I will be wrapping up Season 4 of YXE Underground next month. In that time, I have featured more than 50 guests and had more than 40,000 downloads. I am proud of these numbers. This podcast is done in my free time with a budget of zero dollars. Instead, I rely on the skills and abilities I learned as a journalist to find guests and share their stories in a creative and meaningful way.
This podcast has been quite the journey for me. I have collaborated with local photographers to bring YXE Underground's presence to social media. I have presented to local organizations, elementary and high school classrooms, and even our provincial health organization on the potential and benefits of podcasts, and selfishly have met so many incredible people in our community.
I am excited to see YXE Underground grow in the years to come and thank you for the chance to share my story with you and your listeners.
"It has been a real privilege sharing these stories on YXE Underground and I’m excited to see the podcast continue to grow in the years to come"
- Eric Anderson
My career in journalism and communications, as well as my podcast, would not have happened had I not had the courage to walk away from a secure career and take a risk on a path I felt passionate about. I am very fortunate to be where I am today.
When I deliver podcast merchandise to listeners at their homes, I am able to thank them in person for their support. I think this goes a long way in securing loyalty and support among listeners. What keeps them coming back is curiosity and wanting to know more about their community. They are curious to see who the next episode is going to feature and to discover how this person is making a difference in Saskatoon. My listeners are educated, passionate and very supportive. I am grateful for them!
I wanted to find those people and share their stories with the greater community.
There is no other podcast or even reporter that is doing what I am doing in Saskatoon. This fact was slightly nerve-wracking at first as I was forging a new path. However, that fear quickly morphed into excitement as people began listening and sharing the podcast. There was a market in Saskatoon for my podcast and I knew that it would grow as long as I kept finding exceptional guests and presented their stories in a professional and creative way.
I have covered a variety of topics in the past four seasons told by diverse voices. Food security, education, the arts, mental health and addiction and safe and affordable housing are a few of the topics covered in my podcast. I am so proud of the diversity of the podcast and how it continues to grow and evolve!
Hello and welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground.
Back in May, I was fortunate to host a book launch at McNally Robinson for my friend, Chelsea Coupal. Chelsea is an incredible poet, and her new collection, entitled ‘U Alive’, is a powerful read.
The collection was published by Saskatchewan’s Thistledown Press. I got to speak with the publisher’s Publicity and Marketing Manager, Mariah Warriner, after Chelsea’s event, and I’m excited to share that I will get to host some upcoming book launches for Thistledown Press.
The first of these book launches takes place on Friday, October 16th, at McNally Robinson featuring author, university professor, and wonderful human being, Jeanette Lynes. It starts at 7pm, is free to the public and I hope you can make it because Jeanette is simply wonderful.
Jeanette is a Professor of English and Directory of the MFA in Writing Program at the University of Saskatchewan. She is an award-winning author and poet who has written four novels, and her latest book is a collection of non-fiction essays entitled, ‘Apron Apocalypse: Lyric Essays’ published by Thistledown Press.
I am delighted to host her book launch and to share with you a conversation I had with Jeanette recently at the Yard and Flagon Pub in Saskatoon’s Broadway neighbourhood.
We cover a lot of ground in this conversation. Everything from the importance of the collection’s sequence of stories, to Jeanette’s appreciation of glowing signs at night, and why university students are going to be alright when it comes to writing original stories in an age of artificial intelligence.
Jeanette’s book launch, which I am honoured to host, takes place at McNally Robinson on Friday, October 16th, and there might be prizes of immeasurable worth at the book launch. I hope to see you there, and I hope you get a chance to meet Jeanette and buy her book!
- Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
- Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
- Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
- Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis
Vinnie Potestivo, Editor-in-Chief of
I Have A Podcast®
