Heartwarming Stories by Tim Dodge

The Boom Effect Auction, Feb. 27

tdodge — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:22:46 +0000

Let me start with a mea culpa (see how sophisticated I sound when I speak in Latin?) for the dearth of podcasting activity of late. It is my plan and hope to develop some quality content and get back to a regular release schedule soon. Those of you who are sticking with me, I appreciate you deeply. As some of you may know, Purgatory went live on Podiobooks.com in mid-December. I’m thrilled with the response so far — as I write this, episode 1 has been downloaded 1,166 times and the final episode has been downloaded 539 times since its release two weeks ago. When I started writing my little book about the afterlife, I didn’t know if anyone would be interested in it. That over 500 people who are not my mom have liked it enough to stick around to the end is enough to make me walk on clouds.

And Purgatory is actually part of the reason for this blog post. Those of you who listen to a lot of podiobooks and are involved with the podcasting community are well familiar with the story I’m going to relay in the next couple of paragraphs, so feel free to skip ahead. However, some of you know this site only because you know me or because a friend gave you a CD of either Acts of Desperation or Purgatory, so this is fresh news to you.

Most of us in the podcast fiction community owe a debt in one way or another to Tee Morris, the guy who first podcasted a novel he had previously published. Tee has written two novels in the Morevi series — Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana and Legacy of Morevi. As Dragon Moon Press was readying Legacy of Morevi for publication, Tee discovered podcasting and decided to give away a free, serialized podcast of the first book as a way to promote the second (to paraphrase Tee, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”) He recorded an abridged version of the 534 page book and blazed a trail for me and dozens of other aspiring authors. Soon, Scott Sigler and Mark Jeffrey jumped in with podcasts of their unpublished novels, and the podiobook was born.

Tee subsequently co-founded Podiobooks.com, launched an immensely helpful podcast for writers called The Survival Guide To Writing Fantasy, produced a Parsec Award winning unabridged podcast of his print novel Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword with a full cast of actors performing the voices, re-recorded Morevi (this time unabridged and with a full voice cast), guest starred in more podcast novels than I have time to count, and generally helped out virtually everyone who asked him. He also co-authored Podcasting for Dummies, Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies, and wrote All a Twitter, Sam’s Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes, and The Case of the Pitcher’s Pendant: A Billibub Baddings Mystery (a sequel to The Case of the Singing Sword.) During all this, he grappled with a prolonged search for permanent employment while still very generously giving his time to other podcast authors. When I first released Acts of Desperation as a podcast and was fretting about the low audience numbers I was getting, Tee chatted with me on Skype and talked me off the window ledge. I had the pleasure of spending time with him at Balticon last year and on one of my business trips to Washington.

On January 5 of this year, Tee’s wife Natalie died very suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving him as the single father of a five year-old girl who’d just lost her mom. The response of the podcasting community, led by the amazing Pip Ballantine, has made me proud to call myself a part of it. Pip organized a very successful Chipin fundraiser to help Tee cover the funeral costs, but she didn’t stop there. She dreamed of an internet-based auction where people could bid on all sorts of treasures donated by anyone with an interest, and raise money to start a trust fund for Tee’s daughter, who goes by the code name “Sonic Boom” (to protect her privacy, he avoids using her real name on the ‘Net.)

The result of Pip’s efforts will occur on Saturday, February 27 starting at 10 AM Eastern Standard Time, when The Boom Effect goes live. As of right now, the auction includes 76 lots, though more could come in before starting time. One of them is a rare (that is to say, the only) print copy of Purgatory. It will be autographed by me and by J.R. Blackwell, who took the cover photograph and who has so much talent in so many areas that it’s kind of unfair to us mere mortals. I arranged for Lulu.com to publish the book, and I must say they did an amazing job. If my writing career ever moves beyond the self-publishing stage, I hope the end product looks as good as the one I got from Lulu.

If you enjoyed Purgatory and would like to own the only print copy, please consider bidding on it during The Boom Effect on February 27. Every nickle of your purchase price will go to Sonic Boom’s trust fund; I’m picking up the printing and shipping costs (for shipping within the continental U.S.). And please, take a look at the other auction lots. There is an awful lot of good stuff going up for sale that day; my contribution is one very small part of it.

No amount of money can replace SB’s mom or fill the emotional void left by a wife and mother. It can, however, ease the financial worries that accompany such a traumatic event. To the extent you are able and inclined to buy something next Saturday, I heartily urge you to do so. I know that 2010 has started poorly and that all our concerns have rightly focused on the devastation experienced by some of God’s most vulnerable people in Haiti. None of us involved in The Boom Effect want to take away from anyone’s efforts to help the people there. But if you have the cash to spare and you see something you like for sale in the auction, you would be helping make a little girl’s future a little bit brighter.

Thank you.

Listen to My Interview on ‘Podioracket’

tdodge — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:13:09 +0000

Brian Rathbone of Podioracket interviewed me a couple of weeks ago. We had a great conversation. Check it out, along with his interviews with Spencer Baum and Starla Huchton.

Episode #5 – Dressed To Die

tdodge — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:28:29 +0000

Summary

This week’s story is a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Detective Mike Olshefski tries to solve the mystery of why the victim put on a special outfit for his murder. And yes, I know I twice got the title of my own story wrong.

Promos

Glitter Girl
Vertigo Media Network

Photo Smoking Gun by Mart
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyn/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This was recorded before the tragic event of January 5. Please consider donating to the fund mentioned in my January 7 blog post.

Christmas Episode: Strangers on a Train

tdodge — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Summary

A young man returning home for the holidays gets more than he anticipated in conversation with a fellow passenger.

Music

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Third Eye Side Band/Drop-Zone
Chiron Beta Prime by Jonathan Coulton

Promo

Cybrosis

Photo by Jason Dunn

Purgatory Episode #14

tdodge — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:57:58 +0000

The Christmas music of Purgatory and a holiday essay.

Deck the Halls by Doug Boldt
Carol of the Bells by Mano Reza
We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Mano Reza
Lights of Winter by Eddie Biggins
We Three Kings by Derek K. Miller
Auld Lang Syne by Kati Mac

Promo: The Metamor City Podcast

Essay: O Christmas Tree

Background Music: O Christmas Tree by John Stebbe (see also www.johnstebbe.com)

PREVIEW: Books & Braun (Recorded LIVE at World Fantasy 2009)

tdodge — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:40:12 +0000

Here’s a little pre-Thanksgiving treat for your listening enjoyment…

Tee Morris and Philippa Ballantine, two of the best podcast novelists you’re likely to hear, have been collaborating on a novel for many moons now. They gave the world a sneak peak at the project, titled Books & Braun, with a reading at the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose, California a few weeks ago.

For those who might not be familiar with their work, Tee is the author of the Morevi series of print and podcast novels, the Billibub Baddings Mysteries series, several non-fiction titles, including two Podcasting For Dummies books and two recently-released books about Twitter. His print and podcast novel The Case of the Singing Sword: A Billibub Baddings Mystery won a Parsec Award in 2008. He has hosted the wildly popular writing podcast The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy for the last four years and is now ending its run with a four-part final episode.

Pip is one of New Zealand’s two great contributions to popular culture (film director Peter Jackson being the other.) She is the author of the print and podcast novels Weaver’s Web, Chasing the Bard, and the award-nominated Digital Magic; she launched the podcast of Digital Magic two weeks ago. Earlier this year, Pip signed a contract with Ace Books; Ace will release her next novel, Geist, in the fall of 2010.

Besides being extremely talented, entertaining, and hard-working, both of these folks are among the most generous people I’ve ever met. Give a listen to this excerpt, and if you feel so inclined, leave comments on their Web sites (here and here.) I know they’d love to hear from you.

To all my U.S. listeners, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. To the rest of you, just enjoy the day!

Purgatory Episode #13 — The Music of Purgatory, Part 1

tdodge — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:28:31 +0000

No story this week, just a little bit of chatting from me and lots of excellent music from the podcast.

Loop-o-Plane by Jeff Wahl from his CD Guinevere
Prelude No. 22 in C Major by Jan Hanford from her CD 24 Preludes for Solo Piano
Waltz for the Broken-Hearted by Jeff Wahl from Guinevere
The Light (Part II) by Justin Bianco from his CD Blackbird
Leaving the Theatre by Ehren Starks from his CD Lines Build Walls
Meant to Be by Rob Costlow from his CD Woods of Chaos
Tristan and Isolde by Jeff Wahl from Guinivere
Abby’s Theme by Tim Dodge
Kicked in the Head by a Horse by Jeff Wahl from Guinivere
Root Beer Meteor Shower by Jeff Wahl from Guivivere

I announce the winner of the Billy’s Purgatory Playlist contest!

Another music episode is coming in two weeks. This one will feature the holiday music of PURGATORY, plus a Christmas essay.

Promo: Digital Magic by Philippa Ballantine

Thanks for listening!

Purgatory Episode #12

tdodge — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:27:42 +0000

Summary

The conclusion. What happens in Vegas…Poe knows how to handle a liquor bottle…The gang gets receives a visitor…Homecoming.

Promo

Geek Cred

Sound Effects

Laughter by RobinHood76, courtesy of The Freesound Project

Music

Loop-o-plane, Waltz for the broken hearted, Kicked in the head by a horse, and Root beer meteor shower by Jeff Wahl
The Light (Part II) by Justin Bianco
Leaving the Theatre by Ehren Starks
Prelude No. 22 in C Major by Jan Hanford
Abby’s Theme written, performed and produced by Tim Dodge

Purgatory Episode #11

tdodge — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:26:30 +0000

Summary

Terry decodes the message; Billy gives Terry his orders; Terry sets up Abby’s murder and Ellen’s double-cross; Poe falters, and things grow tense between Charles and him.

Promo

Movie Mantras

Music

Loop-o-plane, Kicked in the head by a horse, Tristan and Isolde, and Root beer meteor shower by Jeff Wahl
Prelude No. 22 in C Major by Jan Hanford

tdodge — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:07:59 +0000

Summary

Everyone flies to Las Vegas. Ellen gets discovered. Charles has dinner with Abby and learns about spicy Indian food.

Promo

The Command Line Podcast

Music

Loop-o-plane, Kicked in the head by a horse, and Root beer meteor shower by Jeff Wahl
Meant To Be by Rob Costlow
The Light (Part II) by Justin Bianco
Abby’s Theme written, performed and produced by Tim Dodge

Purgatory Episode #6

tdodge — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:54:17 +0000

Summary

Ellen meets a guy at the party and ends up in a place she didn’t expect. Charles deals with some upsetting news.

Promo

P.G. Holyfield’s Land of Caern: Tales of the Children

Music

Loop-o-plane, Waltz for the broken hearted, Kicked in the head by a horse, and Root beer meteor shower by Jeff Wahl
Prelude No. 22 in C Major by Jan Hanford