No Dragons Press

Episode 33: Suspicions and Certainties

Show Notes for Episode 33

This is Episode 33, “Suspicions and Certainties.”

Hey everyone! Today’s chapter is a little on the longer side, so I wanted to get right into it, but first, I just have to share this with you.

Ladies, Entrepreneurs, and Owning the Future

I’ve been getting together with these amazing people lately to talk about our businesses and where we want to take them and the challenges we face and things like that, and it’s just like, I’ve been so incredibly motivated to keep pushing and keep moving forward. I had a little bit of a lady entrepreneur happy hour the other day, and we were talking about just how important it is to be able to hold each other accountable, and to just feel accountable on your own because you’ve totally told other people your plans and you can’t back out on them now or whatever.

I just want to say, if you’re in a rut and you think you should be doing something else, reach out and touch base with your friends who either might be feeling that way too or might have already done something about it, because that shit is powerful. Surround yourself with people who want to change their lives and change the world, and go forth, live long, and prosper, and continue to use your powers for good.

No Dragons Press Check-In

So! In chapter 33, Suspicions and Certainties (I know, my titles have become very sad), Addie expands on her previous brainwave—and this time she throws in an A-Team reference. (See if you can spot it.)

No Dragons Press

Episode 32: “Addie Has an Idea”

Show Notes for Episode 32

Hey everyone! It is the middle of February and this is episode 32.

THIS JUST IN: Patreon supporters are amazing

Super exciting news: I am sending out the very first Patreon supporter gift today!

I’m really excited to start coming up with ways to make the process of sending out little surprises in the mail each month really smooth and streamlined, because I just really need out about operational stuff like that, but these first few gifts are really special just because of how one-of-a-kind they are.

You know, it’s not like I’m some giant subscription service right now with partners and warehousing space—it’s just me and my hands and when I’m lucky the much more talented hands of my illustrator and very dear friend Emily, and we’re really enjoying meeting regularly to talk about the different ways we can reach out and thank our Patreon supporters.

Become a Patreon supporter to keep the show running—or keep listening for free!

Okay and I promise not to totally overdo the Patreon thing here, I totally get that podcasts are free and you should be able to enjoy that without me trying to make you feel bad. And I’m not trying to make you feel bad—I love free stuff, definitely keep listening for free for as long as you want, that’s why I’m doing this.

I just wanted to offer Patreon as an option for people who might want to help offset the costs of running the show and give me an opportunity to express my gratitude throughout the year. And if you don’t want to get anything in the mail, if you only want to give a buck or two a month, that’s completely awesome and every bit if it helps me keep this thing going.

But really it’s all of you guys who keep this going, everyone who tunes in and tells their friends and binges on archived episode until they catch up and then listens right away when I post each new episode. I know you’re out there, I see your enthusiasm, and that is the real driving force behind this podcast, so thank you.

Story tine: Addie levels up

So! Really excited for the point of the story. I know Addie has really been coming down on herself lately – the combination of Bradley being a asshole and Nate being secretive and Xenia being completely perfect has her in this very bummed out state because she just doesn’t feel very valuable to the group.

Well, in this chapter, all of that changes, and I’m excited for Addie to regain some of her old spunk and really take charge here, or at least join the rest of them and stop being led around by default. It’s a cool moment for her.

Ok! Let’s dig right in. Please enjoy chapter 32, Addie Has an Idea!

Thanks for listening to the show! Be sure to check out nodragonspress.com/podcast for links to show notes, weekly illustrations, and other good stuff, and visit patreon/nodragonspress to learn more about how you can support the show with just a dollar a month.

Thanks, everyone!

No Dragons Press

Episode 31: “Xenia Knows Best”

Show Notes for Episode 31

These are the show notes from No Dragons Press: A HIGH FANTASY Fiction Podcast: Episode 31!

Good news, everyone!

You guys. YOU GUYS. I have amazing news: Emily is back! She took some time off from the Weekly Illustrated Fiction series to work on some of her own stuff, which you can take a look at at ruftimes.com, that’s R-U-F, one F, and you can check out her super limited edition prints at ruftimes.bigcartel.com, she’s got some amazing stuff for sale, so if you want to see what she does outside the context of No Dragons Press, definitely check that out.

So! Since I continued on with the podcast and we took a break with the illustrated fiction over at Ascraeus Press, the two aren’t in sync anymore, but I think that’s kind of awesome: if anyone following the illustrated story at Ascraeus Press wants to skip ahead at any point, they can bounce over to the podcast, and you guys can check out the art from some of the chapters you’ve heard before and maybe pick up a little bit of extra context.

Oh my gosh I am so excited to finally tell you guys: So this is actually the second week she’s back, because I got behind a little bit—so I was all set to tell you how amazing her first one was, and then last night she sent me her second, and I was like…she went off on like a shaman, truth-finding mission, and basically now she’s an oracle. I don’t know what to say. Go check out the artwork.

(Emily, if you’re listening: You are an oracle. Don’t worry about it.)

These illustrations are holy shit

So, this week’s illustration is absolutely fucking amazing—it’s from chapter 18, Bliss and Ignorance, from when Addie gets back together with Bradley, briefly and then he disappears and it’s from Addie’s weird dream sequence, and it is legit terrifying. It’s this dragon the likes of which you have never seen before, ever, and you definitely want to check that out at ascraeuspress.com/nodragons, she did an amazing job.

Then the second picture—I’ve always kind of struggled with Xenia sometimes, I want to make her a real two-dimensional character who is special and cool and interesting on her own, and Emily has always told me she’s always really liked Xenia, so I’m just blown away that that’s how she sees this person. Definitely check out the illustration [for chapter 19, The Point of an Arrow], we’ll see you there.

OK, thanks so much for listening!

Hey, thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed chapter 31. If you like what you hear, tell a friend, consider supporting the show, and tune in next week. take care, guys.

No Dragons Press

Episode 30: “Hurtling Through Space”

Show Notes for NO DRAGONS PRESS Episode 30

Hey everyone, and thanks for listening! This is No Dragons Press: A High Fantasy Fiction Podcast: Episode 30!

More technical issues

Hey, everyone. Sorry about the delay, I had some technical difficulties and everything was kind of nutso. Thanks for your patience. I’m going to post another episode right away to make up for it,

January 2017…wow.

It’s the last day of January, and wow, what a month. What a week. It’s hard to know what to do or how to feel, and I certainly don’t know what to say. Just remember to reach out to your friends when you’re feeling overwhelmed about the world, I think there are a lot of people stewing with their own thoughts because it’s hard to know how to reach out?

Chapter titles—yikes

So: Chapter titles! You guys, I need help. My chapter titles are definitely my weakest link, and at this point they’ve just gotten so sprawling and ridiculous that I’m pretty sure I’m going to cut them for the book, just number the chapters and have done with it. But I kind of like some of them, so I don’t know—if you’ve been listening and just completely groaning when I mention the chapter titles, and if you’re like “She should have used this other more obvious and way cooler thing,” I’m totally open to suggestions.

All Oppression Is Connected

Well, I talked a lot last week, with good reason, and it feels like there’s even more to talk about this week, but here’s the thing: I’m never going to give every issue the spotlight it deserves, and this isn’t a show about current events, but there’s one particular sign from the Women’s March last week that I keep thinking about and considering, and I want to leave you with that: All Oppression Is Connected.

We choose whether we want to feel threatened or empowered by the empowerment of other people who really really need it.

Thanks, everyone.

I hope you enjoy No dragons Press Chapter 30: Hurtling Through Space!

And if you like the show, make sure to check out my Patreon page for ways to contribute and even get cool stuff in the mail.

Thanks!

Hey, thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed chapter 13. IF you’re enjoying the story, please tell a friend, and tune in next week. take care, guys.

No Dragons Press

These are the show notes from No Dragons Press: Episode 29: “Addie Is Wrong…Again.”

I also discuss going to the Women’s March on Washington: MN at the Saint Paul capitol.

I attended the Women’s March on Washington: MN

Hello everyone! I know I kind of missed a week and played with some dates there, but here’s the thing: I went to the Women’s March on Washington in MN.

The Women’s March Showed an Isolated America Another Perspective

You know, everyone’s got that friend or coworker told them your side lost get over it, and I really hope these marches showed everyone on the outside just how widespread the dissent is how many different reasons.

The Women’s March Highlighted Struggles of All Women, Not Just White Ones

I think it was a great learning opportunity for the people marching. Even big cities with a lot of diversity really face difficult challenges in connecting one community to another in all the important ways when the struggles of one community might not necessarily make it on the radar of the community just next door.

I think everyone who attended the women’s march came away with a deeper idea of how nuanced these ideas of feminism and equality are and how any real solution to gender inequality includes recognizing and addressing racial inequality and ableism and all of these other very real social issues we can’t silence, and how we all bring our own experiences to the table and every one of those experiences is a valid part of what America is.

As a few awesome signs note, the revolution will be intersectional.

I think women who hadn’t necessarily thought about any of these things before walked away with a much deeper understanding of their own privilege and a very real commitment to standing up for the people being belittled or overlooked, especially when they don’t have a way to stand up for themselves, even if we aren’t directly or immediately affected ourselves, and understanding that acknowledging the deep struggles of others does not diminish our own, it just makes us collectively stronger.

The Women’s March Showed Us We Are Not Alone

You know, for everyone who’s felt scared or anxious or hopeless since the election, whether that’s about women’s issues or anything else—I can’t speak for everyone, but in a time where I often feel like I’m literally speaking another language than some of my family, it felt really fucking good to stand with thousands and thousands of people who didn’t all necessarily feel exactly the same way about everything but found enough common ground over their frustrations to come together in a truly historic way.
I just hope we stay fired up and engaged, because it was individual disgust with the general state of things that made so many people stay home on Election Day, and hopefully displaying our collective disgust gives us all the motivation to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Thanks for the Patreon support!

Hey, I know I left you on kind of a cliffhanger and I want to get on with it, but first I want to give a shout out to Ollie for supporting the show on Patreon! Psyched to have you onboard.

If anyone else is interested in contributing, head to http://www.nodragonspress.com/patreon to check out the ways to contribute. And you know, if you aren’t into the idea of contributing, that’s totally fine—definitely keep listening for free, I’m having a lot of fun and since this is the 29th episode, I assume you are too!

Thanks for listening, everyone!

I hope you enjoy chapter 29: Addie Is Wrong…Again.

Thanks for listening! If you like what you heard, tell a friend, and if you’d like to contribute, go ahead and check out Patreon at http://wwww.nodragonspress.com/patreon. And thanks!