Birthday Bonanza

Storytelling stuff worth sharing

Hello friends—

Soooo check it out. Next week, on Tax Day, I turn 49!

That sound you just heard was my parents’ heads exploding.

Good call on the red velvet.

My beloved Rebecca already gifted me a new Qwerkywriter. It’s a keyboard with multiple bluetooth capabilities and a tablet stand and it’s designed to look like an old fashioned typewriter all the way down to its round, lifted keys which make the most delightful SNAP when you click ‘em.

I’m SNAPPING on it right/write now!

Soooo pretty… It even has a programmable return bar! SNAP!

Anyhow, in celebration of my 49th, I am offering all of you a gift…

Through April 18, you can get an annual subscription to PAGE&STAGE for 49% off!

And since I’ve been doing some tinkering, here’s what that means…

Everyone, paid or free, gets the Friday newsletter.

Everyone also gets the alternating double-dose of podcasts every Monday, both the Page&Stage Podcast featuring deep-dive interviews with amazing writers, actors, directors, and storytellers, as well as the newly launched 100 Plays: Lessons Learned Telling Stories from the Stage, which is my solo memoir/inspirational handbook collection of theatre stories.

Everyone also can comment on all those newsletters and podcasts.

But here’s what an annual subscription will get you in addition—

—An annual (and renewable) $20 gift card to the Ibis Books bookshop.

—And access to a brand new section of Page&Stage, which I am proudly calling THE LOOSE CANNON.

Kaboom!

Part workshop, part journal, part soapbox—The Loose Cannon is where I set down the mantle of storycoach and let my storyteller self run free. You’ll find monologues, short fiction, shards of memoir, personal essays, and real-time responses to the world as it spins. These words may not always land where they’re “supposed” to, but they’ll always come from the heart.

Two or three Wednesdays a month, I’ll light a fuse and see where that cannonball flies. I’ll be sending out a short story next Wednesday to everyone, so you can get a sense, but after that free sample, The Loose Cannon will be available only to paid subscribers.

But again, today through April 18, you can grab it all for 49% off! Just click the purple button—

Regardless, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for reading and listening the past couple years as I’ve worked my way into full-time writing and storycoaching. Y’all are the best.

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Storytelling tip o’ the week

I spent most of my time this past week plotting birthday shenanigans and playing with my Qwerkywriter and preparing The Loose Cannon, so I find myself a tad tipless today.

But I did come across this amazing quote…

Being a writer is an act of perpetual self-authorization.
No matter who you are.
Only you can authorize yourself….
No one else can authorize you.
No one.

Verlyn Klinkenborg in Several Short Sentences About Writing.

And while Verlyn is talking specifically about writing here, I will add that the idea of “authorizing yourself” applies to any and all storytellers and artists. To any entrepreneur. To anyone on the journey.

External validation? Meh. That won’t get you through the long-haul.

To quote another source of incredible wisdom—John Candy as “Irv Blitzer” in Cool Runnings: “A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it.”

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The Page&Stage Podcast

A reminder to check out my convo with the amazing Rebecca Gummere.

In this episode, I explore the multifaceted life of Rebecca Gummere, an award-winning author and former pastor. From her early days in a corporate family's ever-changing landscape to the profound personal losses that shaped her faith journey, Rebecca shares how her pursuit of meaning and wonder ultimately guided her to writing. Inspiring and deeply human, Rebecca's tale underscores themes of grief, spirituality, and creativity, offering listeners an intimate understanding of her search for divine mystery and narrative expression.

You can listen on the Substack App, and all episodes are also available on Apple or Spotify.

Or you can watch the video version of this podcast over on YouTube—

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100 Plays

The next episode of 100 PLAYS will hit your inboxes on MONDAY.

In this episode, I talk about French existentialism, staring contests, and how to handle actors who totally lose their cool.

You can listen on the Substack App, and all episodes are also available on Apple or Spotify.

Or, if you want to put a face with a voice, you can watch the video version of this podcast over on YouTube.

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Remember, whether your subscription is paid or free, you can comment on newsletters and podcasts. I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions!

Thanks as always for reading, and have a great weekend—

Jason “Birthday Boy” Cannon