Subscribe via: iTunes | Google Play | RSS Alyson Grauer is an author, actor, podcaster, and ukulele bard who has been based out of Chicago for the last decade or so, but is soon to relocate to Orlando, Florida. Her novel, “On The Isle of Sound and Wonder” was released in 2014, she has several published short stories, and has written pieces for a handful of RPGs and online publications over the years. She is an audiobook narrator, blogger, amateur photographer, and dreamer of big dreams. Her current project is an original fantasy world-turned-live stream-turned-actual play podcast, Warda: an Edwardian fantasy world of fey races, social intrigue, and class struggles. Warda is co-created between Alyson and her husband, GM/writer/actor Drew Mierzejewski. Links

• Explore Warda at www.welcometowarda.com and check out the podcast at bit.ly/WardaPodcast.
• Personal website: http://www.dreamstobecome.com
• Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/WhimsyArtifice

Episode Notes

• I reviewed Alyson's novel On the Isle of Sound and Wonder in 2014. It's a great piece of Shakespearean steampunk fantasy fiction.
• She'd originally written it for National Novel Writing Month, and when the editors of an anthology she'd contributed to asked her if she had any novels to publish, she went with developing it for publication.
• Following that she suffered through a long period of imposter syndrome where nothing has felt like something she could work on.
• This June she broke out of that with a 45,000-word novel.
• It's important to cultivate a support system who will be objective and honest with their criticism.
• Her husband Drew is an excellent supportive creative partner.
• If you find someone who does work that you like, you will end up respecting their opinions more.
• Managing your priorities is a vital skill, not just for creatives, but for any adult.
• You can always go back to unfinished projects. They don't have expiration dates.
• Unfinished projects are not a waste of time. You learn from them.
• Self-care is important.
• Alyson didn't know anyone who was into role playing games until college.
• Her first experiences didn't go well because the established group didn't teach her anything about the game.
• A few years later she tried again and had an excellent time, but she didn't really get into it until she started dating Drew in 2014.
• She met former guest James D'Amato of the One Shot Podcast shortly after that.
• One of the highlights was the episode where they played Dogs in the Vineyard, a favorite of many listeners.
• Part 2 of Alyson's interview will air in two weeks.

Some of the above are affiliate links. Ordering through them kicks a little money my way, helping to pay for this podcast's production and hosting. If you'd like to support it more substantially, I invite you to do so through my patreon.