Elisabeth Sharp McKetta joins me today for an episode all about how the mythology we inherit from our cultures and families, can be combined with the personal, to enhance our stories. She discusses the similarities of crafting poetry and prose, and how she weaves the magic of myth into her works, making them resonate with readers while keeping things fresh and exciting.

Chapters:

• 00:15 - Embracing Mythology in Writing
• 08:25 - Exploring the Intersection of Fairy Tales and Memoir
• 21:52 - The Mythology of Water: Crafting a Narrative
• 31:59 - Archetype Phases
• 46:33 - Choosing the Child's Perspective

Elisabeth's Information:

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta is an award-winning writer and writing teacher and a mother of two. With a PhD on the intersections between fairy tales and autobiography, as well as a seven-year streak of writing weekly poems for strangers, she teaches writing for Oxford Department for Continuing Education and for Harvard Extension School, where she won their highest teaching award. She has authored thirteen books across genres, most recently the novels She Never Told Me about the Ocean and Ark, the essay collection Awake with Asashoryu, and the personal growth guide Edit Your Life, based on her experience living three years in a 275-square foot backyard guest house with her family of four (five, if you count the Labrador). She co-edited the anthology What Doesn’t Kill Her: Women’s Stories of Resilience, which Gloria Steinem described as stories that “will help each of us to trust and tell our own.” Elisabeth’s work with myth and memoir, which she began studying at Harvard College and now teaches, has been spotlighted in Harvard Magazine. (elisabethsharpmcketta.com)

Elisabeth's Books:

She Never Told Me about the Ocean

Ark

Edit Your Life

Elisabeth's Ted Talk: Edit Your Life Like a Poem: TedXBoise

Also Mentioned:

The Virgin's Promise by Kim Hudson

The Heroine with 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar

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Write the story that only you can!

For our very first episode, I am joined by David Slayton, award-winning fantasy author, to explore the connection between his life experiences and his literary work. He reflects on the struggles of growing up in an environment that marked him as different, which informs the diverse characters he crafts in his novels, including his urban fantasy, starting with *White Trash Warlock*, and his subsequent high fantasy, *Dark Moon, Shallow Sea*. We also delve into the significance of representation and the necessity of authentic voices in literature.

Chapters:

• 00:15 - Exploring the Boundaries of Imagination in Writing
• 04:48 - The Heroine's Journey: A New Perspective on Storytelling
• 10:09 - Exploring Urban Fantasy Tropes
• 19:41 - Exploring Character Depth: Bobby's Journey
• 28:04 - Writing Diverse Characters: Understanding Identity and Empathy
• 30:55 - Exploring Rogue Community College: A New Fantasy Adventure
• 40:10 - The Ghost Mist and the Dying World
• 47:53 - Personal Traumas and Character Development
• 52:44 - The Journey of the Author

David's information:

David R. Slayton (He/Him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding ones with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he lives in Denver with his partner Brian and writes the books he always wanted to read. His debut, White Trash Warlock, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. In 2015, David founded Trick or Read, an initiative to give out books along with candy to children on Halloween as well as uplift lesser-known authors or those from marginalized backgrounds. His epic fantasy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea, won the 2024 Colorado Book Award. Find him online at www.DavidRSlayton.com.

David's books:

White Trash Warlock (First in the Adam Binder Series)

Rogue Community CollegeDark Moon Shallow Sea

Also mentioned:

Check out Gail Carriger's The Heroine's Journey

Visit theepilogue.net to view our interviews, sign up for our newsletter, and watch for upcoming member bonuses such as extended interviews and full video.