Simmons Here And Now

Chris and me are on hiatus so this is the first of their Summer Flashbacks visits of earlier episodes.   This week, Chris and Alex discuss some of the many ways artists learn not only how to create, but also how to deal with some of those negative mindsets.  Just back from a writers' conference with Neil Gaiman, Amy Tan and others, Chris shares some of their thoughts on, "How do you learn to write a good story?"  "Where do  ideas come from?"  And facing those challenges. "How do we continue to do what we do?" Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section here, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. Or @TellTheDamnStory

Despite some technological challenges we made it. In this episode, Alex and Chris take a quick look at pop culture, discuss big changes coming for them, reflect on the importance of authors reflecting on their career and their work, and then make a whopper of an announcement. Don't miss it! Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section here, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. Or @TellTheDamnStory #WandaVision, #TheFalconandTheWinterSoldier, #Loki, #Avengers #Wakanda #BlackPanther #BlackjackAdventures #writers #Superman #ManofSteel #TheShadow #CityofWoe #GeniusHigh #Hiatus

"Previously On..." In this momentous episode, Alex and Chris celebrate the "free writing school" aspects of TTDS. For over 6 years their conversations have included discussions and advice about writing habits, techniques, tropes, genres, and a ton of creative advice.  Not to mention the many locations and countries they've recorded in, conferences they reported from, and the over 100 people they've interviewed, all in the name of telling the damn story!  Come enjoy the fun as the boys look back over where they've been as they gear up for where they're going next. Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section here, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. Or @TellTheDamnStory #WandaVision, #TheFalconandTheWinterSoldier, #Loki, #Avengers #Wakanda #BlackPanther #AvengersEndGame, #DavidWalker,  #TheDestinyWar, #AlexSegura #CaseenGaines #DonMcgregor #JerryCraft #FootNotes #OmarHolman #BlackNerdProblems #BlackLightni

A long buried Broadway secret is now getting national attention because of one man's long shot. Chris and Alex welcome the return of author CASEEN GAINES, this time to delve into how his new book, FOOTNOTES, is getting national recognition.  From the Hollywood Reporter to the New York Times, and more.   The three dig deep into the gamble that Caseen took, writing about the fate of a long forgotten, controversial 1920s black Broadway musical ("Shuffle Along").  How a show that was a hit, while igniting conflict on both sides of the color line, then and for many years there after. It's an episode that explores the creative process, pitching to mainstream publishing, and the double-edge complications of racial representation. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com @tellthedamnstory #caseengaines #Footnotes #shufflealong #blackpanther #spokenword #wedon'tneednoroads #peewee'splayhouse #dar

This week Alex and Chris team up with writer/publishers Jim Beard and John C. Bruening of Flinch Books. The four creatives get together for a fantastic, fun, and enlightening discussion about the nature and value of pulp fiction, what it is like to run an independent publishing company, and how to put together an anthology project.  The conversation tackles what is "pulp," writing styles, researching, collaboration and editing challenges. We even go on a quest for the space gods! Monsters who eat earth, crime fighters in a post WW 2 world, and more.  If you like fiction, if you love books, this is an episode you cannot miss! And if you're a pulp fiction fan, you're gonna wanna listen to it twice!  Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section here, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. Or @TellTheDamnStory Flinch Books on Facebook #pulp #newpulp #PulpFest #jimbeard #johncbruening #independentpublishing #in

Or ... Caught In A Vortex Called The MCU. This week Alex and Chris had an idea. Like most ideas, it went awry.  The plan was to do a "just us" episode after having six very solid interview episodes in a row. If you haven't experienced those episodes they're 191 through 196.  But today we were going to keep it light. LOL. We may have started with personal news but we soon found ourselves in the MCU.  That led us to  talking about the Loki series and two other Marvel TV series.  Chris even offers a theory that the MCU is not heading into Phase IV - Secret Wars, but to The Destiny War covered in Kurt Busiek's Avengers Forever 12-issue mini-series! For this "interrogation" the UN-usual suspects are Time Keepers, Loki, Kang, Scarlet Witch, and more.   Come for the jokes; stay for the deep geek theories and writing advice! Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section here, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnA

Care to wander down the Halls of Horror? On this episode Alex and Chris meet Dr. Vanessa Hintz, licensed clinical psychologist and self-professed "Geek Therapist" for a trip through horror classics and tropes. We discuss what they mean to our culture, what they say about us, how we can use them to help heal, and what writers of the new horror classics should be looking for. *Originally aired as a Facebook Live episode of Tell The Damn Story. Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #jason #nightmareonelmstreet #FreddieKruger #geeks #horrormovies #horrorfilms #Frankenstein #wolfman #Dracula #Walkingdead #trueblood #psychologicalhorror #thrillers #fridaythe13th 

Listen and learn. In this episode, Alex and Chris talk to Dr. Janina Scarlet, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who engages her clients in "superhero therapy."  Her goal is to help them with PTSD, other traumas, self-esteem issues, and connecting with inner power to resolve what is holding them back.  As a disaster survivor and a self proclaimed geek, Dr. Scarlet's work is fascinating, as is this interview with her.  So don't miss this one, Beloved Creatives, and get ready to share it with those who might need to hear from her. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's a very special episode of Tell The Damn Story. Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. http://www.superhero-therapy.com › meet-the-doctor #writers #superheroes #traumastherapy #amlearning #amwriting #journalism #comics #writersblock #buffythevampireslayer #chernobyl #xmen  #DCComics

He made it from Miami to New York. From local journalist to VP of Publishing. And he's a family man. In this episode Chris is surrounded by Alexes when the legendary Simmons is joined by Alex Segura, acclaimed, multi award-winning writer of novels, comic books, short stories, and podcasts.  The trio gets to talk about everything from Segura's Pete Fernandez mystery series to his experiences at DC, Archie, and now Oni Press. Their conversation does a deep dive on short story technique, promotion advice, and overall creative thoughts in a fun, funny, and most informative  interview. Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #writers #petefernadez #amlearning #amwriting #journalism #comics #writersblock #alexsegura #ArchieComics #DCComics 

He started out as a child on a farm in Mississippi, and eventually became one of the few Washington DC journalist with clearance to cover all three main governmental branch sessions. And he didn't stop there. This week Alex and Chris interview the multi talented Jesse J. Holland. Reaching out beyond his carrier with the Associated Press, Jesse also became a university professor. He's written two nonfiction books, "The Invisibles," and "Black Men Built The White House;" a Star Wars novel, as well as, "Who Is The Black Panthers." And finally he edited the recently released "Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda" anthology. And he hasn't stopped yet. Have any comments or questions? Then please leave them in our comments section, Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #writers #theinvisibles #Blackmenbuiltthewhitehouse #blackpanthertalesofwakanda #amlearning #amwriting #journalism #ethics #writersblock #jessejholland 

We've been trapped in "our caves" for over a year.  Has that affected us creatively? This week Alex and Chris update us on some continuing creative project threads that have been evolving, for some time. Then they get to the main event: as the Covid lockdown is slowly lifted, how do creatives re-integrate ourselves with society, especially the kinds of crowds we might see at conferences and conventions? Each of us has changed over this year plus experience, and some are finding that as they re-emerge, there are our anxieties they did not expect. We discuss what those are and how we might overcome them to get back to our creative lives. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them ... in our comments section,  Our Facebook page, (Tell The Damn Story)  Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #writers #inisolation #lockdown #amlearning #amwriting #ammarketing #creatorsanxiety #writersblock

Today's episode starts with a righteous rejection of cohost Christopher Ryan.  In an email received right before recording the episode, divinationhollow.com was gracious and generous and educational in their rejection of a story Chris sent to them only two days ago.  Their reasoning was sound, and they could've stopped right there. But they didn't. They offered to further educate on the nuance of writing LGBTQ+ characters.  Chris and Alex were so impressed that they opened the show with discussing how he was introduced to them, their initial generosity, what he submitted, and their response.  All of this as a way to launch Alex and Chris' discussion of how creatives must learn with their eyes wide open.  And that's whether it is taking writing courses or marketing courses or any of a 1,000 current offers to help you sell your first billion copies of your book.  Plenty of advice and experience offered here. Give us a listen, please.  Have any comments or questions for this ep

Get ready for ready for nonsense that ... will surely make sense. Today Alex and Chris celebrate Mother's Day with a very special look at how fictional characters, especially superheroes, deal with this day. Bring flowers and a box of chocolate.  And trust the creative process. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #writersworld #creativearts #comics #blackpanther #wakanda #suestorm #fantasticfour #ironman #hulk #thejusticeleague #batman #superman #superparents #mothersday #captainamerica imaginativeplay #imagination #creativeexercises 

In today's episode, Alex and Chris interview Maureen Britt, who has lead a life of theater and corporate adventures and continued finding new outlets for her creativity throughout. We discuss her time sharing stages with ...  #ChristopherReeves #RichardChamberlain #FrankLangella #AustinPendleton #BlytheDanner #DwightSchultz (from #theATeam) and #Richard Dreyfus As well as her long friendship with our own #AlexSimmons, who she first met while he was playing Judas Iscariot in a production of #JesusChrisSuperstar.  Maureen has been an angel to the Kids Comic Con for years, and has recently taken the plunge into writing fiction as well. Fascinating stories, behind the scenes tales, and useful advice is spread throughout this fun episode. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #kidscomiccon #writersworld #creativearts #kidsart #comics #acting #creativearts

Life is art, and art is life. This week Alex and Chris interview Juan Espinoza, creator of the comic book series, "Adventures Of A Systems Admin."  Written by Juan Espinosa, with art by El Santa, and colors by Candella Grizutti. The series follows the lives of a diverse IT team as they deal with, old school parents, up tight fellow employees, and some serious hacker threats.  "I created the series because I didn't see comics with people like this," said Espinosa, "... all kinds of people."  "This comic shows that life is a great adventure every day," according to El Santo. "...And you should be the lead character of your own adventure..." So if you are a creative or not; if you're not sure when you can or should create something, this episode will turn your No into a Yes. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #kidscomiccon #writersworld #creativearts #kidsart #comics #AdventuresOfASys

That's how we tell the damn story this week, when Alex and Chris discuss episode five of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, without spoilers, (Yes we are the only people left in the world who do not spoil these shows).  We yack about the importance of the show and what it is saying on so many levels, and then we use that to spring into our main topic: how Alex Simmons gets young people to create, or unleash their creativity.  Listen, and you will learn some of that Alex Simmons magic, the power of positive reinforcement, and how to phrase editorial comment in a way that it's positive for the child and encouraging of their creativity. All this celebrates this Months Kids Comic Con (online event) which you and your young ones can attend. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #falconandthewintersoldier #kidscomiccon #spokenword #writersworld #creativearts #kidsart #comics 

While participating in a creative arts program to support and inspire young men of color, Chris and Alex talk with two pros they've interviewed before. Once again TTDS welcomes authors, Caseen Gaines and Omar Holman to the show. Both were Chris' students in high school.  Now they have books coming out that, as Chris put it, "... are significant enough to become required reading..." In very different ways Caseen's "FOOTNOTES," and Omar's "BLACK NERD PROBLEMS," explore and comment on media, pop culture, race in America, and defining identity.  Whether it be a culture's, a community's, -- or one's own. *This interview is excerpt from a project done in cooperation with Young Men's Initiative, City of New York. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #caseengaines #Footnotes #Omarholman #Blacknerdproblems #shufflealong #blackpanther #spokenword #slampoetry #wedon'tneednoroads #peewee'splayhouse

This week, Alex and Chris talk everything pop culture, covering the first three episodes of Marvel's "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier", plus those hilarious trailers for The Suicide Squad by the amazing James Gunn. And they smack around a rumor about DC Comics and take its lunch money.  And finally, Alex and Chris open themselves up for Audience Q&A, focusing on how to write both establish and independent characters, when to pitch big companies, and more. Have any comments or questions for this episode topics? Then please leave them in our comments section. Or write to us at:  TTDSOnAir@gmail.com. #Marvel #thewritersjourney #amwriting#writingtips #authortips #howtostructurestories #thefalconandthewintersoldier #pitchingstories #DCComics #suicidesquad #writersquestions 

With Alex in the hospital, and with Chris recovering from a royal butt-kicking courtesy of his second Moderna vaccination, we discuss: how honesty is a key skill for the creative; the blessing of supportive people(and pets); the need to invest in your creativity via hiring editors, and how THE FALCON ON THE WINTER SOLDIER might be the most important statement the MCU has ever made.