Balancing Healthy Skepticism With Musical Dreams

Hi! I’m Gillian. I’ve been an artist my whole life, creating book covers on Wattpad and drawing my own comic books. I got into writing songs and stories in high school and haven’t stopped since. I graduated from the University of Washington and Columbia Publishing Course. I love to think of out-of-the-box ways to promote your brand or product, because I think everyone has a story worth telling.

Gillian McMahon is a multimodal creator. From writing songs and playing in her band, “The Sleepy Haunts,” to working as a graphic designer and publishing professional, to writing original stories, and to acting, she aims to do it all. 

Website, LinkedIn, Instagram: @itsgillianm @thesleepyhaunts @the.perseephone

The Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle, Washington

Neumos, Seattle, Washington

Chop Suey, Seattle, Washington

Renaissance Fairs across the Country

Story-Power on Patreon

I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

PodMatch

If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. I call them a dating service for podcasters. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.

Affiliate link for PodMatch only.

Prolific Writers Life

My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.

They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for. 

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

Promoting Your Work by Podcast Guesting

Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels.com

I know most of you who follow me are creative in some way. With the world in as much chaos as it is right now, we need you to share your creative work. Many of you probably already have ways you share your work with the world, but some of you might not have considered being a podcast guest as one of them. 

I am not a marketing and promotion expert, but I have been the host of the podcast Story-Power for five years. All of my guests are creative in one way or another. Being a guest on my show and others is a wonderful way for you to reach a wide range of potential followers.

The number of podcast offerings has grown immensely over the last few years. And while these podcasts are likened to the old style radio shows, they have one huge difference. Most podcasters and their guests are ordinary people sharing their stories about how they came to create their book, artwork, music, product, course, business, or their expert advice on lots of topics.

While there are lots of types of podcasts focused on many different things, as an creator you will find that there is a large niche of offerings for you to connect with and share the story of how you became a writer, or whatever creative thing you do, and what your latest creation is about. But how do you find these podcasts, and how do you request to be a guest?

First of all, it might be good to listen to a few podcasts that are close to the things you’ve created. Make note of the ones you like the best. Most podcasts have websites where you can request to be a guest. The podcast that inspired Story-Power was, “What Should I Read Next” with Anne Bogel. They often put out requests for guest submissions on their website and their Patreon Community. I know there are others who do the same.

Another way you can request to be a guest is by joining what I call “a dating service for podcasters”. Just when I was beginning to wonder how I was going to find more guests for Story-Power, I was contacted by PodMatch. They are one such service and they were just getting started. I liked their mission statement, the way they offered suggestions to me for either guests, or hosts who were looking for connections, (I signed up as both a host and a guest.) and the way they helped me organize my tasks. There are many such podcast dating services that you can check out. If you find one you like just know that there will most likely be a fee of some kind to join. For example, the lowest tier to join PodMatch is $26 a month.

A third way you can find podcasts that fit your goal to become a guest is through social media. LinkedIn, Alignable, and others have special interest groups, podcasting is often one category of group you can join. You can also join other creative groups and get advice on how to find guest spots on popular podcasts.

Once you’ve done some research about which podcasts you might like to be a guest on, the next thing to do is jot down some things you would like to share as a guest. Many hosts will ask you for a list of questions to ask, or topics you would like to talk about. The best hosts I’ve enjoyed chatting with have a conversational format. They don’t stick to a specific script, though that might be a comforting way for you to begin your podcast guest journey.

As a courtesy to the podcast host, when your episode airs, they will send you a link or links for you to share with your social media community. You can also keep the links and use them as part of your project promotion tool box. One thing that’s great about being a podcast guest, your work will be introduced to lots of people who never would have found your except through the podcasts you have been a guest on.

On a personal note, podcasting has been a wonderful experience for me. I have met people from all over the world doing a myriad of creative projects. I’ve been introduced to fabulous books, music, and artwork. In fact, it was through Story-Power that I met Lorraine and Dave Hern and became a member and expert at Prolific Writers Life. You never know who your story will impact. When you appear on a podcast, you will benefit in ways you will most likely not expect.

I invite you to go listen to Story-Power on Apple, Spotify, or here on my website, Sage Woman Chronicles, and see if you might want to be one of my guests. I have openings at present in June of 2026 and beyond. We can schedule a conversation close to the release date for your episode. Please note that I am not always able to read your books, listen to your music, or check out your artwork or other products before I record an episode, but I will try to do so. I love talking with creative people of all kinds. I hope you will be one of them.

This post contains an affiliate link for PodMatch only.

Story-Power on Patreon

I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

Guest Appearance on “A Writer’s Day”

Whew what a busy time it’s been for me. I got the revisions for *Time’s Echo* done and sent off. And I’ve recorded some Story-Power episodes and the latest Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters. More on that later.

But, I was a guest on “A Writer’s Day” with Ruth Douthitt and while we did talk a little bit about my books, mostly we talked about the fabulous Bette Davis movie, *Now, Voyager*, which is an upcoming movie Celeste and I will be talking about. So you get two conversations about an extremely important movie since it deals with mental and emotional health. It has some great tips for healing and coping with controlling people.

So, here’s my conversation with Ruth on Spotify. I hope you go check out her podcast and enjoy our conversation.

More Books with Disabled Protagonists, Please

T.L. McCoy is the founder of Blue Round Book Group, LLC, and the author of DELILAH VERSUS THE GHASTLY GRIM, a magical middle-grade fantasy novel inspired by her real-life granddaughter, who lives with a rare and life-threatening seizure disorder known as Dravet Syndrome.

The story follows a young girl who, after a life-threatening seizure, is transported through an indigo door in her mind into a strange and perilous world. There, she must unlock her hidden powers to survive — and save others.

T.L. didn’t set out to write a book — she set out to give children like her granddaughter a hero they could see themselves in. According to a 2019 study, only 3.4% of children’s books feature disabled protagonists. T.L.’s story blends fast-paced fantasy with emotional depth, creating a bridge between real-world challenges and epic adventure.

She brings warmth, purpose, and honesty to every interview and is passionate about disability representation in fiction, family storytelling, neurodiversity, and empowering children through inclusive literature.

Website, Facebook, Facebook Group, X


Reedsy

Drumdumbs, YouTube channel

Blue Round Book Group, YouTube Channel

The Space Between Time, on Apple Books

Prolific Writers Life

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

NORD, National Organization for Rare Disorders

The House on the Cerulean Sea, T.J. Klune

Affiliate links below.

PodMatch for Podcasters

This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to T. L. (Tammy) McCoy, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.

Prolific Writers Life

My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.

They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for. 

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

The Search for Meaning: The Razor’s Edge

The lastest Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters episode aired on Wednesday. I’m getting this to you a little late because I’m finishing the revisions on my second novel, Time’s Echo. Even though this movie was released in (1946) Larry Darrell’s search for his life’s purpose is a universal theme most of us go through at one time or another. Here’s the IMDb description. We hope you’ll watch our video, subscribe, share with your friends, and then go watch the movie. It’s fantastic!

Larry Darrell is in search for the meaning of life after he was saved at the end of WW I by a friend. His socialite Fiancée doesn’t understand. It’s the story of W. Somerset Maugham observing a group of friends from Chicago.