A few audio recordings of stories and essays.
“Last” is my favorite story from Tales From the Trail. It’s the first one that I wrote and made me want to write all the others.
Write Club is a wonderful storytelling show in Los Angeles and a bunch of different cities. The show pits writers against one another in a kind of mock debate format. The audience votes on which combatant they prefer and the winner gets a goofy toy trophy. This night, I’d been chosen to advocate for Divorce in a battle of Marriage vs. Divorce. I ran with the absurd idea and am proud of how much I exaggerated it for comic effect. (This was recorded live at a packed theater on the outskirts of Downtown L.A.)
I wrote “Reverse-Engineering the Moth” out of frustration when I kept going to Moth Story Slams, putting my name in the hat, and then not getting picked. This is a dark comic take that basically violates every rule the Moth has for their Story Slams, but I did tell it live on their stage once. They audience loved it (but the producers were not as amused).
“Black Water” is my personal essay I wrote about the trip I took in 1990 that changed my life. This recording is from a live Zoom Show this summer.
Note: This is a serious and emotional story (trigger warnings for ghosts, genocide, and guilt). The essay won an Art of Creative Unity Award from the International Human Rights Arts Festival and if you’re more visual you can read it here or listen below.