Stories and Stanza

Welcome to Stories and Stanza! I am excited to have you here. My podcast explores prose, poetry, and history. Every week, I'll take you on a journey through the human experience, sharing inspiring stories and conversations to uplift your spirit and inspire you. 
Please join me in welcoming Andrea Barton in the author's chair for today's episode. She is here to talk about her new book - The Godfather of Dance, and share her experience as a writer and editor. I am sure the new writers will be enriched by her journey and valuable advice. If you want to publish and understand different aspects of editing, you might find today's episode really valuable. 
If you are interested in her book or wish to connect with her as an editor, please find her coordinates below. 
Amazon Australia link: The Godfather of Dance
My author website: https://andreabartonauthor.com/ 
Brightside Story Studio website (my editing business): https://brightsidestorystudio.com/

I stood, brushing off some of the mud that was beginning to cake on—effort in vain. “Since when did this jaded old curmudgeon care to drink the poison of nostalgia?” I remember saying to myself. As you can see, I’m in my late thirties, but the rest of the self-reflection was accurate. I breathed in the muck of the lake once again, tears dried, heart resolute, knowing it could be the last. “Well, Sisyphus,” thankfully, my parents were not so cruel as to name me such, “you know the insanity of the world. Perhaps it is time to embrace the absurd.”
Matthew D Albertson
Welcome to a new episode of Stories and Stanza! We're excited to have you here. Please join me in welcoming Matthew as a guest. He started writing not long ago but writes beautiful prose and poetry. We will hear him talk about his creative journey, how he believes rejections strengthen him as a writer, and some of his wonderful prose and poetry that he has shared in this discussion. 

"I am as powerful as my unspokenI'll walk with you if you take my handshow you the kind of magicthat make sorrows light up the nightor love showering in the rain,I am all of you and more."
Poetry Writing Month (April) is a very up close and personal time for me as a writer. Today, when I join this community event with poets worldwide, all I can have is powerful and overflowing emotions. I hope you will like my journey. Here is to poetry and more. 

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new episode of Stories and Stanza, where the filmmakers from Chicago will join us as guests to talk about their upcoming project - Hello New Horizons, written, produced, and directed by Chundria Brownlow. Starring Camille Wiggins, Andre Ramseur, Jaclyn Jensen, and Hanah Chang.
In "Hello New Horizons," a couple on the verge of divorce, Landon and Courtney, navigate a divorce settlement conference with their attorneys. As they review shared possessions and relive the highs and lows of their relationship, unexpected nostalgia prompts them to reconsider the inevitability of divorce, leading to a delicate exploration of vulnerability, rediscovery, and the possibility of a renewed commitment.This film is a great example of how we plan our lives and how our choices can derail them. The team discusses mindfulness, relationships, and navigating challenges. 
You can watch the film on their website here.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Stories and Stanza. This is episode 3 of the Fail with Me series. In a world where success is celebrated, and failure is often whispered about in hushed tones, "Fail with Me" flips the script. Here, we shed light on the shadows of defeat, recognizing them as fertile ground where seeds of growth are sown.
Please join me in welcoming Sarah Zink as a guest speaker. Sarah is a retired consultant and behaviourist living in Central America in the beautiful mountains of Boquete, Panama. She is passionate about emotional intelligence and mindful living. Sarah has authored several books, hosted radio and TV shows, and built and sold several businesses.
Today, we are discussing the feeling wheel created by Gloria Wilcox: “You cannot heal what you cannot feel”.
You can download the feeling wheel here. 
In relation to failure, we explore what failure truly is and link it with emotional intelligence in a supportive space to embrace the messy, imperfect, and ultimately enriching process of failure.

Welcome to the latest episode of 'Stories and Stanza.' Today, I want to discuss a problem that has troubled me for a long time — anger. 
I recently attended a somatic workshop by Eva Angvert that helped me understand this better. Anger is a defence mechanism activated through triggers. It can be a natural human emotion that signals something is wrong, unfair, or threatening. However, social and emotional threats can trigger anger in modern life despite no material danger. It's time to unpack anger, to control our emotions and not let them control us. I hope this episode helps you better understand anger and how it can affect your life. It is possible to rewire our brain, and our healing journey starts here.
I will leave Eva's coordinates here for anyone wanting to know more about it. 

Hey everyone, welcome back to 'Stories and Stanza', a podcast that explores poetry and the stories behind them. On today's episode, we will share a powerful poem that reflects on the cultural footprint of time and the lasting impact of our actions on the environment.
History has always fascinated me, and today's story is about the often-overlooked role of Australia's first cameleers. These skilled camel handlers, many from regions like Baloch and Sindh, were crucial in building infrastructure across the harsh outback in the 1860s. But what happened to them? We'll explore the challenges they faced and the surprising bond they formed with Indigenous Australians. We'll also discuss the legacy of these cameleers - the feral camel population that now thrives in Australia, and the environmental issues it presents.
Much like the one about rabbits in Australia, this story highlights the unintended consequences of introduced species. To wrap it up, I'll share a touching poem titled "Our Footprints Remain" by Elyas Alavi.

"For a long time, I had thought that because of my lack of presence, this story would not be worthy - and for many, it still might not be. But perhaps for the few in this world who, like me, have also been chosen to carry this burden, they will, if nothing else, find comfort knowing they are not alone. Though most names and characters of my recount have been changed, the story I share is real. The voice that tells this story is real. It has been real not only for me but for my closest family and friends, who have watched helplessly on the sidelines. It certainly has been real for many others who have been struggling to find their sense of self in the face of this cruel fate.
Call this whatever you deem fit – a memoir, personal essay, a work of nonfiction, or a blend of everything in between. There will be things unresolved and events likely remembered wrong. But in the end, labels, and categories aside, this is a recount of just one person’s journey. It is the retelling of my story, a long-awaited attempt to pick up the scattered pieces of whatever that has been left in a tattered memory bank in hopes that there is still a future for me to live in."
Please joining me in welcoming Natasha Chai, a public servant working in Learning and Development from Canada, and listen to her inspiring journey from experiencing a life-threatening migraine attack to finding therapy and solace in writing. This episode of Stories and Stanza takes you along Natasha's path of numerous health trials and triumphs, unveiling her strength and resilience expressed through her stories. Natasha shares her journey of dealing with hemiplegic migraines and relearning life skills narrated in her memoir aiming to spread awareness about the condition. Discover how writing evolved to be her sanctuary, offering her a medium to articulate her emotions and reclaim the control lost due to her health conditions.
Natasha relives her fond memories of her mother fostering her love for writing and the creation of her first children's book, 'The Little Lost Cat'. You'll hear about her journey from winning her first Golden Pen Award to being recognized as one of the youngest writers by her local newspaper. Explore her unique, unstructured writing process and her views on the essence of writing deriving from personal satisfaction and not merely monetary goals. Be inspired by her story of balancing her professional life with her passion for writing, battling writer's block, and the lovely coincidence of her son sharing the same name with her book's protagonist.
Dive deep into the notion of self-promotion and the role it plays in the journey of modern authors, especially for those who identify as introverts. Natasha discusses the importance of writing as a tool for mental health, providing a snippet from her memoir exemplifying the transformative power of words. Moving away from the competitive aspect of writing, Natasha shares her belief in the benefit of collaboration among writers. Find encouragement in her advice for budding writers on the joy of writing for oneself and the importance of relishing the journey more than the outcome. Immerse yourself in this intimate dialogue with Natasha, where writing, resilience, and recovery walk hand in hand.