No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Serial Fiction Podcast

Holy shit you guys, it's here: the final episode of the season. I LOVE YOU. I'll be back with season 2 as soon as humanly possible -- but in the meantime, definitely check out some of the links below, or stop by http://www.nodragonspress.com/podcast to sign up to be notified of new podcasts (or you can just stay subscribed wherever you're subscribes) and links to everything you'll need to keep in touch! Also make sure to keep an eye on Emily Ruf's artwork at http://www.ruftimes.com. She's an amazing illustrator and she's got a lot of cool stuff coming up soon. Thanks for everything!!

Guys, big news. It's the second-to-last episode of the season. I KNOW. Check it out. I'll let this episode speak for itself -- hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Love you guys.

Getting close!! In today’s episode (which, fun fact, I’m editing on the plane on the way to Seattle—WOO, WASHINGTON!!—for a Jean-Luc Ponty concert and a bit of vacation), Addie gets a blast from the past in the form of her asshole ex-boyfriend. Word. Emotions are high as Addie recalls Bradley pretending, convincingly, to care about things like Brian May’s guitar technique and Chris Squire’s bass sound and Jethro Tull—things he really, truly did seem interested in at the time—and she wonders how he’d convinced her so soundly that he was legit. Then, some even worse things happen. Thanks, everyone! Remember to tell a friend, and remember you can find me @progmaggie on Instagram. (Or @nodragonspress if you want to get to the party a little early. Save me a spot?)

In today's episode, Addie delves deep into the strange Medieval castle dungeon thing under the bluffs to rescue Tristan...and hopefully nothing will go wrong. Which it never does.

In today's episode, I explain the great Instagram from @nodragonspress to @progmaggie, and the reintroduction to @nodragonspress, because when I started trying to chronicle the author life podcast thing, it has totally taken a turn toward the irrelevant. Now, this is happening. (Long story short: If you're fine with how things are going, do nothing, just look for me under @prognmaggie now.) And in the story, we're OMG SRSLY REALLY CLOSE to almost maybe finding Tristan (!!!) again, so hold on to your butts!

Instead of talking your ear off, I pretty much jump right into the episode. Shit's really starting to get real.

You know how I said I'd have another episode posted right away for you? Well...better late than never, right? Sorry it took a bit to get this posted... In today's intro, I wax poetic about gratitude, art, unbridled enthusiasm...and the band Asia. Seriously you guys, best meet and greet ever (OK, not that I do a ton of those): had the pleasure of meeting Geoff Downes (from Yes), Billy Sherwood (who has replaced the late great John Wetton in Asia and is also Yes), and Carl Palmer (from ELP/Emerson Lake and Palmer). Absolutely incredible, seriously, and I promise I don't go on for too long about it. (Yes, I'll get my progressive rock podcast off the ground soon so I can get this stuff out of your hair. In the meantime, thanks for listening. You're just such a good listener, you know?) So: check out http://www.nodragonspress.com/podcast for a few pictures and songs and, of course, to hear more No Dragons Press. And hey, send me your music recommendations: @nodragonspress! In the chapter itself, Addie has (hopefully?) her final double-take regarding Xenia, and the gang gets a little bit closer to not dying horribly in their rescue attempt. Maybe. Stay tuned!

I'm back! Wow. March. Wow.   In today's episode, Addie has enough of Nate's mansplaining -- and Xenia gives her a gift she may or may not end up killing herself with.   Hope you enjoy!

Not a lot this week, so let's jump right in: I hope you enjoy No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY FICTION PODCAST, where Xenia definitely learns the truth. Which may or may not go well for Addie and the gang. Thanks for listening to the show and make sure to tell a friend!

In today's episode, I jump right into the story. The gang creeps closer to Myrick's lookout point on the bluffs...and while the access point Addie had been hoping for doesn't quite exist in this world (universe, whatever), they gang makes an even more important discovery. Which solves one problem -- namely, the problem of rescuing Tristan -- and opens another one -- namely, telling Xenia the truth about where the No Dragons Press gang really comes from.

I've been meeting with some amazing people lately to talk business, and in today's episode I take a bit of time to share how empowering and motivating that is. If you're feeling stuck in your job and you think you should be doing something else, talk to your friends who have done something about it--live long and prosper and keep using your powers for good. Speaking of using your powers for good: let's respect the people around us by allowing them to just exist. That's what we all hope for ourselves and our loved ones and that's what we should all hope for each other. Your experience is not my experience and that is awesome. So! No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast continues with chapter 33, Suspicions and Certainties. Addie continues expounding on her great idea from the previous chapter--and she throws in an A-Team reference. (See if you can spot it.) Thanks for listening, and check out http://www.nodragonspress.com/podcast for links and info!

Guys, I'm sending out my first Patreon gift! I'm super excited because these early gifts are really special and one-of-a-kind. I'm not a giant corporation with warehousing space or anything, it's just me and my hands (and, when I'm lucky, the much more talented hands of my illustrator and dear friend Emily), and we've really been enjoying meeting about this stuff. I promise, I won't beat this Patreon stuff into the ground, I just wanted to offer it as an option for people who might want to help keep the show running. Definitely keep listening for free if you want! And in the story...Addie actually finds a way to help. I KNOW. (She also drops a sweet Star Wars reference -- or two -- but learns that Duc is more of a Trek guy. Who knew?)

Weekly Illustrated Fiction is back! Check out www.ascraeuspress.com/nodragons to check out Emily's new incredible artwork, a dragon from chapter 18. "Bliss and Ignorance," and fucking Xenia herself from chapter 19, "The Point of An Arrow." (She's absolutely incredible. I'm so in love with her. Emily is an oracle.) So! Check out Emily's art at http://ruftimes.bigcartel.com/ and make sure to visit www.nodragonspress.com/podcast for anything you need. Now, I hope you enjoy chapter 31: Xenia Knows Best.

Whoops! Had some technical difficulties. Wasn't able to check in earlier. Sorry, guys. In today's chapter, Addie hits a personal low, while Nate hits a physical one.

This Saturday, I took part in the Women's March on Washington: MN. Between 90,000 and 100,000 people who believe in equality marched to the capitol building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in a historic show of dissent for the troublesome policies put forth by this administration. On behalf of all women, not just white ones, and all minorities, not just able-bodied heterosexual ones, we march for justice, equality, and peace. I talk about that experience and what the Womens March means to me, and I post a few pictures on the blog. I also thank a new Patreon supporter. In the story, we pick up after last time, where Addie learns she didn't actually know her boyfriend Bradley quite as well as she thought she did... Please enjoy chapter 29 of bonkers stoner fantasy adventure No Dragons Press: "Addie Is Wrong...Again."

In today's episode, Addie finally discovers what Nate and Xenia have been hiding from her. And everything she ever thought she knew has changed. (I also totally fuck up at one point and say "Zena," which is kind of funny. Wait for it...) Thanks for listening, sorry this one was so late in the week, and make sure to visit me at www.nodragonspress.com!

Happy New Year! And a big hello to the new listeners who found me during the holidays. Whatever you celebrate or don’t celebrate, it seems like a handful of you took advantage of the winter break to listen to a bunch of episodes in a row, which is really awesome. If you’ve made it this far, I really want to say thank you for your support, it means so much to me. Well, not a whole lot to talk about, so I will crack on with it - this is episode 27, "Plan of Attack." I'm also getting some fun stuff in the mail that I'm really excited about, so more on that next week!

Happy New Year, everyone! This is the last episode of the year, which is pretty cool, and it looks like there's enough chapters left to finish up right around 4:20, 2017 (the national pot-smoker's holiday). Huzzah! I'm hoping to publish a book by then, so if you're a cover designer or great with graphic design, give me a shout, I need some cover art. I'm also releasing a new podcast in 2017! I'll be talking about 70s progressive rock, and I need a logo for that too -- hit me up at nodragonspress (at) gmail.com and let's see what we can work out!   In today's episode, we'll wrap up the cliffhanger from last week. (Spoiler alert: the protagonist in this first-person present-tense story DOESN'T DIE. Surprise...) Addie is reunited with her friends, as well as a few enemies, and amid her wild flailing, a few key facts about Xenia finally settle in...   Have a safe New Years and I'll see you in 2017! Take care of each other and stay engaged, and keep checking your facts. There's a lot of misinformation and outright lies out there, and it's up to all of us to keep each other accountable and help each other out. Don't check out.

In today's episode, chapter 25 picks up where last chapter's cliffhanger left off. Addie and Duc have just shared a joint at the edge of the woods and had a pretty deep conversation about Duc's Vietnamese grandfather and his secretive beliefs, so they're a little high and super relaxed and comfortable. But they've been interrupted by three very large men who are apparently stalking their abandoned campsite: pack hunting, like predators. Did Xenia betray them? Is Nate dead by now? There's no way to know, but Addie and Duc handle it in the best way they know how: by fleeing for their lives and hiding in the forest. Except it doesn't work. Thanks for listening, everyone! If you like what you've been hearing, tell a friend, and check back next week for the next chapter of No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast. The adventure continues!

In today's episode, Addie and Duc are left behind -- but they aren't alone. (Sorry for the late posting. Life is crazy.) Also, make sure to check out http://www.ruftimes.bigcartel.com and http://www.citystonestudio for last-minute Christmas gift ideas, and support two of my local artist friends from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thanks, everyone!

In today's episode, Addie and Duc have a sweet moment in the woods. This is after Addie goes to town venting her frustration on her mushroom tool about Nate and Xenia's oh-so-friendly departure. I also discuss winter in Minnesota, taking a hiatus from the weekly illustrated fiction series, and future ideas -- but stay tuned for news!

In today's chapter of No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY bonkers stoner fantasy adventure, Addie does the best she can to persuade Nate to exercise basic caution, but he decides to place his blind trust in Xenia anyway. Not that she's jealous. Not at all. This proves to be the lead-up to what is, of course, not an excellent idea on Nate and Xenia's part, not that anyone wants to know what Addie thinks about it, and it just may be the last time the gang is together before it starts to fracture. Hope you like! Happy Thanksgiving!

In this week's chapter of everyone's favorite new adult bonkers stoner fantasy series, Xenia explains more about the world the No Dragons Press gang finds themselves stranded in. Addie is more and more impressed with the woman---and so are Duc and Nate, apparently, which she is less impressed with. But Nate and Xenia's ultimate plan is the least impressive thing at all, and Addie has the funny suspicion that the guys are way, way letting their guard down. Because in an unfriendly, unfamiliar world, the three remaining friends should be sticking together...right?

Today's episode is a short one. It's also late. The world is ending, is my excuse. Sorry. Anyway, in this week's chapter, Addie learns a little bit more about the glorious woodland creature, whose name turns out to be Xenia, and they debate whether or not to trust her. But do they really have a choice?

In today's episode, I completely lose my mind about the show I attended over the weekend in Chicago: ARW, which is Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman of the band Yes. GUYS, I PRETTY MUCH SAW YES. *dies* Anyway, if you're not familiar, I talk a little bit about the lineup and why this particular one was so special, and I recommend a few albums to get you started. Then, we proceed to learn just who or what is yelling at Addie, Duc, and Nate from the depths of the forest, and hopefully a little bit about where Tristan and Bradley may have ended up. I hope you enjoy!

In today's chapter, people go missing and shit goes crazy and it turns out nothing Addie thought she knew is stable enough to depend on. But first, I have an exciting announcement to make: No Dragons Press is now on Patreon! Here's a quick overview: Patreon is kind of like Kickstarter in that it's a way to crowdfund a project, but it’s geared more toward artists working on long-term, ongoing ideas. The basic idea is that the artist (or author or podcaster) does what she loves, and consumers or listeners who choose to support contribute just a dollar a month to help make the work sustainable. So, since this is officially the eighteenth episode of No Dragons Press, now seems like a good point to kind of stop and assess the situation. I love the story and I love the feedback I've been getting, and I really want to continue making it available freely to whoever wants to listen to it. I think that’s important. But I do need to start thinking about the podcast as more than just a fun hobby and really look at making it sustainable. I'm really happy to do it, but that's why Patreon is so amazing: it's this way to open up a stream of support for people who are really positive about what I'm doing, and it only costs any individual person a dollar a month. And it's more than that. You know, it's a way for people to go beyond feeling appreciation really feel ownership and pride. It's a way for people who maybe really enjoy fiction but don't have the time or inclination to develop a novel for themselves to feel like they're helping to put something creative out into the world. I talk very lightheartedly about marijuana on the show and in this book, and if you haven't gathered by now, I have a bit of an ulterior motive with how casually Addie treats smoking and being high. There's a lot of important policy decisions being discussed right now and a lot of knee-jerk reactions to media headlines, and I think a lot of what’s fueling those reactions and standing in the way of important progress is fear. I think our best way forward through all this shit is through education, and as advocates for the good that cannabis can do in the world, it should be our biggest goal right now to make people open and receptive to the science and the data and the financial experiences of legal states. I believe a bumbling, sweet, wilderness-savvy young woman like Addie who is way more capable than she realizes can help change peoples’ minds and help break down these knee-jerk, unfounded negative ideas of what marijuana is and who is using it and what it can do, and to do that I need to be able to expand my outreach. With your support of one dollar a month, you will help give me the ability to invest in some of those important distribution opportunities and marketing strategies that are going to help get this project in front of more audiences. So, if you're not feeling the financial support thing right now, that's totally fine. I WANT you to keep listening keep enjoying the show keep telling your friends—that's plenty of support, and I really appreciate the opportunity to talk to you every week and read you my story. And if you understand appreciate what I'm trying to do and you want to help make the podcast sustainable, or if you’ve just been enjoying the story and want to show your support, head to Patreon.com/nodragonspress to be one of the very first special group of contributors to help No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast reach new audiences and really level up in a big way. Thank you all so much. I will not forget your support.

Welcome to NO DRAGONS PRESS Chapter Seventeen: The Mysterious Nathan Trowbridge! Today, author Maggie Gibbs (that's me!) talks about the long and convoluted steps she took to (successfully!) find her phone at a zombie music festival (true story) in Wisconsin over the weekend. (Since she was basically in Myrick, she really shouldn't have been surprised.) Then, we get into chapter seventeen, which I'm excited to tell you is the last of the tromping-around-aimlessly-in-the-woods routine. Shit is about to get very, very real, so definitely check back next week.  Thanks for listening to No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Podcast, and if you enjoy what you hear, please tell a friend!

After musing about Gentle Giant, lost albums, and progressive rock at large, I read chapter sixteen: "Hunting and Gathering." Addie finally finds herself in comfortable territory--but Nate's reaction leaves her baffled. 

Addie finally can't avoid talking to Bradley -- whose demeanor has changed in baffling ways. Meanwhile, Duc need help foraging for dinner, Nate is a traitorous bastard, and Tristan (whose feelings are undoubtedly hurt) is nowhere to be found... Also, two things: be good role models, and fucking vote.

In today's episode, I wax poetic about family, old-fashioneds, differences, similarities, and good old-fashioned wedding dance party bashes. Hold your loved ones close, you guys, because your time with them is precious. In this week's chapter (14!) of NO DRAGONS PRESS: A High Fantasy Fiction Podcast, Addie learns a little bit about wilderness helping. She's kind of miserable, but also kind of happy as hell, not that she's about to tell Nate that. Then, they run into the boyfriend she just can't escape, and it looks like The Talk is finally about to happen...or is it?

You know that feeling when you're traveling and you know you're running out of weed, but your nerves are so fried that you forget all about conservation mode and just try to enjoy yourself the best you can? Yeah, so does Addie. (This episode of NO DRAGONS PRESS: A High Fantasy Fiction Podcast is definitely one for the stoners.) In today's chapter, Addie takes a quick marijuana break to soothe her scrambled mind and try to find some calm. Which is, of course, immediately broken--but for what turns out to be a very good reason. Thanks for listening!

This week, absolute chaos ensures with episode twelve of No Dragons Press, A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast. It's the second part of my interview with Emily Ruf, and things get a little silly after a couple beers. In addition to delving more into the art behind our illustrated fiction series, we get real with character sketches, drop some Kevin Costner into the conversation (what can we say, we're suckers for The Postman), and master the art of the awkward goodbye. We also pick up the story with Tristan trying to make sense of whatever crazy portal he's built...and the fact that the hardware didn't make the trip. Meanwhile, Addie has to deal with her past demons -- and one in particular that she's been trying to escape.

In today's episode, Addie and the rest of the gang find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings. But Tristan, whose giant metal contraption had brought them there in the first place, doesn't quite know what to do next... This episode also includes part 1 of an interview with Maggie Gibbs and Emily Ruf (stay tuned for part 2 of the interview next week), in which the creators discuss important things like beer, Harry Potter, VHS players, and what it's like to collaborate on the Weekly Illustrated Fiction bonkers stoner fantasy adventure that is No Dragons Press.

In today's episode, Addie and the rest of the gang finally see what Tristan's been keeping in his basement. Then, they take an unexpected trip...with an unexpected guest. Please enjoy the tenth episode of No Dragons Press: "Addie Says Goodbye"!

In today's episode of No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast, Addie gets a peek of Tristan's mysterious basement laboratory. But nothing---not even after driving around for a while---can prepare her for the strange contraption Tristan has built...and the mere idea of what it might be for makes her quite certain she isn't high enough for this.

No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast continues after a short break for technical difficulties. In today's episode, Addie learns that Nate and Tristan aren't the only ones with secret abilities. She also makes an important decision (and then immediately disregards it). Shit is about to get real, guys.

Last week, Addie went downstairs into the No Dragons Press offices to grab something---until she heard a noise and ran upstairs to see what was going on, and got a face full of guns. Today we pick up where we left off, and we not only learn how appropriate the chapter title is; we also learn just how much Addie doesn't know about the people she's closest to. She's really starting to learn that everyone has secrets, especially the people we don't necessarily expect secrets from. Thank you for listening to today's installment of No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Serial Fiction Podcast!

Addie heads down into the No Dragons Press building to look for a missing box of submissions. What she finds in the empty offices under Nate's apartment is surprising...but what she finds when she heads back up to rejoin the meeting (namely three huge fuck-off guns) shocks her to her very core.

On the bluffs overlooking the town below, smoking a bowl, in her own private sanctuary (her car), listening to classic rock and gathering her nerves, Addie finally makes a choice: she's done with Bradley. She's definitely breaking up with him. Right? But by the time Addie reaches the No Dragons Press offices, her confidence has dwindled along with the elevation, and even Nate's cheerful smile and Tristan's eccentricities can't shake her out of her funk. But Addie's ennui won't last long. Soon, she will learn that a simple thing like leaving the room to retrieve a box of submissions has the potential to change the course of her life forever...

Things are going well for Addie on her first day on the job, but trying to learn the secret codes Tristan can apparently perceive has her looking for a secluded place a pack a one-hitter and relax for a while. But when Addie runs into her coworker Nate -- doing the exact same thing -- she learns a few things anyway: that Tristan's connection to the Press isn't what she'd thought, that Nate turns out to be an excellent smoking companion, and that the neighborhood is a little more active than she first thought . . . just like her imagination. Don't miss No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Adventure Episode Three: "Addie Sneaks a Smoke"!

After being briefly thrown off-guard by the bearded lumberjack who suddenly appears at No Dragons Press, dimpling, Addie has her game face on. And when the conversation turns to anonymous submissions, secret messages, and hidden codes, she finds herself riveted by the story of Dardanus and his unsolicited manuscripts. But why is Tristan acting so weird about the messages? Why isn't he being more forthcoming about the code...and what's he hiding in his high-security basement laboratory? What started as the strangest job interview of all time only gets stranger as the mysteries pile up in No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Adventure: Book One, Episode One: Addie Meets a Lumberjack.

Addie McCallister is the quintessential twenty-something: she wants nothing more than to smoke in peace, avoid her loser boyfriend until he goes away, and maybe even have a little excitement in her life. Then she applies for a position a small literary press. And between the secret basement lair, the coded messages from one anonymous author's submissions, the baffling in-house design aesthetic, and the lumberjacks hidden in closets, she finds herself with much more than just a new job. Because there's something wonderful and terrifying about what's going on at No Dragons Press--and whether Addie is ready for them or not, the events set in motion by the simple act of getting a job will change everything, forever.