Citywide Blackout

Boston artist heads to a new musical territory

Boston based songwriter Matt Jatkola joins me to talk about his new project called JATK with a debut self-titled 4 song EP. The album took Matt into some new directions music-wise and he gives us some insight into what was learned in the process. 2019 was a big year for his other project, FBGM, and he goes into tour stories with he and bandmate D as well as what is planned in the new year.

Following this, kick back and enjoy two songs from the EP, “How I Feel Inside” and “Come Inside Your Room.”

Welcome to Oppositeland

Tom Peyer, writer and editor-in-chief at Ahoy Comics, talks about the Dragonfly and Dragonflyman series, a prequel to The Wrong Earth. Two heroes—Dragonfly and Dragonflyman—find themselves on each other's worlds, two places which could not be more different. On gritty Earth-Omega, Dragonfly prowls the darkness for his evil prey; on sun-splashed Earth-Alpha, Dragonflyman protects the status quo.

Peyer talks about the two different heroes and the worlds they come from and how each adapts when the big switch happens. We also look at the other titles available from Ahoy and what is coming in the near future.

 

Greetings from Sweden

For the last show of 2019, I speak to Swedish musician Yajna. Her music touches on a dark part of her life and her goal to rise from it and move forward. Yajna talks about these experiences and how the music helped her. But she has much more to share! Prior to working in music, she was active in the action sports scene and remains so today. She also has a documentary film making its way around the indie film festival circuit and a book in the works.

Following this interview, enjoy her song, “You Are Beautiful,” one of a trilogy of songs that she has released.

LA artist unveils debut LP

LA-based musician Sariyah Idan gives us a great look at the city's music scene in this interview. She also has a new album out, “Breaking Shadows,” and this 17-track album covers a number of subjects, including relationships, the #MeToo movement, and social justice. We also look at the music videos released for the album, which Idan choreographed herself.

 

Following this interview, enjoy two tracks from the album, “Darkness” and “That Woman.”

Would you give up Heaven for the one you love?

It's a question that Chris Callahan addresses in his comic, “The Misplaced,” available through Source Point Press, Comixology, and many others. In this series, we follow James, who dies in a shipwreck with his wife, only to wake up in Heaven to find that his wife is nowhere to be found. So what does he do? He leaves the afterlife on a quest to find his lost love.

What's even more amazing than the story is the art that brings it to life, and Christ talks about his unique style and how he came up with it. We also touch on conventions and his experiences with them.

Rhode Island Author Expo, Part 3

Well, here we are, the final round of interviews from the Rhode Island Author Expo. Up first, Angelina Singer talks all about her soon-to-be-released book, “Forgetting What I Couldn't Remember.” Like much of her previous work, it touches on a personal part of her life.

Up next, The Pie Sisters make their big return! Leigh Brown and Victoria Corliss talk about their fourth book and how they co-write effectively.

Mary Catherine Volk believes that loved ones that have passed still have things to tell us and do so through signs, as she explains in her book, “Believe in Forever.”

Wrapping things up, Sam Kafrissen has a new book out in his Doherty Mystery series, and shows us how the character has evolved over the many titles.

 

 

Rhode Island Author Expo, Part 2

Here's the second installment of my interviews from the Rhode Island Author Expo. Debbie Kaiman Tillinghast is up first to share her stories growing up on Prudence Island in her book, “The Ferry Home.”

M.A. Guglielmo is up next to talk about her debut novel, “Summoned.” A jinn, an evil sorcerer, and vengeful fallen angel—this one's got it all!

The last interview for this episode is with S.M. Stevens for her book “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades,” a true-to-life tale for the #MeToo generation, in which two women reclaim their careers, romances and lives after suffering harassment and abuse.

Rhode Author Island Expo, Part 1

Here it is, my interviews from the recent Rhode Author Island Expo!

First up is Karen Gasperini—technically my last pre-show interview the day before—talks about her popular “Arianna's Magic Boots” series which feature's Karen's daughter as the main character.

Following that it's Christine Lajewski, who was last on the show about a year ago. She catches us up on what she has been up to, including some exciting news about her book “Bonebelly.”

Emily Tallman's books include characters with mental illness with the goal that more people will see themselves as worthwhile individuals and no longer just horror movie villains.

The final interview in this episode is with Therese Zink, whose main character Dr. Ann McLannly is a doctor working with international aid missions. It's something that Zink has personal experience with and she shares some of her times working with missions such as these.

New albums from around the world

In this episode, I'm headed overseas! Well, kinda. Based out of Kent, England, Dux recently released his new hip-hop EP, “Thought We Were Done.” This is an amazing array of styles, much of it honoring the 90s-era rap he grew up on. Dux talks on the artists he looks to as inspirations and the new experiences that came with a solo project. After the interview, enjoy “Thought We Were Done,” the title track from the new album.

After that, it's off to Italy to hang with singer-songwriter Eil Marchini who also has a new album out. He talks about the different directions he went in for “Lost in the Universe,” as well as some of the places he plays at in Europe. Following this, kick back with “The River.”

Rhode Island Author Expo Pre-Show, Part 4

In the fourth and final episode in this series, Candace Breen talks about her autobiographical story, “After the Darkness.” This book chronicles her experiences with childhood incest, rape, abuse, and domestic violence and how she found a path to healing and a new life.

Candace holds nothing back, and we look at what led her to share this story and the reaction of family and friends, both good and bad. She talks about her husband and how he inspired her to write the book and stand by her side throughout the process. Candace has a lot of hope and wants others who have been through this kind of abuse to not feel ashamed and be willing to talk about it.

You are not alone. If you're the victim of rape or domestic violence, there are places you can go to seek help. The links below are just a handful of resources—there are hundreds of crisis centers, web sites, and phone hotlines you can reach out to, and of course the police are willing and able to help.

 

The Rape Crisis Center

 

Domestic Violence Crisis Center

 

National Domestic Violence Hotline

 

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline