Podcasts about realm makers

Christian kids, do you recall all those old warnings against fantasy fiction?[1. Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash.] Some people implied that if you made up too much stuff, you'd lose track of reality. Alas. For some cases, they’re absolutely right. Too many people are abusing God's gift of imagination. They cast people they do not know as villains in a fantasy world in which they are the big moral heroes. This habit is taking over social platforms and podcasts. How can Christian fans respond with wisdom? Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Winter's Dawn by Morgan L. Busse Realm Makers fundraiser for ongoing defamation lawsuit The Talismiths: The Secret Saboteur by M. L. Hodder King Justice: The Legend Begins by Evelyn M. Exley Mission update New at Lorehaven: Conqueror of Shadow and Light review Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Some “conspiracy theories” are issues of wisdom, not sin. And in fact, some ideas labeled “conspiracies” turn out to be true! For more, listen to our episode How Can Christians Engage Wisely With Conspiracy Theories? | with Mike Duran Or read Mike's article: Christians Who Engage Conspiracy Theories Must First Believe God's Sovereign Rule Yet we've always had seen conspiracy theories based on fiction. And today more people are building bigger and worse idols. This makes the problem more than foolishness. It's actual sin. And this false accusation hurts true people we know and respect. It also hurts people who still struggle after real abuse and lies. Maybe you've been hurt by a real offense by a trusted someone. In that case, you don't need people weaponizing your empathy. We'll give you strong Bible tools to defend your calling and time. 1. False accusers are hurting true people. By now you may know about the Realm Makers defamation suit. Our friends and allies, Scott and Becky Minor, are suing a defamer. Two weeks ago, they released their need for legal cost support. So far, they've reached nearlry $20,000 of a $50,000 funding goal. We support them with 20 percent of new Lorehaven sponsors. But first, about the opponent, don't just speculate. Donate! Scott and Becky's open letter with the fundraiser: Defamation Against Realm Makers & the Minors Standing Together for Truth: Protect the Realm Makers Community Dear Realm Makers Family, Authors, and Friends, If you've ever sat in a Realm Makers keynote, chatted on the RealmSphere, or exhaled once you found “your people” at our annual conference, you know how much creative Christians benefit from being a part of our community. Realm Makers has always sought to be a safe haven for Christian writers of speculative stories. Today, we're coming to you with hearts heavy with a burden that impacts many members of our creative family. For the past year, we have been fighting a devastating battle to protect not just ourselves, but all of you. But we've reached a point where we can no longer carry the weight alone, and we desperately need our community to stand with us. The Attack on Us All Since early 2025, our authors, Realm Makers, and we (Scott and Becky personally) have been the targets of a malicious campaign of online defamation. A podcast organization has published dozens of episodes leveling unthinkable accusations against us that include fabrications of child trafficking, cyberbullying, running a cult, and engaging in criminal conspiracies. THESE CLAIMS ARE CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE. If you want to take the deep dive into the events that precipitated the battle, we have created a page that should answer most questions here: https://www.realmmakers.com/lawsuit/ Initially, we hoped these claims were too outlandish to be taken seriously. We chose to monitor the situation and proceed prudently through the legal system rather than engage in a public online war. But despite our efforts to do things legally and with level heads, our attackers have only doubled down. New videos continue to be published—with one posting as recently as the end of June 2026—directly threatening not just Realm Makers' reputation, but also questioning the character of prominent members of the Christian writing community. The more we researched, the bigger we realized the issue was–we were just the most recent targets in our accuser's “information” campaign against a growing list of Christian authors. The repeated contact with or calling out of people we know and love goes back to 2012 or earlier. Exclusive statement from author Bryan Davis David Solomon has used multiple aliases over the years, but he has always been consistent in his demonizing of people whom he thinks have crossed him. Ever since I declined meeting with him at my home more than ten years ago because I had to go out of town, he has used various media to publicly accuse me of everything from an alliance with former VP Mike Pence to traffic hundreds of children internationally, to trying to bomb a church, to grooming children in a church I supposedly pastored, to conspiring with famous murderers across the country, and on and on and on. If anyone tries to do anything to stop him or even speak against him, that person becomes a fellow trafficker in his mind and joins in the circle of those he attacks. That's what happened to Scott and Becky Minor of Realm Makers. When David and his allies joined Realm Makers, they started spreading lies about me to other members, so Scott rightfully banned them from the group. Of course, that action made Scott and Becky targets for David's lies, and he found a podcaster who was willing to be a platform for a new round of absurd claims. Hoping to keep Realm Makers safe from attack, Scott started civil legal proceedings against David and the podcaster. As you all know, such action costs a lot of money, but Scott and Becky have stepped up to try to stop this lying grifter from hurting them or anyone else, which is why I support their fundraiser and I am thankful for their efforts. I would like prayer for myself and other authors who have been maliciously attacked by David, that people would not be deceived by him and that he would stop his evil actions. 2. Scripture condemns a malicious witness. This is a real problem, as grown-up people treat slander as truth. Even professing Christians repeat clear lies about whole groups. Whatever their motives, they're crossing into our business: fiction. Yet we know the difference between made-up stories and reality. They don't. Or they pretend they don't. They claim it's all true. These defamers raid reality for spare parts to fit in their narrative. They adapt real people, groups, and plotlines for their “fanfiction.” Who's the star? Often themselves. Or “you,” the faithful listener. But this episode isn't for or even about any specific false accuser. Nor is it about similar accusations, at scale, all over the world. Our audience: anyone who wonders if we must hear “both sides.” And anyone who thinks “better safe than sorry” in wrong ways. So now, let's explore how Scripture condemns all such figures. God’s word says Christians who accuse others have two options. First, if the offense is a personal sin issue, talk with the person. Or then try 2-3 witnesses. Or take the conflict to church leaders. Their job is to attempt to bring reconciliation (Matthew 18). Second, if the offense is about law, you need two-plus witnesses. And you need to take the matter before diligent judges. “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.” (Deuteronomy 19:15) Our own justice systems often reflect Old Testament principles. That's because God has ordained the civil magistrate (Romans 13). He also gives stern warnings against “a malicious witness.” “If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deuteronomy 19:16–21) Defamers, even professing Christians, ignore these biblical laws. Instead they follow (and don't even argue for) a third option. They go onto podcasts to hire you as a backup “elder” or “judge.” But is that our job? To be a church elder or judge over this “case”? Jesus Christ Himself refused to get dragged into that (Luke 12:14)! So before we even listen to an accuser's words, we should ask: Did you take this to your church? Or to the civil magistrate? And if the reply is no: “Who appointed me a judge or an arbiter?” We can also discern a malicious witness who denies plain reality. Some accusers go further and have ulterior motives, like Sanballat. 3. Biblical heroes reject bad actors' attacks. Many biblical prophets and kings faced false accusations. And yet one man comes close to the Christian creator: Nehemiah. Here's a professional, a diplomat, a creative leader of exiled Jews. His book is mainly about his quest to build something new. Nehemiah longs to rebuild Jerusalem's wall and guard his people. Also, he's one of the few biblical authors to speak in first-person! Quick recap: the secular king sends Nehemiah to do this work. Nehemiah's position and calling are legitimate by all authorities. This quickly attracts jeering and slander by several villains. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:19–20) What's their first tactic? False accusation of breaking the law. Nehemiah doesn't record a long defense. Just a quick rejoinder. Here he doesn't record their motives. Maybe people already knew. Commentaries like this one reveal his possible political rivalries. So keep that in mind with all his strategies. None are sincere. One chapter later, the enemies return. What do they do now? Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” (Nehemiah 4:1–4) No more legal threats now. Instead they just troll the builders. Watch now how Nehemiah responds. He knows not to feed them. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. (Nehemiah 4:5) What's next for Sanballat and co.? He escalates from trolling. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. (Nehemiah 4:7–8) Today's similar tactics: death threats, doxxing, and swatting. Nehemiah responds with both prayer and wise self-defense. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:9) So after legal threats, trolling, and violence plots, they get sneaky. Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. (Nehemiah 6:1–2) Today false accusers try this tactic: “I just want to meet with you.” “I think we got off on the wrong foot. Now let's talk. On my terms.” And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. (Nehemiah 6:3–4) Nehemiah responds professionally and brushes them aside. He avoids distractions. He focuses on the work he's called to do. This doesn't feel very “Christian.” After all, Sanballat needs God! And yet Nehemiah knows he's a proven bad-faith manipulator. Sanballat repeats the attempt. Nehemiah just repeats himself. No need for new arguments or attempts to persuade the accuser. He sticks to what he knows, grounded on the truth, and says no. What's next? They try the old “people say this about you” trick! In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.' And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” (Nehemiah 6:5–7) It's not Sanballat who says this. It's those other people out there! This is a flagrant appeal to our desire to protect our reputations. And it is “spiritual” concern-trolling of the worst possible sort. Frankly, Sanballat should have led with this one. It's fooled many. Important background: Nehemiah's people did sin against God. So he could have been vulnerable to “spiritual” accusations. Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands. (Nehemiah 6:8–9) He didn't buy it. He simply states they made all this up. We get another quick prayer in-narrative. Before one final trick. Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” (Nehemiah 6:10) Again, Sanballat should have tried this strategy earlier. It sounds so spiritual. The house of God! Only it's misused. It's almost persuasive, mixes truth with lies, and appeals to fear. But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. (Nehemiah 6:11–12) Our hero doesn't attempt some “spiritual” argument to Shemaiah. In fact, he refers to his own character and gives a simple refusal. That's because he knows this isn't a spiritual attack. It's political. Nehemiah's enemies resorted to cold hard cash as a motivator. In modern terms, we would say he recognizes foreign collusion. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. (Nehemiah 6:13–14) Deftly our hero avoids the trap. And prays to God for divine justice. He even calls out unnamed prophets who tried to intimidate him. One can only imagine the “spiritual” language they may have used. In all cases, Nehemiah knew none of the strategies were sincere. And in the end, he avoids every trap and keeps to the project. Today, similar villains will try any tricks to stop people of integrity. And today they may use what plays well: accusations of abuse. Not even Sanballat knew to try that tactic. It's often effective. That's because Scripture does warn about abusive leaders. But God's word equally warn about the malicious false witness. Against false accusations, apply biblical justice and wise rebukes. One way or another, they will be defeated. And hopefully repent. Com station Top question for listeners Have you had a “Nehemiah” moment of standing up for your calling? Next on Fantastical Truth Now that we've talked the tough topics, let's talk about subjects more epic and fun. Like dragons! Possibly ones in our midst! The author we mentioned earlier, Bryan Davis, doesn't even have time to run all these conspiracies. That's because he'd been too busy with bestselling novels. So next week, we'll finally invite Bryan into the studio to share more about the castle walls he's built over the last many decades.

This year's Realm Makers event came up fast. Zack and Stephen had a blast at the annual event just two weeks ago in St. Louis, Missouri. Whether you got to join us there, or would like to catch up later, let's survey the successes of this three-day conference and expo. And as more Christian fans (and creators!) find their place in these challenging yet fantastical worlds, we will explore how Realm Makers is not just helping you find your tribe, but helping slowly change the real world. Episode sponsors Twist of Time by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Author Update from Author Media Iffy Eats Monsters for Breakfast by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Mission update New at Lorehaven: new reviews Stephen's article: “Why I Look Forward to America 250,000.” Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild. This week: we begin our quest into C. S. Lewis's The Silver Chair! 1. Thursday: the Realm Awards banquet Zack's arrival and initial view of the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Comparisons between this new venue and previous RM locations. Stephen's arrival and all-day setup of the Lorehaven booth. Evening festivities: the Realm Awards costume banquet. What we wore, what we saw, and who won best dressed. This event celebrates the best Christian-made fantastical stories. Winner of the Realm Award for 2026 Book of the Year: The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin Winners of the 2026 Realm Awards: Comics/Graphic Novels The Epistle to the Galatians: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV Translation, illustrated by Simon Amadeus Pillario, published by Word for Word Bible Comics Cover Design Daughter of Light by Morgan L. Busse, cover design by Jenneth Leed, published by Enclave Publishing Flash Fiction “Godspeed, Spaulding” by Olivia Gratehouse, published by Havok Publishing Short Stories “The Department of Lost Things” by Shannae Grace, published by The Author Conservatory Audio Drama Route Styx (Season 1) by Colton Grellier, published by Sound and Fury Entertainment Audio, Short to Medium Length Jake Muller Adventures: Undead by Micah Touchet and Darby Kern, published by Tannhauser Gate Entertainment Audio, Novel Length Embergold by Rachelle Nelson, narrated by Aimee Lilly, published by Oasis Audio Novelette/Novella “The Keeper's Voice” by Teddi Deppner, published by Parabolic Orbits / Onward and Upward Media, LLC / Ben Avery Debut Return to Aramon: A New Moon by Ezra Ferguson, published by Songmyth Media, LLC Middle Grade/Young Readers (Combined Category) The Mage Pocket: Apprentice Alliance by Millie Florence, published by Sprouting Pen Press Young Adult The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin, published by Enclave Escape Adult The Valkyrie by Carrie Cotten, independently published Horror/Paranormal/Supernatural Forever by Gina Detwiler, published by Ally Press Cross-genre The Dogs of War by Emily Hayse, published by Blue Maverick Press Fantasy (General) Fates Defiant by Brigitte Cromey and C. M. Banschbach, Borderlands Publishing Company Fantasy (Romance) Rune by Victoria McCombs, independently published Science Fiction The Crier Stone by Lyndsey Lewellen, published by Enclave Escape Readers Choice Award Captive by Bradley Caffee, published by Mountain Brook Fire 2026 Book of the Year The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin, published by Enclave Escape 2. Friday: Realm Makers Expo, day 1 Intro the Lorehaven booth and especially our Side Quests. This time we had distinct Creature Quests and Treasure Quests. Lacy Rhiannon is that overseer, while Stephen helps/talks sci-fi. Lots of families with kids found purpose in visiting all other booths! That afternoon, Stephen and Zack joined Clint Hall's sci-fi panel. Stephen then joined Lucas Kitchen's “Christian label” discussion. Zack's perspective on the writing conference, including keynotes. 3. Saturday: Realm Makers Expo, day 2 Today was less writers’ conference, more fan-focused events. Stephen joined a book-signing with Ronie Kendig and Kathy Tyers. Also there: German Lutheran pastor/Jedi knight Stefan Munker! Plus our new Realmie, Jess Luttrell of the Cosplay4Christ podcast. Later, Stephen had a blast emceeing Tricia/Nathan Goyer's event. More meetings with fantastic creatives, including Paul McCusker. Zack's perspective on the end, including any keynote addresses. Com station Top question for listeners Will we see you next year, July 22–24, for Realm Makers 2027? Next on Fantastical Truth Not just Independence Day, but all month long, American citizens are celebrating our nation's semiquincentennial called “America 250.” Other fans from around the world are joining in! But some folks, of course, feel uncertain about such patriotism. Don't our countries have a lot of problems? Isn't our eternal citizenship in Heaven? Let's explore how Scripture endorses “the glory and honor of the nations.” And let's recall how fantastical stories illustrate this good love of our country.

Gatekeepers everywhere. If they're not “Big Hollywood” trying to fence out Christian creators, they're natural barriers like lack of resources. Then along comes the siren call of generative AI. It is said these tools can boost creators' art powers and help them dodge burly guards at the gates! Of course, these programs also generate quite a ruckus. But apart from disputes over job changes and environmental impacts lies one greater question for us fans—can all these cool tools actually help Christian storytellers make amazing new works that change our world? Episode sponsors Twist of Time by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Author Update from Author Media Iffy Eats Monsters for Breakfast by Bryan Timothy Mitchell Mission update New at Lorehaven: new reviews of The Donor and more Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. Yes, if we use gen-AI as tools, not minds. Stephen is first to admit some hatred of AI has grown very foolish. Undoubtedly these may include absurdist political activisms. You may have facts/opinions about data centers and water use. And you may want to “beat China,” or else not care about that. But some of us at Lorehaven never first relied on those arguments. If you marry that “spirit of age,” pro– or anti-AI, you'll be widowed. Instead we asked about the biblical purposes of humans and art. So all we say here needs to be the Scriptural steel-man version. What if tech lords did make AI cheaper? Built in space? Won big? Your support/opposition to any tool should remain the exact same. Stephen prefers one guiding idea: use AI as a “tool,” not “mind.” “…Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain?” —Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling 2. Maybe, with biblical human safeguards. In this case, biblical reason supports mastery over tools, not verse. This isn't just about AI or any technology, but universal to creation. Mankind can abuse anything as an idol or use it for God's glory. AI is a special case when it is generative, “making” “new” “art.” Creators have different opinions on how/whether to use this. Stephen does refuse to use generative AI in basically all respects. Nothing he writes, at any stage of the process, is AI-generated. However, he will use AI programs as tools for research/tutoring. These programs excel at gathering/repeating public information. When it's “scraped” from free sources, that seems more ethical. Researchers, however, should know to cite primary sources. Creators can do that may aim closer for biblically ideal creativity. But if creators refuse, and “outsource” their own minds to tools? Well, they'll get lost in the slop and will reach creative dead ends. 3. No, if we rank ourselves over fan interests. A few activists seem overly bullish on using AI as substitute-minds. They're the opposite to reflexive (and short-sighted) AI haters. Some even call loudly for Christian-made art, quick, easy, good(?). This seems a strange cope, short-sighted, and reality-challenged. The cope: some creatives have not made it far past previous gates. They do seem to think mechanical tools will solve human problems. Short-sighted: Christians do already use AI to generate “artworks.” Example: Jon Erwin with House of David season 2 and Old Stories. Yet we don’t hear much about these. That may tell us something. Reality-challenged: this is where Stephen may end the debate. Clear aside all talk of ethics, gatekeepers, policies, impacts. Four simple words blow up gen-AI optimism: Thanks, I hate it. That's all you need to end all this hoopla about gen-AI revolutions. If the people don't want it, they don't want it. And that's that. Right now, people don't want it. How do we know? We asked AI. Stephen queried three AI programs with this question: Apart from the debates over cost, environmental impact, economy shifts, and all the politics, especially among leaders in big tech and government … what could we say is the public’s general *impression* in response to AI-generated images, movies, music, and other artworks? Is the public’s stated response good, mixed, or negative? Any particular trend-lines to note? Response from ChatGPT (excerpt, more optimistic): Public sentiment is neither uniformly positive nor uniformly negative — it skews positive for convenience, novelty, and clear utility, but is strongly negative or cautious when authenticity, creator rights, trust, or deception are at stake. Response from Gemini (excerpt, mixed-negative) If you strip away the high-level policy debates and economic anxiety, the general public's stated response to AI-generated art—images, music, movies, and literature—is highly mixed, but leaning increasingly negative and protective of human creativity. While people love playing with the tools as novelties, the moment they switch from being creators to consumers, a distinct psychological shift occurs. Data from major public opinion studies (like Pew Research, Stanford HAI, and various consumer tracking surveys) highlight several fascinating, counterintuitive trend-lines regarding how the public perceives AI art. (bold emphasis in original) Response from Grok (excerpt, mixed-negative) Mixed, with a lean toward negative or skeptical once people know something is AI-generated—particularly for standalone or fully AI-created works—though curiosity and practical utility exist. Public impressions are nuanced: many appreciate the technology as a tool or for novelty/entertainment, but there’s consistent preference for human-created art, emotional depth tied to human experience, and transparency. Pure AI outputs often face backlash as “slop,” lacking authenticity. (bold emphasis in original) If even AI programs reflect this skepticism, that's big. Even an AI skeptic like Stephen sees its use in aggregate “polls.” Anyone claiming optimism about AI is logically bound to hear this. Apart from AI is anecdotal evidence. Few fans want gen-AI stuff. Right now, fans are praising films with practical, human-made art. They like the indie-horror movies and Project Hail Mary, no AI. And they love the new Spider-Man trailer with suits and shadows! Some makers boast AI will save time and bypass the big gates. But if fans don't like that “slop,” the maker simply indulges himself. That's fine for personal enjoyment but not for real service to others. We've already seen this with bad Christian human-made stories. If we're practical, why we intentionally clash with the market? Even if fans want to make AI slop, they do not want others’ AI slop. And if we're idealistic, why make inhuman slop for human souls? We lose all high ground at claiming to be more virtuous and godly. We would lose all the how-it's-made stories behind the stories. Remember that whole AI-generated-actress thing? Flash in a pan. But people love the deeply human Tom Holland (who's wise on AI!). Not only that, we'll be wildly and foolishly off documented trends. There may be a place for gen-AI content, in memes or political ads. In other words, this stuff is disposable “art.” Yet it will not last. If we want to save today's culture, gen-AI is certainly no savior. And if we want to grow and train others, AI could become a villain. Com station Top question for listeners As a fan, how do you feel when you learn any “art” is generated? The Adaptation Stationmaster replied to episode 317: It's actually pretty rare for me to mourn when a good TV show ends. I feel like too many of them go on too long past their peak because they're popular. It's kind of nice to see them decide to go out on a high note instead. One Guild hero (and his wife) grieve over Star Wars: My wife and I had just seen the second third Star Wars sequel. I didn’t like it, but she was devastated. Star Wars wasn’t just a story she appreciated. It was part of the tapestry of her life, woven into some of her best memories. She had put so much of her time and love into that galaxy far, far away, and in that moment it felt like it was broken beyond repair, forever. Her restoration started with the books. Star Wars has one of the widest bodies of expanded universe lore, so even she could find something new to dig into. … It’s an odd place. In one sense, the universe is still destroyed. Star Wars has lost its place at the top of the pop culture pyramid, and may not ever take that place again. Through that, it might lack the largesse that allowed it become such an expansive universe in the first place. But, her place still existed. I think that’s where many of us will find ourselves in the coming days: wishing for the grand galaxies of yesterday, but finding only little pockets of warmth among the stars. Next on Fantastical Truth We're recording this episode before Realm Makers! So once we return, we'll have a better idea of what topics to cover. But in general, we can say that we're pleased to have met or re-met so many Lorehaven fans at that expo. Lord willing, we'll see you again in St. Louis next summer!

One of the sillier myths in our culture claims, “Most men don't read.” Sometimes this is a real trend. Other times it's wishful thinking because some folks don't want to share stories that boys and men want to read. Still, we can join to equip Christian fathers and other mentors for their unique God-given responsibility—to train kids to fight dragons. And for that mission, author James R. Hannibal rides back into the studio. Episode sponsors Twist of Time by Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Author Update from Author Media Descendant Publishing Mission update New at Lorehaven: new reviews and articles Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes Lightraiders year 2: Crowdfunding campaign Yes, Men and Boys Will Read—If You Give Them the Right Books Intro: James R. Hannibal Former stealth pilot James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He has been shot at, locked up by surface to air missiles, has hunted insurgents with drones, and was once chased by an armed terrorist down a winding German road. James is the Realm Award–winning author of the Lightraider Academy Trilogy series and a three-time winner of the Silver Falchion Award for Juvenile Fiction for his Section 13 series. He also stewards the discipleship learning adventure game Lightraiders. JamesRHannibal.com · Facebook · Instagram · X.com 1. Lightraiders is being quietly re-forged Life updates: Something brought James here—fate, destiny, a horse. How we can pray for the Hannibals and support Courser Media. Meanwhile, the original for-profit Lightraiders is now a nonprofit. Reasons for the change, especially for culture-changing Christians. 2. Behold the goal of discipleship storytelling Dragons roam the land. We must learn to combat these creatures. Christians do need “just for fun” creative works that entertain. Yet we also need fiction that teaches truth, beauty, and goodness. Parents need both kinds of stories to help train future warriors. 3. The future of Lightraiders and beyond New quests and crowdfunding goals for Year 2 of Lightraiders. After that, what's next will depend on the nonprofit's support level. Also, Classics Rebooted: sci-fi Around the World in Eighty Days! Do follow Courser Media, Lightraiders, and James R. Hannibal. Com station Top question for listeners How did mentors and fantastical stories train you to fight dragons? Lavay Byrd enjoyed ep. 316 with Rebecca P. Minor Hi, all! I was just listening to the podcast, and all your discussions really hit what I've been feeling towards the sad explosion of overly sexualized/”porn” romantasty or even considered “regular fantasy” populating bookstores, while books like Lord of the Rings or even Christian Fantasy being treated as an afterthought. Listening to you all discuss such a sad reality made me think of how “overly-sensationalized” books are basically harmful drugs that's poisoning readers, more so among the teens and YA. I'm so glad to see writers like Rebecca P Minor and many others not only acknowledging the darkness for what it is, but also shining HOPE LIGHT and TRUTH that always overcome darkness through story. I also agree that we need more real characters with flaws and struggles, making choices both dark and good, while opening up a path for grace and redemption. Next on Fantastical Truth Our next episode will release after Realm Makers. So at this point, we haven't yet planned it! Perhaps you'll have an amazing idea. Or maybe we'll catch some trend or topic at the Expo that we never would have considered. Either way, we hope to see you next week in St. Louis.

What if the wicked villains did conquer the elves? And what if a young elf-maiden was forced to carry the offspring of one of the invaders? That's the new novel The Rending Cauldron, just brewed by fantasy author and Realm Makers president Rebecca P. Minor. Today, Becky joins us in the studio to explore tough topics, dark drama, and the expanding worlds of Christian-made fantastical fiction. Episode sponsors All That Glows by Lauren Smyth Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Author Update from Author Media Descendant Publishing Mission update New at Lorehaven: new review of Darkend Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Backstory: Rebecca P. Minor Rebecca P. Minor writes sword-and-sorcery fantasy across The Windrider Saga and The Risen Age Archive series. As president of Realm Makers, she also joins her husband Scott helping other fantasy and science fiction writers create God-honoring stories. The Minors have three geeky sons. Now in their empty nest season, they're seeking ways to further the Realm Makers mission while also tending to their roles as the servants to a couple of spoiled cats. Instagram: @‌rebeccapminor Facebook: @‌rebeccapminor 1. From faith to Realm Makers to snarky elves Rebecca's testimony, even early work at the pre-Lorehaven blog. Some quick notes on the founding and growth of Realm Makers. More about The Windrider Saga and The Risen Age Archive series. 2. From snarky elves to complex fantasy Images and ideas that led to The Rending Cauldron's premise. Why this new novel is more appropriate for grown-up readers. Early responses from readers and a guide to complex stories. 3. Forging a deeper Christian-made fantasy Stories can avoid politics, but wrestle with pre-political moralities. They can go beyond jargon and apply crises to realistic people. And not every story is for everyone. Readers can help each other. Com station Top question for listeners Who is your favorite fictional elf? What is your favorite thematically complex story? Next on Fantastical Truth Some fans love the new He-Man movie. Others may not care so much, especially if they didn't grow up in the 1980s. But no matter your age, fantasy franchises from that decade have shaped the creative worlds we know today. How can Christians look back on this era with discernment and appreciation for good nostalgia?

So much sci-fi likes to imagine that humans survive for centuries with some knowledge of classic literature, music, and cultural memory—everything except our religious beliefs. But today we explore a new sci-fi subgenre that dares to suggest the opposite. Faithful priests and other religious heroes of the future may not be wicked villains. In fact, they may be kind of awesome—and potentially fight in powerful mech armor. What is this subgenre some creators call incensepunk?[1. Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash.] Episode sponsors All That Glows by Lauren Smyth Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Author Update from Author Media Descendant Publishing Mission update New at Lorehaven: Stephen is on break for the annual Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference; welcome to any new listeners he met while teaching about fantastical stories there Now we're getting ready for Realm Makers. More on that soon. Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Concession stand Stephen and Zack are Protestants, and yet often enjoy fellowship with Catholic friends. Many creators of fantastical fiction, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, come from these other traditions. So we wanted to speak with today's Catholic creators of fantastical stories. We'll be joined today by the staff of Incensepunk Magazine They promise “High tech, high church… science fiction that envisions a future where faith is a living part of culture.” Backstories: Incensepunk staff Jon James, editor-in-chief Jon's work has been published in the Listen: the Sound of Fear anthology, the Killer Queen comics anthology, Recompose Journal, Theme of Absence, and Rehumanize International. His hobbies are as multifarious as the genres he writes in. Follow him: Twitter, bsky, Substack, Website Yuval Kordov, developmental editor Yuval Kordov is a chronically creative nerd, tech professional, husband, and father to two amazing girls. Over the course of his random life, he has been a radio show DJ, produced experimental electronic music, created the world of Dark Legacies®, and built custom mechs with LEGO® bricks. Follow him: Twitter, bsky, Substack, Website Andrew Gillsmith | Marketing Director Andrew Gillsmith is a science fiction writer living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Our Lady of the Artilects, the Deserted Vineyard series, the Planet Gallywood series, and The Jerusalem Passage. He currently works in publisher development in the programmatic advertising space. He is married to Cheryl and has two young sons, a Great Dane, and a pet rat named Reggie. Follow him: Twitter, Substack 1. Who built the Roman sci-fi roads Exploring foundational sci-fi and fantasy stories from Catholic authors “What we call the Catholic novel isn't necessarily about a Christianized or catholicized world, but simply…one in which the truth as Christians know it has been used as a light to see the world by.” —Flannery O'Connor 2. How the Roman sci-fi road is being rebuilt What Incensepunk does differently than secular, Protestant, or even other Catholic authors “Incensepunk is, at its core, a genre of longing. It desires a world in which traditional faiths and churches play a major role in society. Incensepunk extrapolates Byzantine and Gothic architecture styles into a modern world of skyscrapers and globalization. However, it is not regressive. It doesn't view the past as good and the present as wicked and depraved. Instead, it tries to envision what the world could look like if faith and society were more integrated.” —from the Incensepunk Manifesto 3. Future directions for the Roman sci-fi road How the future is religious “Artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain, do not mature through relationships, and do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean. Nor do they have a moral conscience, since they do not judge good and evil, grasp the ultimate meaning of situations, or bear responsibility for consequences. They may imitate or even simulate, but they do not understand what they produce, for they lack the affective, relational, and spiritual perspective through which human beings grow in wisdom.” —Pope Leo XIV on X.com Com station Top question for listeners What is your favorite fantastical story featuring a Catholic character? From Victor DiGiovanni in response to Ep. 313: Should Christian-Made Stories Evangelize Nonbelievers? I love that we are in an era of Christian media to where a single book or movie or TV show doesn't have to accomplish all the goals of Christian media.  It always seemed that a “Christian book” or film HAD to have a very straightforward call to action. Next on Fantastical Truth What if the wicked villains did conquer the elves? And what if a young elf-maiden was forced to carry the offspring of one of the invaders? That's the new novel The Rending Cauldron, just brewed by fantasy author and Realm Makers co-founder Rebecca P. Minor. Next week, Becky joins us in the studio to explore tough topics, dark drama, and the expanding worlds of Christian-made fantastical fiction.

Space is a dangerous place. Even recently we learned that the entire Artemis program has been rebooted, adding more rockets and risks! In other worlds and other galaxies, “space” is full of human life, music, adventure, romance, and fantastical new worlds. Just in time for Firebreak, book 1 of the Firebird Interlude Trilogy, we're joined by longtime science fiction novelist Kathy Tyers to explore how the best space operas sing through this teeming expanse. Episode sponsors Firebreak by Kathy Tyers Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo The Hole-Man by Dan Dietz The Lorehaven Authorship Mission update New at Lorehaven: Andromache review, weekly reviews Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild You'll get notified of monthly events, like last week's livestream. Backstory: Kathy (Tyers) Gillin Kathy Tyers sold her first novel, Firebird, to Bantam Spectra in 1986. Since its initial 1987 publication, it has been rereleased by Bethany House Publishers, Marcher Lord Press, and Enclave Publishing, and was followed by further Firebird-universe novels Fusion Fire and Crown of Fire. Kathy finished the Firebird series in 2011 and 2012 with Wind and Shadow and the messiah tale Daystar. Enclave Publishing has also re-released her early novels One Mind's Eye, Shivering World (Christy Award winner, 2019), and Crystal Witness. Now she's returning to the Firebird whorl for a new series of novels. The Firebird Interlude trilogy begins March 10 with the release of Firebreak. Kathy is also known for her Star Wars Expanded Universe novels—The Truce at Bakura and New Jedi Order: Balance Point. She lives in Montana with her husband William T. Gillin. KathyTyers.com on Facebook 1. What are the origin stories of space opera? 1818: Mary Shelley's first sci-fi-ish/horror novel Frankenstein 1830: British author Percy Greg's poetical Across the Zodiac Late 19th century: the prolific Jules Verne, across Earth and space Late 19th/early 20th century: H. G. Wells brings the humanism Early 20th century: Edgar Rice Burroughs shares pulp adventure Other written tales and film serials helped create early space opera This tradition focused not just on big ideas, but big human stories Without these tales, we might not have stories like Star Wars And that's one way that today's guest learned she liked sci-fi 2. Why do today's fans love space opera? Kathy Tyers has written harder science fiction, like Shivering World. Spaceships are cool, but many fans like human drama even more. For example, the Firebird Series is set in a far future galactic Whorl. Readers resonate with Lady Firebird and her husband Brennan. This, by the way, marks a rare example of married-couple heroes. Similarly, Star Wars has spaceships, but focuses on human heroes. Christians also see cool ideas and tech as means to human ends. Without our humanity, we become “minds of metal and wheels.” Even the best Star Trek episodes well understood this reality. 3. What might be the future of space opera? More about the Firebird Interlude series—titles, dates, speculation. Coming this June, Kathy Tyers gives a keynote at Realm Makers. Meanwhile, we may expect to March onward into big space opera. Project Hail Mary, based on Andy Weir's novel, gets early plaudits. Next up, actor Ryan Gosling and director Shawn Levy's Starfighter movie (set in the Star Wars universe) is receiving a new hope from fans. People do want futuristic, human-centric science-accented drama. And yet Christians see this not as simply “hope in the human spirit” but hope of redemption, for grace-filled humans and a future age. Com station Top question for listeners What space opera stories help you sing in joyful gratitude? Next on Fantastical Truth Kaizoku ou ni ore wa naru! Today around the world, millions of fans who love Japan's hit manga/anime series, One Piece, are rejoicing. First, because after 1,170+ chapters and nearly 30 years since 1997, creator Eiichiro Oda's pirates-with-powers story is sailing toward its final arcs. Second, because the popular anime is following soon after, breaking hiatus to resume in April. And third, because on March 10, Netflix is christening the One Piece live-action series Season 2, after 2023's Season 1 flagrantly and happily broke the “anime to live-action curse.” Why do fans (like Stephen himself) love these comical, earnest adventures of Captain Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates?

In this episode, FPEA Chairman Suzanne Nunn speaks with Scott Minor, COO of Realm Makers. They dive into storytelling and how it impacts our lives from the time we are small children and even the ways we choose to engage in story as adults. They talk about the beauty and challenges of fantasy as a genre and the ways that it has expanded in the realm of Christian fiction. We also talk about the other creative venues where Christians meet pop culture in a powerful way. You'll be inspired to embrace your own creativity and your role in your own story as you listen to Scott share.

Last year brought many challenges for Christian fantasy fans. From flops at the theaters now threatened by streaming slop, to creators making more events for Christian storytelling, to the continued growth of biblical fiction as the top genre of Christian-made entertainment—let's survey the top ten fantasy-related headlines from last year. Episode sponsors Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queen The Case of the Heart Stone by Tulli Cole Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Mission update New at Lorehaven: many features over the holidays! We announced our new book quest in the Lorehaven Guild: Taliesin Onscreen: ‘Stranger Things' Season Five Gives Weight to Parents' Fears, A. D. Sheehan Onscreen: ‘David' Creators Answer all Your Questions About the Animated Hit Movie, Josh Shepherd Engage: Alleged ‘Rock and Roll' Soundtrack Incites Suspicion of Netflix's Narnia Movie, newcomer Sierra Simopoulos Sierra Simopoulos also reviewed Sons of Day and Night My own article: Why Christians Need Fantastical Stories Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Stop by the homepage for many upgrades, especially the Library. Soon: discover the Guild's new wing, the Lorehaven Authorship. 10. Superheroes failed to save ailing cinema Marvel movies, despite their strengths, all flopped at the box office. Personally I did like Fantastic Four: First Steps, but didn't love it. Lorehaven folks were generally positive about some hero movies. ‘Captain America: Brave New World' Labors to Save a Struggling MCU, Marian A. Jacobs The Antiheroes of Thunderbolts* Preach to Marvel Itself, Daniel Whyte IV ‘Superman' (2025) Will Make You Believe a Man Can Be Earnest, Josiah DeGraaf However, audiences were tepid; none of these films broke even. The greatest foe of superheroes? Flippancy. Next: lack of family. MCU reached its apex with creators who at least feigned sincerity. DC's nobledark tone was winning fans, until the studio freaked out. 9. Disney's ‘Snow White' remake bombed Sticking with cinemas, this one might be the year's greatest fail. ‘Snow White' (2025) Isn't the Fairest of Adaptations, Parker J. Cole I didn't see it. Few people did. More people saw YouTube roasts. This whole nonsense was an ugly reflection of three terrible trends ruining films: “woke” checkboxes, cynicism, and corporate gloss. 8. Fans abandoned legacy sci-fi franchises Once a Doctor Who hero, Russell T. Davies has ruined that series. Star Trek is adrift, desperately trying to hail imaginary “new fans.” Of course, Star Wars keeps failing to please its own alienated fans. The greatest culprit here: Godless, sex-obsessed progressivism. One can't correct from this without visibly rejecting “woke” politics. 7. K-Pop Demon Hunters owned the summer We haven't had a genuine pop-culture movie phenomenon in ages. Then along comes this little giant animated movie on Netflix. ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters' Pits Singing Heroines vs. Monster Idols, Marian A. Jacobs Kids sang catchy songs. Adults found deeper themes to explore. YouTube reactions and covers on Instagram/TikTok exploded. For the first time, Netflix had a true four-quadrant hit on its hands. And dear Lord, may they learn only the right lessons from this, and not turn this into another streaming slop like so much other stuff. 6. ‘Woke' stories stepped back, yet persisted 251. Could a Cultural ‘Vibe Shift' Advance Christian-Made Fiction? Due to political events we won't detail, that agenda is on the wane. At least the Sexualityism religion is seen as stale and unstable. Many are still trying to figure out what, if any, ideas will replace it. A. D. Sheehan had to critique Brandon Sanderson, a late arrival to the “woke” content scene: Brandon Sanderson's New Fantasy ‘Wind and Truth' Summons a Postmodern Cringestorm. Oddly enough, we keep seeing Christian parents posting about the random books they find, after which they ask “Is it woke?” Pro tip: yeah, it's probably woke, especially with a cover like that. By now we surely have enough Christian-made novels to help? 5. Corporate slop threatens human stories 274. Why Shouldn't AI-Generated Content Replace Human Stories? This is partly about AI-generated slop, but not always. Skeptical fans now refer to anything bad with “this looks AI.” Why? Because the problem goes deeper than technology amok. Long before AI, corporate studios began relying on algorithms. I believe that's when these stories began feeling less, well, human. 272. Can We Save Cinema from Sloppy Stories? Instead of human hunches, stories get greenlit by metallic minds. Reference: the short-lived run of Robert Zemekis mocap movies. At first people express curiosity, but eventually they get bored. Prediction: this too shall pass. We'll see a lot of forced “firsts,” like “the first fully AI-generated movie.” They may even succeed. But the novelty will quickly wear off as it did before Mars Needs Moms. Still, Christian creators must dig deeper to defend organic human stories with philosophies deeper than “AI destroys the Earth.” 4. Conservative TV is trying more fantasy We greatly anticipate the DailyWire+ show The Pendragon Cycle. Based on Stephen Lawhead's novels, seven episodes drop Jan. 22. Christian showrunner Jeremy Boreing actually stepped down from being Daily Wire co-CEO, it seems, to ensure finishing this series. Political hot takes scarcely outlast the day. Great stories last long. Alas, there's the constantly controversial Magician's Nephew movie Marketing for this is dreadful, with publicly floated nonsense about an actress playing Aslan or the movie featuring “rock and roll.” 257. By Aslan's Mane, is Netflix Really Casting a Lady as the Lion? Meanwhile, platforms like Angel (run by LDS members, yet with freedom for Christians) released The Wingfeather Saga season 2. We also saw a new angel-heroes show, Gabriel and the Guardians. ‘Gabriel and the Guardians' Echoes a Golden Era of Saturday Morning Cartoons, Jenneth Leed Alas, any sci-fi-ish efforts seem restricted to dystopian dramas. We need higher budgets and risks to widen those genre limits. 3. Realm Makers unites Christian creators 265. How Can We Shine the Gospel at the Realm Makers Expo? 266. How Do You Assemble a New Expo for Christian Fandoms? | with Scott Minor Last year's conference in Grand Rapids marked an experiment. Can this organization blend creator training with a public expo? Results were mixed-positive, mainly because of the venue choice. For me, a debut sci-fi novelist, results may have skewed better. Yet our primary audience must be Christian fans and families. A semi-major downtown is difficult for these folks to access. Next year's new venue in St. Louis looks much more promising! And it sounds like the public Expo will be easier for fans to access. For Christian fantasy to grow, we must unite over common interest. Yet this unity must be based on love for the true Jesus, our Author. 2. Biblical fiction is the top Christian genre There's no contest. Amish and historical fiction is dethroned. Christian fantasy (mostly romantasy) remains confined to books. Amazon's ‘House of David' Anoints an Intriguing Biblical Epic, Michael Allen ‘House of David' Is Crowned King of Amazon Prime, Jenneth Leed 1. Fantasy for teen/YA women continues to rule the Christian-made fantastical worlds This might well be the repeat headline from previous years. Facts are facts. Teen girls and women outread everyone else. When they like fantasy, they prefer female heroes/relationships. Romantasy is the queen. And her handmaiden is royal drama. 249. What is ‘Romantasy'? | with Parker J. Cole And the new princess on the block? Time-travel romance, for sure. 263. What is Time-Travel Romance? | Every Hour Until Then with Gabrielle Meyer These books get the most attention on Instagram and elsewhere. Is it true that “men don't read”? Not necessarily. Men do read. But they tend to read nonfiction about culture, theology, history. And for fantastical fiction, these readers have unique expectations. Christians here favor proven legacies, especially Lewis/Tolkien. One can't complain about the reality. Instead, meet the standard. Frankly, that's my hope for Above the Circle of Earth and beyond. Of course I support teen/YA female-focused fantasy stories! Yet that's not my genre; it doesn't help me, personally, grow in joy. Surely there are more readers who favor other kinds of stories, maybe deeper, maybe in underdog genres like sci-fi and horror. Christians must expect a true joyous sci-fi future under King Jesus. And we uniquely understand supernatural realities/horror today. But making new stories isn't enough. We must cultivate readers. That's our mission at Lorehaven with our new mission statement: Escape bad books. Find the best Christian fantasy and sci-fi! Watch this space for more about bad books, reader cultivation, and new resolutions to avoid scroll traps and level up your imagination. Com station Top question for listeners What was your top fantasy story or least-liked story in 2025? Next on Fantastical Truth “In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the world disappear.” Jesus returned thirty years ago. Or rather, He sort of pre-returned, the warm-up act, if you will. Many faithful Christians believe in this kind of “rapture.” And in December 1995, two authors teamed up and used this idea to create the most successful biblical end-times thriller we've yet seen. Last summer, we overviewed the series. Yet now we'll ask how that first Left Behind novel has aged, thirty years after its release.

The internet was abuzz when Mel Brooks and company released a trailer for Spaceballs 2. The opening crawl skewered the current Hollywood penchant for spinoffs, sequels, prequels and remakes. Is it time to sunset some of these franchises that continually crank out rehashed content? Maybe. Is it time to put a spotlight on creators who are writing fresh stories? Definitely! Today's episode discusses two franchises: Star Wars and Jurassic Park. We talk about the pros and cons of continuing to create stories for these two world. We also intersperse interviews with creators who are laboring away to create beautiful, new world for reader and moviegoers to enjoy.  Authors and Artists:  Z. S. Diamonti - https://zsdiamanti.com Laura VanArendonk Baugh -https://lauravanarendonkbaugh.com Mollie Reader - Fearless Indie Film Maker - https://fearlessindiefilmmaker.com   Please consider supporting our show:  Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks    

The internet was abuzz when Mel Brooks and company released a trailer for Spaceballs 2. The opening crawl skewered the current Hollywood penchant for spinoffs, sequels, prequels and remakes. Is it time to sunset some of these franchises that continually crank out rehashed content? Maybe. Is it time to put a spotlight on creators who are writing fresh stories? Definitely! Today's episode discusses two franchises: Star Wars and Jurassic Park. We talk about the pros and cons of continuing to create stories for these two world. We also intersperse interviews with creators who are laboring away to create beautiful, new world for reader and moviegoers to enjoy.  Authors and Artists:  Z. S. Diamonti - https://zsdiamanti.com Laura VanArendonk Baugh -https://lauravanarendonkbaugh.com Mollie Reader - Fearless Indie Film Maker - https://fearlessindiefilmmaker.com   Please consider supporting our show:  Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks    

It's Galactus sized episode where we talk about Fantastic 4, the first of the beatitudes from  Matthew 5:3 and get to meet author E. J. Kitchens from the Realm Makers' community.  Author E. J. Kitchens' website: https://www.ejkitchens.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Support Nerdy Folks: Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Buy me a coffee: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks

It's Galactus sized episode where we talk about Fantastic 4, the first of the beatitudes from  Matthew 5:3 and get to meet author E. J. Kitchens from the Realm Makers' community.  Author E. J. Kitchens' website: https://www.ejkitchens.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Support Nerdy Folks: Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Buy me a coffee: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks

We discuss James Gunn's version of Superman and rumored plans for the future of the DCU. We also get an interview with Andy from Discipleship Tech. He traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to be a part of the Realm Makers' convention in Grand Rapids Michigan.  Discipleship Tech: https://discipleship.tech/serpentseedgame/ Brandon Sanderson on Superman:https://screenrant.com/superman-brandon-sanderson-too-powerful/ Support our show:) | Connect With Nerdy Folks Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks

We discuss James Gunn's version of Superman and rumored plans for the future of the DCU. We also get an interview with Andy from Discipleship Tech. He traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to be a part of the Realm Makers' convention in Grand Rapids Michigan.  Discipleship Tech: https://discipleship.tech/serpentseedgame/ Brandon Sanderson on Superman:https://screenrant.com/superman-brandon-sanderson-too-powerful/ Support our show:) | Connect With Nerdy Folks Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks

Faithful gamers are finding fertile soil in digital worlds, leading to this year's crossover between Realm Makers and Christian Game Developers.

The guys welcome Scott Minor of Realm Makers for a cameo on Christian fiction... Meet the Realm Makers conference: A decade or two ago, Christian fiction publishers only wanted Amish romance; but Scott's wife Betty was a Christian fantasy writer... so together they founded Realm Makers! Nate's headlining at Realm Makers in two weeks: So Nate asks Scott about fantasy authors' greatest strength... and their greatest weakness. The guys discuss the future of Christian fiction, including Christian fiction "stars" like Mike Nawrocki (Veggie Tales), Katie Lee (Connie from Odyssey), and S.D. Smith (Green Ember).

This one's personal: what I'm reading, what I'm writing, and how I'm navigating the creative chaos.In this episode, I share a peek inside my current author life—including how community, covers, and conferences are playing a big part in my process right now.You'll hear:-My upcoming release – The Veracin Blade (aka, “the book that just. WOUDN'T. END”)-My TBR stack and reading habits – including fave book features-Why I'm building journals to pair with my books-The joy of showing up and connecting at eventsIf you love bookish chaos and creative process talk—this one's for you.Sign up for my newsletter and get a free book! https://jiauthor.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit authorculture.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Cody interviewed Scott Minor, COO of Realm Makers.    The Realm Makers Mission To support writers and artists who create science fiction and fantasy in their journeys from idea to marketplace. Whether participating artists wish to gear their content for inspirational or mainstream audiences, Realm Makers seeks to encourage them from a faith-friendly perspective.   MORE INFO Send us your questions! podcast@geeksundergrace.com For more Geeks Under Grace: http://www.geeksundergrace.com http://www.twitter.com/geeksundergrace http://www.twitch.tv/geeksundergrace https://geeksundergrace.com/give     For more Cody Armour: http://twitter.com/CodyArmour https://www.instagram.com/codyarmour/     Real Makers Socials: https://www.facebook.com/RealmMakers/ https://www.instagram.com/realmmakers/# https://www.youtube.com/@RealmMakers

Hear the backstory of Realm Makers, from its 2013 origin as a fantastical writers conference to the new 2025 Realm Makers Expo coming this July to Grand Rapids.

Christian-led conferences attract saints as well as nonbelievers who like wholesome stories, making them fantastic fields for creative missions.

The Realm Makers' Writer's Convention and Fan Expo are premier events for Christians writing in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction genres. On this episode, we discuss the guests and content one can find at these world-class events.  www.realmmakers.com Support Nerdy Folks:  Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks  

The Realm Makers' Writer's Convention and Fan Expo are premier events for Christians writing in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction genres. On this episode, we discuss the guests and content one can find at these world-class events.  www.realmmakers.com Support Nerdy Folks:  Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks  

Scott Minor and his wife founded the Realm Makers Writer's Conference, which is now one of the premier events in the country for Christians who are writing sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction. Now, they have added a fan expo with a full lineup of incredible guests. It's all happening on July 18-20th, 2025 in Grand Rapids Michigan. Tickets and information can be found at www.realmmakers.com  Would you consider supporting Nerdy Folks? Here are ways to get in touch and to give:  Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks  

Scott Minor and his wife founded the Realm Makers Writer's Conference, which is now one of the premier events in the country for Christians who are writing sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction. Now, they have added a fan expo with a full lineup of incredible guests. It's all happening on July 18-20th, 2025 in Grand Rapids Michigan. Tickets and information can be found at www.realmmakers.com  Would you consider supporting Nerdy Folks? Here are ways to get in touch and to give:  Website: https://www.nerdyfolks.com Tax Deductible Gift: http://www.globalstudentinc.com/seipel-anderson Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U8AU6JNDRH6KN Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyFolks Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/nerdyfolks  

Christian authors make amazing stories while conferences like Realm Makers help make the authors—and are poised to grow even bigger.

Can faith-based sword and sorcery books, body horror romance, gifted illustrator, successful CEO of Realm Makers, and chronic conditions all go together? Yup, if you're the amazing Rebecca P. Minor, who I have the honor of interviewing in this latest podcast episode! We dive into world building from a Christian worldview, exploring new genres, balancing business and creative life, the importance of cats and rats, and much more. Also, for weekly videos (vs. sporadic podcast episodes), please check out the Author Elevate YouTube Channel.

In this week's podcast with L Maristatter (Tiny Tin House, Niffy Cat Press, August 2022), we examine what she did when her manuscript grew to 380,000 words (chopped it up into bite-sized pieces and made it a trilogy), the challenges of writing a novel that takes a clear political stance (including working hard to make it more than a revenge screed), how essential it is for an indie author to not scrimp when it comes to interior design and cover art and her best advice to over-anxious authors: don't rush to publication but include a 6-month lead-up to release to maximize your pre-publicity. L Maristatter holds a BA in journalism and an MA in communication. Her short story, “Crying in the Sun,” was published in The Saturday Evening Post online, and the web journal Defuncted published her poem, “Child.”  Maristatter is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, the Women's Fiction Writers Association, the Wisconsin Writers Association, the Author's Guild, and Realm Makers. She lives in the snowy Midwest, where she tries to stay warm, reads terrific fiction, and eats way too much chocolate. She's on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter regularly, and TikTok and Instagram when she's feeling brave. To learn more about Lisa, click here.  

We asked conference newcomers and authors alike how wonderful stories have led them to rediscover truth and worship Jesus Christ.

Stephen just returned from the Realm Makers conference, and shares with Zack all about the event, Lorehaven's booth, and Realm Award winners.

Three storytellers wield faith over fear to battle YA fantasy fiends, in this special encore feature of a Realm Makers livestream event.

At Realm Makers, we shared story joys with executive director Scott Minor, The Seventh Sun author Lani Forbes, and other fantastic creators.

Tyler sits down and talks to Scott Minor from Realm Makers. An organization that is dedicated to the support and promotion and education of Speculative Fiction Authors who have a Faith in Jesus Christ.  And while that might seem like we're describing a bible study at church, you be surprised by wide a range of people share this commonality. Tyler gushes over the great work that this group is doing, and Scot shares the origin story of this convention that has grown to become of the largest gatherings of Christian nerds, weirdos, creatives, storytellers and all around great people. There are also Amish Vampires in space... so get ready for that.  As always a thank you to Jake Bassen for our theme song. Check him out on SoundCloud:   https://soundcloud.com/jakebassen   As well as Cam Clawson, for our Correspondence Remix: https://soundcloud.com/camclawson7   Follow us on Instagram: @lewisandlovecraft Tyler is @twclawson_pdx Hannah is @thehannahray   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LewisandLovecraft/   Website: https://lewislovecraft.weebly.com/   Email: lewisandlovecraft@gmail.com

Going back to Realm Makers! But with the pandemic going on, the in person conference was canceled and it went virtual. Author MB Mooney (Realm Makers vet) talks with author Melinda Eye Cooper who went to the conference for the first time. They do a recap and talk about the pros and cons of a virtual event.

We just returned from the Realm Makers conference with new award-winners and breaking news about next year's event.

In this special panel courtesy of Realm Makers, you can listen to fantasy novelists wrestle with challenging content in fiction.

Lauren H Brandenburg is an inspirational speaker, mentor, and author. The Death of Mungo Blackwell is her first novel with Lion Fiction and her first novel for grown-ups. As a former English teacher and homeschooling mom, Lauren combines her love of ‘the what if’ with her spirit of adventure and faith to delight and encourage readers young and old. Her fourth book in The Books of the Gardener series, Orlo: The Created, was a 2017 finalist for the Selah Middle Grade Novel of the Year. Lauren is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and is on staff with the Realm Makers conference. She lives with her husband, Jamie, and two children in a lovely little town just south of Nashville, Tennessee, however… she will always consider Kentucky her home.Listen in as she shares about teaching, homeschooling, empty nesting, writing and baking! You're going to love her.Lauren's website is:http://www.laurenbrandenburg.comAs always you can find Hannah:http://www.hannahrconway.comand Stephani:http://www.stephanicook.org

A review of the movie, "Kin", some Trek Talk with Matt McKinney, and a roundup of Christian Geek news items, including an interesting movement among authors!

Your friendly hosts Janeen Ippolito and H. L. Burke teamed up in person at the Realm Makers writers conference in St. Louis, Missouri--and return with snark, adventures, and tidbits about having a great writers conference. Plus, what pineapples have to do with good marketing!

Are you a writer looking for a great conference? Steven and Britt get back from Realm Makers and give their thoughts and insights on the great conference. 

Interview with author of Bellanoch, Ralene Burke.

We were totally delighted to hang out with one of the forefathers of the awesome Realm Makers conference in these episodes, Kerry Nietz! Kerry, as he says, is a refugee from software engineering, and is the author of Amish Vampires in Space (as seen on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon!) In Episode 46: How Kerry structures his writing time so he can end his session in the middle of a scene. Oh, Scrivner, do we love thee? Let us count the ways... Kerry's really good first drafts, and how he handles editing. Developing a thick skin! (Metaphorically...) Developing habits to overcome writer's block (literally...) Mayans, mythology, and vampire gods - Oh My! Never stop writing-never surrender! The differences in traditional publishing versus self-publishing, at least from Kerry's perspective. Too lazy to type out the links while you're listening? We've got you covered! (If they don't work, it's Liberty's fault....) Kerry Nietz Frayed Amish Vampires in Space Mike Duran Tosca Lee Nadine Brandes (editing services) Jeff Gerke (editing services) Ray Bradbury (Hey, he won a Pulitzer! But not for what you'd think...) Edgar Rice Burroughs Michael Crighton

We were totally delighted to hang out with one of the forefathers of the awesome Realm Makers conference in these episodes, Kerry Nietz! Kerry, as he says, is a refugee from software engineering, and is the author of Amish Vampires in Space (as seen on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon!)   In Episode 45: Revisiting story worlds by writing Frayed. Threadbare, the main character, and why Kerry loves him. Throwing characters curve balls (No, not literally...) Liberty's cold leads to a misinterpretation of one of our questions, and an interesting answer. Research into boxing! Kerry's favorite superhero and the version he prefers! Usually, one's superhero and one's Captain have similar traits... Mr. Nietz is an exception... Too lazy to type out the links while you're listening? We've got you covered! (If they don't work, it's Liberty's fault....) Kerry Nietz Frayed Amish Vampires in Space Mike Duran Tosca Lee Nadine Brandes (editing services) Jeff Gerke (editing services) Ray Bradbury (Hey, he won a Pulitzer! But not for what you'd think...) Edgar Rice Burroughs Michael Crighton Find LDK online!

In this week's (bonus!) episode of the show, Josh and Liberty pick Aaron's brain on what happened in Philadelphia at Realm Makers 2016. For anyone who hasn't been, the camaraderie is amazing, and you immediately feel like you've found your tribe. This year, Aaron got to hear sessions from Thomas Locke, Tosca Lee, and Kathy Tyers, among others. Aaron shares some of his notes from Tosca's sessions on characterization (these are really good!) Josh and Liberty wished we were in this session alongside him! We decide that for 2017, we need a cloning machine. There's too many sessions that we want to go to! (But we're pretty sure that's part of the plan since the founders do sell recordings!) Creativity is one of the rarest gifts. We have our creativity to honor God with, and that's who we are, no matter what our day job is. Love it and know you're meant to do that. -- Tom Black Realm Makers 2017 is at the Atlantis Casino & Resort in Reno, NV July 27 - 29. You need to be there! Registration opens in the spring (usually in late March or April 1.)      

On this episode we spoke with Patrick Carr, author of the Staff and Sword Series, about his venture into the Darkwater Saga and the Shock of Night. A trilogy of trilogies awaits! In these episodes, Patrick keeps us laughing. Also, you'll never believe how accident prone Patrick is! All of us wax nostalgic at some point...you'd think we're old or something! In Episode 29 Odd character traits with Patrick's main character. (How does sleep walking and murders correlate?) Writing with an unreliable protagonist. Hating your writing while you're writing. Juggling. Emergency room visits! We manage to gross Aaron out. How Patrick uses his own accidents to inform his books. How to recast your books from one setting to another when your editor and agent tell you to. Fencing stories! Some engineering talk, which is totally fascinating. Googling has some interesting answers...including how dogs see. We get off into old time radio and radio broadcasts in general because of Patrick's answer to the superhero question. You will NEVER guess Patrick's answer to his Captain. Never, never, never! Patrick's looking forward to teaching a class at Realm Makers! Links: Patrick Carr The Darkwater Saga The Shock of Night Home Improvement. Steve Laube (Patrick's agent!) David Eddings (The Belgariad) Steven R. Donaldson (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) Robert Ludlum Brandon Sanderson C. S. Lewis (Screwtape Letters; The Space Trilogy) Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series The Magician by Raymond Feist  

NYT Bestselling author Tosca Lee returns to Write Stuff to talk about her work and the Realm Makers conference. If you're a Christian and you write or read speculative fiction -- you dont' want to miss this conference! Realm Makers exists to provide a faith-friendly symposium for writers and artists, focused on science fiction, fantasy, and all their sub-genres. Whether participating artists wish to gear their content for the inspirational or mainstream marketplace, they have a place at Realm Makers. Realm Makers 2016 is the PREMIERE place for Chrsitian speculative fiction authors. Workshops, lectures, and cosplay all come together for a fun filled, out of this world weekend. Tune in to get more details and see how you can be a part of this growing genre. Call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or download Stitcher on your mobile device, or click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/8837941 Tune in!

As the founder of the first--and only, to the best of our knowledge--conference for writers of faith with a sci-fi and fantasy bent, one may think Rebecca "Becky" Minor might be a bit too busy to sit down with us lowly podcasters. However, Becky is a wonderful person to chat with, and we're delighted that she took time out of her schedule to have a lively discussion with us this week! Writing as Rebecca P. Minor, Becky authors the Windrider Saga (the only one out right now is Divine Summons), which I am definitely going to have to put on my TBR pile...err, mountain...err, okay, well it's a library at this stage. The description of her protagonist alone is enough to make someone say, "Uh, yeah, I need to read that!" Episode 16 features more discussion on her writing, as well as Realm Makers, the world's most AWESOME writing conference for nerds and geeks of faith!  Becky's writing process, since she's a full-on pantser. We have a lengthy discussion about how Scrivener can be used by the pantser...even though Becky isn't an adopter. Becky's odd item that she's Googled is quite unusual. We discuss Becky's favorite book (you probably won't be surprised) and the version she has on her bookshelves. Costco is one of our famous bunny-trails...and you'll find the diversion quite hilarious. (One word: Pickles.) Realm Makers! What is it, how did it get started, and what's coming up for it in 2016! (Awesome writer's conference for us geeks--you really should come!) And much, much more! https://wordpress.com/post/lasersdragonsandkeyboards.wordpress.com/564 Links to Things and People we discussed: Rebecca "Becky" P. Minor Divine Summons J.R.R. Tolkien Ray Bradbury Madeline L'Engle (Tilting Planet) Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain / Black Cauldron) Almond Thins (for the gluten-free listener!) Brandon Sanderson (The Way of Kings) Robert Liparulo Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind) Episode 15 Audio Link