Troy Farah might be young, but he’s amassed writing credentials–and life lessons–worthy of a grizzled veteran. Fresh off his appearance at Spillers No. 3, the journalist and short-story writer talks about channeling Kafka, how to piss off Fox News, and why the only thing standing between him and his college diploma is a scant $35. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Keith Rawson churns out more words in one day than most writers eek out in a week. After his appearance at Spillers No. 3, Keith takes a break from nicotine withdrawal to pontificate on myriad topics, including how ghostwriting takes the ego out of creating, why night jobs are a writer’s best friend, and the fact that social media is bullshit. He also has harsh words for Sally in accounting. Sorry, Sally. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Ryan Myers is a versatile (and funny) writer and entertaining podcast guest, but don’t ask him to be organized. The man who read the wild sci-fi story “Out of Time” at Spillers #2 joins Brian & Robert to talk about the difference between performing stand-up comedy and reading prose, what it’s like to write video game storylines, and why there’s a fine line between proper punctuation and homicidal madness.

Good stuff from Ryan:
twitter.com/thatryanmyers
facebook.com/thatryanmyers

Gary Garrison’s one of our favorite people. Why? Because the man’s a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, sympathetic editor, and teacher to the incarcerated. Yes, the man who wowed the Spillers #2 crowd with his short story “The Husband of a Galaxy” is an all-around nice human being. Over a cup of coffee, Gary talks to Brian about encouraging young writers, what it’s like to don an editor’s hat, and the importance of trusting one’s spouse.

Gary’s website:
garyjgarrison.com

Kelsey Pinckney is a lot of things–author, publisher, lachrymose birthday gal–and she’s our first guest to have ever run into a person outside a tattoo parlor on Friday the 13th while riding a new bicycle. Kelsey’s story “Crying on My Birthday” was a hit at Spillers #2, and here Brian and Robert learn what it takes to slap an issue of her literary journal Four Chambers Press together and why all her fiction narrators are really alternate-reality Kelseys.

Kelsey wants you to see these:
fourchamberspress.com
Instagram: fourchamberspress

Ed Kearns is such a cool customer that he joined Brian & Robert even while his wife was due to give birth at any moment. Yep, the man who read an excerpt from his novel “Write Me Wrong’ at Spillers #2 was more than happy to pontificate on drunk Irish grandfathers and old man varicose veins before taxiing his wife to the hospital to give birth to their second child. Our kind of guy, that Ed.

Visit Ed’s website:
edkearns.com

Connor Rickett is a man of science and freelance writer who carves out enough time to pen great short stories like “Coin Toss in a Diner” that he read at Spillers #2. Connor sits down with Brian & Robert to talk on such diverse topics as writing in color, live animal husbandry, and dead guys before giving the hosts some much-appreciated writing homework.

Get more from Connor here:
citiesofthemind.com