Worlds Asunder

Today’s guest, Kacey Ezell, was born in South Dakota and grew up around the world on various military bases. When she was seven, her mother gave her a copy of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragondrums, and shortly thereafter, Kacey decided that she wanted to be a dragonrider when she grew up. From the time she was a small child, Kacey made up stories to tell to her friends and family. Kacey’s emotionally-fueled fiction includes alternate history, fantasy, noir, and science fiction. She’s a master in emotional resonance and character building! Join us in learning the tips and tricks to build characters with believable emotional arcs. In Part One, We Discuss: Every villain is the hero of their own story; writing unpopular characters Every hero is probably the villain of someone else’s story Redemption arcs Characters we love to hate How worldbuilding impacts characters and vice versa Tools to track details Resources and Guest Links: https://kaceyezell.net/Newsletter and free short stories: https://kaceyezell.net/the-dragons-horde/ Psyche of War: https://kaceyezell.net/book-series/the-psyche-of-war/ World Anvil: https://www.worldanvil.com/ Notion: https://www.notion.com/ Join us in thanking Kacey! She’s a great author and an even better friend, and we’re grateful she took time out of her relaxicon to interview and give us the inside scoop on how she crafts excellent characters. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Join your Worlds Asunder host, 'Shady' David Shadoin, and several of his author friends (H.Y. Gregor, Kacey Ezell, Melissa Olthoff, Casey 'Moops' Moores, Mark Stallings, and Jon R. Osborne) on their misadventures in Jackbox's Fibbage 3. This is the pilot episode of a whole different show! Don't worry, we will still have our normal worldbuilding podcast but this has been chilling in a vault for too long and needed to see the light of day. Open your eyeholes!Shady - davidshadoin.comHailey - hygregor.comKacey - kaceyezell.netMelissa- melissaolthoff.netMoops - caseymoores.netMark - markstallings.comOz - jonrosborne.comThanks to FASS Sounds for putting out another awesome lofi chill song to license and use. Go find them on patreon and support if you enjoy this music or our other show's music. Thanks also to Matt Shadoin for designing our awesome logo! Find him on instagram and facebook!

Our latest guest is J.T. Evans, fantasy, science fiction, and horror author and former president of Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group and Pikes Peak Writers. Today he brings his expertise and experience in both writing and gaming to help us dig into the nitty gritty of fantasy city building. When not writing, he keeps computers secure at the Day Job, spends time with his family, and plays way too many tabletop games. J.T. joined the Gnome Stew Crew in March of 2016. Since that time, he has written dozens of articles for the site and has earned three Gold ENnie awards (2016, 2017, and 2018) as part of the team at Gnome Stew. He is the author of the Modern Mythology and Flashing Blades series and is hastily working on more right now.In Part Two, We Discuss: Reasons and implications for city locations and environmentsCity resources and the role of standardization and Natural disasters and character reactions to their surroundings Governing bodies, including some of their flaws Maps!Resources and Guest Links: https://jtevans.net/ The Flashing Blades series: https://jtevans.net/publications/flashing-blades/ Modern Mythology series: https://jtevans.net/publications/modern-mythology/ Newsletter subscription: https://jtevans.net/about/contact/ Gnome Stew: https://gnomestew.com/ Stay tuned for links to JT’s maps and other photo resources! Join us in thanking JT! We’re fortunate to claim him as a writing colleague and a friend. We’re seriously grateful he lent us his expertise for this episode and loved digging into the nitty-gritty of city building with him. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Our latest guest is J.T. Evans, fantasy, science fiction, and horror author and former president of Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group and Pikes Peak Writers. Today he brings his expertise and experience in both writing and gaming to help us dig into the nitty gritty of fantasy city building. When not writing, he keeps computers secure at the Day Job, spends time with his family, and plays way too many tabletop games. J.T. joined the Gnome Stew Crew in March of 2016. Since that time, he has written dozens of articles for the site and has earned three Gold ENnie awards (2016, 2017, and 2018) as part of the team at Gnome Stew. He is the author of the Modern Mythology and Flashing Blades series and is hastily working on more right now.Resources and Guest Links: https://jtevans.net/ The Flashing Blades series: https://jtevans.net/publications/flashing-blades/ Modern Mythology series: https://jtevans.net/publications/modern-mythology/ Newsletter subscription: https://jtevans.net/about/contact/ Gnome Stew: https://gnomestew.com/ Stay tuned for links to JT’s maps and other photo resources! Join us in thanking JT! We’re fortunate to claim him as a writing colleague and a friend. We’re seriously grateful he lent us his expertise for this episode and loved digging into the nitty-gritty of city building with him. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

So, I lied...I forgot Spotify does video now...so here is the pilot of our new project!Join your Worlds Asunder host, 'Shady' David Shadoin, and several of his author friends (H.Y. Gregor, Kacey Ezell, Melissa Olthoff, Casey 'Moops' Moores, Mark Stallings, and Jon R. Osborne) on their misadventures in Jackbox's Fibbage 3. This is the pilot episode of a whole different show! Don't worry, we will still have our normal worldbuilding podcast but this has been chilling in a vault for too long and needed to see the light of day. Open your eyeholes!Shady - davidshadoin.comHailey - hygregor.comKacey - kaceyezell.netMelissa- melissaolthoff.netMoops - caseymoores.netMark - markstallings.comOz - jonrosborne.comThanks to FASS Sounds for putting out another awesome lofi chill song to license and use. Go find them on patreon and support if you enjoy this music or our other show's music. Thanks also to Matt Shadoin for designing our awesome logo! Find him on instagram and facebook!

Just what do you do with a PhD in the History of Science? Write novels–science fiction, urban fantasy, and thriller. Our guest today is Steve Ruskin, PhD. He’s the author of the nonfiction popular history novel America’s First Great Eclipse and countless academic writings, and also of the ExoRok Rebels science fiction series and Trina Piper magical thrillers. Steve’s unique background in academics and fiction give him great insight to author resources, creativity, and bringing character-driven fiction to life. In Part Two, We Discuss: Painting targets around the points you want to hit in your plots On-location research and Detail writing, and using the five senses to set a scene  Worldbuilding and story development in someone else’s shared universe Pulling story inspiration from history and integrating it into other genres Organization and juggling multiple projects Resources and Guest Links: Steve Ruskin: https://www.steveruskin.com/ Steve’s Newsletter: https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/f424f312-0fb9-11ee-938d-7f884ddf8bd0 America’s First Great Eclipse: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-First-Great-Eclipse-Scientists-ebook/dp/B0716GT8FH ExoRok Rebels: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1BMNQQ1 Trina Piper Thrillers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9KGPCSS Extinction by Douglas Preston: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Extinction-A-Novel/dp/B0C31M5X6V Huge thanks to Steve for coming over to record at our dining room table. We love being able to bring field specialists onto the show, and he’s no exception. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Just what do you do with a PhD in the History of Science? Write novels–science fiction, urban fantasy, and thriller. Our guest today is Steve Ruskin, PhD. He’s the author of the nonfiction popular history novel America’s First Great Eclipse and countless academic writings, and also of the ExoRok Rebels science fiction series and Trina Piper magical thrillers. Steve’s unique background in academics and fiction give him great insight to author resources, creativity, and bringing character-driven fiction to life. In Part One, We Discuss: Worldbuilding in historical and popular history writings  Nonfiction worldbuilding and research Writing character-driven nonfiction Where to start historical research and how to reach out to professionals“Secret histories”: Finding the balance between historical accuracy and fictional liberties Maintaining a timeline and the differences between historical fiction and alternate history The Village Idiot Approach Resources and Guest Links: Steve Ruskin: https://www.steveruskin.com/ Steve’s Newsletter: https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/f424f312-0fb9-11ee-938d-7f884ddf8bd0 America’s First Great Eclipse: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-First-Great-Eclipse-Scientists-ebook/dp/B0716GT8FH ExoRok Rebels: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1BMNQQ1 Trina Piper Thrillers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9KGPCSS Extinction by Douglas Preston: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Extinction-A-Novel/dp/B0C31M5X6V Huge thanks to Steve for coming over to record at our dining room table. We love being able to bring field specialists onto the show, and he’s no exception. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Sorry we’re late this week! Shady got trapped in a server when they shut Anthem down…and by that, we mean, he decided to relive the glory of the freelancers one last time…but at least it’s still Tuesday!They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but let's face it--you only get one first impression. A good cover needs to be eye-catching, signal your genre, give clues to your story, have an engaging and readable title treatment, and make readers want to know more. Easy, right? If only! The trouble is, authors aren't always the best at breaking their stories down into one or two compelling visuals. Where words fail us, enter Jake Clark and J Caleb Design. The artistic mind behind countless covers, J Caleb focuses on badass covers for badass stories. He lent us his expertise for this episode! Join us in discussing what exactly goes into making a book cover great, from concept and brief to final product. In Part Two, We Discuss: More Lucky CharmsA Cover Brief StoryThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Artists and Writers working together.Resources and Guest Links: J Caleb Design: https://www.jcalebdesign.com/ Help us thank Jake! Covers are tricky, and we’ve been so excited to share this episode and give people insights from such a talented artist and creator. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but let's face it--you only get one first impression. A good cover needs to be eye-catching, signal your genre, give clues to your story, have an engaging and readable title treatment, and make readers want to know more. Easy, right? If only! The trouble is, authors aren't always the best at breaking their stories down into one or two compelling visuals. Where words fail us, enter Jake Clark and J Caleb Design. The artistic mind behind countless covers, J Caleb focuses on badass covers for badass stories. He lent us his expertise for this episode! Join us in discussing what exactly goes into making a book cover great, from concept and brief to final product. In Part One, We Discuss: Minimalistic choices and simplifying cover briefs to get the best optionsDifferences in processesLucky CharmsResources and Guest Links: J Caleb Design: https://www.jcalebdesign.com/ Help us thank Jake! Covers are tricky, and we’ve been so excited to share this episode and give people insights from such a talented artist and creator. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

We all love a widespread, far-reaching fantasy universe that we as readers can get completely absorbed in. The only thing better than a great fantasy series is a whole collection of them that deep-dive into an immersive world. But how do you keep track of a timeline that spans over a thousand years? Where do you start when your cast of characters stretches into the hundreds? We’re so pleased to release this interview with Katie Cross, author of more than 50 novels in her award-winning Alkarra universe. Katie drives down to the bedrock and gives us an inside look at her own spreadsheets and world bible. Join us and get practical tips and tools to keep your worlds organized. Bonus author mental health checks included ;) In Part Two, We Discuss: Avoiding the urge for perfection and focusing on moving forward Drafting processes and tips to make your writing more efficient Learning from our failures Maps and their purposes and utility in fantasy Katie’s recommended series for worldbuilding Addressing and conquering mental roadblocks Resources and Guest Links: https://katiecrossbooks.com/ Katie’s Book Recommendations for Great Worldbuilding!Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie: https://littlehousebooks.com/Lydia Sherrer, Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: https://www.lydiasherrer.com/books/love-lies-and-hocus-pocus/ Thanks again to Katie! Getting such a detailed look behind the curtain of this kind of world tracking and story management is a rare opportunity. We’re honored she agreed to hang out with us. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)For Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, For Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim, 

Shady’s Notes: I’ve typically been editing these a bit since we’ve gone rogue…I mean stood up our own channel, but unfortunately I’ve been on deadline and unable to put any time into this. Which is also why this week’s is not a new episode, but another one from the archives. Enjoy!We all love a widespread, far-reaching fantasy universe that we as readers can get completely absorbed in. The only thing better than a great fantasy series is a whole collection of them that deep-dive into an immersive world. But how do you keep track of a timeline that spans over a thousand years? Where do you start when your cast of characters stretches into the hundreds? We’re so pleased to release this interview with Katie Cross, author of more than 50 novels in her award-winning Alkarra universe. Katie drives down to the bedrock and gives us an inside look at her own spreadsheets and world bible. Join us and get practical tips and tools to keep your worlds organized. Bonus author mental health checks included ;) In Part One, We Discuss: Pepsi (please sponsor us! Its the only pop Shady drinks)Building and maintaining a detailed world bible Multi-generational timelines and maintaining continuity Author mindsets and how to approach your workChoosing which details to track, and how Writing what you love and how it helps improve your fiction An exclusive, detailed look at Katie’s world bible for Alkarra (the power of spreadsheets!)Resources and Guest Links: https://katiecrossbooks.com/ Thanks again to Katie! Getting such a detailed look behind the curtain of this kind of world tracking and story management is a rare opportunity. We’re honored she agreed to hang out with us. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)For Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, For Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim, 

From Marvel to Star Wars, shared universe content is taking over the world. We interviewed Chris Kennedy, publisher, author, and one of the co-founders of the Four Horseman Universe (4HU). Today Chris Kennedy Publishing is made up of six imprints that publish everything from non-fiction to military fiction to fantasy. From CKP’s Seventh Seal Press, the Four Horseman Universe is an action-packed, sweeping military science fiction series. It all started in 2016 with Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Mark Wandrey (https://www.worldmaker.us/home/). Now the 4HU has expanded to 8 different series, approaching 100 titles from over 50 authors. Its dedicated fan club has 25 companies across the country. In Episode 2:Advantages of shared worlds and co-writing: stepping out of the author cave and working with others to ping-pong ideas and build your writing community The worldbuilding process: how much is done in advance of writing your novel, and how does this vary from author to author? The iceberg approach: how to determine which worldbuilding details are going to further your story Joining a shared world as a new author: where do you start?The editing process: how developmental editing looks different in a shared world Resources and Guest Links: Chris Kennedy Publishing: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/Mark Wandrey Author: https://www.worldmaker.us/home/ World Building for Novices: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/book/world-building-for-novices/ Quillcraft Press, CKP: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/quillcraft-press/ 4HU Fan Club, the Mercenary Guild: https://themercenaryguild.org/index.htmlHost Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits- (all assets licensed through the sites listed)For Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, For Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim, Special Thanks to Chris Kennedy! Both Shady and H.Y. Gregor had the honor of working closely with Chris over recent years and we’re so grateful for his professionalism and his willingness to be our first victim on the show. Chris and CKP have great reputations for recruiting and mentoring new authors and we’re honored to have him here. Technical Note from Your Co-Hosts: We’re learning too! We loved working with and for Book Career in a Year and had a blast recording this show. However, we are no longer with them. We appreciate your patience with our technical audio complications in this, our original debut episode! Hang out with us again next week to see progress in motion and learn from more masters of the craft. 

From Marvel to Star Wars, shared universe content is taking over the world. We interviewed Chris Kennedy, publisher, author, and one of the co-founders of the Four Horseman Universe (4HU). Today Chris Kennedy Publishing is made up of six imprints that publish everything from non-fiction to military fiction to fantasy. From CKP’s Seventh Seal Press, the Four Horseman Universe is an action-packed, sweeping military science fiction series. It all started in 2016 with Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Mark Wandrey (https://www.worldmaker.us/home/). Now the 4HU has expanded to 8 different series, approaching 100 titles from over 50 authors. Its dedicated fan club has 25 companies across the country. In Episode 1, we’ll discuss: The starting seeds of a massive shared universe: how do authors hatch a plan that spans such a widespread, beloved series? Submitting and participating in anthologies: how short stories help new authors get involved in established universes Worldbuilding continuity across space: dozens of alien races, countless planets, and mercenary companies means you need a good bible and even better continuity editorsReal-world inspiration for military science fiction and future techSuspension of disbelief: research and reality vs the “rule of cool” in far-future science fiction Resources and Guest Links: Chris Kennedy Publishing: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/Mark Wandrey Author: https://www.worldmaker.us/home/ World Building for Novices: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/book/world-building-for-novices/ Quillcraft Press, CKP: https://chriskennedypublishing.com/quillcraft-press/ 4HU Fan Club, the Mercenary Guild: https://themercenaryguild.org/index.htmlHost Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits- (all assets licensed through the sites listed)For Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, For Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim, Special Thanks to Chris Kennedy! Both Shady and H.Y. Gregor had the honor of working closely with Chris over recent years and we’re so grateful for his professionalism and his willingness to be our first victim on the show. Chris and CKP have great reputations for recruiting and mentoring new authors and we’re honored to have him here. Technical Note from Your Co-Hosts: We’re learning too! We love working with and for Book Career in a Year and are having a blast recording this show. We appreciate your patience with our technical audio complications in this debut episode! Hang out with us again next week to see progress in motion and learn from more masters of the craft. 

Every hero needs a quest. Whether the stakes are saving the world, killing the monster, or rescuing a princess, the best stories throw our heroes into adversity, challenging them and making them become better versions of themselves before they’re worthy and powerful enough to take on their next adventure (whether that’s an exam or a fire-breathing dragon). Watching characters get stronger is one of the best parts, but just how do you measure their leveling up? LitRPG and Progression Fantasy novels are taking the world of genre readers by storm. It’s not just fantasy and science fiction, it’s the thrill of leveling up, and following stats, character, and power growth. Enter John and Shami Stovall, who join us today to help dial in the genre tropes, write characters that punch above their weight class (literally), and talk about the intricacies of worldbuilding and plot development in these niche genres that have such a huge appeal to so many readers. In Part Three, We Discuss: Levels of progression and threats to characters and the world Understanding the Bad Guy An unexpected vendetta against Assassin’s Creed “Male coding” in LitRPG and managing reader expectations Female vs male romance expectations Handling criticism and angry internet hordesResources and Guest Links: Shami’s Site: https://sastovallauthor.com/John’s Site: https://john-stovall-author.com/Check out some of the Stovalls latest and greatest! Words of Power by Shami Stovallhttps://www.amazon.com/Words-Power-Progression-Fantasy-Epic/dp/B0F842YBXF The Chronos Chronicles by Shami Stovallhttps://www.amazon.com/Time-Marked-Warlock-Chronos-Chronicles-Stovall/dp/1957613890 The Cerberus Cards by John Stovallhttps://www.amazon.com/Time-Marked-Warlock-Chronos-Chronicles-Stovall/dp/1957613890 John and Shami are a power couple in more ways than one, and we loved talking with them! We’re so grateful they carved some time out of their writing schedules to join us and talk powering up, monster fights, and breaking down the tricky tropes and subgenres in LitRPG. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Every hero needs a quest. Whether the stakes are saving the world, killing the monster, or rescuing a princess, the best stories throw our heroes into adversity, challenging them and making them become better versions of themselves before they’re worthy and powerful enough to take on their next adventure (whether that’s an exam or a fire-breathing dragon). Watching characters get stronger is one of the best parts, but just how do you measure their leveling up? LitRPG and Progression Fantasy novels are taking the world of genre readers by storm. It’s not just fantasy and science fiction, it’s the thrill of leveling up, and following stats, character, and power growth. Enter John and Shami Stovall, who join us today to help dial in the genre tropes, write characters that punch above their weight class (literally), and talk about the intricacies of worldbuilding and plot development in these niche genres that have such a huge appeal to so many readers. In Part Two, We Discuss: Author inspirations and getting started in LitRPG and DungeonCore Book recommendations Genre-locked readers Leveling up and tiers of power Might Equals Right, vs Right Equals MightStrength and distinct elements in traditional vs progression fantasy Justice, self-insert fantasy, and expectations for character strength Resources and Guest Links: Shami’s Site: https://sastovallauthor.com/John’s Site: https://john-stovall-author.com/A Few Book Recommendations: Cradle, by Will Wight: https://www.willwight.com/cradle.html The Land, by Aleron King: https://www.litrpg.com/alerons-books Divine Dungeon series, by Dakota Krout: https://www.mountaindalepress.store/collections/all-divine-dungeon John and Shami are a power couple in more ways than one, and we loved talking with them! We’re so grateful they carved some time out of their writing schedules to join us and talk powering up, monster fights, and breaking down the tricky tropes and subgenres in LitRPG. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

Every hero needs a quest. Whether the stakes are saving the world, killing the monster, or rescuing a princess, the best stories throw our heroes into adversity, challenging them and making them become better versions of themselves before they’re worthy and powerful enough to take on their next adventure (whether that’s an exam or a fire-breathing dragon). Watching characters get stronger is one of the best parts, but just how do you measure their leveling up? LitRPG and Progression Fantasy novels are taking the world of genre readers by storm. It’s not just fantasy and science fiction, it’s the thrill of leveling up, and following stats, character, and power growth. Enter John and Shami Stovall, who join us today to help dial in the genre tropes, write characters that punch above their weight class (literally), and talk about the intricacies of worldbuilding and plot development in these niche genres that have such a huge appeal to so many readers. In Part One, We Discuss: LitRPG vs Progression Fantasy Subgenres and tropes in LitRPG Incorporating stats and numbers seamlessly into stories The allure of weak-to-strong power progression The nuance of defining LitRPG genres and subgenres Progression fantasy origins and John and Shami’s inspirations for their seriesResources and Guest Links: Shami’s Site: https://sastovallauthor.com/John’s Site: https://john-stovall-author.com/John and Shami are a power couple in more ways than one, and we loved talking with them! We’re so grateful they carved some time out of their writing schedules to join us and talk powering up, monster fights, and breaking down the tricky tropes and subgenres in LitRPG. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

This episode previously aired on Book Career Network.Magic systems are the foundation of fantasy fiction. By design, removing magic from a core fantasy story means the world and the plot fall apart. From elemental manipulation, runes, wand work, and bending light into physical form, we’ve seen countless magic systems and spellcasters over centuries of fiction. As authors, how do we make our magic unique, believable, and captivating? Enter Clark Rowenson, aka the Magic Engineer. Clark turned his background in the sciences to creating a practical, analytical system. His methods break down magic systems, design new ones, and strengthen existing ones. Author of “The Magic Systems Blueprint: A Fiction Writer’s Guide to Building Magic Systems” and “Restrictions May Apply: Building Limits for Your Magic System”, Clark is an industry leader in magic systems. In addition to a wealth of free resources on his website, and his YouTube channel The Magic Engineer, Clark also offers one-on-one consultation services. In Part Two, We’ll Discuss: H.Y. and Shady geeking out over Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer series Starting with a magic system vs starting with characters or other story elements“Seed crystals”: single points of reference and inspiration for magic and world development, and how to narrow down your starting points An Uninvited Guest Our favorite immersive world details The Magic System Blueprint: how to break down and analyze your own systemsHard vs. soft and rational vs irrational magic systems Magic transference, prevalence, source, and flux Naturalness, ease of use, reliability, and consistency Use of perspective to view different aspects of magic Resources and Guest Links: https://crrowenson.com/https://www.patreon.com/crrowensonThe Magic Engineer on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4TcDjakQUUFyGXTm7ZF1Q Join us in thanking Clark!  We met Clark through the writing conference circuit, and he’s a great friend, writer, teacher, and all-around person. Magic systems are so nuanced and exciting, and Clark was on our short-list for Worlds Asunder while the podcast was in its pre-recording phase. We hope everyone has enjoyed this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim,

Magic systems are the foundation of fantasy fiction. By design, removing magic from a core fantasy story means the world and the plot fall apart. From elemental manipulation, runes, wand work, and bending light into physical form, we’ve seen countless magic systems and spellcasters over centuries of fiction. As authors, how do we make our magic unique, believable, and captivating? Enter Clark Rowenson, aka the Magic Engineer. Clark turned his background in the sciences to creating a practical, analytical system. His methods break down magic systems, design new ones, and strengthen existing ones. Author of “The Magic Systems Blueprint: A Fiction Writer’s Guide to Building Magic Systems” and “Restrictions May Apply: Building Limits for Your Magic System”, Clark is an industry leader in magic systems. In addition to a wealth of free resources on his website, and his YouTube channel The Magic Engineer, Clark also offers one-on-one consultation services. In Part One, We Discuss: Arthur C. Clarke’s Third Law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”Clark’s background in engineering and chemistry The integration of magic in storytelling and making stories dependent on magic and fantasy themesGetting started: finding intersections in worldbuilding and deciding on which core elements to include and how to connect them Implications of magic in the larger world: how does magic change or impact your characters lives, social and government structure, and environment?Getting through the weeds: the art of presenting new terminology and concepts, and how to determine what to include in your manuscript and what’s a side quest Uses of magic to highlight and contrast different aspects of society, and how to get it to enhance  Resources and Guest Links:  https://crrowenson.com/https://www.patreon.com/crrowensonThe Magic Engineer on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4TcDjakQUUFyGXTm7ZF1Q Join us in thanking Clark! We met Clark through the writing conference circuit, and he’s a great friend, writer, teacher, and all-around person. Magic systems are so nuanced and exciting, and Clark was on our short-list for Worlds Asunder while the podcast was in its pre-recording phase. We hope everyone has enjoyed this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim, 

New content on Worlds Asunder! This week we can’t wait to introduce you all to Griffin Barber. Author, Baen editor, host of the Baen Free Radio Hour, Griffin is also a polyglot, recently retired police officer, and a lifelong player of tabletop RPGs and science fiction and fantasy fan.Join us in talking with Griffin about narratives–where they come from, how we tell our own stories, and how we interact with them. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, and isn’t restricted to formal formatting. We’ll also touch on writing as an outlet for personal experiences, and a way to address the darkness and process things we encounter in our real lives. In Part Three, We Discuss: AliensHow dark is grim dark and what does it really mean for your characters. High Stakes in every POV Resources and Guest Links: https://griffinbarber.com/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B06XFSJTGQ/allbooks https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/4816 Huge thanks to Griffin for giving us his time! He’s a busy man, and we weren’t able to buy him drinks this time, due to him living on the other side of the country. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

New content on Worlds Asunder! This week we can’t wait to introduce you all to Griffin Barber. Author, Baen editor, host of the Baen Free Radio Hour, Griffin is also a polyglot, recently retired police officer, and a lifelong player of tabletop RPGs and science fiction and fantasy fan.Join us in talking with Griffin about narratives–where they come from, how we tell our own stories, and how we interact with them. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, and isn’t restricted to formal formatting. We’ll also touch on writing as an outlet for personal experiences, and a way to address the darkness and process things we encounter in our real lives. In Part Two, We Discuss: Dark fantasy and writing compelling characters (even, especially, when they’re monsters)How to convey messages of hope and resilience in dark stories Survivability and human endurance “Release valves” and dark humorTransitions: Not everything that is, always was Resources and Guest Links: https://griffinbarber.com/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B06XFSJTGQ/allbooks https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/4816 Huge thanks to Griffin for giving us his time! He’s a busy man, and we weren’t able to buy him drinks this time, due to him living on the other side of the country. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

New content on Worlds Asunder! This week we can’t wait to introduce you all to Griffin Barber. Author, Baen editor, host of the Baen Free Radio Hour, Griffin is also a polyglot, recently retired police officer, and a lifelong player of tabletop RPGs and science fiction and fantasy fan.Join us in talking with Griffin about narratives–where they come from, how we tell our own stories, and how we interact with them. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, and isn’t restricted to formal formatting. We’ll also touch on writing as an outlet for personal experiences, and a way to address the darkness and process things we encounter in our real lives. In Part One, We Discuss: Writing as a cathartic exercise Using personal experiences in narratives BookshelvesMirroring reality in fiction Senses and description in writing Resources and Guest Links: https://griffinbarber.com/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B06XFSJTGQ/allbooks https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/4816 Huge thanks to Griffin for giving us his time! He’s a busy man, and we weren’t able to buy him drinks this time, due to him living on the other side of the country. Host Links: H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on PixabayAnimation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim

It's part duex of our time with WorldCraft Club!! Come join us as we explore the reasons why we love worldbuilding...This originally aired on WorldCraft Club's channel.

We joined James Horton and Seth Ring on WorldCraft Club to talk all the nerdy reasons why we love to talk about worldbuilding and why we can't stop annoying the world with it...the full length video is on WorldCraft Club's channel but we divided it into two parts and this episode originally aired on Book Career Network.

It's the return of World's Asunder!! Come join authors H.Y. Gregor and "Shady" David Shadoin on their first episode out on their lonesome...yes, yes, very sad...So, make sure to subscribe and don't miss out on the fun and knowledge of world building like the pros!