In this compelling episode of Ink Blots, we sit down with the brilliantly unconventional Cevin Soling — an award-winning filmmaker, author, academic, artist, and musician whose work relentlessly challenges societal norms and exposes the absurdities embedded in modern institutions.

Soling is best known for his groundbreaking documentary The War on Kids, the first theatrically released film to confront the prison-like nature of American schools. The documentary earned widespread critical acclaim from The New York Times, Variety, and The Huffington Post, and solidified Soling as one of the most fearless cultural critics of our time.

Across nearly 20 films aired on HBO, PBS, the BBC, and more, as well as books, essays, lectures, and music projects like The Love Kills Theory and The Rumpleville Chronicles, Soling uses satire, scholarship, and art to interrogate the systems we take for granted.

A graduate of Harvard University with four master's degrees, Soling has presented his research and ideas at Harvard, Yale, SXSW, and TEDx, continuing to challenge the boundaries of authority, education, conformity, and human freedom.

This episode explores:

• The making and impact of The War on Kids

• Why American institutions often resemble the very problems they claim to solve

• Soling's unique multidisciplinary approach to activism and art

• How satire and storytelling can expose uncomfortable truths

• The cultural, educational, and philosophical themes driving his work

• What his new and upcoming projects reveal about society today

If you're fascinated by cultural discourse, documentary filmmaking, education reform, or subversive art, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

✅ Official Website:
https://www.cevinsoling.com

✅ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cevinsoling

✅ Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/cevinsoling

✅ Linktree (additional links):
https://linktr.ee/cevinsoling

#CevinSoling #TheWarOnKids #DocumentaryFilmmaker #CulturalCriticism #EducationReform #InkBlotsPodcast #IndependentFilm #SocialCommentary #SatireAndArt #InstitutionalCritique

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Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Ink Blots: Author Interviews to help more readers and writers discover these amazing conversations.

Are you a creative over 40 who's amazing at your craft—but totally overwhelmed by marketing? You're not alone. I help passionate, purpose-driven creatives like you overcome fear, get clear on your message, and build a marketing strategy that actually works. It's not too late to grow the business you've dreamed of. Let's take your work to the next level—together. Visit southgatesmallbusiness.com and let's get started today.

In this atmospheric episode of Ink Blots, we welcome Aleco Julius, author of Weird Tales of the Great Lakes and Endless Depths: Cosmic Themes, Weird Lore, & Hidden Knowledge. Blending cosmic horror, folklore, and strange tales rooted in the mysteries of the Midwest, Julius brings a unique voice to modern weird fiction.

His stories have appeared in Dark Matter Magazine, Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories, Dolls in the Attic, and Always Night, and his nonfiction writings appear in Fiddler's Green, Hellebore, Myth & Lore, and others. As a member of the Chicagoland Horror Writers Association, Julius continues to contribute to the resurgence of regional horror and mythic storytelling.

In this episode, we explore:

• The inspiration behind Weird Tales of the Great Lakes

• Why the Great Lakes remain a hotbed for horror, folklore, and cosmic mystery

• Julius's fascination with hidden knowledge, ancient forces, and eerie encounters

• The blend of regional history and supernatural imagination in his work

• What readers can expect from Endless Depths and his upcoming projects

• How environment, mythology, and strange phenomena shape his fiction

From ancient deities beneath the waves to the uncanny patterns etched into seashells, Julius's stories evoke a haunting, poetic vision of the waters that define the Midwest. Tune in for an unforgettable conversation about lore, landscape, and the enduring power of the weird.

📚 Order Weird Tales of the Great Lakes on Bookshop.org
👉 bookshop.org/a/10588/9798218416966

✅ Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aleco-Julius/author/B0CBTK4VRN

✅ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dagger_of_the_mind

✅ Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/dagger_of_the_mind

#AlecoJulius #WeirdTalesOfTheGreatLakes #CosmicHorror #GreatLakesLore #WeirdFiction #HorrorAuthors #InkBlotsPodcast #FolkloreFiction #RegionalHorror #HiddenKnowledge

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Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Ink Blots: Author Interviews to help more readers and writers discover these amazing conversations.

Are you a creative over 40 who's amazing at your craft—but totally overwhelmed by marketing? You're not alone. I help passionate, purpose-driven creatives like you overcome fear, get clear on your message, and build a marketing strategy that actually works. It's not too late to grow the business you've dreamed of. Let's take your work to the next level—together. Visit southgatesmallbusiness.com and let's get started today.

In this powerful episode of Ink Blots, we sit down with Mark Robinson, award-winning author and advertising industry veteran with over 40 years at the most prestigious agencies on Madison Avenue. Featured in Fortune, Black Enterprise, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and hand-selected by Spike Lee to co-found Spike/DDB, Mark brings shocking, eye-opening, and often unbelievable stories from inside one of America's least diverse white-collar professions.

His groundbreaking book, Black on Madison Avenue, reveals the explosive reality behind the ad world's polished façade. Mark shares gripping and often humorous tales from his decades in the industry—including confrontations with military officials during a Venezuelan coup, clashes with international dignitaries, the kidnapping of an ad legend, and the creation of the first multicultural marketing holding company.

This episode dives deep into:

• How Mark broke into the Madison Avenue elite

• Why the advertising industry remains one of the least diverse in America

• Behind-the-scenes stories Madison Avenue would rather keep hidden

• The personal experiences that shaped Black on Madison Avenue

• What real diversity and inclusion in advertising should look like

• How storytelling can disrupt an entire industry

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in advertising, cultural commentary, media history, or the lived experiences of Black professionals in corporate America.

📚 Order Black on Madison Avenue on Bookshop.org
👉 https://bookshop.org/a/10588/9781736621530

✅ Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mark-Robinson/author/B0CSWJ7Q29

✅ Black on Madison Avenue — Official Website:
https://blackonmadisonavenue.com

✅ Author Website:
https://markrobinson-writing.com/

✅ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mark_robinson.author/

✅ Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091754917832

#MarkRobinson #BlackOnMadisonAvenue #AdvertisingIndustry #MadisonAvenue #DiversityInAdvertising #InkBlotsPodcast #AuthorInterview #PublishingCommunity #AdvertisingStories #MulticulturalMarketing

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Ink Blots: Author Interviews to help more readers and writers discover these amazing conversations.

Are you a creative over 40 who's amazing at your craft—but totally overwhelmed by marketing? You're not alone. I help passionate, purpose-driven creatives like you overcome fear, get clear on your message, and build a marketing strategy that actually works. It's not too late to grow the business you've dreamed of. Let's take your work to the next level—together. Visit southgatesmallbusiness.com and let's get started today.