This episode is an audiobook performance of the first chapter of Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. (If you are joining us for the first time, I strongly advise starting Season 4 at the beginning, with S4-E1.) In Chapter One we meet our central characters: an old fisherman and his wife, their adopted daughter (the title character, Undine, a strange girl from the first), and a knight named Huldbrand (who makes this, for now, a “stranger comes to town” story). Prepare to be transported to the fairy tale forest for an adventure worth taking!

What’s the latest? What’s new? What’s hot off the press? These are, of course, interesting questions when trying to pick a new book to read or movie to watch, but they do imply that anything old is of less value. I disagree. The old stories, though sometimes gone and forgotten, are often the most powerful. In Season 4 of East and Wes, I blow the dust off one of my favorite old texts by reading/performing it, in its entirety, audiobook style. Undine is an 1811 fairy tale by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué, and is an interesting ancestor of a story most are familiar with, The Little Mermaid. This season premiere introduces the story’s history and author’s bio. The episodes that follow adventure through the book one chapter at a time. George MacDonald called Undine the most beautiful of fairy tales, and I feel confident listeners will find it to be just that.

[Music Credits: Precious Memories by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/]

Check out this sneak peek of my as-yet-unpublished manuscript, ROAD, a memoir of the Dusty Roads Band. This reading is from Chapter 10, which tells the adventure of a backwoods south Georgia bar called "Pud's." Laugh along with me as you enjoy this completely nonfiction tale.

In this unique bonus episode, East and Wes takes a nostalgic journey through the days of two bygone cover bands: Supercargo and Dusty Roads. The latter is the inspiration for my current writing project (a memoir entitled ROAD), and in this episode you'll hear a chapter (sneak peak) from that working manuscript. Lots of music here too, so crank up the volume and enjoy!     ** Parental Note: Some (just a small bit) of the lyrics are PG. **

I never dreamed this day would come, but it's here, and I couldn't be happier! I am now, officially, a novelist. This just further proof that God can use anybody. He is so good! Give this short episode a listen to find out more.

“Close your eyes, fall back, we will catch you, we will catch you, we will catch you.” A time-honored game of trust. And trust, it turns out, is near the center of all things. In what do you trust? Today’s season finale looks through the lens of Isaiah at the shaky ground that deserves no trust and the solid rock that deserves it all. [*Fact correction: Shakespeare was 16th-17th century.]

Just because something "is" does not mean it always "will be." Perhaps it will change (become new). Perhaps it will invert (become opposite). Perhaps it will expand (become more). All this will be discussed in Episode Six, especially concerning our present life and our afterlife. Textual focus from the book of Isaiah. 

Should we live in the now or focus on the future? One answer: In this present moment, we are to hope for the future promise. And remember, if you have something, you no longer hope for it. If we had Paradise now, great, but we would no longer hope for it. However, since we (quite clearly) are not in Paradise now, then we are left with hope. Turns out, living in hope is something intensely special.

“But that’s not fair!” said any given kid on any given playground anywhere in the world. We humans, from a very young age, are well tuned to justice, fairness, equality. Turns out, so is God! (Not surprising, really. We’re made in His image.) This episode of East and Wes gives an in-depth look at justice, American inequalities, universities, race, and…well, just listen for yourself. [*Note: The foster/adoptive link referenced in this episode is http://fostergeorgia.com/become-a-foster-or-adoptive-parent/. My email is [email protected].]

"Do this, do that, /  a rule for this, a rule for that; / a little here, a little there" (Isaiah 28:10). If the Christian walk has ever appeared to you as just a whole bunch of buzz-killing rules and regulations, then this is an episode for you. Turns out, it is indeed for freedom that God set us free. He'll take a feast and a festival, a joyful heart and a grateful smile, over a despondent legalism any day.