…it was so hard to think of a heading for this post—or to write it at all. Even after 2 weeks, it isn’t quite real yet.
Finally, I settled on a title for this post, that is a variant of a short story PG wrote for Scott Sigler. It’s a bizarre, funny, and yet chilling piece of writing. That pretty much sums up the abilities of the man; his writing could take you on that kind of rollercoaster. Have a listen to it here.
If you’re not part of the writing or podcasting communities, then maybe the name PG Holyfield doesn’t ring a bell. Summing up the life of one person in a few short sentences feels like a disservice to the man, but that is what our life whittles down to—at least to strangers.
PG was one of the first wave of podcaster novelists. His podcast fantasy murder mystery, Murder at Avedon Hill was a full cast extravaganza, which I was lucky enough to be part of. He went on to be part of other podcasts, like Beyond the Wall, and the Consumption Podcast.
He was also a fixture at events like DragonCon and Balticon.
Those are all the facts, but he was also a great friend, amazing father, generous writer, and kind man. He had the kind of laid back attitude that somehow made him a solid center of an event. His voice, which we are lucky enough to have thanks to his podcasting work, has the warm, slight drawl of the south, with a hint of gravel to it. His laugh, and even his giggle were just cheering.
Around PG, you got the sense that life was good.
Until his life was taken.
There are many podcasters and writers sharing their stories, a part of the collective gathering of memories that people throughout the generations have done, in order to hold onto what they can of their loved one.
Some are funny. Some are outrageous. Some will break your heart.
I can only tell you mine. I can’t remember when I met PG. I can’t even remember if it was he that asked me to be involved in his podcast or the other way around. All I know for sure is when I asked him to be the part of Auberon King of the Fey, in Chasing the Bard, he was at first wary. His southern drawl, he said was not what he imagined for the King. I told him, that is why I wanted him to do it.
When I got to mix his voice with Tee Morris’ and Chris Lester’s, I always smiled. The boys of Chasing the Bard made magic from my words.
Then I got to meet PG, he was just like his voice. Everything was always easy around him. He pulled you in, made you laugh with his dry observations. You just wanted to hang out with him. He gave the best hugs.
Yes indeed, it is hard to sum someone up when there are so many little moments we snatch from each others lives. Yet the podcasting and writing community is trying to do that for Patrick, assembling some kind of collective memory. I find that amazing and beautiful.
We’re all trying to raise money for the three daughters he left behind. It’s the least we can do as a thank you for the gift of his friendship. You can donate now, but also stay tuned, because the creatives who loved PG are gathering. Keep an eye on this website for details.
For now, I am going to bury myself in writing, and making sense of a world that is hard to understand. And remember PG. Always remember PG.