Pillow Pillar Portals

 

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

Mother Voyage

 

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

The Cicada Laundrette

 

 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

Decorations

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

The Copse

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

The Cadillac in the Pond

 

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

The Boat Going Home

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

Flea

 

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 

The Guestbook

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

The Spudfellow

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