Hey everyone,
The new episode of Everly Heights Tales is live, and this one is a little different than previous stories.
It’s Part 1 of “The Trials of King Sparrow,” a fairy tale-meets-nature documentary I wrote as a novella ten years ago this year, which is wild to think about. My kids were… well, kids!
Back then, I was co-hosting “Greetings From Storybrooke,” the Once Upon A Time podcast I did with my wife Anne Marie, and I was spending hours every week analyzing and annotating stories that used the language and structure of fairy tales. My novella The Trials of King Sparrow was the direct result of that obsession—my attempt to write a fable with a vibe inspired by the Counting Crows classic “Rain King.” I even engaged the talented and prolific James Romick to bring King Sparrow’s story to life.
As proud as I was of the original novella/audiobook from 2015, this new, two-part audio drama adaptation turns it into a full cinematic auditory experience, which is to say I think I nailed the mix on this one.
In addition to a fresh edit and a new mix with new voice actors supporting James Romick’s fantastic narration, I went back to the original text with a specific mission: to completely reimagine it for the Everly Heights universe without ripping out the bones of the story. With a few tweaks, King Sparrow is now canon as a local legend the artsy folks and theater kids in Everly Heights tell each other. Did it happen? Who can say? It’s our version of a founding myth, and it also low-key provides background about the magical side of this town that keeps pulling us back.
I’m really proud of this one. It’s the first of a few “cinematic audiobook-to-audio drama” adaptations I have on the release calendar for 2026.
You can listen to Part 1, “Left to the Wolves,” right here: https://everlyheights.tv/everly-heights-tales/the-trials-of-king-sparrow-left-to-the-wolves-everly-heights-tales-podcast/
The Trials of King Sparrow Part 2: The Magic Castle is out next week. Same sparrow time, same sparrow channel.
Thanks for listening, and stay weird.
Best regards,
Bill Meeks
everlyheights.tv | billmeeks.com