“We tell ourselves stories in order to live...We look for the sermon in the suicide, for the social or moral lesson in the murder of five. We interpret what we see, select the most workable of the multiple choices. We live entirely, especially if we are writers, by the imposition of a narrative line upon disparate images, by the "ideas" with which we have learned to freeze the shifting phantasmagoria which is our actual experience.” -Joan Didion

Mac Caltrider has been a long time friend and supporter of Dead Reckoning Collective. He humbly submitted his own manuscript after years of writing about other people's books and eventually breaking into a career in journalism. 

In his debut book, Caltrider takes us on a tour of Afghanistan’s IED-filled Helmand province, where every footstep is an act of bravery. Without a chance to exhale, he moves on to explore the messy world of policing in the wake of George Floyd and the outbreak of COVID-19. Caltrider then takes us up the snow-swept slopes of Mount Rainier and on a whirlwind tour of the United States, alongside Miss America, some of the Pentagon’s top brass, and a gaggle of B-list celebrities that more closely resemble a circus than a morale boost. As the stories progress, a narrative through-line emerges, revealing the complicated ways in which war remains with those who wage it.

In this episode of the podcast we discuss topics covered in Mac's book and how his thought process evolved before and after composing these essays. What we learn is it's not always so simple and we don't always get the full picture, but also that it doesn't have to make sense immediately for it to be worth it. The immediate experience and the delayed gratification is all part of the journey. 

We have been highlighting Native stories and storytellers this month in recognition of American Indian Heritage Month so it was only appropriate we start the podcast back up with a conversation Keith had with our friend and warrior storyteller, Jeremiah "Blackbeard" Wilber.

Jeremiah is a retired Green Beret and founder of War Party Movement, an organization that was intended to start conversations about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and progressed into rescue and rehabilitation efforts for women and children across the country.

Jeremiah's family history of fighting for oppressed people everywhere is a huge part of his own story that now extends beyond his time in special operations. The stories Jeremiah and his team have to tell are important and they are more relevant than ever.

https://deadreckoningco.com

https://warpartymovement.com

In honor of Mother's Day, the focus of this episode is celebrating some of the military mothers who inspired Amy and the poems that make up her poetry collection, "Poppies."

This interview is the second episode in a three part series, guest hosted by Amy Sexauer. Amy is the first woman to be added to the Dead Reckoning Collective roster and she came out swinging.

In this interview series, she will discuss some of the elements surrounding Poppies inspired by the women she interviews. They are fellow Cultural Support Team (CST) veterans with whom she served in Afghanistan and they even inspired some of the poems from the collection.

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Join other veteran parents in the upcoming July course offering, "Writing About Parenthood," a three hour introductory workshop that includes generative prompts, short readings, and optional opportunities to share work and receive encouraging feedback.

This interview is the first part of a three part series, guest hosted by Amy Sexauer, author of "Poppies." Amy is the first woman to be added to the Dead Reckoning Collective roster and she came out swinging. In this interview series, she will discuss some of the elements surrounding Poppies inspired by the women she interviews. They are fellow Cultural Support Team (CST) veterans with whom she served in Afghanistan and they even inspired some of the poems from the collection.

Keith Dow sat down with Luke Ryan, the author of The First Marauder. At the Black Rifle Coffee Company storefront in San Antonio, the two talked about an array of topics regarding Luke's debut novel in fiction. Specifically, they talked about ideas that inspired this book, the motivation and organization required to finish the project, and what all entails when creating a post-apocalyptic world. We hope y'all enjoy!

This episode is a little different than our previous podcasts. Tyler reads a short essay that he wrote for his MFA program, titled "Why I Write." He and Keith talk about the MFA program and the inspiration and ideas that surround the writing. After the piece is read, they discuss the benefits of writing an essay laying out why you write. In doing so, you'll find the foundation as to what makes you a writer and why you decide to put yourself through this beautiful and miserable experience.

You can find the essay at https://deadreckoningco.com/blogs/read/why-i-write 

In Episode 34, the inaugural writing workshop crew sat down without Tyler or Keith and discussed what they got out of the weekend. Marty Skovlund Jr shares his excitement about one-lines that stuck out. Jessica Danger emphasizes the importance of workshopping your pieces of writing. Mac Caltrider feels encouraged to continue writing loosely based fiction. Tom Schueman touches on the idea of entitled writers and veterans and reminds people that they must bring their best work to the table. Michael Plunkett reassures writers to put the work out there. All in all, it was great to have this crew together. We hope you enjoy listening to this fun conversation and feel inspired to share your story.

In Episode 33, Tyler got to speak with Thomas Schueman & Michael Plunkett. Schueman is the founder of PB Abbate, and Plunkett helps run the book club. Schueman goes into detail about how PB Abbate came about and what his intentions are with the organization. Plunkett is an example of Schueman's trust in veterans that want to continue to serve. Plunkett put himself out there and now helps give back to the community. PB Abbate's reach is endless and has only begun. It was a great time talking to these two. Enjoy!

In Episode 32, Tyler got to speak with William Bolyard, the author of Sober Man's Thoughts. The two discussed what lead Bolyard to write the book, everything that went into writing it, and the relationship and progression of a writer with their craft. Bolyard speaks about the struggles he experienced during the process of creating this poetry book, but he also expresses the huge sense of relief after finishing the book. Enjoy!

In episode 31, Tyler sat down with Marty Skovlund & Mac Caltrider while they were in Kittery Maine for DRC's writing workshop. Marty is the executive editor of Black Rifle Coffee Company’s magazine, Coffee or Die. Mac is one of their newest staff writers within their Entertainment vertical. Check out this episode to get some perspective on the culture and expectations at Coffee or Die and what all it takes when you're a new writer.  This was a great episode to record and we hope you enjoy listening.