Not About Lumberjacks

Be mighty, and keep your axes sharp!

Standstill

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A pocket watch. Standstill, written by Christopher Gronlund and narrated by Cynthia Griffith and Christopher GronlundWhen she was 18 — for her high school graduation — Maddy was given a pocket watch by her grandfather…along with the warning that it does more than just tell time.

Eighteen years later, she uses the button on the watch her grandfather told her to use with caution. What happens after clicking the button changes the lives of Maddy and her husband, Aaron.

A heartfelt tale about time and love…and the effect the two things have on us all…

Content Advisory: Swearing, sudden onset of cancer, death of a spouse, self doubt.

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Credits:

Music: Ergo Phizmiz and Christopher Costanza

Story and Narration: Cynthia Griffith and  Christopher Gronlund

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Behind the Cut – Episode 8: The Weight of the World

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Globes - Behind the Cut – Episode 8: The Weight of the WorldSometimes the weight of everyday life catches up with you and, instead of posting the story you intended to post, you end up sharing something older.

Some thoughts about twists in stories, the rush of everyday life, and how sometimes the best defense against it all is simplicity.

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Behind the Cut – Episode 7: The Other Side

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Door opening, emitting light. "The Other Side, Written and Narrated by Christopher Gronlund"This episode of Behind the Cut ranks up there with the “Horus” episode (in which I interviewed Cynthia Griffith about narrating the story and tackling the voice of a parrot).

What makes this current story and look behind the story so special to me? I interviewed Mark Hosack, Shawn Kupfer, and Rick Coste about a strange request I made to them:

I know it’s short notice, but can you read these lines of orc dialogue and then grunt and laugh like an orc for the next episode of Not About Lumberjacks?

And they did.

But I also love this episode because it wasn’t until after writing and listening to “The Other Side” that I realized I had written a story about the death of childhood — while still showing that adulthood is not without its own charm.

If you only listen to this episode to hear three good friends grunt and howl, it’s worth it, but I hope you like the interviews and commentary as well.

And if you missed “The Other Side,” it can be heard right here.

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The Other Side

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Glowing light from an opening door - The Other SideDaniel’s life was not going very well. Not only did his wife divorce him, but he was laid off from his job. With few cares about what would happen to him if caught, he breaks into his childhood home to see if something once in his bedroom closet is still there.

Content Advisory: Swearing, divorce, depression, fantasy violence, alcohol use, fantasy deaths, work/life struggles.

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Credits:

Music: Ergo Phizmiz and Chad Crouch

Story and Narration: Christopher Gronlund

Orcs: Rick Coste, Mark Hosack, Shawn Kupfer, and Christopher Gronlund

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Rabbit Eyes

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Rabbit on the ground -- staring. Rabbit Eyes, written and narrated by Christopher GronlundThe owner of a software company becomes very uneasy when he discovers someone close to him is trying to control his mind.

Content Advisory: Swearing, manipulation, controlling relationship, deception, sex.

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Credits:

Music: Ergo Phizmiz , Chad Crouch, and Craig Kelman

Rabbit Photo: Serious Fun

Story and Narration: Christopher Gronlund

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Behind the Cut – Episode 4: Horus

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African Grey Parrot - Behind the Cut - Episode 4: Horus“Horus” is the first short story I’ve written in at least half a decade. (My focus in recent years has been novel-length fiction.) To get back to short fiction, my motivation was simple: write a story for my wife. My wife is a fan of parrots, so a story about an unemployed writer who lands her dream job, but gets more than she bargained for in the form of an African grey parrot named Horus seemed like a good way to go. “Horus” is almost the most downloaded episode of Not About Lumberjacks. I like to think that’s because the story is good (I, and others, believe it is), but I think so much of the episode’s success was the result of having my wife, Cynthia Griffith, narrate the story. Cynthia’s narration was the highlight of the episode for so many people…so for this episode of Behind the Cut, I interviewed Cynthia about reading the story.

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Horus

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African Grey Parrot - Horus. Narrated by Cynthia GriffithSarah Nelson is an unemployed writer trying to find her next gig while dealing with her overbearing mother. Her world changes the day she answers an ad as a writer’s assistant for a famous author.

With time to focus on her own writing and learn even more about the industry from her new mentor, everything seems perfect until the day Sarah gets more than she bargained for in the form of an African Grey parrot named Horus.

Content Advisory: Swearing, an overbearing mother, and two instances of death from natural causes.

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Credits:

Music: Ergo Phizmiz and Chad Crouch (aka Podington Bear)

African Grey Photo: BlondieB38

Story: Christopher Gronlund

Narration: Cynthia Griffith

Episode Transcript >>

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Mr. Knowitall

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"Mr. Knowitall" - Hands around a glowing Magic 8 Ball toyJerry Hachard was destined for big things, but left his family fortune behind for a quiet life of adventure and travel. When his parents are killed in an accident and he returns to his hometown, he’s amazed to find only one thing left to him in his parents’ will: a plastic Magic 8 Ball.

Jerry’s brother got the family business, and his sister got the family fortune. The Magic 8 Ball seems like a strange thing to leave to the first child in the family. It’s only when Jerry’s life begins changing in dramatic ways that he understands the gift…and all that comes with it.

Content Advisory: Loneliness, swearing, family rivalry, family fistfight, parental death, gambling, hospitalization.

[A $0.99 e-book version of Mr. Knowitall is available in the Store.]

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Credits:

Music: Ergo Phizmiz and Chad Crouch (aka Podington Bear)

Magic 8 Ball Photo: BarkBud

Story and Narration: Christopher Gronlund

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