The Storyteller Co-Op is back! After a long and unexpected hiatus, Jacob G Ward returns with an interview with the creator, director, producer of Story Jam, Stephanie Rogers. Based in Chicago, Story Jam is a live storytelling experience featuring true stories performed on stage, followed by a live performance of an original song based on the story. Visit www.storyjamshow.com for more information.

We continue our Storyteller Chats series with Nick Vos of Atropos, an outdoor lifestyle brand. Storytelling comes in more forms than just writing fiction, and on this episode we discuss it in terms of video blogging, social media, and even songwriting. Check out Atropos on TikTok and Instagram @teamatropos, or visit their website atroposstore.com

We sit down and talk with the author of "Bronx Tales" from Episode 5, Crystal D Mayo. She tells Jacob about how her life fuels her art, her art fuels her life, and what she tries to accomplish by putting it all out there.

Crystal D. Mayo is a published author, performer, and educator. Bronx Tales is a collection of short works inspired by her life growing up in South Bronx in the 1970s. Her beautiful visions and poetized memories show this neighborhood was truly a place strength, community, and art that would spread across the entire country like wildfire.

Five different authors. Five different works. Today's episode features very short stories and poetry, all under 10 minutes each.

The Center of My Universe by Crystal D. Mayo

Not Yet by Kate Maruyama

A collection of poetry from little words. by a.hashman (Amber Young)

The New Neighbor by Michael Buchta

Pools of Blue & Butterfly Wings by Ashley R. Jones, from her horror collection A Dash of Murder

Landon Hudson is writer, actor, poet and spoken word performer. He's had hundreds, if not thousands of hours on stage, and has won awards for his works that challenge the cultures of unacceptance. And he hasn't even finished High School. This episode features four pieces, "Tap Tap Poetry," "My Pleasure," "The Farm To Table Medical Procedure," and "I Miss Brett," all written and performed by Landon Hudson. Stick around for an interview at the end. You can find Landon on Instagram @thelandonhudson

Austin Miles is a writer and musician and the author and reader of today's story, Black Earth. He also creates the music for this podcast! Afterwards, Jacob asks Austin about the relationship between writing and music, and also the responsibilites of authors writing about cultures and backgrounds of which they are not apart of.

The very first episode of The Storyteller Co-Op! Today's story is by our host, Jacob G Ward. And he lets you know how you can get involved and turn your own story into an audio production.