Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest Spotlight: General Submission Winner Cynthia Swanson Reads Her Winning Story, “A Possibility Nonetheless”

Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest Spotlight: General Submission Winner Cynthia Swanson Reads Her Winning Story, “A Possibility Nonetheless”

In this episode of Rock is Lit, Cynthia Swanson, winner of the second Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest in the General Submission category, reads her winning story, “A Possibility Nonetheless.” MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: * Rock is Lit theme music * Sixties 60’s music (free to use) * “The Water is Wide” by Pete Seeger * “Mr. Tambourine Man” by The Byrds * “There But For Fortune” by Joan Baez * Sixties 60’s music (free to use) * Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 [https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451] Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350] Cynthia Swanson’s website: https://cynthiaswansonauthor.com/ Cynthia Swanson on Bluesky: @cynswanauthor.bsky.social Cynthia Swanson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiaswansonauthor/ Cynthia Swanson on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CynthiaSwanson/ Cynthia Swanson on Instagram: @cynswanauthor Cynthia Swanson on Substack: https://thewhatifjournal.substack.com/ Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest Spotlight: Undergraduate Student Submissions Winner Mavis Wolff Reads Her Winning Story, “Yes, Please”

Congratulations to the winner of the second Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest in the Undergraduate Student Submissions category, Mavis Wolff! Listen to Mavis read her winning story, “Yes, Please,” in this episode.  Mavis Wolff is a Corporate Social Purpose Intern with Volunteer Tennessee, and a Peer Mentor at MTSU's University Writing Center. She has developed a strong skillset in professional mentorship, academic research, and compositional tutoring. She is a published researcher and has received several honors for her academic excellence and creative writing. She hopes to pursue a JD in Fall of 2026, after graduating with a B.A. in English (Writing) and a Minor in Spanish.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music Sixties 60’s music (free to use) “Don’t Forget to Dance” by The Kinks “Come Dancing” by The Kinks “State of Confusion” by The Kinks Sixties 60’s music (free to use) Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 [https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451] Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350] Mavis Wolff’s website: https://maviswolff.com/ Mavis Wolff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maviswolff/ Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Kim Gottlieb-Walker’s Journey from Rock & Film Photography to Fiction Teaser

In this special Rock is Lit episode—available exclusively on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiLtXU71l8]—legendary rock and film photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker joins Christy to talk about her novel, ‘Lenswoman in Love’, a love story steeped in the sights and sounds of the 1960s and 1970s music and film scenes. Kim shares behind-the-scenes stories of working with a young Cameron Crowe and shooting icons like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Gram Parsons, and Jim Morrison. She also discusses what it was like to be a film set still photographer on classics like John Carpenter's ‘Halloween’ and TV shows like 'Cheers' and 'Family Ties'. As a bonus, Kim walks us through a visual slideshow of her iconic photography that inspired moments in her novel. This is a rare, can’t-miss episode best experienced with your eyes and ears. WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiLtXU71l8 For Kim’s full bio, see her website [http://lenswoman.com/bio/index.php].   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: ⁠https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451⁠ [https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451] Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350] Kim Gottlieb-Walker’s website: ⁠http://lenswoman.com/⁠ [http://lenswoman.com/] Kim on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/KimGottliebWalker⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/KimGottliebWalker] Lens Woman in Love Facebook page: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/938323581755313⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/938323581755313] Kim on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimgottliebwalker/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/kimgottliebwalker/] Kim on Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/kimgottliebwalker.bsky.social⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/kimgottliebwalker.bsky.social] Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Backstage Pass: Peter McDade & Michael Amos Cody on Rock, Fiction, and Frontmen

Hey, Lit listeners! It’s old home week here at the podcast. Joining me are two Rock is Lit alumni who know a thing or two about chasing musical dreams and writing fiction that grooves with soul and grit: authors and musicians Peter McDade and Michael Amos Cody. In this special episode we’re talking about their brand-new novels: Peter’s ‘King Cal’ and Michael’s ‘Streets of Nashville’. Both of these fabulous novels ask what music costs, what it gives, and who gets to be heard. Also in the episode, we’ll get to hear each author read from their books and maybe even settle the question Who makes the best frontman—or frontwoman—in rock history? *Trigger warning: We talk Taylor Swift in the last part of the episode. Swifties, listen with caution. PLAYLIST: Rock is Lit theme music Sixties 60’s music (free to use) Acoustic Guitar instrumental [Non Copyrighted] \ Guitar arrangement for song “Funky Drummer” by James Brown “My Best Friend’s Girl” by The Cars “Drive-Thru” by Tenacious D “Fast Food” by Jesse Welles “The Entertainer” by Billy Joel “Pop Singer” by John Mellencamp “Soulmates” by Michael Amos Cody “My Dear Friend, Mr. Heineken” by One Four Three/‘King Cal’ soundtrack “Drowning in Mayo” by Lords of the Living/‘King Cal’ soundtrack “Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell “Game On!” by Aqours “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift “Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell “Watching Mary Sleep” by King Cal/‘King Cal’ soundtrack “Landscapes” by Michael Amos Cody Sixties 60’s music (free to use) Rock is Lit theme music     LINKS:   Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 [https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451] Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350] Peter McDade’s website: peterjmcdade.com ‘King Cal’ soundtrack on Bandcamp [https://kingcalsoundtrack.bandcamp.com/album/king-cal-soundtrack] Peter McDade on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peter.j.mcdade [https://www.facebook.com/peter.j.mcdade] Peter McDade on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterjmc33/ [https://www.instagram.com/peterjmc33/] Michael Amos Cody’s website: michaelamoscody.com Michael Amos Cody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelamoscody/ [https://www.instagram.com/michaelamoscody/] Michael Amos Cody on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelamoscody [https://www.facebook.com/michaelamoscody] Michael Amos Cody on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelamoscody.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/michaelamoscody.bsky.social] Peter on Rock is Lit EP15 [https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/petermcdade] and Peter on Rock is Lit EP36 [https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/petermcdadeandalanlight] Michael on Rock is Lit [https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/michaelamoscodyandfryegaillardandpetercooper] Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: www.christyalexanderhallberg.com [http://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com]  Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Across the What-If Universe: Paul Levinson On His Novel ‘It’s Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles’

What if The Beatles did reunite—and the world was never the same? In this special episode, Christy Alexander Hallberg welcomes acclaimed author, media scholar, and musician Paul Levinson to talk about his novel ‘It’s Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles’, based on his award-winning short story that reimagines a very different musical timeline. Set in 1996, the novel follows legendary New York DJ Pete Fornatale as he heads to Grand Central Terminal—only to discover the music world has shifted in strange and unexpected ways. From speculative “what-ifs” to cultural commentary, this episode explores the legacy of The Beatles through the lens of fiction, nostalgia, and imagination. Paul also reads a captivating excerpt from the novel, giving listeners a taste of this alternate universe where the Fab Four’s story didn’t end in 1970. Paul Levinson, Ph.D., is professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in NYC. His nonfiction books, including ‘The Soft Edge’, ‘Digital McLuhan’, ‘Realspace’, ‘Cellphone’, and ‘New New Media’, have been translated into fifteen languages. His science fiction novels include ‘The Silk Code’ (winner of Locus Award for Best First Science Fiction Novel of 1999), ‘Borrowed Tides’, ‘The Consciousness Plague’, ‘The Pixel Eye’, ‘The Plot to Save Socrates’, ‘Unburning Alexandria’, ‘Chronica’, and ‘It’s Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles’. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the History Channel, and NPR.   PLAYLIST: * Rock is Lit theme music * Sixties 60’s music (free to use) * “Looking for Sunsets (In the Early Morning)”—lyrics by Paul Levinson (lead vocals), music by Ed Fox * “Murray the K’s Back in Town”—music and lyrics by Paul Levinson (lead vocals) * “Samantha”—music and lyrics by Paul Levinson (lead vocals) * Sixties 60’s music (free to use) * Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 [https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451] Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350] Paul Levinson’s website: https://paullev.com/ [https://paullev.com/] Paul Levinson on YouTube and Facebook: @PaulLevinson Paul Levinson on Instagram: @paullevins Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: www.christyalexanderhallberg.com [http://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com]  Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]