The Dark Water Gospel

Mastering the Art of Fearlessness

About the show

Author Douglas McDaniel pens this poignant memoir set in the Appalachian hills of East Tennessee. McDaniel's anthology of bittersweet and funny stories illuminate family secrets that cloaked for years the works of his great uncle, 20th century American illustrator John Alan Maxwell (1904-1984). Unknown by many in Doug's family, Maxwell illustrated for such authors as John Steinbeck, Pearl Buck, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Aldous Huxley, Christopher Morley, and Edna Ferber. McDaniel's 35-year quest to learn who his uncle was is revealed, underscoring the power of love, luck, magic and friendship necessary to complete his own journey. First released as a podcast, coming to hardcover book format in 2022.

Music by Matt Honkonen, Pitchwire

Episodes

  • Episode 3: Talking Rock

    November 15th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  22 mins 36 secs
    appalachia, appalachian storytelling, druidism, fearlessness, georgia, love, luck, magic, ohio, southern gothic, spiritualism, tennessee, witchcraft

    Author and filmmaker Doug McDaniel shares another chapter of his memoir, The Dark Water Gospel. In this episode, he remembers his friend Dave Gheesling and a very special meeting at a place called Talking Rock.

    Mead EO Wright podcast link: http://meadeowright.com/eraser/
    Music: Matt Honkonen, Dry Out, from the album These Demons
    with special thanks to Barry Gheesling and Sean Murray

  • Episode 2: Glenwood Avenue

    October 31st, 2020  |  Season 1  |  16 mins 21 secs
    appalachia, appalachian storytelling, druidism, fearlessness, georgia, love, luck, magic, ohio, southern gothic, spiritualism, tennessee, witchcraft

    Author and filmmaker Doug McDaniel shares another chapter of his memoir, The Dark Water Gospel. In this episode, he sheds light on some family history at an art reveal party at the historic bed and breakfast he runs with his wife, Faith in Knoxville, Tennessee.

  • Episode 1: Prologue: The Dark Water Gospel

    October 28th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  13 mins 33 secs
    agnosticism, appalachia, appalachian storytelling, atheism, christianity, druidism, fearlessness, georgia, love, luck, magic, new druidism, new gods, ohio, old gods, southern gothic, spiritualism, tennessee, witchcraft

    Author and filmmaker Doug McDaniel shares the first installment of his memoir, The Dark Water Gospel. In this episode, McDaniel recounts a trip to visit friends in Alliance, Ohio, where the Universe reveals itself to him in a bar.