We’re taking time to introduce you to the teams behind the podcasts of Secret Weapon Productions. This month we are taking a look into the literary world of Wordstruck and its hosts, Alyssa Small and Clark Hodges.
The Interview
Explain your podcast in three words.
C: Magical. Wonderful. Friendly.
A: Friends revisit books.
How did you come up with the idea of your podcast?
C: It was Alyssa’s idea. She wanted to read through the Harry Potter with a total newbie and I was the perfect mark.
A: I wanted to read Harry Potter again with someone who doesn’t know the books to see if it holds up. It turns out my good friend Clark, who had moved across the country, had very little experience with Harry Potter. So it suddenly became a great project to help us keep in touch across several states.
Why did you feel one another was the right choice of co-host?
C: Alyssa and I approach stories very differently. She is very good at immersing herself in a given universe, exploring and adapting in order to find new perspectives and details. Due to her meticulous nature, she catches a lot of things that would have gone completely over my head.
A: Clark warned me he wouldn’t be enchanted by Harry Potter. That’s exactly what I wanted—someone to look critically at the books to see if they still hold up. Plus I just love talking to Clark. And the fact that he studied radio production in college was a bonus!
Favorite podcast bit you’ve done together?
C: Any time we come up with new nicknames for characters or Alyssa brings out her Hagrid voice I’m very happy.
A: I still love our sorting hat episode. I only wish Clark had been just as surprised as I was.
Favorite thing about co-hosting with one another?
C: Mostly the fact that I get to spend time with her in general. We usually talk for an hour or so around the recording, and I dearly value that time.
A: We just have so much fun together! I love our chats over tea before we record, and hearing Clark’s thoughts on the chapters, and occasionally leading him astray on what happens next. And when our podcast releases to the public, I love listening to it again. It’s like an audio album of our friendship. Well, maybe a wizard rock album of our friendship.
“C: Mostly the fact that I get to spend time with her in general. We usually talk for an hour or so around the recording, and I dearly value that time.
A: We just have so much fun together! I love our chats over tea before we record, and hearing Clark’s thoughts on the chapters, and occasionally leading him astray on what happens next. And when our podcast releases to the public, I love listening to it again. It’s like an audio album of our friendship. Well, maybe a wizard rock album of our friendship.”
Least favorite thing about co-hosting with one another?
C: It keeps me up past my bedtime a lot, and Alyssa and I sometimes end up in like 20 minute discussions about something that is ultimately edited out because it doesn’t have an effect on the characters or world in general.
A: We just have so much fun together! I love our chats over tea before we record, and hearing Clark’s thoughts on the chapters, and occasionally leading him astray on what happens next. And when our podcast releases to the public, I love listening to it again. It’s like an audio album of our friendship. Well, maybe a wizard rock album of our friendship.
You’re stuck in a cell together, how long before you crazy?
C: 12 hours. We’re very intense and different ways and I think we are at our best when we have distractions, projects, or other people. Now, if we were planning a jailbreak, we could keep that entertaining for a long time.
A: Clark will instantly start looking for ways out. I’m probably useless in this scenario, unless he needs a leg up. But the real test will be when one of us (let’s be honest, it probably would be Clark) hits ultimate interaction and needs some introverted recharge time. But aside from eventually getting snippy with each other, I think we could last a while without driving each other mad. Unless the cell is grey. I don’t know how long I could take Clark appreciating our grey surroundings.
If you could choose another co-host for Dizzy Channel Original Friendship, who would it be?
C: Probably Adair because she’s very much a bookworm and I’m delighted pretty much every time I talk to her. Definitely not Dan.
A: If Clark’s not available, I’m promoting our number 1 fan to be my cohost—Austin. That is if he’ll take it.
If you created another podcast together what would it be about?
C: Probably about the creative process in general. Alyssa is a writer, and I’d love to pull some of her work into the light and pick her brain about it.
A: We could do a pretty good advice podcast, I think. Or, it could be fun to become creative partners and challenge each other to paint and write more. Or maybe a podcast where clark talks about critters and I talk about news? Eh, we’ve probably already found our niche.