Listen to "My Aryan Princess" free right now on Apple Podcasts (iTunes)
We would like to introduce you to a brave, troubled woman named Carol — former church camp counselor, lifelong heroin addict and top informant against one of the most violent gangs in Texas, the Aryan Brotherhood.
Dallas Morning News staff writer Scott Farwell, a 2014 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, spent the better part of two years reporting and writing her story. He drove to West Texas, Oklahoma and flew to Denver. He spent days with Carol. Sometimes she was sober, often she was not. Scott got to know a lot of federal agents. He did "a lot of drinking, a lot of shooting pool" and was even personally threatened at times.
The end result of Scott's work is a seven-part series for The Dallas Morning News called "My Aryan Princess." We partnered with Spoke Media to adapt the story for audio, narrated by Morning News editor-in-chief Mike Wilson.
And now you can listen to it as an Apple Podcast on iTunes. Android users can listen here via Tunein or stream it at AudioBoom. Stitcher is coming soon. And you can listen on iHeartRadio. (Please be warned the program contains mature subject matter and explicit language; listener discretion is advised.)
The podcast back story
This is the first time The News has created an audio adaptation of a story. Here's how and why it happened: Scott Farwell wrote a thrilling, heartbreaking feature, edited by Mike Wilson and Leona Allen, that was pushing 20,000 words. News engagement editor Hannah Wise and audience guru Amanda Wilkins thought it would be cool if you could listen to those words. They thought some of our audience might prefer to consume the story that way.
They called on me because I'm a big podcast nerd and don't require much sleep. I knew Keith Reynolds with Spoke Media didn't sleep much, either. I also knew Jason Reimer would compose epic music and Rob Wilson would design elegant artwork. Finally, we tapped Mike Wilson because, well, he has the golden pipes, as he proved recently on This American Life.
The result is something we're proud of. I think it's a totally immersive and different way to experience Farwell's gripping story.
Give it a listen. And if you like it, please rate it in iTunes and leave us a review; maybe we'll do more.
