E83: Losing Sleep

E83: Losing Sleep

Author: Kris Baker Dersch June 9, 2017 Duration: 33:34

Up late wondering if they know what they are doing to memories of "My Last Husband." By Mary J. Breen, copyright 2013, used with permission. "My Last Husband" first appeared in The Waterhouse Review in January 2013. Read Mary's bio.

Today's episode features a silly campfire story by Kris Baker Dersch. The three guardians of this podcast are Submissions, Promotion, who would like to introduce you to the wilds of Instagram and YouTube, and Support.

Writing spaces for Episode 83 features Steven Mayoff, who was previously with us on Episode 47 and Episode 56. Click here to see his writing space.

Our second Writing Spaces contributor is Rachel Lyon, whose work can be heard on Episode 46. Click here to see her writing space. You can also see detailed photos of the balloon, the lion, the angel, and the novel-in-progress featured in her piece.

It's always hard to explain a dream. "I Had Children in a Dream" is by Stacy Stepanovich, copyright 2016, used with permission. Read Stacy's bio.

The Google poem featured in this episode is by Kris Baker Dersch and is the launch of our fundraising campaign on Patreon. You can view the video of the Google poetry writing technique by becoming a Patreon sponsor to the show. The poem is called "Lost Sleep" and is inspired by the stories of this episode.

We've all had that middle of the night feeling like it's "Three in the Morning and You Don't Smoke Anymore." By Peter J. Stavros, copyright 2016, used with permission. Visit Peter's website.


Kris Baker Dersch hosts No Extra Words one person's search for story, a quiet corner of the audio world dedicated to the power of brevity. Each episode is a complete, self-contained piece of flash fiction, with every story crafted to be under two thousand words. This constraint isn't a limitation but a focus, distilling narrative down to its essential elements-every sentence carries weight. You'll hear tales that span the spectrum of human experience, from subtle character moments to sudden, striking turns of events, all delivered with a thoughtful and intimate narration. The podcast lives up to its name, offering narratives that are precise and potent, leaving room for your own imagination to linger in the spaces between the words. It’s for anyone who appreciates the art of a well-told story and the unique intimacy that audio can bring to fiction. Tune in for a regular dose of concise creativity, a moment of literary escape that fits into the busiest of days.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

No Extra Words one person's search for story
Podcast Episodes
E104: A Tale of Two Toy Rabbits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:52
Today's books are: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco. Doubleday, 1922. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick Press, 2006.
E103: Tell Your Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:57
Today's books are: Charles and Emma: the Darwins' leap of faith by Deborah Heiligman. Henry Holt & Company, 2008. Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter. Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Some things we talked about…
E102: Wild Things and Why Scary Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:06
Today's books are: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins, 1963. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2010. Read this fabulous article on the career of children's boo…
E101: Travel Books that Slow You Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
Today we're talking book pairings and why this is the new format. Today's books are: Never in a Hurry: essays on people and places by Naomi Shihab Nye. University of South Carolina Press, 1996 When Wanderers Cease to Roa…
E100: All the Things [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:00
"An Ode to Rejection" is by Marlene Woods, copyright 2018, used with permission. Marlene originally published this poem on her website iloveyougram.com. Read Marlene's bio. Special guest in studio today: James! The books…
E99: Women Writers on Choice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:36
It was my privilege to put together this episode on an important topic and I can't begin to express my gratitude to our contributors and to my wonderful support community who made it possible. "Family Planning" is by Tin…
E98: A Sucker for Silent Communication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:13
There are things we say, things we don't say, and things we say no one hears. The writer's buddy, "The Quizzical Lizard," is able to tell her what he really wants. By Anna Kander, copyright 2017, used with permission. Vi…
E97: Poetry Month Field Trip Revisited [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Today we close out our Best of No Extra Words series with the best of 2017, which means we are once again headed out on the road for a poetry field trip and we're bringing some short fiction along for the ride. This epis…
E96 Curmudgeons and Incorrigibles Revisited [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:10
The second in a three part series of reruns celebrating No Extra Words history...because if you don't know your No Extra Words history you are doomed to repeat it. Today we revisit Episode 51: Curmudgeons and Incorrigibl…
Special #18: The NaNoWriMo Detox 2017 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:42
After sharing with you my prep work for this year's madcap novel writing adventure, I had to pop back in and tell you how it went and what happened. My goal tracker did change over the month. Here's the original version,…