Tag: Jon Cronshaw

Eating (A Darkly Comedic Speculative Horror Story About Cannibalism, Family, and Funeral Traditions)

In this macabre and darkly comedic episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw serves up a deliciously disturbing glimpse into a world where cannibalism isn’t just accepted—it’s celebrated as a cherished tradition.

“Eating” introduces us to an unnamed narrator who casually reflects on the culinary merits of recently deceased family members while preparing their own grandmother’s remains. With matter-of-fact delivery and chilling nonchalance, they muse on family recipes, funeral etiquette, and the proper distribution of human remains in a society where consuming the dead has become normalised.

Themes & Topics

• The malleability of social taboos

• Family traditions and rituals around death

• The commodification of human remains

• Class divisions in funerary practices

• The search for meaning and connection in death

• The thin veneer between civilization and barbarism

Listener Discretion

This episode contains explicit descriptions of cannibalism presented in a casual, normalised manner that some listeners may find disturbing.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that challenges social norms and examines how easily the unthinkable could become mundane under the right circumstances. His flash fiction often delivers maximum impact through deceptively simple premises taken to their logical—and frequently horrifying—conclusions.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

listen as a podcast.

The Mediocre Maverick (A Dark Comedy About Influencers, Identity, and the Price of Being Ordinary)

In this darkly comedic episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a biting satire of influencer culture and the often stark contrast between online personas and private realities.

“The Mediocre Maverick” follows Millie, a social media personality who has built her brand and fortune on promoting the joys of mediocrity and unremarkable living. Her “Mediocrity Maverick” persona preaches the gospel of beige walls, predictable routines, and embracing life’s most mundane moments.

But behind the carefully curated facade of ordinariness lurks a woman who secretly craves the extraordinary. When her thrilling skydiving hobby is accidentally exposed during a livestream, we witness the desperate lengths she’ll go to protect her empire of averageness—and the shocking turn events take when her carefully constructed world begins to unravel.

Themes & Topics

• The performance of authenticity in social media

• The commodification of lifestyle philosophies

• The disconnect between public personas and private lives

• The extreme pressure of maintaining a personal brand

• How quickly violence can erupt when livelihoods are threatened

• The dark humor in turning even tragedy into content

Listener Discretion

This episode contains sudden violence and a death that some listeners may find disturbing.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that examines our relationship with technology and social media. His stories often feature characters caught between their authentic selves and the versions they present to the world, revealing the psychological toll of living a double life in the digital age.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

Free Story Collection

Download Jon’s free short story collection “Optimised” featuring ten thought-provoking tales exploring technology, society, and human nature. Visit ⁠joncronshaw.com/optimised⁠ to sign up for his newsletter and download your copy today.

I’m Not Allowed Past Dudley (A Tale of Existential Horror)

In this unsettling episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a masterful slow-burn horror story set in the seemingly mundane world of public transportation.

“I’m Not Allowed Past Dudley” follows a veteran bus driver who has spent twenty-two years piloting the number 12 route between Wolverhampton and West Bromwich. When management suddenly truncates his route to end at Dudley, he begins noticing subtle but disturbing anomalies. His attempts to venture beyond the new boundary—whether in his bus, car, or on foot—are met with increasingly bizarre and frightening consequences.

As our narrator’s investigations deepen, the very fabric of reality begins to unravel, revealing a terrifying truth about the nature of his world and his place within it. What begins as a simple route change spirals into an existential nightmare that challenges everything he thought he knew about his familiar Midlands surroundings.

Themes & Topics

• Reality simulation and boundary enforcement

• The unsettling nature of the familiar made strange

• Working-class routine disrupted by cosmic horror

• The psychological impact of lost autonomy

• The Black Country as a setting for existential dread

• The surreal horror of bureaucratic control

Listener Discretion

This episode contains themes of existential horror and psychological distress that some listeners may find disturbing.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that transforms everyday settings into landscapes of subtle terror. His stories often feature ordinary people confronting extraordinary circumstances, revealing the fragility of what we perceive as reality.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawautho⁠r to learn more.

Kindle Countdown Deal Alert: The Complete Wasteland Series for Just 99p/99c!

Get the complete Wasteland series by Jon Cronshaw for just 99p/99c in this limited-time Kindle Countdown Deal—gritty post-apocalyptic fiction with heart, hope, and unforgettable characters. Ends 7th May!

In a world where the ruins of civilization shimmer like distant mirages, the true treasure is finding stories that capture both the grim reality of survival and the indomitable human spirit.

If you’ve been looking for your next post-apocalyptic reading obsession, I’ve got brilliant news for you.

Limited-Time Kindle Countdown Deal: 99p/99c boxed set!

Jon Cronshaw’s complete Wasteland series is currently available for just 99p (99¢ in the US) – a massive discount from the regular price of £6.99 ($6.99).

This special Kindle Countdown Deal runs until 7th May and is exclusive to Amazon UK and US stores.

The omnibus includes:

  • Wizard of the Wasteland
  • Knight of the Wasteland
  • King of the Wasteland
  • Cleric of the Wasteland

Why the Wasteland Series Deserves Your Attention

In a landscape crowded with post-apocalyptic fiction, the Wasteland series stands apart.

Meet Abel, a former addict struggling to stay clean in a world where the drug “plez” offers temporary escape from the harsh realities of life after society’s collapse.

With only his loyal dog Pip for companionship, Abel trades salvaged treasures from the ruins to survive.

When Abel crosses paths with a charismatic showman using pre-fall technology to perform “magic shows,” they form an unlikely alliance.

But their partnership is tested when they discover children enslaved by the notorious “Family” – brutal dealers who control the plez trade.

As Abel fights to free these children while battling his own demons, he must confront the question that haunts survivors of the wasteland: is merely surviving enough?

“Anyone can survive,” Abel says. “I’m talking about living.”

What Sets This Series Apart

Unlike many entries in the post-apocalyptic genre that revel in violence and despair, Cronshaw’s series offers:

  • Nuanced characters with moral complexity
  • A faithful canine companion that readers consistently fall in love with
  • An intriguing premise where forgotten technology appears as magic
  • Thoughtful exploration of addiction, recovery, and purpose
  • A balance of darkness and hope that feels authentic rather than forced

Don’t Miss This Limited-Time Offer

At 99p per book, this series offers exceptional value for fans of thoughtful post-apocalyptic fiction.

Whether you enjoy works like “The Road,” “Station Eleven,” or “The Dog Stars,” the Wasteland series delivers a compelling narrative in a world where the remnants of the past collide with the harsh realities of the present.

Remember, this Kindle Countdown Deal ends on 7th May, after which the collection returns to its regular price of £6.99 ($6.99).

Click here to get the Wasteland series for just 99p.

Have you already read the Wasteland series? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Anti-Guru (A Satire About Online Influencers and Audience Capture)

In this darkly satirical episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a scathing portrait of modern internet culture and the slippery slope from critic to cult leader.

“The Anti-Guru” follows the rapid transformation of Alex who begins as a frustrated critic of self-help charlatans and ends as the very thing he once despised.

Themes & Topics

• The corrupting influence of online validation and attention

• How algorithms encourage extremism and hypocrisy

• The self-help industry and its manipulation tactics

• The thin line between critic and practitioner

• How movements become marketplaces

• The psychology of cult formation in digital spaces

Listener Discretion

This episode contains cynical commentary on online culture and self-help industries that some listeners may find uncomfortably accurate.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that examines the darker aspects of our digital existence. His stories act as mirrors reflecting uncomfortable truths about how technology shapes our behavior and beliefs, often without our conscious awareness.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode.

Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor ⁠to learn more.

To Grip the Bright White Chains (A Dystopian Tale of Desperation and Hope)

In this episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw invites us into a bleak near-future where hope seems all but extinguished.

“To Grip the Bright White Chains” follows Elsie, an elderly woman navigating a harsh world of addiction, poverty, and environmental decay. When we first meet her, she appears to be engaging in a dubious transaction with a desperate young addict. But as Cronshaw gradually reveals Elsie’s true intentions, we discover her quiet act of resistance against the desolation surrounding her.

Themes & Topics

• Finding hope in dystopian circumstances

• The importance of creating safe spaces

• Memory and nostalgia as motivating forces

• The power of simple pleasures

• Intergenerational connection

• Environmental deterioration

• The cycle of addiction

Listener Discretion

This episode contains references to drug addiction and child poverty that some listeners may find affecting.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that finds light in the darkest of futures. His stories often focus on characters who maintain their humanity and compassion despite overwhelming societal collapse, offering glimmers of hope in otherwise bleak landscapes.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

Host (A Dark Post-Apocalyptic Body Horror)

In this chilling episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a nightmarish glimpse into a post-apocalyptic world where human reproduction has been fundamentally altered by plague.

“Host” follows an unnamed narrator confined to dark tunnels, their body transformed into an incubator for the children of surviving humans. Neither male nor female, the host has become something “other”—revered yet feared, necessary yet loathed.

In just a few paragraphs, Cronshaw creates a deeply unsettling vision of reproductive horror where the boundaries between human and other have collapsed, raising profound questions about bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and what constitutes personhood in the aftermath of catastrophe.

Themes & Topics

• Body horror and reproductive nightmare

• Post-apocalyptic adaptation and survival

• Dehumanization and objectification

• The thin line between reverence and revulsion

• Reproductive enslavement and bodily autonomy

• The cycle of othering and violence

Listener Discretion

This episode contains disturbing imagery related to body horror, forced reproduction, and infanticide that some listeners may find deeply unsettling.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that examines bodily autonomy and social hierarchies through visceral, often disturbing imagery. His flash fiction often condenses complex ethical questions into brief but powerful narratives that linger in the mind.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

Meditations on the Martian Invasion (A Sci-fi Flash Fiction Tale About Cultural Erasure)

In this micro-fiction from Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw offers a piercing allegory of colonialism and cultural erasure through the lens of an Indigenous Earth scholar in a Martian-dominated world.

“Meditations on the Martian Invasion” follows an academic who has dedicated their life to preserving Earth languages and customs in a society where Martian culture has become the default. Through the narrator’s reflections on being treated as a curiosity for wearing “traditional” Earth clothing and studying “dead” Earth languages, Cronshaw delivers a commentary on cultural appropriation, assimilation, and the persistent othering of Indigenous peoples.

Themes & Topics

• Colonialism and cultural erasure

• Indigenous identity and resistance

• Cultural appropriation and assimilation

• The preservation of language as cultural resistance

• The myth of post-racial/post-colonial societies

• The persistent “othering” of Indigenous peoples

Listener Discretion

This episode contains themes related to colonialism and cultural erasure that may resonate deeply with listeners from historically marginalized communities.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that uses the lens of science fiction to illuminate real-world power dynamics and social issues. His flash fiction often packs complex political and cultural commentary into deceptively simple narratives.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

Content Warning (A Satire About Modern Publishing and Outrage Culture)

In this episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a scathing satire of modern publishing and online outrage culture that will resonate with creators and consumers alike.

“Content Warning” follows Simon Reed, a bestselling detective novelist who finds himself increasingly paralyzed by reader feedback and sensitivity concerns.

Themes & Topics

• Creative freedom versus social responsibility

• Self-censorship and artistic integrity

• Cancel culture and its effect on creative expression

• The paradox of inclusive storytelling

• The commodification of emptiness

• The gradual erosion of nuance in public discourse

Listener Discretion

This episode contains references to online harassment, mental health struggles, and discussions of censorship that some listeners may find provocative.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that challenges contemporary social dynamics and technological impacts on creative expression. His stories often explore the unintended consequences of well-intentioned cultural shifts.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode.

Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.

As the Gravity Flipped (A Sci-fi Short Story of Quiet Resistance)

In this episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw transports us to a space station orbiting Saturn’s moon Titan, where a worker’s revolution unfolds with deadly consequences.

“As the Gravity Flipped” follows Janis Parvo, a cleaner who becomes an unwitting revolutionary when she’s manipulated into poisoning the station’s leadership. After helping to overthrow the “higher-ups” who were hoarding food while workers starved, Janis discovers the bitter truth—she was merely a tool for ambitious men who never respected her. When romance turns to betrayal, Janis makes a desperate decision that leads to unexpected and devastating consequences for everyone aboard the station.

Themes & Topics

* Class struggle and worker exploitation in isolated environments

* The corrupting influence of power and revolution

* Manipulation and psychological coercion

* Moral compromise and its lasting impact

* The human cost of survival in space

* Betrayal and its consequences

Listener Discretion

This episode contains depictions of violence, poisoning, psychological manipulation, and sexual situations that some listeners may find disturbing.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that examines complex moral dilemmas in isolated settings. His stories probe the darker aspects of human nature when pushed to extremes, often focusing on characters caught between impossible choices.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠ to learn more.