WV Uncommonplace : Uncommon Conversations

Episode: Gwen Tolios - Writing Underrepresented Stories

Host: Jr Sparrow

Guest: Gwen Tolios, Author from Chicago

Introduction:

Jr Sparrow introduces the guest, Gwen Tolios, an author from Chicago who writes character-driven stories that explore underrepresented identities and experiences.

They discuss the importance of representation in literature and the impact it can have on readers.

Segment 1: Journey to Becoming an Author

Gwen talks about her journey to becoming an author, starting in eighth or ninth grade.

Her parents encouraged her to read and write instead of watching TV, which helped her develop her passion for writing.

She shares her experience writing fan-fiction and how it helped her hone her skills as a writer.

Jr Sparrow and Gwen discuss the importance of starting small and building up writing skills.

Segment 2: Challenges Faced by Authors

Gwen talks about the challenges faced by authors, including criticism from writing groups and the struggle to get published.

She shares her personal experience with receiving rejections and the impact it had on her mental health.

Gwen also shares her big break, selling her audio rights to a story to another podcast.

Jr Sparrow and Gwen discuss the importance of having a support system and ways to maintain mental health while pursuing a passion.

Segment 3: Writing About Underrepresented Identities and Experiences

Gwen talks about the importance of writing about underrepresented identities and experiences and how it can help readers feel seen and heard.

She emphasizes that writing should be a passion and not just for monetary gain.

Gwen shares her experiences writing about what she knows from her personal life and how it has influenced her writing.

Jr Sparrow and Gwen discuss the responsibility that comes with writing about underrepresented communities and the importance of doing it respectfully.

Segment 4: Asexuality and Representation in Literature

Gwen shares her personal experiences of being an asexual author and how it influenced her work.

Jr Sparrow and Gwen delve into the spectrum of asexuality and the importance of emotional intimacy and friendships in addition to romantic relationships.

They discuss the representation of asexuality in literature and the impact it can have on asexual readers.

Conclusion:

Jr Sparrow thanks Gwen for sharing her insights and experiences.

Gwen gives shameless plugs for her social media handles and books.

Jr Sparrow encourages listeners to support underrepresented authors and their work.

[00:00:00] Interview with Asexual Author and Writing Journey

[00:03:22] Challenges in Writing Groups

[00:06:38] Overcoming obstacles to achieve writing success

[00:09:53] Discovering personal struggles to write about

[00:13:23] Overcoming Writer's Block and Self-Maintenance

[00:16:40] TV Shows as a Coping Mechanism

[00:19:46] Discussion of Guest's Books: "Demos of the Deep" and "Today, Tomorrow Always

[00:23:18] Planet Event, Spider Suit, and Asexuality

[00:26:33] Understanding Asexuality and Aromanticism

[00:29:54] Asexuality in Literature & Representation

[00:33:43] Challenges of Parental Dementia and Gender-Based Harassment

[00:37:24] Sacrifices Made for Success

[00:41:09] Astronomy, COVID, and Personal Reflections

[00:44:49] Celebrating Podcast Community and Promotion

[00:48:17] Billboards and Promotions Strategy

Introduction by Jr. about video games and his experience with gaming on the original Xbox

Jr. talks about Ubisoft as a company and their defunct series, Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell

Discusses how Ubisoft tried to compete with Skylanders and Disney Infinity with Starlink Battle for Atlantis but it was too late

Jr. enjoyed Starlink because of its RPG elements but the toys were expensive and the game eventually went away

Beyond Good and Evil was a famous flop from Ubisoft that became a cult classic, Jr. suggests Ubisoft to take the time to rethink and release the game again

Jr. talks about 13, based on the Belgium comic book series, that fell short and the remake was not great

Ubisoft had some hits like Red Steel but also had flops

Jr. suggests Ubisoft to bring back Mist, a series he loves and asks them to do the right thing with it

Lunar , an RPG series from Ubisoft, was wrecked and became a disappointment

Jr. expresses disappointment about Ubisoft giving up on Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon and thinks they should bring them back

Ubisoft covers a wide range of games including South Park games, the Rayman games, and Far Cry

Jr. thinks Ubisoft should put more effort into their titles besides Assassin's Creed and Far Cry

Jr. suggests Ubisoft to bring back For Honor and make a decent South Park game

Jr. acknowledges that Ubisoft makes money from games like Just Dance, but expresses frustration about their lack of effort in making new games

Conclusion by Jr. about Ubisoft's hits and misses in the gaming industry.

Make sure you check out Nebula Capsule and its great projector offerings ⁠https://nebula-us.pxf.io/c/3892135/999468/13098⁠

Are you a podcaster struggling with the quality of your sound? Jr and Stacey, hosts of WV Uncommonplace, have been there too! Listen to this episode to find out their journey with microphones and other equipment they experimented with to get their podcast sounding right. Starting with $5 microphones, they eventually upgraded to Yetis and even a Zoom recorder with XLR connectors to offer the best sound to their listeners. Their key advice? Invest in your equipment to improve your returns and it'll pay off - you'll sound like a professional in no time! But that's not all they talk about in this episode - the duo also addresses the sensitive issue of faking podcast statistics and warns against it. They advise podcasters to be genuine and honest, as it can have negative repercussions down the road. If you love their content, don't forget to follow their social media handles and reach out to them. So what are you waiting for? Tune in to WV Uncommonplace for a fascinating discussion and valuable tips to improve your podcasting game!

Introduction:

The speaker starts the monologue by introducing the topic of video games and Electronic Arts (EA) as a game developer.

The speaker expresses disappointment with EA for ruining over 20 series of games.

Dead Space:

The speaker talks about Dead Space, a game series developed by Visceral Games and published by EA.

The speaker praises the first game in the series but expresses dislike for the second and third games.

The speaker mentions that a remake of the first game was released recently.

Dungeon Keeper:

The speaker discusses Dungeon Keeper, a PC game that was great but disappeared after the second installment.

The speaker expresses disappointment that the game was never revived.

Ultima:

The speaker talks about Ultima, an important RPG from 1991 that was developed by Origin Systems.

The speaker laments that Ultima has not been revived since 1997.

Wing Commander:

The speaker discusses Wing Commander, a series that was a personal favorite and had involvement from Mark Hamill.

The speaker criticizes EA for mishandling the series and mentions that it has not been revived since 2007.

Odd World:

The speaker briefly talks about Odd World and how it fell by the wayside after involvement with EA.

Need for Speed:

The speaker discusses the Need for Speed series, expressing that it has not been great since the first game on PlayStation.

The speaker states that the spin-offs have not been of good quality and EA has not worried about the level of quality.

Syndicate:

The speaker briefly mentions Syndicate, a fun game that was well-received.

The Simpsons:

The speaker talks about The Simpsons video games, particularly Hit and Run, which was the greatest game in the series.

The speaker criticizes EA for not making a sequel to Hit and Run and instead focusing on mobile games.

The speaker mentions that the microtransactions in Simpsons Tapped Out were controversial.

Titanfall:

The speaker expresses dislike for Titanfall and is glad that it ended.

Road Rash:

The speaker talks about Road Rash, a fun game series that was last seen in Road Rash 3D and Road Rash 64.

The speaker expresses disappointment that the game has not been revived.

Conclusion:

The speaker concludes the monologue by reiterating that EA has ruined over 20 game series and expresses hope that some of the series will be revived in the future.

Make sure you check out Nebula Capsule and its great projector offerings ⁠https://nebula-us.pxf.io/c/3892135/999468/13098⁠

Laura is a former human resource professional who’s now a freelance writer and business coach to new and aspiring freelancers. She is passionate about helping others earn a living that truly fits their life. Laura has been included in articles on sites such as CNBC Acorns, Fox Business, and Student Loan Hero.

If you're a fan of video games and The Matrix franchise, you won't want to miss Jr's latest episode of WV Uncommonplace. In this segment, Jr gets nostalgic as he talks about two classic video games - Enter the Matrix and The Matrix Path of Neo - which were developed by Shiny Entertainment, founded by none other than Dave Perry of Earthworm Jim fame. Jr shares his disappointment that these games are not backward compatible with newer consoles, and he laments the fact that there has been no tie-in video game for the new Matrix movie.

But Jr doesn't stop there. He believes that Warner Brothers and Atari could benefit greatly by re-licensing these games and getting the original voice actors involved. And he isn't afraid to call them out on it. Jr expresses his desire for companies to revive these games, citing the commercial success of actor Keanu Reeves and the potential market for updated versions of these games.

The segment ends with Jr speculating why some licensed products turned out decently while others were downright terrible. It's clear that Jr is passionate about video games, and his enthusiasm for this particular topic is contagious. If you're a fan of The Matrix, you won't want to miss WV Uncommonplace's latest episode. Jr's perspective on the topic is refreshing and informative, and his enthusiasm is sure to have you searching for an original Xbox and an HDMI converter so you can enjoy Enter the Matrix and The Matrix Path of Neo all over again.

Jesse Fisco is a serial entreprenuer that has created multiple business in Utah and Tennessee. Jesse is a Master Practicioner and has a huge passion for Nuero Linguistic Programming. He has a huge passion for helping others succeed and win BIGGER.

In the latest episode of the Wv Uncommonplace, host Jr and their guest talk about the controversial topic of racism. Jr talks about their personal experience of racism growing up in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jr shares how racism wasn't just from white people but was also present within their own race. Jr's first incident with racism was when another African American kid referred to him as a "moon cricket". Jr goes on to share how in middle school, racism wasn't about being discriminated based on skin color, but rather class systems such as the middle, lower and upper-class. Jr was privileged to attend and be part of events and parties that other African American kids weren't because they belonged to the middle class.

After listening to the podcast, here are three takeaways on understanding racism from Jr's experience. Firstly, racism is not just present in white people but also African Americans. Secondly, racism takes different forms and not just limited to slurs or discrimination based on skin color. Lastly, racism can be seen in class systems, with people from lower classes being segregated from those in the middle and upper classes.

The Wv Uncommonplace has succeeded in bringing new perspectives on the controversial issue of racism. As Jr puts it, "depending on who asks me about racism, you don't get the same answer out of me." The episode on racism isn't just about Jr's experience but provides an opportunity to reflect on one's own experiences with racism. Remember to tune in to the Wv Uncommonplace to listen to the full episode.

Quote:  "The racism that presented itself to us wasn't necessarily always from white people or other ethnicities. It was actually inside our race."

Harry Potter why now did I start watching the movies with 20 + years never thinking a moment about these movies . Stacey dives in and asks the hard hitting questions and I answer the burning question ..

The Harry Potter episode of WV Uncommonplace features hosts Jr and Stacey discussing their experiences with the popular franchise. Jr explains why it took him so long to watch the films, and the hosts discuss their experiences watching the movies together. They also express interest in J.K. Rowling's controversial background and recommend listening to their Black Friday review on Spotify. The hosts plan to cover the entire Harry Potter franchise in detail, cautioning listeners to beware of spoilers. They also welcome suggestions for future movie reviews and offer various ways for listeners to connect with them. Overall, the hosts provide an engaging and fun discussion of their experiences with the Harry Potter franchise and their plans to cover it in future episodes.

Make sure you check out Nebula Capsule and its great projector offerings ⁠https://nebula-us.pxf.io/c/3892135/999468/13098⁠

Part 1:

JR and Stacy introduce themselves as the hosts of WV Uncommon Place, a podcast about "West Virginia, weird stuff, and pop culture."

JR talks about his background in radio and how he got into podcasting.

Stacy talks about her background in journalism and how she enjoys storytelling.

They both discuss their love for West Virginia and how they want to share the state's unique culture and history with their listeners.

JR and Stacy mention that they will cover a variety of topics on their podcast, including urban legends, true crime, and pop culture.

Part 2:

JR and Stacy talk about their previous episode, which covered the Harry Potter series.

They give a brief summary of the series, including the main characters and plot points.

JR and Stacy share their personal experiences with the series, including when they first read the books and saw the movies.

They discuss the impact that Harry Potter has had on pop culture, and how it has inspired a whole generation of readers and fans.

JR and Stacy mention that they will go into more detail about the series in the next portion of the transcript.

Part 3:

JR and Stacy dive deeper into the Harry Potter series, discussing the different houses at Hogwarts and the significance of the sorting ceremony.

They talk about the main characters and their relationships with each other, as well as some of the major themes of the series, such as love, friendship, and the battle between good and evil.

JR and Stacy also discuss some of their favorite moments and scenes from the series, as well as some of the criticisms that have been made of the series over the years.

They end the segment by teasing some of the topics they will cover in future episodes of the podcast.

Michaela S. Cox is a seven-time published author. Her books include Heartfelt Meditations: A Collection of Poetry Inspired by Cherished Scriptures, books on motherhood in her Take a Sip, Take a Breath and Go... series and most recently, on her faith in Scripture, Spirituality and Our Culture series. Michaela’s third series is entitled Before the Clock Strikes Midnight Michaela has also been published in "Light and Life".  She is an author who writes about her heartfelt meditations related to her passions about her journey as a mother, her journey of faith and the American journey of We the People.

Michaela S. Cox takes the inspiration for her writings form her own life’s journey walking and traveling a journey that has taken her from much tribulation to learning how to thriving in all things including; a lifelong, since since birth, disability af legal blindness, divorce at age 26 and then at age 38 the loss of her beloved husband and thus having to journey through widowhood, solo/single parenting while managing her disability. These experiences very much influences her work, as an author, on her journey through motherhood, her journey of faith for over 35 plus years. In the future Michaela plans to start and introduce two new series over the next several months related to 'We the People”, and her own personal life experiences has she has traveled here own life’s journey as a woman of faith who has dealt with a life-long disability, and the new struggles of life as a widow and solo mama.

Aside from being a mama to her two precious babies and enjoying her author journey, Michaela S. Cox is a native Texan who now resides in Louisiana with her children. Michaela enjoys time with her tribe of fabulous friends who she travels and does life with on this journey. Michaela is striving to find her own way as she is following her path, traveling the journey before her and striving to thrive in all things no matter where her journey made lead and takes her in life.

https://www.myheartfeltmeditations.com/