Rephonic
Artwork for The Drunken Odyssey

The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life

John King
Poetry
Miami Book Fair
William S. Burroughs
Writing Process
Billy Collins
Night Of the Living Dead
Eraserhead
Hannah Arendt
Insectopolis
Graphic Novels
Opera
Ewoks
Entomology
Zombies
Orlando
Sylvia Plath
Covid-19
Water, Water
Florida
Fred Lambert

Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate w... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes728Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArtsBooks

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Drunken Odyssey

Latest Episodes

In this week's episode, John interviews the Pulitzer Prize-wining justice journalist and researcher Gilbert King,

plus TDO proudly shares a dual book-launch event for Laura Lee Bahr and Erik Deckers.

In this week's episode, John interviews music journalist and biographer Bob Spitz about the massive sixty-year career of The Rolling Stones, how the music moves us, and the process of creating a good book with a tidal wave's amount of material to cov... more

On this show, John and Matt Peters continue The Kerouac Project Book Club with a discussion of William S. Burrough's Naked Lunch.

In this week's episode, John speaks with the poet Henry Hughes about poetry, fishing, patience, creativity, Charles Bukowski, and other matters of literary interest.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Bob Spitz
Music journalist and biographer
Author; biographer of The Rolling Stones
Episode: 717: Bob Spitz!
Henry Hughes
Poet; author of Sergeant Dark
Poet, Western Oregon University (Professor)
Episode: 715: Henry Hughes!
Lara Egger
Poet, author of How to Love Everyone and Almost Get Away With It; author of Flop Era
Poet
Episode: 714: Lara Egger!
Dave Housley
Fiction writer and editor, founding editor of Barrel House Magazine
Barrel House Magazine / Mason Jar Press
Episode: 713: Dave Housley!
Philip Schultz
Poet, author of Enormous Morning; founder/director of the writer's studio
Writer's Studio
Episode: 709: Philip Schultz!
Felicia Day
Author and creator of The Lost Daughter of Sparta
Geek & Sundry / various writer‑producer roles
Episode: 708: Felicia Day!
Shawn Welcome
Poet laureate of Orlando and founding member of the Orlando Literary Arts Council
Orlando Literary Arts Council / City of Orlando
Episode: 707: Shawn Welcome!
Richard Blanco
Poet; former inaugural poet of the United States
Episode: 706: Richard Blanco!
Mamie Pound
Writer of flash fiction, micro fiction, and occasionally poetry
CareWreck Project of Orlando
Episode: 705: Mamie Pound!

Host

John King
Host of the show, leads interviews, introduces guests, and guides craft discussions.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 80 ratings
  • Mind-numbingly pretentious

    I appreciate the discussion of an obscure set of poems I couldn’t find any other podcasts on, but found the tone unbearable.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    rcm18313
    Canada2 years ago
  • Smart, Fun, and Relevant

    Literary podcasts have a tendency toward dryness (which is why I don't often listen to them...), but this one doesn't -- like, at all. John King peppers his interviews with contemporary authors and poets (and the occasional graphic artist or screenwriter!) with wry humor, down-to-earth conversation about the writing life, and great music. The movie review shows and craft discussions on writing are special favorites. Comes highly recommended!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IantheRoge
    United States5 years ago
  • Great Writers, Great Discussions

    Here’s a show featuring successful, working writers discussing what they do and how they do it. Come for the interesting people; stay for the nuggets of wisdom, ideas, and irreverent fun.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    steventhowell
    United States6 years ago
  • "And don't swallow the worm".

    I listen to dozens of shows about the writing life. Only 3 really excite me when I see a new episode has been uploaded. TDO is one of them. Specifically, I enjoy John's tone, the connections he makes with the guests, the "vibe" of the show, and the undercurrent of humor that comes from John not taking any of it too seriously. Cheers!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Colorado Carnivore
    United States7 years ago
  • Bingeworthy and useful

    I really like this podcaster's style (educated but accessible and conversational) -- it's a really great to listen to for motivation, and even just general writing advice. Some episodes I've listened to more than once; on days I've set aside for writing, I feel like I've been more efficient and inspired when I've let this podcast play in the background. Highly recommended

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MWM1979
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Writers discuss craft and life; you'll hear nuggets of wisdom and practical advice for writing.
Guests range from acclaimed poets to editors, delivering diverse perspectives on the writing life.
The host blends interviews with witty, down-to-earth discussion and great music, making literary talk feel engaging and accessible.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#52
Brazil/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#93
Denmark/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#126
Brazil/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

714: Lara Egger!
Q: How did you enter the poetry racket?
Egger describes a path through high school and college poetry, early workshops at Grub Street, mentoring from teachers like Bill Nott, and deciding to pursue an MFA at Warren Wilson as a low-res, supportive environment that encouraged serious craft.
708: Felicia Day!
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the process of learning to write in the context of these stories with love?
She describes an iterative process of reading, researching, and translating old stories into a contemporary, gender-aware lens, focusing on universal human experiences rather than antiquated stereotypes, and she highlights her aim to create a story that speaks to adults and younger readers alike.
708: Felicia Day!
Q: This book, in part, began as a nerdy cure for insomnia. Can you talk about how you delved through the dusty, awkward, layered of English language translation to find your way to fall in love with the myths of ancient Greece?
Day explains how researching a wide range of texts—from Homer to Ovid to Hesiod—deepened her understanding and helped her craft a fresh take on familiar stories. She emphasizes following a personal curiosity, then translating that curiosity into a narrative that resonates with modern readers and viewers while remaining faithful to mythic sources.
707: Shawn Welcome!
Q: What can you tell us about the big festival next year and its goals?
Shawn outlines the plan for the 34th Southern Fried Poetry Slam across five days, including Revive Zora in Eatonville, a kickoff event, multiple venues in downtown Orlando, and a finals show at the Orlando Museum of Art, emphasizing community engagement and cultural education.
707: Shawn Welcome!
Q: How did you get into poetry, and what drew you to this art form?
Shawn explains that his entry was largely through hip hop and rap during high school in Brooklyn, where he found a supportive environment in cipher circles and open mic settings that valued personal storytelling and cadence over formal instruction.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Drunken Odyssey

What is The Drunken Odyssey about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A conversations-driven show centered on writers across fiction, poetry, memoir, and journalism, with in-depth, long-form interviews that unpack craft, process, and life in writing. Recurring strengths include candid discussions of revision, the writing life, and the interaction between art and commerce, often enriched by readings, personal anecdotes, and occasional live ad segments. Guests range from poets and novelists to editors, critics, and pop-culture writers, offering practical craft insights, industry perspectives, and a sense of community for aspiring writers and literary enthusiasts alike. A notable edge is the host's mix of rigorous literary inquiry with humor and a relaxed, inclusive tone that invites both serious craft talk and ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Drunken Odyssey?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Drunken Odyssey. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Drunken Odyssey and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Drunken Odyssey get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Drunken Odyssey, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Drunken Odyssey?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Drunken Odyssey, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Drunken Odyssey have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Drunken Odyssey has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Drunken Odyssey?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Drunken Odyssey:

1. Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
2. Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
3. Zero to Well-Read
4. Arts & Ideas
5. The LRB Podcast

How many episodes of The Drunken Odyssey are there?

The Drunken Odyssey launched 14 years ago and published 728 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Drunken Odyssey?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Drunken Odyssey?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Drunken Odyssey from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Drunken Odyssey?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Drunken Odyssey. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Drunken Odyssey?

Recent guests on The Drunken Odyssey include:

1. Bob Spitz
2. Henry Hughes
3. Lara Egger
4. Dave Housley
5. Philip Schultz
6. Felicia Day
7. Shawn Welcome
8. Richard Blanco

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days