Episode 24 - Lest Other Old Stories Be Forgot

Merry Christmas! It's that time of year again when Tim and Nick spend time looking back, this time at stories that affect us differently now than previously. Listen as we wax nostalgic and consider how time changes tastes.

Then join us for discussion of a Christmas movie you've probably not seen, introduced by the world-traveling Brian Scherschel.

After all, you can't welcome a new year without at least one more episode of Derailed Trains of Thought!

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Psst...if you like Mazedude as much as I do, check this out. - Nick

Episode 23 - Lilliputian Plots

To be brief, this episode features Nick and Tim pondering the task of telling a short story. How do you break a story down to essentials?

They also perform live brainstorming. Listen in.

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Episode 22 - Fear As a Fun Factor

Ah, Halloween. This is that festive time of year when such cuddly, creepy, heart-warming, bone-chilling creatures as evil witches, blood-slurping vampires, rotting zombies, and gory chainsaw-wielding psychopaths grace the forefront of our popular culture. Why do people enjoy being scared? And what role does fear have in storytelling?

Nick and Tim are joined by frequent-contributor Brian Scherschel to tackle these questions and more. In this topsy-turvy episode, we begin with a Cinema Selections look at a classic 1955 thriller, and then move to discuss the appeal of the horror genre, the merits of suspense over surprise, and try to figure out what's the deal with this zombie craze anyway.

Whether you're a horror addict or someone who hides behind the couch at the appearance of a menacing trash can, you're sure to find today's discussion intriguing. Take a listen!

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Episode 21 - The Art of Fog

Having recovered from their EPIC anniversary episode, Tim and Nick set out to discover new realms of exploration. Along the way they realize, "Hey, it's pretty cool to keep finding new lands and creatures and characters and stuff." So they decided to discuss the art of discovery in fiction.

Joined by scholar and writer John Bahler, they delve into mysteries, gaze into unattainable vistas, and ponder the combining of two of their favorite subjects.

It's a new era for your favorite storytelling podcast, Derailed Trains of Thought.

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Episode 20 - Everything But the Kitchen Sink

In honor of the podcast's first anniversary, we've sent our previous episode descriptions through the blender and come up with this:

Hello, there! Have we got an original for you! The perfect cure to your
sterotypical, connect-the-dots podcast!

This episode we turn to the always faithful supplier of conversation--Derailed Trains of Thought, which, coincidentally, is exactly the topic of this episode’s Story School.

Join us for a meaty discussion for the both creator and the audience that the San Francisco Herald-Tribune-Gazette calls, "Relentless. Ruthless. And all that brouhaha. Your intrepid and intriguing hosts, Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden, spawn their own subculture.”

Along the way, fanfiction writer Laura Fischer, resident YA book expert Natasha Hayden, Nathan Marchand, author of Pandora's Box, and Brian Scherschel jump in. Don't miss it!

We promised, we delivered this extra-long, wide-ranging episode of Derailed Trains of Thought!

It's not just a podcast, it's Podcast 20!

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