In this episode of Epic Realms, we're joined by three familiar faces and fantastic authors who have all been part of the Epic Realms Podcast family: Heather G. Harris, Talia Beckett, and Deborah Wilde, for a roundtable discussion all about urban fantasy!

We explore what makes urban fantasy unique and what separates it from other forms of speculative fiction. From favorite tropes to the ones we'd rather leave behind, we discuss what works, what doesn't, and what keeps readers coming back for more. We also talk about creating strong female characters, developing memorable supporting casts without letting them take over the story, and the challenges of bringing an urban fantasy world to life.

Our conversation dives into the craft of worldbuilding, including magic systems, the structure of urban fantasy, and the ways real-world religions, mythology, and folklore can influence the fictional worlds authors create.

We also put our guests' imaginations to work with a fun question: if Heather, Talia, and Deborah opened a bar where all their main characters could gather, what would it be called? What would be on the menu? And what might happen when all those characters ended up under one roof?

Finally, we catch up with our guests on their latest projects, upcoming releases, and where readers can find more of their work.

Whether you're an urban fantasy fan, a reader looking for your next favorite author, or a writer interested in the craft behind the stories, this episode offers plenty to explore.

Join us on Epic Realms for a conversation about the tropes, characters, worldbuilding, and creative ideas that make urban fantasy such a fascinating genre!

Tonight on Epic Realms, we’re joined by urban fantasy author Ben Schenkman for a conversation about writing, creativity, anxiety, mythology, and finding your way back to the stories you love.

Ben shares his journey from discovering a passion for writing at a young age, stepping away to pursue school, theater, and life, and eventually returning to writing later in life. Since then, he’s gone from publishing his first book in 2023 to releasing six books in just a few years.

We also talk openly about living with anxiety as an author, finding ways to cope, and the challenges that can come with balancing creativity and everyday life.

Of course, we dive into Ben’s urban fantasy books, including My Brother’s Keeper and his four-book The Devil You Know series. We discuss Jewish mythology and representation in urban fantasy, and what it means to bring Jewish religion, mythology, and traditions into the genre.

Ben also gives us an update on Arcane Awakenings, an urban fantasy anthology Kickstarter that has already reached its initial goal and is now working toward its first stretch goal.

If you love urban fantasy, mythology, supernatural fiction, independent authors, or behind-the-scenes conversations about writing, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Join us on Epic Realms for our conversation with Ben Schenkman! Ben Schenkman Website https://benschenkman.com/

Arcane Awakenings on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arcaneawakenings/arcane-awakenings Check out his Amazon Author Page here https://amzn.to/3TRFy9w

Author and game designer Tiffany Rose Nickel joins Nick on Epic Realms to talk about her journey through tabletop RPGs, writing, game design, and streaming.

Tiffany discusses her Legends of Lemuria novels, the creation of One Page Dice Dungeons, her Resident Evil survival actual play RPG, and what she has learned from years of creating and running games. She also shares her philosophy on Game Mastering and why sometimes the best stories are the ones you never planned.

We also look ahead at Tiffany's upcoming projects and her continued work as an independent creator in the tabletop gaming community. https://www.trnickel.com/