Uncorking a Story

Matt Haig is a British author for children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children's book, A Boy Called Christmas, was a runaway hit in his own country and has been translated in over 25 languages. His latest novel, The Midnight Library, will be released in the United States on September 29, 2020.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Matt not only about this forthcoming release but also about his path to becoming a published author. Most authors will tell you that getting published isn’t an easy thing to do and Matt would certainly concur. However, he also was able to accomplish something extraordinary— publish work across multiple genres including non-fiction, adult fiction, and children’s fiction. If nothing else, the publishing industry loves to put authors into nice and neat boxes, but Matt Haig cannot be placed in a box—and readers should celebrate that.

Our conversation takes some interesting twists and turns as we discuss mental health and how fiction writing is cathartic, especially to writers who have experienced anxiety and depression. We also dig into how overcoming obstacles can bring about the confidence to do things one never thought possible. I love the words of advice Matt ends on in our conversation which center around the importance of acceptance and appreciating oneself and to not pretend to be anyone else while writing.

Happy listening!

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Dan Hill is the author of eight books including Famous Faces Decoded: A Guidebook for Reading Others; Two Cheers for Democracy: How Emotions Drive Leadership Style; and First Blush: People's Intuitive Reactions to Famous Art. 

His specialty is analyzing the power of emotions to shape outcomes and personalities. Dan pioneered the use of facial coding in business and has done research for over 50% of the world’s top 100 B2C companies. Media highlights include appearances on ABC’s Good Morning, America and NBC’s The Today Show, plus front-page coverage in The New York Times.

Listen in as I speak with Dan about how he went from being a guy with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and Ph.D. in English to being recognized as a pioneer of facial coding in the market research industry.

Dan’s blog Faces of the Week can be found at https://emotionswizard.com.

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Pat Oates is a comedian, author, podcaster and comedy advice writer. He has been performing stand-up comedy for over 12 years and has appeared on TLC's Extreme Cheapskates, E's Talk Soup, and The Anthony Cumia Show with Dave Landau.

In this interview, Pat discusses how he got into comedy, why he turned an advice column into a book for other comics to learn from, and his other passion—professional wrestling. One of the standout quotes from this conversation is as follows, “I don’t know everything and I don’t know most things. I have to be open to everything and not afraid to ask questions. Always question yourself and don’t be afraid to fail.”

It’s a humbling message that I’ve heard from successful people in other fields—this idea of being open to learning new things and being open to failure. It’s often what separates people who are okay at what they do and people who are truly great at it, and Pat is a GREAT comic.

Pat eats, sleeps and breathes comedy and that passion comes through in his act, his podcasts and his writing. Get a copy of his book from Amazon.com. Any comics who are looking for feedback on their sets or highlight reel can reach out to Pat by email at [email protected].

Happy listening!

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All I had to do was love them.

That observation pretty much sums up Diane O’Connell’s perspective on how she was able to bond with so many kids who passed through the halls of Stamford/Trinity Catholic High School.

In this interview you will hear about how walking into the main office as a parent, wearing nothing but a bathing suit and cover up (and apparently some pearls), led to Diane landing her dream job as the school’s main office secretary.  You will learn that she’s got some serious pull when it comes to finding parking during a key UCONN basketball game and why Thanksgiving is the first of many “happiest days of the year” for her.

Lastly, you will hear some words of reassurance directed towards the class of 2020 from the heart and soul of Catholic High.

This episode of Uncorking a Story is brought to you by Mike Carlon’s novel Motel California, which can be purchased at Amazon.com or wherever books are sold online. Enjoy the show.

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Over the past few years, I’ve used the Uncorking a Story platform to highlight the work of authors, comedians, and entrepreneurs. I’ve become increasingly interested in uncorking the stories of people who are doing inspiring work in their local communities and that brings me to this current episode featuring Dawn Carpenter of The We Project, a non-profit organization that helps feed, clothe, and mentor needy people in Northern New Jersey.

This past summer, I interviewed Dawn’s husband Derrick for my “day job” as a focus group moderator/user experience researcher. While asking him some warm-up questions to build rapport, I learned that Derrick and his wife run a food rescue organization in Northern New Jersey and he briefly shared with me that the organization was inspired from a tragedy. I wanted to dig into this a little more, but I wasn’t being paid by my client to uncover a human interest story and had to begin asking a series of questions on his use of voice activated mobile assistants.

After our session ended, though, I asked Derrick if I could recontact him to learn more about The We Project and he put me in touch with his wife Dawn, who recently shared her story with me. It is a powerful one that underscores three lessons I’ve learned while doing this podcast.

1. Something beautiful can arise from something tragic. You will understand what this means when you hear the story of Dawn’s brother, one of the driving forces behind The We Project.
2. The importance of asking for help. Dawn states very clearly that if you don’t let people know what your needs are, they will never be met. This one really hit home for me, as you will learn in my introduction to this episode.
3. The importance of putting thoughts into action. A lot of people can dream up ideas, but the ability to put them into action is what separates doers from dreamers. Dawn and her husband Derrick are definitely doers, and I hope you are as inspired by their story as I am.

To learn more about The We Project, visit https://www.facebook.com/wearetheweproject/. Feel free to email Dawn at [email protected] or give her a call on (201) 456-8908.

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Look up the definition of Renaissance man in the dictionary and I’m pretty sure you will find a picture of Aug Stone. He’s a singer/songwriter, author, and comic whose alter ego Young Southpaw has been described as a character who traffics in short, memorized bursts of pun-filled, pop-cultural streams of consciousness.

I recently sat down with Aug to discuss his careers as a musician, author, and comic. Along the way we touch upon Van Halen, overcoming introversion to become a world-class performer, Chinese astrology, and, of course, the birth of Young Southpaw. I also learned that, at a young age, he wanted to be a wizard when he grew up but had to “settle” for being a professional musician. While all of that made for a very entertaining interview, I  think what I loved most about our chat was realizing that Aug embodies a certain characteristic that I’ve uncovered in many of the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve interviewed on Uncorking a Story—the ability to put thought into action.

You can pick up his novel, Off License to Kill, here, or wherever you prefer to buy books online. For more on Aug, visit www.AugStone.com and www.YoungSouthpaw.com (to have your mind blown).

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Sit tight and strap in because this inaugural episode of the Open Mike Podcast starts in Brooklyn, takes a trip to Paris Island, and involves hookers, practical jokes on a national scale, and an angry Russian woman who apparently doesn’t like horse racing in the Poconos. That’s because it features an in-depth conversation with comedian Frank Murgalo.

Before being a comic, Frank was a Marine, a copier salesman, owned a staffing agency, and was a financial advisor—and those are only the jobs we know about. I asked Frank how he got into stand-up comedy and I think he only answers it after speaking with me for an hour, because his life before stand-up was so very interesting.

Listen in as we discuss how Frank lost 12lbs in one day during basic training, how he became a master of making bigger rocks into smaller rocks, and how Mad Men wasn’t very far off when it came to certain elements of client service, but these are all his stories to tell so listen in and hear them all.

For all you comedians out there, Frank books a paid bringer show at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT on Thursday nights and as of now he’s still looking for some comics for September 12th. The show is hosted by the one and only Pat Oats who is a tremendous comic and very generous with his time and advice so get some stage time, a few bucks in your pocket, and some mentorship. To check availability, email frank by clicking here.  Enjoy the show.

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Nick Breen is a Connecticut Based comic who, on the surface, appears to be a passenger on the crazy train, but once you get to know him you realize he’s in complete control of the ride. He’s one of the most ambitious comics on the Connecticut circuit and perhaps one of the most insightful people I’ve ever met.

Listen up as we talk about what drives him comedically and join us on a wild ride beginning in Westchester County, NY and then off to the bay area of California. From there it’s off to rural Illinois before finally stopping in Milford, CT. Along the way we take a deep dive into the range of life experiences he’s had, all of which influence what propels him forward and why he bears his soul on stage in a quest to connect with the audience and, of course, make them laugh.

Follow Nick Breen on Instagram @nick_am_

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David Bell is the USA Today-bestselling author of eight novels from Berkley/Penguin, including Layover, which will be released on July 2nd 2019. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, and in 2013, he won the prestigious Prix Polar International de Cognac for best crime novel by an international author.  

Listen in as we discuss how David went from working gigs in restaurants as well as in telemarketing to becoming a published author. Along the way we talk about our shared experiences being raised Catholic, why it’s so important to keep at it when dealing with rejection, and how it’s absolutely possible for zombie stories to have social commentary.

In addition to being a successful author of thrillers, David is an associate professor of English at Western Kentucky University where he directs the MFA program in creative writing.

You can learn more about David at www.davidbellnovels.com.

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From as far back as she can remember, Colleen Georges, Ph.D.  felt a calling to help others. It led her to pursue a doctorate in counseling psychology and serve as a Therapeutic Assistant for teens in foster care experiencing emotional/behavioral issues. 

Currently, she helps her clients achieve greater happiness in their personal and professional lives. She also runs optimism wellness groups, and facilitates personal, career, and staff development workshops. 

In her new book RESCRIPT the Story You’re Telling Yourself: The Eight Practices to Quiet Your Inner Antagonist, Amplify Your Inner Advocate, & Author a Limitless Life, Dr. Colleen guides you on a self-authorship journey using the eight practices of her RESCRIPT framework. You’ll discover how to:

• Identify limiting stories you’re telling yourself that are keeping you stuck
• Quiet your Inner Antagonist quickly so it doesn’t hinder you
• Amplify your Inner Advocate to cultivate positive thoughts and actions
• Stop criticizing yourself, dwelling on the past, and fearing the future
• Recognize your self-worth so you can set and achieve your goals

If that doesn’t sound impressive enough, listen in as we discuss why Jon Bon Jovi is a national treasure, why 80’s metal is still relevant 30 years later, and why Don Draper’s words of wisdom remain true long after Mad Men has ended, “If you don’t like what is being said, change the conversation.”

You can learn more about Dr. Colleen Georges by clicking here. 

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