Shows
The Fearless StorytellerFinding Balance with Dahlia Rose
Dahlia Rose is a USA Today bestselling author with over seven dozen books published in the last 15 years. Born in Barbados, her books feature relatable women of color with a hint of Caribbean spice.
She always dreamed of becoming a writer, but it was when her husband was deployed to Iraq that her dream took off. She sent him stories to keep him upbeat, and he kept asking for more. With encouragement, she started sending the stories out on query, and she never really stopped.
There have been bumps along the way—anxiety, stress, hand surg...
2021-05-2453 minThe Fearless StorytellerStory Keeper with Keele Burgin
Keele Burgin is author of the bestselling memoir, Wholly Unraveled, as well as story keeper for Dr. Jane Goodall.
As a coach, she works with women around the world, helping them to draw their stories out of the darkness. As she tells me in this interview, “We all have to tell our stories—and they all matter.”
To learn more, be sure to listen to today’s episode of The Fearless Storyteller podcast.
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2021-05-1753 minThe Fearless StorytellerFull-time Comic with Andrew Sleighter
Andrew Sleighter is a full-time stand-up comedian and co-host of Cavalry podcast.
He’s performed on Last Comic Standing, performed on Conan, and written/performed for Comedy Central.
Learn more about Andrew at www.andrewcomedy.com.
About The Fearless Storyteller:
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Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental version) by Ethan Freckleton & Lucas Clebsch
2021-05-041h 14The Fearless StorytellerLifelong Author with Michael R French
Michael R. French is a bestselling multi-genre author. His latest novel is Cliffhanger, a suspense thriller.
His first published work, which he describes as a “throwaway,” was released in 1977. His second novel was a bestseller.
Despite his early success, he resisted the pressure to stay in one lane. Over the course of a five decade career, he’s written fiction, young adult fiction, adaptations, biographies, art criticisms, and several screenplays.
We discuss Michael’s lengthy love affair with writing, why characterization is more important than plot, and his thoughts on self-publishing.
To learn mor...
2021-04-201h 01The Fearless StorytellerRomance is Feminist with Kilby Blades
Kilby Blades is a USA Today Bestselling author of Romance and Women’s fiction.
Her writing journey began in the mid-90s, when she wrote a fan fiction novel based on the show, Dawson’s Creek. Over the next 20 years she wrote over fifteen fan fiction novels and many short stories, building up her writing chops along the way.
In 2017, Kilby’s “debut novel” won multiple honors and she’s since written and published many more, garnering fifty awards so far.
In this episode, we talk about her fan fiction roots, feminist Romance, the benefits...
2021-04-121h 02The Fearless StorytellerFinding Inspiration with Priscilla Lalisse-Jespersen
Priscilla Lalisse-Jespersen is an author and freelance journalist.
While today’s guest always considered writing to be her outlet, it was only after moving to Paris, France, that she finally found the inspiration to get her first novel together. A second book came soon after, and she also hit her stride as a freelance journalist, writing for the Washington Post and other outlets.
That all came crashing to a halt in 2014, when Priscilla was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. Her latest book, From Paris With Love, is a personal and supportive guide for breast cancer surv...
2021-04-0654 minThe Fearless StorytellerLeaps of Faith with Courtney Kenney
Courtney Kenney is a science fiction author and non-fiction book launch expert.
With fifteen books under her belt, one might not expect to hear that today’s guest spent several years disconnected from her creativity or even reading for joy.
But when Courtney was laid off in 2015, it was a wake-up call. She realized she was burned out and it was time to do something more enjoyable with her life.
Leveraging her project management skills, she started a successful book launch business and began writing non-fiction books. Just two years later, she’d also fo...
2021-03-2959 minThe Fearless StorytellerRhetorical Devices with Cass Morris
Cass Morris is a historical fantasy author and Shakespeare enthusiast.
She’s always loved storytelling. At the age of 4, she created an expansive sequel to The Last Unicorn and made her friends play out all the parts. By the age of 12, she was reading Shakespeare and traveling with her family to see theatre productions.
Her love of Shakespeare persisted into adulthood; Cass wrote her Master’s thesis on relationship dynamics in Shakespeare and ancient Rome. She also emerged with a mastery of using rhetorical devices to create unique character voices. That love of character and voice...
2021-03-2258 minThe Fearless StorytellerChasing Joy with Piper J. Drake
Piper J. Drake is a bestselling multi-genre hybrid author.
She wrote her first stories doodling in the margins while attending high school and college courses.
After setting aside books and writing for a relationship that didn’t work out, she decided to reclaim her first love.
In 2010, Piper submitted to and won a contest. The book was signed to a deal and so began her publishing career.
She’s since published over 20 works, spanning the genres of romantic suspense, paranormal romance, science fiction, and fantasy.
To learn more about Piper’s...
2021-03-151h 14The Fearless StorytellerThe Human Experience with Hervé Cohen
Hervé Cohen is an award-winning documentary filmmaker focused on capturing the essence of the human experience.
Born in Paris, France, Hervé studied law for five years before deciding to jump into film. While he never practiced law, he credits his studies for training him to defend his ideas and for making him a better writer.
Before he begins any project, he uses his writing process to uncover his point-of-view. Knowing why he wants to make a film and what he wants to express helps him create a more compelling, focused project—and that clarity also incre...
2021-03-081h 12The Fearless StorytellerWriting with Integrity with Tiffany D. Jackson
Tiffany D. Jackson is a critically-acclaimed author of YA novels and has a background in TV and Film.
Growing up, she always wanted to be a writer, but that was a scary dream for a family of immigrants. She was able to convince her parents to let her do a film program instead.
Midway into a successful career in film, she applied the hustle and gumption she’d learned—along with a deeper understanding of audience and pacing—and started writing novels.
It wasn’t easy. Tiffany credits her mentor with talking her out of qui...
2021-03-0156 minThe Fearless StorytellerSee What Happens with Dave Hill
Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, and musician.
After playing in bands and getting a record deal, his sister—a journalist—helped him break into the writing field. But: “I realized early on that I only really liked writing jokes.”
He drifted from Cleveland to NYC, where he continued to write freelance pieces while also contributing to TV shows. He then landed his own show, The King of Miami, and later his first book deal (with St. Martin’s Press).
There’s more to Dave’s story, of course, but at the center of his process...
2021-02-221h 22The Fearless StorytellerGetting to The End with J.R. Johansson
J.R. Johansson is the author of Young Adult and Adult Thrillers, with books published in over a dozen languages.
But up until a decade ago, J.R. never thought she could be an author. It was only when she started writing as a form of escape and therapy that she ended up with a complete first draft. Realizing that the process was fun and cathartic, she kept writing (and rewriting).
J.R. credits much of her success to finding a critique group online. With an array of unique strengths to draw upon, all six w...
2021-02-151h 02The Fearless StorytellerRaising the Stakes with Marshall Ryan Maresca
Marshall Ryan Maresca is the traditionally published author of twelve fantasy novels spread across four interlinked series.
His fantasy world began in 1993 with the drawing of a map that evolved over the years until finally, in 2007, he had a clear concept for his novels. Hedging his bets, Marshall had three series starters written or in-progress by the time he landed his first book deal.
When we talked, it was clear that Marshall is still fired up about his creative process and shows no signs of slowing down.
To learn more about today’s gue...
2021-02-081h 09The Fearless StorytellerThe Human Element with Adam Wade
Adam Wade is a bestselling author, comedian, and winner of 20 SLAMS at The Moth.
His storytelling journey began when he declared as a Film Major in college, despite a lukewarm reception from his family. After graduating, he moved to New York to pursue his dream of making it in “the business.”
By day, Adam worked as a production assistant and later as a producer. By night, he continually honed his craft and evolved his relationship with fear.
If you’d like to learn how today’s guest finally overcame his stagefright to become a bestsel...
2021-02-011h 05The Fearless StorytellerThe Power of Language with J. Daniel Sawyer
J. Daniel Sawyer is the author of over 70 novels and short stories and co-host of The Every Day Novelist podcast.
In today’s episode, we talk about:
Learning by doing.
The difference between Art and Craft.
How pre-Internet radio dramas influenced his writing.
The essence of creation.
Seeking out diversity of thought, belief, and experience.
The power of written language.
Cancel culture.
His publishing business strategy.
If there’s one thing that stands out about today’s guest, it’s his love of books. To learn more, be sure to listen to today’s episode of The Fearless...
2021-01-251h 02The Fearless StorytellerTelling My Own Story with Alison Stine
Alison Stine is a novelist and freelance journalist who has written for the likes of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian.
Growing up in rural Ohio with a hearing impairment, Alison turned to reading and telling her own stories as a way of staying involved. In the process of reading, she realized that the stories where she came from weren’t getting out into the mainstream. She decided to help fill that gap with her own work.
Fast forward to today in the era of lockdown, and Alison is balancing her role...
2021-01-1858 minThe Fearless StorytellerLearning Thru Story with Dantzel Cherry
Dantzel Cherry is the author of over twenty published short stories and novelettes.
She started writing in college but decided she needed to push herself. So she signed up for a writer’s bootcamp facilitated by Orson Scott Card, where she learned about the short story market.
It was through writing short stories that she developed her voice and learned to tell compact, heartfelt stories that get people excited and make people laugh.
She’s learned a lot in the intervening years and I’m excited to have Dantzel on the show to share a...
2021-01-111h 04The Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take: The Value of Average
It’s time for another imperfect take as we hit the home stretch for the holiday season!
Today I’m going on a tangent about going trad pub vs self-publishing, as that conversation intersects with the results of the Written Word Media 2020 Author Survey.
Here’s a link: https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/the-evolution-of-an-author-how-to-go-from-zero-to-100k-from-your-writing/
So what do I think? You’ll have to listen to find out!
Happy holidays to you and yours and thanks for being a listener. -Ethan
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Are you finding t...
2020-12-2121 minThe Fearless StorytellerFind Your Voice with Lamar Giles
Lamar Giles is a two-time Edgar Award Finalist and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books.
Between reading Stephen King’s On Writing and discovering books by black authors in his favorite genres, Lamar realized there was a route to making money writing fiction.
At first, his stories emulated the voices of the authors he grew up admiring. He even sold a few short stories that way, yet it was when he found his unique voice that his career truly started to shift.
“Success is the life I’m living right now,” says Lamar...
2020-12-141h 07The Fearless StorytellerEvery Word Counts with Robert Buettner
Robert Buettner is the nationally best-selling author of military science fiction novels, best known for his Jason Wander series.
With a love of classic science fiction, he draws upon his experiences as a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer to tell compelling stories that accurately depict the emotional experience of being a soldier.
With ten novels under his belt, including his most release release, My Enemy’s Enemy (published by Baen), Robert’s learned the ins and outs of the publishing business. And now he’s ready to share with the rest of us.
To lear...
2020-12-071h 31The Fearless StorytellerPlausible Science Fiction with Peter Cawdron
Peter Cawdron is a prolific science fiction author who isn’t afraid to break with conventional wisdom when it comes to telling a good story.
The reviews show he knows how to write a crowd pleaser. After all, for Peter, it’s all about the fun and challenge of telling plausible yet entertaining stories that are easy to read. He’s also not afraid to write and publish more experimental stories, even if that means not writing a bestseller every time.
And then, there’s his unconventional writing process….
To learn more about Peter Cawdron...
2020-11-3059 minThe Fearless StorytellerWrite Like Me with Mike Sacks
Mike Sacks is a hybrid-published humorist with multiple novels and collaborations under his belt.
He’d been contributing humor pieces to national magazines and papers for a number of years before he truly hit his stride. As a student of comedy, his epiphany was realizing that for legends like George Carlin and Richard Pryor, it was only when they dropped the pretense and became themselves that their careers truly took off.
Since that time, he’s been focused on projects that are purely for his own joy and benefit. When he self-published Stinker Lets Loose, a 19...
2020-11-231h 12The Fearless StorytellerDo It First with Brandon Easton
Brandon Easton is an award-winning graphic novelist and Hollywood screenwriter.
Ten years after being published 2002, he was finally published again, and that was only because he took the initiative. Brandon self-funded the creation of the original graphic novel, SHADOWLAW. That book earned him a Glyph award for Best Writer and helped him land a writing deal with Lion Forge Comics.
His ultimate dream, though, was to become a Hollywood screenwriter. As his graphic novel career started to take off, he also landed a gig writing for the Thundercats reboot. Since then, he’s worked on th...
2020-11-161h 06The Fearless StorytellerFun Cowriting with Janci Patterson & Megan Walker
Janci Patterson and Megan Walker are hybrid authors who have hit their stride as a cowriting team.
Despite early successes, they they were each feeling stuck in their writing journeys before they connected. They decided to collaborate in a way that plays to their strengths. Megan’s “superpower” is the first draft, while Janci’s is revision.
It clearly worked, because together they have co-published fifteen romance and epic fantasy novels. For their fantasy series, they have a third collaborator and publish under the pen name, Cara Witter.
To learn more about their writing jou...
2020-11-0959 minThe Fearless StorytellerComedic Fantasy with Robert Bevan
Robert Bevan writes and publishes grown-up comedic novels inspired by the likes of Dungeons & Dragons and Goosebumps.
In this episode, you’ll hear how today’s guest got started with writing and how self-publishing has allowed him to make a career writing satire and parody on his own terms.
As Robert says: “The wonderful thing about self-publishing is the weird voices can be heard.”
To learn more, be sure to listen to today’s episode of The Fearless Storyteller podcast.
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Are you finding this podcast to be a val...
2020-11-0243 minThe Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take on Head Trips
Once upon a time, I was hustling to become a gatekeeper-approved singer/songwriter.
So, when a mentor figure offered public praise and testimony at a music industry conference, going so far as to call me “the next big thing in Alternative Rock,” I was sent along on a head trip that lasted years.
Get my Imperfect Take on receiving praise, the head trips that follow, and why seeking the approval of others is a mixed bag.
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2020-10-2924 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Artist's Job with filmmaker Mike Disa
Mike Disa is a film director, screenwriter, and animator, who describes himself as “working class Hollywood.”
Growing up in Chicago with immigrant roots, Mike spent his childhood watching and deconstructing films with his father. He moved to Hollywood—not to work in an assembly line, but to be an Artist (with a capital ‘a’).
After years of working in animation for the likes of Steven Spielberg and Disney, he slowly began to “grow miserable without understanding why.” He realized he needed to strike out on his own to make the kinds of movies that he finds fulfilling...
2020-10-261h 50The Fearless StorytellerSuccess Conventions with Kacey Ezell and Griffin Barber
Kacey Ezell and Griffin Barber are the co-authors of Second Chance Angel, a sci-fi noir thriller published by Blackstone Publishing.
After meeting at LibertyCon in 2016, today’s guests quickly bonded over their shared backgrounds and mutual interest in noir. In fact, both willingly attribute their successes thus far almost exclusively to attending and networking at professional conventions.
Kacey is an active duty USAF helicopter pilot and two-time Dragon Award finalist. Griffin is an active duty police officer best known for his short stories and collaboration with Eric Flint on 1636: Mission to the Mughals.
To...
2020-10-191h 20The Fearless StorytellerThe Heroine’s Journey with Gail Carriger
Gail Carriger is a 13-time NYT Bestselling hybrid author. Not bad for someone who always considered writing a hobby.
It was only when she needed a distraction from her PhD work in Archaeology that she decided to try her hand at writing a novel. That book went on to become SOULLESS, the first of five books in her bestselling Parasol Protectorate series.
With thirty-plus books in her backlist, the common foundational element to all of her work is The Heroine’s Journey. She’s so passionate about this subject, that on October 1st of 2020, she self...
2020-10-121h 00The Fearless StorytellerPermission to Fly with Layng Martine Jr.
Laying Martine Jr. is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and author of the memoir, Permission to Fly.
For today’s guest, it all started with the thrill of hearing an $80 demo of his first song. For the next 45 years, he was hooked on the process of writing and pitching songs.
But who gave him permission to fly in the first place?
Layng credits his mother, who never put him down and always gave him the leeway to try things out his own way—even if that meant figuring out how to...
2020-10-051h 23The Fearless StorytellerModern Mythology with Christopher Ruocchio
A fan of asking big questions, Christopher Ruocchio must’ve been right at home studying English Rhetoric and Classics in college.
So, what could be better than than getting a job as a published author or editor of science fiction and fantasy after graduation? How about getting both jobs at the same time?
By the time he’d graduated from college, Christopher had his first traditional book deal—and he’d managed to land a job as an editor at Baen Books.
Learn why today’s guest believes there’s no such thing as a useless d...
2020-09-281h 05The Fearless StorytellerEvoking Emotion with Nitanee Paris
Nitanee Paris is an award-winning songwriter. She’s also the Director of A&R at ArtistMax (in partnership with legendary producer Ken Caillat).
Like many, today’s guest started out in the corporate world and came to realize that something was missing. Soul searching and exploration led Nitanee to try a songwriting class at UCLA and she’s been hooked ever since.
With a focus on lyrics and melody, collaborations are at the heart of her process. And, given her track-record working with Grammy- and Emmy-winning musicians, it’s no surprise that she’s full of insights...
2020-09-2159 minThe Fearless StorytellerCreating Dialog with Aaron Wolf
Aaron Wolf is an actor and director of the production company, Howling Wolf Productions.
Thanks to his grandfather, a rabbi from Nazi Germany who promoted interfaith, Aaron credits growing up with people of all colors, faiths, and creeds around his dinner table as a major influence on his subsequent storytelling career.
His award-winning first feature film tackled the topic of learning disabilities and helped create dialog in schools around the country.
In the intervening years, Aaron has focused on meaningful work that creates dialog, even if the process can be difficult and uncertain.
...
2020-09-1455 minThe Fearless StorytellerExploring the New Normal with Joanna Penn
For over ten years, Joanna Penn has been the voice behind the seminal writer’s podcast, The Creative Penn.
She started out by building a business around her non-fiction work, but deep down she always knew that writing fiction was the bigger dream. Since taking the plunge, she’s published nearly twenty works of fiction, including a Finalist in the International Thriller Writer Award for Best Ebook Original.
In the year of COVID, Joanna’s been thinking a lot about the idea of New Normal as she navigates a series of pivots big and small, not just...
2020-09-0759 minThe Fearless StorytellerHere We Are with Susan Ruth
After winning numerous awards as a singer/songwriter, including two ASCAP Achievement Awards, Susan Ruth’s career was on the precipice of a big launch.
As happens too often in the music industry, the opportunity was squandered by factors outside of her control, and for a while, she contemplated giving up on her dream.
Instead, she moved from Seattle to Nashville to become a professional songwriter, where she’s written songs for artists like Reba McEntire and Lonestar, in addition to licensing her music for Film and TV. But, like so many creatives, Susan isn’t conte...
2020-08-311h 01The Fearless StorytellerWriting a Series with Christopher Husberg
For epic dark fantasy author Christopher Husberg, writing that first novel was the easy part. After all, there are plenty of writing books and resources available for the aspiring author.
But when it came time to write that second book? There were a whole new set of challenges.
By the time Christopher wrapped up the final installment in The Chaos Queen Quintet, published by Titan, he’d overcome a series of unique hurdles.
In this interview, you’ll hear his thoughts on writing a series, the process of finding an agent, and how he fir...
2020-08-2456 minThe Fearless StorytellerThere Is No Plan B with Jason Blume
From the time his older sister landed a record deal, Jason Blume had dreams of making it in the music business.
With an unwavering love of music and dedication to mastering his craft, he had plenty of chances to settle for the first breaks that came his way.
The first several years weren’t easy, but as Jason said, “I knew I had to pursue my dream, or (I’d) never forgive myself.”
For anyone who’s thought of giving up, or decided that there is no plan B, you’ll want to give this inte...
2020-08-171h 06The Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take on Ego, Taste, and Craft: Part Two
Learn how the concepts of ego, taste, and craft work—sometimes at odds—together in the ongoing journey that is creating for fun and profit.
This episode can be enjoyed on its own, but I’d encourage you to visit the episodes list and find Part One first, particularly if you’d like to hear my definitions of the terms: ego, taste, craft.
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Intro Son...
2020-08-1210 minThe Fearless StorytellerEmbracing Fearless Storytelling with HaJ
HaJ is one of those creative whirlwinds that wears all sorts of labels with a high degree of success and accolades.
“I denied calling myself a writer for a long time.”
Despite growing up with creative, independent parents, she somehow attached a stigma to the profession of writing. It took her years to fully embrace her creative identity.
Now, she’s comfortable calling herself a Writer—capital ‘W’—with a track record of success with broadcast- and cable-television. HaJ is more than that, of course, and recently she’s come to terms with the idea of em...
2020-08-1054 minThe Fearless StorytellerRemaining Relevant with Michael La Ronn
Laying in a hospital bed after a near-death experience in 2012, Michael La Ronn decided it was time to open himself up to the beautiful vision of making an impact by writing and publishing books.
He’s since published over 50 fiction and non-fiction titles, enjoying the process enough to describe writing as “the most sacred prayer.”
His driving goal has evolved in the past year, from the quest for creative freedom and self-expression, to answering a more strategic question: How to remain relevant as a writer for the next 5, 10, 25 years?
What’s the answer? Let’s find o...
2020-08-0354 minThe Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take on Ego, Taste, and Craft: Part One
Learn how the concepts of ego, taste, and craft work—sometimes at odds—together in the ongoing journey that is creating for fun and profit.
Aptly, this episode is not to my taste. Summer has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest, and despite my best efforts, the fan on my laptop kicked in mid-recording. Apologies for any less-than-stellar audio. 🙂
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Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental...
2020-07-3015 minThe Fearless StorytellerWe’re All Storytellers with Daniel Swenson
Daniel Swenson is the creator of the long-running, Hugo-nominated podcast, Dungeon Crawlers Radio.
He started writing stories as a kid but the spark fizzled and remained dormant for several years. That didn’t stop him from learning and exploring story via dungeon mastering games like Dungeons & Dragons.
As Daniel says, “we’re all storytellers,” but it was only after starting a podcast and interviewing several of the top authors and game designers in the world of geekdom that he found the encouragement to start writing again.
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2020-07-271h 09The Fearless StorytellerStories that Heal with Lindiwe Mueller-Westernhagen
College is where Lindiwe Mueller-Westernhagen first fell in love with words.
Lindiwe felt other for much of her upbringing, despite being the daughter of two high-profile, high-impact parents. Her father was an author and her mother created South Africa’s first TV talk show.
It was stories that provided the vital elixir. As she says, “stories attach to your soul; you see yourself.”
Named by ISA as one of the top 25 screenwriters to watch in 2020, Lindiwe’s plans have been put on pause by COVID-19. The downtime has helped her get even more clear abo...
2020-07-2044 minThe Fearless StorytellerBuilding a Personal Brand with DJ Butler
DJ Butler is a speculative fiction author whose works have been published by Knopf, WordFire Press, and Baen.
While his writing journey arguably started with reading Tolkien at age 7, he’s been writing with intention for the past decade. He quickly landed an agent to push his first book, but little more than a year later was let go and encouraged to try self-publishing.
Not only did DJ follow that advice, but he never stopped networking and building his personal brand.
Four years after submitting one of his stories to Baen, he got a pu...
2020-07-131h 03The Fearless StorytellerFrom Actor to Writer with Lukas Hassel
Lukas Hassel is an actor-slash-writer based in NYC. He’s appeared in feature films and network TV shows such as Blue Bloods, Limitless, The Blacklist, and Elementary.
Though Lukas makes a living with acting, he’s turned to screenwriting as a way to reclaim control and power over his career. Drawn to well-told stories with a strong point-of-view, he’s been diligently mastering the craft so that he can tell stories that make people want to “lean across the table.”
The hard work and persistence are paying dividends with film deals.
Learn why screenwritin...
2020-07-0655 minThe Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take: What is the bare minimum?
This episode I ask, “What is the bare minimum I need to do to sustainably move forward toward true north for my life and business?”
I examine the difficult choices in front of me, while hoping to answer:
How do I stress less in a COVID-19 world?
How do I keep my businesses going?
How do I accommodate family demands without feeling resentment?
How do I shift my goals and expectations?
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2020-07-0117 minThe Fearless StorytellerPlanning for Magic with Kimbra Swain
Kimbra Swain writes Urban Fantasy with a rural twist.
Although she went to school to become an author, it wasn’t until several years after giving up on her dream job that she accidentally discovered an in with self-publishing.
Less than three years into her journey as an author, Kimbra was able to quit her day job…and now she’s planning for magic.
What can we learn from her journey?
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2020-06-2953 minThe Fearless StorytellerWorld's Best Kindergartner
Michaelbrent Collings is a screenwriter and international bestselling author in several genres, most notably horror; two of his novels were finalists for the Bram Stoker Award.
He’s been vocal about his struggles with depression over the years, as well as more recent obstacles he’s had to overcome as a mid-career author in a changing market.
In 2020, his business is thriving, so let’s find out why Michaelbrent describes himself as “The World’s Best Kindergartner.”
Learn more about Michaelbrent at his website.
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2020-06-221h 08The Fearless StorytellerCloser to the Mountain with Nick Thacker
Nick Thacker is a full-time USA Today bestselling author of action/adventure thriller novels.
When his grandfather passed away in 2011, he left behind a sizable collection of thriller novels. That’s when Nick discovered Dan Brown and rekindled his love of reading. He quickly realized that he could write a book in a similar style. His goal? Surprise his dad with a copy for Christmas.
Nick pulled it off and eventually started writing full-time. That choice came with its own perils; Nick discovered that he was prone to anxiety and panic attacks.
You’ll wan...
2020-06-151h 06The Fearless StorytellerGet Over Yourself with Shayne Silvers
“Get over yourself and move on.”
And move on, he has. Shayne Silvers is an indie writing and publishing wizard and an all-around good guy to boot.
I won’t bore you with the 7-figure sales or the big-time award nominations, because really…what we all want to know is: How do *I* get from where I’m at today and make my dream happen?
Shayne Silvers has some accessible insights that just might just help someone like you and me take our writing careers to the next level.
Interview also available o...
2020-06-0856 minThe Fearless StorytellerMagic in the Desert with Maram Taibah
Growing up in the desert of Riyadh, Maram Taibah found escape—and magic—within the pages of children’s fantasy books.
As an adult, Maram’s day job is screenwriting. To cope with the sometimes-desert that is adulting, she finds herself returning to her first love, writing children’s fantasy.
Learn more about Maram and her insights on writing children’s books—and how that process differs from writing for Film and TV.
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Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental version) by Ethan Freckleton & Lucas Clebsch
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2020-06-0139 minThe Fearless StorytellerWriting as an Anchor with Alexis D Craig
Alexis D Craig is a lifelong reader and storyteller, but it wasn’t until she developed anxiety over ongoing health challenges that she turned to writing as an anchor.
Now, writing and publishing her paranormal romance stories are her form of anxiety management. Devoted to improving her craft and embracing feedback, she loves everything about the process: “Even when it’s terrible it’s still fun.”
Listen along to learn more about paranormal romance, writing with a universal lens, and how Alexis approaches telling the best story possible.
Amazon Author page.
About The Fe...
2020-05-2556 minThe Fearless StorytellerFrom Poet to Storyteller with Rebecca Balcárcel
Rebecca Balcárcel’s debut novel, THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY, was named by Booklist as one of last year’s Top Ten First Novels.
Loosely based upon her experiences growing up as an outsider to her Latinx heritage, she describes the the story as the book of her heart.
In this episode, we’ll learn how Rebecca overcame years of rejection and limiting self-beliefs around writing to become an acclaimed poet and storyteller.
Rebecca’s Author websiteYouTube: SixMinuteScholar
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental ve...
2020-05-1852 minThe Fearless StorytellerMidlife Author with Shai August
In 4th-grade, Shai August was accused of plagiarism because of her large vocabulary. Little did her teacher know she was already a voracious reader. I doubt they could have anticipated the damage the accusation would do to Shai’s confidence and joy around writing.
At age 40, Shai took stock of her life and realized two things: (1) She wanted to give more back to the world, and (2) She wanted to honor her unfulfilled childhood dream of writing stories.
Shai traded in her career as an attorney in exchange for writing and publishing for a living. Her com...
2020-05-1149 minThe Fearless StorytellerFailing Upward with Dakota Krout
Dakota Krout is an author and publisher of bestselling GameLit fiction, a growing niche within the Science Fiction & Fantasy umbrella.
His company, Mountaindale Press, has helped nearly half of their authors replace their day job income with writing.
In 2016, Dakota started writing and self-publishing without expectation. His primary goal was to have fun and cross an item off his bucket list. The market embraced his work, and with the help of his wife, he’s been reinvesting his time, energy, and earnings into growing a sustainable business for the long-term.
Listen to learn more...
2020-05-0457 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Business of Dreams with Makana
Makana is an award-winning slack-key guitar player, singer/songwriter, and composer, based in Hawaii.
He’s performed for presidents and other world leaders and had his music featured on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for The Descendants.
When we connected for this interview, Makana was in the midst of a joyful renewal as an artist and human being.
Among the topics we discussed in this interview:
His childhood mentorship with slack-key legend, Sonny Chillingsworth.
Playing for a career since moving out at age 19 (over 20 years ago)
The balance between honoring tradition and evolving an art...
2020-04-271h 07The Fearless StorytellerFrom Mythology to Games with Strix Beltran
Strix Beltran is a narrative designer for analog and digital games.
It was after reading Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower that today’s guest first felt permission to start writing the kinds of stories she could see herself inhabiting.
At Pacifica, Strix earned a one-of-a-kind Master’s degree in Mythological Studies, where she gained a unique perspective on character. Now, she’s blending that expertise together with a passion for making people feel things via the games she helps create.
How does narrative design overlap with other forms of traditional storytelling? Let’s fin...
2020-04-201h 01The Fearless StorytellerThis is My Path with Matt Butler
When NYC songwriter Matt Butler started 9th-grade at a new school, he was also gifted his first guitar. For a self-conscious kid needing validation and affirmation, music was the perfect remedy—a chance to feel, express, and communicate his internal experiences.
Matt started out playing punk rock, but by 2016, he’d come into his own as a singer/songwriter. He stumbled into a steady gig performing for incarcerated populations, and just a year later, he was named a ‘2017 Leader In Mental Health Awareness’ by The National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI).
Even as he was receiving...
2020-04-1359 minThe Fearless StorytellerPlan for Success with Jason Anspach
Jason Anspach considers himself a lifelong storyteller, but it was only five years ago that he made the decision to start putting his work out there.
His first series covered its expenses and found a home with a small, niche audience. After that first taste of success, he reached a fork in the road, asking himself, “Do I keep writing as a side-hustle or reinvest myself in understanding the marketplace?”
Jason chose to start planning for success. And in 2017, his co-created Military Science Fiction franchise, Galaxy’s Edge, quickly developed a rabid, engaged community of read...
2020-04-0655 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Power of Words with Honoree Corder
As a book coach, speaker, and author of more than fifty non-fiction books, Honoree Corder understands the power of words.
She didn’t start out planning to write books. She was hustling to build a sustainable coaching business, when a mentor figure told her—and I’m paraphrasing—“You have to write a book if you want to differentiate yourself and stand out.”
That message resonated with Honoree and fifteen-plus years later, she’s enjoyed a lot of unexpected successes along the way. Here are a couple highlights: Her Single Mom series has sold over 5...
2020-03-3057 minThe Fearless StorytellerFailing Forward with Jonathan Yanez
In 2012, Jonathan Yanez quit his job, cashed in his 401K, and decided to go-for-broke as a full-time independent author.
Now, he’s a bestselling SF&F author with a sizable backlist. In conventional narrative, it’s tempting to only talk about the success, but in this interview, Jonathan busts the myths of the overnight success and talks about the hard times and failures, too. In his own words, he’s made “every mistake imaginable.” And yet, he’s come out ahead.
If you’re looking for the inspiration to “get it done,” look no further than today’...
2020-03-231h 00The Fearless StorytellerMaking the Most of an Unexpected Transition
How do we make the most of an unexpected transition like we’re dealing with right now as schools close and we’re in lock-down?
If you’re looking for ideas, I invite you to join me for an Imperfect Take on the subject, which is one I’ve spent a number of years thinking about (I even wrote a book about it).
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental version) by Ethan Freckleton & Lucas Clebsch
Follow along on Facebook with The Fearless Storyteller community:
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2020-03-1727 minThe Fearless StorytellerFrom Midlist to YA Bestseller with Alexandra Monir
After three books, Alexandra Monir had established herself as a “mid-list author,” which was a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, she’d established herself with a YA paranormal audience. On the other, her career could’ve easily stopped growing at that point.
Despite being told that science fiction stories in space weren’t a great market, she persisted with writing her story, THE FINAL SIX. As luck would have it, by the time the manuscript was ready, space stories were making a comeback and her book was acquired by HarperCollins and Sony Pictures in two majo...
2020-03-1649 minThe Fearless StorytellerFrom Law School to Full-Time Author with Phoenix Williams
Phoenix Williams is a bestselling and award-nominated author of paranormal and erotic romance novels. In 2012, she was preparing to graduate from law school when she realized that she didn’t want to be a lawyer. So, she found herself pivoting to her first love—books—and began writing and independently publishing her stories. Three years later, she was picked up by a publisher and her career has since taken off.
But after a while, a busy writing and promotion schedule had Phoenix on the brink of complete burn-out. As some Internet gurus are fond of saying, “you’ve go...
2020-03-0955 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Reader Experience with Ryan Schow
After a 5th-grade assignment captivated his classroom, bestselling author RYAN SCHOW was hooked on writing. Eventually, he found his way to independent publishing. His first series—Swann—“failed” to draw Urban Fantasy readers in.
But, because of his dedication to studying his writing heroes and analyzing the marketplace, Ryan learned how to captivate readers and carve out a comfortable career writing post-apocalyptic fiction. In 2019, he was an Amazon All-Star Award recipient for his stories.
Learn more by listening to today’s episode of The Fearless Storyteller.
RyanSchow.com
Read these before...
2020-03-021h 10The Fearless StorytellerDreaming Bigger with Chris Fox
What do Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and author CHRIS FOX all have in common?
Chris is best known as the Write to Market guy, but he’s also a best-selling Science Fiction & Fantasy author. Selling books wasn’t always a slam-dunk, but he’s learned that understanding reader psychology is the key to having a full-time career telling stories. That’s why last year was his best yet for revenue, despite a significant slowdown in output.
What’s the reason for the slowdown? And, what’s the answer to my opening question? You’ll have to listen...
2020-02-2459 minThe Fearless StorytellerSix-Figure Author with Lindsay Buroker
Inspired by the success of other self-published authors, LINDSAY BUROKER abandoned the idea of becoming a “trad-published” author. Nine years later, she’s released over 70 novels and is quickly working toward financial independence. Most important, perhaps, is that the act of writing remains her favorite way to pass her time.
Lindsay Buroker Author Website
Six-Figure Authors Podcast
Spring Clean for Authors
Are you ready to minimize Overwhelm and maximize your capacity to do your best work?
In April 2020, I’ll be offering Spring Clean For Authors, a four-week online support gr...
2020-02-1743 minThe Fearless StorytellerTrust Your Thinking with Ela Thier
ELA THIER is an award-winning independent filmmaker, whose works aims to remind viewers that, as humans, we long to care about each other. She always knew she wanted to make movies, but soon after graduating from film school, lacking self-confidence and any support system, she “gave up” on her dream.
Several years later, holding herself to a promise she’d made herself as a teen, Ela remembered to pause and re-evaluate if she was on course to living her best life. Within a few months, she received a phone call out of the blue that would change...
2020-02-1048 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Need for Joy and Purpose w/ Terri Tatchell
Best-known as the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of District 9, Terri Tatchell is also joyfully and passionately engaged in writing children’s books and operating a whimsical tea shop.
What’s the common link? Listen to find out.
Visit Endangered and Misunderstood.
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental version) by Ethan Freckleton & Lucas Clebsch
Follow along on Facebook with The Fearless Storyteller community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/380936465875726/
Do you know somebody that’s struggling to find their fearless voice? As somebody who has overcome that after...
2020-02-0302 minThe Fearless StorytellerFind Your Audience with Luz C Gonzalez
Luz C Gonzalez is the founder and force behind the Passion to Profit Blueprint and Limitless Movement. Her goal is to help others rock at thriving in their online businesses—and story is a big part of that equation in the blueprint she teaches.
Any profitable business is focused on solving an urgent need for a specific audience that’s willing and able to pay to have that need met. For those of us passionate about telling stories, that means delivering a very specific type of experience with our works. But, anyone who has been at this a...
2020-01-301h 03The Fearless StorytellerFinishing Starts with a Plan with A.L. Knorr
Abby-Lynn Knorr is an award-winning Canadian fantasy writer and USA Today Bestselling Author. It wasn’t always easy, though… She’d wanted to write stories since early childhood, but struggled for years to finish anything she started.
It was only when she began writing with a plan that she was able to turn writing as a career into more than a dream. Abby-Lynn still has her struggles, but she’s making a full-time living writing with heart and authenticity.
Visit her website.
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental...
2020-01-2753 minThe Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take – Managing the Author Battery
What’s one of the oft-undervalued foundations of our writer careers?
Learn what happens when you neglect this foundation, and how to get back on-track in this second of my Imperfect Take episodes.
Spring Clean for Authors
About The Fearless Storyteller:
Intro Song: “Unlimited Love” (instrumental version) by Ethan Freckleton & Lucas Clebsch
Follow along on Facebook with The Fearless Storyteller community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/380936465875726/
Do you know somebody that’s struggling to find their fearless voice? As somebody who has overcome that after struggling...
2020-01-2215 minThe Fearless StorytellerWriting with Authentitude with Malorie Cooper
Malorie Cooper (aka M. D. Cooper) has written or co-written about 90 novels—with most of those coming in the last three years as a full-time author. That’s a lot of books, but it was the work done in the decade prior that made all of this productivity possible.
Despite her success, she was prepared to risk it all in order to fully embody living with authentitude—wholeheartedly embracing who she is and coming out as a trans woman in May of 2019. Instead of losing her friends and fanbase, she’s been experiencing even more connection and succ...
2020-01-2058 minThe Fearless StorytellerMasterclass on Going Small with CK Hanna
Chrishaun Keller-Hanna (“call me CK”) jumped aboard the indie writing train at the same time as a couple notable peers, each of whom quickly found success going big. When she followed along, adopting their strategies, she achieved several measures of success. Yet, despite her achievements, CK felt more and more out of alignment. She wasn’t having fun. Her body started to break down and she quickly reached a crisis point.
It was only when CK realized that she could “the the mayor of her own small empire” that she truly began to flourish. She’s figured out h...
2020-01-131h 18The Fearless StorytellerWriting with Integrity with Jorjeana Marie
Jorjeana Marie is a screenwriter, standup comic, actress, and improvisor. In short, she’s a serial creative. She hustled and tried a lot of things to keep the career going and a couple years ago her efforts paid off—and then some. In a short period, she went from trying to create work to being triple-booked with high-profile projects, including a writing gig for Disney.
So what saved Jorjeana from tipping over? Her background in improvisation among other things. Now, she’s sharing her tips with other writers of all levels with her new book, Improv for Wri...
2020-01-0652 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Heart of Writing with Marielle S Smith
MARIELLE S SMITH got her start as an academic editor, but after a rekindling of passion for creative writing took hold, she expanded her services to include mentoring of other creative writers. Over the past two years, she’s been reconfiguring her environment and beliefs to maximize creativity and quality of life.
The efforts have paid off and now she has a great series of resources for writers to help them lean into their intuition and creativity. We had an inspiring chat about the heart of writing, along with several other rewarding tangents. I hope you’ll en...
2019-12-231h 11The Fearless StorytellerLateral Thinking with Poet Jill McCabe Johnson
I first met Jill McCabe Johnson at a local writers and publishers mixer. A distinguished poet, she struck me as deeply knowledgeable and approachable about all things writing and publishing.
It wasn’t always easy for Jill. She needed someone to believe in her writing ability. It was only when she was granted an exemption and Fellowship from Pacific Lutheran University to earn an MFA in Creative Writing—without having completed her Bachelor’s degree—that she felt truly seen and supported. Following that, she went on to earn a PhD in English and came to embrace c...
2019-12-161h 00The Fearless StorytellerHappiness is an Inside Job with Martha Carr
I first heard about MARTHA CARR two years ago at an independent author’s conference. At the time, she struck me as an open book and humble personality with a big story. A one-time Washington Post columnist, she’s now a bestselling author making mid-six-figures a year writing books she loves.
It wasn’t always easy for Martha—she struggled to make a living with words for decades. But ever since a life-threatening health crisis in 2009, she’s been leaning into being her authentic self and writing her best words. Her biggest lesson? You’ll have to listen to...
2019-12-0955 minThe Fearless StorytellerStorytelling for Business 101 with Luz C Gonzalez
LUZ C GONZALEZ is the founder and force behind the Passion to Profit Blueprint and Limitless Movement. Her goal is to help others rock at thriving in their online businesses—and story is a big part of that equation in the blueprint she teaches.
I had the opportunity to be her guest on her FB Group, Digital Titans, where we dug deeper into applying storytelling principles to our own businesses. If you’ve ever thought about creative self-employment, or are currently doing so now, you may find something that helps propel your business toward increased sales—all with...
2019-12-051h 12The Fearless StorytellerFrom Diplomat to Author Rebel with Tikiri Herath
TIKIRI HERATH is an award-winning international thriller novelist. A self-made rebel, she started as a lone immigrant girl who followed her own path in life. After years of public service, managing national and international programs for Canada and NATO, she now makes a full-time living writing and speaking with a fearless voice as an author and public speaker.
We had a powerful conversation and it’s clear to me that Tikiri has a lot of wisdom to offer this world, not to mention a lot of great stories.
https://tikiriherath.com
About The...
2019-12-0251 minThe Fearless StorytellerTrust in Your Future Self with Jessica Brody
JESSICA BRODY is the author of Save The Cat! Writes A Novel, a follow-up to the bestselling screenwriting guide by Blake Snyder. She’s also written more than 17 novels for teens, tweens, and adults. Her books have been translated and published in over 23 countries, and two are in development as major motion pictures!
Jessica has clearly learned a lot about telling stories and writing novels that pay off, so I was excited to have her on the show to talk about her own process and inner journey.
https://www.jessicabrody.com
A...
2019-11-2551 minThe Fearless StorytellerImperfect Take – Our Story Connects Us
I’m a self-employed creative that creates products and services to inspire, entertain, and educate. At the center of it all is a dedication to storytelling.
Behind every successful business and relationship are people who see the best parts of themselves in YOU and your journey. If you’re not telling your story—if you’re hiding the part parts of yourself—chances are you’re having to work so much harder to build the connections you need to succeed and thrive.
In this short episode, I share the story of how I learned to...
2019-11-2111 minThe Fearless StorytellerKnow When You’re Ready with Ingrid Seymour
INGRID SEYMOUR is a USA Today bestselling author of YA novels in the urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and high fantasy genres. Growing up in Honduras, she earned a Fulbright scholarship to LSU, self-taught herself english, and published her debut novel all in the span of a few short years.
A little over a year ago, she made the leap to full-time author. She has a habit of listening to her heart and turning her daydreams into reality, so I wanted to know more about what makes Ingrid tick.
https://ingridseymour.com/
Daydreams Come Tr...
2019-11-1850 minThe Fearless StorytellerGetting the Details Right with Patrick J. O’Donnell
PATRICK J. O’DONNELL is a street sergeant with a metropolitan police department. He’s also the author of the COPS AND WRITERS series of books, the first of which is out now and getting rave reviews from the author and screenwriter communities.
As a technical consultant for crime and police procedure, he’s passionate about helping storytellers write more authentic—and accurate—crime stories. Patrick could’ve stopped at using personal anecdotes to inform his nonfiction works, but he wanted to get the details right, so he also reached out to law enforcement officials around the country to he...
2019-11-1147 minThe Fearless StorytellerSimple Isn’t Always Easy with Professor Marilyn Horowitz
For over twenty years, Professor Marilyn Horowitz has been teaching her award-winning screenwriting system to aspiring and seasoned writers via courses at NYU and in private workshops. She’s also a TV show creator, producer, and writing coach who works with successful novelists, produced screenwriters, and award-winning filmmakers. But, like many of us who get into teaching, Marilyn struggled for years to give herself the time and space to start and complete her own creative passion projects. As she told me in this interview, the fix was so simple. But simple isn’t always easy.
https://www.maril...
2019-11-0456 minThe Fearless StorytellerStrive to Get Better with Craig Martelle
CRAIG MARTELLE is the driving force behind the 20Booksto50K movement, which is transforming the independent author community.
He’s also a top-100 ranking author on the Amazon Science Fiction charts, with over 360,000 sales in the past three-plus years. Regardless of those figures, I can tell that one of the biggest feathers in Craig’s cap is being compared by his readers to the legendary Sci-Fi author, Andre Norton.
Prior to writing books, Craig had careers as a Marine, a lawyer, and business consultant. The one constant? His love for reading stories.
One not-s...
2019-10-2850 minThe Fearless StorytellerFind Your Resolve to Write with Ira Heinichen
IRA HEINICHEN is the author of the excellent Sci-Fi Adventure, Starstuff, as well as a Certified Story Grid Editor who has trained under publishing legend Shawn Coyne.
He’s also the host of two entertaining podcasts, including FILM SCHOOL and TWO GUYS ONE TREK. In case you couldn’t tell, he’s a certified sci-fi and story geek.
Notably, what caught my attention about Ira’s journey is his commitment to vulnerable sharing about his creative process over a number years, as he continues to create and fine-tune positive, sustainable writing habits that work for him de...
2019-10-2430 minThe Fearless StorytellerAll In This Together with Kate Tucker
KATE TUCKER is a singer/songwriter, producer, and filmmaker, living in Nashville, Tennessee. In chatting with Kate, I learned that she is a thoughtful, passionate creative, focused not just on creating art, but also on becoming a better human-being.
As a serial-collaborator who has been producing work for well over a decade, she’s learned to harness the power of community in giving her work the legs to build a career.
Be sure to listen in to learn about her unique journey, and also get her thoughts on creating and leveraging cooperatives to make the most...
2019-10-2150 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Right Readers with Jason Kasper
When I asked international-bestselling thriller author, JASON KASPER, to come on the show, I didn’t know a lot about him. But, there’s definitely a growing trail of evidence to suggest that he’s doing something right. With 5 books out in his first series, American Mercenary, he’s already garnered over 5000 reviews on Goodreads and has loyal base of engaged fans.
Even better, when I asked him about his support system, he was quick to mention his connection with his readers, via email and an engaged FB group. When he needs a quick pick-me-up, his fans have his...
2019-10-1451 minThe Fearless StorytellerRediscovering Your Inner Gold with Laura Steward
LAURA STEWARD is a self-described geek and intellectual bad-ass. As a winner of the prestigious Nautilus Book Award in 2014 for her internationally best-selling book, What Would A Wise Woman Do?, she knows something about turning off the autopilot to unlock the hidden gold within.
But, no matter the accomplishments, life goes on and offers challenges that are often profoundly difficult. In this episode, we explore her history and insights, and also ask: What happens after life has taken away your purpose?
Laura Steward, often referred to as the Queen of Questions, is...
2019-10-071h 00The Fearless Storyteller900 Songs to Success with Elizabeth Elkins
When she’s not co-writing songs on Music Row in Nashville, ELIZABETH ELKINS is one-half of Granville Automatic, an acclaimed band with a passion for storytelling. She’s also the voice behind the defiant Punk-Rock project, Lights of Detroit.
You’ll want to hear her stories and perspectives on the disparate processes of co-writing songs and writing for oneself, as well as the concept of longevity as a key to making a career of it.
“It was around song 900 or so that things really started to kick in for me.”
She also has a p...
2019-09-3044 minThe Fearless StorytellerCowriting Dos and Don’ts with Marielle S Smith
In this special episode, Marielle S Smith hosts a discussion with me on cowriting do’s and don’ts, as part of her Heart-to-Heart interview series.
MARIELLE S SMITH got her start as an academic editor, but after a rekindling of passion for creative writing took hold, she expanded her services to include mentoring of creative writers. In addition to being the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gender Studies for Amsterdam University Press, she offers a variety of author services, including private retreats in Cypress.
These days, she’s co-authoring her own series of LGB...
2019-09-271h 19The Fearless StorytellerIntrovert Confessions with Cat Rose
Today’s chat is with fellow creative introvert, Cat Rose, author and host of The Creative Introvert.
Cat Rose helps creative introverts show their work and get the exposure they deserve. She does this through the League of Creative Introverts online community, as well as one-to-one coaching and her podcast, the Creative Introvert.
Her aim in life is to help all her clients do what they love and realise their dreams, whilst honouring their personality type and preferences.
She’s currently researching the links between personality types and creativity and how we c...
2019-09-2050 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Holy Grail Moment with Songwriter Alissa Moreno
ALISSA MORENO is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter, who has written with and been recorded by artists such as Colbie Cailat, Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Vince Gill, John Oates, and so many more. Her music has also been featured on a number of TV shows.
I first met Alissa Moreno around 2008 or 2009. One of her co-writes had recently become a hit single and garnered a Grammy nomination.
When you hear her story, you may very well decide that it’s time to start going to the right industry conferences for your business. You never know who you...
2019-09-131h 03The Fearless StorytellerCollaboration and Networking with Hit Songwriter/Producer Richard Harris
I first met Richard several years ago in Kauai at a small music conference. At the time, I was struck by how open and generous he was with his spirit, and genuinely joyful about the creative process.
These days, RICHARD HARRIS is a #1 Billboard songwriter, producer, as well as being a mentor. Transplanted from the UK over a decade ago to LA, Richard quickly signed a staff writer publishing deal with Peer Music landing multiple major label song cuts all around the world. With several #1’s, top ten singles and platinum records he continues to have hits incl...
2019-09-0656 minThe Fearless StorytellerPushed Into Action with Thriller Author Brian Shea
After being pushed into action by his teenage daughter, Brian Shea finally answered the call and became an author.
BRIAN SHEA is a full-time author, now published by Severn River Publishing; he writes thriller novels that have been described by readers as raw, emotional, genuine, even humanizing of antagonists, while at the same time continuing to be fast-paced and entertaining. His books are informed by his real-world experiences in the US Navy and later as a law enforcement officer and detective.
Brian Shea, Author
Show Notes/Links:
About the host, Ethan...
2019-08-3058 minThe Fearless StorytellerThe Value of Mentors with Cory Huff
Today’s guest is Cory Huff. Cory is a marketing professional, writer, performer and storyteller.
Harper Collins published his book, How to Sell Art Online: Live a Creative Life on Your Own Terms, in the Summer of 2016. His writing has appeared in Professional Artist Magazine, multiple newspapers, and dozens of radio shows and podcasts. He has guest lectured on marketing at schools like Southern Methodist University, Pacific Northwest College of Art, and the Fashion Institute of Technology and given workshops in multiple countries.
Cory Huff
SHOW NOTES
Foll...
2019-08-2349 minThe Fearless StorytellerMaking the Big Leap with Cecelia Mecca
Today’s guest is Cecelia Mecca, author of fourteen historical and paranormal romance books.
CECELIA MECCA is a full-time author, who rekindled her passion for writing in 2016. In 2017, after publishing her first two novels and a prequel novella, she made the big decision to leap into writing full-time, leaving behind a career in education. Her stories feature capable heroines that capture the hearts and imaginations of readers everywhere.
Cecelia Mecca, Author
Show Notes/Links:
About the host, Ethan Freckleton: https://www.ethanfreckleton.com Schedule a free discovery session with Ethan: http...
2019-08-1652 minThe Fearless StorytellerKickin’ Ash with Sean Grigsby
Today’s guest is Sean Grigsby, author of Smoke Eaters, Ash Kickers, and Daughters of Forgotten Light.
SEAN GRIGSBY is a professional firefighter in central Arkansas, where he writes about lasers, aliens, and guitar battles with the Devil when he’s not fighting dragons. He grew up on Goosebumps books in Memphis, Tennessee, and hosts the Cosmic Dragon podcast.
Sean Grigsby, Author
Show Notes/Links:
About the host, Ethan Freckleton: https://www.ethanfreckleton.com Schedule a free discovery session with Ethan: https://calendly.com/ethanfreckleton/30min
About the gue...
2019-08-1053 min