NEW EPISODE: Prologue
Here it is - I can’t tell you how excited I am to have this phase of the journey finally underway :)
Any and all feedback gratefully accepted.
If you would like to be on the mailing list for future episodes, you should drop me a quick email - please include whether you’d like to recieve links for the live stories on Sunday night, or just updates on when new episodes have been uploaded.
For more information on how the Sunday nights work, see this post.
Bedtime Stories LIVE: How to join us
Anyone who is interested in joining us for a live bedtime story this (and every) Sunday night should email me at: storiesthatswirl AT gmail DOT com. I will then send you the email with the Zoom link you need, and add you to the list for future updates.
This post contains all the information contained in that first email, except for the Zoom link itself.
What are the stories?
The stories are all part of an overarching tale - the tale of Paddy Taavi - but some of them will also stand alone. Many are already written, and more are coming to life, line by line, every day. They are swirling stories, full of love and hope and longing, and I've tried to write them in such a way that the music of the language will lull you towards a sleep filled with more magical dreams... but then you'll wake up wanting to listen again and again to pick up on the story and details you missed...
How do the Sunday calls actually work?
The live stories will take place on a Zoom call, but don't worry: you don't need to have a computer on if you don't want to (see the end of this email for all the technical details on how to join). Here's how it will all work:
Join the Zoom any time between 9.45 and 10pm. The story (and recording for the podcast) will start at 10pm sharp, so please try to get yourself all snug, settled and set up to listen before then. You will be muted when you arrive - depending how many of us there are, there may be the opportunity to say a quick hello. Otherwise I will just share some gentle music.
At 10pm, all cameras will be turned off and mics muted. The story will last around 30 minutes. *You are free to leave the Zoom call any time you like* - if you find yourself starting to doze off, well, that's a success!
I will tell you when the recording is over. You can unmute and say a sleepy goodnight to each other then if you like.
What about recordings?
I will send out the recording to the email list, so that you can listen back whenever you like. Some of you might like to re-listen to bits you slept through first time, ahead of the next chapter, the next Sunday (I can even send the text if you prefer). I will also let everyone know when I launch the podcast itself, most likely in a few weeks, once we have a few recorded.
Do I have to pay something?
There is no obligation to pay. If you would like to offer a donation, that would be deeply appreciated - £1 would be received as a heartening gesture of gratitude; £3 or £5 would bring a right old beaming smile to my face! The easiest way to donate is via PayPal: www.paypal.me/DaveBevan
You can also donate via bank transfer, which I will send details of in the email.
The technical stuff...
There are 4 ways to join:
On a computer: just click the link and follow the instructions that pop up
On your phone, using internet: Download the Zoom App and join the meeting either by clicking the link or typing the Meeting ID into the App
Without internet: *Dial in* from your phone, by clicking 'one-tap mobile' - if you wait a few moments, it will automatically enter the Meeting ID and connect you.
Without internet, outside UK: I have included the phone numbers for some other countries below, as I know of people there who might be joining us. If the country you are in is not listed and you would like to dial in, please let me know and I will include your country on the list.
Credits
The music you will hear is all composed by the amazing Ailie Robertson; the cover art above is by designer and gifted polymath Phil O'Farrell.
Cover art :)
Here it is, courtesy of the crowdsourcing site Design Crowd,* and the absurdly talented Phil O’Farrell. I hope you agree it manages to capture both the dream-y bedtime-y magic and the grown-up-ness of the stories.
*the original designer, who came up with the basic design, goes by the name ‘orphee’ on DesignCrowd, but when I asked, said they didn’t have a website or other simple way to promote them. Phil then took that original image and, in amazingly quick time, improved it to create what you see above.
LIVE Bedtime Stories: Every Sunday at 9.45pm...
After literally years of waiting, writing, planning and procrastinating… I am delighted to tell you that Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups will be LIVE every Sunday evening, starting this Sunday (7th Feb). Anyone who wants to join the zoom call (which will take place with cameras off once I start reading) should contact me with theor email address, so that you can receive the link you need (thereis also an option for dialling in from your mobile, for those who don’t have reliable internet connections.)
You can join for free, though small donations (£1-£5) are gratefully received. The first episode will be a brand new Prologue; episodes 1 and 2 will be similar to the ones below, but with a lovely musical intro and some thoughtful editing of the text. Every episode will continue the tale of Paddy Taavi, though each chapter has its own independent stories too.
The recordings from these live sessions will then be released as a podcast, available in all the usual places. I wil lprobably wait until I have at least 2 or 3 before I do this!
I look forward to seeing you there, or at another one some time in the future :)