The Munn Avenue Muse Podcast Podcast Por Charles Levin arte de portada

The Munn Avenue Muse Podcast

The Munn Avenue Muse Podcast

De: Charles Levin
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Tips, Tricks, and Inspiration for Both Aspiring and Accomplished Authors from Munn Avenue Press

www.munnavenuemuse.comCharles Levin Arte Economía Historia y Crítica Literaria
Episodios
  • Turning Your Passion into a Bestselling Novel...

    Turning Your Passion into a Bestselling Novel...
    Aug 12 2025
    What if the history you thought you knew was only part of the story? For Tom Mauser, that question wasn’t just curiosity. It was a mission. His bestselling Civil War novel This Leavened Land: A Novel of the Civil War in East Tennessee started as one story, became another, and took ten years to bring to life.Charlie sat down with Tom on The Munn Avenue Muse podcast to talk about the spark, the detours, and the lessons every writer can take from a journey like his.A Childhood Fascination That Never Let GoTom’s love of the Civil War began at age ten with a single book: Heroes in Blue and Gray. That early spark quietly shaped his reading, his studies, and eventually, his writing life.Years later, while researching a completely different novel, he uncovered a real-life tragedy in Eastern Tennessee: the 1864 murder of Union soldiers by civilians. The event, hidden in the footnotes of history, became the beating heart of his book.Letting the Story Surprise YouTom didn’t map every plot point in advance. Instead, he let the narrative evolve and allowed unexpected characters to walk onto the page.One of the biggest? Jedediah Whitson. A free African-American cooper, Jedediah emerges as the loyal, grounded friend of protagonist James Meacham. He wasn’t part of the original plan. In fact, Tom says Jedediah “just appeared one day” while writing a scene, his voice and personality already fully formed. Rather than push him aside to stick to the plan, Tom listened. Jedediah stayed, and he became a key emotional anchor in the story.For writers, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best moments on the page happen when you stop forcing the story into a box. When a character or subplot shows up uninvited but feels authentic, it can be a signal you’ve tapped into something true.Writing That Sounds Like the 1860sFor Tom, historical accuracy went way beyond getting the clothes, weapons, or dates right. He ensured the voices of his characters sounded like they could have been heard in 1860s Eastern Tennessee. To achieve that, he dove deep into digitized letters, journals, and memoirs from the period. He read until the cadence of the sentences, the choice of words, and even the humor matched the era.This meant learning how someone from the mountains might speak differently than someone from the lowlands, how formal writing and everyday conversation contrasted, and how the concerns of the time shaped the way people expressed themselves.The result? Characters that felt so alive to him that, as Tom puts it, “the characters just kept on talking.” That immersion allowed their authentic voices to guide the dialogue and help drive the scenes forward.Ten Years, Countless Drafts, One Finished BookThis Leavened Land wasn’t written in a hurry. The process stretched over more than a decade, marked by “fits and starts,” rewrites, and life’s unexpected detours. Along the way, Tom faced a battle with cancer and navigated the global challenges of COVID, both of which put his work on hold more than once.But through every pause and restart, he kept coming back to the story. And when he finally held the finished copy in his hands, Tom described the moment as “almost surreal.” It was the kind of quiet triumph that reminds us perseverance might be the most valuable writing tool of all because it’s what gets you to the last page.Why This Story Resonates NowThe San Francisco Book Review praised This Leavened Land for offering “a fresh look at the Civil War.” But Tom’s work is as much about the present as the past. It wrestles with loyalty, division, and freedom.For readers, it’s a compelling way to learn history. For writers, it’s a blueprint for research-driven storytelling that still feels alive. And for anyone curious about how the past shapes us, it’s a reminder that history’s heartbeat is never far from our own.📚 This Leavened Land is available now wherever books are sold.🎧 Hear the full conversation with Tom Mauser on The Munn Avenue Muse podcast.If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & FounderWant more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    33 m
  • Why Write a Memoir?

    Why Write a Memoir?
    Jul 29 2025
    Why do people write memoirs?It’s a question we’ve explored with many authors and the answers are never quite the same. For some, it’s about legacy, passing down stories to future generations. For others, it’s about unpacking trauma, making sense of life’s hardest moments. Some write for pure entertainment, others to settle unfinished business with themselves.Recently, we sat down with Rob Tonkin, author of the boldly titled A*****e: A Memoir, and his answer struck a deeper chord. For Rob, writing wasn’t just about telling a story; it was about reclaiming his story and rewriting the narrative he’d been living.From Unfiltered Reflection to Radical HonestyRob doesn’t shy away from the title. In fact, he embraces it. Why A*****e? Because, as Rob says, it wasn’t just about how others saw him… it was about how he had come to see himself.His story unfolds from early childhood neglect and career encounters with difficult personalities including moments of abuse to an unflinching realization that he himself had become part of that cycle. As he puts it, “I was definitely that guy for people who worked for me.”But Rob’s book is more than an airing of grievances or a highlight reel of bad behavior. It’s a raw, often funny, ultimately redemptive account of self-awareness and growth. A story of realizing your own flaws, facing them head-on, and deciding to write a better next chapter.The Reluctant MemoiristLike many of our favorite authors, Rob didn’t plan to write a memoir. It started in bits and pieces notes to himself, reflections in therapy, emails to friends. His early writing days came from crafting catchy one-liners as a radio DJ and condensed talking points in corporate presentations.But as friends read his raw reflections, one thing kept coming back: “You need to write this book.”And so he did. Slowly. Painfully. Draft after draft. Three and a half years of wrestling with the question every author faces: Is this done?His breakthrough moment came with advice from his sister, a professional artist: “Nothing is ever totally finished. You just decide when to stop.” And with that, Rob hit send.Storytelling That Doesn’t Stop at the Last PageRob’s writing journey didn’t end with the book. Like many modern authors, he took to Substack, launching his weekly newsletter Opinions Matter, where he shares everything from media reviews to random curiosities and reflections on life after A*****e.It’s a reminder that writing doesn’t end with the finished book. It’s an ongoing conversation about showing up, being honest, stirring things up when needed, and making people laugh or think in ways they didn’t expect.Why You Should CareRob’s story is personal, but it’s also universal. We’ve all had chapters we’d rather not re-read. We’ve all been affected by the actions of others, and at times, by our own less-than-best moments. What Rob reminds us is that owning your story can be the first step in changing it.For readers, his memoir offers entertainment, brutal honesty, and more than a few laugh-out-loud lines. For aspiring writers, it’s a blueprint on writing without filters and daring to tell the truth even when it’s uncomfortable.For anyone feeling stuck in a life story they didn’t sign up for? It’s a nudge that it’s never too late to rewrite your own narrative.You can find A*****e: A Memoir on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.And catch Rob’s weekly Opinions Matter newsletter on Substack at RobTonkin.com.If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & FounderWant more unfiltered author journeys and publishing wisdom? Subscribe below for weekly insights from the Munn Avenue Muse.Ask Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is public so feel free to share it.Thanks for reading The Munn Avenue Muse ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    32 m
  • Unlock Your Audience: Why Audiobooks Are Your Next Must-Have for Authors

    Unlock Your Audience: Why Audiobooks Are Your Next Must-Have for Authors
    Jul 15 2025
    Welcome back to the Munn Avenue Muse! Today’s episode features a conversation that’s equal parts heart, craft, and future-thinking. Our guest is Daniel Greenberg educator, ecovillage pioneer, and the voice behind Charlie Levin’s Not So Dead audiobook series.What does a globe-trotting climate advocate have in common with a career in narration and storytelling? As it turns out: everything. Daniel’s path is a testament to the unexpected ways that passion, reinvention, and purpose intersect.From Global Sustainability to the StudioBefore he ever stepped into the world of voice work, Daniel spent decades immersed in intentional communities and climate education. He co-founded Gaia Education, served as president of the Global Ecovillage Network, and lived in more than 150 ecovillages around the world from Scotland to South India.His work centered on helping people imagine and build better systems: more sustainable, more collaborative, more human.That same spirit led him into audiobook narration through what he calls “the side door.” With no formal experience but a deep love of reading to his daughters, Daniel threw himself into a Groupon course and started auditioning. One of those auditions landed with Charlie. Fast-forward to today: he’s narrated over 25 audiobooks, including the entire Not So Dead series.Voice, Character, and EmpathyWhat makes Daniel’s narration stand out is more than a good voice. It’s his approach. In Charlie’s series alone, he had to bring to life nearly 30 distinct characters, spanning genders, generations, and accents. His ability to read with empathy, interpret context, and subtly shift tone without distraction is what keeps listeners engaged and coming back for more.There’s one moment, in particular, that stood out: a scene about Alzheimer’s in Book Three. Daniel’s own mother has Alzheimer’s, and the emotion in his voice during that chapter added an undeniable layer of depth. Charlie called it “amazing” and it’s easy to see why.The Audiobook Boom & the Human TouchThe timing couldn’t be better. Audiobooks are growing 20% annually far outpacing print or ebooks and Daniel’s story offers a real-world look at what it takes to meet that demand. From mastering production standards to developing a unique vocal fingerprint, he’s carved out a niche without ever following a traditional path.Of course, no conversation about narration is complete without touching on AI. While Daniel sees a future where AI replaces many human narrators, he and Charlie both agree: fiction requires empathy. It’s that human dimension, the feeling behind the words that AI still can’t replicate.Imagination as LegacyNow based in Ann Arbor (when he’s not in India, Mozambique, or Paris), Daniel’s next act involves writing a sci-fi novel about a mission to Mars gone wrong and the awakening of Gaia. The goal? To offer a compelling, optimistic blueprint for how humanity might move forward.He also teaches digital storytelling workshops, helping people use voice, images, and video to tell stories of transformation, both real and imagined. “The future is imagining us,” he says. “We get to live into that.”Listen to Daniel’s full episode on the Munn Avenue Muse podcast, available on Substack, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. And subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, reinvention, and publishing.If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & FounderAsk Siri or Alexa to “Play The Munn Avenue Muse podcast!” This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.munnavenuemuse.com
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    30 m
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