Was It Chance?

#112 - Kern Carter: Read Between the Grind

This week on Was It Chance?, we sit down with author Kern Carter for a conversation that starts with collective grief, simulations, and angry Brooklyn cab drivers, then unfolds into one of the most honest discussions we’ve had about creativity, anxiety, ambition, and what it really takes to build a life as an artist. Kern shares how writing became both an emotional outlet and a survival tool while growing up as a quiet, anxious kid who hid his love of books behind a basketball identity. From self-publishing his early work as practice, to getting rejected by dozens of literary agents, to eventually landing deals with Penguin Random House and Scholastic, Kern walks us through the years of strategy, persistence, and emotional resilience that shaped his career. Along the way, he opens up about imposter syndrome, fear of failure, hyping himself up before literary events, and why writers deserve to see themselves as superstars. We also dive into the realities of the publishing industry, Canadian arts funding, learning in public, creative rejection, and the difference between loving writing and choosing the life of an author. Plus, Heather invites herself to guest lecture in Kern’s college writing class, Alan pitches yet another accidental business idea, and everyone agrees the world could use a little more kindness and a lot less judgment. Connect with Kern: * Kern Carter Official Website * Writers Are Superstars on Substack [https://writersaresuperstars.substack.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Connect With Us: * 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform * 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ * ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://vickeryandco.com]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherVickery]⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/HeatherVickery] * Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠⁠⁠ [https://thereadingwell.substack.com/] EPISODE TAKEAWAYS * Writing can be both an artistic pursuit and an emotional survival tool. * You do not have to love failure in order to learn from it. * Confidence is often built through repetition, not natural fearlessness. * There is a difference between loving writing and pursuing authorship as a career. * Creative careers require strategy, promotion, and resilience alongside talent. * Sometimes the bravest thing an artist can do is stop hiding who they are. * The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves become self-fulfilling. * Learning in public can be uncomfortable, but it accelerates growth. * Being emotionally open in your art can feel terrifying and necessary at the same time. * Artists deserve to see themselves as valuable, powerful, and worthy of recognition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#111 - Chris Dattoli: Betting on Yourself in a Feast or Famine Career

Alan and Heather sit down with New Jersey–based voice actor and coach Chris Dattoli to unpack the winding, risk-filled path that led him from a corporate marketing job he despised to a thriving career behind the mic. Chris shares how a mix of early creative instincts, a pivotal audiobook opportunity, and one bold decision to quit his job forced him to bet on himself in a big way. What followed was a crash course in resilience, self-marketing, and navigating the unpredictable “feast or famine” reality of voiceover work. The conversation dives into the craft itself, from audition strategies and emotional connection to the importance of standing out in a sea of submissions. Chris pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to succeed in voice acting today, including how he approaches risk in performance, why failure is essential to growth, and how he balances creative fulfillment with the less glamorous but more lucrative parts of the industry. He also opens up about imposter syndrome, the impact of AI on narration, and the mindset shifts that helped him stay grounded through both wins and setbacks. Ultimately, this episode is about trusting your instincts, embracing uncertainty, and redefining success on your own terms. Chris’s story is a reminder that intentional risk isn’t just about making bold moves, it’s about sustaining belief in yourself long after the leap. Connect With Us: * 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform * 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ * ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://vickeryandco.com]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherVickery]⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/HeatherVickery] * Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠⁠ [https://thereadingwell.substack.com/] EPISODE TAKEAWAYS * Intentional risk often starts with walking away from something stable that makes you unhappy, even without a clear safety net. * You can build a creative career by stacking small opportunities and treating each one like it matters. * The audition is the job, and consistency over time matters more than any single booking. * Standing out is less about being perfect and more about making bold, specific choices. * Imposter syndrome never fully goes away, but you can learn to manage it and keep moving forward anyway. * Creative success requires both artistry and business skills, especially marketing yourself effectively. * Failure is necessary feedback, not a final verdict on your ability or potential. * Financial discipline can buy you the time and freedom to take bigger creative risks. * Not every opportunity is about passion, sometimes the less glamorous work funds the dream. * Authenticity and emotional connection are what separate human performance from automation and AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#110 - Katy Scoggin: What Happens When You Document Your Own Divide?

We sit down with documentary filmmaker Katy Scoggin to unpack the decade-long journey behind her deeply personal film Flood. What begins as a curiosity about science, faith, and her upbringing as a young earth creationist evolves into a profound exploration of family, identity, and the limits of belief. Katy shares how a chance opportunity to work in documentary filmmaking, along with a simple ask to a mentor, set her on a path that would ultimately lead her back home with a camera, confronting the most complicated relationship in her life, the one with her father. As Katy traces her evolution from art student to award-winning filmmaker, we explore the risks she took both professionally and personally. She embedded herself in her family’s world, documented their dynamics, and wrestled with the tension between love and ideological divide. The conversation dives into her experience working alongside acclaimed documentarian Laura Poitras, the challenges of sustaining a creative career, and the emotional toll of turning the lens on your own life. At its core, this episode is about connection in the face of difference. Katy opens up about coming out later in life, the shifting dynamics with her deeply religious father, and the surprising ways filmmaking became a bridge between them. Through Flood, she asks a powerful question. Even when we fundamentally disagree, is it still possible to find moments of understanding and even love? Connect with Katy and learn more about Flood: * IG: @flooddoc Connect With Us: * 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform * 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ * ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://vickeryandco.com]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherVickery]⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/HeatherVickery] * Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠⁠ [https://thereadingwell.substack.com/] EPISODE TAKEAWAYS * Creative breakthroughs often come from discomfort and dissatisfaction, not clarity * Asking for help at the right moment can completely change your career trajectory * The stories closest to home are often the hardest but most meaningful to tell * Documentary filmmaking can become a tool for connection, not just observation * You do not need someone’s approval to live authentically or tell your truth * It is possible to maintain some level of connection with people you fundamentally disagree with * Long-term creative projects require choosing stories that will stay meaningful for years * Collaboration and trusted creative relationships are essential in filmmaking * Letting go of expectations can reduce disappointment in complicated family relationships * Failure is a necessary and valuable part of growth and creative development Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#109 - Ray Hartjen: When Time Stops Being Unlimited

In this episode, Alan and Heather sit down with Ray Hartjen—a self-described professional storyteller whose career has spanned investment banking, pharma, tech, marketing, and creative writing. Ray shares how storytelling became the throughline across every chapter of his professional life, even before he consciously recognized it. From crafting narratives in corporate boardrooms to writing books and playing music, Ray reveals how understanding engagement and human connection ultimately shaped his work and his identity. The conversation takes a profound turn as Ray opens up about his 2019 diagnosis with multiple myeloma. Rather than narrowing his world, the diagnosis expanded it—forcing a reevaluation of time, priorities, and purpose. Through a powerful “timeline” exercise, Ray reframed how he views life, shifting from taking time for granted to intentionally investing it. That shift led him to add new roles—patient advocate, fundraiser, and community supporter—while letting go of others that no longer aligned with his energy and goals. Ray also dives into his creative journey as an author of five books, including both nonfiction and fiction, and how he overcame the fear of stepping into new creative territory. He emphasizes the importance of starting small, embracing failure, and designing a life—and creative career—that actually works for you. This episode is a masterclass in intentional risk, resilience, and redefining what success looks like on your own terms. Connect with Ray * Website: https://rayhartjen.com [https://rayhartjen.com] * (You can also find Ray across social platforms under his name) Connect With Us: * 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform * 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ * ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://vickeryandco.com]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherVickery]⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/HeatherVickery] * Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠ [https://thereadingwell.substack.com/] EPISODE TAKEAWAYS * Storytelling is everywhere—even in careers that don’t seem creative on the surface. * Your life expands when you stop taking time for granted and start acting intentionally. * You can reinvent yourself at any stage by choosing curiosity and growth. * Failure isn’t fatal—it’s feedback and part of the process. * Start small; progress builds momentum. * You don’t have to follow a prescribed path—design your creative life to fit you. * A major life event can add purpose, not just take things away. * Balancing priorities sometimes means letting go of roles that no longer serve you. * Creative risk often means doing something before you feel fully ready. * If not now, when? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#108 - Merit Kahn: Optimistic Personality Disorder - Turning Life Into Comedy

In this episode of Was It Chance, Alan Seales and Heather Vickery talk with comedian, keynote speaker, and storyteller Merritt Kahn about turning life’s unexpected plot twists into powerful creative material. Merritt is the creator and performer of Optimistic Personality Disorder [https://meritkahn.com/theater/], a one-woman show that blends stand-up comedy, storytelling, and personal insight as she explores divorce, parenting, empty nesting, and the unpredictable turns life can take. With a background in sales training, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology, Merritt brings a unique perspective to the stage—using humor not just to entertain, but to help people rethink how they relate to their own life stories. What started as a desire to be funnier in her keynote speeches eventually led Merritt into stand-up comedy and, ultimately, into writing and producing her own theatrical show. Through journaling and reflection, she discovered the phrase “optimistic personality disorder,” which became both the title of her show and a philosophy for how she approaches life. In the conversation, Merritt shares how comedy can help loosen the emotional grip of painful experiences, allowing people to revisit difficult chapters—like divorce or family conflict—and reinterpret them through a lens of growth and humor. Merritt also talks about the realities of producing and touring a one-woman show, from selling tickets and traveling with props to dreaming about where the project could go next. Her story is a reminder that failure is rarely final, creativity often emerges from unexpected places, and sometimes the best way to move forward is to laugh at what once felt overwhelming. As Merritt says, tragedy plus time equals comedy—but it doesn’t always have to take that long. Connect with Merit: * OPDshow.com [OPDshow.com] Connect With Us: * 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform * 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ * ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://vickeryandco.com]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery]⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherVickery]⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ * ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/HeatherVickery] * Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠ [https://thereadingwell.substack.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]