The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #25: Why So White? Illustrating the Thirteenth Hour Characters, Racial Stuff, and More

This episode originally aired Feb 1, 2016

https://13thhr.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=post&jetpack-copy=2779

This morning I randomly woke up to theme music of one of my favorite movies of all time, The Last Starfighter, playing in my head. Probably not a surprise, since it was an inspiration for The Thirteenth Hour and always had a kickass theme song to boot. Here's a little dose of morning 80s inspiration: https://youtu.be/BSf5tx4e_PA

The Last Starfighter main characters: Maggie (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Alex (Lance Guest). Of note, Catherine Mary Stewart was in a number of other great 80s movies, like Weekend at Bernie's and Night of the Comet, both of which I've seen innumerable times. Click on the picture above for a great review of The Last Starfighter.

-In other news, the radio show appearance I mentioned last week was rescheduled due to a station conflict. It's later this month. More details in the links below. Email the host, Wayne, with questions or comments for a chance to win a copy of The Thirteenth Hour.

-Author's Hour show details:

http://waynebarbersauthorshour.blogspot.com/2016/01/brand-new-radio-show-authors-hour.html

-Event Details (Live at 1380 AM WNRI or livestream, 9 AM EST 2/16/16)

-By the way, Happy Groundhog Day!

-If you want to learn to throw playing cards like Bill Murray does in the movie, check out this card throwing how-to:

-https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2015/11/24/ever-wanted-to-be-like-gambit-card-throwing-101/

-Stay tuned for Thirteenth Hour throwing cards in the near future!

-Writing and Drawing the Main Characters (Logan and Aurora) from The Thirteenth Hour: where I try to deconstruct the thought process behind creating the world these characters live in, why they were drawn the way they were, and why fantasy novels have been a predominantly Western European, white affair.

-We obviously all have prejudices and biases, and I think the thing is not the total eradication of these parts of being human, just an openness to try to understand these aspects of ourselves and see the world from the points of view of others.

-I will say, however, it would be refreshing to have more ethnically diverse characters in fantasy stories, but not just to make a social statement as the token ethnic character. Let them be more than just a color, to paraphrase Michael Jackson.

-As an aside, this topic refers back to these post:

-https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/writing-the-main-characters/

-There's a question in the interview below about which Hollywood actor I'd cast to play Logan and Aurora if the movie were one day turned into a film. Even though I pictured the book being more a cartoon, the question still stands:

-http://www.angelabchrysler.com/featured-reads/the-thirteenth-hour/

-#NYNB2016 Epic Fantasy Author Feature: Joe Jackson - reading an excerpt from White Serpent, Black Dragon.

-Be sure to check of Joe’s blog for an impressive amount of background history he created for the world in his books.

-Follow Joe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoelessAuthor

-Easy Dinero Segment: Check out the Techslugs channel on Youtube for much more info and reviews of apps and programs to help you make some cash to support the starving artist lifestyle!

-As always, thanks for listening!

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• Signup for the mailing list • for a free special edition podcast and a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour • !

• Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.com • Book trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXY • Interested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour • for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com • for more details!