In this supersized episode of the NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast, host Aki is joined by co-host Celeste Cuilla to welcome her longtime friend and fellow New York–based actor Jodie Lynne McClintock, whose career spans theater, film, television, and gaming!
The conversation begins with how Jodie and Celeste first met years ago, performing Twelfth Night, before retracing Jodie’s early creative path as an art student at Tam O’Shanter, her college audition and subsequent scholarship to the discipline of stage work, the realities of a working actor’s life, and her appearances across the Law & Order franchise.
The episode takes a powerful turn as Jodie discusses the emotionally devastating film United 93, in which she portrays a real person whose final moments occurred on September 11th — and recounts an extraordinary, almost otherworldly connection she later experienced with the real-life family of the character she played.
Then comes the surprise second act: Grand Theft Auto V.
Jodie shares the story behind voicing Maude Eccles, the unforgettable bounty hunter in GTA V. A game that has sold over 220 million copies and continues to live on through YouTube clips.
The episode closes with a look forward, as Jodie discusses new creative chapters — exploring novel writing and playwriting, and how storytelling continues to evolve across mediums.
Find Jodie here: https://jodiemcclintock.com/
Keywords: Archduke, Darko Tresnjak, Rajiv Joseph, Delaware Theater Company, Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Scottish Play, Marlon Brando, Julius Caesar, John Gielgud, James Mason, Laurence Olivier, dramaturgy, Romeo & Juliet, A Christmas Carol, Tam O'Shanter, Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA), Joseph Fitzpatrick, Eliza Doolittle, Pygmalion, Westminster College, Man of La Mancha, Nell’s Plague Play, The City Artist's Fund, John Gromada, The Power of Film, Howard Suber, United 93, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), GTA V, GTA Online, Maude: The Bounty Hunter, OG, Bottom Dollar Bounties, Women of a Certain Age play.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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This week on the NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast, Aki and co-host Al McDermid (Frank Keegan Pulp Noir Series) sit down with acclaimed fantasy and weird-horror author John R. Fultz—creator of the Scaleborn Saga and the classic Shaper Trilogy. They're joined by guest co-hosts C.D. Brown (Midnight Brew, Vamp City) and Brian Petkash (Mistakes by the Lake) for a high-energy, deep-craft conversation about the evolution of modern fantasy.
Fultz opens up about his early inspirations—J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert E. Howard—and how his voice carved out a space between high fantasy’s mythic sweep and the raw, pulpy grit of low fantasy. He shares his journey from aspiring short-story writer to publishing in Weird Tales, including his connection with legendary editor Darrell Schweitzer, and reflects on the profound influence of Howard Andrew Jones, a pivotal mentor who helped fuel the new renaissance of sword-and-sorcery fiction.
https://www.fultzauthor.com/
We also highlight Fultz’s extensive body of work:
• A Few Odd Souls (2025, Jackanapes Press)
• The Scaleborn Saga: Immaculate Scoundrels (2024), Times Never Change (2024), We Laugh at Death (2025), Magnificent Exiles (2026)
• The Shaper Trilogy (Seven Princes, Seven Kings, Seven Sorcerers)
• His story collections: Worlds Beyond Worlds, Darker Than Weird, The Revelations of Zang• And decades of short fiction appearing in Year’s Best Weird Fiction, Weird Tales, Old Moon Quarterly, Lightspeed, Weirdbook, Black Gate, and more.
If you love fantasy worldbuilding, weird horror, pulp revival, or the craft of storytelling itself, this is a packed, energetic conversation with one of the genre’s most versatile voices.
Keywords: Jackanapes Press, Rankin/Bass The Hobbit, Tolkien, Godzilla, LoTR, Ralph Bakshi, Conan, Robert E. Howard, Pulp, The Executioner Mack Bolan, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan, John Carter, Earth Abides, Post-apocalypse, Lovecraft, Michael Whalen, Poe, Thomas Lagotti, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, Tanith Lee, Clark Ashton Smith, Ray Bradbury, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Stephen R. Donaldson, Conan the Barbarian '82, LadyHawke, Dragonslayer, The Sword and the Sorcerer, Deathstalker, John Boorman Excalibur, Alan Parsons, Howard Andrew Jones, Grimdark, Old Moon Quarterly, New Edge Sword & Sorcery, Baen Books, Star Trek books, Isacc Asimov, Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, Robert Silverberg, Worlds of Wonder, Michael Moorcock, Elric of Melniboné, Fritz Leiber, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Weird Tales, Darrell Schweitzer, Black Gate Magazine, John O'Neill, Les Edwards, Worlds Beyond Worlds, Brian LeBlanc, DMR Books, Frank Frazetta, Michael Whelan, Darrell Sweet, Boris Vallejo, Dan Sauer, Victoria Martin, CONtraflow, Balticon, FenCon, World Fantasy Convention, San Diego Comic Con, Monsters, Madness and Magic, 1000 True Fans, Journey to the West, Wizard of Oz, Five Deadly Venoms, Lone Wolf & Wolf Cub, Hard Case Crime, DongWon Song, Orbit, en media res, Comanche Station, George RR Martin, Game of Thrones, Weightless Books, Jeff VanderMeer
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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On the latest NoNaMe Storyteller Episode, author Ellen Rockmore joins Aki and co-host Brian Petkash to share the incredible, years-long journey behind her debut novel, The Given-Up Girl, from Sibylline Press. Ellen reveals how she wrote the book while raising three children, working full-time, and nearly giving up more than once—and why, when it came time for beta readers, her “curse” of having a wonderfully supportive husband meant she had to look elsewhere for honest feedback.
We explore the real constitutional-law question that inspired the story—a 1990s lawyer searching for the baby she surrendered two decades earlier—and the novel’s parallel timeline set at a women’s college in 1969–1970. Ellen discusses interviewing alumni from that era, researching the period, teaching expository writing at Dartmouth, and the joy of hearing early praise from readers. She also teases her next project: a courtroom drama involving shaken baby syndrome.
https://faculty-directory.dartmouth.edu/ellen-b-rockmore
https://shop.sibyllinepress.com/products/the-given-up-girl-a-novel?
Listen on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/pd/B0FR3WWWTZ?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
Keywords: Ellen Rockmore, The Given-Up Girl, Sibylline Press, debut novel, historical fiction, women’s colleges, 1969, 1970, constitutional law, adoption story, persistence, writing while parenting, Dartmouth, expository writing, beta readers, courtroom drama, shaken baby syndrome, The Girls That Went Away, Maggie Shipstead, Cathleen Schine, Allegra Goodman, Curtis Sittenfeld, Tantor Media.Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Hosts Aki and Anto sit down with writer and Legal Project Manager Jason Pyrz, whose out-of-print cult novel Renaissance Spook began as therapy and accidentally turned into a bucket-list publishing moment. Jason unpacks the book’s wild mix of deadly squirrels, British absurdist humor, ghostly fatherhood, and high-level stakes, and shares how writing helped him through a difficult chapter. He also walks through his unlikely path from D1 volleyball to litigation attorney to Legal Project Manager—and how creativity kept him grounded throughout.
📖 Download a free copy here: Renaissance Spook PDF
Keyword List: Renaissance Spook, Jason Pyrz, RAIDERS!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, deadly squirrels, Monty Python humor, British comedy influences, Hitchhiker's Guide, Douglas Adams, ghost protagonists, genre-bending fiction, out-of-print novels, Italian Renaissance themes, rebirth motifs, spy fiction, supernatural action, writing as therapy, creative resilience, Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Zero 7, Noah MacMillan, "defenestrate", Terry Pratchett, indie publishing, small press publishing, the unexpected journey to getting published, bucket-list goals, Legal Project Management, litigation attorneys, D1 volleyball backgrounds, career reinvention, speculative fiction, father–daughter storytelling, cult novels, and the writer’s personal journey.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Host Aki Liao (Frank Keegan Pulp Noir Series) reunites with Mark Smylie (Artesia), David Petersen (MouseGuard), and David Rodriguez (BattleMex, Blizzard Entertainment), joined by co-host Brian Petkash (Mistakes by the Lake), for an Archaia alumni roundtable, taking a deep dive into expanding creative IPs across comics and games. They discuss worldbuilding, tabletop RPGs versus video games, and other tangential topics.
Keywords: Archaia Studios Press, MouseGuard, Artesia, BattleMex, Blizzard Entertainment, Mark Smylie, David Petersen, David Rodriguez, Brian Petkash, Aki Liao, Frank Keegan Mystery Series, The Gossamyr Saga, Bill Willingham, mythic fiction, Sid Meier's Pirates!, The Game of Life, RuneQuest, Burning Wheel, Luke Crane, Chaosium, Fusion, One Ring, Middle Earth, Song of Ice and Fire, Kickstarter, Backerkit, LaunchBoom, Steve Connelly, worldbuilding, writing craft, comic book creation, IP development, game design, tabletop games, video games, storytelling, expanding universes, creative process, story structure, character building, indie comics reunion, John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981), Arthurian fantasy, and mastering the craft of worldbuilding.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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This episode of The NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast brings together two generations of indie comic creators — where new voices meet seasoned veterans in a galaxy of collaboration, creativity, and laughter.
Host Aki is joined by:
🌟 Jonah and Amanda Strassler, the sibling duo behind the indie graphic novel Star Interns — rising stars in the comics scene
🚀 Alex Sheikman and Those Turners (Hal & Renée), the veteran creative team behind Star Breach, an upcoming epic space-opera graphic novel
Together, they explore the art (and occasional chaos) of working as creative teams in the indie comics world, where self-publishing is the norm and imagination has no limits. Expect lively discussion on how ideas spark, how feedback (and the “feedback sandwich”) really works, and how collaboration keeps creators grounded and inspired.
Along the way, they share the influences that shaped their storytelling — from Teen Titans (Geoff Johns), Mad Magazine, Archie Comics, Jeff Smith’s Bone, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, X-Men, Saga, The Dark Crystal, Cowboy Bebop (Keiko Nobumoto), Azumanga Daioh (Kiyohiko Azuma), Blambot, Robotika, and more.
With plenty of laughs (and maybe a Zombie Santa Claus cameo), this conversation celebrates what makes indie storytelling so vibrant — the freedom to build worlds, share ideas, and create something unforgettable together.
For the Strassler Sibling's Star Interns comic, see https://www.holymolymedia.org/shop-1?Category=Comics
For Renée's Zombies, see https://www.marsneedswriters.com/blog-o-rama/a-bad-day-for-the-elf-on-the-shelf
Keywords: Star Breach, Star Interns, indie comics, self-publishing, creative collaboration, making comics, graphic novels, worldbuilding, storytelling podcast, writing partners, manga influence, space opera, Jeff Smith's Bone, Mad Magazine, Archie Comics, Teen Titans Geoff Johns, X-Men, Saga, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, The Dark Crystal, Cowboy Bebop, Azumanga Daioh, Keiko Nobumoto, Kiyohiko Azuma, Blambot, Robotika, "Zombie Santa Claus", onomatopoeia, bagel sandwiches, Those Turners, Alex Sheikman, indie creators, Holy Moly Media, Garden State Comic Fest, Garden State Anime Fest, From Pencil to Pixel, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, The Connection in Summit, NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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It started as a quick chat about what’s Nerd Popping… and turned into a full-blown pop culture free-for-all. Aki, Patrick, Sean, and guest Erik lurch joyfully from Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica to Godzilla Minus One, Omniscient Reader, and Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters. Along the way, they detour through superhero universes, sci-fi deep cuts, nostalgic throwbacks, and new obsessions they can’t stop talking about.
Inspired by the term “Nerd Popping,” originally coined by Keith Chow of The Nerds of Color Podcast, this episode celebrates everything that’s sparking our collective geek joy — from big-screen heroes to cult classics. Equal parts chaotic, funny, and wildly nerdy, it’s everything we’re watching, loving, and recommending next.
Keywords: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Star Trek: Voyager to Deep Space Nine, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Razor, Blood & Chrome, Eureka, Firefly, Warehouse 13, and Ron Moore’s reimagined classics, the crew dives into galaxies of great sci-fi. They hit everything from The Residence, WandaVision, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Orange Is the New Black, The Sinner, The Butler, and the over-the-top Super Mega Cakes to superhero spectacles like Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts, Captain America: Brave New World, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Superman. Expect nods to Avengers: Endgame, Pixar’s The Incredibles, and even Netflix's Untamed.
Gaming and fantasy fans will find shout-outs to Split Fiction, Halo, Wheel of Time, The Rings of Power, The Silmarillion, Prey, Killer of Killers, Badlands, Gremlins, Ironheart, Critical Drinker, Unfathomable, and the hidden-traitor principle inspired by H. P. Lovecraft. There’s movie love for Furiosa: Black & Chrome, Mad Max: Fury Road, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Johnny Mnemonic, Godzilla Minus One, Speed, Tron (1982), Tron: Ares, Tron 4K, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Alien: Earth, and the legendary Nostromo.
Add in nods to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, Ms Rachel, SyFy Channel, Wes Anderson, Sigourney Weaver, and even the legendary North Bergen High School Alien Play, and you’ve got a galaxy-spanning mix of nostalgia, chaos, and contagious enthusiasm — pure Nerd Popping energy from start to finish.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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What does it take to turn half a century of journaling into a single, unforgettable story? In this episode, NoNaMe Storytellers welcomes Ken Inadomi, author of The Pen & The Mirror, to share how he transformed 50 years, 146 journals, and nearly 6 million words into a deeply personal memoir about wisdom, vulnerability, and legacy.
What began as a conversation with his daughter Molly evolved into a full creative collaboration with his wife Melinda, a team of beta readers, and writing coach Scott James—resulting in a manuscript that changed by nearly 50% through feedback and revision. With developmental and copy editing from Sarah Beckham and the support of Pioneering Collective, Ken shaped decades of private reflection into a work that now speaks to generations.
The Pen & The Mirror has since become a 3x Amazon Best Seller in Journaling, Mid-Atlantic Memoir, and Mid-Life Self Help—a testament to what happens when vulnerability meets craft.
If you missed Ken’s virtual book launch, catch the replay here: keninadomi.com/news/virtual-book-launch
And grab your copy of The Pen & The Mirror here: https://www.amazon.com/Pen-Mirror-Wisdom-Years-Journaling/dp/B0FP6YDZL1
Keywords: Journaling, memoir writing, storytelling, wisdom, reflection, Upper West Side, family, vulnerability, authenticity, legacy, beta readers, writing coach, Scott James, Sarah Beckham, Pioneering Collective, Ken Inadomi, The Pen & The Mirror, creative process, intergenerational stories, editing, Amazon Best Seller, personal growth, Raymond Carver, Akira Odani, Steven Pressfield, The War of Art, IngramSpark.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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What happens when a writing group sparks something extraordinary? For Gloria Muñoz, it was the creative crucible where This Is the Year came to life—a dazzling YA cli-fi written in prose and verse that blends the urgency of climate change with the intimacy of family, loss, and resilience. In this episode of the NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast, Aki, along with co-host Brian Petkash, discusses Gloria’s creative path from middle school writing camp to theater and playwriting, and from songwriting and poetry to prose. Brian reflects on the magic of their long-running writing group, where Gloria’s daring experiment—merging poetry with narrative prose—set her debut novel in motion.
At the heart of This Is the Year lies a bold reimagining of the near future: city centers are reclaimed as desirable while coastal mansions become divided into affordable housing units, highlighting the contrast between past grandeur and current working-class realities. Inspired by hearing about the Artemis Project on NPR, Gloria began to imagine futures shaped by both vision and labor—and this curiosity leads directly into the larger question of who builds society’s grandest structures—the state house, the monuments, and the projects that symbolize power. Enter the Cometa Rangers and a private space company building on the moon, threads that pull her world toward both hope and critique. Woven through this world is the intimate story of twin sisters—one alive, one lost—and the profound challenge of moving forward after grief. Drawing from her own experiences and the shared mourning of the Covid pandemic, Gloria creates a story that asks what it means to find your place in a changing world.
Keywords: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Story Genius, Save the Cat, The 90 Day Novel, Uta Hagen’s Nine Questions, Las Musas, Hermanas, APL Agency, Ayesha Pande Literary, Serene Hakim, Elena Rey, Samantha Sotto (Water Moon), Min Jin Lee (Pachinko), Melissa Mogollon (Oye), Jami Attenberg (1000 Words), Nicole Caron (founding member of the writing group, previously featured with Brian discussing writing groups), St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, Harriet the Spy, Moonlit Música, and the grounding presence of Gloria’s daughter.
This is not just a debut—it’s the story of how mediums merge, how inspiration transforms, and how one writer finds the form to tell the story only she could tell.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Just in time for Halloween, hosts Aki, Anto, and Charlie welcome back horror author Craig DiLouie for the first-ever themed episode of the NoNaMe Storyteller podcast. The trio kicks off with a spirited trip down memory lane — from childhood mummy costumes and Aki’s infamous nail-in-the-head high school misfire, to Facehuggers, Predator couple costumes, and ghostly Charlie Brown mishaps.
Then the conversation takes a darker turn as they dive into Craig’s latest horror novel My Ex, the Antichrist, a wild, apocalyptic blend of love, faith, and the end of days. Charlie shares his own dark world through his Vamp City series — from the novella Quarter Moon to Vamp City and Midnight Brew. Together, they explore horror influences from childhood to now, question what truly defines “horror,” and even admit that maybe… they’re not writing horror at all.
Stay tuned for Craig’s upcoming duology, arriving next year — starting with Summer Fun Massacre and followed by The Yule Day Slaughter.
Tune in for absurd costume anecdotes, haunted reflections, and a no-holds-barred discussion of horror, authorship, and the shifting state of the genre.
Keywords: Craig DiLouie, My Ex, the Antichrist, Charlie Brown, Charles D. Brown, C.D. Brown,Vamp City, Quarter Moon, Midnight Brew, horror podcast, Halloween special, Sam Raimi Evil Dead series, Big Trouble in Little China, Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Dan Balengrad North American Lake Monster, Jack Ketchum The Girl Next Door, Amityville Horror, The Haunting, Mike Flanagan Ava’s Possessions, Jordan Peele films, George Romero, John Carpenter, Edge Sci Fi, writer’s retreats, Bubble’s Carousel, Chris Marrs, Summer Fun Massacre, The Yule Day Slaughter, Morphic Resonance, Colson Whitehead, Escape from the Secret Labs (online game show), Angels Die Slowly, Fritz Leiber, Fate’s Stiletto, The Weird Ones, Harry Harrison Make Room! Make Room!, Anto and John's dog - Jasmine
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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This week on the NoNaMe Storyteller podcast, our NoNamers - Aki, Al, Joshua, Edward, and Patrick- gather to dissect Chinatown (1974), the iconic noir starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston. The crew digs into the lack of voiceover narration, the film’s haunting visuals and score, and the tangled triangle of Jake Gittes, Evelyn Mulwray, and Noah Cross. They pull apart noir tropes, wrestle with the meaning of “Chinatown,” and debate whether the infamous ending lands—or even makes sense. Edward steps beyond the standard “Vietnam metaphor” classroom take for a deeper lens on the film’s legacy. And yes, they even ask: should Chinatown ever be remade? Along the way, expect nods to other classics like L.A. Confidential and Silverado, plus the mystery of the knife-wielding hood who scars Nicholson’s Gittes. Spoilers abound—so if you haven’t actually seen Chinatown (but keep pretending you have), consider this your modern-day SparkNotes to one of the greatest noir (or is it neo-noir?) films ever made.
Keywords: classic film analysis, noir vs. neo-noir, Chinatown (1974), Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Jake Gittes, Evelyn Mulwray, Noah Cross, L.A. Confidential, Momento, Silverado, deep film study, Vietnam metaphor, remake debate, film spoilers, podcast roundtable.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Why wait for December? In this special October edition of The NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast, co-hosts Aki, Celeste, and Alice sit down with New York Times–bestselling author Alex Palmer to unwrap the wild, true-crime tale at the heart of The Santa Claus Man. Palmer’s own ancestor, John Gluck, brought the Santa Claus Association to roaring life in 1920s New York City—mixing holiday cheer with Gotham grit. Along the way, Palmer reveals how research so fascinating it nearly hijacked the book had to be wrangled into a narrative built around one central question: Was John Gluck naughty or nice? A story that’s part Christmas tradition, part NYC history, and all holiday spirit.
Beyond the holiday history, Alex opens up about his own path as a writer—from his early days in trade journalism, where constant deadlines sharpened his craft, to landing his first agent with the very first proposal he sent, and eventually earning a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. He also shares a favorite practice: self-directed writing retreats, taken once or twice a year, that spark new momentum or provide the final push to complete a project. Whether you’re a history buff, an aspiring author, or just a curious listener, this episode is a sleigh ride packed with holiday lore and writerly grit.
https://www.alexpalmerwrites.com/
Keywords: Alex Palmer, The Santa Claus Man, John Gluck, Jazz Age NYC, Christmas history, narrative nonfiction, New York Times bestseller, trade journalism, writing deadlines, writing retreats, author journey, publishing tips, how to land an agent.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Hello, storytellers.
Did you miss us? NoNaMe Storyteller returns for Season 4 — messy, glorious, and full of surprises. From a real-life Santa con to a devilish ex, haunted poems, lost daughters, space interns, and a team of heroes inspired by Mexican heritage, we’re serving stories that stir, shock, and shine. Expect noir, horror, pop culture chaos, and creative confessions from writers, poets, and dreamers who can’t help but tell tales.
New episodes drop Fridays starting October 17.
Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your storytelling fix.
XOXO, NoNamers.
Miles Dewey II by Seyi River. https://www.seyiriver.com/
Aki, Charlie, and Anto return with Jeff LaSala to geek out over Tolkien’s legendarium and his upcoming book, The Silmarillion Primer. Jeff shares his excitement—and apprehension—about presenting Tolkien scholarship in front of seasoned experts, which began after his in-depth blogs on Tor.com (now known as Reactor) were discovered, earning him an invite to speak at a Tolkien conference. It was there he connected with a small university press, opening the door to publish his primer. Jeff explains how his book aims to demystify The Silmarillion’s dense mythos, from Valar feuds to elven genealogies, giving newcomers an approachable guide to Tolkien’s world without sacrificing depth. Expect hot takes on The Lord of the Rings, fantasy’s evolution, and the joys (and headaches) of unpacking Tolkien’s sprawling history.
👉 Read Jeff’s blog inspired by this talk here: “On Remaking Myths: Tolkien, D&D, Medusa, and Way Too Many Minotaurs” on ReactorMag.com
👉 Learn more about Jeff on his website: jefflasala.online/about/
👉
Keywords: Jeff LaSala, The Silmarillion Primer, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, First Age, Númenor, Valar, Morgoth, elves, elven lineages, Tolkien scholarship, Tolkien fandom, university presses, small press publishing, overcoming fear of public speaking, Second Age, Beleriand, fantasy mythology, The Hobbit, guides to Tolkien’s works, War of Wyvern, Mythmoot, Signum University, Corey Olsen, Patreon, The Signum Collaboratory, Christopher Tolkien, the legendarium, The Keep on the Borderlands, The Caves of Chaos, Children of Ilúvatar, Fred Rogers, the Rings of Power series, A Chance Meeting, Elfwood website, Richie Procopio, StokerCon, Balticon, and DirtyMagick Magazine.Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Join Aki, Charlie, and Anto as they dive into Jeff LaSala’s epic journey from lifelong Dungeons & Dragons fan to published author for Wizards of the Coast. In this episode, Jeff shares how his passion for roleplaying games and worldbuilding led him to write The Darkwood Mask, a novel set in the dark intrigue of Eberron. We explore his early love of Tolkien, favorite campaign settings, the unique appeal of Eberron, and how writing for an established IP tests a writer’s creativity. Whether you’re a fantasy reader, aspiring author, or tabletop gamer, this episode reveals the behind-the-scenes magic of crafting a D&D tie-in novel.
Keywords: Jeff LaSala, The Darkwood Mask, Eberron, Wizards of the Coast, campaign settings, Keith Baker, Dragonmarked Houses, noir fantasy, tie-in fiction, worldbuilding, conventions and networking in publishing, creative writing challenges, D&D novels, Gamma World, Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, He-Man, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Gary Gygax, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, the 1977 animated Hobbit movie, Tolkien, Tor publishing, Macmillan, Peter Jackson, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Silmarillion, The Silmarillion Primer, Rules Lawyers, Power Gamers, Indiana Jones, Maiden of Pain, Loviatar, Greyhawk, The Inquisitives series, detective stories in Eberron, private detectives, Sharn Inquisitive, The Maltese Falcon, pulp fiction, Tower Spit (BS slang), Five Nations sourcebook, City of Towers: Sharn, film noir, hardboiled detective tropes, urban fantasy, DirtyMagickMagazine, James Joyce, George Lucas, Krull, Analog Magazine, and the Lightning Rail.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
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In this heartwarming, laughter-filled episode of the NoNaMe Storyteller podcast, hosts Aki and Celeste welcome back returning guest Hal Turner—this time joined by his equally talented writing partner and wife, Renee. A creative partnership spanning decades, the Turners take us on a joyride through their genre-hopping journey: from YA sci-fi (Aly’s Luck) to chilling horror (The Atheist's Daughter), then on to their smash-hit romance series One Bride for Seven Brothers and its sequels.
Along the way, they’ve ghostwritten for a beloved childhood detective franchise (which shall remain mysteriously unnamed), refined a unique process fueled by long walks to McDonald’s for fries, and found inspiration in the voices of their children and grandchildren.
With nods to everything from the ABC Fellowship Program and classic '90s sitcoms like Boy Meets World, The Drew Carey Show, Seinfeld, and Frasier, to Dean Koontz and Stephen King, their previous successes like Something Wicked and The Awful, Terrible, NO GOOD Mail-Order Bride.
Stay tuned for their next project, Black Hearted—a gripping mystery by the Turners.
Brimming with big laughs, honest insights into collaborative creativity, and a love story as rich as their bibliography, this Editor’s Pick episode invites you to come for the fries—stay for the fun.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
What happens when a hard-nosed investigative journalist tries to cross the boundary into fiction—but keeps getting pulled back by the gravity of facts? In this episode, NoNaMe Storyteller welcomes Bill Alpert, longtime Dow Jones reporter and master of financial sleuthing, as he joins Aki and guest co-host Alice to explore the hilarious, humbling, and surprisingly existential question: Why can’t Bill write fiction?
Bill shares his unlikely journey from wanting to be an English major at Yale (spoiler: he wasn’t) to becoming an American Studies grad focused on democracies, his early days at local New York papers, and his eventual rise to Barron’s, where his reporting on stock fraud, money laundering, and corporate swindlers has led to real-world lawsuits—and even inspired characters in novels by others.
Along the way, we dive into the friction (and joy) of working with editors, the blessing of deadlines, and why Bill still feels a creative itch that journalism can’t quite scratch. We unpack the seductive legacy of New Journalism, the creative tension between truth and narrative, and Bill’s thoughts on what kind of novel he would write—if he could ever let go of the facts.
Featuring nods to: Jon Alpert & Keiko Tsuno (HBO documentarians), Shakespeare, Melville, Ralph EllisonTruman Capote, Tom Wolfe, John Sandford’s Prey series, Steven Pinker’s writing wisdom
Plus: A few tales of being sued, some self-deprecating humor, and a spirited defense of why investigative journalism isn’t just a job—it’s a calling.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensedunder a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
What really happens behind the scenes of a thriving writing group? In this episode of the NoNaMe Storyteller podcast, hosts Al and Aki, with returning guest co-host Edward Gauvin, sit down with author Brian Petkash (Mistakes by the Lake, upcoming tentatively titled The B-Sides) and Nicole Caron, founder of Brian’s long-running writing group and a writing professor at Ringling College of Art and Design, where she leads the First-Year Writing Program.
Together, they pull back the curtain on how writing groups form, what makes them work, what can quietly break them, and surprising things you might not know—like when it’s okay to kick someone out or why blank pages might be your boldest storytelling move.
The conversation dives deep into:
How to find your people at writing workshops like Writers in Paradise in Florida
The perfect size for a writing group
Why you might not want a group that always says your writing is great
The unspoken rules and hidden dynamics that make a writing group successful (or not)
The power of reading each other’s full manuscripts—and why this might be better than hiring a developmental editor
We also give a well-deserved shoutout to poet and novelist Gloria Muñoz, author of Danzirly and This Is the Year, and explore the essential feedback loop between craft, community, and accountability.
Whether you’re in a writing group, thinking about starting one, or wondering if they’re even worth it—this episode spills everything.
https://brianpetkash.com/bio/
https://www.nicolecaron.com/
Keywords: Writing groups, how to start a writing group, Writers in Paradise, writing workshops, Brian Petkash, Mistakes by the Lake, Nicole Caron, Edward Gauvin, Gloria Muñoz, Danzirly, This Is the Year, Paul Wilborn, Cigar City, Eleanor Eichenbaum, Ringling College of Art and Design, writing feedback, developmental editing, writing accountability, manuscript reviews, writing group tips, writing group pros and cons, author community, Brian Wedlake.
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
In Part 2, Mouse Guard creator David Petersen returns to talk about the past and future of his ever-growing mythos. Hosts Aki Liao, Mark Smylie, and Patrick Banayo explore how David developed the anthology series Legends of the Guard, including how he invited artists and storytellers to contribute their own tall tales within the Mouse Guard world—with very few rules (but absolutely no humans allowed).
The episode also previews the exciting new spinoff series, Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez (Locke & Key). David discusses what it’s like to hand over artistic duties for the first time on a multi-issue arc, while still writing and shaping the broader universe himself. It's a rare behind-the-scenes look at curating and collaborating in a beloved creator-owned world.
The photo with the risk pieces was posted on David's blog
https://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2009/10/winter-1152-in-previews-black-and-white.html
Bricks of the Mouse Guard Kickstarter 3
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crazybricks/bricks-of-the-mouse-guard-3
Mouse Guard Soothsayer's Deck
https://mouseguard.bigcartel.com/product/soothsayer-s-deck-of-bone-cards
Keywords: Mouse Guard, David Petersen, Dawn of the Black Axe, Gabriel Rodríguez, Legends of the Guard, Archaia Studios, comic book anthologies, storytelling collaboration, fantasy comics, indie comics, Mark Smylie, Patrick Banayo, NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
In Part 1 of this Archaia reunion episode, Mouse Guard creator David Petersen joins hosts Aki Liao, Mark Smylie, and Patrick Banayo to discuss the artistic and creative choices behind the beloved comic series. From the bold decision to publish in a square format (yes, retailers complained!) to building handmade models as architectural references, David shares how he keeps his process creative and fun—even after 20 years of drawing mice.
The group dives deep into tools, drawing techniques, and how to fight burnout as a creator. Mark and David also swap tips on visual storytelling, model-making, and learning from Mr. Rogers, Rod Stewart, and even Steven Spielberg.
Example of David's models on Adam Savage's Tested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGF9uArH5dI
Keywords: Mouse Guard, David Petersen, square comics, drawing comics, illustration models, artist techniques, Mark Smylie, Archaia Studios, indie comics, comic book design, NoNaMe Storyteller Podcast
Enigma by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100241
Artist: http://incompetech.com/