I’m testing Google’s Feedburner. So far it is doing what I want. The last and final test is for it to pick up posts that will be published at a certain time.

Here’s the man who inspired me to podcast. Paul Fischer, he of Balticon Podcast fame. Here he is (on the left) receiving an autographed microphone from Hal Haag in appreciation of all the hard work he’s done for their convention.

Of all things my wife I met him and his wife on a train from Fort William in Scotland on the way back to Glasgow. We’d both recently attended WorldCon there. More later.

I’ve done everything wrong a podcaster can do except for one thing. I’ve done little to promote it. I do not post on a regular schedule. Nor do I put out recorded podcasts in a reasonable amount of time after recording them. What I do have is content. I’m pleased with the results of my efforts and I’m glad to share them with the world.

I started podcasting for a reason. To promote a science fiction convention. I did it to promote Conestoga in Tulsa. I interviewed quite a few guests and I tried to interview not just the authors and artists but the fans as well. Without the fans there’d be no conventions. I did a total of 40 podcasts for the convention. They are currently offline as I handed over the convention website to another maintainer. I do plan to repost those podcasts for archival access because I think there are some interesting ones to be heard. We interviewed Glen Cook, James P. Hogan, Laurell K. Hamilton, and John Picacio to name a few. There are some other well known and lesser known names that are worth listening to as well.

When I started Escape from Cubicle 17 I thought I’d continue in that tradition but not focus on just one convention. I’d record interviews at conventions I attend or guests I could lure over to the home studio or via the intertubes. I know there are at least a few more people I’d like to interview at conventions I’ll be attending this year. However to do it right and not just for my own fanboy interests I would like to build a listenership. This means podcasting on a regular schedule. This means promoting it. It also means I need to have a reason. It’s not to promote a convention. It’s to share my love for science fiction. Why I think it’s a vital art form. Who the creative people behind it are and the people who help make it possibe to share that love with others in the world of fandom. There are few arts where the artists can mingle with those who appreciate their work. Also within fandom new artists do emerge. It’s been that way in fandom since the 1930’s and I hope to make a small contribution to that world to keep it going.

When can anyone expect new podcasts? Realsoonnow, sorta.

My other podcast has ended. The website they were on no longer hosts them. I will be putting up all 40 podcasts on a separate page or pages to archive them for posterity.

I still have two podcasts from FenCon V to post and they will be posted soon. I’ve recently moved from Tulsa to Tucson and am still settling. I should have more time for podcasting in the near future. I know that unless you post on a regular basis you cannot build an audience. Without an audience of feedback it’s hard to be motivated to do more of them. I enjoy recording and talking to people. It’s the posting them part I’m lax on.

So keep an eye on this podcast. I’m may broaden my horizons to cover more than science fiction fandom. It’s why I chose the name Escape from Cublice 17. I think it has a nice ring to it and doesn’t sound to specific. So check back, but not too often.

As a podcaster, one should not drop the ball and let your podcast fade into oblivion. I have done both. I soon plan to remedy this. Much has going on in my life of late though I really don’t have much of a excuse. I wanted to keep you all in the loop I do have plans to bring this podcast back to life. Not sure where it’s going or how it’s going to get there, but it’s going someplace realsoonnow.

I will be at Fen Con V next weekend (Oct 3-5, 2008; Dallas/Ft. Worth) and will be recording a few interviews.