Cause of Craft: Why We Create cover logo

Why We Connect with Myths with Author Frazier Alexander | Episode 3

1h 5m · Cause of Craft: Why We Create · 23 Aug 07:30

Author Frazier Alexander joins the podcast to discuss myths from a Christian perspective, his handwritten manuscripts, the influence of Tolkien and Lewis, and what goes into creating an immersive fantasy map. See a full list of timestamped topics and transcript below.

Links:

Frazier’s Website: www.frazieralexander.com

The Lost King: Amazon | Frazier’s Website

Maps of Antaranis

Other Works Mentioned:

The Hero with A Thousand Faces: Amazon | B&N

The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structures for Writers by Christopher Vogler: Amazon | B&N

The Chronicles of Narnia: Amazon | B&N

God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis, including the essay “Myth Become Fact”: Amazon | B&N

The Iliad and The Odyssey: Amazon | B&N

The Prydain Chronicles: Amazon | B&N

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts.

Topics Covered With Timestamps:

Intro

Frazier’s Early Passion for Story

Myths As Stories You Feel Like You’ve Always Known / Living Myths on the Subconscious

Writing Reiterations of the Same Story

Self-Psychoanalysis and Moving Around as a Kid

Resources for Understanding Mythology for Writers

Mythology from a Christian Perspective

Homer and Lloyd Alexander

Handwriting Manuscripts

Using Freehand to Get out of Creative Ruts

Advantages of Typing and Advantages of Handwriting

Creating Maps for the Story

Planning the Story in Broad Strokes

Playwrights, Theatre, and Understanding Theme

Discussion on Dialogue

Tolkien and Lewis Setting The Bar

What Stands the Test of Time in Writing

Everyone Has A Unique Approach to Writing

Outro

About Frazier Alexander: By the time he was in the first grade, Frazier had fallen in love with The Lord of The Rings movies and the old epics from the 50s and 60s. These inspired him to create his own mythic fantasy stories, all taking place in a connected world. He has spent years creating the history, geography, and linguistics for this invented world. Frazier moved a lot growing up and identified strongly with characters in stories who go on long quests, like Odysseus and Frodo. Those stories gave him hope and he wants his stories to do the same for someone else.

The episode Why We Connect with Myths with Author Frazier Alexander | Episode 3 from the podcast Cause of Craft: Why We Create has a duration of 1:05:11. It was first published 23 Aug 07:30. The cover art and the content belong to their respective owners.

More episodes from Cause of Craft: Why We Create

Discovering the World’s Beauty with Crafter Melissa Schwenk | Episode 47

Have you ever wanted to create something but felt intimidated by trying a new craft? On this week’s episode I talk with Melissa Schwenk who has dabbled in a variety of creative endeavors. She describes herself as a non-professional crafter, and she’s explored everything from pottery to gardening. We discuss the interconnectedness of creative activities, advice for trying new things, and how we can all make the world a more beautiful place with the right mindset.

Topics Covered:

  • Satisfaction in creating physical art
  • Creating as an adult compared to as a kid
  • Art as creative recreation
  • Creative communities
  • Interconnectedness of creative endeavors
  • Making the world a more beautiful place
  • Advice for trying new creative things

Links:

Melissa’s Instagram: @melissa.tries.things

Growing through Consistency with Mixed Media Artist Amanda Spence | Episode 46

We often wish we could make things with a simple snap of our fingers—but it takes a lot of work to createand improve our craft. Mixed Media Artist Amanda Spence joins the show to discuss her journey. She shares how consistent practice and reflection helped her grow as an artist.

Topics Covered:

  • Inspired by Nature
  • Balancing Simplicity with Complexity
  • Similarities Between Crafts
  • Becoming an Artist on Accident
  • Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
  • Art is Work Not Magic
  • Finding Your Voice Over Time

Links:

  • Amanda’s Website: www.betweenelmandoak.com
  • Amanda’s Instagram: @betweenelmandoak
  • Amanda’s Facebook: @btwnelmandoak

Fan Art and Outdoor Inspiration with Artist Brittney Jackson | Episode 45

Brittney Jackson creates beautiful character illustrations—both original ones and others that you’ll recognize from your favorite franchises (from the office to Star Wars). We discuss fan art, traveling to conventions, why nature inspires, and how we can tackle new challenges, even when they’re intimidating.

Topics Covered:

  • Self-Taught Artists
  • Fan Art and Fan Fiction
  • Traveling to Conventions
  • Advice for Taking on New Challenges
  • Outdoor Inspiration
  • Getting Unstuck Creatively

Links:

  • Brittney’s Website: www.brittneyannart.com
  • Brittney’s Instagram: @brittneyannart
  • Brittney’s Twitter: @BrittneyAnnArt
  • Interview with Chrissie Murphy Designs

www.jontilton.com

Read Jon's short story "Doomed Dune" for FREE here.

Rebroadcast: Why Quality Food Matters with Miller Mark Fischer

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 23 with Miller Mark Fischer. New episodes will now release on a monthly basis, with Episode 45 premiering on July 4. Thanks so much for supporting the podcast!

Food production has changed drastically over the years, and not always for the better. But is there any hope for returning to the old ways of doing things?

This week’s guest, Miller Mark Fischer runs Castle Valley Mill — a stone ground mill where he uses machines that are hundreds of years old to produce quality flour, cornmeal, and more. By using age-old techniques on local grain, Castle Valley is able to produce a product that’s not only better for you, but tastes better too.

Mark shares how it all works in our conversation, and I’m excited to share this episode with you. I think it’s both incredibly interesting and incredibly important. These things not only impact our health, but also our local economies and the environment. So if you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing with a friend, because the more people who understand the value of how our food is made and where it comes from, the healthier we’ll all be in the future.

Topics Covered:

  • The Story Behind Castle Valley Mill
  • Why Modern Flour isn’t Great
  • Germ, Bran, and Starch: The Proper Components of Flour
  • The Process of Milling
  • Using 150 Year Old Milling Equipment
  • Discovering the Demand for Stone Ground Wheat
  • 1800’s Stone Milling as an Achievement of American Ingenuity
  • Scalability and Legacy
  • The American Diet
  • Covid Flour Shortage
  • How to Buy Castle Valley Mill’s Product

Links:

Castle Valley Mill Website and Store: www.castlevalleymill.com

Instagram: @cvmllc

Facebook: @CastleValleyMill

No Kneed Overnight Bread Recipe: No Kneed Bread

Discovering New Ways to Create with Artist Amy MacHale | Episode 44

My guest this week is Artist Amy MacHale. Over the years she’s been involved in a variety of artistic endeavors, from graphic design to even creating a dress out of paper—but recently her focus has been in painting, both with oil and alcohol ink. She shares the unique process of creating art with moonshine, the joy of creating with other people, and raising awareness about epilepsy through her art.

Topics Covered:

  • Painting with Alcohol Ink
  • Finding Your Own Techniques
  • A Family of Creative Entrepreneurs
  • Creating Art Together
  • Art for Epilepsy Awareness
  • Finding New Creative Outlets

Links:

  • Amy’s Website: amymachaleart.myportfolio.com
  • Amy’s Instagram: @pageandmason
  • Gallery with Amy’s work: @thestudio276
  • Amy’s family’s Distillery: @cedarmountainmoonshine
Every Podcast » Cause of Craft: Why We Create » Why We Connect with Myths with Author Frazier Alexander | Episode 3