Three years of storytelling with The Moth

This weekend one of my stories was featured on The Moth Radio Hour. This show is broadcast nationwide on more than 280 radio stations. As a result, I’ve been hearing from many generous listeners over the past few days.

Quite a number of them have asked if this was the first story that I had told for The Moth. It was not. Over the past three years, I’ve told stories in 23 Moth StorySLAM competitions and six GrandSLAM championships in New York City and Boston. I’ve also told stories at two of the Moth’s Main Stage shows (including the one where this week’s Moth Radio Hour story was recorded) and other Moth events, including an publicity event for their recent book tour.

I also had another story on The Moth’s Radio Hour in September of last year. You can hear that story on The Moth’s website here. 

The Moth has become an enormous part of my life over the past three years. The organization and the people involved have come to mean a great deal to me. From The Moth’s founder, George Dawes Green, to their talented producers, directors and hosts, to some of their most popular storytellers, it’s an organization filled with talented,committed and kind people. It’s been an honor to work with them and to call many of them my friends. 

Little did I know that less than three years ago, I would throw my name into the hat at a Moth StorySLAM at the Nuyorican Poets Café  and begin a journey journey into something that has become an enormous part of my life. 

Since that night, I’ve won 11 StorySLAMs.

I’ve been recruited to tell stories for other storytelling shows in New York, Boston and Hartford.

My wife and I have launched Speak Up, our own storytelling organization in Connecticut. We host sold-out shows every other month and teach workshops to fledgling storytellers.

I recently finished writing a book based upon the stories that I have told for The Moth (on the recommendation of a Moth director) and hope to publish it in the near future.

The Moth has changed my life. My only frustration is that it took so long for me to take the stage for the first time. 

Listeners of this week’s Moth Radio Hour have asked if I have any other stories online. Thankfully, The Moth records every story told onstage and makes those recordings available to storytellers for a small fee. So yes, I have a YouTube channel with many of my stories, and I’ve posted a few below in case you’re interested.

Regular readers of this blog have probably seen these stories posted before. 

If you’re one of the Moth Radio Hour listeners who arrived at this blog after listening to my story on the radio or in podcast form, thank you for your kindness and generosity.

I hope you will continue to listen to The Moth. Amazing stories await.

I hope that one day, you might take the stage at a StorySLAM and tell your own story.