The Fearless Storyteller: Recent Episodes
Ethan Freckleton
Join The Fearless Storyteller, as we explore the heart and soul of writing stories, songs, and scripts that sell—with the people who write them. Each guest has their own unique Hero’s Journey and insights into the intersections between limiting beliefs and success.
In today’s episode, I have a refreshing conversation with Olivia Cole—an author and educator from Louisville, KY—about confronting white supremacy from the side of privilege.
Carrie Akre is an American singer/songwriter best known for her work with Seattle underground bands Hammerbox and Goodness. She’s also the host of the podcast, Between You And I.
Fantasy and non-fiction writing team Autumn Birt & Jesper Schmidt discuss their unique journeys and why they decided to team up for the long-haul.
Dahlia Rose is a USA Today bestselling author with over seven dozen books published in the last 15 years. Born in Barbados, her books feature relatable women of color with a hint of Caribbean spice.
Keele Burgin is author of the bestselling memoir, Wholly Unraveled, as well as story keeper for Dr. Jane Goodall.
Michael R. French is a bestselling multi-genre author. His latest novel is Cliffhanger, a suspense thriller.
Hervé Cohen is an award-winning documentary filmmaker focused on capturing the essence of the human experience.
Tiffany D. Jackson is a critically-acclaimed author of YA novels and has a background in TV and Film.
J.R. Johansson is the author of Young Adult and Adult Thrillers, with books published in over a dozen languages.
Marshall Ryan Maresca is the traditionally published author of twelve fantasy novels spread across four interlinked series.
J. Daniel Sawyer is the author of over 70 novels and short stories and host of The Every Day Novelist podcast.
Alison Stine is a novelist and freelance journalist who has written for the likes of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian.
For this turn-of-the-year podcast episode, I'm offering you a personal reflection on what I'm calling "The Artist's Choice."
Today I’m going on a tangent about going trad pub vs self-publishing, as that conversation intersects with the results of the Written Word Media 2020 Author Survey.
Lamar Giles is a two-time Edgar Award Finalist and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books.
Robert Buettner is the nationally best-selling author of military science fiction novels, best known for his Jason Wander series.
Peter Cawdron is a prolific sci-fi author who isn’t afraid to break with conventional wisdom when it comes to telling a good story.
Mike Sacks is a hybrid-published humorist with multiple novels and collaborations under his belt.
Janci Patterson and Megan Walker are hybrid authors who have hit their stride as a cowriting team. Together, they have co-published fifteen romance and epic fantasy novels.
Robert Bevan writes and publishes grown-up comedic novels inspired by the likes of Dungeons & Dragons and Goosebumps.
When a mentor figure offered public praise and testimony at a music industry conference, going so far as to call me “the next big thing in Alternative Rock,” I was sent along on a head trip that lasted years.
Mike Disa is a film director, screenwriter, and animator, who describes himself as “working class Hollywood.”
Kacey Ezell and Griffin Barber are the co-authors of Second Chance Angel, a sci-fi noir thriller published by Blackstone Publishing.
Gail Carriger is a 13-time NYT Bestselling hybrid author. Not bad for someone who always considered writing a hobby. Her latest book is a non-fiction resource for writers: The Heroine’s Journey.
Laying Martine Jr. is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and author of the memoir, Permission to Fly.
Christopher Ruocchio is the author of The Sun Eater series and Assistant Editor at Baen Books.
Nitanee Paris is an award-winning songwriter. She’s also the Director of A&R at ArtistMax (in partnership with legendary producer Ken Caillat).
Filmmaker Aaron Wolf has focused on meaningful work that creates dialog, even if the process can be difficult and uncertain.
In the year of COVID, author Joanna Penn has been thinking a lot about the idea of New Normal as she navigates a series of pivots big and small, not just in her daily routines and habits, but also her long-term goals.
Thousands of songs later, the award-winning Susan Ruth branched out into abstract painting, voice acting, improv, and sketch comedy at The Second City Hollywood.
For epic dark fantasy author Christopher Husberg, writing that first novel was the easy part. But when it came to writing a series?
Jason Blume is a songwriting expert with an undeniable track record of success, including cuts with The Oak Ridge Boys, Britney Spears, and the Backstreet Boys.
Learn more about how the concepts of ego, taste, and craft work—sometimes at odds—together in the ongoing journey that is creating for fun and profit.
HaJ has a track record of success with broadcast and cable television, and recently she's come to terms with embracing "fearless" in everything she does.
Michael La Ronn is the author of over 50 books and runs a successful YouTube channel for aspiring authors.
Learn how the concepts of ego, taste, and craft work—sometimes at odds—together in the ongoing journey that is creating for fun and profit.
Daniel Swenson is an author and the creator of the long-running, Hugo-nominated podcast, Dungeon Crawlers Radio.
Lindiwe’s plans may have been put on pause by COVID-19. The downtime has helped her get even more clear about the types of stories she wants to tell.
DJ Butler could’ve given up on his dream of writing after being dumped by his first agent, but he kept writing and building his personal brand until the deals came.
Though Lukas Hassel makes a living with acting, he’s turned to screenwriting and filmmakingas a way to reclaim control and power over his career.
This episode I ask, “What is the bare minimum I need to do to sustainably move forward toward true north for my life and business?”
Kimbra Swain writes Urban Fantasy with a rural twist. Less than three years into her journey as an author, she was able to quit her day job...
Michaelbrent Collings is a screenwriter and international bestselling author in several genres, most notably horror; two of his novels were finalists for the Bram Stoker Award.
Learn how Nick Thacker, bestselling thriller author, has adapted to the unique challenges that come with relying on creative output for income.
Shayne Silvers has some accessible insights that just might just help someone like you and me take our writing careers to the next level.
Maram Taibah’s day job is screenwriting. To cope with the sometimes-desert that is adulting, she finds herself returning to her first love, writing children’s fantasy.
Alexis D Craig is a lifelong reader and storyteller, but it wasn’t until she developed anxiety over ongoing health challenges that she turned to writing as an anchor.
Learn how Rebecca Balcárcel overcame years of rejection and limiting self-beliefs around writing to become an acclaimed poet and storyteller.
At age 40, Shai August took stock of her life and realized two things: (1) She wanted to give more back to the world, and (2) She wanted to honor her unfulfilled childhood dream of writing stories.
Dakota Krout is an author and publisher of bestselling GameLit fiction, a growing niche within the Science Fiction & Fantasy umbrella.
Makana is an award-winning slack-key guitar player, singer/songwriter, and composer, based in Hawaii. When we connected for this interview, Makana was in the midst of a joyful renewal as an artist and human being.
Strix Beltran is a narrative designer for analog and digital games. How does narrative design overlap with other forms of traditional storytelling? Let’s find out.
When NYC songwriter Matt Butler started 9th-grade at a new school, he was also gifted his first guitar. For a self-conscious kid needing validation and affirmation, music was the perfect remedy—a chance to feel, express, and communicate his internal experiences.
In 2017, Jason Anspach's co-created Military Science Fiction franchise, Galaxy’s Edge, quickly developed a rabid, engaged community of readers.
As a book coach, speaker, and author of more than fifty non-fiction books, Honoree Corder understands the power of words.
In 2012, Jonathan Yanez quit his job, cashed in his 401K, and decided to go-for-broke as a full-time independent author. If you’re looking for the inspiration to “get it done,” look no further than today’s episode.
How do we make the most of an unexpected transition like we're dealing with right now as schools close and we're in lock-down?
Despite being told that science fiction stories in space weren’t a great market, Alexandra Monir persisted with writing her story, THE FINAL SIX. What happened next?
Phoenix Williams is a bestselling and award-nominated author of paranormal and erotic romance novels. Listen to learn how she went from law school to full-time author!
How did Ryan Schow figure out how to captivate readers and carve out a comfortable career writing post-apocalyptic fiction?
Last year was best-selling author Chris Fox’s best yet for revenue, despite a significant slowdown in output. What’s the reason for the slowdown, and more importantly, what’s behind his success?
Lindsay Buroker has always wanted to tell stories and after 70 novels, writing remains her very favorite way to pass her time. What keeps her going?
Award-winning independent filmmaker, Ela Thier, always knew she wanted to make movies, but soon after graduating from film school, she gave up on her dream. How did she get back on track?
Best-known as the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of District 9, today’s guest is also joyfully and passionately engaged in writing children’s books and operating a whimsical tea shop. What’s the common link? Listen to find out.
How do we find and build an audience that will rally around our work and allow us to make a living doing what we love? Find out with today’s guest, the creator of the Passion to Profit Blueprint!
USA Today Bestselling Author, Abby-Lynn Knorr, struggled for years to finish anything she started. It was only when she began writing with a plan that she was able to turn writing as a career into more than a dream.
What's one of the oft-undervalued foundations of our writer careers? Learn what happens when you neglect this foundation, and how to get back on-track.
Despite her success as a full-time author, Malorie Cooper was prepared to risk everything in order to fully embody living with authentitude. Want to know what happened next?
Successful indie author Chrishaun Keller-Hanna felt more and more out of alignment. It was only after she reached a crisis point that she realized she could be the mayor of her own small empire. In this show, she shares how to embrace going small.
Screenwriter, stand-up comic, and improv artist, Jorjeana Marie shares her tips for endless creative ideas and a sustainable quality of life.
Over the past two years, Marielle has been reconfiguring her environment and beliefs to maximize creativity and quality of life. The efforts have paid off and now she has a great series of resources for writers to help them lean into their intuition and creativity.
A distinguished poet, Jill struck is deeply knowledgeable and approachable about all things writing and publishing, and she's a big believer in the power of lateral thinking.
Ever since a life-threatening health crisis in 2009, Martha Carr has been leaning into being her authentic self and writing her best words. Her biggest lesson? You’ll have to listen to find out.
If you’ve ever thought about creative self-employment, or are currently doing so now, you may find something that helps propel your business toward increased sales—all with the power of your heroic story.
After years of public service, managing national and international programs for Canada and NATO, TIKIRI HERATH now makes a full-time living writing and speaking with a fearless voice as an author and public speaker.
Jessica Brody is the author of Save The Cat! Writes A Novel, a follow-up to the bestselling screenwriting guide by Blake Snyder.
Behind every successful business and relationship are people who see the best parts of themselves in YOU and your journey. If you’re not telling your story—if you’re hiding the part parts of yourself—chances are you’re having to work so much harder to build the connections you need to succeed and thrive.
A little over a year ago, Ingrid Seymour made the leap to full-time author. She has a habit of listening to her heart and turning her daydreams into reality, so I wanted to know more about what makes Ingrid tick.
As a technical consultant for crime and police procedure, PATRICK J. O'DONNELL is passionate about helping storytellers write more authentic—and accurate—crime stories.
Marilyn struggled for years to give herself the time and space to start and complete her own creative passion projects. As she told me in this interview, the fix was so simple. But simple isn’t always easy.
Craig Martelle is the driving force behind the 20Booksto50K movement, which is transforming the independent author community. He is a top-100 ranking author on the Amazon Science Fiction charts, with over 360,000 sales in the past three-plus years.
KATE TUCKER is a singer/songwriter, producer, and filmmaker, living in Nashville, Tennessee. In chatting with Kate, I learned that she is a thoughtful, passionate creative, focused not just on creating art, but also on becoming a better human-being.
When I asked international-bestselling thriller author, JASON KASPER, to come on the show, I didn’t know a lot about him. But, there’s definitely a growing trail of evidence to suggest that he’s doing something right.
Laura Steward is a self-described geek and intellectual bad-ass. As a winner of the prestigious Nautilus Book Award in 2014 for her internationally best-selling book, What Would A Wise Woman Do?, she knows something about turning off the autopilot to unlock the hidden gold within.
When she’s not co-writing songs on Music Row in Nashville, Elizabeth Elkins is one-half of Granville Automatic, an acclaimed band with a passion for storytelling. She’s also the voice behind the defiant Punk-Rock project, Lights of Detroit.
In this special episode, Marielle S Smith hosts a discussion with me on cowriting do's and don'ts, as part of her Heart-to-Heart interview series.
Today's chat is with fellow creative introvert, Cat Rose, author and host of The Creative Introvert.
I first met Alissa Moreno around 2008 or 2009. One of her co-writes had recently become a hit single and garnered a Grammy nomination. When you hear her story, you may very well decide that it’s time to start going to the right industry conferences for your business. You never know who you might meet…
Richard is a #1 Billboard songwriter/producer and mentor. A young Meghan Trainor was one of the writers that he helped guide along the way.
After being pushed into action by his teenage daughter, Brian Shea finally answered the call and became an author.
Today’s guest is Cory Huff. Cory is a marketing professional, writer, performer and storyteller.
Today's guest is Cecelia Mecca, author of fourteen historical and paranormal romance books.