And with that, listeners were transformed by the tale that P.G. Holyfield told.
I began audio drama in the first wave of podcasting back over a decade now, and even though audio books and audio drama swim in different circles we do cross back and forth occasionally.
I never got much chance to speak to P.G., but I too was wrapped up in his novel “Murder at Avedon Hill” and was excited at the opportunity for more. P.G. and I have a lot in common, a love of role playing games, fantasy, and of course Game of Thrones. P.G. is a lover of story, a weaver of tales and a podcaster of many podcasts well “Beyond the Wall” and “Tales of the Children” are the ones I’ve listened to. He’s a favourite guest at both Balticon and Dragoncon and has an endless list of friends he’s gathered in the seven years since he first podcast his novel.
I mean P.G. Holyfield is such a presence in the podcasting culture, that I guess I took it for granted that I’d be able to interview him at any time.
so, it was with some shock that I read a blog announcement from Chooch Schubert and Vivian Muse about the recent challenges to P.G.’s health.
And after I started looking at pictures after pictures of Patrick with his friends that people posted on his Facebook and through twitter, and I listened to the love that Nutty spoke about, the fact that no one, NO ONE could say anything bad about this man… it got me thinking…
Maybe, it’s time for all of us to rise and shine a little bit more. You know the phrase “rise and shine”? My parents woke me up as a kid every morning, and I wake up my boys with that little piece of advice- Rise and Shine.
P.G. Holyfield teaches me, even now, a little bit about being a better person. Not just rising to the challenges and doing the things I need to do, but maybe “shining” just a little brighter… smiling a little more, and being just that much more communicative about the people around me.
I lost my best friend, eighteen years ago, and since then, I don’t take my friends for granted. I’m very careful to tell the listeners of the Sonic Society know how much they mean to me at the end of each season. I try not to get too sappy through out the year, but maybe the secret of P.G.’s success as a man- beyond his wildly creative talent- is that he makes people around him feel valued all the time.
Not just once in a while, and without having to say a whole lot.
I’m not a very social person normally. I have trouble feeling comfortable around groups of people I don’t know- hence my presence in Conventions have always been limited. I’m more comfortable on stage and in panels than chatting afterwards.
Maybe it’s time for me try harder. Maybe its time to rise a little to complete those creative endevours. Maybe its time to shine a little more with the people around me.
If you want to help out P.G., and rise and shine a little more yourself, go to the Go Fund Me P.G. Holyfield Cancer Support page, put your memories of Patrick in an audio or a video… Talk to friends. Whatever you do…
Time to shake yourself out of bed, and rise and shine…
