Podcasts about Worldbuilding

In our opening episode of Seaon Seven, we meet a new character: A charismatic warehouse manager that meets a new guildmaster who sees something in him no one else does.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This compilation contains 3 chapters. Episodes included: 1. Kray's Discoveries (July 27, 2026) 2. It's not the blood. It's the noise (July 28, 2026) 3. To Escape Into the Dragon's Maw (July 29, 2026) --- Episode 1: Kray's Discoveries Kray walks through Ness, and the city reveals its secrets to the innocent stranger. Episode 2: It's not the blood. It's the noise Ninety seconds. That's all Maela has to infiltrate a guarded fortress, silence a sentry, and rescue her beloved Darla from a magic-locked cell. Episode 3: To Escape Into the Dragon's Maw Maela must choose: die fighting or flee with Darla into the Dragon's Maw—a passage where no one has ever returned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Erin M. Evans and Treavor Bettis are joined by Valerie Valdes! They talk about what Vibe Worlding Building is and some qualms Valerie has with magic systems!Special Guest:Valerie Valdeshttps://candleinsunshine.com/ Join our Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/writingaboutdragons Join the Discord!https://discord.gg/MdSVsfpTzu Starring:Erin M Evans (Empire of Exiles, Brimstone Angels)https://bsky.app/profile/erinmevans.bsky.social B. Dave Walters (A Darkened Wish, Black Dice Society)https://bsky.app/profile/bdavewalters.bsky.social Treavor Bettis (Difficulty Class, Champions of Lore)https://bsky.app/profile/thetreavor.bsky.social Pre-Order Dungeons & Dragons Fiends & Foeshttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dungeons-dragons-fiends-foes-erin-m-evans/1149826336?ean=9780593838877 Enroll in B. Dave's 14 Day Writer:https://www.theundisputedacademy.com/14-day-writer-home-page

How much worldbuilding should you do in your opening pages? Does it depend on which genre you're writing in? What happens if you do too much, or too little? Will the reader get lost or confused, or will they just go with it and fill in the blanks based on their personal past experiences and knowledge? We discuss all this and more in today's episode. Enjoy! - V.

Gobbo, Emmy, and Drew have some of their own Homebrew Necron Lore to share with us this week! Dig deeper into the Blingcrons, the Dreamers, and the Mad Titan of Sakarus. Have your own Hombrew Lore you want to share with us? Email it over; we might even feature it in a future episode!Under the Hive of Madness is a Warhammer Lore Podcast diving into the Horror and Grimdark elements of the settings, so expect some adult themes, adult language, and more than a handful of Khorney Jokes!"This note says something about not feeding the gaint rats, you haven't seen any of those have you?"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

Joe Kazmer and Jarrod Burris join The USDN Podcast to discuss Collision Force #2, an action-packed creator-owned comic that's been described as an "R-Rated G.I. Joe."From building an original comic universe to crowdfunding and cinematic storytelling, Joe and Jarrod share the story behind the series, how their creative partnership began, the transition from screenwriting to comics, lessons learned through Kickstarter, and why action comics still have an important place in today's independent comic industry.In This Episode The origins of Collision Force  Building an "R-Rated G.I. Joe" for indie comics  Creator-owned worldbuilding  Screenwriting vs. comic writing  Writing action for comics  Crowdfunding lessons  Why action comics still matter  The future of Collision Force Learn More

In a cross over episode, JKL Media Reviews discusses Rebecca Ross's YA romantasy Divine Rivals, chosen by Karen after previous picks by Lou and Jesse. Lou, not a romance fan, says the book didn't change his view of romance novels and critiques passive characters, trope-heavy misunderstandings, and underdeveloped worldbuilding, especially the vague setting and limited exploration of the warring gods Dakra and Enva. Jesse enjoys the premise of a WWI-like magical war, likes the characters and love story, and praises elements like the magic typewriters, Roman's conflict with his family, and supportive elders. The group debates the typewriters as a plot device, the gods' role in the war, and the twist involving Iris's brother Forest, then speculates about where the sequel Ruthless Vows will take the story. 00:00 Intro and Pick 01:15 Lou Romance Skeptic 02:22 Jesse Loves Premise 05:26 Lou Worldbuilding Critique 08:04 Why This Book 12:15 Comfort Food Debate 19:10 Magic Typewriters 24:43 Deceit and Tropes 29:05 Genre Tropes Talk 31:11 Flanagan Does Carrie 31:51 Gods And War Lore 35:04 Worldbuilding Complaints 38:53 Forest Twist Reveal 43:47 Romance Tropes Debate 48:29 Dakra Cold Or Hot 49:18 Predictions Next Book 51:28 Wrap Up And Thanks 56:37 Where To Find Us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Very exciting new gate installation today! Otherwise, I'm talking about drafting Never the Roses 3, how to identify the root cause of "writer's block," and approaches to resolving it. Also, choosing the worldbuilding elements that are relevant to your story.Preorder ~Among The ThornsIndie Booksellers! You can buy my indie books direct from me at discount!! Submit a Request for an order hereNew Releases ~Blades, Books, and the BanditLove, Lies, and Ley LinesMAGIC REBORNNever The RosesThe posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found hereThank you for listening! You all take care. Support the show

Award-winning filmmakers Tchaiko Omawale and c. Craig Patterson join Floyd Marshall Jr. and Okema T. Moore for a candid discussion about filmmaking, screenwriting, world-building, animation and artificial intelligence.Tchaiko explains how her global childhood shaped her curiosity and storytelling, while sharing insights from Solace, BEAST, Fist of Mothers and her television directing career. Craig discusses directing Roy Wood Jr., experimenting with new production technologies and creating the animated short ChikaBOOM!.Together, they explore BlackStar Film Festival, ethical AI use, creative collaboration, motherhood, Black feminine storytelling and the importance of protecting human artistry as filmmaking technology evolves.=================Submit Your Film to Our Film Collective:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ifapfilmcollective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect With Floyd Marshall Jr:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/floydmarshalljr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@floydmarshalljr0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

JKL Media Reviews discusses Rebecca Ross's YA romantasy Divine Rivals, chosen by Karen after previous picks by Lou and Jesse. Lou, not a romance fan, says the book didn't change his view of romance novels and critiques passive characters, trope-heavy misunderstandings, and underdeveloped worldbuilding, especially the vague setting and limited exploration of the warring gods Dakra and Enva. Jesse enjoys the premise of a WWI-like magical war, likes the characters and love story, and praises elements like the magic typewriters, Roman's conflict with his family, and supportive elders. The group debates the typewriters as a plot device, the gods' role in the war, and the twist involving Iris's brother Forest, then speculates about where the sequel Ruthless Vows will take the story. 

Level Up 203: Ejercicios de Worldbuilding con Antonio Roda Hoy Nacho acaba de explicarnos el tema de como construir un escenario, y para ello nos trae a Antonio Roda Worldbuilding para juegos de rol Construir un mundo para rol no consiste solo en dibujar mapas o inventar nombres: es dar forma a un espacio vivo donde las historias puedan crecer. El worldbuilding es el arte de crear un entorno coherente, evocador y lleno de posibilidades, capaz de inspirar a jugadores y directores de juego por igual. Música de Uppbeat: License code: DSJHNLFTIRWBKXPO Música de Youtube

In this week's episode, I answer worldbuilding questions about my setting of Andomhaim, and discuss the future of THE GHOSTS series. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in The Ghosts series at my Payhip store: JULYGHOSTS The coupon code is valid through August 10, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 313 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is July the 24th, 2026 and today we're answering world-building questions about Andomhaim, which is the setting of my Frostborn, Sevenfold Sword, Dragontiarna, Dragonskull, Shield War, and Blades of Ruin series. We also have one bonus world-building question about the Caina series. Before we get into all that, we will have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. Let's start with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in The Ghosts series at my Payhip store. That code is JULYGHOSTS. As always, the coupon code and the link to my Payhip store will be available in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through August the 10th, 2026, so if you need a new ebook for this summer, we have got you covered. Now let's have an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I'm pleased to report I am done with the rough draft of Cloak of Frost. It was just slightly over 100,000 words. Now I am writing a bonus short story called Metal Soldiers, and [newsletter] subscribers will get a free ebook copy of Metal Soldiers when Cloak of Frost comes out, which if all goes well, should be sometime in August. So I think this is an excellent time, therefore, to subscribe to my new release newsletter. My secondary project is Blade of Visions, and I am 11,000 words into that. There's also a good deal of news about audiobooks. Dragon-Mage, as narrated by Leanne Woodward, is finished and is rolling out to the various stores right now. As of this recording, you can get it at my own Payhip store, Google Play, and Kobo (with more stores soon to follow). Recording on Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest is very nearly done, and I hope to have more news on that soon. Brad Wills is currently working on Blade of Thieves and Hollis McCarthy is recording Cloak of Worlds. So we should have a wide variety of audiobooks coming for you soon. 00:02:00 Questions about Caina Before we get to our main topic, we have a bonus question about Caina. When I said my next project was going to be Cloak of Frost, I got a couple of questions like this: Just wondering when/if there will be another Caina novel to look forward to? The answer is not right now, but maybe later. I am glad and appreciative that people want more Caina books. That said, I don't want more than three unfinished series at any one time, and I've got three right now with Blades of Ruin, Cloak Mage, and Half-Elven Thief. So I'm not starting anything new until one of the three is done. If you reach the end of Ghost in the Siege, which is the latest current Caina book, you know that the series was at a pretty significant stopping point. If I want to keep going, I need to think long and hard about how to do it right. I do have a couple of ideas, but I need to think about them some more. It's almost like we'd have to shift to a slightly different genre of fantasy than the Caina books have been previously. The tricky part is Caina has changed a great deal since Child of the Ghosts. The tricky part in that is that sequels in a long-running series need to be more of the same, but also something different. There have been 35 Caina novels. So I've done that quite a bit. But Caina has had some experiences that have very much changed her life. To use a rough comparison, it's like she became a justice on the US Supreme Court or the governor of one of the five largest US states in the sense that once you've had change in your life that significant, your life will never be the same afterwards. And without spoilers, Caina had a shift that big at the end of Ghost in the Siege. So more Caina is definitely a possibility, but I need to think about it some more and it definitely won't be before 2027 until I finish one of my three currently unfinished series. 00:03:35 Main Topic of the Week: Andomhaim Worldbuilding Questions Now onto our main topic, which is I had some world-building questions about Andomhaim from Frostborn come in lately. So I thought I would answer them here. Question #1: Why hasn't the Heptarchy invaded Andomhaim again? The answer is money, basically. Remember that the ultimate purpose of the Heptarchy is to provide an endless supply of sacrificial victims for the Seven Temples' altars so the seven urdmordar who rule the Heptarchy can endlessly feed. These seven urdmordar don't have much interest in the day-to-day governance, so their spiderling priestesses essentially run the Heptarchy as an exceptionally malignant theological bureaucracy. However, while the priestesses are evil, they're efficient and very good at their jobs. In practice, the Heptarchy tends to operate more like an imperial confederation or a very loose federal government than an actual empire. Kingdoms, tribes, and city states have a great deal of autonomy so long as one, taxes are paid in time and two, sacrificial victims are taken to the temples on time. To help encourage this, all the various local rulers in the Heptarchy tend to have priestess advisors who make sure that the rulers make the "correct" decisions. So when things go awry, the Seven Temples have a wide array of tools to deal with difficulties, from assassinating and replacing truculent rulers with more tractable successors all the way up to exterminating entire populations and settling new colonists upon the depopulated lands. The difficulty of the Heptarchy is that the seven urdmordars are gluttons and gluttony is impossible to satiate. So when the Heptarchy learned of Andomhaim and the possibility of an entirely new land to conquer and feed upon, of course they had to conquer it. The priestesses built an enormous fleet and gathered a vast army and sent it three and a half thousand miles across the ocean to Andomhaim. Of course, if you've read the Dragontiarna series, you know that this didn't go well. The Heptarchy seized the Isle of Kordain and had early successes in Andomhaim, but Agravhask, the commander of the invasion force, was secretly a disciple of the Warden of Urd Morlemoch, and he seized control of the Heptarchy force and used it to further the Warden's goals. The Visionary foresaw this happening, but didn't care because it gave her an opportunity to try and capture her old enemy, Tarmyntir. So the Heptarchy didn't conquer Andomhaim, and then 10 years later they lost control of the Isle of Kordain, their only stronghold near Andomhaim. To put this situation in contemporary terms, this is a significant geopolitical setback or to put it in popular vernacular, it's "taking a massive L." The Seven Temples spent a colossal fortune on the invasion force and in return got back exactly nothing. Even evil sorcerous empires are bound to the laws of economics. In The Ghosts books, the Umbarian Order failed to figure this out. And it would take a while for the Heptarchy to pay for and assemble another invasion force of that size. And since the first invasion force had failed, there wasn't much appetite for pulling together a second one. So now the official policy of the Heptarchy towards Andomhaim is quiet CIA-style subversion. The Spider Cult was founded to secretly bring nobles and wealthy merchants to the worship of the Seven Temples. It might take a century or so, but the plan is to eventually place a spider cultist on the throne of Andomhaim and then send a sympathetic ruler an army to back him or her up. Of course, the Brotherhood of the Ravens is aware of this and has been fighting the Spider Cult in the shadows. So that is why the Heptarchy hasn't tried to invade Andomhaim again- it costs too much, the outcome is uncertain, and the priestesses have decided a careful subversion (which costs much less than an invasion) will work out better in the long run. Question #2: Is Blades of Ruin really inspired by the English Civil War of 1138 to 1153 AD? Yes. Why? Because alcohol and boats are a very bad combination. In the 12th century, the Kings of England were also the Dukes of Normandy and were more interested in Normandy than in England, so they spent a great deal of time on both sides of the English Channel. In November of 1120, King Henry I wanted to return to England, but allowed much of his retinue to travel on another ship. That included his heir and only legitimate son William, several of his bastard children, and numerous high ranking members of his court. Everyone on William's ship was quite drunk, including the crew, and decided it would be a good idea to try and overtake King Henry's ship on the English Channel at night in November. Remember how I said alcohol and boats were a bad combination? William decided that he wanted to overtake his father's ship, and since a significant portion of everyone on his ship was drunk, they ended up crashing into some rocks, the ship sank, and most of the passengers and crew drowned, including William. For Henry, this was an absolute disaster since he had put a lot of work into setting up William as his heir. Henry then settled on his daughter Matilda as his heir and forced his vassals to take oaths so they would support her as his successor. When Henry died in 1135, Matilda assumed the throne, but her cousin Stephen of Blois seized the crown instead. Many of the lords of England were leery at the idea of a female monarch and Stephen was amiable and well-liked. Matilda was also imperious and had a knack for offending people at the worst possible time. The resultant civil war became known as the Anarchy and it ebbed and flowed until 1153. Both Stephen and Matilda held the upper hand at various times, but could never manage to achieve a total victory. Many of the nobles went local warlord, raising their own forces and building their own castles to protect themselves from their neighbors, which led to widespread chaos and violence. Finally, by the end of the 1140s, most of the nobles were sick of the war and put increasing pressure on Stephen and Matilda to find some sort of negotiated solution. Matilda's vigorous son Henry began to insert himself and he convinced Stephen to name him as his heir. When Stephen died, Henry became the undisputed king in 1154 and the war was over. Henry II would prove to be a vigorous king, but his inability to share power with his sons would cause him a lot of trouble in the final years of his reign. So you can see how Zelos Pendragon and Rhamnousia Pendragon from Blades of Ruin are very loosely based on Stephen and Matilda, though with some differences. Stephen and Matilda were cousins while Zelos and Rhamnousia are half siblings. For that matter, Henry I died of natural causes and was not assassinated by a sinister cult of sorcerers who wanted to engineer a civil war for nefarious purposes. Question #3: Were the Free Companies in Blades of Ruin inspired by Glenn Cook's The Black Company? First of all, The Black Company is a fantasy classic and everyone should read it. I think it's even in Kindle Unlimited at the moment. But the Free Companies and Blades of Ruin weren't inspired by The Black Company. They were inspired by the Hundred Years' War between England and France from 1337 AD to 1453 AD. Medieval warfare relied heavily on knights and vessels, but it always employed mercenaries. One of the problems in the Anarchy were the large number of Flemish mercenaries infesting in the country, who frequently turned full brigand. But feudalism was based on holding land and as the Middle Ages progressed, money and the cash economy became more and more important while knighthood became increasingly performative and ceremonial. Professional soldiers were generally more useful and more reliable than arrogant and headstrong knights. These trends played a big part in the Hundred Years' War and every time the kings of England campaigned in France, they frequently hired mercenaries and they generally let the mercenaries rampage through the French countryside and plunder whatever they wanted since that was cheaper than actually feeding them. The Free Companies really got going after the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. The French were decisively defeated, King John II of France went back to England as a prisoner, and the national government in France essentially collapsed. The English discharged many of their mercenaries, who formed into companies and began systematically looting the French countryside. When official hostilities broke out between the English and the French again, the English hired the companies back. As the fortunes of France and England waxed and waned during the war, some of the companies wandered into Italy and made good money playing the Italian city states against each other. One of the most famous of the companies was The White Company, commanded by Sir John Hawkwood. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle famously killed off Sherlock Holmes so he could turn his attention to writing historical fiction about the White Company. This was somewhat less than financially successful, so Doyle went back to writing Holmes after a few years, though he always regarded his historical novels as better than his Holmes stories. Rannister and the Grand Company in Blades of Ruin were loosely based off of Werner von Urslingen and the Great Company. Von Urslingen's personal model was "The enemy of God, the enemy of piety, and the enemy of mercy." He apparently had those actual words inscribed on his breastplate. The Great Company spent a lot of time fighting in Italy and extorting money from the city-states until the White Company defeated them at the Battle of Canturino in 1363. In real life, of course, the Free Companies did not have orcs in the ranks or sorcerous advisors. However, the real life Free Companies were just as brutal and rapacious as those in the Blades of Ruin series, sometimes often more so, since they were essentially organized bands of brigands. Eventually in the wake of the Hundred Years' War, stronger national governments arose in England and France, and the concept of the Free Companies gradually became obsolete. Kings found their own professional armies to be much more reliable than the Free Companies, though of course the idea of mercenaries never went away and remains to this day. Those standing armies would cause their own problems throughout history. Question #4: How did the warlocks of Vhalorast conquer Urd Maelwyn if the dark elves are so much more powerful than orcs? Two reasons. First, the Warlocks of Vhalorast were a lot more powerful than anyone suspected. The Sovereign and the high Maledicti priests were strong enough to keep the Vhalorasti warlocks in check and compel them to obedience since saying no to someone like Khurazalin from Sevenfold Sword was a spectacularly bad idea. But after the final defeat of the Sovereign, the Vhalorasti orcs were free to do as they liked. Second, the dark elves are chronically unable to work together without betraying each other constantly. The dark elven love of cruelty often manifests as a love of treachery, which frequently leads them to making very stupid decisions. In real life, you often see people who are addicted to various lusts, vices, and addictions making bad decisions, and the dark elves often took that up to 11. By contrast, while the warlocks of Vhalorast are very bad people, they are orderly and organized and they don't often betray each other. Indeed, "brother and sister warlocks" are supposed to extend respect to each other and the Council of Masters harshly punishes anyone who violates certain rules of conduct. So the warlocks of Vhalorast can cooperate a lot more effectively than the dark elves. To put it in Dungeons & Dragons terms, the dark elves are chaotic evil (sometimes urging on stupid evil), but the Vhalorasti warlocks are firmly lawful evil. When the Visage seized control of Urd Maelwyn, she thought to rebuild the Sovereign's Empire and forced a confrontation with Vhalorast. That ended with the Vhalorasti orcs and Warlocks destroying the Vistage's army, seizing Urd Maelwyn and taking the Visage herself back to Vhalorast in chains. Of course, the warlocks had help from the Disciples of Vhalzarok, but more on that will be revealed in later books of Blades of Ruin. Question #5: Why aren't there any dwarves in Owyllain? That is because none of them settled in Owyllain. The dwarves first came to the Frostborn world slightly before the urdmordar. About 15,000 years ago, the dark elves were frantically summoning new kindreds to throw in battle against the high elves. The dwarves came to Andomhaim somewhere near the Torn Hills close to Urd Morlemoch. The dwarfs who sided with the dark elves became the dvargir and probably began cheating the dark elves at every turn because they were better organized. The dvargir became to the dark elves the sort of military subcontractor who overcharges, over promises, and then drastically under-delivers while keeping to the letter of the contract. The dwarves founded nine different underground kingdoms and most of them are relatively close to Andomhaim. Only three of them still survive to the modern period. Question #6: Why aren't there any orcish Swordbearers or Soulbearers? For two reasons. First, Ardrhythain would be reluctant to make soulblades for orcs because orcs already have battle fury and the soulblades inspire a hatred of dark magic in their bearers. There's a chance an orc with a soulblade would go absolutely berserk when fighting an urvaalg or a dark wizard. Second, and this is the more important reason, the orcs didn't actually ask. Due to their threefold law, the high elves are very limited in how they can interact with other kindreds. Ardrhythain created the soulblades and found the Magistri among the humans of Andomhaim because the Keeper of Andomhaim of the time specifically asked. Ridmark was only able to command the high elves of Cathair Ereniel in The Shield War because he was the Shield Knight. The high elves can only help if asked and then only provide the specific help requested if it is in accord with the threefold law. The temptation within them to simply rule over weaker kindreds for their own good is very strong, but if they do that, they turn into dark elves. To get around that problem is one of the reasons Ardrhythain created the Swordbearers. Andomhaim definitely would've been destroyed centuries ago if not for the Order of the Soulblade. That's also the reason Ardrhythain created the Guardians, to help protect both nations and places of power that the high elves otherwise could not protect directly. Question #7: Is Andomhaim very different in Talembur's time than it was in Ridmark's? Andomhaim is at a slightly more advanced technological level as of the Blades of Ruin series, but it is a good deal richer and more prosperous than it was in Ridmark's time. Part of that is that Accolon Pendragon' successors ruled wisely and well, and Andomhaim avoided the sort of destructive civil war that is currently afflicting Owyllain. Andomhaim also hasn't had to face an external war on the scale of the Frostborn or the Heptarchy in that time. Granted, there have been wars with outside adversaries like the Mhorites, but nothing like the Heptarchy War. Additionally, adding the Isle of Kordain to the realm and the discovery of the sea compass let Andomhaim's mariners travel a lot farther and more reliably than they could before. Ships of Andomhaim have made their way to various island kingdoms south of the Isle of Kordain and begun a lively trade with them. This has brought new prosperity to Andomhaim. Granted, this might cause long-term problems. The coast of Andomhaim and the cities of Cintarra and Tarlion are getting a good deal richer and more powerful than the rest of the realm. A clever adversary like the Spider-Cult might find a way to use that to their advantage. And finally, Question #8: Did Calliande actually create the fountain in Blade of Thieves? No. It's just a legend that grew up around her. Neither Ridmark nor Calliande ever came near Stonegate during the War of the Seven Swords. That was why Ridmark didn't like bards very much, since they always embellished and made things up. So those are some recent Andomhaim questions I've received and I hope I answered those questions. So that's it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.  

What if the very story you've been afraid to tell is the one thing that establishes your credibility, your purpose, and your greatest impact?In this episode, Kellan Fluckiger explores why so many people hesitate to share the truth about their own journey. Fear of judgment. Fear of rejection. Fear of family backlash. Fear of success. These invisible barriers keep countless people from embracing the one thing no one else can duplicate—the story of their becoming.Kellan explains why your greatest authority doesn't come from titles, certifications, or accomplishments. It comes from what you've lived, what you've overcome, and who you've chosen to become. When you stop hiding your story and begin serving from your truth, you create the opportunity to influence, inspire, and transform lives.If you've been waiting until you're "ready," this conversation may be the permission you've been looking for.Key Takeaways:Why people fear telling the truthThe story of your becomingFear of judgment and rejectionFamily resistance to sharing your storyApproval versus purposeWhy authenticity creates authorityTurning adversity into serviceThe responsibility that comes with influenceThe three parts of forgivenessFix what you canChange who you areAdd good to the worldBuilding a life by design instead of defaultBecoming a beacon of light through lived experienceCreating purpose from your personal journey

What does it take to build an epic fantasy world that feels real?On this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve sits down with fantasy author Robert Riley, whose debut novel Blood of Tomorrow launches a sweeping new series years in the making.Robert discusses creating believable worlds without overwhelming readers, why history and leadership shape every aspect of his storytelling, and how his career leading businesses around the world influenced the difficult choices his characters face.The conversation also explores the realities of self-publishing, marketing as a new author, building a loyal readership, and why authentic storytelling matters more than chasing trends.Guest: Robert W. Riley https://www.robertwriley.com/

This is the first of a number of episodes on the broad theme of “the technoprogressive opportunity”. That's the name of a conference taking place in London on the weekend of 19th and 20th September, co-organised by London Futurists and the IEET – the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. In these episodes, some of the speakers from that conference will be appearing as guests on this show.Our guest today is one of these speakers, Matteo Rossi MacDermant, a technophilosopher from the University of New Mexico. Matteo hosts a show called “Bread and Robots”, which covers subjects such as post-scarcity economics, universal basic income, the tech workers movement, and how technology can be steered toward collective abundance rather than corporate exploitation. Matteo is also the instructor for an online course called “An introduction to technoprogressive worldbuilding”.Selected follow-ups:The Technoprogressive Opportunity: Event in London, Sept 19-20The IEET - A Technoprogressive Think-TankMatteo Rossi MacDermant - LinkedInBread and Robots - Podcast and Substack by Matteo Rossi MacDermantAn Introduction to Technoprogressive Worldbuilding"Technoprogressive Declaration" - from Transvision 20142017 update to the Technoprogressive DeclarationUBI Guide - by Scott SantensUniversal Basic Capital - Windfall Trust"How a Land Value Tax Can Fund a UBI" - Scott SantensUniversal Basic Income and/or Alternatives - London Futurists conference held in 2018"Why the AI world is suddenly obsessed with a 160-year-old economics paradox" - Jevon's Paradox explained by Greg Rosalsky"The Longevity City: Cities as the Engines of Healthy Longevity" - essay by Matteo Rossi MacDermant"The London boroughs with the best and worst 'healthy life' expectancy""The Abolition of Aging" - book by David Wood (includes analysis of economic implications)Music: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain DeclarationC-Suite PerspectivesElevate how you lead with insight from today's most influential executives.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Frederick Littles joins The USDN Podcast to discuss Wise Acre Comics, Dark Sentinel: Origins #2, Magnus Jakuta, independent comic publishing, crowdfunding, comic production, and the realities of building a creator-owned publishing company.As the founder of Wise Acre Comics, Frederick has spent years developing original comic book properties while building a publishing company dedicated to producing creator-owned stories with long-term vision and lasting impact.From flagship titles like Dark Sentinel and Magnus Jakuta to expanding into action figures and collectibles, Wise Acre Comics is focused on creating an interconnected universe of original characters that extends beyond the comic book page.But building comics is only part of the story.During this conversation, Frederick shares the realities of independent publishing, managing creative teams, coordinating production schedules, running successful crowdfunding campaigns, earning the trust of backers, and balancing the creative and business sides of the comic book industry.Frederick also reflects on his military service, finding a second mission through comics, and the passion that continues to drive Wise Acre Comics forward.During this conversation, The Chairman and Frederick discuss his journey into comics, the founding of Wise Acre Comics, the origins of Dark Sentinel and Magnus Jakuta, creator-owned publishing, comic production, crowdfunding, expanding into collectibles, building original intellectual property, leadership, perseverance, and the future of Wise Acre Comics.TOPICS COVERED• Frederick Littles' journey into comics• The founding of Wise Acre Comics• Building a creator-owned comic publishing company• The origins of Dark Sentinel• Magnus Jakuta and expanding original IPs• Independent comic production and publishing• Managing creative teams and production schedules• Crowdfunding strategies and lessons learned• Building trust with Kickstarter backers• Expanding into action figures and collectibles• Leadership, perseverance, and long-term vision• Military service and finding a second mission• Building sustainable creator-owned intellectual property• The future of Wise Acre ComicsSUPPORT FREDERICK LITTLES & WISE ACRE COMICSWebsite:https://www.wiseacrecomics.com/Campaigns:https://www.wiseacrecomics.com/pages/kickstarter-zoopInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/wiseacrecomicsPROTECT YOUR COLLECTION WITH BCW SUPPLIESShop BCW Supplies:https://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=usdnUse code USDN for 10% off your order.Affiliate Disclosure:USDN may earn a small commission if you use our affiliate link or code. This helps support the show at no extra cost to you.FOLLOW THE USDN PODCASThttps://linktr.ee/USDN_PodcastCONTACT THE USDN PODCAST: thechairman@usdnpodcast.comFollow The USDN Podcast for more conversations with independent comic creators, writers, artists, publishers, and storytellers exploring indie comics, crowdfunding, creator-owned publishing, comic production, worldbuilding, and the realities of the independent comic book industry.The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life.

When a desperate conscript blocks their path to Kallisto, Rebecca dismantles his lies with precision.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JaVon O. Stokes joins The USDN Podcast to discuss STRONG #1, Kimora Sampson, superhero worldbuilding, representation in independent comics, building Visually Stoked Media, and the realities of independent comic book publishing.STRONG #1 continues the story of Kimora Sampson, a former Olympic athlete whose life changed forever after a tragic car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. When an ancient cosmic force known as the Essence empowers her, Kimora gains the ability to transform into a 6'3", 200-pound superhero of unbelievable strength—but only for short periods of time.Following the best-selling STRONG #0, JaVon begins the ongoing adventures of one of independent comics' most compelling new superheroes.As Kimora reveals the true depth of her power, kindness, and heart, political figures begin moving against her. Meanwhile, mysterious forces known as Magnus and Chivalry emerge with plans of their own.But STRONG is about more than superpowers.Inspired by the powerful women of color in JaVon's life, the series explores internal strength, identity, resilience, family, ambition, and what happens when everything you thought defined you is suddenly taken away.During this conversation, The Chairman and JaVon discuss his journey into comics, the creation of STRONG, the inspiration behind Kimora Sampson, the mythology of the Essence, building an ongoing superhero universe, creating meaningful threats for an incredibly powerful character, representation in comics, reaching new readers, independent publishing, and the future of Visually Stoked Media.SUPPORT JAVON O. STOKES & VISUALLY STOKED MEDIAWebsite:https://www.visuallystoked.comX:https://twitter.com/Visually_StokedInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/visuallystokedmedia/PROTECT YOUR COLLECTION WITH BCW SUPPLIESShop BCW Supplies:https://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=usdnUse code USDN for 10% off your order.Affiliate Disclosure:USDN may earn a small commission if you use our affiliate link or code. This helps support the show at no extra cost to you.FOLLOW THE USDN PODCASThttps://linktr.ee/USDN_PodcastCONTACT THE USDN PODCASTthechairman@usdnpodcast.comFollow The USDN Podcast for more conversations with independent comic creators, writers, artists, publishers, and storytellers exploring indie comics, crowdfunding, comic book creation, worldbuilding, publishing, and the realities of the independent comic book industry.The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life.

**Does Ghost in the Shell Episode 2 Has It all but its a faithful adaptation to a fault, ?**

Building an Indie Fantasy Universe One Comic at a Time | Frank GoodieEvery fantasy world begins with a single idea.This week on The USDN Podcast – Where Indie Comics Come to Life, The Chairman sits down with Frank Goodie, founder of AshVeil Comics and creator of Thelbe Jack: Seeds of Ruin.Together they discuss:• Building an original fantasy universe• Creating compelling characters and lore• Turning ideas into published comics• Lessons learned from Kickstarter• Balancing comic creation with a full-time career• Long-term planning for an interconnected comic universe• Advice for aspiring indie comic creatorsWhether you're a fantasy fan, comic creator, or someone dreaming of publishing your own stories, this episode offers an inside look at what it takes to build a world from the ground up.Follow Frank Goodie

Thank you to our sponsor World Anvil! Check out World Anvil to use their Worldbuilding, Writing, and Game Master tools for free! If you like what you see, use code "RAMBLE" at checkout for 51% off a yearly subscription! https://www.worldanvil.com/?c=2ToRamble⭐️ Exclusive Book Club! Join/Support on Patreon

Join host Greta Kelly and guest authors/content creators Andy Peloquin, Tim Hickson (AKA Hello Future Me) and T. D. Orel for an Indie Appreciation Month panel on Making the Most of Conventions. During the panel, Andy, Tim and Tanner discuss first conventions, attending cons as a fan vs. as a professional, when to start attending conventions, selling books at cons and events, merch and swag, sales tactics and connecting with readers, pitching your books, imposter syndrome and social anxiety, making meaningful connections, balancing the professional and the personal, stepping outside of your comfort zone, trusting your instincts and more.

Shawn McBee and Maciej “MJ” Jankowski join The Chairman on the USDN Podcast to discuss Westron #2, their supernatural horror detective comic inspired by the creatures, legends, and folklore of Slavic mythology.After the first issue reached its Kickstarter goal in just six hours, Shawn and MJ return to expand the dark supernatural world of Westron.In this conversation, they share how a chance connection through Discord led to their creative partnership and the creation of the series, why Slavic mythology offers an untapped world of terrifying creatures and stories, and how they balance authentic folklore with building an original comic universe.The conversation also explores the realities of independent publishing and creator-owned comics, lessons learned from crowdfunding, the Kickstarter mistake they won't make again, the challenges of funding future issues, planning a long-term story with a definitive ending, and what lies ahead for Westron.Support Westron #2 on Kickstarter:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/propsmith/westron-2Learn more about Westron:https://westroncomic.comConnect with the USDN Podcast:https://linktr.ee/USDN_PodcastBusiness & Media Inquiries: thechairman@usdnpodcast.com

What happens when Sherlock Holmes survives Reichenbach Falls and enters a world where vampires, supernatural forces, and gothic horror are real?Casus Belli joins The United States Department of Nerds Podcast to discuss Holmes: Undead #2, the latest chapter in Killer Entertainment's six-part A Study in Crimson story arc.In this conversation, Casus takes us behind the scenes of Holmes: Undead and explains how the series reimagines one of literature's greatest detectives while remaining rooted in the legacy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.We discuss why Sherlock Holmes remains relevant nearly 140 years later, the decision to transform Professor Moriarty into an immortal vampire, the challenge of balancing detective fiction with supernatural horror, and revisiting the legendary confrontation at Reichenbach Falls.Casus also shares his journey from martial arts and professional wrestling into independent comics, the origins of Killer Entertainment, working with writer Thomas Pugh and artist Virgilio Calcagno, and the realities of creating and crowdfunding indie comics.The conversation explores the Holmes: Undead #2 Kickstarter campaign, variant covers including the Deerstalker and Andy Duggan Infinity Flux variants, what's coming in Issue #3, the upcoming Gothic Market convention in Minneapolis, and future Killer Entertainment projects The Gingerbread Man and The Death Planner.Support Holmes: Undead #2 on Kickstarter:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/casusbelli/holmes-undead-issue-2Visit Killer Entertainment:https://www.killerentertainmentllc.com/Follow Killer Entertainment and Holmes: Undead:YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@casusbelli123Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1483075489302282/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/casus_belli123Threads:https://www.threads.com/@casus_belli123

Ben Lacy returns to the USDN Podcast to discuss SAMSON #1-3: Samson Versus The New Reich!, the latest Kickstarter campaign from Biting Comics.Inspired by real historical events, SAMSON blends alternate history, superhero action, and wartime drama into a unique creator-owned comic universe. During this conversation, Ben shares the real-world history behind the series, the evolution of the Biting Comics universe, his approach to writing complex heroes, and the lessons he's learned from years of crowdfunding independent comics.We also discuss Kickstarter strategy, finishing books before launch, connecting multiple comic series into one shared universe, and what lies ahead for both SAMSON and Biting Comics.Whether you're an indie comic fan, aspiring creator, or Kickstarter enthusiast, this episode offers an inside look at the passion, planning, and perseverance behind creator-owned comics.

Does your future or fantasy world require a system of government? How about a social caste system? How in-depth do you need to be in constructing social norms, mores, and taboos? The DRS Crew discusses. DRS caffeinates with Larry's Coffee. If you want to purchase fair-trade, organically grown beans that brew into smooth, balanced, never-bitter coffee, visit LarrysCoffee.com/drs, receive a free gift with your purchase, and help support The Dead Robots' Society. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site:  https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Discord: https://discord.gg/pgmQxaVbGP Enjoy the show? Consider becoming a Patreon or Buy Me A Coffee supporter and for as little as $1 a month, you can help keep the podcast free and receive exclusive content. More information at https://patreon.com/drspodcast  and https://buymeacoffee.com/drspodcast. #writing #fiction #podcast #chat #live #novel #story #narrative #publishing #author #writer #discussion #podcast #talkshow  

Kyle Valle and Erin Áine return to the USDN Podcast to discuss Autonomous, the innovative indie horror series helping launch Screamify's new Micro Horror format.After first joining the USDN Podcast in December 2025 to discuss ZombieCON Volume 1, Kyle and Erin return to the Council to share the journey behind their latest project. We explore the evolution of Big Squid Productions, independent horror filmmaking, vertical storytelling, production challenges, working with Screamify, and what it takes to create original horror outside the traditional studio system.Whether you're an independent filmmaker, horror fan, or creator looking for inspiration, this episode offers an honest behind-the-scenes look at bringing ambitious ideas to life with passion, creativity, and determination.Topics Covered• Autonomous• Screamify Micro Horror• Independent Horror Filmmaking• Vertical Storytelling• Big Squid Productions• Behind-the-Scenes Production Stories• Independent Film Distribution• ZombieCON and Returning to USDN• The Future of Horror StorytellingFollow Kyle Valle & Erin Áine:ZombieCONInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombieconmovie/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zombieconmovie/Big Squid ProductionsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigsquidfilms/Kyle ValleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kykyv71/Erin ÁineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin_aine/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mewnownews/Support USDN

A smile Rogers can't hide. A blade position he came to claim. Jasper's decision and then Elle's laugh. Rogers knows his direction even if the people with him can't quite be trusted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bruno Catarino returns to the USDN Podcast to discuss Crimson Bay Issue #2, the latest installment in his creator-owned martial arts comic series inspired by classic fighting games, action cinema, and crime dramas.In this episode, Bruno shares how Crimson Bay has evolved since its debut, the importance of balancing action with character development, building an original comic universe, collaborating with artist Samuel Donato, and the lessons he's learned through crowdfunding on Kickstarter.We also explore the challenges of launching original intellectual property, the opportunities presented by public domain characters, convention pitching, and what the future holds for Crimson Bay and Bruno's growing catalog of creator-owned comics.If you're passionate about indie comics, comic book writing, Kickstarter campaigns, martial arts storytelling, or creator-owned publishing, this episode is packed with practical insights and behind-the-scenes discussion from an experienced independent creator.Support Crimson Bay Issue #2Kickstarter:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redwulfcomics/crimson-bay-1-2-fatalfury-action-cobrakai-character-dramaFollow Bruno Catarino:Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/brunocatarino.bsky.socialConnect with USDN

Enter a world of epic fantasy, dark magic, political intrigue, and unforgettable adventure as Rob McConnell welcomes bestselling fantasy author Gail Z. Martin to discuss her acclaimed fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Necromancer. Known for creating richly detailed worlds and compelling characters, Gail takes readers on an extraordinary journey through a realm where magic is real, kingdoms are at war, and ancient powers threaten the fate of entire civilizations. In this fascinating interview, she discusses the inspiration behind the series, the development of its characters, and the creative process that transformed her imagination into an internationally recognized fantasy saga. Listeners will discover how mythology, history, folklore, and classic fantasy traditions influenced her writing. Gail also shares insights into world-building, storytelling, and the challenges of crafting believable heroes, villains, and magical systems that captivate readers from beginning to end. Whether you're a longtime fantasy fan, an aspiring writer, or simply someone who loves great storytelling, this episode offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of modern fantasy's most imaginative literary worlds.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media

Panopticon, Surveillance, and Indie Comics with Matt StevensWhat happens when a prison doesn't need guards because the prisoners believe they're always being watched?This week on the USDN Podcast, Jeff "The Chairman" Fountain welcomes writer, artist, and creator Matt Stevens to the Council of Nerds to discuss Panopticon, a psychological science fiction comic that explores surveillance, memory, identity, freedom, and the systems that shape human behavior.Matt shares the inspiration behind Panopticon, the philosophy that influenced the story, his journey into creator-owned comics, founding Dark Web Comics, launching the project's Kickstarter campaign, and what's next with Panopticon: The Chasm.Whether you're a fan of indie comics, science fiction, psychological thrillers, or creator-owned publishing, this episode offers an insightful look into the creative process behind one of indie comics' most thought-provoking new series.Guest LinksPanopticon:https://www.panopticoncomic.comDark Web Comics:https://www.thedarkwebcomics.comLate Pledges:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/panopticoncomic/panopticon-1Read Issue #1 Free:https://embed.macroverse.com/portal/019d9496-2048-7299-8a67-b5d88ceb30eaInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/panopticoncomic/Dark Web Comics Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thedarkwebcomics_/Support USDNSubscribe:https://www.youtube.com/@USDN_PodcastSupport USDN Through BCW Supplies:https://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=usdnUse Coupon Code: USDNSave 10% on your retail order while supporting the USDN Podcast.USDN receives a 5% commission when coupon code USDN is used on qualifying purchases.This has been the USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life.

Jennifer L. Armentrout, the phenomenal New York Times Bestselling author of the Flesh and Fire Series, The Blood and Ash Series and so much more, dives deep with Lorien McKenna. They discuss Jennifer's process and how she keeps such high concept sci/fi romance with so many worlds, timelines and characters afloat and fresh. They also talk through the challenges of the publishing world. Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Episode Links: Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TSL on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most coaches are trapped in an endless cycle of posting, creating content, chasing engagement, and hoping visibility turns into clients.It won't.In this episode, Kellan reveals why the majority of coaches are building noise instead of authority—and why AI is making that problem impossible to ignore.The future belongs to coaches who build something deeper than content. It belongs to those who create a coherent body of work rooted in lived experience, clear frameworks, personal truth, and undeniable transformation.If your business depends on constantly feeding the algorithm, this conversation may challenge everything you believe about growth, influence, and impact.The question is simple:Are you building a legacy—or just posting into the void?Key Takeaways:Why endless content creation is failing coachesThe difference between visibility and valueHow AI is changing the coaching industryWhy most coaching frameworks are becoming commoditizedThe power of creating a coherent body of workWriting the story of your own becomingBuilding authority through lived experienceCreating original frameworks and teachingsWhy personal transformation matters more than marketingThe future of coaching in an AI-driven worldBuilding sustainable income and long-term impactBecoming impossible to replace

Writer Michael Barron and artist Jack Van Thomme join The Chairman on the USDN Podcast to discuss The Secret Lives of Demon Hunters, a supernatural horror comic about marriage, monsters, hidden darkness, and the people who spend their nights hunting demons.In this episode, we talk about slice-of-life horror, the origin of The Secret Lives of Demon Hunters, building a world of demons and possession, horror storytelling in comics, writing satisfying endings, Kickstarter preparation, reward tiers, indie comic promotion, and the reality of launching a creator-owned comic.Ashley and Jordie may look like an ordinary married couple, but behind closed doors and beneath the surface of everyday life, they are fighting something far darker. The Secret Lives of Demon Hunters blends relationship-driven storytelling with supernatural horror, giving readers a grounded emotional core inside a world of demons, shadows, and secrets.Topics include:• The Secret Lives of Demon Hunters• Slice-of-life horror• Horror comics and supernatural storytelling• Demons, possession, and hidden darkness• Writer and artist collaboration• Building a horror world in 24 pages• Writing twists and satisfying endings• Kickstarter comics and crowdfunding• Indie comic promotion• Creator-owned storytellingSupport The Secret Lives of Demon Hunters on Kickstarter:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/secret-lives-hunters/the-secret-lives-of-demon-hunters-a-24-page-horror-comicFollow Michael Barron:https://www.michaelbarronauthor.comMichael Barron on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/barronauthor.bsky.socialFollow Jack Van Thomme:https://www.instagram.com/real_jackvt/Follow USDN:https://linktr.ee/USDN_PodcastBusiness & Media Inquiries: thechairman@usdnpodcast.comThe USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come To Life

Thank you to our sponsor World Anvil! Check out World Anvil to use their Worldbuilding, Writing, and Game Master tools for free! If you like what you see, use code "RAMBLE" at checkout for 51% off a yearly subscription! https://www.worldanvil.com/?c=2ToRamble⭐️ Exclusive Book Club! Join/Support on Patreon

What's the most underrated tool in the motion design workflow? The Creative Brief.In today's episode, Justin and Audrey Havey of Sword and Shield sit down with us to break down the creative process behind their launch ident: a hand-drawn, frame-by-frame battle sequence built on intention, world-building, and one very special Easter egg of a Favorite Frame™. We go deep on utilizing the creative brief as the north star of any project, what it really means to build an artist-first studio, and why the best work happens when you let go of control and trust the people you've hired.If you're someone who's obsessed with both the process and the craft of motion design — this one's for you!TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Intro0:43 – Audrey & Justin's Origin Stories8:10 – The Brand Idea Born on Daily Walks11:22 – Introducing Audrey & Justin's Favorite Frame™14:24 – The Easter Egg: When an Artist Signs Her Work23:34 – The Brief Is the Golden Goose in Motion Design27:44 – World Building as a Brand Animation Strategy39:54 – How Story Arc Shapes the Motion Design Process45:47 – Challenges, Rewards & Pivots53:01 – Their Favorite Frame™ Because…CONNECT & FOLLOW:Spotify → https://spoti.fi/3K8UDd7Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/styleframe-saturdays/id1607658120Amazon Music → https://amzn.in/d/0cziMYRNGUEST LINKS/RESOURCES:Sword & Shield: https://swordandshield.tv/Columbus College of Art & Design: https://www.ccad.edu/Riot Games: https://www.riotgames.com/enCarvana: https://www.instagram.com/vandylgaming/Vandyl Gaming: https://www.instagram.com/vandylgaming/Jessica Rowden: https://jessicarowdenart.com/Kody Orris: https://www.kodyorris.com/Ghost of Tsushima: https://www.ghostof-tsushima.com/Discovering the ‘Why' Behind Your Styleframes with Ryan Summers: https://youtu.be/ThJIz9esa4MNickelodeon: https://www.nick.com/Procreate: https://procreate.com/Maxon Cinema 4D: https://www.maxon.net/en/cinema-4dAdobe Photoshop: https://photoshop.adobe.com/?promoid=HHJ4XB3V&mv=other&mv2=ahome&lang=enAdobe After Effects: https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html*Riverside: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=styleframesatLofi Cassette by Harrison Amer (theme music licensed by Premiumbeat.com, https://www.premiumbeat.com/home)Permissions granted by the artist(s).Our podcast celebrates Motion Ideation — the raw brainstorming, early-stage thinking and lightbulb moments that shape everything before a single design or keyframe exists. Because we believe great motion design starts with one Favorite Frame™ and the fresh ideas behind it.Styleframe Saturdays is a Formerle-branded podcast, and part of the Formerle brand family.By making a purchase through one of our affiliate links we will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that we would recommend these products regardless of their commission-based opportunities.

Episode 303: On this week's episode, a creative AI that can build a whole world from a few sentences, sounds fun until you watch it keep continuity, remember past choices, and generate game-like logic on the fly. We kick things off with Fable 5 inside Claude AI, a model built for structured world-building that goes way beyond a typical writing assistant. We break down a facial recognition wrongful arrest that started with grainy screenshots and ended with an innocent man spending a night in jail, plus the bigger pattern of bias and bad safeguards. If a “93% match” can outweigh phone records, work records, and common sense, what's the standard for proof supposed to be?We also cover Waymo Premiere and what subscription robotaxis say about where autonomous vehicles are headed, plus a rapid-fire run through scam emails that try to steal your identity with fake Prime suspension notices and “free groceries for a year” bait. And yes, we had to talk about the viral AI Costco lazy river image that fooled millions, because it's the perfect lesson in how believable fake content has become. We wrap with a safety warning on carbon fiber 3D printing microfibers, then Nathan unloads on Prime Day, before we give our final thumbs up or thumbs down on Cotswolds Signature Single Malt all coming up on TechTime Radio, with a little whiskey on the side.-- Full Episode Details:A brand-new AI model claims it can do more than write. It can remember, reason, and build entire worlds that stay consistent over time and after testing it, we have a lot to say. We walk through Fable 5 on Claude AI, why persistent story worlds and long-term memory change the game for writers and game developers, and why “creative reasoning engines” are about to reshape how we make interactive experiences.Then the tone shifts hard as we cover a real facial recognition failure that led to a wrongful arrest. We unpack how a blurry screenshot, an overconfident match score, and sloppy police work can spiral into jail time, legal chaos, and lasting trauma. We also talk plainly about algorithmic bias, why these tools keep failing Black Americans at higher rates, and what safeguards should exist before software gets treated like a magic truth machine.From there, we hit the consumer side of emerging tech: Waymo's new Premiere subscription, robotaxi expansion, and the marketing push that makes self-driving sound like just another rewards program. We also read scam and spam emails that prey on urgency, including “Prime membership suspended” phishing and fake “Meta Verified” pitches, plus a quick reality check on viral AI-generated product hoaxes like the so-called 200-foot Costco lazy river. We wrap with a practical tech warning about carbon fiber 3D printing safety and a no-filter rant on Prime Day turning into a never-ending sales calendar.Subscribe for weekly technology news with a sense of humor, share this with a friend who clicks the wrong links, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What's one piece of tech you want us to stress-test next?Send us Fan MailSupport the show

Sean Wood joins The Chairman and the Council of Nerds to discuss The Fog Within, his creator-owned post-apocalyptic comic series that blends science fiction, action, mystery, and time-bending adventure.With The Fog Within #5 launching on Kickstarter, Sean shares the origins of the series, how a simple run through a foggy day sparked the concept, the challenges of building a creator-owned comic universe, and the lessons he's learned from running multiple successful crowdfunding campaigns.The conversation explores worldbuilding, indie publishing, Kickstarter strategy, creator-owned storytelling, and the realities of building an independent comic career one issue at a time.Topics include:• The origins of The Fog Within• Worldbuilding and character creation• Kickstarter crowdfunding• Creator-owned comics• Indie publishing• Writing and storytelling• Building a comic universe• Lessons learned as an independent creator

Matt Witten joins me to talk about 51%, his speculative thriller set in a near-future America where corporations own everything, including people.We dig into one of the book's strongest ideas: a privatised justice system where detectives have to crowdfund murder investigations. That opens up a wider discussion about debt, ownership, healthcare, policing, and how worldbuilding becomes far more powerful when it creates real pressure on characters' daily choices.If you like dystopian fiction with clear systems and strong moral stakes, this one has plenty to get into.Find out more, including shownotes, here: https://rubipod.link/51percent

How do two creators living in different countries build a creator-owned comic together?In this episode of the USDN Podcast, The Chairman sits down with writer Marco Vito Oddo and artist Victor Costa, the creative team behind OTHERKIN, an indie horror and urban fantasy comic series inspired by works such as Hellboy, Hellblazer, and Swamp Thing.The conversation explores the origins of Otherkin, how the project evolved from an abandoned video game concept into a long-form comic universe, the challenges of independent publishing, and the realities of creating a comic series across continents.Marco and Victor discuss worldbuilding, horror storytelling, character development, writer-artist collaboration, creator-owned comics, comic book influences, and the lessons they've learned while building Otherkin one issue at a time.Topics include:• The origins of Otherkin• Creator-owned comics• Horror and urban fantasy storytelling• Writer and artist collaboration• Building a long-form comic universe• Character creation and worldbuilding• Independent publishing challenges• Physical vs digital comics• The future of Otherkin• Advice for aspiring comic creatorsIf you're a fan of indie comics, horror comics, creator-owned storytelling, and comic book creation, this episode is for you.FOLLOW MARCO VITO ODDOInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/marcovito.oddo/Substack:https://marcovitooddo.substack.com/FOLLOW VICTOR COSTAInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/victorcosta.art/FOLLOW OTHERKINInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/otherkin.comic/USDN LINKShttps://linktr.ee/usdnpodcastBusiness & Media Inquiries: thechairman@usdnpodcast.comBCW Supplies Affiliate PartnerNeed comic bags, boards, storage boxes, top loaders, comic collecting supplies, or shipping materials?Shop BCW Supplies:https://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=USDNAffiliate Code: USDNDisclosure: USDN may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through this affiliate link at no additional cost to you. Your support helps us continue spotlighting indie comic creators and producing creator-focused content.The USDN Podcast - Where indie comics come to life.

On this special Comicast One Shot, Michael is joined by author Rose Garcia who is also attending The Book Dragon Festival happening this Saturday at POST Houston. Rose will be one of the many authors set to join the free Fantasy Market beginning at 12p. She's the author of the Havenwood Falls series, the Final Life series, the Fae Bloodlines series, and most recently she finished her Bloodlines Legacy series earlier this year with the release of book 3, A Legacy Forged. Rose stops by the podcast to discuss her love for fantasy, leaving her career as a lawyer to become an author, what her writing process is like, how she keeps track of her worlds when she's writing, her love for romantasy, why the romantasy genre is not going away, bringing in her culture/heritage in her work, her preferred writing environment, creating magic systems, why kickstarter is part of her release strategy now, and much more! To purchase any of Rose's work, head over to her website rosegarciabooks.com. Follow her on social media, @rosegarciabooks. The Book Dragon Festival - Saturday June 13th at POST Houston from 11a-5pJoin Michael, Rose, other authors, and fellow book lovers like you at the first ever Book Dragon Festival! Michael will be moderating the author panel at the event, featuring authors K.R. House, D.L. Jennings, J.J. Kang, and Abbey Fox discussing world building and magic systems! Doors open at 10:45a with the panel going from 11a-12p. Secure your tickets for the author panel today by heading over to Eventbrite, link below. The Book Dragon Festival Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-book-dragon-festival-author-panel-tickets-1984510987786The Book Dragon Festival is a celebration of the love of fantasy, sci fi, and paranormal books. Following the author panel, the fantasy market opens at 12p. Over 30 authors will be in attendance signing and selling their books. Plus, there'll be live artist drawing, themed sketches on bookmarks, Independent fantasy bookstore vendors, blind date with a book, themed candles, bookish art/merch vendors, tasty treat vendors with special menus, coffee, boba, and more!Stay up to date on the festival's latest announcements by following The Book Dragon Fantasy Shop on Instagram, @thebookdragon_htx.Rate, review, like, and/or subscribe to Comicast on whatever podcast app you're using; Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Goodpods, Podcast Addicts, or whatever your podcast app of choice is!  Feedback, questions, or topic ideas for the show? Email us at comicastpod@gmail.com 

There are very few official published adventures for Daggerheart, and those are either one-shots or very short. The third party options are also limited. So what is a GM wanting a published adventure to do? In this episode I share how I'm taking adventures from other games and adapting them to Daggerheart. Because Daggerheart's system is relatively simple, it's actually pretty easy to do.Play Daggerheart with Me on Start Playing Games.Sign up for my newsletter.Subscribe via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.Follow me on Bluesky.Join my Discord server.Email me.Check out my YouTube channel.Join my Book Club, now on Discord.Check Out my OTHER PODCAST - Lex Out LoudCall the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

Writer and creator C.E. Massari joins The Chairman on the USDN Podcast to discuss his upcoming 120-page original graphic novel, The Mafia vs. The Klan, coming from Source Point Press.Described as John Wick meets The Godfather, The Mafia vs. The Klan is a historical revenge noir inspired by real family history, Prohibition-era violence, and the question of what happens when justice fails.In this conversation, we talk about the real story behind the book, the legacy of Augustina Massari, turning family tragedy into fiction, writing about the Klan without glorifying hate, the moral complexity of revenge, the Mafia as a storytelling force, and why comics were the right medium for this project.We also discuss Source Point Press' relaunch, the upcoming Kickstarter pre-sale campaign, the black-and-white noir visual style, working with artist Martin Gimenez, and the realities of indie comics, crowdfunding, professionalism, and creator relationships.Guest Links: C.E. Massari Substack: https://cemassari.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.e.massari/ Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cemassari/the-mafia-vs-the-klan?ref=profile_created&category_id=252Watch / Subscribe to USDN: https://www.youtube.com/@USDN_PodcastBusiness / Media Inquiries: thechairman@usdnpodcast.comBCW Supplies Affiliate Linkhttps://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=usdnUse code USDN at checkout.Affiliate Disclosure: USDN may earn a small commission if you use our affiliate link or code. This helps support the show at no extra cost to you.The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life.

We're an actual play podcast where professional actors play the best of Swedish RPGs published in Swedish! This episode we play Forbidden Lands by Free League Publishing. Game Master: Andreas Lundström Music by: Andreas Lundström

Sometimes, the truth is weirder and stranger than anything we could make up -- and that's something a worldbuilder can use to their benefit! Guest Gabriella Buba joins us to talk about building real science into our magical worlds -- and the implications that can, in turn, have about a society's relationship with information, education, and the power structures that both derive from and control them. When blending science and magic together, writers can play with a lot of different factors and considerations. Is magic in a given world really about the movement of electrons or the interaction of chemicals, or is it a truly unexplainable force? What do your characters think about the scientific realities of their world? How do they test theories, and do they have a magical R&D department? And what might be the difference between how much the writer needs to know, how much the characters need to know, and how much the reader needs to know? Finding the balance can be tricky, and won't be the same for every project, but getting it right can add invaluable texture to your world. [Transcript for Episode 182] Our Guest: Gabriella Buba is a mixed Filipina-Czech author-illustrator and chemical engineer based in Texas who likes to keep explosive pyrophoric materials safely contained in pressure vessels or between the covers of her books. She writes epic fantasy for bold, bi, brown women who deserve to see their stories centered. Her debut SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW, a Filipino-inspired epic fantasy, was shortlisted for the 2025 Aldiss Award for World Building in Speculative Fiction. The sequel DAUGHTERS OF FLOOD AND FURY was a top trending Spotify LGBTQ+ Audiobook title. Her work as part of the anthology Witchcraft: Folk Tales & Horror Short Stories edited by Marie O'Regan & Paul Kane was a #1 New Release on Amazon. She has a Gothic Novella set during the Japanese Occupation of Manila coming with Absinthe Books Spring 2027. Alchemist of Bohemia her next novel will be out May 2027 with Titan Books. She has a Filipino Fantasy short stories in the anthologies Strange Religion: Speculative Fiction of Spirituality, Belief, & Practice & Of Stardust: A Queer Fantastical Anthology volume 1 & 2, Short stories placed with the Sci Phi Journal and PodCastle Fiction and essays on Filipino Identity in Prairie Fire Press and With Love: What We Wish We Knew About Being Queer and Filipino in America.

Sanjana and Tyler open on a question that cuts across every romance subgenre: What does authenticity in world-building actually require, and when does getting it wrong take readers out of the story entirely? Sanj brings her Corn Laws knowledge and a therapist-in-training's eye; Tyler brings ten years of fashion editing and very strong opinions about brand-dropping. Then author and publisher Adriana Herrera joins to break down the Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection—the Kickstarter collaboration with Ali Hazelwood, the Fated Mates podcast, and Julia Whelan's Audiobrary to give five genre-defining historicals the special editions they deserve—and why mainstream publishing keeps selling historicals short. To close: Sanj and Tyler pitch their all-time summer reads and define what separates a summer book from an anytime book. On world-building authenticity: the fashion-brand problem, on-page therapy sessions, and why internal consistency matters more than strict historical accuracy. Adriana Herrera is the author of Las Leonas series and co-founder of AH² with Ali Hazelwood. The Historical Trailblazers Romance Collection features Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin, Magpie Lord by KJ Charles, Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase, Indigo by Beverly Jenkins, and Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. Summer read picks: The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (Tyler), The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (Sanjana), Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson (bonus!). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building a coaching business when the world is unstable is hard enough; doing it in isolation is exponentially more difficult. In this solo episode, Meg Rentschler addresses the real pressures coaches are facing in an unstable world: longer client acquisition cycles, economic anxiety, and the emotional weight of building a business amid global chaos. The world needs coaches right now more than ever, but the question is whether you have positioned yourself to be found. We will walk through six concrete pillars for building a client pipeline that holds up in hard times, and we close with a candid look at the mental and emotional side of sustainability with a reminder that no coach should be building alone. There's no toxic positivity here, just an honest look at reality and a grounded path forward. Join us!Show Highlights:A reality check about today's world for coaches: the good, the bad, and the uglyCoaches are called to be “sense-makers.”Where is your anchor in times of uncertainty?The mindset shift we need, even in the chaosFour root causes of an unsustainable pipeline:A fuzzy nicheA lack of a consistent visibility strategyBeing overly reliant on referrals aloneTrying to build in isolationSix pillars to build your sustainable pipeline:ClarityConsistent visibilityRelationship-based marketingA compelling entry pointClient retention and expansionLayered revenueWhich pillar resonates most with you right now?Staying in isolation is the worst move. You need a coaching community!You can't pour into your clients when you are running on empty!Resources:Connect with Meg!Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. We are enrolling NOW for this fall!Join the STaR Coach Community. Become a member today!Subscribe to the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel!Explore over 480 past episodes and other helpful resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.Mentioned in this episode:Enroll More Clients: Clarity SprintDo you love coaching, but when it comes to enrolling clients, writing your bio, or posting online, you freeze? Or fall into “coach speak” that doesn't actually connect? That's not a you problem. It's a messaging problem—and it's costing you clients. Join me for my free, live five-day experience: Enroll More Clients: Clarity Sprint. From March 16–20 at 9 a.m. Central, I'll help you get crystal clear on your ideal client, refine your message so it actually resonates, and create a confidence statement that makes booking a call the obvious next step. No fluff, just clarity, you can use immediately. Grab your free spot at: https://starcoachshow.com/5dayEnroll More Clients: Clarity Sprint

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip!This week Pip is joined by the fabulous acting talent that is AMAR CHADHA-PATEL!Bar after bar on this one, folks. You'll really enjoy it and that goes for everyone including those not necessarily focused on the world of the moving picture. Amar's been steadily building steam on his career path and as you'll hear here, is gradually owning the fact that he's really incredibly good at what he does. Which is NOT the opposite of humility. It's a sign of acknowledging growth, skill and accomplishment, and is refreshing to hear. But on top of that, there's so much in this chat including behind the scenes nuggets, how he approaches a one man theatre show, advice, mistakes, history, the Persian Empire (can have ONE WEEK where that doesn't come up??), and so much more. It's a lovely one which is hugely entertaining and informative, and packs in a lot in the run time. Enjoy!PIP'S PATREON PAGE if you're of a supporting natureIMDBINSTAGRAMFOAL (theatre show)SPEECH DEVELOPMENT WEBSTOREPIP TWITCH • (music stuff)PIP INSTAGRAMPIP TWITTERPIP PATREONPIP IMDB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.