Be Awesome Together

He writes about a were-otter demon hunter... and can't stop breaking genre rules. Indie author Ben Meeks joins Tyra to talk about his Dragon Con writing origin story, his Side Street Book Market booth, and his new southern gothic series. Ben Meeks is a full-time indie author behind the Keeper Chronicles (urban fantasy) and the Paxor7 series (an unconventional lit RPG). This episode covers his journey from "bad writer" to full-time author, why he thinks a book should only have ONE genre, his daily writing routine, and his upcoming southern gothic fantasy series.

Tyra welcomes podcaster TV's Travis to Be Awesome Together for a wide-ranging conversation about the art of storytelling across every medium. Travis juggles five podcasts including his flagship film show Wait, You Haven't Seen which recently released episode #381. This episode included James Bond deep-dives, David Lynch appreciation, hidden-gem films, Highlander super fandom, and why loving what you love — loudly — is the whole point. Check out Travis at: tvstravis.com and make sure to subscribe to Be Awesome Together.

Tyra is back after a few crazy weeks of home renovation and family obligations! In this episode she gives a full tour of her newly transformed home office — complete with custom-built storage, new lighting, a new chair, and a whole lot of nostalgic finds from a closet clean-out. She also talks about what's ahead for BAT as she settles into hosting solo, teases upcoming Dragon Con programming, and shares what she's been learning on the digital/content creation front this summer.

🎙️ Episode Summary

What happens when two of the most genuine voices in the creator space sit down and get real about burnout, boundaries, and what it actually means to build something you love? This episode of Be Awesome Together is one for the books — and not because everything went perfectly, but because Charles and Tyra let you see exactly what it looks like when life starts redirecting the ship. Charles opens up about stepping back from the show, the therapy that helped him get there, and the deeply honest reckoning he had at Stellarfest about how he defines success. Spoiler: it's not the panel rooms or the nominations — it's a stage, thousands of people, and just being him. And he couldn't get there running on empty.

But here's the thing — this isn't a goodbye story. It's a becoming story. Tyra picks up the mantle with fire and vision, reshaping Be Awesome Together into what it was always meant to be: a gathering space, a digital third place where creators, dreamers, and everyday humans can show up, swap skills, and feel the kind of community that usually only happens at conventions. The show is evolving, the energy is electric, and honestly? The chaos has never looked this promising.

✅ Actionable Takeaways

• Name your non-negotiable version of success. Charles's moment of brutal honesty — admitting he won't feel successful until he's on that stage performing for thousands — was liberating, not limiting. Get clear on your real goalpost, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

• Recognize the stop signs before they become stop signs. Whether it's not wanting to move off the couch or dreading something you used to love, your body and spirit give you signals. Don't wait for a full breakdown to listen.

• Reframe what support looks like in your relationships. Your partner, spouse, or friend may be supporting you in ways you haven't recognized yet — by not standing in your way, by holding down the home front, by quietly showing up.

• Protect your decompression rituals. Whether it's sitting in your car in the driveway before going inside or writing at 2 AM in a quiet dining room — those small pockets of peace are not wasted time. They're fuel.

• Give yourself permission to pivot the project, not abandon it. Be Awesome Together isn't ending — it's becoming a gathering space. When something isn't working in its current form, ask what it was always meant to be and aim for that instead.

💬 Quote of the Episode

"I will never be happy, I will never be successful until I'm on that stage in front of thousands of people, and that's all I have to do — I show up, I be me, and I get paid for it." — Charles McFall

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride! 🌊

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Sometimes creators don’t burn out because they hate what they do—they burn out because they love it so much they keep pouring from an empty cup. In this episode of Be Awesome Together, Charles and Tyra dive into the very real weight creators carry: exhaustion, dopamine chasing, life responsibilities, screen fatigue, and the pressure to always produce. What starts as a conversation about “creator depression” becomes something deeper—how ambition, hustle, and identity can quietly drain the people who seem strongest on the outside.

But this isn’t a pity party—it’s a practical and honest roadmap back to yourself. From analog moments away from screens, to therapy resources, to choosing peace by releasing what no longer deserves your energy, this episode reminds listeners that surviving the grind is not the same as living well. If you’ve ever felt tired in your soul while still trying to smile online, this conversation may hit home in all the right ways.

• Schedule analog recovery time each week: no phone, no screen, just a walk, porch sit, drive, journaling, or silence.

• Stop chasing dopamine endlessly—build habits that restore energy, not just entertain you temporarily.

• Look honestly at your screen time and identify one app or habit draining your focus.

• If therapy feels financially impossible, research universities, counseling programs, or reduced-cost community options in your area.

• Normalize saying “I need help.” Asking early is easier than waiting until collapse.

• Choose peace intentionally by removing attention from what keeps stealing it.

“You don’t find peace. You choose it by what you ignore, by what you release, by what you stop giving energy to.” — shared by Charles (Bruce Lee quote)

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad

Actionable TakeawaysQuote

This episode kicks off in pure chaos—and somehow turns that chaos into connection, creativity, and a whole lot of laughter. What starts as playful banter about shelves, editing struggles, and podcast launches quickly spirals into deeper conversations about building creative momentum, finding your voice (even when you hate hearing it), and navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. There’s an undercurrent here: everyone’s juggling something—projects, burnout, growth—and still showing up anyway.

But the real magic? It’s in the collisions. Coffee meets tea. Horror meets logic. Podcasts meet newsletters. And somewhere in between, you get raw insight into what it actually looks like to create in real time—messy, imperfect, and wildly human. Whether it’s launching a new show, experimenting with tech at conventions, or figuring out how to grow in spaces like Reddit, this episode is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from participation.

• Ship before you're ready. Whether it's a podcast, newsletter, or idea—momentum beats perfection every time.

• Don’t over-edit yourself. The things you think are “bad” are often what audiences connect with most.

• Lean into your ecosystem. Cross-promote your projects, reuse content, and let your platforms support each other.

• Experiment with new tools. From digital displays to AI workflows—small upgrades can create big audience impact.

• Engage before you ask. Especially in communities like Reddit—build presence before expecting response.

“Surf this chaos… upgrade your surfing game.” — Charles McFall

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad

What happens when you drop a jet-lagged professor straight into a live podcast and ask her if inspiration was worth the trip? You get chaos, laughter, and a surprisingly deep conversation about creativity, burnout, and chasing the right kind of energy. Tyra returns from England overflowing with ideas—talking about magical gardens, Stonehenge moments, and how inspiration doesn’t just “show up”… it hits when you’re open enough to receive it. Meanwhile, Charles is navigating his own creative waves, experimenting with content, chasing dopamine in healthier ways, and wrestling with the tension between hustle and rest.

This episode becomes something bigger than a travel recap—it’s a real-time exploration of what it means to create when you’re tired, stuck, or overwhelmed. From puzzle-piece metaphors to honest talk about burnout, boundaries, and finding joy in the process, this conversation hits that sweet spot between hilarious banter and “oh wow, I needed to hear that.” If you’ve ever felt stuck creatively or stretched too thin, this one’s going to land.

Actionable Takeaways

• Follow the right dopamine—create things because they’re fun, not just because they perform
• Capture inspiration immediately (voice notes, quick writes) before the moment disappears
• Stop forcing pieces that don’t fit—whether in creativity, work, or relationships
• Build boundaries around your time, even if it’s just protecting one day a week
• Let go of “have to” thinking—sometimes freedom creates the breakthrough
• Stay open to serendipity—being authentically you can unlock unexpected opportunities

Quote

“Life is about finding puzzle pieces… and sometimes you just need time to figure out where they go.” – Tyra Burton

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad

This episode starts in pure Be Awesome Together fashion: the wrong button gets hit, the laughs come early, and then Charles and Tyra slide into a real conversation about what it actually takes to make events work. Beneath the jokes about chairs, gimbals, newsletters, TikTok Lives, and travel stress, there’s a genuinely helpful discussion about the chaos behind conventions, panels, and live programming. If you’ve ever wondered why some events feel smooth and others feel like a beautiful train wreck, this one pulls back the curtain in a way that’s funny, honest, and surprisingly practical.

What makes this episode worth your time is how relatable it is, even if you’ve never hosted a panel in your life. Charles and Tyra talk about communication, planning, signage, accessibility, grace under pressure, and the emotional side of showing up when you’re running on fumes. It’s part event strategy, part creative survival guide, and part reminder that the best experiences happen when people lead with kindness instead of ego. There’s a lot here for creators, convention folks, and honestly anyone trying to build something meaningful with other humans.

• Communicate more than you think you need to. If you think you’ve already explained something, explain it one more time in another format.

• Make a real plan and assign ownership. Events run better when specific people are responsible for specific pieces by specific deadlines.

• Do your research before you arrive. Find the rooms, bathrooms, maps, accessibility routes, and backup options before the stress hits.

• Know your limits and respect them. Whether it’s physical energy, emotional bandwidth, or time, boundaries help you show up better.

• Take your ego out of the room. Focus on serving the audience and creating a great experience, not proving yourself.

Quote:
“Take your ego out of it. You are there for the show.” — Charles

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad

Tyra’s back in the office—Shelf Watch is alive—and the whole vibe is “we’re trying to be creators… but the tech is trying to humble us.” Between audio levels doing parkour, camera chaos, and the sacred art of not falling off a chair just to reach a tote bag, this episode is basically a real-time behind-the-scenes of two people fighting for their flow while life keeps throwing pop-up ads and drawer clutter at their souls.

And then—BOOM—DVO drops a SpeakPipe message that derails the show into an absolutely legendary bit about “hobby husband code” and “choring around,” which turns into a full-blown comedy grenade. From there, it pivots into the heart of the episode: finding your new flow as schedules change, priorities shift, and promotion becomes the thing you teach… but still forget to do. The big win: Charles lays out a workflow that makes clipping and promo content way less painful—and Tyra’s like “okay, that’s… actually sexy.”

• Stop “hunting clips” manually. Use transcripts + a search function in your editor (Streamlabs Podcast Editor, Riverside, etc.) so you can jump straight to moments instead of scrubbing an hour-long timeline.

• Use YouTube’s “Suggested Clips” as a starting point. Even if control is limited, it can hand you a few solid moments to repurpose fast.

• Lock in a promo rhythm that matches your life. If “first and third Tuesday” is the show schedule, set a matching cadence for promo posts so you’re not reinventing the wheel every episode.

• Treat gear like a system, not a pile. Test gimbal + mic + app together before the event (and remember: mono vs stereo settings can make or break your audio).

• Document like a creator on purpose—especially on trips. Pick 2–3 “content anchors” (cafes, parks, panels, con floor moments) so you come home with usable footage instead of just memories.

Charles: “Life is lifing, right? And as a creator, sometimes you can get louder. Sometimes you have to get quieter. Sometimes you just got to figure out how it works.”

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad

Actionable Items / Takeaways (5)Quote

Earbuds in, prayers up… and the chaos immediately delivers. Charles road-trips to Kennesaw to record Be Awesome Together at Tyra’s kitchen table, where the “hot mess” energy is the whole brand. Between mic-muting mishaps, sushi heartbreak (RIP Sushiu), and a Korean BBQ glow-up, you get that cozy, unfiltered “friends who actually like each other” vibe—complete with audience saves from Earth Station Boo and the kind of banter that only happens when you’re live and slightly unprepared.

Then the episode takes a turn—in the best way—into real talk: therapy insights, showing up for the people you love, burnout, rest, and what it means to be a catalyst in other people’s lives. There’s creator strategy too: newsletters, hooks, subject lines, opt-ins, Patreon moves, and the reminder that the most important part of a newsletter is… sending it. It’s equal parts “spill the tea” and “dent the universe,” with a beautiful throughline: growth doesn’t require self-destruction—sometimes it just requires honesty, pacing, and permission to breathe.

Actionable Items (5 takeaways)

• Use a “cold open hook” in the first 1–2 lines of your newsletter: a bold statement + a “keep reading” breadcrumb (“Con dates up top—story time at the bottom”).

• Build your newsletter into repeatable segments (ex: “Where I’ll be,” “What I’m making,” “One lesson from the trenches,” “Story time”). Consistency reduces decision fatigue.

• Treat rest like a deliverable. Add a recurring “permission to rest” checkpoint—especially after heavy work days—so downtime doesn’t turn into guilt spirals.

• Lean into your three-word identity (Peace / Wisdom / Catalyst) as a brand filter: if a project doesn’t align with at least one, it probably shouldn’t get your energy.

• For live shows: bake in a “tech grace minute.” Start with a 30–60 second buffer that assumes audio/video will act up—then you look intentional instead of frazzled.

Quote

“The most important part of a newsletter is sending it.” — Tyra

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Surf The Chaos, Enjoy the Ride!

These notes are empowered by AI. ~Chad