Howdy Listeners, we have another author interview for you! Today we talk to Jake Stein, a prolific fiction short story writer who’s had quite a few publications in the past years. We dive into Jake’s inspirations, his approach to writing, and how sometimes the hard hitting stories don’t explode, but burn slowly. Jake’s writing has also been brought to the audio space on a handful of podcasts, including this one! Thanks Jake for coming on the show and sharing your approach to writing, and how to persist in the short story writing space. “Real Food” Episode of CRB - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-food-jake-stein-murderfish-kickstarter/id1717470807?i=1000708997378Murderfish Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikejackstoumbos/murderfish-a-wonderbird-press-anthologyUnhelpful Encyclopedia Audible Links: MurderBirdsMurderFishJake’s Links: https://bsky.app/profile/jakeiswriting.bsky.socialhttps://storiesbystein.wordpress.com/https://storiesbystein.substack.com/WorldCon Seattle 2025https://seattlein2025.org/Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665Music Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, today we dive into one of Connor’s favorite H.P. Lovecraft Stories - The Rats in the Walls. A story of an older man who’s knowledge of his family’s past is Dubious at best, that is until his son is shipped off to fight the great war, and comes back with knowledge of their ancestral home - Exam Priory. Our protagonist moves to the priory, learning of its troubled past, and is at once haunted by the ghosts of the isolated castle. Content Warnings: Gore, Rats,Violence, Coarse Language, Horrors Beyond ComprehensionVoice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, we have another author interview for you! Today we talk to Marissa McNamara, a fantasy and sci-fi writer based in Brisbane, Australia. We talk about how she got into writing, her process, her perspective, and her plans for the future! In celebration of the Murderfish kickstarter, we are going to be interviewing some of the authors that have contributed to Anthology. Thanks for being the first Marissa!!Marissa’s Links: https://mmcnamarabooks.com/https://mmcnamarabooks.com/?page_id=34https://www.instagram.com/m_mcnamara_books/Welcome to the Fantasy Fair: https://www.thepinkhydra.com/issues/0102202408/fantasyfair/The Pink Hydra: https://www.thepinkhydra.com/issues/0102202408/The Furious Gazelle: https://thefuriousgazelle.com/2024/10/31/2024-halloween-contest-winner-the-haunted-library-by-m-mcnamara/#more-3291Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665Music Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Get your feet wet with this preview story from "Murderfish," the third installment of the Unhelpful Encyclopedia series, from WonderBird Press. "Real Food," by Jake Stein, is the sci-fi tale of a vegan chef brought to the Earth office of a powerful businessman—with a chilling request.“Murderfish” is still in its kickstarter phase and is looking for more backers! So if you liked this short story, and want to reel in some more great aquatic tales, head over to the kickstarter and help make this book possible.Murderfish Kickstarter Links: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikejackstoumbos/murderfish-a-wonderbird-press-anthologyUnhelpful Encyclopedia Prior Volumes:Volume 1 - Murderbirds: An Avian AnthologyVolume 2 - Murderbugs: An Arthropod AnthologyOther Unhelpful Encyclopedia CRB Episodes: Episode 8: “Polly Want an Apple” - Mike Jack StoumbousEpisode 17: “Fangs Out” - Victoria DixonVoice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Connor Reads Books is returning for its 2025 season! Today we are kicking it off with “Fangs Out” , a short story from the book Murderbugs. Fangs Out: Private detective A. Sin, the assassin bug, is hired to investigate disturbances around the Portmanteau, an apartment building on the nice side of the yard. What comes next is an intricate web to untangle, with prominent bugs caught up in the plot. Will our anthropoid sleuth crack the case, or will the portmanteau be his final resting place?Murderbugs is part 2 of the “Unhelpful Encyclopedia” anthology series published by Wonderbird Press. It is a crowdfunded collaboration of talented storyteller’s weaving daring stories of fantasy, danger, and fiction, all coming together to honor the theme of the book - which in this case, is bugs.Listen to the Full Episode Here:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connor-reads-books/id1717470807Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1GpcirNgVdYm12QcAsLDGYContent Warnings: ArachniphobiaMurderBitesExsanguination Restrained/ BoundVictoria’s Links: FB https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaLDixon/Website https://www.victorialeadixon.comMurderbugs LinksAudiobook on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Murderbugs-Audiobook/B0DGB4TGY7Audiobook on Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/murderbugs-an-arthropod-anthology-unhelpful/id1767078861Buy the Text Version: https://www.amazon.com/Murderbugs-Arthropod-Anthology-Unhelpful-Encyclopedia-ebook/dp/B0D2RQPYGHWonderbird Press:https://www.patreon.com/WonderBirdPressVoice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

We are going to close this year out with our conversation with Rebecca E. Treasure, a Prolific Sci-fi Author and Editor at Apex Magazine! We talk about how Rebecca's travels have impacted her writing, the accomplishments she’s made, and the lessons she’s learned in her time as an editor and violin instructor. Join us for this interview and listen to the tips, tricks, and tid bits of advice that Rebecca has for us. Oh - we also talk a little about Lord of the Rings!Rebecca’s Links: https://linktr.ee/rebeccaetreasurehttps://rebeccaetreasure.com/Upcoming Snap Judgment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxIHNwEkgnUMy passion project (it didn't come up, but what the heck!): www.patreon.com/crepuscularmagazineApex: www.apex-magazine.comApex Books: www.apexbookcompany.comVoice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays - or at least they would be if Santa wasn’t on the verge of bankruptcy! With the north pole in dire straits, and receiving an alluring lead that could save the workshop, Santa has no choice but to assemble the finest crew in both of the poles. Their target: one of Scrooge’s tankers filled to the brim with cutting edge technology. Join in on the holiday mischief and mayhem in Connor Reads Books’ 2024 Christmas Special!Content Warnings: Coarse LanguageViolenceNaughty SantaBrutality (brief)“Ocean’s Twleve Days of Christmas”Written by: Connor McGeverly, Isaac Andrews, and Alex BeadlesVoice Actors: Lou Fox as the Narrator and CutsieIsaac Andrews as Frosty and RudolphAlex Beadles as Nethacker and LiamConnor McGeverly as Santa, Sneed, elf commando, and the officersVoice Over Links:Connor’s Linkshttps://www.lconnorvoice.com/https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665Lou’s Linkshttps://x.com/BardCommander?t=IJjgVxpZ-qqnOeZC0kBXLw&s=09https://youtu.be/Q1O-1CnU9sk?si=SkVWjh1ZsT6sGsx5https://youtu.be/JYCHC79iipE?si=mkhWTYe4SKsAzRJfIsaac’s LinksEmail: [email protected]://www.instagram.com/isaacand/Mixing and Mastering CreditsLouie Sanders; Soundmonk Studios - https://www.soundmonkstudios.com/https://www.instagram.com/soundmonkstudios/Music Credits: “Holiday Heist”; Two Guys from Work - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gZ8DcdkLSYTEpnz3JjSC1?si=tVvDgoIdTZeEzLQ4yZip9wConnor Reads Books Main Theme “Medieval Master” Louie Sanders, Soundmonk Studios

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, we have another superb interview for you! In this episode we talk to Mike Jack Stoumbous, a first place winner of the 2021 Writers of the Future Contest, and founder of the publishing company Wonderbird Press. We talk about what got Mike into writing, how he approaches any creative process he engages in, as well as some of the finer details of self publishing and crowd-sourcing funds for books and authors. We unpack some of the thinking and process of creating the Murderbirds and Murderbugs Anthologies. Thanks Mike for the interview, for being a great client, and for supporting other storytellers and creatives! Mike Jack Stoumbous’s Links: https://www.mikejackstoumbos.com/abouthttps://www.mikejackstoumbos.com/wonderbird-presshttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Mike-Jack-Stoumbos/author/B01MXI8G2X?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=truehttps://www.facebook.com/MikeJackStoumboshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPpY0RHOUXNk-YkZZ6PEloghttps://www.instagram.com/sirmikejack https://www.superstarswriting.com/https://apex-writers.com/Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy folks, we have another great interview for you today! Today we talk to Qualia Reed; a prolific, self-published author who has created immersive sci-fi worlds, compelling characters, and cathartic story arcs all while artfully weaving LGBTQ+ themes throughout. Join us as we talk about Qualia’s inspirations, writing journey, and insights on the world of self publishing. Thanks for coming to interview Qualia! Qualia’s Links: https://www.instagram.com/qualiareed/https://www.facebook.com/p/Qualia-Reed-Author-100087126994657/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22862775.Qualia_Reedhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BDTHJ3RP?ingress=0&visitId=f4b89a39-4ecd-4d9f-b56e-3821adbdf036Listen to Ursus Aeternus!https://www.audible.com/pd/Ursus-Aeternus-Audiobook/B0CNL37SPHVoice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners! We have another awesome author interview for you this week where we talk to award winning author Desmond Astaire. We talk about his inspirations writing in the Unhelpful Encyclopedia Series, his writing journey as a whole, and how his time serving in the military has given him some of his strongest strategies for getting stories written. Join us as we discuss the creative works of Desmond Astaire. Desmond’s Links: https://www.desmondastaire.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22428361.Desmond_Astairehttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Desmond-Astaire/author/B09VB54NFM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueMurder Birds: https://www.amazon.com/Murderbirds-Avian-Anthology-Unhelpful-Encyclopedia/dp/B0BS9S8PRRMurder Bugs: https://www.audible.com/pd/Murderbugs-Audiobook/B0DGB4TGY7Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:L. Connor Voice - Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665https://www.fiverr.com/s/669RvbMusic Credits: Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits:

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/