Dead Reckoning Collective

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live...We look for the sermon in the suicide, for the social or moral lesson in the murder of five. We interpret what we see, select the most workable of the multiple choices. We live entirely, especially if we are writers, by the imposition of a narrative line upon disparate images, by the "ideas" with which we have learned to freeze the shifting phantasmagoria which is our actual experience.” -Joan Didion Mac Caltrider has been a long time friend and supporter of Dead Reckoning Collective. He humbly submitted his own manuscript after years of writing about other people's books and eventually breaking into a career in journalism. In his debut book, Caltrider takes us on a tour of Afghanistan’s IED-filled Helmand province, where every footstep is an act of bravery. Without a chance to exhale, he moves on to explore the messy world of policing in the wake of George Floyd and the outbreak of COVID-19. Caltrider then takes us up the snow-swept slopes of Mount Rainier and on a whirlwind tour of the United States, alongside Miss America, some of the Pentagon’s top brass, and a gaggle of B-list celebrities that more closely resemble a circus than a morale boost. As the stories progress, a narrative through-line emerges, revealing the complicated ways in which war remains with those who wage it. In this episode of the podcast we discuss topics covered in Mac's book and how his thought process evolved before and after composing these essays. What we learn is it's not always so simple and we don't always get the full picture, but also that it doesn't have to make sense immediately for it to be worth it. The immediate experience and the delayed gratification is all part of the journey.

We have been highlighting Native stories and storytellers this month in recognition of American Indian Heritage Month so it was only appropriate we start the podcast back up with a conversation Keith had with our friend and warrior storyteller, Jeremiah "Blackbeard" Wilber. Jeremiah is a retired Green Beret and founder of War Party Movement, an organization that was intended to start conversations about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and progressed into rescue and rehabilitation efforts for women and children across the country. Jeremiah's family history of fighting for oppressed people everywhere is a huge part of his own story that now extends beyond his time in special operations. The stories Jeremiah and his team have to tell are important and they are more relevant than ever. https://deadreckoningco.com https://warpartymovement.com

In the final episode of this three part series, Amy talks with her editor and Dead Reckoning Collective’s Director of Education, Jessica Danger.

In honor of Mother's Day, the focus of this episode is celebrating some of the military mothers who inspired Amy and the poems that make up her poetry collection, "Poppies." This interview is the second episode in a three part series, guest hosted by Amy Sexauer. Amy is the first woman to be added to the Dead Reckoning Collective roster and she came out swinging. In this interview series, she will discuss some of the elements surrounding Poppies inspired by the women she interviews. They are fellow Cultural Support Team (CST) veterans with whom she served in Afghanistan and they even inspired some of the poems from the collection. ----- Join other veteran parents in the upcoming July course offering, "Writing About Parenthood," a three hour introductory workshop that includes generative prompts, short readings, and optional opportunities to share work and receive encouraging feedback.

This interview is the first part of a three part series, guest hosted by Amy Sexauer, author of "Poppies." Amy is the first woman to be added to the Dead Reckoning Collective roster and she came out swinging. In this interview series, she will discuss some of the elements surrounding Poppies inspired by the women she interviews. They are fellow Cultural Support Team (CST) veterans with whom she served in Afghanistan and they even inspired some of the poems from the collection.

Keith Dow sat down with Luke Ryan, the author of The First Marauder. At the Black Rifle Coffee Company storefront in San Antonio, the two talked about an array of topics regarding Luke's debut novel in fiction. Specifically, they talked about ideas that inspired this book, the motivation and organization required to finish the project, and what all entails when creating a post-apocalyptic world. We hope y'all enjoy!

This episode is a little different than our previous podcasts. Tyler reads a short essay that he wrote for his MFA program, titled "Why I Write." He and Keith talk about the MFA program and the inspiration and ideas that surround the writing. After the piece is read, they discuss the benefits of writing an essay laying out why you write. In doing so, you'll find the foundation as to what makes you a writer and why you decide to put yourself through this beautiful and miserable experience. You can find the essay at https://deadreckoningco.com/blogs/read/why-i-write

In Episode 34, the inaugural writing workshop crew sat down without Tyler or Keith and discussed what they got out of the weekend. Marty Skovlund Jr shares his excitement about one-lines that stuck out. Jessica Danger emphasizes the importance of workshopping your pieces of writing. Mac Caltrider feels encouraged to continue writing loosely based fiction. Tom Schueman touches on the idea of entitled writers and veterans and reminds people that they must bring their best work to the table. Michael Plunkett reassures writers to put the work out there. All in all, it was great to have this crew together. We hope you enjoy listening to this fun conversation and feel inspired to share your story.

In Episode 33, Tyler got to speak with Thomas Schueman & Michael Plunkett. Schueman is the founder of PB Abbate, and Plunkett helps run the book club. Schueman goes into detail about how PB Abbate came about and what his intentions are with the organization. Plunkett is an example of Schueman's trust in veterans that want to continue to serve. Plunkett put himself out there and now helps give back to the community. PB Abbate's reach is endless and has only begun. It was a great time talking to these two. Enjoy!

In Episode 32, Tyler got to speak with William Bolyard, the author of Sober Man's Thoughts. The two discussed what lead Bolyard to write the book, everything that went into writing it, and the relationship and progression of a writer with their craft. Bolyard speaks about the struggles he experienced during the process of creating this poetry book, but he also expresses the huge sense of relief after finishing the book. Enjoy!

In episode 31, Tyler sat down with Marty Skovlund & Mac Caltrider while they were in Kittery Maine for DRC's writing workshop. Marty is the executive editor of Black Rifle Coffee Company’s magazine, Coffee or Die. Mac is one of their newest staff writers within their Entertainment vertical. Check out this episode to get some perspective on the culture and expectations at Coffee or Die and what all it takes when you're a new writer. This was a great episode to record and we hope you enjoy listening.

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In our 29th episode it was our distinct honor to be joined by Tim O'Brien. Mr O'Brien is an award winning author and a Vietnam War veteran. When people ask us what there is to like about fiction, we reference wise words he has said about why he prefers it as his chosen genre. No one can provide a better rationale. In this episode we are also rejoined by Aaron Matthews from Episode 24. Tim and Aaron talk about the upcoming film, The War & Peace of Tim O'Brien, which is available for pre-order right now. It follows Tim's triumphs and struggles as an author, a veteran, a father, a husband, and a man. We hope you'll join us for this special episode where we discuss parallels of written and visual storytelling techniques as well as how Tim's life was so honestly captured by Aaron as he embedded with the O'Brien family for several years. The film will officially debut on VOD services on March 2nd, 2021.

While we had them in town to sign all of your books, Tyler sat down with the authors of “Lucky Joe,” DRC’s first novella. The boys run through the creation of the 3 way collaborative book while also responding to questions submitted to our social media platforms. PURCHASE SIGNED COPIES https://deadreckoningco.com/products/lucky-joe-signed

As a Marine Infantry Officer hailing from the South Side of Chicago, Thomas Schueman has a resume he is less interested in talking about and pushes the lives of “greater men” regularly in conversation. He is currently an instructor at the Naval Academy teaching literature while also recently founding Patrol Base Abbate, a retreat for all veterans to use as a place to refit and get back in the fight. Find out more about Schueman’s efforts to help veterans and the man the retreat is named after.

If a novel is beer, poetry is whiskey. Cokie is a mysterious presence in the world of veteran creatives. In this episode he talks about his experiences as a failed pastor, marine scout sniper, contractor, and a poet. Be sure to pick up a copy of his new book on https://cokieactual.com or Amazon.

Rok was (and still is) a Baltimore graffiti writer before and joined the ranks of the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. In this episode, we talk about the state of veteran and graffiti culture and correlations between them. https://itslevelseven.com

Aaron Matthews In our second episode ever featuring a non-veteran, we welcome award winning documentary film maker, Aaron Matthews to the show. Among several other documentaries that some of you would take interest in, Aaron is currently awaiting the release of “The War and Peace of Tim O’Brien.” Tim O’Brien is one of the most influential veteran authors of our time and when we were made aware of the film that Aaron had put together we immediately reached out to Aaron and roped him into the podcast episode before you. Check out this episode for some insight on storytelling through film, insight into Tim O’Brien and some other great topics we stumbled upon along the way. Check out Aaron’s work and the film at: http://www.aaronmatthews.com https://www.timobrienfilm.com https://instagram.com/timobrienfilm?igshid=2t6mavehk2bv .

In episode 23 we had the pleasure of sitting down with Marty Skovlund, who is a former 1/75 Ranger and held several titles at various publications before finding his new home at Black Rifle Coffee Company. Marty is the editor of the company’s magazine, Coffee or Die. Check our this episode to get some perspective on his previous projects as well as some exciting things he has coming out in the future. This was a great episode to record and we hope you enjoy listening out there in quarantine land.

In this episode we welcome Jessica Rambo to the show. Jessica is a Marine veteran, an artist and a mother who has recently transitioned into living in a school bus she renovated. In addition to her unique lifestyle, Jessica has started a charitable effort called the Paint Can Project, where she gathers art supplies from donors and distributed them to deserving veterans in 50 cal ammo cans. For more info about Jess and the Paint Can Project, check out her instagram: @paintedbuffalotravelingstudio