Sunday Sundries: Strange Stories from Odd Folx

Queer writers this way! All listeners this way too!

Hi folks! Welcome back to Sunday Sundries, where I talk about whatever is on my brain.

Today I want to talk to you about my new podcast: what it is, why it is, and where I want to take it.

Right now, I’m just finishing up the sound design on episode 3, ready for it to go out on Wednesday. It seemed like a good thing to talk about, so here we are. Let me tell you things!

Strange Stories from Odd Folx is the title. Even that has a story behind it. Originally it was to be Queer Stories from Strange Folk. But Queer kept hitting anti-hate filters—which, fair, I appreciate those. So I had to do a very speedy rename, and Cuddles had to do a very speedy redesign of the art.

I was quite pleased with myself for the new name, though. With Strange and Odd being near synonyms of Queer, and folx a great way to address a bunch of varied gendered and sexualitied (shush, it’s a word now, I made it!) people, (with folk already being my main neutral/inclusive address). It all fit together nicely, and even had the same cadence, which I wanted.

So between the name and the cover design, it’s pretty queer, right? And that’s the point!

Season 1 is all written by me. 9 narrated stories, and one audio drama. I decided on that for a couple of reasons.

1. I’m new to podcasting sound design, so I wanted these episodes to practice on—if I make a mess, it’s only my own thing that’s getting it, I’m not screwing up someone else’s story.

2. I didn’t want to ask people to submit to something untested and unknown. I want them to be able to hear the sort of thing I’m doing, so offering a varied bunch of stories plus the drama felt like a good way to go.

But I do have submissions open for season 2…should anyone wish to send something…click here!

Being a writer is hard enough. Getting people to pay attention, to read, to share, it’s a lot of work and most people don’t get far. And the further away you are from the things our culture ridiculously considers “normal”—by which I mean a cishet white guy—the harder it is.

If you’re queer, coloured, trans, disabled, autistic, etc, or your stories contain people who are these things, you get put into a niche. And the more of these intersecting marginalisations you have, the farther back your niche is shoved.

Being a writer of a number of queer identities, as well as intersecting things like being disabled and mentally ill, I sit in a position where I can see that happening to me and people like me pretty much constantly.

For years now I’ve wanted to do something to help bring those stories to light. A few years ago I started thinking maybe a podcast. Then, listening to some which do pretty much this—narrate stories with sound design—got me hooked. I needed to do this.

It took a while to gather the various equipment I needed, but here we are! I finally made it!

I realised once I had everything assembled that I’d accidentally managed to make myself the token queer on my own podcast, but the thing about that is…I surrounded myself with allies. Real allies. Those who speak up for us, and stand their ground. People I would trust to stand with me, and even in protection of me.

And that was one of the really important things too. If I made this podcast, with this goal, how could I possibly not want to get as many not queer people as possible also involved? The idea is to get queer writers to let me show their stories to a wider audience. It defeats the entire purpose if all I do is shove them back into the same niche I just demanded they come out of.

Photo by Zechen Li

I have but one caveat in regards to whom I welcome in to this podcast, and it’s the same one I have for everything else: no bigots or fascists allowed. Fuck them. I do this for the rest of us.

So come along! Join the fun! Listen at leehulme.com/oddfolx, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share! Comment! Rate! Subscribe! And if you’re queer, submit (a story)! Show me the queer joy of creation, and let me show it to others.

Plans for the future include:

Season 2 (obviously).

All-queer version of Euripides’ Madea (slightly rewritten by me).

A second part of the podcast network called Sorceror Shenanigans—monologues by my own character, Avay.

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Some shoutouts to the voices!

I recruited Cuddles for artwork and reading—because she has a great reading voice (see episode 2), and draws great stuff.

I also recruited, Tracy Clifton, an excellent voice actor and friend, who I’d wanted to work with for ages; she was eager to jump aboard (see episode 1).

And while I was in the process of getting everything recorded, I talked about it to another friend, America Young, whose response was a very enthusiastic THIS IS AMAZING!!! HOW CAN I HELP?!?! CAN I DO AN AD??!!! (see trailer 1, trailer 2, and the intro/outro on all the episodes).

I have the good fortune to have many good friends. Much love to these three (with extra to Cuddles, of course).

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That’s all for this week! Til next time, don’t forget to please share and subscribe and check out the podcast!