I got interviewed for a podcast!

And you can listen to it right now!

Hi fellow travelers,

Over the past couple of years, I've discovered something really weird about myself: I'm an introvert who loves public speaking.

So when I landed the incredible opportunity to talk with Chautona Havig for the Because Fiction Podcast, I was thrilled. Excited. Confident.

Until the day of the interview. Until I had to actually DO the thing, not just think about it.

I was determined not to be late, so I stopped all my other work well in advance of the interview time. The problem with that was that it left me time to WAIT. And think about all that could go wrong.

I compulsively cleaned the counter, then the stove, then the table, and then wished I had more stuff to clean so I could keep my hands busy.

I carefully perfected my camera setup just in case we'd record the episode over video call. (We didn't. It was just audio. No camera setup required.)

I sat in my chair and stared at the screen with ten minutes left to go until the interview time. The next five minutes felt like an hour.

I prayed like crazy until I felt like I'd run out of things to pray.

Boy, I wished this were over!

Then the interview started with a few harrowing seconds of mic trouble.

But once we overcame that, Chautona got me small-talking and laughing. And I calmed right down.

I remembered how much I enjoy public speaking, and how my practice with calls over the last several years is paying off.

I had a great time talking with Chautona about the Conservatory, my short story, and even my new novel! (I was NOT planning on talking about H&H yet!)

And you can listen to that interview right now.

The whole experience left me energized and excited to hopefully speak on more podcasts in the future. (Although I'm sure I'll get jittery at the last moment before those, too.)

This adventure gave my nerves a workout, but I definitely think it was worth it.

When you listen to the episode, I'd love to hear what you think of it!

And don't forget to check out the other author interviews on the podcast as well! I'm honored to join such an incredible lineup of guests!

What are your favorite podcasts to listen to?

Do you enjoy public speaking or hate it with a passion? Or something in between? (Although I haven't met many people who are lukewarm on this.)

Adventurously yours,

Jenny Gossell (Jandalf the Green)