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Episode #3: Guest Author Bob Miller

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Bob Miller has been a professional magician for twenty years, performing on stage and table-side magic. He has also created several of his own tricks which he sells on his website. ​

In addition to magic, Bob works as a programmer. He has created software for magicians to track customers and shows, and software for writers based on K.M. Weiland’s workbook, Outlining Your Novel.​

As if that’s not enough, Bob is now writing a five book thriller series, Chrysalis Chronology. The series is about genetically-altered humans with special powers. The first two books – The Smart Kid and The Time Leaper – are currently available, with others to follow.​

LINKS ​

http://bobmillermagic.com/blog/​

http://bobmillerauthor.com

http://chrysalischronology.com

https://www.facebook.com/BobMillerAuthor/​

Upcoming Events:​

  • Bob performs table side magic and balloon animals every Friday night at EL TORO, 10901 Douglas Drive, Champlin, MN, 6 to 8 pm. ​Free to all customers!​
  • Launch of Startled by JOY 2019, new poetry in classical forms, edited by Laura Vosika.​
  • Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 South Snelling Drive, 2 to 3:30 pm​. Music, free wine and hors d’oeuvres.

​Bob’s Readings: ​

  • The Trap at Lincoln from The Smart Kid, Book One​ – 13:08
  • The Falls from The Time Leaper, Book Two​ – 33:00
  • Date Night from The Proxy Agent, Book Three​- 45:55

Michael’s Beer Pairings: ​

  • Black Ops, Brooklyn Brewery​ (paired to The Trap at Lincoln) – 11:02
  • Sea Quench, Dogfish Head Brewery​ (paired to The Falls) – 30:33
  • Siracusa Nera, Dogfish Head​ Brewery (paired to Date Night) – 43:35

Interview Highlights: ​

  • Bob’s life as a magician​ – 20:25
  • The Pre-Date Calendar trick​ – 22:40
  • The Chrysalis Chronology novel series – 26:38
  • Why does it matter for characters to change throughout a story?​ – 40:33
  • The plots in magic, the plots in writing​ – 52:25

COMING NEXT MONTH: Kathryn Kysar, Twin Cities poet

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #2: Guest Author Toussaint Morrison

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This month Michael and Laura welcome Toussaint Morrison – writer, poet, musician, lyricist, actor…and more – about his multiple artistic endeavors. Toussaint writes and produces scripts for YouTube, has toured with multiple bands, has written lyrics and music for nearly 200 songs, and participates in slam poetry—among other things. Stop by and hear Toussaint reading and performing some of his work!

Toussaint Morrison is an avid mentor for youth, working as a paraprofessional in special education classrooms and leading spoken word workshops primarily in middle schools. He is also an Emmy award winning host of PBS’s civic engagement web series, America From Scratch. Graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Theater, Morrison now spends his time writing & producing film for majority casts of color.

www.toussaintmorrison.blogspot.com

Youtube.com/toussaintmorrison

Youtube.com/urbanhomecinema

Patreon.com/toussaintmorrison

Toussaint is performing a live spoken word show at the Phoenix Theater in Minneapolis on Saturday, June 22nd.

Toussaint’s Readings:

  • The Fight that Never Was – 12:35
  • Escaping Nina’s – 28:15
  • Baby Gots Venom – 44:40

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

  • Miller High Life, Miller Brewing Company – 9:50
  • Ninja vs. Unicorn, Pipeworks Brewing Co. – 26:40
  • The Abyss, Deschutes Brewery – 41:38

Interview Highlights:

  • The impact of New Orleans on Toussaint’s writing. – 19:25
  • Managing time—how does one person do so much? – 22:25
  • Urban Home Companion and Toussaint’s beef with Garrison Keillor! – 32:10
  • Influence of Charles Bukowski and elevating the mundane moments – 36:35
  • How different styles of writing lend themselves to different stories or messages – 50:45

COMING NEXT MONTH: Bob Miller, Author and Magician

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

  • Michael, Laura and Toussaint

Episode #1: Guest Author Loren Niemi

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This month Michael and Laura spoke with Loren Niemi. Loren is a storyteller with 40 years of creating, performing and teaching stories that matter. His work has been called “post-modern,” pushing the boundaries of narrative form “with a dark beauty of language that is not ashamed of poetry.”

Loren is also an author. His books include the award winning The New Book of Plots, an examination of oral and written narratives, and the critically acclaimed Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories, which he co-authored with Elizabeth Ellis. In 2016 he received the National Storytelling Network’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His collection of original and collected ghost stories What Haunts Us came out in February 2019.

www.lorenniemistories.com

Loren’s stories:

  • Remodeling the Kitchen – 10:59
  • Barbecue Bus – 26:53
  • The Hungry Carpet – 47:23

Michael’s beer pairings:

  • Oh Fudge!, Prairie Artisan Ales – 9:02
  • Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, Brauerei Heller-Trum – 24:14
  • Kriek Boon, Brouwerij Boon  – 44:45

Interview highlights:

  • The impact of growing up moving on storytellers – 15:54
  • Becoming a storyteller – 17:33
  • Storytelling…on the Great Wall of China – 21:05
  • Why we tell stories – 22:55
  • Why we’re drawn to ghost stories and other dark tales – 36:53
  • Telling stories vs. writing stories – 51:00

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.