Heaper is Ty Shepherd's upcoming sci-fi/dystopian. Join me for a brief look at the world building and characters of this novel as we read a three-chapter excerpt.

Come conclude this collection with your shepherd. I will show you the inside of my mind and give you the vulnerability of my own nightmares. To me, this is to symbolize that everyone, no matter how broken you may feel, is welcome in this community.

NOTES:

Yes, I am okay.

I noted that the cover art was "album" art by accident in the beginning. I guess I liked how metal it was so much that I confused it subconsciously. My fault. However, it should be uploaded now! The art is now the cover of all the episodes of this season, which makes me happy :)

Our main protagonist is willing to do whatever it takes to get in touch with his newest art piece which ends up being a costly mistake. This results in him seeing the symbol of greed, and symbol of our podcast.

We learn about Ojibwe folklore and how their culture is significant in the Shepherd universe. (Article on the wendigo and how it relates to the Ojibwe below).

Also, we delve into some art history regarding the renaissance era and the baroque era. Specifically, the baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi (Her Wikipedia page below).

Furthermore, we talk about the forest in Japan associated with suicide and how culture has painted it (Information on it below. Also, if you feel that you need help, do not hesitate to call the suicide hotline. Number also below).

Notes:

- People have mentioned that the background music is a little too low. I have raised the volume of it in this episode. Please let me know how it sounds!

-All background music and sound effects come from Pixabay a royalty free sight.

Ojibwe and Wendigo: The Wendigo in Ojibwe Tradition: Stories of Warning and Survival - Mythology WorldWide

Artemisia Gentileschi: Artemisia Gentileschi - Wikipedia

Aoikgahara: Aokigahara - WikipediaSUICIDE HOTLINE: Dial 988 to get help!

The hoarding games have officially started. Will our contestants, the hoarders kidnapped by the cult known as the Useful Ones, return to their hoards? Will they try and escape? Will they kill each other as intended. Only one way to know...

All background music and sound effects were taken from Pixabay, a royalty free site.

In this episode, we cover animal hoarding and how it has affected the life of a mushroom-addicted woman. This episode allowed me to write in my comfort zone by adding a creative twist, rather than talking about abusing animals in the literal sense.

The statistics in this episode come from: Animal abuse facts and statistics 2024 - Shelter Animals Count

All background music and sound effects were taken from Pixabay, a royalty free site.

In this episode, we cover pornography addiction and how it has affected the life of a combat veteran with PTSD. This episode has a more serious tone as compared to the first part of this story. However, it has allowed me to experiment with the idea of pornography in sci-fi in the not so far future.

All background music and sound effects were taken from Pixabay, a royalty free site.

In this episode, we cover Tsundoku and how it has affected the life of a college student named Oliver. This fun, but twisted, lesson on hoarding is the introductory section of the longest story on this podcast yet!

Notes:

Tried playing with some EQ filters to mimic the effect of talking into a bad microphone. Let me know how it sounds.

All background music and sound effects were taken from Pixabay, a royalty free sight.

In this episode, we cover agoraphobia, crime scene cleanup, and more. In this story written by Ty Shepherd you will witness a man confined to his own home due to a trauma he experienced at his job.

My inspiration stems from a Stephen King short story entitled "n", which focusses on the compulsion associated with OCD.

Notes:

I did not forget the background music this time!

For information on effects on people who do crime scene cleanup:

The Emotional Toll of Crime Scene Cleanup: Supporting the Mental Health of Technicians - 360 Hazardous Cleanup

All background music and sound effects were taken from Pixabay, a royalty free sight.