Showing results by publisher "Spoken Realms" in Anthologies

A woman nearing the end of her life knows that she must destroy intimate love letters between herself and another man so that no one, particularly her husband, can ever read them. Unable to part with them while still alive, the provision she makes for their disposal upon her death leads to devastating consequences.

Randall and Dorothea are young and passionately in love and plan to marry. When Randall has to leave Dorothea for a short period, the two spend their time exchanging a flurry of letters and can hardly bear being separated. Randall's scheduled returned is delayed when he becomes severely ill. What happens when the now sickly Randall is finally able to see Dorothea again says much about the differences between love, lust and passion, and the vagaries of youth.

A woman is visiting a friend who travels widely, and he offers her a package of Egyptian cigarettes he received as a gift while in Cairo. The package has never been opened and has no print of any kind to indicate a brand, its origin, or its ingredients. The woman decides to try one of the cigarettes in the man's private smoking room. Her experience when she smokes one of the cigarettes shakes her to her core.

A mysterious nobleman in disguise pleads for his help in preventing a scandal that could hurt a royal house of Europe and indeed upset the balance of power on the Continent. Conan Doyle ranked "A Scandal in Bohemia" fifth in his list of his 12 favorite Holmes stories. Holmes and Dr. Watson are on the case but "the woman" thwarts their schemes at the last moment, eliciting everlasting admiration for her wits from the great Sherlock Holmes.

Nathalie, a lovely and determined young lady, plans to marry Mr. Brantain, an unattractive but extremely wealthy man. When an unexpected event occurs involving her brother’s friend, Mr. Harvy, the consequences illustrate the finality of the choice Nathalie makes.

two classic Kate Chopin short stories about women, their desires, and independence.

A good man committed a very bad crime. Murder, and he is sent to prison. We never learn his name, he is now inmate No-14,208. Although he has committed a terrible crime, inmate No-14,208 refuses to commit another. He will not lie, he will not cheat, and he pays dearly to maintain that last spark of humanity, his honor. Read by award winning Narrator Mike Vendetti, this is a must-listen.

Archibald Jordan contentedly resides in his native Islington, a perennial lodger in that neighborhood's many boarding houses. Fastidious in his habits and gently insistent in his demands (but always paying more than the going rate), he confounds his landladies by his habit of never taking up residence for more than a year. Offering no explanations, he leaves each lady mystified and in hope her prize lodger will one day return.

With old age come losses. The body ages and the elderly person is unable to partake of activities that were once normal, and the mind may not be as sharp as it once was. Perhaps worst of all is loss of control of ones affairs. Col. Hampton had been a powerful man. He fought Indians, Moros in the jungles of Mindanao, he had been that rara avis in the American service, a really wealthy professional officer. He had played polo, and served a turn as military attaché at the Paris embassy.

The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed (metamorphosed) into a large, monstrous insect-like creature. The cause of Gregor's transformation is never revealed, and Kafka himself never gave an explanation. The rest of Kafka's novella deals with Gregor's attempts to adjust to his new condition as he deals with being burdensome to his parents and sister, who are repulsed by the horrible, verminous creature Gregor has become.

What if there were a product that taken daily and barring an untimely accident or murder allowed one to live indefinitely? In Kurt Vonnegut Jr's fanciful tale, that is just what happens. At first the miracle product Anti-gerasone seems like a blessing. But what if the population keeps breeding? How to make room for the new ones. And then there is the problem of the curmudgeon who doesn't get the stuff until he's in his late 70s becomes head of the family and is still going strong 104 years later.

"The Easter Egg", a short story by H. H. Munro ("Saki"), is not a happy Easter story but a tale of a proud and brave mother who loves her son even though the son is timid and perhaps cowardly. The story takes place prior to World War I, and the son, in his one act of bravery, prevents an international incident that possibly would have started the war sooner.

The dark strains of madness that permeate many of the works of Edgar Allan Poe make their way through this macabre story. This memorable short story bears a resemblance to Poe's Tell Tale Heart. In both stories guilt leaves a murderer with a singular choice.

John the True is a remarkably faithful fairy-tale hero. He does not win the hand of a maiden. He does not become king. He does not become rich. However, his fame becomes clear in his valiant heart of faithfulness. A little-known but richly developed fable/fairy tale that is a short story of friendship and sacrifice.

"Afterward" is a psychological ghost story of the Victorian era. This is no modern horror tale, but one that was very popular at a time when a shiver and some things to think about were what was expected of the horror genre. Wharton's beautiful prose, as read by professional actor Sara Morsey, will delight and thrill. Sit back and enjoy!

Bart and Flora were newlyweds on the Great Plains. Flora loved her husband, but wanted the companionship of others. Then when she was sewing she saw a cabin off in the distance. When she asked Bart about it he didn’t want to talk about it. The truth is the essence - and mystery - of this short story.

A classic short story from beloved author Charles Dickens. As was common among many of Dickens' stories, this tale deals with death and human connection. It is a story of hope and compassion. It is a story of love.

A comic short story told in the first person by the first woman in the biblical creation story, Eve. Written in diary-entry style from creation to burial, the story was first published in the 1905 Christmas edition of Harper's Bazaar. Many believe it may have been written as a posthumous love-letter to Mark Twain's wife, Olivia Langdon Clemens, or Livy, who died in June 1904, just before the story was written.

Do you believe in ghosts? You might reconsider if you don't after listening to this story of a man haunted by a longtime enemy.

During her time as a writer, A Lady of England (A.L.O.E.) was one of the best-selling authors alive. Our current generation may have little reference point for her work, but her tales are always filled with a combination of great storytelling with an underlying message. This short story helps a young boy recovering from an injury to discover even in difficult circumstances there is always reason to be grateful. Perfect for all ages, but especially for those who may need to revisit the bright side of life.