Using the chaos behind his third novel, Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas, Freddy drags the myth of the smooth creator journey out into the alley where it belongs. From an editor’s sudden death to typos in print, getting dropped by the publisher, and book signings where two people show up, this episode is a masterclass in getting your teeth kicked in and still creating. If you’ve ever wondered whether the grind is worth it, this one hits you in the gut in all the right ways.

What you’ll hear:

• How a “Hallmark but make it twisted” Christmas thriller became a way to dance with the author’s shadow.

• The weekend everything went sideways: an editor dies, a partner is locked out of his machine, and the book’s editing starts from scratch.

• Why the book still launched—with errors—and what that says about perfection, deadlines, and indie publishing reality.

• Getting dropped by the publishing house, burning more than a grand on ads, and selling a heartbreakingly small number of books.

• The creator gauntlet: teeth kicked in, sand in your face, a shot to the gut, a stomped kneecap, and a clothesline when you finally stand back up.

• The core question: are you doing this for monetizable ROI, or because you can’t not make the thing?

Listen if:

• You’ve had episodes flop, guests bail, files corrupt, or your voice disappear on the one day you could record.

• You’re wrestling with whether “imperfect but shipped” beats waiting for a clean, imaginary version of your show.

• You need someone to say out loud that the struggle is guaranteed, the outcome isn’t—and you’re not broken for finding it hard.

Call to action:
If this story hits close to home, share it with the podcast host in your life who’s one plot twist away from quitting.

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Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].