is a fictional short story based on a member of the writer's own family. This individual unwittingly played a part in one of the most devastating tragedies in human history — Hiroshima.  Following the 80 year commemoration of the bombing of Hiroshima, "The Misappropriation of Clouds" is an elegy to those who lost their lives in the bombing and a poem for all those who carry on the hope that we can do better. About Amy Waddell Amy Waddell is a writer and film director living between Paris, France and Sedona, Arizona. She has just completed Mask Maker, a novel about American artist Anna Coleman Ladd who found an innovative way to help WW1 soldiers disfigured in trench warfare reintegrate into society after having been ostracized by the French government. Amy has also written several original scripts for Pan Européenne in Paris, adapted David Lodge's novel "Thinks", and created documentaries for the Annenberg Foundation on subjects ranging from genocide in Darfur to Native American struggles. Her work spans narrative fiction, screenwriting, and documentary storytelling. CREDITS: Writer: Amy Waddell Producers: Amy Waddell & Helen Fitzgerald  FX & Sound Editor: Daniel Lawrence Voice Actor: Gerard Maguire Music Composer: Yuval Ron Music:  Arden-ohmanOrchestraVfrankLuther-CanThisBeLove1930.mp3 (archive.org) Sad War Music 01 by Magmi.Soundtracks License: Creative Commons 0 Photo: Courtesy of Seemann at Morguefile.com

    17 min
  8. Poppet by Tabitha Potts

    07/31/2025

    Poppet by Tabitha Potts

    Poppet is the story of a young girl growing up in a hippy commune in rural England in 1976. She resents her mother, their social worker and most of all the commune leader, Dion. Over a long harvest season, Poppet learns what she must sacrifice in order to be free. A folk-horror inspired short story by Tabitha Potts, Poppet won an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize in 2022 and you can read it on their website. We will be taking a short production break for summer, so our next episode will be on October 1st. Tabitha Potts is a short story writer and novelist, recognised with an Honourable Mention in the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Her debut novel will be published by Rowan Prose Publishing in 2026. Sound effects: bonfire flames sizzling by florianreichelt -- https://freesound.org/s/563764/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 bongos_2.flac by KJose -- https://freesound.org/s/610357/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Skylark recording - author's own Image used for podcast credit: By AliAsterix - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125885918 Support Story Radio Podcast

    12 min
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About

A monthly podcast dedicated to celebrating the literary short story and all things bookish. Bite-size short fiction for writers and readers everywhere. Listen to a short story or interview on the 1st of each month at 12:00am. Hosted by Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan open to established, new and emerging writers in the English language. Always free to submit. Story Radio Podcast is a Community Interest Company (CIC), established to support and promote emerging writers, actors and literary voices. As a CIC, we operate for public benefit, reinvesting any future profits back into the organisation to sustain and grow opportunities for the writing community. We are a small organisation run by volunteer writers and producers (Tabitha Potts and Martin Nathan) hoping to benefit the writing community. Our eventual aim is to be self-funding and to pay our writers and actors for each short story we produce. Visit our https://patreon.com/storyradio (Patreon) if you would like to support our work and access exclusive content. Send us your stories Visit the Submissions page on our website https://www.storyradio.org/submissions/ (https://www.storyradio.org) Or contact Tabitha Potts at submit@storyradio.org About us Tabitha Potts is a writer living in East London. She has had several short stories published in print and online and short-listed for various awards, most recently the https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize (Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize). In a previous life, she was a BBC Radio Drama producer. Read more at http://www.tabithapotts.com/ (http://www.tabithapotts.com). Martin Nathan has worked as a labourer, showman, pancake chef, fire technician, and a railway engineer. His short fiction has been published by Tangent Press, HCE and Grist and his poetry has appeared in Finished Creatures, Erbacce and Aesthetica. His novel – A Place of Safety is published by Salt Publishing. Website: https://www.martinnathan.co.uk/ (http://www.martinnathan.co.uk)

Information

  • Creator
    Story Radio Podcast
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Story Radio
  • Show Website
    Story Radio Podcast