Your weekly fix of brand new stories written specially by today’s best writers. Brought to you by BBC Radio 4, home of the Modern Short Story.
NSSA 2024 - Ghost Kitchen by Ross Raisin
Ashley Margolis reads Ghost Kitchen by Ross Raisin, the fifth story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front RowPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/20/2024 • 35 minutes, 23 seconds
NSSA 2024 - Nice Dog by Vee Walker
Paterson Joseph reads Nice Dog by Vee Walker, the fourth story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front RowPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/20/2024 • 33 minutes, 34 seconds
NSSA 2024 - Pieces by Manish Chauhan
Rebekah Staton and Hasan Dixon read Pieces by Manish Chauhan, the third story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front RowPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/18/2024 • 35 minutes, 19 seconds
NSSA 2024 - The Barber of Erice by Will Boast
Mark Strong reads The Barber of Erice by Will Boast, the second shortlisted story for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front RowPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/17/2024 • 34 minutes, 16 seconds
NSSA 2024 - Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell
Lisa Dwyer Hogg reads Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell, the first shortlisted story for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front RowPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/17/2024 • 35 minutes, 52 seconds
NSSA 2024 - Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell
Lisa Dwyer Hogg reads Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell, the first shortlisted story for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row.Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska.
9/16/2024 • 35 minutes, 48 seconds
BBC Young Writers' Award Showcase with Katie Thistleton
Katie Thistleton presents a showcase of the five shortlisted stories for this year's BBC Young Writers' Award.Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University is open to all writers between the ages of 14 –18 and was created to discover and inspire the next generation of writers. It is a cross-network collaboration between BBC Radio 4 and Radio 1. The winner receives a personalised mentoring session with an author to enhance their writing skills. The 2024 BBC Young Writers’ Award shortlist with Cambridge University is:‘A Human, a Robot and a Gosling Walk into a Post-Apocalyptic Bar’ by Basmala Alkhalaf
‘The Quiet’ by Amaan Foyez
‘Special’ by Lulu Frisson
‘Confession’ by Vivienne Hall
‘Nathalie’s Flatmate’ by Aidan VogelzangPodcast produced by Rick Woska
9/15/2024 • 51 minutes, 48 seconds
An Affliction by Lottie Mills
A specially commissioned short story for BBC Radio 4 by the award-winning Lottie Mills. In this fantastical tale, a strange illness takes hold of those living at the Saint Francis Invalid Colony...Lottie Mills won the BBC Young Writers Award in 2020, and her debut collection, Monstrum is published in 2024. In her stories, Lottie delights in the uncanny, the unusual and the unique power of outsiders.Reader: Hayley Atwell
Producer: Justine WillettPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
5/21/2024 • 14 minutes, 40 seconds
When Love Sucks by Naomi Wood
A new short story for Radio 4 by the award-winning writer, Naomi Wood.Nursing a broken heart, a woman turns to an AI dating coach for help - with unexpected results.Writer: Naomi Wood is the winner of the 2023 BBC National Short Story Award, and author of three novels, including the award-winning Mrs Hemingway, and a new collection of stories, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things.Reader: Rose RobinsonProducer: Justine WillettPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
4/25/2024 • 14 minutes, 26 seconds
Minor Disturbances by Cherise Saywell
A specially commissioned story from BBC NSSA 2023 shortlistee, Cherise Saywell.Reader: Katie Leung
Producer: Elizabeth AllardPodcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
2/8/2024 • 14 minutes, 18 seconds
Hearing Aids by Roddy Doyle
A newly commissioned story from Roddy Doyle, author of The Commitments and the 1993 Booker Prize winner, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
Read by Liam Carney
Produced by Nicola Holloway
Podcast presented by Rick Woska
10/20/2023 • 14 minutes, 12 seconds
2023 BBC Young Writers' Award Showcase with Katie Thistleton
Listen to the five shortlisted stories from the 2023 BBC Young Writers' Award. Presented by Katie Thistleton and produced by Rick Woska.
Creation
Written by Daisy Kaye
Read by Ruth Everett
Produced by Ben Hollands
Fridays
Written by Evie Alam
Read by Laila Zaidi
Produced by Ben Hollands
Jessie's God
Written by Elissa Jones
Read by Kate O'Flynn
Produced by Lisa Kinga Wahinya
Skipper
Written by Iona McNeish
Read by Abbie Andrews
Produced by Rick Woska
The Wordsmith
Written by Atlas Weyland Eden
Read by Luke Treadaway
Produced by Rick Woska
9/17/2023 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
BBC National Short Story Award 2023 - Churail by Kamila Shamsie
Title: Churail
Author: Kamila Shamsie
Reader: Zoha Rahman
Producer: Ciaran Bermingham
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/15/2023 • 26 minutes, 27 seconds
BBC National Short Story Award 2023 - The Storm by Nick Mulgrew
Title: The Storm
Author: Nick Mulgrew
Reader: Cokey Falkow
Producer: Ciaran Bermingham
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/14/2023 • 35 minutes, 36 seconds
BBC National Short Story Award 2023 - It's Me by K Patrick
Title: It's Me
Author: K Patrick
Reader: Ell Potter
Producer: Tracey Neale
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/13/2023 • 34 minutes, 55 seconds
BBC National Short Story Award 2023 - Guests by Cherise Saywell
The second story shortlisted for the 2023 BBC National Short Story Award.
Title: Guests
Author: Cherise Saywell
Reader: Nahel Tzagei
Producer: Ciaran Bermingham
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/12/2023 • 35 minutes, 3 seconds
BBC National Short Story Award 2023 - Comorbidities by Naomi Wood
The first story shortlisted for the 2023 BBC National Short Story Award.
Title: Comorbidities
Author: Naomi Wood
Reader: Charlotte Ritchie
Producer: Justine Willett
Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska
9/11/2023 • 34 minutes, 27 seconds
BBC Young Writers' Award Showcase with Katie Thistleton
Listen to the five shortlisted stories from this year's BBC Young Writers' Award