The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Being a journalist gave Kermit Pattison the license to be curious. He is the author of Fossil Men: The Quest for the Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind. It is published by William Morrow. Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and be sure to head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to sign up for the monthly newsletter. 

Annie Duke is the author of How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. You can follow her @annieduke on Twitter and visit her website annieduke.com. Keep the conversation going by linking up to @CNFPod on social media and sign up for the monthly newsletters at brendanomeara.com. Reading recommendations, podcast news, and a CNFin' Happy Hour for subscribers only!

"That's what the practice is. It's for people who have read enough blog posts or books to know the method, but for whatever reason look straight at the method and blink," says Seth Godin. His 20th book is The Practice: Shipping Creative Work and it's a book for our troubled times.  Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to sign up for my monthly newsletter.

Edward Parnell (@edward_parnell) comes by the show to talk Kurt Vonnegut, birds, grief, and his book "Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country." It is published by William Collins. Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod across the Big  3.  Be sure you head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to sign up for my monthly newsletter. First of the month. No spam. Can't beat it.

"When you are being controlled by a fear, then you are not being yourself," says Amalia Andrade, @amaliaandrade_ on Twitter. Amalia is the author and illustrator behind What You Think About When You Bite Your Nails: A Fear and Anxiety Workbook (Penguin Life, 2020).  Subscribe to the podcast wherever you download them and keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod. Consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts and if you do, I'll read it on the air!  

"What can I leave out? And that point where I can start leaving things out becomes very liberating because then, in a way, the reporting continues, but it's narrowing," says Patrick Radden Keefe, a staff writer at The New Yorker, best selling author of Say Nothing, and host of Wind of Change.Follow him @praddenkeefe and follow the podcast @CNFPod. 

"I spend a lot of time thinking about promotion," says Kristen Meinzer, author of So You Want to Start a Podcast and How to be Fine, "because this is not Field of Dreams." Follow Kristen on Twitter @kristenmeinzer and while you're at it, follow the show @CNFPod. In this episode we talk about the nuts and bolts of why you should make a podcast and who should you make it for, structure, pet peeves, and the rigor of promoting your show. Stay tuned to the end for my parting shot and Kristen's Bookshelf for the Apocalypse!

"It's when you get stuck and you start to realize something's not right. It's usually because you're wrong," says Catherine Grace Katz, @Catherine_Katz on Twitter. She is the author The Daughters of Yalta:  The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War. It's published by Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt. Follow the show @CNFPod. This show is sponsored by my editing services! Head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to email me to start a dialogue.

Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham (@ashandchess) are here to talk about their incredible and beautiful book The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History and Handbook (Morrow Gift, 2020) as well their stationery business that pushes art into the political realm. This show is sponsored by Scrivener, creative by writers for writers. Use the coupon code NONFICTION at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase of Scrivener. Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara across the big three. And if you're feeling kind share this with a friend and considering leaving a nice review on Apple Podcasts.  Oh, yeah, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Elisa Gabbert (@egabbert) returns to talk about her new book The Unreality of Memory (FSG, 2020), as well has her poetry and how it ties into her prose. You'll also hear the five books for her Bookshelf for the Apocalypse and much, much more. This episode is supported by Scrivener, made by writers, for writers. Enter the promo code NONFICTION at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase. Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod across the big three.  Consider rating the show. I just might read it on air!