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Some of the most interesting and inspiring stories I’ve heard are about people’s creative journeys and what they’ve learned along the way. The world needs to hear more of those stories, and now you can hear them on the Follow Your Curiosity podcast. Twice a month, you’ll hear a new interview where we delve into one person’s creative journey. Some of these folks will be better known than others, but they’ll all hold up a mirror to the importance of creative endeavor in every life. In the alternating weeks, you’ll hear short Creative Pep Talk episodes where I feature a creativity tool or tip to help you keep your creative energy flowing. You’ll find something you can use in every episode of Follow Your Curiosity!
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Tony Stewart has made award-winning films for college and universities, written acclaimed software, and now has written his first book. That book, Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy while Grieving, tells the story of Tony and his late wife, painter Lynn Kotula, as they navigate her Stage IV cancer diagnosis, treatment, and hospice, and Tony’s journey out of grief. Tony joins me to talk about his original journey from writing to software development, how it felt to return to writing via CaringBridge after Lynn’s diagnosis, the process of writing Carrying the Tiger, the nature of grief, and more.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Intro
02:12 Introducing Tony Stewart
03:02 Creative Childhood Experiences
08:02 Shakespeare in the Park
11:34 Understanding Filmmaking Client Needs
17:48 Complex Problems Beyond Machine Solutions
19:15 Joy of Reading Book Reviews
24:58 Returning to Writing
26:39 The Beginning of the Book
29:29 Writing Addiction and Motivation
32:40 Overview of the Book
34:00 Writing in Present Tense
38:38 Memoir as Thriller
41:31 Structuring the Book
42:24 Tony's Memories and Reflections
45:51 Creating Realistic Characters
48:27 Exploring Grief
52:04 Anticipatory Grief
56:58 Individuality of Grief Experiences
Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.
Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
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