Stories From The Borders Of Sleep: Recent Episodes

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A semi-regular podcast since March 2011, featuring original stories, fantastic fables and curious tales written and read by your host, Seymour Jacklin. Each episode takes the listener on an imaginative and thought-provoking journey. Aimed at adults but very suitable for children, too.

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Dear Listener,


Welcome to episode 60! This story takes a playful turn as we meet the new kid at school who, at first, seems a bit odd—but things are about to get a whole lot stranger. As you drift off tonight, I hope this tale whisks you away to another world. And who knows, perhaps by morning, you'll feel an irresistible urge to build a den under your desk.


This episode is accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack from Jay Kishor’s album Stories from my Grandfather’s Village, which you can find on Magnatune.

As always, you can download the episode directly here. Don't forget, Borders of Sleep is available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, though sadly, not on YouTube or Spotify.

This episode grew from a mix of playful word games and musings on childhood memories. After a scrappy summer filled with fatigue, jobbing contract work, and the weight of the world’s events, it’s been a relief to rediscover some creative momentum. In all of this, a wise inner voice has been reminding me that the way forward has a lot to do with one simple thing: playfulness.

If you'd like (and are able) to give me a hand up with a donation, please take a peek at my Support and Donations page. 

I hope you enjoy the story and that it brings a little lightness to your world.

Until next time, thank you for listening, and wishing you sweet dreams,  

Seymour

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Dear Listener,Welcome to episode 59! This story was born out of ponderings on the endings and beginnings of different stages of life and how there might always be something new to embrace at the next stage, rather than a gloomy narrative of decline.
I hope you enjoy hearing of the good ship Mariella's last voyage and of what comes next for her.Rather typically, there has been a long gap since my last upload and this sometimes gets to the point that listeners wonder if I have abandoned the project altogether. However, I want to reassure you that Stories from the Borders of Sleep is, for me, a lifelong project. My mental screensaver for the last decade is thinking about the next story or where to take the podcast in the future. I try to work on new material every day, even if I can only manage to write one paragraph.I have more ideas already than will ever be followed through in this lifetime, and the only limits are time and energy, emotional and material resources. If you'd like (and are able) to give me a hand up with a donation, please take a peek at my Support and Donations page. As usual, here's a direct link to download the MP3, or you can listen on the embedded player at the top of this post or using your preferred podcast app (just search for Borders of Sleep). The lovely soundtrack for this episode is by Kuorosh Dini from Magnatune.Until soon, thank you for listening, and wishing you sweet dreams,Seymour

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 Dear Listener,


Night time is the time to visit the Cicada Laundrette and meet all kinds of critter characters. Are you ready to enter the twilight world of washing machines and soap suds under the watchful eye of Mr. Aardvark.


I hope that you enjoy this not-very-serious episode. I hope it proves to you that even someplace as commonplace as a laundrette can be rather magical and exciting. I dedicate it to all who are overwhelmed with washing, to all the tireless employees who keep their places open, and all the night owls who haunt their local washery when it's the only time they can do their laundry.

Full disclosure: if you are wondering where I got a picture of an aardvark in a launderette from, I got some help from DALL-E on this occasion.

You may download the MP3 directly here. Don't forget to swing by the Facebook page for a chat or drop me a line if you feel like getting in touch.

Thank you for listening!
Sweet dreams,
Seymour




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Dear Listeners,

However you may celebrate this time of year or not, this Yuletide tale is for you with all my wishes for peace and goodwill to descend upon you and to stay throughout the coming year. I have attempted to create something for you in the long tradition of wintertime storytelling around Christmas and I hope it lifts the spirits.

You can, as always, listen here or grab it from your favourite pod app, or download the MP3 directly here.May thanks to Soledad for the illustration and to Sambodhi Prem for the soundtrack ... and to you for being a listener and coming along on this journey at the Borders of Sleep.

Rest you merry!

Seymour

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Dear listener,


I'm back at last with Episode 56, The Copse, after another long wait. It's been a sideways kind of year for me but I have kept writing when I could. 

This story is for you if you have ever taken a rock home from a walk or a pinecone or a feather, or gathered a collection of keepsakes from the wilderness. It's also for you if your body limits you from doing the things you imagine. Take flight with the girl, Rowena, and her little friend, the blackcap. I hope you will find this a soothing tale.

Here's a direct download link but remember you can subscribe to Borders of Sleep with your favourite podcast app and even find it on Audible.

The soundtrack on this episode is from Laura Inserra: Musical Incense - volume one, available from Magnatune.

I hope to bring you a special festive December tale later this month too, so stay tuned.

Sweet dreams,

Seymour



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Dear Listener,


I'm delighted to bring you Episode 55 - at last and thank goodness! With my apologies for another enormous gap since the last episode.


This one began as a short piece of whimsy but soon took on a life of its own, as they often do. I hope you find it entertaining and, most of all, soothing.

Part of the lateness of this episode has been due to me making some life changes recently so that I can give more regular dedicated time to writing and creating these stories for you. There were quite a few ducks to get lined up, and not a few challenges on the way. Nevertheless, I hope it means that I will be able to drop fresh material with greater frequency in the coming years and grow the creative projects surrounding the podcast in a more sustainable way.

Here is a direct download link for those who prefer that approach.

The soundtrack in this episode is by Juan Sanchez, available from Magnatune.

If you are enjoying the podcast and have not already done so, please consider joining my email list or following Borders of Sleep on Facebook. You can find out how to support me to keep writing on my Support and Donations page.

Thanks for coming along on this audio journey, and I hope we can travel together again at the borders of sleep soon.

Until then, sweet dreams!
Seymour

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Dear Listener, I've been having vivid dreams again this year, and here's another story that came from a dream. In it you will meet a special friend that I was privileged to have for a while, as well as accompanying me on a strange and wonderful journey along with another friend, somewhat mysterious. I hope this is a comforting tale to fall asleep to; the dream was certainly comforting for me.As always, I am flushed with gratitude to all the wonderful listeners who keep an ear out for me and who have kept encouraging me too. All your comments and reviews are so appreciated and I have made some good friends around the world from those who have got in touch with me. Here's a direct link to the MP3, and of course you'll be able to get the podcast on your favourite podcatcher as well as on Audible and Apple.The soundtrack is by Cari Live, from the album Rising Above.I hope it will not be long before we take another trip together. Until then ... sweet dreams!Seymour

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Dear Listener,I hope you enjoy this episode, which is, in fact, the retelling of a strangely detailed dream I had about three years ago, with a little bit of licence. It betrays some of my own ongoing fascination with the painter's art.
I often hope, when I fall asleep, that I will go back to that town and see some more. May it carry you to another world too!If you'd like to be more informed about my work, what's coming up, what inspires me, and how you can support me, please consider joining the mailing list. I send out a new email with each episode but no more frequently than that. Continually I hope to become better at producing at least one episode a month, although I would love to be doing this all day every day.Here's a direct link, if you'd like to download the MP3 directly. The soundtrack on this episode is by Jay Kishor from Stories from My Grandfather's Village. I am extremely grateful for the episode artwork created by our 'Artist in Residence' between sleeping and waking: Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch. She does wonderful work not unlike the hero of this story. See for yourself here. Thank you for listening and, until next time ... sweet dreams ...Seymour

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Dear Listener,

My hope is that that this story affords you a little breathing space on a troubled planet, and perhaps a pleasant pathway into sleep. The inspiration for it has come from the inexorable emergence of springtime here in the Northern Hemisphere put alongside a real place I visited in Devonshire many years ago and first saw the forlornly neglected guestbook

I want to thank Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch for her lovely illustration for this episode. Look out for more of her work here in the coming months. Thank you also if you have written to me or left encouraging reviews or comments since the last episode. Life does not always afford me the bandwidth to create new stories but I am so grateful for the many loyal and patient listeners.

So, if you'd like a direct link to download the mp3, here it is. The soundtrack to this episode is from The Bright Knowledge by Diana Rowan.

Until next time, have a wonderful spring and sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

If you have never known the simple delights of harvesting potatoes, then I thoroughly commend it to you. Who knows ... you might find some treasure, or even a Spudfellow, and it could change your life!

This may be the longest Episode yet, at 45 minutes, but I hope you enjoy it. Here is your direct download link.AND, look! We have wonderful new artwork created by a brilliant artist and devoted listener based in Austin, Texas: Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch. Please take a look at her Instagram or check out her website: Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch Murals and Fine Art.

The soundtrack in this episode is by Healing Muses, from their album Reflections on Magnatune.

Until next time, sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

Glad I am to be bringing you Episode 50 at last. Perhaps it is a good moment to thank all the cheerleaders, encouragers, supporters, journeying companions at the borders of sleep for helping me so much to get to Episode 50. At moments, it has been overwhelming to hear from listeners how you have made the stories part of your lives and I am so grateful to have had the honour.This episode will bring you pleasure, I hope, as others did before it.

You'll find the music in the backing track on Magnatune as usual and it is played by the aptly-named Healing Muses.

If you like to grab a straight MP3 of the episode: here's your link.

Thank you all for listening and I wish you the sweetest dreams as always,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,Here is Episode 49 for your listening pleasure: a story about a stenography machine. I had a lot of fun writing it, and the characters have since become good imaginary friends. I hope you like them too.

It's been a long wait, for which I apologise. The story flowed very easily at the composing stage but there seems to have been a mountain to climb to record it.

Here's your download link if you want the direct MP3.

The background music is from Chad Lawson's Song of Prayer album on magnatune.com

May your sleeping be sweet and your waking be fresh,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners, Here's Episode 48 for you: a little light mood for the springtime of the year!
Magic runs in the family, so when cousin Rupert comes to spend the summer with Damson and her mother, there are magic tricks, a little transdimensional tomfoolery, and, of course, poetic justice. I hope you enjoy listening. Here's a link to directly download the MP3. Don't forget you can use any podcatcher app too. If you'd like to listen more closely to the soundtrack underneath, it's well worth it: listen to Undefended Heart by Hans Christian on Magnatune. Have a wonderful April! Seymour

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Dear Listeners, I'm delighted to bring you the tale of The Frog and Banjo, inspired by an imaginary pub sign and with almost no basis whatsoever in the waking world although some of the characters may be as courageous and others as unkind as some people you have met.
Here's your direct download link, and if you like the sound of that music in the background it's by Jami Sieber on Magnatune. If you're enjoying the podcast, feel free to jump in and say hi over on facebook, drop me an email or leave a comment here. Listeners have asked about how they can give to support me in this endeavour and the best way to do that is to buy me a coffee until I get something else sorted out ... But most important of all, enjoy the story and take care of your dreaming selves! With much love and gratitude,Seymour

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Dear Listeners,I hope you enjoy Episode 46. I hope it makes you want to go wild and create art.

I've been so uplifted to hear from so many listeners who are enjoying the stories in spite of my fragmented publishing schedule. I am trying to get more of a flow going with new material and make good on my promise to keep the stories coming. Thank you all for listening and thank you to all those who got in touch and have supported me with kind words, encouragement, coffees, comments.Here's your direct link if that's how you like to get the show, and you'll find us on all the podcast platforms although I am not always able to reply to comments on some of them. Come and say 'Hi' on Facebook too.

The soundtrack for this episode is by Hans Christian from his album Undefended Heart on magnatune.com

Thank you for listening and may your dreams be sweet!

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

This is a story about a hermit. If you have ever wondered what might happen after taking a vow of solitude and making a life in the community of the wild woods, then maybe this will give you something to ponder.

If you like a direct link to the MP3 to download, then this is for you. Of course, you can also get the podcast with your preferred app.Thank you for listening, and thank you for waiting patiently between episodes. In the intro to this one, I have gone back to announcing the podcast as "fortnightly" because it is my dear wish that I will be able to keep up with a more regular schedule from here on.

The soundtrack for this episode is by David Gilden, available here on magnatune.com as always.

Please feel free to drop me a line or come and say hi on Facebook.

I hope your summer is going well.

Stay safe and sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners

Here's Episode 44 for you.

"You know, all this talk we are talking? It's like the sunshine and the rain. It's present or not, but when it is present it soaks and warms and disappears. Nevertheless, the nourishing effect of it lasts and shows continually."

This is a longer one, but I hope you enjoy the journey nevertheless. "The Librarian" was my working title, and it kind of stuck.

Here is your direct link.

And you can find Hans Christian (the ambient cello soundtrack) here at Magnatune.

I hope that, in every way, you and your loved ones are thriving and enjoying this precious life. As usual, I have been profoundly blessed and encouraged hearing feedback and connecting with listeners all over the world in the last month.

I wish you peace and safety, and the sweetest dreams.

Seymour

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Dear listeners,

Episode 43 for your listening ...

I don't want to give too much away. It's a story about a quiet girl, who nobody thinks a great deal of, apart from one chap who finds an excuse to spend as much time with her as he can.

My heartfelt thanks for all the support and encouragement I keep getting to make this podcast. With so many of us facing frightening times and unexpected levels of isolation at the moment, I think it's a particular privilege to be able to keep going and to be part of an invisible community that is so positive.

If you'd like to come and lurk or join the conversation on the Facebook page, it would be lovely to see you there. Likewise, drop me a message or email me and I will always reply (eventually).

The soundtrack for this episode is by Dmitri Krasnoukhov, available from Magnatune, here.

Stay safe and dream sweetly,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

Episode 42 for you - and I apologize in advance if I have a little croak in my voice ... it's the time of year. Nevertheless, I hope you will enjoy hearing what Milly and her friendly duck, Lady Isabella, get up to in this story.

As usual, you can use the player in this post, get the direct file link here, or catch the show with your pod app of choice.

The gentle, cinematic soundtrack is by EuchMad, his album "Light Off", You can listen to the whole album for free online here.

I wish you all the best and the sweetest dreams. Thank you for listening.

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

We bring you Episode 41: a pleasant little jaunt down memory lane wherein we discover some magical properties of a certain bird ... perhaps.

Thank you for your patience and many apologies for another long wait and lots of empty promises to bring you something "soon"!

This story all jumped out at me from an old postcard depicting Henry Ford and his son Edsel. Henry is sitting in the first vehicle they ever built while his son looks out at him through the window of a much more modern model. I know not a lot about vintage vehicles and have done a little research but left the details of makes and models to the imagination because someone out there is way more savvy about it all than I will ever be.

You can hear it by clicking on the media player above, get your direct link to download the MP3 here or listen on iTunes or your favorite app, of course.

I'd love to see you over at our Facebook page if you do Facebook. It's probably the best place to get updates and interact ... or there is twitter, too.

Music in this episode is by Chad Lawson, available from magnatune.com.

I plan to bring you another episode in a couple of weeks ... until then ... sweet dreams and thanks for listening.

Yours dreamily,
Seymour

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Happy New Year, Listeneroos!

Let’s do this 2020 thing! I wish it a sweet and nourishing year for all of you.

I started last year (2019) with beautiful intentions and promises to create and publish new stories consistently. I was full of ideas but unfortunately, life had other plans and my body put me into survival mode and took emergency measures against long-term stress and fatigue, effectively fogging out my creative mojo for months. This treadmill is way too common, as I know from the many listeners who have written to me about how SBS was a comfort in insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

So many people have been in touch, in fact, and said such lovely things to encourage me to keep writing that I have begun to understand more how this is part of why I am here (on planet earth) and blessed with words, a tongue, and vocal cords. I want this year to be different and I want to shape myself more around the creative output of SBS.

It amazes me that even in a dry year the ‘listener stats’ looked so good. I have resisted numerous offers of sponsorship and licensing the work to paid apps because it’s fundamental to me that Stories from the Borders of Sleep is offered freely for all and the flow is not disturbed with advertising. There have to be spaces where we can get away from that hustle, right?

Some people think I’m crazy taking this line, especially since I (and millions of others) would like nothing more in the world than to get up in the morning and just write rather than have a ‘proper job’. Nevertheless, others have asked me about making financial contributions and I don’t have any system, so I am trying a new thing ...

I looked at all the crowdfunding options and tbh most of them scare me. I don’t want to split listeners into tiers based on contributions or put time into developing 'exclusive content' that I could be putting into making stories available for everybody. I’m not here to hustle; I’m here to create and to share. However, there was one I liked called ‘Buy Me A Coffee’. People can make a one-off donation to buy me a coffee and keep fuelling the brain. An option will eventually be available for anyone to make a monthly contribution that would help me to buy myself more writing time and days I could spend creating more regular episodes.

There it is. I don’t want anyone to feel the tiniest bit of ‘should’ or ‘ought’ about it. We are all fighting battles on numerous fronts and SBS is just the thing I have to share that might help to spread some magic and wonder and make it be more liveable for some. I feel downright cheeky even mentioning it after such a dry year, but if you’d like to help with money, thank you SO much and here’s how (use this link or the button below - no sign up is required).

Above all thank you for listening, for waiting, for being here, for the waves and the ‘Hi’s, the likes and the follows. Thank you for reading this far. May your 2020 be auspicious and filled with curiosity, wonder and sweet dreams.

SeymourBuy me a coffee

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Dear Listeners,

There are some things you will discover about plants in this episode that I hope will make you never see the world quite the same again. Moreover, Episode 40 must be some sort of milestone, and this one is appropriately a little different.

This story was inspired by and written for a couple of lovely listeners, one of whom helped with some ideas and the other of whom I hope didn't see it coming as a wedding anniversary surprise. I hope you enjoy listening in and sharing the experience; it's been a lot of fun to compose.

For those who need it, here's the direct link, but don't forget you can subscribe with iTunes or whatever your flavour of podcatcher, using the links on this page. Come on over to facebook or drop me an email or comment if you'd like to feedback or start a conversation. I love hearing from people around the world who are 'tuning in'.

The music this week is by Erik Ask Upmark, another beautiful offering from Magnatune. Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy this one. And many thanks to Ben and Maria!

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

Welcome to Episode 39.

This story was inspired by its soundtrack. The evocative background soundscape was created by a listener to the podcast who is also a professional composer for TV, film and radio. It's "a combination of synthetic drones, electric guitar played with a toothbrush and acoustic guitar picking." Paul Morris is his name and you are heartily encouraged to go and indulge your ears with his SoundCloud offerings at https://soundcloud.com/paul-morris-music-for-film.

Apart from that, I'll just let it kind of speak for itself, and I hope you enjoy listening.

As usual, you can use this direct link to download the episode, listen on the embedded player above (if it's working), or grab with your favourite podcatcher app doodah thingy.

Many thanks to Paul for contributing his work to the magical mix of SBS!

Onwards: to the Borders of Sleep!

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

Episode 38 for you!

I did some long car journeys by myself recently.I improvised stories to keep myself amused. The roads were long and the weather was hot. I suppose that was the starting point for this bit of mind travel. I hope you enjoy coming along, too.

Here's your direct link. Of course you can use the player above or find us with iTunes or your podcatcher of choice as well. If you're enjoying the podcasts, drop me a line and say 'hi' by comment or email, or come and chat on the Facebook page - be great to meet you!

This week's soundtrack is by Satori on Magnatune. Lovely.

Thank you for listening,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

It has been a while - a long while - since the last episode was published. In the meantime I have had wonderful emails, comments and feedback from so many of you that I have finally found the time to get writing and recording again.

This story was sort of inspired by reading "Flappers" by Judith Mackrell and by a favorite song by Huw Williams, "The Summer Before the War". I hope it feels nostalgic.

Here's your direct link to the mp3, and you can get previous episodes on the "Archive" page.

I'm looking forward to bringing you more in 2018. If you're on the Facebook, join us there, too: https://www.facebook.com/bordersofsleep/

Thank you so much for listening!
Seymour

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Dear Listener,

Here's episode 36 - a number that is pleasantly divisible - so we're bringing you something slightly diffrent: a little of the tale of how 'Stories from the Borders of Sleep' was born. It's personal and autobiographical, but I hope you like it. I trawled this up from some material I wrote about three years ago when we started the podcast.

Here's your direct link to the MP3. Check out the archives page for the back catalogue.

The gentle music in the background is from a firm favourite, Cari Live.

May your dreams be sweet!

Seymour

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Dear Listener,

A few months ago, a dear friend asked if I might read a 'bedtime story' to the guests at his wedding, right at the end of the evening, before they went home.

This is the story I wrote for the occasion, recounting what may be the strangest wedding night of all time. It is dedicated very affectionately to my friends, the happy couple (James and Marie), whose marriage I hope will be full of even more mystery and imagination than I could conjure for this little offering.

Your direct link to the MP3 is here. The music is from Cari Live's album 'Mindreader'.

It went down very well with the guests, and it was a real pleasure for me to try a story on a live audience - something I don't get to do very often.

I hope you enjoy it, too.

Wishing sweet dreams for you and all those you treasure,

Seymour.

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Dear Listener,

Welcome to episode 34. As an editor, in my "bread and butter" day job, I've come across a lot of juicy business jargon that I've taken great delight in "decommissioning". But what was to be done with all these baffling metaphors, many of which seem to have been "re-purposed" from the sportsfield to the boardroom?

Put them in a story of course ...

This is an episode dedicated to corporate daydreamers, opponents and proponents of boardroom bluster, meeting doodlers and anyone who has ever had to circle the waggons, eat their own dogfood or deploy blue-sky thinking - this is for you.

Here's the direct link for download, or you can listen using the embedded flash player at the top of the post.

The sound track is from "Waiting" by Benji Goodrich, which is such a lovely album that I recommend you go here to listen to all of it on Magnatune.

Enjoy the podcast, and try to stay awake in those meetings.

Sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listener,

As the gap between episodes gets longer so, it seems, do the podcasts. I shall try to do some shorter ones next. This one will fill your ears for about 28 minutes - but I hope you enjoy it. It's really a story for spring time (that's when I started writing it) but if you're in the northern hemisphere, and it comes to you in the dog days of Summer, I still hope that you enjoy it.

| | | Picture Credit: Ben Hudson |

For those who need it here's a direct link to download the MP3. You'll also find us on iTunes, if that's how you get your fix, or you can click on the embedded player at the top of this post to listen. Go to our archive page if you want to find links to all the previous episodes in one place.

Thank you very much if you've been in touch by email, Facebook or comment to encourage me in the last few months. Notably, one listener in Australia sent me a picture he'd drawn of how he thought Tolly Pep-Me might look. Another listener in New Zealand got in touch because she was sharing the stories with her book group, and that led to a great conversation. Many of you have dropped me a line to tell me you've appreciated the stories for all sorts of reasons. It thrills me to hear from listeners and I'd love to meet you on our Facebook page, where I'll also try to keep you up to date on what's happening in the world of Borders of Sleep.

If you're curious about the soundtrack to this episode, check out the work of Kourosh Dini and the harp playing of Cheryl Ann Fulton on Magnatune.

That's all for now, but let's do this again sometime soon.

Wishing you sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listener,

Welcome to episode 32! We've passed the milestone of providing a bedtime story for each night of the month, but we press on. Once again I apologise for the slowdown in producing fresh stories over the last year and thank all the listeners who have left comments or emailed me to say that they are enjoying the stories and to ask for more.

Here is a story about a little girl and a volcano. For many months, I just knew I wanted to write a story about a little girl and a volcano, but that was it: no plot, no further idea but this image in my mind of a tiny girl and a huge volcano. Finally it is here. As much as I'd like to unwrap for you all the layers of what this story means to me, I leave it to you to take your own interpretation from it, and I'd actually rather hear about what it means to you - that is always more interesting.

Tim did a great job on this without being able to use his usual software so I hope the sound is up to scratch - it seemed more important to get a fresh episode out than to have it quite as polished as usual.

For those who prefer to download the MP3 directly, here's a link. But please consider subscribing to the feed using a podcast client or grabbing it from iTunes. There's also an archive of all the episodes so far if you need to catch up. The podcast also now has a facebook page where I'm hoping I'll get to meet and interact with you more, so check it out.

Finally, the beautiful cello music in the background (and sometimes the foreground) of this episode comes from an album by Emily Burridge on magnatune.com.

Well I hope you enjoy this and have sweet dreams until next time,

Seymour

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Dear Listener,

"What on earth is a Jellyfarglemarsh?" I hear you ask, "Have we waited nearly a year for episode 31, only to find it full of nonsense words?"

Yes ...

In this episode you will also hear about sanfels and guborgions and ... well I don't want to give too much away.

Here's a direct link to the MP3 ... but don't forget we're on iTunes, too.

The important thing is that Borders of Sleep is finally back in business. We are projecting a more realistic writing and recording schedule to bring you a new story every fortnight. Thank you to all those who have been in touch to let us know how much they are anticipating new episodes and I am sorry it has taken so long to produce some new material - life gets in the way.

The soundtrack for this episode comes from Future Forever by Ion.

I hope you enjoy it.

Sweet dreams,

Seymour

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Dear Listeners,

Here's wishing you a belated "Happy New Year!"

I have to thank many of you for leaving lovely comments on the podcast page (here) and some of you for even getting in touch by email to let me know that you have been enjoying the stories. I have had a number of queries about whether the podcast was going to continue in the future and I wish to answer emphatically in the affirmative.

YES!

Stories from the Borders of Sleep has been one of the most enjoyable creative projects of the last few years for me. I set out with the intention of continuing my output of stories as a creative baseline for the foreseeable future. Along the way, I have been really encouraged by listener feedback and delighted to hear that people all over the world have been downloading the stories and even falling asleep to them.

Even though I have not uploaded any new material in recent months, there continues to be a steady traffic of between 50 and 100 downloads a day. The production of new material has tailed off since I have had a tough winter where I have found it hard to write on top of all the other things going on. However, we have plans for the Spring.

Borders of Sleep will relaunch at the back end of March / beginning of April this year so please sit tight, listen again to your favourites in the meantime and send me more encouraging feedback while I prepare a batch of new stories for your listening pleasure in 2013.

Thank you for listening and sweet dreams ...

Seymour

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Dear Listener,

Mevlana tells a story about a wandering sufi who comes to a monastery and stays there. Unbeknown to him, they sell his donkey and use the money to prepare a tremendous feast.The whole community goes wild through the night. The climax of the celebration finds the wanderer dancing with his hosts and everyone is chanting "the donkey has gone, the donkey has gone". When he wakes in the morning he finds out what has happened but they say to him, "we thought you knew what we had done, after all you were singing with us 'the donkey has gone' all night long."

Well, that and many other things were in the back of my mind when I wrote this story. I enjoyed writing it very much and I hope you enjoy listening to it. My apologies to all natives of Yorkshire and Geordieland whose inflections I have ineptly bastardised for the voices of some of the characters.

Here is a direct link to this episode for those who prefer it that way. This week's soundtrack comes from two projects featuring Tim Rayborn's music: his album "Honey from the Thorn" and his work with Canconier in "The Black Dragon". You can get both albums on Magnatune.

Sweet dreams ...

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Dear Listener,

Can there be learning without books? Can there be as much to ponder in a day of walking as in a term of studying? In this week's episode, a student is forced to face these questions on his way home for the summer.

As usual, here's your direct link to the sound file. You may want to consider subscribing to the feed or on iTunes and, don't forget, all the previous episodes are available from the archive page for easy downloading.

This week's soundtrack is from "Sun" by Dejan Ilijic and his music (available at magnatune.com) is well worth a listen in its own right.

Until next week ... sweet dreams,

Seymour