Folded Space

First publication, Analog (Jan/Feb 2025 issue) Performed by Nicole Swanson

Dainy Merced is a Counter, an obsessive compulsive starship maintenance tech who uses medication to turn herself into her job. When she can't let go of he last one, she struggles to decide her own identity and make a living on a planetoid without a sun.

Jonathan Olfert is the author of over fifty short stories. His work has appeared in Lightspeed, Analog, On Spec, Strange Horizons, and more. His novelettes Fletcher's Flights and Under White Air are forthcoming from Beneath Ceaseless Skies. His writing has been shortlisted for the Rhysling Award and featured twice in Year's Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction. He comes from Alberta and lives in Atlantic Canada.

Nicole Swanson is an actor and producer from Augusta, GA, who has discovered she loves hiding away in her closet and telling stories to her loyal companion, Blackjack the Studio Dog. An occupational therapist in the Georgia Corrections system, when not narrating, Nicole enjoys a good cup of coffee while sitting on her porch swing and listening to the rain on a dark and stormy night. Discover more of Nicole’s adventures at www.NicoleSwansonVO.com

This episode was sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addi Studio and grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Taylor Bak is an emerging author of erotic romantasy and speculative fiction. In another life, she obtained a PhD in English, though these days she mostly uses it to justify dubious literary references in smutty stories. She identifies as a bisexual, autistic Trekkie and has published work in NYGEL Journal and The Disconnected, including stories set in the ISS Calypso universe. Learn more about her work and upcoming projects at laurentaylorbak.wordpress.com or follow her on Bluesky at @laurentaylorbak.bsky.social

This bonus episode is brought to you in part by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addison Smith and Grandfailure

Season one hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First Published in Tales of Galactic Pest Control

Performed by Nikolle Doolin

After shore leave on notorious pleasure moon Venera 6, the crew of the ISS Calypso are quarantined by the ship’s AI, who’s convinced an outbreak of pubic lice is part of a sinister biowarfare plot.

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of consensual sexual activity and the transmission of pubic lice.

Lauren Taylor Bak is an emerging author of erotic romantasy and speculative fiction. In another life, she obtained a PhD in English, though these days she mostly uses it to justify dubious literary references in smutty stories. She proudly identifies as a bisexual, autistic Trekkie. Listeners interested in reading an NSFW story set in the ISS Calypso universe should check out volume two of NYGEL journal, which features the continued adventures of Commander Ophelia Koch in a story titled "Pride and Protocol". You may also like her short story "Mise en Abîme" in The Disconnected, a companion anthology to Australian cyberpunk horror novel, The Savage Aether, by Aurealis Awards finalist Henry Neilsen.

Find out more and stay informed about Lauren's forthcoming projects on her website, https://laurentaylorbak.wordpress.com/ or follow her on Bluesky @laurentaylorbak.bsky.social.

Nikolle has performed numerous narrations and character roles for a number of popular and award-winning podcasts, such as: The NoSleep Podcast, Nightmare Soup, Tales To Terrify, Creepy Pod, It's All in the Cards, Calling Darkness, The Oyster, Liberty, Vast, Sirenicide, Hearing the Haunted, StarShipSofa, and Far-Fetched Fables. To learn more about Nikolle, visit her website at nikolledoolin.com, or follow her on BlueSky at nikolledoolin.bsky.social.

This episode was sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

Art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arthur H. Manners is a British writer with a background in space science. His work is published in places like Analog, Strange Horizons, Nature, and Pseudopod. His debut sci-fi novel Inworld, described as having "echoes of Arrival and Interstellar", will be published by Saga Press (US) and Harper Voyager (UK) in Spring 2027. To pre-order and receive updates, follow his newsletter at https://arthurmanners.com, and find his socials via https://linktr.ee/arthurmanners

This bonus episode is sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addison Smith

Season one hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Performed by Krystal Hammond

This episode was sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Scientist Alma will do anything to get back to her daughter Mari.

Arthur H. Manners is a British writer with a background in space science. His work is published in places like Analog, Strange Horizons, Nature, and Pseudopod. His debut sci-fi novel -Inworld, described as having "echoes of Arrival and Interstellar", will be published by Saga Press (US) and Harper Voyager (UK) in Spring 2027. To pre-order and receive updates, follow his newsletter at https://arthurmanners.com, and find his socials via https://linktr.ee/arthurmanners

Krystal Hammond is a narrator, writer, cancer survivor, and nonbinary queer human. They grew up in rural North Carolina, nurtured by a steady diet of local Blackbeard legends and Confederate ghost stories. These folktales and myths fostered a lifelong love of storytelling and all the drama that comes with it. They also hold a Master's degree in Biological Anthropology and adore ugly cats. You can learn more about their work at krystalhammond.com or find them on X at @thekmhammond.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth Goder is an archivist and author. Her stories have appeared in venues such as Escape Pod, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Flash Fiction Online, Apex, Strange Horizons, and Horton's The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy. She loves chocolate, hiking, and checking out too many books from the library. You can find her online at http://www.bethgoder.com.

An Expression of Silence and Other Stories is Beth Goder’s debut collection of twenty-four speculative stories, accompanied by author’s notes with details about how she wrote them. Back her project here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bethgoder/an-expression-of-silence-a-short-fiction-collection

This bonus episode is sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addison Smith.

Season one hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Performed by Anthony Babington

Sabtal has questions about the meaning of life and death.

Beth Goder is an archivist and author. Her stories have appeared in venues such as Escape Pod, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Flash Fiction Online, Apex, Strange Horizons, and Horton's The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy. She loves chocolate, hiking, and checking out too many books from the library. You can find her online at http://www.bethgoder.com.

An Expression of Silence and Other Stories is Beth Goder’s debut collection of twenty-four speculative stories, accompanied by author’s notes with details about how she wrote them.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bethgoder/an-expression-of-silence-a-short-fiction-collection

Anthony Babington is an aspiring voice actor, who looks just slightly off from how he sounds. From his secret volcano lair in Minnesota, he narrates podcasts and leases his soul to corporate America. He has work in Far Fetched Fables, Starship Sofa , Tales to Terrify and The Cursed Inn podcast. He can be found on Twitter at @AlephBaker

This episode was sponsored by Navigator Karen Pelczar

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam W. Pisciotta is a writer and visual artist. Find his short fiction in Tales to Terrify, Lightspeed, Asimov’s, Nightmare, PodCastle, and other publications. He is a graduate of the Odyssey writing program (2023) and a member of Clarion’s 2026 Novel Writing Workshop. Sam has an M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Colorado. Powered on morning coffee and late-night tea, he splits his time between Colorado and New York. Connect at www.silo34.com and @silo34 on Instagram, and @swpisciotta on BlueSky Social.

Folded Space is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addison Smith.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First Publication: Asimov's Science Fiction (April/May 2012)

Performed by Aven Shore

"On a remote planet, Kendra is a humble hawker selling souvenirs. When a sale goes wrong, she must seek justice in a galaxy where there is a vast gulf — in all senses — between the locals who service the spaceports and the spacers who travel between the stars."

Ian Creasey lives in Yorkshire, England. He has published seventy-odd short stories, mostly in the science-fiction genre with a few fantasy and horror. His work has appeared frequently in Asimov's Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and in numerous other venues. A collection of his short fiction, The Shapes of Strangers, came out from NewCon Press in 2019. More information can be found on his website at iancreasey.com

Aven Shore is an audiobook narrator, beekeeper, and friend to chickens. She lives and works from a home studio in the woods of rural Canada.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Hornsby is based in Dublin, Ireland. His short fiction has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Uncharted, Metaphorosis, and several other publications. He is a graduate of the Odyssey Writers' Workshop. By day, he works in environmental policy.

Folded Space is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by Addison Smith.

Season One hosted and edited by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First Publication: Cosmic Horror Monthly February 2005

Performed by Nikolle Doolin

Daisy, a member of an aging colony on Titan, investigates the disappearances of the other colonists.

Sam W. Pisciotta is a writer and visual artist. Find his short fiction in Tales to Terrify, Lightspeed, Asimov’s, Nightmare, PodCastle, and other publications. He is a graduate of the Odyssey writing program (2023) and a member of Clarion’s 2026 Novel Writing Workshop. Sam has an M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Colorado. Powered on morning coffee and late-night tea, he splits his time between Colorado and New York. Connect at www.silo34.com and @silo34 on Instagram, and @swpisciotta on BlueSky Social.

@swpisciotta on BlueSky

@silo34 on Instagram

http://www.silo34.com/

Nikolle is a writer and voice actor. She performs for a number of popular and award-winning podcasts, such as: The NoSleep Podcast, Far-Fetched Fables, and Tales to Terrify. To learn more about Nikolle, visit her website at https://nikolledoolin.com/pblog/ or https://twitter.com/NikolleDoolin

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son.

And art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and produced by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Performed by Krystal Hammond

On an ocean world, Dr Ulvinne á Methet oversees as the warship Metsun Han gives birth.

Matt Hornsby is based in Dublin, Ireland. His short fiction has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Uncharted, Metaphorosis, and several other publications. He is a graduate of the Odyssey Writers' Workshop. By day, he works in environmental policy.

Krystal Hammond is a narrator, writer, cancer survivor, and nonbinary queer human. They grew up in rural North Carolina, nurtured by a steady diet of local Blackbeard legends and Confederate ghost stories. These folktales and myths fostered a lifelong love of storytelling and all the drama that comes with it.

They also hold a Master's degree in Biological Anthropology and adore ugly cats. You can learn more about their work at krystalhammond.com or find them on X at @thekmhammond.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson.

First reading by Nathaniel Matthews Lee.

Music by Ardie Son. 

And art by grandfailure.

Season One hosted and edited by Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season One, Episode Zero

If this is your first time hearing about Folded Space, here's the idea:

Every other week, we'll bring you a new science fiction story. Each episode is self-contained and told by a single narrator. No ongoing plot. Just one story at a time. Over the course of our first season, we'll explore the space where technology, human nature, and a vast, indifferent universe collide.

Audio production by Andrew Gibson

First reading by Nathaniel Lee

Music by Ardie Son

Art by grandfailure

Season one host and editor, Seth Williams.

https://www.foldedspacepodcast.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/FoldedSpaceanAudioScienceFictionAnthology/

https://bsky.app/profile/foldedspace.bsky.social/

https://www.instagram.com/foldedspacepodcast/

Discover more about the show and learn how you can help shape its future at https://FoldedSpacePodcast.com.

You can also join our community on Patreon or support the podcast directly via PayPal. Your support helps us bring you more great science fiction stories. Be sure to subscribe to or follow Folded Space on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Folded Space is released under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.