Podcasts about writers

What if the thing keeping you from writing isn't discipline or time — it's that your creative life and your spiritual life are running on the same energy, and both are closing?Charlotte Donlon breaks down why most creative blocks aren't blocks at all — they're spiritual closings. And when you stop creating, it doesn't just affect your art. It affects everything: your mood, your relationships, your sense of self.What you'll learn:Why not writing makes you worse at everything elseHow your creative soul and spiritual life mirror each otherThe nourishing rhythms practice that replaces "write every day"Charlotte Donlon is an author, certified life coach, and trained spiritual director who has spent 15 years working at the intersection of creativity and contemplative spirituality. Her book Spiritual Direction for Writers offers a framework for writers who feel called to create but keep getting in their own way.Find Charlotte's book Spiritual Direction for Writers and all links at: mindlove.com/463Ready to nourish your creative soul with real support? Join the free Mind Love Collective for monthly themed calls and weekly challenge accountability. mindlove.com/joinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless: What Fungi Taught Me about Nourishment, Poison, Ecology, Hidden Histories, Zombies, and Black Survival (University of North Carolina Press, 2026), naturalist, forager, and educator Maria Pinto uncovers strange and beautiful connections between the natural and human worlds, mingling reportage, research, memoir, and nature writing, touching on topics that range from Black farmers' domestication of the unforgettable aroma of truffles, to the possibility that enslaved people wielded mycological poisons against their enslavers. Pinto brings a new perspective and a distinctive literary voice to this mix of environmental and lived history, and every page sings with her enthusiasm for the networks in which we are embedded: fungal, ecological, ancestral, and communal. Join us in pursuit of beautiful, perplexing, delicious, and deadly mushrooms as we explore this understudied kingdom's awe-inspiring diversity, discovering how fungi have been used by people, especially those on the margins, for survival, pleasure, revelation, and revolution. When she's not in the woods (and sometimes when she is), Maria Pinto is a writer, editor, and educator. She teaches writing for various literary organizations. She reads fiction for Peripheries Journal and serves on the board of Hale, an outdoor education and land conservancy nonprofit. Her writing has been supported by Assets for Artists at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Mass Cultural Council, the Writers' Room of Boston, The Mastheads, and The Garrett on the Green. You can find Maria at her Website and on Instagram.  Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Teddy Wayne is the author of the novels The Au Pair, The Winner, The Great Man Theory, Apartment, Loner, The Love Song of Jonny Valentine, and Kapitoil. He is the winner of a Whiting Writers' Award and an NEA Creative Writing Fellowship as well as a finalist for the Young Lions Fiction Award, PEN/Bingham Prize, and Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A former columnist for the New York Times and McSweeney's and a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, he has taught at Columbia University and Washington University in St. Louis. Teddy joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about what he needs to know before he begins writing, voice, fiction that makes a big statement, stakes, plotting via character relationships, the midpoint, finding sources, theme, and much more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. (Recorded on June 19, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)  

In Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless: What Fungi Taught Me about Nourishment, Poison, Ecology, Hidden Histories, Zombies, and Black Survival (University of North Carolina Press, 2026), naturalist, forager, and educator Maria Pinto uncovers strange and beautiful connections between the natural and human worlds, mingling reportage, research, memoir, and nature writing, touching on topics that range from Black farmers' domestication of the unforgettable aroma of truffles, to the possibility that enslaved people wielded mycological poisons against their enslavers. Pinto brings a new perspective and a distinctive literary voice to this mix of environmental and lived history, and every page sings with her enthusiasm for the networks in which we are embedded: fungal, ecological, ancestral, and communal. Join us in pursuit of beautiful, perplexing, delicious, and deadly mushrooms as we explore this understudied kingdom's awe-inspiring diversity, discovering how fungi have been used by people, especially those on the margins, for survival, pleasure, revelation, and revolution. When she's not in the woods (and sometimes when she is), Maria Pinto is a writer, editor, and educator. She teaches writing for various literary organizations. She reads fiction for Peripheries Journal and serves on the board of Hale, an outdoor education and land conservancy nonprofit. Her writing has been supported by Assets for Artists at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Mass Cultural Council, the Writers' Room of Boston, The Mastheads, and The Garrett on the Green. You can find Maria at her Website and on Instagram.  Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts.

A great ending is about much more than resolving the plot. Why do satisfying story endings stay with us for years, while others leave us empty? In this video, I explore the psychology of story endings. When we think about writing endings, we often focus on tying up loose ends or delivering a dramatic finale. But endings serve a much deeper purpose. They complete the character's transformation, reveal the story's true meaning, and fulfill the archetypal pattern that gives stories their enduring psychological power. In this post/podcast, I explore why endings matter—not only for craft, but as one of story's most important symbolic functions. We talk about: • Why the meaning of a story is found in its ending • How endings reveal a story's theme • Why transformation requires completion • The Death/Rebirth cycle at the heart of story structure • Why endless stories often lose their psychological resonance • The difference between a long story and a story that refuses to end • What Supernatural and the Marvel Cinematic Universe can teach us about satisfying endings • Five practical principles for writing endings that feel inevitable, meaningful, and emotionally complete Whether you're writing a standalone novel or planning a long-running series, understanding the psychology behind story endings can help you create stories that leave readers with a lasting sense of meaning, transformation, and completion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:34 5 Questions About Endings Every Writer Must Answer 04:34 The Meaning of a Story Is Found in Its Ending 05:28 How Endings Change Everything 07:03 Endings Complete the Cycle of Transformation 07:38 The Many Shapes of Transformation 09:16 Why We Need to Witness the Entire Arc 10:37 Story, Society, and the End of Cycles 12:44 Ego Death and Cultural Transformation 14:07 The Modern Push Toward "Endless" Stories 16:06 Case Studies: Examples That Break the Arc 18:07 5 Ways to Write a Truly Satisfying Ending 18:23 Tip 1 – Connect Your Beginning to Your Ending 19:29 Tip 2 – Let Your Ending Reveal the Story's Meaning 20:37 Tip 3 – Complete the Transformation (Not Just the Plot) 21:29 Tip 4 – Use Third-Act Story Structure to Complete the Arc 23:08 Tip 5 – Know When the Arc Is Complete—and Have the Courage to End It 24:06 Master Character Transformation with Creating Character Arcs Read the transcript: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/psychology-of-story-endings LINKS & RESOURCES Want More? Creating Character Arcs book: https://kmweilandstore.com/b/creating-character-arcs

Microsoft lawsuit loss, Steam refund controversy, One Piece scalper chaos, PS6 handheld speculation, gaming pickups, and a Popcorn Rocket PS4 review. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Game Pickups and Inflation Deflation Challenge 02:21 Discussion on Popcorn Rocket Game 04:48 Nicktoons Dice of Destiny  08:15 Sky Gunner  10:58 Cold Fear  14:46 Finny the Fish and the Seven Waters 19:56 Dino Stalker and Cruisin Blast  22:49 Ryan's Gaming Week and SGDQ 26:09 Microsoft Lawsuit and Digital Ownership Discussion 30:24 The Future of Digital Ownership 32:12 Scalpers and the Manga Market 36:01 Steam Refunds and Developer Concerns 45:41 Sony's Shift to Digital 54:49 Popcorn Rocket: A New Indie Game Review John and Ryan dive into another week of gaming talk, starting with their recent video game pickups and what's currently on their radar. From new finds to ongoing playthroughs, the duo breaks down what's been keeping their controllers busy. The news segment kicks off with Microsoft's latest legal setback as the company lost a lawsuit in a Brazilian court, raising questions about regional regulation and platform responsibility. They then shift to Steam's refund policies for games under the one‑hour return limit, highlighting a recent developer's experience that sparked debate about fairness, abuse, and consumer protection. Next, the conversation moves to Japan, where scalpers purchased One Piece magazines en masse due to a promotional card — another example of collectible culture colliding with opportunistic reselling. The guys then explore a big speculative question: Is the PS6 going digital‑only because it will be a handheld? They break down rumors, hardware trends, and whether Sony's future might lean toward a hybrid device. To wrap up the episode, the Inflation Deflation Game of the Week features a review of Popcorn Rocket on PS4, as John and Ryan evaluate the quirky title's gameplay, charm, and current market value. Find us on TheGameDeflators.com Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

Send us Fan MailNew York Times bestselling author Jason June (Out of the Blue, Jay's Gay Agenda) returns to Writers With Wrinkles for a wide-ranging conversation covering his growing acting career, the current state of the publishing industry, and his upcoming adult rom-com Santa and Krampus' Cozy Killer Christmas, out fall 2027. Jason is refreshingly candid — about book advances, about the anxiety running through publishing right now, and about finding joy in the work when the business side gets hard. GuestJason June — NYT bestselling author, actor, screenwriter, and self-described "Laura Dern stan" based in Dallas, TX. Known for YA rom-coms Out of the Blue and Jay's Gay Agenda, and publisher of The Ventorship, a newsletter on author finances and transparency. Highlights•     Auditioning post-COVID: why self-tapes democratize acting, and what's lost without an in-person redirect from a casting director•     How years of writing fiction sharpened Jason's instincts for character and story on set•     The "greater sense of unease" in publishing right now — AI concerns, slow timelines, and authors questioning why traditional publishing can't move faster•     Self-publishing's rising role, the discovery gap it still faces, and why hybrid careers are becoming more common•     The Dungeon Crawler Carl story as a case study in trusting your own artistic vision•     Why Jason publicly shares his advances and royalties through The Ventorship — and the argument that most of that "secrecy" is self-imposed•     Publishing as a side hustle: debut culture, shrinking advances, and the myth of the "cushy" author life•     The MER Principle (Beth's term): find the niche community obsessed with your book's specific hook, not a general audience•     The premise behind Santa and Krampus' Cozy Killer Christmas — a "dark cozy" where Krampus only kills the people who'd otherwise doom humanity•     Jason's advice to aspiring authors: chase the joy, and aim to be "prolific, not perfect" Key TakeawayWhether you're navigating traditional publishing, weighing a hybrid career, or just trying to market your next book, the throughline is the same: get specific. Specific about your niche audience, specific about your finances, and specific about what actually brings you joy in the work.Have a marketing tip that's worked for you? Beth and Lisa want to hear it.•     Beth: beth@writerswithwrinkles.net•     Lisa: lisa@writerswithwrinkles.net•     Join The Waiting Room, our Facebook community for writers•     Website: writerswithwrinkles.net Support the show Visit the WebsiteFind Full Episodes on YouTube!Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

Dan Mason's career helped shape modern radio. In this episode of Speaking of Writers, he discusses Fearless: The Life and Times of a Media Maverick, a memoir chronicling more than forty years of innovation, leadership, and change in the broadcasting industry. Discover behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in leadership, and why radio continues to matter in a rapidly evolving media landscape.#DanMason #Fearless #SpeakingOfWriters #SteveRichards #Radio #Broadcasting #MediaLeadership #Memoir #Podcast #AuthorInterview #RadioHistory #BroadcastingLegend #Books #BookPodcast #MediaInnovation #Storytelling #BFOA #BroadcastersFoundationOfAmerica

Send us Fan MailToday on the show, I have with me former New York City Police Officer, bestselling and award-winning Author, Ghost Writer, Editor, Author Coach, and CEO of Storehouse Media Group, Sherrie Price Clark. Sherrie started her career with the NYPD in the early 90s while the city was at war with itself. She spent nearly a decade on the street and hung up her Sam Browne Belt to form a nonprofit, helping domestic violence victims. She moved to Florida and worked with the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force. Sherrie never turned her back on the publishing business, following her passion for helping authors and being of service. She is now the CEO of Storehouse Media Group. This was a fun interview talking about the old-school NYPD and the business of being an author. Please enjoy this wide-ranging interview with Sherrie Price Clark. In today's episode, we discuss:·      Growing up in a small town and winding up being a cop in New York.·      Her mother teaching her that she needed to make her own luck.·      From working for Disney to the NYPD.·      Why the NYPD?·      What was New York like in 1991 when she joined the NYPD? ·      Sherrie helping victims of domestic violence through her nonprofit. ·      Foster programs being the breeding grounds for human trafficking.·      The Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force. What is it, and what do we need to do to help combat human trafficking? ·      Writing, how and when did she get involved in the publishing business?·      What are some of the best practices we as writers can do to sell our books?·      Storehouse Media Group. All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Visit Sherrie at her website! Head on over to my website! What's the craziest thing you saw when you were a cop?My first week on the job, a guy running at me with a butcher knife. He'd just killed his brother over the last hot dog.That's chapter 1. There are 33 more.Police Stories: The Rookie Years just launched - available on Amazon. Search 'Police Stories Patrick O'Donnell' or click thSupport the show

This episode covers a new anthology from Wayne State University Press. Titled Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors, this vibrant collection invites readers to breathe deeply and return to that "carefree" season from an urban perspective. These emerging and award-winning creators of all ages recount the struggles and triumph of staking their claim to public spaces. Ranging from poetry to essay, creative nonfiction to comics, this collection blends nostalgia with struggle and resilience. DESIREE COOPERDesiree Cooper, the book's editor, was born in Japan as a military dependent and spent her adulthood in Detroit. She now lives in coastal Virginia where she is raising her grandchildren. She is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, and among her accolades are a 2017 Midland Authors Award Winner in Adult Fiction, a 2017 Michigan Notable Book, a 2016 Midwest Book Award Finalist, and inclusion in the Poets and Writers 5 Over 50.NANDI COMER Our next author is Nandi Comer, an award-winning poet and essayist. She served as the 2nd Poet Laureate of the state of Michigan 2023-2025, during which time she spearheaded Michigan Words and the video series Michigan in Verse. She is the author of the chapbook American Family: A Syndrome. Her debut poetry collection, Tapping Out, won the 2020 Society of Midland Authors Award and the 2020 Julie Suk Award. Her poems and essays have appeared in American Poets, Callaloo, Crab Orchard Review, and others. She currently serves as the 2025-2026 Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow at the University of Wisconsin's Institute for Creative Writing and co-director of Detroit Lit. ROCHELLE WILSON-ELLISNext we have, Rochelle Wilson-Ellis. She is a U.S. Navy veteran whose journey has been shaped by service, resilience, and care for others. Having served aboard the USS Ross and USS George Washington, Rochelle has carried that same spirit of dedication into every chapter of her life. A loving mother of two and a certified baker and pastry chef, she has also spent years working in healthcare. In 2021, Rochelle was trained as a citizen journalist through the Sarah E. Ray Project, helping preserve the oral histories of those who attended Detroit's legendary Action House in the 1970s and '80s. LILLEN WALLEROur final reader is Detroit native Lillien Waller, a poet and essayist. Her poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best New Poets, and, in 2015, she received a Kresge Artist Fellowship in Poetry. In 2023, Lillien was awarded an Arts Writers Grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Her essay “Listen Children, All Is Not Lost” appears in the anthology Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors. For more information on the book and the authors, please see the Wayne State University Press website. 

Irish writer Doireann Ní Ghríofa on turning archival fragments into living narrative, writing across the borders of genre, and giving voice to the forgotten lives of women committed to a Victorian asylum. You'll learn Why the greatest gatekeeper between a writer and the page is often the writer themselves. How a single word buried in clinical notes can become a bridge to a silenced voice. What poetry can teach prose writers about immediacy and the shock of a strong opening. The case for pointing at the gaps in the record rather than papering over them. When a fleeting curiosity is worth following, and what happens once you treat it as real. How third person can give a writer just enough distance to keep going. A sense of fidelity to the reader you imagine standing at your shoulder. How the drowsy space between sleep and waking can become an engine for ideas. The ethics of using real names, and the difference between the dead and the long dead. How the act of leaving things out turns even “fact” into a story. Resources & Links Said the Dead by Doireann Ní Ghríofa A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa About Doireann Ní Ghríofa Doireann Ní Ghríofa is an Irish writer devoted to exploring how the past makes itself felt within the present. 'A Ghost in the Throat' finds an 18th century poet haunting a young mother, leading her through visions of blood, milk, lust, and murder. Written on the roof of a multi-storey car park in Ireland, it went on to be described as "powerful" (New York Times), "captivatingly original" (The Observer), and a "masterpiece" (Sunday Business Post). 'A Ghost in the Throat' won the James Tait Black Prize and was voted overall Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, while the US edition was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. It was translated into 20 further languages worldwide. Doireann is also the author of seven critically-acclaimed books of poetry, each a deepening exploration of birth, death, desire, and domesticity. Awards for her writing include a Lannan Literary Fellowship (USA), the Ostana Prize (Italy), a Seamus Heaney Fellowship, and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, among others. Her new book, Said the Dead, distils hundreds of hours of archival research into a polyphonic portrayal of a single institution — a derelict Victorian asylum in Cork, and the women once committed within its walls. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Five-time National Sportswriter of the Year and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Posnanski joins Speaking of Writers  to discuss BIG FAN, a heartfelt and hilarious celebration of sports, friendship, travel, and fandom.From baseball to Premier League soccer, darts to pickleball, and even Taylor Swift, Joe explores why the things we love bring us together.#JoePosnanski #BigFan #SpeakingOfWriters #SportsBooks #SportsWriting #SportsPodcast #Baseball #Football #PremierLeague #Baseball100 #MichaelSchur #ThePosCast #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #Books #Readers #SportsFans #Storytelling #Podcast #SpotifyPodcast

15 plays15 Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast Owen Cotter is a radio host and on-camera presenter. He has appeared on major media such as ESPN, VH1, SiriusXM, Real Scene TV, and William Shatner's My Outer Space TV. He is also the owner of SciFiction.com, the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning SciFi literary project formerly owned by the SyFy Channel. ScyFiction.com showcases geek-chic news, reviews, interviews, events, and articles, and publishes the works of relevant artists and authors, becoming the go-to place for up-to-date news for the SciFi and Fantasy community.

A ten-year-old boy discovers that the fantastic dangers in his comic books may be closer to reality than any scientist suspects. When a friendly voice from another star offers him an astonishing invention, Tommy must decide whether he is speaking to an ally—or helping an enemy reach Earth. From Beyond the Stars by Murray Leinster. That's next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. One of the questions we hear quite often is, Why did so many science fiction authors use pen names? There were actually several reasons. Magazine editors usually didn't want a single issue to look as though it had been written by just one person, even if one author had supplied several excellent stories. Writers also sold stories to competing magazines, experimented with different styles, or simply wanted the flexibility of publishing under multiple names. Today's story is a perfect example. If you pick up the June 1947 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories, you'll see that From Beyond the Stars is credited to Will F. Jenkins, one of the many pen names used by William Fitzgerald Jenkins—the author we know today as Murray Leinster. So why didn't he simply use Murray Leinster? Because the same issue already featured another Murray Leinster story, The Boomerang Circuit. Publishing both stories under the same byline would have made it obvious that one writer dominated the magazine. But there's another twist. A third story in that very issue, The Nameless Something, is credited to William Fitzgerald, another variation of his own name. The result? Of the seven stories published in the June 1947 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories, three were written by the same man—William Fitzgerald Jenkins. By using three different bylines, the magazine appeared to showcase a wider range of authors, while readers unknowingly enjoyed three stories from one of science fiction's most prolific and influential writers. We will find our story on page 82 in the June 1947 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories, From Beyond the Stars by Murray Leinster… Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Stranded on an iron asteroid by ruthless competitors, two Earthmen discover that their foolish-looking captors have one irresistible weakness. Steve Burgess has a daring escape plan, but activating it could send the entire asteroid hurtling toward disaster. Juke Box Asteroid by Joseph Farrell. Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/ Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube X - http://Lostscifi.com/x Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee $200 Someone $100 Tony from the Future $75 James Van Maanenberg $50 James Van Maanenberg, MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener $25 Fintan Quigley, Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, Someone, Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener $15 Every Month Someone $15 Steve, Someone, SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener $10 David, Anonymous Listener $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue $5 Tammy, Owen, Bruce, Someone, TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's program, pastor and former religious liberty celebrity Saeed Abedini loses the custody battle over his 5-year-old daughter after being accused of abducting the child from her mother. We'll have details. And, embattled pastor Greg Locke tells his church that federal investigators stormed his home weeks ago, claiming they had received reports of financial mismanagement. We'll take a look. Plus, the donation of Green Mountain College campus in Vermont falls through — instead it's been sold to a Florida evangelist with plans to launch “Z University.” But first, a well-known Christian conservative businessman has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud. Edwin Brant Frost IV could face up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors are calling it a massive, multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme. Frost owned a now-defunct Georgia company called First Liberty Building & Loan. Starting in 2014, he promised investors returns of 8% to 18% on short-term business loans. And investors trusted him — partly because of his Christian reputation.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles. Until next time, may God bless you.

The Page One Podcast, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books. About the guest author: Julie Carrick Dalton is a New England journalist and farmer. Her debut novel WAITING FOR THE NIGHT SONG launched in January, 2021 as a CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, Parade, and Buzzfeed Most Anticipated 2021 Book, and was an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Books of the Month. Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, BusinessWeek, The Hollywood Reporter, Electric Literature, The Chicago Review of Books, Orion Magazine, Lit Hub, and other publications. She contributes to DeadDarlings, The Writer Unboxed, and GrubStreet's writer's blogs. Her second novel, THE LAST BEEKEEPER, was released in 2023. Mom to four kids and two dogs, Julie also owns and operates a 100-acre farm. When she isn't writing or digging in the dirt, you can probably find her kayaking in New Hampshire or walking in the woods hunting for mushrooms. About the host: Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup that built an AI book discovery platform with a grant from the National Science Foundation. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. Her latest book, Rose Girl: A Story of Resilience and Rumi, a medieval, mystical thriller was awarded a Kirkus (starred) review and named Editors Choice from the Historical Novel Society. Holly lives on a houseboat near the Golden Gate Bridge with her daughter and Labrador retriever, and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, swimming and pretending to surf. To learn more about her books and writing coaching services, please visit her at hollylynnpayne.com  and subscribe to her FREE weekly mini-masterclass, Power of Page One, a FREE newsletter on Substack, offering insights on becoming a better storyteller and tips on hooking readers from page one! (And bonus: discover some great new books!) Tune in and reach out: If you're an aspiring writer or a book lover, this episode of Page One offers a treasure trove of inspiration and practical advice. I offer these conversations as a testament to the magic that happens when master storytellers share their secrets and experiences. We hope you are inspired to tune into the full episode for more insights. Keep writing, keep reading, and remember—the world needs your stories.  If I can help you tell your own story, or help improve your first page, please reach out @hollylynnpayne or visithollylynnpayne.com.  You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. Hear past episodes. If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime.  The Page One Podcast is created on a houseboat in Sausalito, California, is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community!  Be well and keep reading, Holly @hollylynnpayne on IG Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.Leave a review on your favorite podcast players. Tell your friends. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.For the love of books and writers,Holly Lynn Payne@hollylynnpaynehost, author, writing coachwww.hollylynnpayne.com

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - Intro 2:33 - 10 Years To The First Screenwriting Credit 37:14 - What Writers Should Know About A Story Engine 52:11 - Big Difference Between Amateur and Professional Writers 1:07:27 - Don't Think About Writing Cinematically Do This Instead 1:17:11 - What Master Storytellers Know That New Writers Never Learn 1:28:17 - Rule Breakers Guide To Finding Your Creative Voice Brandon Violette was most recently the Head Writer for RoboGobo and Pupstruction at Disney Television Animation and the Co-Creator/Head Writer of CoComelon Lane (Moonbug/Netflix), one of Netflix's top-performing preschool series. His writing credits span hit shows including Dew Drop Diaries (DreamWorks), Pupstruction (Disney Junior), T.O.T.S. (Disney Junior), Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! (Mattel), and Stretch Armstrong & The Flex Fighters (Hasbro Studios). In addition to his screenwriting work, Brandon is the host of The Story Series Podcast, where he interviews writers, showrunners, filmmakers, author and creators about story structure, character development, pitching and the creative mindset. Before moving to Los Angeles, Brandon studied at the Beijing Film Academy and continues to return to China as a guest lecturer, sharing insights on storytelling, animation, and the global landscape of entertainment. CONNECT WITH BRANDON VIOLETTE https://brandonviolette.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3069554 / @bviolette / storyseriespodcast MORE VIDEOS WITH BRANDON VIOLETTE https://tinyurl.com/bddhrd4r SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8o1mdWAfefJkdBg632_tg/join SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A PATRON https://www.patreon.com/filmcourage ►BOOKS WE RECOMMEND: STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 THE NUTSHELL TECHNIQUE: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting https://amzn.to/2X3Vx5F THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take http://amzn.to/2gYsuMf SAVE THE CAT! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need https://amzn.to/3dNg2HQ THE ANATOMY OF STORY: 22 Steps To Becoming A Master Storyteller http://amzn.to/2h6W3va THE ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING - Lajos Egri https://amzn.to/3jh3b5f ON WRITING: A Memoir of the Craft https://amzn.to/3XgPtCN THE WAR OF ART: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles http://amzn.to/1KeW9ob

Michael Cowan has lived many lives.He's been an attorney, educator, businessman, musician, songwriter, and now, an author. His debut novel, John B. Peoples, is proof that some of life's most meaningful adventures begin long after we think we've settled into who we are.In this episode of Speaking of Travel, Michael shares what inspired him to finally write the novel that had been quietly waiting inside him, why France, and especially Paris and Marseille, became such important settings, and how travel has shaped both his storytelling and his perspective on life.Together we explore what it means to keep growing, embrace curiosity, redefine success, and discover new purpose through every season of life.Whether you're dreaming about your next journey, considering a new creative path, or wondering if it's ever too late to begin again, this conversation is a reminder that the best chapters are sometimes the ones we never saw coming.A must listen! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler. 

A heartbreaking story of grief, resilience and the love that endures.

Stacey Abrams served eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as minority leader. She was the first Black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in U.S. history. She's also a prolific NYT bestselling writer across a variety of genres. Stacey has published 17 books over the past 25 years including fiction, nonfiction, romance, memoir, children's books, political thrillers. She wrote her first novel while still in her third year of law school at Yale. Stacey joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest political thriller Coded Justice, now out in paperback published by Vintage, and the third in the Avery Keene series which includes While Justice Sleeps and Rogue Justice. For readers who love Avery, you're in for a serious treat. For writers who work in the political thriller genre, or work in a series and follow characters across multiple books, or are trying to stay ahead of fast-paced technology in your fiction, this conversation is for you. Even if you're a writer just trying to keep your butt in the chair, or struggle with idea generation, or struggle with how much research to conduct on a topic so you sound like an expert but don't fall into a bottomless rabbit hole, this is also for you. Stacey also talks about the writing advice she lives by. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. (Recorded on June 25, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

Send us Fan MailHannah and Laura are wrapping up their discussion on Jim Butcher's Small Favor by discussing the characters and themes. Laura also shares some worries about an upcoming book to movie adaptation and Hannah returns to a fantasy world that she said she would never go back to.*This episode contains SPOILERS for Small Favor by Jim Butcher. Spoiler section begins at: 51 min 38 secs. ***CW for the episode: discussions of sexual assault, chronic illness, mental illness, violence, blood, death, consent, vampires, werewolves, magic, sexMedia Mentions:Small Favor by Jim ButcherKlara and the Sun by Kazuo IshiguroClakson's Farm---Prime VideoCustodians of Wonder by Eliot SteinTwo Twisted Crowns by Rachel GilligTrust Me: The False Prophet---NetflixSupport the showBe sure to follow OWWR Pod!www.owwrpod.com YouTube: @owwrpodBlueSky: @OwwrPodTikTok: @OwwrPodInstagram: @owwrpodThreads: @OwwrPodSend us an email at: owwrpod@gmail.comCheck out OWWR Patreon: patreon.com/owwrpodOr join OWWR Discord! We'd love to chat with you!You can follow Hannah at:Instagram: @brews.and.booksThreads: @brews.and.booksTikTok: @brews.and.booksYou can follow Laura at:Instagram: @goodbooksgreatgoatsBlueSky: @myyypod

Trainer Chad Summers joins this week's Writers' Room ahead of his Preakness winner Napoleon Solo's bid in the GI Haskell Stakes. The team also discussed the latest Paco Lopez suspension and news of a new horse racing league.

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!TV writer, screenwriter, and author Eric Garcia has published six books (so far). He sold three of them to Hollywood and somehow still managed to write his latest novel entirely by accident. He set out to write a short story. Then it got longer. Then it was a novella. Then it was 80,000 words and he had to admit he'd written a whole book, mostly at night, while still juggling film and TV work. We also talk about what's  changed in publishing since his Random House days (Hint: mid-list used to mean stable; now everyone's terrified of it), why chasing trends is a losing game when a book takes years to reach shelves, and why there are no rules for how long a chapter should be, except the one that matters: Don't make me want to stop reading.We also bond hard over the Oxford comma as well as the correct use of "less" and "fewer." I nearly combust with joy over our shared grammar rage. 

Living Writers 2026-07-15 - WCBN Public Affairs Programming - T Hetzel

Pulitzer-prize winning historian and author Jill Lepore has spent her career uncovering the stories we often do not tell, particularly about American history and democracy. In her most recent books, These Truths and We, the People, she asks what really made and makes the United States and what role citizens have in arching toward a more perfect Union. Listen in as she talks about her work for Writers on a New England Stage, recorded at the Seacoast Litfest in Portsmouth New Hampshire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Prince to Scion? What a terrible road! Show Notes: Run Time: 2:08:37 We tell you a story, create a character, tell more story, and make up and/or reveal more details! And then, following the standard pattern, we read and answer your letters! This Thursday we'll be recording the upcoming Editor's Note episode live on Thursday evening at 6 PM, Central time! If you're on The Letters Page Patreon, you can join us for that livestream, and if you're a Contributor, you can be part of chat and have your questions read on air! We hope to see you there!

Danny Sheehan is one of the most consequential public interest attorneys of the last century. His cases include the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, the Karen Silkwood case, the Iran-Contra investigation, and decades of work at the intersection of government secrecy and the public's right to know. He is co-founder of the Romero Institute and the New Paradigm Institute, and a leading voice in the push for congressional UAP disclosure. Today, he stands at the center of what may be the most consequential question humanity has ever faced: the implications of a potential extraterrestrial or extradimensional non-human presence here on Earth. Having spent over 50 years litigating against government secrecy and winning, in this discussion, Danny connects the JFK assassination, the Vatican's role in the 1933 Italy UFO crash, the founding of the CIA, and the architecture of Brown Brothers Harriman to the UFO cover-up we're living through today, and lays out the concrete constitutional path to disclosure. Big thanks to Jamie Billings for helping make this interview happen, and to Danny and his wife for their time and generosity. The New Paradigm Institute, founded by acclaimed civil rights and Constitutional attorney Danny Sheehan, is dedicated to advocating for the public release of information held by the government surrounding the issue of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), or what was commonly known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). For more information, visit http://newparadigminstitute.org. Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/14ioP0zfFczK8hKPsDUmko?si=cff351ada3944a9a Want more? Join the Frightday Society, at http://thefrightdaysociety.org As a Society Member, you'll have access to all Screamium content (Behind the Screams, It's Been a Weird Week, A Conversation With..., Toast to Toast PM with Wine Kelly, Cinema Autopsy, the Writers' Room, bonus episodes of Captain Kelly's Cryptids & Conspiracies, Byron's Serial Corner, and so much more! 00:00 Intro 00:30 Welcome and guest introduction 02:33 Reaction to WAR.gov/UFO and Pete Hegseth's framing 04:43 Danny's faith in the American people 07:06 JFK and Khrushchev's secret disarmament letters after the Cuban Missile Crisis 09:23 Why the assassination happened and its fallout 11:44 The Gulf of Tonkin lie and the collapse of trust in government 14:07 Coming to grips with UAP reality and the national security state 16:23 1968 vs. today: has Trump set disclosure back? 18:47 Why the world's religious communities may lead reform, not governments 21:05 Jesus, telepathy, and the evolution of human consciousness 23:23 Why the Vatican has withheld information, and why the Jesuit order was founded to reform the Church 25:48 Pope Pius XII and the 1933 UFO crash in Italy 28:11 The "Magenta" case and what Italy/Germany did with the craft in WWII 30:37 1945: Roswell, Aztec, White Sands, and the UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 32:57 Roots of the national security state: the U.S. invasion of Russia in 1917 35:10 Brown Brothers Harriman, the Dulles brothers, and the Treaty of Versailles 37:28 George Herbert Walker, Union Banking Corp, and financing the Third Reich 39:28 Trump's $1.5 trillion nuclear modernization plan and why UFOs are watching 41:42 Who are "they"? On multiple species and the unknown galactic order 43:50 Congress's constitutional authority over classification (Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer) 46:12 A message to young people and why participation matters 48:34 How lawmakers respond to pressure, and the strategy for the 2026 midterms 53:10 Recapping the Contact in the Desert panel: Jacques Vallée, Tim Gallaudet, Eric Davis, and the question nobody would answer 57:42 What first convinced Danny this was real 59:49 Deathbed testimonies and how a trial lawyer evaluates truth 1:02:11 Danny's real concern: not fear of ET, but fear of losing ourselves to them 1:04:38 Archival fieldwork: the Army War College, Wild Bill Donovan, and the McGregor Project 1:09:24 Who to trust in the UFO community: Eric Burlison, Tim Burchett, and others 1:11:46 Hope for 2026 and beyond: decent people in Congress and a path forward 1:14:07 Closing thoughts and how to get involved You'll also be part of our interactive community dedicated to the advancement of horror, hauntings, cryptids, conspiracies, aliens, and true crime. All things frightening. Keep our mini-fridges full of blood...I mean...not blood...normal things that people drink...by going to http://shop.frightday.com  Theme music by Yawns Produced by Byron McKoy Follow us in the shadows at the following places: @VISITORSshow  @byronmckoy @kellyfrightday @frightday  This is an Audio Wool Original. #UAP #UFO #Disclosure #DannySheehan #ContactInTheDesert #VISITORS #PentagonPapers #NationalSecurity

Samina Najmi joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about growing up under a military dictatorship in Pakistan, the colonial legacy in South Asia, writing about migration, race, and gender, teaching as a secular Muslim woman in the aftermath of 911, living displaced lives, leaning into bursts of memory, anchoring ourselves in moments, writing an essay collection over 10 years, learning from realistic fiction, lyrical essays grounded in research, allowing our writing to spill over into different categories, embracing an expansive literary community, how home is less a place than a moment in time, willing to be vulnerable on the page, building trust with readers, and her new memoir Sing Me a Circle: Love, Loss, and a Home in Time.   Ronit's upcoming workshop: Writing Dynamic Memoir: From Lived Experience to Gripping Story https://www.lmcmurtrylitcenter.org/workshops/writing-dynamic-memoir-from-lived-experience-to-gripping-story   Also in this episode: - entering writing contests - our expansive literary community - the different kinds of displacement  - fragments that come together later   Books mentioned in this episode:  - Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule Marshall - The Names by N. Scott Momaday - The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston - You and Yours by Naomi Shihab Nye   Samina Najmi teaches multiethnic US literature at California State University, Fresno. Her memoir-in-essays, Sing Me a Circle: Love, Loss, and a Home in Time, won the Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction and was published by Trio House Press in Oct, 2025. It has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and is featured among Poets & Writers' five nonfiction debuts of the year and Debutiful's Best Nonfiction Debuts of 2025. The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) includes it among notable 2025 nonfiction debuts and its recommended reading lists for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 2025 and Women's History Month 2026. Daughter of multiple migrations, Samina grew up in Pakistan and England, began her American life in Boston, and has called Fresno home since 2006.  Connect with Samina: Website: saminanajmi.com Instagram: samina.najmi Facebook: Samina Najmi Purchase book: https://www.triohousepress.org/samina-najmi – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Seven out of ten content marketing job postings now mention video. That stat kicks off a discussion with Eric Doty, Chloe Thompson, and Ruth Favela on whether video is becoming a required skillset for content marketers.This episode is sponsored by Wist...

Joining me for this episode is master illustrator Grace Helmer. We have a chat about her latest illustrated children's book, Van Gogh's Dog. A fun story of a scrappy street dog named Sunny, who unexpectedly inspires Vincent van Gogh to create some of his greatest masterpieces. We chat about Grace's beautiful illustrations in the book, drawing from Van Gogh's art and creating beautiful oil on canvas that is shown throughout the book. We also have a chat about providing illustrations for major corporations (Google) compared to creating a children's book. Have a listen to this wonderful chat with a master of illustrations. Enjoy!EPISODE NOTES: Grace Helmer - Van Gogh's DogBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/animal-writes-animal-writers-and-best-selling-authors-pets-animals--6666984/support.

Steve Richards welcomes award-winning historian Richard Vinen to discuss The Last Titans, a compelling new look at Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle, two extraordinary leaders whose influence continues to shape the world.Watch and Listen now on Spotify.#RichardVinen #TheLastTitans #SpeakingOfWriters #HistoryPodcast #Churchill #CharlesDeGaulle #WorldHistory #Biography #MilitaryHistory #Leadership #Books #AuthorInterview

Emeline Atwood graduated from the Michener Center for Writers in 2023. She writes fiction and poetry and is a recipient of the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize, the Louis Begley Prize, the Roger Conant Hatch Prize for Lyric Poetry, and the Le Baron Russell Briggs Fiction Prize. She lives in Austin, Texas. Her novel is A Real Animal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailSend us Fan MailIn this inspiring episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we are joined by Susan Gooch, a passionate educator and author who has dedicated her life to fostering a love for reading and writing. With roots in Searcy, Arkansas, Susan shares her journey from a dyslexic child struggling with reading to a successful author of the Carrington series. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of education.Susan opens up about her early experiences with reading, the influence of her mother—a reading specialist—and how her struggles shaped her passion for teaching. She discusses the enficance of strong female characters in her books, drawing inspiration from her own lineage of resilient Southern women. As we delve into her Carrington series, Susan reveals the intricate narratives of her characters, highlighting themes of love, compromise, and the complexities of human relationships.Listeners will gain insight into Susan's writing process, her motivations behind creating relatable characters, and her vision for empowering readers through literature. She also shares her upcoming projects, including a new book and a series of short stories designed to accompany her latest work.What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The journey from struggling reader to published author- The importance of strong female characters in literature- Insights into the Carrington series and its themes- The impact of education and reading on personal growth- Tips for fostering a love of reading in childrenFor more information on Susan Gooch and her work, visit her website at susangooch.com and connect with her on social media. Don't miss this enlightening conversation that encourages everyone to embrace the joy of reading and the power of storytelling.Support the show

Gaming pickups, Xbox employee concerns, Mario Kart Tour shutdown, Xbox layoffs, PlayStation backlash, SGDQ talk, and an A Short Hike review. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:28 Game Pickups and Miniatures Discussion 03:32 Current Games: Evil West and Short Hike 06:11 Physical Game Pickups and Onimusha 08:56 Summer Games Done Quick and Speedrunning Community 11:27 Xbox's Corporate Changes and Employee Sentiment 20:20 Mario Kart Tour Shutdown and Digital Game Concerns 23:21 Xbox's Restructuring and Layoffs 26:58 The Future of Game Studios 33:25 PlayStation's Digital Shift and Consumer Backlash 39:21 Game Review: A Short Hike 50:13 Outro Video John and Ryan return with another packed week of gaming talk, starting with their recent pickups. John adds A Short Hike and new D&D miniature materials to his collection, while Ryan dives into The Adventures of Elliot. John continues sharing his experience with Evil West on PS5, and Ryan spends time watching SGDQ and talking about standout runs. In the news, the guys break down reports that Xbox employees are unhappy with leadership, feeling the company is being run like a startup and prioritizing consumer sentiment over developer needs. They also discuss the shutdown of Mario Kart Tour this September, with no offline version planned. The conversation continues with Microsoft's latest shakeup as Xbox lays off 3,200 employees, followed by reactions to PlayStation's first tweet since announcing plans to end physical discs — and how poorly it's being received. To wrap up the episode, the Inflation Deflation Game of the Week features a review of A Short Hike on PC, as John and Ryan evaluate the game's charm, pacing, and current market value.   Find us on TheGameDeflators.com   Twitter - www.twitter.com/GameDeflators Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheGameDeflators Instagram - www.instagram.com/thegamedeflators   The views and opinions expressed on this channel are solely those of the author. The content within these recordings are property of their respective Designers, Writers, Creators, Owners, Organizations, Companies and Producers. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted. Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18

Debut novelist Tara Menon on writing friendship as a life-shaping bond, the emotional architecture of grief, and researching the natural world for her novel Under Water. You'll learn Why a platonic friendship can shape a life as profoundly as any romance How to build tension in a story when the reader already knows what's coming. What an unexpected sea creature reveals about writing the bonds between women. The difference between endless research and knowing just enough to write the scene. Why fiction demands a kind of surrender that criticism never asks for. How grief for a lost friend and grief for a vanishing natural world can become one story. When self-doubt is evidence you're taking the work seriously. Why cutting a novel down to its essentials can matter more than what you leave in. A writing rhythm that looks nothing like “500 words every morning” (and works anyway). What finally makes the writing worth it, long before publication does. Resources & Links

Send us Fan MailWelcome back, everyone, for the conclusion of my interview with the FBI agent who transitioned from FBI Special Agent accountant to FBI SWAT sniper and bomb Tech. My guest on today's show, Barry Black, has been involved in investigating multi-million dollar crimes, from being a SWAT sniper at the Waco standoff, a bomb tech at the Oklahoma bombing, and 9/11. Let's get to know Barry. Barry joined the FBI in 1988 and was assigned to the Oklahoma City Division, where he primarily investigated complex financial crimes. Mr. Black served as an FBI SWAT sniper for several years, including a 51-day deployment to the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, in 1993. The following year, Mr. Black was certified as a Bomb Technician at the FBI's Hazardous Devices School. In 1995, he was a first responder to the bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and remained a member of the OKBOMB Task Force. As the threat of terrorism grew, Mr. Black was assigned to the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he worked with international partners in the global war on terror and trained highly specialized military and counterterrorism units in hostile regions around the world. Domestically, Mr. Black responded to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bombing, the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, the 2005 bombing at the University of Oklahoma, the bombing of a U.S. Air Force recruiting station, and, in a complex undercover operation, helped thwart a 2017 truck bomb attack targeting a major financial center in Oklahoma City. After retiring from the FBI, Mr. Black became an adjunct faculty member at the University of Central Oklahoma's Forensic Science Institute. He has served as a consultant, keynote speaker, and provided commentary for various national and international media outlets and documentaries. In 2026, his book, Hazardous Devices: Memoir of an FBI Bomb Technician, Accountant, and Sniper, was published by McFarland & Company.  Please enjoy the conclusion of my chat with an FBI agent who has had a law enforcement career that is the stuff of movies and books.  In today's episode, we discuss:·      FBI personnel being kicked out of a hotel in Waco to make room for a basketball team. ·      ATF handing over the scene to the FBI.·      Dealing with the child victims on the scene.·      The Texas Rangers' role in the aftermath at Waco.·      Who processed the crime scene?·      Barry responding as a bomb tech. A few years later, on April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nicholes used an improvised explosive device in a U-Haul that detonated in front of the Alfred Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 and injuring 800 people. ·      Barry's wife leaving the target building two minutes before the detonation of the bomb.·      9/11. What was his role as an FBI master bomb tech, and what effect did that have on you?·      His life after the bureau, as a teacher and author.·      David Koresh was a cult leader. How do you reason with this guy?·      His book, Hazardous Devices: Memoir of an FBI Bomb Technician, Accountant and Sniper.·      His thoughts on the current FBI.All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Please visit Barry's website to learn more about him and his career.Head on over to my website! What's the craziest thing you saw when you were a cop?My first week on the job, a guy running at me with a butcher knife. He'd just killed his brother over the last hot dog.That's chapter 1. There are 33 more.Police Stories: The Rookie Years just launched - available on Amazon. Search 'Police Stories Patrick O'Donnell' or click thSupport the show

Cut it out, writers!

On today's show, Greg Pogue and Mike Organ, sports writer for the Tennessean, discuss the battle over racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds and the potential amendment that needs 50,000 signatures to reach the ballot. Greg and Mike face off over their place in the Hall of Fame, talk about Nashville's sports teams, and Greg inquires about Mike's family life. 

On today's program, one of the women accusing Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard of sexual misconduct has been dropped from the case for gathering evidence illegally. We'll have details. Plus, a hard look at child safety policies at Christian schools. What actually happens when a child reports abuse? We'll take a look. And, ministries we recommend donors NOT give to.  But first, a church vote in the Texas, Fort Worth area has failed to restore a pastor who allowed his son — a registered sex offender — to serve as a contractor at the church’s affiliated K-through-12 school. Members of Heritage Baptist Church voted 101 to 79 to rehire Pastor Eric Crawford. That’s 56 percent in favor. But the church’s bylaws require a 75 percent threshold. So Crawford is not returning to the pulpit.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Robert Mineo, Neva Piombino, Jessice Eturralde, Adelle Banks, and Makella Knowles. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Juliet McShannon speaks to Emily Everett about her story “Rescue,” which appears in The Common's spring issue. The story follows a woman on her search for a lost dog through a neighborhood very different from her own, and explores ideas of loss, class, community, and healing. Juliet also discusses how her childhood in Apartheid South Africa, and young adulthood practicing law during the time of transition that followed, has shaped her writing. Juliet McShannon is an emerging fiction writer who was born in England, raised in South Africa where she practiced law, and now lives in the Colorado Desert in Southern California. She is a graduate of the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers and was selected as a Luso-American Fellow for Disquiet International. Her writing has appeared in Five Points Literary Journal, the New England Review, The Guardian, The Independent, The Star, and elsewhere. ­­Read the story in The Common at thecommononline.org/rescue. Follow Juliet on Instagram at @julietmcshannon. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Juliet McShannon speaks to Emily Everett about her story “Rescue,” which appears in The Common's spring issue. The story follows a woman on her search for a lost dog through a neighborhood very different from her own, and explores ideas of loss, class, community, and healing. Juliet also discusses how her childhood in Apartheid South Africa, and young adulthood practicing law during the time of transition that followed, has shaped her writing. Juliet McShannon is an emerging fiction writer who was born in England, raised in South Africa where she practiced law, and now lives in the Colorado Desert in Southern California. She is a graduate of the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers and was selected as a Luso-American Fellow for Disquiet International. Her writing has appeared in Five Points Literary Journal, the New England Review, The Guardian, The Independent, The Star, and elsewhere. ­­Read the story in The Common at thecommononline.org/rescue. Follow Juliet on Instagram at @julietmcshannon. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

The producers of "God and America's 250th" and the "Newsfront" series on Newsmax, Jack & Mandy Smith join usFollow Jack: @JackTSmith1Follow Mandy: @MandyDelRio

Director David Wain and Star Ken Marino bring their decades of iconic comedy experience ("Wet Hot American Summer," "Role Models") to co-writing their newest hilarious summer romp "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass." The pair sat down with IndieWire's Chris O'Falt for a chat about their 7 day writing process, loving their troupe of regular performers, and plenty of funny digressions as you'd expect from an interview with two improv comedians. Read our full review of "Gail Daughtry'"- https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/gail-daughtry-and-the-celebrity-sex-pass-movie-review-1235175438/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This live stream from the Infinite Plane Society (IPS) focuses on the development of a Teachable course regarding Metascript Deconstruction and the formal methodology for media skepticism. The speaker argues that most people are trapped in a "world stage" narrative where significant historical events are actually pre-scheduled simulations.The speaker identifies a dual timeline system: a real-world timeline and a secondary, fictional timeline called the Metascript. This Metascript contains pre-planned, "theatrically performed" historic events that arrive via the news to eventually become part of our history. Key elements of this system include:The Psyop Entertainment Complex: A monolithic collusion between government, news media, and mass entertainment designed to wage psychological warfare on the public.Predictive and Concurrent Programming: Mass entertainment (movies, TV shows) is used to condition the public to accept future fake events as inevitable and to frame their later interpretation.Meta-scripters: Writers and directors who contribute content to the Metascript by reinforcing or foreshadowing these operations.The speaker uses the reported assassination of Charlie Kirk as a primary example of a planned simulated event. He cites "hoax indicators," such as the use of squibs (special effects devices) and "predictive programming" in the show Snake Eyes, as evidence that the event was scripted decades in advance.The speaker critiques individuals like Alex Jones and "Jesse on Fire," labeling them as "guardrailers". He defines a guardrail as a "safe" conspiracy theory or subplot that allows people to question details of an event (e.g., "he's actually in protective custody") while still accepting the foundational premise that the person and the "world stage" are real.The sources describe a system of triangulation where the "world stage" creates manufactured fights between opposing sides to reinforce social schisms. This includes:Woke Left: Focused on Critical Race Theory and systemic oppression.Woke Right: Described as a "counterpart" that believes it is being oppressed by Israel or the government.Red Pills: Viewed as another form of "false awakening" or "wokeism" that merely swaps one belief system for another, often involving "conspiracy lore" like chemtrails or reptilians.The ultimate goal of IPS is to move individuals "off-world stage" into what the speaker calls "Realville". This perspective is rooted in consummate skepticism and the suspension of judgment rather than active belief. By recognizing the existence of the two timelines and reverse-engineering media fakery, individuals can allegedly inoculate themselves against psychological operations and "mind viruses".Core Concepts of Metascript DeconstructionCase Study: The "Charlie Kirk Assassination"Political Triangulation and "Wokeism"The "Off-World Stage" Perspective

325 / Can a slow writer find success in the current market? We dive into that listener question today and also share a summer catch-up after our June break. Hear about Jami's book launch and what she wishes she'd known about launching wide and in a new genre. We also answer listener questions about slow release strategies, writing without burnout, and content ideas to share in your newsletters.  ✨ This week's sponsor is Bookfunnel: https://bookfunnel.com

RECALL: Act Three By the time RECALL reaches Act Three, Miami Military Academy is no longer pretending it can survive. The school is still marching, still saluting, still shining brass and barking orders into the Florida heat, but the center is gone. Colonel Barnes is dying. Commander Patterson knows it. Sally knows it. And the boys, even when they are laughing too hard to say it out loud, can feel the whole place slipping into history. Written by Academy Award nominee Bruce Davison, and once optioned and held by the great Carroll O’Connor with eyes on a Pacino lead,, RECALL is a funny, savage, deeply human coming-of-age drama about abandoned boys, broken fathers, old soldiers, Cuban exiles, secret weapons, and the terrible bargain countries make when they ask the young to carry the sins of the old. Act Three begins with the last quiet hours before everything breaks. Lishinsky and Sally steal a small piece of freedom on the water, drifting toward Captain Kidd’s Island, talking about California, escape, fathers, graves, and the strange fantasy that two damaged kids might simply sail away from all of it. But nobody really gets away from Miami Military Academy. Not yet. Inside Barnes’ house, Patterson sits beside a dying friend and is handed the thing no soldier wants: responsibility without rescue. Barnes tells him the Army is calling in its chips. The school, the land, the boys, the munitions, the whole dream is coming apart. Patterson rages because he knows what the place is, and what it has been. A broken institution, yes. A madhouse, absolutely. But also the only home some of these boys have ever had. Then the machinery starts moving. The Army arrives. The Cuban officials arrive. The inspection becomes theater. A live round falls where it should not. The old bunkers by the bay are suddenly more important than the boys standing in formation. The parade takes them through Miami and into the Dade County Fair, where the whole strange, glorious organism of “A” Company explodes into one last carnival of cigars, sheep, majorettes, busted noses, bad decisions, and Patterson turning, for one mad instant, into the hero the boys still need him to be. But the comedy cannot hold the line forever. Colonel Barnes is gone. The flag drops to half-mast. The Razor Fiend is finally revealed. Lindquist, the feral boy from the mango trees, becomes a cadet, a savior, and maybe the strangest proof that the academy was never only a school. It was a place that took in the lost and gave them a uniform because it had no better language for love. Slouch and Bebop reach the end of pretending. Bebop is called home by a country that no longer exists the way he remembers it. Slouch follows because friendship, for him, is the only oath that ever meant anything. The Cuban exiles come in the night. Patterson tries to stop them. History steps over him. Sally leaves for California. Lishinsky stays behind with the ache of first love and the knowledge that some people are not meant to be held. Patterson sits with his ghosts. The boys graduate into a world already waiting to use them. And somewhere beyond the academy walls, the Bay of Pigs turns courage, loyalty, and bad American promises into blood in the surf. RECALL is about boyhood at the edge of the American century, when duty still sounded clean from a podium and war still knew how to dress itself up as honor. It is about boys who wanted fathers, fathers who failed them, soldiers who could not save themselves, and a country that keeps asking the young to pay for the old men’s maps. Starring Alan Rosenberg, Carson Bolde, Stone Garcia, Wesley Kimmel, Dan Lauria, Kensington Tallman, Roxton Garcia, Bruce Davison, Luca Diaz, Amari O’Neil, Amir O’Neil, David Errigo Jr., Zeke Alton, Gian Franco Rodriguez, Miki Yamashita, Nemil Mudvari, Sofia D’Marco, and Ashley Ciarra. A portion of proceeds from RECALL will benefit the National Veterans Foundation and the Lifeline for Vets. To support NVF or speak with a Veteran who understands, visit https://nvf.org or call 888-777-4443. Produced by Table Read Podcast and Manifest Media Productions, LLC. Executive Produced by Jack Levy, Shaan Sharma, and Mark Knell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A story from the Void Guard book?! About time. Show Notes: Run Time: 2:08:28 It's odd to see a book change genre in the very third issue. How did this happen? What happened in issues #1 and #2? What happens after this story?  While I cannot promise complete satisfaction on all of those fronts, rest assured that this episode at least touches on all of that! And more! And introduces a villainous force that's been hiding in the shadows for some time... Lots of good letters in this episode, especially in response to the Quetzalcoatl / 6th Sun story. If you want to get your letters in to an upcoming episode of this very show, use our submission form to send one in! And also check out The Letters Page Podcast Patreon! It's a great way to connect with a VERY cool and active community, and also support us while we keep telling these stories! Thank you, Patreon supporters! We look forward to telling you an Æternal tale next week!

What happens to your creativity when you're in pain or sick, and can you ever get it back? How can you find and sharpen your author voice? J. Daniel Sawyer talks about voice mastery, writing with chronic pain, and building an eclectic author business. In the intro, leaning into your Strengths and deciding what you want to achieve by the end of the year; and Bones of the Deep by J.F. Penn. Today's show is sponsored by ProWritingAid, writing and editing software that goes way beyond just grammar and typo checking. With its detailed reports on how to improve your writing and integration with writing software, ProWritingAid will help you improve your book before you send it to an editor, agent or publisher. Check it out for free or get 15% off the premium edition at www.ProWritingAid.com/joanna This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn J. Daniel Sawyer is the author of over 30 books across science fiction, fantasy, crime, short stories, and nonfiction, as well as being a podcaster and filmmaker. His latest book for authors is The Pitch-Perfect Author: Voice Mastery for Writers. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Writing fiction through chronic pain and re-emerging into health after surgery How your physical health shapes (and darkens) your fiction Rebooting an author business around a weekly Substack column What author voice really is, and why it's fundamentally about sound The building blocks of voice: functional vocabulary, dialect, and musicality The “crossing the line twice” trick for hearing your own voice objectively You can find Dan at JDsawyer.net or on Substack. Transcript of the interview with J. Daniel Sawyer Jo: J. Daniel Sawyer is the author of over 30 books across science fiction, fantasy, crime, short stories, and nonfiction, as well as being a podcaster and filmmaker. His latest book for authors is The Pitch-Perfect Author: Voice Mastery for Writers. So welcome back to the show, Dan. Dan: Hello, Joanna. It's good to be back. Jo: Goodness me, you have been on the podcast a few times, but actually, the last time was April 2017, which is crazy. It's nine years ago. When I saw your book, I was like, “I can't believe we haven't talked for that long.” For anyone who doesn't know you, tell us a bit more about— What does your creative and author business look like these days? Dan: Oh, well, these days it's in a state of recovery because it basically ground to a halt while I was dying a few years ago. It turned out I had an organ disease from the time I was a kid that I didn't know about, and it just progressively got worse and worse, putting me in more and more pain. I hit a point around about 2020 or so where I was in so much pain that I couldn't write fiction. I continued to write nonfiction, but when you're carrying around a lot of physical pain, there comes a point where so much of your brain's activity goes into coping with it that you actually lose the ability to model other people's emotional states—or at least well enough to write fiction. So I was very frustrated, and I was despairing that I was ever going to be a novelist again. Then suddenly, what I was sick with went acute. I went to the emergency room, and they're like, “Oh, if you don't have surgery in the next 24 hours, you're going to die.” So I went and got surgery, and there was one bed in the whole state. There was a three-hour drive to get to the one that was available in the time window. I get there. They wheel me into the OR. I wake up afterwards, and I realise that I'm not in pain, and that I had never felt that before in my adult life. Jo: Wow. Dan: Just the walls of my whole reality came caving in. Two weeks later, I was back up and working, and since then I've been slowly reacquiring my ability to write fiction. So now I've got four novels going again, like I used to have going all the time, as well as doing a weekly column and all sorts of other stuff. Jo: I think a lot of people will be interested in this. A lot of writers have chronic pain issues or chronic health issues, and yours sounds like it was a sort of down, down, down, down—and then more of a sudden up. Maybe just talk a bit more, because I feel like a lot of the time people are too hard on themselves about, “Oh my goodness, if I can't write fiction, is it the end of everything?” So how did you adapt to that, with the mental health aspect of dealing with that change in circumstance? Dan: Well, it was happening so gradually, and it happened at the same time that a whole bunch of other weirdly stressful things happened, like COVID and a couple of family emergencies that derailed my whole life for a couple of years. I assumed it was just really bad stress that would pass with time. So I had the despairing feeling, because when you write fiction, it tends to occupy a central place in your self-concept. I'd also been through very tough times before, so I was like, “Well, got through that then, maybe I'll get through this now.” I just made sure to keep writing something, because at least you keep the discipline of the words flowing. There was still thought going on, so I would have ideas for novels and write them down. There were good days and bad days. Occasionally I would sit down and be like, “I feel like fiction today,” and I would write a couple thousand words, and then it would be 10 months before I could do that again. When you work with your mind, it is really easy to develop or sink into the delusion that your mind is not your body. Now, if you're paralysed or you're missing limbs, you can still write—but your mind and your body are a single system, and eventually, if something terrible is wrong with your body, it's going to affect your cognition, your emotive abilities, and all the things that we depend on for creativity. That doesn't necessarily mean that if you're sick or injured, or you've got chronic health problems from birth, that you can't write. It just means that it really is one of the factors that goes into shaping your experience of the world, that goes into shaping the way you process things and they come out on paper. When there's a massive change in your health, it's going to show up in your fiction somehow. If your health goes way down, especially if you get into a lot of pain or you have a terminal illness, your fiction's going to get darker. One of the reasons—I discovered this after I got my surgery—one of the reasons is that the sense of impending doom is actually a medical symptom of organ death. Jo: Well, don't say that to a dark writer like me. I have a sense of impending doom the entire time. Dan: Well, there's a cognitive sense of impending doom that you get if you're modelling systems and you see how things can go wrong. But the sense that you feel the claws of demons grasping at your heart all the time—that can be a medical symptom. So pay attention to that. I didn't know that until afterwards, or I'd have gotten looked at a lot sooner. Jo: That is really interesting. You mentioned there you are reacquiring the ability to write fiction, or that's what you've been focusing on. You also talked about having to reboot the business. So what are some of the concrete things you're doing to rebuild? Dan: Well, the first thing I did is I allowed myself to get talked into doing a weekly Substack column a couple of years ago, and that's worked out really well. Pay is pretty decent. I've been posting most everything for free except for some previews of upcoming books, but I'm now learning the art of paywalling, so that also helps. Getting paid for the weekly column is quite nice, and a side effect is that it does drive people occasionally to the fiction, even though I'm writing nonfiction. It more frequently drives people to the nonfiction books, but it gives me a good place to announce new releases, to promote book bundles, Kickstarters, and all that sort of thing. It's a very good place for that because the people who are subscribing there—especially the people who are subscribing and supporting—are interested enough in what I'm saying that they want my email every week. So it's a good filtering mechanism for building the email list as well. Jo: You used to do a lot of audio. That's how we connected way back, like 17 years ago, I think, when we first connected. So are you still doing a lot of audio? Dan: I am not at the moment. It's not because of a decision to drop the audio. It's because I am now building my house, and I don't have a place that's quiet enough to record dependably. I'm living in a little RV at the moment while I build the house. In the deep winter, everything is quiet enough in the forest to record some things, and so I do audiobooks for clients, and I work on audiobooks of my own that are coming out. It's not quiet enough to podcast, and it's not quiet enough to be recording any other time than when the whole world is asleep. Hopefully by next year I will have the recording studio building built, and then I'll be back at it. Because boy, I miss it. Jo: I know. So you mentioned there bundles and Kickstarters and things, and we reconnected because I bought a StoryBundle, and your new book, The Pitch-Perfect Author, was in the StoryBundle, which was part of why I bought it anyway. So let's get into the book and what's useful. Let's start with— What is author voice anyway, and why is it important? Dan: Author voice. Everything about the way that you write is part of your author voice. The themes that you gravitate to, the way that you turn a phrase, the way that you tell a joke, the way that you handle dramatic tension. When all of that combines, it creates in the reader's mind an emotional fingerprint, a gestalt that says, “This is a Joanna Penn book. This is a Dan Sawyer book,” or whoever. When you bring the focus down further, author voice is fundamentally an auditory phenomenon. You can see this if you look at the careers of writers who had major worldview shifts during their career, or who shifted genres. If you read an Isaac Asimov mystery, and you read Asimov's Guide to the Bible, and you read Isaac Asimov's The Robots of Dawn, they're all Asimov. You can hear him talking to you through all of those different venues. So author voice is not a genre thing. It's not dependent on content. It has to do fundamentally with how your brain processes language and how it comes out of your mouth. That, in turn, is based on patterns that were laid down when you were pre-verbal as an infant. You learned language by mapping the music of the conversations around you, and then gradually learning that the sing-song you were hearing corresponded to ideas. That's how the brain bootstraps itself into language. So when you start writing, just like when you start speaking, you wind up imitating a lot—unconsciously—the people you've read and heard, because that's how you develop your voice. There comes a point at which all the various influences on you, and who you are, and how they pass through you, crystallises into something definite. By the time you're a moderately competent writer, and you're finishing novels and short stories well, your author voice is pretty well established. But that doesn't mean it's sharp, because most people don't actually concentrate on learning to hear their author voice, so they can't tell when it's off. This is why new writers who revise a lot tend to revise their voice right out. When they write, they're using language as feels right to them, but when they read, they're reading it like an English teacher, or through the lens of someone who has very definite ideas about how grammar should work in all circumstances. So they tend to smooth the quirkiness out of their voice, and what you get is something flat. It doesn't feel alive. It may convey information, it may tell a good story, but it doesn't feel like you're entering something that's living. Jo: I think this is so difficult, especially for people who are new to writing. Because I remember very much spending the first few years going along to writers' conferences, and there were always sessions on “you must find your writer's voice.” You must find your author's voice, and we publish books because of the voice, and all this. It was very, very confusing to me. As you say, it has to emerge somehow, and yet that emergence seems to be very hard to accept. So what are some of the ways we can perhaps think about voice? You mentioned there some patterns. You talk about music. So what are some of those angles? In the book, you have different chapters on all of these things, but maybe just talk more about some of the elements. Dan: The first and most obvious is functional vocabulary. This is not the number of words that you know. These are the words that you can reach for in the moment. You can expand your functional vocabulary by deliberately using more words—burnish your inner thesaurus. The greater your functional vocabulary is, the more your personality is going to come out through your voice. When you've got more options to do something that's just the way that you want to do it, the closer it's going to be to the way you want to do it. So there's functional vocabulary. There's your native dialect and accent. You, being British, have a different set of preferred terms for everything than I, being a West Coast American, do. One of the great differences that's always visible between an English writer and an American writer is that you guys have a different way of speaking. When you speak of a difference between one thing and another, you talk about how this car is different to that car. And Americans say this car is different from that car. It always marks out a British writer versus an American writer. There are 100 little things like that. They happen not just between major countries, but within regions in every country. You could tell on paper the difference between someone from Yorkshire and someone from London, just as I can tell on paper the difference between someone from the West Coast and someone from Mississippi. Even if they're highly educated, the idiom, the preferred turns of phrase, the preferred imagery—all of that is going to be a little bit different, and it conveys that regionality. There's also the musicality of the language. This is the actual rhythm of the words with which you speak. When you learn to analyse poetry or to write poetry, you learn something called scansion. How a poem scans is—what are the beats of the lines, how are the beats of the lines related to each other, and how does the rhyme move in and out of that? A Shakespearean sonnet, or a sonnet from the Elizabethan era, has a specific metre, a specific number of lines, and a specific rhyme scheme, and the metre is iambic pentameter. An iamb is “bum-bum,” if I remember right. It's the rhythm of the heartbeat. It's “bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum.” And you can hear it in the name of the metre, the iamb. The iambic pentameter is where the stressed syllable is the second syllable and the unstressed syllable is the first syllable. All of Shakespeare is written in blank verse, which is unrhymed iambic pentameter. The pentameter is five feet per line, so one iamb is “bum-bum”—that's one foot—and five of those makes one line of Shakespeare. We all have inherent rhythms like that in the way we naturally speak, but we can also tweak those rhythms on purpose to achieve dramatic effect. The iamb has the sound of the heartbeat. It's a very reassuring speech rhythm. The trochaic is a much more rapid one—it mirrors the rhythm of a rapidly beating heart. So you see this a lot in Edgar Allan Poe, especially in his frenetic poems like “The Bells,” how they jingle, jingle, jangle on a hoary moonless night. There's a rushing sound to that metre. You're going to find that you will automatically do a little bit of this, just the way that you'll automatically have picked up the convention of breaking sentences up into shorter lengths during really exciting or suspense-filled parts of your book. Once you know what it is, you can start to use it on purpose. Quite a lot of developing your voice is learning to recognise these latent, existing qualities in the way you communicate, and sharpening them up and making them conscious tools that you can pull in whenever you want. Jo: On the one hand, there are a lot of technical words there that are really interesting, and maybe poets know a lot more of those words than most other writers. The book is really interesting in that way—kind of learning about these different things. I guess I want to reassure people as well that, as you said, some of this can be unconscious. So often when I'm self-editing and I'm reading a sentence to myself, there's something that doesn't feel right about it. So I will rewrite that sentence so that it feels right. Sometimes we do something that might be grammatically less correct, but it sounds better than it did before. So many of these things we almost know instinctively, just from reading so much. Dan: Oh, yes. From reading so much and talking so much, and again, from the way you acquire language. That gives you a template in your head of what sounds right. Language is inherently musical. So if you've ever listened to a song—especially one that wasn't recorded by a professional, but someone singing in a church choir, or your kid practising for a recital, or you practising for a recital—you know that feeling that happens when someone hits a wrong note. There's that little wince down in the core of your being, and then the song carries on and you forget about it, unless there are too many of them, in which case you just sort of cower and ooze out of the room. That feeling of “Ooh, someone just hit a wrong note”—that's exactly the feeling you get when you're reading through to edit your work and something is off in the technical layer of your voice. You should pay attention to that and rewrite so that it feels good, or feels great, which is even better. You've got the opposite of the wince, which is that sense of rapture and joy if you're listening to a professional musician and they go on an amazing guitar solo, or a flautist does an incredible trill that just sends shivers up your spine. That sense of excitement and joy—that's what happens when you're reading and the author does something with the language that makes the whole piece fly. So you want to be paying attention for those too, because those you'll commit without intending to. When you're reading back and you find those, you want to make note of them, because that's you seeing where you are at your strongest with your voice. By learning both where you're making mistakes and where you're being brilliant—just like with anything else—you can start to advance towards being brilliant more often and making fewer mistakes. Jo: Then there's a difficulty around where the line is, especially when you're an early-stage writer. Many people work with editors, and you mentioned the problem of revising your voice away, and that may also happen if you're working with an editor. Like you said, as a Brit, I work with an American editor, Kristen, and she's excellent. She's very, very good at letting my voice be my voice, and then fixing things that make it better. But a lot of people don't feel that way about their editors. So how can people understand where those lines are between being well-edited and becoming a better writer, and then needing to hold the line on their voice? Dan: It really helps if you understand where you are weak. Why are you hiring the editor in the first place? I'm a big believer in the utility of having other eyes on the manuscript, but it's really important to know what you're looking for from them. You and I have both been to the Oregon Coast writing seminars, back when that was a thing. Jo: Mm. Dan: One of the things they would talk about with editors is when you've got a story editor or a beta reader who says, “Hey, something here didn't work in the story for me,” you usually don't want to look at that point. You want to trace back from that point to figure out where you set the wrong expectation. Any editorial feedback is going to have a gap between what they notice and what really needs to be fixed. As a writer, learning to interpret the feedback properly so that you actually elevate the material, instead of interpreting the feedback like you're trying to do customer service for an employer, where you just want to make the customer happy, is a really important skill to develop. That's regardless of whether the feedback has to do with voice or plot or characterisation or whatever. Some editors are really good at back-tracing and actually spotting the real problem. Editors make their money, or get hired, or get picked by you to volunteer, because they're good at being an audience—not because they're good at being a writer. So learning to interpret the editorial feedback is a really important step in that maturation journey. Jo: Yes. I think “maturation journey” is a good way to put it. Personally, I think it was around book five when I really felt, “Okay, now I see what my voice actually is.” Like, it had to be five novels, and then I was like, “Okay, now I know.” I just didn't get it before then, and then finally—I don't know—a penny dropped or something. Maybe I grew into it, grew more confident, that kind of thing. Dan: Yes, and that's actually about right. If you look at writers with a big catalogue, five books in is usually where they start really sounding like them. So that's a pretty normal maturation curve. There is a way to speed it up, which is to read your books aloud—or even better, make audiobooks and then listen to them a thousand times. Listen to them until you are sick of them, and then listen to them until you start to like them again. Jo: That's a lot. Dan: It's a lot, but there's a really specific neurological mechanism at work. You're familiar with the comedy term “crossing the line twice,” right? Jo: Not really. Dan: Okay. Have you seen the Monty Python Spam sketch? Jo: Yes. Dan: Okay. So for those of you who have not seen this—in the Monty Python Spam sketch, there's a couple, they're in a diner, and everything on the menu has spam in it. They say the word “spam” so much that you just want to shoot your television. But they keep it up, and then suddenly, at some point—it's a different point for everybody watching—they keep it going on long enough that everybody gets there. At some point, the word “spam” itself becomes hilarious, and you can't stop laughing, and you don't know why, because it shouldn't work, but goddammit it really does. It's so funny that we named junk email “spam” after this sketch, because it's a whole bunch of stuff that you don't want, but it keeps showing up anyway. That's crossing the line twice. What's going on is that your brain is getting accustomed to a sound. It has extracted all of the meaning it can, and so it's doing what it does with all sensory input. When it thinks it's got it mapped out, it's trying to filter it. Unless you are going to sit and concentrate on it, you can't feel the texture of the fabric of your clothing on the back of your legs, because your brain—despite the fact that it's getting that input all the time—is filtering that out, because it needs you to have your resources free for thinking. When you experience something over and over and over, no matter what it is or how complex it is, the brain habituates like that. But if that signal refuses to be filtered, and the input keeps coming, and it keeps getting more intense, or it stays persistent and it's too complex to filter easily, your brain starts to think, “Oh, maybe I shouldn't be filtering this out.” “Maybe there's meaning here that's important for my survival that I hadn't extracted.” And so suddenly it starts searching for meaning to associate with that sensation—and that's the point at which the joke becomes funny again, or you start to experience your voice as if it's somebody else's. When you begin to experience your author voice as if it's somebody else's, you can hear it as a distinct, objective style, rather than just as an echo of the voices that are in your head. That's why music students practise over and over and over, even on a piece they know cold. They're doing the same trick that I'm advocating with listening to your audiobooks until you're not sick of them anymore. Jo: I mean, I think that's terrifying, because I just don't want to listen to my books over and over again. I think it's very interesting that you think it could shortcut that voice process. Staying on audio—since we last spoke, I have done a lot of my own audiobook narration, mainly for nonfiction, but also my short stories. I haven't done my full-length fiction. What I discovered in doing this is that what read fine to me when I was self-editing my own work on the page—and obviously I'm hearing it in my head—when I perform the audiobook, I actually have to edit things again. So what are some of your tips for how we can bridge that gap? Because that's kind of strange. Dan: So what's happening is that there's a much wider latitude of things that work on the page than what works with voice. The reason is that with voice, all of those rhythmic elements I was talking about before are really pronounced, as well as all the sensual elements. Basically every word and sound has a mouth shape. The mouth shape affects the emotional valence of the sound. Stuff that's unpleasant tends to have a really close-in feel—I'm trying to scrunch my face up—where you would grit your teeth and scrunch up your face if something is unpleasant. And if something is really pleasant, it tends to have a rounded feel, and our language reflects it. In fact, all languages reflect this, because language is a physical thing that's based on the sensuality of the body. So, like, in all cultures “mama” is the word for mother that babies first say, regardless of what it is. It has a round feel, because babies associate their mother with roundness. A lot of language is built up that way, from baseline sensual cues. When you're working just in text, that aspect is not nearly as obvious to you. When you're reading, it's not as obvious to you. It's still at play, but when you go to do something verbally, and you go to read a text, all of those sensual cues come in at the same time. Then the rhythm comes in hard, and you suddenly realise that—hey, that conveys the thought, but it doesn't feel right. So you wind up retooling a bit. There's also occasionally tongue twisters, which you have to work your way around. So that's why that happens. Jo: Then I guess another thing—I hear quite often, people say, “Oh, I don't like my voice.” And they mean, “I don't like speaking out loud. I don't want to be on video. I don't want to be on audio.” I wonder— Does that sort of resistance potentially affect their writing voice? Are there ways people can get over that feeling? Dan: Yes, for sure. There are a few things that go into that. One is basic self-loathing. A lot of people carry it around. Most people learn to make a decent life even though they kind of secretly suspect that they're not worth anything, or they secretly find themselves revolting. That kind of thing you can't really fix with exercises. That's something you fix with — Jo: Therapy. Dan: Psychological work, or spiritual work, or that kind of thing. Jo: Yes. Dan: But the not liking the sound of your own voice—that's easy to fix. Here's why it happens. When you're listening to your voice as you speak, the bones in your head are amplifying the bass signals and attenuating the treble. It's kind of like if you were to shout in another room and your spouse hears you, but they can't make out the consonants. That's because all the consonants are being filtered out by the wall in between, but the bass is being resonated through. The same thing happens in your head. So when you get on a microphone—especially if it's an accurate microphone—you're suddenly hearing what everybody else hears when you speak, and it sounds thin and tinny and unpleasant compared to what you're used to hearing. The really easy way to get around this is to get a microphone that is tuned for singers. The condenser mic that I have isn't made anymore, so I can't really recommend a good condenser mic. If you're on a dynamic mic, the Shure SM58 is the one to use. I podcasted with that for years before I could afford an upgrade. It is tuned for singers to sound as good as possible without any other help from the sound engineer, which means that the baseline sound for that microphone is what you're hearing in your head. If you use the right equipment, you get around that problem really quickly, to the extent that you can technically. Then after that, it's just a matter of crossing the line twice. You listen to yourself enough that you stop hearing, “Oh my God, I'm talking,” and you start hearing, “Oh, that voice is making this sound.” And once you hear, “Oh, it's that voice making this sound,” you don't have that problem anymore, ever again. Jo: Oh, good. Well, hopefully that's fixed it for people. And of course, there are lots of brilliant things in the book, The Pitch-Perfect Author. Before we finish up, I did want to return to your Substack. I was having a look at it, and it includes some really interesting things. Like, you're doing this metalwork, which is really cool. It felt coherent to me, because I know you, and you're a polymath, and you're interested in so many things. So your Substack kind of stood out to me as quite eclectic, compared to, say, other writers who are going on Substack to try and sell specific books. So is this a deliberate marketing choice, or is it just be an interesting person and you will attract people who are interested more generally? Dan: Well, I suppose it kind of winds up being the latter, but basically it's that I get bored easily. If I'm going to be writing every week, I need to stay interested in it. One of the books I wrote when I was really sick—that's not out on the market yet, but it is serialised on Substack—is a guide to self-education. It'll be coming out later this year on the general market. It's called Reclaiming Your Mind: An Autodidact's Bible. I talk in there quite a bit about the illusion of discrete areas of knowledge. There is a level of learning at which the silos of information start to collapse together. Woodworking and writing have a lot to do with each other. A lot of the terminology we use in writing is pulled from the trades—especially woodworking, and metalworking, and gunsmithing. As you begin to spot these connections between different areas of knowledge, it becomes really easy to slide between them for your hobbies, for your writing, for just your personal gratification. As I've gotten older—and also as I've gotten access to a little space that's not contained within a teeny little apartment—I have just gone with it. As I've discovered, “Hey, this thing is tangentially connected to this other thing over here,” I'm like, “Oh, well, I'm going to go over to this other thing and see what's over there.” It's tremendously creatively fertile. Since a lot of the things that our language connects us to have to do with trades and crafts and nature, it gets you out in the open air, which is really good for any writer—because sitting at a desk all day is worse than smoking three packs of cigarettes a day for 40 years. Jo: I love that. Dan: My curiosity is the chief feature of my Substack, and it kind of works for me as a writer, because it's also one of the chief features of my fiction. Jo: Me too, and I was actually quite inspired by your Substack. Because I think this happens when you've been in the writing industry long enough. Substack has become the sort of trendy place to be now. People are going into specific niches, very much like blogging did, and then podcasting had to be on a specific niche, and all this. Of course, we know logically that, marketing a book—you know, if you had just a Substack on voice mastery, then for sure that would be a better marketing vehicle. But, as you say, how boring. Dan: Well, it depends a lot on what you're trying to cultivate as an author. If you're a single-genre author with a very narrow niche, and you're really happy writing that kind of stuff, then a narrow column supporting it is not a bad idea. Especially when you serialise old novels, once you've got 20 or 30 under your belt. That's not a bad idea, because you're trying to attract people who want one thing and want it regularly. If I were to get a reader who wants one thing and wants it regularly, and finds it, say, in my Clarke Lantham mysteries, and then they hop over to my science fiction—oh boy, are they going to be pissed. If they're not there for my voice, and they're just there for the way I write a mystery plot, then not only are they not going to get what they're looking for—but they're going to start to doubt whether they can trust that they're going to get what they're looking for in my next mystery. Whereas if they're coming to me through something where the multiplicity of what I'm doing is on display—whether that's this Substack, or whether that's what I used to do on The Every Day Novelist when I was podcasting that, or whether it's what I did with all the after-shows on my fiction podcast when I was doing that—then they kind of know what they're in for. The people who stick with me are more likely to be people who are in it for the experience of my voice. And for my bibliography, that's what I've got to offer, because I'm all over the place in terms of genre and subject matter. Jo: Yes, which is why I find you interesting. Dan: Oh, why thank you. Jo: So where can people find you and your books online? Dan: Well, you can find pretty much everything at JDsawyer.net. I've got the weekly column at jdanielsawyer.substack.com. At jdsawyer.net there's a page with all of my podcasts on it, and there's also a store with all of my books on it. Of course, everything is also available on Amazon and just about everywhere that the distributors take you. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Dan. That was great. Dan: Thank you, Joanna. It was great to talk to you again.The post Author Voice Mastery, And Rebooting an Author Business With J. Daniel Sawyer first appeared on The Creative Penn.

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