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  How It Happened - From their...

  Arthur Conan Doyle

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  Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 22nd May 1859.  His childhood was blighted by his father’s heavy drinking which for some years broke up the family. Fortunately, wealthy uncles were willing to support them by paying for education and clothing.  
  He was accepted at the University of Edinburgh to study medicine and also began to write short stories the first, ‘The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe’, was published in Blackwood’s Magazine.  Despite several other stories and some articles in the British Medical Journal his medical studies took priority. 
  When these finished he was appointed as Doctor on the Greenland whaler ‘Hope of Peterhead’ in 1880 and then, after graduation, as ship’s surgeon on the SS Mayumba on its voyage to West Africa. 
  1882 saw a move to Plymouth and his own independent practice. With few patients he resumed writing and completed his first novel, ‘The Mystery of Cloomber’, although most of his output was short stories based on his experiences at sea.  
  He married Louisa Hawkins in 1885. However, two years later he met and fell in love with Jean Elizabeth Leckie, though they remained platonic out of respect for, and loyalty to, his wife. 
  His literary career suddenly burst into life in November 1886 with ‘A Study In Scarlet’, the first of the fabulously successful Sherlock Holmes stories.  
  With two children to support he now revisited his haphazard commercial arrangements and curtailed everything save for commissions from the Strand Magazine.  
  As a sportsman he was remarkably proficient. He was goalkeeper for Portsmouth Association Football Club and played ten first-class cricket matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club as well as captain of the Crowborough Beacon Golf Club in East Sussex.  
  In 1891 tired of writing Holmes stories, he began a series of historical novels and even went so far as to apparently kill off Holmes in a lethal brawl with his arch-nemesis Moriarty. 
  Despite heavy and sustained criticism he continued to write in support of the Boer War, a fact he thought contributed to his knighthood in 1902.  The following year to great relief and acclaim he brought Sherlock Holmes back from the dead in his first outing for a decade. 
  Sadly, his wife Louisa died from TB in 1906 and, a year later, he at last married Jean.  
  During the War and for several years after family deaths had left him depressed. In a search for solace and answers he alighted upon spiritualism and, such was his interest, that he wrote several books on the subject. 
  On 7th July 1930 Conan Doyle was discovered in the hall of Windlesham Manor, his house in East Sussex, clutching his chest dying of a heart attack.  He was 71.

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  Frankenstein

  Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

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  Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.  Support us at https://manifoldmedia.net/donate

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  Sun and Moon - A Classic...

  Katherine Mansfield

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  What happens when a magical night meant for children reveals how quickly wonder can fade? In “Sun and Moon” by Katherine Mansfield, two young siblings -Sun and Moon - eagerly await a grand evening party held by the adults in their home, convinced it will be the most exciting event of their lives. As preparations unfold and the house fills with lights, music, and unfamiliar guests, the children drift between anticipation and confusion. Their innocent expectations slowly collide with the rules and indifference of the adult world, reshaping how they see the celebration - and each other. With her signature psychological insight, Mansfield captures childhood perception with tenderness and precision, revealing the quiet shift from enchantment to awareness. “Sun and Moon” explores innocence, disappointment, and emotional awakening through a child’s eyes. Press play and experience one of her most memorable short stories - where a single evening gently alters how the world is seen.

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  The Hand Of Fu-Manchu

  Sax Rohmer

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  "The Hand of Fu-Manchu" is a thrilling audiobook that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This classic novel by Sax Rohmer takes you on a gripping adventure filled with mystery, espionage, and a touch of the exotic. Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century, the story follows the relentless pursuit of the diabolical Dr. Fu-Manchu, a mastermind criminal and genius of evil.  
   
  As a dog lover, you'll appreciate the bond between the main character, Nayland Smith, and his loyal canine companion, Petrie. This audiobook combines elements of crime drama and suspense as Smith and Petrie work tirelessly to thwart Fu-Manchu's sinister plans. With your experience in audio production, you'll appreciate the skillful narration that brings this audiobook to life. 
   
  "The Hand of Fu-Manchu" is a must-listen for fans of crime dramas, especially if you enjoy stories with intricate plots and memorable characters. You'll find yourself immersed in the world of espionage and intrigue, making it a perfect addition to your audiobook collection. So, grab your headphones, and get ready for an unforgettable journey into the dark and mysterious world of Dr. Fu-Manchu.

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  In the Dark - From their pens to...

  Edith Nesbit

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  Edith Nesbit was born on the 15th August 1858 in Kennington, then part of Surrey.   
  Due to the health issues and tuberculosis of her sister Mary, Nesbit’s early life was one of constant changes of house both in England and on the continent. 
  At age 17, Nesbit met Hubert Bland and they married three years later―whilst she was 7 months pregnant.  Bland also kept his affair with another woman going throughout their marriage and the two children of that relationship were raised by Nesbit as well as her own three with Bland. 
  Together they were founder members of the Fabian Society in 1884 naming their son Fabian in its honour.  They also edited the Society's journal; ‘Today’.  Nesbit was an active lecturer and prolific writer on socialism during those years but gradually her work for them dwindled as her career as a children’s writer grew.  Her most famous success was ‘The Railway Children’ but she was also very prolific and greatly accomplished in poetry, short stories―especially her macabre ghost and supernatural stories―and novels for adults.  
  In February 1917, some three years after the death of Bland she married Thomas ‘the Skipper’ Tucker in Woolwich, where he was a ship's engineer on the Woolwich Ferry. 
  Edith Nesbit died from lung cancer on the 4th May 1924 at her house ‘The Long Boat’ at Jesson, St Mary's Bay, New Romney in Kent.  She was 65.

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  Twelfth Night

  William Shakespeare

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  Shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, Viola assumes the role of a male page to Duke Orsino. The Duke sends Viola, now disguised as ‘Cesario’ to press his suit with the beautiful Olivia – who promptly falls in love with Cesario. Confusion reigns until the truth is untangled and true love triumphs. 
   
  Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in July 2022. 
   
  Adapted and Directed by Martin Jarvis 
  Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg 
   
  An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording starring: 
  Rosalind Ayres as Maria  
  Tara Lynne Barr as Olivia 
  Chris Butler as Orsino 
  JD Cullum as Antonio 
  Sarah Drew as Viola  
  Martin Jarvis as Sir Toby Belch 
  Adhir Kalyan as Sir Andrew Aguecheek 
  Stacy Keach as Feste, the Fool 
  André Sogliuzzo as Fabian, Curio, Valentine and others 
  Josh Stamberg as Malvolio 
  Mark Jude Sullivan as Sebastian 
   
  Senior Producer: Anna Lyse Erikson 
  Recording and Mixing Engineer: Charles Carroll 
  Editing and Sound Design: David Wilson and Charles Carroll 
  Senior Radio Producer: Ronn Lipkin 
  Foley Artist: Jeff Gardner 
  Guitar Accompaniment by JD Cullum

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