Listen to Engaging Podcast Episodes
My Story
Daniel Morris. From Pittsburgh, PA. Born in 1979.
(scroll down to start reading)
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I've always had a passion for creating. As a child, I would sit at the foot of my parents' bed with a giant encyclopedia, which I used as a workstation for my clay creations. I’d watch Transformers (Generation One) and shape little pieces that I could rearrange into robots and vehicles.
In middle school, I took a hole punch to plain paper, added it to a binder, and started working on a never-ending comic book. Whenever I got tired of drawing Street Fighter Characters and wanted to start a new story, I’d have a Tyrannosaurus Rex eat Ryu and then set off on a Jurassic Park-style adventure.
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In high school, after reading the works of O. Henry (no, you can't read a candy bar), I began writing short stories of my own. I continued writing off and on through college and into my post-college years. In 2004, I left my college town to focus on my writing, producing a book called 79 Ways 2 Die (Vol. 1)—a quick, unedited collection of 10 stories. I self-published, sold one copy, and gave away the rest.
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I stopped writing until 2016, when I wrote two short stories, and then again in 2024 when I picked up my only copy of 79. I decided to take the stories and the ones I’d thought about but never written and bring them to life in a podcast. I started by releasing material monthly, then bi-weekly, and then something awakened in me—I felt like I was on my hero's adventure--my road to passion (sorry. keyword research). I was able to get organized, editing old stories while working on new ones. I was on my That’s how the “podible” (half podcast/half audiobook) Urban Shorts came to be.
SEASON ONE
(Episode 001)
Click is a powerful, relationship-focused story inspired by a real-life experience I had while living in a pre-gentrified apartment complex. The narrative follows a man’s journey to understand what it truly means to "be a man" within the challenges of a modern relationship, exploring themes of toxic masculinity, self-discovery, and emotional growth in urban settings.
(Episode 002)
These three grim stories are reaped together by a single "Old Man" who claims to talk to strangers for nothing more than "Good Conversation." Spoiler: He's no angel... or...
I'm thinking about collections, and I was playing around with this being the same old man from the story "Starving Artist." Got any ideas how I could connect the two?
(Episode 003)
|This was a fun one: What if all the political “conspiracies” we wonder about were true? Like the real reasons why a certain high-powered figure stepped down from a certain government high powered position in a certain White House. This speculative tale dives into hidden power dynamics, secret motives, and the shadowy truths that may shape the world behind the scenes. Muahahha!
(Episode 004)
I once worked as an airbrush artist in Virginia Beach, creating pieces on demand—mostly cartoon reproductions and generic designs. Back then, I didn’t even consider myself a true artist; I was simply fulfilling requests. That experience inspired one of my favorite stories. I hope it becomes one of your favorites, too.
(Episode 005)
We all have fears. For some, it's spiders; for others, clowns. But for many, it's a deep fear of being overwhelmed, trapped, or unable to escape, which often leads us to avoid unfamiliar places and situations—whether that's large open areas or confined spaces. Slap the worst that could happen on top of the thought "What's the worst that could happen?" and you have our next story.
(Episode 006)
Some realities are more morbid than fiction. After publishing my first collection of short stories, 79 Ways 2 Die, I’d say most of the tales are grounded in truth—just with someone dying at the end. This piece, in particular, draws almost entirely from real-life experiences... and then (spoiler) someone dies in the end.
(Episode 007)
There’s much debate around Trump’s border wall and its goal to curb illegal immigration. But what if it were completed and actually succeeded? And what if, instead of just keeping people out, it also trapped people inside?
(Episode 008)
It’s surprising how some issues remain unchanged. For centuries, women have fought for equal pay, accountability in gender-based violence, and reproductive rights. Imagine the progress we’d make as a society if the issues of sexism were finally resolved.
(Episode 009)
Back in the early days of the internet, I, Daniel Morris, predicted the sentient potential of what we now consider the archaic computer. No one before or after me made such a claim—it was me and me alone. This story, written in 2005, explores the striking similarities between human thought processes and computing systems."
(Episode 10)
"Ah, my dear boy, there comes a moment in every man’s life when a woman enters his field of vision. Not just any woman, mind you, but one who makes him cast aside sinful insecurities and fills his heart with a holy confidence. This extraordinary woman holds his focus entirely, until—like the snap of a hypnotist’s fingers—the moment vanishes. He's left with an image, etched forever in his memory."
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(Episode 11)
This one is pretty funny—it all began with a pun that’s been stuck in my head for years: "Deck the halls with bowels of Holly." Unusable—or was it? Inspiration struck, as it often does, while I was driving. I wanted to create something special for Christmas, and suddenly, a voice popped into my head that sounded just like Old Saint Nick... if he were a "Dick."
(Episode 12)
Life is funny. We have these huge brains that can calculate probability up to a significant degree, but ofttimes we give ourselves just a few choices. Our societies are built like multiple choice quizzes. A, B, or C? What happens when somebody decides upon a 4th answer, draws, and circles "D"?
(Episode 13)
This graphic episode is not for the faint of heart. Written in 2000, it dives deep into controversy, following a young zealot on a relentless mission to challenge every Christian in his path. Brace yourself for a raw and unapologetic exploration of faith, conflict, and obsession.
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(Episode 15)
The insecurities of some men are often rooted in deep, complex histories that shape their futures. This gripping, twisted tale, follows one man's journey through the romantic highs and lows of his life—all during the very beginning of a date that will change everything.