The Once And Future Nerd - A Fantasy-comedy Audio Drama

Today's bonus content is an interview with the one and only Zach Valenti, star and co-producer of Wolf 359 (among many other things), who took on a cameo role as Merril in our last few episodes. This conversation was originally broadcast in May as part of Zach's ongoing "Self Care Sunday" livestream project. You can watch video of the interview here (Christian starts at right around hour 2), and subscribe to the channel at zach.live. Release of Chapter 3 is delayed slightly, for reasons explained at the head of the episode. We will announce release dates as soon as we can, and we're sorry for the delay! Hit the break for a full transcript of Christian's statement. Statement transcript: Hey everyone, Christian here. Got some more bonus content for you this week, and the reason for that is we're still waiting to see when we can release Chapter 3. You have our apologies for that. I'm sure this has been a really rough week for a lot of us what with the events in Charlottesville. Speaking personally - thou

This episode is the audio from our latest #AskTOAFN, which we did as livestream. It's been cleaned up a little and lightly edited. And you can always watch the original, unedited and with the video right here. Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in with questions! We tried to at least acknowledge receipt of everything even if we didn't answer it, so if you believe you sent in a question and you didn't get any kind of a nod from us, let us know. If you won a book, we'll be in touch shortly. We'll be back soon with some more cool bonus content, and we'll announce release dates for Ch. 3 as soon as we can commit to something. See you then! Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Not that they need our help, but the McElroys are some sweet, sweet boys. Our friends are doing cool things at Join The Party. We recently interviewed Tal M. Klein about his new novel THE PUNCH ESCROW. Anya is playing a show in NYC with the cast of ONCE to benefit VH1's Save The Music. The Notice is Paul's ongoing blog

Today's bonus content is an interview with Tal M. Klein. His sci-fi novel THE PUNCH ESCROW - the film rights to which have already been purchased by Lionsgate -is available now, and he's touring indie book stores to promote it. If you'd like to be entered to win a copy of the book, tweet something using the hashtags #TOAFN and #GetPunched. And as a reminder, we'll be doing an #AskTOAFN livestream on Tuesday August 1 at 8pm Eastern. Stream will be posted at this link. We hope to see you there!

In the harrowing conclusion of Chapter 2, Gwen shares what she's learned with Brennen and Bryce. And Arlene has some very difficult questions to answer. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. As this is the end of this chapter, it's time for you to send in your #AskTOAFN questions to be answered on the air in a couple weeks. You can submit your questions anytime before 11:59pm Eastern time on July 28, through Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Tumblr, or Patreon, either with a DM or by using the hashtag #AskTOAFN. And if we hit our Patreon reach goal of $250/episode, that #AskTOAFN episode will become a live video hangout! We're extremely close to that goal right now, so thanks a million to everyone who has pledged or told a friend about the show. We’ll be taking our customary micro-break between chapters, but release dates for Book 2, Chapter 3 – entitled “Bridges” – will be announced in the near future. We have some cool bonus content lined up for you in the meantime. CONTENT NOTES (including so

Having had some time to cool off, some of our party takes steps towards reconciling. But Brennen is still struggling, and seeks the guidance of Bryce Riverfell, before the two are interrupted by an unexpected guest. Yllowyyn grins and bears his new traveling companion(s). And back at the Horse's Head Inn, Arlene makes a new...friend? But she'll have to reckon with an unexpected guest of her own. The script for this episode can be found here. The pulse-pounding conclusion of this chapter will be released on July 23. We hope we'll see you then.

Having been all but kicked out of his parents' house, Yllowyyn finds several unlikely allies and adversaries in his familial conflicts. Meanwhile, the Kids consider how to make the best of the turmoil in their camp. But things seem especially gloomy for Nia and Brennen. And elsewhere in the realm, Arden the Annihilator - legendary hero of antiquity - returns to the field of battle for the first time in millennia. The script for this episode can be found here. Our next episode will be released on July 9. We hope we'll see you then.

Billy, Nelson, and Nia attempt to parse Regan's revelations through the varied lenses of their unique lives. Meanwhile, Regan reacts very poorly to needing to be cared for. And Yllowyyn returns with what he's heard to the White Forest - and to his parents, who attempt to set straight the prodigal son. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Our next episode will be released on June 25. We hope you'll join us then. And in case you didn't see it on our other social media, we've added a new reach goal on Patreon! Short version: If we get to $250/episode, we'll be recouping our production costs, and you'll get recurring live video hangouts with the cast and crew! You can read this post for more details.

As the shockwaves of Regan's revelations ripple through the party, Yllowyyn feels less welcome than ever. Ry'y lo-Th'yyt discovers a loose thread in urgent need of snipping. And Brennen is given an ultimatum. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Part Two of this chapter will be released on June 11. We hope you'll join us then! And finally, the artist D.N. Frost, who designed our official map of the Human Realms of Iorden, has just released her new guide on "How To Make Fantasy Maps In Photoshop." Now through June 23, it's available as a free PDF download on her website. A literal steal for anyone interested in Fantasy world-building or cartography. CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 8:50-9:27 (on script pg. 8), a corpse is mutilated in an area of the body we'd probably consider private. (And no, it's not Renault.) From 16:30-20:25 (on script pgs. 15-18), discussion of the violence at the end of Book 1 continues. It's not especially graphic, but may remind some listeners of r

Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in for our first #AskTOAFN of Book 2! We answered as many questions as we could. If yours didn't get answered, we hope you'll try again next time. And let us know if you enjoy this episode and whether we should keep doing this. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Our revamped merchandise page is now live! Listen to Greg (voice of Yllowyyn) on the Left Trigger Right Trigger podcast, and in his band Duckspeak, who have a new EP out. Wil Williams writes podcast reviews and obviously has impeccable taste. Kat on Tumblr also has great tastes in podcasts (even if her question almost broke us all up.) CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 32:08-33:00 a real-life mass shooting comes up in the course of our discussion. End of listed CONTENT NOTES. Release dates for Chapter 2 will be announced in the very near future. Stay tuned!

It's the dramatic conclusion of Book 2, Chapter 1. At the Horse's Head Inn, Arlene and Gwen Anna and Gayle reluctantly make plans regarding their newfound ward. In an ice cave in the south seas, Renault the "nice" necromancer meets a legendary warrior from an age nearly forgotten. And back near Freehold, a newly (and just barely) conscious Regan divulges what she saw in the western forest. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. We'll be taking our customary micro-break between chapters, but release dates for Book 2, Chapter 2 - entitled "What Used To Be Enough" - will be announced shortly. In the meantime, though, we'll be answering listener questions on air! Read this post for full details on how to submit a question. CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 09:47-10:38 (on script pg. 63), bodily mutilation is played for laughs. From 15:00-16:25 (on script pgs. 68-69), the extreme violence from the end of Book 1 is verbally recounted. From 23:18-23:25 (on script pg. 75), a charact

As the Kids discuss Nia's advice and how to proceed with it, Yllowyyn discovers Brennen's ruse and confronts Nia. Things get a bit spooky back at Castle Guernatal. But all disagreements within the Party halt when Brennen returns with a badly injured Regan, in desperate need of medical help. The conclusion of this chapter - along with information on our upcoming listener Q&A - will be released on April 23, 2017. We hope you'll join us then. CONTENT NOTES below (minor spoilers): CONTENT NOTES: Starting at 14:16 through the end of the episode, we listen to someone audibly struggle to breathe. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

We return to the camp outside Freehold, shortly after Regan's clandestine departure. Jen and Nelson receive stark prospects for their futures from a newly candid Nia, who also speculates about important matters metaphysical and arcane. Brennen and Yllowyyn disagree about the next steps in Brennen's ongoing campaign, and Yllowyyn's place in it. But once Jen comes clean about Regan's whereabouts and intentions, Brennen drops everything and chases after his Queen in great haste. Our next episode will be released on April 9. We hope you'll join us then. In the meantime, March has seen an industry-wide push to introduce more people to podcasts in general. If you have any friends who don't listen to podcasts, recommend this show or anything else you think they might enjoy. If you do it on social media, you can use #TryPod.

Dear Listeners, we are extremely pleased to present to you the first episode of Book 2, MYTH MADE FLESH. After the disturbing events that concluded our previous book, Regan finds herself in a literal tight spot and in possession of very sensitive information. Jen must decide between keeping Regan's confidence, and looking out for the best interests of the Party. And Arlene and Gwen's own troubling discovery threatens to disturb their newfound peace. All the while, Regan's prospects for escape from her predicament dwindle by the minute... Part 2 of this chapter will be available on March 26. We hope you'll join us then. CONTENT NOTES  below: This episode features brief flashbacks to genocidal violence.

Today, we bring you yet another podcast pilot from within the TOAFN family. Greg Schulz (plays Yllowyyn) is one of the minds behind  LEFT TRIGGER RIGHT TRIGGER. It's a book club...for video games! We hope you enjoy it. If you do, make sure to subscribe to them on iTunes and follow them on Twitter. And for everyone who enjoyed the TAKING INITIATIVE pilot last time, here's a reminder that they have a new episode out tomorrow, Monday March 6. And if you still can't get enough D&D after that, you might enjoy YOU MEET IN A TAVERN. And of course...we'll be back with the premiere of Book 2 on Sunday March 12 - one week from today. See you then!

We are extremely pleased to announce official release dates for our next episodes (!!!) THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD Book 2 - Myth Made Flesh Chapter 1 - "A Cruel And Sullied World" Part 1 - March 12 Part 2 - March 26 Part 3 - April 9 Part 4 - April 23 If you could all do us a favor and help spread the word between now and then, you'll receive a) our eternal love and admiration, b) more friends to talk about the show with, and c) preference when we choose questions for our on-air, end-of-chapter AMA. Keep reading for details. As soon as Part 4 drops on 4/23/17, we'll be opening up an AMA across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit. You can get your question bumped up in priority above the general public by doing the following: At any point between now and March 12, post something about us, using your own words, in any of those places. Retweets and Reblogs are OK as long as you add your own words in there. Use the hashtag #TOAFNBook2 so that we'll see it. (If you choose to use Reddit, which doesn'

Today's bonus content is the pilot episode of a new side project from our editor, Josh. It's a D&D podcast called Taking Initiative. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did, but any feedback is welcome. If this just isn't your cup of tea, don't worry. Taking Initiative will have its own website and feed so that this one doesn't get bogged down with a show you didn't sign up for. But if you'd like to hear more Taking Initiative after today, you can head over to thespark.network for all the subscription info. Oh and by the way...the next announcement you hear from us will be the release dates for Book 2. Stay subscribed :-) And keep reading for Creative Commons attributions of music used in this episode. "Come Play with Me", "Spacial Winds", "Unnatural Situation", "Vanishing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Today we wanted to let you all know about Paul Notice (Nelson, Antonin, Smith) and his project The Notice Blog. The Notice Blog “creates work that engages, informs, and represents the world’s complexities through journalism & fictional narratives.” You can check out their website to see all the documentary shorts, interviews, live journalism, and serial fiction they've already done. But now through Feb. 5, they're running a Kickstarter campaign to buy equipment and advertising so they can put out weekly content. Take a look, and help The Notice Blog out if you can!

For today's bonus content, Christian interviewed Stephanie Cooke of Rogue's Portal about her latest project, a live audio drama called THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HELL. The conversation touches on how Stephanie got into audio drama, the logistics of producing a live show month after month, and her collaborative process. Follow Stephanie on Twitter for updates on all her projects. PLUS! Announcements about the future of TOAFN and a bunch of shout-outs for people who've gone out of their way to flatter us in public.

Dear Fans, We're sorry this didn't come out sooner. We wanted to get as many of our voices on tape as possible.  Full text of the statement is below: The Once And Future Nerd is an organization that stands for love and acceptance, and vehemently opposes bigotry and hatred of all forms. We believe that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. All people, regardless of race, gender, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, or any other point of identity. Many of our listeners may be feeling fear and uncertainty at what the future has in store for them. To those people, we stand with you in solidarity.  We vow to do all that is within our power to aid and support you. Anne Frank was a young woman who was forced to live in hiding for two years before ultimately being killed by the Nazis during World War 2. While in hiding, she wrote “in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”  In the film “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, the film’s protago

For this week's bonus content we sat down for a chat with Justin Sloan, a prodigious Fantasy writer who has worked on and published several original novels, written for video games including Telltale Game's Game of Thrones series, and adapted several novels for the screen. Oh and he was also a martial arts instructor in the United States Marine Corps. So yeah, it was interesting conversation. You can find Justin and links to his work here: www.JustinSloanAuthor.com www.CreativeWritingCareer.com (podcast) Twitter: @JustinMSloan Facebook.com/JustinsloanAuthor Amazon author page And his instafreebie Fantasy books: Falls of Redemption Episode 1 and Other Stories  https://www.instafreebie.com/free/GdZ3C Blades of Gresva https://www.instafreebie.com/free/iNNNV We are also THRILLED to announce that our Co-Executive Producer Jess Kelley-Madera is launching her own podcast this coming Tuesday, September 6. ENGAGEMENT THERAPY is a non-fiction storytelling podcast about the things people don't talk about when they ta