Tag Archives: Memoir

18Jun/21

D’yan Forest

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June 18, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome D’yan Forest and Stephen Clarke as the guests on Season 6, Episode 24 – Try Thinking The D’yan Way!

D’yan Forest & Stephen Clarke join us to talk about living a full life, creating both stand-up and written comedy, their co-authored memoir “I Did It My Ways” and asking the difficult questions.

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D’yan Forest has always done things her way – or her ways, because she’s lived a dozen different lives. She’s been a desperate Boston housewife, a New York night-club singer and a Paris swinger. She’s been the only Jewish girl in a Christian choir and the female pianist in a transvestite cabaret. She had day jobs teaching basketball, piano and sex education. She dated Paris’s second-ever female bus driver, a transsexual rock guitarist and a defrocked nun. She also managed to get German friends to visit Nazi concentration camps, on her personal quest to understand why her European relatives were massacred. At 86, D’yan is still a working stand-up comedian and musician, but she’s much, much more than that, as her hilarious but heartfelt memoir reveals.

Stephen Clarke grew up in Bournemouth (the Bondi Beach of England), where he played bass in some of the worst rock bands in musical history before leaving town to study French and German at Oxford. After university, he got a series of high-powered jobs – in the wine industry (grape picking), tertiary sector (washing up in a German hotel), and in international diplomacy (teaching English to bored French businessmen). Meanwhile I started writing novels, all of which remained unpublished due to a vast – and never before revealed – conspiracy in the global publishing industry. Deciding to self-publish, his Paul West series includes a sequel to a sequel. Stephen also does his bit for non-fiction, though still through his delightful comedic lens.

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18Jun/21

Stephen Clarke

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June 18, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome D’yan Forest and Stephen Clarke as the guests on Season 6, Episode 24 – Try Thinking The D’yan Way!

D’yan Forest & Stephen Clarke join us to talk about living a full life, creating both stand-up and written comedy, their co-authored memoir “I Did It My Ways” and asking the difficult questions.

Follow D’yan and support her work:

Follow Stephen and support his work:

Mentioned in this episode:

Bio:

D’yan Forest has always done things her way – or her ways, because she’s lived a dozen different lives. She’s been a desperate Boston housewife, a New York night-club singer and a Paris swinger. She’s been the only Jewish girl in a Christian choir and the female pianist in a transvestite cabaret. She had day jobs teaching basketball, piano and sex education. She dated Paris’s second-ever female bus driver, a transsexual rock guitarist and a defrocked nun. She also managed to get German friends to visit Nazi concentration camps, on her personal quest to understand why her European relatives were massacred. At 86, D’yan is still a working stand-up comedian and musician, but she’s much, much more than that, as her hilarious but heartfelt memoir reveals.

Stephen Clarke grew up in Bournemouth (the Bondi Beach of England), where he played bass in some of the worst rock bands in musical history before leaving town to study French and German at Oxford. After university, he got a series of high-powered jobs – in the wine industry (grape picking), tertiary sector (washing up in a German hotel), and in international diplomacy (teaching English to bored French businessmen). Meanwhile I started writing novels, all of which remained unpublished due to a vast – and never before revealed – conspiracy in the global publishing industry. Deciding to self-publish, his Paul West series includes a sequel to a sequel. Stephen also does his bit for non-fiction, though still through his delightful comedic lens.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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21May/21

Alexander Watson

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May 21, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Alexander Watson as the guest on Season 6, Episode 20 – Is Madam Having Coffee?

Alexander Watson delights and entertains us with the story behind his book River Queens. We discuss everything from upending one’s life, meeting river folk who’ve never seen a gay man, and partner shenanigans that strengthened the relationship.

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The Harrises are strict teetotaling, sabbatarian farmers, but Dale drinks. The Watsons are urbane, philandering, wanton alcoholics, but Alexander does not drink. These are but two of the myriad incongruities which bind their thirty-year partnership together.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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29Jan/21

Christopher Zyda

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January 29, 2021

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Christopher Zyda as the guest on Episode 305 – Who Are You Texting At 2:32 In The Morning?

Chris Zyda shares his cathartic work, The Storm: One Voice From the AIDS Generation. Though a deep subject, our conversation focuses on the journey of writing a deeply emotional memoir and his approach to the work.

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Christopher Zyda was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1984. In 1989, he earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He served as Disney’s Chief Investment Officer, overseeing more than $4 billion of company investments. In 2007, he launched Mozaic, a boutique investment management firm. Chris serves on the Board of Visitors for the UCLA Department of English, the Advisory Board for Veterans in Media & Entertainment, and the Advisory Board for the Landing Zone Grace Warrior Retreat.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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27Nov/20

Andrew Faulk, M.D.

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November 27, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Andrew Faulk, M.D. as the guest on Episode 296 – Things Will Never Be The Same After This!)

Andrew Faulk M.D. joins us for a powerful and thought provoking conversation about his journey as a doctor during the hard days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. His book, My Epidemic: An AIDS Memoir of One Man’s Struggle as Doctor, Patient and Survivor shares personal memories of those he treated, takes a hard look at survivor’s guilt, and offers advice on saying goodbye. He currently blogs about the healthcare industry and state of COVID, and is someone you’re going to want to follow.

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ANDREW FAULK, M.D., a native of Seattle, received his B.A. from Columbia University where he graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and his M.D. from the University of Washington. During the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, while still in medical school, Faulk saw his first AIDS patient. After training in San Francisco, an epicenter of the AIDS epidemic, in 1988 he moved to Los Angeles where he limited his practice to others with the disease. He now lives with his husband, Frank Jernigan, in San Francisco where he paints with shattered glass and is active in progressive politics.

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30Oct/20

Dr. Tim Seelig

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October 30, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Dr. Tim Seelig as the guest on Episode 292 – Waving My Arms at Gays!

Dr. Tim Seelig joins us to discuss his book, Tale of Two Tims, that documents his personal journey from the golden boy of the Baptist ministries, to being publicly outed and losing everything in his life, only to find a freedom in authenticity on the other side. This is one not to miss.

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Dr. Tim Seelig has lived two completely separate lives. During his first 35 years, he rose to lofty pinnacles of success as an opera singer as well as a Southern Baptist music minister. He performed on the great stages of the world. He was a University professor, father and husband. To his many admirers, everything seemed perfect.

Then, at the age of 35, his Jericho walls came tumblin’ down when he was outed to his family and church of 22,000 members. This was in the midst of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and he lost everything. He buried hundreds of friends and had to face his own positive diagnosis.

The subsequent 34 years have been spent building a new life as an LGBTQ and AIDS activist through music—music that soars through the likes of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Davies Symphony Hall during sold-out, transformative performances. His book describes his life as grand opera with a little Opryland thrown in along the way.

Dr. Seelig is now home at the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, where his Texas charm and caring ways have made him a favorite among chorus members and audiences alike.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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18Sep/20

Christopher Duquette

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September 18, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Christopher Duquette as the guest on Episode 286 – I Call Myself Discohead!

Christopher Duquette shares his three memoirs, the most recent of which is Off Balance in the Spin Cycle, and dives into “a true-life road to recovery and the tales in between.”

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Born in 1958 Northern California, and uprooted to attend public school in Upstate, New York, Christopher remained in social exile until escaping to SUNY @ Stony Brook at 18 yrs., where he got most of his education dancing in NYC clubs. He moved to Manhattan upon graduation, where he lived, advanced in the corporate world, and danced in clubs for twenty-four years until bottoming-out. Christopher became a man after a fresh start in the Hudson Valley, trying to do the next right thing. He’s now in a committed relationship with the long-time love of his life, Storm Orion.

This Podcast episode is available on these channels (in order alphabetical):
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04Sep/20

Kergan Edwards-Stout

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September 4, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Kergan Edwards-Stout as the guest on Episode 284 – I Didn’t Listen to My Bowels!

Kergen Edwards-Stout shares his latest release, Never Turn Your Back on the Tide, a memoir detailing some of the craziest moments of his life. He also gives some marketing ideas!

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Kergan Edwards-Stout is an award-winning director, screenwriter, and author, whose new fictional memoir “Never Turn Your Back on the Tide (Or, How I Married a Lying, Psychopathic Wannabe-Murderer and Kinda Lived to Tell)” is a 2020 IndieReader award winner and a 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. His debut novel, “Songs for the New Depression,” won a 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award, was shortlisted for the Independent Literary Awards, was named one of the Top Books for 2012 by Out in Print. His collection, “Gifts Not Yet Given,” landed on multiple Best Book lists and was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. His greatest honor, however, was to have been named one of the Human Rights Campaign’s 2011 Fathers of the Year, as his husband and children nominated him.

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31Jul/20

Ruby Walker

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July 31, 2020

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Ruby Walker as the guest on Episode 279 – Eff-It I’ll Try!

Ruby Walker shares her recent release, Advice I Ignored, which jump-starts a thought provoking conversation about queer youth and mental health issues.

Warning Note: When you hear the warning at 17:57, you can skip to 27:50 if the topic is one you’d rather avoid.

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Ruby Walker is eighteen, and is not depressed anymore. She got pretty tired of saying that, but she wrote and illustrated a book about it, so it’s kind of hard to avoid at this point. Ruby writes for fellow professional over-thinkers and imperfect slobs. She likes to brighten people’s days and bully her friends into respecting themselves more.

Yes– to Ruby’s horror, she’s turned from a local disaster into a mom friend.

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10Aug/18

Todd Allen Smith

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August 10, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Todd Allen Smith as the guest on Episode 176 – A Deep Wound You Don’t Feel At First!!

Todd Allen Smith joins us to discuss his memoir Murder, Romance, and Two Shootings where he recounts being shot twice and the death of a close friend in a gay bashing. He also shares his expertise on the rising gun violence and the dangers of violence against the LGBTQ community in the US.

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Todd’s credentials include 20 years of experience as a writer.

He earned a Master’s in Journalism from the University of Kansas and has worked professionally as a reporter and editor for both newspapers and websites.

Having shared his viewpoints of the Kirkwood Missouri City Council shooting with the New York Times, Newsweek, MSN and local media outlets in St. Louis, he’s still sought out by national media for his viewpoints when it comes to mass shootings and violence (e.g., Ferguson).

In “Murder, Romance, and Three Shootings,” he shares for the first time the complete story of his survival and recovery from the robbery attempt in which he was shot in the leg, the Kirkwood shooting, and the gay bashing death of his close friend.

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