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What makes a character so compelling that readers will forgive almost anything about the plot? How do you move beyond vague flaws and generic descriptions to create people who feel pulled from real life? In this solo episode, I share 15 actionable tips for writing deep characters, curated from past interviews on the podcast. In the intro, thoughts from London Book Fair [Instagram reel @jfpennauthor; Publishing Perspectives; Audible; Spotify]; Insights from a 7-figure author business [BookBub]. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community and get articles, discounts, and extra audio and video tutorials on writing craft, author business, and AI tools, at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn This episode has been created from previous episodes of The Creative Penn Podcast, curated by Joanna Penn, as well as chapters from How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book. Links to the individual episodes are included in the transcript below. In this episode: Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' trifecta, how to hook readers on the very first page Define the Dramatic Question: Who is your character when the chips are down? Absolute specificity. Why “she's controlling” isn't good enough Understand the Heroine's Journey, strength through connection, not solo action Use ‘Metaphor Families' to anchor dialogue and give every character a distinctive voice Find the Diagnostic Detail, the moments that prove a character is real Writing pain onto the page without writing memoir Write diverse characters as real people, not stereotypes or plot devices Give your protagonist a morally neutral ‘hero' status. Compelling beats likeable. Build vibrant side characters for series longevity and spin-off potential Use voice as a rhythmic tool Link character and plot until they're inseparable Why discovery writers can write out of order and still build deep character Find the sensory details that make characters live and breathe More help with how to write fiction here, or in my book, How to Write a Novel. Writing Characters: 15 Tips for Writing Deep Character in Your Fiction In today's episode, I'm sharing fifteen tips for writing deep characters, synthesised from some of the most insightful interviews on The Creative Penn Podcast over the past few years, combined with what I've learned across more than forty books of my own. I'll be referencing episodes with Matt Bird, Will Storr, Gail Carriger, Barbara Nickless, and Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. I'll also draw on my own book, How to Write a Novel, which covers these fundamentals in detail. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fiftieth, whether you're a plotter or a discovery writer like me, these tips will help you create characters that readers believe in, care about, and invest in—and keep coming back for more. Let's get into it. 1. Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' Trifecta When I spoke with Matt Bird on episode 624, he laid out the three things you need to achieve on the very first page of your book or in the first ten minutes of a film. He calls it “Believe, Care, and Invest.” First, the reader must believe the character is a real person, somehow proving they are not a cardboard imitation of a human being, not just a generic type walking through a generic plot. Second, the reader must care about the character's circumstances. And third, the reader must invest in the character's ability to solve the story's central problem. Matt used The Hunger Games as his primary example, and it's brilliant. On the very first page, we believe Katniss's voice. Suzanne Collins writes in first person with a staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short declarative sentences—that immediately grounds us in a survivalist mentality. We care because Katniss is starving. She's protecting her little sister. And we invest because she is out there bow hunting, which Matt pointed out is one of the most badass things a character can do. She even kills a lynx two pages in and sells the pelt. We invest in her resourcefulness and grit before the plot has even begun. Matt was very clear that this has nothing to do with the character being “likable.” He said his subtitle, Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love, doesn't mean the character has to be a good person. He described “hero” as both gender-neutral and morally neutral. A hero can be totally evil or totally good. What matters is that we believe, care, and invest. He demonstrated this beautifully by breaking down the first ten minutes of WeCrashed, where the characters of Adam and Rebekah Neumann are absolutely not likable, but we are completely hooked. Adam steals his neighbour's Chinese food through a carefully orchestrated con involving an imaginary beer. It's not admirable behaviour, but the tradecraft involved, as Matt put it—using a term from spy movies—makes us invest in him. We see a character trying to solve the big problem of his life, which is that he's poor and wants to be rich, and we want to see if he can pull it off. Actionable step: Go to the first page of your current work in progress. Does it achieve all three? Does the reader believe this is a real person with a distinctive voice? Do they care about the character's circumstances? And do they invest in the character's ability to handle what's coming? If even one of those three is missing, that's your revision priority. 2. Define the Dramatic Question: Who Are They Really? Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling, came on episode 490 and gave one of the most powerful frameworks I've ever heard for character-driven fiction. He explained that the human brain evolved language primarily to swap social information—in other words, to gossip. We are wired to monitor other people, to ask the question: who is this person when the chips are down? That's what Will calls the Dramatic Question, and it's what he believes lies at the heart of all compelling storytelling. It's not a question about plot. It's a question about the character's soul. And every scene in your novel should force the character to answer it. His example of Lawrence of Arabia is unforgettable. The Dramatic Question for the entire film is: who are you, Lawrence? Are you ordinary or are you extraordinary? At the beginning, Lawrence is a cocky, rebellious young soldier who believes his rebelliousness makes him superior. Every iconic scene in that three-hour film tests that belief. Sometimes Lawrence acts as though he truly is extraordinary—leading the Arabs into battle, being hailed as a god—and sometimes the world strips him bare and he sees himself as ordinary. Because it's a tragedy, he never overcomes his flaw. He doubles down on his belief that he's extraordinary until he becomes monstrous, culminating in that iconic scene where he lifts a bloody dagger and sees his own reflection with horror. Will also used Jaws to demonstrate how this works in a pure action thriller. Brody's dramatic question is simple: are you going to be old Brody who is terrified of the water, or new Brody who can overcome that fear? Every scene where the shark appears is really asking that question. And the last moment of the film isn't the shark blowing up. It's Brody swimming back through the water, saying he used to be scared of the water and he can't imagine why. Actionable step: Write down the Dramatic Question for your protagonist in a single sentence. Is it “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you brave enough to love again?” or “Will you sacrifice your principles for survival?” If you can't answer this with specificity, your character might still be a sketch rather than a person. 3. Get rid of Vague Flaws, and use Absolute Specificity This was one of Will Storr's most important points. He said that vague thinking about characters is really the enemy. When he teaches workshops and asks writers to describe their character's flaw, most of them say something like “they're very controlling.” And Will's response is: that's not good enough. Everyone is controlling. How are they controlling? What's the specific mechanism? He gave the example of a profile he read of Theresa May during the UK's Brexit chaos. Someone who knew her said that Theresa May's problem was that she always thinks she's the only adult in every room she goes into. Will said that stopped him in his tracks because it's so precise. If you define a character with that level of specificity, you can take them and put them in any genre, any situation—a spaceship, a Victorian drawing room, a school playground—and you will know exactly how they're going to behave. The same applies to Arthur Miller's Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, as Will described it: a man who believes absolutely in capitalistic success and the idea that when you die, you're going to be weighed on a scale, just as God weighs you for sin, but now you're weighed for success. That's not a vague flaw. That's a worldview you can drop into any story and watch it combust. Will made another counterintuitive point that I found really valuable: writers often think that piling on multiple traits will create a complex character, but the opposite is true. Starting with one highly specific flaw and running it through the demands of a relentless plot is what generates complexity. You end up with a far more nuanced, original character than if you'd started with a laundry list of vague attributes. Actionable step: Take your protagonist's flaw and pressure-test it. Is it specific enough that you could place this character in any situation and predict their behaviour? If you're stuck at “she's stubborn” or “he's insecure,” keep pushing. What kind of stubborn? What kind of insecure? Find the diagnostic sentence—the Theresa May level of precision. 4. Understand the Heroine's Journey: Strength Through Connection Gail Carriger came on episode 550 to discuss her nonfiction book, The Heroine's Journey, and it completely reframed how I think about some of my own fiction. Gail explained that the core difference between the Hero's Journey and the Heroine's Journey comes down to how strength and victory are defined. The Hero's Journey is about strength through solo action. The hero must be continually isolated to get stronger. He goes out of civilisation, faces strife alone, and achieves victory through physical prowess and self-actualisation. The Heroine's Journey is the opposite. The heroine achieves her goals by activating a network. She's a delegator, a general. She identifies where she can't do something alone, finds the people who can help, and portions out the work for mutual gain. Gail put it simply: the heroine is very good at asking for help, which our culture tends to devalue but which is actually a powerful form of strength. Crucially, Gail stressed that gender is irrelevant to which journey you're writing. Her go-to examples are striking: the recent Wonder Woman film is practically a beat-for-beat hero's journey—Gilgamesh on screen, as Gail described it. Meanwhile, Harry Potter, both the first book and the series as a whole, is a classic heroine's journey. Harry's power comes from his network—Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, his friendships with Ron and Hermione. He doesn't defeat Voldemort alone. He defeats Voldemort because of love and connection. This distinction has real practical consequences for writers. If you're writing a hero's journey and you hit writer's block, Gail said, the solution is usually to isolate your hero further and pile on more strife. But if you're writing a heroine's journey, the solution is probably to throw a new character into the scene—someone who has advice to offer or a skill the heroine lacks. The actual solutions to writer's block are different depending on which narrative you're writing. As I reflected on my own work, I realised that my ARKANE thriller protagonist, Morgan Sierra, follows a hero's journey—she's a solo operative, a lone wolf like Jack Reacher or James Bond. But my Mapwalker fantasy series follows a heroine's journey, with Sienna and her group of friends working together. I hadn't consciously chosen those paths; the stories led me there. But understanding the framework helps me write more intentionally now. Actionable step: Identify which journey your protagonist is on. Does your character gain strength by being alone (hero) or by building connections (heroine)? This will inform every plot decision you make, from how they face obstacles to how your story ends. 5. Use ‘Metaphor Families' to Anchor Dialogue and Voice One of the most practical techniques Matt Bird shared on episode 624 is the idea of assigning each character a “metaphor family”—a specific well of language that they draw from. This gives each character a distinctive voice that goes beyond accent or dialect. Matt explained how in The Wire, one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, every character has a different metaphor family. What struck him was that Omar, this iconic character, never utters a single curse word in the entire series. His metaphor family is pirate. He talks about parlays, uses language that feels like it belongs in Pirates of the Caribbean, and it creates this incredible ironic counterpoint against his urban setting. It tells us immediately that this is a character who sees himself in a tradition of people that doesn't match his immediate surroundings. Matt also referenced the UK version of The Office, where Gareth works at a paper company but aspires to the military. So all of his language is drawn from a military metaphor family. He doesn't talk about filing and photocopying; he talks about tactics and discipline and being on the front line. This tells us that the character has a life and dreams beyond the immediate scene—and it's the gap between aspiration and reality that makes him both funny and believable. He pointed out that a metaphor family sometimes comes from a character's background, but it's often more interesting when it comes from their aspirations. What does your character want to be? What world do they fantasise about inhabiting? That's where their language should come from. In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spiritual hermit, but his metaphor family is military. He uses the language of generals and commanders, and that ironic counterpoint is part of what makes him feel so rich. Actionable step: Assign each of your main characters a metaphor family. It could be based on their job, their background, or—more interestingly—their secret aspirations. Then go through your dialogue and make sure each character is consistently drawing from that well of language. If two characters sound the same when you strip away the dialogue tags, this is the fix. 6. Find the Diagnostic Detail: The Diagonal Toast Avoid clichéd character tags—the random scar, the eye patch, the mysterious limp—unless they serve a deep narrative purpose. Matt Bird on episode 624 was very funny about this: he pointed out that Nick Fury, Odin, and eventually Thor all have eye patches in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eye patches are done, he said. You cannot do eye patches anymore. Instead, look for what I'm calling the “diagonal toast” detail, after a scene Matt described from Captain Marvel. In the film, Captain Marvel is trying to determine whether Nick Fury is who he says he is. She asks him to prove he isn't a shapeshifting alien. Fury shares biographical details—his history, his mother—but then she pushes further and says, name one more thing you couldn't possibly have made up about yourself. And Fury says: if toast is cut diagonally, I can't eat it. Matt said that detail is gold for a writer because it feels pulled from a real life. You can pull it from your own life and gift it to your characters, and the reader can tell it's not manufactured. He gave another example from The Sopranos: Tony Soprano's mother won't answer the phone after dark. The show's creator, David Chase, confirmed on the DVD commentary that this came from his own mother, who genuinely would not answer the phone after dark and couldn't explain why. Matt's practical advice was to keep a journal. Write down the strange, specific things that people do or say. Mine your own life for those hyper-specific details. You just need one per book. In my own writing, I've used this approach. In my ARKANE thrillers, my character Morgan Sierra has always been Angelina Jolie in my mind—specifically Jolie in Lara Croft or Mr and Mrs Smith. And Blake Daniel in my crime thriller series was based on Jesse Williams from Grey's Anatomy. I paste pictures of actors into my Scrivener projects. It helps with visuals, but also with the sense of the character, their energy and physicality. But visual details only take you so far. It's the behavioural quirks—the diagonal toast moments—that make a character feel genuinely alive. That said, physical character tags can work brilliantly when they serve the story. As I discuss in How to Write a Novel, Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike is an amputee, and his pain and the physical challenges of his prosthesis are a key part of every story—it's not a cosmetic detail, it's woven into the action and the character's psychology. My character Blake Daniel always wears gloves to cover the scars on his hands, which provides an angle into his wounded past as well as a visual cue for the reader. And of course, Harry Potter's lightning-shaped scar isn't just a mark—it's a direct connection to his nemesis and the mythology of the entire series. The rule of thumb is: if the tag tells us something about the character's interior life or connects to the plot, it's earning its place. If it's just there to make the character visually distinctive, it's probably a crutch. Game of Thrones takes character tags further with the family houses, each with their own mottos and sigils. The Starks say “Winter is coming” and their sigil is a dire wolf. Those aren't just labels—they're worldview made visible. Actionable step: Start a “diagonal toast” notebook. Every time you notice something strange and specific about someone's behaviour—something that feels too real to be made up—write it down. Then gift it to a character who needs more texture. 7. Displace Your Own Trauma into the Work Barbara Nickless shared something deeply personal on episode 732 that fundamentally changed how I think about putting pain onto the page. While starting At First Light, the first book in her Dr. Evan Wilding series, she lost her son to epilepsy—something called SUDEP, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. One day he was there, and the next day he was gone. Barbara said that writing helped her cope with the trauma, that doing a deep dive into Old English literature and the Viking Age for the book's research became a lifeline. But here's what's important: she didn't give Dr. Evan Wilding her exact trauma. Evan Wilding is four feet five inches, and Barbara described how he has to walk through a world that won't adjust to him. That's its own form of learning to cope when circumstances are beyond your control. She displaced her genuine grief into the character's different but parallel struggle. When I asked her about the difference between writing for therapy and writing for an audience, she drew on her experience teaching creative writing to veterans through a collaboration between the US Department of Defense and the National Endowment for the Arts. She said she's found that she can pour her heartache into her characters and process it through them, even when writing professionally, and that the genuine emotion is what touches readers. We've all been through our own losses and griefs, so seeing how a character copes can be deeply meaningful. I've always found that putting my own pain onto the page is the most direct way to connect with a reader's soul. My character Morgan Sierra's musings on religion and the supernatural are often my own. Her restlessness, her fascination with the darker edges of faith—those come from me. But her Krav Maga fighting skills and her ability to kill the bad guys are definitely her own. That gap between what's mine and what's hers is where the fiction lives. Barbara also said something on that episode that I wrote down and stuck on my wall. She said the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul. I've been thinking about that ever since. On my own wall, I have “Measure your life by what you create.” Different words, same truth. Actionable step: If you're carrying something heavy—grief, anger, fear, regret—consider how you might displace it into a character's different but emotionally parallel struggle. Don't copy your exact situation; transform it. The emotion will be genuine, and the reader will feel it. 8. Write Diverse Characters as Real People When I spoke with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673—Sarah is Choctaw and a historical fiction author honoured by the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian—she offered a perspective that every fiction writer needs to hear. The key message was to move away from stereotypes. Don't write your American Indian character as the “Wise Guide” who exists solely to dispense mystic wisdom to the white protagonist. Don't limit diverse characters to historical settings, as though they only exist in the past. Place them in normal, contemporary roles. Your spaceship captain, your forensic scientist, your small-town baker—any of them can be American Indian, or Nigerian, or Japanese, and their heritage should be a lived-in part of their identity, not the sole reason they exist in the story. I write international thrillers and dark fantasy, and my fiction is populated with characters from all over the world. I have a multi-cultural family and I've lived in many places and travelled widely, so I've met, worked with, and had relationships with people from different cultures. I find story ideas through travel, and if I set my books in a certain place, then the story is naturally populated with the people who live there. As I discuss in my book, How to Write a Novel, the world is a diverse place, so your fiction needs to be populated with all kinds of people. If I only populated my fiction with characters like me, they would be boring novels. There are many dimensions of difference—race, nationality, sex, age, body type, ability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, class, culture, education level—and even then, don't assume that similar types of people think the same way. Some authors worry they will make mistakes. We live in a time of outrage, and some authors have been criticised for writing outside their own experience. So is it too dangerous to try? Of course not. The media amplifies outliers, and most authors include diverse characters in every book without causing offence because they work hard to get it right. It's about awareness, research, and intent. Actionable step: Audit the cast of your current work in progress. Have you written a mono-cultural perspective for all of them? If so, consider who could bring a different background, perspective, or set of cultural specifics to the story. Not as a token addition, but as a real person with a real life. 9. Respect Tribal and Cultural Specificity Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673 was emphatic about one thing: never treat diverse groups as monolithic. If you're writing a Native American character, you must research the specific nation. Choctaw is not Navajo, just as British is not French. Sarah described the distinct cultural markers of the Choctaw people—the diamond pattern you'll see on traditional shirts and dresses, which represents the diamondback rattlesnake. They have distinct dances and songs. She said that if she saw someone in traditional dress at a distance, she would know whether they were Choctaw based on what they were wearing. She encouraged writers who want to write specifically about a nation to get to know those people. Go to events, go to a powwow, learn about the individual culture. She noted that a big misconception is that American Indians exist only in the past—she stressed that they are still here, still living their cultures, and fiction should reflect that present reality. I took a similar approach when writing Destroyer of Worlds, which is set mostly in India. I read books about Hindu myth, watched documentaries about the sadhus, and had one of my Indian readers from Mumbai check my cultural references. For Risen Gods, set in New Zealand with a young Maori protagonist, I studied books about Maori mythology and fiction by Maori authors, and had a male Maori reader check for cultural issues. Research is simply an act of empathy. The practical takeaway is this: if you're going to include a character from a specific cultural background, do the work. Use specific cultural details rather than generic signifiers. Sarah talked about how even she fell into stereotypes when she was first writing, until her mother pointed them out. If someone from within a culture can fall into those traps, the rest of us certainly can. Do the research, try your best, ask for help, and apologise if you need to. Actionable step: If you're writing a character from a specific culture, identify three to five sensory or behavioural details that are particular to that culture—not the generic version, but the real, researched, lived-in version. Consider hiring a sensitivity reader from that community to check your work. 10. Give Your Protagonist a Morally Neutral ‘Hero' Status Matt Bird was clear about this on episode 624: the word “hero” simply means the protagonist, the person we follow through the story. It's a functional role, not a moral label. We don't have to like them. We don't even have to root for their goals in a moral sense. We just have to find them compelling enough to invest our attention in their problem-solving. Think of Succession, where every member of the Roy family is varying degrees of awful, and yet the show was utterly compelling. Or WeCrashed, where Adam Neumann is a narcissistic con artist, but we can't look away because he's trying to solve the enormous problem of building an empire from nothing, and the tradecraft he employs is fascinating. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, readers must want to spend time with your characters. They don't have to be lovable or even likable—that will depend on your genre and story choices—but they have to be captivating enough that we want to spend time with them. A character who is trying to solve a massive problem will naturally draw investment from the audience, even if we wouldn't want to have tea with them. Will Storr extended this idea by pointing out that the audience will actually root for a character to solve their problem even if the audience doesn't actually want the character's goal to be achieved in the real world. We don't really want more billionaires, but we invested in Adam Neumann's rise because that was the problem the story posed, and our brains are wired to invest in problem-solving. This connects to something deeper: what does your character want, and why? As I explore in How to Write a Novel, desire operates on multiple levels. Take a character like Phil, who joins the military during wartime. On the surface, she wants to serve her country. But she also wants to escape her dead-end town and learn new skills. Deeper still, her father and grandfather served, and by joining up, she hopes to finally earn their respect. And perhaps deepest of all, her father died on a mission under mysterious circumstances, and she wants to find out what happened from the inside. That layering of motivation is what turns a flat character into a three-dimensional one. The audience doesn't need to be told all of this explicitly. It can emerge through action, dialogue, and the choices the character makes under pressure. But you, the writer, need to know it. You need to know what your character really wants deep down, because that desire—more than any external plot device—is what drives the story forward. And your antagonist needs the same depth. They also want something, often diametrically opposed to your protagonist, and they need a reason that makes sense to them. In my ARKANE thriller Tree of Life, my antagonist is the heiress of a Brazilian mining empire who wants to restore the Earth to its original state to atone for the destruction caused by her father's company. She's part of a radical ecological group who believe the only way to restore Nature is to end all human life. It's extreme, but in an era of climate change, it's a motivation readers can understand—even if they disagree with the solution. Actionable step: If you're struggling to make a morally grey character work, make sure their problem is big enough and their methods are specific and interesting enough that we invest in the how, even if we're ambivalent about the what. 11. Build Vibrant Side Characters Gail Carriger made a point on episode 550 that was equal parts craft advice and business strategy. In a Heroine's Journey model, side characters aren't just fodder to be killed off to motivate the hero. They form a network. And because you don't have to kill them—unlike in a hero's journey, where allies are often betrayed or removed so the hero can be further isolated—you can pick up those side characters and give them their own books. Gail said this creates a really voracious reader base. You write one series with vivid side characters, and then readers fall in love with those side characters and want their stories. So you write spin-offs. The romance genre does this brilliantly—think of the Bridgerton books, where each sibling gets their own novel. The side character in one book becomes the protagonist in the next. Barbara Nickless experienced this firsthand with her Dr. Evan Wilding series. She has River Wilding, Evan's adventurous brother, and Diana, the axe-throwing research assistant, and her editor has already expressed interest in a spin-off series with those characters. Barbara described creating characters she wants to spend time with, or characters who give her nightmares but also intrigue her. That's the dual test: are they interesting enough for you to write, and interesting enough for readers to demand more? As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, characters that span series can deepen the reader's relationship with them as you expand their backstory into new plots. Readers will remember the character more than the plot or the book title, and look forward to the next instalment because they want more time with those people. British crime author Angela Marsons described it as readers feeling like returning to her characters is like putting on a pair of old slippers. Actionable step: Look at your supporting cast. Is there a side character who is vivid enough to carry their own story? If not, what could you add—a specific hobby, a distinct voice, a compelling backstory—that would make readers want more of them? 12. Use Voice as a Rhythmic Tool Voice is one of the most important elements of novel writing, and Matt Bird helped me think about it in a technical, mechanical way that I found really useful. He pointed out that the ratio of periods to commas defines a character's internal reality. A staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short sentences—suggests a character who is certain, grounded, or perhaps survivalist and traumatised. Katniss in The Hunger Games has a period-heavy voice. She's in survival mode. She doesn't have time for complexity or qualification. A flowing, comma-heavy style suggests someone more academic, more nuanced, or possibly more scattered and manipulative. The character who qualifies everything, who adds sub-clauses and digressions, is a different kind of person from the character who speaks in declarations. This is something you can actually measure. Pull up a passage of your character's dialogue or internal monologue and count the periods versus the commas. If the rhythm doesn't match who the character is supposed to be, you've found a mismatch you can fix. Sentence length is the heartbeat of your character's persona. And voice extends beyond rhythm to the words themselves. As I discussed in the metaphor families tip, each character should draw from a distinctive well of language. But voice also encompasses their relationship to silence. Some characters talk around the thing they mean; others say it straight. Some are self-deprecating; others are blunt to the point of rudeness. All of these choices are character choices, not just style choices. I find it useful to read my dialogue aloud—and not just to check for naturalness, but to hear whether each character sounds distinct. If you could swap dialogue lines between two characters and nobody would notice, you have a voice problem. One practical test: cover the dialogue tags and see if you can tell who's speaking from the words alone. Actionable step: Choose a key passage from your protagonist's point of view and read it aloud. Does the rhythm match the character? A soldier under fire should not sound like a philosophy professor at a wine tasting. Adjust the ratio of periods to commas until the voice feels right. 13. Link Character and Plot Until They're Inseparable Will Storr made the case on episode 490 that the number one problem he sees in the writing he encounters—in workshops, in submissions, even in published books—is that the characters and the plots are unconnected. There's a story happening, and there are people in it, but the story isn't a product of who those people are. He said a story should be like life. In our lives, the plots are intimately connected to who we are as characters. The goals we pursue, the obstacles we face, the same problems that keep recurring—these are products of our personalities, our flaws, our specific ways of being in the world. His framework is that your plot should be designed specifically to plot against your character. You've got a character with a particular flaw; the plot exists to test that flaw over and over until the character either transforms or doubles down and explodes. Jaws is the perfect example. Brody is afraid of water. A shark shows up in the coastal town he's responsible for protecting. The entire plot is engineered to force him to confront the one thing he cannot face. Will pointed out that the whole plot of Jaws is structured around Brody's flaw. It begins with the shark arriving, the midpoint is when Brody finally gets the courage to go into the water, and the very final scene isn't the shark blowing up—it's Brody swimming back through the water. Even a film that's ninety-eight percent action is, at its core, structured around a character with a character flaw. This is the standard I aspire to in my own work, even in my action-heavy thrillers. The external plot should be a mirror of the internal struggle. When those two are aligned, the story becomes irresistible. Will also made an important point about series fiction, which is where most commercial authors live. I asked him how this works when your character can't be transformed at the end of every book because there has to be a next book. His answer was elegant: you don't cure them. Episodic TV characters like Fleabag or David Brent or Basil Fawlty never truly change—and the fact that they don't change is actually the source of the comedy. But every episode throws a new story event at them that tests and exposes their flaw. You just keep throwing story events at them again and again. That's a soap opera, a sitcom, and a book series. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, character flaws are aspects of personality that affect the person so much that facing and overcoming them becomes central to the plot. In Jaws, the protagonist Brody is afraid of the water, but he has to overcome that flaw to destroy the killer shark and save the town. But remember, your characters should feel like real people, so never define them purely by their flaws. The character addicted to painkillers might also be a brilliant and successful female lawyer who gets up at four in the morning to work out at the gym, likes eighties music, and volunteers at the local dog shelter at weekends. Character wounds are different from flaws. They're formed from life experience and are part of your character's backstory—traumatic events that happened before the events of your novel but shape the character's reactions in the present. In my ARKANE thrillers, Morgan Sierra's husband Elian died in her arms during a military operation. This happened before the series begins, but her memories of it recur when she faces a firefight, and she struggles to find happiness again for fear of losing someone she loves once more. And then there's the perennial advice: show, don't tell. Most writers have heard this so many times that it's easy to nod and then promptly write scenes that tell rather than show. Basically, you need to reveal your character through action and dialogue, rather than explanation. In my thriller Day of the Vikings, Morgan Sierra fights a Neo-Viking in the halls of the British Museum and brings him down with Krav Maga. That fight scene isn't just about showing action. It opens up questions about her backstory, demonstrates character, and moves the plot forward. Telling would be something like: “Morgan was an expert in Krav Maga.” Showing is the reader discovering it through the scene itself. Actionable step: Look at the main plot events of your novel. For each major turning point, ask: does this scene specifically test my protagonist's flaw? If not, can you redesign the scene so that it does? The tighter the connection between character and plot, the more powerful the story. 14. The ‘Maestra' Approach: Write Out of Order If you're a discovery writer like me, you may feel like the deep character work I've been describing sounds more suited to plotters. But Barbara Nickless gave me a beautiful metaphor on episode 732 that reframes it entirely. Barbara described her evolving writing process as being like a maestra standing in front of an orchestra. Sometimes you bring in the horns—a certain theme—and sometimes you bring in the strings—a certain character—and sometimes you turn to the soloist. It's a more organic and jumping-around process than linear writing, and Barbara said she's only recently given herself permission to work this way. When I told her that I use Scrivener to write in scenes out of order and then drag and drop them into a structure later, she was genuinely intrigued. And this is how I've always worked. I'll see the story in my mind like a movie trailer—flashes of the big emotional scenes, the pivotal confrontations, the moments of revelation—and I write those first. I don't know how they hang together until quite late in the process. Then I'll move scenes around, print the whole thing out, and figure out the connective tissue. The point is that discovery writers can absolutely build deep characters. Sometimes writing the big emotional scenes first is how you discover who the character is before you fill in the rest. You don't need a twenty-page character worksheet or a 200-page outline like Jeffery Deaver. You need to be willing to follow the character into the unknown and trust that the structure will emerge. As Barbara said, she writes to know what she's thinking. That's the discovery writer's credo. And I would add: I write to know who my characters are. Actionable step: If you're stuck on your current chapter, skip it. Write the scene that's burning in your imagination, even if it's from the middle or the end. That scene might be the key to unlocking who your character really is. 15. Use Research to Help with Empathy Research shouldn't just be about factual accuracy—it's a tool for finding the sensory details that create empathy. Barbara Nickless described research as almost an excuse to explore things that fascinate her, and I feel exactly the same way. I would go so far as to say that writing is an excuse for me to explore the things that interest me. Barbara and I both travel for our stories. For her Dr. Evan Wilding books, she did deep research into Old English literature and the Viking Age. For my thriller End of Days, I transcribed hours of video from Appalachian snake-handling churches on YouTube to understand the worldview of the worshippers, because my antagonist was brought up in that tradition. I couldn't just make that up. I had to hear their language, feel their conviction, understand why they would hold venomous serpents as an act of faith. Barbara also mentioned getting to Israel and the West Bank for research, and I've been to both places too. Finding that one specific sensory detail—the smell of a particular location, the specific way an expert handles a tool, the sound of a particular kind of music—makes the character's life feel lived-in. It's the difference between a character who is described as living in a place and a character who inhabits it. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, don't write what you know. Write what you want to learn about. I love research. It's part of why I'm an author in the first place. I take any excuse to dive into a world different from my own. Research using books, films, podcasts, and travel, and focus particularly on sources produced by people from the worldview you want to understand. Actionable step: For your next piece of character research, go beyond reading. Watch a documentary, visit a location, talk to someone who lives the experience. Find one sensory detail—a smell, a sound, a texture—that you couldn't have invented. That detail will make your character feel real. Bonus: Measure Your Life by What You Create In an age of AI and a tsunami of content, your ultimate brand protection is the quality of your human creation. Barbara Nickless said that the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. Don't be afraid to take that step back, like I did with my deadlifting. Take the time to master these deeper craft skills. It might feel like you're slowing down or going backwards by not chasing the latest marketing trend, but it's the only way to step forward into a sustainable, high-quality career. Your characters are your signature. No AI can replicate the specificity of your lived experience, the emotional truth of your displaced trauma, or the sensory details you've gathered from a life of curiosity and travel. Those are yours. Pour them into your characters, and they will resonate for years to come. Actionable Takeaway: Identify the Dramatic Question for your current protagonist. Can you state it in a single sentence with the kind of specificity Will Storr described? Is it as clear as “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you the only adult in the room?” If you can't answer it with that kind of precision, your character might still be a sketch. Give them a diagonal toast moment today. Find the one hyper-specific detail that proves they are not an imitation of life. And then ask yourself: does your plot test your character's flaw in every major scene? If you can align those two things—a precisely defined character and a plot that exists to test them—you will have a story that readers cannot put down. References and Deep Dives The episodes I've referenced today are all available with full transcripts at TheCreativePenn.com: Episode 732 — Facing Fears, and Writing Unique Characters with Barbara Nickless Episode 673 — Writing Choctaw Characters and Diversity in Fiction with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer Episode 624 — Writing Characters with Matt Bird Episode 550 — The Heroine's Journey with Gail Carriger Episode 490 — How Character Flaws Shape Story with Will Storr Books mentioned: The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love by Matt Bird The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book by Joanna Penn You can find all my books for authors at CreativePennBooks.com and my fiction and memoir at JFPennBooks.com Happy writing! How was this episode created? This episode was initiated created by NotebookLM based on YouTube videos of the episodes linked above from YouTube/TheCreativePenn, plus my text chapters on character from How to Write a Novel. NotebookLM created a blog post from the material and then I expanded it and fact checked it with Claude.ai 4.6 Opus, and then I used my voice clone at ElevenLabs to narrate it. The post Writing Characters: 15 Actionable Tips For Writing Deep Character first appeared on The Creative Penn.

At 81 years old, Daniel Johnson from Starks, Louisiana joins Nikita Koloff on It's Time to Man Up to share his powerful story of faith and purpose. After attending a Man Up conference, Daniel felt God leading him to drive 16 hours to get to the conference. He reflects on growing up with a strong Christian foundation, the loss of his wife, and how the experience renewed his conviction to serve God and others. Daniel's testimony is a reminder that it's never too late to get off the sidelines and make an impact for God's kingdom.

Check out Cam's latest novel / audio drama here! How extensive is the connection between the Starks and their direwolves? Is it a metaphor about house sigils and "the pack," or is GRRM suggesting something more monstrous and surreal? In this episode, we're chasing the direwolves of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' across space and time, culminating in a brand new theory about the creatures that Cam has dubbed "weirwolves". We also return to Maggie's (increasingly metatextual) Comet Corner and reflect on the brutally contemporary fascism of the Goldcloaks. Finally, we investigate the idea that both the books and the show slowly abandon the story's most surreal and fantastical elements. LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram Feedback & Theories: secondbreakfastpod@gmail.com

The doctor will SLAY you now!Andy Conduit-Turner is joined by New Fear's Eve directors PJ Starks and Eric Huskisson to discuss the slasher film that is now streaming on Screambox!Follows three best friends who involuntarily prepare for Hooper Industries' annual New Year's Eve party, which turns deadly when a murderer sets his sights on them.Trailer - https://youtu.be/nRHzPglVBtUwww.horrorhangout.co.ukPodcast - https://fanlink.tv/horrorhangoutPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/horrorhangoutFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/horrorhangoutpodcastX - https://x.com/horror_hangout_TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@horrorhangoutpodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/horrorhangoutpodcastAndy - https://instagram.com/andyctwrites/P.J - https://www.instagram.com/p.j.starks/Eric - https://www.instagram.com/erichuskisson/Audio credit - Taj Eastonhttp://tajeaston.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thehorrorhangout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity LeaveAmy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms' Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report. They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention. Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine.01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility16:56 Flexibility Tops Requests17:15 Ambition And The 97 Percent17:52 Survey Logistics And Reach18:34 Return To Office Pushback20:51 Why Leaders Cling To Control22:42 TED Talk And Moving Abroad25:04 Launching Mothered Magazine27:04 Super Bowl Holiday Hypocrisy28:46 Advice For The 97 And 4031:06 Where To Find The Report31:32 Feminine Strength ClosingFind the 2026 'Future of Working Motherhood' report along with key updates from Executive Moms here, and follow Alexa on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

In this episode of Geek Freaks Headlines, we break down the latest report that a Game of Thrones movie is in the works and may center on Aegon's Conquest. Frank talks about why this is one of the biggest stories fans have been waiting for, why Beau Willimon feels like a strong choice to write it, and how the movie could balance dragon-sized spectacle with the character drama that made Westeros so compelling in the first place. The episode also gets into early fan casting chatter, including names like Henry Cavill and Jacob Elordi, while making it clear that no casting has been announced yet.00:00 Introduction to the Game of Thrones movie report00:08 Why Aegon's Conquest is one of the big stories fans have wanted00:19 Three dragons, major Targaryens, and familiar Westeros houses00:26 Why Beau Willimon is an interesting writing choice00:37 The challenge of balancing spectacle with character drama00:51 The family tension and succession drama that could drive the film01:06 Why a Warner Bros. theatrical release could mean a bigger budget01:10 Why Henry Cavill rumors are still just fan casting01:21 Frank's fan casting thoughts and question for listenersA Game of Thrones movie is reportedly moving ahead instead of a new series focused on Aegon the Conqueror.Aegon's Conquest and Robert's Rebellion remain two of the most wanted live action Westeros stories.The reported choice of Beau Willimon suggests the project may lean into layered writing instead of pure spectacle.The real hook of an Aegon story is not just dragons and war, but the internal Targaryen drama.No casting has been confirmed, despite online fan casting conversations.A theatrical release could give the project a much larger scale than an HBO series version.“For the Game of Thrones fan, there's two big stories they're waiting for, and that's Aegon's Conquest and Robert's Rebellion.”“All Game of Thrones, you have to balance the spectacle with the character drama.”“It needs to be a very charismatic Targaryen. He's kind of the Targaryen that starts off everything we know.”A movie centered on Aegon's Conquest could reshape the future of the Game of Thrones franchise on screen. It opens the door to one of the most important events in Westerosi history, brings in iconic houses like the Starks and Lannisters, and gives fans a story that feels big enough for theaters while still leaving room for political and family tension.Enjoyed the episode? Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show using #GeekFreaksPodcast. Your support helps more geek culture fans find the show and join the conversation.Follow Geek Freaks for more news, reactions, and episode drops.Facebook: Geek Freaks PodcastThreads: @geekfreakspodcastPatreon: Geek Freaks PodcastTwitter: @geekfreakspodInstagram: @geekfreakspodcastWho do you want to see play Aegon the Conqueror? Would you rather see Henry Cavill, Jacob Elordi, or someone completely different? Send us your thoughts and we may feature them in a future episode.For more geek news, visit Geek Freaks Podcast for ongoing coverage and updates on everything happening in fandom.Game of Thrones, Aegon's Conquest, Game of Thrones movie, Beau Willimon, Henry Cavill, Jacob Elordi, House of the Dragon, Warner Bros, HBO, Targaryen, Westeros, Geek Freaks Headlines, fantasy news, TV and movie news, pop culture podcastTimestampsKey TakeawaysMemorable QuotesWhy This Story MattersCall to ActionFollow UsListener QuestionsNews SourceApple Podcast Tags

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrated as a democratic space for all Americans, the major league ballpark in fact privileged the middle- and upper-class white male fan while tacitly marginalizing poor urban residents and people of color. Seth S. Tannenbaum examines how the game's economically and socially stratified system reflected changing understandings of urban space, inclusion, and the body politic. Major League Baseball owners and executives masked exclusion and division by touting the game's accessibility and instituting few overtly discriminatory policies. Affluent white males enjoyed a comfortable, safe space that reinforced their status as the prototypical American citizen. At the same time, ballparks relocated in response to how these favored fans felt about cities. Tannenbaum traces this journey from the urban locales of the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium through the suburban-oriented Dodger Stadium and Houston Astrodome to the cloistered fantasy of city life offered by Camden Yards. As he shows, owners' pursuit of greater profits incorporated existing barriers that helped shape the structure of modern parks. A revealing social history, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark (U Illinois Press, 2026) revises the persistent myth of the ballpark as an egalitarian melting pot. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we revive our time-honored tradition of checking out indie films that directors pitch our way to shine some extra light and love in their direction. Prepare yourself for a horror comedy with a satisfying mix of gore and laughs in equal measure. Join us as we check out a new holiday slasher streaming now on Scream Box: New Fears Eve directed by P.J. Starks and Eric Huskisson from 2025. But before all that, Jason dishes on some newer streaming shows, and Dustin drives down nostalgia lane to revisit a Fulci favorite. And so much more! Part of the Prescribed Films Podcast Network (www.thepfpn.com) What We've Been Watching: -Jason: Black Phone 2 (2025) & A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026) & The Traitors (2026) -Dustin: Assault of the Party Nerds II (1995) & City of the Living Dead (1980) & Resident Evil Requiem: Evil Has Always Had a Name (2026) & The Muppet Show Special Presentation (2026) Show Notes: -New Fears Eve Trailer -Go check out all the other fine shows on the Prescribed Films Podcast Network -Related Film: Black Phone -Related Series: Game of Thrones -Related Series: Who's the Murderer -Related Series: Crime Scene -Related Topic: Jubensha -Related Film: Assault of the Party Nerds -Related Film: The Beyond -Related Film: The House by the Cemetery -Related Game: Resident Evil Requiem -Related Game: Resident Evil 2 -Related Film: Resident Evil -Related Film: Weapons -Related Series: The Muppet Show -Related Series: Sesame Street -Related Film: 13 Slays til X-Mas -Related Topic: Up All Night -Related Film: Muck -Related Topic: Mothman -Related Film: The Burning -Related Film: Clerks -Related Topic: View Askewniverse -Related Series: The Office -Related Film: Final Destination -Related Film: Halloween -Related Film: My Bloody Valentine -Related Film: Saw -Related Film: Re-Animator -Related Film: Phantasm -Related Film: Brain Dead/Dead Alive -Related Film: Terrifier -Related Band: K7 Army -Related Film: New Years Evil -Related Film: Bloody New Year -Related Film: Sleepless in Seattle -Related Film: Ghostbusters II -Related Film: Terror Train -Related Film: Dr. Giggles -Related Film: Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan -Related Topic: Trepanning -Related Film: Eddington -Related Film: Halloween II -Related Topic: What Sleeps Beneath: Interview with P.J. Starks -Related Film: I Know What You Did Last Summer -Related Film: Scream -Related Film: Porky's -Related Film: American Pie -Related Topic: Mel Brooks -Related Film: Hell Night -Related Film: Camp Blood -Related Film: Return of the Living Dead Rebootquel -Related Film: Black Christmas -Related Film: Undertone -Related Film: Urban Legend Next Time: Valentine (2001)

Highly promising basketball player Chris Washburn was selected third overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. But a chance encounter with famed basketball player Len Bias introduced him to crack cocaine. Soon, the overwhelming temptations of fame, fortune, and drugs derailed his promising career. And by 1989, after failing his third drug test, Chris was banned from the NBA. His life then spiraled into addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and near-death experiences. Yet, in 2000, a turning point came when he lost his father. This loss fueled Chris's resolve to change. With incredible strength and determination, he fought back from the depths of addiction. Today, Chris is a beacon of hope and resilience. He is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate, inspiring others with his journey of recovery from addiction, and redemption. From speaking to youth groups and drug rehab centers to sharing his powerful story with the NBA, Chris is now making a positive difference in the world. Co-written with bestselling author Ron Chepesiuk, Out of Bounds: From Broken NBA Dreams to Redemption (WildBlue Press, 2025) describes in dramatic, heart-wrenching detail Chris's remarkable journey, which included finding his birth mother, and proves that it's never too late to rise again. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Highly promising basketball player Chris Washburn was selected third overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. But a chance encounter with famed basketball player Len Bias introduced him to crack cocaine. Soon, the overwhelming temptations of fame, fortune, and drugs derailed his promising career. And by 1989, after failing his third drug test, Chris was banned from the NBA. His life then spiraled into addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and near-death experiences. Yet, in 2000, a turning point came when he lost his father. This loss fueled Chris's resolve to change. With incredible strength and determination, he fought back from the depths of addiction. Today, Chris is a beacon of hope and resilience. He is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate, inspiring others with his journey of recovery from addiction, and redemption. From speaking to youth groups and drug rehab centers to sharing his powerful story with the NBA, Chris is now making a positive difference in the world. Co-written with bestselling author Ron Chepesiuk, Out of Bounds: From Broken NBA Dreams to Redemption (WildBlue Press, 2025) describes in dramatic, heart-wrenching detail Chris's remarkable journey, which included finding his birth mother, and proves that it's never too late to rise again. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Highly promising basketball player Chris Washburn was selected third overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. But a chance encounter with famed basketball player Len Bias introduced him to crack cocaine. Soon, the overwhelming temptations of fame, fortune, and drugs derailed his promising career. And by 1989, after failing his third drug test, Chris was banned from the NBA. His life then spiraled into addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and near-death experiences. Yet, in 2000, a turning point came when he lost his father. This loss fueled Chris's resolve to change. With incredible strength and determination, he fought back from the depths of addiction. Today, Chris is a beacon of hope and resilience. He is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate, inspiring others with his journey of recovery from addiction, and redemption. From speaking to youth groups and drug rehab centers to sharing his powerful story with the NBA, Chris is now making a positive difference in the world. Co-written with bestselling author Ron Chepesiuk, Out of Bounds: From Broken NBA Dreams to Redemption (WildBlue Press, 2025) describes in dramatic, heart-wrenching detail Chris's remarkable journey, which included finding his birth mother, and proves that it's never too late to rise again. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Highly promising basketball player Chris Washburn was selected third overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. But a chance encounter with famed basketball player Len Bias introduced him to crack cocaine. Soon, the overwhelming temptations of fame, fortune, and drugs derailed his promising career. And by 1989, after failing his third drug test, Chris was banned from the NBA. His life then spiraled into addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and near-death experiences. Yet, in 2000, a turning point came when he lost his father. This loss fueled Chris's resolve to change. With incredible strength and determination, he fought back from the depths of addiction. Today, Chris is a beacon of hope and resilience. He is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate, inspiring others with his journey of recovery from addiction, and redemption. From speaking to youth groups and drug rehab centers to sharing his powerful story with the NBA, Chris is now making a positive difference in the world. Co-written with bestselling author Ron Chepesiuk, Out of Bounds: From Broken NBA Dreams to Redemption (WildBlue Press, 2025) describes in dramatic, heart-wrenching detail Chris's remarkable journey, which included finding his birth mother, and proves that it's never too late to rise again. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/drugs-addiction-and-recovery

The drone revolution is here — and it's transforming retail, logistics, and the future of mobility. In this episode, Aaron Starks, President & CEO of 47G, breaks down how autonomous delivery, air taxis, and advanced aerospace technology are reshaping the way products move and consumers shop. You'll learn: • How autonomous drones will change last‑mile delivery and retail logistics • Why Utah is becoming a national hub for aerospace, defense, and air mobility • What retailers must prepare for as air taxis and drone delivery scale nationwide A deep, forward‑looking conversation for anyone building, investing in, or operating the future of commerce.  

Robin Linus, Liam Eagen, Ying Tong Lai are the co-founders of {ideal}: an initiative which recently created Argo: a garble circuits scheme which enabled 2000x efficiency gains for BitVM. The group aims to use cryptography in order to advance privacy and scalability in Bitcoin. Time stamps: 00:01:17 Introducing Liam Eagen, Robin Linus & Ying Tang Lai 00:02:17 Origin of Ideal Group & Naming 00:05:03 Funding, Investors & Bootstrapping 00:06:43 Comparison to Other Teams & Technical Progress 00:09:52 Challenges in Auditing & Implementation 00:12:10 Rapid Progress in BitVM & Garbled Circuits 00:14:37 Defining BitVM & Use Cases 00:19:24 BitVM, Soft Forks, and Bitcoin Upgrades 00:23:03 Ideal Solution for Bitcoin Upgrades 00:25:17 Simplicity, Covenants, and Script Upgrades 00:27:06 Favorite Michael Saylor Analogies & Podcast Ads 00:32:47 Bitcoin Maximalism, ETFs, and Institutionalization 00:37:17 Privacy, Censorship Resistance, and Fungibility 00:40:06 Blockchain Analysis & Privacy Risks 00:41:30 Shielded Client-Side Validation & Privacy Protocols 00:45:57 Zcash, Private Pools, and Inflation Bugs 00:51:45 Soft Forks vs. Embedded Consensus for Privacy 01:01:34 Quantum Computing Threats & Post-Quantum Cryptography 01:17:37 Freezing Satoshi's Coins & UTXO Expiry 01:23:32 Block Space Demand, Ordinals, and Collectibles 01:25:44 Rollups, Block Space, and Bitcoin Culture 01:33:23 Argo: The New Garbling Scheme 01:38:05 Monero, Privacy Coins, and Community Ethos 01:40:25 Future Vision for Bitcoin 01:42:38 STARKs, SNARKs, and Zero-Knowledge Proofs 01:50:08 Conferences, Community, and Outreach 01:58:11 Ideal Project Status, Mainnet, and Naming 02:00:05 Closing Remarks & How to Follow {ideal}

Harry "Bucky" Lew leapt over pro basketball's color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the United States and the full integration of all major league sports that soon followed. Covering Lew's entire sporting career and major league legacy, this biography shows how he persevered and triumphed over adversity to provide a shining example for those seeking full participation across the sports spectrum. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Harry "Bucky" Lew leapt over pro basketball's color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the United States and the full integration of all major league sports that soon followed. Covering Lew's entire sporting career and major league legacy, this biography shows how he persevered and triumphed over adversity to provide a shining example for those seeking full participation across the sports spectrum. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Harry "Bucky" Lew leapt over pro basketball's color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the United States and the full integration of all major league sports that soon followed. Covering Lew's entire sporting career and major league legacy, this biography shows how he persevered and triumphed over adversity to provide a shining example for those seeking full participation across the sports spectrum. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Harry "Bucky" Lew leapt over pro basketball's color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the United States and the full integration of all major league sports that soon followed. Covering Lew's entire sporting career and major league legacy, this biography shows how he persevered and triumphed over adversity to provide a shining example for those seeking full participation across the sports spectrum. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Harry "Bucky" Lew leapt over pro basketball's color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the United States and the full integration of all major league sports that soon followed. Covering Lew's entire sporting career and major league legacy, this biography shows how he persevered and triumphed over adversity to provide a shining example for those seeking full participation across the sports spectrum. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

This week we talk NEW FEARS EVE with writer, director, producer P.J. Starks NEW FEARS EVE follows three best friends who involuntarily prepare for Hooper Industries' annual New Year's Eve party, which turns deadly when a murderer sets his sights on them. If you want to support the show, head over to http://tee.pub/lic/HIbVFqhaUyA and grab a shirt! We are proud to be part of The Dorkening Podcast Network https://www.thedorkeningpodcastnetwork.com/ Find out more at https://wicked-horror-show.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/wicked-horror-show/4172b6df-b528-4e8b-b733-7d5ec987f114 This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Filmmaker and co-director of New Fears Eve, P.J. Starks joins the show to talk about the film and much more.For more info on New Fears Eve and P.J.'s other films visit:https://bloodmoonpictures.com/

We're joined by directors Eric Huskisson and P.J. Starks to discuss their newest film New Fears Eve! It's time to open your tongues and say DIE::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::Check out Blood Moon Pictures here: https://bloodmoonpictures.com/https://www.facebook.com/BloodMoonPics/https://www.instagram.com/bloodmoonpictures15/?hl=en::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::Visit our website for episodes, blogs, reviews, and short stories: https://whatsyourleastfavoritescarymovie.com/ Follow us for daily fun, polls, and calls for reviews: BlueSky (@LeastFavPod)Instagram & Threads (@leastfavoritescarymoviepodcast)Facebook (What's Your (Least) Favorite Scary Movie?)Trav's Instagram for more of his cool art (@groovykami)Talia's Instagram, because you can't have too many puppy pictures in your life (@ill.talia.what)E-mail us:leastfavoritescarymovie@gmail.com Merch:https://www.redbubble.com/people/WYLFSMPod/shop Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/Whatsyourleastfavoritescarymovie

In this session, we hear directly from two leaders within the Utah Governor's Office as they share key insights into the state's economic direction. Mike Mower opens with a powerful look at Utah's history of entrepreneurship — from pioneer merchants to modern innovators — and how that spirit continues to shape the state's resilience and identity. Following him, Ryan Starks provides a strategic overview of Utah's economic priorities, including the role of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, the inland port network, and the policies designed to support retailers, manufacturers, and emerging industries. Together, they offer a rare, inside look at how Utah balances quality of life, business‑friendly regulation, infrastructure development, and long‑term economic vision. A valuable session for anyone interested in leadership, public policy, logistics, or the blueprint behind one of the strongest economies in the nation.

Abdel is one of the most prolific developers in the Zero Knowledge space. Since our conversation in September, he was able to accomplish so much that he requested another interview to talk about it. So what happened with ZK STARKs that is so important? Time stamps: 00:01:04 Podcast Introduction & Sponsor Acknowledgments 00:02:15 Vlad's Rant on Bitcoin Media & Podcast Landscape 00:03:24 Bitcoin Takeover Podcast Mission & Seven-Year Anniversary 00:04:39 Transition to Abdel's Updates & ZK-STARKS 00:05:44 Abdel's Zcash & Bitcoin Proposals 00:07:00 Comparing Bitcoin and Zcash Community Reactions 00:08:36 Altcoins as Experimentation Grounds 00:11:23 Scaling, Rollups, and Drivechains 00:13:10 Abdel's Proposal for Native STARK Verification 00:17:19 Zcash's TDE and Layer 2 Possibilities 00:19:22 ZK-Rollups, Privacy, and Regulatory Pressures 00:21:02 Government Surveillance & KYC Concerns 00:24:26 Cultural Stigma Around Bitcoin Privacy 00:25:34 Zcash's SEC Presentation & Institutional Acceptance 00:28:58 Debate on Privacy, Transparency, and Backdoors 00:30:00 Bitcoin's Social Layer & Governance 00:32:47 Critique of Bitcoin Perfectionism & Altcoin Dismissal 00:35:49 Bitcoin's Mission: P2P Cash vs. Store of Value 00:36:49 Learning from Ethereum & Second-Layer Innovations 00:37:24 Sponsor Plugs & BTCfi Introduction 00:40:14 BTCfi: Bitcoin Staking & Yield Mechanisms 00:46:15 Bridging BTC to StarkNet & Atomic Swaps 00:48:36 BTCfi: KYC, Permissionless DeFi, and Institutional Offerings 00:50:59 DeFi Risks & Bitcoin Staking Security 00:51:40 ZK-STARK Verifiers on Bitcoin Cash 00:53:10 Bitcoin Cash, Zcash, and Social Layer Value 00:58:54 Bitcoin Cash's Technical Innovations & Community Dynamics 01:00:04 Quantum Resistance: Investor Fears & Satoshi's Coins 01:02:29 Quantum Threat Timeline & Migration Planning 01:10:25 Quantum-Resistant Signatures & Scalability Trade-offs 01:11:20 Hard Fork vs. Soft Fork for Quantum Resistance 01:13:08 Consensus, Confiscation Proposals, and Social Risks 01:17:56 Stagnation in Bitcoin Development & Altcoin Innovation 01:23:12 Ethereum's Role in Crypto Ecosystem 01:25:24 Zcash's Dual Incentives & Institutional Recognition 01:28:08 Zcash's Future: Innovation vs. Ossification 01:30:39 Sponsor Plugs: Noones & SideShift 01:33:42 Quantum Resistance Migration: Hard Fork Efficiency 01:37:11 Bitcoin's Future: Security, Consensus, and Upgrades 01:43:09 Bull Markets, Technological Breakthroughs, and Lightning 01:45:18 Lightning's Shift to B2B & Retail Challenges 01:47:02 Bitcoin Treasury Companies & Business Models 01:49:18 Seinfeld Analogy & Bitcoin's Societal Impact 01:52:11 Magic Wand: Abdel's One Change for Bitcoin 01:54:03 Legitimate Altcoins & Project Criteria 01:57:16 Monero, Kaspa, Litecoin, and Altcoin Usefulness 02:02:06 ZK-STARKs: Complementary or Standard? 02:06:21 ZK-STARKs for Fast Bitcoin Syncing 02:10:27 Call for Wallet Integration & User Experience 02:14:08 Bull Bitcoin Wallet & Open Source Security 02:22:02 Freedom Tech, Nostr, and ZK for Sovereignty 02:26:02 ZK-STARKs: Career Opportunities & Verification 02:28:41 Outro & Listener Easter Egg

Paul Knepper is the author of the new book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet which tells the story of Moses Malone, the first modern-day player to jump from high school basketball to the pros, paving a path for future star players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James to follow.Paul's first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks, and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. He covered the New York Knicks as a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. Prior to that, he wrote for the defunct website Love of Sports. On this episode Mike & Paul explore Moses Malone's significant yet often overlooked impact on the landscape of professional basketball, particularly as the first modern player to transition directly from high school to the NBA. Knepper shares the challenges and triumphs faced by Malone throughout his illustrious career. We delve into the intense recruitment process that surrounded Malone, illustrating how coaches resorted to various illicit tactics to secure his commitment. Moreover, the discussion encompasses Malone's transformative presence on the Philadelphia 76ers during their 1983 championship season, highlighting his pivotal role in their success. Through personal anecdotes and historical context, this episode aims to shed light on Malone's legacy, affirming his rightful place among basketball's greatest figures, a narrative that has been largely forgotten by contemporary NBA fans.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you're subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and while you're there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you're hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Listen and learn on this episode with Paul Knepper, author of the new book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet.Website - https://pauljknepper.com/Email - paulknepper@gmail.comTwitter/X - @paulieknepVisit our Sponsors!Dr. Dish BasketballThe Dr. Dish Training Management System (TMS) is built for coaches who want structure, accountability, and smarter player development.Here's what you can do with TMS:✅ Advanced Stats Tracking✅ Assign Custom Workouts✅ Team Insights✅ Multi-Drill Workouts✅ On-Demand LibraryAll in one platform. All from your computer.

What happens when sports decision-making collides with business interests, legal battles, and moral dilemmas? Sports Chaos dives into the unpredictable world where experts, executives, and athletes must navigate high-stakes choices that shape the future of sports. From billion-dollar deals to ethical debates over owner and athlete behavior, this book unpacks The Colliding Reasons Problem, real-life cases where business, law, and morality clash in the sports industry. With insights from professionals across these fields, the authors explore how to balance profits, rules, and fairness through a new decision process called The Decision Dynamics Process. If you've ever been curious about sports behind the headlines, Sports Chaos will change the way you view the decisions shaping your favorite teams and athletes. Don't just watch the game—understand the forces driving it. Grab your copy of Sports Chaos today and explore the hidden dynamics behind sports decisions! Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What happens when sports decision-making collides with business interests, legal battles, and moral dilemmas? Sports Chaos dives into the unpredictable world where experts, executives, and athletes must navigate high-stakes choices that shape the future of sports. From billion-dollar deals to ethical debates over owner and athlete behavior, this book unpacks The Colliding Reasons Problem, real-life cases where business, law, and morality clash in the sports industry. With insights from professionals across these fields, the authors explore how to balance profits, rules, and fairness through a new decision process called The Decision Dynamics Process. If you've ever been curious about sports behind the headlines, Sports Chaos will change the way you view the decisions shaping your favorite teams and athletes. Don't just watch the game—understand the forces driving it. Grab your copy of Sports Chaos today and explore the hidden dynamics behind sports decisions! Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

What happens when sports decision-making collides with business interests, legal battles, and moral dilemmas? Sports Chaos dives into the unpredictable world where experts, executives, and athletes must navigate high-stakes choices that shape the future of sports. From billion-dollar deals to ethical debates over owner and athlete behavior, this book unpacks The Colliding Reasons Problem, real-life cases where business, law, and morality clash in the sports industry. With insights from professionals across these fields, the authors explore how to balance profits, rules, and fairness through a new decision process called The Decision Dynamics Process. If you've ever been curious about sports behind the headlines, Sports Chaos will change the way you view the decisions shaping your favorite teams and athletes. Don't just watch the game—understand the forces driving it. Grab your copy of Sports Chaos today and explore the hidden dynamics behind sports decisions! Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

What happens when sports decision-making collides with business interests, legal battles, and moral dilemmas? Sports Chaos dives into the unpredictable world where experts, executives, and athletes must navigate high-stakes choices that shape the future of sports. From billion-dollar deals to ethical debates over owner and athlete behavior, this book unpacks The Colliding Reasons Problem, real-life cases where business, law, and morality clash in the sports industry. With insights from professionals across these fields, the authors explore how to balance profits, rules, and fairness through a new decision process called The Decision Dynamics Process. If you've ever been curious about sports behind the headlines, Sports Chaos will change the way you view the decisions shaping your favorite teams and athletes. Don't just watch the game—understand the forces driving it. Grab your copy of Sports Chaos today and explore the hidden dynamics behind sports decisions! Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, is now available. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I got to talk to Kristen Starks and we get into our girls! We start out in Utah with our snowflakes (Meredith you did everything they said you did along with your sidekick Lisa) then head on down to the P to talk our Cherry Blossoms (Angel...girl please!) Make sure you check out Kristen on TikTok! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a textTheon has the freedom of Winterfell while Ramsay is distracted by Arya. He gets wooed by Abel's women and learns the source of Barbrey Dustin's animus towards the Starks. Simon and Mackelly try to see light at the end of the tunnel.Chapter Review:Theon Greyjoy roams Winterfell considering whether he might escape. But since The Iron Islands are death to him, and Winterfell is the only home he's ever known, where would he go? Intel arrives that the snow storm that blights the castle has impacted Stannis even more - his march has ground to a halt.Rowan, one of Abel's women, asks Theon to describe how he took Winterfell, so that he might be immortalized in song. He refuses to share. Her kindness reeks of a Ramsay trap. Sour Alyn has been telling people that Ramsay keeps Arya chained naked to the bed. Theon knows this not to be true as he acts as her maid. She is bruised and frequently in tears however.Barbrey Dustin thinks those tears are more dangerous than Stannis' swords. The north fear the Boltons but love the Starks. A sentiment that she doesn't share. She confides in Theon why she hates the Starks and why she's looking out for Ned's bones headed north. They won't make it to the crypts of Winterfell, she'll feed them to her dogs.  Characters/Places/Names/Events:Reek - Broken shell of Theon Greyjoy.Ramsay Bolton - Newly legitimized son of Roose Bolton. Nasty piece of work.Roose Bolton - Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North.Arya Stark - Youngest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Princess of Winterfell.Jeyne Poole - Married to Ramsay Bolton masquerading as Arya Stark.Barbrey Dustin - Lady of House Dustin.Wyman Manderly - Lord of White Harbor. Support the showSupport us: Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks Donate to our cause Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible Buy or gift Marriott Bonvoy points through our affiliate link Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.Find us on social media: Discord Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal Facebook Instagram YouTube All Music credits to Ross Bugden:INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M

In this episode of the Brains Magazine podcast, Mark Sephton interviews Alexa Starks, founder of Executive Moms, who discusses the importance of creating parent-friendly workplace cultures. Alexa shares her personal experiences and insights on how organizations can better support working parents through flexible policies, empathy in management, and the need for training in leadership roles. The conversation highlights the barriers to implementing these changes and the significant impact of poor support on parents in the workforce. Alexa emphasizes the importance of open communication and providing tools for both managers and employees to foster a supportive environment.In this episode, we discover:Parenthood reshapes identity — and workplaces must adapt.Parent-forward culture is about flexibility for everyone.Managers need training, not just policies.Flexibility builds trust and loyalty.Culture change starts with language.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ViewsFromTheTrap sat down with Starks, creator of Black Codes, for a raw conversation straight from the block. He opened up about his upbringing, the roots of his brand, and how it's driven by the Black struggle and his deep love for Queens. Starks spoke on staying grounded, chasing legacy, and using his art to spread truth and unity. The talk was unfiltered and real — the type of story that makes you feel the pain, pride, and purpose behind his movement. It's a message for anyone grinding to build something bigger than themselves while staying true to their roots.For anything related to viewsfromthetrap hit the link belowhttps://linktr.ee/Viewsfromthetrap?fbclid=PAAabcH8r4kw_TJ8Wmr8ISU9rnEvGD5DqjBBO4Ukz_gcc86AktumeSt1k81_E

On this episode of The Still Real to Us Show:-- We break down NXT No Mercy and why it feels like the official start of the Ricky Starks era in NXT!-- TNA vs. NXT has shifted from an “invasion” storyline to a full-on showdown — and we explain why this might be the most exciting thing happening in wrestling today!-- Andrade is back in AEW… but with the way his WWE exit played out, did Tony Khan pull the trigger too soon? We debate if AEW should have waited!-- Champion vs. Champion is back on the stage at Crown Jewel — do these main events still get you hyped, and why could this year's matches have huge implications moving forward?-- John Cena's final match is official for Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13th in Washington, DC! We look at who should be his last-ever opponent and why this will be one of the biggest wrestling moments of the year!

John, VP of Product at Horizen Labs, breaks down how Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) shift us from “trust” to “zero doubt.” We cover what ZK is (with an intuitive cave/password analogy), why ZK rollups matter, and how ZK Verify aims to be a dedicated, hyper-efficient proof-verification blockchain (think “B2B chain” living behind apps). We discuss tradeoffs (security/decentralization/throughput), SNARKs vs STARKs, real use cases (logins, proof of personhood, high-frequency trading privacy), why some things are over-hyped (prediction markets), and what's next (mainnet, grants, API tools, and massive proof scalability). If you care about scaling Web3 without sacrificing trustlessness, this one's for you.Timestamps[00:00] John's path from banking product to ZK & Horizen Labs[00:03] What Horizen Labs builds; the through-line of ZK across products[00:05] ZK explained: proving without revealing (the cave & secret door)[00:08] Why ZK rollups: decongesting Ethereum and lowering gas[00:10] ZK Verify: a dedicated chain for proof verification (Celestia-style specialization)[00:13] Product vision: mainnet, throughput, efficiency; exploring more of the ZK stack[00:14] Who uses it: “B2B blockchain” for high-volume proofs (DEX/HFT, logins, identity)[00:16] The trilemma still exists; where ZK helps and where tradeoffs remain[00:18] SNARKs vs STARKs; trusted setups & security nuance[00:21] Scaling challenges: fast-moving ZK landscape; substrate upgrades; mainstream timing[00:24] Adoption: UX, stablecoins, institutions, and avoiding another FTX moment[00:31] “Zero doubt” > “trust”: why ZK removes the need to trust[00:32] Most over-hyped now? Prediction markets (and a caveat)[00:36] Roadmap: capacity, aggregation, sample apps, grants, dev onboarding[00:40] Ask: builders, followers, grant applicants, API usersConnecthttps://horizenlabs.io/https://www.linkedin.com/company/horizenlabs/https://x.com/horizenlabshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/johncamardo/https://x.com/john_camardoDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. Finally, it would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Eric Starks, Chairman of FTR (Freight Transportation Research Associates). Together they discuss the pending $85 billion dollar Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger, the current status of the U.S. economy, an update on U.S. manufacturing and production including new railcar production, rail traffic, market trends and risks, a forecast for 2026 and much more. We also announce our 2025 Honor our Heroes Award winner! Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading! You can find this episode and more on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net , and watch our YouTube Channel at the link below. Welcome aboard!KEY POINTS: The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, now downloaded in 57 countries around the world!The podcast continues to experience incredible growth in downloads and subscribers. Mr. Starks is a graduate of Indiana University and was an Adjunct Lecturer at Indiana University, Kelley School of Business for 4 years, teaching MBA students Transportation and Distribution Strategy, and was instrumental in creating the Indiana University Transportation Board.Eric does a deep-dive into our current U.S. economy and GDP and gives us his opinion on whether or not they are where we expected them to be.Don and Eric discuss Tariffs, what their intended use is by the current administration, and whether or not they are providing the intended results.Eric gives his opinion of the pros and cons of the pending UP and NS merger, and they discuss the recently announced BNSF and CSX partnership.Don and Eric do a thorough review of current rail traffic, velocity, dwell times, commodity and car type trends, and more.You don't want to miss Eric's 2026 forecast!Our 2025 – American Railroading Podcast - Honor our Heroes Award winner is……You'll have to listen to the end of the episode to find out.

In this week's 5 Yrs Ago Flashback episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show (9-30-2020), PWTorch editor Wade Keller was joined by PWTorch.com TV reporter and PWTorch VIP podcast host Tyler Sage to analyze AEW Dynamite with live callers and emails. They discuss Cody's return with a dose of psychoanalysis of his on-air character, the Chris Jericho-MJF segment and where this storyline could be headed, Adam Page's reaction to news of Kenny Omega wrestling a singles match, Ricky Starks vs. Darby Allin, FTR, the disgraced Billy Mitchell getting a Miro rub, and much more with live callers and emails.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-post-shows--3275545/support.

William Muldoon was an infamous athlete whose prowess, savvy, and chicanery across his six-decade career led him to wealth, cultural importance, and political power. Muldoon, the child of poor Irish immigrants, began wrestling in the 1870s and quickly became one of the most famous athletes of the post–Civil War era. He started acting and modeling as his popularity grew, making him one of the first sports stars to achieve crossover success. After a triumphant stint rehabilitating fallen boxing heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan in 1889, he retired from the ring and began a new career as a fitness impresario, founding an elite gymnasium and remaking himself as a health authority in the press. He became trainer to the rich, famous, and politically powerful, which led to his appointment as chair of the New York State Athletic Commission in the 1920s. From this position, Muldoon exerted his influence over the rules of boxing and wrestling and weaponized his power to maintain segregation in sport. The Last Gladiator: William Muldoon and the Making of American Sports (U Texas Press, 2025) is a deep, insightful dive into Muldoon's life and impact, demonstrating the significance of this often-controversial figure in the development of American sports, professional wrestling, and physical and popular culture. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, will be out on November 1. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

William Muldoon was an infamous athlete whose prowess, savvy, and chicanery across his six-decade career led him to wealth, cultural importance, and political power. Muldoon, the child of poor Irish immigrants, began wrestling in the 1870s and quickly became one of the most famous athletes of the post–Civil War era. He started acting and modeling as his popularity grew, making him one of the first sports stars to achieve crossover success. After a triumphant stint rehabilitating fallen boxing heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan in 1889, he retired from the ring and began a new career as a fitness impresario, founding an elite gymnasium and remaking himself as a health authority in the press. He became trainer to the rich, famous, and politically powerful, which led to his appointment as chair of the New York State Athletic Commission in the 1920s. From this position, Muldoon exerted his influence over the rules of boxing and wrestling and weaponized his power to maintain segregation in sport. The Last Gladiator: William Muldoon and the Making of American Sports (U Texas Press, 2025) is a deep, insightful dive into Muldoon's life and impact, demonstrating the significance of this often-controversial figure in the development of American sports, professional wrestling, and physical and popular culture. Paul Knepper covered the New York Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book was The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All. His next book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, will be out on November 1. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Abdel is a Starkware engineer who, over the last 7 years, went from building EIP 1559 on Ethereum to becoming a Bitcoin maximalist who wants ZK STARKs to happen. In this episode, we talk about his journey & some of Bitcoin's cultural issues. Time stamps: 00:00:59 - Sponsors: Sideshift, Citrea, Bitcoin.com News, LayerTwo Labs, NoOnes.com 00:01:38 - Abdel's unique journey: From Ethereum core dev at ConsenSys to Bitcoin maximalism 00:02:17 - Early Bitcoin curiosity (2011-2012) vs Ethereum's "world computer" appeal 00:03:51 - Fintech background: Working for banks before fighting them 00:04:31 - Always a Bitcoin + Ethereum maxi: Building unstoppable systems 00:06:07 - North Star vs "Nostr": Unstoppable vs compromised systems 00:06:23 - Fintech to DeFi? Payments focus, not advanced trading 00:07:29 - First Ethereum contributions: Smart contracts 00:09:09 - Deep dive: Championing EIP-1559 (fee burn, ultrasound money) 00:11:03 - EIP-1559's governance risks: Changing monetary policy on the fly 00:11:16 - Ethereum's slippery slopes: DAO hard fork to fee burns 00:12:12 - Ethereum as anti-Bitcoin experiment: From colored coins to rollups 00:13:48 - Ethereum Classic hopes; market follows narratives, not fixed supply 00:14:28 - EIP-1559 process: 2+ years of debate vs Bitcoin's immutability 00:15:59 - Boiling frog with Vitalik: Accumulating compromises (trusted setups) 00:18:28 - Ethereum precedents: Premine, PoS migration, rushed upgrades 00:19:14 - Social layer strength: Protects core principles vs nation-states 00:19:41 - Non-tech users in governance: Better than dev-only control 00:22:32 - Educating the social layer: Privacy warnings in Bitcoin tools 00:24:26 - Risks: Bitcoin (tech obsolescence) vs Ethereum (social dilution) 00:26:49 - Bitcoin meetups: Ideology & tech vs Ethereum's builder focus 00:28:00 - Shocking anti-Bitcoin sentiment from Ethereum side 00:29:52 - PoW beauty: External entropy, fair distribution (not Ponzi) 00:31:44 - PoW vs PoS: Tolerating Ethereum's PoS for decentralization 00:34:20 - Bitcoin's privacy crisis: Needs scale + affordability 00:36:43 - Sponsor: Layer2 Labs (Drivechains for sidechains like Zcash fork) 00:38:02 - Sponsor: Citrea (ZK rollup on Bitcoin via BitVM2) 00:40:09 - Citrea drama: Unfair criticism amid filter wars 00:42:40 - Citrea vs Alpen: First-to-market wins (garbled circuits delay) 00:46:01 - Video game analogy: Duke Nukem Forever vs pragmatic launches 00:47:25 - Lesson from Ethereum: Optimistic rollups dominate despite ZK superiority 00:48:56 - Dev events vs mainstream: Bridging tech narratives to plebs 01:10:00 - Fragmentation in Bitcoin community, why plebs dismiss innovation 02:30:00 - Off-topic: Immigration in Europe (Romania/France parallels, economic pressures) 02:38:16 - Bitcoin as catalyst: Inflation from crises drives adoption 02:39:46 - Decentralization as development sign: Small-scale consensus 02:42:11 - New chains start centralized; trust incentives lacking in L2s 02:44:41 - Starkware as bridge to Bitcoin: Pre-existing interest 02:45:57 - Elevator pitch: STARK proofs for Bitcoin (open-source, battle-tested) 02:48:21 - Endgame: Verify STARKs on Bitcoin for programmability + privacy 02:49:52 - Meme magic: One STARK proof is smaller in size than a photo, costs less than a Big Mac, can be verified in a blink 02:52:29 - STARKs vs SNARKs: No trusted setup, quantum-secure, hash-based 02:54:31 - Experiments: Cashu with STARKs (private programmable e-cash) 02:58:37 - Nostr DVMS: Verifiable AI/services in permissionless marketplace 03:01:16 - Cashu origin story: Bar chat with Calle to Jack Dorsey endorsement 03:03:16 - Cashu honesty: Not scaling, but privacy bridge vs custodians 03:06:25 - Nihilism in Bitcoin: Mental gymnastics vs Ethereum's build-first ethos 03:07:48 - Permission culture: Asking nodes for ZK proofs/Lightning channels 03:08:27 - Event split: Dev confs (BTC++) vs narrative fests (BTC Prague) 03:10:29 - Why invest without understanding? Newbie wave acceleration 03:11:23 - Niche value: In-between content bridges extremes 03:13:48 - Who listens matters: Robin Linus' DM is more important than mass views 03:16:07 - Still early days: 16 years in, aim for 1B daily users 03:16:39 - Special word: "Grinta" (grit mindset) for full listeners 03:18:14 - Outro: Thanks & next: Shai on PoW improvements

In this episode, Anna Rose and Guillermo Angeris speak with Bobbin Threadbare and Gaylord Warner from Miden to explore their zkVM and edge blockchain architecture. The group also reminisces on how they've each been a part of the ZK Whiteboard Sessions over the years. Bobbin shares Miden's earliest beginnings from Winterfell at Facebook through its development within Polygon to the recent spin-out as an independent project. The team discusses their custom ISA designed for blockchain use cases, and the multi-stage compilation pipeline that supports it. The conversation also covers Miden's pragmatic approach to privacy implementation, their plans for gradual decentralization starting with a centralized L2, and how they incentivize users to keep state off-chain through multidimensional fee structures. Related links: ZK Whiteboard Episode 373: Ethproofs, zkVM Benchmarks & the Unstoppable Rise of ZK with Justin Drake Episode 369: Ligero for Memory-Efficient ZK with Muthu Episode 367: Local-First with grjte and Goblin Oats Episode 365: ZK in Sui & zkAt with Kostas Kryptos Episode 210: The Road to STARKs and Miden with Bobbin Threadbare ZK Whiteboard Sessions - Module Four: SNARKs vs STARKs with Bobbin Threadbare ZK13: Lifted FRI: A uniform multi-domain polynomial commitment scheme ZK Study Club - STARKs overview - Session 4  ZK Hack Berlin Winterfell Fruity Friends Check out the NEW ZK Whiteboard Season 3 here. **If you like what we do:**

Link to family tree! Game of Thrones is typically considered to be the most popular television show of all time based on its massive global reach and deep cultural impact. If you haven't seen it, it's an 8 season historical fantasy series based on a book series by George R. R. Martin about different houses, different families, the Starks, the Lannisters, the Targaryens, the Baratheons, all battling and plotting and backstabbing each other to try to sit on the iron throne. It's pretty awesome. It's definitely worth watching. But this episode isn't about Game of Thrones, not the fictional one anyway. It's about the real life game of thrones that went down in 15th century England, the inspiration for the books and the show, the War of the Roses. In today's story the House of Lancaster and the House of York will duke it out, not for the iron throne, but for the throne of England an an unlikely victor will arise. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)Buy some merchBuy Me a CoffeeVenmo @Shea-LaFountaineSources: Encyclopedia Britannica "War of the Roses"British Library "The bride's journey"Historic Royal Palaces "The Princes in the Tower"Wikipedia "John of Gaunt"Heritage History "Henry VII"Wikipedia "War of the Roses"History.com "War of the Roses"ThoughtCo "War of the Roses: An Overview"Shoot me a message!

In this week's 5 Yrs Ago Flashback episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show (8-22-2020), PWTorch editor Wade Keller was joined by PWTorch Newsletter columnist Greg Parks and former PWTorch Newsletter columnist Eric Krol (circa 1990) to discuss the special Aug. 22 episode of AEW Dynamite, a special Saturday night edition on TNT. They begin with the upset TNT Title win of Brodie Lee over Cody and the post-match angle, Chris Jericho challenging Orange Cassidy to a Mimosa Mayhem Match, the latest Jon Moxley-MJF hype, Kenny Omega snaps and is talked down by The Young Bucks again, Sammy Guevera-Matt Hardy angle, Darby Allin-Ricky Starks, angle, the Tag Team Gauntlet announcement, and more. Then they read emails from listeners and react.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-post-shows--3275545/support.

Writer/artist Kyle Starks joins the show to talk about where he's at these days and his upcoming slate of projects. Starks discusses the merits of San Diego Comic Con, his approach to cons, his past few years, comics marketing, back catalog releases, how the moment feels for original comics, Where Monsters Lie's next phase, not letting stories go, Kickstarters, diversifying how you're viewed, Devil on my Shoulder's intensity, what inspired the story, his upcoming Image Comics series WrestleHeist, drawing his own comics, his quiet year, and more, before we close with some serious business NBA talk at the end.