Podcasts about boskone

W.B.J. WILLIAMS, an author from Massachusetts, will join us for a lively discussion on all of his books; how he generates his ideas; and why he has been so successful! FROM HIS BIO: "An information security executive by day, W. B. J. Williams' secret identity is that he is an author. He also holds advanced degrees in anthropology and archeology, as well as is an avid historian, mystic, and poet. He is noted for his bad puns, and willingness to argue from any perspective. He is endured by his beloved wife and two daughters, and lives in Sharon Massachusetts. When he is not at home or at his computer, he can often be found haunting the various used bookstores of Boston. ​He is the published author of four books, The Garden at the Roof of the World, a novel with Dragonwell Publishingpublished in 2013,  Security for Service Oriented Architecture, non-fiction with Auerbach published in 2014, The Reality, Mythology, and Fantasies of Unicorns with Dragonwell Publishing out September 2021, and How to Create an Information Security Program from Scratch with Auerback out in September 2021. An excerpt from The Hacker of Guantanamo Bay under the title "The InfoCoup" has been published by Abyss and Apex in their October 2019 edition, which was included in their Anthology, The Best of Abyss and Apex volume 3 in 2019. He is a frequent author panelist at ReaderCon and Arisia, and was a panelist at Boskone in 2018. He has conducted readings from his novels and works in progress at ReaderCon, Arisia, Boskone, and other venues. Follow Walt as an author on: Linked-In, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram. He does maintain an InfoSec social network independent of the above." wbj-williams.net/index.html

W.B.J. WILLIAMS, an author from Massachusetts, will join us for a lively discussion on all of his books; how he generates his ideas; and why he has been so successful! FROM HIS BIO: "An information security executive by day, W. B. J. Williams' secret identity is that he is an author. He also holds advanced degrees in anthropology and archeology, as well as is an avid historian, mystic, and poet. He is noted for his bad puns, and willingness to argue from any perspective. He is endured by his beloved wife and two daughters, and lives in Sharon Massachusetts. When he is not at home or at his computer, he can often be found haunting the various used bookstores of Boston. ​He is the published author of four books, The Garden at the Roof of the World, a novel with Dragonwell Publishingpublished in 2013,  Security for Service Oriented Architecture, non-fiction with Auerbach published in 2014, The Reality, Mythology, and Fantasies of Unicorns with Dragonwell Publishing out September 2021, and How to Create an Information Security Program from Scratch with Auerback out in September 2021. An excerpt from The Hacker of Guantanamo Bay under the title "The InfoCoup" has been published by Abyss and Apex in their October 2019 edition, which was included in their Anthology, The Best of Abyss and Apex volume 3 in 2019. He is a frequent author panelist at ReaderCon and Arisia, and was a panelist at Boskone in 2018. He has conducted readings from his novels and works in progress at ReaderCon, Arisia, Boskone, and other venues. Follow Walt as an author on: Linked-In, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram. He does maintain an InfoSec social network independent of the above." wbj-williams.net/index.html

ISBW S20 Ep6 Author Gwenda Bond comes on the show to talk The Frame Up, heists, and point of view!  We also discuss being ballsy at Boskone, pen names, T. Kingfisher's "What Feasts At Night," writing retreats, and heist structure. If you order The Frame Up from Bookshop.org, use the code FRAMEUP for 10% off!  Evergreen Links I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Go buy it! My newsletter, The Hot Mic, and my Patreon. Supporting either of those will get you perks like access to the discord, exclusive content, and early, ad-free episodes. Socials: Bluesky, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate. Theme by John Anealio I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! Some of the above links are affiliate, meaning I may receive a small amount of money for the purchase at no cost to you. March 7, 2024 | Season 20 Ep 6 | murverse.com | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

This week, Lisa shares her experiences at Boskone including discussions with Naseem Jamnia, Michael Green Jr., and David Gerrold. Boskone 61  Lensman (Series) by E.E. "Doc" Smith: Triplanetary [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Naseem Jamnia: [Newsletter] / [Instagram] / [Website] The Bruising of Qilwa [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Sleepaway - 2025 Release [Website] His Dark materials (Series): The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] The Dark Is Rising [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Harry Potter (Series) [Overdrive/Libby]  / [Audible] / [Libro.fm] Natalie Naudus  The Saint of Bright Doors [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Victory City [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Emily Woo Zeller  Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands written by Stephen King, narrated by Frank Muller [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Vico Ortiz  Michael Green Jr.: [Website] / [Instagram] / [TikTok] / [Twitter] The End of Nobility - 3 May 2024 [Website] Lynit  Enders Game written by Orson Scott Card, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison, Gabrielle de Cuir [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Dhalgren written by Samuel R. Delany, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] David Gerrold: [Patreon] ”The Trouble with Tribbles” [IMDb] The World of Star Trek [goodreads] “Ganny Goes to War” - Analog:March/April 2024 Hella written by David Gerrold, narrated by Travis Baldree [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] When HARLIE Was One written and narrated by David Gerrold [Audible]

This week we discussed The Tusks of Extinction, written by Ray Nayler and narrated by Stefan Rudnicki & Gabrielle de Cuir. We also shared some of our recent short fiction listens in our short fiction spotlight. Boskone 61  The Tusks of Extinction [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   The Mountain in the Sea [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] Short Fiction Spotlight: ”Tuesday, June 13, at the South Valley Time Loop Support Group” written by Heather Kamins, narrated by Susan Hanfield [Escape Pod 910] ”The Sound of Children Screaming” written by Rachael K. Jones, narrated by Heather Thomas [Nightmare] Oct 2023 (Issue 133) ”The World's Wife” written by Ng Yi-Sheng, narrated by Kate Baker [Clarkesworld] - Issue 207: December 2023 ”Anais Gets A Turn” written by R.T. Ester, narrated by Kate Baker [Clarkesworld] - Issue 196: January 2023 ”Stitch” written by Kathleen Schaefer, narrated by Ant Bacon [PodCastle 813] ”A Soul in the World” written by Charlie Jane Anders, narrated by Erika Ensign [Uncanny Magazine] - Issue Fifty-One

Liz and Ben are joined by writer and publisher Peter M Ball for Pratchat's first foray into Pratchett's nonfiction! We discuss fandom, genre, Sharknado, figgins and even fit in six pieces from “A Scribbling Intruder”, the first section of Pratchett's 2014 nonfiction anthology A Slip of the Keyboard. Pratchett writes about the letters he receives from various kinds of fans as a popular genre author in “Kevins” (1993), before revisiting the same topic in the email age and explaining why he quit his own newsgroup in “Wyrd Ideas” (1999), both for The Author magazine. Then its time to discuss fantasy as a genre - both advice for writing it in “Notes From a Successful Fantasy Author: Keep It Real” for the 2007 edition of The Writers and Artists Notebook, and reasons why children should be reading it in “Let There Be Dragons”, a speech given at the Booksellers Association Annual Conference in 1993. Finally, best mates Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman tell us how they feel about each other, Terry in “Neil Gaiman: Amazing Master Conjuror” for the Boskone 39 convention booklet (2002), and Neil in his Foreword for A Slip of the Keyboard (2014). As we've discussed before, Pratchett was never one to let a good idea only be used once - and you may have heard him talk to some of the themes in these pieces when being interviewed. Short stories may have cost him blood, as he used to say, but he never lost his journalistic mojo for writing fact and opinion - or replying to reader mail! Have you ever written to a famous author (a nauthor, if you will)? Would you want them to read your fanfic? What was the first book you read by choice? Can you pin down exactly what makes Pratchett's writing almost a genre unto itself, when others could be said to follow his advice? And go on, you can tell us: which of Liz and Ben is the Terry, and which is the Neil? Join the conversation using the hashtag #Pratchat65. Guest Peter M Ball is an author, publisher and avid roleplayer based in Meanjin (aka Brisbane) in Queensland. Peter teaches creative writing, worked for the Queensland Writers Centre on the Australian Writers Marketplace and GenreCon, and is currently completing a PhD in Writing at the University of Queensland. You can find all of Peter's social media links, and discover more about his own work - including a free sampler of some of his writing - at petermball.com.au. Peter also runs the small press publisher Brain Jar Press, who specialise in shorter works of genre fiction and genre nonfiction. They've published Peter's work, but also that of friends of this podcast Sean Williams (#Pratchat56) and Tansy Rayner Roberts (#PratchatNA7). Peter suggested Pratchett fans might enjoy Tansy's brand new short story collection about seven women from Greek mythology, Gorgons Deserve Nice Things, or the Writer Chaps series of sci-fi and fantasy writers writing about writing. You'll find notes and errata for this episode on our web site. Grab your broom and your pointy hat and watch out for giants and pictsies, because next month we get back to Pratchett's novels with the fourth Tiffany Aching novel, I Shall Wear Midnight! And we're delighted to welcome back as a guest author Amie Kaufman, last heard discussing some of Pratchett's other tiny people nearly five years ago in #Pratchat9, “Upscalator to Heaven”. Get your questions in before the last week of March via email (chat@pratchatpodcast.com) or social media using the hashtag #Pratchat66.

John is chuckling, Alison is conversing, and Liz is critical. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Twitter or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Immigration (chapter 2), COVID (chapter 3) Letters of comment Ang Rosin Dave Coxon Raj Chris Garcia Fempire by Honora Talbot Lost Beyond the Stars by Kayla Arend Bean Feasa by Daniel Butler AlieNation by Ray Raghavan I XXXX My Sex Doll by Fay Beck Chengdu is a shower PR1 The USA says “reconsider travel”, which is level 3 of a 4-level alert, partly due to COVID which may change before October. They have level 4 alerts which are “do not travel” Conversation COVID policy Liz thinks Boskone has a nice, straightforward policy Picks: John: Living with Ghosts by Kari Sperring (only available in the US: ebook, Amazon) Alison: Spider-Man: Far From Home (Disney+) Liz: The Owl Job Credits Cover art: Sqrrl Grrl by Alison Scott Alt text: John and Liz are squirrels with acorns and Liz is Squirrel Girl, sitting in a tree under the words “Octothorpe 78”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

Listen to the audio liner notes from several musicians on the Irish & Celtic music Podcast #585. Willowgreen, Poitin, Amelia Hogan, Kinnfolk, Boston Blackthorne, Téada, Barrenhart, Altan, Brad Tuck, Lúnasa, Sue Spencer, Marc Gunn, Enda Reilly, The Chivalrous Crickets GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Subscribe and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:06 - WELCOME 1:16 - WILLOWGREEN - A PIRATE HIDEOUT Willowgreen performs traditional, contemporary and original music from Ireland, Newfoundland, Scotland, Canada, U.S.A. and the rest of the Celtic music world. Their signature vocal style combined with instrumentation including harp, hammered dulcimer, bodhrán, guitars, button accordion, whistles and mandolin appeals to audiences of all ages. Jim Ofsthun bio: Jim is an original member of Willowgreen, and a talented vocalist and instrumentalist with international performances on Irish bodhrán, guitar, button accordion, and whistles. He is also a member of McInnis' Kitchen, and of Eira. He has family connections to the music through Ireland and Newfoundland, and is considered one of the top producers in Irish music in the Midwest. 4:37 - Willowgreen “Crocker's Cove Reel” from Willowgreen 7:34 - POITIN Poitín are an award-winning traditional Celtic band from Pilsen in the Czech Republic. They explore all forms of Celtic music but are firmly grounded in the pub session tradition and like nothing better than sitting round a table in the corner of a cosy pub playing old favourites about tarry sailors, merry maids and drunken nights. Poitín have performed at festivals across Europe in Italy, France, Poland, Denmark, Germany and the Czech Republic. As the album says, it's 'one for the road', to go with you and keep you company in your car or on your bike, and this Celtic world music will take you from Ireland to Argentina, from England to Egypt, from Brittany to the Czech Republic and beyond. 15:44 - Poitin “Claudy Banks” from One For the Road 17:58 - AMELIA HOGAN - TAKING FLIGHT Amelia Hogan is an impeccably authentic singer of Celtic music and her heart comes through in honeyed tones on Irish, Scottish, British, and American styled vocals. She sings in the Irish music tradition of Sean-Nós, or “old style” as well as accompanied. Amelia also plays bodhran and a small 22 string Welsh lap harp, and tours internationally to global acclaim. Amelia Hogan sings both traditional and contemporary folk music with lilting graces and subtlety. She'll weave a mysterious old magic that takes the listener out of time and place. She transports audiences with haunting melodies, holding them close, and stirs ancient spirits with an evocative storytelling presence. 24:07 -  Amelia Hogan “Taking Flight” from Taking Flight 26:19 - FEEDBACK 28:24 - KINNFOLK Josh and Julie Kinn weave bouzouki, bodhran, and smooth vocal harmonies in their Celtic folk music from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kinnfolk have played at festivals and listening rooms throughout Virginia and beyond. In 2021, Kinnfolk was one of 10 bands--representing 10 countries from across the globe--selected to be part of the inaugural Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase hosted by the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. As their notoriety has expanded worldwide, their music has been featured on podcasts and radio programs across the globe. 39:51 - Kinnfolk “The Hat Song” from The Knotted Circle 45:15 - BOSTON BLACKTHORNE - FISHING Boston Blackthorne has been performing with the same core members for over 25 years. Their sound is a unique blend of traditional Celtic and Americana in a driving format - more rock than the Clancy Brothers, more folk than the Dropkick Murphys - while sharing some of the traditional repertoires of both. They are proud of their deep songwriting bench - the original songs of Boston Blackthorne have won several national and international songwriting competitions including first place in the International Narrative Songwriting competition and honorable mention in the International Songwriting Competition. The band's sound is centered around powerful vocal harmonies and lead vocals shared by several of the members.  Between the 5 core members instrumentation includes fiddle, 4&5 string banjo, harmonica, 6&12 string guitars, mandolin, bouzouki, bass and drums 50:26 - Boston Blackthorne “Fishing over the Lusi” from Single 54:40 - ALTAN - FAVORITE SONG OF MAIRÉAD NÍ MHAONAIGH You can hear more stories by the Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh on show #580. Altan are an Irish folk music band formed in County Donegal in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her husband Frankie Kennedy. The group were primarily influenced by traditional Irish language songs from Donegal and have sold over a million records. The group were the first traditional Irish group to be signed to a major label when they signed with Virgin Records in 1994. The group has collaborated with Dolly Parton, Enya, The Chieftains, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, and many others. 57:29 - Altan “An Mhaighdean Mhara” from Island Angel 1:00:17 - ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC: BEST OF 2022 PLAYLIST? ATLANTA IRISH DANCE BY BURKE AND CONNOLLY Earlier this year, I wanted to learn more about Irish dance. I contacted one of the co-founders of Atlanta Irish Dance by Burke and Connolly. Emma Burke is a certified Irish dance teacher and internationally certified Irish dance adjudicator, which allows her to judge Irish dance competitions world wide. During her Irish dancing career, she competed all over the world, winning titles throughout. Atlanta Irish Dance is the Premiere Irish Dance Academy in Georgia and one of the top Irish Dance Companies in the United States. They have an exciting performance based program run through their 501c3, in which they produce lively crowd-pleasing performances for crowds across Atlanta.  Their dancers and teams are ranked 1st in the Region, 2nd in North America, and among the top 10 in the World. We talked a little about their Feis they do each year and Irish dance costumes. I'll break that up with some dance tunes. Feis vs Feisana from Atlanta Irish Dance 1:04:11 - Téada “Jigs - The Women of Monaghan / Nancy Hynes' / Tap the Barrel” from Coiscéim Coiligh / As the Days Brighten 1:08:13 - COSTUMING WITH IRISH DANCE 1:14:31 - Barrenhart “Haste To The Wedding/Drowsy Maggie/Harvest Home” from Celtic Grass 1:16:10 - THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST 1:17:10 - BRAD TUCK - THE RED VIOLIN Born in Hant's Harbour, Newfoundland, Brad developed a love for music early in his life. Residing in St. John's, Brad is the drummer for a staple of the traditional Newfoundland music scene, Shanneyganock, and began a solo career in 2018 with the release of his first album "On These Waters". Brad was nominated for Traditional Artist of the Year at the 2018 & 2022 MusicNL Awards, and has released three full length albums, one EP and two Christmas singles. 1:20:14 - Brad Tuck “The Red Violin” from Stages Colin Farrell of Lunasa told a story back in show #579. 1:25:15 - LUNASA - THREE REELS Lúnasa is a traditional Irish music group, named after Lughnasadh, an ancient harvest festival. They tour and perform internationally, and have recorded a number of albums of both traditional and contemporary Irish instrumental music. 1:27:06 - Lúnasa “Morning Nightcap = McLeod's Farewell/Morning Nightcap/The Malbay Shuffle” from The Story So Far 1:31:17 - SUE SPENCER - MUSIC UNDER THE STARS Sue grew up singing Newfoundland and Irish folk songs with her family, and comes by her Irish roots through Newfoundland.  Her driving guitar style and signature smile will lift your spirits.  Sue has been nominated multiple times for the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Hall of Honour Award.  She also performs internationally as part of Willowgreen and McInnis' Kitchen. 1:34:43 - Sue Spencer “Tickle Cove Pond” from North Shore 1:38:59 - CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS 1:39:32 - MARC GUNN John Sharkey White II requested my version of “Peggy Gordon” in the last episode of the podcast. Obviously, I am the host of this podcast. But I'm gonna read my current bio on my website like I've done with others. Marc Gunn is a Rhythm & Folk songwriter who fuses Irish and Scottish folk songs with pop culture. One brewery called it Sci F'Irish music. His musical weapon of choice is the autoharp. He breathes acoustic Rock and Roll into this folk instrument and adds a bellowing taste of rhythm & blues. Gunn found musical inspiration performing Irish drinking songs. He learned the art of performing at Renaissance faires and from his childhood idol, Elvis Presley, who said, “You've got to put on a show to draw a crowd.” His concerts are fun filled with sing along songs that get the audience's feet tapping. And now for my song… I first heard the song “Peggy Gordon” from a cassette of Irish Drinking Songs I found at Half-Price Books in Austin, Texas. I learned most of my early Irish song repertoire from that album, songs like “Whiskey in the Jar”, “Big Strong Man, “Wild Rover”, “Bog Down in the Valley” and lots more. Their version of “Peggy Gordon” was short, but memorable. I played it on and off for many years. I remember singing it at a pub in Switzerland when I met Heidi and Stef of the Celtic band Bow Triplets. In July 2009, I met my future wife, Gwen, while touring in Virginia. We had this whirlwind romance and began talking on the phone every day and went to see each other as much as possible even while I was out on tour. I was completely mesmerized by her. A few weeks later, I was back in Austin. I was scheduled to record my next studio album with Rich Brotherton. He's an incredible engineer and had done some brilliant work for Ed Miller and lots of top-notch artists in Texas. I was having trouble singing the song. I was pitchy and my voice lacked any real emotion. The lyrics have this great feeling of love and longing. Which is exactly the feeling I was having with Gwen so far away. And so… I closed my eyes, focused on Gwen, and sang. To this day, I still tell people it is one of my best recordings. Because I feel like I nailed it. And then to top it off, Rich Brotherton added some absolutely beautiful guitar work, as he did throughout that album. It is definitely one of my warmest and lushest and best-produced albums. 1:42:07 - Marc Gunn “Peggy Gordon” from The Bridge 1:46:26 - ENDA REILLY Enda Reilly is a folk singer, songwriter and guitarist from Dublin, Ireland. Firmly rooted in the Irish tradition with songs that strive for a better future, Enda Reilly's work invites you to see the world from his varied and unique perspective through each new song and project. From busking on Grafton Street to the National Concert Hall, Enda has performed on countless stages in his hometown of Dublin and beyond. 1:50:46 - Enda Reilly “Christmas True” from Christmas Is With Us 1:54:07 - CLOSING 1:54:22 - THE CHIVALROUS CRICKETS – LORD OF MISRULE The Crickets explore the roots, branches and crossroads of Celtic and English folk and American Old Time music. With equal attention to exhilarating performances and academic rigor, they bring to the stage boldly reimagined arrangements of standards and originals with traditional influence. With a particular focus on song repertoire, they're known for their rich vocal harmonies and fascinating textural blends incorporating over 15 instruments, both modern and ancient. They're a family band comprising two sisters, two couples and childhood friends. Four of their members are full-time classical musicians as well. 2:02:23 - The Chivalrous Crickets “The Lord of Misrule” from A Chivalrous Christmas The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. The show is supported by our Patrons of the Podcast on Patreon. Subscribe to get bonus podcasts and vote in the Celtic Top 20. Visit our website to subscribe to the podcast. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. You'll get access to our Best of this Year Playlist. You can subscribe to our Celtic Music Magazine and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. And best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage. Finally, please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. WELCOME CELTOPHILE TO IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic musician and podcaster. We are here to cherish our diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times and chapters for each song when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com. So you can skip around. And if you are a Song Henger on Patreon will get a music-only episode. Once again, we are doing a different sort of show. This is not the usual format. I collect stories from artists about the songs they write or play. It's sort of like the Liner Notes behind some of their songs. Much like what I do on my Pub Songs & Stories podcast. I'm excited to share this nice bunch of stories as we finish up 2022. If you're in a Celtic band and would like to talk about a song or tune that you play, drop me a line. I'll get you instructions and I'll get you on the show next year. ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC: BEST OF 2022 PLAYLIST? Every week this year, Miranda and I compiled the latest Celtic Top 20 votes. We updated a playlist on Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. These are all of the top voted tracks of the year. And so it's a pretty fantastic playlist that will stick around. We have a new playlist coming in 2023. Again, all due to your voting. You can help these artists out by following the playlists and adding tracks you love to your playlists. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out who was added this week. Listen on Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Because of Your kind and generous support, this show comes out at least four times a month. Your generosity funds the creation, promotion and production of the show. It allows us to attract new listeners and to help our community grow. As a patron, you hear episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, and a private feed to listen to the show.  All that for as little as $1 per episode. You can also get music-only episodes as a Song Henger. A special thanks to our Celtic Legends: Marti Meyers, Brenda, Meghan Walker, Dan mcDade, Carol Baril, Miranda Nelson, Nancie Barnett, Kevin Long, Annie Lorkowski, Shawn Cali HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Go to our Patreon page. Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $10. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month. Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music. You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com. TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. In 2023, we're going on a Celtic Invasion of County Mayo in Ireland. We're gonna explore the area and get to know Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ #celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com When you make a per-episode pledge on Patreon, I plan to charge 4 episodes per month. But sometimes I forget. Other times, I charge for the show on the wrong date like I did this past month. As a result, the podcast income was short this month. Thankfully, our Patrons of the Podcast are just incredible. They donated money and bought CD and digital downloads in my store to help cover the loss. Thank you SO much for your generosity, as always. Asa Swain wrote: "Dear Marc, Thank you for playing “Banjos we have heard on high” in the Nov 28 episode (of the Celtic Christmas Podcast). It made me smile in delight. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season. Thanks for sharing beautiful Celtic music with us year round. I've been listening to your show for about 15 years, I got a chance to chat with you at the online Boskone you attended in 2020. (On zoom) You talked about how wonderful traveling was. I haven't travelled overseas since 2019 (because of COVID), but in December my wife and I are going to spend a week exploring Iceland. We're very excited. (we'll only have 4.5 hours of sunlight each day, but we hope to see the northern lights) . All the best."

A few years ago at Boskone, I had the chance to meet author Robert Redick to talk about his book “Master Assassins.” Well, he's back with a sequel, “Sidewinders,” which hits bookstores on July 6 and in e-book format.   “Sidewinders” continues the story of the Hinjuman brothers, Kandri and Mektu. The story takes place in a lethal desert twice the size of the Sahara, and features giant man-eating spiders, nomadic shape-shifters, and carnivorous plants—all while the magical servants of the tyrant they have wronged chase at their heels.   Robert and I go into the worldbuilding from the first book and how he continued it in the sequel. We talk about the fantasy genre and its struggles with misogyny and how this has improved in recent years. Robert has gotten to travel quite a bit and we look at the places he has been and how it's influenced the book.

Let me sing for you a countdown of the Top 5 Irish drinking songs today on Pub Songs Podcast. Welcome to the Pub Songs Podcast, the Virtual Public House for Celtic Geek culture. I am your Guide. My name is Marc Gunn. Today’s show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Subscribe to the podcast and download free music when you sign up at PubSong.com. WHO'S PLAYING IN THE PUB TODAY 0-19 - “Nancy Whiskey” from St Patrick’s Day 2:23  - WELCOME -- Post a review in Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy this show, please subscribe or post a review on Apple Podcasts. I’d love your feedback. -- A short story of what’s new with The Celtfather. Free music? -- Free St Patrick’s Day Music Downloads -- Listen to learn how to get 3 MP3s from the St Patrick’s Day album. Now on sale. -- Next time: The Top 10 Celtic Bands for St Patrick’s Day TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS. Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. We’re going to Scotland in 2021. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ 5:06 - TOP 5 IRISH DRINKING SONGS Irish drinking songs were the first songs I learned when I seriously started making music. It began with a cassette I found at Half-Priced Books. It was a live album of this gritty Irish-sounding band singing song after song. I loved it. Those were in fact the first songs I learned for the Brobdingnagian Bards. Some stuck. Others not so much. But that album was super important to my future music career. It led me on the path of playing Irish drinking songs. It taught me how to write fun drinking songs. And of course, it established my musical style of Sci F’Irish music. Today, we’re gonna do a countdown of the Top 5 Irish drinking songs. These songs were picked and voted on by members of my Irish & Celtic Music Club and the Celtic Geeks group on Facebook. You can Vote for your favorite in those groups. Or you can also just email me your favorite. Let’s get started. 6:31 - #5 “Old Dun Cow” from St Patrick’s Day 11:03 - #4 “Johnny Jump Up” from Happy Songs of Death 14:43 - #3 “Finnegan’s Wake” from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover’s Companion 17:47 - #2 “Wild Rover” from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover’s Companion -- New Irish & Celtic Song Lyrics. I updated the lyrics for all of the songs I sing in this show. You will find lyrics and chords so you can play along with me. Just click the song title to find the lyrics or follow the link in the shownotes to find more Irish & Celtic song lyrics. 20:46 - UPCOMING SHOWS THURS: Coffee with The Celtfather on YouTube @ 12:00 PM Eastern FEB 12-14: Boskone 58, Boston, MA (online event) FEB 18: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. MAR 11: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. MAR 13: Ironshield Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA @  7:00 – 10:00 PM. MAR 14: Tucker Brewing Company in Tucker, GA @ 3:30-6:30 PM MAR 17: The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale, Estates, GA @ 4:30-7:00 PM. Birthday Party! SUPPORT WHAT YOU LOVE If you enjoy the music in this show, please show your support. Buy music or Merch from me or our guest. Follow me on streaming. And tell a friend. But the best way to support me is to Join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon. Patreon funds my songwriting and more. Your support pays for the production and promotion of my music and this podcast. Follow the link in the shownotes. Special thanks to my newest patrons: Deedra Winey, Derek Byrne, River Godbee, Tammy McDermott When you sign up on Patreon from now through February 15, you’ll get access to my Celtfather Live concert on Thurs, February 18, 2021. Plus, you’ll also get a sticker. And I just started offering annual memberships on Patreon. Sign up and you’ll save 15% off your monthly fee, by doing it all at once. Finally, If you enjoyed any of the songs in the show, please check out the albums. You can listen to them for free in my Mage Records store on Bandcamp. Then email me marc@marcgunn.com or Chat in the Celtic Geeks group on Facebook to let me know what you think of the album or this podcast. 22:38 - #1 “Whiskey in the Jar” from St Patrick’s Day Pub Songs Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn. The show is edited by Mitchell Petersen with graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or to my website where you can subscribe to my mailing list. I’ll email you regular updates of new music and podcasts, special offers, and you’ll get 21 songs for free. Welcome to the pub at www.pubsong.com! #pubsongs

Greetings Gunn Runner St Patrick's Day is re-released and it's back on CD for a limited time. Selcouth moves closer to completion. A little bit of kindness goes a long way. And Get a sticker and access this month's Celtfather Live by joining the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon. It's all on Celtfather Monthly for February 2021, show #274 0:22  - PODCASTS The Pub Songs Podcast started with some strong evergreen episodes. The first highlighted the re-release of my St Patrick's Day CD. More about that in a bit. Then there was an interview with Bruno Maia of Tuatha De Danann. I shared my recording of "Johnny Jump" and then shared Tuatha De Danann's Celtic rock version. I love that recording. I also did a Robert Burns Day episode. That one features Scottish kilt-loving songs. I have an interview with Devo Spice. He's a huge Doctor Who fan who wrote the song "Doctor of Gallifrey". He shares a little Whovian facts. I love these interviews. And I want to do more. But I realize that it might be easier if I only plan to do one episode per month. And then the second one is mostly music. I'm not saying that's how it will be. But the first episode of February is a Top 5 Irish Drinking Songs episode. So stay tuned for that. Over the past few years, I themed new episodes of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.  A couple years ago it was Celtic women. Last years was the love of planet earth and nature. I feel my themes go on the wayside though. I released a two hour episode at the start of this year where I announced a repeat of the Planet Earth theme. It was sort of a do over year for the podcast since last year's theme was replaced by the pandemic. Then we had an insurrection. It was then I realized I already established the theme for 2021 a few months ago when I said I was voting for Joe Biden. I voted for kindness back in the White House. And kindness for America. Well, if there's one thing I can hope and pray for our nation, it's that we can bring kindness back to our country. Less name calling. Less anger. More forgiveness. Kindness is what you can expect to see more from me through everything I do this year. I'm keeping that as my mantra as I peruse Facebook. If it's not kind, I try not to share it or like it or whatever. I want to see a return to Kindness. 2:40 - VIDEOS The new Coffee with The Celtfather is back. As usual, it's a free to watch show. I'm trying to have at least one show with my "hit songs" so newbies might be interested in watching too. So far shows are getting decent attendance. But I'll keep it up. Of course, if you enjoy the show, tips are always gratefully appreciated. The next Celtfather Live concert is scheduled for Thursday, February 18. I'm trying to decide how to theme this show. If you have any theme requests, let me know ASAP. That show is still a ticketed evening event. Tickets are $8. You can get them in my MageRecords.com store. Spend $15 or more in the store, you'll also get access. And of course, if you are a member of the Gunn Runners Club, you will get free access. I was struck at the end of last month with the question. Is it worth my time and effort to release video singles every week? I looked at the numbers and realized the answer is no. It's not the best strategy. Yes. If I record a stellar performance of a song during a Coffee show, then sure, it's probably a great idea to release a single like "Hallelujah" back in November. But I think that's the exception to the rule. So I'm starting to think about how to edit a solid music video highlighting my music instead. It's a little tougher to do. But oh well... 4:38 - IN THE STUDIO I finally had a good sit down to look at my recording schedule. What do I have left to do to finish Selcouth? One of the big things is deciding what instruments I want on a recording. I finally heard back from Nathan Deese. He's gonna start working on "Breathing". I think he will be perfect for this song. "Favor of a Dance" was sent to Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer. I'm still waiting to hear back from them. But it sounds promising. Though I might've suggested an extra difficult way of recording. The song reminds me of West Side Story with The Jets and The Sharks doing a dance off battle. That's sort of what I want for this song. Again, I might be asking too much. "Kilty Pleasure" feels like it needs to be a rocked up. Since the beginning, it had a sort of Pogues feel to me. So when Jeff Shaw of The Muckers showed up at my Tucker Brewing Company gig this month, I decided to ask them. I'm patiently waiting to see what they come with. After chatting with The Muckers, I decided to work next on "Bright Side of Everything". That has a pop sort of to it. The first band that came to mind was Screeched Inn out of Canada. They are a Celtic rock band. But they have a super friendly sound. I sent the tracks to them. They started working on it immediately. And it's going right in the direction I hoped it would. Meanwhile, I finished recording and mixing "Battle of Aughrim/Star of Munster". I also recorded the autoharp tracks for "Just A Hero". This is the last song that I NEED on the album. And there are only two more songs that I HOPE to have on the album. If I can nail those vocals, I'll be on the final steps of finishing this. And if I can make it happen, I might get another guest musician for that song. Finally, St Patrick's Day was officially re-released at the beginning of the month. So far things are looking good. But there are some downsides. First, I screwed up and accidentally listed one song as Explicit. CD Baby said they can fix that. But it's gonna take a while. Will it be fixed by St Patrick's Day? I don't know. I also wish I waited to release the album in February. That's because the album is doing great on Spotify. Spotify is releasing new tracks to the release radar every week, I think. You'll see in the stats. Several songs already have a couple hundred new plays. Including "Purple Flower". I love that song, but didn't expect it to go anywhere because of the title. So color me impressed. I'm hoping it'll get some more visibility especially since I don't have any new tracks scheduled for release yet. So here's hoping it kicks butt by March 17. 8:18 - MERCH Gunn Runners asked that I release a physical copy of St Patrick's Day on CD. You can now buy that in my MageRecords.com store on Bandcamp. That's selling for $20. Or you can get a 4 CD Celtic Collection for just $40. These offers good from now until March 17, St Patrick's. I should also point out that St Patrick's Day is a seasonal release. That means, it won't be available again until next year. If you're subscribe to my mailing list, you get a discount code to save 15%. I don't remember what inspired it. But I just sat Inara down to do some art. I didn't feel like painting or drawing. I thought I should do the art I enjoy. So I went and grabbed the items I need to make Celtic Heartstrings. I sat down and thought, "What should I make a butterfly? A dragonfly? Hm. A firefly?" So I did a quick search to see what a firefly would like like. Of course, I immediately thought of the TV show too and lo and behold, I saw a beautiful picture of the ship and decided to try and make one using my techniques. I finished. And I gotta say, the final pendant is pretty cool looking. Seems others liked it as well. I'm gonna make a few and then we shall see if this will be come a regular part of my Celtic Heartstring products. 10:00 - CELTIC TRAVEL The Celtic Invasion of Scotland is officially delayed until next year. Sign up at CelticInvasion.com if you want to be one of the first on the list. 11:15 - WEBSITES I updated lyrics for the Irish Song Lyrics website, including: "Kilkelly, Ireland" "Johnny Jump Up" "Rocky Road to Dublin" "A Man’s A Man For A' That" "Skye Boat Song" "A Man Who Wears A Kilt Every Day" "Wild Mountain Thyme" 11:50 - SHOWS PLANNED FOR FEBRUARY THURS: Coffee with The Celtfather, YouTube (Season 8) @ 12:00 PM EST FEB 12-14: Boskone 58, Boston, MA (online event) FEB 18: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. MAR 11: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. MAR 13: Ironshield Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA @  7:00 – 10:00 PM. MAR 14: Tucker Brewing Company in Tucker, GA @ 3:30-6:30 PM  Pending MAR 17: The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale Estates, GA @ 4:30-7:00 PM. Birthday Party! APR 23-25: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX MAY 1-2: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX 13:41 - STATS Mailing list subscribers = 1201 is up from 1191 Celtic Music Magazine = 4030 is up from 4027 YouTube Subscribers = 4961 is up from 4907 Facebook Likes = 3752 is down from 3755 Instagram = 1869 is up from 1858 Spotify followers: 1712 is up from 1684 # Number of listens on Spotify: 3929 is down from 7838 Latest Spotify Single Stats: "Hobbit Hornpipe" released Aug 26: 441 is up from 373 "Tough Times" released Oct 21: 14 is down from 69 "The Hero of Christmas" released on Nov 17: 178 is down from 1454 "Firefly Jingle Bells" on Dec 1: 9 is down from 81 "Grandma Got Devoured by Reavers" on Dec 1: 8  is down from 69 "12 Days of Firefly Christmas" on Dec 1: 5 is down from 93 Latest Spotify Album Stats: Browncoat Christmas: 200 St Patrick's Day: 1.7K Most-popular songs on Spotify: The Widow and the Devil (1.5K), Hobbit Hornpipe (441), Doctor of Gallifrey (429), Christmas in the Shire (330), A-Working in the Garden (305), Danny Boy (252), "Slainte Mhaith Christmas" (249), Nancy Whiskey (240), Drunken Sailor (192), A Drop of Nelson's Blood (191), Purple Flower (189), Hero of Canton (188), Rising of the  Moon (185) Most-popular songs on Amazon Music: "Hero of Canton" (690), "Doctor of Gallifrey" (442), "The Widow and the Devil" (89), "As Long As I'm Flyin'" (70), A Drop of Nelson's Blood (61) Top albums: As Long As I'm Flyin, Sci Fi Drinking Songs, Going for Brogue, Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion, Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits Fun Christmas Songs for Kids & Families = 1991 is up from 1927 Last year's playlists from this time last year: Top Irish & Celtic Music: 556 is up from 547 Sci F'Irish Music: 12 (same) Nagians Only: 21 (same) Celtfather Experience: 29 is down 30 Hobbit Drinking Songs: 5 is up from 4 Firefly Drinking Songs: 122 (same) Christmas Drinking Songs: 39 is up from 36 Joyful Celtic Christmas Music: 109 is up from 89 Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers: 59 (same) Jedi Drinking Songs: 31 is down from 32 18:16 - PATREON Patreon Subscribers: 158 is up from 155 Patreon Monthly Income: $1184 is down from $1202 I just posted a Special Offer on Patreon. Everyone who signs up to my Patreon and is a member on February 15 will get access to my next Celtfather Live concert on the 18th. Plus a Marc Gunn sticker. Oh! And you can now get an annual membership through Patreon. You'll also save 15% off your membership when you sign up that way. Thanks as always for supporting my music. Streaming music gives you a quick and easy way to sample all of my music. Digital sales keep my business running. Tips and CD sales allow me to tour. Kickstarter funds physical products like CDs, shirts and other merch. And Patreon funds my songwriting! Join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon to support my songwriting. You will step behind-the-scenes with new music, bonus podcasts, videos, and live concerts. 20:25 - RANT There's a meme from the presidential debates. Obama and Biden are sitting together. Obama asks Biden, "Did you take the high ground like I told you?" Biden replies, "I told him to shut up." I would like to say that I took the high ground these past four years. I did not either. Trump will go down in history as the most divisive president ever. No one has polarized America so much as Trump. That's one of his worst legacies. He intentionally pit Americans against Americans. That division has weakened us as a nation. So of course, I am happy that he is no longer the leader of our great country. He dragged us down. But now that he's gone. I see the high ground again. And I confess, I am ashamed. I allowed his petulant behavior to drag me down to his level. As it has with so many Americans. Yes. There will always be division. Especially with competing media sources telling us different extreme ideas. But I am ashamed that I allowed myself to become angry and nasty. I have no excuse  for that. One of the many reasons I voted for Biden was to bring kindness back into the White House. Back into our nation. Sure, Biden is far from perfect. But he's kind. Or at least he's kinder than Trump could ever be. We need a kind president. Because that sets the tone of the nation. Kindness, generosity. Those are the way you build up a community of people. I  still get Facebook posts of people lambasting the president or his supporters. But I know from talking to some that most are not bad people. Most just support a conservative ideal. I remember when I talked to conservatives in the run up to 2016. EVERY SINGLE ONE said their #1 issue was to reduce the national debt. It was not about the racist agenda Trump later pushed and used to divide us. Most called themselves fiscally conservative but socially liberal. These are people who just have a different opinions of the federal government. They believe in the same inalienable rights of our Constitution. The only difference is they don't want the government spending so much money on social services. That is not my enemy. I disagree with the role of the federal government. But that's a difference of opinion. What's more important is that we are kind to one another. I keep seeing a call for unity. I agree with it. I believe we need to take a step back and be kind to one another. Because it is very likely we are not seeing eye-to-eye because we are all just blinded by anger. The best way to beat anger and hate is by kindness and forgiveness. And if there's one thing I learned about forgiveness is that it does have to be unconditional. It also heals. It's magical. It doesn't mean we forget. It means we recognize our own negative contribution to the situation. We correct it. Then we ask forgiveness for our part, and we heal. Because never in the history of ever were there two different competing perspectives where one is right and the other is wrong. They both always screwed up. And that's the only way we can move forward. Not spouting conspiracy theories. Or blaming someone else for our own failures. But by recognizing our own fault in the situation. Because that's when we realize things aren't all as bad as they seem. We are able to see the high ground. Through the lies, through the anger and through the hatred. On the side is a world of kindness and healing. Thank you for supporting Sci F'Irish music at Celtfather.com! #CFMonthly

We’re celebrating the National Poet of Scotland, the great Robert Burns for Burns’ Day. Why this Scottish-American wears a kilt. The secret behind how No Pants Day was formed. Doctor Who vs Outlander with special guest, Devo Spice. Welcome to the Pub Songs Podcast, the Virtual Public House for Celtic Geek culture. I am your Guide. My name is Marc Gunn. Today’s show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Subscribe to the podcast and download free music when you sign up at PubSong.com. WHO'S PLAYING IN THE PUB TODAY 0:28 - “A Man’s A Man For A’ That” from Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion 3:18 - WELCOME -- Post a review in Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy this show, please subscribe or post a review on Apple Podcasts. I’d love your feedback. -- Virtual Burns Supper events this year. -- A short story of what’s new with The Celtfather. -- Did anyone see the new movie “Wild Mountain Thyme”. -- Listen to find out how I’ll send you 3 MP3s from the St Patrick’s Day album. Now on sale. St Patrick’s Day CD is now on sale. -- Burn’s Day on Jan 25. If you want more Burn’s Day music, check out this episode of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. 10:03 - “Skye Boat Song” from Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS. Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. We’re going to Scotland in 2021. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ 12:32 - Origins of No Pants Day 17:28 - “A Man Who Wears A Kilt Every Day” from Kilted For Her Pleasure 20:00 - Doctor Who vs Outlander with Devo Spice Today we’re gonna chat with Devo Spice. That’s the band name of comedy hip hop artist, Tom Rockwell. Tom is out of New Jersey. I met him at I-Con, the very first convention I ever attended in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. He was at all of the Brobdingnagian Bards shows there. He is a hilarious musician with a helluva way with words. He’s recorded on the Bards’ CD I Will Not Sing Along. He wrote the lyrics to my song “Doctor Of Gallifrey”. And one of these days, we’re gonna do a recording of “Lannigan’s Ball” as a rap song. Welcome Devo Spice. Can you please tell me your Celtic origins and how it involves comedy hip hop? And in a truly celtic fashion, don’t let facts get in the way. Let’s hear that glib red headed comedic blarney come out full force. DEVO SPICE BACK STORY When I was given the idea of a Doctor Who parody of “Donald McGillavry”, I knew one Whovian who had seen every Doctor Who episode ever made, and was still available. That was Devo Spice. Little did I know at the time that one of The Doctors companions was a Scotsman fighting at Culloden named Jamie. Tom, can you tell me who this kilt-wearing companion was and if he was the same Jamie from The Outlander novels by Diana Gabaldon? And if so, how does he fit into both timelines? ABOUT THE COMPANION JAMIE OF CULLODEN FROM DOCTOR WHO Tom, you also host a comedy music podcast called Manic Mondays. And you’re the founder of The FuMP. Why comedy music? What drew you to it? What’s the funniest song you ever heard on The FuMP? Feel free to say one of mine. And when you're done with that you can tell me which other song of mine was the funniest. (re: this is an actual question. I'm curious what the real funniest song is) FUNNY MUSIC You can check out his podcast at ManicMondays.net. The Funny Music Project is at TheFump.com. And of course, if you want to hear more music by Devo Spice, my favorite album of his is the Doctor Who album, I Am the Doctor. It’s also a favorite by my daughter Kenzie. And she barely knows Doctor Who. You can find out more about his music at DevoSpice.com. Here’s his song “Companion Application” from his CD. 30:34 - Devo Spice “Companion Application” from I Am the Doctor 33:22 -- New Irish & Celtic Song Lyrics. I updated the lyrics for all of the songs I sing in this show. You will find lyrics and chords so you can play along with me. Just click the song title to find the lyrics or follow the link in the shownotes to find more Irish & Celtic song lyrics. - UPCOMING SHOWS THURS: Coffee with The Celtfather on YouTube @ 12:00 PM Eastern JAN 21: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. JAN 23: Ironshield Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA @  7:00 – 10:00 PM. FEB 12-14: Boskone 58, Boston, MA FEB 18: Celtfather Live on YouTube @ 8:00 - 9 PM EDT. Tickets $8. - SUPPORT WHAT YOU LOVE If you enjoy the music in this show, please show your support. Buy music or Merch from me or our guest. Follow me on streaming. And tell a friend. But the best way to support me is to Join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon. Patreon funds my songwriting and more. Your support pays for the production and promotion of my music and this podcast. Follow the link in the shownotes. Times are changing. Regular gigs will begin again this year as more and more people take the vaccine. There will be a degree of normality coming. But I’m betting that the pandemic is the final nail into the CD coffin. Sure, some of you will still buy them. But the 40-50% of pre-pandemic sales will drop below 25%. That’s my bet. Of course, cds were the primary source of income for musicians. So what’s next? How do you intend to support musicians into the future? - JOIN THE PUB CHAT —Joe Biden won the 2020 election to become the 46th president of the United States of America. Big congrats to him and Kamala Harris, the first black, asian and woman Vice President. But for President-Elect Biden’s inauguration, he hired The Chieftains to play music. That got me thinking. Who would you want if you won the presidential election? Then email me marc@marcgunn.com or Chat in the Celtic Geeks group on Facebook to let me know what you think of the album. 36:00 - “Wild Mountain Thyme” from The Bridge Pub Songs Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn. The show is edited by Mitchell Petersen with graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or to my website where you can subscribe to my mailing list. I’ll email you regular updates of new music and podcasts, special offers, and you’ll get 21 songs for free. Welcome to the pub at www.pubsong.com! #pubsongs PUB CHAT

John edited a podcast, Alison ran all the parties, and Liz programmed a convention. Please email your letters of comment to octothorpecast@gmail.com and use #OctothorpeCast or tag @OctothorpeCast when you post about the show on social media. Letters of comment: Mark Plummer Roman Orszanski Andrew Hogg The Upgradies Dave Mansfield Maggie Claire Brialey What was 2020 like? Alison ran some Zoom parties First Thursday meetings Went on a three-week virtual GUFF trip Made a lot of tissue paper art which was very good John did some fanac Wrote his TAFF report Interviewed Anna Raftery for her TAFF report Edited Journey Planet #56 by James Bacon, Christopher J. Garcia, and Alissa McKersie Edited Lulzine #5–6 with España Sheriff (feel free to subscribe!) Did a small podcast with some mates Liz lived in a country which might have dealt slightly more effectively with COVID–19 Liz did more work for Punctuation than anyone else Eastercon You can become a member for £50 Boskone is now selling memberships for $25 Why isn't Boskone 58 free? Our theme music is Fanfare for Space by Kevin MacLeod, used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Author/musician Jim Infantino joins me to talk about his experience at the recent Boskone book expo. It was his first time there and we talk panels, Jim's fellow writers, and how the event compares to others. We take a long look at Jim's first book, “ The Wakeful Wanderer’s Guide to New New England & Beyond.” The book shows a climate-changed future seen from two starkly different cultural perspectives. Following this, check out two songs from Jim's band, Jim's Big Ego—“In My Cult,” followed by “The Ballad of Barry Allen.”

Here it is, the second episode of my coverage of the 2020 Boskone book expo. Thanks go out to the folks behind this great event for having me back this year. Up first it's Anabel Graetz, who led workshops on vocal training. Along with her years spent as a singing teacher, she has an acting resume a mile long! We talk about the movies she's been in and the Who's Who of talent she's worked with. E.C Ambrose recently released “Bone Guard Two: The Nazi Skull,” and “The Singer's Crown: The Author's Cut.” The latter is a re-release which has 35,000 more words and she talks about how this changed the story and the research part of the Bone Guard series. Rob Greene and I chatted about his debut book, “The Light Years,” which deals with an arranged marriage and the discovery of long-held secrets. Rob talks about the world-building process and how it feels to have his first novel out for the world to enjoy. The final interview is with Sarah Smith for her upcoming book, “Crimes and Survivors,” available April 15. This Titanic-based story is a mystery about not only icebergs, wrecks, and murder, but crimes against the human spirit and how to survive them. Sarah and I dive into the time period and what it meant then when the main character learns that she may have a relative of African descent.  

10 days ago Diego went to Boskone 2020, a science fiction convention. He joined the Rick Riordan Presents Panel (including Carlos Hernandez, Kwame Mbalia, & Eric Wilkerson) there and conducted some interviews. This episode is full of clips from the convention and explanations from Diego. Boskone's website: https://www.boskone.org/  Kwame Mbalia's twitter: @KSekouM Kwame Mbalia's website: website: https://kwamembalia.com/  Carlos Hernandez's twitter: @WriteTeachPlay Carlos Hernandez's website: https://hernandooney.com/  Eric Wilkerson's website: http://ericwilkersonart.com/  Our Twitter: @halfreport Instagram: @thehalfbloodreport Website: thehalfbloodreport.com Sign up for our Newsletter: https://thehalfbloodreport.wixsite.com/thbr/newsletter  Email: thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com  Please consider joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=26609238

Feb. 14 marked the 2020 Boskone book expo and I had a great time, as usual. I got the chance to speak to a lot of great writers, and the interviews are collected in the first of two episodes.   In the first, Michael McAfee of the Post Meridian Radio Players talks about the show they did at Boskone “The Silver Shade: Help From The Shadows.” Michael tells me about the casting process and how they plan for the worst to happen.   Author Tabitha Lord and I haven't spoken in years and there is a lot to recap! She's completed her sci-fi “Horizon” series and tells me about the urban fantasy story she's working on now, which includes a lot of research.   Last in this episode is Vincent O'Neil, who has been hard at work shopping around the script for his “Handler Hank” short story. He goes into the transition from short story to script and what other of his works he'd like to see on the screen.

Join for a Review of Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, the most recent Rick Riordan Presents Book. We also talk about Boskone, and we rank the Percy Jackson & Olympians from our favorite to least favorite. To avoid Race to the Sun spoilers: After we give the spoiler warning, skip to 22:44 Order Race to the Sun from our online bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368024662  Some stuff discussed in this episode: Tyrants Tuesday: Eurynomos: https://www.readriordan.com/2020/02/04/tyrants-tuesday-eurynomos/  Boskone: https://www.boskone.org/  Samuel mentioned demigodathon playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKBoUlrOY6Z_KRtR6ruwe-610t_XTO5cX  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, we recommend you contact us. We love your feedback and thoughts, so make sure to contact us in one of the ways below: Twitter: @halfreport Instagram: @thehalfbloodreport Website: thehalfbloodreport.com Sign up for our Newsletter! Email: thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=26609238

Here’s the second half of my two part interview with authors, C. S. E. Cooney and Carlos Hernandez!In my last post for my paid subscribers, I talked about the common advice that creative people should choose one niche in which to specialize. In the first part of this interview, we explored how ignoring that advice can actually help creativity grow stronger, but in this second part we’re diving into the question of how to narrow your focus in order to finish projects, even when they’re really hard and you feel stuck. Image Description: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and The Assimilated Cuban’s Guide to Quantum Santeria by Carlos Hernandez and Jack O’ the Hills, How to Flirt in Faerieland and Other Wild Rhymes, Bone Swans, and Desdemona and the Deep by C. S. E. Cooney. Carlos’s Sal and Gabi Break the Universe won the Pura Belpré Medal for Latinx creators whose work portrays Latinx experiences well for young readers! Carlos also has a story in The Mythic Dream, an anthology edited by Navah Wolfe and Dominik Parisien. You can find Carlos on Twitter as @WriteTeachPlay.Claire’s Bone Swans won the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection! Her novella, Desdemona and the Deep is wonderful, too, and I am not just saying that because the title character was named after my late cat, Desdemona (but she really was! She is even called Desdemonster sometimes, which we also called my cat!) Claire has also narrated over 100 audiobooks, and has an alter ego as a rock star named Brimstone Rhine. Both of them will be at Boskone in February in Boston, Massachusetts, and so will I! In fact, we’ll all be performing together in one of Claire’s Brimstone Rhine concerts, AND we’ll be reading excerpts of our work together. I’ll post my full Boskone schedule soon, so you’ll know where to find us!Technical note: If you are reading these show notes in email or on the web, you don’t have to listen in a web browser! You can subscribe to this podcast in the podcatcher of your choice by clicking the “Listen in podcast app” link at the top of this message. It will send you an email, which will have a button in it that you can click while viewing the email on your phone, and that will generate a private RSS feed just for you. It will give you options to add it to one of several podcast apps by clicking a link, or to copy the RSS feed and add it to the podcast app you use. Once you add this feed to your app, future episodes should download to your phone automatically if you choose to autorefresh the feed. If you are a paid subscriber, you can use your private feed for both the paid and free episodes. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at omgjulia.substack.com/subscribe

Robert "Swifty" Swift (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-swift-2094774/ ) A.K.A "Nixon" has been a fixture of the Boston geek community for decades. An engineer turned recruiter by day, in his free time Robert has been to most cons, gaming gatherings, LARPs, and D&D sessions in the 617. Robert serves up his top phone, Skype, and in-person interview tips and then shares his off-the-clock experiences, providing an exclusive look into the social underbelly of the Boston tech scene.    Arisia: Boston’s Oldest Sci-fi Convention https://arisia.org/ The Ig-Nobel Prizes, Presented by real scientists who run a hobby Magazine the AoIR https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_Prize https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_Improbable_Research The Convention Competition to Arisia.org is of course Boskone! https://www.boskone.org/ The Insanely Popular D&D Weekly Live Show “Critical Role” https://critrole.com/ The Matt Mercer effect https://www.geeknative.com/68009/what-is-the-matt-mercer-effect/ The New Popularity of D&D https://tinyurl.com/y2vl5kp9 Paizo’s game “Pathfinder” created the first Competitor to D&D ever, https://paizo.com/pathfinder Types of LARPs https://thelarplife.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/types-of-larps/ Local US “Best” LARP manufacturer https://www.b3is.com/ and his LARP Store near Worcester MA https://larpbox.com/ The SCA https://sca.org/ Gaming Stores in Boston that Swifty goes to:  http://www.pandemoniumbooks.com/   https://www.battlegroundgames.com/   And the Adventure Pub, Boardgame café in Arlington, MA https://theadventurepub.com/  

Ken Tupper of Divertir Publishing opens the show with a look back at the company's 10 years in business, if Ken ever thought he'd reach this milestone. He walks us through the process of book selection and how much time he gives to the hundreds of submissions he receives each year. Next up, a gem from our Boskone visit, Matt Zappa and I talk to Jason Davis, creator of the family-friendly board game Heroes and Treasure. Jason talks about how he came up with the idea, the game's mechanics, and the process of getting it out to the world. Last up is Kate Kaufmann for her book “Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No.” The book was released earlier this month and compiles the stories of women who, for a number of reasons, did not have children. Kate talks about the stories she collected and the stigma sometimes experienced by those childless women. And for music this week, I've got Stone the Druggist with “Burn Slow” after Ken's interview, and Amrit Ghatore's “Chess Game” after the Heroes and Treasure interview.

In the second episode of my Boskone podcast series, author Brenda Clough and I chat about time travel and how it works in her science fiction series. She also talks about the inherent challenges that come with writing a novel and the methods she uses to ensure she's able to complete a book once it's started. Morgan Duran has both music and books to talk about, and we open with “The Chilling Zone,” a sci-fi tale with political intrigue and dark secrets. She shares her work in music, the styles that influence her, and how one connects with the other. And for new music, I've got “The Cowboy Way,” another tune from Americana artist Mike Allen. He's on during the first break and after the second interview it's “Tread Softly” by Emily Jean Flack, a singer-songwriter whose music is rooted in folk and Celtic.

Welcome to the first in my series of Boskone interviews. Boskone is an annual science fiction and fantasy convention that takes place in Boston. I've covered it for the past few years, and it's always been a great time. First up, author S.L. Huang and I talk about the times she's been set on fire (seriously) while working as a stunt person and how this and martial arts training come into play in her work. We chat about villains and how they sometimes imitates life, particularly in this current political climate. This is her first Boskone, and she shares some of her favorite parts and how she became involved in the first place. Eugene Doucette is a hybrid author, and he talks about what that means and how it's benefited him as a writer. We talk reviews, both good and bad, and how even the bad ones can offer a lesson. We chat about marketing one's work and some of the biggest challenges that he's faced. And for new music, I bring you “Last Call” from Maida a singer-songwriter based in Germany. Her style has been compared to that of Melissa Etheridge. Her song is up after the first interview, and to close the show, I give you “I Drink Alone,” from “Wildman” Pebo Wilson, who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and began singing at age 16.  

Recorded from my hotel room at Boskone, I discuss how I'm approaching my new novel. 

In this episode of Citywide Blackout, we continue our pre-Boskone coverage. Boskone is an annual fantasy and science fiction book festival that I've attended for years and always have a blast at. It's happening this weekend, Feb. 15-17, and you can learn more at boskone.org. First up, I talk to Portland, Oregon-based writer Fonda Lee about audiobooks and how to get the voices just write, her joy at writing fight scenes, and how to best prep for a convention like Boskone. Next up, it's author Christopher Golden, known for his work not only with books, but also comics and television. He shares some behind-the-scenes info on what it means for a book to be optioned for film or television and talks about scenes that have been intense, even for him. Plus, it's more new music! Michael Egleton, a Blues, Soul and Jazz artist from Akron, Ohio. He describes himself as a soulful sound with innovative techniques and style, and I can't argue with that. I'm playing “Behind These Walls” and “Situations” at both breaks.

Welcome to our podcast preview of the annual Boskone book festival. First up is author Clea Simon—a newcomer to the Boskone family. She and I talk about the Boston music scene, which is the setting for her book “World Enough,” our favorite clubs, and how the it's changed over the years. She shares the story behind her new mystery novels, most of which have animals as the main characters. Fellow writer Gerald Coleman's resume is far too long to list, but we cover a lot of ground in this interview, talking about how theology and science fiction come together, his work with the Affrilachian Poets and the diversity we see (and don't see) in comics and science fiction. In addition, I've got some new music for you, with singles from Marco Bonvicini and Klgor.

I was sick when we recorded this. We talk conventions, why to go, why to not go, and your questions. Also, an interview with Brianna Wu from Giant Spacekat that I got at Boskone this year! Obligatory Buy our books please! - also book mentioned in the show - links: (affiliate)

I was sick when we recorded this. We talk conventions, why to go, why to not go, and your questions. Also, an interview with Brianna Wu from Giant Spacekat that I got at Boskone this year! Obligatory Buy our books please! - also book mentioned in the show - links: (affiliate)

In this episode I talk about a recent panel discussion at the West Boylston library and my upcoming trip to Boskone, a science fiction and fantasy convention held annually in Boston, MA. (Charlaine Harris is the guest of honor.)