Prose & Cons: Recent Episodes
Richmond Independent Radio
Hope's new book of poetry, Traveling the River, is coming soon! We talk about pomes, life stuff, and some nitty-gritty details of starting an independent press!!
https://proseandconsdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/hope_pc.mp3
“HOPE WHITBY is a poet, fiction writer, and haiku aficionado. She is the creator of Art in the Shop and Books in the Bay book club supporting the local Richmond art scene since 2012.
Hope has received awards for her poetry from the Virginia Poetry Society and Richmond magazine. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her Chihuahua, Princess.”
Hope’s new book of poetry, Traveling the River, is coming soon! We talk about pomes, life stuff, and some nitty-gritty details of starting an independent press!!
Life in 10 Minutes is a fantastic organization founded by Valley in 2010, and has grown from writing classes, to an online literary magazine, to a podcast, and, now, a press! Very imPRESSive (sorry).
You can pre-order the book now, and be sure to come by the release partay, May 2 at Life in 10 Minutes!
https://proseandconsdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/morgan-lydia-mixdown-1_01.mp3
Lydia has become a personal favorite artist of ours so why not have her back once again! This time she brought her friend Morgan Potts who performed during the Women in Radio fundraiser, both of them did an excellent job despite the general disarray and calamity within the bar. This week we were able to have calmer discussions about their work and what they had prepared. There were talks of dreams, coincidence, waitress culture, and more. Let’s not forget that we had special guest host stand in Sumerth providing fresh and semi-profound insights. A very special episode, check it out!
Lydia has become a personal favorite artist of ours so why not have her back once again! This time she brought her friend Morgan Potts who performed during the Women in Radio fundraiser, both of them did an excellent job despite the general disarray and calamity within the bar. This week we were able to have calmer discussions about their work and what they had prepared. There were talks of dreams, coincidence, waitress culture, and more. Let's not forget that we had special guest host stand in Sumerth providing fresh and semi-profound insights. A very special episode, check it out!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PC-1.21.19_mixdown.mp3
What’s the only thing better than four fantastic spoken word poets performing live? Four fantastic poets performing live as part of a fundraiser for the Sister Radio Documentary project. If you were not fortunate enough to attend this stellar event at Castleburg Brewery, never fear! We got you.
Truly, this is an all-star hall-of-fame dream team of poets on par with the Tune Squad of Space Jam fame. Except for poetry, not basketball… Maybe they’re also great at basketball? Who knows!
Starting the lineup real strong was former P&C guest Lydia Armstrong. She’s built a reputation at local open mics and other performance venues as a poet who is as bold as she is eloquent. Often focusing on topics such as mental health and suicidal thoughts, dark family history and old boyfriends. Lydia also has the widely recognized ongoing photography project Thicket of Trash.
Morgan Potts was up next. An alum of VCU’s rockstar CUPSI slam team, she was kind enough to fill in for another poet who had to drop out last-minute. Thanks Morgan!! We haven’t had her as a guest for an interview yet, but after her stellar performance during this event, you’d better believe we will! Stay tuned…
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand in the red corner, making his glorious return all the way from the Prose & Cons PILOT EPISODE……… Aden Ware!!! Great to have you back, friendo. Aden’s deceptively casual style often speaks from his experience as a mixed-race man in America, a perspective we don’t often hear about. He also draws a lot of sly references to pop-culture and throws in the perfect amount of his comedic personality to create a listening experience unlike any other.
AM Pressman is another former P&C guest and a member of the highly competitive slam team The Writer’s Den. The Writer’s Den hosts slams on the last Thursday of every month. This month features national poetry slam champion Black Chakra! Pressman brought the ruckus Saturday night with their characteristically strong verse and biting delivery.
You can still donate to the Sister Radio doc! Get one of their cool shirts or something! Get involved! It’s a rad project.
What's the only thing better than four fantastic spoken word poets performing live? Four fantastic poets performing live as part of a fundraiser for the Sister Radio Documentary project. If you were not fortunate enough to attend this stellar event at Castleburg Brewery, never fear! We got you.
Hampton Sides is a visionary author who writes primarily narrative non-fiction. His most recent book, On Desperate Ground, about the Battle of Chosin Reservoir–the most infamous battle in the Korean War–is out now. I currently reading it and this book rocks my socks. And it makes for a great last minute xmas gift! Mr. Sides was so … Continue reading Hampton Sides →
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Hampton-lets-try-this-again..._podcast.mp3
Hampton Sides is a visionary author who writes primarily narrative non-fiction. His most recent book, On Desperate Ground,about the Battle of Chosin Reservoir–the most infamous battle in the Korean War–is out now. I currently reading it and this book rocks my socks. And it makes for a great last minute xmas gift!
Mr. Sides was so gracious. An amazing writer, and an amazing guy. He’s got plenty of other books as well–some war-related, some not!
Nerds, assemble! Let your geek flag fly, I say. Prose & Cons is cool and all, but how would you like to be transported to a world where anime is the sole source of entertainment? Where hentai, fan service, and camera angles are praised and condemned in the same sentence? Where whimsical tangents frequently derail the conversation and quickly devolve into uncontrollable fits of giggling? Fear not, child: you have arrived.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Crows-and-also-Pawns-part-III_mixdown.mp3
Nerds, assemble! Let your geek flag fly, I say. Prose & Cons is cool and all, but how would you like to be transported to a world where anime is the sole source of entertainment? Where hentai, fan service, and camera angles are praised and condemned in the same sentence? Where whimsical tangents frequently derail the conversation and quickly devolve into uncontrollable fits of giggling? Fear not, child: you have arrived.
CROWS + PAWNS is here to sate your anime needs. This is a service we provide to our adoring fans. Of which there are many. Welcome to the cool kids club, friendo.
NEXT WEEK on P&C we got Mr. Hampton Sides, the patron saint of military and expeditionary history non-fiction goodness. He’s promoting his newish book, On Desperate Ground. I’m reading it now and can give you the inside scoop: it’s good!
NEXT TIME on Crows and Pawns: Smash Bros. Ultimate episode?? Why not!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Word-Nerds_podcat.mp3
Once in a generation, the greatest poetic minds converge into a single evening. It is a beautiful gathering of precious souls and creative spirits, the likes of which will never be seen again. Until the next time.
Word Nerds! is the brainchild of Ben and Dom, a Prose & Cons live event hosted by the effervescent Stir Crazy staff. Of course, we could not do it alone! We are blessed with our acquaintance of Michele, Imani, and Roscoe of The Writer’s Den as well as Richard Rose, Lanvi Nguyen, Koreena Lawson, Dante Ruff (Lithium God), and Priest. Dom and I even perform our own pomes!
If you couldn’t make it out this time, never fear! We’ll be doing more soon. Stay tuned, and thanks for listening.
Once in a generation, the greatest poetic minds converge into a single evening. It is a beautiful gathering of precious souls and creative spirits, the likes of which will never be seen again. Until the next time. Word Nerds! is the brainchild of Ben and Dom, a Prose & Cons live event hosted by the … Continue reading Word Nerds! →
Who loves anime? Nerds love anime! And yeeeees, we are giant nerds. Although, to clarify, Dom, Douglass, and I are not the cool kind of nerd that has come into vogue in recent years (you kids don't know how good you have it!), we're slightly grown up versions of our even-more-awkward pimply tween selves who hid our manga collection and anime addiction from our cooler "friends." Dom, Douglass, and I are still the raging dorks we once were, and that is something worth celebrating!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Crows-and-Pawns-ep-3.-top-anime-moviesss.mp3
Who loves anime? Nerds love anime! And yeeeees, we are giant nerds. Although, to clarify, Dom, Douglass, and I are not the cool kind of nerd that has come into vogue in recent years (you kids don’t know how good you have it!), we’re slightly grown up versions of our even-more-awkward pimply tween selves who hid our manga collection and anime addiction from our cooler “friends.” Dom, Douglass, and I are still the raging dorks we once were, and that is something worth celebrating!
This was not meant to be a pt. 1, but, as these things often go–at least when we’re involved–our conversation went waaaaaaay longer than planned. So, instead of covering our TOP 3 in this episode, we talk TOP 2. Pt. 2 featuring TOP 1 will be released SOON. Confused yet? So are we!
To further complicate matters, this was, in fact, the SECOND time we attempted to record this one. The FIRST time, we started a FANTASTIC conversation about PRINCESS MONONOKE (seriously, our fat asses were waxing poetic) but sadly ’twas not meant to be…. By which I mean somehow I screwed up the recording and we lost a solid half hour of audio gold. Whoops! That is why the part of this episode devoted to PM is not quite as ROBUST as you might expect. We were still dealing with the painful loss of our first attempt. But bear with us! Once this sucker get going it really GET GOING.
Stay tuned for pt. 2 of Top 3 Anime Movies, featuring our 3 TOP 1s. That post may or may include less ALL CAPS.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ashley-jada-podcast.mp3
How do we erase institutional bias? Great question! Read Erasing Institutional Bias to find out. I don’t want to spoil anything for you, geez…
…All right, all right, fine. I’ll cover the basics for ya, but you’d better still go out and buy this friggin book!
This friggin book offers inspired clarity on a topic that makes many of us uncomfortable just to think about, let alone try to solve. Of course, Rome wasn’t built in a day! (That doesn’t have anything to do with institutional bias but I just thought I’d pepper in 1-2 historical fun facts.) Enacting real change in the world of systemic prejudice takes a constant intentional effort. That may be why so many lame-o CEOs are too reticent to try! Or maybe it’s because they’re reaping the rewards from a corporate structure that’s been actively designed to benefit them? Who knows!
Despite their different fields, it’s clear that both authors are well versed in the realm of tackling biases. After earning her MA in Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and her Masters of Divinity at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Ashley has devoted her academic work to researching and writing on racial bias. She has written for blogs and led institutional conversations on race, systemic bias, and mass incarceration. Tiffany is the founder and CEO of TMI Portfolio, a collection of socially responsible and interconnected companies working to advance more culturally inclusive and equitable workforces. TMI Portfolio’s consulting arm, TMI Consulting, Inc. Previously, they co-wrote Overcoming Bias, a book focusing on addressing personal biases within ourselves.
Dom and I had a great time with Tiffany and Ashley. I did a great job interview-wise, while Dom tried his best. Bless his heart!
I hope you consider the fact that I’m writing a particularly long post for this one, and take it to mean that this episode is worth it! All jokes aside, we applaud these determined movers and shakers for writing what is sure to be required reading for employers (and employees) everywhere.
This book offers inspired clarity on a topic that makes many of us uncomfortable just to think about, let alone try to solve. Of course, Rome wasn't built in a day! (That doesn't have anything to do with institutional bias but I just thought I'd pepper in 1-2 historical fun facts.) Enacting real change in the world of systemic prejudice takes a constant intentional effort. That may be why so many lame-o CEOs are too reticent to try! Or maybe it's because they're reaping the rewards from a corporate structure that's been actively designed to benefit them? Who knows!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PC_11.12.18_Murals.mp3
Here’s a tidbit of info you might not know: there’s a bleep-ton of murals in our fair city! There are many of them, and they are awesome. Now, FOR THE FIRST TIME, a collection of these murals has been curated by one of Richmond’s most celebrated muralists, the Night Owl (aka Mickael Broth).
Dom and I sat down with Mr. Owl to chat about how he started off as a lad, tagging walls, and the unjust consequences he ultimately faced. We even touch on the US prison industrial complex! Oh yeah, we also talk about murals. It’s mostly about murals.
This is an amazing book. You can pre-order a copy from Chop Suey (who is publishing the book). You can enjoy endless hours of mural-gazing while keeping the lights on and WonTon fed!
[Full Disclosure: I work at Chop Suey] [Fuller Disclosure:n I would be raving about this book even if I didn’t] [Fullest Disclosure: follow us on FB and subscribe to our podcast. We love you]
Here's a tidbit of info you might not know: there's a bleep-ton of murals in our fair city! There are many of them, and they are awesome. Now, FOR THE FIRST TIME, a collection of these murals has been curated by one of Richmond's most celebrated muralists, the Night Owl (aka Mickael Broth).
Dom and I sat down with Mr. Owl to chat about how he started off as a lad, tagging walls, and the unjust consequences he ultimately faced. We even touch on the US prison industrial complex! Oh yeah, we also talk about murals. It's mostly about murals.
What to say about these four precious souls? Young. Enthusiastic. Bright futures, all. AND SMERT AF
[To be read in Stefon's voice] If you just stumbled out of the ICA, high on life and just a smidge of salvia, this episode is for you. Radio's hottest show is Prose & Cons. This podcast has everything: holographic poems, group telepathy, and milfs!
LEt' s throw down some art
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Come to our first ever live event, WEDNESDAY 11-7 at Stir Crazy roundabout 7 (please).
What to say about these four precious souls? Young. Enthusiastic. Bright futures, all. AND SMERT AF
[To be read in Stefon’s voice] If you just stumbled out of the ICA, high on life and just a smidge of salvia, this episode is for you. Radio’s hottest show is Prose & Cons. This podcast has everything: holographic poems, group telepathy, and milfs!
LEt’ s throw down some art
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Come to our first ever live event, WEDNESDAY 11-7 at Stir Crazy roundabout 7 (please).
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PC-ep-40-lanvi_mixdown.mp3
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Poes-Cons_podcasgt.mp3
Get it?? This week’s episode is all about Richmond’s favorite (adopted?) son, Edgar Allen! Dom conducts an informative AND entertaining interview with Tyler Minx of the Richmond Poe Museum and even manages not to screw it up too bad. Good job, Dom!
Also, I spent WAY too long having fun with the intro and outro, so please, respect my art…
Click to view slideshow.
Boo!
Get it?? This week's episode is all about Richmond's favorite (adopted?) son, Edgar Allen! Dom conducts an informative AND entertaining interview with Tyler Minx of the Richmond Poe Museum and even manages not to screw it up too bad. Good job, Dom!
Also, I spent WAY too long having fun with the intro and outro, so please, respect my art...
Are you a nerd? Do you love Japanese comics as much as we do? Good! This episode is for you. You, specifically. We have tailored this episode to your exact specifications, [insert name here].
Crows & Pawns is where we get even more ridiculously self-indulgent and instead of interviewing guests who are smart about things, we interview... ourselves?! Top 3 manga galore, enjoy!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Crows-and-Pawns-2-FINAL.mp3
Are you a nerd? Do you love Japanese comics as much as we do? Good! This episode is for you. You, specifically. We have tailored this episode to your exact specifications, [insert name here].
If you’ve ever wondered about the deeper implications of fan service or the significance behind Goku’s monkey tail, YOU ARE IN LUCK.
Let us know if you liked or hated this special ep by commenting below OR just email me. ben at proseandcons.org. Happy listening, y’all!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/PC-Best-of-L10_mixdown.mp3
There’s this other thing that I do and it’s called the Life in 10 Minutes Poodcast! Podchasm. Pondcharm. Porkchop?
…
Life in 10 Minutes is a collection of stories that are brave and true. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious. Usually a bit of both.
L10 founder Valley Haggard is the recipient of this year’s Emyl Jenkins Award for the outstanding work she has done for her ever-growing village. This episode is dedicated to her.
Stories from:
Tim McCready, Valley Haggard, Lee Sowder, Mary Jo McLaughlin, Susan Singer, Maureen McSweeney, Megan Neal, Sema Wray, Llewellyn Hensley, and Jerry Long
Original music by Tim McCready
Life in 10 Minutes is a collection of stories that are brave and true. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious. Usually a bit of both.
L10 founder Valley Haggard is the recipient of this year's Emyl Jenkins Award for the outstanding work she has done for her ever-growing village. This episode is dedicated to her.
We all have to go on our personal odysseys for growth and money or whatever, but it's not until we return home that we see how much we've grown...or regressed. Melissa's Mount Pleasant series shows us the life and times of Iris and her father Henry after she leaves the big city lights for simpler rural times. We talked about the second book in the series "Every Now and Then" and her plans for addressing racial tension in a time where compassion amongst races seems to be waning. Ben was off larping or planting microgreens so Dom handled this biz. Give it a listen..or don't! The least you could do though is check out Melissa's work. Enjoy.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MPG-PC.mp3
We all have to go on our personal odysseys for growth and money or whatever, but it’s not until we return home that we see how much we’ve grown…or regressed. Melissa’s Mount Pleasant series shows us the life and times of Iris and her father Henry after she leaves the big city lights for simpler rural times. We talked about the second book in the series “Every Now and Then” and her plans for addressing racial tension in a time where compassion amongst races seems to be waning. Ben was off larping or planting microgreens so Dom handled this biz. Give it a listen..or don’t! The least you could do though is check out Melissa’s work. Enjoy.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/c-and-podcast.mp3
If you’re thinking, “that’s a stupid name for an episode,” you’re right! That’s why it’s the title of our new show-within-a-show. Crows & Pawns is where we take a break from the poetry and the novels and the writing process and simply shoot the breeze about the things we love.
If you heard this episode on the radio and hated it, don’t worry! The majority of these pop-culture based episodes will be released exclusively via podcast. If you loved it, good news! You can hear a new Crows & Pawns (almost) every week in addition to our normal weekly episode of Prose & Cons.
If you’re wondering why we chose this silly name, you’re in luck! I’m about to tell you. Ravens get a whole lot of attention, largely due to that weirdo who used to live here, Mr. Poe, who apparently wrote a poem about them or something. The town of Baltimore named a whole friggin football team after them! Ravens are cool, they’re sleek, they’re dark and mysterious. As far as birds go, ravens are the whole package!
We are not cool, not sleek. We are not dark and mysterious. We’re dorks! And nerds. Much like the majestic raven’s smaller, lamer cousin, the crow.
I’m too tired to write out a contrived explanation of the “pawns” part, but it’s definitely in the episode ;P
Surprise! We're huge nerds. Dom and I chat with young Douglass "Dougie Fresh" James about our top three favorite anime SHOWS of all time.
Dixon, Alec, Josh, and Akin join us for talk of condiments, jingles, and some guy named Colin Kaepernick! VCU’s Brandcenter is a nationally recognized program and we wanted to showcase the talent and brains that go into something that isn’t typically included in high and mighty discussions of “art.” I didn’t get a chance to … Continue reading Brandcenter →
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Brandcenter_Podcan.mp3
Dixon, Alec, Josh, and Akin join us for talk of condiments, jingles, and some guy named Colin Kaepernick! VCU’s Brandcenter is a nationally recognized program and we wanted to showcase the talent and brains that go into something that isn’t typically included in high and mighty discussions of “art.”
I didn’t get a chance to ask these fine fellows about the single most influential advertiser of all time, Don Draper, and his body of work from Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Price, but, hey–what’re ya gonna do?
If this episode seems like it’s missing something… you’re right! Everyone here is a dude. Lots of dudes. Too many dudes. Blame Dom. In the not-to-distant-future, we’ll be interviewing a female-type group of Brandcenter peeps. Until then, consider yourself branded!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Dean-King_podcast.mp3
Dean has written extensively on everything from shipwrecks to blood feuds. He’s traveled around the world researching stories. He gave a sweet Ted Talk.
Dom and I had been looking forward to this interview for a long time, and Mr. King did not disappoint! You’ll learn about the enigmatic wildman John Muir, father of our national parks. You’ll hear tell of 30 women, crazy enough and strong enough to follow Mao’s army thousands of miles across the nightmarish terrain Northwest China. What’s not to love? This guy’s an adventurer and a damn good writer.
Of course, countless hours go into the less glamorous side of research. Dean told us he always has an entire draft of the book he’s writing before he travels to the location in person to put himself in his subjects’ shoes, and to soak up as much of the living history there as he can. You can see those extra details in his books. You can taste the authenticity. King works tirelessly to tell the untold truth.
Mr. King did not disappoint! You'll learn about the enigmatic wildman John Muir, father of our national parks. You'll hear tell of 30 women, crazy enough and strong enough to follow Mao's army thousands of miles across the nightmarish terrain Northwest China. What's not to love? This guy's an adventurer and a damn good writer.
Are you one of 99.4% of Americans who believe that grammar is a dusty old subject best left for Elizabethan geezers and Second-Grade teachers? Do you cringe at the letters M-L-A? Do you think words are boring? Well, then listen up, you friggin' troglodyte!
Dom and I were honored and thrilled to welcome esteemed guest Kris Spisak back to the show, this time with her groundbreaking grammar-based game show, Grammartopia. Author of Get a Grip on Your Grammar: 250 Writing and Editing Reminders for the Curious or Confused and a popular blog, Kris is out to change the world. The world of words.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Grammarforwinners.com_.mp3
Are you one of 99.4% of Americans who believe that grammar is a dusty old subject best left for Elizabethan geezers and Second-Grade teachers? Do you cringe at the letters M-L-A? Do you think words are boring? Well, then listen up, you friggin’ troglodyte!
Dom and I were honored and thrilled to welcome esteemed guest Kris Spisak back to the show, this time with her groundbreaking grammar-based game show, Grammartopia. Author of Get a Grip on Your Grammar: 250 Writing and Editing Reminders for the Curious or Confused and a popular blog, Kris is out to change the world. The world of words.
Dominique James, universally dubbed the less-interesting co-host, invited two self-professed non-grammar-experts, Ro and Cassidy, to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I might’ve joined them, but between show-producing, score-keeping, and scheme-scheming ways to shove as many hyphenated-words into this para-graph, I was rather busy. Plus, I would’ve won by a landslide anyway (and, depending on who you ask, technically did win by a landslide).
This is the most fun we’ve had in a while. You don’t have to love grammar to love this episode, you just have to love fun! And who doesn’t love fun? Plus, I’ve got a feeling you’ll be changing your tune after listening to this episode… but in the immortal words of Levar Burton: “don’t take my word for it!”
Do yourself a favor and follow Kris on social media. Her web presence is as delightful as it is educational. If you just love the dynamic–the ol’ back-and-forth–of this episode, you can always sojourn to the archives of our lil’ show and listen to the last time Kris was on. You’re welcome.
If I have made any grammar mistakes in this post please don’t call me out as it will hurt my feelings. Similarly, please do not fact check any of my wild claims because between you and me many of them are exaggerated if not outright false. Also, please don’t tell Dom any of the things that I’ve said about him here. He is bigger than me and might beat me up. Again.
People don’t Die in the Comics Anymore What does that mean? Is that true? What does anything mean?? Is there such a thing as objective truth? You decide! Dom and I sat down to chat with spunky up-and-coming local filmmaking duo Austin and Dewey, of Remember Tommy Productions. The two met at film school, and … Continue reading Austin Lewis and Dewey Collins →
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People don’t Die in the Comics Anymore
What does that mean? Is that true? What does anything mean?? Is there such a thing as objective truth? You decide!
Dom and I sat down to chat with spunky up-and-coming local filmmaking duo Austin and Dewey, of Remember Tommy Productions. The two met at film school, and Dewey quickly became a regular collaborator in such projects as Nick Triumph & the Paci Fist. and The DIE-NER (their entry in the 48-hour film fest). Also, other things!
Their most recent and most ambitious endeavor is the feature-length People don’t Die in the Comics Anymore. The movie follows a man known only as The Filmmaker as he attempts to film a documentary about the Off Switch, a device which allows anyone who has one (in this world, mostly everyone) to quickly, cleanly, and painlessly commit suicide. It’s all the rage!
Want to find out more? Listen to the show, ya donk! Want to find out more, much more?? Seek out these fine young gentlemen at your nearest Blockbuster, or wherever movies are sold.
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Andrea is an author, choreographer, performance artist, and former Richmonder! Her new novel Edenis about two sisters twenty years after getting kidnapped as children. With an opportunity to testify against their childhood kidnapper, Hope sets out to find her off-the-grid (titular) sister.
You can find Edenat Chop Suey, Amazon, or wherever you kids buy your friggin books these days!
Andrea is an author, choreographer, performance artist, and former Richmonder! Her new novel Eden is about two sisters twenty years after getting kidnapped as children. With an opportunity to testify against their childhood kidnapper, Hope sets out to find her off-the-grid titular sister.
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/PC-7.30.18-Paula-G_mixdown.mp3
Paula Gillison is an author, poet, artist, and all-around inspiration! She’s got a refreshingly open-minded approach to all creative outlets and is here to share her wisdom and part of a short story!
Paula is an active blogger. You can find all kinds of goodies at her website, https://lackofbetter.wordpress.com. You can also usually find her at the monthly Writer’s Den poetry slams!
Paula Gillison is an author, poet, artist, and all-around inspiration! She's got a refreshingly open-minded approach to all creative outlets and is here to share her wisdom and part of a short story!
https://proseandcons.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Prose-and-Cons-epiosde-29_mixdown-1.mp3 Two local, experienced writers each wrote a book about the lasting effect on slavery from the same local publisher. You’d think they’d be pretty similar, right? You’d think they’d be pals, right? Wrong! These two fine books are in fact very different, and these two fine gentlemen had never met before coming on our show (you’re welcome, guys). Bill Sizemore is a retired investigative journalist who spent most of his professional career at the Virginian-Pilot and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007. With this background, when Bill discovered that at least one of his ancestors was a slave-owner, he dove deep into researching the Sizemore family tree, and the family tree of the other Sizemores. The stolen Sizemores. By fateful coincidence, he even discovered that both clans were going to be having family reunions at the same time, mere miles apart. Bill was able to get in touch with the patriarch of the family, Uncle George. Despite the fact that George and his family were direct descendants of the slaves owned by Bill’s ancestors, Uncle George was gregarious and generous. He agreed to a meeting between the clans. Uncle George and Me will be available September 5 and is published through Brandylane Publishers, Inc. The official release party will be held at Chop Suey Books, Sep. 5, at 6:00pm. Richard Rose is a retired educator and scientist. He is also a social and environmental activist. He is a poet, songwriter, and playwright. He is also a wonderful person and talented performer! Really, you are not going to want to miss his recitation of an excerpt from his book featured in this episode… it’s a wild ride! While Richard was researching his family history for his semi-biographical opera Monte and Pinky, Richard, like Bill, discovered that his ancestors, too, had been part of the slave trade. Richard’s poetry takes you on a journey through time and place, through culture and history. He believes strongly in being a positive force for change, and that is evident in his writing. Coming Around will be available September 1, and you can even physically go in person to the book launch party on that same day at Book People, on Granite Ave., at 1 pm. Your faithful prosers will be there armed with bookmarks and possibly other new branded merch(?!).
Two local, experienced writers wrote two books about the lasting effect on slavery from the same local publisher. You'd think they'd be pretty similar, right? You'd think they'd be pals, right? Wrong! These two fine books are in fact very different ways, and these two fine gentlemen had never met before coming on our show (you're welcome, guys).
In another life, Brian was a painter. Inspired by the abstract expressionists and eventually found his own style, large canvas paintings with imagery of Catholic nuns. When he and his wife moved to Richmond in 1982 to find work, he was “reincarnated as a coyote,” forced to adapt in order to survive. Going back to … Continue reading Brian King →
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In another life, Brian was a painter. Inspired by the abstract expressionists and eventually found his own style, large canvas paintings with imagery of Catholic nuns. When he and his wife moved to Richmond in 1982 to find work, he was “reincarnated as a coyote,” forced to adapt in order to survive. Going back to school, King became a computer engineer. Since then, he has had a successful tech career, primarily developing architecture software.
He doesn’t paint anymore. Instead, he writes poetry. For the past seven years, Brian has embraced this new medium of expression and has been performing at open mics around town regularly. Brian’s poetry evokes a certain stillness and introspection that we loved.
This episode features several of his poems, including “Jumper,” “Memorial,” and “Government Cheese.” Poetry is cool, so give it a listen!
You can see Brian perform at Cafe Zata’s open mics (fourth Friday of every month) and at River City Poets. One of Brian’s poems, “Hurt,” will be included in the upcoming anthology, Between the Margins, which will be available this September.
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I’m doing a new thing!
Life in 10 Minutes: Stories that are Brave and True.
When Valley Haggard came on our show, I asked if she might be interested in starting a podcast. A few months later and now, here we are! Producing the L10 podcast has been a wonderful experience for me, and I hope some of you will find it meaningful enough to give it a listen.
Life in 10 Minutes: Stories that are Brave and True.
When Valley Haggard came on our show, I asked if she might be interested in starting a podcast. A few months later and now, here we are!
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The Vietnam War is a fundamental piece of our country’s history. It’s a war we see often in movies, but rarely do we get an honest, accurate portrayal.
Dave Aldridge is a force. Looming at well over 6 feet, his age does not diminish his stature or his presence. He brought three stories to this interview, all three will plunge you into his world and surprise you with their somber spirit and colorful cameos.
We met Dave at a weekly meeting of The Mighty Pen Project, a writing group comprised entirely of veterans. The group is led and taught by the prolific David L. Robbins, former P&C guest, and Richmond writing giant. If you served in the armed forces and would like to be involved, you can register here.
The Vietnam War is a fundamental piece of our country’s history. It’s a war we see often in movies, but rarely do we get an honest, accurate portrayal. Dave Aldridge is a force. Looming at well over 6 feet, his age does not diminish his stature or his presence. He brought three stories to this … Continue reading David Aldridge →
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Harry is the man. Staff writer for Richmond Magazine for goin’ on 27 years, longtime fixture of local theatre, author of TWO books of Richmond history and ONE upcoming novel, Carlisle Montgomery. He fit right in with us two weirdos and came with more than one funny voice!
From the author: “Carlisle Montgomery is, in her own words, ‘A six-foot-five, redheaded, pigtailed, gap-and-buck-toothed, nine-fingered, guitar-playing freak.’ Out of Richmond, Va., she fronts the Live Wires, a bluegrass band with a honky-tonk problem that they’re not trying to fix. She writes and performs what music promoter Page Wilson dubbed, ‘purebred American mongrel music.’ The Live Wires are acoustic and unplugged. It’s the 1990s, and the radio airplay world is divided between grunge and Garth Brooks.”
Harry would also like to cordially invite you–yes, you!–to the upcoming production of Hand of God put on by the 5th Wall Theater. Mr. Kollatz has been working behind-the-scenes for the 5th Wall for a long time and would appreciate your support. I would like to add personally that Richmond has a great local theater scene and you should check it out ASAP!!
Listen to us jabber about old-timey Richmond, blather on about bluegrass, hem and haw about this and that. It’s a whole lotta fun!
Follow Harry and Carlisle on social med for more updates on the book, expect it to hit shelves soon!
If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet… just… why? Also, please like us on Facebook, we’re desperate for friendship. We’ll pay you. Well, Dom’ll pay you. Ask him.
Harry is the man. Staff writer for Richmond Magazine for goin' on 27 years, longtime fixture of local theatre, author of TWO books of Richmond history and ONE upcoming novel, Carlisle Montgomery. He fit right in with us two weirdos and came with more than one funny voice!
Listen to us jabber about old-timey Richmond, blather on about bluegrass, hem and haw about this and that. It's a whole lotta fun!
Blair produces music under the name lovenloops, as a part of the creative team SolHot and its band, We Levitate. She is a producer and writer, currently penning her PhD thesis on the shared space for black girls created by SolHot, and the meditation and music that is created there.
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Blair produces music under the name lovenloops, as a part of the creative team SolHot and its band, We Levitate. She is a producer and writer, currently penning her PhD thesis on the shared space for black girls created by SolHot, and the meditation and music that is created there.
Dom and I had a great time chatting with Blair about hip hop and poetry and beatmaking and community building and more! Her music is one-of-a-kind, like its creator.
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I first met Gail and Brittney at Ian Bodkin’s Poetry of the Whatnot reading as part of this year’s RVA Lit Crawl and knew immediately that we absolutely had to get them on the show.
Brittney Scott has a new collection of poems called The Derelict Daughter, the culmination of her writing career thus far. Much of the book focuses on her relationship with her mother, father, and brother.
Gail Giewont is a soft-spoken teacher at the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, but her poetry shakes with a force that will surprise you. Her book, Vulture, is available through Finishing Line Press.
I first met Gail and Brittney at Ian Bodkin’s Poetry of the Whatnot reading as part of this year’s RVA Lit Crawl and knew immediately that we absolutely had to get them on the show. Brittney Scott has a new collection of poems called The Derelict Daughter, the culmination of her writing career thus far. Much of … Continue reading Gail Giewont and Brittney Scott →
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Michele’s new novel, Lost in the Beehive, has a lot of buzz! That’s a little bee humor for ya. It was featured in O! Magazine last month and Patricia Smith–acclaimed author of The Year of Needy Girls, co-organizer of the RVA Lit Crawl and, most importantly, previous P&C guest–calls it “a heartbreaking, life-affirming novel that champions the radical notion that to embrace our truest self is the one thing we can do to save ourselves. These characters and their lives and this beautiful story remained in my mind long after I finished reading.”
Lost in the Beehive is a coming of age story with magical fantasy elements. It’s about life and love and growing up gay in the 60s and BEES!
Michele was a delightful guest. She reads from Catcher in the Rye, as well as from her book. We talk about bildungsromans and the joys of growing pains! She is also the author of Above Us Only Sky (2016) and The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel (2010). She is welcome back anytime.
Michele was a delightful guest. She reads from Catcher in the Rye, as well as from her book, Lost in the Beehive. We talk about bildungsromans and the joys of growing pains! She is also the author of Above Us Only Sky (2016) and The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel (2010). She is welcome back anytime.
Today we are joined by the great David L Robbins. We were a bit intimidated by this guy's hefty resume and outgoing reputation, but we needn't have feared; David is as down-to-earth as us fantastically humble P&C hosts!
Dom characteristically bungled his "research" within the first 30 seconds of the interview, fortunately, I was there, armed with my wealth of knowledge and snappy wit.
This is a very special episode... join us, won't you?
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We landed ourselves an interview with a national bestseller! Yes sir, Prose and Cons sure has hit the Big Times. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to thank all of our devoted listeners when we win our first Podcasty, or whatever the Grammy equivalent is…
David had graciously invited us to record in his home and was idly strumming a well-worn guitar on his deck as Dom and I walked up. Before we knew it, we were seated comfortably on the second best back porch in Richmond, ice waters in hands. As I handed him the mic, he quickly grabbed a nearby candelabra and, snatching a large candle off the top, created a damned functional mic stand.
Dom characteristically bungled his “research” within the first 30 seconds of the interview, fortunately, I was there, armed with my wealth of knowledge and snappy wit.
From there, it was smoooooth sailin’! David is as gregarious as he is prolific, and he is prolific. In the second half of the episode, he reads the first two chapters from what will be his 15th published novel, Isaac’s Beacon.
This really is a fantastic episode, and well worth a listen. If you haven’t already, could you please subscribe to our humble podcast? We’d sure appreciate it.
David would like everyone to know about James River Writers, the best and biggest local organization for writers. Check our their monthly Writing Show and their annual conference.
GRAND SLAM CHAMP Imani Thompson and PAGE POET SLAM CHAMP Pressman Pressman delight our ears and hearts with their pomes of love and anguish. Ben and Dom are also present.
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GRAND SLAM CHAMP Imani Thompson and PAGE POET SLAM CHAMP and VCU SLAM CAPTAIN Pressman Pressman from The Writer’s Den delight our ears and hearts with their pomes of love and anguish. Ben and Dom are also present.
Catch their slams the last Thursday of every month at Infuzion RVA. Doors open at 7, pomes start at 8.
These two are quite a pair. Henry, at the tender age of 13, is an honest-to-goodness political activist and writer. Valley is an extraordinary writer, teacher, and community builder.
We talk about school protests, Thomas Payne, Roxane Gay, and starting out in the writing game.
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It’s not often that you meet a 13-year-old who has already accomplished more than a studio full of radio hosts in their mid-20s combined… but Henry Haggard is no ordinary lad! He’s organized rallies, written columns, and been involved with some of the heaviest-hitting non-profits around. Henry Haggard is my hero.
Aaaaand in the chair next to Henry is his amazing mother, Valley! Valley Haggard founded Life in 10 Minutes, an online literary magazine, back in 2010. Since then, it has grown into so much more! Valley offers classes, workshops, and all kinds of writing-tastic events at the Life in 10 Minutes./Richmond Young Writers space in Carytown. Instead of the soul-crushing pressure to get published (ubiquitous in most workshops) Valley’s classes focus on the therapeutic power of writing. I myself got a chance to participate in a one-on-one Life in 10 Minutes session and it was even more lovely than I had imagined. (I’m currently signed up for a “Meditation and Musing: Focus Your Mind While Honing Your Craft” workshop with Sadeqa Johnson and a six-week class. I’m friggin’ hooked!
So many goodies in this episode. Lots of gems. Wisdom. Words! Laughter. More words.
If you enjoy anthologies and/or great writing, you can find Nine Lives online, or at Chop Suey. This mondo-collection includes 148 pieces of creative non-fiction from 121 local authors, including Patty Smith, author of The Year of Needy Girls former P&C guest.
Henry wants to spread the good word about Love 146, an international organization dedicated to stopping child trafficking and exploitation. He also wants you–yes, you–to vote!
This young man gives me hope for the future.
There are so many great things in the works for Life in 10 Minutes. You can sign up for classes, workshops, even in your very own living room! (“It’s like a Tupperware party, but for writing.”) Valley is even developing a hybrid press, with her next book as the first publication!
And since you have dutifully read all the way to the end of this long-winded blog post, I’m going to let you in on a little secret….
[I’m working with Valley to create a brand-spanking new weekly Life in 10 Minutes podcast.] Don’t tell anyone. Wait, actually–do, we want people to listen.
We got your Lydia Armstrong... We got your AM Pressman... We got your Mikemetic... What else do you want??
Seriously, please tell us. We want to make you happy.
Local Voices Live is a swell event put on by WRIR twice a year featuring panels from different WRIR shows. We pretty much nailed it (i.e. got amazing guests and let them talk as much as possible). If you like poetry and/or are interested in The Human Condition, you just might enjoy this audio feast.
Bon Apétit~
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Mikemetic is a man of many modes and balances life as a father, musician, community advocate, and educator with a constant influx of new creative engagements each year. He is an Honorary member of University of Richmond’s Alpha Psy Omega Theater and Dance Society, a former Style Weekly “Top 40 Under 40” selection, and an author with a number of forthcoming titles. His 2017 release “Hood Haiku Volume One: Sidewalk Science” earned him the characterization as “part Public Enemy, part Zora Neale Hurston” and has allowed him to continue pushing forward the dialogue around art, culture, and identity. Mikemetic has also been a volunteer at WRIR for over a decade with 8 years as host of Middle East Coast Mecca, and several more years as a regular contributor and guest host on Mellow Madness and a number of other shows.
A.M. Pressman is an Indonesian-American poet living in Richmond, Virginia. Their work has appeared on Button Poetry and Write About Now, and explores issues of mixed Asian identity, family, faith, and trauma through personal narratives. They are currently an undergrad student at VCU. Their work has appeared on Button Poetry, Write About Now, Slamfind, and other publications. Pressman is the 2015 VCU Grand Slam Champion, 2016 CUPSI Best Poet Nominee, 2016 Southern Fried Indie Finalist, 2017 WOWPS and IWPS Representative for Washington D.C.’s Beltway Slam, and 2016-2017 President of VCU’s internationally ranked poetry team, Good Clear Sound.
Lydia Armstrong lives and writes in Richmond, Virginia, with her two cats. Her work has appeared in Voicemail Poems, Blotterature, Neon, The Axe Factory, Arsenic Lobster, apt, and others. Her poem, “The November We Are Fifteen,” was selected for the Crack the Spine Anthology XV and The Best Small Fictions 2017 (Braddock Avenue Books). She was a 2017 nominee for the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem. In 2016, Lydia helped operate Slam Richmond, a local spoken word venue, and facilitated writing workshops in conjunction with Slam Richmond open mics, in high schools, and for private groups. She is currently working on a novel.
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Poetry + Short Narrative Open Mic @ Fallout
Wednesday, April 18, 7:00, 117 N. 18th St.
Come support National Poetry Month at Fallout with their exciting new Open Mic Series. Free to attend! If you want to perform, get there by 6:30 to sign up. 18+
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RVA Lit Crawl
April 20-21
The second annual Lit Crawl is upon us! This year’s events will be staged in various venues throughout Carytown and will feature dozens of local authors. We will be there to record readings and perhaps even give out some P&C swag! For more information, check out their website.
Get ready for a barrel of laughs.
Phil/Dogfuq/Dogfriend is a veteran of Secret Bonus Level and a fantastically animated artist.
VOS is a cool, collected gentle giant with a heart of gold.
Together they form like Voltron and give you unadulterated freestyle nirvana.
Hang tight/enjoy the madness~
Lydia Armstrong is a prolific and deeply personal poet. We Prosers sat down with Lydia to discuss memes as works of art, the lasting legacy of Marina Abramović's popularization of poignant performance art, and what it's like to slog through the writing of a first novel.
Join us as we sit down with Bill Blume and Phil Hilliker, two fantastic local Middle Grade authors.
"I killed dreadlocks. It was a crime of passion."
Bert Ashe is an English professor at the University of Richmond, and author of Twisted: My Dreadlock Chronicles. We sat down with Dr. Ashe in the WRIR studio to talk about his influences, his book, and his dreads.
Origins. Growth. Twisted. Golden Age. Locked. Confession. Twisted is structured according to Bert's own journey of cultivating his dreadlocks, interspersed with Black history and the context of the modern dread, voiced in Ashe's characteristic pithy wit.
The book starts with a confession--which Dr. Ashe reads during the second segment of the episode--he goes on to explain that he missed the Golden Age of dreads. That Bert, a down-to-earth husband, dad, and dude, has contributed to the normalization of the hairstyle that once, not so long ago, was a clear sign of righteous rebellion.
"from Uppercase Dreads to common-denominator lowercase locks..."
Dr. Ashe is not only unquestionably intelligent and well-educated, he's also funny as hell! We had a ball chatting with our new friend Bert, and we, your ever-humble hosts, hope you'll enjoy listening to this episode.
Bert also wants to promote his RVA reading group, Black Men Read?! If you're a readerly black man in Richmond, you can contact Dr. Ashe for details!
On the last Thursday of every month, poets and poetry enthusiasts gather at Infuzion RVA for The Writer’s Den Poetry Slam. Poets include members of The Writer’s Den slam team, as well as walk-on performers. Slams provide a unique experience: during the course of three rounds, poets advance (or are eliminated) based on the combined … Continue reading Michelle Dodd and Rob “Robalujah” Gibson →
Sequelitis. After the success (and many, many hours of editing out my ums and ahs) of our pilot, the pressure was on to make a great follow-up episode. We were incredibly lucky to get two amazing poets from The Writer’s Den slam team. Roscoe is the coach, the founder. Now the official emcee for TWD … Continue reading From the Archives — Episode II: The Writer’s Den with Monica Edwards and Roscoe Burnems →
Kris Spisak does it all: fiction, non-fiction, blog writing, editing, web design, even hosting of (probably) the first ever grammar gameshow! Kris sat down with us humble P&C hosts in the WRIR studio for a delightful chat about grammar, writing, and the surprising similarities between emojis and Egyptian hieroglyphs.
For now, new episodes of Prose & Cons only air twice a month, so on those off-weeks we’ll be posting our back catalogue of goodies! This episode is near and dear to our hearts… we not only lucked into two amazing guests, it’s also our pilot. Our firstborn. In the minutes leading up to our … Continue reading From the Archives — Episode 1: PILOT! Featuring Oliver Davis and Aden Ware →
Patty and Cheryl, authors and organizers of the RVA Lit Crawl, joined the full Prose & Cons crew in the WRIR studio to chat about books, poetry, and life! Patty Smith is a full-time Literature and Writing teacher at the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School in Petersburg and the author of The Year of Needy Girls, her debut novel … Continue reading Patty Smith and Cheryl Pallant →
"Mikemetic" Donovan is not only a poet and musician, he is also a WRIR veteran and a great dude. We had a great time chatting with him, and we hope you'll enjoy this special episode.