Bruce Coville on Writing, Empathy, and Cherishing Oddballs On “Good News York,” the host interviews children’s author Bruce Coville about his career and the impact of books like “Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher” and “My Teacher Is an Alien.” Coville describes writing across formats, his sixth-grade teacher Mrs. Crandall inspiring him (and receiving the dedication), and how “My Teacher Is an Alien” became his breakthrough after years of work. He discusses why negative childhood memories linger, how arts projects and plays matter in schools, and argues that stories teach empathy better than writing to preach lessons. Coville reflects on being an “oddball,” encourages supporting excluded kids, and shares classroom experiences that informed characters. He gives advice to young writers—read, write (keep a journal), and never give up—and previews finishing “The Ghost Saw Red” after decades, with possible self-publishing. 00:00 Dedication Shoutout 00:11 Meet Bruce Coville 00:37 Jeremy Thatcher Love 01:40 Breakthrough Book 02:10 Sixth Grade Spark 02:42 Writing Failures Funny 04:39 Mrs Crandall Moment 05:12 Alien Teacher Origins 06:16 Memories And Doors 08:19 Arts Projects Matter 08:59 Failure Resume Reflection 10:37 Tech In Classrooms 12:02 Teaching Years Recap 12:38 Cherish The Oddballs 14:25 Oddballs In History 14:47 Being A Weird Kid 16:13 Movie Plans And Packaging 17:41 Alien Rumor Inspiration 18:42 Troublemaker Student Story 20:36 Turning One Book Into Series 21:50 Writing the Bad Kid POV 23:16 Empathy Through Story 25:28 Aliens Confront Real World 28:12 Advice for Young Writers 29:37 Journaling as Healing 32:09 Letters From Adult Readers 33:15 Finishing The Ghost Saw Red 38:03 Books vs Influencer Intimacy 40:24 Where to Follow Bruce 40:55 Final Thanks and Outro

Nick-E on Syracuse’s Music Scene, Mental Health, and Building a Career in 2026 On Good News York, host interviews Syracuse, New York artist Nick-E about starting music as a high school freshman, facing both support and ridicule, and using that as fuel to study lyric writing and wordplay. Nick-E describes performing mostly in New York City and Albany, often as an energetic opening act, and explains Syracuse’s diverse local music scene, naming artists like Big Sexy, Skyla Beef, and the VCM crew. He records at Red Brick Recording in Central Square and recommends venues and networking routes such as Song and Dance events and Funk ’n Waffles open mics. Nick-E performs and discusses two songs, “Dark Clouds” (inspired by mental health struggles and recovery after returning home from NYC during COVID) and “Tough Times” (reflecting late high school growth). He cites influences including Mac Miller and pop punk bands, and shares advice on supporting friends, honing craft, and mastering social media and content monetization while keeping a job to pay bills. 00:00 Fuel From Doubters 00:20 Meet Nick E 01:26 First Songs In High School 02:53 NYC Shows And Live Energy 03:41 Syracuse Scene And Shoutouts 05:13 Studios And Getting Involved 06:58 Performing Dark Clouds 10:59 Meaning Behind Dark Clouds 12:50 Influences And Positivity 14:45 Starting Tough Times 15:26 Song Performance Begins 16:07 Hook and Repeat Chorus 16:54 Post Song Reactions 17:06 High School Inspiration 18:14 Support Your Friends 19:48 Inside Joke FMC 20:06 Making Music in 2026 22:03 Finding Local Artists 24:11 Advice for New Musicians 27:22 Funk N Waffles Love 28:36 Where to Find Nick E 29:21 Final Wrap and Thanks

Syracuse Improv’s Johnny Nolan on Spooky D&D Improv, Workshops, and Building a Comedy Community On Good News York, host Noah interviews Johnny Nolan, co-founder of Syracuse Improv, about growing the group from a small library meetup to 40+ attendees per workshop and multiple shows. They promote an upcoming Monday, October 26 Halloween-themed Dungeons & Dragons improv show at the Song & Dance, where performers and the audience create characters and an adventure on the spot, with a twist following monsters instead of heroes, plus costumes, a contest sponsored by Birdie and Dice, and tickets via syracuseimprov.com. They describe beginner-friendly free workshops every other Wednesday focused on community, shared silliness, and confidence, and discuss their own improv history in high school and at RIT. Looking ahead, they plan more shows, expanded classes (Level 1 and new Level 2), and a long-term goal of a dedicated theater, funded through attendance, grants, and donors. 00:00 Anxious And Late Cold Open 00:09 Meet Johnny Nolan 01:35 Dnd Improv Show Explained 02:51 Halloween Monsters Twist 03:36 Origins Of Diceprov 05:13 Ticket Sales Stress 05:43 How To Get Tickets 06:43 Marketing Call To Action 07:23 Workshops Overview 09:48 Community Through Improv 11:12 Embracing Embarrassment 12:10 Boy Scouts Memories 13:06 High School Improv Club 15:52 Rit Improv Life 17:33 Finding Friends At Rit 18:32 Silly Games Build Trust 19:42 Improv Friends For Life 20:46 Rebuilding Syracuse Improv 22:18 Community Connections And Venues 25:01 Working Styles And Friction 28:10 Big Vision For Growth 29:35 Why Take Improv Classes 33:14 Theater Dream And Funding 35:16 How You Can Help Now 37:32 Favorite Scenes And Memories 40:44 Final Thanks And Wrap Up