Muse

Hey, Story Pirates podcast listeners, Lee here. Welcome back to Story Pirates Summer. It's time for a Summer Story Challenge leaderboard update. This week, Tabitha in Arizona made a strong push to remain at number one. And here's something cool. on today's episode, I actually interviewed Tabitha about her writing process. She has some cool tips for all you writers out there, so make sure to stick around after today's story. Rounding out the individual leaderboard, we have Gus in Canada, Brooklyn in Pennsylvania, Rafi in Rhode Island, Nora in Massachusetts, Adrian in Georgia, Maya in Colorado, Ethan in Washington, Kurt in Pennsylvania, Ziva in Arizona, who is actually Tabitha's sister, Alia in California, Emory in Indiana, and Alessandro in Spain. On the group leaderboard this week, it's the same as last week, but I gotta say, if you're feeling like you still want to jump into this race, the group leaderboard is really attainable. So get together with a sibling or a friend and start writing some stories. Maybe next week, you'll get in there. You can see the leaderboard right now at storypirates.com slash leaderboard. Everybody, keep up the good work. And remember that even if you don't make the leaderboard, everyone who participates gets a certificate at the end of the summer and StoryLove telling you how much we loved your stories. So get those stories in. We want to read as many as we can. We'll be updating the leaderboard every week at storypirates.com slash leaderboard. And I'll be shouting out more kids here in the podcast. Grownups, you can find links to the leaderboard and find out how to get your kids involved in the Summer Story Challenge in the show notes for today's episode. Okay, on to today's brand new story after a few more words for the grownups.

I love Story Pirates!

It just filled me up with joy.

My mom loves the jokes. Yo, yo, my jokes! It made me very proud about my sightings. Yeah, we're just getting, like, really deep into, like, I want to say philosophy.

I definitely think I can be more creative now. I'm the champion! The Story Pirates.

It's the Story Pirates Podcast. Today we have a brand new story about a question that I think about a lot, which is, can a beard fall off? Because I have a beard. It is a totally real beard, not a fake beard. And I wonder sometimes, can it fall off? If you're wondering the same thing, check out today's brand new story. Here's the author to introduce it.

Hi, my name is Zyra. I am seven years old, and I live in Kenya. This is my story. Can a beard fall off?

Beard Man, how are we ever going to get out of this cage?

I don't know, Beard Wolf. Ever since the evil Dr. Clippers cast that spell that made my beard fall off, my beard magic is gone.

So we're trapped here forever?

We just may be. We just may be.

Will Beardman and his trusty sidekick escape the evil Dr. Clipper's clutches? Find out next week for another episode of The Amazing Beardman and His Amazing Beard Friend

Alright Kyra, TV off, it's time to go to school The bus is almost here

Dad, did you see that? Beardman's beard fell off How is he going to escape?

Well, you'll have to wait until next week to find out Come on

Oh, I hate waiting

I know. Okay, let's go.

My birthday is this weekend, and I have to wait for that, too. Hey, do you want to tell me if there are any surprises planned for me?

Well, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you, would it? Now let's move!

Hey, Dad. What? Can a beard fall off?

Oh, no. The bus is already gone. Now you have to walk to school.

But it's 14 miles.

Well, hopefully you won't be as distracted tomorrow.

Ah, it's Tuesday. One day closer to my birthday.

Oh, hey, Kyra.

Hey, Dad. I've been thinking about it since yesterday when you didn't answer my question. Can a beard fall off?

What? Why would you ask that?

Like what happened in The Adventures of Beard Man.

Oh, like in the show.

Speaking of beards, is it just...

or are some of the hairs on your chin missing?

Looks like the dog is hungry, Kyra. Uh, feed your dog. It's probably waiting for his food. But, Dad... Don't be late for school. Bye!

That was strange. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. Ah, it's Wednesday.

Good morning, Kyra. Come on, let's get moving. You can't be late again for school.

Can a beard fall off?

It's time to eat your breakfast, not to ask a question.

Why are you avoiding the question? And why does it look like more of your chin hair is gone?

More importantly, why isn't your mother awake yet?

No, Dad, I... Actually, I haven't seen Mom all week. What's going on?

You're right. I should go check on her. Oh, gosh, I bet the bus is coming. Okay, I love you. I'm not avoiding your questions. Bye.

What is going on? My dad has nothing but excuses. Tomorrow, I'll wake up super early so we have all the time we need.

Ah, Thursday morning, 5 a.m. My favorite time of day. To sit back, relax, and enjoy my coffee all by myself.

Can a beard fall off? Ah! Kyra! Answer the question, Dad.

You're not supposed to be up right now. Go back to bed for two more hours since you did not get up at the right time.

And what's happening to your beard? Most of it is gone.

Okay, fine. I'll go back to bed. Your mother is calling me. I am sleepwalking. This is all a dream! You're asleep right now! Goodbye!

You can't run forever, Father! Like the amazing Beardman, I will find a way!

Kyra? Are you hiding in this dark kitchen? Phew! Finally alone now that it's Friday at 2 a.m. Oh, you're doing this to yourself, Kelvin! You just have to make it through the week, then everything will be okay! But now, time for a little midnight snack. I'll just open up the pantry here and...

Hello, Dad. Yes, it's me, Kyra, in the pantry. Can a beard fall off? Stop backing out of the room. Dad, you're not getting out of this. Answer the question. I will get you, Father. I will get you tomorrow.

Oh, good morning, Kyra.

Morning, Dad.

Happy Saturday. Are you excited for your big party tomorrow?

Can a beard fall off? Because it seems like yours did.

Kyra, I would love to answer your question. But I'm too busy right now. Ask your mom. Bye. Dad.

Sunday, my birthday. I thought I would be excited by this. But what does it matter now? All I really want is an answer to my question. But it doesn't seem like that will ever happen. Okay, well, time to go in the living room and... Surprise! What? All my friends and family?

Happy birthday, Kyra!

Oh, my gosh, Dad, you were hiding something from me.

Yeah, I was. Sorry I was acting so strange, but you know how bad I am at keeping secrets.

Yeah, you're famously bad at it. But wait, that doesn't explain to explain why you wouldn't answer my question about why...

Huh? The doorbell? Why, whom could that be? Kyra, why don't you go get it?

Okay.

Is this Kyra's house? Oh my gosh, it's Beard Man! The actual Beard Man! Kyra! Your dad told me so many great things about you and I just had to stop by and say happy birthday to my biggest fan! Oh, I am your biggest fan. It's fans like you that give me my beard magic. So thank you. Now I better get going. The evil Dr. Clippers is at it again. Wait, Beard Man. I just have one question. Sure. What is it, Kyra? Can a beard fall off? Can a beard fall off? They told me you were funny. Have a great day. Bye. Wait.

Holy smokes, everyone. Can you believe that the real Beard Man was here? He's pretty amazing. Wasn't that great, Kyra?

Dad!

Right here, right now, in front of everyone. Your beard is totally gone. What happened to it? Can a beard fall off?

Oh, why are you asking me this question every day?

Because you aren't answering my question! Fine! I'll tell you. The truth is... Oh, hold on. Actually, I have to go to the bathroom. Oh, actually, not that bathroom. Wait!

Kyra! Mom! Okay, I know what this looks like. You're probably going to ask me why I'm dressed as Beard Man and have this glue stick and all of your father's beard hair stuck to my face. Oh, Mom.

It's because, wait, you're not? I just want to know, can a beard fall off? Well, I don't know. But mine is, so for now, I think yes? Oh, thank you! You're such a great kid. I love-

Well, okay. Seems like we answered that question. Now we can finally get this party going.

Yes, we can party! Yay! Right after you answer this question.

What question?

Can a mustache fall off?

Not again.

Answer the question, Dad! The end! Dad! We'll be right back after a few words for the grown-ups.

Hey, grown-ups. Today's episode is sponsored by Quince. You know, the best summer pieces are the ones you end up wearing on repeat. they're comfortable they're versatile and somehow right for every occasion which is good for me because i pretty much just wear the same clothes all the time and it's why i love quince they make elevated essentials using premium materials like european linen organic cotton and washable silk without the traditional retail markup quinces 100 european linen pants dresses and tops are the pieces you'll reach for all summer long. They're lightweight, effortless to style, and they start at just $32. Their denim is soft and comfortable, and their organic cotton sweaters are perfect for layering when evenings cool down, which happens in the summer. And here's something I didn't know. Quince has beautiful 14K gold jewelry that adds a subtle finishing touch. Simple hoops or delicate chains make even the most effortless outfit feel intentional. Everything at Quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen, so you're paying for exceptional quality, not brand markup. I personally love the European linen drawstring beach shorts for my summer look. I basically refuse to wear anything that doesn't have drawstrings in the summer, but these shorts let me do that while also helping me look really stylish. If you see me out and about at the beach this summer, make sure to shout, hey Lee, nice European linen drawstring beach shorts from Quince! And it's not just apparel. Quince also offers elevated essentials for your home from bedding and bath to kitchen essentials and furniture. Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to quince.com slash storypirates for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns, now available in Canada, too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash Story Pirates for free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash Story Pirates. Hey, grown-ups. Today's episode is sponsored by Ollie. Back-to-school season is here. Packed backpacks, packed lunches, and packed schedules are officially back. Luckily, this episode is sponsored by Oli, your back-to-school wellness partner. It feels like summer just started, but I guess that's how it goes. The kids that I know are excited about starting a new school year, new teachers, new friends, new classrooms, maybe even a new school. So getting plenty of rest is really important. And I know some kids that use Story Pirates podcast to fall asleep,

But if that's not quite working for you, Ollie Kids Sleep helps little dreamers wind down with a gentle blend of melatonin, L-theanine, and botanicals for restful sleep. Translation, an easy way to put those school night negotiations to bed. And for the grownups, Ollie Sleep helps you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed. Because as you know, the morning mayhem comes early. Visit OLLI.com and stock up on back-to-school must-haves today. That's O-L-L-Y dot com. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. And now, please enjoy my interview with our current number one on the Summer Story Challenge leaderboard, Tabitha from Arizona Okay, that has never happened before When I called somebody No one ever played the Story Pirates theme on piano Tabitha Hi. Thank you.

Hi.

It's Leigh. How are you?

Great. How are you?

I'm good. I'm so excited to talk to you today. Me too. Tabitha, you are currently number one on the Story Pirates Summer Story Challenge leaderboard. Woo-hoo. Let's see. How many stories have you submitted at this point? 37? Is that right?

Yeah. And then I'm pretty sure I've submitted at least 10 more since then.

You've written so many stories. They're all so funny And we'll talk about a few of them in a second But can you tell us, Anne, listeners What is your process for writing? How do you get your ideas?

Well, sometimes I ask my family To give me something to write about And it's usually something really random Or I ask for, like, two random words I make the two random words the title And then I come up with a story based on those words

And then there's other stories that you wrote that are kind of like poems.

Yeah, I actually write poetry books. Oh, wow. And I'm trying to get one published, but it's really hard to get one published if you're under 18 because most self-publishing things, you have to be 18.

And those poetry books that you write, are they funny? Are they like serious poetry or some mixture?

They're usually more like regular poetry, like they're about nature or feelings. But then I also like to be funny, so I write more of my funny poems, and then I send them into the story cards.

Okay, I want to read one of your poems. Chalk, a dusty art utensil, pastel colored or white, rubbed against grit, making dust, making masterpieces, making, oh dang, it rained, the end. i like that one because you think it's going to be totally serious until the very end

yeah i thought it would be funny if i was like maybe i should write a poem in my usual style and then just do something at the end to make it funny so i was like what could be good for that and i was like oh chalk because it washes away and before i even knew the poem i knew that it I had to say, oh, dang it, it rained.

You knew what the punchline is before you started.

The punchline helps me make the setup.

Right. If you know what the joke is, then you just have to work backwards from there. That's such a smart, smart way to write. So, Tabitha, you have been so successful in the Story Pirates Summer Story Challenge, and I think there's probably a lot of kids who hear your name on the podcast already that are like, she wrote how many stories? Like, how does she do that? And I think that there are probably a lot of kids out there that are even struggling maybe to send in their first story. Like, maybe they don't know what to write about, or maybe they're nervous about sending something that they might not think is perfect. So I'm wondering, do you have any advice for kids who are trying to write a story for Story Pirates and for whatever reason, they're just stuck and they can't get one out.

Write it, and then it doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. You can make it bad on purpose, and then that can make it funny.

That's great advice. And when you write, do you write in a certain place all the time or at a certain time during the day, or do you change it up?

Every time I'm writing my stories, I always go into my parents' bedroom. They have these windows with, like, big sunspots, so I usually close just enough so that the sun isn't on my screen so I can see, but I can still be in the sun, and that's very cozy.

Amazing.

Can my little sister say hi?

Yeah, definitely. Hi. Hi, how are you? What's your name?

Viva. She's one of the ones tied for ninths on the leaderboard right now.

Oh, my gosh, you're on the leaderboard too? This is incredible.

Yeah, we flew to your Medford draft show.

Oh, my gosh. That is amazing. Ziva, Tabitha, I am so impressed. You're both on the leaderboard. You got on a plane to see a Story Pirates show. That is, like, beyond amazing. Tabitha, thanks so much for talking to me today. Keep up the good work.

Thank you for calling me.

All right. Bye, Tabitha. Bye, Ziva.

Bye. Bye.

that's it for today's episode don't forget to check out the summer story challenge leaderboard at storypirates.com slash leaderboard and then check back every week to see how everyone is doing most of all keep turning on your imagination and writing stories because being creative is its own reward creator club members we'll see you next monday for an exclusive bonus episode and everyone else. We'll be back next week with another one as well. Until then, stay creative and stay kind. Bye! The Story Pirates Podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios. Executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. Co-executive producers are Holly and Rizwan Kasim, Man Ulyssi, Aaron Moore, Murray Sampson, Jack Schaefer, and Jacob Vaughn. This episode was produced by Isabella Riccio, Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, and Lee Overtree. Recording, sound design, and mixing by Sam Baer at the Relic Room in New York City. Additional production by Brett Tuvin. Theme song by Bobby Lord. Musical scoring by Eric Gerson and Jack Mitchell. Our head writer is Peter McNerney. Staff writers are Megan O'Neill and Alexis Simpson. Can a Beard Fall Off was adapted by Peter McNerney. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode features performances by Greg Barnett, Tara Halpern, Allie Haas, Peter McNerney, Tony Rodriguez, Samantha Turret, and Harry Wood. Answer the question, Dad!