If you’re reading this, chances are you have eyes. And if you have eyes, I’ll wager you tend to see things, you know, things like images. And while words are fascinating and important (see episode 79), we would be remiss if we didn’t discuss the power of
Read MoreWords. Since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, you’ve been bombarded by them. Flash cards, spelling bees, Facebook comments from people who haven’t learned how to use gifs yet…they’re everywhere. Sometimes we take them for granted, and sometimes we t
Read MoreHere at Derailed Trains of Thought, your premiere podcast on storytelling, we like to discuss, well, telling stories. So this episode we unpack the assertion that EVERYTHING is story…or, at least, it can be if looked at right. Then, in our second half,
Read MoreBooks and movies are not merely entertainment. At their best (and too rarely), they draw us out of ourselves and touch us in deep places, sometimes in a way almost spiritual. Your faithful hosts, Tim and Nick, have decided to take some time to examine thi
Read MoreWorldview. It’s one of those terms thrown around by people who like to talk about big ideas. So, of course, Tim and Nick have decided to talk about it. Every story presents a way of looking at the world. How can a reader/viewer navigate these different po
Read More“Balder the Beautiful / Is dead, is dead!” These words once caused a young C. S. Lewis to glimpse a scene of beauty and joy. We all have our own memories of a moment in some story that resonated deeply with us with its beauty. What makes such a moment? Wh
Read MoreThis episode we discuss colorful language, and we’re not talking purple prose. (And unless you’re Sergeant Snorkel from “Beetle Bailey,” @!&%#$! probably isn’t going to cut it.) So, while Nick tries to avoid swearing like a sailor, we come to the question
Read MoreThis episode, we muck around in the filth of humanity, in the deep mires of wickedness, in vile dens of…well, you get the idea. Why do we hang around in these places? We examine evil in fiction–is it psychological, a mistake, a cultural reaction, or so
Read MoreGreetings, faithful listeners! This episode, Tim and Nick examine how belief interacts with fiction. How does God appear in stories? How do you tell the Truth when you’re making things up? Also mentioned: aliens, superheroes, and, as always, the Doctor. W
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