Follow Your Curiosity

”Miami Vice” in Fact and Fiction with Michael Hearns

My guest today is Michael Hearns, a veteran law enforcement officer whose experience includes working undercover with Miami’s vice, intelligence, and narcotics unit—yes, like Miami Vice—and has also worked as a technical consultant on a variety of movies and tv shows. These days, Michael is the author of the Cade Taylor police thrillers, including Trust No One. We talk about his law enforcement career, how realistic police shows (including Miami Vice) actually are, and his dedication to authenticity in his novels. We also take on the realities of the creative life vs. its portrayal on screen, and why it’s worth answering your creative call anyway. 

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when incidents from your own life have turned up in your creative work!

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

Creative Pep Talk #48: Resolutions

We all know resolutions don't work, or at best, don't work for long. So what does? I'll tell you in this short episode.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes

Get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Post.news and Mastodon!

Art and Politics with Maria James-Thiaw

Award-winning poet, performer, playwright, and educator Maria James-Thiaw has published several books of poetry and founded the Reclaim Artist Collective, which seeks to to raise consciousness about social justice issues impacting marginalized communities through its arts-based, anti-racist curriculum. Her latest collection, Count Each Breath, examines her experiences as a Black woman in the American healthcare system.

Maria joins me today to have the conversation we floated when she first came on the show in 2019, about the intersection of art and politics. Is it even possible to disconnect them? We tackle this question, as well as the political implications of the focus on STEM education, what happens when we relegate the arts to an afterthought, and how driven creative folks find ways to earn money from their art or artistic skills.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Creative Pep Talk #47: Worthy Rivals

Who's your best creative rival? The answer might be closer than you think.

Inspired by Simon Sinek's video called "Worthy Rivals."

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter, or TikTok.

Creative Pep Talk #46: Find Your People

It's absolutely critical for all of us to find our people—especially the people who share and understand our creative calling. In this short-but-sweet episode, I'll tell you why.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter, or TikTok.

Encouragement Through Song with Lowry Olafson

Lowry Olafson knew from a young age that he wanted to be a musician, and like so many other aspiring musicians, had to figure out how to make it work—and he did: he has released nine albums and performed around the world. He is also the founder and creator of PowerSongs—deeply meaningful, personal songs for a wide range of individuals and groups—and PowerSongs Pro, for businesses and other organizations. Lowry talks with me about the moment that changed his perspective on his musical prospects, immersing himself in the musical scene in Perth, Australia, how he developed the idea of PowerSongs, how he’s created them for individuals and school groups, and just why they make such a lasting impression on his clients.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when music inspired you to do something new. 

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in music!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. 

 

Creative Pep Talk #45: Wild

Last week, Dr. Kelly Flanagan and I talked about getting back to what's wild in us. Here's how doing that can help your creative process (and your whole life).

Please leave a review for this episode, and in it, tell us about a time when you let your wild come out to play. 

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes.

Creative Pep Talk #44: Comebacks

So how do you keep yourself "doing it anyway"? It helps to talk back to the naysaying voices in your head. It helps even more if you know what you're going to say in advance.

Please leave a review for this episode, and in it, tell us what your favorite comeback is. 

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk epsiodes.

Writing from the Trenches with John Roedel

Not quite two years ago, writer John Roedel, author of the Hey God, Hey John poems that have gone viral online (and the collection of the same name) joined me to talk about how he ended up “talking to God” and what he’s learned from that experience. (If you haven’t heard it, you’ll want to check it out.) I asked John to come back and tell us how he’s shifted into helping people discover their true selves and write authentically from the heart.

John and I talk about everything from the way improv has influenced that decision to what happens when we connect from our authentic selves and the stories that made us. We also delved a little into how that kind of small, empathetic, interpersonal connection might help to mitigate our current societal malaise.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you got vulnerable and communicated from the heart. 

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing! And you can find John's first appearance on the podcast here.

Creative Pep Talk #43: Do It Anyway

Is whatever's holding you back from your creative call really enough reason to give up? Not likely. Here's why you really should do it anyway.

Ben Folds agrees with me: take a listen.

What are the six biggest creative beliefs that are screwing up your process? Find out here!

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Instagram or Twitter!