View from Valhalla

Tag: podcast

  • Katharina Maimer: How I do it!

    Katharina Maimer is the voice behind the Luscious Leftovers podcast and one of the the two founders of the Every Photo Tells weekly story anthology podcast. She is a law student currently living in Vienna, Austria. She is fluent in German, English, French and who knows what other languages. She will soon be abandoning the nation of her birth to move to Scotland in order to claim the love of her life. She will take with her nothing but a goat and a smile (because the rest of her things have been sent ahead). She can be followed on Twitter as @kmlaw.

    General Writing Questions 1. Before you begin writing, do you script out the general outline of plot and characters, or do you let these situations evolve as you write?

    When it comes to short stories, I usually just have an idea and go along with it – the finer details usually then come to me while I am writing. For example – my first „Every Photo Tells…“ story – I knew I wanted someone to be on the run. Then I went ahead to ask myself why he was on the run – because he was chased. I thought it was more interesting that a man was chased by a woman. After that, the feeling of a new life, starting all over came out, so i asked myself, what his old and new life were like… and so on.

    For my book, I didn‘t start with an outline. I knew, what the idea behind the story would be like, and the general motivations of the characters. Then I started to write and think about how long it should be. Maybe I am a bit of an obsessive planner, but I had in mind a rough length of chapters and a number of those. With Scrivener and folders it was easy to make a folder for each chapter – and since my book is very timeline- driven, assign a rough date to it. With every new idea, new twist that came into my mind, I was already able to put it in it‘s place in the timeline. But I also use the research function for random ideas, that just came to my head but I don‘t want to use just yet – or it would distract me from the chapter at hand.

    2. I’ve heard repetitively that writers should deal with writing as any other job. Do you have a scheduled or structured writing routine? Please detail.

    I have no routine whatsoever. For EPT I have some kind of deadline where a story has to be finished and recorded, but that‘s about it. Whenever I send in stories to other podcasts with timelines, I am not too proud to NOT send in a story, even though I originally intended to. As far as the book is concerned, I realize that I have no time pressure on it whatsoever, so I write a Chapter or two whenever I am in the mood, or have nothing else more pressing or inspiring to write at that moment.

    My issue is with short stories, that WHEN I am inspired, I can write down a few thousand words in one take. Then I am writing no matter when and where. Having a MacBook Air, that I carry around almost everywhere I go helps with that matter a lot. But when I HAVE to write a story, need to tell it, I have also gone ahead and either written it on a piece of paper or recorded my thoughts on my iPhone in audio.

    3. What is your writing environment like? (cats, music, computer etc.) How has this evolved/ changed?

    Since I have been seen to write in the weirdest (or most inappropriate?) situations, I have every and no writing environment. If I take the time to sit down and write, it‘s usually on the couch, with my small laptop table that fits just perfectly – nice combination of comfort and writing ease. I don‘t usually write in the study on the office desk – that has always been more a work/study thing for me. I also quite enjoy the laptop support from IKEA, that perfectly fits on one‘s lap and enables me to write in my rocking chair or in bed without overheating the Air.

    And I always listen to music, at work, on the road, etc. Same is true for writing. If I can, I have music running – preferably something that fits the mood of what I am writing.

    My writing environment as well as my writing schedule has changed and evolved with the amount that I am writing, as well as the life changes that I went through. When writing becomes a bigger part of your life and you have the support at home to live this hobby, this naturally changes your routine.

    4. Do you write anything, or have you, that is solely for yourself? (no intention of sharing with a large audience)

    There is only one piece of writing that, with full intent, no one has read so far. It is not intended to be shared with a larger audience in the future, but it will be shared with a handful of people. Other than that, there are pieces of writing, recently a poem for example, that only one other person has read. (And another one will WANT to read after I have sent him this file 😉 )…

    Sometimes it happens, that I am not confident enough about a piece of writing to share it – but there are always 1 or 2 people who I force to read every post-it note and grocery list that I write.

    5. How has social media played a role in your writing?

    I got back into writing after I started podcasting a few years ago. Social Media has given me the inspiration – through Social Media I found my inspiration again. Up until about 9 months ago, there had been an 8-year gap, where I didn‘t write much at all. There was the odd poem, but nothing more elaborate or inspiring than papers for university.

    Getting into podcasting and the community around it, that consists of many people that are writing, prompted me to start on my book. I put it down for a while, when I got into writing short stories again. But yes, Social Media provided me with the inspiration I needed – or provided me with the means to find my inspiration.

    Podcasting Questions 1. What type of OS do you prefer? Linux? Mac? Win? What are your machine’s specs?

    I started off podcasting on a PC. I admit it. I will never go back to Windows and I regret not having switched earlier every time I have to touch this §=$()“§? at work. Anyway, having said that, the answer is Mac. Snow Leopard. I am writing on my MacBook Air, 2.13 GHz, with the SSD.

    2. Would you please describe your current studio? How has this changed? (What did you start with?)

    I started off with a 10 buck Logitec mic. *sigh* Good times! At one point I got myself a small Behringer mixer and a regular mic – I have recorded with those ever since. There will be a studio change in the close future, but I have to admit that I have been looking into new mixers and mics for a long time now – but there is always the money issue between what you want and if you need the money for more important things. But luckily, there will be an automatic upgrade as far as my studio is concerned once I move.

    3. If you were able to build your dream studio, what would it include? Be as specific as you wish.

    This is a tough question. I would like to dodge it by saying that I have to accord my answer with my studio- mate, but that would be too easy. I mean, I am not going to list what exact model of Mic and mixer I want – Condenser and Firewire are my specs of preference. Since I also don‘t know yet what condenser mic works best with my voice, I can‘t really give you a specific model. And to be honest, there will be enough people providing exact details and specs fo their dream setup.

    For me though, what defines my dream studio, is the ability to podcast in peace. Sounds weird, maybe. A quiet room, that is comfy and gives me a non-sterile environment to get creative. This would be a combination of study/library/studio for me. To sum it up, my dream studio is more a feeling than an assortment of gadgets.

    4. Other than a computer, what piece of HARDWARE would you recommend to a new podcaster?

    You mean „other than a Mac“, right? 😀 I would now start with a USB mic if I could. I am looking into Blue‘s Snowflake for podcasting on the road. I have only heard great things about it.

    5. What have you had to learn for yourself that you wish someone could have warned you about?

    Podcasting with co-hosts and podcasting burn out. I suffered under both. It is something, though not necessarily a bad thing, that might occur to you. And as a podcaster, you need to be able to deal with both. Well, maybe not with the first if you podcast on your own, but surely with the second.

    Burn out in podcasting has been, for me, the next step after ‘life getting in the way“. No one tells you how to find your balance, how to find your podcasting groove. Apart from the fact that it is different for everyone, it would‘ve been helpful to share experiences with other podcasters in similar situations.

    And I am going ahead here and stress again how important support is. Support, or the lack thereof, can make or break a podcaster.

    6. What would you consider a “beginner’s mistake” you’ve either experienced or hear others making?

    I think I have, at one point, made every mistake one can make in podcasting. I have podcasted for too long, have had too many podcasts not to have made numerous mistakes myself.

    It‘s hard to think of something particular – maybe that people take on too much as far as podcasting is concerned. For a newbie, a weekly 30 min podcast might be too hard to pull off. Especially if you have little to no experience in editing. Not to ask for help – the podcasting community is always ready and willing to lend a hand or an ear, give advice, and are more than happy to share at least a few of their podcasting secrets with the world. It would be stupid not to make use of this – and find friends along the way.

    7. How much time does it take, once you have all the elements, for YOU to put together a 30 minute podcast? (please describe your production technique)

    Podcasting a story of 30 minutes is very different to podcasting 30 minutes of an unscripted entertainment podcast. To put together a 30 min story, given that I have already written it, takes me first of all, about 45min to record. I have gotten into a routine of recording scripted podcasts, that helps me to edit later. Whenever I make a mistake, I click my tongue and then repeat the sentence or part. Like that I have a visual aid when it comes to editing later – I can literally see the pikes where I have to edit. I got that tip from the ‘Podcasting for Dummies“ podcast btw.

    Casting Questions (answer if you can) 1. What is the hardest part of putting together a casted podcast?

    To balance out what and who would work best for a story, the voice / accent I need with my favourite voices out there. But to be honest, I go with the voices I prefer, the people I like to listen to most. It‘s my party, after all… 😀

    2. Do you provide the entire chapter to your talent, or just their lines?

    Depends on the story – with short stories I usually send over the whole story, as to give an idea of what is going on. But it has also happened, especially with busy people, that I only send over a single line.

    3. Is instruction given to your talent on how you prefer the line to be read?

    Most of the time when it comes to single lines or two lines, I get provided with 2 or 3 versions of the line. With longer texts I give suggestions only when I feel it‘s necessary – which it rarely ever is. This is the big advantage to record with people who know how you ‘tick“.

    4. What do you do with all of that unused audio?

    I sometimes store the cool stuff for outtakes, but it also happens that I throw away the original raw recordings when the editing is finished. Depends largely on the content.

    5. What is the hardest part of putting together a “straight read” podcast?

    The writing of the script. 🙂

    6. As far as cast goes, what would you like to try, but haven’t so far?

    I have stuff in mind, because I like to challenge myself, my writing, my podcasts and my cast. Therefore I am not going to say what it is, just that I always have something planned – I would just like to try it first, before I announce it and fail.

    General Questions 1. If someone approached you with THEIR book, and asked you to podcast it for them for a fee, what would you consider a reasonable rate per episode? (The way YOU do it)

    That‘s a tough question… Are you trying to put together a list of fees of all the podcasters out there? Or have you written something and want someone to podcast it for you and now comparing prices?

    Well… if it‘s just me to record it, and I am going to assume an episode to be 30min approx… I would say about 50-100USD per episode? Then again, if you add that together, it would be a lot. But I think that might be what my podcasting time is worth considering how long it would take me to put together a 30min podcast, and what hourly rate that would be.

    And yes, I differentiate what kind of skill set is required. Would be a difference, if I provide 30 min of voice work, or 30min of editing, 30min of translating something or 30min of legal advice.

    2. Do you podcast as part of a larger plan, or because getting your content out in some manner IS your plan?

    I always have a plan. At least I claim I do. My plan is to continue to enjoy podcasting. To be quite frank, I have rarely seen a hobby, that so many people wanted to turn into a stream of income than podcasting. For me, it is still that. A way to spend my free time that i thoroughly enjoy.

    3. What is the nicest compliment you’ve been paid or what keeps you coming back?

    There is no greater compliment than to be loved for the things you are passionate about.

    4. How important are numbers of downloads/subscribers to you? Do you keep track?

    I do look at them, I am happy if they increase, I think about why some episodes have more listeners than others, but I don‘t keep a thorough track of it. I get much more kick out of feedback. If one listener tells me that he enjoyed an episode, then it was all the appreciation I needed. That doesn‘t mean I wouldn‘t have recorded it without that feedback – I just mean that I get a kick out of anyone telling me they like what I do.

    5. How important are reviews left on Podiobooks/iTunes/other venues to you?

    Again, like above, I appreciate them, but I get much more out of personal feedback – of it‘s on Twitter, or a comment on the blog, or an email.

    6. If not answered previously, how do you read your manuscript while recording (hard copy, teleprompter, etc)?

    If it‘s just me recording, I usually read it off the screen – thanks to two-finger-scrolling and the multi touch trackpad, it makes no noise whatsoever to “flip the page“. But it happens that I print a copy of the text out – not too often though.

    —

  • Podcast Review #23: New World Orders

    Title: New World Orders
    Author: E.G. Talbot
    Genre: Science Fiction, Conspiracy Theory
    Released: 21 May 2008 – 12 November 2008
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time.

    Recently I was trolling for new podfiction and stumbled upon a trailer for New World Orders by Edward G Talbot. I found the trailer intriguing enough to give it a listen. I know that isn’t much of a backstory for a review, but hey, it’s the truth.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: In the nineteen-sixties, a group of wealthy men concludes that it’s already too late to stop global warming from destroying the planet. But they have a plan to save themselves.

    Twenty years later, Jack Crowley and Jim Patterson stumble onto the conspiracy, and every answer they find is accompanied by more questions – and more deaths.

    Jack is a former idealist, turned cynical by his years working as a New York tabloid editor. But his enthusiasm returns as he looks into the work of a NASA scientist who tells Jack about cover-ups at the space agency. Jim is a detective with little patience for conspiracy nuts. But he hates loose ends, and is unable to let go of the inconsistencies in another suspicious NASA death. Soon, his investigation leads him to Jack, and they join forces.

    As Jack and Jim dig deeper, they are targeted by the type of killers that don’t usually miss. From Washington to Las Vegas to the Middle East, they manage to stay one step ahead of their pursuers in a race to expose the truth, and maybe, just maybe, save the world.

    Production: New World Orders is another example of a podcast that begins completely satisfactorily and then continually. New World Orders does make use of a The Story So Far, and unfortunately, it would fall in to the category of a bit of a cumulative recap in some places. All production elements are fine and the podcast is enjoyable to listen to.

    Cast: The cast for New World oder is fairly small, but is still a voiced podcast. There are, I believe three regular cast members. Considering the number of characters being voiced and the number of accents available, this is fairly remarkable. I won’t say that each accent is “dead-on” but each voice is distinct and recognizable, and really, what else could I ask for?

    Story: I am not a conspiracy theorist. The few conspiracy theorists I know personally are grating and annoy me in a unique way. Although I enjoy a good espionage or military novel on occasion, I don’t usually purchase fiction based on conspiracies. I also don’t subscribe to the science of climate change. New World Orders is, in it’s simplest form, a novel built upon the premise that climate change has been covered up by a world wide conspiracy. The story also “flashes” forward in several places. It does so usually with a transition chapter siting newspaper headlines about the intervening passage of time, usually tying those headlines into the conspiracy. The writers are often brutal to their characters and no character is truly safe.

    Verdict: With the previous paragraph stating so many things I am not a fan of, you might think I would give this story a pass. Nope. You see, even if a story isn’t my exact favorite, I will try to recommend it to a particular audience and not just pan it. With New World Orders, I don’t have to try that hard because I DID enjoy it. One thing I’ve never understood is how come so many people get perturbed over fiction. Dan Brown’s stories suck because he is a terrible writer, but he can write whatever fiction he wants and it won’t sway my beliefs. In a similar fashion, New World Orders was an interesting story all on its own and I really enjoyed the characters. The authors had fun with this story, and I appreciated the sarcasm poking fun at themselves in several places. This really was a very large story, and the authors did a nice job tying in a number of actual headlines into their conspiracy theory. If you like Michael Crichton type stories, with a bit of non medical Robin Cook thrown in, I would definitely suggest you give New World Orders a try.

    Disclaimer: Ed Parrot, featured in last weeks “How I do it!” started following me on Twitter (@egtalbot) when I announced I was going to give New World Orders. I have returned the follow, and though not the most verbal, his tweets are quite steady and full of community (both things I approve of). I wasn’t offered, nor did I accept, anything in return for this review.

    —

  • Podcast Challenge – Part 2

    Why?

    I am currently celebrating the one year anniversary of View from Valhalla. My, how quickly a year goes, and how much things change. When I first started this blog, I had no idea what I would be doing with it. I knew I had opinions (hence the tagline) and I knew I loved social media. I was also very new to Twitter (well, at least being involved to a large extent) and had no idea that one would help feed the other (strangely, the have helped each other).

    Almost a full year ago, I wrote a post entitled Podcast Challenge, in which I challenged my few number of Twitter followers, and many fewer readers of this blog, to spread the word concerning their favorite podcasts. At the time, I was listening to Weather Child and I really wanted to get the word out on what a wonderful story it was and how much I was enjoying it. I was successful in my part of the challenge and got that podcast 5 new subscribers, but unfortunately, the challenge never bore the fruit I had hoped for, so as an anniversary event, I’ve decided to lay down the challenge again.

    So, here it is:

    Choose your favorite work of podcast fiction. It can be any genre, any style, any cast type. It really doesn’t matter. Pimp that podcast however you choose. Gain five new listeners for it. You can choose more than one podcast if you want, but then you need to gain it an ADDITIONAL five listeners. (Each podcast is independent, five total listeners for five separate podcasts doesn’t count.)

    This year I am changing one rule: it can be ANY work of podcast fiction. Last year, I was asking people to choose something currently in production. In retrospect, this was probably a mistake. Choose any work you want. Burn a couple of eps on a CD. Go crazy with a DVD. USB thumb drives are incredibly cheap these days. Spread the word!

    Accountability

    Now, how do we know how we’re doing? Twitter! Let’s revive the hashtag #podcastchallenge. When you gain a new listener for your favorite podcast, simply post it on Twitter with the aforementioned hashtag. Example: 1 new subscriber for Some Other Scotland!! #podcastchallenge

    Timeframe? Well, we can keep it going forever if you want, but i really would like to see who can get their five by the end of April.

    Keep a running total letting us know how it is going. Are you an author? Pimp your own book! Spread the word! Don’t worry about giving credit to VFV, I’m really not worried about it. However, if you’re up for a little extra accountability (like me asking how you’re doing), feel free to leave a comment here stating which podcast(s) you’re going to be promoting.

    Good luck!

    —

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  • Podcast Review #21: The White Shadow Saga: The Stolen Moon of Londor

    Title: The Stolen Moon of Londor
    Author: A.P. Stephens
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 14 September 2009 – 29 November 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: Podcast, Dead Tree, eBook

    The Stolen Moon of Londor is one of those podcasts that I happen to subscribe to strictly due to having an opening in my playlist and because I recognized the name from promos in other podcasts that I had listened to. I have never, to my recollection, tweeted with Mr. Stephens and I am unsure whether he follows me. I love taking steps into the great unknown and listening to things that I have no predisposition towards. Some of the more enjoyable among my recently listened to podcasts were found in this way. I truly love when podcasts are recommended to me, and I would be interested in hearing one that I was warned against, but in the end, we all make up our own minds. And that is as it should be.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: The era of peace among the elves, men, and dwarves comes to an end when one of Londor’s twin moons disappears from the heavens…..Without the moon’s balancing effect, evil forces grow bold, and warfare, sickness, and chaos threaten life itself.

    Hearing the prayers of desperation that ride on the violent winds, the ancient wizard Randor Miithra, servant to the elf-gods, takes it upon himself to mend the world he has sworn to protect. The task will not be an easy one, though, for the wizard, too, has begun to feel the effects of the world’s imbalance. As Randor struggles to maintain some semblance of his powers, he meets a secretive band of colorful characters from all walks of life, drawn together by a common goal: to find the stolen moon, whatever the cost. It does not take Randor and his motley company long to see that someone or something does not want the moon returned to the heavens.

    The road is perilous….the stakes have never been greater….will they find victory…or will they only find their deaths? (Stolen from Podiobooks)

    Production: The production qualities of The Stolen Moon of Londor were all within my acceptable range. There were a few instances where the audio had some problems, but not to the point where it was impossible to hear what was going on. Mr. Stephens (or his producer if he had one) did do a nice job of keeping production elements consistent, and to a minimum. I am sure I will likely surprise no one when I say I was thrilled that The Story So Far was NOT a production element that was used.

    Cast: The cast was a cast of one. The Stolen Moon of Londor is one of those unique podcasts that are narrated by someone other than the author. In this case the name of the narrator is Richard Webster. Mr. Webster has an accent placing him somewhere in the U.K. I cannot say where for sure, but his accent is unique. It is crazy to criticize someone for the way they naturally speak, and I won’t do that here. I am sure my native lack of accent (yes, that is meant to be sarcastic) would be as inherently difficult to understand where Mr. Webster originates from as his was from time to time for me. Again, let me state plainly, this is NOT an issue, NOR is it a criticism of the narrator. I will go a bit farther however, and say that I didn’t find Mr. Webster’s voice particularly pleasing. Again, this is just my own opinion and I would find it just as fair to say my voice is nothing I would want to hear for several hours in a car either.

    Story: One of the things that drew me to The Stolen Moon of Londor is the fact that it is “high fantasy”. For me high fantasy was the corner stone of my formative years. JRR, Terry Brooks and the like kept me up at night well beyond “lights out” and this form of literature still has an appeal to me that is hard to resist. I will admit also that this soft spot might make me a bit forgiving when it comes to this particular genre and I have enjoyed many tales that I’m sure some would consider terrible. Wizards, elves, dwarves interacting with humans… how can you go wrong?

    Verdict: You can. I feel I must add a new category here: Pass. I can forgive a lot. Especially in a story that was graciously provided to me at no cost. If it were just “I didn’t care for the sound of the narrators voice,” and everything else was stellar, that really isn’t a complaint worth making. Production CAN ruin a good story. I listened to one entire podcast where the PRODUCTION almost made me quit a dozen times. However, it is the story that always (to me) is the most important quality. And it is the story in The Stolen Moon of Londor that makes this podcast novel a Pass in my book.

    I feel that to make my case, I must discuss plot elements in a bit more detail than I normally do, so I’m warning the reader (you) now, that partial spoilers might be coming. In essence, this story is a questing story. I love quests. A well done quest is a founding stone of fantasy.  It is also a fellowship tale. Again, a hallmark of high fantasy. My problem is this particular fellowship was made up of characters that all need reworking so that you can appreciate at least ONE of their motivations. The fellowship starts out with an elf mercenary, a shadowy human, a gallant knight and an intellectual dwarf. Okay fine. Almost immediately they pick up three more elves, of royal lineage and a wizard. Later more characters are added. In my opinion, not a single one is likeable. One elf is a crown prince of a petty kingdom. He treats the rest of the party, including his own brother, in a manner that would get him thrown out or worse early on. The gallant knight turns out to be a coward and worthless in most fights. The dwarf is an artist, great! But he is also a coward and a whiner. The wizard is ineffective and the shadowy human is so shadowy as not to have a personality other than morose. NONE of the characters are given preeminence and it is impossible (at least for me) to know whom I should be rooting for.

    As I’ve stated before, I’m very character driven. So some readers might think that if they prefer action, then they might enjoy this story. Again, I would have to say, Pass.

    Many places throughout the story there are battles that almost always are reduced to duels between characters. From the first of these fights on, it became apparent to me that no one, not even a werewolf, would be allowed to die. Instead, the warrior who should have slid his sword into the conquered’s heart, stands around soliloquizing until his opponent escapes. This doesn’t happen just once either, but more than all James Bond villains combined.

    The final insult to me however happened in the final episode. A relatively unknown author, in my opinion, has no business writing a story that doesn’t end. Let me make sure you understand me. I am not saying it is left on a cliffhanger. I’m saying there is NO ending. It just stops and in the last minute informs the listener why it is called the White Shadow Saga. The second story in the series is slated for later this year I believe (Yes, that is right, here we have a story that doesn’t have an ending, with a year before it picks up again in book two), I know what I’ll be saying to it. Pass.

    Disclaimer: I don’t follow Mr. Stephens on Twitter, and to the best of my knowledge have never conversed with him. I was not offered anything to write this review. However, as with all authors I do appreciate him putting his time and effort into something and then presenting it free of charge. I don’t regularly beg for comments, but if you have listened to the story, and you have a differing opinion, I do implore you to speak up. As has been printed at the top of this blog since day one: My views are my own, are yours?

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  • Podcast Review #20: Tattoo

    Title: Tattoo
    Author: Paul Elard Cooley
    Genre: Horror
    Released: 11 September, 2009 – 18 October, 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, PDF

    I often query my small network on Twitter for what they are listening to at the moment and I always get lots of great suggestions. Paul Cooley almost invariably provides titles written by horror authors (as well as other genres as well) so I wasn’t too surprised to find out that he writes in the horror field himself. A very good friend of mine recently started her very first podcast, and for it, she chose Tattoo (maybe I should be worried about her, hmmm….). Since I had been in need of a few new podcasts, I decided to give Tattoo a shot myself.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Scars. They remind us who we are, what we are and where we have been.
    But when a scar takes away your identity, what would you do to get it back?

    Jackson, a journalist in Houston, discovers links between several murders that have taken place in his city. His investigation draws him into the world of body art where he discovers an obsession worth killing for.

    Production: I know I harp about The Story So Far quite often, but Tattoo not only doesn’t include one, it includes almost nothing in the way of chatter. Perhaps this is due to Mr. Cooley’s preferences or perhaps it was just the version I chose, but it is really quite impressive in it’s “clean” approach. All the audio is at a good level and the story is easy to listen to. One observation, when Mr. Cooley makes a minimum vocal flub, he just repeats the word and continues on. Maybe surprisingly, but this didn’t detract from the story at all. It reminded me of all the band directors I’d ever had. “Just keep going.” While the production is pretty simplistic, in no way did I find it lacking.

    Cast: As previously stated, Mr. Cooley listen’s to plenty of podcasts himself, and so I would assume that he has heard many straight reads and many casted podcasts. Tattoo is unique in that it is mostly a straight read with one or two extra cast members thrown in. I didn’t really understand why this was done, but again, it didn’t detract from the story, so I didn’t really care. I will state that Mr. Cooley narrated most of the book pleasantly enough and I would have had no problem hearing him do the entire reading himself.

    Story: Tattoo is very much a urban crime/horror story. It is also the first story I’ve reviewed that is labeled a Novela, and it really is. At seven episodes it was a very quick listen. The horror elements were enough to make my skin crawl at times. I am not a fan of tattooing. I don’t know why, it just has never appealed to me, but I enjoyed the peek into the subculture of those that do. I have no idea how much research Mr. Cooley put into Tattoo, but it felt like he knew what he was talking about. It was also apparent that he was well familiar with the setting, Houston, Texas.

    Verdict: I’ve tried to be very upfront about stories that I like and stories that I didn’t care for. Truthfully, as mentioned before, this usually comes down to characterization for me. I don’t have to like the characters (and sometimes really hope one dies – hey, it’s fiction — don’t judge me!), but they DO have to interest me. Mr. Cooley’s characters did indeed interest me. I didn’t get to know them as well as I do the characters in some books because it was such a short work, but I stayed interested in the protagonist the entire story, and when the antagonist finally makes his appearance, you feel like you all ready have met him due to the character analysis completed by other characters in the story. I admit, physical torture is not something I generally have patience with. I do not watch the SAW movies because I find them distasteful. However, when slasher type horror Is included in my psychological horror, I have no problem with saying it can add to the mental anguish. Tattoo was able to walk this tightrope for me. It is not safe for work, nor is it safe for the minivan, but I do recommend it if you liked The Silence of the Lambs type horror.

    Disclaimer: I do follow Mr. Cooley on Twitter (@paul_e_cooley) and enjoy watching him try to win (unsuccessfully) verbal sparring matches with various ladies on Twitter. However, he did not offer me, nor did I accept, anything in the way of incentive for this review. (Although, pink bunny slippers, had they been offered, would have made one heck of an incentive.)

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  • How do YOU do it?

    Are you a writer? Are you a podcaster? Would you be willing to share your process with the world? (or at least my readers?)

    For those authors that are interested, a standard series of questions will be asked. Once you’ve read them, if you care to answer, you’ll email them to submissions at viewfromvalhalla dot com. I will run the submissions more or less in the order I receive them and at more or less regular intervals.

    If you are willing to participate, please let me know by sending an email to the address spelled out above. Thanks!

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  • Podcast Review #19: Nina Kimberly the Merciless

    Title: Nina Kimberly the Merciless
    Author: Christiana Ellis
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 17 Marach 2009 – 16 December 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, Dead Tree, Free PDF

    Anyone familiar with these reviews knows that my journey started with Tee Morris. Through his podcasts I branched out to many of the stories that are mentioned there, and actively looked for works by people that were cast in Morevi Remastered. This is how I found Christiana Ellis (@christianaellis on Twitter). I listened to Space Casey and enjoyed it very much, and was a bit unhappy with how short it was. I was very excited when I first heard that she had a new story she was podcasting, and so immediately downloaded the first several eps of Nina Kimberly the Merciless (now called the Classic Edition). I truthfully don’t know if i made it through the first ep. Nina Kimberly’s voice set me on edge and gave me a headache. I know this isn’t true for all of you, because I kept hearing such glowing reviews and I knew I must be missing out on something.

    So, when I heard that Ms. Ellis had released a Remastered version, I decided that I would eventually give it a try. I did that this last week.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: She’s on a mission to kill the man who loves her. Why? Because he’s an idiot. Ten years ago, Nina Kimberly the Merciless was cheated out of the life of adventure that she truly deserves. Her father, the fearsome barbarian conqueror Marcus the Merciless, met his first and only defeat at the hands of, well… a gopher hole. Ever since this epic humiliation, she and the rest of the horde have been stuck in the rural backwater kingdom of Langia. Now Francis IX, the idiotic king, has decided that he and Nina should be married. She can’t kill him without starting a succession war, but the alternatives? Eww! Nina has long yearned for a hero to sweep her up on a glorious quest, but Francis’ unwanted affections have forced her hand. No more waiting for a quest to find *her*, it’s time to get proactive. She sets off into the big wide world, but the King decides to tag along, complete with a security spell to alert the Kingdom if he’s killed. Nina is forced to swallow her pride and keep him safe… at least until she can find a way to break the spell. But nothing is ever simple in the life of a barbarian princess, and nothing is ever quite what it appears. The dragon is a pacifist (sometimes). The handsome rogue is a con-artist, but who is he conning? And even the wizard has a few surprises in store. While seeking the answer to all her problems, Miss the Merciless discovers that what she’s always wanted may not actually be what she *wants*. *Nina Kimberly the Merciless* is a comic coming of age story filled with magic, mayhem and mercenaries, but mercy? Never. (stolen from Podioboks site)

    Production: Ms. Ellis recognizes in her introduction to the first episode that the first production might have been responsible for some bleeding ears. I took this as a good omen and I was justified in this hope. The production quality and all of the voices were completely satisfactory. In the remastered version you receive two chapters in each episode, and often the episodes approach and surpass an hour in length. Two areas of the production did catch my notice however. The first being the audio levels. I tend to listen to podcasts while commuting and working on household chores. I use my iPhones earbuds regularly during both activities (only one ear when driving 😉 ) and I noticed the audio levels rising and falling at several points during various episodes. Not so much that I had to be adjust volume, but much more than variation in character voices provide. Not a big deal, but still there. Second of course would be The Story So Far. Ms. Ellis did it a bit differently by simply saying, “Previously on Nina Kimberly…” and kept these recaps very short, especially in the early eps. If you’re going to have to do a TSSF, short is definitely better. However, it is still a TSSF, and I have to say, “I HATES IT! I HATES IT FOREVER!” Interestingly, during a recent Twitter conversation, it came down pretty even on TSSF.

    Cast: Nina Kimberly the Merciless is a straight read and the cast, when you really get down to it, isn’t overly large. Ms. Ellis does a very nice job with all the voices. Even Nina Kimberly wasn’t overly painful this time through. I will say, and I do mean this as a compliment, that I often forgot the two male leads were being voiced by a female. Good job!

    Story: Whether in written form or in pod fiction, I feel there are too few books written in the fantasy genre that also have a humorous aspect. Maybe it is because there isn’t a large audience, or maybe the authors are all serious people. I don’t know, but when it is done well, I really enjoy a humorous fantasy story. Nina Kimberly the Merciless, as you would expect by that title, does indeed fall in this category.

    Verdict: Nina Kimberly was a lot of fun. I have ordered the book and will be suggesting it to my wife. The story does contain a fair amount of sexual innuendo, so depending on your own standards, it might not be suitable for young children. The characters were engaging (yes, characters again) and I grew to really enjoy several of them. While the story contains a lot of humor, it also carries with it some very serious, complex ideas (yes, I’m being serious). Trust, friendship and loyalty are all explored fairly deeply. If you liked A Princess Bride (book or movie) there is a fair chance you might enjoy Nina Kimberly the Merciless.

    Disclaimer: I do follow Ms. Ellis on Twitter (@christianaellis) [ding] although this is a relatively new arrangement. She is personable and witty/snarky. I have no idea whether she is even aware that the reviews exist, but I can verify that I was neither offered, nor did I accept anything in return for writing this review.

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  • Podcast Review #18: The Rookie (Remastered)

    Title: The Rookie
    Author: Scott Sigler
    Genre: Science Fiction/Sports
    Released: 7 October 2009 – 2 November 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: Limited edition hardback, podcast

    One of the first author’s I found when I started listening to podio fiction was Scott Sigler. I’ve listened to all of his podcast fiction, some with a greater interest than others. The stuff of his I’ve liked, I’ve really really liked, the others, meh. (The plaid tanks will soon be rolling down my street, I know. Oh well, truth is truth.)

    When I first heard of The Rookie, I almost passed on it completely, for reasons explained below. However, it was a slow period between other podcasts, so I decided to give it a listen. (Point of Order: The links above point to The Rookie Remastered. I believe it is a much better edition.)

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Set in a lethal pro football league 700 years in the future, THE ROOKIE is a story that combines the intense gridiron action of “Any Given Sunday” with the space opera style of “Star Wars” and the criminal underworld of “The Godfather.”

    Aliens and humans alike play positions based on physiology, creating receivers that jump 25 feet into the air, linemen that bench-press 1,200 pounds, and linebackers that literally want to eat you. Organized crime runs every franchise, games are fixed and rival players are assassinated.

    Follow the story of Quentin Barnes, a 19-year-old quarterback prodigy that has been raised all his life to hate, and kill, those aliens. Quentin must deal with his racism and learn to lead, or he’ll wind up just another stat in the column marked “killed on the field.” (stolen from the author’s site)

    Production: The production of the remastered version of The Rookie is very good. Even the production in the original version gave me very little to complain about. There are several notes however. First, Mr. Sigler always has a sponsor who gets a spot at the beginning of his eps. This is no problem for me. I like to think that in some way the author of any podcast, whether I love it or hate it, is gaining at least a little remuneration for the time they put in trying to entertain me. The only issue I have with the sponsor promos in The Rookie, is that they sound better than the story. Well, better is subjective, but brighter. Less filtered. However, if the ep would have run without the promo, I would have never had the comparison and no complaint. Still, if that is the worse you can say about production, that isn’t bad. And it is the worse, because Mr. Sigler went WITHOUT a The Story So Far!! Happy dance!

    Cast: The cast is huge for this story, just as it is for all Scott Sigler novels. I can hear you now, “WAIT.. what are you talking about, Scott always does a straight read!” Yup, you’re right, and The Rookie is a straight read too with only Mr. Sigler behind the mic. However, I figure when you’re the FDO™, you are in actuality a cast of millions. (Don’t know FDO™? Give any of Mr. Sigler’s stories a listen, and you will.)

    Story: Mr. Sigler is better known, perhaps, for his science fiction/horror stories than he is as a sports fanatic. However, football is a recurring rant of many of the characters in many of his books, so it came as no surprise to me to find out he had written a novel consisting of football in space. However, this game is played between teams consisting of multiple lifeforms that make our current earthbound form very look very gentle in comparison.

    Verdict: When I first heard of The Rookie, I was initially tempted to skip it all together. Why? Sports SciFi? Well, I can’t say as I’ve ever read one, but most of the ones I’ve “watched” suck. Add to that the fact that the sport in this scifi is football, and I almost definitely would have rather gone to the dentist. (I live in Texas, but I wasn’t raised here, and don’t buy into the football hype. Sorry. BASEBALL is a real sport.) However, as I’ve stated before, I am CHARACTER driven, and I really enjoyed getting to know Quentin and watching him evolve. Add to that, that The Rookie does for football what Rocky did for boxing (i.e. make it palatable for even those that don’t enjoy it) and you have a bonifide hit on your iPod (or iPhone as my case may be). I really think that most people that have a competitive spirit will enjoy The Rookie. It is truthfully much more than “just” football in space.

    Disclaimer: I do not follow Mr. Sigler on Twitter (@scottsigler), although I’m sure many of you would chastise me for this. I did not receive anything as recompense for this review, nor was I asked to make it. However, I do plan on purchasing a signed hard copy of the novel soon, for which I will pay full price.

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  • Podcast Review #17: Metamor City – Making the Cut

    Title: Metamor City – Making the Cut
    Author: Chris Lester
    Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy (yes, both)
    Released: 12 January 2008 – 1 May 2009
    Located: iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time

    One of my rules that I set for myself is that I would only review podcast novels (at least at this point). No magazines (Escape Pod etc), no non-fiction, and no story collections.

    When I first started listening to Metamor City, it was a podcast that typically brought us a short story every week, or perhaps one spread over a couple of weeks. I really enjoyed the stories Chris Lester brought us, so I was excited when Chris announced he would be releasing his first book, Making the Cut, which was set in the Metamor universe, in the Metamor City podcast feed.

    Just to clarify: I am NOT reviewing the series of short fiction here, I am reviewing the novel, Making the Cut.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Meet Daniel Sharabi, a teenage member of the Psi Collective who has everything going for him — everything, that is, except his telepathic talent, which is mediocre at best. As he faces graduation and his exit examinations from the prestigious Westfall Academy, Daniel’s life is about to get a whole lot more complicated… (stolen from the author’s site)

    Production: The production of Metamor City is exquisite. I know it would make a more interesting review if I could rip Mr. Lester for something right out of the gate. However, it wouldn’t be truth, or even the truth of my opinion. Few podcasters are audio professionals, (with a few notable exceptions.. yes, you know whom I’m talking about) but with the open cooperation that seems to be prevalent among the fiction podcasting community, I would say that increasingly, the productions are sounding more and more professional. Metamor City has a huge cast, and yet all production techniques are exceedingly well put together. Poke: Freaking The Story So Far grrrrrrr

    Cast: The cast is huge for Making the Cut and contains some very well known cast members. When I heard the roles that Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine were playing I had to pull over the car and laugh. Seriously. Why had no one else ever thought of this? Every single cast member played their part exceedingly well and Mr. Lester has a great voice for the narration as well. Very very good marks here.

    Story: Mr. Lester’s Metamor City is as about as original premise as I’ve ever heard. You have a hard core science fiction future world with wizards, magic, werewolves, vampires, PSI and almost anything else you can envision. All of these are rolled together to create a world that is full of surprises and has a surprise around every corner.

    Verdict: With the attention to detail that Mr. Lester has put into this podcast, and with all of the aforementioned elements that I enjoy, you would probably think I loved this podcast. I would have thought that too. However, (drum roll please) I don’t. Why? I have no idea. Seriously. Have you ever come out of a movie and everyone you were with loved it, and you can see every single one of their points, but somehow it just didn’t “do it” for you? That was Making the Cut for me. I loved all the individual elements and even can tell you the story was awesome. If you are looking for a story that is out of the ordinary, that is hard to define and breaks all the rules, while wanting a finely crafted story and excellent cast, then you really need to give Making the Cut a shot. In closure, let me simply say, while this particular story wasn’t for me, I’m still a big enough fan that I will continue to listen to Metamor City and look forward to see where it is headed next.

    Disclaimer: I do not follow Mr. Lester on Twitter (@etherius), although we run in similar circles, and I really probably need to rectify this. I did not receive anything as recompense for this review, nor was I asked to make it.

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  • Podcast Review #16: 7th Son: Book One – Descent

    Title: 7th Son: Book One – Descent
    Author: J.C. Hutchins
    Genre: Apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller
    Released: 24 February 2006 – 23 July 2006
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, dead tree version through St. Martin’s Press, multiple ebook versions

    When I decided to write reviews of podcast fiction, I created a spreadsheet and began listing all the stories I had listened too. I placed them in the order I planned on reviewing them and put a tentative date next to each. Several times the remaining titles on the list have been moved down due to the fact that I’ve finished listening to a newly completed podcast and want to review it immediately.

    When I’m reviewing legacy podcasts, it usually isn’t that I’ve finally gotten around to listening to them, but that I have gone back to that original spreadsheet and picked the next title off the list.

    And hence we come to 7th Son. While I did not listen to 7th Son: Book One – Descent as it dropped, I had caught up by the time the second and the third books dropped.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Three weeks ago, the U.S. president was murdered by a four-year-old boy.

    Today, seven men stare at each other in a locked conference room. Kidnapped and brought to this underground facility, the strangers are sitting in silence, thunderstruck. Despite minor physical differences, they all appear to be the same man, with the same name … and the same childhood memories.

    Unwitting participants in a secret human cloning experiment, these seven “John Michael Smiths” have been gathered by their creators for one reason — to capture the mastermind behind the president’s assassination.

    Their target? The man they were cloned from; the original John Michael Smith, code-named John Alpha.

    Soon our heroes — John, Jack, Michael, Kilroy2.0 and the others — realize the president’s murder was merely a prologue to Alpha’s plans. As the mystery deepens and the implications of Alpha’s scheme are slowly revealed, the clones decide to stand against John Alpha. The outcome will unearth a conspiracy larger than they could have ever imagined. (stolen from Podiobooks site)

    I am also going to include the Author’s Note that Mr. Hutchins now provides at Podiobooks: This is “The Beta Version” of this podiobook. 7th Son: Descent is now available as a print novel from St. Martin’s Press. During the editorial process, significant changes and improvements were made to Descent’s print manuscript. Character names were changed, and events at the end of the print novel were modified in ways that will impact the rest of the print trilogy. The print novel represents an official reboot of the 7th Son series.

    Due to these changes, this “Beta Version” of Book One: Descent is no longer the “official” version of the podiobook. Please visit the 7th Son: Descent (The Print Edition) page to subscribe to the definitive version of the story.

    Production: As you can see by the release date, Mr. Hutchins is no “johnny come lately” to the podcasting scene. He has been working at his trade from early on in the game. That being said, his production on 7th Son is very strong. All of the audio levels are quite professional sounding and I never had a complaint about audio at all. My biggest area of dissatisfaction with Mr. Hutchins production was with the inclusion of “The Story So Far” being used in every episode of all three books. In fact, whether it is true or not, I have heard it said that Mr. Hutchins “invented” TSSF as many of us know it today. If you are unaware of my feelings of this device, I’ll simply state I don’t like it, at all.

    Cast: Mr. Hutchins does all of the voice work for 7th Son, but I am almost loathe to call it a straight read. Mr. Hutchins attacks his narration with great energy. Each character comes alive with a personality of their own due to Mr. Hutchins handling. No, definitely not a straight read.

    Story: As far as stories go, this is one of the more original I’ve stumbled upon. From the opening scene it is unique. I have read a few critiques complaining about lack of realism in some of these scenes. If ultra realism is your hangup, I suggest you stay away from science fiction, because at some point most stories are going to ask you to hang up what you “know” and go along for the ride. 7th Son asks you to do this early and often.

    Verdict: I would love to give 7th Son a “Must Listen” verdict simply because I know how many people have loved it. In fact, I believe it is based on that love and fan faithfulness, at least in part, that helped Mr. Hutchins secure a contract for 7th Son from a big New York Publisher. Sadly, I can’t give that recommendation. Simply stated, I didn’t enjoy 7th Son. Why? (Feeling like I should be ducking virtual thrown rotten tomatoes at this point. LOL) Stay with me. I DID listen to all three books in their original format. I did not listen to most of the additional content. I haven’t listened to anything else by Mr. Hutchins.

    At the time I was listening to 7th Son, there weren’t NEARLY as many works of fiction being podcast as there are now. Partly due to that fact, and partly due to the fact that I always hope that “things will get better” and can’t stand not knowing how something ends, I usually stick with things I start.

    My main reason for my antipathy for 7th Son lies in the fact that in almost all my choices of entertainment, I am VERY character driven. If you can make me love your characters, I’ll forgive almost anything. If you can’t, it really doesn’t matter how tightly the story is crafted or how the action leads you from one scene to the next, I’m going to walk away with a feeling of promise unfulfilled. This was true for me with 7th Son. There were many characters, both clones and non-clones, and I really couldn’t make myself care for a single one of them.

    In a minor secondary matter, I didn’t care for Mr. Hutchins reading style. On this issue, it is just a matter of personal preference and I almost didn’t include it, but to be fair, I talk about the readings that I love, and feel I should mention that the narration in this book tends to be “over the top”.

    I know I am greatly in the minority. 7th Son has become a podcast phenomena, and I am glad for Mr. Hutchins. I am truly happy when ANY podcast author is awarded a publishing contract. These authors give alot to us for free. This is true of Mr. Hutchins as well. While researching this review, I discovered what many all ready know: not only are the original versions of these stories available, but the edited and published versions are as well. In both podcast and pdf form. For free. Stellar. Simply Stellar.

    So.. back to that verdict. While I might not have enjoyed the story, many many people have. If you like a tight, action driven science fiction thriller that moves along at a brisk pace, and characterization isn’t an issue for you, 7th Son is definitely something you should check out. If, however, you’re a reader/listener that wants to get to know the characters, feel for them, live through their eyes, feel free to go ahead and give 7th Son a shot, but don’t feel bad if you decide to hit the stop button.

    Disclaimer: I do not follow Mr. Hutchins () on Twitter. To the best of my knowledge, he has never followed me. I was not offered anything to write this review (or not to, as the case may be).

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