Tales from the Fandom

The latest episode is here and our latest guest, DischaPoppy, joins us from Shanghai, China. Through the powers of timezones and scheduling, I'm happy to have Poppy on the podcast. Originally from Indonesia, Poppy talks about growing up without anything Disney (which is surprising if you see her account now!). We talk about how she grew up with Japanese anime/movies on her TV, and how she didn't experience Disney until much later in life. Poppy talks about what Disney shows/movies she does like, along with recounting her first visit to a Disney theme park. Then, we talk about Disneybounding. You'll hear how Poppy went from not having seen/experienced much in the way of Disney, to finding a community of Disneybounders as an expat living in Shanghai and learning about what bounding is, and ideas on how she could pull off different characters. We talk about a number of characters she's done, from her first, to some of her more recent characters, and ones she's hoping to do in the future. You can find Poppy at: https://www.instagram.com/dischapoppy/ https://www.youtube.com/@dischapoppy https://www.tiktok.com/@dischapoppy

Our first guest from Italy, Valeria aka "The Lady and the Bow" on social media, joins me! I had stumbled across Valeria's account on Threads, where she mentioned she loved The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit. That's usually enough for me. I popped over to her Instagram account and found beautiful and inspired photography, cool looks, and I knew I had to follow for more. After really enjoying her content, I asked her to be a guest, and here she is! We have a wide ranging conversation that goes across a number of topics. We talk about Cottagecore and what draws her to that style and look. Valeria talks about color theory and how she chooses the outfits she wears. Plus, the ins and outs of taking this kind of photography. Valeria tells us the backstory of why and how she got interested in creating this style of content, and what motivates her to continue doing what she does. We talk about her progression, and her inclusion of fairytales and myths into her work and posts. We also talk about the work she creates that you can purchase at The Cottagecore Den. You can find Valeria at: https://beacons.ai/theladyandthebow https://www.instagram.com/theladyandthebow/ https://www.tiktok.com/@theladyandthebow https://www.threads.net/@theladyandthebow You can find The Cottagecore Den at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecottagecoreden/ https://www.instagram.com/thecottagecoreden/

After having been on their podcast twice last year, it seemed only fitting that I started gathering the crew of Fine Beats and Cheeses to come on to mine. The first one who took the plunge is Lynne Streeter Childress. We kick things off by talking about TV Mysteries. We cover a lot of the spectrum - from Columbo, Matlock, and Murder, She Wrote to newer shows like Elsbeth, Poker Face, and Matlock (there's a new one!) Lynne talks about how these shows, "old white people solving crimes", attracted her to them, her memories of them, and what keeps her coming back for more. Then, we get to talk about Building Better People Productions. BBP Productions uses theater to encourage empathy, kindness, and other social-emotional skills for kids and their adults through shows, classes, and workshops. Lynne talks about how she started BBPP, what you can expect from what she and her team do, and where you can find them! Lastly, we talk about the podcast, Fine Beats and Cheeses. Lynne makes up one third of the Fine Beats and Cheeses team, alongside her twin sister Leslie, and Sam, the producer. We talk about how the podcast came to be, the guests they have had on and topics they've talked about, and where Lynne sees herself in the podcasting space in the future. You can find Lynne at: https://www.instagram.com/lynnestreeterchildress/ https://www.threads.net/@lynnestreeterchildress You can find Building Better People Productions at: https://bbpproductions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/building_better_people/ https://www.threads.net/@building_better_people You can find Fine Beats and Cheeses at: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/ https://feeds.captivate.fm/fine-beats-cheeses/ https://www.threads.net/@finebeatsandcheeses https://www.instagram.com/finebeatsandcheeses/ Leslie: https://www.instagram.com/lesliegraystreeter/ https://www.threads.net/@lesliegraystreeter https://lesliegraystreeter.com/ Sam: https://www.instagram.com/madebysamphotos/

I stumbled across Sasha aka JewishComicsQueen on Threads when she put out a request to be a guest on more podcasts. I was glad when she said yes, and here we are! We're talking about Jewish representation within the Marvel movies and TV series. Note - this was recorded prior to Captain America: Brave New World's release. We range far and wide with the Marvel movies and shows that we discuss. From pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe, to the current status of the MCU, and what possibly to expect in the future. Topics that are talked about include Magneto's representation across the Films and animated series, MCU's Moon Knight series, Arnold Roth and his incorporation into the MCU's Bucky Barnes, and Benjamin Grimm aka The Thing in the Fantastic Four movies. We also spend a good amount of time talking about Billy Kaplan, one of Sasha's favorite characters, and his representation in Agatha All Along vs the comic version of him. Sasha and I talk about what the future could look like for upcoming Marvel projects, and Sasha provides some indie comics that have that representation currently. You can find Sasha at: https://www.instagram.com/jewishcomicsqueen/ https://www.threads.net/@jewishcomicsqueen https://linktr.ee/jewishcomicsexpert https://fine-beats-cheeses.captivate.fm/episode/sasha-kaplan-and-comics Comic Recommendations The Writer by Josh Gad - available on Amazon The Unfinished Corner by Dani Colman - available on Amazon American Dreams by Daniel Kalban - available on Amazon. Also prepping a Kickstarter to fund more Kosher Mafia by David Hazan - available on Amazon

I've been following Gina aka Ginamidala on Instagram for quite some time and I was excited that she said yes to being a guest. Not just because of her cosplay work, but also because she published her first book, Guide, and I wanted to talk about that too! We split the episode in half. For the first half, Gina and I talk about art and cosplay. With art, Gina talks about her beginnings with art in school, and progressing from there. She talks about all the different art forms she's done and which ones she prefers. We talk about the art that she's created and shared on her Instagram page (and which you can purchase, if you message her!). We also talk about Cosplay. Gina talks about how she first got interested in Cosplaying, and what characters she's drawn to. We talk about the character's she has done, along with some of her plans for the future with cosplay. In the back half of the episode, Gina talks about her work as an Author. We talk about her writing journey, which led to the self publishing of Guide. We talk about the book without spoilers, as we talk about the plot, main character and supporting cast, and her plans for the future. You can find Gina at: https://www.instagram.com/ginamidala/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ginamidala You can buy Guide on eBook and Paperback on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hDMwVB

It's always nice when people reach out and ask to be guests on the podcast. Shad, host of The Sidequest Hustle Podcast, did just that, and here we are! Shad kicks things off with a conversation about anime. Being that we're close in age, we cover a number of classic animes that started off on Toonami, and discuss watching anime at all hours of night. We talk about Gundam, as well as getting his personal Top 5 Anime, and his Top 5 anime that he'd recommend to others. We also talk about what kind of anime he prefers - seasonal, long form, and how much time he'll give to new series. From there, we delve into the flip side of anime, which is manga. Shad talks about how and why anime pointed him in the direction of manga, with his thought of "That can't be how this ends". And he was right. Which anime are we talking about? Listen to the episode and find out. Shad talks about the manga that he enjoys, what he looks for, and more. Then we're talking all about The Sidequest Hustle Podcast. Shad hosts this podcast, exploring Blerd culture, anime, comics, video games, and more. He's looking for guests, and if you're interested, you can find the link below. Take a listen to his show! You can find Shad and The Sidequest Hustle Podcast at: https://linktr.ee/thesidequesthustle https://www.instagram.com/thesidequesthustle/ https://www.youtube.com/@TheSideQuestHustle https://www.threads.net/@thesidequesthustle https://www.tiktok.com/@thesidequesthustle

Joy aka Joylenny KawaiiWorld on Instagram joins me to talk about two of her favorite things - Anime and Cosplay. We start things off by talking about anime. Joy talks about growing up in the Dominican Republic and watching her first anime series there. Once she moved to the US, she got more immersed in anime. We're talking everything from Dragonball to One Piece. Joy talks about the kinds of anime that she likes, how many episodes she gives an anime before deciding to continue or not, and what anime she recommends. On the flip side of the episode is Cosplay! Joy talks about how she first stumbled into Cosplay after being dressed as Mothra one year for Halloween. We talk about how she decided to continue into the world of Cosplay. We talk about some of the challenges she deals with when it comes to cosplay, along with the characters she cosplays as. We talk about some of Joy's favorite characters, like Black Cat, and some that she wants to do in the future. You can find Joy at: https://www.instagram.com/joylennykawaiiworld/ https://www.tiktok.com/@joylennykawaiiworld https://www.facebook.com/people/Joylenny-KawaiiWorld/61555330359994/ https://linktr.ee/joylennykawaiiworld You can find OneKingGarcia at: https://www.instagram.com/onekinggarcia/ You can find Video Game Amateurs at: https://www.instagram.com/vgamateurs/ https://linktr.ee/vgamateurs

Shaunie aka ShaucatCosplay joins me to talk about a few of my favorite fandoms! We start off by talking about one of my favorite things growing up as a kid. For the first time in 500+ episodes, we talk Scooby Doo! Shaunie talks to me about how she first got into Scooby Doo. From the original series, to the animated movies, and the multitude of different shows they've made, we cover as much as possible. From her favorite characters, to some of the underrated works. There are no red herrings here! Then, we segue that into cosplay, as Shaunie has cosplayed every member of Mystery Inc, including the van, plus a number of characters you may not even recognize! As well, we talk about how she cosplays her tabletop roleplaying characters, and how she incorporates that. We wrap up with a conversation about.... tabletop roleplaying games! From how she first got her start, to Dungeons & Dragons, and a game called Our Brilliant Ruin, we cover what appeals to her, what class she likes to play in D&D and some of her experiences in person, and online. Shaunie also talks a bit about her online business, Moonforge & Brightleaf, and the nerdy pins and crafts that they make. You can find Shaunie at: https://www.instagram.com/shaucatcosplay/ https://www.threads.net/@shaucatcosplay You can find Moonforge & Brightleaf at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/moonforgebrightleaf/ https://www.instagram.com/moonforgebrightleaf/ https://www.threads.net/@moonforgebrightleaf You can find the free pdf for Our Brilliant Ruin at: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/476564/our-brilliant-ruin-roleplaying-game

Morgan aka CosbunnyCosplay joins me to talk all about Cosplay and the fandoms that she represents through her work. We start off by exploring how and why Morgan got interested in Cosplay. Morgan takes us through her beginnings with her first character she cosplayed as, to the skills she had at the time. As she gets more interested and involved with cosplay, Morgan shares the different skills and abilities she picks up and learns about. Everything from sewing and armor, to prop making, and magnets. We talk about what drives her decision to cosplay certain characters, and do deeper dives on characters like Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Appa from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and one of her signature characters she's known for, Queen Akasha from Queen of the Damned. Rounding things out, Morgan gives some good advice on how to get started in Cosplay, and talks about being a member of the Cosplay Dropouts - a POC NorCal cosplay collective. You can find Morgan at: https://www.instagram.com/cosbunnycosplay/ https://beacons.ai/cosbunnycosplay https://www.tiktok.com/@cosbunnycosplay https://www.youtube.com/@Cosbunnycosplay You can find the Cosplay Dropouts at: https://www.instagram.com/cosplaydropouts/

Continuing the goal to have more authors on the podcast, author Holly Davis joins me to talk about her journey as an author and her first published book. We kick things off by going back in time. To a time where Disney and video games collided to form the Kingdom Hearts franchise. This is where Holly first started her journey, writing fan fiction based in the Kingdom Hearts setting. Holly talks about why fanfic is a great place to start your author journey. From there, she talks about the in-between times, from fanfic, to her real world work, and making time to get her ideas out of her head and into written form. Then we talk about her first published book, "A Diamond Bright & Broken". This book released November of 2024. Holly talks about how she came up with the ideas and story, her characters, and how she based some real world items into the fantasy realm that this book takes place. Interested in the book? Holly's elevator pitch includes it being a Tangled retelling with a female Flynn Rider, has a ride or die sister relationship, LGBT representation, and mages with unique magic, to name a few. Holly wraps it up by talking about her advice to those who wish to also start their author journey, and what is to come from her in the future! You can find Holly at: https://www.instagram.com/writehollydavis/ https://www.threads.net/@writehollydavis https://www.hollydavisbooks.com/links You can buy "A Diamond Bright & Broken" at: https://amzn.to/3EFXlsq

A person I've known for quite some time, I had the pleasure of having Slope join me from The Netherlands to talk about two of his current favorite things in fandom. Time Travel in Fandom, and Minecraft. We kick things off by talking about Time Travel in Fandom. Where did Slope first find this? In The Legend of Zelda! We talk about a variety of fandoms within the time travel scope. From Back to the Future, the Bill and Ted movies, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (for multiverses). However, we spend a good deal of time on the German TV series, Dark (available to stream on Netflix). This show comes highly recommended, and we dance around any potential spoilers. We also do circle back to talk more Zelda! Then, we switch gears and travel into the world of blocks. Minecraft. Slope talks about how he first started playing Minecraft, and the evolution of the game since it got its start. He talks about running the Hyrule Gaming Group SMP server. What is the HGG SMP server? You'll find out all about it, what he and his team create for those who play - and most importantly - how YOU can join! We wrap up talking about Slippy Studios, and what you can find with Slope doing Flash animations and what he's working on. You can find Slope at: https://slippystudios.com/ (coming soon!) https://slippystudios.newgrounds.com/ You can join the Hyrule Gaming Group Minecraft Server by following these instructions: Connect to IP: mc.hyrulegaminggroup.com - Port: 25565 (Java & Bedrock) Currently running version 1.21.1. type /discord in-game to verify - Discord: https://discord.gg/bNXbZ4XfBD

November 2023, I posted on Threads wanting to have more authors come on the podcast. One of those who threw their hat into the ring was Myka Silber. A little over a year later, and I had the pleasure of getting to have them on! Myka talks first about how they started down the author path, from their first writings back in high school, to pandemic lock down writing and self publishing, to their latest works, "Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black", and "The Pigment Thief" We explore "Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black" more in depth, as I read that late last year. We explore how Myka came up the world and characters in this book, and developing it into what it became. Seriously a good read. We wrap up with talking about what's coming next from Myka, and how you can stay up to date with what they are doing. You can find Myka at: https://www.threads.net/@myka.silber https://www.instagram.com/myka.silber/ https://linktr.ee/mykasilber https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23037288.Myka_Silber You can buy Rider's Blood, Moonlit Black at: https://amzn.to/4gmCDek

The first international guest of 2025 is here! Nat aka ScruffySpaceElf on socials joins me from Austria to talk about her favorite fandoms! We kick things off with what may be her number 1 fandom, Star Trek. Nat talks about which series started things off for her, some of the shows she's watched (and others she hasn't), favorite characters, and so much more as we explore the Trek space. Then we go from Sci-Fi to Fantasy, as Nat talks about House of the Dragon. She talks about her interest in the show, the actors & characters, and what she's liked so far after having only seen the first season. We also touch on Game of Thrones, which she has not seen. Then we talk about her work in the Opera and Classical Music space. From her experience in grade school to the work in her degree program and internships, Nat talks about what attracts her to this realm and offers some music recommendations to us (check out the links further down). Lastly, Nat talks about how she got into Cosplay. We talk about her and her families background in faires, the work her dad and mom do, and the characters she's cosplayed. Plus, we talk about what the future holds for Cosplay. You can find Nat at: https://www.instagram.com/scruffyspaceelf/ https://www.threads.net/@scruffyspaceelf https://www.instagram.com/bendingflatnotes/ https://www.tumblr.com/scruffyspaceelf https://www.tiktok.com/@scruffyspaceelf Aria from Dvorak's "Rusalka" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsclkAbE0JM Aria from Puccini's "Tosca" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLR3lSrqlww

After seeing her work alongside a previous guest, I'm glad to welcome MG aka MangaGirl1114_Cosplay on to the podcast to talk about her favorite fandoms. We start off with Disney. Disney is such a wide and varied fandom with so many entry points, it's always fun to hear how people get into it. MG talks about her entry point to Disney, some of her favorite movies and shows, and what keeps her coming back to a fandom that's been around for such a long time. From there, we talk Barbie. We talk about the dolls, the movies, and just bounce around the Barbie fandom. Then we're on to an anime and manga called Dungeon Meshi. MG talks about how she discovered Dungeon Meshi and why she enjoys this specific anime. We talk characters and food (if you know, you know. And if you don't know, well maybe you'll know after listening) Then we get to talk all about MG. MG first talks about all the different forms of art she does - from metalworking to photography to nail art. She seemingly has done it all. Then we talk about Cosplay. She talks about how she first got started doing cosplay and some of the characters she's done. We also talk about characters she'd love to do in the future. You can find MG at: https://www.instagram.com/mangagirl1114_cosplay/ https://linktr.ee/mangagirl1114_cosplay https://www.instagram.com/ziwannails/ https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/mangagirl1114 https://www.instagram.com/flowan.designs/

I love stumbling across cosplayers who take a character and make it their own. One of those cosplayers is Amanda. You may know her as TheHauntedManda on socials. After finding her work and following her, I was glad she said yes to being on the podcast! We start things off with a new to the podcast fandom, Arcane. Amanda talks about how she got into the show and if she played League of Legends prior to this. We discussed favorite characters, and what she'd love to see in the future. This is mostly spoiler free, as I was only 3 episodes into the show at the time of recording. After Arcane, we continued in animation, with Disney's The Owl House. We discuss how we both found ourselves watching this show, the characters and storylines, and we lament how Disney did the show dirty with its final "season". From one house to a bigger house, we find ourselves talking about Bridgerton. We first talk about Queen Charlotte, which is how Amanda got into the fandom. We talk about the series, the love matches and characters she likes, and who/what she's looking forward to in future seasons. Lastly, we talk cosplay. If you haven't checked out Amanda's work, definitely do so now. Amanda talks about how she first got interested in cosplay, the characters she does and how she puts her spin on them. You can find Amanda at: https://www.instagram.com/thehauntedmanda/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thehauntedmanda

We're back! 2025 is here! Our first guest of the year is Emily Engel. You may know her on the socials as Axepersonified. Emily is a fiber artist who makes wicked cool Muppet replicas. Emily and I start things off by talking about, what else, Muppets and the replicas she creates. She talks about her history with the Muppet franchise (shows and movies), and how she got her start in making these replica figures. We talk about her process, and characters she will and will not do. Seriously, they are wonderful and you should bring one home to your house. We then jump over from Muppets to True Crime. Emily talks about what got her interested in the world of True Crime and what keeps her coming back for more. Then we go Back.... TO THE FUTURE! Yes, we're talking about the Back to the Future franchise. Emily talks about what attracted her to the movies, the characters, and cast, and what the franchise means to her. You can find Emily at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/bxfiberart/ https://www.bxfiberart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/axepersonified/ https://www.threads.net/@axepersonified

After stumbling across her cosplay of Taylor Swift's Evermore cosplay outfit from The Eras Tour, I knew I'd like Eri. I checked out her work and knew I had to have her on the podcast. Eri aka CosplayAncestorEri joins me to talk all about fandom and the history from the 90s (which is when I also started getting into fandom!) We kick things off first with a mini conversation about Taylor Swift, before jumping into our first topic - Bond, James Bond. Eri gives me the behind the scenes look on how she got into the world of 007. She talks about her favorite movies, the different Bond actors, and some of her favorite Bond girls. We also talk about the future of the franchise. Then, we change gears from Bond into Anime. Specifically, we talk about our experiences with anime in the 90s. Eri talks about how she first found anime through Speed Racer. From there, we recount the struggles to find anime through rental stores, conventions, and tape trading before it anime became more of a thing. Eri talks about some of the shows she grew up on. Lastly, we devote a section to the evolution of fandom, conventions, and cosplay from those early 90s times to now. Eri talks about her experiences in the convention scene and how it has changed since then. We talk about how the shows have evolved, fandom, and events at conventions (like masquerades, and skits). We also talk about cosplay, the preservation of old fandom/convention websites and information, and Eri's book that is releasing soon, The Fangirl Diaries. You can find Eri at: https://www.instagram.com/cosplayancestoreri/ https://linktr.ee/cosplayancestoreri? https://scarlet-rhapsody.com/ https://www.twitch.tv/wisteriawitchvt https://www.youtube.com/@scarletrhapsodyconventiontea https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-fangirl-diaries/ https://amzn.to/4hoBkgo

Amy aka Queen Amy Dala Cosplay joins me from Vancouver, Canada, to talk about two of her favorite things - Final Fantasy and Cosplay! I stumbled across Amy's cosplay on Instagram in March and I really enjoyed what she had, particularly, her love of representing Final Fantasy characters, including characters from Final Fantasy 4 and 6. So luckily for us, she said yes to being a guest. We kicked off with Final Fantasy. Amy talks about how she first got into Final Fantasy through watching her older brother play and then sneaking into his room to play for herself. From there, she fell into the realm of Final Fantasy. Amy talks about which games she's played and which she hasn't. We talk about some of our favorite games and characters, her favorite relationships, and so much more. If you're someone who enjoys this franchise, you'll definitely enjoy this talk. On the back half of the episode, Amy talks about getting into cosplay and being a cosplayer. She talks about how she got into the world of cosplay later in life and her thoughts on being an "older" cosplayer. She talks about the benefits of cosplay for her, what others could get out of doing cosplay, and she talks about her favorite cosplays, comfiest ones, and plans for the future! You can find Amy at: https://www.instagram.com/queenamydalacosplay/ https://www.queencosplay.com/

It's time! Time for the Bridgerton episode. I finally decided to sit down and watch the entire series. After binge watching all 3 seasons, plus the Queen Charlotte series, I knew I needed to talk to someone about it while we wait for Season 4. Who better to come back than Brittany aka BajanPrincessBrittany. This is a spoiler episode, so if you haven't watched any of the seasons yet, this episode is not for you. Brittany and I talk about the series overall, including some of the themes and stories that happen throughout. We talk about our favorite seasons, favorite Bridgerton family member, favorite member of the 'Ton, including some dark horse choices. We do speculate about Season 4 and the length of time between seasons. This episode was recorded prior to the casting announcement of Yerin Ha as Sophie. If you like Bridgerton, make sure to comment on Instagram or Facebook and let us know who you think is the best Bridgerton or 'Ton member! You can find Brittany at: https://www.instagram.com/bajanprincessbrittany/ https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-338-bajanprincessbrittany-talks-bridgerton-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-disney-and-bounding https://linktr.ee/bajanprincessbrittany

HylianDescent returns again for his 5th episode! HylianDescent aka Joshua, founder of the Hyrule Gaming Group comes back for another entry into his time capsule of his Twitch streaming experience as we look back on the previous year. We check in on how he's doing and how his past year was. Then I talk to Joshua about a number of games he has played over the year, including games like: Fields of Mistria, Graveyard Keeper, Moonstone Island, Supermarket Simulator, Fallout, Tears of the Kingdom, and Animal Crossing. We talk about games that work for Twitch and his community, and other games that work for him and that he ultimately keeps to himself for his enjoyment. Joshua talks about the continued opportunities he is able to take for sponsored streams and promos, his 12 and 24 hour streams showcasing Indie games, and more. Plus, we talk about his continued balance of streaming versus real life, taking care of himself, his relationship and getting out and "touching grass". All this, and more! You can find Joshua at: https://www.twitch.tv/hyliandescent https://twitter.com/Hyliandescent https://twitter.com/HyruleGG https://www.instagram.com/hyliandescent/ https://www.instagram.com/hyrulegg/ https://t.co/4kqVCNPl1r?amp=1 You can listen to his first four episodes here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-337-joshua-aka-hyliandescent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-as-we-talk-twitch-video-games-and-self-care https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-268-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-community-evolution-and-animal-crossing https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-197-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-animal-crossing-and-community-building https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-156-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group