New – Project DF Podcast – e118

As a podcaster I am always searching for a great story, I was galavanting through an antique store and found this book by Margaret Echard, based on a true story about her family, set in the 40s – the book, smelled good, it felt like it was SOMETHING more than paper and ink and it’s green hard cover texture. A collection of juicy secrets and skin tingling worthy words, a collection of mystery, deceit and intrigue. A good story has to have LOVE and DEATH (did you know this) I bought this book and within the cover there was an insignia ______

I tell stories for Audible as a side hustle, I know how to produce my voice for satiable listening ears..or so I’ve been told. I’m a project manager by day. I like the challenge of putting things together in a consolidated view, playing with files, organizing, planning, keeping people motivated. It’s the process I love.

My CAST knows the vibe I give, “please don’t give up on me now…”

I read the book, cover to cover, did some investigating on the people, places and history of the author and the book itself. I could only find one, 1 person who left a review about this book and he, it turns out is Canadian, and an actor…my idea was forming.

What if I made this book into an audio drama? What if I got a bunch of people who use their voice(s) to tell stories like podcasters and voice over artists, and actors…what if I did this?

Lots of ideas begin to ruminate, I carried the book with me, wrote copious amounts of notes, picked apart all of my favourite podcasts for their best tricks and tips and included those and some of my own from my over 100 episodes.

Lots of sleepless nights, late nights & early mornings.

I put out my feelers…leaned on my community of voice artists and the excitement was contagious which was sort of inline with the covid pandemic feel, a sense of connection to the world going through the pandemic together, ALONE, isolated.

We recorded this all REMOTE in our own homes, ALONE, I collected these clips and files, processed, processed some more, spliced, added music, mixed and mastered for hours, and days and minutes…

I asked for more from my CAST of 25, can you add this line, can someone play this on the piano, I had people drop out, other CASTs friends wanted to join, and their moms and their kid’s are involved, roommates, wife and husbands, friends of friends, even my husband got in on it when I needed titles read, miscellaneous lines added here and there.

It has to stay a secret, only this ^^ one guy knows the truth, the book name

Welcome to ProjectDF, it’s a mystery, it’s a side project that I am so proud of, it’s a collection of amazing talent from across this country of Canada, across the United States of America as well as into Australia..the talent runs far and wide.

If you’re still reading by this point, thank you for your support, thank you for listening and sharing and leaving comments. Thank you to Kylee and Rafe and London as my main characters who didn’t give up well over a year into this – it all paused, but they stuck with it and came through for me, for this…Project DF Podcast.

It Made a Difference to that One – e113

episode 113 season 3
It Made a Difference to that One

Hey everyone it’s Valerie here, today’s guest Eileen Watkins is incredible. She’s poised, genuine and all class. She rides horses every week and has written a book about her life around horses, that I had the privilege to narrate and produce for her through Who Chains You Publications. Eileen and I get right personal about this book, the characters and best of all the horses, and they are rescues. 

This book/ episode is full of horse knowledge where the characters are from and how true the stories really are. She has a love for horses on many levels and is very educated on breeds, their personality traits and the hidden underground world. We also get into her next chapter lol and her cozy mysteries series. And this series is about a cat groomer. 

Just a side note this was recorded early in 2021 over video Eileen in Jersey and me, in Calgary. 

Also I just need to mention that some of the topics discussed are about the less positive side to the horse rescue world like PMU Farms around the middle and slaughter houses is discussed towards the end. It’s graphic and definitely eye opening and sad. 

  1. Sooo your love for horses
  2. So let’s set the stage for the book…
  3. Let’s talk about some of the verbiage
  4. One thing Eileen does…
  5. Josh and his horse whisperer…
  6. Patches and Murphy
  7. Is there anything you left out that would have included now?
  8. Where can people find you and what’s next?
  9. Humour and People, finding connection… 
  10. Slaughter Houses…we went there…
  11. Here’s where the stories for Reboot Ranch came from
  12. Off the record
  13. Valentine how can you not lover her and love how the horses communicate non verbally all the time. 
Season Three – video cover art

So those of you who are new to my show, thx for listening you got a pretty great interview with an incredible author and writer from New Jersey. genuine take of my personality and Eileen’s to and our sensitive sides. The star fish story is told twice in the book and both times makes me tear up. Because we were on video I too saw Eileen’s soft side come through when speaking about  her beloved Brenda her horse and The character Valentine the horse in the book ‘that everyone loves’ is portrayed after.Eileen is always trying to include humane practice anecdotes throughout her book to just make people aware about animals treatment. And working towards a common cause – rescuing one horse at a time. 

After 35 years in journalism isn’t that a feat in and of itself. She’s been a writer for many years…and was approached to write cozy mysteries series – what a flattering compliment. 

Before we close I’d like to say thank you to Eileen, I just love how pragmatic she is, truly grounded and just so articulate with her answers – having a writing background and getting to play with words all day helps! We have a connection now and I sure hope you enjoyed today’s interview. 

Tomorrow’s show, we will play chapter one in it’s entirety so you get a glimpse of the book I fell in love with. 

Links to Reboot Ranch and all her books and where you are can find her are in my show notes. 

As we start to wrap up this season I still have a few shows coming up with people that will make you take pause. you’re going to meet Tamira from who chains you – the publisher for Eileen’s book Reboot Ranch, and her strong affiliation to rescuing animals of all types it’s in her DNA drives her. 

Also, RonaLaFae hoot her incredible memoirs and my audio production of her book, full of love and betrayal, rejection, murder and the connection to heaven. 

another Val and her incredible journey through scrapbooking and how she uses it as her cathartic creative therapy outlet. She’s someone who you’d love to be friends with. 

I sit down with a fellow podcaster Brandi Fleck about her show human amplified and the stories she’s heard and how incredibly vulnerable and raw her guests are on her show. It’s true and heavy. 

And we’re going to sit down and talk to Ana Buzzalino and her life around losing her job, separation, love and heart break and her hobby that’s saving her – quilting. 

So lots coming up. Stay tuned this season has so much more to Come! If you have an idea for my show email me I’d love to hear from you. Also if you can rate my show or leave a comment I’d love this…cause honestly I’m just flying by the seat of my pants here sharing things I love in this eat-read-create theme of my life. 

Until next time I’m Valerie in Studio 17

Follow Eileen:

Website @ www.efwatkins.com

Facebook @ EFWatkins

Blog @ EFWatkins

Books @ Amazon

Follow Me:

Website @ ValerieMoss.ca

Instagram @ValerieJMoss

Facebook @VSMoss

YouTube @ValerieJMoss

Pinterest @VJMoss

The show music is call ‘Girl’ by Text me Records and Leviathe

The cover art, storytelling and production is by me, Valerie Moss.

Stay Tuned for the next season, season 3 on Valerie’s Variety Podcast with your host me, Valerie Moss from Studio 17

Meshuggeneh with Melina Schein of The Saucy Soprano – e112s3

episode 112 season 3
‘Meshuggeneh’

Hey Everyone, it’s Valerie here, todays show is with Melina Schein of The Saucy Soprano where we talk all things like covid, without work, a new side hustle or two like her Blog and Podcast along with learning a great work in Yiddish that is so appropriate for the times we are living through, meshuggeneh – which means ‘that’s so crazy’ in Yiddish. She’s tackling The Jewish Cookbook by Leah Koenig based our of New York. Melina is making her way through EVERY. SINGLE. RECIPE in order…She’s creating quite the fan base check out her Instagram @TheSaucySoprano and you will know why.

Enjoy this episode with Melina, her wit, and charm is just so magnetic.

This lady Melina Schein from The Saucy Soprano falls into my theme of EAT and CREATE so famously, she’s vivacious and funny and her cooking and photos of her cooking are exceptional although I’ve never gotten the opportunity to even try something…such as a life with a friend who lives far away…we also both narrate for audible and belong to the same ‘study group’ this is how you become friends with people, same passions, foods and a sense of humour. Her claim to fame though is through her voice, she’s an incredibly successful opera singer, that has been put on hiatus (for now) due to the pandemic so she’s turned her focus to food, Jewish food…welcome to the show Melina.

BREAK ONE – MUSIC AFTER INTRO

BREAK TWO – insert music “ where do you get your inspiration”

BREAK THREE – insert music… “ the title is…”

BREAK FOUR – insert music… “ who taught you how to cook”

BREAK FIVE – insert music…“do you have a big family?”

BREAK SIX – insert music “favourite dish”

BREAK SEVEN – insert music “do you know the person that wrote the book?”

BREAK EIGHT – insert music – tell us a bit about your podcast, The Saucy Talk

BREAK NINE – insert music – your singing is incredible

BREAK TEN – insert music – your singing then Juilliard – from New York to… Wait, What?!

BREAK ELEVEN – insert music – “who was funny around you…?”

BREAK TWELVE – insert music – “popular show or episode”

BREAK THIRTEEN – insert music – “do you have a set schedule formula?”

BREAK FOURTEEN – insert music “she wants me to be a guest…”

BREAK FIFTEEN – insert music  “if you like me which I believe…”

BREAK SIXTEEN – insert music “do you read?” Your favourite book is Gone ….

BREAK SEVENTEEN – insert music “let’s end on a yiddish word, Meshuggeneh!”

Guest Melina Schein IS The Saucy Soprano
She’s in the Paper

Melina Schein, The Opera Singer, recently made the news with her saucy soprano glitz and glam, check out this article: What’s an out-of-work opera singer to do during a pandemic? For Vernon’s Melina Schein, the answer is cook!

Well, wasn’t that just the best interview I’d had in a while since I can’t have people in my studio – zoom is great cause you can SEE the person. This is my friend that I met because of our love for producing audio books, she thinks I can be priminister – what a compliment, thank Melina.

And to close here’s a clip of her podcast to inspire you to listen to another canadian podcast show as a product of covid – be sure to share this episode with like minded cooks and jewish ladies or any ladies for that matter – get inspired in the kitchen by follower Melina’s posts as her writing is sure to make you have a giggle here and there – she even sings to a pickle – YEP it’s a true story.

Follow Me:

Website @ ValerieMoss.ca

Instagram @ValerieJMoss

Facebook @VSMoss

YouTube @ValerieJMoss

Pinterest @VJMoss

The show music is call ‘Girl’ by Text me Records and Leviathe

The cover art, storytelling and production is by me, Valerie Moss.

Stay Tuned for the next season, season 3 on Valerie’s Variety Podcast with your host me, Valerie Moss from Studio 17