Literary Bites 

Short Stories, Deep Feelings,

Everyday Inspirations

Literary Bites is a short story podcast written and presented by Cassie Hamer. These literary fragments get to the heart of humanity and provide bite-sized, but deeply satisfying, escapes into other worlds.  Each episodes includes a brief discussion about the real-world inspirations underpinning the work, thus providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the writing process.  

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Listen now via:

• Spotify

• Apple podcasts

• Substack 

• YouTube 

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Literary Bites - Introduction

Episode Description
An introduction to Literary Bites - a podcast of short fiction, written and narrated by Australian author, Cassie Hamer

 

Soaring the Glory

Episode Description
Cassie Hamer presents an ‘odd-couple’ tale of dare-devilry in the midst of a rare meteorological phenomenon in northern Australia and a Greek myth that brings about an unlikely friendship between two people, trying to escape their grief. Episode includes an explanation of the inspirations behind the story.

 

The Proxy Bride

Episode Description

A young Italian woman migrates to Tasmania, Australia in the 1950s to meet her husband for the very first time. She carries little but her hopes and a few precious possessions in her trousseau. But what does she make of this strange new land and the man she is now expected to love? Episode includes a brief explanation of the real life inspiration behind the story.

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Sculptures by the Sea

Episode Description

A married couple makes their annual pilgrimage to Sydney's eastern beaches for the spectacular cliff-top exhibition, but the visit is marred by confusion, tension and a stray fox. A story of love in a long marriage and the grief that comes when illness causes that lengthy partnership to change shape.

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Frank's Labyrinth

Episode Description

A stonemason becomes protective of his latest creation - a labyrinth in one of Sydney’s most popular parks - but experiences enlightenment of a different kind when the sandstone monument is defaced by vandals.

Inspired by the construction of the Centennial Park Labyrinth in Sydney’s East, Cassie narrates the story and discusses real-life inspiration behind it.

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The Thirtieth Anniversary

Episode Description

A woman discovers her husband’s infidelity in the week before they are to celebrate their three decades of wedded bliss and draws courage from the jazz music that once bound the couple, but ultimately breaks them apart.

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Thylacine

Episode Description

A man's obsessive efforts to find evidence of the Tasmanian Tiger's existence causes familial ructions as his son returns from university to find a father who has become further lost to his preoccupation.

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Bernie's Tree

Episode Description

A brief departure into the world of narrative non-fiction, Bernie’s Tree is the story of a rough sleeper with whom I became quite familiar in the mid two thousands. It’s about nature, grief and community – all coming together around one man who owned little more than the clothes on his back.

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Habitat 

Episode Description

A young mother struggles with her conscience in a new environment where both tourists and animals are mistreated all in the name of entertainment 

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Granny Killer

Episode Description

A young woman comes to a devastating realisation about her grandmother as she helps the elderly woman journey towards death.

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