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Episodes
Authors J.A. Ironside and M.E. Vaughan talk about books, films and all aspects of speculative fiction, from the nuts and bolts of writing it, to its (occasionally) obscure origins.
Episodes
Friday Nov 04, 2016
Friday Nov 04, 2016
Episode 39: Saints, Souls and Samhain - the Celtic Day of the Dead
This week SFF authors M.E.Vaughan and J.A.Ironside delve into the folklore and traditions underpinning Hallowe'en. Travelling back through the centuries and stopping at such points as All Soul Day, All Saints Day, The Salem witch trials, the elected year kings of Celtic tradition and the origins of 'Samhain', the Dragons examine how Hallowe'en as we know it was (and possibly is) tied to preparing for winter and ghost stories as well as life, sacrifice and death. A fun episode that takes a leisurely stroll through a macabre holiday back to it's family and harvest orientated roots.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Friday Oct 28, 2016
Friday Oct 28, 2016
A Dissecting Dragons Hallowe'en Special!
Episode 38: Monsters and Men - Gothic Classics and the Origin of Horror - A Hallowe'en Special
This week the dragons are joined by S.C.Parris - author of Dark Fantasy series 'The Dark World'. In a special extended episode, the trio look at the beginnings of horror and it's origins in Gothic classics. This is a monster episode examining the nature of the beast - but who is the true monster? The creature from the past? The person who creates a monster? Humankind itself? These week's cauldron boils over, with essential ingredients from Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, M.R.James and many others.
Join us for a wicked dissection.
Title Music - Ecstasy - Smiling Cynic
Friday Oct 21, 2016
Friday Oct 21, 2016
Episode 37: Breaking Out the F-jars - Our Favourite Swears in Speculative Fiction
In case you have not guessed from the title, this episode contains profuse profanity and swearing. Those of delicate sensibilities are encouraged to skip this one and join us again next week.
This week the Dragons explore the wonderful and bizarre world of profanity and how it is incorporated into Speculative Fiction in a number of creative ways. From the origins of swear words in common parlance to the attitudes towards swearing and why it both works and doesn't, the Dragons manage an astonishingly broad vocabulary in a number of languages. On the slab this week - Watership Down, Tamora Pearce's Beka Cooper series, The Gentleman Bastard trilogy and Firefly, to name but a few. Part immature giggle and part serious discussion on profanity and the way words change over time, this episode is not to be missed. (Unless the above warning applies to you.)
Title music - Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Friday Oct 14, 2016
Friday Oct 14, 2016
Episode 36: Horcruxs and Heartbreak - of Books, Souls and Killing your Darlings
'Books are authors' horcruxs -discuss'
This week the Dragons delve into the the world behind writing and publishing. Looking at how authors put something of themselves into each book, SFF authors M.E. Vaughan and J.A. Ironside examine what makes for a satisfying read - and why consequently negative reviews and critique can be so painful. Moving on from that, they talk about the world of publishing and self-published, and the pros and cons of each. One for writers this week, folks, but still highly accessible to interested readers.
Friday Oct 07, 2016
Friday Oct 07, 2016
Episode 35: Three Goblins Walk into a Bar - Writing Humour in Speculative Fiction and How to Avoid the Accidental Funny.
This week SFF authors M.E.Vaughan and J.A.Ironside look at what makes a joke funny, particularly when dealing with worlds that due to their speculative nature may have little in common with Mundania (where we all live.) Drwing on their own experiences of jokes that fell flat, jokes that were a surprising success and what makes them laugh, the dragons are set to examine the roots of humour and its wide diversity in Speculative Fiction. Being cultured on the agar plate this week - Terry Goodkind, Mark Lawrence, Red Dwarf, Deadpool and many more.
Join us for a look at what makes a laugh.
Friday Sep 30, 2016
Friday Sep 30, 2016
Episode 34: The Unveiled Series Reborn - Books, Judgement, Heaven & Hell, and PTSD
This week SFF author and Dragon co-host, J.A. Ironside, takes her turn on the slab, as the pair examine her 'Unveiled' series - which is being re-published. The dragons will be looking at themes of disability, depression, anxiety and PTSD in speculative fiction - as well as talking about inspiration for the Unveiled series, personal experiences that fed into the writing and bit of a peak at up-coming new releases. Plus there is a sneaky bit of Sarah J. Maas' A court of Mist and Fury in there for comparison. It's not all shameless promotion, we promise.
Tune in for a highly personal and very funny episode.
Title Music: Ecstasy - Smiling Cynic
Friday Sep 23, 2016
Friday Sep 23, 2016
Episode 33: Not so Charming - Male Stereotypes in Speculative Fiction
As Equal Opportunity offenders, this week the Dragons are looking at male stereotypes, harking back as far as folk tales and Greek myth to the Disneyfied princes and diamonds in the rough, to the misunderstood bad boys of modern YA speculative fiction. Be prepared for a frank discussion of gender roles, miscommunication and Scottish werewolves. In the petri dish this week Stephen King, Sarah J. Maas, Stranger Things and many more.
Title music: 'Ecstasy' - Smiling Cynic
Friday Sep 16, 2016
Friday Sep 16, 2016
Episode 32: Escape to the Country - of Editing and Writing Weekends
This week the Dragons have taken a break from the huge mountains of editing they have to do and retreated to St Leonard's wood in Horsham for a writing weekend. SFF authors talk about the thrills, perils and pitfalls og editing your work in preparation for agent submission or publication; look at author rituals and crutches; discuss writing collaboratively; and just generally seek to entertain in the relaxed atmosphere of the country. On the slab this week - Stephen King - On Writing, the bad habits caught by editing, first drafts and rewriting and rather a lot of tea.
Join us for a more relaxed episode away from it all.
Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Friday Sep 09, 2016
Friday Sep 09, 2016
Episode 31: The Devil in the Details - Lucifer in Modern Speculative Fiction
This week the dragons tackle the ultimate adversary himself. Despite the focus on the new portrayals of the devil in speculative fiction, SFF authors J.A.Ironsode and M.E.Vaughan start firmly in the past, looking at depictions of 'the great destroyer' from the Old Testament to Dante's Inferno to Milton's Paradise Lost. On the slab for more modern facsimiles we have Constantine, Supernatural, Lucifer, Horns by Joe Hill, a number of books by Stephen King and The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley.
Join us for a fiendishly good discussion.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Thursday Sep 01, 2016
Thursday Sep 01, 2016
Episode 30: Bucky Barnes to the Winter Soldier - the Evolution of the Side-kick
This week the dragons look at what makes secondary and tertiary characters so compelling - often to the exclusion of all else. Ever had a side kick character you identified with more than the main character? We may have a theory about that. Examining how secondary characters make the story more accessible and how they act as sub-plot whilst still being the heroes of their own stories,the dragons discuss Lucien from Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series, Batman and Robin, Lucien, Gandalf, Lucien, Luna Lovegood and Dumbledore, and Lucien.
Join us for an illuminating episode packed with laughs.