In Episode 22 of We Aren’t Dead Yet, we speak with author Peter Darbyshire! Peter Darbyshire is a former journalist and author of six books and more stories than he can remember. He lives near Vancouver, British Columbia, where he spends his time writing, raising children and playing D&D with other writers. We ask him about his new novel, The Mona Lisa Sacrifice, and discover a new way to befriend a Beholder.

Episode Highlights

• Discussing the inspirations that led to the creation of The Mona Lisa Sacrifice by Peter Darbyshire

• The perils of running a TTRPG campaign for a group of authors.

Credits

Guest: Peter Darbyshire

Hosts: Sapha Burnell, K. S. Bishoff, Emily Armstrong

Audio Production: Emily Armstrong

Music: Upbeat Lo-Fi Chill by Lidérc, Jazzy Abstract Beat by Yrii Semchyshyn

Special Thanks

Thank you to Peter Darbyshire for joining us today, and thank you to River Street Writing.

Peter Darbyshire: More Information

River Street Writing: More Information

If you’d like a shoutout in episode descriptions, join our Lasting Legends on Substack! Your support makes this podcast possible. Plus, as a Substack subscriber, you get access to sneak peeks, exclusive bonus episodes, and more.

In Episode 21 of We Aren’t Dead Yet, we had a few more points we wanted to discuss surrounding the fantastical genre of Sword & Sorcery. How does it differ from standard and epic fantasy? We cover the good, the bad, and the other in this wrap-up featuring numerous quotes from work of the genre and a chat about the history and impact of one of Sword & Sorcery’s most well-known female icons, Red Sonja.

Episode Highlights

• Peeling back the layers of Sword & Sorcery to find the deeper connections.

• The history of gender roles within Sword & Sorcery.

Hosts: Sapha Burnell, K. S. Bishoff, Emily Armstrong

Audio Production: Emily Armstrong

Music: Upbeat Lo-Fi Chill by Lidérc, Jazzy Abstract Beat by Yrii Semchyshyn

In Episode 20 of We Aren’t Dead Yet, we take a swim into the lake of Sword and Sorcery, the sub-genre of Fantasy Literature known for smaller stakes, higher pace and plenty of escapist action. Vivid, gritty visceral imagery soaking typically muscle-powered loner or small group protagonists in the blood of their enemies, through a fast-paced magical world, Sword and Sorcery focuses on smaller scale, more personal conflicts, moral ambiguity and tons of action and adventure. This is the land of Conan, Kull and Jirel of Joiry. Here, there be monsters.

Episode Highlights

• What is Sword and Sorcery?

• A brief look into the history of Sword and Sorcery and the genre’s major authors.

• Finding the start of Sword and Sorcery on the big screen.

Hosts: Sapha Burnell, K. S. Bishoff, Emily Armstrong

Audio Production: Emily Armstrong

Music: Jazzy Abstract Beat by Yrii Semchyshyn

If you’d like a shoutout in episode descriptions, join our Lasting Legends on Substack! Your support makes this podcast possible. Plus, as a Substack subscriber, you get access to sneak peeks, exclusive bonus episodes, and more.