Drama Queens - Work in Progress: Chris Colfer

Episode Date: June 13, 2024

He lit up the small screen as Kurt Hummel in the mega-hit show "Glee," and now he's lighting up the literary world with his diverse young adult novels! Actor, singer, and best-selling author Chris Colfer joins Sophia to talk about the grueling and challenging process of being on Glee, what terrified him about playing Kurt, and his struggles with perfectionism. He shares how writing became his escape, and how it kept him sane throughout his time on Glee! Chris also reveals he would love to tackle Broadway someday, offers advice for those who want to break into the industry, and discusses the inspiration behind his new sci-fi book, "Roswell Johnson Saves the World!" available in bookstores now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hi, everyone. It's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Hello, Whipsmarties. Today we are joined by an absolutely brilliant actor, singer, and, yes, author. Today's guest is none other than Chris. Colfer. I came to absolutely love Chris playing Kurt on the critically acclaimed TV show Glee. He won many an award for that series. And somehow, while he was managing to learn all of that

choreography, record albums, travel the world on a global tour, he also started writing books for kids. He has written the best-selling series, The Land of Stories, a series of YA books that started with The Land of Stories the Wishing Spell. His latest book is called Roswell Johnson Saves the World, and it is actually his 20th. Yes, 2-0, 20th book. 11-year-old Roswell Johnson is obsessed with conspiracies about extraterrestrial life, an interest he inherited from his late father who aptly named Roswell after the infamous UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico. In this book, Roswell is accidentally abducted by aliens, so he gets to learn they're real, but also learns the Earth is in grave danger, and he might just have to figure out how to save it. I can't wait

to talk to Chris about his career and how he wound up writing the coolest kids' books ever. Let's get to it. Hi. Hello, cutie. So what's happening in New York? What's going on? Well, I'm here promoting my new book. Your book, I know.

And I literally just walked through the door. I did The View this morning. And I'm doing Seth Myers later today. So one of those crazy whirlwind press weeks, as I know you're very familiar with. Totally. But what an interesting thing, you know, because you've done this incredible circuit, you know, you've had this like unbelievable career. I mean, my God, like, I know none of you had a clue

what Glee was going to be when you were like auditioning for it and then bam, you know, you're like all over the world and winning Emmys and like doing all the things. Is it sort of surreal to be in the promotion universe for your writing? Or are you sort of like, oh, I'm old hat at this because you've already released a book? You know, I feel like because I've released. so many books that it is kind of old hat now yeah did i just say a book i'm like so many books this is

your 20th book it's yeah but did i read that correctly oh my god i know i know i it that really snuck up on me i i thought they were joking until i i i counted them myself and i was like oh yeah i i guess i guess i i guess there are 20 um uh i i still get just as nervous as i as i as i i did when the first book came out really oh yeah especially the press stuff i I feel like I could handle better now that I'm a little older. It's not quite as terrifying as it used to be. But yeah, but no, I mean, I just want people to like the book so much that I still get nervous every single release.

Okay, I'm so curious about that because it's funny. On the other podcast, the girls and I just watched our season six finale. And that was Hillary's last episode. and we were talking about how interesting it is when you see this wish fulfillment for these people that you played for so long, how meaningful it is. Because we love them.

Like, we sort of feel like our characters are our sisters or something. And I think about what it is to be with someone for that long and how you guys got to do the same thing on Glee, you embody someone, you understand their motivations and their fears and all of these things. and that's just playing one character that's not even creating the whole universe so would

would you say that doing that as an author and and building out these worlds for these characters that you love and that you want to see succeed and you know achieve goals dreams etc like do they feel like your family in a way absolutely i think you described it perfectly where playing a character is very much like having a sibling um you you know you really You really want, you know, it's like a symbiosis, assembling symbiosis, in a way. I would say when you write a book and it's full characters, they're like your children. So it's more of a cool, you experience where it's like you want to protect them and yet exploit them at the same time. Well, totally.

You're like, I have to do this really scary thing to you because it'll be so good for the drama on page 64. Right, right. Yeah, it's also like a big of because, you know, when you write something and you write every word, it does kind of feel like exposing your soul a little bit. And that part itself can be nerve-wracking because I guess my biggest fear is people are going to find out how illiterate I actually really am. Stop. Right. Okay, wait. So this is actually really interesting because I've just jumped into questions with you that go very out of order.

I'm sure my producers are like, what is she doing? Oh, good. I'm raging ADHD. So I think, me too. Wonderful. Yeah, halfway through this interview. I'll be like, oh, my God, there's a bird outside. But this is really interesting to me because you're actually in this series of books that are for young people. And I love, God, I love a kid hero. And it makes me curious because for you as a storyteller, I wonder if you look back at your own childhood, like, do you see the through line? always of wanting to be an actor, a performer, a writer, or were you a totally different kid and you found your passion for storytelling somehow? Like, do you see it all? So when I was young, I think writing and acting bit me at the same time. And I, when I was younger, I didn't know the difference because they're both, to me, just, they're both different versions of playing pretend. So it wasn't until I got older when I realized what, you know, what the difference of both of them was and, you know, the very unique arts behind them both. So for me, it's always

been the same thing. And actually, really, to this day, it feels like the same thing, because it's all just a matter of storytelling. I think when I was, when I was the middle grade audience is age, 12, and I think when I was that age, books had such a significant, profound effect on me, they were my very, very first means of escapeism that I knew then that I wanted to contribute to that world. And it's still my favorite world to contribute to. That's so cool. And was the escapism for you as a kid, like, rooted in excitement and curiosity? Was it, was it rooted in, I don't want to be where I am? Was it maybe like a little bit of a mix of both? A little of both, yeah. So I was, you know, slowly discovering that I was gay in a very,

very conservative environment, which was not fun. I also had a sibling who had an extreme case of epilepsy where she had 50 seizures an hour. So it was really tough on the family. And I remember just being so frustrated with the world at a very young age. And so anytime I got my hands on a story about kids, you know, going to, going through a wardrobe or, you know, getting a letter from an owl or falling down a rabbit hole. I just, I couldn't get enough of it because I wanted that so desperately. And I think to this, to this day, I'm still, I'm still really frustrated that none of that ever actually happened for me. Yeah, me too. And so I'm like, I'm trying to almost make that a reality by producing fiction. I love that. And what a cool thing that in a way

you get to help create more of what gave you an outlet as a kid. I hope so, yeah. There's a really therapeutic quality with that, with creating what you so desperately wanted as a kid. Yeah, I definitely have some therapeutic qualities with that. Is that where it starts? Like, when you think about, you know, one of these 20 books that you've written in your latest book,

do you do you sort of imagine a scene first and then build the world or do you get inspired about a world and then build all of the scenes so my first series of land of stories um it really they they were my imaginary best friends when i was a kid um and the books are just the adventures that i wanted to go on when i was a kid um and i think that's one of the reasons why kids have responded so um so positively to them um It's because it's really a story created by a kid, four kids. Now I'm very, very lucky because whenever I start writing something, I see it in my head almost like a movie trailer.

And then I outline it and try to piece the images that I see together and create a story out of those. And that's always how stories have come to me, almost like lightning, just in my head. I think about the kind of story I want to tell and the message I want to send and then it's kind of magical and then images fill my head

instantly and then I go from there so yeah I'm very grateful to that whatever that is and I hope it never goes away that's so cool it's like um did you ever read that book The War of Art? No it's so cool it was done by an artist who had read the classic Sun Tzu

Art of War and was like yeah but what we go through as artists is different Like you, yes, there's meditation required and training and all of these things, but it's, it's a, it's like a war with self. And he talks about how if you really, you know, create a cadence to make space for your art, it can begin to come through you. And it sounds like you have that. Like, like these stories come through you and you're like molding this clay. It's so cool. Oh, thanks.

Yeah. No, that's a really interesting, really interesting with what they put that. And I think even now, like, I'm still struggling with ways of like taking care of myself and recognizing that in order to write and to create, your brain is just wired differently than a lot of people and finding healthy habits and ways to just, you know, take care of yourself. I think I'm still struggling with to this day. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I do too. And I think that's such an ADHD thing as well. Someone explained to me recently that the people whose brains are wired quote normally or neurotifically. You can imagine a row of building blocks set out in front of you

and you go block by block. And for people like us whose brains are wired in this special way, we're like, we're constantly inspired, great for artists, but also hard to go through a to-do list. The blocks don't extend in front of you. They're vertical. So it's a stack and it's really overwhelming to try to figure out which one to deal with first because they're all equally close and they're in summation really big and kind of overwhelming. And I was like, oh, yeah, that tracks really, really. Interestingly. So it's it's so inspiring. to me to hear you talk about not just the way that you're creative, but to see how creative you've been in, like, in hard fact. There are 20 books. I'm like, wow, how did you do that?

Because I've got posted notes and, you know, everywhere of like, I'm going to do this project eventually and that project eventually. And there's, you know, 56 begun but not finished projects in my home. So I'm, I'm really like, oh, okay, you're figuring out habits and, and, um, like I guess modalities of making that are working for you yeah absolutely it's funny it takes so much self-discipline to sit down and write a book that I have noticed I have no form of self-discipline in any other aspect of my life like like diet sucks exercising sucks um the worst at that sleep habits suck um but I I kind of use all all the self-discipline that I'm capable of in writing and then and then everything else just kind of uh is this kind of a mess yeah wow that's

so interesting how do you think you figured out how to create that discipline like for folks at home that are like oh my god i'm the same are there are there tricks to it are there like two or three things you'd say oh if you're trying to create a routine of discipline to write or whatever it might be, these things worked for me. Oh, gosh. You know, it's interesting because life is so ever-changing that I've never really had the opportunity to actually come up with one method that works. I really think it just, it depends on where you are in your life and what you're going

through at the time. And it changes. Like, I think my writing process changes. constantly, depending on how much is going on at the time. And I think you just have to really, really focus on how badly you want to finish it. You know, I think you have to visualize the finished book in your hands. And what, you know, and visualize the people who that story or that book could help. That always helps me is envisioning the people that the story could benefit a lot.

I love that. really you have to take it day by day and you have you not be so hard on yourself um you know be just have have self-discipline but not be so hard on yourself yeah i think that's really good advice and i think the idea of focusing on the finished thing like if you continue to remind yourself that there is actually an end goal there will be a thing you can hold in your hand whether it's literal or or metaphorical that's a great that's a great reminder because then it's not so amorphous. And also just the finished product, don't

just celebrate the finished product, like have little celebrations along the way. Like if you finish a chapter, treat yourself to say, you know, relish in the fact that you finish a chapter because even if you just finish a chapter, you're still finishing more than most people can. Yeah, I love that.

Celebrate the wins and focus on the goals. It's like a both and, which is really our job as actors too. Right. And it's funny when you talk about the, you know, shifts and what I think I am hearing you talk about is something that I am really conscious of lately, which is that doing what we do as a day job, it's virtually impossible to have a routine. Yeah. Because sometimes you're on night shoots and sometimes you're on splits and

sometimes you're going to work at four in the morning and everything is, by nature, you have to not be rattled by the fact that you can't make any plans or have any expectations about time. So then when you're not on a set, if it's hiatus or you're between shows or whatever, it might be, suddenly everyone's like, well, why don't you have a routine? And you're like, because I can't. And I can't be attached to one. And it's a really, it's something I've definitely had to wrap my head around. And I'm trying to practice some of what you're talking about, which is not, not being so self-critical about it, but looking at, looking at the ability to be so flexible and present as a little more of a superpower than a hindrance.

I think about it too, like when you start on TV so young, you know, we had been 21 for, I don't know, eight days when we started filming season one of One True Hill and you were, you guys started in 2009. You know, the early odds for like such a moment. What was that like for you as not the author artist, but the actor artist? What was that sort of time, like the audition, process and and the whole rigmarole of it was it exciting was it terrifying was it both yeah it's funny you touched on something a second ago that really made me think um ever since glee ended i've kind of been like a schedule nomad because i have i it's been i think it's been uh eight or so years since since we ended and i saw 10 years i can't i don't i'm not sure um time is much you know time goes i know time really goes by when you're you know how having fun, I guess. But I still haven't been able to develop like a routine in my personal life because I spent a decade not having any freedom whatsoever. So that's so interesting that you said

that. That just clicked for me. But yeah, no, it was a very, the beginning of Lee was a very grueling process. We, I think we each had four auditions. We had casting director, callbacks, network, and studio all in a row. We had to sing and act in those auditions. It wasn't until we all showed up for the first day of singing rehearsal for the pilot that we realized that you have to dance and show choir. And none of us had ever danced before. And so that was a complete shock to us and to our bodies because it was never part of the audition process. And it was never written into the script and uh when i think of show choir i think of like sister act two um where they you know the kind of step touch step touch but it's really focused on on the singing part

yeah so having these so having to learn these huge choreographed sequences was just so foreign to most of us um a few of us had been on broadway and we're you know we're used to it but um for the most part it was like the first time any of us had ever had to dance like that um so um and i I remember when we, the main song we did and the pilot was Don't Stop Believe in. And we had to learn like, I want to say six or seven versions of that song because the producers just weren't happy with it. And so that was a really, it was a culture shock on many, many, many levels. And then when we got into the filming, you know, just the amount of material that we had to

learn, like, like, like just not the, the lyrics. the song, the vocals of the song, um, the dancing, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, it's, and then, and then, it's, like, we never had, like, the, yeah, we did it, because as soon as we got, another episode. So it's, like, it's, like, creating a new Broadway show every single week. Oh, my goodness. And now for our sponsors. it's so interesting like the technical stuff you're referring to I think so many people just don't know about you know audiences get to see this perfect hour of television that's edited and colored timed and the music is synced beautifully and you know the montages are gorgeous and you're just like I nearly died that week you know nobody knows that you were on like hour 18 in a sound stage with broken air conditioning like trying not to pass out They never see, like, the, of the costumers having to hair, like, with a hairdryer, like, dry out our, like, our pit stains. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. You've shared something, because, you know, obviously, I love to do my homework. And I read that you talked about how, you know, your creator and writing team on that show would sometimes write real stories from your life into the show.

And we had that, too. And I realize I don't know if that is. so common in shows that are, you know, about post-school adults, but it does seem to be a thing that happens a lot when you're making a show about high school. Was that, was that weird for you guys or for you? Or was it sort of special to be able to portray things that felt really, truly important to your own kind of life and journey? It was really fun. First, because it meant that I got, for me, it meant I got to do something on the show that I didn't get to do in real life. The one that, the instance that comes to me right off the top of my head is I actually, I wanted to sing Define Gravity so badly in my school talent show when I was in high school.

And I was told, no, you're a boy, you can't sing that song. And I was like, but I can sing it. I actually physically can't sing and they said, no, it's a woman's song, you're not singing it. And so I told that to the producers and they wrote that storyline into the show. And so I actually got to sing the song. So that was a blast. That was fun. But what I didn't realize was when the audience found out that a lot of these experiences that they were watching were autobiographical of us, the separation between actor and character became non-existent.

And that was probably the most challenging. part of Glee was having this huge, having millions and millions and millions of people think you were someone that you were not. And not recognizing that you were a good actor. They just thought you were that person. And having things from our own lives on the show didn't help establish that separation. Yeah. I know that intimately. It's such a weird thing because it is kind of a double-edged sort. You get to do these really special things. And then also there is an assumption that 100% of who you are on screen is 100% of you. And it's so fractional. Even if you are recreating a version of something that's happened to you in your real life, what's on

screen will always be such a small piece of like a full human experience. And so, yeah, I know that feeling and I I don't know looking back on it on my show I I realize how I don't know I felt I you know I just turned 21 I was like listen I'm a legal drinking age look at me out here I'm a young adult and I look back down I'm like oh my god I was a baby yeah like I was still such a little kid trying to cosplay as a grown up you were 19 when the show started and I think every year when you you're a teenager into your early 20s is like five years when you're, you know, 40. Was it, was it surreal for you? Did you feel like you had to, um, pretend to be more grown up or expert than you were? Absolutely. I mean, like our frontal lobes weren't fully developed yet.

Yeah. And, uh, you know, like you said, cosplaying as an adult, it's a great way to put it. Yeah. And I remember, um, I really should have had. a parent or someone with me during a lot of that. And I didn't because I, you know, in my 18-year-old logic was like, no, I want to be taken seriously and no one will take it seriously if I have a mom or a dad hanging out with me. And I really wish I did because I think I think I would have handled and processed things a lot easier if I had someone with a little more maturity with me at all times. Totally. I think about it, especially with shows like ours that were set in high schools.

And I'm like, high schools have guidance counselors. Why isn't there, you know, now we're finally at this moment where we're talking about intimacy coordinators and more professional practice on set with regards to how we feel in our physical bodies. But I'm like, what about like our mental health? Yeah. I wish that TV shows that we're surrounding high school and that had such young actors on. them had to have a version of a of a real life guidance counselor on set. Absolutely. Yeah. I feel like I think they do that for like some some reality competition shows. Really? Okay. I believe I read some of where like the American Idol kids and like the voice contestants like they have like people to help them go from you know obscurity to

sensationalism overnight. Wow. But yeah, no we we didn't I guess because it's scripted they didn't think we needed it but I do I really think that's a great idea. Yeah, I think it would be so cool just to have somebody help you make sense of things. Yeah, I think I think everyone, every child star, teenage star absolutely should have a therapist. Oh, me too. Even if you are very, very well adjusted and you have a great support system, it's so good just to go and, you know, have to go look under the hood every now and then. Yeah. It's interesting, you know, when we talk about how hard it is to have a routine, I think the inability to do so when you're working on TV. is what made me always sort of put therapy on the back burner.

Like I dip in and then I dip out. Work would be busy. I'd be like, oh, I just don't have time. And it, for the last couple of years, like truly the last two years straight, it is a non-negotiable. Like Tuesday at 9 a.m. is my time. It's my hour. And when I have to be on set, luckily, the professional that I work with now,

we have like a flexibility system. But it is. It's just like once a week I have that hour. It's my thing. And it is wild to be like, wow, it took me almost until my 40s to like take it seriously enough. It would have been really great to have had in my early 20s for sure. And I don't understand people who don't believe in therapy.

I mean, like, I love it. Like, you get an hour where you just get to talk about yourself nonstop and they can't leave. I mean, it's great. I mean, who wouldn't want that? Well, it's also like we've gotten so. good about understanding whether we actually do it or not. You know, you need to take care of yourself. Your physical body needs to move. Like, your brain needs care too. An hour a week to take care of your

brain actually doesn't feel like that much when you think about it that way. So I'm, I'm with you. I'm all in. Did you, did you start any kind of like mental health care practice toward the end of glee? Or did it take you until that was like fully done to begin to create that space for yourself? You know, it was really, unfortunately, I wish I had started right off the bat. It was when I first started getting death threats that I started going in. But it unfortunately, it took that for me to realize, oh, I can't handle everything. You said, I was, I was 18 when the show started. And I, as an 18-year-old thought, thought I knew everything, thought I could handle everything. I thought I was, you know, thought I was, and I mean, to my credit, I was, I've always been very, I've always been an old soul, but even old souls can't handle everything.

Yeah. Especially things that are completely foreign to them. So I wish I had started much earlier, but I did start. And once I started, it was, it was a major, major help. That's really great. I'm glad to hear that. It is, it is very strange. And having been through versions of that myself, like, It took me a while to understand that unless it's happened to you, you just can't understand how traumatic it is. And that no matter what happens in your career, you don't change. You remain one person, but what's on the other end of the funnel continues to grow and grow and grow. And there are wonderful parts of that.

Like, look at this career you have as an author and all this other exciting work you get to do. But to be on the receiving end of the energy of millions. and millions of people, when sometimes there's a large section of those people that are, you know, violent or scary, you're like, the people who read my books and want to talk about, like, kids saving the world are pretty great, but the other end of the spectrum, like, ah, right, right. You know, it's, it's, it's tough. Do you think part of what made that feel, I mean, as intense as it is for you, but part of what made that journey so enormous, because you mentioned it, you know, you grew up in a conservative environment.

You were figuring out you were gay as a young kid, but you weren't like out, out yet, right? When the show started and then your character was having this journey, did that feel freeing for you in a way or scary or maybe also a mix of both? Oh, it was terrifying because I think, because I knew that it would make me, it would force me to look into myself in places that I wasn't ready to look into. to. And I mean, I knew very well how dangerous it was to, to be young and gay from my surroundings as a kid. And to go from that to a global stage was, it was terrifying. But I have no idea what came over me, but I just, I really, I'd like to think that I rose to the occasion. And I'll never forget we were on a um a hot topic signing tour uh right before the show came out to promote the show yeah um the this little voice like like slid when his parents weren't looking slid this like this

envelope to me and there was a little handwritten note in it that just said thank you and he created a um like a chain out of paper clips in the colors of the rainbow um it was it in that moment i knew like I have to come out. I have to be honest because kids like that need someone to look to. And it was never a role that I planned on on taking on. But I just knew I needed to. Yeah. Well, that's the thing.

Visibility can change everything for people. And one of the things I think I've realized is that the more myself I am, more yourself you are, the more space you have to help other people be themselves. And we are in these constant states of becoming. And so if by modeling or being courageous about your becoming someone following in your footsteps, you know, who's on that same life path as you can say, oh, I'm going to be okay. Oh, I can do that. I can achieve that. You know, that's really, really beautiful. Yeah. It's, I mean, it's kind of like the whole point of, I guess, life, really. It's just, you know, making life a little easier for the next generation. And I think Glee put me

in a position that I got to do that. And what an honor and privilege because not everyone gets that opportunity. Yeah. Yeah. And now a word from our sponsors that I really enjoy, and I think you will too. Hey friends. I'm Jessica Capshaw. And this is Camilla Ludington. And we have a new podcast. Call it what it is. You may know us from Graceland Memorial, but did you know that we are actually besties in real life? And as all besties do, we navigate the highs and lows of life together. When one of us sends out the distress signal, the other one always answers the call. Big or small, we're there. And what does that look like? Um, a thousand Peptox. A million I've got use. Some very urgent I'm coming overs. Laughter through tears, no judgment problem solving over glasses of rosé. Sometimes it takes tequila. Because, I don't know, let's face it, life can get even crazier than a season finale of Grey's Anatomy. And now here we are opening up the friendship circle. To you. Someone's cheating? We've got you on that. In-laws are in-lying. Let's get into it. Toxic friendship? Air it out. We're on your side to help you with your concerns.

Talk about ours. And every once in a while, bring on an awesome guest to get their take on the things that you bring us. While we may be unlicensed to advise, we're going to do it anyway. Listen to call it what it is starting June 3rd on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. How did you know? Because obviously, you know, we're talking about book 20. And I want to get into some of the details about Roswell Johnson. saving the world. But you wrote your first book while you were still shooting, right?

How did you do that? You know, I think very much it offered me a great way to escape some of the challenges of shooting that show. Like an outlet for your energy. Yeah, and especially like when,

because it was a very grueling shoot. You know, we worked 80-hour weeks, nonstop, up and down, singing, dancing, and even on our days off on the weekends, we'd have to go in and record. And rehearse, yeah. Yeah, and all of that. So it really helped my sanity, having just something else to focus my attention on wholly. And I remember, like, even like when we went on, like, the world tour of Glee, I would show up at the stadiums a few hours earlier than everyone else.

and I would sit underneath the stage because it was the only place that was quiet, and I would write. Wow. And just having that escape really, I think, helped my sanity so much through that whole period of time. That's so incredible. And the fact that you had the wherewithal to care for yourself in such a healthy and productive way amazes me. Well, you know, it's funny. I didn't realize it was healthy or productive because it was, I mean, it wasn't easy.

It was tough to write a book regardless. And it was really tough to find time to write it. But now looking back, I realize how much that saved me. It's so cool. I'm like, wow, the thing that I wind up doing when I'm doing 80-hour weeks and I, like, can't sleep when I first get home is I start designing houses I don't own on Pinterest. Oh, fantastic.

And I'm like, huh. I mean, my Pinterest boards are great, by the way. Anyone who's ever, like, moving, I help them with their space. But I'm like, interesting that there's just these, like, 87, made-up homes in a secret internet file. There are not 20 books. How, tell me about Roswell, because I, I am such a space, baby. Like, all I ever want to do is watch cartoons about space and read about space.

There's something about, like, kids' books that center on it that are my very favorite thing. And I want to know everything about Roswell Johnson. I want to know where are these obsessions with conspiracies and, or trust for your life came from. Give me and our friends at home the full rundown. Oh my gosh. Where do I begin? Well, it sounds like we're cut from the same cloth, so that's fun.

That'll make that question easy. I have, oh, similar. I have been fascinated with space and our galaxy, our universe, for as long as I can remember and cannot get enough. I mean, I watch every documentary. I read every book. I just, I'm obsessed. and I'm obsessed with the idea of alien life

because to me, alien life has always represented possibility and progress and unity because, I mean, for beings to have that kind of technology and have those vessels that can move like they do, if they exist, it would take an incredible amount of camaraderie and unity and resources. So that means that maybe somewhere in this universe, there's a planet that got it right, that come together and be together and bond over one common goal.

So I love that. That's what aliens have always represented to me. Yes. And I just thought it would be a great world to set a book in. And I started fantasizing about writing this series, about halfway through when I was writing the Land of Story series. And I was planning on writing this right after The Lamb's Stories, but my publisher persuaded me to write a prequel series instead. So I wrote The Tale of Magic series in between The Lamb Stories and this one.

So this has been in my head for a very long time. That's what I was going to say. You've had so long to really let this marinate. Yeah, yeah. And I don't know. I've always had this drive to tell some sort of alien story. I've pitched so many shows. about aliens and about um the indigo children and and and so i don't know i it's been a passion of

mind just to get a story out there about about aliens and and get a story out there that maybe hopefully makes people less scared of them um yeah hopefully hopefully that's what this does but this is a this book is about a little boy who accidentally gets abducted by aliens and um while he's up in space finds out or uncovers this evil plot uh to uh destroy earth and so he uh teams up with a bunch of corky aliens, and together they fight to save Earth. And along the way, Roswell, the main character, regains his faith in humanity and the world. I love that. Realizes the world's worth saving.

He realizes the world is worth saving, right? And when we meet him in the beginning, he's not convinced. He goes through one of his first experiences of racism, so he's very, very down and very, very I'm depressed. But after an adventure through space, that that whips him back into shape. Oh, I love it. I love it. So, will, how many books do you envision being in this series?

I think four. It really just depends. If people hate it, maybe not for it. That's always, that's always a deciding factor. No. Because you have to think, like, how many things can he save? You know, he can save the world. He can save the solar system.

he can save the galaxy, then he can save the universe. And after that, there's not much left to save. Fair point. But, yeah, so I think, I think, I think, I think four would be a good number to tell the story. That feels really exciting. Not that I imagine you have any more time, because look at all of what you're doing, but you are such a gifted musician. Oh, I mean, a lot worse.

Oh, my God, right? Well, it's so funny, like, I just met the sweetest gal the other day, and she was like, I'm such a fan, and sorry, that's probably so annoying. And I was like, I'll take I'm such a fan over I absolutely hate everything you do. Like any day, it's so nice. Don't stress. We were giggling. It was like, it was very, very funny. But I'm such a fan of your music and you're singing. And, you know, earlier you mentioned that some of you guys, you know, on the cast of your first show came from Broadway. And I know you recently performed with our Dear work in progress, sister friend Dylan Mulvaney. I love, Dylan. Oh, just a gorgeous Broadway baby. Like, do you, when you sort of think about, okay, you're going to work on this series and you're launching this first book in the series now, and you look at the future landscape of your creative endeavors, do you maybe want to go back to Broadway?

Are you going to make more music? What do you think? I don't know. I mean, for me, singing has always just been, it's been a tool, not a, um, Not a passion. Interesting. But I think I would love to do Broadway someday. I don't know if I could do it in the foreseeable future,

but I would like to do it someday, just for the experience. And I would really love to be in like a big like ensemble play at first. And that would be a great segue into that world. Oh my gosh, yeah. And music like, you know, I always say I'm not doing anything for music. but then I always get asked to sing places. So I'm sure I'll get roped into some of their charity event or, you know, I'm sure Dylan will make me sing again with her or some.

Yeah, I would love it. I'm firmly on team Chris goes to Broadway, so you just keep me posted on what the plan is. Thanks, I will. When we talk about, you know, because you're writing these wonderful young adult books and giving kids these spaces to dream and escape and be creative, and all of this,

creative energy, performing, singing, writing is something that you always needed and wanted to pursue. Is there, from where you sit now, is there advice that you would give to a young kid, kind of in that, you know, eight to 12 demographic maybe about pursuing creativity or, you know, starting in this industry or any of the others that surround it? Absolutely. I would say, dream as big as possible, but also dream as broad as possible. Don't dream specifically because this industry is so, what's the word, unreliable, it's so unpredictable. The more specific you dream, I think the more disappointment you will have. don't give yourself

you know don't give yourself like deadlines like I have to do this by this age or I have to do this by this certain time or if I do this it has to be this specific thing you know really just say to yourself I want to do this this this this and this in my lifetime and then just be open

be as open as you possibly can to whatever comes your way I love that I love that so much that's phenomenal advice so from this place you know atop this pile of books

that you've written and published and everything that you've done so far and the things that you will do when you kind of take stock what feels like your work in progress right now oh my gosh that's a great question I feel like I have so many answers

you can say as many as you want I think taking it in is the ultimate work and progress for me. Because I always, always feel like a failure. And it doesn't matter how much I accomplish. It doesn't matter, you know, like, like the reviews for my new book came out and they were all, they were all really great reviews. And I can't accept that for some reason. I can only accept like negative sometimes. And so I think, yeah, for me, the ultimate work.

progress is just taking a step back and accepting the positivity. Does that make sense? Yeah. Oh, it totally does. It totally does. Like, like, I, you know, I hear from LGBT kids around the world every single day. I have gotten a thousand messages a week since the show started 15 years ago. And I love it, and I feel so, I'm so proud of that, but there is part of me that just cannot accept it as reality. Like, I don't know, there's just like this, and I don't know what it is, but there's, there's just this, I don't know if it's like a false sense of protection for myself or what, but there is a, there's a block where I can't, I can't let it in all the way.

Yeah, I totally understand that. It's actually really interesting because one of the things I've been learning about ADHD and like us, you know, sparkly, neurospicy folks is, like there is an immediate desire when someone shares something to be like, I understand that because, like, here's my experience with that. And that some folks whose brains aren't like ours are like, well, it's not about you right now. And you're like, no, no, I'm trying to empathize with you. Like, I'm telling you, I literally know how you feel. So it's interesting because I can track it. And I'm like, oh, yeah, I want to be like, exactly. I feel that exactly. And I don't know

if it's brain chemistry. I don't know if it's the toughness of being an artist that makes you a little prepared for the worst always. But I really struggle with the same. And yeah, for some reason, the successes don't matter, but like the one failure is forever. Right. Right. And I think to begin to see that a little bit differently, I had a really impactful experience years ago that I talk about a lot with a coworker. I was like having one of those days where I was really just like ragging on myself. And I was sitting in a chair and she spun my chair around and grabbed me by the shoulders and she said, watch your mouth. You're talking about my best friend like that. Oh. And I was like, oh, shit. Wow. Like, oh. Because I would never allow somebody to talk about my best friend.

Yeah. I'll talk about myself. Or to or to refuse. to let her relish in her accomplishments. And if she were to say to me, yeah, but I haven't done fill in the blank, I'd be like, so look at everything you have done and all we have is more time. As long as we're so lucky to not get hit by a bus tomorrow, we have plenty of time.

We'll achieve that shit. Like, all in due time. You know, you just, you gave the advice to a stranger just a minute ago. Like, don't set timelines for yourself. Just have the goal. Give yourself a lifetime. And so I wonder if there's something in that

to be like, oh, right, I, like, my wish for you would be that you get to go, oh, I do deserve to feel as good about what I'm doing as I would want my best friend to feel about what they're doing. Yeah. Yeah. It's also, for me, it's also a perfectionism issue. Like, like, for some reason, I don't know where I, where I picked this up, but if it isn't perfect, it doesn't matter, or it's not of value.

Right. Like, I was just on the view a few hours ago. And it was a great, it was a great. interview everyone was everyone was so kind and i got to tell fun stories and um and i and i and i walked off that stage and i was just like i i failed i failed it was it wasn't perfect therefore therefore it uh it doesn't mess i interviewed julian huff years ago like when i think about my my friends that are like triple threats like you and she talked a lot about learning perfectionism in the ballroom world and how perfectionism is like essentially a mental death center

because perfect doesn't exist. So when you're a perfectionist, you set yourself up to fail all the time. And I was like, oh, I feel attacked. My God. And I do think there's something about, like in an industry like ours, nobody wants you to, you know, get too confident,

and they certainly don't want you to get too expensive. And then there's this perspective from the outside that if you're in this industry, everything must be so easy for you. So it's just like constant criticism. And I wonder if the propensity to self-criticize, like you said, is a defense mechanism. Well, if I say I failed first, you can't tell me anything I don't already know. And it's like, oh, I hate that for us.

Yeah. So I don't know. That's really interesting. I think vocalizing and naming, letting the good in as a work in progress is a really, that's beautiful. And I know that's important to you and it's important to me. and it's probably really important to a lot of people listening today too. Absolutely.

Thank you. Yeah, thank you.