Ledger: A Writing podcast

#Theater #Fine Arts #Books #Arts #Austin R Wilson

1:03:38

Too many entrepreneurs get stuck on the business treadmill, hustling nonstop, unable to scale, and unknowingly stalling their growth. That’s where Dave Ramsey began. After crashing into $3 million in debt, he rebuilt from scratch, turning a small radio program into a national show with millions of listeners. With over three decades of experience in entrepreneurship, business growth, and content creation, he knows what it takes to build a lasting business. In this episode, Dave reveals the six drivers of long-term success, the five key stages of startup growth, and how he balances life as an entrepreneur and a content creator. In this episode, Hala and Dave will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (00:23) The Core Principles of Financial Freedom (05:42) Adapting to Change as a Content Creator (09:22) Balancing Content Creation and Entrepreneurship (12:34) How to Create a Clear Path in Business (15:19) The Truth About Starting a Business Today (18:22) The Six Drivers of Business Success (26:20) Shifting From Tactical to Strategic Thinking (29:44) The Five Stages of Business Growth (41:10) Leading with Care, Clarity, and Accountability (47:10) Identifying the Right Leadership Skills (48:35) Starting a Media Business as an Entrepreneur Dave Ramsey is a personal finance expert, radio personality, bestselling author, and the founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. Over the past three decades, he has built a legacy of helping millions achieve financial freedom. As the host of The Ramsey Show , Dave reaches more than 18 million listeners each week. He is the author of eight national bestselling books. His latest, Build a Business You Love , helps entrepreneurs navigate growth and overcome challenges at every stage. Sponsored By: Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at youngandprofiting.co/shopify OpenPhone: Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at openphone.com/profiting Airbnb - Find yourself a co-host at airbnb.com/host Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/profiting RobinHood - Receive your 3% boost on annual IRA contributions, sign up at robinhood.com/gold Factor - Get 50% off your first box plus free shipping at factormeals.com/factorpodcast Rakuten - Save while shopping at rakuten.com Microsoft Teams - Stop paying for tools. Get everything you need, for free at aka.ms/profiting LinkedIn Marketing Solutions - Get a $100 credit on your next campaign at linkedin.com/profiting Resources Mentioned: Dave’s Book, Build a Business You Love: bit.ly/BuildaBusinessYouLove Dave’s Website: ramseysolutions.com Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap Youtube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Side Hustle, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking.…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

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Ledger is a podcast about the craft of writing, from novels to non-fiction to computer code! Stories are an essential part of life. We need them so we seek them out in every way possible. Ledger features interviews with writers across formats and genres to focus on the craft itself, the thoughts and actions that led to stories being written. How do writers deliver the words from their heads and out into the world for others to find? Give the show a listen!

38 episodes

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

updated 15 days ago

Series home•Feed

38 episodes

#Theater #Fine Arts #Books #Arts #Austin R Wilson

כל הפרקים

1
034: Christine Wenc (The Onion; "Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire") 52:05

15 days ago52:05

52:05

Christine Wenc is a former staff member for The Onion and the author of Funny Because It's True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire , out right now in hardcover! Christine stopped by to chat about how she started researching the book in 2018; searching for (and maybe never finding) objective truth; coming to terms with the ways in which others can live in perceptually-generated realities, and how academics can cut, like, a TON of words from all their writing (she’s an editor too, so can say that). Not only is her book an awesome history of The Onion, it’s a great look at print news media and the massive shifts for everyone involved - from publishers and writers on down to readers and viewers - that took place between the late 80s and early 2000s. Come for the funny stories about The Onion being created and managing to succeed and change comedy writing forever, stay for the details about how monetizing news is maybe a necessary evil we just keep making more and more evil? It’s a lovely chat, and it’s a book I highly, highly recommend if you enjoy any of those things. -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson I'm offering my services as a reader, focusing on developmental/story analysis, proofreading, and offering coverage for scripts of all kinds. Contact me via my website for rates and availability, or on my Instagram account, @MossHeartBooks. Thank you!…

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033: Jessica Berg (Rosecliff Literary) 49:24

26 days ago49:24

49:24

Jessica Berg is the founder and chief literary agent at Rosecliff Literary. Recently, they hired Tommy Dean, former guest of the show and the EIC of Fractured Lit and Uncharted Mag, two literary journals that publish a lot of great fiction. Jessica and I discuss whether a literary agent needs to be a lawyer, what a day of work looks like for her, how to handle multiple rejections of a project, and how important community is to writers and, really, just people in general. Go to RosecliffLiterary.com to follow the agency on their socials as well as on Manuscript Wishlist and Query Tracker. Thank you so much to Jessica for stopping by and helping de-mystify the world of literary agents a little more. -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson I'll be offering my services as a reader here soon, focusing on developmental/story analysis, proofreading, and offering coverage for scripts of all kinds. Watch out for more information on my website and on my Instagram account, @MossHeartBooks. Thank you!…

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The Most Important and Revealing Question a Writer Can Ask 9:31

6 weeks ago9:31

9:31

"Am I a writer?" is NOT the question, but it's absolutely related to the most important and revealing question a writer can ask themselves. Today on Ledger I talk about how I've struggled with defining myself as a writer in the past and the way I get past that weird mental battle. This is the first of my non-interview episodes for the new phase of Ledger, with more on the way, including some audio fiction! To watch the Andre Dubus III interview referenced in this episode, visit the Politics & Prose YouTube page here: https://youtu.be/459xFKOM9vs?si=du-K5QY81lpaI_Eq&t=2272 That's a time-stamped link for the exact exchange I reference, and I definitely recommend watching the whole video as well as subscribing to their channel. They regularly host amazing writers! ----- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell other writers about it! Swing by austinRwilson.com to Austin's publishing credits, to contact him, or to read free fiction. Links to all Austin's work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out Moss Heart Books, an independent bookshop which can also be followed on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you!…

1
Ledger's Fun Future with New Interviews and Audio Fiction 6:28

8 weeks ago6:28

6:28

Ledger is changing! The craft of writing has so much that goes into it, so many people who help writers produce, finish, and publish their work, so instead of only interviewing writers, Ledger will also begin featuring chats with everyone from Beta readers to editors, to publicists and publishers! Along with those new interviews there will be shorter episodes offering bits of writing advice. These will be quick and to the point, showcasing ANYTHING that has helped the writing flow. And finally - audio fiction. Starting exclusively with fiction by Austin Wilson, Ledger will now publish audio short stories across many different genres. No outside submissions will be considered as of now, but there is that potential in the future when compensation for writers is guaranteed. This is the next stage of Ledger, one that zooms out to contain much more of what makes the writing happens. It's going to be so much fun! ----- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell other writers about it! Swing by austinRwilson.com to see the host's publishing credits, to contact him, or to read free fiction. Links to all his work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out Moss Heart, an independent bookshop which can also be followed on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you!…

1
032: Alex Wrekk - Writer, "Stolen Sharpie Revolution," "Brainscan," and more 51:30

15 weeks ago51:30

51:30

Alex Wrekk is the writer and creator of Stolen Sharpie Revolution , a fantastic book now two decades into its print run and continuing to influence zinemaking and zinemakers the world over. Alex also creates the zine Brainscan, and, sometimes, a handful of years will go by before a new issue shows up - but! - it’s always being worked on. We chat about doing multiple drafts of zines, about the presentation of the zines themselves, and even about how I view Stolen Sharpie Revolution as a permission slip to all creators out there. What is a zine? Well, we talk about that too, but truly, a zine is WHATEVER you make. It’s an artform driven by the Do-It-Yourself mindset - which Alex and I talk about of course - which means you should go out there and do it yourself. Make a zine! Alex's work: Portland Button Works & The Spiral House - https://portlandbuttonworks.com/ Alex's zine catalog - https://portlandbuttonworks.com/alex-wrekk-zines-brainscan Midwest Perzine Fest - https://midwestperzinefest.wordpress.com/ DIY witch blog - DIYwitchery.com Critical Thinking Witch Collective - https://criticalthinkingwitches.com/ Thank you so much to Alex for coming on and to you for listening! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out my independent bookshop and follow me on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you!…

1
031: Carolyn J. Carpenter - Screenwriter, "You Can't Run Forever"; Script reader 1:03:55

18 weeks ago1:03:55

1:03:55

Carolyn J Carpenter is a cofounder of Hollywood Gatekeepers and a story analyst, writer, producer, and script reader, which is how I met her! This is another entry in my “Austin went to a film festival” series (along with Drew Larimore and Jim Burnstein) because I met Carolyn at Austin Film Festival in October 2024. Carolyn has a ton of industry experience as a reader and writer, and has worked as a story analyst on movies like "Black Swan," "Zodiac," "Footloose," and "Nixon & Kissinger." She stopped by to talk about what they do at Hollywood Gatekeepers, where they help kick down the gates by offering script reading services like avoiding the saggy middle in your screenplay, and more. Also, we discuss how to answer the question "What else do you have?" and what to do when you feel like you're on the edge of making a huge step forward in your writing life. Thank you to Carolyn for stopping by and to you for listening! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out my independent bookshop and follow me on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you for listening!…

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030: Jim Burnstein, Screenwriter, "Renaissance Man," "Mighty Ducks 3" 57:50

18 weeks ago57:50

57:50

Jim Burnstein, the John H. Mitchell Professor of Entertainment and Director of Screenwriting Program at the University of Michigan stopped by Ledger to talk about his career as a screenwriter. He's written such films as Renaissance Man , starring Danny DeVito and directed by Penny Marhsall, Mighty Ducks 3 , a particular childhood favorite of mine, and more. We discussed how he became a successful screenwriter without moving from Plymouth, MI to L.A. - and specifically he in the 80s and 90s - and what that process looked and felt like. He tells us the one thing you shouldn’t say as a writer and how one time he did in fact say that thing to beloved actor (and total comic book nerd; for real, look it up) Ed Asner; what turnaround is and feels like to an actor; and also, what it means to have people on your side, even if it’s ONE person. The books he recommends for screenwriters are, in no particular order: William Goldman’s ADVENTURE IN THE SCREEN TRADE Linda Seger’s MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT David Howard and Edward Mabley’s THE TOOLS OF SCREENWRITING: A WRITER’S GUIDE TO THE CRAFT AND ELEMENTS OF A SCREENPLAY . Miranda J. Banks's THE WRITERS: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN SCREENWRITERS AND THEIR GUILD Lynda Obst's SLEEPLESS IN HOLLYWOOD Thank you so much to Jim for stopping by! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out my independent bookshop and follow me on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you for listening!…

1
029: Drew Larimore - Playwright, UPSTATE 54:58

23 weeks ago54:58

54:58

Playwright Drew Larimore joins Ledger today for a special reason: I read his play UPSTATE in the very first round of submissions as a script reader for the Austin Film Festival, which is THE film festival/contest/conference for writers. I happily put Drew's play through to the next round and also wrote that it had a serious chance of winning the category. It made it to the semifinals and Drew dropped by to talk about the difficulty of writing this play, his fear of its reception, but also how he was happy to hear laughter during workshops/previews as the two characters argue (but also commiserate and care for one another) after the difficult, life-altering decision to return the child they'd adopted. Yeah. The premise is very, very good. We also talk about how he views his writing as a rotating dessert tray of ideas, how he felt supported to tackle a difficult topic, and a whole lot more. To check out his work or to reach to Drew and his agent about producing UPSTATE head to https://drewlarimore.com/ . -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out my independent bookshop and follow me on Instagram @mossheartbooks. Thank you so much!…

1
028: Ryan Claytor - Cartoonist and Teacher; One Bite At a Time 1:13:15

27 weeks ago1:13:15

1:13:15

Today’s guest is cartoonist, designer, teacher, and Pinball Wizard Ryan Claytor. I’m one of his stops on the digital (and AFK) book tour for his brand-new book, One Bite At a Time: The First 20 years of Elephant Eater Comics. You can purchase the book at OneBiteAtaTimeBook.com along with more of his work Ryan stopped by to talk about his path from Marvel Comics intern to auto-bio cartoonist to totally unhinged (in a fun way) pinball devotee. We talk about his shiny basketball shorts, but also, in good ol’ Ledger style, existential crises as well, along with whether it's truly possible to bring what's in your head out into the world as a physical object. Ryan says this book is the closest he's ever gotten, so make sure you go to ElephantEater.com and check out all of his work, and again, if you go to OneBiteAtaTimeBook.com you can find yourself right there to buy this very gorgeous volume. -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson Thank you so much!…

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027: Rana Tahir - Author, Heroes and Monsters: The Stranger Things Choose Your Own Adventure novel 58:15

38 weeks ago58:15

58:15

Rana Tahir writes poetry, non-fiction, and fiction, and is the author of Heroes and Monsters, the Stranger Things Choose Your Own Adventure novel as well as SPIES: Noor Inayat Khan, a CYOA tale of the eponymous WWII spy. During the interview I reference a chat she had on the Books With a Past show, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-0IiY5wkreo?si=JoUvs-FSfzNaqHkl Rana and I discuss how you never know who is seeing your writing and where it will lead you; the program Scrivener; Harry Styles fan-fic; whether Robin from Stranger Things is tall (she’s not); writing in second person; and a special performance of an early poem by Rana Tahir that you won’t want to miss. Thank you so much to Rana for stopping by and to you for listening! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of Volume 1 are now available! Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson Thank you so much!…

1
026: Glenn Stout - Author, The Young Woman and the Sea; Editor, The Best American Sports Writing 59:51

40 weeks ago59:51

59:51

Glenn Stout is a writer, editor, consultant, teacher, and more. Perhaps most best known as the series editor of The Best American Sports Writing series, which ran from 1991 to 2020, Glenn has been involved with narrative non-fiction in some form since the late '80s and early '90s. His book The Young Woman and the Sea was recently adapted for Disney, starring Daisy Ridley. It is the tale of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to ever swim the English Channel. On today's show we discuss what style is within the genre of narrative non-fiction, as well as how Glenn may go about teaching style; whether sports is the actual focus of sportswriting at all; knitting; and what it's like to start a project and see where it all ends up. Thank you to Glenn for stopping by! Please visit glennstout.com for more info about his work! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. Head over to DriveThruFiction or Itch.io to read my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson Thank you so much!…

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025: Eugenio Volpe - Author; I, Caravaggio 45:49

49 weeks ago45:49

45:49

Eugenio Volpe is the author of I, Caravaggio, out now from Clash Books. Go to Clash Books.com or EugenioVolpe.com to grab a copy and find out more about what Eugenio is up to. We cover the warring halves of an artist, Caravaggio's prescient nature as a thinker/creative, Catholicism, and yes also we talk about civets. This one is NSFW in places so heads up! Thank you so much to Eugenio for stopping by and thank you to Clash Books for putting out wild stuff that is different and absolutely worth your time as a reader. -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review the show wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. Head over to DriveThruFiction or Itch.io to read my newest story, Dynasty of Blood. Volumes 01 & 02 are live now, with more on the way, including some NEW ORIGINAL art. Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson Thank you so much!…

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024: Stephanie Pearre and Vaughn A. Jackson - Writers and Editors, Beyond the Bounds of Infinity 57:46

52 weeks ago57:46

57:46

Beyond the Bounds of Infinity is a fiction anthology featuring 20 stories from marginalized voices, all inspired by the works and worlds of H.P. Lovecraft. Stephanie Pearre and Vaughn A. Jackson are the anthology's editors and both joined Ledger to chat about the successful Kickstarter launch in 2023 as well as the book's publication on July 10, 2024. We cover the horrible nature of Lovecraft the person and the ways in which it must be confronted; utilizing Kickstarter for smaller publishers (and managing and/or not managing the stress); maintaining authorial voice while editing; and how to title a story! Thank you so much to Stephanie and Vaughn for the chat and insights into editing an anthology as a whole versus a story by itself, and so much more. Make sure you swing by Raw Dog Screaming Press and buy a copy of Beyond the Bounds of Infinity - https://rawdogscreaming.com/books/beyond-the-bounds-of-infinity/ - and enjoy the weird tales! -- -- -- -- -- Please rate and review the show wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. . Head over to DriveThruFiction or Itch.io to read my newest story, Dynasty of Blood. Volumes 01 & 02 are live now, with more on the way, including some NEW ORIGINAL art. Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson Thank you so much!…

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023: Ken Lowery - Game writer/creator, VOID 1680 AM, No-Tell Motel 1:04:37

1 year ago1:04:37

1:04:37

Ken Lowery is a tabletop roll-playing game (TTRPG) writer most well-known for writing the fantastic game VOID 1680 AM . He stopped by Ledger to discuss his journey in starting Bannerless Games and the process of writing VOID as well as other games like Lighthouse At the End of the World and Hell Grinders. We chat about the community aspect of VOID 1680 AM , including how he actually has his own AM radio broadcaster from which he broadcasts player creations, plus the perceptions (and some hesitations) of playing solo tabletop games. His newest game is No-Tell Motel , a more narrative-focused mystery game that is currently on Crowdfundr - https://crowdfundr.com/notellmotel?ref=ab_75SIUaHJrtV75SIUaHJrtV - so make sure you check it out. Visit Bannerless Games on Itch to find more of what Ken has written - https://bannerlessgames.itch.io/ - and then maybe go play a game tonight! -- -- -- Please rate and review the show wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. You can also check out my work on Medium, including my weird sci-fi publication Shibboleth , which features aliens, government conspiracies, and maybe even sentient fire. Head over to my Itch.io page to read my newest story, Dynasty of Blood. Volume one is live now, with more on the way, including some ORIGINAL NEW art. Thank you so much! https://austinrwilson.itch.io/…

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022: Brian Allen Carr - Author; Sip; Opioid, Indiana; Bad Foundations 1:09:03

1 year ago1:09:03

1:09:03

Brian Allen Carr is a novelist originally from Texas, author of the books Sip ; Opioid, Indiana , and his newest book, Bad Foundations , which is out via Clash Books as of January 23, 2024. It is a peek into a hidden and ignored world beneath the feet of midwesterners, a world that literally supports their entire lives. The narrator is a man named Cook, someone who will essentially become a coworker to readers as they open this book. Brian chats with Ledger about the importance of setting, how he utilizes and thinks of genre (one of Ledger's favorite topics; but in this case there are sharks leaping out of puddles), and how he is currently working as a foundation inspector like his book’s protagonist. One of the bigger topics in this episode is success and, specifically, what happens when you win a big short story contest? Brian won the inaugural Texas Observer Short Story Contest in 2011, which was judged by Larry McMurtry. Make sure you check out Bad Foundations out from Clash books. Thank you so much to Brian for chatting and thank you for listening! -- -- -- Please rate and review the show wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by AustinRWilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. You can also check out my work on Medium, including my weird sci-fi publication Shibboleth , which features aliens, government conspiracies, and maybe even sentient fire.…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

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021: David Connor - Author; Oh God, the Sun Goes 53:43

2 years ago53:43

53:43

Debut novelist David Connor joins me to chat about his book Oh God, the Sun Goes which is out TODAY, August 1st, 2023 from Melville House. Although this is his first novel he has in fact always been writing, which we talk about for sure. He has an undergrad degree in neuroscience and during that time in school he took a writing workshop with Maggie Nelson. Things changed after that. Also, what’s becoming a touchstone for the show, he mentions the genesis of his novel came out in a few sentences on his phone. We talk about the perspective of the story, specifically how “close” or “distant” the third person narrative hews, how he utilizes the passage of time and our perception of that phenomenon, and whether this is metafiction or not? Is it? IS IT? Well…yeah, is it? We do tiptoe up to some topics David says he doesn’t want to dive too deeply into, for fear of giving away the magic trick, including psychedelics. His book is a strange, fantastical journey into perception and time featuring noir sensibilities...that was maybe was influenced by psychedelics? Grab David’s book wherever books are sold, or over at my affiliate link on Bookshop.org . That’s a great way to support the show and get some fantastic new reading material. If I’ve interviewed someone and their work is available via that site, it’s on my list. -- -- -- -- Please rate and review the show wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, all of them - and tell people you think would like it. Swing by AustinRWilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction. You can also check out my work on Medium, including my weird sci-fi publication Shibboleth , which features aliens, government conspiracies, and maybe even sentient fire.…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

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020: Brock Swinson - Author, Ink By the Barrel: Secrets from Prolific Writers 57:06

2 years ago57:06

57:06

Brock Swinson is the author of Ink By the Barrel: Secrets from Prolific Writers which is available now at BrockSwinson.com. He's also a regular contributor to CreativeScreenwriting.com, a marketing copywriter, the host of the Creative Principles podcast, and currently is creating a docuseries titled Daredevil Society. He stopped by to chat about what prolific means for him as well as for writing in general, what it's like to ghost write, whether he writes every day or if you need to (the BIG topic on Ledger, it seems), and how Daniel Kraus is on another freaking level. Thank you to Brock for stopping by, make sure you check out all his work here: https://linktr.ee/brockswinson Be sure you download your free copy of Ink By the Barrel . -- Links to all of my work are available here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson . If you'd like to support the show, you can buy books from my Bookshop affiliate link https://bookshop.org/lists/ledger-guests , leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or share the show with someone you think will love it. Thank you so much!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

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019: Albert Wendland - Author, Haunted Stars 59:32

2 years ago59:32

59:32

Albert Wendland is the author of three sci-fi novels and a poetry collection, all featuring his character Mykol (pronounced "Michael") Ranglen as a universe-exploring poet adventurer. His newest novel is " Haunted Stars" and is available now from Dog Star Books. Apart from the poetry collection - which features poems written by Ranglen - the books are adventures colored by Golden Age sci-fi yearnings but with a noir sensibility added in. You wonder who to trust. You wonder what the next discovery will mean for the humans bouncing between stars. You turn each page with wonder. Wendland is also co-founder of the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction MFA, alongside Lee McClain. He still teaches there in an adjunct capacity while also writing and doing things other than writing to stay sane, just like his character Ranglen. We chat about the MFA program, how he came to create his sci-fi alter ego, what it's like writing multiple stories with a recurring character, plus how teaching plays into his reading and writing. Find his work at https://albertwendland.blogspot.com/ and to learn more about the Writing Popular Fiction program visit https://www.setonhill.edu/academics/graduate-programs/writing-popular-fiction-mfa/faculty/ . Thank you to Albert for the discussion and thank you for listening! -- -- -- -- Links to all of my work are available here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson . If you'd like to support the show, you can buy books from my Bookshop affiliate link https://bookshop.org/lists/ledger-guests , leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or share the show with someone you think will love it. Thank you so much!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
018: Lor Gislason - Author, Inside Out 50:40

2 years ago50:40

50:40

Lor Gislason is the author of Inside Out , a goopy gross horror adventure out now from DarkLit Press. They are also the editor of the anthology Bound In Flesh from Ghoulish Books, an author of non-fiction horror reviews and appreciation, and are currently writing more entertaining body horror filled with memorably gross scenes and stories. Lor stopped by to talk about their writing journey, the dreams that led to Inside Out gooping onto the page, as well as what their writing routine looks like and whether there’s such a thing as too gross. Also, yes, there is a mention or two of cannibalism. Check out links to all of their work and social media right here: https://linktr.ee/lorgislason Thank you so much to Lor for coming by and to you for listening! — — — You can read my most recently published story at Defenestrationmag.net. It’s called “Men’s Rights Activists Resurrect Charles Bronson” and is a humorous tale of some reliably ignorant people, plus necromancy. Join the Ledger Discord server or support the show by buying books via my Bookshop affiliate link both found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson As always, check out my work at austinRwilson.com. Ledger is officially now part of the Writer's Bone Podcast Network. It’s featured alongside many great writing shows, including the official Writer's Bone show itself. Check it all out at WritersBone.com. Thank you for listening and supporting the show however you do!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

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017: Emily Marie Passos Duffy - Poet, Hemorrhaging Want & Water 52:10

2 years ago52:10

52:10

Emily Marie Passos Duffy is the author of the poetry collection Hemorrhaging Want & Water, out now from Perennial Press and available on Perennial Press.com . It’s hard to beat the publisher’s description of the book, which describes it as "Pastoral city smut for bad girls with big hearts.” If you’re looking for poetry that travels the globe but also hops across the borders of genre and form then you might really dig this. Emily and I chatted about connective thematic tissue between poems, a recurring character named Alias, and when/where humor flows into her work. Follow Emily on Instagram @ duffylala and find links to her work there. Check out my latest story on Defenestrationmag.net, where my story “Men’s Rights Activists Resurrect Charles Bronson” was included in the April 2023 collection of stories. Also, brand-new, join the Ledger Discord server and find my Bookshop affiliate link here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson and as always check out my work at austinRwilson.com. The biggest news is Ledger has officially joined the Writer's Bone Podcast Network and will be featured alongside many great writing shows, including the official Writer's Bone show itself. Check it all out at WritersBone.com. Thank you!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
016: James Spooner - Cartoonist, The High Desert 1:10:11

2 years ago1:10:11

1:10:11

James Spooner is the author of The High Desert out now from Harper Collins, available here - https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-high-desert-james-spooner?variant=40828374777890 Set in the late eighties and starring James as a teenager discovering punk rock and as the book's synopsis says, "Mixed race, acutely aware of his Blackness, James doesn't know where he fits until he meets Ty, a young Black punk who introduces him to the school outsiders—skaters, unhappy young rebels, caught up in the punk groundswell sweeping the country." It's a memorable coming-of-age tale with the rebellious nature of punk rock driving the pining teens seem to universally feel, that yearning to discover themselves and to go somewhere else. James also made the documentary Afro-Punk, a look at the reality of being a black punk told through the lives of people who live it. We talk about how the tagline of his book came about - Black. Punk. Nowhere. - how he focused on writing characters with unique voices, the challenge of moving past pain when writing memoir, and even when exactly the narration boxes were added to his story. Also, we talk about two of the best punk shows he's ever been to and the magnificent joy of being at a punk show and experiencing it with a crowd. I loved The High Desert and talking to James was a blast. Go to spoonersnofun.com to check out all his work. Pre-order the anthology he co-edited with Chris L Terry called Black Punk Now. https://softskull.com/dd-product/black-punk-now/ -- -- -- Check out my work on austinRwilson.com, at https://austinrwilson.medium.com/ and https://medium.com/shibboieth . Thank you for listening and sharing!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
015: Matt Bors and Ben Clarkson - Writer/Cartoonist and Cartoonist, Justice Warriors 56:48

2 years ago56:48

56:48

Justice Warriors Vol. 1 is out NOW from Ahoy Comics and available wherever books are sold. Buy it from your local bookstore or comic shop! It's a wild satire, disgusting but delightfully so – it’s one of the most unique comics on the shelves. How did these two storytellers get together? How did Matt Bors decide to step away from political cartooning to cowrite this story about a cop made out of poop with Ben Clarkson, an experienced artist and storyteller in painting, illustration, and animation? You WON'T BELIEVE IT! But seriously, it's a fun story. How does a massive world filled with bonkers characters, driven by economic and political satire come together in a cohesive comic book? Take a listen! Visit TheBenClarkson.com to see Ben's art, including some from Justice Warriors. Head to MattBors.Substack.com to subscribe to Matt’s newsletter and get some great insights into how he tells stories. Tell anyone who likes to laugh and maybe feel bad about laughing to read Justice Warriors. Check out my work at austinRwilson.com, including comics and short stories, and please share, rate, and subscribe to the show. Thank you so much!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
014: Daniel Joshua Rubin - Author and Screenwriter, 27 Essential Principles of Story 1:14:51

2 years ago1:14:51

1:14:51

Author of 27 Essential Principles of Story Daniel Joshua Rubin joined me for Ledger to chat about his book, writing in general and so much more. He's written for the stage, for TV, screenplays and new media, and now this "here's why" book about writing. We discuss why book blurbs work, how important knowing yourself is to writing, battling our inner critics, and even sort of dead low-level mobsters and how their existence can help you. Visit Daniel online at www.danieljoshuarubin.com and www.storyprinciples.com . If you want to study the craft of writing and start thinking about your stories in purposeful and creative ways, read his book. It's one of the three books about writing I HIGHLY recommend. Visit me online at austinrwilson.com or www.medium.com/Shibboieth, follow me on Twitter at austinRwilson or Ledger_Books. Share the show, rate and review it, and watch out for new episodes!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
013: Bella Poynton - Playwright, director, actor 1:07:52

2 years ago1:07:52

1:07:52

Bella Poynton is a playwright, director, actor, and theatre scholar. She's the director of the Playwrights’ Wing at First Look Buffalo Theatre Company in Buffalo, NY; literary manager for Post-Industrial Productions and is also the director of Queen City Playwrights, Buffalo’s new play development workshop for career playwrights in Western New York. Her plays have been featured in The Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2019 , The Best American Short Plays 2018-2019 , and The Weirdest Plays of 2020. We discuss conceptualizing speculative (but specifically sci-fi/fantasy) plays for the stage; impossible stage directions; Star Wars; and some straight up theatre theory. See more of her work at http://www.bellapoynton.com/ . Find my work at www.austinRwilson.com and also on Medium.com/shibboieth and https://austinrwilson.medium.com/ . I have two stories in Love Me, Love Me Not a collection of dark love stories out from Black Hare Press, available here . You can also listen to this and recent Ledger episodes on YouTube here . Thank you for listening and thank you to Bella for coming on! Please rate, review, and share the show!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
012: Max Booth III - Author and Publisher 58:46

2 years ago58:46

58:46

Max Booth III is the publisher of Ghoulish Books and the author of novels such as Maggots Screaming and Touch the Night, along with his forthcoming collection Abnormal Statistics. We discuss the importance of the word "punk" in the sub-genre splatterpunk, the personal nature of his story "Indiana Death Song," and why exactly we feel the need to not only write, but to release the stories out into the world, plus a whole lot more. You can find Ghoulish Books and Max at https://linktr.ee/ghoulishbooks, including the Ghoulish Discord, as well as links to everything we discuss. Visit my site at austinRwilson.com and watch out for my stories in the Valentine's Day anthology coming from Black Hare Press in 2023. I have free stories you can read at my website, both comics and prose! Follow me on Twitter (or basically every social media platform) over @austinRwilson or @Ledger_Podcast. Rate and review the show when you get a chance and share it with friends!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
011: Stephanie M. Wytovich - Author/Poet and Editor 1:03:09

2 years ago1:03:09

1:03:09

Stephanie M. Wytovich is the editor of Writing Poetry In the Dark , a collection of essays about poetry, creativity, and writing in general. She is the poetry editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press, a college professor, and an author of poetry and prose fiction. You can find her work at StephanieMWytovich.com or stephaniewytovich.blogspot.com. Is literally everything poetry? Why do we associate "bad poetry" with the entire artform of poetry? How does editing guide all she does and how did she arrive at editing a book of essays about one of her favorite art forms? All this and more on today's Ledger! Visit austinRwilson.com where you can donate to the show and find links to all of my work. Follow me on Twitter @austinRwilson and @Ledger_Podcast, but look out for me on YouTube as well @austinRwilson. I'll be posting the episodes there as audio files but do have plans for video at some point. Thank you for listening!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
010: EV Knight - Author, The Fourth Whore 1:01:51

3 years ago1:01:51

1:01:51

EV Knight is the author of The Fourth Whore , which won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel, and Three Days In the Pink Tower out now from Creature Publishing. Why do writers bury themselves under guilt? Are writers in fact the weirdest people currently living? How many drafts of a story does she normally create? What was it like to go from writing The Fourth Whore to accepting a Bram Stoker Award for it? We cover all this and more! Make sure you visit EVKnightAuthor.com to check out her work as well as all the ways you can follow her online. Thank you for listening and for sharing the episode and thank you to EV Knight for stopping by to chat! Visit austinRwilson.com where you can donate to the show and find links to all of my work. I have a short story coming on October 1st in the NOM NOM anthology out from Black Hare Press. Pre-order it right here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2M1VF6N?tag=gingercatpubl-20 I also currently have a Shibboleth story available through Mini Komix, check it out right here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/mini-komix/a-late-night-encounter/paperback/product-gmk76j.html?page=1&pageSize=4…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
Bookstores to Visit: Bucket O’ Blood 7:25

3 years ago7:25

7:25

Bucket O' Blood is located in Chicago, IL at 3182 N Elston Ave and is filled with horror, sci-fi/fantasy, and welcoming vibes. They sell records, movies, and used/new books and are an essential destination for anyone wanting to buy a story or two that will take them on an adventure. You can find them online here: https://www.bucketoblood.com/ Please visit austinRwilson.com/Ledger to see photos of Bucket O' Blood as well as my recent bookhaul! If you visit the shop let me know, and especially let me know what you buy! Reach out to me on Twitter through @austinRwilson or @Ledger_Podcast or send me an email at LedgerBooks@outlook.com . If you have a shop you'd like to tell me about please let me know! I can never visit too many bookstores and want to spread the word about as many as possible. Bookstores are landmarks of hope and possibility! This is NOT an ad or sponsored episode, the content is mine alone.…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
009: Brenda Tolian - Author, Blood Mountain 1:06:49

3 years ago1:06:49

1:06:49

Blood Mountain, by this episode's guest Brenda Tolian is "A mosaic of mountain songs that penetrate all the way to the beating, blood heart." That's what Josh Malerman says. Brenda Tolian talks about her relationship to Colorado, the importance of telling its stories from indigenous perspectives, why the Bible is actually like really scary, and so much more! Make sure you visit Raw Dog Screaming Press to pick up a copy of Blood Mountain, right here: https://rawdogscreaming.com/books/blood-mountain/ Also visit her website at https://brendatolian.com/. You can find me at www.austinRwilson.com and on Twitter @austinRwilson and @Ledger_Podcast. Thank you for listening!…

Ledger: A Writing Podcast

1
008: Jessica McHugh - Author/Poet, A Complex Accident of Life 1:04:00

3 years ago1:04:00