The Thirteenth Hour Podcast

This week, I thought I'd discuss a bit about Aurora's backstory and some of the themes I wanted to touch on in the sequel to The Thirteenth Hour.   Not all of the research/backstory always makes its way super explicitly in the actual text, but I usually create a history for the characters in order to help create things consistent. For Aurora, we already learned she grew up at an orphanage and knew nothing about the family of her origin.  For this book, I have been filling in parts of her past we got only hints about before.  I imagined that she was almost always the oldest kid in the orphanage and thus probably the tallest and biggest as well as someone who others would naturally tend to gravitate towards for comfort and support.  I imagine she also entered puberty a bit on the earlier side (maybe 11), which is not always the kindest to girls that age.  That often comes with some changes - menses, body changes, societal expectations, sometimes unwanted attention from men, etc.  Aurora didn't exactly have a mother figure in her life, but the Headmistress of the orphanage and its staff (most of whom were probably women) kind of filled that role, and I imagine that since she was there so long, they would have viewed her as kind of a surrogate daughter and might have tried to shield her a bit from some of those things.  That said, everyone has to grow up sometime, and I imagine she would have figured out these things on her own eventually. By the time we meet her again in this book, though, she's older (almost 30) and more secure in who she is.  She's happy for the most part.  Perhaps a little lonely and wondering if she and Logan will ever be able to have children, but all things considered, settled.  This story does unbalance that a bit, but the changes are less external and more mental.  In some ways, she serves as a voice of reason when it comes to some of the irrational/unhealth attitudes and views we tolerate but may still find unreasonable when it comes to family attitudes, societal expectations about gender and body shape, societal roles, and so forth.    But as she encounters these things anew when she finally meets her own family, it causes her to question who she is and what parts (if any) of this part of her life that she wants to integrate into her old life.I have thought that for illustrations this time, instead of going the digital route, I'll use hand drawn watercolors and so will make some pictures this summer that will depict some of these things.  I don't know if they will all make their way into the text but perhaps some for future short stories or maybe just to understand my characters better.∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!  It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/11/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-561-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-10-auroras-story-1/

This week, I'm playing around with a variation of the archery technique I was working on last week (holding arrows in my bow hand) but also combining it with another technique, holding a few in my drawing hand also.  They each have their pros and cons, but I think Logan and Aurora might have played around with both, and probably others.At the suggestion of former show guest Billy Campbell, I have been reading the fantasy book, A Wizard of Earthsea.  This is actually my third time trying to get into it - once as a child, once in my 20s, and then again, twenty+ years after that.   Third time's the charm, I suppose.  I found it quite difficult to understand before, but I think the combination of an initially unlikeable protagonist and the dreamy, myth-like writing style were initial barriers that have grown on me this round.  The tale is a great example of how sometimes, you can and should break the rule of "show, not tell," because it is very much the sort of thing you might be told around a fire on a dark winter's night.  One interesting fact is that the author of the book, Ursula Le Guin, had parents who were anthtopologists - Theodora and Alfred Krober.  Alfred Krober was one of the anthropologists who worked with Ishi, the last of the Yahi people in California after they were killed in massacres in the late 1880s.  In 1911, Ishi was "found" (i.e. emerged from hiding, half staved) and brought to San Francisco.  He became part of an anthropology museum, working a job and demonstrating traditional Native American skills for museum attendees and forming what sounded like a genuine friendship with the anthropologists, who also recorded his reactions to 20th century life.  He would later also befriend a University of CA physician, Saxton Pope, around archery, and their collaboration would basically form the basis for a re-mergence of traditional bowhunting in the United States.  Unfortunately, Ishi died in 1916 of pulmonary TB.  Alfred Krober was away on sabbatical at the time, and for whatever reason, Ishi's body underwent an autopsy, and his brain was removed.  Alfred was very upset by all of this when he returned and found the subject quite difficult to talk about for years.  Decades later, his wife wrote the book, Ishi in Two Worlds, that became very popular.   The fact that Ursula Le Guin undoubtedly grew up hearing her parents talk about Ishi makes me wonder if her writing style for this book, reminiscent of a myth, was influenced by her parents' work, and if her protagonist for the book, Ged, portrayed as having reddish - brown skin, was not in some way influenced by Ishi.  Of note, Ged was given that name by his master teacher, just as Ishi was given that name since no one knew his real name.  I think the custom in his tribe was for someone else to introduce a person to another by name, and since there was no one else of his tribe left, the Yahi word for man ("ishi") was used instead.  In Le Guin's Eathsea books, magic stems from knowing an object's true name.  It's a sign of acknowledgement and respect that commands power and summons the natural forces of the Earth.  Part of me wonders if this was again an ode of Ishi, who died without anyone in the living world know his true name.  I don't know, but I do wonder at the connection.   Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/04/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-560-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-9-working-a-fast-shooting-archery-technique-ishi-a-wizard-of-earthsea/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.

This week, I'm playing around with something I saw in a Franco-Belgian comic book from the late 70s/80s called Thorgal, written by Jean Van Hamme and illustrated by Grzegorz Rosiński, about the child of a race of people from elsewhere in the universe who crash land on Earth.  The child (Thorgal) is raised by Vikings and grows up to be a very skilled archer. I just discovered this comic on a trip to visit my brother across the pond.  We ended up taking the Chunnel from London to Paris, and there is this one section of the city where there are a whole bunch of comic book stores.  We went into one that had mainly French comics.  It was absolutely amazing in terms of art, though I only know a few words of French so could not really read anything.  But I found a few volumes in English, and a Thorgal comic was one of them.  I was attracted to the title of this volume (The Archers), and even though it was sealed (as is often the case with most comic book shops), decided I'd buy it on impulse.It was basically something I would have totally done as a kid - bought a book because the cover looked cool and opened it up to find I couldn't understand what I'd just bought since I'd purchased the 4th volume out of 9 or something and had missed all the backstory.  But I will say, though that was technically the case, I have heard that these volumes are more stand alone-ish that typical American comics.  I didn't have much trouble figuring out what was going on.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find that Thorgal, his wife, and their son end up living on a remote island, just like Logan and Aurora do at the end of The Thirteenth Hour.  My impression was that they did it for similar reasons, too - to be left alone in peace from the chaos of an ever intruding world. In the volume, there were a few scenes depicting characters shooting very quickly using a way of reloading arrows off the hand holding the bow, a technique I'd seen and tried before but never successfully.  I tend to favor holding extra arrows in the hand drawing the string, but I thought I'd give this one another try.  It looks like the illustrator knew a thing or two about this technique himself, and I love that he took the time to depict this little detail, probably knowing a lot of people would probably miss it.  So in this episode, I play around with a few different techniques inspired by these panels.   Though I'm drawing the bow with my thumb and not the pads of my fingers like the characters in the comic, I found that what is drawn does actually work, more or less.  This is the hand position I found most successful, with the arrows under my middle finger:Anyhow, it's something I figured Logan and Aurora might find themselves using in the sequel, so I figured I owed it to myself to figure it out so I could write and draw about it.  More coming soon!Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/27/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-559-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-8-trying-a-fast-shooting-archery-technique-inspired-by-thorgal/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!  It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi.

This week, I'm reading from a draft of The Thirteenth Hour sequel that gets at the life that Logan and Aurora have created for themselves.  This section is told from Aurora's perceptive:Satisfied that I had the gear I needed, I said goodbye to Logan and walked away from our house towards the ocean.  Whereas Logan preferred hunting in the forest, I liked hunting in the grassy plain overlooking the tall cliff leading down to the ocean below.  There was a stream, fed by melting snow from the purple mountains, that flowed through the grassy fields, off the cliff and down to the ocean far below.  I loved walking along it, gazing out at the horizon into the cool blue waters.  I’ll admit, it wasn’t always the prospect of catching dinner that motivated me to hunt there.  It was partly the view and partly the occasional glimpse of the island’s wild horses that would rumble across the plain, kicking up a small cloud of dirt as they galloped through the grasslands.If you think anything like me, you might be wondering if we ever succeeded in riding the horses.  The answer’s yes, though as with so many things, our ability to do so came from knowledge passed to us from the half elves.  After that first encounter with Starlyn, he had returned, as promised, the next morning, just as Logan and I had been cleaning up the remains of breakfast (which was, not surprisingly, more oatmeal).  One minute, we were scrubbing the pot (for a layer of the cereal always inevitably ended up charred to the bottom of the pot), and the next, Starlyn was standing in front of us.  He performed the same bow followed by the flute greeting as yesterday then motioned for us to follow him.More: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/20/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-558-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-7-worldbuilding-the-isle-of-misfits/More coming soon!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, after some time away (visiting my brother and his wife), I had a couple of reflections.  Not only are our kids getting older and can do things like pull their own bags and navigate subway systems and sit through restaurant meals but they're also old enough to more fully appreciate differences in culture, language, and society much more so than when they were younger.  It's cool to see!  I mention that since in The Thirteenth Hour sequel books that I've been working on, one of the main characters from the first book, Aurora, ends up going to a different part of the world where she can't speak or read the native tongue.  Though there is a common tongue that allows people to communicate, not everyone speaks it, and that presents barriers to Aurora when she first gets to these lands, and eventually for Logan and his party when they arrive in search of her.  So though the things I touch on in this episode are not huge parts of the book, they lay the foundation and background for the worlds I've been trying to create in the story.More coming soon!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/13/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-557-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-6-worldbuilding-culture-language-and-societies-in-the-thirteenth-hour-sequel-and-travel-reflections/

This week, we are continuing the talk started last time when game developer and musician, Paul Korman, came on the show; this week, my brother Jeremy joins us for further discussion on Paul, his game The Phantom Fellows, oneshorteye's mini documentary, "The Ghost Game That Isn't About Death" about Paul and the game, as well as game development in general.  The last time I talked to Paul, I was not actively making the Rocketeer game I've been working on, so we have a whole discussion (therapy session?) about solo game development and the frustration that sometimes comes with it.  More on The Phantom Fellows Oneshorteye's Youtube channelCheck out Jeremy's work over at Pixel Grotto, CBR.com, and Classic Batman Panels on IG. If you are of the DnD persuasion, his articles on DnD Beyond may be right up your alley, and you can view his entire portfolio here.  You can also check out his latest book, where he is a co-author: Pathfinder Adventure Path: No Breath to Cry, the ecology and exploration TTRPG with Three Sail Studios, Mappa Mundi, and their most recent game, Gallows Corner: A Peasants' Revolt RPG. Thanks, Jeremy and Paul, for coming on the show!  Look for us in a few months.∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/06/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-556-welcome-back-paul-korman-and-jeremy-blum-to-discuss-game-development-and-the-ghost-game-that-isnt-about-death-part-2/

This week, we are starting a two part episode with solo game developer and musician, Paul Korman, who was last on the show on episode 493.  Paul and his game The Phantom Fellows are the subject of the oneshorteye's mini documentary, "The Ghost Game That Isn't About Death" about Paul, where he lives, the things that went into the making of the game, and the process of its creation and release.  If you're into game development, classic video games, or adventure games in general, you'll find something to love, so check it out!   Part 2, coming next week, also features my brother, Jeremy, for more game development talk.More on The Phantom Fellows Oneshorteye's Youtube channelhttps://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/03/30/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-555-welcome-back-paul-korman-to-discuss-game-development-and-the-ghost-game-that-isnt-about-death/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, I recorded outside, the first nice spring day so far,  I wanted to take advantage of the weather so do some shooting outdoors. Unlike the static, more deliberate archery style | learned when I was younger, I have been experimenting with more dynamic ways of moving while shooting - different draw techniques (thumb draw, Slavic release) as well as shooting while walking and after rolling. For the past 15 yrs or so, I have been playing around with purely instinctive ways of shooting (no sights) - just aiming through intention alone, which fits many of the martial arts l’ve done over the years. I’ve used these experiences as background for writing the sequel to The Thirteenth Hour.  Here's a segment from the draft narrated by Aurora, reflecting on the past few years as she and Logan learned by trial and error how to catch their food after having grown up not really having to depend on things like hunting and fishing for protein.   Excerpt at https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-554-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-5-worldbuilding-the-food-2-archery-and-hunting/More coming soon!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as ⁠Bandcamp⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, and ⁠YouTube Music⁠.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: ⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM⁠-->Forward: ⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc⁠-->Nightsky Stargazing: ⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo⁠-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: ⁠https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk⁠∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the ⁠mailing list⁠ for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at ⁠Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon⁠ or adding to my virtual tip jar over at ⁠Ko-fi. ⁠Join the ⁠Thirteenth Hour Arts Group⁠ over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on ⁠Spotify⁠,  ⁠iTunes, ⁠⁠Stitcher,⁠ ⁠Player FM⁠, ⁠Tunein⁠, and ⁠Googleplay Music⁠.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: ⁠@the13thhr⁠ for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and ⁠@the13thhr.ost⁠ for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: ⁠https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠.  Join the ⁠mailing list⁠ for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on ⁠CD⁠ or ⁠tape⁠.Website: ⁠https://13thhr.wordpress.com⁠Book trailer: ⁠http://bit.ly/1VhJhXY⁠Interested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at ⁠[email protected]⁠ for more details!

This week, on the show, I thought I'd explore a little more about how the Thirteenth Hour sequel is going, especially in one small area.  Logan and Aurora, the main characters from the original Thirteenth Hour are last seen on a small island off the coast of the mainland.  (I talked a little about the island in episode 522.)  They learn to be pretty self sufficient there, but I also imagined that they exchanged ideas, customs, clothes, food, and other parts of life with some other groups of people nearby - the half elf community located on the other side of the island and the town of Ravenvale, which has a number of shops, a market where they occasional sell food they have harvested and things they've made as well as pick up supplies, and an inn where they sometimes splurge for a weekend getaway.I have often thought that in their youth, growing up in the Aquarian orphanage, they would have eaten a lot of soup, since that is cheap and can be easily made.  But I also imagined that in the forested region they lived in, which was intended to be temperate in nature, would have been too cold for crops like rice but okay for grains grown on some of the farms nearby.  The main export of Aquaria would have been lumber, paper, fur pelts, and crops like wheat and other grains which were often sold raw or manufactured into dry goods like noodles. I imagined locals would have found all sorts of ways to consume said noodles, so recently, when I was cooking dinner, I wondered if stir fried noodles (lao mien / chow mien - a staple at most American Chinese restaurants) could have also been something they ate.  I don't see why not.  Stir frying over an open fire or a large fire in the hearth would totally be possible, and it's basically what every Chinese restaurant does.  Frankly, it'd be a lot safer and less messy outside or in a space with good ventilation, like in a fireplace, as it tends to produce a fair amount of smoke sometimes and oil get over everything.   That said, once you have your ingredients cut up, it takes mere minutes to sear everything before you have a meal.  Things do need to be cut up in little pieces so it's possible to cook them quickly but again, totally doable.  The only part that would be challenging would be obtaining the noodles as well as some oil so doesn't all stick to the pan.   These things I figured Logan and Aurora could trade for in Ravenvale.  I also imagined them strolling through the market, sampling some of the street foods there, watching them be prepared right there in the open, and then taking those techniques with them back home to their island to test out.Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/03/16/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-553-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-4-worldbuilding-the-food/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk

In today's episode, I'm making two little riffs that I think will be background music for the pixelart Rocketeer game I've been working on.  One is a little somber piece to accompany the "RIP" scene when Cliff kicks the bucket.  I've made a serious one here, but I thought I might vary what is written on the gravestone to reflect what you did, if I can figure out how to do that.  Like, for example, if you blew yourself up with a grenade, the gravestone might read, "Cliff Secord, 1911 - 1936, chowderhead."https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/03/09/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-552-and-like-a-hood-ornament-94-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-7/The second riff is probably the verse to some kind of ending song, while the credits play.  I was undecided on whether to do any music with words in it, but this one came to me one day (while driving, naturally), and I thought it might fit.  If not, then for a future Thirteenth Hour soundtrack.  But since the game is really about Cliff going to rescue Peevy, I thought it could be a song about friendship, mentorship, or maybe the love fathers have for their sons (since Peevy is a kind of father figure to Cliff).    More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, on the show, my brother and I are discussing a RPG system he created based on the world of The Thirteenth Hour.   This is a work in progress based on a number of RPGs set in that world that we have already done but also with an eye toward creating your own world.  In other words, it's meant to be light on rules and structure, heavy on customizability and individuality.  So although you could create games based on the fantasy world in the Thirteenth Hour books, you could also use the engine to create games for your own books and worlds.   Jeremy and I do the first of likely several of these over the next year as we do play testing with some new Thirteenth Hour RPGs.  I have set up a page I will be adding to on itch.io that has the draft of the document we're discussing and will be the site of future updates.Check out Jeremy's work over at Pixel Grotto, CBR.com, and Classic Batman Panels on IG. If you are of the DnD persuasion, his articles on DnD Beyond may be right up your alley, and you can view his entire portfolio here.  You can also check out his latest book, where he is a co-author: Pathfinder Adventure Path: No Breath to Cry, the ecology and exploration TTRPG with Three Sail Studios, Mappa Mundi, and their most recent game, Gallows Corner: A Peasants' Revolt RPG.  Thanks, Jeremy, for coming on the show!  ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/03/02/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-551-welcome-my-brother-jeremy-as-we-talk-the-infinite-games-system-a-thirteenth-hour-ttrpg-system/

In today's episode, I'm wrapping up the music that I started in episode 536, what I'm calling the "outdoor" Rocketeer theme for the parts of the Rocketeer vs the Third Reich pixelart game I've been making that takes place outdoors.  Since those are sections where Cliff will have his rocketpack and can fly, I wanted to give the music a kind of WW1 flying ace kind of feel.  Most of the track was done from last fall, but I ended up adding a few other instruments to round it out.Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/02/23/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-550-and-like-a-hood-ornament-93-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-6/I also reflect on the nature of making music in this day and age as opposed to before, touching on what previous generations of homebrew music producers had to work with.  I've been reading out the early days of hiphop (before it was really called that), and it's fascinating to think what those guys came up with - e.g. DJ Kool Herc (the father of hip hop) made extended breakbeat compilations of his own for the neighborhood parties in the Bronx in the summer of 1973.  It's easy to lose sight of how good we have it with the tools we have (many of which are not only widely available but free), which make it all the more impressive to think what previous generations did with the tools they had.  More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm wrapping up the music for the indoors castle sections of the Rocketeer vs the Third Reich pixelart game I've been making.  Last week, I based the melody on the Jenny Theme from the Rocketeer soundtrack by James Horner and made a short segment (about 30 sec long), trying to make it sound both regal and ominous.  I think the theme in the film plays when Jenny is captured by Neville Sinclair, who is both Hollywood royalty and a secret Nazi spy, so that seems appropriate.  I think in that segment, she is taken to his Frank Llyod Wright style house after being drugged and wakes on his bed (I think after real life events mirroring such events have hit a little too close to home in recent years, Hollywood probably would not go there today, but this was 1991).  Nonetheless, I wanted to give the theme an ominous theme to play up the tension in the castle so besides the melody itself, also added some ambient castle noises to try to give you an idea you are in a large stone building.  More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/02/16/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-549-and-like-a-hood-ornament-92-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-5/

In today's episode, I'm discussing some updates I've made in this past week on the pixelart Rocketeer game that I started a number of years ago.  I took a break from the programming part to do some work on the art and music for the game.  The game starts with a short intro cut scene told in 1-2 pictures + text, like old NES games, so I made a intro montage picture showing Cliff's life after the events of the movie, implying he's still a pilot, the rocketpack was rebuilt, and his friends - Jenny and Peevy - are still his main motivators. Here is a short video showing some footage from last week discussed in last episode.  I successfully got the throwing physics to work, so now Cliff can toss grenades he finds.  He can also blow himself up that way, though, so you have to be careful.  I was thinking that if you do that, maybe the death scene will be Peevy calling Cliff a chowderhead or something.See the picture at https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/02/09/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-548-and-like-a-hood-ornament-91-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-4/I also started working on the music for these intro levels.  Since they are inside a castle, I wanted there to be a different theme than the outdoor flying levels, like Super Mario Brothers.  I'm using a variation of the Jenny Theme from the Rocketeer soundtrack by James Horner for these levels so started working out the notes, the drums, and the tempo.  It's very rough at this point, but my hope it I can make a loopable bit that can play over and over during these levels.  More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm discussing some progress I've made on the Rocketeer game that I started a number of years ago.  This week, I've been working on starting and ending screens, higher contrast backgrounds, as well as more on powerups, including the ability to throw the grenades you pick up - that took a lot of fiddling!  https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/02/02/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-547-and-like-a-hood-ornament-90-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-3/More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm discussing some progress I've made on the Rocketeer game that I started a number of years ago.  This week, I've been working on the background, powerups, being able to search enemies, and tutorial elements needed to orient players to the game.  More details can be found in this youtube video:  https://youtu.be/LSaEPHvzkJ8More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm discussing some progress I've made on the Rocketeer game that I started a number of years ago.  I was learning to use the program before by making a one level demo game which ended up being the precursor to the story and card game of The Rocketeer vs the Third Reich.  But I'd always meant to get back to the actual video game.  In the past two weeks, I had to reacquaint myself to the program, Gdevelop5, and pickup where I left off a few years ago.  I discuss some of the design challenges and decisions I've been working through recently.  More details can be found in this youtube video:  https://youtu.be/0wvP29BKk-kOne thing I did in preparation was play replay the NES version of The Rocketeer - a very frustrating game made much better by using emulation, save states, cheat codes, and the developer's code, which gives you essentially infinite weapons and health as well as ready access to rocketfuel, which I always found in very short supply in the game.   Playing the game on God mode (which made it tolerable) essentially drive home two points - 1.) sometimes difficulty does not make a great game in that it may simply discourage play rather than motivate it, and 2.) you shouldn't overly limit something's best feature (in this case, flying - that should have been easier and more prominent in the game).  The cut scenes, however, were very well done, some of which you can see below: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-545-and-like-a-hood-ornament-88-updates-on-the-rocketeer-vs-the-third-reich-video-game-1/ More to come next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details![caption id="attachment_15202" align="aligncenter" width="473"] Screenshot[/caption]

This week's episode was recorded prior to the holidays with two gentlemen who have both been on he show multiple times, Joseph Esch (with a few guest appearances from family members) and Adam Crohn.  There was no particular agenda other than catching up with each other and talking about Joe's first experience being a vendor at a toy convention.  We ended up commiserating on having tables at similar such conventions and fairs, the pitfalls of generative AI and digital living, especially with children, and the quiet revolution against such things happening in some parts of the country / with some families.   In 2026, I'm planning to do more like this, previously something I saved for centennial episodes.  On a smaller scale, though, I think they are nice ways of building and maintaining a sense of community, with is something we need now more than ever.   If you enjoyed this outing, you can find Adam, Joe, and I all together on podcasts about The Lost Boys (parts 1 and 2) as well as on Rambo: First Blood (Parts 1 and 2 ) as well as their epic collaboration on Steakuums:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1SL5qKqAEWishing you the best in the new year!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/01/12/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-544-creative-corner-1-with-adam-and-joe/

In today's episode, I wanted to talk about a few techniques I have been experimenting with to make custom action figures.  I have, up until now, been using epoxy clay, which you can mold and sculpt until it hardens after about an hour, then sand or file it down until it is the way you want it.  It works great, but it creates a hybrid dried clay - plastic figure that while durable to an extent, is still somewhat brittle.  I have been looking for a way to create an all-plastic figure for the sake of durability (without injection molding). The last few weeks, I have been playing around with a kind of thermoplastic called Instamorph that softens into a moldable putty when heated to 150 degrees F.  While it does cure very fast, it can be heated back up again with a heat gun or a soldering iron and sculpted, just like epoxy clay.  As far as I can tell, it's safe to do this and does not release noxious gasses in the process.  It anneals directly to the plastic of the figure and, when cool, forms a solid piece, a bit like lamination.  It can also be dyed in the soft phase to potentially replace or minimize the need for painting. Speaking of which, I also experimented with applying paint while the plastic is hot, something called plastic annealing, which I think will be especially helpful with joints and other areas of frequent paint rub.There's more on this, plus some visuals, on this video I made.I also talk about some goals for 2026, some of which I talked about last week.  The major areas I want to focus on are:-Music - continuing to learn how to use DAWs to make music electronically-Writing - working on The Thirteenth Hour sequel on a consistent basis-Toymaking - continuing to use techniques like this to find new ways of making different kinds of figures more easily and with a wider range of base figures with less prep work needed-Podcasting - adding creators' corner chats and livestreaming of things adjacent to the podcast, like editing writing or making models Wishing you the best in the new year!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I wanted to continue what I was working on last week, trying to get resin to adhere to a base plastic figure to create an easier way to make custom action figure duplicates.  I will be experimenting with a number of methods to create snap on/ snap off molds to see what works best, but today, I'm using a kind of thermoplastic called Instamorph.  You heat the pellets in water, they become soft and squishy, allowing you to press something into it to make a mold, like I am doing here: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-542-and-like-a-hood-ornament-87-trying-a-new-technique-by-creating-a-new-rocketeer-figure-part-2-and-2025-reflection/When it cures, Instamorph turns white.  It is also very hard.  That can be a plus and a minus.  I did find that it was really hard to get the mold out since it didn't want to bend.  I really hard to yank on the limbs.  The torso, however, worked really well: The mold was supposed to apply on the Rocketeer's jacket bib with the buttons and a few other details, like the straps for the rocket pack on the sides and shoulders.  The torsos of these figures might be a different kind of plastic since it has different melting properties than the limbs (which I suspect are PVC), but the resin actually adhered just fine.  Getting the resin to release from the mold was difficult, but I wonder if I use some oil or some other kind of mold release, it might a different story.  I have some other mold putties to try in the coming weeks, so if this method ultimately does not work, perhaps other will.  I am also wondering if this kind of plastic can be used in place of epoxy clay.  It dries hard but could be shaped with heat ... something to think about.This project will continue into 2026, but 2025 has been a pretty good year.  I'll talk about this more next week, in the first episode of the new year, but some of the things that happened this year were:-great guests and new friends-the release of Once Upon a Dream on tape, CD, and digital streaming after many years-a fair bit of progress on The Thirteenth Hour sequel (about 70 pages)-episode 500 last March-started to learn how to use a DAW as another way to make music-Wrapping up the reading of The Rocketeer movie novelization (started 10/14/24, ended 7/7/25)Looking forward to seeing what we can do in 2026!  See you in the new year!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.com

In today's episode, I wanted to try something that, frankly, may not work.  I wanted to try using a basic figure as the "skeleton" and casting details onto the body instead of sculpting them out of epoxy clay or some other substance.  This would allow you do get a figure off the shelf and essentially "plug" it into the molds for the limbs are such and emerge with a "newly clothed" figure.  I don't know if it will work since I'm not sure how well the resin will adhere to the skeleton.   That said, I figured it's worth a try and am making the prototype today from an Iron Man figure and helmet, chest, and pack of the figure I was working on last time.  Next time, I'll see how I can make new molds or adapt the ones I already have. Picture of the prototype so far: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/12/22/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-541-and-like-a-hood-ornament-86-trying-a-new-technique-by-creating-a-new-rocketeer-figure-part-1/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm continuing what I started in episode 536 and 538 - where I wanted to turn a Rocketeer figurine that I found on eBay in to an articulated action figure.  In this episode, I got into finishing up the first casting and adding joints to that one and subsequent duplicates.  In the end, I accomplished my goal of seeing if I could turn a static Japanese gashapon Rocketeer figurine that I didn't want to destroy into an articulated resin action figure, giving me new ideas on different ways to make customs.Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/12/15/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-540-and-like-a-hood-ornament-85-wrapping-up-the-rocketeer-resin-casting-project-finishing-the-figures/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm actually joined by my co-host and guest, Brian Funk of The Music Production Podcast. We decided to dual release this conversation, essentially serving as guests on each other's show.  We had a really great conversation about not just the ins and outs of aspects of making music but the underlying creative processes that go into formulating ideas, making them real in the world, and some of the traps and hangups that we creative types sometimes find ourselves in. The way one artist works will be different from how another does since we are all individuals, and as we allude to a number of times on the show, the timing of when you work and what is going on in your life may also influence things.  These are all things each musician has to figure out, so I'd highly recommend checking out Brian's show since each guest has their own take.  The more you hear from, the more likely you, too, will figure it out and/or add to what you already know.  Plus, since we are often isolated doing our own things, it's nice to find and be a part of a music making community. We also touch on Brian's own music, which you can find via the links below.  I enjoyed listening to his last album and was glad to be able to ask him more about how he made it.  That's all in the show!You can learn more about Brian, his music, his show, and his music production community below:-Website - https://brianfunk.com -Music Production Podcast - https://brianfunk.com/podcast -Music Production Club - https://brianfunk.com/mpc -5-Minute Music Producer book - https://brianfunk.com/book -Brian Funk's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFunkMusicThanks, Brian, for being joining me to discuss music, and thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!-Website - https://brianfunk.com -Music Production Podcast - https://brianfunk.com/podcast -Music Production Club - https://brianfunk.com/mpc -5-Minute Music Producer book - https://brianfunk.com/book -Brian Funk's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFunkMusic

In today's episode, I'm continuing what I started in episode 536 - where I wanted to turn a Rocketeer figurine that I found on eBay in to an articulated action figure.  But in the episode, the silicone I had gotten turned out to be bad, so I had to get some more in order to make a mold.  In the past two weeks, I bought a new kind of silicone (Smooth On Mold Star 30) as well as a new kind of resin to try (Smooth Cast 57D).  I was successful in making molds of the parts of the figurine.  It wasn't the most efficient use of silicone, I will say, since I probably could have found containers that were a bit smaller and wasted less, but if I don't use these molds in the future, I'll chop them up and use them as filler when making future molds.  Here are the two pieces:This is the lower body mold.This mess is the upper body mold; you may be able to see both sides of the figurine in relief on ether side.This is what it looks like when you are taking the casting out.  You can see here (my first attempt) that one arm didn't quite fill.  That happens sometimes if you don't quite have the air vents in the right places.Pictures at https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-538-and-like-a-hood-ornament-84-continuing-a-rocketeer-resin-casting-project-making-the-prototype/⁠I was also curious to see if the resin I was using could be heated up with a heat gun to further bend the pieces.  Yes, the resin did get soft, but it ended up just breaking.  I did use a woodcarving tool to cut the limbs up further (never a bad idea to wear some eye protection and a N95 or equivalent mask when dealing with hot plastic) and then used epoxy resin (what I normally use to add details on custom figures) to meld the limbs back together in a new position.Here, I have the parts of the figure with newly formed arms and legs next to the original:I just need to clean up the dried epoxy resin, probably with a Dremel, and then figure out how to make joint pegs for the limbs and neck.  Then, I'll make one last mold of all the parts - 4 limbs, torso, head, and rocketpack so I can make resin copies of all the pieces.  That's what's to come in the next few weeks.If you haven't heard them yet, check out the conversations with Andy Last of the Beyond Synth podcast and Richie Billing, author of Together We Rise. Check out my interview on the Planet Texas Podcast, where we touch on toymaking - find it on Youtube.   Thanks, Javier, for having me on!I was also on Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri for another fun conversation.  Check out the episode on Spotify.  Thanks, Vedant, for having me on!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi.

In today's episode, I'm speaking with podcaster Andy Last, host of the Beyond Synth podcast.  Andy is one of the few people I have talked with that has been doing this longer than I am - he has been doing his show, discussing synthwave music and the artists that make it, since 2013.We had a great, lengthy conversation about podcasting, the ups and downs of collaboration, the joys of compulsions of solo creative work, and a lot on the nature/pros/cons of generative AI (which, like it or not, is being built into many of the tools that we use on a regular basis).  This was one of the longer conversations I have recorded but I decided to not break it up into multiple parts since the overall themes of the conversation were consistent all the way through.   If you into electronic music, especially synthwave/retrowave/retro 80s/whatever you call it, definitely check out Andy's show.  There is obviously a ton of great music but also years of interviews from music producers behind the music that is super educational if you are into making music yourself.  Check it out on:-Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/7Lu2RkM4aZr7AnJ2HHPyBV?si=04c77944ec184d41)-Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-synth/id979062058)-Patreon (https://patreon.com/beyondsynth)Thanks, Andy, for being a guest on the show, and thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I was planning to start a new action figure project - attempting to turn a Rocketeer figurine that I found on eBay in to an articulated action figure.  A number of years ago, my brother encouraged me to use the social media platform Blue Sky as an alternative to Twitter/X.  I did make a profile and processed to do nothing with it other than do what I often do when I find a new platform - I start looking for Rocketeer stuff.  One of the first things I posted was the discovery of a Rocketeer theme gashapon set that was available in Japan.  Gashapon are little toys or souvenirs you can buy in plastic capsules from vending machines.  These sorts of things were all over the place in the 80s, though what you got there was of generally pretty low quality.  Still, the idea of a little toy in a capsule stuck with me long enough to inspire me to want to make little resin figurines of Logan and Aurora from The Thirteenth Hour.  Their diminutive size was no surprise!  There is also something alluring about the fact toys like this comes from a machine and that you don't exactly know what you will get.  The more common US equivalent - the blind bag / box concept - is essentially the same thing with more expense and less flair (no machine involved).I was able to find a set of all the Rocketeer gashapon via a retailer in Hong Kong, I believe, which was cheaper.  My favorite piece of the set was a GI Joe sized figurine of Cliff about to take off to chase the zeppelin:Go to https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-536-and-like-a-hood-ornament-83-starting-a-new-rocketeer-resin-casting-project-and-making-a-new-rocketeer-theme/ for pictures.I remember thinking at the time - wouldn't this make a good articulated figure?  And the idea never really went away.  So I've decided to try first to make a duplicate of the figure that I can cut up and modify.  The figure does split in half, so in these pictures, I have planned some vents in places I thought might not fill.And that was going to be this week's episode ... but the silicone I had bought for the project turned out to be bad (one bottle leaked and the other was solid).So I pivoted midway back to music and decided to make a Rocketeer marching tune for the Rocketeer 8bit style game I have been making.  I tapped out the tune initially on the keyboard and then made the track itself on Bandlab.   You can hear the track towards the end of the episode.  It's not quite done, but it's pretty much what I was looking for to accompany the flying / running parts of the game.I have been fortunate to have been on a few podcasts lately - both about the process of becoming an author, starting a podcast, making toys, making music, etc.  This clip from the Planet Texas Podcast on toymaking is pretty much what we were talking about above.  You can listen/watch the whole conversation over on Youtube.   Thanks, Javier, for having me on!I was also on Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri for another fun conversation.  Check out the episode on Spotify.  Thanks, Vedant, for having me on!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk

In today's episode, I'm speaking with fantasy author and podcaster Richie Billing about his novel, Together We Rise. We had a great conversation about writing, the creative process, fantasy worlds, and even the use of generative AI in music.  Together We Rise is a multilayered story of a revolution that takes place in a fantasy world - maybe the equivalent of something that might have occurred in the 1700s in Europe - there are some factories and all the issues that go with those, but science and other aspects of technology are still in a more medieval age.  The story is told from multiple different characters, each with a small role to play in how the revolution takes place, and sometimes the characters overlap, allowing you to see them from fresh eyes, since each chapter is essentially a different point of view.  Together We Rise wastes no time getting you in the thick of the action!  Richie also used the AI tool Udio to create a theme for each character which you can listen to at the start of each chapter while reading that sets the tone for the pages ahead.  You can find all the tracks here on Soundcloud and Youtube. If you are a writer yourself, please check out Richie's podcast, The Fantasy Writer's Toolshed, which has a wealth of information to help you get started, stay inspired, and fine tune your craft!Learn more about Richie's work on:-Patreon-Facebook-Instagram-Buy Together We Rise on Amazon and other booksellers.Thanks, Richie, for being a guest on the show, and thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-535-welcome-richie-billing-author-of-together-we-rise-to-the-show/

In today's episode, I'm continuing what I started last week, working out "The Unicorn Theme" by Tangerine Dream from the Legend soundtrack. I worked out some of the basic notes last week, and this week I'm adding more as well as the left hand chords.  Though not recorded in the podcast, while I was wrapping up the mixing of what I'd done, I remembered one of the other verses I'd forgotten.  I did most of this in Bandlab, the DAW I've been working to learn this past fall.  This ended up a great project to showcase the strength of a tool like this since I didn't need to rehearse the piece over and over until I could play it mistake-free like before.  I could play and record little segments, one at a time, and essentially save my progress as I was going along.   I may add to it in the coming weeks as I work out other parts of the theme, but I am pretty happy with what I managed to cobble together so far!  This theme was definitely one of the influences behind the sound I was trying to create when making The Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, so it's actually long overdue that I finally try to figure out how to play it.  I'm actually not sure why I didn't try before!Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-534-musical-interlude-trying-to-figure-out-music-from-legend-1985-part-2/

In today's episode, I'm playing around with some music from one of my favorite soundtracks, Legend, using the score done by Tangerine Dream.  There's a piece in there I have always liked, called "The Unicorn Theme" and the same melody and chords get used in the ending song for the theatrical release in a ballad with vocals done by Jon Anderson called "Loved by the Sun" with the Tangerine Dream synths in the background.  When I first heard it, I thought it was an odd mix, with neither of them really fitting together, and I was always vaguely irritated they didn't just make "The Unicorn Theme" longer (the track on the score doesn't use all the bars heard in the film), but as I have gotten older, I have comes to really like "Loved by the Sun."  It is not an easy song to sing nor play (at least for me), as it requires a pretty big range.  I'm trying it today on the piano with just chords, which I found harder than the guitar, which I find easier to play for certain things (this being one of them).  That said, I think it'd sound great on the piano blended in with the notes from "The Unicorn Theme" since that is essentially what they did in the film, if I recall.   I'm going to play around with over the net week or so and see what I come up with.  Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, my brother and I are wrapping up the role playing adventure we started last week based on a setting in his role playing game, Mappa Mundi.  This week picks up after the main character, Axel, has fallen into a deep crevice in the ice.  Will he emerge?  What will he find in the icy depths below?  There were supernatural creatures (below) above the rift - what about within it?  Who knows what Axel will find in the depths below?! Thanks for listening!  Watch for the compilation of these two parts on youtube coming soon.  By the way, the track, "The Ice Giant," that I recently wrapped up is available on my Bandcamp page here.∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm starting the first of a two part adventure with my brother, the one I was making music tracks for the past few weeks.  This is for a role playing adventure we recorded a few weeks ago based on a setting in his role playing game, Mappa Mundi.  The music track I made will play in the background few times this episode to signal the coming and discussion of a supernatural being we are referring to the Ice Giant.  There is a lot more about the giant and the world created for it in the game - see https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-531-mappa-mundi-playthrough-into-the-rift-part-1/I'm currently working on an animation for this guy ...Thanks for listening!  Part 2 coming next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm pretty much wrapping up the track I started last week for an episode that my brother and I recorded a few weeks ago based on a setting in his role playing game, Mappa Mundi.  I'm using the same DAW (digital audio workspace) I started learning how to use last month, the free web-based program Bandlab. Part of the reason for the past month and a half of making tracks this way was to warm up to the idea of making music entirely digitally (since that is what most people in the niche I probably most closely align with musically - synthwave - use).  I must confess as a nonjoiner, I tend to ignore, be oblivious to, and occasionally even take perverse pleasure in being the contrarian.  So I was using a more analog approach until now, mostly because it just worked.   But now I can see the benefits.  Yes, there are downsides (it's basically all done in front of a computer), but I think it's a worthwhile investment to learn this program and then progress to some of the more commonly used DAWs that most music producers use.  They are just tools, after all, and at the end of the day, any tool is just that.What I still don't know if using a DAW actually saved me any time.  I actually don't think so.  That might because of the ongoing learning curve.  But it might also be due to the capability of fiddling more with things on a more microscopic level, whereas the analog world involved more guesswork and the necessity of being okay with imperfection, even with the finished product (as anyone who has heard the pops and hisses of records and cassettes can attest to).  With things going digital, I can see the capacity to fiddle endlessly and never fully finish anything.  So we will have to see.This episode also made a little mention of Jane Goodall, one of my heroes, who passed away recently.  I brought it up since the premise of the track is that you're a naturalist/explorer observing a supernatural phenomenon in the world of the game (cue pixelated depiction below), but though she gave a lot to the world due to her work and her passing marks the end of an era in some ways, I actually don't she'd want people to be sad and pessimistic at her passing.  She championed for people to have hope (since 2022 she did a podcast she called her Hopecast, after all).  She championed for local change.  She championed for us to remember that one does not need to go to the ends of the Earth to find adventure or do good - good starts right in front of you with your own life, your own family, your own community - a great thing, I think, to keep in mind in uncertain times.Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-530-musical-interlude-finishing-ice-giant-part-2-2/

In today's episode, I'm working on a new track for an episode that my brother and I recorded a few weeks ago based on a setting in his role playing game, Mappa Mundi.  I'm using the same DAW I started learning how to use last month, the free web-based program Bandlab,  which I have found is great for quickly storing ideas for later.  When I was working on "The Hunt" last month, I had the idea for an arpeggiated pattern than might fit once scene where your character reacts with a mix of awe and respect at an ice giant (see the pixelart depiction below) that lumbers by on the snowy tundra, leading a train of transfixed animals.  But I didn't have a chance to work on it fully until now.  So this week, I'd able to get into the weeds with it.  Speaking of which, here is the completed version of "The Hunt" that I submitted to the contest.  Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-529-musical-interlude-working-on-ice-giant/

In today's episode, I'm building on what I have been discussing the past three weeks as I continue to make a dark synth track to accompany one of the many hunting scenes in The Thirteenth Hour prequel, A Shadow in the Moonlight, about a cursed hunter who has to spend eternity hunting an enchanted deer.  I've wanted to learn to use a desktop based DAW to make and edit music so am using this track as a way to do that.  I've settled on the free web-based program Bandlab which also have a companion mobile app.  While it doesn't do everything, it does far more than I expected it to do.  I have tried to resist the temptation to fall back on my analog ways and cheat the purpose of this exercise :)At this point, the track is 90% done.  Just some fine tuning left to do with the final mix.Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/09/22/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-528-musical-interlude-working-on-a-dark-synth-track-for-a-shadow-in-the-moonlight-part-4/

In today's episode, I'm building on what I started discussing last week as I continue to make a dark synth track to accompany one of the many hunting scenes in The Thirteenth Hour prequel, A Shadow in the Moonlight, about a cursed hunter who has to spend eternity hunting an enchanted deer.  I've wanted to learn to use a desktop based DAW to make and edit music so am using this track as a way to do that.  I've settled on the free web-based program Bandlab, which is supposedly the easiest one to start using, though I will say that I have found none of the ones I have tried intuitive or especially user friendly.  That said, connecting a keyboard to the computer has helped a great deal, and I expect that the initially hassle will have longer term payoffs in terms of flexibility and range of tools at my fingertips when making new tracks than I would have doing it all analog.  So, I'm trying to not throw my hands up in frustration and go back to what I know since the whole point was to learn how to use a DAW in order to make this track.  This is the main melody behind the track.One of the soundtracks that served as an influence was William Goldstein's score for the Chuck Norris film Forced Vengeance.  There is an Eastern flair to it (the film takes place in Hong Kong) that is perfect for one of these schlocky 80s martial arts films along with an ominous tone and plenty of tastefully done 80s synth.   You can actually listen to the entire thing on William Goldstein's YT channel.Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/09/15/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-527-musical-interlude-working-on-a-dark-synth-track-for-a-shadow-in-the-moonlight-part-3/

In today's episode, I'm building on what I started discussing last week as I continue to make a dark synth track to accompany one of the many hunting scenes in The Thirteenth Hour prequel, A Shadow in the Moonlight, about a cursed hunter who has to spend eternity hunting an enchanted deer.  I've wanted to learn to use a desktop based DAW to make and edit music so am using this track as a way to do that.  I've settled on the free web-based program Bandlab, which is supposedly the easiest one to start using, though I will say that I have found none of the ones I have tried intuitive or especially user friendly.  That said, connecting a keyboard to the computer has helped a great deal, and I expect that the initially hassle will have longer term payoffs in terms of flexibility and range of tools at my fingertips when making new tracks than I would have doing it all analog.  So, I'm trying to not throw my hands up in frustration and go back to what I know since the whole point was to learn how to use a DAW in order to make this track.In addition, I have been experimenting with another digital tool called Nauk Nauk to make short videos of the toys I've made.  The app is basically generative AI specific to action figures and making them move.  I'm not super for or against this kind of technology, and while I touch on some of the operational pros and cons of using this kind of tech (at least from what I can see), this is one I can get behind.  Who doesn't want to see their toys come to life? Especially ones you've made!  Case in point - this one of Beverly Switzler is my favorite so far: https://www.tiktok.com/@13thhr/video/7547184629434813710?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7547583918360708621Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I'm working on the very beginnings of a dark synth track to accompany one of the many hunting scenes in The Thirteenth Hour prequel, A Shadow in the Moonlight, about a cursed hunter who has to spend eternity hunting an enchanted deer.  While I've had ideas for the soundtrack to this story for years and even filmed a number of segments for some future video every time I'd see a good full moon, I have never gotten around to putting anything down until now, mostly since I could not think of an appropriate theme to knit it all together - until now.  (This is probably an outdated idea in the era of library music often used for TV and movies, but I still subscribe to the idea that a soundtrack is best if there is a central  hummable melody that has elements that show up from time to time in the other parts of the soundtrack.) Speaking of which, my inspiration for this track comes from one of my favorite soundtracks, Trevor Jones' Last of the Mohicans.  The opening scene where Hawkeye, the Daniel Day Lewis character, is chasing a deer through the forest.  While it's a simple scene in essence, the interplay between the film and the sweeping score is pure movie magic and, in my opinion, an excellent example of how music totally makes the scene.   Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-525-musical-interlude-working-on-a-dark-synth-track-for-a-shadow-in-the-moonlight/

Today's episode is about the unit Logan from the Thirteenth Hour is a part of, the Imperial Rangers, who coincidentally, mostly meet their end in the novel.  They are replaced, however, at the end of the novel by King Darian IV's all female guard, as they are comparably trained.  Readers of The Thirteenth Hour actually get to meet two named Esmerelda and Skye (shown in the picture below from The Thirteenth Hour).Other Rangers - Stella, Camilla, Lilia, Jenny, Maggie, and Kathyrn appear in the sequel and have their own personalities and preferences that I'm currently shaping.  I'd love one day to do a stand alone adventure with the new Rangers.I've been thinking of doing another reading and picked a few possible novels to choose from.  If you have any preference, comment below! Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form, on CD, and on tape!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs and tapes are out now! -Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

Today's episode is a follow up on last week's episode on the geography of Logan and Aurora's island; today I wanted to share some of the resources I used that helped both inspire and inform how I wrote about the house they constructed for themselves.While I had a number of ideas of how they might make their house (i.e. partially underground) from fiction (books like My Side of the Mountain, The Sign of the Beaver, The Hobbit, and On Walden Pond had provided inspiration), the first time I stumbled upon someone actually doing something like this was Dan Price, who wrote a little book appropriately called My Tiny House.  I think he'd written an article in a magazine I used to sometimes write for called The Backwoodsman describing how he created an 80 sq ft circular home underground.  Fascinated, I bought the hand drawn book, read it, and filed it away as evidence that a human actually could probably make something like I'd envisioned in my mind.  If you go to this page, you can find a link to a ~30 min documentary made about Dan Price and his tiny house.  As you can see in the film, he actually made numerous structures that all blend in his surroundings allowing him a bit more space and from the looks of it, a pretty good quality of life.I next stumbled on a Sami structure called a goahti, which is kind of like a teepee found in parts of Scandanavia.  It has a wooden skeleton that is then covered with fabric or earth/grass.  I thought they were perfect examples of a real life Logan and Aurora house since I'd imagined at least part of their home (the roof especially) being covered in grass/plants so it blended in with their forested surroundings.Probably around 12-13 years ago, I found a book on tiny houses in a bookstore called Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter.  I'd never heard of this architectural movement before but was delighted to find that it had a lot of the ideas that I described above.  Here are a few examples of structures that looked like the sorts of things two people could reasonably do with hand tools and a lot of persistence (and good weather):https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/08/18/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-523-thirteenth-hour-sequel-writing-update-2-research-on-logan-and-auroras-house/ In the same book, there are some pictures of tree houses that are similar to the structures I imagined the half elves described last week might live in.This next book, called Tree Houses, has more pictures of similar structures.All in all, these resources have been very helpful in figuring out how I wanted to write about little day to day aspects of Logan and Aurora's living situation.  Though not the central portion of the story, it is a beloved place that they made with their own hands and thus occupies a special place in their hearts.  There would be no story if that were not threatened, so of course they have to leave this place that they have come to feel safe and comfortable in.  If it had been just any old home, the stakes would not be so high.  But because it it special to them, it's all the more difficult.  But that is part of the tale!Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form, on CD, and on tape!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs and tapes are out now! -Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 

Today's episode is on geography of the island that Logan and Aurora from The Thirteenth Hour make their eventual home on.  While they initially think it's uninhabited, it turns out to be the home of half elves who take refuge there.  Logan and Aurora eventually become ingrained in their community, learning their way of life, and because they are more mobile, take to trading and selling things on the mainland, things they and the half elves can't so easily make.I made a top down map of the island which you can see below:⁠https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/08/11/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-522-thirteenth-hour-sequel-writing-update-geography-of-logan-and-auroras-island/⁠Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

In today's episode, I wanted to make a rendition of the James Horner Rocketeer theme in time for what would have been Dave Steven's 70th birthday (7/29).  At this the time of this podcast release, that is a few days in the past, so we are going back in time a bit.  I can't imagine trying to improve upon the score as it is, so I decided I'd alter it a bit to fit the mood or state of mind I envisioned when I pictured this whole project - Cliff soaring towards the horizon on a cloudless, moonlight night, totally at peace with his surroundings (as odd as that might seem to an outsider).  I imagined that if one could erase the G-forces, the woosh of the wind, and the chill of the night air, things might feel almost slow, balletic, a real Peter Pan moment.  So that's why I made this version more meditative in nature and called it "...the closest I'll ever get to heaven, Mr. Hughes."The fully mixed track plays in full at the end of the episode.  Besides the youtube video above, I have also put it up for streaming / download on my bandcamp page.  This track is meant to be free and is done as a homage to a great comic book artist and a great composer, both of which are sadly no longer with us. Any donations made there will be given in full to the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation (HCL is the type of cancer Dave Stevens died from and the HCL Foundation is where Dave Stevens' family sends their donations.)  More at www.hairycellleukemia.org and 13thhr.wordpress.com/charitable-giving/Happy birthday in heaven, Dave.  Would you have guessed your creation is still flying high after all these years?  Thank you for what you gave us.∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details.

In today's episode, I'm playing a song from the early 90s adventure game, King's Quest 6 - the instrumental version of "Girl in the Tower," which played at the end of the game if you had the CD-ROM version of the game, a feat that was pretty cool at the time.  Although the song, composed by Mark Siebert, fit in perfectly with the top 40 adult contemporary hits of the early 90s and the themes of later JRPGs like those found in the Final Fantasy games, for me, it always stood out since it had all the parts I loved in 80s ballads - a catchy, hummable melody, an electric guitar instrumental break, and a piano instrumental.  I've always loved the contrast between all those parts.  Plus, it was the only CD we had for quite awhile.  I'd be lying if I didn't admit that a fair amount of the sound that makes its way into The Thirteenth Hour soundtracks comes from songs like this.Girl in the Tower (CD version)Girl in the tower instrumentalCassima's ThemeAnd that's why I wanted to dedicate today's episode and the rendition on piano that I attempted to Roberta Vaughn, who passed away recently, suddenly and way too young.  She was instrumental in forming the Classic Gamer's Guild in Facebook, a welcoming, positive group dedicated to celebrating classic games, especially adventure games of the 80s and 90s.  Truth be told, when I was playing with the idea of trying to figure this song out, I initially wasn't sure if I should.  What if she hated the game?  I wasn't sure and thought about asking folks who knew her better.  But I figured, given the kind of person I understood her to be, even if she wasn't the biggest fan of the game or the song, she'd appreciate the inherent 90s cheese of the lyrics and the nostalgia of it all and get a kick out of it.  At least I hope so.    May there be the hint books be infinite and the copy protection miniscule wherever you are, Roberta.  Thank you for all you did.  This one is for you.Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

Today's episode is an update on the work I've been doing on writing the sequel to The Thirteenth Hour.  In reality, I have been working on the sequel's story for decades in small ways and started actually writing it a number of years ago but then took a hiatus to work on other things.  In the past 3 weeks, I've made a point to get back to it, so far writing about 8K words in little bursts, often in between other things.  Not a ton but, it's been fun to revisit this world again!There are a few DnD adventures my brother and I did added to the backstory:-The Wayfarer's Escape - episodes 125, 126, and 127-The Wayfarer's Dungeon Crawl - episodes 418 and 419My brother put together a Youtube playlist with the other DnD adventures we recorded that also have some backstory that I have wanted to reference in things I have written since the publishing of The Thirteenth Hour.  Empty Hands had some, and the sequel will have more.Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form and on CD!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes and special editions of the album there as well.)  The CDs are out now!-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, on the show, my brother and I are watching Men at Work, from 1990, a funny, lighthearted, somewhat absurdist ensemble film.  You can watch film for free if you have access to Tubi.  Check out Jeremy's work over at Pixel Grotto, CBR.com, and Classic Batman Panels on IG. If you are of the DnD persuasion, his articles on DnD Beyond may be right up your alley, and you can view his entire portfolio here.  You can also check out his latest book, where he is a co-author: Pathfinder Adventure Path: No Breath to Cry as well as the ecology and exploration TTRPG with Three Sail Studios, Mappa Mundi, which is now out.  Thanks, Jeremy, for coming on the show!  ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, I'm reading Chapter 23, the final chapter of the Peter David penned movie novelization of the 1991 Rocketeer film.  Ironically, this episode will come out right after the United States' birthday (7/4/1776), at a time when there is a lot of turmoil in the country.  It's not the first time, nor will it be the last, I suspect.  I won't get into the wasteland of politics, but since this episode is on the Rocketeer, I thought it would be an interesting time to reflect on how the character fits some American ideals. Speaking of which - ideals ... the country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal and all deserve some basic rights.  Was this true in 1776?  Let's be frank (it's an American ideal).  No.  Not even close. It might have been true if you were a free white man but was probably not anywhere close to being true if you were a woman, child, slave, indentured servant, or a race other Caucasian.  It took a long time for other groups to finally catch up.  US women finally achieved the right to vote in national elections in 1920 (19th amendment to the US Constitution).  Though slavery was officially abolished after the US Civil War in 1865, black men were were not granted the right to vote in federal elections until 1870 (the 15th amendment to the US Constitution), and it was not until the 1950s and 60s and beyond that segregation practices were ended (Jim Crow laws ended on a national level in 1964, but in many cases, still exist in other, less overt forms depending on the location).  It was not until 1967 that interracial marriage was allowed on a federal level (see the 1967 US Supreme Court case of Loving v. Virginia).  Although the United States was founded by immigrants, the Chinese exclusion act, passed in 1882, was the first significant law that restricted the flow of immigrants into the US, targeting Chinese laborers.  While there were amendments to the law in 1943, there were still quotas and other restrictions to abide by.  It was not until 2012 (!) that the Chinese exclusion act was official condemned by Congress.  Although Native Americans were the first people on this land, they were not granted access to US citizenship until 1924 (Indian Citizenship Act), and it was not until 1965 that they were granted the federal right to vote (Voting Rights Act of 1965), though US Native Americans still are often unable to vote for various reasons to this day.  Same sex marriage was not legally allowed on federal level until 2015 (see the US Supreme Court decision of Obergefell v. Hodges). These are just a few examples of inequality in the face of a federal Constitution claiming basic rights for all.  I write all this not to condemn all the ways in which we as a country fail to live up to our ideals but rather to show that as any society, especially one made up by immigrants from all over the world, is going to have its problems and will require a lot of work and constant maintenance to work in any somewhat functional way.  The US is basically a nearly 250 year old hotel with guests constantly coming and going, clogging the sinks and toilets, running down the hot water, making messes, and yelling in the hallway.  Even in low season times, there is still plenty of maintenance to do since things break.  Nothing lasts forever.   How does all this relate to the Rocketeer?  Read more at https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/07/07/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-517-and-like-a-hood-ornament-81-reading-the-conclusion-of-the-rocketeer-movie-novelization-chapter-23/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form on services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. -Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk

This week, on the show, my brother and I are watching Manhunter, from 1986, a prequel of sorts to The Silence of the Lambs films.   Not having seen any of those films or read any of the books they were based on before, I went in with no expectations, but I will say, this is quite an entertaining, very stylish 80s movie.  The synth soundtrack alone is worth a listen if you can find it (see this link).  You can find the film online on various sites to view for free (for example, here).Check out Jeremy's work over at Pixel Grotto, CBR.com, and Classic Batman Panels on IG. If you are of the DnD persuasion, his articles on DnD Beyond may be right up your alley, and you can view his entire portfolio here.  You can also check out his latest book, where he is a co-author: Pathfinder Adventure Path: No Breath to Cry as well as the ecology and exploration TTRPG with Three Sail Studios, Mappa Mundi, which is now out.  Thanks, Jeremy, for coming on the show!  ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, I'm reading Chapter 22 of the Peter David penned movie novelization of the 1991 Rocketeer film.  This part of the film picks up on top of the zeppelin, with a daring autogyro rescue by Peevy and Howard Hughes.   A few other things:  1.) Once Upon a Dream is out!  Listen on most major streaming platforms, though if you have no preference, I suggest Bandcamp, which has a bonus track.  This is the music project I've been working on the past seven years or so, trying to translate the world of The Thirteenth Hour into this second soundtrack to accompany the novel.  Since I made the album over the course of years, I wasn't sure how it would turn out as a whole initially, but in the many hours I spent mixing it, I found it actually does live up to its title. Ethereal, dreamlike, and meditative were words that early listeners used in describing the tracks, and though this wasn't quite my initial intention, I hope listening to this album provides a measure of peace for you.   2.) Modern Dads of Martial Arts, published by Whistlekick, is now out as well.   This is a collection of thirteen essays written by martial artist dads.  I have an essay in it.  I loved reading the whole thing (read it in pre-production).  I honestly think aspects of martial arts can help make us better versions of ourselves, and in the case of us guys, better husbands, fathers, and human beings.   3.) Much of this week has been occupied by wrapping up these Spacecamp figures, being made for a fundraiser for the US Space and Rocket Foundation to make it easier for kids to afford camp tuition.   Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, my brother and I are watching the 1991 animated movie, Wizardry, a Japanese rendition of the computer RPG series from a decade before.  Sometimes the term OVA (original video animation) is used for these often standalone films that were produced for direct VHS/laserdisc/VCD/DVD release.  Sometimes, I think there were earlier series that came prior, and the OVAs had higher budgets and could summarize an entire series in a 1-2 hour movie.  This was a fun conversation about these early animes, which I'd gotten only a bit of exposure to as a kid, playing early role playing games, and more.  Interestingly enough, the Wizardry franchise (originally created by Cornell University students Andrew C. Greenberg and Robert Woodhead) has lived on in Japan, where it is still popular.  Oddly enough, the Ultima series, which is still popular in the US, never became quite as big, though there are some teasers that suggest it could have been in a parallel universe.This is a fun, compact film that follows the plot of the first game, from what I understand (having not played the game myself).  But if you have, when you watch the film (you can watch the whole movie for free on youtube here), you will see a number of odes to the original game (and the person who did the work annotating the video has footnotes explaining the references).  You can find the coffee table books Jeremy referenced in the episode about games history, including the computer role playing game book at Bitmap Books.  A digital copy of The CRPG Book edited by Felipe Pepe is available here.Lastly, if you happen to get this in time, until /16, you can take advantage of the Father's Day sale on my Bandcamp page:25% off anything at joshuablum.bandcamp.comUse the code whoisurdaddy&whatdoeshedo at checkout! Check out Jeremy's work over at Pixel Grotto, CBR.com, and Classic Batman Panels on IG. If you are of the DnD persuasion, his articles on DnD Beyond may be right up your alley, and you can view his entire portfolio here.  You can also check out his latest book, where he is a co-author: Pathfinder Adventure Path: No Breath to Cry as well as the ecology and exploration TTRPG with Three Sail Studios, Mappa Mundi, which is now out.  Thanks, Jeremy, for coming on the show!  ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form!   It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music.  (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, I'm reading the second part of the twenty first chapter of the Peter David penned movie novelization of the 1991 Rocketeer film.  This part of the film picks up on the gondola of the zepplin, and you can watch the segment in the film (at least partly) here.  One thing I always wondered as a kid was that if you shot a flare at something, would it actually ricochet like it does in the movie.  If you search on Youtube, you can find a number of video of people doing exactly this, so yes, it probably would, and like in the movie, it may, in fact, do more damage to the shooter than the the target.   Three upcoming events this week! 1.) The release party for Once Upon a Dream is tonight!  6/9/25 at 5 PM EST.  Join me a free, exclusive listening party to celebrate the upcoming release of Once Upon a Dream, the retro 80s synthpop/new wave album I've been working on for the past seven years or so. We'll be listening to the album (runtime is a little over an hour) and talking about how it was made. Looking forward to sharing it with you!  RSVP here!   2.) Modern Dads of Martial Arts, published by Whistlekick, is coming out on 6/10/25.  This is a collection of thirteen essays written by martial artist dads.  Just in time for Father's Day.  I have an essay in it.  I loved reading the whole thing (read it in pre-production).  I honestly think aspects of martial arts can help make us better versions of ourselves, and in the case of us guys, better husbands, fathers, and human beings.   3.) Once Upon a Dream releases on 6/13/25!  It will be out digitally first, but CDs and tapes are on their way. Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected] for more details!

This week, I'm reading the first part of the twenty first chapter of the Peter David penned movie novelization of the 1991 Rocketeer film.  Before we get to the reading, there are a few noteworthy announcements: -I finished a set of breaking training cards to help add an element of randomization to solo dance practices.  Those are available on itch.io and are free to print out.  I will make a physical version of the cards and an instructional video in the coming weeks but to anyone that might find them useful, they are available now.  I ended up using animations that were originally made for a breaking game I tried to make about 20 years ago.  -Speaking of animation, I made a pixelart animation for the song "Forward" to go with the release of Once Upon a Dream (6/13/25).  That video is available here.  This week's reading of the Rocketeer chapter accompanies the section of the film where things come to a climax over the skies of the Griffith Observatory.  You can watch the exciting shootout here.   Pictures from the show notes are all available at https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2025/06/02/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-512-and-like-a-hood-ornament-78-reading-the-rocketeer-movie-novelization-chapter-21-part-1/Thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Don't forget that the original hunter action figure from A Shadow in the Moonlight is available on Etsy!Check out the growing line of Thirteenth Hour toys and other products on the Thirteenth Hour Studio Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThirteenthHourStudio).  There are a number of custom figures from retro films being sold for charity that available there as well. Check out this collaboration with past show guest Jeff Finley on handpan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK8lTEQoc_gFollow along on Spotify!  There is also a growing extended Thirteenth Hour playlist on Spotify with a growing number of retro 80s songs.Check it out!As always, thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Synth EP soundtrack to the novella, Empty Hands, is now out for streaming on Bandcamp.  Stay tuned.  Follow along on Spotify!  There is also a growing extended Thirteenth Hour playlist on Spotify with a growing number of retro 80s songs.Check it out!As always, thanks for listening!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify,  iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify.  Join the mailing list for a digital free copy.  You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book?  Just email me at [email protected]