Myth and Magic

The enormously talented Author Eira Morgan-Jones wrote  "Sentinel of the Sun" -  a dystopian tale of murdered gods and ancient magic set in the Welsh wilderness. In a dystopian world with strictly divided domains, a wonderful story unfolds about spirituality, injustice, struggle, and ambition, all placed under the control of an authoritarian religious government.  Eira's story masterfully blends p...

English author K M Rickards (Kelly) has penned a fantasy adventure that's filled with magic. Her adventure story revolves around a fairy character named "Angie Amazonite". The adventure has a magical system that utilizes the healing properties of crystals. Readers who appreciate emotional journeys, studies into self-belief, and the architecture of social bonding (instead of the intense battle scen...

Today's interview is with Elena Marie Ball  who is a fantasy author from Alaska, and she hand-crafts magical tales, mirroring her own reading preferences, featuring the kind of formidable female protagonists she aspired to be in her youth.  Having dedicated years to writing stories and building original worlds, Elena has now left her mechanical engineering position to focus entirely on her budding...

In this intriguing interview, I chat  with Justin Vaelorin, a network engineer by day and an unexpected universe creator by night. J.Vaelorin is a gifted creative entrepreneur, and he has channelled his experience with depression into a dark fantasy narrative. Justin has crafted an intricate, fictional world for his debut novel, titled "Shadow Sword." He calls this paracosm "VaelorinVerse" - which...

Besides writing epic romantic fantasies, Hannah Baribeau, originally from Astoria, Oregon, but who grew up in Indonesia and now resides in Wisconsin, is a stay-at-home mom to four young boys. Gradiare is her first publication, with plans of many more titles to come, including a suspense thriller! Our conversation focused on techniques for crafting suspense in fantasy, such as cliffhangers and risi...

I chat with Rhode Island based author B. Marcus Walker. Brian is the author of Spirit of the Plain: The Unnamed - a fantasy about battles and magical  discoveries that readers have described as a story of " action and intrigue ". We discuss how a writer can allow his characters some degree of free-will, developing a convincing system of magic, and how Brian's own experiences  helped him develop hi...

Author Christopher Kaufman has created not just a series of fantasy books but an entire multi-media experience with his Tales of the Ocean City Tales of the Ocean City is a multimedia extravaganza that skilfully combines magnificent episodic storylines with Kaufman's award-winning music and stunning artwork... to deliver a uniquely performative adventure chronicle. I chatted with the New York base...

Sci-Fi author Christian Hurst, the creator of the best-selling space opera series 'Lily Starling' chats with me about emotional exploration and using metaphor in 'Fantastic' science fiction writing. He discusses Ursula K. Le Guin's work, mentions 'Arrival' (the 2016 American science fiction drama starring Amy Adams), and together we think about time loops, communicating with extra terrestrials, th...

Author Richard H. Moon, based in Southern California, is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and (like me) a self-described history buff. His latest book, "To Conquer Death," is set in Ancient Egypt and has the grandeur of an epic historical fantasy adventure. Richard chats with me about the Bronze Age collapse, which occurred in around the 12th century BCE and brought an end to all civilizat...

Author R E HOLDING, who was born in Iowa and now resides in the Missouri Hills with her husband. She has a passion for storytelling across various media, with a special interest in horror.  The American Sci-Fi / Mystery author Christopher Pike is a strong influence on her work. By day, R E HOLDING is a scientist... but by night, she is a horror-fantasy writer.  Her recent novel "Reaper's Gamble,"...

Which, if any, of your published works do you think was your worst book? Have you yet produced your worst book?  You should listen to this inspirational conversation with personal development author & paranormal thriller writer Bradley Charbonneau if you want to overcome your writing-related fears and learn to laugh at your mistakes.  The self-described 'recovering perfectionist' has learned how t...

This week I chat with the Beyond the Pen podcast creator Maccabee Griffin.  Each week Maccabee sits down with a new author to discover the real story behind their tale! But what is his own story? Find out here! Beyond the Pen is a podcast show that gives newly published and unknown authors a platform to tell the world about their projects — so today's interview is essential listening for anyone wh...

Mark Bradford is the Wisconsin based author of The Sword and the Sunflower. Mark is also a work-life & work-relationship coach, a podcaster, a public speaker, and a UAV pilot! His recent post-dystopian fiction title explores the aftermath of a catastrophe. It has been described by readers as "complex and interesting..." Find out more about this 'complex and interesting' author here on Myth and Mag...

How does a contest judge critique a manuscript for a literary prize? Here is valuable advice from an experienced judge at the highly respected North Street Book Prize.  Annie offers practical tips, and she also chats about getting your manuscript ready for competition, the tendering process, and what contest judges look for. We also discuss the fantasy themes found in the novels of Joseph Conrad!...

Jon DiSavino is a professional actor, podcast host, voice artist, and creator of Short Story Today, a new podcast show that combines his love of voice acting with his love of literature. We chatted about audiobook storytelling, creating good dialects for your narrative, Shakespearean fantasy, and what makes a story worth reading. A fun interview!

An interview with Los Angeles-based writer, award-winning composer, and sound designer Chris Porter who is the creator of a new audio sci-fi drama, SOLAR, with Jenny Curtis, that features Helen Hunt,  Alan Cumming,  Stephanie Beatriz, and Jonathan Bangs. We talk about ghosts, liminal spaces, and creating immersive literature!

Rise of the Ravenisha by P. Grace Lawson is a paranormal novel with action, humor, romance, and mystery. It encompasses fierce warrior women, power struggles, corrupt experiments, and were-panthers! In this show we discuss growing up in the South, and chat about poke sallet, gaited horses, great authors such as Zora Neale Hurston, and writing fantasy

Maryland historian Mary Kendall became a debut author with her tale of moonlit alleys, shadowy tunnels, and buried secrets. The Spinster's Fortune, a tale with gothic undertones, is about deceit in a family. We chat about writing complex stories and weaving mystery into a manuscript

An interview with with the Pennsylvania based epic fantasy author J V Hilliard who recently arrived on the fantasy adventure scene with the first title in his Warminster Series. "The Last Keeper" is about a young boy who suffers prophetic visions. We chat about cryptids, fight scenes, and world building!

Short story author Shannon Lawrence has been described as the true queen of horror . She recently produced a nonfiction book "The Business of Short Stories: Writing, Submitting, Publishing, and Marketing". We chat about writing for anthologies, tips about writing shorts, and about how to come-up with ideas for horror!

An interview with tech founder Tanya Gough, who created the StoryBilder writing program. With a background in fantasy writing, Tanya takes a unique approach to teaching authorship and wanted to create a tool that would help writers with the theory & practice of writing as she aspires to provide a functional storytelling platform that will help authors manage & grow their plots!

What is hard fantasy? What is the so-called "Great Eagle Problem" that readers sometimes encounter in fantasy narratives?  What does eucatastrophe mean? Also, why do some people resent artists and creatives? What bothers them about creativity?

How to get over a writing jam. Eight ways to overcome stagnation. What happens when momentum stops? Here's how to complete a semi-finished work

Today I discuss the healing magic and mythical wisdom of trees; and why you should describe their superpowers in your fantasy fiction

What's in a name? How to name a protagonist. Here are 7 ways to create an appropriate and memorable name for your principal character