Dark Softly Tales

A strange sequence of events lands Vi at the sanatorium. Her best friend, Lucy, visits her often and as a best friend will do, dishes out some rather juicy secrets about Vi's husband and his plan to ditch Lucy. Though, after a few stolen drinks of hard liquor, the world is a bit woozy and we learn anything is possible in Vi and Lucy's world. This week's story is Lucy Comes to Stay by the master of psychological suspense, Robert Bloch. Time Stamp: For those who prefer to skip the intro, the...

This week we discover that haunted houses and haunting dreams go together like a coffin in a grave. Our protagonist does well to trust his intuition, but his friend who takes a more logical approach, does not fair well. Join me in this week's story, Caterpillars by EF Benson. This story may have been written in 1912, but trust me, it holds the creep factor! Timestamp: Story starts at 2:48 Music:https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3449-blue-feather ( Blue Feather by Kevin MacLeod)...

It’s 2021, the time of the axe, the time when the blade hacks and hews at sinew and bone, at the moon and stars and the universe that lies between. At Faraday Psychiatric Hospital, Cecilia makes eye contact with herself in the bathroom mirror. She knows today is the anniversary of something very dreadful she has done, but she can't remember what or why. When she applies her favorite lip gloss, Dead Sunset Red, it triggers a floodgate of horrific memories beyond comprehension. This story was...

A double zombie feature for the New Year! You’re welcome. ;-D Weeping Stones is about the “ideal” all American family who demonstrate how to keep up with the Jones when it comes to outsiders and zombies. Peace on Earth is at War features small town drama during the zombie apocalypse. Strange things happen. Like turtles. Don’t ask—just listen. Happy New Year’s everyone! Music: https://filmmusic.io/song/7181-nostalgic-cold (Nostalgic Cold by MusicLFiles) Support this podcast

The North Pole isn't what it's made up to be, neither is Santa. Kidnapped and forced to be Santa's elf, Henrietta hatches up a plan that's much more naughty than nice. This story is extremely dark and for adults only. Violence and foul language. Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas. Today's story is part of a collection of stories based on the beloved femme fatale, Henrietta. You can find another one her stories in Dark Softly Tales most listened to episode which is...

One lonely rest stop. Two sisters. Their secrets so grim, even the reaper would kill to know. Join me in dark story for the darkest nights of the year: Hollow Secrets Looking back through my notes, I realized this was one of my very first published stories! So much love to Yellow Mama magazine for publishing it. <3 Music: Through the Shadows by Camilo Castillo https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com)...

It started with a tap on the ceiling, then it grew a heartbeat and a pulse. The beast calls to Cassie nightly in a world beyond her own—the great abyss. Her husband, Brian, insists medication will make it go away, but when Cassie discovers he has found another love...she questions where she truly belongs. This week's story is called Strings. You can find Strings in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWMY0AS (Abyss, 3 Tales to Chill Your Bones, Volume Five). Music: Ritual by Kevin Macleod Tenebrous...

Losing everything can be despairing, but sometimes there is a seed of hope. It’s hidden by shadows and we need to look harder to find it. This week’s story is Burning Yesterday. It placed second placed in a contest years ago. On the shorter side, but powerful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Music: Thunder Dreams by Kevin McLeod www.darksoftlytales.com www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com Support this podcast

Today is our conclusion of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper. I am once more experiencing technical difficulties, this time with the new mac update. Please hang in there with me while I figure it out. Thanks! Music: Misty Lights by Rafael Krux https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com (www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com) Support this podcast

Creeping crawling women in a caged attic... The 1800's produced horror that is just as chilling today as it was back then. Join me in part two of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper. To read Charlotte's reasoning behind the story, click on the link. https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/18-industrial-america/charlotte-perkins-gilman-why-i-wrote-the-yellow-wallpaper-1913/...

Jane is enthralled with the Victorian house and garden that she is to spend a few months resting at. Her husband John, the good doctor, has decided that Jane has a temporary nervous depression, or in other words, a slight hysterical tendency. There are many beautiful rooms in the house, but he decides that Jane’s imagination is too easily exercised and insists that she rests in the attic room—a miserable playroom for children in past times. There are bars on the windows and the doctor won’t...

Congratulations, Nancy! Message me for your prize. Thank you to all the participants. I was surprised at how many names I received in my email. We will do another giveaway soon! Thanks for playing along everyone! To catch the next giveaway, you can sign up for the newsletter, go to www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com, scroll down until you see the sign up form. Music: Spacial Wind by Kevin Macleod Visit Mav's empire site where you can learn more about her her books, haunt her soon to be updated...

What's Halloween without Halloween games? Jackie invites her boyfriend over for a little game of guess that feel... He shows up as a clown, and we soon discover there is no clowning around for what he has in store! *This story is not for the faint of heart or for children. Adults only!* This is our Monday episode—released a little early in the spirit of Samhain... enjoy! (For those who are looking for it. The Name My Scarecrow Contest announcement will be released in a day or two!) This...

A goth punk witch goes on a killing spree on her favorite night of the year. When she comes across ghostly children whom she can’t catch, she follows them to a deserted house where she meets The Reaper. Dark Softly Tales brings, Smashing Roxy. Happy Halloween! Smashing Roxy was originally published in Pulp Modern back in 2013, and later republished in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWMY08K (Witches, 3 Tales to Chill Your Bones, Volume 2. ) Episode music: Spooky Halloween Night by AG Music...

A history teacher, trying to find a way to connect with his teen daughter, discovers a local urban legend on Reddit about a haunted bridge. He offers to take his daughter to this bridge to see if the legend is true, but decides to check it out himself first. He makes a harrowing discovery that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Dark Softly Tales presents The Bridge by guest author Alec Cizak. Author Bio: Alec Cizak is a writer and filmmaker from Indianapolis. His fiction has appeared...

This week’s tale is one of horror and madness. Edgar Allan Poe takes us deep inside the mind of a madman, who, even in the midst of a crime, cannot escape the prison bars of his own conscience. This week’s story is, of course, The Tale Tell Heart. Music: Uneasy Imagination by Erick McNerny Heartbeat attribution: https://freesound.org/people/Moulaythami/ (Moulaythami) and http://freesound.org/ (freesound.org) Sign up for the newsletter: https://www.darksoftlytales.com/podcast-subscribe...

This week's tale is the first chapter of my first audiobook! In this riveting tale, we find a young Thomas Slade choosing a dark path after being kidnapped and inducted into the Night Devils biker gang. He quickly gains the leader’s trust and is given a task: go undercover as a kiddie clown entertainer at Carnival Circus and extract information from a man named Elvis. The job is simple, until Thomas meets the lovely Gerda, who is pregnant with Elvis’ child. Furthermore, Thomas realizes he...

Mary Maloney adores her husband and is utterly devoted to him. She is presented with a challenge after they have an uncomfortable conversation. However, Mary is creative and resourceful, and knows just what to do with the leg of lamb in the freezer.... this week story is Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl. Dark Softly Tales is back to its regular program! We are excited to announce that we are open to story submissions. For the guidelines click on the link....

This is a short gothic experimental piece that is metaphorical and intended for the reader/listener to feel. Regular Dark Softly Tales program resumes in two weeks! Fall is almost here. YAY. Dross was first published at Altered States. Welcome to the Dark Softly Summer Bites series. These stories are bite sizes, shorter than usual—about 5-10 minutes long. I hope you dig the Summer Bites opening/closing! The regular program will resume in late September. Opening & Closing music: Mav Skye...

They call to her every night, the monsters deep in the abyss over the edge of the wall. She must walk the fine balance between madness and reality. She is destined to fall to one side or the other, but which side? The Next Step was first published at Flashes in the Dark, then later published in Mav's https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWMY0AS (Abyss, 3 Tales to Chill Your Bones, Volume Five). Welcome to the Dark Softly Summer Bites series. These stories are bite sizes, shorter than usual—about...