Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity

This week on Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with fellow podcaster and fellow author Richie Billing. After leaving behind his career in law, Richie took a chance on himself and shifted his focus into writing full-time. He has since published various pieces of short fiction, with one story adapted for BBC Radio, and after he published his debut novel "Pariah's Lament," he started the podcast The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed. Learn more about Richie and subscribe to his podcast by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with author Amanda Madison. While typical superhero stories fill comic book pages on a regular basis, Amanda is focused on taking those larger-than-life characters and making them the starts of their own series of novels. Her debut novel "Program 38: Sparks" is already available for purchase, as is the second part of her Program 38 series - "Truths." Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with author, editor, teacher, and journalist John Dedakis. After several years behind the scenes of CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, John moved into writing his own works of fiction, and has also branched out into helping his mutual creatives through editing, speaking, and - tapping into his past - news reporting. He has also started his own podcast: "One-to-One with John Dedakis." Learn more about John by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with comic creator T.Y. Lee. A Korean-American writer & artist, Lee's main characters in his upcoming graphic novel are based on the "Rooftop Koreans," a group of armed small business owners who defended their businesses from their rooftops during the 1992 LA Riots. "Return of the Rooftop Koreans" focuses on a new generation of Koreans in Los Angeles several decades after the original riots. During a time of civil unrest when tensions are ready to snap, these business owners find themselves in the position to follow in their predecessors' footsteps and take to their own roofs to defend themselves and their community. "Return of the Rooftop Koreans" is already fully funded, but you can still participate in the campaign by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

This week on Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with acclaimed motion picture hair designer Bonnie Clevering. For over 50 years, Bonnie has worked with stars such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Barbra Streisand, Kristen Stewart, and more! With her expertise and attention to detail, she has done such a good job of maintaining continuity in films that you don't even notice the gap in time between certain shots or scenes that were filled months apart. Bonnie is now celebrating the release of her book Continuity: Life Beyond the Credits, and it's available now so you can grab your copy today! You can find out what else is being worked on by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois welcomes Jenna Udenberg, founder of the nonprofit organization Above & Beyond with U. A full-time wheelchair user since she was seven years old, Jenna has made it her life's mission to advocate for disabled people everywhere. She became a Bush Fellow in 2020, and in 2023, she published her book "Within My Spokes: A Tapestry of Pain, Growth & Freedom." Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with up-and-coming author Bria Rose, who specializes in retelling classic children's stories as darker romance for the older crowd. Her current book that is out now, Her Dark Promise, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and there are more in development for the near future. You can find out more about Bria by going to her website HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network. On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with bilingual poet Katerina Stoykova. From Bulgaria to Kentucky, Katerina started writing and publishing her poetry over the past couple of years, and she is the founder and senior editor of Accents Publishing, as well as the creator of the Accents Podcast on WUKY. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with the guest of honor for this weekend's Archon 48 Convention in Collinsville, Illinois, acclaimed author & producer Melinda M Snodgrass. After several years working in law, Melinda took a chance on herself and started writing. This resulted in the Star Trek novel "The Tears of the Singers," and in the next several years, Melinda would work with her friend / fellow author George R.R. Martin and their anthology series "Wild Cards," and write a spec script for Star Trek: The Next Generation that would not only become the widely acclaimed episode "The Measure of a Man," but would also bring her into the writers' room as a Story Editor for nearly two seasons. This would only be the beginning of Melinda's vast creative journey, which would take her to other television series, more books, and the silver screen. Check out all of Melinda's works on her website - including "The High Ground" and "Lucifer's War," the first installments of the Imperials series and the Carolingian series - by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

This week on Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with USA Today Bestselling Author G Michael Hopf. After being in the military, then moving into commercial diving, Hopf started his journey to become an author by publishing a children's book in 2011, and never looked back. He now has several books in different genres, including his acclaimed New World Series, and he's always on the lookout or inspiration for the next books and beyond! Read more about G Michael Kopf by going to his website, which can be found HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

An ongoing theme on Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is celebrating those who take many different creative paths to reach that personal success. In the case of this week's guest Samuel Chambers, the various paths he chose to pursue have been poetry, filmmaking, and animation. And even better, all of those outlets play a part in his short project "The Timid Bunny." Learn more about Samuel and The Timid Bunny by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with Susan Hensley, author of "Art for Your Sanity: How Art Journaling Can Help You Manage Chaos and Unleash Joy. As a transformational coach, author, and speaker, Susan has realized that there was still joy within her creative endeavors that hadn't been felt since childhood. With the help of art journaling - keeping a visual & creative diary designed to express thoughts and explore various styles - Susan has turned her perfectionism and frustrations to a constant stream of happiness, excitement, and exploration. And she's looking forward to sharing all of what she has learned with you. Learn more about Susan and her works by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

Welcome to the Season 11 Premiere of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity. After taking a couple of much-needed months off, host & producer George Sirois sits down with writer / producer / podcaster Alan "A L" Katz! With a career that spans several decades, Alan was an integral force behind franchises such as HBO's Tales from the Crypt (plus its two theatrical features Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood), Freddy's Nightmares, Children of the Corn, The Outer Limits, and more! As a podcaster, Alan has been a guest on countless shows and his own shows have attracted a lot of attention from listeners and critics, with his "How Not to Make a Movie" Podcast (all about Bordello of Blood behind the scenes) being named the Best Film Podcast of 2022 by Entertainment Weekly! Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

ORIGINALLY POSTED 03/26/2019 On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host and producer George Sirois has a little something he needs to tell all of you, something he needed to tell himself. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

ORIGINALLY POSTED 10/16/2018 For Episode 4 of Excelsior Journeys, host George Sirois welcomes actress / writer / director / producer / yoga instructor Kristina Erikson. They talk about their time together at Marymount Manhattan College, Kristina continuing on her journey as an actress after graduation, how yoga played a major role in regaining the confidence in herself, how the highs and lows in her life prompted her to create her short film Evolved, and more. To learn more about Kristina and her journey, please visit her on Instagram at @kristinaeriksonyogi. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois celebrates the completion of 10 seasons by answering several audiobook narrating-related questions, and drops a very interesting piece of information regarding what to expect over the next couple of months. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with author & filmmaker Paul Skidmore. A lover of storytelling since his youth, Paul has dedicated himself to bringing those stories to life on both the page as short stories & novels, and as short films, sketches, and feature films shot in Tennessee. By doing so, he has attracted various crew members, actors, musicians, and others that could dedicate themselves to being a local film production company. And Paul uses his platform to teach others the craft and get them excited about bringing their own stories to life. You can learn more about Paul by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with author Nkrumah Mensah. For years, she had kept her works in a drawer, away from potential readers, until her daughter found one of her manuscripts and sent it to her book club, otherwise known as "The Battle of the Books." Suddenly, Nkrumah had a group of avid readers bullying her into telling them what happens next, and before she knew it, she had an audience before her first published book. This resulted in "Anne of Survivor," the first in a seven-part series of novels. Find out more about Nkrumah and her other works by clicking HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with Mr. Michael Dennis. For years, Michael has served his community in Texas as a local pastor, but in addition to that, he has recently checked the box of a big item on his bucket list by trying out stand-up comedy. He has since not only found his voice on the small stage, but he has also connected with other comics, emceed charity events, and even went on the road to different comedy clubs in Texas. Find out more about Michael's journey in stand-up by going HERE. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with DE Walsh, a prolific poet who has his archive of more than five thousand works available on Amazon, and also has an extensive amount of experience - both personal and professional - with mental health counseling. He talks in his memoir about the psychotic break he suffered while in Dartmouth College in 1975 among many other subjects in this very lively conversation. Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists. If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.