Tales from the Fandom

I was very excited when Alexis said yes to being a guest on the podcast. I really enjoyed the work she shared on Instagram and looked forward to getting to know her better. Now, you get that same chance. We've got a great conversation that spans "the big 3" (as dubbed by me), Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars. We start off with Disney, throwing it all the way back to when the Disney channel was a pay TV channel. Alexis talks about some of her first experiences with Disney, like "The Wonderful World of Disney", the movies and TV shows (including a surprising favorite movie). Plus, Alexis talks about Disney Cruises, why they mean so much to her and her family, and the ship she's excited to sail on. From there, we head into the Marvel Universe. Spider-Man and the X-Men movies were her early start into the fandom. Then her introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talk about some of her favorite movies and characters, why she was forced to read Civil War, and what she's looking forward to in the MCU in the future (this was recorded prior to Thunderbolts releasing). Then we jump to lightspeed to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, and talk Star Wars. From her early experiences and where she got her start in the fandom. Movies, TV shows, and more are all talked about. Plus, we talk about Hayden Christensen and a picture she took with him at a convention. We wrap up with talking about the creative work that Alexis creates and shares on her social media side. We talk about how she first got started, what she shares and why, her goals for this year, and what you can expect to see. You can find Alexis at: https://www.instagram.com/takeabreathwithalexis/ https://linktr.ee/takeabreathwithalexis https://www.threads.com/@takeabreathwithalexis https://www.tiktok.com/@takeabreathwithalexis https://www.youtube.com/@takeabreathwithalexis6026

It's been nearly 8 years since Samantha aka LiliAvacyn has been on the podcast. A lot has changed since their first episode, and now they're back for a second one! Samantha talks about this year being their 20 year convention anniversary. We talk about how conventions have changed over time, from experiences, to guests, panels, and overall fun. One of the topics that Samantha wanted to talk about was cosplay and their adjustments to cosplay and conventions with a disability. You'll hear how Samantha has adapted cosplays to include their wheelchair, wheelchairs and the convention spaces, and more. Not only is Samantha speaking up in the cosplay and convention space when it comes to accessibility, we also talk about it with one of their newer fandoms - K-Pop. Samantha talks about getting into K-Pop, their favorite group, Ateez, and experiences with two different concert venues and the steps taken for accessibility. I am glad that Samantha was able to come back and share their stories with me, and by extension, with all of you. You can find Samantha at: https://www.instagram.com/liliavacyn/ https://liliavacyncosplay.tumblr.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@liliavacyn You can listen to Samantha's original episode here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-62-samantha-aka-necroticnymph-cosplay

Luna aka Lunatricxx on her socials joins me from the Philippines to talk about some of their favorite fandoms. We start off by talking about some of their favorite music genres. From Punk to Alternative, to Rock, and subgenre's like Divorced Dad Rock. Luna goes into detail about some of her favorite bands and musicians, the concerts she's been or planning to go to, and some of the recommendations she would make for those interested in their kind of music. Then, we jump to Marvel. We talk about Marvel Rivals, their character choices in the game including the resurgence of Squirrel Girl, along with other characters they enjoy seeing. We also talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the upcoming inclusion of the X-Men/Mutants into the MCU, as well as the Doomsday reveal earlier this year. Lastly, we talk about Cosplay. Luna talks about getting into cosplay, their experiences, favorite characters to cosplay as, and the future of their cosplay work! You can find Luna at: https://www.instagram.com/lunatricxx/ https://bsky.app/profile/lunatricxx.bsky.social https://www.tiktok.com/@lunatricxx https://linktr.ee/Lunatricxx  

Threads has been a wonderful place to get to know people and their fandoms. I stumbled across Rebecca, aka TheQueen0fSarcasm, as she was live threading her way through Star Trek episodes. After reading her thoughts, I knew I had to ask her to be a guest. We're talking all about Star Trek on this episode. From her first experience with the shows and movies, to her favorite characters, to which series she loves the most. We boldly go through as much Star Trek as we can fit into one episode, including some of the upcoming shows. I don't want to spoil anything here in the show notes, so if you like Trek, come take a listen. Live long and prosper! You can find Rebecca at: https://www.threads.com/@thequeen0fsarcasm https://www.instagram.com/thequeen0fsarcasm/ https://linktr.ee/thequeen0fsarcasm

I love when people reach out to ask to be guests. Especially someone that puts the fan in fandom. Katie of Fandemonium Design joins me to talk about some of her favorite fandoms, plus her Fandom art and design work! Katie says that her fandoms find her. As we talk about the different fandoms, you'll hear how these fandoms found Katie, and why she latched onto them. The first one we talk about is Dr. Who. Katie talks about how she first stumbled into Dr. Who and what kept her watching. We talk about her favorite doctors, her favorite episodes, and why she keeps coming back to this fandom. Next, we talk about Avatar: The Last Airbender. We talk about how we were both drawn to the show and how it continues to be the gift that keeps on giving with future works. Katie talks her favorite characters, what kind of bender she'd be, and more. Then, we're off to the 'Verse. Katie and I talk about the beautiful ship Serenity, and the Firefly TV series. Katie's entrance into the world of Firefly came a lot differently than some people, and its a fun story to hear. We talk about characters that she likes, some of the stories she enjoyed, and the 'verse itself. Lastly, we're talking about her work with her business, Fandemonium Design. Katie talks about how she started off with her art and how its evolved over time. We talk about some of the fandoms she's drawn, how she comes up with her designs, and what she has planned for the future. Be sure to check out her work and if you're interested, she does take commissions! You can find Katie at: https://fandemoniumdesign.com/ https://www.instagram.com/fandemoniumdesign/ https://www.threads.com/@fandemoniumdesign https://linkin.bio/fandemoniumdesign/  

The latest episode is here and our latest guest, DischaPoppy, joins us from Shanghai, China. Through the powers of timezones and scheduling, I'm happy to have Poppy on the podcast. Originally from Indonesia, Poppy talks about growing up without anything Disney (which is surprising if you see her account now!). We talk about how she grew up with Japanese anime/movies on her TV, and how she didn't experience Disney until much later in life. Poppy talks about what Disney shows/movies she does like, along with recounting her first visit to a Disney theme park. Then, we talk about Disneybounding. You'll hear how Poppy went from not having seen/experienced much in the way of Disney, to finding a community of Disneybounders as an expat living in Shanghai and learning about what bounding is, and ideas on how she could pull off different characters. We talk about a number of characters she's done, from her first, to some of her more recent characters, and ones she's hoping to do in the future. You can find Poppy at: https://www.instagram.com/dischapoppy/ https://www.youtube.com/@dischapoppy https://www.tiktok.com/@dischapoppy

Our first guest from Italy, Valeria aka "The Lady and the Bow" on social media, joins me! I had stumbled across Valeria's account on Threads, where she mentioned she loved The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit. That's usually enough for me. I popped over to her Instagram account and found beautiful and inspired photography, cool looks, and I knew I had to follow for more. After really enjoying her content, I asked her to be a guest, and here she is! We have a wide ranging conversation that goes across a number of topics. We talk about Cottagecore and what draws her to that style and look. Valeria talks about color theory and how she chooses the outfits she wears. Plus, the ins and outs of taking this kind of photography. Valeria tells us the backstory of why and how she got interested in creating this style of content, and what motivates her to continue doing what she does. We talk about her progression, and her inclusion of fairytales and myths into her work and posts. We also talk about the work she creates that you can purchase at The Cottagecore Den. You can find Valeria at: https://beacons.ai/theladyandthebow https://www.instagram.com/theladyandthebow/ https://www.tiktok.com/@theladyandthebow https://www.threads.net/@theladyandthebow You can find The Cottagecore Den at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecottagecoreden/ https://www.instagram.com/thecottagecoreden/  

After having been on their podcast twice last year, it seemed only fitting that I started gathering the crew of Fine Beats and Cheeses to come on to mine. The first one who took the plunge is Lynne Streeter Childress. We kick things off by talking about TV Mysteries. We cover a lot of the spectrum - from Columbo, Matlock, and Murder, She Wrote to newer shows like Elsbeth, Poker Face, and Matlock (there's a new one!) Lynne talks about how these shows, "old white people solving crimes", attracted her to them, her memories of them, and what keeps her coming back for more.  Then, we get to talk about Building Better People Productions. BBP Productions uses theater to encourage empathy, kindness, and other social-emotional skills for kids and their adults through shows, classes, and workshops. Lynne talks about how she started BBPP, what you can expect from what she and her team do, and where you can find them! Lastly, we talk about the podcast, Fine Beats and Cheeses. Lynne makes up one third of the Fine Beats and Cheeses team, alongside her twin sister Leslie, and Sam, the producer. We talk about how the podcast came to be, the guests they have had on and topics they've talked about, and where Lynne sees herself in the podcasting space in the future. You can find Lynne at: https://www.instagram.com/lynnestreeterchildress/ https://www.threads.net/@lynnestreeterchildress You can find Building Better People Productions at: https://bbpproductions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/building_better_people/ https://www.threads.net/@building_better_people You can find Fine Beats and Cheeses at: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/ https://feeds.captivate.fm/fine-beats-cheeses/ https://www.threads.net/@finebeatsandcheeses https://www.instagram.com/finebeatsandcheeses/ Leslie: https://www.instagram.com/lesliegraystreeter/ https://www.threads.net/@lesliegraystreeter https://lesliegraystreeter.com/ Sam: https://www.instagram.com/madebysamphotos/

I stumbled across Sasha aka JewishComicsQueen on Threads when she put out a request to be a guest on more podcasts. I was glad when she said yes, and here we are! We're talking about Jewish representation within the Marvel movies and TV series. Note - this was recorded prior to Captain America: Brave New World's release. We range far and wide with the Marvel movies and shows that we discuss. From pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe, to the current status of the MCU, and what possibly to expect in the future. Topics that are talked about include Magneto's representation across the Films and animated series, MCU's Moon Knight series, Arnold Roth and his incorporation into the MCU's Bucky Barnes, and Benjamin Grimm aka The Thing in the Fantastic Four movies. We also spend a good amount of time talking about Billy Kaplan, one of Sasha's favorite characters, and his representation in Agatha All Along vs the comic version of him. Sasha and I talk about what the future could look like for upcoming Marvel projects, and Sasha provides some indie comics that have that representation currently. You can find Sasha at: https://www.instagram.com/jewishcomicsqueen/ https://www.threads.net/@jewishcomicsqueen https://linktr.ee/jewishcomicsexpert https://fine-beats-cheeses.captivate.fm/episode/sasha-kaplan-and-comics Comic Recommendations The Writer by Josh Gad - available on Amazon The Unfinished Corner by Dani Colman - available on Amazon American Dreams by Daniel Kalban - available on Amazon. Also prepping a Kickstarter to fund more Kosher Mafia by David Hazan - available on Amazon

I've been following Gina aka Ginamidala on Instagram for quite some time and I was excited that she said yes to being a guest. Not just because of her cosplay work, but also because she published her first book, Guide, and I wanted to talk about that too! We split the episode in half. For the first half, Gina and I talk about art and cosplay. With art, Gina talks about her beginnings with art in school, and progressing from there. She talks about all the different art forms she's done and which ones she prefers. We talk about the art that she's created and shared on her Instagram page (and which you can purchase, if you message her!). We also talk about Cosplay. Gina talks about how she first got interested in Cosplaying, and what characters she's drawn to. We talk about the character's she has done, along with some of her plans for the future with cosplay. In the back half of the episode, Gina talks about her work as an Author. We talk about her writing journey, which led to the self publishing of Guide. We talk about the book without spoilers, as we talk about the plot, main character and supporting cast, and her plans for the future. You can find Gina at: https://www.instagram.com/ginamidala/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ginamidala You can buy Guide on eBook and Paperback on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hDMwVB

It's always nice when people reach out and ask to be guests on the podcast. Shad, host of The Sidequest Hustle Podcast, did just that, and here we are! Shad kicks things off with a conversation about anime. Being that we're close in age, we cover a number of classic animes that started off on Toonami, and discuss watching anime at all hours of night. We talk about Gundam, as well as getting his personal Top 5 Anime, and his Top 5 anime that he'd recommend to others. We also talk about what kind of anime he prefers - seasonal, long form, and how much time he'll give to new series. From there, we delve into the flip side of anime, which is manga. Shad talks about how and why anime pointed him in the direction of manga, with his thought of "That can't be how this ends". And he was right. Which anime are we talking about? Listen to the episode and find out. Shad talks about the manga that he enjoys, what he looks for, and more. Then we're talking all about The Sidequest Hustle Podcast. Shad hosts this podcast, exploring Blerd culture, anime, comics, video games, and more. He's looking for guests, and if you're interested, you can find the link below. Take a listen to his show! You can find Shad and The Sidequest Hustle Podcast at: https://linktr.ee/thesidequesthustle https://www.instagram.com/thesidequesthustle/ https://www.youtube.com/@TheSideQuestHustle https://www.threads.net/@thesidequesthustle https://www.tiktok.com/@thesidequesthustle  

Joy aka Joylenny KawaiiWorld on Instagram joins me to talk about two of her favorite things - Anime and Cosplay. We start things off by talking about anime. Joy talks about growing up in the Dominican Republic and watching her first anime series there. Once she moved to the US, she got more immersed in anime. We're talking everything from Dragonball to One Piece. Joy talks about the kinds of anime that she likes, how many episodes she gives an anime before deciding to continue or not, and what anime she recommends. On the flip side of the episode is Cosplay! Joy talks about how she first stumbled into Cosplay after being dressed as Mothra one year for Halloween. We talk about how she decided to continue into the world of Cosplay. We talk about some of the challenges she deals with when it comes to cosplay, along with the characters she cosplays as. We talk about some of Joy's favorite characters, like Black Cat, and some that she wants to do in the future. You can find Joy at: https://www.instagram.com/joylennykawaiiworld/ https://www.tiktok.com/@joylennykawaiiworld https://www.facebook.com/people/Joylenny-KawaiiWorld/61555330359994/ https://linktr.ee/joylennykawaiiworld You can find OneKingGarcia at: https://www.instagram.com/onekinggarcia/ You can find Video Game Amateurs at: https://www.instagram.com/vgamateurs/ https://linktr.ee/vgamateurs  

Shaunie aka ShaucatCosplay joins me to talk about a few of my favorite fandoms! We start off by talking about one of my favorite things growing up as a kid. For the first time in 500+ episodes, we talk Scooby Doo! Shaunie talks to me about how she first got into Scooby Doo. From the original series, to the animated movies, and the multitude of different shows they've made, we cover as much as possible. From her favorite characters, to some of the underrated works. There are no red herrings here! Then, we segue that into cosplay, as Shaunie has cosplayed every member of Mystery Inc, including the van, plus a number of characters you may not even recognize! As well, we talk about how she cosplays her tabletop roleplaying characters, and how she incorporates that. We wrap up with a conversation about.... tabletop roleplaying games! From how she first got her start, to Dungeons & Dragons, and a game called Our Brilliant Ruin, we cover what appeals to her, what class she likes to play in D&D and some of her experiences in person, and online. Shaunie also talks a bit about her online business, Moonforge & Brightleaf, and the nerdy pins and crafts that they make. You can find Shaunie at: https://www.instagram.com/shaucatcosplay/ https://www.threads.net/@shaucatcosplay You can find Moonforge & Brightleaf at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/moonforgebrightleaf/ https://www.instagram.com/moonforgebrightleaf/ https://www.threads.net/@moonforgebrightleaf You can find the free pdf for Our Brilliant Ruin at: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/476564/our-brilliant-ruin-roleplaying-game  

Morgan aka CosbunnyCosplay joins me to talk all about Cosplay and the fandoms that she represents through her work. We start off by exploring how and why Morgan got interested in Cosplay. Morgan takes us through her beginnings with her first character she cosplayed as, to the skills she had at the time. As she gets more interested and involved with cosplay, Morgan shares the different skills and abilities she picks up and learns about. Everything from sewing and armor, to prop making, and magnets. We talk about what drives her decision to cosplay certain characters, and do deeper dives on characters like Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Appa from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and one of her signature characters she's known for, Queen Akasha from Queen of the Damned. Rounding things out, Morgan gives some good advice on how to get started in Cosplay, and talks about being a member of the Cosplay Dropouts - a POC NorCal cosplay collective. You can find Morgan at: https://www.instagram.com/cosbunnycosplay/ https://beacons.ai/cosbunnycosplay https://www.tiktok.com/@cosbunnycosplay https://www.youtube.com/@Cosbunnycosplay You can find the Cosplay Dropouts at: https://www.instagram.com/cosplaydropouts/

Continuing the goal to have more authors on the podcast, author Holly Davis joins me to talk about her journey as an author and her first published book. We kick things off by going back in time. To a time where Disney and video games collided to form the Kingdom Hearts franchise. This is where Holly first started her journey, writing fan fiction based in the Kingdom Hearts setting. Holly talks about why fanfic is a great place to start your author journey. From there, she talks about the in-between times, from fanfic, to her real world work, and making time to get her ideas out of her head and into written form. Then we talk about her first published book, "A Diamond Bright & Broken". This book released November of 2024. Holly talks about how she came up with the ideas and story, her characters, and how she based some real world items into the fantasy realm that this book takes place.  Interested in the book? Holly's elevator pitch includes it being a Tangled retelling with a female Flynn Rider, has a ride or die sister relationship, LGBT representation, and mages with unique magic, to name a few. Holly wraps it up by talking about her advice to those who wish to also start their author journey, and what is to come from her in the future! You can find Holly at: https://www.instagram.com/writehollydavis/ https://www.threads.net/@writehollydavis https://www.hollydavisbooks.com/links You can buy "A Diamond Bright & Broken" at: https://amzn.to/3EFXlsq

A person I've known for quite some time, I had the pleasure of having Slope join me from The Netherlands to talk about two of his current favorite things in fandom. Time Travel in Fandom, and Minecraft. We kick things off by talking about Time Travel in Fandom. Where did Slope first find this? In The Legend of Zelda! We talk about a variety of fandoms within the time travel scope. From Back to the Future, the Bill and Ted movies, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (for multiverses). However, we spend a good deal of time on the German TV series, Dark (available to stream on Netflix). This show comes highly recommended, and we dance around any potential spoilers. We also do circle back to talk more Zelda! Then, we switch gears and travel into the world of blocks. Minecraft. Slope talks about how he first started playing Minecraft, and the evolution of the game since it got its start. He talks about running the Hyrule Gaming Group SMP server. What is the HGG SMP server? You'll find out all about it, what he and his team create for those who play - and most importantly - how YOU can join! We wrap up talking about Slippy Studios, and what you can find with Slope doing Flash animations and what he's working on. You can find Slope at: https://slippystudios.com/ (coming soon!) https://slippystudios.newgrounds.com/ You can join the Hyrule Gaming Group Minecraft Server by following these instructions: Connect to IP: mc.hyrulegaminggroup.com - Port: 25565 (Java & Bedrock) Currently running version 1.21.1. type /discord in-game to verify - Discord: https://discord.gg/bNXbZ4XfBD

November 2023, I posted on Threads wanting to have more authors come on the podcast. One of those who threw their hat into the ring was Myka Silber. A little over a year later, and I had the pleasure of getting to have them on! Myka talks first about how they started down the author path, from their first writings back in high school, to pandemic lock down writing and self publishing, to their latest works, "Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black", and "The Pigment Thief" We explore "Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black" more in depth, as I read that late last year. We explore how Myka came up the world and characters in this book, and developing it into what it became. Seriously a good read. We wrap up with talking about what's coming next from Myka, and how you can stay up to date with what they are doing. You can find Myka at: https://www.threads.net/@myka.silber https://www.instagram.com/myka.silber/ https://linktr.ee/mykasilber https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23037288.Myka_Silber You can buy Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black at: https://amzn.to/4gmCDek  

The first international guest of 2025 is here! Nat aka ScruffySpaceElf on socials joins me from Austria to talk about her favorite fandoms! We kick things off with what may be her number 1 fandom, Star Trek. Nat talks about which series started things off for her, some of the shows she's watched (and others she hasn't), favorite characters, and so much more as we explore the Trek space. Then we go from Sci-Fi to Fantasy, as Nat talks about House of the Dragon. She talks about her interest in the show, the actors & characters, and what she's liked so far after having only seen the first season. We also touch on Game of Thrones, which she has not seen. Then we talk about her work in the Opera and Classical Music space. From her experience in grade school to the work in her degree program and internships, Nat talks about what attracts her to this realm and offers some music recommendations to us (check out the links further down). Lastly, Nat talks about how she got into Cosplay. We talk about her and her families background in faires, the work her dad and mom do, and the characters she's cosplayed. Plus, we talk about what the future holds for Cosplay. You can find Nat at: https://www.instagram.com/scruffyspaceelf/ https://www.threads.net/@scruffyspaceelf https://www.instagram.com/bendingflatnotes/ https://www.tumblr.com/scruffyspaceelf https://www.tiktok.com/@scruffyspaceelf Aria from Dvorak's "Rusalka" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsclkAbE0JM Aria from Puccini's "Tosca" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLR3lSrqlww

After seeing her work alongside a previous guest, I'm glad to welcome MG aka MangaGirl1114_Cosplay on to the podcast to talk about her favorite fandoms. We start off with Disney. Disney is such a wide and varied fandom with so many entry points, it's always fun to hear how people get into it. MG talks about her entry point to Disney, some of her favorite movies and shows, and what keeps her coming back to a fandom that's been around for such a long time. From there, we talk Barbie. We talk about the dolls, the movies, and just bounce around the Barbie fandom. Then we're on to an anime and manga called Dungeon Meshi. MG talks about how she discovered Dungeon Meshi and why she enjoys this specific anime. We talk characters and food (if you know, you know. And if you don't know, well maybe you'll know after listening) Then we get to talk all about MG. MG first talks about all the different forms of art she does - from metalworking to photography to nail art. She seemingly has done it all. Then we talk about Cosplay. She talks about how she first got started doing cosplay and some of the characters she's done. We also talk about characters she'd love to do in the future. You can find MG at: https://www.instagram.com/mangagirl1114_cosplay/ https://linktr.ee/mangagirl1114_cosplay https://www.instagram.com/ziwannails/ https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/mangagirl1114 https://www.instagram.com/flowan.designs/

I love stumbling across cosplayers who take a character and make it their own. One of those cosplayers is Amanda. You may know her as TheHauntedManda on socials. After finding her work and following her, I was glad she said yes to being on the podcast! We start things off with a new to the podcast fandom, Arcane. Amanda talks about how she got into the show and if she played League of Legends prior to this. We discussed favorite characters, and what she'd love to see in the future. This is mostly spoiler free, as I was only 3 episodes into the show at the time of recording. After Arcane, we continued in animation, with Disney's The Owl House. We discuss how we both found ourselves watching this show, the characters and storylines, and we lament how Disney did the show dirty with its final "season". From one house to a bigger house, we find ourselves talking about Bridgerton. We first talk about Queen Charlotte, which is how Amanda got into the fandom. We talk about the series, the love matches and characters she likes, and who/what she's looking forward to in future seasons. Lastly, we talk cosplay. If you haven't checked out Amanda's work, definitely do so now. Amanda talks about how she first got interested in cosplay, the characters she does and how she puts her spin on them. You can find Amanda at: https://www.instagram.com/thehauntedmanda/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thehauntedmanda  

We're back! 2025 is here! Our first guest of the year is Emily Engel. You may know her on the socials as Axepersonified. Emily is a fiber artist who makes wicked cool Muppet replicas. Emily and I start things off by talking about, what else, Muppets and the replicas she creates. She talks about her history with the Muppet franchise (shows and movies), and how she got her start in making these replica figures. We talk about her process, and characters she will and will not do. Seriously, they are wonderful and you should bring one home to your house. We then jump over from Muppets to True Crime. Emily talks about what got her interested in the world of True Crime and what keeps her coming back for more. Then we go Back....  TO THE FUTURE! Yes, we're talking about the Back to the Future franchise. Emily talks about what attracted her to the movies, the characters, and cast, and what the franchise means to her. You can find Emily at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/bxfiberart/ https://www.bxfiberart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/axepersonified/ https://www.threads.net/@axepersonified

After stumbling across her cosplay of Taylor Swift's Evermore cosplay outfit from The Eras Tour, I knew I'd like Eri. I checked out her work and knew I had to have her on the podcast. Eri aka CosplayAncestorEri joins me to talk all about fandom and the history from the 90s (which is when I also started getting into fandom!) We kick things off first with a mini conversation about Taylor Swift, before jumping into our first topic - Bond, James Bond. Eri gives me the behind the scenes look on how she got into the world of 007. She talks about her favorite movies, the different Bond actors, and some of her favorite Bond girls. We also talk about the future of the franchise. Then, we change gears from Bond into Anime. Specifically, we talk about our experiences with anime in the 90s. Eri talks about how she first found anime through Speed Racer. From there, we recount the struggles to find anime through rental stores, conventions, and tape trading before it anime became more of a thing. Eri talks about some of the shows she grew up on. Lastly, we devote a section to the evolution of fandom, conventions, and cosplay from those early 90s times to now. Eri talks about her experiences in the convention scene and how it has changed since then. We talk about how the shows have evolved, fandom, and events at conventions (like masquerades, and skits). We also talk about cosplay, the preservation of old fandom/convention websites and information, and Eri's book that is releasing soon, The Fangirl Diaries. You can find Eri at: https://www.instagram.com/cosplayancestoreri/ https://linktr.ee/cosplayancestoreri? https://scarlet-rhapsody.com/ https://www.twitch.tv/wisteriawitchvt https://www.youtube.com/@scarletrhapsodyconventiontea https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-fangirl-diaries/ https://amzn.to/4hoBkgo

Amy aka Queen Amy Dala Cosplay joins me from Vancouver, Canada, to talk about two of her favorite things - Final Fantasy and Cosplay! I stumbled across Amy's cosplay on Instagram in March and I really enjoyed what she had, particularly, her love of representing Final Fantasy characters, including characters from Final Fantasy 4 and 6. So luckily for us, she said yes to being a guest. We kicked off with Final Fantasy. Amy talks about how she first got into Final Fantasy through watching her older brother play and then sneaking into his room to play for herself. From there, she fell into the realm of Final Fantasy. Amy talks about which games she's played and which she hasn't. We talk about some of our favorite games and characters, her favorite relationships, and so much more. If you're someone who enjoys this franchise, you'll definitely enjoy this talk. On the back half of the episode, Amy talks about getting into cosplay and being a cosplayer. She talks about how she got into the world of cosplay later in life and her thoughts on being an "older" cosplayer. She talks about the benefits of cosplay for her, what others could get out of doing cosplay, and she talks about her favorite cosplays, comfiest ones, and plans for the future! You can find Amy at: https://www.instagram.com/queenamydalacosplay/ https://www.queencosplay.com/  

It's time! Time for the Bridgerton episode. I finally decided to sit down and watch the entire series. After binge watching all 3 seasons, plus the Queen Charlotte series, I knew I needed to talk to someone about it while we wait for Season 4. Who better to come back than Brittany aka BajanPrincessBrittany. This is a spoiler episode, so if you haven't watched any of the seasons yet, this episode is not for you. Brittany and I talk about the series overall, including some of the themes and stories that happen throughout. We talk about our favorite seasons, favorite Bridgerton family member, favorite member of the 'Ton, including some dark horse choices. We do speculate about Season 4 and the length of time between seasons. This episode was recorded prior to the casting announcement of Yerin Ha as Sophie. If you like Bridgerton, make sure to comment on Instagram or Facebook and let us know who you think is the best Bridgerton or 'Ton member! You can find Brittany at: https://www.instagram.com/bajanprincessbrittany/ https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-338-bajanprincessbrittany-talks-bridgerton-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-disney-and-bounding https://linktr.ee/bajanprincessbrittany

HylianDescent returns again for his 5th episode! HylianDescent aka Joshua, founder of the Hyrule Gaming Group comes back for another entry into his time capsule of his Twitch streaming experience as we look back on the previous year. We check in on how he's doing and how his past year was. Then I talk to Joshua about a number of games he has played over the year, including games like: Fields of Mistria, Graveyard Keeper, Moonstone Island, Supermarket Simulator, Fallout, Tears of the Kingdom, and Animal Crossing. We talk about games that work for Twitch and his community, and other games that work for him and that he ultimately keeps to himself for his enjoyment. Joshua talks about the continued opportunities he is able to take for sponsored streams and promos, his 12 and 24 hour streams showcasing Indie games, and more. Plus, we talk about his continued balance of streaming versus real life, taking care of himself, his relationship and getting out and "touching grass". All this, and more! You can find Joshua at: https://www.twitch.tv/hyliandescent https://twitter.com/Hyliandescent https://twitter.com/HyruleGG https://www.instagram.com/hyliandescent/ https://www.instagram.com/hyrulegg/ https://t.co/4kqVCNPl1r?amp=1 You can listen to his first four episodes here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-337-joshua-aka-hyliandescent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-as-we-talk-twitch-video-games-and-self-care https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-268-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-community-evolution-and-animal-crossing https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-197-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-animal-crossing-and-community-building https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-156-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group

Rounding out the month of September, I am joined by LilipopeCosplay as we get a wonderful episode filled with fandom! Li has a number of fandoms we get to talk about, and we kick things off with one of her favorites, Star Wars. We talk all about how she first got into the fandom. We're talking about the movies, TV shows, books, and so much more. We're both fond of the Legends run of books (formerly called the Expanded Universe), and we do have to talk about one of her favorites - Mara Jade. Then we go from one big fandom to another, as we join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Li talks about the movies and TV series that she's drawn to in the MCU, along with some of her favorite characters. We also talk about the future of the MCU and what she's looking forward to. Then we go to my birthday twin, Taylor Swift! Taylor is like a wizard, she arrives precisely when she's meant to. Li talks about how she first got into the music of Taylor Swift. We talk about favorite Era's, favorite songs, and how her music has been a part of Li's life. Then we're wrapping up with talking about Cosplay. Li talks about how she first got into cosplay, and the characters that she cosplays as. Li also talks about her experiences with costuming groups like the Rebel Legion and the 501st, and volunteering for charity. She also talks about what she's working on for the future. You can find Li at: https://www.instagram.com/lilipopecosplay/ https://linktr.ee/lilipopecosplay

National Dance Day is a yearly day to celebrate dance. It happens on the third Saturday of September. Today's guest is here to help celebrate that day. Judy Gallagher joins me to talk about dance and more! We start things off with one of my favorite shows, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Judy talks about how she first discovered the show, and of course, we have to talk about Zuko and his arc through the series. We also talk about her favorite characters, what kind of bender she'd want to be, and much more. From there, we celebrate Dance for National Dance Day! Judy talks about how she first got into dance and her background with dance. She talks about being a professional ballroom dancer and dance instructor. She also talks about how her students slowly introduced her to her next topic... Cosplay! That's right. Dancing involves costumes and music, some of her students started bringing music from various fandoms and costumes to go along with it, and well, the rest is Judy history! Judy talks about how she went to her first comic convention (MegaCon Orlando!), her shift into doing more cosplay, and some of the characters she's done (or will do!) You can find Judy at: https://www.instagram.com/judygal33/ https://www.judygallagher.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@judygal33  

This guest has been a long time coming. Dreams in the Noct (Dreams) joins me to talk about some of her favorite fandoms! We start things off by talking about K-Pop! Dreams has been into K-Pop for a very long time, as we reminisce about finding international music in music stores way back in the day. She talks about first getting into J-Pop, and then finding her way into the K-Pop scene. We talk about some of her favorite groups over the years, the evolution of the music, and so much more. From there, we shift to video games. Dreams talks first about how she first got into video games and how her other was a dominating force when she was younger. We talk about two of her favorite franchises, Resident Evil and Final Fantasy. We cover the full gamut of both, from favorite games, to characters, and how both series have evolved over time.  For those who don't know, you can find Dreams regularly streaming on Twitch. She generally plays a variety of games, but includes Resident Evil and Final Fantasy in her streams. She talks about how she first got into streaming on Twitch, her community, and what you can expect to find. On the flip side of things, we talk about Cosplay. Dreams talks about how she first got into cosplay, and some of the characters she's done. We talk about some of the unique designs, and some of the cosplay plans she has for the future. You can find Dreams at:  https://www.instagram.com/dreams_in_the_noct/ https://www.twitch.tv/dreams_in_the_noct https://www.tiktok.com/@dreamsinthenoct

A lot of new fandom oriented podcasts have started up this past year, and I for one am here for it. That Nerd Thing, hosted by Morgan, started in January of 2024. After 9 months of hosting, Morgan joins me to be on the other side of the mic, answering questions instead of asking them (and not having to edit the podcast too!) We start things off by heading to corporate America, as we talk about The Office. Morgan talks about how she first got into The Office, and we dive deep into the characters. From favorites, to favorite Dunder Mifflin managers, and even some outstanding background characters. Then we go to the Regency era, as we explore Bridgerton. Morgan talks about how she first got into the Netflix TV series. We talk about some of our favorite characters, favorite couples, and even take a detour Back to the Future, before returning to the 'Ton. Bridgerton begets books. Morgan talks about her love of books, the new arrival of the Romantasy genre, along with book clubs and how they've made a comeback in recent years. Morgan gives some book recommendations as well! Then we wrap up talking about That Nerd Thing. Morgan talks about how, and more importantly, why she started the podcast. She talks about some of the background of the podcast, her format, and some of her prior and current guests. Definitely give it a listen. You can find Morgan and That Nerd Thing Podcast at: https://linktr.ee/Thatnerdthingpod https://www.instagram.com/thatnerdthingpod https://www.threads.net/@thatnerdthingpod

Another year, another Drewbearded podcast episode. What can I say? I like to have some friendly voices return every year, and Drew is one of those. Normally, with a Drewbearded episode, you'd get us talking about Twitch and the latest videogames that Drew had been playing. NOT THIS TIME! Drew talks about his return to the stage, and specifically community theater. Drew talks about his history in theater, from Orlando to the bright lights of New York City. He talks about his break from the stage, and his time on Twitch. Eventually, the desire to return to the stage was strong enough to pull him back in. Drew talks about his experiences in his return, from the auditioning to rehearsal, navigating his experience being older and wiser, and what he's looking forward to in the future. He talks about his first show back, Big Fish, and his show he was in rehearsal for during the recording (Into the Woods, since completed its run). Maybe Drew's story will light that passion for you to try theater, or maybe go back to something you love and had set aside. Want to watch or find Drew? You can find him at: https://www.twitch.tv/drewbearded https://linktr.ee/Drewbearded You can listen to his first five episodes here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-344-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-final-fantasy-vii-original-and-remake https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-316-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-crisis-core-final-fantasy-vii-reunion https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-278-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-mass-effect https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-205-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-twitch-gaming-and-streaming-in-2020 https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-161-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded

Sometimes in life, you find people that you just connect with. Sometimes, when you connect with those people, all plans are thrown out the window and you get to have a wonderfully authentic conversation based on how those people grew up. Such is this episode with Keli aka Kelz1977 on Twitch. As I told Keli when we started recording, a lot of the time, the people that come on the podcast are younger than I am. It's a rare occasion when I have someone around my age. Being that we're 2ish years apart, Keli and I spend the first half of the episode throwing out our original plans and instead we reminisce about growing up in the 80's and early 90's. From staying out until the street lights came on, to our experiences as kids coming home from school, to certain iconic movies and shows (including Labyrinth, The Last Unicorn, and The Dark Crystal). It was wonderful to take the time and just enjoy going back to that time period and having that same shared experience. Then, we talk about the most unlikeliest thing to happen for Keli. Her journey into being a streamer on Twitch. Keli talks about how she started in the streaming community, on Facebook! She talks about going from watching to being a mod, and then ultimately taking that leap into streaming on Twitch. We talk about the video games she plays and why she chooses those certain games, her community, and more. You can find Keli at: https://www.twitch.tv/kelz1977 https://www.tiktok.com/@kelz197777?lang=en  

After someone shared her work to their stories, I fell in love with the energy, style, and mashups that Lili aka Floris_Lilium had on her Instagram. I knew she would be someone I'd enjoy getting to have on the podcast and share her stories. One "Yes" later, and here we are! We focus solely on two topics for today. The first conversation is one then goes back to her childhood. Dancing. Lilil talks about how she first got into dance, and the styles of dance she did and currently does. We talk about how she got back into dance when she got older, and more importantly, why she does it. She talks about some of her dance experiences, parade dancing, and more. The other half of the episode, and blending in with dance, is Cosplay. We hit the normal questions - why and how she got into cosplay, some of her works... but here at Tales from the Fandom, we ask the hard hitting questions. Like how hard is it to dance while wearing a Mandalorian helmet? Plus, she talks about the various mashup Mando's she done, the popularity of her Squirtle playing the Saxophone, and much more. You can find Lili at: https://www.instagram.com/floris_lilium/ https://www.tiktok.com/@floris_lilium https://www.facebook.com/people/floris_lilium/61550844826669 https://linktr.ee/floris_lilium Referenced in the podcast: Eddie Torres Jr - https://www.instagram.com/eddietorresjr Crafty Contraptions - https://www.instagram.com/craftycontraptions The Kantolorians - https://www.instagram.com/the_kantolorians In the Orlando area? Check out Santo Rico Dance Studio - https://www.instagram.com/santo.rico  

It's always a wonderful time when guests say Yes to being a part of the podcast. I've been looking forward to having Amy aka MogwaiLatte join me. Now from her mouth to your ears! We start things off by talking about Princess Parties. Amy talks about how not everyone can just put on a princess dress and entertain the kiddos. We talk about how they got into doing princess parties, some of the characters they get to represent (and some they don't), representation in the princess party industry, and more. We segue from princess parties to cosplay, as Amy guides us into how they started doing cosplay. We talk about some of the characters they've cosplayed as, some future cosplay projects, and more. Amy wraps up the episode as we talk about Bridgerton. We talk about how we both got into the series, and what and who got Amy into watching. We talk about some of season 3 (as we had not finished by the time of recording), and do a little compare/contrast from the books to the show. You can find Amy at: https://www.instagram.com/mogwailatte/

I'm always on the lookout for people to ask to come on the podcast and bringing new topics to the podcast. I'm excited that Corazon aka VintageFilAmGlam on Instagram said yes, and now you get to listen and learn from her! We kick things off with one of the long running fandoms, Dr. Who. Which I still have yet to watch. Corazon talks about how she got into the fandom, some of her favorite Doctors, and we talk about who she'd love to see play the Doctor in the future! From there, we bounce over to Disney. We talk about Corazon's history with Disney from childhood to present. We delve into some of the products under the Disney umbrella, like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. It's a wide ranging conversation about the House of Mouse. Then Corazon leads a discussion about Asian Representation in Media. We talk about some of the representation of recent, what more needs to be done, and more. I'm grateful for the discussion and education. Lastly, we wrap up with a triple threat of fashion. We're talking vintage fashion, bounding, and cosplay. Corazon talks about how she got into all three, what she looks for in vintage fashion, how she bounds, and the characters she represents! You can find Corazon at:  https://www.instagram.com/vintagefilamglam/ https://www.tiktok.com/@vintagefilamglam https://www.facebook.com/vintagefilamglam

Stumbling across members of The Real Assemblers earlier this year, I was pleased to have Emmanuel aka The Samoan Lone Wolf join me! We get to talk fandom, his passions, and so much more in this episode. We kick things off with the dual threat of Marvel and DC. We stay mostly in the realm of the movies, talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe. We talk about his favorite characters, favorite movies, and I catch him off guard when I ask him to form his own Avengers team. We talk about the upcoming DC slate of movies and more. (This was recorded prior to Deadpool & Wolverine's release) From there, we journey into the realm of Professional Wrestling. Emmanuel talks about what drew him to Pro Wrestling, the time period that he grew up watching wrestling, and some of his favorite wrestlers. While the focus is mostly WWE, we do touch on AEW briefly. Then it's time for... musicals?! That's right, Emmanuel is a big fan of musicals. We talk about some of his favorites, but then the conversation swerves into unexpected territory - and I will not spoil it here. You have to listen to find out! We wrap things up with a conversation about Cosplay. Emmanuel talks about his first steps into the world of Cosplay as a Power Ranger here in Orlando, and then taking the big steps in the Big Apple. He talks about some of his favorite characters and cosplays, and some of what he has planned for the future. And I'd be remiss if we didn't share some love about The Real Assemblers too! You can find Emmanuel at: https://www.instagram.com/the_samoan_lone_wolf/ https://www.tiktok.com/@_the_samoan_lone_wolf_ You can find The Real Assemblers at: https://www.instagram.com/therealassemblers/

I'd been following Lilly (HeyItsLilly on Instagram) after falling in love with her X-Men: Evolution Rogue cosplay. Not only did I find someone who was passionate about cosplay and did a variety of characters, I really dug their captions and stories as well. She's now here to talk about two of her favorite things - video games, and cosplay! Video games have been around with Lilly since her parents introduced her to them at a young age. You'll get to hear just which game franchise she may have discovered at an early age, along with some of her first games. We then talk about games like Animal Crossing, The Walking Dead, Until Dawn, and Immortality. The back half of the episode is all about Cosplay. Lilly talks about how she first got into cosplay, along with some of the characters that she's done. We also talk about how her parents support her with her cosplay from make up to being in cosplay as well, along with the evolution of some of her unique looks, like Ghost Rider. Plus, we talk about how she loves to represent characters from Studio Ghibli. You can find Lilly at: https://www.instagram.com/heyitslilly/ https://www.facebook.com/people/HeyitsLilly/61560788096851/ https://www.threads.net/@heyitslilly https://www.tiktok.com/@heyitslillyv https://www.youtube.com/@heyitslilly https://www.twitch.tv/heyitslillyv https://beacons.ai/heyitslilly  

I'm excited to have Nesreen aka thenessdiaries_ on Instagram join me for this latest episode, after having followed her account for awhile. Nesreen brings new fandoms and a wonderful conversation. We start with Star Wars. Nesreen talks about how she got into Star Wars from a young age, to rediscovering it later in life. We talk about some of her favorite movies and shows, including Star Wars Rebels. Plus, we of course talk favorite characters, unexpected ones we fell in love with, and the future of the franchise (this was recorded prior to The Acolyte releasing). From there, we talk about a show that has not been talked about on this podcast! We're talking about HBO's True Blood series. Nesreen did a rewatch, inspiring me to rewatch (and finish) the series. We talk about what we loved about the show including the wonderful character, Lafayette. Nesreen answers the Bill vs Eric question, and we talk about the show overall and how it was watching it during the height of vampire popularity. Another new fandom to the podcast is F1 Racing. Nesreen educates me about the sport of F1 racing. She talks about the trials and tribulations of being able to watch it live, and we talk about how she got into the sport and her favorite driver. Lastly, we talk about a combination of content creation. From Nesreen doing Disneybounds and bounding in general, to creating content at Disney, and balancing that side of life with social activism when it comes to Palestine, genocide, and more. This is a very open and honest discussion and I really appreciate and thank Nesreen for providing the education and information that she did on the podcast, and with what she does on her social media. You can find Nesreen at: https://www.instagram.com/thenessdiaries_/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thenessdiaries_ https://linktr.ee/thenessdiaries

Amy aka ThreadsandStarlight on Instagram joins me to talk about some of her favorite fandoms. We start things off with Dungeons and Dragons. Amy talks about how she first learned about the game, her experiences with the game, and some of her adventures. From there, we talk about one of the oldest fandoms, The Lord of the Rings. Amy talks about her first experiences with it, her favorite characters, and what keeps her coming back to the series. Plus, hear about one epic day of The Lord of the Rings goodness. Then we wrap up with Cosplay. Amy talks about how she started cosplaying and the characters she cosplays. We talk about body paint, props, and some of the characters she's hoping to cosplay in the future. You can find Amy at: https://www.instagram.com/threadsandstarlight/ https://www.threads.net/@threadsandstarlight https://www.tiktok.com/@threadsandstarlight

After over 4 years, Mayanna Berrin returns to the podcast for a third time! This time, we have a lot to catch up on and share with you. Mayanna and I talk about her many accomplishments and projects out in Los Angeles. We talk about her Improv work in the comedy scene, being named in 2022 as one of the comedic writing fellows by Kevin Hart's Hartbeat and the Sundance Institute, and in 2023 getting a writing fellowship with Nickelodeon Studios. Plus, being a producer for Polly Pocket Adventure Studios, and as a voice actor for Fire Emblem Heroes. Mayanna also details how she and her writing partner get the ideas onto the page, and how pitching ideas works out in LA. If that's not enough, Mayanna talks about her experience playing Vampire: The Masquerade roleplaying game as a character on actual play series, New York by Night. We also talk about how she's now into Dungeons and Dragons, how she creates her characters, how many games she's in, and her upcoming work with TTRPG's and the actual play space. Then we circle back to one of our mainstays, video games. Mayanna talks games like Final Fantasy 7, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Baldur's Gate 3. You can find Mayanna at: https://www.instagram.com/mayannaberrin/ https://twitter.com/Bemayanna You can find The Wandering Path at: https://www.wanderingpathpod.com/ https://www.instagram.com/wanderingpathpod You can find StoryQuest at: https://storyquest.tv/ https://www.instagram.com/storyquestshow/ You can listen to Mayanna's first two episodes at: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-171-mayanna-berrin-returns http://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-47-mayanna-berrin

After a long and patient wait, I am pleased to have Jazz aka NerdyBlasianCosplays join me for an episode of this podcast. We get to talk about the big three fandoms that go hand in hand. First, we're talking Disney. From before she was born to now, Jazz has been in the Disney fandom. Find out her history with Disney, some of her favorite movies and shows, and what keeps her connected to it. From there, we talk Star Wars! Find out the parts of the fandom Jazz loves. From the TV shows to movies, characters, how important animation is to Star Wars, and so much more. The third fandom we hit is Marvel. Specifically, we're talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From her first movies she got exposed to, TV shows that she's enjoyed, characters, and what she'd love to see for the future. Last, we wrap up with Cosplay. Jazz talks about how she got into doing cosplay, along with some of the characters she loves to do. We talk body paint, costuming, and her work volunteering while in cosplay. You can find Jazz at: https://www.instagram.com/nerdyblasiancosplays/ https://www.facebook.com/nerdyblasiancosplays/ https://www.tiktok.com/@nerdyblasiancosplays https://linktr.ee/nerdyblasiancosplays

After 5 years, MzMedooza (formerly CardiaPlays) returns to the podcast! We get to catch up and talk about what has been going on the past 5 years! After catching up, we talk about her experience playing cRPGs (also known as ISO RPG's) like Baldur's Gate and Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and her switch to games like Elder Scrolls Online, Helldivers 2, and the original Fallout games. From there, MzMedooza talks about her change and experiences on Twitch and going hand in hand with mental health. We have an extended discussion about streaming and the need for mental health and taking time away from streaming. MzMedoosa also talks about what she dubs "The Twitch Endgame" similar to endgames with MMOs and how she sets her goals and expectations. You can listen to MzMedooza's original episode here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-147-cardia-of-cardiaplays  You can find MzMedooza at: https://www.twitch.tv/mzmedooza https://www.instagram.com/mzmedooza/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552026883647  

The first official episode of Year 8 begins with one of my longtime friends. You may have heard her many years ago on a Game of Thrones episode, but now, I have Katherine joining me for her first stand alone episode! Katherine and I have known each other since 9th grade, so you're not only getting the podcast episode, but you're getting some throwback stories as well! We kick things off with a conversation about roleplaying games. We're covering Tabletop Games like Dungeons and Dragons (including Eberron!) to live action roleplaying games, like Vampire: The Masquerade and fantasy LARP's like NERO. Katherine talks about her experiences, how she got introduced to both kinds of gaming and what keeps her coming back for more. From there, we talk about her love of Vampires and how she got hooked into the Horror genre. From classic VHS tapes at a young age, to going all out for Halloween, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, and so much more. You'll find out what kind of genre that Katherine is into and some of her favorites. We talk about her love of True Crime as well, including her stay at the Lizzie Borden house. Then we wrap up with Professional Wrestling. Katherine talks about some of her favorite wrestlers, PPV experiences, and much more. It was truly special to have Katherine on and getting to share her love of fandoms and some of our stories from "back in our day" You can listen to Katherine on the Game of Thrones Season 7 Review here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/game-of-thrones-season-7-review

Another year. We're now at Eight! Eight years of doing the podcast. Thank you to all who listen, support, and come on as guests to share your stories. This year, Taylor aka TayMakesMagic on IG returns. We get to catch up, and then dive into the history of the podcast. From the creation of the podcast, to highlights, and memorable moments. Plus, you get to hear about some of the behind the scenes of the podcast. My day to day, the editing process, and guests themselves. And some possible other podcast projects are tossed around. Plus, Taylor gets to talk about some of her new cosplays, her job, and some looks to the future. Take a listen, go follow Taylor, and onward to Year 9! You can listen to Taylor's original episode at: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-292-taylor-aka-taymakesmagic-talks-disney-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-steven-universe-disneybounding-cosplay You can find Taylor at: https://www.instagram.com/taymakesmagic/

A Taylor Swift centric episode was always going to be in the works. It was just a matter of when, where, and with who. After a successful first leg of The Eras Tour, and with the release of it into the movie theater and then Disney Plus, it was the perfect time to sit down and talk about Taylor, the tour, and the differences from Tour to Theater to streaming. Kris aka cafe.contessa on IG returns for her 5th episode as we talk all things Taylor. Kris is a Swiftie and its through her that we can explore all three Eras Tours experiences, as she has done all three. She went to the concert in Tampa, saw that Tour in the theater, and then watched on Disney Plus. We talk all about the differences in the experiences, from songs to timing, and to general vibes and what in-person vs at home viewing offers. Kris and I talk about her wardrobe, song choices, and viewing experience with the set design and choreography. This was recorded prior to The Tortured Poets Department and subsequent European leg of the tour. You can find Kris at: https://www.instagram.com/cafe.contessa/ You can listen to her previous episodes here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-322-kris-lozano-returns-and-talks-dystopian-movies https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/final-fantasy-35th-anniversary-special  https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-15th-anniversary-special https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-174-kris-lozano  

The final episode of May brings Bri aka Disbri_Nerd on Instagram to the podcast! We talk about some of her favorite fandoms, and of course, we get to talk about Cosplay too. Bri and I first start talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talk about what movie she got her start with, and some of her favorite movies. We talk favorite characters, what keeps her coming back to the MCU, and what she's looking forward to in the future. Then we flip from the MCU to a galaxy far, far away. We're talking Star Wars! Bri and I cover how she first got into the movies and a certain scene she may have seen over and over and over again. We talk about the movies, the TV shows, the characters she loves, and more.  Bri then talks about Cosplay. She talks about how she got into cosplay, some of the characters she represents, being a part of the Real Assemblers, and some of her plans for the future. You can find Bri at: https://www.instagram.com/disbri_nerd/ https://www.tiktok.com/@disbri_nerd You can find The Real Assemblers at: https://www.instagram.com/therealassemblers/  

Pre aka WariWariWay returns to the podcast after 3 years to catch up and talk about some old and new fandoms. We start things off with a quick conversation about the Live Action versions of Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Piece, and their ties to their original animated works and bringing new fans into the space. Then we really kick things off with a talk about one of Pre's favorite fandoms, Tekken. We talk about what attracted her to the fighting franchise, the characters she likes, and most importantly, the Tekken community. Blended into the Tekken conversation and standing on its own is a conversation about Final Fantasy 14. It's a fandom that was/is very influential with Pre, and she talks about the FF14 community as it relates to not just the game, but cosplay as well, especially with social media. We also talk about her semi-hiatus from Cosplay, what she may be working on in the future, and what she's done over the past few years with cosplay. We also talk about how she has started streaming again on Twitch and what you can expect to find from her channel. Then, we enter into the K-Pop realm. Pre and I talk about K-Pop groups, how to go about finding a K-Pop group that may fit your vibe, and some of the groups she recommends. She also put a playlist together that you can take a listen to, to start your journey into K-Pop! You can listen to Pre's first episode at: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-209-pre-aka-cupofpre-talks-avatar-the-last-airbender-the-tales-of-video-game-series-final-fantasy-and-cosplay You can find Pre at: https://www.instagram.com/wariwariway/ https://www.tiktok.com/@wariwariway You can listen to Pre's K-Pop playlist at: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3aEXlM9vpt0238FwkaRrXm?si=h91ZGHYuQc6c6Jmr_L5BMg&pi=u-cAPLRICGRoag YouTube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGoDdNDYMJA9wE6-LjCf5WFK-waz5wHA0&si=d_YwkWzn-2UZ-yTx  

I'm really excited to have Byuka join me for this episode, as we've been in the same Twitch sphere for awhile and I really dig her work on Twitch. Plus, she's my first VTuber to be on the podcast! Heck, she's the first person I ever saw doing VTubing years ago. We start things off with Final Fantasy! We talk about our first games in the franchise, the games we love, characters, music, and more. Plus, Byuka talks about her experience with the MMO, Final Fantasy 14. Then we talk about world building video games. Games where you are the mastermind behind the games. We talk about games like The Sims, Animal Crossing, and Stardew Valley. Byuka talks about why she likes those style games and their appeal in being in charge of the world. Lastly, we talk about her streaming on Twitch and VTubing. Byuka talks about how she got into streaming, her decision early on to do VTubing and the evolution of her appearance as the years have gone on. We talk about games she plays on stream, the community we both are in (Hyrule Gaming Group), and so much more. You can find Byuka at: https://www.twitch.tv/byuka https://www.youtube.com/@byukablu https://twitter.com/ByukaBlu https://www.tumblr.com/byuka

May has one of the nerdiest days on the calendar, as Star Wars fans celebrate May the 4th! Plus, there is Revenge of the 5th, and I like to think we can celebrate Revenge of the 6th as well. Tiara aka Crafting_on_Ilum joins me to talk all about Star Wars and Cosplay! We talk all about the franchise that is in a galaxy far, far away. From her first exposure to Star Wars, to some of her favorite media and characters. We talk a bit at length about The Phantom Menace, along with the latest show, The Bad Batch (recorded prior to the finale) We ponder upcoming works and what still keeps her in the fandom. Tiara also talks about the intersection of her Star Wars fandom with her cosplay. From how she got into Cosplay, the cosplays that she's created and work she has put in, and what she would like to do in the future. You can find Tiara at: https://www.instagram.com/crafting_on_ilum/ https://www.tiktok.com/@craftingonILUM https://linktr.ee/craftingonilum

Continuing on with bringing authors to your ears, I was lucky enough to have Carolina Cardona aka TheTropicalEccentric, join me to talk about fandom and her work as an Author! We first kick things off with talk about Anime. Carolina talks about growing up in Puerto Rico and the anime that was shown there, and then her transition to living in New Orleans and her anime experiences there. We discuss some of the anime we both grew up on as kids, anime like Attack on Titan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and what kind of anime she enjoys. We blend that conversation into a conversation about Japan as a whole. Carolina talks about her experiences in Japan, what draws her to visiting there, and why she thinks everyone should visit the country at least once. Then we get to talk about her work as an Author. Carolina talks about her writing and creative process, and we talk about her book, Andújar: The Robot Gentleman of San Juan. We talk about the plot and setting, and focus on the two main characters - Santos and Violeta, along with the historical backdrop that their story unfolds with. Violeta will surprise you! We also talk about some of her upcoming works in progress, and that Andújar will be translated/published in Spanish later this year! You can find Andújar: The Robot Gentleman of San Juan at Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, Barnes and Noble, and Ingram Spark. https://amzn.to/4aTlhUq You can find Carolina at: https://www.carolinacardona.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thetropicaleccentric/ https://www.threads.net/@thetropicaleccentric

I always love seeing who people are sharing on their instagram stories. It helps me find new people for this podcast, including today's guest, Yaya aka SpaceCowgirlYaya (or Yaya Cosplay). I fell in love with their traditional Mexican Sailor Moon Cosplay. I knew I needed to get her on the podcast to share her stories. Yaya joins me as we divide the episode in two. The first half of the episode we're talking all about Cosplay. We talk about how Dragonball was her first entry point into anime and what she enjoys about that series. We also touch on anime like Trigun, Full Metal Alchemist, and Attack on Titan. It's a great reflection on where anime fit in Yaya's early life and where she is now with it. In the second half, it's all about cosplay. We talk about how she first got into cosplay, and the motivation behind her Mexican infused cosplays such as the traditional Mexican Sailor Moon fuku, Charro Chibiusa, and Selena x Sailor Moon mashup. Yaya talks about what she's working on for the rest of the year, and the reception she's received with her work. You can follow Yaya at:  https://www.instagram.com/spacecowgirlyaya/ https://www.tiktok.com/@spacecowgirlyaya https://beacons.ai/yayacosplay

Content Warnings: 18+, NSFW, Kink (further content warnings related to kink listed below)  After a desire to read more and have more authors on the podcast, I made a post on Threads expressing that. The response was overwhelming, and our first Author joins me from that post, Ally Marr. Ally and I talk first about Dungeons and Dragons. She talks about how she first got into playing, what hooked her into continuing to play, and how her play style has evolved since those first games. We also talk about other tabletop roleplaying games outside of the D&D sphere. The possibility of romance and flirting within D&D leads us into a conversation about romance in that arena, alongside literature. This leads us into talking about Ally's work as an author. 37min 46seconds CW: Kink, Bondage / BDSM, female dominance, orgasm denial Ally talks about how she first started writing, and writing the stories that she wanted to read but didn't seem to find out there. We talk about her book, Desire for Dominance, which is the one I read. We talk about the characters, a bit of the plot, without spoiling the book.  Ally mentions how she portrays the kink community and the positive response she's received thus far. We talk about the methods in how she writes, how her books come together, and her book that just released, Denial (the theme is orgasm denial), along with other works in progress. You can find Ally and her work at: https://www.allymarr.com/ Any kinks/warnings are listed on Ally's site above based on book. https://www.instagram.com/ally_marr_/ https://www.threads.net/@ally_marr_ Desire for Dominance - https://amzn.to/3Q2xv4D Denial - https://amzn.to/4cWi5IY