Tales from the Fandom

David Ginsburg
  • 4.9 (48)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Tales from the Fandom is a podcast that explores fandoms with a different guest each week. Each guest brings their own insight into fandom. We discuss topics such as television shows, movies, books, cosplaying and more.

  1. DaVaun Sanders talks his work as an Author, and Editor of FIYAH

    2D AGO

    DaVaun Sanders talks his work as an Author, and Editor of FIYAH

    Coming highly recommended, I'm joined by multi-hyphenate DaVaun Sanders as we explore the depths of his work as an author, along with taking a peek behind the scenes, as we delve into his work as an Editor. DaVaun and I start off by talking about how he got started in wordsmithing. From his early work in poetry to his first book idea which came to him, we explore that early time. Then, we talk about his middle grade series, Keynan Masters. I read the first book, so we tend to focus primarily on that one. DaVaun talks about how he got the idea for Keynan Masters, the magic system in the book series, and much more. Then we talk about two big names, Minecraft and Marvel. DaVaun talks about how he ended up writing for both properties, who his favorite characters were to write for the Marvel "What If... The Multiverse Was Doomed", and more. Then we take a look behind the words with DaVaun's work as an editor of FIYAH, a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features stories by and about Black people of the African Diaspora. From starting out as a slush reader to his current role as Executive Editor, DaVaun talks about what goes on behind the scenes. We talk about how different ideas come to fruition, the submission process, and reflects on the history of the magazine. You can find DaVaun at: https://davaunsanders.com/ https://www.instagram.com/davaunsanders/ https://www.threads.com/@davaunsanders https://linktr.ee/davaunsanders You can buy DaVaun's work here: Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew - https://amzn.to/4uXTax2 The Seedbearing Prince: Part 1 - https://amzn.to/4uiG7q0 Minecraft: The Tournament - https://amzn.to/4tERBCO Marvel: What If...The Multiverse Was Doomed? - https://amzn.to/4ugheuO You can find FIYAH at: https://fiyahlitmag.com/ https://www.threads.com/@fiyahlitmag https://campsite.bio/fiyahlitmag Forged in FIYAH: Celebrating Ten Years of Black Speculative Fiction - https://amzn.to/4wzYJTH

    1h 10m
  2. Carleigh aka Uneekchic returns and talks Dungeons and Dragons, Renfaires, and Cosplay

    MAY 11

    Carleigh aka Uneekchic returns and talks Dungeons and Dragons, Renfaires, and Cosplay

    After nearly 9 years, Carleigh aka Uneekchic on Instagram returns to the podcast! I've had the pleasure of following Carleigh and her journey through life since we recorded in late 2016. Now located on the East Coast, Carleigh and I get to catch up and talk about what's been going on ever since. We get to talk about two of her fandoms that she's been into during this time. Starting things off, Carleigh talks about getting into Dungeons and Dragons. She talks about how she first got into it after her move, and who introduced her to the game. We talk characters, her play style, and what she enjoys about the game. From there, we talk about her love of Renfaires. From how she dresses up, to what she enjoys doing at the faires, and which faires she's been frequenting. There's also a scandalous revelation that Carleigh makes when asked about a particular Renfaire staple. We wrap up by revisiting Cosplay. We talk about Carleigh's experience with Cosplay back on the West Coast, and how her Cosplay life has changed since moving to the East Coast. You can find Carleigh at: https://www.facebook.com/Carleigh-Skrammy-Uneekchic-670538599693887 http://www.instagram.com/uneekchic You can listen to Carleigh's original episode at: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-40-carleigh-aka-uneekchic

    58 min
  3. Emily aka Imagination.Em returns and talks Star Wars and Cosplay

    MAY 4

    Emily aka Imagination.Em returns and talks Star Wars and Cosplay

    Kicking off May of 2026 with a perfectly timed episode releasing on May 4th, Emily aka Imagination.Em on Instagram returns to talk Star Wars and Cosplay. May the 4th Be With You! It's been nearly 4 years since Emily was on with her original episode, but we get to catch up and blend two topics together. Star Wars and Cosplay. The first half of the episode definitely leans more Star Wars, as we talk about the shows that have released since 2022. We discuss Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte, and Andor. Emily talks about the experience of attending the Andor Season 2 premiere, and we discuss Andor as it ties into current political situations today. We talk about the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu movie, and Emily makes her best pitch for what she'd do if Dave Filoni asked her to create a Star Wars property. Then, we're on to Cosplay, as you may know Emily for her viral Moana Fett cosplay from 4 years ago. We talk about how it's been as a Cosplayer, from upgrading her Moana Fett look, to doing Mo Dameron, Mara Jade, joining the Droidsmiths Union, and making a Grogulorian cosplay, to name a few. We talk about her relationship with other cosplayers in the fandom, as well as creators that she works with. Emily also reflects back on her time as a Cosplayer, and we talk about what she could be working on for the future. You can find Emily at: https://www.instagram.com/imagination.em/ You can listen to Emily's original episode here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-289-emily-aka-imaginationem-talks-marvel-comics-disney-star-wars-and-cosplay

    58 min
  4. Kris Lozano returns and talks Taylor Swift and Book Recommendations

    APR 27

    Kris Lozano returns and talks Taylor Swift and Book Recommendations

    Returning for a 6th episode and to help me get one week closer to the podcast's 10th anniversary is Kris Lozano aka Cafe.Contessa on Instagram.  We get to catch up and talk about how long we've known each other before diving into a repeat topic, Taylor Swift. Kris had joined me previously to talk about The Eras Tour once the movie had come out, and before we even had an inkling that a new album was on its way (TTPD). This time, Kris talks about the wrap up of the tour, the final concert that was recorded, plus the behind the scenes documentary. Plus, we revisit a few conversations about costumes and songs from that previous episode (linked below), as well as discuss a bit about the latest album. Then, Kris and I talk about one of her biggest passions, reading. We talk about what books are on her shelf, what books she'd recommend, and what she's looking forward to. We talk about Ana Huang's "King" series (King of Gluttony releasing 4/28), "Not In My Book" by Katie Holt, and the "Never After" series by Emily McIntire. We then wrap up with a little talk about Cosplay. Kris talks about where she is with Cosplay and whether she plans to continue with that part of her life, or hang it up in the closet. You can find Kris at: https://www.instagram.com/cafe.contessa/ You can listen to her previous episodes here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-369-taylor-swift-and-the-eras-tour https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-322-kris-lozano-returns-and-talks-dystopian-movies https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/final-fantasy-35th-anniversary-special https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-15th-anniversary-special https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-174-kris-lozano

    1h 17m
  5. Jazmin aka ThatOneNerdyFanGirll returns and talks One Piece, Star Wars, and Cosplay

    APR 20

    Jazmin aka ThatOneNerdyFanGirll returns and talks One Piece, Star Wars, and Cosplay

    Jazmin aka ThatOneNerdyFanGirll returns after 2 years as we get closer to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the podcast. I always get excited when people say yes and come for the 1st episode. It's always super special when people come back for return episodes. Jazmin and I get to catch up to what's been going on, and talk about one of her latest fandoms, One Piece. She talks about how she got influenced into watching the anime, where she is currently, and we talk about the live action series as well (this was recorded prior to the 2nd season releasing). We talk about favorite characters, and who she's looking forward to seeing. Then we revisit Star Wars. We talk about what we enjoyed the past two years, the state of Star Wars, and the future series that are on the horizon, as well as the future in the movie space. (This episode was recorded prior to the Maul release) Jazmin and I then talk about her Cosplay work. We talk about some of the characters she's cosplayed recently, and cosplay projects she's working on for the future. Plus a no sew ballgown, and how she goes about thrifting for her cosplay work. You can listen to Jazmin's 1st episode here: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-358-jazmin-aka-thatonenerdyfangirll-talks-star-wars-the-lord-of-the-rings-and-cosplay You can find Jazmin at: https://www.instagram.com/thatonenerdyfangirll/ https://www.threads.net/@thatonenerdyfangirll https://beacons.ai/thatonenerdyfangirl

    36 min
  6. Mayanna Berrin returns and talks Dispatch, Kingdom Hearts, and StoryQuest

    APR 13

    Mayanna Berrin returns and talks Dispatch, Kingdom Hearts, and StoryQuest

    It's only been 2 years since her last episode, but Mayanna Berrin returns for her 4th episode as we once again get to catch up and talk about her latest works! We cover the biggest thing that's happened since our last episode in 2024, and that is the critically acclaimed video game, Dispatch. Mayanna was a writer for the game, as well as the voice actor for the character of Coupe. We talk about how she got started with AdHoc Studios and found her way into both the writing and voice acting side of things. Mayanna and I talk about the game, some of the development, her role as a writer, finding her voice for Coupe, and we discuss a few of the choices people can make in the game (and yes, there are spoilers). Mayanna and I then talk about her Kingdom Hearts podcast that she co-hosts, Simple and Clean. We talk about how it came to existence, the planning that goes into the podcast, and we touch on what could come first - Kingdom Hearts 4 or Grand Theft Auto 6. We then talk about her work as Creative Producer for StoryQuest, an actual play platform for tabletop roleplaying games. We discuss what she does, and her continued work in the TTRPG space. You can find Mayanna at: https://www.instagram.com/mayannaberrin/ https://www.threads.com/@mayannaberrin https://bsky.app/profile/mayannaberrin.bsky.social You can find Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast at: https://pod.link/1826633591 https://www.instagram.com/simpleandcleanpod/ You can find StoryQuest at: https://linktr.ee/StoryQuestShowOfficial https://www.instagram.com/storyquestshow/ You can listen to Mayanna's first three episodes at: https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-374-mayanna-berrin-returns-and-talks-improv-writing-for-movies-television-tabletop-roleplaying-and-video-games  https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-171-mayanna-berrin-returns http://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-47-mayanna-berrin

    1h 6m
  7. Lio aka Lionbcos talks about Cosplay

    APR 6

    Lio aka Lionbcos talks about Cosplay

    Lio aka Lionbcos joins me to talk all about Cosplay, the characters they do, and so much more. I had come across Lio's Instagram several times thanks to their collaborations with others, and people sharing their work to their stories. I really enjoyed what Lio did, and here we are, getting to talk about it! We're talking all about the Cosplay and characters that Lio does. However, we start off at a young age as Lio talks about growing up with parents who are nerds, and how their influences rubbed off on them. Lio talks about some of their favorite characters, and we do spend a bit of time with Laura Kinney aka Wolverine, fka X-23. We talk about the characters that Lio cosplays as, like Claudia from Interview with the Vampire, Invisigal from Dispatch, and more. While they trend towards emo characters, a surprising princess made it into Lio's rotation - and we talk about how and why! We talk about how they choose the characters they cosplay, the group collaborations they've done, and what Lio is planning to do in the future. You can find Lio at: https://www.instagram.com/lionbcos/ https://www.tiktok.com/@lionbcos

    42 min
  8. Moe aka DreadheadCos talks about Cosplay and Prop Making

    MAR 30

    Moe aka DreadheadCos talks about Cosplay and Prop Making

    I kept seeing a number of cosplays shared by people that featured Moe. That lead to following Moe, and then having Moe on the podcast. You might know on Instagram as DreadheadCos. For this episode, we're sticking to talking about Cosplay, so if that's your thing, then sit back and enjoy. Moe and I start with talking about how they got interested in Cosplay. From there, we talk about some of the first characters they've cosplayed, and how sticking to canon doesn't have to be standard and how to put your own flare and personality into cosplays. As we talk about the characters they've done, we do venture into the fandom world to discuss, particularly with Red Hood. We also talk about Moe's work with prop making and how they approach the different pieces, along with how they work deciding which cosplay or prop to work on. One of my favorite quotes of the episode is "When in dobt, add a corset and belts" We wrap up by talking about what Moe is working on this year, their dream cosplay, and more. You can find Moe at: https://www.instagram.com/dreadheadcos/ https://bsky.app/profile/dreadheadcos.bsky.social

    59 min
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4.9
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Tales from the Fandom is a podcast that explores fandoms with a different guest each week. Each guest brings their own insight into fandom. We discuss topics such as television shows, movies, books, cosplaying and more.

Information

  • Creator
    David Ginsburg
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    576
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2016-2026 David Ginsburg
  • Show Website
    Tales from the Fandom