Story-Power

Lucinda Sage-Midgorden

Stories are a powerful way to learn about ourselves and others. They come in all different forms, written, visual, musical, and personal. Lucinda and her guests discuss stories in all these forms.

  1. Aug 12

    Dancing Through the Shadow: A Close-Up on China During Mao's Reign

    Leif Bristow is an Emmy winning producer, director, screenwriter, and bestselling author who has spent decades bringing unforgettable stories to life for audiences around the world. But Dancing Through the Shadow is far more than just another project. It is a story that found him personally. The inspiration came through Tia Zhang, an internationally celebrated dancer, Shen Yun artist, and survivor whose extraordinary life story recently earned her the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions and impact. Tia once taught ballet to Leif and Agnes Bristow's daughter, and through that connection, the family came to learn the unimaginable truth of her life, surviving oppression under Mao era China, enduring extraordinary hardship, and ultimately escaping to freedom. Agnes Bristow knew this was a story the world needed to read, which led her to write the award winning bestselling novel Dancing Through the Shadow. Leif, as a filmmaker and storyteller, knew it was equally a story that needed to be brought to the screen.   Podcast audiences will gain a fascinating behind the scenes look at how a real life friendship uncovered one of the most remarkable untold survival stories of our time, the journey of transforming truth into powerful storytelling, the creative process behind adapting books to film, and why stories of courage, freedom, resilience, and the human spirit matter now more than ever. Website, Facebook, (X), Instagram, LinkedIn, Leif's IMDb page where you can see his entire filmography   Dancing Through the Shadow, Agnes Bristow Love on Safari (2018) Starring Lacey Chabert and Jon Cor, Brittany Bristow Mao's Last Dancer (2009) Starring Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood and Kyle MacLachlan Dr. Robert J. Wolf, Story-Power episode 138, 20 Miracles and 4 Escapes from Tyranny Love on the Danube: Royal Getaway (2025) A Sweet Austrian Holiday (2024) Beyond Black Beauty (2024) John Rhys-Davies, Actor, Lord of the Rings, and much more

  2. Jul 29

    The Writer's Job: To Get the Readers to Think, Feel, and See the World in a New Way

    Ken Weene loves words. At times he is so captivated by them that they cannot hold the flow back and they tumble out as novels, short stories, poems, essays, and stage plays. Although Ken desperately tries to hold back those word floods and endlessly edit them, they find their ways into print and electronic form, which can be found by looking for Ken's name anywhere on the internet. He is, after all, the only Kenneth Weene in captivity so he cannot hide from your searches, not on Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, X, Bluesky, Truth Social, or LinkedIn. 
When you do that search, you will learn that Ken grew up as a broody New Englander, has a PhD in Psychology, worked for years as a therapist and teacher in New York, and moved/retired to Arizona in 2003 when he decided to focus on his writing. Married for 58 years to the late artist Rosalyn Weene, much of Ken's work is dedicated and about the love of his life and their love for life. Website,  Facebook, (X), LinkedIn, Bluesky, TruthSocial, YouTube, Amazon Books and Plays Coursing, The Boat and Ashes (With Umar O. Abdul) Memoirs From The Asylum, Jumping Over the Ram (With Deng Atem) Times To Try the Soul of Man Mario Puzo, The Godfather, book and screenplay Sleeping Dogs (2024) Russell Crowe Guy Morris, Story-Power guest, Episode 140 aired on November 19, 2025, Books: Swarm, The Image, The Last Ark Red Bird, Diandra Ford, Story-Power Episode 132 aired on July 30, 2025 John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Travels With Charlie John Dos Passos, Upton Sinclair, authors Canio's Books, Shelter Island, NY  One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest, Ken Kesey The Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota The Gadsden Hotel, Douglas, Arizona Dave Dahl, Story-Power guest, Episodes 1 aired on July 22, 2020, and 21 aired on July 21, 2021

  3. Jul 15

    The Healing Power of Music and The Arts

    Tamara is a Creator & Connector with an undeniable gift for inviting others into Community.  She focuses on fostering hope, community, and belonging through art and teaching, inspiring a joy that transforms hearts and mindsets. Tamara is a creative entrepreneur passionate about kids, families, and communities. Through her work as the founder of Love In A Big World, her impact is evident across the US and beyond. With a Master's degree in education from Vanderbilt University, she has devoted over thirty years of service as an educator and program developer. As a seasoned leader of both nonprofit and for-profit businesses, she models community support and engagement. With an unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in the world, she has persevered through life's ups and downs. Through her writings, songs, and paintings, she shares her story of finding her voice. Her healing journey inspires others to seek wholeness.    Tamara lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is the proud mother of three adopted adult children.   Tamara Fyke's Website https://www.loveinabigworld.com/ Tommy E. Black, musical collaborator BMI, Broadcast Music Inc. ASCAP, The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers SESAC, Society of European Stage Authors and Composers Hello Story-Power listeners. I wanted to let you know that after several years of producing Story-Power, I've started running ads through Libsyn to support the show. These are programmatic ads, in other words I don't pick the brand, but I have blocked categories that don't align with my values. Your support of this show over the years has meant a lot to me. Running these ads will help me pay for producing all the great content I've been providing. I plan to continue to bring you stories of innovative creators that will helpfully inspire you. Thanks so much for following Story-Power.

    The Healing Power of Music and The Arts
  4. Jul 1

    NFBClub Building the First Audiobook Ecosystem the Benefits Authors and Listeners

    David Gutierrez is the co-founder of Non-Fungible Book Club (NFBC), an independent audiobook platform focused on helping authors retain greater ownership, control, and revenue from their work. Built around a creator-first philosophy, NFBC was founded on the belief that writers deserve a more meaningful relationship with both their audience and the success of their art. David is also the author of Punkz Awaken: Disconnecting the Minted, a young adult science fiction novella that blends action, rebellion, and retro-futuristic themes inspired by 90s internet culture. Filled with callbacks to the era of 56k dial-up modems, underground digital culture, and analog nostalgia, the story follows a young protagonist who grows disillusioned with the pressures and inequities of the adult world and ultimately joins a rebellion searching for something more human, authentic, and free. David's experience as an independent author helped inspire his passion for supporting creators and building better opportunities for writers within the audiobook industry. Today, through NFBC, David and his team work with independent authors and publishers to help bring audiobooks directly to audiences while allowing creators to keep significantly more of their earnings than traditional industry models typically allow. NFBC's mission centers on empowering authors, preserving creative independence, and building deeper communities around books and storytelling. Instagram: @NFBCSocials (https://www.instagram.com/nfbcsocials/) YouTube: @NFBCSocials (https://www.youtube.com/@NFBCSocials) X: @NFBCSocials (https://x.com/NFBCSocials) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gutierrez-507340276/ Website: www.nfbclub.com Prolific Writers Life Punkz Awaken: Disconnecting the Minted, 4th ed., David Gutierrez Story-Power Guest Episode 80 8/2/23 Cheryl King, Sitting on Top of the World, and Under the Paw Paw Trees Edgar Allan Poe Greatest Works Shut Up and Write Global Community Story-Power Guest Episode 140 11/19/25 Guy Morris, Swarm, The Last Ark, The Image Story-Power Guest Episode 24 "Every Life is a Library" PodMatch for Podcasters Story-Power Guest Episode 41 2/2/22 Ali Khamseh Story-Power Guest Episode 42 2/16/22 Lola Drona Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters YouTube channel Films for Writers on Prolific Writers Life The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (1979) (1989) (2005), Book by C. S. Lewis Hello Story-Power listeners. I wanted to let you know that after several years of producing Story-Power, I've started running ads through Libsyn to support the show. These are programmatic ads, in other words I don't pick each brand, but I have blocked categories that don't align with my values. Your support of this show over the years has meant a lot to me. Running these ads will help me pay for producing all the great content I've been providing. I plan to contiue to bring you stories of innovative creators that will hopefully inspire you. Thanks so much for following Story-Power.

  5. Jun 3

    Self-Exploration Using YouTube series: The Loneliest Boy on Earth

    Over the years, I've used comedy, music, and film as ways to process life and connect with people in a real, unpolished way. My latest project, The Loneliest Boy on Earth, came out of that impulse — it's part experiment, part personal confession, and part attempt to make sense of love and identity in the modern world. What I've learned is that vulnerability, when shared honestly, can be both healing and entertaining (also provocative and dangerous) — and that's the kind of conversation I want to bring to your audience. Across all mediums — whether film, music, or live conversation — my work is about pushing boundaries, experimenting with form, and ultimately creating something that is both meaningful and entertaining. My most recent project, The Loneliest Boy on Earth, is a hybrid of documentary and narrative filmmaking that examines relationships, identity, and self-transformation in a deeply personal way. Right now, I am most interested in discussing this project; but am open to discussing art, creativity, philosophy, and other related topics.   YouTube Channel Instagram TikTok (X) Hello Story-Power listeners. I wanted to let you know that after several years of producing Story-Power, I've started running ads through Libsyn to support the show. these are programmatic ads, in other words I don't pick each brand, but I have blocked catefories that don't align with my values. Your support of this show over the years has meant a lot to me. Running these ads will help me pay for producing all the great content I've been providing. I plan to continue to bring you stories of innovative creators that will helpfully inspire you. Thanks so much for following Story-Power.

5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Stories are a powerful way to learn about ourselves and others. They come in all different forms, written, visual, musical, and personal. Lucinda and her guests discuss stories in all these forms.