A Literal Journey

Step into the world of stories with A Literal Journey, a weekly podcast/show hosted by author Seth Adam Smith. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with beloved and emerging authors about reading, writing, and the stories that shape who we become. In every episode, Seth talks to authors about the stories that sparked their love for storytelling, their path of writing and publishing, and the lessons they've learned on their own "literal journey." Because, in the end, we don't just tell stories, we become the stories we tell ourselves. So whether you’re a reader searching for your next favorite book, or a creative searching for inspiration and encouragement, A Literal Journey will help you move forward!

A Literal Journey is a arts podcast hosted by Seth Adam Smith, with 29 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Seth Adam Smith hosts A Literal Journey, a arts show with 29 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #30

  Write In A Parking Lot (If You Must!) D. W. Gillespie on The Dollhouse and The Monsters Among Us

  Aug 18, 202658 minS1

  In this wonderfully eerie episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with horror author D. W. Gillespie, to explore childhood fears, Halloween magic, and the persistence it has taken him to write these haunting stories for young readers. D. W. Gillespie has published numerous books—and huge chunks of those books were written in his car… on his lunch breaks. D. W.’s journey is a wonderfully honest reminder that creative work rarely (if ever) happens under perfect conditions. Success doesn’t always arrive when (or how) we expect it, and sometimes the only thing we can control is whether or not we continue to put one foot (or one word) in front of another. During the interview, D. W. and I talk about his books, the magic of Halloween, monsters and childhood imagination, cursed arcade games, Southern Gothic horror, the morality often hidden inside horror stories, and the frightening (and humorous) comparisons between Frankenstein’s monster and AI. But, no spoilers! You'll have to listen to the FULL episode to learn more! Whether you're a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone pursuing a dream in less-than-perfect circumstances, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your own literal journey. ABOUT D. W. GILLESPIE: Born and raised in Middle Tennessee, D.W. Gillespie has been daydreaming for as long as he can remember. His first short story was in second grade, and it involved (unsurprisingly) monsters wreaking havoc on some unsuspecting victim. Some things never change, and now D.W. writes a healthy mixture of horror, sci-fi, and supernatural fiction. He began writing seriously in 2002, and after winning the MacDougal Award for his short story "The Home", he's since been published many times in print and online. His body of work includes the novels Still Dark, The Toy Thief, and One by One. In recent years, he’s moved into middle grade horror, and his novels include Give Me Something Good to Eat, Grin, and The Doll House. ORDER “The Doll House” here: https://amzn.to/4x91P12 CHECK OUT other books by D. W. Gillespie here: https://amzn.to/3U3XfT9 Visit D. W. Gillespie’s website: https://www.dwgillespie.com/ LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. ✨ #horror #author #aliteraljourney #halloween #chucky

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  Episode #29

  Maybe The Answer Is Under Your Socks? Jacqueline West on Writing The Books of Elsewhere & Black Point

  Aug 14, 202648 minS1

  How do you learn what is your heart is TRULY hungry for? In this episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with Jacqueline West, the New York Times bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere, The Collectors, Last Things, Long Lost, and her latest: Black Point. Guys, I gotta admit: I REALLY enjoyed this conversation. (Jacqueline's"author origin story" resonated with me.) Long before she was a bestselling author, Jacquline West was *secretly* writing stories and hiding them in her sock drawer. She did that for years until one day she realized that being an opera singer wasn't what her heart was hungry for. She didn't want to sing the words that other people had written, she wanted to write them (talk about a plot twist)! During our conversation, we talk about the novel she almost deleted (but eventually became the start of The Books of Elsewhere), a very real (very creepy) house that inspired the series, why she finds setting so important to her stories, and her new folk-horror novel Black Point—a story laced with the unsettling idea that maybe human beings are far scarier than any ghosts we may encounter... But, no spoilers! You'll have to listen to the FULL episode to learn more! Whether you're a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone trying to find out what their heart is hungry for, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your own literal journey. About JACQUELINE WEST: Jacqueline West is the author of the NYT-bestselling middle grade series The Books of Elsewhere, the Schneider Family Award Honor Book The Collectors, the YA horror novel Last Things, the Minnesota Book Award-winning middle grade mystery Long Lost, the recently published YA horror novel Black Point, and several other odd and twisty books for young readers. Her poetry and short fiction for adults appear in a variety of publications. She lives in Red Wing, Minnesota. ORDER "Black Point" here: https://amzn.to/4wyccdr CHECK OUT other books by Jacqueline West here: https://amzn.to/4hAF3u6 Visit Jacqueline West's website: https://www.jacquelinewest.com/ LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. ✨ #horror #author #aliteraljourney #halloween #suspense #socks

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  Episode #28

  Our Lives Are ALL of the Genres An Interview with Fantasy Author Allison Anderson

  Aug 11, 202658 minS1

  You may write alone, but according to author Allison Anderson, you can’t write a book by yourself... In this funny and thoughtful episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with fantasy author Allison Anderson, author of The Cartographer’s War series and the Children of Ash series, to talk about the strange and sometimes chaotic journey of reading stories to actually writing them. But FIRST! It should be said that Allison blames her dad for ALL of this! We talk about the realities of writing and publishing, why querying felt like “a dumpster fire,” (it's "for the freaking birds!") and the remarkable turn of events that gave Allison a publishing contract just three days (!!!) after she decided to quit querying and pursue another path. We also talk about her books from The Cartographer's War and the Children of Ash series, but some of my favorite moments are when we go deeper—beneath the stories. Allison talks about why writers need other people, why “our lives are all the genres,” and why ancient stories (like Greek Mythology) continue to resonate with us. Whether you're a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone trying to write their own unique story, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your own literal journey. About ALLISON ANDERSON: Allison Anderson lives her best life as a wife, a mom, a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and a fantasy writer. As a life long fantasy nerd, she finds it natural to create stories of her own and you can often find her jotting down new story ideas or talking about dragons. She’s spent most of her life across the southwestern United States. ORDER "Son of Steel" here: https://amzn.to/45oL59N CHECK OUT other books by Allison Anderson here: https://amzn.to/4g3uVay Visit Allison Anderson's website: https://www.allisonandersonauthor.com LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. ✨ #fantasy #greekmythology #childrenofash #authorinterview #fantasybooks #allisonanderson #aliteraljourney

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  Episode #27

  Patience Is Walking Forward With Hope Kaela Rivera on The Hungry Forest and Cece Rios

  Jul 17, 202648 minS1

  When our dreams *refuse* to arrive on OUR schedule, patience isn’t simply waiting—it's “walking forward with hope.” In this inspiring (and hilarious!) episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with multi-award-winning author Kaela Rivera to discuss the experiences, family history, and years of persistence that have shaped her journey as an author. Kaela shares the inspiration behind Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls, including the stories Kaela heard from her abuelo, her growing interest and connection to Mexican mythology, the terrifying legend of El Sombrerón (seriously, it's crazy!), and the question at the heart of the story: What would happen if people could see, touch, or control another person’s soul? We also discuss her forthcoming middle grade horror novel (yes, *horror novel*), The Hungry Forest—a story about about two grieving brothers who hear their deceased father calling to them from a haunted forest... (don't go into the forest, guys!) Along the way, Kaela offers powerful advice about rejection, revision, grief, family connection, kindness, and continuing to hope when success takes longer than expected. Whether you're a reader, writer, parent, teacher, or someone struggling through a season of uncertainty, I hope this episode encourages you to open a book (or pick up a pen) and embark on your own literal journey. PRE-ORDER the "The Hungry Forest" through the bookstore—The King's English—to get special goodies: https://www.kingsenglish.com/item/R888A8PhO_73dfYNm5BhWA About KAELA RIVERA: Kaela Rivera is the multi-award-winning author of the Cece Rios trilogy, LEGO DREAMZzz: Dream Chasers and the Riddle-Spokens, and The Hungry Forest (coming Aug 18, 2026). She grew up reading the folktales of her Mexican-American and British parents in the forests of Tennessee, but now she writes about them from the soaring mountains of Utah. When not weaving together stories, she works in marketing, watches anime, or busies herself illustrating new adventures. She believes in the power of hope and aims to write adventures that heal. Sign up for her newsletter at kaelarivera.com. ORDER "The Hungry Forest" here: https://amzn.to/4bjUHpR ORDER "CeCe Rios" here: https://amzn.to/3T2tv8J CHECK OUT other books by Kaela Rivera here: https://amzn.to/4vzmsSk Visit Kaela Rivera's website: https://www.kaelarivera.com/ LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. ✨ #KaelaRivera #CeceRios #MiddleGradeBooks #MiddleGradeHorror #MiddleGradeFantasy #AuthorInterview #WritingAdvice #MexicanFolklore #ChildrensBooks #BookTube #FantasyBooks #HorrorBooks

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  Episode #26

  The Hero's Journey of George Washington ★ Screenwriter Diederik Hoogstraten on YOUNG WASHINGTON

  Jul 3, 202642 minS1

  Hardship didn't destroy George Washington...it forged him. In this episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with Diederik Hoogstraten, the screenwriter behind Young Washington, and talk about the extraordinary journey that transformed an uncertain young man into one of history's greatest leaders. Throughout the interview, Diederik and I discuss Washington's failures, his moments of doubt, his remarkable resilience and the relationships that helped him move forward. During our conversation, Diederik shares some insight from his own journey—including illness, addiction, faith, and redemption—and explains why he believes that some of our greatest challenges and hardships can help us discover our GREATER purpose. About DIEDERIK HOOGSTRATEN: Diederik was born and raised in the Netherlands, before settling in New York for school and his early career, then migrating to Los Angeles. As he spent time as a journalist writing about America, he fell in love with the country and became a proud U.S. citizen. He also began covering entertainment when he moved to Los Angeles as a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press and was active with the Golden Globes. Being in Hollywood also inspired an interest in screenwriting. Most recently, Diederik was honored to write the script for Young Washington with his writing partner Tom Provost and film visionary Jon Erwin. Diederik has several upcoming projects, and a taste of his work can be viewed at Fuelbreak Road Productions. Diederik lives in Austin, TX with his wife and three children. 🌐 VISIT The Wonder Project Channel: https://amzn.to/4brOvfd 🎧 LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6 🍎 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342 🎥 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to A LITERAL JOURNEY for more exclusive author interviews, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations about the stories that shape us. 📖✨ #youngwashington #georgewashington #america #usa #history #americanhistory My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward. Subscribe for: 📚 A LITERAL JOURNEY – exclusive interviews with bestselling authors 🎙️ THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Podcast – uplifting messages to inspire you forward 🕯️ AN AWE-FUL STORY – true tales that turn the “awful” into the “awe-full” ✨ My Books: http://amzn.to/2p7FXA8 🌐 Website: http://www.SethAdamSmith.com Thank you for watching—and for being part of this journey!

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