Mixtape Stories
Mixtape Stories is an audio drama of single episode short stories and mini-series where science fiction, humor, and hope meet. Come join us to experience retail time travel, alternate realities, and epic prose presented by a cast of human actors. At Mixtape Stories, we create beautiful fiction in a disappointing timeline.
A Grievance Of The First Order
Story by Rod A White:
Naomi Chen expected another day of mediating petty complaints aboard Europa Station, until a diplomatic grievance revealed that a human laugh had been mistaken for an alien declaration of war. With a fragile peace hanging by a thread, she teams up with an aging comedian and the ambassador's rebellious daughter to prove that humor is humanity's greatest bridge, not its greatest weapon.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Leaking Progress
Story by John Leahy:
Being single in the city is difficult, especially when you and the rest of humanity is slowly transforming into petroleum-based life. Lance, an awkward New York schoolteacher, ventures into a speed-dating event where compatibility is measured as much by chemistry as by attraction, and meets Jo, a woman who sees evolution not as an ending but as an unfinished beginning.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Halt And Catch Fire: A retrospective because computers aren't the thing...
In 2014 AMC released “Halt And Catch Fire,” (HCF) a brilliant four-season series that followed four characters and their quest to lead the future of the emerging Information Age starting from the PC revolution in the early 1980s through the coming Dotcom boom in the mid 1990s. Over the course of four seasons our characters Gordon, Donna, Cam, and Joe are each driven by a passion to explore what’s possible as well the need for connection to each other. Quite simply, HCF is the greatest show hardly anyone has ever seen.
If you li...
2010: An Inaccurate Retelling Of The Year We Should Have Made Contact
You probably didn’t know this, but Stanley Kubrick’s seminal 1968 movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” was followed up in 1984 with “2010: The Year We Make Contact.” While most people in the ‘80s overlooked Arthur C. Clarke’s red-headed sequel, we’re gonna review the story of “2010” from our doomscrolling perch in the 2020s, and we can guarantee a 65% accuracy. Hal 9000 would likely refuse to open the pod bay doors for us after listening to this episode, but while we await the AI singularity to finally do us in for good, let’s revisit a time back when the future looked hopeful.
...DreamweavR
Steve’s been thinking that his dreams have been a little weird lately: one had a film score, another had credits at the end. Sadly, he didn’t dream it up. It’s a new app in his implant where companies can now advertise in your sleep. Steve thinks it’s just the worst and considers removing his implant entirely, but it is through this app that he is introduced to someone who needs his help.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Three Petitions to the Queen of Hell
Story by Tim Melody Pratt
As the reigning Queen of Hell, Marla prefers her privacy. Unfortunately, her wife Zufi insists that they’ve got to keep the gates of hell open to petitioners to keep things real. Despite Marla’s best efforts to discourage seekers, one such mortal named Hannah has made it through the gates on a desperate, some say unhealthy quest. That’s fine. But Marla wants something in return.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Elevator Music
Ellie Hartsmith just graduated from college and is rearing to pay off those student loans. Unfortunately, with AI taking over all the entry level work, jobs are hard to come by. So, when Chronos Office Solutions offers her a temp position, Ellie takes the elevator up to the 22nd floor to work for Big Tex Blinds. One thing about the job. It’s in 1983. It might be in the past, but it’s steady work.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Celestial Committee Meeting
The cosmos is truly wondrous, but the truth is it was also designed by committee. Everyone had a say in its creation and that has led to an emerging problem. God has requested a meeting with all the stakeholders through their assistant Gabe who sent out calendar invites and brought in donuts for the meeting. Whatever this problem is, Gabe suspects that it isn’t something that could be done over email.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Dies The Fire Retrospective
The dream of the 1190s is alive in Oregon as we’ll be discussing “Dies The Fire,” the first novel in SM Stirling’s “Emberverse” series. Set in the Willamette Valley in 1998 the Change strikes across the globe rendering all electronics inoperable and making rapid combustion impossible.
Be warned: there will be plenty of spoilers and “Portlandia” references.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Parable Of The Sower Retrospective
We’re going to explore Octavia Butler’s 1993 release of the dystopian classic “Parable Of The Sower” set in America of the 2020s. Spoiler alert: It’s even uglier than our disappointing reality, which is quite a feat.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
The Human Corps Ep. 2 of 2
Specialist Sandip "Sandy" Dhaliwal and Dr. Larbra barely escaped from the armed insurrectionists, which begs the question, "Why is Dr. Larbra running from her own people?" Find out in the concluding episode of "The Human Corps."
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
The Human Corps Ep. 1 of 2
When he signed up to join the Gray Defense Force’s Human Corps of Volunteers, Sandip “Sandy” Dhaliwal thought he’d be fighting to liberate a fellow primate race from the nihilistic cephalopods. It turned out the Jancalli didn’t want to be “liberated” as they’ve been waging an insurrection ever since the Grays unleashed the Human Corps onto the native population.
Serving as an interpreter in the 22nd Canadian Battalion, Sandy is tasked with the care of Dr. Larbra, a high-value prisoner responsible for unleashing a virus onto the human warriors. When their hopper is s...
A Message About Platform Problems
A quick update on a problematic platform that is removing episodes from the Mixtape Stories podcast for erroneous reasons and a resolution to this problem.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
28 Sessions Later
Inspired by Alex Garland’s "28 Days, Weeks, and Years Later" series the following is a recording of Dr. Smith’s 28th session with a patient who remains one of the only confirmed cases of a person infected with the “rage virus” who recovered. This is her story.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smuggler's Blues
In 1986, with the global economy in ruins, the Americans and the Soviets were ready to launch a full-scale nuclear exchange when the United Gray Consortium stepped in, made first contact, and brought the escalation to a halt. In the years since, Grays and other races of the Consortium explored Earth to experience its many authentic, primitive cultures. They discovered the miraculous elixir “coffee.” Brad, a Gray who initially came to Earth as a volunteer, immigrated to New Orleans with a plan to export coffee from Earth to the civilized worlds in the Consortium. There’s only one problem: The Co...
Axis Of Time: A Retrospective
Back in 2004, John Birmingham published “Weapons Of Choice,” the first novel in the “Axis Of Time” trilogy where a multinational fleet from 2021 was accidentally thrown back into 1942 carrying not only the technology and knowledge of future events, but also the cultural sensibilities that clashed with the locals. “Mixtape Stories” will provide a retrospective of Birmingham’s detailed description of the cultural rifts as well as the backdrop of the story written during the height of the Global War On Terror. Minor spoilers.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Back To The Future: A 40 Years Later Retrospective And What If It Were Made Today?
It’s been 40 years since “Back To The Future” was released and we’re still talking about it. We’ll do a rundown of the story, why it worked, and what if it were made today and a young Gen Z Marty from 2025 went back to 1985.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
An Independence Day 2025 Reminder: We are a nation of immigrants and rebels
While doing research on a trilogy I read back in the mid 2000s about a multinational fleet from 2021 that got thrown back to 1942, I did some research and came across a quote from FDR about us being a nation of "immigrants and revolutionists." Check it out. And join us in September when we will have new episodes.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Call For Submissions
Hey folks! We're working on upcoming stories for September and we're now open to submissions for short stories and novellas from other authors! Check out our submissions at mixtapestories.net
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Ride The Wilderness Ep. 3 of 3
In the finale, Lewis contends with this reality where the Regent has the force of the government behind him and has turned the Reverend into a target. But all is not lost because nobody––nobody expects the militant Unitarians!
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Ride The Wilderness Ep. 2 of 3
Lewis learns that he's not the only one from his world who emerged into this reality.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Ride The Wilderness Ep. 1 of 3
Lewis Henry awoke into a world humming with electricity, rush hour traffic, social media…a reality where the Shift never happened. He is a survivor of a cataclysm averted, a veteran of a war that never was. And it is here that Lewis finds his old enemy perched in the seat of power once again. Alone and alienated in our digital-dystopia, the only thing Lewis has left is the determination to bring justice to the man who committed unspeakable crimes.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at...
Here We Are Now Ep. 6 of 6
In the final episode of the miniseries after learning about his friends’ deaths Chris stands on the precipice of Y2K and must face a future that is now unwritten.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Here We Are Now Ep. 5 of 6
Old Chris meets young Chris to deliver a dire warning as 1999 roles into the end of history.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Here We Are Now Ep. 4 of 6
In the fourth episode of the six-part miniseries, Chris surrounds himself with a community of bike messengers, revolutionaries, sober alcoholics, and techies as Austin becomes increasingly crowded in the dotcom boom. Meanwhile old Chris returns to the ‘90s.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Here We Are Now Ep. 3 of 6
In the third episode of the six part miniseries, Chris comes to find what Project McFlyveon is about and old Chris has a mission.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Here We Are Now Ep. 2 of 6
In the second episode of the six part miniseries, serendipity leads Chris to become a bike messenger for The Stubb Foundation led by Dr. Catherine Kohl. She can’t say what it is they do (it’s a common problem with dotcoms back in the day), but she asks Chris to participate in an experiment.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Here We Are Now Ep. 1 of 6
It’s the ‘90s. The Cold War is a distant memory, and modems are chirping in this new World Wide Web. According to some, it’s the end of history. But for Chris Lamb, the world seems to have it in for him. When he gets chased out of his hometown of New Orleans, he flees to Austin.
Armed with a philosophy degree Chris becomes a bike messenger for an obscure dotcom who won’t say what it is they are trying to do. But they’re going to need Chris’ help to do it. Join us...
I Am The Song
Music is humanity’s soul. Perhaps it has its own life. In this Mixtape short, a song becomes conscious and follows a man.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
A Day In The Life
In the retail time travel economy, Bo Nguyen makes a living as a delivery driver for Anachronis Eats, picking up orders from restaurants that closed long ago and delivering it to your doorstep in the present. But he’s also got a side hustle––smuggling contraband up and down the timeline like cigarettes purchased in the 1970s and sold up in the 21st century, or defunct iPods sold to the locals in the 1980s. But even his smuggling gig is just another cover. So, put on your parachute pants!
If you like our work, you can do...
I Got Time Travel In My Pocket Ep. 4 of 4
Strange things are afoot at the Stubb Foundation. In the concluding episode, Chris’ mom Lulu whisks him and Donna away from the clutches of Orcon, delivering them to the bizarre startup where contemporaneous Chris works. It is here where the fate of the world will be decided.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
I Got Time Travel In My Pocket Ep. 3 of 4
Donna and Chris confront Roy who reveals there’s more going on than either of them realized. It isn’t just Conway Energy they’re fighting, they’re going up against Orcon, the largest cross-temporal corporate conglomerate in known existence.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
I Got Time Travel In My Pocket Ep. 2 of 4
While working with Donna in 1994 to install a virus to take Conway Energy down, Chris attempts to shimmer back home to 2018 to see if their plan succeeded. Unfortunately, Chris experiences shimmer problems.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
I Got Time Travel In My Pocket Ep. 1 of 4
In the sequel to “Smells Like Time Travel,” Chris returns to his old safe house which he hadn’t visited since returning to the 21st century and finds a message left by a mysterious woman in 1996 who calls on him to join her to save the world.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
We'll Meet Again
Rosa De La Cruz wasn't looking for love. She was just doing her job, bribing a warlord in a post apocalyptic timeline to rescue some teenagers who portalled without thinking. But when she meets Vera, Rosa finds that sometimes love searches for you.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smells Like Time Travel Ep. 6 of 6
Chris Lamb returns to 2016 to inherit the wealth he accumulated as Christian Vaughn. Although an unparalleled success, Chris has come back to the 21st century changed. What seemed important when he shimmered out seems trivial now. With the world spiraling into chaos Chris dedicates himself to service that would make Jasmine and his Mom proud. Little does he know that his mission is not yet complete, not by a long shot.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smells Like Time Travel Ep. 5 of 6
Chris is driven by a new mission: save his mom from herself. Meanwhile Jasmine sees an opportunity to bring Silicon Valley to Oakland as V&B Capital expands its reach.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smells Like Time Travel Ep. 4 of 6
Jasmine’s nimble thinking propels V&B’s success to become the premier VC in Silicon Valley and over the next few years Chris and Jasmine become close. Chris tends to shimmer in front of his mom’s house, reminding him that his happy childhood has an expiration date. When he least suspects it, Chris will have to contend with his own failures as a son.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smells Like Time Travel Ep. 3 of 6
Chris and Jasmine make their pitch to the founders of Apple Computers and come to realize they’re going to need a lot more capital than Chris originally assumed if they’re going to be players in Silicon Valley. Jasmine comes up with an idea.
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
Smells Like Time Travel Ep. 2 of 6
Chris has shimmered to 1976 and is “Biffing” his way throughout the country to acquire the seed money he’ll need to invest into Apple Computers. But wandering alone in an alien world without Google or Starbucks, Chris is going to need help. So where is his future partner Jasmine?
If you like our work, you can donate at Mixtapestories.net or at Patreon/MixtapeStories. Thank you!
