Podcast appearances and mentions of jeff sparks

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Best podcasts about jeff sparks

Latest podcast episodes about jeff sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church
What Is Your Purpose - Romans 1:1-7 - Pastor Jeff Sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 33:27


The sermon discusses finding your divine purpose in Christ. The speaker uses the story of “Charlie the mailman,” who left his prestigious job to pursue a calling to serve others. The speaker also discusses the Apostle Paul, whose plans were disrupted, but whose purpose never changed. Paul describes himself as a servant, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel. The speaker challenges listeners to examine their purpose and ensure they are living the purpose God intended for them.  He encourages them to be like Charlie and Paul by following their calling and serving others.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Colonial Presbyterian Church
Whispers Of Норе: The Wayward One Who Never Strayed - Hosea 11:1 - Pastor Jeff Sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 31:08


This sermon uses the story of a homeless man seeking reconciliation with his estranged mother as a springboard to explore the book of Hosea. The pastor parallels the mother's conditional love with God's unconditional love, contrasting the son's need for transformation rather than mere change. Hosea's marriage to Gomer, a prostitute, serves as a parable of God's unwavering faithfulness to his unfaithful people, Israel, ultimately culminating in the arrival of a savior who offers redemption. The sermon emphasizes that humanity's inherent sinfulness necessitates not self-improvement, but divine transformation through Jesus Christ, a message particularly relevant during the Christmas season. The overarching purpose is to offer hope and reassurance of God's relentless love to those feeling distant from Him.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Rheumnow Podcast
ACR24 - Day2c

Rheumnow Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 29:22


A Fibroblast Renaissance:Dr. Andrea Fava A useful urinary biomarker for lupus nephritis:Dr. Andrea Fava ACR Advocacy Update:Dr. Eric Dein talks with Dr. Christina Downey, ACR Government Affairs Committee, and Dr. Kaitlyn Brittan, RheumPAC Carotid Doppler Ultrasound Screening in Axial SpA:Dr. Trish Harkins discussed with Dr. Barry O'Shea  Enhanced Detection of Myocarditis in Idiopathic Inflammatory  Myopathies:Dr. Caoilfhionn Connolly talks with Dr. Julie Paik PsA: Impact of Sex:Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh Rethinking Lupus Care: Early Biologics, Less Steroids:Dr. Akhil Treatment Considerations for RA-ILD:Dr. Jeff Sparks with Dr. Scott Matson

myocarditis jeff sparks
Colonial Presbyterian Church
Growing In Christ - John 15:1-8 - Pastor Jeff Sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024 31:10


Pruning keeps the vine productive. Pruning looks devastating at times, nothing left but stems.  Yet pruning brings better grapes or more abundant fruit. The same is true for us. Actively meeting with just 1 PERSON Every Week for 1 year is Passing the baton to others, walking with them when the pruning takes place, THIS is at the heart of DISCIPLE-MAKING.Support the Show.Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Colonial Presbyterian Church
Called To Follow - Matthew 4:18-22 - Pastor Jeff Sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024 37:17


JESUS' ultimate purpose for you and me is to "MAKE DISCIPLES" BUT . . . just like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and just like all other Disciples who Make Disciples throughout the history of the Church, we must "FOLLOW JESUS" first, and be DISCIPLED FIRST.Support the Show.Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Deez Lug Nutz
Eric Brennan & Jeff Sparks

Deez Lug Nutz

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 132:39


Episode 92 is on the scene and we welcome one of the most recognizable voices in short track racing and one of the voices of the zMAX CARS Tour, Eric Brennan. Brennan details his humble beginnings growing up in New Jersey that led hi m to cut his teeth as an announcer at legendary Wall Stadium in New Jersey. He details his journey down south where it led to a stint with the World Karting Association and his feeling when he got the call to be one of the voices of the CARS Tour alongside Blake McCandless. We also go over his other opportunities with the ARCA Menards Series on FS1 and what the future may hold for one of the most smoothest voices you'll hear behind a microphone.  Jeff Sparks and Marlin Yoder waged battle for a majority of Saturday's Meredith Battery 50 STAR Super Stock Tour race at Anderson Speedway on Saturday. It was Sparks who came out the winner and became the fourth different winner in series history. Jeff joins the podcast and speaks candidly about his budding on track rivalry with Marlin Yoder, the state of street stock racing and how he first broke into the sport. The first leg of the Virginia Triple Crown is on Saturday at South Boston Speedway and we are bringing you all of the analysis and break down. We preview the race by making our four fantasy picks and the overall winner. Christopher Bell and New Hampshire Motor Speedway go together like lobster and butter. We breakdown the USA Today 301 at Loudon on Sunday that featured wet weather tires being used for the first time at the Magic Mile. We discuss silly season news now that Chase Briscoe is officially going to Joe Gibbs Racing to replace the retiring Martin Truex Jr and discuss Gene Haas retaining his one Cup team and two Xfinity Teams.We also review the weekend that was in short track racing that saw Landon Huffman return to victory lane, Michael Bumgarner and Clark Houston dueling it out at Hickory and Greg Edwards edging out the defending National Champ Connor Hall at Langley among other news in this week's Short Track Spotlight. Did ARCA make the wrong call on the last restart at Mid Ohio? The boys weigh in on that and much more this week on DLN!!

Cybersecurity Where You Are
Episode 86 Evangelizing CIS's Message at RSAC 2024

Cybersecurity Where You Are

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 34:07


In episode 86 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, co-host Sean Atkinson is live once again from Booth 4319 at RSA Conference (RSAC) 2024. 00:57. Sean chats with Mat Everman, Information Security Operations Manager, about his talk, "Shades of Purple: Getting Started and Making Purple Teaming Possible." They discuss some of the questions Mat received following his talk and how they can put purple teaming into practice at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®).Sean asks passersby what they're looking to get out of RSAC 2024 and what stood out to them at the conference.13:56. José Mena, Founder of Digital Twin Networks20:34. Jonathan Kern, CEO of Castile Defense25:42. Ken Klestinec, Regional Sales Manager at AkamaiFinally, Sean talks to fellow team members about CIS's objective for RSAC 2024.18:10. Aaron Perkins, Director of Communications23:25. Nick Rust, Director of Reseller & Channel Partners27:04. Jeff Sparks, CIS Services Sr. Account Executive28:08. Mia LaVada, Product Manager of CIS Benchmarks and Cloud30:01. Mishal Makshood, Sr. Cloud Security Account ExecutiveResources Episode 85: Reenergizing Collective Action at RSAC 2024Episode 75: How GenAI Continues to Reshape CybersecurityHow to Construct a Sustainable GRC Program in 8 StepsTabletop Exercises (TTX)CIS Critical Security ControlsCIS BenchmarksIf you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing podcast@cisecurity.org.

Deez Lug Nutz
Brandon Ward & Alby Ovitt

Deez Lug Nutz

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 111:00


Episode 84 is on the scene with the 2023 Brad's Golf Cars Modified Champion at Bowman Gray Stadium Brandon Ward. Ward ended a winless streak dating back to July of 2022 in the Brad's Golf Cars Modified Division at Bowman Gray Stadium. He discusses his fast start to the season with his New Day Motorsports Team, his SMART Modified Tour struggles so far, testing with Trevor Ward at North Wilkesboro and shares candid memories and laughs about his fallen friend Zach Brewer.Alby Ovitt is undefeated on the STAR Super Stock Tour in 2024 after winning at Lonesome Pine Motorsports Park on Saturday. He calls into the show to reveal  his thoughts on the Jeff Sparks and Marlin Yoder incident. He also revealed that he had never seen Lonesome Pine before, how much racing he had done since Florence and his overall feelings about the championship chase after two events.We discuss the incredible finish in the ASA Southern Super Late Models at Mobile between Cole Butcher and Jake Finch plus the events that led up to this.The zMAX CARS Pro and Late Model Stock Tour returns to action at Ace Speedway Friday night and we have you covered with our exclusive preview of both events and give  you the insight on who visits Cookout Victory Lane Altamahaw Style!Is Denny Hamlin the favorite for the championship after his win at Dover? Do we have people complain about the finish if Kyle Larson had won instead? Will Stewart Haas have two drivers in the playoffs? We discuss this plus Carson Kvapil's near Xfinity win and if Ryan Truex has earned a full time Xfinity ride plus we preview Kansas!We give  you results from Franklin County Speedway, Southern National, Florence, Hickory and so much more on this week's Short Track Spotlight.Have you heard of Corey Day? He normally runs in the High Limit Series but he stole the headlines at Hickory by winning in his second LMSC event for JR Motorsports.We discuss the weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium or should we say Zack Staley Stadium?

One More Tune
Groover Digest 6

One More Tune

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 29:50


Welcome to episode six of the weekly series Groover Digest in which I feature tracks sent to me on Groover from artists around the world.Groover is a music promotion website where artists can upload their music and send tracks to curators for their feedback and promotion. I was recently invited to join the Groover team as a curator and am delighted to be able to give a platform to all the hard-working big dreaming artists who create music for the love of it.On this week's episode we have an eclectic set of tracks from artists in Poland, Denmark, USA, Netherlands and Finland and we're diving into some Electro Pop, Classical Jazz Funk, Rock, Alt Psych Pop and Funk for some good 'ol genre hopping.Let me know what you think of this weeks tracks by commenting on this episode or following on Instagram, and don't forget to follow on whatever platform you're listening on.This weeks tracks:(00:00) Introduction(03:38) DJ Remo - On my mind (da da da)(06:15) Vinyl Floor - Funhouse Mirror(09:14) Jeff Sparks - Wave At Me(13:41) Black Monsoon - Broken(16:33) The Fictionals - Fresh Air(20:03) Graffiti Welfare - Synesthesia(23:25)  Johanna Elina Sulkunen - XVI BeyondlandsThis weeks artists:DJ Remo -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3D7uyuzWbp2NhY7wE0GlwH  Vinyl Floor -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/2g85sKE1X3oTtU6OyJAKAC Jeff Sparks - https://www.instagram.com/jwsparks62/Black Monsoon -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6aYKm6vNRMnmDjoPJbIj9x The Fictionals -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6dTBV12OaFEsA2Bn4BWFnE  Graffiti Welfare -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/73UZpUQqutfyiTjQXwst8j Johanna Elina Sulkunen -  https://open.spotify.com/artist/75YnvTTuD3daRmblyAqQRd Follow One More Tune onhttps://www.instagram.com/onemoretunepodcasthttps://twitter.com/onemoretunepodSongs Used With Artists PermissionPodcast Music by Slim GoodyPodcast Artwork by Peter DoyleProduced by Ian Byrne Support the show

CRN Sports Network
March 20th Edition of the #FinishLine Motorsports Show!!

CRN Sports Network

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 157:39


Colonial Presbyterian Church
Called to Culture -1 Corinthians 9:19-23 - Pastor Jeff Sparks

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 31:31


When Christ Jesus commands us to “go and make disciples,” implicit in the dynamic of how that will actually happen is an understanding that we're not only preaching the gospel to those God sends us to but also to “go and live the gospel” out with someone we are Discipling. Go to your culture my friends . . . wherever the Holy Spirit is calling you, to whomever he is calling you to . . . GO. Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Deez Lug Nutz
2024 Season Premiere with Layne Riggs

Deez Lug Nutz

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 86:39


It is the 2024 Season premiere of Deez Lug Nutz! Episode 68 is on the scene with the 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Champion and full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Layne Riggs. Layne discusses how he obtained the ride with Front Row Motorsports, how many CARS Tour events he plans to run and how close to pulling the plug on any thought of going full time auto racing and so much more.We discuss the 14th Annual New Years Bash from Dillon and debate how important the integrity of the sport of auto racing is upheld after Jeff Sparks was disqualified and Gary Ledbetter winning the event for the sixth time. The zMax CARS Tour is headed west. The guys discuss what this expansion westward means for not only the series but for West Coast racing. We discuss the upcoming ARCA test at Daytona. Shane Van Gisbergen will be one of the drivers competing in that test and he is the subject of a new segment called "pump the brakes or gas it up."The boys also discuss what they did during the Christmas and New Years holiday, Julian's bout with Covid and Jody as a rodeo cowboy!

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast
Episode 64: The office visit - viewpoints from both the patients AND the rheumies!

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2021 27:57


In this episode, Tiffany, Deb, Patrice, and Katie - all persons living with AiArthritis diseases - attended the 2021 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Scientific Congress and convened several times over a few weeks to review the sessions most relevant to our community and to the work we do at our organization. The sessions reviewed in this segment involved "patient-rheumy communication", which we were happy to see covered so much at the conference! So, while historically all of our debriefs are patient-led only, we decided for the first time to invite two rheumatologists to 'zoom bomb' our discussion. In this review, join Tiffany, Deb, Katie, and Patrice AND Al and Jeff (Dr. Al Kim - Tiffany's own rheumy - and Dr. Jeff Sparks)  as they talk about the EULAR session content around communication and office visit needs (patient side and rheumy side). Shared-decision making and the evolution of visits to include discussions on comorbidities (and multi-morbidities) AND associated "holistic" approaches was also visited. Dr. Al Kim ("Al") is from the Washington University School of Medicine and Dr. Jeff Sparks ("Jeff") is from the Harvard School of Medicine. They were invited to zoom bomb our session right as we were giving our opinions about our rheumy visits. Hey, we need all voices at the table for these conversations, right?!   Today's show is a segment from our "Go with Us!" to Conferences series, EULAR 2021 Scientific Congress patient-led debriefs, all which can be viewed in full on our YouTube Channel). It is also considered part of our Rheumy RoundsⓇ special series, where patients and rheumatology professionals unite - as equals - to discuss problems that, if solved, could improve outcomes in the rheumatology community.   If you are a patient, a parent of a juvenile patient, or any other stakeholder (doctor, nurse, researcher, industry representative, or other health services person) - are you ready to join the conversation? It's your turn to pull up a seat. Join our new AiArthritis Voices program, where people living with AiArthritis diseases and other stakeholders who we need 'at the table' to solve problems that impact education, advocacy, and research sign up to have a voice in our initiatives. By signing up, you'll get notified of opportunities to be more involved with this show - including submitting post-episode comments and gaining insider information on future show topics. Patients and all other stakeholders are encouraged to join so we can match you with opportunities to pull up a seat and TOGETHER - as equals - solve the problems of today and tomorrow. JOIN TODAY!   AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org).   Episode 64: The office visit - viewpoints from both the patients AND the rheumies! 00:53 - Katie welcomes listeners. 01:20 - Katie is joined today by recurring co-hosts Tiffany, Deb, and Patrice and rheumatologists Dr Al Kim and Dr Jeff Sparks. 01:55 - Today's episode will focus on the challenges of communication between patients and rheumatologists during office visits. 04:28 - What does a doctor plan for in a 10-20 minute visit? 04:34 - Doctors are focusing on maximizing therapeutic use of medications, especially minimizing steroid usage. 05:07 - They then focus on health maintenance issues like cardiovascular disease management. 05:36 - Emotional aspects of living with rheumatic disease or quality of life issues for patients are highly unpredictable and difficult to anticipate, and physicians have limited tools for addressing these concerns. 08:22 - Rheumatologists feel constantly pressed for time because 20 minute appointment slots are never enough time, especially for complex cases, and often the visits don't even receive the full 20 minutes due to outside logistical complications. 09:11 - The top priorities for Jeff are to get a full interval history of how the patient has been doing since the last visit and to make sure the current medication regimen is correct for the patient. 10:33 - Jeff hopes to get to health maintenance issues before the time expires. 11:53 - How do rheumatologists fit conversations about holistic approaches to disease management in that 20 minute appointment model? 12:07 - It's almost impossible to do during the standard appointment, so some doctors are trying to connect patients with other resources like dietitians, physical therapists, or even yoga instructors instead of trying to provide those services themselves. 13:17 - An ideal would be to have a multi-disciplinary center where patients see all the specialists in the same day to receive holistic care, but that doesn't really happen - at least in the American healthcare system. 14:58 - What is the ideal level of preparation for a patient, from the perspective of a rheumatologist? 15:09 - Patients who have 3-10 questions planned in advance, especially when those questions are related to medication regimens or therapeutic plans. 17:24 - Do you have issues with patient compliance with prescribed medications? 18:11 - Patient adherence is definitely an issue, and rheumatologists would rather know if you are not taking your medication and why so they can get you on a medication that will work for you. 19:48 - Rheumatologists are trying to use the term non-concordance in place of compliance or adherence because neither of those terms are consistent with shared decision making principles. 20:02 - Eroded communication between patient and provider is responsible for non-concordance because it leads patients to make their own decisions about certain medications. 24:35 - What are the biggest changes you've seen in rheumatology visits over the course of your career? 24:53 - The changing requirements of documentation for medical records has created an incredible amount of bureaucracy that is not helpful to caring for patients and strips away the humanity of providing medical care. 25:58 - To watch the entirety of this conversation, check out our EULAR debrief video #6 on our YouTube Channel. 26:48 - You can also find any of our previous podcast episodes at aiarthritis.org/talkshow. 26:57 - Please consider donating at aiarthritis.org because we need your support to keep this show and all of our initiatives moving forward. Be sure to check out our top-rated show on Feedspot!  

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast
Episode 63: COVID-19, Vaccinations, Shared-Decision Making, & Rheumy Communications

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2021 28:53


This week join your patient co-hosts, Tiffany Westrich-Robertson, CEO of the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis (AiArthritis), and recurring 2021 patient co-host Deb Constien as they welcome two special guests to the table for a new episode of our Special Series on COVID-19. They are joined today by two practicing adult rheumatologists: Dr. Al Kim ("Al") of the Washington University School of Medicine and Dr. Jeff Sparks ("Jeff") of the Harvard School of Medicine *.  This debrief they focus on sessions that involved communication and office visit needs (patient side and rheumy side), as well as shared-decision making and the evolution of visits to include discussions on comorbidities (and multi-morbidities).  The rheumies also update us on COVID-19 vaccinations and new research.  Jeff received an abstract award at the conference for his research on COVID-19 disease outcomes for patients taking immunosuppressant medications and Al is doing research, led by Washington University, tracking vaccine response in autoimmune patients.  Shared decision making about therapeutic plans, including vaccination, is the other hot topic for the day! The rheumies and our co-hosts dish about the topics on patients' minds including antibodies, boosters, and next steps. And Tiffany gives a special thank you to Janssen Pharmaceuticals for investing in the organizations new initiative to prepare patients to engage in shared decision making about COVID-19 and vaccines.    This special episode was recorded during a EULAR 2021 debrief. You can watch the entire, unedited video recording (that also includes Katie and Patrice) HERE.  While there, watch all of our EULAR 2021 content on our YouTube Channel. *Actually, at minute marker 20 in the full video, Al and Jeff zoom-bombed our patient-led debrief, the first time non-patient stakeholders were invited to the table for this series. But it was about rheumy communication, so why not?!    Now, if you are a patient, a parent of a juvenile patient, or any other stakeholder (doctor, nurse, researcher, industry representative, or other health services person) - are you ready to join the conversation? It's your turn to pull up a seat. Join our new AiArthritis Voices program, where people living with AiArthritis diseases and other stakeholders who we need 'at the table' to solve problems that impact education, advocacy, and research sign up to have a voice in our initiatives. By signing up, you'll get notified of opportunities to be more involved with this show - including submitting post-episode comments and gaining insider information on future show topics. JOIN TODAY!   AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org) to have your seat at the table.   Episode 63: COVID-19, Vaccinations, Shared-Decision Making, & Rheumy Communications 01:37 - Tiffany welcomes listeners. 03:12 - Tiffany is joined today by recurring co-host Deb and rheumatologists Dr Al Kim and Dr Jeff Sparks. 05:16 - Today's episode will focus on COVID-19 vaccinations and new research on COVID-19, as well as the launch of a new AiArthritis initiative to promote shared decision making regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. 07:47 - Thank you to Johnson & Johnson for funding our work on this important initiative.  09:01 - Jeff explains his award-winning research abstract presented at EULAR 2021. 10:33 - Jeff's research found that COVID-19 patients who were taking Rituximab and JAK inhibitors prior to diagnosis had more severe disease courses compared to patients who were not treated with these drugs or were treated with different DMARD or Biologics. 10:58 - This is especially interesting because some trials have shown that JAK inhibitors can be effective in treating COVID-19 in patients who were not taking immunosuppressant medications prior to diagnosis. 13:19 - COVID-19 is a unique disease in that it creates a second stage inflammatory state where immunosuppressants can be helpful in preventing death and facilitating recovery. 13:48 - Research from Yale shows that a patient's ability to produce antibodies effectively in the early stage of the disease is crucial to preventing the more serious form of the disease, so patients taking immunosuppressants have an increased risk of developing severe COVID even though these drugs are helpful in treating the disease in the second stage. 15:32 - AiArthritis (in conjunction with EULAR PARE) just launched the Pathway of Patient Engagement in Rheumatology Research, which features Jeff's research abstract. 16:32 - What should patients be preparing for before their rheumatology appointments as new information about COVID-19 and vaccines continues to develop? 17:00 - Al still thinks that testing patients for antibodies doesn't make sense because antibody status is not actionable information from the rheumatologist's perspective. 17:47 - Prophylactic monoclonal antibodies are substantially restricted because they have only been approved under an Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, so your rheumatologist cannot just prescribe them for you because your vaccine did not yield COVID-19 antibodies. 18:05 - Booster shots for COVID-19 have also not been approved by the FDA yet, so some patients are lying about their vaccination status to get a second set of shots.  Please note that neither AiArthritis nor the rheumatologists appearing in this episode recommend this course of action. 22:21 - Rituximab is generally considered to be a very safe drug, but it elevates risk for patients with COVID-19. 23:06 - This raises questions for doctors about whether they should continue prescribing it in light of the risk that patients may be facing from COVID-19. 23:15 - It will be very important for patients to engage in shared decision making with regard to drugs that elevate COVID-19 risks. 24:11 - Special thanks to Janssen Pharmaceuticals for their support in funding our work on promoting shared decision and helping patients with regard to COVID-19 vaccination decisions. 26:36 - To watch the entirety of this conversation, check out our EULAR debrief video #6 on our YouTube Channel. 26:55 - If you are interested in going to conferences with us, find out how you could attend a conference with us at aiarthritis.org/conferences. 27:11 - You can also find any of our previous podcast episodes at aiarthritis.org/talkshow. 27:17 - Please consider donating at aiarthritis.org because we need your support to keep this show and all of our initiatives moving forward. 27:54 - Tiffany thanks listeners for their support.   Links discussed in this debrief: 2021 EULAR recommendations for the implementation of self-management strategies in patients with inflammatory arthritis - https://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2021/06/13/annrheumdis-2021-220249 Exploring intentional medication non-adherence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the role of physician-patient interactions - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33604502/ Associations of baseline use of biologic or targeted synthetic DMARDs with COVID-19 severity in rheumatoid arthritis: Results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance physician registry - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34049860/ Glucocorticoids and B Cell Depleting Agents Substantially Impair Immunogenicity of mRNA Vaccines to SARS-CoV-2 - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.05.21254656v2.full.pdf Learn more about the Pathway of Patient Engagement in Rheumatology Research: www.rheumactioncouncil.org/pathway   Be sure to check out our top-rated show on Feedspot!  

Rheumnow Podcast
RNL 2021 - Interstitial Lung Disease in RA: Dr. Jeff Sparks

Rheumnow Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 43:26


RNL 2021 - Interstitial Lung Disease in RA: Dr. Jeff Sparks by Dr. Cush

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast
Episode 57: RheumyRounds Special Airing - COVID-19 & Vaccinations Communication, Education, & Shared-Decision Making

AiArthritis Voices 360 Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2021 67:02


This week join your patient co-hosts, Tiffany Westrich-Robertson, CEO of the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis, and Kelly Conway, co-founder of AiArthritis and author of the popular blog As My Joints Turn: My Autoimmune Soap Opera, as they welcome three special guests to the table for a new episode of the Voices 360 Special Series: Rheumy Rounds. They are joined today by three practicing adult rheumatologists: Dr. Al Kim of the Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Vibeke Strand of the Stanford University School of Medicine, and Dr. Jeff Sparks of the Harvard School of Medicine. In this special episode of Rheumy Rounds, they discuss patient and rheumatologist vaccination hesitation and key education points, while providing insights to assess benefits and risks and promote shared-decision making strategies. On February 10, 2021 the American College of Rheumatology published clinical guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations which suggests that all rheumatic disease patients should be vaccinated for COVID-19 and provided very specific recommendations regarding modifications needed - if any - to immunosuppressive therapies before and after vaccination. But most patients don’t read press releases from ACR. Not all patients will have an appointment with their rheumatologist between February 10th and the date they may be eligible or able to receive the vaccine in their specific location. This round table discussion seeks to prepare all stakeholders to participate in effective shared decision making conversations between patient and provider so that all members of the community can make the best decision for their own health, as well as the best decision for their families. So pull up a chair as these three rheumatologists answer patient-provided questions about vaccine efficacy, side-effects, availability, and much more. Then consider getting involved. The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance is seeking participants for their survey on how the pandemic has impacted rheumatic disease patients. If you are an adult patient living with an AiArthritis disease, or the parent of a juvenile patient, you can sign up to participate in the survey here. But don’t stop there! We also want to hear from you. Reach out to us on social media (@ifAiArthritis on all platforms) or via email (to podcast@aiarthritis.org) and give us your insight on this critical question: how can we get more information to patients about the vaccine and the ACR guidance to facilitate shared decision-making? Now, if you are a patient, a parent of a juvenile patient, or any other stakeholder (doctor, nurse, researcher, industry representative, or other health services person) - are you ready to join the conversation? It's your turn to pull up a seat! Join Tiffany, Kelly, and all the other recurring Voices 360 co-hosts to continue this conversation inside our new, coordinating AiArthritis Voices online community - where patients unite with others around the world to talk, learn, and connect.    JOIN TODAY!   AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/podcast. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org) to have your seat at the table.     RheumyRounds is a concept developed by AiArthritis to bring rheumatology professionals & persons affected by AiArthritis diseases to the same table, as equals, to discuss important community topics that, if solved, would improve communication and positively impact outcomes.  https://www.aiarthritis.org/rheumyrounds   ________________________________________________________________________ Disclaimer: This is meant to be informative, but not to provide medical advice.  Every person living with AiArthritis diseases must make vaccination choices based on their self-education then contact their rheumatologist or practicing physician and determine a solution together (shared-decision making). It is important you determine the best course of action for YOU, based on your own individual health situation. ___________________________________________________________________________ Episode 56 - Rheumy Rounds: Vaccination Hesitation   00:53 - Tiffany welcomes listeners. 01:56 - Tiffany welcomes her fellow patient co-host and co-founder of AiArthritis, Kelly Conway, and special guests Dr. Al Kim, Dr. Vibeke Strand, and Dr. Jeff Sparks. 02:28 - Dr. Al Kim is an adult rheumatologist at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO and the founder and co-director of the Lupus Clinic.  02:47 - Dr. Vibeke Strand is an adult rheumatologist and a member of the faculty at Stanford University Division of Immunology / Rheumatology, as well as a consultant in new product development in rheumatology.  03:32 - Dr. Jeff Sparks is an adult rheumatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.  04:22 - The idea of the AiArthritis Talk Show is to bring stakeholders to the table for a roundtable discussion, not to conduct interviews. 07:46 - The American College of Rheumatology put out clinical guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations which suggests that all rheumatic patients should be vaccinated for COVID-19 and that all medications rheumatic patients take should be continued with very few exceptions (listed in the document) because controlled disease and avoidance of flares is better for the patient when receiving the vaccine. 10:32 - Some patients are stuck in a misinformation limbo where they were told not to get the vaccine by their doctor before the ACR guidance was put out, but they have not heard that the information has changed. 11:00 - Have you seen any hesitancy among rheumatologists to recommend patients receive the COVID-19 vaccine? 11:18 - Dr. Kim has not seen any of his colleagues in St. Louis tell patients not to get the vaccine, but he thinks they may be in a privileged bubble because of their proximity to the medical school. 12:05 - Rheumatologists normally have control over whether their patients receive a vaccine, but with the COVID-19 vaccine they may not even be consulted by their patients in making the decision. Dr. Sparks says most of his patients seem eager to get the vaccine. 12:53 - Patients are reaching out to their rheumatologists about when they will be able to receive the vaccine, but most states are not prioritizing rheumatic patients for vaccination which causes frustration for both patients and their physicians. 13:19 - Dr. Strand thinks that the reliance on Telehealth appointments may also be limiting the amount of information patients are getting from their rheumatologists. 13:47 - Social media is the source of news for many people, which is a blessing and a curse because it opens up access to lots of information - including misinformation. 14:24 - The weather has also caused a lot of delays in vaccine access for many patients in the US. 15:17 - What if my second dose of the vaccine is delayed beyond the due date?  16:32 - Because of the way the immune system functions, it should be fine to get the second dose a week or even two weeks late. 16:54 - If I have to miss my second dose appointment, can I just make an appointment at a different location and get a different vaccine for my second dose? 17:24 - The vaccines are shipped in paired doses, and your second dose is usually reserved for you. You need to receive your reserved dose so that it doesn’t go to waste. Also there have been no tests on patients receiving one dose each of two different vaccines. It’s very important to receive the second dose that was reserved for you. 18:20 - Data from Israel is showing that vaccinated patients may not be carrying or shedding the virus at the same rate as unvaccinated people. 18:56 - Will my rheumatologist be checking in some way to see if I have an antibody response to the vaccine? 19:10 - No, because that information is not clinically actionable. We can’t do anything with that information, so there’s no reason to subject the patient to a test. We also can’t order the ingredients from the vaccine that would be necessary to test the patient for the presence of antibodies. 20:05 - The antibody response is also not the only thing that determines if a vaccine works for a patient. So even if we could test it, the information would not tell us the whole picture. 21:18 - A lot of the hesitancy Dr. Kim has seen has been coming from patients, either because they are concerned that the vaccine will destabilize their disease; they feel like social distancing is working fine for them; or they want to wait for more information before getting the vaccine. 23:36 - Kelly reports that many patients are claiming that the Pfizer vaccine has fewer side-effects than the Moderna vaccine, which is not true. 24:35 - It is important that patients get both doses from the same type of vaccine (2 doses of Pfizer, 2 doses of Moderna, etc.). 24:56 - Because of the lack of available vaccine doses, patients may not be able to choose which brand of vaccine they get. Is this a problem? 25:18 - There are many reasons patients may be hesitant to get the vaccine, and doctors need to try to understand those reasons in order to help those patients. 26:40 - Patients around the world have access to different vaccines than people here in the US. Eventually American people may have access to more than just the mRNA vaccines, and that may impact patient choice as well. 27:12 - The two mRNA vaccines - Moderna and Pfizer - behave very similarly. Some people have reactions to the vaccine, particularly the second dose, from either brand. 27:25 - Having allergies is not likely to cause you to have an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine because the agent that they believe is causing those reactions is a common ingredient in household substances and foods. 27:54 - It’s extremely unlikely (less than 1% chance) that you will have an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine. 28:38 - It is very easy to view the ingredients for the vaccines and compare the list to your known allergies. 29:05 - Having a bad vaccine reaction in the past does not mean you will have a bad reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, and you’re much more likely to have a bad reaction to the COVID-19 virus than to the vaccine. 29:25 - The mRNA vaccines are very safe. 29:44 - Does it make sense to try and wait for a specific brand vaccine with a 95% effectiveness rate instead of one with an 85% effectiveness rate? 30:18 - Most vaccines have effectiveness rates of 50-70%, so all of the COVID-19 vaccines have efficacy rates higher than that. 31:12 - Those numbers are based on antibody responses, which don’t even reflect the entire response to the vaccine. All of the vaccines approved by the FDA are effective and safe. 31:59 - The vaccines are so hard to get right now that if you are offered a COVID-19 vaccine, you should get it regardless of what brand it is. 34:08 - Is there anything else our listeners should know about getting the vaccine? 34:28 - Many people with rheumatic diseases have autoantibodies, so people were worried that an mRNA vaccine could stimulate an autoantibody response. The data with COVID-19 and the vaccine suggests that it’s still much safer for rheumatic patients to get the vaccine than to get the virus. It doesn’t matter if you have autoantibodies. We still want you to have the vaccine so that you don’t get the virus. 35:39 - The phase III clinical trials for both Moderna and Pfizer were the largest clinical trials for any vaccine ever. The results should reassure all of us that these vaccines are safe and effective. 36:44 - We will still need to wear masks after receiving the vaccination until the pandemic ends.  37:14 - How can we as a community assess barriers and benefits of getting the vaccine?  How does that impact shared decision-making? 38:25 - Patients need to discuss 3 things with their rheumies:  what are your specific risks for getting the infection? Do you have comorbidities that elevate your risk for complications from the virus? What is your risk for infecting others? All of these questions should impact your decision to get the vaccine. 39:50 - The patient’s specific concerns should really influence the conversation the physician is having. Someone who is eager to get the vaccine should be having a very different discussion compared to someone who is concerned about getting the vaccine. 40:23 - The ACR guidance document states clearly that the benefits outweigh the risks, and all rheumatic patients should get the vaccine. 41:16 - Many patients just want to hear about the basics of the vaccine, but not all of their physicians have all of the information to have informed discussions with their patients. 42:10 - What happens if some rheumatologists refuse to endorse the ACR guidelines and continue to discourage their patients from receiving the vaccine? Should patients still pursue shared decision-making with a doctor who is not complying with ACR?  42:33 - Now that there is an official guidance document from ACR, hopefully everyone can utilize that to support those conversations. 43:22 - Are the ACR guidelines useful for rheumatologists in other countries that may not even be using the mRNA vaccine? 43:47 - The ACR guidelines are very relevant because the guidance is drawn from studying previous vaccines, not the mRNA vaccines specifically. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an mRNA vaccine or where the doctor is located, the science is the same. 45:15 - There are discordances among guidances issued by different organizations. The National Psoriasis Foundation recommended that most patients should continue biologic or oral therapy when receiving their vaccines, but they did not offer any specifics. The ACR guidance did offer specific guidance for psoriatic arthritis patients about biologic usage and the vaccine.  47:04 - We don’t really know the answer for sure about what patients should do with regard to their medications and the COVID-19 vaccine, but the vaccine is so effective that whatever you decide with your doctor should be fine. 48:39 - We don’t have any lab test to measure the efficacy of the vaccine for an individual patient because we don’t know what antibody titer would convey protection against the virus. 50:00 - There are already a large population of people who reject vaccines outright, and then they see news stories that focus on misleading interpretations of data. The ACR guidelines offer clarity and impartial information to patients trying to juggle multiple opinions and information sources to decide what is best for themselves and their families. 52:23 - What can we do to get the ACR guidance information in front of the patients who need it to make the best decision for their health? 53:27 - Disenfranchised patients in particular may not want to hear from their physicians at all. That’s one benefit to operating the vaccination clinics through community health centers. 56:30 - How can patients get involved with clinical research about COVID-19 vaccines? 56:43 - Dr. Kim is expecting to report preliminary data in 2-3 weeks on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine response in patients on immunosuppressants.  1:00:10 - Rheumatic disease patients and parents of juvenile patients can participate in a survey with the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance to help researchers understand the impact of the pandemic on rheumatic disease patients. 1:01:33 - Tiffany thanks Kelly, Dr. Kim, Dr. Strand, and Dr. Sparks for participating in this important episode. 1:02:29 - We want to hear from you on social media, especially Twitter where the rheumatologists are active. We are @IFAiArthritis on all platforms. How can we get more information to patients about the vaccine and the ACR guidance to facilitate shared decision-making? 1:02:50 - Visit aiarthritis.org/rheumyrounds to participate in a survey about your opinions on all of the topics we discussed today. 1:03:13 - If you are a practicing rheumatologist and would like to get involved in a future episode of Rheumy Rounds, there is a link where you can sign up to do that, and we would love to have your input. 1:03:32 - Find Dr. Kim on Twitter @AlHKim where he recommends that all patients receive these safe and effective vaccines. 1:04:07 - Find Dr. Sparks on Twitter @ JeffSparks where he encourages patients to discuss any concerns they may have about the vaccine with their doctor so that they will feel comfortable getting this safe and effective vaccine. 1:04:32 - Dr. Strand wants to remind everyone that the vaccinations are safe and very effective, and this is our best chance at going back to living life as we should be. 1:05:46 - Visit aiarthritis.org/vaccinations to get your questions about vaccines addressed personally. Be sure to check out our top-rated show on Feedspot!  

Illinois News Now
Dr Jeff Sparks, McDonough District Hospital

Illinois News Now

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 8:50


Dr. Jeff Sparks, president of the McDonough District Hospital Medical Staff, called WLMD's AM Macomb to talk about the loosening of guidelines for COVID-19 testing.

Permian Perspective Podcast
Jeff Sparks on Permian Perspective – PP027

Permian Perspective Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 35:01


Welcome to the Permian Perspective Podcast. In this episode, Krista sits with Jeff Sparks, Chief Operating Officer of Discovery Operating Inc. Jeff sits down with Krista and talks a little more about the family operating company, Discovery Inc. and his time in the Oil and Gas industry.  Leave a Review Enjoy listening? Support the show by leaving a review in iTunes. Street Team If you're interested in joining the street team, join our Facebook Group here.    Upcoming Events Dug Midcontinent Conference and Exhibition FLNG World Congress Algeria Oil & Gas Summit  Marcellus-Utica Midstream Conference and Exhibition   OGGN is always accepting Happy Hour sponsors.  If you would like to get your company in front of our large young, professional audience, reach out to our Project Coordinator, Brooke Omachel by e-mail. More Oil and Gas Global Network Podcasts Oil and Gas This Week Podcast | Oil and Gas HS&E Podcast | Oil and Gas Startups Podcast | Oil and Gas Industry Leaders | Oil and Gas Legal Risk | Oil and Gas Onshore Engage with Oil and Gas Global Network LinkedIn G   roup | Facebook | modalpoint | Lean Oilfield | WellHub Connect with Krista Escamilla LinkedIn| E-Mail | Oil and Gas Global Network | Rig-ID Workwear Vivek Lohia of Tarasafe on Permian Perspective - PP018

gas oil chief operating officer happy hour project coordinator more oil jeff sparks gas this week podcast oil permian perspective
Permian Perspective Podcast
Jeff Sparks on Permian Perspective – PP027

Permian Perspective Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 35:01


Welcome to the Permian Perspective Podcast. In this episode, Krista sits with Jeff Sparks, Chief Operating Officer of Discovery Operating Inc. Jeff sits down with Krista and talks a little more about the family operating company, Discovery Inc. and his time in the Oil and Gas industry.  Leave a Review Enjoy listening? Support the show by leaving a review in iTunes. Street Team If you're interested in joining the street team, join our Facebook Group here.    Upcoming Events Dug Midcontinent Conference and Exhibition FLNG World Congress Algeria Oil & Gas Summit  Marcellus-Utica Midstream Conference and Exhibition   OGGN is always accepting Happy Hour sponsors.  If you would like to get your company in front of our large young, professional audience, reach out to our Project Coordinator, Brooke Omachel by e-mail. More Oil and Gas Global Network Podcasts Oil and Gas This Week Podcast | Oil and Gas HS&E Podcast | Oil and Gas Startups Podcast | Oil and Gas Industry Leaders | Oil and Gas Legal Risk | Oil and Gas Onshore Engage with Oil and Gas Global Network LinkedIn G   roup | Facebook | modalpoint | Lean Oilfield | WellHub Connect with Krista Escamilla LinkedIn| E-Mail | Oil and Gas Global Network | Rig-ID Workwear Vivek Lohia of Tarasafe on Permian Perspective - PP018

Big Gay Fiction Podcast
Ep 186: "Murder Most Lovely" with Hank Edwards & Deanna Wadsworth

Big Gay Fiction Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2019 59:54


The guys talk about having more books than shelf space and also their upcoming 24th anniversary. Will reviews An Easter Promise by A E Ryecart. Jeff reviews Play It Again by Aidan Wayne. Jeff interviews Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth about their collaboration, Murder Most Lovely, the first in the Lacetown Murder Mysteries series. They talk about how they came up with the book, their process for co-writing and what’s still to come in the series. We also find out what’s coming up for each of them in 2019. Complete shownotes for episode 186 along with a transcript of the interview are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. Here’s the text of this week’s book reviews: An Easter Promise by AE Ryecart. Reviewed by Will. This is the continuing story of Rory and Jack, who we first met in the holiday story, A Kiss Before Christmas. In that story, Jack finds the homeless Rory huddled on his doorstep and offers him a place to stay. As they learn more about one another, Jack asks Rory to pose as his fake boyfriend when he goes home for the holidays. An unexpectedly severe winter storm prevents them from that trip, but in the few days they’ve been together they’ve fallen in love. I read A Kiss Before Christmas last year, and I still highly recommend it. In An Easter Promise, it’s now Spring and our two heroes are finally making the trip to visit Jack’s family in his ancestral manor house in the countryside. This is a particularly nerve-wracking experience for Rory, whose childhood couldn’t have been more different than Jack’s well-heeled upbringing. Things go relatively well as Jack shows Rory around the expansive estate, but they then get frosty when Jack’s mom makes it clear that she believes that Rory is after her son’s money. Gold-digging accusations aside, as a favor to her, Rory steps in as a last-minute contestant in the Best Bake competition at the village festival. Though his brownies were obviously the best, he doesn’t win. Afterward, Jack announces that he and his culinarily gifted boyfriend are going into business together and are opening a bakery. This once again raises the suspicion that Rory is only after Jack for his money, causing a major rift in family relations. Jack tells his mom where she can stick her suspicions, and is ready to return to London, but when Rory takes the family dog for a walk, he gets lost on the moors in a sudden storm. If reading fiction set in the U.K. has taught me anything, it’s that going for a walk on the moors is always a bad idea. The family organizes a search party and journeys into the dark night to find Rory. He is eventually found, and Jack makes amends with his parents. Flash forward a few months to the opening of the bakery and the beginning of a new chapter for our romantic heroes. I really like both of the stories featuring Rory and Jack and sincerely hope that this isn’t the last that we’ll see of them. The opening of the bakery certainly presents several new story possibilities. A.E. Ryecart, if you’re reading this, I’m a fan and a series set in this world would be greatly appreciated. Play It Again by Aidan Wayne. Reviewed by Jeff. I was completely delighted by new-to-me author Aidan Wayne’s Play It Again. Part of what drew me in initially is that part of it relates to what we do here on the podcast. Dovid is a YouTuber alongside his sister Rachel. They run a channel called Don’t Look Now. Among the things they do is review eateries in Seattle for how accessible they are because Dovid is blind. They also interact with their fans, go on trips, open mystery boxes–it’s the full YouTube gambit. Over in Ireland, Sam runs a Let’s Play channel where he plays a popular videogame. Rachel and Dovid become obsessed with Sam’s channel because of his easy-going, fun delivery. Dovid calls out Sam’s channel in an episode and sends Sam’s subscriber count through the roof and when Sam contacts Dovid to thank him they end up talking frequently. Dovid and Sam are single–but as I mentioned live on opposite sides of the globe. Neither of them, quite cutely, realizes how flirty they’re being as they message each other. Initially Dovid offers Sam advice on how to manage his new subscribers and ways to grow his channel but as they move beyond that and get to know each other the realization comes that perhaps there’s more there. This isn’t the first book I’ve read that relies heavily on text messages, instant messenger, email and so on. I loved how these wove into the story. There’s a good deal of, what I’ll call, regular storytelling too, coming from both points of view. Dovid and Sam have quite a lot internal dialogue about their growing predicament. Just getting time to talk on the phone is a challenge with the nine hour difference between them. It doesn’t stop them though from being ridiculously cute and challenging themselves to let this relationship go through its formative stages without being in the same physical location. Of course, the guys have to get together and that happens when Dovid and Rachel had the chance to do a European tour, which includes Ireland. As much as Dovid and Sam questioned themselves as they did the long distance thing, the jitters ratchet up as they meet. Aidan does a great job of showing the hesitancy–from Dovid wanting everything to be perfect to Sam wondering if he’s worthy of Dovid. Sam comes from a family where he was put down a lot and Dovid goes into protector mode when Sam talks about this, which is incredibly touching and sexy. For all the exploration they did via email, the time they spend together in Ireland really made me appreciate the romance that Aidan spun even more. They’d bonded so much before, they almost fall into old married couple mode with how they try to take care of each other. Dovid is particularly mindful of Sam’s asexuality and makes sure Sam isn’t doing anything he doesn’t want to do. It’s wonderful to see two such diverse characters finding their happy. Speaking if the HEA, I’d wondered how it would manifest in a book where the two characters spend probably eighty percent of the book on separate continents. I adored how Aidan brought Sam and Dovid together. I would love to see more in this universe to know how Dovid and Sam are getting on. Besides the wonderful romance, I loved the attention to detail that Aidan put into showing the work Dovid and Rachel do on their channel. From the talk of creating Patreon campaigns to managing social media and how to interact with the audience, I enjoyed it and I don’t think it’s too much for people who don’t do this kind of thing. Another excellent detail, Dovid and Rachel receive a package from a fan in Michigan–it contained Faygo Red Pop and Mackinac Island fudge, two childhood favorites that made me smile and gave me cravings! So, in case you haven’t figured it out, I totally recommend Play it Again by Aidan Wayne. I’m also looking forward to their upcoming book, Hitting the Mark, which comes out at the end of May. This interview transcript is sponsored by Dreamspinner PressDreamspinner Press is proud to publish this week’s guests Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth and their new book Murder Most Lovely. Check it out, and all the new mystery and suspense titles from your favorite authors like Amy Lane, KC Wells, Tara Lain, and Rhys Ford, just to name a few, and find a new favorite author while you’re at it. Go to dreamspinnerpress.com for everything you want in gay romance. Jeff: Welcome to the podcast, Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth. Deanna: Hello. Jeff: Thanks for being here. Hank: Thanks for hosting us. Jeff: You guys have written a book together… Deanna: We did. Jeff: …which is super cool. April 30, which is the day after this comes out, you’re releasing the first book in the “Lacetown Murder Mysteries” called “Murder Most Lovely.” Tell us about this new series. What is the scoop? Deanna: Who wants to go first? Hank: Deanna? You go first. Deanna: Okay, I’ll go first. So like a year ago I went out to dinner with my husband, had some cocktails and at like 11:00 at night after having like wonderful conversations in my brain with myself because I think I’m clever, I messaged Hank, and I said, “Dude, we need to write a book together.” And he’s like, “We should.” And then we did. Hank: I might have had some cocktails that night too. I can’t remember. Deanna: You may have. Hank: Might have. Deanna: And it was, “Yeah, we should,” kind of moment. And we didn’t really know where it was going. Hank: We had no idea. Deanna: What’s that? Hank: We had no idea, like nothing. That was just the random start of things. “We should do a book.” We didn’t have an idea or anything. Deanna: It was a completely inane, “Dude, we should write a book together,” kind of moment. And then seriously, the next day, we had some conversations like, “What should it be? Superhero?” And then we just kind of like spitted ideas back and forth. And Hank was like, “We would write the fuck out of a rom-com.” Am I allowed to say fuck? Jeff: Yes, you are. We’ll put a little explicit logo on the episode and you can cuss as much as you want. Deanna: So he was like, “We would write the fuck out of a rom-com.” And I’m like, “We would.” And then we’re like, “What should it be?” And we just spitballed ideas back and forth. Like, I mean, literally, like there was probably like 30 or 40, like, things we shot back and forth at each other. And then Hank picked on two of them. And he’s like, “I love the idea of a mortician and a hairdresser.” Then we ran with it. Hank: Yeah, and we just ran with it. And it just started writing. I mean, we didn’t plan, like, “You take one chapter.” What we did was each of us wrote up a character bio and sent it to each other. And so I wrote up… Deanna: It was so great. Hank: You what? Deanna: It was so great, like blind dates for our character. Hank: It was. It was really fun. So you had Michael, right, and I had Jazz. Deanna: Yeah, you made Jazz. So tell us about Jazz. Hank: So Jazz is very sassy and very snarky. And he’s a talented hairstylist and he’s uprooted his life after separating from his husband, who is a best-selling novelist and mystery novelist. And so he’s moved to this small town on the coast of Lake Michigan in Michigan. And some Michigan love there, Jeff. Yes. Jeff: I love that. Hank: Yes, always. And so he’s starting over and he’s just trying to kind of like rebuild and he works at a fun little salon but he’s kind of, he’s 49 but he tells people he’s 41 and… Deanna: He tell’s people he’s 35, remember? Hank: And he tries that too. Deanna: He totally lies about his age. He says he’s 35. Hank: We had, our editor actually called us up and she was like, “Is this right?” Because he shouldn’t have been around back then. Jazz lies about his age. Deanna: He’s almost 50 but he says he’s 35. Hank: Right. So that’s how that started. And then she brought up Michael. Deanna: Yeah. Hank created Jazz, the hairdresser, which is funny because I actually legitimately am a hairdresser in real life. But when we were talking, Hank had said, “I’ve always wanted to write a hairdresser.” I’m like, “You take the hairdresser. Run with it.” And then I took the mortician, which sounded really great and exciting. And after dozens of Google search, Google decided that I obviously want to be a coroner and mortician and they send me casket ads, but yeah, whatever. So I created a…it was fun because Hank created Jazz, this sassy, almost-50 hairdresser who’s super sarcastic, he’s got long honey blonde hair and super stylish and wears eyeliner and he’s really sassy and he has a big potty mouth. Hank: Oh, yeah. Deanna: Oh, he does. And then I didn’t know who Hank was creating when we came upon this conversation. It was very much, “Hey, you pick your guy. I’ll pick my guy. We’ll see what happens. And I made Michael Fleishman who is a 42-year-old, very uptight, very socially awkward Jewish guy who runs the local funeral home and he’s also the county coroner to our fake county…is it Carver County? Hank: Carver County, yeah. Deanna: Carver County on Lake Michigan, which is sort of like in somewhere between, I don’t know… Hank: Like Saugatuck and… Deanna: Saugatuck and… Hank: Yeah, Muskegon. Deanna: Muskegon, somewhere, a fake county in between there and he’s the county coroner. He’s very uptight and super horny and has this like hilarious like sexual imagination but he’s really reserved and he is obsessed with mystery novels. And he goes to a bookstore in Lacetown, which is our fictional town on Lake Michigan, during a literary festival to meet his favorite also author, Russell Withingham, which happens to be Jazz’s husband. They’re separated but they’re not divorced yet. Hank: And that’s the meet-cute. Jeff: Wow. Hank: I know, right? Deanna: Total rom-com, meet and greet during the rain under an umbrella, cute scene. Until Jazz gets his little…I mean, he really worries Michael thinks he’s a bitchy queen and he kind of is. He’s totally the queen. Hank: He’s really fun to write. Deanna: It’s so fun. Jeff: So when you got these characters who are obviously really opposite to each other, you could just hear it in the bios, what was it like to mash them together? Hank: Oh, man. Jeff: Sparks had to have flown off the pages. Hank: Oh, yes, right away. It was really fun. The first chapter is their meet-cute. And we had…I mean, we do a lot of like editing, right? So we’ll write the first pass and we’ll talk about it. We message a lot during the day and stuff like that, talk about where we want to go with things. And then we use Google Docs to write together. Yeah, so that was a lot of fun to just see the whole creation of it and like set up that setting and understand how they were going to meet and how that was going to go and how Michael would be so taken with Jazz at first sight. It was really fun. Deanna: Totally. Like, “Oh, you’re so handsome. Why is he talking to me?” Hank: That’s really fun. Jeff: And of course you’ve got the mystery element in this too. So rom-com mystery, which trying to think, I haven’t necessarily seen that kind of combo a lot because there’s straight up romantic suspense, of course. And then there’s like cozy mystery and maybe this ekes a little towards that with the rom-com–iness. But did you know that this was going to be like something to go for? Or did you just like mash these two elements together and say, “This thing…” Deanna: We thought about doing like a film noir concept, like a 1940s film. But see, that’s the thing. Like when Hank and I started writing, we didn’t have a direction. We were very much open to anything. And it was sort of like he created Jazz, I created Michael. We knew we wanted a murder. We knew we wanted it to be like… Hank: We wanted a murder. The murder got pretty gruesome too. I was really shocked. Deanna: Yeah, we wanted some things but then as we began to write it, it began to have elements of a real murder. So like our sheriff is blustering and funny. And Michael has his kitty cat, the little Mr. Pickles. Hank: Mr. Pickles. Deanna: Mr. Pickles, the fat, black-and-white kitty, which my dog is growling at right now. Jeff: Which we should note, for the people who may not be watching the video, Deanna just held up this stuffed kitty. And you’re going to be giving these away at GRL in a few months. Deanna: Yes, we have a few couple. So like when we created the story, I guess maybe other people with their writing collaborations might be different than we were. But Hank and I were not in a competition with each other. We were not like…we just knew we were going to have fun because we like each other and we know each other personally. And we were just like, “Let’s have fun with this.” And there was no like obsessive competition with like, “I don’t like the storyline.” Or, “I like this.” It was just sort of like, “What do you want to do? Okay, that sounds fun.” And we both ran with it. And we ended up developing this city on Lake Michigan and this little town and these little side characters. Jeff: Let’s talk about the mystery side of it. Who is dead? Deanna: Oh, yes, the mystery side of it. That’s right. So I’ll talk and then I’ll let Hank talk because I’ve been blabbering too long. So we decided we wanted it to be, like, film noir idea. And then it became like a legitimate murder mystery where there is a dead body and it’s gruesome and it’s creepy and it’s sad. And there’s like some crazy shit happening. And there’s like cops that need to come in. And there’s like a real mystery. And there’s actually a couple side mysteries that are happening over the book arc of the next two novels, novel two of which we will be submitting in the morning. We would have submitted it today but I’m being a typo psycho. I am. I’m a typo psycho. Hank: She’s finding a lot of good stuff, though. I like the changes. So, yeah. So the murder actually got more gruesome than I was anticipating. We were like, “Let’s go.” “Wait, do we want to go?” “Yeah, let’s do it. Let’s do it.” So it’s…do we want to say who it is? I mean, it happens early on. So I don’t think it’s a spoiler, right? Deanna: Oh, I don’t know. Why don’t we just talk about how creepy the murder is. Hank: Okay, we’ll just leave it just like that. Deanna: Not who is murdered. Hank: Someone’s murdered and maybe their hands are missing. Deanna: Or chopped off. Jeff: Oh, wow. Hank: So, yeah, that’s kind of… Jeff: That’s more gruesome than I expect in a rom-com. Hank: I know. Jeff: I’ll say that. Deanna: Oh, wait ’till you hear about the serial killer. Wait, that was a spoiler. I didn’t say it. Hank: But in the first book… Jeff: Is that a spoiler that we’re leaving in or a spoiler that we’re taking out? Deanna: We’re leaving it in but we’re not gonna respond about it. Jeff: Fair enough. Hank: That’s right. Jeff: A little breaking news there for the podcast that we will not do follow-up questions on. You were saying, Hank, on this murder. Hank: So yeah, so it was gruesome. And then there’s the discovery. But Michael is kind of, you know, he can’t help but be a little excited about it because it’s his first murder because he’s a small town, county coroner. And the only… Deanna: He’s not only a mortician. He’s the county coroner too. Hank: Right. So it’s up to him now to, like, investigate it. He’s never had a murder like this. He’s had a murder but they knew the victim and the attacker. So this is completely new for him. And he reads murder like mystery novels, so he’s really excited about it. So he’s, like, starting to play, like, detective. And then the sheriff is kind of, you know, like all blustering and yelling at him like, “Fleishman. Dilworth.” You know, that’s Jazz’s last name, Jazz Dilworth and he like calls everybody their last name and yells at them. And they’re always a suspect, so, “Don’t leave town.” Deanna: Everyone is a suspect until Musgrave says they’re not a suspect. Hank: “Don’t leave town.” Yeah. Sheriff Musgrave. Jeff: So if I understood correctly, you kind of just created this on the fly. Hank: Yep. Deanna: Totally. Jeff: For both the romance and the mystery? Deanna: Totally. Jeff: How did that play out in like the day-to-day writing? Because I can’t even like imagine having co-written something that there wasn’t more of a plan to it. Hank [softly]: I know! Deanna: How did it go? Hank: Actually it went smoother than I expected. Deanna: It was so much fun. Hank: Yeah. And it was a lot of fun because we chatted a lot on Facebook Messenger. And we’d text and we call each other now and then. We’d have conversations, phone conversations, and we’d plan out where we wanted things to go. And then one of us would say, “Okay, I’ll do this and then you can write that.” And then we just kind of took it. And then it was really fun because like you’d go through and you’d read…you know, how you like read through what you’ve written and it’s somebody else has written something new and you’re like, “Wow, this is like a whole new story.” Like you don’t know what you’re reading, you don’t know anything of what to expect. So it was really fun. Deanna: So awesome because, like, first, I gotta say, writing with Hank Edwards has been a pleasure. Because not only is he a great writer and like stupid funny, like so funny, I can’t even tell you how many times he writes something and I’m just like…laughing. But he and I are not…we’re not competitive individuals. We’re not like jumping into this, like, “Well, this is what I want. This is what I want.” It was so easy, where it was just like we just…Hank created Jazz and then Jazz has this profile that we went with. I created Michael and we had this profile we went with. He and I created an exterior mystery that happened to them. But because he created such a good profile and I just created such a strong profile, both of us knew who Michael and who Jazz were. And then it was like, “Well, Michael wouldn’t do that,” or, “Jazz wouldn’t say that.” And we didn’t like try to, like, undermine the other person. I don’t know. I just feel really blessed. I love you. I just feel blessed to be able to write a story with someone who is so easy and so fun and our sense of humor is both very similar and darkly twisted and inappropriate, like we both knew when our editor was gonna go, “Mm-mm. No.” Hank: I told her several times, I’m like, “This is gonna get cut out and you put it in and it’s gonna get cut out. I’m telling you right now.” And she’s like, “I want to leave it in.” I’m like, “Okay, but it’s gonna get cut.” And it did. Deanna: And I’m like, “They’re not gonna let us use the C-word.” And he’s like, “Maybe they will.” No, they didn’t. But it was so much…I don’t know. It was just one of those things that were really easy because Hank is so fun to work with. It was just easy. I mean, not that writing and editing is easy. But even as we went through the process, there would be scenes…we each knew where the scene was going to go. We knew what scene was going to happen next. And if it was…because our work…he’s very typical 9:00 to 5:00 work schedule, Monday through Friday, and I am Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 8:00, those four days. So like he would do all the stuff Wednesday through Saturday and then I’d open it up on Sunday, and then I’d do all the stuff Sunday to Tuesday. And then it wasn’t like we were fixing or changing each other’s work. It was like, “Oh, that’s a great scene.” And then I would add to it. And then he would take my scene and add to it. And it was just like layering and layering cool stuff with what was already funny. So it was like I knew what I was writing on Tuesday. I wrote this whole scene. And then Hank would write the next scene. And when I would get a chance to read on Thursday, he was like, “Oh, what am I going to read? I know what’s gonna happen but how is it gonna happen?” And he is so funny. So funny. And, I mean, it was just so great writing together. Jeff: So, Hank, for you, what’s kind of your side of that story as you’re like going through and doing your part on the book on your days? Hank: So it was a lot of fun. Like Deanna said, because I’ve been writing during my lunch hours at work, so like Monday through Friday I’d have like an hour and I usually go and I hide somewhere at the building and I’ll, like, be able to focus and write. And it was really fun to go through Google Docs and be able to accept all those changes because we always do the suggestions, right, so like the track changes so we can see what each other has done. And it’s always so much fun to see. It looks like, you know, like Deanna said, it’s like, “Oh,” it’s like a little present. You know, like, “There’s something new.” And I go through. But then seeing how she did the layering, I was talking to my husband, Fred, and I was like, you know, it’s like I’m picking up such good ideas about how to layer emotion in. Deanna is awesome at doing that and like pulling out the emotions in a scene and like digging in deeper where it needs to be. You know, that’s something that I’ve always kind of like, you know, I’m always like, “Write the action. Write the action. Write the action.” Deanna: But that’s what I love about his writing because he will write action that conveys emotion, whereas I would have written a long, drawn-out emotional monologue. And somehow the two just worked so great. I think. Hank: We are a good blend together like that. So, yeah, it’s really funny and she’s funny and really darkly funny. So it’s been a lot of fun because there’s some stuff where I like write something dark and funny and then, you know, you get the comment. It’s always fun to get that comment like, “LOL. Oh, my God.” And so then like all of a sudden like further down the page, she’s added somebody I’m like, “Oh, my God, you did not just write that.” So it’s really funny. Deanna: We’re so wrong. We’re so wrong, we’re so right, Hank. Hank: Yes. Jeff: Well, I really like the organic method it sounds like you guys had. Because like my brain can’t even begin to process trying to co-write without a plan. But I’ve heard other people do that and it works out great. What, as you got the draft done, what was the revision and also, I guess, making the book seem like it had one voice? What was that like? So was it like two different people at work? Deanna: Can I respond to this? Hank: Of course. Deanna: Okay, so, Hank would send me…well, it was in Google Docs. So we would get scenes together. So I feel like the way it went before anyone else read anything or we got any feedback from editors, from beta readers, or whatever, it was like we had our strong characters decided who they were and what they were and what the mystery was. And he would write a scene and then I would get it and I’m like, “Oh, it’s a good scene. I love where it’s going. Maybe…” Okay, so like I’m not going to give a spoiler, but there’s a scene at the end of Book 1 where the murderer is caught and our two heroes are like in this epic battle fighting them, like the murderer, right? Okay. So Hank writes that scene and I’m like, “Ah,” and then I go in and I add some fighting, some struggling, and maybe a little dialogue. Hank comes back in, he adds a little more dialogue. He remembers that the gun is on the other side of the room. Whatever the detail is, we both keep adding layers. And I think it comes back to the point that we’re both so invested in our characters and we weren’t, like, competing to try to be the better person. And I think that’s a lot of it. I mean, I think you can’t co-write a book together if you’re competitive or need center of attention. Hank and I just had so much fun. It would be like, “Oh, yeah. Add that, add that.” And he’s just like “Oh, my God. We’re great. That’s great. You shot him. Oh, I didn’t expect to shoot him. Let’s do that.” Whatever it was and we kept adding these layers and it became so much fun. But in the end, when we would get a scene and it was completed, we would…each of us would go back and read through the whole manuscript and be like, “Oh, we missed that detail.” And Hank would send that to me. And I’d be like, “Oh, yeah, that’s right. I forgot about that.” And he would add it. Or I would like, even today, we’re actually like one day off submitting Book 2. We were going to submit it today but I am like typo crazy. So I sent the manuscript to my Kindle so I could find any misspellings and typos. And I was like, “Oh, my God. We have a scene where Michael and Jazz are sitting in Michael’s living room with the TV. And in Book 1, he only has a TV in his bedroom. What are we going to do?” And Hank is like, “That’s cool. Good for catching that.” And I feel like that’s kind of how we’ve been like we’ll catch something and go. “Oh, I’m glad you caught that.” Hank: Yeah. But to your point, Jeff, you said like about planning and writing off the cuff, so the first book, I think, Deanna, you can tell me if I’m wrong. But the first book was really, I mean, it wasn’t easy because writing is hard but it was easier. Book 2, it was more of a struggle I think with writing it. Deanna: Book 2 was more of a struggle. Hank: And we had a lot going on. So we have like an overarching mystery, we have another, like, contained mystery. Deanna: Yes. Hank: So we’ve talked about it and we’re like Book 3, we really need to plan it out more. We’re gonna… Like once we let this book to get out a little bit, we’re going to like start planning Book 3 and then really like… Deanna: We need a serious luncheon with some planning. Hank: Yeah, so, absolutely. Deanna: Book 1 was very organic and natural. And Book 2, I mean, you’ll probably agree, Hank, I think we fell in love with our side characters so much we got distracted with all these sides stories. Even our editor was like, “Why are you talking about that and that?” We’re like… Hank: “Because we like them.” Deanna: So we had to cut a lot of scenes and really focus back on the romance, on book 2. Jeff: DVD extras, deleted scenes. Hank: DVD extras, exactly. Jeff: But let’s talk about those side characters a little bit because there’s a whole paragraph of the blurb for Book 1 that details the side characters. Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, Michael’s grandfather who likes his Manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, who we’ve already met, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third. Hank: Yes. Mm-hmm. Jeff: So did you guys split those up in the same way that you took Jazz, Hank, and Deanna took Michael? Or did these get created on the fly as you needed them? Deanna: They were on the fly. Hank: Yeah. Deanna: We just like… Hank: We just do, kind of. Yeah. Deanna: I think I came up with Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third and Hank created Sheriff Musgrave. Because I think when we were talking, Sheriff Musgrave was actually like an old man and Hank made him this whole, like, Ron Perlman kind of character. Hank: Yes. Very Ron Perlman. Deanna: He has a lot of attitude. And Kitty, I don’t know where she came from. Hank: You created Kitty. Deanna: Did I? Okay, because I imagine her. Do you watch “Blue Blood” with Tom Selleck? Jeff: I have not. Deanna: Oh, anyways. His secretary is this voluptuous like blonde chick and I pictured her. And I don’t know who created Grandpa. Hank: I think we both did. Deanna: You had Steve. Hank: Oh, yeah, the handyman. Deanna: We both made Ezra. Hank: The apprentice. Deanna: I don’t know anything about them. That’s not a spoiler at all. Jeff: That’s very impressive to just kind of create on the fly like that. Two people pantsing would make my head explode, but. Hank: It was insane. I don’t know how we managed to do it but… Jeff: I think you had fun with it all the more. Hank: …we had really good feedback from the editor. Deanna: We did have so much fun, Jeff. Hank: Yeah. Deanna: I don’t know how lucky I am. Like a year ago, I sent him a drunk text message that we should write a book together. And we have had the best year. Jeff: Had it even crossed your minds before the drunk text to do this in some, like, other random moment? Deanna: No. Hank: Never ever really even talked about it? I mean, we see each other GRL. She comes up for Ferndale Pride because she lives about an hour and a half away from me. Deanna: I’m northwest Ohio, he’s southwest Michigan, so we’ve done some pride festivals together. But in all freaking honesty, the whiskey made me do it, Jeff. I literally texted him, “Hey, full disclosure, I’ve been drinking. We should write a book together.” I do believe, Hank, that was the quote. Hank: Pretty much. Yeah. Deanna: And he was like, “We would write the fuck out of a rom-com.” And I was like, “We would.” And then we ran with it. And then that’s that. It was just, like, all fun. Jeff: And it’s interesting that you’re evolving in Book 2 and probably in Book 3 too. You had the fun moment. Now you kind of have to make everything keep tying together in the next two books. Hank: Yes. It’s all got to come together now for the third book. Yeah. Jeff: Because that’s like, yeah, when you have all that tied together stuff, because I’ve been reading a lot of romantic suspense lately where it’s like something that arcs across a trilogy or whatever, and it’s like…it’s exciting. Hank: Right. Deanna: Yeah. Book 2 is tentatively called “Murder Most Deserving,” and it was a lot harder to write than the first book. Hank: Yeah. Jeff: As fun though, I hope? Hank: Oh, yeah. Deanna: Oh yeah, just as fun, but there were moments I feel like we both checked out. And we’ve had this conversation. We know that we checked out because we had decided on a storyline for Michael and Jazz. And then we were like, “This doesn’t feel right.” Because it’s not your book, it also belongs to someone else, you don’t just say, “Oh, that storyline can’t happen,” because two of you decided together so you keep going with it. And then there’s moments where we had to talk and we’re like…where I was like, “I don’t like this.” And he’s like, “Yeah, I don’t like it either.” And I thought I said I didn’t like it. I’m like, “Maybe you said you didn’t like it. But I didn’t really expect you didn’t like it and I don’t know why we didn’t like it. And I don’t even know why we’re doing it.” And it was like we had…I mean, there was like, there was a couple of moments like that on the story. And there was also like we said in the beginning, we love our side characters too much. And we gave them a lot of screen time they did not deserve, even though we love them. So we had to distract and take a lot of stuff out. Not that we wanted to take it out but it was like why is this thing here? No one cares… Hank: Right. Deanna: …except us. So it was a little different. Like we created this wonderful world and in Book 2 we kind of just went crazy. We, like, went crazy with the Cheez Whiz. It’s like, “I love Sheriff Musgrave. I love Missy.” And we just wrote all these scenes and we’re like… And part of that I will say is my fault because I sent a lot of scenes to Hank before we even plotted the book. I was like, “I wrote this funny scene I’m going to send you.” And he’s like, “I love it.” And we wrote it. Hank: And I was like opening emails from Oprah. “And you get a storyline, and you get a storyline.” Deanna: Totally. Jeff: Maybe these could become short stories for these characters if you can’t get them into the book. Hank: That’s great. Jeff: So take a moment to brag on each other. And outside of working on this book, what do you like about each other’s work? Hank: I’ll go. Jeff: Hank first. Hank: All right. I love Deanna’s depth of characters. So her books, I think the first one I read of yours was “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” And I was like, “Oh, Ichabod. Oh, you naughty boy.” But then I can’t remember in what order then I read them but like “Easy Ryder,” I love that book. That is an awesome book. And I love the time period and I love the characters and I just love all of it and the discovery. That’s a road trip, another…you love the road trip books. Deanna: Apparently. Hank: Apparently. And then “Wrecked” is awesome. It’s really good. But she has a way of just like, you know, pulling up those emotions and really getting into the romance of it and doing an awesome job with it and having the characters. And then the conflict is organic, it’s not, like, fabricated. And it all blends together. She’s got a really good sense of story. Jeff: Nice. Deanna: That’s so sweet. I feel like, Hank, your dialogue sells your story. You could write a whole book on just dialogue with nothing else and people would buy it and laugh. You’re hilarious and your dialogue is great. And I feel like our styles mesh well because I do write more… I like to write a lot of the internal monologue and the emotion. But I’ll tell you an example, and this is a semi-spoiler in Book 2. But this is what I love about Hank’s writing. Okay. I’m not gonna tell too much of the story but there is a scene where something really shocking happens for our character, Jazz, the hairdresser. And the scene is in Jazz’s point of view. You’ll know what I’m talking about in a second. So the scene is in Jazz’s point of view and then Michael, our mortician, bursts through the door. And everyone is like, “How did you get here?” And he’s like, “I ran here.” And that sounds like simplistic but the emotional intensity of why Michael would run five blocks to the salon where Jazz works on a mere phone call just conveys so much intensity with three words, “I ran here.” And that’s what I love about Hank’s writing. I mean, I write the long emotional, internal monologue. And Hank writes that same intense emotional monologue in three words, “I ran here.” And I think, I mean, I’ve always…that’s what I love about his books. But I feel like those two things complement each other in our writing. Like I like to write the long drawn out emotional and he writes that same scene in three words, “I ran here.” And that’s why I love writing with him. Jeff: Cool. They’re hearting each other for those people not watching the video right now. Jeff: So you mentioned three towns…three towns, no, three books in the “Lacetown” series are planned. Do you foresee life in the universe beyond those three since you’re having such a good time? Deanna: Yeah. Hank: We talked about it. We’ve discussed it, yeah. We’ve got the trilogy planned and then we’ll see what happens with it. Deanna: We have at least two in our head. Jeff: That’s cool. Deanna: Beyond the three. Jeff: Now what about separately? What’s coming up next outside of the “Lacetown” series for you both? Hank: You have something coming up soon, Deanna. Deanna: Well, I have one thing coming up for sure and hopefully two. I also write young adult fiction just like Hank does under his…is it RG or RD? Hank: R.G. Deanna: R.G. Thomas. Hank has a young adult series under RG Thomas. And I have a young adult series, K.D. Worth, which is very different from my Deanna Wadsworth writing. It’s young adults/new adults because my characters are 19 and there are some, I don’t know, level-three sexy moments. So you can’t really…like you know people get funny about young adult that has sexy stuff in it. There’s a strong spiritual element with the main character who was trying to kill himself because of his family sending him to like one of those creepy pray-the-gay away camps. And the moment he kills himself he’s saved by a young teenage Grim Reaper, who decides that he wants to give him a second chance in life. And there’s a sassy foul-mouthed, because no one understands why Deanna would write a character like that, a sassy foul-mouthed angel who helps these boys on their journey. And that story is called “The Grim Life.” And Book 3, the final series, the final saga in that trilogy “The Lost Souls” is coming out this fall. And I’m really, really excited about that. I mean, a lot of M/M or gay romance, whatever you want to call it, authors know that young adult isn’t where the sales and money are at, sadly, but this is like a really intense…I don’t want to say pet project because that trivializes it, but it’s really a series that means more to me than almost anything I’ve ever written. Hank: Yeah. You’ve been working on these for what? Like two years now? Deanna: Yeah, four. It took me two years to write Book 3 because I just emotionally invested in it. There’s a lot of death and questioning of what goes on on the other side and where God sees your soul and all these like intensely hard questions. And to make things harder on myself, I put a school shooting in Book 3 because why not? Hank: No, why? Deanna: It’s so emotionally intense that you can’t write it. So that comes out this fall. But I’m hoping my second book in my Pride of the Caribbean Cruise series comes out which is a merman. Hank: Nice. Deanna: A merman… Hank: On a cruise. Deanna: …on a Caribbean cruise. It’s like I like to be intense or I like to be funny. I can’t be… Hank: There’s no in between, right. Jeff: Either end of the spectrum. Hank: That’s right. Deanna: That’s what I do. So that’s what’s coming out for me. Jeff: Cool. Hank: I will be working on the final book of the “Critter Catcher” series, final book for now. It’s tentatively titled “Dread of Night.” So and I’ve got about six chapters written. I’m working on a big pivotal scene also, so I need to just like…now that Book 2 has been sent off for consideration I can like, you know, kind of focus on that because I’m really bad at like jumping between projects too. Like my mind gets stuck in the other characters because while I’m working on this other I’m like, “But wait, what about…?” So, yeah. Jeff: Cool. All right. What is the… Hank: There’s other stuff to work on too but that’s the big thing coming up. Deanna: I love the “Critter Catcher” books. They’re so good. I manipulated Hank into giving me the last book when I was sick last summer. I was like, “Shouldn’t you send it to me? I know that you’re going to submit it for publishing in a month, but I’m really sick.” Hank: “I need to beta it. I’m sick.” Yeah. Deanna: Yes. I did do that. Jeff: And it worked too, right? Deanna: It worked. Hank: I did. I sent it. I was good. Deanna: And it was worth it. Jeff: So what’s the best way for readers to keep up with you guys online? Let’s start with Hank. Hank: I have a website. It’s hankedwardsbooks.com. You can also find my young adult fiction at townofsuperstition.com. And I do have those books listed on my Hank Edwards’ website just to make it easier. And then I’m on Facebook. I have a Facebook page. It’s facebook.com/hankedwardsbooks. And I really don’t use…Twitter confuses me. I get really…it’s just this noise. It’s like people yelling at each other. And so I have a Twitter account but I’m not out there much. But I am on Instagram. I usually post pictures of my cats. You know, and that’s @hankedwardsbooks as well. Jeff: Cool. And Deanna? Deanna: I’m on Facebook, deannawadsworthauthor. And Instagram, I go by @deannawads. I don’t know why I didn’t finish my last name but I don’t know. Everybody called my grandpa Wadsy. So I should have done Deanna Wadsy but I screwed that up. But I’m on those two. A little on Twitter and a little on Pinterest, all under Deanna Wadsworth. Mostly my most activity is on Instagram or my website, deannawadsworth.com. And that’s it. And you should totally read Hank’s R.G. Thomas books. It’s like Harry Potter but gay with, like, dragons. And little garden gnomes. I fricking love those books. You better write another one after we write our book. After we write our book. You’ve got to. Hank: Got it. Jeff: You’ve got your marching orders now, Hank. Hank: I do. I get them a lot. Deanna: He doesn’t have a wife, but… Hank: It’s all right. Deanna: …I’ll jump in that role. Hank: She’s my work wife. Jeff: All right. Well, this has been a blast. We will definitely link up to everything in the show notes that we’ve talked about here. And we wish you the best of success on the “Lacetown Murder Mysteries.” Hank: Thanks very much, Jeff. It’s been fun. Deanna: Thank you, Jeff.

Film Soceyology
December 1, 2018

Film Soceyology

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2018


Matthew Socey has a lively chat with Jeff Sparks about the histories of the New Harmony Project, the Heartland Film Festival and a slew of other cinema topics and releases.

heartland film festival new harmony project jeff sparks matthew socey
Film Soceyology
December 1, 2018

Film Soceyology

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2018


Matthew Socey has a lively chat with Jeff Sparks about the histories of the New Harmony Project, the Heartland Film Festival and a slew of other cinema topics and releases.

heartland film festival new harmony project jeff sparks matthew socey
Who Gets What?
From New Harmony to Twin Aire

Who Gets What?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2018 28:26


Jeff Sparks, founder of the writer's camp called The New Harmony Project, founder of The Heartland International Film Festival, and recently a promoter/coordinator of a new criminal justice center, reflects on how stories affect culture. Jeff's Book, "Changing Culture Through Stories," is described.   

film plays writers screen festivals twin aire new harmony project jeff sparks
Colonial Presbyterian Church
Acts (28) - Jeff Sparks - Acts 4:32-37 - The Impossible Church

Colonial Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2016 34:46


Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Dayspring UMC Video Podcast
Dayspring Youth in El Salvador

Dayspring UMC Video Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2015 3:07


Dayspring Youth led by Jeff Sparks traveled to El Salvador with Living Water International to help drill a well, teach, and love people with the love of Christ. www.dayspringumc.com/youth

Dayspring UMC Video Podcast
Dayspring Youth in El Salvador

Dayspring UMC Video Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2015 3:07


Dayspring Youth led by Jeff Sparks traveled to El Salvador with Living Water International to help drill a well, teach, and love people with the love of Christ. www.dayspringumc.com/youth

Talking Smooth Jazz
SAXOPHONIST JEFF SPARKS

Talking Smooth Jazz

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2011 79:00


You can find his soul ridged deep in the groove of his records. You can find his heart lodged between the highs and lows of his melodies. You can find his emotions wedged in between space and his fingertips. You can find his sound affixed within multi-generations. Jeff Sparks is ‘classic' with a ‘twist' or better stated, he is “Nu Vintage”; a hybrid of what's old and what's new. With the mission of keeping his audience in the palm of his hand; Note, Line, and Tempo; Sparks has proven for the last 20 years, that he knows how to use his saxophone to move the crowd. Classically trained as a jazz musician at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, his musical colleagues are our musical geniuses, and with a new album in the works for Spring 2010, audiences can expect that he will deliver timeless music. Yes, timeless, but uniquely passionate about delivering a musical product that goes full circle; capturing lovers of music of all generations.