Myth and Magic

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Folklore and fantasy themes aimed at creative writers: to start writing stories and challenge your brain with exciting ideas, dip into this kitbag. Learn how fantasy worlds draw on real world history, mythology, and folklore. And there's weekly news from the world of fantasy fiction too, plus fa…

Neil Mach


    • Oct 29, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 28m AVG DURATION
    • 128 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Myth and Magic

    Interview with author Bradley Charbonneau

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2022 30:56


    Which, if any, of your published works do you think was your worst book? Have you yet produced your worst book?  You should listen to this inspirational conversation with personal development author & paranormal thriller writer Bradley Charbonneau if you want to overcome your writing-related fears and learn to laugh at your mistakes.  The self-described 'recovering perfectionist' has learned how to unleash his own creativity and has produced 33 books as he maintained a 2,808-day creative streak (over 7 years of writing every day.) Do you feel like you're being beaten in the game of failure simply because you've never dared address the true nature of success? For example, what does success look like to you? This interview is for you if you have no idea what any of this means or how it relates to your writing, but nevertheless you feel trapped in a creative rut and can't come up with the right words to write!  On Myth & Magic we talk about how to write your worst book ever and why it's crucial to approach the idea of creation with a sense of inadequacy and incapacity. Failure will help you in the long term, and during this interview Bradley explains the hows and whys!

    Interview with Beyond the Pen creator Maccabee Griffin

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 33:36


    This week I chat with the Beyond the Pen podcast creator Maccabee Griffin.  Each week Maccabee sits down with a new author to discover the real story behind their tale! But what is his own story? Find out here! Beyond the Pen is a podcast show that gives newly published and unknown authors a platform to tell the world about their projects — so today's interview is essential listening for anyone who is starting out on an adventure into authoring and anyone preparing for NaNoWriMo2022!

    Interview with author Mark Bradford

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2022 51:24


    Mark Bradford is the Wisconsin based author of The Sword and the Sunflower. Mark is also a work-life & work-relationship coach, a podcaster, a public speaker, and a UAV pilot! His recent post-dystopian fiction title explores the aftermath of a catastrophe. It has been described by readers as "complex and interesting..." Find out more about this 'complex and interesting' author here on Myth and Magic!

    Interview with Annie Mydla, literary scholar and contest judge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2022 53:23


    How does a contest judge critique a manuscript for a literary prize? Here is valuable advice from an experienced judge at the highly respected North Street Book Prize.  Annie offers practical tips, and she also chats about getting your manuscript ready for competition, the tendering process, and what contest judges look for. We also discuss the fantasy themes found in the novels of Joseph Conrad! This is an essential listen! Annie is an entertaining guest!

    Interview with Jon DiSavino

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 48:18


    Jon DiSavino is a professional actor, podcast host, voice artist, and creator of Short Story Today, a new podcast show that combines his love of voice acting with his love of literature. We chatted about audiobook storytelling, creating good dialects for your narrative, Shakespearean fantasy, and what makes a story worth reading. A fun interview!

    Interview with Chris Porter

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 51:45


    An interview with Los Angeles-based writer, award-winning composer, and sound designer Chris Porter who is the creator of a new audio sci-fi drama, SOLAR, with Jenny Curtis, that features Helen Hunt,  Alan Cumming,  Stephanie Beatriz, and Jonathan Bangs. We talk about ghosts, liminal spaces, and creating immersive literature!

    Inteview with P. Grace Lawson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2022 54:14


    Rise of the Ravenisha by P. Grace Lawson is a paranormal novel with action, humor, romance, and mystery. It encompasses fierce warrior women, power struggles, corrupt experiments, and were-panthers! In this show we discuss growing up in the South, and chat about poke sallet, gaited horses, great authors such as Zora Neale Hurston, and writing fantasy

    Interview with Mary Kendall

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2022 44:17


    Maryland historian Mary Kendall became a debut author with her tale of moonlit alleys, shadowy tunnels, and buried secrets. The Spinster's Fortune, a tale with gothic undertones, is about deceit in a family. We chat about writing complex stories and weaving mystery into a manuscript

    Interview with J V Hilliard

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 43:01


    An interview with with the Pennsylvania based epic fantasy author J V Hilliard who recently arrived on the fantasy adventure scene with the first title in his Warminster Series. "The Last Keeper" is about a young boy who suffers prophetic visions. We chat about cryptids, fight scenes, and world building!

    Interview with Warrior Muse: Shannon Lawrence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2022 52:29


    Short story author Shannon Lawrence has been described as the true queen of horror. She recently produced a nonfiction book “The Business of Short Stories: Writing, Submitting, Publishing, and Marketing". We chat about writing for anthologies, tips about writing shorts, and about how to come-up with ideas for horror!

    Interview with Tanya Gough

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 44:12


    An interview with tech founder Tanya Gough, who created the StoryBilder writing program. With a background in fantasy writing, Tanya takes a unique approach to teaching authorship and wanted to create a tool that would help writers with the theory & practice of writing as she aspires to provide a functional storytelling platform that will help authors manage & grow their plots!

    Hard Fantasy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 22:40


    What is hard fantasy? What is the so-called “Great Eagle Problem” that readers sometimes encounter in fantasy narratives?  What does eucatastrophe mean? Also, why do some people resent artists and creatives? What bothers them about creativity?

    How to complete a semi-finished work

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2022 24:17


    How to get over a writing jam. Eight ways to overcome stagnation. What happens when momentum stops? Here's how to complete a semi-finished work

    The Magical Power of Trees

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 17:19


    Today I discuss the healing magic and mythical wisdom of trees; and why you should describe their superpowers in your fantasy fiction

    Myth & Magic Episode 114

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 18:08


    What's in a name? How to name a protagonist. Here are 7 ways to create an appropriate and memorable name for your principal character

    Myth & Magic Episode 113

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 50:56


    My guest on the show is an author who has written half a million words! He is writing an organic epic… but what is an organic epic? Vance Neudorf is an award-winning author and podcaster, and creator of a 3-volume series of fantasy / science fiction audiobooks for young adults titled the Cor Series. Why is he writing an epic? Why is he giving his work away free?

    Myth & Magic Episode 112

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2022 39:36


    This week I'm chatting with published author Melissa Sercia, who delivers racy and hot paranormal fantasies! We talked about writing a gripping romance, living in an urban fantasy world, and her popular Immortal Billionaire series of novels. 

    Myth & Magic Episode 111

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2022 23:10


    Who put the elf into Twelfth Night? Why is today so magical? Plus, what is the difference between propensity and plasticity in a character?

    Myth & Magic Episode 110

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2021 13:42


    Many felicitations for the season... but who was Felicity? Also, in this episode, what is an epiphany? What are the pre-epiphany conditions? And five helpful & personal epiphanies that all authors should be ready for!

    Myth & Magic Episode 109

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2021 10:17


    Here are 28 things readers don't want to see! Things that infuriate the reader! What we can learn from the best-selling authors of 2021

    Myth & Magic Episode 108

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2021 46:58


    A spirited interview with super talented authors Marie Sinadjan + Meri Benson who collaborated to write Hotel Fen, a dark fantasy, that has loads of Norse mythology. We chat about the handcraft + ingenuity that goes into authoring as these two outstanding writers explain that they are composing music for the book, creating story-inspired treats, and designing artwork to accompany the project.

    Myth & Magic Episode 107

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 39:31


    In the second half of NaNoWriMo we chatted with teen fantasy author Sarah Humpherys about taking the 50k word month-long challenge, and about landing herself an agent & publishing deal at the tender age of sixteen! Sarah also talks about world-building and the craft of authorship. Her new novel, titled Stone Cold, features themes on overcoming loss by making new relationships.

    Myth & Magic Episode 106

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2021 39:23


    An interview with the New Mexico based fantasy author Cassie Sanchez. Cassie chats about writing love-scenes, creating tension and researching magic for her new novel, Chasing the Darkness, which features the angel of death.

    Myth & Magic Episode 105

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2021 48:52


    This week I talk with award-winning English author Claire Buss. She chats about spice ghosts, the Gaia hypothesis, the golden squirrel awards, the rapid release strategy, author Wilbur Smith, and being the deputy editor of the Write On! magazine

    Myth & Magic Episode 104

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021 50:31


    Check out this engaging Myth & Magic interview with the editor of the latest Australian speculative fiction magazine — Etherea, for science fiction and fantasy fans!

    Myth & Magic Episode 103

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2021 15:37


    12 ways to flip classic fantasy tropes on their head, plus what is a story frame?

    Episode 102

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2021 41:45


    An interview with paranormal investigator Dr. Kristy Sumner. She is a founding member of Soul Sisters Paranormal. Her team investigate paranormal activity using scientific methods. If you are writing about the spirit world, hauntings, ghosts, or poltergeists, you will want to listen to this informative and exciting show!

    Myth & Magic

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 27:28


    Paranormal: Why are ghosts found in haunted places? A study into haunting. Also, get creative  — three easy ways to construct unique words for your fiction

    Myth & Magic Episode 100

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2021 19:20


    Celebrating the 100th episode of the Myth & Magic podcast with the ten most popular shows so far. Also, break the yoke on your talent to take charge of your creativity!

    Myth & Magic Episode 99

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2021 24:42


    What is the infinite transition process? How does it affect authorship (and a writer's reality?) Also, how to be proactive as a writer and what authors might learn from famous discoverers. Nine ways to be an adventurous writer.

    Myth & Magic Episode 98

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2021 24:44


    How Göbekli Tepe gives us clues about how civilization begins. Are you brave enough to set your fantasy in 10,000 BC? Also, how to explore your para-other: three ways to change your regular line of thinking and become more creative.

    Myth & Magic Episode 97

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2021 20:05


    The English fairy-tale landscape and how it inspires myth and magic. News about King Arthur's Stone. And why should you try to be an irresponsible artist — goof things up a little! Think like a monkey!

    Myth & Magic Episode 96

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2021 16:45


    This week: understanding creative brain activity. Also, what we learn from J. R. R. Tolkien about writing epic fantasy, And the mysterious magic of the corn doll (also known as the corn mother)  

    Myth & Magic Episode 95

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2021 15:30


    Time to find the inner writer: where is your why? How do you fit into the creative puzzle we call authorship? Here's a little quiz to help you find a reason to write! Eight simple questions to find the human who sits behind the words...

    Myth & Magic Episode 94

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2021 34:16


    What are Scissorhand Experiences? What makes a dynamic silver-screen character? Why do fantasy movies lead to the biggest breakthroughs in movie history? And, how can an author write a fantasy for the cinema? All these views, and more, discussed with film director Ali Khamseh

    Myth & Magic Episode 93

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2021 34:55


    Talking about a new generation of horror with the talented storyteller, the 'Warning Woods' podcaster Miles Tritle. What makes a story scary? What are the essential ingredients of horror? 

    Myth & Magic Episode 92

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2021 28:14


    What is human-chauvinism? Are you guilty of writing chauvinistic fantasy? Also, entering the state of flow: do you get into the flow when you write (and what if you don't?) Plus, it's summer — but what are dog days?

    Myth & Magic Episode 91

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2021 36:02


    What is audio drama? How does it differ from audio-books and podcasting? In my interview with English author Bibi Berki, we discuss audio storytelling and Bibi provides tips & ideas on how to prepare your fiction for audio

    Myth & Magic Episode 90

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2021 27:42


    Interview with Generation Z poet and writer Rha Arayal, who talks about her encapsulated emotions and provides guidance on how to write intangible concepts

    Myth & Magic Episode 89

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2021 26:07


    A useful definition of storytelling. Also, Project Cassandra, can fiction writers predict the future? Who was Cassandra? What is Kenning? Who were the filí ?

    Myth & Magic Episode 88

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2021 47:15


    Fantasy author Birdy Rivers lives with two baby dragons (listen to the podcast to find out more!!) Birdy offers some helpful advice on world-building and suggests the best way to modernize a classic fairy tale...

    Myth & Magic Episode 87

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2021 18:16


    This week the show is about the great problem of magic — it cannot heal nature. Magic has limits. But I think I found a solution...

    Myth & Magic Episode 86

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2021 12:29


    How big was Gollum? How we can learn from Tolkien's ability to create monsters? Also, this is Litha's time. And what is a bugbear?

    Myth & Magic Episode 85

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2021 12:43


    How to install a 4-part scare plan into your novel to make the story really terrifying! Plus, how to make your book pleasurable to read: Here's a helpful list of joyfulation ingredients

    Myth & Magic Episode 84

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2021 22:31


    What is reality? Can we transcend reality?

    Myth & Magic Episode 83

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2021 38:19


    Interview with Somerset based British fantasy writer Sophy Layzell, the author of the YA dystopian novel "Measure of Days" and a theatre director, graphic artist and mum.  Her next book "Upon All Men" is coming soon!

    Myth & Magic Episode 82

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 20:51


    What is the point of mythological creatures? Why do humans dream-up things that scare them? Plus ten folk monsters you may not have met before. Also, what every experienced author has learned the hard way (good advice!)

    Myth & Magic Episode 81

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 54:36


    The Canadian environmentalist & fantasy novelist talks about narrative responsibility and writing in the Anthropocene era. She addresses the main challenges facing writers and emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of place in fiction. She explains how to write metaphors and gives tips for writing action scenes. Nina also explains how courage & inspiration will help an author overcome fear to get the job done!

    Myth & Magic Episode 80

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2021 22:33


    The mysterious mystique of the Maypole dance, the coronation of a May Queen, cutting the hawthorn wands, the May Day festivities and how all these ancient rites intertwine in a celebration and solemnization for the Goddess of Flowers.

    Myth & Magic Episode 79

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021 32:12


    Interview with Charles Sterling: The hardworking epic fantasy author chats about lazy fantasies and about writing a chapter a day to complete a book in a month —he also suggests offering free tea & biscuits to readers, so they visit a site more often — check the interview now on Myth & Magic

    Myth & Magic Episode 78

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2021 24:59


    Warm-up exercises for a writing mind + how elves can help us understand the objective reality of what we cannot see

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