Events and Readings by Andrea W LeDew

All events listed in reverse chronological order, most recent and future events first.

I’d love to add your event! Invite me on my Contact page! See my guesting profile at PodMatch.com to book me on your podcast!

Events and new links (audiobook links below as well)

Podcasts

links listed below are available on most platforms. Just look up Andrea LeDew or Andrea W LeDew!

Not yet posted here:

Oti Infinite Dialogues Podcast

Uncle Jimmy’s Podcast

Page Chewing Podcast

Empowered Conversations

Zenith Exposure

Human Enough

Story Power

October

I had a nice podcast appearance on October 1st with Steve at Beyond The Page, which is part of the Page Chewing podcast. It had a very quick turnaround with publication a week later. Another podcast called Story Power has invited me for the 16th. On the weekend of the 10th and the whole week before we’ve had gushing rainfall and other hurricane-related weather, since there is some messy slop, the furthest thing from AI, out in the Gulf of Mexico (America?) On the 22nd Im leaving for a weekend away in Orlando. There, the FWA or Florida Writer’s Association convention is taking place. I did not get anything in their publication this year, nor was I recognized at all for my collection Polemics, having not actually submitted it to the Royal Palm Competition. I had gotten a rather unflattering appraisal a few years ago of a previous contemplated collection, never published, so that left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. It is a hefty bit of work to read and judge all the submissions they do, so no judgment, but it turns out they’ve decided to suspend the competition for now ( I think starting next year.) Volunteers can be hard to come by. It will be great to meet other Florida authors at various levels in their careers and feel the solidarity of the common fight, speaking most un-politically, for a change. I will have to be on my guard about what I say as writing does tend to cross the aisle from time to time, and I am likely to meet some writers who are quite unsympathetic to my cause. I also hope to visit the Morse Museum, in Winter Park I believe, which has a great Tiffany glass collection, and that is an element in my long beleaguered novel, so I would like to take it all in with as few distractions as possible, for a change.

September

In September I did a podcast with Empowered Conversations on the 4th. On the 12th I participated in a Goodreads Givewaway. Sorry for not giving anyone a heads up but it seemed like they were trying to keep the deal exclusive to Goodreads members. I do have an account there, if you’re ever wondering what I’m reading (Right now, Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s Strongmen) Anyway the event is now over and about two thousand more people have seen my book than had before, and I am in the midst, in early October, of sending out copies of Polemics to the lucky twenty winners. I am pleased with the experience so far and am hopeful that the event may generate a few more reviews for me. We’ll see. I also participated in a big event on the 19th with quite a few local authors. It was called Jax Book Fest and is hosted by the downtown Main Library in Jacksonville. I had the great good luck to table with the charming and entertaining Damon Thomas of @ruralgloom fame, so I was never bored. We had quite a bit of foot traffic and some fascinating conversations on politics and current events.

August

During August I had a podcast guest appearance with Uncle Jimmy’s Podcast on August 4 and another one the same week on the 7th with Human Enough podcast. On August 22, I joined other writers at the Jacksonville Public Writer’s Day, a day of learning about the craft of writing for writers to attend. I enjoyed time with some writer friends and heard about character from Madeleine Martin, a writer of historical novels who lives nearby, and enjoyed an editing session and a talk on the potential of AI for writers, of which I am not yet completely convinced, although I believe technology has helped level the playing field. A few more podcasts were on the calendar but got rescheduled by the hosts.

July

I did several podcasts in July and was happy to see my book in the window at Happy Medium Books and Cafe in Riverside, Jacksonville, FL. A great friend of mine who follows this blog said she spent July Fourth listening to the first segment of my audiobook, narrated by me, and said she couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to spent the Fourth! High praise and thank you! Of course there was much to watch on TV going on in D.C.

My podcasts included Friday’s, with Oti’s Infinite Dialogs, and Elsplend Realiity, and Zenith Exposure. are upcoming before the month ends. I have two more scheduled in early August and in October. I am very pleased that bookish podcasts are taking an interest in interviewing me.

I am continuing to work on the sequel to Polemics, and I find myself drawn to some of my older work, which in light of the happening of 2025-26 seem more relevant than they did in April 2025. So there may be a mix of old and new. Still a work in progress and I’m just beginning to think about cover art. Likely to be equally splashy as the original.

June

During June I got back into the swing of things. I did a recording of my poem “represent” about failing representatives in our government for a friend’s promotions. The podcast Becoming published my guest appearance around the 8th of June.

I had an interview on My blurred opinion on the 9th and spoke a lot about parenting someone with autism and intellectual disabilities with a host who has visual issues himself.

On June 12th I was a guest on Beyond the Draft, an audio only podcast about what lies beyond the book itself. I can’t wait for this to come out.

And on June 19th I was a guest on another audio only podcast, Hidden Secrets of Books, at which I talked at length about my book and how I am troubled by current events in the US.

On June 22, my voice recording of a poem called “Smiles” about the way our warlike behavior in Iran and elsewhere is alienating even our once close allies and tarnishing our reputation in the world. You had to get up early to hear it on wgot 101.1 fm radio–6:30 am. But recordings of some selected poets are available for purchase.

On June 26 I was a guest on Southern Reads podcast, another very bookish podcast which also explored my politics in some depth. It came out shortly thereafter and I will put up the link soon.

May

I sent in a recording of my recent poem “Smiles,” to be presented on WGOT radio Gainesville with our inimitable ruralgloom celebrity Damon Thomas, as host. It should air in June.

I’m beginning to sort my poems of the past year to see if a sequel to Polemics might be feasible, although it is likely to be less beefy. I will keep you posted.

During May I took a little break from writing and podcasting and went to Kent, in England, where I visited several English gardens, including Great Dixter, Sissinghurst, Kew, Whisley, and the Chelsea Garden show.

April

The rest of April was spent doing taxes and recovering therefrom. I am taking it easier podcast-wise for a month or two in preparation for a trip. By late May I should be back in the game again!

April 10 I was invited by Chris Bodor the organizer of St. Augustine Poetfest to read for ten minutes during the Florida Poet’s Roundtable on Friday, April 10 between 11:00 and 12:50 in the Virginia room, on the second floor of the Ringhaver Student Center at Flagler College. I’ll be around for all the days (April 9-11) of Poetfest so I hope to run into you there! Look in the tabling room for copies of my book! (A wonderful event! Met so many poets and my only regret is I did not bring a sign up list so I could keep in touch!)

April 8 I have a guest appearance scheduled on Apollo Papyrus podcast, which focusses on authors and literature. This one was booked way in advance so they must be very much in demand and I’m happy to have been invited.

March

March 31 I have a podcast guest appearance scheduled on a podcast that focusses on writers and their experiences with the armed forces. My husband’s family has lots of Navy vets included and I live in a town, Jacksonville that has been greatly influenced by the Navy bases here over the years. My husband’s family history even includes a war hero from the Battle of Midway in WWII. The podcast is called Authors After Action. (This was cancelled when podcast decided to go a different direction.)

March 17 We will be recording a guest appearance on on Crayonbox Weekly political podcast.

March 10 New FailCraft audio podcast is live! I was a guest in December right after Venezuela was decapitated, so to speak. We discussed parenting a person with disability, the importance of government services and my reaction to recent military incursions into foreign lands. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/failcraft/id1846142093?i=1000754051375

February

February 28 Amelia Island Book Festival–I submitted my book some time ago and I have been chosen to table! See you there 10-4 Saturday 2/28 at Fernandina Beach Middle School, 315 Citrona Dr. Fernandina Beach, FL 32034. This is my second tabling event, and I’ve got lots of books so be sure to visit if you’re in the area!

February 22 I plan to participate in the monthly open mic put on by Ancient City Poets in St Augustine at the Waterworks at 3-4:30. Signup at 2:30 if you’d like to read. 184 San Marco Ave. St Augustine FL.

February 3, I appeared on KAJ The Author’s Voice. This is a podcast out of India but thankfully didn’t start recording till 8 am EST. Enjoy this in-depth interview with me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfCT6QrX86E

2026

January

On January 24, I tabled at the Jax Urban Book Festival in downtown Jax! The event is put on as part of Dream Week in Jacksonville, to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream. This was my first tabling event. I got to go to a Happy Hour at Breezy Jazz in San Marco the night before with other authors and table all day Saturday with my daughter/tech assistant and my table mate, Vanessa. I was so pleased to meet people and engage with them about my book and the current political climate. Sold a few books and got a bunch of newsletter subscribers! Thanks to everyone who came!

On January 20, I appeared on Think Green podcast on how my poetry and prose touches on environmental issues and sustainability. Episode out soon!

On January 16, I was a guest on Failcraft Podcast out of Nigeria, focussing on how not succeeding in everything you ever wanted can be a good thing, and how cognitive dissonance regarding current politics can lead to writing a book. Episode out soon!

On Second Sunday at Happy Medium Books and Cafe in Riverside, Jacksonville, I attended a reading by local authors Julie Delegal and Rebecca Craig. Julie read from a work in progress from her ongoing MFA program, a novella involving an artist with lovely magnolia tree imagery. Rebecca, who is a working minister, read from her memoir about living with a narcissist and from her new book retelling the lives of Biblical women through their eyes.

December

December 15, Mike Wagner Show podcast appearance. Waiting for episode release as of February 8, 2026.

December 12, Abstract Essay Podcast asked me some deep questions about the book and my process, and made me think about things I hadn’t considered before. There was a bit of an echo on the recording, so I apologize. Here is the Youtube link. https://www.youtube.com/live/76xVTo0OBJI?si=77RkzQKTn6aU7-l7

Dec 3, Billy Dees podcast appearance. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1C7MDN0SAegEAix34Hh2hW?si=837828b31cbd4184 This was a very enjoyable conversation going into the political issues and reasoning behind publication of Polemics, with a few inevitable differences of opinions only enlivening the event. Thanks to Billy Dees for his tireless promotion of this episode across many channels and social media streams.

Authors on Mission podcast came out, beautifully produced and well worth the wait. It discusses authoring and the writing process in detail. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PMiKcHZGemYZPnafdslyw?si=f5f1e522f8e74fbe

November

November 26, Podcast Healthy Mind, Healthy Life https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ShEpIF0F6daaV0SIoWeaw?si=2e1fd763936046f1examining the effect of things like troubling politics on our mental health, and whether it is healthy to be obsessed with it enough that you write poetry about it. I also discuss troubles with being overweight, and the stresses of raising a large family, including a son with autism and intellectual disabilities. I talk about how poetry proved therapeutic for me during covid and after the death of my parents.And of course my book is mentioned once or twice.

November 24, release expected for Project Third Eye Opened podcast interview. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Nbsl2pJigPqdbeSYZ9Xxz?si=912c98228ded4967 Podcast was released and can be listened to, but my audio is not great. We plan to rerecord an interview in the new year (2026). I have since upgraded my equipment.

November 20, podcast interview scheduled to be recorded with Lethal Venom podcast. Still waiting on release as of February 8, 2026.

November 19, production of audio files for Polemics completed for upload. Uploading to Voices for InAudio (wide distribution). Availability on online vendors such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc. likely within two weeks of upload. I’ll add a note here, when I see them pop up. Remember, this is an author-voiced audiobook, so you get a human reading, with inflection in all the right places. First cover was rejected by Audible and then amended, and all but Audible seemed to have it listed as of January 10, 2026. Hoping to see it there soon. Audiobook available at Spotify and other vendors as of January 10, 2026.

November 17, Podcast The KAJ Masterclass Live published a podcast interviewing me on YouTube. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/dCw8oytxCVE?si=Ake3RoV8_4HxZfg8 Also on KAJ Politics Live. I will be appearing on KAJ The Author’s Voice for a separate recording on Feb 3.The podcast is broadcast from India and my host Ajay asked many insightful questions, delving into the political changes in the US that have inspired the book. There was a slight mic clicking issue on my part, probably because I have a new mic and didn’t have it angled quite right, but if you can overlook that, it’s well worth a listen! The podcast guesting experience definitely has a learning rollercoaster and I am riding it!

November 15, attended architectural historian Wayne Wood of Jacksonville’s 80th birthday costume party, dressed as my book, in the process of being burnt! Kudos to my husband for coming up with the idea!

November 12, participated in Open Mic at Silver Cow in Murray Hill, Jacksonville, FL, where Maxwell was headlining. Great performance! My small part was reading my recent poem The Renovation Will be Televised, which got some snarky giggles, as intended. My dear daughter was kind enough to attend as well, since my wheels were down. Maxwells Insta is @stressingthefire.

Nov 25th to Dec 2 Apple e-books promo of Polemics 25% off (3.99 instead of 4.99). Prices adjusted at all other online outlets as well.

Overdrive Library promotion 25% off list price Polemics ebook 11/10-12/31/25 (sale to libraries). Tell your favorite librarian!

October

October 15-18 recorded audiobook at Pine Studios in Murray Hill, Jacksonville FL with Jacob Hudson, audio engineer.

October 1-31 ebook on sale through Kobo promo for $3.99(normally $4.99) price adjusted on all online sites US and Canada.

October 3, Joe Diminos Famous Interviews podcast recorded. We discussed many items including COVID, parenting special needs children and caregiving of them as adults, writing influences and proclivities, and, of course, my book.

October 5, podcast published. Follow link to his website for individual links to my interview on various platforms.

https://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/2025/10/author-of-polemics-political-poems.html

September 2025

Project Third Eye Opened podcast recorded. Publication expected on November 24, 2025 on most podcast/video platforms.

Shades of Jade, podcast guest appearance. September 19 released. Conversation on my book and current political topics, with a podcast host with differing political views, focusing on the need for unity and the importance of communication across the divide. Available on most platforms.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Nrv5GBkrvJM2chnUtqmgP?si=1XiDo9rBQGWkKhbX9Rhzxg

Authors on Mission podcast recorded. Discussion on my book, my writing methods and tips for upcoming writers. Release in November.

Signed up for #PodMatch service. Now I am available as guest for your podcast through their service. Feel free to enquire or visit their website! https://podmatch.com/.

The cover for my paperback is now visible on all sites, after many months of “no image available”. ( See https://books2read.com/polemics for your choices in e-book and paperback.) Thanks to #Draft2Digital team for their persistence!

Enquired about audiobook recording locally. Set up recording dates in October.

July:

Reading 7/13/25 at 2 pm at Second Sundays, Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St., Riverside. Jacksonville.

I will be reading (alongside another poet to be announced) from my new collection, Polemics: Political Poems & Prose. This collection, which I call “a collection for patriotic liberals,” uses lovely poetry and prose to recount events of the last ten years, which have lead to our current political situation. Printed editions of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Come early, space is limited.

Follow Facebook Page for Andrea W LeDew, Author or Instagram for Andrea LeDew for announcements.

Past Events:

2025

June:

Publication of e-book Polemics: Political Poems & Prose. (<<The title’s link will take you directly to the book link at each available online store.) Available at most online stores as of June 1,2025. Print coming soon, and both can be ordered at bookstores as well.

2024

December:

Read short story “Patience” at JaxbyJax Literary Festival. Jacksonville.

April:

Spoke as panel member From Bookstaplers to Substack–Publishing 101 at the St Augustine Poet Fest. St Augustine.

Gave Author Websites talk to the WordPress group WPJax. Jacksonville.

2023

December:

Read my short story “Becoming the Story” at JaxbyJax Literary Festival. Jacksonville.

October:

Signing for FWA’s 2023 Collection, Secrets for poem “Narrow,” which took fourth place. Orlando.

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