On today’s episode of Mythmakers, we’re meeting an exciting new writer coming out of the Bay Area. Hayley Dennings, author of This Ravenous Fate, has chosen the Harlem Renaissance for her vampire thriller and love story. Join us as she speaks with Julia Golding about her debut, the authors that inspired her and how she got published—this being her 5th book, an encouraging message for aspiring authors! They go on to discuss race and sapphic characters in fantasy, as well as Black History and much, much more. Hayley also has some great tips for other writers and explains the reading she does in the background to inspire her wonderful prose. Say tuned to find out where you should set up a speakeasy in a fantasy world…

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

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0:00 Welcome to Mythmakers

6:08 The Journey to Publication

11:24 Dedication and Representation

16:26 Exploring Vampirism in the Jazz Era

19:57 Historical Context and Characters

25:33 Writing Style and Process

28:47 Upcoming Works and Future Plans

32:03 Imagining Fantasy Speakeasies

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction to An Author's Journey

2:55 Shifting Tones in Tolkien's Writing

5:06 The Pivotal Decision to Leave

10:18 The Nature of the Narrator

12:23 The Conspiracy Revealed

14:34 Frodo's Dream and Its Significance

16:39 Preparing to Enter the Old Forest

Welcome back to Mythmakers for our sixth season!

Megan Whalen Turner began her career in 1996 and is still going strong as her series The Queen's Thief becomes available in the UK and the Commonwealth for the first time. US readers have been enjoying the series for years and she won the Newbury Award and Mythopoeia Award in recognition of her achievements. Take a listen as she tells our host Julia Golding about her career, the books that inspired her, and her link to Oxford fantasy through Dianne Wynne Jones. Megan also shares with us her fascinating insights into her unique process for plotting!

You can catch up with Megan if you are near Bath, England, for the literary festival. Visit the link for more information: https://bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature/

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction to Mythmakers Podcast

8:54 The Influence of Diana Wynne-Jones

13:01 Audiobooks and Storytelling

17:55 American Fantasy Influences

23:46 Cultural Storytelling in Fantasy

29:30 The Storytelling Process

35:44 The Mediterranean Influence

44:22 Advice for Aspiring Writers

44:36 Living in a Fantasy World

Season 5 of Mythmakers has been one of many adventures, and as the season comes to a close, we’re going to look back at 5 highlights from our most enjoyed episodes.

Join us as we dive back into the rising popularity of the Romantasy genre, before revisiting the presence of Fantasy at the Oscars. Appropriately, we’ll then steer the conversation towards our favourite Tolkien topics of this season, hearing some of Julia Golding’s travel recommendations when touring the film sites of Middle-earth in New Zealand, then hearing an extract from our sidecast where we’re taking a look at the LotR books through an author’s lens, before closing off by looking back into what we can expect in Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis' upcoming Hunt for Gollum film.

We thank you for accompanying us on this recent season and invite you to stay tuned for our upcoming journeys and discussions in Season 6.

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

As a fitting finale to our 5th season of Mythmakers, we’re ending with Tolkien - namely his newly edited and augmented letters. Take a listen to Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker's 10 out of 10 review of the edition, they’ll break it down to what we learn about Middle-earth, how Middle-earth influenced his view of our real world events, his relationships (particularly with his family) the wars and all aspect to the letters - there's so much to discuss and to enjoy! Stay tuned for two particularly shocking details buried in the letters about hobbits and horses…

If you’re interested in the audio version mentioned, visit the link for a closer look: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Letters-of-J-R-R-Tolkien-Audiobook/B0CTNYDDKT

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction to Mythmakers

2:11 Personalized Narration in Audiobook

3:34 Breaking Down Tolkien's Life in Letters

3:54 Tolkien's Views on Creativity

4:45 Insightful Letters: Tolkien vs. Other Literary Collections

5:34 Tolkien's Self-Deprecation and Passion in Letters

6:39 Emotional Range in Tolkien's Letters

8:24 Phases of Tolkien's Correspondents

13:45 Tolkien's Writing Process: Characters and Imagination

15:18 Tolkien's Unrevealed Stories and World Building

16:36 Tolkien's Lens on the World: War and Nature

16:36 Tolkien's Lens on the World: War and Nature (Continued)

23:52 Recommendation to Read Tolkien's Letters

26:56 Tolkien's Fatherly Concern in Letters

28:53 Tolkien's Letter on Faith and Angels

30:42 Tolkien's Reflections on Character Motives

32:04 Gollum's Near-Repentance in Tolkien's Eyes

56:37 Retirement and Lasting Legacy

1:01:06 Shadowfax's Journey to Valinor

1:02:31 Unique Delivery Methods in the Wizarding World

Imagine starting your journey as a fantasy writer in a media storm where you are greeted as the next J K Rowling. That's precisely what faced Samantha Shannon when her first novel The Bone Season was published while she was in her early 20s. Ten years on and an established writer, Samantha has re-edited the book and is celebrating this anniversary by finishing the fifth in the series.

Join us on today’s episode of Mythmakers as she discusses her beginnings as an author, her relationship to Oxford, and how she goes about her writing. You’ll want to hear her fantasy tips and find out her pick for the best place to have ESP!

For more information on Samantha visit her website at www.samanthashannon.co.uk and view her works on her publisher’s site at www.bloomsbury.com/uk/author/samantha-shannon

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction to Mythmakers

4:20 Revisiting The Bone Season

5:54 Revising the Entire Series

6:31 Cathartic Editing Process

9:00 Coping with Media Expectations

10:36 Navigating Publishing Pressures

14:25 Unveiling the Atmosphere

18:10 Planting Seeds in Oxford

20:19 Finding Light in Darkness

23:54 Finding Family and Courage

25:53 Craft of World Building

35:20 Balancing Multiple Storylines

43:38 Writing Tip: Music Inspiration

45:38 Challenges of Magic Users

47:38 Exploring Different Worlds

Today on Mythmakers, the Oxford Centre for Fantasy meets the winner of the Golden Pencil Prize for the best Dutch children's book of the year, Yorick Goldewijk, as his novel debuts in English. Movies Showing Nowhere, a fascinating middle-grade novel about memories, loss and time travel, is set in a special cinema which takes the hero, Cate, on an unexpected journey. This book will also take Yorick and Julia Golding down some interesting paths as they discuss the story and how we play out real world ideas in fantasy. Join us as they speak about misfits, grief, memory, therapy and so much more, ending off by deciding where in all the fantasy worlds they would go to look back at memories - from Galadriel's Mirror to Dumbledore's Pensieve - be sure to let us know if you agree with their picks!

For more information on Yorick visit his Facebook page at @yorick.goldewijk or follow him on Instagram at @yorickgoldewijk

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction to Mythmakers

1:07 Yorick's Childhood Fantasy Influences

3:09 Yorick's Journey to Becoming an Author

6:09 Introduction to "Movies Showing Nowhere"

8:21 Theme of Grief and Embracing Life

13:11 Embracing Weirdness and Being a Misfit

16:20 Yorick's Creative Process with Music

20:57 Starting a Book with a Mood

28:24 Using Fantasy Worlds as Laboratories

29:57 Yorick's Future Book Themes

33:59 Imagining Memories with Extraordinary Minds

36:46 Journeys into Extraordinary Minds and Narnia

39:02 Exploring Bran Stark's Memories in "Game of Thrones"

40:15 Recommendation of "Movies Showing Nowhere"

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.

For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website

Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram

Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook

TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok

0:00 Introduction

2:06 Finding Refreshment in Nature

3:57 Tolkien's Discovery Writing

5:51 The Evolution of Sam

7:35 The Humour of Hobbits

8:03 Traversing the Shire

10:53 Elegiac Moment Under the Elm Tree

11:51 Pippin Leading the Way

12:16 Encounter with Farmer Maggot

14:52 Farmer Maggot's Encounter with the Black Rider

17:09 Frodo's Wild Past

20:13 Manners in the Maggot Household