Some Other Scotland - Ep18 - Submarine

This Week:

• Razer meets his kidnappers.
• A bid for freedom ends in disaster.

This week’s news story:

Radioactive leaks from submarines

changed to the alternative:

Leaking submarine disappears

Following the release of a report on safety issues at the Faslane base, it has emerged that a submarine identified as having leaked radioactive material on three previous occasions, has disappeared. The last known contact with the vessel was as it left the East Coast of the USA on a return trip to Scotland. MPs have called for a full investigation into why a ship with a poor safety record was released for travel in international waters.

Further Information

Promo for The Gearheart.

Please note - episode 17 has been written out of order and will follow later, but this will not affect the flow of the story!

Some Other Scotland - Ep17 - Lunacy Graves

This Week:

• Tania and Erica visit the Merk.
• Calum notices a disturbing pattern.
• Sykes is alerted to more symbols.
• Harald finds what he's searching for.
• A haggis supper leads to trouble.

This week’s news story:

Lunacy Board buried thousands in unmarked graves

changed to the alternative:

Thousands named in Lunacy Board Service

A memorial service has been held for people buried in unmarked "pauper's graves" in Churches around West Lothian. The graves belong to patients of Bangour Village hospital and are located in numerous sites in the local area. The Lunacy Board, who until recently were responsible for all psychiatric hospitals in Scotland, had a similar policy across the country and it is anticpated that many more unmarked graves such as these will come to light in the future.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

I Should Be Writing

Mur Lafferty, author of "Playing for Keeps" and the "Heaven" podcast series amongst other things, has recently posted an article written by me on her "I Should Be Writing" blog.

The blog is the companion to her regular podcast aimed at new and aspiring writers, one that has provided a great deal of help and inspiration to guide me on my way. The article deals with the particular challenges of writing an ongoing piece of interactive fiction like "Some Other Scotland" and how I keep track of where it is going and ensuring it stays on course.

It is aimed at fellow writers, but if you are interested in a behind-the-scenes look at the SOS podcast, you might well find it interesting even if you're not a writer. Do take the time to check out Mur's own podcasts at the site; they are quite different to SOS, but you're sure to find something of interest.

Some Other Scotland - Ep16 - Cancer

This Week:

• Erica works on changing the tunnel.
• Razer seeks a way out of New York.
• Disturbing news rocks the Traigh.

This week’s news story:

Putting the brakes on cancer

changed to the alternative:

Evidence found of cancer brakes

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh believe that a body donated for medical science may hold the key to a cure for cancer. They say that a range of genetic differences in the body may effectively slow the effects of the disease if replicated. The circumstances of the death and identity of the body are kept strictly secret.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Promo for "Jack Wakes Up" by Seth Harwood.

Some Other Scotland - SpinOff 02 - Mist and Shelter

The second and third of the spin-off stories to feature at Some Other Scotland are both set in the past.

The events in "Mist" take place in 1919 on a secluded beach in the North of Scotland. This story was originally posted for the 100 Word Stories prompt "Shrouded in mist". It can be found along with others of the same theme at 100 Word Stories #168.

The second short tale, "Shelter", was also written for the 100 Word Stories podcast, but was not recorded in time to be included, so this is its first appearance. It is set in 1940 and has a close link to Episode 15 of 'SOS'.

Further Information

Merkland Street Subway station, the scene of the attack.

Some Other Scotland - Ep15 - Acid

This Week:

• Razer reacts to the damage he has done.
• Erica reaches the Traigh.
• Malcolm recognises unwelcome faces.
• Harald searches for Charles.
• Inside the Traigh.

This week’s news story:

Acid left in Glasgow street

changed to the alternative:

Acid corrodes through Glasgow street

The Fire Brigade were called in to deal with a chemical spillage at Hayburn Street in Partick that has left a hole in the residential area estimated to be over fourty metres deep. A local residents has reported seeing several large canisters being left at the site in the early morning, but by noon the liquid inside, believed to be a highly concentrated acid, had corroded through the containers and into the ground below. The close proximity of the incident to the Glasgow Subway system meant that services on the line were cancelled for most of the day until safety checks could be completed. Police are investigating the incident and are currently gathering footage from CCTV cameras in the area to identify the truck that left the containers. Firefighters are still clearing the area, removing contaminated soil and corroded rocks from the scene for further analysis.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Interlude 02

Interlude 02:

• Listener feedback and questions.
• Mapping the story.
• Twittering characters and other extras.
• Podiobooks version of the podcast.
• Promoting SOS - StumbleUpon, iTunes, etc.

Get a reminder of the Podioracket interview/chat.

Great Hites can be found at greathites.blogspot.com.

Follow characters Erica Wallis, Razer and DC Eddie Lake on Twitter.

Google Map of SOS locations.

Promos for Arlene Radasky's "The Fox" and PodioRacket.

View Some Other Scotland in a larger map

Spin-Off 01 - Alternative Therapy

The first of the spin-off stories to feature at Some Other Scotland is about Craig's sister, Sarah. It is set shortly before the events of Episode 2.

This story was originally posted for the Great Hites prompt "Self pity". It can be found along with others of the same theme at GH #58.

Some Other Scotland - Ep14 - Tartan Week

This Week:

• Razer chooses his hideaway.
• Malcolm receives an unwanted visitor.
• Razer settles in the USA.
• The destructive force of the 'torch' is demonstrated fully.

This week’s news story:

New York parade sets Scotland Week in motion

changed to the alternative:

Tartan Week parade ends in disaster

On a day when New York should have been celebrating its ties with Scotland as part of the traditional parade along 6th Avenue, it has instead been reeling from the attack on the famous Empire State Building. The top five floors of the building were demolished in what is believed to be a terrorist attack, though no evidence of an explosion has yet been found. The estimated death toll currently stands at over two hundred people, including several killed by falling debris. The building, opened in 1931, was for many years the world's tallest skyscraper. It became New York's tallest building once again following the destruction of the World Trade Centre in 2001.

Further information

With special guest, Philip 'NorvalJoe' Carroll as Kyle. His website can be found at norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com or follow him on twitter as @PhilipCarroll.

BBC News - read the original story.

Promo for Great Hites, soon to feature on podiobooks.com in a new anthology called 'Greatest Hites'.

SOS now on Podiobooks.com

We are pleased to announce that 'Some Other Scotland' is now available at Podiobooks.com

First of all, welcome to any new listeners from Podiobooks.com. This is the official home of "Some Other Scotland" where you will find extras that won't appear at Podiobooks.com

Regular Listeners:

The podcast feed at Podiobooks.com is a little different from the normal 'SOS' feed. Their focus is strictly on telling the story, so you'll find no news items, interludes or spin-offs there. If you don't like the newscast at the start of SOS, then try subscribing to the Podiobooks.com feed where it has been removed. It's also a good source to go to if you want just the story, maybe to put onto CD or to pass to friends. They also offer a custom feed that lets you decide how often you want each episode delivered.

New Listeners:

If you have listened to a few episodes of the story and want a little more, don't worry! You can subscribe to the podcast with extra news items here OR just download extra episodes as they appear (using the little 'play' arrow to play directly or right-clicking on the episode title).

There are occasional 'Interludes' where I discuss feedback and new ideas for the podcast, as well as short story spin-offs that are not essential to enjoy the main story, but often provide a little more history to certain characters.

The weekly poll to influence the plot of the story is found at this site, as well as extra links in the episode show-notes. To the right of this page you'll also see links to other sites of interest and other ways to interact with us via Twitter and Facebook.

Some Other Scotland - Ep13 - Ghost

This Week:

• Sykes receives information about Charles' attempted abduction.
• Harald realises he has missed something for the past 90 years.

This week’s news story:

Prize-winning ghost of Tantallon Castle

changed to the alternative:

Tantallon ghost opens floodgates

A picture taken of a ghostly image in Tantallon Castle, located on the North Berwick coast, has won a competition for the most convincing supernatural picture, inspiring a number of people to come forward with other photographs taken in the same place over the last fifty years.

Further information

Tantallon Castle on the North Berwick coast.

BBC News - read the original story.

Promo for Archangel: Legion by Scott Roche.

Some Other Scotland - Ep12 - UFO

This Week:

• Erica keeps attention away from the village.
• Razer comes to a decision about his future.
• Tania takes Erica on an unusual trip.

This week’s news story:

Pitlochry's UFO taken seriously by MOD

changed to the alternative:

Harrier pilots didn't see UFO

Documents about UFO sightings, recently released by the Ministry of Defence, include details of photographs showing a large diamond-shaped UFO hovering above a harrier jet. Commenting on the released information, the MOD clarified their earlier statement by saying that although jets were operating in the area, the pilots saw nothing and flight records showed no unusual activity was encountered.

Further information

The Kitchener Memorial on Orkney.

Read the copies of the UFO reports released by the MOD (see p157 for the Pitlochry incident).

Find the short story spin-off from SOS about Sarah Fullarton (from episode 2) at Great Hites #58.

Follow us on Facebook

Everybody has their own preferences for communication, whether it be phone, email, twitter, or something else. You can already leave feedback for us in the comments of each week's postings or by emailing me direct, Twitter is one of our most important ways of letting you know that there is a new episode or poll available or something unusual is about to happen, as well as being a way to bring some more of the story in the form of character tweets.

However, I know plenty of people who would never use Twitter, but use Facebook regularly, so for their benefit I have set up a 'Some Other Scotland page on Facebook. There's not a lot there so far apart from a couple of pictures, but there is plenty of new material to come that will appear there, so you can follow that page for more details. There are spaces for discussion and special events too, so you can let us know your thoughts on the plot, the characters or where the podcast is going.

We hope you can join us and bring the Facebook page to life!

Some Other Scotland - Ep11 - Safe Conduct

This Week:

• Tania and Erica work on a plan.
• Sykes and Hayston visit Charles and make another link.
• Razer causes a little more than a shaving cut.

This week’s news story:

Demands for return of letter to Wallace

changed to the alternative:

Wallace letter taken

The letter of Safe Conduct, sent to William Wallace by the King of France, has been stolen from the National Archives in London. Scottish MPs had recently been calling for the return of the letter to Scotland, as one of the few remaining possessions of Wallace in existence. The letter was found on him when he was captured at Robroyston and taken to London.

Personal Effects: Dark Art

Some time ago I featured a promo for J.C. Hutchins' Personal Effects: Dark Art in the podcast. The book is now available and it's more than just a book: it comes with a collection of 'personal effects' that provide clues that add to the story in a way that word alone cannot. Intrigued? Here's a video featuring some people who have already read the book. If this doesn't grab your attention then probably nothing will!

Some Other Scotland - Ep10 - Underground

This Week:

• Tania lets Erica in on some ancient secrets.
• Malcolm has to clear the tracks for his train .
• Razer comes across an unusual item in the tunnel.

This week’s news story:

Cracks in the underground

changed to the alternative:

Disrupted subway service resumes

Normal service has been resumed on the Glasgow subway system following the discovery of a body in the tunnel between the West Street and Bridge Street stations. Damage to the tunnel wall has now been repaired and clearance of rubble from the tracks completed. Police have not yet identified the dead man.

Follow our new character, Razer, on Twitter.

Short promo for 'Heaven' season 5: WAR by Mur Lafferty.

Some Other Scotland - Interlude 01

Interlude 01:

• Answers to common questions about the podcast.
• Great Hites link to Some Other Scotland.
• Twitter stuff - Erica and Lake.

Great Hites can be found at greathites.blogspot.com.

Follow characters Erica Wallis and DC Eddie Lake on Twitter.

Some Other Scotland - Ep09 - Black Box

This Week:

• Harald has a mid-air collision.
• The hunt for Charles begins.

This week’s news story:

North Sea black box found

changed to the alternative:

Helicopter black box destroyed

Investigators who retrieved the tail section and black box flight recorder from the Super Puma helicopter which crashed in the North Sea last week, have been disappointed to find the recorder damaged beyond repair. Passengers in the aircraft reported feeling an impact shortly before it hit the surface of the water and it had been hoped that the black box would have helped to explain the cause of this. All 18 people on board survived the crash.

Promo for Great Hites Podcast.

Some Other Scotland - Ep08 - Polar Clone

This Week:

• Sykes questions Charles.
• The secret beneath Skara Brae is revealed.
• Charles is abducted.

This week’s news story:

No to cloned Scottish polar bears

changed to the alternative:

Cloning returns polar bears to Scotland

Researchers in Edinburgh have successfully cloned a pair of polar bears using DNA extracted from a skull found in a cave in Sutherland in the 1920's. The skull belonged to a bear believed to have lived over 4,000 years ago, left in Scotland following the last ice age. Using the same processes used to clone Dolly the sheep, the DNA was combined with the egg of a female bear and grown to cubs. The two cubs were shown off for the first time today, now aged 6 months, and reported to be healthy.

SOS Ep07 - The Lamb

This Week:

• Harald Grant buys an island.
• Familiar symbols turn up in a peculiar place.
• Erica confronts the intruder.
• We discover who is using the hidden cameras.

This week’s news story:

What is Uri planning for Forth Isle

changed to the alternative:

Geller Outbid for Forth Isle

Uri Geller's bid to purchase a small island of the coast of North Berwick, known as the Lamb, failed this week as a last-minute buyer stepped in to the negotiations with a higher offer. The island, home to a number of rare birds, is too small to build on, but Geller claimed he was interested in the layout of the islands which mirrors that of the great pyramids of Egypt. The identity of the buyer was not made public.

SOS Ep06 - Beatles

This Week:

• The Sleeper, Charles, flees the scene.
• Sykes learns more about the hidden cameras.
• Something unexpected happens at Skara Brae.

This week’s news story:

No takers for silent Beatles film

changed to the alternative:

Money CAN buy silent Beatles film An auction of 8mm footage showing the Beatles on their visit to Loch Earn in 1964, resulted in a bidding war raising over £5 million. It was expected to fetch around £12 thousand, so the final sum raised was a surprise to all involved.

Promo for Personal Effects: Dark Art by J.C. Hutchins.

SOS Ep05 - Parasite

This Week:

• Sykes learns that deaths at the Scottish Parliament may be linked to the Palace mystery.
• Erica’s team discover some unexpected features of the buried wall.
• The Sleeper finally escapes and his identity becomes clear.
  

This week’s news story:

Parliamentary disease cover-up

changed to the alternative:

Parliamentary disease deaths cover-up

It has come to light that two members of staff at the Scottish Parliament building died seven months ago during an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease. The site has been decontaminated and a spokesperson confirmed that the building is now safe and that the legionella bacterium was found only in two seldom used water outlets, but nowhere else in the complex. MSPs have claimed that they felt no need to raise the issue publicly as it had been dealt with quickly and appropriately at the time, taking into account the feelings of the families of the administrative staff members who died. It is not clear why the incident has now been made public.

SOS Ep04 - The Sea Wall

This Week:

• Archaeologist Erica Willis returns to Skara Brae, where new buildings have been uncovered.
• The Sleeper makes a bid for freedom.
• Craig stumbles across something unusual.

This week’s news story:

Sea threat to Neolithic village

changed to the alternative:

New find at Neolithic Village

Work due to start to improve protective sea walls near the neolithic village of Skara Brae has been put on hold due to previously unidentified signs of human settlement being found at the site. Experts have been called into the monument site in Orkney to examine the find and alternative plans are now being drawn up to protect the village.

SOS Ep03 - Awakening

This Week:

• A dusty figure wakes in a sealed room after years of sleep.
• Jim Sykes gets a disturbing update about the cameras found at the Palace.

This week’s news story:

Community hit as island mansion burns

changed to the alternative:

Island mansion avoids mystery blaze

Raasay House, near the isle of Skye, was apparently subject to a fire which mysteriously disappeared. The fire broke out some time during the night, with workmen who are currently renovating the building discovering the lower floor full of smoke. They raised the alarm, but a thorough search of the building revealed no source of the smoke and no fire damage.

SOS Ep02 - Wreaths

This Week:

• Craig Fullarton's trip to his mother's grave takes an unsettling turn.

This week’s news story:

Graveyard ghouls stealing wreaths

changed to the alternative:

Graveyard ghouls stealing wreaths

Grampian police have appealed for information about a series of thefts from graveyards in the Moray area over the course of the week. A number of people have reported stolen wreaths as well as damage to headstones.

SOS Ep01 - The Palace

This Week:

• Edinburgh cop Jim Sykes is called into a puzzling case.

This week’s news story:

Palace plans found in park

changed to the alternative:

Palace plans found in park

A set of architectural drawings of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland, have been found on a footpath in the Roseburn area of Edinburgh. Security around the Palace has been increased and a full investigation has been launched into the source of the document. The plans were found by a journalist who was walking her dog along the path leading to the Water of Leith. The plans appear to show the whole of the Palace, including the private quarters of the Royal family, and have now been returned to security staff. A spokesperson said “We acknowledge this has been a security breach which we are taking very seriously and are currently investigating.”

SOS Ep00 - Introduction

This is an introductory instalment of the “Some Other Scotland” podcast, explaining what is different about it from other podcast fiction you may have read.

Polls will normally be posted on Sunday nights at the end of the news week.  You have one week to vote, but early voting gives me advance warning of the final outcome which means more time to write!

Podcasts will be available up to one week later, by Sunday night at the latest.

Feedback about the podcasts or ideas for involving listeners other than the polls are welcomed.  Please contact me either by leaving a comment below or emailing me at mickbordet @ gmail . com.

I have kept this introduction short so that, if you want to build up the story over the weeks as a collection of mp3 files, you can quite easily leave this one out without losing any of the story or having this background detail included in your collection.

I hope you enjoy the journey through an alternative Scottish 2009, starting with the first full podcast very soon.

The music for this podcast is from the track “No Strings Attached” by The Lunacy Board, who can be found at www.lunacyboard.com

Some Other Scotland by Mick Bordet is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.