Listen Now

I have decided that I can no longer continue to publish episodes of 12 Minute Stories. Thank you for listening!

David Schemer lives in Enumclaw, Washington and this week he shares with us a great story about a contentious relationship that almost ruined him. You'll probably notice that David has an audience when he's recording. That's because he recorded this story LIVE at Paul Currington's Fresh Ground Stories on Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington. The audio isn't 100% perfect, but David's story makes it all worth it. If you like David's story and you live in the Seattle area, check out the quarterly storytelling/songwriting show he does in downtown Seattle called Words and Music.

A few weeks ago on episode eleven we shared a story from Joe Betance about his grandmother and two foster children she had. In a strange coincidence, we have another story about foster children today. This story is told from a very different perspective...yet the lessons learned seem eerily similar. Nedalee Thomas is the CEO of Chanson Water and the author of The Desperate Parents Handbook. Learn more about Nedalee and buy her book on her website: DesperateParent.com. 

Meri Schuhmacher-Jackson lives in Indiana and this week she recalls a story of adventure, love…and corndogs. Meri is the mom to four boys, three of which live with type 1 diabetes. You can read more of her writing on her blog: OurDiabeticLife.com. And check her out on Twitter: @Our3Dlife.

Scott McQuiston lives in Monterey, California. Traditionally, right after the first time you fall in love…your heart is broken. That’s nothing new. But Scott’s story of heartbreak is anything but traditional. If you want more Scott in your life, you can find him on twitter @Satyr69. He is also the host of a really fun, lighthearted and positive podcast called the Satyrsphere…and you can find that in iTunes or by going to Satyrsphere.blogspot.com.

Austin Polnow is a 24-year-old student at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. He's studying sustainable community. In 2014 he left Wisconsin for a vacation that taught him that "hospitality" is a universal language.  If anyone would like to see more of what Austin is up to between classes or during his travels, follow him on Instagram @Gringoing.

This week I'm sharing a story that I wrote instead of a listener-submitted story. I wrote this one a few years ago about the fear of getting caught. Of recklessness. Of water. I would really love to hear a story from YOU next week. If you have an idea and want to talk it over, email me: Mike@12MinuteStories.com. Check out our storytelling tips here.

Have you ever said or done something that you later regret? Today we have a story from Joe Betance in Los Angeles about his big mouth and the lessons he has to learn the hard way. Joe Betance is a really funny guy. I’ve been friends with him for over a decade and each week we just catch up on a podcast called CATCHING UP. You can find that show in iTunes or by going to CUPodcast.com. Joe also does a really great RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap Podcast. Check that out by searching RuPaul Drag Race Recap in iTunes.

The story this week comes from Christina Hill in San Jose, California. Her story is deeply personal, and I'm really glad that she is so open and brave when telling it. I know that many people out there have been through a similar situation and the more we talk about it the less taboo it becomes. If you need more Christina in your life, follow her on twitter: @NowhereChrissy Christina is also a co-host of the fabulous podcast Greetings From Nowhere. Check it out.

Our story this week is from Honalee Dobnak from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She tells a story about a time when she had a void that needed to be filled and how she went about filling it. Honoree also blogs at TiarasAndCookies.blogspot.com. And if you place Dice With Friends, look her up: PrincessHonah

As storytellers...especially SHORT storytellers...we sometimes try to cram the entirety of a story into boxes. “It all happened that summer before I turned 18.” Or “My life changed on a Tuesday in April.” But in reality, life is harder to segment in this way. Today we have a story from Sarah Lytwak who lives east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sarah’s story is about how she tried to define a part of her life with a song. You can follow Sarah on Instagram: @SarahJLytwak And on Twitter she is: @RightWingFashn And hopefully one day soon you’ll also be able to buy an album of hers...as she’s hopes to one day be a professional singer.

Our story this week is told by a storyteller that doesn't have a script and he just recounts the events. It's great because this proves that you don't have to spend a lot of time preparing your 12 minutes of story. The story is told by Edward Fieder in Atlanta, Georgia. Edward's story is about how something like a small idea can grow into a life-changing movement. After you listen to the story, check out The Faces of Diabetes: TheFacesOfDiabetes.org On Instagram: @TheFacesOfDiabetes On YouTube: /TheFacesOfDiabetes-Videos

Even though it's February, you will enjoy this holiday story told to us by Jenn Christensen from Hurricane, Utah.  Connect with Jenn on the internet: @JennMamaBear on Twitter @JennMamaBear on Instagram Sweetzoo.blogspot.com And don't forget that you can be as awesome as Jenn and submit your own story for a future episode.

We have all had dates that don’t end the way we EXPECT them to...but this week we’ve got a story from Trav McFay about a date gone bad with a set of circumstances I’m not sure many of us have lived. If you like Trav's story, check him out on Twitter: @TheMightyTravM You can also read his blog - YourBoyfriendIsCalling.tumblr.com

Dreams are just part of our imaginations, right? But what happens when the waking life and the dream life collide? Our 12 Minute Story this week is about just that. After you listen to her tale, check out her blog for more great writing like this: UnexpectedBlues.com. And if you liked her story, let her know on Twitter: @HeatherGabel

Our story this week comes from Elizabeth Clarke in Glasgow, Scotland. Elizabeth has lived in a bunch of places since leaving home. And in this short story that explains all of them, she's boiled it all down to one room. On the episode this week I also give a very special plea to anyone listening. Help us get more stories! Submit a story yourself, or pass it on to a friend of yours that might have a good story to tell.

This week's episode has our very first listener-submitted story! It is a first for this podcast...and it's coincidentally about a couple of firsts for the storyteller. The story is told by Alanna Swartz. After you listen to Alanna's story, check her out on Twitter: @lifeont1 If you're interested in submitting a story...but don't know what story you'd like to tell, check out these 50 story prompts to see if any of them spark some creativity.

The very first episode of a brand new podcast. Since we have zero submissions from folks, I told a story of my own.  To read more about submitting a story of your own, visit: 12MinuteStories.com And don't forget to subscribe in iTunes and leave an iTunes review.