Today’s guest is Paula Whyman, author of the collection You May See a Stranger, which received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Her new book Bad Naturalist: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop is a blend of memoir, natural history, and conservation science. Her writing has appeared in myriad outlets, and she was co-founder and editor in chief of the literary journal Scoundrel Time. Paula and I discuss the story behind the story of her new memoir, and her real time training as a contemporary naturalist. Her book, filled with vivid descriptions of plants, insects, and one woman’s battle/love affair with seemingly everything that grows, flies, lives, and dies, is highly recommended, perhaps especially for anyone looking for a positive distraction from the chaotic “inner space” of today’s sociopolitical reality. I learned a great deal about everything from invasive species to non-native plants, all of which seem to mirror present discussions about immigration, identity, and ownership. Paula is not only a wonderful writer, but patient and passionate tour guide, and her words will resonate with outdoor enthusiasts and those with less green thumbs. We also talked about craft, teaching, the rewards and burdens of running a literary magazine, the solace of nature and the inspiration of one’s imagination. Inevitably, we also touched on the importance of community and the responsibility of being a good literary citizen.

Learn more about Paula’s work at https://paulawhyman.com

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is my longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Shawn DuBravac. Shawn is author of the New York Times bestseller Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate. An economist, futurist, tech analyst, and public speaker, Shawn has always been my go-to guy when I want to better understand emerging technologies, or make necessary connections between what’s happening today to understand—and predict—what might happen tomorrow. Shawn is one of the most intelligent, curious, and charismatic people I know, and I’ve seldom encountered anyone who can talk effortlessly about complex issues in such a conversational, accessible way. This, of course, is a tremendous skill, and Shawn has been polishing his portfolio for decades. We, inevitably, get into the implications of AI, why our culture typically fears new innovations before embracing them, and how technology will impact everything from the classroom to the creative world. If you are really into tech or if you are looking for someone who can help make sense of a world that is quite literally changing, fast, each day, I can’t recommend anyone more highly than Dr. DuBravac!

Learn more about Shawn DuBravac at https://shawndubravac.com

Twitter: @shawndubravac

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Ryan Flahive, an entrepreneur, podcaster, and Learning Technology & Publishing Executive with deep experience in higher education, workforce development, and social impact. He is currently producer and host of CLIMATE CHANGERS, a podcast featuring interviews with scientists, activists, and other leaders. Ryan, and this conversation scarcely scratches the surface, has a long, varied, successful career, and he’s the rare individual who combines passion with expertise, and success has followed him from adventure to adventure. We talked about his amazing work and mission, as well as the necessity of wearing many hats in the creative realm. Ryan, like most influencers, wears multiple hats, and shares with me a conviction that effective narrative is the essential ingredient to telling good stories. We get into the nitty gritty of what makes for meaningful activism, and how spreading awareness about the climate is particularly challenging since there’s well-funded players trying 24/7 to remove all considerations that impact profits. Ryan frankly discusses the challenges, rewards, and opportunities of his work, and his belief in community building is profoundly inspiring. Whether you’re a writer, a non-profit employee, or entrepreneur, Ryan is an invaluable guide.

Learn more about Ryan at https://ryanflahive.com

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Will Boast, author of a story collection, Power Ballads, a memoir, Epilogue, and a novel, Daphne. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, and The Guardian, among others. I love Will’s writing and was truly blown away by his recent piece in the Virginia Quarterly Review, “From the Gut: A Literary History of Indigestion.” This is long-form journalism at its best: informative, deeply researched, often amusing, at times disturbing, and a reminder that so many human beings, including beloved authors ranging from Voltaire to Twain, Kafka and Beckett, have all had tummy issues. As a fellow author who can’t boast of having a stomach of steel, I enjoyed comparing notes with Will, and appreciated his candid stories of his own adventures with food, writing, and a moody constitution. It was especially relevant to talk through the history of con artists and hucksters, particularly when the clownish RFK Jr. has inexplicably become America’s Secretary of Health and Human Services. We also, inevitably, talked craft, the lit industry, technology, and influences. If this conversation is a gateway introduction to the world of Will Boast, I’m pleased, and hope you’ll share his work widely.

Learn more about Will at https://www.willboast.org

Twitter: @willboast

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Jason Zinoman, a critic and author of Shock Value and Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night. He’s currently critic at large for the Culture section of the New York Times and writes a column about comedy. Jason became a blinking red light on my radar courtesy of his recent piece “For Comics, Honing Jokes Has Taken a Back Seat to Marketing. That’s Not Good.” Jason’s perceptive take confirmed a phenomenon I’ve both read a great deal about and experienced personally: that is, any artist, in today’s environment, is obliged to focus an increasing amount of time on promotion and PR. We explore the ways this might help the artist but hinder the art, and both how and why some creatives are better at this than others. Does it make sense to get professional help? Was it easier in the 20th Century? Are there silver linings to putting oneself more aggressively into the public sphere? These are some of the questions we tackle, all leading up to the current state of “cancel culture” and its implications, especially in stand-up comedy. Jason is super informed and full of valuable insights, and as you’ll see it was my extreme pleasure to speak with him.

Read New York Times articles by Jason:

https://www.nytimes.com/by/jason-zinoman

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Ed Simon, who is the Public Humanities Special Faculty in the English Department of Carnegie Mellon University and the Editor-in-Chief for Belt Magazine and the forthcoming Pittsburgh Review of Books. His essays have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The New York Times and many others. He dropped by to discuss his recent piece from Lit Hub, “American Literature’s White Whale: Why the “great American Novel” is Still Worth Pursuing.” Our conversation tackled this question (spoiler alert: a resounding YES), and explores how the best American novels have had one consistent quality across the centuries: they all, in their way, interrogate and grapple with what America is, and the ways it falls short of its utopian designs. As such, we mention Hawthorne, Melville, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Morrison, and many other notable names, all of whom can make claims to writing the American novel. Inevitably, we talk about narrative, the importance of story not only for creative endeavors (duh), but the ways exceptional storytelling is utilized by politicians, tech oligarchs, and lowly lit nerds. If you are interested in a lively discussion about what makes a good book endure across generations (and cultures and languages), you’ll love this episode, and if you could use a reminder that Moby Dick rules, we’ve got you covered.

Read more from Ed Simon:

https://lithub.com/american-literatures-white-whale-why-the-great-american-novel-is-still-worth-pursuing

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guests are Leeya Mehta and Bill Miller, both of whom I admire as friends, artists, teachers, and occasional collaborators. Bill directed the creative writing program at George Mason University for more than two dozen years, and helped establish the Alan Cheuse Center. Leeya is the current Director of the Center, and is also a prize-winning poet, fiction writer and essayist. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Cheuse Center, and we talk about how this beloved institution went from idea to thriving cultural force. Bill and Leeya share a genuine passion for community and connection, and their combined super power is generating awareness of—and enthusiasm for—international literature. We discuss the thrills, challenges, and opportunities inherent in operating a center that serves students, artists, and the wider community. We also assess the role of teachers, advocates, and creatives in uncertain times (hint: we agree this is vital work, always, but especially when powerful forces are doing their worst to stymie and silence expression). You’ll come away from this conversation informed, inspired, and hopefully fired up.

Learn more about Bill and the Cheuse Center here:
https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/about/board-of-advisors

Learn more about Leeya here:
https://leeyamehta.com/about

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41