Realm Runners

Pete (Pete_Reviews_Books_Good) & Devin (BroMantasy)
  • 5.0 (2)
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Pete and Devin sit down with fantasy, romantasy, sci-fi, and indie authors. Not for the press tour. For the real conversation. Books, movies, music, and whatever else comes up. Episodes streamed live on the @realm_runners youtube channel then uploaded to all platforms. Be sure to follow Pete on socials @Pete_Reviews_Books_Good and Devin @BroMantasy for the latest show updates and episode announcements!

  1. 2d ago

    From Writing a Video Game to Writing a SPFBO Finalist with Tim Carter

    In this episode, Tim Carter shares his journey from Hollywood to video games to indie fantasy writing, revealing behind-the-scenes stories from his work on Mortal Kombat Legacy and Sleeping Dogs. He discusses his creative process, the importance of humor in fantasy, and how his background influences his storytelling. His book Jester is currently a SPFBO finalist! Be sure to go grab a copy of that and his amazing debut, Majordomo! 00:00 Introduction and guest background 01:22 Working on audiobook narration during health crises 03:22 Transition from video games to indie fiction 04:50 Producing Mortal Kombat Legacy 07:00 Background in Hollywood and film 10:22 Writing style: humor and heavy themes 12:20 Inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons campaigns 20:20 Creating relatable characters from non-human races 30:34 Reader engagement and highlights 52:55 Unexpected reader reactions and highlights

  2. Sep 1

    Talking about Epic Fantasy, Brutal Battles, Morally Grey Characters and more with M.H. Ayinde

    In this episode, author M.H. Ayinde shares insights into her epic fantasy series, the creative process behind her book covers, and how her cultural background influences her storytelling. We explore themes of magic, colonialism, genre blending, and character development. Be sure to pick up both of her amazing books now!

  3. Aug 25

    Sci-Fi Romance Hidden Inside a Grim Future with Elliot Blake

    A sci-fi romance about two people trying to live their lives while the universe quietly comes apart, Elliot Blake reveals the gritty, fast-moving story behind Into the Great and why he chose to build a love story inside a world of mining planets, border-town thieves, and unnerving alien visitors who say nothing and stare. Blake brings an unusually deep entertainment background to the page. He is the executive producer of Apple TV’s The Sisters Grimm, and the director and executive producer of the three-season Moriarty Audible Original, set in a twisted Sherlock Holmes universe. That mix of animation, audio drama, and screen storytelling shapes everything about how he writes, from pacing and POV to the way he grounds big ideas in sharp character work. We break down how Into the Great went from a shelved comic concept to a prose novella, including the challenge of adapting from script-style writing into past tense fiction. We also get into the influences that shaped the book’s atmosphere: the lived-in grit of Blade Runner, Alien, The Expanse, John Scalzi, and the Culture novels of Iain M. Banks. If you love science fiction that's character-driven, and emotionally alive, this episode is for you.

  4. Aug 11

    Exploring Darkness and Complexity in Fiction with Sheila Masterson

    In this episode, Sheila Masterson joins us to discuss her latest works and the intricacies of writing dark romance. With a captivating mix of humor and seriousness, Sheila reveals the challenges and joys of creating complex characters in intense settings. Sheila shares her journey into the realm of dark romance, starting with her acclaimed book, The Poison Daughter. A story about a woman with a poison kiss, who lures unsuspecting men to their demise, until one night, things take an unexpected turn. Join us in exploring the full episode to hear more about Sheila's writing process and her exciting future projects. You won't want to miss it!

  5. Aug 5

    C.L. Clark on Fortune's Wake, writing about rage (not just feminine!), and Xena!

    Have you ever wondered how to build stories that truly resonate with readers who see themselves in the pages? C.L. Clark reveals how writing characters from marginalized communities creates immersive, emotionally charged worlds that fans obsess over. In this episode, Clark shares the surprising origins of Fortune’s Wake, the process for writing tight, impactful novellas, and how fan reactions unexpectedly brought their work into the spotlight. Don't miss Fortune's Wake, coming from Grimdark Magazine on 8/24!

  6. Jul 28

    Cal Logan Returns: Shadow Vein, Book Two Politics, and Real Yokai Folklore

    Cal Logan is back for round two, and it's the show's first return guest. His debut ShadowBane landed as one of Pete's picks for Indie Book of 2025, and the sequel, ShadowVein, closes out a very different kind of book two. Cal walks through the decision to pull back from book one's battle heavy structure and lean into political, character driven fantasy instead, a swing he knew was risky right after such a strong debut. We get into the covers, including the original concept Cal brought his artist that got scrapped for something stronger, and the color shift for book two that quietly sets up book three. Cal also breaks down how much of ShadowBane and ShadowVein pulls directly from real Japanese yokai folklore rather than invented mythology, why he chose feudal Japan over Western demon lore for the series' backbone, and the specific liberties he did and didn't feel comfortable taking with a culture that isn't his own. Plus how a planned single book split into a trilogy once the story kept growing past 700 pages, the advice Cal has for indie authors nervous to put themselves out there, and a first look at what's coming: a prequel novella covering the twins' early days, and a much bigger, war focused book three landing in 2028. =========================== Connect with Cal Instagram / TikTok: @cal_logan_author =========================== Connect with Realm Runners Subscribe: @realm_runners Follow Realm Runners: instagram.com/realm_runners Follow Pete: instagram.com/pete_reviews_books_good Follow Devin: instagram.com/bromantasy 0:00 — Intro and welcome back to episode twelve with Cal Logan 3:33 — Cal introduces Shadow Bane, Shadow Vein, and the Schism of Souls trilogy 4:41 — Why book two pulls back from action into political, character-driven fantasy 8:39 — Cover art process: the scrapped original concept and finding the right artist 11:40 — Book two's color shift and what it sets up for book three 27:35 — Splitting one massive manuscript into a trilogy 29:29 — Grimdark influences and that eight-message death scene 30:51 — How much of the demon mythology is real Japanese yokai folklore 32:25 — Why feudal Japan instead of Western demon lore 33:36 — Anime influences, Demon Slayer comps, and the Andy Palakin quote 37:21 — Advice for indie authors: being unafraid and staying genuine online 1:01:58 — The background mythology readers latched onto more than expected 1:03:11 — Why nothing an indie author writes goes to waste 1:04:51 — Book three update: war, mythology payoff, and a 2028 target 1:07:02 — The prequel novella: the twins' early days before Shadow Bane 1:08:26 — Wrap-up and where to find Cal

  7. Jul 21

    Jesse Aragon on Demon Star: Morally Gray Leads, X-Files Horror, and a Pierce Brown Blurb

    Pete has been dying to get Jesse Aragon on the show since he saw the cover of Demon Star back in January, and six months later the wait pays off. Jesse is a science fantasy author and full-time nurse whose debut, out July 28 from DAW, follows an exorcist and a demon-possessed warrior on a god-ruled, ruined planet, where the woman's son is chosen to become the vessel of a god-killing demon. We get into how that cover came together, down to Jesse sketching stick-figure poses on a work schedule and sending it to the artist as reference. Jesse walks through the wild road to this book: querying at 19, a shelved 180,000-word novel that died on submission, a second agent, and a leaner 109,000-word manuscript that DAW then asked to expand by 20 to 30 percent. We talk about writing morally compromised leads without losing reader investment, the deliberate choice to let a queer relationship be as messy and "problematic" as any straight one in the genre, and how years working trauma and emergency medicine feed directly into how Jesse writes violence: ugly, consequential, never just cool. Plus the exorcism horror movies and a half-remembered X-Files episode about a parasitic worm cult that Jesse didn't realize had shaped the whole book until a rewatch last year, the no-context text that delivered a Pierce Brown blurb, a second blurb from Rebecca Roanhorse that arrived the same way, and the advice Jesse has for anyone still years out from a book deal: the work still counts even when nobody's watching. Demon Star releases July 28 from DAW. Book two, a standalone set in the same universe, is already in progress. =========================== Connect with JesseInstagram: @jva_writes =========================== Connect with Realm RunnersSubscribe: @realm_runners Follow Realm Runners: instagram.com/realm_runners Follow Pete: instagram.com/pete_reviews_books_good Follow Devin: instagram.com/bromantasy Timestamps0:00 — Intro and welcome to episode eleven with Jesse Aragon 1:02 — Jesse introduces Demon Star, out July 28 4:39 — The cover: working with artist Kieran Yanner and the stick-figure pose sketch 7:42 — Commissioning character art before the book deal even existed 10:20 — What DAW let Jesse do: expanding from a lean 109K to a longer, fuller book 12:16 — Writing flashbacks that don't break immersion 17:00 — Writing morally compromised leads without losing the reader 20:04 — Committing to an unlikable character instead of softening her 22:32 — How ER and nursing work shaped writing injury and trauma 26:52 — Why violence should hurt on the page, not just look cool 27:48 — Getting blurbed by Pierce Brown with zero context 31:31 — Messy, complicated relationships and "problematic" queer representation 35:26 — The horror side: exorcism movies, bugs, and a childhood love of possession stories 38:06 — The X-Files parasite-cult episode that quietly inspired the whole book 42:06 — Advice for aspiring authors: querying at 19, a book deal at 30 49:38 — Book two: a standalone set in the same universe 53:03 — What's surprised Jesse about early reader reactions 59:15 — Where to find Jesse and wrap-up

  8. Jul 14

    She Wrote It in One Draft, Edited It Herself, and Narrated the Audiobook | Gemma Vale S2E9

    Gemma Vale discusses her debut novel 'Daughter of the Night' and her unique writing process, self-editing, and immersive marketing strategies. She also shares insights on her social media journey and the challenges of self-publishing. We cover Gemma Vale's writing process, the unique aspects of her editing style, the inspiration behind her book's shadows as characters, and the psychological horror elements of her upcoming work. Gemma also discusses her decision to self-publish and her approach to character perspectives in her writing. =========================== Connect with Gemma https://www.instagram.com/author.gemmavale/ =========================== Connect with Realm Runners Subscribe: @realm_runners Follow Realm Runners: instagram.com/realm_runners Follow Pete: instagram.com/pete_reviews_books_good Follow Devin: instagram.com/bromantasy Chapters 00:00 Immersive Marketing Strategies30:14 Inspiration from Stephen King and Editing Style31:10 Unique Editing Process and Self-Publishing Decision32:27 Shadows as Characters in the Book33:31 Psychological Horror Elements and Character Perspectives

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Pete and Devin sit down with fantasy, romantasy, sci-fi, and indie authors. Not for the press tour. For the real conversation. Books, movies, music, and whatever else comes up. Episodes streamed live on the @realm_runners youtube channel then uploaded to all platforms. Be sure to follow Pete on socials @Pete_Reviews_Books_Good and Devin @BroMantasy for the latest show updates and episode announcements!

Information

  • Creator
    Pete (Pete_Reviews_Books_Good) & Devin (BroMantasy)
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pete (Pete_Reviews_Books_Good) & Devin (BroMantasy)
  • Show Website
    Realm Runners