In part I of our special series "Rejecting Denialism in the Gulf," Brent sits down with Dr Ashley Ross, a self-declared "political scientist turned hazard scholar" at Texas A&M University Galveston. Ashley's work is a fascinating blend of public policy and environmental science, and she is on the forefront of climate discussions on the Texas coast.

Ashley's TAMUG page.

About the series: There are some places where discussions of climate change, sea level rise, and extreme weather events are very uncomfortable. Brent traveled to Houston, New Orleans, and Key West to talk to scientists and activists who are invested in and propelling these essential discussions and initiatives. What he discovered was enormous and gracious creativity when it comes to having conversations with climate deniers and those resistant to the idea of human-caused climate change, many of whom work in government and hold positions of influence.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

Dave and Brent talk about how the church can better do what it's supposed to be doing: gathering believers so they can help people. Even for those who don't believe, there exists the possibility that church can be a (better) force of good in the world: unfortunately, it can be easy to forget the good in the face of all that isn't.

To be continued...

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

There are some places where discussions of climate change, sea level rise, and extreme weather events are very uncomfortable. In this special series, Brent travels to Houston, New Orleans, and Key West to talk to scientists and activists who are invested in and propelling these essential discussions and initiatives. What he discovered was enormous and gracious creativity when it comes to having conversations with climate deniers and those resistant to the idea of human-caused climate change, many of whom work in government and hold positions of influence.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

Had a fantastic chat with Paris Gee and Kadin Chung, two of Vancouver FC's standout players (and standup guys) to talk about football and life and how a career sometimes needs to go horizontal before it can go vertical.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

Kadin's Instagram

Paris' Instagram

Vancouver Football Club

And THAT photo can be found here.

A fantastic chat with the talented and epically thoughtful Renée Sarojini Saklikar, who is crossing all sorts of genres and boundaries in her writing. We talk about her extended work The Heart Of This Story Bears All Patterns (THOT J BAP) and how rejection can be an intentional and thoughtful step along the artistic journey.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

Resources from the episode:

• Turning Point Ensemble: https://turningpointensemble.ca/
• The founder of The Writer's Studio at SFU: Besty Warland https://www.betsywarland.com/
• Renée on instagram: @saklikartartyone, and Twitter: @reneesarojini

Rejected Central goes on location to sit down with novelist, essayist, and writing coach Heidi Reimer to talk about the artistic (and personal) journey of a professional writer, which for Heidi has taken time, persistence, and more than her fair share of rejection. She's just launched her first novel into the world: find out more at https://www.heidireimer.com/.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and be sure to reach out with your ideas and comments.

Brent and Dave are on location at St Joseph's Hospital, where Dave is receiving treatment for a recent mental health crisis. In this candid, personal conversation, Dave shares his struggles and victories with his own mental health with the goal of rejecting the stigmas that surround how we respond to those in crisis or with mental health needs. We should be talking more about metal health.

If you're in crisis or feeling persistently not like yourself, please talk to someone. You're not alone, and help is available.

Rejected Central is a human podcast hosted by bestselling novelist Brent van Staalduinen and educator and life-embracer Dave Parkinson. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, follow us online and social media, and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening!

In the next instalment of our "Bell Curve of Rejection" series, we look at the career and life of Roseanne Barr. Roseanne burst onto the TV and comedy scene in the 1980s riding the success of her schtick as a "Domestic Goddess." However, fame and fortune has brought all sorts of drama into her life and the lives of those around her, and recent political winds have made her even more vocal...about some disturbing things.

Rejected Central is a human podcast! Details here: www.rejectedcentral.com.