Technical Difficulties has prevented John from being on the show this evening. Thankfully, his editorial partner Scott Simmons agreed to join us tonight as a discuss Art in the Age of Corona. We converse about current events as related to the corona crisis as well as art past and present during epidemics and how it often changes the course of society's outlook on religion, faith, recovery, death and the afterlife.

On this episode I interview NJ-based poet, author and writing instructor Michael Griffith on the merits of editorship, authorship and deeper thoughts about writing.

In the second installment of Peculiar Instruments we explore how ghostly figures and events are used as characters to illustrate or perhaps voice certain things to heighten a story or maybe be the catalyst to complete the plot.

This episode brings us back full circle with poet and fiction writer Linda Imbler. She was my first interview for the podcast in Jan 2019. In this segment Linda will speak out her past, present and future writing projects as well as her moments in the writing life.

This new series Toying With Tangents will explore Horror writings from Bloch, Poe, Jackson, King, Barker, Blatty, Shelly, Stoker and Wells. In the weeks ahead we will explore Fantasy and Science Fiction too.

In this second, more revealing interview, John Patrick Robbins, poet, writer, editor, humorist and podcaster, recounts his achievements, publications, nominations and work during the past twelve months.

Time with some fun on grammar and those who grump about it like the world is ending. Let's worry about the coronavirus; not the commavirus. 

Welcome back to the interview segment of the show. Phyllis Dodge is our next interview subject. She is a novelist and her novel "Why" takes an unique view on military veterans and all they must contend with on and off duty. 

John and I discuss the timely subject of music concerts in the late 21st century. Are they worth going to anymore? The lip syncing, the expense, the age, the health, the sound, the half the band is dead or kicked out -- why is this experience still a draw?

In this first installment of the Peculiar Instruments Series -- Houses as Characters play a vital role for artists to create a compelling atmosphere, metaphoric setting or special voice that often is best done by a nonperson.

In this multi-faceted episode John and I discuss various transitions in writing that many writers begin to face when they decide to creatively stretch and try something new.

1. Style --- somber to humor, humor to nonfiction, etc.

2. Genre -- poetry to fiction, fiction to nonfiction, etc.

3. Theme -- how to prepare to submit to publications requiring a theme

In this episode we will revisit depression and the demons it can bring in the arts by speaking about various famous examples in Art, Music, Dance and Writing. From Edvard Munch to Anne Sexton depression has been a malady in creative endeavors for centuries.

For the first time I speak at length about my own writings as exampled by the recent print book "Question the Quiet" published by Whiskey City Press.  https://www.markantonyrossi.com

The basic arrangement of a book project is discussed as well as background information to the various pieces narrated for the show. It's a complete backview of how to put together a collection to benefit the audience and the author.

The first Classic Spotlight for the year 2020 focuses on the famous adventure writer Jack London (Call of the Wild, White Fang). We explore his outdoorsmen spirit, political viewpoints and dark side.

The first Guest Haus of 2020 and John and I are chatting about the literary figures that influenced us throughout our lives. There's a few you might share and others will be new and surprising.