Storycomic Presents: Interviews with Amazing Storytellers and Artists

(Ep: 512) Poetry vs. Fiction: The Honest Differences Nobody Explains

#ErikaNicholsFrazer #ErikaFrazer #PSOV #PoetrySocietyOfVermont #CanYouSeeHerTheMoon #NoOneWillEverHearYou #FinishingLinePress #RootstockPublishing #VermontWriter #PoetryCommunity #ShortStoryCollection #Chapbook #IndiePublishing #WriterInterview #Storycomic
Erika Frazer is back on the show, and we’ve got new work to talk about.
Erika Nichols-Frazer is a Vermont writer, poet, and editor (including her role with The Mountain Troubadour, PSOV’s long-running poetry journal). This time, we’re focusing on what’s next: her forthcoming poetry chapbook Can you see her, the moon? (Finishing Line Press, June 2026) and her forthcoming story collection No One Will Ever Hear You (Rootstock Publishing, September 2026).
We talk about where these books came from, how her work moves between memoir, poetry, and fiction, and what changes when you’re writing poems versus building a set of stories. We also get into the behind-the-scenes life of a working writer in Vermont—community, literary ecosystems, and what keeps the work honest on the page.
If you love Vermont writers, small press publishing, and conversations that go beyond “what’s your book about” and into the real craft and real life of it, this one’s for you.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
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www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, John Holland, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
https://www.dieboldcomics.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!
 

(Ep: 511) Stuck in the Tree: Turning Embarrassment into Courage

#TheBoyInTheTree #JConwell #LittleRipples #RipplesMedia #PictureBook #ChildrensBooks #KidsLit #EmotionalIntelligence #SocialEmotionalLearning #ResilienceForKids #GrowthMindset #ParentingTools #ClassroomReadAloud #BookInterview #Storycomic
On this episode, I’m talking with J. Conwell about his picture book The Boy in the Tree: When Weak is Okay, published by Little Ripples, the new children’s imprint from Ripples Media.
It’s a simple premise with a big payoff: a boy gets stuck high in a tree, fear kicks in, and he has to learn something kids (and plenty of adults) wrestle with—asking for help isn’t failure; it’s courage. The story is built to support emotional intelligence, naming feelings, and reframing “weak” as a normal part of being human.
We also talk about why Little Ripples exists, and why books about resilience, stewardship, and social-emotional learning are landing so strongly right now.
Book details: 34 pages, illustrated by Jeff Dehut, published by Ripples Media.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!

(Ep: 510) The Infrastructure Indie Authors Actually Need (And Nobody Talks About)

#MelissaAddey #ALLi #AllianceOfIndependentAuthors #IndieAuthorBookstore #IndieAuthorMonth #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthors #AuthorCommunity #BookDiscovery #IndiePublishing #AuthorMarketing #PublishingIndustry #AuthorBusiness #WritingCommunity #Storycomic
Melissa Addey is back on the show, and this time we’re talking about something that matters to every indie author trying to get discovered: the new Indie Author Bookstore from the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
ALLi describes the Indie Author Bookstore as a “living showcase” of ALLi members’ books, letting readers browse by genre, theme, and season and then buy direct from the author’s preferred retailer, with an emphasis on ethical, professional self-publishing.
Melissa walks us through why ALLi built it, what “soft launch” really looks like behind the scenes, and how this kind of infrastructure can help indie books stand out in a crowded marketplace. We also get into the bigger picture: what the data says about self-publishing right now, what authors should be paying attention to in 2026, and how indie authors can use discovery tools, metadata, and positioning to make their work easier to find.
If you’re an author, a reader who loves finding hidden gems, or someone curious about where publishing is going next, this is a great one.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!

(Ep 509): The Picture Book That Makes Imagination Feel Possible Again

#RainbowKite #KellyBennett #PictureBook #ChildrensBooks #KidsLit #ReadAloud #Imagination #CreativePlay #SelfExpression #ClassroomBooks #LibraryBooks #KMBrown #YoungDragonsPress #BookInterview #Storycomic
 
On this episode, I’m joined by children’s author Kelly Bennett to talk about her picture book Rainbow Kite—a playful story about imagination, self-expression, and what can happen when one brave kid’s “why not?” gives everyone else permission to try.
The book follows Lulu, who doesn’t plan on going outside—until a plain, slightly ragged kite shows up and basically dares Lulu to follow it. As Lulu chases the kite through the neighborhood, the game turns into something bigger: other kids start watching, then joining in, and suddenly the whole block feels a little more open, a little more creative, and a lot more free.
We talk about writing for picture-book rhythm, how a simple “runaway kite” premise becomes a story about confidence and belonging, and what Kelly hopes families and classrooms take from it. Rainbow Kite is published by Young Dragons Press and illustrated by K.M. Brown.
 
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!
 

(Ep 508): Punk’n Heads: Making Music, Making Mistakes, Making a Life

#DaveBaker #PunknHeads #TopShelfProductions #GraphicNovel #IndieComics #ComicsPodcast #NicoleGoux #PunkRockStories #HorrorPunk #BandDrama #ComingOfAge #QueerStories #ComicCreators #BookTalk #Storycomic
 
Dave Baker is back on the show with a new graphic novel from Top Shelf: Punk’n Heads, co-created with Nicole Goux. It lands April 7, 2026, and it’s a raucous, heartfelt story about making art, making mistakes, and trying to figure yourself out while the volume is turned way up.
The book follows Hannah Lipsky, an art-school dropout reeling from a breakup who finds herself living in a flophouse and getting pulled into singing for a campy horror-punk band—costumes included. From there it’s band dynamics, creative ambition, relationship mess, and that early-adulthood feeling of “I have no idea what I’m doing… but I’m doing it anyway.”
We talk about building a full-length graphic novel (216 pages), how Dave and Nicole shaped the tone, what punk lets you say that other genres don’t, and what Dave hopes readers walk away with when the last chord hits.
 
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!
 

(Ep 507): A Secret War From the 1970s to 2000s… Told by Eyewitnesses

#DVSM #GaryHodges #IndieComics #GraphicNovel #SciFiHorror #HorrorComics #SciFiComics #FoundFootageHorror #DocumentaryStyle #Worldbuilding #ComicCreator #IndieCreator #GraphicNovelSeries #ComicsInterview #Storycomic
On this episode, I’m joined by indie comic creator Gary Hodges, who’s been making comics for about 8 years and is building a seriously cool graphic novel series called DvsM.
DvsM is a character-focused sci-fi/horror story told through eyewitness accounts of a highly classified war that supposedly took place from the 1970s into the early 2000s. Each installment shows the conflict from a different vantage point — a soldier, a scientist, a “man in black,” and more — so the series reads like an in-world documentary. Gary describes it as “if Ken Burns did a documentary on War of the Worlds,” and once you hear him explain the structure, you’ll get why that’s the perfect comparison.
We talk about building tension through testimony, how you keep a big secret-war mythology coherent across multiple perspectives, and what it takes to keep an indie series moving over years — from story planning to art decisions to connecting with readers.
If you like sci-fi horror, faux-documentary storytelling, and indie comics with real ambition, you’re going to have fun with this one.
Find Gary online:YouTube: GaryHodgesDVSMInstagram: @dinosaursvsmarsbots
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!

(Ep: 506) The Read-Aloud That Makes Kids Smarter Without Them Noticing

On this episode, I’m joined by children’s book author Maureen Devlin, creator of the Backer & Backer series — a set of books built around one of the best questions kids ask: “How did that get here?”
Each story starts with something familiar — an apple, a warm hat, a bouncy ball, a kid-made picture, even a puppy — and then goes “backer and backer” to explore the origin of everyday things in a way that’s playful, clear, and genuinely educational for young readers.
We talk about what inspired the series (including reading with her twin daughters), how she builds curiosity into the rhythm of a read-aloud, and why she’s so intentional about mixing fun with real-world facts.
We also highlight the illustrator, Nancy D. Conde, whose whimsical artwork helps make the “how it’s made / where it comes from” journey feel like an adventure instead of a lesson.
If you’ve got a curious kid (or you’re raising one who asks “why?” 400 times a day), this episode is for you.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!

(Ep: 505) The Vermont Fantasy Series That Quietly Gets Bigger Every Book

#EclaronaChronicles #VMLaFountain #VermontAuthor #EssexJunction #FantasyBooks #FaeFantasy #EpicFantasy #QueerFantasy #InclusiveFantasy #IndieAuthor #WomenWhoWrite #FantasyWorldbuilding #DestinyBook #ReckoningBook #Storycomic
On this episode, I’m talking with Victoria (V.M. LaFountain), a fantasy author right here in Essex Junction, Vermont, and creator of the Eclarona Chronicles—a big, sprawling series packed with Fae, magic, and a whole lot of characters who don’t feel like background furniture.
We dig into her published books Destiny and Reckoning, and what’s coming next with Fated and Secrets. But what makes this conversation really interesting is how the series evolves: it starts with the wonder of magic and worldbuilding, then shifts into a story about “Life Equality”—what happens when people are accepted socially, but still overlooked by the law.
We talk about building a fantasy world that actually feels diverse (Elementals, Giants, and more), moving queer characters from the edges into the center of the story, and how Victoria uses fantasy as a mirror for real life.
If you like big-cast fantasy, social stakes that don’t feel preachy, and a creator who’s building something ambitious from right here in Vermont, this one’s for you.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!

(Ep: 504) A Jailbreak in Space… With Noodles (And Somehow It Works)

#Snoodles #SnoodlesInSpace #EscapeFromZoodletraz #StevenJoseph #AndyCase #ChildrensBooks #KidsGraphicBooks #ReadAloud #KidsLit #Illustration #Imagination #ScreenFreeFun #Worldbuilding #IndieBooks #Storycomic
Kids are surrounded by screens, and sometimes it feels like imagination is getting squeezed out of the day. That’s why this episode is such a blast.
I’m joined by Steven Joseph, author and creator of the Snoodles Universe, and (if schedules line up) illustrator Andy Case, the multi-award-winning artist behind the series. Together they’ve built a laugh-out-loud world packed with “oodle-words,” wild visuals, and stories that sneak real life lessons into the silliness.
Their latest book, Snoodles in Space: Escape from Zoodletraz!, cranks the chaos up with a jailbreak adventure that’s all about teamwork, creativity, and discovering that the silliest idea might be the one that saves the day.
We talk about the premise, where this story fits in the Snoodles Universe, why “imagination deficit” is a real thing, and how Andy’s day job in tech education shapes how he thinks about kids, creativity, and reading.
And yes — there’s music too: Noodleham Rocks, a companion soundtrack connected to the Snoodles world.
 
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!
 

(Ep: 503) Courage Isn’t Loud: Two Quietly Powerful Survival Stories

#LaurenEnnis #DaughtersOfAttrition #GraphicNovel #IndieGraphicNovel #ChildrensBooks #MiddleGradeBooks #HistoricalFiction #Kabul #AfghanistanStories #BooksThatMatter #ABoysBestComrade #DogBooks #Moscow1938 #AuthorInterview #Storycomic
On this episode, I’m joined by author Lauren Ennis, who writes historical fiction that hits you right in the heart—and doesn’t pull punches when it comes to what kids endure when the world shifts under their feet.
We talk about her brand-new graphic novel Daughters of Attrition, a story set against the fall of Kabul, centered on Noor, a ten-year-old girl sent to a Kabul orphanage after her father is killed while assisting American forces against the Taliban. At the orphanage, Noor forms a deep friendship with Laila, a rebellious, artistic kid who helps her hold onto imagination and hope while danger closes in.
We also dig into Lauren’s middle-grade historical novel A Boy’s Best Comrade, set in Moscow, 1938, where a young boy named Yuri and his dog Sasha are forced onto the streets after the NKVD arrests Yuri’s parents—turning a loyal promise (“take care of Yuri”) into a fight for survival.
If you care about stories that spotlight friendship, resilience, and the bond between kids and the people (and animals) who stick with them—this conversation is for you.
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
 
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
 
Want to start your own podcast?  Click on the link to get started:https://www.podbean.com/storycomic
 
Follow us:
Are you curious to see the video version of this interview?  It's on our website too! www.storycomic.com
www.patreon.com/storycomic
www.facebook.com/storycomic1
https://www.instagram.com/storycomic/
For information on being a guest or curious to learn more about Storycomic? Contact us at info@storycomic.com
 
Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://marekbennett.com/
https://www.hexapus-ink.com/
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
https://www.vonallan.com/
https://higgins802.com/
https://shewstone.com/
https://www.simkikuznick.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!