Derailed Trains of Thought

It's Christmas, a time for giving and receiving presents. And, contrary to popular belief, not all gifts come from Amazon. In fact, the very act of creativity can be a gift. At least, that's what hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden suggest in this episode's Story School as they explore the generosity of story and other forms of creativity. In the second half they share a holiday remembrance from the Journals from the Realm of Derailed Thoughts and put creative gift-giving into practice in It Came from the Intrawebs! So, come unwrap episode 114 of your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought. As always, it's our gift to you. Merry Christmas! Show Notes

A blank page is a frightening thing. It represents limitless possibilities. But once a genre is chosen, or a point of view, or a character, or anything, suddenly there is direction. There are now limited possibilities. And that is a freeing thing. Limitations for the creator can be beneficial, as Nick and Tim argue in this episode's Story School. In the second half, your intrepid hosts put this thesis to the test in Challenge Accepted! In this quick-thinking creative exercise, they word vomit stories confined by specific and somewhat random limitations. You could listen to any of innumerable podcasts, but you chose this one. Take some time and enjoy this 113th episode. It is, after all, your premiere podcast on storytelling. Show Notes

Do you remember what it was like ten years ago? Netflix was still sending out DVDs and people were still using camcorders to make found-footage movies. And, believe it or not, the first episode of your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought, was sent out into the Internet. Ten years ago. Ten years. Count them. Ten. Hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden look back at the last decade of podcasting in this anniversary episode in a special Story School. In the second half they reminiscence on old theater experiences in place of their annual summer movie review. Come take a trip down memory lane with this landmark episode of Derailed Trains of Thought. It only happens once a decade. Show Notes

Most people think they don't want math in their mysteries, or numerals in Numenor. These people are wrong. Many times, numbers are integral to our enjoyment of stories. In the 1st half of episode 111, your favorite 2 podcasters, Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden, look 4 ways in which numbers ADD to the TAKE AWAY value of stories. Then in the 2nd half, we have 3 distinct segments--the return of the 1 and only Pun Times!, followed by a PRIME example of A Bit of Story. Finally, to ROUND out the EQUATION, we enjoy some unPARALLELed Intrawebs finds. So, now that we have your unDIVIDED attention, listen in to this unEQUALED foray into storytelling, numerology, and fun. This is our eleventieth first episode, so you know you can COUNT on a good time! Show Notes

Some stories are safe; some are nightmare fuel. Some stories reflect the world we live in; others subject us to worlds of pure imagination. Some stories present us with pleasant characters; other star David Bowie in tight pants. What is the appeal of these strange, unusual stories? Tim and Nick consider stories on the scale of oddball to downright disturbing in this episode's Story School. The second half features a downright normal Take on Tales. So find a pleasant spot and listen in to your premiere podcast on storytelling. All the normal people do. Show Notes

Has urban life made people soft? Does living off the grid make you one with Nature? Does eking out an existence on a deserted island improve your moral character? Following up last episode's discussion on nature, Tim and Nick examine how characters are changed for the better (or worse) by the wild. In the second half, after our first audio Listener Feedback, our intrepid hosts tackle such pressing questions as "How would Charlie Brown survive if he was stranded on the moon?" in a rousing What If? So, whether you're a city slicker or a noble savage, you're sure to enjoy the latest episode of your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought. Show Notes

The flowers are blooming, the trees blaze green, and the world shines in the aftermath of cool showers. Spring is here! And so, naturally (pun intended), Nick and Tim discuss the place of nature in fiction. They follow up with a short, plant-based "It Came From the Intrawebs," followed by a quick hop back to topic of Biblical adaptations to highlight The Chosen in "Previously On..." So, get outside, put in those ear buds, and listen to the soothing sounds of episode 108 of Derailed Trains of Thought, your premiere podcast on storytelling. Show Notes

Even when you're stuck at home, there are still worlds to explore! In this special Side Track, socially distanced hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden share the contents and histories of their book and movie shelves. It's a special quarantine Side Track of your favorite podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought! Listen in. You have nothing better to do. Show Notes

What will the father do when his daughter is kidnapped? Whatever it takes. What will the detective do to clear his name from a wrongful accusation of murder? Whatever it takes. What will the group of superheroes do when half the world is wiped out by a magic glove? Whatever it takes! Strong-willed protagonists get things done. But are proactive main characters always the best choice? Why do we love them and are there times to enjoy/create other types of protagonists? Hosts Nick and Tim muse about these thing in this episode's Story School. Then, in the second half, we play "Guess That Protagonist!" in a new Challenge Accepted! So, what will you do to find time to listen to episode 107 of your premiere podcast on storytelling? Whatever it takes, obviously. Show Notes

What if I told you everything you knew was a lie? The Island is actually purgatory and all the Pixar films are connected and Aladdin actually takes place in a future post-apocalyptic wasteland and Captain Planet and the Magic Schoolbus are actually the same show. Also, Jar Jar Binks is a Sith Lord. Or maybe we're over analyzing. Your hosts, Nick and Tim are here to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of analyzing (and over analyzing) a story. Then, in the second half, they tackle their annual book club Take on Tales. So, whether Derailed Trains of Thought is your premiere podcast on storytelling or just a cleverly designed element of your Truman Show life, listen in and enjoy. Show Notes

If you haven't heard, there's been a new Star Wars movie. Oh, and some streaming show featuring a cute green creature and an armored dude. So, of course, Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden are digging into these two new Star Wars adventures like Jawas into a Mudhorn egg. You may have thought you'd heard everyone and their brother's opinion on The Rise of Skywalker and The Mandalorian, but you were wrong. Listen. Here. Now. Finally. We have spoken.

Merry Christmas! 'Tis the season for nativities and stories of the Nativity, which put Tim and Nick in the mood to discuss Biblical adaptations. How do you adapt a Bible story, and what makes it different from a normal adaptation? Then, for this month's What If?, your hosts decide to try their hand at their own adaptations of well-known (and little known) Biblical accounts. So, as you wait for Christmas Day, and all the joy it represents, perhaps a little diversion with your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought, would make your wait even better. Merry Christmas! Show Notes

Some stories make you laugh. Others make you cry. And some can make you laugh, cry, cower in terror, and want a nice cup of tea with a friend. In this episode's Story School Tim and Nick examine the range of emotions that some stories can carry and how creators can help readers/viewers feel deeply. In the second half, your trusted hosts revisit old topics with new twists in "Previously On...," asking such questions as "What are the metaphysical implications of human communication?" and "Why do people like cheese?" Whatever your mood, listening to this newest episode of your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought, is sure to brighten your day. Show Notes

So, the Internet says that there's a 1 in a trillion chance of you having a doppelganger somewhere on the planet. But that must be wrong, because characters in stories run into their lookalikes all the time. And if not their doppelganger, than their clone. Or a robot version of themselves. Or a dark psychic double. Or...well, you get the idea. Tim and Nick discuss the use of doubles in fiction in this episode's Story School. In the second half, Tim and Nick look to AI to help them write a story in It Came From the Intrawebs! And then they share not one, but two Bits of Story. Kinda. It's all here in episode 103 of this truly unique podcast, the one and only Derailed Trains of Thought! Show Notes

A wise and weird man once said, "My, my, this here Anakin guy, May be Vader someday later, now he's just a small fry." Which raises the important question: How? How does the village coward become a brave knight? How does a fussy old Hobbit become an adventurer? Or, in other words, how does a character change? Tim and Nick delve into the depths of character development, hoping to find some answers. In the second half, they present their hopefully-not-too-late review of summer movies and TV shows, from Endgame to Stranger Things. So listen in to the newest episode of your premiere podcast on storytelling, Derailed Trains of Thought. While some chem teacher become drug lords, and not all white wizards remain true, we're here once again, changing only for the better. Show Notes