Citywide Blackout

Anne Whitney Pierce takes us to Cambridge in the 1960s in new book

Author Anne Whitney Pierce has called Cambridge home for her entire life, and over the years has seen a lot happen in the 02138 zip code. In her new book, “Down To The River,” we see the lives of Boston elite as they begin to fade into obscurity. Stuck in a powerfully dysfunctional family, their children enter the world of Harvard Square at the height of the Vietnam era. As they cling together for comfort and support, they are pulled by the Cambridge undertow as politics, sex, drugs and rock and roll sound their siren call.

 

Anne has so many stories of Cambridge to share and in this episode, we see what the area was like—both through the eyes of the teenager she was then and the person she is now. Anne takes us through the character creation and how the environment of one of Boston's most notable neighborhoods shaped them. We look at what it's like to write for the market and how that can pose a challenge when it comes time to decide what the story will be.

“I Am The First” comic explores bullying and mental health alongside hope and being true to yourself

The recently-released comic series “I Am The First” is a powerful story that touches on subjects like bullying, grief, and even suicide. But there's another message as well—that hope is still out there. The comic is the brainchild of author Jeremy Flagg and working with illustrator Amanda Kahl, they have created a story that has resonated with readers in a number of ways.

In small-town Maine, standing out in a crowd can be dangerous. Alec hasn't had an easy life. After his father died, his mother married Don to help make ends meet. What she didn't know, her second husband would turn into an alcoholic leech. Worst yet, his drunken rages are directed at Alec, the son he never wanted.

 

To make mattes worse, Alec has a secret even he doesn't understand.

 

Then there's Roxanne, a friendship that fell apart as Alec struggled to cope with the death of his father. Despite the walls he's erected to shield himself from the outside world, Roxanne is determined to be more than a sidekick in his life. So when the comic book aficionado discovers her friend has gifts beyond the average lanky-teenage boy, she is determined to teach him what it means to be a hero.

 

In this interview, Remy and Amanda talk about how they came to work together on this project. Amanda dives into the process of creating the visuals while Remy shares the challenges of being a novelist and writing something where brevity is they key. We talk about the different messages behind the series and the response they've gotten from readers. The series is currently in issue 2, with the third to be released later this summer.

Jordan Jones takes on new musical territory for latest project

BONUS TRACK—Jen Kearney talks about the overseas tour that helped inspire “Atlantic”

 

It's a musical playground in this episode! Canada's Jordan Jones opens the show with a deep dive into his new singles, “Break My Heart” and “Stumble.” These songs represent a shift in his lengthy career, and we talk about past projects and what led to this new style, a more pop/soul flow.

 

Jordan and I go into the music business and what he's learned over the years. We talk about different ways to monetize music and some different ideas he's been considering. Jordan's recorded a lot of his songs with Velveteen Music in Edmonton, Alberta, and he shares how he met this studio and what it's been like working with them.

 

During the break, enjoy “Break My Heart,” which has a very real story behind it.

 

Following this, Boston's Jen Kearney and I talk about her two-year tour of the UK and London, the many shows she saw, and the artists she met. Jen recently released an EP, “Atlantic,” which partly came about from the tour. It's a sampler of sorts for an album coming out later this year, and we talk about the different styles she's been using.

 

Closing out the episode is “Writing On Water,” one of the singles from the EP.

Dan Franklin takes us through the terrifying world of “The Eater of Gods”

BONUS TRACK: Nice Vice and I talk 90s music and his arrival as an artist

 

It's a blend of rock music and horror stories in this episode. Up first, author Dan Franklin and I do a deep dive into his debut book, “The Eater of Gods.” Here's a quick synopsis for those curious:

 

Nothing really dies if it’s remembered, his wife had told him.

 

In the dying village of Al Tarfuk, lost among the war-stained dunes of eastern Libya, professor Norman Haas learns the location of the tomb that had been his wife’s pursuit. The final resting place of Kiya, the lost queen of Akhenaten, whose history had been etched from the stone analogues of history for her heresies against the long absent pantheon of Egyptian gods.

 

He never expected to discover that the tomb was the final resting place for more than the dead. And as his team of researchers find themselves trapped inside the ancient tomb, Norman realizes all too soon that his wife was right—

 

Nothing really dies if it’s remembered…But some things are best forgotten.

 

Dan talks all about the real-life story behind this book, and how the editing process helped him as a writer. We swap tales about meeting legends in the writing world and ways to boost your skills in both telling tales and spreading the word. Dan takes us through the worldbuilding he did, the endless research, and how he made the characters who they are.

 

After that, Nice Vice and I talk about his new single “No Ends,” which looks at being in your 20s and the personal strife of having to figure that out. We talk about the bands of the 90s that helped shape his sound, and where he's going with his debut EP, “First Dose.” At the end of the show, be sure to give the new single a listen, I can promise you won't regret it.

Nick Roberts talks horror styles, character creation, and his new book, “The Exorcist’s House”

Horror fans, turn the volume up, because this is one is not to be missed! Author Nick Roberts and I talk about his soon-to-be-released book, “The Exorcist's House,” available through Crystal Lake Publishing.

 

Here's a look at the synopsis:

 

In the summer of 1994, psychologist Daniel Hill buys a rustic farmhouse nestled in the rolling hills of West Virginia. Along with his wife, Nora, and their teenage daughter, Alice, the family uproots their lives in Ohio and moves south.

 

At first, they are seduced by the natural beauty of the farm and enjoy the bonding experience of fixing the old house, but that all changes when they discover a hidden room in the basement with a well, boarded shut and adorned with crucifixes. Local legends about the previous owner’s predilection for performing exorcisms come to light, but by then, all Hell has broken loose.

 

In this episode, we look at the different types of horror and which ones Nick prefers to write in. He talks about the research needed and how he makes his book stand out among similar titles. Nick's already got one book out, “Anathema,” and we look at how the first novel informed the writing of the second.

Dany Horovitz shares stories of love, loss, and life in “Free Times”

BONUS TRACK: Leezy talks about her battle with addiction and how it inspired “Sierra”

 

Singer-songwriter Dany Horovitz is back, and he has some big news to share. His debut album “Free Times” is now available! Dany joined me last fall to talk about his singles “Seasons Change” and “Moving On,” and along with these two songs, the album features another eight with an array of sounds and tales.

 

Dany and I talk about the response the album has seen from fans and music journalists in Canada, where he lives. He shares his poetry and how it ties into his music as well as the real-life connection behind the songs. Dany worked with some amazing people in bringing this album to life and he talked about the process. In addition to the album, a music video release for his song “Scar” was released and we go into how the two mesh.

 

Following our discussion, enjoy “Scar,” one of my faveorite tracks from the album.

 

 

And in the second interview, Chicago-based artist Leezy dives into “Sierra,” a new single that takes us through her battle with addiction when she was 18. Leezy talks about how it all began and the work she put in to become sober a year later. Leezy's mother inspired the song, and was a pillar for the young artist as she sought treatment, and even had a brief role in the music video for “Sierra.”

 

As the episode comes to a close, check out “Sierra,” which shifts from a mellow tune to a rock-themed sound, matching the artist's battle.

Rich Woodall talks the state of indie comics and epic horror tales

It was last November at the Rhode Island Comic-Con that I met comic writer and artist Rich Woodall. After a little schedule tag, we got the chance to talk all things comics. Rich's resume in the field is lengthy, and includes working on major titles such as Savage Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well as his many indie creations.

 

In this episode, Rich and I talk about his work as co-publisher of Black Caravan. An imprint of Scout Comics, Black Caravan publishes horror and sci-fi comics, and we look at the various titles they have out and what is planned for the near future. Rich shares his origins in the comics industry, how he met the folks that gave him his start and the many amazing people he's worked with over the years.

Matt Jatkola shares a positive message with his debut album

Boston-based artist Matt Jatkola of JATK is back, and he has some big news to share—his debut album, “Shut Up and Be The Light” is set to drop on April 15 in CD, digital and vinyl format.

 

In March 2020, when everyone was avoiding hospitals due to the oncoming pandemic, JATK was headed directly into one. The songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist had just been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and the subsequent cancer journey, treatment, recovery, and everything else that has happened in the two years since shaped the album.

 

In this interview, Matt talks about his mindset two years ago and why making a new album was such an important goal. Matt worked with 20 different artists, and we look at who these people are and how he made such a massive collaboration happen. The album was recorded and mastered entirely from Matt's home and we see if this has become his new preferred method of music production.

 

Matt talks about his own way to “Shut Up and Be The Light” and how we can keep negative, toxic thinking out of our lives as well as what he hopes people take from the listening experience.

 

Following this, enjoy “Conscious Wonder,” one of the tracks off the new album. I genuinely enjoyed the diversity of sounds, and hope you do too.

A family story leads to a debut novel in “One April After The War”

Picture this—you're cleaning out the home of a relative who's passed on when you find a scrapbook and the message “Please finish this story.” What's your answer? For author G.S. Boarman, that answer was “Yes,” and we all benefit with the new book “One April After The War.” Here's a quick synopsis:

 

Fresh from concluding a counterfeiting sting in Cincinnati, Secret Service agents Merritt and Argent are tasked by President Ulysses S. Grant to convince Miss Warner to return with them to Washington, D.C. For the two Treasury agents, this simple assignment to escort the socially awkward and willful young woman on an 800-mile railroad journey from Louisville, Kentucky to the White House proves far more interesting and difficult than the men could have ever thought possible. And, in the face of danger, it may just turn out that Mary is more of an asset than a problem for the two agents.

 

In this episode, G.S. and I talk about the discovery and what led them to complete the story, a gripping historical adventure set right after the Civil War. We're introduced to the origins of the Secret Service, a much different organization than the one we know today. We also learn about the main characters, Secret Service agents Merritt and Argent and Mary Warner, and the work that went into creating them.

 

This book explores the themes of mental illness and sexism and what is was like to be mentally ill in the late 1800s. G.S. and I also look at the endless research that was done (enjoyably so) to make this book happen.

A long-held secret drives Kristine Ochu’s “Campfire Confessions”

Annie’s devoted her life to raising four sons and volunteering wherever she’s needed. Most people consider her a saint—but they don’t know she’s hiding a big secret. When this secret finally catches up with Annie, best friends Jo and Sondra rush to her side. An adventure in the great outdoors leads to a sharing of pasts among the three friends in Kristine Ochu's debut novel, “Campfire Confessions,” now available through BooksFluent.

 

In this episode, Kristine and I talk about Annie, Jo, and Sandra and what each brings to the story and how they drive the plot. Kristine goes into the creation process and how she crafted this cast.

 

Kristine has a pretty diverse background as a log-rolling champion, international human resource executive, motivational speaker, and longtime screenwriter and we look at how all these experiences factored into the story.