Blanket Fortress Of Solitude
401 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsDerwin, Nick and friends workshop science fiction novels, discuss pop culture, and explore American history.
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Episodes
Open Mic: Seeking John de Lancie
April 25, 2024 11:00 - 4 minutes - 4.26 MBVeteran theatre performer Max stops by to talk about his experience working with John de Lancie at a children's theatre summer camp! #podcast #trend #trending #trendingvideo #startrek #startrektng #startrekpicard #startrekdiscovery
Book Flub: The Trial Never Ends (Star Trek: TNG)
April 18, 2024 11:00 - 4 minutes - 4.31 MBIn the opening of Star Tre: The Next Generation, "Encounter at Farpoint," the godlike being known as Q proclaims to Jean Luc Picard that humanity is, "Dangerous, savage, childlike race." He was right. #podcast #trend #trending #scifi #trendingvideo #startrek #startrekdiscovery #startrekpicard
Book Flub: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
April 15, 2024 11:00 - 49 minutes - 46.1 MBDerwin and Dan discuss how Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) is the story of one homeless man named Casey Jones and his descent into madness. #turtle #turtlepower #podcast #filmreview #comic book
Book Flub: Everything's Coming Up Milhouse!
April 08, 2024 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.88 MBWhen I was a kid, I watched the Simpsons whenever i could in the 1990's. In the season 2 premiere, "Bart Gets An F," I saw myself so clearly in a boy who just didn't want to fail. #cartoon #thesimpsons #bartsimpson #springfield #tv #review #trending #trend #trendingvideo #podcast #podcasting
Worldbuilding: Interplanetary Colonies
April 01, 2024 11:00 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBWhen writing about interplanetary colonies, don't just slap a building on the side of Mars. Keep in mind where in the solar system the colony is located. Humans evolved to live on the unicorn that is Earth. To live elsewhere, humans will have to adapt the surroundings. The world that takes the least effort to adapt will be the most fought over. Titan is one of the few worlds in the solar system where humans could live in relative comfort. (I.E. Titan didn't try to kill them as much.) So today...
Book Flub: Isaac Asimov's Foundation
March 25, 2024 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.8 MBIn 1951, Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' examined humanity though the long arc of history, showing how the societal upheavals of yesterday become the static bureaucracy of today. #asimov #foundation #sciencefiction #appletv #books #scifi #starwars
Book Flub: The VelociPastor
March 18, 2024 11:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBDerwin and Dan explore the $35,000.00 cult classic Veloci-pastor! Pastor Doug transforms into a Velociraptor to fight Coke-dealing Ninja Priests alongside his prostitute girlfriend! Pour some scotch and enjoy!
Book Flub: The Way of the Warrior. (Star Trek:DS9 S4:E1)
March 11, 2024 22:50 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBDerwin and Dan go deep into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the Season 4, Episode 1 premiere The Way of the Warrior! Worf joins the cast! Sisko leads the station against General Martok and his Klingon Fleet! Which one is a Changeling? All this and more in todays episode!
Worldbuilding: Interplanetary Insurgencies
March 04, 2024 15:04 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBWhen writing your interplanetary insurgency, remember that revolutions don't happen when people are happy. Revolutions happen when the status quo stops working and desperate people go hungry. Once the status quo stops, one lone person comes into view and says, "You have been wronged. Join me, and we'll make it right together." Desperate people become radicalized when one lone voice unites them against a failing status quo. #writing #titan #jupiter #novel #insurgency #plot #books #scifi #in...
Open Mic: Seeking WIlliam Shatner
February 26, 2024 12:00 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBDerwin and Dan discuss taking pictures with William Shatner at conventions, meeting celebrities at con's, and Star Trek: Discovery. #scifi #shatner #startrek #kirk #convention #trending #comiccon #startrekdiscovery
Book Flub: Star Trek: Voyager
February 19, 2024 22:00 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBDerwin and Dan dive deep into Star Trek: Voyager! Is Janeway the best Star Trek captain from the 1990's? Is Kes the worst person in the Delta quadrant? Will the Year of Hell go down as the greatest missed opportunity in Trek history? All this and more are explored! #startrek
Book Flub: The Rules of Acquisition in the Mirror Universe
February 12, 2024 15:00 - 52 minutes - 48.9 MBDerwin and Dan go boldly into Star Trek! Today we break down our thoughts on The Mirror Universe, which series we think did it the best, and who is our favorite Mirror Universe Captain! On the back half of the episode, we dive deep into the Ferengi, and why Quark is the best character in all of Deep Space Nine! #startrek #startrekds9 #startrekdiscovery
Worldbuilding: Artificial Intelligence
February 05, 2024 14:57 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBArtificial intelligence is a new life form on par with humans. That means they'll develop a culture. That culture will have traditions and belief structures.
Book Flub: Star Trek Picard (S3:E10)
January 29, 2024 12:00 - 46 minutes - 43.1 MBDerwin and Dan dive deep into the perfection that is the Star Trek: Picard series finale! Will Picard stop the Borg in time? Will 7/9 prevent the destruction of Spacedock? Will Jack Crusher die? #startrek #picard #trek #startrekpicardseason3 #picardseason3 #sevenofnine #enterprise
Book Flub: Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Mid-Season Review!
January 22, 2024 12:00 - 41 minutes - 38.8 MBDan Mertz returns to discuss Star Trek: Picard season 3! What's going on with Jack Crusher? Is Picard the real father of Weasley Crusher? Why was season 2 so very terrible? All these questions and more are explored!
Book Flub: Star Trek Picard Season 1 Review
January 15, 2024 15:00 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MBDerwin and Dan dig deep into Star Trek: Picard Season 1! Season 1 is a warm pool of nostalgia that is fun to swim in. Did Jean Luc Picard stay in uniform for too long? What's the deal with the Borg Cube? Should Data's story have ended in Nemesis? The future of the Federation is bleak as Mars burns in today's episode! #startrek #startrekpicard #picard #federation
Book Flub: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
January 08, 2024 12:00 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MBPublished in 1968, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep shows the cost of nuclear conflict and the decay of mankind. Today, Derwin and Nick compare it to Blade Runner, ponder if Deckard is a replicant, who is the hero of the piece is, and if that answer depends on who you sympathize with most. #bladerunner#bladerunner2049#booktube #novel #books #scifi #android #electricsheep
Worldbuilding: Interplanetary Governments
January 01, 2024 15:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBAre you writing a space society in the far future? Don't just slap an Evil Empire in space with endless resources and infinite soldiers. Governments don't just happen in a vacuum. If you have a space fleet, you need a tax system with an enforcement mechanism. You also need enforcers with families that live in communities. Those communities form a government. #writing #character #plot #novel #artificialintelligence #books #aliens
Spacers: The Erebus Effect: Chapter One
December 31, 2023 17:35 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBAgent Janet Harkov's mission was to kill any unregistered artificials on Mars. It didn't always go as planned...
Book Flub: Joss Whedon's Firefly
December 25, 2023 13:43 - 10 minutes - 9.8 MBIn 2002, Joss Whedon released his cult classic Firefly. It examined what it was like to be on the losing side of a civil war. As someone who grew up around the descendants of the losing side of the American Civil War, I could relate. #firefly #browncoats #scifi #starwars #startrek
Book Flub: Kevin Smith
December 18, 2023 15:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBNick is still lost in space, so Derwin is hosting Book Flub! Today, we're talking about two of Kevin Smith's most important films: Clerks and Dogma!
Book Flub: In Defense of Anikan Skywalker
December 11, 2023 15:00 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBThe Jedi turned a traumatized slave boy into a child soldier and let his mother die due to indifference. After that day, Anikan Skywalker saw the Jedi as evil. So, when Padme Amidala was in danger, Anikan knew that he could only count on himself. A scared husband made a deal with the devil to save the only person in the galaxy that still loved him... #kenobi #skywalker #palpatine #padmeamidala #starwars
Book Flub: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
December 04, 2023 12:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBNick is still lost in space, so Derwin is hosting Book Flub! Today, we're discussing the essential sci-fi epic war film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan! James T. Kirk is a cautionary tale of not moving beyond your 20's. He was fantastic at being the Captain of the USS Enterprise, so that's where he focused his energies. That's why in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Carol Marcus won't let him meet their son.
Book Flub: Vintage Futures
November 27, 2023 15:00 - 14 minutes - 12.8 MBNick is still lost in space, so Derwin is hosting Book Flub! Today, we're talking the foundational texts of modern science fiction: The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury. Brave New World, by Aldus Huxley. Childhood's End, by Arther C. Clarke. #writing #character #novel #plot #clarke #huxley #bradbury #bookclub #books #booktube
Book Flub: Into the Shatner-verse
November 20, 2023 15:00 - 25 minutes - 23.9 MBNick is lost in space, so Derwin is hosting Book Flub! In 1994, James T. Kirk died in, "Star Trek: Generations." But William Shatner does not believe in the No-Win Scenario. So, he partnered with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens to bring back Kirk into the 24th Century! Today, we're covering the first three books in the Shatner-verse; Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden. Star Trek: The Return. Star Trek: Avenger.
108. Hiatus!
November 14, 2023 04:06 - 15 minutes - 14.7 MBDerwin and Nick update the state of the podcast, the upcoming hiatus, and a new direction for next year.
107. Write a one act play (Part II).
November 06, 2023 12:00 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBGood fiction justifies its existence by asking a question relevant to the human experience. Derwin and Nick justify the existence of "Spacers: The Ballad of Tommy Sampson" by asking the question, "Who is Tommy?"Good fiction justifies its existence by asking a question relevant to the human experience. Derwin and Nick justify the existence of "Spacers: The Ballad of Tommy Sampson" by asking the question, "Who is Tommy?"
106. Write a one act play.
October 30, 2023 14:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBDuring a desperate descent into madness, Derwin has decided to write and star in a one act play called, "Spacers: The Ballad of Tommy Sampson!"
105. The final rewrite of chapter eight.
October 23, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBDerwin and Nick talk about the many rewrites of chapter eight for Spacers: The Erebus Effect! Today they brainstorm in real time Janet Harkov's first deployment to Titan, discuss how best to kill a good man, and discover how to incorporate Derwin's GWOT experience into the Draconis Crisis! #spaceforce #titan #writing #character #novel #nasa #plot
104. Conventions build community.
October 16, 2023 11:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBDerwin and Nick talk about going to Indy Pop Con, how nerd culture has moved mainstream, and the idea of them selling books direct to customers. #convention #writing #character #books
103. Finality is humbling.
October 09, 2023 12:00 - 59 minutes - 55.1 MBFinality is humbling. Derwin and Nick explore humility and discuss how the final draft of a novel is the hardest and the creative burn out that comes with it.
102. Music that moves us.
October 02, 2023 11:00 - 27 minutes - 25.8 MBDerwin and Nick dive deep into discography as they ponder the magic and mystery of William Shatner's, "Has Been," Pink Floyd's, "Dark Side of the Moon," and Blue October's, "Foiled."
101. Did aliens cause climate change?
September 25, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBDerwin and Nick go off topic to discuss the endless UAP sightings, how to convince people to compost, and in the tag they spend 20 minutes talking about the rewrite to chapter eight of Erebus, along with the next steps for the Spacers Saga.
100. Worldbuiling generates lore.
September 18, 2023 11:00 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBWhat is lore? How does it function in science fiction? What makes it good or bad?
99. Checked out.
September 11, 2023 11:00 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBDerwin and Nick discuss the future of A.I. five years from now, the terrifying idea of cannibal religions, and how sometimes four characters are better than five.
98. Write effective Facebook ads
September 04, 2023 11:00 - 45 minutes - 42.4 MBThe robot revolution is just beginning! In today's episode, Derwin and Nick brainstorm Facebook ad copy for their upcoming book, "Spacers: The Erebus Effect!"
97. Mythological Madness
August 28, 2023 11:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBIf false gods act the part long enough, what's the difference?
96. Artemis Erebus
August 21, 2023 11:00 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MBDerwin and Nick go deep into the Artimes Program at NASA, Nick's weeklong Science Writing fellowship at John's Hopkins University, and Derwin foretells another prophecy about Nick's future while talking about how well the preview chapter of Spacers: The Erebus Effect performed!
95. Can cars rust on Mars?
August 14, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.9 MBOn the front half of the episode, Derwin and Nick discuss if cars can rust on Mars, the feasibility of massive human settlements, and where his inspiration for the Martian colonies came from for Spacers: The Erebus Effect! On the back half, Nick gives a crash course of the future as he dives deep into the Spacers Saga lore, exploring 1987 to 2258!
94. The functions of a short story.
August 07, 2023 11:00 - 37 minutes - 35.1 MBDerwin and Nick discuss how a short story functions the best when every word in the manuscript supports one big idea and the importance of understanding publishing contracts from the author's perspective.
93. Define your character's purpose.
July 31, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 81 MBWhat purpose do they serve the story? Is there an action only they take that affects the plot? Characters that serve no purpose should be cut.
92. Heroes use action verbs
July 24, 2023 11:00 - 44 minutes - 41.4 MBA soldier speaks from a place of dominance. An assassin speaks from manipulation. Derwin mostly speaks from a place of confusion. Luckily, Nick speaks from a place of quiet confidence as they delve into the characters in their upcoming novel "Shadowplay!" (Now titled "Spacers: The Erebus Effect.)
91. How to share your imaginary friends.
July 17, 2023 11:00 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBDerwin and Nick talk about the childhood origins of the Spacers Saga, evolving as writing partners, and learning how to share your imaginary friends.
90. Nick in spaaaaace!
July 10, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBCo-host of the Blanket Fort and man most likely to win a free oil change at Jiffy Lube, Nick Oakes reports in from NASA Goddard for his first full week on site! Nick has been learning how the public relations arm of the agency works with scientists to get the message of science to the American public!
89. The many rewrites of chapter six.
July 03, 2023 11:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBDerwin and Nick go deep into the chapter six rewrite of The Europa Goodbye! Nick talks about riding off into the sunset to begin his journey at NASA Goddard, and Derwin suggests reviewing a new TV show.
88. Write convincing drill sergeants.
June 26, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBPete Barlow was voted most handsome man about town by a committee of cat ladies and is a former Drill Sergeant. Today, he stops by to help teach Derwin and Nick how to write convincing Drill Sergeants in science fiction.
87. Write Convincing Non-Commissioned Officers
June 19, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 69.2 MBDerwin and Nick discuss the deep nuances of being a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Military, and how someone who never enlisted could write a convincing Non-Commissioned Officer.
86. Need
June 12, 2023 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBDerwin and Nick go deep into Stargate SG1 Season 2, Episode 5 "Need." Is Daniel free to date? Will his new girlfriend get him hooked on smack? Will Jack O'Neal die in a slave mine? All these questions and more are explored!
85. Gamekeeper
June 05, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 68.1 MBDerwin and Nick play, "Bang, Marry, Kill; The Muppets," discuss 9/11, go over developing character backstory for their upcoming novel, "Shadowplay", and then go deep into Season 2, Episode 4 of Stargate SG1; "Gamekeeper!"
84. Prisoners
May 29, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBDerwin and Nick dive deep into the latest work on their novel "Shadowplay." They also brainstorm new ideas for the YouTube channel. Then they go over Stargate SG1, S2:E4 "Prisoners." Then they discuss the announcement for the new Stargate spinoff on Amazon Prime.