The Word Count Podcast-Episode 62

Well, it’s a New Year. Time to sober up from the holidays and get on with the next season of the #WordCountPodcast!

In the off-season, a few of the irregulars (what the participants of the show call themselves) and I discussed were a few tweaks to the show.  I thought we’d try them out to see how things go.

Don’t worry! The podcast is still free and free of ads!

The first change is that we will be using different sort of prompts for the show. First, is a picture. For this month:

Next we will be using the month the show is produced in, in this case January.

Now for the last bit. I’m trying out a new format for the recording of the show. I’m using AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) in stead of the old “Audio-Only” MP3 encoding for the podcast. This allows me to add photos and chapters (among other things) to the podcast. I’ll still post the audio-only version on the site, but I want to see what the feedback is. After all…we are using a visual prompt.

So please, give the show a listen and let us know what your experience is. I’m still getting the “technology hang” of this new format…so apologies in advance for any growing pains.

You can listen to the show via iTunes or Libsyn. Here is an embedded player, if you prefer:

Show Notes:

Episode 62: Tidal Pool in January

Maria Haskins – “The Weight of the Sea”

Maria Haskins is a Swedish-Canadian writer and certified translator. She writes speculative fiction and poetry, and debuted as a writer in Sweden. Since 1992 she lives in Canada, just outside Vancouver, with a husband, two kids, and a very large black dog.

Website: https://mariahaskins.wordpress.com
Twitter: @mariahaskins

C. Thomas Smith – “The Wasteland”

C. Thomas Smith is the author of hundreds of short stories (99% have never left his hard drive) and over half a dozen unpublished novels (50% cowardice / 50% self-doubt). He is a fan of common sense, free speech, noticing the truth in the absurd and caffeine. He sort of likes cats. He lives in Ireland with his partner, two and a half children, a mortgage and a cat he doesn’t trust.

At present, Chris is writing a series of novels (adult dark comedy set in medieval Ireland that may include a token Leprechaun) and editing a second series (Dark Fantasy). Along the way, he hopes not to starve to death or be mauled in his sleep by a shifty-eyed cat.

Website: www.infinity-forge.com

Twitter: @KRSTVR

Cameron Garriepy – “By the Sea”

Cameron Garriepy thinks Eartha Kitt was the best Catwoman, and misses Hampton Beach on days like today. In April of 2015, Cameron released Damselfly Inn, the first full-length novel in her Thornton Vermont series. The sequel, Sweet Pease is coming soon from Bannerwing Books.

Website: http://camerondgarriepy.com

Twitter: @camerongarriepy

John A. McCaffrey – “Clamming in January”

John A McCaffrey grew up in Rochester, New York, attended Villanova University, and received his MA from the City College of New York. His stories have appeared regularly in literary journals and anthologies. He is also a playwright, an original member of the Lone Star Theater Troupe, and a creative writing teacher. His published works include The Book of Ash (October, 2013) and Two Syllable Men (April 2016).

Website: http://jamccaffrey.squarespace.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.mccaffrey.984 and https://www.facebook.com/twosyllablemen/

Twitter: @jamccaffrey

Bill Kirton & Eden Baylee – “Selfie Love”

Before taking early retirement to become a full-time writer, Bill Kirton was a lecturer in French at the University of Aberdeen. He’s written stage and radio plays, short stories, novels, skits and songs for revues, and five non-fiction books aimed at helping students with their writing and study skills. His five modern crime novels,  Justice, The Darkness, Shadow Selves and Unsafe Acts are set in north east Scotland and his historical crime/romance novel, The Figurehead, is set in Aberdeen in 1840. The Darkness won the silver award in the mystery category of the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards and his spoof mystery, The Sparrow Conundrum, was the winner in the humor category.

He’s published a novel for children called The Loch Ewe Mystery, and his latest publication is a satirical novella about online gaming and the real and virtual worlds.

He’s had radio plays broadcast by the BBC and the Australian BC.  His short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including three of the CWA’s annual collections, and one was chosen by Maxim Jakubowski for his 2010 anthology of Best British Crime Stories. It’s also been optioned by a film company in Los Angeles.

He’s been a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at universities in Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrews.

Website: www.bill-kirton.co.uk

Twitter: @carver22

Eden Baylee left a twenty-year banking career to write and is now a full-time author of multiple genres.

She has written three collections of erotic novellas and flash fiction ~ SPRING INTO SUMMER, FALL INTO WINTER, and HOT FLASH.

In 2014, she launched the first novel of her trilogy with Dr. Kate Hampton–a psychological mystery/suspense called STRANGER AT SUNSET. In addition to working on her next novel, Eden created Lainey Lee for the Lei Crime Series, a feisty divorcée who finds adventure and romance in Hawaii. Her stories–A SNAKE IN PARADISE and SEAL OF A MONK can be found on Kindle Worlds.

Website: http://edenbayleebooks.com

Blog: https://edenbaylee.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edenbaylee

Twitter: @edenbaylee