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…

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.…