Meditations with Ryan Zlomek

Uncovering Local Lore with Historical Fiction Writer Lee Ellen Hickey

This week Ryan sits down with historical fiction writer Lee Ellen Hickey to uncover the lore of Virginia Tonkin. In the late 1800s, the Tonkins were a wealthy family residing in Oswego, NY who tragically lost their young daughter to appendicitis. In their process of mourning, they famously entombed Virginia’s body in a glass coffin which resided in their family home for over a year. The story of Virginia’s death and her family’s peculiar memorial has fascinated New Yorkers for over a century so Lee Ellen Hickey sought to explore the story further in her novel Girl In The Glass Coffin: The Tonkin Affair which she self published in 2024. Lee comes on the show to discuss her inspiration, writing process, and the legacy of the Tonkins’ family on this week’s episode of Meditations.

For more information on Lee Ellen Hickey you can visit www.girlintheglasscoffin.com, or find her on Facebook at Girl In The Glass Coffin.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com

Structuring Oneself into a Storyteller with Author Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket

This week Ryan interviews two authors hidden within the same body; Daniel Handler, more commonly known as Lemony Snicket, comes on the show to share his writing tales with listeners. Daniel Handler introduced the pen name Lemony Snicket in his best-selling children’s books A Series of Unfortunate Events which have sold more than 60 million copies and been translated into 41 different languages. Known as a saga that wasn’t afraid to show readers the imaginative, dreary world of the Baudelaire Orphans, A Series of Unfortunate Events leapt off the page to become a 2004 feature film starring Jim Carrey and a Netflix television that lasted 3 seasons with the likes of Neil Patrick Harris and Patrick Warburton. But is not like the protagonists of his most famous stories as he’s had good fortune and a prolific writing career with the success of his other works like The Basic Eight, the All The Wrong Questions series, Adverbs, We Are Pirates, and his latest memoir And Then? And Then? What Else?.

In this conversation, Daniel talks about his affection for the city of San Franscisco, traveling to the east coast for college and discovering a supportive writing community there. He expands on the struggled sale of his first adult novel and transitioning his focus to children’s books which birthed A Series of Unfortunate Events. Daniel delves into the importance of structure in his writing as a creative guidepost to keep the process fun while he scribbles on legal pads in various cafes around California. A man of many talents, he talks about working in motion pictures, sharing tales of running the writing room of the Netflix series and in the music business partnering with Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. It’s a conversation full of intrigue, fun, playful banter, and insight into someone who makes every moment one of imagination.

For more about Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket you can visit www.danielhandler.com or find him on Instagram at @authordanielhandler.

For more information on the Meditations with the Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com

Discovering Opportunities In Play with Voltage Video Games and Viridian Dice Entrepreneur Mike Saltzman

Stepping into the world of gaming, Ryan sits down with Mike Saltzman, owner of Syracuse, NY-based companies Voltage Video Games and Viridian Dice. Mike has a vibrant history in entrepreneurship and branding, having started Voltage Video Games in 2011 and building the company into a downtown retro-focused institution. Though primarily known locally for his businesses, Mike found viral internet fame in 2013 when collaborating with filmmaking Mario Restive to create a YouTube ad that took the web by storm. Embracing greenscreen glitches, nuanced gamer jokes, and well-cued social awkwardness, the Voltage YouTube ad received over a million views gaining the store notability and turning Saltzman’s performance into meme-level popularity.
Taking on the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Saltzman started Viridian, a company making supplies for the famed role-playing game. Starting off with in-house manufacturing then shifting to sourcing supplies across the globe, Viridian has become a prominent dice seller due to its low price point and approachable customer service.

In this conversation, Mike talks about growing up in New York’s Capital Region and discovering lifelong interests in his youth. Shifting to higher education, he talks about attending Binghamton University and taking a leadership role at the campus radio station WHRW. He tells the origin stories for Voltage and Viridian and offers an honest behind-the-scenes look at business partnerships and financing. Mike provides company culture and entrepreneurship advice along with a healthy dose of nerdy references.  

To learn more about Mike Saltzman you can find him on Instagram @magitekmike. Voltage Video Games and Viridian Dice can also be found on Facebook and Instagram or online at https://voltagevideogames.com/ or https://viridiandice.com/.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.

The Rhythmic Formula for Laughter with Improv Musician Laura Hall

This week musician Laura Hall joins Ryan in conversation to chat about her amazing work in the world of improv comedy. Laura is a world-renowned improv musician having started her career with Chicago’s Second City and eventually becoming Musical Director on Whose Line Is It Anyway? for 21 seasons. Very few people have mastered an instrument, let alone mastered the ability to quickly add mood, ambiance, and rhythm on various instruments. For over two decades, Laura’s ability to play music from all genres provided the backbone for performers such as Wayne Brady, Jeff Davis, Gary Anthony Williams, and Jonathan Mangum to riff and sing memorable comedy songs about all topics imaginable. Laura has become the top of her class in improv musicianship having written the book The Improv Comedy Musician and developed traveling classes to share her unique craft.

In this conversation, Laura talks about falling in love with music, performance, and collaboration in her youth. She shares a chance encounter that helped her get a job working Coat Check at Chicago’s The Second City theater that eventually evolved into a touring performance position. Traveling with her husband Rick Hall to Los Angeles, she had the opportunity to join the cast of Whose Line Is It Anyway? where she performed in over 400 episodes. She talks about the arts of creating music on Whose Line?, her collaboration with guitarist Linda Taylor tackling all genres of music, and she sheds light into the production of the long-running improv comedy show hosted by Drew Carey and Aisha Tyler. Laura describes the importance of inspiring others to bring their musical talents to the improv world and the joy she finds working with local troops around the world. She also talks about the current Whose Live Anyway? tour that brings the fan-favorite TV show to theaters around the country.

To learn more about Laura Hall’s work visit www.laurahall.com or find @LauraHallMusic on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com

Sharing Stories of Discovery with Science Communicator Erin Winick Anthony

This week we meditate on all things STEM with Erin Winick Anthony, a professional science communicator. Erin is the owner of the company STEAM Power Media which works with clients such as Astrolab, Hearst Media Production Company, Zero G, Space Center Houston, and dozens of others to most effectively showcase their scientific triumphs to the world.  Whether writing press releases, creating documentaries, posting on social media, or speaking publicly, Erin finds ways to make high-level scientific concepts accessible, welcoming, and inspiring.

In this conversation, Erin talks about developing a passion for problem-solving at a young age and eventually studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Florida. She shares her first foray into entrepreneurship by developing the company Sci Chic, a producer of STEM-inspired clothing and accessories. She recounts various opportunities that led her into the field of science communication including a stint working at NASA where she earned the coveted Silver Snoopy Award. Deciding to go out on her own, Erin founded STEAM Power Media and shares the origin story of her company. As someone who is passionate about so many subjects, Erin also shares what it was like being featured in the Unstoppable Wasp Marvel comic book, using puzzles as a way to relax, and the joys of pinball culture with her collaborators Wormhole Pinball and Barrels of Fun Pinball. It’s an engaging conversation that will make you want to shoot for the stars.

To learn more about Erin’s work you can visit www.erinwinick.com, Erin Winick – Science Communicator on Facebook, or @erinwinick on X, Instagram, and TikTok.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.

Finding Your Rhythm for Reading with Audiobook Narrator Stefan Rudnicki

Beaming in from the world of storytelling, Ryan chats with Stefan Rudnicki, commonly known as “The Golden Voice of Audiobooks.” His vocal cords have graced the ears of listeners exploring every genre from science fiction, fantasy, and horror to business, self-help, and reference to memoir, biography, and non-fiction to poetry and even avant-garde literature with over 3,000 credits to his name. He’s decorated in the industry with countless Grammy, Audie, Hugo, Bram Stoker, Ray Bradbury, Madolin Cervantes, and Edinburg International Festival awards to his name. He’s also a coach, often hired by the best of the business to encourage the most effective audiobook performances out of actors like Robin Williams, Meryl Streep, Samuel L Jackson, Gabrielle Byrne, Dustin Hoffman, Diane Keaton, Annette Bening, Burt Reynolds, and Theodore Bikel, to name a few.  

In this conversation, Stefan recounts his parents’ journey from Poland to the US for him to find his foundation in NYC. He talks about his studies at Columbia University and Yale School of Drama before pursuing his own life as a college professor. Never one to turn down a challenge he shares his journey in filmmaking that brought him to the Golden State before working for Dove Audio in the abridgment department. He shares the transition to audiobook performance and talks about forging partnerships with the likes of Harlan Ellison. Famously, Stefan is the voice of Ender Wiggin in the sci-fi classic Ender’s Game for which his approach to audiobook directing popularized the multi-narrational storytelling method. He talks about the process of recording multiple narrators in multiple time zones and the quality control necessary to produce great audio content. And as a lifelong music fan, Stefan shares the role music plans in his life and explains why he is so dedicated to his next crowdfunding goal of releasing a collection about Leonard Cohen.

For more information on Stefan Rudnick’s company you can find Skyboat Media on Facebook and Twitter (@skyboatmedia) or visit www.skyboatmedia.com. Stefan can be reached on Facebook (Stefan Rudnicki), Bluesky (@Stefansecho), and Twitter (@Stefansecho).

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.

Deconstructing Cartoons Behind The Scenes with Storyboard Artist Michael Borkowski

Ryan chats with Mike Borkowski, the Syracuse-based storyboard artist whose work has graced television and movie screens across the world since 1997. Internationally, Mike is known for creating animation production art for shows like Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated, Jumanji, Big Guy & Rusty The Boy Robot, The Venture Brothers, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Spider-Man, Batman: Caped Crusader, and dozens of other properties. His “Think Mark” scene from Amazon Studio’s Invincible show is a landmark of modern animation praised around the industry. Outside of animation, Mike has also created work for Big Brother, Adidas, and ESPSN. A lifelong sports fan, he’s known to Central, NY locals for his commercial work with the Syracuse Mets as well as his cartoony yet aggressive version of Syracuse University’s Otto The Orange.

In this conversation, Mike sheds light onto his artistic journey from winning a drawing contest at the age of 5 to becoming an apprentice to comic book artist Bart Sears. He details his move to Los Angeles to start his career in animation and the first time he received solo storyboarding credit. Exploring the process drawing “on model” work, Mike delves into his approach to new projects and offers insights into how modern animation is made. He shares a behind-the-scenes look at developing production art for Big Brother and analyzes his tenure creating artwork to strengthen the Syracuse University fanbase. He talks openly about a struggle for balance in the competitive commercial art space and inspires listeners to find a community in which they feel included and supported.

For more information on Mike Borkowski’s work you can find him online at www.michaelborkowski.com as well as on Instagram (@mborkowskiart) and Michael Borkowski-Illustrator on Facebook.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.

Scripts, Short Stories, and Embracing the Limitations Of Form with Writer RC Matheson

This week Ryan sits down with RC Matheson to talk about his career writing for television, film, and short story anthologies. RC has been a professional writer since he was 18 as one of the youngest writers to get a 7 year television studio deal right out of high school. He quickly rose in the ranks of the TV writer’s room of the late 70s having penned episodes of Three’s Company, The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, Hunter, and dozens of other shows before becoming the Story Editor and Lead Writer on the fan-favorite The A-Team. He made his way into the world of motion pictures with the film Three O’Clock High, produced by Stephen Spielberg, and countless other projects in the decades he has worked in Hollywood. No stranger to prose, he’s also the author of the novels Created By and The Ritual of Illusion and the short story collections Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks, Dystopia, and Zoopraxis.

In this conversation, RC talks about growing up in a household of creativity with his father Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Stir of Echoes) and mother Ruth Ann Woodson (professional mental health practitioner). He shares anecdotes about writing successes in high school and the transition to working full-time writing for television. No stranger to the madness of the movie industry, RC sheds light onto the development of the film Three O’Clock High and the bidding war that ensued between Stephen Spielberg and Aaron Spelling to get the film made. The process of writing his famed project Battleground, based on the short story by Stephen King, is discussed in detail. Battleground is an hour-long film created for TNT’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Directed by Brian Henson and starring William Hurt, Battleground is a motion picture marvel as it contains no dialogue. To finish things out, RC talks about his second career as a professional drummer and digs into the relationship between rhythm in percussion and rhythm in storytelling. It’s an insight chat glaring into the grunt work that goes into the world’s favorite forms of narrative.

To experience the work of RC Matheson, you can find his books Battleground, Ritual of Illusion, Zoopraxis, Dytopia, and Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks for sale online.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.