Tell The Damn Story

Alex and Chris are joined by .... to celebrate our 300th episode with a great discussion of all things creative! What a show! That's right, and we have an amazing lineup of guests joining us. We have Teel James Glenn, Tim Fielder, Carol Gyzander, and Rebecca Cuthbert , to name a few, who'll be sharing their insights and experiences from the trenches of storytelling. Whether it's findin...

This Is The One Before The Big One In this episode, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan discuss whether society shapes the artist's creativity or whether the artist helps to shape society. Expect to hear reflections on historical events, like World War II and the atomic bombs, and their profound influence on narratives across different eras. Alex and I exchange thoughts on how fears and the quest for cont...

What doesn't break you makes you stronger. In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, host Chris Ryan (rolling solo) interviews Daemon Manx, an author with a remarkable journey from bass player to prison inmate to best-selling writer. Daemon shares how he found solace in storytelling during his time in prison and discusses his published works, including "Abigail," "Piece By Piece,&...

An Interview with Rebbeca Cuthbert on her new how-to-c craft Horror book, CREEP THIS WAY. On today's episode of Tell The Damn Story, our hosts, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons, are joined by the amazing author Rebecca Cuthbert. Together, they dive into Rebecca's writing journey and her latest projects. From discussing the genesis of their collaborative book to Rebecca's upcoming releases a...

Welcome to Tell The Damn Story , where we delve into the challenges of storytelling and the creative process with our guests. In today's episode, cohosts Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons are happy to have returning the esteemed author Teel James Glenn .  With over 470 manuscripts to his credit, Teel takes us on a fascinating journey through the realm of writing what you know, feel, and love. Especi...

We're back. You're back. They're back! And with some candid insight on how fear, risk, and respect factor in collaborative writing. In this episode, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons engage in an enriching conversation with guest authors Jeannine Acheson and Tom Sniegoski. They delve into the intricacies of character development and the emotional rollercoaster of collaboration in the creativ...

Welcome back to Tell The Damn Story! In this episode, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons interview Shannon Symonds, author of cozy mystery novels. Shannon shares her unique writing process using the "save the cat" method and Scrivener while discussing the importance of character development and the difficult personal challenges that influence her storytelling. Join us as we explore Shannon'...

For a Healthy, Productive 2024- This week, Alex Simmons and Christopher Ryan discuss physical, mental, and emotional health for creatives, especially writers. Why? To help them put their bodies and minds in the best position to succeed in 2024. No matter what age, it is necessary for each of us to take care of our bodies, our minds, and our emotions to be able to produce the stories and the art th...

As we round out this adventurous year, veteran authors Christopher Ryan and Alex Simmons discuss their favorite works of 2023 in novels, music, TV, and film and discuss the future of Marvel’s MCU . Tune in as they discuss the impact of political history, the art of recasting iconic characters, the future of Black Panther, and Marvel's storytelling strategies. Get ready for engaging discussions...

And What Does Your Favorite Holiday Films Have To Do With It? This week, veteran authors Alex Simmons and Christopher Ryan find themselves smack dab amid the SCROOGE WARS ! They go through a March Madness-style bracket filled with Scrooge/A Christmas Carol films, choosing their favorites and making their cases for their merits. Play along and see who would win your own Scrooge War! Then, the scrib...

Welcome to Tell The Damn Story, where we dive into the world of storytelling and writing. In this episode, host Alex Simmons takes the solo seat to tackle listener questions and provide a rain-day-style episode. Join us as we explore the writing process, including the importance of setting consistent writing time, staying focused on uninspiring assignments, and the importance of understanding char...

This week, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan answer questions from our audience on all things related to writing. We cover salaries and finances, acquiring artists, publishing, first drafts, and so much more. This includes a humiliating story about one of us writing a sex scene for grad school! Oh, what we do and share to help you on your writing journey. So don't miss it. Have questions or comments...

It's not impossible, but it's a hell of a ride! This week, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons delve into the nitty-gritty of independent publishing, exploring the challenges and triumphs of bringing books to life outside of traditional publishing avenues. Chris shares his personal journey from writer to publisher, discussing the meticulous process of curating stories for anthology collections whi...

The Authors Tour Continues! In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, titled "Soul Scream Authors' Tour 4," hosts Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons are joined by special guests Rebecca Cuthbert, Jonathan Gensler, Kathleen Scheiner, and Steven Van Patten. Listen as these prolific writers delve into various topics ripe for horror tales. The discussion goes from the responsibilities of cultural...

All Stories Come From Within - It's Part 3 of the Soul Scream Atholozine Author Tour. In this episode, Alex and Chris speak with Long Island horror writer John Collins about the origins of his story "The Lovers" and his  the origins of his call to create,  Also, John gets very candid about the emotional inspirations for his fiction, providing a powerful insight into how creatives fun...

Once again, we're exploring the creative minds behind the stories that captivate us. In this episode, hosts Chris and Alex are joined by writers Teel James Glenn, Bobby Nash, and Randee Dawn . The conversation delves into the depths of horror, the intertwining of entertainment and reality, and the responsibilities of writing licensed characters. From tales of North Africa to the 1990s music sc...

In this thrilling episode of " Tell The Damn Story "! We have two incredible guests joining our hosts, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons. First, we have the multi-talented Teel James Glenn , writer, actor, stuntman and more.  Next is the talented actor, writer, teacher, and storyteller Marc Abbott . Both authors share their creative experiences and portions of the short stories they contribute...

The Art of Collaborating for Success This week, Alex Simmons and Christopher Ryan speak to TTDS friends Tom Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson, writing partners on Vampirella and other projects, about all aspects of attending Cons as professionals.  We discuss how to avoid becoming overwhelmed at major comics cons and conferences, how to work the room, and how to approach professionals such as Christo...

Welcome to another exciting episode of " Tell The Damn Story! " This week, while cohost Chris Ryan is on another case, Alex Simmons interviews special guest Shannon Symonds .  The two writers delve into her fascinating world of raising a family of six, working with the police, fighting against human trafficking, and writing cozy mysteries.   Shannon shares her experiences and insights wr...

Welcome to a slightly different episode of Tell The Damn Story, the podcast where we delve into the depths of storytelling and creativity. I This week, your host, Alex Simmons, is going semi-solo and the episode is a mashup, combining the great piece of insight from episode 191 of TTDS. In this episode, we'll be exploring the complexities of personal pride, the challenges of self-promotion as...

In this episode, Chris and Alex dive deep into two topics. The first is about the challenges writers face and the superpowers that sometimes get them out of it. The boys share stories of passion, resilience, and finding one's voice. They highlight that while a fat bank account might have its appeal, genuine satisfaction, and rewards come from helping young people find their voice and succeed....

On this episode, hosts Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons continue their interview with author Jessica Thompson. They delve into Jessica's experience as a self-starter and how she created her own opportunities in the writing industry. Jessica shares her journey of starting her own book tour agency, Bittersweet Book Tours , and the challenges she faced in marketing her own work. She also discusses the...

Or, What's A Culinary Cozy Mysteries? In this exciting episode of Tell The Damn Story co-host, Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons are joined by the talented author and mystery enthusiast Jessica Thompson .  We learn how she overcame self-doubt and found the unique niche of writing culinary cozy crime in the writing market.  So, grab your detective hat and get ready to hear the damn story behind Jessi...

Welcome back, folks! In today's episode, Alex and Chris have some excitement in store for you as they dive into the world of Batman . After all, it is Batman week, weekend, month ... who cares? It's Batman!! Get ready for a Batman celebration with an amazing guest, Michael Uslan . Michael is a writer, entrepreneur, and the executive producer of Batman films in both animation and live-actio...

... with Client Expectations. Adventures in Editing This week, Alex Simmons and Christopher Ryan discuss the kinds of feedback you can expect to get from editors when working on a writing project. The gents talk about constructive criticism, how to embrace it how to learn from it. We discuss when editors have to help. Insert required points in a genre story, and we discuss when editing gets dark....