Podcast appearances and mentions of Stephen King

Is this the bleakest episode of The Walking Dead? It's up there for sure. It's also a fantastic episode, with our found family of characters persisting, enduring, surviving, and supporting each other even at their lowest. We're happy to be joined by special guest Megan Lehman as we talk it out.  PS Merry Christmas and happy holidays everybody! We're taking this next week off, so we'll be back with another episode in the new year.  Next up: The Walking Dead S5E10 “The Distance”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to talk@podcastica.com.  Or check out our Walking Dead Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/deadcast. Check out my (Jason's) other podcast, Wax Episodic, where friends and I cover our favorite current shows, like: Fallout, the crazy retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic series, with S2 premiering this week on Amazon Prime Video. Covered by me, Kara, and Kasi. Pluribus, the Twilight-Zoney Apple TV show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, covered by me and Karen. (!) It: Welcome to Derry, the horrific HBO series, prequel to the recent It movies based on the Stephen King book. Covered by me and Shawn of Strange Indeed. Alien: Earth, the heady, gross-out FX/Hulu sci-fi series based on the Alien movies. Covered by me, Randy, and Kara. Available wherever you get podcasts, or at waxepisodic.com   Come join our Discord and chat with me, Lucy, and other listeners:  Don't know what Discord is? It's kind of like a chat forum, our own little private Podcastica space to talk about The Walking Dead, other shows, and whatever else we want. It's free, and it's fun. And Lucy is in there. Invitation link: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe  Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi  Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reposted from The ‘Cast of Us, which you can find at: https://podcastica.com/podcast/the-cast-of-us — Is this the bleakest episode of The Walking Dead? It's up there for sure. It's also a fantastic episode, with our found family of characters persisting, enduring, surviving, and supporting each other even at their lowest. We're happy to be joined by special guest Megan Lehman as we talk it out.  PS Merry Christmas and happy holidays everybody! We're taking this next week off, so we'll be back with another episode in the new year.  Next up: The Walking Dead S5E10 “The Distance”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to talk@podcastica.com.  Or check out our Walking Dead Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/deadcast. Check out my (Jason's) other podcast, Wax Episodic, where friends and I cover our favorite current shows, like: Fallout, the crazy retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic series, with S2 premiering this week on Amazon Prime Video. Covered by me, Kara, and Kasi. Pluribus, the Twilight-Zoney Apple TV show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, covered by me and Karen. (!) It: Welcome to Derry, the horrific HBO series, prequel to the recent It movies based on the Stephen King book. Covered by me and Shawn of Strange Indeed. Alien: Earth, the heady, gross-out FX/Hulu sci-fi series based on the Alien movies. Covered by me, Randy, and Kara. Available wherever you get podcasts, or at waxepisodic.com   Come join our Discord and chat with me, Lucy, and other listeners:  Don't know what Discord is? It's kind of like a chat forum, our own little private Podcastica space to talk about The Walking Dead, other shows, and whatever else we want. It's free, and it's fun. And Lucy is in there. Invitation link: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe  Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi  Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight on We Are Paradox Media's "Late Night in the Rockies" Weekend Ghostess TessaTNT will be reading Stephen King's "You Like It Darker: Stories".Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-are-paradox-media--3672397/support.

The 2025 Entertainment Year-In-Review: A Deep Dive!A Look Back at the Biggest Series, Premieres & Blockbuster Announcements of the Year.2025 proved to be an absolutely massive year for television and streaming, marked by major franchise finales, highly anticipated comic book adaptations, and the arrival of some long-awaited anti-heroes. The entertainment landscape shifted significantly, delivering high-stakes drama and spectacle across the board.The Grand Conclusion: Welcome To Derry FinaleOne of the year's most talked-about events was the climactic finale of the Welcome To Derry series. Acting as a prequel to Stephen King's terrifying It saga, the show had expertly ratcheted up the horror and the lore surrounding Pennywise. The finale, in particular, was lauded for its masterful balance of psychological terror, emotional payoff for the characters, and—critically—setting the stage perfectly for the events of the original It stories without undermining the chilling established canon. It cemented the show as a worthy and terrifying addition to King's universe.Marvel's New Heavyweight: Wonder ManThe Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continued its expansion onto Disney+ with the premiere of Wonder Man. The series, focusing on Simon Williams—the actor, stuntman, and sometimes-Avenger—brought a distinctly Hollywood-centric, satirical, and self-aware flavor to the MCU. Fans and critics appreciated its lighter tone, coupled with the introduction of a powerful yet deeply flawed character. The show explored the complexities of celebrity, ego, and heroism in a fresh way, quickly becoming a fan-favorite and securing a key new player in the cinematic narrative.The Main Man Arrives: The Lobo SeriesPerhaps the most explosive announcement of the year belonged to the long-awaited announcement that Jason Mamoa would portray Lobo. DC Comics' Main Man finally got his own live-action vehicle, and it delivered on the promise of chaotic, ultra-violent, and darkly comedic cosmic mayhem. The series successfully captured the over-the-top, irreverent spirit of the Czarnian bounty hunter, delighting longtime comic fans. Its unapologetic tone and visceral action sequences made it one of the most-streamed and controversial—in the best possible way—new additions to the superhero television genre, promising a wildly different corner of the DC Universe for years to come ... & MORE!!!youtube.com/thenewblerdorder✨ 2025 Year-In-Review!! Welcome To Derry Finale, Wonder Man, Lobo & MORE!!

Covering: #NERDSoul #IT #WelcometoDerry Cast: Jason Reeves: https://www.133art.com/ Solar Grey: https://www.instagram.com/backinthedeck/ . NERDSoul.DÉCKOR: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NERDSoulDeckor

In the finale of IT: Welcome to Derry, the guys dig into how unexpectedly emotional the ending turned out to be, from the weight of the opening scene to the full scope of Pennywise's plan. They break down the build-up to the final showdown, the adults' search for the ceremonial dagger, and how the series gradually shifted from pure horror into something more action-driven without losing its edge.The conversation also explores Pennywise as a character, including connections to The Dark Tower, and how the rising stakes and character arcs gave the finale real impact. As the dust settles on the final confrontation, the guys talk about what the ending sets up, where the story could go next, and why the show ultimately left a lasting impression.Looking back at the series as a whole, they reflect on how it grew beyond nostalgia, deepened emotionally, and found its footing, especially in the final episodes. What started as a familiar Stephen King adaptation became something richer and more confident, leaving them genuinely excited for future seasons and possible spin-offs. Catch Jon Saks and Frank Bonacci here!SadisticDraft ClassChannel F  LINKS FOR MY DEBUT NOVEL, THE FORGOTTEN BOROUGHwww.hauntedamericanhistory.comBarnes and Noble -   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgotten-borough-christopher-feinstein/1148274794?ean=9798319693334AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQPQD68SEbookGOOGLE: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=S5WCEQAAQBAJ&pli=1KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-forgotten-borough-2?sId=a10cf8af-5fbd-475e-97c4-76966ec87994&ssId=DX3jihH_5_2bUeP1xoje_SMASHWORD: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1853316 !! DISTURB ME !! APPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disturb-me/id1841532090SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/3eFv2CKKGwdQa3X2CkwkZ5?si=faOUZ54fT_KG-BaZOBiTiQYOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@DisturbMePodcastwww.disturbmepodcast.com YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@hauntedchris⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok- @hauntedchris LEAVE A VOICEMAIL - 609-891-8658 Patreon- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/hauntedamericanhistory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter- @Haunted_A_HInstagram- haunted_american_historyemail- hauntedamericanhistory@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

O Reflix 165 marca o encerramento da primeira temporada de IT: Bem-Vindo à Derry, com Brunão e Baconzitos debatendo em detalhes o episódio 8, que funciona como o season finale da série. O programa analisa como a narrativa fecha os principais arcos apresentados ao longo da temporada e quais caminhos são deixados abertos para o futuro do universo inspirado na obra de Stephen King. No IT: Bem-Vindo à Derry episódio 8, o confronto com o mal que assombra a cidade atinge seu ponto máximo. Brunão e Baconzitos discutem o papel definitivo de Pennywise, as consequências dos eventos recentes e como o episódio final amarra temas centrais como trauma, memória e ciclos de violência em Derry. Além da análise do episódio, o Reflix 165 também faz um balanço geral da temporada, avaliando acertos, pontos de atenção e o impacto da série dentro do universo de IT. Se você acompanhou cada capítulo e quer entender melhor o desfecho da temporada, este episódio do Reflix é essencial.

O Reflix 165 marca o encerramento da primeira temporada de IT: Bem-Vindo à Derry, com Brunão e Baconzitos debatendo em detalhes o episódio 8, que funciona como o season finale da série. O programa analisa como a narrativa fecha os principais arcos apresentados ao longo da temporada e quais caminhos são deixados abertos para o futuro do universo inspirado na obra de Stephen King. No IT: Bem-Vindo à Derry episódio 8, o confronto com o mal que assombra a cidade atinge seu ponto máximo. Brunão e Baconzitos discutem o papel definitivo de Pennywise, as consequências dos eventos recentes e como o episódio final amarra temas centrais como trauma, memória e ciclos de violência em Derry. Além da análise do episódio, o Reflix 165 também faz um balanço geral da temporada, avaliando acertos, pontos de atenção e o impacto da série dentro do universo de IT. Se você acompanhou cada capítulo e quer entender melhor o desfecho da temporada, este episódio do Reflix é essencial.

In this chapter, Ned nearly dies when he previews Dr. Blackwell's "Quiet Room" right before his sister Ellen brings a team the Liminal Lodge to save him. Will they be able to rescue him? Will they take him to Tacoma General Hospital and have him committed to the psychiatric ward?  Or will Dr. Blackwell keep him in the Liminal Lodge, and finally remove him from his "shell"? For Merch and everything else Bad Magic related, head to: https://www.badmagicproductions.com Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Scared to Death ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our latest book episode, which was recorded in Summer 2024 and had previously been exclusive to the Barrens, the Losers head to the tropics to rank all 12 stories within Stephen King's 2024 collection You Like It Darker. Spoilers within, so please read before you stream. You've been warned. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

They all float down here. Now that It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to Andy Muschietti's It Chapter One and It Chapter Two, has finished its eight-episode run, the Empire Podcast has teamed up with Warner Bros. to bring you a special episode in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer conquer their fears of clowns, spiders, and spider-clowns just long enough to talk about the Andy Muschietti/Barbara Muschietti/Jason Fuchs-created show, its Stephen King connections, its brand new characters, its setting (1962 Derry, Maine), and, of course, Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise, The Dancing Clown, who's back for another bout of bloody mayhem. While not a spoiler special, our very own Losers Club do delve into the show's major twists and turns, so if you haven't seen all eight episodes, they're available to buy now on digital platforms, or you can pre-order them on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD or steelbook from warnerbros.co.uk

They all float down here. Now that It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to Andy Muschietti's It Chapter One and It Chapter Two, has finished its eight-episode run, the Empire Podcast has teamed up with Warner Bros. to bring you a special episode in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer conquer their fears of clowns, spiders, and spider-clowns just long enough to talk about the Andy Muschietti/Barbara Muschietti/Jason Fuchs-created show, its Stephen King connections, its brand new characters, its setting (1962 Derry, Maine), and, of course, Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise, The Dancing Clown, who's back for another bout of bloody mayhem. While not a spoiler special, our very own Losers Club do delve into the show's major twists and turns, so if you haven't seen all eight episodes, they're available to buy now on digital platforms, or you can pre-order them on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD or steelbook from warnerbros.co.uk

We conclude our book adaptation season with a new release that came out in 2025. We discuss Mike Flanagan's adaptation of the Stephen King short story THE LIFE OF CHUCK.  Please send any and all feedback to anotherlookpod@gmail.com.  Please follow us on Instagram @anotherlookpod, and rate/review/subscribe where ever you get your podcasts! Happy Holidays from us at Another Look.

ChemRat Radio and the Under the Hive of Madness studios are as empty and silent as a slumbering Tomb World as our cast takes some time off for the Holidays. But don't worry, they have some goodies to share before dipping a toe into Stephen King's Dark Tower universe. Under the Hive of Madness is a Warhammer 40k Podcast diving into the Horror and Grimdark elements of the setting, so expect some adult themes, adult language, and more than a handful of Khorney Jokes!“All work and no play...” -Email the show! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UndertheHiveofMadness@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join us today on Discord! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Under the Hive of Madness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MERCH!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find our cast through ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Underthehiveofmadness.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Originally Recorded on Monday December 1st and Wednesday December 3rd, 2025 Seasons Greetings, fans! Timothy Kazda and Chris Koenig of That Horror Show Podcast bring you another new episode to tickle your eardrums with delight. Christmas season is upon us, but the show hosts have reviewed two movies that are anything but "Christmas related". If any, the theme of this episode involves animals-on-the-loose! The first movie on the docket is none other than "Cujo" (1983), the cinematic adaptation of the Stephen King novel which presents this concept: take the classic Disney film "Old Yeller" and infuse it with a bite from a rabid bat, all the while 'Who Let the Dogs Out' (yes, we know: the one-hit wonder song is from 2000, but the description fits, damn it!) plays in the background as people are mauled to death by a murderous canine thirsty for human blood...and, if that isn't enough, Dee Wallace has to contend with her panicky son in a beat up Ford Pinto. Yes, fun for the whole family! After that, the hosts tackle none other than "Cocaine Bear" (2023), a "true story" yarn that's more "inspired" than "based", as a black bear ingests duffel bags full of pure uncut coke and then goes on a tear against the following: irate drug dealers, a clueless forest ranger of the female variety, teen toughs (ha!), dopey kids, a grizzled cop who emits "I'm gettin' too old for this shit" vibes, European backpackers that should know better (but don't!), uncaring ambulance personnel, and a mother nurse, all taking place in the year of 1985! And yes, Nate from 'Kids Corner' is onhand to give his personal review for none other than "Friday the 13th: Part 2" (1981). It's a stacked episode, folks, so you know the drill...but if you don't, it's never too late to learn, so click that 'play now' icon and give this episode a spin.  

Yes, they're connected by name. Yes, they're connected by being born within 9 months of each other. Yes, they're connected by their crazy talent to bring the best out of the sci-fi, horror, fantasy genres. But filmmaker Steven Spielberg and best-selling writer Stephen King are most connected by being in the rarefied extremely small subset of creative artists who have both climbed to the top peak of commercial AND artistic success. Spielberg movies like Duel, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. and King works like Carrie, The Shining, It, The Stand, Wizard and Glass have had blockbuster success while also being genuine explorations and expressions of their creators' obsessions. Secret Movie Club founder.programmer Craig Hammill devotes the last podcast of 2025 to a deep dive into what traits and characteristics unite the two artists and what we might learn from them. (We'll be back with our next new pod, SMC Podcast #205-The Movies of 2025 on Friday, January 9, 2026). Happy holidays and happy new year.

The last show of the year is upon us. We are doing something we have never done before. We have covered limited series before. To end the year we also have the return of one of our most asked about guest hosts. It is all killer, no filler this episode as we end things on a strong note.A few weeks back we started following Welcome to Derry. The first two episodes were horrible. Thankfully, the third one improved to just merely bad. We figured that was a good time to take a break from the show. We also knew we would come back to close the whole thing out.It seemed like things would be okay for a couple of shows. They had found their stride. Sure, the CGI was still awful. Yes, the opening credits sucked. Yeah, they kept introducing numerous new subplots every episode. But at least Welcome to Derry was remaining at a consistent level of bad.Then we came to the last three episodes.Everything became progressively worse. Seemingly important characters would disappear then just reappear to progress the story. Important plot points were dropped until the finale. The writing felt like things were being done as the show progressed. And nothing made sense.Don't believe us? That's fair. We spent the whole time talking the show down. The show is made for a newer audience than us. But listen to the people who love the show. Not the ones who just heap praise upon the surface level qualities. The ones who are tying themselves in knots trying to explain what happened in the show. Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

Meg, Hal and Symphony discuss episode 197 of Welcome to Night Vale: The Life of Frank Chen. They get confused about Canadian Provences and they chat about bird attacks and the conclusion of the Frank Chen story. In the FanZone Calzone™ we hear from fans about fingerprints, food opinions and Stephen King similarities.  Find out more about calzones on our ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/goodmorningnightvale⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠. Good Morning Night Vale is a production of ⁠⁠⁠Night Vale Presents⁠⁠⁠ Hosted by Symphony Sanders, Hal Lublin, and Meg Bashwiner Produced by Meg Bashwiner Edited by Felicia Dominguez Mixed by Vincent Cacchione Theme Music by ⁠⁠⁠Disparition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our tour of DC's Absolute Universe continues with Absolute Martian Manhunter Vol. 1: Martian Vision by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez But first, is Jake movin on up? Will Cody be successful one day? Is Cody putting the Red Eye Comedy Fest on hiatus this year? Is this comic psychedelic as fuck? Was Absolute Martian Manhunter made for Comics and Chronic? Is this the best series out of all the Absolute titles? What's the benefit of owning a physical copy of Absolute Martian Manhunter? What's different about the martians in this version? Are Jonn Jonnz and the Martian Manhunter separate entities? Is the Martian Manhunter really just Absolute Gumby? Does this feel like a Grant Morrison story? What makes the art by Javier Rodriguez so special? Will we see martians in the DCU? How are the White Martians different in this universe? Is Darkseid causing everyone to have a fucked up time in the Absolute Universe? Does Martian Manhunter finally get his flowers in this comic? Why is smoke so important in this comic? Should Martian Manhunter in general be more OP? Who is the Martian MILFhunter? Is Deniz Camp a stoner? Will we continue to cover every DC Absolute release on the pod? What are our Absolute rankings? Should we cover The Ultimates next? Is Satan starting a podcast? Is Anthony trying to finish Stephen King's The Dark Tower by the end of the year?Check out the Kickstarter pre-launch page for Superguy issue #2 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mrtonynacho/superguy-2-my-date-with-the-presidents-daughter?ref=creator_tab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠New episodes every THURSDAYFollow us on social media! Bluesky // Instagram // Twitter // TikTok :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comicsnchronic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/channel/UC45vP6pBHZk9rZi_2X3VkzQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠E-mail: comicsnchronicpodcast@gmail.comCodyInstagram // Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@codycannoncomedy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter: @Cody_CannonTikTok: @codywalakacannonJakeInstagram // Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jakefhaha⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AnthonyBluesky // Instagram // Threads // Twitter // TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mrtonynacho⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discussing all episodes of the IT prequel HBO series Welcome to Derry. Pennywise the Clown unleashes, bringing loads of lore to this Stephen King universe - and we'll fill you all the way in on how this universe is connected (Doctor Sleep, The Shining, etc). Socials:  @whysosidiouspod    X  -  Instagram  -  TikTok  -  YouTube  Subscribe, Like, or Comment to interact & request topics! Business Email: whysosidious@yahoo.comWebsite: https://codepen.io/Jeremy-Darr/pen/KwdOWBdSend us your questions/comments!Support the show

If you thought your High School was hell.  Wait til you see it through the eyes of Carrie White.   Based on the very 1st novel by Stephen King.  Brian DePalma's adaptation of Carrie set a high standard of horror movies  and while there have been other versions.  Nothing will best the original.  Listen to The Vern and guest Melissa of The Good Evening Kiddies Podcast discuss the movie and some of the wonderful cast members including Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen, Amy Irving and John Travolta.Ad SpotsThe Rotten TruthAll audio clips and music from the movie Carrie is used only for review purpouses only. So don't be a dick and sue us, okThis Episode appeaered previously on this podcast back in 2020

Frame Fatale es un podcast de películas ¿no canónicas? hecho con amor por Santiago Calori, Axel Kuschevatzky y Sebastián Rotstein.En el centésimo quincuagésimo séptimo episodio nos ocupamos de Ocho días de terror (Maximum Overdrive, 1985) de Stephen King con la presencia estelar de Ricardo Siri aka Liniers, que se autoinvitó.Podés comentar este episodio o agregar una pregunta que nada que ver enviándonos un correo electrónico a ⁠⁠⁠⁠nolahepodidover@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.Quizás sea una pegada total suscribirte en donde sea que escuches tus podcasts y tener la primicia, algo que, de todas maneras, y ya explicamos varias veces, es lo menos importante.

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were tragically murdered over the weekend and the film community is still reeling. Reiner was not only a kind man, someone dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of everybody, and a talented filmmaker, he was one of the very few filmmakers that understood exactly how to translate Stephen King to the big screen. Author Nat Cassidy (The Wolf at the Door) and film commentator Drew McWeeny (The Hip Pocket Podcast) join Beznican and Vespe to discuss the tragic loss of Reiner and celebrate his massive contributions to the world of cinema, from his King adaptations Stand By Me, Misery, and The Shawshank Redemption (which he produced for Frank Darabont) to the genre defining classics This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and A Few Good Men.

In this episode, we break down the biggest and most unsettling stories shaping pop culture right now—spanning Hollywood, sports, film, and reality TV.  

Synopsis This film is another installment in the Creepshow universe, showcasing an anthology of spooky short films based on Stephen King stories. Review of Creepshow 2 I have to admit that I have not seen the first Creepshow, or understand what any of this is supposed to be about, but I am greatly assuming that the first movie is a lot better than this garbage. It seems as though in the first movie they found the best and spookiest Stephen King tales to put to screen, and then for this one they really phoned it in for the cash grab? There are three tales, which thank god there are only three. We'll get into the contents of each tale in spoilers, but the way that this movie starts off with the most boring and pointless and downright racist story baffles me. Don't you wanna hook your viewers? Don't you want to keep butts in seats? Because that story would have made me walk out of the theater, if not for its content, then for its horrible acting. I wish I could say this was even fun to watch how bad it was, but it wasn't. I slightly enjoyed the last story more than the first two but slightly is the operative word here. The in-between sections with the creep and the kid work well, I like how it switched from real life to animated, and I was a lot more invested in that kid's story than I was with any of the anthology. It was a great idea to add that animation, and it got me excited for the film. I was let down greatly. The fact that this is a Stephen King and George Romero collaboration is shocking. They can, and have, done better. Score 3/10

Send us a textDo not judge James Remar!  Few have been tested as he has!

The nightmare comes full circle.

Send us a textEpisode 586"It: Welcome to Derry"Actor: Stephen RiderStephen joins me to talk Hank Grogan, Auditioning for Mike Hanlon, the hate Hank Grogan receives, Pennywise the father in law, The Black Spot,  Shawshank, Stephen King and so much more.Welcome, Stephen Rider#itwelcometoderry #it #welcometoderry #pennywise #hankgrogan #movie #stephenking #stephenkingbooks #podcast #thelosers #losers #pennywisetheclown #pennywisecosplay #pennywisethedancingclown #tbt #periwinkle #denzelwashington #tomhanks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mondaymorningcritic/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mondaymorningcritic/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mondaymorningcriticMondaymorningcritic@gmail.com

For 90 years, Yankee Magazine has been telling stories of and about New England. And for more than half of the magazine's life, Mel Allen has been Yankee's foremost storyteller. Allen wrote his first stories for Yankee in 1977, then held various editorial roles before becoming Yankee's fifth editor in 2006. He retired as editor earlier this year after 48 years with the magazine, which is based in Dublin, NH. I first got to know Mel Allen in the 1980s, when I began writing for Yankee. I had never had an editor quite like him. He didn't just assign stories. He coached, shaped, cajoled and encouraged me and countless other New England writers to do our best work. He even came to Vermont with his two sons to go backcountry skiing with me. They loved it, (he, not so much) and a friendship was kindled. Allen has taught magazine writing and creative nonfiction for the past 25 years at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and teaches in the MFA program at Bay Path University. In 2018, Mel Allen was inducted into the Folio Magazine Hall of Fame for editorial excellence.Mel Allen, 79, recently published a book of essays, Here in New England: Unforgettable Stories of People, Places, and Memories That Connect Us All. The stories take us along on his journey to meet the last horse-and-buggy egg delivery man; the tragic search for a lost boy in Maine; to a town in Maine that refused to die; to meet Stephen King, the “King of Horror”; and to the son of an undocumented Mexican immigrant who graduated at the top of his class at Bowdoin College and worked to bring his mother back home to Arizona where he was raised. Allen is sometimes a participant observer in his stories, as immortalized by Stephen King. “I may be the only writer who not only helped King round up pigs for the market when they escaped, but who also ended up as a character named Mel Allen from the Portland Sunday Telegram in 'The Dead Zone,'" Allen writes in his book.Allen believes in the power of stories to build bridges. These “are stories that transcend the current climate of disunity. That's why I believe these stories can connect us,” Allen told The Vermont Conversation. He said that there a “sense of place in New England that I don't know exists anywhere else.”I asked Allen what makes a good story. “You want to keep turning the page,” he said. “You want to know what's going to happen to this person. You want to care about the person.”With journalism in a state of upheaval, I asked Allen what his advice is to young journalists. “You are drawn to tell stories because of something in you. It's not something that somebody puts on your shoulders and says, Now I want you to go out and to tell those stories,” he said. “If you're called to do that, you follow that calling.”

tep back into the nightmare with the Geekflix crew as we dive into Episode 4 of IT: Welcome to Derry — the darkest, bloodiest, and most revealing chapter yet. Pennywise is back in full force, and this episode gives us major lore drops, brutal horror moments, psychological tension, and new clues about Derry's cursed history. Whether you're a horror fan, a Stephen King diehard, or just obsessed with seeing how far Welcome to Derry will go — this review has everything you need. If you enjoy the breakdown, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and drop your thoughts on Episode 4 below… What was the creepiest moment for YOU? #WelcomeToDerry #ITSeries #Pennywise #Geekflix #HorrorReview #StephenKing #DerryMaine #ITWelcomeToDerry #Episode4 #HBO #HorrorBreakdown #Geekz

Episode Summary This episode is a geek news and trailer roundup with a full IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 finale discussion, plus reactions to the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow teaser and the Netflix live action Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 trailer. We also hit the biggest Game Awards 2025 winners and reveals, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a new Divinity announcement, and first impressions of the Street Fighter movie trailer. Spoiler note: Full spoilers for IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 kick in during the dedicated segment later in the episode. Timestamps and Topics 0:00:00 Intro, holiday check-in, and California fog weather 00:01:22 Question of the Week: Which classic horror movie should become a modern series? 00:05:31 Streaming consolidation talk and why big mergers worry creators and viewers 00:12:08 Far Cry series discussion and what makes the games work as TV 00:17:05 The Game Awards 2025 recap: winners and biggest reveals 00:25:48 Trailer reactions: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow teaser and Lobo glimpse 00:32:52 Trailer reactions: Netflix Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Toph, Azula, bending rules 00:39:25 IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 spoiler discussion and finale thoughts 00:49:28 What's next: Season 2 (1935) and Season 3 (1908) setting breakdown 00:53:03 Ratings and recommendations, plus network updates and wrap-up Key Takeaways The show dives into how streaming consolidation could impact jobs, creativity, and what viewers pay. Far Cry feels like a perfect TV sandbox if it nails the villain and the escalating rebellion vibe. The Game Awards conversation focuses on what looks exciting now versus what might be years away. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow looks like it's keeping the comic's tone and trauma-driven edge front and center. Netflix Avatar Season 2 has the ingredients, but the details matter, especially Toph's presentation and Azula's intensity. IT: Welcome to Derry sticks the landing for the crew, and the back-in-time structure could keep future seasons fresh. Memorable Quotes "Merging in the end makes a small amount of people rich." "That is such a devious strategy. You almost got to respect it." "How does this story about Pennywise make me feel feelings?" "I need to see bloodbending." Call to Action If you enjoyed the episode, follow Geek Freaks on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, leave a five star review, and share the show using #GeekFreaksPodcast. Also keep an eye on our socials for Geekies voting and nominees this week. Links and Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com is the source of all news discussed during our podcast. Follow Us Instagram: @geekfreakspodcast Threads: @geekfreakspodcast Twitter: @geekfreakspod Facebook: Geek Freaks Podcast Patreon: Geek Freaks Podcast Listener Questions Send us what you want covered next, including: Which Game Awards reveal are you most excited to actually play? What moment from IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 hit you the hardest? What Avatar Season 2 moment do you think Netflix cannot afford to cut? Apple Podcast Tags IT: Welcome to Derry, IT Welcome to Derry finale, Pennywise, Stephen King, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, DCU, Lobo, Jason Momoa, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Netflix Avatar live action, Toph, Azula, The Game Awards 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, Knights of the Old Republic, Divinity, Larian Studios, Street Fighter movie, Far Cry series, Noah Hawley, Rob McElhenney, streaming wars, geek news, TV trailers, video game news

The boys head to prison on Devil's Island to discuss 1973's “Papillon”! One of the highest-grossing movies of the year, this true-story account of Steve McQueen's character befriending Dustin Hoffman's character to help keep each other alive and prepare their escape from the no-chance-of-return prison, a world away from their native France. Made by the team behind Oscar-winner “Patton” from 1971, shot very much on location, some call this McQueen's best performance. Before we get into it, John gives us a mini-review of “Hamnet”, the romantic drama film by Chloé Zhao starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, based on the book based on the play. Grab a beer and join in!  linktr.ee/theloveofcinema - Check out our YouTube page!  Our phone number is 646-484-9298. It accepts texts or voice messages.  0:00 Intro; 9:41 John's “Hamnet” mini-review; 15:08 1973 Year in Review; 41:21 Films of 1973: “Papillon”; 1:24:21 What You Been Watching?; 1:29:08 Next Week's Episode Teaser Hosts: Dave Green, Jeff Ostermueller, John Say Edited & Produced by Dave Green. Beer Sponsor: Carlos Barrozo Music Sponsor: Dasein Dasein on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/77H3GPgYigeKNlZKGx11KZ 
Dasein on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dasein/1637517407 Additional Cast & Crew: Chloé Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell, Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Fred J Koenekamp, Henri Charriere, Dalton Trumbo, Lorenzo Semple Jr., William Goldman, Franklin J. Schaffner. Recommendations: Hamnet, Welcome to Derry, The Witcher, Slow Horses, Home Alone, The Righteous Gemstones, Sisu 2, Pluribus, The Exorcist, Enter The Dragon, Live and Let Die, The Sting, American Graffiti, Soylent Green. Additional Tags: French Guyana, Paris, Honduras, Stephen King's It, The Tenant, Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist, Cul-de-Sac, AI, The New York City Marathon, Apartments, Tenants, Rent Prices, Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, Amazon, Robotics, AMC, IMAX Issues, Tron, The Dallas Cowboys, Short-term memory loss, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Netflix, AMC Times Square, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, MGM, Amazon Prime, Marvel, Sony, Conclave, Here, Venom: The Last Dance, Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, Oscars, Academy Awards, BFI, BAFTA, BAFTAS, British Cinema. England, Vienna, Leopoldstadt, The Golden Globes, Past Lives, Apple Podcasts, West Side Story, Adelaide, Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Melbourne, The British, England, The SEC, Ronald Reagan, Stock Buybacks, Marvel, MCU, DCEU, Film, Movies, Southeast Asia, The Phillippines, Vietnam, America, The US, Academy Awards, WGA Strike, SAG-AFTRA, SAG Strike, Peter Weir, Jidaigeki, chambara movies, sword fight, samurai, ronin, Meiji Restoration, plague, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, casket maker, Seven Samurai, Roshomon, Sergio Leone, Clint Eastwood, Stellan Skarsgard, the matt and mark movie show.The Southern District's Waratah Championship, Night of a Thousand Stars, The Pan Pacific Grand Prix (The Pan Pacifics), Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch, Larry Ellison, David Ellison, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg.   

Two friends, three werewolves, zero restraint. In this episode, Dave and Tom sink their teeth into Wes Craven's very regrettable Cursed (2005), the very '80s Silver Bullet, based on the Stephen King graphic novel Cycle of the Werewolf, and the absolutely unhinged Howling II. Starring Christopher Lee. Grab a Dunkin refresher for Tom and an old fashioned for Dave, avoid the full moon, and come for the horror… stay for the gay innuendo.

Dream on America, gun nuts, Stanford is an incubator of idiots, some thoughts on Peter Greene, time to get ready for the prom, some fucked up Stephen King movie, hang up on Black Phone 2, and some dime store philosophy. Stuff mentioned: Pulp Fiction (1994), Mask (1994), The Blob (1988), The Rich Man's Wife (1996), Clean, Shaven (1993), Riding the Bullet (2004), Black Phone 2 (2025), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

What happened is that Tyreese got bitten :( What's going on is that we have Danielle on to talk about this uniquely artful episode of The Walking Dead.  Next up: The Walking Dead S5E9 “Them”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to talk@podcastica.com.  Or check out our Walking Dead Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/deadcast. Check out my (Jason's) other podcast, Wax Episodic, where friends and I cover our favorite current shows, like: Fallout, the crazy retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic series, with S2 premiering this week on Amazon Prime Video. Covered by me, Kara, and Kasi. Pluribus, the Twilight-Zoney Apple TV show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, covered by me and Karen. (!) It: Welcome to Derry, the horrific HBO series, prequel to the recent It movies based on the Stephen King book. Covered by me and Shawn of Strange Indeed. Alien: Earth, the heady, gross-out FX/Hulu sci-fi series based on the Alien movies. Covered by me, Randy, and Kara. Available wherever you get podcasts, or at waxepisodic.com   Come join our Discord and chat with me, Lucy, and other listeners:  Don't know what Discord is? It's kind of like a chat forum, our own little private Podcastica space to talk about The Walking Dead, other shows, and whatever else we want. It's free, and it's fun. And Lucy is in there. Invitation link: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe  Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi  Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can you be more relaxed about your writing process? What are some specific ways to take the pressure off your art and help you enjoy the creative journey? With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre. In the intro, Spotify 2025 audiobook trends; Audible + BookTok; NonFiction Authors Guide to SubStack; OpenAI and Disney agreement on Sora; India AI licensing; Business for Authors January webinars; Mark and Jo over the years Mark Leslie LeFebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as nonfiction books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Mark and Jo co-wrote The Relaxed Author in 2021. You can listen to us talk about the process here. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why the ‘relaxed' author Write what you love Write at your own pace Write in a series (if you want to) Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. You can find Mark Leslie Lefebvre and his books and podcast at Stark Reflections.ca Why the ‘relaxed' author? Joanna: The definition of relaxed is “free from tension and anxiety,” from the Latin laxus, meaning loose, and to be honest, I am not a relaxed or laid-back person in the broader sense. Back in my teens, my nickname at school was Highly Stressed. I'm a Type A personality, driven by deadlines and achieving goals. I love to work and I burned out multiple times in my previous career as an IT consultant. If we go away on a trip, I pack the schedule with back-to-back cultural things like museums and art galleries to help my book research. Or we go on adventure holidays with a clear goal, like cycling down the South-West coast of India. I can't even go for a long walk without training for another ultra-marathon! So I am not a relaxed person — but I am a relaxed author. If I wanted to spend most of my time doing something that made me miserable, I would go back to my old day job in consulting. I was paid well and worked fewer hours overall. But I measure my life by what I create, and if I am not working on a creative project, I am not able to truly relax in my downtime. There are always more things I want to learn and write about, always more stories to be told and knowledge to share. I don't want to kill my writing life by over-stressing or burning out as an author. I write what I love and follow my Muse into projects that feel right. I know how to publish and market books well enough to reach readers and make some money. I have many different income streams through my books, podcast and website. Of course, I still have my creative and business challenges as well as mindset issues, just like any writer. That never goes away. But after a decade as a full-time author entrepreneur, I have a mature creative business and I've relaxed into the way I do things. I love to write, but I also want a full and happy, healthy life. I'm still learning and improving as the industry shifts — and I change, too. I still have ambitious creative and financial goals, but I am going about them in a more relaxed way and in this book, I'll share some of my experiences and tips in the hope that you can discover your relaxed path, too. Mark: One of the most fundamental things you can do in your writing life is look at how you want to spend your time. I think back to the concept of: ‘You're often a reflection of the people you spend the most time with.' Therefore, typically, your best friend, or perhaps your partner, is often a person you love spending time with. Because there's something inherently special about spending time with this person who resonates in a meaningful way, and you feel more yourself because you're with them. In many ways, writing, or the path that you are on as a writer, is almost like being on a journey with an invisible partner. You are you. But you are also the writer you. And there's the two of you traveling down the road of life together. And so that same question arises. What kind of writer-self do you want to spend all your time with? Do you want to spend all your time with a partner that is constantly stressed out or constantly trying to reach deadlines based on somebody else's prescription of what success is? Or would you rather spend time with a partner who pauses to take a contemplative look at your own life, your own comfort, your own passion and the things that you are willing to commit to? Someone who allows that all to happen in a way that feels natural and comfortable to you. I'm a fan of the latter, of course, because then you can focus on the things you're passionate about and the things you're hopeful about rather than the things you're fearful about and those that bring anxiety and stress into your life. To me, that's part of being a relaxed author. That underlying acceptance before you start to plan things out. If the writing life is a marathon, not a sprint, then pacing, not rushing, may be the key. We have both seen burnout in the author community. People who have pushed themselves too hard and just couldn't keep up with the impossible pace they set for themselves. At times, indie authors would wear that stress, that anxiety, that rush to produce more and more, as a badge of honor. It's fine to be proud of the hard work that you do. It's fine to be proud of pushing yourself to always do better, and be better. But when you push too far — beyond your limits — you can ultimately do yourself more harm than good. Everyone has their own unique pace—something that they are comfortable with—and one key is to experiment until you find that pace, and you can settle in for the long run. There's no looking over your shoulder at the other writers. There's no panicking about the ones outpacing you. You're in this with yourself. And, of course, with those readers who are anticipating those clearly communicated milestones of your releases. I think that what we both want for authors is to see them reaching those milestones at their own paces, in their own comfort, delighting in the fact their readers are there cheering them on. Because we'll be silently cheering them along as well, knowing that they've set a pace, making relaxed author lifestyle choices, that will benefit them in the long run. “I'm glad you're writing this book. I know I'm not the only author who wants peace, moments of joy, and to enjoy the journey. Indie publishing is a luxury that I remember not having, I don't want to lose my sense of gratitude.” —Anonymous author from our survey Write what you love Joanna: The pandemic has taught us that life really is short. Memento mori — remember, you will die. What is the point of spending precious time writing books you don't want to write? If we only have a limited amount of time and only have a limited number of books that we can write in a lifetime, then we need to choose to write the books that we love. If I wanted a job doing something I don't enjoy, then I would have remained in my stressful old career as an IT consultant — when I certainly wasn't relaxed! Taking that further, if you try to write things you don't love, then you're going to have to read what you don't love as well, which will take more time. I love writing thrillers because that's what I love to read. Back when I was miserable in my day job, I would go to the bookstore at lunchtime and buy thrillers. I would read them on the train to and from work and during the lunch break. Anything for a few minutes of escape. That's the same feeling I try to give my readers now. I know the genre inside and out. If I had to write something else, I would have to read and learn that other genre and spend time doing things I don't love. In fact, I don't even know how you can read things you don't enjoy. I only give books a few pages and if they don't resonate, I stop reading. Life really is too short. You also need to run your own race and travel your own journey. If you try to write in a genre you are not immersed in, you will always be looking sideways at what other authors are doing, and that can cause comparisonitis — when you compare yourself to others, most often in an unfavorable way. Definitely not relaxing! Writing something you love has many intrinsic rewards other than sales. Writing is a career for many of us, but it's a passion first, and you don't want to feel like you've wasted your time on words you don't care about. “Write what you know” is terrible advice for a long-term career as at some point, you will run out of what you know. It should be “write what you want to learn about.” When I want to learn about a topic, I write a book on it because that feeds my curiosity and I love book research, it's how I enjoy spending my time, especially when I travel, which is also part of how I relax. If you write what you love and make it part of your lifestyle, you will be a far more relaxed author. Mark: It's common that writers are drawn into storytelling from some combination of passion, curiosity, and unrelenting interest. We probably read or saw something that inspired us, and we wanted to express those ideas or the resulting perspectives that percolated in our hearts and minds. Or we read something and thought, “Wow, I could do this; but I would have come at it differently or I would approach the situation or subject matter with my own flair.” So, we get into writing with passion and desire for storytelling. And then sometimes along the way, we recognize the critical value of having to become an entrepreneur, to understand the business of writing and publishing. And part of understanding that aspect of being an author is writing to market, and understanding shifts and trends in the industry, and adjusting to those ebbs and flows of the tide. But sometimes, we lose sight of the passion that drew us to writing in the first place. And so, writing the things that you love can be a beacon to keep you on course. I love the concept of “Do something that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.” And that's true in some regard because I've always felt that way for almost my entire adult life. I've been very lucky. But at the same time, I work extremely hard at what I love. Some days are harder than others, and some things are really difficult, frustrating and challenging; but at the end of the day, I have the feeling of satisfaction that I spent my time doing something I believe in. I've been a bookseller my entire life even though I don't sell books in brick-and-mortar bookstores anymore—that act of physically putting books in people's hands. But to this day, what I do is virtually putting books in people's hands, both as an author and as an industry representative who is passionate about the book business. I was drawn to that world via my passion for writing. And that's what continues to compel me forward. I tried to leave the corporate world to write full time in 2018 but realized there was an intrinsic satisfaction to working in that realm, to embracing and sharing my insights and knowledge from that arena to help other writers. And I couldn't give that up. For me, the whole core, the whole essence of why I get up in the morning has to do with storytelling, creative inspiration, and wanting to inspire and inform other people to be the best that they can be in the business of writing and publishing. And that's what keeps me going when the days are hard. Passion as the inspiration to keep going There are always going to be days that aren't easy. There will be unexpected barriers that hit you as a writer. You'll face that mid-novel slump or realize that you have to scrap an entire scene or even plotline, and feel like going back and re-starting is just too much. You might find the research required to be overwhelming or too difficult. There'll be days when the words don't flow, or the inspiration that initially struck you seems to have abandoned you for greener pastures. Whatever it is, some unexpected frustration can create what can appear to be an insurmountable block. And, when that happens, if it's a project you don't love, you're more likely to let those barriers get in your way and stop you. But if it's a project that you're passionate about, and you're writing what you love, that alone can be what greases the wheels and helps reduce that friction to keep you going. At the end of the day, writing what you love can be a honing, grounding, and centering beacon that allows you to want to wake up in the morning and enjoy the process as much as possible even when the hard work comes along. “For me, relaxation comes from writing what I know and love and trusting the emergent process. As a discovery writer, I experience great joy when the story, characters and dialogue simply emerge in their own time and their own way. It feels wonderful.” — Valerie Andrews “Writing makes me a relaxed author. Just getting lost in a story of my own creation, discovering new places and learning what makes my characters tick is the best way I know of relaxing. Even the tricky parts, when I have no idea where I am going next, have a special kind of charm.” – Imogen Clark Write at your own pace Mark: Writing at your own pace will help you be a more relaxed author because you're not stressing out by trying to keep up with someone else. Of course, we all struggle with comparing ourselves to others. Take a quick look around and you can always find someone who has written more books than you. Nora Roberts, traditionally published author, writes a book a month. Lindsey Buroker, fantasy indie author, writes a book a month of over 100,000 words. If you compare yourself to someone else and you try to write at their pace, that is not going to be your relaxed schedule. On the other hand, if you compare yourself to Donna Tartt, who writes one book every decade, you might feel like some speed-demon crushing that word count and mastering rapid release. Looking at what others are doing could result in you thinking you're really slow or you could think that you're super-fast. What does that kind of comparison actually get you? I remember going to see a talk by Canadian literary author Farley Mowat when I was a young budding writer. I'll never forget one thing he said from that stage: “Any book that takes you less than four years to write is not a real book.” Young teenage Mark was devastated, hurt and disappointed to hear him say that because my favorite author at the time, Piers Anthony, was writing and publishing two to three novels a year. I loved his stuff, and his fantasy and science fiction had been an important inspiration in my writing at that time. (The personal notes I add to the end of my stories and novels came from enjoying his so much). That focus on there being only a single way, a single pace to write, ended up preventing me from enjoying the books I had already been loving because I was doing that comparisonitis Joanna talks about, but as a reader. I took someone else's perspective too much to heart and I let that ruin a good thing that had brought me personal joy and pleasure. It works the same way as a writer. Because we have likely developed a pattern, or a way that works for us that is our own. We all have a pace that we comfortably walk; a way we prefer to drive. A pattern or style of how and when and what we prefer to eat. We all have our own unique comfort food. There are these patterns that we're comfortable with, and potentially because they are natural to us. If you try to force yourself to write at a pace that's not natural to you, things can go south in your writing and your mental health. And I'm not suggesting any particular pace, except for the one that's most natural and comfortable to you. If writing fast is something that you're passionate about, and you're good at it, and it's something you naturally do, why would you stop yourself from doing that? Just like if you're a slow writer and you're trying to write fast: why are you doing that to yourself? There's a common pop song line used by numerous bands over the years that exhorts you to “shake what you got.” I like to think the same thing applies here. And do it with pride and conviction. Because what you got is unique and awesome. Own it, and shake it with pride. You have a way you write and a word count per writing session that works for you. And along with that, you likely know what time you can assign to writing because of other commitments like family time, leisure time, and work (assuming you're not a full-time writer). Simple math can provide you with a way to determine how long it will take to get your first draft written. So, your path and plans are clear. And you simply take the approach that aligns with your writer DNA. Understanding what that pace is for you helps alleviate an incredible amount of stress that you do not need to thrust upon yourself. Because if you're not going to be able to enjoy it while you're doing it, what's the point? Your pace might change project to project While your pace can change over time, your pace can also change project to project. And sometimes the time actually spent writing can be a smaller portion of the larger work involved. I was on a panel at a conference once and someone asked me how long it took to write my non-fiction book of ghost stories, Haunted Hamilton. “About four days,” I responded. And while that's true — I crafted the first draft over four long and exhausting days writing as much as sixteen hours each day — the reality was I had been doing research for months. But the pen didn't actually hit the paper until just a few days before my deadline to turn the book over to my editor. That was for a non-fiction book; but I've found I do similar things with fiction. I noodle over concepts and ideas for months before I actually commit words to the page. The reason this comes to mind is that I think it's important to recognize the way that I write is I first spend a lot of time in my head to understand and chew on things. And then by the time it comes to actually getting the words onto the paper, I've already done much of the pre-writing mentally. It's sometimes not fair when you're comparing yourself to someone else to look at how long they physically spend in front of a keyboard hammering on that word count, because they might have spent a significantly longer amount of a longer time either outlining or conceptualizing the story in their mind or in their heart before they sat down to write. So that's part of the pace, too. Because sometimes, if we only look at the time spent at the ‘writer's desk,' we fool ourselves when we think that we're a slow writer or a fast writer. Joanna: Your pace will change over your career My first novel took 14 months and now I can write a first draft in about six weeks because I have more experience. It's also more relaxing for me to write a book now than it was in the beginning, because I didn't know what I was doing back then. Your pace will change per project I have a non-fiction work in progress, my Shadow Book (working title), which I have started several times. I have about 30,000 words but as I write this, I have backed away from it because I'm (still) not ready. There's a lot more research and thinking I need to do. Similarly, some people take years writing a memoir or a book with such emotional or personal depth that it needs more to bring it to life. Your pace will also shift depending on where you are in the arc of life Perhaps you have young kids right now, or you have a health issue, or you're caring for someone who is ill. Perhaps you have a demanding day job so you have less time to write. Perhaps you really need extended time away from writing, or just a holiday. Or maybe there's a global pandemic and frankly, you're too stressed to write! The key to pacing in a book is variability — and that's true of life, too. Write at the pace that works for you and don't be afraid to change it as you need to over time. “I think the biggest thing for me is reminding myself that I'm in this to write. Sometimes I can get caught up in all the moving pieces of editing and publishing and marketing, but the longer I go without writing, or only writing because I have to get the next thing done instead of for enjoyment, the more stressed and anxious I become. But if I make time to fit in what I truly love, which is the process of writing without putting pressure on myself to meet a deadline, or to be perfect, or to meet somebody else's expectations — that's when I become truly relaxed.” – Ariele Sieling Write in a series (if you want to) Joanna: I have some stand-alone books but most of them are in series, both for non-fiction and for my fiction as J.F. Penn. It's how I like to read and write. As we draft this book, I'm also writing book 12 in my ARKANE series, Tomb of Relics. It's relaxing because I know my characters, I know my world; I know the structure of how an ARKANE story goes. I know what to put in it to please my readers. I have already done the work to set up the series world and the main characters and now all I need is a plot and an antagonist. It's also quicker to write and edit because I've done it before. Of course, you need to put in the work initially so the series comes together, but once you've set that all up, each subsequent book is easier. You can also be more relaxed because you already have an audience who will (hopefully) buy the book because they bought the others. You will know approximately how many sales you'll get on launch and there will be people ready to review. Writing in a non-fiction series is also a really good idea because you know your audience and you can offer them more books, products and services that will help them within a niche. While they might not be sequential, they should be around the same topic, for example, this is part of my Books for Authors series. Financially, it makes sense to have a series as you will earn more revenue per customer as they will (hopefully) buy more than one book. It's also easier and more relaxing to market as you can set one book to free or a limited time discount and drive sales through to other books in the series. Essentially, writing a book in a series makes it easier to fulfill both creative and financial goals. However, if you love to read and write stand-alone books, and some genres suit stand-alones better than series anyway, then, of course, go with what works for you! Mark: I like to equate this to no matter where you travel in the world, if you find a McDonald's you pretty much know what's on the menu and you know what to expect. When you write in a series, it's like returning to hang out with old friends. You know their backstory; you know their history so you can easily fall into a new conversation about something and not have to get caught up on understanding what you have in common. So that's an enormous benefit of relaxing into something like, “Oh, I'm sitting down over coffee, chatting with some old friends. They're telling me a new story about something that happened to them. I know who they are, I know what they're made out of.” And this new plot, this new situation, they may have new goals, they may have new ways they're going to grow as characters, but they're still the same people that we know and love. And that's a huge benefit that I only discovered recently because I'm only right now working on book four in my Canadian Werewolf series. Prior to that, I had three different novels that were all the first book in a series with no book two. And it was stressful for me. Writing anything seemed to take forever. I was causing myself anxiety by jumping around and writing new works as opposed to realizing I could go visit a locale I'm familiar and comfortable with. And I can see new things in the same locale just like sometimes you can see new things and people you know and love already, especially when you introduce something new into the world and you see how they react to it. For me, there's nothing more wonderful than that sort of homecoming. It's like a nostalgic feeling when you do that. I've seen a repeated pattern where writers spend years writing their first book. I started A Canadian Werewolf in New York in 2006 and I did not publish it until ten years later, after finishing it in 2015. (FYI, that wasn't my first novel. I had written three and published one of them prior to that). That first novel can take so long because you're learning. You're learning about your characters, about the craft, about the practice of writing, about the processes that you're testing along the way. And if you are working on your first book and it's taking longer than planned, please don't beat yourself up for that. It's a process. Sometimes that process takes more time. I sometimes wonder if this is related to our perception of time as we age. When you're 10 years old, a day compared to your lifetime is a significant amount of time, and thinking about a year later is considering a time that is one-tenth of your life. When you have a few more decades or more under your belt, that year is a smaller part of the whole. If you're 30, a year is only one-thirtieth of your life. A much smaller piece. Just having written more books, particularly in a series, removes the pressure of that one book to represent all of you as a writer. I had initial anxiety at writing the second book in my Canadian Werewolf series. Book two was more terrifying in some ways than book one because finally, after all this time, I had something good that I didn't want to ruin. Should I leave well enough alone? But I was asked to write a short story to a theme in an anthology, and using my main character from that first novel allowed me to discover I could have fun spending more time with these characters and this world. And I also realized that people wanted to read more about these characters. I didn't just want to write about them, but other people wanted to read about them too. And that makes the process so much easier to keep going with them. So one of the other benefits that helps to relax me as a writer working on a series is I have a better understanding of who my audience is, and who my readers are, and who will want this, and who will appreciate it. So I know what worked, I know what resonated with them, and I know I can give them that next thing. I have discovered that writing in a series is a far more relaxed way of understanding your target audience better. Because it's not just a single shot in the dark, it's a consistent on-going stream. Let me reflect on a bit of a caveat, because I'm not suggesting sticking to only a single series or universe. As writers, we have plenty of ideas and inspirations, and it's okay to embrace some of the other ones that come to us. When I think about the Canadian rock trio, Rush, a band that produced 19 studio albums and toured for 40 years, I acknowledge a very consistent band over the decades. And yet, they weren't the same band that they were when they started playing together, even though it was the same three guys since Neil Peart joined Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. They changed what they wrote about, what they sang about, themes, styles, approaches to making music, all of this. They adapted and changed their style at least a dozen times over the course of their career. No album was exactly like the previous album, and they experimented, and they tried things. But there was a consistency of the audience that went along with them. And as writers, we can potentially have that same thing where we know there are going to be people who will follow us. Think about Stephen King, a writer who has been writing in many different subjects and genres. And yet there's a core group of people who will enjoy everything he writes, and he has that Constant Reader he always keeps in mind. And so, when we write in a series, we're thinking about that constant reader in a more relaxed way because that constant reader, like our characters, like our worlds, like our universes, is like we're just returning to a comfortable, cozy spot where we're just going to hang out with some good friends for a bit. Or, as the contemplative Rush song Time Stand Still expresses, the simple comfort and desire of spending some quality time having a drink with a friend. Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Mark: What we do as writers is quite cerebral, so we need to give ourselves mental breaks in the same way we need to sleep regularly. Our bodies require sleep. And it's not just physical rest for our bodies to regenerate, it's for our minds to regenerate. We need that to stay sane, to stay alive, to stay healthy. The reality for us as creatives is that we're writing all the time, whether or not we're in front of a keyboard or have a pen in our hand. We're always writing, continually sucking the marrow from the things that are happening around us, even when we're not consciously aware of it. And sometimes when we are more consciously aware of it, that awareness can feel forced. It can feel stressful. When you give yourself the time to just let go, to just relax, wonderful things can happen. And they can come naturally, never feeling that urgent sense of pressure. Downtime, for me, is making space for those magic moments to happen. I was recently listening to Episode 556 of The Creative Penn podcast where Joanna talked about the serendipity of those moments when you're traveling and you're going to a museum and you see something. And you're not consciously there to research for a book, but you see something that just makes a connection for you. And you would not have had that for your writing had you not given yourself the time to just be doing and enjoying something else. And so, whenever I need to resolve an issue or a problem in a project I'm writing, which can cause stress, I will do other things. I will go for a run or walk the dogs, wash the dishes or clean the house. Or I'll put on some music and sing and dance like nobody is watching or listening—and thank goodness for that, because that might cause them needless anxiety. The key is, I will do something different that allows my mind to just let go. And somewhere in the subconscious, usually the answer comes to me. Those non-cerebral activities can be very restorative. Yesterday, my partner Liz and I met her daughter at the park. And while we quietly waited, the two of us wordlessly enjoyed the sights and sounds of people walking by, the river in the background, the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees above us. That moment wasn't a purposeful, “Hey, we're going to chill and relax.” But we found about five minutes of restorative calm in the day. A brief, but powerful ‘Ah' moment. And when I got back to writing this morning, I drew upon some of the imagery from those few minutes. I didn't realize at the time I was experiencing the moment yesterday that I was going to incorporate some of that imagery in today's writing session. And that's the serendipity that just flows very naturally in those scheduled and even unscheduled moments of relaxation. Joanna: I separate this into two aspects because I'm good at one and terrible at the other! I schedule time to fill the creative well as often as possible. This is something that Julia Cameron advises in The Artist's Way, and I find it an essential part of my creative practice. Essentially, you can't create from an empty mind. You have to actively seek out ways to spark ideas. International travel is a huge part of my fiction inspiration, in particular. This has been impossible during the pandemic and has definitely impacted my writing. I also go to exhibitions and art galleries, as well as read books, watch films and documentaries. If I don't fill my creative well, then I feel empty, like I will never have another idea, that perhaps my writing life is over. Some people call that writer's block but I know that feeling now. It just means I haven't filled my creative well and I need to schedule time to do that so I can create again. Consume and produce. That's the balance you need in order to keep the creative well filled and the words flowing. In terms of scheduling time to relax instead of doing book research, I find this difficult because I love to work. My husband says that I'm like a little sports car that goes really, really fast and doesn't stop until it hits a wall. I operate at a high productivity level and then I crash! But the restrictions of the pandemic have helped me learn more about relaxation, after much initial frustration. I have walked in nature and lain in the garden in the hammock and recently, we went to the seaside for the first time in 18 months. I lay on the stones and watched the waves. I was the most relaxed I've been in a long time. I didn't look at my phone. I wasn't listening to a podcast or an audiobook. We weren't talking. We were just being there in nature and relaxing. Authors are always thinking and feeling because everything feeds our work somehow. But we have to have both aspects — active time to fill the creative well and passive time to rest and relax. “I go for lots of walks and hikes in the woods. These help me work out the kinks in my plots, and also to feel more relaxed! (Exercise is an added benefit!)” –T.W. Piperbrook Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle Joanna: A lot of stress can occur in writing if we try to change or improve our process too far beyond our natural way of doing things. For example, trying to be a detailed plotter with a spreadsheet when you're really a discovery writer, or trying to dictate 5,000 words per hour when you find it easier to hand write slowly into a journal. Productivity tips from other writers can really help you tweak your personal process, but only if they work for you — and I say this as someone who has a book on Productivity for Authors! Of course, it's a good idea to improve things, but once you try something, analyze whether it works for you — either with data or just how you feel. If it works, great. Adopt it into your process. If it doesn't work, then discard it. For example, I wrote my first novel in Microsoft Word. When I discovered Scrivener, I changed my process and never looked back because it made my life so much easier. I don't write in order and Scrivener made it easier to move things around. I also discovered that it was easier for me to get into my first draft writing and creating when I was away from the desk I use for business, podcasting, and marketing tasks. I started to write in a local cafe and later on in a co-working space. During the pandemic lockdown, I used specific playlists to create a form of separation as I couldn't physically go somewhere else. Editing is an important part of the writing process but you have to find what works for you, which will also change over time. Some are authors are more relaxed with a messy first draft, then rounds of rewrites while working with multiple editors. Others do one careful draft and then use a proofreader to check the finished book. There are as many ways to write as there are writers. A relaxed author chooses the process that works in the most effective way for them and makes the book the best it can be. Mark: When it comes to process, there are times when you're doing something that feels natural, versus times when you're learning a new skill. Consciously and purposefully learning new skills can be stressful; particularly because it's something we often put so much emphasis or importance upon. But when you adapt on-going learning as a normal part of your life, a natural part of who and what you are, that stress can flow away. I'm always about learning new skills; but over time I've learned how to absorb learning into my everyday processes. I'm a pantser, or discovery writer, or whatever term we can apply that makes us feel better about it. And every time I've tried to stringently outline a book, it has been a stressful experience and I've not been satisfied with the process or the result. Perhaps I satisfied the part of me that thought I wanted to be more like other writers, but I didn't satisfy the creative person in me. I was denying that flow that has worked for me. I did, of course, naturally introduce a few new learnings into my attempts to outline; so I stuck with those elements that worked, and abandoned the elements that weren't working, or were causing me stress. The thought of self-improvement often comes with images of blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn't have to. You don't have to bleed to do this; it can be something that you do at your own pace. You can do it in a way that you're comfortable with so it's causing you no stress, but allowing you to learn and grow and improve. And if it doesn't work but you force yourself to keep doing it because a famous writer or a six-figure author said, “this is the way to do it,” you create pressure. And when you don't do it that way, you can think of yourself as a failure as opposed to thinking of it as, “No, this is just the way that I do things.” When you accept how you do things, if they result in effectively getting things done and feeling good about it at the same time, you have less resistance, you have less friction, you have less tension. Constantly learning, adapting, and evolving is good. But forcing ourselves to try to be or do something that we are not or that doesn't work for us, that causes needless anxiety. “I think a large part of it comes down to reminding myself WHY I write. This can mean looking back at positive reviews, so I can see how much joy others get from my writing, or even just writing something brand new for the sake of exploring an idea. Writing something just for me, rather than for an audience, reminds me how much I enjoy writing, which helps me to unwind a bit and approach my projects with more playfulness.” – Icy Sedgwick You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. The post The Relaxed Author Writing Tips With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Rich Keefe & Ryan Davey review It: Welcome to Derry the HBO series that serves as a prequel to the recent It films. Was it better than the movies? Was it scary? Plus all the connections (they found) to other Stephen King books and movies. What did you think of the show? Twitter, Instagram & YouTube: @DORKpodcast To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reposted from The ‘Cast of Us, which you can find at: https://podcastica.com/podcast/the-cast-of-us — What happened is that Tyreese got bitten :( What's going on is that we have Danielle on to talk about this uniquely artful episode of The Walking Dead.  Next up: The Walking Dead S5E9 “Them”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to talk@podcastica.com.  Or check out our Walking Dead Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/deadcast. Check out my (Jason's) other podcast, Wax Episodic, where friends and I cover our favorite current shows, like: Fallout, the crazy retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic series, with S2 premiering this week on Amazon Prime Video. Covered by me, Kara, and Kasi. Pluribus, the Twilight-Zoney Apple TV show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, covered by me and Karen. (!) It: Welcome to Derry, the horrific HBO series, prequel to the recent It movies based on the Stephen King book. Covered by me and Shawn of Strange Indeed. Alien: Earth, the heady, gross-out FX/Hulu sci-fi series based on the Alien movies. Covered by me, Randy, and Kara. Available wherever you get podcasts, or at waxepisodic.com   Come join our Discord and chat with me, Lucy, and other listeners:  Don't know what Discord is? It's kind of like a chat forum, our own little private Podcastica space to talk about The Walking Dead, other shows, and whatever else we want. It's free, and it's fun. And Lucy is in there. Invitation link: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe  Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi  Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UNDER THE STARS MOVIE REVIEW Regarding true love, I give you this quote from the pages of “A Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King. “True love, like any other strong and addicting drug, is boring—once the tale of encounter and discovery is told, kisses quickly grow stale and caresses tiresome…except, of course, to those who […]

Editors - Esther Sokolow, Glenn Garland ACE and Matthew V. Colonna ACE IT: Welcome to Derry editors Esther, Glenn and Matt had never worked together prior to the new HBO series, but quickly formed a family bond that translated into a fun and creative cutting room.  Their antics included scaring unsuspecting tourists taking the Warner Brothers tram tour past their offices.  And you know what Jack Torrance says about "all work and no play"! Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, It: Welcome to Derry is based on Stephen King's 1986 novel It and is a prequel to the films It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019).  The series takes place in 1962, when a couple and their son move to Derry, Maine just as a young boy disappears.  With their arrival, bad things begin to happen in the town.  Again. ESTHER SOKOLOW Esther Sokolow is a Los Angeles-based editor who specializes in genre-rich storytelling, bold characters, and projects with cinematic scope.  Esther's collaboration with IT: Welcome to Derry showrunner Andy Muschietti began on IT: Chapter Two, where she served as 1st Assistant Editor, and continued on The Flash, where she was promoted to Additional Editor. Her work bridges studio tentpoles and independent character dramas, with a focus on horror, psychological thrillers, and supernatural themes. Her early film diet of Hitchcock, classic mysteries, and silent comedies provided provided inspiration for an editor drawn to tension, timing, and the emotional weight of what's unspoken. Later, the spectacle of The Lord of the Rings sparked a love for scale and the thrill of stories that move an audience. Originally from Atlanta, she moved to California to study Film Editing at Chapman University. In 2015, she was selected as an honorary intern for American Cinema Editors (ACE), an experience that shaped her early career and inspired a commitment to both craft and mentorship. Esther now speaks on an annual panel for the ACE Internship Program and serves on MPEG's Apprenticeship and Growth Committee, supporting the next generation of editors and assistant editors. Before stepping into the editing chair, Esther worked as an assistant editor on feature films including Rampage, Bloodshot, The Guilty, Stronger, Fall, and Rememory. She also worked in-house as a VFX Editor at Method Studios, contributing to Guardians of the Galaxy and San Andreas. Her years supporting other editors honed more than technique; they taught her to listen to pacing, to performance, and to subtle story beats others might overlook. That same quiet attention now shapes her own work. GLENN GARLAND, ACE Glenn Garland is television and film editor with more than twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry. In addition to cutting IT: Welcome To Derry, other impressive TV credits include Poker Face, The Vampire Diaries, Preacher, Banshee, Stan Against Evil, and Altered Carbon. Glenn's equally notable feature resume includes editing Rob Zombie's Halloween and Halloween II, the critically acclaimed King of California, The Turning, Lords Of Salem, The Devil's Rejects, Black Box and most recently Broke. In addition to editing, Glenn has produced the television series Paradise City as well as feature films 31, Jersey Bred, LX 2048, The Man Who Was Thursday and most recently, Life Is. He has also created and hosts the podcast series Editors on Editing, which can be heard on Art of the Frame. MATTHEW V. COLONNA, ACE Aside from his work on It: Welcome to Derry, Matt's work can be seen on another Stephen King-inspired series, Castle Rock, and the King-adjacent series, Locke & Key.  Other notable tv shows cut by Matt include Dexter (2008-09), Narcos (2015-17) and Sugar (2024).  Matt also happens to be one of the original drummers for Black Eyed Peas.  How about that?! The Credits Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs Listen to Glenn talk about cutting Poker Face Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

IT welcome to Derry Season One Review | Best of 2025 Movies, TV, Comics | Mostly Superheroes Podcast The long-awaited deep dive is here! The full Mostly Superheroes crew tackles the entire first season of the HBO Max prequel series, IT welcome to Derry. Does this return to Stephen King's most cursed town live up to the Pennywise legacy? Find out our honest thoughts on the scares, the lore expansion, the 1960s setting, and how it connects to the larger IT universe. Plus, we look back at the best of the year: our definitive lists for the Best Movies, TV Shows, and Comic Books of 2025. www.mostlysuperheroes.com

This week we talk about the underrated and brutal samurai film 13 Assassins

UNDER THE STARS MOVIE REVIEW Regarding true love, I give you this quote from the pages of “A Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King. “True love, like any other strong and addicting drug, is boring—once the tale of encounter and discovery is told, kisses quickly grow stale and caresses tiresome…except, of course, to those who […]

The Cold Ones gang takes a break from Stephen King's It and find themselves on 8 Mile staring Eminem. Yes, that's right, the drinking obsessed horror podcast is watching a movie about an aspiring rapper, big whoop wanna fight about it? Between recounting B-Rabbit's struggles, John and Ronan get nostalgic about growing up in the nineties and early aughts with the shifting music scene. So, sit back, crack a cold one and enjoy this stroll down memory lane.

Cultists, your Horror Hosts aren't done with The Overlook Hotel just yet, or maybe it's not done with us. With 2019's Doctor Sleep, Mike Flanagan attempted the impossible, reconciling Stephen King's vision of The Shining with Stanley Kubrick's and sequalizing both. Was he successful? Please join us for the Dissection.  Dissection Topic https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/?ref_=ext_shr  https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B083ZPQZCV/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r  Unholy Sacrament  Fresh Hop Dune - Hazy/New England IPA, Great Notion Brewing https://untp.beer/qeVzO  Vault Of Darkness  Critical Role- Campaign 4 https://critrole.com/campaign4/  https://youtu.be/3Mbynm0pGX0?si=Gz643FprzCNG7n_K    Dimension 20 - Dropout.tv https://watch.dropout.tv/dimension-20 Stephen King's Cat's Eye ( Teague, 1985) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088889/?ref_=ext_shr  Coogler on Film https://youtu.be/78Ru62uFM0s  #drsleep, #doctorsleep, #theshining, #mikeflanagan, #stephenking, #stanleykubrick, #ewanmcgregor, #rebeccaferguson, #kylieghcurran, #dantorrance, #theoverlookhotel,  #thetrueknot, #rosethehat, #jacktorrance, #wendytorrance, #dannytorrance, #redrum,  #shineon, #theoverlook, #doctorsleepmovie,

THE CHILLING SEASON FINALE!! IT: Welcome to Derry Full Episode Reaction Watch Along: ⁠  / thereelrejects  ⁠ Start your online business with a $1 per-month trial when you visit ⁠https://www.shopify.com/rejects⁠! Gift Someone (Or Yourself) A Stranger Things RR Tee! ⁠https://shorturl.at/hekk2⁠ Vecna: The Mind Slayer tee by @G9DESIGN & Dr. Stranger Things tee by @SASAMIIKU — perfect for hardcore fans & collectors alike! IT (2017) Movie Reaction: ⁠   • IT (2017) SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF US!! MOVI...  ⁠ IT: Chapter Two (2019) Movie Reaction: ⁠   • IT CHAPTER 2 (2019) IS STILL FREAKIN' SCAR...  ⁠ With The Running Man & The Long Walk out, the Scream Queens (Tara & Roxy) + Andrew RETURN for their penultimate IT: Welcome to Derry Reaction, Recap, Commentary, Breakdown, & Spoiler Review! Roxy Striar (Wildcat), Tara Erickson (The Rage Pod), & Andrew Gordon (Cinepals) react to the Season 1 Finale (Episode 8) of IT: Welcome to Derry, HBO's chilling Stephen King prequel that has been unraveling the dark, cyclical history of Derry, Maine. Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the series has steadily built toward a confrontation that blends real-world horror, buried trauma, and the cosmic terror behind Pennywise's reign. Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials:  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource⁠ Instagram:⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en⁠ Twitter:  ⁠https://twitter.com/Agor711⁠ Follow Roxy Striar YouTube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheWhirlGirls⁠ Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/roxystriar/?hl=en⁠ Twitter:  ⁠https://twitter.com/roxystriar⁠ Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson⁠ Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/⁠ Twitter: ⁠ https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson⁠ Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! ⁠https://www.rejectnationshop.com/⁠ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/⁠  Tik-Tok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/reelrejects⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/⁠ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit⁠ https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo⁠ and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en⁠ Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.⁠ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO:⁠ https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects⁠ Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/⁠ INSTAGRAM: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/⁠ TWITTER:  ⁠https://twitter.com/thereelrejects⁠ Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/⁠ TWITTER:  ⁠https://twitter.com/thegregalba⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE CHILLING SEASON FINALE!! IT: Welcome to Derry Full Episode Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Start your online business with a $1 per-month trial when you visit https://www.shopify.com/rejects! Gift Someone (Or Yourself) A Stranger Things RR Tee! https://shorturl.at/hekk2 Vecna: The Mind Slayer tee by @G9DESIGN & Dr. Stranger Things tee by @SASAMIIKU — perfect for hardcore fans & collectors alike! IT (2017) Movie Reaction:    • IT (2017) SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF US!! MOVI...   IT: Chapter Two (2019) Movie Reaction:    • IT CHAPTER 2 (2019) IS STILL FREAKIN' SCAR...   With The Running Man & The Long Walk out, the Scream Queens (Tara & Roxy) + Andrew RETURN for their penultimate IT: Welcome to Derry Reaction, Recap, Commentary, Breakdown, & Spoiler Review! Roxy Striar (Wildcat), Tara Erickson (The Rage Pod), & Andrew Gordon (Cinepals) react to the Season 1 Finale (Episode 8) of IT: Welcome to Derry, HBO's chilling Stephen King prequel that has been unraveling the dark, cyclical history of Derry, Maine. Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the series has steadily built toward a confrontation that blends real-world horror, buried trauma, and the cosmic terror behind Pennywise's reign. Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Agor711 Follow Roxy Striar YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TheWhirlGirls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxystriar/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/roxystriar Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon! NEWS'Superman/Spider-Man' #1 gets full creative team reveal and first cover lookMarvel's X-Men enter a dangerous new era as Shadows of Tomorrow' begins: March 2026 covers & launches revealedDarth Maul returns in a brutal new era, and Marvel's prequel series reveals his darkest plan yetMarvel's next huge event is already underway and Wolverine & Captain America hold the keys to ARMAGEDDONUltimate Universe shocker: Hickman opens up as Marvel debuts ‘Endgame' preview + 9 never-seen sketch coversDC Vertigo unveils first 2026 trailer—plus exclusive new Covers for March titlesThe Viltrumites are coming for Battle Beast in a blood-soaked new arc in March 2026Event Horizon is back from hell: Prequel sells out, sequel comic set 200 years laterWEBTOON just changed everything for creators: Massive 2026 overhaul announced!Skeletor just leveled up: Masters of the Universe becomes an ongoing series in 2026Our Top Books of the Week:Dave:Amazing Spider-Man #17 (Pepe Larraz, Joe Kelly)The End 2099 #1 (Steve Orlando, Ibraim Roberson)Alex:​​Absolute Batman #15 (Scott Snyder, Jock)Our Soot Stained Heart #1 (Joni Hägg, Stipan Morian)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Alex: Ultimate Wolverine #12 (Condon, Cappuccio)Dave: Absolute Batman #15 (Scott Snyder, Jock)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKAlex: The Power Fantasy #14 (Gillen, Wijngaard) & DIE: Loaded #2 (Gillen, Hans)Dave: Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #5 (W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: Book of Revelation #3 (Ivan Shavrin but also Fabrizio De Tommaso)Alex: Nightwing #133 (Dustin Nguyen variant)Interview: Ben Percy talks The End Times and Punisher in 2026 (out in February)Origin of the Project:Last we spoke we talked a bit about The End Times, but now the project sees the revival of Stephen King's Bachman universe through Bad Hand Books, how'd that come to be?Expanding the Bachman Lore:Claudia Inez Bachman has always been a shadowy figure in King's mythos — how did it feel to help bring her to life as a writerly voice in her own right?Collaboration with Stephen King:What was the collaboration process like with King himself? Did you two discuss tone, continuity, or the meta-narrative of Bachman's legacy?Post-Apocalyptic Themes:You've described this world as “the world has ended and it's rebuilding.” What emotional or thematic space did you want to explore in that aftermath, compared to the usual “apocalypse in progress” stories?Social Commentary:The project examines misinformation and the role of local journalism — how do those themes mirror our current media landscape, and what kind of response are you hoping to evoke from readers?Physical vs. Digital Experience:With both a newspaper edition and a digital version available, what do you hope readers gain from physically holding this story in their hands versus reading it online?Continuing the Bachman Tradition:Bachman's work was often darker and more cynical than King's mainline fiction. Does The End Times lean into that same spirit of anger and disillusionment?(Fun / Silly Question):If The End Times really were the last surviving newspaper on Earth, what headline would you want your byline to appear under? (“Local Writer Saves Humanity”? “Coffee Shortage Ends Civilization”?

It's killer automobile week! Jamie Graham joins Mike to discuss two 80s Stephen King adaptations...the brilliant Christine (1983) and the terrible Maximum Overdrive (1986)!  Hosted, Produced and Edited by Mike Muncer Music by Jack Whitney.  Artwork by Mike Lee-Graham Get ad free episodes and weekly bonus content on our Patreon! www.patreon.com/evolutionofhorror  Mike Muncer is a producer, podcaster and film journalist and can be found on BLUE SKY and INSTAGRAM Visit our website www.evolutionofhorror.com  Buy tickets for our UPCOMING SCREENINGS & EVENTS Buy yourself some brand new EOH MERCH! Email us!  Follow EOH on INSTAGRAM Like EOH on FACEBOOK Join the EOH DISCUSSION GROUP Join the EOH DISCORD Follow EOH on LETTERBOXD