Hello, and thanks for tuning in to Singular. I'm Chris Ferris, and this podcast is a reading of my novel by the same name. Singular is a near-future retelling of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, set in the technological heart of Seattle. I'm proud to be working with Chad Kelderman, Seattle actor and voice talent, to bring this audio version to life. Episodes are released weekly on Fridays.I began work on this story in the summer of 2018, when I shared my ideas with Sarah Bruner, who at the time was acting and directing at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. She gave me two points of advice. The first - Shakespeare starts his women strong, but by Act 5 they tend to be little more than scenery. If Viola is the hero, have her be a strong and engaging character from start to finish. And the second - create my new characters and develop them, but do not write towards Shakespeare's ending; let the characters arrive, and let the ending be driven by who the characters have become.This manuscript is currently unpublished and unrepresented as of January 2024.