Mysterious Goings On

Alex explores the complexities of navigating a creative career, particularly in writing and podcasting. He discusses the pervasive influence of the Author Services Industrial Complex, which capitalizes on authors' anxieties rather than genuinely helping them succeed. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the local nuances of podcasting and marketing, warning against the pitfalls of outsourcing these tasks to firms that lack a deep understanding of the creator's unique voice and audience. ---Book J. Alexander Greenwood for keynotes, panels, podcasts, and live conversations!J. Alexander Greenwood speaks on work, writing, media, and the systems people have to navigate every day, drawing from real-world experience as a writer, communicator, and podcaster.He appears at conferences, universities, book clubs, professional associations, and with organizations looking for something more grounded than a generic motivational talk. Formats include keynotes, panels, workshops, classroom conversations, and

On the Season 17 Premiere, Alex reflects on Robert Greene's book 'Mastery' and its profound impact on his understanding of personal growth and the writing craft. He discusses the concept of the long apprenticeship, the importance of recognizing one's true self, and the influences that have shaped his journey as a writer. Alex emphasizes the value of dedication and the gradual process of mastering a craft, while also looking forward to the new year with optimism and clarity.TakeawaysMastery is about the long apprenticeship we often overlook.Robert Greene's work offers depth rather than shortcuts.The false self accumulates from societal expectations.Mastery is a gradual process of devotion and practice.Writing is a craft that requires consistent effort.Influences shape our understanding and approach to craft.Personal growth is intertwined with the mastery of skills.Life experiences contribute to our unique perspectives.Recognizing one's life's task is crucial for fulfillment.The jou

In this reflective piece, Alex challenges the conventional narrative surrounding the holidays as a time for renewal and optimism. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of acknowledging personal loss and the complexities of life. He advocates for clearer thinking, honest conversations, and modest wishes that focus on competence and responsibility rather than empty optimism. Alex's message is a call to embrace the nuances of life, recognizing that real change comes from attention and effort rather than mere belief.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don't forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Alex reads his essay, “Tend Your Garden, But Don’t Forget the Gate,” originally published on his Substack, All The Fits That’s News. The piece explores the limits of the old Stoic maxim, “Don’t complain, don’t explain,” and how silence, when taken too far, becomes a form of avoidance rather than strength.Alex reflects on a difficult period in his professional life, when keeping everything bottled up nearly broke him. He discusses the value of choosing the right people to confide in, why venting is not weakness, and how discernment, not emotional shutdown, was the point the Stoics were getting at all along.10 Years. Hundreds of Shows. Alex needs a coffee. Or ten: ⁠Become a paid subscriber!I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: 50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads, or algorithms getting in the way.If you’ve enjoyed the essays and w

Alex takes a look at this year’s Spotify Wrapped for Mysterious Goings On and talks through what the numbers say about a small, strange, independent show that refuses to behave like a big studio podcast. He points out which episodes surprised him, where listeners are tuning in from, and even what kind of music and audiobooks the audience seems to love.There’s curiosity, a little pride, and plenty of thanks to the folks who keep pressing play. If you’re a fan, or just podcast-curious, this one gives you a peek behind the curtain, and maybe a nudge to support the show or pick up one of Alex's books while you’re at it.10 Years. Hundreds of Shows. Alex needs a coffee. Or ten: Become a paid subscriber!Thank you for listening. How about checking out All the Fits That’s News?I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: 50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads

What happens when a children’s book is written for adults who know better? Filmmaker and author Cevin Soling joins Alex to talk about his brilliantly twisted storybooks that hide sharp social commentary behind bright illustrations and dark comedy.His ⁠Rumpelville Chronicles⁠ wrap heavy themes in playful visuals, inviting adults to laugh, cringe, and think at the same time. Soling’s been poking at cultural absurdities since childhood, and his books pull no punches:• “The Jolly Elf” skewers bureaucracy through a murderous elf and a town more interested in TV rights than survival.• “The Bomb That Followed Me Home” turns a walking bomb into a cuddly pet, highlighting how normalized violence has become.Influenced by James Thurber and Tom Lehrer, Soling blends humor and critique with a light touch, creating stories that feel whimsical on the surface and subversive underneath.Soling has written about outsiders, power, education, and cultural blind spots for years through books like “The Student Resistance Series,” “

What keeps an artist going when fame never quite shows up? For songwriter, guitarist, and now novelist Douglas Bales, the answer is simple: the people who actually listen.In this episode, Douglas joins Mysterious Goings On to talk about his 40-year journey through the garage shows, the smoky clubs, the late-night drives, and the long odds that define a life in music. We get into what it really feels like to be onstage in front of an audience that finally gets you, why validation matters more than fame, and how the highs of performance stay with you long after the amps cool down.Douglas also unveils his new novel, Rock ’N’ Rolla Coaster, a gritty, funny, and painfully accurate look at band life from the inside. If you’ve ever plugged in, turned up, or dreamed of chasing the roar of the crowd, this one’s for you.In this episode:The rush of live performance and the emotional hangover that followsWhy fame is the exception, not the ruleHow musicians measure success (hint: it’s not album sales)The truth behind the

Author Dennis A. Feece returns to the show to talk about the latest chapter in his TB Stone series, THE PHANTOM GRASP ...which takes place in a world where identity, heritage, and personal history shape every twist.We get into how his own background fuels the storytelling, why authenticity matters more than ever, and what it takes to balance the pull of the market with the story you actually need to tell. Feece opens up about the evolution of his writing voice, the weight of personal truth in fiction, and the creative risks worth taking.If you're interested in character-driven mysteries, the craft of writing, or how a writer weaves real life into narrative without losing the thread, this one’s worth your time!Links to Dennis' previous appearance are here.***Get Marc Whitt's book: TAKEAWAYS: Ideas, Strategies and Encouragement for the Nonprofit Public Relations Professional+++⁠LISTEN WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS. Thank you for listening. How about checking out All the Fits That’s News?I’m excited

Alex shares a personal essay about a man who lived like he would never hit a red light. His life became a cautionary tale about avoidance, magical thinking, and the cost of confusing motion with progress.If you have ever watched someone you love floor it toward the inevitable or felt the pull of that habit yourself, this one may land close to home.Thank you for listening. How about checking out All the Fits That’s News?I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: 50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads, or algorithms getting in the way.

In this episode, Alex discusses the pervasive tension in today's world, attributing it to various societal pressures and the overwhelming nature of news and social media. He emphasizes the importance of cultivating personal connections and kindness as a means to navigate through negativity and stress. By focusing on small, positive actions, individuals can create a more supportive environment for themselves and others, despite the chaos surrounding them.Thank you for listening. How about checking out All the Fits That’s News?I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: 50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads, or algorithms getting in the way.

Welcome to Season 16 of Mysterious Goings On.Sometimes it takes a hard knock to the head to change how you see time.After a simple workplace accident led to an ER visit, Alex Greenwood found himself staring at a very different kind of threshold—one marked by uncertainty, health scares, and the quiet reckoning that comes when life reminds you it’s not a dress rehearsal.In this deeply personal premiere episode, Alex reflects on what a concussion and a few unexpected words (“we found something else”) taught him about mortality, ambition, and the fine art of choosing what truly matters.He also shares why he’s trading his PR mic for a history degree, lacing up for another half marathon, and learning to live not with certainty, but with purpose.Season 16 kicks off with a story about limits, endurance, and how to live while you still can.Find more at MGOPod.com.Thank you for listening. How about checking out All the Fits That’s News?I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: 50% off your first 12 months as a paid su

In our Season 15 finale, Alex talks about how, in the late Robert Redford’s All Is Lost, survival looks less like fireworks and more like grit, silence, and finally, a single reaching hand.In this episode, Alex Greenwood reflects on the film’s ending and what it teaches us about endurance, despair, and the ways hope shows up in real life. ***Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen Robert Redford’s 2013 film All Is Lost,  we discuss the ending.***Subscribers to our mothership, All the Fits That's News, can get 50% off, where you’ll find full essays, audio readings, and deeper dives into themes from the show.CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast⁠⁠⁠Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on

What does Edith Piaf have to teach us about surviving chaos in 2025? From La Vie en Rose to Marvel blockbusters, I explore why old voices still matter when today’s culture feels hollow.Plus, a special announcement: get 50% off your first year as a paid subscriber to ⁠All the Fits That’s News .⁠CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast⁠⁠Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don't forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music "Mysterious

In 2006, Mike Judge’s Idiocracy was satire. In 2025, it looks like the nightly news. Alex unpacks how anti-intellectualism, corporate dominance, politics as spectacle, and meme-economics echo Judge’s dystopia—and why the joke is starting to feel real. Plus, a special announcement: get 50% off your first year as a paid subscriber to All the Fits That’s News .CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast⁠Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don't forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Is the social media era finally losing its grip on us?In this episode, Alex reads his essay “Peak Social Media: When the Craze Becomes a Chore,” examining platform fatigue, expert perspectives on digital burnout, and the quiet rise of slower, more intentional spaces like Reddit and Substack.CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime PodcastEnjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don't forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music "Mysterious Goings On" by Jamie Green. Want y

Join host Alex Greenwood for a conversation with Colonel Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke (U.S. Army, Ret.)—West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and author of the award-winning Jake Fortina military thriller series. Steinke draws on 28 years in the Army and 14 with the Department of Defense to bring high-stakes realism to his novels. His latest, Vital Mission—releasing August 26, (note: there will be no pre-orders)—tackles the harrowing issue of Ukrainian children being abducted.Steinke’s distinguished career took him to more than 30 countries, including Afghanistan and Ukraine. His honors include the US Legion of Merit, French National Order of Merit (Commander), and the US Army Ranger Tab. He holds master’s degrees in West European studies and diplomacy, along with security affairs certificates from Harvard and Stanford.In this episode, Steinke discusses the inspiration behind his thrillers, the realities of national security work, and the enduring fidelity to the Constitution that guides a soldier’s service.More

What happens when one person wears the hats of author, illustrator, AND designer? You get a book like The Mystery of A Nubbins—a richly imagined adventure that feels like it stepped straight out of the Golden Age of Illustration.In this episode, I sit down with W.S. Wiist, who brings three decades of creative experience to his dream project. We talk about:✅ How childhood wonder shaped The Mystery of A Nubbins ✅ The Brandywine School of Illustration and why it still inspires him✅ His creative mentors ✅ How he balances writing, art, and design to create a single seamless experienceWe also get into the Indiegogo campaign that’s helping bring A Nubbins to life for more readers—and why this book is more than just a story, it’s an experience.

What happens when you ask Starfleet’s most logical mind to make sense of modern America? From politics to conspiracy theories, climate denial to social media chaos, Commander Spock doesn’t pull punches. He even offers his thoughts on the current state of Star Trek—and yes, he has opinions about blowing up the Enterprise, killing off Kirk, and the eyebrow-raising “young Spock.”No emotion. No spin. Just reason.

On this special Independence Day episode, Alex steps away from fiction and into the present-day reality of a nation at a crossroads.Dispirit of ’76 (also published on Substack) is a personal roadtrip through American optimism—what it was, what it’s become, and whether we still have the will to pursue the “beautiful world” promised in Donald Fagen’s 1982 track “I.G.Y.” Along the way, Alex revisits key moments in U.S. history—from 1776, to the post-Civil War collapse of 1876, to the performative patriotism of the Bicentennial—and questions how the American myth holds up in an era of political grievance, disinformation, and performative outrage.This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a drive through the literal and metaphorical cracks in our foundation, written from the road and the gut—with detours into the Roman Empire, Gore Vidal, altered flags, and the disorienting comfort of our modern lives.If you’re looking for something reflective, pointed, and (just maybe) hopeful, this one’s for you.CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A

In this episode, we explore the power of imperfection.From fictional characters who’ve survived trauma, addiction, grief, and self-sabotage, to real-life reflections on what it means to show up anyway—this is a tribute to the flawed, the functional, and the quietly heroic.✅ Why competence is its own kind of courage✅ How storytelling helps us reframe resilience✅ The link between emotional wounds and meaningful work✅ What it means to keep trying—even when you’re tired, angry, or scared✅ Why being “not broken” doesn’t mean being wholeThis one’s personal. And whether you’re someone who’s been through it—or someone who just feels like you’re barely holding it together—I hope this episode reminds you:You still count. You’re still here. And that matters.CONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠