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The Big Red Balloon Podcast was launched in January 2026. My goal was simple: publish one new adventure story for young listeners (10+) every month. So far, I’ve managed it. Now, with seven stories live, I thought I’d look back on the journey so far and share a few behind-the-scenes insights for curious listeners, readers,…
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Inspiration for stories can come from many places. Song titles, for example. Learning to Fly—by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers—is the title of my latest short story on the Big Red Balloon Podcast. Curiously, it was a cover version of the song by the indie band, the Weepies, that caught my attention decades after hearing…
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Doctor Dog is the latest short story for young listeners on the Big Red Balloon Podcast. Funny and absurd, it was inspired by recent conversations (and a few statistics) about the booming number of pet owners in Vienna. One reason often mentioned is that couples are choosing not to have children, opting instead to complete their family…
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Epic adventures, courageous heroes, and magical worlds—new stories every month for young explorers. The Big Red Balloon Podcast officially launched in January 2026 with its first thrilling adventure story—Zombie Island. This thrilling tale follows Edi and Boy, two unlikely companions who row out into a mist-shrouded mountain lake toward a snow-covered, seemingly abandoned island village.…
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Featured image by Ksenia Makagonova on unsplash Maybe you too have been asked, “What’s your favorite book?”My all-time favourite is The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown, with illustrations by Garth Williams. As you might guess, it’s a children’s book. First published in 1953 as a Little Golden Book, it has been delighting readers for generations. Scuppers…