Words of Sloan

Sloan is the alter-ego of James Alfred Podhorodecki. For some reason there is a separation, although its not clear why this feels necessary. There is barely any telling them apart, though this may depend on who you speak to, or who you are. Sloan comes to light throughout all of James' written works, his poetry, short stories, and long-form writing.

James Podhorodecki is a philosopher, musician, author, and hypnotherapist. He has a BA in creative and professional writing, double majoring with philosophy at Deakin University (2015). He continued philosophy academically, seeing no benefit to do the same with writing itself, completing an Honours at Monash University (2018), then a research MA with Deakin (2024). In the same year he completed diplomas in clinical hypnotherapy and NLP with the Anglo European College of Therapeutic Hypnosis. In 2021 he published his first peer-reviewed journal article - Self-Certainty and Nothingness: Differences of Situation in Hegel and Sartre, in Philosophia (Springer). His studies, whether in clinical hypnotherapy, sociology, ontology, literature, aesthetics or more broadly arts and philosophy all revolve around existentialism and authenticity.

Between James' studies he has written prolifically, starting a life-long project with friend, mentor, confidant, and accomplice - Kial Menadue in 2016, they've detailed as a Stayin' Alive Odyssey. Though uncertain and only just at its genesis, it's clear their paths intertwine artistically, philosophically, and spiritually. Their first published projects are with Heavy Collective (2018) and Smith Journal (Issue 32, 2019), where they immerse themselves into the Speedway racing community in Daylesford - a side-project that sprang forth from that formative year of 2016. The larger work is still to come, it takes the shape of the whole year itself. It just needs a few more years of reflection, and maybe another Odyssey or two in between.

James' published short stories All The Hip Kids are Writing about Deleuze (2022), 16mm Situated (2023), and [x[x>x]x] (2023), Without Baggage, are written in typical Sloan form and published with Soyos Books, an indie Melbourne/Berlin publisher he met through Melbourne, and now ACTs infamous Bookrunner. 

James' debut novel, although it wouldn't be untrue to claim it as jointly Kial and James' debut novel, Stayin’ Alive in Channel Country was published in mid 2024. Kial's unifying photo-book was released in late 2025.

James has numerous musical works released, starting in 2007 with Dirty F featuring Darren Keane on Drums, Julian Medor (Long Hours) on guitar, and Tom Abraham (editor of Stayin' Alive in Channel Country) on bass. Their EP Washed Up (2008) and their album Pressed (2012) were performed throughout Melbourne and Victoria.

Out of the time spent forming what would become A Stayin' Alive Odyssey with Kial in Daylesford, a friendship and musical bond formed between with Beaumaris artist, painter, and musician Chris Rigney (type-setter and designer of Stayin' Alive in Channel Country) Amateur Songs for Friends and Lovers was born hosting mixed-musicianship from the three and input from close friends and lovers. The outfit released EP - Twelve Step Program (2019) and What I Do For Love (2020) before dropping the 'Amateur' and becoming Friends and Lovers for the album How To Start A Cult (2023). In between James released To Wake Up Unsore (2022) - a solo organ instrumental track recorded in Blyth street, Brunswick, home to Chris, James and their partners, who lived together from 2019 - 2022. During this time Stayin' Alive in Channel Country was written in five days - 3 in the lounge-room next to Chris as he painted, and two a few months later. In 2025, single I Am Winter was released featuring a collaboration between past and present band members, with Darren Keane, Tom Abraham, Kial Menadue, and Chris Rigney. It was recorded where Kial made his home after 2016, in Daylesford, the Central Highlands of Victoria.

James is currently writing The Liquor Store Diaries, there being no end in sight to the over 777k word project. His Instagram page is mostly dedicated to Sloan style poetry and photographs of ashtrays. His first poetry publication Frog with a Petal on Its Head, is in collaboration with Chris Rigney. He is a clinical hypnotherapist practicing out of Bundoora and his home in North Carlton which doubles as his partners painting studio and mouse cemetery for his black cat, Bagheera. He still works in a liquor store.

You can purchase James' written publications here, and Kial's too.