Just Joshing 100

Tags

axel howerton, coffin hop press, Just Joshing, music, patience, podcasts, robert bose, vanessa cardui, writing

It’s been one hundred episodes.

One hundred.

Wow.

So before I talk about the episode, I want to begin with a thank you.  Thank you to each and every person who took the time to listen to any of the episodes I’ve produced in the past.  This episode is special for a number of reasons.  The first is that this is the hundredth episode (obviously) but the second reason is the story behind this.

This was my first live show.  The episode was recorded At Owl’s Nest Books in Calgary, Alberta Canada on Wednesday, May 24th, 2017.  Now if you are aware of the weather that day, you know I was a little worried about the day.  After I got my awesome cake, the trees bent, the rain fell, and we had hurricane winds out there.

There was a question of whether or not anyone would show up.  I had rum, I had cake, Axel had brought whiskey, and we waited.  Fortunately, people showed and the show went on.

I opened up the show with a little bit of a monologue.  Heck, you only get to one hundred once right?

This being a live show called for some live guests.

 

Robert Bose has yet to be on my live podcast offically, (that will soon be amended).  That said, he’s someone that I’ve wanted to have on the show for while. Robert is a heck of a short story writer who has a ton of credits in quite a variety of publications.

Through Coffin Hop Press Robert is releasing his first short story collection, Fishing with the Devil.  I personally dig the fact that Robert wrote a short story based on the fact that his grandfather is the devil.  That’s a hell of a tagline and his reading really captured a sense of what to expect this July.

I look forward to seeing Robert again on the podcast, and really dug the glimpse I got into his collection.  This July, check this collection out.  I know I will.

 

 

 

My next guest has been on the show before and has his first Noirvella coming out this July.

Axel Howerton is probably one of the most talented writer/publisher/performers I’ve had the privilege to have on the show.  We continued some of our conversation from last time, and got into the history of Coffin Hop Press.  We both talk nicely about Sarah Johnson.

Then in my view, Axel just took it to the next level with his reading from his book.  He just killed it.  I really want this story.  Up until this podcast, I didn’t quite have a good idea of what noir was until Axel defined it.  Con Morte is a dark and vivid place that hits you hard the moment you hear him start reading from it.

This is damn good and also coming out this July. Axel and Robert are both going to be getting my hard earned dollars with their works and I’m encouraging you to do take a look at both of Robert’s and Axel’s stuff.

This July looks promising indeed.

 

Like I said at the event, I tried to design the live event like a talk show.  Now with a talk show you close the event one or two ways.  You either find someone funny, or you bring about someone with great musical talent.

I’ve had Vanessa Cardui before on the show as well.  I wanted her back for a number of reasons.  She’s one of my most popular guests ever, and she’s also fantastic live.  She’s an amazing musician well versed in a variety of instruments and Styles.

We talk about her album Patience which is going to be released September 7th, 2017.  We talk about the process this album took and one of the big reasons why this album took so long.

Also, she performed as musicians are known to do from time to time.  Vanessa performed a pirate song called Chapter 122, which is a direct reference to Moby Dick.  It’s an excellent song about rum which the whole group managed to sing to.

We talked about her chosen venue, and the odd coincidence/serendipity it ties to this image and much, much more.  Vanessa is one of my favorite guests and she delivered a fun interview and a great performance to close out the show.

Well, almost.  I closed out the show with a bit of my poetry book The Wandering God.  All in all it was a fun show I was happy to do it.

I promise this, at some point I will do another show like this again.  But this show was special for a lot of reasons.  It was my first live show, and it was one hundred.  But all the circumstances, the people – it was one heck of an experience.  I went outside my comfort zone, and was rewarded with something truly special.

Before I close with the link to the podcast, I want to make one small thank you to Vanessa.  She mastered the live episode for me.

And what would a live episode be like without a cool preview?

This is the cover from Tom Bagley for Coffin Hop’s Christmas anthology.

Coffin Hop Press.  : http://www.coffinhop.com

Vanessa Cardui: http://Vanessacardui.bandcamp.com

Listen here:  Just Joshing Episode 100

People that Inspire You – 200th Blog

Tags

blog 200, empathy, human condition, inspiration, Just Joshing, Podcasting, struggle, understanding

Before I begin, let’s do a little bit of fun.

My podcast has been on a roll of late, and the last few episodes should give you an idea as to why.

My last three episodes have been with Colleen Anderson, JM Dematteis and Saima Khalid.  Click a name to listen to their episode.  My show is approaching the 100th episode of being on the air and it’s been a thrill.  The show is Just Joshing and I hope you check it out.

Why do we struggle?

It’s an age old question and I don’t think there is an easy answer.  Struggle, pain, those things have been debated for ever and ever.   I’m not going to discuss where I believe struggle comes from or why it exists.   Instead, I’m going to point out people in my life, who face their own obstacles every day.

My dad is my hero.  It’s no secret to those that know me.  He came from an incredibly tough neighbourhood and overcame being a statistic and right now is helping people in Windsor Ontario with holistic medicine.   He is a genius at using food as medicine and does in a way anyone can learn to apply themselves.

My sister makes me smile.  She didn’t have the same kind of support I had with family, and yet is one of the kindest most decent people I know.  She’s gifted, smart, and maybe one of the sweetest people I know.  I’m her brother, and I know there’s a bias there, but I’m super proud to have her as a sister.

I have a friend who beat the odds living today.  He’s a chef and one of the sweetest dudes I know.  He’s a chef and he’s been there for me in ways I’ve enjoyed.  Sometimes i think he’s the devil in my life – others, he’s the wise man.  I am proud to know him.

I know this one person who sometimes feel she’s worthless.  Thoughts of how to proceed with her life tend to make her pause.  I can only offer kind words here and there.  I don’t pretend to fully comprehend the pressures she faces in the world we live in.  That said, she is smart, she has a hunger to learn.  She taught herself english.  She communicates incredibly well and understands well beyond some people I know here.  I think she’s amazing for having that kind of drive.

Another friend I know is about to become a mom.  She’s scared sometimes, because I know she worries about the kind of mom she’s going to be.  She’s dealt with a lot in her life, and may be the second toughest woman I know.   She’s going to be a great mom.

You can find inspiration with the people in your lives.  Those people who chase dreams and try to make them real.  Those who face unbearable obstacles and still persevere and strive to live.   Those who want more and show incredible ability to do so.  People truly tend to forget how amazing they really are.  I can use anyone in this example.

We all struggle.  We all have things to overcome and learn and deal with.   It can be depression, it can be abandonment, or loss, or knowledge and responsibilities.  It can be a question of purpose.  I may be describing you in there somewhere, or someone you know.   If you look hard enough, you can see those struggles and put yourself if not in people’s shoes completely, empathize.

So for you that face things head on, thank you for taking away my excuses.  Thank you for amazing me in what you do and how you do it.  Thanks for being inspiration in just being yourselves.

We all forget how great we are.  In how we stand, we can inspire others.  When we can see where people struggle, then the walls can come down and maybe, just maybe we can help heal each other.

For are all are in pain.

But we can all be healed.

Thanks for being here for 200 blogs.  Thanks for those who read and are inspired by what I write, and thank you for inspiring me to write.  This is only the beginning.

Ninety Percent of Your Battle

Tags

ninety percent, podcasts, success, The Cloud Diver, writing, youtube

Before we begin the blog, gotta say I’m really proud of two things.  The first is I have a youtube channel now.  Hooray right?  Right as I type this thirty some odd episodes are up there for you to listen to.  My channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBr8pyMELcMcaHLd4qTWyaw

Watch and let me know what you think.

The other thing?  I got to talk to a comic book legend in JM Dematteis.  Been a big fan of his since his Silver Surfer run and have read a lot of his material since.

The episode is here. I also read a bit of The Cloud Diver at the end of episode.

Cool right?  On to the blog.

There is no guaranteed path to success.  I’m not saying that this will insure that you will always achieve your desired outcome.  Success and failure have no assurances.

I have a friend who has this cynical view of dreams coming true.  “You can be anything you want to be,” he says in that sarcastic tone.   There’s a tinge of sadness every time he says this.  A friend of mine I haven’t talked with for a long, long time finished the thought.

“..If you’re good enough.”

It’s a very unspoken part of the sentence.   Not many people say it, but a lot of people believe it.  That’s the problem.

I don’t know about you but that images pisses me off.

But we all feel this way sometimes.  Not good enough for that girl, that job, that career, whatever.  We beat ourselves most of the time when we think like that.  Our minds are powerful.  If we tell ourselves we can’t do something, we can’t do it.  With very few exceptions.

Thing is, can’t do it is in our heads a lot.  One of the most important lessons of my life involved my dad.  At eight years old, he took me to Fanshawe Park.  There we walked along the stream and then, for whatever reason, decided to scale the hill.   I was eight and little and small and looked at this hill with dread.  To be honest, I didn’t want to do it.

Dad scaled the thing with ease, which meant I had to try.  The first time, I fell…well, more like skidded down the hill.  I really didn’t want to climb the thing again.  Dad encouraged me.  I on the other hand, discouraged myself.

“I can’t do it.” I said to myself.  I kept climbing, saying that mantra over and over again.  To my surprise, somehow I found myself on the top of the hill.

This is one of my most important lessons.  Can’t is a concept.  Worth is a concept.  Deserving is also a concept.  Life is inherently unfair and that isn’t exactly a bad thing.

That hill taught me that I can do anything and that confidence carries me into situations sometimes I had no idea what exactly I am doing.  (My career can be described in jumping into situations I had no idea what I was doing, but whatever.)

But there are no guarantees.  Success and failure are possible outcomes.   That said, ninety percent of all your battles are just one thing, and that’s this:  If you want something and you want the best chance to succeed at getting it, show up and take action.

It sounds simple.   In essence that’s what you do when you go to work, that’s what you do when you go on a date, that’s what you do when you choose to do anything.  Show up and do something.  There are no guarantees after that, but really, that’s ninety percent of the work with anything.

Don’t let those negative thoughts beat you.   Just do the above paragraph.  Show up and deal with the task in front of you.  Every task in life is just those two things.   You are big enough, brave enough, smart enough,  and capable of doing anything if you just do those two things.

Show up, and do the work.  And don’t let any voice in your head tell you that you can’t do it.  Don’t sabotage yourself.  Because, why not you?

Just Joshing Episode 47: Clare C. Marshall

Tags

Clare C Marshall, Faery Ink Press, freelancing, Just Joshing, podcasts, writing

I’m back.   With everything that hit me, it’s been quite a while since I did a Just Joshing guest on the blog, but that returns today with Clare Marshall.

I met Clare at When Words Collide a year ago.   We didn’t really get a chance to speak until I attended Craig Dilouie’s launch party for Children of God a few months back.  What impressed me about Clare was the fact that she is so driven and passionate about what she wants to do with her career.

Her writing is top notch.  I have only started to read the Violet Fox, but was pleasantly surprised to find the opening chapter to be very engaging.  Kiera is a modern day Robin Hood, doing what she can for the Freetor people, who are oppressed by the Marlenians.   Chapter one involves a prince, a brooch, and a lot action.   So far, I’m engaged.

Clare just recently appeared on my show and was nice enough to answer a couple of Questions for the blog.  Below are her responses.

What are you working on right this minute?

I’m working on the next book in the Sparkstone Saga, Hunger In Her Bones, trying to get it into production. I’m also working on the third book in my YA fantasy series, The Emerald Cloth. On the business side, I’m working on improving my freelance business website (cmarshallpublishing.com), and increasing the number of shows I do next year.

 If you can talk about it, what has been the most fun freelance job you’ve done to date?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. I suppose I try to find the fun in all my jobs, Mary Poppins style, otherwise I wouldn’t be very efficient with getting things done! Any website job where I have a lot of creative freedom in the design and implementation is fun, because there’s a lot of problem solving, and I can usually listen to audio books/podcasts while I do it.

Is there a medium of writing you’d like to do that you haven’t done yet?  If so, what?

Yes! I’m very interested in writing a visual novel – they’re a kind of game, popular in Japan, though there are small/individual developers making them in the Western world. It would be a big project, so probably will work away at it for the next few years. Just have to brush up on and improve my coding skills.

Anything you’d like to add?

You can find my list of shows and appearances at https://www.faeryinkpress.com/about/upcoming-events

To sign up for the Faery Ink Press newsletter, you can go here: https://www.faeryinkpress.com/newsletter

If you’re a creative type and you’re looking for website design or hosting, or editing, formatting, or eBook creation, please contact me here: http://editinganddesign.com/contact-us/

Thanks Clare!

The only real other thing I have to add is that you can find her on twitter at @claremarshall13 .  Say hi.  She is awesome and someone to model your own work ethic and habits doing.  The podcast is linked below.  Have a listen.

http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-08-22T09_36_33-07_00

Just Joshing Episode 35: Megan Hutchison

Tags

comics, Interviews, Just Joshing, magic, megan hutchinson, podcasts, rockstars

Finally catching up with the Just Joshings with Episode 35.

Megan Hutchison is probably the coolest artist in comics.   Now, it goes without saying that she is talented.  Her work on Will of the Wisp: Grim Grimeon is nothing short of amazing.  It’s how I met her actually.

She was at Calgary Comic con being cool with everyone she came by.  I enjoyed my conversation with her, and asked her back then if she’d be cool with an interview.  She said yes, and we departed with me owning one of the coolest looking graphic novels in comics.

Flash forward to now.   I have a podcast, and Megan is about to undertake the coolest comic ever in Rockstars with Joe Harris.   The podcast is below, but here’s a brief introduction to Megan with this short interview.

Joshua Pantalleresco:  What are you working on right now?

Megan Hutchison:  I am continuing my work on Rockstars which will hopefully keep me busy for a while. I’m putting together a project with a writer friend of mine who is also a TV director which should be super fun. I’m also writing 2 horror scripts for myself to draw. One is a big historical fiction horror and the other is smaller, witchery-haunting based script. I’m also baking a lot more these days and am hoping to put together an illustrated baking book in the next few years.

JP: So far, what is the most fun you’ve had illustrating one panel?

MH:  In Rockstars, Joe [Harris] wrote a panel consisting of a demon-human orgy. When I did the roughs, Joe asked me to make it more “demony” and with “more orgy” and it turned out to be really fun to draw. My mother would be embarrassed but my note to Joe whenever he turns over a script is calling for more demon-orgies.

JP: Do you believe in magic?  Why? 

MH:  Yes-ish. I love science and am scientifically grounded but there is SO much we don’t know. And especially with the advancements of technology, magic is just science and technology that we don’t mentally have a grasp of why it works a certain way. I also read Tarot cards which is not science based at all but is a really fun narrative if you believe in it. Reality can be so dark and daunting, which makes believing in “magic” that much more important.

JP: Anything you’d like to add?

MH: Whenever you’re in a bad place in your life, remember that somewhere in the universe there is a chihuahua in bubblewrap in an endless loop…forever…

http://giphy.com/gifs/follow-ruinedchildhood2-for-more-6Fr7FIFGYfl9S

Thanks Megan!

Megan’s comic Rockstars with Joe Harris will be debuting in December.  If you want to find out what Megan is up to check out her webpage at http://www.blackem-art.com.  Her instagram and twitter handles are @blackem_art and her facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/blackem.hutch.   I want to thank Megan for her time and just being awesome.

The podcast is here.  Listen to it now: http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-17T20_16_35-07_00

Just Joshing Episode 34: Michell Plested

Tags

evil alter ego press, Interviews, Just Joshing, michell plested, mik murdoch, podcasts

As I keep catching up, check out my latest Wrestling Column at Wrestling Glory Days right here.  Give it a read.  I’ll be right back before you know it.

Alright?  Alright.  Let’s get cracking.

I keep catching up on Just Joshing with Michell Plested.  Michell is a jack of all trades.  Publisher, writer extraordinaire, and a podcaster in his own right.  Michell has created a publisher called Evil Alter Ego Press.  The first books from the publisher is the Mik Murdoch Boy Superhero series.  Books 1 and 2 were previously released from the publisher, but the new one is being released at When Words Collide.

Michell is also a boy scout leader and an amazing storyteller.  I first encountered Michell at my own taste of local authors event.  He had the crowd in the palm of his hand, and his concept was nothing short of amazing.  I wanted him on the podcast and he graciously agreed.

Of course, then I blew it on the first try.  I had a great conversation with him and my phone somehow deleted it.  Michell was gracious enough to let me have a conversation with him again, and it aired last week on the just joshing podcast.

Below is a brief interview.

Joshua Pantalleresco: What are you working on right this minute?

Michell Plested:  I am getting Mik Murdoch: Crisis of Conscience ready for the printer. That
and writing Scouts of the Apocalypse: Zombie War.

JP: For those people who are not aware, who or what is Evil Alter Ego press?

MP:  Evil Alter Ego Press (EAEP) is an independent publisher that focuses on
Young Adult books. EAEP isn’t overly fussy about the genre – just good
books that will delight readers.

JP:  Considering your apparent love of comics, have you ever thought of doing graphic novels?  It just seems like something you’d do.

MP:  I would actually really like to do a graphic novel. The problem is, I
don’t know any artists who are desperate to partner with me on one (at
least not yet) and my artistic skills are not up to snuff. I AM working on
a children’s book with a very talented artist though it doesn’t quite
qualify as a graphic novel.

JP:  Anything you’d like to add?

MP:  I grew up reading everything I could lay my hands on, including comics. My
parents and grandparents always gave me a hard time about the comic books
because they weren’t real books. I’m here to tell you, they and anyone
else who says comic books (and now graphic novel) don’t count as books are
dead wrong.

I couldn’t agree more.  By the way, I’m still jealous of Michell’s shirt.

I had a lot more I can say, but Michell sent me his bio, and I think I can close out the article with him.   you can find him on twitter at @mplested and his website is http://www.michellplested.com.  You can also find him on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/michell.plested.   I want to thank Michell for his time, and now, his bio to close things out.

 

Michell (Mike) Plested is an author, editor, blogger, closet superhero (not to mention sock herder and cat wrangler), podcaster and publisher living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Mike is the co-founder of Evil Alter Ego Press. An indie press focused on outstanding Young Adult fiction.

His debut novel, Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero was shortlisted for the Prix Aurora Award for Best YA Novel and its sequel, Mik Murdoch: The Power Within was launched at When Words Collide 2014. He has since released, Scouts of the Apocalypse: Zombie Plague (2015) and the co-written novel, Jack Kane & the Statue of Liberty (2015).

The podcast link is right below.  Enjoy.

http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-11T13_26_33-07_00

 

Just Joshing Episode 31: Craig Dilouie and Chris Marrs

Tags

chris marrs, craig dilouie, horror, Just Joshing, podcasts, short fiction, writing

Well now, it’s been a while hasn’t it?  I’ve been working non stop on not one but two major projects the last month, and have been behind on the podcast stuff.  I’m starting to make it up right here.  Here’s what I should have posted three weeks ago.

So let’s begin with the amazing team of Craig Dilouie and Chris Marrs.

You might not know it, because as far as I know, Craig and Chris have not published anything together, but you can tell after talking with them for just a few minutes that those two are a great team, and are there for each other.

Let’s begin with Chris Marrs.  Chris is someone I can admit to being a little jealous of.  It’s not because she’s an amazing writer.  Her short fiction flip book Wildwoman was published as part of Journalstone’s Double Down series.  She’s a gifted short fiction writer, but I’m not jealous of that.  I’m jealous of her ability to finish stories without much of a roadmap at all.  I was floored when she revealed that much of her writing process.  It truly makes her a rare kind of writer in the best way possible.  I can’t wait to see what she does

Craig Dilouie seems to be having a blast right now.  Suffer the Children by the way is the creepiest, scariest book I’ve ever seen.  (Sorry Dirk Manning)  It is a fantastic example of what horror should be every time you read it.  Craig continues to expand his horizons and moving into different genres in his career, and he’s killing it.

It was a pleasure to talk to both of them.  Here’s a brief interview with them both.

Joshua Pantalleresco:   What are you working on right now?

Craig Dilouie:  Currently, I’m working on the fourth episode of my apocalyptic thriller series THE RETREAT, which I’m writing with Stephen Knight and Joe McKinney. After that, I’ll be writing the third episode of my CRASH DIVE historical/military thriller series, which chronicles the adventures of a lieutenant in the submarines during World War 2.

Chris Marrs:  Right now, I’m working on a long piece for Intersections: Seven Tales of Ouija Horror. The line up is fantastic: Megan Hart, Doug Clegg, Rob E. Boley, Sephera Giron, Brad Hodson, and Kerry Lipp. Also, Kealan Patrick Burke created the cover. Can you tell I’m excited about this project?

JP:  What have you guys learned about writing from each other?

CD:  Chris and I are constantly exchanging ideas and support—ways to break logjams in stories, ways to enhance stories, little bits of writing advice we pick up. The biggest thing I learned from Chris is to try to write every day.

CM:  We are very supportive of each other and their writing and, most definitely, exchange ideas and advice, which can become a bit of a debate since I’m a pantser and he’s a plotter. So, I’m attempting to strike a balance between pantsing and plotting based upon those debates.

JP:  Chris, I really dig the book format for your current one.  Are you going to continue to do novellas, or are you looking to do something bigger like a novel?

CM:  Thank you. Gene O’Neill and I have a collaborative novella we’re shopping around. It’s a different format than the DoubleDown, though.

After the Intersections story, I’d love to be able to tackle my novel.

JP:  Craig, can you tell me a bit about your newest book coming out?

CD:  I just announced publication of CHILDREN OF GOD with another horror author, Jonathan Moon. This is my first horror poetry collection. The poems are written by the survivors of a doomsday cult who talk about why they joined, what they hoped to achieve, how it all went wrong, and the night of the massacre. I’m also revising SEPARATION, an apocalyptic novel about a disease that makes people madly fall in love, then out of love, then hate, resulting in the final battle of the sexes. I’ve already started talks with a major publisher about it.

JP:   Anything you’d like to add?

CD:  Thanks for having us on your podcast, Josh!

CM:  Thanks for having us, Josh! It was a blast!

 

Thanks guys!

Craig Dilouie can be found on http://www.craigdilouie.com  .  You can find him on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/craig.dilouie and he can be found on twitter at @craigdilouie.

As for Chris, her facebook page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/chris.marrs.14 and her twitter can be found at @Chris_Marrs.  Go say hi.  They are great people.

As for the podcast, listen here: http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-05-22T02_23_58-07_00

 

Just Joshing Episode 29: GW Renshaw

Tags

Gw Renshaw, Interviews, Just Joshing, Stable Vices Affair, writing

So I got to admit that this write up is a bit two fold.  First and foremost, I’m trying to see how many times I can get GW Renshaw to blush reading this.   When I first interviewed him for the podcast, I got him to blush inside of ten seconds.   I enjoyed that, and may get a kick every time I see him to do this.

But here’s a little secret:  GW may not quite be legendary, but he’s a good dude.  I always get the impression with him that he has seen and done a lot.  Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give him is that he manages to face the world with a smile.   After sixty years of being alive, he manages to do that.  I can’t help but admire that.  He’s not bitter, and there’s still a sense of wonder in this man.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I truly admire that.

GW is an actor, author and renaissance man.  We talked about a great many of his experiences on the podcast and I hope to do so again sometime.   Here’s a brief intro to the man.

Joshua Pantalleresco: What are you working on right now?

GW Renshaw:  The True Love Affair, book 4 of The Chandler Affairs. This is when the
game changes a lot. 🙂

JP:  What makes your more nervous, performing in front of a stage, or reading in a room full of authors?  Why?

GW:  That’s not a simple question. Most of the time I’m nervous before the
fact. Once I’ve started things settle down. There have been exceptions,
though.

JP:  Tell me something about The Kalevala Affair?  I see it just came out.

GW:  Kalevala is both a poetic name for Finland and the name of their
national epic poem. After an attempt on her life, Veronica takes a job
in Europe to locate an historic artifact. She ends up being chased
around the world by a wide variety of unsavoury individuals and
determining the fate of the world. There are also volcanoes involved.

JP:  Anything you’d like to add?

GW:  Being an author is a bit of an adventure. As usual, there are a lot of
Easter eggs in my writing. The concert mentioned in The Kalevala Affair
actually happened as shown, and I’m now friends with several of the
performers and Nightwish’s music teacher. If anybody had told me this
book would lead me to being a fan of Finnish metal I’d have thought they
were nuts. Such is life.

Thanks GW!

If you want to find out more about this man, check him out on his webpage http://www.gwrenshaw.ca.  There you will find a comprehensive look at his books, including this one, which you should read.  In fact, GW does a quick reading of this book in the podcast.  It’s great.  He can also be found on facebook here at https://www.facebook.com/GWRenshaw.

The podcast is below.  I truly enjoyed this conversation and hope you guys will too.  I want to thank GW Renshaw for his time and I hope somewhere down the road we get to do this again.

Enjoy!

Just Joshing Episode 28: Metal Galaxy

Tags

board games, casual gaming, gaming, Interviews, metal galaxy, podcasts

I first met Pascal Espinosa, owner of then Trilogy Gaming club and discovered that Pascal was the ideal gaming owner.  He encouraged a friendly, fun, casual atmosphere and let guys like me who tend to build rogue magic decks have some fun without worrying about winning or losing the game, and brought some great people to play against.

Years later, Pascal is running my favorite game store in Calgary, Metal Galaxy.  Pascal hasn’t changed; his store is still about the casual gamer.  Whether it’s Magic, or Force of Will, Yugioh, or board games or whatever friendly environment that reflects the man that runs the game.

I wanted him on my podcast for a number of reasons:  First off, he’s worked very hard, overcome a lot of obstacles and has kept pushing his vision of what a gaming store should be for years.  Seeing the space he runs and the people that frequent there, it’s great to see that pay off.

But the other cool thing about Pascal is that he’s made his vision come to a reality.  And I for one can’t help but admire him for it.  Here’s a brief interview, and then the link to the podcast will follow below.

(Edit:  This interview took place before Calgary Expo.)

Joshua Pantalleresco:  What event are you prepping for right now?

Pascal Espinosa:  We are getting ready to run demos and tournaments at the Calgary Expo Gaming Zone.

JP: What inspired the idea of a bistro inside the game shop?

PE:  My love for food. Part of me always wanted to own a restaurant but realized it is a LOT more work than even a gaming store… so the Bistro is a great compromise.

JP:  Say I was a customer looking for a board game, what one would you recommend for me and why?

PE:  The first thing we do at Metal Galaxy is ask you some questions so we can recommend a game that you will actually enjoy. So finding out who you will be playing with (friends, family), what themes interest you (war games, trivia) and how long do you have to play games on any given week. All things being equal, Sheriff of Nottingham is one of my current favourites!

JP:  Anything you’d like to add?

PE:  Thanks for featuring Metal Galaxy in the podcast and good luck with the next few bursts of inspiration !

No man, the pleasure was mine.

Metal Galaxy is located at 4624 Macleod Trail in Calgary.  They have many amazing events. Thursday and Friday has Magic the Gathering, with a variety of formats to play in.  Saturday has Yugioh which also has a variety of formats.  They’ve just started the card game Force of Will which you can play on Sundays, as well as see a variety of board game events on Sunday as well.  In addition to having your gaming needs satisfied, Metal Galaxy always has a pretty sweet bistro that comes with salads, ice cream, coffee, chips, snacks, food that you can enjoy while you play.

For more information about Metal Galaxy feel free to check out their webpage at http://www.metal-galaxy.com.   You can also find them on their facebook page.    In addition, you can find them on twitter at @metalgalaxy1 .  I want to thank Pascal for his time, and I encourage to head to Metal Galaxy for the great family environment for your kids, and the kids at heart.

Finally, the podcast link is below.  Take a listen.

http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-05-04T03_48_03-07_00

Just Joshing Episode 27: Dave Anderson

Tags

Dave Anderson, Interviews, Just Joshing, music, Podcast, Shillelaghs, Walkalone

I met David Anderson playing magic at Myth Games.  I am one of those kind of magic players that play this game almost entirely for home brewing.  I’m the evil guy that is going to come at you standard or modern players with some kind of home brew.  Sometimes  I get stomped, but most of the time I do well, because most people don’t play against cards I use.  It’s quite fun.

Dave gave me the same impression when I played one of his decks.  He has an innovative, creative expressive mind and he too messes with other players.  In our many discussions, I discovered that Dave was a musician and had a band called the Shillelaghs.  He’s a lead singer and a damn good one.  He’s also a member of another band called Walkalone.

I got a wonderful chance to listen to him and the Shillelaghs play live at Verns.  It was a fantastic night as I got to listen to another one of my favorites, and they followed up with fun, vibrant, excellent energy.  I definitely had a good time and would do it again given the chance.

I asked Dave if he’d be willing to do the podcast, and he said yes, and we did so, while playing magic.  Below is a brief introduction, as well as the link to the podcast, which is already live.

Joshua Pantalleresco:  What are you working on right now?

Dave Anderson:  We’re working on an Alberta tour with another band (From Under the Stone) and a with with Montreal stoner metal band The Hazytones (with Walkalone).

JP: What is the one song you have to listen to right now for inspiration and why?

DA:  right now I’m listening to my entire library of Blind Guardian, including the orchestral pieces with just the backing vocals. Blind guardian is a band that knows how to perfectly balance stage show with technical capability and they are my go to band for inspiration.

JP:  What do you prefer with your music:  Recording it, or performing it?  Or are they just different aspects of the same thing?

DA: You’re right, I enjoy both, but prefer performing live.

JP:  Anything you like to add?

DA:  We need to play again soon!

We shall indeed play again soon Dave!  Thanks for this.

The album Bury Me At Sea is currently available at the Shillelaghs bandcamp website which I encourage you to go to at https://theshillelaghs.bandcamp.com/ .  Pick it up and listen to a fun, entertaining band.  You can also find the band on their facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/TheShillelaghsCA.

If you want to listen to Dave’s other band Walkalone you can check out their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/walkAloneCA/   You will not be disappointed here at all either.  I encourage any music fan to check any of their shows out, as both bands are great acts, and Dave is a classy dude.  It was a thrill to get a chance to talk to him.

I want to thank Dave for his time, patience and a great podcast and interview.  To listen to the podcast click here:  http://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com/entry/2016-04-23T16_31_33-07_00