Ink vs Algorithm: The Writers' Pod

Bill Bernhardt Demands Truth & Justice for Superman’s Creators

Acclaimed and prolific author William Bernhardt joins host Mookie Spitz for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with the tragic origin story behind Superman and spirals into something much bigger: the brutal collision between creativity, commerce, ego, exploitation, and survival. Drawing from his new nonfiction book The Superman Wars, Bill unpacks how teenage creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster built the first true superhero during the Depression, only to lose control of Superman to businessmen who turned their creation into a global empire while the creators themselves struggled for recognition, stability, and dignity. Their conversation goes beyond comic book history into an honest discussion about what it means to be a creator in any era. Mookie and Bill connect Jerry Siegel’s fight to modern writers battling algorithms, AI scraping, scam publishers, vanity presses, content overload, and the impossible economics of attention. They dig into why talented creatives so often get crushed by the business side of art, why perseverance matters more than raw talent, and why most writers fail long before the quality of their work ever has a chance to matter. Bernhardt also shares hard-earned lessons from publishing more than 67 books across legal thrillers, historical fiction, poetry, children’s books, and writing instruction. He breaks down the reality of finding agents, surviving rejection, building a readership, networking without becoming disingenuous, and treating writing like an actual profession instead of waiting around for inspiration to strike. They also discuss a strong emotional thread: how creators are fueled by this tension of living chaotic, vulnerable, financially unstable lives behind the scenes. Bill's research even took him into Jerry Siegel’s childhood home — the literal room where Superman was born — and he captures that eerie feeling of standing inside the physical birthplace of modern mythology. If you’re a writer, artist, indie creator, comic fan, or just somebody trying to build something meaningful in a world designed to commodify everything, join them for part publishing war story, part creative survival guide, and part cautionary tale about what happens when imagination collides with money and power.  The Guest William Bernhardt is the author of over sixty books, including the Daniel Pike legal thriller series (#1 best-selling novel The Last Chance Lawyer). His previous works include the bestselling Ben Kincaid series, the historical novels Challengers of the Dust and The Florentine Poet, three books of poetry, and the Red Sneaker books on fiction writing. In addition, Bernhardt founded WriterCon Programs to mentor aspiring writers. WriterCon hosts an annual writers conference, an annual cruise, small-group writing retreats, a magazine, plus free bi-weekly e-newsletters and podcasts. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the president/owner of Bernhardt Books, which publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. In addition to his novels and poetry, Bernhardt has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rainforest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion. His Website & Books https://williambernhardt.com/ [https://williambernhardt.com/] Tap here to share your opinion! Be a guest on the pod! Mookie wants to hear from you... [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552428/fan_mail/new]

Jeff Krell & Jayson: 40 Years of Turning Life Into Story

In this episode of Ink vs Algorithm, Mookie sits down with cartoonist and writer Jeff Krell, the creator of Jayson: a comic strip turned graphic novel universe that started as pure survival and evolved into a living, breathing archive of identity, humor, and cultural change. Jeff didn’t break in through some polished pipeline. He got rejected, ignored, reshaped, and edited into existence. A local paper cut his work in half and ran it anyway. An editor forced him to rethink storytelling structure from the ground up. Underground comics cracked open what was allowed, and suddenly there were no rules except the ones he chose to keep. What followed was a long experiment in character-driven storytelling. Jayson and his orbit of friends, which were often pulled straight from Krell’s real life, became a vehicle for catharsis, comedy, and eventually something more controlled: a way to step back, look at the past, and reshape it with intention. The conversation hits hard and true about what it means to be an indie creator:  * Why most creators are lying to themselves about “doing what you love” * How underground comics gave more freedom than today’s “inclusive” mainstream * Why characters get more interesting when you stop protecting them * How cartoons became a way of saying things you can’t say directly * And why self-publishing isn’t a fallback, but a way to control your own destiny  Jeff also shares a blunt throughline: if you’re waiting to be discovered, you’re already losing. Krell built his audience one conversation at a time, throuigh conventions, hand-selling, face-to-face, and then watched the algorithm catch up later. His career success is less about nostalgia, and more about sheer endurance.  JAYSON is about what happens when you keep showing up, keep drawing, keep writing—even when nobody’s paying attention—and then one day, you realize the work outlasted the noise. If you care about storytelling, comics, or just figuring out how to keep creating without losing your mind or your voice, then Jeff's story will inspire you.  The Guest Jeff Krell created the long-running gay-themed humor strip “Jayson,” which debuted in the Philadelphia Gay News in 1983 and enjoyed long runs in Gay Comix and Meatmen. Since 2005 Krell has been publishing original “Jayson” graphic novels including “Jayson Goes to Hollywood” and “Jayson Gets a Job!” In 2023, in collaboration with Sue Bielenberg, Krell debuted the all-ages Jayson spinoff “Arena Takes Manhattan,” a career girl humor comic starring Jayson’s sidekick Arena Stage. Krell also translates comics for famed German cartoonist Ralf König.  His Work http://ignite-ent.com [http://ignite-ent.com/] https://www.amazon.com/dp/0988357429/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0988357429/] Tap here to share your opinion! Be a guest on the pod! Mookie wants to hear from you... [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552428/fan_mail/new]

"Survey Says!" Indie Author Reality Check

In this episode of Ink vs Algorithm: The Writer’s Pod, author Mookie Spitz breaks down the 2025 Indie Author Survey from Written Word Media: a rare, data-intensive look at how over 1,300 indie authors worldwide are actually publishing, earning, marketing, and growing their business. He also reviews his review from the Outstanding Creator Awards, and correlates the two to tie a bow around the benefits of following the rules — and the fun of breaking them.  Mookie's solo pod isn’t aspirational nonsense or “write what you love and the universe will provide," but a clear-eyed tour through what really works (and what absolutely doesn’t) when you step outside traditional publishing and try to make it on your own. He walks through the survey’s most revealing findings, including: * Why self-publishing now dominates the industry, and why that’s both a dream and a nightmare * How much indie authors actually earn (hint: most don’t quit their day jobs) * The brutal truth about paid advertising and why top earners reinvest nearly half their income just to stay visible * Why email lists aren’t optional, and how they’re the backbone of every sustainable indie career * Which genres quietly make money (romance, paranormal romance, cozy mystery), and which barely move the needle * Why children’s books, literary fiction, and religious nonfiction struggle in the indie ecosystem * The uncomfortable correlation between catalog size and income (60+ books is not a typo for earning $10K per month and above) * Why covers sell books, editing keeps readers, and “just publishing” is never enough Along the way, Mookie contrasts two kinds of writers: * those treating indie publishing like a business; and * those (him included) writing for creative fulfillment, curiosity, and stubborn joy He shares firsthand lessons from LA Comic Con, real conversations with successful indie authors, hard-earned mistakes from publishing Jonnie Fazoolie & the Transfinite Reality Engine, and the uneasy tension between artistic integrity and commercial reality. If you’re: * an indie author trying to cut through the noise * a writer wondering why your book isn’t selling * an editor, cover artist, or marketer who wants to understand author behavior * or a creative who loves the work but hates the hustle This episode gives you facts, context, and empathy.  Bottom line: You don’t have to play the game. But if you want results, you need to understand the rules, and jump into the ring in your own way.  2025 Indie Author Survey Results [https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/2025-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors/] Outstanding Creator Awards [https://www.outstandingcreator.com/] Tap here to share your opinion! Be a guest on the pod! Mookie wants to hear from you... [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552428/fan_mail/new]

Cornish Legend Bert Biscoe: Caring, Governing & Bringing Truth to Power

What do Cornish miners, the Mayflower, the American Constitution, World War II, and rock ’n’ roll have in common? Cornwall! In this 7th episode of Ink vs Algorithm, Mookie Spitz has tea with Bert Biscoe—Cornish poet, songwriter, historian, former mayor of Truro, and cultural force of nature—for a sweeping, deeply human conversation about history, language, power, and poetry. Biscoe dismantles the naive American understanding of Cornwall (not just hens) and rebuilds it as a hidden engine of Western history: • the Cornish pit stop that supplied the Mayflower and helped shape American governance • the miners and engineers who powered the Industrial Revolution and modern warfare • the cultural crossroads where Celtic identity, metal, and maritime trade converged • the American troops who transformed Cornwall during WWII—bringing jazz, technology, and flush toilets From there, the discussion turns inward and personal. Biscoe traces his own evolution from rebellious teenage blues guitarist to poet-politician. He explores the uneasy but powerful alliance between art and public service, and why poetry is not a luxury but a tool: a form of pastoral care, persuasion, and meaning-making. Their chat then draws a sharp line between the art of persuasion and the racket of manipulation. Through Bert’s lens, figures like Barack Obama represent a tradition of rhetorical responsibility—language used to elevate, clarify, and move people toward shared purpose—while politicians such as Donald Trump embody its corrupted twin: speech designed to provoke, dominate, and extract attention rather than understanding. The distinction isn’t partisan, but poetic. One treats language as a civic duty, while the other treats it as a blunt instrument. And the difference, Biscoe argues, determines whether public speech builds societies or corrodes them. Along the way, you’ll hear: * Why poets, politicians, priests, and physicians all do versions of the same job * How language creates influence long after formal power fades * Why poets don’t belong in garrets—and never really did * A live poetry reading and an unfiltered look at Biscoe’s daily writing practice * A sharp critique of literary elitism and creative gatekeeping Their conversation is part history lesson, part manifesto, part fireside rant, and is rooted in Cornwall, aimed at anyone who cares about words, culture, and how ideas actually move people. If you think poetry is irrelevant, politics is soulless, or history is settled, then this conversation will correct you. The Poet Bert Biscoe is a Cornish poet, songwriter, local historian, playwright, and former Mayor of Truro, best known for his work rooted in Cornish identity, language, politics, and cultural activism. A bard of the Cornish Gorsedh with the bardic name Viajor Gans Geryow, he has published several books of verse and prose — including Maudlin’ Pilgrimage, Rebecca (1996), The Dance of the Cornish Air (1996), At a Wedding with Yeats in Turin (2003), Trurra (winner of a Waterstones award at the Holyer an Gof Publishers’ Awards 2012), Words of Granite, On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest! (2008), and White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par (2009) — and performs widely across Cornwall. A long-time independent councillor on Cornwall Council and later Truro City Council, he’s also chaired local heritage groups, written on Cornish history, and regularly performs poetry and songs that blend local political commentary with folk tradition.  Tap here to share your opinion! Be a guest on the pod! Mookie wants to hear from you... [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552428/fan_mail/new]

Dull Kings, Sharp Arrows: Mark Oldroyd's Chamberlain's Gambit

What happens when a retired logistics expert decides to write a historical murder mystery set at the most politically unstable moment in late-medieval England? In this episode of Ink vs. Algorithm, Mookie Spitz talks with British author and comics veteran Mark Oldroyd about The Chamberlain’s Gambit, a fast-paced historical novel set in 1484, the final full year of Richard III’s reign and the dying embers of the War of the Roses. The book blends murder, political intrigue, and lived medieval texture—without drowning in costume drama or faux-Shakespearean fluff. Oldroyd walks through how the novel came to life: choosing a real historical vacuum to insert a fictional detective, grounding the story in real villages and castles that still exist today, and balancing accuracy with narrative momentum. The conversation ranges from Richard III, the Princes in the Tower, and collapsing institutions, to why historical fiction inevitably reflects modern anxieties about power, legitimacy, and populism. The discussion also tackles a topic writers can’t avoid anymore: AI. Oldroyd is blunt about how he used it—and how he didn’t. No ghostwriting. No plot generation. Just disciplined research assistance and copy-editing, the same way writers once used libraries, index cards, and paid researchers. The result is a novel driven by human judgment, character, and consequence—not algorithmic paste. They also take a candid look at the writing life after mid-career: finishing the damn book, surviving brutal beta readers, deciding between agents and self-publishing, and building a series without romantic illusions about fame or fortune. If you care about: * Historical fiction that actually moves * Writing craft without mysticism * AI as a tool, not a crutch * Power, legitimacy, and why history keeps rhyming This one’s for you! Turning curious? Mark Oldroyd is currently seeking early readers and reviewers for The Chamberlain’s Gambit.  The Writer I started collecting comics at age 10 or 11, that's 55 years ago! There were some big gaps for romance and kids... Started again in COVID, and decided to start selling to fund the hobby. Suddenly Comics has been going for about 3 years, with my main selling being on Whatnot and at the London Comic Mart. During the pandemic I also started producing videos about comics for YouTube, and I have a popular channel with over 2,000 subscribers. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics [https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics] His Novel The Chamberlain's Gambit is my first novel, a Historical Murder Mystery. In 1484 the War of the Roses have left England scarred and suspicious. When the staunchly Yorkist Lord of Bardfield is found dead with an arrow through his eye, the fragile peace of the region threatens to shatter. Robert Stone, a war weary chamberlain loyal to the Duke of Norfolk, is dispatched to uncover the killer. He expects to find a Lancastrian plot,, but the truth is far more personal, and far more dangerous. The roots of the murder lie decades in the past. His Contact Email: mark@suddenlycomics.com [mark@suddenlycomics.com] Instagam: @suddenlycomics Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.oldroyd.507 [https://www.facebook.com/mark.oldroyd.507] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics [https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics] Tap here to share your opinion! Be a guest on the pod! Mookie wants to hear from you... [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552428/fan_mail/new]