Ocean Books and Solarpunk Stories: Todd Medema’s Climate Heist Novel to Inspire Action

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When somebody's talking to you about
climate change, how do you feel?

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Do you feel like this kind of like
eerie feeling inside this anxiousness,

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this bad feeling about what's gonna
happen in the future, thinking about

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the future, whether you should have
kids, a family, how are we gonna survive

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this when you know, politicians are
not really working on this business,

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people aren't really working on this,
or some people are, some people aren't.

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Some people are doing the opposite.

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It must feel pretty crappy after a
while, but imagine if you read something

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or watched something or did anything.

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And it actually made you feel optimistic
about climate change, especially

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about climate change adaptation.

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Imagine, just imagine if you read a book
that gave you hope on climate change.

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Well, that's what we're gonna be
talking about on today's episode of

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the How to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

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I've got author, new author,
Todd Maima on the podcast today.

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He's talking about his new book
called How to Surf a Hurricane.

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Just imagine the thought of that Surfing
a hurricane, how to surf a hurricane.

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It is this.

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Fictional book about, you know, like
kind of a bit of a sci-fi book about

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someone who, it's a heist, it's in
a solar punk, novel type of genre.

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It's kind of cool and it's out
for presale right now, so I

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want you to go out and get it.

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But we're gonna hear from Todd
about the book, the process of

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writing a book, especially looking
at something that's not often the

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narrative that we hear, especially
when it comes to climate change.

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So here we go.

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Let's start the show.

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Hey everybody.

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Welcome back to another exciting episode
of the How to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

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I'm your host, Andrew Lewin, and
this is the podcast where you find

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out what's happening with the ocean,
how you can speak up for the ocean,

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and what you can do to live for
a better ocean by taking action.

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Today we're gonna be talking
about a book called How to

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Surf A Hurricane by Todd Maima.

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This is his first time writing a book.

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Well, first time going
through a publisher.

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He wrote a book, a novel in high
school, but this one is really special.

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It's really about.

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How to look at climate change in a
very different way, an optimistic way.

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A lot of us don't really think about
that when we hear about climate change.

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A lot of doom and gloom
associated with it.

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You know, sea level rise.

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You have sea surface temperature
increases, ocean acidification,

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coral bleaching, flooding, droughts,
wildfires, all that stuff makes

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it really difficult to think about
climate change in a positive way or

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to think about life in the future.

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With climate change in a positive
way, a lot of us get anxious about it.

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A lot of us, you know,
just feel really crappy.

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It kind of turns our stomach a little
bit, especially when you see how people

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are dealing with it, how politicized
it's, but we don't often hear about in

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our regular lives or in our fictional
books, or on a podcast or on a video where

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things are gonna be fine, things that
might actually turn out to be okay if we

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take it seriously, if we take actions.

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You know this book that Todd wrote
is going to give you that optimism

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is going to say, you know what?

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I think we'll be okay as
long as we take action.

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And the book isn't gonna
inspire you to take action.

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In fact, you can go to the link below in
the show notes or in the comments below.

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If you're watching this on
YouTube, you can go and you

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can say, Hey, you know what?

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Like, here's a link to
how to protect the ocean.

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Todd's got all these resources for
you and strategies and tips on how you

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can get started protecting the ocean.

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I think this is where books need to go.

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I think this is how
resources need are built.

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They inspire and then they lead
you and guide you towards actions.

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What we're trying to build for a long
time in a project, which I've probably

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already announced by now, but it's going
to be amazing and you can take part.

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So this is a great interview.

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Todd's an amazing human being.

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He's already in the clean energy industry.

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He always wants to do something
for climate change, like to reduce

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climate change, to help the planet,
telling you to spend time for

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yourself in nature, and that's how
we learn and get inspired to protect.

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This book is gonna help you do that.

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I can't wait for you
to hear the interview.

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So here's the interview with
Todd Maima talking about his

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book, how to Surf a Hurricane.

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Enjoy the interview and
I'll talk to you after.

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Hey Todd, welcome to the How
to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

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Are you ready to talk about
climate and the ocean?

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Hey, Andrew.

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I am.

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Thanks for having me.

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Love it.

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I love it.

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This is gonna be a lot of fun because
we're gonna be talking, you know,

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about climate change in the ocean,
but in a little different way.

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A lot of times when we talk about
climate change, it's the doom and gloom.

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It sucks.

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It's no fun.

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You know, we get climate anxiety, we get
overwhelm, and there's, we gotta find a, a

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different way to be able to discuss this.

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And, and Todd, when you reached out
to me to be like, Hey, look, I wrote

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a book, uh, you know, in a, in a
sort of a fictional character way,

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but talking about climate change.

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Talking about oceans in a much
different way than the way we

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normally talk about it in society.

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And I want to discuss it on the podcast.

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And I was like, you know what?

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This is a perfect way to talk
about different ways to discuss,

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you know, climate change.

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Just think about climate change.

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So I was like, yes, let's do it.

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We booked it, we're here,
we're ready to talk about it.

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And I can't wait to do that.

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But Todd, before we do that,
why don't you just let us know

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who you are and what you do.

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Yeah, so I'm Todd Mamma.

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For the past several years, I've
worked directly in clean energy, uh,

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on solar and good energy storage.

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But really outside of that, uh, I've
become extremely passionate about climate

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change and, and how we tackle this.

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And I've tried to explore it and
tackle it from many different

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lenses, not just from the technology
side, but from the political side.

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I've like volunteered
resistance climate lobby.

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I've liaised with senators from.

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Like the local volunteering side, running
green groups, you know, even from the

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personal lifestyle side, you know?

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Mm-hmm.

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Lived car free cut meat outta my diet
and just really trying to understand

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what is this problem, what are our
solutions and how do we get there?

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Yeah.

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I mean, I mean, that's the,
that's the question, right?

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That's the big, those are the big
questions that we, that we, we'd been

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trying to solve for quite some time
growing up in, in this type of world.

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You know, and, and hearing climate
change, it's, it's been often discussed

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in terms of climate denial and everything.

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So as like as you grew up getting into
the clean energy industry, how did,

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like, why did you follow that path?

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Like, you know, growing up probably a lot
of people, even maybe parents or aunts

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and uncles or like in your family or even
friends and, and their parents and stuff.

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They may have talked in, in, in a
different way of climate change,

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like it's not existing or, you know,
there's a lot of controversy around

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it politically, it comes into play.

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Like what, how did you like get
steered into clean energy industry?

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Yeah.

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I mean, that's, that's a great question.

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'cause my family background
is more the red state life.

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Right, okay.

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Questions about climate change.

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But I think what it really
comes down to is, as a kid, I

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spent a lot of time in nature.

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I was a boy scout, we were hiking,
camping, kayaking, you name it.

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And so I just really came
to appreciate nature.

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Yeah.

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And as you know, as I was exposed
more and more to like, Hey, we're

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doing these things that are destroying
nature, I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa.

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No.

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Like I want, I want nature to be
here, not just for me, but like.

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For, for my friends, my family, my kids.

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Yeah.

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You know, I want to preserve this.

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Yeah, I love that.

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I mean, that's what we all want, right?

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It really comes down to just,
just being in nature and, and

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spending time in, in nature.

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Um, and so you follow, you
follow a path of clean energy.

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So how did you, like, what was your role?

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Like what, what did you
do in that industry?

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Like what was your title?

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Yeah, so my title is a
software product manager.

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Okay.

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So I help these clean energy companies.

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Develop software that helps
them operate more efficiently,

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helps them design Oh, cool.

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You Solar power plants that are cheaper
for their customers and just trying to

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drive down the cost of, of clean energy.

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That's interesting because that was a big
problem when it first came out, right?

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Solar panels are too expensive.

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Like, you know, we put on homes, it's
almost like I, I'll never forget, like

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I've grown up in a, in a very, uh,
like in a, in a very, like a time where

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technology increased immensely, you know,
from getting up on the, you know, from

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getting up from the couch to have to
turn the channel on the TV to having like

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massive remotes that are like, you know.

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A foot long with like 30 buttons
to, to, you know, demarcate the

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channels and stuff like that.

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Then to go into like massive TVs
where the backs were like deep and

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then you get to flat screen TVs when
they were super, and all these new

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technologies were super expensive when
they first came out, and I remember.

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Uh, vividly when plasma TVs and flat
TVs became super cheap, it was, it

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almost felt like it was overnight.

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It was like when they figured
out how to make them properly,

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like, and, and efficiently, right?

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Where they can mass produce
them, where they're not $2,000.

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Every time they come out, the, the,
and, and like, if you look at them now,

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you can get like a 42 inch TV for what?

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Like $300?

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$400 and great.

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That's crazy quality.

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Yeah.

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It's insane.

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Right?

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I feel like that, like the solar panels
industry went through the same thing.

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Like we had solar, we had friends on
the, on the block that had solar panels

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back in the eighties, and they were huge.

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They were ugly.

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Now it's almost to the point, you know,
where, where certain companies have

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them as like tiles on your, like a like.

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Know on your, on your roof.

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Yeah.

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So they, it just like,
looks seamless, you know?

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Uh, so there's a lot of, there's
been a, a huge sort of change and

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shift in, in making them, and, and
we don't really realize that software

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is a big part of that into how to
make those, it's all computerized.

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How to make it more, uh, efficiently.

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Was that a hard thing to do?

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Like, is that a hard thing to
get into in terms of a software

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engineer or software programmer?

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Um.

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You know, I'm gonna say it wasn't
too hard for me because it's

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something that I've always enjoyed.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I actually got into it from video games.

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Uh, okay.

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Yeah.

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When I was a kid, I loved
playing video games.

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And then my best friend in
elementary school actually was

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like, Hey, did you know you could
program your own video games?

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Nice.

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And like what?

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So I just like taught myself
how to make, honestly, they were

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quite terrible games, you know?

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Course I didn't know how games at
that point, but like, you know, um.

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And sometimes I get people asking
like, oh, it's the tech industry.

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Like, you know, I'm not a
software engineer, there's

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nothing I can do to help.

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Yeah.

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But like there's.

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So many different angles that
we're tackling this problem from.

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Mm-hmm.

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And really what I've seen is
like every skill set is useful.

234
00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:02,459
Yes.

235
00:10:02,550 --> 00:10:06,599
Like if you love talking with people,
if you love doing detail work, you

236
00:10:06,599 --> 00:10:10,050
know, if you love like being out in
nature, like there are people who go

237
00:10:10,050 --> 00:10:11,459
out and like install these solar panels.

238
00:10:11,459 --> 00:10:14,280
So like if you don't want to
desk job, you can help the clean

239
00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,370
energy revolution in nature.

240
00:10:17,699 --> 00:10:18,479
Yeah, it's fantastic.

241
00:10:19,454 --> 00:10:23,474
It's, it's, it's a problem that needs to
be solved by everybody and every skillset.

242
00:10:23,505 --> 00:10:23,745
Right?

243
00:10:23,745 --> 00:10:27,795
And I think it's just a matter of
literally plugging into the problem and

244
00:10:27,795 --> 00:10:32,655
the solutions and understanding how to get
there and how your skillset can, can go.

245
00:10:33,045 --> 00:10:35,084
It's really interesting 'cause I
have a lot of people who come in,

246
00:10:35,084 --> 00:10:36,224
it's like, I wanna protect the ocean.

247
00:10:36,224 --> 00:10:37,604
I gotta become a marine biologist.

248
00:10:37,604 --> 00:10:38,864
I'm like, no, please don't.

249
00:10:38,895 --> 00:10:41,685
We have so many, there are so many up
and coming marine biologists, like,

250
00:10:41,685 --> 00:10:43,275
please, like, what's your skillset?

251
00:10:43,305 --> 00:10:46,094
Oh, you know, I'm in business or
I'm a banker, or I'm this, I'm like.

252
00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,130
Use it, use that stress, like that
skillset, use that experience to

253
00:10:50,130 --> 00:10:52,200
like, let's look at funding models.

254
00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,710
Let's look at, you know, ways to
program software, ways to program,

255
00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,800
you know, ways to make better and
more efficient, like make solar

256
00:10:58,800 --> 00:10:59,970
panels better and more efficient.

257
00:11:00,030 --> 00:11:01,470
Like, you know, there's
so many different ways.

258
00:11:01,470 --> 00:11:04,890
I interviewed someone exactly who's
putting like solar panels on boats.

259
00:11:04,890 --> 00:11:08,790
Like, there's like a, like they put
'em in on sailboats and stuff and like.

260
00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,319
Into the boat and you're
just like, this is amazing.

261
00:11:11,380 --> 00:11:14,860
Like to even come up with that idea,
you need problem solvers, right?

262
00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:16,719
And that could become
in any kind of format.

263
00:11:16,719 --> 00:11:19,750
Obviously, you know, developers and
software engineers like you guys are

264
00:11:19,750 --> 00:11:22,719
really good at that because you're, you
know, that's, that's the skillset that

265
00:11:22,719 --> 00:11:23,890
you bring, the value that you bring.

266
00:11:23,890 --> 00:11:27,250
But there are other people who, like
business people who are like skillset.

267
00:11:27,805 --> 00:11:29,935
They have skill sets that
are problem solvers, and they

268
00:11:29,935 --> 00:11:31,225
just do it in different ways.

269
00:11:31,225 --> 00:11:32,785
And I think we need that.

270
00:11:32,785 --> 00:11:34,885
And you have done it in a lot of
different ways, which we're gonna

271
00:11:34,885 --> 00:11:35,965
talk about in a, in a minute.

272
00:11:35,965 --> 00:11:37,585
But it's really cool to see that.

273
00:11:37,585 --> 00:11:42,475
So as you're in this, this, you know,
the, the, the clean energy industry,

274
00:11:42,745 --> 00:11:45,595
you're doing these software, uh,
models and you're, and you're, and

275
00:11:45,595 --> 00:11:47,215
you're coming up with these programs.

276
00:11:48,074 --> 00:11:48,975
Where do you go from there?

277
00:11:48,975 --> 00:11:52,005
Like, okay, this is like, how come you
just didn't be like, this is my thing.

278
00:11:52,305 --> 00:11:54,165
Like this is great, I'm
gonna just continue this.

279
00:11:54,165 --> 00:11:57,645
Or did you find like something
else that interested you as you

280
00:11:57,645 --> 00:11:58,995
were growing through that industry?

281
00:12:00,015 --> 00:12:03,194
Yeah, I mean, I, I love
doing multiple things.

282
00:12:03,344 --> 00:12:04,665
I have a hard time sitting still.

283
00:12:04,905 --> 00:12:05,324
Gotcha.

284
00:12:05,324 --> 00:12:09,795
So I, you know, I'm still in clean energy
doing this software, product management.

285
00:12:10,005 --> 00:12:10,245
Yeah.

286
00:12:10,245 --> 00:12:11,925
Um, and.

287
00:12:13,065 --> 00:12:16,335
On top of that, I've always asked
myself like, what are, what are ways

288
00:12:16,335 --> 00:12:17,805
that we can move the needle on this?

289
00:12:18,285 --> 00:12:23,325
And actually the, the reason I started
writing this book about two years

290
00:12:23,325 --> 00:12:28,485
ago was this, uh, someone shared a
stat with me that humans are like,

291
00:12:28,965 --> 00:12:32,505
I don't know, something crazy, like
30 times more likely to remember a

292
00:12:32,505 --> 00:12:35,115
story than a piece, like a statistic.

293
00:12:35,595 --> 00:12:35,895
Hmm.

294
00:12:35,895 --> 00:12:35,955
Yeah.

295
00:12:36,075 --> 00:12:38,895
Because like we are such story-driven Yes.

296
00:12:39,195 --> 00:12:39,825
Creatures.

297
00:12:40,215 --> 00:12:40,455
Yeah.

298
00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,190
So, you know, I really got to
thinking like, are we communicating

299
00:12:44,550 --> 00:12:46,080
about climate change wrong?

300
00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,450
Is that, are we shooting
ourselves in the foot?

301
00:12:48,450 --> 00:12:50,010
'cause we're just like,
numbers, numbers, numbers.

302
00:12:50,010 --> 00:12:50,070
Yeah.

303
00:12:50,070 --> 00:12:52,590
And everyone's like, I, what
do these numbers even mean?

304
00:12:53,580 --> 00:12:56,310
Um, and I don't know, like the same day.

305
00:12:56,310 --> 00:12:59,070
It was kind of one of those, you
know, funny coincidence, someone

306
00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:00,630
else sent me this idea of like,

307
00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,570
in climate we have these
three story archetypes.

308
00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,560
Either the tech billionaire
genius will save us all.

309
00:13:12,615 --> 00:13:14,775
Future generation, the
kids will save us all.

310
00:13:14,985 --> 00:13:15,135
Mm-hmm.

311
00:13:15,375 --> 00:13:18,855
Or the future is gonna be a
unrelenting hellscape that we deserved.

312
00:13:19,605 --> 00:13:20,355
And like, you know what?

313
00:13:20,895 --> 00:13:21,645
You're totally right.

314
00:13:21,645 --> 00:13:24,555
I see one of those three archetypes
and basically every story and

315
00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:25,410
yes, we need something else.

316
00:13:25,905 --> 00:13:26,775
Yes.

317
00:13:26,834 --> 00:13:28,395
Oh my gosh, it's so true.

318
00:13:28,635 --> 00:13:29,594
But there is another one.

319
00:13:29,594 --> 00:13:32,655
I feel like there's the science
I told you, so you get that a lot

320
00:13:32,655 --> 00:13:34,365
in like apocalyptic movies, right?

321
00:13:34,365 --> 00:13:38,714
Where you have like the geologist or the
marine biologist who's just like I told

322
00:13:38,714 --> 00:13:39,735
you, you shouldn't have messed with that.

323
00:13:39,949 --> 00:13:43,550
And then No, nobody, everybody
ignores that person and then all

324
00:13:43,550 --> 00:13:45,740
hell breaks loose and they have to
help, they have to help solve it.

325
00:13:46,670 --> 00:13:46,910
Yeah.

326
00:13:46,910 --> 00:13:50,540
That's, that's kind of that third one
of like, you know, we, we were warned

327
00:13:50,540 --> 00:13:51,709
and like, the future's gonna suck.

328
00:13:51,714 --> 00:13:53,180
Yeah, yeah, exactly.

329
00:13:54,290 --> 00:13:58,280
And you know, in some ways it makes sense.

330
00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,949
Like, you know, listen to your
elders, listen to your scientists,

331
00:14:00,949 --> 00:14:01,515
like they're telling you.

332
00:14:01,515 --> 00:14:01,954
Yeah, for sure.

333
00:14:02,150 --> 00:14:02,510
You know.

334
00:14:02,900 --> 00:14:06,020
But I think also, like one of the
things that's really missing is like,

335
00:14:06,199 --> 00:14:09,050
if you're not a tech billionaire,
if you're not like a teenager.

336
00:14:10,815 --> 00:14:15,105
There, there's no other stories about like
how you as just like an ordinary So true.

337
00:14:15,165 --> 00:14:20,175
More like middle aged person
help contribute in your lifetime.

338
00:14:20,355 --> 00:14:20,595
Mm-hmm.

339
00:14:20,925 --> 00:14:23,835
You know, like so many of these,
even, so many of these stories

340
00:14:23,835 --> 00:14:25,245
take place in the far future.

341
00:14:25,485 --> 00:14:29,715
And I'm like, well, what about
the next like 20, 30, 40 years?

342
00:14:29,715 --> 00:14:31,785
Like, there's so little covering that.

343
00:14:32,775 --> 00:14:33,555
I, I agree.

344
00:14:33,555 --> 00:14:36,225
I also think too, as you were mentioning
that I'm, I'm thinking like, you know,

345
00:14:36,225 --> 00:14:39,825
we expect these heroes to come out
and solve those problems, whether it

346
00:14:39,825 --> 00:14:43,785
be a tech billionaire, whether it be
a teenager, and we've seen some of

347
00:14:43,785 --> 00:14:46,635
those come out and they get destroyed.

348
00:14:47,175 --> 00:14:47,685
You know what I mean?

349
00:14:47,685 --> 00:14:51,615
Like, people will go after a 16-year-old
girl or a number of 16-year-old girls

350
00:14:51,795 --> 00:14:53,835
and just tear her to pieces because.

351
00:14:54,855 --> 00:14:57,885
They don't think she can, they, they
don't think that she can do anything.

352
00:14:58,365 --> 00:15:00,880
Or like you have a tech billionaire
who tries to come out with somebody

353
00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,255
who's like, oh no, all these
conspiracy theories come out.

354
00:15:03,255 --> 00:15:04,635
Like they're trying to
control the weather.

355
00:15:04,635 --> 00:15:06,075
They're doing this, they're doing that.

356
00:15:06,525 --> 00:15:10,575
And, and they, and then in a way,
people look at that from the outside.

357
00:15:10,575 --> 00:15:13,065
It's like, well, I can't, I
don't wanna be in that position.

358
00:15:13,095 --> 00:15:14,385
Like, I can't do anything.

359
00:15:14,385 --> 00:15:14,445
Yeah.

360
00:15:14,475 --> 00:15:17,985
Because then I'm gonna be called out
for anything, you know, anything I

361
00:15:17,985 --> 00:15:21,525
say is gonna be called out and, and
I don't want to be treated that way.

362
00:15:21,615 --> 00:15:22,725
And so it almost like.

363
00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,340
Propels you from doing it a little
bit and just being like, no, I'm

364
00:15:26,340 --> 00:15:28,020
just gonna stick, stick in my thing.

365
00:15:28,290 --> 00:15:31,710
I'm gonna, you know, grab my, my
plastic drink like, or my drink

366
00:15:31,710 --> 00:15:33,060
that's in a plastic, you know?

367
00:15:33,265 --> 00:15:33,685
Mm-hmm.

368
00:15:33,770 --> 00:15:34,980
You know, single use container.

369
00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,410
I'm just gonna continue on
my way, you know what I mean?

370
00:15:37,410 --> 00:15:40,650
And I, and then, so it kind of
suppresses us a little bit from doing it.

371
00:15:40,650 --> 00:15:44,280
'cause we're like, oh no, I can't, that's
gonna destroy my career, destroy my life.

372
00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:45,450
I don't want to, I don't wanna do that.

373
00:15:45,450 --> 00:15:45,690
Right.

374
00:15:45,690 --> 00:15:47,250
There's, there's a lot of that.

375
00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:47,880
Yeah.

376
00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:47,940
Yeah.

377
00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,050
And so that's where like the third
part of this puzzle came in, that like.

378
00:15:52,605 --> 00:15:55,035
When it really clicked, like,
okay, I'm gonna write a book.

379
00:15:55,365 --> 00:15:55,545
Yeah.

380
00:15:55,575 --> 00:15:57,405
For a while it's kinda like, oh,
I'll just, you know, like try

381
00:15:57,405 --> 00:15:59,535
writing some short stories, but
like, okay, I'm gonna write a book.

382
00:15:59,595 --> 00:16:01,905
I discovered this genre called solar punk.

383
00:16:02,205 --> 00:16:02,835
Have you heard of it?

384
00:16:02,925 --> 00:16:04,005
Solar Punk.

385
00:16:04,695 --> 00:16:06,015
Solar Punk, okay.

386
00:16:06,075 --> 00:16:06,945
No, I've never heard of that.

387
00:16:06,945 --> 00:16:07,185
Okay.

388
00:16:07,785 --> 00:16:11,115
I, it's a pretty new
budding genre, so, okay.

389
00:16:11,115 --> 00:16:13,995
You know, it's, it is, it's not like
it's classically defined 'cause people

390
00:16:13,995 --> 00:16:15,465
are still figuring out what it means.

391
00:16:15,705 --> 00:16:15,885
Yeah.

392
00:16:15,915 --> 00:16:18,885
But it's, it's kind of
the opposite of cyberpunk.

393
00:16:18,885 --> 00:16:18,915
Okay.

394
00:16:19,125 --> 00:16:20,415
Like cyberpunk is.

395
00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,990
Dystopian future with like
technology ruining everything.

396
00:16:25,350 --> 00:16:25,590
Okay.

397
00:16:25,590 --> 00:16:31,170
Solar punk, in my mind is a hopeful
future where we as humans, as

398
00:16:31,170 --> 00:16:35,730
individuals and communities work
with nature to build a better future.

399
00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:36,690
Yeah.

400
00:16:36,805 --> 00:16:37,095
Yeah.

401
00:16:37,350 --> 00:16:39,930
It's like, ah, that makes a lot of sense.

402
00:16:40,545 --> 00:16:44,085
Yeah, and that tracks, I mean, you look at
any conservation project that's succeeded.

403
00:16:44,625 --> 00:16:45,945
It's done as a community.

404
00:16:46,065 --> 00:16:47,055
It's done with the community.

405
00:16:47,055 --> 00:16:49,935
It's done in like in
collaboration with that.

406
00:16:49,935 --> 00:16:53,385
It's not just done by one person who's
like trying to hog all the attention.

407
00:16:53,385 --> 00:16:54,555
It's done as a community.

408
00:16:54,555 --> 00:16:56,115
So that, that makes sense.

409
00:16:56,205 --> 00:16:56,925
As, as a book.

410
00:16:56,955 --> 00:17:00,855
Why, why do you think this is such a,
like, why do you think it's only new now?

411
00:17:00,855 --> 00:17:02,865
Like why do you think people
are only coming out with it now?

412
00:17:02,925 --> 00:17:03,765
This type of genre?

413
00:17:05,565 --> 00:17:06,075
I have two.

414
00:17:06,194 --> 00:17:07,095
Two hypotheses.

415
00:17:07,185 --> 00:17:07,635
Okay.

416
00:17:07,635 --> 00:17:09,525
One is that fear cells.

417
00:17:10,095 --> 00:17:10,365
Right.

418
00:17:10,365 --> 00:17:10,454
True.

419
00:17:10,454 --> 00:17:14,565
Like we are so biologically wired
to be afraid of things that like

420
00:17:14,625 --> 00:17:17,025
if you just took the same story,
like if you took iRobot Yeah.

421
00:17:17,355 --> 00:17:20,505
And turned it into like robots
are gonna be just amazing and

422
00:17:20,505 --> 00:17:21,495
there's no problems at all.

423
00:17:21,495 --> 00:17:23,025
People like literally wouldn't believe it.

424
00:17:23,025 --> 00:17:23,745
They wouldn't buy it.

425
00:17:23,750 --> 00:17:23,770
Yeah.

426
00:17:23,770 --> 00:17:24,525
Like yeah.

427
00:17:24,555 --> 00:17:27,135
It's gonna be a total flop
at the, there's no conflict.

428
00:17:27,465 --> 00:17:28,065
They need conflict.

429
00:17:28,065 --> 00:17:28,275
Yeah.

430
00:17:28,635 --> 00:17:28,965
Yeah.

431
00:17:29,115 --> 00:17:31,455
Um, and

432
00:17:33,645 --> 00:17:36,435
I would say the other one
is like these stories.

433
00:17:39,450 --> 00:17:42,690
There's utopian fiction, but
it's always so far off, right.

434
00:17:42,690 --> 00:17:47,340
Star Trek, like infinite free energy,
universal basic income, et cetera.

435
00:17:47,460 --> 00:17:49,110
But it's like 400 years from now.

436
00:17:49,110 --> 00:17:54,090
Yes, but like where solar punk really
like means something to the genre is like

437
00:17:54,420 --> 00:17:57,510
kind of the next a hundred years, like
the messy middle where we're trying to

438
00:17:57,510 --> 00:17:59,520
figure out where, where hope is like.

439
00:18:00,540 --> 00:18:03,540
A question rather than kind of a
given in a, in a distant utopia.

440
00:18:03,540 --> 00:18:03,629
Yes.

441
00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,500
Uh, and what I learned as I started
writing this book and thinking about

442
00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:08,730
like, Hey, am I gonna publish this?

443
00:18:08,730 --> 00:18:09,570
How do I publish it?

444
00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:14,700
Uh, it turns out it's actually very hard
to publish near future books like this

445
00:18:15,060 --> 00:18:18,240
because they're like instantly dated.

446
00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:19,590
They expire so quickly.

447
00:18:19,620 --> 00:18:20,010
Right.

448
00:18:20,010 --> 00:18:24,360
You know, any, any like predictions
you make in your book in five years,

449
00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:25,500
they're gonna turn out to be wrong.

450
00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:27,090
So your book is a very short shelf life.

451
00:18:28,050 --> 00:18:28,470
Get it.

452
00:18:28,470 --> 00:18:29,040
I get it.

453
00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:29,370
Yeah.

454
00:18:29,370 --> 00:18:34,980
So now, now, so how do you, so, so
this like solar punk type of, of novel,

455
00:18:36,060 --> 00:18:38,070
you know, it, it, it expires quickly.

456
00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,640
So why, why do you think people
are catching onto it now, like,

457
00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,080
or are really enjoying it now?

458
00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:44,730
Is it just because it's so near future?

459
00:18:44,730 --> 00:18:46,350
People wanna know what the near future is.

460
00:18:47,250 --> 00:18:49,050
People want to know
what the near future is.

461
00:18:49,110 --> 00:18:52,890
And I think it's also this rebellion
against the oversaturation of

462
00:18:52,890 --> 00:18:54,060
fear and anxiety in our world.

463
00:18:54,060 --> 00:18:55,440
Hence the punk a part of it.

464
00:18:56,205 --> 00:18:56,535
Yeah.

465
00:18:56,535 --> 00:19:01,455
People are just so desperate
for, tell me something besides,

466
00:19:01,455 --> 00:19:02,445
the future's gonna suck.

467
00:19:02,550 --> 00:19:02,840
Yeah.

468
00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,085
And like when you, when you
really think about it, like, the

469
00:19:05,085 --> 00:19:06,495
future is what we make of it.

470
00:19:06,945 --> 00:19:07,185
Yeah.

471
00:19:07,185 --> 00:19:10,455
And what we make of it is really
informed by the stories that we read.

472
00:19:10,905 --> 00:19:14,295
So in a way, it's almost an act
of creative rebellion to see

473
00:19:14,325 --> 00:19:17,145
like, we're surrounded by fear.

474
00:19:17,145 --> 00:19:19,395
Everyone thinks the future's
gonna suck, but like, what

475
00:19:19,395 --> 00:19:21,555
if, what if it does work out?

476
00:19:21,929 --> 00:19:22,320
Yeah.

477
00:19:22,590 --> 00:19:25,620
And like you share that idea with people
and you're actually like helping to

478
00:19:25,620 --> 00:19:27,330
build that future through storytelling.

479
00:19:27,735 --> 00:19:28,860
Right, right.

480
00:19:28,865 --> 00:19:32,010
And, and I mean, I, that's, that's
the beauty of it, is to kind of give

481
00:19:32,010 --> 00:19:33,929
you, is to unlock that hope in you.

482
00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,439
I think hope is a very powerful,
you know, powerful way to do it,

483
00:19:37,439 --> 00:19:41,879
but you still, you can still have
conflict, but give hope in that way.

484
00:19:41,879 --> 00:19:42,240
Right.

485
00:19:42,899 --> 00:19:43,320
Yeah.

486
00:19:43,409 --> 00:19:47,850
This, uh, was probably the hardest
part about writing this book was.

487
00:19:48,885 --> 00:19:51,585
In a book about hope,
what is the conflict?

488
00:19:51,855 --> 00:19:53,085
Yeah, yeah.

489
00:19:53,295 --> 00:19:55,545
You know, in a book that's not dystopian.

490
00:19:55,815 --> 00:19:55,935
Mm-hmm.

491
00:19:56,505 --> 00:19:58,665
Why are, so the book is a heist.

492
00:19:58,725 --> 00:19:59,025
Right?

493
00:19:59,025 --> 00:19:59,026
Right.

494
00:19:59,085 --> 00:20:02,835
And like usually in a heist it's like, why
would someone participate in this like,

495
00:20:02,835 --> 00:20:06,465
super dangerous, illegal thing if there's
like nothing going wrong in their life.

496
00:20:06,735 --> 00:20:07,005
Mm-hmm.

497
00:20:07,245 --> 00:20:11,475
Uh, so it's very interesting
to navigate that and, and find

498
00:20:11,475 --> 00:20:12,855
something that was hopeful and yet.

499
00:20:13,455 --> 00:20:13,665
Yeah.

500
00:20:13,665 --> 00:20:14,835
Dangerous and exciting.

501
00:20:14,835 --> 00:20:15,254
Yeah.

502
00:20:15,735 --> 00:20:18,165
So I want you to, as you kind of
alluded to it, but I want you to

503
00:20:18,165 --> 00:20:22,455
give us the, the, the, without giving
too much away, you know, we know

504
00:20:22,455 --> 00:20:23,925
it's a, it's a solar punk heist.

505
00:20:24,165 --> 00:20:27,315
Give us a little bit of a premise
of what people can think about.

506
00:20:27,315 --> 00:20:29,475
Like what, what would be on the
back of the book, what's gonna be on

507
00:20:29,475 --> 00:20:32,985
the back of the book to give a like
that, that, that, that lull to of

508
00:20:32,985 --> 00:20:34,875
like, Hey, how do I wanna read this?

509
00:20:35,925 --> 00:20:36,375
Yeah.

510
00:20:36,885 --> 00:20:39,315
So if you've ever asked
the question of what.

511
00:20:40,544 --> 00:20:41,955
Lives in our life.

512
00:20:41,985 --> 00:20:43,784
Climate change adaptation will look like.

513
00:20:44,054 --> 00:20:44,235
Mm-hmm.

514
00:20:45,584 --> 00:20:46,574
You're gonna wanna read this.

515
00:20:46,574 --> 00:20:46,604
Okay.

516
00:20:47,264 --> 00:20:50,145
And if you've ever read in
a climate book and just been

517
00:20:50,145 --> 00:20:51,735
like, dear job, this is boring.

518
00:20:52,304 --> 00:20:54,135
And you want something
that's actually fun to read.

519
00:20:54,405 --> 00:20:54,705
Yeah.

520
00:20:54,705 --> 00:21:00,074
This is first and foremost, uh, like high
stakes, thrilling page, turning heist.

521
00:21:00,074 --> 00:21:04,395
So like, if you want something enjoyable
to read and where you just happen to like

522
00:21:04,395 --> 00:21:06,014
get some new ideas about our future, like.

523
00:21:07,005 --> 00:21:07,395
Check this out.

524
00:21:09,705 --> 00:21:10,125
I love that.

525
00:21:10,125 --> 00:21:11,925
I'm gonna, I'm gonna clip that,
that's gonna be the commercial

526
00:21:11,925 --> 00:21:13,485
for, for this type of book.

527
00:21:13,550 --> 00:21:14,505
I, I think it's great.

528
00:21:14,505 --> 00:21:17,295
And, and you know, you want something
that, like you're on the edge of

529
00:21:17,295 --> 00:21:18,615
your seat as you're reading it.

530
00:21:18,945 --> 00:21:22,005
Um, you know, it, it's, it's,
you're, you're following the story

531
00:21:22,065 --> 00:21:25,065
closely, but you're seeing, I, I
assume what's happening is you're

532
00:21:25,065 --> 00:21:28,185
just seeing the world that they
live in while they do this heist.

533
00:21:28,185 --> 00:21:28,365
Right.

534
00:21:28,365 --> 00:21:30,405
And how they've adapted to climate change.

535
00:21:30,915 --> 00:21:33,240
Uh, almost in a way, and the
way I'm thinking of it, like.

536
00:21:34,380 --> 00:21:36,450
I can remember Dem the
movie Demolition Man.

537
00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,889
Whereas in the future, I don't, I forget
how many years in the future, uh, but

538
00:21:40,889 --> 00:21:44,159
like Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes,
they're in there, they've been frozen.

539
00:21:44,159 --> 00:21:48,240
They all of a sudden they're discovering
this new future where they've adapted,

540
00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,250
you know, no violence, no this, no that.

541
00:21:50,250 --> 00:21:52,860
And then all of a sudden this is
what they live in and they, they're

542
00:21:52,860 --> 00:21:55,379
trying to change or they're trying
to like stay true to themselves.

543
00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,020
It's a really interesting thing
where I think the major restaurant,

544
00:21:58,020 --> 00:22:00,540
the nice restaurants were Taco
Bell, I think, and, and it's,

545
00:22:00,540 --> 00:22:02,340
you know, very weird kind of way.

546
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,900
But I think that's what it is.

547
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:06,360
It's just like, here's the
story that's happening.

548
00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:10,230
It's a, it's a heist, and then this
is the, the world that they live in.

549
00:22:10,230 --> 00:22:13,379
So you kind of discover what a
fu, like a near future world of

550
00:22:13,379 --> 00:22:14,550
climate change is gonna look like.

551
00:22:15,420 --> 00:22:15,840
Yeah.

552
00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:20,790
And I, I was really intentional about,
so it's, it's an ensemble heist, right?

553
00:22:20,790 --> 00:22:22,080
There's a whole cast of characters.

554
00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:22,200
Gotcha.

555
00:22:22,260 --> 00:22:26,310
And each one of those characters has
had a very different experience in the

556
00:22:26,310 --> 00:22:31,920
world of how climate change is affecting
them and how they're adapting to it.

557
00:22:32,445 --> 00:22:37,064
So even as you just get to meet the
characters, you're learning about other

558
00:22:37,064 --> 00:22:41,115
parts of the world, other challenges
they're facing, how are they solving it?

559
00:22:41,685 --> 00:22:43,784
Uh, you know?

560
00:22:44,175 --> 00:22:44,294
Yeah.

561
00:22:44,294 --> 00:22:44,865
Well in heist.

562
00:22:45,254 --> 00:22:45,735
I love it.

563
00:22:45,855 --> 00:22:46,185
I love it.

564
00:22:46,185 --> 00:22:48,030
Now, you know, obviously
this is in the future.

565
00:22:49,304 --> 00:22:50,685
We're not, we're not psychic.

566
00:22:51,044 --> 00:22:55,425
Uh, where did you come up with some
of the, the sort of the environments

567
00:22:55,425 --> 00:22:58,335
that you're gonna, that the reader's
going to encounter in this book?

568
00:22:58,335 --> 00:22:59,745
How did you come up with it?

569
00:23:00,135 --> 00:23:03,524
Uh, did you try and look as,
as what it would consider to

570
00:23:03,524 --> 00:23:04,689
be as accurate as possible?

571
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,550
So that was one of my goals.

572
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,960
Uh, my, my tagline for this book is
basically The Martian meets Ocean 11

573
00:23:13,290 --> 00:23:14,940
in a world adapting to climate change.

574
00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:15,390
Okay.

575
00:23:15,390 --> 00:23:16,710
So it has to be a fun heist.

576
00:23:16,860 --> 00:23:17,160
Yeah.

577
00:23:17,250 --> 00:23:20,160
And, you know, very accurate,
very scientifically backed.

578
00:23:20,460 --> 00:23:20,790
Right.

579
00:23:20,850 --> 00:23:24,960
Uh, and so yeah, I consulted
with a lot of people.

580
00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,370
Uh, um, just anytime that I wanted
to pull something in, I would

581
00:23:29,370 --> 00:23:30,780
make sure to talk to an expert.

582
00:23:30,780 --> 00:23:33,090
Like how, like how would this happen?

583
00:23:33,090 --> 00:23:34,080
How would you adapt?

584
00:23:34,170 --> 00:23:34,440
Right.

585
00:23:35,745 --> 00:23:38,415
So when you, when you do a, when you
write, like is this your first novel?

586
00:23:39,795 --> 00:23:42,885
Um, well I did write one in, in
high school, but this is going

587
00:23:42,885 --> 00:23:43,995
to be my first published novel.

588
00:23:44,385 --> 00:23:44,775
Okay.

589
00:23:44,775 --> 00:23:47,205
Well, no, but that's important
though 'cause it's not your first

590
00:23:47,205 --> 00:23:48,585
time going through the process.

591
00:23:48,765 --> 00:23:52,395
Maybe with an actual publisher
it's probably different, I assume.

592
00:23:52,605 --> 00:23:52,695
Mm-hmm.

593
00:23:53,070 --> 00:23:57,780
When you set out to write this book,
like why did you decide this book?

594
00:23:57,780 --> 00:24:00,300
Like obviously you had some experience,
a little bit of experience in high

595
00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:05,400
school, what made you do a book and
not like a podcast or you know, like a

596
00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:06,930
YouTube channel or something like that?

597
00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:09,510
Like what made you decide
I'm gonna write this book?

598
00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:16,770
Well, when I started, uh, I wasn't sure
if I was going to publish it or not.

599
00:24:16,845 --> 00:24:16,875
Okay.

600
00:24:17,175 --> 00:24:21,135
I felt the creative need to write
a book and, you know, that's what

601
00:24:21,135 --> 00:24:22,725
felt accessible to me at the time.

602
00:24:23,055 --> 00:24:27,705
Um, you know, uh, it seems a bit
more straightforward to put words

603
00:24:27,705 --> 00:24:29,145
on a page than to figure out mm-hmm.

604
00:24:29,385 --> 00:24:34,455
All the video editing, um, or even sound
editing, you know, ma made do those

605
00:24:34,455 --> 00:24:35,895
to you on, on figuring all that out.

606
00:24:36,825 --> 00:24:40,725
Um, and so I just, you know, I
started writing it for fun and then

607
00:24:40,725 --> 00:24:45,640
I hit like 50, 60, 70,000 words
and was like, oh, I made something.

608
00:24:46,035 --> 00:24:49,125
Like, I kind of care about it and
I think it has a good message.

609
00:24:49,125 --> 00:24:52,545
Maybe I should like, you know,
take it seriously and like hire an

610
00:24:52,545 --> 00:24:54,045
editor and like figure this out.

611
00:24:54,765 --> 00:24:55,305
I love it.

612
00:24:55,335 --> 00:24:59,385
I love it Now, uh, to go
through this process the first

613
00:24:59,385 --> 00:25:00,525
time, it's gotta be a little.

614
00:25:00,899 --> 00:25:02,970
A little challenging to
figure out what you need.

615
00:25:02,970 --> 00:25:07,350
Obviously going, you know, writing 50
to 70,000 words, you make it sound easy.

616
00:25:07,350 --> 00:25:10,590
My friend, like, Todd, this is not
an easy thing to do, but you, you

617
00:25:10,590 --> 00:25:12,120
love, I assume you love writing.

618
00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,389
So that, that's, that's not
hard for you to, for you to do.

619
00:25:15,389 --> 00:25:18,389
But the whole process, like to
start off, where did you go?

620
00:25:18,389 --> 00:25:20,730
Like where, like finding a
publisher, all that kind of stuff.

621
00:25:21,689 --> 00:25:25,560
Yeah, and I will say it, it
was hard in the sense of like,

622
00:25:25,679 --> 00:25:27,030
you run into writer's walk.

623
00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:27,780
Yeah.

624
00:25:27,780 --> 00:25:29,040
And you just have to keep writing.

625
00:25:29,220 --> 00:25:29,939
And so, yeah.

626
00:25:30,885 --> 00:25:36,824
Um, I ended up applying skills that I've
used elsewhere in life to form successful

627
00:25:36,824 --> 00:25:41,475
habits of like, if there's a thing you
wanna do, make it as easy as possible

628
00:25:41,804 --> 00:25:45,554
and make it like a daily repeating thing
so you don't have to think about it.

629
00:25:45,585 --> 00:25:49,004
So I was like, like home
screen in my laptop.

630
00:25:49,155 --> 00:25:50,985
Anytime I open it,
first thing is the book.

631
00:25:51,135 --> 00:25:51,405
Yeah.

632
00:25:51,405 --> 00:25:53,264
And then, uh.

633
00:25:54,300 --> 00:25:57,419
Setting like a day, like I'm going
to write for 15 minutes a day.

634
00:25:57,659 --> 00:25:59,760
You know, if it's more than
that, that's great, but like by

635
00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,800
setting that bar at 15 minutes.

636
00:26:02,925 --> 00:26:05,265
It felt more approachable, I'd be
like, okay, like I don't even know

637
00:26:05,265 --> 00:26:07,245
what I'm gonna write about, but
I'll try writing for 15 minutes.

638
00:26:07,245 --> 00:26:10,485
And 90% of the time it would turn
into like a two hour marathon.

639
00:26:11,895 --> 00:26:12,255
Yeah.

640
00:26:12,675 --> 00:26:13,545
Well, 'cause I think I like that.

641
00:26:13,545 --> 00:26:15,855
You, you, you kind of
do it in a short spurt.

642
00:26:15,855 --> 00:26:17,235
It's like, look, I can do this.

643
00:26:17,235 --> 00:26:18,525
This is doable every day.

644
00:26:18,735 --> 00:26:20,805
Whatever's going on in your
life, whatever you have to do.

645
00:26:20,805 --> 00:26:23,565
Obviously you're working during this
time, like I assume you're, you're

646
00:26:23,625 --> 00:26:24,885
full still have a full-time job.

647
00:26:25,005 --> 00:26:25,065
Yeah.

648
00:26:25,095 --> 00:26:27,915
So, you know, doing it in little
chunks in 15 minutes, that's great.

649
00:26:27,915 --> 00:26:30,375
And then all of a sudden you're
probably like, after 15 minutes,

650
00:26:30,375 --> 00:26:31,095
you're like, no, no, no.

651
00:26:31,485 --> 00:26:32,445
I'm on roll here.

652
00:26:32,475 --> 00:26:33,315
I'm just gonna keep going.

653
00:26:33,315 --> 00:26:35,235
I'm just gonna keep rolling
with this story idea or

654
00:26:35,235 --> 00:26:36,795
this, this line in the story.

655
00:26:37,035 --> 00:26:38,145
I'm gonna keep going.

656
00:26:38,355 --> 00:26:38,805
Boom.

657
00:26:38,895 --> 00:26:41,504
All of a sudden you're like, two
hours later I've got 20,000 words.

658
00:26:41,535 --> 00:26:42,555
Okay, cool.

659
00:26:42,615 --> 00:26:45,705
Like, I dunno if that's possible, but
not 20,000 words in two hours, but yeah,

660
00:26:45,705 --> 00:26:46,965
no, no, but like, you know what I mean?

661
00:26:46,965 --> 00:26:49,245
Like you've, I've, I've just
written for two hours, got

662
00:26:49,245 --> 00:26:50,385
some ideas out of your head.

663
00:26:50,385 --> 00:26:54,495
You probably feel like after like one or
two hours, you probably feel a little,

664
00:26:54,855 --> 00:26:58,845
a little tired mentally, you know, just
from, from a little drained on, on that.

665
00:26:58,845 --> 00:26:59,655
After doing that right.

666
00:27:00,689 --> 00:27:01,169
Yeah.

667
00:27:01,260 --> 00:27:07,469
It, it was actually really interesting
to see how the creative energy, uh, it,

668
00:27:07,534 --> 00:27:10,435
it almost ended up being like physical
energy, you know, like you work out right?

669
00:27:10,435 --> 00:27:11,699
And then you're like tired.

670
00:27:12,030 --> 00:27:12,090
Yeah.

671
00:27:12,090 --> 00:27:15,060
Like to put forth that creativity,
like the creative part of your brain is

672
00:27:15,060 --> 00:27:16,949
like, I need to take a nap, you know?

673
00:27:19,530 --> 00:27:20,100
Yeah.

674
00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:20,102
I get it.

675
00:27:20,102 --> 00:27:21,719
I, I also, sorry, go ahead.

676
00:27:21,719 --> 00:27:23,550
It's kinda like a muscle in
that sense of like, yeah.

677
00:27:23,699 --> 00:27:25,020
Then you can build a creative energy.

678
00:27:25,020 --> 00:27:26,100
You can build your endurance.

679
00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:28,439
You can write for like two
and a half hours, three hours.

680
00:27:29,445 --> 00:27:32,084
So I think that was like
a, a helpful framework.

681
00:27:32,625 --> 00:27:35,385
So how many hours do you think it
took you to finish off this book?

682
00:27:36,135 --> 00:27:37,425
Like to write this whole book?

683
00:27:38,054 --> 00:27:40,485
If you, if you, oh, if I had
to, if I had to calculate that

684
00:27:40,485 --> 00:27:41,385
number, it would make me sad.

685
00:27:41,385 --> 00:27:42,949
But if I had to, yes.

686
00:27:45,945 --> 00:27:48,705
I think by the time we publish
it, I will probably have spent

687
00:27:48,705 --> 00:27:50,175
about a thousand hours on it.

688
00:27:50,235 --> 00:27:50,564
Yeah.

689
00:27:51,495 --> 00:27:52,004
Crazy.

690
00:27:52,455 --> 00:27:57,314
A thousand hours, like roughly
two hours a day for, yeah.

691
00:27:57,570 --> 00:28:00,960
Two, you know, two or
three years, so Yeah.

692
00:28:01,135 --> 00:28:01,425
Geez.

693
00:28:01,620 --> 00:28:03,750
And, and working at the same time.

694
00:28:04,230 --> 00:28:07,290
Like, this is your hobby at, at the, like
at this point it's your hobby, right?

695
00:28:07,290 --> 00:28:09,540
Like it, I mean obviously you're
getting it published and stuff,

696
00:28:09,540 --> 00:28:12,870
but you're doing this as an
extracurricular activity essentially.

697
00:28:13,050 --> 00:28:13,530
Yeah.

698
00:28:14,159 --> 00:28:19,200
And in a way I think it works well.

699
00:28:19,439 --> 00:28:19,530
Yeah.

700
00:28:19,530 --> 00:28:24,149
Because, you know, I think of like
what I write in the book and so

701
00:28:24,149 --> 00:28:26,070
much of it is informed by real life.

702
00:28:26,430 --> 00:28:29,190
Where it would be very hard to
just do this in a vacuum chamber.

703
00:28:29,730 --> 00:28:30,210
Gotcha.

704
00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:31,590
But yeah, for sure.

705
00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:35,190
Uh, you know, I'm constantly stealing
things that I see in real life, and I

706
00:28:35,190 --> 00:28:38,760
think that makes the book Yeah, a lot
more interesting and a lot more realistic.

707
00:28:40,110 --> 00:28:44,130
What barriers did you encounter
while writing this book?

708
00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,399
Uh, I, I would say rejection is a big one.

709
00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:57,180
Uh, okay.

710
00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:04,410
And, and like, yeah, so last year when
I started trying to send this out to

711
00:29:04,410 --> 00:29:08,280
publishers where I kind of finished
the first draft, I'd like run it past

712
00:29:08,430 --> 00:29:11,190
the first draft editor and I was like,
okay, I think I have something here.

713
00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:13,320
40 emails out.

714
00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,790
39 nos and then one, yes.

715
00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:18,660
Okay.

716
00:29:18,750 --> 00:29:21,900
And I could have stopped at 38 and
been like, yeah, this is ridiculous.

717
00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:23,190
Like 38 people said no.

718
00:29:23,340 --> 00:29:25,110
Uh, yeah, but I'm stubborn.

719
00:29:25,110 --> 00:29:25,470
So.

720
00:29:25,935 --> 00:29:28,215
Well, I mean it that, well,
I mean, it worked, right?

721
00:29:28,215 --> 00:29:28,995
The stubbornness worked.

722
00:29:28,995 --> 00:29:29,055
Yeah.

723
00:29:29,055 --> 00:29:33,315
'cause you, you finally found that,
that one, this is not, uh, abnormal,

724
00:29:33,465 --> 00:29:35,055
I assume from the publishing industry.

725
00:29:35,055 --> 00:29:37,515
It's just a lot of, they probably
get pitched all the time.

726
00:29:37,785 --> 00:29:38,385
It's difficult.

727
00:29:38,385 --> 00:29:40,845
And you, you need to find that, I
assume you need to find that one

728
00:29:40,845 --> 00:29:43,515
publisher that believes in the
book, but as it's written Yeah.

729
00:29:43,515 --> 00:29:47,145
And then saying, okay, we, if we, I'm sure
they're gonna come with some suggestions

730
00:29:47,145 --> 00:29:51,135
and, and tweaks and stuff, then, then
you, it's, they feel it's workable.

731
00:29:51,135 --> 00:29:51,405
Right.

732
00:29:52,590 --> 00:29:56,040
Yeah, it actually really helped
me to understand other people's

733
00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,170
creative journeys and see
that this is pretty common.

734
00:29:58,530 --> 00:30:02,995
Um, you know, I looked up stories
from other authors and like very

735
00:30:03,235 --> 00:30:06,120
frequently I was like, yeah,
you know, 95% rejection rate.

736
00:30:06,210 --> 00:30:10,890
Uh, but actually the one that
really stuck in my mind is Lord

737
00:30:10,890 --> 00:30:12,150
of the Rings and Peter Jackson.

738
00:30:13,095 --> 00:30:15,975
Uh, I was a huge, huge Lord of the
Rings fan growing up, and I watched

739
00:30:15,975 --> 00:30:17,325
like all of the behind the scenes.

740
00:30:17,685 --> 00:30:17,835
Yeah.

741
00:30:17,835 --> 00:30:20,955
And in one of the behind, behind the
scenes, he talks about how he had to

742
00:30:20,955 --> 00:30:27,435
take it to dozens of, of, uh, movie
houses before a single person bit.

743
00:30:27,435 --> 00:30:31,125
And like, you know, I, I have no, I claim
that my book is anywhere near as good as

744
00:30:31,215 --> 00:30:32,565
the Peter Jackson loved during movies.

745
00:30:32,565 --> 00:30:33,250
You never know.

746
00:30:33,250 --> 00:30:33,615
It's like, yes.

747
00:30:33,615 --> 00:30:35,835
If you believe it, you
just have to keep pushing.

748
00:30:36,165 --> 00:30:36,525
Yeah.

749
00:30:37,365 --> 00:30:37,605
Yeah.

750
00:30:37,605 --> 00:30:39,255
I mean, that's, that's
really what it comes down to.

751
00:30:39,585 --> 00:30:41,805
But like, and, and in that journey.

752
00:30:43,490 --> 00:30:46,785
I, I assume, like, did you have a lot
of self-doubt after each je like, you

753
00:30:46,785 --> 00:30:48,345
know, getting more and more rejections?

754
00:30:48,345 --> 00:30:49,695
Did you have that self-doubt?

755
00:30:50,865 --> 00:30:51,285
Yeah.

756
00:30:51,735 --> 00:30:52,515
Uh, for sure.

757
00:30:52,605 --> 00:30:55,635
And then, you know, not even just
with the publishers, but like, after

758
00:30:55,635 --> 00:30:58,935
I got my publisher and then I started
getting editor feedback, right.

759
00:30:58,935 --> 00:31:02,355
You know, sometimes I get the feedback
and you'd be like, this is great

760
00:31:02,355 --> 00:31:03,495
and you just need to tweak this.

761
00:31:03,495 --> 00:31:04,425
And I'd be like, cool.

762
00:31:04,455 --> 00:31:04,845
Done.

763
00:31:05,085 --> 00:31:07,965
And sometimes it'd be like, wow,
this like whole chapter, this whole

764
00:31:07,965 --> 00:31:10,515
character doesn't, just doesn't work.

765
00:31:11,129 --> 00:31:13,860
Be like, but they're,
it's integral to the plot.

766
00:31:13,860 --> 00:31:15,570
If I get rid of them,
I have have the book.

767
00:31:15,659 --> 00:31:15,690
Uh,

768
00:31:19,075 --> 00:31:22,050
and how, so how do you react to
that when you get that reaction,

769
00:31:23,190 --> 00:31:25,050
you know, and you're like, I
don't really wanna change that.

770
00:31:25,050 --> 00:31:27,929
Like, from a creative standpoint,
this, like you said, this character's

771
00:31:27,929 --> 00:31:29,159
integral to the rest of the book.

772
00:31:29,639 --> 00:31:31,770
How do you re, how do you
react to that kind of stuff?

773
00:31:31,770 --> 00:31:34,980
Do you get, is it like an anger kind
of thing or more of like a desperation?

774
00:31:34,980 --> 00:31:36,990
Like, my book will change if I do this?

775
00:31:38,159 --> 00:31:39,210
I would say.

776
00:31:41,835 --> 00:31:42,435
It's

777
00:31:45,555 --> 00:31:50,655
a little sadness or despair.

778
00:31:50,685 --> 00:31:51,135
Yeah.

779
00:31:51,315 --> 00:31:51,735
Yeah.

780
00:31:51,915 --> 00:31:52,635
Um,

781
00:31:56,235 --> 00:32:00,195
you know, like you, you invest your heart
in a creative project, and so then when

782
00:32:00,195 --> 00:32:03,795
someone's like, this is garbage, you're
like, but does, does that make me garbage?

783
00:32:04,125 --> 00:32:04,395
Right.

784
00:32:04,395 --> 00:32:05,445
This is, this is me.

785
00:32:05,610 --> 00:32:05,900
Yeah.

786
00:32:05,905 --> 00:32:06,225
Yeah.

787
00:32:06,315 --> 00:32:09,135
Um, and.

788
00:32:09,570 --> 00:32:14,430
The intimidation too, of having
to make those big changes.

789
00:32:14,430 --> 00:32:19,560
So eventually I found this sort of
process where I would like read the

790
00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:27,690
feedback in a very detached manner
and sit on it and actually start first

791
00:32:27,690 --> 00:32:32,220
applying this mental question of like,
is this feedback I want to apply?

792
00:32:32,460 --> 00:32:32,790
Right?

793
00:32:33,690 --> 00:32:35,460
Um, what.

794
00:32:36,495 --> 00:32:41,655
What I started realizing, isn't it are
like once you get past the like basic

795
00:32:41,655 --> 00:32:43,575
stuff, like, you know, are there typos?

796
00:32:43,575 --> 00:32:44,895
Like is your grammar good?

797
00:32:45,435 --> 00:32:47,925
A lot of it really boils
down to artistic choice.

798
00:32:48,255 --> 00:32:48,525
Mm-hmm.

799
00:32:49,635 --> 00:32:49,935
Gotcha.

800
00:32:49,935 --> 00:32:50,895
And subjectivity.

801
00:32:51,105 --> 00:32:54,555
And, you know, I started getting like
conflicting feedback of like, I like this

802
00:32:54,585 --> 00:32:55,935
character, I don't like this character.

803
00:32:56,295 --> 00:32:58,665
I'm like, well, can't please both of you.

804
00:32:58,965 --> 00:33:04,095
So like, I have to go back to what,
what the story I want to tell is.

805
00:33:04,305 --> 00:33:04,665
Yeah.

806
00:33:04,935 --> 00:33:05,295
Uh.

807
00:33:06,780 --> 00:33:08,370
And that's, that's hard to do.

808
00:33:08,430 --> 00:33:11,100
'cause you know you want your book to be
a success and you think like if someone

809
00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:13,740
gives you feedback, if you apply the
feedback, it'll make it more successful.

810
00:33:13,740 --> 00:33:17,910
Yeah, but Well, and especially with the
genre like you're looking at like solar

811
00:33:17,910 --> 00:33:20,010
punk, you know, like a heist, right?

812
00:33:20,010 --> 00:33:23,790
This is very different than what
many publishers probably see.

813
00:33:24,420 --> 00:33:25,620
You're trying to.

814
00:33:26,295 --> 00:33:31,815
Provided optimistic look to climate change
very different than what the, the, the

815
00:33:31,815 --> 00:33:35,535
normal narrative is, or the traditional
narrative is for climate change.

816
00:33:36,255 --> 00:33:42,285
Was that ever, uh, at risk of being
changed through the editing process?

817
00:33:45,700 --> 00:33:45,920
Um,

818
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:52,005
I'd say the high level idea
was not, you know, I, right.

819
00:33:52,005 --> 00:33:52,395
I was.

820
00:33:53,550 --> 00:33:56,280
Lucky enough to find a publisher
and an editor that understood

821
00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:57,540
what I was trying to achieve.

822
00:33:58,379 --> 00:34:00,179
Uh, and I guess that makes sense.

823
00:34:00,209 --> 00:34:03,975
'cause you know, they, they want,
they took it on, they, yeah.

824
00:34:03,975 --> 00:34:06,360
Obvious they have to understand the
project and want that, want that project.

825
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:07,770
'cause they're getting
pitched with so many books.

826
00:34:07,770 --> 00:34:10,620
If they don't like the exact mission
statement for your book, they're probably

827
00:34:10,620 --> 00:34:12,360
just gonna take on a different book.

828
00:34:12,509 --> 00:34:15,719
But, uh, I mean, I've gotten to the
point around like, I don't know.

829
00:34:16,094 --> 00:34:18,884
Publisher rejection number 30
where it started being like,

830
00:34:18,884 --> 00:34:20,324
maybe I should self-publish.

831
00:34:20,654 --> 00:34:20,804
Yeah.

832
00:34:20,895 --> 00:34:23,594
So there's a whole section of my
Google search history of like, how does

833
00:34:23,594 --> 00:34:25,455
self-publish a self-publish good idea.

834
00:34:27,284 --> 00:34:28,154
I mean, it's an idea.

835
00:34:28,154 --> 00:34:30,404
I think I would go towards
that after that many rejection.

836
00:34:30,404 --> 00:34:31,034
Like, you know what?

837
00:34:31,034 --> 00:34:32,745
I'm just gonna self, but there's a, yeah.

838
00:34:32,955 --> 00:34:36,674
So what's the difference
between getting a, a publisher

839
00:34:36,795 --> 00:34:38,534
and then also self publishing?

840
00:34:38,534 --> 00:34:41,205
Like what, in that process,
what's the difference?

841
00:34:43,094 --> 00:34:44,984
Well, okay, for me.

842
00:34:46,170 --> 00:34:48,810
I wanted to go the publishing
route for two read.

843
00:34:49,409 --> 00:34:53,279
One is I really wanted to
see how it can be done Right.

844
00:34:53,370 --> 00:34:54,239
And professionally.

845
00:34:54,570 --> 00:34:54,779
Yeah.

846
00:34:54,810 --> 00:34:57,000
And then learn from that and
maybe do it myself the next time.

847
00:34:57,180 --> 00:34:57,480
Right.

848
00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,720
Like I, that's my mental
model for learning is like,

849
00:35:01,049 --> 00:35:02,160
watch a professional, do it.

850
00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:02,250
Yes.

851
00:35:02,490 --> 00:35:04,080
And then like copy and paste.

852
00:35:04,740 --> 00:35:09,180
Uh, the other one is I really
hope it gets turned into a movie.

853
00:35:09,330 --> 00:35:12,570
I, it's like one of my bucket
list items is like, write

854
00:35:12,570 --> 00:35:13,620
something that turns into a movie.

855
00:35:14,505 --> 00:35:16,155
Might not be the book, but like Yeah.

856
00:35:16,215 --> 00:35:19,005
Uh, I felt that going, the, the
traditional publisher route was like

857
00:35:19,005 --> 00:35:22,575
a, gave it kind of a better chance
of being taken seriously as a movie.

858
00:35:22,965 --> 00:35:23,415
Gotcha.

859
00:35:23,475 --> 00:35:24,045
And it makes sense.

860
00:35:24,045 --> 00:35:27,825
And also like, I, I, I think the
feedback is awesome too, right?

861
00:35:27,825 --> 00:35:28,515
To be able to.

862
00:35:29,655 --> 00:35:33,375
Share your, your creative work with
publishers and, and editors, like

863
00:35:33,375 --> 00:35:37,425
professionals that do this each and every
day who have seen countless books, right.

864
00:35:37,425 --> 00:35:39,105
Compared to maybe yourself or others.

865
00:35:39,105 --> 00:35:41,925
Obviously, you're probably well
read and, and things like that.

866
00:35:41,925 --> 00:35:47,025
If you're ready to read a, uh, write a
book, but, you know, that's, that's also

867
00:35:47,025 --> 00:35:49,120
a, a, probably a, a plus, a positive.

868
00:35:49,335 --> 00:35:52,785
Getting a published book is just like
you, you're, you're getting input into the

869
00:35:52,785 --> 00:35:57,285
story, input into the writing style that
might play a role down the down the road.

870
00:35:57,285 --> 00:35:58,935
If a book does get picked up.

871
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:04,560
Yeah, no, and I think feedback is
critical to really any creative

872
00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:05,970
process, including writing.

873
00:36:06,390 --> 00:36:10,410
And you know, even outside of
my publisher, I recruited a

874
00:36:10,410 --> 00:36:12,180
lot of my own beta readers.

875
00:36:12,450 --> 00:36:12,990
Uh, yeah.

876
00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:13,530
Gotcha.

877
00:36:13,710 --> 00:36:14,550
Mostly friends.

878
00:36:14,580 --> 00:36:17,400
But yeah, I actually found like
a website online called Critique

879
00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,940
Circle, where you post chapters,
you read other people's chapters.

880
00:36:20,940 --> 00:36:22,051
They have a really smart system where.

881
00:36:22,695 --> 00:36:25,035
You get credits for reviewing
other people's chapters.

882
00:36:25,065 --> 00:36:25,245
Yeah.

883
00:36:25,245 --> 00:36:26,925
And then you need
credits to post your own.

884
00:36:27,105 --> 00:36:30,405
So it's, it kind of keeps this like
healthy economy alive where Yeah.

885
00:36:30,435 --> 00:36:31,995
You're incentivized to
review other people.

886
00:36:31,995 --> 00:36:34,245
It's kind of like a
science journal in a way.

887
00:36:34,305 --> 00:36:36,855
Like, you know, you write, you
write articles and they ask you

888
00:36:36,855 --> 00:36:39,615
to review articles and that's
like part of the service.

889
00:36:39,705 --> 00:36:39,975
Yeah.

890
00:36:40,095 --> 00:36:42,525
And you know, thankfully
no money is required.

891
00:36:42,675 --> 00:36:42,855
Yeah.

892
00:36:43,275 --> 00:36:47,145
I know the science journalism space
is running into a lot of the expensive

893
00:36:47,145 --> 00:36:48,675
paywalls right now, but Yeah.

894
00:36:48,915 --> 00:36:51,615
Uh, I actually think that that's
a super interesting model.

895
00:36:52,005 --> 00:36:52,905
Of the future.

896
00:36:53,445 --> 00:36:58,185
Um, because, you know, as part
of this whole solar punk idea,

897
00:36:58,275 --> 00:37:03,315
I think community and people are
such a large part of the problem.

898
00:37:03,795 --> 00:37:04,965
Sorry, part of the solution.

899
00:37:05,310 --> 00:37:05,670
Solution, yeah.

900
00:37:05,675 --> 00:37:06,345
Yeah.

901
00:37:06,495 --> 00:37:06,795
Yes.

902
00:37:07,155 --> 00:37:11,145
Community and people are such a large
part of the solution and one of the

903
00:37:11,145 --> 00:37:15,435
ways that we do that is we figure out
systems that help us align, help us

904
00:37:15,435 --> 00:37:17,985
work better together rather than worse.

905
00:37:18,645 --> 00:37:20,745
Uh, so these platforms.

906
00:37:21,585 --> 00:37:25,694
I mean, Craigslist is like this weirdly
old school, but perfect example of like

907
00:37:26,055 --> 00:37:30,555
if you just, and make a platform where
people can buy and sell used items.

908
00:37:30,794 --> 00:37:31,095
Yeah.

909
00:37:31,365 --> 00:37:35,024
I mean, who knows how many, like
millions of tons of CO2 Craigslist has

910
00:37:35,024 --> 00:37:36,615
saved from things being landfilled.

911
00:37:36,884 --> 00:37:37,694
Yeah, it's incredible.

912
00:37:38,025 --> 00:37:38,445
It's true.

913
00:37:38,445 --> 00:37:39,945
'cause normally people
would just throw stuff out.

914
00:37:39,945 --> 00:37:43,335
Even for like Facebook marketplaces,
people are like, I got this junk,

915
00:37:43,335 --> 00:37:46,365
but I can sell it for 50 bucks
and, and just make something

916
00:37:46,365 --> 00:37:47,625
off of it and it gets reused.

917
00:37:47,625 --> 00:37:51,285
So it makes sense to, for reusable
stuff, it probably saves a lot, a ton of

918
00:37:51,285 --> 00:37:53,205
stuff from, from going into the, yeah.

919
00:37:53,205 --> 00:37:53,206
Yeah.

920
00:37:53,385 --> 00:37:53,835
Agreed.

921
00:37:54,015 --> 00:37:54,435
Agreed.

922
00:37:55,035 --> 00:37:55,995
That's, that's really interesting.

923
00:37:55,995 --> 00:38:02,775
So, um, with this story, what do
you hope readers get out of it?

924
00:38:07,754 --> 00:38:11,055
I hope that readers of how to
surf for hurricane walk away

925
00:38:13,245 --> 00:38:17,654
believing that there's hope in
the future, and feeling excited

926
00:38:17,654 --> 00:38:22,035
and empowered to take action
themselves and with their community.

927
00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:22,970
Okay.

928
00:38:23,970 --> 00:38:25,259
Yeah, I like that.

929
00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:28,080
And so, I mean, that's what you want.

930
00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:28,950
You want the call to action.

931
00:38:28,950 --> 00:38:33,690
So part of the book is there like a,
will there be like a follow up with you?

932
00:38:33,750 --> 00:38:35,640
You know, you'll probably do some
talks and stuff like that, but

933
00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,680
like, is there, like you want
them to feel a call to action?

934
00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,560
So after the book, I'm reading it and
I'll be like, oh man, this is awesome.

935
00:38:40,859 --> 00:38:42,720
I feel inspired to do something else.

936
00:38:43,290 --> 00:38:46,680
How will you, like, is there a way that
they can get directed to something?

937
00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:50,130
Like, are you going to create something
like that or say, here are a bunch

938
00:38:50,130 --> 00:38:52,890
of of organizations such as like
Surf Ride or something like that,

939
00:38:52,890 --> 00:38:56,970
that are going to help you, guide you
to do that kind of call to action?

940
00:38:58,080 --> 00:38:58,500
Yeah.

941
00:38:58,740 --> 00:39:03,210
Uh, so obviously going to keep doing
podcasts and spreading the word, but also

942
00:39:03,210 --> 00:39:06,090
for listeners of how to protect the ocean.

943
00:39:06,510 --> 00:39:09,060
I've prepared a special
page on the book's website.

944
00:39:09,090 --> 00:39:09,180
Nice.

945
00:39:09,420 --> 00:39:13,890
How to serve for hurricane.com/protect,
which will not only give them a

946
00:39:13,890 --> 00:39:17,820
free sneak preview of the book, but
includes some, some actions and some

947
00:39:17,820 --> 00:39:21,210
ideas on how you can get started
yourself helping to protect the ocean.

948
00:39:21,510 --> 00:39:22,980
I love that.

949
00:39:22,980 --> 00:39:23,970
What a nice surprise.

950
00:39:23,970 --> 00:39:25,140
That's amazing.

951
00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:26,460
Uh, this is a guy who knows how to.

952
00:39:26,540 --> 00:39:27,080
Sell a book.

953
00:39:27,110 --> 00:39:30,710
This is, this is fantastic, I think, but I
mean that, that's what's important, right?

954
00:39:30,740 --> 00:39:33,920
When you write a novel like this,
you want people to feel inspired.

955
00:39:34,220 --> 00:39:35,720
You want people to take action.

956
00:39:35,779 --> 00:39:40,580
Here, you're providing people with a
methodology, some ideas, some strategies.

957
00:39:41,430 --> 00:39:43,140
I think that's, that's fantastic.

958
00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:44,250
And, and I can't wait.

959
00:39:44,250 --> 00:39:45,480
Yeah, I can't wait to read the book.

960
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:46,980
I can't wait for people to read the book.

961
00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:50,700
Um, people are, as you're reading
this, or as you're listening to

962
00:39:50,700 --> 00:39:54,150
this, you're watching this, the
book, the, the, the pre-orders are

963
00:39:54,150 --> 00:39:55,860
up and you can grab the pre-orders.

964
00:39:55,860 --> 00:39:57,810
I can put the link in the show notes.

965
00:39:58,140 --> 00:40:01,530
Um, Todd, like, as we kind of wrap
this up, like what do you want

966
00:40:01,530 --> 00:40:03,990
people, uh, to feel after this book?

967
00:40:03,990 --> 00:40:05,250
Like what do you want people to do?

968
00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:07,800
I want people.

969
00:40:08,895 --> 00:40:11,895
First and foremost, I want
people to spend time in nature.

970
00:40:12,315 --> 00:40:14,865
Yes, that's pro.

971
00:40:14,925 --> 00:40:18,615
Like the single most important thing
you can do is spend time in nature.

972
00:40:18,705 --> 00:40:19,875
'cause it's gonna recharge you.

973
00:40:19,935 --> 00:40:24,885
It's gonna shield you against all the fear
and anxiety in the world, and it's gonna

974
00:40:24,885 --> 00:40:26,895
remind you, this is what I'm fighting for.

975
00:40:27,375 --> 00:40:27,495
Yeah.

976
00:40:27,495 --> 00:40:30,975
And then take that energy and act.

977
00:40:30,975 --> 00:40:31,035
Yeah.

978
00:40:31,575 --> 00:40:34,215
There's so many ideas online
about how you can act, you know,

979
00:40:34,215 --> 00:40:36,510
find something that makes sense
for your life and your lifestyle.

980
00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:42,840
And build on that action, join
some sort of group or community

981
00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:47,550
near you with similar desires and
goals to just keep, keep building

982
00:40:47,550 --> 00:40:49,080
on that and enabling other people.

983
00:40:49,500 --> 00:40:49,890
Yeah.

984
00:40:50,385 --> 00:40:51,165
I love that.

985
00:40:51,405 --> 00:40:54,195
I think that's, that's,
that's a great, great message.

986
00:40:54,555 --> 00:40:57,375
Uh, you know, Todd, I want to
thank you so much for coming on

987
00:40:57,375 --> 00:40:58,755
the podcast, for writing the book.

988
00:40:59,115 --> 00:41:00,285
Uh, I can't wait to read it.

989
00:41:00,285 --> 00:41:03,705
I can't wait for people to read it, and
I wanna hear what people say, you know?

990
00:41:03,705 --> 00:41:05,895
Uh, we'll, we'll tell people
how to get ahold of you.

991
00:41:05,895 --> 00:41:08,835
We'll put your, your links in, in the
show notes so that people can give

992
00:41:08,835 --> 00:41:11,835
you their feedback, their inspiration,
how they felt about the book.

993
00:41:12,075 --> 00:41:13,605
Um, I can't wait for it to come out.

994
00:41:13,605 --> 00:41:14,745
You must be super excited.

995
00:41:15,780 --> 00:41:16,260
I am.

996
00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:17,640
Thank you so much, Andrew.

997
00:41:17,730 --> 00:41:20,520
It's been, it's a, been a pleasure
talking with you and I hope

998
00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:21,900
you enjoy the book Absolutely.

999
00:41:21,900 --> 00:41:22,740
Surf for hurricane.com.

1000
00:41:23,130 --> 00:41:23,940
Yes, absolutely.

1001
00:41:23,940 --> 00:41:25,470
Say that again 'cause I
kind of interrupted you.

1002
00:41:25,470 --> 00:41:26,220
Say that one more time.

1003
00:41:26,340 --> 00:41:29,070
Uh, how to surf a hurricane.com.

1004
00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:29,820
Perfect.

1005
00:41:29,820 --> 00:41:32,190
We'll put that link in the show
notes for you guys to get ahold

1006
00:41:32,190 --> 00:41:34,230
of that, and we'll put in the
comments on the YouTube channel.

1007
00:41:34,380 --> 00:41:36,330
Again, Todd, thank you so
much for writing the book.

1008
00:41:36,330 --> 00:41:37,950
Thank you so much for coming
on and telling us all about it.

1009
00:41:37,950 --> 00:41:41,730
We can't wait to have you back on,
uh, and to find out what happened,

1010
00:41:41,970 --> 00:41:45,060
you know, what happened during
this, during this journey of yours.

1011
00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,480
Um, do you plan, like, I know this,
you're still in the first book and

1012
00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:51,960
the, and still in the editing process
and like the release process and

1013
00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:55,020
stuff like that, but do you plan on
writing another one, like a follow up?

1014
00:41:56,265 --> 00:41:58,665
Don't tell anyone, but I have
started working on a sequel.

1015
00:41:59,595 --> 00:41:59,685
What?

1016
00:41:59,685 --> 00:42:00,345
That's awesome.

1017
00:42:00,404 --> 00:42:00,975
Love it.

1018
00:42:01,004 --> 00:42:01,515
Alright.

1019
00:42:01,515 --> 00:42:02,475
This is gonna be good.

1020
00:42:02,625 --> 00:42:03,944
Can't wait to hear more about that.

1021
00:42:03,944 --> 00:42:05,714
Thank you very much Todd
for coming on the podcast.

1022
00:42:05,714 --> 00:42:06,555
We really appreciate it.

1023
00:42:06,765 --> 00:42:08,295
Uh, looking forward to having
you back on the next time.

1024
00:42:09,315 --> 00:42:09,629
Thanks, Andrew.

1025
00:42:10,485 --> 00:42:13,215
Thank you, Todd, for joining us
on today's episode of the How

1026
00:42:13,215 --> 00:42:14,505
to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

1027
00:42:14,565 --> 00:42:17,535
What an interview in terms of
talking about a book that he

1028
00:42:17,535 --> 00:42:20,085
just wrote, like pretty much
his first time with a publisher.

1029
00:42:20,175 --> 00:42:21,435
I don't know how you write a book.

1030
00:42:21,645 --> 00:42:23,625
I've always wanted to write a
book, especially with the amount

1031
00:42:23,625 --> 00:42:25,275
of interviews that I've done and
the amount of people that I've

1032
00:42:25,275 --> 00:42:26,775
met, amazing people that I've met.

1033
00:42:26,955 --> 00:42:27,975
Maybe one day that'll come.

1034
00:42:28,315 --> 00:42:33,205
But to write a novel and to just write it
every day for like two to three years to

1035
00:42:33,205 --> 00:42:38,395
get rejected so many times, to build that
resilience in yourself just like Todd did,

1036
00:42:38,455 --> 00:42:40,765
that's inspiration right there, right?

1037
00:42:40,765 --> 00:42:43,915
That's an inspiring journey right
there to write a novel, not an easy

1038
00:42:43,915 --> 00:42:47,365
thing to do, and then hopefully one
day we might see it on the big screen.

1039
00:42:47,689 --> 00:42:50,930
I think that would be kind of cool to
see that, but I think it's important to

1040
00:42:50,930 --> 00:42:54,169
be able to read this book, to be able
to think about climate change in the

1041
00:42:54,169 --> 00:42:58,609
future, near future, and how we adapt
to it and to see what those results are.

1042
00:42:58,640 --> 00:42:59,990
I can't wait to read this book.

1043
00:42:59,990 --> 00:43:02,629
I know you probably can't wait to
read this book, so I'm gonna put the

1044
00:43:02,629 --> 00:43:04,759
pre-order link in the show notes.

1045
00:43:05,180 --> 00:43:06,440
Go get it, buy it.

1046
00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,319
Support Todd and his efforts
also support in thinking about

1047
00:43:09,319 --> 00:43:12,049
climate change in a different way
and support this genre, right?

1048
00:43:12,049 --> 00:43:13,339
The solar punk genre.

1049
00:43:13,430 --> 00:43:14,779
That's kind of a cool thing to do.

1050
00:43:14,779 --> 00:43:16,279
Punk has always been rebellious.

1051
00:43:16,549 --> 00:43:19,130
This thought process is a bit
rebellious 'cause it's not normally

1052
00:43:19,130 --> 00:43:22,610
done, and he's challenging you to
think in a different way, and I just

1053
00:43:22,610 --> 00:43:23,900
love the fact that he's doing this.

1054
00:43:23,900 --> 00:43:26,750
So thank you again, Todd, and I wanna
thank you who's listening to this

1055
00:43:26,750 --> 00:43:28,580
podcast, who's watching this on YouTube.

1056
00:43:28,790 --> 00:43:31,430
I wanna thank you so much for
joining us on today's episode of the

1057
00:43:31,430 --> 00:43:32,480
How to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

1058
00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:33,470
If you want to get ahold of me.

1059
00:43:33,530 --> 00:43:37,700
You can do so by going to Instagram,
DMing me at How to Protect the Ocean,

1060
00:43:37,910 --> 00:43:42,590
or you can go on our YouTube channel,
subscribe, hit that notification bell so

1061
00:43:42,590 --> 00:43:44,210
you don't miss any of the future episodes.

1062
00:43:44,390 --> 00:43:46,520
I wanna thank you for joining
us on today's episode of the How

1063
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:47,540
to Protect the Ocean Podcast.

1064
00:43:47,540 --> 00:43:50,420
I'm your host, Andrew Lewin from
the True Nor Strong and free.

1065
00:43:50,420 --> 00:43:51,110
Have a great day.

1066
00:43:51,110 --> 00:43:53,330
We'll talk to you next time
and happy conservation.