Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity

We're on Day 3 of the National Novel Writing Month / National Podcast Post Month Challenges, and host & producer George Sirois has reached 4058 words after two days. This episode features a look behind the scenes at the support system that everyone needs to accomplish challenges like these, and how a special scene in Jon Favreau's film Chef inspired George to invite his young daughter to join...

National Novel Writing Month 2023 started off strong for host & producer (and National Podcast Post Month challenge participant) George Sirois. 2,548 words have been accounted for on Day 1, and I'm always looking for more accountability so just click HERE to join the Buddy List on the NaNoWriMo site. What are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to...

Here it is, Wednesday November 1. And this is the start of a miniseries in the Excelsior Journeys podcast called Reaching for Greater Glory. This is a combination of National Novel Writing Month and the National Podcast Post Month challenge, and host & producer George Sirois is here to share a bit of what to expect all month. Yes, Excelsior Journeys is going daily for the month of November and...

Wednesday, November 1, is the first day of National Novel Writing Month AND the National Podcast Post Month Challenge. And for this doubly-busy occasion, host and producer George Sirois is taking part in both challenges at once. The next draft of Greater Glory: Part Three in The Excelsior Journey will be written, and the progress will be documented in a series of daily posts on the podcast. What a...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, we're taking a step back to one month ago to Archon in Collinsville, IL. Host & producer George Sirois joined fellow authors LaShaunda Hoffman, Jamie Krakover, and St. Louis Writers Guild President Jessica Mathews on a panel discussing community building among writers, which is the perfect topic to present right before National Novel Writing Month begins on Nov...

As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of Orson Welles' infamous radio dramatization of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, Excelsior Journeys host & producer George Sirois welcomes filmmaker and audio drama expert Mark Redfield. The two not only discuss the influence Welles had on this art form, but how excited they are for its future through podcasting. They also discuss Mark's history in filmmakin...

On this very special episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois takes a victory lap to celebrate five years of this weekly interview podcast. He answers listener-submitted questions, plays a few clips from previous episodes, shares some behind-the-scenes stories, and more! Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podc...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois is starting the month of October in the best possible way: by introducing you to Lale Davidson. Lale is not only an award-winning author of magical realism & fantasy, but this week she is celebrating the launch of her latest novel Beyond Sight. In addition to her books currently for sale, Lale is also preparing the next generat...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois continues his 3-part miniseries celebrating other podcasters, just in time for International Podcasting Month, by sitting down with author & podcaster LaShaunda Hoffman. As the showrunner of the Sormag Writer's Cafe podcast, LaShaunda has spent the past several years maintaining a prime location for independent authors to come...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois starts a 3-part miniseries celebrating other podcasters, just in time for International Podcasting Month, by sitting down with author, podcaster, improvisation coach, musician, motivational speaker Bob Baker. Bob has been building his brand for several decades now, and has built up a following of over 350,000 subscribers on his You...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois is celebrating the 20th anniversary of HBO's acclaimed series Carnivale with the show's creator Daniel Knauf. George & Daniel discuss the initial inspiration that led to Daniel sitting down and writing a screenplay while working as a health insurance broker, the decision to turn it from a feature film into a television series,...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys is sponsored by author Mark R Klinger. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois wraps up this month of discussions with inspiring professional creatives that want to remind you that you are not alone! Ann Putnam is an ideal choice to complete this miniseries because she's not only a successful author and Hemingway Scholar; she is also a...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys is sponsored by author Edward Rollins. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois welcomes the latest guest to prove that whatever personal journey you are on, it doesn't have to be alone. Certified fitness instructor and public speaker Rachel Lavin has not only helped different people reach the level of personal fitness that makes them tr...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys is sponsored by author Michael Beardslee. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois continues his month-long celebration of other creatives who are using their personal outlets to show you that you are not alone. Over 40 years ago, author / illustrator / animator John Celestri collaborated with a group of other animators to present a spec...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys is sponsored by author Katie Spina. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois continues his month-long celebration of other creatives who are using their personal outlets to show you that you are not alone. Poet Anastasia Lindsey has felt this ever since she discovered poetry and started writing her own. This has led her to share more wor...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys is sponsored by author Andrew Allen Smith. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois starts his month-long miniseries simply titled "You Are Not Alone." This begins with a conversation with one of the most successful collaborations in indie publishing today: authors Rebecca Jaycox & MA (Molly) Phipps. After working as an editor and a...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois sits down with award-winning actor Bishop Stevens. A regular in the midwest creative community, Bishop trained with wrestling legend Harley Race and worked for both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation before making the transition to acting in both television and movies. After working with entertainers su...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois sits down with fellow author and 411Mania.com alum Ryan K. Boman. The two of them discuss Ryan's history as a journalist, part of which is the time they shared as columnists for the wrestling & pop culture website 411Mania.com, and how the years of writing culminated in Ryan's new book Pop Music & Peanut Butter, available w...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois welcomes award-winning author, philosopher, and technologist Gary F. Bengier. With a background in technology that includes acting as the first CFO of eBay, Gary's knowledge of the field combined with a lifelong love of science-fiction led to him writing the acclaimed novel Unfettered Journey. During their conversation on this epis...

Welcome to Season Seven of the Excelsior Journeys Podcast! In this brief episode, host & producer George Sirois introduces the (as of now) three tiers of membership for those who want to show their support for this podcast and would enjoy some additional content, both audio and video. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast ex...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois finishes the 6th season of the podcast by sitting down with author & illustrator Holly Michele. With several children's book series to her credit, her subjects of choice go from a series about the life of a narwhal to Edgar Allen Poe adaptations to the Jersey Devil. She even goes far beyond the expectations for a children's boo...

This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois gets to personally thank the man who gave him the chance to narrate his first non-fiction audiobook: Moshe Ratson, the author of "Anger is Your Compass." The two discuss how Moshe dedicated himself to learning all about how anger is not something to be controlled and repressed, but as a guide toward inner balance. Get your copy of...

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS WEEK'S EPISODE FOCUSES ON TOPICS THAT SOME LISTENERS MAY FEEL ARE TOO INTENSE. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. This week on Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois is proud to welcome author / public speaker Amanda Blackwood. Amanda is open and candid about her life's story that deals with family betrayal, sexual assault, human trafficking, and so much more. Ins...

The next 200 episodes of Excelsior Journeys have begun with host & producer George Sirois sitting down with fellow author, songwriter, and filmmaker Manuela Schneider. Ever since childhood, Manuela has had a fascination and love of the Old West, and that has resulted in the writing of several novels that take place in that area, as well as an award-winning short film called "Miner's Candle." E...

Over four years have passed since the first three episodes of Excelsior Journeys went live in October 2018, and this week producer & host George Sirois takes his victory lap with Episode 200! Joining him on the show is author, video podcaster, and friend Bethanie DeVors, and highlights from this look back over the previous 199 episodes include questions asked and answered about getting guests...