Storybound

On episode #11, I sit down with music composer and singer Tahlee for a vulnerable and honest conversation about the messy, beautiful process of self-discovery. We explore their mental health journey, from navigating panic attacks and depression to addressing binge eating and unlearning harmful stereotypes. Our conversation highlights the power of patience, self-compassion, and persistence in the face of uncertainty. If you’ve ever felt like you’re piecing together your own story, this episode will remind you that every step forward matters.

Tahlee is a visionary music composer with over two decades of experience crafting meditones® — calming soundscapes that promote focus, relaxation, and sleep. As a neurodivergent creator living with ADHD, c-PTSD, and migraines, Tahlee’s journey has been one of profound self-discovery and creative expression. Their personal experiences inspire their work, offering solace and connection to those who feel "out of sync" with the world.

Tahlee is also the co-creator of Restful, an app designed to support mental well-being through immersive, soothing audio experiences. Their blog, Wave Length, offers thoughtful reflections on neurodivergence, creativity, and the power of sound to heal and inspire. You can follow Tahlee’s work and journey on Instagram at @restful.music.

Thanks for reading storybound! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

On episode #10, I’m speaking with Michael Ruffin, who is an AuDHD coach and streamer. Michael is truly a multi-passionate individual, but everything he does contributes to shaping and providing resources for the neurodivergent community. In my chat with Michael, we talk about the pathway to burnout as a late-diagnosed individual, what is looks like, and how to get out of it. Michael provides a lot of tangible advice on journaling and changing the narrative within our minds. I hope you enjoy this episode as much I did!

Michael Ruffin is a late-diagnosed ADHD and Autistic individual who has turned his personal journey into a mission to support and empower the AuDHD community. Through his work as a content creator, advocate, and coach, he strives to provide resources and guidance he wished he had access to earlier in his life.

Driven by his experiences, Michael founded Dueling Minds to foster a world that celebrates neurodiversity and supports the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals. Beyond his leadership, Michael is a sought-after public speaker, hosting panels at the International ADHD Conference and delivering talks on AuDHD topics.

With his personal experience, expertise, and unwavering commitment, Michael is a driving force in the AuDHD community, working to create a society that values and uplifts neurodiverse voices.

Resources:

CHADD - https://chadd.org/

Dueling Minds Peer Support - https://www.duelingminds.org/

On episode #9, it is just me, Charlie, talking about why I’ve been missing and addressing some post-election rhetoric in the book community. As a writer and former teacher, there are just some topics that beg to be answered. In this episode, I dive into the history of reading and its implications in today’s reading landscape.

On episode #8, I’m speaking with Tamsyn Bester, an editor and romance writer from South Africa. I’m really excited to bring this episode to everyone as Tamsyn is such a warm personality and speaks with so openly about her challenges with mental health. In this episode, we touch on a lot of topics, but really want to highlight Tamsyn’s view on setting boundaries around social media as a creative experiencing anxiety and her incredible journey to reclaim her creativity after being misdiagnosed.

Tamsyn is an award-winning romance author and fiction editor based in Pretoria, South Africa. She has been an indie romance author since 2013, and decided to pursue a Bachelors degree in Publishing in 2016. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found reading one of her favorite books for the millionth time, or spending time with family and friends.

On episode #7, I’m speaking with Cae Hawksmoor, a developmental editor and writer who specializes in speculative fiction. Cae’s calming presence and insightful reflections made this conversation truly special. We dig deep into the challenges of navigating creativity as a neurodivergent person, explore the importance of self-compassion, and discuss what healing looks like for trauma survivors. Cae is a wealth of knowledge (I thank them so much for sharing), and I know you’ll take away so much from this conversation.

Enjoy the episode!

Cae Hawksmoor is a professional developmental editor and speculative fiction writers from North Wales. They have over ten years’ experience in writing, editing, and publishing - helping authors from all backgrounds. They are a graduate of Clarion West, a survivor of complex trauma, and have spent most their life living with the effects of anxiety and depression. Find them on Threads at caehawksmooredits.

Resources and Grants for Writers:

To find paid writing opportunities and upcoming writing competitions, check out Freedom with Writing.

The Speculative Literature Foundation has four different yearly grants available for speculative fiction writers.

The Association of Writers & Writing Programs host a yearly national conference. They offer volunteer opportunities in exchange for conference tickets.

Creative. Inspired. Happy. is offering scholarships for an aspiring writer not currently in a professional writing career, for use toward furthering their education through writing classes, continuing education, etc.

Thanks for reading storybound! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to episode #6 of the Storybound podcast! In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Rebecca Sharpf, an editor who specializes working with indie authors. Rebecca was such a joy to work with and has the most calming energy. We dive into what rest looks like as someone who is neurodivergent and creative, discuss how we start normalize neurodivergence and how she is working on removing the mask (even on social media). I hope every enjoys listening to Rebecca, she is a wealth of knowledge both on the podcast and on social media. If you don’t follow her on Instagram, you should!

Rebecca Scharpf is a book editor who specializes in working with neurodivergent indie authors who write fantasy, sci-fi, and romance. She is also an indie fantasy author and an avid reader of various fantasy subgenres, who is uniquely qualified to wrestle author’ personal dragons into shape.

When she is not writing or editing, you can catch her playing Minecraft or Powerwash Simulator, watching Markiplier on YouTube, reading LitRPG novels, or watching Ghost Adventures!

storybound is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Welcome to episode #5 of the Storybound podcast! In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Bert Lechner. In this episode, Bert opens up about his late autism diagnosis, the challenges and effects it has had in his life. I’m blown away by Bert’s willingness to talk about his struggle with abuse and how he used writing to help him heal. I hope you enjoy and find inspiration in his story too!

Bert S. Lechner is a cosmic horror author and poet born and raised near San Francisco, California. He studied music at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, originally dreaming of becoming a composer before discovering a passion for writing and telling stories. After years of pursuing different lines of work, from wine salesperson to IT specialist, Bert finally decided to pursue his passion for writing and to begin publishing his works.

When he’s not writing Bert can be found cooking, making cheese, spending time with his cats, reading, or playing video games, quite often simultaneously.

Welcome to episode #4 of the Storybound podcast! In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Lillian Empire. In this episode we explore what is was like to be late diagnosed as an adult with ADHD, the impact it had on our lives and the grief we had to process. Lillian is also a writer and we discuss how she manages her writing career alongside her ADHD.

Lillian Empire first attempted to write a novel in the fifth grade but failed horribly. She was born in the mountains of West Virginia, but she was raised in the valleys of Virginia. Lillian majored in history and conducted her primary research on crime and gender in Victorian England. When she’s not writing, Lillian enjoys pretending she has a green thumb, reading gay romance or any type of thriller/mystery, and doing genealogical research on her family. Lillian’s special talents include reciting all US states in alphabetical order and (kind of) singing classical pieces in her mezzo-soprano voice.

She can be found on Instagram and Tiktok - @lillianempire

Welcome to episode #3 of the Storybound podcast! In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Reese Sherron. We both share a common trait - ADHD - and in today’s episode, we dive into the features of ADHD that make our writing goals challenging, such as task switching and focus issues. Being a creative person while also being neurodivergent is no easy feat, so we also discuss how we stay motivated when our creative wells are feeling low.

Reese Sherron is an author and mother living in North Carolina. She’s a lover of dystopian, sci-fi and romantasy. She is known for The Fate of Elysian which released was in 2022. Right now, she is rebranding and the book will re-release as The Trials of Elysian on November 30th of this year. This will be her third book. Her romantasy series will release May of next year.

Welcome to the second episode of Storybound! Bi-weekly, Charlie interviews different creatives to talk about their journey as artists while managing either mental illness or neurodivergence.

Find video episodes of the podcast by clicking here.

You can find Debbie Lynn in these following places:

Website: https://www.debbielynnwrites.com       

IG: @debbielynnwrites

TikToK: @debbielynnwrites

Facebook: @debbielynnwrites

If you're a creative or know a creative who is neurodivergent or managing a mental health condition and think they would be a good fit for the podcast, please visit us at becomestorybound.com and let us know! You can find Charlie on most platforms @charliemorganwrites.