Today’s guest is guitarist, composer, producer, and bandleader Jon Madof.  Based in New York, Jon is the leader of several bands, including Zion80 and Rashanim, and has released seven albums on Tzadik Records. In addition, Madof is co-founder of the prolific and eclectic CHANT Records label. I have known Jon for two decades and followed his remarkable career as a fan, critic, and friend. Our conversations, dating back to my days as a tech analyst, have always revolved around the challenges and opportunities of contemporary creativity, and how it’s incumbent on artists to both understand and utlize available technology. Jon is an original and multi-faceted musician, but he also strongly advocates for fellow artists—he leads by example and the music he has made possible through his CHANT Records label is no small miracle. Jon gives his always-insightful take on the current landscape: what he’s learned, and what led him to create a DIY recording studio in his basement. While any aspiring musician can learn a great deal from Jon, his words of wisdom are recommended for any creative looking to find a foothold in a rapidly changing (and yes, intimidating) environment. How does one balance imagination, discipline, promotion, and being an active part of a community? This conversation will shed light on how the hard work gets done, and typically ends up being its own reward.

Explore Jon’s music and more at jonmadof.com

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Today’s guest is Steven L. Herman, author, teacher, and chief national correspondent for the Voice of America. His latest book, Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story of Covering the President—and Why It Matters, was published in June. Steve was one of the first guests for the new Speaker Series I curate for the Center for Story at Shenandoah University, and he was on my podcast wish list as the election year chaos shifts into overdrive. In addition to discussing his book, which covers his decades of experience on the front lines, culminating with some truly surreal stories from the (first?) Trump presidency, Steven describes his formative years, and how he cultivated the skills necessary to rise to the very top of the super competitive journalism industry. Steve is also a walking and talking encyclopedia of American political history, and his insights on how the always uneasy relationship between presidents and the press are invaluable and fascinating. Naturally, this conversation explores the dynamics of the current election cycle, and what to look for in the weeks and months ahead. We hear so much—often from cynical and opportunistic insiders—about lack of trust in the media, and Steven is the gold standard for how objective, critical, and useful reporting is a genuine American tradition that informs (rather than senselessly dividing) our citizens.

For more about Steve, check him out online at steveherman.press

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Whitney Collins joins us to discuss—and celebrate—her brand-new collection Ricky and Other Love Stories. Whitney describes the unique ways short fiction works, and why this form (traditionally disdained by the Lit Industry as not being sufficiently “commercial,” prompting the by-now cliched question even a successful short story writer hears “what about a novel?”) seems uniquely situated for our current attention-deficit / info-overload cultural moment. Whitney unpacks why short fiction appeals to her and has helped her development an aesthetic that often does what the best flash fiction achieves: delivering quick punches that land and linger. Whitney also talks about the responsibilities of literary citizenship and why being part of a community (or, circa 2024, a number of micro-communities) is at once necessary and, for the writer, refreshing. Aspiring writers looking for inspiration and guidance will appreciate Whitney’s thoughts on the importance of putting one’s work out to a wide variety of outlets, especially contests—which can provide an author with invaluable exposure that leads to other opportunities.

Learn more about Whitney and her work at whitneycollins.com

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Today’s guest is the writer, editor, and educator Sarah Trembath. Sarah has been teaching since 1998 and joined the faculty of American University in 2014 where she’s co-chair of the Critical Information Literary Committee; her written work has been widely published and anthologized and her most recent book is the poetry/creative non-fiction hybrid This Past Was Waiting for Me. Our discussion is part of a continuing dialogue we’ve enjoyed about creativity, community, the teaching of writing, and promoting civic engagement. While this conversation covers a lot of ground, the guiding topic is the concept of Invitational Rhetoric: what it is, how it’s effectively utilized (inside and outside the classroom), and why encouraging productive and respectful dialogue is particularly vital during an election year. Too much contemporary discourse (inside and outside the classroom!) quickly devolves into “I’m right, you’re wrong!” which serves little purpose other than perpetuating division; invitational rhetoric is an impactful tool for initiating conversation and accelerating the possibility of progressive cultural change.

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Courtney Maum, to invoke Whitman, truly contains multitudes: she is a widely published and successful writer (fiction, non-fiction, essays, criticism, etc.) and a one woman ambassador for literary apprentices. Her deep knowledge, gained from years of experience, of all-things publishing is nicely captured in her indispensable book Before and After the Book Deal (2020), and is alive and well via her super popular newsletter of the same name. Courtney has assisted countless writers, and deeply believes in Community (with a capital C). We delve into how one becomes part of this world, how one can aspire to do meaningful work (creatively, within communities, spiritually) while also being a champion for others. All too often in recent years, so many stories coming from inside the publishing world are about lack of resources, closed doors, decreased opportunities; Courtney is proof that one person can make a difference, and she’s an inspiration for all of us to look beyond our own work and be involved in lifting up creatives—both the apprentices and the established. We are certain you’ll subscribe to Courtney’s substack after seeing her in action!

For more from Courtney, follow her here on Substack:

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Today’s guest is the one and only Jeannine Ouellette, who is not only a gifted and celebrated writer, teacher, and editor, but creator of the beloved Substack newsletter Writing in the Dark. In addition, she’s author of the memoir The Part That Burns (2021), and is the quintessential creative advocate and enthusiast. Our discussion gets behind the scenes of how literary community works: how one gets involved, how one involves others, and how artistic momentum can be sustained over time. Jeaninne describes how she’s built her incredibly popular and important newsletter community, literally one subscriber at a time, and how the combination of showing up and caring is what builds genuine relationships. All of this might sound either obvious or even banal, but for those of us who have spent time in an industry filled with solitude, rejection, and very transactional relationships, to defy cynicism and actually counter it with positivity is nothing short of miraculous. Jeannine, as you’ll see and hear, is a miracle: she brings her gifts to the world, but is equally interested in helping others locate, refine, and share their gifts. The sum total of her life’s work (in progress!) is a capacity to enlarge hearts, minds, and stories. This conversation is certain to be continued.

For more from Jeannine, subscribe to her here on Substack:

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Today’s guest is James Millner, Director of VA Pride at Diversity Richmond and LGBTQ advocate, whom Sean has known—and been inspired by—for several decades. This discussion covers the special urgency of messaging and awareness during an election year, and more broadly covers the evolving discourse about maleness, with a special focus on how far America has come (and how much work still needs to be done) in terms of inclusivity and opportunity. If we look at the ways “wokeness” has been attacked by cynical opportunists, are there effective ways to engage and initiate conversations (instead of simply accepting that our sociopolitical discourse is a zero sum game)? James has years of experience and is ideally positioned to articulate that while many of these matters play out in the political and cultural arena, they are, of course, human issues, and require all of us to find more positive and peaceful ways to work and prosper.

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In the first episode of Some Things Considered with Sean Murphy, guest Brian Broome joins us to talk about issues of “maleness,” interrogating toxic masculinity, writing about men (and men’s health), the possibility of establishing positive narratives around men, and the art of political writing. Brian discusses both the artistic and existential notions of authenticity, and how honest engagement with false constructions (of gender, of class, of race relations, etc.) is a way to establish more constructive dialogue and understanding. We compare and contrast the ways effective storytelling works in the classroom, via memoir, and for the public, particularly anything that gets “political” in our current cultural environment. As a regular columnist for The Washington Post, Brian has valuable insights regarding how to use powerful writing as an impetus not only for education, but consensus. Not least, we explore the private vs. public lives of creatives, and why social media can be, naturally, both blessing and curse. If this is your first introduction to Brian, this conversation will help you understand why he is such a beloved and important presence in American culture.

Learn more about Brian and his work at brianbroome.com

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