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What if the one who cannot speak is the best listener in the room?
I wrote “Humpty” about a robot who arrives in pieces and a household that is not as put together as it looks. What happens when the quietest presence in the house starts to see everything? What would change in your own home if someone truly listened? Featuring Timothy Brien as the Man.
This is a story about listening, love, and what it really means to be human. But how human can a machine become? And what does that say about us?
Episode 5, October 9, 2026
Key takeaways:
- Sometimes the deepest understanding comes without a single word.
- The people closest to us are often the hardest to truly hear.
- Love is less about fixing each other and more about paying attention.
FAQs:
What is “Humpty” about? A household robot arrives in pieces, and nothing in the house stays the same.
Who performs in “Humpty”? Timothy Brien plays the Man.
What is the main theme? Listening, love, and what it means to be human.
Is “Humpty” science fiction? Yes, a sci-fi story with a very human heart.
If this story pulls you in, subscribe to Welcome to Earth Stories so you never miss a new story.
Watch my writing channel: The Writer’s Compass on YouTube
Visit the website: https://welcometoearthstories.com
Leave me a voice message: Speakpipe.com/Welcometoearthstories
Enjoyed this story? Here is how to leave a 5-star rating and review. On iPhone, open the Apple Podcasts app, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, and write a few words. On Android, open Spotify, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the star rating under the show name, and choose five stars.
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If a glowing portal opened right in front of you today, would you dive in headfirst or run for cover?
Season 9, Episode 4, October 7, 2026
I am pulling back the curtain on The Westlow Anomaly this week. That story takes place in 1939, and I wanted every detail to be right, because details are what make you believe the world. The radio show playing in the car is a real 1939 broadcast, Fibber McGee and Molly, a comedy that actually aired in Ontario, Canada, where the story is set. The handgun Mrs. Fairweather fires near the end is a Smith and Wesson K-22, popular in Ontario in 1939. And the car is a Pontiac Arrow, a popular Ontario car that year. None of it was guesswork. I put on my research cap and dug until it was authentic.
Then there is the big question at the heart of it all. Some people would jump through a portal without hesitation, explorers hungry for another world. Others have real stakes here: family, responsibilities, careers they do not want to lose on a one-way trip. It reminds me of those Mars mission interviews from a few years back, where candidates were told there was no return flight. Back when I was young and single with nobody depending on me, I would have signed up in a heartbeat. What about you? Would you step through?
Key takeaways
- Why I research period details like 1939 radio broadcasts, handguns, and cars instead of making them up
- The real 1939 details hidden inside The Westlow Anomaly: Fibber McGee and Molly, the Smith and Wesson K-22, and the Pontiac Arrow
- The portal question: are you the kind of person who jumps in, or the kind who walks away?
- Why a one-way trip to Mars and a glowing portal ask the same question about what keeps us here
FAQs
Who performed in The Westlow Anomaly?
Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather, Leo J. Allen as Colin, with a special thanks to Timothy Kimo Brien of the Create Art Podcast.
Should I hear the original story first?
Yes. If you have not heard The Westlow Anomaly yet, go listen to it first. None of this will make much sense otherwise.
How can I support the show?
Leave a thank you and a little loose change at https://buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every bit goes toward making more stories.
Links
- Welcome to Earth Stories: https://welcometoearthstories.com
- My YouTube channel, The Writer’s Compass: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritersCompass
- Leave me a voice message: https://speakpipe.com/Welcometoearthstories
How to leave a 5 star rating and review
On iPhone, open the Apple Podcasts app, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the show, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, then tap Write a Review.
On Android, open Spotify, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the show, tap the star rating, and select five stars. Spotify works the same way on iPhone too.
If you enjoy these stories, hit subscribe so you never miss one. And remember: be kind to each other. Be a good earthling.
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What if your missing person case walked you straight through a portal in time?
Season 9, Episode 3, October 2, 2026
In “The Westlow Anomaly,” a brand new sci-fi noir audio drama from Welcome to Earth Stories, missing persons detective Cavallo takes the case that breaks every rule he knows.
Westlow is the oasis of broken dreams, a city so far gone that its official motto is “no one in Westlow actually wants to be in Westlow.” The liquor stores are the only businesses left standing, crime is the only growth industry, and Cavallo’s office wall is decorated with six photographs of people who were never found. Then she walks in.
Mrs. Fairweather. Red gown. Ruby lips. A mink coat, a pearl necklace, and a purse full of crisp hundred dollar bills. Her husband Philip Fairweather, the elderly banking magnate whose boot has been on this city’s neck for decades, has been missing for three days. She will triple the detective’s fee to find him. And she hands him a clue that does not belong in 1939: a smooth black rectangle engraved with a bitten apple, a device that lights up, tells the time, and connects him to a terrified young man named Colin, who talks like he is from another century. Because he is.
One 10 p.m. meeting at a Victorian mansion. One oval, multicolored portal humming in the library. One femme fatale who might be the victim, the villain, or something stranger. Detective Cavallo came looking for a missing husband. He found a door between worlds.
Put your headphones on. This one is pure noir science fiction, and the twist is one you will not see coming.
CAST AND CREDITS
Written, produced, recorded, and narrated by York Campbell (Detective Cavallo) in the Poetic Earthling studio, Ottawa Valley. Featuring Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather and Leo J. Allen as Colin, with special thanks to Timothy Keemo-Bryan of the Create Art Podcast.
LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW
How to rate and review on Apple Podcasts
1. Open the Apple Podcasts app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
2. Tap Search and type “Welcome to Earth Stories.” Tap the show to open its page.
3. Scroll down until you see “Ratings & Reviews.”
4. Tap the stars to leave your rating.
5. Tap “Write a Review” to add a few words about the show. You may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.
6. Tap Send. That’s it. Thank you!
How to rate on Spotify
(Please note: Spotify allows star ratings but not written reviews.)
1. Open the Spotify app and search for “Welcome to Earth Stories.” Open the show page (not a single episode).
2. Tap the three dots (…) under the show’s name and choose “Rate show.”
3. Tap the number of stars you want to give, then tap Submit.
Tip: Spotify asks you to listen to a few minutes of an episode before you can rate, so play a little first if the option doesn’t show up right away.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: What is “The Westlow Anomaly” about?
A: It is a sci-fi noir audio drama from Welcome to Earth Stories. In the broken city of Westlow, missing persons detective Cavallo is hired by the glamorous Mrs. Fairweather to find her missing husband, a wealthy elderly banker. The case pulls him toward a mysterious device from another time, a terrified caller named Colin, and a multicolored portal humming in a mansion library.
Q: Who is Detective Cavallo?
A: A hardboiled missing persons detective in Westlow, voiced and narrated by York Campbell. His office wall carries six photographs of people who were never found. Finding lost souls is more than his job. It is his calling.
Q: Who stars in this episode?
A: York Campbell as Detective Cavallo (also the writer, producer, and narrator), Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather, and Leo J. Allen as Colin, with special thanks to Timothy Keemo-Bryan of the Create Art Podcast.
Q: What is the strange rectangular device?
A: A smooth black rectangle engraved with a bitten apple, found by Mrs. Fairweather. It lights up, displays the time, and connects the detective to Colin. It is a piece of technology that should not exist in 1939.
Q: What is the Westlow anomaly?
A: An oval, multicolored phenomenon suspended in mid-air in the Fairweather mansion library. Mrs. Fairweather believes it is a portal or vortex connecting Westlow to another place, or another time. Whatever is fed into it, a more sophisticated version comes out.
Q: Where can I listen to Welcome to Earth Stories?
A: Find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or at welcometoearthstories.com.
Q: How can I support the show?
A: Two easy ways: leave a 5-star rating and review using the guides above, or make a donation at buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every bit keeps this independent show going.
Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/earthstories
Leave a CommentPodcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:29 — 13.1MB)
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What if the algorithm knows you better than you know yourself?
In this behind-the-scenes episode of Welcome to Earth Stories, host York Campbell pulls back the curtain on “The Almighty Algorithm,” the Season 9 premiere, and breaks down the moral nucleus at the heart of the story.
Remember appointment television? The A-Team, Knight Rider, Wonder Woman, Laverne & Shirley: everybody watched the same shows, everybody knew the same songs. Boy George, Earth Wind & Fire, Boyz II Men. Like it or not, the radio made us one big, noisy family. Then came the internet. Then the iPhone in 2007. Then the endless scroll of Facebook and Twitter. Suddenly we could customize everything… including our own reality.
York gets personal in this one. After a long break from social media, he rejoined Twitter, and the algorithm took one look at him and decided: Black. Poet. That’s all you’ll ever see. His entire feed became Black poets and nothing else. “And that’s the danger of an algorithm, isn’t it?” So he did what any good storyteller would do: he broke it. He started searching for Aboriginal poets, Asian sci-fi writers, voices far outside his world. And his world got bigger.
That’s why he wrote “The Almighty Algorithm.” Because when we only listen to people who look and think like us, our universe gets very, very small, and strangers start to look like enemies we’ve never bothered to understand. His challenge to you: break your own algorithm. Clear the YouTube history. Go find the other side: the other politics, the other philosophy. You don’t have to agree with it. You just have to be willing to listen.
Easygoing? Sure. But fair warning: this one might just rearrange your thinking.
Plus: a thank-you for Season 9, a shout-out to Valrica, who voiced this episode’s intro (please keep her in your prayers), and a small request that keeps this independent show alive.
⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW
How to rate and review on Apple Podcasts
- Open the Apple Podcasts app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Tap Search and type “Welcome to Earth Stories.” Tap the show to open its page.
- Scroll down until you see “Ratings & Reviews.”
- Tap the stars to leave your rating.
- Tap “Write a Review” to add a few words about the show. You may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.
- Tap Send. That’s it. Thank you!
How to rate on Spotify
(Please note: Spotify allows star ratings but not written reviews.)
- Open the Spotify app and search for “Welcome to Earth Stories.” Open the show page (not a single episode).
- Tap the three dots (…) under the show’s name and choose “Rate show.”
- Tap the number of stars you want to give, then tap Submit.
Tip: Spotify asks you to listen to a few minutes of an episode before you can rate, so play a little first if the option doesn’t show up right away.
❓ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: What is this episode about?
A: This is the behind-the-scenes companion to “The Almighty Algorithm,” the Season 9 premiere of Welcome to Earth Stories. Host York Campbell deconstructs the story and explains its moral nucleus: how social media algorithms trap us in echo chambers, and how to break free.
Q: What is the “moral nucleus” of the story?
A: It’s the core truth the story was built around: algorithms study you and feed you only what fits your worldview, shrinking your universe until people who think differently start to look like enemies. The antidote is curiosity: deliberately seeking out other voices.
Q: How do I “break the algorithm” the way York did?
A: His method is simple: search for what’s outside your bubble. Look up Aboriginal poets, Asian sci-fi writers, or voices from “the other side” (politically, philosophically, culturally). On YouTube, clear your watch history and start fresh.
Q: Where can I hear the original episode, “The Almighty Algorithm”?
A: It’s the Season 9 premiere of Welcome to Earth Stories. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or at welcometoearthstories.com.
Q: How can I support the show?
A: Two easy ways: leave a 5-star rating and review using the guides above, or make a donation at buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every bit keeps this independent show going.
🌐 Website: welcometoearthstories.com
☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/earthstories
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:10 — 44.2MB)
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Do you ever feel like a marionette, dancing to a tune you didn’t choose? In the season 9 premiere of Welcome to Earth Stories, I explore the digital puppet strings that govern our lives: The Almighty Algorithm.
We often think of algorithms as simple tools used by Netflix or YouTube to suggest our next favorite show. But at their core, these step-by-step instructions are designed to manage the flood of digital content by tracking our every “engagement” every like, share, and comment to decide exactly what we see next.
In this episode, I explore the thin line between convenience and control. We look at real-world developments, from microchip implants used for daily tasks in Sweden to the “Social Credit” systems used to track and rank citizen behavior. Is it a leap to imagine a world where these algorithms become our “government overlords,” enforcing compliance through technology we carry inside our own bodies?
Key Takeaways from this Episode:
- The Power of Engagement: How every digital interaction you make trains an algorithm to curate your reality.
- The Rise of Bio-Tech: A look at the “Microchip Initiative” and how internal technology is moving from fiction to reality.
- Social Credit and Surveillance: Understanding how tracking behavior can lead to “blacklisting” and the loss of personal freedoms.
- The Future of Content: Why centralized control of podcasts and independent media might be the next digital frontier.
- Are we still the ones in control, or has the algorithm already taken the wheel?
Join the Journey
If you enjoy stories that blend mystery, wonder, and a touch of the dystopian, please subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform!
- Visit the Official Website: Welcometoearthstories.com
- Go Behind the Scenes: For more tips on overcoming creative hurdles and finding inspiration, subscribe to my YouTube channel, The Writer’s Compass: The Writer’s Compass on YouTube
Credits: Some of the audio clips featured in this episode are sourced from the YouTube channel THE TALK – YouTube.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:14 — 15.5MB)
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Have you ever watched a crime happen right in front of you and chosen to look the other way?
Recently at the grocery store checkout, I was distracted by my phone when I spotted something unbelievable. An adorable five year old girl was casually slipping a chocolate bar into her pocket. Her mother was standing right beside her, completely oblivious to the theft. I found myself caught in a frustrating moral dilemma. Should I speak up, confront the highly protective mother, and risk a massive public meltdown? Or should I stay quiet and become a completely passive witness?
In this latest installment of Welcome To Earth Stories, I explore the psychology of the bystander effect and why we often isolate ourselves from strangers. I share my honest confession about remaining silent and examine how our fear of crossing boundaries frequently stops us from doing the right thing.
Key Takeaways:
A reflection on cultural norms and why so many of us go out of our way to avoid causing a public scene.
The everyday reality of the bystander effect and how societal passivity impacts our communities.
How modern distractions like doom scrolling keep us disconnected from our immediate physical surroundings.
The intense fear of confronting strangers and dealing with the unpredictable reactions of protective parents.
Please make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss a new release, as I am currently working on brand new material for November!
I also want to hear your thoughts on my grocery store dilemma. Did I make the right call by staying quiet, or should I have confronted the mother? Let me know by leaving a voice message at Speakpipe.com/Welcometoearthstories.
If you want to see my face and learn more about the writing process behind popular movies and TV shows, check out my video content! Head over and subscribe to my YouTube Channel here: [The Writer’s Compass – YouTube ]
For more engaging stories and updates, please visit Welcome To Earth Stories website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do people ignore bad behavior or minor crimes in public? Many people avoid confrontation because they fear unpredictable or aggressive reactions. In my experience at the grocery store, I worried the mother would become overly defensive and create a loud, uncomfortable spectacle.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:37 — 16.0MB)
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Have you ever stared out your window and realized you have become the exact type of nosy neighbor you swore you would never be?
I always promised myself I would never turn into a neighborhood watchdog, but recently, a bizarre event forced my hand. A peculiar stranger spent over three and a half hours aimlessly pacing outside my house. This unsettling encounter challenged my sense of security and prompted my wife Val and me to question his true intentions.
In this installment of Welcome To Earth Stories, I share this strange experience and explore the broader realities of living in a highly multicultural Canadian neighborhood. We examine how our modern cultural mosaic sometimes creates a brutal wall of politeness that keeps us isolated from one another. Plus, I share a quick update on the progress of Season 9.
Key Takeaways
- The unexpected psychological shift of becoming a watchful, suspicious neighbor.
- The mystery of the pacing stranger and how we handle the anxiety of the unknown in a seemingly safe neighborhood.
- Navigating the polite but isolating cultural barriers that can form in a multicultural society.
- Behind the scenes updates on the upcoming Season 9 of Welcome To Earth Stories.
If you enjoyed this story, please make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an update!
When I am not recording these stories, I am in front of the camera. Please visit my YouTube Channel, Writer’s Compass, where I talk about books, TV shows, and how movies are written. You can find the channel directly right here: The Writer’s Compass – YouTube
You can also find more information at our main website at https://welcometoearthstories.com.
I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts, so please leave me a voice message over at Speakpipe.com/Welcometoearthstories
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Welcome To Earth Stories? It is an audio show where I share unusual encounters, engaging narratives, and personal observations about everyday life, human interactions, and the world around us.
When is Season 9 of Welcome To Earth Stories coming out? There is a ton of work involved in putting the show together, but Season 9 is coming along very well. I plan to launch it later this year, most likely in September or November.
What is the Writer’s Compass? Writer’s Compass is my YouTube channel created mainly for writers and storytellers. I discuss the craft of writing books and stories, as well as analyze how popular TV shows and movies are written.
How can I leave feedback for the show? You can easily leave me an audio message with your thoughts or questions by visiting Speakpipe at Speakpipe.com/earthstories.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:43 — 31.3MB)
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If the Messiah returned today without a marketing team or a verified social media account, would we even bother to look up from our phones?
I recently found myself calculating my own age with a calculator because the years are starting to blur, and it got me thinking about how we value things that are old versus things that are shiny and new. In this latest installment of Welcome To Earth Stories, I explore the strange tension between the “GQ Christ” we have manufactured for comfort and the raw, bloodstained rebel of history.
I share a story about a man named Enrique who clings to a wooden statue in hopes of a miracle, and I confess my own moment of weakness at a bus stop where I had to choose between the Lord of Glory and a Mission Impossible movie ticket. It is an honest look at how we use earthly devices to reach for the divine and why we sometimes prefer the popcorn flavored version of reality.
Key Takeaways
The Cinema vs. The Sanctuary: A personal confession about the distractions of Hollywood and the difficult choices we make between entertainment and spiritual growth.
The Wisdom of Aging: I reflect on how Western culture shuns the elderly while other cultures honor gray hair as a symbol of dignity and respect.
The Rebranding of Faith: An analysis of how modern society has stripped the radical message of Jesus to create a commercialized, politically correct icon.
Desperate Devotion: Through the story of Enrique and the Black Nazarene, we see the human struggle to find God through physical objects and sacrifice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why compare a movie star to a religious figure?
The comparison highlights how we often give more attention and devotion to Hollywood icons and fictional heroes like Ethan Hunt than we do to the spiritual foundations of our lives.
Is this story meant to be controversial?
While the title might turn heads, the goal is to encourage listeners to be skeptical of cultural trends without becoming cynical toward faith itself.
How does the story address modern religious commercialization?
It looks at how faith is often packaged like a pharmaceutical drug or a status symbol, losing the original, transformative message in favor of commercial value.
What is the significance of the “purple bicycle”?
The man on the bicycle represents the small, intriguing mysteries of everyday life that we often miss when we are distracted by our own addictions or entertainment.
I invite you to subscribe to the show to stay updated on all future stories. Your support helps me continue creating these reflections.
You can find more of my work on my YouTube channel, The Writer’s Compass, where I help creators find inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritersCompass
Visit the official website for more stories: WelcomeToEarthStories.com
I would love to hear your thoughts on this story. Leave me a voice message at Speakpipe.com/earthstories.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:56 — 37.1MB)
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What if you could ensure that the person you love never truly left your side, even when the world suggests otherwise?
In this episode of Welcome to Earth Stories, I share a story titled the Resurrection Project. It follows a man named Justin who turns to the services of Rejuvenate Labs to ensure his wife, Julia, remains a constant part of his daily life. By utilizing quantum computers and sophisticated memory implants, Justin attempts to hold onto a connection that feels all too real. As the technology begins to blur the lines between reality and simulation, Justin must face the consequences of his choices. Can a digital vessel ever truly capture the essence of a human soul?
I also explore the strange history of Daylight Saving Time. I look at why we started changing our clocks in the first place, from entomologists in New Zealand to energy conservation during World War I. I even touch on some of the wilder conspiracy theories that suggest these time shifts are a way to keep us docile.
Key Takeaways
The tension between holding onto what we love and the natural flow of time.
The ethical questions surrounding the use of technology to preserve human presence.
How a deep desire for connection can lead to a reliance on advanced simulations.
A historical look at why we spring forward and fall back every year.
If you enjoy these imaginative tales that blend mystery and wonder, please subscribe to the show. You can also find more creative tips and behind the scenes content on my YouTube channel here: The Writer’s Compass – YouTube
Stay Connected
- Official Website: Welcometoearthstories.com
- Send a Voice Message: Send a voice message to Welcometoearthstories
- Support the Show: Welcome To Earth Stories is Science Fiction audio dramas
- Follow me on X: York Campbell (@Poeticearthling) / X
Be kind to each other. Be a good Earthling.