Strength To Be Human --Global Arts & Affairs Podcast, Hosted by Mark Antony Rossi

This episode brings us back full circle with Kansas-based (but Texas born) poet and fiction writer Linda Imbler. She was my first interview for the podcast in Jan 2019. In this segment Linda will speak out her past, present and future writing projects as well as her moments in the writing life.

This new series Toying With Tangents will explore Horror writings from Bloch, Poe, Jackson, King, Barker, Blatty, Shelly, Stoker and Wells. In the weeks ahead we will explore Fantasy and Science Fiction too.

Time to have some fun with grammar and those who grump about it like the world is ending. Let's worry about the coronavirus; not the comma-virus. 

Welcome back to the interview segment of the show. Phyllis Dodge is our next interview subject. She is a novelist and her novel "Why" takes an unique view on military veterans and all they must contend with on and off duty. 

We discuss the timely subject of music concerts in the late 21st century. Are they worth going to anymore? The lip syncing, the expense, the age, the health, the sound, the half the band is dead or kicked out -- why is this experience still a draw?

In this first installment of the Peculiar Instruments Series -- Houses as Characters play a vital role for artists to create a compelling atmosphere, metaphoric setting or special voice that often is best done by a nonperson.

In this multi-faceted episode and we discuss various transitions in writing that many writers begin to face when they decide to creatively stretch and try something new. 1. Style --- somber to humor, humor to nonfiction, etc. 2. Genre -- poetry to fiction, fiction to nonfiction, etc. 3. Theme -- how to prepare to submit to publications requiring a theme    

In this episode we will revisit depression and the demons it can bring in the arts by speaking about various famous examples in Art, Music, Dance and Writing. From Edvard Munch to Anne Sexton depression has been a malady in creative endeavors for centuries.

The basic arrangement of a book project is discussed as well as background information to the various pieces narrated for the show. It's a complete backview of how to put together a collection to benefit the audience and the author.    

The first Classic Spotlight for the year 2020 focuses on the famous adventure writer Jack London (Call of the Wild, White Fang). We explore his outdoorsmen spirit, political viewpoints and dark side.

We are chatting about the literary figures that influenced us throughout our lives. There's a few you might share and others will be new and surprising.

Metal Future is proud to present a first in this year's continual series of reflections on great bands that went into retirement. The first is Canadian progressive rock power trio Rush. Also a few notes on their incredible drummer Neil Peart who died recently of brain cancer.

The freedom from being an independent author is an incredible responsibility and a noble gift. I outline briefly on the show my three A's -- Attitude - Attention - Advertise as a method to help focus writers on becoming the best their talents can offer humanity.

In this episode we discuss the positive and negative impact digital culture has had on modern literature.

The third episode in the email questions from listener series and the first for the year 2020. Thanks for the compliments and inquiries. Nice to hear some music questions as well.

Emotions like any other vital element of writing needs to be regulated through organization and discipline to allow the writing to not be overtaken in the moment. We strive above all else to create enduring Art. Let us not allow our humanity to stray too far into the chaos that can be this complex world.

The deliberate use of deceptive language by governments, corporations or renowned institutions are a direct threat to Democracy. A far greater danger than ditzy politicians who come and go like bad pastries. Suspect language stays in the system, in the minds of average citizens who do no bother to question what is heard or change what they see. Orwell warned us the first signs of a dictatorship is...

This milestone episode (#100, yeah) is the last of the Classic Spotlight Series for 2019. Tonight we shine a light on the enduring short story writer William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry. We will discuss his stories, motivations, social life, criminal convictions and acute eye for humanity and presenting humane situations full of hope and love.

In the last metal future episode of 2019, we explore the phenomena of bands who claim retirement only to come back in a few or two for more glory, more money and more health issues. We must face the fact, even if they don't, that people in the 60's and 70's running around the stage and living from a suitcase is not only impractical it might be unhealthy. Is it mind over matter? Or just move over a...

In the library of substantial writing comes a category often overlooked and quite ironic in origin. The writing from decidedly nonwriters composed and delivered to affect change. We outline a few historic examples of major social change using writing such as Martin Luther, Thomas Paine, Martin Luther King Jr., and Vaclav Havel. And some personal examples of "local" writing to test corporate produc...

in the final interview for Year 2019, the show welcomes Lynn Long (also known on FB as "Luna Deity") who is a wonderfully positive poet dedicated to exploring the lighter side of the nature, love and the world. Lynn shares her philosophy, her books and her work on a perfectly fitting setting where I truly appreciate this approach to balance the darker subjects Strength To Be Human can often tackle...

A riveting literary interview with Florida-based fiction writer Catherine Shields. Her short story "My Phantom Ovaries" was published in June of 2019 and remains in the top ten reads of the international online journal Ariel Chart. She was nominated for the 2019 Pushcart Prize for Fiction by that same publication.

In the last Guest Haus episode of the year 2019, we explore the writer syndrome that makes writers lose their path by forgetting the precepts of Art. For a the 2nd segment we answer a few questions each in the second edition of Mailbag.  

In the third and final installment of The Mechanics of Muse, Discipline is redefined becoming much more than robotic gestures and slick time management but rather a mental toughness, emotional maturity and personal honesty that allows a creator to firmly evaluate their path of a regular basis.

Last Guest Haus Editon for the calendar year 2019 and we dive into deep waters (what's new) and discuss the flaws of our heroes, the influences of the imperfect and the enviable burnout that happens to writers, especially to editors who are usually juggling a few things at the same time. As always John brings his humor and insight to make this a special episode.