The Future Lab with Lee Schneider Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-future-lab Step into The Future Lab with Lee Schneider, the podcast where imagination meets possibility. Each episode explores the cutting edge of science fiction, fantasy, and climate fiction— genres that aren’t just entertainment, but blueprints for how we envision our future. Through conversations with groundbreaking authors, editors, publishers, and thought leaders, Lee explores how the stories we tell today shape the world of tomorrow. About the Host Lee Schneider, host of The Future Lab, knows how to tell a story that resonates. A science fiction and fantasy author himself, his latest novel LIBERATION, the third in his Utopian Engine trilogy,  explores themes of resilience and reinvention. With a career spanning television, film, and audio drama, Lee has written for Good Morning America, produced documentaries for The History Channel and Discovery networks, and founded Red Cup Agency, an award-winning podcast production company. As Artistic Director of FutureX, Lee continues to champion projects that spark curiosity about what comes next. Tune in to The Future Lab with Lee Schneider—where fiction fuels the future. (c) 2025 Futurex.Studio 8ae16e5f-07ea-5608-ad48-c7616bebb968 yes Lee Schneider en Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:00:06 -0700 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:01:54 -0700 https://futurex.studio/podcasts https://img.transistorcdn.com/lPzVwEDm9BH-oUWXWvPxe58Ym8I6JhoQnDrC2VSDEis/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zYjU5/NDkyYzg2N2JmZWU5/Yjg4ZGU4ZWQwY2Rk/NDc2Yy5qcGc.jpg The Future Lab with Lee Schneider https://futurex.studio/podcasts episodic Lee Schneider Step into The Future Lab with Lee Schneider, the podcast where imagination meets possibility. Each episode explores the cutting edge of science fiction, fantasy, and climate fiction— genres that aren’t just entertainment, but blueprints for how we envision our future. Through conversations with groundbreaking authors, editors, publishers, and thought leaders, Lee explores how the stories we tell today shape the world of tomorrow. About the Host Lee Schneider, host of The Future Lab, knows how to tell a story that resonates. A science fiction and fantasy author himself, his latest novel LIBERATION, the third in his Utopian Engine trilogy,  explores themes of resilience and reinvention. With a career spanning television, film, and audio drama, Lee has written for Good Morning America, produced documentaries for The History Channel and Discovery networks, and founded Red Cup Agency, an award-winning podcast production company. As Artistic Director of FutureX, Lee continues to champion projects that spark curiosity about what comes next. Tune in to The Future Lab with Lee Schneider—where fiction fuels the future. Step into The Future Lab with Lee Schneider, the podcast where imagination meets possibility. books, publishing, writing, novels Futurex.Studio podcast@futurex.studio No No Building a Literary Community with Sofía Aguilar 2 2 32 32 Building a Literary Community with Sofía Aguilar full efaebb99-4719-4e0c-bce4-78617ca0016f https://share.transistor.fm/s/e46f6ae3 Join host Lee Schneider for an insightful discussion with poet, author, and library professional Sofía Aguilar as she she shares her journey through both indie and traditional publishing. She offers a candid look at the barriers in publishing and the importance of creating accessible literary communities. Whether you're interested in publishing pathways, library advocacy, or building inclusive literary spaces, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone working at the intersection of writing, community organizing, and information science.

Topics include: indie vs. traditional publishing, library resources, book challenges, literary festivals, the writing process, and the current state of publishing.

Creators & Guests

]]> Join host Lee Schneider for an insightful discussion with poet, author, and library professional Sofía Aguilar as she she shares her journey through both indie and traditional publishing. She offers a candid look at the barriers in publishing and the importance of creating accessible literary communities. Whether you're interested in publishing pathways, library advocacy, or building inclusive literary spaces, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone working at the intersection of writing, community organizing, and information science.

Topics include: indie vs. traditional publishing, library resources, book challenges, literary festivals, the writing process, and the current state of publishing.

Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 26 Dec 2025 13:20:16 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2763 Join host Lee Schneider for an insightful discussion with poet, author, and library professional Sofía Aguilar as she she shares her journey through both indie and traditional publishing. She offers a candid look at the barriers in publishing and the importance of creating accessible literary communities. Whether you're interested in publishing pathways, library advocacy, or building inclusive literary spaces, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone working at the intersection of writing, community organizing, and information science.

Topics include: indie vs. traditional publishing, library resources, book challenges, literary festivals, the writing process, and the current state of publishing.

Creators & Guests

]]> Publishing, Indie Publishing, Traditional Publishing, Poetry, Children's Books, Library Science, Librarian, Book Challenges, Censorship, Literary Festivals, Writing Process, Community Building, LGBTQ Literature, Diversity in Publishing, Self-Publishing, Book Banning, Literary Community, Writing Spaces, AI and Writing, Gatekeeping in Publishing, Library Resources, MFA Programs No Lee Schneider Sofía Aguilar Writing Hope into Climate Fiction with Julie Carrick Dalton 2 2 31 31 Writing Hope into Climate Fiction with Julie Carrick Dalton full f1b2d73f-7e99-4448-b460-ed17b7950637 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ebe5c3ba In this conversation, host Lee Schneider explores the intersection of nature, storytelling, and climate change with Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper, and the upcoming novel The Forest Becomes Her.

Our discussion digs into how nature functions as a character in her work, the delicate balance between hope and realism when writing about catastrophic futures, and why she believes storytelling can inspire environmental action. Dalton shares her perspective on the importance of reconnecting with survival skills and food sources, while exploring how communities might adapt to a climate-changed world ten years after a major ecological collapse.

We also examine the role of government misinformation in environmental issues, the power of novels as "laboratories for climate futures," and how each person can find their sphere of influence in addressing climate challenges. Dalton also reflects on the current state of publishing today. Join Julie's mailing list on Substack.

Creators & Guests

]]> In this conversation, host Lee Schneider explores the intersection of nature, storytelling, and climate change with Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper, and the upcoming novel The Forest Becomes Her.

Our discussion digs into how nature functions as a character in her work, the delicate balance between hope and realism when writing about catastrophic futures, and why she believes storytelling can inspire environmental action. Dalton shares her perspective on the importance of reconnecting with survival skills and food sources, while exploring how communities might adapt to a climate-changed world ten years after a major ecological collapse.

We also examine the role of government misinformation in environmental issues, the power of novels as "laboratories for climate futures," and how each person can find their sphere of influence in addressing climate challenges. Dalton also reflects on the current state of publishing today. Join Julie's mailing list on Substack.

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:31:15 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2101 In this conversation, host Lee Schneider explores the intersection of nature, storytelling, and climate change with Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper, and the upcoming novel The Forest Becomes Her.

Our discussion digs into how nature functions as a character in her work, the delicate balance between hope and realism when writing about catastrophic futures, and why she believes storytelling can inspire environmental action. Dalton shares her perspective on the importance of reconnecting with survival skills and food sources, while exploring how communities might adapt to a climate-changed world ten years after a major ecological collapse.

We also examine the role of government misinformation in environmental issues, the power of novels as "laboratories for climate futures," and how each person can find their sphere of influence in addressing climate challenges. Dalton also reflects on the current state of publishing today. Join Julie's mailing list on Substack.

Creators & Guests

]]> nature, climate fiction, hope, survival skills, food security, storytelling, publishing, environmental activism, self-sufficiency, climate change No Lee Schneider Julie Carrick Dalton Falling in Love with Books, featuring Pat Walker of Vroman's Bookstore 2 2 30 30 Falling in Love with Books, featuring Pat Walker of Vroman's Bookstore full 15def63f-61da-4226-a483-ebc8566b84e9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1d7e9116 In this conversation with Lee Schneider, Pat Walker discusses the importance of bookstores as community hubs and places of cultural culture.

Drawing from his experiences as a bookseller in Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA, Pat believes that the genre of science fiction/fantasy is more popular than it has been in the past. He's also a big fan of the classics.

Patrick has been at Vroman's long enough to witness a remarkable transformation: teenagers who first wandered through the bookstore doors years ago now return as adults, bringing their own children with them. These customers have grown to trust him with their storytelling journeys and literary adventures-a responsibility that holds deep meaning for him.

Bookshops discussed in this episode include Vromans, Book Soup, Diesel, Skylight, and Iliad Books.

Creators & Guests

]]> In this conversation with Lee Schneider, Pat Walker discusses the importance of bookstores as community hubs and places of cultural culture.

Drawing from his experiences as a bookseller in Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA, Pat believes that the genre of science fiction/fantasy is more popular than it has been in the past. He's also a big fan of the classics.

Patrick has been at Vroman's long enough to witness a remarkable transformation: teenagers who first wandered through the bookstore doors years ago now return as adults, bringing their own children with them. These customers have grown to trust him with their storytelling journeys and literary adventures-a responsibility that holds deep meaning for him.

Bookshops discussed in this episode include Vromans, Book Soup, Diesel, Skylight, and Iliad Books.

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:15:51 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2479 In this conversation with Lee Schneider, Pat Walker discusses the importance of bookstores as community hubs and places of cultural culture.

Drawing from his experiences as a bookseller in Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA, Pat believes that the genre of science fiction/fantasy is more popular than it has been in the past. He's also a big fan of the classics.

Patrick has been at Vroman's long enough to witness a remarkable transformation: teenagers who first wandered through the bookstore doors years ago now return as adults, bringing their own children with them. These customers have grown to trust him with their storytelling journeys and literary adventures-a responsibility that holds deep meaning for him.

Bookshops discussed in this episode include Vromans, Book Soup, Diesel, Skylight, and Iliad Books.

Creators & Guests

]]> sci-fi, fantasy, storytelling, bookstores, romantasy, readers No Lee Schneider Pat Walker The Literary Courage and Writing Community of Richie Billing 2 2 29 29 The Literary Courage and Writing Community of Richie Billing full cfcc613c-83f6-44b4-bf71-e93fb529a225 https://share.transistor.fm/s/04d3208c Richie Billing made a bold leap from a legal career to become an acclaimed fantasy writer and teacher. What makes his story inspiring? His unwavering commitment to empowering fellow writers. Richie is the author of Pariah’s Lament. His latest book is Together We Rise. Lee Schneider and Richie discuss the structure of Together We Rise, why the fight scenes were so realistic, and Richie’s deeper motivations for writing it. Richie gives excellent writing tips for anyone who wants to get started on their fantasy novel.

As the host of The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed podcast and author of A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook, Richie helps writers find their voice and build confidence in their work.  Learn more about Richie, his work, teaching, books, and Patreon, at his website.

Creators & Guests

]]> Richie Billing made a bold leap from a legal career to become an acclaimed fantasy writer and teacher. What makes his story inspiring? His unwavering commitment to empowering fellow writers. Richie is the author of Pariah’s Lament. His latest book is Together We Rise. Lee Schneider and Richie discuss the structure of Together We Rise, why the fight scenes were so realistic, and Richie’s deeper motivations for writing it. Richie gives excellent writing tips for anyone who wants to get started on their fantasy novel.

As the host of The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed podcast and author of A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook, Richie helps writers find their voice and build confidence in their work.  Learn more about Richie, his work, teaching, books, and Patreon, at his website.

Creators & Guests

]]> Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:30:10 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2922 Richie Billing made a bold leap from a legal career to become an acclaimed fantasy writer and teacher. What makes his story inspiring? His unwavering commitment to empowering fellow writers. Richie is the author of Pariah’s Lament. His latest book is Together We Rise. Lee Schneider and Richie discuss the structure of Together We Rise, why the fight scenes were so realistic, and Richie’s deeper motivations for writing it. Richie gives excellent writing tips for anyone who wants to get started on their fantasy novel.

As the host of The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed podcast and author of A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook, Richie helps writers find their voice and build confidence in their work.  Learn more about Richie, his work, teaching, books, and Patreon, at his website.

Creators & Guests

]]> indie publishing, traditional publishing, publishing industry, book deals, writing career, fantasy writing, writing mentor No Richie Billing Lee Schneider The First Rule of Climate Club: A Conversation with Carrie Firestone 2 2 28 28 The First Rule of Climate Club: A Conversation with Carrie Firestone full cc19f203-1423-4708-8405-459b06a1f6a7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/33a36312 As a kid, Carrie Firestone worried about poverty, environmental destruction, and war. But rather than letting that anxiety overwhelm her, she transformed it into something powerful action through teaching, storytelling, and civic engagement. Now, as a writer and community leader in Connecticut, she’s channeling that same energy into inspiring the next generation.   

   

Her novel The First Rule of Climate Club tackles the environmental challenges that young people face. Issues like food waste at school, idling cars in pickup lanes, fast fashion consumption, social exclusion, and leaders who won’t listen to fresh ideas. But Carrie’s story isn’t about the problems-it’s about the solutions that happen when young people step up to lead.   

   

Because sometimes, as Carrie shows us, the future belongs to those brave enough to demand it.

]]> As a kid, Carrie Firestone worried about poverty, environmental destruction, and war. But rather than letting that anxiety overwhelm her, she transformed it into something powerful action through teaching, storytelling, and civic engagement. Now, as a writer and community leader in Connecticut, she’s channeling that same energy into inspiring the next generation.   

   

Her novel The First Rule of Climate Club tackles the environmental challenges that young people face. Issues like food waste at school, idling cars in pickup lanes, fast fashion consumption, social exclusion, and leaders who won’t listen to fresh ideas. But Carrie’s story isn’t about the problems-it’s about the solutions that happen when young people step up to lead.   

   

Because sometimes, as Carrie shows us, the future belongs to those brave enough to demand it.

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:04:56 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2283 As a kid, Carrie Firestone worried about poverty, environmental destruction, and war. But rather than letting that anxiety overwhelm her, she transformed it into something powerful action through teaching, storytelling, and civic engagement. Now, as a writer and community leader in Connecticut, she’s channeling that same energy into inspiring the next generation.   

   

Her novel The First Rule of Climate Club tackles the environmental challenges that young people face. Issues like food waste at school, idling cars in pickup lanes, fast fashion consumption, social exclusion, and leaders who won’t listen to fresh ideas. But Carrie’s story isn’t about the problems-it’s about the solutions that happen when young people step up to lead.   

   

Because sometimes, as Carrie shows us, the future belongs to those brave enough to demand it.

]]> climate activism, novel, middle-school books No Lee Schneider Carrie Firestone Surfing the Future: Todd Medema discusses how to be hopeful in the age of climate change 2 2 27 27 Surfing the Future: Todd Medema discusses how to be hopeful in the age of climate change full e0a1d270-1aeb-4a3e-9612-a424cd504d0c https://share.transistor.fm/s/70c7b1cf In this conversation, Todd Medema discusses his debut novel HOW TO SURF A HURRICANE, exploring with host Lee Schneider the techniques of writing a solarpunk thriller and the role technology might have in addressing climate change. Todd emphasizes the importance of hope and human resilience in solarpunk narratives, contrasting this approach with the often dystopian views prevalent in other science fiction genres. The discussion also delves into the current state of science fiction writing and publishing.

Visit Todd's author website and check out the wiki with details about the characters and story. Learn more about his Solarpunk Penpals project. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In this conversation, Todd Medema discusses his debut novel HOW TO SURF A HURRICANE, exploring with host Lee Schneider the techniques of writing a solarpunk thriller and the role technology might have in addressing climate change. Todd emphasizes the importance of hope and human resilience in solarpunk narratives, contrasting this approach with the often dystopian views prevalent in other science fiction genres. The discussion also delves into the current state of science fiction writing and publishing.

Visit Todd's author website and check out the wiki with details about the characters and story. Learn more about his Solarpunk Penpals project. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Tue, 04 Nov 2025 20:34:04 -0800 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1652 In this conversation, Todd Medema discusses his debut novel HOW TO SURF A HURRICANE, exploring with host Lee Schneider the techniques of writing a solarpunk thriller and the role technology might have in addressing climate change. Todd emphasizes the importance of hope and human resilience in solarpunk narratives, contrasting this approach with the often dystopian views prevalent in other science fiction genres. The discussion also delves into the current state of science fiction writing and publishing.

Visit Todd's author website and check out the wiki with details about the characters and story. Learn more about his Solarpunk Penpals project. 

Creators & Guests

]]> solar punk, climate change, storytelling, technology, writing, science fiction, heist, clean energy, character development, publishing No Lee Schneider Todd Medema Joey Puente Will Help You Find Your Favorite Book 2 2 26 26 Joey Puente Will Help You Find Your Favorite Book full 35ac2fa4-6458-4945-ac5e-a0d757bcb3c8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/13762ce4 Step into the vibrant world of independent bookselling with this captivating episode of Future Lab. Host Lee Schneider sits down with Joey Puente, the passionate sci-fi and fantasy specialist at Diesel bookstore in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood. With an impressive 20-year tenure at Diesel, Joey brings unparalleled expertise in connecting readers with their perfect next read.

This conversation explores the evolving landscape of science fiction and fantasy publishing, from the current "romantasy" boom driven by BookTok to the emergence of queer voices reshaping genre fiction. Joey shares insights into trending subgenres like LitRPG, how the shift from dystopian narratives toward hopeful futures is being led by new voices, and how independent bookstores serve as vital cultural hubs in their communities.

Discover Joey's current staff picks, learn about Diesel's author events featuring luminaries like William Gibson and Cory Doctorow, and gain insider perspective on how genre fiction serves as both escapism and social commentary, reflecting our contemporary anxieties while imagining better tomorrows. For a list of the books Joey discusses in this episode, go to this link.

The store Instagram account is here. 

Creators & Guests


]]> Step into the vibrant world of independent bookselling with this captivating episode of Future Lab. Host Lee Schneider sits down with Joey Puente, the passionate sci-fi and fantasy specialist at Diesel bookstore in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood. With an impressive 20-year tenure at Diesel, Joey brings unparalleled expertise in connecting readers with their perfect next read.

This conversation explores the evolving landscape of science fiction and fantasy publishing, from the current "romantasy" boom driven by BookTok to the emergence of queer voices reshaping genre fiction. Joey shares insights into trending subgenres like LitRPG, how the shift from dystopian narratives toward hopeful futures is being led by new voices, and how independent bookstores serve as vital cultural hubs in their communities.

Discover Joey's current staff picks, learn about Diesel's author events featuring luminaries like William Gibson and Cory Doctorow, and gain insider perspective on how genre fiction serves as both escapism and social commentary, reflecting our contemporary anxieties while imagining better tomorrows. For a list of the books Joey discusses in this episode, go to this link.

The store Instagram account is here. 

Creators & Guests


]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:39:12 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2955 Step into the vibrant world of independent bookselling with this captivating episode of Future Lab. Host Lee Schneider sits down with Joey Puente, the passionate sci-fi and fantasy specialist at Diesel bookstore in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood. With an impressive 20-year tenure at Diesel, Joey brings unparalleled expertise in connecting readers with their perfect next read.

This conversation explores the evolving landscape of science fiction and fantasy publishing, from the current "romantasy" boom driven by BookTok to the emergence of queer voices reshaping genre fiction. Joey shares insights into trending subgenres like LitRPG, how the shift from dystopian narratives toward hopeful futures is being led by new voices, and how independent bookstores serve as vital cultural hubs in their communities.

Discover Joey's current staff picks, learn about Diesel's author events featuring luminaries like William Gibson and Cory Doctorow, and gain insider perspective on how genre fiction serves as both escapism and social commentary, reflecting our contemporary anxieties while imagining better tomorrows. For a list of the books Joey discusses in this episode, go to this link.

The store Instagram account is here. 

Creators & Guests


]]> independent bookstore, science fiction, fantasy literature, BookTok, romantasy, LitRPG, genre fiction, book recommendations, author events, Diesel bookstore, Los Angeles, literary community, Future Lab podcast, Joey Puente, diverse voices, queer literature No Lee Schneider Joey Puente Eiren Caffell discusses her novel All the Water in the World 2 2 25 25 Eiren Caffell discusses her novel All the Water in the World full 17a383c4-3188-48a2-b530-4aaff843e460 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7ac58acf In today’s episode, host Lee Schneider sits down with Eiren Caffall, musician and author of the powerful climate fiction novel All the Water in the World.


Set in a flooded future New York City, Caffall’s debut novel tells an intimate family survival story that cuts through the overwhelming scope of climate catastrophe by focusing on how we protect each other when everything falls apart. Rather than relying on apocalyptic set pieces, she crafts what she calls a “bedtime story”—a hopeful narrative about resilience, community, and the human capacity to rebuild.


Caffall brings a unique perspective to climate fiction, drawing from her background as both a musician and the daughter of an EPA hydrogeologist. She discusses how her dual creative practices inform each other, why she chose the Museum of Natural History in New York as a sanctuary in her novel’s drowned world, and how communities of care can emerge from disaster.


This conversation explores the evolving landscape of climate fiction, the power of personal narrative in processing global crisis, and why stories about “what comes after” might be exactly what we need right now. 


Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, host Lee Schneider sits down with Eiren Caffall, musician and author of the powerful climate fiction novel All the Water in the World.


Set in a flooded future New York City, Caffall’s debut novel tells an intimate family survival story that cuts through the overwhelming scope of climate catastrophe by focusing on how we protect each other when everything falls apart. Rather than relying on apocalyptic set pieces, she crafts what she calls a “bedtime story”—a hopeful narrative about resilience, community, and the human capacity to rebuild.


Caffall brings a unique perspective to climate fiction, drawing from her background as both a musician and the daughter of an EPA hydrogeologist. She discusses how her dual creative practices inform each other, why she chose the Museum of Natural History in New York as a sanctuary in her novel’s drowned world, and how communities of care can emerge from disaster.


This conversation explores the evolving landscape of climate fiction, the power of personal narrative in processing global crisis, and why stories about “what comes after” might be exactly what we need right now. 


Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:20:47 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1973 In today’s episode, host Lee Schneider sits down with Eiren Caffall, musician and author of the powerful climate fiction novel All the Water in the World.


Set in a flooded future New York City, Caffall’s debut novel tells an intimate family survival story that cuts through the overwhelming scope of climate catastrophe by focusing on how we protect each other when everything falls apart. Rather than relying on apocalyptic set pieces, she crafts what she calls a “bedtime story”—a hopeful narrative about resilience, community, and the human capacity to rebuild.


Caffall brings a unique perspective to climate fiction, drawing from her background as both a musician and the daughter of an EPA hydrogeologist. She discusses how her dual creative practices inform each other, why she chose the Museum of Natural History in New York as a sanctuary in her novel’s drowned world, and how communities of care can emerge from disaster.


This conversation explores the evolving landscape of climate fiction, the power of personal narrative in processing global crisis, and why stories about “what comes after” might be exactly what we need right now. 


Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Eiren Caffall Feminist Heists and Climate Justice with Aya De León 2 2 24 24 Feminist Heists and Climate Justice with Aya De León full dbb51949-b360-48ad-bded-b2e94c2a30f1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/66c8186e Join host Lee Schneider in this fascinating conversation about writing and activism as Aya De León discusses her unique approach to writing climate fiction, working in the genre of feminist heist novels. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling in addressing social justice issues, including climate change and racism, while also sharing insights into her writing process and productivity. De León advocates for empowering young readers and highlights the role of activism in her work. She also reflects on the current state of the literary industry and offers valuable advice for aspiring writers.

Aya shares candid insights about her writing process, including how NaNoWriMo transformed her approach to first drafts, and offers powerful advice for writers looking to combine creativity with activism. She also previews her upcoming novel Undisclosed and discusses the current state of publishing.

Perfect for fans of speculative fiction, climate literature, and anyone interested in the intersection of storytelling and social change.

Creators & Guests

]]> Join host Lee Schneider in this fascinating conversation about writing and activism as Aya De León discusses her unique approach to writing climate fiction, working in the genre of feminist heist novels. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling in addressing social justice issues, including climate change and racism, while also sharing insights into her writing process and productivity. De León advocates for empowering young readers and highlights the role of activism in her work. She also reflects on the current state of the literary industry and offers valuable advice for aspiring writers.

Aya shares candid insights about her writing process, including how NaNoWriMo transformed her approach to first drafts, and offers powerful advice for writers looking to combine creativity with activism. She also previews her upcoming novel Undisclosed and discusses the current state of publishing.

Perfect for fans of speculative fiction, climate literature, and anyone interested in the intersection of storytelling and social change.

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:27:14 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 3264 Join host Lee Schneider in this fascinating conversation about writing and activism as Aya De León discusses her unique approach to writing climate fiction, working in the genre of feminist heist novels. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling in addressing social justice issues, including climate change and racism, while also sharing insights into her writing process and productivity. De León advocates for empowering young readers and highlights the role of activism in her work. She also reflects on the current state of the literary industry and offers valuable advice for aspiring writers.

Aya shares candid insights about her writing process, including how NaNoWriMo transformed her approach to first drafts, and offers powerful advice for writers looking to combine creativity with activism. She also previews her upcoming novel Undisclosed and discusses the current state of publishing.

Perfect for fans of speculative fiction, climate literature, and anyone interested in the intersection of storytelling and social change.

Creators & Guests

]]> climate fiction, feminist heist, activism, young adult literature, social justice, writing advice, productivity, storytelling, environmental justice, collective action No Lee Schneider Aya De León R. E. Kurz on the novel that took 12 years to write 2 2 23 23 R. E. Kurz on the novel that took 12 years to write full b19fc3db-38e9-42f6-b630-ddd465c4d0fe https://share.transistor.fm/s/fd48ef77 Join Lee Schneider as he speaks with debut author R.E. Kurz, whose fascinating journey into published paranormal fantasy is as twisty as her plot lines in her debut novel THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS. Discover how studies in biology and medieval studies shaped a story filled with nature spirits, realistic teenage drama, and a romance that doesn't shy away from the messy realities of growing up.

Whether you're a writer, a fantasy fan, or just curious about how medieval literature might influence modern storytelling, this conversation will leave you inspired to listen to your own creative voices and discover a new book.

Learn more about R.E. Kurz and THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS on the author's website.

Creators & Guests

]]> Join Lee Schneider as he speaks with debut author R.E. Kurz, whose fascinating journey into published paranormal fantasy is as twisty as her plot lines in her debut novel THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS. Discover how studies in biology and medieval studies shaped a story filled with nature spirits, realistic teenage drama, and a romance that doesn't shy away from the messy realities of growing up.

Whether you're a writer, a fantasy fan, or just curious about how medieval literature might influence modern storytelling, this conversation will leave you inspired to listen to your own creative voices and discover a new book.

Learn more about R.E. Kurz and THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS on the author's website.

Creators & Guests

]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:47:52 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1487 Join Lee Schneider as he speaks with debut author R.E. Kurz, whose fascinating journey into published paranormal fantasy is as twisty as her plot lines in her debut novel THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS. Discover how studies in biology and medieval studies shaped a story filled with nature spirits, realistic teenage drama, and a romance that doesn't shy away from the messy realities of growing up.

Whether you're a writer, a fantasy fan, or just curious about how medieval literature might influence modern storytelling, this conversation will leave you inspired to listen to your own creative voices and discover a new book.

Learn more about R.E. Kurz and THE FALL OF LINDA WATERS on the author's website.

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider R. E. Kurz The Maker's Philosophy with Robin Sloan 2 2 22 22 The Maker's Philosophy with Robin Sloan full 0c647de8-fd08-40a1-9651-f199dde811ca https://share.transistor.fm/s/06540c67 In this conversation, Lee Schneider and Robin Sloan explore the joys of making things, the intersection of technology and creativity, and the evolving landscape of storytelling. They discuss the importance of kindness in fiction, the challenges posed by AI, and the value of offline creativity. Robin shares insights on his writing process, the significance of note-taking, and his reflections on the state of science fiction and fantasy today. Subscribe to Robin's newsletter on his website. 

Creators & Guests


Click here to view the episode transcript.

]]> In this conversation, Lee Schneider and Robin Sloan explore the joys of making things, the intersection of technology and creativity, and the evolving landscape of storytelling. They discuss the importance of kindness in fiction, the challenges posed by AI, and the value of offline creativity. Robin shares insights on his writing process, the significance of note-taking, and his reflections on the state of science fiction and fantasy today. Subscribe to Robin's newsletter on his website. 

Creators & Guests


Click here to view the episode transcript.

]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:31:16 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2678 In this conversation, Lee Schneider and Robin Sloan explore the joys of making things, the intersection of technology and creativity, and the evolving landscape of storytelling. They discuss the importance of kindness in fiction, the challenges posed by AI, and the value of offline creativity. Robin shares insights on his writing process, the significance of note-taking, and his reflections on the state of science fiction and fantasy today. Subscribe to Robin's newsletter on his website. 

Creators & Guests


Click here to view the episode transcript.

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Robin Sloan Eleanor Keisman Writes About a New Animal 2 2 21 21 Eleanor Keisman Writes About a New Animal full 5bd7a3ab-dcea-46c3-99e2-9936b1bc013c https://share.transistor.fm/s/91125692 Eleanor Keisman discusses her journey from writing a short story to creating her novella New Animal, exploring the themes of human-animal interaction and communication, climate change, and how non-human animals see the world we share with them.


We talk about the challenges of writing animal protagonists and the long shadow cast by American author Jack London in writing about the natural world. Keisman emphasizes the need for hope in storytelling and offers advice for aspiring writers navigating the publishing landscape.

Check out her blog on Substack: https://eleanorkeisman.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Writing a Novella
04:11 Character Development and Research
09:34 Nature and Climate Change in Writing
11:51 Exploring Climate Change Themes
16:28 Learning from Animals and Indigenous Wisdom
19:35 Speculative Fiction as a Path Forward
23:11 Breaking into Science Fiction and Fantasy
30:13 Building an Audience for New Animal
31:38 Reflections on Career and Aspirations
36:59 Writing Animal Characters with Depth

]]> Eleanor Keisman discusses her journey from writing a short story to creating her novella New Animal, exploring the themes of human-animal interaction and communication, climate change, and how non-human animals see the world we share with them.


We talk about the challenges of writing animal protagonists and the long shadow cast by American author Jack London in writing about the natural world. Keisman emphasizes the need for hope in storytelling and offers advice for aspiring writers navigating the publishing landscape.

Check out her blog on Substack: https://eleanorkeisman.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Writing a Novella
04:11 Character Development and Research
09:34 Nature and Climate Change in Writing
11:51 Exploring Climate Change Themes
16:28 Learning from Animals and Indigenous Wisdom
19:35 Speculative Fiction as a Path Forward
23:11 Breaking into Science Fiction and Fantasy
30:13 Building an Audience for New Animal
31:38 Reflections on Career and Aspirations
36:59 Writing Animal Characters with Depth

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:00:58 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2546 Eleanor Keisman discusses her journey from writing a short story to creating her novella New Animal, exploring the themes of human-animal interaction and communication, climate change, and how non-human animals see the world we share with them.


We talk about the challenges of writing animal protagonists and the long shadow cast by American author Jack London in writing about the natural world. Keisman emphasizes the need for hope in storytelling and offers advice for aspiring writers navigating the publishing landscape.

Check out her blog on Substack: https://eleanorkeisman.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Writing a Novella
04:11 Character Development and Research
09:34 Nature and Climate Change in Writing
11:51 Exploring Climate Change Themes
16:28 Learning from Animals and Indigenous Wisdom
19:35 Speculative Fiction as a Path Forward
23:11 Breaking into Science Fiction and Fantasy
30:13 Building an Audience for New Animal
31:38 Reflections on Career and Aspirations
36:59 Writing Animal Characters with Depth

]]> Eleanor Keisman, New Animal, climate fiction, speculative fiction, character development, writing advice, publishing, animal perspectives, nature, hope No Lee Schneider Eleanor Keisman Sue Toth 2 2 20 20 Sue Toth full 813a25af-056b-45d7-b18a-2bdfcdb4b746 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ceed9df4 Sue Toth is a book editor and coach who specializes in romance, mystery, and thrillers. She keeps writers inspired, helps them work through writers' block, and helps their books be born into the world. 

I asked Sue about the special challenges of writing climate fiction, and she offered to have a conversation on the show about how her developmental editing work with thrillers could apply to climate fiction. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Sue Toth is a book editor and coach who specializes in romance, mystery, and thrillers. She keeps writers inspired, helps them work through writers' block, and helps their books be born into the world. 

I asked Sue about the special challenges of writing climate fiction, and she offered to have a conversation on the show about how her developmental editing work with thrillers could apply to climate fiction. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:43:30 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1886 Sue Toth is a book editor and coach who specializes in romance, mystery, and thrillers. She keeps writers inspired, helps them work through writers' block, and helps their books be born into the world. 

I asked Sue about the special challenges of writing climate fiction, and she offered to have a conversation on the show about how her developmental editing work with thrillers could apply to climate fiction. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Sue Toth Tory Stephens 2 2 19 19 Tory Stephens full bae3e073-b1f1-437a-8120-f65e78b3f056 https://share.transistor.fm/s/4b058051 Tory Stephens works at Grist Magazine as their climate fiction creative manager and uses storytelling to champion climate justice, and imagine green, clean, and just futures. He's going to tell us about a climate fiction contest, called Imagine 2200, that he says changed him and challenged him on a personal level. 

It also inspired thousands of writers to explore what it would be like to write hopeful fiction about the future.

Find out more about Imagine 2200.

Creators & Guests

]]> Tory Stephens works at Grist Magazine as their climate fiction creative manager and uses storytelling to champion climate justice, and imagine green, clean, and just futures. He's going to tell us about a climate fiction contest, called Imagine 2200, that he says changed him and challenged him on a personal level. 

It also inspired thousands of writers to explore what it would be like to write hopeful fiction about the future.

Find out more about Imagine 2200.

Creators & Guests

]]> Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:18:45 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2705 Tory Stephens works at Grist Magazine as their climate fiction creative manager and uses storytelling to champion climate justice, and imagine green, clean, and just futures. He's going to tell us about a climate fiction contest, called Imagine 2200, that he says changed him and challenged him on a personal level. 

It also inspired thousands of writers to explore what it would be like to write hopeful fiction about the future.

Find out more about Imagine 2200.

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Tory Stephens Matt Gemmell 2 2 18 18 Matt Gemmell full 1c1128ba-023b-4c6e-b55a-f17222c8a521 https://www.futurex.studio/matt-gemmell The Future Lab tells the stories that shape the future. It’s where thriller, science fiction, climate fiction, and fantasy authors discuss how we shape the future with the stories we tell today.

If the interview coming up with Matt Gemmell has a theme, I’d say it is, when writing long-form fiction, don’t follow templates. Instead let intention guide you. 

Matt is the author of four books of fiction, including the popular KESTREL techo-thriller trilogy. He has also published four nonfiction books, and six collections of short stories about the supernatural. He’ll send you a free short story by email if you sign up for his newsletter. All the links are in the show notes, and you’ll find Matt online at mattgemmell.scot. 

Matt was once a software engineer doing design and user experience work for companies like Apple, and he approaches writing with an engineer’s mind combined with the improvisational approach of a session musician. 

Here’s a quote from our conversation: Matt said: “There's this sense of being so engrossed and encompassed in the work of an actual book that I only learn the lessons of it and improve after a major piece of work."

I take that to mean that it’s by doing the writing that we improve, certainly, and we learn by a kind of spidey-sense to hone everthing down to what is absolutely needed. Writing along the path of your story becomes like muscle memory. 

You get to know your characters so well that you could drop them into any scene, even an outlandish one, and you would know how they would react and what they would say. You cultivate a deep intentionality that shapes your creative spark.

As Matt says, “You will always, always, always get better results in anything by doing it deliberately and for a reason."
 
Toward the end of our conversation, we talk about Matt’s writing setup, why he likes mechanical keyboards, and the pleasure he derives from a good e-ink tablet. 

Find Matt online: 

Website: https://mattgemmell.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattGemmellAuthor
Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@mattgemmell


Creators & Guests

]]> The Future Lab tells the stories that shape the future. It’s where thriller, science fiction, climate fiction, and fantasy authors discuss how we shape the future with the stories we tell today.

If the interview coming up with Matt Gemmell has a theme, I’d say it is, when writing long-form fiction, don’t follow templates. Instead let intention guide you. 

Matt is the author of four books of fiction, including the popular KESTREL techo-thriller trilogy. He has also published four nonfiction books, and six collections of short stories about the supernatural. He’ll send you a free short story by email if you sign up for his newsletter. All the links are in the show notes, and you’ll find Matt online at mattgemmell.scot. 

Matt was once a software engineer doing design and user experience work for companies like Apple, and he approaches writing with an engineer’s mind combined with the improvisational approach of a session musician. 

Here’s a quote from our conversation: Matt said: “There's this sense of being so engrossed and encompassed in the work of an actual book that I only learn the lessons of it and improve after a major piece of work."

I take that to mean that it’s by doing the writing that we improve, certainly, and we learn by a kind of spidey-sense to hone everthing down to what is absolutely needed. Writing along the path of your story becomes like muscle memory. 

You get to know your characters so well that you could drop them into any scene, even an outlandish one, and you would know how they would react and what they would say. You cultivate a deep intentionality that shapes your creative spark.

As Matt says, “You will always, always, always get better results in anything by doing it deliberately and for a reason."
 
Toward the end of our conversation, we talk about Matt’s writing setup, why he likes mechanical keyboards, and the pleasure he derives from a good e-ink tablet. 

Find Matt online: 

Website: https://mattgemmell.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattGemmellAuthor
Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@mattgemmell


Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:41:22 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 3215 The Future Lab tells the stories that shape the future. It’s where thriller, science fiction, climate fiction, and fantasy authors discuss how we shape the future with the stories we tell today.

If the interview coming up with Matt Gemmell has a theme, I’d say it is, when writing long-form fiction, don’t follow templates. Instead let intention guide you. 

Matt is the author of four books of fiction, including the popular KESTREL techo-thriller trilogy. He has also published four nonfiction books, and six collections of short stories about the supernatural. He’ll send you a free short story by email if you sign up for his newsletter. All the links are in the show notes, and you’ll find Matt online at mattgemmell.scot. 

Matt was once a software engineer doing design and user experience work for companies like Apple, and he approaches writing with an engineer’s mind combined with the improvisational approach of a session musician. 

Here’s a quote from our conversation: Matt said: “There's this sense of being so engrossed and encompassed in the work of an actual book that I only learn the lessons of it and improve after a major piece of work."

I take that to mean that it’s by doing the writing that we improve, certainly, and we learn by a kind of spidey-sense to hone everthing down to what is absolutely needed. Writing along the path of your story becomes like muscle memory. 

You get to know your characters so well that you could drop them into any scene, even an outlandish one, and you would know how they would react and what they would say. You cultivate a deep intentionality that shapes your creative spark.

As Matt says, “You will always, always, always get better results in anything by doing it deliberately and for a reason."
 
Toward the end of our conversation, we talk about Matt’s writing setup, why he likes mechanical keyboards, and the pleasure he derives from a good e-ink tablet. 

Find Matt online: 

Website: https://mattgemmell.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattGemmellAuthor
Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@mattgemmell


Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Matt Gemmell Introducing The Future Lab with Lee Schneider, Season 2 2 2 17 17 Introducing The Future Lab with Lee Schneider, Season 2 full 75b44822-16ec-4baa-8649-3520a7df5235 https://share.transistor.fm/s/3dd969e0 Welcome to the Future Lab with me, Lee Schneider.  This is the trailer before the trailer, the advance word, the beginning of the beginning, just tapping the mic to be sure everything works.  I'm excited about what we're going to be doing in this space, and I just had to tell you about it. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Welcome to the Future Lab with me, Lee Schneider.  This is the trailer before the trailer, the advance word, the beginning of the beginning, just tapping the mic to be sure everything works.  I'm excited about what we're going to be doing in this space, and I just had to tell you about it. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:41:44 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 82 Welcome to the Future Lab with me, Lee Schneider.  This is the trailer before the trailer, the advance word, the beginning of the beginning, just tapping the mic to be sure everything works.  I'm excited about what we're going to be doing in this space, and I just had to tell you about it. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Rachel Allen Keeps the Love of Writing Alive 1 1 16 16 Rachel Allen Keeps the Love of Writing Alive full a46ecf3f-abf9-400b-876c-bf10169c297a https://futurex.studio/podcasts Rachel Allen is the owner of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting. She describes her work as mixing the neuroscience of communication with the art of great writing to help businesses take the cap off their income, impact and influence. We’re going to talk about publishing your book and who you’ll need on your team to succeed at it.

Timestamps

[00:01:14] Skills in book editing.
[00:04:23] Consistency in longer form writing.
[00:07:09] Struggles of first-time authors.
[00:09:43] Importance of cover design.
[00:13:19] Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing.
[00:16:33] Enhancing chances of traditional publishing.
[00:20:03] Advising on genre choices.
[00:22:24] Ghostwriting and book intimacy.
[00:25:38] Writing with emotional depth.

Find out more about Rachel at her website. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Rachel Allen is the owner of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting. She describes her work as mixing the neuroscience of communication with the art of great writing to help businesses take the cap off their income, impact and influence. We’re going to talk about publishing your book and who you’ll need on your team to succeed at it.

Timestamps

[00:01:14] Skills in book editing.
[00:04:23] Consistency in longer form writing.
[00:07:09] Struggles of first-time authors.
[00:09:43] Importance of cover design.
[00:13:19] Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing.
[00:16:33] Enhancing chances of traditional publishing.
[00:20:03] Advising on genre choices.
[00:22:24] Ghostwriting and book intimacy.
[00:25:38] Writing with emotional depth.

Find out more about Rachel at her website. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Thu, 10 Aug 2023 18:49:55 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1603 Rachel Allen is the owner of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting. She describes her work as mixing the neuroscience of communication with the art of great writing to help businesses take the cap off their income, impact and influence. We’re going to talk about publishing your book and who you’ll need on your team to succeed at it.

Timestamps

[00:01:14] Skills in book editing.
[00:04:23] Consistency in longer form writing.
[00:07:09] Struggles of first-time authors.
[00:09:43] Importance of cover design.
[00:13:19] Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing.
[00:16:33] Enhancing chances of traditional publishing.
[00:20:03] Advising on genre choices.
[00:22:24] Ghostwriting and book intimacy.
[00:25:38] Writing with emotional depth.

Find out more about Rachel at her website. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Rachel Allen JV Hilliard has Created a Masterful World 1 1 15 15 JV Hilliard has Created a Masterful World full d6cc71c3-21f0-4b3a-8662-9004afdb0450 https://futurex.studio/ JV Hilliard is the author of the multi-book Warminster Saga. Here's how he often introduces himself. 

“Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations. His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him.”

We talk about how he builds the world of his saga, his point of view about promoting his work, and what it's been like to expand the his storytelling into a video game and a graphic novel. JV gets a lot from the contribution of beta readers and discusses how the process of editing works for him. 

Creators & Guests

]]> JV Hilliard is the author of the multi-book Warminster Saga. Here's how he often introduces himself. 

“Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations. His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him.”

We talk about how he builds the world of his saga, his point of view about promoting his work, and what it's been like to expand the his storytelling into a video game and a graphic novel. JV gets a lot from the contribution of beta readers and discusses how the process of editing works for him. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:46:24 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2189 JV Hilliard is the author of the multi-book Warminster Saga. Here's how he often introduces himself. 

“Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations. His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him.”

We talk about how he builds the world of his saga, his point of view about promoting his work, and what it's been like to expand the his storytelling into a video game and a graphic novel. JV gets a lot from the contribution of beta readers and discusses how the process of editing works for him. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Traveling Solo with Karen Gershowitz 1 1 14 14 Traveling Solo with Karen Gershowitz full 8fb034ff-d2fb-466d-a521-1a35eaacf197 https://futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Karen Gershowitz, author ofTravel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust. 

In pursuit of a passion for travel, Karen has lost and gained friends and made a radical career change. She has visited remote areas of Indonesia on her own, and became a translator, though only fluent in English. We’ll hear about some of her memories with people she met around the world. 

When Karen started promoting her book, she had a few hundred Facebook friends and about 500 LinkedIn connections. Now, those numbers are in the thousands. She’ll tell us how she developed her online audience and sustains it. And we’ll also learn about her next book and how she plans to promote it online. Find Karen on Facebook and the links below. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Karen Gershowitz, author ofTravel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust. 

In pursuit of a passion for travel, Karen has lost and gained friends and made a radical career change. She has visited remote areas of Indonesia on her own, and became a translator, though only fluent in English. We’ll hear about some of her memories with people she met around the world. 

When Karen started promoting her book, she had a few hundred Facebook friends and about 500 LinkedIn connections. Now, those numbers are in the thousands. She’ll tell us how she developed her online audience and sustains it. And we’ll also learn about her next book and how she plans to promote it online. Find Karen on Facebook and the links below. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:22:46 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2075 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Karen Gershowitz, author ofTravel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust. 

In pursuit of a passion for travel, Karen has lost and gained friends and made a radical career change. She has visited remote areas of Indonesia on her own, and became a translator, though only fluent in English. We’ll hear about some of her memories with people she met around the world. 

When Karen started promoting her book, she had a few hundred Facebook friends and about 500 LinkedIn connections. Now, those numbers are in the thousands. She’ll tell us how she developed her online audience and sustains it. And we’ll also learn about her next book and how she plans to promote it online. Find Karen on Facebook and the links below. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Karen Gershowitz Rod Faulkner Sees the Genius in Short Sci-Fi Films 1 1 13 13 Rod Faulkner Sees the Genius in Short Sci-Fi Films full 3ce51a3a-ccb9-4f36-9d24-bae01464e14b https://futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Rod Faulkner, self-professed Blerd, (Black nerd) founder of The7thMatrix and host of EYE ON SCI-Fi Podcast. He’s a lifelong lover of science fiction and fantasy. 

Rod shares his enthusiasm for short-form science-fiction films. We discussed how a short-form film, with its time limitations, can be an exercise in creative constraints. 

The most unique and original science fiction and fantasy narratives, in my opinion, are being told by independent film makers in the short film space. I'm attracted to that medium is because they only have a few minutes to tell their story. It forces them to be succinct. It forces them to make bold choices about how they convey the narrative that they're trying to tell audiences. 

He points out that one of the great things about short films is that by pretty much the first minute, you’ll know whether it’s for you or not. 

A filmmaker he recommends is Anthony Ferraro. Anthony specializes in making instructional videos for DIY-ing genre shorts.  Here’s [Anthony’s YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@createscifi). 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Rod Faulkner, self-professed Blerd, (Black nerd) founder of The7thMatrix and host of EYE ON SCI-Fi Podcast. He’s a lifelong lover of science fiction and fantasy. 

Rod shares his enthusiasm for short-form science-fiction films. We discussed how a short-form film, with its time limitations, can be an exercise in creative constraints. 

The most unique and original science fiction and fantasy narratives, in my opinion, are being told by independent film makers in the short film space. I'm attracted to that medium is because they only have a few minutes to tell their story. It forces them to be succinct. It forces them to make bold choices about how they convey the narrative that they're trying to tell audiences. 

He points out that one of the great things about short films is that by pretty much the first minute, you’ll know whether it’s for you or not. 

A filmmaker he recommends is Anthony Ferraro. Anthony specializes in making instructional videos for DIY-ing genre shorts.  Here’s [Anthony’s YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@createscifi). 

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2023 18:14:41 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1285 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Rod Faulkner, self-professed Blerd, (Black nerd) founder of The7thMatrix and host of EYE ON SCI-Fi Podcast. He’s a lifelong lover of science fiction and fantasy. 

Rod shares his enthusiasm for short-form science-fiction films. We discussed how a short-form film, with its time limitations, can be an exercise in creative constraints. 

The most unique and original science fiction and fantasy narratives, in my opinion, are being told by independent film makers in the short film space. I'm attracted to that medium is because they only have a few minutes to tell their story. It forces them to be succinct. It forces them to make bold choices about how they convey the narrative that they're trying to tell audiences. 

He points out that one of the great things about short films is that by pretty much the first minute, you’ll know whether it’s for you or not. 

A filmmaker he recommends is Anthony Ferraro. Anthony specializes in making instructional videos for DIY-ing genre shorts.  Here’s [Anthony’s YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@createscifi). 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Rod T. Faulkner Brian Freeman is Building a Creator Community 1 1 12 12 Brian Freeman is Building a Creator Community full 3eb74f8c-edff-4e1a-bef2-463b9741e6b8 https://futurex.studio/podcasts Brian Freeman discusses Creatorland, a professional networking platform designed for content creators in the 100 billion dollar creator economy. He explains that the platform was developed to address some of the drawbacks of LinkedIn for content creators that include a lack of focus on content creation. Freeman shared that his company started by interviewing creators early on in the development process, building direct relationships with them, and using their feedback to refine the platform. Creatorland’s early success came from focusing on opportunity, discovery, education, learning, and networking with peers.

Get info at https://creatorland.com.

Explore Mee6, a Discord moderation bot. https://mee6.xyz/en/plugins/management

Creators & Guests

]]> Brian Freeman discusses Creatorland, a professional networking platform designed for content creators in the 100 billion dollar creator economy. He explains that the platform was developed to address some of the drawbacks of LinkedIn for content creators that include a lack of focus on content creation. Freeman shared that his company started by interviewing creators early on in the development process, building direct relationships with them, and using their feedback to refine the platform. Creatorland’s early success came from focusing on opportunity, discovery, education, learning, and networking with peers.

Get info at https://creatorland.com.

Explore Mee6, a Discord moderation bot. https://mee6.xyz/en/plugins/management

Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:35:34 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2282 Brian Freeman discusses Creatorland, a professional networking platform designed for content creators in the 100 billion dollar creator economy. He explains that the platform was developed to address some of the drawbacks of LinkedIn for content creators that include a lack of focus on content creation. Freeman shared that his company started by interviewing creators early on in the development process, building direct relationships with them, and using their feedback to refine the platform. Creatorland’s early success came from focusing on opportunity, discovery, education, learning, and networking with peers.

Get info at https://creatorland.com.

Explore Mee6, a Discord moderation bot. https://mee6.xyz/en/plugins/management

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Brian Freeman JJ Ramberg Discusses the Podcast Discovery Community Goodpods 1 1 11 11 JJ Ramberg Discusses the Podcast Discovery Community Goodpods full 566bf99c-c0f5-4390-bedb-45f24e52acd4 https://futurex.studio/podcasts In this episode of the FutureX Podcast, host Lee Schneider interviews JJ Ramberg, co-creator of Goodpods, a platform designed to help podcast listeners discover new content and share recommendations with their friends. Ramberg and her brother Ken founded the platform to address the discovery problem in podcasting, where there is so much great content but few effective ways to find it. Goodpods aims to amplify word-of-mouth podcasting and connect producers with new audiences through user-generated content and community-driven promotion. The episode also touches on the importance of understanding your audience and seeking feedback when building a new platform or product, and JJ also discusses her Discord community, New Atlantis Labs. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In this episode of the FutureX Podcast, host Lee Schneider interviews JJ Ramberg, co-creator of Goodpods, a platform designed to help podcast listeners discover new content and share recommendations with their friends. Ramberg and her brother Ken founded the platform to address the discovery problem in podcasting, where there is so much great content but few effective ways to find it. Goodpods aims to amplify word-of-mouth podcasting and connect producers with new audiences through user-generated content and community-driven promotion. The episode also touches on the importance of understanding your audience and seeking feedback when building a new platform or product, and JJ also discusses her Discord community, New Atlantis Labs. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Sat, 17 Jun 2023 17:32:09 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1983 In this episode of the FutureX Podcast, host Lee Schneider interviews JJ Ramberg, co-creator of Goodpods, a platform designed to help podcast listeners discover new content and share recommendations with their friends. Ramberg and her brother Ken founded the platform to address the discovery problem in podcasting, where there is so much great content but few effective ways to find it. Goodpods aims to amplify word-of-mouth podcasting and connect producers with new audiences through user-generated content and community-driven promotion. The episode also touches on the importance of understanding your audience and seeking feedback when building a new platform or product, and JJ also discusses her Discord community, New Atlantis Labs. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider JJ Ramberg Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age with Dr. Robert Eschmann 1 1 10 10 Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age with Dr. Robert Eschmann full 9193c2db-31ac-417a-a2d7-112f2a42d24d https://futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Robert Eschmann, a writer, scholar, filmmaker, and educator from Chicago. He is an Associate Professor of Social Work and a member of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, as well as a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. His new book, *When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age* is a comprehensive study of how racism manifests online and it highlights the antiracist tactics rising to oppose racism.

Creators & Guests


 “Students online feel much more comfortable challenging micro-aggressions, talking back to micro-aggressions. This is a communal project. It's a collective project, so it's never the responsibility of one person to speak out, but if anyone in the community has the energy that day, then they're able to support everyone by saying ‘no thank you’ to these harmful interactions.”
 - Dr. Robert Eschmann


Black Twitter

Black Twitter is a community where, in Dr. Eschmann’s words, “Black folk get together and perform Blackness online, challenging racism and highlighting ways that racism is pervasive in society. Another part of that is just collectively enjoying popular culture.”

Yuza Farzan, writing in *The Guardian*, called Black Twitter a form of Black witnessing. Farzan calls up the tradition of Ida B Wells, a founder of the NAACP and a civil rights activist, who documented and compiled white violence against Black Americans, including more than 10,000 lynchings. “Much like how Black Twitter works today, the Black press has historically provided a counter-narrative when white media institutions failed to condemn injustices against Black people and, in some instances, even incited violence,” Farzan wrote. 

Allissa Richardson, author of *Bearing Witness While Black*, was quoted in the Guardian article. “Black activists always knew that they were never wed to one particular platform to get the message out. I think that’s the beauty of Black witnessing, is that it hacks any social network that it needs to at the time to get the word out.”  

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Robert Eschmann, a writer, scholar, filmmaker, and educator from Chicago. He is an Associate Professor of Social Work and a member of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, as well as a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. His new book, *When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age* is a comprehensive study of how racism manifests online and it highlights the antiracist tactics rising to oppose racism.

Creators & Guests


 “Students online feel much more comfortable challenging micro-aggressions, talking back to micro-aggressions. This is a communal project. It's a collective project, so it's never the responsibility of one person to speak out, but if anyone in the community has the energy that day, then they're able to support everyone by saying ‘no thank you’ to these harmful interactions.”
 - Dr. Robert Eschmann


Black Twitter

Black Twitter is a community where, in Dr. Eschmann’s words, “Black folk get together and perform Blackness online, challenging racism and highlighting ways that racism is pervasive in society. Another part of that is just collectively enjoying popular culture.”

Yuza Farzan, writing in *The Guardian*, called Black Twitter a form of Black witnessing. Farzan calls up the tradition of Ida B Wells, a founder of the NAACP and a civil rights activist, who documented and compiled white violence against Black Americans, including more than 10,000 lynchings. “Much like how Black Twitter works today, the Black press has historically provided a counter-narrative when white media institutions failed to condemn injustices against Black people and, in some instances, even incited violence,” Farzan wrote. 

Allissa Richardson, author of *Bearing Witness While Black*, was quoted in the Guardian article. “Black activists always knew that they were never wed to one particular platform to get the message out. I think that’s the beauty of Black witnessing, is that it hacks any social network that it needs to at the time to get the word out.”  

]]> Fri, 09 Jun 2023 11:39:29 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2191 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Robert Eschmann, a writer, scholar, filmmaker, and educator from Chicago. He is an Associate Professor of Social Work and a member of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, as well as a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. His new book, *When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age* is a comprehensive study of how racism manifests online and it highlights the antiracist tactics rising to oppose racism.

Creators & Guests


 “Students online feel much more comfortable challenging micro-aggressions, talking back to micro-aggressions. This is a communal project. It's a collective project, so it's never the responsibility of one person to speak out, but if anyone in the community has the energy that day, then they're able to support everyone by saying ‘no thank you’ to these harmful interactions.”
 - Dr. Robert Eschmann


Black Twitter

Black Twitter is a community where, in Dr. Eschmann’s words, “Black folk get together and perform Blackness online, challenging racism and highlighting ways that racism is pervasive in society. Another part of that is just collectively enjoying popular culture.”

Yuza Farzan, writing in *The Guardian*, called Black Twitter a form of Black witnessing. Farzan calls up the tradition of Ida B Wells, a founder of the NAACP and a civil rights activist, who documented and compiled white violence against Black Americans, including more than 10,000 lynchings. “Much like how Black Twitter works today, the Black press has historically provided a counter-narrative when white media institutions failed to condemn injustices against Black people and, in some instances, even incited violence,” Farzan wrote. 

Allissa Richardson, author of *Bearing Witness While Black*, was quoted in the Guardian article. “Black activists always knew that they were never wed to one particular platform to get the message out. I think that’s the beauty of Black witnessing, is that it hacks any social network that it needs to at the time to get the word out.”  

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Dr. Robert Eschmann Creating a School for Changemakers with Laura Hartley 1 1 9 9 Creating a School for Changemakers with Laura Hartley full ace0a891-2f6f-483d-b300-3f767ab60a4c https://futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Laura Hartley, founder of an online school for change makers called Public Love Enterprises. She teaches people how to detox from capitalism, patriarchy, and supremacy culture. Her intention is to empower changemakers, activists, and entrepreneurs to radically reimagine the world, creating the conditions for social healing, collective thriving, and liberation.

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Laura Hartley, founder of an online school for change makers called Public Love Enterprises. She teaches people how to detox from capitalism, patriarchy, and supremacy culture. Her intention is to empower changemakers, activists, and entrepreneurs to radically reimagine the world, creating the conditions for social healing, collective thriving, and liberation.

Creators & Guests

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 17:36:51 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2208 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Laura Hartley, founder of an online school for change makers called Public Love Enterprises. She teaches people how to detox from capitalism, patriarchy, and supremacy culture. Her intention is to empower changemakers, activists, and entrepreneurs to radically reimagine the world, creating the conditions for social healing, collective thriving, and liberation.

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Laura Hartley Managing Multiple Creative Projects with Danielle Desir Corbett 1 1 8 8 Managing Multiple Creative Projects with Danielle Desir Corbett full 17f8f532-aeb1-4e0f-8952-e67ebd520bf6 https://futurex.studio/podcasts Danielle Desir Corbett is an author, podcaster & podcast marketing coach. She hosts two podcasts,  Women of Color Podcasters and The Thought Card Podcast. She publishes Grants for Creators on Substack. And she’s the mother of a one year old child. And I’ve probably left something out!

We’re going to talk about how to manage multiple projects, and in keeping with the theme of this podcast, we’ll talk about how to build community for your projects — in Danielle’s case, building community around many projects. Closed-captioned video available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/x6Q92otB2gI

Creators & Guests

]]> Danielle Desir Corbett is an author, podcaster & podcast marketing coach. She hosts two podcasts,  Women of Color Podcasters and The Thought Card Podcast. She publishes Grants for Creators on Substack. And she’s the mother of a one year old child. And I’ve probably left something out!

We’re going to talk about how to manage multiple projects, and in keeping with the theme of this podcast, we’ll talk about how to build community for your projects — in Danielle’s case, building community around many projects. Closed-captioned video available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/x6Q92otB2gI

Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 12:27:56 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2080 Danielle Desir Corbett is an author, podcaster & podcast marketing coach. She hosts two podcasts,  Women of Color Podcasters and The Thought Card Podcast. She publishes Grants for Creators on Substack. And she’s the mother of a one year old child. And I’ve probably left something out!

We’re going to talk about how to manage multiple projects, and in keeping with the theme of this podcast, we’ll talk about how to build community for your projects — in Danielle’s case, building community around many projects. Closed-captioned video available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/x6Q92otB2gI

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Danielle Desir Corbett Building Literal.club with Piet Terheyden 1 1 7 7 Building Literal.club with Piet Terheyden full 5059f4f1-ee4e-4750-8e7c-c7218317166a https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Piet Terheyden, Co-Founder & CEO of Literal. Literal — the url is literal.club — is a platform to share books recommendations and reviews. Piet is also the creator & curator of Minimal Gallery, an online gallery showcasing the best web design. The gallery started as a way for him to save website designs that inspired him. He has a deep background in front end development and web design. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Piet Terheyden, Co-Founder & CEO of Literal. Literal — the url is literal.club — is a platform to share books recommendations and reviews. Piet is also the creator & curator of Minimal Gallery, an online gallery showcasing the best web design. The gallery started as a way for him to save website designs that inspired him. He has a deep background in front end development and web design. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 20:13:09 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2169 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Piet Terheyden, Co-Founder & CEO of Literal. Literal — the url is literal.club — is a platform to share books recommendations and reviews. Piet is also the creator & curator of Minimal Gallery, an online gallery showcasing the best web design. The gallery started as a way for him to save website designs that inspired him. He has a deep background in front end development and web design. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels Yes Lee Schneider Piet Terheyden Sista Circle - Black Women in Tech, with Lexi B. 1 1 6 6 Sista Circle - Black Women in Tech, with Lexi B. full 4f058c46-0e6a-4f5c-b033-20909c84ea0e https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Alexandria Noel Butler, known as Lexi B. She is one of Silicon Valley’s most candid and prominent voices. In April 2017, Lexi B founded Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech, a community that supports Black women in tech companies and tech related professions. Sista Circle has partnered with organizations such as Phenomenally, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin and Slack. 

We’re going to talk about building communities, checking privilege that involves race, gender, and knowledge, and why social change requires inner work. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Alexandria Noel Butler, known as Lexi B. She is one of Silicon Valley’s most candid and prominent voices. In April 2017, Lexi B founded Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech, a community that supports Black women in tech companies and tech related professions. Sista Circle has partnered with organizations such as Phenomenally, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin and Slack. 

We’re going to talk about building communities, checking privilege that involves race, gender, and knowledge, and why social change requires inner work. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Fri, 12 May 2023 15:35:32 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2333 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Alexandria Noel Butler, known as Lexi B. She is one of Silicon Valley’s most candid and prominent voices. In April 2017, Lexi B founded Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech, a community that supports Black women in tech companies and tech related professions. Sista Circle has partnered with organizations such as Phenomenally, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin and Slack. 

We’re going to talk about building communities, checking privilege that involves race, gender, and knowledge, and why social change requires inner work. 

Creators & Guests

]]> black sister circle, pay equity, black liberation, workplace politics No Lexi B. Building an Online Community for Your Writing with Matt Gemmell 1 1 5 5 Building an Online Community for Your Writing with Matt Gemmell full a6133165-33ab-4e05-aab3-2dabb44ad304 https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts This week on the FutureX Podcast, you’ll meet Matt Gemmell, a writer of thriller, horror, and suspense novels. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with his wife Lauren, their son Calum, and a labradoodle named Whisky. Matt first tried his hand at writing stories when he was in his early teens. Writing had to wait for a while as he got a degree in Computing Science and then had a successful career as a software engineer for Apple and other companies. He also released software of his own. 

When it was time to try novel-writing again, Matt started with techno thrillers, and has since developed a large body of work. We talk about building a community for Matt’s writing online, and we discuss the benefits of Mastodon. 

Creators & Guests

]]> This week on the FutureX Podcast, you’ll meet Matt Gemmell, a writer of thriller, horror, and suspense novels. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with his wife Lauren, their son Calum, and a labradoodle named Whisky. Matt first tried his hand at writing stories when he was in his early teens. Writing had to wait for a while as he got a degree in Computing Science and then had a successful career as a software engineer for Apple and other companies. He also released software of his own. 

When it was time to try novel-writing again, Matt started with techno thrillers, and has since developed a large body of work. We talk about building a community for Matt’s writing online, and we discuss the benefits of Mastodon. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 03 May 2023 15:37:52 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2982 This week on the FutureX Podcast, you’ll meet Matt Gemmell, a writer of thriller, horror, and suspense novels. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with his wife Lauren, their son Calum, and a labradoodle named Whisky. Matt first tried his hand at writing stories when he was in his early teens. Writing had to wait for a while as he got a degree in Computing Science and then had a successful career as a software engineer for Apple and other companies. He also released software of his own. 

When it was time to try novel-writing again, Matt started with techno thrillers, and has since developed a large body of work. We talk about building a community for Matt’s writing online, and we discuss the benefits of Mastodon. 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Matt Gemmell The Visibility Mindset with Bernice Chao 1 1 4 4 The Visibility Mindset with Bernice Chao full 0b26fe0b-d23f-4fb1-ae3d-57ebd612f315 https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Bernice Chao, an award-winning creative director, author, and public speaker. She is a co-founder of Asians in Advertising, a community with five thousand global members that strives to create opportunities for Asians in the advertising world and helps elevate Asians to higher leadership positions. Bernice is an adjunct marketing professor at LMU and the curator of TEDxCulverCity. In 2023, she was named Working Mother of the Year by an organization called She Runs It. In 2022 she was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement
 
We talk about building community and representation in advertising, on the TEDx stage, and online.  Here are some key moments:

0:00:57 - Challenges of Asian representation inadvertising 
0:05:02 - Building a global Asian advertising community 
0:09:30 - Job market representation and advancement 
0:15:34 - Challenges of speaking in brainstorm rooms 
0:21:29 - Creatinginclusive and welcoming spaces 
0:30:33 - Starting an online community 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Bernice Chao, an award-winning creative director, author, and public speaker. She is a co-founder of Asians in Advertising, a community with five thousand global members that strives to create opportunities for Asians in the advertising world and helps elevate Asians to higher leadership positions. Bernice is an adjunct marketing professor at LMU and the curator of TEDxCulverCity. In 2023, she was named Working Mother of the Year by an organization called She Runs It. In 2022 she was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement
 
We talk about building community and representation in advertising, on the TEDx stage, and online.  Here are some key moments:

0:00:57 - Challenges of Asian representation inadvertising 
0:05:02 - Building a global Asian advertising community 
0:09:30 - Job market representation and advancement 
0:15:34 - Challenges of speaking in brainstorm rooms 
0:21:29 - Creatinginclusive and welcoming spaces 
0:30:33 - Starting an online community 

Creators & Guests

]]> Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:37:07 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2040 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Bernice Chao, an award-winning creative director, author, and public speaker. She is a co-founder of Asians in Advertising, a community with five thousand global members that strives to create opportunities for Asians in the advertising world and helps elevate Asians to higher leadership positions. Bernice is an adjunct marketing professor at LMU and the curator of TEDxCulverCity. In 2023, she was named Working Mother of the Year by an organization called She Runs It. In 2022 she was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement
 
We talk about building community and representation in advertising, on the TEDx stage, and online.  Here are some key moments:

0:00:57 - Challenges of Asian representation inadvertising 
0:05:02 - Building a global Asian advertising community 
0:09:30 - Job market representation and advancement 
0:15:34 - Challenges of speaking in brainstorm rooms 
0:21:29 - Creatinginclusive and welcoming spaces 
0:30:33 - Starting an online community 

Creators & Guests

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Bernice Chao Black Athletes and Social Justice with Dr. Shaun M. Anderson 1 1 3 3 Black Athletes and Social Justice with Dr. Shaun M. Anderson full c5033fee-a1b5-45cb-a6ae-d0e13e5b4b9f https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Shaun M. Anderson, author of The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of BlackLivesMatter. It examines athlete activism before and after the BLM movement. Dr. Anderson is an award-winning professor at Loyola Marymount University. As a scholar, he examines how sport has influenced business, politics, and society. He is also the founder of CSR Global Consulting, which assists organizations with their social responsibility initiatives.

We talk about the role of Black athletes as social change agents and what it will take to bring a systemic change to sports. We also discuss how Dr. Anderson is building a community around his book as he discusses the sport justice movement. 

Creators & Guests

]]> In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Shaun M. Anderson, author of The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of BlackLivesMatter. It examines athlete activism before and after the BLM movement. Dr. Anderson is an award-winning professor at Loyola Marymount University. As a scholar, he examines how sport has influenced business, politics, and society. He is also the founder of CSR Global Consulting, which assists organizations with their social responsibility initiatives.

We talk about the role of Black athletes as social change agents and what it will take to bring a systemic change to sports. We also discuss how Dr. Anderson is building a community around his book as he discusses the sport justice movement. 

Creators & Guests

]]> Thu, 20 Apr 2023 10:37:17 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2392 In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Shaun M. Anderson, author of The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of BlackLivesMatter. It examines athlete activism before and after the BLM movement. Dr. Anderson is an award-winning professor at Loyola Marymount University. As a scholar, he examines how sport has influenced business, politics, and society. He is also the founder of CSR Global Consulting, which assists organizations with their social responsibility initiatives.

We talk about the role of Black athletes as social change agents and what it will take to bring a systemic change to sports. We also discuss how Dr. Anderson is building a community around his book as he discusses the sport justice movement. 

Creators & Guests

]]> blacklivesmatter, Black athletes, sports, sports history, social change No Lee Schneider Dr. Shaun M. Anderson Planning Micro-Events with Ever Gonzalez 1 1 2 2 Planning Micro-Events with Ever Gonzalez full 18bcc22b-5177-4f1f-b288-d83d7c19a226 https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts Ever Gonzalez, a self-described filthy capitalist with a hippie heart. Ever is the Founder of OutlierHQ, a media and events company. He hosts the popular Outlier On Air podcast and runs Founders Weekend and the Outlier Podcast Festival. Ever has been pivoting his events from pandemic-times online events back to in-person events. 

He has a micro-event plan for you that makes that pivot easier for you. You’ll hear what you’ll get out of hosting a micro-event and also what you’ll get as a guest at one. You'll get a sense of the value of small, manageable events that will get you back in front of your people as a speaker or organizer, or get you back in circulation in your community.  Get info on the Outlier Podcast Festival: https://www.outlierhq.com

]]> Ever Gonzalez, a self-described filthy capitalist with a hippie heart. Ever is the Founder of OutlierHQ, a media and events company. He hosts the popular Outlier On Air podcast and runs Founders Weekend and the Outlier Podcast Festival. Ever has been pivoting his events from pandemic-times online events back to in-person events. 

He has a micro-event plan for you that makes that pivot easier for you. You’ll hear what you’ll get out of hosting a micro-event and also what you’ll get as a guest at one. You'll get a sense of the value of small, manageable events that will get you back in front of your people as a speaker or organizer, or get you back in circulation in your community.  Get info on the Outlier Podcast Festival: https://www.outlierhq.com

]]> Mon, 10 Apr 2023 18:28:47 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 1696 Ever Gonzalez, a self-described filthy capitalist with a hippie heart. Ever is the Founder of OutlierHQ, a media and events company. He hosts the popular Outlier On Air podcast and runs Founders Weekend and the Outlier Podcast Festival. Ever has been pivoting his events from pandemic-times online events back to in-person events. 

He has a micro-event plan for you that makes that pivot easier for you. You’ll hear what you’ll get out of hosting a micro-event and also what you’ll get as a guest at one. You'll get a sense of the value of small, manageable events that will get you back in front of your people as a speaker or organizer, or get you back in circulation in your community.  Get info on the Outlier Podcast Festival: https://www.outlierhq.com

]]> books, publishing, writing, novels No Lee Schneider Ever Gonzalez Inclusivity in Media: A Conversation with Dr. Nicole Haggard 1 1 1 1 Inclusivity in Media: A Conversation with Dr. Nicole Haggard full ddee53a5-de60-4651-8e3d-c82a603ef601 https://www.futurex.studio/podcasts We all consume media entertainment. How does that entertainment shape our perceptions of women and people of color?  In today's episode, you'll meet Dr. Nicole Haggard, who is an award-winning instructor, speaker, and published researcher with 16 years of study about the intersection of race and gender in American culture. In 2018, Nicole co-founded the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment — CIME — an organization dedicated to advancing representation.

CIME’s primary goal is to transform our collective relationship to the stories we are all watching. In conversation with Lee Schneider, Dr. Haggard discusses the data behind CIME’s ideas, how it uses pop media culture to get the ideas across, and the audience it is working to reach. On screen, only 33% of the characters in speaking roles are women. And behind the scenes, only 17% of them are women in key production roles. Dr. Nicole Haggard discusses how representation behind the scenes drives representation on screen, what needs to change, and how CIME, the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, can make change. She also has some best-practices suggestions for movement building online.

Red Cup Agency produces the FutureX Podcast for FutureX.Studio. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join our newsletter, 500 Words. Give us some stars and post your comments on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the show.

Learn more about CIME: https://www.cime.us


Creators & Guests

]]> We all consume media entertainment. How does that entertainment shape our perceptions of women and people of color?  In today's episode, you'll meet Dr. Nicole Haggard, who is an award-winning instructor, speaker, and published researcher with 16 years of study about the intersection of race and gender in American culture. In 2018, Nicole co-founded the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment — CIME — an organization dedicated to advancing representation.

CIME’s primary goal is to transform our collective relationship to the stories we are all watching. In conversation with Lee Schneider, Dr. Haggard discusses the data behind CIME’s ideas, how it uses pop media culture to get the ideas across, and the audience it is working to reach. On screen, only 33% of the characters in speaking roles are women. And behind the scenes, only 17% of them are women in key production roles. Dr. Nicole Haggard discusses how representation behind the scenes drives representation on screen, what needs to change, and how CIME, the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, can make change. She also has some best-practices suggestions for movement building online.

Red Cup Agency produces the FutureX Podcast for FutureX.Studio. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join our newsletter, 500 Words. Give us some stars and post your comments on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the show.

Learn more about CIME: https://www.cime.us


Creators & Guests

]]> Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:36:00 -0700 Lee Schneider Lee Schneider 2107 We all consume media entertainment. How does that entertainment shape our perceptions of women and people of color?  In today's episode, you'll meet Dr. Nicole Haggard, who is an award-winning instructor, speaker, and published researcher with 16 years of study about the intersection of race and gender in American culture. In 2018, Nicole co-founded the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment — CIME — an organization dedicated to advancing representation.

CIME’s primary goal is to transform our collective relationship to the stories we are all watching. In conversation with Lee Schneider, Dr. Haggard discusses the data behind CIME’s ideas, how it uses pop media culture to get the ideas across, and the audience it is working to reach. On screen, only 33% of the characters in speaking roles are women. And behind the scenes, only 17% of them are women in key production roles. Dr. Nicole Haggard discusses how representation behind the scenes drives representation on screen, what needs to change, and how CIME, the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, can make change. She also has some best-practices suggestions for movement building online.

Red Cup Agency produces the FutureX Podcast for FutureX.Studio. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join our newsletter, 500 Words. Give us some stars and post your comments on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the show.

Learn more about CIME: https://www.cime.us


Creators & Guests

]]> CIME, entertainment research, diversity, representation, Hollywood No Lee Schneider Dr. Nicole Haggard