About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Suzette Rivers is a writer, filmmaker, cosplayer, model, role-player and poet born and raised in Utah, fighting social norms and injustices through art. "I am a Projector. The Supporting Class. The Bard. The Giver of Inspiration. The Campaigner. This is how I make my way in the world."

Head over to Suzie's socials and check out their book:

Instagram: @suzieneverlands

Threads: @suzieneverlands

Poetry Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-supporting-class-suzette-rivers/1146474786

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Suzette Rivers

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

Rae navigates family relationship, religious deconstruction, and international aid work.

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Rae Reed is a trans masculine social worker, writer and storyteller who has applied his value of improving cross cultural engagement to all of these roles. Rae works at a refugee agency in Chicago, has told stories at the Steppenwolf Theatre and The Moth and his nonfiction work has been published in an anthology and various newspapers across the US. 

You can find Rae's work on his Substack: www.substack.com/@holden84

*

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Rae Reed

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Laura Van Vorst is a poet, singer-songwriter and psychologist, originally from Northern Ireland and now living in Sydney, Australia. Her debut poetry collection, Troublemaker, is available now.

You can find Laura on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok @poems.by.laura, or on Facebook under Poems By Laura. Check out her Linktree for more (https://linktr.ee/poems.by.laura)

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Laura Van Vorst

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Devon Love is a fashion designer turned award-winning soul musician from Philadelphia in the midst of writing her first album. Devon Love released her EP last year and continues to grow all aspects of her creative pursuits.

You can find Devon on Instagram and Twitter @DevonLoveMusic and you can check out her music on her Spotify: (https://open.spotify.com/artist/1b3uOKyc1ZT2unluhGxxXT?si=QiGb01TZQvarNjHD3AB34w&nd=1&dlsi=80b5b1622b6146aa)

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Devon Love

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Lisa Marie Farver is a poet and storyteller whose work has been featured at the Uptown Poetry Slam, You’re Being Ridiculous, Beast Women, That’s Poetic! and more. Lisa was a finalist in the 2025 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards. She teaches journalism at ChiArts and is the founder of Everyone's Type Poetry & Performance.

You can connect with Lisa at her website: www.everyonestype.com, and on instagram, @everyoneztype

If you're listening in February of 2026, check out Lisa's upcoming events, as described by her:

On Feb. 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., I'll be typing free love poems at the Intercontinental Hotel.

On Feb. 14 at 8 p.m., I'll be performing poetry at The Poetry Brothel Chicago: DEVOTION at Aloft Circus Arts. I have fashioned a corset-like top out of two thrifted heart-shaped placemats. And I'll be debuting new poems.

On Feb. 15 at 3 p.m., I'll be performing as The Typing Bat as part of the Uptown Poetry Slam at the Green Mill.

On 2/21 from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. I'll be doing typewriter poetry at Mindful Baking's Tempt*a*tion Market. There's a poetry slam open mic I'm hosting there that starts at 5:30 p.m.

On 2/21 at 8 p.m., I'm going to be doing storytelling for Ladies' Night at Atlantic Pub & Grill.

*

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Lisa Marie Farver

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Michael is an attorney, a dad, and a formerly closeted nerd. He once ran marathons, but has since made peace with himself.

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Michael Bane

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author/Reader/Performer:

Paige is 37 and lives in West Virginia with her husband, 3 cats, and a puppy. When she's not writing poetry and lyrics, she loves to cosplay for conventions.

You can get in touch with Paige on Facebook or Instagram @prodigaldaughter15

*

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Paige Allphin

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

*

If you are interested in being a featured author, discussing your creative process, or discussing the work of another author on the show and how they inspired you, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author:

Solomon is a musician, song-writer, story-teller, and expresser of the deeply connected webs that make up his imagination and self. He's hilarious, generous, gentle, kind, strong, resilient, and full of infectious life.

You can find Solomon on TikTok @SleepySolomon and can listen to his D&D Podcast, Realm of Magic

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Solomon Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Solomon Bloomer's Brother Ben

Logo and art by: Solomon Bloomer's Brother Ben

About the Author:

Tommy-Jay Whiting is a Chicago-based singer/songwriter in the ilk of other folk Americana acts such as Jim Croce, Daniel Johnston, Dave van Ronk, and Nick Drake. When not daydreaming and falling in love with the world one person at a time through music and poetry, he’s probably in a library or exploring Chicago's secret gardens.

You can find Tommy-Jay on Tiktok and Instagram (@tommyjwhiting Tiktok, @tommyj.whiting Instagram)

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Tommy-Jay Whiting

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you want to be featured, reach out to @wakingthewhispers on instagram

Trigger warning: Child sexual abuse

About the Author:

Mercedes is Ben's older sister and loves her family and her crows. She is beautiful and delightful always there for her siblings.

About the Thumbnail:

Mercedes and Ben being adorable kids, worth protecting

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Mercedes

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

Curious about attachment theory? Check out Heidi Priebe's channel on youtube

About the Author:

Ben is a kind of silly human who recently discovered that he likes poetry and art. He also has a podcast, if you can believe it. I'd list his hobbies, but he has ADHD, so he has a new hobby every week or two.

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest (?): Ben Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

About the Author:

Mars lives in Normal, IL and is passionate about storytelling. They love to draw and work on creative writing while sipping tea and playing D&D with friends.

See some of Mars' art on their instagram @marssumii

You can listen to their D&D Podcast on Spotify here

Credits:

Guest: Mars Gomez

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

About the Author:

Ariel Bloomer is the lead singer and lyricist of Icon for Hire, a rock band based in Nashville. She's obsessed with the creative process and inspiration, and using her voice to empower others to face their mental health challenges with courage and self love. Also a wonderful big sister.

Get in touch with Ariel on Instagram:  @iconforhire

Check out their full page on Spotify

Or jump to Ben's favorite songs:

Venom; Shadow

Credits:

Guest: Ariel Bloomer

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

About the Author:

Chris Easley is Team Leader at Mission Central, a ministry based in Aurora, Illinois dedicated to forming Christians for mission in everyday life. When he’s not writing poetry, you'll find Chris reading a time travel novel or cooking dinner with his wife Katie and their three cats.

Get in touch with Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophereasley/

IG: @teammissioncentral

FB: @TeamMissionCentral

Credits:

Guest: Chris Easley

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

About the Author:

Grace loves community, nature, and whimsy, and she's looking forward for a life alongside the ocean doing adventure therapy. If you'd like to get to know her more, reach out on Instagram @grutcheon. She also wanted me to highlight a resource that was helpful for her in her journey out of covert emotional abuse--check out themendproject.com if you'd like to learn more.

Credits:

Guest: Grace McCutcheon

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Credits:

Guest: Karen Savella Stallard

Recorded, produced, edited by: Ben Bloomer

Music by: Solomon Bloomer

Logo and art by: Ben Bloomer

If you are interested in being a featured author, reach out on Instagram @wakingthewhispers, or email me at bensbloomer@gmail.com

Waking the Whispers is a space for you to be inspired by amateur artists who share their original works, followed by insightful discussions that delve into the inspirations behind their creative expression. Tune into Waking the Whispers wherever you get your podcasts every Thursday starting November 6th, 2025.

Each guest on the show is someone like you. If you are inspired by the show and would like to be featured as a guest to share your writing, song, poems, essays--anything you would share at an open mic--reach out to me on Instagram @wakingthewhispers